Chapter 486: Chapter 422: The Office
Yang Xiao suddenly leapt up from the bed and swung the Human Bone Staff at the source of the noise, but the expected scene did not occur; all remained deadly silent above.
At this moment, Yang Xiao collected himself from the shock and realized that something was amiss. After all, the wardrobe was large and tall, with less than 20 centimeters between its top and the ceiling. It was impossible for such a narrow space to hide a person unless they were flattened.
He retreated to a distance and climbed onto the couch to get a better look at the top of the wardrobe. This look infuriated Yang Xiao, as the top was empty save for one of his leather shoes, which was leaning and strategically placed at the edge. The position was calculated so that it would not be visible when walking near the wardrobe, and only from lying on the bed could one see the tip of the shoe.
The leather shoe looked familiar to Yang Xiao because it was his, bought specifically for taking graduation photos after college.
Without wasting more time looking for the Mirror Ghost, Yang Xiao understood this was the opponent’s territory. He knew that as long as the Mirror Ghost deliberately avoided him, it would be very hard for him to catch it.
After returning to the real world, Yang Xiao dared not let his guard down. Still holding the Ghost Lantern, he carefully checked every corner of the room, especially the top of the wardrobe, to ensure there were no ambushes. Only then did he put away the lantern and took off the Drama Robe, but the day’s events had already sounded an alarm for Yang Xiao.
This issue with the Mirror Ghost could not go unresolved. Its actions were becoming increasingly outrageous, and its movements more frequent. The threat the Mirror Ghost posed to him even surpassed that of the Underworld Robe.
Yang Xiao was willing to sacrifice ten years of his life if that’s what it took to kill it. As long as the Mirror Ghost lived another day, he feared he would never have peace, even when sleeping.
To kill the Mirror Ghost, relying on himself was no longer sufficient. He had once sought help from the Underworld Robe, but it was dismissive of his requests. Now, it seemed there were only two options. First, conducting a transaction at the Peace Hotel to learn the details about the Mirror Ghost, find its weakness, and then finish it off.
Yet, this was not easy to execute. Given the high level of the Soul-Capturing Mirror, obtaining such information would likely cost him dearly, such as being asked to commit murder for the hotel.
Second, was the competition Yang Cha had mentioned. If he could place in it, he would earn a chance to visit the Small Sutra Pavilion, where he might find clues about the Soul-Capturing Mirror and possibly even determine the original owner of the Robe.
Fighting was not something Yang Xiao feared, but he worried about his identity being exposed. However, considering it further, it was possible that Ru Lin Academy had made preparations for this since Resentful Eye abilities were each Angel Envoy’s biggest trump card. Even if they had to fight, it was unlikely that they would do so publicly for everyone to watch.
In any case, the Peace Hotel was the preferred option. He planned to try his luck first. If the price was acceptable, that would be best. If not, he would then turn to Yang Cha. Perhaps with her connections, she could help him get a backdoor entry into the competition.
Just as Yang Xiao was worrying about these issues, his phone screen suddenly lit up with a new message. He frowned upon reading the content.
It was from Fu Qingzhu. He was asking Yang Xiao to call him back urgently, and it seemed to be a matter so secretive it couldn’t be conveyed in a text message.
Yang Xiao immediately called Fu Qingzhu. The phone rang only once before it was answered. Fu Qingzhu’s voice was urgent but hushed, "Yang, there’s trouble. The person I sent to tail Yu Xinxin is now unreachable."
"When did this happen?" asked Yang Xiao.
"Half an hour ago, he was supposed to report to me during this time interval, but I didn’t hear from him. I messaged him, and he hasn’t responded," Fu Qingzhu whispered.
"Did you call?"
"Yes, the call gets through, but nobody answers." Fu Qingzhu, a long-time intelligence worker, fully understood what this meant. His voice grew more serious, "Before he went missing, he sent me a message saying Yu Xinxin drove out. He was following her until they reached Fence Street in the north of the city. Yu Xinxin parked and entered Twin Peaks Alley on her own; that was our last contact. After that, there was no more news."
"Did your man follow her in?" asked Yang Xiao.
