“Couldn’t find anything. He was completely drunk. But we found a lot of posters of this person in his house.”

Yue Ya handed the poster to Lao Zhang.

“Is it a celebrity or an actor?”

Lao Zhang shook his head. “Not a celebrity, not an actor. He’s the chairman of a new therapy association. Quite famous in this area, often in the newspapers and on TV.

His banners are all over the bus stops, and he’s also funded the construction of hundreds of public toilets.

But he has nothing to do with the entertainment industry.”

“New therapy? What kind of new therapy?”

“Seems to be related to magnets, magnetic therapy. I remember his theory is that the human body has its own magnetic field, and nature has its own magnetic field.

People get sick because their own magnetic field is disrupted and clashes with nature.

Then, based on the principle of survival of the fittest, he added the concept of Heaven and Earth being impartial and regarding all things as straw dogs.

Basically,

if your own magnetic field clashes with nature’s magnetic field,

then nature will not allow you to continue to exist,

and will begin to oppress you, making you sick, giving you terminal illnesses, making you die.

So, he advocates using magnetic therapy to reorganize one's own magnetic field, returning it to a frequency that is compatible with nature, and then supplementing it with drug treatment, which can achieve twice the result with half the effort.”

“Sounds pretty mystical.”

“It’s not really mystical. This association has its own hospital, located at the junction of Tongcheng and Yangzhou, but technically within Tongcheng.

Moreover, his theory incorporates modern physics, ancient Chinese philosophy, modern medicine, and many other theories.”

“But I still think it’s unreliable.”

“It’s definitely unreliable. In fact, relevant departments have investigated and audited his hospital, but it is indeed a formally qualified and healthy operating hospital.

Western medicine is the mainstay, supplemented by traditional Chinese medicine. In addition to going to the magnetic stone room every day for magnetic stone therapy, all other medical activities are legal and compliant. The hospital has never had any medical disputes or accidents.

So, that investigation came to nothing, because they really couldn’t find any problems.

You can’t say that his theory is wrong, because it hasn’t been proven, and many massage parlors now offer ‘magnetic stone back opening’ services.

If the hospital does this, as long as it doesn't delay normal medical treatment, it's like paving a cobblestone path in your own yard and telling people to walk on it to clear the meridians and benefit their health. You can’t find any fault with it.”

“Say, Officer Zhang, how do you know so much about this?”

Yue Ya didn't believe that if he had only “heard of” it,

the police officer in front of her could explain it in so much detail, even explaining the core theory.

If she didn't know that the other party was a ghost messenger like herself, she might have thought that Lao Zhang was a regular at that hospital and a believer in this so-called theory.

Lao Zhang shook his head and said, “He’s too famous. His figure can be seen everywhere in local newspapers, TV, radio, and even street events. So I noticed him and investigated him.”

“So, all you detectives do is walk down the street and investigate anyone you don’t like the look of?

Then, those drug addicts arrested in Zhaoyang District, were they also investigated and reported by local people who suddenly found their faces annoying on TV?”

“Tell me, if he really wanted to study medicine wholeheartedly and really prove the so-called ‘magnetic therapy,’ why would he promote himself so loudly and constantly build his image?

Publicity has a purpose, and excessive, false, and exaggerated publicity is often to cover up a deeper purpose.”

“Everyone has vanity, and wants to be a famous person and be worshiped.”

Lao Zhang didn’t say anything more, but stopped the car at the intersection ahead and pointed to the building in front of them:

“The second family lives in the building in front. A family of five, the husband is missing. The head of the workshop where the husband works reported the case.”

“Okay, I’ll go again. You wait here.”

Watching Yue Ya get out of the car and her figure disappear around the corner ahead, Lao Zhang also got out of the car, leaned against the car door, and lit a cigarette.

For some reason, his right eyelid kept twitching.

At first, he didn’t take it seriously. He used to just complain about feudal superstition being untrustworthy in his heart,

but the problem was,

his current existence was itself a product of feudal superstition.

Sometimes Lao Zhang was quite conflicted.

How much he wished that he would wake up one day and still be the original Zhang Yanfeng,

but every time he washed up in the morning and looked at the “young” face in the mirror,

that extravagant hope would be shattered in an instant.

He blew out a smoke ring,

and Lao Zhang stretched.

After waiting for about half an hour,

Yue Ya came back, carrying a plastic bag in her hand.

Lao Zhang got into the car, and after Yue Ya got in, he started the car and drove away from here first.

After reaching another block ahead, Lao Zhang parked the car on the side of the road and asked,

“Any results?”

