Chapter 1 An Accident

Jia Wenjun didn't even glance at Lili's smug expression. She needed to finish her work quickly and go straight home after work. Recently, she had been diligently studying, planning to take the teacher certification exam after this year and leave this place for good.

The atmosphere in the property management office was busy and excited all afternoon. Near closing time, Manager Gong Dalong gave a little speech again, sounding very official.

It was completely dark outside when Manager Gong finally dismissed the meeting. Just as Jia Wenjun was about to shut down her computer, a plump security guard on the night shift and Anna rushed in, both pale as ghosts.

"Quick, you have to go to my house and see," Anna said, her lips trembling, grabbing Jia Wenjun.

The plump security guard was gasping for breath, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time.

"What is it? Speak!" Manager Gong roared at the security guard.

"Someone, someone, jumped, jumped off the building! Right on Sister Anna's, Sister Anna's balcony." The security guard finally managed to get the words out.

Everyone present was shocked. Although there were many residents in the community and occasional fights and arguments were heard, a suicide had never happened before.

While everyone was still reeling, Manager Gong was already thinking about the impact this would have on the community's property values, the property management's reputation, and its rankings. His chances of promotion this year might be ruined.

"Did you call the police?" Jia Wenjun asked the security guard.

The plump security guard shook his head. He had been patrolling downstairs when he saw Sister Anna rush out, saying someone was dead. He was so frightened that he followed her back to the property management office.

Jia Wenjun didn't waste a moment and immediately called the police with her phone.

"One person stay in the office. The rest of you, come with me immediately!" Manager Gong was worried that the neighbors in the building would see what happened, take pictures, and post them online, which would make the situation uncontrollable.

As soon as Manager Gong finished speaking, Lili cried out, "Manager, I'll stay here. I'm afraid of blood."

"I'll stay here too. I left the door open at home. You guys go ahead," Anna said. She didn't want to see that scene again. She kept chanting "Amitabha," never expecting that the abbot's prediction of a bloody disaster would come true so quickly.

She remembered when she had just returned home from work and opened her door, she saw something red falling from the sky with a "bang," landing on her balcony. She ran over to see that it was a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl from upstairs, wearing a red dress, with blood everywhere. The entire balcony was stained red, a truly horrific sight.

Even the well-informed Anna was terrified at that moment. She stumbled out, not wanting to go back tonight.

"Then Lili, you take care of Sister Anna." Manager Gong waved his hand and led Jia Wenjun and the others to the scene immediately.

Arriving at the building, everything seemed normal except for some broken glass on the ground in front of the entrance. It was as calm as usual, so it seemed the news hadn't spread widely yet.

Property management staff had to undergo training in handling emergencies before starting their jobs. As the property manager for the building where the incident occurred, Jia Wenjun directed the arriving security guards to seal off the scene, evacuate residents, and wait for the police to arrive.

Although she was shocked and somewhat afraid, Jia Wenjun remained calm and composed on the surface.

Manager Gong wanted to know the situation but was afraid to see the body, so he followed behind the security captain and Jia Wenjun as they went upstairs.

The elevator went straight to the sixth floor. As soon as the elevator doors opened, the heavy smell of blood permeated the entire floor in the humid air. Fortunately, it was a one-apartment-per-floor layout, so no neighbors from the same floor came to watch.

Manager Gong felt nauseous and covered his mouth and nose, retching. Jia Wenjun, having overcome her initial fear, was now calm. The door to apartment 601 was wide open, and Jia Wenjun could imagine how frantically Anna must have fled her home.

They couldn't go inside and contaminate the scene, so they could only get a rough view of the balcony from the doorway. Manager Gong took one look and went pale, pulling Jia Wenjun back to the elevator.

Jia Wenjun felt a heaviness in her chest. The person lying on the ground was the girl from the fifteenth floor. She remembered that the girl was very pretty and was about to take the college entrance exam this year. She was supposed to be in the prime of her life, but she had fallen like this.

Someone took a picture of the deceased and sent it to the owners' group chat. Jia Wenjun's group, which she managed, suddenly exploded. The notification sounds pinged non-stop, and Jia Wenjun's hand trembled slightly as she opened the photo of the deceased lying on the sixth-floor balcony, taken with a mobile phone.

The snow-white tiles of the balcony were covered in red. The balcony railing was smashed and tilted, and a snow-white leg dangled over the edge.

Jia Wenjun's heart trembled. She took a deep breath and, in a rare stern tone, told the owner who had posted the picture to delete it immediately, or she would be held responsible.

After the other party deleted it, Jia Wenjun held her phone, remembering that she had met this girl in the hallway three days ago. The girl had seemed preoccupied, her brow furrowed, and she hadn't even noticed when Jia Wenjun greeted her.

"The deceased should be a resident of the fifteenth floor. I'll go up and take a look," Jia Wenjun said to Manager Gong.

Manager Gong nodded, covering his mouth. "Yes, yes, you go quickly."

The elevator stopped at the fifteenth floor. As soon as Jia Wenjun stepped out of the elevator, a huge yellow thing with furry claws suddenly rushed at her from the side.

"Ah!" Jia Wenjun was startled, screamed, and instinctively took several steps back.

Her high heels got caught in the elevator gap, and she stumbled, hitting her back against the elevator wall. When she reacted, she realized that what had bumped into her was a golden retriever.

"Woof, woof, woof!" The golden retriever rubbed its nose against Jia Wenjun's head and knees, then suddenly stood up, placing its front paws on her waist, its heavy breathing echoing in the elevator.

Jia Wenjun wasn't afraid of dogs. Looking at the dog wagging its tail at her with its tongue sticking out, she grabbed the collar around its neck, which read "Ludao Community, Building 8, 1501."

Was this the dog of the girl who jumped?

As Jia Wenjun led the dog out of the elevator, she smelled a burning odor, and black smoke poured out of the half-open door of apartment 1501.

"Is anyone there?!" Jia Wenjun shouted anxiously inside, but found the house dark and without a response.

She let go of the dog, wanting to enter the room and turn off the gas, but the fire alarm sprinkler above her head seemed to want to stop her from entering the room. It went off directly above Jia Wenjun, instantly accompanied by a torrential downpour of fire-fighting water. A loud bang and flash of light came from inside the house. Jia Wenjun only felt a burst of pain, her consciousness lingering on the moment she was thrown back by the shock wave.

She didn't know how long had passed, but Jia Wenjun, seeing stars, felt a numb sensation on her face in her dazed state. The golden retriever was diligently licking her face.