Chapter 11: 11 Could it be that there really are ghosts in this world?

11 Could it be that there really are ghosts in this world?

The metaphysical world's rules forbid non‑underworld staff from privately opening the ghost gate.

Although Tushan Jiu's eighteen generations of ancestors all have positions below, she also won't easily break the rules unless it's absolutely necessary.

Moreover, the most important point is that she lacks an official quota, so she cannot casually draw on ghost power.

Her lollipops are almost sold out!

Tushan Jiu fumed, thinking that once she turned twenty‑two she could sign up for the exam right away—this is really too troublesome.

As for the Nan Cheng office, she really hasn't had any contact with it.

Sigh, unfamiliar.

She needs to socialize.

Annoying!

Xie Shiyu watched Tushan Jiu spacing out there.

I don't know what she's thinking, but her little face shows a rich variety of expressions.

He couldn't help but let out a low laugh.

Seeing this, Xie Jingzhou and Xie Jingting found it novel.

Young master, you haven't laughed like this over literature in a long time—shouldn't it be better late than never?

Alright, that won't do, because their eldest brother's persona isn't that of a cold, taciturn, aloof CEO.

Xie Shiyu's laugh successfully pulled Tushan Jiu's attention back.

She rubbed her ears, not knowing what he was laughing at, but she has a good habit: if she doesn't understand, she asks, "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing, the night wind is cool—shall we go home?"

"Go……home?"

After a moment's reaction, Tushan Jiu pressed her lips together; she indeed now has a new home.

She nodded obediently, said nothing, and walked with Xie Shiyu toward the opposite side of the road, where his car was parked.

On the way back, Tushan Jiu looked at the distant skyscrapers and thought, "Coming to Nan Cheng for the first day is really not peaceful."

1:00 a. m. sharp.

Nan Cheng City Criminal Investigation Brigade.

Zhang Xuefeng sat in the police bureau meeting room, his eyes filled with red bloodshots, staring at the big screen ahead, his expression dazed.

The big screen was playing surveillance footage copied from the high‑speed rail station this afternoon.

They've watched this clip over a hundred times.

The frame froze on the platform, showing Lin Fenglan baring her teeth in anguish, her eyes bloodshot, as she clutched her own neck with both hands.

What's even more shocking is that Lin Fenglan's feet were half a meter off the ground, suspended in mid‑air with no visible support.

Indeed, with no external force acting on her, a person actually hovered in mid‑air!

The image is now still, but at the time he watched the whole process unfold on site.

At that moment, Lin Fenglan seemed to be choked by an invisible force.

She struggled desperately to break that force off her neck, but it was futile—she suffocated to death within just two seconds.

The coroner's report also stated mechanical asphyxiation, with deep fingermark impressions visible on the neck and the posterior cervical ligaments completely torn.

After years of handling cases, they had never before witnessed the full process of such a bizarre case with their own eyes.

Fortunately, when they apprehended Lin Fenglan they had evacuated the crowd in advance; otherwise, such a scene appearing in public view would surely cause public panic.

Everyone present had taken part in the capture operation, including several railway bureau leaders whose faces looked grim.

Because of this incident, train G3197 has been completely suspended; it will not resume service until the investigation is concluded.

Because the strangeness of this incident has exceeded their understanding, it has been reported up to the city bureau chief.

After hearing this, the chief fell silent for a long time, said nothing more, and simply had everyone involved in the case wait here.

Zhang Xuefeng grabbed his hair in frustration and blurted out a curse: "Damn! Weird! Could it be that there really are ghosts in this world?"

His master, Zhang Yue, who is also the captain of the Yun Shi Criminal Investigation Brigade, and several others took a later flight to get here.

He glanced at Zhang Xuefeng, frowned, walked over, and patted his shoulder: "How can you still be so impatient?"

"Master, it's not that I'm impatient; you saw the footage too—Lin Fenglan even uttered the words 'there's a ghost.' This case is downright spooky."

Zhang Yue said softly: "Alright, stop talking—someone will probably take over this case soon; it's not something we can investigate."

Zhang Xuefeng turned to him and asked: "Master, what do you mean? This isn't our criminal investigation case—why would someone else take it over? Which department would take it?"

Several other colleagues exchanged bewildered glances, also not understanding what Zhang Yue meant.

Zhang Yue then patted Zhang Xuefeng again and shook his head, remaining silent.

"Master......"

Before Zhang Xuefeng could finish his question, the meeting room door was knocked on and pushed open.

When everyone saw the person at the door, they immediately rose to their feet.

The city bureau chief, Ren Hongtao, arrived.

Behind him followed two men and one woman.

The man in front was a bit older, about fifty, with some white at the temples, wearing a Zhongshan suit.

The other man was younger, about the same age as Zhang Xuefeng—around thirty—big‑built, wearing a short‑sleeve shirt with bulging muscles that looked like one punch could kill an ox.

Then there was the girl, about 1.55 meters tall, wearing denim overalls, carrying a cartoon backpack of a strawberry bear, with twin‑tail pigtails, chewing gum—clearly a minor.

Everyone in the meeting room wondered why the chief had brought three people—could it be related to this case?

Ren Hongtao waved his hand and said, "Please sit; let me introduce you. This is Xu Jiangshan—you can call him Old Xu. The other two are Chen Rang and Lin Xiu'er."

"Old Xu," everyone greeted in unison.

"Mm." Xu Jiangshan nodded to indicate, then casually picked up the case-related documents on the table and flipped through them.

Lin Xiu'er also grabbed the mouse and replayed the footage on the big screen.

The big-built Chen Rang pulled over a chair, sat down, and watched the surveillance footage along with them.

In the meeting room, altogether more than ten people were present, and they could all see that Ren Hongtao's attitude toward these three was respectful.

This is what they found suspicious.

Logically speaking, Ren Hongtao is the top official of the Nan Cheng City Public Security Bureau; every department in the Nan Cheng City police system should obey him—so who could make him treat them like this, if not someone from above?

Zhang Xuefeng saw this and tugged at Zhang Yue's clothes; Zhang Yue gave him a look, signaling him to stay silent.

Soon someone couldn't hold back and whispered to Ren Hongtao, "Director Ren, what's going on? Which department are they from?"

Ren Hongtao gave him a stern glare and said in a low voice, "Don't ask what you shouldn't; just cooperate and wait."

The three, whose senses were sharper than ordinary people's, caught every word they had just spoken, including those whispered below.

However, they paid no mind to it, simply continuing with their own tasks.

The meeting room fell into silence.

Until the sound of flipping paper stopped abruptly, and everyone looked over.

Only to see Xu Jiangshan's expression turn extremely surprised as he uttered three words: "Debtor?"