Mysterious Hunting Ground

Chapter 286 276. Four-Pointed Star Formation

North of Hawkins, suburbs.

Clusters of pine trees wrapped in silver are like white beacons, illuminating a row of clear footprints in the vast expanse of snow.

At the end of the footprints, Dean squatted beside a raised rock, pushed aside the thick snow on the ground, and dug out a dark hole.

"Jonathan, is this the place you came to last time?"

Jonathan, who was looking around in the woods, panted and ran over. He took a quick look and found a small triangular mark near the entrance of the cave. "Yes! I left this mark on the ground."

"I'll go down and take a look." Dean jumped directly into the hole. The light dimmed and his body felt slightly warmer. He landed smoothly on the ground and scanned around from his God's perspective.

The cave is about the size of a living room. The four walls are made of uneven rocks, cave plants, and vines. It has not been decorated or painted, and it looks like it was dug manually.

Dean frowned, seeing nothing.

"Dean, I'll come down and take a look, catch me." Catherine whispered, jumped down, fell into the man's arms, brushed a strand of blond hair to her ears, turned on the flashlight to illuminate left and right, and then Jonathan gritted his teeth and jumped too down.

"This is what it looks like down there," Jonathan shook his head in disappointment, "Why isn't there even a spider or a snake?"

"Yes, where are the remains?" Catherine asked, "Why didn't I see it?"

"I don't know," Jonathan looked confused. "It was just Marcus and the other three who said there was a skeleton, and I didn't see it with my own eyes... Could they be lying to scare girls?"

"Not necessarily, just stand still." Dean continued to scan from God's perspective. As his perception improved, his perspective's insight ability was greatly enhanced, and he would not miss even a speck of dust.

There is nothing on the ceiling and surrounding walls, but there is a large blur of shoe prints on the ground, which should have been left recently. If you look closely, there are three types. The shoe prints meet at the entrance of the cave, disperse in all directions, and finally appear in the center of the cave. The locations are in a circle.

Dean nodded, this should be the footprints of the three Marcuses.

There must be something in the center of the cave to attract the three of them to walk over.

He leaned over, squatted down, picked up some clay on the ground, and crushed it, "If there was a skeleton, it should have been lying here at that time."

Jonathan asked, "Then why did it disappear? After we left, someone else found and took it away?"

"No, there are only three types of footprints left in the cave recently, which is consistent with your description that only Marcus, Steve, and Golan entered." Dean turned his eyes and said, "This means that in recent times, besides them and No one else came down except us.”

Jonathan and Catherine stared so hard that they couldn't see any shoe prints on the ground, but they both trusted Dean very much, so they came up with a guess.
"You mean that after we left last week, Marcus and the others returned to the cave and secretly took away the skeletons?"

"You'd have to ask them face to face, but I think it's unlikely. There's no reason for three teenagers to kidnap a skeleton."

"They didn't take it away," Catherine leaned close to Dean's arm. "It couldn't be that the skeleton crawled out on its own, right?"

"No, even if the skeleton survived and escaped, it should have left traces, but it didn't." Dean pondered.

Listening to the ridiculous discussion between the two, Jonathan suddenly felt a cold wind blowing on his back, and couldn't help but shrink his neck, "You two, since you have no clues, just leave. It's weird here and I'm a little uncomfortable."

Catherine caressed her chest, "Yes, my chest feels tight."

Dean's heart moved when he heard this. He also felt something abnormal. Less than 5 minutes after entering the cave, the active life energy and mental power in his body became slightly unruly, as if there was some invisible force field that was pushing the energy out. He breathed, and the shadow next to him also conveyed similar feelings to him through telepathy.

Dean felt the direction of the energy loss, lying on the ground, and quickly brushed away the dust and soil on the ground with his hands.

While the dust was flying, the ground gradually revealed a pattern that went deep into the stone. Dean turned on his God's perspective and looked down from top to bottom and discovered that it was a black four-pointed star with a diameter of more than five meters, with strange inscriptions carved on the four corners. The graphics are humans, animals, starry sky, and symmetrically arranged broken glass...the four graphics exude an indescribable mysterious atmosphere.

