I consulted a feng shui master in Hong Kong.

Sure enough, Gu Chengyue walked to the window, first pushing it open halfway to let in the cool breeze, then turned around and said in a low voice, "Master Chen, there's something else I'd like to ask you for help with."

Upon hearing this, Huang Shouzhou's eyelids twitched immediately.

coming.

Chen Qinghe remained expressionless: "You speak first."

Gu Chengyue did not speak immediately, but instead took out a brown paper document bag from his pocket and placed it on the small table next to the hospital bed.

The bag was opened, revealing a stack of photos, several pages of notes, and a hand-drawn sketch of the street.

"This is a case we've been investigating recently," he said. "We shouldn't let outsiders get involved. But after what happened in the Walled City last night, and then today when you pulled my man back from the brink of death, I think it's better to let someone who truly understands take a look."

Huang Shouzhou stood to the side, feeling a surge of warmth in his heart.

Even the detective said, "The one who truly understands it," which carries more weight than the neighbors' comments about "Master Chen being amazing."

Chen Qinghe pulled out the top photo and looked down at it.

The photo shows an old tenement building.

The building is not tall, only six stories high, and sandwiched between two newly built buildings, making it appear thin and dark.

The main entrance faces the street, with a very narrow courtyard at the back, and a spiral staircase leading upwards.

The atmosphere of the entire building was clearly unfavorable; the front looked like it was being squeezed by the new buildings on both sides, while the back looked like it was leaking from a hole.

"Three people have died," Gu Chengyue said. "Three lives lost within a month."

Huang Shouzhou's heart skipped a beat.

Gu Chengyue continued, "The first was the tenant on the fourth floor, who fell out of the back window in the middle of the night. The neighbors all said he was usually honest and didn't seem like the type to commit suicide. The second was the tailor shop owner on the second floor, who cut his own neck with fabric scissors in the early morning and died in his shop. The third was the man who worked as an accountant on the fifth floor, who rolled down the stairs the night before last, hit his head on the corner of the railing, and died on the spot."

He spoke these words in a steady tone, but there was a hint of weariness in his voice.

Clearly, this case has been weighing on his mind for quite some time.

"You suspect it wasn't an accident?" Chen Qinghe asked.

"If only one person died, it might be considered an accident. But three lives in one month, all in the same building, and all with neighbors saying 'something wasn't right' before they died—that's not something you can just dismiss as bad luck." Gu Chengyue paused, then added, "What's even more troublesome is that our men went in to check the scene the day before yesterday, and since then, none of them have been sleeping well. The worst case is this guy in bed. He just went into the building for a walk, and that night he developed a high fever, vomited black fluid, and started talking nonsense. If you hadn't come, he probably would have died there too."

Huang Shouzhou felt a chill run down his spine and subconsciously glanced at the photo a couple more times.

"Is this building really that weird?" he couldn't help but interject.

Gu Chengyue glanced at him but did not refute: "That's why I wanted to ask Master Chen to come with me."

Chen Qinghe didn't say whether he agreed or not, but just flipped through the photos one by one.

The crime scene photos were taken very clearly. The back window, the tailor shop, the corner of the stairs—everywhere exuded an indescribable sense of oppression.

Especially the photo of the corner of the stairs, with the light bulb hanging high and the shadow falling obliquely, just enough to make that corner of the railing look like a black knife.

He picked up the street map again, glanced at the surrounding roads and the relationship between the old and new buildings, and already had a general idea of ​​what was going on.

"What was this building used for before?" he asked.

Gu Chengyue was taken aback: "How do you know it wasn't inhabited before?"

"The old layout is off." Chen Qinghe spread out the sketch. "This building wasn't originally designed for living. The front door doesn't gather energy, the back well is too narrow, and the staircase lets in drafts. It's like an old-fashioned building used for storing goods, keeping accounts, and reselling. Later, it was forcibly converted into living quarters and shops, and half of the layout was ruined from the start."

