For thirty years, he has roamed the Northeast, his divine might overwhelming all immortals under hea

The middle-aged policeman strode up to me, his eyes sharp as lightning. He quickly scanned my face, paused for a moment, and then extended his large, rough, and bony hand.

"I am Sun Dasheng, the captain of the county criminal investigation team."

His voice was loud and clear, full of energy, carrying a seasoned confidence and undeniable strength.

This name... instantly reminded me of that well-known novel, but the person in front of me seemed to have a more somber and menacing aura than the monkey in that book.

"Hello, Captain Sun."

I reached out and shook his hand. He had a strong grip and thick calluses on his palm.

He turned to the side, pointed to the round-faced policeman behind him, and spoke casually but clearly.

"This is Zhu Daneng."

It also points to a tall, thin person.

"The Sha family."

"The officer on duty gave a brief explanation of your situation. Could you please take a closer look at the items? Let's go upstairs and discuss it."

He led me to a north-facing office on the second floor. The room was small and simply furnished.

Two old desks placed side by side, with yellowed newspaper clippings and phone numbers pressed under the glass on the tabletops; a few wooden chairs; a tin filing cabinet with peeling paint; and a map of the county town and an old "Advanced Criminal Investigation Unit" certificate pasted on the wall.

It was a bit cold inside.

Sun Dasheng gestured for me to sit down, and Zhu Daneng poured a cup of hot water and placed it in front of me. The enamel mug had the word "award" printed in red on the outside.

I took the thing out of my arms and put it on the table.

Broken porcelain shards, blue cloth scraps, and a brass cigarette holder. Next, I described the location and general process of the discovery as detailed and objectively as possible, omitting all the parts about "yin energy," "the perception of vengeful spirits," and the existence of Huang Dalang, only emphasizing that it was based on common sense and the anomalies of the traces at the scene.

Sun Wukong listened very attentively, his eyes never leaving the evidence.

He first picked up the brass cigarette holder, but instead of wiping it with a cloth immediately, he looked at it carefully from different angles in the gradually brightening sunlight outside the window. He then gently rubbed the patterns covered with dirt with the pad of his thumb, and his thick black eyebrows gradually furrowed into a knot.

"This pattern... is dirty, but it's definitely not machine-pressed. There are traces of hand-carving, which is quite unique."

As he spoke, he handed the cigarette holder to the wealthy man next to him.

"Big shot, you have a sharp eye, take another look."

Sha Da Hu took the cigarette holder, but instead of wiping it with his hand, he took out a magnifying glass wrapped in old velvet from his drawer.

This is a rare tool for investigating cases.

He leaned closer to the window, squinted his seemingly unfocused eyes, and examined the cigarette holder with a magnifying glass for a long time, even gently scraping off a bit of the hardened grime from the edges with his fingers.

Then he pursed his lips, a hint of seriousness in that habitual curve.

"Captain, no doubt about it, it's a custom-made item. The copper is decent, and the workmanship is fine. Look at the engraving here... this bend, and the strength of the strokes here, it looks like a variant of the character 'Liu'. The cloud pattern on the side is also an old style, which is rarely engraved now. It's not something you can buy at the supply and marketing cooperative."

Zhu Daneng picked up the dark blue piece of polyester fabric, rubbed it between his thick but surprisingly nimble fingers, and then examined the texture and torn edges of the fabric against the light.

"Team Leader Sun, this fabric is the kind of material our female workers in the county often use for their work uniforms and the spring and autumn shirts they make themselves. The thickness and color match perfectly. The key is this tear."

He gestured with his fingers to indicate the name.

"Look at these stubble, they're all different lengths, and they look like they were pulled apart. It doesn't look like they were naturally torn by a branch or something, but rather like they were forcefully pulled apart."

Sun Dasheng lifted his gaze from the evidence and placed it back on my face, his eyes sharp as if he wanted to peel off layers of masks.

"Young man, your accent sounds a bit like you're from the north. Why are you so concerned about this? Going to the back of a factory in the middle of the night all by yourself, that takes guts."

His questions were direct and intimidating, a characteristic of detective work.

I had already prepared my answer in my mind, and when I met his gaze, I tried to keep my tone calm.

