Before Xu Xiaoyou could continue, the call was disconnected.

"Tsk."

Xu Xiaoyou's expression remained calm. With a flick of her fingertip, the big-headed wolf on the window had its throat wiped, and droplets slowly trickled down the mark.

She turned and left.

For the next two days, panic ensued whenever the clock approached 8:15.

Alley Five seemed to have vanished suddenly, not reappearing since the horrific event two days ago.

Over the past two days, there hadn't been any more news like the incident in Alley Five in the city. The disappearance of a few homeless people at night was common and didn't draw much attention.

People living in this world have strong adaptability. By the second day of Alley Five's disappearance, most city residents resumed their daily lives, as if the disaster two days ago was a turned page in history, forgotten by many.

Only those in Zone Nine, upon seeing the empty, desolate high-rise landscape, remembered that nearly ten thousand people had vanished overnight two days ago.

"Mr. Visminsk, do you have any thoughts on Alley Five, which was rated as disaster level by the association two days ago?"

The footage from the news station showed a reporter conducting an interview.

The elderly man being interviewed had deep furrows on his face and wore a single-frame pair of glasses over his shrewd eyes.

"I believe the association has overestimated the danger level of Alley Five. I've researched many grotesque creatures and think the association's assessment is misguided."

The scene behind them was a memorial park, with faint figures mourning in the background, some of whom had relatives who perished in Alley Five.

The sounds of their cries affected the interview, causing the elderly man to frown displeasingly.

The interviewing reporters shared a look of understanding, and one strode over to the memorial park, raising his voice:

"Quiet down your crying! Can't you see we're conducting an interview here? Mr. Visminsk is an expert on bizarre creatures, and if you affect his mood, could you bear the consequences?"

The crowd cast bewildered glances.

The interview continued.

"Do you have any unique insights?"

"I believe that Alley Five is not a developing grotesque creature but rather a cyclically active one," the elderly man said, adjusting his glasses.

"At least its current behavior indicates that its biological activity gradually strengthens over time."

"A month ago, its initial range of influence was just a small alley, and only a few homeless people were victims."

"Until two days ago, its activity peaked, and its scale and danger level reached the highest point, causing that disaster."

"I do not think the Engel coefficient of Corrupt Nest City could produce a grotesque creature with such potential for growth."

"Even in history, where similarly rated disaster-level urban legends descended, they generally appeared in Corrupt Nest Cities with a happiness index far greater and technological advancements, let alone the initial danger was far less than that of Alley Five."

"Therefore, I deduce that Alley Five lacks growth potential. Once its cyclical activity peaks and it completes a large-scale feeding, its scale and danger level will drop to the lowest point, entering a dormant state known as a 'shrinking period.'

The surrounding reporters showed expressions of sudden realization.

"You truly have insights; an expert is indeed an expert!"

"So, I believe there's no need to worry excessively. At least for the next six months, Alley Five will remain in dormancy, and even if it awakens, the death of some lower-tier residents in Corrupt Nest City could be beneficial to its ecosystem..."

Before the elderly man finished speaking, disturbances arose behind him, as the deceased's families and the reporters got into a scuffle, quickly involving the expert.

He was dragged by the hair, knocked to the ground by the angry crowd, and his dentures got knocked out, vanishing in the throng.

Xu Xiaoyou turned off the TV.

"Hey, hey, hey? What are you doing? I was watching that!" Lin Ran protested, waving a fist.

"It's entertaining to see those so-called experts face embarrassment."

Xu Xiaoyou shrugged.

The least reliable are the experts, who enjoy the social resources tilted in their favor and can't speak anything meaningful.

After breakfast, Xu Xiaoyou took Anya out the door.

Before reaching downstairs, she turned around, sounding resigned:

"Youyou, stop following me, okay? I need some personal space too, alright?"

In the corridor, a black-haired girl with sunglasses dressed in casual clothes, covered up tightly, poked her head out, resembling a paparazzi tailing a celebrity.

"Ah? Is it? No way, You, I just happened to be passing by too."

Bai Youyou awkwardly smiled after being caught.

"Alley Five has quieted down these days, so I'm just taking Anya out for a walk, is that okay?"

"Alright, alright, I got it." Bai Youyou didn't say much else.

After all, she had indeed caused some trouble for Xu Xiaoyou over the past few days.

Before leaving, Bai Youyou earnestly reminded: "Try to be back before the afternoon."

"I have something important going on from afternoon to evening, and if something happens on your side, I won't be able to cover you."

Seeing the girl so serious, Xu Xiaoyou half-jokingly asked: "What is it?"

"Catching a criminal."

Bai Youyou's gaze turned cold.

The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.

"Someone reported to me about the criminal's whereabouts and their current hiding spot."

"This time, she won't escape." Bai Youyou gritted her teeth. "I must bring that damn person to justice."

"Is that so?" Xu Xiaoyou nodded. "Well, good luck."

"Alright, You, let's talk later. I gotta go now."

Seeing Bai Youyou walk away, Anya tilted her head in confusion, looking at Xu Xiaoyou.

Xu Xiaoyou showed no expression, simply telling Anya to follow, then proceeded forward on her own.

...

Somewhere on the outskirts of the city.

Weeds grew endlessly, nearly as tall as a person, covering the desolate countryside. The ground supporting these wild grasses was full of sulfides and various microorganisms, emitting an unpleasant odor.

A two-meter-wide pipe continuously poured out black sewage, reflecting varied colors.

This water, polluted by heavy metals, was discharged through the city's sewage network into the suburbs, seeping into the soil and nearby vegetation.

This place seemed forgotten by the city, surrounded by piles of plastic waste stacked like small mountains.

Xu Xiaoyou stepped on the muddy path, looking up, and could vaguely see the figures of a few kids nearby.

Among them, a brave little girl lay on a sewage discharge pipe, her feet stepping into the flowing black wastewater, looking inside with her head raised, but soon let out a scream.

As if suddenly pulled down by something, the girl's body vanished into the pipe's entrance, dragged inside.

The watching children were terrified and rushed forward to grab her hands, pulling her outwards.

But whatever was inside seemed to have endless strength, and just as all the kids were about to be dragged down into the drainage pipe, Xu Xiaoyou approached, gathering a fireball and launching it into the pipe.

A sharp cry rang out from the darkness, like the wailing of a creature.

In the darkness, a crimson tentacle bristling with sharp teeth retracted.

The children were finally freed, looking at Xu Xiaoyou with eyes full of gratitude and admiration.

This sister wasn't tall, uh... maybe due to lack of sleep, seemed a bit listless, with slightly 'dead fish' eyes, but her delicate face, with a strand of hair sticking up on her forehead, had the type of look kids loved. She seemed easy to get along with no matter how you looked at her.

Xu Xiaoyou waved her hand:

"A bunch of brats with undeveloped brains, always thinking about urban exploration, hurry home."

Only then did the kids shrink their necks back and scatter.

Before long, a distant shout came from the weeds:

"Nyah nyah nyah, they say the smaller the chest, the worse the sister's temper."

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