We Monsters Are Not Allowed to Be Single

In the interrogation room.

The interrogation had already started.

A desk divided them with a blinding fluorescent light above their head. Captain Cheng took the seat facing Qin Shuyi while Zhao Li sat on his side, transcribing everything they said.

The other people gathered in the adjacent room, witnessing the interrogation through a one-way glass. 

Captain Cheng didn’t speak at first. Instead, he observed Qin Shuyi closely.

Before he read the file concerning the flood in 1999, he didn’t suspect this old gentleman. In his estimation, a reclusive old gentleman approaching seventy didn’t have the motive, not to mention the physical capability to murder three burly middle-aged men.

Even though the relevant file confirmed Qin Shuyi’s motive for committing these crimes, Captain Cheng tended to believe he didn’t act alone.

So his initial silence served a useful purpose of putting pressure on him, which might soften him a bit.

Under the glaring light, his most subtle moves and brief involuntary micro-expressions would be magnified, and those were what Captain Cheng was trying to catch.

But he could discern nothing.

Qin Shuyi sat upright without even the slightest movement. His eyes appeared dim, even under the blinding light.

The longer he remained silent, the more he felt the task at hand was not easy. At this moment, Qin Shuyi didn’t look the part of an ordinary old gentleman. He more resembled a highly disciplined soldier who had mastered every move and hidden his weaknesses.

But Captain Cheng had overestimated his opponent. He didn’t know Qin Shuyi felt at ease in a setting like this. After his wife and daughter passed away, he would sit alone like this under a fluorescent light, his mind devoid of thoughts for a whole day.

With Captain Cheng remaining silent, he chose to sit comfortably, thoughtless.

Finally, Captain Cheng spoke.

He started with some basic questions about his name, age and then progressed to deeper questions.

He thought Qin Shuyi would be a hard nut to crack. On the contrary, Qin Shuyi was very cooperative.

After a while, he even reminisced calmly about the past events in the He Village.

He told a moving story vastly different from what was recorded on the file. This story touched a chord within Captain Cheng, but only briefly. Having gone through many horrible crimes in his line of duty, he always tried to remain detached.

He calmly posed a straightforward question, intending to force Qin Shuyi to reveal his thoughts.” So to avenge your wife and daughter, you started to plan the murderers’ demise? How long have you been planning? With these many people as your targets, it must be difficult to carry out your plan alone? So that’s why you found a partner?”

Then he looked at Qin Shuyi in an overbearing manner.

Qin Shuyi’s eyes lost focus for a second, and then he nodded unexpectedly.

Clenching his fists involuntarily, he recalled those maddening days.” I have devised many plans of revenge…..I managed to get a barrel of gasoline. I wanted to pour the gas on their rooftops in the middle of the night and set fire to it. Then my Cui Ping and Nan Na would be avenged.” 

“But you didn’t go through with your plan. Why?”

Captain Cheng looked at him closely. Now his eyes were murky with teeth-gritting, fist clenching. His every move was signaling his hatred.

He also noticed a red paper doll in his shirt pocket.

He had seen dolls like this in Block 4, where every household hung these paper dolls called sunny dolls. He always felt there was something weird about these paper dolls. But one more glance, he saw a whole paper head protruding from the pocket, but a moment ago, he could only see a corner of this paper doll.

What’s more, this paper doll appeared to be looking at him.

Captain Cheng:????

He thought his eyes must be tired, seeing an illusion like this. Closing his eyes, he tried to focus on the job at hand.

He heard Qin Shuyi answering his question.” I guess I am just not cruel enough. Except for those murderers, there were many children in the village. Some of them had asked my wife for candies. Some of them were the same age as my Nan Nan, others were younger. They were innocent. I just can’t bring myself to do this.”

His lips were trembling, but his dark eyes seemed unable to shed tears.

“So you just abandoned your revenge plan?” Captain Cheng pressed him.

“Of course not. That’s why I chose to follow them like a ghost; that’s the least I can do to make them uncomfortable.”

Qin Shuyi shook his head, and then he seemed to feel something and raised his hand to cover his left chest pocket where the paper doll was.

Captain Cheng followed his motion, but his eyes were suddenly glued to his forearms.

Qin Shuyi’s shriveled arms were covered with dark purple patches. Even without the confirmation of a forensic expert, Captain Cheng was sure what he just saw could only appear on a corpse.

Captain Cheng’s throat suddenly felt dry.

Swallowing hard, he turned to meet Zhao Li’s eyes involuntarily. Horrors were printed all over her face.

