Chapter Summary: Wang Ye heads to Constable office to investigate the dead bodies and meets Wang Yong and an arrogant mortician, Xiao Wu. If you don't want to read in detail, skip this chapter.
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Wang Ye, instead of immediately going to Cui Xian Tower to investigate, headed to the Constable's Office to gather crucial information. He learned from Ruanruan that the bodies of the deceased men from Cui Xian Tower were kept in the morgue of the Constable's Office until their relatives claimed them. Understanding the importance of assessing the condition of the bodies, Wang Ye believed it was necessary to identify any foul play behind the scenes.
Despite the city lord's orders for the Constable's Office to cooperate with the Ministry of Justice, the arrogant and obstinate constables were not easily swayed by outsiders. Even after several encounters with them, Wang Ye received no favourable treatment. Upon entering the Constable's Office, he was ignored and treated as though he were invisible.
However, one constable stood out from the rest. Wang Yong, the chief constable, warmly greeted Wang Ye with enthusiasm. Wang Ye was relieved to have someone he could talk to in the Constable's Office, as Wang Yong was familiar with the workings of the morgue. His presence could make the process much smoother.
Wang Yong invited Wang Ye for a drink, but Wang Ye politely declined, explaining that he had urgent matters to attend to. He suggested that Wang Yong accompany him to the morgue, indicating that it would be the best way for him to understand the situation. Wang Ye believed that a brief explanation wouldn't suffice, and having Wang Yong's support could ease the process and prevent panic if the situation involved supernatural beings.
They entered the morgue, and the temperature dropped immediately, accompanied by an unsettling aura. The sight inside confirmed Wang Ye's expectations—several bodies covered in white cloth, haphazardly placed on the floor. It was evident that the bodies had started to decompose, emitting a nauseating stench that attracted swarms of flies. The scene was distressing, and Wang Ye instinctively covered his nose.
Wang Yong explained that these bodies had been discovered during investigations but lacked identification and relatives to claim them. After seven days, they would be treated as unidentified corpses and disposed of in unmarked graves. Wang Yong's sympathy was evident as he commented on the unfortunate fate of these individuals.
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"Brother Wang, were the bodies sent by Cui Xian Tower here a few days ago?" Wang Ye cautiously navigated through the bodies, afraid of unintentionally offending any of them.
"Cui Xian Tower? Are you here to investigate that case?" Wang Yong was clearly taken aback upon hearing those three words, his face filled with incredulity, and his tone even raised a few degrees.
Wang Ye nodded, realizing that Wang Yong seemed to have some knowledge of the situation.
"Well, speaking of that, it's quite strange. All the deceased are men, and... they all died with the girls from Cui Xian Tower, probably in the middle of enjoying themselves. Who would have thought that the next moment, they would just fall over? Many people privately speculate that the girls at Cui Xian Tower were too vigorous, causing those men to exhaust themselves completely. But in my opinion, it's not that simple. There might be some hidden tricks behind it." Wang Ye's expression now resembled those gossiping women in the city. He rambled on about these scandalous events, his mouth overflowing with words and excitement.
"Oh? Died in the hands of women?" Wang Ye sensitively caught the key words, his face displaying astonishment.
Wang Yong thought he was also interested in such salacious incidents and chuckled a few times before opening up: "According to the girls from Cui Xian Tower, several abnormal customers visited continuously over the past few days. They immediately went straight to the point, grabbing the girls and trying to take them to their rooms. The girls suggested enjoying some wine and delicacies first to liven things up, but those customers weren't pleased. After tossing a few pieces of silver on the ground, they directly reached under the girls' skirts. It seemed like if the girls didn't comply, they would start right then and there, in front of everyone. The girls had no choice but to accept the money with a smile, and they followed their lead, clinging to their arms and entering the rooms."
At this point, Wang Yong paused, a hesitant expression on his face.
"And then?" Wang Ye, now engrossed in the story, urged him to continue.
