Scarlet Descent

“What are you saying, Uncle Yuan? What do you mean by torture?”

Certain that Yuan Guaizi had emptied every bit of information from his mouth this time, Wei Wei’s smile relaxed noticeably, though it remained edged with a cool, professional detachment.

Still, he showed no intention of letting go. After a brief, heavy pause that seemed to stretch time itself, he continued smiling and said,

"But I have one more question. Three years ago, there was a family in Scrap Iron City that worshipped the Life Demon. They kidnapped many children from the southern suburbs as sacrifices to please the demon—and the case caused quite a stir. How much do you know about this case?"

“The family massacre in District 15?”

Yuan Guaizi’s expression froze for a long moment, his eyes flickering with a mixture of pain and resignation. Finally, he replied blankly,

"I really don't know about that—I wasn’t in this business back then..."

"Alright then!"

Wei Wei could tell immediately that Yuan was telling the truth. He smiled in a way that mixed condescension with understanding, withdrew his gun slowly, and then pulled over a heavy, worn blanket from a nearby sofa.

Methodically, he first wiped the blood stains from his gun barrel with deliberate care, then wiped the cold sweat from Yuan Guaizi's forehead using a crumpled handkerchief. Each movement was precise and measured, as if every detail mattered.

Smiling as if the earlier questioning and shooting were nothing more than a casual chat over tea, he said,

"I’ll follow up on this lead. If I have further questions, I’ll come back to consult you, Uncle Yuan." His tone was both reassuring and unyielding.

Yuan Guaizi clenched his teeth and remained silent, his expression darkening with internal torment.

After confirming the address with a curt nod, Wei Wei stood up with a composed smile, carefully pocketed the bullet casing, and then took out his wallet.

"I understand the rules," he said, picking out a colorful ten-yuan bill and stuffing it into Yuan’s hand with a gesture that was almost mocking yet respectful,

"Payment."

Yuan Guaizi looked at the nearly insulting banknote, his chest heaving with a mix of humiliation and sorrow.

Seeing that Wei Wei had turned to leave, Yuan suddenly spoke in a strained voice,

"Wait... How are you sure we have relevant information here?" There was a pause, then a brief silence punctuated by the sound of his labored breathing. "..." "?"

Wei Wei turned his head, his gaze softening as he smiled curiously,

"I'm not sure."

His expression then turned sincere as he looked at Yuan’s wound—now that the bleeding had finally stopped—and added,

"I just don't care about killing you, that's all." His words were as cold as they were honest.

At that moment, hot blood surged anew through Yuan Guaizi's veins. He watched, horrified and resigned, as Wei Wei strode purposefully toward the metal door, completely turning his back on him.

The humiliation of being toyed with, the sting of being looked down upon, and the paralyzing fear of being targeted by a demon all surged in Yuan's heart at once, mingling with his aching pride.

He stretched out his trembling arm to grab his worn metal cane, his hand shaking uncontrollably, then glared at Wei Wei's receding back. His facial muscles twisted and writhed as if in silent agony—like earthworms moving beneath damp soil.

In the workshop beyond, the workers who had been busy moments before now abruptly stood up. They clutched various knives and rusty hooks; some even held chickens with their heads already chopped off—still struggling, their eyes vacant yet alert as they stared blankly and indifferently at Wei Wei emerging from the metal door. A few had bloodshot eyes, and several had already picked up saws with menacing gears that clattered ominously in the tense silence.

Behind them, Ye Feifei’s face was equally pale; the anxiety on her features was unmistakable. At the same time, she had a fierce man pinned under her foot, twisting his arm forcefully while her own gun was held up cautiously as she scanned the surroundings.

Yuan Guaizi’s cramped office boasted excellent soundproofing, yet Wei Wei’s gunshot—unconcealed and echoing—was still loud enough for everyone to hear, rattling the nerves of those present.

Wei Wei walked out as if no one were present, smiling and nodding curtly to the workers, his demeanor cool and implacable.

As he neared a figure blocking his path, the atmosphere in the workshop seemed to solidify into an oppressive, tangible force. Ye Feifei grew so nervous that her face turned an ashen white, and the knuckles on her gun-strapped hand stiffened noticeably.

Then, from behind the metal door came Yuan Guaizi’s weak, powerless voice:

"Let them go." "..."

The workers exchanged long, wordless glances and silently made way. Wei Wei brushed past, then turned back with a wry smile and said,

"Goodbye, Uncle Yuan." His tone was calm, as if bidding farewell to an old acquaintance rather than a broken man.

...

"That was terrifying."

It wasn’t until they got into Wei Wei’s Jeep and drove far away from the factory area that Ye Feifei finally let out a long, trembling sigh of relief,

"Those people... they really seem like they would kill. I—I want to report them to the Guard Office; they’re just too scary." Her voice wavered with both fear and disbelief.

"What?" Wei Wei looked surprised and turned to her,

"Why would you report them?"

Ye Feifei hesitated, blinking slowly, unable to form a proper response. Her mind raced with conflicting thoughts.

"Snakes have their paths, rats have theirs. The mess left by the Twelve Gods Church is enormous. Aside from those recruited by the Foundation and those who fled to join nomadic cults in the wilderness, the remaining clergy and believers are still numerous. They’re scattered throughout this city. As long as they don’t cause trouble, it’s fine. It’s unrealistic to expect them to behave like ordinary people—this chaos is inevitable," Wei Wei explained in a measured tone, his words deliberate and heavy with implication.

