Volume Ten: Crossroads Chapter Six: Where Has Conscience Gone?

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Picturesque Landscape Advertising Design Company, General Manager’s Office

“What brings you officers here today?” asked Jing Ru Hua.

“Is this your business card?” Yaoguang handed over a card.

Jing Ru Hua took it and examined it, “Yes, it’s mine. Ah, isn’t this the card I gave to Du Yuchen? How did it end up with you, and what’s with the odd condition?”

“Du Yuchen? How can you be sure this card was given to him?” Yaoguang inquired.

“Oh, it’s a little inside joke between us. See the little pig’s head drawn at the lower right corner on the back? Even if the card’s a bit battered, I’d recognize it anywhere.” Jing Ru Hua took another card from his holder, “This one’s from him to me. There’s a rabbit drawn at the lower right corner on the back.”

“You two have an interesting sense of humor,” Ming Wang remarked with a smile.

“We’re childhood friends. He’s born under the sign of the rabbit, I’m a pig, and I’m older. We used to do this—he’d draw a rabbit on things he gave me, I’d sketch a pig’s head on things for him. No need to write names, we’d know who it was from.” Jing Ru Hua laughed, “So, officers, has that rascal gotten into some kind of trouble?”

“If the card wasn’t passed to someone else, it’s likely we can confirm the deceased is Du Yuze,” said Yaoguang.

“The deceased? Yuze is dead? That’s impossible. Just last week he told me he’d be back from a business trip and would take me out for drinks.” Jing Ru Hua was shocked, “How did he die?”

“Traffic accident. Are you certain he messaged you only a week ago?” Yaoguang asked.

“Yes, look, here’s the chat history.” Jing Ru Hua unlocked his phone.

“If the deceased is Du Yuze, then the person you were speaking with couldn’t have been him, since he died in a car accident on the night of the 26th last month,” Ming Wang said.

“No, no, that can’t be. Yuze was such a good person. How could this happen?” Jing Ru Hua slumped into his chair, then turned to search his drawer and pulled out a set of keys. “Let’s go, I’ll take you to his apartment. He must be home, he can’t be dead. He was always so polite, so sunny, always promising to take me out to eat, to drink, to karaoke. How could… how could…” Jing Ru Hua choked up, tears streaming down his face. Suddenly remembering, he grabbed his phone again, only to be greeted by the harsh automated voice, “Sorry, the number you dialed is switched off.”

“Mr. Jing, please compose yourself. The evidence isn’t conclusive that the deceased is Du Yuze,” Yaoguang said, unsure how to comfort the man now sobbing uncontrollably.

“Yes, yes.” Jing Ru Hua wiped his tears, “Let’s go to Yuze’s place. We’ll find something and do a DNA comparison, then we’ll know for sure.” He stood up.

Yaoguang followed him downstairs. They drove to Du Yuze’s apartment.

Jing Ru Hua unlocked the door. Everyone put on shoe covers and gloves before entering. The apartment was tidy, but the dust showed no one had lived there for some time. On the table was a wallet. Yaoguang picked it up and found identification inside. “Would someone on a business trip forget their ID?”

The presence of the ID shattered everyone’s last hope.

“Chief, no blood or other traces found. This isn’t the primary crime scene,” Chen Haixu said, bagging cigarette butts from the ashtray and a few hairs from the bathroom comb.

“Mr. Jing, who’s the woman in this photo?” Ming Wang picked up a picture frame from the TV stand.

“Yuze’s girlfriend. They broke up. They were a talented couple, it’s a shame,” Jing Ru Hua replied.

“Do you know when?” Ming Wang asked.

“About twenty days ago. Yuze messaged me about the breakup. I offered to buy him drinks, but he said maybe another time, wasn’t in the mood. Now that I think about it, he was already gone then,” Jing Ru Hua said. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, “Wait, if Yuze is dead, who was messaging me on WeChat? The tone was flawless. Does that mean whoever had Yuze’s phone was the killer? Officer, didn’t you say Yuze died in an accident? What’s with the phone?”

“Mr. Jing, I think you’ve hit the crux of the matter. Do you know where Yuze’s ex-girlfriend lives?” Yaoguang asked.

“Yes. I’ll take you there.” Jing Ru Hua said, “I don’t want to interfere with your investigation. I just want the truth for Yuze. We only had each other in this city. We grew up in the orphanage, lived, studied, tested together, started businesses. Later, I founded this design company and hired Yuze as designer. That’s later, though. Let’s go.” Jing Ru Hua was visibly lost.

Yaoguang and her team fell silent, following Jing Ru Hua.

