The Eldritch Files

Things were starting to get interesting...

Startled by this strange phenomenon, Han Su sat up straight. A number of thoughts instantly became clear:

'This is the only way it makes sense. According to Black Rose, this bizarre theft occurred on the same day as our kidnapping. It's just that the kidnapping case was so outlandish and caused such a stir that it completely overshadowed the theft, so no one paid it any attention.'

'But that only applies to ordinary people. For professionals, it would be impossible not to make the connection.'

But the fact was, no one mentioned it. Everything just happened so... naturally.

If the information related to this Mechanical Fragment had been erased by someone, it would have actually seemed more normal.

But the very fact that the information was always there, yet no one happened to think of it, was what made it so strange.

And upon realizing this, he immediately thought of something else:

'Crystal Skull is looking for this thing...'

'So, when Crystal Skull sent a dead man into the city back then, is it possible their goal wasn't to spread the Crystal Plague at all? What if they simply wanted to cover a larger, broader population to see if information about this Mechanical Fragment existed in their minds?'

'...'

There were still a few logical gaps to bridge, but Han Su already had a key point for his speculation:

Someone in the Crystal Skull Organization had always remembered this Mechanical Fragment and knew its importance. Could this be related to their own crystal-like nature?

They were currently desperate to obtain this Mechanical Fragment and had been operating in secret for a long time to do so.

Even Song Chushi knew the target of Crystal Skull's operations. It was just that he, too, was powerless regarding this Mechanical Fragment.

So, the crucial question now was, had Crystal Skull found the whereabouts of the Mechanical Fragment?

"If that's the case, then I can't afford to wait."

Han Su mused to himself as he took out his phone and sent a message to Miss Ai: [Miss Ai, during training, the instructor said our credentials were very useful. So, let me ask, can I use this ID to infiltrate a private territory?]

Miss Ai replied instantly: [Dear Mr. Butcher, the Disaster Management Bureau's credentials are issued for the purpose of more conveniently stopping Penetration and better protecting reality and the city. We do not recommend you use your official authority to commit illegal acts!]

[Perhaps I should ask why Mr. Butcher is thinking of infiltrating someone's private territory?]

[...]

Han Su replied: [I was walking down the street, and a dog in someone's house kept barking at me. I want to go in and beat it up.]

Miss Ai replied: [In that case, we would recommend simply throwing a rock at it, Mr. Butcher.]

[But if it is truly for the sake of investigating an abnormal incident that might affect the safety of Qinggang City, then even if you trespass on someone's private territory, you can write a report to appeal the matter later.]

[...]

Hearing this, Han Su understood at once.

He could certainly enter Dingxiang Mansion with Xu Ji on this trip, but if he wanted to find that Mechanical Fragment, he would probably have to sneak into some places.

He had spent his whole life busy just trying to survive, so he'd never had the chance to do anything illegal. That's why he had to ask Miss Ai beforehand—if something went wrong, how much would the Disaster Management Bureau have his back?

And now, it seemed Miss Ai had made herself quite clear...

He took a deep breath, no longer hesitating about the matter in the slightest.

If he had to go, he would go.

But before the real operation began, he thought of another, more important question:

"Right now, all I know is that the Mechanical Fragment is hidden in Dingxiang Mansion. But how do I find it?"

"According to the old butler, when the great power of the monster in the fifth-floor coffin descends upon reality, the Mechanical Fragment will naturally reveal itself. So, what exactly is this 'great power'? Could the copper-colored blood seeping from the scar on the back of my hand have some effect?"

"..."

But for this question, Han Su had no immediate answer.

He could only go to Dingxiang Mansion first and then look for an opportunity to try.

After carefully thinking it through, he contacted Xu Ji. When Xu Ji heard that Han Su was coming to be his assistant, he was so happy it was like Christmas had come early.

He hadn't been interested in the banquet and was thinking of ways to decline, but now he wasn't declining at all.

When the day of the banquet arrived, he showed up early at the apartment building where Han Su lived.

He took out a set of clothes and said, "Change into this!"

Han Su frowned. "What?"

"An assistant's uniform!"

Xu Ji shot him a look of rich-person scorn. "You're coming with me to a banquet. You think you can go without changing into a proper outfit?"

"In that circle, I'm the Eldest Young Master Xu. What my assistant wears is very important!"

"..."

Han Su thought for a moment and took it, but not without giving Xu Ji a hard stare.

Everything he said was perfectly reasonable, so why did he sound so punchable?

