Chapter 98: The Disappeared Person – Xiao

The rain was pouring down in sheets. Qin Simian handed Sang Chu a black raincoat. At first, she thought it was a bit much, but when she remembered it was from the boss, she accepted it without another word.

A torrential downpour drenched everything. Sang Chu hurriedly wrapped herself tighter, but the thin clothes she wore were quickly soaked through by the cold rain, making her shiver.

“Little bunny, is this the place? Why does it look so much like a deserted village?”

All around them were fields of rice that had already been harvested, and the surroundings were eerily quiet. The empty windows of the houses seemed to be staring at her, making her spine tingle.

Tu You said, “Ah Chu, this place gives me the creeps. Let’s be careful.”

“Mm, let’s find the investigator first.”

Tu You crouched on Sang Chu’s shoulder, not daring to show himself. In this kind of rainy weather, he couldn’t reveal his true form—even Tu You couldn’t manage it.

One human and one rabbit walked along the ridge between the fields toward the village.

But the further they walked, the stranger it felt. Sang Chu frowned slightly. “Why does this feel just like that time in Butterfly Valley? No matter how far we walk, we can’t get out.”

Tu You lowered his head and pointed at the ground. “I’ve been marking the ground.”

Looking at her shoes caked in mud, Sang Chu was speechless. “Why do you always pick such weird spots to stand?”

“Hello, are you the new investigator?”

Sang Chu turned around in surprise. When had this person appeared behind her?

It was a middle-aged man dressed in black. His accent was strange—she couldn’t understand it, yet when the words entered her ears, it was as if something in her mind automatically translated them, allowing her to understand him perfectly.

“Hello, I’m Sang Chu. Are you the local investigator?”

“Yes, that’s me. The higher-ups told me a new person would be coming today to look into the disappearances in the village. I didn’t expect you’d arrive on such a rainy day. Let’s head into the village and find somewhere to rest first.”

“Alright, thank you for your help.”

“You’re welcome.”

The investigator looked like a straightforward, cheerful person. He led the way, and Sang Chu followed him into the village.

In no time at all, they arrived.

Sang Chu glanced back. She realized that the path from the fields to the village had taken less than a minute to walk, but she and the rabbit had definitely walked much longer than that.

The investigator pushed open a door and led her inside. “No one lives in this village anymore. The living are gone, and the dead are silent. Most of the houses are empty. I usually stay in this one, so it’s a bit cleaner. You can stay here tonight.”

As he spoke, he took a set of cotton-padded clothes out of the cupboard and handed them to Sang Chu. “It gets cold quickly here. Change out of your wet clothes first. That’s the bathroom, and this is your room. I’ll be in the room at the end. You must be tired. I’ll make you something to eat. Go change your clothes first.”

“Thank you.”

Taking the clothes, Sang Chu went straight to her room. Looking at the clean, dry space, she suddenly asked, “Does he know he’s on a time loop mission?”

Tu You replied, “Usually, they know. But judging by his reaction, it seems like he doesn’t. But he does know a new person has arrived. That’s a bit strange.”

“Can you access the time-space marketplace here?”

Tu You shook his head. “No, this kind of mission blocks access. Unless the mission is completed or you return to the main world, I can’t get in either. Usually, the mission lasts about a month.”

“Forget it, let’s just settle in for now. Cover your eyes, I’m going to change.”

“Alright, alright, I’m not interested.”

Tu You rolled his eyes at her, then hopped onto the bed and turned his back to Sang Chu.

As she changed out of her wet clothes, Sang Chu couldn’t help but think about her encounter with the investigator. The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

Knock, knock, knock—

There was a knock at the door, followed by the investigator’s voice: “Sang Chu, are you done? I’ve got the fire going. If you’re ready, come out and warm up.”

“Coming!”

After a quick response, Sang Chu went out.

But the investigator was nowhere to be seen.

In the spacious main room, a large brazier was burning with charcoal, making the air noticeably warmer.

Tu You, for some reason, felt uneasy. He clung tightly to Sang Chu’s collar with his little paws. “Ah Chu, I feel like there’s something wrong here.”

Sang Chu gently patted his head. “Don’t be scared. The more dangerous it is, the calmer we need to be.”

Tu You shivered, nodding quickly, but still clung to her clothes as if only her presence could calm him down.

Sang Chu walked step by step toward the brazier. Even though she was now wearing thick cotton clothes, she still felt a bone-deep chill, as if her whole body was soaked in icy water.

In the empty room, Sang Chu called out, “Investigator, do you know what I’ll be having for dinner tonight?”

“Oh, right. What would you like to eat?”

He appeared again—out of nowhere!

Sang Chu’s heart skipped a beat. This investigator was definitely not normal.

According to Qin Simian, he didn’t know he was dead, so his actions were unconsciously ghost-like.

Sang Chu didn’t know much about these supernatural things, but she could sense something was off about this person, though she couldn’t put her finger on it.

She forced herself to stay calm and smiled. “I’m not picky. Anything edible is fine. Do you need my help?”

The investigator shook his head. “Just sit tight. I’ll make you something to eat. After dinner, we can discuss the case.”

“Alright.”

Sang Chu didn’t go back to her room, but sat by the fire to warm up.

Dinner was simple: just some greens and a small bowl of rice.

“Sang Chu, I’m sorry. There’s no one left in the village, and no one to harvest the fields. Most families are gone, so the food is a bit plain. It’s nothing like what you’d get in the city. Just bear with it for a while. Once the case is solved, you can go back to the city.”

“Investigator, Brother Qin told me before I came that I should follow your arrangements. Do you have any leads on the case?”

Sang Chu watched the investigator closely, but when she mentioned Brother Qin, he showed no reaction at all.

It was as if he didn’t hear her. After a long pause, he finally said, “You’re one of Old Qin’s people? I thought so. Only he would send someone to help me. I’ve been waiting for someone for so long.”

Sang Chu asked in confusion, “What do you mean by that?”

“There were others before, all sent by Old Qin, but they all disappeared. It’s been a long time since anyone came. When I saw you, I was both happy and scared.”"