“Chief, I’ll deliver the evidence for testing,” Chen Haixu said.

“Alright,” Yaoguang nodded.

They drove to Bayview Community. Jing Ru Hua led them to Unit 1101 of Building 1. “Xintian, it’s me, Jing. Are you home?” He knocked.

The door opened. A girl in a nightgown greeted him, “Jing, what brings you here? Come in.” Before entering, Yaoguang exchanged a glance with Huo Mingkun and Jiang Yun behind her. They nodded and went downstairs.

“Hello, miss. We’re from the Ye City Public Security Bureau. We’d like to ask you a few questions,” Yaoguang said.

“Of course, go ahead.” Xintian nodded.

“Have you had any contact with your boyfriend Du Yuze recently?” Yaoguang asked.

“No, we broke up,” Xintian replied.

“When was that?” Yaoguang asked.

“Let me check.” Xintian scrolled through her phone. “It was on the 6th. He sent a message saying we should break up.”

“What was the reason?” Yaoguang asked.

“He said we weren’t right for each other. I pressed him, but he wouldn’t explain. Then when I called, his phone was switched off.” Xintian began to cry. “Now I can’t reach him at all. I even called Jing for help. You can ask him.”

“Yes, Xintian did call me,” Jing Ru Hua confirmed.

“How long were you together?” Yaoguang asked.

“Less than a year,” Xintian answered.

“How did you meet?” Yaoguang pressed.

“At an advertising design exchange. Yuze was so sunny, I chased after him. Officer, is something wrong?” Xintian asked.

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“We’re investigating a hit-and-run accident. The evidence chain currently points to the victim being Du Yuze,” Yaoguang explained.

“Yuze is dead? How is that possible?” Xintian cried, her wails tearing at the heart.

“Miss Xintian, please take care. We’ll be leaving now,” Yaoguang said, exchanging a glance with Ming Wang as she rose to go.

“Alright, I won’t see you out,” Xintian choked out. “Take care, Jing.”

They nodded and left. As the door closed, they heard her sobbing uncontrollably inside. Jing Ru Hua’s eyes were red as well.

Downstairs, Jing Ru Hua bid farewell, leaving his number for updates.

Yaoguang watched his car drive away. Ming Wang remarked, “This Xintian is suspicious.”

“You noticed?” Yaoguang said.

“A boyfriend of less than a year, already broken up, but her crying is like she lost her parents. Is that normal? And when he texted to break up, there’s not much pressing in the chat history. Which girl wouldn’t try desperately to hold on at such news? Unless she’d already prepared for it. But if she’d prepared, how is she so broken up now? It’s contradictory, doesn’t add up,” Ming Wang explained.

“Haha, you should join our Tianjian as a detective. Brilliant analysis,” Yaoguang laughed.

“You agree?” Ming Wang asked.

“Yes. Xuancheng, return to the station and locate Du Yuze’s phone. Akun and Yun are already retrieving surveillance from the area, I’ll keep watch here. Be quick,” Yaoguang said.

“Understood, no problem.” Xuancheng departed.

Yaoguang and Ming Wang sat in the car, watching the corridor outside Xintian’s apartment.

“Yaoyao, do you think Xintian will try to escape?” Ming Wang asked.

“No,” Yaoguang replied.

“What makes you so sure?” Ming Wang questioned.

“Because she still holds onto the hope that we lack direct evidence.” Yaoguang smiled, “Let her cry for now. The evidence will come soon enough.”

The phone rang just then. Yaoguang smiled, “Here we go. Xuancheng?”

“Phoenix, the DNA from the cigarette butts and hair at Du Yuze’s apartment matches the victim. The deceased is confirmed as Du Yuze. The last phone location was at Bayview Community, Building 1, last powered on a week ago. Also, at 10:15pm on the 26th, Meng Zicheng arrived at Bayview in Zhang Minghai’s car. At 1:20am, Meng Zicheng entered Unit 1101. Ten minutes later, Du Yuze entered the same unit. Twenty minutes later, Meng Zicheng exited, and five minutes after that, Du Yuze left, staggering as if drunk. According to these surveillance times, Meng Zicheng had ample opportunity. I suspect Meng Zicheng and Xintian had an illicit relationship, which Du Yuze discovered, leading to a confrontation at Xintian’s home. Xintian and Meng Zicheng conspired to kill Du Yuze,” Xuancheng reported.

“Alright, apply for a warrant. Arrest Xintian and request a search warrant for her apartment. I’ll wait downstairs,” Yaoguang said.

