Chapter 131: Ghost Eyes vs. Demon Eyes

Li Wenjia sneered, "Once I kill Huang Xiaotao, I'll hypnotize you. I'll turn the famous young detective into a disgraceful criminal."

I replied calmly, "Do your worst."

Arrogant as a god presiding over this place, Li Wenjia believed she was in full control. Had I pretended to be here for love or sacrifice, Wang Yuanchao would've shot me dead on the spot. That's why I had to provoke her instead. Still, sweat soaked my back, and my heart pounded like a drum.

I glanced at Wang Yuanchao. He looked like a cold-blooded killing machine, yet when our eyes met, I noticed him desperately blinking and twitching. My mind froze—was he not hypnotized?

Impossible. If he hadn't been under, he'd have taken Li Wenjia out already. He must be resisting the command with sheer willpower.

Ordinary people can't break hypnosis by will alone. But Wang Yuanchao wasn't ordinary—he'd survived drug wars and fire-fights. His mind was forged in blood and fire.

Hang in there, Wang Yuanchao. We need you.

Suddenly, Li Wenjia gave a command: "Officer Wang, sing!"

Wang raised his gun, pointing it at our heads. "Singing" must be code for executing an order.

We were marched forward, the warehouse enormous and divided into smaller sections. Through a door, we entered an open space where a table stood. On it sat a white porcelain urn and a spirit plaque that read: In Loving Memory of Li Wenhai. Two white candles burned beside it.

Li Wenjia's voice echoed from a loudspeaker: "Officer Huang, bow three times to my brother. I want to hear it."

...

...

Huang Xiaotao gritted her teeth. "Dream on!"

"You killed my brother. You owe him an apology," Li Wenjia said.

"He was a monster. He deserved to die a thousand deaths!"

"Officer Wang, dance!"

Without warning, Wang Yuanchao struck Huang Xiaotao with the butt of his gun. She fell, and he kicked her repeatedly. I tried to intervene, but he shoved me aside like a rag doll. Only when Li Wenjia said, "Stop," did he freeze in place again, gun raised.

I rushed to Huang Xiaotao, her head bleeding, barely conscious.

"Kneel before my brother," Li Wenjia ordered.

Gritting her teeth, Huang Xiaotao knelt and slammed her forehead to the ground three times. My heart ached at the sight.

Applause came from the speaker. "Wonderful," Li Wenjia cooed. "I've waited so long for this. Now my brother can rest in peace."

Huang Xiaotao stood, trembling. "Throw whatever you have at me, Li Wenjia!"

"Check behind the candle," came the eerie reply.

She looked—and screamed, "I'll kill you, Li Wenjia!"

High above, the warehouse lights flared on. Two people stood on a steel beam: Officer Ma, and a middle-aged man in a suit. Nooses hung around both their necks, tied to the roof.

"On the left is your mentor. On the right, your father. Blow out a candle and choose. Or they both die," Li Wenjia's cruel voice echoed from above.

Huang Xiaotao crumbled, screaming, weeping. She lunged to overturn the altar.

"Blow out both, and they both die," Li Wenjia sneered. "Go on, if you dare."

"You witch!" Huang Xiaotao shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Nothing's funnier than a cornered dog barking," Li Wenjia mocked. "You have five seconds. Five… four… three…"

When she reached "one," Huang Xiaotao blew out the right candle and collapsed, sobbing. "Dad… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

Li Wenjia laughed, clapping. "What a filial daughter! Seems your master meant more than your father. Very well… Ma Guozhong, step forward."

Officer Ma took a single step—and fell. His body dropped from the beam with a sickening jolt. The impact snapped his spine. He twitched for a moment… then went still.

"No! NO!" Huang Xiaotao screamed in agony.

"Like my little game?" Li Wenjia's voice, now terrifyingly close, sliced through the silence.

She emerged in a red dress and high heels, bangs cut short to reveal a luminous green fox-eye.

"Li Wenjia, I—" Huang Xiaotao froze mid-sentence, paralyzed. I averted my eyes. Don't look into her eyes!

Li Wenjia stepped closer, patted Huang's face while staring into her eyes, and retrieved the gun hidden behind her back.

"Now for the grand finale," she whispered. "I'll make you watch him die."

Huang Xiaotao trembled, powerless.

Li Wenjia aimed at me.

This is it.

"Say goodbye to your boy toy," she smiled.

Then—

"AARRRGHHH!"

Wang Yuanchao let out an animalistic roar, clutching his head. Li Wenjia gasped. "Impossible!"

Her eye wavered—breaking the hypnosis!

Huang Xiaotao sprang into motion, grabbing Li's arm. The gun hit the ground. But before she could pin her down, Li regained control and froze her again.

I shouted, "Lights out!"

All the lights went off.

In darkness, her demon eye lost its power. Mine did not.

This was the moment I'd planned for. Her demon eye couldn't function in the dark. But my Ghost Eyes—could.

"Who's there?!" she shrieked, waving her taser blindly.

"Me," I said.

She bolted, fumbling like a blind woman. Just moments ago, she was a god—now, just a scared, helpless soul.

I picked up a metal rod and crept up behind her.

She turned and lashed out with the taser. I struck her wrist—weapon flew.

Then I hit her knee. She fell, screaming.

"How… how can you see?!"

"You're not the only one with special eyes."

I pinned her down. I used to hesitate hitting a woman—but not this monster.

"Normally, I never use my forensic tools on the living," I whispered coldly. "You're the first."

She shrieked, "I won't accept this! My perfect plan… ruined by someone like you?!"

"Someone like me?"

The Ghost Eyes were created by my ancestor Song Buping, Guangdong's legendary detective. Your demonic gaze was no match for our legacy.

I jammed two fingers into her eye socket and pulled.

Out came a glowing, jelly-like green eyeball.

She howled.

"One… two—" she hissed.

I knew she was about to command the hostages to die.

I punched her in the face, teeth flying, blood spilling. Then grabbed the taser and zapped her.

She convulsed—and passed out.

"Uncle Sun," I called over the radio. "Bring the team in."

Lights flickered back on.

I rushed to Huang Xiaotao. She opened her eyes slowly. "You did it, Song Yang."

Wang Yuanchao still twitched, barely able to function. But without his earlier shout, we'd both be dead.

SWAT stormed in, guns raised. The hostages were saved. Those hypnotized were sent for long-term treatment.

As Officer Ma's body was bagged, Huang Xiaotao wept in my arms.

I handed over the fox-eye to Uncle Sun. Let the museum have it—it had no power without its host.

Months later, it sat in a glass case in Nanshi Museum, glowing faintly. A strange reminder of that night.

When we finally stepped out of that warehouse, the sky was brightening.

"It's over," I whispered.

But then—

"SONG YANG!" a voice shrieked.

It was Li Wenjia, wild-haired, chained, screaming like a lunatic. "I'm the world's greatest hypnotist! You can't keep me locked up! I'll kill you all! Hahahaha!"

She had gone completely mad. Her vendetta destroyed everything—her victims, her future, and finally, herself. She could've been a kind and beautiful teacher.

A few months later, Li Wenjia committed suicide in the asylum.

And so ended the tale of the Demon-Eyed Woman.