Chapter 221
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Chapter 221: Finding the Ghost
In the night sky, a familiar phone ringtone sounded.
“Vice Captain.”
“Seven Night, we’ve found the car’s whereabouts.” Wu Xiangnan’s voice came from the other end, “Five minutes ago, it drove out from the Huashan Road intersection, passed through Zhufang Road, and the last surveillance camera caught it at the entrance of Second Alley.”
“Second Alley?” Lin Qiye’s brows furrowed tightly.
“The road there is so narrow, can a van even pass through?”
“Maybe it can, but why would he go there? There’s nothing there except abandoned old buildings.”
“Also, I checked the car owner’s information. The owner isn’t from Changnan, and the car should actually be a red Toyota – it must be using fake plates.”
“I understand.”
Lin Qiye hung up and without hesitation, rushed toward Second Alley.
Fortunately, being a native of Changnan, he knew where Second Alley was. As an obscure old alley from decades ago, it had perfectly faded from everyone’s view. Most Changnan locals didn’t even know such an old alley existed in this modern city.
Which meant… the person who stole the bodies was also a Changnan local?
But why did he steal those three bodies?
Wasn’t he only supposed to steal Mystery bodies? Those three were ordinary people… Could it be that he was investigating the Mystery, trying to find it before the Night Watchmen?
Given the current situation, this seemed to be the most logical explanation.
Knowing the destination, Lin Qiye jumped through the city, heading straight to the outskirts of the old district. Following the route in his memory, he quickly made his way to Second Alley.
Soon, he reached the alley entrance.
On the remote suburban road, a dilapidated dark alley stretched before him. The abandoned old factories on both sides had been deserted for over a decade, leaving the place completely devoid of human presence.
Lin Qiye narrowed his eyes and stepped into the dark alley.
His spiritual sense had already expanded to its maximum range, constantly monitoring every movement around him. Nothing within a hundred meters could escape his perception.
After walking for about ten minutes, Lin Qiye stopped, his expression changing slightly.
In the old factory to his right sat a familiar black van. Though its license plate had been removed, Lin Qiye had no doubt this was the same van he’d seen earlier.
The trunk still showed traces of the body bags.
Lin Qiye crouched down, gently rubbing the dirt ground with his fingers, confusion appearing in his eyes.
The old factory had no cement floor, just ordinary soil like the old workshops of the past. Dragging body bags across such ground would surely leave traces.
If a cart or other tools were used, wheel marks should be visible. Even if the person carried the bodies, there should be deep footprints.
Yet the ground showed no traces at all, not even the slightest impression.
Could the other person have an Interdiction that enhanced agility like his own?
Next, Lin Qiye searched the nearby factories but found no signs of human habitation. The van’s presence here made no sense.
Both the orderly and the body bags had seemingly vanished into thin air.
At this moment, Lin Qiye recalled Red Tassel’s assessment of the Secret Stealer: “He’s like a ghost in this city – we can sense his presence but can never get close.”
Ghost…
Lin Qiye’s eyes narrowed slightly. He looked up at the moon in the sky as several bats quickly approached from the distance. From the ground, various insects emerged from the soil, surrounding Lin Qiye.
More and more nocturnal creatures gathered around him, then, as if receiving some command, scattered in all directions.
“Even if you’re a ghost, as long as you’re in Changnan, I can catch you,” Lin Qiye said calmly.
…
Changnan City.
Underground.
A surge of rats moved through the sewers, methodically searching every corner of the tunnels.
In one underground cavity, four glass tanks filled with formaldehyde contained bizarre monster remains – a grotesque snake head, half a lizard, a black finger, and a mass of tangled vines…
Behind these specimens were several well-organized operating tables. Though old, they were fully functional. Nearby, surgical instruments were neatly arranged on stainless steel trays, spotlessly clean.
Currently, three pale corpses lay on the operating tables.
A young man in white clothes wearing black-framed glasses stood before the three bodies, holding a scalpel. He lowered his head in thought, his brow furrowed in confusion.
“No… this is different…”
As he pondered, an earthworm fell beside his foot. He glanced at it indifferently before stepping on it.
The next moment, a millipede fell on the other side of the cavity. After moving around confused for a moment, it was torn to pieces by the surging rat swarm.
He glanced forward again, his brows slightly furrowing, “There are too many insects today…”
Similar scenes were occurring throughout the entire sewer system.
…
In the darkness, Lin Qiye suddenly opened his eyes and looked down at his feet.
“In the sewers?” His eyebrows raised slightly.
Though he couldn’t share real-time vision with nocturnal creatures, this didn’t mean he couldn’t know what was happening underground. Among all the nocturnal creatures he’d sent out, those that entered the sewers died the fastest – this alone told him something.
The next moment, a bat flew up from a nearby sewer and circled around Lin Qiye.
“A rat swarm?” Lin Qiye started, quickly remembering the mouse he’d seen in the pub earlier. His eyes narrowed.
It seemed he’d finally found the right place.
He walked to a sewer manhole cover and after a moment’s hesitation, pressed his hand in the air. A brilliant magic array appeared in his palm.
As the light faded, a small white mummy quickly ran to Lin Qiye’s front, excitedly looking around…
Then disappointedly shrugged.
“Mumu, there’s no food this time either.” Lin Qiye awkwardly patted its head.
Though he knew he couldn’t provide Mumu with weapons for a while, seeing its disappointed expression always made him feel a bit guilty.
“I’ll have to trouble you to make a trip underground with me.”