Coffin?

Jason's eyes narrowed, thoughtful.

The most direct meaning of this message is nothing more than the 'coffin' itself.

And what does the 'coffin' represent?

The dead!

Edward fits this criterion exactly.

So, does this message refer to Edward?

Jason doesn't think it's that simple.

The detective had bought the 'coffin' doll three days in advance, and it took three days to clearly explain that it was 'Edward' more directly, without going around in circles.

Or rather......

At that time, the detective could not explicitly say the name 'Edward', and could only allude to 'Edward' in an indirect way?

Thinking of this, Jason looked at John and motioned for him to continue.

"After the first three people died, then the deaths did not appear."

"But none of them have any valuable clues."

"As time went on, everybody gave up."

"And the rumor that 'Missing Edward' has become a rumor in the underworld."

John recounts the news he bought from the message monger.

People after that didn't die?

Didn't find any valuable leads either?

Could it be that finding a 'valuable clue' will bring 'death'?

Jason groaned.

"I need to go to that old mansion."

After a moment, Jason said.

"Together."

John didn't say anything more and just started the car.

For John, Jason was already a friend.

He wouldn't let his friends walk to the countryside.

At John's speed, Jason soon arrived at the Edward's old house.

After the baptism of fire last year, the old mansion has long lost its original appearance, and Jason can only guess the prosperity of the Edward family from the rather extensive, but dilapidated foundation of the courtyard wall and the patches of scorched earth.

Judging from the floor area, the mansion of the Edward family can be called a manor.

Gardens, fountains, parking lots, and much more.

In an open area, there are also swimming pools, basketball courts and other facilities.

Moreover, Jason also saw the remnants of stable-like buildings.

Jason wasn't surprised.

Isn't it normal for a wealthy man who can afford to open a bank and own minerals to have a few thoroughbreds?

It's just that......

The remnant, wafting smell of 'food' in the stables was abnormal.

Jason grinned, and a smile appeared.

He searched for the residual scent of 'food', and walked step by step into the ruined manor, straight to the stable.

John followed, looking around warily.

With the previous investigation, John was able to confirm that 'Edward's disappearance' was not something that went missing, but that there was something deeper involved.

John is retired.

But that doesn't mean he's incapable.

On the contrary, after retirement, John became stronger and stronger.

There are no high-intensity tasks, and John maintains the way he exercised before retirement, and he has relaxed and become stronger naturally.

A P30L appeared in his hands.

This is a military pistol that has been modified and increased in ammunition capacity.

Like the two spare Glock pistols he hid at his waist, they were his usual firearms.

He didn't know what Jason had found inside the stables.

However, he was ready to shoot.

Under John's watchful eye, Jason walked back and forth inside the collapsed stable.

Not that kind of search!

Just walking!

From time to time, he still sniffs his nose.

Searching for strange tastes?

Surprise flashed in John's eyes.

He'd seen people who were gifted enough to search by smell, and, after training, were far more powerful than the best hounds.

After all, no matter how good a hound is, it can't communicate with people.

"Does Jason have similar abilities?"

"So he was a 'seeker' before?"

"Or 'trackers'?"

John thought silently.

He became more and more curious about Jason's former career.

As for Jason's current career?

John said that he wouldn't believe that a guy wearing an ice hockey mask and wielding a machete would be a writer.

Although writers have all kinds of quirks, such as when writing, they like to be barefoot, wear big pants, eat and drink in the name of collecting wind from time to time, and then eat bad stomach to ask for leave to rest.

But you will never wear a hockey mask and wield a machete!

It's impossible to be inspired!

Just as John was guessing, Jason stopped.

"Found it!"

As Jason said this, he bent down and removed the rubble that obscured his vision.

Soon, a concrete floor appeared in Jason's field of vision.

Knock, knock!

Jason raised his hand and tapped, making a hollow sound.

"Secret passage?"

"I'll go get the hammer."

John said.

