We tracked the footprints all the way to an unfinished construction area where they faded to the point they were almost invisible. I put away the Autopsy Umbrella and turned to the officers beside me, "I'll continue inwards with Xiaotao while the others wait here!"

Although I wasn’t part of the police, the officers obeyed my commands as did Xiaotao. I handed the Autopsy Umbrella to Dali and cautiously proceeded with Xiaotao.

This incomplete residential area was a project that began many years ago. At the time, the plan was to build a stretch of villas in the area, but due to the transportation inconvenience, the rich rejected the idea of purchasing a house so remote from everything else, no matter how well built it was. Thus, the project was eventually deemed a failure. As we walked on, several semi-finished villa structures came into...