Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 31 This is not the secret I wanted

Green slowly closed his notebook, his palms slightly sweaty.

It turned out to be the case.

An unopenable book from an unidentified shipwreck, possibly accompanied by a "curse," causing all the crew members who came into contact with it to die one after another in various "accidents."

He fell into deep thought and eventually came to a conclusion.

The notebook's owner is very likely old Bob, one of the survivors, if the second mate who was transferred is still alive.

"If it were old Bob, it would explain why he knew the secret of the west corner and why he warned himself. He was transferred here as the warehouse manager and then hid the books in the underground warehouse..."

Lord of the Storm? Souls of shipwrecked victims? Green wasn't quite sure. The notebook owner's speculation was heavily influenced by folk superstition. But the series of deaths in various forms did indeed fit the characteristics of some kind of 'curse' or 'routine misfortune'.

This book is likely a sealed object with strong negative characteristics, carrying some kind of 'concept' related to death and misfortune.

Green's gaze fell on the book again. It lay quietly on the table, its worn exterior seeming to lurk with an ominous air under the dim light.

How to deal with it became a thorny problem. Although he did not sense any abnormal spiritual fluctuations, it did not mean that they were safe.

Those who have touched it have all met with misfortune. I am merely an apprentice who has just entered the extraordinary realm; I wonder if I will also be targeted...

Green felt a bit uneasy. He had discovered a secret, but it turned out to be a hot potato that could backfire if not handled properly.

"What a tragedy!" he sighed, looking up at the sky.

After much thought, I finally decided that staying here is the safest option.

Old Bob had been guarding the place for so many years, and although he was filled with anxiety, at least the old man was alive. He could pretend he hadn't noticed and continue working until he left.

Green took out his pocket watch; it was getting late, and Aunt Sylvia must be getting impatient.

He took a deep breath and carefully tucked the dark blue notebook into his inner pocket. This was an important clue and evidence, and it shouldn't be cursed.

Then he went to the west corner and put the empty wooden boxes, broken chairs, and oilcloth that he had moved aside back on, trying to restore them to their original state and cover up the traces of them being disturbed.

Finally, he returned to the table and looked at the book.

"We can't stay here."

Green glanced around the basement, his gaze finally settling on a corner of an old shelf in the shadows. It was covered in a thick layer of dust, usually unnoticed by anyone.

And so, he hid the hardcover book. After doing all this, he checked that there were no obvious traces, then turned off the lights and locked the basement door.

When I stepped out of the small building, it was already completely dark, and the light snow was still falling. Most of the lights in the port authority were already off.

Green walked along the port authority's stone path toward the gate, his mind wandering back to the contents of his notes, making him somewhat absent-minded.

Just as he was passing by the main building, a series of hurried, disordered, and sobbing footsteps suddenly came from the direction of the back door of the main building.

Green instinctively stopped and looked in the direction of the sound.

A young girl staggered out of the door.

His clothes were disheveled, one of the buttons on his collar had popped open, his hair was a bit messy, and his face was covered in tear stains. Under the dim yellow light, he looked particularly disheveled and panicked.

She wasn't even wearing a coat, just a thin indoor dress.

She seemed not to have expected anyone to be outside. When she saw Green standing by the roadside, she was startled and suddenly lowered her head, covering her face with her arm. She quickened her pace and almost stumbled as she rushed toward the port authority gate.

Green was completely stunned and didn't realize what had happened for a moment.

"What's going on?" he murmured subconsciously, looking in the direction the girl had disappeared. Judging from the person's attire and age, they didn't seem like a senior employee; they looked more like a clerk.

Just then, the back door of the main building was suddenly pushed open, and a slightly bloated figure hurriedly chased after it. Green frowned; he recognized the man—it was none other than Director Henry Burns.

Henry looked anxiously toward the gate and then saw Green standing not far away. His expression instantly became incredibly interesting.

