Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

Seeing their bewildered expressions, Master Yan smiled slightly and began to explain: "Times are progressing, comrades. We must discard the dross of feudalism and retain its essence."

"Think about it, the country is prohibiting the promotion of feudal superstition, so as members of the special case investigation team, we certainly cannot knowingly break the law."

Qin Ming was completely confused, but he still nodded: "Then... what are consecrated bullets...?"

So,

Master Yan continued, with an expression that said, "Let me explain slowly," "What peach wood swords, copper coin swords, talismans, Bagua mirrors and such."

Those traditional exorcism methods are all feudal superstitions and we must resolutely resist them.

"What about the glutinous rice? And the black dog's blood?"

Director Li couldn't help but ask.

He had heard from elders when he was a child that these things could ward off evil spirits.

"Hey, that's a good question."

Master Yan's eyes lit up. "Glutinous rice and black dog blood, these are not feudal superstitions. Glutinous rice is food, and black dog blood is a medicinal material."

The Compendium of Materia Medica records the use of black dog blood in medicine to treat epilepsy, sores, and scabies. These are valuable and scientifically sound practices.

Qin Ming's lips twitched.

Scientific?

You keep calling things evil and talking about science.

"We will use glutinous rice and black dog blood to consecrate the 'truth' on your waist."

Master Yan pointed to the Type 54 pistol at Qin Ming's waist, "Whenever you encounter evil spirits, just shoot them directly to physically exorcise them."

"Physical... exorcism?"

Qin Ming repeated the word, feeling that something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Yes, physical exorcism."

Master Yan nodded seriously, "Ritualistic deliverance is feudal superstition and should not be practiced, but if we use scientific and physical methods to deliver it, then it is not superstition."

Qin Ming and Director Li listened to Master Yan's "true words" in shock, and for a moment they didn't know what to say.

This logic...

Something seems off, yet it also seems to make a lot of sense?

A master truly lives up to his name!

"Did you hear me?"

Master Wang took over the conversation with a serious expression, "The rice must be of the highest quality, the whiter the better, and the black dog blood must be fresh, preferably freshly taken."

"Just bring us the black dog, and we'll kill it and get the blood ourselves."

"ah?!"

Director Li hadn't yet recovered from the shock of what had just happened. "Oh! Okay! No problem!"

He readily agreed, but inwardly he was thinking: Top-quality glutinous rice? A black dog? And they want to draw blood right away?

What is all this about?

Is it reliable?

Qin Ming felt something was off, but seeing the two masters looking so serious, he couldn't bring himself to refute them.

After all, Director Zhao said that these two were members of a special case investigation team sent from above, and that they should fully cooperate.

Maybe...maybe they really do have some special abilities?

I was just ignorant.

Just then—

"Something terrible has happened! Something terrible has happened! Captain Qin! Chief Li, something terrible has happened!!"

A police officer named Xiao Wang rushed into the security office in a panic, his face pale and breathless.

"Xiao Wang, what's wrong now? Has someone died again?"

Director Li answered quickly.

"Secretary Wang from the factory...Secretary Wang is dead!!"

Xiao Wang was panting heavily, his voice trembling, "He died in Director Yang's office!"

"What?"

Qin Ming's expression changed. "When did this happen? How did he die?"

"Just... just now, my blood was still warm."

Xiao Wang said, "I was wandering around the factory looking for suspicious people when I passed the factory manager's office and smelled blood..."

The door was locked. I broke it open and saw...Secretary Wang, she...she..."

He couldn't continue, his eyes wide open as if he had seen something extremely terrifying.

Qin Ming's heart sank, and he immediately said, "Take us to see!"

The group hurried to the factory manager's office.

On the third floor, several people had gathered outside the factory director's office. They were all cadres from the steel rolling mill, their faces pale, whispering among themselves, but none of them dared to go in.

The door was ajar, and a strong, nauseating smell of blood wafted out.

Qin Ming pushed open the door.

Then, he froze at the doorway.

In the office, Secretary Wang lay in a pool of blood, his body severed from his head.

Watermelon Head rolled in the corner, his eyes wide open, his face still showing the terror of his last moments before death.

Her body lay by the door, blood still slowly seeping from her severed neck, pooling into a crimson lake on the ground.

.

"This...this..."

Director Li gasped, "It's... again."

"The same killer."

Qin Ming said in a deep voice, and walked in, carefully avoiding the bloodstains.

Master Wang and Master Yan also came in.

Seeing the terrible state of the room, Master Wang frowned, while Master Yan stroked his beard, his expression grave.

"The malevolent aura has intensified."

Master Wang said in a low voice, "It's even heavier than what the security department says."

Master Yan nodded, walked to Secretary Wang's body, squatted down, carefully examined the cut at the severed neck, and noticed the telephone lying haphazardly on the table.

"He made a phone call before he died," he concluded. "And the person on the other end of the line heard something they shouldn't have heard."

Qin Ming's heart skipped a beat, and he looked at the phone on the table: "Master Yan, what do you mean...?"

"The evil spirit used this phone to contact someone."

Master Yan stood up, dusted off his hands, and said, "That person is probably terrified now, and he's likely the next target of the evil spirits."

Factory Director's Office.

Factory Director Yang.

The name immediately popped into Qin Ming's mind.

Secretary Wang was Factory Director Yang's secretary. She died in the factory director's office, using this phone...

"Xiao Wang,"

Qin Ming turned to the trainee police officer and asked, "When you came in, was the phone hanging up or...?"

"It's hanging there! Just hanging there, messy on the table."

Xiao Wang quickly replied.

Qin Ming walked to the phone, carefully picked up the receiver, and brought it to his ear—

"Beep beep beep!"

busy tone.

The call had already ended.

But he noticed a little blood on the dial pad.

It's very fresh; it hasn't completely solidified yet.

It was obviously splashed there.

"Check who this phone call was last made to, whether it was Director Yang," Qin Ming said to Wang Gang.

"clear."

Master Yan and Master Wang walked around the office.

Master Wang took out a small compass from his bag—it was made of bronze, had an antique feel, and was engraved with Bagua patterns.

"Master Yan, look at this." He handed the compass to Master Yan.

Master Yan took the compass and held it in his palm.

The compass needle, which should have pointed north and south, was now spinning wildly and rapidly, making a slight buzzing sound.

"The magnetic field of resentment is very strong," Master Yan said in a deep voice. "This evil spirit is even more ferocious than we imagined."

Qin Ming couldn't help but ask, "Master Yan, didn't you say we should believe in science and not feudal superstitions?"

"But how do you use a compass?"

……