Chapter 4: Do Evil Spirits Kill?

The remarkable consistency lies in the differences of angle, time, and space

I asked: "What about forensic evidence?"

Little Horse asked: "What is the emotional state of the witness?"

I am well aware of how strange this old lady is, certainly more than you. In fact, I believe there are supernatural phenomena in this world because I have witnessed them with my own eyes. When I was about five or six years old, I passed by the Jin Eighteen family, and at that time, his grandmother was invoking spirits. Out of curiosity, I peeked from outside the door. The entire process was very eerie. The old lady had her face painted in a floral pattern, resembling some kind of talisman. With her eyes closed, she was stepping in a very peculiar manner, circling around the room, muttering incantations. It was her own voice, but after a certain point, her eyes rolled back, and she began to speak in a male voice, engaging in conversation with the family members of the deceased who had come to seek the spirit.

In general, asking for guidance from spirits is akin to summoning ghosts, a practice that has existed in China for thousands of years. It is indeed real and quite remarkable. I have come across some relevant materials, and there is an example that illustrates this. This incident occurred in Shaanxi, where an eighty-year-old man passed away suddenly, leaving no words behind, and he appeared to have died in great pain, as if he had some unfulfilled wishes. His descendants, unable to bear the sight, invited a shaman to communicate with the old man. Ultimately, they discovered the reason for his suffering: he had an unfulfilled wish. He had crafted a pair of dragon and phoenix bracelets intended for his future granddaughter-in-law, but they were hidden very securely, fearing that his descendants would not find them. Through the dialogue between the shaman and the old man, the pair of dragon and phoenix bracelets was eventually located. If asking for guidance from spirits is a fabrication, how would the shaman know that the old man had hidden a pair of dragon and phoenix bracelets?

The deceased lay beside the bed in their own room. This is a typical Miao bed, constructed in a very simple manner, with four forked wooden posts inserted into the ground to form a wooden frame, topped with wooden planks, and then covered with a bamboo mat. Now, the bamboo mat is stained with fresh blood, along with some scattered organ tissues. A large pool of blood spreads out on the ground to the right of the deceased, emitting a strong metallic odor, while several mosquitoes and flies buzz around, excitedly dancing for what they perceive as a delicious feast.

One piece of information I can share is that throughout history, there have been numerous unresolved cases across the country. The reasons for these cases remaining unsolved can be categorized into two main types: the first is insufficient evidence; the second involves the supernatural.

It would be helpful to take some back for testing to determine what kind of cigarette it is, whether it is from outside the region or local, what brand it is, and so on

After searching for a while and finding no other useful clues, I left the room to look around, hoping to find the second piece of withered bamboo leaf, but to no avail. However, Chuan Huohuo made a discovery; he pulled me into a storage room on the second floor and pointed to a small area in the corner where there were traces of ash that had been blown around but were still faintly discernible, saying: "This should not have been here for long. Could it be left by the murderer? I have already confirmed that the deceased was a widow, living alone, and did not smoke. She has a son who is in the third year of junior high at the ethnic school in town, and he definitely does not smoke either, as he only comes back on weekends."

Upon arriving at the crime scene, we encountered Chen Xiaochun once again. However, he was no longer accompanied by Zhang Dahua, but rather by another individual. This person was not a forensic doctor, but a forensic expert, the legendary number one bachelor of the criminal investigation team, He Hui. He and Chen Xiaochun were diligently performing their respective duties at the scene. After greeting them, I put on gloves and began to observe the surroundings. I first searched the living room for any clues, checking the doors, windows, and floor for any signs of disturbance or traces of forced entry. After finding nothing, I proceeded into the deceased's room.

Zhang Zichen stated: "After some reassurance, the situation is relatively stable"

What? Poisoned? I am very surprised, there are no traces at all

I said: "I know about books and such, let's see if there are any cigarette butts."

