Chapter 55: Station 22: Anomaly

Chapter 55: Station 22: Anomaly

As he watched Yan Qiling and Si Shuhao rise, Ming Yiyang wanted to say something but couldn't figure out how to join their conversation.

By the time he pondered for a few seconds, the two had already walked away.

Seizing the opportunity, Chi Zihe asked, "What's the deal between you and Yan Qiling?"

"What deal are you talking about?"

Ming Yiyang looked at him puzzledly, apparently not picking up on the underlying meaning in the question. "Are you referring to what just happened? Yan Qiling wanted to save Ji Congrong, so I lent a hand. That's it."

"That's not all. What about the Spirit Binding Rope? Be honest, where did you get it?"

"There's nothing to be honest about. He thought it would be more useful in my hands, so he gave it to me."

"Oh..."

Chi Zihe felt a pang of frustration from his unsatisfied curiosity.

This brat! That was the Spirit Binding Rope! A family heirloom that could be passed down for one hundred and eighty generations with ease!!!

At first, he was a bit envious, but his expression changed upon further reflection.

With a cautious gaze, Chi Zihe tried to put himself in Yan Qiling's shoes and consider the situation.

There wasn't anything particularly special about this kid, apart from his pure yang spirit body and Purple Pheasant Yin-Yang Eyes. The two were intertwined and inseparable; there was nothing to gain by separating them!

What could be so valuable that Yan Qiling would trade the Spirit Binding Rope for it?

Worryingly, Chi Zihe wondered if the young man might be after the two kidneys of a youngster...

But his concerns weren't limited to Yan Qiling's intentions; Ming Yiyang's seemingly reformed behavior also troubled him.

This guy was usually well-behaved around others, so why did he become so talkative when faced with Yan Qiling? It was clear that previously... for every one of Yan Qiling's words, the kid could retort with ten.

With an expression of utmost innocence, Ming Yiyang allowed Chi Zihe to scrutinize him at will.

Unable to discern anything significant, the Taoist priest slipped his hands into his sleeves and began to consider seriously whether he should give this fellow a divination.

Ming Yiyang is clueless when it comes to emotions, but fortunately, he possesses a face bestowed by the goddess Nüwa, which attracts a continuous stream of admirers, both male and female, vying for his attention.

Regrettably, this man is allergic to romance, with a straightforward mindset and an inability to appreciate amorous gestures. He inadvertently snuffs out any romantic prospects himself, leaving not a single bloom to dance before his eyes until this very day.

Back then, Chi Zihe would still worry about how such a person would find a wife.

Now, he felt that Ming Yiyang's slow-wittedness might be a blessing in disguise.

Silent Ada kept her black veil lowered at all times, even using her fork to delicately weave around it while eating, exuding an icy demeanor characteristic of a witch.

But at this moment, seeing their conversation come to a lull, she unexpectedly lifted the edge of her veil slightly and enigmatically asked,

"What are your thoughts on Mr. Yan?"

Chi Zihe hadn't expected anyone to engage him in conversation.

He managed to grasp the meaning behind her words and, despite speaking English with a Chinese accent, he answered confidently, as if jesting.

"Mr. Yan is composed and quick-witted. I feel secure with him around. Don't you agree?"

The woman lowered her black veil after hearing his response.

After a moment of silence, she spoke in an enigmatic tone.

"I believe Mr. Yan is not as straightforward as he appears. Haven't you noticed anything unusual about him? Actually, I suspect that he's..."

"If Miss Ada has any remarks to make, you may address them directly to me," interrupted a sudden voice.

Ada shuddered at the unexpected sound.

The returning man had ignited the fear she had been desperately suppressing throughout the entire banquet!

The cutlery in her hand clattered onto her plate as she spun around. The high brim of her hat concealed the man's face, but she could sense her own fingers trembling uncontrollably.

She was accustomed to discerning distances by sensing people or objects through their auras, yet just now... she hadn't detected any distinctive scent until Yan Qiling spoke. It dawned on her then that the man had already approached from behind!

At that moment, she caught the scent of that eerie, icy coldness again. It was as if it mocked her abilities or served as a taunting warning. Si Shuhao, now fully awake but still slightly dazed, realized her behavior had been off. She apologized, "Sorry, Ming Yiyang, I must have lost my filter earlier. I don't know why I started acting out of character."

"Mischievous," Ming Yiyang grumbled before resuming his meal.

Yan Qiling didn't push for an explanation, and Ada didn't either. The matter seemed to pass, but Ada's unease lingered within her.

When the banquet finally ended, Ada sighed in relief. However, just as they were about to leave, that devilish, frigid aroma returned, accompanied by a gentle whisper from the man:

"Miss Ada, you'd best be cautious tonight."

Her steps halted, and she stood stiffly in place.

Without even needing to look, she could sense the man moving behind her, now standing before her, purely through her sense of smell.

His words were soft, yet they combined into a haunting curse:

"After all, you might not see the dawn tomorrow."

Her light brown irises trembled as the woman slowly lifted her gaze to meet the man's face. She suppressed her fear and responded with as composed a tone as possible:

"Why?"

