Chang Wei...

He was clearly a doctor with a high income.

Yet, he chose not to purchase property in the bustling areas of Small City, insisting instead on living in the hospital's dilapidated dormitory.

That would have been one thing.

But after the hospital fire destroyed more than half the building and it was converted into a Mental Hospital, he remained steadfast, refusing to leave and continuing to dedicate his heart and soul to the place.

What kind of spirit was this?

It was fortunate that Small City didn't hold any "Top Ten Outstanding Individuals" awards.

Otherwise, this doctor named Jack White would certainly have made the list.

"Shall we investigate now?" Zhou Zhenguo asked.

Night was approaching; if they delayed even a little while infiltrating the Mental Hospital, it would be dark.

The several "accidents" that had occurred all took place at night.

"There are too many eyes and ears during the day, making it hard to move. Besides, fortune favors the bold! Since we've already been targeted, the longer we drag this out, the more disadvantageous it becomes for us."

Xiao Chu said earnestly, "It's better to take the initiative. I doubt Jack the Ripper expects us to strike tonight."

He paused and looked at Tang Luo: "Master, what do you think?"

What he said was true.

But whether to go deep into the facility ultimately depended on the opinion of Xuanzang, their strongest combatant.

In Xiao Chu's mind, Master Xuanzang was even more capable in a fight than Uncle Zhou.

Tsk, the prestige of a veteran God and Demon Walker.

"Very well, this monk will do his best to ensure your safety," Tang Luo said.

He could not let an opportunity to earn merit points slip right before his eyes.

It was all fate.

As he spoke, Tang Luo consumed a portion of his merit points to bestow a layer of protection upon the two of them.

It would allow them to withstand a blow or two if they encountered danger, giving Tang Luo more buffer time to save them.

These merit points came from the events of last night.

A portion had been used by Tang Luo to heal his injuries as per usual, and the remainder was being used now, depleting his reserves entirely.

The location of the Mental Hospital was not particularly remote, but the surrounding area was dilapidated, even desolate.

The original residents had gradually moved away after the fire and the hospital's conversion into a mental institution.

No one wanted to be woken up in the middle of the night by the wailing and howling of patients.

Not to mention the incidents where patients had escaped and harmed others.

The hospital consisted of three main buildings, forming an open-ended "mouth" shape.

It was surrounded by a perimeter wall, which had been modified after the conversion.

The original structure—a curved stone base topped with iron railings—had been replaced by a stone wall over three meters high, topped with more than a meter of sharp barbed wire.

Only one thick iron gate and a small side gate allowed for normal entry and exit.

Standing from a distance, one could see the tangled, upward-reaching branches of a bare tree inside the walls.

Tang Luo and his companions were outside the Mental Hospital, and for the moment, they heard no sounds of patients crying.

"Master, how should we get in?"

After circling the perimeter and finding no way inside, they returned to the vicinity of the deserted gate, and Xiao Chu looked at Tang Luo.

Zhou Zhenguo shook his head, indicating he had no way in, and likewise looked at Tang Luo.

"Let's go in through the gate."

Tang Luo thought for a moment and said.

"That would make too much noise," Zhou Zhenguo said.

He did not doubt that Tang Luo had the strength to kick the small iron gate open.

But the commotion that would cause was far too great.

They were here to sneak in and investigate, not to charge in and cause a scene.

Master, please be reasonable.

"It is fine, there is a way to do it quietly." Tang Luo walked up to the small iron gate and placed his hand upon it.

At this hour, the doctors, nurses, and orderlies of the hospital had all finished their shifts.

Only a skeleton crew remained on duty.

Both the large and small iron gates were locked tight.

There were no guards or similar figures to be found.

The teeth-gritting sound of metal deforming and the crisp snap of breaking parts followed one after another, yet the noise vanished into thin air after traveling only five or six meters.

It was not even as loud as the occasional cawing of a crow.

The small iron gate was slowly pushed open by Tang Luo; it was indeed a method that made very little noise.

"All right."

Tang Luo said, withdrawing his hand and stepping inside the iron gate.

"Hiss..."

Taking a closer look at the iron gate, Zhou Zhenguo gasped.

There was an enlarged palm print on the door, left behind by Tang Luo when he pressed against it.

Behind the door, the sturdy lock and its components were completely destroyed, having lost all function.

Such terrifying force.

Xuanzang, and you still say you aren't a veteran!

The hospital consisted of three main buildings, forming a "mouth" shape that was open at the top.

However, it was inverted, facing the iron gate.

Facing the buildings, the one on the left had half of its structure collapsed, while the remaining half consisted mostly of charred frames.

That was Hodge's "masterpiece."

The middle building had also been affected; where it connected to the burnt building, the charred marks on the exterior wall were very obvious.

The interior had likely been partially incinerated as well.

But on the whole, it remained intact and was still in use.

According to the information Tang Luo and the others had obtained.

Over the years, the hospital had taken in a total of over one hundred patients.

There were no cases of successful discharge.

There were over thirty medical staff members, and no more than ten were on duty at night.

In the vast hospital, apart from the occasional crow's caw, it was deathly silent; not even the wailing of patients could be heard.

As night approached, not a single light turned on.

It exuded a sense of eerie terror.

It made Xiao Chu feel a bit of regret.

But words once spoken are like spilled water; how could a man say he couldn't do it?

