13 Minke Street - Chapter 25: The Voice in the Morgue

“Once you’re discharged and recover from your injury, find some time, and we’ll sit down and have a good talk. I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

“Okay, Grandpa.” Karen did not refuse. At this point, there was no point in refusing or being afraid of anything anymore.

If he had not seen Mr. Mauson’s dance, if he had not seen Mrs. Hughes possessed by an evil spirit, if he had not seen Alfred and Ms. Molly standing in front of him, if he had not been stabbed by his grandfather’s own hand, then everything could have continued under a tacit understanding, allowing the gears of life to continue running smoothly.

But it had come to this point, and it was clearly inappropriate to continue deceiving oneself.

Covering one’s ears, shielding one’s eyes, acting as if everything was still peaceful and tranquil, would be as foolish as Chief Duke calling and telling him that he had discovered who the real culprit was, but not saying it over the phone, and instead inviting him to meet at a certain place, only for Karen to arrive and find that Chief Duke had already been killed by the culprit beforehand.

This was simply… an insult to intelligence.

“Recuperate well, don’t worry about things at home,” Diss said.

“Okay, Grandpa.”

Diss turned and left the ward. Pu’er was about to follow and leave as well, but as she was about to squeeze through the door crack, she was kicked back by a heel.

Bam!

Pu’er tumbled over.

The ward door was then closed.

Slowly, Pu’er looked up at Karen lying in the hospital bed.

Karen didn’t bother acknowledging it and picked up the book ‘I’ve Bound Your Heart’ that the nurse had lent him, and continued reading.

The story was about a commoner girl falling in love with a prince from the Vienna royal family, breaking through societal barriers, getting married, and then the series of events the girl faces in dealing with the royal court and high society.

The plot seemed a bit cliched to Karen, but he could learn a lot about Vienna’s social class structure from it.

Rien was to a certain extent like an attached or ‘protected’ country of Vienna, not only economically inseparable from Vienna but also almost entirely inheriting its culture.

In the eyes of the Rien elites, Vienna was truly the grand stage they aspired to be in.

Pu’er jumped onto the companion chair, curling up as if asleep.

When drowsiness came over him, Karen put down the book and turned off the light.

Sleep took him.

…

Late at night, in another hospital ward.

The previously asleep Mr. Hofen slowly opened his eyes, and a familiar figure appeared by his bedside.

The attendant in the next bed was still snoring loudly, not noticing the visitor.

“I stabbed him,” Diss said.

Mr. Hofen smiled, saying, “He definitely didn’t die.”

“Yes.”

“If you had killed him, in keeping with your character, you would have simply said he died, rather than telling me what you did.”

“I couldn’t bring myself to do it,” Diss said.

“Diss, it was me who helped you prepare the soul summoning ritual, and we both know how high its specifications were. We failed to succeed. What we summoned back was not Karen’s true soul. He is not Karen; I was certain of it the first time I saw him!”

“I know.”

“He is no longer your grandson, Diss. You should be more clear-headed. I have cancer and don’t have many days left, which is why I was willing to help you, old friend. I know how much family means to you. But with such high specifications for the soul summoning ritual, if what was summoned back was not Karen’s soul…. then he may very well be an evil god!

“He may still be very weak now, because he has just descended and needs time to recover. But you should understand, an evil god, once he recovers, will cause unimaginable turmoil!

“You should kill him, Diss.”

“I can’t do it.”

“Why not?”

“Because he… calls me Grandpa.”

“Diss, do you know how much disaster your kindness will bring to people out there?”

Diss fell silent. Then, he smiled, saying:

“Those people out there don’t call me Grandpa.”

…

When he woke up from a good night’s sleep, the sky was already bright.

Karen rang the bell, and soon, Nurse Maina walked in, smiling.”Karen, did you enjoy the book?”

“It’s an interesting story.”

“I thought only us girls liked reading such stories.”

“Boys like it too, because it helps us understand girls better.”

“You’re so witty.” Maina extended her hand to help Karen get up, put his clothes on, and with her assistance, Karen went to the private bathroom in his ward to freshen up. After that, she served him breakfast.

Breakfast was corn porridge with a few kinds of fruit.

Karen didn’t actually like the combination of fruit with the main course, no matter how healthy and nutritious it might be.

“May I assist you in taking a walk?”

“May I?” Karen asked. He wasn’t asking if this was within Maina’s scope of service, but rather if his injury allowed for it.

“Yes, the doctor said the main reason you were unconscious was due to excessive blood loss…” Maina reached out and touched Karen’s chest area.

Hmm. The wound was on the other side….

“Moderate activity will help you recover faster.”

“Thank you.”

With Maina’s accompaniment, Karen left the ward. Conveniently, the ward was on the first floor.

