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Chapter 27: The Old Industrial Zone
Seventy square kilometers—nearly ten thousand standard soccer fields.
Even if every Coalition soldier in Pingyuan City were mobilized, they wouldn’t be able to fully blockade and surround this place. Rumor had it that District Ten’s officials were lodging a protest against the Coalition, accusing them of infringing on regional sovereignty. This meant the Coalition’s manpower was limited.
Shi Rang swept his flashlight across the seaside industrial park.
Under the relentless assault of the salty sea breeze, many buildings had been reduced to skeletal frames. The ruins of factories sprawled like the carcasses of giant beasts, their once-mighty production tanks now mere silhouettes eroded by time and wind. Wherever the light fell, it revealed overgrown weeds, rusted metal debris, and shards of broken glass scattered amidst the decay.
Simply navigating through this wasteland posed significant risks.
The coastal side of the industrial zone allowed small boats to pass through, while the other end connected directly to a highway, offering both convenient transportation and wide-open terrain. It was indeed an ideal hideout for criminals.
Shi Rang’s heart sank.
He wasn’t afraid of visible obstacles—he could face those head-on. What terrified him was the suffocating fog of uncertainty clouding their path. For two years, he’d wandered aimlessly through such mists, chasing shadows. He knew all too well how hopeless it felt.
How would they find Greyhound and his gang here?
A full day had already passed. Had they fled?
Fortunately, Masked Hero seemed confident.
“I can feel the presence of evil drawing nearer, Mud Truck,” he whispered, crouching low as he squeezed through the gap in the fence, clutching the hem of his oversized coat. “Follow me—I’ll lead the way.”
Shi Rang hesitated, unsure whether shining his flashlight might interfere with Masked Hero’s vision. But seeing how effortlessly the man moved through the darkness, and considering how conspicuous the flashlight beam would be on such a pitch-black night, Shi Rang turned it off and stowed it away.
“Can I hold onto your coat?” Shi Rang asked.
“No need to falter—the embodiment of justice will guide you.”
With that, Shi Rang parked the car at the roadside, gripping Masked Hero’s dampened coat to ensure it didn’t snag on anything as they ventured deeper into the industrial zone.
As they moved stealthily forward, Shi Rang double-checked for cell phone signal in the area. Satisfied, he began discussing their plan with Masked Hero.
“Once we locate them—and assuming they haven’t been alerted—we’ll call the police to handle the arrest. With the Coalition backing them up, even though they’re mostly putting on a show these days, they should still be reliable enough.”
Shi Rang had Scarlett and John’s number, but contacting them to summon reinforcements from the Coalition introduced too many uncertainties. As a lowly journalist, Shi Rang lacked the authority to convince anyone to send a large force. And even if only two soldiers came, it wouldn’t make much difference.
In this situation, District Ten’s local police—flawed as they were—might actually prove more useful. By alerting them first, the Coalition could later intervene based on official channels. It was the best approach.
“Very well. I have no objections to assisting other agents of justice,” Masked Hero replied.
“They’re not exactly ‘agents of justice,’ though…”
The two exchanged quiet banter, which helped ease some of the oppressive tension.
The biting sea wind stung Shi Rang’s cheeks, leaving his mouth dry. In the distance, he heard the rhythmic crash of waves and speculated that Greyhound and his gang must have landed at a hidden dock nearby, using it to transport victims’ bodies.
This factory made for an excellent hiding spot for corpses…
A shard of broken glass crunched under Shi Rang’s shoe as he continued gripping Masked Hero’s seawater-soaked coat. His fingers grew numb from the cold. With nothing else to focus on but following, he scanned the crumbling remnants of old factories around him.
After several minutes of walking, Shi Rang tugged sharply on Masked Hero’s coat.
“Wait a moment.”
“Have you detected traces of evil, Mud Truck?”
“Look at that building.”
Though Shi Rang hadn’t turned on his flashlight, his eyes had adjusted to the faint glow filtering down from the sky. He could now make out the outlines of structures and distinguish darker patches on the ground—puddles filled with rainwater from intermittent showers earlier that day.
His visibility was limited, but one structure stood out starkly among the decaying steel skeletons surrounding it. Unlike the collapsed or half-demolished buildings, this one remained intact, standing squarely with its roof—a classic triangular shape—remarkably undamaged.
“If I were a criminal, I’d choose a place where lights could easily be concealed,” Shi Rang reasoned. “The Coalition is conducting sweeps outside. They might not have left their hideout; perhaps they’re simply lying low until the heat dies down…”
“A righteous infiltration operation!” Masked Hero exclaimed. “Justice infiltrates, ambushes, delivers flying kicks—and then triumphs!”
