Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

Officer Ma was feeling sleepy while on night shift, but this scare woke him up completely.

He stared at He Daqing, seeing the old man's face full of fear and his whole body trembling, and knew that this was no joke.

"Where? How many people? Where is the killer?"

As Officer Ma asked the questions, he signaled to the other officers to get ready.

"Inside...inside the train...seven people..."

He Daqing swallowed hard, his eyes brimming with fear. "The murderer... the murderer was a dark figure, not very tall, carrying an axe. He wasn't human... he looked like a ghost..."

"Could it be that an evil spirit has arrived?"

Officer Ma frowned. "Sir, please explain clearly, is it an evil spirit?"

"It's an evil spirit!"

He Daqing's voice turned shrill, "I saw it with my own eyes. He killed seven people, one with an axe each. Is that something a human being could do?"

The police officers looked at each other in bewilderment.

They had heard the recent rumors about "evil spirits" before.

The case at courtyard house number 95 resulted in the deaths of more than forty people, and the authorities couldn't suppress it.

But that's a matter for those above; what does it have to do with them?

These seven people are just wanted criminals.

But now, that thing has arrived at the train station?

For the sake of my life...

It seems...

"Uncle, calm down."

Officer Ma patted He Daqing's arm. "You wait here. We'll go in and take a look. You must have seen wrong. There's no evil spirit here. You must have been hallucinating when you got out of the car."

"Impossible, I saw it clearly, I wasn't hallucinating, I won't wait."

He Daqing suddenly grabbed Officer Ma's hand, "I'll go with you, I can't stay alone."

Officer Ma looked at him and nodded: "Okay, let's go together."

When Officer Ma turned around, he gave the other officers in the room a look. After they left the duty room, one of the officers took out a walkie-talkie and spoke to the train attendant.

Throughout the journey, He Daqing kept talking.

They were also inquiring about his son and daughter.

Officer Ma looked at He Daqing as if he were dead. "Uncle He, you shouldn't have come back."

He Daqing looked up at the dark sky. "They are my son and daughter. If I don't come, who will collect their bodies?"

Officer Ma wanted to tell you that you didn't need to collect the bodies anymore, as the remains of more than forty people in the courtyard were all mixed together.

You should be thinking about how to collect your own corpse.

That thing won't let anyone go.

You're back, so you're already on that list.

But he couldn't say.

The evil spirit has arrived at the train station and killed seven people.

That thing might still be nearby, it might be watching them, it might emerge from the shadows at any moment.

It's best not to get involved.

I said that just now out of my conscience.

Officer Ma turned around and continued walking forward.

He has two families behind him: a wife and children, and parents.

He didn't want to cause trouble for himself.

Kind words are hard to persuade, damn it.

The two entered the train carriage.

This is an ordinary hard-seat carriage, with a few passengers dozing off scattered around the seats.

The lights in the carriage were dim and yellow, making everyone's face look as if it were covered with a layer of wax.

Officer Ma looked around, then turned to He Daqing: "Uncle He, where are those seven people you mentioned?"

He Daqing took a few steps forward and pointed to a spot: "Over there, let's go there."

He led Officer Ma through the carriage to the spot he remembered.

There was nothing there.

Empty seats, empty aisles.

An unripe watermelon.

There was no blood.

There were no signs of a murder.

He Daqing was stunned.

"This...this isn't right..."

He rubbed his eyes, squatted down, and felt around on the ground with his hand. "It was definitely here just now... Watermelon Head rolled all over the ground..."

He Daqing stood up and walked forward, pointing to a row of seats: "And here, that's where I saw Shi Hao get slashed."

Officer Ma followed him over.

There was still nothing.

It was spotless, without a single drop of blood.

"Impossible...impossible..."

He Daqing's face turned pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. "I saw it clearly, how could I be wrong?"

He argued, then pointed to the other end of the carriage: "There's more! There's more! That guy named Chu Feng..."

Officer Ma did not move.

I just watched He Daqing perform quietly.

He Daqing ran over by himself and circled around the open space several times.

No.

There was nothing there.

There wasn't even a trace of blood, not even a single hair.

He stood in the middle of the carriage, looking around blankly.

He woke up the few passengers who were dozing in the carriage, and they were looking at him with strange eyes.

"Uncle, what are you looking for so late at night instead of sleeping?" someone muttered.

He Daqing ignored him.

I just looked at my reflection in the glass through the car window.

That face was pale, tired, and marked with fear.

There were two dark circles under his eyes, and his lips were dry, cracked, and peeling.

Recalling the scene he had just witnessed—seven heads rolling off the ground—He Daqing shuddered violently.

Could I... be hallucinating?

"Uncle He".

Officer Ma walked over and said in a gentle voice, "The train is about to depart, let's get off first."

He Daqing nodded absentmindedly and followed Officer Ma toward the car door.

After walking a few steps, he looked back at the carriage again.

The empty seats stood quietly in rows.

Everything was so normal, as if nothing had happened.

He got out of the car.

A cool breeze was blowing on the platform, making him feel cold.

Watching the green train disappear into the distance.

He Daqing stared in that direction, remaining motionless for a long time.

Could it be... that I really misread it?

"Officer Ma."

He Daqing turned to Officer Ma, his voice filled with apology, "I'm so sorry, I've delayed your work."

Maybe...maybe I really did see wrong. I was so eager to avenge Sha Zhu and the others that I lost my mind..."

He paused, then sighed, "Sorry to bother you, I'll head back now."

Officer Ma nodded, a gentle smile on his face: "It's nothing, it's nothing. It's a matter of life and death. Uncle He, you're just showing your concern. Remember to get some rest when you get back, don't overwork yourself."

"Definitely, definitely."

He Daqing nodded and turned to leave.

Officer Ma stood there, watching that figure from behind, without moving for a long time.

"Captain Ma, why do we need to clean up the body and those traces? What that old man said was clearly true..."

Officer Ma turned to the officer and reminded him, "The higher-ups have said these are escaped convicts. They also said not to promote feudal superstition."

"If you don't clean up the scene properly, do you want to wait for panic among the crowd? Or for the reporters to put it in the newspapers? Or for the punishment to be handed down?"

The officer opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

He knew the horsemen were right.

Some things are better left unknown to others.

Some things should not be seen by others.

He Daqing left, taking his illusions and his "misunderstandings" with him.

Good.

At least, he can live a little longer.

Officer Ma took one last look in the direction the train disappeared before turning and walking out of the station.

"Fall back."

Several police officers followed behind him.

Silence returned to the platform.

He Daqing, however, felt a chill on his neck, as if a cold wind was blowing directly on him.

……