《Otherworldly Merchant》Chapter 28: Arrested
Advertisement
Even if it was daytime, no one dared to go to the eighth floor.
The place was deserted, and the chilly wind made me feel as if I’d barged into hell.
When we reached the eighth floor, we discovered a long trail of blood on the ground. It started from the head of the stairs and covered the whole corridor. Part of the blood had already dried up, and it felt like it was done by the old woman from yesterday.
However, some of the blood had yet to dry. I squatted down and touched it. Sure enough, it was still wet.
The fresh trail of blood led to the roof of the building.
It seems like the other party didn't go anywhere and that they’re still on the roof! A welcomed stroke of good luck!
I didn't hesitate and brought everyone to the roof.
Due to Azalea House falling into disuse, the roof was covered with knee-length weeds, the railing was severely damaged, and one might just fall off the building if they were a little careless.
I carefully looked around and discovered an old woman lying on the railing.
She was calmly lying there, seemingly asleep. Her clothes were in tatters, and she smelled pretty bad.
Moreover, her sleeping posture was very dangerous as she’d fall off the building if she were to move carelessly.
We were on the eighth floor; she was definitely going to die if she fell from this height!
Given her precarious posture, we didn't dare to wake her up.
Just as we’d reached a deadlock, Li Mazi pointed at her pocket and said, "Look there. There seems to be something in her pocket."
I took a look and saw a phone.
Song Longji broke the silence. "If we want to know whether or not she's that student, why not give her a call?"
He had a point. As such, I told him to look for the phone number of the suicide victim in the police records.
Song Longji took out his phone and said, "I have no signal. Can you use your phone instead?"
I didn't think too much of it and dialed the number.
The familiar ringtone of an iPhone echoed from the woman’s pocket. The discovery shocked us. It meant that the old woman in front of us was indeed the university student that had died!
Then, just as I was preparing to go forward and wake her up, the other party was startled awake by the ringtone and fell off the building...
Advertisement
I opened my eyes wide in shock. Afterward, I looked down and saw a bloody mess.
The loud impact attracted the attention of the police officers on the third floor. They walked out of the building to see what was happening and then looked upward.
When they saw us, they were surprised. It was likely that they mistook us for the murderers.
Song Longji calmed down and said, "Keep your calm, and be careful how you reply."
I nodded and wiped the sweat off my forehead.
After seeing the corpse, I got a sudden idea. I quietly approached Song Longji and whispered a few words.
Very soon, the other police officers reached the roof and asked while gasping for breath, "What's the deal with the body downstairs?"
Song Longji brought the police officers before the railing. "The woman fell off the building on her own."
Since the other police officers were still puzzled, Song Longji continued, "The woman was lying on the railing, seemingly asleep. Afterward, her phone suddenly rang, and she was startled awake. She lost her balance and fell off the building."
Li Mazi gasped and his face paled. He looked at me with a worried expression. I could only hint for him to stay calm.
Song Longji suddenly turned toward me and smiled coldly. "Mister Zhang, can you tell us whom you called just now? Did you deliberately murder that homeless woman?"
Yin Xinyue was dumbfounded.
Li Mazi gritted his teeth and looked at Song Longji. "What are you trying to do?"
Before Song Longji could speak, another police officer came over, his expression grave. "I'll have to trouble you to hand over your phone. We need to check it."
"You don't have any proof. Why should I give you my phone?" I said.
"Because you’re now suspected of multiple murders!" The police officers snorted and continued, "We checked the video recording, and it turns out that you came to Azalea House last night! Can you tell us what were you doing here?"
"Moreover, the death of the red-haired girl also seems related to you. Some people said they saw you quarrel with her yesterday. Is this still not enough?"
The three of us gasped and felt as if we were standing trial.
Song Longji said coldly, "Take them back to the police station. Mister Zhang, it's better if you immediately hand over your phone. Don't compel me to use force."
Advertisement
Li Mazi flew into a rage and rushed toward Song Longji. "You bastard, you’re the one that gave us the number! No wonder you didn't make the call yourself and let my brother do it. You planned this since the beginning!"