The mechanism in front of you is obviously opened from the inside, and if you want to enter from the outside, you will inevitably need to destroy it violently.

Jason waved his hand.

"Don't be that troublesome."

The words fell, and Jason, who was squatting there, smashed down with a punch.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As soon as the punch went down, cracks appeared in the concrete floor.

Then the second punch made this crack continue to spread.

After the third punch, the top layer of the concrete floor was completely cracked.

Jason wiped the layer away, and then smashed it down with another punch.

John, who was standing on the side, watched this scene in a daze.

He looked at the concrete floor that was gradually smashed open, and then at Jason's unscathed fist, and couldn't help asking:

"Jason, are you sure you're a writer?"

"Of course!"

"I wrote 'Cross Street Stalker'!"

"You've seen it!"

Jason replied without looking up.

Hearing such an answer, a wave of energy naturally rose in John's heart that he wanted to spit out.

"Do you know why, for ten years, you've only written a small range of books that are okay, but never reached the bestseller level?"

"Why?"

Jason asked subconsciously.

"Because, you don't have yourself as the protagonist!"

"Believe me, art comes from life!"

"When you are the main character – the name 'Jason' will become an indelible symbol."

John said solemnly.

"Really?"

Jason said as he spoke, and then his clenched fist slammed out again.

The fragrance in the nose is getting stronger!

He can't wait!

Bang!

Another punch was smashed, this time with the rattle of cement, and the door of the secret passage was smashed open.

Jason looked inside, and after confirming that there was no danger, he reached out and directly clasped the smashed hole, and then pressed his arm.

Suddenly, a cement block the size of a round table was lifted by Jason.

Then, casually tossed aside.

Boom!

John felt the ground tremble a few times.

Looking at the huge cement block, the corner of John's eyes jumped.

He assessed Jason's strength.

Then, he immediately made up his mind: never to melee with Jason.

Be sure to distance yourself and solve it with firearms.

Then he thought of Jason's fist smashing unscathed on the concrete floor.

Suddenly, another one was added: with armor-piercing shells.

Thinking in his heart, John couldn't help but speak.

"Ever heard of 'Stalkers'?"

Trackers are only circulated within some of the top organizations in the Underworld.

And for the average person, they know only one other name: the punisher!

"Nope."

Jason shook his head.

He really hadn't heard of it.

Moreover, his attention had already been attracted by the underground secret room.

A straight ladder is in front of you.

There was a thick layer of ash on it, but some parts of the sides of the ladder and the crossbars were as clean as new.

When he saw this scene, Jason's mind was reminded of the situation not long ago, when someone climbed a ladder to get out of here!

This time will not be too long, not more than a day.

Even, in a matter of hours!

"Who could it be?"

Jason whispered, not choosing the ladder, but jumped down and stood firmly underneath.

The height is no more than 3 meters, which for Jason is about the same as the next step.

And with the help of the light above his head, Jason, who had an extraordinary perception, instantly took the secret room in front of him into his eyes.

The chamber is about the size of a basketball court.

The walls are smooth, there are no extraneous ornaments, only a tall statue is placed in the center!

The scales are clear, coiled and sinking, and it looks like a snake.

It's just that......

This snake has two heads!

Two heads stretched out from the coiled body, facing each other left and right, the snake's head looking down slightly, the snake's eyes staring at the center of the snake's coiled body, and a pair of footprints clearly extending from there to the ladder.

Once again, the dust proves this.

And of course, more importantly, this two-headed snake statue!

This is where the smell of 'food' comes from, but when Jason gets closer, he finds that the smell of 'food' in front of him is not only rapidly fading, but also has a rancid sour smell.

The latter has just emerged.

Suppressed by the residual aroma of 'food', it can only be smelled when you get closer.

"Jason, Jason?"

John's shouts came from overhead.

"Safety."

Jason replied and walked towards the position of the two-headed snake statue.

Behind him, John climbed the ladder and walked down, an extra flashlight in his hand.

