Forgotten Photo Studio

Chapter 90 Citywide Manhunt
He reached out and touched the glass, only to find that the protective shield was already damaged and shattered into powder with a gentle push.

The compass lay silently in the broken glass, its needle remaining perfectly still.

That was Chen Zhiwei's compass.

Or, more precisely, the "mother" of the one in her hand.

Xu Yan bent down, and the moment his fingertips touched the edge of the metal, an extremely thin beam of light instantly climbed up his wrist bone, icy cold.

The runes inside the compass lit up slightly, like open vertical pupils watching him.

He felt an indescribable familiarity.

It's not about agreement, but about "identification".

That kind of 'recognition' was like a resonance between bloodlines—as if some kind of consciousness within the compass confirmed the same frequency remaining in the jade cicada within his body.

The light from the compass flickered, as if it were confirming something.

Then, the pointer in the center slowly rotated one full circle and finally stopped in one position.

It wasn't east, nor west, but rather the direction of the jade cicada on his chest.

Xu Yan's throat tightened slightly.

Without much thought, he took out the compass and put it in his pocket.

He didn't know why he wanted to take it, but he instinctively understood.

This is the key.

However, just as the compass completely left the console.

The lights in the entire warehouse suddenly flickered.

The red light flashed, and the piercing alarm ripped through the silence.

[Warning: Abnormal energy level fluctuations in the core storage area.]

[Unknown spiritual pressure interference detection.]

[Protection protocol activated.]

Electronic audio-visual images rise from the depths of hell.

Red cracks lit up in the wall, and the alarm lights spun.

The air suddenly became heavy, and the electric arc slid across the ground as if some living thing was following his steps.

The mechanical sound of the door lock automatically restarting shrieked in his ears.

Hurried footsteps and the sound of walkie-talkies came from the outer corridor; several guards were rapidly approaching.

Xu Yan took a deep breath and tightened the camera strap.

He wasn't panicked; instead, he revealed a smile that was almost cold.

"As expected... in the middle of nowhere, under the cover of darkness... the timing and location were perfect."

The lock on the outside door was broken, and two security guards rushed in, raising their guns as a warning.

The red light illuminated their faces, their nerves taut.

"Stop! Who are you? Put it down..."

"pity,"

Xu Yan raised her camera, her tone almost gentle with coldness.
"The person is a bit lacking."

"Click——"

The world stands still the moment the shutter clicks.

It's neither sealing the soul nor devouring it.

The click of the shutter was like a drop of water falling into a still lake, creating an invisible ripple.

The two guards' expressions went blank for a moment, their eyes glazed over.

A moment later, the gun barrels slowly drooped, and they stared blankly at each other, as if they had forgotten why they had come.

Xu Yan lowered his camera, the shadow on his shoulder flickering with the red light.

He pushed open the door and stepped out, where cold rain was pouring down.

A faint golden light flashed around the compass in his arms, like a signal that some dormant mechanism was being awakened. Night did not fall, but rather seeped in from the ground, from the cracks in the walls, and from the gaps in every window.

The rain stopped, but the humidity was even heavier, carrying a rusty smell mixed with a faint, sweet, fishy odor that clung to the skin and wouldn't go away.

Xu Yan leaned against the cold concrete pier of the overpass, the shadows completely engulfing him.

He didn't need to look to feel the city beneath his feet changing.

The wind has changed.

It was no longer flowing air, but rather like countless cold, fine threads, wrapping around the bare neck and wrists, bringing waves of physiological chills.

He lowered his head, and the dark gold compass pointer in his palm stopped turning. Instead, it trembled violently in place, emitting a high-frequency, piercing "sizzling" sound that seemed to only resonate on the soul level, as if countless tiny insects were gnawing at the metal.

This is not guidance; it is a death spasm.

He looked up and gazed into the depths of the city.

In the distance, the aviation obstruction lights atop several landmark buildings, which had been flashing red regularly, now appeared chaotic and flickering, like a dying pulse.

On the closer streets, vehicles with a special matte coating occasionally glide by silently, their rooftop devices, of unknown purpose, scanning in the darkness and emitting an unsettling low-pressure field.

The air became "sticky".

Breathing was no longer smooth; each inhale felt like pulling on an invisible, damp spider web, putting extra pressure on the lungs.

Something vast and invisible is slowly rising from the city's dormant foundations, permeating every inch of space.

The terminal in my pocket started vibrating, as persistently as a death warrant.

A Zhe's name was displayed on the screen.

Xu Yan stared at the light, feeling a slight numbness in his fingertips.

He paused for a few moments before slowly connecting, without putting the phone to his ear.

"...Brother Yan?"

Ah Zhe's voice came through, extremely low, with a continuous, shrill electronic buzzing in the background, and something like... the hurried conversation of many people speaking in hushed tones, "You... why did the connection drop just now?"

His tone carried an unprecedented caution and fear, not only towards his surroundings but also towards the silent presence on the other end of the phone.

"Yeah. We ran into a bit of trouble, but we've resolved it."

Xu Yan uttered a single syllable, his throat feeling as dry as sandpaper.

“Something’s wrong…something’s wrong with the whole city…” A-Zhe spoke quickly, but his words were fragmented. “Alarm…I don’t know what level it is, but all the standby teams have been forced online…the city is locked down! They’ve blocked the main passages! Also, have you checked the intranet mission platform? Those…those assistance missions that usually require points are all free! They’re making everyone…everyone go out and find…find ‘things’!”

His voice trembled with disbelief.

Xu Yan turned his gaze towards the area below the bridge.

A drunk man returning home late was vomiting while leaning against a lamppost when suddenly, the lamppost above him shattered with a crack, and shards of glass rained down, instantly engulfing his terrified face in darkness.

The drunkard let out a strange cry and scrambled away.

"Why?" Xu Yan asked, his voice calm, yet carrying an icy chill that seemed to know everything.

On the other end of the phone, Ah Zhe's breathing suddenly stopped.

A few seconds later, he asked almost breathlessly, on the verge of collapse: "...Is it you? The cold storage...the one in the western suburbs...is it you?"

Xu Yan did not answer.

He saw two men wearing reflective vests, who looked like municipal workers, scanning the air back and forth with a device that kept emitting a piercing alarm. Their expressions were serious.

He hung up the phone.

The answer, deafening in the silence.

As I climbed over the rusty loading rack, footsteps and shouts came from behind.

Several beams of powerful flashlight beams tore through the darkness, blinding him.

"Stop! Put down the equipment!" The voice was cold and businesslike.

He stopped and turned around.

Rainwater and cold sweat mixed together and flowed into the corner of my mouth, tasting salty and bitter.

(End of this chapter)