As I walked out of the police station and onto the main road, I felt as though the air outside was significantly fresher compared to the stifling atmosphere inside. The oppressive environment in the station was overwhelming; perhaps this is what they mean by the difference between the authorities and civilians.
"Hey, hey, hey! Stop right there, you up ahead!"
I had already walked about 500 meters when I suddenly heard someone shouting at me. Turning around, I saw the young police officer running in my direction. The memory of him raising his fist earlier flashed through my mind, sending a chill down my spine. Instinctively, I turned and ran.
But before long:
Having not exercised since leaving school, I was no match for the officer who trained daily. This younger policeman caught up effortlessly, grabbing the collar of my shirt. I struggled weakly a few times but soon gave up, plopping down on the ground and glaring at him.
"Officer, didn't we already establish that this matter has nothing to do with me? You even issued a statement confirming my innocence. So why are you still chasing me?"
He gave me a disdainful look. "Your physical fitness is appalling."
"…" Fine, you're the boss. Whatever you say goes.
Seeing that I didn't respond, he let go of me and sat down opposite me. His stance made me spring up from the ground immediately. I couldn't help but look at him as though he were crazy.
Does this guy have a screw loose? Doesn't he realize that two grown men sitting opposite each other in the middle of a big street looks utterly insane?
Clearly dissatisfied with my reaction, he stood up and walked closer. "I'll give you two choices: either we find a quiet place to talk properly, or one day, when you least expect it, I'll throw a sack over your head."
As someone with pride, I naturally chose the former.
We headed to a park and sat on a bench. "So, what do you want to talk about? If it's still about Mr. Xu's case, don't bother. I've already told you everything I know."
"Actually, Senior Li already told me that those two people were victims of something supernatural. This really has nothing to do with you."
If he already knew that, why did he chase after me? I shot him a discontented glance.
"Oh, by the way, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Lin Zhao."
He extended his hand towards me. Although I felt a bit repelled, I reluctantly shook it. After all, in this city, he could easily make me regret not doing so.
"Liu Cunxi," I replied.
After we exchanged names, Lin Zhao's stern demeanor disappeared. Suddenly, he was like a curious child, darting closer to me.
Startled by his abrupt movement, I instinctively backed away. "What are you doing? Just say whatever you want. No need to get so close."
Does this guy have some kind of peculiar hobby?
"I heard you can see… those things. Is it true?"
That blabbermouth Officer Li! I'd barely turned away and he'd already spilled everything to this guy. But why did Lin Zhao look so excited? Was he mocking me?
"What's there to be so happy about?"
"Nothing, I'm just amazed. I've heard stories from the seniors about encountering strange people and events after joining this line of work. What's it like to encounter a ghost?"
So this guy knew everything from the start and just wanted to tease me?
"Being targeted by such things is no blessing. Don't ask about my feelings; the priority in such situations is to escape. You can joke about it now, but if you ever face it yourself, you'll realize that survival trumps everything. Of course, there are people who'd risk their lives for money. The Xu couple's tragic end is proof of that."
Since the Xu couple had perished, I knew that the next target for that vengeful spirit was likely me.
To my surprise, Lin Zhao turned out to be quite the chatterbox. He kept me cornered for nearly two hours before I finally managed to escape and head back to my dorm.
While crossing a road, I noticed an elderly lady stepping forward despite the red light. Without thinking, I dashed out, intending to pull her back. But when I reached the spot, she was gone.
How could someone vanish into thin air? As I puzzled over it, a speeding car hurtled toward me. The driver's brakes seemed to have failed. I tried to move, but my feet felt glued to the ground.
Just as the car was about to hit me, someone tackled me out of its path. We rolled several times before coming to a stop, narrowly avoiding disaster.
In those fleeting moments, I brushed against death itself.
The car sped away, leaving passersby pointing and whispering about me and my rescuer, Lin Zhao. It took a while for his angry shouting to snap me back to reality.
"Are you out of your mind? Didn't you see the red light? Why the hell did you run into the road?"
Instinctively, I touched Lin Zhao's hand. It was warm. I could still feel it. That meant I was alive.
Though I didn't know why Lin Zhao had returned, I was grateful. Without him, I'd probably have ended up another victim beneath those wheels.
"Thank you," I said, attempting to stand but almost collapsing again. My legs felt like jelly. Encountering ghosts was one thing, but this ordeal was the most humiliating yet.
Seeing my state, Lin Zhao refrained from further scolding. He helped me over to a nearby step, where we sat until I recovered. Only then did he speak.
"What happened back there? You don't seem crazy, so why did you rush into the road?"
"If I told you I saw someone standing there and, on impulse, ran out, only to find no one when I got there, would you believe me?"