His gaze turned toward the direction of the iron door, hoping to call for help, but the only sounds escaping his lips were silent gasps.
The long night stretched endlessly; in the despairing darkness, he unwillingly stopped breathing.
By morning, Chen Shu was discovered dead in his room. According to protocol, his corpse needed to be sent for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
The lead investigator on the case, Wen Zhou, flew into a rage upon arrival, finding that Chen Shu’s body had already been transported. Rushing to the autopsy center, he was inford that after the forensic examination, the body had been cremated. All they handed him was a copy of the forensic report.
The report stated that Chen Shu had died of acute myocardial infarction. Aside from that, there was nothing unusual.
The guards on duty were reprimanded, and Chen Shu’s death beca like a stone dropped into the vast sea—sinking without even causing a ripple.
Gao Jie was released one mont, and the very next, Chen Shu was dead.
Even thinking about it with your toes, you’d know sothing was wrong.
With a grim expression, Wen Zhou walked out of the director’s office.
Turning a big issue into a smaller one, and smaller ones into nothing—nothing like that would happen under his watch. No matter what malevolent forces were at work behind the scenes, he would root them out.
~
A funeral ho transport vehicle cruised along the road, and wherever it passed, other cars automatically moved aside.
No one wanted to get involved with bad luck.
The car drove into the Nanshan Funeral Ho. The doors opened, and two n, dressed in protective suits and wearing masks, pushed a corpse covered by a white sheet out of the vehicle.
The corpse was moved into the preparation room.
The iron door slamd shut. The two n removed their masks and glanced beneath the white sheet.
If an outsider had seen this scene, they would have been shocked.
The corpse was none other than Chen Shu.
At this mont, his face was ashen gray as he lay there, motionless, indistinguishable from a lifeless body.
The empty room was chilly, the coldness inexplicably crawling up one’s spine. The two n exchanged a glance, and in each other’s eyes, they saw fear.
"He... he isn’t really dead, is he?"
"Don’t say such things. Let’s just do as Miss instructed."
From an unknown source in the vast room ca a sudden gust of eerie wind. The two n, terrified, realized the room had no windows—just a single bleak overhead light. Its pale illumination made Chen Shu’s face appear even more ghastly and unnatural.
A faint creak sounded.
The two instinctively shuddered.
A shadow on the ground slowly approached.
Wu Yong, though accustod to being in the funeral ho for long stretches, now found his legs turning to jelly.
"You’ve waited long enough."
A cool voice rang softly in their ears, a familiar one that brought tears to the two n’s eyes.
They turned around in unison and respectfully spoke, "Miss."
The young woman, dressed all in black, stood there, her pale skin made even more striking by the contrast. Under the icy white light, she exuded an eerie and mysterious allure.
She stepped closer, casting her gaze briefly over Chen Shu. "No one noticed, right?" she asked mildly.
Luo Zhong replied, "Don’t worry, Miss. The funeral van commutes to the autopsy center regularly. No one will suspect a thing."
"Good."
The girl reached into the satchel slung across her shoulder and retrieved a jade-blue bottle, tossing it to Luo Zhong. "Make him drink this."
Luo Zhong caught it, feeling the bottle’s coldness seep into his skin. There was even a faint, tantalizing feminine fragrance clinging to it, montarily bewitching him.
He quickly shook off his wayward thoughts and lowered his gaze as he stepped forward.
Staring at Chen Shu’s deathly pallid face, Luo Zhong couldn’t help the chill that coursed through his heart. Summoning his courage, he reached out to force Chen Shu’s mouth open.
With his other hand, he unscrewed the cap of the jade bottle. Imdiately, a faint but captivating fragrance perated the room. It was a scent Luo Zhong had never encountered, reminding him of falling snowflakes—an icy and crystalline aroma.
The liquid within was transparent, and as it flowed into Chen Shu’s mouth, it seed about to dribble from the corners of his lips. Suddenly, a delicate hand darted forward, pressing against Chen Shu’s neck. With an inexplicable motion, the hand swept and pressed, and the liquid smoothly drained down Chen Shu’s esophagus.
Visibly, like a barren tree touched by spring, Chen Shu’s lifeless complexion began to regain hints of vitality.
Luo Zhong and Wu Yong exchanged glances, and both saw the astonishnt mirrored in each other’s eyes.
Chen Shu had been undoubtedly, truly dead.
What kind of divine dicine was this?
As if sensing their confusion, the girl softly explained, "Chen Shu took the Fake Death dicine in advance. During its effect, his body ceased all functions, making it impossible for poison to damage his internal organs. As long as the antidote is administered within the ti limit, he can be revived."
The two n were amazed. Wasn’t this the kind of thing found only in wuxia novels? Yet here it was, real.
Shen You’an glanced at the now-empty jade bottle, her heart aching with a pang of regret.
The bottle of Snow Soul Spring Dew had cost her painstakingly accumulated points. She vowed to make soone pay her back for this one day.
Returning the jade bottle to her bag, she said calmly, "He’ll need to rest for a while. During this period, let him stay here."
Wu Yong did not hesitate to agree.
Before working for the girl, he had already been employed at this funeral ho for a long ti. Not long ago, the funeral ho faced financial difficulties and sold off part of its operations.
Shen You’an had handed him a sum of money, asking him to take charge and acquire the stake.
At this point, he was effectively the boss of the funeral ho.
Located in a remote area, the place was rarely visited, making it an ideal spot to hide soone.
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