"Not only that, but the way she died seems suspicious."
With that, the three of them carried the body into the inner chamber of the backyard. Ren Yuanhao had initially intended to wait outside, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he followed them inside.
The inner chamber was filled with a damp, chilly atmosphere—like the musty scent of an old house during the rainy season—mixed with the strange odor of incense.
"Ren Yuanhao, if you can’t handle it, you can wait outside," Murong Yan suggested kindly, noticing his discomfort.
But what kind of man would he be if he backed down in front of a woman? Shaking his head, he signaled that he was fine.
The three others glanced at Ren Yuanhao but didn’t press further before quietly exiting, leaving only the two of them inside.
"Ren Yuanhao, there’s no need to force yourself. Many men can’t handle this line of work. If you’re really uncomfortable, wait outside. I won’t mind."
Murong Yan’s repeated warnings initially made Ren Yuanhao think she was looking down on him. But later, he would come to realize that being a mortician was far more complex than outsiders imagined.
"I’m fine. Actually, I’m quite curious about your profession. I hope my presence won’t disturb you."
"It won’t. But you must be mentally prepared. Do not disturb the spirits here."
As soon as she said this, Ren Yuanhao felt goosebumps rise all over his body. The strange jars, smoke, slightly corroded beams, and large patches of dried water stains all contributed to an inescapable sense of dread. But since he had already decided to stay, he resolved to tough it out no matter how terrifying things got.
He nodded, watching as Murong Yan slowly put on her gloves.
At first, after donning her "equipment," she began murmuring words he couldn’t understand.
"Strange."
Murong Yan frowned slightly, staring intently at the corpse covered by a white cloth.
"What’s wrong?" Ren Yuanhao moved closer but was stopped by her outstretched hand.
"Don’t come near. This body is unclean."
—*What the hell?! What does she mean by "unclean"? Don’t tell me…!*
A cold shiver ran down Ren Yuanhao’s neck as an eerie draft brushed against his forehead.
"Relax, it’s not what you’re thinking. I mean, when this body was retrieved from the sea, it wasn’t properly treated, so it’s not clean. But we overlooked something earlier—when the body was first brought in, did you smell any decomposition?"
Ren Yuanhao’s heart skipped a beat. He shook his head. "Now that you mention it, that *is* strange. In this heat, even if she was submerged in seawater—which slows decomposition compared to freshwater—there should still be a noticeable odor."
Murong Yan turned her head slightly and smiled. "I’m surprised you considered that. Good. Seems keeping you here was the right choice."
This was the first time Ren Yuanhao had seen Murong Yan smile. Her dimples were mesmerizing.
"You look nice when you smile."
"Thank you. In our line of work, we can only wear plain clothes. It’s been a long time since anyone told me I looked nice."
Then, Murong Yan carefully lifted the lower half of the shroud. The skin was swollen, having lost all elasticity, and had taken on an unnatural pallor. Dark red lividity spots had begun to mold, numbering at least twenty in total.
Ren Yuanhao’s stomach churned. It wasn’t that he had never seen a corpse before—but one so severely decomposed and bloated? That was new.
"It’s in such bad shape… How do you even begin to handle this?" he asked, trying to distract himself.
Murong Yan didn’t answer immediately, her expression focused. She pressed a gloved finger against the sole of the corpse’s foot, leaving a dent that didn’t spring back.
After a long moment, she finally spoke. "We usually use special materials to cover scars. If body parts are missing, we reconstruct them with prosthetics or other materials."
She paused, gently wiping away grime from the lower body with a towel before continuing. "Incomplete bodies usually only happen in car accidents. I’ve handled over a hundred like that. People come into this world pure and flawless, like porcelain dolls. They should leave it looking just as beautiful. That’s the purpose of morticians. What do you think? Does it seem like an unserious profession to you?"
Ren Yuanhao had always held deep respect for the job. He shook his head. "Not at all. I think what you do is incredible. Just facing a corpse is hard enough for most people."
Murong Yan meticulously treated the lividity, smoothing the skin until it looked almost jade-like.
"Alright, I need to clean the private areas now. It’s a female body, so turn around."
Embarrassed, Ren Yuanhao nodded and turned away.
After some time, Murong Yan finished treating the rest of the body. The final step was the most crucial—the face. But just then, she let out a soft gasp.
"This is strange… Drowning victims usually have waterlogged lungs, causing significant swelling. The ribs should show uneven protrusions. But there’s no sign of that here. There’s not even foam around the mouth and nose. Any forensic examiner would’ve noticed this. Unless… this body was never examined by authorities and was sent straight to the crematorium. That’s *highly* suspicious."