Feng Li's heart surged with excitement. The old man's demeanor suggested he knew something! Perhaps he could even earn a great merit!
Feng Li offered the elder a box of cigarettes and lit one for him, flattering, "Please tell me! I've been curious since I was a child! I promise, I won't tell a soul!"
The elder took a puff of smoke and sighed, "Knowing too much won't do you any good!"
Seeing Feng Li's eager gaze, the elder hesitated and whispered, "Alright then, I'll tell you alone! Don't spread it around!"
"Mhm, mhm!" Feng Li nodded vigorously. Lu Yuan, standing beside him, also perked up his ears, listening intently.
"The dead brides! I heard they were all a bit... you understand?" The elder made a gesture.
"Understood~" Feng Li gave a knowing smile. Lu Yuan, though he didn't quite grasp it, also nodded obediently.
"Honestly, the way those people died doesn't seem like something humans could do. It's likely another *gui* at work! But then, they were all outsiders, so it didn't really affect our town. This matter, well, it wasn't spread outside!"
"Only brides are targeted?" Lu Yuan inquired.
"Yes! It's actually a recent thing! About half a year now. The brides' bodies are always discovered the day after their weddings! You don't know, their faces were completely unrecognizable. If you ask me! This *gui* must be a woman, seeing others get married made her unhappy, so she killed to vent her anger." The elder presented his reasoning with conviction.
"When people in your town get married, do the brides also meet with misfortune?" Feng Li asked.
"No, otherwise, why would I say it didn't have much impact on our town! If you ask me! This matter needs to be handled by specialists. Otherwise, it's still a hidden danger, isn't it? Unfortunately, the mayor disagrees, insisting those people had poor character and that the *gui* is protecting our small town!"
"Be fair! Is this how one protects a town? Now, no one in our town dares to get married anymore." The elder's face showed his dissatisfaction.
"Then, old sir, why don't you call the police? Don't we have a special department for these matters?" Lu Yuan asked, puzzled. If he didn't agree, why hadn't he reported it himself?
"That's too much trouble! Besides," the elder leaned closer to the two and whispered, "the town is full of the mayor's informants. If he finds out, I won't be able to stay in this town!"
After asking what they wanted to know, the two chatted with the elder for a few more pleasantries and then moved on to the next house. The results they obtained were largely similar to the elder's answers. With solemn expressions, they returned to their pre-arranged meeting point.
The others also returned one by one. Bai Qi had everyone report all the information they had gathered. The more they listened, the more serious the atmosphere became. Almost everyone's answers were remarkably consistent.
Bai Qi adjusted the brim of his hat, a smile appearing on his face. "Let's go! It seems this mayor must know something unusual. We'll go pay him a visit."
The mayor's house was the largest in the entire town. After they stated their identities, his expression changed, appearing somewhat bewildered, but he politely invited them in.
"Is there some misunderstanding? Our small town has always been peaceful and harmonious. Such heinous acts are impossible here." The mayor's first words upon their seating were an explanation.
"Whether it's a misunderstanding, we'll know after an investigation. However, there is indeed a rather capable *gui* in your town. Even if you don't believe our words, you can't disbelieve the judgment of machines, can you!" Bai Qi said leisurely, appearing extremely relaxed and confident.
"Yes, is that so? Then, esteemed sirs, you must capture her!" The mayor, despite his efforts to remain calm, couldn't help but betray a slight tremor in his voice.
The others watched in silence, truly living up to their boss (captain).
A hint of a smile flashed in Bai Qi's eyes. As expected, there was something amiss! "Naturally. However, we request your cooperation with the Ghost Extermination Division's work. I would like to understand some circumstances from you."
"Yes, cooperate, cooperate!" The mayor hastily wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
"The one in your house, what type of *gui* is it? Aren't you afraid of being killed by her one day?" Bai Qi pressed, having sensed the presence of a *gui* as soon as he entered the room.
The mayor stumbled to the ground. Seemingly realizing he could no longer conceal it, he adopted a "what the heck" attitude and confessed everything, pleading, "My lords, whatever you wish to know, I will tell you. Please, do not harm her."
At this moment, the *gui* seemed to sense the mayor being threatened. A middle-aged woman with a gentle appearance leaped out from the shadows and attacked Bai Qi. How could a *gui* that hadn't even learned to conceal its aura be Bai Qi's match?
Without even using a talisman, Bai Qi nearly dispersed the woman with a single palm strike.
The mayor, his face filled with grief, called out to his wife, whose form was already flickering, and crawled to her side. "A Liu, are you alright? Don't be afraid! I will always be with you."
The one he called A Liu remained silent, merely gazing at him with affection.
Bai Qi, being well-traveled and experienced, had seen all sorts of strange tales of human-ghost romances. His expression remained unchanged. Lu Yuan and Feng Li, as rookie novices, were encountering such a situation for the first time, their expressions suggesting a world of new discoveries.
Bai Qi said coldly and mercilessly, "Confess! Otherwise, I will directly scatter her soul to the winds!"
"No! A Liu has never harmed anyone! I beg you, spare her! Ever since she fell ill and passed away two years ago, she became this way. I just want to be with A Liu. Is that wrong?" The mayor's expression suddenly turned somewhat deranged.
"Is this why you forbade everyone in town from calling the police?" Bai Qi frowned, unable to comprehend the madness of these people.
"Yes, because I knew that as soon as someone came to investigate this matter, you would definitely discover A Liu and take her away! I have already lost her once, and I cannot lose her a second time, so you cannot come."
"Have you ever loved someone?"
"I have loved! From the moment A Liu fell before me, my heart died with her. When a treasure lost and found returns, I will absolutely not let it go!"
After speaking, the mayor, taking advantage of everyone's inattention, stepped back two paces, activated a mechanism, and then, embracing his wife, quickly fled through a secret passage in the house.
By the time everyone escaped the smoke, the mayor's figure had long since vanished.
Bai Qi frowned deeply. He had been careless, not expecting the mayor to have a contingency plan.
"Captain Bai, should we pursue?" someone asked cautiously.
"Pursue! Old Li and Yu Lu, go after them! The rest of you, follow me to the old woman's house who reported the case." Bai Qi commanded. "Also, you two, go easy on them. Leave them a life!"
"Yes!" The two responded in unison.
"Why are we going to her house?" Lu Yuan asked, confused.
"What else? Of course, it's to make you fulfill your bet! Let's go! You don't actually think that *gui* just now could kill someone, do you!" Bai Qi said sarcastically, his mood soured, as he taunted Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan lowered his head. Of course, he knew. That *gui*, which could be considered the most basic, possessed intelligence as simple as an animal's. It had no resentment, and even possessed only the strength of an ordinary human. Such a *gui* could not kill people; it would only stay by the side of those close to it.
However, prolonged exposure to a *gui* would affect a person's body and personality. Therefore, the Ghost Extermination Division strictly prohibited ordinary people from keeping *gui* by their side. Only the few *gui* kept within the Ghost Extermination Division, akin to demonic beasts, could appear openly before humans.