Human body.
Being fragile and prone to illness is a shackles to spirituality!
bring it on,
bring it on,
Join this party and I grant you eternal freedom!
"Ho ho!"
…
"Well…"
Dean woke up from his nightmare with a soft hum.
A faint white light rose.
He blinked hard, and his blurred vision quickly cleared, and the white wall opposite and the clock on the wall came into view.
The air smelled of disinfectant.
"Am I... lying in the hospital again?"
Dean raised his hand and saw two circles of white bandages. He tried to move his back and waist to sit up from the hospital bed. Suddenly, the sting of the sharp blade, the burning pain of the fire, and the pain deep in the bones from excessive exertion came to him. , as if a thousand knives were cutting his flesh at the same time.
Everywhere in my body hurts.
Dean gasped with his face twisted in pain. He remembered that he had been severely beaten by the ghost Alexander Raphael.
"It's a medium-difficulty event, it's really abnormal, there are supernatural factors, and the risk of death is huge."
If he hadn't obtained the "Sleepless Man's Tablet" in advance this time and made a lot of arrangements to target the ghost's weaknesses, he would have died.
"That was a long sleep, man."
A faint joke sounded, and an energetic Holden Ford, dressed in a black suit, appeared on the right side of the hospital bed. There was an annoying teasing smile on his handsome face, but he looked very good, as if he had encountered some great event. .
"How long have I been lying there?" Dean felt a chill on his forehead. He reached out and touched the bare area, and his hand was also wrapped in a bandage.
"It lasted longer than last time at Lake Mead, three days. I almost thought you wouldn't wake up... Don't touch it, your hair is burnt, so of course it needs to be shaved off. But you are young and have strong recovery ability. It will take a month or two." It will grow back completely."
"Um...where is Alvin? I rescued him. Is he still alive?" Dean asked nervously,
"Do you still have the energy to care about others? Take care of yourself." Holden said helplessly and admiringly, "Do you know how dangerous this time is? A broken rib and three stab wounds in the back. One of the knives grazed your heart, missed it by a few centimeters, and you are now lying in the morgue."
"There are several burns on the hands, back, and left leg. Although they are protected by cotton jackets, they are not too serious, but they will leave ugly scars after healing." Holden looked regretful, as if he had seen a piece of exquisite art. The product has a few flaws. "It will be difficult for you to find a girlfriend in the future."
Dean's head tightened and he quickly touched his face.
Fortunately, it is still smooth and delicate, and the bleeding hole near the cheekbone has long since healed and is almost invisible.
As long as it's not disfigured.
A few more small scars on a man's body are just badges of honor.
"For the next month, you will just stay in the hospital and don't go anywhere." Holden ordered with half-concern,
So troublesome.
Dean frowned.
"Just rest and recuperate, Alvin, what's going on, don't show off to me."
Event - Brother's progress was stuck at 95%, but strangely, it was neither failed nor completed, which gave him a sense of expectation.
"Tell me the truth first." Holden sat down next to the hospital bed, picked up the teardrop-shaped sala from the bedside table on the left, held it in his palm and rubbed it, "What on earth were you and Alvin in House No. 369?" What did you do, burn a good house to rubble...I spent countless words to help you get through the questioning by the Henderson police."
"You are lucky. That house was originally Panon's legacy to Alvin. Otherwise, you will have to prepare to work in vain in the next few years to compensate for the losses."
Only then did Dean realize that reality is not a fantasy movie. After burning down the house and exorcising the devil, he could become a hero, pat his butt and leave.
There are consequences for all their actions.
Dean breathed a sigh of relief and snatched the shackle from the opponent's hand.
"If you really want to listen to the truth, then I will tell you that after receiving the guidance of Ms. Marlene Dailey, Alvin and I performed the second psychic ceremony in the house and successfully summoned Alexander Raphael Your ghost.”
Dean raised his head, preparing to accept the storm of criticism from this staunch scientist.
But this time, Holden uncharacteristically did not raise any questions.
"And what happened between you and Alexander's ghost?"
Dean didn't hide it either. He omitted the details of using the ji board to launch the final blow, and basically repeated the rest of it unchanged.
Holden nodded from time to time.
"I also found some evidence during my trip to Alexander's hometown... This old guy has been collecting information about Panon and preparing cruel rituals... And Panon's remains were found in the ruins of the fire. These are important evidence for conviction. He can't escape!"
There was a strange light in Holden's eyes, as if he had seen some incredible miracle.
"But I'm a little confused, what on earth did Alvin go through in the house?"
Dean paid attention to the other person's expression and realized, "So he's not dead, right?"
