Ghost Says - Chapter 3.2

Xiao Zhou extinguished his half-smoked cigarette, stood up and walked towards the door. As he passed by Wang Yi, he stopped.

“Old Wang, we’ve worked together for so many years. I should warn you this time, this case… is beyond our control.”

Wang Yi, left alone, gave a bitter smile.

This series of incidents was too incredible and too horrifying.

Starting with Wen Dayong’s death, then Jian Xia, and now Cheng Xiaoyu.

These three people’s backgrounds, professions, and living environments had nothing in common.

Their only connection was that man called Qiao Gang.

One was a colleague he had conflicts with, one was his roommate, and the last one was his girlfriend.

The cause of death for all three was myocardial infarction. Was this a coincidence or was there another reason?

Why did they all have expressions of extreme terror at the time of death? Even for Cheng Xiaoyu, although her facial skin was gone, it was still evident that she must have seen something terrifying before she died.

From the evidence collected at the scene, there were no traces of anyone else present.

Looking at the death scenes, Wen Dayong died in a closed bathroom; Jian Xia died in his own bed; Cheng Xiaoyu died in her boyfriend’s home.

Both Jian Xia and Cheng Xiaoyu died at night, when Qiao Gang was also in the house.

Moreover, the killing methods were all exceptionally cruel, but there were no signs of struggle on the victims’ bodies, and no chemical agents were detected in their systems.

Qiao Gang, separated only by a wall, didn’t even hear any sound.

If the killer wasn’t Qiao Gang, then who was it? What did these three people have in common?

What was the killer’s motive? If Qiao Gang was the killer, what was his purpose?

The biggest question in all of this is: how did the killer accomplish all this?

These killing methods clearly defied their common sense and scientific understanding. Was it really done by a human?

Wang Yi had been a police officer for over ten years but had never encountered a case like this.

He wasn’t a person who believed in ghosts and spirits, but everything happening before his eyes was truly bizarre.

For the first time, he felt powerless.

He sighed deeply and picked up the phone on the desk. “Hello… I want to… transfer a case.”

Qiao Gang was still at the police station, in poor condition.

He was the one who made the emergency call. When the police arrived, he appeared calm, though pale. During the recording of his statement, he spoke clearly and coherently. In this regard, he was already stronger than many police officers.

Several police officers had vomited at the scene. Although they were police, not medical students.

Could he really be so calm when his girlfriend died in front of him in such a manner?

At first, Wang Yi thought he was cold-blooded, but after seeing his eyes clearly, he realized he was wrong.

That man was now just an empty shell.

Was it a mental self-defense mechanism after suffering a huge shock?

Qiao Gang answered their questions mechanically, like an emotionless machine, just faithfully relaying what he saw to them, with emotions exiled to the depths of his mind. This man’s spirit… had reached its limit.

Wang Yi sighed and told someone to let him go home to rest.

As Qiao Gang, with a wooden expression, walked out of the police station, he suddenly realized he had nowhere to go back to.

That home he shared with Xiaoyu was no longer a place he could return to.

Xiaoyu was dead. It was like an absurd, horrifying dream he couldn’t wake up from.

The words Jian Xia had said to him that day echoed in his ears again—

[… You… quickly… go… leave…]

Was he warning him to leave Xiaoyu? Did he know Xiaoyu would be in danger? Is that why he came to tell him specifically?

Why didn’t he realize it?

Why didn’t he think more about the implications of his words?

All of this… was caused by him.

He was an idiot… a bastard…!

A bastard who couldn’t even protect his own woman!

Xiaoyu must have been in pain, right?

Would she blame him? Blame him for being just a wall away yet unable to save her!

At her most painful, most helpless moment, he was completely unaware…

That bastard… why did he do this to her?!

If it had something to do with him, why didn’t they come directly for him!

Why target such an innocent girl?!

Qiao Gang eventually found a small hotel to stay in, as returning to borrow a room at the repair shop would inevitably require explanations. To avoid trouble, he simply packed his things and went to stay at a hotel. Although it was more expensive, it was only temporary for a few days. He would have to look for a new place to live again.

But in the end, the news still reached his boss’s ears.

After all, a murder case like this had a significant impact. On the day of the incident, it was reported by a newspaper. Although due to the police’s tight control, not much specific information about the scene and the victims was leaked, even so, some people sensitively perceived the unusual nature of the incident.

One afternoon, the boss called him into the office, saying he wanted to talk.

He crawled out from under a car, took off his oil-stained gloves, feeling calm inside.

He pretty much knew what the boss wanted to say.

In the past few days, his colleagues had been pointing and whispering about him, speaking to him very carefully, polite but distant.

Even during meals, they let him choose first, then took their food far away to eat, as if he had contracted some plague. He knew some of the rumors outside too – he was now practically considered the murderer, and anyone associated with him would come to no good end.

In the office, the boss first kindly asked him to sit down, even poured him a glass of water. He didn’t drink it, but looked up at him instead.

