The Fourteenth Chapter

Dodging the crushing weight of the lame-legged table, Liu Mumu finally managed to stand up. She had only taken two steps towards the door when her feet slipped, sending her sprawling onto the ground. Yan Xiu, stepping forward quickly, caught her by the shoulder.

Liu Mumu looked up and gave him a brilliant smile, revealing a row of small white teeth. "Thank you."

After setting her upright, Yan Xiu surveyed his office, unsure if it had been destroyed by natural disaster or human intervention. He was speechless for a long time.

Fang Chuan cautiously poked his head in and asked Liu Mumu, "What's going on with you?"

Liu Mumu didn't hide anything and directly told him, "It's a sequela from fortune-telling."

"Whoa... that's some serious sequela," Fang Chuan said with awe. "I thought you were going to take his office down with you since Consultant Yan rejected you last time."

Liu Mumu chuckled inwardly, thinking that if he had put her in the office outside just now, his office would be gone too.

"When will your sequela end, and what's next?" Fang Chuan asked her.

"Next, please call my Dad and ask him to pick me up." The only person who could save her now was Old Dong.

"Huh? Where's your phone?" Fang Chuan asked, confused why she needed him to call.

Liu Mumu pointed to her phone, shattered into two pieces in the corner. It had perished together with an ornamental strange stone that Consultant Yan collected.

Fang Chuan gasped. "My goodness, I heard that stone was worth over a hundred thousand!"

He felt that he was destined to clean up this mess and decided to call Liu Mumu's Dad. Perhaps, given her father's wealth, Consultant Yan wouldn't take his anger out on him.

The call was quickly connected. Dong Zhenghao thought he had been "exposed" again and was trembling. He hastily said, "Comrade Police, is there something you need? I've been abiding by the law very strictly lately and have absolutely no contact with those people anymore."

Fang Chuan's lips twitched. "It's not related to the case. Liu Mumu, she's your daughter, right?"

Dong Zhenghao didn't need him to continue. He immediately stated decisively, "My daughter is also a law-abiding citizen!"

Fang Chuan found it hard to describe his feelings towards Dong Zhenghao. He always felt that Mr. Dong's sense of humor was in a completely different place from everyone else's.

"It's like this, we have a case that requires her cooperation for an investigation. We invited her to the police station not long ago, and now she wishes for you to come to the police station to pick her up."

"But I'm not in Qing City..." Dong Zhenghao, worried Fang Chuan might misunderstand, quickly explained, "I'm just on a business trip to the next city and will be back tomorrow afternoon. I'm definitely not fleeing to avoid punishment." Even though the police had only verbally told him not to leave the province after he was released that day, he still explained carefully.

"We don't suspect you... so you can't come pick her up now?"

"Yes, yes. Otherwise, should I have her aunt take her younger sister to pick her up?" Dong Zhenghao thought his eldest daughter might be unhappy about cooperating with the investigation and needed her dad to comfort her. Since Dad wasn't around, his younger daughter could comfort her. However, his younger daughter alone wouldn't do; it would be best if her mother took her. Although Dong Zhenghao was deeply engrossed in his preference for sons over daughters, he knew very well that his precious son's status in his eldest daughter's eyes was definitely a class below his younger daughter. Didn't she actively tell fortunes for her younger sister every day? He, as a father, had to say a few nice words to coax her into a good mood to get a free fortune-telling session. Sigh, it was so difficult. In the past, others would flatter him, but since Mumu came home, the tables had truly turned.

"Wait a moment, I'll ask her."

Fang Chuan put down the phone and walked back to ask Liu Mumu, "Your Dad is on a business trip in the next city and can only return tomorrow. Do you want to find someone else to pick you up?"

Liu Mumu covered her face in despair. Old Dong, you've failed me!

"No need."

"Okay..." Fang Chuan suddenly felt a chill, sensing that something bad was about to happen.

Fang Chuan declined Dong Zhenghao and hung up the phone after assuring him that he would safely escort Liu Mumu home.

