Things were getting interesting…
Alarmed by this strange phenomenon, Han Su sat up straight. Numerous thoughts instantly cleared up in his mind:
‘This is exactly what makes sense. According to Black Rose, this bizarre theft case and our kidnapping case happened on the same day. It’s just that the kidnapping case was too strange and made too big of a stir, thus overshadowing this theft and diverting everyone’s attention.’
‘But that’s only true for ordinary people. For certain professionals, it’s impossible not to draw connections.’
Yet the fact remained that no one mentioned this incident. Everything just happened naturally, as if it were meant to be.
If the information regarding this mechanical fragment had been wiped out, it would have seemed more normal.
But it was precisely because this information had always been there, yet no one remembered it, that made it all the more eerie.
Having realized this, another thought immediately surfaced:
‘The Crystal Skull Organization is searching for this item…’
‘So, when the Crystal Skull Organization initially sent a dead man into the city, could it be that it wasn’t to spread the Crystal Plague at all, but simply to scan a broader, wider population to see if anyone had information about this mechanical fragment in their heads?’‘…’
Logically, there were still a few gaps, but Han Su already had a core assumption:
Someone in the Crystal Skull Organization had always remembered this mechanical fragment and understood its importance. Perhaps this was related to their own crystalline traits?
They were currently eager to acquire this mechanical fragment and had been secretly operating for a long time because of it.
Even Song Chu-shi knew the objective of the Crystal Skull Organization, yet he had no means to deal with this mechanical fragment either.
Then the critical question now was: Had the Crystal Skull Organization found the whereabouts of the mechanical fragment?
“If that’s the case, then I can’t wait any longer.”
Han Su speculated silently, pulled out his phone, and sent a message to Miss Ai: [Miss Ai, during training, the instructor said our IDs are very useful. Then may I ask, as the holder of this ID, am I allowed to infiltrate private property?]
Miss Ai replied instantly: [Respected Mr. Butcher, the Disaster Management Bureau issued those IDs to more efficiently block penetrations, to better protect reality and the city. It’s not advised to use your identity privileges for illegal acts!]
[Perhaps I should ask, Mr. Butcher, why do you have the idea of infiltrating someone’s private property?]
[…]
Han Su replied: [I was walking on the street, and someone’s dog kept barking at me. I want to go in and beat it up.]
Miss Ai replied: [I’d suggest just throwing a rock at it directly, Mr. Butcher.]
[However, if it’s truly to investigate an incident that might endanger Qinggang City’s safety, then even if you break into someone’s private property, you can file a report afterward for appeal.]
[…]
Upon reading this, Han Su instantly understood.
While he could certainly enter Lilac Courtyard by following Xu Ji, to find that mechanical fragment, he might still need to sneak into certain areas.
His whole life had been about running for his life, never having had the chance to commit any unlawful acts. So he figured he’d better ask Miss Ai in advance, just in case something went wrong—how much could the Disaster Management Bureau cover for him?
Now it seemed Miss Ai had made it very clear…
He took a deep breath and no longer hesitated about this matter.
If it was time to go, then he must go.
But just before the actual operation began, another more important question came to mind:
“I now only know that the mechanical fragment is hidden in Lilac Courtyard, but how do I find it?”
“According to the old butler, when the monster inside the coffin on the fifth floor manifests its power in the real world, that mechanical fragment will naturally appear. So what exactly is the ‘power’ he refers to? Could the bronze-colored blood seeping from the scar on the back of my hand have some effect?”
“……”
But regarding this question, Han Su couldn’t find an answer just yet.
He could only go to Lilac Courtyard first and find an opportunity to try it out.
He pondered this carefully, then contacted Xu Ji. The moment Xu Ji heard that Han Su wanted to come over as his assistant, he was so overjoyed it was like celebrating the New Year.
Initially, he wasn’t even interested in the banquet and was thinking of ways to decline. But now he had no intention of declining at all.
When the day of the banquet arrived, he even came early and waited downstairs at Han Su’s apartment.
He brought out a set of clothes and said, “Put these on!”
Han Su frowned, “What?”
“Assistant’s attire!”
Xu Ji cast a look of wealthy disdain, “You’re going to a banquet with me—how can you not wear something appropriate?”
“In that circle, I’m Young Master Xu. What my assistant wears is very important!”
“……”
Han Su thought for a moment and accepted the clothes, though he shot Xu Ji a glance.
What he said made perfect sense—so why did it sound so annoying?
