Urban Night Returner

"I feel like something is following us."

Zhong Lecen was taken aback for a moment, because Shen Gu said "things" instead of "people".

"Is-what?"

"I don't know. I just feel that something is watching us from the door of the exhibition hall. It seems that it is above our heads." Of course, this cannot be a person.

Zhong Lecen slowed down, took off his glasses, and took out a mirror towel to wipe them.Shen Gu got closer, and the two of them saw in the reflection of the lens that a big butterfly was flying above their heads, fluctuating up and down, unable to go around.

Zhong Lecen said in a low voice: "It's Shikigami. Maybe it was left behind by Tu Yumen. He is indeed an Onmyoji."

Shen Gu didn't quite know what a shikigami was, but he knew that this was not the time to explain: "What does Tsuchiyamen want to do by letting this thing follow us? Is this thing dangerous?"

"This kind of shikigami is not used to attack. This thing follows us, just like Tsuchimikado's eyes are watching. If it flies a little lower, it should be able to hear us."

"Can you knock it down?" Shen Gu estimated the distance from the reflection on the mirror.

"I don't know how deep Tu Yumen's Taoism is. My talisman doesn't have much power. If you can't hit it with your evil spirit alone, I'm afraid it's not good."

"Then we can't let this thing just follow us."

Zhong Lecen pondered for a while: "I need a magnifying glass and tin foil."

Shen Gu reached out his hand and took out a Swiss Army knife from his pocket, then took out the cigarette case, and pulled out the tin foil lined inside: "What do you want this for?"

Zhong Lecen showed a sly smile: "Try it." He broke off the miniature magnifying glass on the saber, gathered the afternoon sun into a bright spot, and cast it on the glasses.Tin foil is pasted under the lens to form a mirror surface, which reflects the light spot into the air.Shen Gu watched Zhong Lecen move the lens slowly, using the reflected beam of light to catch the butterflies in the air.The tiny patterns engraved on the silver mirror frame gradually brightened, turning slightly red, as if there were tiny flames burning in the lines.Zhong Lecen's hand shook suddenly, and there was a snort from above his head, and a small piece of white object spun and fell down.Shen Gu stretched out his hand to catch it, and in his palm was a piece of paper cut into a butterfly shape, with a small burnt hole in the center and a wisp of green smoke emitting from it.

"What is this? Sprinkling beans into soldiers?"

Zhong Lecen laughed happily: "That's right, so the origin of Japanese culture is in China, and the shikigami is the same. This is the shikigami used by Tsuchimikado. It needs to be cut into shape before it can be transformed, which shows that his skill is not high. As for Sprinkling Beans into Soldiers, well, I guess he doesn’t have this ability yet, it would be nice to be able to use one or two people to form a god.”

Shen Gu weighed the piece of paper: "What about this?"

Zhong Lecen put the glasses back on: "Throw it away, it's just a piece of paper. It's a lesson for Tu Yumen. It's estimated that his eyes will suffer for a few days. But remember to throw it in the trash can and don't litter it anywhere. thing."

Shen Gu threw the paper into a ball and accurately threw it into the trash can ten steps away, then turned to look at Zhong Lecen's glasses: "What are your glasses made of?"

Zhong Lecen pushed the lens: "Yangsui."

"what?"

"Yangsui is for making fire."

"I mean what kind of texture. Crystal? Glass?"

"No, it's Yangsui."

"I'm talking about materials."

"It's Yangsui."

This time it was Shen Gu's turn to be powerless.He really couldn't understand what kind of material this "Yangsui" was.Zhong Lecen turned his head and smiled secretly, obviously happy to see that he was also deflated sometimes.Shen Gu was thinking about how to fix him, when a fiery red convertible suddenly turned in from the east gate of the parking lot, Shen Gu pulled Zhong Lecen into his arms suddenly, the sports car almost brushed against Zhong Lecen's toes, approaching Jinyu The south gate of the building stopped.A man and a woman in the car didn't seem to notice that they almost hit someone, got out of the car and walked into the Jinyu Building.

