Chapter 1353: A Web Of Doubts

That lazy man left a deep impression on Xu Rong. It was Wu Tao, whom she had met a few times. His infuriatingly lazy demeanor was something she could recognize even if he turned to ashes!

But when she truly recognized that figure from behind, she found it hard to believe.

No matter what.

She couldn't connect this strange, lazy man with the mysterious entity behind the recent terrifying clan extermination incidents. She refused to believe that this person could be so terrifying.

Yet, what she saw was undeniable.

Despite the overwhelming doubts, this was the reality!

Her eyes flickered with uncertainty for a few seconds before Xu Rong, without further thought, sprinted after him!

The shocking truth far exceeded her expectations, and Xu Rong chased after him without hesitation.

Strangely enough.

That lazy figure, though walking slowly, soon vanished into the night as if he had evaporated. By the time she caught up, there was no trace of him anywhere.

Xu Rong couldn't help but doubt herself, muttering in confusion.

"Was I hallucinating?"

As she questioned her own perception, her team members caught up, panting heavily, and asked nervously.

"Captain, where is he!?"

"Didn't you catch up to him?"

At their words, Xu Rong suddenly looked up.

"You all saw someone too?!"

The team members nodded vigorously, responding in unison!

"We saw him!"

"Yes! There was definitely someone there. We only noticed him when we saw you chasing after him. He must be the one behind the recent bloody incidents!"

"What? Captain, you didn't catch up to him either?"

After their barrage of questions, Xu Rong's heart sank.

Indeed.

Everyone had seen that figure. This was no hallucination!

The true identity of the terrifying entity was none other than Wu Tao, whom she had always overlooked and found annoying!

Confirming her suspicions, Xu Rong suddenly grew tense, feeling that Wu Tao was truly terrifying. He had hidden himself so deeply, appearing mysteriously and bizarrely, making her feel an unprecedented sense of dread.

Thinking of Li Weiwei, who was still on surveillance, she quickly pulled out her phone and dialed.

Unexpectedly.

The voice on the other end was calm, as if nothing had happened, making her worries seem unnecessary.

"Captain, what's up?"

Hearing this, Xu Rong felt a slight relief but was plunged into even greater confusion.

"Nothing..."

"Did you see Wu Tao leave the house?"

A yawn came from the other end, sounding somewhat tired.

"Ha..."

"No, I've been watching his house in the neighborhood. His door hasn't moved. That guy's been holed up inside like a turtle, almost putting me to sleep."

He didn't leave?

How could that be...

If he didn't leave, who did I just see?

Was I really seeing things, or was Li Weiwei deceived?

Xu Rong felt a web of doubts tightening around her and quickly pressed for confirmation.

"Are you sure he never left? Is it possible he slipped out without you noticing?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Weiwei's voice suddenly became spirited, full of confidence!

"Impossible!"

"I've staked my reputation on this. I even brought a thermal imaging infrared telescope. Every move of his is under my surveillance. There's no way he could have slipped past me!"

"Captain, don't worry. I'll keep a close eye on this guy!"

Xu Rong grew even more puzzled, her mind a tangled mess.

She knew Li Weiwei's skills well. There was no way she could make a mistake. Keeping an eye on someone was no difficult task for her. If she said Wu Tao hadn't left, then he definitely hadn't.

After all, besides visual surveillance, Li Weiwei had high-tech tools at her disposal.

But if Wu Tao hadn't left, who did she and her team see?

For a moment.

Xu Rong was utterly confused, unable to make sense of it.

Just then.

A startled voice came from the other end of the phone!

"Captain, Captain!"

"That guy just came out!"

"He just walked out of his house and went into the noodle shop in the neighborhood!"

Whoosh!

Xu Rong's eyes widened in disbelief!

Wu Tao was actually in the neighborhood.

But how to explain the figure everyone had seen earlier?

Was it because she had preconceived notions about this man, combined with the recent urgency, that she had mistaken someone else for him?

Xu Rong's mind was in complete disarray. She could only respond in a low voice.

"Keep an eye on him. I'll be back soon!"

She needed to confront him personally and get to the bottom of this bizarre incident. Without waiting for her puzzled team members to ask more questions, Xu Rong hurried back to Pingjiang City.

In less than two hours.

The decisive and efficient beauty captain had arrived at the old neighborhood.

She walked alone toward the apartment building.

After a series of tense knocks, the ninth security door slowly opened.

She finally met the suspect, Wu Tao.

He was as lazy as ever, wearing slippers, shorts, and a messy bedhead. His usual demeanor, which had always annoyed her, now made Xu Rong scrutinize him intently for a full half minute.

Wu Tao, however, remained calm, steady as an old dog, and asked casually.

"What's the matter knocking on my door in the middle of the night? If there's nothing, I'm going to sleep."

His tone and demeanor were so calm, as if he knew nothing, making it impossible to connect him with the terrifying entity that had slaughtered the spirit beings.

If it were anyone else, they might have dismissed it as a misunderstanding.

However.

Xu Rong had been through countless dangers and had sharp instincts. Without letting Wu Tao say much more, she cut straight to the point, asking coldly.

"Was it you who slaughtered the spirit beings tonight!?"

Wu Tao remained calm. As a steady man, he had anticipated various scenarios and had at least a hundred backup plans.

His prepared response came out smoothly and naturally.

"What are spirit beings?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I've been exercising at home and was just about to sleep. How did I end up with someone spouting nonsense? If there's nothing else, I'm closing the door."

With a triple denial, he not only dismissed all suspicions but also subtly provided an alibi, his acting skills so refined that even an Oscar wouldn't be a challenge.

However.

Xu Rong was no pushover.

Her authoritative questioning had even startled Li Weiwei, but this man remained calm, his composure unnaturally steady.

Something's fishy!

No matter what method he used to create an alibi, he couldn't shake off the suspicion!

Xu Rong immediately stepped forward, her eyes sharp with determination.

"It must be you!"

"Stop pretending. The person who appeared by the Qing River tonight was definitely you. I couldn't have mistaken you!"

Faced with the cold-faced woman's relentless questioning.

Wu Tao remained unshaken, his second backup plan silently activated, his prepared lines ready to go.

Just then!

The doorway suddenly flashed with colorful lights, the walls and floor began to twist, and the building seemed to melt like mud, rapidly being swallowed by darkness!

The scene was horrifying, worse than any nightmare!

Even horror movies couldn't compare to the visceral fear that now spread through the hallway, like a freezing winter wind sweeping through!

Xu Rong, though exceptional and a rare talent, was still just a mortal woman. She had never seen anything like this!

Instantly.

The beautiful captain turned pale, instinctively stepping back and looking around, her entire body trembling!