The hallway light flickered once more before plunging into darkness. The only illumination came from the glow of Shen Chen's phone screen, still displaying Liu Zhiqiang's disconnected call.
Wu Xue clutched at Shen Chen's sleeve, her entire body trembling. "He's here," she whispered again, voice barely audible.
Shen Chen exchanged a glance with Li Hao, who swallowed hard. "Check the breaker," Shen Chen ordered, his tone firm despite the unease creeping up his spine. Two officers hurried toward the electrical panel at the end of the hall.
A sudden creak echoed from inside the apartment. Everyone turned at once.
The closet door—where Liu Zhiqiang's suit had been hanging—was now slightly ajar.
Shen Chen moved forward slowly, signaling the others to hold their positions. His heartbeat pounded in his ears as he reached for the door handle, fingers tightening around the cool metal. With a sharp inhale, he pulled the door open.
Nothing.
The closet was empty. The suit that had been hanging there was gone.
"No way…" Li Hao muttered, stepping closer. "We all saw it. The suit was right there."
A sharp gust of wind blew through the room, rattling the windows. But the windows were closed.
Wu Xue let out a strangled gasp and pointed. "The floor!"
Shen Chen followed her gaze. A single wet footprint had appeared just beyond the closet, as if someone had stepped out—then vanished.
The radio on Shen Chen's belt crackled suddenly, and a panicked voice came through. "Captain! You need to come outside! Now!"
Shen Chen didn't hesitate. He turned on his heel and bolted down the hallway, the others right behind him. As they reached the building entrance, they skidded to a halt.
The night air was thick with mist, and in the dim glow of the streetlights, a figure stood at the far end of the lot.
Tall. Motionless. Watching.
Shen Chen raised his flashlight and aimed it at the figure. The beam cut through the fog—
The man was wearing Liu Zhiqiang's suit.
And then, as if melting into the shadows, the figure simply disappeared.