The Qingyuan Temple Mystery

He paused slightly, mentally reviewing his actions from the previous day. Had he done anything wrong?

Why was she here again?

Yes, although the car had no distinguishing features, it couldn't withstand Lin Xiaosu's extraordinary eyesight. Through the glass, he immediately recognized the driver as the female officer Zhou Mei from yesterday.

Zhou Mei's car executed a beautiful drift and stopped outside Lin Xiaosu's courtyard gate. She and another woman got out at the same time and approached the gate.

Lin Xiaosu's gaze swept over the other woman, and his heart gave a slight jolt. This woman had too many incongruous elements about her...

But his gaze only lingered for a moment before settling on Zhou Mei's face. "Officer Zhou still thinks I'm problematic? Did you come specifically to arrest me?"

"Yes!" Zhou Mei said with a straight face. "We analyzed it all night and concluded you have significant issues, so we'd like to invite you to the station for a bowl of noodles..."

"Don't you usually say 'invited for tea' when the authorities arrest someone? Why noodles?" Lin Xiaosu frowned.

Zhou Mei chuckled. "You have the presence of mind to focus on the difference between tea and noodles. It seems you really haven't done anything wrong."

"I haven't done anything wrong."

"Then... would you invite us in for a cup of tea?" Zhou Mei asked.

Lin Xiaosu opened the courtyard gate...

The two women entered side-by-side. As Lin Xiaosu emerged from inside with the teapot, he noticed the gaze of the newcomer. It was a strange, incredibly pure, and profoundly deep look, truly unlike that of someone living in the mortal world.

"Is this lady also an officer?" Lin Xiaosu asked, pouring a cup of tea for the new arrival first.

Zhou Mei smiled. "You're in luck. This is my superior, Officer Chang from the Provincial Department."

"Chang Ye!" the woman softly uttered two words, her voice calm and clean.

"Welcome, both beautiful officers!" Lin Xiaosu smiled. "Is there something you need from me?"

Zhou Mei's gaze shifted to Chang Ye...

Chang Ye spoke. "Mr. Lin's investigative methods yesterday were nothing short of miraculous. I am deeply impressed. We've come today, firstly, to personally thank you, and secondly, there's another case I'd like your help with."

Lin Xiaosu said, "No need for thanks. If this matter didn't concern my partner's gym, I wouldn't have gotten involved with the police investigation. As for the other case... I really don't have time. To be frank with you both, I'm preparing for the civil service exam, and my time is quite tight."

Zhou Mei said, "Oh, helping the police with their cases is every citizen's..."

Chang Ye gently raised a hand to stop her slogan-like pronouncement. "We saw your mother on the way here. She was carrying a basket of vegetables to the market."

"Exactly. I haven't even helped my mother sell vegetables, letting her work so hard. That shows I really don't have time," Lin Xiaosu replied.

"Selling vegetables is for the family's livelihood. You could actually ease some of your mother's burden. Help me with this matter, and I'll pay you!"

Lin Xiaosu froze.

Zhou Mei also froze.

Were provincial department leaders this bold in their investigations?

She, of course, had no idea of Chang Ye's true identity. Chang Ye had instructed the chief not to reveal her identity.

Chang Ye looked into Lin Xiaosu's eyes and smiled. Her smile was like a night-blooming orchid. "I've already seen it in your eyes! Ten thousand yuan has already been deposited into your account!"

Ding!

Lin Xiaosu's phone chimed with a notification. He opened it and saw a text message: Your bank card (ending in ****) has received a transfer of 10,000.00 yuan...

Lin Xiaosu felt conflicted.

After revealing his great divine ability yesterday, he had actually been somewhat uneasy.

It was fine facing Zhou Mei, but facing Chang Ye made him a little nervous. He had a feeling that this incredibly beautiful, almost unreal female officer was not a simple soul. What made him think that?

Setting aside his sixth sense, just a few details were enough to show it. She knew his mother, and she hadn't asked for his bank account number yet was able to transfer money to him so precisely.

This all indicated a thorough investigation into him, which was not a good sign...

Therefore, he truly didn't want to get involved in whatever she had planned.

However, she was offering too much!

Fine, for the equivalent of a month's salary as a civil servant, he'd do it.

"Officer Chang's style... it shows her sincerity!" Lin Xiaosu sighed softly. "Tell me, what's the case?"

