Night had fallen.
Xing Peng, a rookie Patrol Officer from the Third Outpost, strode toward Ningping Neighborhood alongside the veteran Patrol Officer Wu Lun.
A sturdy Spirit Mastiff led the way ahead of them, happily wagging its tail from time to time.
The two men and one dog were there to investigate whether there had been any missing persons cases in Ningping Neighborhood.
It was an urgent task personally assigned by the Squad Leader.
They had to produce results today.
Crunch!
The sound of boots treading on snow had an oddly rhythmic quality.
Over the past few days, the bizarre reversal of day and night, along with the strange Four Seasons Reincarnation, had all come to a halt. The harsh winter had descended once more.
The snow that had fallen for days gave Anhua City a new face yet again.
The Brown Oil streetlamps lining both sides of the road had long since been lit by professional lamplighters.
As they walked, their shadows shifted constantly across the snow, like restless Weird Shadows.
Wu Lun spoke of the past with a sigh. "When I was little, I was terrified of shadows. Every night after dark, I hid beneath the blankets and never dared go outside."
The dog's ears twitched, surprise showing in its eyes.
Xing Peng asked in surprise, "Patrol Officer Wu, did you perhaps witness a Weird Shadow when you were young?"
It was the most logical guess.
Only such an experience, leaving behind severe psychological trauma, could explain such unusual behavior.
Wu Lun nodded. "When I was five, I saw a carriage swallowed by a Weird Shadow with my own eyes. The six passengers and the driver inside did not even have time to jump out."
Xing Peng commented, "That Weird Shadow must have been high-level."
Wu Lun nodded.