2024-09-24 22:23:50"I have only done a quick check on the internet, Dr Adam. It seems they have a Family Office which provided some writeup. Besides that, the business dailies and Forbest provided some business-related information about the Chuas."
"It is good enough. I appreciate the quick turnaround. I am know I can be quite a pain."
"Don't say that." Ah Mui said. " I am used to it." She winked to which I was at a loss of words and simply nodded.
"The Chua family information you had asked for."Mui turned her laptop screen over and shared a word document.
I read "John Chua has three children – Eldest Son – Marcus Chua, second daughter -Mavis Chua and youngest son Jonathan Chua. Marcus Chua and family stay at the mansion from time to time."
"I remember Visnu and May said once in a fortnight?"
"Then there is Mavis Chua and Jonathan Chua"
"Marcus Chua is the General Manager of Four Seas." Ah Mui shared.
"He looked stern with that central parting."
"A split image of his father," I said. I shifted to Mavis Chua
"Mavis is that social media darling? I said
"Yes. Didn't you know about her? She is famous."
"No. I am not sure I know her well."
"She is a nutritionist and travel blogger. Her TikTok account shows her travel footprints and every video is well-received. I think she is the few Singaporeans with a million followers. Her health recipes business I heard is very well received."
"I once read she is the favorite of the patriarch. What about the other family members? I am interested to hear more about them."
"Marcus is married with two children. Wife is a home-maker and daughter from another reputed family."
"What about Jonathan?" I asked
"I cannot find much about him but I found his name at the Standard Hospital. He is practicing medicine in the States."
"Looks like all the children are very positioned in life."
"It speaks a lot about the family upbringing."
I scrolled through the document as I ran my thoughts."
"None of them are in Singapore during the day before the murder," I said
"Dr Adam, you are right."
"I will leave that investigation to Visnu and May." I said
"Can you take some more time to dig up more information about them?"
"I will try my best with all the sources available."
"Ah Mui, can you do something more for me."
"Would I reject you, Dr Adam?"
"Could you help me check on the history of the Chua's mansion?"
"The property we were at?"
"Yes, and I need to know some history of the place. Please dig into the archives. I am not sure where but the archives at Urban Redevelopment or Land Authority may offer a clue. I would like to know the history of the place. If you face a problem, let Visnu know and he may help us extract"
Ah Mui threw me a glance "What do you have in mind?"
"I would like to know the history of the land, especially the past before the Chuas bought the land."
"It will take time but I will work on it."
"Appreciate that."
As Ah Mui scribbled my latest instructions, she spoke.
"As usual, that sense of uncertainty in these assignments. I am excited by such wild elements but this time, I sensed there is something different…"
"Different?"
"The answers lie in tonight's encounter, if any."
"I am sure we will find something!"
Now for the important part of an Sen'i as I give my instructions.
"The things I need for tonight, Ah Mui."
"Do I bring the usual exorcist pack you mentioned this afternoon?"
"The light package – my brush, the Mugwort portion, my Buki Brush, and finally, my Bagua."
"Do you need to tie strings all over the room? Living room?"
I shook my head.
"Our first time at the mansion, I don't want to mess it up. We could be over-tooled for this assignment."
"Really?" Ah Mui asked.
"I could be wrong. Just bring about 500ml of the mugwort essence and get one ball of the red string" The red string is usually deployed to demarcate a boundary when we perform a ritual. It is a critical step because it prevents spirits or other entities from the other supernatural worlds from entering the human physical realm.
"I will get packing." She said, eager beaver "
"Do I have classes tomorrow?"
"No, it is your clean day." Clean – no undergraduate's engagement.
"You stay put and man the office in case the Dean calls."
"Alright, but I am still coming alone?" Mui asked
"I can't stop you even if I wanted to. You may just sneak in somewhere, somehow." I said and then looked over at my assistant, a head shorter and ten years younger, and saw that thirst for adventure.
"Sign an indemnity form, Mui!"
She rocked back in laughter "Since when do you issue indemnity forms? My mother does not require it."
"She will kill me." I answered "One day, sooner than later."
