C14 Black Dog Exorcism

I dashed back to the control room, hastily securing all the doors and windows, terrified that the man-eating cat might slip in again.

Once I had regained my composure, I decided to call the police. Upon their arrival, we headed straight to the second floor, but, oddly enough, just like the day before, the hall was empty. The officers inquired about the incident, and I was torn. If I didn't come clean, I could be charged with filing a false report. Yet, if I recounted the bizarre truth, they'd never believe me. So, I spun a tale about witnessing two thugs binding a woman, seemingly plotting her murder, which prompted me to alert the authorities.

They pressed me for descriptions. I described one as having blond hair and the other as being quite skinny; the woman's features, however, were unclear to me.

The officer, a man in his forties with an air of competence, surveyed the area before producing three photographs from his pocket. With a level tone, he asked, "Take a look—are these the individuals?"

A chill washed over me as I examined the photos. "Yes," I confirmed, "these are the people."

He studied me for a moment before asking in a low voice, "Are you certain?"

I nodded affirmatively.

The middle-aged officer gestured for the other two to search the premises, then lit a cigarette and beckoned me to the window for a private conversation. Although the lingering fear hadn't completely subsided, the presence of numerous police officers provided some reassurance. Still, a wave of nausea hit me as I replayed the earlier events in my mind.

"How long have you been working here?" he inquired.

"Not long," I replied, "less than a month."

He squinted slightly and remarked, "You've got quite the nerve, don't you?"

He gave a wry smile. "Nothing much. It's just that not many would dare respond to a call here."

Soon after, the two officers returned, reporting nothing out of the ordinary. The middle-aged officer nodded and instructed them to wait for him downstairs.

The young officers acknowledged and descended the stairs. The middle-aged officer then turned to me and advised, "Young man, this place isn't for someone like you. Keep today's events to yourself. The case is closed. The individuals in the photos are deceased, their bodies discarded by the river. The call we received last night led us to the woman, whose skin had been horrifically removed."

The middle-aged police officer winked at me and continued, "Our investigation revealed that the two men and one woman were students from a nearby arts school. According to their classmates, they had always wanted to explore this building. You haven't been here long, but you're aware that unexplainable things often happen here, right?"

I immediately grasped his implication. Shock was my initial reaction, but it was quickly overshadowed by fear and bewilderment. The officer explained that the three bodies were discovered by the river, and the woman had been skinned! That meant what I had just witnessed was... A shiver ran down my spine. I assured him, "I understand, and I won't speak of today's events to anyone."

The officer seemed pleased as he added, "Actually, the case is closed, and the perpetrator has been apprehended. He's a thirty-year-old with a history of criminal behavior. Thankfully, we've finally caught him. If you're interested, keep an eye on the upcoming newspaper reports for the full story."

A chill settled over me. I acknowledged, "Thank you, officer, for your help."

Once the middle-aged officer had left, I found myself unable to sit still. The police were convinced the culprit was someone else, so naturally, I couldn't suggest it had anything to do with the entities on the second floor, especially without evidence. I couldn't possibly claim that two cats were responsible for skinning the woman, or for the thin monkey's hand!

Reflecting on my situation, I realized I had no evidence, and the surveillance footage had been erased. Even if I gave my statement, the police wouldn't take it seriously. The officer's message was clear: they had their man. His willingness to respond to the call already demonstrated a commendable level of professionalism. Anyone else, knowing the building's eerie reputation, would have refused to set foot here. It seemed that only an outsider like me, naive and curious, would dare to venture into such a place.

Back in the security room, I was on edge. I considered calling Ms. Liu, but I hesitated, knowing she was a complicated figure. Plus, I had no idea how her plans to harm me had advanced during her absence.

Meanwhile, Wu Yi was probably still in the hospital...

The only person who came to mind was Wang Tao.

I called Wang Tao directly to find out his location and if it was a good time for him to swing by.

With a chuckle, Wang Tao asked, "Have you finally come around? Cut the chatter and hurry over."

Wang Tao arrived at three in the morning. I recounted witnessing two cats feasting on human flesh on the second floor. Then I shared how, just the night before, a couple of thugs had dragged a woman upstairs in an attempt to assault her. I was too late to stop them and ended up getting hit with a stick.

Wang Tao laughed and remarked, "Serves you right."

