Chapter Fourteen: Lin Zhixin

These two were clearly not lacking in money. Since he couldn’t refuse, the only choice left was to make the most profit for himself.

“160,000 Lang coins.”

“An advance of 30,000 Lang coins. Once the job is done, I’ll deliver the remaining 130,000 to you, Detective.”

It was an astronomical commission. Li Changqing, worried that the man might renege later, took out a commission contract and signed it with him, both pressing their fingerprints. The contract was now officially in effect, carrying federal legal weight.

Holding the commission in hand, Li Changqing checked it over and over, making sure everything was in order before sitting on the sofa. “Mr. Hu Xiong, since you want me to take this job, please tell me the details.”

Hu Xiong was the name the man had used on the contract.

“There’s no need for you to know too much. When the Shadow Cult contacts you, call this number. I’ll tell you what to do next.”

“As long as you produce the item and claim to be Hu Qideng, they won’t harm you.”

“Also, remember the cult’s password: ‘Hunters in the darkness, the shadow walks with you.’”

With that, Hu Xiong stood up, dusted off his clothes, and said, “We’ll take our leave now.”

Li Changqing saw them out. After watching them descend the stairs and leave, he quickly closed the door.

Turning around, he saw Tang Xiaoyu crouching on the sofa. For once, she wasn’t gleefully counting money, but instead asked with a trace of guilt, “Li Changqing, am I dragging you down?”

Even money-loving Tang Xiaoyu realized this sum was a hot potato.

A down-and-out detective and a timid girl like herself—going undercover?

Li Changqing saw the guilt in her eyes and feigned ease. “Don’t worry, this is a huge windfall for us. Besides, we’re probably just supposed to gather some information—nothing dangerous.”

Tang Xiaoyu hesitated. “Really?”

“Of course. Otherwise, why would I accept it? Relax and count the money.”

“Then I’ll count it.”

“Go ahead.”

Tang Xiaoyu picked up three stacks of gleaming Lang coins and started counting. Her speed nearly rivaled a counting machine from his previous life.

Li Changqing sat on the sofa, but couldn’t quite feel happy.

After splitting the money, Tang Xiaoyu drifted back into her money pouch while Li Changqing went into the bedroom, took out paper and a brush, and began drawing talismans.

At least he could be sure that the talismans had some effect on those shadowy entities; if ten didn’t work, what about a hundred?

...

A black car rolled down the deserted street. Hu Xiong lit a cigarette, smoked, drove, and hummed a tune, clearly in a good mood.

“Cough, cough.”

“Put out that damned cigarette,” Baichuan said with disgust, glaring at Hu Xiong. “Otherwise, I guarantee you’ll land in the hospital and won’t be in the mood to smoke.”

Hu Xiong glanced at him and flicked the cigarette butt out the window.

He rolled down the window. With fresh air pouring in and the smoke dissipating, Baichuan finally felt better.

“You just spent a fortune. The department’s budget is tight—aren’t you worried the Chief will blow his top?”

“And even though that female ghost follows the detective, can you be sure the Shadow Cult won’t see through him?”

Hu Xiong took a swig from a can of coffee in the car. “He’ll make a decent actor. I’ve heard of him—he’s clever. Our department’s understaffed, and there are even fewer people who can approach the Shadow Cult without arousing suspicion.”

“You know, thirteen years ago we almost wiped out the Shadow Cult. A few stragglers escaped. This time, we can’t let them slip away.”

The quiet street was quickly left behind, the car’s engine fading into the distance.

...

The next day at noon, sunlight high in the sky, Li Changqing was jolted awake by stabbing pain in his stomach.

He grabbed the raw glutinous rice from his nightstand and swallowed some with water.

Gripping the bedding in pain, he waited two minutes until the pain finally subsided.

He exhaled. Who knew how long days like this would last?

He got up, washed, and went to the money pouch, nudging it with his foot.

“Wake up, time to eat.”

He lit an incense stick and placed it on the coffee table. Only then did Tang Xiaoyu emerge, sit at the table, and “eat” her incense. She asked, “Li Changqing, what should we do now?”

“Everything as usual.”

He had already placed the black token left by Hu Qideng on his person, carrying it at all times in case he ran into the Shadow Cult.

He’d thought things through seriously. Though this job would be far more dangerous than any case he’d worked before, as long as he was careful and didn’t slip up, he should be fine.

The only worry was that his appearance was quite different from Hu Qideng’s—what if the cult had someone who recognized him?

Trying not to dwell on it, he walked to the message board outside and jotted down the phone number left by last night’s client.

He returned inside, picked up his phone, and dialed.

The call connected quickly.

A middle-aged man’s voice came through: “Hello, is this Detective Li?”

“Yes, this is he. I’m sorry, but our agency isn’t taking new cases right now. I wanted to call and let you know.”

After what had happened, Li Changqing had no mind for new commissions. Still, he felt he owed clients a courtesy call to explain and apologize.

“Oh, you’re mistaken. This is Lin Zhixin. I came yesterday, but you weren’t in. I wanted to ask about the progress on my case.”

Lin Zhixin?

Li Changqing searched his memory and recalled him.

Lin Zhixin was a client who’d come by a week before he’d crossed over. The original owner of this body had received him.

From his memories, Lin Zhixin and his wife were workers at a nearby factory. They’d worked there for over ten years, bought a house and a car in Nanlin City, and had a lovely daughter—a happy family.

But recently, their daughter had been diagnosed with brain cancer. Chemotherapy required an immense sum.

They’d spent all their savings, then sold their car and house. The huge cost of treatment had exhausted everything they’d worked for over a decade.

About a month ago, Lin Zhixin’s wife said she was going away for a few days to earn some money. Then she vanished without a trace.

Lin Zhixin first reported it to the Federal Police, but they found no leads. Other detective agencies were too expensive.

At last, he’d come to Changqing Detective Agency.

Learning his story, the previous Li Changqing had taken his case for just one Lang coin.

He’d begun investigating, and all clues led to an abandoned factory. Li Changqing had gone there late at night, only to be attacked—a blurred creature had bitten his neck.

After that, he’d crossed into this world.

Li Changqing frowned. Of course he remembered the case, but that abandoned factory hid grave dangers. He dared not go back recklessly. Besides, he needed money first to suppress the corpse nature within him, so he’d put the matter aside for now.

“Mr. Lin, this case is far more complicated than either of us imagined.”