Netherworld Investigator

Chapter 343

After my narrow escape from death, I could see afterimages of anything I saw. Earlier, the doctor’s face remained on the ceiling for a few seconds but it wasn’t like any ordinary afterimage. I could clearly see his stubble and nose hair. Only after repeatedly squeezing my eyes hard did the afterimage disappear.

At first, this strange phenomenon made me very uncomfortable. The objects I casually glanced at would remain in front of me for a period of time which greatly befuddled me.

The intensive care unit was extremely quiet, with only the drib drab of the IV. I lay motionless with an oxygen mask over my face as I drifted in and out of sleep, laying like this for an entire day...

When I woke up the next day, I was greeted by Sun Bingxin’s misty eyes. "Song Yang-gege is awake!" she exclaimed.

Dali leaned in and said, "Song Yang, how do you feel? You’re really lucky, you know? The doctor said the dagger was only two millimeters short of stabbing the heart! We were all scared to death dude. Song Xingchen almost killed the imposter on the spot. Fortunately, he was stopped and now both he and Deng Chao are locked up. By the way, many people have sent you flowers but the doctor said they’re not allowed in an intensive care unit. They’re all arranged neatly outside. You can even open your own flower shop!"

"Dali, stop yammering and let Song Yang-gege rest," grumbled Bingxin.

I forced a smile as the two sat beside me playing Honor of Kings, and I listened to the two chatting to chase the boredom away.

It turned out that they came to look after me during the day while Xiaotao came at night. She had watched over me all throughout last night and was so sleepy in the morning that Bingxin made her go back and rest.

Being unable to speak bored me out of my mind. I tried motioning with my eyes for Dali to turn on the TV. At least I could listen to the news or some music. But the idiot stared at my blinking eyes for a long time and decided I wanted to use the bathroom. I gave up trying to hint to him.

At noon, the two discussed going out for lunch. Bingxin said she would stay while Dali went first but the sneaky bastard insisted on going together. I thought to myself, Doesn’t he already have a girlfriend? Why is he still pursuing Bingxin? Is he planning on two-timing them?

When the two left at last, a nurse entered the ward to change the IV but my keen eyes noticed she was holding an empty syringe. She stood there, silently injecting a huge air bubble into my infusion tube!

I whined, yanking the needle off but the nurse was too strong for me in my weakened state. She was going to plunge the needle back in! I panicked, but all I could do was glare at her.

Then a miracle happened!

The nurse let out an ear-splitting scream as if she had seen a ghost. Body quaking like a leaf, she stumbled backwards away from me.

I couldn’t comprehend what about my eyes frightened her, but my life was on the line. At this moment, I stared at her with rapt attention. The nurse unexpectedly turned tail, scrambling out of the door. Then came the sounds of a fierce fight and the nurse’s miserable screams.

Outside the ward, Song Xingchen clutched the nurse and demanded, "Who sent you?"

There was a flurry of movement, then the muffled thud of a body falling to the ground. Someone screamed, "Ahh, murderer!"

My head throbbed with pain as the room around me spun. Song Xingchen rushed in and cried, "Are you alright, young master?"

Upon noticing my eyes, he appeared amazed. "That fake nurse committed suicide by swallowing poison. I’ll deal with it first and come back to you!"

Not long after he left, I passed out, unaware of the situation outside.

After lying in bed for three days, I was able to sit up and consume liquid food. Naturally, Xiaotao and Bingxin took turns spoon feeding me. Ever since the assassination attempt on me, the others never let me out of their sight for even a moment.

Xiaotao informed me that Kong Hui and Deng Chao were being interrogated, though they refused to confess to their crimes. Judging from the clues we obtained, Deng Chao’s revenge was inspired by certain people who wanted to get rid of me. Kong Hui acted as a backup plan in case of any hiccups.

The dean who was detained by Kong Hui and the children Deng Chao kidnapped had all been rescued. Clearly, Kong Hui had prepared in advance that day. His makeup was perfect down to the tiniest details such as his hands, which had me fooled.

"My body seems to have undergone some changes," I blurted.

"What’s the matter? What’s wrong with you?" asked Xiaotao.

"No, I’m fine,” I laughed. “Let’s conduct a little experiment!"

I asked Xiaotao to randomly search for an article online and place her phone in front of me for one second. Then I closed my eyes and read out the entire page word for word. "Oh my God, do you have a photographic memory?”

"It’s my eyes!” I chuckled. “I now see afterimages even after looking away from an object. It’s as if the images I see remain on the retina for a few seconds."

Xiaotao looked me in the eye, "That’s incredible. Did your eyes transform after a narrow escape from death?"

"There’s something else I’d like to test!" I continued.

I wanted to determine if my eyes were capable of self defense. The ability to scare off even a murderer suggested these “powers” were unusual.

Just as I was about to begin, Song Xingchen barged into the ward and interrupted, "I’m afraid using the Eye of Yama on Ms. Huang will ruin your relationship."

"What did you just say?" I looked up.

"Can you please leave the room, Ms. Huang? I’d like to have a private conversation with the young master," Song Xingchen solemnly added.

"Let her stay!" I argued.

"Will you two get married?" Song Xingchen asked.

"What?!" Xiaotao and I interjected in unison. Her cheeks colored with embarrassment.

"The secrets of the Song family must not be known to outsiders,” explained Song Xingchen. “This is our ancestor’s rule! Unless you propose to Ms. Huang right now and she agrees to marry you, she must leave the room or I’ll be forced to kill her."

I glanced at the flushed young woman and faltered, "Xiaotao, I..."

How could I possibly propose without any preparations? Besides, our relationship had only just begun. When the words reached my lips, I coughed and said, "I’ll tell you everything when the time is right!"

"It doesn’t matter,” she smiled. “I believe it’s only a matter of time that I find out."

Then she left the room with a peck on my cheek.

Song Xingchen locked the door, removed a candle from his pocket and lit it, placing it on the bedside table. "Look at the flame and imagine it as your enemy,” he guided. “Stare at it with all your strength!"

"Are you joking?" I asked.

"Do I look like I’m joking?" he stared at me through those stoney eyes.

I did as he instructed and when I stared at the flame, it flickered and went out.

I stared wide-eyed, taking some time for reality to set in. "That’s impossible. How can my eyes extinguish the candle? It must be the wind."

Song Xingchen struck a match and lit the candle once more. "Try it again if you don’t believe me!"

I tried it and succeeded again but after the second time, I felt dizzy and my consciousness began to blur. "You’re still very weak now,” Song Xingchen pointed out. “If you use it again, you’ll probably pass out. Remember, you can use it no more than three times a day."

"Pass me the mirror!" I cried.

Song Xingchen handed me the mirror and when I looked into it with Cave Vision, I found that my pupil was divided into four layers–red from inside out, the color deepening with each layer.

"You now have the best vision in the Song family–the Eye of Yama!"

I murmured, "The Eye of Yama? I’ve never heard of it."

"That’s because in the history of the Song family, you’re the only one who has awakened it. Actually, that’s not exactly accurate. In fact, the Song family’s Cave Vision is a flawed version of that."

1. The King of Hell, God of Death.