Zhong Lecen leaned against Shen Gu's arms, feeling that Shen Gu's arms were a little stiff, suppressed his pounding heart, and whispered: "I'm fine."

Shen Gu let go of him, with a gloomy face: "Let's go."

Zhong Lecen glanced at him: "Do you know those two people?"

Shen Gu strode forward sullenly, until he got into the car, and then said coldly: "That man is Xiao Yifan."

Zhong Lecen let out an ah, not knowing what to say.Shen Gu sneered slightly: "Don't let him spoil our interest, go, find a place to eat, and make you fatter."

Early in the morning, Shen Gu opened his eyes at 06:30 on time.The curtains of the study room are half drawn, the sunshine of June has already shone in, and there are chirping birds outside the window.In the next bedroom, Zhong Lecen was still sleeping, and the sound of even and sweet breathing came out, making people feel peaceful and tranquil.Shen Gu lay with his arms on his pillow for a while, looking at the ceiling.In the first few days of retirement, he was not used to the days without morning exercises, but now several months have passed before he gradually adapts.In the morning he would run around the block for 40 minutes, then do two hundred push-ups and pull-ups to maintain his strength.As for fighting and training with guns, that's out of the question.Sometimes he would be a little dazed, away from the blood and fire, he wondered if he was gradually degenerating.Rather, he could not find purpose in life.The previous honor and mission had gone away from him, causing him to suddenly fall into a void.It wasn't that he looked down on Pian'er's work as a police officer, but that such days were too ordinary for his previous life.For a long time, he didn't mention the reason for his retirement, let alone his experience in the army. In fact, it was because he didn't dare.Because he was afraid that the more he thought about it, the more pessimistic he would be about the future, and pessimism was exactly what he despised the most.But today, he was letting himself think about the things that came up one by one in his mind.Hearing the sound of breathing from the next room, the memory seemed to be no longer so burning.

Shen Gu lay quietly. If necessary, he could maintain a posture for more than ten hours, and he could also maintain a keen response during a long period of stillness.But now, his body is relaxed.Life gave him an accident, and he unexpectedly met Zhong Lecen.This guy who must be called ghosts and gods does not fit the image of a god stick in his mind at all.Gentle and kind enough to be a little shy, but a little calculating and cunning, a very vivid person, both worldly and different, brought him another strange life that he never thought of.Ghosts, shikigami, souls... It's really hard to believe, but it happened in front of him, which suddenly added fun to his life.

A smile appeared unconsciously at the corner of his mouth, and Shen Gu listened carefully to the movement over there.Zhong Lecen is actually a night owl, maybe everyone who deals with ghosts is like this?He never liked to get up early in the morning. In the first few days when he got up to make breakfast, he yawned while making breakfast, his eyes were slit, so now Shen Gu took the initiative to take over the task of making breakfast.In fact, it is nothing more than reheating those made for dinner last night, which is very simple.When Shen Gu put the meal in the microwave oven before going for a run, he could take it out and eat it when he came back, and it also happened to let Zhong Lecen sleep for a while.

Suddenly there was the sound of hurried footsteps on the stairs, and they arrived at the door of 503 in a moment, and then the anti-theft door slammed loudly.Shen Gu jumped up, Zhong Lecen got up in a daze: "What's the matter? Is it on fire?"

Shen Gu fastened the button: "I'm sleepy, what's the fire. You sleep, I'll go and have a look."

Standing at the door was Zhou Wen, who ran up all the way, panting: "Mr. Shen!"

Shen Gu frowned: "What's the matter?" If it's nothing serious, Zhou Wen wouldn't rush to smash his door early in the morning.

"Mr. Xiao is in the hospital. Mr. Xiao invites you to see him for the last time."

Shen Gu was slightly startled: "What?" At noon the day before yesterday, he saw Xiao Yifan with a beautiful woman beside him, no matter where he looked, he didn't look like he was dying.