"He is alive and well." Holden stood up and took a deep breath, "And he is not as unlucky as you. Except for a slight burn on his skin, a 'high temperature hair removal' all over his body, a slight fracture of his nose, and an injury to his right ankle. , he is very healthy, and his physical condition exceeds 90% of middle-aged men."
Your efforts are not in vain!
Dean clenched his fists excitedly, grinning in pain, and the smile on his face turned into surprise.
"Wait, you said he is healthier than most middle-aged men? How is this possible? I remember he was on fire. And didn't he already have terminal cancer? Even if he was lucky enough to survive the fire, he would still be alive. The days are numbered.”
"I didn't believe this conclusion at first, and even Alvin himself couldn't accept it." Holden said, "So we asked the doctor to check it several times. The results confirmed that there was no trace of cancer cells in his body. 'Cleaner' than many young people."
Holden sighed with complicated expression,
"He has completely recovered and will live for at least another 20 to 30 years."
Dean opened his mouth, looking at the night sky outside the window, and said nothing for a long time.
A cancer patient was burned by a fire and not only did he not die, but he also recovered from his illness.
When did a dangerous flame become a healing fire?
This sounds like a lie made by a magician to deceive believers.
"To be honest, I don't know whether I should believe your superstitious claims now, but this is an out-and-out medical miracle." The confusion on Holden's face flashed away, and he immediately regained his shrewdness, "Since you You’re already awake, I’ll call Alvin in, and you can talk to him in person.”
Dean was a little hard to understand.
After spending a long time talking, Holden still regarded everything as superstition.
Why does such a well-informed FBI act like he has never seen a supernatural event, yet he has already participated in two of them in just two months?
This is unreasonable.
"By the way, Dean, I have to say thank you. You burned down a house, but you found Panon's charred body, and with the evidence I collected from Alexander's hometown, I can almost prove this old guy... The most important thing is At this point, Alvin also agreed to return to Compton as a witness, and the Blood Gang case was settled."
Holden gave him a thumbs up,
"You two solved two cold cases with your crazy actions. Well done!"
"I did a great job, then reimburse me for the expenses of the operation." Dean made a decisive request.
"What? I can't hear you clearly."
"Listen up, Holden, my thousand dollars must be reimbursed."
"I'll remember and I'll bring you hot dogs with fried onions tomorrow morning."
Holden strode out of the door.
Shet!
Dean raised his middle finger at his back and smiled.
The results seem pretty good.
…
Alvin clasped his knees with his hands and sat in a daze on the chair next to the hospital bed. He was dressed in a hospital gown and had a bald head without even an eyebrow. He looked a little funny, but he had a trace of healthy blood color than before and was no longer sickly pale. .
Apart from his right ankle being in a cast and a slight redness and swelling between his nose and neck, the injuries were much less serious than Dean's.
In addition, he has an impressive and unique temperament——
After escaping from the clutches of death, he was favored by the goddess of luck.
"So, what exactly happened in the attic?"
"Dean...you are different from Holden. We have experienced life and death together, so I won't hide it from you." Alvin slapped the cover and sighed, "I saw the ghost of Parnon in the attic."
Dean looked at the system and saw that the investigation progress began to slowly increase, and he suddenly felt excited.
Are you witnessing their end now?
"The old guy carved a lot of terrible black runes on the skin of Panon's corpse, and then sealed him in the black mud bed in the attic to control its ghost." A hint of hatred flashed in Alvin's cloudy eyes. meaning,
"So the person we are looking for has been hiding under our noses?" Dean looked stunned, "I should have broken that bed earlier, so there wouldn't be so much trouble later!"
"No, man, you have done enough, you have helped me a lot," Alvin said with gratitude on his face, "If you hadn't severely injured Alexander down there, I would have died at the hands of Panon."
Alvin suddenly lowered his head and clenched his hands into fists.
"When he regained consciousness, I realized that even though more than twenty years had passed, my stupid brother Panon never blamed me for abandoning him. He had been waiting for me in the house..."
Alvin squeezed his knees hard and gritted his teeth, "I went too late... too late."
"Don't blame yourself, man. Anyway, you met Panon at the last minute and reunited him with his family."
Dean looked at the progress of 98%,
"And I have avenged you. Alexander Raphael's evil soul has been driven away!"
There was a brief silence in the ward, and only the sound of breathing could be heard.
"Back to the topic, I remember you were on fire, why weren't you injured at all?" Dean asked,
"I don't know, but I remember how I felt at that time..." Alvin looked up at the white ceiling and blinked in confusion, "There were fire and smoke everywhere, I was holding Panon and waiting to die, a burning pillar It fell and I was hit. My vision went dark and I fell into a strange state."
