RBCT Chapter 146 Unexpected Changes
Chapter 146 Unexpected Changes
Chapter 146 Unexpected Changes
After a short while, the conversation with the Death Pass ended.
Although Li Jiuhe was shocked when he saw the words "deserted wooden house", he quickly told the passer that he needed to consider it before making a decision.
After all, the requirements for the pass are astonishing: to regularly kill Sequencers and ordinary people according to its objectives.
This is something Li Jiuhe absolutely cannot accept.
But after learning that the pass would allow him to enter the deserted cabin, he was unwilling to refuse outright and instead wanted to see if there was any compromise.
He had just found out that if he wanted to enter these "places of yin and yang," he only needed to find the connection point, such as the place where the wooden house had appeared in Dragon Ridge Mountain, or other similar places. He could then enter and exit within a specified time using a death pass.
However, Li Jiuhe did not ask in detail whether he could bring people out.
He was worried that asking too many detailed questions would raise doubts about the Death Pass, leading him to make more demands on the condition of entering the deserted cabin, thus putting himself in a passive position.
Actually, killing Sequencers periodically is fine; he can specifically target Sequencers with a bad track record, which doesn't violate the investigator's job responsibilities.
Killing ordinary people is somewhat difficult, unless they are all serious criminals.
Moreover, during this process, one must follow the instructions of the pass; if the target it designates does not meet Li Jiuhe's conditions, the operation will also fail.
According to the Death Pass, if an agreement cannot be reached with a host, it will be forced to leave and find a new host.
Li Jiuhe couldn't let it go. Even if he couldn't cooperate with it, he couldn't allow this terrifying thing to fall into the hands of other Sequence Users, otherwise it would bring unpredictable harm to more people.
After leaving the milk tea shop, Luo Shuo called to tell Li Jiuhe that they had taken You Hong to the Investigation Bureau and locked him in a temporary detention room.
Li Jiuhe asked, "Was there anything suspicious during this process?"
Luo Shuo had noticed something amiss in his words earlier and replied, "No, I was there the whole time. After entering the Investigation Bureau, Su Qin went to do her own work, the other investigators received us, and I even talked with their Director Song for a while."
"6
How many people are in the Bureau of Investigation?
"Yes, a small number of investigators. They are indeed short-staffed and overworked. Director Song told me that he himself has been working non-stop for more than ten days and just woke up from a nap in his office. As for You Hong, they will close his case as soon as possible and send him to the nearby regional shelter."
At this point, Luo Shuo seemed to remember something: "Right, they kept asking us why we cut off You Hong's right hand. I just said it was injured during the arrest, nothing else. Brother Li, I remember you cut off his hand when we arrived at the scene, right? Was there a reason?"
"Yes, this can reduce his sequence energy. We'll discuss the details when we meet later."
After hanging up the phone, Li Jiuhe returned to the hotel.
Before arriving in Yuanmeng City, he had seen information about Director Song of the Investigation Bureau. This man was a veteran investigator who had risen through the ranks to become the director due to his outstanding work performance. It was said that he was extremely capable of handling cases in the past.
After waiting in the room for a while, only Luo Shuo returned.
"Where's Mali?"
She said the ant larvae wanted to eat, so she was ordering food at the restaurant downstairs, and it would be brought up for us to eat together later.
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After Ma Li returned to the room with the food, Li Jiuhe asked her, "How did things go with what I asked you to do?"
Ma Li nodded: "No problem, I've already released two litters of babies into the Investigation Bureau."
The "nest" she was referring to probably consisted of over a hundred black ants.
"What do you mean?" Luo Shuo asked, puzzled.
Li Jiuhe explained, "Just now, I secretly instructed Ma Li to send in informants after entering the Investigation Bureau to investigate the situation there."
"So you still suspect that logistics staff member named Su Qin?" Luo Shuo asked in surprise.
Ma Li chimed in, "One of the ant larvae is near Su Qin's office, specifically tasked with keeping an eye on her."
"Good job. Now, stay in touch with your black ants and see what's going on with the Investigation Bureau," Li Jiuhe instructed.
He then revealed the clues he had discovered during the previous mission resets, which he told Luo Shuo and Ma Li in the form of "foresight."
Both of them were surprised.
