I created the myth of the Great Old Ones.

"???"

Stone glanced at Lu Ban.

"good idea."

Hia agreed.

"Wait a minute, is this how you usually complete missions in foreign lands?"

Stone choked on his smoke and asked.

"Didn't you used to be willing to kill those doctors and prostitutes to achieve your goals? Why aren't you willing to do it now?"

Shea looked at Stone, puzzled.

"I have already repented!"

Stone suddenly became agitated when his past was brought up.

"Besides, I'm also helping her get revenge... Murder is a means of destroying everything. Once you kill someone, something irreversible will happen. We can't just kill Byron based on deductions. Maybe he's just a hoodlum, or maybe he doesn't even know about the remains of the Crane Cry Taoist..."

He presents a contradictory state. On the one hand, Stone, in order to achieve his own goals and to help a call girl he had just met get revenge, cruelly murdered those gang members.

On the other hand, after so many years of growing up, Stone also understood the meaning of killing, and he became "cowardly," just like that boy who crouched down with his head in his hands on the bus that night after a night of arrogance.

Of course, Lu Ban was also certain that if the other party threatened Stone's life, then the detective would not hesitate to take action and grind the other party to dust.

"Alright, the problem now is that Byron might not come through normal channels. We don't know when or how he will arrive. In the meantime, we can search the manor."

Lu Ban said, then thought for a moment and added a few more words.

"Furthermore, Browning's family, I don't think they are completely unaware or indifferent to this place. They may also use various means to investigate the legacy of the Crane Cry Taoist."

Based on Lu Ban's experience, there are no irrelevant characters in this kind of mission. Browning's children, his business partners, and even his lover, all have a purpose.

He not only had to contend with the disciples of Crane Cry Taoist, but he might also have to contend with Browning's family.

After all, if they knew that there was a legacy of Daoist Heming here, they might be tempted to do evil, become greedy, and try to harm Lu Ban and the others.

Moreover, if the Taoist Heming could bewitch Browning, he might be able to bewitch his family as well.

With this in mind, Lu Ban had an idea.

“Since you are a detective and have accepted Browning’s commission, perhaps we can use the guise of an investigation to learn about Browning’s usual activities, see what he comes into contact with, and look for clues.”

That's exactly what I'm planning to do.

Stone stood up.

Just then, a panicked scream came from outside the house.

The screams were heart-wrenching, as if the most terrifying thing in the world had been seen.

Lu Ban rushed out of the restaurant.

Chapter 618 I Kill Myself

Lily stayed in her room, clutching a handkerchief, tense and anxious. Her thumbnail was uneven, a mark left from biting her nails when she was nervous. She had never had this habit before, and she didn't know when she had developed it.

She is terrified right now.

Lily was originally just a maid in the house. As a girl not yet twenty, her job was simple: to clean and take care of Mr. Browning.

Surprisingly, unlike the head maid who had warned her that old people were always difficult, the man, who was nearly sixty, was in good spirits and looked like a middle-aged man. Lily often mistook his age, thinking that she was taking care of an uncle who was only a dozen years older than her, not an old man.

Then, just like in many stories, Lily was thrown onto Browning's bed one night. This was quite common in the ruins. Beautiful maids were easily noticed by the masters and young masters of wealthy families. If they were lucky, they could become lovers and earn a considerable income for a period of time. If they were unlucky, they might be kicked out of their homes and end up in prostitution.

People like Lily are extremely rare.

She was originally considered Browning's mistress, but since Browning was a widow and had no mistress to persecute her, under normal circumstances, Lily might have been able to become his official mistress because of her pregnancy, or at least receive careful care along with her child.

Browning's sudden death made everything seem mysterious.

If more time had passed and Browning had already acknowledged her to his family, then Lily could have stayed at home, or been paid off by Browning's children.

But now, Browning's children, those shrewd guys, would certainly not acknowledge Lily's existence, and would even slander her and kick her out of the house.

Even worse, Lily heard that in some gang families, such troublesome women might be disposed of or sent to nightclubs to sell their bodies for money.

Her only support now is that detective, Stone.

Since the other party was commissioned by Browning, perhaps she could get protection from him, at least to save her life...

Thinking about this, Lily felt a little dizzy, and her throat felt uncomfortable as if something was about to come out. She went to the bathroom and gagged a couple of times, but a sharp pain and burning sensation in her stomach made her give up struggling. She turned on the tap, washed her face with water, and looked up.

Looking at her haggard face in the mirror, Lily saw water droplets on her young, delicate skin. She hadn't had a proper rest since Browning's death, so her eye bags were deep and her eyes were bloodshot.

bang-

Suddenly, she heard a metallic clanging sound behind her. She quickly turned around and found that something had just fallen from the bathroom shelf.

