Chapter Fourteen: Three Cases of Haunted Deaths

Chapter Fourteen

“Tell me, what are they?”

After settling the matter of the Zhao couple’s burial, Zhao Fusheng turned her full attention to the Demon Suppression Office’s cases.

Fan Bisi replied helplessly, “There are three cases in total, one of which is actually an old one.”

As he spoke, a strange feeling arose in his heart.

When the previous Commissioner, Zhao Qisheng, was alive, the Demon Suppression Office of Wanan County was formidable. Before Zhao Qisheng lost control, his character inherited much from his father—upright and just. He would occasionally intervene in less dangerous cases, which, compared to previous commissioners, made him truly outstanding in virtue.

The county office often discussed ghost-related cases, much like the current situation.

But back then, Zhao Qisheng was a true ghost-handler, unlike Zhao Fusheng, who was something of a novice. As a second-generation ghost-handler, his knowledge was like a family legacy; his understanding of ghosts far surpassed Zhao Fusheng’s, and yet even he met such a tragic end.

Though from the outside, Zhao Fusheng seemed to control the same ghost as Zhao Qisheng, their grasp of the dangers involved was not on the same level.

Fan Bisi shook his head inwardly but continued, “First, someone spotted a strange carriage near Yellow Spring Village.”

These supernatural cases directly affected Zhao Fusheng’s merit and were closely tied to her life. She listened carefully, trying to piece together any clues.

She waited for Fan Bisi to continue, but instead, he brought up the second case.

“The second case is...”

“Wait,” she interrupted him, “You haven’t explained the carriage matter clearly yet.”

“It’s like this,” before Fan Bisi could answer, Fan Wujiu interjected, “There are rarely any detailed clues in ghost cases. When there are, it usually means lives have already been lost.”

Fan Bisi nodded. “Wu Ji is right. The carriage didn’t seem odd at first. The truly strange part is that anyone who mentioned it would mysteriously vanish the next day. Not only that, but those who simply heard about it from the initial witness would also sometimes go missing.”

Zhao Fusheng was startled by this.

She hadn’t yet confronted a ghost head-on, but in dreams, she had witnessed the terrifying scene of the original Zhao Fusheng being killed by a fierce ghost. Still, this kind of bizarre case was new to her—it was truly chilling.

“No one knows what the carriage looks like, or what kind of ghost drives it. The reason it was reported is because Liu San, the informant, heard his neighbor talk about the carriage. The very next day, the neighbor vanished without a trace.”

At this, even Fan Bisi’s expression grew cautious. “Liu San was terrified and rushed to the Demon Suppression Office in a panic.”

Even in Zhao Qiming’s day, this kind of case would have been untouchable.

No clues meant the officers would have to risk their lives to gather the warning signs that would inform those who came after. Every clue, every ghostly trait, had been discovered by their predecessors through blood and sacrifice.

“And after that?” Zhao Fusheng asked.

“There was no after. Liu San was as good as dead.” Fan Bisi shook his head. “That’s why I called it an old case. There were reports of this ghost carriage as far back as two years ago, but no one could solve it. Everyone who reported it vanished—gone without a trace, alive or dead.”

Although Fan Bisi had repeatedly emphasized the horrors of fierce ghosts, none of his warnings had struck Zhao Fusheng as deeply as this real-life account.

“This ghost carriage appears and disappears at random; no one knows its appearance, nor the kind of ghost that drives it,” Fan Bisi went on. “We know nothing of its killing methods or rules.”

Let alone investigating it—if anyone even managed to locate the carriage, who would dare step aboard such a mysterious, sinister thing?

“That wouldn’t be solving a case—it would be walking to your death.”

Zhao Fusheng let out a long breath.

From Fan Bisi’s account, she realized this case was beyond her current abilities. She set it aside for now and asked, “What about the second case?”

She didn’t act rashly or stubbornly, but chose to compromise for the time being. This made Fan Bisi pause, then look at her intently, a hint of hesitation in his eyes for the first time.

“The second case occurred in Changsheng Town, under Wanan County’s jurisdiction—a strange affair.”

Zhao Fusheng nodded for him to continue.

“About four months ago, someone from Changsheng Town reported to the Demon Suppression Office. A family named Li—seven members—lost their heads in a single night.”

Zhao Fusheng’s heart skipped a beat, but she remained silent.

“The cause of death was bizarre. The local authorities questioned the neighbors, but no one heard anything strange or any screams that night. The corpses themselves were peculiar—there was no blood splatter from the wounds. On the contrary, the cuts were... were... unnervingly neat.”

Fan Bisi struggled for the right words. Fan Wujiu, beside him, finished the thought.

“In the words of the local officials, it was as if the heads had been plucked from the bodies like gourds from a vine.”

This case, too, was nothing short of bizarre.

“That’s right,” Fan Bisi acknowledged.

“Any updates on the case since then?”

“No,” Fan Bisi replied. “Fierce ghosts kill entirely at random. The time, place, or object—all could be the critical trigger. If we can’t find what that is, we’re utterly lost—like headless flies, in mortal danger.”

“All we know is that the Li family must have triggered the ghost’s rules—entered the ghost’s ‘line of sight’, so to speak.”

When Fan Bisi finished, Fan Wujiu added, “Back then, we were in danger ourselves and had no energy to deal with the Changsheng Town case. Eventually, it was left unresolved.”

After hearing the brothers’ accounts, Zhao Fusheng couldn’t help but frown in thought.

So far, the Fan brothers had mentioned two ghost cases—both with scant clues and considerable danger.

The two brothers bore a grudge against her and were eager to leave Wanan County. She had overheard their plans to lure someone else into the Demon Suppression Office to shift their soul-binding contract, thereby transferring their fate.

After she expressed her willingness to take on cases, their failed persuasion made her suspect they might even intend to use a ghost to get rid of her.

After recounting the two cases, Fan Bisi noticed Zhao Fusheng deep in thought. He said nothing, half-smiling as he waited for her decision.

After a long while, Zhao Fusheng looked up. “What about the third case?”

Fan Bisi hadn’t expected her to press on after all this.

He glanced at Fan Wujiu. The brothers locked eyes in silence before Fan Bisi finally sighed.

“The third case happened right here, in Wanan County itself.”