Chang Ye began to explain...

Zhou Mei was stunned.

Her superior had asked her to accompany Officer Chang from the Provincial Department on official business, but she hadn't mentioned it was for this. What kind of outcome could possibly come from this? It was a very typical accidental death, not a case at all.

Lin Xiaosu was also a bit surprised...

Four days ago, at Qingyuan Temple on Tashan, in a quiet meditation room, a scholar who had lived there for many years suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died. The door to the meditation room was locked from the inside, and the deceased had no external wounds. Everything pointed to a sudden cerebral hemorrhage, and the doctors had confirmed it as such. Yet, this Chang Ye insisted he investigate this "unsolvable" case...

"I want to know... why do you believe his death is suspicious?" Lin Xiaosu asked, frowning.

"Because he once told me, 'I will not die before fulfilling my ambitions!'" Chang Ye said, her expression filled with sorrow as she spoke these eight words.

"'I will not die before fulfilling my ambitions.' What a bold oath. But how many deaths in this world are voluntary?"

"Regardless, I want to give it a try!" Chang Ye said. "Go to that meditation room and use your method of sensing energies, or your methods from the Widow Feng bathing case, to find all the suspicious clues in that room. Even if you find nothing, as long as you've put in your best effort, it will be considered a completed task."

"The body is no longer there, is it?"

"Yes!"

An empty room, where someone had died four days ago. If one were to investigate for clues now, most people would probably just go through the motions. But after thinking for a moment, Lin Xiaosu nodded gently. "Let's go!"

The car drove out of Old Tashan Village.

The villagers did not stir.

After turning a few bends, they reached the other side of Tashan.

Tashan was a mountain situated between the county town and Old Tashan Village. The impression it gave from either side was completely different.

From the Old Tashan Village side, it was a natural, high mountain with cliffs, jungles, and the dilapidated Willow Forest Temple.

From the county town side, at its base were a children's playground, the beautiful and tranquil Tashan Lake, and the ever-changing Tashan Park. Higher up the mountain stood Qingyuan Temple, and at its summit were the television broadcast tower and a meteorological tower.

Such a place was the ideal weekend retreat for the county town's 160,000 residents. Therefore, with the continuous addition of various supporting facilities over the years, this side of Tashan had gradually showcased a deep integration of humanity and nature.

Qingyuan Temple was a very ancient temple with flourishing incense offerings. How flourishing, you ask? To give you a financial anecdote, you'll understand. Several banks in the county town racked their brains trying to compete for the temple's incense account. They didn't know how to approach it; the recipients were monks, so offering money, alcohol, or women was inappropriate. Thus, one bank came up with a unique strategy: they arranged for their office director to take early retirement and become the Secretary-General of the Buddhist Association. Through this method, they established a connection with Qingyuan Temple and secured the account, which involved tens of millions in funds. Everyone said this was a perfect example of "a secluded path leads to a quiet place, a Zen room deep among flowers and trees." Using ancient poetry in such an unconventional way was quite a financial legend.

Qingyuan Temple had also opened up in recent years.

The biggest manifestation of this was its openness to scholars.

Tashan was rich in botanical resources, possessing many plant specimens that were long extinct or difficult to find elsewhere. Consequently, some agricultural universities and research teams stationed people there long-term to collect plant samples from the mountain for various studies.

Lin Xiaosu and his team's target was precisely one such person.

His name was Qu Taiqing, an old scholar from a research team who had lived there for eight years with virtually no presence. Even when he died of a cerebral hemorrhage in a Zen room, very few people knew.

Led by an old monk, they arrived at the Zen rooms in the backyard of Qingyuan Temple. A secluded Zen chamber was the room Qu Taiqing had lived in.

When the door was opened, there wasn't much inside. Just a few pieces of furniture, an incense burner, a master's chair, and a bed. On the table were a few books, Buddhist scriptures from the temple.

Chang Ye informed Lin Xiaosu at the doorway that there were originally some research materials and plant specimens inside. These had been collected, but everything else unrelated to the research remained, and in its original place. No unauthorized personnel had entered the room after the incident. Those who collected the materials had worn special suits to ensure no trace of scent leaked.

In other words, you can go in and smell. If, besides the scent left by Qu Taiqing, there is the scent of a second person, that person is the suspect.