Wang Yong gave him a meaningful look before continuing: "I must say, the girls at Cui Xian Tower are not only charming but also highly skilled in bed. Since they rarely encounter such generous customers, they thought they should give their best performance. Some performed oral sex, others engaged in titillation, and a few even brought in bathtubs, preparing for an intimate water play. But who would have thought that those men acted as if they had never seen a woman in their lives? They immediately stripped naked and penetrated the girls before they were even aroused."
"Even more astonishing is that these girls at Cui Xian Tower, who have experienced numerous encounters and bedded not just hundreds but thousands of men, are incredibly skilled. No man has lasted more than a few rounds with them, and most surrender within a matter of minutes. But according to the girls, these customers during those days were like beasts, as if they were on aphrodisiacs. They fought tirelessly, thrusting hundreds of times without pause, without even catching their breath. The girls climaxed over and over again, their sexual fluids soaking the bed sheets beneath them."
Wang Yong divulged all the details in one breath, licking his lips as if savouring the taste of the girls from Cui Xian Tower.
Hearing such explicit language, Wang Ye's cheeks turned slightly red. He finally understood why Wang Yong had hesitated midway through his explanation.
"Tsk tsk, I still remember the appearance of those girls at Cui Xian Tower when I arrived after receiving the report. Their faces still carried the remnants of orgasm, their large watery eyes shooting deadly glances, seducing you with every gaze. They even had to walk with their legs tightly closed, in awkward postures. That night, a few of my comrades couldn't resist and went to Cui Xian Tower to relieve some tension." Wang Yong reminisced, smirking at Wang Ye.
"It seems these men who died were not quite normal," Wang Ye murmured thoughtfully to himself.
"Of course they're not normal. How could ordinary men endure for so long with the girls? If they hadn't already perished, I would wonder what kind of miraculous potion they consumed to have such power," Wang Yong said, his eyes revealing a hint of envy.
'If you knew how they died, you wouldn't be envious.' Wang Ye muttered silently in his mind.
From Wang Yong's account, Wang Ye gained a general understanding of the origins and details of this case. It boiled down to the fact that the patrons of Cui Xian Tower met an unfortunate fate. The ordinary constables were unable to uncover anything suspicious, so they classified it as a scandalous incident. They followed the normal procedures, went through the motions, and then informed the families to claim the bodies. That was the end of it.
However, Wang Ye didn't agree. It wasn't surprising for a patron to exhibit unusual behaviour, but when the same circumstances occurred intermittently, it became highly suspicious.
The immediate priority was to locate those deceased patrons, determine the cause of death, and then draw conclusions.
"Big Brother Wang, I want to see those bodies. Is it possible?" Wang Ye spoke up.
"Of course, there's nothing inconvenient about it. Just wait here, and I'll fetch the best mortician from the constable's office," Wang Yong said, then rushed out like a streak of smoke.
The morgue was filled with a chilling atmosphere, permeated with the stench of decaying corpses. If one stayed there for too long, the nauseating odour would likely cling to their clothes. It was best to keep a safe distance.
The room regained its silence, with only the sound of Wang Ye's lonely footsteps echoing in the unusually empty space, making it even more eerie.
This was most likely the work of a demonic beast. What kind of demonic beast would be so audacious and dare to commit such crimes in the midst of human gatherings?
Wang Ye pondered this, unaware of his own movements. In a moment of carelessness, he kicked a body, stumbling a few steps before regaining his balance.
Cursing his ill luck under his breath, he turned around to assess the situation but was startled by what he saw.
The white cloth that covered the body had been kicked aside, revealing a male corpse before him. It appeared that the man had recently met an untimely demise, his head a mess of flesh and blood, his neck resembling a string of candied haws due to the mixture of red and white brain matter. He lay naked, his skin taking on a greyish hue, and patches of livor mortis had already begun to appear.