Three swift moves later, Han Su changed and came out. Xu Ji was already waiting behind the chair with two handfuls of hair gel. When Han Su sat down, Xu Ji immediately grabbed his hair and began styling it. Even though Han Su felt a bit impatient, he found himself mildly impressed:
“This guy’s technique is actually pretty good?”
But when he was finished, Xu Ji asked Han Su to get up and tilted his head to scrutinize him, then suddenly frowned again.
He called someone in the car below, “Bring up that cheaper set of clothes!”
Han Su asked, “What? Is there a problem with this outfit?”
Xu Ji shook his head, “You’re kind of good-looking. If you go out like this, I’ll end up looking like your assistant instead!”
Han Su found this agreeable. He had serious business to attend to, after all. Dressing too flashily wouldn’t help.
They waited for the servant downstairs to bring up the other outfit. But after changing, Xu Ji frowned again.
He waved his hand, “Change back!”
“?”
Han Su was baffled, “Just how bad does your assistant usually dress?”
Xu Ji rubbed his chin, “It’s not about bad or not. The thing is, how the hell do you still look a bit handsome even in that one?”
“You’re only about thirty percent less good-looking than me. Might as well stick with the first one!”
Han Su was speechless. He looked at himself in the mirror: a full suit, polished shoes—he actually looked rather sharp.
He felt slightly amused, “Have I been overthinking things so much lately that I forgot I’m actually not that bad-looking?”
Ever since the Flickering, it seemed like he’d grown distant from the life of ordinary people…
The two of them went downstairs together and took a car straight to Lilac Courtyard.
Lilac Courtyard was located on the outskirts of Qinggang City, nestled in lush green gardens that stretched outward and merged with the surrounding mountains and wilderness.
Following a private road up, they saw a complex of buildings hidden among the greenery—much larger than Han Su had expected.
The main structure was an ancient-style five-story building, with wings on both east and west sides. At the entrance stood a tall female security officer, waiting to greet guests. She wore sunglasses, yet her gaze still felt piercing.
Guests and vehicles were numerous. Naturally, Lilac Courtyard didn’t subject these guests to searches or inspections. But everyone entering the banquet hall received a casual glance from the woman.
Han Su felt a strange sensation in his heart—as if one look from her could see right through a person. He sighed inwardly. It seemed that strange things had long existed in all corners of this world.
As they got out of the car, he took Xu Ji’s bag and coat without being asked.
Xu Ji instinctively tried to take them back, but Han Su subtly pushed his hand away, “Don’t steal my job…”
Xu Ji shrank his neck slightly, then puffed out his chest, “Just keep up. Be observant, I’m telling you—these are all rich folks.”
“Everyone here—every single one—doesn’t even lick the lid when drinking yogurt!”
“……”
Han Su was helpless. His image of rich people had been completely ruined by Xu Ji.
Upon entering the main hall, they were guided to the third floor of the east wing. Han Su saw that the place was indeed luxurious, though not in a glaring way.
He vaguely understood the taste of Qinggang City’s upper class. The nouveau riche flaunted their wealth with the most expensive and obviously valuable items—afraid people wouldn’t know they were rich.
But the truly wealthy used even more expensive items that appeared understated on the surface.
That shift in mentality was rather interesting.
He watched as Xu Ji transformed into another person, wine glass in hand, chatting and mingling with others. Han Su even felt a bit like a proud father.
This bastard actually looked halfway decent when serious!
As an assistant, one would normally just stand by or wait in the adjoining rest area.
But Han Su wasn’t that conscious of his role. He simply found a spot to sit and quietly observe. Seeing his attire, no one questioned him.
As time passed, more and more guests filled the hall. Mingling and socializing abounded.
Han Su even spotted Wei Lan in the crowd. Dressed in a golden gown, she shone far brighter than usual. Her makeup was also peculiar—golden feathers were attached to her cheeks.
He had already guessed she helped during the Ghost Truck task, but the current occasion wasn’t appropriate for questions. Wei Lan stood at the center of attention. She and Han Su didn’t belong to the same circle, so naturally, she wouldn’t notice someone on the fringes like him.
He silently observed from a corner, confirming the sheer size of Lilac Courtyard—it would be impossible to find clues by luck alone.
He had been there quite a while now and hadn’t felt anything unusual. Even when secretly using his right eye to observe, he saw nothing mysterious hiding within Lilac Courtyard.
‘Or maybe I should try using the bronze-colored blood from my left hand—could it trigger some kind of strange resonance?’
Sitting here wouldn’t make the mechanical fragment walk over in a gown. So Han Su stood up and walked toward the restroom.