Chapter Eleven: The Ghost Attacks the Policewoman

Wei Qi was a thoughtful man. Before descending into the grave, he handed Shang Xiaoyun a talisman to shield her from the encroaching yin energy. The others were practitioners as well, adept at traversing the netherworld, with their own protective measures; for a short while, they had nothing to fear.

Just as Wei Qi cracked open the coffin, beams of light suddenly pierced through the darkness. A swarm of police appeared from nowhere, their pistols glinting ominously.

"Grave robbers! Nobody move—hands up!"

Damn it! We’d been so absorbed in figuring out how to deal with the ghosts inside the tomb, we forgot all about this. At such an ungodly hour, digging up a grave like this was bound to raise suspicions.

The situation was dire. The coffin was ajar, its interior pitch-black, revealing nothing, certainly not the twin spirits Wei Qi had mentioned. Above us stood the police, below lurked unknown dangers. In that moment, none of us knew what to do.

"Hands above your heads, squat down!" The officer in front was a woman, fierce and imposing, both hands gripping her gun, her face set in authority—alert as if confronting an enemy.

Wei Qi and his companions, besides their role as practitioners, were also yin-yang masters, skilled at handling spirits. But dealing with mortals was another matter. Threatened by the policewoman’s gun, Wei Qi had no choice but to crawl out of the grave. "Officer, we’re not grave robbers. We’re here at someone’s request, conducting a ghost marriage."

Wei Qi, usually flippant, was surprisingly earnest when it came to serious matters.

But the policewoman wasn’t buying any of it. "Take them away! Digging up a grave in the dead of night, talking about ghost marriages—who conducts such rituals like this? Not a single female corpse present," she remarked, clearly knowledgeable, her grip on the gun tight as she glanced at the tomb.

Shang Xiaoyun hurried forward to explain, insisting it was her husband’s grave and that they were indeed arranging a ghost marriage. But the police wouldn’t listen, and soon we were all handcuffed.

What a mess—being dragged off like this! Wei Qi scowled, "Officer, we truly are here for a ghost marriage. We’re only trying to capture the two little spirits in the tomb. If you take us away now, the trouble will only deepen."

I understood his meaning. Wei Qi had said from the start that Shang Xiaoyun’s husband’s body was possessed by two little ghosts. If we left, not only would the spirits escape, but her husband’s soul would as well. After all, how could a soul under surveillance remain obedient in its tomb?

The policewoman shot Wei Qi a fierce glance. "Shut up! Save your explanations for the station. Grave robbing and theft—you’re all in for punishment."

I tried to help explain, but instead, she kicked me sharply in the calf, the pain burning.

At this point, even with a thousand mouths, we couldn't clear our names. We were herded, crestfallen, to the police station. As we left, a chill wind swept around us. To most, it was just a breeze, but Wei Qi sighed, "It’s over. This is really bad."

At the station, we were thrown into a small dark room. The walls were pitch-black, our hands cuffed, escape impossible, so we huddled in the corner. I asked Wei Qi what to do next. He sneered, saying that now three fierce ghosts had been released—the real drama was yet to come. The mention of three fierce ghosts made me shiver; I’d lost my protective talisman somewhere, but with Wei Qi nearby, I hoped nothing too terrible would happen. Besides, surely the ghosts wouldn’t follow the police car to the station.

The door to the dark room creaked open. Two police officers entered, flashlights in hand. After a brief inspection, they dragged me out and led me into an interrogation room, where a man and a woman began questioning me.

These officers were absurdly diligent, interrogating us in the middle of the night. Even if we were grave robbers, it wasn’t a capital offense—was an overnight interrogation really necessary?

"Speak! How many are in your gang? Did you rob the Han tomb in Cao Wang Village?" The male officer slapped the table, his gaze icy and piercing.

This was maddening. No wonder they were so determined—it was connected to the Han tomb. Grave robbing in those ancient sites was a serious crime; countless treasures beneath China had been looted and sold by reckless souls. But we truly weren’t grave robbers, only helping Shang Xiaoyun arrange a ghost marriage for her husband.

Shang Xiaoyun, what possessed her to arrange a ghost marriage for her husband? Now, thanks to her, we were all matched into the police station.

"Officer, to be honest, we’re really not grave robbers. Look at our tools—just ordinary shovels and picks, nothing like a Luoyang spade. Besides, the deceased only passed a year ago, it’s not an ancient tomb..." I spoke with conviction, believing I could win them over. But the man wasn’t swayed, pressing me relentlessly, as if I were truly a grave robber.

No matter how I explained, they wouldn’t listen. I was tempted to fabricate a story and admit to grave robbing just to satisfy them.

The door opened again, and a policewoman entered—the same officer who’d arrested us. Standing beneath the light, I saw her face clearly: round and pleasant, resembling Chen Xiyan but taller, quite attractive, though very stern. Her white shirt was tucked into her trousers, accentuating her hips. There was something striking about a woman in a tucked-in shirt—the fabric was stiff, and her full chest made one wonder if the buttons would burst.

"Captain Li, this grave robber is tight-lipped—won’t confess," the male officer said, rising as she entered.

"Alright, let’s see how stubborn he really is." She smiled coldly, opened the partition, and strode in, pacing beside me. As she drew near, I felt a chill, the same eerie coldness as in the tomb.

It was only a feeling; I wasn’t a practitioner or yin-yang master, so I couldn’t tell if she was possessed. Yet, with years of experience, having seen many female corpses, my senses were keen.

Officer Li prowled slowly around me. Her scent was a mix: the powdery aroma after bathing, the fragrance of shampoo, and something else—one I knew all too well. The stench of a corpse. Yes, the smell of death.

As a practitioner, I’ve encountered every kind of corpse, and each carries that distinctive odor. I was sensitive to it. This policewoman hadn’t entered the tomb, yet carried such a potent corpse stench—she must have something evil attached to her, perhaps even a ghost.

Earlier, in the dark room, Wei Qi had said that the two little ghosts and Shang Xiaoyun’s husband’s spirit might escape. He was right.

To realize a ghost was attached to this woman, circling so close to me, was terrifying. Wei Qi had told me that my family’s three-foot Longyuan sword could ward off evil and slay ghosts, but since being handcuffed, I had no idea where it had gone.

"Officer, I—I have something to tell you." I dared not meet her eyes, fearing I might provoke whatever evil lingered on her.

"Speak. Confess, and you’ll be treated leniently. Resist, and face harsher penalties..." She laughed coldly. Hearing her voice, I was almost certain she was possessed.

What to do? Now, I didn’t want to immediately reveal her condition. I needed to escape quickly. If I told her she had a ghost attached, it would alert the spirit, and if it attacked me, I’d be helpless with my hands cuffed.

Suddenly, an idea struck me. I twisted my mouth into a pitiful expression, as if truly desperate. "Officer, I—I can’t hold it anymore. I need to pee."

It was a solid plan: asking to relieve myself would likely mean a male officer escorted me, giving me a chance to explain everything privately.

But the policewoman shot me a fierce glare. "Don’t try to play tricks with me."

I refused to give up, contorting my face in discomfort. "Officer, I really can’t hold it! If you don’t let me go to the restroom soon, I’m going to pee right here."