The rest of the four-pointed star is filled with a weird black font.

Dean carefully identified it. They were not English, Chinese, or Latin that he had any impression of. These fonts looked thick, square, sharp-edged, and also had wonderful curves, like a row of thickened musical notes. A tadpole that raises its tail and curls its body into a circle.

A coin-like circle is drawn in the center of the four-pointed star, which is where the footprints intersect. Dean deduces that the skull is most likely to appear.

The moment this strange pattern emerged from the dust, some mysterious power radiated around, the light in the cave became dim, and both Catherine and Jonathan couldn't help but take a step back towards the exit of the cave.

And Dean noticed that the energy in his body was gathering into the four-pointed star more quickly through his feet that were in contact with the ground.

At the same time, the progress of "Hawkins Homicide" in the system has jumped to 30.00%, the difficulty has changed from unknown to "at least medium", and the reward has increased from at least 80 points to at least 160 points + special rewards.

Medium, there are supernatural elements, so there is a mysterious power hidden in this graphic?
Some kind of magic circle?
Looking under the four-pointed star from God's perspective, all he could see was solid rock.

"You two, what's going on now?" Jonathan looked like he had seen a ghost. "Why is there such a strange pattern in the cave?"

"I have seen similar graphics in very few special report articles. It looks a bit like Satan, the ritual circles used by devil worshipers, hexagrams and the like." Catherine took out a pen and paper from her handbag and recorded it dexterously. As a professional reporter and editor, her drawing skills are very good, and she can quickly draw various patterns on the ground.

Jonatha's face turned pale, "Dean, what kind of demon summoning circle is this?"

Dean shook his head, and the figure of Professor Aiden emerged in his mind. "I can't understand it right now. Let's do this first. Take a photo of the magic circle and develop it for me. I'll ask a professional to help me check it."

Jonathan nodded, and in the flash of light, the camera focused on the four-pointed star and took pictures.

……

Soon, the three of them crawled out of the hole, breathing in the fresh and cool air, feeling happy to be out of prison and see the light of day again.

Jonathan's finger holding the camera shook twice, and his face turned blue, "I will never go in this damn hole again."

Catherine smiled and said in the tone of an old-timer, "Young people, if you are so timid, you will not be able to become a reporter in the future. A real reporter must have the courage to face all unknowns and mysteries."

Jonathan shook his head, "I'm not a reporter. From now on, I will specialize in taking photos of nature, wild animals, and beautiful ladies."

"The ambition is not small, but we have to do business now," Dean took over and blocked the entrance with snow and dead branches again, "Let's go develop the photos first. Catherine, do you know where there is a fax machine?"

"Our newspaper office has a fax machine and a darkroom for developing photos. Can we come together?"

……

The three of them drove out of the northern suburbs, and before the sun completely set, they arrived at the daily newspaper office in the center of Hawkins, a one-story bungalow.

In the evening, the leaders of the newspaper office had already gone off work, leaving only a few reporters and editors working overtime in the office area.
As soon as Catherine entered the door, she held Dean's arm intimately and walked across the office area in a hurry, passing out the freshly packed burgers and coffee to all her colleagues.
"Bryce, Bent, Olivia, let me buy you some coffee... By the way, I want to use the darkroom. Is there anyone in there?"

"No one, just use it, we will clean up afterward." Several people took the coffee and drank it in small sips, but when their eyes glanced at the man next to Catherine, curiosity and fear filled their faces, "Katherine, this Who is this gentleman?"

"My boyfriend, come visit my workplace." Catherine said and walked away.

Several single male colleagues' expressions darkened and they sighed, commemorating the love they had lost before it even began.

After Catherine entered the room, she pressed her back against the wall and smiled like a fox, covering her mouth.
Dean read her inner thoughts, "These colleagues have been pestering you?"

"Yes, they often show hospitality in front of me, but now it's better. When they see my boyfriend, they will probably give up."