“You stay put—they’re definitely armed, remember? Once we confirm they’re inside, we call the authorities.”
“Understood completely.”
Still uneasy, Shi Rang followed closely behind Masked Hero as they approached the factory.
Masked Hero’s night vision far surpassed Shi Rang’s, allowing him to navigate smoothly past obstacles. Without his guidance, Shi Rang would surely have been cut by jagged metal or fallen into pits dug long ago for pipes and machinery.
Soon, they reached the factory silently, crouching behind cover to strategize.
“It sounds like there’s movement inside… but it could just be the wind,” Shi Rang murmured uncertainly.
“Perhaps I should go in and scout?”
“Do you think you can handle handguns?”
“If I descend silently from above—”
“Forget it. Let’s come up with another plan.” Shi Rang doubted Masked Hero’s luck from earlier—being washed ashore unscathed—would repeat itself.
Entering an unfamiliar building without proper intel was perilous, especially when facing potentially four armed criminals—or possibly more.
Clang!
A loud noise erupted from the far side of the factory, sounding like a door being yanked open.
Someone emerged, dragging a handcart behind them, creating quite a racket.
Without needing to exchange words, the duo slipped forward under the cover of darkness toward the source of the commotion.
The silence of the industrial zone shattered as the intruders appeared to head deeper inside. Masked Hero quickened his pace, nearly crouching into a sprint, while Shi Rang followed nervously.
Was it Greyhound’s group? Were they escaping?
Should he call the police now? Or contact Scarlett?
Rounding the corner of the factory, several flashlight beams wavered faintly in the distance, occasionally sweeping in their direction. However, the distance ensured the figures couldn’t differentiate between their forms and the surrounding ruins.
Unconcerned with further concealment, the pair pressed onward, trailing the suspects.
The criminals moved toward a more open area—an expanse once reserved for chemical reaction towers. Lacking substantial cover and riddled with pits, Shi Rang and Masked Hero proceeded cautiously, stopping intermittently to avoid detection.
Closer to the sea now, the sound of crashing waves grew louder. In the dim light, Shi Rang spotted a vehicle parked on the cracked pavement ahead.
The sea breeze carried voices drifting toward them.
“Finally, the rain stops, and you idiots can’t even manage this simple task! A ready-made pit, and you let it collapse!” a shrill voice barked, punctuated by a kick to the person pulling the cart.
“Brother Hound, the soil here is loose—it’s always been prone to water seepage…”
“And you dare talk back?”
Brother Hound? Greyhound?!
Shi Rang’s breath hitched as he peeked cautiously from behind a rusted shipping container, keeping a close eye on the group.
There were four individuals in total. Leading them was none other than Greyhound, flanked by a tall figure who Shi Rang recognized as “Brother Johnny,” a minor leader within Blue Signal mentioned in the case files.
After observing for a while, Shi Rang realized what lay piled on the handcart: heavy objects, likely bodies. Long, thin shapes dangled from the edges, swaying with each jolt of the cart. When the wheels caught in a puddle, the criminals scrambled to steady the load, preventing it from spilling.
A chill ran up Shi Rang’s spine.
Those were corpses…
“Justice cannot tolerate such evil deeds!” Masked Hero hissed softly.
“Hold on—I’ll call for backup first. We just need to follow them—” Shi Rang shielded his phone with his body as he dialed emergency services.
“Beep… beep…”
“Alright, move the steel plate aside. Good thing there are plenty of pits around here; otherwise, you’d really catch hell. Just handling a corpse disposal job, and look at all the trouble you’ve caused. Damn the Coalition for sticking their noses in our business right now,” Greyhound growled, hands on hips.
“Hurry up and finish the job so we can leave,” Brother Johnny instructed his underlings.
“Beep… beep…”
The steel plate was removed, and the criminals gathered around the edge of the pit, peering downward.
“This one’s holding up well, though it’s a bit shallow—but no one’s coming to dig here anyway. Toss them down.”
“Beep… beep…”
One by one, the criminals kicked the bodies to the edge of the pit and shoved them in.
As the third body hit the bottom, a weak cry echoed from the depths.
The criminals froze momentarily.
Seconds later, Brother Johnny's cruel laughter rang out. “Looks like we’ve got a faker pretending to be dead!”
One of the henchmen grabbed a shovel intended for filling the grave, raising it menacingly to stab downward.
Suddenly, a thunderous roar split the night air:
“Villains, your atrocities end here—!”
Masked Hero surged forward like a shadow, charging into the fray.
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