The Last Mr. Dongguo

A somber hue enveloped the city, casting a melancholic shadow over its inhabitants. Yet, the city center remained brightly lit and bustling; after a brief encounter between humans and ghosts, the city was once again enveloped in the vibrant night. As the taxi descended the overpass, a long line of red taillights stretched as far as the eye could see, like a queue of middle-aged women waiting for a sale.

"Damn it, another traffic jam. They've been saying they'd fix this road since last year, but I don't know when they'll actually start. And this weather is awful, it's been gloomy for days and hasn't rained at all. The weather forecast is never accurate!" The taxi driver honked twice, couldn't help but complain, then pulled the handbrake and lit a cigarette.

The driver adjusted the rearview mirror, now able to see the passenger in the back. The man had pulled his trench coat hood low, obscuring his face, and exuded a chilling aura, like a ghost from hell, which aroused the driver's suspicion. The driver touched a Buddha statue in front of him to calm himself slightly. He then turned and sized up the passenger. Judging from his attire and based on his experience, he was a country bumpkin who had never seen the world. Coupled with the address the passenger whispered upon boarding, the driver gave a disdainful smile and said nothing.

Since picking him up, apart from giving the address when he got in the car, he's been constantly looking down at the time. The driver exhaled a puff of smoke and couldn't help but ask, "Hey buddy, there's a huge traffic jam at this hour. It'll probably take at least an hour to get to the intersection of Huanan Street. That area is full of hair salons and saunas. Now's the perfect time to go."

The man in the trench coat didn't look up; his eyes were fixed on the constantly lit phone screen. There was nothing interesting about entertainment gossip or funny videos on the screen, just a large electronic clock.

21: 02.

"Dude, look at those dark clouds in the sky, doesn't it look like a skull? It's really funny, these clouds really do look like whatever you see. What do you think it looks like?" The driver chuckled to himself, revealing a wicked expression.

The man in the trench coat remained unresponsive. The driver, realizing he'd been rebuffed, said nothing more and casually turned on the car stereo. At that moment, the car in front of him slowly moved forward, and the driver released the handbrake, following closely behind.

"Hey, um, I'm stuck in traffic... No, wait for me, I have to tell you something today, it's very important." The man in the trench coat was clearly very excited, and he couldn't help but raise his voice, "It's time, it's time to settle this." After the man finished speaking, he hung up the phone, and his originally straight back slowly leaned back in the chair.

22: 05.

The driver smiled and accepted the two hundred-yuan bills, said "Have fun," and then stepped on the gas and disappeared into the darkness.

At this moment, after several days of brewing, a belated downpour began under the gloomy sky. The man in the trench coat tightened his collar slightly, put his hands in his pockets, and let the rain lash his body as he walked briskly down Huanan Street.

"Hey! Handsome, it's raining, want to come in and take shelter for a bit?"

Women in short skirts and heavy makeup waved to passersby from time to time, the pink lights making him feel slightly dizzy. The man in the trench coat ignored them completely, and soon he crossed Huanan Street, leaving the pink lights behind.

The rain intensified, but the man in the trench coat showed no intention of seeking shelter. He strode forward, turning three corners before reaching his destination. Without hesitation, he pushed open the door, stepped over the threshold, and the door slammed shut, leaving only the relentless pounding of the rain against the eaves.

Ah!

In the darkness, his hand touched a pool of blood.

The man tried to stand up, but a wave of dizziness made him feel like the world was spinning.

What happened?

The man shook his head vigorously, trying to recall what had happened, but it was all in vain. He sat there, trying to regulate his breathing and calm his mind.

After stretching his limbs, the man slowly stood up. He habitually reached into his pocket; his phone was still there, but there was no signal. He turned on his flashlight, and the limited light finally allowed him to gradually see the space he was in.

This was a space of about 40 square meters, with no windows and only a large iron door connecting it to the outside world. The man pulled hard on the doorknob, but the door wouldn't budge. There were no tables or chairs in the room, only stacks of old books piled in the corner. The man picked one up at random, and by the light of his flashlight, he could see the title: "Ancient Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Art." At the same time, he realized he was in the city museum.

The phone rang.

The restaurant was lit up again.

"Excuse me, everyone, there was a slight malfunction in the line, but it has been fixed. Please don't panic." He Zheng carefully maintained the situation. "To express my apologies, I'll have the kitchen prepare two more of their signature dishes."

"I think that's unnecessary. Our main purpose today is to see the paintings, and we've almost finished eating, so let's get down to business. The person who invited us hasn't shown up yet. This museum of yours keeps having stories and power outages; you don't seem to have any ulterior motives, do you?"

The power outage incident sobered Feng Hao up considerably.

"After viewing the painting and finishing my business, I still need to have a good chat with General Manager Zhang and General Manager Liu."

"Hmph, Feng Hao, don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You're just trying to get more money back, aren't you? Our schedules are packed; we don't have time to chat with you here. The police are here, aren't they? Once the case is cleared up, whoever is responsible will take responsibility." Zhang Tingyu was equally blunt, his demeanor exuding leadership, always in control and determined not to be outdone. "Officer Cheng, wouldn't you agree?"

"I will investigate this matter thoroughly and give you an answer. My priority right now is to ensure the smooth running of this art exhibition," Cheng Luan turned to He Zheng, "Since the host family is unwilling to show themselves, then let Director He lead us to see the paintings first. I wonder how much Director He knows about these paintings. The inviter specifically invited the nine of us here; I think there must be another reason?"

Having said that, He Zhenghe had no interest in using his knife and fork anymore. He simply waved his hand, ordering someone to clear the table, and the group sat down again.

"Director He, please just say what you have to say."

"Does anyone have any comments on the 'Ode to the Divine Crow' just now?" He Zheng's sudden question left everyone puzzled.

Everyone was bewildered and looked on with confusion.

"Ode to the Divine Crow? What does that have to do with today's art exhibition?" Fei Li felt that things had taken a turn for the worse.

"this……"

Comrades.

Just as He Zheng was looking at everyone with a serious expression, Gu Hezhi suddenly appeared.

"Where have you been, old man?" Liu Ting was startled by Gu Hezhi's words and stood up abruptly from her seat.

"I found some strange things in the basement."