Chapter 140: The Substitute
Chapter 140: The Substitute
That night, in Jia County's bustling Chang Street.
Chen Chuan, Wang Gan Shi, and several plainclothes officers from the Security Bureau walked along the lively street.
The night market was lined with food stalls on both sides, illuminated by lanterns, and various shops selling trinkets connected to each other. There were activities like guessing lantern riddles, pitching pots, wrestling, and impromptu performances. In the distance, fireworks occasionally lit up the sky.
For a small county, it was indeed bustling, and according to Wang Gan Shi, the night of the Skillful God Festival would be even more chaotic, with almost half the county's population expected to be out and about.
This was the Security Bureau's biggest concern, fearing that things might spiral out of control. However, it was impossible to force everyone to stay home, and even if they issued such an order, it would be unenforceable.
Regardless, at the very least, the current atmosphere allowed them to slightly relax their tense nerves.
At this moment, Chen Chuan spoke to them, "It's best you buy something, even if it's just a snack. If you don't buy anything, there's a chance you might pick up that thing on the way back. Of course, it's just a possibility."
Hearing this, Wang Gan Shi and the officers were startled and quickly went to buy something from the stalls on either side.
After they returned, Chen Chuan said, "Alright, there's no task for tonight. Feel free to explore the night market."
Seeing that Chen Chuan hadn't moved, Wang Gan Shi asked, "Chen Expert, what about you? Aren't you buying anything?"
Chen Chuan gave a slight nod.
Wang Gan Shi couldn't help but shiver.
Chen Chuan didn't buy anything this time, nor did he eat anything. When it was around 10 p.m., as they were leaving the night market, he suddenly saw signs of etherealization on his second self. Then, he reached into his pocket and felt something suddenly appear.
So, it was real?
He reached into his pocket, took out the object, and held it in front of him. Indeed, it was a heart knot, but not a new one; it was the same one he had taken from the body earlier that day! He was sure he had put it in the car, but now it had inexplicably appeared in his pocket.
Wang Gan Shi, seeing him take out this object, was startled and said, "Chen Expert, why did you bring this?"
Chen Chuan slowly replied, "I didn't bring it; it appeared on its own."
"Wh-what?" Wang Gan Shi's voice trembled.
"Don't worry," Chen Chuan glanced at him, "I know what I'm doing."
Seeing Chen Chuan's composure, Wang Gan Shi calmed down and asked, "Chen Expert, what should we do next?"
Chen Chuan put the object away and said, "Wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow, please ask Wang Gan Shi to confirm. If no one else dies from the butterfly tattoo, it proves my guess is correct. If there are still deaths, we might need to try another method."
Ghost stories, especially those involving groups, often follow certain patterns. Chen Chuan noticed that since the discovery of the butterfly tattoo ten days ago, one person had died every day, no more, no less.
But there was a question: what if the person who previously had the heart knot didn't die?
The heart knot in his hand had been held by someone else before, but that person didn't die from the butterfly tattoo. Instead, they passed away due to their own health issues. Now that the heart knot was in his possession, it created a contradiction with the pattern of the ghost story.
He wanted to see if the ghost story would skip him or if it couldn't continue without killing him.
If it was the latter, as long as he didn't die, the others would be safe.
But if it had no effect, he would try another method.
After leaving the night market, he went to the inn arranged by Wang Gan Shi, the best inn in Jia County. He approached the front desk and gestured for the staff to step aside. Then, he called Cheng Zitong and briefed him on the situation, mentioning that he had a lead.
Cheng Zitong replied solemnly, "Using this accidental death to find a breakthrough is a good idea, but by doing so, you're drawing the ghost story's confrontation onto yourself. Little Chuan, are you sure?"
Chen Chuan said, "Teacher, I'm confident. When I discussed it with Director Lei, he mentioned that I have talents even I'm unaware of, capable of resisting ghost story invasions. I believe this is true."
