Chapter 125: The Strange Case from Fifty Years Ago

Li Muyang, praised by his master, scratched the back of his head and chuckled. I took a sip of tea and, suddenly recalling the events in the illusion, asked, "Master, I saw a note in the illusion yesterday that said, 'Don't get too deep, I'm here.' Were those six words meant for me from you?"

Master paused, set down his teacup, and said, "A note? What note? I didn't send you any note."

Hearing this, I grew confused and muttered to myself, "Then where did it come from? I remember I didn't take any note with me when I went to the righteous village."

Seeing my worried expression, Master patted my shoulder and said, "Don't overthink it. Let things take their course."

I nodded. A moment later, the door opened, and Li Xin placed a stack of folders in front of Master. "Senior, I've found it. These are the specialized records regarding that mysterious case from fifty years ago."

Master nodded at the folders and hurriedly opened them. He pulled out several black-and-white photographs and a few reports filled with dense text. As he spread the contents across the table, Li Xin leaned in curiously and sat beside him. Master shifted over and asked, "Is everything about that case from fifty years ago here?"

Li Xin nodded. Master picked up the five black-and-white photos, examining them one by one. I took one myself and saw dozens of corpses lying on the ground, blood covering the floor. Because the photos were black and white, the blood didn't appear red. I looked through several more; they were all images of corpses and the tragic state of the village at the time. Master frowned and set the photos down. Li Muyang, curious, picked them up to look as well.

Master and Li Xin said nothing, instead picking up one of the reports. Master read it carefully, muttering, "Approximately three hundred victims, time of death around midnight. Due to a lack of technical equipment, the exact hour cannot be verified..."

Master continued reading, flipping through several pages until he reached the end, where he read aloud, "Ultimately, this technique was placed under the control of the Maoshan Sect and listed as a forbidden art. No one is to touch it; those found doing so will be subject to a kill order."

After reading, Master finally set the document down and leaned back on the sofa, resting his chin on his hand. Li Xin looked at him and asked, "Senior, did you find anything?"

Master shook his head, then nodded, a gesture that left us quite baffled. He sat up straight, pointed to the black-and-white photos, and said, "This case is likely the same one we encountered last night, but the method of killing is different. Look at the people in these photos: their mouths are wide open, their eyes are bulging, and blood is streaming from their seven orifices. It's clear they were scared to death, their fear amplified countless times over. Now, look at the case we encountered yesterday. Although both involved illusions, the killing method is clearly different; the victims were all throat-slitted. If I'm not mistaken, the killer probably realized we were practitioners and, fearing we would interfere with his plot, used the illusion on us."

Master's reasoning seemed to hold some weight. A case that had seemed impenetrable now began to show some clues. Li Xin looked at the photos and then at Master. "Senior, what do you intend to do?"

Master pondered for a while before saying, "Here is the plan: help me investigate who in the supernatural community is capable of using illusions or mind-altering spells. The more detailed, the better. For now, we have to use the most tedious method to deduce this one by one. The truth will never vanish; it is just waiting for the right moment. This matter will require your full attention. And you two, stop running around aimlessly for the next few days. The sooner we close this case, the sooner we can relax."

Li Muyang, Li Xin, and I all nodded. As for "relaxing," in hindsight, it only led to more exhaustion. The supernatural world is not a place for ordinary people; it is like a martial arts film—it's either you or them. Most of the time, we practitioners are constantly on the move, either making money, fleeing for our lives, or seeking revenge. It's that simple. "Relaxing" was never really on the cards, though that is a story for another time.

We divided the work: Li Muyang and I would go to the Criminal Investigation Division to check the autopsy reports, while Master would return to the scene. Li Xin began working at his desk. Everything seemed routine. Li Muyang and I took a taxi to the station. Upon arrival, we were stopped by a guard at the gate who refused to let us in, his arrogant attitude leaving me both annoyed and helpless. I looked around and suddenly saw Captain Liu walking out of the station with an officer, holding a file and discussing something.

I was delighted to see Captain Liu and waved, shouting, "Captain Liu! Captain Liu!"

No sooner had I called out than the guard pressed my hand down, frowning. "What are you shouting for? This isn't your home. I've warned you; if you don't leave, I'll have you detained."

I ignored him and called for Captain Liu again. The captain heard me, looked up in confusion, and upon seeing me, he paused. He closed his file, handed it to the officer beside him, and walked toward us. The guard, seeing me ignore his warning, moved to forcibly restrain me, but before he could, Captain Liu shouted, "New guy, what are you doing?"

The guard froze and looked at the captain. "Captain Liu, they are trying to trespass."

Captain Liu waved him off. "During work hours, neglecting your duty? Do you know what standing guard means? It means observing your surroundings and reporting incidents, not laying hands on people. That's enough. Get back to your post and keep your eyes sharp next time."

With a stern look, Captain Liu turned to me with a welcoming smile. The guard stood there, stunned, watching us walk away. Realizing how foolish he had acted, he slapped his own face and whispered, "Why couldn't I control myself? Damn it, life is going to be hard from now on!"

I, of course, did not hear this. As we walked inside, Captain Liu smiled at me and asked, "Xiaoxuan, what brings you here? Where is Boqing?"

I looked at him and replied, "Master has other business, so he sent me to check on something. By the way, is the autopsy report ready?"

"It is. I was just about to send it to you. Come, I'll take you to see it." Captain Liu walked with his hands behind his back.

I followed him to the forensic department. The head was still Dr. Chen. Since the case at Duoyuan Lake, Dr. Chen had changed his perspective on us, likely because Captain Liu had explained what happened. The captain was a man of his word, and Dr. Chen had come to trust him. When he saw me, he offered a slight smile. "Hello."

I nodded and smiled back. "Hello."

We shook hands, and Captain Liu laughed. "You two aren't strangers, why be so formal?"

We both chuckled awkwardly. Captain Liu then asked, "Old Chen, how is the autopsy report from last night?"

Dr. Chen remembered and retrieved a thick folder from his drawer, handing it to the captain. Captain Liu opened it, picked out a report, and gave it to me. I read it carefully; the cause of death was identical to what we had found, and the time of death was precise. I flipped through the other reports and asked, "Are all the victims like this?"

Dr. Chen nodded. I took out my phone and called my master.