"Hey, have you heard about that?"
"What?"
"The city has been in turmoil lately. At night, those who venture out alone will be seized by evil spirits. By dawn, only a corpse remains at the spot!"
"I heard the victim was eaten clean, not even a scrap of skin left."
"The government has been investigating for days without a clue. Do you think there really are evil spirits at work?"
"Forget it. The city won't be peaceful for a while..."
In a teahouse, a group of commoners were whispering about a recent rumor that had spread through the city. They described it so vividly that it seemed as if they had witnessed it themselves.
A young man in a white robe picked up a teacup and took a sip. When he heard their conversation, his handsome brows furrowed slightly.
The rumor about the evil spirits in the city was everywhere. It had emerged after the sudden appearance of a corpse some time ago.
The body was found in a narrow alley. The first person to discover it fainted from the shock.
The blood beneath the body had soaked the entire alley. The internal organs were scattered, and the mangled body was hardly recognizable. Flies buzzed around, and the stench filled the air.
By the time the government officials arrived, a large crowd had gathered. Everyone was talking about it. Despite the government's efforts, more corpses appeared.
Every day, new bodies were found in different parts of the city. The victims were so horribly mutilated that their identities could not be determined.
Several bodies had been placed in the morgue, but none had been claimed by their families.
As the bodies continued to appear and the government remained clueless, the rumor spread like wildfire.
"Director, His Majesty has summoned you."
A junior investigator rushed into the office of the Investigation Bureau. Before he even entered, his voice echoed through the room.
"Ah-!"
When he looked up, he saw books scattered on the floor and a young man lying in the middle of the pile. The pages were stained with dark red spots, and the corner of his black robe was also tinged with red.
He lay motionless, as if dead. The junior investigator was new to the bureau and had never seen such a sight. Combining this with the recent rumors, he had a bad feeling.
Could the director have been killed by an evil spirit?
"Director! Director, what's wrong with you! His Majesty has issued an urgent summons. If you die now, the entire bureau will be in trouble!"
The young investigator rushed to the pile of books and tossed the books off the director. As he did so, he grabbed the director's collar and cried.
The loud cries attracted the attention of other investigators. A crowd gathered outside the office, looking at the scene inside in confusion.
"What's going on?"
"I don't know, but it seems the director is dead again."
"Again?"
"You're new here. You'll understand later."
Just as the investigator finished speaking, the crying investigator felt his sleeve being pulled. The next moment, a voice filled with suppressed anger rang out.
"Stop it. I wasn't crushed to death by the books, but I might be shaken to death by you."
"Zombie... a zombie!"
The new investigators jumped back in unison. Their cries startled the sparrows on the branches.
"Don't be so stupid. I was just taking a nap. You guys need to improve your composure. Even if you encounter a zombie, you should remain calm. Your behavior will only bring shame to the bureau."
Song Yan stood up and straightened his robe. He took out a brush from his hair and placed it on the table. Then he turned to the new investigators and scolded them seriously.
The new investigators lowered their heads, looking extremely repentant.
Song Yan didn't really want to scold them. He just wanted to maintain his authority as the director. Seeing their attitude, he coughed and said,
"Alright, go back to work."
At his words, the investigators scattered.
"Why was the director sleeping on the floor just now?"
"Don't you know about the recent rumor? It's not only a headache for the government but also for our bureau. The director has been under a lot of pressure recently. He went horse - racing with the young master of the Shen family in the south of the city. That's why he fell asleep in the office."
"Why did you say 'again'?"
"Just now, he looked just like a dead man. You newbies always make a fuss. The director often behaves like this when dealing with difficult cases. By the way, I'm only telling you this because of your master."
"Don't hang around the director these days."
"Why?"
"Why do you have so many questions? Go to work!"
Hearing the investigators' whispers, Song Yan tightened his grip on the brush. Considering the recent rumor and His Majesty's sudden summons, he knew it couldn't be good news.
Oh well, this was not something he could avoid.
He sighed, changed his robe stained with cinnabar, and headed towards the palace.
"Song Yan, the director of the Investigation Bureau, pays his respects to Your Majesty."
Song Yan bowed respectfully to the emperor on the throne. As soon as he finished speaking, an inkstone flew towards him. It narrowly missed his face. If it had been a bit off - target, it would have hit his head.
Song Yan didn't move a muscle and maintained his position.
The inkstone hit the ground with a thud, followed by the emperor's angry voice.
"What have you Investigation Bureau and the government been doing? The rumors in the city have spread so widely, yet no one has tried to stop them. And the murders in the city have been going on for three months, and you tell me there are no clues?"
"Now the rumors have even reached neighboring countries. The people in the city are in panic. This is not only an embarrassment to me but also to Yu Ling!"
The emperor's angry voice echoed in the quiet hall. Song Yan remained silent throughout, allowing the emperor to vent his anger.
"Lord Song, tell me, how much longer will it take to catch the murderer?"
After venting his anger, the emperor sat on the dragon throne, rubbing his temples. His voice sounded weak.
"Your Majesty, I will spare no effort. I believe the murderer will be caught soon."