Echoes of Grief

Sleep eluded Liang that night. The weight of the missing child pressed down on her chest, making every breath feel like a labor.

Slipping out of her room, the wall lanterns cast a gentle glow on her brown hair as she walked down the deserted hallway, drawn by the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

The family dining room, now stood steeped in an ethereal silence. Yet, a figure occupied the familiar space. Lord Yang Yuxuan, his face etched with sorrow, sat slumped at the mahogany table, a half-empty cup of coffee growing cold before him.

Liang hesitated, unsure whether to intrude on his private vigil. But the shared burden of the missing boy pulled her forward. "Lord Yang," she said softly, her voice barely a whisper.

The man's head snapped up, his eyes reflecting the same haunted depths as Liang's own.

"Detective," he rasped, a flicker of surprise flitting across his grief-stricken face. "Couldn't sleep either?"

Liang shook her head, taking a seat across from him. "Too many unanswered questions swirling in my head. This case…" she trailed off, the words tasting bitter on her tongue.

A shared sigh of despair hung in the air.

Then, as if seeking solace in another's shared understanding, Lord Yang Yuxuan began to speak.

He spoke of his wife, her bright laughter and insatiable curiosity, of the emptiness that now consumed his home. He spoke of his wife's fear when she finally died of the same strange illness that killed his brother-in-law.

Liang listened intently, her heart twisting with empathy. "I'm sorry Lord Yuxuan, she must've been a good woman".

"It's alright, the only thing I can do is to find what caused the illness, and who killed my father, that way I can mourn them properly" Yuxuan sighed deeply, remembering the wonderful memories he has of his wife.

Liang knew that he was lost in the shackles of grief, and the best she could do for the Yang family was to crack this case "Don't worry Lord Yuxuan, I will do everything in my power to find....."

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream echoed from upstairs. Interrupting whatever Liang was about to say. Panic seized the room. Lord Yuxuan stood up immediately, his eyes wide with terror.

"I know that voice," He said aloud, before running towards the source of the scream, his face pale with fear.

Liang was close behind, her heartbeat thumping with each stride. As they climbed the stairs, the air grew thick with the metallic tang of blood. Then, they found him.

His eldest son, Kai, lay crumpled in his room, his eyes wide and vacant, a crimson stain blossoming on his chest. Beside him, a note, its crimson ink mocking them with its eternal promise: "One shall fall, and none be forgiven."

"Kai !!!!!, no.....no.....no!, this can't be happening, not my son please" Yuxuan's cried, his cries intermingling with the wind's mournful howl, piercing the night.

Liang felt the weight of despair crushing her, but amidst the grief, a chilling certainty ignited within her. The entity was playing a game, a deadly game of sacrifice and fear. And she, Detective Liang Meiying, wouldn't be a pawn.

With a grim resolve, she pocketed the note, its crimson stain like the one on Kai's chest. This was no longer just about a missing child or a family curse.

This was a battle for their very souls, and the shadows had cast their first blow. The darkness had tasted blood, and it hungered for more.

***************************************************************************************The first rays of dawn shone through the stained glass windows of Yanghua Manor, casting a spectral glow on the scene of the murder.

Liang Meiying knelt beside Kai's body, her face grim and resolute. The echo of the family's screams still resonated in the air, a chilling reminder of the night's horrors.

But Liang wouldn't succumb to fear. She was a detective, a shield against the darkness, and she wouldn't let the shadows devour Yanghua Manor, one crimson sacrifice at a time.

Suddenly, a knock at the door shattered the tense silence. It was Inspector Chen, his weathered face filled with concern. "Detective Liang," he said, his voice gruff but kind, "we received your emergency report. What in the heavens happened here?"

Liang recounted the two nights' events in a clipped tone, omitting the disturbing details about the entity and the locket. Inspector Chen listened intently, his brow furrowing as he absorbed the grim details. "One death and a missing child in two nights," he muttered, shaking his head. "This isn't just a missing child case anymore. We need all hands on deck."

"Inspector Chen, any news from the forensic department? concerning the sample I sent". Liang asked expecting any clue that might emerge from it. 

"Yes about that, the blood found on the scene belonged to the boy, but we assume that the boy must've been injured before he was taken. Detective Liang, I know you like working alone, but this time you've been assigned a partner on this case."

He turned to the doorway, calling out, "Detective Lu Zhi, step in!"

A young woman, barely out of her rookie year, entered the room. Her eyes, bright with intelligence and determination, met Liang's for a fleeting moment.

Inspector Chen introduced her as Detective Lu Zhi, a rising star in the force and Liang's temporary partner on this case.

Relief washed over Liang. Partnering with a fresh pair of eyes, someone untainted by the shadows of Yanghua Manor, could be the advantage she needed to crack the case.

She extended a hand towards Detective Lu Zhi, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Welcome aboard, Detective. We've got a hell of a mystery on our hands."

Detective Lu Zhi's gaze flickered to the crimson stain on Kai's chest, then to the locket clutched in Liang's hand. "I'm ready, Detective. Tell me everything."

As Inspector Chen began coordinating the investigation, securing the crime scene, taking out Kai's body, and interviewing the remaining family members, Liang and Detective Lu Zhi huddled together in a corner of the hallway.

Liang explained the family history, the whispers of the curse, and the cryptic messages left by the entity. She shared her suspicion about the locket, a potential link to the entity.

Lu Zhi listened intently, her skepticism slowly giving way to curiosity. "An ancient entity feeding on family secrets and sacrifices?" she mused, tracing the outline of the phoenix on the locket. "Sounds like something out of a gothic novel."

"Believe me, Detective," Liang said, her voice hardening, "this is anything but a novel. This is real, and it's deadly."

Lu Zhi, intrigued by the possibility of a historical connection, volunteered to delve into the family archives, searching for clues and forgotten secrets.

"Come then, I've got something to show you," Liang said, taking the lead to where the basement is.