Since he was already here, he had to bite the bullet even if he was afraid.

He vividly and figuratively interpreted the act of "I'm courting my own death."

At first, Xiao Chu, Zhou Zhenguo, and the others were still sneaking around, constantly hugging corners and the like.

But after wandering around inside the building for a while, their movements became bolder.

The reason was simple: there were fewer than ten staff members on duty, which was too small a number compared to the entire hospital.

The two buildings still in use each had five full floors.

After all, it used to be a normal hospital, so the scale was truly not small.

"How come it feels like there are so few patients? Didn't they say there were over a hundred?" Xiao Chu whispered.

Zhou Zhenguo shook his head, indicating he didn't know either.

It wasn't just that they hadn't seen medical staff; the number of patients they had seen was also very small.

Along the way, except for two patients fast asleep in locked wards.

They hadn't even seen a shadow of a person.

"Hey! You guys—"

Just then, a man wearing white clothes appeared around the corner ahead, dressed like a medical staff member.

Seeing the three strangers, Tang Luo and the others, he was immediately startled.

"Oh no!"

Zhou Zhenguo's reaction was still very fast; he immediately stared at the man, wanting to activate his ability as quickly as possible.

But Tang Luo was faster than Zhou Zhenguo.

He crossed the distance of nearly ten meters in a single stride, arriving right in front of the man.

"Swish!"

A document was unfolded by Tang Luo: "Don't panic, we are detectives here to investigate."

"Huh?"

The man froze for a moment, then took a closer look; it was indeed a document issued by Scotland Yard.

Zhou Zhenguo stopped using his skill.

A stealthy infiltration had been turned into an above-board investigation by Tang Luo in the blink of an eye.

Was this even a thing?

Was "a monk does not tell lies" really meant to be used in this kind of situation?

"What are you here to investigate?"

After confirming that the identities of Tang Luo and his companions were genuine, the man asked, his expression guarded and cold.

Come to think of it, this man was tall and burly, with a face full of thick, coarse flesh.

He looked more like a thug than a medical worker.

But considering this was a Mental Hospital, there was certainly a need to restrain manic patients.

Having such a hulking orderly around seemed perfectly normal.

"A very important case that occurred this morning. Is the person in charge of the hospital here?" Tang Luo said. "I mean Dr. Jack White."

"Mr. White is on duty at the hospital every night," the man said. "But Scotland Yard already disturbed him once at noon. He is very tired and has already gone to rest. You should come back tomorrow."

"I said it is a very important case."

Tang Luo said, "We need to see Mr. White right now."

"Hmph!"

The big man sneered, "It seems I made it too complicated. Let me put it simply: get lost, you—ah!"

The final sound transformed into a shrill scream.

The big man knelt before Tang Luo, one arm stretched upward.

His other hand rested on top of it, trying to exert force but failing, merely hanging there in vain.

Tang Luo gripped the big man's forearm and spoke: "It seems I didn't make myself clear either. This is a demand, not a request. Understand?"

Feeling as though the bones in his forearm had shattered into a pulp, the intense pain left the big man without even the strength to stand.

As Tang Luo let go, the big man collapsed onto the ground.

Before he could struggle to get up, Zhou Zhenguo had already walked over and crouched beside him, pressing his revolver against the man's head: "Lead the way."

The big man gasped heavily, unable to hide his expression of agony, and nodded repeatedly.

Xiao Chu, standing behind them, was dumbfounded.

These two—

They were too barbaric!

What happened to the stealthy investigation we agreed on!

Brutes!

The big man led the way in front, his lower back being poked from time to time by the revolver in Zhou Zhenguo's hand, a reminder not to try anything funny.

Xiao Chu leaned in close to Tang Luo and whispered: "Master, isn't being this direct a bit too dangerous?"

This place was very likely the base of operations for Jack the Ripper.

A Mental Hospital was the perfect location for the headquarters of a mysterious, evil organization.

Sneaking in was already a high-risk gamble.

With Tang Luo acting like this, they might just be walking straight into the lion's den.

"Perhaps."

Tang Luo smiled, his expression gentle. "If we truly encounter danger, you two leave first. I will cover your retreat."

Treat your companions with the warmth of spring, and treat your enemies with the ruthlessness of an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.

"Hodge is dead, and the gift wasn't delivered. You're panicking, aren't you?"

As they walked, Zhou Zhenguo suddenly asked.

"What offering? What are you talking about?"

The big man did not turn his head, his voice strained with pain, laced with anger and confusion.

"Heh."

Zhou Zhenguo chuckled, reached out to grab the man's shoulder, and leaned close to his ear. "I said 'gift', not the 'offering' mentioned in the letter."

The big man's face changed drastically, realizing that he had let something slip due to his pain and tension.

"It seems you know quite a bit." Zhou Zhenguo nodded with satisfaction.

After multiple probes and attempts to catch the suspect off guard, he had finally succeeded this time.

His joy was no less than that of an old man finally having a son.

Xiao Chu was also very happy.

Yet, after this joy faded, both of their expressions turned grave once more.

Because the mission was still not complete.

Next, they would likely need to brave a den of dragons and a nest of tigers to truly finish the task.

Could it be that they are required to wipe out the entire Jack the Ripper organization?

Let us hope the difficulty is not that high.

Thanks to Night Shadow Wanderer, Immortal Seal, Book Friend 150825, and No One No Words No Matters for the tips!