Chapter 74: Early To Bed
Ding lang…
The old-fashioned wind chime hanging at the door made a crisp bell sound. Li Jiahong, who had just entered the small dwelling, turned back in some surprise and saw an octagonal wind chime like a small clock hanging on the door top of the entrance hall. Squinting to look closely, the bell’s material was neither plastic nor metal, and there were some unclear text and patterns engraved on the bell holder.
Wei Jiang, who appeared out of nowhere, came behind Li Jiahong and said with a smile, “The boss had me hang this up just today. He said it was to make it easier for you to hear when someone enters the shop.”
“Boss Lin is really thoughtful.” After hearing this, Li Jiahong, as an employee, felt the boss’s meticulous care.
Hearing this, Wei Jiang couldn’t help but laugh again and said, “Of course. Actually, I think it’s more for Little Black’s convenience. Before there was the wind chime, Little Black would always meow first to signal that a guest had arrived at the shop.”
Li Jiahong was speechless, then carefully recalled and realized that indeed, it had always been Boss Lin’s spiritual black cat acting as the “doorbell.”
Suddenly realizing that his employee status was not as good as the cat’s, Li Jiahong didn’t feel down; instead, he found it quite interesting.
Boss Lin never cared about anything or any being, so when he learned that Lin Ling might still consider his and Little Black’s feelings, he not only felt somewhat flattered but also a bit reassured. At least he knew Boss Lin was not a person absolutely devoid of emotion; he just had little of it.
“Has the boss already gone out for a stroll?” Li Jiahong asked curiously. He hadn’t heard the sound of water boiling when he came in, which usually meant Lin Ling had gone out.
But Wei Jiang shook his head and said, “No, he carried Little Black back to the room to sleep.”
Li Jiahong: “…I remember now, today is Teacher Hai’s first concert held after her death.”
“Yeah, since listening to the concert is more convenient now, the boss felt there was no need to wait until the last concert; he could just go listen directly.” Wei Jiang explained.
Li Jiahong said with some emotion, “I hope Teacher Hai can smoothly hold the concert this time. The stage accident last time was too upsetting.”
“Do you want to go listen too? I’ll watch the shop for you tonight?” Wei Jiang asked.
“No.” Li Jiahong had his professional ethics; how could he not work seriously during work hours? Slacking off was wrong.
Wei Jiang smiled and said, “Don’t worry, this is what the boss said. You can choose whether to go or not. After all, the long night is endless, and a concert is just one and a half to two hours, not much time.”
Hearing that it was Boss Lin’s instruction, Li Jiahong was somewhat tempted, but after pondering for a while, he still firmly shook his head and said, “No, if Ningning knew her dad was eating alone, she wouldn’t be happy.”
“Hahaha, suit yourself, the boss said to let you choose.” Wei Jiang imagined Li Yuning complaining and crying to Li Jiahong and couldn’t help laughing.
Li Jiahong changed into his employee uniform and sat at the counter. Wei Jiang stood beside the counter, and the two started chatting idly when no guests came.
“Miss Yu hasn’t come today either.” Li Jiahong glanced at the time; it was past Yu Lianyun’s usual normal sleep time.
Wei Jiang crossed his arms and guessed, “Hasn’t she been out on a mission lately? Maybe the situation changed.” As a former member of the Mysterious Group, he knew well that the mystic investigator profession had no such thing as a regular work and rest schedule.
Li Jiahong also suddenly realized and said, “I remember now, it’s related to that young man from a few days ago, right? That young man hasn’t come for several days either; I don’t know if he found work smoothly.”
“Compared to work, surviving is more important for him now.” Wei Jiang shook his head. “That kid’s sins are not light; although not from this world, those sins are connected to everything he’s encountering now. Whether he can pass this ordeal depends on his own destiny.”
Hearing Wei Jiang’s words, Li Jiahong couldn’t help letting out a soft sigh: “Emotional debts are hard to repay…”
…
“Why does this shoe print look so familiar?” Bu Gaojun looked at the footprint on the ground and muttered.
Li Yingqi gave the other a blank look and reminded, “We just saw it today; this is Xin Junmao’s shoe print.”
He Jia’an’s special flashlight illuminated the ground, and no residual material from the Gluttonous Daughter was found next to Xin Junmao’s footprint. “Looks like he came alone.”
“Hiss, how could that be?” She Zi’an looked incredulous and said in disbelief, “He was clearly marked by the Gluttonous Daughter and deeply trapped in a soul-lost state. How could he come here on his own without guidance from the Gluttonous Daughter or her servant?”
“He even tenderly arranged Zhang Xiaoxiao’s remains.” Zhao Jing quipped from the side. She looked at her own captain with an eerie expression. “Captain, are you sure you read all the archival material on the Gluttonous Daughter? Is it really true that no one can break free from the Gluttonous Daughter’s mark?”
“Uh—” She Zi’an was no longer confident and smacked his lips, saying, “I… I remember it is like that.”
He Jia’an flicked away the cigarette in his hand that he had bitten deformed and said, “No need to dwell on it. We just need to know now that Xin Junmao has indeed broken free from the mark’s restraint, and he’s recklessly come here on his own… Um, in short, we need to rescue him before he encounters danger.”
Everyone nodded, then the two groups of members followed the footprints on the ground, jogging in pursuit.
Leaving the platform, the mystic investigators were all slightly shocked by the vast underground space before them. Stone pillars stood densely, with jagged strange rocks, buildings pieced together from various carved rocks arranged neatly in this underground city, and few figures walking on the streets.
This was like a small underground metropolis!
At the end of the main avenue of this underground metropolis was a huge stone gate directly facing it. The stone gate was engraved with ancient text and paintings from the Shenzhou Region, full of the prevalent brush style from hundreds of years ago. The core symbol text was precisely the exclusive pattern representing the Gluttonous Daughter’s image. The mystic investigators had seen this symbol many times in the magic array at the last train driver’s home and in the female killer’s mourning articles, leaving a deep impression.
The Gluttonous Daughter’s pictographic runes were also widely used in various places on the underground metropolis’s buildings, some carved on rooftops, some posted on doors, everywhere.
“Eh, isn’t that person Xin Junmao?” He Jia’an had sharp eyes; he didn’t get dazzled by the buildings full of bizarre art style and spotted at first sight the young man who was currently surrounded and escorted by a group of grey-robed people.
The other was wearing attire completely unrelated to Evolution Paradise Organization members. Though the distance was far, one could still notice if looking carefully.
“It’s him.” She Zi’an squinted and immediately confirmed the other’s identity after seeing the young man’s figure outline.
“Get ready, rescue him!”
