Crimes Under the Night Sky

"Not bad, you actually guessed right." Qiao.James nodded to the four of them, "There's definitely a ghost in this theater."

"Who are they? Why are they doing this?" Zhou Zhi asked in a low voice.

"Who cares, they're not good people anyway." Anthony took a compound crossbow from his back, "I've been waiting for a long time, and now I can finally get to work."

"Wait, what are you going to do?" Zhang Zhiyuan frowned.

"What else can I do?" The Russian grinned, his eyes flashing with cold light, "Of course, I'm going to take care of them. Don't worry, they won't make a sound before they die. I have experience with this."

"I've checked," Qiao.James added, "This group isn't professional at all. They're spread out and can't cover each other. Plus, it's so dark here, it's hard for outsiders to find them, but it's also hard for them to find us. As long as we handle it properly, we can completely break through their defenses."

"Those are still people!" Zhang Zhiyuan reminded him—even the most hateful sinner shouldn't be subjected to vigilante justice. As a law enforcer, he was naturally opposed to such actions.

As soon as he said that, the others turned to look at him.

"Hey, hey, are you out of your mind? You were quite sharp earlier." Qiao.James let out a cold laugh, "This is Paradise, not the real world we come from. Your so-called laws don't apply here."

"Buddy, are you really here to enjoy Paradise?" Anthony chimed in, "You should have known this would happen before you came in, right? Forget it, if you don't want to do it, just watch from the side. The few of us are enough."

With that, he crouched down and melted into the pitch-black night, his movements so light they belied his bulk.

Qiao.James, Taylor, and Asahara Naruko also followed, leaving the alleyway. For a moment, only Zhang Zhiyuan and Zhou Zhi remained in the hidden spot.

"I say… even though this world looks incredibly realistic, reality can't just jump through time, right?" Zhou Zhi patted his back, "I almost thought it was real before, but I'm much better now."

Zhang Zhiyuan's face was ashen, and he remained silent. Did these people really not consider the possibility that Paradise might be a real world? No… they weren't fools. In their words just now, neither Qiao.James nor Anthony mentioned the word "game." Instead, they used "Paradise."

That's right, they didn't care about that at all and had no intention of arguing about its truth. Even if it were a real world, as long as the law couldn't reach them, they would act without any scruples.

In just this short moment, a dark figure fell silently.

Since there was no lighting, Zhang Zhiyuan couldn't see the entire process clearly, but it was undoubtedly the compound crossbow at work. Anthony's chosen weapon was a modern device, silent and deadly. A barbed bolt as thick as a little finger could kill even a wild boar with one shot.

The victim's accomplices, however, didn't notice anything unusual.

"Let's go too," Zhou Zhi suggested.

This wasn't their homeland, and the law couldn't reach them… Zhang Zhiyuan repeated this in his mind three times before nodding in agreement, "Okay."

He still had a mission to complete. If he insisted on sticking to the law, not only would he be unable to save the missing reporter, but he would also expose his own identity.

As they approached the east wall of the theater, Zhang Zhiyuan saw that the others had already finished cleaning up the scene. Only three or four feet were sticking out from the bushes by the wall, and there were some drag marks and bloodstains on the ground.

Anthony still had a somewhat intoxicated expression, as if he had had too much to drink. Seeing Zhang Zhiyuan, he even gave him a thumbs-up, "You guys really… missed out."

"It feels no different than a hunter hunting beasts, right?" Taylor chuckled.

"Or rather, simpler." The light in his eyes had completely changed.

This guy had crossed a line, Zhang Zhiyuan thought to himself. He had seen the same look in the eyes of many criminals.

Qiao.James's expression was much calmer, "It's not time to be satisfied yet. If someone patrols, they'll quickly notice a gap in their defenses. The real target is still inside the theater. We need to find a way in. We can't just walk through the main entrance, can we?"

"You guys are so amazing… it's like you do this all the time…" Zhou Zhi clicked his tongue.

His words sent a chill through the atmosphere.

Finally, the Russian glared at him, "Kid, just because you haven't eaten pork doesn't mean you haven't seen a pig run, right? Besides, these guys probably took drugs. Even an old lady next door would react faster than them."

"Cough, cough, let's get back to business," Taylor interjected, "The main entrance is definitely out. The line of sight is too open there, and we don't know if there are guards inside. There are quite a few windows facing the street. Going through the windows should be a good option."

The others exchanged glances, all agreeing.

"Also, nobody knows what the situation is like inside, so I suggest we split into two groups. Joe and I will be in the open, and Mr. Anthony and Miss Naruko will be in the shadows. Even if we encounter enemies, we won't be exposed all at once."

"Then what about us?" Zhou Zhi asked urgently.

"You haven't even chosen any weapons yet. Just act according to the situation yourselves," Taylor shrugged. "Oh, right, those lookouts just now were carrying weapons, basically hand axes and daggers. The quality isn't great, you can use them for self-defense."

"Uh… okay."

With the plan decided, everyone immediately sprang into action.

The windows were high, about two meters off the ground, but that was no obstacle for them. They formed a human ladder to easily reach them. The windows were locked, but Taylor used a dagger to pry open the wooden bolt in just a few dozen seconds. With a helping hand, they climbed into the room one by one.

The room on the side was small. Judging by its furnishings, it was likely a tea room for guests to chat or rest. For a building like a theater that required a large space, the stage was usually located in the center.

"Damn, it's too dark," Qiao.James grumbled as he moved forward in the darkness, "We should have had those two who still have points exchange for some torches."

"Forget it. With fire, you'll be able to see the path more clearly, but the enemies will also see you more easily," Taylor suddenly stopped. "And I think we've found it."

Qiao.James also noticed a faint light emanating from beneath the door at the end of the corridor.

It was already close to dawn, and it was self-evident who was still busy.

Taylor tapped the floor twice, a signal for rendezvous front and back.

Soon, the other four arrived at the door. They gently pushed the door open a crack, and the spacious theater hall was revealed before them.

In fact, the hall was only separated from their entry point by a corridor.

The scene before them made Zhang Zhiyuan gasp. This was not only the criminals' murder scene but also their execution ground—on the stage stood three wooden posts, and a person was tied to each post. Their mouths were gagged, and no matter how terrified they were, they could only let out low whimpers. Their faces, illuminated by the firelight, were filled with despair, and there were as many as nine criminals surrounding the posts.