Cheng Zitong nodded. When others took on ghost story commissions, they would often feel inexplicably weak, and it would be a long time before they took on another. But this student was always energetic, frequently taking on commissions, and his spirit seemed to improve with each one. So, Cheng Zitong believed him.
However, he still reminded him seriously, "Ghost stories are still ghost stories. Even the best swimmers can drown. So, be careful, and call me if anything happens."
"Yes, Teacher."
After the call, Chen Chuan checked into the inn.
As for the heart knot, he casually tossed it aside when he entered the inn. However, when he settled in, he inadvertently felt it by the bedside.
He wasn't surprised by this.
Logically, the heart knot should have transformed into a butterfly tattoo, but now, due to his second self, the invasion had been diverted, leaving it to manifest in this form by his side.
Throughout the night, he could feel a force constantly invading him, but it wasn't as intense as the Flying Head Demon.
The next day, Wang Gan Shi rushed over early in the morning, breathless. He knocked on the door and impatiently said, "Chen Expert, a corpse was found by the river, and it looks like a butterfly tattoo-related death."
Chen Chuan's eyes narrowed. "Where's the corpse?"
"It's been sent for examination. The results should be out soon."
Chen Chuan nodded. They could only wait for the results to decide their next step.
At noon, Wang Gan Shi rushed back to inform him that the cause of death of the corpse was indeed the butterfly tattoo. However, the remaining flesh on the body had been decaying for at least seven days, indicating it wasn't a recent death.
Chen Chuan thought for a moment and asked, "Have there been any other similar deaths discovered?"
Wang Gan Shi shook his head.
Chen Chuan considered this. It seemed his method might be working, but to confirm, he needed to wait another two days.
That night, he noticed the signs of etherealization had deepened significantly, but instead of feeling weakened, he felt invigorated, thinking he might have done the right thing.
The next day, throughout the day, there were still no reports of any bodies discovered. Although there were missing persons and deaths, they didn't seem to be related to the butterfly tattoo. It appeared that the situation in Jia County had calmed down.
Chen Chuan remained in his position, and as the night deepened, the signs of etherealization intensified, even stimulating his transmutation organs. By this point, he was certain that his method was correct.
This odd tale was not something that could be easily eradicated. The most effective way to deal with it was to find the root cause and engage in a battle of attrition.
Chen Chuan knew this would be a protracted struggle; either the tale would wear him down, or he would exhaust the source of its power.
However, the former was unlikely to happen. If he felt something was amiss, he would leave Jia County in advance. This was the approach to dealing with most odd tales—to leave the area where the tale originated, unless it was being manipulated by someone, in which case it could usually be avoided.
But in a densely populated area, the residents couldn't simply pack up and leave.
On the third day, when Wang Gan Shi came to check on Chen Chuan again, he found Chen Chuan in much better spirits, no longer as terrified as he had been two days ago.
Wang Gan Shi admired Chen Chuan for having a solution ready on the day of his arrival, and indeed, over the past two days, there hadn't been any incidents related to the butterfly tattoos.
However, Chen Chuan knew it was too early to let his guard down. "It's not over yet," he said. "Tomorrow is the Skillful God Festival. If we can get through this smoothly, that's good. Otherwise, there might be more trouble."
He privately suspected that the tale was likely connected to the festival. With the festival arriving the next day, a more powerful invasion might be imminent.
Only by getting through that day could they truly say they had passed this hurdle.
Wang Gan Shi felt a sense of unease at Chen Chuan's words, but he now had faith in Chen Chuan. "Expert Chen, is there anything you need? I can go and prepare it."
Chen Chuan's forehead, and after a moment's thought, he said, "If there's something to be done, make sure there aren't too many people near this inn."
"Understood," Wang Gan Shi said solemnly. He left the room and immediately made the necessary arrangements.
Another day passed, and soon it was the day of the Skillful God Festival.
