We Monsters Are Not Allowed to Be Single

Officers failed to find anything on the sixth floor. He Laowu seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Recalling the moment when she saw He Laowu entering the building, Zhao Li felt a chill of fear. Rubbing her arms, she said hesitantly.” Does that thing really exist?”

Now it was a little past ten in the evening. With the dark sky and dim streetlight, she didn’t even dare to use the word “ghost”, in case that thing might hear it, lurking in the darkness.

Now the same hesitant looks appeared on other officers’ faces. Mindful of their experiences when they were keeping an eye on He Laowu, those two officers felt their hair stand on end.

After snuffing out his cigarette, Captain Cheng said.” No matter whether the perpetrators are human or not, we have to get to the bottom of this case. The appearance can be deceiving, I believed most likely someone pulled a trick, acting like a ghost to spook people.”

Then he turned to Zhang Peng.” Have you found anything about the flood in He Village in 1999?”

After Wang Qing passed the message from Jiang Lan, they had asked the officers back in the station to look through the file. So far, they only had some basic information about the He Village and the villagers there. More detailed information was in the old file.

“They are on it now. The files were too old. They need more time.” Zhang Peng said.

Then he patted Wang Qing’s shoulder.” Where is that young man? He didn’t go down with you?”

When Wang Qing came down to deliver a message from Jiang Lan, Captain Cheng wanted to go to the seventh floor personally to interview the resident, but Wang Qing stopped him.

With a wrinkled face, Wang Qing didn’t know what to think. Recalling the joke Jiang Lan told him and turning it over in his mind, he became more convinced that this is …..not a joke.

The possibility that the kind old gentleman was a dead man made his hair stand on end. 

“He said he had more questions for that old gentleman.”

Pausing a second, he added.” He said, the old gentleman on the seventh floor…….is long dead.”

Zhang Peng didn’t believe in ghosts or Gods. Giving Wang Qing a sceptical side glance, he said.” The old gentleman on the seventh floor is Qin Shuyi. I have it on file that he lives an isolated life and is not on speaking terms with the villagers. Despite his eccentricity, he is alive and well. Why do you curse him dead? How can a dead man talk? The man you brought here looks so young. Is he reliable?”

Wang Qing didn’t know how to explain to them. The Tai Sui case was now classified, and the officers involved in that case had all signed the confidentiality agreement. They were forbidden to leak any information about it.

So his words were vague.” Jiang Lan had assisted us in a special case. You will know his capability when he comes down.”

But now Zhao Li, who had gone through the surveillance recordings, had a shocked look on her face.” The old gentleman on the seventh floor?”

Sensing the look on her face changed, Captain Cheng said.” What about it? Any problem with the old gentleman?”

Licking her parched lips, Zhao Li said.” Xiao Li and I were responsible for checking the surveillance video recordings in Block 4…….We had gone through all the videos recorded during a half month period before the murder. We are sure not a single person went to or left the seventh floor in that period.”

The Police always believed that the murderer was hidden in Block 4. So they were assigned to go through all the surveillance recordings round-the-clock to find any suspects. Zhao Li had already noticed there was no sign of activities on the seventh floor. During the night, when every household turned on the light, the seventh floor remained unlit. So she thought the residents on the seventh floor were not home.

So what Wang Qing said shocked her.

Qin Shuyi was at home, but how could a person live without shopping for half a month and never turned on the light at night…..

Zhao Li seemed to be thoughtful, with a shocked, frozen look on her face.

“It is impossible for a normal person to live half a month without shopping for food and other necessities.”

Zhao Peng disputed her theory.” Maybe he just doesn’t like outdoor life? And hoards a large amount of food and other stuff at home? We have seen weirdos like this.”

What he said also made sense. But Zhao Li still felt goosebumps on her arms.

At that moment, a scream coming from Block 4 shattered the night.

Without thinking, they rushed into the building, vaulted up the stairs, and halted simultaneously when they reached the fourth floor.

In front of room 404, a headless male body was hung upside down from the ceiling. Even at this moment, the body was still swaying gently. He Laowu’s wife must have hit the body accidentally after opening the door, causing the blood to spray everywhere, with the stairway wall dotted with the blood. The room door was wide open. He Laowu’s wife and son had collapsed on the ground with traces of blood on their face and clothing.

