Chapter 005: You've Been Possessed

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The music in the nightclub was deafening, the dance floor packed with people twisting to the beat, while others loitered in the corners furtively getting high. The Daoist priestess standing before me was no longer clad in her ceremonial robes; she’d tied up her hair and was smoking a cigarette, her eyes closed as she inhaled. When I called her name several times, my voice was swallowed by the raucous music, so I had to tap her on the shoulder to get a reaction. She finally acknowledged me with a smile and motioned for me to sit. She was wearing a low-cut top under a flimsy jacket, and I found it impossible to reconcile this image with the solemn exorcist I’d seen before.

Once seated, I asked why she chose to meet in a place like this. To my surprise, she laughed and asked if I was uncomfortable here. I didn’t answer, just nodded. In the years I’d spent running with the underworld, I’d frequented my share of such venues; what unsettled me wasn’t the nightclub itself, but seeing the priestess like this.

Soon, she got to the point. She introduced herself and told me to call her Yunqing—that was her Daoist name. Then Yunqing told me I’d been possessed by something unclean. Discussing such matters in a nightclub struck me as almost comical, but I feigned fear and asked how to resolve it. Yunqing kept her eyes closed, muttering under her breath, which looked to me like pure theatrics. But then she said something that took me aback: if she wasn’t mistaken, I’d seen something unclean again tonight. Instantly, I remembered the ghostly face I’d glimpsed on the rooftop.

My suspicions grew—what I’d seen might be connected to Yunqing. I’d never believed in ghosts or spirits, let alone feared them. Yunqing seemed highly suspect; if that ghostly face was some trick of hers, she probably knew about our surreptitious visit to the crime scene tonight.

Uncertain, I kept up the act. Yunqing pulled a yellow talisman from her bag and warned me that from tonight on, I might keep seeing unclean things. She told me to keep the charm with me, and within three days, the apparitions would vanish.

I glanced at her bag—it was a designer brand.

I took the talisman and asked how much it cost. Yunqing first waved her hand with the air of a sage, saying it was up to fate, but after a drag on her cigarette, she quoted an exorbitant price.

I sneered inwardly but put on a troubled face. I told her I didn’t have that kind of money. She asked how much I could give, making her seem even more like a swindler. I emptied my pockets of spare change. Yunqing’s expression darkened; she asked if I was making a fool of her.

I scratched my head and said it was all the money I had left.

To my surprise, Yunqing took the pile of coins and said to consider it a charitable act. She stood to leave, moving faster than I expected, and I hadn’t even had the chance to probe her with all the questions I’d prepared. I called after her, but then she said something that shocked me even more.

“If you don’t want to end up dead, stop investigating the Ghost Dinner case,” she said over her shoulder.

Despite the pounding music, I heard her clearly. So Yunqing did know we’d secretly inspected the scene tonight. I dropped the pretense, my voice turning cold as I asked what if I insisted on pursuing the case.

She turned around. “If you keep digging, you’ll never leave the harbor alive.” With that, she tried to leave, but I grabbed her and demanded to know if she was involved in the Ghost Dinner case. Unable to break free, she suddenly began screaming at the top of her lungs.

She shouted, “Molester!”

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Immediately, we drew the attention of everyone nearby. A few blond punks tried to step in for Yunqing, but I kicked two of them hard between the legs before they could get close. Another tried to grab my shoulder, but I flipped him to the ground with a judo throw.

No one else dared intervene. Yunqing’s face was pale; she clearly hadn’t expected me, who’d always acted so mild-mannered, to be so ruthless in a fight. I grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the club. Luo Feng and Chen Fan had been waiting outside for some time.

Luo Feng made a few jokes about Yunqing’s outfit, but she’d dropped all pretense of being a wise mystic and was cursing foully. Luo Feng’s face turned dark, but he never hit women. Several people from the club followed us out, clearly after me, but when they saw Luo Feng at my side, they quickly slunk away.

I held Yunqing’s hand tightly and demanded answers.

She struggled a few times, then gave up, looking at me with a smug smile, refusing to speak, as if waiting to see what I’d do next. Our scuffle soon attracted the attention of patrolling police officers. I had to let go, and Yunqing made no move to press charges.

