Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

"Chief, the screams I just heard seemed to be coming from this side."

Xiao Wang, leading two restless black dogs, said in a low voice.

Director Li rubbed his temples, feeling so exhausted that it seemed to seep from his very bones.

He hadn't slept much for three days; his eyes were puffy and bloodshot.

"Xiao Wang, I didn't hear that. How did you hear it?"

The two were standing about 30 meters away from the abandoned warehouse.

The surroundings were eerily quiet.

Xiao Wang straightened his back, his face radiating the confidence typical of young people: "Chief, I've been clever since I was a child, and I have excellent hearing."

Director Li's computer froze for a second.

"Alright."

Director Li sighed and chose to believe in Xiao Wang's special constitution. Although it sounded mysterious, the kid had indeed never "failed" (lost his chances of getting a free pass).

If he says he heard a noise, then something must be going on.

"Where is the sound you're hearing?"

Director Li asked, his hand already on the pistol at his waist.

The familiar feel of the gun grip gave him a slight sense of security, and he prayed that he wouldn't encounter any evil spirits.

Xiao Wang listened intently for a few seconds, then his brows furrowed slightly.

"It seems to be nearby. Chief, look, there's a warehouse up ahead. The sound might be coming from inside the warehouse."

The two men, leading their dog, cautiously approached the warehouse.

The two black dogs were unusually agitated, constantly tugging at their leashes and barking low, warning barks toward the warehouse.

"Woof! Woof woof!"

The barking of the dog startled both of them.

Director Li felt his heart leap into his throat, almost popping out of his throat.

Could evil spirits really be there?

"Big Black, be quiet! Blackie, be quiet!"

Xiao Wang whispered a reprimand, but the two black dogs completely disobeyed the order, continuing to bark wildly at the warehouse door, even barking their white teeth.

Cold sweat beaded on Director Li's forehead as he gripped his gun tightly, his voice trembling slightly: "Xiao Wang, be... be careful."

"Oh! Okay, Director."

Xiao Wang was completely focused on the warehouse door and didn't notice Director Li's stammering reminder.

All their attention was focused on the dilapidated door, their ears perked up, trying to catch more sounds.

Director Li cursed himself inwardly for being useless.

Having served as a police officer for over twenty years, what kind of situation haven't I seen?

Dismemberment cases, family annihilation cases, serial murder cases... but this time is different. This time it's too eerie.

In just three days, more than 20 people have died in the steel mill's residential area, and the manner of their deaths is increasingly bizarre.

What's even more terrifying is that all the victims had intricate connections with the Lin family.

All the clues point to Lin's parents returning to seek revenge.

Xiao Wang took a deep breath.

"Chief, I've kicked down the door."

After Xiao Wang finished speaking, without waiting for Director Li's response, he kicked the warehouse door hard.

"etc--"

Director Li's intervention came a step too late.

The latch snapped, and the door swung open with a loud crash.

Time stood still.

Director Li and Xiao Wang stood frozen in place, their eyes wide open, their pupils dilating and contracting in an instant.

Their breathing stopped almost simultaneously; the air seemed to turn into a viscous solid, stuck in their throats, impossible to swallow or spit out.

Dead body.

Eight small corpses.

Scattered in various distorted poses, like rag dolls carelessly discarded by naughty children.

What's most horrifying is that these bodies were all very small; they were all children.

The oldest are no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, and the youngest may only be seven or eight.

The overwhelming stench of blood, like a tangible monster, surged out from inside the warehouse, filling their nostrils and assaulting their brains.

"How...how long has it been? Two hours?"

Xiao Wang muttered to himself, his voice trembling. He had just come out of the steel rolling mill with Director Li.

Unexpectedly, here...

The children are here…

In this way.

"Evil spirits... This is too crazy, too lawless."

Director Li gasped, his hand gripping the gun trembling slightly.

He could feel the sweat sliding down his spine, soaking his underwear.

Suddenly remembering something, Xiao Wang turned around abruptly and shouted, "Chief Li, something terrible has happened! It's happening again—"

"I'm not blind, I can see!"

Director Li interrupted his spellcasting, "And let me emphasize again, I'm perfectly fine. Could you please stop shouting 'Director Li, something bad has happened!' every time?"

Xiao Wang chuckled sheepishly, "I... I'm just used to calling you that."

Director Li: "..."

"I'm really afraid that one day you'll call me out of my life. Even good luck can't withstand a constant barrage of 'Oh no!' and every time it happens, it brings someone to their death. Are you a living Yama? Wherever you go, people die."

These words were harsh and hurtful, but Director Li couldn't control himself.

Starting three days ago, whenever Xiao Wang shouted "Something's wrong!", a new body would always be found.

This is no joke; it's a chilling coincidence.

Xiao Wang lowered his head, his shoulders slumping slightly: "...Understood, Chief."

Silence spread between the two.

After a while, Xiao Wang looked up again, his expression regaining the professional composure of a police officer, but the anger in his eyes was clearly visible:

"However, Director, this time it's probably that evil spirit's doing again."

"Of course I can see it!"

Director Li forced himself to look away from the small corpses and began to carefully observe the interior of the warehouse.

This is his professional habit: using professional analysis to combat instinctive fears.

The scene was horrific, but what concerned Director Li even more was the method of the crime.

Clean and efficient, almost always a fatal blow.

Axe, kitchen knife, blunt weapon... the killer seemed to be getting more and more skilled, and showed no mercy.

"I just don't understand why these children are being treated like this?"

Director Li murmured, the question weighing heavily on his mind, "Could it be that they also harmed the Lin family?"

He recalled the previous investigation.

All the victims were more or less related to Lin's parents.

But what about the children?

Xiao Wang squatted down, suppressing his nausea, and carefully examined the corpse closest to the door.

It was a bear, its head and body separated, its eyes wide open, and the look of terror still lingering on its face.

"The wound was clean; it was a clean cut."

Xiao Wang analyzed that his voice became professional and calm, which was his way of arming himself with professional qualities.

The word "evil spirit" resurfaced in their minds once again.

Rumors are circulating everywhere that these cases were not committed by humans, but by the vengeful spirits of the Lin family members who died years ago.

Even the two black dogs at his feet were brought in to ward off evil spirits.

"Director, do you think the evil spirit might not be Lin's parents... but Lin Tian himself?"

Director Li abruptly turned to look at Xiao Wang, his eyes filled with obvious shock: "Lin Tian? That eight-year-old child? Impossible."

"Why is it impossible?"

Xiao Wang stood up, dusted off his hands, and said, "Only children have grudges."

"I had a private conversation with him."

Director Li recalled with certainty, "On the first day in the courtyard, Han Meimei and I were in the same room with him. He had a body temperature, a heartbeat, and was afraid. He was a normal person."

He paused, then continued, "As for why these children are being harmed... it might be because their families are also affected."

It's possible their parents were involved in the murder of Lin's parents, or were accomplices; this is revenge, a case of the children paying for their parents' sins.

When Director Li uttered this conjecture, he felt a chill run down his spine. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, blood for blood.

"I see, the director is really something."

Xiao Wang nodded, seemingly accepting the explanation, but a trace of doubt remained in his eyes.

The two fell silent again, with only the black dog's low growls.

……