Chapter 665: Chapter 663: Old Path (23)_1 Chapter 665: Chapter 663: Old Path (23)_1 “What… surveillance?”
Lei, who had looked up abruptly, now wore an expression that had completely turned cold, and he seemed to be speaking through gritted teeth.
Especially since what Fu Qian had just said sounded very odd indeed.
Combined with his previous comments–that this place was filled with an indescribable eeriness–there was this overwhelming sense of being shrouded by an invisible conspiracy.
In fact, this was exactly what Fu Qian wanted him to think.
There always needed to be something to occupy a superhero’s time.
“That would be–of course–important observation!”
The very next moment, the smile on Fu Qian’s face didn’t falter as he casually glanced at the location of the surveillance camera.
Was he referring to this?
Lei clearly understood his meaning, though he still seemed somewhat skeptical.
He of course knew he was under surveillance; Chief Jones had sent him out mainly to ensure Mrs. Mary’s safety and to potentially use him as bait, which was only too normal.
But some intuition deep inside him didn’t quite believe it was just that simple; he had an inkling that Fu Qian meant something more, and that this gesture was merely a diversion.
This guy knew something he didn’t.
When this thought flashed through his mind, Lei felt an instinctual dislike rise within him, the urge to tear open Fu Qian’s head and look inside surged.
But he couldn’t afford to be impulsive now!
“That’s not bad either, relatively safe. It’s definitely better than vanishing without a trace.”
In the next instant, Lei said as if it were nothing.
“Exactly, you’ve got to look on the bright side of things. Maybe Kateman and the others just thought this place was boring and went home to throw a party.”
Seeing Lei’s reaction, Fu Qian immediately adopted a conversational tone while keeping an eye on the countdown.
“Maybe by tomorrow afternoon, they’ll call you to come back and party with them.”
“Impossible, they can’t make it home,” Lei stated with certainty.
“Why not?”
Fu Qian’s interest was piqued, his gaze intense.
“When Kateman disappeared, the police should have already set up checkpoints on the exit routes, he can’t leave this place.”
Lei explained quite naturally.
Impressive!
Though the two statements appeared coherent, it felt like the first one truly came from the heart, while the latter seemed more like mimicking his behavior, merely fabricating a plausible explanation.
To some extent, it was also a test to see how much he knew beyond common knowledge.
For instance, whether he had explored the complex underground structure Fran mentioned and discovered anything within it.
Of course, it was highly likely that Kateman hadn’t left the town, a judgment Fu Qian agreed with.
Based on earlier speculation, when people were in extreme psychological states, they would become superheroes. Therefore, the abnormal behavior of Jessica and Kateman could be viewed as manifestations of such episodes.
For Jessica, it was most likely pure fear.
She was already on a trip inclined towards the macabre when suddenly one of her companions killed a person, and then she showed an extremely calm and mad response, expertly dealing with the scene and asking him to keep the secret.
That was a bit too much for a student around twenty years old.
When she returned yesterday at noon, Jessica clearly looked the most dejected, and given the subsequent bizarre developments and the realization that her boyfriend was unreliable, it wouldn’t be odd for her to scare herself into a problem.
As for her current situation, it wasn’t so certain; Fu Qian was more inclined to believe she had found a way to leave.
It was indeed she who had opened that secret passage; while Kateman went to negotiate with Lei, she left quietly through that route.
However, during her escape, she was influenced by Laxik’s residual consciousness, and instinctively searched inside it.
After ultimately finding nothing, she left through the exit. If she was quick enough, it might have been possible for her to leave before the police set up their roadblocks.
But Kateman wasn’t as lucky afterward.
Why Laxik also possessed him, and even performed worse than Fran, considering that he hasn’t returned to confess, Fu Qian speculated that the guy might have scared himself.
Lei had a car accident, and then he asked him to keep it a secret from his girlfriend. And afterward, his girlfriend disappeared; the local chief was Lei’s uncle.
Putting these things together, with a bit of imagination, one could easily come up with a theory involving police collusion and silencing of witnesses through murder.
Especially after his girlfriend disappeared, he had been semi-forced to stay at the police chief’s house.
As for where that person was now, Fu Qian guessed that, since he didn’t trust the police, he was probably relying on the little bit of information he acquired in his superhuman state, hiding somewhere.
“That makes sense, but the more I think about it, the more terrifying it becomes. If he hasn’t left yet is still unseen, where could he be hiding?”
As he spoke, Fu Qian naturally looked in the direction of the mountain and sighed.
“This place is still too big; it’s very difficult to find anything.”
…
These words, paired with the action, instantly resonated with Lei.
“It sounds like you’ve had a hard time looking for something?”
Clenching his teeth, he ventured cautiously.
“Indeed.”
Fu Qian openly admitted.
“Do you think I’m so bored that I’d come to a place like this for fun?”
“That doesn’t seem like you.”
Unexpectedly, Fu Qian was so forthright, and Lei immediately followed up with another question.
“So what exactly are you here to find?”
“You seem so eager, are you prepared to help me search?”
Fu Qian asked with a teasing smile.
“I appreciate the gesture, but unlike me, you have a lot of things to do.”
“…You could tell me, maybe I could help.”
The more he heard, the more awkward it felt, but Lei couldn’t help but say.
“Is that so.”
Fu Qian pondered briefly.
“Laxik.”
“Is that a name?”
Lei’s expression was puzzled, looking a bit concerned that this might be a fabrication from Fu Qian.
“Yes.”
“Sorry, I’m sure I’ve never heard this name before.”
After a brief contemplation, Lei shook his head.
“That’s not surprising, but still, thank you for your willingness to help.”
“In fact, Chief Jones is already assisting, but likewise, he hasn’t found much.”
Like Fran, he had no self-awareness of Laxik, inheriting only a portion of the information, and some kind of exploratory instinct.
Fu Qian thanked him while silently assessing the situation.
He was also insensitive to the timing, as just now he deliberately picked a time beyond the countdown: tomorrow noon.
And from Lei’s reaction, there was no indication that he had any particular response to this.
He probably had no concept of the time loop at all.
“This person you’re talking about, is there anything distinctive about him? You can describe him to me, and I’ll keep an eye out if I get the chance.”
“You won’t find him.”
Fu Qian looked at the mountain once more, his tone loaded with meaning.
“You’ll never find him, not even if you burned the place to ash.”
“I don’t understand what you mean…”
Lei instinctively felt that Fu Qian was alluding to something else.
“Yes, you’ve never understood anything.”
“But that’s okay, it doesn’t stop you from being an important observation subject.”
Fu Qian examined Lei with a look one might give to an object, full of admiration.