"He should have," answered Fu Qingzhu amidst the rustling sound of papers, "Wait, I’ve found an old map of Twin Peaks Alley. That area is part of the old town and is quite chaotic. Although it’s named ’alley,’ aside from some old residential houses, there are dozens of small companies and studios. There’s one agency you might be interested in, called the Thunder Shield Detective Agency. They offer a range of services, including but not limited to finding missing persons, background checks, marital investigations, and more. They are involved in many areas but have little reputation in the industry."
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Yang Xiao keenly sensed that there was more to Fu Qingzhu’s words.
After hesitating for a moment, Fu Qingzhu hinted, "Brother, have you forgotten? I gave you some dirt on a few people from the Patrol Defense Office before, and Xi Menxiu’s file involved a woman. This woman happens to be the manager of the Thunder Shield Detective Agency."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao instantly perked up, and at the same time, he remembered something else from the initial information—the woman was also one of the founders of the Hehuan Sect.
Everything matched up.
Without any further hesitation, Yang Xiao decided to rush over immediately. After all, Fu Qingzhu’s men had gone missing while helping him, and whether they were dead or alive, Yang Xiao had to provide an explanation to them.
On the other end of the phone, Fu Qingzhu was also anxious, "Wait for me, we’ll go together. I’ll bring a few people."
"No need, if it’s really what I’m thinking, there shouldn’t be any major problems." What Yang Xiao didn’t say was that if it wasn’t, then there would be big trouble, and having Fu Qingzhu and the others along wouldn’t be of any use—they would only needlessly involve unrelated people.
As for Yang Xiao’s self-assessment, he was clear-headed—there were definitely people in Rongcheng he couldn’t beat, but if he focused his mind on escaping, not many could stop him. At least Yang Xiao hadn’t yet discovered anyone capable of that.
He hailed a Didi, with the destination set for Twin Peaks Alley. Yang Xiao had only heard of the place and had never been there, but as soon as he got out of the car, he realized that it was much busier than he had imagined. Pushcart vendors crowded both sides of the entrance to the alley. With two folding tables and a few plastic stools, groups of friends gathered around, the aroma of barbecue mingling with the shouts of the people—all rich with the essence of life.
Nobody would think that just a while ago, a person had gone missing here. Yang Xiao donned a duckbill cap and pulled the brim low over his eyes, blending into the busy crowd. He located the agency’s address on his phone’s map—an independent three-story building deep inside the alley.
The further he walked, the fewer people there were, and the noise gradually faded away. The surrounding area was quite dark, with many street lamps off to the side already extinguished. The few that remained emitted only a dim, yellow light, like dying, gasping old men on their last breath.
Following the map’s instructions, Yang Xiao finally found the office named Thunder Shield. Not far off stood a three-story building, apparently an old Western-style house that had been renovated and had quite a history, with a side wall covered in green vines.
Yang Xiao hid in the shadows, not daring to get too close. After a careful search, he finally found an inconspicuous metal sign in a corner. The seven characters of Layton Detective Agency on it had already faded significantly and were not at all conspicuous.
It was time. Yang Xiao took out the Soul-Capturing Mirror, ready to go in and have a look. He had made thorough preparations before coming here, with the Drama Robe worn closest to his body. But suddenly, his phone in his pocket vibrated. A message had come through.
After reading the message, Yang Xiao was stunned for a few seconds. Then, his furrowed brows slowly relaxed. Following that, he stuffed the Soul-Capturing Mirror into his pocket. With his left hand in his pocket, clutching the Soul-Capturing Mirror, and the Human Bone Staff tucked into his waist, ready to be drawn with his right hand, he took a step forward, emerging from the shadows and walking straight into the front door of the Layton Detective Agency.
The door was semi-transparent glass, and as Yang Xiao approached, it buzzed. With a gentle push, the door opened.
Choosing not to take the narrow, old elevator, Yang Xiao took the stairs up to the third floor—the top floor of the building. During this time, he didn’t see a single person; it was as if he was the only living thing in the entire building.
The lights on the third floor corridor glowed faintly, and there was a room at the end with the light on. The light streamed out from under the door, casting a narrow, sharp glow on the floor.
Hanging outside the room was a metal plaque of the same material as the one downstairs, with the words "Manager’s Office" engraved in a formal manner.
Yang Xiao stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, grabbed the handle, and gently pulled the door open. Inside was a small office, and a man was sitting upright in a chair.
Yang Xiao stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, grabbed the handle, and gently pulled the door open. Inside was a small office, and a man was sitting upright in a chair.
