Chapter 123: Volume 1, Chapter 123 – Tenant (11)

Even if she went to Le Zhou's place tonight to confirm whether he was a serial killer, she still couldn't leave the Punishment Instance.

She also had to survive 30 days safely, otherwise the mission would still fail.

She still had to go back first.

Jiang Zhi walked toward the apartment building.

On the way she had to pass that long street; at nightfall, not a single passerby could be seen, the empty silence feeling desolate.

Jiang Zhi feared another mishap and unconsciously quickened her steps.

Just then, hurried footsteps suddenly appeared not far to her left.

Jiang Zhi glanced over, saw only a glimpse, and immediately turned, darting into a narrow gap at the corner beside her.

Immediately after, six or seven men wielding long sticks, fierce and menacing, ran past.

Those people came with overwhelming force, bearing an unstoppable aura.

If Jiang Zhi ever encountered them, they would kill her outright.

Before she could catch her breath, the group of men suddenly turned back; through the gap, she saw a black shadow easily knock those men down.

Six or seven grown men collapsed like that, blood spurting out and flowing along the cracked alley floor into the sewer.

The black shadow repeatedly stabbed the men's abdomens, as if venting hatred; the people on the ground had no breath left, yet the stabbing continued.

【Discovered a serial killer murder case.】

The system's voice sounded in her ears; Jiang Zhi dared not even breathe, huddled inside, shutting her eyes in fear.

After a long while, the black shadow finally stopped moving, rose slowly, and the small knife in his hand slipped, clattering to the ground with a crisp sound.

He leisurely wiped the blood from his hands, then immediately dragged the corpses to the wall and stacked them together.

The footsteps gradually faded away.

Jiang Zhi in the crack let out a long breath; the surroundings were so quiet that not a sound could be heard, which was unsettling.

She stepped out, steadied her legs, and wanted to leave the place quickly.

"Did you kill them?" a cold voice suddenly sounded from behind her.

Jiang Zhi turned her head and saw a man who had appeared ahead at some unknown time.

The faint streetlight behind the wall fell on him, and Jiang Zhi barely managed to make him out.

He wore a black suit, tailored to fit, with neat short hair combed back, revealing a cold, hard, unfamiliar face.

His whole body exuded a terrifying killing intent.

That came from having his hands stained with too much blood.

Jiang Zhi shifted back, fully aware she was no match for him.

His leather shoes made a pattering sound on the muddy stone road.

"Speak!"

Jiang Zhi hurriedly shook her head and waved her hands, explaining:

"I didn't kill them…… I just happened to pass by, do you believe me?"

The suit-clad man walked ever closer; Jiang Zhi had nowhere to retreat, driven into a desperate situation.

His steps abruptly stopped, his gaze falling on her behind, his eyes showing shock.

"It's you, actually you! We really underestimated you."

Jiang Zhi dared not turn back, pressing tightly against the alley wall, as if it could give her a bit of comfort.

All that could be seen was the black shadow that had killed five or six sturdy men, moving at an even pace, locked in combat with the man.

At a glance, the suit-clad man was clearly a trained fighter, evenly matched with the black shadow.

Finally, his chest was fiercely pierced by a blade; he spat blood, stared in terror at the black shadow, his voice weak:

"He… already knows you… won't let you… go…"

A few seconds later, the suit-clad man collapsed to the ground, dead.

Only then did Jiang Zhi clearly see the black shadow's figure.

He wore a cheap hoodie, the hood pulled over his head, covering his entire face; his silhouette stood in the night, like a demon crawled out of hell, chilling to the bone.

Jiang Zhi dared not run, fearing that if she did, he would kill her.

Clutching the hem of her clothes tightly, her pale face hid in the shadows.

That person, however, had no intention of killing her; he didn't look back, lifted his foot, and walked away.

Jiang Zhi only reacted after a long while.

——He just left like that?

Wasn't he going to kill her to silence her?

Jiang Zhi's limbs went weak, she almost collapsed, but relying on sheer willpower she managed to walk back to her rented room.

She returned home, took a bath, lay on the bed, and slowly regained some consciousness.

She began to feel some regret.

Back then she should have seized the chance to see what the killer looked like! If she had seen him then, her ultimate mission would have been completed!

But the situation was too dangerous; merely surviving was already fortunate.

"Ahhh——"

She threw herself onto the bed, rolling about wrapped in the quilt.

Who exactly was he?

Why didn't he kill her?

She had seen him kill people; shouldn't he have killed her to silence her?

Jiang Zhi couldn't figure it out.

Jiang Zhi lay on the bed and slowly fell asleep.

The things Jiang Zhi doesn't know; this floor has several people who can't sleep because of Jiang Zhi.

…

The snow-haired vampire is Song Wei, posted on the wall, listening attentively to the noises next door.

Song Wei's eyes were filled with confusion.

Why did Jiang Zhi come back so late?

Why did Jiang Zhi yell 'ah ah ah'?

—I really want to know.

…

Le Zhou sat expressionlessly in the chair, staring at the dishes on the table that had gone cold.

After a long while, Le Zhou stood up and poured all the dishes into the trash bin.

After finishing with the dishes, Le Zhou walked into the bedroom; the computer screen on the desk showed a surveillance feed.

Gazing at the surveillance footage, Le Zhou broke into a gentle smile.

Zhizhi

The soft call was tender and lingering, filled with deep affection.

…

The noon sunlight disc machine dispersed the autumn chill; golden light streamed through the window into the room, bright and warm.

Knock knock knock.

Jiang Zhi heard the knock at the door, knew her order had arrived, got up from the sofa, and was about to speak when she opened the door—only to see a stranger's face.

"Your meal, Miss Jiang."

The speaker was a lame middle-aged man, leaning on a cane, holding the meal she had ordered in his hand.

Jiang Zhi took the meal and asked doubtfully, "Isn't Shi Xuan delivering meals today?"

The lame man heard her, his expression somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected her to ask about Shi Xuan.

Most customers who order food don't care about an insignificant person, let alone that timid boy who is always quiet and reserved.

"His mother was hospitalized last night, and he is still staying at the hospital to care for her."

Jiang Zhi's face showed worry as she asked, "Which hospital is his mother hospitalized in?"

The lame man gave her the address and left, as he still had other meals to deliver.

Jiang Zhi had never yet seen Shi Xuan's mother; over these days she had come here, the person she had seen most was him, so she wanted to go to the hospital to see him.

She finished her lunch and followed the address given by the lame man to her destination.

Upon arriving, she frowned slightly.

This place is hardly a hospital; it's like a small clinic in a county town, located on a street alley.

The sign was dilapidated, mottled with dark yellow stains; as soon as one stepped inside, a pungent medicinal smell assailed the nostrils.

Several patients lay groaning on the benches, waiting to be called; she walked down the long corridor, turned several corners, and finally arrived at the 'Inpatient Department'.

Like prison cells, the wards stood side by side; in front of the wards, the corridor held several beds, with occasional relatives attending.

Far off, weaving through the crowded corridor, she saw Shi Xuan crouched against the wall.

Beside him lay a hospital bed, and there lay his mother.

Shi Mu was skin and bone, her breath faint; lying on the bed, she resembled a corpse.

"Shi Xuan." Jiang Zhi stepped closer and called softly.

As the words fell, she met the boy's flustered, lost expression.