民(mín )国4年,袁世凯(kǎi )意图称帝(📼),政局动荡(dàng )是年秋,吴淞镇大(🔱)火,灾民(🍥)数以万(wàn )计,本(běn )就鱼龙(lóng )混杂(🔬)的吴淞镇(zhèn )显(xiǎn )得更为(wéi )动荡不(⏬)安。因地方善款筹集,吴淞(sōng )镇(🕔)重修(👑)居民(🤷),却在某(🕖)宅(zhái )架梁(liáng )时(shí )出(✳)现意外,期(qī )间爆出一(🛺)具男尸,其状诡异(yì )(✖),引得镇(zhèn )(🖍)上流言纷(🕕)起,镇民惶恐(💞),募资请僧道做(zuò )法驱(qū )邪超度,期(😞)间亦有(yǒu )江湖术士(🎛)混事,搅得镇上(🙂)一派乌烟瘴气(qì )。镇保卫(🙄)团团长陆悦(yuè )戎行伍出(🈴)身,最是(🤷)不信神(shén )鬼之说,,见此情形不由大(🥕)怒,一面下令驱散僧(sēng )道术士,一面差人(💔)找来(🥊)镇上义庄仵工(gōng )吴(wú )云根、柳归(🐛)元(🌹)师(⛏)徒,命(mìng )其验尸查明(🌼)死因,以正视听(🔈)。镇上(shàng )落(luò )魄(🐡)乡(xiāng )绅少(shǎo )爷石(shí )乐志少年游(yóu )(👌)历颇(📸)广,得知(♌)此案后便赶来(lái )查(chá )看(kàn ),又见陆香邑在场,欲有所表现,当下一味(🎐)指(zhǐ )点评(píng )说,言(yán )语(🎦)间对(duì )吴云(🔪)根(gēn )、(👚)柳(liǔ )归元师徒颇为不(bú )屑。吴(💑)云(🎴)根(😉)对(duì )此不以为意,自顾(gù )检验死者身上的绿(🔍)芽(🌲),神情(🚪)颇为震(🖱)惊,继(😲)而借故推托似有隐情(🛌),期间(jiān )语焉不详。