Chapter 52: Shadows in the Dark

"I went through your documents. You're from Bo City, and you're called Light, is that right?" The old man's chuckle echoed through the dimly lit office, his aged voice carrying a strange warmth.

"Yes." Light replied with a steady voice, his gaze fixated on the man before him. The room had an air of mystery, dim lighting from an old lantern on the desk casting flickering shadows across the walls.

The old man smiled, his face crinkling into deep wrinkles. "The knowledge that my granddaughter has is not comparable to normal people. She would naturally be a little bit arrogant. If there's anything you feel is offensive, please don't take it to heart," the old man said, his tone gentle but commanding respect.

Light nodded slightly. He wasn't one to take offense easily, especially not when he could see the impressive resume of the Clearsky Hunter Agency on the table before him. He had heard tales of this agency – not just in Shanghai but across the nation.

"The opposite party has already paid 100,000 RMB for this commission, the other 200,000 RMB will be received after the commission is done. Our Hunter Agency is different from the other Hunter Agencies. The commission doesn't collect any communal cost. After you've finished the mission, you and Lingling will share the pot. 150,000 RMB will be sent to your bank account," the old man explained.

Light wasn't in this for the money, but 150,000 RMB wasn't something he could ignore, especially for what appeared to be a relatively easy mission. "The commission is only for a night, and the primary mission is to protect the child of a family. For an Advance Magician, this shouldn't be too difficult," Light thought to himself.

Old Bao's eyes twinkled as he leaned back in his chair. "Our Clearsky Hunter Agency is not only famous in Shanghai but all across the nation. A commission of 300,000 RMB is only the lowest level. You and Lingling are still young, so you can start with these small things. Once you've matured, I will assign you bigger things to do."

Light couldn't help but admire the old man's confidence. He wasn't wrong either. Clearsky Hunter Agency was indeed a major player in the world of hunters. "Lingling went to look for the data, you can sit here and wait for a bit. There's also an empty room in the attic if you'd like to stay there. I am the President of Clearsky Hunter Agency, Old Bao," the old man added, his tone welcoming.

Light nodded and settled into the chair by the window, his eyes scanning the second floor, which resembled an ancient library. It was filled with shelves of books and files, some covered in a thick layer of dust that looked like it hadn't been disturbed in a decade. This place held a weight of history.

The sound of pages flipping quickly caught Light's attention. He turned to see a young girl, no older than twelve or thirteen, sitting on an old rattan chair with a thick book on her lap. Lingling. Her bright, pearl-like eyes moved rapidly across the pages.

Her reading speed was extraordinary – it took her about 10 seconds to sweep through an entire page.

"Grandpa, according to the files, he's from Bo City," Lingling spoke without even lifting her head from the book, her reading speed undeterred as she talked.

"Yeah. Lengqing is currently assisting the Magic Court in pursuing Salang. If we aren't wrong, then the one responsible for Bo City's destruction is most likely him," Old Bao said, his tone somber, the weight of the tragedy evident.

The mention of Bo City made Light's heart clench momentarily. He had lived through that nightmare, but this wasn't the time to dwell on the past.

When noon came, Old Bao invited Light to eat in the small but cozy store. This old shop wasn't just the base of operations; it was the home of Old Bao and his granddaughter, Lingling. They lived on the third floor, which gave the place a familial warmth despite its eerie, ancient atmosphere.

The fourth floor also had rooms, likely for other members of the agency. From the way Old Bao spoke, Light could tell these people were far from ordinary. The members of Clearsky Hunter Agency were a cut above the rest, often completing missions solo or in pairs rather than relying on large teams like the typical Beast Hunting Squads.

After lunch, Light wiped his mouth with a napkin and leaned back in his chair. He had been quietly observing his surroundings, but curiosity got the better of him. "What are we doing this afternoon?" he asked.

"You can return to the University for now. We'll meet by the privately owned garden as the sky is turning dark," Lingling replied without looking up from her mini laptop, her fingers clicking rapidly on the keys as she pulled up more data for the night's mission.

When the evening finally came, Light finished his dinner in the university cafeteria and made his way toward the private garden. After exiting the school gates, he hailed a taxi. The quiet streets of Shanghai flickered past as he sat in the backseat, mentally preparing for the mission ahead.

Just as the taxi arrived at the garden, three well-dressed girls appeared, their laughter breaking the silence of the night. They seemed carefree, their youthful energy contrasting sharply with the mission Light was about to embark on.

"We want to go to the private garden," one of the girls said with neat fringes, her voice filled with excitement.

"The student in the front, do you also live here?" the girl with short hair asked Light as they stepped out of the car.

"No, I'm only here to deal with some things," Light replied curtly, his mind already focused on the task at hand.

"Oh, oh, are you also a new student? Why do I feel like you're familiar?" The girl's curiosity was apparent, but Light didn't linger. He quickly parted ways with them and found his way to Lingling, who was already at the garden waiting.

"Here, take a look," Lingling said as she handed over her mini laptop. The screen displayed a series of camera feeds, each covering a different angle of the house they were protecting tonight. In the top right corner, a clock ticked steadily.

Light raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You set up cameras already?"

Lingling smirked, her small fingers flying over the keyboard. "Of course. The angles are perfect. No blind spots. If nothing happens tonight, all we have to do is observe the monitors. Easy money."

As they watched, the calm of the evening slowly grew more unsettling. The house appeared quiet, almost too quiet.

"I'll take a bath," a woman's voice came through Lingling's laptop, causing Light to shift slightly in his chair.

Lingling clicked a few buttons, and the screen surveilling the bathroom went dark. "Privacy," she said, her voice nonchalant.

Time passed as they monitored the other feeds, but nothing unusual happened. Light couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. His instincts, honed from years of training, prickled with unease.

"Is the lady done bathing yet? If she discovered that something was wrong with her husband, would she really have time to bathe for half an hour?" Light suddenly asked, his voice breaking the silence.

Lingling frowned, her eyes narrowing as she switched the bathroom feed back on. The screen flickered to life, showing the room filled with fog. Light squinted, trying to make out the figure through the steam.

Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat. That wasn't a woman bathing. It was a woman's skin – hanging eerily, like a snake shedding its old flesh.

"This… this is just like a snake shedding its skin," Light whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Hmph, it really is that thing," Lingling said, her eyes sharp as daggers as she stared at the screen. She was young, but her mind was far beyond her years, able to piece together the clues faster than most seasoned hunters.

"That's not a monster, but a human. I'll explain later. But if I'm not mistaken, this lady is definitely out trying to commit foul play right now," Lingling added, her tone calm yet cold.

"She must be lurking around this small area," she continued, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she pulled up a map of the surrounding vicinity.

"Can you find her?" Light asked, urgency creeping into his voice.

"I can try, but it's not easy. As far as I know, this thing likes to suck the blood of young women. It would trigger her interest even more if the target was a mage."

Without another word, Light stood up and moved toward the window. He could feel the tension in the air, the hunt beginning to escalate.

With a swift motion, he leapt out of the building, plunging through the air from the edge of the twenty-story structure. Lingling watched in shock as Light fell, her eyes widening.

But before he hit the ground, Light vanished into the shadows, disappearing into the night like a wraith. His form melted into the darkness, an eerie sight even for someone as experienced as Lingling.

The hunt was on.