8: Should we bring a coward to the scene?

Come with us.

Zhao Dahai's voice was like a nail, driven into the dead air of the Archives Office.

Chen Mo's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

Go to the scene?

A familiar wave of nausea surged uncontrollably from his stomach to his throat.

He subconsciously clenched his fists, his fingernails digging deeply into his palms.

He tried to use the pain to suppress his body's instinctive reaction.

"Captain Zhao!"

Su Qingxue was the first to react, her brows tightly furrowed.

"Chen Mo... he's just an archivist. He has no experience going to crime scenes, and his physical condition..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Bringing someone with scene phobia to arrest a serial killer?

Wasn't this utter nonsense?

Director Wang, sprawled on the floor, now had a flicker of malicious hope in his eyes.

Go! Hurry up and go!

Let them take you to the scene!

When you get there and vomit until you pass out at the sight of all that blood, let's see how you pretend to be a genius detective then!

Zhao Dahai, however, acted as if he hadn't heard Su Qingxue.

He simply stared at Chen Mo and repeated, word for word: "My car is downstairs."

This was an order, and the final test.

He wanted to see with his own eyes.

Whether this piece of unpolished jade was real or fake.

Chen Mo slowly raised his head.

His face was pale, and his lips were even trembling slightly.

But deep within those seemingly fearful eyes, an incomprehensible flame was burning.

PTSD was this body's weakness, and he would have to overcome it sooner or later.

More importantly.

The range of [Heartbeat Positioning] was only five hundred meters.

He had to be physically present at the scene to drag that "artist" hiding in the gutter out from the vast crowd!

He took a deep breath and slowly stood up.

His movements were stiff, but there was no sign of retreat.

"Alright."

He only said one word... The police SUV sped along the highway.

The atmosphere inside the car was terrifyingly oppressive.

The young officer driving was named Li Hu, an excellent fighter in the team with a fiery temper.

He occasionally glanced at Chen Mo in the back seat through the rearview mirror, his eyes filled with confusion and disdain.

"Captain Zhao, are we just going to the Eastern Suburbs like this? That area has hundreds of abandoned factories, like a maze. How are we supposed to find anything?"

Li Hu couldn't hold back and asked.

"Yeah, Captain Zhao, maybe we should wait until the Information Center screens the data and gives us a specific list?" the other officer in the passenger seat echoed.

Zhao Dahai leaned back against the seat, his eyes closed, and offered no reply.

Su Qingxue sat next to Chen Mo and could clearly feel his body trembling slightly.

His complexion was worse than it had been in the Archives Office.

His hands gripped his knees tightly, his knuckles white.

"Are you alright?" she couldn't help but whisper.

"I'm fine."

Chen Mo shook his head, his voice sounding weak.

He forced himself to shift his attention away from his churning stomach and focus on the system interface in his mind.

The [Heartbeat Positioning] function was already activated.

In his consciousness, a circular, radar-like scan appeared.

At the very center of the map was himself, a green dot.

But at the edge of the radar, there was no reaction.

The distance was still too far.

"Hmph, fine?"

Li Hu, who was driving, saw this scene in the rearview mirror and sneered.

"We haven't even arrived yet, and he's already this scared. I really don't know what Captain Zhao is thinking, bringing a civilian clerk along to join the fun. If he actually sees blood later, don't piss your pants and drag us down."

His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for everyone in the car to hear.

Su Qingxue's brows furrowed: "Li Hu, shut up!"

"I..."

Li Hu wanted to say more, but he was silenced by a cold glare from Zhao Dahai.

Silence fell over the car again.

Chen Mo remained silent, as if he hadn't heard Li Hu's sarcasm.

He leaned against the window, watching the scenery rapidly receding outside, trying hard to regulate his breathing.

Half an hour later.

The car drove away from the bustling city and entered a desolate area.

On both sides of the road.

Massive, rust-stained factory buildings stood silently among the weeds, like the skeletons of steel beasts.

The air was permeated with the smell of rust and decay.

Screech—

The car stopped at a fork in the road.

Before them were three diverging paths, each leading into the depths of the labyrinthine factories.

"We've arrived."

Zhao Dahai opened his eyes, his voice steady.

He pushed open the car door and stepped out.

Everyone followed him out of the car.

Looking at the boundless abandoned industrial zone before them, despair appeared on the faces of Li Hu and the others.

How were they supposed to search this?

Even if they brought the entire Criminal Investigation Detachment here and searched for three days and three nights, they might not finish the search.

Zhao Dahai ignored the reactions of his subordinates.

He walked up to Chen Mo and slapped a printed area map into his hand.

