The faint morning light filtered through the old residential building's window, casting mottled patterns on the floor. Ryan hadn't slept all night; dark circles shadowed his eyes as the image of the black mist that had lurked on the opposite rooftop last night replayed in his mind. That sinister aura clung like a stubborn taint, making his heart pound even now. After a simple wash-up and changing into a clean shirt, he carefully tucked the protective charm Old Grey had given him close to his body before heading out towards the Gray Hawk Detective Agency.
The morning in Newstar City had shed its nighttime bustle. Only scattered breakfast stalls and early risers were on the streets. Ryan quickened his pace. The wound on his knee felt better after a night's rest, though a slight ache remained when he walked. He had to find Old Grey quickly, to get more clues about the supernatural world and the tycoon's disappearance from him. Otherwise, being marked by dark forces, he would eventually fall into an inescapable predicament.
The door of the Gray Hawk Detective Agency was still slightly ajar, but the usual gloom inside was gone. The moment Ryan pushed the door open, he sensed a completely different aura—a mix of sharp chill and oppressive pressure, distinct from Marcus's dark magic aura but equally unsettling. He instinctively activated True Sight. Inside the agency, besides Old Grey, stood a woman in a black fitted trench coat.
The woman was tall and slender, with short silver hair that looked sharp and efficient. Her features were delicate yet carried an icy aloofness. Her eyes were piercing like a hawk's, fixed intently on Ryan. In True Sight's vision, a faint golden aura shimmered around her, intermixed with a subtle hint of bestial energy, unlike any magical aura Ryan recognized. A silver badge was clipped to her waist, engraved with the same complex rune worn by the people who had stormed the villa last night.
"You are Ryan?" the woman spoke first, her voice cold as ice, devoid of any emotion. "Intern at Gray Hawk Detective Agency, assigned with Marcus yesterday to respond to the call at Tycoon Linden's villa?"
Ryan's heart tightened. He nodded. "I'm Ryan. May I ask who you are?"
"Aella, ESP Detective with the Equilibrium Council, assigned to the Linden disappearance case." Aella's tone remained icy, her gaze scanning Ryan like a spotlight. "According to our investigation, Marcus is a low-level dark magic user directly related to Linden's disappearance, and you were the last person to have contact with him. More importantly, you carry residual dense supernatural energy on your person. Explain: what is your relationship with Marcus? Were you also involved in Linden's disappearance?"
"What? I'm a suspect?" Ryan's eyes widened in disbelief. "No! I'm just an ordinary intern. Yesterday was my first call. I'm a victim too! Marcus tried to kill me to silence me. I only escaped by sheer luck!"
"Ordinary intern?" Aella's lips curved into a mocking arc. "An ordinary intern would carry the dual supernatural signatures of residual dark magic and a system bond? An ordinary intern could escape by sheer luck from a dark magic user's pursuit?" She took a step forward. The golden aura around her instantly intensified, bringing a powerful pressure that made Ryan almost gasp for breath.
Ryan instinctively stepped back, his heart racing. He hadn't expected Aella to see through his system bond. The strength of this Equilibrium Council ESP detective far exceeded his imagination. "I really don't know anything about dark magic or any system," Ryan forced calm into his voice,
attempting to explain. "Yesterday at the villa, I accidentally touched a strange symbol, then was pulled by a force. After I woke up, Marcus tried to kill me. I don't know what happened either."
"A strange symbol?" Aella's eyes narrowed slightly. She turned to look at Old Grey. "Old Grey, your intern here doesn't seem as simple as you claimed."
Old Grey sat behind his desk, still looking greasy. He rubbed his hands together, an awkward smile appearing on his face. "Detective Aella, Ryan here really is just an ordinary intern, just had the bad luck to stumble into this mess. He definitely has nothing to do with Linden's disappearance. You can't wrong an innocent person."
"Whether it's wrongful or not isn't for you to decide." Aella turned her gaze back to Ryan, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Come with me to the Equilibrium Council for investigation. If you're truly innocent, we'll clear your name. If not..." She didn't finish, but the warning in her eyes was clear.
Ryan's heart filled with resistance. He didn't know what the Equilibrium Council was, let alone if there would be danger if he went. But he also knew he had no right to refuse now. Aella's power far exceeded his; if she acted, he had no means to resist.
"Detective Aella, could you give me some time?" Ryan took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "I know some clues about Marcus that might help the investigation. If I go with you, these clues might be missed."
Aella raised an eyebrow, clearly showing a flicker of interest. "Oh? What clues? Let's hear them. If your clues have value, I might consider postponing taking you to the Council."