Luo Shuo analyzed, "If it's just a coincidence that Su Qin became You Hong's target, then why is she so keen on capturing You Hong? It feels like she doesn't see herself as an ordinary logistics staff member, but rather as an investigator."
"I've examined her carefully, and I don't think she's a Sequence User," Li Jiuhe said. "Unless she has an item on her that conceals Sequence energy fluctuations."
Ma Li also said, "Could she be a Sequencer disguised as a human? Like me?"
Li Jiuhe and Luo Shuo exchanged a glance and asked simultaneously, "Why would you say that?"
Ma Li said, "Didn't I plan to leave the room with her to give you some private space to search for her? When I took her arm, I felt a sense of intimacy. At the time, I thought we just had a crush on each other and didn't think anything else. Now that I hear what Senior Brother said, I suddenly realized that I've experienced this feeling of intimacy before."
"When did you run into him?" Luo Shuo asked.
"When I saw some small insects in my hometown, Longji Mountain," Ma Li said, "you should know that we ants get along very well with other insects, because either we eat them, or they bring me more food."
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"You mean Su Qin—is a bug?" Luo Shuo asked in shock.
"I'm just saying it's possible," Ma Li explained. "At least when I'm with her, we feel comfortable, and that feeling is familiar."
Li Jiuhe remained silent, as he was already inquiring about the death pass.
"The two kill targets you assigned to You Hong today, are they both Sequence Users, or is it one a Sequence User and the other an ordinary person?"
Soon the words appeared before my eyes.
We need to look forward. You Hong is a thing of the past; there's no point in dwelling on it anymore.
"I think it makes a lot of sense."
Okay, both of today's targets are Sequencers.
"So what else is there that I don't know?"
Indeed, there's still a lot of information you don't know, which I can tell you. But does that mean our cooperation has already begun?
Li Jiuhe didn't hesitate: "It hasn't started yet, so you don't need to tell me. Let me look for it myself first."
"Hmm, I'll give you three days. You're a high-ranking individual, and although I really hope to cooperate with you, if we can't reach an agreement, I'll have to say goodbye, even if it hurts. How does that 'Goodbye' song go? Oh right, I'm afraid I won't have the chance to say goodbye to you—"
Li Jiuhe immediately ignored the text that followed.
The Death Pass is undeniably powerful, but this sequence item is constantly acting erratically. Li Jiuhe feels that it is a sequence item somewhere between an object and an animal, a very mad existence.
At least the other sequence items I've encountered so far are not like this, such as the Morning Bell of the Second Seventh Day and the Boundary Stone.
Remembering the morning bell of the second day of the seventh lunar month, he sensed it again, but still found no trace of it.
Since the last time he met Si Mingyu, Chen Zhong disappeared and has never appeared again.
Otherwise, Li Jiuhe was certain that the degree of fusion with it could continue to increase, and the Morning Bell would probably be able to lend its power to him at any time, such as the power of those two terrifying stone men.
He then sensed the boundary stone again.
After I came out of that inner space in Ye City last time, the Ye City space had completely disappeared. I don't know if it was moved away or destroyed.
During this time, the space within the Boundary Stone continued to be created and destroyed, never ceasing.
Two days after Ye City disappeared, another spatial world was created and then perished. During this time, the Boundary Stone was either gestating or projecting a new world.
However, Li Jiuhe had many things to do and did not interfere, only occasionally sensing the completion progress of that world space.
If he were to face a life-or-death situation like the one he faced last time when he was being hunted down by the Guan family, he would still use the Boundary Stone without hesitation, provided that the conditions were right.
However, such situations are rare, so normally, his task definition ability is sufficient.
At the same time, Li Jiuhe himself was also speculating. His mission definition, the internal space world of the Boundary Stone, and the spacetime of the Two Seven Morning Bell are all self-contained. If the three can work together completely, he wondered what kind of sequence ability would be generated.
Alternatively, after joint evolution, an even more powerful sequence ability might emerge.
Because it now seems that the three of them most likely belong to the same sequence line, even though the Boundary Stone and the Morning Bell are only sequence items.
Shortly after, the food that Ma Li had ordered from the hotel restaurant was delivered to her room.
Dinner was very plentiful, with plenty of seafood and poultry, but fewer vegetables, though the taste was quite good.
