Warning

Hearing the name of the Blood Mark Gang, Chen Chuan glanced toward the living room and asked, "What is it about?" Ren Shu replied, "It's about that commission involving the Skull-Splitting Demon from before. They sent letters even before you returned, Expert Chen. We put them off by saying you weren't here. Now that they've heard you're back, they've sent someone over again." He added, "Though this time, they didn't come under the gang's name, but under the name of Duniao Company." Chen Chuan knew that Duniao Company was just one of many enterprises run by the Blood Mark Gang—nothing more than a front. Still, having that facade made things look somewhat respectable on the surface. He thought for a moment, then said, "I don't have time right now. The details in their last letter were vague and unclear. Have them send over the specific information, and I'll consider it after I've looked it over." Ren Shu said, "Understood. I will reply to them accordingly." After hanging up, Chen Chuan returned to chatting with his aunt's family. Yet just after lunch, Ren Shu called again. "Expert Chen, the Blood Mark Gang has already sent the materials over. They also said they'd like to speak with you in person this time..." *That fast?* Chen Chuan considered this. The Blood Mark Gang certainly seemed anxious. Still, he had no desire to run about on his rest day. "Tell them I'm occupied, and we'll arrange a time tonight." "Very well," Ren Shu said. "When the time comes, I'll have Xiao Wei pick you up." Chen Chuan spent the entire afternoon at his aunt's house. After dinner, he called to confirm the meeting, washed up, changed his clothes, and finally headed out. This time, besides carrying his Xuejun Saber, he held a bag containing the case with the Tayana spider. Because it was small yet exceptionally dangerous, he had not left it at the academy, choosing instead to carry it with him. By the time he walked out to the back of the alley, Driver Xiao Wei had already pulled up to the entrance. Chen Chuan got right in, and the car started smoothly, driving all the way to the company. Ren Shu had been waiting for him. Seeing him arrive, he came out to welcome him. After exchanging greetings, he said, "Expert Chen, their man is still waiting inside. He's been sitting there the whole afternoon." Chen Chuan remarked, "Quite patient, then." "We are a legitimate company, after all," Ren Shu said. "Even the Blood Mark Gang must follow the rules between companies if they come to negotiate with us as one." When saying this, unlike the cautious deference he showed Chen Chuan, he was filled with confidence; this was unquestionably his element. He looked at Chen Chuan and asked, "Would you like to see him now, Expert Chen?" Chen Chuan said, "Right now is fine." Ren Shu agreed and gestured to a staff member to summon the visitor, while he led Chen Chuan straight to the reception hall in Building Three. "We're currently installing an elevator," he explained, "so Expert Chen won't have to walk up and down every time." Chen Chuan nodded. He understood Ren Shu's intentions. The man constantly sought to provide him with better accommodations, and in turn, Chen Chuan rewarded the company with greater returns. "The company's environment is quite good now," he said. Once they were seated in the lounge, a voice called from outside after a brief wait: "Mr. Li, this way, please." A moment later, a tall, thin man walked in. There was not the slightest hint of a gangster about him; his attire was indistinguishable from that of any other senior corporate employee. Upon entering, he introduced himself as Li Hui, a senior manager at Duniao Company, and offered them a warm, polite greeting. After exchanging pleasantries and compliments, both sides sat down. Manager Li tested the waters: "May I ask if Expert Chen has a moment to hear me explain the situation?" Chen Chuan said, "That is precisely why I had Manager Li come here." "Of course, of course." Manager Li placed the briefcase he was holding onto the table, took out a stack of documents, and handed them to Ren Shu and Chen Chuan. "These are the materials our company prepared at Expert Chen's request." Chen Chuan took them. As he began flipping through, Manager Li continued, "Please permit me to give a brief overview. Currently, three respected gentlemen within the Blood Mark Gang have died. It is truly lamentable." Chen Chuan remained noncommittal, continuing to leaf through the files. Previously, he had only seen written descriptions, but now he was looking at direct photographs. When each of the three men died, their skulls had split open to both sides, parted so exaggeratedly wide that one could see everything inside was gone at a single glance. It inevitably reminded him of the two watermelon halves scooped clean earlier that afternoon. Just looking at the pictures, he could almost sense how the feeder had carefully peeled back the flesh and separated it with meticulous care, devouring not only the primary brain tissue but also licking the internal residue spotless, leaving not a trace behind. There was not even blood around the area, leaving only an empty skull. Beside him, Ren Shu took only a few glances before finding it unbearable. Waves of nausea washed over him, forcing him to cover his mouth with a handkerchief. Manager Li continued, "We investigated repeatedly and brought in people to examine the scenes, yet we couldn't find a single lead. They were merely sleeping in their own beds when their skulls were cracked open like this. So we can essentially confirm that this was indeed the work of the Skull-Splitting Demon." Chen Chuan read through the detailed investigation logs below. All the victims had died abruptly. For instance, one of them had