The boss sat nearby and said with a somewhat awkward expression, “Well… Xiao Qiao, I’ve heard a lot has happened to you recently. It’s really unfortunate…”

He sighed, actually looking somewhat sorry for him.

Then he changed his tone, “But… you know how badly people have been talking outside lately, and this has affected the people in the shop to some extent. I understand your difficulties…”

He raised his hand to pat Qiao Gang’s shoulder but suddenly seemed to remember something, stopped mid-air, then awkwardly lowered it.

Qiao Gang glanced at his hand and pressed his lips, “Boss, you don’t need to say more. I understand what you mean.”

He gave a dry laugh, “Hehe, your work has always been excellent, and you’re hardworking. Actually, I really want you to stay.”

Qiao Gang lowered his head without speaking.

The boss thought for a moment, then said with a bit of hesitation, “How about this – I’ll give you an extended leave. Paid vacation, you’ll still receive your salary. Come back when this blows over. What do you think?”

Qiao Gang gave a cold smirk, “No need. I haven’t fallen to that level yet. I won’t take a penny that’s not mine. Just calculate this month’s salary for me.”

He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Qiao Gang only then noticed that in the air-conditioned room, the boss was sweating profusely.

Do I really look that much like a murderer? he thought to himself.

Killing someone I had a grudge against, killing my own brother, and finally not even sparing my girlfriend?

He wasn’t just a murderer, but a deranged serial killer.

That’s what they were saying about him outside, right?

Didn’t they find this logic ridiculous?

If he knew who the real killer was, the thing he wanted to do most right now was to chop them into pieces!

He went back to finish the last bit of work on the car he was repairing. He took off his work clothes and left with a thick envelope the boss had given him.

When he returned to the hotel, there was unexpectedly someone sitting in his room.

Qiao Gang checked the number on the door. It was indeed his room.

The man sitting on his bed put down the book he was reading and smiled slightly at him.

Qiao Gang had doubted his identity as a police officer for a long time. From his appearance, there was nothing that suggested any connection to the police profession.

The man’s brown hair, excessively fair skin, and enviably long legs that were crossed made him look more like a model than a police officer.

“Mr. Qiao Gang? Hello, I’m Lin Xian, the person in charge of these recent cases.”

His eyes looked very deep when looking at people, and his features were more defined than average. Qiao Gang looked at his hair, which didn’t seem dyed, and guessed he might be of mixed race.

“Is there something I can help you with?” Qiao Gang asked somewhat warily. He really didn’t have a good impression of the police right now.

Moreover, the police didn’t have the right to enter someone’s room without permission, did they?

Seemingly noticing his defensiveness, Lin Xian smiled slightly.

“I came here to ask you a few more questions. And then, I hope you can cooperate with some of our actions.”

Qiao Gang thought for a moment, then grabbed a chair and sat down.

Lin Xian looked at him very naturally, as if he were the owner of this place.

This person was probably used to ordering others around in his daily life.

“What else is there to ask? Haven’t I told you everything I know?”

Lin Xian smiled again, but the corner of his mouth didn’t convey any warmth.

“Yes, but what I want to know isn’t just that.”

Qiao Gang fell silent. At the police station, he had already repeated everything he saw that night more than once. But no one knew how much strength it took him to control his trembling while recounting it all.

Each recollection was like adding another cut to his heart.

“What we know now is that these three consecutive cases are not independent. The cause of death for all three victims is the same. Although we don’t know how the killer managed to do this, we can be certain that none of them died of natural causes. The key to all of this revolves around you.”

“We have reason to believe that the killer is very likely someone familiar with you, someone who clearly knows your interpersonal situation and living habits.”

Qiao Gang remained silent, but his eyes showed more focus.

“So please think carefully and write down all the names that fit these conditions. Make a list for me.”

Qiao Gang thought carefully. Although he had an outgoing and cheerful personality, easily getting along with people and having many good friends, there were very few people who truly knew the details of his life.

Jian Xia was one, and there were only a handful of others who knew Xiaoyu was his girlfriend. It wasn’t intentional, he just didn’t feel the need to broadcast it. And the killer obviously knew about his relationship with Xiaoyu.

After hesitating for a moment, he wrote down a few names on the paper the other man handed him.

Lin Xian took it back with satisfaction, then said, “Finally, we know you haven’t found a suitable place to live yet. To cooperate with our operation, you may need to temporarily move into a place we’ve arranged for you.”

Hearing this, Qiao Gang frowned, “What do you mean? Am I under house arrest?”

“You misunderstand. This is also for your safety. Because no one can guarantee that you won’t be the next target.”

Considering that the killer currently had no logical pattern in choosing victims, the next victim could very likely be him or someone close to him. This arrangement was undoubtedly the most appropriate.

Before they had the power to stop the killer from murdering, they had to keep the potential danger under control. Qiao Gang thought sarcastically that this was also to keep an eye on him.

After all, he was currently the person under the most suspicion.

Would he be like a bird trapped in a cage from now on, even losing his last bit of freedom?

“Can I refuse?” Qiao Gang’s voice rarely carried a hint of bitterness.

The other’s smile clearly gave him the answer.