"How about I send someone to take you home later?" Fang Chuan asked tentatively after returning. Yan Xiu didn't stop him, likely not planning to have Liu Mumu compensate him for an office just yet.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Liu Mumu regretfully refused. The reason she could go home safely after her fortune-telling that day was that the breakfast shop she chose was close to home. The City Bureau was quite a distance from her house. If she took a car, who knew what terrifying incidents like a multiple-vehicle collision might occur.

"Why not? We won't use a police car; I'll drive you back in my car." He thought Liu Mumu was worried about being gawked at if a police car took her back. Captain Fang had bought his new car last month and hadn't given anyone a ride in it yet.

"I'm afraid..."

Before Liu Mumu could finish, a police officer ran in. Because he was running too fast, he bumped the office chair by the door as he entered. The office chair had wheels, and they watched as it bypassed all obstacles in front of Fang Chuan and rolled directly towards Liu Mumu.

Fang Chuan reacted quickly, stepping on the chair with his foot. The chair tilted, and one of its wheels flew into the air, hitting Fang Chuan on the head before bouncing off and flying away.

Fang Chuan, holding his head, turned to Liu Mumu and asked, "How come your sequela doesn't even spare innocent bystanders who are acting heroically?"

Liu Mumu shrugged. "For the next two days, accidents like this can happen at any time. If you insist on taking me home, I'm worried your car will be gone halfway there."

"A car accident?" Fang Chuan was a little panicked. He had never encountered such a situation before.

"Or something might fall from the sky, like a person or a meteorite." When she first gained this ability, her grandfather had indeed found a meteorite beside her. And it was quite valuable, he had to admit.

Fang Chuan was already regretting inviting Liu Mumu. It was a case of inviting a god that was harder to send away.

He considered himself someone who had met many masters, yet this particular master was the most difficult and dangerous.

"Consultant Yan, perhaps you could help her find a solution?" Fang Chuan tentatively asked Yan Xiu for help. "Don't your Mystic Masters have some kind of lucky charms to counteract this?"

Liu Mumu also looked at Yan Xiu expectantly.

Yan Xiu was silent for a moment. He rummaged through the ruins of his office, found cinnabar and yellow paper, and went outside to find a flat spot to draw a talisman.

The moment the folded talisman paper was placed in Liu Mumu's hand, it felt like it was burning. A few seconds later, it turned to ash.

The police officers watching from the side swallowed in unison and retreated. "So fierce!"

The last time they handled a case involving a bone jar, whoever touched the jar was unlucky. Consultant Yan had solved the problem with just one talisman.

The Liu Mumu before them was probably equivalent to a hundred bone jars in terms of power.

Next, Yan Xiu squeezed out a drop of blood from his fingertip, mixed it with cinnabar, and with swift, flowing strokes, drew another talisman.

This time, although the talisman paper also turned black, the speed was much slower. It looked like it would last for at least an hour or two.

After the talisman paper was placed in Liu Mumu's hand, she felt a warmth envelop her entire body, and the chilling sense of malice from all directions disappeared.

"It seems to be working?" she tentatively took a few steps forward without encountering any mishaps.

With a face full of anticipation, she approached Yan Xiu. "Can you draw twenty more for me? No, fifteen would be fine too?"

This aftereffect would gradually weaken over time. By the last day, it wouldn't be so dangerous. She felt that if she used them sparingly, fifteen talismans would allow her to safely get through two days.

Looking at Yan Xiu's speed in drawing talismans, this request wasn't too difficult for him.

"No."

Being rejected so plainly, Liu Mumu looked disappointed.

Seeing her pathetic state, Yan Xiu, uncharacteristically, explained further, "Blood talismans have an expiration date. They lose their effectiveness after two hours."

In other words, hoarding talismans was out of the question.

Liu Mumu grabbed his sleeve. "Is there no other way?"

She felt that the aftereffects of fortune-telling, combined with the extremely unlucky divination she drew that morning, meant that without some solution, she might end up accompanying her grandfather today.

"Hey, what other way is there? Just have him draw one for you every two hours," Fang Chuan thought he was so clever.

