I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

The morning sun filtered through the slits in the curtains, illuminating Zhang Wanqing's desk. She sat at her desk, a cup of warm coffee in hand, her eyes fixed on the email that had just arrived on her computer screen. The email mentioned a new case, a series of disappearances that had shocked the entire city. Her brow furrowed, a sense of unease welling up in her heart. She knew this would be a new challenge for her, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei.

Zhang Wanqing quickly contacted Fu Siyuan, and the two decided to begin their investigation immediately. She grabbed her notebook and camera, walked out of the office, and embarked on a journey to find the truth. Her steps were firm and swift, and every step she took on the street was filled with determination.

She first went to the missing person's last known location, a small bar on the edge of the city. The bar was dim and cramped, the air thick with the scent of cigarettes, alcohol, and sweat. Her eyes darted around in the dim light, searching for any clues.

The bar was dimly lit, shrouded in smoke, and the air was thick with the scent of whiskey and tobacco. Zhang Wanqing pushed open the heavy wooden door and entered this place full of stories. Her eyes wandered between the crowded bar and the scattered tables and chairs, finally landing on an empty seat at the end. That was where the missing man, Li Ming, once sat.

The bar owner, a middle-aged man, noticed Zhang Wanqing's arrival. His eyes revealed a hint of fatigue and worry. He knew that Zhang Wanqing came here for Li Ming's matter. He slowly walked towards Zhang Wanqing and said in a hoarse voice: "Miss, are you here for Li Ming?"

Zhang Wanqing nodded, her eyes filled with anticipation. "Boss, I heard Li Ming is a frequent visitor here. Can you tell me what happened when he last showed up?"

The bar owner's eyes shone with fatigue and worry. He described the missing man's last sighting to Zhang Wanqing, his voice trembling. "Li Ming was a regular, a quiet guy who always sat alone at the bar, ordering a whiskey and sitting quietly until late. That night, he seemed a little distracted, constantly checking his watch, as if he was waiting for someone."

Zhang Wanqing frowned slightly, realizing that Li Ming's behavior was a little unusual. She continued to inquire, "Did he do anything unusual that night?"

The boss thought for a moment, then said, "He was on the phone that night, his voice very low, as if he was arguing with someone. I noticed that his eyes looked a little anxious, and he left early, which rarely happens."

Zhang Wanqing quickly wrote down this information, knowing it might be the key to solving the mystery of his disappearance. She pressed on, "Do you know who he's been in contact with? Or if he's had any new friends recently?"

The boss shook his head. "Li Ming is a loner. He rarely makes close friends. But he seems to be getting close to a new guy lately. He's a man in a black leather jacket. They seem to be discussing some business."

Based on the owner's description, Zhang Wanqing began to reconstruct the events of the night Li Ming disappeared. Li Ming arrived at the bar as usual, but his behavior was unusual, constantly checking his phone, as if waiting for an important call. He had been in the bar for less than an hour before leaving in a hurry, a behavior he had never experienced before.

Zhang Wanqing meticulously recorded every detail, knowing they might hold the key to solving the case. Her intuition told her that the mysterious man might be the key to solving Li Ming's disappearance. She decided to delve deeper into his identity and his relationship with Li Ming.

Zhang Wanqing began investigating Li Ming's social circle, interviewing his colleagues, friends, and family, seeking any possible leads. Li Ming's colleagues mentioned that he seemed to be working on a major project, but he was keeping the details secret. His friends, on the other hand, noted that Li Ming had recently seemed anxious and frequently mentioned financial problems.

Zhang Wanqing realized that Li Ming's disappearance might be related to his work and financial situation, so she decided to further investigate Li Ming's work records and bank accounts, hoping to find more clues.

Meanwhile, Fu Siyuan was using his technical expertise to track Li Ming's online activities. He discovered that Li Ming had visited some suspicious websites related to illegal transactions before his disappearance. Fu Siyuan quickly sent this information to Zhang Wanqing, hoping it would help her find more clues.

Li Wei conducted an investigation on the ground. He accessed the surveillance cameras near the bar where Li Ming was last seen, hoping to capture Li Ming's whereabouts after leaving the bar. He found that after leaving the bar, Li Ming was picked up by a black car with a deliberately obscured license plate, making it impossible to identify.

Li Wei quickly told Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan about his discovery, and the three began to discuss the possible whereabouts of the mysterious vehicle.

After a series of investigations, Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei began to piece together the case. They discovered that the missing person, Li Ming, had been in contact with some mysterious strangers before his disappearance. His characteristics included anxiety, financial problems, and mysterious online activities.

The three decided to investigate the backgrounds of these missing persons in the hope of finding the real reasons for their disappearance.

Zhang Wanqing stood in front of Li Ming's apartment. Her gaze lingered on the house number for a moment, then she took a deep breath and pushed open the door. The apartment was simply furnished with a bed, a desk, a computer, and a few abstract paintings on the wall, revealing Li Ming's love for art.

She began to carefully examine Li Ming's personal belongings, hoping to find some clues. Her eyes wandered between the rows of books on the bookshelf, finally stopping on a tattered diary. She carefully opened the diary, which recorded Li Ming's daily life and some strange dreams.

"I dreamed that I was surrounded by a group of people in black robes. Their eyes were empty and they were muttering to themselves. I felt an invisible force pulling me into the abyss." A passage in the diary made Zhang Wanqing's heart beat faster.

She continued to read the diary and found that Li Ming had recently been dreaming about the same dream frequently. The black-robed figure in the dream seemed to be performing some kind of ritual. Zhang Wanqing's intuition told her that these dreams might be related to Li Ming's disappearance.

She quickly put the diary away and prepared to go back and study it carefully. She knew that these dreams might be the key to solving Li Ming's disappearance case.

Fu Siyuan is using his technical expertise to track the online activities of the man who had close contact with Li Ming. He found that the man often visited some mysterious websites related to some ancient rituals and sacrificial activities.

Fu Siyuan's brow furrowed, realizing that this man might be connected to a secret organization. He decided to investigate these websites in depth, hoping to find more clues.

He discovered that behind these websites was an organization called the Shadow Priests, who claimed to be the guardians of ancient rituals and responsible for maintaining the balance of the world. Fu Siyuan felt uneasy and decided to tell Zhang Wanqing and Li Wei about this information.