An extremely repulsive stench of decaying flesh invaded Wang Ye's nostrils, intensifying the impact of the gruesome sight. His stomach churned, overwhelmed by an intense urge to vomit. He stumbled to a corner, unable to contain his retching.
His body arched with great effort, his cheeks flushed red, and even his mouth opened to the size of an egg. Fortunately, he hadn't eaten lunch yet, or else he might have vomited it all out.
Struggling to suppress the turmoil in his stomach, he didn't want to appear so miserable in front of Wang Yong and the mortician who happened to arrive.
Oh, what a trouble it was.
Back in the days at the Heavenly Masters' Sect, everyone was a cultivator, engaging in friendly competitions of magical arts and practicing celestial techniques. It was all enjoyable. But in Jinling City, where ordinary people abounded, cultivators were akin to mythical beings. If one were to inadvertently release their heavenly energy and be discovered, they would have no peaceful days ahead. They might even become a spectacle, like monkeys, when walking on the streets.
While he lamented in his heart, Wang Yong entered with a young man.
"Wang Brother, this is the person I mentioned, Xiao Wu. He is the most experienced mortician in our constable's office. Xiao Wu, meet Lord Wang Ye, an agent of the Ministry of Justice," Wang Yong introduced the two to each other.
"A member of the Ministry of Justice?" Xiao Wu's expression darkened upon learning Wang Ye's identity. His gaze held a hint of hostility, and in a fit of anger, he turned to leave.
"Halt! What's this? You don't even listen to the words of this chief constable?" Wang Yong had also heard about the animosity some of his subordinates harboured towards members of the Ministry of Justice.
However, he was preoccupied with official duties, handling urgent cases everywhere, and had yet to address the situation. Who would have expected that even the mortician would openly target Wang Ye?
Now it seemed that immediate action was necessary.
The person known as Xiao Wu, hindered by Wang Yong's reputation, had no choice but to stay, though his expression revealed a hint of frustration and anger.
"Wait and see how I deal with you later!" Wang Yong angrily shouted at Xiao Wu, then turned to Wang Ye with a smiling face, saying, "My subordinate doesn't understand manners, which embarrasses my brother Wang."
"No, no, let's focus on the main matter first," Wang Ye was already accustomed to the attitudes of the constables in the room and didn't think it was a big deal. Finding out the cause of death of the body was the most important thing at the moment.
"Have you found out about those bodies that were delivered from Cui Xian Tower a few days ago?" Wang Yong asked Xiao Wu, who was silent on the side.
"We have investigated thoroughly. Just as those girls from Cui Xian Tower said, the deceased were in a state of intense activity before death. Due to excessive excitement, their central nervous system was disrupted, and their bodies were uncontrollably..." Before Xiao Wu could finish speaking, Wang Yong interrupted, "Stop talking about things we don't understand, get to the point!"
"It's commonly referred to as 'death from excessive debauchery'," Xiao Wu concluded, closing his mouth and offering no further explanation.
Death from excessive debauchery... Wang Ye contemplated. He used to not believe in such folk sayings. Male sperm recovers very quickly, and after one or two days of rest, it returns to normal. Only a man who engages in extreme sexual indulgence multiple times in a short period could reach the point of death from excessive debauchery. However, in real life, it was rare for an ordinary man to engage in nightly revelry, let alone frequent indulgence.
The current case was extremely peculiar. The desires of those patrons surpassed ordinary people's. If one were to consider death from excessive debauchery, there seemed to be a slight possibility.
The strange thing was that ordinary men typically felt physically exhausted after two or three encounters, with a significant decrease in sexual desire. Yet, those who died somehow maintained such vigorous activity, resembling wild beasts in heat.
"Can I see those bodies?" Wang Ye looked at Xiao Wu beside him.
"Unfortunately, the bodies were claimed by their families yesterday. They are no longer in the mortuary. Even if you go now, they have likely already been buried. If you still have thoughts of digging up graves to investigate, I advise you to give up as soon as possible. Dealing with those families will be quite troublesome," Xiao Wu said with a smug look, glancing at Wang Ye, eager to see him fail.