“The application is already approved, I’m on my way,” Xuancheng hung up.

Yaoguang looked at Ming Wang, “I think we’re close to closing the case.”

“But I doubt they’ll confess so easily,” Ming Wang said.

“You know what they say about a guilty conscience?” Yaoguang grinned mischievously.

“Ah, Yaoyao, you’re turning my worldview upside down,” Ming Wang rolled his eyes.

“If your conscience is clear, you don’t fear ghosts. Some even dare to visit hell,” Yaoguang said, already out of the car, meeting Xuancheng.

At the door of 1101, Yaoguang knocked. Xintian opened, frowning, but quickly masked it with a look of surprise. “Officers, is there something else?”

“Ms. Song Xintian, you are suspected of premeditated murder of Du Yuze. Please come with us.” Yaoguang handed over the arrest warrant. “Take her away.”

“No, I didn’t!” Song Xintian struggled as she was handcuffed.

“It’s not up to you. Meng Zicheng is waiting for you in the interrogation room. Off you go,” Yaoguang coldly turned away, pulling Ming Wang downstairs as the forensic team entered Xintian’s apartment.

In the interrogation room, Song Xintian only wept, while Meng Zicheng loudly protested his innocence.

The officers looked frustrated.

“Fine professionalism. Tianyou, put them in the same room today. You’ll see a good show,” Yaoguang said, heading to the conference room. The male immortal and the ghost were chatting amicably.

“Du Yuze,” Yaoguang called.

The male ghost was stunned, then looked at Yaoguang in surprise. After a long silence, he sighed, “I remember now.”

“Come with me, there are things you need to say yourself.” Yaoguang led Du Yuze’s spirit to the interrogation room.

“We didn’t do it, officer, why are you arresting us?” Song Xintian still cried.

“Whether you did or not, don’t tell me. Tell Du Yuze.” Yaoguang waved her hand before them, releasing a surge of spiritual power. Both groaned, closed their eyes, then reopened them to see Du Yuze standing before them. “Ghost! Ghost!” Song Xintian screamed.

“That’s right. I am a ghost. Song Xintian, do you really not know how I became one?” Du Yuze sneered.

“I didn’t mean to,” Song Xintian stammered in terror.

“Not on purpose? So it was premeditated. If you didn’t like me, you could have said so and I’d have left. But instead, you cheated with him behind my back. When I caught you, you slipped me sleeping pills and tried to kill me with a hammer. But I was tough, didn’t die, so he ran me over with a car and dumped me in a drainage ditch. It was so cold down there. Why don’t you come keep me company?” As he spoke, Du Yuze’s face began to change—his eyes bulged, eyeballs dropped, blood streamed from his forehead, covering his cheeks, and his body emitted a chilling rattle.

“I didn’t want you dead. I just gave you sleeping pills so Meng Zicheng could slip away while you slept. But you woke up, you fought, Meng Zicheng couldn’t beat you, I panicked and hit you with the hammer. I didn’t mean it!” Song Xintian babbled desperately.

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“I’m not scared of you. I wanted you dead. Yes, I ran you over, and yes, I dumped you in the drain. Once you were dead, Xintian would belong to me forever.” Meng Zicheng glared at Du Yuze, “Anything I want, I must have. Who do you think you are? I’ll kill you if I please.”

“It’s good you’re willing to confess.” Du Yuze resumed his normal appearance, then looked at Yaoguang and Ming Wang, who had been silent throughout. “Officers, they’ve confessed. My task is complete.”

“You’re awfully calm,” Ming Wang said in surprise. “Isn’t that unusual?”

“Calm or not, nothing can change the fact that my girlfriend cheated, nor that I’m dead. Better to face it calmly, let them confess, so I can rest in peace and you can close the case. I’m grateful for your hard work these past days,” Du Yuze said, and left the interrogation room.

“Phoenix, blood was found on the living room wall at Song Xintian’s apartment, along with the victim’s phone and a bloodied hammer. All sent for analysis,” Xuancheng reported.

“Let’s go record their statements,” Yaoguang instructed.

“Officer, what happened to Yuze?” Jing Ru Hua asked eagerly as Yaoguang entered the office.

“Mr. Jing, please come with me.” Yaoguang led Jing Ru Hua to the conference room, took out a small incense burner, lit it, and murmured, “No one dares burn raw rhino horn, but when burned it emits a strange fragrance, clings to clothing, and allows communication between the living and the dead.”

Blue smoke curled from the burner. Jing Ru Hua stared at Yaoguang, then saw Du Yuze at her side. “Yuze?” Jing Ru Hua leapt from his chair, reaching out to embrace Du Yuze, but his arms passed right through him. “Yuze, Yuze…” Tears streamed down his face.