Yue Ya shook her head. “No results. His family doesn’t know where he went. They only said that Wang Deyi solemnly knelt down to his wife and parents before leaving, saying that he was going to a place where he could be cured, and asked his relatives to promise not to publicize the matter, and said that he would never be in danger.”

“Didn’t say where he was going?”

“No, his relatives really don’t know. I think the other missing people probably told their families in the same way. And, it seems that Wang Deyi took out most of the family’s savings before leaving home, saying it was some kind of deposit.”

“Did that family have any posters?”

“I paid special attention, but they didn’t.

However,

I found this in their house.”

Yue Ya opened the plastic bag, and there were several magnets inside.

“Found them on the bed. One on each side of the headboard and footboard, and one under the mattress in the middle.

He was doing magnetic therapy every day while sleeping.”

Lao Zhang reached out and fiddled with the magnets in front of him,

biting his lip.

“Are we going to investigate the hospital next?”

“Let’s not go yet.”

Lao Zhang reached out and rubbed his eyebrows, looking a little tired.

“What’s wrong, scared? You’re already a dead person, what are you afraid of?”

“I need to sort things out. And now that we have clues, I still want to follow the proper procedures to solve the problem.”

“Pedantic.”

“You said I’m a mascot, so I have to do my duty as a mascot properly.”

“Okay, I’ll go back first, so I can report back to the boss.”

Yue Ya pushed the car door open and got out of the car.

“Should I give you a ride back?”

“Should you?

You sound so reluctant. I’ll take a taxi back myself. Anyway, it’s not far, and I can go to the jewelry store on the way.”

Yue Ya waved her hand and turned to leave.

Lao Zhang sat in the car for a while, smoked a cigarette, and then restarted the car and drove back to the police station.

It was already evening. Lao Zhang parked the car and was about to walk into the police station building when he saw a policewoman walking out.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

“Oh, I forgot.”

Lao Zhang really forgot. He was still thinking during the day that since Xu Qinglang was back, he could go to the bookstore for another free dinner.

“I haven’t eaten either, let’s go to the cafeteria together.”

Officer Chen grabbed Lao Zhang's wrist and dragged him to the cafeteria.

Lao Zhang’s face actually turned red.

Since he divorced his wife, he hadn’t had any close contact with other women outside of work.

After walking a few steps, Lao Zhang still subconsciously shook off Officer Chen’s wrist. Many police station colleagues saw this scene on the way, but they all pretended not to see it.

Although Lao Zhang had only been at the police station for half a year in this identity, he was efficient and decisive. And Officer Chen’s rank…

They got food in the cafeteria,

and sat facing each other.

Lao Zhang secretly took out the Binhuaju oral liquid and drank it. His movements were very fast and secretive, but Officer Chen still noticed it.

“What are you drinking?”

“Nutritional oral liquid.”

“Isn’t that what women drink?”

“I feel like my hair is turning gray a little too fast recently, so I’m trying it out.”

“Okay.”

Officer Chen didn’t ask any further questions, and the two of them ate in silence.

When they were almost finished eating, Officer Chen took out her phone and said at the same time, “My colleagues in the section told me that you looked up information about that magnetic therapy hospital?”

Lao Zhang put down his chopsticks and looked at Officer Chen in surprise, nodded, and then picked up the soup bowl and drank the soup “glug, glug.”

“Don’t touch that hospital for now.”

“What do you mean?”

Lao Zhang pulled out a napkin from the table and wiped his mouth,

“Are you giving me an order?”

“I’m not ordering you as your superior.”

“Then what do you mean?”

“No meaning.”

“I’m a police officer.”

“You don’t have to repeat that all the time. You’re wearing a police uniform.”

“No, I have to repeat it, otherwise not only will others forget, but I myself will forget.”

Officer Chen smiled and lowered her head, swiping her phone screen.

“Whatever.”

Lao Zhang stood up and asked casually,

“Did someone put in a word for them?”

“You’ve watched too much *In the Name of the People*.”

“Actually, I’m not targeting that hospital.”

“I know, see, you repeated yourself again.”

“I’m a police officer.”

“Sigh…”

“You know, it’s like one day I dreamed that I died, and when I woke up, I suddenly understood some truths.”

“Continue.”

“I want to live purely, for the police badge on my hat.”

“Should I applaud to promote your words and sentiments?”

“You’re too kind.”

Lao Zhang waved his hand to Officer Chen,

“I have something else to do, I’ll go back to the office first.”

When Lao Zhang’s figure disappeared at the entrance of the cafeteria,

Officer Chen silently put down her phone,

and said to herself softly:

“You’re a police officer, but you’re also a... mascot.”