Chapter 71 - 41: The Approaching Truth, Vessel of the Nightmare Vengeful Mother, Arrives? (Part 2)

Xu Ran and Ye Ping simultaneously froze, "Hmm? Just got back?"

He Sifang: "That’s right, they returned to Jing City yesterday afternoon."

Xu Ran: "Uncle Ye, these five recently returned pregnant women are our highest suspects."

Ye Ping agreed, "Yes, the Nightmare Vengeful Mother is most likely hiding inside their wombs! Separate their information, we’ll investigate these five first!"

He Sifang nodded repeatedly, "Okay, sir."

In a short while, all the information and addresses of the five suspicious pregnant women were compiled into a document. The information of the other two hundred and twenty-eight women was placed in another document.

Ye Ping opened the document and scanned it for over ten seconds, "Looks good, I’ll go through it now."

Xu Ran: "Uncle Ye, I’ll go with you."

Ye Ping: "Then shall we set off now?"

Xu Ran: "Let’s go!"

3:20 a.m.

Xu Ran and Ye Ping stood on the rooftop.

Ye Ping’s spiritual power extended through the tall building, infiltrating the rooms to check the presence of the pregnant women, "We’ve checked the five most suspicious pregnant women. Nothing unusual? Xiao Ran, did you notice anything amiss?"

Xu Ran: "I didn’t find anything wrong either, let’s install the pinhole cameras and let the Investigation Corps monitor them."

As they spoke.

Xu Ran retrieved his Ant-1.

Ye Ping: "It’s installed. Let’s check the remaining two hundred and twenty-eight suspicious pregnant women!"

He didn’t find it tedious; on the contrary, he was full of energy, as if the case would be solved soon.

Time passed quickly.

Out of the two hundred and thirty-three suspicious pregnant women, only over one hundred and twenty were cleared, and the day was almost breaking.

Uncle Ye glanced at Xu Ran with concern: "Xiao Ran, are you tired? If so, go back and rest."

As the Self-Discipline King, how could he be tired?

Xu Ran shook his head, "Not tired. Let’s continue eliminating."

Two hours later.

6:00 a.m.

After spending most of the night investigating, Ye Ping and Xu Ran ended up empty-handed, standing on the street staring blankly at each other.

Ye Ping: "...This is awkward. Two hundred and thirty-three checks ended in failure?"

In fact, search failures had happened several hundred times before, with Ye Ping silently handling them alone.

But today, with Xu Ran watching by his side, the awkwardness was at its peak!

He felt a bit ashamed...

Xu Ran, with full emotional intelligence, said: "It’s okay, Uncle Ye. We haven’t failed yet; let’s go back and check the surveillance, I’m sure we’ll find some clues."

Ye Ping: "I hope so! By the way, Xiao Ran, are you going anywhere else for training?"

Xu Ran shook his head, "I’ve already completed my training."

This time out, he had detained fifty ’Soul Spirits’, greatly enhancing the Origami main force.

Completely fulfilled his training!

As for the Nightmare Vengeful Mother matter, he had done his utmost.

Ye Ping patted Xu Ran’s shoulder, "Have you really completed your training?"

Xu Ran: "Yes, really completed."

Ye Ping: "How about accompanying me to find the Nightmare Vengeful Mother next? Your way of thinking is quite unique, maybe you’ll find it!"

Xu Ran gave a faint smile, "Alright. It’s not easy to explain to the principal upon returning at this time either."

Ye Ping: "...Sigh, exhausted... I’ll call He Sifang and ask him to send a car to pick us up."

Xu Ran: "Isn’t there a bus right there?"

Ye Ping: "Take a bus? Sure!"

So the two boarded the bus.

Uncle Ye, who hadn’t closed his eyes all night, was exhausted and immediately fell asleep as soon as he sat down.

Xu Ran closed his eyes to rest.

The bus drove smoothly and stopped a few minutes later at the roadside station.

A small girl, carrying a backpack, ran onto the bus and swiped her card.

"Please deposit coins."

The mechanical voice was cold, and the little girl looked a bit panic-stricken, glancing at the coin box and her bus card, then turned to step off the bus.

Xu Ran opened his eyes, "What’s wrong, little sister? Aren’t you going to school? Why are you getting off?"

The little girl timidly glanced at Xu Ran, "I... I ran out of money on my card."

Xu Ran got up, "I’ll pay for you, go find a seat."

Saying this, he borrowed the officer’s card from Uncle Ye, with a beep sound, the driver nodded without saying a word. Uncle Ye smiled faintly, put away the officer’s card, and continued to sleep.

The bus traveled steadily.

Xu Ran was deep in thought, frowning.

Unknowingly, twelve or thirteen minutes passed.

Suddenly, the little girl stood up, walked to Xu Ran, and with a serious expression and childish voice said, "Brother, when we help others in kindergarten, the teacher rewards us with a small red flower. You helped me, so I’ll give you a little red flower as a reward, okay?"