"You are an Onmyoji! I'm supposed to feel safe with you around! That's how I assure her."
"That's true," I said
"I am coming, no matter what you said." She protested.
I gave up and walked over to my private closet and unlocked one of the compartments. This is one cabinet I kept behind my desk. The Dean of Faculty has been fine about me safekeeping my tools in the office as long as I do not perform rituals to disrupt the faculty operations.
I punched in the combination numbers and unlocked it. Opening it gently, I took out a box from the second shelf. It was a wooden box nicely carves with flower motif.
I opened it to see a necklace with a golden leaf as its pendant.
"Put this on if you are coming." I instructed.
"The Golden Leaf? Is this the protective token you told me about?"
"Yes. It will keep you safe from the malevolent spirit." The Golden Leaf or Happa no omamoriIt was a protective amulet handed down by Venerable Sato. It is forged from broken pieces of golden ornaments from one of the oldest temples in Gifu, Japan. Personally blessed by the Master Sato, it has proven to be a good ally in my fight against the dark spirits. I have a couple of them, and one was lost by Ah Mui during my previous exorcist assignment.
"I knew you would not leave me out of this assignment." She said with relish as she put on the necklace. "
"What time are we heading over?"
"I plan to go over at 11 pm. I had already communicated that to Visnu"
"子时. The first hour of the day and that's the exact moment in a day when the Yin energy is on the ascent."
"The optimal time to open the portal to the other supernatural worlds."
"You are fast becoming my best student."
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Adam the Spirit Master Chapter 9
John Chua has lived up to his word of allowing me to return to the mansion for my audit and investigation.When I reached the gates to the Chua Mansion, the security already knew about our assignment, and let us in. However, I was not allowed to park in the mansion for security reasons.I parked outside and the moment I walked through the side gate with Ah Mui, I sensed a heavy mood of paranoia and pessimism.I saw Visnu and May Li waiting in the guardroom."Good to see you again Adam. Did you receive my message?" Visnu said as we walked down the boulevard towards the house.I nodded "The floor plan is great, very useful. We also needed some help with the history of the development of this particular plot of land. Can you help Ah Mui with that?""Dr Adam, I have already written to ASP Visnu. I texted him while you were driving us over here."I whistled my approval of her efficiency, and spotted a wink from Visnu."A
Adam the Spirit Master Chapter 10
"Do you suspect any foul play from external parties?" I probed"There are no signs of a break-in." Visnu shared. "The security at the guardroom commented the night was like any other. It was quiet and peaceful. They made two rounds patrolling the place at 1 am and 4 am but heard nothing. We estimated Claudia's time of demise to be around 5 am and they did not hear any unusual.""They can be trusted?""Two of them are from Cisco Security. They have been through three hours of interrogation already." May added. "We have also checked their files. They are clean and one of them is over fifty. They do not have any reasons to murder Claudia.""Where were they at the estimated time of murder?""They were right at the gantry. They did not hear anything loud or odd. There were no screams. There were some sounds in the bushes and they thought it was a cat. There is a usual cat in the neighborhood so they thought nothing much of it.""I guess I w
Adam the Spirit Master Chapter 11
The stairs brought me to a cozy living space and a long corridor with a series of doors. The first thing that greeted me was the pleasant scent of flowers. There was an L-shaped leather sofa, with a smallish coffee table in the middle, placed over a beige-colored carpet that looked ideal for a lie-down after a day's work.It was an underwhelming experience - plain and predictable.On the coffee table, there is a white vase of yellow Orchids. Several small oils on the walls lend an ambience of comfort and welcome. In the corner of the living space, by the stairs is a standing vase of variegated Chrysanthemums."This is where the family sleeps?""Yes, this is their private space. They do not like to be disturbed. Seldom, are strangers allowed here."Ah Hock explainedI closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The large living room. My inner voice spoke.Can I look at all the rooms?"Hock protested "No, no. Mr Chua will be angry. He does not like strangers wandering around the house." He l
Adam the Spirit Master Chapter 12