Inside the room, Li Jiuhe and Luo Shuo were eating around a table, while Ma Li was lying on the sofa, giving the illusion of a "jade body lying down". She lifted the hem of her long skirt and released the black ants at her tail.
These black ant larvae crawled onto the sofa and coffee table, quickly devouring the large amount of meat, looking incredibly satisfied with their meal.
Occasionally, Mali herself would accept food from her offspring, remove her human face to reveal her unique upper and lower jaws, and elegantly enjoy the food.
At this moment, her queenly demeanor was materialized, causing Li Jiuhe and Luo Shuo, who were standing next to her, to recall the scene of the plump, white queen ant they had first seen.
While eating, Ma Li said to Li Jiuhe and the other person, "You two eat quickly, don't be shy. My kids need to eat more. If you're not full, I'll order more."
In fact, the portions she ordered were enough for five adults. Of course, Ma Li alone could eat the equivalent of two or three adults.
Luo Shuo laughed and said, "You're really not being polite. The meal cost is on the room bill, so you don't have to pay for it yourself."
"That's for sure." Ma Li chuckled. "But handsome Li gave me some pocket money just two days ago, and I've saved it all. I didn't buy anything recklessly this time. By the way, if you can find any more of that corpse-controlling flesh, remember to save it for me."
After all, I felt the food was just so-so.
Currently, she only has a lump of corpse-controlling flesh left. This thing grows too slowly, and she can't wait for it to fully grow into another lump.
"Then we'll need to find another corpse controller," Li Jiuhe said. "We can ask the local investigation bureau if they have any corpse controllers here."
"Yes, yes, ask. You must remember to ask." Ma Li nodded quickly.
"Keep a close eye on those two nests of ant larvae that you released, and check if there's anything unusual at the Investigation Bureau, especially about that girl named Su Qin," Li Jiuhe reminded him.
"No problem, I've been keeping an eye on it."
Since arriving in Yuanmeng City, Li Jiuhe and his two companions first investigated their own affairs and then dealt with the murderer You Hong, which was already very fast.
Next, there is one more case involving a Sequencer within the Yuanmeng City area that requires their assistance. Other cases have not been reported to the Northwest Investigation Bureau or even the headquarters, so they can be ignored.
As for the third case, it lies between Yuanmeng City and the neighboring Lanfeng City, and can be managed by either Yuanmeng or Lanfeng.
Given the shortage of investigators on the Yuanmeng side, Li Jiuhe intends to contact the Lanfeng Investigation Bureau and cooperate with them to handle the matter.
Of course, this is a follow-up plan. Currently, they plan to rest and then deal with the second tricky case in Yuanmeng City tomorrow.
After dinner, Ant Li transformed back into human form, gracefully rose, and was surrounded by a large swarm of well-fed black ants, who kept crawling into her tail. The queen ant returned to the room next to hers.
Luo Shuo whispered, "Brother Li, Ma Li's thoughts are actually quite simple. I feel that she most likely wants to remove the mask from her face before Master Tong comes out of the wooden house. That way, without the power to restrain her, she can regain her freedom."
Li Jiuhe nodded: "I've noticed. She's been improving her evolutionary abilities lately, eating the flesh of controlled corpses, including one of the Guan family's Sequence Users. However, her improved abilities are actually helpful to our investigation."
Luo Shuo said, "That's true, but I still feel uneasy. After all, she's not on the same level as us."
"Let's observe as we go," Li Jiuhe asked. "How are you feeling right now? Does the mask Tong Cheng stuck on your face feel loose or about to become ineffective?"
"No," Luo Shuo shook his head. "It feels very stable. However, Ma Li is stronger than me, so we don't know what effect that mask is having on her right now."
"Can you try to find out who Su Qin is now?" Li Jiuhe asked again.
Luo Shuo shook his head: "I've already tried. One is that I've used too much tracking ability today, and I'm a bit exhausted. The other is that Su Qin didn't leave any personal belongings here. Even when I went to her office, I found the desk clean and tidy, without any personal belongings."
Li Jiuhe frowned, feeling that this woman was becoming increasingly strange.
He pointed to one of the single beds and said to Luo Shuo, "Then you should hurry up and take a shower, get some rest, and get some sleep to restore your energy."
.
