Chapter Eight: The Curse

After securely locking the door to his office, Li Changqing descended the stairs and boarded a bus, heading toward the Southern District Police Bureau of Nanlin City.

Upon entering the station, he quickly spotted the female officer who had assisted him the previous day.

She approached him directly, flipping open a file in her hands. "Mr. Li, after you reported the incident yesterday, we conducted a swift investigation. Please take a look—does this man seem familiar?"

The man in the file appeared to be in his fifties, speckled gray hair, poor skin dotted with age spots. Li Changqing himself had no idea what the person who had left the money looked like. He would have to meet him in person to judge by his demeanor.

"I think it might be him. Is he here? May I see him?"

The officer nodded. "Yes, that's precisely why I asked you to come. His name is Hu Qideng, fifty-seven years old, a local resident of Nanlin City living in the Nantong Complex. He does have several minor offenses on record, but nothing major."

"After you filed your report yesterday, we first screened individuals with prior convictions in the area and focused on him. He has a limp, is a bit hunched, and owns clothes matching those in the photos you provided."

No wonder they had found him so quickly.

"Let's go to the interrogation room; you can confront him yourself."

Strictly speaking, the complainant and the suspect should not meet; their statements should be taken separately as per procedure.

But this was merely a petty theft case—once the culprit was identified, the stolen money would be returned and the thief detained for a fortnight. Cases like this were routine for them.

Typically, once caught, the thief would confess, especially since most were repeat offenders, and after restitution, the police would return the money to Li Changqing.

It was a straightforward matter.

The only complication was that Hu Qideng denied taking the money, so they needed Li Changqing to come in again.

The officer led him to an interrogation room and ushered him inside.

The room was small, only about five square meters, illuminated by bright lights. There was a single iron chair, specially designed to secure the suspect’s hands.

Hu Qideng sat with his head down, faint dark circles under his eyes, his face pallid, giving him a sickly appearance.

"So, you finally showed up," Hu Qideng said impatiently. "Is this how the Federal Police frame people? I told you, I didn't steal any money."

The young officer turned to Li Changqing. "Mr. Li, please describe in detail the circumstances under which he took your money."

Li Changqing studied Hu Qideng, now almost certain—seventy to eighty percent—that this was the man from the surveillance footage. No mistake.

Although his clothes had changed, his build, hunched back, and limp all matched.

Li Changqing replied in a calm voice, "Four days ago, I was in Linmei Garden Complex discussing business with a friend when this gentleman bumped into me. My wallet vanished, along with ten thousand Lang coins."

The officer glanced at Hu Qideng, clearly waiting for his rebuttal.

Hu Qideng didn't respond. He stared intently at Li Changqing, an odd, mocking smile twisting his lips.

Seeing his silence, the officer prompted, "Hu Qideng, since you claim you didn't take the money, please address Mr. Li's account."

"Is an explanation even necessary? I’m in the late stages of lung cancer, and four days ago, I was in the hospital for treatment. The doctors can all vouch for me." Hu Qideng glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Officer, I've now been detained here for two hours on a baseless accusation. I have an appointment for treatment—surely you wouldn’t want to delay my care over mere hearsay?"

The officer was personally inclined to believe Li Changqing, given Hu Qideng’s record.

But police work demanded evidence.

She asked, "What’s your doctor’s number?"

Hu Qideng cheerfully recited a number. The officer left to verify his story.

After she left, Hu Qideng fixed Li Changqing with a dark look. His voice dropped. "Kid, don’t think I don’t know why you’re here."

He spoke cryptically, "You’ve meddled in things you shouldn’t have. The spirit of the shadow will snap your neck, drink your blood, and devour your flesh. You’ll die a grisly death, writhing in endless agony."

When he finished, Li Changqing felt as though something intangible had latched onto him.

What was this?

A curse?

Li Changqing stared back. "Mr. Hu, are you threatening me?"

Hu Qideng shook his head. "Would anyone waste time threatening a dead man?"

In his eyes, Li Changqing was already doomed—a meddler marked for death.

Though he didn’t know Li Changqing’s true profession, the address mentioned matched the place where he’d left the hush money, and the evidence used against him was a surveillance photo taken there.

Li Changqing was clearly involved. But that didn’t matter now.

With his shadow’s curse, the young man wouldn’t survive the night.

A twisted, chilling smile crept across Hu Qideng’s face.

At that moment, the officer returned. Hu Qideng’s sinister smile vanished, replaced by a placid one. "Officer, may I go now?"

She frowned and nodded. She had just called Nanlin City Hospital and verified his story—doctor, identity, everything. Four days ago, Hu Qideng had been in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy the entire time; it was impossible for him to have committed the theft.

She unlocked the iron chair and handed him a document. "Sign this, and you’re free to go."

After signing, Hu Qideng shot Li Changqing a peculiar grin and left.

"Mr. Li, it appears we apprehended the wrong person," the officer apologized. "Sorry to have troubled you."

"No, no, thank you for your efforts," Li Changqing replied.

The officer found it odd. Why thank her if they’d caught the wrong man?

After leaving the police station, Li Changqing heard Tang Xiaoyu’s voice stammering from under his felt hat, "Th-th-that man… there was a shadow clinging to his back. He felt so cold, it made me really uncomfortable."

A shadow?

So his curse might actually be real.

A chill passed through Li Changqing.

What strange powers truly existed in this world? He didn’t know.

But thinking back to the thing that had bitten him, he realized there must be a darker side to this world, hidden beneath its polished façade.

Since arriving here, Li Changqing had always avoided direct confrontation with such forces—at least until he had the means to protect himself.

But now, things seemed to be taking a wrong turn.

According to his plan, he should have simply provided Hu Qideng’s information, collected his payment, and been done with it.

Why had this man suddenly cursed him?

And by Tang Xiaoyu’s account, it wasn’t just empty threats.

Was the man’s hunched back the result of carrying some sinister entity?

On his way back to the detective agency, Li Changqing pondered his next moves.

First, he needed to inform Fang Qing about Hu Qideng and secure his payment—business came first.

In the office, Li Changqing sat on the sofa in the lounge, phone in hand. "Yes, it was a man named Hu Qideng, with prior convictions, living in Nantong Complex."

Fang Qing’s voice came through the line, "Detective Li, you’re as sharp as ever—so quick to find the answer. Our company will have professionals handle the rest. Your fee will be delivered by my assistant tomorrow."

"Thank you," he replied.

After hanging up, Li Changqing took a deep breath. Now he had to figure out how to deal with the curse that had been laid upon him.