A nearby police officer nudged his waist and whispered, "What about tonight?"

Fang Chuan looked at the expressionless Yan Xiu and Liu Mumu, whose eyes suddenly lit up, and silently closed his mouth.

In the end, Yan Xiu didn't agree or disagree, but he didn't send Liu Mumu away either.

Although it was noon, they had just apprehended Ning Yuan. Fang Chuan and Yan Xiu had to go to the interrogation room. Liu Mumu was left in the office outside, and a police officer even went to the canteen to get her some food.

After leaving the office, Fang Chuan sidled up to Yan Xiu and whispered, "The young lady is like this because she was helping us catch the murderer. Look how scary her aftereffects are. We can't just leave her like this, can we?"

Yan Xiu glanced at him. "Why haven't I seen you so eager to help before?"

"Isn't she your future little girlfriend?" Fang Chuan hadn't forgotten that part. After all, it was said by a fortune-telling master, so the credibility was extremely high.

Yan Xiu, who was usually so indifferent that his emotions rarely fluctuated, paired with a difficult and troublesome young girl – a perfect match!

He was so looking forward to the day they got together.

"I also said, she calculated it wrong. Besides, there were others on that floor at the time, including you."

Fang Chuan waved his hand. "Hey, our tastes are different, there's absolutely no chance. The young lady actually thought my face was a bit square. Is my face square? It's called masculinity."

Yan Xiu pinched the bridge of his nose. Not only was he mentally tormented by Fang Chuan every day, but now there was one more.

Seeing that Yan Xiu wasn't speaking, Fang Chuan pressed on. "It might not be good to take her home. How about we book two rooms at a nearby hotel and deliver a talisman to her every two hours to get through tonight? Tomorrow won't be too busy, besides interrogating Ning Yuan, we'll also wait for the Zhan siblings to wake up. You can take a half-day break and come to the bureau. What do you think?"

There were priorities. Liu Mumu's current condition did seem more serious. Fang Chuan didn't stand on ceremony.

As they walked to the interrogation room door, Fang Chuan finally heard him let out a "Mm."

The afternoon interrogation of Ning Yuan was not going smoothly.

He was cooperative, answering whatever they asked, but unfortunately, none of his answers were what Fang Chuan and the others wanted. Without any crucial evidence, they couldn't pry anything out of him.

"Comrade Police officers, I've told you everything I can. If you say I'm a liar, I'll admit it. The court will decide how to sentence me. As for Mr. Zhan Hongye, my relationship with him was just that of an ordinary fortune teller and client. I am also very sorry that he is dead, but this matter truly has nothing to do with me."

"Zhan Hongye has a son and a daughter. Do you know them?" Fang Chuan had heard him repeat the same words several times and was unmoved.

"Yes, I've seen his son before when we were dining. I met his daughter at Mr. Zhan Hongye's funeral."

After entering, Ning Yuan knew what kind of place this was, but he was also confident that nothing would happen to him.

His cleanup was thorough, leaving no clues. Even these police officers who specialized in the Metaphysics circle couldn't convict him without physical evidence or witnesses.

"When was the last time you met the Zhan siblings?"

"I only saw them once at the funeral."

"Is that so?" Fang Chuan looked up at Ning Yuan. "Zhan Ni didn't say that."

Ning Yuan's body stiffened for a moment, his eyes widening slightly. It was a brief change, but it was clearly seen by the person who was staring at him.

Ning Yuan tugged at his lips. "Officer, I have no quarrel with the Zhan family's young lady. I really don't know why she'd say that."

Fang Chuan didn't follow his lead. Instead, he said, "When I mentioned Zhan Ni just now, you got very nervous."

He leaned forward slightly. "Is it because you thought she was already dead?"

Ning Yuan didn't speak this time. He closed his mouth, as if he wouldn't say anything more.

Fang Chuan asked a few more questions, but Ning Yuan no longer gave any feedback.

Packing up and leaving the interrogation room, Fang Chuan said to Yan Xiu outside, "Liu Mumu is indeed formidable. This kid is probably the mastermind."

