Mortal Dawn and Dusk, My Eternal Life - Chapter 33

The recent street rescue and the subsequent bizarre murder, while causing some ripples in Su Mingyue’s emotional state, did not unduly affect her subsequent plans. She had lived too long, witnessing countless partings of life and death, and strange occurrences. If she were to dwell on every single one, her heart would have surely burst long ago.

It was late in the day now. After a day of travel, her stomach began to rumble. Coming to a new place and sampling its local delicacies was one of the few pleasures in her long journey. Tianjin, being a hub, was never short of various snacks and restaurants. Su Mingyue slowly ambled down the street, her nose occasionally catching the diverse aromas of food wafting through the air, feeling quite content.

Finally, on an old street that seemed quite era-appropriate, she found a small eatery with an unassuming facade but exceptionally booming business. The restaurant’s sign read “Zhang Ji Guo Ta Lizi,” seemingly a place specializing in Tianjin’s unique dishes. A long queue snaked outside the door. The air was thick with the rich scent of soy sauce and the savory aroma of frying, making one’s mouth water.

Su Mingyue was in no hurry. She patiently queued for a while and finally found an empty seat in a corner. She ordered a signature dish, the Guo Ta Lizi (pan-fried pork tenderloin), and a steaming bowl of Sanxian Dalumian (three-delicacy gravy noodles).

Soon, the dishes arrived. The Guo Ta Lizi was golden-brown, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. With one bite, the savory meat juices mixed with the rich soy sauce burst in her mouth—it was indeed a rare delicacy. The Sanxian Dalumian was also generously topped with ingredients: shrimp, sea cucumber, and mushrooms, paired with springy noodles and delicious gravy, making for a satisfying meal.

Su Mingyue ate slowly, listening to the conversations of the surrounding diners. This everyday atmosphere of the marketplace was one of her favorite ambiances to experience. Family gossip, strange tales, national affairs—all could be glimpsed amidst the noisy chatter.

“Hey, did you hear? This afternoon, another person died near the Quanyechang!” A middle-aged man in a traditional Chinese gown at the next table lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously to his companion.

“Someone else died?!” His companion was clearly startled. “This month… this is the third one, isn’t it? Is the manner of death… exactly like the previous two?”

“Indeed!” The middle-aged man clicked his tongue. “I heard that all his vital essence was drained, turning him into a dried corpse! Sinister! Truly too sinister!”

“My heavens! What’s happening in Tianjin? Is it true, as rumored, that the ground in Tianjin isn’t peaceful, and there’s a demon at work?”

“Who says it isn’t! In these times, with wars raging, all sorts of strange things happen!”

Su Mingyue’s chopsticks paused slightly as she listened to their discussion. Drained of life force again… It seemed that Tianjin’s “unrest” was not without foundation.

Just then, the restaurant owner, Mr. Zhang, walked over with a pot of hot tea and refilled Su Mingyue’s cup. Mr. Zhang was a friendly, slightly chubby middle-aged man in his fifties, seemingly quite talkative.

“Miss, you’re from out of town, aren’t you?” Mr. Zhang asked with a smile.

Su Mingyue nodded: “Yes, I just arrived in Tianjin not long ago.”

“Then you must be extra careful!” Mr. Zhang lowered his voice, a hint of worry on his face. “Tianjin hasn’t been peaceful lately. You heard it just now, didn’t you? Another person died! And the death… it was truly gruesome!”

Su Mingyue put down her chopsticks and feigned curiosity: “Oh? Boss, what on earth is happening? I just heard them discussing, saying there’s a demon at work. Is that true?”

“Oh dear! Miss, you shouldn’t speak such nonsense!” Mr. Zhang quickly waved his hand, looked left and right, then leaned closer and whispered, “However, this matter is indeed sinister! The deceased are all young, strong men, and their deaths are all the same: their flesh and blood look as if they’ve been drained by something, leaving only skin and bones! You tell me, what else could that be but a demon?”

