Goddess Bless You From Death

Case File 15.

****To keep to the book, I've left ‘Big Brother’ as it is. When the TV series is aired, they may use a different term. I, being British, still find this term a bit unusual lol. With regards to ‘Sei’, Sei is a Japanese name. I know that from translating a Japanese book. And according to My Drama List, Sei is ‘Say’, but again, I've left this the way the book has it. ****

"Are you hungry?"

Thup turned to look at his big brother, who still looked at the road ahead, but the question was definitely directed at him.

"Not yet."

"But I'm hungry," Singha said and immediately pulled over to a roadside noodle shop. Once they parked the car, both of them got out and walked into the shop.

"What would you like to order?"

"Thin rice noodles with pork-thickened soup, please," Singha ordered; there was no need to look at the menu.

"Dry tom yum noodles, please," Thup said after looking at the menu, then got up to get some ice for both himself and Singha. "P'Singh, what would you like to drink?"

"Water."

Thup nodded. Then he stood up to grab a bottle of water from the fridge and returned to sit opposite his big brother. He expertly poured the water, inserted a straw, wiped off the spoon, and prepared chopsticks.

"You do this often?"

"Excuse me? Oh, I used to do it for Luang Pu, so it became a habit."

"Hmm."

"P'Singh, what will we do next?"

"We need to wait for the team searching the victims' houses to see what they found."

"Did you remind them not to touch anything with bare hands and...to carry their Buddha amulets?"

"Not yet." As soon as Singha finished speaking, his phone rang.

"Yes?"

[Where are you?]

"Get to the point," Singha said, receiving his noodle bowl from the waiter while holding the phone with his shoulder, not paying much attention.

[The forensic unit's van overturned.] His hand, which was about to add chilli powder to his bowl, paused immediately before he held the phone properly

"Where and when?"

[On the way to the next victim's house. Everyone's been taken to the hospital; they're safe now.]

"How did the car overturn?"

[No idea. I wasn't there. But after inspecting the first victim's house, I got the news.]

"What did you find at that house?"

[No signs, but we found the doll you asked for.]

"What does it look like?"

[A clay doll with a lion's head.] Singha frowned deeply.

"And where is that doll now?"

[Sei left it with the forensic van.] 

His sharp eyes immediately looked up at Thup, who was in the middle of taking a bite of his noodles.

"I'm coming back," Singha said, hanging up and instantly calling the waiter to pay the bill.

"Are you in a hurry?" Thup asked with a worried look.

"Just eat." The young inspector paid the bill and walked to the car. Thup, watching him leave, hurried to finish his meal, unsure of what was going on with his big brother. However, from the earlier phone call, it was quite urgent.

Singha returned to the table, handing Thup a file while dialling his close friend in the forensic department. The young man took the file, looking puzzled. When Singha gestured for him to open it, Thup tilted his head.

"Lion's head is for what day?"

"Excuse me?" Thup asked again.

"Mae-Sue, for what day has a lion's head? "Hello, Sei, where are you?" The first sentence was directed at Thup, while the second was for the other end, who just answered the call.

"Sunday. Mae-Sue for Sunday has a lion's head, named Lady Vijitmawan."

"Find out who was born on Sunday, when they died, and when they went missing."

[Who are you talking to, Singh?]

"Where are you?"

[In the car, on the way to the hospital.]

"Where's the doll you left with the forensic team?"

[Should be at the hospital. I'm going to check Singh, I was haunted!!!] Darin's voice cut in on the line. [What a noise!]

"Haunted?"

[Yeah, when we were at the victim's house, she said she saw a ghost holding the doll under the bed. She was crying so much that I had to take her to the temple. Then, just as we were about to head to the next victim's house, the hospital called about the car accident.]

"Go observe the situation first. I'll be there soon."

[Okay. Where are you, though?]

"Heading back."

[What did you find out from the prison investigation?]

"Fifteen years ago, several officers framed a scapegoat for promotions. I'll handle it after this case."

[Alright, that's it, then.]

"Hold on, Sei." Singha looked at Thup again. 

"When you find the doll, don't go anywhere. I'll go get it myself."

[Why?]

“I'll explain later." 

They exchanged a few more sentences before ending the call and returning to their duties.

"That doll.." Thup didn't dare to continue speaking, because judging by Singha's serious expression, it was clear that something terrible had happened.

"Did you find the information I asked for?"

"Yes." Thup handed back the open file. "Mr James was born on Sunday. He was the first to go missing... and disappeared on a Sunday. I think the killer chooses victims based on their birth days."

Singha read the information while listening, his eyebrows knitted together in concentration.

"We need to inspect all the houses. If the doll matches the birth days, we'll know how the killer chooses victims and how they get that information." Singha drank his water, resting his chin in boredom.

"Aren't you going to eat? The noodles will get soggy."

"Not hungry anymore. Just hurry up and eat."

"We can go now. I don't want to waste your time."

"Just eat. You'd fly away with a little wind."

"You're exaggerating. I'm not that small."

Singha flicked his straw, splashing water on Thup's head. The kid was right; he wasn't that small. Thup was slightly taller than him but thinner due to a lack of exercise. If he worked out, he could easily build a good physique.

"Actually, about the doll. You should check it yourself."

"Why?"

"I heard you talking on the phone with Mr King about the car overturning after they got the doll, right?"

"Yes."

"I think... You might be the only one who can keep it safe."

"Why?"

"Do you worship Lord Wessuwan?"