In front of Block 4, she had glimpsed those purple patches. At that time, she could tell herself that those patches were just bruises.  But now, with him this close and under glaring light, she could no longer deceive herself.

With a chill going down her spine, her eyes were also glued to his arms. The light was so intense that she could see the purple patches and his shrinking muscles. It seemed that only a layer of skin was left; underneath, the muscles were gone.

She withdrew her eyes immediately with her hands trembling.

These sights were impossible to miss, even for those sitting behind the one-way glass screen. Having also been to Block 4, Zhang Peng stared at the old gentleman’s arms with eyes protruding.

Seeming to recall something, he hurriedly went to check the interrogation room surveillance recording.

He rewound the video recording until he seemed to find something scary and dropped his mouse.

Surprised, other colleagues gathered around him.” What’s the matter?”

“Take a look yourself.” Zhang Peng’s voice was a little shaky.

On the computer screen, Zhang Peng played a video clip showing Qin Shuyi sat like a sculpture. With the time running at the corner of the screen, a red paper doll slowly leaned out of his left chest pocket.

In this video clip, the paper doll’s empty eyes seemed to stare at Captain Cheng.

“……”

The whole room fell into silence.

“Maybe Qin Shuyi’s movement brought the paper doll out of the pocket.”

Someone swallowed hard and put forward an unconvincing argument.

“Maybe…..”

Zhang Peng tentatively voiced his agreement. Mustering up his courage, he rewound the video clip and played it again in slow motion, trying to find the evidence to back up this argument.

In the video,  a vague paper doll’s shape could be seen through the thin pocket cloth. They saw with their own eyes that this red paper doll slowly unfolded itself and extended its head out to glare at Captain Cheng.

The whole process looked like a squatting man slowly rising up.

Someone said.” We had better tell Captain Cheng to suspend the interrogation. This stuff is unbelievable…..”

An old gentleman with death marks and a seemingly alive paper doll. Every aspect of this case was challenging their worldview.

Zhang Peng recalled something Wang Qing said.

Wang Qing said this old gentleman was dead.

At that time, he just dismissed it as impossible. But now…he called 

Captain Cheng through the intercom, asking him to pause the interrogation as soon as possible and come out.

With in-ear headphones, Captain Cheng heard Zhang Peng’s trembling voice coming through, suggesting suspending the interrogation. His first reaction was not one of confusion and objection but a sense of relief.

Though he was unwilling to believe it, he had to admit that it was the paper doll who was watching him with an unsettling look.

Pausing the interrogation, he and Zhao Li exited the room.

After leaving the room, they exchanged a look, and without a word, they went directly to the meeting room where Jiang Lan was waiting.

Jiang Lan was not in the meeting room. He was talking with two impressive-looking men in the reception hall.

Dressed in impeccably cut suits, one man looked arrogant. Another man looked more friendly but hid a dagger in his smile. A glance was enough to tell they are not ordinary mortals.

Before Captain Cheng had time to speak, that friendly-looking young man walked over to show him his credentials.” Captain Cheng, I am sent from the Security Department. Qin Shuyi’s case involves supernatural elements, so I am ordered to take over the case.”

Captain Cheng felt a little dizzy while reading his credentials.

Rubbing his forehead, he said.” Let’s talk in the meeting room.”

While walking to the meeting room, Captain Cheng took a snapshot of Cheng Hua’s documents.

He knew about the Security Department. But he felt incredible that the Security Department would be interested in a trivial criminal case.

He had to give the supernatural elements mentioned by Cheng Hua serious considerations now. After witnessing the oddity of Qin Shuyi and the paper doll, he started to lean towards Jiang Lan’s arguments.

He sent the photo to his superior, asking him to confirm his visitor’s identity.

Captain Cheng, Zhao Li, Zhang Peng, Jiang Lan, and his two friends took seats in the meeting room. Qin Shuyi was on the way here.

Jiang Lan and the arrogant-looking man remained silent. Apparently, Cheng Hua was in charge among them.

Cheng Hua smiled.” I think Captain Cheng has already confirmed my identity? If that was done, we could get down to business.”

Captain Cheng’s heart skipped a beat and checked his phone involuntarily. His superior had already answered him.

He confirmed Cheng Hua’s identity.

At this moment, Qin Shuyi walked in.

Taking out a stack of handover documents, Cheng Hua signed them and pushed them to Captain Cheng.” Qin Shuyi was not a living person anymore. That’s why he needs to be handed over to us.”

The officers were all shocked and looked at Qin Shuyi in horror.

Captain Cheng reacted quickly and said with a furrowed brow.” If we hand him over to you, how should I explain it to the public?”

