Chapter 527: Infiltrating the Shadows

Where is Building Nine?

Gazing at the sprawling cluster of buildings, with countless lit windows piercing the late-night darkness, Lu Xin felt a sudden wave of dizziness.

This silent, vast complex lay mostly under the glow of streetlights in the deep night, yet many areas were concealed in heavy shadows. From afar, it seemed as if something was silently watching from the darkness—a lurking, indescribable danger hidden among these structures.

“If worse comes to worst, should I just search building by building according to their numbers?”

Walking on, Lu Xin quickly formulated a simple plan and edged forward within the shadows along the walls.

He was playing the part of a true professional!

Borrowing his sister’s nimble agility, he darted swiftly across the vast grounds of Tianhe Security, constantly alert to every sound to avoid colliding with patrolling guards. He made sure to stick to the shadows beneath various buildings and always chose routes that cameras couldn’t catch.

Even if he couldn’t hide from them entirely, he planned to dash by so fast that he wouldn’t be recorded.

With each cautious step toward the building that his instincts warned was the most dangerous, a small surge of pride bubbled within him: “Looks like I’ve got a knack for infiltration. Maybe if I’m ever out of work…”

But then he quickly chastised himself: How could he think like that?

Talent in stealth isn’t exactly something that brings one a respectable job…

……

……

Building Twenty-Three… Building Eighteen… Building Fourteen… the Canteen… the Shooting Range… the Female Staff Dormitory…

Lu Xin moved stealthily, carefully checking the building numbers, inching ever closer to the location of Building Nine.

He felt a surge of relief—his first job of this kind had been incredibly easy to pull off. And in such a huge security base, he hadn’t even come across a single patrolling guard. It made him wonder just how unprofessional this so-called security company was. How could these big shots trust them with their business?

Muttering to himself as he followed the sequence of building numbers, he finally arrived beside Building Ten.

But there he paused, noticing a deep darkness next to Building Ten. Moving left, he saw Building Eight, and curiously, Building Nine was nowhere to be found between them.

Lu Xin was taken aback: “A building this large… and still hidden?”

Regaining his composure, he settled into the shadow beside Building Ten and observed carefully, a self-deprecating smile crossing his face…

Overthinking it.

In truth, Building Nine lay straight ahead in that pitch-black area.

It was a multi-story building, distinct from the others in its appearance.

While the surrounding buildings were bathed in the glow of streetlights that lit up entire courtyards,

this building was shrouded entirely in darkness.

Not a single reflective pane of glass adorned its structure; every window exuded an unusual, profound gloom.

So much so that from afar, one might not even notice this bizarre building seated on an empty lot.

“This practically screams trouble…”

Lu Xin thought, ensuring no one was watching and that no additional lights were directed his way, then strode purposefully toward the building.

But at the door, he suddenly faced a grave obstacle.

It wouldn’t budge—it required a key card.

Looking up, he saw that all the dark, closed windows showed no signs of being ajar. It made him wonder if every window had been double-locked from inside. If that were so, forcibly breaking a window would leave an unavoidable mark of intrusion.

In theory, leaving a trace wouldn’t be the end of the world.

But it would make his infiltration less than perfect.

So, in that case…

While Lu Xin stood pondering his next move at the door, he suddenly noticed a moving beam of a flashlight in the distance.

Almost simultaneously, the clatter of hurried footsteps disrupted the silence as two fully armed security teams charged in from either side. They moved with such silent efficiency that their professionalism was palpable.

Lu Xin was instantly taken aback.

“There it is…”

“Did you spot him?”

In a mere three to four seconds, the two teams—who had flanked the building—had advanced some twenty to thirty meters, surrounding the structure as someone bellowed orders. Flashlights intertwined to illuminate the front of the building.

“Where are they?”

The two security teams met only to find the area in front of the door completely empty—no sign of any figure.

One of them couldn’t hide his surprise: “What the hell? I just saw a shadow standing here.”

“Yeah, and it swaggered right past my window…”

“Even the hidden cameras caught it coming this way…”

……

Growing increasingly agitated, the two teams began questioning urgently while splitting up to search. After a while, confusion reigned on every face.

“I didn’t see anyone…”

“This can’t be a ghost haunting this place, right?”

Amidst the puzzlement, someone glanced at the looming building shrouded in darkness and shuddered slightly.

“Could it be connected to whatever’s inside?”

……

That remark sent chills down several spines. They exchanged wary looks and then fixed their gaze on a figure resembling a team leader. That man, suspicious himself, shone his flashlight around, confirmed there wasn’t a soul in sight, and his face darkened. After a brief pause, he shook his head and muttered, “We can’t stay here too long. Let’s move.”

