Chapter 128: The Intruder’s Shadow
by xennovelChapter 128: Who the Hell is That?
A shadow slipped silently into the hotel room, moving soundlessly toward the bed, its gaze fixed on the sleeping Xiao Yu.
It reached out its hand…
In an instant.
Xiao Yu, deep in slumber, opened his eyes.
A cold, indescribable cruelty and icy chill danced in those eyes.
When Wang Dong caught sight of that bone-chilling stare, his heart skipped a beat and his body froze.
He had a gut feeling that extending his arm even an inch might
put him in mortal danger!
Could it all be an illusion?
Wang Dong wasn’t willing to take that gamble.
The young man before him was just too extraordinary—too terrifying.
Not wanting to toy with his life, he quickly retracted his arm…
The cold in Xiao Yu’s eyes gradually faded, replaced by confusion until clarity returned. With a bewildered look, he regarded Wang Dong’s odd expression at the bed’s edge. “Wang Ge?”
“…”
Wang Dong rolled his eyes. “You nearly scared the crap out of me!”
“What’s wrong?”
Sitting up, Xiao Yu’s face brightened with the vigor of youth and a sunny smile.
“I found what appears to be the suspect’s area. Let’s go take a look,” he said.
Wang Dong explained as he fixed his gaze on his radiant, striking younger friend.
Waves of uncertainty filled his mind—was it all just his imagination?
That indescribable danger, compared to now…
They were night and day!
“So soon?”
Surprised, Xiao Yu laughed and got out of bed. “Let’s go.”
Without another word, he strode straight for the door…
Wang Dong’s puzzled look vanished as he promptly followed.
Perhaps he was overthinking it!
……
M City, XX District, XX Road…
Xiao Yu stepped down from the police car and arrived at a package transfer station.
This was the hub for the courier company. Every day, a vast number of packages arrived here from across the country, then were dispatched from smaller stations after being picked up by delivery personnel…
Among them, six remotely piloted devices—shipped packaged as ordinary deliveries—had been collected over the past nine, eight, and five months.
Surveillance footage had already been retrieved by National Security agents.
After investigating, they discovered the recipient was a delivery guy.
After collecting the packages, he would drop them off in a Fengchao Locker at a residential complex.
National Security continued its probe and tracked down the delivery guy.
It turned out he clearly remembered delivering these packages.
Why was his memory so vivid?
His payment method was bizarre—he received his delivery fee via deposit in the Fengchao Locker instead of through the usual platform transaction.
How they got hold of his phone number and knew he was a delivery guy remained unclear.
They pulled all records from the Fengchao Locker and his call logs. The target was identified.
To the chagrin of the National Security team, the identity details were all fake…
“So, are we heading to the residential complex with the Fengchao Lockers?”
Wang Dong looked straight at Xiao Yu, who was reviewing the surveillance footage.
“Not urgently; it won’t be at that complex,”
Xiao Yu remarked coolly as he studied the footage. “He wouldn’t make such a careless mistake.”
Wang Dong nodded, impressed.
No one with his IQ would have put National Security in a bind like this.
That was why they’d finally gotten Xiao Yu involved.
Remembering his younger friend’s capabilities, Wang Dong hesitated slightly. “Are you really not considering going to National Security?”
“I’m heading to National Security. You taking me on as your sidekick?”
Xiao Yu grinned and teased, “So what, you’ll fetch tea and water for me?”
Wang Dong: …
Am I really supposed to be a maid?
His sarcasm was too much—he nearly wanted to hit him!
“Let’s go.”
Feeling like he was about to get beat up, Xiao Yu quickly changed the subject. “Whether he’s there or not, we need to check it out.”
The two changed into civilian clothes and headed for the residential complex…
……
In front of a Fengchao Locker at the complex.
Xiao Yu’s eyes scanned until they settled on one locker.
Next to him, Wang Dong punched in a few codes.
Snap.
The Fengchao Locker flipped open.
A myriad of odors rushed into Xiao Yu’s nostrils.
With so many users of the locker, the smells were varied.
But then…
Xiao Yu detected one oddly familiar scent amid the rest.
It had been found!
A sly smile curved his lips as a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
He had smelled that same odor on the ‘paper man’ last night.
It lingered at both murder scenes.
There was no doubt—the culprit was the killer!
Yet, Xiao Yu couldn’t quite figure it out.
Why would a person carry the scent of an animal?
And not just any animal—no ordinary poultry or livestock.
It smacked of something wild!
Logically speaking, how could there be wild animals in the city?
Wild species are usually protected.
Unless…
“Secretly raising them? But why would anyone raise such animals?”
Xiao Yu squinted. “Could it be… no. If a wild animal bites, traces of its tissue or even saliva would remain on the corpse. That can’t be overlooked!”
Suddenly,
A jolt of dread surged within him.
Xiao Yu felt a shiver run down his spine, every hair standing on end.
Without hesitation, he staggered sideways.
Bang!
A slick, metallic object clung to Xiao Yu’s body as it landed on the Fengchao Locker.
It pierced through instantly.
Only the trembling end of a crossbow bolt remained visible.
His heart pounded wildly as cold sweat streamed down his forehead.
By a hair’s breadth, his life might have been forfeit!
“Damn it!”
Wang Dong had already drawn his pistol, eyes darting around with murderous intent as he transformed into a rampaging beast.
But frustratingly, he found nothing!
“No need to find it,”
Xiao Yu’s expression turned icily detached as he assessed the bolt’s angle. Slowly, he turned and looked toward a spot behind him.
Along the roadside in the residential complex were patches of greenery… Buddha’s Hair Grass!
This plant usually grows 10 to 20 centimeters tall, with three leaves per cycle and rarely four.
That wasn’t the main issue—the real point was that its height was perfect for hiding something.
Moving closer, Xiao Yu crouched down and brushed aside the Buddha’s Hair Grass.
Revealed was a crossbow, secured by a small bracket.
Its line of sight was aimed directly at the Fengchao Locker—the very spot where he’d just been.
Moreover,
He also spotted a remote control device attached to the crossbow’s trigger.
With a remote pull of the trigger…
Fury welled up inside him as Xiao Yu’s eyes darted around, searching.
A minute later, he noticed a camera in another location.
A wireless remote camera!
Using the camera to monitor the Fengchao Locker and a remote control to trigger the crossbow to kill the suspect…
Recalling the enemy’s mastery in reconnaissance, counter-surveillance, and even criminal investigation techniques…
plus their ability to control unmanned flying devices…
and their brutal treatment of victims…
No wonder the system had set a twenty-day mission time limit.
Xiao Yu gulped in shock, his heart trembling.
Who the hell are you, anyway?!