"No," Thup tilted his head, looking at him. "But my mom does."

"I knew it," Thup murmured to himself. He was certain he wasn't mistaken.

"Why can you see ghosts?"

"I don't know. Luang Pu didn't tell me, just said I'd find out in the future, so I should wear the Buddha amulet necklace until then."

"When, no idea. Where, no idea. And now the Buddha amulet is lost. Are you going to see ghosts forever? Why not get another one?"

"I've tried... but I still see them."

"If I keep the doll, you'll see more ghosts. Are you fine with that?"

"...That's right," Thup looked downcast. "But keeping it with others might be dangerous. This time it wasn't fatal, but those ghosts...don't seem like they want to move on to the next life."

"We'll think about it later. Now, we need to attend to the hospital's affairs. Eat up."

"T'll be right back," Thup said, walking to the counter, leaving Singa scratching at his rice noodles, which had become soggy and absorbed all the broth. "Let's go."

"What's that?"

"Steamed buns. For you to snack on. Since you haven't eaten yet, you can enjoy these in your car."

"Alright, alright."

Once again, they got back in the car and headed to the hospital. Sei, who had just arrived, quickly went to check on his subordinates. One of the three people in the van during the accident was a doctor, currently sitting in front of the emergency room with his head bandaged.

"Koh, where are the others?"

"They're getting treated inside," he replied, looking up at his superior.

"How did the car suddenly overturn?"

"I wasn't driving, boss. Choke was driving."

"So what happened before the accident?"

"I was sitting next to him. We were talking about the doll when he suddenly tensed up and said someone was blocking the road. Then he swerved, and the car lost control and overturned." Koh looked at Sei with trembling eyes. "But when he said someone was in front of the car, I didn't see anyone."

"See? I told you that doll is haunted!" Darin shook Sei's arm, making his head bob.

"Is it the doll from the victim's house?"

"Yes, where is it now? You didn't bring it here, did you?" Darin asked, looking at the injured man sitting beside Sei.

"Here it is." Koh held up the evidence bag containing the lion-headed doll. When Darin saw it, she immediately hid behind her friend.

"Dol was holding it in the car. The nurse just gave it to me because he wouldn't let go, even though his fingers were severed."

"See, Sei? I told you there's something about that doll."

"You fool."

"You guys," a new voice interrupted, making all three turn to look.

"Hello, Inspector."

"Just sit there," Singha said, waving a hand at Koh, who was about to stand up. 

"How are you all?"

"I just have a head wound. Choke's shoulder got dislocated, and he had to get stitches on his mouth from glass cuts. As for Dol, his fingers were severed, and they should be reattached now."

While Singha was talking to the others, Thup noticed the clay lion-headed doll on Koh's lap. He tried to summon his courage, looking around cautiously, but saw no sign of the ghost woman he had seen before, only wandering spirits in the hospital-those who had just died and were unaware, and those who still had attachments.

"Give it to me." Singha reached out and took the evidence bag.

"And where's the one I gave you?"

"At the office," Sei replied, his face serious. All three assistants were in the hospital, which meant he would have to work three times harder on this case.

"Don't examine it yet. Wait until I can check it with you."

"Why?"

''I'll explain later."

"Explain later? You've got a lot of these 'later' explanations."

"Yeah, yeah. Where's King?"

[In this context, attachment refers to unfinished concerns that keep spirits from finding peace, often tied to unresolved matters or emotional bonds.]

"He's probably at the second victim's house by now."

"See you at the station, then."

"Alright."

"P'Darin," Thup suddenly spoke up.

"What is it?"

"The one you saw... was she female?"

"Huh!? Y-Yes. Don't tell me... Don't tell me she followed us here!!! Why didn't the holy water work?!" Darin quickly grabbed Sei's arm in fear.

"No, no. Can you describe her?"

"Ahhh! I don't even wanna talk about it. She was so horrific. A female ghost with no eyes, and she looked very young. It was terrifying. Her mouth was torn. Her eyes were gone. And then there was that doll. This case isn't normal, Singh." Darin, now given the chance, switched to shaking Singha's arm.

"Different spirit."

"What did you say?" Singha, ignoring his friend, focused on the younger man who had just spoken to him.

"The one I saw is a different spirit from the one she saw."

"Why is this so complicated?" Singha cursed in frustration. "I'm going to find King. You handle things here."

"Alright."

Singha walked back to his car. Once inside, he tossed the doll in the bag onto Thup's lap. The young man tensed up and nervously glanced around the car.

"See if this is the doll you saw," the young inspector said, reversing the car and heading toward the next victim's house.

Thup picked up the evidence bag and steeled himself to stare at it. He focused hard, trying to confirm whether this doll was the same one he had seen when Meen vomited in the gym. The doll's body resembled that of a typical Sia-Kaban doll, but its head was a lion's, its face twisted to the back. Whoever made it must have crafted it themselves.

"The body is the same, but the head is different."

"And what do you mean by different spirits?"

"The ghost I saw when I was with Ms Meen had eyes, but they were all white. The one P'Darin saw had no eyes, so they are different spirits."

"You mentioned something about black magic, right?"

"Yes."

"So, what did the person doing this want? Why did they do it?"

"I don't know yet. But the ghosts attached to these dolls must belong to them."

"Do you know any experts on these things?"

"..Yes, I do," Thup said, biting his lip with a worried expression.

He did know someone, but whether he dared to approach them was another matter.