been talking in bed with his wife when his voice suddenly cut off. Annoyed, his wife had turned around, only to discover his split-open head and hollow skull. She fainted on the spot, underwent the shock all over again upon waking, and had suffered from mental instability ever since. Another victim seemed not to have been particularly cared for by his household. In the morning, his mistress had gotten up, meticulously applied her makeup, called out a goodbye, and left, completely unaware that the man in bed had already had his brain eaten. Only when she returned that evening and found him still lying there did she realize something was wrong—by then, he had been dead and cold all day. Only the last victim was discovered inside a gang office, and the scene showed no signs of an outsider breaking in. Chen Chuan said to Manager Li, "The Skull-Splitting Demon has been around in Yangzhi City for a long time, yet it has never been resolved. Therefore, I must study the matter first before deciding whether to accept this commission." "Understood, understood." Manager Li was adept at reading expressions. Their sole hope now rested on Chen Chuan. The fact that he was willing to look into it was already good enough; Manager Li dared not show the slightest displeasure. He stood up and said, "Then I won't disturb Expert Chen any longer. If you discover anything, Expert Chen, please be sure to notify us." He produced a business card, laid it on the table, exchanged goodbyes with the two of them, and tactfully took his leave. Once Ren Shu returned from seeing the man out, Chen Chuan asked, "Mr. Ren, has the company received reports of similar incidents from other places?" Ren Shu thought for a moment. "We recently collected a batch of records from the Municipal Administration, and there were no similar reports among them. But whether there are unreported cases, I cannot say. However, I've already had someone compile all the past reports concerning the Skull-Splitting Demon. Would Expert Chen like to see them now?" Chen Chuan said, "Yes, bring them all over." When the staff brought the archives, he set aside the ones clearly fabricated to confuse people or dating too far back, keeping only those of practical value. After reviewing them, he found that those historical cases matched what he had seen in the photographs. Still, he could not be certain without inspecting a scene in person. Since the records showed the corpses had already been buried, there was no need to stir up unnecessary trouble; he could only wait for an opportunity when the Skull-Splitting Demon struck next. With nothing left to do here, he did not linger at the company, taking the car straight back toward the academy. On the way, he wondered: why was the Skull-Splitting Demon targeting only the Blood Mark Gang this time? Was it because the gang had done something, or was there another reason? As he pondered, his senses suddenly flared. Reaching out, he firmly snatched a crossbow bolt flying in through the car window. Judging by its trajectory, the bolt would not have hit him anyway. If his assessment was correct, it would have struck the side car door and embedded itself there. He glanced outside and saw a figure vanish over a rooftop across the street. Retracting his gaze, he saw a small slip of paper wrapped around the shaft. The shooter was clearly skilled. Even the slightest extra weight or unevenness on a bolt could throw off its flight. To accurately shoot through the window of a moving car from roughly thirty meters away while ensuring the occupant remained unharmed required exceptional marksmanship. He untied the note and opened it. Written in blood-red ink was a single sentence: *None of your business. Stay away.* Chen Chuan grew pensive. It almost certainly pertained to the Blood Mark Gang. It seemed this was a warning. Who could it be? The Iron Chain Gang? On the surface, the Iron Chain Gang was the most likely culprit. Yet having dealt with their members before, he felt this style did not match their disposition. He said to the driver, "Master Xiao Wei, pull over ahead." Driver Xiao Wei replied, "Right away, Expert Chen." Once the car came to a stop, Chen Chuan stepped out, straightened his clothes, and walked to a secluded spot. Pulling the case from his bag, he tapped on it with a finger. "I'll need you to lead the way." Meanwhile, on the other side, the figure who had fired the bolt leaped down from the rooftop and sprinted through quiet alleys. Half an hour later, he arrived at a secluded two-story building. Inside were several young men. Seeing him enter, they asked, "Brother Xin, how did it go?" The person pulled off his hood, revealing a youthful face. After drawing several deep breaths, he said, "I've already warned that expert. I just don't know if he'll still help the Blood Mark Gang." A look of hatred flashed in his eyes when he mentioned the gang. A young man standing in the corner, who had not stepped forward, remarked, "The legend of the Skull-Splitting Demon has been around for so many years, and nobody has ever solved it. I don't see why we needed to bother." Brother Xin said earnestly, "I told you, that expert is formidable. He even dealt with that Flying Head Cult before, so he might very well solve the Skull-Splitting Demon too." The young man remained unconvinced. "Someone that formidable is going to be scared off by your crossbow bolt? I doubt it." "We had to try." The young man said, "What we need isn't intimidation, but better weapons. Take that expert, for instance—wouldn't it be easier to just kill him directly? Why waste all that effort?" Brother Xin said in a deep voice, "They're coming. I've already arranged contact. Once we get our hands on them, we won't need to fear anyone."