Buzz!
A piercing siren shattered the quiet night at Ping'an Welfare Institute. The startled teachers, unable to withstand the shock, chose to call the police.
Chen Xuan resumed his previous identity and did not leave.
First, he needed to find out what information the note hidden inside the ghostly security guard's uniform contained.
It might be related to him.
Second, the security chief had already told him that cooperating with the investigation meant everyone had to stay temporarily at the welfare institute.
"Captain Feng, the preliminary judgment is that the director died from blunt force trauma, attacked from behind," a security officer said with a puzzled expression. "But the little girls in the rooms died from excessive blood loss, and the method of killing is completely different from that of the director."
Captain Feng nodded, then asked, "Has the witness's statement been taken?"
"Yes, according to him, he saw someone wearing a security guard uniform holding an axe committing the crime. When he tried to stop the attacker, the figure disappeared. He was also the one who reported the incident."
Lowering his voice, the officer added, "Captain Feng, I feel that the witness named Chen Xuan might actually be the culprit. He just arrived today, and such a homicide happened immediately."
"Don't speculate!" Captain Feng glared at him coldly. "Any judgment must be based on evidence."
At that moment, the forensic doctor in charge came out from room 304. She was a petite woman.
"Dr. Wu, any results?" Feng asked.
"Similar to my previous judgment, they died of excessive blood loss," Dr. Wu replied, frowning. "But what's strange is that these little girls didn't scream. The pain of having your scalp ripped off is unbearable, even for adults. It's really strange."
"Strange?" Feng's heart skipped a beat. "Seal off the scene for now. I need to report this situation. I'm afraid we can't handle this case."
"Can't handle it?" Dr. Wu and her colleague were stunned. "Captain Feng, what kind of case can't we handle?"
"A Paranormal Incident!" Feng thought to himself but did not say it aloud.
Soon, a vehicle arrived at the entrance of Ping'an Welfare Institute. A tall, voluptuous woman with wavy long hair stepped out. She held an oversized cigar in her mouth — unlit, just clenched between her teeth.
Her name was Pang Ling, the team leader-Tier Ghost Tamer of Xiadu City, codename "Ghost Smoke."
Feng approached her immediately and briefly explained the situation.
"Captain Pang, what's the next step?"
"This isn't one ghost, but two," Pang Ling said straightforwardly. "The ghost security guard's case is somewhat clear, but the other one — how those little girls died — is still a mystery. If we can't find the killing rule, there might be more victims."
No sooner had she finished speaking than a scream suddenly echoed from inside the building.
"Ah!"
"Something's wrong! Someone's in trouble!"
Pang Ling's expression darkened as she sprinted toward the sound.
Following the screams, she quickly reached the fifth floor and pushed open the door to room 507. There, a blood-soaked horrific scene awaited: four little girls were all dead.
Their deaths were the same as before — scalps ripped off, flesh mangled, blood pooled on the floor.
"Again?" Pang Ling frowned, standing at the door without entering.
Feng and the others were stopped behind her.
"Don't go in — it might trigger the killing rule," she warned.
"What's going on?" Feng glared angrily. "These are four young lives — they should have bright futures and happy childhoods. But now, they're dead for no reason!"
"Any witnesses?" Pang Ling asked.
"No!" someone nearby replied. "We were patrolling when we heard the screams. When we opened the door, they were already like this."
"Open all the doors and keep patrolling," Pang Ling ordered thoughtfully. "Opening doors might give us a chance to see what's happening. Also, evacuate the surviving children — the sooner, the better."
From her perspective, the problem was in the rooms, not the children themselves.
"Got it. I'll take care of it right away!" Feng turned to leave, obeying orders.
But just as he was about to step away, a sudden scream echoed down the corridor.
Ah!
An astonishing scene unfolded.
A patrolling male colleague happened to see inside a room. He stared wide-eyed and mouth agape in terror — but then his voice stopped abruptly.
His scalp was violently torn off by an invisible blade, pulled away forcefully.
From beginning to end, he remained frozen in place, staring into the room.
"No!" Pang Ling shouted, rushing to the scene. She flicked a lighter, igniting her cigar.
Smoke, smelling faintly of decay, billowed from the cigar, quickly enveloping her.
She stood at the doorway.
No Malevolent Ghost appeared, but there was a soft thud — like something falling on a table.
She stepped inside, scanning the room.
Her eyes landed on a single item by the window — a shadowy shape resembling a wooden comb, slowly vanishing.
"Wooden comb? Combing hair?"
Suddenly, Pang Ling realized a possibility.
Ghost combing at midnight?
Perhaps the trigger for the killing rule is combing hair inside the room?
...
"Teacher Zhou, you said these security patrols have been going on since eighteen years ago?"
Elsewhere, Chen Xuan sat before an elderly woman with graying hair, his pupils narrowing at her answer.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]