When he returned to the 4S dealership, it was completely dark.
The 4S shop, which had been as bright as day, was now pitch black.
Duan Chen burst in, gun in hand. He saw the cars casting eerie shadows, the dim interiors seething with unseen currents, and the moonlight glinting off the windows like pale bone.
It was so quiet, as if no one was left.
He sniffed, and there was indeed a faint trace of the sea’s scent in the air.
Duan Chen tiptoed, pressing himself against the wall as he fumbled for the light switch, closing his eyes beforehand to adjust to the coming brightness.
*Snap!*
The lights flickered on, and a scream erupted from the workshop.
“Ah!!!!”
Duan Chen’s eyes snapped open, and he charged over. He saw An Qi huddled in the corner of the floor, disheveled.
Her clothes were in disarray, revealing a bare shoulder and large patches of skin covered in red marks. Her skirt and stockings were torn, her makeup smudged, and her hair was a mess.
An Qi clutched herself tightly, tears streaming down her face, yet her eyes held a look of debauchery.
Duan Chen scanned the area, confirming there were no immediate threats, and quickly went to An Qi’s side, taking off his suit jacket to cover her.
An Qi, like a wounded animal, trembled and clung to Duan Chen.
Her dazed eyes were misty, and her small hands fumbled with Duan Chen’s clothes as she muttered incoherently.
Seeing An Qi’s state, Duan Chen knew she had been drugged.
“Calm down.”
Duan Chen grabbed a bottle of mineral water from the table and brought it to An Qi’s lips, but she pushed it away.
“I’m so hot, I’m burning up… Am I not beautiful? I’ll be very obedient!”
An Qi pressed herself against Duan Chen. Duan Chen frowned and struck the back of her neck sharply.
*Crack!*
An Qi’s eyes went dark, and she went limp, falling into Duan Chen’s arms.
The wound was shallow and fresh, but it bled red blood.
Still uneasy, Duan Chen scanned An Qi with his detector again. After confirming she was a “person,” he placed her on a chair, covered her with his jacket, and continued his search.
Not far away, in the back seat of a displayed Audi S6, Duan Chen found Manager Zhang’s body.
His face was contorted in terror, as if he had seen a ghost. His exposed skin, including his neck and arms, was covered in scratches. His lower body was a mess, his body was covered in blood, and there was a black hole in his chest.
The heart had indeed been taken.
There was also a faint scent of sea monsters here, but the perpetrator seemed to have fled. Duan Chen cautiously searched the store, finding no sea monsters. Only under An Qi’s fingernails did he discover remnants of skin tissue.
Had he arrived too late? Had the perpetrator escaped?
Duan Chen found no prohibited mirrors in the 4S shop, only a compact mirror on An Qi’s desk, about the size of his palm.
He poured some water and dropped the compact in. The mirror’s surface remained undisturbed, with no numbers, bloodstains, or symbols appearing. It seemed to be just an ordinary mirror.
By then, a large contingent of police and ambulances had arrived.
Duan Chen briefed his brothers and watched as An Qi was loaded into an ambulance before leaving the scene.
The night breeze was damp, ruffling his hair. The sky was covered in dark clouds, threatening a downpour.
Duan Chen’s doubts remained undiminished.
An Qi was in a terrible state, seemingly having engaged in unspeakable acts with the sales manager.
Where did the sea monster come from? Why did it kill only Manager Zhang and spare An Qi?
Judging by the sea monsters’ past killing patterns, a female identity would seem more advantageous for their actions. Moreover, An Qi had made the emergency call. Could she, in her state, have coherently described the events?
It seemed he would have to wait until An Qi regained consciousness to get a clear answer.
It was as if a hand, hidden in the darkness, was controlling everything.
A Maserati MC12 sped into the night, a streak of light tearing through the darkness. A pleasant piano piece drifted from the speakers, with Jay Chou’s magnetic voice humming.
— "The small boat sails back and forth, to Matisse's coast. The night under the starry sky, left to Van Gogh to ignite."
— "The dream was too short, a cry from Munch's bridge. The bustle of this world, born from loneliness."
The night wind lifted Duan Chen’s fringe. He watched the receding world of darkness in the rearview mirror. The streetlights stretched, creating a fleeting illusion of unreality.
The last time he had talked about wanting to drive a supercar…
There were still three of them.
Back then, Old Zhang hadn't yet gone to guard the border, and Gao Tiankai and he were just green recruits fresh out of training.
After their first mission, Old Zhang threw a celebratory party for the two of them, and the three of them drank and chatted about the future.
Gao Tiankai, with a hand on his cheek and a drunken gaze, had said, "I'm going to marry Xiao Xing'er and make her the happiest woman in the world. When that happens, Duan Chen, you little punk, you have to be my best man, you hear me? ... Damn it! No, you're too handsome, you'll steal my thunder as best man!"
"How could Xing'er be so blind as to marry you."
Duan Chen and Old Zhang laughed and clinked glasses. The wine in their cups had been filled too full, spilling a bit onto their appetizers, which the three of them then shared without hesitation.
"Duan Chen, what about you? With that face, you can have any woman you want. Damn it, you could make a living with your looks, but you insist on being a special agent!"
"What's better than a woman? Cars! When I get rich, I'll buy the coolest supercar. Then, I'll take you guys for a ride."
Gao Tiankai nudged Duan Chen, complaining, "You scoundrel! You're so insincere!"
"How am I insincere?"
"Supercars, supercars. You, have you ever seen a supercar that can seat three people?
The driver's seat, the passenger seat... that's only two seats, not enough for us three! Should one of us sit on the hood? Damn it, supercars are convertibles, there's no hood to sit on! How about you get out, and I'll drive, I'll take Old Zhang for a ride."
"Why should I? That's my car." Duan Chen chuckled in exasperation.
Old Zhang chuckled, munching on peanuts, "I'm old, I won't compete with you youngsters."
"No! Old Zhang, no! You have to let Duan Chen decide for himself, right Duan Chen? A man should hold the decision-making power in his own hands."
Gao Tiankai, drunkenly slumped on the table, waved his hand.
"...However, Duan Chen, if you, you damn scoundrel, were to actively invite me, I would definitely go.
By the way, have you gotten your driver's license yet?
Don't tell me we'll end up on a dead-end road after a race... I still have to marry Xiao Xing'er! Then you'll be the best man, and buy Old Zhang two bottles of Wuliangye. My wedding, it has to be grand..."
"......"
Duan Chen rubbed his temples. In the rearview mirror, it seemed to reflect the silhouettes of three people.
As they drove north, they gradually disappeared.
Sucheng, Luhai Scenic Area.
Night had fallen, the clouds were dense, and the entire scenic area was shrouded in silence. A pure white lighthouse by the sea illuminated with a blinding light.
Waves crashed against the cliffs, creating a thousand sprays.
The dark sea was particularly noisy tonight.
An old man in a white tank top casually walked out of the lighthouse.
Cold seawater splashed ashore, soaking his flip-flops, but he paid no mind. He fanned himself with one hand and retrieved a lifebuoy from the sea with the other.
"We have a distinguished guest tonight."
The old man faced the restless sea, a sharp glint in his eyes.
Over a dozen people in black robes suddenly stopped. They took attacking stances behind the old man, but no one dared to move.
The leader slowly removed his hood, revealing a long, donkey-like face and gentle eyes.
The man was Gao Tiankai.
He smiled, shaking the two bottles of Wuliangye he carried, the glass bottles clinking with a crisp sound.
"Old Zhang, I've come to see you."