Chapter 79 – Suburban Chicken Farm (2)
The owner of the chicken farm had no suspicions, nor did he dare to approach the big rat. He went up the ladder, holding a flashlight, and struggled a bit as he reached the loft.
In that instant of ascent, a strong, putrid smell hit him. He couldn’t hold back a dry heave, inadvertently inhaling more of the foul air. The stench seemed to permeate his entire lungs.
Downstairs, people belatedly seemed to remember something and said, “It’s very smelly up there, remember to hold your breath.”
“…”
The chicken farm owner’s lungs had already absorbed the taste of this odor, thanks to the belated reminder.
The flashlight’s beam swept across the loft. Although he usually slaughtered chickens himself, this was the first time he had witnessed such a scene. Piles of bodies were crowded in the corner, some stacked too high and slowly sliding. Following the instructions from below, he walked towards the partially open window, looked down from it, and saw the ventilation opening on the roof of the chicken farm.
Contrary to what he had initially thought, the mysterious disappearance of the chickens was not human-made; it was the work of non-human entities. This thing, referred to as the “big rat,” must have dragged the chickens here through the ventilation opening, completely avoiding the surveillance range. No wonder the cameras captured nothing.
To some extent, the chicken farm owner was indeed bold-hearted. He believed that this gigantic, slightly deformed creature, the big rat, was an inexplicably mutated giant rodent. He would deal with this creature, then wear a mask to clean and disinfect the loft, considering the matter resolved.
Jiang Yujin received his commission fee and saw the legendary DVD. As it turned out, the chicken farm owner had a simple and honest appearance but was well-versed in soap operas. The two hit it off immediately and decided to stay together to watch classic soap operas.
After the chicken farm owner finished cleaning the loft, it was nearing evening. Boss Jiang sent a message to his big son and his big son’s new stepdad, saying he wouldn’t be coming home for dinner tonight. After putting down his phone, he sat down with the chicken farm owner.
The chicken farm owner also brought out a pile of beers, mentioning that when his wife and kids were at home, he was severely restricted. Since they were not at home today, he could finally drink freely.
Jiang Yujin echoed with a similar sentiment, expressing the limitations he faced. These two empathetic souls found a spiritual resonance and sighed simultaneously.
During the time they were watching TV with a small drink, someone nearby sought the chicken farm owner. He went out for a while and came back with a piece of news, saying that the neighbors had come looking for him, reporting that today someone had attempted to attack the large tree again but failed and fled. According to the usual pattern, they would likely be caught within a day.
The chicken farm owner said, “It must be the remnants of those anti-social organizations.”
Jiang Yujin nodded, “Indeed.”
The two sighed and then shifted their gaze back to the TV screen.
The empty beer cans on the table kept piling up, and the TV reached a crucial point. The two on the sofa were watching intently when a commotion came from the door.
Tonight unexpectedly turned lively. After the neighbors, someone knocked on the gate again.
“I’m coming.”
Putting down the empty beer can in his hand, the chicken farm owner stood up and walked to the entrance. Jiang Yujin continued to focus on the TV.
As the door opened, the chicken farm owner, holding the doorknob, looked at the person outside and asked, “Who are you…”
His words were swallowed when he saw the sharp dagger in the other person’s hand.
The man outside was dark-eyed, his gaze chilling, and his body covered in dirt. One hand held a knife, while the other covered his injured side, blood oozing through his fingers. Clearly injured, but it didn’t hinder his firm grip on the knife pointed toward the chicken farm owner.
The man didn’t speak, advancing step by step with the knife. The chicken farm owner kept retreating, the alcohol he had consumed quickly clearing his head. His eyes were fixed on the sharp tip of the knife pointed at him.
…He recalled the words the neighbor had said before, remembering the recent mention of remnants of anti-social organizations on the run.
The man didn’t seem intent on actually attacking, constantly looking back as if observing if anyone or anything was present. They maintained a delicate balance.
The TV sound continued, and the chicken farm owner glanced sideways at the person in the living room, hoping they would notice the situation. Even if they realized it and took advantage of this moment to escape and call the police, the other person remained engrossed in the TV, completely unaware of any anomaly.
Just then, the unexpected happened. While retreating and keeping an eye on the person in the living room and the knife in front of him, the chicken farm owner accidentally tripped over the raised tile at the bottom. His hand instinctively reached forward to stabilize himself, but the man closing the door instantly turned around, thinking he was resisting. Without giving any chance for a response or explanation, the knife in his hand thrust forward in the blink of an eye.
“Ah—”
“Ah!!!”
The cries of the chicken farm owner and the man erupted simultaneously, with the man’s voice sounding even more gut-wrenching. The knife, originally held in his hand, spun around, and its sharp point ended up facing his own pupils.
A literal twist occurred. The wrist was forcefully dislocated, and the man was suddenly pressed to the ground by the person who appeared from the living room, the knife’s tip mere centimeters away from his pupils, as if a slight tremor from the other person could directly pierce through them.
For a moment, the scene fell silent. The chicken farm owner, who had been tripped, sat on the ground, looking at the person who appeared from the living room with astonishment. He continued to breathe heavily, his heart pounding.
