Taboo Mage - Chapter 72 - Powerful Resentment

e on the cap.

I looked up and saw police cars with their sirens wailing through the sky, and police officers in uniform pacing back and forth. Aside from Tiananmen Square¹ and Zhongnanhai², I doubted any place could be safer than here.

Jue Chi shook his head, “You’re not wrong. But think about it, if it were just normal dark energy, with so many police officers around, it should be completely suppressed. But now, the dark energy seems to be growing even more. These police officers will leave in a couple of days, and who knows to what extent the dark energy might gather by then.”

Since I met Jue Chi, the number of times he had spoken so much at once could be counted on one hand. I was surprised as I watched him, and his words also hit the key point.

I had thought about this issue before, but the deadline set by Chi Rui was getting closer, and I couldn’t guarantee that I would have time to delay any further on the road.

Jue Chi seemed to sense my thoughts. He bowed his head in contemplation for a moment before finally saying, “Do you really not want to help?”

“Don’t look at me with those eyes.” I frowned. I was just a life amulet master, why should I have to help out whenever something happens?

Moreover, my life is also precious. I am the only one left in the Gu Family. I do not wish to take any risks with uncertain matters.

“I know that along the way, many things have been difficult for you, and you have no obligation to do these things. If you truly do not wish to help, then I will not force you this time.”

Jue Chi spoke with a sense of righteousness, but the slightly resentful look he gave me somehow made me feel as if I was the one who had abandoned him.

After Jue Chi finished speaking, he turned and walked away. After a few steps, he doubled back and slipped a business card into my hand.

I looked down at the item in my hand, which bore a number.

“I had Mr. Cao get in touch with a driver for you, so if you decide to leave, you can call him.”

After saying this, Jue Chi turned and walked away. I stood there clutching the business card, stunned for a long moment before cursing under my breath and quickly following after him.

Song Yu is a quintessential high achiever-having completed her graduate studies in psychology in China, she went on to pursue a PhD in the United States and furthered her education with two years in Germany. She is a professional whom the city police department invested heavily in developing.

Yet, this professional, after examining Li Jianjun’s psychological assessment report for quite a while, furrowed her brows as if they were about to knot into a chrysanthemum.

“How is it?” Mr. Cao asked, sitting on a chair at the supermarket entrance, a cigarette dangling from his lips, his face weathered as if he had just returned from off-roading through the vast desert.

Song Yu shook her head and placed the assessment report on the table in front of her. “The report shows that the suspect, Li Jianjun, does not possess the mental capacity for a dual personality; therefore… he is normal.”

“Normal? How can a normal person turn into that monster!”

Mr. Cao roared in frustration, tossing his cigarette butt to the ground and stamping it out fiercely.

It seemed that Mr. Cao’s progress in solving the case had hit a snag, and now he was as restless as an ant on a hot pan. As the primary crime scene at the service area could only be closed off for a day or two, prolonged closure of such a public place would undoubtedly provoke public outrage.

After a bit more grumbling, Song Yu picked up her small box and left. Aside from the officers guarding the scene, all other police drove back.

When almost everyone had left, Mr. Cao slowly walked over to the large truck we were resting in and climbed inside.

I was comfortably wrapped in a blanket, fast asleep, when suddenly I felt someone climb over me. Startled, I opened my eyes and instinctively thrust the peachwood sword I had been holding into action.

“What are you doing! Who sleeps with a weapon?”

Mr. Cao yelped as the peachwood sword pricked his thigh, and then turned to glare at me.

I rubbed my still sleepy eyes and, seeing the person in front of me, I breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Why is it you? You scared me to death.”

Jue Chi, who was by my side, had already awoken with a start. He threw off the blanket covering him and sat up, his gaze settling on Mr. Cao.

Mr. Cao plopped down between Jue Chi and me, pushed open the car window, and then pulled out two cigarettes from his pack, one he handed to me and the other he placed between his lips.

“Everyone’s almost gone. So, what’s the situation?” Mr. Cao asked, without a hint of subtlety, blowing out two rings of smoke before turning to Jue Chi.

Jue Chi sat between us, as immovable as Mount Tai, his tone steady, “After most of the police had left, if there really is something abnormal, it should appear soon.”

“Gu Qingshu, what do you think?”

Mr. Cao suddenly asked me. I nodded in agreement, “Jue Chi is right.”

The three of us squeezed into the cramped car cabin, and in less than ten minutes, we felt stiflingly uncomfortable. As usual, Mr. Cao kicked open the door and jumped out, propping himself against it.

“Damn!”

I was about to be the last one out when I suddenly heard Mr. Cao cry out in pain. I quickly grabbed the peachwood sword and looked down from the car door.

Mr. Cao, supporting himself on the car, looked up at me and said, “Twisted my ankle, it’s nothing.”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and was about to jump down when something in the direction of the interrogation room caught my eye. I froze, my hand trembling slightly on the car door.

“Jue… Jue Chi, get the hell out here, what is that thing?”

My voice shook as I called to the person behind me, my legs beginning to tremble.

Jue Chi poked his head out and looked in the direction I was gazing. Then his brows furrowed deeply, and he said in a low voice, “Such a strong grudge, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Nonsense! I knew he had never seen anything like it either, but I called him to solve the problem, not to gawk at the spectacle!

Mr. Cao’s eyes wandered several times between us and the direction of the interrogation room, finally giving in to his curiosity, “What is it? What did you guys see?”

“A ghost,” I said coldly, looking down.

Mr. Cao’s hand on the car shook, and he almost fell.

Footnote:

1. Tiananmen Square(天安门广场): Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing, China.
2. Zhongnanhai(中南海): Zhongnanhai is a central government complex in Beijing, located next to the Forbidden City.