Chapter 073: The Little Girl Covered in Eyes; I’m a Straight Man

Song Kai was startled by the old man’s face.

“What do you want to ask?” The old man’s voice was raspy, barely audible unless one listened closely.

Song Kai said, “Um, is there an old woman here who does makeup for people? I need to ask her something.”

“Makeup for people? Heh, around here, we only deal with the dead.” The old man’s smile was empty, his expression grim. He reeked of corpses, making Song Kai uncomfortable.

Song Kai quickly clarified, “I mean, makeup for the dead, the old lady.”

The old man waved his hand. “You’re talking about Granny Sun. She’s resigned and doesn’t work here anymore. Try somewhere else.”

“She quit?” Song Kai asked, confused.

The old man had already gotten up, stamped out his cigarette, and slowly began to close the main gate. “Closing up, closing up. Once the gates are shut, life and death are separated. You don’t bother me, I won’t scare you. The living and the dead, each to their own side…”

Muttering like a lunatic, he shut the door with a sharp click.

Song Kai wanted to ask more, but the old man was already hunched over, shuffling away.

“Damn it,” Song Kai muttered, speechless.

Checking the time, it was already past six in the evening. Returning to Tengyun City was out of the question now. It was still a bit early to check into a hotel.

Song Kai glanced at the crematorium’s wall—it wasn’t very high. Circling halfway around, he found a broken spot. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and jumped inside.

If Granny Sun really had quit, he’d still have to find out where she lived.

The place was indeed a crematorium, gloomy and eerie. Song Kai hunched his shoulders, grateful he had brought various items to ward off spirits. Without them, he wouldn’t dare come here.

The crematorium was old, many buildings dilapidated. But at the very center, a row of new structures stood, surrounded by wreaths and coffins—freshly built, it seemed.

At this hour, the place was nearly deserted.

Song Kai walked toward the new buildings, glancing around. There were reception rooms, farewell halls, and shops selling budget funeral supplies.

Then he spotted a sign: Embalming Room.

This must be where they did makeup and dressed the dead.

Most crematoriums didn’t offer such services. Many corpses arrived after car accidents or other mishaps, their faces ruined. Families would bring them here, have them made up beautifully, cry over them, then send them off to be cremated.

Makeup for the living was expensive; for the dead, it was even more lucrative.

Song Kai went inside.

He pushed open the door.

The room was dim and creepy.

No one was there.

“Hello?” Song Kai called.

No answer.

He moved further in. At the center of the room lay a corpse covered with a white sheet. Aside from the corpse, the place was empty.

“Where is everyone?”

He muttered, eyeing the shape beneath the sheet.

Something seemed odd about it.

He lifted the covering—inside was a large wooden stick.

“Damn!” Song Kai was bewildered. What was going on?

“Don’t move!” came a harsh voice from behind. “Put your hands up or I’ll shoot!”

Song Kai was puzzled but raised his hands anyway.

Click!

The sound of handcuffs.

Confused, Song Kai felt a gun barrel pressed to his waist as the person cuffed his hands.

Questions raced through Song Kai’s mind.

Was he being silenced for investigating the human skin mask?

The man was about to cuff his other hand.

Song Kai wasn’t about to let him succeed. Seizing the moment when the man relaxed, Song Kai spun quickly, used a grappling move, and snatched the gun from his hand.

He moved fast, grabbing the weapon that had been pressed to his waist.

But upon inspection, it turned out to be just a small wooden stick!

The man wore a police auxiliary uniform, a young man with delicate features—prettier than a pop star. If Song Kai hadn’t heard his voice, he wouldn’t have known he was a man.

“Well, you’ve got some moves,” Qin Liang said smugly, flicking his hair with a flourish.

Song Kai was exasperated, tossing the stick to the floor. “Are you stupid? Unlock these handcuffs!”

“Ha, you’ve got a temper. But no matter how angry you get, you won’t escape Officer Qin’s grasp today.” Qin Liang continued to preen.

Song Kai pointed at Qin Liang, tugged at the cuffs—they were real and wouldn’t budge.

Qin Liang said triumphantly, “Just confess. How did you kill Luo Dahai? Don’t bother denying it. The fact you’re here proves you’re the culprit!”

“I don’t even know Luo Dahai,” Song Kai replied. “Hey, what’s your name, little auxiliary cop?”

