Chapter Thirty-Two: Seeking Clues

Chapter Thirty-Two: Seeking Clues

Xia Zheng met the parents of the missing girl, Mo Xiaolian. Mr. and Mrs. Mo were about the same age as his own parents—honest, upright people of modest means, not unlike the family he grew up in.

"Hello, Uncle, Auntie. I am Xia Zheng, the ability hunter who accepted your case. Here is my identification," Xia Zheng said, presenting his credential as a certified ability user. Mr. and Mrs. Mo carefully compared it with the confirmation message sent by the Professional League. Everything checked out.

Mr. Mo sighed, "I never expected someone so young to become an ability hunter. You're impressive, young man."

"Not at all," Xia Zheng replied modestly, then began asking about Mo Xiaolian.

In her father's eyes, his daughter was beautiful, cheerful, and sociable. She usually worked part-time jobs on weekends to help support the family—a sensible, good child. But her mother added that, recently, the girl had started spending lavishly, buying expensive and fashionable clothes. Even her teachers had mentioned she was in a relationship and advised Mrs. Mo to pay attention.

The couple tried to talk with their daughter several times, but every conversation ended badly. Instead, Mo Xiaolian became rebellious, seldom came home, began wearing heavy makeup, and then, a week ago, disappeared for good.

Xia Zheng’s first instinct was that Mo Xiaolian might have found a sugar daddy or taken up some kind of illicit side job. Girls her age were often targeted by wealthy men drawn to their youth and beauty.

With the parents' permission, Xia Zheng entered Mo Xiaolian’s room alone to search for clues. Immediately, he sensed an eerie, unnatural aura—a rotten stench that ordinary people could not detect. As a telepath, his senses were far more acute than those of other ability users, allowing him to perceive things beyond normal sight.

He recalled a technique from the "Divine Mind Forging Manual" his master Shen Hua had lent him, called "Spirit Sight." By concentrating spiritual power in his eyes, it formed a lens-like effect, revealing abnormalities hidden from ordinary view.

Taking a deep breath, Xia Zheng released a subtle current of spiritual energy, directing it to his eyes. Two faint, translucent blue "lenses" formed, making him look as if he were wearing ethereal glasses. For most telepaths, the effect would be merely two blueish clouds, but Xia Zheng's unique spiritual energy allowed for this vivid manifestation.

With "Spirit Sight" activated, he examined the room again and immediately spotted a trail of blood on the floor, stretching from beneath the door to under the bed—something hidden there.

A terrible premonition gripped him: Mo Xiaolian was likely already dead.

Suppressing his unease, he knelt, lifted the hanging bedsheet along the blood trail, and found a rolling suitcase and a heap of shoe boxes barricading the space. The rotten aura grew stronger, confirming his fears.

He expanded his spiritual power, slowly pushing aside the suitcase and boxes. Through the haze, the vague outline of a human body emerged.

Fortunately, Xia Zheng had seen corpses before and steeled himself. He turned on his phone’s flashlight. There, lying on the floor, was Mo Xiaolian’s desiccated corpse. Her mouth hung open, as if she had tried to cry for help in her last moments, but to no avail. Now, only insects crawled in and out. Her skin was pale with a bluish tinge, largely uncorrupted but shriveled as though all moisture had been drained from her.

"What could have happened to leave her like this?" Xia Zheng, more curious than afraid, examined the corpse carefully. At last, he discovered something: clutched tightly in Mo Xiaolian’s right hand was a black, broken fingernail—not her own. Could it belong to the killer?

He carefully wrapped the black fingernail and replaced the hand as he had found it, not moving the body. Then he stepped out and closed the door behind him.

"Well? Did you find anything?" Mr. and Mrs. Mo hurried to meet him, anxiety etched on their faces.

Xia Zheng sighed inwardly. How could any parent bear the loss of a child? Yet there was no denying the truth—Mo Xiaolian was dead.

"I am very sorry, Uncle, Auntie. You cannot enter that room again. I will call the police immediately. Your daughter, Mo Xiaolian… she has been murdered." Xia Zheng spoke the truth. Mrs. Mo fainted on the spot; Mr. Mo staggered, barely able to stand. Xia Zheng caught them and helped them to the sofa. A quick spiritual scan assured him Mrs. Mo was simply overcome by emotion, but Mr. Mo seemed frail, his health poor.

After he called the police, a team of efficient detectives and officers arrived. Unexpectedly, the lead detective was a young woman—about twenty-five or twenty-six, dressed in plain clothes, her badge visible on her chest. Her hair was lovely, her features delicate, but her expression was stern.

