Deity Investigation Report

Chapter 21 Welcome back
"Ugh……"

Han Su only had time to sigh before he suddenly felt weightlessness, as if he had fallen into an endless abyss, or as if an elastic rope was pulling him backward rapidly.

The speed at which he retreated even exceeded the speed of his body, and even exceeded the speed of light.

The endless dizziness made it difficult for Han Su to discern his location for a long time, until a vague rustling sound began to reach his ears, mysterious and ancient.

Han Su suddenly opened his eyes and saw a rusty iron gate slowly opening in front of him, and crows flying all over the sky.

……

……

Meanwhile, inside the Disaster Management Bureau, on the other side of the one-way glass, Zhang Chiguo watched as Han Su's expression grew increasingly painful as the incantation played, eventually even revealing a hint of fear. Zhang Chiguo's heart was in his throat.

'Such a strong reaction?'

'Is it that this kid's spirituality is exceptionally high, or that he has been severely corrupted?'

'Wouldn't that mean he'd fail the test?'

'This kid's already had enough bad luck getting dragged into this damn mess; surely he won't be assigned to Group D7 as cannon fodder too, right?'

He vaguely sensed that the security personnel around him were so tense that they instinctively gripped their guns, which intensified his anxiety.

But at that moment, he was surprised to see another change. He frowned tightly, as if he could no longer bear the incantation. Han Shu suddenly closed his eyes strangely, and even his breathing became calm.

Is this guy asleep?
The security personnel nearby, who had been so nervous their palms were sweating, slowly relaxed their grip.

……

……

The air, carrying a musty smell, suddenly rushed into his nostrils. Han Su looked around and confirmed his surroundings once again.

A school bus.

To be precise, it was a school bus that was driving into the manor in front of us, where the iron gate had slowly opened, revealing a dried-up fountain and withered vines growing wildly all over the ground.

The seats around me were filled with children, one after another, their expressions bewildered. Some were dressed in elegant little suits and leather shoes, some in pretty little dresses, and some had their hair tied in ponytails. They were healthy and full of energy.

It's still the same people, they're all here.

Doll, ponytail, tuxedo, bowl cut, skinny...

The children who died before his eyes when he escaped last time are now alive and well in this school bus, their faces still showing that same innocent and naive look.

Now, they are staring wide-eyed at the manor that has come into view.

In the city where they live and are familiar with, there are all kinds of architects who have created works that showcase their individuality. Everyone has seen quite a lot, but the manor in front of them still gives them an ancient and gloomy feeling.

The manor was empty except for a solitary, tall building with an irregular shape standing in the very center.

Dark and deathly silent, like a monster lurking in the middle of the manor.

"As expected, they've been kidnapped again..."

At this moment, Han Su even found it difficult to describe his feelings.

Although I had been aware that the intervals were getting shorter, I didn't expect them to shorten so quickly.
If I'm caught and brought back in less than 24 hours, how will I have time to investigate anything?
There's no point in even trying to escape from here anymore.

Just jump off the building!
……wrong?
Frustration was just a fleeting emotion that came with instinct, but Han Su quickly realized something: perhaps this wasn't a bad thing?

What's truly frightening are those recurring, regular contractions.
The pattern of being held hostage gradually shortened from six months to three months, and then to half a month. It was an orderly pressure that made me feel like I couldn't breathe and couldn't resist.

And this time...

Judging from the pattern, it doesn't match the intervals between my previous kidnappings at all. Does this mean that something, or some force, influenced my kidnapping?
What exactly is that?
A slight thought crossed his mind—was it the mysterious voice he had just been listening to played by the Disaster Management Bureau?
He couldn't make a clear judgment in a short time, but once he figured this out, the frustration and pressure in his heart dissipated.

Whether positive or negative, discovering in reality a factor that can influence the "kidnapping interval" is a form of progress.

If kidnapping can be brought forward, does that mean that, to some extent, kidnapping can be postponed or even avoided?