Chen Chuan's assessment proved correct. With the arrival of the festival, the invasion of the Second Self intensified, and as time went on, it continued to grow stronger.
He believed that the power of the dispersed Heart Knots might be reuniting.
It was a matter of who could hold out longer.
At this stage, the intensity was not as severe as the previous encounter with the Flying Head Demon. Last time, he had almost reached his limit, but that was because he had to fight the flying head simultaneously. Now, he didn't have to do that, which saved him from a significant overlap.
However, to prepare for the worst, he also instructed the company driver to be ready outside. If he felt he might not be able to hold on, he would leave Jia County in advance, avoiding this invasion for now and figuring out a solution later.
Meanwhile, outside, the festival had reached its climax. The residents of the small county town had come out to celebrate on the streets, a rare occasion apart from the New Year. Most of the town's residents would come out to relax and enjoy the festivities.
Chen Chuan sat in the inn, watching the endless fireworks exploding outside the window, his body experiencing the intense stimulation as if he had taken a high dose of medication.
He regulated his breathing, guiding the growth of his transmutation organs.
As time slowly passed, when the clock struck twelve, the outside commotion subsided, and the overwhelming sensation gradually weakened, returning to a lower level, though it continued.
Chen Chuan knew the most dangerous period had passed.
He didn't sleep but remained seated with his legs crossed, the Snow Lady Sword within reach. As the morning light gradually brightened, a ray of sunshine eventually shone into the room.
He got up, holding the sword, and walked to the window. Taking a breath of fresh air, he gazed at the rising sun over the distant hillside.
At that moment, he sensed something and reached into his pocket for the Heart Knot. But all he found was a lump of decaying powder, with only a few strands of the tassel remaining.
He looked at the Second Self, where only a faint trace of etherealization remained. He knew in his heart that the tale had been resolved.
As the sunlight filled the room, he heard a knock on the door, and Wang Gan Shi's cautious voice called out, "Expert Chen, are you there?"
"The door isn't locked. Come in, Wang Gan Shi," Chen Chuan replied.
Hearing Chen Chuan's clear voice and sensing his vibrant spirit, Wang Gan Shi, who was outside, breathed a sigh of relief.
He entered the room and saw Chen Chuan standing by the window, looking out at the scenery. He walked over to join him and said, "This is the highest inn in Jia County. You can see most of the county and even the Gourd River outside. I heard that the county used to suffer from frequent floods, but during the Great Expansion, some repairs were done, and such occurrences became rare."
Chen Chuan nodded and said, "Wang Gan Shi, you can go and check on those detained individuals. See if the butterfly tattoos are still on their bodies."
Wang Gan Shi was taken aback, but he rushed out like the wind.
Less than half an hour later, Wang Gan Shi called, his voice filled with excitement. "Expert Chen, they're gone! The tattoos on their bodies have disappeared!"
Even over the phone, Chen Chuan could sense his excitement. He smiled and said, "That's good, Wang Gan Shi. Since the issue in Jia County has been resolved, I'll be leaving soon and returning to Yangzhi."
"Wait, please wait," Wang Gan Shi said anxiously. "I'll see Expert Chen off."
Chen Chuan agreed, and after packing up, he left the inn and instructed the company driver. He waited there until the car arrived.
In less than ten minutes, Wang Gan Shi appeared, running swiftly with sweat on his forehead. He held a book in his hand and, seeing Chen Chuan still there, hurriedly approached and handed him a book. "Expert Chen, thank you for solving Jia County's problem. I don't have much to offer, but I remember you were interested in local customs and folklore. This book, 'Three Mountains Legends,' records many old-time tales from nearby counties and towns. Please accept it as a token of my gratitude."
Chen Chuan took the book and smiled. "Thank you, Wang Gan Shi. I like this gift. Goodbye, and please go back." Wang Gan Shi waved and got into the car. Chen Chuan waved back and stood there, watching as the car drove away into the distance.
(End of Chapter)
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