Even with his worldviews shattered, Captain Cheng still remained faithful to his duty. Three murders happened in a row. They had to get to the bottom of this and deliver a satisfactory explanation to the public.

“The murderer is right here. If we leave it in your charge, you still wouldn’t be able to explain these murders to the public.”

Pointing to the paper doll in Qin Shuyi’s pocket, Cheng Hua said.

Hearing its name mentioned, the pushed-down Sunny Doll again crawled out of the pocket slowly and scanned the room, then it flashed its teeth to Captain Cheng mischievously.

After watching Captain Cheng interrogating his daddy, it decided to hold a grudge against him.

Captain Cheng……..

Yes, it was the same look I got in the interrogation room.

He thought numbly that his instincts turned out to be correct.

The other officers all had shocked looks. This brief exposure to the supernatural world had shattered their worldviews. Luckily what Wang Qing and Jiang Lan said before had prepared them for this. So for the moment, they could keep their composure, just barely.

At this moment, Jiang Lan decided to chip in with a suggestion.” While being overwhelmed by her emotion, Li Xiujuan involuntarily revealed that He Laosan and He Laoliu had committed murders. She had given them away. With the Sunny Doll case in our charge, you can shift your focus to another murder that happened during the flood.”

Everyone thought he had a point.

They wouldn’t be able to handle the paper doll anyway.

Announcing to the public that a paper doll was behind all these was simply out of the question. No one would believe this, even they had a hard time digesting this revelation.

With evidence accumulating, they began to believe what Qin Shuyi told them. The fact that two innocent lives were murdered in cold blood by superstitious villagers and Qin Shuyi’s long fruitless quest for justice was enough to motivate them to continue their work in another direction.

It was the duty of the Police to serve justice.

Even though justice was long overdue, it was better than never. It now fell to them to bring justice to Qin Shuyi and his wife and daughter. 

Captain Cheng made a promise to Qin Shuyi.” We will try our best to re-establish the truth and fulfill our duty to the victims.”

Overtaken by his emotion, Qin Shuyi closed his eyes and expressed his thanks in a hoarse voice.” Thank you, Thank you…..”

After their handover procedure was completed, Cheng Hua left with Qin Shuyi and his daughter.

When they were gone, a thought belatedly struck Zhang Peng.” I don’t feel comfortable letting them take away the suspects. What about the three murder cases? Where can we find another suspect responsible for these murders?”

Captain Cheng:……..

Gazing at him a little longer, he suddenly decided.” You are now responsible for writing the case conclusion report.”

Zhang Peng:????

How should I write a case conclusion report when we just leave it at that?

****

The four of them left the Caiyang Criminal Investigation Department. Looking at the grey sky, Qin Shuyi appeared relieved and peaceful.

The Sunny Doll sat on his head, stroking his hair as if trying to comfort him in silence.

Jiang Lan said.” Captain Cheng is a very responsible policeman. You can trust him to bring truth to light and return justice to you.”

Qin Shuyi nodded.” I have faith in them. They are good policemen.”

Having experienced how some officers brushed him off impatiently or made inquiries perfunctorily, he knew how valuable Captain Cheng’s promise was.

Cheng Hua interrupted.” Let’s discuss it in the Bureau.”

They all get in the car.

Ying Qiao and Jiang Lan took the front seat. Ying Qiao appeared gloomy while handling the steering wheel.

From the moment they stepped into the Police station, he hadn’t had a proper conversation with the Little Monster.

He didn’t like how it felt. Like the cub he had brought up had ended up in other people’s homes.

Jiang Lan didn’t notice his facial expressions. Instead, he was talking with Cheng Hua about how the Justice Department would sentence Qin Shuyi and his Sunny Doll.

Like humans, monsters also had their private sentiments while performing their duties. His private sentiments now were the hope that Qin Shuyi would get a lenient sentence.

This old gentleman had suffered in life and died miserably, but he remained true to his heart. Jiang Lan thought he deserved a better fate.

As to the Sunny Doll… this miscreant needs a proper lesson but shouldn’t be punished too heavily.

Cheng Hua was analyzing the possible outcomes based on past similar cases.

In short, there would be punishments for them, but these punishments should be light. Monsters and humans cultivators all believed in Karma, the law of the consequences of past actions.

The superstitious killing committed by the villagers was the cause. The Sunny Doll took revenge on his father’s behalf. Killing several villagers twenty years later was the effect. But the Sunny Doll’s action was also the cause, for which it would pay the terrible price of being forever denied the status of a deity. That Qin Shuyi piously molded the sculpture of the Sunny Doll and had been burning incense for years was also the cause for the creation of a spirit being. This spiritual being willingly abandoned its future claim to the status of a deity by committing murders to bring justice to his wife and daughter. 

Everyone’s fate was predetermined by Karma, the law of cause and effect.

Sunny Doll’s punishment for being involved with Karma was that the deity status would be forever out of reach, which was supposed to be enough to offset its crime.

In this case, the Monster Bureau’s punishments were just a demonstration of their accountability to the human government and human laws. Naturally, it would be lenient.

Hearing this put Jiang Lan’s mind at ease. He flashed a relieved smile.

After taking a load off his mind, he realized he had neglected Ying Qiao for too long. He said hurriedly.” Sorry for troubling you and Boss Cheng again.”

Seeing his sincere smile, Ying Qiao felt his gloom was gone without him noticing it.

Without a trace of gloom on his face, he brushed it off.” No trouble at all. Do you feel sleepy? It’s already four o’clock in the morning.”

It suddenly occurred to Jiang Lan that he had stayed busy for a whole night. As a high monster, his energy was boundless. But he was accustomed to an early sleep and early rise routine. So when Ying Qiao mentioned it was very late, he yawned, with tears coming out.

Though he was not really sleepy.

But seeing this, Ying Qiao thought the Little Monster must be very sleepy. He took out candy for him and whispered.” You can rest for a while; I will wake you when we arrive.”

Jiang Lan put the candy in his mouth. The aroma of strawberry-flavored candy slowly permeated the car. With bulging cheeks, he “wu” to voice his agreement and closed his eyes obediently despite not really wanting to sleep.

He held his backpack closely, which seemed forever attached to his body. In the backpack, Suan Ni and Jiao Tu were gently snoring.

With eyes closed, Jiang Lan savored the taste of strawberry candy. The sweetness had spread to every part of his body. The strawberry candy was so sweet.

But he felt he had forgotten something.

Half-awake, he tried to recall what exactly he had forgotten.

****

After nearly an hour, their car stopped in front of the Monster Bureau.

Jiang Lan didn’t plan to catch up with his sleep in the car, but the candy’s sweetness lured him to sleep. Ying Qiao woke him up.

Following Ying Qiao with a foggy mind, Jiang Lan was suddenly jolted fully awake before reaching the door. 

!!!

Watching a group of monsters approaching them, Jiang Lan felt as if lightning had struck him.

How could he forget that the people from the Monster Bureau knew his real identity? If they recognize him, then how can he explain it to Ying Qiao?

Panicking, Jiang Lan shrunk behind Ying Qiao’s back while his mind was running at full throttle, trying to figure out a solution to his current predicament.

At the same time, the group of monsters walked over to them.

Cheng Hua led Qin Shuyi forward to talk with them. Seeing Ying Qiao, these monsters immediately turned to walk towards him to greet him respectfully. But Cheng Hua stopped their move with a look.

Maintaining his calm, Cheng Hua led them away from Ying Qiao and resumed his talk. 

Leaning out from Ying Qiao’s back, Jiang Lan glanced at them, and his overloaded mind finally functioned normally. He dragged Ying Qiao’s clothing and yawned purposefully.” I am a little sleepy. Could you accompany me to the restroom to wash my face?”

This suggestion suited Ying Qiao because he also doesn’t want to deal with this group of monsters right now. Wiping off the tears from his tired eyes, he said softly.” You have to work in the morning. I will drive you back? My boss will take over from here, don’t worry.”

Ying Qiao was so thoughtful!

This was just what Jiang Lan needed right now. He kept nodding and disregarded common courtesy.” Then let’s go.”

Then he thought he might have appeared too eager. He explained.” I am really sleepy.” 

Ying Qiao just felt his heart melted.

The Little Monster is so cute.

So he led Jiang Lan to walk out the hall while texting Cheng Hua.” Jiang Lan wants to sleep. I will drive him home.”

Cheng Hua…….

The other monsters watched the legendary foul-tempered Ying Dragon escorting a person out attentively.

Their curiosities were instantly aroused.

A monster more familiar with Cheng Hua inquired quietly.” I heard Mr. Ying had a very successful date recently. That person must be Mr. Ying’s partner?”

Why did that figure look so familiar?

On second thought, he believed it was natural that the figure looked familiar. Anyone qualified to date Mr. Ying must be a powerful high monster.

But who was that person exactly?

Glancing at the gossiping monster, Cheng Hua said.”If I were you, I wouldn’t dare to gossip about Ying Dragon’s private life.” 

In his mind, he just thought Jiang Lan wasn’t exactly a partner.

Mr. Ying was currently preoccupied with the game of raising a cub.

Haha.