It was just barely light.
Zhenbei County was shrouded in gray-white morning mist, and the streets and alleys were as quiet as a dead city. Jiang Qiao pushed open the door, a simple bundle on his back, and was just about to step outside.
Suddenly.
He stopped.
Across the alley stood the old noodle-stall owner he had met when he entered the city yesterday at noon.
"Huh?"
"Old man, is something wrong?"
Jiang Qiao asked.
The old man's murky gaze fell on Jiang Qiao. He paused slightly, and his expression became somewhat peculiar. "Streamer, did you stay here last night?"
"Yeah." Jiang Qiao smiled.
"Then did you hear anything last night?" The old man glanced at the courtyard next door to Jiang Qiao's.
A faint bloody scent wafted out from inside.
There was no doubt someone had died in there, and died horribly at that.
And nowadays, the reason for any gruesome death in Zhenbei County was most likely connected to the Sun Family Old House.
"I heard it."
"Not only did I hear it, I even saw it."
"There was a hand."
"It peeled the skin off my cheap neighbor's face and carried it away."
"Ho!"
"It was exactly like the way you described Second Young Master Sun's death yesterday, old man. I thought you were making it up, but it turned out to be true."
Jiang Qiao spoke with a hearty laugh, looking utterly harmless.
But after hearing him, the old man's pupils suddenly shrank. He stared at Jiang Qiao. "You saw it? And you're still alive... You're a Special Ability User?"
His gaze was razor-sharp.
He seemed intent on seeing through Jiang Qiao's background.
Unfortunately.
He sensed no supernatural fluctuations from Jiang Qiao at all. The young man before him looked completely ordinary.
But...
Anyone who witnessed