Chapter 746: Chapter 568: Duel in the Rain Curtain
The area of the abandoned factory was not small, and among it were some low, flat houses. Though these houses were abandoned, their structures remained relatively intact. Some homeless wanderers would come to stay here at night, which significantly increased the difficulty of the search.
Yang Xiao had inspected five rooms with lights on. With the Soul-Capturing Mirror in hand, he could enter without disturbing anyone, but the people he was looking for weren’t in any of these rooms.
When he came to an old house, Yang Xiao heard laughter from inside. The most distinctive voice was that of a little girl who was laughing joyfully. Curious, Yang Xiao used the Soul-Capturing Mirror to sneak into the room. Through an old mirror with a red frame on the table, he saw a family of three sitting around a small table with a birthday cake on it.
The cake was small and looked cheap, not even fitting for extra candles. Yet, the girl, wearing a birthday hat and sitting on a small stool between her parents, was laughing very happily. She clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and made a wish toward the cake. Her stretched face in the candlelight appeared almost sacred, which pricked at Yang Xiao’s heart.
Not long ago, when Yang Xiao was cutting his own birthday cake, he had directly cut into a script box. That moment had stunned him.
He silently watched the family of three, poor but still striving to live. The man, the woman, and the little girl—being together as a family was more important than anything. Watching the girl make a wish and then pick up the knife to cut the cake, Yang Xiao’s bad memories surged up. He feared that the girl might also cut into a Ghost Script.
But all his guesses settled like dust as the knife sliced down. The girl didn’t, after all, few people were as lucky as him.
Although he knew there were no members of the Patrol Defense Office nearby, for safety’s sake, he still put on a mask. Unrelated to the Peace Hotel, the one on his face was a very ordinary mask, the same kind used by gangsters that matched well with Yang Xiao’s entire demeanor in the night.
He had carefully studied the map and this person’s movements, eventually marking several key intersections. He used the abilities of the Soul-Capturing Mirror to shuttle between these intersections. Finally, after a long wait, he made a discovery.
There were very few street lights in the factory area, and at the moment, on a small path, a figure wrapped tightly in a coat, with head bowed, hurried along, staying close to the worn wall of a courtyard.
At this moment, Yang Xiao was hiding in a small black house at the right side of the path, with doors and windows long removed. Peering through the window, he could tell the person’s clothes were ragged, much like the homeless he had seen before. But Yang Xiao faintly noticed that although the person hunched over deliberately, it wasn’t hard to see the bulky figure under the coat, the steps were steady, moving with a sense of rhythm—clearly someone who had training.
Before Yang Xiao could step out of the house, the "wanderer" who was about ten meters away suddenly stopped and, lifting his head, stared straight at Yang Xiao’s hiding place.
"Who’s there?" The person’s voice was low and gravelly, as if holding a mouthful of blood, "Come out."
Seeing this, Yang Xiao didn’t hide anymore. He walked out from the small black house boldly and, imitating the gritty tone of the other person, he said, "Not bad, you’re quite something. You injured my deputy captain and team members, leaving harm without maiming—I thank you."
"Are you from the Patrol Defense Office?" The newcomer lifted his head, also wearing a mask, a silver one without any patterns.
"Does it matter who I am?" Yang Xiao asked.
"Of course, if you’re from the Patrol Defense Office, I’ll try to let you off. If you’re chasing after me on behalf of those dogs from Yiling Academy, I will kill you." The person’s voice was ice cold, and it was clear that each word was spoken seriously.
"I am the captain of the Patrol Defense Office." Yang Xiao didn’t want to beat around the bush, "You spared my men before, and I don’t wish to be too hard on you. Surrender, and I guarantee I won’t harm you, how about that?"
"Not so good." The newcomer didn’t move, "I advise you to mind your own business and keep your distance. You’re no match for me."
"Oh?" Yang Xiao laughed, "Brother, you’re using my lines. As the captain of the Patrol Defense Office, on a larger scale, it’s my duty to capture you and ensure peace. On a smaller scale..." Yang Xiao gave a wry smile, "Sorry, brother, but I have to trade you in for a brighter future."
"Little brother, we have no grievances, and I do not wish to harm you. Please make it easy for me, can you?" The person gave a cupped fist salute, a gesture of an experienced figure in the world of martial arts.
Yang Xiao shook his head and said straightforwardly, "Next, I will capture you, trying my best not to hurt you. My apologies."
After speaking, Yang Xiao drew out the Human Bone Staff immediately, but the other person didn’t waste words either. Throwing off his coat, he was actually wearing a black raincoat underneath. As the raincoat became visible, Yang Xiao felt the sky above became darker and more overcast. Seconds later, drops of rain began to fall, and a light rain started drizzling nearby.
The raindrops fell on Yang Xiao, not corrosive or harmful, just ordinary rainwater, which surprised him.
Yang Xiao kept his eyes on the Raincoat Man in front of him. Since putting on the raincoat hood, the man had stood still, and Yang Xiao, not letting his guard down, held the Human Bone Staff tightly, unsure of what trick the man might have up his sleeve.
Moreover, it was strange that from beginning to end, he had not felt any malice from the Raincoat Man; it seemed as if the man did not want to fight him.
Very soon, Yang Xiao realized that something was amiss. He swung the staff at the Raincoat Man, and what happened next confirmed Yang Xiao’s suspicions. The Raincoat Man, upon being hit, instantly dissolved into a puddle of water that splashed behind him.
