Hunter of Mysterious Creature

Reason told Sun Hang that this sentence couldn't possibly be meant for him, yet another voice in his mind kept insisting—the "you" in the sentence referred to him.

Just a moment ago, an inexplicable urge to dismantle the camera had arisen within him, an urge so strong that even Shino's advice couldn't deter it, as if something inside the camera was "calling" to him.

Was it this roll of paper?

Sun Hang flipped the paper over and examined it several times, but aside from showing signs of considerable age, he found nothing special about it—after he had disassembled the camera, that mysterious allure completely vanished, as if it had never existed.

Sun Hang couldn't help but recall the dream interrupted by the three monkeys, the strange familiarity, coupled with this enigmatic note... So many clues layering together all pointed to the same fact: Sun Hang had once lived at the Nameless Island Research Institute, and for quite a lengthy period.

"Could it be... was I once an experimental subject at this research institute? Later, an accident occurred within the institute, and I escaped, hiding until now?" Sun Hang entertained a sliver of doubt about his past, but quickly dismissed it as inconceivable.

Putting aside the issue of his age, the scenes in his memory alone proved Sun Hang could not possibly have been an experimental subject.

He found himself familiar with every corner of the research institute, which was impossible for a subject of experimentation, whose life would be more monotonous than that of a worker stuck in a mundane job.

"Perhaps I absorbed the memories of a researcher?" Sun Hang sought a logical explanation, but the voice in his subconscious offered a completely opposite answer.

I once lived on this island, I have visited every place here, every inch of this land I am intimately familiar with...

Even those researchers couldn't possibly know every secret corner of this place.

"What is going on here?"

Just as Sun Hang's breath began to quicken, another yellowed piece of paper gently drifted down from above, landing at his feet.

"Ah! Another paper!" The fisherman said excitedly.

Sun Hang looked up towards the ceiling, seeing only intersecting layers of steel frames, with no clue as to where the paper came from.

He bent down to pick up the paper, while the fisherman beside him urged impatiently, "Shino, quickly see what is written on this paper!"

The paper again had a sentence in Russian.

"Long time no see, I miss you." Shino read the sentence aloud with a peculiar expression.

"Huh?" The fisherman's mouth twitched, "How does that sound like a love letter... damn it, can even supernatural entities fall in love?"

"There's another line on the back." Sun Hang flipped the paper over and glanced at Shino.

"Please follow the guidance, and we shall reunite." Shino translated word by word, "That's what it means, guidance... could it be referring to..."

Before he could finish speaking, the row of lights above their heads suddenly changed color.

White illumination lights went out, replaced by red emergency lights, casting a dark red sheen over the streets, even the air seemed to grow thicker.

"Are we supposed to follow the red lights?" Shino said in surprise, "Are these notes meant for us?!"

"Long time no see? Long time no see with whom?" The fisherman shook his head stiffly, "Nonsense... when these words were written, my grandfather hadn't even reached the stage of being a fertilized egg, how could it be long time no see."

"Maybe you stayed here in a previous life." Sun Hang glanced at him, "Owed a huge romantic debt, and now the ghost lady has come after you."

"Tsk, I wish it were a ghost lady." The fisherman strove to keep calm, "I'd make sure my Golden Cudgel lets the ghost lady want to live but can't, wish to die but wouldn't."

"And if you really met her, your Golden Cudgel might just turn into a green tongue."

"So what do we do now? Do we really follow this 'guidance'?" Shino said worriedly, "Though the messages on these papers sound amicable, no one knows who the message is from, nor is it definite that the 'you' refers to us... just in case, I mean just in case, we really encounter that thing..."

"I'm pondering something else." Sun Hang said, "Do you think those Angsa hunters also picked up such papers?"

"There are traces of their passing here." The fisherman said, "But whether they picked up any such paper, only ghosts would know."

"Let's go." Sun Hang stuffed the two pieces of paper into his pocket and walked in the direction pointed by the red lights.

"Really going?" The fisherman caught up in three strides, asking.

"What else, after getting such clear guidance, can we just ignore this clue?" Sun Hang retorted.

"No, that's not what I mean." The fisherman shook his head, "I mean, if this is a trap, what do we do?"

"Does it feel like one to you?"

The fisherman vigorously nodded his head.

"Then don't follow me, I'll go by myself." Sun Hang said nothing more, continuing on his own.

But after just a few steps, the fisherman and Shino caught up again.

"I thought you said it was a trap?" Sun Hang turned to ask.

"If it's a trap, all the more I shouldn't let you go alone." The fisherman said, "I know I'm not as strong as you, but what if at a crucial moment, just a little is needed? Besides, you need someone to watch your back, right?"

"There's no need for you to risk alongside me." Sun Hang tried to persuade sincerely.

He truly didn't want the two to follow, not just because he doubted his ability to ensure their safety, but also because this affair would likely involve his own origins... This level of secret might become a burden for them.

A fatal burden.

Even if Sun Hang was reluctant to acknowledge it, he had no choice but to face the fact.

The person he once was seemed full of secrets and troubles.

"I'm just unwilling to turn back now." The fisherman said, "Don't misunderstand, I don't really want to help you, I'm merely intrigued by the Nameless Island Research Institute itself, and the motives of those Angsa people."

"Tsundere is already out of fashion."

"Tsundere my ass." The fisherman said, his face flushing, "Just think of it as me not liking those Angsa people, wanting to thwart their plans!"

"So what?"

"So... uh?!" The fisherman suddenly looked up, realizing the one who responded wasn't Sun Hang, but a grim-looking, cloaked stranger hunter.

Without any warning, the hunter appeared right in the middle of the road, ten steps away from the three of them.