"You, you..." Wang Yong couldn't stand Xiao Wu's incessant chatter. Annoyed, he rolled up his sleeves and was about to knock him on the head.
But Xiao Wu was indeed correct. Upon hearing that the bodies had been removed, Wang Ye had intended to personally find the deceased's families and conduct an investigation. If that failed, exhuming the bodies would be necessary.
"Sir, there's a new case!" Just as Wang Ye was unsure of what to do, an urgent voice from outside the mortuary interrupted his thoughts.
Several constables dressed as catchpoles entered, carrying a corpse. They placed it on the ground and stood there panting.
"What's going on?" Wang Yong's face grew solemn. Recently, Jinling City had been far from peaceful, with several homicides occurring one after another. This put immense pressure on him as the chief constable. If the cases weren't solved soon, even his official hat wouldn't be guaranteed.
"Sir, we just received a report. Another person has died in Cui Xian Tower. When we arrived, it was chaotic inside, so we had to bring the body back. However, we haven't found the deceased's family yet." The leading catchpole saluted Wang Yong and briefly summarized the situation.
"Someone else died in Cui Xian Tower?!" Wang Yong's face turned pale, as one crisis followed another.
"Oh? Cui Xian Tower? Could it be related to the previous cases?" Wang Ye hurriedly asked.
The leading constable nodded with a serious expression, then uncovered the white cloth on the corpse.
The sight of an adult male corpse entered everyone's view. Due to the recent time of death, the body hadn't stiffened, and there was no loss of body temperature.
However, this corpse was peculiar. The face of the deceased had a bluish-grey colour, with noticeable dark circles under the eyes and lips devoid of colour. Even the exposed skin had an abnormal greyish hue, appearing particularly eerie in the sunlight, resembling a vampire crawling out of a coffin, just as described in the stories.
What's even more bizarre was the unusually joyful expression on the dead man's face. His mouth was wide open, and his features were twisted from excessive excitement, clearly in a state of extreme exhilaration before death.
This depleted and languid appearance truly resembled what people described as being drained of vitality.
"Well, I guess I wasn't wrong. These people were driven by their desires and lost control of themselves, resulting in their essence being drained by women. They ended up in such a tragic state. It's truly pitiful!" Wang Yong stood aside, offering his comments and occasionally sighing. As fellow men, he struggled to comprehend the actions of these individuals. Why rush to seek temporary pleasure when the green hills remain, unafraid of a lack of firewood? Now, they have died with regrets on women's bellies.
"I think there's something suspicious about this. Let's wait for the results of the autopsy before drawing conclusions. Xiao Wu, hurry up and handle this corpse. Give me the results before it gets dark," Wang Ye searched the body, and while others might not have realized it, he had dealt with a similar case with an identical cause of death. The notion of being drained of vitality made some sense, but it was highly likely that it wasn't the deceased's intention; there was probably a demonic beast secretly involved.
Upon hearing Wang Ye's orders, Xiao Wu became visibly annoyed. He was about to retort when Wang Yong, who was beside him, glared fiercely, signalling him to follow Wang Ye's instructions. Xiao Wu reluctantly retrieved his tools and began to tinker with the corpse.
"Where are the other morticians in the constable's office? Xiao Wu appears quite young, around eighteen at most. How did he become the most experienced mortician here?" Wang Ye observed Xiao Wu's actions in secret while quietly asking Wang Yong, who was standing nearby.
"Well, don't mention it. Being a mortician means dealing with the dead every day. Nowadays, who among the ordinary folks wants to touch this ill-fated job? It's only Xiao Wu who naturally has an interest in dissecting corpses. Plus, he lost his parents at a young age and has been with me, earning a living. When he learned that the mortuary of the constable's office needed extra hands, he learned the skills from an elderly mortician who used to work here. The old mortician's eyesight was failing due to old age, and recently his children took him back home to enjoy his retirement. So, this task fell onto Xiao Wu's shoulders," Wang Yong whispered mysteriously into Wang Ye's ear, afraid that Xiao Wu might overhear.
