Chapter 16
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Chapter 16: The Crime Scene
“We’re here,” Zhang Zhiyuan announced. “This should be the Yeni Cathedral.”
“Move aside, don’t block the way!” Several individuals clad in coarse linen garments hurried up the steps and through the grand hall, carrying a stretcher.
As they passed by Zhang Zhiyuan, he inadvertently glanced over and noticed a blood-soaked figure lying on the stretcher.
“What are they saying?” Joe James asked.
“They’re telling us not to obstruct the entrance,” Zhou Zhi replied hesitantly. “Why doesn’t this place seem like a typical prayer location?”
“Let’s go inside first and assess the situation.” Leading the way, Zhang Zhiyuan stepped into the grand hall, with the others closely following. Despite the imposing architectural style, with towering seven-to-eight-meter-high gray stone pillars supporting the domed ceiling, there were no guards present. They effortlessly made their way into the heart of the cathedral without any hindrance.
There were even more people within, making the scene appear even more chaotic. Aside from those rushing back and forth, there were quite a few sitting or lying down on the ground as well. Along one side near the windows, several makeshift wooden beds lined the wall, with numerous women draped in black veils moving between them. An unpleasant odor permeated the air.
“This is…a hospital?” Naruko said, surprised.
“It seems so. In this era, specialized hospitals likely didn’t exist yet,” Zhang Zhiyuan nodded. “These nuns often engage in charitable acts to attract believers, and providing medical aid is a sensible choice.”
“No wonder,” Zhou Zhi exclaimed with realization. “I remember there was a renowned nurse who herself was a nun…”
“Hey, what brings you all here? We’re extremely busy. Could you please not stand around obstructing the entrance?” someone interrupted him abruptly.
The group turned towards the voice and saw a petite woman questioning them with her hands on her hips. Dressed similarly to the other nuns, she wore an additional red armband, likely indicating her distinct role or status.
“Do any of your companions need treatment at the Holy Cathedral? If you’re looking for someone, go to the front desk. This isn’t where you should be lingering.” Her tone clearly conveyed dissatisfaction. Unlike the timid passersby, she seemed oblivious to the weapons carried by the group behind them, showing no signs of fear.
“My apologies, we’re not here for anyone specific but rather have some questions to ask,” Zhang Zhiyuan explained courteously. “My name is Zhang Zhiyuan. May I know yours?”
“Qiang… Zhi… Yuan?” She repeated hesitantly, “Alright, that’s a peculiar name. My name is Jeanne, and like you, I don’t have a surname either.” Perhaps taken aback by their polite demeanor, her initial discontent visibly softened.
“No… actually, there is a surname, but never mind, it’s not important.” Zhang Zhiyuan cleared his throat and asked, “Miss Jeanne, are you the person incharge here?”
“I don’t manage the Holy Cathedral; I only take care of the patients. However, I am familiar with most matters here. What would you like to ask?” She lifted her chin slightly, the unspoken message clear: once your questions are answered, please leave promptly.
“A brutal murder occurred here, correct?” Zhang Zhiyuan guided her to a corner of the main hall and lowered his voice, asking, “It happened approximately half a month ago…”
Jeanne’s expression immediately turned somber. “Why do you ask? The police have investigated multiple times already, and everything they needed to know has been shared—”
“The investigations yielded no results, I’m aware,” he responded in a soothing tone. “But just because the police failed doesn’t mean we will. A prominent figure hired us to re-examine this case, and perhaps we can achieve some closure.”
“…But it’s been so long now.”
“True, we cannot rely on fresh evidence anymore, but I have my methods,” Zhang Zhiyuan insisted. “All you need to do is bring us to the scene where the incident took place.”
After a prolonged silence, Jeanne finally turned around and said, “Follow me.”
Following the nun’s lead, the group arrived at a side chapel adjacent to the main hall.
“This place was originally used for treating severely injured patients,” Jeanne lifted her veil and pushed open the wooden door as she spoke. “But ever since that incident, it has been cursed and now serves only as a morgue.”
A pungent smell of rot emanated from inside, causing everyone to cover their noses simultaneously.
“Damn, that’s horrendous!” Joe James grimaced. “You guys go ahead; I’ll stay outside. Besides, I can’t understand what she’s saying anyway.”
“I won’t enter either.” Naruko brushed aside her sleeves. “I have allergies to strong odors.”
“Fine, you all wait here,” Zhang Zhiyuan said irritably. “I’ll go inside alone.” With that, he stepped into the room, quickly surveying his surroundings. The side chapel was small, no more than thirty square meters, with high windows allowing the twilight sunlight to slant in, casting dim lattice-like shadows on the floor.
By these dim lights, he could see that there were still massive amounts of black stains left on the stone bricks, which were likely the results of blood seeping into the ground.
“The incident likely occurred late at night. No one knows how the murderer entered or managed to control so many patients,” Jeanne spoke haltingly. “The first person to discover something amiss was Vena, who arrived for her early morning shift. According to her description… the scene was horrific beyond words. Several bodies had been dismembered and reassembled, with their drained blood seeping through the door cracks…” As she reached this point, she couldn’t help but cover her mouth, audibly retching from disgust.
Clearly, it was not a pleasant memory for her.
“You don’t need to continue; I understand.” Zhang Zhiyuan took out a notebook and sketched a rough layout of the room’s furnishings—despite the beds now being replaced with mortuary tables, the overall arrangement remained similar to half a month ago. He had already identified the crime scene based on the photographs’ positions. After completing his sketch, he asked, “By the way, what did you mean earlier by ‘curse’?”
“The Scarlet Curse.” A trace of lingering fear involuntarily showed on Jeanne’s face. “The Holy Cathedral spent just two days thoroughly cleansing this room, but afterward, patients here would mysteriously die, covered in red sores before passing away. It wasn’t just the patients; even we could fall victim to the curse… Eventually, the headmaster had no choice but to order everyone to evacuate the side hall, leading to its current state as you see now.”
“I see,” Zhang Zhiyuan mused thoughtfully. “This situation must have occurred in the main hall as well, right?”
“How did you know?” Jeanne looked at him with surprise. “Yes, it did happen there, but not as frequently as here.”
“I have a medical… scholar friend who has extensively studied curses. As a token of appreciation for your help, I’ll share a method to counteract this curse,” Zhang Zhiyuan smiled. “Before attending to any patient, whether treating or caring for them, always wash your hands thoroughly with boiled water first. Additionally, those bandages, splints… anything that will come into contact with wounds should be boiled in hot water beforehand. This could potentially curb the spread of the curse.”
“What? You mean boiling things in water? But it’s a curse!” Jeanne’s expression made it clear she thought he was talking nonsense, “And are you done observing? No need for more details?”
“Yes, it’s enough now.” Zhang Zhiyuan headed towards the door, “Once again, thank you for your assistance, Miss Jeanne. I believe those murderers won’t remain unpunished for long.”
“So what did you find out?” Outside the side chapel, Joe James shrugged, awaiting his response.
“Decisive clues,” Zhang Zhiyuan replied confidently. “Let’s hurry back to our cabin. If my guess is correct, the murderer will soon strike again.”