"I couldn't see anything and seemed to be unconscious, but I could clearly feel the flames burning quietly between my skin and internal organs."
"Oh? Tell me more specifically." Dean's face straightened and his ears pricked up.
A strange look suddenly bloomed in Alvin's blue eyes, and there was a touch of touching power in his voice.
"At that moment, when I was caught in the flames, something occupied my brain."
"It's a chaotic consciousness between death and survival."
"I could feel my body melting."
"It was as if I melted into a liquid and flowed into another place beneath the flames, hidden deep and covered in vibrant green,"
"The air smells rich and earthy, and the leaves and shrubs sway with the fresh fragrance..."
Dean gave Alvin a strange look. Was this a hallucination before his death?
How can you see a forest in flames?
"This place under the flames makes me feel extremely warm and friendly, like home, like my final destination."
"My brother Panon is waving to me among the vines, green leaves, and wickers." Alvin's lips curved slightly,
"I could feel him opening his arms and hugging me."
"I even felt a hint of our father and mother, with David and his mother, whom he had never met, standing next to him."
Alvin looked into the void and spoke passionately, sharing the joy and excitement,
"They are all in that forest under the flames. As long as I let go and take another step closer, my parents, brother, me, the four of us will enter that forest."
"In the end, they become one, wrapped in the care and attachment of their family all the time."
"I was tired, I'd been waiting for relief, so I did, I let go, I said 'come on, take me'."
The voice suddenly stopped,
"Then I woke up."
Alvin beside the hospital bed covered his mouth and burst into tears, as if he had lost the whole world.
"I can still feel that David, Panon, and my mother are still in that forest, and their care and love for me is even greater than before."
"But I clearly promised... not to leave Panon behind... but I failed to do it..."
Dean looked at his companion with slumped shoulders and wanted to reach out and pat him on the shoulder.
But the bandaged hand could never reach it.
In the end, I could only raise the bamboo board and glance at the other party to confirm that there was nothing abnormal, and recalled the mysterious story just now.
There was only one possibility for Alvin to survive.
The ghost of his autistic brother Panon chose to sacrifice himself between life and death to protect his brother Alvin, who had been away for more than 20 years.
It was like standing in front of my younger brother when faced with a speeding car.
This time, Panon once again stood in front of him, saving him from the fire and, by chance, cured his terminal illness.
Panon himself turned into ashes?
Or did you really go to that incredible forest under the flames?
A strange feeling came over Dean.
Is Alvin's experience a unique near-death experience, or is there indeed such a magical place?
Another space, latitude?
A forest full of vitality is like paradise.
Lost family members and departed ghosts all live there.
Dean couldn't be sure, lost in thought.
But at this moment, after listening to this narrative.
The investigation progress is finally complete.
A reminder flashed before my eyes——
"You saw the end of brothers Alvin and Parnon Garcia."
"The incident is progressing 100%."
“You can withdraw your rewards at any time.”
…
"It's me who should die...it should be me who should die..."
Alvin murmured softly,
"Hey, man, don't you understand? It's not that you broke your promise, but that Panon pushed you away." Dean advised, "Think about it carefully. You survived a terrible fire and got rid of the disease. "Recovering your health may not be the last gift your family leaves for you."
"I'm 100% sure," Dean looked into his eyes, "They all want you to start a new life and live decently, healthily, and happily."
"Finally, when you are old, leave this world, go to 'that forest' to reunite with them, and share all the joy and happiness you gain from your new life with your relatives."
"Panon saved me? Share joy and happiness?"
Alvin pondered this sentence over and over again, and suddenly there was a glimmer of light in his eyes, and he said to himself,
"I want to live well so that I can share joy and happiness when I see them in the future."
Dean nodded.
The companion found a new goal, regained hope, and he seemed to be healed.
The strong psychological pressure he endured during the battle with Alexander Raphael was also greatly relieved.
"What are your plans next?"
"It's my turn to fulfill my promise. I will accompany Holden to Compton to testify against the Bloods gang criminals."
Alvin's eyes became firm,
"Then trying to figure out how to rebuild my home from the burned ruins, Holden said Panon still had a lot of money left in his bank account."
"As long as I pay off the property and real estate tax arrears and pay the inheritance tax, I can own it again."
"Congratulations, make good use of the start-up funds for your new life!" Dean smiled happily, picked up an apple and took a bite. The two looked at each other and smiled.
The depression and sadness of the past disappeared at this moment.
Dean muttered,
"I have another question. Since Alexander killed Panon first, who killed this old guy? Do you have a clue?"
Alvin rubbed his temples and thought hard for a while, and then suddenly realized,
"When I woke up this time, I had a lot of unfamiliar memories of Panon in my mind."