“Then… what does the government (police station, as it’s called by the common folk) say about it?” Su Mingyue continued to ask.

“The government?” Mr. Zhang curled his lip, a hint of disdain on his face. “What can the government say? Besides posting a few notices telling people to stay home at night, what else can they do? I heard that General Gu of the police station is investigating this case. General Gu is young and promising, and I hear he’s solved many cases, but I don’t know if… he can figure out this sinister matter this time.”

“General Gu?” Su Mingyue’s heart stirred slightly, recalling the stern young man she saw at the crime scene that afternoon.

“Yes, General Gu Mingxuan,” Mr. Zhang nodded. “Speaking of which, that unfortunate soul who died this afternoon, he came to my place for a meal two days ago! He looked perfectly fine then, full of life. Who would have thought that in just a few days, he’d be gone!” Mr. Zhang shook his head repeatedly as he spoke, his face showing regret and lingering fear.

“Oh? The deceased came to your place two days ago?” Su Mingyue’s eyes flickered. She asked, feigning casualness, “Then… was there anything unusual about him at the time? Or… did he encounter anyone strange?” She knew that sometimes, these seemingly insignificant details often held the key to solving a case.

Mr. Zhang tried to recall: “Unusual?… I didn’t notice anything. He was just an ordinary porter’s helper, usually not very talkative. That day, he also came alone for noodles. As for strange people… let me think…” He frowned, deep in thought. Su Mingyue didn’t rush him, just waited quietly.

After a while, Mr. Zhang slapped his thigh and said, “Ah! I remember now! That day, when he finished his noodles and was about to leave, he seemed… he seemed to bump into a person wearing a black cloak! That person was completely wrapped up, so you couldn’t even see their face, very mysterious. I even took an extra look at them then!”

“A person wearing a black cloak?” Su Mingyue’s heart stirred. “Was it a man or a woman? What about their height and build?”

“That… I really couldn’t see clearly,” Mr. Zhang shook his head. “That person walked quickly and kept their head down. I just caught a glimpse. But… I felt it should be a man, and their height… seemed not very tall.”

Su Mingyue nodded, silently noting this clue. She chatted with Mr. Zhang for a while longer, subtly inquiring about the details of these murder cases. For instance, all the victims were killed at night, and the crime scenes were all relatively secluded, with no witnesses. Also, the timings of these murders seemed… somewhat coincidental.

“It’s strange, actually,” Mr. Zhang stroked his chin, speaking thoughtfully. “In Tianjin, although there were occasional murder cases before, it’s the first time we’ve had such sinister incidents happening one after another. I remember… it seems… it seems it all started after that victorious General Gu Mingxuan returned to Tianjin with his troops a while ago!”

“Oh? How so?” Su Mingyue’s eyes narrowed. She recalled Gu Mingxuan’s gaze when he looked at the corpse. That sense of coldness made her think of a demon!

“Hey! I’m just guessing!” Mr. Zhang quickly waved his hands, apparently feeling his words were inappropriate. “It might just be a coincidence! After all, General Gu is our great hero of Tianjin, he drove away the Japs, protected the land and its people, how could he be involved in these sinister matters?” He paused, then lowered his voice and added, “But you know, when a person becomes famous, trouble follows. I heard that after General Gu returned this time, his temperament also changed a lot. He’s… colder than before, and even… more inscrutable. And, some people are privately spreading rumors that General Gu, on the battlefield… seems to have been affected by some evil qi, which is why…”

Mr. Zhang stopped there, not continuing, merely showing a deeply reserved expression. Su Mingyue listened to Mr. Zhang’s words, her heart turbulent.

Gu Mingxuan… after his victorious return… a major change in temperament… affected by evil qi…

These scattered clues linked together in her mind, making her previously vague suspicion gradually become clear.

Could it be…

She thought of some magic treasures that could conceal demonic qi!