Yin Xinyue took out her phone. She knew that things didn't look good for us. We’d fallen into Song Longji's trap, and she could only call her boss and ask for help.
But, there was no way that Song Longji would give her the opportunity. He dashed forward and snatched her phone. Next, he brought us to the police station.
Along the way, Li Mazi cursed until his throat was sore.
Yin Xinyue was also worried. "What do we do now?"
I replied, "We can only go with the flow."
After throwing us into a cell, nobody came to interrogate us.
Li Mazi was restless and kept walking back and forth.
Yin Xinyue wanted to find a method to get in contact with her boss. She firmly believed that her boss would have the means to bail us out.
As for me, I sat there, comforting and telling her that everything was alright. "If they can't find any evidence by tomorrow, they'll let us leave."
Li Mazi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "You really are naive. If Song Longji did everything in his power to bring us here, there’s no way that he'll let us off that easily.”
I simply shook my head and didn't reply.
Maybe it was because he was exhausted, but Li Mazi lay on the bed and quickly fell asleep.
In the evening, a sudden noise woke me up.
I opened my eyes and saw that Song Longji had come over. Behind him was a group of men with naked upper bodies covered in tattoos.
No one spoke as a police officer in the rear threw the various thugs into the cells.
It didn't take me long to recognize those guys. They were the thugs doing drugs in Azalea House last night, the same ones that had run after us with daggers, ready to chop us up.
After seeing Song Longji, Li Mazi began cursing again.
Song Longji ignored us as he turned around and left.
The junkies also recognized us. They started laughing and harassing Yin Xinyue.
I told her to ignore them. “Getting into an argument with trash like that is only going to worsen our mood.”
After seeing that we were ignoring them, the thugs got bored and quietly sat down in their respective prison cells.
I pretended to sleep, but I was secretly keeping an eye on them.
I thought to myself: This young and they’ve already degenerated this much... aren't they afraid of letting down their parents? What are their plans for the future? Life is short, and yet these guys are wasting it like this...
Since they were unable to do drugs in prison, the thugs quickly started to feel uncomfortable. Some began walking back and forth, while others started screaming.
If I hadn't known in advance that they were drug addicts, I would’ve mistaken them for mummified corpses with their skinny bodies and the dark circles under their sunken eyes.
They caused a ruckus and only fell asleep around dawn.
Then, just as I was quietly sitting in my cell, one of the thugs sleeping in the adjacent cell suddenly stood up. He looked around, somewhat dazed, and his eyes finally fell on me.
He weirdly smiled at me, making my heart race. I felt that there was a deep, hidden meaning behind his smile.
He walked over and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm hungry! Give me your hair, I want to taste it."
This guy is nuts! I cursed him inwardly and ignored him.
Luckily, we weren't in the same cell, and there were thick bars of reinforced steel between us. I didn't have to worry about him hurting me.
Seeing that I was ignoring him, the thug shouted, "Give me your hair, I'm hungry!"
As he shouted, Li Mazi and Yin Xinyue also woke up and looked at him, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
The thug glared at us and turned around. He sat on the toilet bowl and began defecating.
Even while defecating, he was acting very strange. He was laughing and pulling his hair out, stuffing it in his mouth.
He was very quick, eating half of his hair in mere seconds.
His scalp was bleeding profusely, and the blood that slid down on his face made him look even more terrifying.
After witnessing the scene, I nodded. It was time!
I shouted, "Aji, now!"
Advertisement
-
In Serial31 Chapters
Last of the Mage-Kings
In life, Aryon lived as a king of a magical kingdom. In death, he swore to forever to protect it beyond the grave as a Relic King: an undead mage, set into slumber, to be summoned during the kingdom’s dire need. But now, Aryon has awakened to a foreign world of mysticism and heaven-defying acts. Can the magic of the old world compete with the mystic arts of the new? Read on to follow the journey of Aryon as he seeks to unravel the mysteries of the past and overcome the dangers of the present.
