Seattle's Nightfall Wasn't Quite Right

The Guardian drove straight into Seattle along the interstate highway.

Sing Sing wasn't in a hurry to get down to business; he wanted to solve the housing problem first.

I drove around twice, specifically exploring backstreets and alleys, and finally settled on a mid-range motel with a parking lot so empty you could play football there.

Very good, business is bad.

When business is bad, the boss is more accommodating.

He strolled into the front desk with his hands behind his back. Behind the counter sat an older woman with curly hair, engrossed in knitting a sweater.

"Sixty-five per night, fifty deposit."

"Sixty."

"Not a single cent less!" The old lady didn't even bother to look at him.

"Fifty-five, I'll stay for three nights!"

The woman stopped knitting, looked up, and sized him up from head to toe. "Staying for three nights in a row?"

"Three whole nights!"

Sing Sing held up three fingers, leaned close to the counter, and gave what he thought was a sincere look.

"Look how reliable I look! I look like the kind of civilized traveler who goes straight to bed and even turns the taps on and off gently."

The older woman stuck a knitting needle into the ball of yarn. "If you stay three nights, I'll give you a 10% discount."

"20% off! Plus, three days of free breakfast!"

"Only 20% off! No free breakfast!"

Sing Sing clutched his chest, looking as if he had suffered internal injuries.

"Lady, please spare my life. We might meet again in the future!"

"Either pay the money and get the key, or turn right after you leave."

The woman pointed to the night sky outside the window, "There's a car park over there, twenty yuan a night, you can sleep in your car."

Good grief, we've met our match.

"Deal! 20% off it is, I'll figure out breakfast myself!"

After getting the keys, Sing Sing still had to pay a deposit of fifty yuan. Holding the receipt, he felt a little heartbroken.

What's the difference between keeping fifty yuan in someone else's hands and throwing a meat bun to a dog?

Upon arriving at the parking lot, Sing Sing looked around and whispered to the front of the car, "Guardian, activate alert mode. Make a note of any strangers who approach."

"Alert mode activated. Just a reminder, Mr. Zhou, your right front wheel is on the white line of the parking space."

Sing Sing waved his hand, "There wasn't a soul in the entire parking lot, so who did it bother if I stepped on a few lines?"

"... You're right."

He locked the door, took two steps, then turned back and knocked on the car window. "Let me ask you something else. What would you do if some clueless thief broke the window and picked the lock?"

We suggest you call the local police station first.

Director Zhou patted the roof of the car in exasperation:

"Fool! Why call the police? Just electrocute him and send him flying! I officially approve your self-defense; if anything happens, I'll take responsibility!"

After a two-second silence inside the car, a calm voice spoke, "I'm sorry, Mr. Hudson has not granted me access to the active attack protocol."

Sing Sing almost choked on his breath, waved his hand and left.

How did it become Nezha?

The room was very small, not even as big as Director Zhou's office.

The sheets were still clean. Sing Sing locked the door, drew the curtains tightly, and pulled a small notebook out of his pocket.

The Silver Peak Consortium has twelve secret bases across the United States. They had previously taken down two of them: the Las Vegas underground base and the Los Angeles base.

Yan Shuangying was even more ruthless; at a warehouse in New Mexico, a stronghold in the mountains of Colorado, and a laboratory in Tucson, Arizona, he pulled out three nails all by himself.

Of the twelve, five were gone; Silver Peak was severely damaged, leaving only seven barely clinging to life.

Seattle happens to have one, which is a classic case of bad luck.

The second target is Tunsley Tate, the Vanisher.

Sing Sing drew three lines under this name with a pen. He said, "If this person doesn't die, I won't be able to eat or sleep in peace!"

Sing Sing, who was pondering his plans for the evening, finally waited until nightfall.

As soon as he stepped out of the hotel, he realized something was wrong.

It's only a little past 8 p. m., which would be the start of nightlife in China.

The street was eerily deserted; pedestrians walked with their heads down, hugging the walls, their steps increasingly hurried.

What's even stranger is that you can't see a single homeless person on the streets!

Several missing person notices were posted on the lamppost at the street corner.

Sing Sing leaned closer to take a look and saw that the person in the photo was a young man in his early twenties.

A newly posted reward notice was also displayed nearby, offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to a lead.

Arriving at the hot dog cart by the roadside, he took out five yuan and bought a hot dog with pickled cucumbers. He then casually approached an old man walking a large dog and struck up a conversation.

"Sir, out walking your dog? That dog has a really strong frame, is it a purebred Hound?"

The old man warily pulled the dog's leash and took a half-step to the side. "Mongrel."

"Why is there not a soul on the streets tonight? Is everyone busy going home to watch TV?"

The old man, who increasingly felt that Sing Sing wasn't a good person, took a few steps back. "From out of town?"

I just arrived here and am doing some small business.

The old man looked around, hesitated for a long time, and finally managed to say, "Outsider, take my advice."

If you don't want to get into trouble, get back to your hotel and lock your room as soon as it gets dark.

After saying that, the old man tugged on the leather rope.

The large dog slipped from the restraints, and the man and dog turned into a nearby alley.

Sing Sing took a big bite of the hot dog and chewed it slowly.

Interesting, so interesting...

A bright and beautiful port city during the day, but once the sun sets, the entire city closes its doors and windows tightly.

The fact that ordinary residents are terrified may not be due to street gang fights.

Following the neon lights and faint bass, Sing Sing wandered through a maze of turns and stumbled into a bar.

The two burly security guards at the entrance glanced at him but didn't stop him.

The hall was a mixed bag.

Dockworkers, motorcycle gang members, and several heavily made-up women moved back and forth among the tables.

"Hey buddy, how much is the cheapest large mug of draft beer?"

"Three yuan and fifty cents."

Holding a mug of draft beer, Sing Sing sat at the bar, ears perked up.

Having worked in fieldwork for so many years, he knew it all too well.

If you want to understand what's wrong with a city, don't ask the police, just come to a bar!

After a few drinks, even the most stubborn person will soften.

Sure enough, after only half a glass of wine, two men dressed in dockwork clothes at the next table started chatting.

"Have you heard anything about Old Tom's youngest son?"

What happened?

"The other day, that kid applied for a part-time job doing medical checkups. Apparently, as long as you cooperate with blood tests and examinations, you can get two hundred yuan in cash in one night, plus food and lodging."

What was the result?

"It's been two whole days now, and there's still no sign of him. My mother at home is crying herself to death!"

Another man with a thick beard reached out to cover his companion's mouth.

"Shut your filthy mouth! Is this something you can just shout about in public?"

"What are you afraid of? There are no outsiders here..."

"No outsiders?"

The man glanced around at his surroundings. "Last month alone, four strong young men disappeared without a trace in our neighborhood!"

"Rumors have long circulated in the underworld... that these human traffickers are all backed by those biochemical researchers in white coats..."

In the shadows.

Sing Sing raised his glass to cover half his face and slowly squinted his eyes.

Part-time job offering medical check-ups, 200 yuan per night, meals and accommodation included, must wear a white coat.

Good heavens, he hasn't even had a chance to sit down properly!