"So magical?"
"Well, the situation was too bizarre so I didn't tell Holden - Panon's ghost saw the murderer, and he suddenly opened the door of No. 369 one night two years ago."
"Alexander was torturing Panon's ghost in the living room at the time. He had no time to react. His whole body seemed to be immobilized and motionless."
Alvin looked into the void, as if there was a book written there,
"The man stood at the door. Without stepping into the door or making any movement, Alexander's neck instantly bent 180 degrees, and his two eyes filled with nerves and flesh flew out of their sockets and flew in. The man's palm." Alvin's voice was trembling, "The man's killing process took less than five seconds, as easy as crushing an ant."
"Wait a minute, are you sure the murderer broke Alexander's neck from a long distance and took out two eyeballs from the air?"
"That's right! He took the bloody eyes and closed the door and left without leaving any trace."
"And after the death of Alexander Raphael, the tablet in the attic lost its owner and sucked his and Panon's souls in, sealing them for two full years."
"Until we summoned them all together."
"I only know now that I keep having nightmares in the house, and it was Panon who warned me to leave immediately through the telepathy between brothers. But he was controlled by Alexander and could not express himself clearly."
"By the way, the tablet in your hand is a 'magic weapon' that Alexander regards as life. It has various special effects against ghosts."
…
"I see, then all the doubts are explained." Dean put the trophy board into his arms and sorted out a timeline in his mind.
Five years ago, Alexander killed Panon and manipulated his ghost.
Two years ago, Alexander was killed by an alien superpower. He turned into a ghost and was sealed in a tablet with Panon.
"What does the murderer look like?"
"Medium height, black hair, face full of beard, face unclear, dressed in rags and slovenly, a homeless man on the street like me in the past," Alvin flashed a trace of fear in his eyes, and just telling his lips made him smile. Trembling, "Only one of his eyes was intact, and he had a black eyepatch on the other."
"A super-powered homeless man with the strength to easily crush Alexander?"
Dean felt a strong sense of familiarity, as if he had seen this guy before.
"Man, I think you'd better not pursue the investigation any further, and don't tell Holden the truth." Alvin warned with a solemn expression, "That guy is very dangerous. I can feel from my memory that he has more power than the psychic." The master needs to be incredible, powerful, and mysterious!”
"I remembered!"
Dean suddenly slapped his knee and gasped in pain again.
"The one-eyed tramp, isn't he Taimu?"
Tam——
More than a month ago, he haunted the Balka Disco and provided Dean with vital clues that allowed him to kill Bob Lowe!
But when Dean went to look for him later, he couldn't find anyone.
"Tem is a powerful person with super powers, and it's a coincidence that I cross paths with him again."
"Do you know him?" Alvin asked.
"I met him once and chatted with him. I just feel that he doesn't look like a cruel killer." Dean said to himself doubtfully, "Why did he want to kill Alexander?"
"There is a fragment in my mind, Taim muttered something before leaving..." Alvin recalled, "'Another Sleepless One', yes, the Sleepless One."
"The Sleepless One?" Dean thought of the same marks on the wooden box and the slate, as well as the pale eye.
again? That's more than one.
So the Sleepless Ones are an organization, a supernatural force made up of insane lunatics who are unable to sleep.
His mind was spinning.
This organization has attracted people like Alexander, whose behavior is obviously not so decent.
And the homeless man Taimu is like fire and water to them. He is hunting these people. Does he represent another force, or is he a lone ranger with a sense of justice?
…
The more I think about it.
Dean felt a chill on his back.
The water in this world is deeper than he imagined.
Ordinary people.
Psychic-level ghost.
People with different positions and hidden superpowers.
possible forces.
His fledgling fighting, shooting, and shadows of the past are simply not enough.
…
"Tem has paid attention to me, but there is no malice. Otherwise, with his strength, he would have taken action long ago."
Dean suddenly recalled the words that Taimu left in the back alley of the dance hall after he disappeared——
"Darkness prefers aliens. Hide it well and don't let it get too close. Be careful not to leave any corpses."
"He was warning me to be careful, and now it seems that this darkness refers to something dangerous and supernatural."
"But how can I be careful? I'm too weak. I can't do anything but watch."
Dean can't figure it out, and he doesn't want to eagerly follow Taimu's footsteps. The only thing he can do is to make good use of system events to develop in a clumsy way.
Once you have a certain amount of self-protection, you can truly enter this mysterious world to find out.
"Alvin, that's it for tonight. I have to sort out the thoughts in my head. By the way, don't talk about the topic we just discussed, do you understand?"
"Don't worry, I understand. If you need anything, remember to call me."
