Chapter 381
Chapter 381
Mr. Tan had nearly finished recounting the Tan family’s Massacre Case from thirty years ago, including its finer details.
“My father has never believed my uncle could do such a thing.”
“The victims included his parents, children, and wife. No matter how obsessed he became, he could never have treated his own family so cruelly.”
Mr. Tan shook his head. “But the truth no longer matters much. Honestly, it happened thirty years ago, and my father is old now. Our main concern is allowing our relatives’ Ghosts to rest.”
After listening, Seventh Master nodded. “Since you’ve come to me, I’ll help you handle this. But Ghosts that have lingered for thirty years are difficult to deal with. The dreams your uncle projects are also extremely strange. Resolving this may take more than a few days.”
“Naturally, I won’t charge anything until the matter is resolved.”
Only someone with genuine ability could speak with such confidence.
Mr. Tan came from an exceptional background and could recognize that confidence. He quickly shook Seventh Master’s hand. “That’s fine. I’ll remain in the country for quite some time. I may be away from Lanjiang City on other business, but contact me whenever you make progress.”
He left soon afterward.
Once he was gone, I asked Seventh Master whether the case would be difficult.
Seventh Master said it might be extremely difficult, mainly because too many questions remained and too much time had passed.
The greatest mystery was not whether Tan Wannian had been the killer. It was how Tan Wannian himself had died.
Professional forensic examiners must have autopsied his body, yet even they could not determine a specific cause of death. That was highly suspicious.
People did not simply die for no reason.
Unless some other “thing” had killed Tan Wannian through supernatural means.
If such a thing truly existed, Tan Wannian might not have been the murderer.
“And after the Massacre Case, countless haunting stories began circulating,” Seventh Master said as he sat down. “The Tan family’s estate probably wasn’t legally permitted even back then. Tan Wannian must have spent a great deal of money greasing palms to build it. After the incident, why were the authorities so eager to close the case…?”
“The estate was burdened by historical legal problems. It couldn’t be sold, and no one wanted to buy it anyway, so it was abandoned.”
“Thrill seekers later explored the ruins and disappeared. More than one or two vanished over the years, leaving no clues, as if they had evaporated.”
Seventh Master recalled, “The rumors grew increasingly bizarre. The place became the most infamous haunted estate in Lanjiang City, inspiring countless versions of its hauntings. Someone even invented the name ‘Jinxiu Manor.'”
“Later, two rape-murders occurred, and the victims’ bodies were dumped on the estate.”
I frowned as I listened.
If Luo Mansion ranked first in danger, this estate had to rank second.
It had even become criminals’ favorite dumping ground.
Seventh Master said no one had demolished it because it stood halfway up a mountain.
Many years ago, a wealthy businessman who rejected superstition planned to build a resort there. On the day he went to inspect the site, his car crashed on the mountain.
He truly did not believe in evil. After recovering, he returned a second time, only to crash at the exact same place.
Even his stubbornness had limits. Frightened at last, he abandoned the resort project and fled Lanjiang City overnight.
Because the estate stood halfway up the mountain, no one dared contract the land around it, either. Several years ago, someone opened a large flower market at the foot of the mountain, but that was all.
Seventh Master returned to his room, gathered his things, and prepared to inspect the location.
My leg had nearly healed, but it still required more rest, and the stitches had not been removed. I could not accompany him, so I could only tell him to be careful.
For the next week, Seventh Master left early and returned late every day.
He came home exhausted each time and often went to bed after exchanging only a few words with me.
I could tell the place was extremely dangerous, and the official account from thirty years ago might not have contained the entire truth.
A week later, the stitches in my right leg were removed.
I had imposed on Seventh Master for nearly a month and could not continue doing so.
Besides, I had other business to handle, so I left his home that day.
As I prepared to go, a stray cat kept clinging to me as though it did not want me to leave.
It was a tabby that had been there since I first arrived. It appeared only at night, always emerging after dark.
Whenever I read in my room at night, it remained on the windowsill.
When I slept, it slept there as well.
Oddly, it never appeared during the day. I never caught so much as a glimpse of it in daylight.
Perhaps because I was leaving, it appeared during the day for the first time.
After a month together, maybe it did not want me to go.
But I still had to leave. Once I locked the front door, it leaped into a tree, hid in the shade, and watched me depart like a person.
…
After leaving Seventh Master’s home, I arranged to meet Brother Liu at a teahouse.
He had visited me twice while I was hospitalized.
“This is the man who imprisoned you.”
Brother Liu handed me a file and a photograph.
I recognized the man in the picture immediately.
It was Qingyuan, the bastard who had imprisoned me.
But according to the file, his name was not Qingyuan. It was Yuan Shouping, and he was forty-three years old.
At thirty-two, he had served time in prison. His son had undergone surgery for a serious illness but died on the operating table. In a rage, Yuan Shouping injured the doctor who performed the operation and received a one-year sentence.
Thirty-two years old, imprisoned, grieving a dead son. The details matched.
“I couldn’t find any employment records, and he comes from a rural village. Yet his account contains several million yuan.”
Brother Liu cursed. “An unemployed drifter with millions in savings must have done plenty of rotten things.”
During my captivity, the guards had called Qingyuan “the man in charge” when speaking to him on the phone.
Even Du Yunting had to obey his orders.
Based on Seventh Master’s and my speculation, Qingyuan was probably one of The Organization’s leaders in Lanjiang City and wielded considerable authority.
He already controlled the Du Family’s company, so that much money was perfectly reasonable.
“Can I report him?” I asked Brother Liu.
Brother Liu laughed. “I’d advise against it. He’s in Lanjiang City right now, openly frequenting all kinds of luxury establishments. That means he isn’t afraid of you going to the police.”
“Besides, do you have any evidence that he kidnapped you?”
I stared blankly for a long time. I truly didn’t…
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. No matter how you plan to retaliate, don’t call the police.”
Brother Liu lowered his voice, his tone grave. “The moment I finished checking his account, my superior warned me to mind my own business… You understand.”