"Actually, I understand Captain Ouyang’s approach. For decades, he and his force have been fighting chaos and demons. To keep Scrap Iron City stable, they must compromise and even cooperate with these groups to some extent," he continued, his voice resonant with authority.

"..."

"You..."

Ye Feifei looked at Wei Wei, struggling to understand, and asked quietly,

"Did you get the information you needed?"

"Yes," Wei Wei replied firmly. "Uncle Yuan was quite forthcoming—he told me everything he knew as soon as I asked."

"Ah, this..." Ye Feifei murmured. In that moment, she couldn’t help but recall the wooden expressions of the factory workers and Yuan Guaizi’s gloomy, defeated face. Her worldview seemed to teeter on collapse. Had she really misjudged them? Could these hardened men be kind-hearted despite their fierce appearances?

Remembering the muffled gunshot that had suddenly echoed from inside, she recalled how she had gotten so nervous that she pinned down a man who tried to grab her, almost breaking his arm. Overwhelmed with guilt, she wondered if she should go back and apologize...

Then, she saw Wei Wei turn the car around and drive east. Curiously, she asked,

"Where are we going?" "..." "The farm area in the east of the city," he replied in a calm tone.

Wei Wei smiled and answered,

"Uncle Yuan just gave us a crucial clue."

As he spoke, he recounted every detail Yuan Guaizi had mentioned about the 'Black Goat Family' and the corpse theft case, his tone methodical and precise.

"I know about the corpse theft case..." he said.

Ye Feifei hurriedly added,

"I saw it in the newspaper. Everyone said that the girl was pitiful—dying at the best age and then unable to rest in peace. Her parents were heartbroken, even willing to pay a high price to ransom her body. But I didn't know we were also involved in investigating this matter. However... is this related to the person we're looking for?"

"I don't know either," Wei Wei shook his head slowly. "Our work is different. The distorted desires and thoughts of demon-infected people are beyond ordinary understanding. All we can do is follow every clue and investigate thoroughly."

"Moreover, Scrap Iron City isn’t very big, so the connections between various circles must run deep. If that mine worker is also linked to the Death Demon, then tracking down this group of worshippers might give us new clues."

"..." "Alright then."

Encouraged by Wei Wei’s steady words, Ye Feifei quickly fastened her seatbelt. She sat in the passenger seat, nervous yet determined, as a mixture of anxiety and resolve played across her features.

Wei Wei smiled and glanced at her briefly. While starting the car, he handed her the phone she had tossed carelessly onto the dashboard and said,

"You tell the captain and the others."

"But just give them the address, then turn off the phone after you're done."

"..." "Why?" she asked, her tone a blend of confusion and cautious curiosity.

Ye Feifei seemed to understand every word yet still felt perplexed.

"Individual heroism isn’t ideal," Wei Wei explained with a gentle smile,

"We just got a crucial clue—of course we need to inform the captain and the others."

"Then why turn off the phone?"

"If we don’t, what if they don’t let us go?" "..."

Still unsure, Ye Feifei once again displayed the determination Wei Wei admired. She immediately sent the message, then turned off the phone with a decisive click.

...

"Let's go."

Wei Wei smiled with satisfaction, turned off his own phone as well, stepped on the gas pedal, and drove toward the west.

Scrap Iron City was small—the roads were old, and traffic was sparse. Wei Wei’s driving style was all about squeezing through gaps and overtaking cars; although he hadn’t reached the reckless level of "running every red light," his speed was never slow.

In less than twenty minutes, they reached the edge of the eastern part of the city. Ahead lay a vast area of farms and huge windmills on the plain—like a row of giants wielding broad swords in the sunlight.

Wei Wei slowed the car and carefully scanned the large farms until he identified the target: a medium-sized integrated farm with a rusty iron sign on its gate reading "Sunshine Farm."

It was noon, but the sky was already overcast and gloomy, and a cold wind rolled in from afar, carrying shrill, almost mournful howls.

Inside the farm, expansive fields of deep-green seedlings stretched out in neat patches, exuding a restrained yet persistent vitality. Further in, rows of greenhouses covered with faded plastic sheets appeared, their surfaces dusted with a thin layer of white mist. In the center, an open area contained several tethered dairy cows, while a few stray dogs scavenged near the greenhouses.

Wei Wei rolled down the car window and took a deep, steadying breath as his gaze swept over the farm. Then he turned back with a face full of easy smiles and extended his palm toward Ye Feifei, saying,

"Come on, give me a high five."

"..."

"Huh?" Ye Feifei blankly raised her hand, "What's up?"

Wei Wei gave her a high five with a confident grin,

"You must usually have great luck—letting me share in your good fortune."

"Look, in such a short time, we've already found the place."

"..." "Huh?" Ye Feifei was visibly surprised, her mouth agape, "Me? Good luck?"

She felt an uncertain delight, a fragile hope stirring inside her. Just as she was about to lean forward to get a better look, Wei Wei gently pulled her back.

"Don't startle the snake in the grass," he cautioned softly.

"Who knows how many near-successes have failed because of carelessness at the last moment?"

Ye Feifei immediately looked nervous and murmured,

"Right, right—so what should we do now?"

Wei Wei’s steady gaze swept out the car window, and after a moment’s thought, he pulled out his gun and, in a low, measured voice, said: