Chapter 110: Lost Another One

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Ye Chen pondered that if Eggie Girl had gotten lost on her own, then given the extensive daytime patrol efforts involving numerous officers, there should be some useful clues gathered from the neighbors. After all, they were all from the local community; no one would conceal information when asked. Though everyone lived frugally and struggled through their days, there was a strong sense of solidarity behind the scenes.

In the Outer City, people lacked the means to help one another effectively, but that did not mean they lacked the willingness to do so. Ye Chen, also a resident of the Outer City, understood this deeply.

Moreover, Old Li, who guarded the city gates, mentioned that no children had been seen leaving the city that day, which ruled out the possibility of Eggie Girl wandering into the wilderness by mistake.

That left only one remaining possibility—that she had been abducted while walking alone.

Hence, Chen Bingfeng’s earlier question arose: could this be connected to the disappearance of the farm children?

But what could the abductors want with so many children? Were they keeping them as pets? Or planning to open an orphanage? The thought seemed absurd.

Could it be the work of a pervert? That seemed possible, yet exceedingly disturbing.

In any case, it was necessary to learn the specific details of the farm incident through Team Leader Dai.

...

Early the next morning, inside a home in the upscale residential district.

The ringing of the alarm clock roused a drowsy mother.

Glancing at the empty bed beside her, she complained with displeasure: “That rascal stayed out all night again. When he gets back, I’ll break his legs.”

She sat up, tidied her disheveled hair, slipped on her nightgown, and went to her daughter’s room next door. The little girl was still sound asleep.

Leaning down, she gently kissed the child’s rosy cheek and whispered softly, “Niu Niu, I’ll call you when breakfast is ready, okay?”

The little girl named Niu Niu turned over and buried her head back into the covers, murmuring a faint “Mm.”

The mother gazed lovingly at her precious child.

Just as she was about to leave, she paused with a soft “Eh”—what was that?

On Niu Niu’s bedside table lay a single red candy, translucent and tantalizing.

Holding it for a moment, the mother swallowed hard but then gently returned it to its place, muttering, “Where did this candy come from? I don’t think we bought any. Maybe a friend gave it to her.”

At breakfast, Niu Niu sat bleary-eyed at the table, slowly sipping her porridge spoonful by spoonful.

The mother made small talk, “Niu Niu, I saw a candy by your bed. Where did you get it?”

“The boy from the next street gave it to me, but I didn’t dare eat it. It’s so hard for me to resist,” the little girl said, then suddenly became alert, her eyes wide as she looked at her mother.

“Mom, do you want to eat Niu Niu’s candy too?”

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The woman smiled softly. “Why would I steal your candy? I’m just worried it might get dirty if left outside.”

“How about this—when I go buy groceries later, I’ll bring you a clean pack, okay?”

Niu Niu nodded like a little chick pecking at rice.

“And what about that candy just now?”

The girl furrowed her brows, thought for a moment, then answered in a clear voice, “Daddy works hard outside. I’m saving it for him.”

The mother’s expression darkened... “Works hard?” She felt more like breaking his legs.

...

Dressed in uniform, Ye Chen was finally heading back to the bureau for work today. If he kept taking leave like this, Team Leader Dai Guangjun would come personally to drag him back.

Even though he had money now, Ye Chen had no intention of becoming a spendthrift.

It wasn’t about lofty ideals; he simply couldn’t sit idle.

Besides, the tricky matters at the Braised Egg’s home still needed his help.

However, he did not go straight to the bureau. Instead, he first headed to the marketplace.

He needed to visit the agency to sign the official housing contract and complete the transfer procedures. Only then could the house he liked truly be his.

When the elderly agent saw Ye Chen in uniform with sharp brows and bright eyes, she was overjoyed. Too bad he wasn’t her daughter.

Soon, the commotion on the street caught Ye Chen’s attention.

While the agent busied herself with paperwork, he stood at the doorway watching the spectacle.

Those swollen eyes, that anxious expression, the hurried footsteps, the way people stopped others to ask questions—why did it all seem so familiar?

A bad premonition gripped Ye Chen...

“Auntie... Auntie, what’s going on outside?” he asked, turning to the agent sorting documents.

The agent, peering over her reading glasses without lifting her head, muttered as she glanced outside, “I heard a family’s child went missing. They’ve been searching all morning, from the residential district to the market, even came here to inquire.”

“Apparently, the family is quite wealthy, living in the upscale district.”

“Who has such a big heart to let this happen, sigh!”

“What? Another one lost?!” Ye Chen exclaimed.

This was no coincidence, absolutely not.

Child disappearances happened before, but not this frequently.

Now, such incidents were happening one after another. Something was definitely wrong.

“Auntie, you handle the paperwork for me. I’ll come back to pick it up later. There’s urgent business at the bureau—I have to rush back.”

Saying this, Ye Chen dashed out the door.

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“Hey... hey... young man, you...” the agent tried to stop him but failed. “Such a hurry! Young people these days, phew!”

She quietly slipped a stack of photos back into her drawer.

...

Ye Chen sprinted back to the patrol bureau at incredible speed.

His swift strides left afterimages, and the gust of wind he stirred caught the attention of passersby.

“Look, that was definitely an Awakened,” someone remarked.

“Yeah, without leg Awakening, no one could run that fast.”

“I’m so jealous. When you lose a fight, you can always run away.”

“...”

Once inside, Ye Chen headed straight for Team Leader Dai Guangjun’s office, but the door was closed. Using his enhanced eyesight, he confirmed the room was empty.

He hurried to the team members’ office and found Chen Bingfeng.

“Where’s the team leader?” he asked immediately.

“He’s in a meeting. All the team leaders are meeting!”

“Do you know what I encountered this morning in the market?”

“What happened?”

“Another child missing in the Outer City!”

Chen Bingfeng and Xu Fan exchanged worried glances... Could the leaders’ meeting be about this?

Ye Chen asked further, “You said all the team leaders are in a meeting. Who leads the First Squad?”

“The new leader hasn’t been chosen yet. The deputy is filling in for now.”

The meeting dragged on for half a day.

Ye Chen was anxious to leave, but Team Leader Dai still hadn’t appeared. He was so frustrated he wanted to kick the meeting room door down.

He grumbled inwardly... meetings usually went fast. Why drag on like this today?

Why do people always waste time in endless meaningless meetings? If only they’d just relay information directly.

Then he reconsidered:

No, this was a child’s disappearance. The family, relatives, and neighbors would all be involved in the search.

Having more officers wouldn’t necessarily produce immediate results.

Ye Chen believed that aimless searching would only waste time.

But where should they begin the investigation? That was the crucial question.