The black veil hanging down was casually lifted by the man's pale fingers.

He executed an utterly improper gesture with such elegance that no fault could be found in him.

For the first time, she admired his unusual eyes from such close proximity.

They reminded her of a jar of precious gems she kept in her treasure chest.

Among them, the most valuable Sri Lankan blue sapphire and Mozambican ruby seemed to be nestled within, surrounded by two jet-black butterfly wings, radiating a faint glow of different hues.

"For some, you're an obstacle."

Ada couldn't discern whether it was a caution or a threat. The man had already lowered the black veil again, his bony fingers accentuating the folds as he adjusted it for her.

In the hazy world of darkness, she gazed at him. The man's voice still held a hint of amusement,

"Mrs. Ada, don't hate me. For your sake, let go of that hatred."

She didn't get a chance to ask any further questions. He answered his companion's call and left slowly.

The aura of danger faded away, and she felt as if she had just been carved out of an ice cellar.

She was an obstacle...?

Previously, they mostly communicated in English. However, Yan Qiling spoke to her entirely in Spanish this time.

This meant he didn't want anyone else to know about their conversation.

Ada thought, Could it be that because she had repeatedly tried to expose his true nature to everyone, he was now issuing a death threat against her?

No... This man had no reason to go through such trouble.

Or could it be that the "death crisis" he predicted was actually lurking around her...?

Unconsciously, Ada started to fiddle with the grass ring on her finger. But the image of Yan Qiling wearing it without any reaction flashed in her mind... and just moments ago, this person's finger had been brazenly adorned with it, yet he seemed unaffected!

Before Ada could finish her speculation, a blood-curdling scream pierced through the hallway from up ahead!

Half his body drenched in blood, Qi Yongxin rushed down from the third floor – after the banquet, he had supported the disheveled Ji Congrong as they were the first to leave.

His bandaged thigh was bleeding profusely from limping, and when he reached the stairway, he collided with Ruman and Rao Haocang, collapsing to the ground. Only with Rao Haocang grabbing his arm did he manage to keep from falling completely.

Qi Yongxin's face was ashen as he let out a hoarse, off-key roar:

"Song Yuan, I saw Song Yuan! He's up ahead! He's right... ahead..."

Ming Yiyang and the others had just arrived at the scene.

Upon ascending to the third floor, they witnessed Ji Congrong, who had narrowly escaped death that night, lying face down on the ground. A pool of blood seeped from under her cotton padded jacket, and a bloodstained dinner knife lay discarded beside her.

Ruman, genuinely terrified by such occurrences, clung tightly to her husband, refusing to let go.

Thus, Ming Yiyang stepped forward to turn the body over.

Ji Congrong's neck was covered in stab wounds. Her eyes were wide open, as if she had encountered something that utterly astonished her before her last breath. Life had clearly left her.

Not only her neck, but also her chest and abdomen bore bleeding injuries. However, the fatal blow seemed to have been the neck wound, which had caused her to suffocate and die swiftly.

The woman's blood still held warmth, suggesting that the enclosed corridor might not have provided enough time for Song Yuan to escape.

Ming Yiyang inquired,

"Where's Song Yuan?"

Qi Yongxin, trembling, pointed at the door adjacent to them.

Indeed, there was a trail of blood leading up to it. Qi Yongxin said anxiously, "I don't have a key card for this door. We're each given three cards now. Take a look."

He pulled out the blood-stained key card from his pocket, suggesting that at the moment of the incident, he had instinctively tried to open the door with the card in his pants but failed due to not having the right one.

Ruman found it peculiar. "If you couldn't open it, how could Song Yuan? We've passed by the front desk several times these past few days, and we haven't seen anyone getting a new key."

Rao Haocang, however, pondered deeper. "If Song Yuan is the mole, he must have some trump cards, like room keys. Do you remember the freezer key Ming Yiyang and Mr. Yan obtained this morning? That was a trap."

"But that trap didn't seem to be set up by a hotel staff member. Their methods were straightforward and crude. Only the head chef showed some cunning, but even then, it was limited, or else Mr. Yan wouldn't have gained the upper hand tonight."

Quickly glancing at Yan Qiling to ensure he wasn't offended, he continued, "But if Song Yuan has access to all the hotel keys, it would explain things. It also means he could instruct the hotel employees to assist him."

Qi Yongxin muttered to himself:

"Yes, the access card... The manager's access card should be with him too."

Chi Zihe wore a wry smile as he surveyed the scene before him, then concluded solemnly:

"It seems that Song Yuan is a crucial point of entry. We need to find a way to locate him."

The disheveled Qi Yongxin carried Ji Congrong's corpse back, having arranged to stay with the Lu couple that night.

Meanwhile, Yan Qiling seized an opportunity to slip a slender red needle into Simon's hand.

He moved against the shadows, evading everyone to whisper to the old man:

"You've caught Its attention."

"This item can trap It. Use it in a vital spot when necessary."

Simon pocketed the red needle, nodding gravely in response.