Ryan organized his thoughts and recounted everything he had seen and heard in the villa: "Marcus had an identical strange symbol on his wrist as the one inside the villa's wardrobe. He also mentioned a scientist named Caron, saying Caron wanted Linden to invest in a 'Magic and Technology Fusion' project, which Linden refused. Also, Marcus had set up a Dark Magic Barrier in the villa. I barely escaped."
Aella's expression grew increasingly grave. When she heard the name "Caron," her brow furrowed tightly. "You're sure it was Caron?"
"Sure," Ryan nodded. "Linden's butler, Philip, said it. He said Caron had visited Linden last week and acted very strangely."
Aella fell silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. After a while, she spoke, "Dr. Caron... obsessed with research on the fusion of magic and technology. Years ago, he was placed on the Equilibrium Council's key surveillance list for conducting illegal supernatural experiments. I didn't expect him to still be active." The look she gave Ryan held a hint of scrutiny. "We will verify the clues you've provided. But this doesn't completely clear your suspicion. After all, the supernatural energy on you is too strong."
Ryan grew anxious and wanted to explain further, but Aella raised a hand to stop him. "Enough. I know what you want to say. From now on, you must cooperate fully with my investigation at all times. You cannot leave Newstar City, nor can you contact any suspicious individuals. If I discover any unusual behavior from you, I will immediately take you to the Equilibrium Council."
"I understand," Ryan nodded helplessly. Although not completely cleared of suspicion, at least he wasn't being taken to the Council immediately. That was the best outcome for now.
Aella took a small black device from her pocket and handed it to Ryan. "This is a location tracker. Wear it so I can know your whereabouts at all times."
Ryan looked at the tracker with reluctance but reached out and took it, putting it on his wrist. Once worn, the tracker automatically tightened, fitting snugly against his skin without any discomfort.
"I'll have someone keep an eye on you. Don't try any tricks," Aella said coldly. Then she turned to Old Grey. "Old Grey, keep your intern in line. Don't let him cause me trouble." With that, she turned and left the detective agency, her black trench coat cutting a sharp arc at the doorway.
After Aella left, the oppressive atmosphere in the agency vanished instantly. Ryan let out a sigh of relief, slumping into a chair, sweat trickling down his temples. "Boss Old Grey, what exactly is this Equilibrium Council? And what's the deal with the dark magic user Aella mentioned, and Dr. Caron?" he asked urgently.
The smile vanished from Old Grey's face, replaced by a grave expression. He took a cigarette from his drawer, lit it, took a drag, and said slowly, "The Equilibrium Council is the organization that manages the supernatural world. They're responsible for maintaining the balance between the human world and the supernatural world, handling various supernatural cases. Dark magic users like Marcus are their primary targets."
"What about Dr. Caron?" Ryan pressed.
"Dr. Caron is a madman," Old Grey's eyes held a trace of apprehension. "He started researching the fusion of magic and technology decades ago. For his experiments, he didn't hesitate to kidnap ordinary people for human experimentation. After being wanted by the Equilibrium Council, he disappeared. I didn't expect him to resurface and stir up trouble now. Linden's disappearance is most likely related to him."
Ryan's heart sank. He hadn't expected so many dangerous figures to be involved behind this disappearance case. Just then, the location tracker on his wrist emitted a slight vibration. Simultaneously, the system's prompt sounded in his mind: "New supernatural energy fluctuations detected around the host. Issuing Side Mission: Investigate Dr. Caron's Past. Mission Description: Collect evidence of Dr. Caron's illegal experiments, understand his true motives. Mission Reward: 50 Shadow Points + 1 Elementary Magic Defense Talisman."
A new side mission! Ryan felt a surge of joy. Completing missions would earn him Shadow Points and magical artifacts, boosting his strength. But he quickly calmed down. Dr. Caron was a dangerous figure wanted by the Equilibrium Council. Investigating his past was undoubtedly walking a tightrope.
What made him even more uneasy was a feeling that, besides scrutiny, there had been a trace of barely detectable suspicion in Aella's eyes earlier. Did she really believe he was innocent? Or was she just using him to lure out Dr. Caron? Moreover, even though Marcus had escaped, the dark forces behind him certainly wouldn't give up. Add the mysterious Dr. Caron to the mix, and his future situation was likely to become even more perilous.
Ryan clenched his fist, his gaze growing resolute. No matter how many dangers lay ahead, he had to face them head-on. He had to complete the system missions quickly, improve his strength, and uncover the truth behind Linden's disappearance to truly clear his name and protect himself. For now, the first thing he needed to do was find more clues about Dr. Caron.