Seeing her expression, Zhao Liang set aside his doubts. He straightened up and asked the security guard, “Sir, is anyone home at the Chu family’s place you just mentioned? I’d like to pay a visit on behalf of the Windbreak City Supernatural Affairs Bureau to ask a few questions and understand the situation.”
“Officer Zhao, you want to visit the Chu family right now?”
“Yes, is there a problem?”
“Well, it’s not exactly a problem… It’s just that the lady of the house has been working the night shift lately. She’s most likely still in bed catching up on sleep right now. Plus, she’s usually a very heavy sleeper. I’m afraid we won’t be able to wake her up to open the door before she wakes up naturally.”
After hearing the guard’s explanation, Zhao Liang immediately understood his earlier hesitation. “Ah, I see. No wonder you looked a bit uncertain before.”
He paused, then continued, “But that’s alright. Even if the lady of the Chu household can’t wake up to open the door, we can still get inside.”
“Uh, Officer Zhao, are you planning to use force and break the door down? That might not be a very good idea.” The guard, realizing what Zhao Liang intended, voiced his concern with some worry.
Zhao Liang quickly reassured him. “Don’t worry, sir. I would never do something as crude as breaking down a door with brute force.”
“Oh, that’s a relief.” The guard let out a sigh of relief at Zhao Liang’s words.
But just as he finished speaking, Zhao Liang suddenly added, “At most, I’ll just use a little trick to get the door open.”
“Ah?! Officer Zhao, do you realize that’s against the law?”
“Under normal circumstances, yes, it would be illegal. However, if I’m doing it in the course of official duty, then it doesn’t count as such.”
“What?”
“Never mind that, let’s just get moving.” Not wanting to waste any more time standing around with the guard, Zhao Liang said this and then led Yan Qi toward the Chu family’s front door.
Seeing this, the guard wanted to say more, but realizing any further protest would be useless, he wisely kept his mouth shut and followed closely behind Yan Qi and Zhao Liang to the entrance of the Chu residence.
Once they reached the door, Zhao Liang glanced at it and placed his hand on the doorknob, activating his supernatural ability. A soft click sounded, and knowing his power had worked, Zhao Liang didn’t hesitate and pushed the door open.
“Whoa! How did you do that?” The guard, standing behind them, was utterly astonished. His jaw nearly dropped as he watched Zhao Liang open the Chu’s front door so effortlessly. He asked in sheer disbelief.
“Have you forgotten, sir? I’m a member of the Windbreak City Supernatural Affairs Bureau. It’s perfectly normal for me to have access to abilities that ordinary folks like yourself don’t possess,” Zhao Liang reminded him.
Hearing this, the guard suddenly recalled Zhao Liang’s true identity as a supernatural operative. A look of sudden understanding dawned on his face. “Right, right! How could I forget something so important?”
“Zhao Liang, let’s not just stand around at the doorway. Let’s go inside.” While Zhao Liang was explaining his door-opening trick to the guard, Yan Qi, sensing the supernatural energy fluctuations growing stronger, urged him on.
“Alright.” Nodding to Yan Qi, Zhao Liang quickly ushered her and the guard into the Chu household.
Once inside, Zhao Liang still couldn’t perceive any supernatural activity himself. He leaned down and whispered to Yan Qi, “Xiao Qi, are you absolutely sure there’s supernatural energy here?”
Yan Qi, having already pinpointed the source, pointed toward a bathroom not far away. “I’m certain. The fluctuations I sense are all coming from that washroom over there.”
“Should we move on it now?” Zhao Liang asked, glancing in the direction she indicated.
“Not just yet. There are still too many uninvolved people here.” Yan Qi glanced back at the guard following them and then toward the bedroom where the lady of the house lay in a deep sleep. Knowing this was far from the ideal moment to act, she answered Zhao Liang accordingly.
Zhao Liang thought for a moment, then asked, “Xiao Qi, do you think whatever is emitting that supernatural energy might try to escape while we’re evacuating the ordinary people from this apartment?”
“No, I don’t sense any inclination from it to move. And even if it did try to flee, I’m here to keep an eye on it, aren’t I?”
“You’re planning to stay and watch it?” Zhao Liang picked up on the implication in her words.
“Yes.”
“Isn’t that too dangerous for you?”
“Zhao Liang, I’m considerably stronger than you are.”
“Right, you’re correct. Alright, I’ll go evacuate the civilians here. Be careful.” After saying this to Yan Qi, Zhao Liang turned immediately to the guard behind him and asked, “Where does the lady of the Chu house usually sleep?”
“In that bedroom over there.” The guard pointed to a room not far away.
“Got it. Sir, I need you to come with me. I might require your assistance.” Having identified the bedroom, Zhao Liang instructed the guard to follow and help him.
The guard, not daring to refuse Zhao Liang’s request, went with him into the bedroom. Together, they carefully carried the sleeping woman out of her bed and brought her into the hallway outside the Chu’s apartment.
“Officer Zhao, what exactly are you all doing? I can’t make any sense of this!” The guard, utterly bewildered by the series of puzzling actions ever since he was asked to guide them, couldn’t help but ask Zhao Liang.
“Sir, do you remember why we came here in the first place?” Zhao Liang replied, looking up at the guard after gently laying the woman down on a bamboo mat spread on the floor.
“You came here to help our complex deal with the haunting incident, right? Wait… don’t tell me!”
