usenovelgroup Chapter 79 Clues
Chapter 79 Clues
The kestrels seemed to have just shaken off something's pursuit and were crouching on the edge of the roof, cautiously observing below.
She also saw Lin Yu, and a hint of surprise flashed in her amber eyes.
The two looked at each other for a moment across the intersection.
The next second, several shadows chasing Lin Yu, along with two other shadows that floated out from under the eaves in the direction of the kestrels, appeared at the crossroads at the same time.
They seemed to have spotted each other, or perhaps they had noticed two living creatures gathered together, and their movements noticeably paused for a moment.
Immediately, all the shadows began to converge towards the center of the intersection in an encircling formation.
Lin Yu raised an eyebrow, and the kestrels on the roof obviously realized that they couldn't stay.
She glanced at Lin Yu, then at the encircling shadows below.
Suddenly, he raised his hand and pointed to the east side of the town, where he could vaguely see the spire of a tall building, which seemed to be a clock tower.
Then the kestrel made a few simple gestures: split up, meet at the clock tower, and lead them away.
A perfectly tacit choice: to separate and reduce pressure, both with the same goal: the clock tower, which the clues both point to.
Lin Yu nodded and rushed towards a street on the west side without hesitation.
Sure enough, the shadow was attracted by his movements and followed him.
The kestrels then gracefully leaped down from the other side of the roof, landing in another alleyway and leading the rest away.
After they separated, the number and intensity of the shadows chasing Lin Yu seemed to have returned to normal.
Lin Yu used the complex terrain of the streets to maneuver around them, gradually putting some distance between them and the others.
But this can't go on forever.
We must find a way to deal with them, or complete the level completion requirements as soon as possible.
Lin Yu recalled the clue he overheard at the hotel: "There are tools in the warehouse"? Perhaps there's something there that can harm these shadows?
He began to pay attention to the buildings along the roadside.
They quickly found a warehouse with a rusted iron sign and an open door.
It was filled with rotten wooden crates, rusty metal parts, and other odds and ends whose purpose was unclear.
Lin Yu quickly searched and found an old-fashioned flintlock gun in a relatively intact tin toolbox in the corner.
There was also a small bag of specially made silver pellet ammunition next to it.
A line of blurry small characters was engraved on the gun: "Only silver light can dispel shadows."
Lin Yu picked up the flintlock pistol; it felt heavy and cold to the touch. He loaded a silver bullet.
Just then, a shadow silently slipped in through the warehouse door and lunged at his back!
Lin Yu didn't even turn his head, and fired a shot with his backhand!
"boom!"
The flintlock musket wasn't completely silenced, and instead emitted a muffled boom!
Silver flames shot from the muzzle of the gun, instantly enveloping the shadow.
"squeak--!"
A sharp screech rang out, and the shadow twisted and rolled violently in the silver flames.
Like burning grease, it quickly became thin and transparent.
Finally, with a "poof," it completely dissipated, leaving only a small clump of black ash.
Lin Yu's spirits lifted; it seemed this was a special weapon designed to counter the strangeness of this place.
He immediately reloaded the flintlock pistol and took the remaining seven silver rounds he had found with him.
Lin Yu set off again, this time with a clear goal.
Guided by the occasional fragments of sound he overheard, and by observing the architectural style and the direction of the roads, he gradually approached the clock tower in the center of the town.
The clock tower is a stone building that stands alone in the center of a small square, about thirty meters high.
There is a structure at the top with clock faces on all four sides, but the hands on the clock faces are long gone and the glass is broken.
As the clues indicated, the wooden door leading into the clock tower was locked.
The outer cast iron spiral staircase broke off about five meters above the ground and became impossible to climb.
Actually, this distance could be crossed directly, but three corpses were scattered on the ground below the broken staircase.
Two relatively new bodies, dressed in modern combat uniforms; one was lying face down with a large, penetrating wound the size of a bowl on its back near its chest.
Another body lay supine, its throat slit cleanly by a sharp blade, the blood already drained, congealing into a dark brown stain on the gray-white ground.
It seems that forcing your way through the broken stairs will trigger some kind of fatal attack, and the attack methods are diverse and difficult to defend against.
Lin Yu did not approach rashly, but instead recalled the clues he had heard in the hotel.
The flintlock pistol found in the warehouse is for use against shadows; repairing the stairs may require other tools.
As he was thinking, he heard very faint footsteps coming from the other side of the alley.
Red Falcon appeared silently. She also saw the broken ladder and the corpse. Her eyes swept across the scene and then met Lin Yu's gaze.
She pointed to the clock tower, then to the broken staircase, and shook her head to indicate that they should not force their way in.
Then the kestrel made a gesture to search separately, pointing to several relatively intact buildings around the square, which were probably residences or shops.
Lin Yu nodded in agreement.
The two tacitly split up and began searching the buildings around the square.
Lin Yu chose a shop with a sign that read "Hardware and Sundries".
The shelves in the shop had collapsed, and various rusty metal parts and tools were scattered all over the floor.
Lin Yu quickly searched and found a dusty canvas tool bag behind the overturned tool cabinet.
Inside, there were several oddly shaped wrenches and a fairly sturdy bundle of hemp rope.
Several L-shaped metal clips, and a small jar of thick, black, pungent-smelling gelatinous substance.
Next to the tool kit was a work log with curled edges.
Lin Yu quickly flipped through the diary, which contained some hastily recorded maintenance items. The last page read:
"...The bearings in the third and seventh sections of the clock tower staircase are broken and need to be replaced."
The spare bearing is in the storage room in the basement of the clock tower; the key is in...
Damn it, the mayor took the key, saying it was part of a pocket watch...
The pocket watch is broken, the time is wrong, I need to fix the pocket watch first...
Therefore, repairing the stairs requires a spare bearing, which is in the clock tower basement, but the basement key is related to the mayor's pocket watch.
The trail is now closed.
The key is still the mayor's pocket watch.
Lin Yu packed up his toolbox and work log, preparing to leave the general store.
Just then, a burst of arrogant laughter and voices came from the square outside.
In this silent town, the only thing capable of making such a clear sound is that other trial participants have used some means or strange object to resist the silence.
"Hey, this dilapidated clock tower, the stairs are all broken, how are we supposed to get up there?"
"Never mind that, let's check if there's anything valuable, or... if there are any other rats?"
"There are corpses over there... Ha, you fool, forcing your way into a dead end."
Lin Yu looked out through the broken window.
Five people arrived at the square, four men and one woman, all wearing identical dark red combat uniforms with the same flame emblem on their chests, clearly from the same faction or organization.