Chapter 70: The Woman with a Split Mind

Zhang Hongjun was speaking with a hint of pride when Song Kai’s words made him suddenly pause. He stared at Song Kai with both eyes wide.

“How do you know?” Zhang Hongjun was surprised.

Song Kai replied seriously, “Mr. Zhang, whether you believe me or not, I can tell you with certainty: you have encountered a malignant supernatural force. Before, I thought your lack of vitality was due to having too many women, but since you’ve said you only have one wife, the issue becomes clear. The problem lies with your wife—or perhaps there is something unclean in your bedroom that is draining your life force. If your wife has changed significantly recently, then in all likelihood, something evil is attached to her, using her body as a conduit to absorb your energy.

“So, even with this jade bracelet, you’re still suffering from a lack of vitality, showing all the symptoms of a depleted constitution.”

Zhang Hongjun continued to stare at Song Kai, who looked very serious.

“Really?” Zhang Hongjun said. “Brother Song, to be honest, I have noticed something strange about my wife, but not too strange. She can still go out in the sun, she has a shadow, her body temperature is normal—everything seems fine.”

Song Kai nodded, “Go on.”

Zhang Hongjun hesitated, then said, “Well, there are some odd things. She’s become lazier, and she’s started drinking and smoking, her temper isn’t great, and she’s taken to wearing makeup. The most important thing is—she seems to be getting more beautiful. Truly, I live with her every day and I can feel it—she’s getting prettier by the day.”

Ai Hao and Xu Ling listened intently, hugging their arms, clearly unnerved.

Song Kai thought for a moment and asked, “All these things you mentioned—could it be from using cosmetics?”

Mr. Zhang looked at Song Kai speechlessly, “You think cosmetics are plastic surgeons? My wife and I met at work and married not for looks, but because we shared so much in common. Since we married, she’s always been slightly plump, with a round face, decisive in speech and action—a real tomboy. But in the past two months, her face has changed: phoenix eyes, oval face, honestly, she now looks like one of those internet celebrities. After she quit her job, she used to take care of the house, read, paint, write essays. Now she does nothing at home, smokes and drinks, and even goes out with women friends to bars.”

Song Kai nodded, “Let’s do this, Mr. Zhang. Let’s go to your home together, and let me help you investigate. There’s definitely a problem. If I can find the root cause and cure it completely, you’ll give me your bracelet. If I can’t, I’ll take nothing. At least, that bracelet can preserve your vitality for two more years—give you two more years to live.”

Zhang Hongjun turned pale. “You mean I’ll die?”

Song Kai sighed, “Absolutely, Mr. Zhang. I’m not trying to scare you. In your current state, lasting another two years would be impressive. As for your wife, she has to be checked soon—I don’t know what’s really going on with her.”

“Alright, let’s go back to Shenzhen tonight.” Zhang Hongjun grabbed Song Kai’s hand. “Thank you, Brother Song. I always suspected something was wrong with my wife, but I went to two masters—they both said there was nothing wrong.”

“Let’s go and see for ourselves,” Song Kai said.

After this conversation, Zhang Hongjun lost all interest in drinking and just stared blankly at the table.

Ai Hao, seeing an opportunity, immediately booked plane tickets for Song Kai and Zhang Hongjun to fly back to Shenzhen.

Song Kai turned to Xu Ling and said, “Xu Ling, be careful these next few days. That Vulture Mercenary Group had eleven people. We caught ten. There’s one left, and since he’s escaped and humiliated, he might come for revenge.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be careful,” Xu Ling replied.

Ai Hao quickly chimed in, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you, Xu Ling.”

Song Kai looked at Ai Hao, “Mr. Ai, you be careful too.”

“What? What does this have to do with me?” Ai Hao stared at Song Kai.

Song Kai shrugged. “My friends appeared out of nowhere and caught those criminals. Now that one escaped, he doesn’t know who did it. Since it happened in your Shanyun Manor, the killer might come after you.”

“Oh—come on! It wasn’t me! What does this have to do with me? I—” Ai Hao was about to cry. He almost wanted to post an ad right then and there to tell the escaped killer that his real enemy was Song Kai, not him.

