Chapter 99: Finding Someone

Chen Ling's brow furrowed deeper and deeper.

It would be one thing if just a steel factory's raw materials were taken, but if this was happening to all factories in the industrial zone, then the problem would be much more severe. Factories were the heart of the Seven Districts. What did it mean for Aurora City to drain their blood dry? Chen Ling's heart gradually sank. Although he didn't know exactly what was happening, it was clear that Aurora City was targeting the Seven Districts.

"I understand," Chen Ling said immediately. "I'll contact Aurora City to see what's going on."

Meng Shi nodded. Chen Ling asked again, "Are you not going to pay these workers' salaries?"

Meng Shi opened his mouth, then finally smiled helplessly. "Officer Chen, we have nothing left in the factory. The last bit of cash on our books isn't even enough to pay their full salaries."

"Not enough?" Chen Ling looked at his face. "How much is enough to pay?"

"At most, enough for a tenth... and that money is for machine maintenance. If we pay that out, the machines will break down from lack of maintenance, and the loss would be enormous."

Chen Ling didn't respond. He continued to calmly stare into Meng Shi's eyes, as if trying to see right through him. Meng Shi felt a chill run down his spine. Just then, Chen Ling spoke slowly.

"You're lying."

"...What?"

"I'll give you one more chance."

Chen Ling reached into his embrace, and the next moment, a black gun barrel was pressed against Meng Shi's forehead. His voice was utterly cold. "I'll ask you again, how much of the funds on the books is enough to pay?"

This scene instantly terrified the others. They didn't understand why Chen Ling, who had been talking so calmly, suddenly drew a gun. But he was an enforcement officer from District Three, so they were both scared and submissive. Even with their leader held at gunpoint, they didn't dare to take half a step forward. As for Meng Shi, he was utterly petrified. His face was ashen, and his legs began to tremble. Chen Ling, of course, wouldn't suddenly make things difficult for Meng Shi. He did this because his Secret Eye's extreme ability for detailed observation allowed him to see Meng Shi was lying at a glance.

"Enough... enough for half," Meng Shi quickly said. "When the factory manager left, there really wasn't much cash on the books. At most, it would only cover five or six days' salary."

Chen Ling stared at Meng Shi for a moment. Only after finding no traces of lies in his micro-expressions did he slowly say, "Then pay them the money first." If they couldn't provide work or pay salaries, how could these workers blocking the entrance possibly give up?

As it turned out, the identity of an enforcement officer was extremely effective in District Three. After all, Chen Ling possessed absolute enforcement authority; if he wanted to, even if he had shot Meng Shi dead just now, there wouldn't have been much punishment.

Having narrowly escaped death, Meng Shi dared not delay. He frantically took the last of the cash from the safe and, with his subordinates, went to distribute it to the workers gathered at the entrance.

Chen Ling walked to one of the large machines and lifted a corner of the plastic sheet covering it, revealing the heavy, steel-scented body beneath. He ran his hand lightly over its surface; it was damp and cold. Chen Ling looked at the faint layer of moisture on his fingertips, a flicker of doubt in his eyes.

Just then, a clamor came from the entrance. Seeing this, Chen Ling walked straight towards the entrance. He saw that the crowd who had been blocking the iron gate now completely surrounded Meng Shi and his subordinates, who were distributing money. Their emotions were running high.

"What good is this small amount of money to us??"

"Yeah, without work, this money will only last a few days... We want to go back to work!"

A small portion of the people took the money, their expressions noticeably better than before. But another portion remained unwilling to accept it. One was a few days' worth of salary, the other was a steady job that could support their families indefinitely. No matter how they looked at it, the latter was more important.

Meng Shi was drenched in sweat. He wanted to go straight back inside and close the gate, but seeing Chen Ling's indifferent gaze from inside the factory, he steeled himself and tried to persuade them: "The factory really has no raw materials now. Even if you cause a scene here, you can't resume work... I will contact Aurora City. Once the materials are in place, I will definitely have you all come back to work immediately..."

"When can we resume work?"

"This... probably in the next couple of days?"

Hearing this, the crowd's expressions finally softened a little. They counted the coins in their hands, exchanged glances, and then turned to walk towards the street.

Zhao Yi, carrying a banner, was about to leave, but turned back and added fiercely, "We'll be back tomorrow."

Seeing that the group had finally left, Meng Shi let out a long sigh. He looked bitterly at Chen Ling, who was walking out of the factory, and hesitated to speak.

"I will go negotiate with Aurora City," Chen Ling said proactively. "You all guard the factory and be ready to resume work at any time."

After saying this, he walked out of the steel factory and headed towards the surrounding large factories.

In the misty fog, Meng Shi stood at the main entrance of the steel factory, the surroundings falling into a dead silence.

"Sigh..."

"Brother Meng, what do we do now?"

Meng Shi frowned deeply. He watched the receding backs of the crowd and said through gritted teeth, "What else can we do? We can't stay here anymore, let's go quickly."

"What about the factory?"

"Who cares about it? The factory manager abandoned us and ran off. Can this factory even reopen?" Meng Shi hurried into the factory. "Luckily, there are still some valuable things left. Getting a train ticket shouldn't be a problem..."

As he spoke, he rummaged through the factory manager's office. Just then, a dull thumping sound came from the workshop.

Thump, thump, thump—

"Who's there? What's all that knocking?"

Thump, thump, thump—

Meng Shi, who had been engrossed in his search, looked up at the window, anger flashing across his face. Through the glass, he could see that the dim workshop was empty. The few subordinates who had been following him were also nowhere to be seen. A flicker of doubt crossed Meng Shi's eyes. He slowly stood up, about to open the door, when a cold, raspy, bizarre voice, like grinding steel, came from outside the door:

"I've come... to find someone..."

"I already told you, the factory manager has gone to Aurora City. Is there any point in you harassing us here??" Meng Shi heard this and immediately thought it was the group who wanted to resume work, and a headache started to throb.

"I've come... to find someone..." The voice sounded again, and it seemed to be getting closer.

"Damn it!" The anger Meng Shi had suppressed finally erupted. He walked to the office door, yanked it open, and demanded, "Are you ever going to stop? Who do you want to find—"

Meng Shi's voice abruptly cut off. Outside the office door stood a black, faceless shadow, like a centipede standing upright. Countless slender claws spread out to its sides, and where its mouth should be, a dark red blood-hole slowly writhed. And the voice came hoarsely from that blood-hole.

"The Scarlet Master of the Ghost Mockery Abyss; the Faceless King who scoffs at fate."