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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 90: The Mystery of the Alley (Part Five)
The restroom was spotless, the floor so shiny that it could reflect a person's silhouette.
"How are we supposed to investigate this?"
Qin Jian sounded somewhat frustrated. The police tape had been carelessly tossed aside, and the cleaning lady, holding a mop, glanced nervously at me before looking back at Qin Jian. "Our Street Office Director ordered us to clean it up, and if we don't do it well this month, our bonuses will be deducted. Our negligence has seriously affected the environment..."
I raised my hand to signal the cleaning lady. "Ma'am, take a break. I'll go in and take a look." Qin Jian prepared to follow, but I waved him off and whispered, "Just wait here for a moment. I'll be right back."
"With everything cleaned up like this, how can we find any clues?"
I locked eyes with him; his gaze was deep like the universe, encompassing everything, yet also magnetic, drawing others in to explore. I had never looked so openly into a man's eyes before, and it made Qin Jian somewhat bashful. His cheeks flushed red as he shot me an annoyed glare. I quickly turned my head away and chuckled softly, "Don't worry; I have my ways."
I stepped into the restroom.
A chill hit me as the heavy scent of air freshener failed to mask the lingering odor. I hesitated to breathe deeply and walked straight ahead with my hands behind my back, turning right to see a row of stalls. With the cleaning lady on guard, I figured no one would enter.
There was no need to check each stall individually. I closed my eyes slightly and walked toward the wall. Just as Qin Jian had said, in order to save face and avoid reprimands from above, the Street Office had sent someone to clean this place thoroughly. Once again, I found nothing and was about to head back when—
"Pervert..." A startled voice exclaimed as a stall door slammed shut.
Someone was in the restroom?
I slowly approached the source of the voice and tapped on the door with my finger. "This is the men's restroom; it's unclear who the real pervert is here. Who are you?"
"I'm not coming out; I'm just not coming out."
"If you like the smell here so much, feel free to stay and enjoy it." I pretended to leave, striding toward the exit before stealthily returning. I stood quietly by the door when I heard a soft click from inside. Then a pair of feet emerged, followed by her entire body.
I couldn't help but be taken aback; she was the woman who had bought fruit for me earlier. She had been quite unfriendly then, giving me no pleasant expression while buying fruit, her head lowered in indifference as if I owed her money. Upon seeing me now, she gasped and covered her mouth, stepping back in surprise. I shouted, "It's you?"
"Are you human or ghost?"
"You’re the ghost; I'm human." I pulled out a piece of paper and lit it with my lighter until she had my business card in her hand.
"From the Life Research Institute?"
"I am not from the Life Research Institute; I am an Outsider Taoist, investigating bizarre cases as an Outsider."
"I... I am not dead..." The woman stared at me for a long time, always on guard, keeping her distance as if she were afraid of me. "I think I have seen you before."
"Seen me?" I couldn't recall. Looking closely at her, I realized I had no memory of her at all, which was strange. Just then, Qin Jian couldn't wait any longer and stepped forward, causing the woman to vanish into thin air.
He didn't see anyone and frowned, covering his mouth and nose in confusion. "Do you like the smell here?"
"Damn it..." I glanced quickly at the spot where the woman had disappeared and whispered, "I will come back." Then I walked out with Qin Jian.
Our next stop was the funeral home.
The funeral home had beauticians; unless an outside mortician was designated by the station, there was no business for them here. So when Qin Jian and I went to the funeral home, the deceased was still in the freezer, and we hadn't received any notification for her beautification yet.
Funeral Home Morgue.
A middle-aged man's body was being wheeled into the beautification room.
Since we were there to see a deceased person who was currently thawing, I inexplicably followed along to see how the embalmer prepared the body. As I followed, it was evident that everyone here, including myself, wore serious expressions; the long corridor was silent except for the dull sound of the coroner's van wheels rolling over the ground.
Entering the beautification room, the embalmer also wore a serious expression, focused and dedicated as they checked for depressions and filled them with padding before applying foundation. The embalmer appeared to be around my age; judging by their slender fingers and masked face, I guessed they were female. I watched as she gently touched the deceased's skin inch by inch with her fingers, lightly tapping to let the foundation seep into the skin. Gradually, color returned to the deceased's cheeks, and after a few minutes, her face regained its luster.
Once beautified, the body was wheeled into the hall for a final viewing by family members before being sent directly to the cremation furnace.
"All done? Did you learn anything?" Qin Jian appeared behind me without me noticing. My attention remained on the embalmer who had completed an entire set of procedures. I wanted to know if she was male or female; I was eager to see her true face.
"Just taking a look."
"Is it really that simple? You’re not developing a crush on her, are you?" In such a place, even joking had a somber tone; it wasn't funny, nor did I argue back. Watching the young embalmer enter another room, I left with Qin Jian.
In the room we entered, I saw a woman who had died in the restroom on Fruit Street.
A tag hung from her toes with her name on it; her name was Bao Hui.
Bao Hui's body lay stiffly on her back, her eyes slightly open but vacant. Her lips were as pale as her skin, and her hands were clenched into fists. Her long black hair was filthy as if someone had used it as a broom in a cesspool, emanating a foul odor.
I stared at her and remembered her words: "I think I've seen you before." Now seeing her like this reminded me of one thing—at the funeral home, she had appeared asking for my help.
I focused intently on the female corpse.
The door opened, and two people entered. I didn't look to see who they were; Qin Jian was speaking to one of them. She instinctively adjusted her mask and nodded, her bright eyes scanning my direction. She was a forensic doctor, but not the intern named Du Zhen.
I glanced at the other person, a tall figure in a white lab coat wearing a mask. One glance wasn't enough, so I looked again. She was the young embalmer from before. This corpse was crucial for the case, so it required an excellent embalmer to tidy up the deceased's hair and other vital areas.
If I weren't partnered with Qin Jian and if my grandfather were still around, I would definitely be the one managing this woman's hair.
At the top of the coroner's van, right above the deceased's head, there were two hot and cold water valves. Below them was a sink, and beneath that was a drain.
The young embalmer was female.
I guessed correctly, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Watching her skillfully operate, she used a special wooden comb to carefully untangle the deceased's hair. She put on ultra-thin plastic gloves and gently applied jasmine shampoo, filling the small space with a faint scent that masked the previous odor emanating from the hair.
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