Inside the house, it was quiet, with only the sound of the TV still playing. The male lead inside the TV was still sadly shouting, “Don’t leave,” while outside, lights brightened, approaching rapidly.
It was car headlights, not just one, and Jiang Yujin pressed the man to the ground, looked up at the door, and as he saw something, his expression changed. He then used the hilt of the knife to knock the person he had pressed down unconscious. Afterward, he turned to the chicken farm owner and said, “If anyone asks, say he fainted in pain, tripped over his left foot and fell. I have other matters to attend to. We’ll chat next time.”
His speech was fast, as if being pursued by someone. After finishing his words, he added, “Borrowing your back door.”
And with that, he fled, while at the same time, vehicles stopped at the gate.
The people in the car quickly observed the situation through the still partially open gate, grabbed their weapons, and disembarked.
They were members of the SIU, continuously tracking down remnants of Zero attempting to destroy the Luosa Tree. The other party was injured and couldn’t run too far, but was skilled at hiding. After intermittent pursuits into the evening, thinking their progress was too slow, the SIU sent the captain, who happened to be nearby on a mission. Upon arrival, they quickly pinpointed a small grove by the roadside, saw the fleeing figure at a glance, and chased him here.
They thought they would need to expand their search further upon arriving here, but unexpectedly, they found the person right away and encountered an unforeseen situation.
As others got out of the car, Xu Tonggui didn’t. He withdrew his gaze from the house, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. Gripping the steering wheel, he continued driving forward for a while.
When the group reached the scene at the house, the person they had been chasing had already passed out completely, with a twisted wrist and a gleaming dagger scattered nearby. A middle-aged man sat nearby, soaked in sweat.
There was a strong smell of alcohol in the room, indicating that someone had consumed quite a bit. One person first checked the person lying on the ground, sensing their steady breathing. Once they confirmed the person was stable, they quickly restrained and thoroughly searched the individual, confiscating all items and potential weapons.
Other individuals, along with the chicken farm owner, sought to understand the situation, asking about the events that had transpired and inquiring about the injuries on the suspect’s wrist.
The chicken farm owner’s brain still hadn’t fully processed the situation. Without thinking, he repeated Jiang Yujin’s earlier statement, “He got injured and fainted. When he fell, he tripped over his left foot and hurt his right foot.”
SIU member: “…?”
People on this side tried to advise the chicken farm owner not to make jokes at such a moment. Meanwhile, others secured the unconscious suspect. Later, someone asked, “Where’s Captain Xu?”
A nearby person closed the car door tightly and pointed in a direction, saying, “He seems to have driven over there.”
Unexpectedly encountering Xu Tonggui here, who had previously mentioned completing the mission and preparing to go home, Jiang Yujin, without needing to smell, knew he was reeking of alcohol. He quietly left through the back door, trying to avoid attracting attention.
He politely closed the back door, turned around, and two sets of car headlights lit up.
A person by the car asked him, “Where to?”
Jiang Yujin: “…”
Closing his eyes, Jiang Yujin slowly approached the vehicle, his silhouette exuding an inexplicable determination as if heading to the execution ground.
—But not determined enough. At a certain distance from the cars, Citizen Jiang halted his steps.
Xu Tonggui waved slightly towards him, his voice sounding as casual as usual, “Come closer, no need to be reserved.”
Jiang Yujin took two more steps forward, standing right by the car’s hood.
A strong scent of alcohol wafted over, and Xu Tonggui asked, “How much did you drink?”
Jiang Yujin shifted his gaze, “I didn’t drink. It was the client who drank. I just got a bit of the taste.”
There was a peculiar beauty in arguing even in the face of impending doom.
Citizen Jiang was pulled forward by someone.
Feeling chilly fingers sinking into his hair, Jiang Yujin sensed a contrasting warmth spreading from his lips. He lifted his eyes to meet a pair of deep iron-gray eyes.
Unconsciously, he was led to lean backward, pressed against the car hood.
The large hand with calluses swept away the disheveled hair covering his eyes. Xu Tonggui slightly straightened, giving him some time to catch his breath, and gritted his teeth while saying, “You drank again.”
When someone else is drinking, the scent of alcohol shouldn’t find its way into one’s mouth.
A flashlight swayed not far away, accompanied by approaching footsteps.
Jiang Yujin glanced sideways.
—The members of the SIU team who originally thought something happened to Xu Tonggui and came over to look for him, held flashlights in their hands and froze in place.
“Holy shi—!”
“What are you screaming about… Holy shi—!”
The flashlight happened to illuminate the light-colored pupils, and the person pressed against the car, with hair spread out, looked back with eyes devoid of extra emotions.
A breathtaking beauty at first sight.
The person wore a wrinkled shirt and was the boss of the agency who often came to gossip around the SIU headquarters.
The person suppressing the other was none other than their usually stern and unsmiling Captain Xu.
That night, the members of the SIU present understood two things:
Never underestimate anyone who looks unkempt.
The captain has damn good taste.
Author’s Note:
Adding a patch: Not everyone in the SIU knows that Old Jiang is a high-risk player. When returning from Atsha to the shore, Old Jiang stayed in a corner blowing the wind. After disembarking, most people went directly back to the headquarters without careful observation. Those who knew the truth didn’t dare to casually talk about it (nod).
