CHAPTER 510: CHAPTER 93_2

"Dad, is this person pretending to be White Impermanence?"

"This is not a person." Tan Yunlong stood up, he had been looking for these files with a colleague, so he knew a bit about the content, "The photo shows a clay figure placed on top of a water tank."

"Isn’t there a saying that even clay Bodhisattvas struggle to save themselves when crossing a river, so why intentionally place this clay figure on top of a water tank?"

"Why are you still asking me this kind of question?"

"Come on, if I don’t ask you, who else can I ask? There’s no one else in this archives room." While speaking, Tan Wenbin purposely looked around and called in a low voice, "Hello, is there anyone else?"

Suddenly, the papers in front of him fluttered.

Tan Wenbin’s eyes widened instantly. The door to the archives room was closed and the window was just a small dome of glass at the corner of the wall that couldn’t be opened at all. Where could the wind be coming from?

He became extremely sensitive to phenomena like an uncaused breeze after joining this line of work.

Yuanzi once said that some evil spirits reveal their presence through common everyday forms.

Could it really be an evil spirit here?

Damn it, what kind of evil spirit would dare to stay in a police station?

Tan Wenbin tried to convince himself he was being too sensitive.

Tan Yunlong noticed his son’s unusual behavior and asked, "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing, I didn’t get enough sleep last night, a bit distracted. Dad, what were you saying again?"

Tan Yunlong pointed at the photo again: "Shouldn’t you be more professional about this kind of thing than me?"

"Dad, it’s like assigning you to do evidence technical analysis and forensic autopsy. We’re both police officers, wouldn’t you be able to do it?"

"What about Xiao Yuan?"

"My Brother Xiao Yuan is definitely different."

"Then why can’t you be like Brother Xiao Yuan..."

"Dad, let’s stop, I feel that if we continue this discussion, it might hurt our profound father-son relationship."

To change the subject, Tan Wenbin looked at the photo again: "Dad, is this clay figure White Impermanence?"

"No, according to the criminal suspect’s testimony, this is not White Impermanence, they call it ’Granny Yu’."

"A woman?"

"Yes, the criminal suspects know that what they’re doing is inhumane, and they’re worried about being thrown into a cauldron after death, so they worship ’Granny Yu’ in advance, hoping that she can pretend to be a ghost officer and lead them away, sparing them from punishment.

However, not many worship this, it did not spread, and only a few criminals know of it. We’re currently investigating based on the clues provided by the sculptor who made and sold these figures."

"What crime did they commit?"

"Child trafficking."

...

In the study, the person standing in front of the easel and painting today was not the girl, but a boy.

Li Zhiyuan was taught painting by Alii.

But just like his skill in playing chess, relying on his smart brain, he quickly mastered it and did well, but after reaching a certain level, he became too lazy to delve further and perfect his art.

No matter how intelligent a person is, it’s not possible to learn everything, and once you’re familiar with something, to advance further requires more time and energy. In short... it’s not worth it.

After all, for the boy, learning chess and painting was just to enrich the games he played with the girl, not to compete with her.

Alii stood by his side, mixing colors and changing brushes for him.

Without a word, the connection was seamless and instinctual.

Finally, Li Zhiyuan finished his painting.

The figure in the painting wore a white robe, a tall hat, and stilted shoes, each hand holding a lantern.

Li Zhiyuan didn’t add any characters to the lanterns because he knew that wasn’t their original image; the curse was written on purpose to provoke Alii.

The original lantern would have had other characters on it.

Because he painted so rapidly, he had to let the painting dry a bit before he could roll it up and take it with him.

The boy didn’t know who the figure in the painting was, and he couldn’t ask Grandma Liu directly, as doing so would cause her to bear karmic consequences.

However, deep down, Li Zhiyuan had a feeling.

Before, when I didn’t know who you were, it didn’t matter, but now that I have drawn your image... the river will push you in front of me.

Last night he was wondering whether he could turn passivity into proactivity. Today, this object has taken the initiative to come to his doorstep.

Li Zhiyuan enjoyed this sense of mystery and even more so enjoyed the process of unraveling it.

In his view, River Crossing could be seen as a kind of examination.

Most candidates entering the examination hall are nervous and apprehensive until they receive the ink-scented paper, then they begin to respond based on their previous studies.

Li Zhiyuan didn’t like this kind of mindset, preferring to understand the mindset of the test creator, treating each exam as a conversation with them, guessing their intentions while also critiquing them.

Do I have to wait for you to give me a test?

Come on, first look at this question I’ve posed for myself, are you satisfied with it?

Li Zhiyuan took a few steps back and sat down on the bed.

Alii carefully wrapped the brush he had just used in a silk handkerchief.

All of her many collector’s cabinets were left in the basement of that house, since they were close and she could go back to view them anytime, she hadn’t moved them.

However, this also counted as a "cleared collection", and the girl’s enthusiasm and joy for collecting were thus magnified.

Liu Yumei specially made two new large collection boxes for Alii in the room on the third floor, which was the room where the initiation and River Crossing ceremony took place yesterday, and placed them under the altar.