“I reviewed all the surveince footage and found no trace of the mysterious figure after he left the treasure vault. If it weren’t for the two injured brothers, I wouldn’t believe any of this actually happened!”


    Zhuang Jin lit a cigarette, his expression grave.


    He was a staunch atheist, so he refused to attribute anything in the video to supernatural forces. Moreover, the intruder’s intentions were clear: he was searching for something specific in the vault and left without hesitation when he couldn’t find it.


    After taking a couple of deep drags, Zhuang Jin’s expression softened slightly. He looked at Xiao Shun, who was frowning beside him, and asked, “Boss, what do you think?”


    Xiao Shun shook his head and countered with a question, “How are those two brothers?”


    “They’re in their dorms with just some minor injuries,” Zhuang Jin replied.


    “Take me to see them.”


    Xiao Shun stood up and walked over to Zhuang Jin. Despite his confusion, Zhuang Jin stubbed out his cigarette and quickly led the way.


    The second floor of the manor had been converted into dozens of dormitories for the members of the association to rest. In the innermost room on the left side, Xiao Shun saw the two brothers lying in bed. They seemed fine apart from looking a bit tired.


    “Brother Zhuang, Boss Xiao!”


    The two men were ttered by Xiao Shun and Zhuang Jin’s visit and tried to get up to greet them. Xiao Shun waved his hand, signaling them to stay put. He walked over and asked, “Tell me exactly what you sawst night.”


    “Boss, I think it was a ghost!” One brother with a peony tattoo on his hand began. “Last night, Ah Biao and I were on duty in the treasure vault. I had just brewed two cups of coffee to stay awake. After taking a sip, I saw someone appear next to one of the pirs in the basement!”


    His face was filled with fear as he nced uncertainly at Xiao Shun. He continued, “It was a faint shadow that seemed to appear out of nowhere. I was so scared that I pointed it out to Ah Biao and mustered up the courage to check if I was seeing things.”


    The basement lighting wasn’t great, making it usible for him to think he was imagining things.


    At this point, Ah Biao nodded and took over the story. “I was also very tired at that time. But seeing how serious Bull was about it, I joked with him a bit. I’m usually not afraid of ghosts or anything like that but…”


    His face turned pale as he trailed off. He lifted his shirt to reveal a red mark on his chest.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    “Boss, this red mark appearedst night. I felt a sharp pain in my chest before losing consciousness. But I clearly remember there being nothing unusual in the basement before I passed out!”


    Xiao Shun examined Ah Biao’s chest closely before moving on to Bull’s.


    “It’s nothing serious, just some minor injuries. Don’t worry aboutst night; try to get some rest,” Xiao Shun reassured them before leaving with Zhuang Jin.


    Back in the first-floor living room, Zhuang Jin looked at Xiao Shun’s stern face and asked, “Boss, did you figure anything out?”


    Xiao Shun couldn’t help but recall the red marks on Bull and Ah Biao’s chests. He had sensed lingering spiritual energy from those marks-a discovery that caught him off guard.


    He responded vaguely to Zhuang Jin’s question: “I’m not sure yet, but don’t worry; whoever it was probably wasn’t after Qingzun.”


    Zhuang Jin nodded in agreement. “I think so too. That mysterious person seemed to be looking for something specific. The surveince footage supports that theory.”


    The gray-robed figure first appeared in the underground vault; no other cameras captured him before that moment, indicating his target was there. Even when discovered by Ah Biao and Bull, he didn’t kill them but knocked them unconscious instead-suggesting he wasn’t particrly ruthless.


    Xiao Shun’s mind raced as he thought about an item valuable enough to attract such a powerful presence: a golden Buddha statue made from refined goldstone.


    This realization brought rity but also unease because he didn’t know if the intruder sought the goldstone or something else-the Antarctic Directive.


    If it were just the goldstone, Xiao Shun could rx somewhat. But if it were for the directive, he’d be in big trouble since it involved two priceless treasures from Antarctica House lost in Kylian Ruins.


    As Xiao Shun pondered this, Zhuang Jin said helplessly, “Regardless, we need more surveince cameras after this incident so we won’t be caught off guard again.”


    Xiao Shun offered no suggestions because he knew modern technology couldn’t capture someone skilled in stealth techniques like Small Concealment Art.


    Leaving the office with an increasingly anxious heart, Xiao Shun realized that if someone sought the Antarctic Directive, he needed to act fast-returning to Jianghai and visiting his master’s old residence for clues on breaking through Consolidation stage.


    He’d been stuck at Anterior stage peak for some time but hadn’t found time amid recent events to seek breakthroughs at his master’s ce.