茶杯狐 -CUPFOX

Chapter 184 - 184 Don’t Seek Death

Xiang Kun first “hooked up” with “Kasumi of August” online on the night of

October 7th. The agreed “meet-up” was scheduled for two in the afternoon on October 8th. Guo Tianxiang was eliminated in the early hours of the 9th, while Xiang Kun arrived at Yangcheng on the 12th.

From Guo Tianxiang’s memories involving Mijoe, this dirty-braided female hacker had already departed at around three in the afternoon on the eighth to return to Yangcheng.

Under normal circumstances, she would reach Yangcheng before the 9th.

If she sent that email on the 11th at 1 am, it confirms that on the 9th and 10th, she noticed the police investigation in Yangcheng and found out that “that vampire” had located her.

Normally, the only other “vampire” Mijoe and Guo Tianxiang knew of was Xiang Kun.

The memories related to Guo Tianxiang and Mijoe that he had reviewed didn’t mention other “vampires”.

However, Xiang Kun was sure that he wasn’t the one who found Mijoe’s location, he hadn’t even tried to.

Could it be that she mistook the police investigation for his actions?

No, the meaning of her first sentence was leaning more towards the idea that “that vampire” used the internet to find her. The police likely started investigating her because of her associations with Guo Tianxiang. They would have noticed her and identified her through transportation details and a variety of surveillance means, without having to take the long way around.

The reason she assumed it was “that vampire” is probably because the other party traced her through the means she used to contact Xiang Kun.

Regardless of how well disguised, all online activities have the possibility of revealing the real IP address. The difficulty of finding it just varies.

When she was testing the water with Xiang Kun online, she inadvertently exposed many opportunities that could be traced back. But Xiang Kun remained cautious, only ensuring his location wasn’t discovered, never considering making a “counter-attack”, because he wasn’t sure he could avoid falling into a trap.

But those “opportunities” were exposed to Xiang Kun, it would be hard for others to know about them.

Except for one thing…

The reply under the question, “What is it like to be a vampire?” , and the account, “Kasumi of August”.

No wonder Xiang Kun found that question had been deleted on Zhihu during his return journey from Yangcheng, even the account “Kasumi of August” was shown as [Deactivated].

Is it possible that another vampire tracked down Mijoe’s real location through that question on Zhihu?

Circumstantially?

It’s possible, but unlikely.

If it were an ordinary with Mijoe’s real IP address. But Mijoe herself is a hacker who regularly stirs up trouble online. Whether with her vigilance or techniques to hide her real IP, she wouldn’t lack either.

Unless Mijoe was reckless, Xiang Kun didn’t believe any single hacker acting alone could trace her real address solely through that question.

If, after returning to Yangcheng, someone else attempted to probe Mijoe using the identity of a “vampire” through private messages on Zhihu, and during that process, she was tricked and ended up revealing her location. Then in her email, she wouldn’t have referred to that person as “that vampire”, but instead “another vampire”.

Could there be another possibility that this email is bait?

Xiang Kun arrived at Yangcheng on October 12th; he spotted police surveillance outside the building where Guo Tianxiang’s clinic was located, as well as Mijoe’s Yangcheng residence.

His initial judgment was that Mijoe had escaped, so the police were staking out.

Or could it be that the police were not staking out Mijoe?

Perhaps she was already arrested and had spilled everything she knew, and this email was sent to “lure” Guo Tianxiang back on behalf of the police? Considering the police thought Guo Tianxiang was aware of their investigation, they let her explicitly mention that in her email to mislead Guo Tianxiang?

Plus she knew very well of Guo Tianxiang’s desperation and urgency in finding other vampires, so she included information about “that vampire” in the email as the bait?

It seemed, the second conjecture had a higher likelihood.

If Mijoe was indeed arrested, then all the information she had previously gathered and contacts she made related to Guo Tianxiang, the police likely already knew.

The only question left was whether she presented convincing enough evidence to prove Guo Tianxiang’s “vampire” identity and they existed, convincing the authorities.

Of course, it is also possible that the authorities were already aware of these beings.

By then, when the police are investing Guo Tianxiang, they will definitely also pay attention to Xiang Kun, “the other vampire”.

So when looking at this email, the word “danger” popped up in Xiang Kun’s mind.

Naturally, he wouldn’t respond or attempt anything. He closed his email, cleared his traces, and then walked out with a peaked cap on, dodging all sorts of surveillance even more carefully on his way.

After returning home, another idea occurred to Xiang Kun:

Could there be a third possibility?

Although his rationality told him not to court death, as the situation was obviously dangerous, his mind was almost subconsciously pondering and hypothesizing various possibilities along with how he could verify these possibilities safely.

He even considered secretly planting some woodcraft imbued with ‘Emotional Infusion” inside Yangcheng’s bureau to see if it was possible to view relevant investigators’ dreams. Of course, this idea was vetoed in less than half a second because from his previous experience, even if he managed to place his “Emotional Infused” objects exactly where the investigators rest and he managed to see their dreams, there was a 99 percent chance that they are unrelated to the case under investigation, making it impossible to get the information he wanted.

Compared to that, it was much better for him to concoct a reason to enter as a food or package deliveryman and then use his acute senses to gather information…

Luckily, he received a WeChat voice message in the evening, which momentarily diverted his attention from those deadly thoughts.

The WeChat message was from “Xiao Pingguo”, saying she planned to visit Xiang Kun’s city with her father Li Yang tomorrow. They wanted to see

“Canary”, and asked if he was free and at home.

Since “Canary” was brought home, Xiang Kun regularly shared its chirping and singing with “Xiao Pingguo”. Initially, they discussed “Bird Language”, analyzing the meanings conveyed by “Canary’s” calls. After he had roughly figured out “Canary’s” mannerisms, he just shared the birdsong to indulge “Xiao Pingguo’s” fondness for it.

Because she often heard “Canary’s” sounds and discussed “Canary’s” behaviors with Xiang Kun, she’d developed a special interest in this canary, and she somehow felt, whether it was its calls or songs, Xiang Kun’s bird seemed more “emotional” and “sentimental” than other canaries.

Xiang Kun naturally agreed immediately. He also sent Professor Li Yang his address, asked for their dietary preferences, and planned to cook for them at home tomorrow.

Not only did he often ask “Xiao Pingguo” about her technique in deciphering bird calls on WeChat, occasionally he also consulted Professor Li Yang about microbiology. Therefore, he needed to treat them nicely when they came to visit his city.

Moreover, he knew how much “Xiao Pingguo” loved “Canary”. She would definitely want to hear “Canary’s” song “in person”, and touch its feathers.

Inauspicious as it may sound, if there ever came a day he knew he was finished, the “Canary” would definitely be given to “Xiao Pingguo” as he handled his affairs, because he knew that “Xiao Pingguo” knew how to care for it and indeed would take good care of the bird..