Li Xiujuan had become worried that He Laowu hadn’t returned home. So she asked her son to go together to look for him. He Laowu’s head had sustained injuries during that flood. After that, his mood was prone to sudden changes, and his behaviours had grown erratic. Li Xiujuan didn’t believe his husband was murdered, figuring he just had another bout of mood swings and hid somewhere.

She didn’t expect to run into a body after opening the door.

The body was still warm. She even felt the warmth coming from under the cloth. The shock was too great that she collapsed then and there, with widened eyes. She couldn’t even make a sound.

Following close behind, her son was also shocked to the core.

With a grim face, Captain Cheng asked Zhao Li to move the victim’s family away from the scene and called the station to request additional personnel.

Two murders had happened in a day. One of them took place under their watch. Now all the officers looked grim.

While officers were busy cordoning off the scene, Jiang Lan finally persuaded Qin Shuyi and his Sunny Doll to go downstairs.

The Sunny Doll looked unwilling, but it always obeyed Qin Shuyi and followed him.

When Jiang Lan reached the fourth floor and saw the body, he glanced at the Sunny Doll.

Now the Sunny Doll had changed to a new body the length of a finger and was carefully put into the shirt pocket by Qin Shuyi. With only its head outside, it was watching the scene.

Jiang Lan thought this kid was spoiled rotten. While pretending to be mistreated, it managed to get He Laowu’s body out in the stairway to make a scene.

He flashed his teeth to the Sunny Doll coldly.

Now you wait, sooner or later you will receive a proper lesson.

Captain Cheng and his men were busy cordoning off the scene and moving the body away. Seeing Jiang Lan, he massaged his temple.” One more dead.”

The other officers instead eyed Qin Shuyi, scanning him from top-down.

Except for his grim look, Qin Shuyi seemed very normal.

Zhang Peng gave Zhao Li a look, which meant: Look, does he look like a dead man? Have you seen a walking dead man?

Zhao Li also looked uncertain.

But Wang Qing was more perceptive. He gazed at Qin Shuyi’s wrist and nudged Zhao Li, indicating his wrist.

Zhao Li looked closely this time:…….

As an officer used to the sight of corpses, she knew what those purple patches meant.

She froze her face, and goosebumps appeared again. Without thinking, she moved closer to the wall, trying to put more distance between her and Qin Shuyi.

The other officers were unaware of this, continuing their work on the scene. After Li Xiujuan saw Qin Shuyi, her frozen looks vanished, and she pounced on Qin Shuyi. With reddened eyes, she screamed.” Did you do it? Did you do it?”

Qin Shuyi took a step back to dodge her. Seeing her miserable looks, he smiled but didn’t say anything.

His smile only lasted a brief moment. No one, except for Li Xiujuan, saw it. In an instant, she collapsed on the ground again, weeping.” You did it, you did it!”

Then she suddenly leapt from the ground and grabbed Captain Cheng’s arm.” He is the murderer. He did all these. Please arrest him.”

Not knowing what went on between them, Captain Cheng furrowed his brow.” As far as I know, this old gentleman is almost seventy. He is not capable of committing murder. And we didn’t find the motive for him to commit this crime.”

As if someone had squeezed her neck, Li Xiujuan darted her eyes from side to side, unable to say anything coherent. But she insisted that Qin Shuyi was the murderer.

Having worked in the Criminal Investigation Department for many years, Captain Cheng didn’t miss her unusual behaviour. Gazing at the agitating Li Xiujuan, he said slowly.” Without evidence, we can’t make arrests indiscriminately.”

Li Xiujuan suddenly calmed down.

Opening her mouth and closing it, she didn’t dare to say more. Without a clue about what was going on, her son dragged her aside.

No one noticed in Qin Shuyi’s shirt pocket, there was a little red sunny doll staring at Li Xiujuan grimly.

Jiang Lan perhaps noticed. But he lowered his eyes and said to Captain Cheng.” I know the identity of the murderer.”

All the people turned to him almost simultaneously.” Who?”