Gu Chengyue's expression changed upon hearing this.

Because of this, even the people at their police station who were going through old files only found out the general outline and hadn't had a chance to tell him yet. That building was indeed a small storage building in its early years, and it was later converted into a rental and residential building.

"Furthermore," Chen Qinghe pointed to the location of the new buildings on both sides, "the new buildings are crowding the old ones, the front hall is being suppressed, and the back well is leaking out. If someone were to casually tamper with a few doors, windows, mirrors, or lights, it would be strange if the people in this building didn't get agitated."

Upon hearing this, Gu Chengyue's breathing became lighter: "So it's not a haunted building?"

Huang Shouzhou almost burst out laughing, thinking to himself that although Detective Gu looked calm and composed, he was still just an ordinary person at heart.

Chen Qinghe simply said, "I didn't see anything ghostly. I only saw that if this building was truly set up, the people living inside would first be disturbed in their hearts, and then their lives would be ruined. Your dead people probably didn't go crazy for no reason; they were gradually driven mad by the energy in the building."

Gu Chengyue was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Would you like to go and take a look?"

This time, he didn't use polite phrases like "help".

Because he already understood that at this stage of the case, the methods their police station used, such as searching for fingerprints, looking at footprints, and asking neighbors, might not be enough.

If someone is using the building's status, the current situation, or those shady, underhanded methods to do things, these people who barge in are more likely to fall into their trap first.

Chen Qinghe put the photo back into the file folder, his tone flat: "You can go."

Gu Chengyue's eyes lit up.

"But let me make this clear first," Chen Qinghe looked at him, "I'm not one of your police officers, and I don't investigate murderers for you. I only inspect buildings, check police stations, and see if anyone has tampered with anything. If you really want to arrest someone, that's your own business."

Gu Chengyue nodded quickly: "That's enough."

When Huang Shouzhou heard this, he was initially excited, but then he felt a little apprehensive.

Dealing with a detective naturally brings a larger scope of influence and a more prestigious reputation.

But police cases are always more complicated than those of ordinary wealthy families.

He couldn't help but whisper, "Junior brother, are we... just going to go like this?"

Chen Qinghe glanced at him: "Otherwise what?"

"We should bring some weapons, shouldn't we?" Huang Shouzhou rubbed his hands together. "Three people have already died in this building. What if something else happens inside..."

"Bring it," Chen Qinghe said. "The compass, the wooden ruler, the yellow paper, the cinnabar, and those two blue stones from last night—don't touch them yet."

When Gu Chengyue heard the word "blue stone," he looked somewhat bewildered, clearly not understanding what it had to do with looking at apartments.

But he was smart and didn't ask any more questions.

Chen Qinghe continued, "If someone is really setting up a trap in the building, the key to it is most likely not in the main hall, but in the corners, the back well, or near the lights. Your people will be distracted when they go in, not necessarily because the trap is particularly vicious, but because you don't know how to avoid it. Once inside the building, no one should stand randomly, look in the mirror, touch old things in the corners, or linger at the corners of the stairs."

The more Gu Chengyue listened, the more serious his expression became.

In all his years of handling cases, this was the first time he had been instructed on "the rules for entering the building" like this.

Yet every word seemed to carry a real meaning, making one dare not take it lightly.

He solemnly agreed: "Okay."

Seeing that even Inspector Gu was so serious, Huang Shouzhou's initial unease subsided somewhat.

Since even the police station can invite them to oversee the case, it seems that the Sanxuan Temple will really have to expand beyond Sham Shui Po in Hong Kong in the future.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a little smug.

"Detective Gu," he said, crossing his arms and coughing, "with my junior brother willing to take action, your case is at least half secured."

Gu Chengyue glanced at him and actually nodded seriously.

"That's what I think too."

Huang Shouzhou was taken aback at first, then his chest felt even hotter.