"I will need a pail of water," I said."Warm water?" Hock asked"No. Make it hot. I would like a pail of hot water." I said Everyone was bewildered "Hot? Do you mean it has to be boiling? You want to cook ah?" Ah Hock exclaimed.Ah Mui smiled and shook her head. "He needs hot water, please. It has to be a high temperature to allow him to perform his ritual.""Wah, I have never heard about this. Hot water." He repeated."Make it 80% hot, and 20% tap water." I repeated my request.Despite his disbelief, he moved along. A few minutes later, he returned, treading with caution. In his hands was a basin of hot water spewing spirals of steam. With the attentiveness of a cook, he placed the basin in front of the chair and added a few towels around it."You sure?""Yes I am sure."I took off my socks and sat down. Then I dipped on foot into the basin. "Yes, just right." Then I placed both feet in much to the consternation of a stunned Ah Hock."You feel ok?"I nodded."I had never heard ab
Adam the Spirit Master Chapter 13
Every transition is an intensive ritual that demands deep focus and complete control over our senses. Only well-trained Onmyojis can successfully conduct a transition in their investigation of supernatural crimes. It has taken many years of training for some and for me, it was, strangely, an easy craft to master. My teacher, Master Sato, observed this may be a result of my mother's background. She was also trained as an Onmyoji. Gradually, I planted my feet in the basin. The warmth travelled through the pores on my skin and breathed life into every cell of my body. I began meditating, chanting the Ksitigarbha Mantra, Om Hahaha Vismaye Svaha, which I regarded as the golden standard of mantras. It was something that soothed my heart, and drives away the cloud of dust in our minds and dispelled anxiety, anger and all dark vibes. As I meditated and focused my energy, trying to find the point of light in my consciousness, The process is pretty much like gliding in the air. The distur
Adam the Spirit Master Chapter 14
I took a deep inhale before moving on. Slowly, but steadily, I ascended the stairs and soon found myself in the living space. The yellow Orchids were still there but this time it has faded to a lower tone of white. There seemed to be an assortment of sounds coming from the rooms down the corridor. I tightened my grip on my brush and paced down the corridor like a panther. I pushed open the first door, it had a bed and dressing table. The walls had a coat of pink with a nice desk. There was a working desk placed adjacent to the the window, and I saw some photo frames. I stepped closer and found them to be pictures of Mavis with her parents. There was also a picture of her in her graduation gown. This must be Mavis’s room. Suddenly a thump from my back snatched my attention. I swung around and heard something from the other room. The corridor had taken on a pale light. Something is not right.“Who is it?” I demanded but was only greeted by an eerie silence. I tightened my grip on
Adam the Spirit Master Chapter 15
Granny Gui shook her head “I tried to investigate but to no avail." She rubbed her temples "There are days when I saw traces of a spirit but all the searches yielded no answer.”“Is this the first time you encountered such a spirit?"Gui nodded frantically as her eyes scanned the space behind me. She was afraid the door would open suddenly. “This is. Indeed it is."She swallowed and then stammered, "I had a couple but the last few has been extremely stressful and ...""And what?""Violent." She said silently as the wrinkles on her lips looked more pronounced"All unpleasant ones. I am unable to understand the reckless anger. I do not even know where the spirit came from. It is too powerful, I am just..I had to take refuge here.”I inhaled. “Granny Gui, what did you see? Can you tell me about the form or characteristics?"“You have not seen it, have you?” She lowered her head “Sometimes you do not need to see fear. You only need to feel it. I took so long to sense it. Useless me.” “I
Adam the Spirit Master Chapter 16
I felt the force descending and quickly brought up hands to execute the Kuji-in or Nine Hands Seal which served as our spiritual weapon against dark and unseen spirits. “ 临兵斗者皆阵列前行“Instantly a shield of illumination formed in front of me. With a swerve, I leaped forward and gave the force an outward thrust. The marauding force was now a dark mass that knocked on my shield like a reckless bull. With each pound, I felt pressure on my hands. I am dealing with a reckless force. In the midst, I dropped my Buki Brush. As I had to maintain the shield, I was physically unable to reach for my principal weapon.I clasped my hands together, my right fingers over the left, and combined my pointer fingers to form a sword-like pose, then commanded. “Forces of the four directions, at my command! 四方奇兵，为我所用“It was a war command to focus my energy but the knocks on my shield continued before I brought on the full strength of my powers. Each knock on my shield came with a deep groan that grew in
