Chapter 64: The Terrifying Truth

The man’s facial features were too unique— so unique that such a condition usually only appeared in times of peace.

I vividly remember the first time I saw it; it was the tenth year after I had transmigrated.

At that time, I had just retrieved the 《Guanki Zhi Fa》 from the corpse of a fellow Daoist.

Meanwhile, the mortal world was in the midst of a famine.

The oppression by the Xiu Zhenzhe was harsher than that of the feudal dynasties.

In the eyes of the Xiushi, mortals were worth less than pigs and dogs, their only value being the Linghun to refine Fabao.

Coincidentally, at that time, an Yibao had appeared; rivers dried up, land cracked, and years of drought had withered all the crops, resulting in no harvest for several consecutive years.

When all the stored grain was exhausted and no Xiushi came to help, the desperate mortals completely lost their bottom line.

They resorted to cannibalism.

They ate the starved dead first.

After finishing the dead, they ate those who hadn’t starved.

The strong ate the weak, the weak ate the children.

If they couldn’t snatch children from others, they would eat their own.

Back then, their faces looked exactly like the man in front of me.

The Life Palace was overlapped; the Zinv Gong was shrouded in ominous qi.

This was the Shizi Xiang.

“Think carefully, in these past three years, have you eaten any meat from unknown sources? Who gave it to you? What did it taste like?”

The man was stunned by my question.

He could sense the hidden meaning behind my words.

Others in the livestream were the same.

[The streamer’s implication— could it really be what I’m thinking?]

[Oh my god.]

[Could it be…]

[Wuwu, my wardrobe moved, I’m not watching anymore.]

The previously drowsy livestream atmosphere instantly turned horrifying again.

[Meat… meat…] The man pounded his head desperately.

He tried to recall, using the pain to stimulate his brain.

[Meat… I remember now! It was shortly after Xiaodong went missing!]

The man’s eyes suddenly widened.

[That day I came home from work and celebrated our first wedding anniversary with my wife.]

[She prepared a lavish meal, and the meat she used was tender and soft. The lean part tasted like a mix of chicken and beef, with just the right amount of fat, and a slight deliciousness like lamb.]

[It was the most delicious meat I’d ever eaten. I asked my wife where she got the meat. She said she had specially bought venison…]

“First wedding anniversary? Oh, your Marriage Palace is split in two. This is your second marriage. The child is from your first wife.”

[That’s right. My first wife died in a car accident. But my current wife is gentle and virtuous, and our relationship is harmonious— so harmonious that we’ve never even argued.]

“Never argued?”

[Yes… She’s very rational and intelligent, a top graduate from a prestigious school. Also, she was pregnant at the time.]

“…”

I thought the answer was already clear.

But the man in front of me was unwilling to suspect in that direction.

It was too cruel for him.

“Sir, could you please tell me your current location? If it’s inconvenient, you can send it privately.”

(There’s no inconvenience. I’m currently at…)

He recited an address.

I immediately dialed the Sian Office.

“There’s been a murder and corpse cooking case at Room 301, Lane 52, Xilin Street, Nancheng. And another is about to happen. Please dispatch immediately with medical personnel.”

[What does ‘another is about to happen’ mean??]

[More deaths???]

[Streamer, please explain!]

There was no need for me to explain.

Because just as I finished the call, the man’s doorbell rang.

[Darling~~~ What are you doing? Can I come in?] The woman’s voice outside sounded intimate and harmless.

“Don’t open it! Lock the door! Now! Hurry!”

The man was already terrified, slumping in his chair, unable to do anything.

[Darling~ I’m coming in~]

Click.

The bedroom door was gently opened.

The woman who entered was dressed professionally, wearing glasses, smiling politely.

She smiled sweetly as she approached the man.

Both her hands were holding something.

In her left hand was a phone, playing the livestream I was currently broadcasting.

In her other hand, she held a sharp fruit knife.

I covered my face with a slap.

Too late.

The man turned his computer chair in panic, using the chair’s back to block the screen.

[Darling~~~ Have you heard about that fortune-telling girl who’s popular lately?]

On the screen the camera showed, the woman slowly bent down, asking knowingly while lightly approaching the man.

The man swallowed nervously.

[I’ve heard about her… Why?]

[So, darling~~~ do you believe her or not?]

The woman hid the knife behind her back, smiling brightly.

The man hesitated for a moment.

Suddenly, he seemed to make up his mind and stopped trembling.

[I believe her. Xiaolian, tell me, where did my son go?]

[…]

[Please tell me the truth. Is Xiaodong’s disappearance related to you? Xiaolian, I love you very much; please don’t lie to me.]

[You love me?] The woman’s tone turned cold. [Fine, then tell me truthfully, who is the person you care about most in this world?]

[Of course, it’s you.]

[What if I include the dead?]

[Still you.]

[You’re lying! You can’t forget her at all!]

[…]

[Then why did you go to visit her grave? Tell me, why???]

(The man laughed bitterly, rubbing his forehead. She used to be my wife.)

[So what? I’m the one now!]

(Xiaolian, we’re human. We can’t delete memories like a computer deletes programs. We’re human… I once had beautiful memories with her. That’s undeniable.)

(So you just can’t let her go, right?)

[That’s right, I can’t forget her. But does that matter? What matters is she’s gone, and we can still create more new memories. You’ll never replace her, nor do you need to. Because you are you. Right now, I love you. For the rest of my life, it will always be you.] The man said sadly.

Oh—sweet relief. I come to start a livestream and get abused like a dog?

At the other side of the livestream, I wore the expression of an old subway rider staring at his phone.

Where’s Bi Fang? Where’s Bi Fang? Come throw a Molotov and save me!

Wait, didn’t Bi Fang abandon us before? Could it be because some couple triggered it?

[…]

Inside the room, the woman stared blankly at the man, tears streaming down her face.

But the knife in her hand was gripped even tighter.

[So, Xiaolian, tell me, where did Xiaodong go? Tell me.] The man stared sorrowfully into the woman’s eyes.

[Sorry.] The woman’s voice trembled. [I was scared. I was scared Xiaodong would always remind you, making you unable to forget her. I was scared Xiaodong would take your attention away. I was even more scared that as long as he existed, you’d neglect our unborn daughter…]

[So?]

[So I gave him medicine. I coaxed him to sleep, and then he would be with us forever.]

[…]

[But don’t worry.] The woman suddenly smiled as she raised the knife, [I know I was wrong.]

[Y-you’re going to do what? Put the knife down.]

[I know I was wrong. The family should be whole and happy. Xiaodong is down there; shall we go find him?]

[You…]

Pthud.

The sharp knife plunged into the man’s chest.

[You lunatic…]

[If the matter is exposed, I’ll be arrested and surely sentenced to death. So this is the only way for us to be together…]

[You…]

[Don’t worry, I’ll go send our daughter down, too.] The woman said as she left the room.

The livestream was cut off.