Chapter 43: Investigating the apartment case

Felix's thinking was simple: he had already paid for dinner, so why should he also spend time with his colleague?

The maid, although puzzled, kept her thoughts to herself. She figured the young master might get scolded by his uncle later.

Felix wasn't clueless, though. When he got the list of tasks, he glanced at his teammate's profile. Chu Cheng, 20 years old, male, with no experience on the field but absolutely immune to infection. Felix was surprised they assigned a newcomer like Chu Cheng to this task.

Felix thought the task was too simple and decided it would be more efficient to handle it himself. He invited Chu Cheng to dinner, planning to finish the work alone without delaying the task or offending his colleague.

Felix's family owned a pharmaceutical group, and he was expected to inherit the company. However, his extraordinary physique caught the attention of Secret Service Nine, who recruited him. 

Initially, his family opposed his joining because they knew the dangers involved. Rich families like his usually had bodyguards and avoided risks. But Felix was determined, which baffled those around him. They couldn't understand why he would risk his life when he could have everything by simply doing nothing.

Some thought he might be looking forward to the internal pricing of his family's medicines. However, considering his determination, the influence of Secret Service Nine, and the benefits of having a family member in such an organization, they eventually agreed. It was a path to something extraordinary, despite the dangers.

Felix had joined the Secret Service much earlier than Chu Cheng, but he had mostly dealt with small cases. His previous tasks involved people affected by the infection source, such as those suffering from severe insomnia or uncontrollable energy.

This was his first time leading a team to investigate a case. Compared to Chu Cheng, he was more experienced but still not a veteran. Despite feeling a bit nervous, he tried to appear professional and composed when introducing the task.

As Felix was on his way to Xu Wenhan's apartment, he received a message from the headquarters in his headset. It was the results of the background check he had requested earlier.

"The subjects you applied for investigation, Xu Wenhan and Guo Xiaoyun, both died in a blizzard in Binglong Snow Mountain ten days ago. Their deaths have been confirmed," said the voice on the other end.

Felix was stunned. How could they be dead if Xu Wenhan had reported the case? Something very strange was going on, and it made the investigation even more urgent and mysterious. 

"Dead?"

"Yes."

"Both of them?"

"That's right. I can send you the death certificate if you want."

Felix received the results. It is true that both lovers have been confirmed dead.

"The operator continued, "There's another strange thing. After confirming their deaths, we discovered that one of the corpses was stolen the day after. Its whereabouts are still unknown."

Felix was startled. "Which corpse? Guo Xiaoyun's?"

"No. It was Xu Wenhan's body that was stolen. Guo Xiaoyun was cremated, and her ashes have been taken by relatives for burial," the operator explained.

Felix froze, unsure of what he was about to face.

Despite his hesitation, his pride overshadowed his unease. He decided to check the apartment first.

"Ding dong~"

Felix rang the doorbell.

The sound echoed through the quiet apartment, but no one answered. After waiting a bit longer, Felix took out a lockpick and torque wrench. The apartment door had an old-fashioned tumbler lock, which was relatively easy to open. Luckily, a senior had taught him how to pick locks during his last mission.

Click.

The door opened.

As Felix slowly opened the door, a strong smell hit him. It was the scent of blood mixed with rot.

The smell made Felix queasy. He took a few seconds to get used to it before turning on his flashlight to explore the house.

He couldn't imagine anyone living in this kind of place, let alone with that smell.

The flashlight cut through the darkness like a sharp blade, making the dust in the air visible. Walking through the dark, Felix felt like he was navigating a black sea at night. The only sounds were his own creaking footsteps on the wooden floor and his increasingly rapid heartbeat.

The disturbing smell grew stronger as he reached the kitchen.

Felix tried to turn on the light, but nothing happened. The electricity must have been cut off.

Holding his breath, he gathered his courage and opened the refrigerator door.

The flashlight beam revealed the source of the smell. His legs went weak, and he collapsed, screaming uncontrollably.

The refrigerator was filled with human body parts.

At that moment, a strong sense of danger hit him. His pupils shrank, and he instinctively rolled to the side. A kitchen knife slashed the air where he had just been, hitting the ground with a loud clang.

Felix rolled away, looking up in terror.

Standing before him was a woman in pajamas with disheveled hair. Her long, messy hair covered her face.

She held a kitchen knife in her hand.