The Pig-Nosed Detective's Midnight Menace

The rain lashed against the windows of the old, decrepit apartment building, casting eerie shadows across the room. Inside, Detective Li Hua, known to the city's underbelly as the Pig-Nosed Detective, sat at his cluttered desk, a sheaf of papers spread out before him. The city was his domain, and he had seen more than his share of strange occurrences. But tonight, something felt different.

A knock at the door startled Li, and he looked up, his eyes narrowing. The door opened, revealing a pale, anxious-looking woman holding a bouquet of wilted flowers. "Detective Li, I need your help," she stammered, her voice trembling.

Li's eyes flickered over the bouquet, noting the scent of decay mingling with the damp air. "What is it, Mrs. Wang?" he asked, his voice steady despite the unease gnawing at him.

Mrs. Wang stepped inside, her eyes darting around the room. "It's my husband, Detective. He's been acting... strange. He's been seeing things, hearing voices, and he won't leave the house. I fear for his sanity, and I'm desperate for help."

Li rose, his silhouette cast long against the wall. "Come with me, Mrs. Wang. I need to see your husband."

The apartment was a mess, with clothes strewn about and the living room a chaotic tangle of furniture. Li's gaze landed on the kitchen, where a figure stood, hunched over a sink. It was Mr. Wang, the city's beloved baker, his face twisted in a rictus of fear.

"Detective Li, you have to help me," Mr. Wang said, his voice a broken whisper. "I can't stop seeing her, and she won't go away."

Li approached cautiously, his senses on high alert. "Who are you seeing, Mr. Wang?"

Mr. Wang's eyes widened in terror. "It's her, Detective. The woman from the park. She's haunting me, and she won't let me be."

Li's mind raced. The park was a place of legend, a spot where the dead were said to walk the earth at night. He had heard tales of the Pig-Nosed Detective, but never had he encountered a case that seemed so supernatural.

"Show me, Mr. Wang," Li commanded, his voice calm and authoritative.

Mr. Wang led him to the living room, where a portrait of a woman hung on the wall. Her eyes seemed to follow them as they approached, and Li felt a chill run down his spine.

"This is her, Detective. She was killed in the park last year. She haunts me, I tell you. I can't sleep, I can't eat, and I can't escape her."

Li studied the portrait, noting the strange, unblinking eyes. "Mr. Wang, you need to calm down. This is just a portrait. It's not real."

But Mr. Wang was not to be dissuaded. "You don't understand, Detective. She's real. I can feel her presence, and she's getting stronger."

Li sighed, knowing that he had to face the truth. The city was filled with strange occurrences, and this was no different. But something about this case felt off, as if it were a puzzle that defied solution.

"Mrs. Wang, would you mind if I take a closer look at the portrait?" Li asked.

Mrs. Wang nodded, her eyes wide with fear. "Of course, Detective. Do whatever you have to do to help my husband."

Li studied the portrait, his fingers tracing the outline of the woman's face. He felt a strange sensation, as if the air around him had grown thick and heavy. Suddenly, the portrait seemed to come alive, and the woman's eyes seemed to burn into him.

"Detective, are you okay?" Mrs. Wang asked, her voice trembling.

Li nodded, his eyes still fixed on the portrait. "I'm fine, Mrs. Wang. I think I'm onto something."

He turned to Mr. Wang, who was now pacing back and forth, a look of desperation on his face. "Mr. Wang, I need you to do something for me. I want you to close your eyes and imagine yourself in the park, at the exact spot where this woman was last seen."

Mr. Wang hesitated, but Li's words seemed to have an effect, and he nodded. "Alright, Detective."

Li placed his hand on Mr. Wang's shoulder, and for a moment, the room seemed to fall away. They were standing in the park, the night air crisp and cold. Li could see the woman, her face twisted in pain, standing before them.

"Detective, it's real," Mr. Wang gasped, his voice barely audible.

Li nodded, his eyes never leaving the woman's face. "I know, Mr. Wang. But we can't let her stay here. We have to send her back."

He reached out, his hand passing through the woman's form as if she were a wisp of smoke. The woman's eyes widened in shock, and then she faded away, leaving behind an empty space.

The park seemed to return to normal, but Li knew that this was just the beginning. The woman had been freed from her haunting, but there were others out there, trapped in their own nightmares.

He turned to Mr. Wang, who was now sitting on the ground, shaking. "It's done, Mr. Wang. She's gone."

Mr. Wang looked up at Li, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Detective. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Li smiled, his own eyes reflecting the relief he felt. "It's my job, Mr. Wang. But remember, there are others out there. We have to be vigilant."

As the rain continued to pour, Li Hua, the Pig-Nosed Detective, knew that the city was still shrouded in mystery. But with each case he solved, he brought a little more light to the dark corners of the urban landscape. And as long as there were hauntings to chase, he would be there, ready to face the midnight menace.