Chapter 26: Investigation

“So, you’re telling me your whole team ignored orders and sneaked in?”
Mu Yu gently laid the crimson blade across the sofa, his tone tinged with oddity.
Were these interns fearless, wandering recklessly through the incident?
“I… I’m sorry.”
The Tiger: (￣﹏￣；)
Scarlet slumped onto the comfortable leather, utterly forlorn, resembling a guilty kitten.
“Forget it.”
Mu Yu had no intention of pursuing the matter further; that would be unbecoming for a senior.
A righteous, refined, and helpful senior must always clean up after newcomers!
Mu Yu conveniently forgot he had only just completed his onboarding that morning, his expression resolute.
“I’ve mostly cleared this floor. Stay in this room and don’t go out.”
“I’ll meet up with the investigation team and have them come up to escort you.”
Scarlet and Sun Ning seemed somewhat timid, but at least they were of some use. Mu Yu knew Mo Yan had entered the building as well.
As long as he kept clearing the way and met up with Mo Yan, resolving this incident would be a breeze.
“Um… well…”
Sun Ning hesitated beside him, unable to voice her thoughts.
“Don’t worry! I’ll guard this place!”
Scarlet suddenly perked up, as if entrusted with a great responsibility, springing up from the sofa.
To her, everyone in the room was just an ordinary person; surely, Mu Yu’s words were meant for her alone.
The room was scattered with a dozen or so survivors, their faces haunted by luck and terror after the ordeal.
These were all the people Mu Yu had managed to rescue.
From the perspective of the Shadow Clan, the higher one’s status, the more cautious the government’s response. That’s why the first generation had targeted this coveted place early on.
If it weren’t for Mu Yu’s interference, the replacement of identities by the second generation would have already begun.
Mu Yu glanced at Scarlet’s wound, which had reopened from her exertion, and sighed helplessly.
He pressed her gently back onto the sofa, adopting a stern tone.
“I wasn’t speaking to you. Just lie down and rest.”
“I—!”
Scarlet tried to resist but received a sharp flick to her forehead.
“Do you want to keep this leg or not?”
Mu Yu looked at Scarlet’s stubborn face and couldn’t help but tug at her cat ears again.
“Ugh~”
A plume of smoke rose from Scarlet’s head, as if she were about to turn into a steamy automaton.
“Well… um…”
Sun Ning hesitated once more.
“Keep an eye on her. Don’t let her run off again.”
Mu Yu gave Sun Ning a commanding look, his tone especially serious.
“…Alright.”
Sun Ning’s heart tightened, swallowing the words she’d wanted to say.
“Here, take this gun.”
Mu Yu pulled a firearm and magazine from his waistband, placing them in Sun Ning’s hands.
“I’m counting on you to hold this room.”
“Um… but…”
Sun Ning tried again to speak, struggling a bit.
“If there’s anything, wait until I return.”
Mu Yu swept his gaze over the room once more, then pushed open the door and strode out.
“…”
Sun Ning crouched silently beside the smoky team leader, her eyes vacant.
Sure enough, staying in the air-conditioned room playing games was the best option…
Ding Yi curled up alone in a corner, watching Mu Yu’s figure disappear, worry filling her eyes.
“You must come back.”
She murmured to herself.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Mu Yu didn’t descend via the elevator shaft; instead, he turned a corner and opened the emergency stairwell door.
Though he moved swiftly, a few stragglers had escaped, and with so many Shadow Clan corpses piled up, it was likely they’d been discovered.
If surrounded by a large number of Shadows at the elevator entrance, Mu Yu would still be in danger.
He rubbed his arm lightly; the dark brown scars flaked off like dust, revealing new, pink skin beneath.
Yet several deep wounds remained unresponsive, merely staunching the bleeding, with large areas of flesh exposed to the air.
These had been left by a Shadow hiding in the darkness; to lure it out, Mu Yu had to expose a weakness.
“It doesn’t even hurt…”
He touched the wounds, his expression peculiar.
If the first time was due to inexperience, the second time using his ability revealed many differences.
No pain, no aversion to blood, and even… a faint craving.
Strength, speed, defense, and recovery had all increased dramatically.
A Shadow could pierce Scarlet’s leg with a casual blow, yet could only leave a shallow wound on him.
Mu Yu’s figure melted into the stairwell’s darkness; silence reigned.
The Shadows seemed terrified; even as Mu Yu walked the stairs unguarded, he faced no attacks.
“Well, look at that… they’ve run off? No sense of honor.”
His relaxed voice echoed through the empty space.
The exit to the seventh floor was just ahead, the pale door glowing green under the emergency lights.
As Mu Yu opened the door, a strong light shot towards him, making him squint.
A chilling murderous intent swept in from behind; a silver blade sliced silently through the air.
The slender figure’s face betrayed uncontrollable delight.
“Tsk tsk, not very bright, are you?”
Mu Yu’s amused voice sounded from beneath the blade.
“For all the time you’ve been trailing me from the room, I thought I’d finally met a clever one.”
He possessed this strange sense, unable to see them, yet always able to detect the Shadows’ vile presence.
He raised the hand holding the silver blade, dragging the Shadow out of the darkness.
Mu Yu’s face was twisted in a cold smile.
“You must have some way to contact each other. Call everyone over, and I might spare your life.”
The secretary’s face, once jubilant, now crumpled in despair.
The plan had been proceeding smoothly, until this harbinger of death appeared from nowhere.
First-generation Shadows had no chance to struggle in his hands, nearly wiped out; only she, sensing danger, had managed to survive by hiding in the shadows.
“Hey, speak.”
Mu Yu frowned, staring at her delicate face, his eyes full of murderous intent.
The secretary’s whole body shuddered, trying her best to appear pitiful.
“Don’t—don’t kill me. I’ll help you. Just don’t go back on your word!”
As she spoke, she deliberately loosened her blouse at the chest, her demeanor fragile.
“…Alright.”
Mu Yu’s gaze lingered, his tight grip relaxing slightly, as if entranced.
The secretary’s eyes flashed with contempt, but she pressed herself closer to Mu Yu.
‘All men are the same; a bit of seduction and they soften.’
She thought to herself, planning to lure everyone over—if she could kill this man, great.
If not, she could use him to gain a legitimate identity; either way, she’d profit.
With that in mind, she gave Mu Yu a flirtatious smile, while summoning a certain power within her mind.
That was why, as a second-generation Shadow, she held a place among management—her interests always came first.
Race? Dignity? If the reward was great enough, she’d sell her soul to the devil; what did those things matter?

