Chapter 28

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Chapter 28: Additional Commission

How… is this possible?!

Chaoyang blinked repeatedly, unable to utter a single word for quite some time.

“Um… Are you alright? Did I ask something inappropriate?”

Finally, Zhu Di’s voice pulled him out of his stunned state—Chaoyang unconsciously touched his cheek to mask his surprise, “Not at all. I have my own information channels, but it’s not convenient for me to disclose them.”

“I see, that’s understandable,” Zhu Di responded with slight disappointment.

“Now that the contract is completed, there not much left for us here. As soon as dawn breaks tomorrow, I will depart from this place.”

“Actually…you don’t need to be in such a hurry.”

“I have other matters to attend to.” Chaoyang smiled reassuringly, “Don’t worry; before I leave, I’ll make sure everything is taken care of so the client has no further concerns.”

Zhu Di understood that he was subtly indicating her departure. Even though the room belonged to Dunn, there was an inexplicable persuasiveness in the detective’s words.

“In that case, thank you very much.” Zhu Di walked towards the door, turned back, and bowed once again to Chaoyang, “Thank you, Mr. Chao. Wishing you continued success in your endeavors.”

Chaoyang’s reassurance seemed genuine. He glanced at the unconscious woman and pondering, “Who exactly are you? A dying person shouldn’t possess such immense Wish Power.”

“Do you mean… I have something you need?” The mental voice sounded noticeably more animated.

“Yes, and it’s quite substantial,” Chaoyang admitted. As the contract’s designated recipient, he couldn’t manipulate this aspect; accurately disclosing what was given and received was crucial for establishing the agreement—a principle that, in some ways, made demons more honest than merchants.

“I can give it all to you!” she promptly responded. “My name is Haiya Mira, daughter of Laraki Island and the chief’s daughter. I wish to enter into a contract with you, entrusting my final desire to your care!”

Another unfamiliar place, Chaoyang thought. However, claiming to be the chief’s daughter is intriguing… Perhaps this status explains her strong Wish Power.

“Wait! I didn’t say I’ve agreed to sign yet.” He cleared his throat. “After all, I must first hear what your request entails. Remember, I’m just a detective, not as miraculous as you might imagine. If your wish is too grand, seeking divine intervention might be more appropriate.”

This was his first experience being sought after to sign a contract, but Chaoyang remained composed, aware that it’s a double-edged sword. Failing to fulfill it would bring immense disaster upon him. Therefore, despite the enticing Wish Power offered, he had to clarify details before committing.

“If praying to gods could elicit a response, we wouldn’t have reached this dire state.” The woman paused momentarily before continuing, “My wish is simple: I want to kill Kui Qi, the Chief of the Northern City Police Department, and avenge our compatriots who died in the Black Prison!”

Indeed, it was a straightforward wish.

However, simplicity does not necessarily mean ease of accomplishment.

This was especially true when the wisher was already on the brink of death.

If he had one or two weeks at hand, Chaoyang would have readily agreed, given his advantage with powerful players and covert operations.

“I’m afraid…”

“He is currently in a villa within the Inner City,” Haiya hastily added, fearing rejection, “There are guards, but their numbers are definitely limited—since his trusted subordinates were dispatched to the theater, and the Inner City typically has the best security.”

“How do you know this?” Chaoyang curiously asked.

“It’s because I was imprisoned there before. Not just me, many others whom they wanted to secretly eliminate have stayed there—it’s more akin to Kui Qi’s private prison than a villa! The basement is even bloodier and more terrifying than a regular prison. Before each massacre, Kui Qi would visit, personally watching as Guster drags chosen individuals out of their iron cages… He wouldn’t leave until after dawn.”

The Inner City villa serves as the Black Prison.This Bureau Chief truly has audacity combined with meticulous planning. Chaoyang’s thoughts raced swiftly. Based on the information he currently had, neither the Inner nor Outer Cities enforced nighttime isolation, and the distance between them wasn’t substantial either.

“The Inner City typically had patrolling police officers, which would allow for a quicker response once alarms were sounded.However, if he can infiltrate the villa within an extremely short time frame, these factors won’t be issues.

“Is there anything else I need to know?” Chaoyang asked.

“That’s all I know.Detective, I understand your concerns… but please rest assured, I will endure till the end.” Her eyelids trembled slightly as if trying to open, “I won’t die… until I see his head!”

After weighing his options for a moment, Chaoyang made a decision.

“In that case, let us sign a contract.”

***

“Would you like some water?” Zhou Zhi asked, handing Tyler a ceramic cup.

“Ah… thank you.” Tyler took the cup and drained it in one gulp.

“I didn’t realize how thirsty I was.” Tyler said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“I noticed you were lost in thought earlier,” Zhou Zhi smiled, sitting back down on the bench. “Were you pondering something?”

“Yes, indeed.” Tyler nodded.

“Me too…” Zhou Zhi lowered his head, softly murmuring as he gazed at the oil lamp on the table, “I never expected that only the two of us would survive in the end. When Brother Zhang said to leave the ignition to him, I knew he had no intention of returning, but I didn’t anticipate that your friend and Naruko also…”

The enemy’s fighting spirit had truly collapsed.

However, while the raging fire crushed their morale, it also shattered their mental fortitude. Many individuals, once engulfed by flames, descended into madness, recklessly charging towards the trio obstructing their path.

Zhou Zhi, inexperienced with such frenzied assaults, struggled visibly. Just as he was about to be impaled by a bayonet, Naruko swiftly dispatched the attacker, simultaneously shielding him from the strike.

She blocked it with her own body.

Despite knowing that his companion wouldn’t truly die, merely taking a temporary break from the Paradise game, Zhou Zhi still felt shaken. The experience had profoundly affected him.

For a moment, his heart was filled with anger, as if he had truly lost her.

Reflecting back on it now, his reaction seemed overly intense. After all, during their first game entry, Zhou Zhi had also helped Naruko out of trouble—although not very effectively. This time, she likely just returned the favor, and there was no need to dwell on it so deeply. Despite trying to rationalize this way, Zhou Zhi found that whenever he calmed down, his thoughts invariably returned to the theater, that place of fiery parting.

Similarly, Tyler had lost his friend Joe James in this game.

Zhou Zhi wasn’t alone in being affected by this experience.

“Oh, you mean Joe? His death isn’t surprising. With his reckless approach, seeking thrills at every turn, it was bound to happen sooner or later. I anticipated it,” Tyler shrugged. “Actually, I was pondering something else earlier.”

“Uh…” Zhou Zhi’s expression froze, “I see… So what were you thinking about then?”

Tyler clasped his hands together, leaning forward and looking at Zhou Zhi with keen interest. “Back in the carriage, you mentioned they spoke about Mr. Detective. Aren’t you curious who this person might be?”