Chapter 10: The Eerie Corpse at No. 2 Middle School
Once he caught a clear glimpse of the corpse’s face, Jiang Louqi suddenly felt an urge to take the gum he was chewing and stick it right onto the body.
A heavy rain had likely fallen the previous night; after soaking for so long, the base of the trees gave off the foul stench of rotting wood.
Looking forward from the base of a tree, there lay a fresh, not yet fully decomposed body, its pre-death features still faintly discernible.
The right leg showed a massive area of trauma; a long, deep scar had completely separated the flesh from the bone. Numerous white maggots, visible to the naked eye, writhed on that thigh as if tens of thousands of them were congregating together.
But the strangest part was that all ten of the corpse’s fingers had been hacked off with some kind of blunt instrument and then stuffed, one by one, into its mouth.
The lips had been extended on both sides all the way to the ear roots, and that shape weirdly formed the appearance of a smiling face.
The dead body stared with bloodshot eyes, appearing to have suffered immense pain and terror before death. Its messy hair was matted with blood and mud, creating a scene of exceptional desolation.
“Xiao Zhou, take photos.” Jiang Louqi squatted down and put on work gloves. He gently closed the corpse’s cloudy eyes, his sharp gaze scanning the body with a composed and cautious air.
“Got it, Brother Jiang!” Zhou Jiayi raised the work camera hanging around his neck and began a flurry of frantic shooting, capturing the scene from every conceivable angle.
The younger police officer stood dazed on the spot, stunned by their seamless, practiced coordination.
Only the veteran officer dared to step forward and scold them: “Which department are you from? Don’t you know that unauthorized personnel aren’t allowed in here?”
Jiang Louqi pulled out a work ID and held it before the man’s eyes, his tone calm yet stern. “We’ve taken over this case. Stay out of it.”
The veteran officer squinted his aged eyes to read the position and identity on the ID, and his previously fierce expression instantly melted into a kindly smile.
He rubbed his calloused hands, his tone even carrying a hint of regret. “Oh, oh! You must be the Director Jiang who just took office recently, right? Ah, seeing you reminds me of your grandfather. Back in the day, your grandfather was a formidable figure in Yangcheng, known as ‘Ghost’s Sorrow’. It’s a pity such a legendary hero passed away so early and couldn’t see you get married and have children!”
Jiang Louqi stood up and patted the man’s shoulder with mock solemnity, a sincere yet polite smile on his face. “Since you miss my grandfather so much, how about I summon the old man’s soul tonight to keep you company for a game of chess and some tea?”
Upon hearing this, the old officer seemed to remember something and shuddered. Despite it being daylight, his face turned pale. “No, no, no need. I’m doing just fine on my own…”
Jiang Louqi curled his lips into a smile, pulled off the gloves that had touched the corpse, tossed them to Zhou Jiayi behind him, and walked forward without looking back. “The clothes on the body are the No. 2 Middle School uniform; it should be a student here. We’re going to the Academic Affairs Office to confirm the identity.”
Su Qian, following closely beside him, glanced around and lowered her voice. “Director Jiang, was this done by a person or a ghost?”
“It was a ghost.” Jiang Louqi’s gaze was cold, his eyelids lowering in contemplation. He continued, “Two deep black, bean-sized patches appeared on both of the victim’s eyelids. Those are called ‘Shadow Spots,’ formed by the terror of seeing something ‘unclean’ before death.”
“Oh~ I see. Learned something new.” Su Qian took out a small notebook from her bag and conscientiously wrote it down.
Seeing that the inexperienced young officer was about to go up and stop them, the old master quickly pulled him back. “Let’s not get involved. If the Special Agency is stepping in, there’s definitely something unclean inside.”
Entering the high school section of No. 2 Middle School through the back gate, Jiang Louqi walked straight toward the Academic Affairs Office with his hands in his pockets. The two behind him were panting as they struggled to keep up, silently grumbling about whether the man surnamed Jiang was in such a hurry because he was racing toward his next reincarnation.
Zhou Jiayi fanned himself with his hand, his uncooperative stomach letting out another growl. “Brother Jiang, do you know where the Academic Affairs Office is? We’ve turned past so many buildings; I’m exhausted.”
“Nonsense, of course I know. We’re almost…” Before Jiang Louqi could finish his sentence, his gaze reflexively drifted toward the nearby piano room. In that single second, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, unable to move another inch.
Zhou Jiayi, walking with his head down, didn’t notice the person in front of him had stopped and crashed right into him. A wave of dizziness hit him instantly, and he rubbed his aching forehead in complaint. “Brother Jiang, why did you stop? I almost got a concussion!”