You can go in and take a look now, and then I will talk to you again

In fact, the practice of inviting spirits does exist in folk culture, not only among the Miao people, but interpretations vary due to regional differences. Some believe that inviting spirits is a step in funeral culture. This is mentioned in "Dream of the Red Chamber," which conveys that when a family or clan experiences a change, the family members go to the ancestral tomb and, after a series of rituals, burn paper to inform their ancestors of the changes at home, inviting the deceased ancestors to return and visit. In our Miao Autonomous Prefecture, inviting spirits is referred to as "asking for rice." What does asking for rice mean? Essentially, it involves a situation where a family or clan experiences a change, and the family members go to the ancestral tomb, perform a series of rituals, and burn paper to inform their ancestors of the changes at home, inviting the deceased ancestors to return and visit. In our Miao Autonomous Prefecture, asking for rice specifically refers to a ritual that involves the spirits of deceased relatives interacting with the living family members. This is facilitated by a shaman, or in some places referred to as a spirit medium, who brings the souls from the underworld to the living realm, allowing them to communicate with the living through the medium. During this ritual, a bowl of rice is placed nearby, hence the term "asking for rice."

The young man quickly took out the evidence bag to help me put the dried bamboo leaves inside. I felt very puzzled; there were no bamboo trees in the village, only the bamboo grove at the west end of the village. With so many terrifying events happening in the past few days, who would go near the bamboo grove? If no one went, how could the bamboo leaves have been brought back? They must have been brought back not long ago, as they still retained their moisture. If they had been brought back a long time ago, they would have dried out. Could it be that one of our people brought them in? But as I looked around, it didn't seem like they were stuck to the soles of shoes or caught on the cuffs of pants. They must have been brought back not long ago, as they still retained their moisture. If they had been brought back a long time ago, they would have dried out. Could it be that one of our people brought them in? But as I looked around, it didn't seem like they were stuck to the soles of shoes or caught on the cuffs of pants.

In this vast world, there is no shortage of the extraordinary. Given that Jin Shiba's grandmother possesses such mysterious skills, the strange occurrences surrounding her may not be particularly shocking. However, as a criminal police officer, I cannot write my report in that manner, nor can I use feudal superstitions as the basis for investigating a case. It is akin to needing to change one's name; if the reason for the name change involves feudal superstitions, such as lacking a certain element in the Five Elements theory and thus needing to change the name for good fortune and safety, that would absolutely not be accepted by the police station. If I were to write my report in such a way, I would certainly be dismissed. Therefore, I must rely on scientific evidence to support my statements.

Is there a significant discrepancy in the testimonies of the four individuals

More than an hour later, Cheng Huaihuo, Xiao Ma, and I arrived at Jinlang Tianzhai. Baibai did not come, as the three of us had already decided not to return to rest. According to the previously assigned tasks, Baibai needed to stay in the county town to serve as our strong support.

With a strong sense of shock, I asked Chen Xiaochun: "What kind of poison is in this? It has changed too quickly, hasn't it?"

Cheng Huaihuo, who had just finished vomiting, hurriedly asked me: "Is there a corresponding person in your village?"

Zhang Zichen said: "They are still at the crime scene; they arrived only half an hour earlier than you."

At the entrance of the village, it was still Zhang Zichen who welcomed us. The local police station was short-staffed, and since this case was assigned to Zhang Zichen, he was on the front lines just like us, with rest having become a luxury. The situation in Jinlang Village was not much different from during the day; it still appeared very quiet, eerie, and mysterious. The only notable difference was that every household had their lights on brightly, perhaps out of fear. In fact, in a pitch-black environment, a person's sense of security diminishes to its lowest point, which is why people tend to seek light even more when they are afraid. The situation in Jinlang Village was not much different from during the day; it still appeared very quiet, eerie, and mysterious. The only notable difference was that every household had their lights on brightly, perhaps out of fear. In fact, in a pitch-black environment, a person's sense of security diminishes to its lowest point, which is why people tend to seek light even more when they are afraid.

I am just ... ...

Then let's go to the crime scene

Chen Xiaochun's expression was quite strange: "I was also taken aback when black blood suddenly emerged. This is an unnatural occurrence. Based on the state of the corpse and its temperature, it has been dead for about three hours, which aligns with the time of the report. After three hours, the blood coagulation would reach a certain level, and this level does not support such a flow. Therefore, I suspect poisoning, but we need to conduct tests to determine what kind of poison it is. I guess it might be a combination of neurotoxic and hemotoxic snake venom, along with other toxic components."

