"Got it!" A policeman rushed into the meeting room, holding a pile of papers.
Uncle Wei stood up quickly. "Say it!"
Gasping for breath, the officer flipped open the files. "The dorm teacher killed at Q Restaurant… She was reportedly very close to Su Nian. She was Su Nian's mentor at the orphanage and took care of her."
Zhang Luo frowned, skimming the papers. "What about Zhao Fa?"
"Zhao Fa and Su Nian were friends in an online game and met up a few times in person. He also had meals with Teacher Lin and the reporter who was killed at Q Restaurant."
Lin Yuan: "Stop looking at me like that—my memories are fragmented. I don't remember who Zhao Fa is at all."
Hearing this, Zhang Luo's expression grew graver. She shut the files and said solemnly, "Su Nian is a Four-Yin Maiden, and there are only eight days left before the Ghost Gate closes."
Lin Yuan listened quietly, his gaze darkening. Through Pan Jie, he slowly said, "Uncle Wei, can you track Su Nian's location as soon as possible? Or report the urgency to your superiors and ask for more manpower?"
Uncle Wei rubbed his forehead and sighed. "I've already reported it... But the person sent by leaders..." He lowered his voice, looking troubled. "It's that Master Lei."
Everyone fell silent.
Master Lei? Might as well have sent no one!
Zhang Luo took a deep breath, then steeled her gaze. "No—I need to ask my sect for help."
Two days later, the atmosphere in the police conference room turned deathly solemn.
Four Dao Lords and five Celestial Masters stood in the hall, robed in Taoist garb and armed with talismans and artifacts. At their head was Zhang Luo's father, Zhang Daozun.
Uncle Wei hurried to greet them, bowing respectfully. "Thank you all so much for coming to help!"
"Cut the small talk. The Ghost Gate is closing soon, we don't have time," a tall Dao Lord snapped, his presence as piercing as an unsheathed sword.
Zhang Luo stepped forward. After a brief greeting with her father, she introduced, "This is Pan Jie, a special police assistant. And beside her is Lin Yuan, a former teacher."
Zhang Daozun's brows rose slightly as he studied Lin Yuan, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Though mortal-born, he could clearly sense the thick aura of merit surrounding Lin Yuan—stronger than any ordinary benefactor, let alone a Ghost General.
Such profound merit… Not just any Ghost General, Zhang Daozun thought, but kept silent.
At lunch, the atmosphere relaxed a bit as Zhang Luo talked about the situation with her Taoist colleagues, while Lin Yuan listened quietly.
Suddenly, the imposing Dao Lord from earlier stood abruptly, shattering the afternoon's calm.
"No more delays! I'll deduce the truth." He waved his hand, conjuring a golden talisman that floated in mid-air, radiating a powerful aura of cause and effect.
"It's a Cause-Effect Talisman!" a Celestial Master whispered in awe.
Zhang Daozun frowned. "Are you sure you want to use it? This talisman exacts a heavy toll on the caster's body."
"Hmph!" The Dao Lord snorted, making hand gestures as powerful spiritual energy poured out of him. "A simple cause-effect divination can't beat me!"
The talisman blazed with golden light. In an instant, the Dao Lord's eyes seemed to pierce the river of time, gazing into past and future.
A spot on the wall map suddenly glowed, marking an abandoned building and an adjacent factory!
Uncle Wei cheered. "Perfect! We've pinpointed the location!"
But as the group rejoiced, the Dao Lord staggered, his face turning ashen. He collapsed to the floor.
"…You guys handle it from here…" He trembled, looked at the other Dao Lords, and fainted.
The room was quiet for a moment.
"..."
No one spoke for a moment.
"Alright, take a rest first," a Celestial Master sighed. "We'll go search now."
====================
"查到了,查到了!" 一名警员急匆匆地冲进会议室,手里拿着一叠文件.
伟叔猛地站起身:"说!"
警员喘了口气,翻开文件:"在 Q 饭店被杀害的生活老师... 据说和苏念关系非常好,她是苏念在孤儿院时期的生活导师,一直照顾她."
张洛皱起眉头,翻看着文件:"那赵发呢?"
"赵发和苏念在一款网游里是好友,私下也见过几次.而且,和林教师还有Q饭店死去的记者,也一起吃过饭."
林远:"你们别这样看着我,我的记忆不全,一段一段的,根本不记得赵发是谁."
张洛闻言,神色变得更加严肃.她合上文件,沉声道:"苏念是四阴之女,而且鬼门关闭的时间只剩下八天了."
林远在一旁静静地听着,目光微沉.林远透过潘洁,缓缓开口:"伟叔,你们能尽快查到苏念的所在吗?或者向上级汇报这件事情的重要性,让他们加派人手搜查?"
伟叔揉了揉眉心,叹了口气:"我已经上报了... 可是上面派下来的人..." 他压低声音,表情复杂,"就是那个雷大师."
众人沉默了一瞬.
雷大师?还不如不派呢!
张洛深吸一口气,随即目光坚定, "不行,我要向师门寻求帮助."
两天后,警局会议室内,气氛变得异常凝重.
四位道尊与五位天师站在大厅内,身穿道袍,身上或多或少带着道家的符篆法器.为首的,是张洛的父亲,张道尊.
伟叔连忙迎上去,脸上带着几分恭敬:"真的多谢诸位肯前来相助!"
"废话少说,鬼门关即将关闭,我们时间不多." 一位身材高大的道尊冷声说道,他的气场强大,整个人宛如一柄出鞘的利剑,锋芒毕露.
张洛快步上前,与父亲张道尊简单寒暄后,随即顺势介绍道:"这位是潘洁,警方派来的特别协助员.她身边这位,是林远,林教师."
张道尊眉头微微一挑,目光扫过林远,眼中闪过一丝异色.他虽是凡人之躯,却能清晰地感知到林远身上弥漫的功德气息,那股气息之强,远远超过了普通的大善人,更何况是个鬼将.
"这浓郁的功德之力... 真不是个简单的鬼将啊." 张道尊心中暗道,却没有点破.
午饭时,气氛暂时缓和,张洛与道门同辈交流着当前局势,而林远则在一旁静静聆听.
忽然,之前那名气场凌厉的道尊猛地起身,打破了午后的闲适氛围.
"废话不多说!我来推演此事." 他抬手一挥,掌心出现了一道金光符篆,符篆浮现在半空,带着一股强烈的因果气息.
"这是因果符!" 有天师低声惊呼.
张道尊微微皱眉:"你确定要施展因果符?这符耗损巨大,对施术者的身体负担极大."
"哼!" 这位道尊冷哼一声,双手掐诀,浑身散发出霸道的灵力,眼中透出无比的自信,"一个小小的因果推演而已,难不倒我!"
金光大放,符篆燃烧,霎时间,道尊的双眼仿佛看穿了时间长河,凝视着过去与未来.
挂在墙壁地图上的某个点骤然亮起,标记着一个废弃的楼房和隔壁的废弃工厂!
伟叔大喜:"太好了!终于锁定了位置!"
然而,就在众人兴奋之际,先前霸气无双的道尊身体一颤,脸色瞬间惨白,随后直接瘫坐在地.
"... 接下来... 靠你们了..." 他颤颤巍巍地看向其他三位道尊,话音刚落,眼前一黑,直接晕了过去.
整个会议室安静了两秒.
"..."
"..."
"好吧,你先休息." 其中一名天师无奈地叹气,"我们先出发找人."