Chapter 7: A Fruitless Search

In the abandoned warehouse, Irene left no corner unturned. She carefully examined every pile of debris and searched every possible hiding place. She groped in the dark, the beam of her flashlight swaying in the warehouse, illuminating the dilapidated machines and discarded items.

As time ticked by, her search came up empty - handed. Apart from the faint, intermittent sound of breathing, the warehouse was deserted. She felt extremely disappointed, but she didn't give up. She believed this was just the beginning, and that mysterious person was bound to show up again.

Standing in the middle of the warehouse, looking at the empty walls all around, she secretly vowed to find that mysterious person and uncover the truth behind it. She began to rearrange her thoughts, recalling every detail since she entered the warehouse, trying to find some clues she might have overlooked.

Suddenly, she noticed some strange marks in a corner of the warehouse, as if left by someone in a hurry. She rushed over and crouched down to examine them closely. She found some footprints on the ground. The shape and size of the footprints were different from those of ordinary people, and the direction of the footprints pointed to an exit of the warehouse.

She followed the direction of the footprints and chased out, coming to a small alley behind the warehouse. The alley was filled with a damp smell, and the walls on both sides were covered with moss. She searched the alley but found no useful clues. The footprints suddenly disappeared at the end of the alley.

Irene returned to the police station reluctantly. She knew this case was more complex than she had imagined. She needed more clues and evidence to uncover the truth. Sitting at her desk, looking at the mountain - high stack of files in front of her, she fell into deep thought.