Chapter 49: The Pearl of H City

"Clearly, this is a classic locked-room murder case."
Inside the black sedan, Chang Yu spoke with an air of confidence, almost as if he had transformed into Sherlock Yu himself.
"As Captain Li said, including the first two victims, all of them died in their own homes."
"They share a common trait: all were unemployed drifters living alone in this shantytown."
"The victims were slashed all over with some sharp weapon; the wounds conspicuously spared any vital points, until the final blow—an unmistakable strike of death."
"We have reason to believe the victims suffered torment before their demise. The killer, rather than simply murdering, seemed to toy with them."
"Not a single clue or trace was left at the scene; all eyewitnesses and surveillance footage confirm that no one entered or exited the victims’ homes at the time of the crimes."
"This whole thing sounds pretty fantastical," Chang Yu mused, propping his chin in his palm. "Even the most meticulous murderer usually leaves behind at least a hint."
"But this time, the killer left not the slightest evidence. No wonder the police have failed to find the culprit after so many days."
"It's precisely because the police can't solve this case that they turned to us," Katerina replied coolly.
"Don't forget, the Bureau for Disaster Investigation was established to handle cases involving supernatural phenomena."
"The first victim in similar circumstances was discovered six days ago; the second three days ago."
"The third victim, as you know, was found today. We arrived at the crime scene within an hour of the discovery."
"The killer seems to follow a pattern—one victim every three days. We can act accordingly."
"In other words, we must catch the murderer before the next victim is claimed. That gives us three days to crack the case."
Katerina, calm and clear-headed, evidently had some ideas about how to uncover the killer.
Chang Yu looked to her, "You’re the most experienced among us. We’ll follow your lead."
"Yes, yes, we’ll listen to Sakra," Feng Sanpao chimed in enthusiastically.
"You said yourself—this case sounds pretty supernatural."
Katerina tucked her hair behind her ear, the gesture lending her a radiant charm.
"If the police haven’t found a single lead after days of investigation, it means we can’t rely on conventional methods."
Chang Yu’s heart stirred at her words, "You mean..."
"Don’t forget what we do," Katerina prompted.
"So you think these murders are the work of a disaster entity?" Chang Yu asked.
Katerina didn’t have to explain; Chang Yu knew they were a group of gifted individuals, tasked with exterminating disaster entities.
"Remember this?" Katerina handed Chang Yu a transparent evidence bag. "I found this at the crime scene."
Chang Yu took the bag and examined it closely—a short, bloodstained strand of fur appeared before his eyes.
It was short, entirely orange-yellow, and more likely shed from an animal than a human.
"This isn’t human hair," Chang Yu said, trusting his instincts.

"Looks a bit like cat fur—fine and short," Feng Sanpao added, leaning in. "Lord Hokage had a cat; its fur looked just like this."
Katerina cast an unexpectedly appreciative glance at Feng Sanpao, slightly surprised by his useful observation. "Correct, it’s cat fur."
"If I’m right, our suspect is a cat. This fur is the evidence."
"To be exact, the killer is a disaster entity in feline form. An ordinary cat couldn’t kill an adult."
"Cats are small, adept at hiding, and hard to notice. They’re agile hunters, able to strike swiftly."
"Only a cat could exploit the chaos after attacking a person and slip away from the crime scene, creating the illusion of a locked-room murder."
"Of course, my theory isn’t baseless—I carefully examined the victims’ wounds, and they resemble claw marks."
Cats are typically harmless, even cute; but what if this particular cat was an extremely dangerous disaster entity?
With that in mind, it truly was possible the murderer was a cat.
Chang Yu was already convinced by Katerina’s deduction—the wounds on the victims did resemble those inflicted by an animal's sharp claws.
"So, how do we catch that cat—or rather, the feline disaster entity?" Chang Yu asked.
Katerina answered straightforwardly, "All three victims lived in this shantytown, so the disaster entity's territory must be here."
"Even with the narrowed search area, finding a single cat in such a vast shantytown is like looking for a needle in a haystack."
Chang Yu lowered his head, pondering; finding one cat in such a sprawling shantytown was indeed daunting.
"Looks like we need some help," Chang Yu said without thinking.
"And I happen to know someone who can help us," Katerina replied with a confident smile. "If it’s him, we’ll find the disaster entity."
...
Under the night sky, H City was dazzling—streets ablaze with golden lights, vehicles speeding past.
Unlike the hustle of daytime, H City at night was always brilliantly lit, wonderfully relaxing.
At this moment, the three of them were walking along the busiest street in H City, admiring its most beautiful nighttime scenery.
This wide avenue, called Central Avenue, was the largest and longest pedestrian street in the country, boasting centuries of history.
No vehicles were allowed on this historic street, the oldest scenic landmark in H City, drawing throngs of tourists from across the nation every year.
Here, people thronged shoulder to shoulder; elsewhere, rarely would you see so many pedestrians on a single street.
For historical reasons, the area was once home to many Russians, and the European-style buildings were designed and constructed by renowned Russian architects.
Thus, the architecture along this street was purely Baroque and Eclectic, so much so that one could call it a museum of architectural art.
Now, these exquisitely designed European buildings glowed with a golden aura under the spotlights, evoking a spirit of romanticism.
Chang Yu watched couples running and laughing, pausing to snap selfies, his mood lifting.
"This is my first time on Central Avenue. It feels great," he said, strolling along and letting the murder case worries slip from his mind.
Chang Yu was very fond of walking—a pastime usually reserved for the elderly—which always helped him release tension and anxiety, relaxing his mind.

And Central Avenue, ideal for walking, naturally won Chang Yu’s affection.
"The person you mentioned—is he somewhere on this street?" he asked Katerina.
"He’s... a bit unusual," Katerina replied, looking slightly embarrassed.
"A bit unusual?" The phrase immediately piqued Chang Yu’s curiosity.
"He rarely goes out, a complete recluse. Expecting him to voluntarily leave his home is impossible," Katerina continued.
"Uh, how impossible?" Chang Yu raised his brows.
"As impossible as a sow climbing a tree, the sun rising in the west, or the pyramids being invented by the Koreans."
Katerina wasn’t one to mock others, yet she mercilessly ridiculed the man Chang Yu had never met.
"But, as one of our group’s investigators, he will help us," Katerina shifted.
"His talents aren’t combat-related, so whether he leaves his home or not isn’t crucial for him or for us."
Chang Yu paused, surprised, "You mean he’s also one of our investigators?"
Katerina met his gaze calmly and nodded, "Exactly."
"I always thought our group had only four members—you, me, Sanpao, and Shi Chengjin," Chang Yu said, unsettled.
"In fact, every new group, including the leader, has five members," Katerina explained.
"I never saw him at Yong’an Security Company," Chang Yu said, still doubtful.
Katerina sighed, her expression helpless, "I wanted him to meet you all, but he refused to come out, and I couldn’t force him."
"Though he didn’t report to Yong’an Security, he is indeed one of our investigators. His abilities are special, and will help us in the future, so I don’t want to push him."
Chang Yu understood—people with exceptional abilities and backgrounds always enjoy certain privileges.
Shi Chengjin was one, and so was this unseen man.
Katerina needed his skills, so she overlooked certain things.
"Speaking of which, why didn’t Shi Chengjin come?" Chang Yu grumbled.
Today’s operation was the new combat group’s first mission—a momentous occasion.
He had hoped all the investigators would assemble, united to accomplish the task.
After all, the first mission was truly memorable.
But Shi Chengjin didn’t even show his face.
Everyone else was busy with the case, while he alone shirked his duty...
How arrogant! He clearly had no regard for Chang Yu, Katerina, or the others.