Sometimes, it’s not the neighbors upstairs or downstairs or even the mice in the house making noises, but rather some eerie presence within the home.
But when you muster up the courage to turn on the lights and check, you find nothing. Eerie presences won’t let themselves be seen; if you saw them, they would cease to exist.
Most eerie presences only make small, harmless noises. A few, more powerful ones, might come to your bedroom, and while you are sound asleep, they might press down upon you, with a very small chance of resulting in sleep paralysis.
Run Sheng mused, "These three people were buried here, and even in death, their sentiments linger, not wishing to let go of another?"
Li Zhiyuan glanced at the corpse wrapped in the return home net and said:
"I suspect this body is not a victim’s."
"Ah, then whose is it?"
"What’s the antonym of ’victim’?"
"Brother Runsheng, could you lift me up? I don’t want to climb up and dirty my clothes."
Li Zhiyuan was lifted up, and Tan Yunlong reached out to pull him up.
"What happened just now down there?" Tan Yunlong immediately couldn’t help but ask.
He was just standing on top, when suddenly the mud splashed up and his vision blurred. Then he seemed to see a huge rat scurrying out. After a few moments, when his vision cleared, he saw a body wrapped in a net.
At this moment, Run Sheng effortlessly climbed up with one hand holding the net with the body, and the other hand grabbing onto the slope.
Tan Yunlong’s eyes widened. The strength required to lift a "living person" as if they were a small chicken was truly terrifying.
After the body was placed on top, Run Sheng quickly untied the net and put away the basket, then he turned around and jumped back into the pit to retrieve the Yellow River Shovel and Seven-star Hook, packing them up again.
He decided these tools were incredibly useful; he intended to earn his wages by working well in Grandmaster Sanjiang’s fields, save up enough money, and have Xiao Yuan make a set for himself as a family heirloom.
Tan Yunlong pulled out gloves from his pocket, put them on, and gently brushed the mud from the face and orifices of the corpse, his expression turning solemn.
Li Zhiyuan asked, "Is it Jiang Dongping?"
Tan Yunlong looked up at the boy in surprise, "Did you know already?"
Li Zhiyuan shook his head, "No, I just found out. There are two more skeletons underneath; Uncle Tan, could you ask someone to continue digging? It should be easy to dig."
The only one who could firmly be grasped by two victims and sink into the mud with them must be the perpetrator.
"I understand, thank you, Xiao Yuan."
"Could you give me a piece of Tai Sui Meat as thanks?"
"What do you want that for?"
"You know, Uncle Tan, a child’s curiosity is always strong."
Tan Yunlong took out a small plastic bag from his pocket with something resembling jelly inside. He moved closer to shield Li Zhiyuan from outside view and slipped the bag into his pocket.
"Promise me, don’t eat it, it might be poisonous."
"I won’t, but you’re really straightforward, Uncle Tan."
"There’s a big lump of it in the vat; giving you a piece is no problem."
"What, it’s already been fished out?" Li Sanjiang had only just lit a cigarette when he saw the job was done, so he could only mutter resentfully, "It seems like Shan Pao does teach his apprentices well."
"Grandmaster, Brother Runsheng and I will take the tricycle back first."
"Since the matter is finished, I’ll go with you guys. My butt hurts from sitting on the motorcycle."
"Grandmaster, you can’t leave. Officer Tan wants you to stay to help examine the body, as it’s been soaked in muddy water and you have experience."
Tan Yunlong looked at Li Zhiyuan with some confusion. Autopsies had professional coroners.
Nevertheless, he took off his gloves and grabbed Li Sanjiang’s hand: "Right, Grandmaster, you stay and help us analyze first. When we’re done, I’ll drive you home."
"Grandmaster, we’ll go first."
"Take care on the road, both of you. Marquis Runsheng, don’t ride too fast and damage my Little Yuanhou."
Run Sheng, carrying his tools, walked out of the gate and neatly placed his stuff on the tricycle. After he finished, he couldn’t help but touch it.
"Xiao Yuan, once I save enough money..."
"Brother Runsheng, be subtle and just take a quick glance at the small slope where we were before."
Pretending to keep arranging the tools, Run Sheng glanced out of the corner of his eye and noticed two people standing there who looked vaguely familiar.
"Seems like I’ve seen them somewhere before?"
"At the video parlor, those four loud ruffians."
Their boss, the man in the suit, had already been arrested to atone for his crimes. However, he was lucky enough that he was still at the stage of being recruited as a distributor and hadn’t gotten his hands on the goods, so there hadn’t been time to assign tasks to his three subordinates.
So those three ruffians were only kept in custody for a day and were released after being educated.
"They live nearby and came to watch the commotion?"
"Shigang isn’t as bustling and fun as Shinan. Why would someone living in Shigang go to Shinan to watch tapes? Brother Runsheng, take another look at their feet."
Run Sheng feigned casualness and took another peek, then bowed his head again: "Xiao Yuan, their feet are raised!"
"They’re here, finally. Our real targets have appeared."
Run Sheng silently grabbed the Yellow River Shovel and said, "I’ll go over now and smash their heads!"
"Brother Runsheng..."
"Don’t worry, Xiao Yuan, they definitely can’t run faster than me, especially since they still have to tip-toe."
"Brother Runsheng, there are so many police right next to us."
"The gangsters in Xiangjiang movies aren’t even as wild as you are."
"I was wrong, Xiao Yuan."