The coroner arrived soon after, and Mo Xiaolian’s body was removed. Mr. and Mrs. Mo’s grief echoed through the building, their wails heart-wrenching.

"Hello, I’m Detective Wu Nianfang. You’re an ability user?" the female detective asked Xia Zheng, a hint of surprise in her eyes—perhaps due to his youth.

Xia Zheng nodded and recounted, in detail, how he had found Mo Xiaolian’s body.

Wu Nianfang nodded and instructed her assistant to take down Xia Zheng’s statement, then asked him to come to the station later for a formal deposition. Xia Zheng agreed, but he kept the black fingernail to himself.

Afterward, over coffee at the police station’s café, Detective Wu questioned Xia Zheng about his perspective on the case.

"I’m inexperienced—it’s my first missing persons assignment. I never expected such an outcome. But Mo Xiaolian’s death seems highly unusual, not the result of ordinary violence. Detective Wu, do you know more about such cases?" Xia Zheng asked, his tone humble.

She glared at him, then smiled, "You’re a slippery one. I’ve learned little from you, and you’re trying to probe me instead. But, little brother, this isn’t a classroom. I won’t be handing you classified information."

Xia Zheng raised his hands in mock surrender, "Detective, my assignment is technically complete. However, I know that cases like Mo Xiaolian’s aren’t unique here in Hyde Castle. I’d like to join the investigation and help uncover the truth behind these disappearances."

"Oh? And you’re handling such cases? Didn’t you say you were just an E-rank rookie ability user?" Wu Nianfang’s tone softened, her interest piqued.

Xia Zheng smiled sheepishly, "I’m actually a Dragon-rank ability user with clearance for C-rank tasks."

She whistled, scrutinizing him, "Impressive—a Dragon-rank ability user. It’s been years since I’ve met one, especially below the C-rank. Still, Xia Zheng, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but these missing girl cases likely involve a whole syndicate. Hyde Castle is a den of vice—not a place for a greenhorn. Since you called me ‘big sister,’ allow me some elder’s advice: give up this assignment. Report your findings and move on. When you’ve gained more experience and strength, there will be opportunities enough."

With that, Wu Nianfang walked away. Xia Zheng watched her go—her figure graceful, her back straight, her gait confident and spirited—a remarkable woman.

As Xia Zheng left the station, he saw Mr. and Mrs. Mo being escorted home by officers. His feelings were mixed. If he hadn’t found Mo Xiaolian, they might still harbor hope for her return. Now, they had only the grim truth, and perhaps no faith left in the future. Sometimes, one’s good intentions inadvertently bring pain to others.

"Don’t blame yourself. The world will not stop turning for you or me. Tragedies will happen regardless, and fate must be accepted," said his master, Shen Hua, appearing at his side. Xia Zheng had called her after entering the police station, lest she worry.

Xia Zheng nodded, then said, "Master, I don’t want to give up on this case. I’m no angel of justice, but running from evil when I see it… that’s not who I am. If I run from this, what’s to stop me from running whenever things get tough? If that’s the case, I might as well have joined a university or a company instead of becoming an ability user."

Shen Hua walked with him, letting him vent his frustrations. "But you’re still growing. Don’t take on dangerous tasks too soon. This case feels perilous to me, so I actually…"

"I know you’re worried about me, Master. I’m grateful—you’ve helped me train and improve faster than I ever could have alone. But I’m serious. I have to uncover the truth behind these missing girls," Xia Zheng interrupted.

Looking into Xia Zheng’s determined, fearless gaze, Shen Hua felt a subtle stirring inside, as if reminded of someone from her past.

"Very well, I’ll agree—but on one condition," she said, resuming their walk.

"What is it, Master?" Xia Zheng asked, puzzled.

She glanced at him, then up at the night sky. The heavens over Hyde Castle were never as serene as those above Bolante City—they seethed with restlessness and discontent.

"Let me accompany you as you investigate. No going off on your own," Shen Hua replied.

Xia Zheng thought it over and agreed. The two of them continued walking, blending in with the ordinary citizens.

From afar, a man in a suit watched them through binoculars. He dialed a number on his phone. "Boss, the people you were expecting have arrived. What are your orders?"

On the other end, laughter from several women could be heard. Then a chilling male voice replied, "Take care of him—then bring the media to the scene. He’s just a rookie ability user; send a few D-rank ability users to handle it."

"Yes, boss." Hanging up, the man made another call and tipped off several media outlets.