Wang Ye remained silent after hearing this, and he looked at Xiao Wu with a touch of sympathy in his eyes. This child had truly suffered a harsh fate. At an age when he should have been enjoying the embrace of his parents, he had shouldered the burden of life, working in this gloomy and desolate mortuary.
"Alright, Wang brother, I'll go to Cui Xian Tower to investigate the situation. After Xiao Wu's results are available, please inform me. The sky is getting darker, and the sun is about to meet the horizon, leaving only a few rays of light for illumination. Instead of wasting time here, it's better to pay a visit to Cui Xian Tower."
Impatient, Wang Ye bid farewell to Wang Yong and quickly walked away.
"Wang brother, take care. No need for me to see you off," Wang Yong watched Wang Ye's departing figure and let out a sigh of relief.
Finally, he saw the man off. He hadn't done anything the whole afternoon, merely accompanying Wang Ye to examine the corpses for several hours. The stench of death was nauseating, and just the thought of being surrounded by a group of corpses gave him goosebumps.
"Chief Constable, why were you so polite to Wang Ye? Our constable's office has always been at odds with the Ministry of Justice. Not only did they steal our cases, but now they're even giving orders to our constable's office. How can our brothers swallow this bitterness?" Xiao Wu, having held back his words all afternoon, poured them all out at once after Wang Ye left.
"You know nothing! Do you know who Wang Ye is?" Wang Yong kicked Xiao Wu's backside without a trace of patience.
"Who else could he be? He's just a member of the Shadow Blade from the Ministry of Justice, a nameless and powerless position. When it comes down to it, he's still inferior to you, Chief Constable!" Xiao Wu sneered and looked disdainful.
Seeing his ignorant appearance, Wang Yong couldn't help rolling his eyes. He had learned from the officials in the yamen that Wang Ye possessed extraordinary talent and had undergone tremendous changes during the years he was taken away by a master. He had now become an accomplished immortal, capable of standing on his own. His return this time was merely following his master's orders to go out and gain experience.
He has achieved great success in the cultivation of immortality. Not only is his own strength terrifying, but his powerful backing is even more awe-inspiring. Just being the personal disciple of the second elder of the Heavenly Master's Sect is enough to intimidate the entire Jinling City. Moreover, he has married the daughter of Chu Tiannan, the master of the Heavenly Master's Sect, who is considered a fairy-like figure!
It must be said that Wang Ye can be described as a rising star, and it is uncertain how far he will grow in the future. Perhaps he may even control the entire Heavenly Master's Sect!
The appearance of such a figure in Jinling City is enough to cause major forces to scramble and treat him as an esteemed guest. Countless rare treasures and exotic items would be offered, and even the city lord would have to show him respect, let alone ordinary people like them who are as insignificant as ants.
However, for some reason, Wang Ye seems to not want others to know his true identity. After taking up a position in the Ministry of Justice, he disappeared from sight for a long time. Now it seems that he is actually investigating a case. This low-key behaviour is somewhat puzzling.
But the thoughts of an immortal are not something a mere constable can fathom.
Wang Yong shook his head and said in a deep voice, "In any case, Wang Ye is not someone we can provoke. If you ever meet him in the future, you must act respectfully. Also, pass on my orders: if any of our brothers dare to disrespect the Ministry of Justice's personnel again, it means they don't regard me, Wang Yong, highly, and they should pack their bags and get lost!"
Usually, Wang Yong always had a calm and friendly demeanour, always wearing a smile on his face no matter who he encountered. This was the first time Xiao Wu had seen him so angry, and while astonished, he echoed his words.
Meanwhile, Wang Ye was hurriedly making his way to the Cui Xian Tower, unaware of what had happened after he left.