"so……"

Han Su suppressed his slightly excited feelings and made a decision in his heart: this time, he would go back as soon as possible to continue the investigation.

The key point is the "sound".

His experience with the Disaster Management Agency confirmed that he was now in the "future," getting closer and closer to the truth of the kidnapping case—something he had never experienced before during all the times he had been kidnapped and the entire investigation process.

This "future" needs to be continued as much as possible.

This time, I also need to escape back to the future as quickly as possible.

After all, although for most of his life, regardless of whether he was injured or not, he would meet Cheung Chi-kwok from the Public Security Bureau, be sent to an orphanage, get into the University of Hong Kong, and continue his life, there were also some strange life paths that made his surroundings very different, even unfamiliar, after he returned.

"Teacher, teacher, is this a science museum?"

Where is the machine?

By this time, some of the children in the car had vaguely realized that something was wrong and were trying to ask the teacher who had brought them there.

But there was no answer, neither from the school bus driver nor the teacher responsible for their safety.

The two of them just sat silently in place, letting the school bus glide into the manor.

Han Su didn't need to look to know that searching for them now was useless. He had been kidnapped and brought back countless times and already knew what the two looked like.

They had turned into pale white sculptures at some unknown time.

Their appearance may only appear somewhat dull, but if struck hard, one can even discover that their skin has turned into a fragile, stone-like filling material.

Kidnapping was unavoidable.

He had tried to climb out of the school bus window or escape through the yard and out the gate as soon as he was brought back from his kidnapping, but he was severely punished. Therefore, he just sat silently and waited for the opportunity to come.

"Teacher, the teacher is asleep..."

Some naive children noticed the teacher's unusual behavior and called out in a clear voice.

The noise in the carriage suddenly increased, but the children were still mostly in a stage of curiosity and confusion. Most of these children came from wealthy families and were too well protected. They were still in the stage of being used to following the instructions of adults.

The adults were asleep, and I was a little at a loss.

Not to mention, some people were already fidgeting, barely able to hold their pee.

"Hey!"

Just then, the car door opened gently, and a gentle, elegant voice rang out: "Welcome to the Land of Dust..."

Apart from Han Su, who had seen that face countless times, everyone was drawn by the sound, some even standing up, only to see an elderly man with a straight posture standing outside the school bus.

He was thin and wore a dark black tailcoat. The clothes were very dirty, covered with mud, dust, and indistinguishable grime, but they were unusually neat, as if they had been carefully ironed before being worn.

There wasn't much hair left on his head, but his mustache was trimmed very neatly.

Even his face wore an unusually standard, respectful, and friendly smile.

In any other place, this would seem to be a professionally trained and proud butler.

Except for his face.

His face was ashen, with many cracks resembling those on porcelain, vaguely revealing the dry blood vessels and muscle texture inside. This unusual appearance made his standard posture and friendly smile seem strangely peculiar.

"Teacher, teacher..."

An unseen awkwardness frightened the children, who screamed and shrank back into the car while trying to wake their dozing teacher again.

The butler outside the car didn't seem to mind, still smiling and clapping his hands lightly.

"crack" "crack"

Two sounds, exceptionally crisp.

Suddenly, all the children in the carriage fell silent.

With blank expressions, they slowly stood up from the carriage and walked out one by one.

Two rows of people stood beside the porcelain-like butler.

The castle gates opened slowly and heavily, as if carrying a mysterious and profound aura, welcoming its special visitors.

No one cried or made a fuss anymore. They were like soulless zombies, slowly following the butler toward the castle.

Even Han Su obediently followed suit, pretending that he had also been hypnotized.

He was most afraid of this old butler.

He was the only person in the castle who could speak a normal language and seemed to be able to communicate. He also didn't seem to belong to the monsters, thus his status was one level higher.

But ironically, he was also the most bizarre and cruel one.

The entire kidnapping may have occurred under his watchful eye.

(End of this chapter)