“Brother, don’t cry.” Du Yuze tried to wipe Jing Ru Hua’s tears, but his hand paused midway and retracted. “I’m already dead. Don’t cry.”

“Yuze, you promised to share drinks with me. We were supposed to be brothers for life. How can you leave me behind?” Jing Ru Hua mourned.

“I’m sorry, brother. I didn’t want this either. Let’s be brothers again in the next life,” Du Yuze smiled to comfort him.

Yaoguang and Ming Wang left the conference room, giving the brothers space.

“Phoenix, the report’s out. The blood on the hammer and the living room wall matches the victim’s DNA. Du Yuze’s phone has Song Xintian and Meng Zicheng’s fingerprints. The sleeping pills at Song Xintian’s home match the substance found in the victim’s body,” Xuancheng handed over the report.

“Phoenix, it’s clear. The two colluded. Song Xintian intended to sedate Du Yuze, but underdosed him—he woke up, discovered their affair, fought Meng Zicheng. Song Xintian struck Du Yuze from behind with the hammer. Injured, he left; Meng Zicheng ran him over at the intersection, took his phone, dragged him into the drain, then returned to Song Xintian’s home. Song Xintian sent three WeChat messages from Du Yuze’s phone to create an alibi. These two are pure scum,” Tianyou said angrily.

“Phoenix Officer,” Jing Ru Hua emerged from the conference room, his eyes swollen like walnuts, “May I take Yuze’s remains for burial?”

“Yes. Give him a proper burial,” Yaoguang nodded.

“Yaoyao, this case makes me so sad,” Ming Wang said gloomily.

“Come on, let’s take Du Yuze. I’ll see you home,” Yaoguang called Du Yuze’s spirit from the conference room and left with Ming Wang.

“Take Du Yuze home—what a strange phrase,” Xuancheng mused.

“That lady is Her Majesty the King of the Underworld,” Chen Haixu whispered.

“My goodness, am I in danger? I even flirted with her…” Chu Tianyou exclaimed.

“Brother Chu, even you can capsize. Admirable courage,” Jiang Yun and Huo Mingkun laughed so hard they couldn’t breathe.

Fengdu Underworld

“Du Yuze, I have checked your records. You are upright and kind, a virtuous soul. I grant you a future life of wealth and peace. Is that agreeable?” The King of the Underworld looked at Du Yuze.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Exalted One. After this ordeal, my heart is clear. I don’t wish for reincarnation,” Du Yuze shook his head.

“No reincarnation? Are you sure?” Yaoguang asked.

“I am sure,” Du Yuze nodded firmly.

“In that case, my court needs a Golden Pen Judge. Would you accept the position, adjudicating souls of the dead? I trust your character to be fair and incorruptible.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Du Yuze said gratefully.

“Your Majesty, Meng Zicheng’s soul has arrived,” a ghost officer brought in a man.

“Officer, why are you here?” Meng Zicheng was shocked to see Phoenix and the King. “Du Yuze, you too?”

“There are no officers here—only Lady Phoenix and Her Majesty the King. I am no longer Du Yuze, address me as Judge,” Du Yuze replied.

“Judge, alright, alright. Please be lenient with me,” Meng Zicheng pleaded.

“Leniency? Scum like you? As a person, you’re trash; as a ghost, you’re worse. Du Yuze’s character was praised by everyone, yet you killed him. Even in death, he stopped cars at the intersection, still thinking of others, still saving lives. And you, just for your own desires, murdered a good man. You dare beg for mercy, try to take shortcuts in Fengdu? No way—not even a dog’s hole for you. Guards, send Meng Zicheng to the Mountain of Ice and the Oil Cauldron, then to the animal realm. He need not be human next life. Take him away!” The King of the Underworld waved angrily.

“As you command.” The officers dragged a wailing Meng Zicheng away.

“Your skill at insults is impressive,” Yaoguang said to the King.

“Hmm? Is it?” The King feigned ignorance.

Upon returning, Xuancheng reported that Meng Zicheng had already been executed by firing squad; Song Xintian was sentenced to twenty years, but went mad the day after being imprisoned and was sent to a psychiatric hospital. Yaoguang listened in silence.

At Du Yuze’s grave, many came to pay their respects, among them the mother and daughter whom he had saved.

The intersection now had high-definition cameras and monitoring.

Good and evil are watched by heaven; three feet above, the gods see all. Retribution may be delayed, but never denied. This is karma.