Chapter Eight: The Crimson-Eyed Demon Gaze

As the old saying goes, the truth is always clear to the sun and moon, though suffering and injustice are hard to explain. The taste of being falsely accused is bitter indeed; only I know the torment in my heart.

The female officer’s name was Su Wanyi. She had a powerful father, rumored to be of mayoral rank. Whether he was her real father or merely an influential surrogate, I couldn’t say.

Despite my repeated insistence that I was not the killer, Su Wanyi shifted her interrogation tactics. Her tone softened unexpectedly, sending a shiver down my spine. Women are mysterious creatures, their moods changing faster than pages in a book.

“Little brother, can you tell your big sister what you were doing at the company last night? Don’t lie, okay?” she said, casting me a flirtatious glance that stirred something within me. Yet I knew better than to get swept up; this woman was not one to be trifled with.

I avoided her gaze, cleared my throat, and replied, “If I tell the truth, will you believe me?”

Su Wanyi answered, “Go on, I’m listening. Don’t try to fool me.”

“Can we talk seriously, without all this?” I couldn’t stand her coyness.

Upon hearing my words, Su Wanyi’s demeanor changed again. “Then hurry up and speak. Are you a man or not, dithering like this?”

I was at a loss—did she have a split personality? I pondered how to begin, then cautiously asked, “Do you believe in supernatural phenomena?”

She paused, surprised, then replied after a few seconds, “I do. Did you see something?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

Su Wanyi didn’t doubt me for a moment, her expression earnest. “What did you see? Looks like my hunch was right—there really are monsters here.”

Her words hinted that she already knew something, so I said, “I can’t say for sure if it was a monster, but I encountered a weasel over half a meter tall in the corridor.”

“Did you fight it?” she asked.

“I killed it. Sun Wenwen’s death really had nothing to do with me—I never saw her in the corridor,” I replied.

Su Wanyi frowned, thinking for a moment before speaking. “Can you tell me who you are? You managed to break Huang San’s illusion.”

She knew the name Huang San? This woman was no ordinary police officer. I asked, “Who are you, and how do you know Huang San?”

The door to the interrogation room creaked open. In walked an elderly man with a white beard, dressed in casual clothes yet exuding an air of otherworldly grace. Su Wanyi immediately stood up, respectfully inviting him to sit.

“Please take a seat, Elder Jiang.”

Elder Jiang smiled. “You’re too polite, Officer Su. So, do you believe me now?”

Su Wanyi replied, “I do. Please, help us.”

Elder Jiang’s real name was Jiang Zhenfeng, a wanderer with no fixed abode. Rumors claimed he had lived for centuries, though who could say if that was true.

His gaze locked onto me, scrutinizing every inch, making my skin crawl. I wondered if something was wrong with him—what interest could he have in another man?

“I’d like a private word with this young man, Officer Su, if you don’t mind,” Elder Jiang said.

Su Wanyi nodded. “You two talk; I’ll return later.”

She left, and Elder Jiang smiled at me. “Who gave you these eyes?”

His question startled me—how could he know my eyes were unusual? But I had promised the Emperor that I would tell no one.

Feigning ignorance, I replied, “My parents, naturally. Why?”

Elder Jiang’s smile remained as he shook his head. “These eyes weren’t yours by birth. He gave them to you, didn’t he?”

Was he fishing for answers, or did he know the Emperor? Regardless, I could not betray my promise.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I told him.

The old man’s face darkened, his eyes flickering with murderous intent. “It seems you have no desire to live, choosing to consort with demons instead of remaining human.”

I retorted, “Watch your words, old man. Don’t think age gives you license to insult me. We have no grudge, but if you keep this up, don’t blame me for being rude.”

Elder Jiang snorted, slamming his palm onto the interrogation table. “Such arrogance.”

At his words, the table collapsed, shattered by his force. I hadn’t expected him to be so formidable.

Seeing my shock, Elder Jiang continued, “I advise you to cooperate, or you’ll suffer. Do you know what kind of eyes he gave you?”

“Yin-Yang Eyes,” I said.

Elder Jiang laughed coldly. “You’ve been deceived. Let me tell you the truth—your eyes are Scarlet Demon Eyes. Soon, they’ll erode your body and turn you into a demon.”

His words unsettled me. Surely the Emperor wouldn’t deceive me? Elder Jiang seemed far more suspicious.

He sighed. “It seems I can’t let you live, or you’ll bring disaster to others.”

With that, he gathered his energy and, before I could react, pressed a finger to my forehead.

Instantly, a powerful force surged through me, my mind exploding with pain. The world turned blood-red, scarlet liquid trickling from my eyes.

I cried out, teeth clenched, desperate to move but paralyzed. My heart raced as I tried to summon my Nine Palaces Ghost Arts, but failed.

I could feel myself nearing the limit, death closing in.

Just then, a familiar figure appeared before me—the ghostly woman.

Hope surged within me. If she was here, perhaps I still had a chance.

I gazed at her pleadingly, silently begging for help.

But she stood motionless, watching me with blank eyes.

Despair washed over me. A dreadful premonition took hold.

Could she be allied with Elder Jiang? Last night, she spoke of “him”—perhaps it was Elder Jiang after all.

With that realization, I was utterly hopeless. There was no escape this time. All I could do was wait for the afterlife and hope the Emperor would avenge me.