Chapter 24: Operation Under the Cloak of Night

Located in the city center, Honghai Community…

Chu Ning scrolled through his phone, searching for follow-up news reports, hoping to glean some valuable information. Three days had passed, and the matter ought to have reached some conclusion by now. Bored, he idly swiped across the screen.

Searching the place name yielded only the usual encyclopedia entries, and after flipping through several pages, he finally found a report about the Tanya murder case. Disappointed, he abandoned the fruitless search.

There was not a trace of any follow-up reporting, as if it were merely polite chatter among acquaintances—everyone tacitly understood these were unreliable words.

“There’s nothing useful here. It seems the story’s been deliberately suppressed. Had I not paid extra attention, I might have missed the initial reports altogether!” Chu Ning found this manipulation all too familiar; he had experienced it many times himself.

“Oh, let’s investigate on our own,” Tanya replied absentmindedly, her thoughts still lingering on the locust tree in the courtyard. The last time she left, she had glimpsed an ancient face emerging from the tree’s bark.

Pain, resentment, numbness…

Tanya still hadn’t uncovered the locust tree’s secret. She remembered when Chu Ning gave the answer, a harsh buzzing filled her ears, and overlapping shadows blurred her vision, so she never heard his reply clearly.

She had seen the soul trapped within, and her gaze was irresistibly drawn—her mind grew hazy, and she staggered unconsciously toward the tree.

Her awareness sank, as if drowning in the deep sea.

When Tanya came to again, she found herself sprawled on the sofa, the surroundings confirming she was inside the villa.

In the afternoon, Chu Ning stood alone in the storage room, uncertain as he gazed at the items within.

“What tools does one need to investigate a case—especially to appear professional?”

“Sunglasses, trench coat, deerstalker hat, magnifying glass, lighter, gloves… Ah, this kitchen knife should come too.”

He concealed the knife beneath his coat, straightened his clothes in front of the mirror to ensure he looked the part of a detective, and after confirming he hadn’t forgotten anything, he picked up the medical kit from the floor and left the room.

“You’re awake. It’s time to head to the crime scene and uncover the truth! I’ve prepared everything we might need—just waiting for you!”

“Hm? And that outfit?”

Tanya stared blankly at the figure descending the stairs, dressed entirely in black and carrying a silver case. His eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, and the collar of his coat obscured half his face.

What was he planning—he looked exactly like a villain.

“This is the standard detective getup!” Chu Ning declared. With a flourish he produced the knife from his coat, as if to demonstrate his professional expertise, though he was anything but.

Seeing Chu Ning’s attempts at looking cool, Tanya let out a helpless sigh. She held little hope of uncovering the truth, especially after wasting three days—ample time for the killer to escape. Chu Ning hardly seemed reliable.

Nor did the online search yield any progress; the case had vanished from the web.

Chu Ning drew out a silver pocket watch and glanced at it theatrically. The watch was so old that its hands had stopped at 6:24 PM.

“We should be leaving. It’s getting late.”

Tanya glanced at the dimming sky outside—it really was late. Were they seriously setting out now? By the time they reached the scene, it would be night.

Shouldn’t investigations happen during the day?

“You sure? It’s not early anymore.”

“Absolutely. We must act at night—after all, what we’re doing can’t be seen by others,” Chu Ning said mysteriously, pushing up his glasses and placing the medical kit before Tanya.

On reflection, his reasoning made sense. Nighttime was best for such covert activities—they had no investigation permit, and given their identities, night was optimal.

Though they seemed more like accomplices disposing of evidence, this was indeed a case where the deceased led the detective toward the truth.

Tanya pointed at herself, “Is this for me?”

Chu Ning nodded, hands in his coat pockets, and strode ahead, “Let’s go! Take the medical kit—you might need it in the tasks ahead.”

“No way…” Tanya’s lips curled in apprehension, her easy mood replaced by sudden tension. What did he mean by “might need it”? The ambiguity was frightening.

Besides, today was the seventh day since her death; what might happen remained unknown. The daytime events were a sign—she sensed more dangers to come.

Though Chu Ning’s gesture wasn’t gentlemanly—making her carry the medical kit—she felt it was the safest plan. When danger arose, Chu Ning would surely be more dependable.

Everything in the courtyard had returned to normal: the broken wall, the snapped locust tree. Tanya walked along the path to the outside world, casting wary glances at the distant tree, alert for any changes.

Just as Chu Ning was about to open the door and leave, he paused, turned, and asked, “Do you know where I can find a car nearby? I haven’t been outside in ages—I don’t know much about the area. You know, a homebody! Though this is my house…”

He was unusually talkative, explaining his unfamiliarity with the surroundings.

“I understand! We’ll take Bus 24 into the city—the stop is just nearby.” Tanya immediately grasped his meaning, knowing that dying years ago made the world outside seem unfamiliar.

“All right, you’ll lead the way then—thank you.”

With that, Chu Ning pushed open the villa’s rusty iron gate, which was never locked. This place always welcomed anyone who wandered in; its hospitable owner never turned visitors away.

Seeing the misty world outside, Tanya felt her gloom lift—the world beyond was truly alluring. She ran ahead, leading Chu Ning down the road toward the funeral home.

The bus stop was at the funeral home; no matter how ominous or gloomy the place felt, it was a landmark in Mang City—after all, people could never escape funerals.