【Hello, I am Fang Yuan—Fang as in upright, and Yuan with the wood radical. It's a pleasure to meet you all—not those of you inside the book, but those of you outside the book.】
Fang Yuan was dead.
Someone discovered Fang Yuan's body below the Baoyuan Building, dead after leaping from the roof.
“It's true, Inspector! I only went out to buy groceries this morning. I passed Hero Square, turned onto Amber Street, and as I walked past the Baoyuan Building, I found her body.”
“The moment I looked, wasn't it the girl from next door? So I immediately called you.”
“Good heavens, she was smashed to a pulp! Inspector! Tell me, could this be premeditated murder? Or did she offend the gods and incur their wrath?”
The woman in the reddish-brown plaid shirt looked terrified. By the end of her sentence, she hastily pressed her hands together and began muttering toward the sky.
“Please don't take offense, don't take offense! I was only passing by, I didn't mean to see Your divine punishment! Please don't blame me, don't blame me...”
Sitting opposite her was a female inspector in a dark blue police uniform. Her hands rested clasped on the desk, slight calluses visible on her knuckles. Seeing how anxious the woman was, she curled her fingers and lightly tapped the tabletop.
“The gods do not inflict divine punishment on their own whim. If someone is guilty, the Divine Punishment Hall will pass judgment rather than mete out a lynching.”
“We have already examined the surveillance footage and ruled out homicide. Thank you for making this report. May the gods bless you.”
As she left, the woman in the reddish-brown plaid shirt did not forget to press her hands together and bow toward the sky before quickening her pace, disappearing into the evening streets.
“Wang Wei, that girl committed suicide, and her behavior was extremely bizarre. Do you think she might be a 'Candidate'?”
The man was in plain clothes. Pulling out a chair beside her, he brought up the surveillance footage.
In the video, a girl with long, pitch-black hair arrived on the rooftop. She first climbed onto the rooftop railing, then, as if searching for something, looked back and forth around her with meticulous care.
Next, she reached out both hands and slammed her palms against the sides of her head. Her head drooped, slurred syllables fell from her lips, and her body swayed precariously in the wind.
Finally, she flung her arms wide to both sides and plunged face-forward toward the base of the building without the slightest hesitation.
Resting her chin in her hand, Wang Wei twirled a pen with one hand. “No 'Candidate' is brain-dead enough to jump off a building, right? So thrilled that they leap to their death? No matter how you look at it, that makes zero sense.”
She sighed, closing her hand around the pen. “Three days from now is the once-every-fifty-years 【God Selection】. Every time this comes around, the city falls into chaos. After all, even now, no one has figured out the criteria those gods use to pick people.”
The man mused, “Could it have been done by another 'Candidate'? Before the 【God Selection】 officially begins, having one less competitor is a good thing for them.”
Wang Wei glared at him. “Watch your words, Qi Shan. If you offend a 'Candidate,' both you and I are done for. Those are all people who could become gods. Don't go looking for trouble!”
Qi Shan realized his mistake as well and apologized repeatedly.
Wang Wei rubbed between her brows. “Still no word from Fang Yuan's family? Her body is still lying in the holding morgue.”
Qi Shan shook his head. “According to Fang Yuan's profile, she lost both parents when she was young and was raised by her grandmother. But three days ago, her grandmother was hit by a car while out and passed away. She was the only one left in her family.”
“Sigh, poor girl. Even in an age watched over by the gods, suffering never fails to visit humanity.”
Qi Shan cautioned her in turn, “Wang Wei, you should say less too. Let's just treat this as an accident.”
Outside the inspectorate, the night was as dark as ink. A fierce wind howled, sweeping up surrounding leaves that rustled softly as they drifted to the ground.
Rustle—
A figure stepped across the fallen leaves and stopped outside the inspectorate.
“Hello, I'm Fang Yuan's family. I'm here to claim the body.”
The voice was crisp, ending on an upbeat lilt, as if the speaker were in quite a good mood.
Wang Wei and Qi Shan exchanged a look and glanced over in confusion.
Upon seeing the visitor's face, Qi Shan's complexion instantly went pale.
The newcomer had long, pitch-black hair with slightly curled tips, and crimson pupils carrying an inscrutable smile. She waved at them in a friendly manner.
“Hi! I'm the family! I'm here to claim the body!”
Wang Wei: “...”
She rubbed her eyes. “Has there ever been a case in this day and age where the deceased victim comes to claim their own body?”
Qi Shan: “...Probably not. We're the first. Should we write a special report?”
Wang Wei: “...Go deal with her.”
Biting his lip, Qi Shan shook his head frantically. “Sister Wang, why don't you go? You outrank me. A major incident like this has to be referred to a superior, and you are my superior!”
Wang Wei glared at him. Qi Shan glanced toward the door, shuddered in terror, and squatted down to hide under the desk.
Wang Wei: “...”
The moment she raised her head, that pale face was already right in front of hers.
Wang Wei: “......”
So scary, so terrifying, Mommy! Can't scream, can't scream! You're an inspector now, maintain your persona! Do not scream!!
Fang Yuan gazed at her, offering a brilliant smile. “I'm Fang Yuan's family. Can I claim it now?”
Wang Wei drew a deep breath, her expression dead serious. “We still need to go through the proper procedure. What is your relationship to Fang Yuan?”
“Oh, right, sure. I'm Fang Yuan herself, and I'm here to claim Fang Yuan's body.”
“Please present your identification.”
Fang Yuan patted down her clothes and handed over her ID.
Registering the information with a grave face, Wang Wei casually inquired, “Your current status?”
“Oh, right. 'Candidate' of the God of War.”
Wang Wei's fingertips froze, nearly snapping the tip of her pen.
The God of War? In that case, resurrecting in a new body after death really did sound like His 【Blessing】.
“After I die, I can choose any place I've visited before to revive in a brand-new body. Jumping off the rooftop was just a test, you know. Looks like the results are pretty good.”
Wang Wei: “......”
At least another 'Candidate' wasn't behind it, which was somewhat good news.
Putting down her pen, she led Fang Yuan toward a room in the deepest part of the inspectorate.
“Your body is inside. What do you plan to do with it?”
Watching Fang Yuan from behind, Wang Wei couldn't help but mutter to herself.
——Would any divine 'Candidate' really volunteer the god they belong to and the 【Blessing】 they received?
——How is this any different from showing everyone your hand in Fight the Landlord?
——Besides, the surveillance showed her searching around for something on the rooftop. No matter how you look at it, something feels strange.
Wang Wei shook her head.
What are you thinking, what are you thinking? A divine 'Candidate' must have her reasons for acting like this. Why overthink it?
Fang Yuan pushed open the door. “I'd like to cremate my body.”
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