The victim was a young woman working as a live-in teacher at Chenxi Orphanage, taking care of children's daily lives and counseling. Her body lay on the bed, pale-skinned, lips blue-tinged, with two deep bite marks on her neck, she died from blood loss. It was identical to the previous two homicides.
Police surrounded the body, photographing and collecting evidence. The room reeked of pungent blood. Pan Jie stood at the door, face ashen, covering her mouth with a pained look in her eyes. Finally, she turned away and retched, propping herself against the doorframe as she gasped for breath.
Lin Yuan, though, furrowed his brow, his eyes locked firmly on the victim's face.
This body… knew this woman in life.
Though his memories were fragmented, the familiarity felt ingrained, as if he'd met her before his death. But the eerie thing was…
He couldn't find her ghost.
Not just her—the journalist who'd died at Q Hotel earlier had no spirit either. This defied all logic! Normally, a deceased person's soul lingered near the body, especially in unnatural deaths, held by resentment. But now… there was nothing.
Lin Yuan frowned, memories of Western magic realms flickering through his mind.
"Soul-conducting array…"
He drifted toward Zhang Luo, whispering, "I suspect something in this Q Hotel is trapping the souls of the newly dead."
Zhang Luo turned to him, eyes darkening. "Are you sure?"
Lin Yuan nodded gravely. "Not just this victim—the journalist before her. I sensed no ghosts. And…" He paused, looking at the body with mixed emotions, "I think I knew her in my past life."
Zhang Luo said nothing. She produced a dark red compass, spun its dial, and whispered incantations. Lin Yuan squinted, curious. These hand signs... resemble those from the Naruto universe.
Zhang Luo glanced at him. "You understand this?"
"I know a little," Lin Yuan replied casually, though inwardly startled. Who exactly is Zhang Luo? These hand seals aren't typical of ordinary Taoists.
The compass needle spun wildly, humming as if sensing something. Zhang Luo's expression chilled. She tucked away the compass and turned to Uncle Wei. "I need to check the first floor."
Uncle Wei nodded, summoning officers to follow. The bodyguards behind Zhang Luo subtly shifted into protective stances. Lin Yuan and Pan Jie exchanged a glance and trailed after them. The Room's Sinister Change.
Following the compass, they arrived at a corner room on the first floor. The lights here were dimmer, the door closed, its number scratched off and unreadable. Zhang Luo gently pushed the door, it was ajar and creaked open to an ordinary single room with a bed, desk, wardrobe, and an old full-length mirror in the corner. The floor was clean, and nothing looked out of place.
Pan Jie muttered, "Are you sure it's here?"
Zhang Luo ignored her, frowning at the compass. "The aura here… is off." She took a deep breath. "Teacher Lin, stay put for now."
Lin Yuan spread his hands to show he wouldn't move.
Zhang Luo's gaze shifted on the compass, as if detecting something. She pulled a yellow talisman from her suit, pinching it between her fingers and chanting softly. Whoosh… The talisman burst into flame without a spark, burning with a cyan glow. The lights flickered wildly, the air turned frigid, and a collective shudder ran through everyone.
"What's happening?" Uncle Wei hissed, eyeing their surroundings.
Suddenly, BANG! The door slammed shut, as if kicked from outside. All lights went out, plunging the room into pitch darkness. A cold wind howled through, sending chills to the bone. "Turn on the lights!" Uncle Wei snapped.
Officers fumbled for their shoulder flashlights. Weak white beams cut through the dark—then everyone froze.
"Holy…!" Pan Jie clapped a hand over her mouth, staggering back in horror.
The walls were now covered in pale faces, as if fused into the plaster, half their bodies sunk into the walls. Empty, hateful eyes stared at them. Some mouths gaped in silent screams, some wore eerie grins, others wept black tears from sunken sockets…
Worst of all—their faces were those of the previous victims.
Pan Jie screamed shrilly. Uncle Wei paled, growling, "What the hell is this?!" Officers drew their guns, though they knew bullets were useless here.
Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed, voice low. "These aren't ghosts."
Just then, the figures on the wall twitched to life. Slowly, they raised their heads, mouths stretching into wide grins that bared sharp, glinting teeth as they fixed the group with their stares, and smiled.
===================
死者是一名女生,在晨曦孤儿院上班,职位是生活老师,主要负责照顾孩子们的日常起居和心理辅导.
她的尸体静静地躺在床上,脸色苍白,嘴唇泛青,脖颈处有两个深深的齿痕,失血过多而死.和之前的两起命案如出一辙.
警方围着尸体拍照,取证,房间里弥漫着刺鼻的血腥气息.
潘洁站在门口,脸色煞白,捂着嘴巴,眼里透着不适.最终,她忍不住转身干呕,扶着门框,呼吸急促.
而林远,则是皱着眉头,目光紧锁着死者的脸.