Zhou Wen wiped the fine sweat from his forehead: "Mr. Xiao—the hospital is powerless! Mr. Shen, he is your father anyway, this is the last time, you have to go see him anyway..."

Shen solid silence.Zhou Wen was about to jump in a hurry, the door opened a crack, Zhong Lecen poked his head out to look at Shen Gu, and whispered, "You'd better go for a while."

Shen Gu turned around and entered the door, shutting Zhou Wen out.Zhong Lecen's hair was sleeping like a chicken coop, but his expression was very serious: "Anyway, he is also your father. It is not a loss to you to see him for the last time, but if you don't see him, in case you regret it in the future ..." He lowered his head and said softly, "At that time, you won't be able to see him even if you want to..."

Shen Gu felt that he would not regret it, but the suppressed sorrow in Zhong Lecen's voice made him feel tense, he stretched out his hand to straighten Zhong Lecen's messy hair, and nodded: "I'll go."

Seeing him coming out fully dressed, Zhou Wen breathed a sigh of relief, and then rushed straight to the hospital at the speed of a racing car.When Shen Gu got out of the car, he was a little surprised, because this was Konghua's hospital.The corridor was full of people, everyone was whispering, and when they saw Shen Gu, the buzzing sound became louder, and then a roar came from the ward: "What's the noise! ​​Is anyone here?"

Zhou Wen wiped his sweat and ran over: "Come on, Mr. Shen is here."

"Let him in."

Shen Gu pushed open the door of the ward, and there was the usual smell of disinfectant in hospitals, but it was mixed with a faint smell of the sea, just like the smell of the seaside wind.Xiao Shiqi was sitting in a wheelchair beside the hospital bed, holding a cane in his hand, his chin resting on the back of his hand, his back was slightly bent, as if he had aged ten years suddenly.Looking up at Shen Gu, he touched the bed with one hand: "Come and meet your father, the last time."

Shen Gu walked to the bed.The person lying on the bed was wrapped in gauze almost like a mummy, with only one eye exposed, half-closed, covered with bloodshot eyes, and there was a whirring sound in his throat, as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't say it.

Shen Gu frowned, and finally asked: "What's going on?"

Xiao Shiqi shook his head wearily: "The police are still investigating. I don't know who attacked him with something..."

The voice in Xiao Yifan's throat became louder, his eyes opened wider and wider, and the jumping lines on the monitor screen by the bedside gradually began to straighten.Xiao Shiqi leaned forward suddenly, then leaned back slowly: "It's impossible. You, you still can't call him father?"

Shen Gu observed Xiao Yifan's eyes, which were full of terror: "Did he say anything?"

"No... When I found him, his body was covered in blood, he was almost inhuman, and he couldn't say anything..."

The lines on the screen were drawn into a straight line, Xiao Yifan's eyes gradually closed, and his head tilted slightly.Xiao Shiqi sat silently for a long time before saying: "Your vigor is exactly the same as when I was young."

Shen Gu said lightly: "I'm afraid I have no similarities with you. The environment is completely different, and the same people cannot be raised. Besides, the most important thing now is to track down the murderer. I see Mr. Xiao's appearance is only fear, He has no other emotions, and he probably doesn't care what others call him."

Xiao Shiqi was silent.Shen Gu stood for a moment and said, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Xiao Shiqi shook his head slowly: "Leave all of Yifan's property to you, let Zhou Wen go through the formalities another day—"

Shen Gu interrupted him: "No need. If there is nothing else, I will leave."

Walking out of the ward, Shen Gu was not surprised to see Kong Hua standing far away at the corner of the corridor, nodding slightly to him.Shen Gu followed him into the dean's office and asked bluntly, "How did he die?"

Kong Hua looked him up: "Who are you from the Xiao family?"

"What about you? Why is he in your hospital?"

"I'm Mr. Xiao's personal doctor. For some reason, they trust private hospitals more." Konghua stared straight at Shen Gu, "Who are you? Why are they all waiting for you? Le Cen knows you Is it related to the Xiao family?"