Once outside, breathing the fresh air and basking in the sunshine, it’s probably only at times like this that one becomes aware of the importance of health. Of course, it won’t be long before one plunges back into the cycle of ruining one’s health.

“How old are you?” Karen asked Maina.

“Seventeen. I just graduated from nursing school. I know you’re fifteen, so I’m older than you.”

In Rien, fifteen is the ‘age of majority’. Generally speaking, if one doesn’t continue studying after turning fifteen, they can start working. Some children from less well-off families start working even earlier.

Although Rien has laws strictly prohibiting the employment of child labor (under fifteen), factory owners don’t hire child laborers, but rather consumable machine parts.

In any case, from what Karen has learned since waking up, this is a society with a huge wealth gap.

This gap is not only evident between the Inmerales family and the Adams family, but also in the fact that for the truly impoverished people working tirelessly every day, providing food for the whole family can be difficult.

Previously, Karen often used an ordinary worker’s monthly salary of 2000 lubis as a measure of income, based on the wages of workers in large factories. In reality, many small workshop workers earn less than 40 lubis a day, and the wages for migrant black labors are even lower.

This class of people is actually quite large, but Karen has no contact with them, because the Inemrales family’s clients are at least middle-class, and even the welfare lists that Aunt Mary always complains about require a clear local household registration first.

“I know your family,” Maina said.

“Oh?”

“The Inmerales. My aunt passed away and her funeral was held at your home, but I didn’t see you there that day.”

“That’s unfortunate, I missed you.”

“You’re quite interesting. I don’t even have a boyfriend yet.”

Karen blinked, realizing Maina had misunderstood his meaning.

After walking for a while, Karen felt sweat forming on his forehead. Maina helped him sit on a bench and took out a handkerchief to carefully wipe the sweat off him.

Her every smile and expression was somewhat deliberate.

This is not a ‘derogatory term’ – regardless of gender, when encountering someone of the opposite sex they are attracted to, people will deliberately present their better side.

“What do you like to do in your free time?” Maina asked.

“I like helping out at home, like assisting my aunt in preparing bodies.”

“…”

At that moment, Karen saw three familiar figures appear ahead.

Uncle Mason, Paul, and Ron.

Uncle Mason had his hands in his pockets, walking in front. Paul and Ron each pushed a bier cart.

“Uncle!” Karen called out.

“Oh, Karen,” Uncle Mason smiled as he walked over. “I was planning to visit you in your ward.”

“Young Master Karen.”

“The young master appears to be recovering well.”

“What’s this about, Uncle?”

“Oh, when I came to visit you at the hospital the other day, you were unconscious. So I had afternoon tea with the head of the inpatient department here, which is why I’m here today.”

Uncle Mason gave Karen a knowing look.

Karen smiled and nodded.

“I’ll go on ahead. I’ll come see you again this afternoon.”

“Okay, Uncle.”

Business was clearly more important. This hospital was in the Murdock district, quite far from Minke Street, not previously within the Inmerales family’s business sphere of influence. So he’s taking this opportunity to expand the family’s business reach.

However, this ‘client’ will have to be ushered home quickly, otherwise the local funeral home may come try to poach from them.

“Is he your uncle?” Maina asked.

“Yes.”

“The men in your family are all very handsome.”

“Thank you.”

This wasn’t Maina flattering him. Though Uncle Mason is older now and his physique can’t compare to a young man’s, even now his demeanor could be considered ‘scholarly and refined’, befitting the matureness of a man his age.

Falling from a middle-class lady to preparing bodies for funerals, Aunt Mary still stands by Uncle Mason’s side, which is undoubtedly due to love. But love needs to be grounded in something; if life doesn’t go smoothly, you’ve got to have something going for you. If he were also unsightly in appearance, what would she have to hold onto?

“Of course, you’re also very handsome,” Maina said.

“Thank you.” Karen was already somewhat immune to such compliments – they were equivalent to saying the weather is nice today.

“May I ask you a personal question?” Maina asked.

“Yeah, of course.”

“What are your monthly expenses?”

“Sufficient, but I don’t know the exact amount.” Karen remembered that he had officially become an employee of the family and could receive dividends, so he didn’t know what his monthly income was now.

“My monthly income is only 1,200 lubi,” Maina said. “Barely enough to get by, without leaving much left over.”

“That’s so low?”

“The benefits are decent, and the salary increases with seniority,” Maina explained. “But I’m not too fond of the nursing job. I’m happy caring for you, but sometimes I have to care for ill-tempered old ladies and lecherous old men.”

“Breathing clients are always so troublesome.”

“Yes,” Maina’s eyes widened. “Um…”

Actually, this little girl is quite interesting. Karen didn’t dislike her; she was very frank and sincere.