Ning Yuan's initial confidence, and his reaction after being told Zhan Ni was alive, both pointed to the real answer.

"It's a shame his background is so clean. We can't find any clues about who he's working for."

"It's fine," Yan Xiu said, hands in his pockets. He looked in the direction of the interrogation room, his profile stern. "News that the Zhan siblings are alive has been suppressed. If our guess is correct, someone will eventually come to take over everything belonging to the Zhan family."

"Let's hope so."

"We just got word from the hospital. Zhan Huitian woke up around four o'clock," Yan Xiu told Fang Chuan.

Fang Chuan's eyes lit up. "Let's go to the hospital to see him."

After walking a few steps, Fang Chuan turned back. "Should we bring Liu Mumu along? If there's nothing else tonight, you guys can go straight to the hotel?"

Yan Xiu didn't object, so Fang Chuan took it as his agreement.

Liu Mumu had been confined to the office all afternoon. Yan Xiu changed her talismans every two hours, but she couldn't see him at other times.

She didn't have a phone, and no one to chat with. She could only lean on her desk, holding paper and pen, constantly drawing little birds.

Fang Chuan walked up to her and looked down. "What are you drawing? It's so round?"

Liu Mumu turned her head and looked resentfully at the two people who had appeared in the office. "These are Angry Birds, representing my current mood."

Fang Chuan quickly backed away a couple of steps, not wanting to incur the wrath of the Angry Birds.

"We're going to the hospital to see Zhan Huitian. Do you want to come along, and by the way, see the classmate you saved?"

"Let's go!" Liu Mumu immediately jumped up and rushed out.

Fang Chuan grabbed the car keys and headed out. He reached the parking lot and suddenly remembered something. He quietly discussed with Yan Xiu, "Why don't we take your car?"

His "wife" had only been married for a month, and he didn't want to experience an accident and become a single dog halfway there.

Yan Xiu took out his car keys and threw them to him. Fang Chuan grinned, took the keys, and then threw his own keys to the two subordinates following behind.

As the three approached, Liu Mumu leaned in to look at the car logo. It was a little angel with wings. Although she didn't recognize it, she said, "This car looks really expensive."

After Fang Chuan got into the driver's seat, he introduced, "This is one of our Consultant Yan's rides."

Liu Mumu got into the car and asked Fang Chuan, "You're so poor, how can you afford him?"

Fang Chuan's facial features didn't seem to be related to money, but his career line was quite outstanding. Hopefully, she wasn't mistaken.

Fang Chuan sighed. "How could I afford him? Our bureau can't afford him either. His expenses are all reimbursed by headquarters, and his salary is paid directly from above. We're not in the same system."

Their department had only been established recently. Each region had sent a consultant, and it was said that more police officers with further training would be transferred over. Currently, they were short-handed, and every region was complaining.

However, Fang Chuan felt that Yan Xiu was a bit more capable than other consultants. The cases they had handled had gone quite smoothly, and none of their brothers had been lost.

These cases looked easy, but they were actually fraught with danger. One wrong step could cost a life.

"Wow, how much is his salary?" Liu Mumu asked curiously.

"It's a lot more than ours, anyway."

These two treated Yan Xiu like air, openly discussing his salary issues.

"He's so rich..." Liu Mumu touched the expensive leather seat, genuinely envious.

Fang Chuan glanced at Liu Mumu through the rearview mirror and asked her, "Aren't you diviners rich? It's normal to charge hundreds of thousands for a single divination for a wealthy businessman, right?"

"Look at me. Do you think I can just casually divine for anyone?"

"That's true." Fang Chuan agreed wholeheartedly. He had investigated Liu Mumu before and knew that Dong Zhenghao had only recently found her. He felt that in Liu Mumu's situation, finding a rich father to support her would definitely be much better than struggling on her own. At least she would live longer.

"Then your Master who taught you divination... is he still?" Fang Chuan hesitated, unsure how to address him.

