The red moon returns

Chapter 63 Empty Photo Frame

At the end of the forest path is a two-story hut, which looks very much like a forest hut in a fairy tale. It is still daytime, so you can't tell if there is any light in the room, but it sounds quiet inside.

The next moment, a figure appeared in front of the wooden house.

Lynch got out of hiding and waved to the police officer hiding in the woods.

A tall man's figure immediately bent over and leaned over the blind corner of the window.

"This should be the place where the photo was taken." Officer Natalie gestured with her eyes, confirming that he had controlled the surrounding sounds, and then said with confidence, "Look, that's where the photo was taken, and the photography equipment is placed on the barbecue table over there. The angle is just right.”

Sure enough, it's here.

It seems that although the two reporters are very aware of the crisis, they are not professional spies after all. They still left a lot of clues that can be easily found.

Or is it not that easy?

"I listened for a long time and even knocked inside the room with my phantom voice, but there was no movement inside. I suspected that no one was inside, or... someone had an accident."

"Did he not come at all or had he left? But there is no way to explain the absence of wheel marks. There is no mystery left in the open air outside."

"No response, but it's hard to tell what's inside."

"Then go in and take a look. Pay attention to your own safety."

From the opposite window to confirm that there was no trap behind the door, the police officer took out her hairpin and Lynch took out his pistol.

Even though he has a casual shooting technique where the landing point is random, at least he can scare people.

After Lynch nodded to herself, the police officer exerted her fingers hard, and there was a soft click, and the door was gently pushed open. With Lynch here, you don't have to worry about sound. In the words of the police officer, it is a necessary ability for criminal activities.

Lynch once again bravely protected the police officer's back, peered over her shoulder into the house, and then the two of them sneaked in cautiously.

Hiss, a putrid stench hit their faces, making both of their eyes uncomfortable.

Lynch covered his mouth and nose, looked at each other and nodded with the police officer. Maya had definitely come back, and she stayed for a long time.

No matter what, find someone first.

However, the cabin is just a very ordinary two-story building with six rooms in total. It doesn't even have a formal basement, only a wine cellar. The two quickly searched upstairs and downstairs, but found nothing.

In fact, there are many traces of recent life.

There were empty cans in the dining room, and there was a stench on the messy bedding in the bedroom. Especially in the bathroom, there was even a little blood on the towel, as if it had been scratched on the skin.

There are many books piled on the desk in the living room, all of which are related to folklore and mythology.

"It seems that she also realized what the problem is." Officer Natalie closed the book and sighed, "Unfortunately, sometimes the truth is hidden in such publicly released books, but it is not something ordinary people can do to find out. Arrived."

"There is a very strange thing." Lin Qi did not touch the things on the table, but pointed at the table. "The stationery is scattered, which means that it has been used when reading in the past few days, and used many kinds. But on the table I didn’t see any relevant notes.”

"She left on her own and deliberately packed up the notes and took them away." The police officer immediately understood Lynch's thoughts, "She knew we were coming?"

"No, we just found her, but the traces here show that she has been gone for at least a few hours. She can't be hiding from us. Something must have happened that we don't know about. No, let's search again and see if we can Don’t look for problems, but try not to leave any signs of rummaging in case she finds out when she comes back.”

As they said, the two of them searched separately this time, but Maya's activity area was not large. She spent most of her time there reading mythology books. Lynch searched all over the second floor...

"Lynch." The police officer's lady suddenly called out in a low voice from downstairs, "Come and see this."

Lynch was overjoyed and immediately ran down and found Officer Natalie back in the living room, staring blankly at an empty photo frame with a white background in the bookcase.

"What's wrong? Do you know what photos were originally inside?" Lynch was a little confused, but Officer Natalie turned back and glanced at him strangely, reached in and opened the photo frame.

Looking at Officer Natalie's movements, Lynch felt a shiver all over his body and his throat was a little dry.

That's not an empty picture frame at all.

The backing of the picture frame is white because there is an empty canvas stretched over the backing.

So this is no longer a picture frame, it has become conceptually a blank oil painting.

Empty frame, is it him again?
  What does he want to do? How deeply was he involved in this matter?

Is Maya an ordinary person? What's the relationship with him? Could Downey's death also be related to him?

"Wait, that's not right."

With all kinds of questions swirling rapidly in his mind, Lynch suddenly realized something. He grabbed Officer Natalie's hand and pulled her back a few steps away from the bookcase.

The police officer didn't use any force at all and backed away smoothly, just looking at him with doubtful eyes.

"Maya took away all the important things, why would she leave this thing behind?" Lynch stared at the canvas cautiously and said softly, "I suspect there is something wrong with this thing. It was a trap left intentionally. You should be more careful."

Officer Natalie thought for a moment and simply held the hilt of the sword.

No matter what kind of trap you are, with one strike of the sword, all threats will cease to exist.

However, before she could draw her sword, the blank canvas stretched on the liner suddenly changed. From light to dark, color gradually appeared on the canvas.

Soon, the canvas turned into a portrait of a person sitting upright. In the portrait, a young man in formal clothes with a gentle smile on his face came to life on the canvas.

The next moment, something even weirder happened.

The eyes in the portrait suddenly turned on their own, turning in the direction of Natalie and Lynch, and the portrait's mouth kept opening and closing as if it were alive, and a deep laugh came from the portrait.

"It's an honor to meet you two again, Ms. Angel and Mr. Leviv."

There was a sense of leisure and relaxation in his voice, as if he was chatting with an old friend for many years.

"Who are you?" Lin Qi's mind changed and she pretended not to know his identity and asked, "Why are you targeting me and why are you here?"

"Targeting you? Haha, Mr. Leviev, I'm afraid you misunderstood. You are not worthy of my targeting. You are just an important prop for me. As long as you do things for me, it is enough."

"You think I will do something for you?"

"Did you think you didn't?" The young man's chuckle was full of mockery and malice.

Lynch pursed his lips and remained silent. He was not interested in arguing with the poisonous snake behind him. After thinking for a moment, he sneered and said, "Officer Natalie, help destroy the canvas."

As he spoke, he rushed to the window and looked out.

Lynch believed in his own judgment. Unless the other party was proficient in prophecies and their efficaciousness was exaggerated, it would be impossible to know in advance that the two people would appear here, so leaving the frame would definitely not be for him and Officer Natalie. In that case, No matter why the other party left the picture frame, it is always right to destroy it, at least it will disgust the other party severely.

And since the other party activated the frame at this time, it was very likely that the person he actually wanted to see was about to appear, so Lin Qi immediately rushed to the window and saw a scene that made his eyes split with tears.

Several people came from outside the woods and were approaching the cabin.

It was a group of mountain people, and the leader, with white hair and a thin figure, was the old mountain man that Lynch would never forget.

(End of this chapter)