He felt that something might go wrong in Silver City soon, but the Inspection Division hadn’t noticed a thing. It seemed only the Night Watchers could handle it.

At this moment, all that was missing was an opportunity!

Chapter 002 Red Shadow

Opportunities need to be created by oneself.

The opportunity that Henry Thompson needed also had to be created by himself.

Very soon, Henry Thompson had organized a file in front of him. He stood up and walked toward the small office in the workspace.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

Henry Thompson knocked on the office door.

The voice of the Confidential Office director came from inside: “Come in!”

……

Henry Thompson pushed open the office door.

“Director!”

“Henry Thompson, ah!”

The middle-aged Jack Smith couldn’t help but smile when he saw Henry Thompson.

This was a polite, hardworking kid. After all, he had received a higher education at Silver City’s Ancient Academy. Although he had dropped out early, it wasn’t because he was expelled, but because he left on his own. Jack Smith still paid attention to him.

Henry Thompson also smiled and quickly spoke: “Director, I have something to report.”

“Have a seat!”

Jack Smith gestured. The tasks in the Confidential Office weren’t too heavy. As for matters, there weren’t any major ones—big cases were usually handled by the Enforcement Team at the front. Overall, the Confidential Office was quite stable.

As for Henry Thompson coming to report work, Jack Smith guessed that maybe this kid wanted to get familiar and have him give him a promotion?

But it was too soon. This guy had just dropped out and only became a full member half a year ago. It was impossible to promote him so quickly.

As he was thinking, Henry Thompson’s expression became serious, and his voice grew a bit heavy: “Director, in the Confidential Office, I’m mainly responsible for organizing files on suspicious and unsolved cases. After a year here, I’ve reorganized and reclassified some files from the past ten years…”

Jack Smith immediately smiled and nodded: “I know, a top student is a top student! The files used to be a bit messy, and some old files were almost eaten by bugs. I had people reorganize them before, but still, when you needed something, you often couldn’t find it. Since you came, whenever I want to find a case, I can find it right away. You’ve done a great job with that…”

Henry Thompson quickly shook his head: “Director, I’m not here to show off or take credit.”

Really?

Jack Smith chuckled. Could it be that he really had something to report?

He didn’t say anything more, just nodded, signaling Henry Thompson to continue.

Henry Thompson took the file in front of him, handed a copy to Jack Smith, and opened one himself. Though young, his voice was steady: “In 1720, September 16th, at Silver City’s Anju Community, there was a self-immolation case. Someone witnessed the victim set themselves on fire in public, with sparks suddenly appearing inside their body, burning them alive.”

Jack Smith also looked at the file in his hand, then looked at Henry Thompson.

A case from ten years ago, and it was already closed. It wasn’t murder, but an accident. Why was this kid bringing up a closed case from ten years ago?

Henry Thompson continued: “In 1723, September 22nd, at Silver City’s Commercial Center, a sales clerk’s hair suddenly caught fire, quickly engulfing their whole body, and they were burned to death in public.”

Jack Smith nodded, “I know this one. I was the one who archived it. I even went to the scene myself. It was an accident, caused by excessive static electricity at the commercial center.”

Henry Thompson didn’t argue and continued reading: “In 1725, August 18th, at Silver City’s Minsheng Hotel, a guest checked in, and a day later was found dead in the hotel, also burned to death by self-immolation.”

There was a five-year gap between the first and second self-immolation cases, and a two-year gap between the second and third.

Three self-immolation cases in five years, but all were accidents. Silver City handled many cases every day. Three accidental self-immolation cases in five years really weren’t a big deal, and few people paid attention.

Unless, by coincidence, all three cases were handled by the same person, maybe then it would draw some attention.

There were countless files in the Confidential Office, and Jack Smith usually didn’t pay much attention. After hearing a few cases now, he vaguely sensed something and frowned at Henry Thompson.

Henry Thompson continued: “In 1727, February 16th, on Silver City’s East Avenue, another person died by self-immolation. The cause was the appearance of ball lightning nearby, suspected to have triggered the self-immolation. It happened a year and a half after the previous case!”

Jack Smith’s expression changed slightly. From three years to two years, then to a year and a half—another self-immolation case in Silver City!

“In 1728, August 12th, the Inspection Division in Silver City’s suburbs reported a missing person. Later, a burned skeleton was found by the river, suspected to have been struck by lightning during a thunderstorm. The case was closed as an accident.”

Another year and a half!

This was reported by a subordinate agency. The Confidential Office only organized the files and didn’t participate in handling cases. Besides, for cases caused by accidents like this, once they were closed below, the higher-ups wouldn’t overturn them lightly.

Jack Smith’s expression grew more and more serious. He really hadn’t paid attention before—there were just too many files in the Confidential Office, and many old files were destroyed every year.

“Another year and a half…”

Jack Smith didn’t look at the file in his hand, but instead looked at Henry Thompson, and said in a deep voice: “First three years, then two years, then two intervals of a year and a half. In August or September of 1729, did another self-immolation case occur?”

1729—that was last year.

Jack Smith thought for a moment. Did something happen last year?

Was the interval a year?