Pearl

Chijing City Investigation Bureau.

The atmosphere inside the bureau was currently even more oppressive than the gloomy sky outside the windows.

Although the source of the large-scale supernatural incident had temporarily gone dormant and was no longer claiming new victims, the mess left behind was enough to leave the entire Investigation Bureau in a state of utter chaos.

Hundreds, even thousands of victims were being held in emergency isolation within designated medical observation zones.

The scene was chaotic, and the air was thick with anxiety.

The curse had not been lifted, and the victims were undergoing visible changes. Beards vanished, Adam's apples smoothed over, muscle lines softened, and voices became androgynous.

Even more troublesome were the subsequent conflicts.

Some people's small animals had died or been lost during the previous scramble, so they tried to snatch them from others.

Others were dissatisfied with their own small animals and wanted to take the opportunity to trade for a better one.

Small-scale riots frequently broke out in the isolation zone, requiring investigators to intervene often to pacify the crowds and maintain order. This in itself was a form of mental torture.

The fundamental problem was that the source of the curse—the begonia hairpin—was missing.

There was no way to even begin discussing how to break the curse, which meant the victims would likely lose their gender permanently.

This cruel reality was currently under a strict information lockdown to prevent even greater unrest.

Furthermore, the priority of searching for the hairpin had been forcibly lowered. This was because another, even more serious crime had occurred—Investigator Su Jinglu had been murdered!

In the meeting room, the pale lights reflected off a series of grim faces.

A preliminary investigation meeting regarding the attack on Su Jinglu was being held here.

A technician responsible for the on-site investigation stood before a projection screen, delivering an intelligence report.

“According to the site investigation, at least two explosions of different magnitudes occurred at the scene of the attack. The detonation points were hidden, suggesting pre-set bombs, though no bomb fragments have been found.”

“The signs of combat were very intense. Investigator Su Jinglu used a large amount of spider silk. Marks from short-blade slashes were also found at the scene. All surrounding surveillance was interfered with and destroyed by unknown means before the incident. Currently, no valuable images of suspects have been extracted.”

“The preliminary judgment is that this was a carefully planned and premeditated ambush.”

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of confusion. “The biggest point of doubt at the moment is why Investigator Su Jinglu led a team to that remote alley in the first place.”

“She was personally suffering from the effects of the curse and was eager to find the hairpin to lift it. Logically, she shouldn't have easily left the core scene.”

“Unless someone intentionally set a trap, relaying highly tempting and seemingly credible false information to lure her there.”

At this point, a senior investigator frowned. “Su Jinglu was always cautious, and her ability provided strong warnings of danger. For her to fall for a trap in that state, the opponent must either understand her psychology and situation extremely well or possess the means to block her perception.”

Xin Yanzheng was also attending this meeting. He sat at the conference table, unconsciously cracking his knuckles, his gaze somewhat vacant.

On the projection screen, the gruesome photos of Su Jinglu's death scene intertwined with painful images from his own past in his mind, making it difficult for him to concentrate.

“In summary, the nature of this case is extremely heinous. The perpetrator’s methods were professional and cruel, and they clearly had some understanding of Investigator Su Jinglu's abilities and movement patterns.”

“I suggest establishing a special investigation team to prioritize screening individuals who have had conflicts with Su Jinglu recently. Simultaneously, expand the scope of the on-site investigation to look for any traces the killer might have left behind,” the director, who was presiding over the meeting, laid out the deployment.

The meeting ended in an oppressive silence, and everyone left one after another with heavy expressions.

In the corridor, Investigator Old Wang noticed Xin Yanzheng looking somewhat lost. He approached with concern. “Xiao Xin, are you all right? You didn't look so good during the meeting.”

Xin Yanzheng rubbed his temples and forced a smile. “I'm fine. I just remembered some bad things from the past.”

Old Wang nodded understandingly and lowered his voice. “Thinking about your hometown again?”

Xin Yanzheng said nothing, which served as a silent confirmation.

Old Wang looked sympathetic and patted his shoulder. “It's been so many years. Don't overthink it. Take care of yourself.”

