The pn was set, Marcus and Gloria would depart the day mid day. The reason for it being mid day was that it would be the time when the sun would be at its highest, where there would be the least amount of Yin and paranormal energy in the air, if there was really something weird going on. There was also a bit of a logistics issue, where Gloria’s having to collect certain things a properly prepared.

  Marcus sidered not going home and just stayed in the district for the night. He decided against it for this would be the first night his father would start w, and he would like to be there for him.

  The deceased old man’s family locked themselves in during this night. Because, apparently some of the local residents were very unhappy with what had happened, and decided to throw paint and rotten eggs on their door.

  “What happened, son? You seem a little tense.” By the diable, Elvin asked Marcus with a cup of tea in his hand, while Marcus sipped his beer: “I thought - I thought you’d be happy that I don’t o work night shifts right away? Do you have some other s about this job? I - ”

  “No! No - I’m really gd that you don’t have to work night shift right away.” Marcus immediately interrupted his father, then sighed and shook his head: “Hopefully they won’t assign any night shifts at all. It’s just something I o do, and uh - I’m worried.”

  “What are you worried about?” Elvin scratched his jaw.

  “Well - ” Marcus hesitated, then put his beer down: “About not being able to help. It’s just case after case of these things, and then they’re still gonna - we are nowhere near stopping those people.”

  “I assume you’re referring to the missing kids? ” Elvin sighed, picked a piece of stir fried beef and put it in Marcus’ bowl: “It is being a bigger deal - and, I ’t believe the city is not doing much about it? Are they hiring for help? Are they deploying their own iigators into it? Are they putting some safety measures in pced, or - ”

  “I don’t know, dad. I really don’t.” Marcus shook his head.

  “Well, I’ll tell you what I heard today at work.” Elvin stood up and picked up the teapot from the boiler: “Did they tell you how many cases there are? Children missing, I mean”

  “Official numbers?” Marcus thought for a moment: “I think - iire city, at least twenty firmed cases. If you t the unfirmed ohat’s at least fifty.”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard.” Elvin nodded. He poured himself a cup of tea and sat back down: “But - you may not have heard this - there’s also these cases where the entire family of people went missing. At least from the - I mean gossip I heard, there’s at least two families that went away pletely. And they said that these are both families of multiple children.”

  “Oh? Are they kidnapped or something?” Alerts started bring in Marcus’ mind.

  “I ’t say. But from what I’ve heard, it’s very likely they moved, instead of - you know - ” Elvied his words, but ended up choosing the most simple and noive ones.

  “Did your new coworkers mention what their pces look like? Are they pletely empty? Did they leave anything behind? Any signs of struggle, foul py or anything?” Marcus frowned and started writing down notes on his phone.

  “No - not really.” Elvin leaned in a little with ahusiastic smile: “I ask around, if you’d like. Do you wao - ?”

  Marcus thought for a moment, then his father: “Yeah. But please do so discreetly. And don’t overreach with your questions - the st thing I want is for you to get into trouble because you’re prodding too much.”

  “Of course, of course.” Elvin chuckled and shook his head: “I’ve never been in a job for long, but I still remember how to talk with people. No worries.”

  “I’m always worried. So be extra careful.” Marcus chuckled, got up and was ready to put his empty beer bottle into the trash bin.

  “Oh, son?” Just this moment, Elvin threw out another carefully worded question: “Have you - have you seen your mother retly?”

  Marcus’ entire body te the question, then he shook his head: “No - no, dad. I wish. I’ll definitely let you know if I have.”

  “I see.” Elvin’s facial expression dimmed, he poured himself another cup of tea: “Go to sleep and have a good night then - you’ll need plenty of rest for - for whatever you’re about to do.”

  Marodded at his father, then headed into the bathroom to take a shower before he would head to bed.

  The day was bright and the sky was clear. Gloria waited for Marcus in the alley beside Zishan Cafe, wearing a vest and a jacket, sturdy bat boots, long slim jeans and with a backpa her back. She chose her attire expeg fights to break out, as Marcus did.

  “You’re early.” Marcus joked, as he tugged the straps of his oack.

  “It’s my turf. I o be early.” Gloria shrugged: “You haven’t brought ah you?”

  “This is off the books, for various reasons.” Marcus sighed: “But I have some arras set up for different situations. ”

  “So have I.” Gloria nodded and whipped out a folded part - it was a hand dra.

  “What - what’s this?”

  “The map to the area. ” Gloria poi an area marked with a red circle: “The best map of the area showing what we o be careful about. This is the area of the old ruins. Now, if you look at any other map, physical ital, it’s gonna show an area of mountains and deep forest.”

  Marcus checked his phone. Indeed, on his digital map, the area circled was a mountainous area with steep altitude and full of trees and hilly terrain - a po normal person would want to go.

  “And here is the Lanmian Forest.” Gloria poi an area south of the circle: “If they’re really having a sed ‘festival’ as you said they said, then it’s probably around this area. It’s a big thing, we would not miss it.”