Ding!
The elevator doors slid open—and it felt like someone had opened a freezer. A wave of chilling air surged out, unnatural and suffocating.
Zhang Xiaoyan froze.
Standing motionless in the center of the elevator was a woman in a traditional Chinese wedding gown, her face hidden beneath a crimson veil.
The air around her shimmered with distortion, and faint wisps of violet mist curled from her body.
Though her face was obscured, Xiaoyan could see her hands—pale as death, with blood-red, razor-sharp nails.
One phrase echoed in her mind: Ghost Bride.
"Ah—!"
She screamed and collapsed to the floor.
The bride didn't move. The elevator remained open for several seconds before slowly beginning to close.
Just as the doors were about to seal shut, a gust of wind blew through the cabin, lifting the veil.
Bloodshot eyes stared directly at Xiaoyan.
The bride's face was pale, twisted—and smiling.
"Ke-ke-ke…"
The shrill, eerie laughter echoed in Xiaoyan's ears, lingering long after the doors slammed shut.
Her heart nearly stopped. Sweat poured down her face.
She'd heard stories—about how people on the brink of death could see things that weren't supposed to be seen.
Swallowing hard, she tried to calm herself.
Her legs trembled as she struggled to stand, then stumbled toward the stairwell.
She lived on the second floor. She'd chosen the elevator earlier because it was the only place in the building with a security camera—hoping it would deter the stalker.
But now? The elevator was no longer an option.
She reached her apartment, fumbling through her bag for the key.
She unlocked the door to Unit 204, rushed inside, and slammed it shut.
The building was silent. Nearly midnight. Every household had turned off their lights. Only the dim hallway bulbs flickered weakly, as if trying to warn of secrets lurking in the shadows.
Time passed.
Then—
A scream pierced the silence from inside Room 204.
"Ah—!"
Morning broke.
Inside the Criminal Investigation Office, Furina sat surrounded by a mountain of case files.
She hadn't slept. All night, she'd searched for a case with a clear suspect—something she could solve quickly.
But nothing stood out.
Every file was a dead end.
Her only gain? Faith Points had risen from 2 to 8.
Still far from the 100 needed to unlock her first ability.
She knew words alone wouldn't earn the netizens' belief. Only a flawless case resolution would.
She stacked the files neatly and opened the office door with a smile.
"Hello, my beloved citizens. Did you make progress on the tasks I assigned yesterday?"
Her voice rang out, melodic and confident.
The officers turned in surprise.
"Captain? When did you get here?"
"Wait… you didn't go home last night?"
"Home?" Furina chuckled bitterly.
"If only I could…"
"Sigh…"
Ring ring ring—
The desk phone on Chen Lin's table rang.
She picked it up.
"Hello, this is Investigation Unit Two… Got it. We're on our way."
She hung up and turned to Furina.
"Captain, there's been a murder at Fengxiang Apartments."
Furina didn't respond immediately. Her eyes drifted to the phone.
"So this thing rings… and we know where the crime happened?"
"What a magical device…"
The officers gathered at the door, then glanced back at Furina, who was still staring at the phone.
"Captain, aren't you coming? We just graduated from the academy. If you don't go, we might miss something important—and solving the case quickly will be much harder."
"Oh… right. Coming."
Furina tore her gaze from the phone and followed them out of the police station.