Xin Yanzheng kept his face stiff and walked away quickly.

Just then, Xiao Liu, an assistant investigator who had recently joined, walked over gossipily and asked in a low voice, “Brother Wang, what happened to Mr. Xin's hometown? He looks so sad.”

Old Wang sighed and whispered, “His hometown is Shizhu Port.”

“Shizhu Port?” Xiao Liu sucked in a breath. “That ghost city?”

Old Wang nodded.

Shizhu Port was once a quite famous coastal city. It used to be called Baozhu Port.

The local area produced a type of pearl that was said to not only have a warm luster but also clear the mind and brighten the eyes when worn long-term. It possessed the magical effect of resisting minor mental contamination and curses, and there were even rumors that it could boost virility and prolong life.

The local tycoons who controlled the pearl industry were none other than the Xin family.

“It's a pity,” Old Wang said with a wistful tone.

“The Xin family suffered an extermination of the clan seven years ago; almost everyone was killed. Immediately after, something went wrong with the local waters, and they became severely contaminated. The pearls produced afterward were all misshapen and grotesque—not only were they ugly, but they were also toxic.”

“The seawater contamination led to the pollution of the city's freshwater resources as well. Ordinary people simply couldn't live there long-term, and they slowly migrated away. Such a fine city was abandoned just like that, and Baozhu Port became the ‘Shizhu Port’ marked on maps today.”

Xiao Liu was also wistful. “I've vaguely heard about that. They say the Xin family was haunted back then. A supernatural creature disguised itself as a member of their inner circle and murdered the entire Xin family. The local pearl industry was destroyed by that creature, and the whole city suffered. So many people died; it was incredibly tragic.”

However, Old Wang said, “But I heard that a certain direct descendant of the Xin family wasn't content being an ordinary person and wanted to obtain supernatural power. To that end, they didn't hesitate to collude with the supernatural, became contaminated themselves, and went insane. After killing the Xin family, they even tried to destroy the city.”

Both of them were just repeating hearsay, gossiping with each other.

Xiao Liu said, “It's a shame those pearls aren't on the market anymore. Otherwise, I'd definitely buy one, no matter what.”

Old Wang's expression suddenly became somewhat lecherous and greasy. “Yeah, they could boost virility. They were bestsellers back then.”

Xiao Liu also looked down and chuckled.

At that moment, another investigator passing by heard their conversation and couldn't help but interject, “Why would you buy them? I advise you not to believe those rumors. Those pearls weren't that miraculous at all. It was all advertising hype from the Xin family to sell them at high prices.”

Old Wang countered, “Even if the effects weren't that exaggerated, they at least had some effect. Those pearls were supernatural objects that ordinary people could actually get their hands on. They were a great value.”

But this investigator shook his head and lowered his voice, sounding mysterious. “How could supernatural objects be mass-produced like cabbages?”

“I saw an anonymous whistleblowing post on the Supernatural Forum before. Someone said the Xin family used an unorthodox method to farm the pearl oysters back then—worshipping an evil god and introducing seawater from a human forbidden zone. That's how they grew those special pearls. There might have been some unknown side effects!”

Old Wang curled his lip. “Anonymous posts on the Supernatural Forum don't have much credibility.”

The few of them each held their own views. Various versions of rumors regarding the downfall of the Xin family and the truth about those mysterious pearls were in circulation, a mix of truth and lies that was hard to distinguish.

But no one would ever go to Xin Yanzheng to ask for confirmation.

Xin Yanzheng was a powerful transcendent. Who would be stupid enough to proactively poke at his scars?

On the other hand, seven years ago, he was still just a child. He likely knew very little about the inside story of his family's upheaval.

Xin Yanzheng walked alone down the corridor. His hearing was very acute; even from a distance, the whispers of his colleagues behind him still reached his ears.

But he simply acted as if he hadn't heard.

After being busy all day, it wasn't until late at night that he dragged his exhausted body back to his residence.

The fingerprint lock made a soft beep, and the door opened and closed, sealing off the high-pressure world outside.

Once the door was closed, the mask of a city elite on Xin Yanzheng's face suddenly shattered.

