Ke-style law enforcement officers

Chapter 147 Shadow
“You’ve all heard some stories about the Day of the Dead, even if you’re not a native of Nanwei. They say that if you have a sincere enough heart, you can see your deceased lover at the altar bonfire lit in the middle of the night after the Day of the Dead.”

Joey said to Milo and Enid.

“I’m definitely not from Nanwei.” Milo shrugged.

“I’ve heard that said,” Enid nodded in reply.

Joey ran his fingers lightly over the inscriptions carved on the tombstone and began to introduce the owner of this tomb:

“Maggie Green, a student of Nanwei Academy in 1834, came from a small city deep in the north of the continent, and was a child of immigrant family.”

“The class of 1834?” Enid stepped forward to confirm.

Because the students of the class of 1834 entered school just one year earlier than her; in other words, they were this year's graduating students.

Despite being in the same college, Enid had never heard of the name. The tombstone clearly stated 1834-1836, meaning that Maggie passed away around this time last year.

Someone died at the academy, and Enid was equally unaware of it.

This is what puzzled her.

However, the tombstone does bear the emblem of Nanwei Academy, a gesture of respect from the academy to students who died young during their studies.

What happened to her?

Enid suddenly realized something halfway through her sentence, because she saw a hint of sadness on Joey's face.

She tentatively asked Joey:

"Is the reason you told me before that I had to stay in the association her?"

"Back then, you asked me to leave the Gus Association with you. Perhaps I shouldn't have refused," Joey said, spreading his hands.

"I had carefully considered it beforehand. The research direction of the Gus Society could not help my academic paper. In fact, because of some of my inappropriate expressions, my supervisor had warned me countless times not to cite those inappropriate pseudo-knowledge and theories. They thought I had gone astray. In fact, I trusted my supervisors more than the Gus Society."

"I had even written a letter of resignation, but just as I was about to submit it, the association welcomed a new member."

“Maggie?” Milo glanced at Joey, then turned to look at the inscription on the tombstone.

"Another melodramatic love-at-first-sight story... No offense intended, but it really does sound melodramatic."

Joey shook his head: "No, I can understand how an outsider feels. Love at first sight does sound cheesy and old-fashioned. I actually prefer another way of saying it—the moment I saw her, I couldn't suppress the urge to sleep with her."

“That’s definitely easier to understand.” Milo shrugged, completely ignoring the eye-rolling on Enid’s face next to him.

“Disgusting.” Enid stuck out her tongue.

"No, not at all disgusting. I can see the same emotions in her eyes. What I can feel, she can feel too."

Joey spoke with great certainty.

"So what happened next?" Enid quickly stopped Joey from continuing her description of love at first sight. "Maggie's arrival brought a long-lost vitality to the Guth Society. She had a completely new understanding of many known ancient theories, and everyone welcomed this new member. But then, she disappeared during an expedition. I didn't participate in that expedition; I shouldn't have been absent... The other members of the Society found her body, which had fallen off a cliff..."

Milo and Enid looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

Joey, on the other hand, spoke at a steady pace:

“Maggie is a very intelligent person. She perfectly fits all the qualities the Gush Society needs. She is proficient in geology and multiple paleography, has a quick and agile mind, and loves the mystery more than anyone else.”

“I think you weren’t the only one in the association who fell in love with her at first sight, were you?” Milo added thoughtfully.

"To be honest, that's true." Joey gave an awkward smile.

……

“You don’t actually believe the Day of the Dead traditions are real, do you?” Milo kicked at some charred, dry wood piled up in front of the grave.

These things were clearly leftovers from the campfire.

And it appears to have formed recently, even though the Day of the Dead has been over for some time.

"To be rational, in my opinion, the bonfire custom of the Day of the Dead is just a way to express remembrance. But after Maggie left, for a long time, I always had a very strong feeling that she had never left at all... In the college's study rooms, the library, the hallways, I heard her voice in many places..."

“I even feel like I can see her shadow… She seems to be watching everything the Gus Association does all the time. I have no reason to lie to you. When I first realized I had this feeling, I immediately consulted a psychology professor at the academy and even had some physical examinations done. It turns out that my health is perfectly fine.”

Joey's condition is becoming increasingly strange.

His tone was very calm, as if he were recounting something completely ordinary.

However, his expression kept switching between different states, sometimes sad, sometimes fearful, and sometimes confused.

What's most enigmatic are his subtle body language.

He would unconsciously press his temples with his fingers, which contradicted his claim that he was "in good health".

Moreover, he didn't seem to realize that he was acting strangely.

Milo and Enid exchanged a glance and remained silent in response.

……

“On the 12th of last month, the association organized a field exploration. We were collecting rock samples in a natural cave. I was so tired that I walked almost ten meters along the edge of the cave without securing the safety rope properly. Just as I was about to go deeper into the cave, I saw Maggie’s shadow. Her shadow was on the cave wall, pointing to the safety rope dragging on the ground… I was startled because when we re-secured the rope and entered the cave to explore, we found a steep slope inside, at least tens of meters deep. If I hadn’t stopped in time, I would have died in the cave.”

Joey smiled as he looked at Milo and Enid.

His smile was nothing special in itself, but in this context, in this cemetery, it seemed incredibly eerie.

Milo finally understood why Enid had said that the people of the Gus Association were all obsessed.

(End of this chapter)