Jiang Lan smiled and gave Li Xiujuan a glance.” I can’t say here. When we finish the job here, I will let you know in the Police station.”

Captain Cheng was doubtful. This serial killer was so unbelievable that he was prepared to work on this case on a long term basis. So he thought there was little chance Jiang Lan could find the suspect easily. 

But looking at Jiang Lan’s confident expression, he also felt his opinions were worth listening to. Maybe what he said could provide a fresh angle for solving this case.

So, in the end, Captain Cheng didn’t contradict Jiang Lan.

While they were talking, reinforcements from the Police station had arrived. He Laowi’s body was moved downstairs.

Jiang Lan, Qin Shuyi, Li Xiujuan and her son all got in the Police car, preparing to leave for the station.

When Li Xiujuan walked past him, Jiang Lan saw the little Sunny Doll hiding among her hair. He turned to give the Sunny Doll a warning look: Don’t cross the line.

The Sunny Doll widened its mouth and smiled.

They arrived at the Police station.

As the victim’s family, Li Xiujuan and her son’s statement were needed first. Captain Cheng went away with a colleague who claimed an important clue had turned up.

Jiang Lan said he needed to make a call and left the room.

Now Qin Shuyi sat upright in the meeting room by himself. He didn’t look like a seventy-year-old man.

Wang Qing sat on a corner sofa and took a measure of him silently. He didn’t believe this old gentleman was capable of killing three farmers single-handedly.

He Laowu and his cousins were around fifty but not weak. Having been working as farm laborers for a lifetime, they were pretty strong.

When compared with them, Qin Shuyi looked like a frail intellectual.

But soon, Wang Qing challenged his own views. Appearances could be deceiving. Considering that this old gentleman was no longer alive, he thought anything was possible.

He gazed at Qin Shuyi while mulling over these.

Suddenly, he noticed a slight movement in Qin Shuyi’s shirt pocket.

Instantly he was shocked to the core and stared in horror at the smiling paper doll leaning out of the pocket.

Wang Qing……..

Brother Jiang Lan, where are you? Help!

******

Jiang Lan went outside to call Ying Qiao, asking him for Cheng Hua’s number. When trying to contact Cheng Hua, he realized he didn’t have his number.

Ying Qiao’s voice sounded a little sleepy.” What’s the matter?”

Jiang Lan thought he had disturbed his sleep, so he cut the pleasantries and got down to business.” Can you give me Boss Cheng’s number? I need his help.”

Ying Qiao:????

Glancing coldly at Cheng Hua, who at that moment was working on a report, he said.” May I ask how my boss can help you? We are working extra hours in the company, and my boss is here too.”

Jiang Lan sounded happy at hearing this.” Then can you pass the phone to Boss Cheng?”

Hearing clearly what Jiang Lan said on the phone, Cheng Hua:……..

My, now you have put me in an awkward position.

Ying Qiao pursed his lips, and his smile was gone. He said without any expression.” Fine.”

Gritting his teeth, he passed the phone to Cheng Hua.” Boss, Jiang Lan wants you on the phone.”

Cheng Hua picked up the phone with an awkward look.

Then Jiang Lan told him the story of Qin Shuyi and his Sunny Doll.

“The revenge was excessive, but this Sunny Doll was born out of Qin Shuyi’s stubborn will, and its seeking vengeance on behalf of Qin Shuyi was part of the karma. I don’t think what this Sunny Doll has done was an unpardonable heinous crime.”

Cheng Hua nodded: “You are right.”

After confirming Cheng Hua agrees with his view, Jiang Lan hurriedly added.” Then do you know anyone in the Justice Department? I am afraid when they are transferred to the Justice Department, they might get severe sentences.”

Typically, Jiang Lan could just report the case, transferred Qin Shuyi and his Sunny Doll to the Bureau. Then he would be done with this case. The Bureau will dispatch people to take over the case from Captain Cheng. He didn’t need to concern himself with their fate and involve Cheng Hua.

Perhaps he was moved by what he had witnessed in the paper doll’s world, which prompted him to ask a favor from Cheng Hua.

He remembered that Ying Qiao had mentioned Cheng Hua was well connected in the Bureau.