"I'm a smuggler, just trying to make a living. I've traveled to many places and heard all sorts of things. Last night, I stopped at a roadside inn and overheard my roommates discussing the cement factory. They were talking about it in great detail, especially the timing, the relationships between the people involved, and some other details. It sounded too 'well-organized' to seem like a simple accident. Since I happened to overhear it and felt it might involve lives, I thought I'd go check it out. If something was wrong, I could provide some clues to the police. I never expected to actually find these things."

I paused for a moment, then added, "Human life is at stake; we can't let this go unpunished."

Sun Dasheng stared at me for a good ten seconds. The only sounds in the office were the occasional crackling of the newly lit stove and the faint sound of broadcast gymnastics music coming from outside.

His eyes were deep, as if he were weighing and judging every word I said.

Then, he slowly nodded, his facial muscles relaxing slightly, but the sharpness in his eyes remained undiminished.

"The clues you provided are very valuable, especially the location and condition of the cigarette holder and the piece of cloth. We will immediately send people to re-examine and collect evidence from these items and the specific location you mentioned."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming more somber, and a sharp glint flashed in the depths of his eyes, as if he had already seen through something.

"Also, there's something I'd like to verify with you... Regarding the technical department of the bearing factory, there's a technician named Chen Jianguo, everyone calls him Old Chen. Did you have dinner at the Weimin Restaurant in the city last night?"

My heart skipped a beat.

This Captain Sun is not only quick to react, but also has such a well-connected information network?

It's only been a few hours since I left the noodle shop, yet he's already managed to connect my brief whereabouts with Old Chen?

Or perhaps he and his men had already noticed Old Chen's unusual state, and might even have been secretly investigating the bearing factory, or even some unknown, hidden connection between it and the cement factory.

It seems that beneath the seemingly calm and murky surface of this small county town, the undercurrents are more complex and turbulent than I imagined.

The Captain Sun Dasheng before us, with his eagle-like eyes and a name that carries a playful tone, is probably no ordinary county public security officer.

"Yes."

I readily admit that I know hiding it is pointless.

"I ate at that restaurant. I saw that Mr. Chen. He looked unwell and seemed dazed. He said some things that were unsettling, like reminding me to lock the door properly at night."

Sun Dasheng quickly exchanged a glance with Zhu Daneng and Sha Dahu.

There was confirmation, solemnity, and a sense of "as expected, we're involved."

"This matter."

Sun Dasheng lowered his voice even further, with a professional level of caution and a deeper vigilance, as if he had touched upon some dangerous boundary.

"It might be more complicated than the rumors you initially heard, and more complicated than the physical evidence you found. Find a place to settle down in the county town, a guesthouse or a decent hotel, and don't leave for now. We'll likely need to get more information from you, especially regarding the details of the discovery of this evidence."

He deliberately pointed with his gaze at the brass cigarette holder on the table.

"besides……"

He paused, then focused his gaze back on my face, as if trying to capture the most subtle change in my expression.

"Regarding that waste pit area, besides what you see, do you 'feel' anything else amiss? For example, the environment, the atmosphere, or... any other 'feeling'?"

His last question was extremely skillful. It didn't explicitly use any supernatural terms, yet it opened the floodgates, seemingly testing whether I possessed a kind of "sensitivity" beyond ordinary people, or whether I was willing to reveal more subtle discoveries.

I met his gaze, which seemed to penetrate my very soul, and remained silent for two seconds before slowly speaking, choosing my words carefully.

"It felt... that pool of water was incredibly heavy and incredibly cold. Standing on the edge of it wasn't like standing on the edge of an ordinary pond. The chill seeped into my bones. The water... seemed to contain more than just water, more than just mud and debris. I felt... there was something very heavy sinking down there, not just in terms of weight."

I didn't put it more bluntly, but that already hinted at something unusual.

Sun Wukong's eyes suddenly narrowed, and his pupils seemed to contract slightly.

He didn't press for details about what he meant by "something very heavy," but simply nodded slowly and heavily, his expression becoming even more serious.

He turned to Zhu Daneng and resumed his crisp, commanding tone.

"Great Master, first take this comrade to make a detailed formal statement. Every detail must be recorded clearly: the time, the place, how it was discovered, and what his original words were. Then..."

He looked at me again, his tone leaving no room for doubt, carrying the authority unique to the police.

"Remember my words: find a place to stay and stay in touch. Don't mention what happened tonight or this morning to anyone until you receive clear instructions from us, and don't go near the cement factory area again. Wait for our news."

"I understand, I understand."

