Outside the Bai Fu Ye Xuan KTV.
"Duan Chen, I'll send you the latest intelligence from the Intelligence Division about 'Jing Cheng' right away," Old Zhang said heavily on the phone.
Duan Chen scratched his messy hair, receiving the photos sent by the transmitter.
"The 'Jiao Long' deep-sea exploration team has sent the latest footage of 'Jing Cheng.' It clearly shows a complete city buried beneath the seabed mud deposits, enclosed in a massive gas bubble."
"Manned submersibles cannot descend to the absolute depth for investigation."
"We suspect the pilot is not a Spirit Hunter, and their physical condition cannot withstand the immense pressure."
Duan Chen frowned. "Find a Spirit Hunter to go down there."
"Hmph, you little brat, your suggestion is quite reasonable, but as you know, Spirit Hunters are scarce, and those who know how to dive and have underwater operation capabilities are even rarer. So, shall I help you specially apply for a 'Jiao Long' boarding permit?"
Duan Chen twitched his lips. "...Not for now."
Old Zhang paused, then continued.
"The 'Jiao Long' dispatched three unmanned tethered submersibles. They attempted to approach 'Jing Cheng' from the southeast, southwest, and north, but were stopped by a strange ocean current."
"The once calm sea surface immediately erupted into a storm, creating colossal waves. The submersibles were swept into a trench and could not be recovered. Three sailors fell into the deep sea and were swallowed by unknown creatures. The 'Jiao Long' had to return to port temporarily."
Duan Chen frowned and sighed, "A heavy loss."
Old Zhang paused, and the sound of rummaging through items could be heard from his end.
"The good news is that the submersibles managed to capture three photos of the interior of 'Jing Cheng' at a closer distance. After processing by the technical department, some details can still be seen."
Duan Chen glanced at the transmitted files, his brows furrowing even deeper.
Altars, sculptures, ancient tiled roofs with intricate patterns...
Bronze wares, gold, graves littered with ancient swords...
And a massive, bizarre statue of a human-faced beast.
The statue's body was like a fish, but it had human hands and feet. Wings sprouted from its back, and two green snakes hung from either side of its head. Its feet trod upon a two-headed dragon mount.
Its eyes were lifelike, emitting a faint red glow.
It was remarkably similar to the red-eye effect caused by flash photography on living beings due to dilated pupils.
What was chilling to contemplate was that those eyes seemed to be looking directly at the camera, and through the lens, meeting Duan Chen's gaze!
Duan Chen shivered, a chill running down his spine.
"The last one is the most important," Old Zhang's voice pulled Duan Chen back to his senses.
Duan Chen quickly looked at the last photo—
It was a circular bronze altar, with six bronze mirrors vaguely visible around it, facing a luminous object in the center.
Three humanoid-like creatures stood in the center of the altar, while nearly a hundred indistinct sea monsters knelt in worship around the perimeter.
It looked like some kind of clandestine ritual was being performed.
"Spectacular! The transmission process was captured by the submersible. This is crucial intelligence!"
Old Zhang grunted. "I know you've found the whereabouts of the magic mirror, but we can't actively open this passage from the outside. The guild has tried many times, and it seems to be restricted by some blood sacrifice curse on the mirror. So, I thought, perhaps we can try to utilize this transmission ritual."
Duan Chen's eyes lit up. "When they open the door, we'll infiltrate in reverse. I knew you'd have a way, Old Zhang!"
"The method is feasible, but the risks are enormous. Although we know the path and exit, ... on the other side is that kid Gao Tiankai. He's meticulous and difficult to deal with," Old Zhang's voice was heavy.
"Mmm."
"So, I've asked the logistics department to compile patterns from previous amnesia cases. Of the 53 amnesia incidents in Su City recently, after excluding two cases of artificial factors, it was discovered that the vast majority of cases occurred around midnight."