...

Song Kai gathered his things and, at a little after eight in the evening, flew to Shenzhen with Zhang Hongjun.

A little over two hours later, Song Kai followed Zhang Hongjun into a high-rise apartment with an ocean view.

It wasn’t a villa, but the apartment was massive. Zhang Hongjun lived on the twenty-second floor; the apartment was over 270 square meters, and with a duplex upper floor, it nearly reached 400 square meters.

However, despite such a fine home, the place was a mess when they entered.

Zhang Hongjun smiled in embarrassment. “Sorry, Song Kai, it wasn’t like this before.”

Song Kai waved it off.

Just as he was about to speak, a blood-curdling scream came from upstairs.

Zhang Hongjun and Song Kai hurried over.

“Stop hitting me! I was wrong… Ow… I know I was wrong…”

A voice sobbed from above.

Then, a girl in a nightgown—about fifteen or sixteen years old—bolted down the stairs.

When she saw Zhang Hongjun, she screamed, “Dad! Daddy, help me!”

The girl practically leapt down the stairs and threw herself into Zhang Hongjun’s arms.

“Don’t be afraid, Tingting. It’s alright,” Zhang Hongjun said.

At that moment, a woman in a tight black skirt, holding a pair of scissors, walked down after her.

“Dad, run! Quick, Mom’s going to kill me!” the girl shrieked, her arm bloodied from a fresh wound—clearly from the scissors.

Zhang Hongjun took a step back and shouted at the woman, “Xiumin, what are you doing? Put the scissors down! Are you really going to stab your own daughter?”

The woman stopped, breathing heavily, and pointed at Tingting. “She never listens! She doesn’t study, and she steals my face masks! I told her not to touch them, but she did it again today. I need to teach her a lesson!”

With that, she lunged at Tingting.

Zhang Hongjun tried to push her away, but even he was no match for her strength.

In their struggle, Zhang Hongjun was slashed by the scissors and cried out.

With a thud, Xiumin pushed Zhang Hongjun to the floor and continued chasing Tingting.

Tingting, terrified, took refuge behind Song Kai.

Zhang Hongjun shouted, “Song Kai, do something! Save my child!”

Song Kai had been watching the woman, puzzled—unable to tell if she was possessed, suffering a fit, or just mentally unstable.

The woman rushed over.

Song Kai drew a peachwood sword and stabbed at her arm.

“Who the hell are you? I’m disciplining my daughter—get out of my way!” The woman was unfazed by the sword and batted it aside.

Song Kai stepped in and swept her legs out from under her, sending her to the ground.

But the woman was agile; she rolled and lunged for Song Kai’s throat.

“Interfere with my family, and I’ll strangle you!” she screamed, eyes wide.

Song Kai twisted her arm behind her back and, with a palm chop to the back of her neck, knocked her out. She fell to the floor, still twitching.

“Dad!”

Tingting ran to Zhang Hongjun and clung to him, sobbing.

Zhang Hongjun came over and said, “Thank you, Song Kai. Good thing I brought you tonight—otherwise, my daughter might have been killed by this madwoman.”

“Dad, what’s wrong with Mom?” Tingting cried. Then she pointed upstairs. “Dad, it’s the face mask! Just burn Mom’s face masks and everything will be fine!”

With that, Tingting ran upstairs.

Zhang Hongjun sighed, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag.

“What do you think, Song Kai? My wife’s condition seems to be getting worse with age.”

“It’s not possession,” Song Kai said, frowning, his tone calm. “It’s more like schizophrenia.”

“Schizophrenia? There’s no history of mental illness in her family—and we’ve had her checked at a psychiatric hospital before. They said nothing was wrong,” Zhang Hongjun said, smoking anxiously, his face twisted with pain and frustration.

At that moment, Tingting came running down, furious. “Dad, it’s this! Mom uses this mask every day—it’s what’s causing all this!”

Song Kai turned to look at what she was holding—a face mask, deathly pale, eerily like a human face…