452: underground dark web

While his work phone was charging, Shen Bei was a bit puzzled. What exactly did Principal Qin want to do?

Just a phone, why piece it together on the spot?

Is it an encrypted phone?

At this moment, Principal Qin's face was calm as water, and he spoke again:

"The Apocalypse Cult has been causing trouble for more than a day or two, but now it's getting more and more out of hand. If they weren't stopped in time, and new-style Martial Artists ran rampant, it would be a tragic sight beyond imagination."

Shen Bei tilted his head. From Principal Qin's words, he seemed to understand that Principal Qin wanted to intervene?

"Still going strong, huh?" Shen Bei said with a smile on his face.

Principal Qin shook his head: "Old, certainly, but I wouldn't dare claim 'strong'."

Shen Bei twitched his mouth: "It's only the start of the semester, and you're giving me something big to deal with?"

"I like your clever personality."

Principal Qin toyed with the phone: "That's right, how about I assign this investigation to you? The Patrol Bureau has too many people and too many eyes, and whenever new clues emerge, they always get cut off at the most crucial moment. This can't help but make one suspect an inside mole at work."

"But the current problem to solve isn't the mole, but to completely destroy the Apocalypse Cult."

Shen Bei lowered his head in thought, stroking his chin, occasionally glancing at Principal Qin: "Is this an order from above?"

"Not exactly." Principal Qin pressed the power button on the phone and continued: "The idea from above is to have multiple approaches. Our Beijing Martial Arts University also received this task; it's basically an all-out effort against the 'devils'."

"Why not Liu Hanfeng?"

"Him? Hmm~~~" Principal Qin's face was devoid of expression: "From a combat perspective, Liu Hanfeng is quite capable, but in terms of flexibility, he's far inferior to you."

"Why do you say that?" Shen Bei asked, puzzled.

"Others might not know, but how could I not know?"

Principal Qin looked at Shen Bei with a full smile: "To be able to infiltrate an alien city and safely retreat, mere martial prowess isn't enough. There are far more powerful aliens than you in the underground."

Shen Bei clicked his tongue, then shrugged.

"Besides, don't you like doing odd jobs? I understand the rules, there's a monetary reward." Principal Qin added.

Shen Bei's eyes lit up: "If you put it that way, I'm not sleepy anymore, ha."

"Money grubber." Principal Qin chuckled a few times: "However, your wealth matches your status."

"According to the information I have." Principal Qin's expression suddenly became solemn: "The Apocalypse Cult member currently with eyewitnesses is a man around thirty years old."

Saying that, Principal Qin turned the computer screen towards Shen Bei.

It was a webpage.

In China, most information on dangerous criminals currently wanted is posted on official websites, encouraging enthusiastic citizens to actively report suspicious individuals, with cash rewards and commendations given based on the quality of the provided clues.

Shen Bei roughly looked it over.

This person used to illegally operate a car repair shop in the old city. God knows what unknown mental journey someone doing such work might have. One day, he closed the repair shop and transformed into a news figure in the capital, a freshly minted serial killer.

He had a bizarre nickname, and his nickname stemmed from his strange attire—according to testimonies from enthusiastic citizens, this serial killer, regardless of what clothes he wore, would always drape himself in sheepskin like an ancient tribal shaman, paint striped greasepaint on his face, and even though he knew it made him very conspicuous, he still wouldn't give up this performance artist-like getup.

The Patrol Bureau, based on this rare external feature, referred to him as the "Sheepskin Assassin."

The police's tracking results showed that the Sheepskin Assassin's methods were not complex. His main period of activity was at night, waiting for an opportunity by deserted paths in the city like a ghost from urban legends, then suddenly appearing when a Martial Artist passed by, kidnapping the passerby to a more secluded place, subjecting them to inhumane torture, and finally brutally killing them as if slaughtering livestock.

Ostensibly, three Martial Artists had already died at his hands, but the Patrol Bureau suspected the actual number of victims was even higher, with their bodies simply not yet discovered.

The victims had no public contact with him during their lives, and private contact could also be largely ruled out. At the same time, their professional fields had little overlap. From this, it could be seen that his motive for the crimes should not be revenge, nor were there any significant conflicts of interest; it was merely like a hungry carnivore foraging, killing whoever he caught.

But if he were linked to the Apocalypse Cult, then the problem was clearly not as simple as random killings.

The Patrol Bureau was actively searching for this criminal, but strangely enough, his attire was so conspicuous, and his crime spree was mainly concentrated in urban areas, yet there was only the one eyewitness account mentioned above, leading the search progress into a stalemate.

Finally, the Patrol Bureau also emphasized on the wanted page: there are clues indicating that he is very likely an Eighth Rank Martial Warrior, and citizens are advised to quickly move away from the scene and report to the police if they spot him.

At this moment, Principal Qin began to dial a phone number on his phone.

"The black market intelligence broker I'm contacting is named Big Ears. I've cooperated with him many times before."

Principal Qin fiddled with a button on the side of the phone and explained to Shen Bei: "Voice changer."

Cautious enough… Shen Bei thought, perhaps Principal Qin and Big Ears had never even met.

He dialed the number.

On the fifth ring, Big Ears answered the phone and asked: "Who is this?"

Shen Bei could tell from the voice alone that he was a young man, but it was also possible the voice had been software-processed.

Principal Qin took a deep breath, cleared his throat, and spoke in a voice different from his usual tone, "It's me."

"Who are you?"

"Don't you want to live?"

"I'm sorry." He immediately conceded, then said: "But seriously, I really didn't recognize you for a moment… We haven't been in touch for 10 years, have we?"

Principal Qin said with a smile: "You've got the wrong person."

"Old friend, it's meaningless for you to trick me like this. It's definitely ten years, no more, no less."

Principal Qin smiled: "I also wanted to test if Big Ears had changed people but not numbers."

"Isn't your phone bill expensive? Why not get to the point?"

"Alright, alright, I need your help." Principal Qin tapped his fingers on the table.

"You wait a moment—" Big Ears interrupted: "Don't tell me you're going to re-enter the Jianghu, and your methods are no longer effective? Are you short on money? I have a janitorial job here, the pay is decent, let's not take big risks."

Shen Bei listened, curious. The 'janitor' Big Ears mentioned was definitely not the same as what normal people would perceive as one of the "three auspicious treasures."

Principal Qin said: "I suspect you're wasting my phone bill."

"Alright, alright." Big Ears's helpless voice came from the other end: "Tell me, what service do you need me to provide?"

"But, let's be clear first, as long as it's related to intelligence." Regarding work, he meticulously continued: "The money must also be paid."

"I understand the rules." Principal Qin said: "I want the whereabouts of the Sheepskin Assassin."

Big Ears on the other end of the phone suddenly fell silent.