这具身体生前,认识这个女人.
虽然记忆零碎,但那种熟悉感就像是刻在骨子里的印象,他生前见过她.
但,诡异的是...
他找不到她的鬼魂.
不仅是她,就连之前Q饭店遇害的那名记者,林远也没有找到对方的魂魄.
这根本不符合常理!
一般来说,死者的魂魄不会立即离开尸体,而是会在尸体附近停留一段时间,尤其是非正常死亡的情况,更是会因怨气滞留更久.
可现在... 什么都没有.
林远眉头紧锁,脑海中闪过西方魔法位面的记忆.
"引魂阵..."
他心里一动,身影缓缓飘向张洛,低声道:"我怀疑这间Q饭店有什么东西在拘禁刚死之人的魂魄."
张洛闻言,转头看向他,目光微沉:"你确定?"
林远点了点头,语气凝重:"不仅是这个死者,还有之前死在这里的记者,我都没察觉到他们的鬼魂.而且..."
他顿了顿,目光复杂地看着床上的尸体:"我生前,似乎认识她."
张洛没说话,而是从怀里拿出一个暗红色的罗盘,手指轻轻拨动,嘴里念念有词.
林远眯起眼睛,眼神微妙,心里暗道:"... 这手印,怎么有点像火影世界的?"
张洛瞥了他一眼,意味不明地说道:"你看得懂?"
"略懂." 林远随口应道,但心里却有些惊讶.
张洛到底是什么人?她掌握的这些手印,不像是普通道士会用的.
而此时,罗盘上的指针飞速旋转,发出 "嗡嗡" 的震颤声,像是感应到了什么.
张洛的眼神瞬间冷了下来,她收起罗盘,看向伟叔:"我要去一楼检查一下."
伟叔点头,立刻招呼几个警察跟上,而张洛身后的保镖们也悄然调整了站位,神色警惕.
林远和潘洁对视了一眼,两人跟了上去.
房间的诡异变化
他们跟随罗盘的指引,来到了一楼角落的一间房间.
这里的灯光比其他地方昏暗,房门紧闭,门牌号已经被刮花,看不清数字.
张洛走在最前面,伸手轻轻推了推门,门竟然是虚掩的,"咔哒" 一声缓缓打开,露出里面的景象.
这只是个很普通的单人房.
房间不大,只有一张床,一张桌子和一个衣柜,角落里还放着一面旧旧的穿衣镜,地面干净,没有任何异样.
潘洁忍不住嘀咕:"你确定是这里?"
张洛没有回答,而是看着罗盘,眉头深深皱起:"... 这里的气场,很不对劲."
她深吸了一口气,轻声道:"林教师,你先不要乱动."
林远摊了摊手,示意自己不会乱走动.
张洛盯着罗盘,眼神微微变化,似乎察觉到了什么.随后,她伸手从西装内侧掏出一张淡黄色的符纸,轻轻夹在指尖,低语念了几句咒语.
嗤...
符纸无火自燃,泛起一丝青色的火焰.
房间里的灯光忽明忽暗,空气骤然变冷,所有人都忍不住打了个寒战.
"怎么回事?" 伟叔压低声音,警惕地看向四周.
就在这时.
"砰!"
房门猛地关上,力道之大,仿佛有人在外面用力砸了过去!
与此同时,所有灯光彻底熄灭,整个房间陷入死一般的黑暗!
"嘶..." 冷风穿堂而过,阴冷的气息仿佛渗入骨髓.
"快开灯!" 伟叔厉声道.
几个警察慌忙打开肩头的小手电筒,微弱的白光瞬间划破黑暗,照亮了房间的墙壁.
然后,所有人都僵住了.
"...我靠..."
潘洁瞪大眼睛,猛地捂住嘴,惊恐地往后退了一步.
只见墙壁上,不知何时,竟然贴满了一张张苍白的人脸!
那些人影仿佛被强行镶嵌进墙壁里,半个身体深陷其中,只有一双双眼睛死死盯着他们,空洞而怨毒.
有些人张着嘴,像是无声地尖叫;有些人嘴角裂开,露出诡异的微笑;还有些人,眼眶深陷,流淌着黑色的液体...
而最可怕的是.
他们的脸,居然都是之前死去的受害者!
潘洁整个人直接惊叫出来,声音尖锐而颤抖:"啊啊啊!!"
伟叔的脸色难看至极,低吼道:"靠!什么情况?!"
警察们下意识地拔出了配枪,尽管他们知道子弹可能根本没有用.
林远微微眯起眼睛,死死盯着那面墙,目光沉冷.
"这些人... 不是鬼魂." 他喃喃低语.
而就在这时,墙上的那些人,突然动了!
他们缓缓地抬起头,嘴角裂开,露出森白的牙齿,齐齐地对着众人,咧嘴一笑.