After looking around, John's flashlight locked onto the two-headed snake statue.

Then, when he and Jason got close to the statue and saw clearly what the two heads were looking at in the middle of the two-headed snake's body, he couldn't help but lock the gun in his hand.

Coffin!

In the middle of the body of the two-headed snake, the place where the two heads looked at it was a coffin.

At this moment, the coffin lid has been half-opened, and a figure looms inside.

Jason bent down, inspected the surroundings, and removed the lid of the coffin completely.

Suddenly, the 'figure' inside the coffin was completely revealed.

That 'figure' is not a human at all!

Rather, it is a 'wrap' sewn from 'snakeskin' in the shape of a humanoid.

On the snake skin, the snake scales are obvious and the lines are clear, even if this 'package' has been cracked at this moment, it still has an inexplicable sense of 'freshness'.

From the outward bulge marks, John could be sure that someone had come out of it, and then, he subconsciously checked the thickness of the dust around him.

Judging by the seal here, it will take at least a year, or more, for dust to accumulate to this extent.

And it is impossible for a living person to be sealed in the skin of a snake for so long.

Plus the coffin!

Dead person!

A dead man went out of here not long ago!

John, who came up with this answer, breathed slightly.

But it was back to normal in no time, and there was a light in his eyes that had never been seen before.

"Is the dead resurrected?"

He muttered to himself.

"The resurrection of the dead?"

"This is not a resurrection."

"It's ......"

"Reincarnation!"

Jason stared at the inside of the coffin, which was composed entirely of pictorial language.

The proficient level of [Tufu Language] is enough for Jason to recognize some simple combinations of words.

Inside the coffin, there are words for 'reincarnation' and 'snake'.

Jason looked up at the statue of the two-headed serpent.

It just so happened that the eyes of the two snake-headed statues at this angle were also staring at Jason, looking at the lifelike snakehead that showed hideous in the darkness of the underground.

Relying on the proficient level of [Tufu Language] Jason is not enough to understand the entire ritual, but he can roughly guess the 'mystery' and some foundations of the ritual's construction.

For example, the 'statue' of the two-headed serpent in front of you was once alive.

It's a real two-headed snake!

It's just that after being poured with copper juice, it was made into a statue in front of him.

Moreover, this two-headed snake has been manufactured for at least 100 years.

That's why it gives off a faint smell of rotten food.

Of course, more importantly, the 'person' in the coffin absorbed the power of the two-headed snake through the ritual and carried out 'reincarnation', which accelerated the speed of decay of the two-headed snake.

It is precisely because of this that he missed a 'snack meal'.

Jason could tell from the residual 'food' aroma that this two-headed snake must be delicious!

Jason could almost see the kebabs, the soup, and so on gone.

"Huh."

Jason let out a chuckle.

This chuckle woke up John, who was thinking about the meaning of 'resurrection' and 'rebirth'.

He looked at Jason's face looming in the glow of the flashlight, and a chill ran down his back.

He felt like he saw a hungry beast open its mouth.

"Jason?"

John asked tentatively.

"It's fine."

"It's just that I lost a 'snack meal' that should exist, which makes me a little unwilling."

"But ......"

"I'm sure I'll make it up soon!"

Jason said with great certainty.

With that, Jason walked outside.

There's nothing to see here anymore.

As for the rotten food?

Although he loves food very much, Jason will never eat bad food, and he also has a bottom line.

"Did the three people who died before find this place?"

On the way back, John asked.

"I don't know."

"Maybe here."

"Maybe something else."

Jason shook his head, he couldn't tell from the existing clues what the three people found out that they would be killed, and there was another point that made Jason wonder.

The other party is working so hard, what is the purpose of arranging these?

Jason was thinking about it as he boarded the car.

John, who was sitting in the driver's seat, was about to speak and stopped, and after several times, John finally asked.

"Who's in that coffin?"

Faced with John's inquiry, Jason was stunned-

"The answer is obvious, you don't know?"

(End of chapter)