She held up her watercolor pen, wanting to reward Xu Ran.

Xu Ran was surprised, "Alright, but where should it be drawn?"

The little girl said, "On the forehead, maybe?"

Xu Ran: "Wash your face on your forehead, and it’s gone. How about I draw it on my paper?"

As he said this, Xu Ran took out a small white origami that he carried with him.

Little girl: "Sure."

She took a stack of paper, knelt on the seat beside him, and concentrated on drawing little red flowers. Though it was a simple kindergarten sketch, her small face was filled with seriousness, every stroke imbued with emotion.

"I want to reward you with a hundred little red flowers~"

The little girl smiled sweetly and ended up drawing over thirty little red flowers.

At this moment, the bus announced, "Pleasant Sheep Kindergarten is arriving at the station."

The little girl handed the stack of papers to Xu Ran: "I’m at the kindergarten now. Thank you, brother. Goodbye."

After saluting Xu Ran, the little girl hopped off the bus.

Xu Ran: "Goodbye, little sister."

Ye Ping opened his eyes: "Kids who take the bus to school are all from ordinary families. You did well."

"Such an innocent and kind-hearted little girl."

"I wonder if I’ll have a daughter as adorable as her in the future?"

Upon hearing this.

Xu Ran smiled knowingly, his gaze fixed on the little red flowers the girl had drawn—simple but filled with genuine emotion. After a few seconds, satisfied, he placed the origami in his pocket. A dollar for a bunch of little red flowers seemed quite worth it.

Another twenty minutes passed, and Ye Ping and Xu Ran returned to the Investigation Corps.

Uncle Ye was worried: "Xiao Ran, do you think I’ll find any flaws these days? Sigh... the sense of crisis is becoming more pressing!"

Xu Ran’s eyes shone: "Uncle Ye, I’ve suddenly thought of another possibility."

Ye Ping was curious: "What possibility?"

Xu Ran paused: "What if the pregnant woman isn’t a local from Jing City?"

"What if she only stayed in Jing City for a while when she triggered nightmares throughout the city and then left Jing City?"

"This is much more concealed than having three miscarriages and four pregnancies!"

Ye Ping’s eyes lit up: "You’re right, it makes sense. If I were the Nightmare Vengeful Mother, I’d do the same.

Hmm, I’ll have He Sifang screen immediately. Maybe we’ll catch that Nightmare Vengeful Mother!"

Just then, the principal called.

"Ye Ping, is Xu Ran safe? Nothing happened, right?"

Ye Ping sweated slightly: "No, no, he’s healthy and lively as ever!"

Principal: "That’s good."

"By the way—have you found any trace of the Nightmare Vengeful Mother?"

Ye Ping: "There’s a bit of a clue, but we haven’t found any traces yet. I’ll keep trying, maybe I’ll find something."

The principal raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Have you made progress?"

Ye Ping recounted Xu Ran’s bold guess.

The principal pondered: "Isn’t the Nightmare Vengeful Mother’s body only the size of a baby? That’s a bit against common sense, right? Could that monster’s body connect to tens of thousands of infant zombies and hide in a pregnant woman’s belly?"

Ye Ping sighed helplessly: "Even if it’s impossible, I have to try this line of thought."

Principal: "Alright. We’ve failed tens of ideas already, one more won’t hurt."

"Take good care of Xu Ran for me. Don’t be careless!"

Ye Ping: "I understand."

After hanging up the phone, Ye Ping smiled awkwardly.

Not long after, He Sifang approached Ye Ping and Xu Ran, holding screened data.

"Inspector Ye, the screening results are here."

"In the month before and after the city’s nightmare, there were fifty pregnant women who happened to be traveling in Jing City!

We’ve obtained all their information, and they all had miscarriages later. But... they never returned to Jing City."

Not returned?

Another clue broken? Sigh...

Ye Ping displayed a solemn expression, issuing orders to He Sifang: "Keep an eye on their movements these days."

Damn it! Where the hell is the Nightmare Vengeful Mother hiding?

"Shall we check the surveillance?"

Xu Ran: "Alright."

Thus, the two of them went to the surveillance room.

In the surveillance room, there were over two hundred cameras, over two hundred screens.

More than thirty investigators watched for eight hours...

To no avail!

Ye Ping’s heart sank to the bottom: "Xiao Ran, it seems your method, isn’t the right method either..."

Xu Ran frowned deeply: "Let’s keep watching..."

They continued for over an hour.

At six in the evening.

Suddenly, He Sifang ran over.

"Inspector Ye! There’s new activity!"

"A pregnant woman has come to Jing City by car from another city! She’s three months pregnant. She entered our city just a minute ago."

Ye Ping stood up in shock.

"Could it be her?!"