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Chapter 46
Every nerve in my body was charged as I hopped onto Visnu’s car. I was eager to talk to Aminah again. I owe her an apology after my rash act. More importantly, she is key to unlocking information that may help the investigation. The journey to the hospital was swift with Visnu behind the wheel. Kelly sat at the back, anticipation written on her radiant face. She has that dauntless vibes that infects you and gives you that boost. Her strength and independent streak can be attributed to her upbringing and training. At the hospital, we found Aminah warded in a single ward on the twelfth floor. It was a thoughtful arrangement knowing the trauma Aminah has experienced. There was a policeman stationed outside the ward to assist, and he swiftly snapped to attention upon seeing Visnu.As we were about to enter, Visnu held onto the doorknob, looked at me and asked.“How do you want to do this?”I sensed his reservation and immediately understood his concerns."I promised I will be careful i
Chapter 45
“You promise.” Visnu’s stern look made me uncomfortable and I repeated my promise“Thanks, Adam. We know you are working hard to uncover the truth.”"Let me share my findings?” I said looking down at the pad in front of me. “My transition last night yielded two key findings. Let’s talk about Mavis Chua. I had planned to start with her because I needed a family member to assess the predisposition of the spirit. It was a correct decision as the spirit did not attack her.”“Only you?" May askedI nodded “I suspected the spirit could be a member of the family who is long deceased.""This is sounding ridiculous," May remarked as she eyeballed Visnu. I bit my lips."Who are you suspecting?" Visnu asked"The most likely one would be the deceased Mrs Chua," I replied"The mother?” May added, skeptical and continued “Mother? You suspect the mother is unhappy with Claudia and came back to attack her?”Visnu asked. “Looked there may be some animosity or can you provide some causes for that nas
Chapter 44
We never found a satisfactory answer. The best way to find out is to visit the columbarium. Though it was past midnight, every cell in my body called for action. However, I knew that was not possible.After we wrapped up our discussion, I headed to the showers. There was a certain humidity from the action and I felt sticky on my back and arms. As I stood under the showers, thoughts of the mansion flowed into my mind. I worked out the possible scenarios when there is an attack by a supernatural entity. A resident spirit in the residence or neighbourhood? Or it could be a spirit sent by a family that was unfriendly to the Chuas? Could there be another spirit that is deeply unhappy with the Chuas?As I turned off the tap, the steam from the hot water bath cleared but my mind remained cluttered. After I dried myself, and walked out to the corridor, I was treated to a symphony of whistles and snorts. Kelly has fallen asleep. She told me she had a hard day. What had she been up to in the
Chapter 43
I rubbed my forehead as I recollected “She mentioned a scratching sound that could be heard from time to time but she can't see the creator of the sound. There is an eerie feel to it.“It could be anything - the sharp fingers of a woman spirit or toe nails of a limping man spirit.”“You have seen it all ya?" I said"Is that a praise." Kelly retorted and then giggled"In this case, I am not sure. I wished I can be sure.”“Maybe Aminah already knew.”“This is how I would construct the timeline of events. Aminah heard some noises in the living room, she checked but may have missed out on seeing something in that house. She thought it was a cat and in the dark of the night but she did not check further.”“Nobody would be walking around in that huge mansion at 3am.”“Probably. Now, let me continue. After finding nothing, she went back to sleep. John Chua mentioned Claudia woke up in the middle of the night, likely after Aminah returned to her room. She did not check on the source of the so
Chapter 42