“Remember what I said—if you don’t want to be haunted by evil spirits, leave the harbor while you still can.” With that, Yunqing hailed a taxi and left.

I told Luo Feng to have someone follow her and report any suspicious behavior immediately. I also asked him to investigate Yunqing thoroughly. Her actions were just too suspicious. That night, we returned to our hotel. Luo Feng had gotten us a larger suite.

Chen Fan no longer dared to keep watch over me and had to accept that we’d each have our own room.

Soon, Luo Feng’s men returned with news. Yunqing had entered a residential complex—apparently her home. Luo Feng waved them off, instructing them to maintain surveillance.

When I finally lay down, half asleep, I noticed the lights were on, but in the blink of an eye, they dimmed. The lights kept flickering on and off; at first, I thought there was an electrical fault, but soon realized it wasn’t that simple. I sat up. Not only did the incandescent lights in the room flicker, but they suddenly changed colors.

The heating in the room went cold, and goosebumps prickled my skin. I reached for the light switch, but it was dead. A kaleidoscope of colors flashed before my eyes. Groping for the phone on the bedside table, I dialed Luo Feng’s number.

But all I heard on the line were shrill, mournful cries.

Cursing, I rushed for the door, but as soon as I opened it, I collided with someone and fell to the floor. Looking up, I heard Luo Feng’s voice. He helped me to my feet and asked what had happened.

When I glanced back at the room, it was pitch dark. The colored lights had vanished, and I realized I was drenched in cold sweat. I walked back in and flipped the switch; the lights came on, the heating was fine.

I’d left the phone on the bed. I checked the call log over and over—sure enough, I’d dialed Luo Feng’s number. I asked him if he’d gotten my call just now; he said yes, but I hadn’t spoken, so he’d come right over.

Yunqing’s face flashed through my mind. I quickly pulled out the yellow talisman she’d given me. Dawn was breaking—it was already six in the morning. I told Luo Feng there was something wrong with the talisman.

Before the sun was fully up, we went to an appraisal center and paid for an expert to examine the charm. The technician looked at us with obvious disdain. Two hours later, the results were in. I frowned at the outcome: there was nothing unusual about the talisman.

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Luo Feng had already figured out the sequence of events, but he still couldn’t understand why I kept seeing unclean things. With no other leads, we returned to the hotel. Chen Fan was still asleep. Luo Feng dragged him out of bed.

After hearing about my latest bizarre encounter, Chen Fan had no desire to keep investigating. Not even Luo Feng’s threats moved him. I grabbed Chen Fan by the collar. “Make up your mind—die in the harbor, or go back to Beijing and get promoted?”

He was about to refuse, but when he heard the last part, he hesitated. He asked what I could do to get him promoted, and whether I had connections up top. Chen Fan’s personality doomed him to mediocrity.

I shook my head and told him that as long as he did what I said, we could solve the Ghost Dinner case in the harbor—and he’d be the one credited with cracking it.

Chen Fan was half convinced, half doubtful. He asked if I truly had a way to solve the case. I nodded, telling him there wasn’t a case I couldn’t crack.

Chen Fan hesitated further, so I left him in the room and went out to smoke with Luo Feng.

Luo Feng was getting angry and said he wanted to deal with Chen Fan himself. I shook my head—Chen Fan was still useful to me. The harbor police were no more capable than those on the mainland, and the Ghost Dinner case wasn’t going to be solved easily.

“I still think the Ghost Dinner case is linked to that person. Out of all the people in the harbor, the killer just happened to murder the four people I sent to search for someone. It can’t be a coincidence,” I told Luo Feng.

Luo Feng sighed. “You’ve been looking for him for years.”

“I have to keep searching,” I replied.

I couldn’t show my face; any clues I uncovered would have to be presented through Chen Fan.

When we returned, Luo Feng asked Chen Fan with a menacing glare if he’d made up his mind. Chen Fan was still unsure and asked if I was certain there were no ghosts.

I assured him, absolutely, that there are no ghosts in this world.

Chen Fan said, “Then tell me—what were those things you saw?”