Translator: CinderTL
"Old man?" Crippled Liu's expression turned strange, though he had always seemed odd to Jiang Cheng and the others.
"Yes," Jiang Cheng said mysteriously. "He was squatting in the corner, maybe... maybe about this far from me."
"Less than ten meters. It was dark, and there seemed to be a layer of mist between us, so I couldn't see clearly. But..." Jiang Cheng suddenly looked up. "I heard him crying, a suppressed, stifled sob. As he cried, he was muttering something."
"Unfortunately, I was too terrified at the time. His voice was too soft, so I couldn't make out what he was saying."
"Finally, I felt so sorry for him that I forced myself to walk over and pat his shoulder. But I never expected... his body... his body!!"
Jiang Cheng's voice rose involuntarily, and his expression became increasingly animated.
Fatty, Pi Ruan, and Huai Yi, who had been listening intently, watched Crippled Liu swallow repeatedly, suddenly realizing that not all people were created equal.
Lin Wan'er, however, remained remarkably calm, even taking the time to glance out the window.
"His body twisted and contorted, and then... Master Feng... Master Feng just turned his head around like that! It was terrifying! He grabbed my hand, and I struggled with all my might, fighting for my life..."
"But his hand felt like an iron clamp," Jiang Cheng said, his voice suddenly turning icy as he looked at Crippled Liu. "And what's even more terrifying is that he shouted at me, saying, 'I was murdered unjustly! My entire family was murdered unjustly! You must find our skins and return them to us!'"
After hearing the doctor's fabricated story, not only Crippled Liu but even Fatty, who knew the doctor well, felt a chill run down their spines.
"And then?" Crippled Liu asked.
Jiang Cheng waved his hand, feigning terror. "And then nothing. I woke up in a cold sweat right after. And then you arrived."
Crippled Liu paused for several seconds before speaking in a hoarse voice. "You just said..." He looked at Jiang Cheng. "What did you mean by Master Feng?"
"Master Feng?" Jiang Cheng's eyes flickered with panic. "Did I... did I really say that?"
Though the panic in his eyes vanished in a flash, it hadn't escaped Crippled Liu's notice. "Yes, you did. You mentioned Master Feng."
"I don't remember," Jiang Cheng said.
"You..."
Before Crippled Liu could speak, Luo He seized the opportunity, his voice filled with surprise. "Brother Jiang, how could you dream of Master Feng, let alone something so terrifying as demanding his own skin?"
"Could it be that Master Feng..." Luo He turned to Crippled Liu, clearly hesitant to speak openly.
"The situation in the manor is complicated. Some things are best kept confidential for now," Crippled Liu said with a businesslike expression, his eyelids flicking. "This is for your own good."
Hearing this, Fatty scoffed. Every NPC in these instances always claimed they were acting in their best interest, citing circumstances they couldn't reveal. Yet the end result was always either they were killed by a ghost, leading to a dead end in the investigation, or the NPC themselves was the problem, with the ultimate goal of killing them.
Without wasting further words on Crippled Liu, the group skipped breakfast at Feng Manor and left, stopping at a corner far from the manor.
"Let's split up here. We'll go find Yangzi, and you three go to the photography studio," Jiang Cheng said, addressing Luo He.
Among Luo He, Fu Fu, and Zhao Xingguo, Jiang Cheng found Luo He the most reliable.
There was another crucial reason for sending Luo He to the photography studio: he had taken all the photos on their phones, and they might contain hidden clues.
These scattered clues could prove invaluable at the photography studio.
"I'll go with you," Lin Wan'er said, stepping out of the line and naturally taking her place beside Luo He and Fu Fu. Her tone was calm, leaving no room for discussion.
As she approached, a strange expression flickered across Luo He's face, though it vanished almost immediately.
"Alright, that's settled then," Jiang Cheng said, turning to leave with the remaining members of their group. Fatty kept glancing back over his shoulder, initially concerned about Boss Lin and Pi Ruan.
To his surprise, only Huai Yi and Chen Qiang seemed preoccupied. The others were all watching them leave: Boss Lin, Pi Ruan, Luo He, and Fu Fu.
The three of them—Luo He, Pi Ruan, and Fu Fu—seemed to be subtly gathering together, while Boss Lin stood slightly apart.
Fatty suddenly felt a strange sensation, as if the relationship between the two groups was delicate, separated by an invisible line.
Clearly distinct.
As members of Jiang Cheng's group, Chen Qiang and Huai Yi were well aware of Lin Wan'er's importance. They maintained absolute respect and obedience toward this beautiful and mysterious woman.
"Boss Lin, these are soup dumplings, a local specialty. Eat them slowly," Huai Yi said. "Be careful, they're hot."
Huai Yi stood to Lin Wan'er's left, while Chen Qiang stood to her right. Chen Qiang shot Huai Yi a disdainful glance, inwardly disgusted by his flattery.
For a team, what matters is having valuable people. In Wu's eyes, Huai Yi's performance was unremarkable.
"I'm not eating anymore," Lin Wan'er said. "I'm full."
Chen Qiang's body trembled at her words. He immediately produced the sugar-roasted chestnuts he had already peeled and respectfully offered them to her. "Miss Lin, have some chestnuts," he said, deliberately raising his voice while glancing at Huai Yi, who wore a resentful expression. "Chestnuts help cut through the richness."
The group walked slowly, stopping frequently. Lin Wan'er seemed unhurried, gazing at everything around her. Her demeanor perfectly suited the era, resembling a wealthy man's concubine.
As they approached the photography studio they had visited earlier, Pi Ruan suddenly let out a soft "Hmm?" and slowly pressed his face against the glass.
Huai Yi noticed Pi Ruan's action and walked over to join him.
Soon, everyone realized that the photographs previously displayed on the studio's window were gone.
Not exactly gone, but replaced. The photos of the Japanese men, which had been tucked away in inconspicuous corners, were no longer there.
They had seen them just yesterday. Clearly, someone had swapped them out.
Pushing open the gate, the group entered.
The photography studio didn't look large from the outside, but once inside, they discovered it was surprisingly spacious. The entrance led to a sizable room with a worn sofa tucked into a corner.
The sofa was old, its armrests tattered and worn, as if salvaged from somewhere.
A small table in front of the sofa held a kerosene lamp, the room's dim lighting making the lamp's solitary glow all the more precious.
After confirming the immediate safety of the area, Luo He turned to examine the photographs pasted behind the glass door.
He ran his hand over the glass for a moment, then straightened up, his voice firm. "These were just replaced. There's still adhesive residue."
They had only just uncovered this clue yesterday, yet the photos had already been swapped out. Something was clearly amiss.
Their gaze shifted to another direction, where it was darker. Through the gloom, it seemed as if something lay between them and the shadows, but they could faintly hear sounds emanating from within.
It sounded like a darkroom.
(End of the Chapter)
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