"He knew much earlier than you. In terms of blood, the one who died inside is my father."

Konghua was stunned for a moment: "You are the one they said--"

"The illegitimate child." Shen Gu finished swallowing for him, "Now tell me, how did he die?"

Konghua took a deep breath: "It's hard to say. The deceased had five parallel wounds from the face to the abdomen, and the abdomen was almost completely torn apart. The wounds seemed to be torn apart by some kind of sharp object. , I would say that the deceased was scratched by eagle claws—of course, the size is at least ten times larger than ordinary eagle claws. And when the deceased was sent, there was a liquid on the body surface, which had a fishy smell and a very strange aroma. The face of the deceased His muscles were distorted, his expression was extremely terrifying, and he was in a state of insanity all the time, so he didn't tell any clues. In fact, it would be a miracle that he was still alive when he was sent. It can prolong his life by a few hours."

The muscles on Shen Gu's cheeks twitched slightly: "Did you keep a sample of the liquid you mentioned?"

"Volatilizes quickly, and is diluted by the blood of the deceased, so there is no way to keep it." Kong Hua hesitated for a moment, but said, "If Le Cen knows your identity—tell him about it."

"What do you mean?" Shen Gu looked at him keenly, "Do you think this is not done by humans?" In the past, he would never say such words, but now, he uttered them so smoothly.

Kong Hua spread his hands: "I didn't say anything. It's just that if Le Cen really knows your identity, you should be able to tell him about it."

Shen Gu sneered slightly: "Are you suspecting that I lied to him?"

Kong Hua stared at him: "I'm Le Cen's friend, so of course he must be considered first."

Shen Gu said bluntly: "If you doubt it, you can ask Le Cen himself. Is there still gauze that has been stained with that liquid?"

Kong Hua hesitated, and took out a sealed plastic bag from the drawer, which contained a few pieces of blood-soaked gauze.

When Shen Gu returned home, Zhong Lecen was waiting for him.Seeing Shen Gu's expression, he didn't say anything, but poured him a glass of milk silently.Shen Gu took it, didn't drink it, just felt the warmth in his hand.Zhong Lecen pointed out today's newspaper to him. There was a small report on the second page: A murder occurred in the Jinyu Building last night. Security guards found an employee of a real estate group lying in the corridor in the early morning. rupture.After analysis, the employee fell down and smashed the fish tank after drinking, was cut by the broken glass in the artery, and bled to death due to excessive bleeding.

Shen Gu sneered: "It's him. He said that he was an employee, and why did he smash the fish tank? People would believe such a reason? It seems that Xiao was afraid of bad influence, so he also worked hard in the media."

"What's going on?" Zhong Lecen sat down opposite him and looked at him worriedly.

Shen Gu pressed the center of his eyebrows, and recounted what Konghua had said.Today he took the blood-soaked gauze and went to find Xiao Heizi.Although Xiao Heizi was already too busy to find his head, but for the sake of Shen Gu providing him with important clues, he still generously took him to find a forensic doctor, and the result came out very quickly—there was nothing but blood on the gauze. Beyond that was a fluid, like the mucus that fishes have on their bodies, and bits of concrete.

"Concrete slag?" Zhong Lecen frowned: "If the slime can be said to be rubbed from the fish in the fish tank, then the concrete... I don't think the ground of the Jinyu Building can be the bare surface of concrete, right? "

"And that wound." Shen Gu looked out of the window, "Unfortunately, I can't see it with my own eyes."

Zhong Lecen looked at him speechlessly.Although he never recognized Xiao Yifan as his father, but now that he is dead, Shen Gu still inevitably feels sad.

"Kong Hua asked me to tell you this."

Zhong Lecen nodded lightly: "Although Kong Hua is a chest surgeon, he is also very interested in forensic medicine. If he said that the wound was like that, it would be more reliable. In my opinion, we should go to the scene to see."