I scoffed, "Damn it, someone's dead, and you're still cracking jokes?"

Wang Tao went on to say that those three had a death wish. Isn't there a saying, 'You won't die if you don't seek death'? Ask anyone, and nine out of ten will tell you that the Ghost Building is off-limits. They knew the consequences and still went ahead. If that's not seeking death, what is?

I asked, "What do we do now? What if someone else stumbles in and ends up dead?"

Wang Tao replied, "You're worrying too much. So, you called me here to save others? Damn, I thought you wanted to team up with me!"

I urged, "Let's not focus on that. Is there a way to clear out the weird stuff on the second floor?"

Wang Tao confirmed he had a method but needed to gather some items. He'd arrived in a rush, and it was too late now. "After you finish work, we'll split up and take action," he said. I inquired about what we needed, and Wang Tao listed five living things: a red rooster, a live carp, a grey mouse, and a sea-bream rabbit. The last item was tricky, but he assured me he'd handle it. However, I would need to go upstairs and draw the creature out.

"Why don't you go?" I asked.

"I'm only half alive to them; they might not take the bait," Wang Tao explained.

"How will we know if we don't try?" I countered.

Wang Tao gave a wry smile, "Brother, I wouldn't put you in harm's way. I could be the bait, but you're not versed in arranging the four living things, and there are other tricks to the trade that need handling."

"Can you blame me for being scared? Last time, you dragged me out to the Unmarked Common Graves, and I even encountered a lantern bearer who seemed caught between the living and the dead. Nearly scared me to death. How can I be sure you won't pull another stunt?"

Wang Tao, puzzled, asked, "What are you talking about? What Unmarked Common Graves? Lantern bearer?"

I replied with a cold laugh, "Oh, play innocent, will you? After we met that day, you handed me a jade piece. Next thing I knew, I was lying in an old graveyard. When I came to, it was pitch black, surrounded by graves. Tell me, would I have ended up there if it weren't for the jade you gave me?"

Wang Tao responded earnestly, "Believe it or not, that jade has no power to bewitch. I've explained before, it's the Soul Devouring Jade, designed to shield your soul and temporarily prevent you from being ensnared in a hell wedding. Think about it. Could someone have used a spell to lure you there, hoping you'd lose the jade? After all, it can keep you safe for a while."

I was taken aback and insisted that couldn't be possible.

Wang Tao suggested, "Then let's drop it. We should focus on the immediate issue. I can feel this body is struggling to contain my soul."

I still found it hard to believe that Wang Tao was part human, part ghost. I questioned how he came back to life. He replied, "It's complicated. But waking up to find you're still alive is nothing short of miraculous. What comes next is valuing and safeguarding your life. I'm on the brink of death; I don't have the luxury of overthinking."

I inquired if he was acquainted with Cripple Zhou. Wang Tao shook his head, indicating he hadn't.

After splitting up in the morning, we arranged to meet at the office at nine that evening. I had made a special trip to the market during the day, bringing four live creatures to the office. Upon meeting, Wang Tao was pulling a large cage covered with a black cloth. Curious, I asked what was inside. He revealed it was a black dog, but it couldn't be exposed to sunlight just yet, or it would lose its effectiveness.

I questioned him on how he came to know these bizarre rituals. Wang Tao claimed he found the information online, but I was skeptical.

Wang Tao instructed me to secure four living creatures in the four corners of the second floor: south, east, west, and north. The iron cage, shrouded in black cloth, was to be placed in the center. He then fetched a basin of water, explaining that it was necessary to ward off negative energy, fearing that the cat spirit might be too timid to emerge otherwise. I expressed my concern about what to do if both cats escaped. Wang Tao chuckled and reassured me, "What's there to fear? With a Pixiu guardian within your five pillars, you have nothing to worry about. Besides, the cat spirit typically induces illusions with its gaze. Just avoid looking into the cats' eyes. Remember, as soon as the cats appear, shut the windows immediately, open the dog cage, and I'll set up a 'guiding bridge' at the door to lure the cats out. After that, we'll have succeeded!"

I retorted that it sounded simple in theory, but the possibility of being killed by the cats was a real concern. I certainly didn't want to end up as a mere skeleton, discarded in a river.

Wang Tao reassured me that such an outcome was unlikely. Once the task was accomplished, each of us would possess a cat spirit, and then, no one could dominate us.