Even setting aside his good looks, the Inmerales family background alone would give him confidence in the matchmaking market. Negative impressions like the funeral home wouldn’t be of any concern in the face of money.

It’s just that Karen hadn’t planned on getting married and having children here yet. Partly because he felt he was still too young, and partly because he still had bigger issues to resolve.

“Let’s head back, I’d like to lie down for a bit.”

“Sure, I’ll help you up.”

As Maina assisted Karen in returning to the inpatient building, when they reached his ward door, the head nurse called out to them:

“Maina, come here for a moment, hurry and take this plasma to the operating room, they’re shorthanded over there.”

“Go ahead, I can make it back to lie down,” Karen said.

“Okay.”

Karen stood by the ward door and took a breath. For some reason, he felt the smell of disinfectant was much stronger inside the ward than outside.

However, just as Karen stepped one foot into the ward, he suddenly heard a rustling sound in his ear.

“My money…my money…my money…my money…”

Karen froze in place. This feeling made him recall the sobbing of Mr. Mauson from the basement back at home.

“My money…my money…my money…”

The voice continued.

Karen ignored it, entered the ward, lay back on the bed, picked up the novel and prepared to continue reading.

“Meow…”

Pu’er jumped onto the bedside, looking at him.

“My money…my money…my money…”

This damned voice, inexplicably growing louder, as if an old woman was lying under his bed continually muttering to him.

Karen put down the book and covered his ears with both hands. The voice persisted. It wasn’t coming from the outside.

“Meow…” Pu’er meowed again.

Karen reached out, grabbed Pu’er and turned her, her belly facing up. The previously aloof Pu’er suddenly became uncomfortable in this position, even a bit shy.

“Are you behind this mischief?” 

Pu’er shook her head, while her tail covered her belly area.

“It must be you behind this mischief.”

“Meow!” Pu’er shook her head again, denying it.

“Then what’s going on with this voice in my ear?”

“Meow, meow meow, meow meow meow, meow.”

Karen nodded thoughtfully, responding, “Meow meow meow ah, meow ah.”

“……” Pu’er looked bewildered.

“So you really can’t speak?”

“Meow.”

“Ms. Molly could speak, why can’t you?”

“Meow.”

Karen didn’t believe it. He could understand Mrs. Hughes abnormality, it was within his scope of acceptance, but Ms. Molly’s speech had been too much of a shock. Compared to that, this expressive Pu’er not speaking human language seemed illogical.

“If you can’t even speak, then once I’m discharged I’ll find a tomcat to mate with you.”

“Meow……”

“I swear this in the name of the God of Order.”

The God of Order – Karen had learned and applied this term, originally from Piaget. However, Karen recalled that night, Alfred had referred to Diss using this title.

Is this Judge of the Church of Order your attendant?

So Diss held this position.

Indeed, upon hearing Karen swear in the name of the ‘God of Order’, Pu’er became completely flustered.

Karen is a steadfast materialist at heart. Materialists never resist or deny the existence of the supernatural – if something supernatural appears before them, they will re-examine, study and redefine it, bringing it back within the materialist objective purview.

To put it simply, Karen isn’t superstitious or feudalistic at all.

But Pu’er was aware that if Diss knew his grandson had sworn an oath in the name of the God of Order, then for the sake of his grandson upholding that oath, Diss might very well go out and get a tomcat.

“It wasn’t me doing it.”

A crisp female voice, with a hint of an older sister tone.

Hmm, it’s quite pleasant to listen to.

Karen stared at Pu’er.

Pu’er stared back at Karen.

Karen released his grip, and Pu’er’s belly fell onto the bedsheet.

“So you really can talk.”

“You’re so shameless, the most shameless and despicable human I’ve ever met! I’ve never heard of a human threatening a cat’s chastity!”

“And I’ve never heard of a cat caring about their chastity.”

“We do care, it’s just that humans don’t care about a cat’s feelings!”

“Okay, okay.” Karen closed his eyes, taking it in, then opened them again to look at Pu’er and asked, “So, what’s going on with this voice in my ear?”

“That’s something I’m very curious about too. How can you hear that voice when you haven’t gone through purification?”

“Purification?” Karen caught that word. “Like being baptized?”

“That’s just a deception. A mere psychological comfort.”

“Oh?”

“True purification refers to being cleansed by the aura of a sacred instrument, allowing you to gain heightened senses and see things ordinary people cannot see.

“Of course, there are many terms for purification, and the methods are not limited to using sacred instruments, it’s just that church sacred instruments provide the safest and most reliable purification.

“If an ordinary person encounters an evil spirit and doesn’t die, they also have a chance of achieving purification, while also having a chance of becoming mentally ill.”