I switched on my laptop which is connected to the mounted wide screen and began to scribble“I had another transition.”“So soon?” Kelly eyes widened like bulbs of burning light. “You must be exhausted. Remember Master Sato advised us never to conduct more than 2 transitions in 7 days. You will hurt your 元气 Yuan Qi.”“I will take rest tomorrow to construct my logic.”“Please. I don’t want to watch you broken. Don’t die before me”“We will both scale Mount Fuji again.”“Deal!” Kelly unleashed her naughty giggles.“Now flood me with your facts”“In our second transition, I encountered the same spirit again.”“The same spirit. That makes the investigation interesting. Probably a restless soul that is causing disturbances”“ Tt is stronger.”“You were beaten again?” Kelly asked“ I had a better chance this time but a strange thing happened. The dark spirit has attempted to engage me.”“Engage?”“Communicate.""What's the message?""I am trying to figure out.""Was it that tough?""It did
Chapter 41
“What else did you see?” Mavis asked, her eyes widened with curiosity. “I saw a girl. Perhaps you? The girl was running around the swimming pool and playing a game of catching with a lady.”“My mum?“I nodded"She called you 小宝宝 - the little dear one."”Mavis shook her head, looking lost. “You looked confused.”She smiled nervously “My mum never called me that. Or at least my memory does not register such a term.”“She did not?”“My mother does not call me that. I do not remember she ever does.” She winced “She calls me Ah Girl or Sayang which is Malay for darling.”I felt my senses were stroked. I pressed on with my questions.“My gut feeling was that I was back to a time set at least twenty years ago? The Chua Mansion of the year 2000? Mavis, can you remember what happened in those days?”“Year 2000? I have no idea. I am probably five years ago. Too young to remember but I can ask my father.”“I am silly. You are too young." I shook my head "Dont ask him now. He is exhausted from
Chapter 40
When we were alone, Mavis brought me over to a lighted path that meandered through the lawn. “Things have moved so fast that I barely had a moment with you." I said“The transition Yes, I feel we should talk.”“Where would you like to start?”“I want to tell you about what I saw when I was in the transition?”“That’s another dimension? It is just like a dream like I told you earlier.”“If this was your first time, yes. However, spirit masters, who usually operate between different dimensions in our investigation work, have a clearer grasp of things. Training and continual meditation gave us a sense of clarity; that realm is like another world. A real world in which we remember the details. In these dimensions, the spirits can communicate with us as we communicate between humans in this realm.”“I guess that’s only possible with a spirit master like you.”“Onmyoji at your service.” I gave a slight bow.Mavis giggled. “This is the first time I have met a spirit master and seen your pow
Chapter 39
Just when I tried to say something sweet to break the tension, Marcus stood up and walked out of the room. There was a silence when nobody knew what to do until John Chua spoke faintly “Marcus…” There was a look of resignation on his face. Mavis walked up and placed a hand on John's shoulder. “Let us calm down for a while, Dad. Kor is just being reactive." “We will talk again when Marcus is fine.” John turned to both of us "When everyone is fine."He then turned to me with a stern look. “Dr Adam this is my family affairs. A tiny storm in the teacup. I am sorry you had to be a spectacle to all these. Now can we get back to the investigation.""I am not bothered. " I assured"What additional help do you need from us?”“Aminah is now warded. We would like to know more about her relationship with Claudia. Can you share any details?”John Chua bit his lips“You know nobody is perfect and the same for Aminah. She works very hard and I like her attentiveness but when Claudia moved in wi
Chapter 38
“Honestly, I cannot recall.”Mavis said in a frustrated tone with tresses of her hair dropping over her forehead. She swept it back in one stroke.“Mavis, that's fine. We all suffered from these memory lapses after each transition. It is normal. Do not strain yourself. You may recollect at random. Maybe tomorrow or the day after.”“I will try, Adam. I will let you know when those details come back to me."“Dr Adam. Hello everyone.” Ah Mui said, crashing in on our dialogue. "Need your kind attention."“Yes Ah Mui? What is it?"“I just want to share some information. As I was tidying up the place after our rituals, I discovered that all the red string had caught fire and burnt until they were ashes”.I bit my lips and walked out of the room to the living room. I studied the remains of the red string which now looked charred black like someone had lit them with a lighter.My serious look elicited a question from Mavis “What does that mean?” “It meant that spirit’s powers were strong eno