"My grandfather. He's not famous. His business isn't even as good as Blind Liu's down the street from us," Liu Mumu said, not caring much about Fang Chuan's probing and not minding telling him who taught her her skills.

"The one who taught such a capable granddaughter must be quite capable too," Fang Chuan said, not entirely convinced.

They chatted idly the whole way, and Fang Chuan still had more to say when they arrived at the hospital.

After the three got out of the car, a doctor led them discreetly up to a corner on the fifth floor of the inpatient building and into a single patient room.

Inside the room, Zhan Huitian lay on the hospital bed, his eyes open, staring at the ceiling as if lost in thought.

He turned his head when his peripheral vision caught Fang Chuan and the others entering, and then his eyeballs moved when he saw Liu Mumu, who was at the very back. A slight glimmer appeared in his eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Fang Chuan asked.

"Pretty good," Zhan Huitian said, his voice hoarse. "It feels good to be alive."

He had almost thought he would die there. Who wanted to harm him? Mr. Ning? Zhan Huitian fell into his own thoughts again.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Fang Chuan, Captain of the Special Case Investigation Section, specializing in cases involving metaphysics. We have obtained decisive evidence regarding your use of witchcraft tools to curse and kill your father, Zhan Hongye. Do you have anything else to say?" Fang Chuan's words interrupted Zhan Hongye's contemplation.

He was stunned for a moment, then shook his head, "No."

Although he had lost a lot of blood at the time, he still remembered this person, including the man standing behind him.

That person had painted something on his face, and then his bleeding stopped. That was not a power an ordinary person possessed at all. He had always thought Mr. Ning was very powerful before, but now he realized he was just a frog in a well.

He had also, indeed, personally killed Zhan Hongye.

"Do you know Ning Yuan? Tell us everything related to him."

While Fang Chuan and other police officers were still taking Zhan Huitian's statement, Liu Mumu quietly went to the next door sickroom.

There were police officers guarding the sickroom. Knowing she was brought by Fang Chuan, they didn't stop her from looking inside by pressing her face against the glass on the door.

Zhan Ni lay on the hospital bed, surrounded by many monitoring instruments. She hadn't woken up yet.

Liu Mumu felt someone approach and looked back. She saw Yan Xiu standing behind her, also looking inside.

"Zhan Ni only fell and hit her head. Why hasn't she woken up? Didn't the doctor just say the concussion wasn't serious?" Liu Mumu asked him. She hadn't expected Yan Xiu to answer her question.

However, Yan Xiu actually replied. He said, "Your previous guess was correct. Ning Yuan might have used some means that harmed her brain. The instruments can only detect abnormal brainwaves for now."

"What about you? Do you have a solution?"

Yan Xiu shook his head. He wasn't specialized in this area. He could only determine from her current state that Zhan Ni's inability to wake up was not caused by the fall.

"Is there a possibility she won't wake up?" Liu Mumu found it hard to articulate her current feelings. She instantly felt dejected. Was Zhan Ni getting her just deserts?

"Perhaps. If she can't wake up, we will send her to Jing City."

Even an unconscious person was a criminal. She and her elder brother would be sent to a special prison. One would be imprisoned normally, and the other would likely be sent to the treatment center of a special prison for therapy.

After Liu Mumu saw Zhan Ni, she returned to Zhan Huitian's sickroom. As soon as she walked in, she heard him ask, "Officer, does my younger sister know I'm in the hospital? Where is she now?"

Fang Chuan looked back at Yan Xiu, then at Zhan Huitian, "Your younger sister..."

"She's in the next door sickroom," Yan Xiu's cold voice rang out. "After she tried to curse you to death, she attempted suicide and failed. She was saved, but she fell and injured her head."

"Curse, curse me to death?" Zhan Huitian seemed incredulous. "Why? Why would she want to kill me? I clearly returned the vase to Mr. Ning. How could she..."

Zhan Huitian became very agitated. The doctor waiting outside the door hurried in to help. After a while, he calmed down.

"So, the one who wanted to kill me was actually Zhan Ni," Zhan Huitian seemed to lose all his strength in an instant, mumbling, "It really is retribution."