Karen nodded. “What I’m hearing now is ‘my money, my money’.”

“I hear it too.”

“Who’s calling out?”

“The morgue is on the basement level of this inpatient building, and your ward is right above it, separated by just a concrete slab. Corpses with strong lingering attachments can emit similar calls.”

“An evil spirit?”

“It has nothing to do with evil spirits. Evil spirits refer to supernatural existences with basic intelligence, like the Ms. Molly you just mentioned – she’s an evil spirit. As for Alfred standing beside you that night, he could be considered a rather powerful evil entity, on the level of being able to negotiate safe passage with regional Judges or other lower church organization leaders.”

“But you still haven’t answered my previous question – why can I hear it?”

“I don’t know!”

“Could it be related to the original Karen?”

“So you finally admit, you’re not the real Karen!”

Pu’er raised her tail, giving the expression as if Karen slipped up.

“Yes, I’m not Karen, go ahead and tell Diss.”

Hearing this, Pu’er lay back down in exasperation, complaining, “Diss is just too fixated on family ties; it’s an Inmerales family tradition. Their family motto is: Family, above all else.”

“Seems you’ve reported on me plenty already,” Karen continued. “Let me ask you, is it related to the original Karen?”

“The original Karen?” Pu’er stretched out a paw nonchalantly. “The original Karen was just an autistic idiot.”

“I don’t believe you’ve ever said that to Diss before.”

“No,” Pu’er smiled. “After all, an idiot is still family to him.”

Pu’er stood up, front paws forward, hind paws back, stretching with a big yawn, and said, “Ever since ‘Karen’s’ parents died, Diss had no intention of letting the family undergo purification and continue down that path. So the original ‘Karen’ was just an ordinary person, and he never showed any abnormal reactions.

“All the abnormalities began after you woke up.

“But you don’t need to be perplexed either. Although you haven’t undergone purification, your very existence… looks like an evil spirit to me.

“I still think your innocence is just an act, but Diss is falling for it. Deep in your soul, you must be hiding ferocity and cruelty, am I right….Meow!”

Karen grabbed Pu’er’s tail, turning her around. “What I want to ask you now is, how do I turn off, or rather… block out this damned voice?”

“Just close off your perception of it, simple.”

“Specifically, how?”

“Close your eyes, first catch that voice, let it become clearer in your mind, then follow that voice, perceiving and groping your way along…”

“I’ve decided that the day I’m discharged, I’ll have Trent go to the pet market and buy the three most ill-tempered tomcats, then lock you four in the bathroom together.”

“You’re such a beast!”

“Tell me how.”

“There is no way. You haven’t undergone purification, so what you’re ‘hearing’ and ‘seeing’ is all based on instinct. You simply don’t know how to manage and utilize your perceptions.

“It’s like asking me to teach you how to drive a car when you’ve never even seen one, can it be done? However, generally speaking, if you endure it for a while, she’ll probably stop calling out. She doesn’t have the energy to keep doing it for long.”

“Like a cat in heat?”

“Oh, this damned racist and malicious analogy.”

Karen put Pu’er down. And lay back, preparing to calm his mind.

“My money…my money…my money…”

With eyes closed, Karen said, “She’s still calling out.”

Pu’er, lying on Karen’s stomach, said nonchalantly, “It’s just that she’s calling out for a bit longer than an ordinary corpse with lingering attachments. She should be running out of energy soon.”

“My money…my money…”

Karen could only continue enduring it.

Then,

Creak…

“I think I heard another sound,” Karen said.

“Normal, normal,” Pu’er waved her paw. “When’s lunch coming? You can order for me, get me a small fried fish in advance.”

Swish…swish…swish…

“I think I heard the sound of shoes dragging on the floor.”

“That’s just the nurses and patients walking outside,” Pu’er said. “Also, get me a pudding too.”

Click…

“The sound of a door opening…”

“The room next door just opened their door.”

Karen continued hearing sounds in his ears.

“Oh, how did you end up here, old lady?”

“My money…I dropped my money…“

“If you’ve lost something, you should go to the front desk and report it. This is the morgue, how could you have dropped anything here?”

“My money…my money…“

“Old lady, which ward are you from? Let me take you back to your ward.”

“My money…my money…“

“Alright alright, I’ve got your money. Once we’re back in the ward I’ll give it to you. Are you a psychiatric patient? The psychiatric ward should be…”

“You took my money!!!“

“Ahhhhh!!!!!”

Karen snapped his eyes open and sat up abruptly.

“I also want some sheep’s milk…ah ouch, meow!” Pu’er had been flipped off the bed. She glared at Karen angrily.

Karen turned his head, looked down at Pu’er under the bed, swallowed, and said:

“She… she killed someone.”