“Uncle Huang, take it slow. What happened to Nannan?”
Uncle Huang had two children. His eldest son was about the same age as Lin Zhen; they had even been classmates.
His youngest daughter, Nannan, was only five years old and was the apple of her parents' eyes.
“I went to wake her up for kindergarten this morning, but her room was empty.”
“I thought she was playing hide-and-seek with me, but I couldn't find her anywhere.”
“Finally, my wife noticed that the bedroom window was unlocked.”
“Nannan is usually such a good girl; she would never stay hidden for this long.”
“So I hurried to the Security Bureau to check the nearby surveillance footage. I saw her climb out of the window and run off on her own. It was as if... as if she was sleepwalking.”
“But she was only caught on our neighborhood's cameras. None of the street cameras picked her up. It’s like she just vanished the moment she left the complex.”
Yin Yang’s eyes narrowed slightly as he listened.
‘Sleepwalking? Could it be the ability of a Sequence 6 Nightmare?’
‘Is it that guy from the underground who said he could get young girls?’
‘Unlikely. If he were a Sequence 6, why would he be willing to do something like this for a few tens of thousands of credits?’
‘It must be some kind of transcendent item.’
“Uncle Huang, I know you’re anxious, but you’re the backbone of your family. You have to stay strong right now.”
“Tell us what we can do to help. Anything at all.”
Perhaps having overheard the conversation, the shop manager walked out from the back.
The moment Uncle Huang saw the manager, he couldn't hold back his tears anymore.
“Brother Lin... Nannan... Nannan is...”
He choked up, unable to continue. Manager Lin squeezed his shoulder firmly.
“Stop crying! You’re with the Security Bureau. For those people to use such treacherous tricks against you is a direct provocation!”
“The Security Bureau won't let them get away with this!”
“I’m going to go get people to help search. You do the same—call up all our old brothers!”
Manager Lin started heading out as he spoke. Lin Zhen hurriedly said, “I’m coming too.”
However, Yin Yang spoke up.
“Zhen, you shouldn't go. One more person out there won't make much of a difference.”
“Uncle Huang, send a photo of Nannan to Zhen. We’ll print out a few copies and put up missing person posters.”
“Yes, yes, okay,” Uncle Huang agreed repeatedly.
Lin Zhen turned to Qi Jiang and Zhou Kexin with an apologetic smile.
“I’m terribly sorry, but we have to close the shop for the day. These coffees are on the house.”
Qi Jiang shook his head. “We understand. I’ll also head out and help with the search.”
Beside him, Zhou Kexin nodded vigorously. “That’s right. I’ll ask my classmates to help look as well.”
“Thank you both, thank you so much.”
Uncle Huang was overwhelmed with gratitude, barely knowing what to say.
“Alright, enough talk.”
“The sooner we move, the sooner we’ll find the child.”
Manager Lin called out. Despite his usual hobbies of tending flowers and drinking tea, he was actually a very decisive man of action.
After Uncle Huang and Manager Lin left, Yin Yang and Lin Zhen began printing the photos and then set out to post them.
“Zhen, let's split up. I’m fairly familiar with the West District, so I’ll take that. I’ll leave the East District to you.”
“Alright!”
Lin Zhen agreed, and the two went their separate ways.
‘The person who stole the child is most likely the one from the underground. The trade location is the cemetery.’
‘But it’s only been a day; it’s not time for the trade yet. Where can I find him?’
Yin Yang looked at the photo of the little girl in the yellow dress, his eyes narrowing.
‘Uncle Huang is from the Security Bureau, and they’re the best at tracking. Based on his description, the culprit definitely used a transcendent item, which should have left some traces.’
‘Unless the culprit has a way to interfere with tracking.’
‘Or perhaps those people at the Security Bureau know something.’
Yin Yang glanced toward the Qi family’s direction. Although he didn't know who was selling the girls, he knew who wanted to buy them.
‘Does the Security Bureau know the Qi family is buying girls? And why did that person target Uncle Huang’s house? Was it a coincidence, or was it intentional?’
Lost in thought, Yin Yang made his way toward Uncle Huang’s home.
The address was on the missing person poster, so it wasn't hard to find.
Twenty minutes later, Yin Yang stood below the apartment building, looking up at the window that was still open.
Uncle Huang lived on the first floor of an old building—one of the oldest even by West District standards.
There was a camera at the corner of the complex that pointed directly at his unit’s entrance.
The footage Uncle Huang mentioned must have come from that camera.
He took a deep breath and looked up at the sparrows perched on the power lines.
He activated his Sequence ability as a Corpse Celebrant: Communion.
‘Did you see her last night?’
Yin Yang held up the poster, indicating the little girl in the yellow dress.
The sparrows tilted their heads at Yin Yang, their eyes even more vacant than his own.
Yin Yang sighed and walked over to the trash cans near the complex entrance, shifting his gaze to a few stray cats.
‘Did you see her last night?’
Yin Yang spoke again. Most of the foraging strays were startled and ran off immediately, but one tabby cat with a scar on its nose tilted its head and looked at him with surprise.
It was as if it couldn't understand why this monkey in front of it could speak.
‘Have you seen her?’
The tabby cat hesitated for a moment before nodding.
This was the power of the Communion ability—it allowed communication with anything!
However, the lower the target's spirituality, the more spiritual energy it consumed. For instance, if Yin Yang tried to communicate with an iron gate, a rock, or a wall, just two sentences would drain his current energy completely.
That was why he chose to ask sparrows and stray cats.
‘Can you lead me to her? As a reward, I’m willing to provide you with meat for a week.’
The tabby cat looked at him with 'disdain' and went back to licking its paws.
Yin Yang 'read' its meaning: ‘Meat? I can hunt for myself!’
Yin Yang thought for a moment and added, “How about a month of grooming? It’ll help you win the favor of the female cats.”
The tabby cat’s paw froze mid-lick. It stood up decisively and jerked its chin at Yin Yang.
Yin Yang 'read' it again: ‘Deal!’
And so, Yin Yang followed a cat through the streets and alleys until they reached the residential complex directly across from Uncle Huang’s.
The tabby cat jumped onto a trash can and pointed a paw toward the third floor.
Yin Yang’s eyes narrowed. His blade-wielding ghost appeared out of thin air and lunged toward the third floor.
“Meow!!!”
The tabby cat shrieked, its fur standing on end.
“Hmm?”
Yin Yang looked at it with some surprise. He hadn't expected the cat's spiritual perception to be so sharp.
At that moment, the blade-wielding ghost saw the situation inside the room.
Nannan and two other little girls were all inside!
“Who is it!” a loud shout erupted from within the room.
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