# 218
**Chapter 218: The Scene**
"Good evening, Mr. Merlin."
Lin Qiye sat down in the chair across from Merlin. On the table, the Rubik’s Cube glimmered faintly and inched toward Lin Qiye like a wronged child.
Lin Qiye ignored it and cut straight to the point.
"Mr. Merlin, I’ve come to ask you something… have you ever heard of Ame-no-Murakumo?"
Merlin frowned in thought, then shook his head. "I’m sorry, I haven’t."
Lin Qiye sighed inwardly, though it was no surprise. As an ancient British deity, Merlin naturally wouldn’t know Japanese myths.
"It’s a weapon from legend… in short, anyone cut by it can’t heal any physical wound, and the soul is injured as well. Even resurrection won’t cure it." Lin Qiye gave a brief summary based on Instructor Hong’s description.
"I want to know: is there any good way to treat a wound left by such a divine weapon?"
"A wound that scars the soul forever…" Merlin mused. "I don’t know the weapon itself, but from your description it carries both eternity and soul attributes. Anything involving eternity is extremely troublesome."
Lin Qiye’s brows knitted tightly. "So there’s no cure?"
"Not necessarily." Merlin raised two fingers. "I can think of two approaches…
First, the simplest and most brutal: destroy Ame-no-Murakumo itself. Once the weapon is gone, its attributes vanish and the wound can heal."
Lin Qiye’s mouth twitched. You call that "simple"?
March into Takamagahara, kill Susanoo, then shatter Ame-no-Murakumo… if he could do that, he’d already be among the top gods. For him now, it was pure fantasy.
"And the second?"
"Find another divine weapon that also possesses the eternal attribute, but can heal injuries," Merlin said calmly.
"Such as…?"
"I don’t know."
Lin Qiye: …
Fine. Both solutions were increasingly implausible.
"Any other options?" he couldn’t help asking.
"I can’t think of any." Merlin shook his head. "If you insist on a third, pray for a miracle."
Lin Qiye exhaled, stood up.
"Understood. Sorry to bother you."
He left the study and looked at the yard where the caretakers were in chaos. He paused, then shook his head helplessly.
Healing Wu Xiangnan’s hand… would be hard.
……
The next day.
A black van stopped outside a bar. Wen Qimo and Lin Qiye stepped out and walked toward the police-taped entrance.
The bar wasn’t big, but tastefully done—retro décor mixed with neon gave it a unique vibe, a popular spot on this street.
Now, once lively and cozy, it stood empty and bleak.
Lin Qiye and Wen Qimo ducked under the yellow tape and went inside.
"No one guarding the scene?" Lin Qiye glanced around—no officers in sight.
"The case involves the mysterious. Regular police can’t intervene. Scene security, evidence collection, autopsy… all handled by our specialized unit. Looks empty, but people are hidden outside on 24-hour watch. Anyone suspicious shows up, they’re grabbed immediately."
Lin Qiye nodded. Just then a young man in a black jacket entered.
"Brother Wen, here for more clues?" Seeing Lin Qiye beside Wen Qimo, he asked in surprise, "And this is…?"
"New recruit, Lin Qiye, Qiye. This is Xiao Hei from the specialist unit—you’ll be working together a lot." Wen Qimo smiled.
Unlike his earlier temporary status, Lin Qiye was now a fully registered Night Watchman, officially taking up duties and integrating into the organization.
"Nice to meet you, Brother Lin." Xiao Hei grinned and offered his hand.
"Likewise." Lin Qiye shook it.
"Xiao Hei, give Qiye a quick brief," Wen Qimo said.
"Sure." Xiao Hei turned serious. "Happened yesterday, 26 August, 10:45 a.m. The owner opened up and smelled heavy blood. In the back yard he found waiter Sun Xiao dead."
He led them toward the yard.
"Opens at ten?" Lin Qiye asked, surprised.
"Night business. Ten’s early for them," Wen Qimo explained.
Lin Qiye nodded. They reached the yard door.
Numbered markers dotted the ground, each beside a crime-scene photo. On the wall, white chalk outlined a human form, suspended in a cross.
"Victim: Sun Xiao, male, 28. Worked here two years; before that, a restaurant. Rare to last so long in this job—stayed because the boss treated him well and he had two elders to support."
Xiao Hei checked his file. "Time of death: between 3 and 4 a.m. Five nail wounds: four in limbs, all through-and-through, matching these four red dots on the wall."
Lin Qiye squinted: at the chalk figure’s hands and feet, four deep gouges with blood residue—nails that had pinned the victim to the wall.
"Fatal wound: a nail through the heart. One strike."
He pointed to a red dot at the figure’s chest.
"Also, all ten fingers were severed. Cuts clean. No blade in the bar could do that."