793 A Million Times for You 155 (1/2)

”I'm terrified…” said Shi Qingzhou, filled with fear and anxiety.

Tuoba Shuo held her hand in a bid to give her some support. ”Chief Pan from the police station is here, go downstairs to take a look,” he said.

”What is he here for?”

”He's here to look for Xiaoning.”

Shi Qingzhou headed downstairs together with him.

”I'm Xiaoning's mother. May I ask why you're looking for Xiaoning?” Shi Qingzhou asked.

Although it was Pan Zhenghui's first time meeting Shi Qingzhou, he could tell right away that she was An Xiaoning's mother from the striking similarities between their features. Pan Zhenghui decided to cut straight to the chase and said, ”I tried to call Xiaoning but she didn't answer at all. After learning that she was living here, I decided to make a trip here immediately. I have something urgent to discuss with her. May I see her?”

”Xiaoning isn't exactly available right now. You may tell me about it directly, I'll relay the message to her.”

Pan Zhenghui could no longer be bothered with keeping it confidential. ”Two weeks ago, a major traffic incident occurred along the junction. Ever since then, there had been several accidents happening every now and then. Due to the sheer seriousness of the accidents, all the civilians are really terrified and worried. The media has been trying to keep these accidents under wraps and refraining from reporting about them. We're very sorry for our incompetence, but we really haven't got a single clue at all. So, we're thinking of inviting Xiaoning back to the station to help out with the investigations. The Autumn Palace has already heard about this, and they've ordered us to hurry and resolve this issue. We're under immense pressure, there really isn't another viable solution.”

Shi Qingzhou did not expect for things to escalate so quickly and be blown out of proportion. Recalling what her daughter had said the other night, she said upfront, ”Chief Pan, I can empathize with how you feel, but Xiaoning really isn't available right now.”

”Why so? Could you tell me the reason? We wouldn't have troubled Xiaoning if it weren't because we're at our wits' end — I know she's busy too,” said the anxious and frantic Pan Zhenghui.

”Xiaoning has slipped into a coma.”

”What's wrong with her?” Pan Zhenghui asked in astonishment.

”She's been possessed by an unholy spirit.”

That excuse worked all the time.

”Ah… of all times…” Pan Zhenghui lamented, patting his head.

At the thought of the various accidents that had been happening lately, Shi Qingzhou could not bear to turn him down. ”If she were well and available, I reckon she wouldn't bear to reject your request. After all, it concerns the lives of many.”

”When will she come to?”

”I don't know. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow, or perhaps several days later. There isn't a certain time she would wake up. Xiaoning happened to have passed by the scene on the evening of the major accident at the junction that involved four cars. She said that she saw a spirit there and that the accident was a result of a supernatural cause. She was just too busy to inform you guys. We both thought that the spirit was just out to get her revenge and would stop after causing the accident. Yet, she actually went on a rampage,” Shi Qingzhou explained.

Pan Zhenghui was getting a major headache. ”We've already guessed that it has a supernatural cause too. After all, we've already done all the investigations we could but there's just no clue at all. We would've solved this case easily back in the day when Xiaoning was still working with us.”

”Although I'm psychic too, I can't leave Xiaoning right now. In my opinion, what you should do now is to report to your superior and request for a temporary law to be passed, wherein all vehicles are prohibited from traveling on the roads for the time being, including public transport vehicles.”

”We've already controlled and limited the number of cars allowed on the roads. However, it's of no help at all.”

”Chief Pan, what I meant is, prohibit all vehicles, not reduce the number.”

”I've thought of that too, but the superiors won't approve of it. We can only restrict the numbers for now. I really don't know what we should do,” Pan Zhenghui said with a frown on his forehead.

”If Xiaoning comes to, there might be a chance when she tries to persuade the president. However, she hasn't come to yet, so…”

”Xiaoning used to hold a position at the police station, and she was later replaced with another psychic police officer, Yuan Mingzhu. However, Yuan Mingzhu died afterward, and though we're trying to find another psychic officer from the police academy, there hasn't been any progress so far. Once Xiaoning comes to, call me immediately. How does that sound?”

”Sure,” Shi Qingzhou agreed with a nod.