One of them anxiously asked, “Captain, should we go in and check?”

“Go in?”

The captain fumbled at his waist for his keys, hesitating for a moment.

Yet, seeing the dark building in front of him, he quickly shook his head and sneered, “The doors and windows are intact. There’s no way someone broke in. If we force entry, we might endanger whoever is inside. So…”

He made his decision without further ado, shaking his head, “Let’s go.”

“Return and review the surveillance, then beef up patrols around the area…”

……

The two teams of security retreated swiftly, even faster than they’d arrived.

“Huh?”

“Is there another hidden camera here?”

After they left, at a spot on the second floor where two glass panels nearly met, the interlaced shadows from the walls concealed a narrow niche. A normal person wouldn’t even think to hide in such a gap. Curiosity piqued, Lu Xin peeked out.

Even though he prided himself on his professionalism, he thought, ‘I still got seen?’

A bit disheartened, he slowly climbed down the wall.

Seated on the steps, he waited for a moment. Not far off, a small figure in a white skirt appeared and quickly approached.

When she reached him, his ever-watchful sister wore a wary expression, a set of keys clutched between her lips.

Attached to the keys was a white access card.

It was the brilliant idea Lu Xin had come up with while he was hiding earlier.

Since he didn’t have an access card, he was counting on the guards having one. So he had implored his sister to swipe one for him.

“What are you doing?”

His sister handed over the access card, though her expression was far from pleased. “Brother, you’re embarrassing yourself…”

“What do you mean ’embarrassing’?”

Lu Xin frowned at her and replied, “This is how a professional does it.”

“A professional still gets seen…”

She scoffed, “And you want me to help you steal? Why don’t you just take it by force?”

“If I did that, I’d have to kill someone.”

Lu Xin sighed helplessly at his sister. When would she understand that the thrill of a perfect infiltration comes from doing it subtly…

Even though, this time, his infiltrative effort hadn’t gone exactly as planned.

“Beep!”

Lu Xin swiped the access card through the reader.

He had guessed that the captain’s key might work on this door, which is why he had urged his sister to snatch one up. Sure enough, as the card passed through, the iron door shuddered lightly and swung open just a fraction.

Lu Xin exhaled in relief, handing the access card back to his sister, “Return it afterwards.”

“Why?”

Just as his sister was about to stride confidently into the corridor, her face turned puzzled.

“Only like this will they not know we used their access card…”

Lu Xin explained patiently, “When you’re on an investigation, you’ve got to be clean—no traces left behind.”

His sister looked at him in confusion for a moment before murmuring, “Brother, are you getting a little too vain?”

“?”

Lu Xin was at a loss for words. What was with her?

All he wanted was to complete the mission flawlessly and keep his dignity as the captain intact.

Fortunately, his sister obeyed and sulked away.

Lu Xin then exhaled deeply, swung open the iron door, and stepped into the building.

“Phew…”

The moment he entered the corridor, Lu Xin immediately sensed the air growing twice as dense and several degrees colder.

It felt as though a cold hand had brushed his skin, making every hair stand on end. And whether it was his imagination or not, he nearly heard a faint, almost inaudible ‘scrape’ sound.

As if a little demon was hidden in the dark, chuckling in low excitement.

“This is the right place…”

Excitement flickered in Lu Xin’s heart.

He composed himself and forced his glee to remain subtle as he advanced deeper into the building.

Inside, the building seemed completely powerless—there wasn’t a single light on.

Neither were the rooms on either side lit; even the motion-sensor lights in the corridor failed to trigger. Only a faint glow seeped in from the windows outside.

He couldn’t hear any voices, nor did he sense any sign of life.

Yet the building never felt empty. Lu Xin strained his ears and even sensed a slight crowding in the space.

From the depths of the darkness, it was almost as if countless eyes were furtively watching him.

“Clack, clack…”

He shrugged his neck, producing a series of crisp, subtle sounds.

Then he quickened his pace, dashing down the empty corridor.

It was as if he were walking through water—the faster he moved, the more he disturbed the surroundings.

As Lu Xin picked up speed, it seemed to unsettle something in the building. More and more curious eyes emerged from the darkness, trailing him closely, unwilling to lose sight of him…

“Clack, clack, clack…”

The rapid, scattered footsteps multiplied, echoing densely behind him.

Suddenly, Lu Xin halted, and the footsteps behind him ceased as if he were alone in the corridor.

A smile tugged at his lips as he resumed his ascent.