I was then taken away by Zhu Daneng to give a detailed statement.

After I finished giving my statement, Zhu Daneng even took the initiative to find me a small hotel near the police station.

In the early days of reform and opening up, small hotels like these sprang up like mushrooms after rain in the county town, if not like mushrooms after rain.

The environment isn't as nice as Boss Zhao's, but at least it's clean.

"Mr. Li, please stay here for a few days and wait for our news. You can wander around the county town during the day, but you must come back at night."

I nodded in response to Zhu Daneng's reminder.

After all, they're police officers.

Don't worry.

"Mr. Li, you should rest first. I have something to attend to."

After finishing his sentence, Zhu Daneng hurriedly left.

Only then did I have time to say a few words to the hotel owner.

The boss was a burly man with an unfamiliar face.

It was almost zero degrees Celsius outside. Although there was some heating inside, it wasn't very warm. The boss was shirtless, and his body was covered in layers of fat.

In those days when people didn't dare to eat too much, how did he manage to get so fat?

"Boss, where are we staying?"

"They're all small single rooms, 8 cents a night. There's paper and pen here, so register yourself with your name, ID number, and where you came from."

The shopkeeper didn't look at me; instead, he was playing with a pair of walnuts in his hand.

He pushed the paper and pen on the table toward me.

I pulled out a 100-yuan note.

"I'll stay for one night."

The boss immediately changed his attitude upon seeing the large group of people.

"Young man, you're quite capable! How about this, if you stay for a longer period, I'll give you a discount. I saw Officer Zhu brought you here earlier, so you must be a VIP. How about this, if you stay for 5 nights, it's only 6 cents a night, how about that?"

What could I say? I could only give an awkward smile.

"Huh, uh..."

"Alright!"

"Alright, brother, you seem like a straightforward person. Here, this is rice wine that my dad brewed last year. It's only four degrees alcohol, sweet and delicious, and won't give you a headache. It's like sweet water."

The boss simply pushed a small pot of rice wine onto my plate.

It made me a little embarrassed.

"this………"

"Hey, here you go. You've been so supportive of my business, how could I be short of drinks!"

"Well... thank you."

"Don't mention it, come inside, the second to last room, that's where I recently changed my bedding."

I nodded and walked inside.

Pushing open the door to the room, I was greeted by a fresh scent of laundry soap.

But when I looked at the room, although it was called a hotel, it was actually just a small room partitioned off with boards.

But it's still better than a roadside inn, right?

At the very least, it's very quiet.

I put the rice wine aside and lay down on the bed.

It's all just hype.

It's very soft.

I didn't get a good night's rest last night because of the cement factory, so I'm actually a bit sleepy now.

I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

I don't know how much time passed, but then I heard rustling footsteps outside.

Footsteps lingered at the doorway, along with other scattered sounds.

It sounded like someone was speaking, but I couldn't hear it clearly.

I slowly opened my eyes; the room was pitch black.

The yellowish light from outside shone through the gap at the bottom of the door.

"I don't even know what time it is!"

I got out of bed and stretched comfortably.

That feeling of stretching and relaxing made my whole body feel refreshed.

I pushed open the door; the hotel was quiet.

I quickly straightened my clothes and walked towards the hotel entrance.

The boss was still shirtless, with a yellowed book covering his face.

Three words were clearly written on the cover.

Jin Ping Mei.

The value of these three words is self-evident.

In this day and age, it's amazing that this book still exists and can still be read.

There's clearly some explanation for this.

I pushed open the door, and a gust of cold wind rushed in.

The boss shuddered, and I thought he would wake up, but it was just a shudder; he turned over and went back to sleep.

Seeing that he didn't react, I went out.

It was getting late at night, the sky was overcast, and there was no moon.

How come I slept for so long?

I can't believe it myself.

But right now, we still need to find something to eat to fill our stomachs.

Just then, Huang Dalang's voice suddenly rang out.

"Thirteen, turn left at the intersection ahead, there's meat to eat."

"Okay!"

Who doesn't love meat?

I walked so fast it felt like I was flying.

But when I turned the corner, I was truly dumbfounded.

There's no meat here!

It was clearly a girl lying unconscious on the ground.

The girl's actual age was hard to guess; I'd guess she was around fifteen or sixteen.

"Thirteen, what are you doing? Don't just stand there and stare, go for it!"

"ah………"