Chapter 156: Warning
Chapter 156: Warning
Upon hearing the name of the Bloodstain Gang, Chen Chuan glanced around the living room and asked, "What's the matter?"
Ren Shu replied, "It's about the previous case involving the Skullsplitter Demon. Before Chen Expert returned, they sent a letter. We told them you weren't here, but now that you're back, they've sent someone again." He continued, "But this time, they're not coming as a gang, but on behalf of Cranebird Corporation."
Chen Chuan knew that Cranebird Corporation was one of the many companies operated by the Bloodstain Gang, but it was just a front, a facade that made things look better on the surface.
After a moment of thought, Chen Chuan said, "I don't have time right now. The information in the previous letter was unclear. Ask them to send over the specific details, and I'll take a look before deciding."
"Alright, I'll let them know," Ren Shu replied.
After hanging up the call, Chen Chuan returned to chatting with his aunt's family. However, soon after lunch, Ren Shu called again, saying, "Chen Expert, the Bloodstain Gang has delivered the items. They also want to meet with you in person..."
So soon?
Chen Chuan's thoughts raced, realizing that the Bloodstain Gang was indeed in a hurry. However, he didn't want to spend his day off running around for this matter. "Tell them I'm busy, and we can schedule a time for tonight," he said. Ren Shu agreed, "Sure, I'll have Xiao Wei come to pick you up later."
For the rest of the afternoon, Chen Chuan stayed at his aunt's house. After dinner, he made a call to confirm, then freshened up and changed into a new set of clothes before stepping out.
This time, in addition to carrying the Snow Lady Sword, he also had a briefcase in his hand, which contained the Tayanana Spider's case. Due to its small size and high danger, he kept it with him instead of leaving it at school.
When he reached the alley, Xiao Wei, the driver, was already waiting at the entrance with the car. Chen Chuan got in, and the car started smoothly, driving him to the company.
Ren Shu had been waiting for him, and upon seeing his arrival, he came out to greet him. After exchanging greetings, Ren Shu said, "Chen Expert, the person is still here waiting. They've been here all afternoon."
"They're quite patient," Chen Chuan remarked.
"We're a legitimate company," Ren Shu said. "Even if it's the Bloodstain Gang, since they're coming to us as a company, they should follow the rules between companies."
As he spoke these words, his confidence contrasted with the caution he had shown when talking to Chen Chuan earlier. This was undoubtedly an area where he excelled.
He glanced at Chen Chuan and asked, "Does Chen Expert want to meet with him now?"
"Now is fine," Chen Chuan replied.
Ren Shu acknowledged and gestured to an employee to invite the person, while he led Chen Chuan directly to the reception hall of Building Three.
"We're installing an elevator, so Chen Expert won't have to run up and down the stairs every time."
Chen Chuan nodded, understanding Ren Shu's intentions. He had always tried to provide better conditions for Chen Chuan, and in return, Chen Chuan had given the company more. "The company's current environment is quite good," he said.
Once they reached the reception hall, the two sat for a while until they heard someone outside say, "Mr. Li, please come this way."
Soon after, a tall man emerged, appearing no different from any other high-ranking employee of a company. He introduced himself as Li Hui, a senior manager at Cranebird Corporation, and greeted them both warmly and politely.
After exchanging pleasantries, both parties sat down, and Manager Li asked, "I wonder if Chen Expert has the time to hear me out?"
"That's why I asked Manager Li to come here," Chen Chuan replied.
"Very well."
Manager Li placed his briefcase on the table and took out a stack of documents, handing them to Ren Shu and Chen Chuan. "These are the materials our company has prepared per Chen Expert's request."
Chen Chuan took the documents and began flipping through them as Manager Li continued, "Please allow me to briefly explain. Three highly respected gentlemen within the Bloodstain Gang have passed away, which is truly regrettable."
Chen Chuan had only seen written descriptions before, but now he was looking at very graphic photographs.
All three men had died with their skulls split open on both sides, the separation exaggerated, revealing an empty cavity where all the contents had been removed. This reminded Chen Chuan of the two halves of a watermelon he had seen earlier, eaten clean with a spoon.
Just looking at the photos, he could almost feel the meticulousness with which the eater had peeled away the flesh, carefully splitting it open, not only consuming the main brain tissue but also licking the remnants clean, leaving no trace of blood, only an empty skull.
Ren Shu, sitting beside Chen Chuan, could only glance at the photos a few times before feeling nauseous. He covered his mouth with a handkerchief.
Manager Li continued, "We've conducted thorough investigations and consulted experts, but we haven't found any clues. They were simply sleeping in their beds when their skulls were shattered. So, we can almost certainly conclude that it was the work of the Skullsplitter Demon."