He changed his clothes in a flash and came out. Xu Ji was already waiting behind a chair with his hands full of hair gel. After Han Su sat down, Xu Ji grabbed his hair and went to work, leaving the inwardly impatient Han Su feeling a bit amazed:

'This guy's technique is actually pretty good?'

But when he was done, Xu Ji had Han Su stand up, tilted his head to look him over, and suddenly frowned.

He made a call to someone in the car downstairs. "Bring up that cheaper set of clothes!"

Han Su asked, "What? Is there a problem with this outfit?"

Xu Ji shook his head. "You're a bit too handsome. If we go out like this, I'll look like *your* damn assistant!"

When Han Su heard this, he actually agreed. He was going there on business; it wouldn't be good to stand out too much.

So he waited for the servant from downstairs to bring up the other outfit. But after he changed, Xu Ji frowned again.

He waved his hand. "Change back!"

"?"

Han Su was stunned. "Just how bad are the clothes your assistants wear?"

Xu Ji rubbed his chin. "It's not about being bad or not. The point is, how the hell do you still look a little too good in this one?"

"You're only slightly less handsome than me now. We might as well switch back!"

Han Su was a bit speechless. He looked in the mirror; dressed in a suit with gleaming leather shoes, he actually looked quite sharp.

'I'm usually so busy thinking about things, I actually forgot I'm not bad-looking...'

Since the Flashing, it seemed he had drifted far away from the life of an ordinary person...

So the two of them went downstairs together and took a car straight to Dingxiang Mansion.

Dingxiang Mansion was actually situated on the edge of Qinggang City, nestled amidst lush gardens that stretched outward, merging with the mountains and wilderness outside the city.

Following a private road up, he saw a complex of buildings hidden among the gardens, far more expansive than he had imagined.

The main building was an old-fashioned five-story structure with wings on the east and west sides. A tall female security guard was stationed at the entrance, greeting guests. She wore sunglasses, but one could still feel the sharpness of her gaze.

There were a great number of guests and vehicles coming and going. Naturally, Dingxiang Mansion wouldn't search these guests or anything, but she would casually glance at every person who entered the banquet hall.

A subtle feeling arose in Han Su's heart, as if her single glance could see right through a person. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly; strange things had long existed in every corner of this world.

As they got out of the car, he proactively took Xu Ji's bag and coat.

Xu Ji subconsciously reached for them, but Han Su quietly pushed his hand away. "Don't take my job..."

Xu Ji flinched slightly before puffing out his chest. "Then stay close. And be sharp, I'm telling you, these are all rich people."

"Every single person here is so rich they don't even lick the yogurt lid!"

"..."

Han Su felt helpless. His entire impression of rich people had been ruined by Xu Ji.

They entered the main hall and were led to the third floor of the east wing. Han Su saw that the place was luxurious, but it didn't seem overly gaudy.

He vaguely understood the effect Qinggang City's upper class was striving for. The nouveau riche and the overnight millionaires put on a show by using the most expensive things possible, things that looked valuable at a glance, for fear that others wouldn't know they had money.

The truly wealthy, however, used things that were even more expensive and valuable, but on the surface, didn't look quite so rich.

This psychological progression was truly interesting.

He watched Xu Ji, who seemed like a different person, holding a wine glass and mingling with people, chatting and laughing cheerfully. He felt a sense of fatherly pride.

'This son of a bitch actually looks halfway human when he's serious!'

An assistant like him would normally just stand by and wait after arriving, or go rest in the next room.

But Han Su didn't have that sense of propriety. He found a random spot to sit down and observe quietly. Seeing his attire, no one came over to question him.

As time passed, the crowd at the banquet grew. Guests mingled, and the wealthy socialized.

Han Su even saw Wei Lan in the crowd, looking radiant in a gown. Dressed in a golden dress, she was countless times more dazzling than usual. Her makeup was also unusual; a golden feather was stuck to her cheek.

He had guessed that she was the one who helped during the Ghost Truck mission, but this wasn't the right occasion to ask. Han Su held back. Wei Lan was the center of attention, and since she wasn't from his circle to begin with, she naturally wouldn't notice him on the fringes.

He just observed silently from a corner, confirming that Dingxiang Mansion was so vast that he wouldn't be able to find any clues just by wandering around.

He had been here for quite some time now but hadn't felt any strange sensations. Even when he secretly used his right eye to observe, he couldn't see any hidden objects of Mysterious Power in Dingxiang Mansion.

'Perhaps I should try using the copper-colored blood from my left hand. Maybe it can trigger some kind of strange resonance?'

The Mechanical Fragment certainly wasn't going to put on a gown and walk over to him while he waited here. With that thought, Han Su got up and headed for the restroom.

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