Chapter Seventy-Six: The Missing Teammate

Chief Dai spoke with a grave expression,
“Listen carefully. In recent days, there has been a notable surge in the clandestine circulation and trade of green crystal stones on the market.
“While it’s possible that some individuals have been sneaking around the outskirts of the mines to scavenge loose fragments—like that scoundrel Ye Chen mentioned, the so-called 'Little Egg'—these are just petty thieves.
“However, the quantities we’re seeing now far exceed what could be explained by such fragments alone.
“We suspect someone is taking advantage of the mine’s closure to secretly extract and exploit its resources.
“Chen Bingfeng and his team were dispatched to investigate this matter, and now…”
Xu Fan couldn’t help interjecting,
“Could they be in danger? Oh, I mean, is Chen Bingfeng in danger?”
Seeing Chief Dai’s face grow darker, Ye Chen quickly stepped in to support him,
“I understand what you mean, Chief. You want the two of us to head to the mines and investigate the disappearance of Chen Bingfeng and his team.”
“Exactly!” Chief Dai nodded, adding,
“And to find out how such a large quantity of green crystal stones is flooding into the city.
“Set out at once!”
Once Ye Chen and Xu Fan hurried off, Chief Dai left his own office and walked to the door next door.
On the sign were the words “Group One Chief.”
The door was tightly shut, the curtains drawn so no light could seep through.
He was about to knock when a booming voice echoed behind him, loud and full of energy,
“Well, if it isn’t Dai Guangjun! Haha! You’re here to see the Piglet about last night too, are you?”
Chief Dai didn’t even need to turn to know who it was.
It was Gong Xiao, Chief of Group Three of the Outer City Patrol, nicknamed “Loudspeaker” for his thunderous voice.
He was also an E-class awakened of the Body System—no surprise, his awakened organ was his throat.
The Outer City Patrol was divided into five groups: four of them covered the east, west, south, and north sectors of the outer city.
Group One managed the western residential district, Group Two the southern market, Group Three the northern workshops, and Group Four the eastern administrative zone.
The fifth group handled internal affairs and logistics.
Chief Dai knocked on the door, but there was no answer.
Loudspeaker began calling out at the door, his voice so resounding that it startled the chiefs of Groups Four and Five into opening their doors. Yet the chief of Group One’s door remained firmly shut.
Gong Xiao muttered, “Not here today? Or out somewhere?”
“He ought to keep better watch on his own men. Loudspeaker, I know more about this situation than you do. Come to my office for tea later, and we’ll discuss how to report this to Captain Lu.”
Loudspeaker grumbled,
“That damned Piglet, off amusing himself somewhere again! Let him manage—manage what? He should manage himself first!”
“Enough, stop broadcasting in the hallway. Let’s go back. That guy’s been a ghost lately, never around!”

Outside the city, at the green crystal stone mine,
In a cavern within the pit, freshly mined green crystal ore was piled in heaps.
In the pitch-dark, the stones emitted an eerie green glow.
From cracks in the rocky walls, melted snowwater seeped and dripped onto the stones,
“Drip… drip,” splattering tiny emerald droplets.
The cave was damp and chilling, the ghastly green light casting a sinister, bone-chilling atmosphere.
With the faint illumination, one could barely discern three iron cages in a corner of the cavern.
Each cage was about a meter and a half in length, width, and height—who knew what they were used for before.
Now, each cage confined a person.
Even in the gloom, it was clear they wore the uniform of the Outer City Patrol.
Because of the cage’s size, the prisoners could neither stand upright nor stretch out; they could only sit or curl up.
A person trapped in such a claustrophobic, dark environment for long would lose all sense of safety and time,
Their biological clock would become disordered, eventually leading to mental collapse.
The damp air gnawed at their psychological defenses like maggots on bone, relentless and unyielding.
One figure in a cage hugged his knees, arms wrapped tight around himself.
Shivering from the cold, his teeth chattered endlessly.
From his trembling lips came a rhythmic, muffled sound—if one listened closely:
“789… 790… 791…”
“1234… 1235… 1236…”
“3290… 3291… 3292…”
He was counting. Every time he reached 3600, he dug a white scratch into the cage bars with his fingernail.
“Tap… tap… tap…”
“Clang… clang… clang…”
A string of footsteps and the rumble of mining carts on tracks grew louder, echoing through the tunnel.
Soon, the air was suffused with a strange, indescribable odor.
It was part medicinal, part spicy, with a hint of rotting plum—sour and pungent, almost burning the nose.
Before the men appeared, their scent arrived.
The footsteps stopped abruptly at the mouth of the cave, three shadows cast inside.
“Mouse, Bonehead, get to work. Move today’s mined ore out. There’ll be a vehicle coming later to haul it away.”

The speaker was the infamous Scarface, known for his stench.
Bonehead nodded and silently began loading green crystal ore onto the mining cart.
Mouse glanced at the heavy stones, then down at his own scrawny arms and legs, weighing his options… He couldn’t move them, and frankly, he didn’t want to.
Mouse stole a look at Scarface, who stood with hands in his pockets, radiating an air of indifference—“doesn’t know what an opponent is.”
He muttered inwardly: Why are we doing the heavy lifting while he just stands there? Come on, Bonehead, you move more.
Mouse pointed at the three iron cages in the corner and asked quietly,
“Boss, what about these three… these three people? Should we…”
He mimed a throat-slitting gesture at his neck.
“Smack!”
Scarface slapped Mouse on the back of the head, scolding,
“Damn it, you talk too much. Mind your own business, don’t meddle in things that aren’t yours to worry about.
“When the boss arrives, he’ll decide. Now get your useless self over there and move the stones.”
With that, he kicked Mouse squarely in the rear.
Scarface stared at the cages for a moment, his expression full of disdain.
Hmph! Just a few patrol officers—once they’re in our hands, they’re as good as dead!

The green crystal mine was located to the west of the capital.
Therefore, Ye Chen and Xu Fan chose to enter the wilderness through the west gate of the outer city, traveling on foot.
The wilds, after rain and snow, were rugged and muddy. They hadn’t gone five kilometers before Xu Fan started complaining,
“Why don’t we have a car? I protest—I demand equal treatment!”
Ye Chen looked at him as if he were an idiot, replying speechlessly,
“Has your brain frozen solid? Each group has only one patrol car, and ours was taken by Chen Ma.
“Stop whining and walk faster. The chief told us to investigate quietly.
“Or are you not worried about Chen Ma’s safety anymore?”
Ye Chen’s last remark worked like a shot of adrenaline.
A moment ago, Xu Fan was gloomy; now, he was even gloomier,
“I am worried, of course I am! Whoever dares harm my brother, I’ll slap them silly myself.”
He marched along, swatting at the air as if striking the invisible face of an enemy.