Chapter 287: Evacuation

“This is a violation of the law...”

“I will file a lawsuit...”

“Chief Brechet will never stand idly by while his subordinates suffer such injustice...”

Chief Ebunick clenched his teeth, his holster already open, right hand gripping the pistol—he clearly feared these inhuman investigators might turn their weapons on him too—but his vigilance was useless; the leather-clad man and the other three investigators advanced with guns drawn, leaving the chief trapped between two evils.

The housekeeper, Marylin, glanced aside and saw the young officer beside the chief had already removed his sidearm and placed it on the ground.

“At least you’re sensible.” Marylin handed the umbrella handle to Prumeliya, bent down to pick up Ning Zhe’s pistol, and soon after, Chief Ebunick and Officer Camack were also disarmed.

The leather-clad man removed the radio from behind the chief’s belt and said: “The situation is urgent—extremely urgent. I hope you understand us and cooperate with our work.”

The investigators moved Officer John’s corpse beside a pillar. Chief Ebunick stared at his mangled left hand, frowning silently.

Before leading this operation, the veteran chief had received certain instructions from his superiors—vague, suggestive words he hadn’t fully grasped at the time. Now, reflecting carefully, a sudden clarity dawned in his mind.

“Please cooperate with our work, Chief.” The leather-clad man brought the radio to Chief Ebunick’s lips: “Thank you for your understanding.”

Following the leather-clad man’s orders, Chief Ebunick issued commands to all officers stationed across Vanessa Castle, ordering them to halt all activity immediately, remain in place, and remove their gloves.

If two or more officers are moving together, they must inspect each other’s hands for intact fingers. If a male officer is missing his left pinky, or a female officer her right pinky, do not believe anything he or she says—take immediate action to subdue them by any means necessary.

Swift response, clear orders—this investigation team handled the anomaly with professional precision. They were an experienced, seasoned unit.

“So practiced—they’ve dealt with more than one anomaly before,” Ning Zhe silently concluded.

Including the six investigators, everyone in the hall removed their gloves, verified each other’s fingers, and confirmed their identities as living humans. Then Marylin returned Ning Zhe’s pistol and said: “Given the unusual circumstances, thank you for your understanding.”

“What exactly is going on?” Ning Zhe took back his pistol and feigned confusion, frowning: “What happened?”

Prumeliya lifted her head, glancing at him with mild confusion.

“What’s wrong?” Marylin asked at once, concerned.

“Nothing... probably just my imagination.” Prumeliya shook her head, bent down, and began gathering the chess pieces one by one into the box: “We should move the board somewhere else.”

“Alright.” Marylin nodded and helped tidy up.

The investigators moved the folding table from the center of the ground-floor foyer to an open space outside, then repositioned the chessboard upon it.

Ning Zhe noticed Marylin placed the chessboard with extreme care—perfectly centered on the wooden table, its four sides perfectly aligned with the table’s four edges, no deviation whatsoever, resembling a large “ Hui ” character.

“So neat—obsessive-compulsive?” Ning Zhe wondered: “Or does the board’s orientation relate to the ‘take-back’ rule...?”

As he pondered, Ning Zhe shifted his gaze from the board to the distant walls—and suddenly, a flash of insight struck him: “So that’s it... the board’s orientation doesn’t just match the table—it matches Vanessa Castle’s four outer walls...”

He felt a faint premonition about the chessboard’s “take-back” logic. As he thought this, the officers scattered across the castle received the order and gradually gathered before Zhong Lou’s entrance, all having removed their gloves to display their intact hands.

“Abel...”

“Gaven Newson...”

“...”

Under the puzzled stares of the officers, Chief Ebunick held the mission roster and verified each officer’s identity as they arrived.

“Hey, hey, Banuto.”

A colleague familiar with Ning Zhe’s identity, “Banuto,” elbowed him and asked: “What’s going on? I just heard gunshots...”

Another female officer added: “I heard them too—the shots came from Zhong Lou. Was there a firefight inside? Did you find the suspect?”

“Huh?” Ning Zhe froze: “Firefight?”

Ning Zhe glanced at the female officer. He didn’t know her well—only that her name was Suxi, and she was from a different department.

No one missed a single detail!

Officer Suxi blinked in surprise: “Didn’t you go into Zhong Lou with Chief Ebunick? You didn’t hear anything?”

“Uh... what exactly did you hear?” Ning Zhe asked, shaking his head.

Suxi found Banuto’s reaction odd but replied: “I was chatting with Newson near the laundry room when I heard gunshots—coming from Zhong Lou. About ten or more in a row, like a firefight?”

“Yeah, I heard it too,” Newson beside her added: “Banuto, you were inside Zhong Lou—you were closer than any of us. You didn’t hear it?”

“...No.” Ning Zhe’s expression turned grave; he shook his head.

“That’s strange...” Suxi shrugged and walked off to chat with another officer.

After counting heads, the chief approached the leather-clad man with the roster: “Including myself, we deployed twenty-four officers. Twenty are present. Besides the deceased John, three are unaccounted for—no radio contact.”

“Three missing?” The leather-clad man frowned. Missing here? Likely dead.

“Looks like everyone who can be found is here.” The girl in black dress raised her eyes to the scattered officers standing in loose rows and murmured: “Marylin.”

“Yes, Your Highness. The isolation cells in Brechet Town Prison are ready.”

Marylin’s expression remained unchanged as she addressed the gathered officers: “All officers who have verified their fingers and identities—leave Vanessa Castle immediately. Do not linger. Something unusual has occurred; we must clear the premises. Return to your vehicles—transport awaits you outside.”

(End of Chapter)