“Shh, don’t talk.” Jiang Louqi raised his index finger in a shushing gesture, but his eyes were fixed intently on the person in the piano room, revealing a rare, gentle tenderness.
Su Qian followed his line of sight and understood in an instant what had left this dissolute, unrestrained leader so spellbound. She felt both speechless and annoyed, muttering softly, “Tch, fox spirit.”
“Sister Su, you seem to be a… fox spirit too.” Zhou Jiayi added an innocent jab, only to be kicked by Su Qian’s high heels.
The melodious sound of a piano drifted from the room, carried softly into the listeners’ ears by a gentle breeze.
The wonderful, ethereal piano music seemed far away and unreachable, yet also very close, lingering around the ears.
Xie Jiuchen, seated sideways to the door, had one arm hanging stiffly while his other, uninjured hand played the piece. He was completely unrestrained, seemingly unaffected by his injury.
The warm afternoon sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, tracing a shadow beneath his eyes. His gaze was focused on the black and white keys, his long eyelashes fluttering gently like butterfly wings. Soft strands of hair swayed across his forehead with the morning breeze, blending into the light and dust.
As the final key was struck, the lingering sound still resonated, tugging at the heartstrings.
Jiang Louqi walked in, clapping lightly without any pretense of reservation. His eyes were curved into crescents as he praised, “Teacher Xie truly is a professional. That was incredible!”
Mentioning “professional” made him feel a pang of guilt again. His eyes drifted down to the other man’s recovering arm, and he asked with concern, “Is your arm… feeling any better?”
Xie Jiuchen suddenly sensed someone approaching from behind. Recognizing the familiar voice, he was slightly stunned for a few seconds. The joy in his heart was instantly swept away, leaving only a faint indifference on his face.
He slowly turned his head but didn’t let any emotion show. He pressed his lips together quietly and moved his arm a few times in front of the man. “Mhm, much better. What is Director Jiang doing here?”
Jiang Louqi slapped his own head in realization. “Damn, I was so mesmerized I almost forgot my business. Ahem, we’re here to handle a supernatural case.”
“A supernatural case?” Xie Jiuchen’s eyes lowered, a hint of unnaturalness appearing on his flawless, beautiful face.
Jiang Louqi assumed he was scared and took two steps closer, shamelessly acting as a bodyguard. “Teacher Xie, don’t worry. With me here, those dead ghosts won’t dare harass you.”
“Director Jiang! I don’t see any ghosts harassing anyone, only you constantly harassing him. Are we doing the job or not?” Su Qian stomped her heels in anger, unable to bear watching her leader continue to make a fool of himself.
Zhou Jiayi leaned toward her, whispering like a female mosquito:
[Brother Jiang’s little lover: Sister Su, I bet this Teacher Xie is definitely the little lover Brother Jiang drove around that night.]
“Mhm… likely.” Su Qian nodded in agreement.
“What’s the rush? We’re getting to it.”
After saying that, Jiang Louqi showed the photos of the corpse to Xie Jiuchen, putting away his playful grin. “Teacher Xie, may I ask, do you know this student?”
Xie Jiuchen had no choice but to take the camera. He adjusted his glasses, looked at the photo, and then shook his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t recognize him. It seems I can’t help you, but you can check at the Academic Affairs Office or ask the teachers working there.”
It was the first time he had heard Xie Jiuchen say so many words. Jiang Louqi felt he had moved a step closer to his goal. His serious expression vanished, replaced by an excitement like he’d been injected with chicken blood.
“Then, Teacher Xie, could I trouble you to take us to the Academic Affairs Office? I don’t know the way. If I get lost later, you won’t be able to see me anymore.”
Su Qian let out a scoff of utter disbelief and speechlessness. A grown man getting lost? Pure nonsense! Wasn’t this dead guy just trying to hit on Teacher Xie?
Translator’s Note:
- Ghost’s Sorrow (鬼見愁): A nickname implying that even ghosts are terrified of this person. Jiang Louqi’s grandfather was clearly a legend in the field!
- Shadow Spots (影斑): A specific supernatural term in this novel’s lore. It refers to dark marks left on a person’s eyelids when they witness something so terrifying or ghostly that it marks their soul.
- Fox Spirit (狐貍精): Su Qian calls Xie Jiuchen a “fox spirit,” which is a Chinese idiom for a temptress or someone who seduces others. Ironically, Su Qian herself is a literal fox demon!
- Injected with Chicken Blood (打了雞血): A very common Chinese idiom meaning to be extremely excited, energetic, or hyper.
- Southern Heaven Gate (南天門): Referenced in Jiang’s thoughts earlier; it’s the entrance to the celestial palace in myth. He’s basically saying he’s on cloud nine.
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