The Special Service Branch’s role was like Police in that they were responsible for making arrests and collecting evidence. There was no part for them to play in the following legal procedures like trial and detention. The Justice Department was in charge of bringing the suspects to trials and giving them a fair sentence. So Jiang Lan was unsure what kind of fate would await them after they were transferred to the Bureau.

But he had promised Qin Shuyi he could get a lenient sentence for the Sunny Doll, and he wouldn’t go back on his words. If Cheng Hua couldn’t help him, he would turn to his big brother as a last resort.

It turned out Cheng Hua was indeed well connected and knew the people in charge of the Justice Department.” Take it easy. The Bureau’s opinion on this matter would be the same as ours. Even though the Monster Bureau now abides by the Human Law, sometimes the Heavenly Law would take precedent over the other laws. They will consider all the mitigating factors.”

Jiang Lan was a little embarrassed.” I am just a little worried about them.”

Cheng Hua thought this Little Monster had a soft heart. When he was about to say a few comforting words, he suddenly sensed a cold stare.

He immediately froze his smile and said in a stiff voice.” Don’t worry. I will come right away. Please share your location.”

Then he felt the stare from Ying Qiao turned colder. A thought struck him, and he hurriedly added.” Xiao Ying will come too.”

The phone was too hot, he immediately returned it.

Ying Qiao gazed at him with a strange look.” Since when do you have such a very friendly relation with Jiang Lan?”

Cheng Hua.”…..I don’t think it could be described as very friendly.”

Ying Qiao smiled coldly.” Oh, if you two are not very friendly, why did he ask for your help first?”

Why didn’t the Little Monster ask for my help?

Feeling deeply wronged, he complained.” I am supposed to be the only one he knows who works in the Special Service Branch? And it is very likely I am the only high monster he knows. Naturally, he asked for my help. And he doesn’t even have my number!”

Ying Qiao’s face now looked much better.

Then he complained.” I didn’t expect the Little Monster would ask for your help, not mine.”

He had obviously forgotten that in the mind of the Little Monster, he was just an ordinary snake monster.

Now it was Cheng Hua’s turn to have a strange look on his face. He kindly reminded Ying Qiao.” If you tell Jiang Lan that you are actually the famous Ying Dragon, he would definitely ask for your help the next time.”

In his mind, Cheng Hua laughed: now you are jealous, do you dare to expose your lies?

Ying Qiao…….

Of course, confessing to being the Ying Dragon was out of the question. Once he thought that Jiang Lan held the Ying Dragon in low regard, his headaches would return to haunt him.

In a foul mood, Ying Qiao threw away his documents and rose.” Let’s go.”

Looking at his angry face, Cheng Hua felt he was avenged.

*****

When Jiang Lan finished the call and returned to the meeting room, he saw Wang Qing shrunk into a corner, obviously shocked.

Seeing Jiang Lan, he stammered.” Paper Paper doll…..can can can move…….”

Jiang Lan turned to stare at the Sunny Doll.” Why did you scare him?”

The Sunny Doll was not sorry.” He kept staring at my daddy!”

Qin Shuyi had been absent-minded since he stepped into the Police station. Now he was suddenly conscious of their exchanges, and the horror on Wang Qing’s face told him what the Sunny Doll had done. He furrowed his brow and said sternly.” What did Papa say to you before we left home?”

“No more misbehavior.” The Sunny Doll instantly lost her spirit.

Rubbing against his pocket, it said.” Daddy, I know I am wrong.”

Qin Shuyi sternly reprimanded it and made it promise. Then he apologized to Wang Qing with a sorry look.

Wang Qing……

Gazing at Qin Shuyi’s shirt pocket, he was hundred percent certain the voice coming from the shirt pocket belonged to that paper doll.

Looking helplessly at Jiang Lan, he felt he was on the verge of passing out.

At this moment, Captain Cheng pushed the door and entered the room. Looking at Qin Shuyi, he said.” Mr. Qin, we have a few questions for you.”

Qin Shuyi met his eyes and nodded.

