Zhong Shenxiu looked at Julie, who was bandaged up, and handed her a glass of blood wine.
This cocktail, specially concocted by him, possessed the strange ability to heal wounds.
Julie held the glass with both hands, sipping it slowly. Suddenly, she shrugged her shoulders, and tears started rolling down her cheeks: "Jasmine and Shadow... are dead..."
"This is very strange!"
Zhong Shenxiu toyed with a meatball in his hand, feeling that it was not some kind of flesh essence and very solid in texture.
Although it scared him, almost as if it were dead, it was not easy to crack open its shell and uncover the secrets within.
He casually asked, "How did this glutton, Dali, find you guys?"
"We had just come back when we were approached..."
Julie sighed, "Someone at the gathering betrayed us... They must have secretly investigated our identities and are immensely powerful."
"You should know the identities of all the participants, we can visit them one by one tomorrow, and then we can uncover the truth..."
Zhong Shenxiu said casually.
"Yes, your abilities?" Mentioning this, Julie was still greatly astonished.
"I have already become an ’Upgraded Being.’"
Zhong Shenxiu replied offhandedly, unsurprisingly seeing Julie’s shocked expression.
The next day, at night.
"We have already visited several people during the day, the Butcher is dead, the detective has fled, White Cat is nowhere to be seen, and it’s not the painter..."
Zhong Shenxiu, dressed in evening attire and wearing a silver half-mask, arrived at a mansion with Julie: "So... is it the jazz musician?!"
"His real identity is the son of a major banker, Slater... very influential in Byron City’s upper echelons."
Julie sighed, "Initially, he used his background to greatly aid our gathering, and there were not many conflicts of interest; I cannot think of a reason for his betrayal..."
"Sometimes, betrayal is not necessarily for benefits; it could also be due to fear!"
Zhong Shenxiu sighed and walked into the mansion.
He did not say that he seemed to smell the scent of death.
The mansion was very quiet; there wasn’t even a security guard or maid.
Zhong Shenxiu walked with Julie nonchalantly into the deepest part of the mansion.
"What is going on here?"
Julie walked on the crimson carpet of the corridor, looking at the precious paintings and art decorations on both sides, her voice trembling slightly.
"Probably... they are all dead?"
Zhong Shenxiu sighed, guided by his spiritual senses, and pushed open a door.
It was a study, quiet all around, the moonlight eerily cold.
In the silence, a hoarse and deep voice suddenly rang out: "You are here?"
Julie turned around and saw Slater sitting behind the desk.
He was tall and handsome, with golden curly hair.
"Jazz musician, why did you betray me, betray us?!"
"Because of fear... that woman is insane!"
Slater’s expression suddenly collapsed: "Did you see? The servants of this entire mansion, and my relatives... she ate them all... If I don’t find a way to satisfy her, I’ll be next! I have her ritual power on me, and I can’t leave this place, only able to provide her with prey... She likes to eat mysterious people, so I have to find more mysterious people for her... But, I can’t do it anymore. Besides you, who else can I find?"
Tears streamed down his face, his tone uncertain whether it was one of regret or indifference.
’It seems like, if the glutton hadn’t found Julie last night, she might have come looking for me? Either way, the results would have been about the same...’
A thought rose in Zhong Shenxiu’s mind.
Julie’s eyes welled up with tears as she stepped forward.
Slater said wryly, "Then please, make it quick!"
A breeze fluttered, lifting his collar.
It was then that Julie realized with a start, below Slater’s head was a blood-red skeleton!
"You... what happened to you?"
Julie covered her mouth with both hands and stepped back.
"Did you really think that woman’s greed would stop there?"
Slater let out a painful laugh, "She spared my head, but only the head... I watched as she devoured my limbs, my organs... leaving my head alive, I might last another six days... heh... haha..."
As Zhong Shenxiu watched the scene, he sighed, "If you seek revenge, leave him here to wait for the inevitable death... If you see him as a comrade, then grant him his final journey."
With that said, he left the study and stood in the hallway, hands behind his back, admiring an oil painting on the wall.
a gunshot sounded from the study!
Julie and Zhong Shenxiu walked out together.
"Why would someone change ?" Her eyes were a bit red, filled with confusion.
"Extreme fear can completely transform a person."
Zhong Shenxiu sighed, "Maybe... it’s that we never truly know ourselves. Not until the crucial moment does anyone know what choices they will make, to become a hero or a coward!"
"This isn’t so simple, why did the Glutton suddenly come to this city? And the deaths of the watchmaker and the old drunkard, their bodies are still here, clearly not the work of Dali!"
Julie suddenly took a deep breath, "I will continue to investigate."
She looked at Zhong Shenxiu expectantly, only to see that he didn’t respond, her hopeful gaze slowly dimming.
"I’m just a bar owner..."
Zhong Shenxiu said helplessly, "Besides... I’ve been busy with something lately."
He wasn’t close to the old drunkard or the watchmaker, he had no obligation to avenge them.
And investigating was too troublesome.
"Traceless Bookstore is not safe anymore, during your investigation, you can stay in the bar..."
Zhong Shenxiu thought about it, Julie did mean well, he should offer protection.
"I feel like your attitude is a bit negative..."
Julie eyed Zhong Shenxiu suspiciously, "What are you waiting for?"
"Nothing, you are overthinking it..."
Zhong Shenxiu shrugged, and the two headed back to Whisperer Bar.
The bar was rather quiet today, with only one person sitting at the bar.
She saw Zhong Shenxiu come in, and immediately waved excitedly, "Make me one of your handcrafted cocktails."
"Alright, no problem."
Zhong Shenxiu smiled as he walked behind the bar, taking over the tools from Smith, "Seems like you’re in a good mood lately."
"Yes, maybe I’ll catch up to Alice soon."
Angel responded with a smile, her eyes filled with anticipation.