"Alright, 'Genius Detective'."

He looked at Chen Mo, his gaze sharp.

"Now, you tell me, where should we go?"

Swish!

Everyone's eyes focused on Chen Mo.

Li Hu crossed his arms, a mocking sneer hanging on his lips, ready to watch him make a fool of himself.

Su Qingxue was also sweating nervously.

Captain Zhao was placing all the pressure squarely on Chen Mo alone.

Chen Mo held the map, his fingers trembling slightly from nervousness.

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he closed his eyes.

To outsiders, it looked like he was desperately trying to overcome his inner fear, or perhaps deep in thought.

But in reality.

The radar scan in his mind was operating rapidly!

[Scanning radius 500 meters...]

[Target 'Sin Frequency' not detected...]

Not nearby.

Chen Mo opened his eyes, pointed to the path on the left side of the map, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Go this way."

"Reason?" Zhao Dahai pressed.

"This road... the surface is relatively flat, making it easier for vehicles to enter and exit, and there are abandoned drainage ditches along the way, convenient for him to dispose of... waste materials."

This reason sounded plausible.

"Get in the car!"

Zhao Dahai didn't hesitate at all and was the first to return to the car.

Li Hu curled his lip and reluctantly followed.

The car bumped forward along the path on the left.

Chen Mo's eyes were still closed, but his consciousness was highly focused.

[Scanning...]

[Target not detected...]

[Target not detected...]

The car drove for approximately two minutes.

Suddenly!

[Ding!]

[Target 'Sin Frequency' detected! Located 480 meters northeast of the host!]

On the radar map in his mind.

A faint red dot flickered!

Found him!

Chen Mo suddenly opened his eyes, his heart pounding wildly.

"Stop the car!"

He shouted abruptly.

Li Hu was startled and slammed on the brakes.

"What is wrong with you now!" he yelled back, annoyed.

"Get out, we walk."

Chen Mo didn't explain, he pushed open the car door and stepped out.

"The factories are dense here. Driving creates too much noise and might alert the suspect," he added.

Zhao Dahai and Su Qingxue exchanged a look and immediately got out of the car.

"Everyone stay quiet and follow me."

Chen Mo led the way, holding the map.

His steps weren't fast, but his direction was clear.

With every step he took.

The red dot on the radar in his mind became clearer.

450 meters... 300 meters... 100 meters...

Li Hu and the others followed behind, their faces full of suspicion.

They noticed that the path Chen Mo took was winding and circuitous, specifically choosing blind spots and small paths overgrown with weeds.

How could he be so familiar with the terrain here?

Had he been here before?

Finally.

Chen Mo stopped in front of an unremarkable, vine-covered three-story factory building.

This was the most secluded corner of the entire area.

The factory gate was locked, and the windows were sealed with wooden planks, showing no signs of activity.

"It's here?"

Zhao Dahai asked in a low voice.

Chen Mo nodded, his face even paler than before.

Because the red dot in his mind was currently beating steadily inside this building at an extremely stable frequency.

Thump... thump... thump... Calm, focused, without a single ripple of disturbance.

The devil was inside.

And, he was very likely in the middle of his... "creation."

"How are you sure?" Li Hu still didn't believe him. "What makes this factory different from the others?"

Chen Mo took a deep breath and pointed to the factory roof.

"Look at that exhaust fan."

Everyone looked up.

They saw a rusty exhaust fan on the roof, turning extremely slowly and silently.

"An abandoned factory building that has been derelict for seven or eight years, yet the exhaust fan is still running."

Chen Mo's voice was like a cold wind from the netherworld.

"What do you think he is exhausting?"

Li Hu's expression instantly changed.

A terrifying glint burst forth in Zhao Dahai's eyes.

"Team One secure the back door! Team Two prepare to breach with me!"

He waved his hand sharply, issuing the operational command.

Several criminal police officers immediately drew their guns and quickly spread out, forming a perimeter.

Su Qingxue also drew her sidearm and stood protectively in front of Chen Mo.

Just as Li Hu raised his foot, preparing to kick open the rusty iron door.

[Warning! Target heartbeat frequency is rapidly increasing!]

[Emotional Analysis: Excitement! Alertness!]

The red dot in Chen Mo's mind suddenly transformed from a steady beat into a frantic flicker!

He's been discovered!

No! Wait!

This heartbeat wasn't the panic of being discovered!

It was the sheer ecstasy of a hunter seeing his prey step into a trap!

"Wait!"

Chen Mo's pupils suddenly constricted.

He screamed hoarsely at Li Hu's retreating back.

"Don't go in! There's a bomb on the door!"