“Little auxiliary cop? I’ll have you know I graduated from the police academy, just haven’t passed the recruitment exam yet. Once I do, I’ll be a real officer!” Qin Liang said indignantly.

Song Kai shook his wrist. “I really don’t know any Luo Dahai. I came here looking for someone—the old lady who used to do makeup for the dead. She’s involved in something. You know about it?”

“Keep making things up! Looks like I need to teach you a lesson, otherwise you’ll really think I’m just an auxiliary cop!”

With that, Qin Liang kicked at Song Kai.

Song Kai was speechless. The guy’s moves were decent, but nowhere near his own level.

Still, the bastard was almost too pretty—so feminine that Song Kai couldn’t bring himself to hit hard.

Song Kai swept Qin Liang’s legs out from under him, sending him sprawling. “Quit messing around. Calling you stupid would be an insult to stupidity. I’m not the criminal you’re looking for.”

“If I believed you, I’d be the idiot! I can’t beat you, but just wait—I’ll call my colleagues.” Qin Liang scrambled to his feet, reaching for his phone.

Suddenly, with a loud bang, the embalming room door slammed shut.

The entire room plunged into darkness.

“Ah!” Qin Liang screamed, forgetting to call for backup and rushing to Song Kai’s side.

Song Kai expected a fight, but instead, Qin Liang clung to his arm like a terrified woman.

The gesture made Song Kai’s skin crawl.

“Let go! I’m straight,” he muttered, uncomfortable at being held so tightly by another man.

“I—I’m afraid of the dark. Please, turn on the light,” Qin Liang pleaded, trembling.

Song Kai was about to look for the switch when a wave of ghostly energy swept through the room.

“Damn!” Song Kai grabbed his bag, shoved Qin Liang away. “Stop holding my arm! I need my tools.”

“I won’t grab you anymore. Use whatever you want, just hurry and turn on the light,” Qin Liang stammered.

Suddenly, a little girl appeared before them.

She was seven or eight, dressed in white, her head oozing brain matter.

Most disturbing were the eyes—her face and head were covered with eyeballs, all shifting and rolling.

A powerful aura of murder emanated from her, countless blood-soaked eyes fixed on Song Kai.

“D-d-damn…” Qin Liang shrieked, collapsed to the floor, and fainted dead away.

He soiled himself instantly.

Song Kai ignored the idiot, whipping out his peach wood sword and three talismans.

“Such a strong ghostly presence—die!” Song Kai tossed a talisman upward, slashed it with his sword. The talisman exploded, bolts of lightning illuminating the girl.

The lightning struck the sword, which began to glow gold.

Song Kai lunged, stabbing at her.

“Waah!” The girl shrieked. Though she was a fierce ghost, she was no match for Song Kai, a fully trained Taoist.

Eyeballs spilled from her mouth in clusters, like frog eggs.

“Die!” Song Kai swung again, aiming for her head.

Suddenly, scores of ghosts surged toward him.

Song Kai withdrew his sword, sweeping it in a wide arc—ghosts exploded everywhere.

The girl took advantage of the chaos and fled.

Song Kai wanted to give chase, but with so many ghosts about, if he left, Qin Liang would be overwhelmed and likely fall gravely ill.

Frowning, Song Kai gave up pursuit, scattered the surrounding ghosts, and turned on the lights.

Qin Liang lay on the ground, twitching and vomiting, a pitiful sight.

Song Kai pressed an acupoint to revive him.

“D-damn, ghosts!” Qin Liang grabbed Song Kai’s arm again.

Song Kai impatiently pushed him away. “The ghosts are gone! Touch me again and I’ll castrate you. Damn it, hurry up and change your clothes.”

Qin Liang glanced down, embarrassed, then gave Song Kai a sheepish smile. “Sorry about that. I’m not usually like this. I’m smart, a crack shot, ranked third in my police academy class. If it weren’t for—”

“Shut up and change!” Song Kai strode out.

Qin Liang hurried after him.

There was an employee shower nearby, but the idiot insisted Song Kai stand in the bathroom with him.

Song Kai was exasperated—he, a straight man, had to keep another man company in the shower!

Standing there, Song Kai reflected on the girl he’d just seen. Suddenly, he remembered the micro-shop where Zhang Hongjun’s wife bought her face mask. The shop’s description read: “Give me a pair of eyes, and I’ll grant you beauty for two lifetimes.” Could it be that the micro-shop and this little girl were connected…