Dean parted a bunch of blond hair in front of her forehead, "If I pester you again, tell me and I will help you solve your trouble."

"Ah."

Next to him, Jonathan looked at this scene with envy, wondering when he would be so intimate with the goddess of his dreams, and then entered the darkroom with his camera.

……

"Okay, Dean, are the deaths of Marcus and Samantha really related to the magic circle and the skeleton?" Catherine placed the hand-drawn pattern on the table, holding her chin to examine it carefully.
"I don't want to lie to you, there is."

Catherine's eyes lit up and she lowered her voice and said, "You mean there are supernatural elements here?" "Well, so don't get too involved, otherwise you may encounter unpredictable risks."

"You two, I've finished developing it," Jonathan walked out holding a newly developed black and white photo.
Dean took the photo and borrowed the newspaper's phone number to contact Professor Aiden, explaining the difficulties he encountered. He then asked for the other party's fax number and faxed the photo.

"Aiden, find out the specific purpose of this magic circle and call me immediately, do you understand?"

"Well, there should be news in the next three or two days."

"So fast?"

"If I read it correctly, the text in the four-pointed star is Kufic script popular in the Arabian Peninsula."

"Kufa body?" Dean found that the system progress jumped to 30.00%.

"It is the calligraphy style of Arabic characters, and the four-pointed star itself also has a special meaning in that culture."

Dean's face became even more confused. Why did symbols related to the Arabian Peninsula appear in the forest outside Hawkins in the north-central United States? He had never heard Hope say that there were Arab immigrants in the town.

"As expected of a professional history professor, I am waiting for your good news. By the way, I will pay you after the matter is resolved."

"Don't insult me. You saved my life several times in Mexico. It's a rare opportunity to help you. After this time, I can show off to Brother Goco for a whole month, not to mention that we now belong to a mutual aid group." said the microphone. Aiden couldn't help laughing, "If you have any questions about the supernatural, don't hesitate to contact me immediately. I and a group of experts and professors who are interested in occult science behind me are your strong backing."

"Then I won't be polite. Please help me look up the legends of 'Leviathan' and 'Baphomet', but pay attention to safety and stop immediately if anything goes wrong."

The sound of the pen tip rubbing against the paper came from the microphone.

"Remember, wait for my good news."

……

After hanging up the phone, Dean analyzed the current situation.

Professor Aiden is in charge of the four-pointed star circle related to the "Hawkins Murder Case".

The murderer wearing a black robe and a swastika tattooed on his wrist was handed over to Hope and the police to search.

Then he should be responsible for finding the skeleton, and where to find it?

Dean looked at Jonathan sharply, "Help me, among the eight people you went to the suburbs with, Marcus and Samantha are already dead, but there are a few people left, Steve, Golan, and Hala. , Nancy, and Barbara are all important witnesses and are likely to have key information and even know the whereabouts of the skeleton."

"You help me gather them...well...it's too late today. You can call them over tomorrow morning."

Jonathan lowered his head with a look of embarrassment on his face, "Man, I'm happy to help you, but I'm just an insignificant little transparent person with no prestige among that group of people. I even beat Golan up last time, and I can't speak at all. They won't listen to me."

Dean patted him on the shoulder and handed over a few swords, "Then tell them that the murderer who hasn't been caught yet is probably related to the skeleton they found in the cave. If they don't come, their lives will be in danger." ! By the way, this is the activity fund given to you, use it as you like."

Dangerous to life?

Jonathan thought of his classmates who died tragically, and his lips suddenly turned white, and his fingers clenched into fists tremblingly. At the same time, Nancy's beautiful image flashed through his mind uncontrollably.

"Okay!" Jonathan gritted his teeth as he took the money, his slightly darkened eyes showing determination, like a knight about to attack to protect the princess, "But there are classes at school tomorrow, so we'll meet at the restaurant outside the middle school at 04:30 in the afternoon. How about it? I promise to help you call everyone out!"

"OK."

……

After making all arrangements for the case, the moon rose into the sky.

