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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 9: The Ominous Object
The lock on the suitcase stood wide open, glaring at me like a mocking eye.
Someone had been here.
While I was asleep.
This realization struck me like a cold hammer, slamming into my skull and leaving me dizzy, nearly unable to stand. I leaned against the wall, gasping for air as my stomach churned violently, threatening to expel its contents.
Fear. Pure, primal, bone-deep fear seized my heart in an instant, swiftly spreading to my limbs. This was not my room; this was hell! A hell where I couldn't even dare to close my eyes while sleeping!
Who was it? How did they get in? They rummaged through my things—what were they looking for? Or… what did they leave behind?!
My gaze was fixed on the suitcase as if it were nailed to the floor. It stood quietly in the corner, appearing unchanged from before, but at that moment, it had transformed into a Pandora's box in my eyes, possibly containing something that could destroy me.
Should I open it and take a look?
Two voices clashed wildly in my mind. One screamed, "Don't touch it! Run! Get out of this cursed place! They might have planted a bomb inside! Or drugs! Or something else that could ruin your life forever!"
The other voice coldly countered, "Run? Where can you run to? Your computer is being monitored, you're being followed, and now even your sleeping space is accessible to anyone! Do you really think you can escape? If you don’t open it, you’ll never know what they want! You’ll only die more obscurely!"
Cold sweat trickled down my back. I felt as if I were standing on the edge of a cliff; one step forward led to an abyss, and one step back was also a dead end.
In the end, the instinct for survival—or rather, the obsession with not dying in vain—overcame the sheer terror.
I had to know what had happened inside.
I approached the suitcase cautiously, like a bomb disposal expert about to defuse a device. Each step felt like walking on the edge of a knife, my breath held tight, my heart pounding like a drum. I crouched down, my fingers trembling as they lightly rested on the zipper.
It felt cold to the touch.
Taking a deep breath, I gritted my teeth and with a swift motion, I pulled the zipper open with a sharp sound.
The clothes inside appeared to be undisturbed, neatly folded and almost as I had left them. Toiletries, a few books, a spare charger… everything seemed to be in its original place.
Had they just taken a quick look? Confirmed that I had no "dangerous items"?
No, it couldn't be that simple. Someone like Fang Huai'an would never leave things to chance; he wouldn’t waste time on such trivialities.
My gaze began to scan the suitcase like a searchlight, inch by inch, examining every corner and crevice. My professional instincts were heightened under extreme fear; any minor anomaly could be magnified infinitely.
I pulled out the clothes one by one, meticulously checking the pockets, even scrutinizing the tags and seams. I emptied the contents of my toiletry bag, unscrewing each bottle and jar to sniff them, terrified that something might have been tampered with. The books were flipped through quickly, page by page, checking for any hidden notes or markings.
Nothing was amiss.
Everything was terrifyingly normal.
Could it be… that they took something?
I began to frantically recall what was originally in the box. Besides the everyday items, there was… right! Before I came here, just in case, I brought a small voice recorder! It was an old model disguised as a USB drive, intended for secretly recording anything in case of an emergency. I had hidden it in a very concealed compartment inside my suitcase.
I immediately reached out to feel that compartment. I unzipped it…
Empty!
The voice recorder was gone!
My heart sank, and a chill instantly froze my limbs. They were indeed after this! They knew I was suspicious and that I might collect evidence! They were fully aware of my trivial little thoughts!
A wave of helplessness and frustration washed over me. I felt like a transparent person, all my struggles and resistance appearing like child’s play in their eyes.
Wait!
Just as I was about to zip up the compartment, my fingertips brushed against something… hard and small.
What was that?
My heart skipped a beat as I cautiously reached into the bottom of the compartment to feel around. There was indeed something there, very small, very light, and square-shaped.
I pulled it out and laid it in the palm of my hand.
With the faint morning light filtering in through the window, I could finally see what it was.
It was a small piece of paper, folded very neatly.
It was the kind of ordinary notebook paper that elementary school students use to pass notes in class, folded into a square about an inch on each side, with crisp edges and sharp corners, meticulously done.
What is this? A warning? Or some sort of mark?
My heart raced again, and my fingers felt stiff with tension. I used my nails to slowly and carefully unfold the little piece of paper.
One layer... two layers... three layers...
The paper was completely unfolded.
Then, I froze.
There was... nothing on it.
A blank space.
Just a clean, unmarked little piece of paper with no writing or patterns at all.
Yet, this emptiness sent a chill down my spine more than any vicious curse or direct threat could!
What does this blankness mean?
It meant they knew I might write something, that I might record something, so they left this blank piece of paper to mock me?
It meant they had completely taken control of everything about me, even my potential thoughts, so there was no need to write any threatening words at all?
Or did it mean… my fate, like this blank paper, could be freely written upon or erased by them?
I held the lightweight white paper in my trembling hands, my fingers shaking as if they were sifting through grain. A bone-chilling cold surged from the soles of my feet straight to the crown of my head, making my teeth chatter.
This was no longer a warning; it was a blatant display of power! A complete destruction of my spirit, laced with the mocking playfulness of a cat catching a mouse!
They not only wanted to control my actions but also to crush my will!
“Ah—!”
I could no longer hold back; I let out a suppressed roar and suddenly crumpled the white paper into a tight ball before throwing it on the ground!
I paced like an enraged trapped beast in the small room, filled with fury and despair.
Disguise? Lurking? Self-preservation?
To hell with it!
In front of enemies who could easily invade my room and leave such ominous tokens, what meaning did all this have?! They had no intention of leaving me any way out!
I can’t wait any longer! I can’t just sit here and do nothing!
Rather than being slowly tortured by endless fear and suspicion, I might as well take a gamble!
If I’m going to die, I’ll at least take someone down with me! Or… find a glimmer of hope!
My gaze turned crimson, and my breath became heavy. My mind, fueled by extreme anger and fear, became unusually clear.
I need allies! Or rather, I need a breakthrough! A lever to pry open this invisible web!
Who?
Xiao Li from the Technical Department? No, he’s too timid; he’s already scared out of his wits. Even if he knows something, he wouldn’t dare to speak up and might even betray me.
Captain Zhao? It seems almost certain now that he’s one of Fang Huai'an’s people, or at least someone in the know.
Then… there’s only one option left.
Old Wang. That taciturn old cop whose eyes occasionally reveal disdain.
Why him?
Intuition.
A desperate, almost mad intuition told me that this person, who seemed to exist outside the "Old Rules," might be the only one capable of shifting the situation. His silence might not be numbness, but rather restraint. His disdain might not stem from arrogance, but from a deep-seated loathing for it all.
Of course, this could also be wishful thinking on my part. He might just be an old trickster who is better at disguise, or even a bait deliberately released by Fang Huai'an.
Approaching him carries immense risk. A misjudgment could lead to my swift demise.
But do I have any other options now?!
No!
I halted, my gaze becoming unusually resolute, even tinged with madness.
I’m taking the gamble!
I must find Old Wang! No matter whether he is human or ghost, I need to investigate!
I didn’t know how to approach him, how to start a conversation, or what his reaction would be.
But I knew I had to act.
Now! Immediately! Right away!
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