Chapter 131
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Chapter 131: Following the Clues
Zhuang Mian observed the slightly overweight man before her, sensing an odd dissonance in his demeanor.
Having handled numerous cases since her graduation, she had encountered a wide array of witnesses and criminals. Yet, the man in front of her exuded an unmistakable strangeness.
It was a stark contrast, as if he had been soaring in the clouds one day and then plunged into the mud the next.
Upon learning that the man carried a warrant from a member of parliament, Zhuang Mian did not take the matter lightly. After exchanging identifications, both were left deep in thought.
She found it difficult to reconcile the image of this somewhat plump young man with the code name "Holy Shield."
Luke, too, scrutinized the young Clean-up Team leader in her twenties.
Having memorized key details from most documents related to "The Followers," he quickly recalled a few of the heavily padded investigation reports upon seeing Zhuang Mian.
As graduates of reputable academies, it wasn’t hard for peers to discern who was padding their reports.
This had already left a strong impression on Luke, and when he reviewed the report on the "Heart Snatcher" yesterday, he once again came across Zhuang Mian’s name.
Using Nia’s access, he briefly reviewed the relevant personnel records and confirmed that this was the same individual who had been reassigned following the incident at the research institute.
Facing the Clean-up Team leader, Luke spoke in a calm tone:
“I’m currently investigating the ‘Master Hand’ series of thefts. According to the information, after the perpetrator committed crimes in the inner city, the case was transferred from the security bureau to you. I hope we can collaborate effectively during this time.”
“Not a problem, Mr. Holy Shield.”
Zhuang Mian emphasized his code name and, after a moment of contemplation, voiced the question lingering in her mind:
“Your code name…”
“Mr. Holy Shield was my father. We share the same abilities. I have now inherited the Holy Shield code name, becoming the new protector of Hope City.”
Zhuang Mian nodded thoughtfully, silently marveling at his fortune.
To possess abilities like Holy Shield is a stroke of immense luck, and to pass them on to one’s child is even more extraordinary…
She reflected on her own journey; had she not been fortunate enough to receive divine enlightenment, she might still be trapped in the outer city, possibly even perished in a gang skirmish…
“I apologize for bringing up painful memories. Regarding ‘Master Hand,’ I’ve compiled some profiling elements here, and later I can take you to the crime scene.”
Luke took the file and skimmed through it, noting that many of Zhuang Mian’s insights aligned with his own.
Previously, he had leaned toward the idea that “Master Hand” was a woman.
The meticulousness of her methods and her uniquely provocative style suggested as much.
After reviewing Zhuang Mian’s summary, Luke inquired:
“Where do you plan to start next?”
Zhuang Mian raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t fond of being spoken to in such a didactic manner, but authority carried weight, especially since this man was directly under a member of parliament, nearly on par with the deputy minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs…
“The channels for selling stolen goods.”
Zhuang Mian pointed to the testimony of the black market merchant in the case file:
“‘Master Hand’ believes that what she stole is genuine gold, so she’s eager to exchange it for information coins.
“Last night was likely just a test; there will undoubtedly be larger-scale stolen goods coming out afterward.”
Luke nodded:
“I think so too.
“Then let’s start planning. Over the next two days, let’s split our people into three groups and spread them to different locations at the Wager Chemical Factory to see if we can catch that ‘Master Hand.’”
Luke crossed his arms confidently, looking assured.
He had already decided that he would personally oversee the black market, and once he found the target, he would take immediate action to capture them.
—
Shi Jin walked home after work. Perhaps it was because she helped open a safe today, but ever since the afternoon, she felt overly suspicious.
It seemed as if there were invisible eyes watching her from the shadows.
She tightened her thin jacket; August in Hope City wasn’t cold at all, but for some reason, she felt an uneasy premonition.
“Maybe I shouldn’t go to the black market tonight…”
Shi Jin mumbled to herself, quickening her pace home.
Not far behind her, a pair of light green eyes peeked out from a street corner.
Seeing that the other person hadn’t noticed her, Fulan wagged her tail and, like someone just waking up, followed Shi Jin at a leisurely pace.
At that moment, Fulan was performing the task assigned by Lin Qingliu—
Observing humans.
And Shi Jin was an excellent subject for observation.
This young woman surprisingly possessed two faces.
“I wonder if she’ll go out and do something interesting tonight…”
Fulan was filled with curiosity about Shi Jin, as Lin Qingliu had another task for her—
To bring some interesting-looking people to meet him.
Although Fulan had a long history of being human in In Dream, the timeline of divine enlightenment dreams didn’t match up with the real world. To better understand the clever beings that she interacted with the most, she needed to observe them more closely.
According to Lin Qingliu, her future “hunting in the wild” tasks would require much of the knowledge she was learning now; the deeper her observations of humans became, the easier her experiences would be outside the walls.
Thinking of the outside walls, Fulan felt unpleasant memories flooding her mind.
Back then, she had two heads and her thoughts were limited to beast-like instincts.
How could the extraordinary beast known as the Two-headed Cat have imagined such a conclusion would come about?
Fulan stopped reminiscing about the past and gracefully leaped onto the wall by the road, taking a shortcut towards Shi Jin’s home.
—
What Fulan didn’t know was that her small miscalculation in disguise made Shi Jin exceptionally cautious today.
The girl who didn’t continue to the black market thus missed out on the evening’s tight net of traps.
However, Shi Jin hadn’t planned to visit the black market for two consecutive days anyway; the site of the Wager Chemical Factory was neither too far nor too close from her home, but a round trip plus the time spent buying and selling things would take three to four hours.
Having slept less than five hours last night, Shi Jin lacked the energy to visit the black market again today.
Today, the Wager Chemical Factory did not have the usual noisy and debauched atmosphere. Sitting in a corner on the second floor selling potions was the red-haired Councilwoman Nia, who shook her head.
Those disguised black market merchants were still too obvious in her eyes.
Although they were perfectly disguised in terms of appearance, clothes, and goods, they still overlooked one thing: black market merchants were not good people.
These fake vendors, whatever the case, were a bit too rule-abiding…