First came the unexpected shock and embarrassment, the awkwardness of having one's private affairs exposed, which was quickly replaced by anger and condescending severity.

He straightened his slightly crooked bow tie and coat, puffed out his belly, and strode quickly toward Green, his leather shoes crunching on the snow.

"You!" Henry stopped in front of Green, his finger almost poking Green's nose, and shouted, "What are you doing here? It's been so long since you got off work, why aren't you leaving? Sneaking around like that!"

After saying that, he quickly glanced in the direction of the gate, which was already empty.

Green quickly masked his confusion, instantly understanding what had happened. However, such an incident at the port authority was beyond the control of a temporary worker like him. He could only lower his head stiffly and say in a low voice, "Supervisor, I just came out of the underground warehouse and was on my way home. I was passing by here..."

"The underground warehouse?" Henry interrupted him, his eyes darting suspiciously between him and the main building, as if trying to determine if he had seen more.

"Where's old Bob? He just left you out this late? Is he done with his work?"

"Mr. Bob left first. I tidied up my tools and the trash I cleaned up, so I'm a little late."

Henry stared at him for a few seconds, and after noticing Green's grime and dust, nodded slightly. He then took a half-step closer and lowered his voice:

"Kid, I don't care who introduced you, whether it was Victor or someone else... I don't care what you saw or heard..."

He squinted and continued:

"You'd better forget everything that happened today. Keep your mouth shut and pretend you didn't see or hear anything. Understand? If you dare to gossip or spread rumors outside... Hmph, although the port authority's temporary worker position is insignificant, if I want you to quit or... encounter some kind of 'accident,' it's just a matter of me saying a word. Don't forget, your uncle Victor is also in the inspection team; he knows some rules better than I do."

A blatant threat, mixed with the oppressive feeling of using authority and interpersonal relationships, hits you hard.

Green gritted his teeth and remained silent at first, then his face immediately showed an expression of fear and obedience. "I just got off work late today. I went straight home from the warehouse and didn't see anything on the way."

Henry seemed fairly satisfied with his tact; he snorted and straightened his clothes.

"Good to know. Go home now and don't linger here!" He waved his hand as if shooing away flies.

"Yes, supervisor." Green replied, then turned and quickened his pace toward the door.

Green strode out of the port authority gate, the fine snow hitting his face.

Instead of heading home, he quickly turned into a dimly lit alleyway filled with clutter.

Leaning against the cold brick wall, I stared sideways at the port authority's gate. Henry's words and the girl's image flashed through my mind.

Green wasn't afraid of Henry's threats; an administrative supervisor's influence couldn't extend too far, and Uncle Victor wasn't entirely without connections. What truly concerned Green was Henry's attitude.

The enraged reaction to being caught in a scandal, and the practiced attempt to use power to suppress and silence the person, clearly indicate that this is not the first time.

This kind of person is like an unstable bomb. Today he might threaten you because he was caught, but tomorrow he might trip you up for other reasons, or even actually cause some kind of "accident".

Having just come into contact with the secret of the west corner, that book, while the biggest risk, may also be the only source of clues.

If the curse has already taken hold, then the key to solving the problem may very well lie in the very lock that created it. This job, at least for now, cannot afford any mishaps.

Having a grudge-ridden, yet powerful, person like this in your life is a huge hidden danger.

"Troublesome," Green muttered to himself.

He wasn't a knight overflowing with a sense of justice. While the girl's plight was sympathetic, it was none of his concern. His primary concern was his own safety and his plans. Today's unexpected situation had made Henry a potential threat; ignoring it would be planting a time bomb for himself.

He has to do something, at least to diminish the threat. Henry is a shrewd man; his actions are definitely more than just workplace bullying. If he can obtain some crucial evidence, Henry will at least show some restraint.

Green waited patiently. About fifteen minutes later, Henry Burns' slightly overweight figure finally appeared at the gate, gave a casual greeting to the guard on duty, and then slowly walked into the night.