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墨書 Inktalez
The banks of the Qingshui River remained dark and hazy tonight. After finishing a day of forensic work, I decided to return to the crime scene to see if I had missed anything. My intuition as the Nightmare told me that I would make a discovery tonight.
I walked slowly along the riverbank, my flashlight being the only source of light. The soil at Riverside appeared even more damp in the night.
"The soil here is fresh; it seems someone has been here recently."
I crouched down, carefully examining the dirt by the river, and noticed some unusual marks. These tracks were different from the footprints I had seen before; they were more chaotic, as if made in a hurry. I gently touched the soil with my fingers; it still held some moisture, indicating that whoever left these marks hadn't gone far.
Suddenly, an unusual gust of wind swept through, causing the branches and leaves of the trees to rustle ominously, as if issuing a warning. My heart raced as I scanned my surroundings warily, but I found nothing. However, the feeling of being watched intensified.
"It feels like something is moving in the wind."
I gripped my flashlight tightly and cautiously moved toward the source of the sound, taking careful steps to avoid making any noise. My shadow elongated and twisted in the beam of light. As I drew closer, I realized it was just an old wooden plank swaying in the wind, creaking softly. I kicked at the plank and let out a light laugh.
"Ha, what a scare for nothing."
I continued along the riverbank, where the grass rustled with the sounds of insects and frogs. Yet amidst this natural symphony, I sensed a discordant melody—a sound that didn't belong here. I turned off my flashlight to let my eyes adjust to the darkness for better observation of my surroundings.
In the dark, my other senses sharpened. I felt the coolness of the night breeze, heard the distant sound of flowing water, and even sensed a sudden tearing sound from behind me…
"Oh no!"
I whipped around just in time to dodge a wooden stick that was aimed at my head.
I quickly threw a straight punch toward the shadowy figure across from me. The figure leaned back swiftly, skillfully avoiding my strike while his right hand shot out to grab my wrist. I twisted away nimbly to evade his grasp and followed up with a side kick aimed at his waist. The figure sidestepped while raising his left arm like a shield to block my kick, resulting in a dull thud.
Suddenly, I rolled to get closer to his side and drove my elbow into his ribs. Sensing danger, he spun around quickly, absorbing my blow with his back while swinging his left fist backward in an attempt to hit my head.
I ducked just in time to avoid his counterattack and sprang back up with a high kick aimed at his chin. The figure had no choice but to step back to maintain a safe distance.
"Stay out of this!" he rasped.
"Stay out? I'm getting involved whether you like it or not!" I scoffed.
"Next time will be your end!" he declared before turning and vanishing into a swirl of red smoke.
"You!" I shouted angrily as I chased after him for two steps.
In the night, the lights of the Tavern shone warmly against the backdrop of a desolate autumn. I pushed open the door, and a wave of deep jazz music mixed with the scent of tobacco and beer hit me.
My gaze wandered around the tavern until I found a seat at a corner bar, ordering a familiar Bloody Mary.
"Hey, Xiao Yu baby, have you missed me?"
A familiar yet annoying voice approached from afar. A rugged-looking man with an inexplicable sharpness in his eyes plopped down across from me.
"If I hear you call me 'Bao Er' one more time, do you believe I’ll make sure you don’t see tomorrow’s sun?" I replied coldly in a low voice.
This man, Gu Yuan, was my partner at Nightmare. At the same time, he was an enigmatic figure with Buddhist beads on his left wrist and a Satan tattoo on his right.
"What have you found out about 'Hao'?"
"Through data comparison, I believe 'Hao' is likely Li Hao, the head of that recently emerging business empire. But..."
"But what? Hurry up. You sound like a woman."
I shot Gu Yuan a glare and downed my Bloody Mary in one go.
Gu Yuan took a deep drag from his cigarette, slowly exhaling smoke rings that made his expression appear hazy.
"But no one has seen this Li Hao; only rumors circulate in the underworld that he is cunning and ruthless. It’s said that he has been searching for something recently. Also,"
"What else did you find out?"
I leaned in closer, lowering my voice to ask.
Gu Yuan glanced around to ensure no one was paying attention to our conversation. He leaned closer to me, his voice dropping even lower.
"Also, behind Li Hao lies a force you cannot imagine. His business empire is just the tip of the iceberg; his true identity and motives are far more complex than you think."
A chill ran down my spine; Gu Yuan's words confirmed some of my suspicions—this case was much deeper and more dangerous than I had anticipated.
"What is this force?"
Gu Yuan shook his head.
"I only know it is ancient and powerful because Li Hao comes from that mysterious family."
I took a deep breath of the cold air. The first principle of Nightmare was clear: "The complete annihilation of this mysterious and ancient family is our foremost priority."
"In the historical archives of Nightmare, every battle against this enigmatic family and the forces behind it is recorded. Each entry ends with the same line: 'The battle is far from over; the successors of Nightmare must continue to strive,'" Gu Yuan said, quietly playing with the prayer beads in his hand.
"Then we need to formulate a comprehensive plan, Gu Yuan," I replied.
"Yes, we need more information. No one has seen Li Hao's true face, but his subordinates are everywhere. We must proceed with caution and not let him catch wind of our intentions."
With that, Gu Yuan and I began to discuss in detail how to gather information and approach Li Hao without raising his suspicions. He also shared some potential leads and places we should pay attention to. Our conversation continued late into the night, until the last patron left the tavern.
As we stepped out into the deep night, the streets were deserted. Gu Yuan patted my shoulder and chuckled softly.
"Be careful, Xiao Yu baby. We might already be under surveillance; protect yourself."
"Shut up. Just know that my scalpel can double as a sewing needle," I shot him a fierce glare before turning to leave.
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