One divination a day, a trainee celestial master

Xia Qiu's pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpoints.

"Do you know what you're saying?!" Xia Qiu grabbed Jiang Shou's coat collar, her voice trembling with shock. "Secretary Zhao's house? They're holding a funeral for their only son who just passed away! And you're saying those three missing girls died in his basement?! And how do you know all this? Why are you involved in this case? And if it was in Secretary Zhao's basement, how did you get in?"

Jiang Shou let her grab his collar and made up a story: "I was meditating in a Taoist temple when the patriarch appeared to me in a dream. A woman had been harmed, and her wronged spirit was being held captive. I cast a divination to determine the location. Then, I used a secret Taoist technique that allowed me to briefly see the scene. When I found this place, I inquired and learned that it was the residence of a high-ranking official in the county."

Jiang Shou paused, his voice low but the content chilling: "Secretary Zhao's son died from a drug overdose, you should know that. To ensure his son wouldn't be lonely in the afterlife, and to avoid disrupting the feng shui of their ancestral graves… they found three innocent young girls, murdered them, dressed them in bright red phoenix coronet and wedding robes, and planned to arrange a 'one husband, three wives' ghost marriage for the corpse in the basement!"

Jiang Shou, seeing Xia Qiu's lips turn pale with shock, continued, "The coffin made of golden nanmu wood in the mourning hall of that villa was completely empty! The man's body is currently in the basement behind the wine cabinet in the storage room, with an extremely sinister old man guarding it, performing a ritual to seal his soul!"

Xia Qiu loosened Jiang Shou's collar and took half a step back.

Her mind was racing, and her chest was heaving violently.

As a criminal police officer, her reason told her that Jiang Shou's words were utterly absurd and even full of feudal superstition.

but!

The three missing girls were all young, beautiful, and single women. Furthermore, the surveillance cameras at the crime scene were either cleverly bypassed or mysteriously damaged. Such extensive and far-reaching counter-surveillance capabilities, capable of erasing every trace, are unparalleled in Qiyun County. Aside from those powerful figures who can control everything, who else could achieve this?!

This seemingly absurd motive of "ghost marriage" perfectly fills in the most missing and illogical link in this series of disappearances!

"These heartless beasts..."

Xia Qiu gritted her teeth, a furious rage blazing in her eyes. She slammed her fist heavily against a nearby tree trunk, sending leaves rustling down, then growled through gritted teeth, "How dare they harbor such heinous crimes against human life in the home of the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission! They are utterly lawless!"

After the initial anger subsided, Xia Qiu's rationality quickly returned, and her brows furrowed tightly into a knot.

……

This is a very tricky matter.

Xia Qiu looked at Jiang Shou, her tone filled with deep helplessness: "The deceased was Secretary Zhao's only son. His family is currently holding a funeral, and the house is full of relatives, friends, and various political figures who have come to pay their respects."

"We police officers are all about evidence. I can't exactly go knock on the chief's door in the middle of the night and tell him, 'I have a Taoist friend who did some divination and said there are three female corpses hidden in Secretary Zhao's basement. Please issue a search warrant as soon as possible.'" Xia Qiu gave a bitter smile. "Not only would the chief not approve it, but I wouldn't even be able to write a report. I'd just be suspended from duty for being mentally unstable."

Jiang Shou nodded; he fully understood the rules and difficulties within the system. This wasn't the home of just anyone; without solid evidence, who would dare lead a team to search the home of a current Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission?

"Therefore, we can only investigate secretly and obtain conclusive evidence." Xia Qiu took a deep breath, her eyes becoming extremely resolute, clearly indicating that she had already made up her mind.

"Tomorrow morning, I will change into civilian clothes and, in my private capacity as the head of the county criminal investigation team, go to the mourning hall at the villa to offer incense and pay my respects."

Xia Qiu quickly devised a plan: "Take advantage of the crowd and find an opportunity to sneak into the basement."

"I'll bring a miniature walkie-talkie and a concealed body camera. If I can sneak into the basement and film it, or confirm the existence of the three female corpses, then with that irrefutable evidence, I'll use the walkie-talkie to notify my trusted colleagues waiting outside to storm in! With the evidence irrefutable, even the King of Heaven himself couldn't cover up this massive murder case!"

This is indeed the safest approach at present.

But after listening, Jiang Shou decisively shook his head.

"No, it's too dangerous for you to go alone."

Jiang Shou looked at Xia Qiu, his tone serious: "Captain Xia, you might not understand the situation. That old man sitting behind the curtain is definitely not an ordinary criminal. He's a 'demonic Taoist' who knows how to set up a Yin Sha formation and can forcibly seal souls!"

"This kind of person has extremely keen senses, and their methods are unpredictable and bizarre. Even if you have a gun, in that narrow, enclosed basement, you might not be able to deal with them, or even have a chance to call for backup..."

Xia Qiu fell silent. Although she was an atheist, the incredible things she had witnessed in Jiang Shou made her hesitant to joke about such unknown things.

"Moreover, the entrance to the basement is hidden behind the wine cabinet in the first-floor storage room," Jiang Shou added. "That villa is so big; if you go in alone and wander around like a headless fly, it will easily arouse the suspicion of the Zhao family."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Xia Qiu gritted her teeth and looked at Jiang Shou.

Jiang Shou took a deep breath and met Xia Qiu's sharp, almond-shaped eyes.

"I'll go with you."

Jiang Shou said seriously, "Tomorrow I'll change into black clothes and pretend to be your follower or colleague. I'll lead the way. If we encounter that evil Taoist priest in the basement, I'll deal with him. You'll be responsible for taking photos as evidence and calling for backup."

Xia Qiu was taken aback when she heard the suggestion.

She looked at the extremely handsome young Taoist priest in front of her, who was usually quite unruly. She never expected that, in this dangerous situation where she knew it was like going through fire and water, and that she might even lose her life, he would actually volunteer to go on the adventure with her.

Xia Qiu's eyes flickered with a complex expression.

"it is good."

After a long pause, Xia Qiu reluctantly nodded, her tone softening slightly: "Wait for me at the intersection of this street at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Dress formally. Don't bring any eye-catching Taoist items."

"No problem, Captain Xia." Jiang Shou smiled slightly and made an "OK" gesture.

"Go back and get some rest. I'll go arrange for a few absolutely trustworthy brothers to go. Tomorrow's battle will be tough."

Xia Qiu opened the car door and got into the driver's seat. Before starting the engine, she took one last deep look at Jiang Shou.

As Xia Qiu's police car drove away from Chengmen Road, it disappeared into the night.

Jiang Shou stood still and exhaled a long breath.

"Taoist brother~"

Shen Xu floated down from mid-air and stopped beside Jiang Shou, blinking her eyes with a hint of gossip: "The way you looked at that policewoman just now was really strange. Do you like her? Not only did you call her out in the middle of the night, but you also volunteered to go to the lion's den to keep her company~"

"Kids, don't meddle in adults' business!"

"But... Brother Jiang, that basement is terrifying. Do you really want to go?" Shen Xu's face was full of worry. "That old man who rings the bell is really scary. I felt like my soul was about to leave my body when I saw him."

Jiang Shou raised his head and looked at the crescent moon in the night sky, which was half-hidden by dark clouds.

"Taking money to solve problems is a business. But since this divination has led me here, the injustice done to these three lives is a cause and effect I cannot avoid."

Jiang Shou felt the chilling coldness in his chest and sneered, "What do I care what kind of heretical Taoist he is? How dare he disregard human life and commit heinous crimes within the scope of my Shouyi Temple's business? Tomorrow, I'll show him what true orthodox Taoism is!"