11. *Encounter on Chunhe Road (1)

*狭路相逢: lit- meet face to face on a narrow path, fig- enemies/rivals meet face to face

His gaze sharp and focused, Qiu Rong asked, “What information?”

In order to protect the various races, the Supernatural Control Center does not actively disclose information about the abilities of individuals. To some extent, the Supernatural Control Center acts as a transit station, facilitating communication between the different races and reducing conflicts.

For example, when the Werewolf Clan demanded an explanation from the Vampire Clan regarding the “Food Court Incident,” they did so through the Supernatural Control Center instead of directly engaging in confrontation. Similarly, the Vampire Clan compensated the Werewolf Clan through the Supernatural Control Center with a check, rather than throwing the check in the face of the Werewolf Clan leader.

Of course, some races maintain private contacts outside the Supernatural Control Center. For instance, the Werewolf Clan and the Merfolk Clan conduct business without involving the Supernatural Control Center.

Qiu Rong’s knowledge about the Vampire Clan primarily came from his father’s manuscripts, which contained limited information about the current Vampire Clan Leader.

Ruan Sijia tapped on his phone and typed a few lines before handing it to Qiu Rong. “It’s a form that lists the name and contact information of the Vampire Clan Leader.”

Qiu Rong took the phone, and the blinking cursor on the screen paused after the name of the Vampire Clan Leader.

Name: Roy Kate

Race: Vampire (Leader-level)

Position: Vampire Clan Chief/ Special Advisor to the Violations Processing Department

Contact Phone: xxx xxxx xxxx

Contact Address: No. 309, Lanshan Royal Garden, Qiubai Stone Street, XX District, City S

Roy Kate.

Qiu Rong muttered the name between his teeth, his gaze growing solemn. He returned the phone to Ruan Sijia.

The address displayed on the screen was the same one mentioned by the refrigerated truck driver, down to the specific building number.

The other information was not immediately relevant.

It was widely known in the supernatural community that he held the position of Special Advisor.

As a powerful Vampire Clan Leader and someone nurtured by the Supernatural Control Center from a young age, he had assumed the position of the Violations Processing Department at a young age, assisting in handling supernatural individuals who violated the control regulations.

Therefore, in most cases, other races would not bother provoking the Vampire Clan when they have nothing better to do.

Only the Werewolf Clan stood out in this regard.

Qiu Rong had no intention of using the contact number Ruan Sijia had written down to reach out to the Vampire Clan Leader. After all, they would meet in the special task force in a few days.

Yesterday, Yan Ling called and said he had booked a flight back tonight. Qiu Rong calculated the time and decided that he had enough time to go and investigate the situation on Chunhe Road in the afternoon.

Lanshan Royal Garden sounded like a villa area with a Chinese-style ambiance, but in reality, it was designed in European style.

The shrubs in the courtyard of No. 309 had not been trimmed for some time, and Vincent was mercilessly pruning the overgrown branches with his gardening shears.

Clear water slowly flowed out of the blue hose, soaking the granite bricks laid on the ground. The delivery driver parked the cart at the gate of the yard, avoiding the winding water flow, and hurriedly approached Vincent with a same-city express delivery.

Working in a suit vest in the heat of summer, he was truly a warrior.

After confirming the information, Vincent signed for the parchment bag sent by the Special Management Bureau. Judging by its weight, it must have contained a significant number of documents.

Turning off the faucet, Vincent returned to the mansion.

This mansion was the coming-of-age gift for Yan Ling’s 18th birthday, chosen by Prince Moore Kate and personally decorated by Ms. Yan Zishu.

Genuine leather sofas with wood-carved designs, hand-woven wool carpets, dazzling crystal chandeliers…

Both inside and outside, it exuded a strong European retro style.

Vincent was certain that if private estates were not prohibited in the country, the couple would have built a castle for Yan Ling.

Initially, to display filial piety, Yan Ling had lived here for almost half a year. The grand and luxurious design often made him feel dizzy.

Unable to tolerate the overwhelming aristocratic atmosphere that greeted him, Yan Ling later moved to the empty basement and created a modest three-bedroom apartment.