Dean drives Jonathan into the hands of Mrs. Joyce, which returns to Catherine's home.

As soon as the woman opened the door, she couldn't help but throw her clothes and handbag on the sofa, ran barefoot to the record player, and put in a record.

Fierce, exciting and vibrant jazz music echoes through the living room.

Catherine grabbed Dean's hand and started dancing without any rules. She just shrugged and twisted her hips to the music. Her petite body released huge energy, a warm blush spread on her charming cheeks, and waves formed under her white sweater. , “What would you like to eat tonight?”

Infected, Dean took Catherine's little hand and turned her around gracefully, then fell into his arms, "I like everything you do."

"Then we are together?"

The two of them walked to the kitchen to the music. Catherine put the frying pan on the stove, while Dean took out the steak, carrots, and green peppers from the refrigerator... He closed the door with his buttocks and chopped the vegetables. Then his four hands overlapped and he started walking. Shaking left and right, they worked together to make two portions of black pepper steak pasta, brought them to the table, opened the red wine, and poured a glass for each person.

Catherine picked up the cup, a happy smile on her face, her eyes dark and deep under her eyelashes,
"Dean, after I met you, I felt like I was favored by God. I got rid of the group of lustful old men in Las Vegas, got rid of the 'devils' who followed me since I was a child, and now have a job that I love. , work with the people you like by your side, and investigate exciting and mysterious events.”

"This is the life I've always wanted."

Catherine looked at him with gentle and loving eyes,
"It's like a dream."

"Then I will never let you wake up."

Dean had a drink with her, enjoyed dinner, and danced to the music. The temperature in the living room was too high. They were so hot that they sweated and jumped to the dining table in the living room, then from the living room to the bathroom, and from the bathroom to the sofa. , on the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Finally, he fell on the carpet exhausted. Catherine rested in his arms, with a satisfied smile on her face, "Dean, let's do it together tomorrow."

Dean nodded and gently stroked her sweaty hair and soft and smooth skin. The huge life energy passed through his fingertips like a scalpel and accurately removed the accumulated damage in her body.

Catherine seemed to have soaked in a hot spring. A warmth penetrated her skin and washed away the fatigue of her body and mind. She felt relaxed and comfortable as never before, and she started snoring unknowingly.

"Go to sleep."

Dean gently put her on the bed. Taking advantage of the fact that his body, mind, and spirit were now at their peak, he recalled his day's investigation and touched on the three elements of the progress of the "Hawkins Murder Case": the four-pointed star circle, The disappearing skeleton and the murderer in the black robe and ghost mask.

Then he stood up and jumped out of the window sill, went to the yard, honed his life energy and telekinesis that had improved after killing the hell monk last time, and repaired and maintained weapons, equipment, and various rare objects.

When the stars began to twinkle in the night sky, he set up the astronomical telescope he bought from Teacher Owen's house during the day, and then transformed into a snake demon to observe the starry sky.

On winter nights, Orion is extremely eye-catching. With the help of an astronomical telescope, Dean can clearly see the details of star clusters and rapidly rotating stars.

But unfortunately, after looking at it for an hour, he didn't find the magical pattern similar to arrows that he needed.

"Sure enough, you can't see the pattern with just an astronomical telescope."

Dean began to twist the snake demon's body into meditation, and Orion's arrows appeared next to the "Red Dragon" again.

And this time, I could see it more clearly than last night.

Dean carefully recorded some of the details, then took out a piece of phantom snake scale in the space and used Alpha Wolf's fangs to carve patterns on it.

One-third of the arrows were successfully formed, but there was no burning of the paper they were transcribed on yesterday.

And it is only one third of the time. The arrows on the snake scales possess a kind of magical power, flowing with a breathtaking luster, echoing the stars of Orion in the night sky, leading to wisps of yellow and white starlight. Starlight circulates endlessly in this figure.

Dean suppressed his excitement and continued to meditate, observe, and then sculpt.

Half the night passed quietly.

(End of this chapter)