Criminal Investigation Detachment, Binhai City. Underground Morgue.
The air here was always five degrees colder than the outside, heavy with the smell of formaldehyde and disinfectant. But tonight, that stench was mixed with a nauseating, fishy reek—the musk of a wild beast.
When Chen Mo arrived, a police cordon had already been set up outside the morgue. Several young officers, pale as sheets, squatting in the hallway, were retching dryly.
Chen Mo flashed the "Special Consultant" ID hanging around his neck—something Su Qing had forced on him last time. Though he held no official rank, it carried some weight in special cases like this.
Ducking under the tape, he found Su Qing standing by the morgue entrance, a cigarette clamped between her fingers, unlit. When she saw Chen Mo, she looked as if she'd just spotted a lifeline and hurried over to meet him.
"You're finally here." Su Qing's voice was hoarse. "The thing inside... it's too evil."
"Give me the specifics." Chen Mo pulled a handful of glutinous rice from his pocket and casually scattered it across the threshold behind him.
"At 3:00 AM, fishermen found a floating corpse in the reservoir. By the time it was hauled out, the body was bloated beyond recognition. But strangely... long black hairs were burrowing out of the corpse's pores, growing at an alarming rate. The forensic doctor was about to start the autopsy. He made the first incision, and that body... it opened its eyes." Fear lingered in Su Qing's gaze. "Not only that, its fingernails had grown two inches long. It slashed open the autopsy table and injured the old forensic doctor."
"Badly injured?"
"The old doc had a chunk of flesh ripped out of his arm. He's getting stitches now, but the wound has turned black. It looks like... poisoning."
Chen Mo frowned. "It's not poisoning. It's Corpse Poison. Open the door, I need to take a look."
"You're going in alone?" Su Qing instinctively reached for the gun at her waist.
"Guns are useless against things like this; they'll only provoke it." Chen Mo adjusted his glasses. "You stand guard at the door. Don't let anyone in, no matter what sounds you hear from inside."
Su Qing grit her teeth, nodded, and pulled open the heavy preservation door for him.
Inside the morgue, the fluorescent tubes cast a pale, sickly light. Seven stainless-steel dissection tables were lined up in a row. On the table at the far end, a dark shadow was strapped down tight by several heavy leather belts.
It was a male corpse, covered in dense black hair from head to toe, resembling a humanoid black bear. Its facial features were obscured by the fur, leaving only a pair of green-glowing eyes visible, staring fixedly at Chen Mo as he entered.
"Roar—"
Seeing a living human, a low growl rumbled in the corpse's throat. It struggled violently, causing the stainless-steel table to creak and groan.
Chen Mo didn't rush forward. Instead, he stood at the doorway, scrutinizing it carefully.
"Tsk, tsk. Now this is a 'Water-Hair Fiend.'" Chen Mo sneered. "This person must have died wearing red clothes after falling into the water. Combined with the heavy Yin energy of the reservoir and the body remaining unclaimed for a hundred days, the resentment didn't dissipate. The corpse energy seeped out through the pores and formed this corpse hair. This thing possesses immense strength and is impervious to blades and bullets. It's good luck that Su Qing and her team managed to strap it down."
As if understanding Chen Mo's mockery, the "Water-Hair Fiend" grew even more frenzied. With a sudden violent lurch—snap—one of the leather belts around its wrist actually broke!
Chen Mo's gaze sharpened. He wasted no more words.
With his right hand, he pulled a yellow talisman from his bosom, while his left hand formed the "Sword Finger" gesture.
"Heaven and Earth, the Mystic Origin. The root of all Qi. Cultivate for eons to prove my power! Within the Three Realms, the Tao is supreme! By the Imperial Order! Break!"
With a low shout from Chen Mo, the yellow talisman in his hand ignited with golden flames. With a flick of his wrist, the talisman turned into a streak of light and flew precisely onto the forehead of the "Water-Hair Fiend."
Ssssss—
Upon contact with the skin, the talisman made a sound like roasting meat. The monster let out a piercing shriek. Its body, which had been struggling madly, instantly stiffened, then slumped heavily back onto the table, motionless.
However, its chest was still rising and falling; clearly, it wasn't fully "dead."
Chen Mo stepped forward, took a silver needle from his bag, and gently pricked the center of the corpse's brow. A jet of black blood sprayed out.
"I've only temporarily suppressed its corpse nature." Chen Mo retracted the silver needle and turned to leave.
Outside, Su Qing immediately rushed up to meet him. "How is it? Is it dead?"
"It was already dead." Chen Mo took off his gloves. "This thing is tricky. Ordinary cremation won't burn it away. You have to nail its seven orifices shut with peach wood stakes before burning it. Also, regarding the old forensic doctor who was injured—if he doesn't want to turn into a half-human, half-corpse monster, he'd better get a prescription from me immediately."
"What kind of medicine?"
"Black dog blood, virgin urine, mixed with a few calming herbs. Apply it to the wound to draw out the toxin." Chen Mo spoke as he walked away.
Su Qing hurried to keep up with his pace. "Chen Mo, is there... something else wrong with that reservoir?"
Chen Mo stopped and turned to look at Su Qing, his expression turning serious. "Officer Su, your intuition is sharp. This 'Water-Hair Fiend' is just a gatekeeper. Beneath that reservoir, I'm afraid something even larger is suppressed."
"You mean..."
"The rain is heavy tonight, the water vapor is thick, and the Yin energy is rising. The fact that this corpse was washed ashore indicates that the seal below has loosened." Chen Mo looked out the window at the end of the corridor. Lightning pierced the night sky, illuminating his somber face.
"The police station's standard pay isn't enough to cover this job." Chen Mo turned back and held up a finger. "I want that Bagua Mirror... the one that's been sealed away in your station for a long time."
Su Qing paused. "That's a cultural artifact; the Commissioner treats it like a treasure..."
"In that case, let Binhai City have a few more 'Water-Hair Fiends' running around." Chen Mo shrugged, making as if to leave.
"Fine! If you can resolve this, I'll steal it personally!" Su Qing said through gritted teeth.
The corner of Chen Mo's mouth ticked upward. "Deal. Get your gear ready. Tonight, we're going fishing at the reservoir."
...
The night grew deeper, and the rain showed no sign of letting up.
A battered Jetta and a police car drove out of the city one after the other, speeding toward the reservoir on the outskirts.
And deep beneath the reservoir waters, a pair of massive, moss-covered eyes slowly opened. It watched the fluctuating light and shadows on the water's surface, its mouth splitting open to reveal countless rows of fine, sharp teeth.
"The sacrifice... has finally arrived..."