Chapter Ten: Shadows of Hulan

On the land of Hulan, the horrific massacre that had taken place many years before remained like an unhealed scar, etched deeply into the hearts of every resident. Fifty-two lives had vanished on that frigid night. The killer known as the Hulan Avenger had become a figure of terror whose very name inspired dread, while the case itself had sunk into oblivion, becoming one of the region’s most notorious unsolved mysteries.

Xiao Feng was a young police officer who had only recently joined the force, yet he had already developed a deep fascination with the long-forgotten case. Agile and fit, with determination and resolve shining in his eyes, he felt an overwhelming sense of duty whenever he heard his seniors mention the massacre. He was determined to uncover the secret hidden in the darkness.

Xiao Feng began visiting the survivors and witnesses from those days. Although so much time had passed that many people’s memories had grown indistinct, he refused to give up. At last, from the trembling recollections of an old man, he seized upon a crucial detail: when the Hulan Avenger committed his crimes, he seemed to carry the peculiar scent of medicinal herbs. He was also astonishingly agile and knew the surrounding terrain extremely well, as though he had lived among the mountains and forests all his life.

The clue lit a spark in Xiao Feng’s mind. He decided to investigate the deep wilderness surrounding Hulan. In a remote mountain village, he found an old hunter who had lived in seclusion for many years. The hunter’s face was etched with the hardships of life, and his eyes held a trace of fear and wariness. When Xiao Feng mentioned the Hulan Avenger, the old man visibly trembled. He hesitated for a long while before finally speaking.

“During those years, when I was hunting in the mountains, I did see a stranger. He always appeared at night, moving in secret. He carried a tattered bundle on his back, moved with remarkable speed, and knew the mountain terrain as well as he knew his own home. Once, I saw him emerge from a cave in the distance. I didn’t dare go near him. There was something about that man—something that filled me with fear.”

Xiao Feng’s heart stirred, and he hurriedly asked where the cave was. At first, the old hunter refused to say, but after Xiao Feng pleaded with him repeatedly, he finally pointed in a direction.

Following the path indicated by the old man, Xiao Feng struggled onward through the depths of the mountains. At last, he found the cave.

An ancient, stale odor hung in the air. Strange symbols had been carved into the walls all around him. Xiao Feng searched the cave with great caution when, suddenly, he noticed several darkened traces of blood on the ground. Just as he crouched down to examine them, faint footsteps sounded behind him.

Xiao Feng sprang to his feet, drew his pistol, and spun toward the cave entrance. A man dressed in black and wearing a broad-brimmed hat stood there. Moonlight fell across him, outlining a silhouette both mysterious and dangerous.

“You should never have come here. Some secrets are meant to remain buried forever.”

The stranger’s voice was low and hoarse, as though it had risen from the depths of hell.

Suppressing his unease, Xiao Feng asked, “Are you the Hulan Avenger?”

The man gave a cold laugh but did not answer. In a sudden blur, he lunged at Xiao Feng. Xiao Feng fired at once, but the stranger nimbly evaded the bullets and vanished into the darkness.

Still shaken, Xiao Feng knew he had stumbled into immense danger, yet he did not retreat. He continued searching the cave and eventually discovered an old, battered diary. The writing had faded almost beyond recognition, but he managed to make out several crucial passages. The massacre appeared to have been connected to a vast consortium that wielded enormous influence in the Hulan region. The murdered law-enforcement and judicial personnel might have possessed vital evidence against it.

Xiao Feng took the diary back to the police station and began investigating land development, commercial dealings, and other activities in Hulan during that period. He discovered that a wealthy businessman named Lin Hetang had carried out large-scale land acquisitions and development projects in the region, maintaining close ties with several local officials. Yet shortly after the massacre, Lin Hetang had suddenly disappeared. The public explanation was that he had died in an accident, but Xiao Feng sensed that the truth was far more complicated.

Following the trail, Xiao Feng discovered that Lin Hetang had committed serious violations during his development projects, and that the murdered officials and investigators might have been looking into him. Xiao Feng inferred that the Hulan Avenger had most likely been hired by Lin Hetang to eliminate them and conceal his crimes.

Just as Xiao Feng was about to uncover decisive evidence, however, a series of dangers descended upon him. First, someone tampered with the brakes of his car, nearly causing a fatal crash. Then his home was broken into, and all his investigative materials were scattered in disarray. Xiao Feng understood that he had touched the interests of certain powerful people, and that they had begun taking savage revenge against him.

But the obstacles did not frighten him. He decided to strike first. Through an informant, he learned that Lin Hetang had once kept a secret lover named Su Yao. Xiao Feng tracked her down, and after much persuasion, Su Yao finally revealed a crucial detail: Lin Hetang had hidden a number of important documents in an abandoned factory. Those files might be connected to the massacre.

Xiao Feng rushed to the factory. In its basement, he found a concealed safe. After considerable effort, he managed to open it. Inside were stacks of documents and photographs. Together, they confirmed his suspicions: to conceal his crimes, Lin Hetang had hired the Hulan Avenger to murder the officials and investigators, while several other officials had protected him from behind the scenes.

Just as Xiao Feng was preparing to leave with the evidence, the man in black appeared once more.

This time, the stranger did not hide. He removed his hat and revealed a weathered yet resolute face.

“You think you’ve found the truth? How naïve.”

Xiao Feng raised his pistol and aimed it at him. “Whoever you are, you will pay for your crimes.”

The man threw back his head and laughed.

“I was only a pawn who was used. In those days, Lin Hetang framed me, and he murdered my family. With nowhere else to turn, I agreed to do his bidding. But once I had completed the job, he tried to silence me. For all these years, I’ve been waiting for a chance to take revenge. Did you really think I would let you destroy my plans so easily?”

Xiao Feng was stunned by his words. He realized that the truth behind the case was far more intricate than he had imagined.

At that moment, a group of men suddenly stormed into the basement. Their leader was a middle-aged man dressed in an immaculate suit. His name was Zhao Gang, one of the officials who had colluded with Lin Hetang all those years ago.

“Neither of you is leaving here alive,” Zhao Gang snarled.

Xiao Feng knew they were trapped. But he refused to surrender. He exchanged a glance with the man in black, and the two of them suddenly charged at Zhao Gang and his men together.

A fierce struggle erupted. Relying on courage and intelligence, Xiao Feng fought alongside the stranger and eventually subdued Zhao Gang and the others. Before the Hulan Avenger died, he told Xiao Feng everything he knew and handed him one final piece of crucial evidence.

Xiao Feng returned to the police station with the evidence and brought every criminal involved in the old case to justice. At last, the truth behind the Hulan Avenger case was revealed, and Xiao Feng became a hero throughout the region. Through his actions, he brought the people of that troubled land the justice and peace they had so long been denied.