Chapter 389: Three Photographs

Chapter 389: Three Photographs

Autumn feels altogether different.

Even though the sun burned hot and fierce,

the breeze that greeted them was cool and refreshing.

Xiao Yu and Mu Qingwu lounged on the balcony chairs, soaking in the autumn sunlight.

But then…

A business van pulled up outside the villa’s main gate.

Wang Dong stepped out of the car and waved at them with a smile.

“Every time I see Dog King, I get an uneasy feeling,” he remarked.

Xiao Yu grinned widely, exclaiming, “I’ve got a bold idea!”

“I suggest you keep that bold idea to yourself,” came the retort.

Mu Qingwu pouted, “It’s wrong to hit people!”

“Hey, I’m telling you, you two need to behave yourselves,”

Wang Dong shouted from outside the yard, “Are you not opening the door for me?”

“Whoa, look at that, sis!”

Xiao Yu deliberately called out loudly, “Wang, you’re looking rather unique today, huh?”

Mu Qingwu burst into laughter, “Ha ha.”

That little brother is too naughty – how can you describe someone like that?

Wang Dong: …

What the heck, little bro, what do you mean by that?

First, he helped his older sister to the hall. Only then did Xiao Yu step out of the house and open the yard gate.

“Are we brotherhood now?”

Wang Dong glared, “I came all the way here with a good intention to deliver a 713-box of cigarettes!”

Xiao Yu gave a wry smile, his expression not quite reaching his eyes.

“Not…”

Wang Dong, clearly disgruntled, said, “What’s with that look? Do you think I owe you a loan that’s about to expire?”

“Let me warn you, I’m on vacation right now.”

Xiao Yu wasn’t falling for Wang Dong’s act. “If you don’t want the job, it means you just want to hang around with my sister.”

“Uh, well…”

Wang Dong gave an awkward laugh, “I never said there was a job.”

Xiao Yu sneered, “I’ve seen a hundred liars on TV, but none as shameless as you.”

Wang Dong squinted and joked, “So you don’t want the cigarettes?”

“Only kids think they should have it all.”

Wrapping his arms around himself, Xiao Yu retorted, “Adults know better than to expect everything.”

“Little bro, you can’t be so cutthroat.”

Wang Dong let out a bitter laugh, “Bro, I’m in trouble here. Help me out, or else I wouldn’t have come all this way to see you.”

Before Xiao Yu could respond with his own words,

Mu Qingwu, supporting her waist with one hand and her visibly pregnant belly with the other, stepped to the door with a smile and asked, “Why isn’t Wang Dong being let in?”

Xiao Yu sighed internally.

Inside the hall.

Wang Dong glanced at Mu Qingwu’s bump and said, “Sis-in-law, are you about to have the baby?”

Mu Qingwu smiled and nodded, “Yes, the due date is just over two months away.”

Wang Dong grinned broadly, “Count me in on the birth ceremony.”

Xiao Yu’s expression turned strange as he looked at Wang Dong, “Why would you attend my sister’s delivery?”

“Well…”

Realizing he’d misspoken, Wang Dong wore an embarrassed look, “I was just making conversation.”

Xiao Yu snapped, “The more you explain, the more it seems like you’re hiding something.”

Rolling his eyes, Xiao Yu asked, “So what’s the matter?”

Wang Dong replied, “Honestly, it’s not a big deal.”

After glancing at Mu Qingwu, he continued, “It’s just a case.”

Before Xiao Yu could say anything, Wang Dong added, “I’m going to rest for a bit.”

Mu Qingwu slowly rose, and Xiao Yu did not extend a hand to help.

That’s because Bai Ting had already appeared by his sister’s side.

With a helpless look, Xiao Yu watched the two women leave, asking, “What level is it?”

Wang Dong replied, “Level C!”

Wiping away his smile, his expression suddenly turned serious.

A Level C special case… Xiao Yu smirked, “What kind is it?”

Wang Dong leaned in conspiratorially, “You might not believe this… Hey, where are you going?”

Before he could finish, Xiao Yu started to leave, but Wang Dong quickly called him back.

“You’re saying I won’t believe you? Then why should I listen?”

Xiao Yu tilted his head and glared at Wang Dong, “Stop dragging your feet already, will you?”

“I don’t want to stall, but…”

Wang Dong’s face twisted in an expression of exasperation, “Do you really believe there’s such a thing as ghosts in this world?”

Xiao Yu: …

Is he completely off his rocker?

“See? I knew you wouldn’t believe it if I said it.”

Wang Dong threw his hands up in frustration, “Actually, I didn’t believe either, but now six people have died—

all… killed by ghosts!”

At that moment, Xiao Yu thought, I should probably make a quick exit…

Six people dead?

And all killed by ghosts?

Does Wang Dong really think this is something to joke about?

Xiao Yu’s face grew progressively serious as he asked, “So, what’s the story?”

Though he didn’t believe in ghosts himself,

it was odd that even National Security folks were convinced they existed.

“We’re as clueless as ever!”

Wang Dong rummaged in his jacket pocket and handed Xiao Yu a small stack of photographs, “Take a look at these.”

Xiao Yu frowned as he took the photos.

There were three in total. The moment he saw the first one,

a chill ran down his spine and every hair on his body stood on end.

The photograph featured a backdrop as dark as ink.

Within it stood a woman in red.

Strangely, her eyes were blood-red and glowing—

so seductive, yet wicked; equally fierce and grotesque.

What made the image truly horrifying wasn’t her glowing eyes, but the lower half of her face.

Her upper face looked normal, but the lower part… was missing any skin!

A ghastly red, raw flesh appeared where a face should be, with a gaping mouth showing a jawline of pale, gruesome teeth.

Xiao Yu could tell this wasn’t makeup.

It was real!

The Red-Dressed Woman raised her hand, revealing skeletal, white bones instead of flesh.

With his vast knowledge of human skeletons and bones from his past lives,

Xiao Yu recognized that, despite the eerie look, these were indeed human hands.

Everyone knows that

if a hand is reduced to bones, it shouldn’t be able to move.

But… in the photograph, the Red-Dressed Woman’s hands

weren’t just moving – one of them held a small dish,

while the other gripped a blood-soaked dagger…

After a long pause,

Xiao Yu set aside the first photo and picked up the second.

This one still featured the Red-Dressed Woman.

Only now, she was eating.

One could even see an eyeball in her mouth.

A human eyeball!

Then came the third photograph.

The Red-Dressed Woman floated in front of a man.

Yes, in the photo she was literally… hovering.

Her bony white hands clutched the man’s head,

revealing two rows of skinless teeth that sank their fangs into his flesh…

Xiao Yu recalled a saying:

“There’s nothing in this world that can’t be confronted head-on.”

If there is, then run while you can…

…