What do you want to say? Are you trying to tell me that hetushucom.com is not a case of human crime?

I, along with Cheng Huaihuo, had just descended a level when, coincidentally, Chen Xiaochun emerged from the room carrying a toolbox. He remarked, "The deceased, in comparison to Lin Weiye, also known as Lin Daxian, died in a simpler manner. There was no prior violation before death, and the cause of death was poisoning, which likely occurred within three minutes. The body was only disemboweled after death."

Damn it, the disembowelment is truly brutal, especially since it has only been a short time since the incident occurred, and all the traces are exceptionally clear. The internal organs are directly positioned in the crotch area. Cheng Huaihuo could no longer bear it and ran outside, while Xiao Ma managed to hold on, though I noticed his breathing was heavy, and large beads of cold sweat were rolling down his forehead. This is, of course, quite normal; this guy, like Cheng Huaihuo, graduated from a formal police academy and has been here for less than a year. In our small town, we have never seen such a cruel method of committing a crime.

If the test results are indeed as I suspected, then it is truly the case

I have already searched, and there are not even any footprints

This means that the murderer is skilled in the use of poison, knowledgeable about venomous snakes and toxic substances, or perhaps well-versed in snakes and medicinal herbs

Zhang Zichen led us into the heart of the village, walking while saying: "Our police station has completed its work. I have retained several witnesses, who are currently housed at Chief Jin's home. Should we go to the crime scene first or to Chief Jin's house?"

Cheng Huaihuo sighed and said, "Anyway, I feel quite unsettled; hopefully, I am overthinking it. Let us go down and take a look; I estimate that there should already be results on Chen Xiaochun's side."

I say: "Withered bamboo leaves"

"Alright." After hesitating for a few seconds, Cheng Huaihuo continued, "Xiaoyu, to be honest, the series of cases that have occurred are quite bizarre. You could say they are not the work of ghosts or deities, but if it is indeed a human, then the intelligence of your people is astonishingly high, isn't it? The crimes are executed flawlessly, without leaving any traces. Are these really just ordinary farmers from the mountains? We have dealt with so many highly educated intellectuals, yet none of them are as capable as this. Is that even possible?"

I am different; I am a police officer who returned after military service. However, do not misunderstand me as someone who has connections. I was simply outstanding in the military, and my superiors recommended me. Additionally, local policies in the autonomous prefecture allowed me to become a police officer. Having witnessed numerous brutal scenes in the military, my capacity to endure in this regard is stronger than theirs. I have never felt nauseated by such matters, not even when I had the urge to vomit; today is the first time.

The final posture of the deceased suggested an attempt to crawl outward, but after only two steps, they had already succumbed. The cause of death cannot be definitively concluded at this time, but one thing is certain: the assailant's first strike occurred on the bed. As for the method of the crime, the manner of the deceased's death indeed resembles that of Lin Weiye, both exhibiting a terrified expression at the time of death and having their abdomen opened. However, upon closer inspection, there are essential differences; the wound on the abdomen is characterized by a regular shape.

After only a brief glance at the result, Cheng Huaihuo and I hurriedly ran out. Cheng Huaihuo was still retching, as the deceased's eyes, ears, mouth, and nose were all oozing black blood. The legendary phenomenon of blood flowing from the seven orifices was vividly displayed, and the visible skin all over the body had turned a deep purple-black color, looking extremely terrifying, accompanied by waves of foul odor. My goodness, how long have we been out? Looking back, the person has already transformed in such a way, which is truly unbelievable. What kind of poison could have such an effect? Moreover, the visible skin all over the body had turned a deep purple-black color, looking extremely terrifying, accompanied by waves of foul odor. My goodness, how long have we been out? Looking back, the person has already transformed in such a way, which is truly unbelievable. I have never encountered anything like this in my knowledge.

I hurried into the room, as it was too unexpected, and this information would make the case even more perplexing, increasing the difficulty of our investigation

Suddenly, I noticed a deep yellow object on the ground about one meter to the left of the corpse. It was roughly the size of a finger segment. I picked it up to examine it; it was a small piece of a withered bamboo leaf, quite moist overall, with rainwater faintly visible on its surface. Xiao Ma also noticed it and quickly walked over, asking, "What is this thing?"