Lily picked up the bottle and put it back, then felt something float past her.

When Lily turned around, she only saw her reflection in the mirror.

At that moment, Lily suddenly felt that something was wrong.

She carefully observed her pale face in the mirror, and then she was shocked to find that Lily in the mirror was slowly raising the corners of her mouth, revealing a strange smile.

Upon seeing this, Lily's mouth gaped slightly, her heart pounded, and her whole body tensed. She watched as Lily in the mirror, with that cruel and sinister smile, raised both hands and reached towards her smooth neck, firmly grasping it and gradually tightening her grip.

Lily glanced at her hand but didn't raise it as she saw in the mirror.

But the next moment, two handprints appeared on Lily's neck. The handprints became deep and dark, binding her neck tightly and making it impossible for Lily to breathe.

She suffocated.

Lily raised her hand to struggle, but found that she couldn't grab the hand in the mirror. She looked at the reflection in the mirror, which looked exactly like her, and saw a cruel smile. Her fear spread, and soon, Lily felt herself being lifted up.

Two invisible hands lifted her feet off the ground. Lily kicked her legs repeatedly, but to no avail. She felt everything go black before her eyes and was about to faint.

At that moment, perhaps by coincidence, or perhaps by some unseen will to survive, Lily felt the hand gripping her neck loosen a little. Taking advantage of this brief moment, Lily used all her strength to scream.

Even Lily herself thought the scream was a bit loud. The next moment, the feeling of being bound around her neck intensified, and she could only make a faint whimper, like the mournful cry of a small animal before it dies.

Lily didn't know how much time had passed. Just as this short life was beginning to appear before her eyes, a loud bang came from outside the door. Suddenly, she felt the hand that was choking her throat release its grip.

thump--

Lily knelt on the ground, her vision still blurry. She saw that the person who came did not seem to be the detective, but one of the man and woman that Browning had invited. The lack of oxygen to her brain caused Lily's consciousness to begin to fade, and she quickly fainted.

Lu Ban first used [True Sight] to look around, but found no trace of the monster.

He crouched down and checked Lily's breathing; it was faint, but still present.

Two handprints can be seen on the woman's neck, made with great force, almost snapping her slender neck. The hand had just released itself from her neck.

She almost strangled herself to death!

Lifting Lily's eyelids, Lu Ban saw that her pupils were slightly dilated and she did not react to the light.

Although he didn't die, it's estimated that he suffered some brain damage.

Looking around, Lu Ban's gaze fell on the mirror.

He leaned closer and saw a serious expression on his face in the mirror.

Lu Ban tapped on the mirror to confirm that the back of the mirror was solid.

"What happened... Oh my god!"

After Stone and Shea arrived, Ms. Emma, ​​who was holding a fan, took a deep breath when she saw Lily lying on the ground.

"What's up with her?"

Browning's son, Rum, arrived next. He heard the screams and came over. Seeing several people in Lily's room, he asked somewhat flusteredly.

"She must have been under the influence of some kind of curse or spell, and almost killed herself."

Stuart said it in a way that is easy to understand and doesn't require much explanation.

For the people of the ruined city, this explanation applies to most situations. Anyway, Stone wouldn't bother explaining pollution or otherworldly things, and monsters are just too far-fetched.

"This mansion may be cursed by Daoist Heming. It's best if everyone stays together and doesn't act alone."

"A curse?"

Seeing Lily unconscious, Ms. Emma covered her mouth with her fan.

Chapter 619 This is how detective novels are written

Looking at Lily, who was lying on the sofa and had resumed normal breathing, Lu Ban looked at the people in the room.

Now the group has reunited.

As for the servants, they were not summoned and continued to do their jobs dutifully.

"This house contains the wealth of Daoist Heming. No wonder my father's health improved so much after moving in, and he even looked younger..."

Rum glanced at Lily, whose eyes were tightly closed, and said awkwardly.

"Mr. Stone, you'll help us find that thing, right?"

"I can only guarantee that I will do my best, but if a major danger is encountered, I may have to reassess the price of this commission."

Stone answered calmly.

"Is she possessed by a ghost?"

"Ms. Emma asked curiously."

"That's it."

Stone responded.

“This house contains not only the wealth of Daoist Heming, but also his curse. If the curse cannot be avoided, everyone will die, including you and me.”

"But these servants, who have lived here for many years, and the steward, have not encountered any danger. How can that be explained?"

Rum countered with a question.

"Perhaps Ms. Lily accidentally touched the relics of Daoist Heming."

Stone looked around the room and said in a serious tone.