Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
Midnight Spirits: Secrets of the French Concession
墨書 Inktalez
A rickshaw hurriedly stopped in front of the stall. Lu Li raised his eyelids, but it was not the person he was waiting for. A young woman jumped down from the vehicle, her expression frantic as she rushed towards Lu Li, nearly knocking over the Fortune Teller's Stand.
"Sir, please, save my husband!" the woman pleaded with a tearful voice.
Lu Li furrowed his brow slightly, calmly adjusting the Fortune Teller's Stand and replied in a flat tone, "Miss, I am just a fortune teller; saving people is the job of a Physician."
With tears in her eyes, the woman looked pitiful. "Sir, I saw it; I really saw my husband's ghost. Please, save him!" With that, she suddenly knelt down on the ground with a thud.
Lu Li felt a stir in his heart. This woman was dressed simply and did not seem like someone from an ordinary family, yet she insisted she had seen a ghost. Could it be...
"Please get up and tell me what happened," Lu Li said as he reached out to help her up.
"If you don’t agree to help, I won’t get up!" The woman remained on the ground, her tone resolute and tears streaming down her face.
With no other choice, Lu Li relented. "Alright, get up first and slowly tell me what happened."
Only then did she slowly rise, wiping her tears with the back of her hand as she choked out, "Sir, my name is Fang, and my husband is Qiang. He worked as a laborer at the French Concession dock. Three days ago, he said he was going to deliver goods to Boss Wang, and he never came back. I’ve asked around everywhere, but no one has seen him. Last night, I dreamed he was covered in blood and said he had been harmed by someone and begged me to save him!"
After listening to her story, Lu Li pondered for a moment and asked, "The Boss Wang you mentioned—could it be the Boss Wang who runs a casino in the French Concession?"
Fang nodded, tears welling up again. "That's him! Please, sir, save my husband! He is all I have left..."
Looking at Fang's desperate expression, Lu Li felt a mix of emotions. He knew that Boss Wang had significant power in the French Concession and operated in both legal and illegal circles; he was certainly not a good person. Initially wanting to stay out of it, Lu Li found himself unable to refuse when faced with Fang's pleading eyes.
"Alright, take me to the place where your husband went missing," Lu Li said as he stood up and put away the Fortune Teller's Stand into a wooden box.
Fang's face lit up with joy, and she quickly nodded in agreement, leading Lu Li out of the City God Temple and hailing a Rickshaw.
After a bumpy ride, the Rickshaw stopped at the entrance of a dilapidated alley. Lu Li followed Fang into the narrow passage, where a foul odor mixed with damp moldiness assaulted his senses, making him feel nauseous.
"This is the place, sir," Fang said, pointing to a low house in the corner. Her voice trembled, seemingly struggling against immense fear.
Lu Li looked up; the door was slightly ajar, and a faded character for "blessing" was pasted on the weathered wooden door, exuding an indescribable eeriness.
---
Lu Li reached out and pushed the door open. A chill mixed with an even stronger stench rushed at him, causing him to furrow his brows.
"Cough cough..." Fang covered her mouth and nose, unable to suppress her coughing fit, her face growing even paler.
Lu Li turned back, concerned. "Are you alright?"
Fang shook her head and weakly replied, "I'm fine; let's go inside."
Lu Li nodded and stepped into the house first.
The room was dimly lit, the furniture worn and covered in dust, creating an eerie atmosphere. Lu Li glanced around, keenly sensing a faint resentment lingering in the air, reminiscent of Boss Wang's aura. A thought crossed his mind—could it be...?
He quickly walked to the center of the room, his gaze sweeping over the floor until it landed on an irregularly raised spot. He crouched down and gently brushed away the dust, revealing a dark red stain.
Lu Li's heart sank; the blood had dried, but its color and shape clearly indicated it was human blood. He lifted his head, his sharp eyes scanning every corner of the room, finally resting on a shadow beneath the bed. Slowly rising, he approached the bed, bent down, and reached into the shadow.
"Ah!" Fang gasped, covering her eyes in fear.
Lu Li's hand touched a cold, stiff object. A chill ran through him as he suddenly dragged it out from under the bed.
"Ah!" Fang screamed, collapsing to the floor, her face pale as paper.
It was a male corpse, already decomposed and emitting a nauseating stench. The body was covered in wounds, its clothing tattered; it was barely recognizable as Fang's husband, Qiang.
Lu Li stood up, his brow furrowed and anger flashing in his eyes. He cast a spell, and before him appeared the scene of Qiang's death: Boss Wang threatening Qiang fiercely, forcing him to commit acts against his conscience. In the struggle, Boss Wang accidentally killed Qiang. To cover up his crime, Boss Wang hid Qiang's body here.
Lu Li retracted his spell, his anger intensifying. He could not tolerate such evil; he had to help Fang avenge her husband and reveal the truth to the world!
He turned and walked over to Fang, gently patting her shoulder and speaking softly, "Fang, don't worry. I will seek justice for you."
Fang looked up at Lu Li with tear-filled eyes and choked out, "Sir, what did you see?"
Lu Li replied solemnly, "I saw the truth. Qiang was killed by Boss Wang; he hid Qiang's body here to cover up his crime."
Fang, upon hearing this, immediately broke down in tears. She tightly grasped Lu Li's sleeve and cried out, "Sir, you must stand up for me!"
Lu Li gently patted the back of her hand and comforted her, "Don't worry, I will."
He stood up, his gaze firmly fixed on the door outside, and said in a deep voice, "Let's go to the police station!"
Fang wiped her tears and stood up, following Lu Li out of the room filled with sadness and despair.
---
Lu Li led Fang out of the alley, and she sobbed along the way, nearly stumbling several times. Lu Li occasionally turned back to softly reassure her, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
On the roadside, a ragged little beggar timidly looked at them, extending his dirty little hand and hoarsely begging, "Good-hearted people, please give me some money; I haven't eaten for three days."
Lu Li stopped and took a copper coin from his pocket, handing it to the little beggar. The beggar gratefully accepted the coin and ran off with many thanks.
Fang looked at Lu Li with gratitude and quietly said, "Sir, you are truly a good person."
Lu Li shook his head and replied calmly, "I am just doing what I should do."
He called for a rickshaw, helped Fang into it, then sat down himself and told the driver, "To the French Concession, to Boss Wang's casino."
The rickshaw driver responded with a grunt, pulling the cart as he bumped along towards the French Concession.
The French Concession was a place of indulgence and revelry, a stark contrast to the poverty and decay of the old city. Boss Wang's casino was located in the most bustling area of the French Concession, where luxury cars lined the entrance and well-dressed men and women came and went, their faces filled with excitement and greed.
Lu Li and Fang arrived at the casino entrance, only to be blocked by several burly bouncers.
"What do you want?" one of the bouncers asked menacingly.
"I'm looking for Boss Wang," Lu Li replied calmly.
"Looking for our boss? Who are you?" another bouncer scrutinized Lu Li, his eyes filled with disdain.
"I'm here to seek justice for Qiang," Lu Li said coldly.
"Qiang? Which Qiang?" The bouncers exchanged glances, clearly unaware of who Qiang was.
"The Qiang that your boss had killed!" Fang couldn't help but cry out, her voice filled with anger and sorrow.
Upon hearing Fang's words, the bouncers' expressions changed instantly. They exchanged looks, and one of them said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Our boss would never kill anyone! Get lost; this isn't a place for you!"
"Whether it's nonsense or not will be clear when your boss comes out to confront us!" Lu Li said firmly as he pushed aside the bouncer blocking his path and strode directly into the casino.
Comment 0 Comment Count