Translator: Cinder Translations
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"Alright," Chen Xiaomeng said with a smile, "Leave me the address, and I'll get a membership to try it out and see if it's as good as you say."
"No problem," Jiang Cheng responded cheerfully, "Just tell me your phone number first," he added with a confident explanation, "After all, I'm part of the elite group, my status is different from ordinary people, so you'll need to make a reservation in advance."
Chen Xiaomeng shrugged and said regretfully, "Then forget it, I hate trouble the most."
The two continued walking and chatting. There were plenty of people on the street, but since they had changed their clothes and appearances, no one noticed them.
After walking down the street and turning a few corners, they saw a two-story building.
The building was in a relatively remote area, surrounded by compacted soil. A wooden board was hung on a pillar next to the door, with the words "Town History Museum" written on it.
"We're here," Chen Xiaomeng said, looking up.
The door was not closed. After standing outside for a moment to observe, they walked inside.
The space inside was fairly large but very simply arranged. A few long wooden tables were placed at the entrance, and there was an area resembling a borrowing desk.
Around them were large wooden shelves, taller than a person, with partitions holding books and materials.
A worker, looking about 20 years old, was lying on a dark table, asleep. A few bound books were scattered on the table.
Jiang Cheng stepped forward and tapped him, "Hey, wake up."
The worker, still dazed and not sure what he had done last night, could hardly open his eyes. "You...?"
Before the worker could finish speaking, Jiang Cheng interrupted him with a stern look. His voice was flat and cold, "Sleeping during work hours, is this your work attitude?"
The worker immediately sobered up. Jiang Cheng's demeanor made it feel as though a superior had come to inspect, especially since the two of them looked unfamiliar and didn't seem like locals.
Although the man in front of him looked ordinary, there was an air of superiority about him, especially the slight curve of his lips.
The worker had seen officials from the county, but none of them had the presence of this man.
He had gotten this job with some help and gifts, so he immediately stood straight, his expression now respectful.
"What can I do for you, sir?" the worker asked cautiously, trying to pretend he hadn't recognized the disguised leader and showing the same good attitude he would to any visitor.
"Do you know about Xiao Shijian Village?" Jiang Cheng casually sat down in the worker's seat, which was still warm.
The worker was stunned for a moment, then slowly nodded after some time, "I know."
"You're quite sharp," Jiang Cheng said as he appraised the worker, narrowing his eyes slightly. "It seems you've figured out our identity."
"You're from the county, here for an inspection," the worker said respectfully, lowering his voice because of the potential need for confidentiality regarding their identity.
He licked his lips and added, "We were notified about it recently, but didn't expect you to come so soon, or in this manner." He forced a smile.
Jiang Cheng didn't explain, leaning back comfortably in the chair and tilting his head, "Twenty years ago, there was a serious case in Xiao Shijian Village. Do you have records of it?"
"Yes," the worker quickly turned and ran towards a dark corner of the room. He brought a ladder, placed it against a rather inconspicuous shelf, and took down a book from the top shelf.
He returned quickly and carefully handed the book over, panting, "Here you go, sir. It's all here, but it might not be very detailed. The more detailed records are only at the police station."
Seeing this, Jiang Cheng and Chen Xiaomeng's brows furrowed.
This wasn't ideal.
Jiang Cheng still smiled, taking the book from the worker with one hand, while his other hand quietly slipped into his pocket to pull out a shiny metal piece, hidden in his palm.
At the same time, Chen Xiaomeng's wrist flicked, and something resembling a hairpin slipped into her hand, which she gripped tightly.
She casually glanced around, observing her surroundings.
The kidnapping case in Xiao Shijian Village happened twenty years ago, a solid cold case. To exaggerate, the case was even older than the worker himself.
The case files were stored at the top of a very remote shelf, requiring a ladder to access, suggesting that very few people had looked at them.
But the worker, who seemed somewhat clueless, had accurately pinpointed the location of the records without referencing any directory, immediately retrieving the correct file.
Jiang Cheng's first instinct was that they had fallen into a trap—that this museum had been infiltrated by someone from the village head of Xiao Shijian Village.
With the enemy in the open and them in the dark, since the confrontation hadn't escalated yet, Jiang Cheng was happy to delay matters. Chen Xiaomeng, on the other hand, was prepared for action, but didn't move just yet.
Jiang Cheng smiled as he began flipping through the file.
Indeed, it recorded the case from twenty years ago. After a brief glance at the overview, Jiang Cheng flipped to the back, and the details matched what they already knew.
It listed the names, hometowns, and locations of the 29 women who had been kidnapped, as well as the methods used.
Of course, more importantly, it recorded their fates after being abducted.
Jiang Cheng flipped through the pages, with Chen Xiaomeng standing by his side, always ready for any unexpected developments.
The worker stared wide-eyed, watching the two.
When Jiang Cheng reached the last page, his finger paused.
This page recorded a woman named Su Ying.
She was 21 years old, a college student from a big city, studying art.
More importantly, according to the record, after she was rescued, her appearance had been destroyed, and her voice was no longer audible.
Because her family was a well-known local noble family, after the incident, her traditional family was so ashamed that they refused to accept her back home.
They only gave her a sum of money and told her to fend for herself.
The subsequent details were vague, only mentioning that she lived nearby but with no specifics on her address or occupation.
This was likely done to protect the poor woman from further harm.
After closing the book, Jiang Cheng looked back at the worker.
Though young, he had disguised himself well enough that even Jiang Cheng hadn't noticed anything wrong immediately.
"What are you staring at?" Jiang Cheng suddenly asked, fixing his gaze on the worker.
The worker froze, unsure why the man's tone had changed so suddenly. "N-nothing. I was just... just curious why so many people have been asking about this case recently?" he said, confused.
Chen Xiaomeng's eyes flickered for a moment. "Has anyone else come to look at these records recently?"
(End of the Chapter)
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