In its place was an expression of desperate impatience.

He didn't even have time to take off his shoes before he stumbled straight toward the bathroom.

In the spacious bathroom, the massive bathtub was already filled with water.

But this water was not colorless and transparent; it displayed a peculiar pale blue, shimmering as if a small piece of the tropical ocean under the sun had been moved into the tub.

Even more strangely, while the surface was clearly calm, there seemed to be undercurrents surging beneath, reflecting a deep, profound luster.

Xin Yanzheng roughly tore off his clothes, tossing them randomly on the floor, and then eagerly submerged himself in the water.

The cool liquid enveloped his entire body, rising over his mouth and nose, submerging him completely.

The desperate impatience on his face vanished, replaced by a long sigh of satisfaction. His tense muscles relaxed, and his face was full of comfort and enjoyment. He closed his eyes, letting his body drift slightly in the water.

After soaking for a long time, Xin Yanzheng slowly stood up from the tub. Water droplets slid down the firm, smooth lines of his body, but he did not pick up a towel to dry off.

He walked barefoot back to the bedroom. In just that short time, the excess moisture on his skin was gone. By the time he reached the bedside, his body was already dry.

The main light in the bedroom wasn't on; only a soft, warm yellow wall lamp by the bed was lit.

Xin Yanzheng lay on the bed and turned on his side, his gaze falling on two old photos placed on the nightstand.

The photos were set in frames. The first photo was larger, a group shot with many people.

The background was a courtyard. In the center of the photo was a middle-aged man with an air of natural authority, whose features bore some resemblance to Xin Yanzheng's.

Surrounding the middle-aged man like stars around the moon was a circle of beautiful women dressed in expensive clothes.

And beside each woman was a cluster of several children of varying ages.

The second photo was smaller, a shot of four people. A beautiful woman with a gentle smile sat in the middle, her arms around a teenage boy.

Standing on either side of the woman were an older boy and girl. The boy looked kind and honest, while the girl was bright and beautiful. Everyone in this photo smiled naturally and sincerely, filled with the warm happiness of an ordinary family—a stark contrast to the atmosphere of the large group photo.

Xin Yanzheng's gaze lingered greedily on this photo of four, his expression shifting under the dim light.

There was nostalgia, sadness, and also a deep-seated resentment that reached his very marrow.

All sorts of extreme emotions surged and intertwined in the depths of his eyes.

He reached out a finger and, through the cold glass of the frame, gently brushed over the faces of the beautiful woman and the young girl, his movements carrying endless longing.

However, when his fingertip slid past the edge of the photo and touched the other person in the picture, it was as if he had hit an invisible boundary. The tenderness in his eyes was instantly replaced by hatred.

“Vrrr.”

The phone vibrated, interrupting Xin Yanzheng's chaotic thoughts.

His gaze swept over the screen at the number without a contact name. His eyes narrowed, and his expression became respectful as he immediately pressed the answer button.

No one spoke on the other end; there was only a stagnant silence, yet this silence carried more pressure than any roar.

Xin Yanzheng's fingers tightened unconsciously, his knuckles turning slightly white. He was the first to speak, his voice full of apology. “I'm sorry. It's my fault for not taking care of her. It was all my negligence.”

He paused for a moment, seemingly listening, and then continued to speak. His pace was not fast, and his words were clear as he briefly recounted the known details of the attack on Su Jinglu.

The person on the other end said something else.

Xin Yanzheng explained, “The director didn't hide any news from you. It happened so suddenly that everyone in the bureau was shocked. A special investigation team has already been established to track down the killer with full force. It's just that the scene was severely destroyed and the killer is very cunning, so there hasn't been a breakthrough yet.”

After finishing, he listened quietly for a while.

Then, Xin Yanzheng leaned forward slightly, his attitude becoming increasingly respectful, even somewhat humble. “Understood. Please rest assured. If there are any new developments, I will definitely inform you immediately.”

Finally, as if to emphasize a certain promise, his tone became exceptionally solemn. “The debt of saving my life back then, and the debt of raising me all these years... I would never dare to forget. As long as it is within my power, please do not hesitate to command me for anything.”