Carrying the documents downstairs, Vincent noticed that the door to the storage room was wide open, and Yan Ling was sitting on the floor, assembling a new unpacked jigsaw puzzle.

Yan Ling is not a patient person. He is indifferent to many things and prefers to solve problems through overpowering strength. To control this emotion, he often engages in activities like solving puzzles or building blocks. It started as a simple way to sharpen his mind but gradually developed into a hobby.

The collection room is filled with his completed works.

Vincent entered the collection room and said, “The center has sent a new case file.”

Twirling the small cube between his fingertips, Yan Ling supported his chin with one hand and replied with little interest, “Hmm.”

Although he grew up under the influence of socialism, it’s clear that Yan Ling doesn’t possess lofty ideals of selfless dedication. He is inherently indifferent and, influenced by his bloodline, his greatest pursuit used to be finding a coffin to rest eternally.

The ancestors of vampires once possessed true immortality.

However, when life loses its endpoint, everything seems to become meaningless.

Having lived for too long, the ancestors eventually began to yearn for death. This consciousness has also been passed down through the atavistic bloodline of their descendants.

However, it cannot be said that the targeted education from the Control Center is completely useless. While Yan Ling doesn’t actively seek out cases, he has always cooperated with the center’s requests, including serving in the department for handling violations.

Yan Ling’s individual combat capabilities are too strong, leaving the Control Center hesitant to act against other superhumans. Since Yan Ling came into the picture, things have become much simpler. Just provide him with a location, and he can capture the person the next day.

In the past two years, the Control Center has become increasingly unreasonable, almost dumping all the investigation work on Yan Ling.

Sensing that Yan Ling isn’t in the mood to read the materials, Vincent opened the file and directly informed him of the key points.

“The police have coordinated with the center. They have conducted preliminary investigations on the victim and suspect that it may be related to a club on Chunhe Road. They need you to personally go and confirm it.” Vincent quickly flipped through the documents in his hand. “This club is highly likely to provide special services privately. The center advises against alarming them for now and suggests that you go as a guest.”

Yan Ling: “…”

The feeling of disgust is hard to suppress.

“Qiu Rong said he would pick me up after work, so it’s inconvenient to go out at night.” Moreover, going to a place like this without Qiu Rong’s knowledge would be a problem if Xiao Gou found out. Yan Ling thought for a moment and said, “I told Qiu Rong that my flight would land at 9 pm. What time does that club open? If we can make it, let’s go today.”

The report provided detailed information, and Vincent looked at it and said, “It opens at 6 pm.”

Yan Ling nodded and said, “Contact Luo Haoxuan again. He is familiar with the area around Chunhe Road. Let’s go together.”

If there are any restricted activities, let Luo Haoxuan take care of them. The Prince already has a family, so he should maintain his reputation and be mindful of the influence.

Vincent agreed, “Alright.”

Vincent continued, “There’s another thing. They found another Control Center related to the Werewolf Clan. They said they want the contact information of young Prince Daniel.”

Yan Ling threw the jigsaw puzzle in his hand and stretched lazily, “They never give up, do they?”

Vincent replied, “They said they won’t bother anymore once they have the contact information.”

Yan Ling didn’t fall for it and sneered, “They just won’t bother about this particular matter. The wolves’ eyes are always fixed on the Vampire Clan, waiting to catch them slipping.”

“Indeed,” Vincent calmly analyzed. “And the marks resemble those left by some kind of wild beast.”

Yan Ling and Vincent exchanged a glance, and Yan Ling smirked, “Then let’s inform the Center that the Vampire Clan accuses the Werewolf Clan of having a major criminal suspicion. Let the Werewolf Clan Leader go home to avoid suspicion and conduct a self-investigation.”

“As for Daniel’s contact information, it doesn’t matter if we give it to them. He brought trouble upon himself, so let him solve it.”

Just past 6 pm, before darkness completely engulfed the sky, Chunhe Road was already prepared to welcome the vibrant nightlife.

Neon signs flickered and lit up one after another, casting a dreamy color over the entire street.