8 181 -
In Serial13 Chapters
So it turns out I'm tiny in another world…
After meeting with a horrible fate on an otherwise typical Martian day, Tsukino Sachiko finds herself stranded with only a surprisingly unremarkable alien for company. Join her as she battles giant monsters, strange locals, and feelings of insignificance in the hopes she might one day return to a world that makes sense. AN: This story is an attempt to overcome insecurity regarding the quality of my writing by practicing with intentional schlock. "Just write," as the advice goes. While it may not be masterfully plotted, the subject matter is one close to my heart and one that I endeavor to explore in a new light. After all, who ever heard of the fairy sidekick being an isekai protagonist? Cover image © Vanish under the terms of the CC BY-ND 2.0 license.
8 104 -
In Serial6 Chapters
Telesma
An immortal being who has existed ever since the very first breath of creation decided to assume a human form and descend down to the mortal plane in the attempt to observe humans and experience their society first hand for his entertainment purposes. Unbeknownst to him, chaos has been stirring up both in the cosmos and in the earthen plane below which will bring about a catastrophe that will affect the fate of all of the planes of existence. With a tremendous amount of power far greater than what his physical body can handle, how will he fare himself with keeping his identity hidden all the while being right in the middle of the ensuing maelstrom?
8 155 -
In Serial6 Chapters
They Are Our Smols
You’ve read They Are Smol. You’ve enjoyed They Are Smol (if you haven’t, well, prepare to not enjoy this one either). But this is smols like you’ve not seen them before. This is extreme smolness with a lemon twist: smols fucked up big time in this one, and Earth, well… Earth is empty of smols. At least the ayys hope so, because it’s fallout time back there. The ones that got away — and let’s face it, it was all of them that were left — had no place to go. Homeless, smol and needing protectings, they were taken in. For the lucky ayys out there, they’re our smols. This is a not-so-serious slice of life alternate universe where the entire population of Earth, what was left after the dead man’s switch was flipped and the nukes successfully irradiated the planet, were evacuated en masse and then taken in by the galactic civilization at large. I’ll probably write a few more in this silly, comfy alternate timeline to expand on what’s different, but don’t take it too seriously, okay? I do not take credit for the original setting, this story is set in an alternate version of the 'They are Smol' universe, written by the one, the only u/tinyprancinghorse.TPH takes many forms and is known by many names. He is like Nyarlathotep, only smaller and cuter and more prancey. TPH also has a Website and a Patreon.
8 65 -
In Serial61 Chapters
The Royal Mates
Amorelli, a princess who was kidnapped from birth and sold to India, along with other royalties, as slaves of all kinds. She then makes friends with another royal princess, Zinniah. Every royal that is kidnapped has two qualities about them. They are a royal and have a special ability about them. But Amorelli has no idea what her gift is, nor does she know where she came from. Mordikai York, Prince of Russia, is a werewolf. He can be arrogant, rude, and selfish. However, one thing for sure is that he is drop-dead gorgeous. You would think with the last quality, he would have some new woman next to him so he could have his way with her later on, but the good thing about him - he is waiting for his mate. Amorelli and Mordikai. The way they meet is extraordinary. But finding out your mate is a slave, and the prophecies all around them are going to go awry soon is concerning.
8 149 -
In Serial68 Chapters
That Night √
ɢʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴜᴄɪᴜs.ʟᴜᴄɪᴜs ᴀɴᴅ ɢʀᴀᴄᴇ.Two inseparable best friends.A bond so beautiful that nothing could've broken them apart.But it all changed 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 night. A drunk girl and a boy overwhelmed with feelings. Things take a turn, and they turn even nastier when Grace mysteriously leaves her hometown the very next day with her family. With no explanations. No reasons. No goodbyes.Just a boy with broken hopes left behind.Until Grace returns after 2 years, to the hometown she grew up in. To the hometown that's all she's left with. But things have changed, and so have the feelings...." ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ sᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴀ ғɪʀᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ғᴇᴇʟ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ, ʀᴏsᴇ."#3 in Teen Fiction Text copyright © Crystal7016 ™ 2020Cover credits: @youtumblrgeek <3
8 97