……………………………………………………

“Is the danger over? The elder wants us to gather on the seventh floor?”
Ying Yi looked hesitantly at his companion.
“Is this reliable? Didn’t someone see the first generation running downstairs?”
His companion seemed confident.
“Come on, how strong can a human be? Probably just a mistake.”

“And this message came from Ying Qian—she’s favored by the young clan leader. Aren’t you afraid of getting noticed if you don’t go?”
Though his tone was dismissive, envy shone from his eyes; he only regretted being born male.
“Tsk, that’s true… Maybe we should contact the elder?”
Ying Yi still felt uneasy, risking taboo to suggest it.
“Are you crazy? Last time, Second Bro almost got killed for linking minds with the elder!”
His companion smacked Ying Yi’s head, scolding him harshly.
“Hurry up. I overheard one of the adults saying we second-generation Shadows get to pick leftover identities.”
“If you’re late, you’ll have to choose from ordinary people with the third generation.”
He raised his brow at the busy employees nearby.
“…Fine.”
Ying Yi finally relaxed, following his companion upward.
But the shadow corridor was unusually deserted.
“Hurry, hurry, everyone’s probably gone ahead; you’re wasting time overthinking.”
“If there are no identities left, you have to let me pick first!”
“I know, I know.”
Ying Yi couldn’t shake his anxiety, which grew stronger with each ascending floor.
“Hey, I think I forgot something. You go ahead, I’ll go back and look.”
Feigning surprise, Ying Yi turned away.
“You—never mind, I’m going ahead.”
His companion hesitated, then continued upward with a look of disdain.
“That kid will never amount to anything.”
But Ying Yi didn’t leave; he kept his distance, trailing from afar.
Soon, they reached the seventh floor. The Shadow’s eyes brightened as he appeared before the secretary, full of respect.
“Ma’am, is there something you need?”
Though both were second-generation, she was on the verge of joining the elders’ council, her status far superior.
“Why are you so slow?”
Ying Qian’s face showed obvious displeasure.
“Well… there was something on the way…”
The Shadow tried to explain, but was cut off.
“Never mind, follow me; only a few identities left to choose from.”
He cursed her inwardly, but remained deferential, following Ying Qian upstairs.
‘Just a lapdog of the young clan leader, and she dares act so arrogant! Hmph!’
Nonetheless, Ying Qian’s figure was striking—curves, long legs, the black stockings accentuating her allure.
The Shadow’s throat tightened, his gaze greedy.
The sun flashed by the window, reflecting silver glimmers on Ying Qian’s stockings.
The Shadow paused.
Was that… water?
“Hurry up, why are you dawdling?”
Ying Qian’s imperious voice called from ahead; he quickly masked his expression and followed her into the stairwell.
“Ma’am, what are we doing here?”
They could have entered the eighth floor via shadow, so why take the stairs from the seventh?
Ying Qian didn’t respond; she stopped, looking down on him with pity in her eyes.
“Ma’am?”
Before he could finish, a hand clamped tightly around his neck from behind.
Crack.
With a soft sound, Mu Yu tossed the corpse upstairs, landing with a dull thud.
Silver liquid slowly dripped from the top floor, adding a seductive sheen to Ying Qian’s long legs.