Qiu Rong rarely visited such places where excessive energy was released or a temporary escape from reality was sought. As for Ruan Sijia, he wouldn’t even enter a bar; he would only order orange juice.

Both of them knew that they wouldn’t find any clues on Chunhe Road. Therefore, in the afternoon, they first went to find Meng Baichuan.

Meng Baichuan’s main occupation was being a professional player in an esports team. When he heard that something exciting was happening, he immediately skipped his afternoon training, much to the coach’s scolding, and also brought along a little kid from the youth training camp.

The young child had been hanging around internet cafes with his father’s ID card since a young age and only joined the team’s training last year. He knew many different people, including the resident singer at the bar on Chunhe Road.

After going through several connections, Qiu Rong finally managed to gather some information about Chunhe Road.

According to the resident singer, Chunhe Road had dozens of bars, big and small. In addition to that, there were some restaurants and KTV establishments.

There were also places that provided special services, including a club hidden amidst the lights and colors.

The signboard at the entrance of the Night Banquet Club was low-key and elegant, giving the impression of a high-end club with a unique style.

The club operates on a member referral system, and usually, if someone mistakenly enters, the answer they receive is that all the private rooms are full.

The resident singer managed to secure a membership spot and had a performance that night. After bringing the person to the location, the singer glanced meaningfully at Qiu Rong, the oldest person in the group, hesitated to speak, and finally advised, “Impulse is the devil. Don’t let curiosity lead you down an irreversible path.”

“The sea of bitterness has no bounds. It’s better to turn back.”

Qiu Rong: “…”

When the trainee contacted the resident singer, Meng Baichuan arranged for a car to pick them up and take them back to the base, serving as a convenient tool. But since it was Chuange’s request, the young ones didn’t mind. Meng Baichuan agreed to take him for a practice match.

Qiu Rong’s car was parked next to the elevator in the underground parking lot, which led directly to the club. Ruan Sijia was still immersed in his Roman history, while Meng Baichuan remained the most proactive one. He volunteered, “Boss, please leave the intelligence gathering to me. I guarantee to complete the mission!”

Even without Meng Baichuan saying it, a glance at the three people in the car, and Ruan Sijia was the first one to pass.

Qiu Rong didn’t seem like he was seeking pleasure but rather preparing to cause trouble.

Only Meng Baichuan was enthusiastic about cosplay. He could play the role of a young delivery boy in front and a playboy at the back. His acting range was so wide that it would be a pity if he didn’t enter the entertainment industry.

“Turn on the voice communication. If there’s any situation, retreat immediately and prioritize safety,” Qiu Rong couldn’t be certain of the connection between the case and this club, but the murderer could possibly be hiding here. When they go in for questioning, they mustn’t draw attention from others, which carries a certain risk.

“This club has a high correlation with several places mentioned in the investigation report I looked at this morning. Almost all the places the victims visited were scattered around this club as the center. I think there’s a high suspicion here,” Ruan Sijia, who had checked the map again at some point, briefly took a break from his Roman history and cautioned Meng Baichuan, “Be extra careful and stay alert.”

Meng Baichuan put on his Bluetooth earphones, shouldered the responsibility, and got out of the car.

Qiu Rong’s phone was placed on the central console with the speakerphone on, and a rustling sound came from the receiver. Shortly after, Meng Baichuan arrived at the entrance of the club.

After confirming the membership invitation code, the dandy young master was smoothly led upstairs, with the attentive servers looking back every ten steps to guide him.

As they reached the upper floor, muffled music and cheering could be heard, indicating that people in the various private rooms were creating an atmosphere.

Qiu Rong heard Meng Baichuan arrogantly saying, “Bring me all the good-looking people later. I need to see if this place is worth it.”

The server smiled and replied, “Of course, sir.”

Meng Baichuan seemed to want to say something else, but just as he was about to speak, he suddenly stopped.

After a brief moment of slightly noisy voices, Qiu Rong heard Meng Baichuan utter two words with a forceful tone.

“What the f*ck?!!”

Author’s note:

What the f*ck!!!!!!!!

Meng Baichuan

Inside the team: A reliable senior in the forefront of the charge

Outside the team: Boss, boss, take a look at me, I can do it!