Zhao Li escorted him to the interrogation room while Captain Cheng spoke with Jiang Lan.” We have found the file concerning the flood in 1999. After the flood, Qin Shuyi had called the Police, claiming that the villagers had murdered his wife and daughter as human sacrifices to the rain god. But when the officers were dispatched to the village, villagers all asserted that he had gone mad after his wife and daughter accidentally fell into the river. Because the flood had devastated the village, the officers failed to find any clues. So this case was concluded.”

“Qin Shuyi had a strong motive for wanting them dead.” Gazing at Jiang Lan, Captain Cheng said slowly.” So he is the murderer you found?”

Jiang Lan nodded, then shook his head.” Yes and no.”

“What do you mean?”

After reading the file, Captain Cheng confirmed Qin Shuyi had the motive for committing the murders. He began to lean towards what Jiang Lan had said. But he couldn’t figure out how Qin Shuyi did it.

Jiang Lan thought a second and said.” The villagers indeed killed Qin Shuyi’s wife and daughter, and he wanted to avenge them. But it was his daughter who did all these.”

Captain Cheng felt he was kidding him.” But Qin Shuyi’s daughter passed away twenty years ago.”

Jiang Lan smiled.” Yes, that’s why I am here. Now you can start by getting a clear picture of what happened twenty years ago, then dispatch officers to comb through the river by the old site of the He village. The missing heads of those three victims should be there.”

The village was in a remote location. Even the road there had improved in the years since it would take at least three hours for a round trip between here and that village.

But the interval between He Laowu’s disappearance and Qin Shuyi’s appearance was barely one hour.

Unless Qin Shuyi was capable of flight, it was impossible to move He Laowu’s head to the old site of the He village in this short interval.

Captain Cheng wanted to raise his doubts, but Jiang Lan’s confident manner somehow convinced him.” I will send people there.” 

Then, he left for the interrogation room.

Jiang Lan wasn’t allowed in the interrogation room, so he sat bored in the meeting room. After finishing their statement, Li Xiujuan and her son also entered the meeting room.

At a glance, Jiang Lan noticed her expression had changed.

As if some terrifying things had spooked her, she trembled with eyes bulging, and her lips had turned purple.

Her son was too preoccupied with this profound change in their lives that he didn’t notice her mother’s unusual look.

He remained unaware of her mother’s state until Li Xiujuan suddenly screamed and knelt on the ground. While kowtowing, she kept mumbling.” I didn’t kill you. I have no part in this.

“Mother, what are you doing?” Her son was surprised, wanting to drag her up.

But Li Xiujuan seemed to have been glued to the ground. Her look was that of extreme horror as if she had seen some frightening things. She kept hitting her forehead against the floor that she was bleeding.

“I am not responsible for this. My man had died. You can take vengeance on the culprits. He Laosan and He Laoliu are still alive. Please leave me alone. I didn’t kill you.”

She refused her son’s attempt to lift her up and screamed at the top of her voice. Hearing the noise, many officers rushed to the meeting room and were surprised by Li Xiujuan’s wild looks.

“What’s the matter? Should we call the ambulance?”

“She just said she didn’t do it, and He Laosan and He Laoliu were murderers.” Jiang Lan stood up.” Comrade officers, I have reason to believe they had covered up another murder.”

While attempting to drag his mother up, Li Xiujuan’s son tried to refute him.” This is baseless accusation!”

Jiang Lan didn’t budge.” I heard from Captain Cheng that the He Village was involved in a superstitious killing twenty years ago. Maybe this Madam Li knows something about it.”

Two Police officers were a little hesitant while Li Xiujuan was acting in a wild manner. But once Jiang Lan stopped speaking, she seemed to come back to her senses and turned to stare at Jiang Lan with a threatening look.” Damn you, what nonsense you just said!”

Now the officers could sense she was trying to hide her guilty feeling with her threatening looks. She kept denying Jiang Lan’s accusation while darting her eyes from side to side.

Li Xiujuan wanted to leave with her son, but the officers stopped her in a firm and friendly manner.” Please wait. Captain Cheng has more questions for you.”

Jiang Lan smiled. As he passed by Li Xiujuan, he picked up the paper doll hiding among her hairs without anyone knowing it and left the meeting room.