Chen Chuan examined the detailed investigation records, which showed that all the victims had died suddenly. One of them, for example, had been talking to his wife in bed when he suddenly fell silent.
The woman was displeased and turned around, only to find a cracked skull and an empty cranium. She fainted from the shock and experienced it again upon waking up, later suffering some mental issues.
In another case, a man's lover woke up and meticulously dressed herself before leaving without a word, unaware that her partner's head had been devoured. It wasn't until evening when she noticed the body still lying in bed that she realized something was amiss, but by then, it had been a day since the incident.
The last case was discovered in a gang's office, and there were no signs of forced entry by outsiders.
At this moment, he said to Manager Li, "The Skullsplitter Demon has been appearing in Yangzhi City for a long time, but it has never been dealt with. I need to research it first before deciding whether to take on this task."
"Of course, of course," Manager Li was skilled at reading the room, and their only hope now lay with Chen Chuan. The fact that Chen Chuan agreed to look into it was already a positive sign. He didn't dare to push his luck, so he stood up and said, "In that case, I won't disturb Expert Chen any further. Please notify us if you make any discoveries."
He took out a business card and placed it on the desk, bid farewell to the two of them, and left with good grace.
After seeing Ren Shu off, Chen Chuan asked, "Mr. Ren, have there been similar reports from other locations within the company?"
Ren Shu thought for a moment and replied, "We recently obtained a batch of data from the Administrative Office, but there were no similar reports among them. However, I'm not sure if there are unreported cases. I've had someone organize all the past reports related to the Skullsplitter Demon. Would you like to see them now, Expert Chen?"
"Yes, bring them all here," Chen Chuan replied.
Once the employees brought the files, he set aside those that were obviously meant to mislead and those that were too old, keeping only the more valuable ones.
After reviewing them, he found that the situations described were identical to what he had seen in the photos. However, he couldn't be certain without visiting the scene, but since the bodies had already been buried, there was no need to stir up trouble. He could only wait for the next appearance of the Skullsplitter Demon to see if there was an opportunity.
Since there was nothing more to do here, he didn't linger at the company. He headed back to the school by car, pondering why the Skullsplitter Demon was targeting the Bloodstain Gang. Was it because the gang had done something?
As he was deep in thought, he suddenly reacted, extending his hand to catch a crossbow bolt that had been shot through the car window.
Judging by the direction, the bolt wouldn't have hit him even if it had been aimed at him. Instead, it would have struck the car door and embedded itself there.
He turned to look outside, catching a glimpse of a figure on the roof across the street before it disappeared.
He turned back and noticed a small note attached to the bolt.
The person who shot the bolt was clearly skilled, as any extra material on the bolt could have affected its flight. To accurately shoot a bolt from a distance of over thirty meters into a moving car's window without harming the occupants required exceptional skill.
He removed the note and read it. It was written in blood, "This doesn't concern you, stay away."
He contemplated the message, thinking it was likely related to the Bloodstain Gang. It seemed like a warning.
Who could it be? The Chain Gang?
On the surface, the Chain Gang seemed the most likely culprit, but he had interacted with their members and felt their style didn't quite match the gang's temperament.
"Master Xiao Wei, stop the car ahead," he instructed the driver.
"Yes, Expert Chen," Xiao Wei replied.
After the car stopped, Chen Chuan got out and straightened his clothes. He walked to a secluded spot, took a small box from his briefcase, and tapped it with his fingers, saying, "I need you to guide me."
On the other side, the figure who had shot the bolt leaped from the rooftop and ran through the alley, reaching a secluded building after half an hour.
Inside, several young people were waiting, and they asked, "Brother Xin, how did it go?"
The person removed their hood, revealing a youthful face. After taking a few deep breaths, they said, "I've warned the expert, but I'm not sure if he'll continue to help the Bloodstain Gang." As they mentioned the gang, their eyes flashed with hatred.
A young man standing in the corner spoke up, "The legend of the Skullsplitter Demon has been around for years, and no one has been able to solve it. I think it's unnecessary to take such action."
Brother Xin replied seriously, "I've told you before, this expert is very capable. He even dealt with the Flying Head Sect. He might be able to handle the Skullsplitter Demon."
The young man remained unconvinced, "A person that capable wouldn't be scared by your crossbow bolt. I don't see it."
"We have to try," Brother Xin insisted.
The young man said, "We don't need to scare people; we need better weapons. Why not just eliminate the expert directly? Why go through all this trouble?"
Brother Xin spoke in a low voice, "We will have them, I've made the arrangements. Once we get them, we won't need to rely on anyone."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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