Li Jiuhe knew from the very beginning that Luo Shuo's tracking ability would take a toll on his body if used too much.
After all, although Luo Shuo's ability is special, his own strength is not strong. At most, he is between the initial and advanced levels, not even a true advanced level.
Otherwise, if his tracking ability were even stronger than it is now, he might have been able to solve the mystery of Li Jiuhe's identity.
Luo Shuo nodded, took a shower, dried his hair, and went to sleep. He started snoring soon after.
Li Jiuhe tidied up the room and had the hotel staff take away the tableware. Then he sent a message to ask Ma Li if she had found anything unusual with the Investigation Bureau.
Ma Li's phone was brand new; she changed the phone case to pink and covered it with all sorts of fancy stickers and charms. She also frequently uses her phone.
Ma Li quickly replied: Everything is normal. Su Qin has already gone home after get off work, and everyone else working overtime is handling their own tasks. Director Song is not in the office; he's either home or out on a case.
Putting down his phone, Li Jiuhe sat by the window, lost in thought, watching the bustling traffic on the street.
He suddenly missed Lin Fengya and Li Yi, wondering what they were doing at that moment.
Li Yi was alright; they probably knew she was safe because she had the double protection of Tong Cheng and Zhou Yiwen.
But Lin Fengya was a different story. She was probably still alive, but Li Jiuhe had no idea where she was or what her condition was.
If Lin Fengya could contact me, she probably would have done so long ago. It seems that her situation is probably not good, as she only appeared briefly once in the dream of the dream demon.
Moreover, Lin Fengya's biggest motivation after that appearance seemed to be to tell herself that someone had changed her perception of Li Yi's existence, that they had a daughter, and that she had to investigate further.
But why couldn't Luo Shuo track down any information about himself being with Lin Fengya?
Nothing at all? It's as if Li Jiuhe is the one who doesn't exist.
My mind is a complete mess whenever I think about it.
If only Luo Shuo were more capable.
Just then, Luo Shuo, who was fast asleep, mumbled something that no one could understand. He then stirred and frowned slightly, as if he was having a bad dream.
Li Jiuhe looked back.
Since he warned Luo Shuo not to keep up his sneaky habits, Luo Shuo has indeed stopped doing so.
Later, when they entered Zhou Yiwen's house, the great sorcerer's room was filled with many valuable items, including various antiques and curios, but Luo Shuo refused to make a purchase.
This is quite remarkable for a master thief.
Actually, from another perspective, Luo Shuo himself also had reservations about the bad habits he had developed since childhood. He knew that these were not good habits, but he just lacked an opportunity to correct them.
Until later, he met Li Jiuhe and Tong Cheng.
Li Jiuhe glanced at his ability level again: Task Designer - Beginner (Upgrade progress 18%).
After handling You Hong's case, his promotion progress increased again.
Once we handle that more challenging case tomorrow, the progress bar will likely climb even faster than it did today.
Just then, a knock came at the door.
Li Jiuhe looked surprised, picked up his phone and checked the time. It was already 3:00 a.m. Who would come so late?
Almost at the same moment, Luo Shuo turned over again, his tightly furrowed brows not relaxing, but instead his expression becoming painful.
Not only that, he seemed to be talking in his sleep, or perhaps he was already awake, letting out painful groans and clutching his chest tightly with both hands.
"What did you do? Did you eat something bad?" Li Jiuhe didn't go to the door for the moment, but instead approached the bedside to ask.
Luo Shuo remained in a state of discomfort, then suddenly opened his eyes, as if he had suddenly realized that he was not dreaming.
"Brother Li—" he said with a pained expression, "I don't know why, but I'm in a lot of pain when I'm restoring my sequence energy. It's like—it's like I can't restore it anymore."
"What?" Li Jiuhe was taken aback. "How are you feeling right now?"
Luo Shuo replied, "It's as if something is blocking all of this. Not only is it impossible to recover, but the last bit of energy is also being lost."
"This seems to be... ability acquisition?!" Li Jiuhe blurted out.
dong dong dong.
The knocking sounded again.
"Wait a minute."
Li Jiuhe said something to Luo Shuo, then approached the door.
Looking through the peephole, I saw a man standing outside the door; it was Director Song from the Yuanmeng City Investigation Bureau.