"For example: Grandpa Zhang said Grandma Zhang was fine before bed. She went to the restroom in the middle of the night and woke up with amnesia the next day."
"And this one: A newlywed couple stayed up late. The wife said she was going to take a shower. The husband, seeing she was taking a long time, knocked on the door. When he opened it, the wife had forgotten everything and asked who he was."
"And this: An e-sports streamer who worked until midnight went to the restroom without turning off the camera. She was gone for a long time, and when she returned, she forgot how to stream and even how to play the game."
Duan Chen quickly processed the information and mused, "The victims are mostly female. It seems that after the sea monsters transform into human women, they can more easily prey on male targets."
"That's right, so my suggestion is—find a human woman, and at midnight, have her lure them towards the mirror alone. The sea monsters are sensitive to sound, so you could also have her sing a song to entertain them."
Duan Chen twitched his lips. "Are you asking me to wait for the rabbit? Besides, where would I find a human woman? The risk is too great. We can't involve ordinary people."
"Hmph, you little brat, I heard you've had quite a few newcomers join you recently. There's bound to be a woman among them. Before any new intelligence comes out, you can try this. It's better than just waiting."
Duan Chen lit a cigarette and took a deep drag, looking at Mi Xue'er and Qin Ze who were waiting for him not far away.
"I understand. I do have a suitable candidate."
"That student girl?" Old Zhang's voice carried a hint of gossip.
"No, she's still too green," Duan Chen smiled slightly. "The sea monsters also have their preferences at Bai Fu Ye Xuan KTV."
"So it's her. She is indeed a good candidate," Old Zhang said happily before hanging up the phone.
Meanwhile, Jia Yunlian, the proprietress, had just seen off a customer. Standing at the entrance, she wore a tired and impatient expression.
In an instant, she noticed Duan Chen leaning against a cool sports car and smiling at her.
Jia Yunlian's eyes instantly lit up. Her fatigue vanished, her back straightened, and she sashayed over with a sway of her hips.
"Duan Chen~~~ What brings you here today? Are you inspecting, or just visiting? Oh my, is that a new car? It's so cool!"
Beside him, Mi Xue'er and Qin Ze couldn't help but shiver. How could this woman change her demeanor so quickly? And her voice, it was more shrill than an ancient madam's, making people uncomfortable.
Looking at her ample, revealing cleavage, Mi Xue'er pouted and puffed out her own chest defiantly. However, compared to Jia Yunlian's, hers was several levels below.
Qin Ze noticed Mi Xue'er's subtle envy, his face turned slightly red, and he cleared his throat, averting his gaze.
Jia Yunlian leaned in with a seductive smile, her fair hand resting on Duan Chen's shoulder, her red lips close to his face.
"Hey! You, you, you be mindful of your image!" Mi Xue'er shouted, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"Tsk, who is this? Why are you still clinging to our Duan Chen? He's a guild agent, very busy," Jia Yunlian said dismissively, glancing sideways at Mi Xue'er.
"I!..."
"Let me see, oh, you've awakened? You think you can follow Duan Chen around just because you've awakened some minor abilities? Little girl, you're so naive~"
"You!!..."
"What? Or should sister help you out? I can find you a job here, to start learning how to serve men."
"Get lost!"
Mi Xue'er's face turned beet red. Normally, she was quite articulate, but for some reason, whenever she encountered Jia Yunlian, she felt as if she had swallowed a哑巴药 (a fictional pill that causes one to be unable to speak), constantly infuriated by her.
Perhaps it was because of those bouncing bosoms?
They were simply... too large, making it impossible to focus!
Qin Ze saw Mi Xue'er's flustered state, like a hopping little rabbit, and found it quite endearing. He couldn't help but softly comfort her, "Don't worry. If all else fails, you can ask Aunt Zhong to buy out this shop and become its owner. Then, let's see if she dares to be so arrogant."
Mi Xue'er's eyes lit up. "Yes! That's a great idea! I'll discuss it with Mom when we get back."