"I’m here, he’s currently having a pleasant conversation with our young forensic pathologist, Ms. Wang."
"I just went to the forensic lab to get some files, and saw Mr. Li pointing at the corpse while Ms. Wang was taking notes, like a teacher lecturing students."
Ms. Wang, the forensic pathologist, is very young and only recently started working. It was because of her arrival that the town police station was equipped with its own forensic lab—previously, they had to either invite someone from the hospital or borrow personnel from neighboring units.
However, Ms. Wang is cold and indifferent. Several young, single male officers in the station had tried to approach her but were all coldly rejected without hesitation, leaving no room for any small talk or opportunity.
Tan Yunlong recalled the scene of Li Zhiyuan digging up the corpse and could only sigh, "In fact, some folk experts really do have genuine skills, and it’s improper to dismiss them all as mere feudal superstition."
The phone rang on the desk, and Tan Yunlong answered it, saying "yes" several times before hanging up.
He then stood up and adjusted his clothes:
"The city bureau’s special case team has arrived; let’s go report on the progress of the investigation."
In front of the gravestone, more and more black mist was rising from the corpse, and it was becoming faster.
Li Zhiyuan knew it was about to be released.
But he didn’t know why exactly the process was accelerating so intensely.
Was it because the police were handling the case?
But... could they be that efficient?
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
After a certain amount of black mist had evaporated, the corpse’s body also shrank a bit, and the Tai Sui on its body started to rupture, oozing pus.
A thick, foul stench immediately permeated the area.
Li Zhiyuan knew this was the smell of a Water Corpse that the Grandmaster and others often talked about.
Recently dead floaters are easy to retrieve and not so disgusting, but those that have been dead for a long time and bloated like gelatin are truly strong in taste.
Even if you wash with soap seven or eight times after retrieving them, you could still smell it on your body three days later.
As the Tai Sui began to rupture, the corpse’s body also lost its cohesion, and the rotting skin and flesh started to fall off rapidly, the body shrinking like melting ice.
Li Zhiyuan noticed, among the disgusting bubbles, a black round object seemed to be tumbling inside, which originally should have been inside the corpse.
It seemed to be a Copper Coin.
However, an accident still happened.
The corpse stretched out its hand, its palm reduced to only bones, and pointed its fingers toward Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing, who were kneeling nearby.
It seemed to intend to end this ritual and take these two Changs down, but it somewhat misjudged its own dissolution speed—its hand just lifted and then gradually lost strength and dropped.
Compared to that, the black cat was much smarter; it still managed to suppress the black mist rising from its body and stubbornly waited for the vengeance to be complete.
Moreover, the black cat seemed to understand some of the rules of Righteous People, and on more than one occasion showed surprise and confusion at its own ability to help.
But this corpse, clearly lacked that ability, meaning that it... messed up.
Having lost their restraints and oppressions, Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing, even though they were shattered, both slowly stood up.
Now they looked like the heavily damaged and paint-chipped mannequins often seen outside clothing stores.
But the malice in their eyes grew even stronger, clearly, the previous pain and torment had fully ignited all the viciousness in their hearts.
They did not walk toward this side but walked towards another gravestone.
Although it was empty, Li Zhiyuan knew that was where the two thugs were kneeling in reality.
The corpse had nearly fully dissolved into the pus and water, with only its head still bearing some Tai Sui and flesh; it struggled to turn its head, and the bone arm next to it also slightly shifted toward Li Zhiyuan.
Li Zhiyuan blinked, inexplicably feeling that he could understand what this nearly dissolved corpse was trying to convey.
Just like he could understand Alii’s subtle expressions and actions.
Li Zhiyuan nodded and said, "Rest in peace, you have to believe, the police will bring you justice."
Then, Li Zhiyuan added, "I’ll deal with those two for you."
As soon as the boy finished talking, the flesh on the corpse’s head also peeled off, turning completely into a pile of bones, finally dissolving by its parents’ gravestone.
Li Zhiyuan disliked that innocent people died and would then lament: Justice may be delayed, but it will never be absent.
But under such circumstances, as an observer, sometimes to comfort oneself, it was possible to beautify things somewhat.
Like now, he felt: their family was finally reunited at this moment.
This was the boy’s kindness and blessing.
Because Li Zhiyuan still couldn’t be entirely sure about one thing.
That is, whether the return home net could indeed remain hidden in front of Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing, but when facing a corpse that could control Changs, was it really effective?
If it was truly effective, then why did it turn its head to look his way after kneeling down?
Could it be possible,
that it had always been able to see the two youths hiding behind its parents’ gravestone?
A crisp sound rang out, the black Copper Coin rolling down from the bone, all the way to Li Zhiyuan.
Li Zhiyuan did not dare to reach out and pick it up directly, suspecting that it contributed to triggering these strange events.
He certainly didn’t want his body to end up covered in Tai Sui.
Suddenly, Li Zhiyuan began to feel dizzy and aching all over.