Chapter 871
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
Chapter 871: Faint Red Moon
Ningchang County.
The sunset coastline.
A series of black vans sped down the wide road, stopping at the edge of the coastline. A large number of personnel disembarked from the vehicles, silently and swiftly beginning to set up a cordon around the coastline.
“Hey? What’s going on? Why is it still sealed off?”
“Yeah, isn’t this a tourist spot?”
“What happened up ahead?”
“I don’t know…”
The tourists still taking photos by the coast saw this scene and began to discuss it. Soon, someone arrived to maintain order, dispersing the tourists and completely sealing off the entrance to the scenic area.
A sedan parked near the cordon, and several figures draped in dark red cloaks got out of the car, quickly approaching the coastline.
“Hello, I am Captain Zhou Dao of the Ningchang County Team 197.” The leading man extended his hand and shook hands with another man who had just finished dispersing the tourists.
“I am Lv Ruici, a special investigator from the headquarters in Shangjing City.”
After the handshake, the two quickly crossed the cordon and walked toward the coastline ahead.
“What is the situation here now?” Zhou Dao asked, looking at the busy crowd with confusion. “Aren’t we here to search for the missing ‘Mask’ team? Why is there such a large operation here?”
“This is an order from Commander Zuo himself. Chen Fuzai is also on his way.”
“Has the situation become this serious?”
Lv Ruici did not elaborate further, merely nodding slightly as he pointed toward the end of the coastline ahead.
“Has anything happened around here before?”
Zhou Dao pondered for a moment. “No, there haven’t been any ‘mysterious’ incidents in this area, but after receiving your information, I immediately checked the local police archives and found that there have been three missing persons cases here.”
“Missing persons cases?”
“Yes, they were all tourists who came to this area and suddenly went missing. The earliest case dates back over thirty years, and no one has been found since.”
Lv Ruici nodded thoughtfully.
“Shouldn’t we go in and investigate the situation first?” Zhou Dao noticed that everyone was neatly standing outside the cordon, not stepping in at all, and couldn’t help but ask in confusion.
“No, Commander Zuo has ordered that we can only act once Chen Fuzai arrives,” Lv Ruici said firmly.
“When will Chen Fuzai arrive?”
Just as Lv Ruici was about to speak, he seemed to sense something and turned to look toward the horizon.
Between the azure sky and the sea, a ghostly carriage glided through the rolling waves, skimming the surface of the water and approaching at an astonishing speed. As the carriage swayed, the copper bell hanging at the front jingled.
“He’s here.” A slight smile appeared at the corners of Lv Ruici’s mouth.
The ghostly carriage raced across the sea and finally stopped in front of the two men.
The curtain of the carriage door was lifted, and Chen Fuzai, dressed in a gray robe, sat behind a low table, holding a cup and calmly scanning the two men. He asked, “Who is Lv Ruici?”
“I am, Chen Fuzai.”
“Where is the place mentioned by Zuo Qing? Is there any news from the ‘Nightfall’ team?”
“The ‘Nightfall’ team hasn’t reported back yet…” Lv Ruici extended his hand, pointing in a certain direction. “But the coordinates they left before going missing are right ahead. Commander Zuo instructed that we can only cooperate with you once you arrive.”
“Mm.”
Chen Fuzai nodded. “Everyone get in the carriage; let’s go take a look.”
Zhou Dao was taken aback and turned to look at Lv Ruici, who nodded slightly at him and stepped into the carriage first, with Zhou Dao following closely behind.
“This carriage looks brand new.” Zhou Dao sat inside the carriage, curiously surveying his surroundings and couldn’t help but say.
Chen Fuzai’s hand holding the cup trembled slightly.
Lv Ruici cleared his throat, leaned closer to Zhou Dao’s ear, and whispered, “In that divine battle two years ago, Chen Fuzai’s carriage was shattered by the Nine Pillars God… This is a new carriage.”
Only then did Zhou Dao realize he had misspoken and awkwardly lowered his head.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Chen Fuzai slowly took a sip of tea, his gaze calm and undisturbed. “Back then, I truly was no match for the divine…”
His gaze drifted to the picturesque “heart scene” outside the window, and he continued, “But now, they can’t do that anymore.”
“Go!”
The scholar sitting at the front of the carriage urged the horses forward, and the copper bell hanging from the eaves rang again. Chen Fuzai waved his hand gently, and the beautiful “heart scene” outside the window vanished. In the next moment, the walls and ceiling of the carriage faded like ink wash, allowing those inside to clearly see the coastline outside.
“360° panoramic sunroof?” Zhou Dao exclaimed in shock, “Is this new carriage so advanced?”
Lv Ruici shot him a glare, and Zhou Dao quickly closed his mouth.
The carriage sped along, the coastline outside retreating rapidly, and Lv Ruici’s brow furrowed tighter.
“Strange… it should be right here.” Lv Ruici looked around and asked in confusion, “Where’s the fishing village? Why can’t I see the fishing village?”
The turbulent waves crashed against the gray-brown shore, and apart from a desolate stretch of rocky beach, there wasn’t even a single hermit crab, let alone the fishing village mentioned by Lin Qiye over the phone.
“Could it be that the address is wrong?” Zhou Dao asked.
“Impossible. The signal location from that last phone call was also here; it can’t be wrong.”
At that moment, Chen Fuzai, who had been resting with his eyes closed, seemed to sense something and suddenly spoke, “Stop.”
The scholar tightened the reins, and the carriage came to a swift halt.
Chen Fuzai swayed slightly and flew out of the carriage, standing on the desolate rocky beach, his brow slightly furrowed.
Zhou Dao and Lv Ruici followed him out, looking around but finding nothing.
“Chen Fuzai, did you discover something?”
Chen Fuzai did not answer. He stood at the water’s edge, gazing up at the azure sky, his eyes narrowing slightly.
After a long moment, he raised his hand and pointed toward the half-hidden shadow of the moon in the sky, saying, “From this angle… the moon is red.”
…
Shangjing City, Night Watch Headquarters.
“Can’t find that fishing village?” Zuo Qing answered the phone, his expression growing serious. He pondered for a moment and said, “Chen Lu did not deny the existence of that fishing village, which means the address Lin Qiye provided should be correct. Perhaps that fishing village has used some other means to hide itself…”
Zuo Qing glanced at Chen Lu, who was still in the interrogation room, and rapidly recalled every conversation he had with him.
In their initial conversation, Chen Lu had been quite surprised that they found the fishing village, but when Zuo Qing mentioned the date, he had instead laughed…
Could it be that the key to entering the fishing village is the date?
