Chapter 4: The Rationalist Warrior in a Horror Film
672 Words
Su Fan, of course, wasn’t oblivious to the atmosphere.
This was exactly what he wanted.
His breathing was steady and powerful, the *qi* cultivated in his body circulating and driving away the sinister presence attempting to penetrate him. Outwardly calm, he was fully prepared to strike back at any moment.
“Stop right there, kid!”
Suddenly, a loud, commanding voice shattered the eerie silence.
In an instant, the vibrancy of life seemed to return, and the sounds of the world resumed their flow.
Jamie took a deep breath, his heart still racing.
Su Fan, however, furrowed his brow slightly, showing a hint of displeasure.
The two of them turned to see a figure standing in the doorway.
A man in a hat and trench coat, with a thick mustache—a classic detective look.
“Are you trying to destroy key evidence here?”
“This is a police-sealed crime scene,” the detective said, eyeing the ventriloquist dummy Billy in Su Fan’s hands.
Su Fan said nothing, though he was disappointed. The detective’s sudden arrival had disrupted Mary Shaw’s possession attempt. She likely wouldn’t reappear anytime soon.
Seeing Su Fan and Jamie’s silence, the detective’s suspicions only deepened.
So, Lisa had indeed been murdered by this kid.
The Asian guy beside him was probably an accomplice!
One look at the detective’s expression, and Su Fan understood his thoughts.
“Looks like he thinks I’m the killer.”
In horror films, there were always a few die-hard materialists who refused to believe until the bitter end.
This detective was precisely that type.
From beginning to end, he dismissed Jamie’s story as the excuses of a criminal; to him, the idea of a killer dummy was pure nonsense.
Though he would eventually come to realize the truth and even join Jamie in fighting Mary Shaw, his fate would ultimately be sealed.
“Listen up, kid. I suspect you’re involved in the murder here. You’re coming with me,” the detective said, flashing his badge.
Su Fan didn’t even look at it, brushing past him.
The detective’s attitude made Su Fan laugh inwardly. He kept walking without so much as a glance.
This dismissal only angered the detective further.
He blocked Su Fan’s path with an outstretched arm.
“Stop right there!”
“Listen, Asian kid. I don’t care who you are or where you’re from. If I want to, I can drag you down to the station for questioning at any time.”
“There’s no way you and your friend are hiding your tracks from me!”
Hearing this, Su Fan chuckled.
“I have a solid alibi. What about you?”
“I know you’re trying to make me go through the motions, but I’m just a laid-back shop owner.”
“If you waste a day or two of my time, it’s no big deal.”
“Intimidation tactics work better with New York cops; you’re out of your league, Detective.”
His fluent English and confident tone left the detective momentarily speechless.
He’d assumed Su Fan was an uninformed immigrant who’d c***k under a bit of pressure. He hadn’t expected his little trick to be called out so easily.
“Hmph… But the fact remains, you unlawfully entered a sealed crime scene and tampered with evidence.”
The detective wasn’t wrong.
In this country, even patrol officers wield considerable authority, let alone a higher-ranking detective.
Hearing this, Jamie grew anxious.
He needed to arrange his wife’s burial, uncover the truth behind her death, and track down clues about Mary Shaw—he couldn’t afford to be detained here.
In desperation, he explained the situation to the detective as best he could.
“Su has nothing to do with this… If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to follow us in our investigation.”
As Jamie spoke, the detective’s face showed undisguised impatience.
Clearly, he didn’t believe a word about haunted nursery rhymes or vengeful spirits.
Yet, the offer to monitor them closely seemed to pique his interest.
- Writer
