He stopped halfway.
"Why am I running? That plant, and the man in black are both bad news. Although I can't beat them myself, I can't just let things go."
With a cold laugh, Wen Wen took out his phone and dialed Lin Zhe Yuan's number.
"Detective Wen?"
Lin Zhe Yuan, woken from his sleep, asked in confusion. Wen Wen's surveillance had just ended, why was he calling?
"Captain Lin, didn't you say before that if I encountered a supernatural case I couldn't handle, I should contact you? So, here I am."
Lying in bed, Lin Zhe Yuan sat up straight, his eye twitching slightly. He had a bad premonition.
"You didn't attract any residents from the Inner World again, did you?"
"Where are you getting that from? I'm not a troublemaker." Wen Wen pouted, feigning innocence.
"Here's the situation: I had a stomach ache from eating something bad, so I went to Ren Zhi Community Hospital. There, I unexpectedly discovered a terrifying plant being nurtured there, which seemed to be absorbing flesh and blood, having killed at least one person.
Furthermore, there's a very powerful esper who doesn't seem to be from your Hunter Association. I can't handle it myself, so I'm handing it over to you."
"Eating something bad, what did you eat? The digestive capabilities of espers..."
"Don't focus on the details." Wen Wen didn't want Lin Zhe Yuan to know he was there to steal.
Hanging up the phone, Wen Wen returned to the vicinity of Ren Zhi Community Hospital, hiding in a patch of greenery to observe the surroundings.
Half an hour later, several black cars arrived. Lin Zhe Yuan, with Lin Lu, got out of the car. Also exiting the car was a disheveled middle-aged man.
Only the three of them were in casual clothes; the rest were wearing black uniforms, likely lower-level staff of the Hunter Association, assistants.
The Hunter Association wasn't an organization composed entirely of espers; it also had a large number of ordinary employees who performed tasks such as assisting in combat, cleanup, and logistics.
Seeing them arrive, Wen Wen felt like he had found his people. He emerged from the bushes and walked towards them enthusiastically. He was stopped halfway by several guns pointed at his head.
"Don't be nervous, it's me, one of yours."
Lin Zhe Yuan nodded, and the assistants lowered their guns.
Wen Wen stood sulkily beside Lin Zhe Yuan, observing the well-trained assistants. Their素质 was comparable to that of armed police forces, indicating that the Hunter Association's influence was greater than he had imagined.
"Where is the terrifying plant you mentioned?" Lin Zhe Yuan took a step forward, surveying Ren Zhi Community Hospital.
"Over there, the west annex, the half that's dark." Wen Wen pointed in that direction.
"Xiao Lu, Uncle Gong, you two will lead your teams inside. Be careful, the esper from that hidden organization might still be in the building."
The two nodded and led a team of assistants, equipped with flamethrowers and wearing black masks, into the building.
"Wait, I forgot to mention earlier, there's also a red mist in that room that can confuse the mind." Wen Wen reminded them, not wanting the Hunter Association to suffer losses.
"We're prepared for that. The pollen of the Bloodthirsty Vine has a disorienting effect, but the pollen particles are very large, and this can filter them out. You'll come in with me too." Lin Zhe Yuan threw Wen Wen a black mask with a filter.
So it was the Bloodthirsty Vine, a fitting name.
Wen Wen put on the black mask, finding it a good match for his black trench coat, giving him a more villainous aura.
Following behind Lin Zhe Yuan, Wen Wen re-entered the west annex.
The Hunter Association must have considerable influence in the Federation. They could clear out an entire hospital like this so easily, without any cover, and with no one to stop them.
"That person was found just outside this door. An old man called him Mr. L. His collar was very high, so I couldn't see his face." Standing outside the iron door, Wen Wen did his best to explain everything he had seen to Lin Zhe Yuan.
Wen Wen was counting on the Hunter Association for revenge, so he was diligently acting as a guide.
"Mr. L... There's a restaurant near headquarters called Mr. L. Based on this alone, it's impossible to track him."
Lin Zhe Yuan said this to Wen Wen, but his heart grew heavy. Mr. L could be a simple codename, or it could represent a terrifying organization. This incident needed to be handled with utmost caution.
"By the way, the old man you mentioned, is it this person?"
Lin Zhe Yuan showed Wen Wen a photograph. Wen Wen glanced at it and nodded in confirmation.
"This is the director of Ren Zhi Community Hospital. It seems this hospital also has problems and needs a thorough investigation."
Lin Zhe Yuan handed the photo to an assistant beside him, then his eyes turned green, and he crouched down.
Wen Wen could vaguely sense something radiating from him, spreading throughout the hospital.
"His ability must be investigative. He was able to find me before likely because of this ability. From now on, I need to try and keep things from him."
Having made up his mind, Wen Wen waited for Lin Zhe Yuan's investigation results.
Lin Zhe Yuan, still crouched on the ground, shook his head and sighed in disappointment.
"As expected, that person has already left. They're like rats in the gutter; once exposed, it's hard to see them again. Now, let's focus on dealing with the 'Bloodthirsty Vine'."
While Wen Wen was investigating with Lin Zhe Yuan, the battle in the west annex had already begun. It was no longer pitch black; several spotlights illuminated the area brightly.
The assistants, wielding flamethrowers, cautiously contained the Bloodthirsty Vine's movement.
The Bloodthirsty Vine had hundreds of vines, each over ten meters long and incredibly tough, resembling a massive, wildly flailing mass of blood-red hair.
But these powerful vines, under the flames, recoiled like startled insects.
"This Bloodthirsty Vine hasn't reached its mature stage yet, so its weakness is quite apparent. In a while longer, it won't be so easy to deal with."
"Speaking of which, even in its immature state, this thing is quite troublesome, and there's also an esper from another organization. You managed to escape with ease, which truly makes me see you in a new light. You don't seem like a fresh esper."
"It was all luck." Wen Wen said with a chuckle, not wanting to pique Lin Zhe Yuan's interest and be monitored for a few more days.
The assistants pushed all the vines of the Bloodthirsty Vine into a spacious area and stopped advancing. Any further would mean too many vines, and even with their training, safety wouldn't be guaranteed.
"Uncle Gong, the rest is up to you." Lin Zhe Yuan issued an order.
The disheveled middle-aged man, who had been waiting nearby, stepped forward, extended his hand towards the writhing 'Bloodthirsty Vine', and a stream of crimson fire erupted.