Henry Thompson didn’t mention this matter; there was immense danger involved. He didn’t even dare tell anyone that he could see the red shadow—not even the Night Watchers, who might not be trustworthy after all.

“No matter what... I must find some legitimate way to come into contact with this mysterious power!”

Henry Thompson took a deep breath and left the office.

It wasn’t just about uncovering the truth; more importantly, it was about protecting his own life.

Everyone who could see the red shadow had died. As for whether there were others who could see it, Henry Thompson didn’t know, but he did know that everyone who was exposed had died. That was highly unusual.

“My life can’t be thrown away so easily. I didn’t leave Silver City Ancient Academy and come to the Inspection Bureau just to run away.”

Stepping out of the office door, Henry Thompson let out a gentle breath and revealed a bright smile.

The best outcome would be for the Night Watchers to resolve this trouble. If he could gain some unexpected benefit from it, that would be ideal. As an administrative staff member, if he could join the Night Watchers, Henry Thompson hoped to become part of their administrative division.

As for the law enforcement division, Henry Thompson didn’t think he was up to the task—and it was far too dangerous. Just a few days ago, when he went to his teacher’s place for dinner, Henry Thompson had tried to sound things out. The Night Watchers... suffered heavy casualties!

“Take it one step at a time!”

Henry Thompson watched Jack Smith hurry away and smiled. At least he had taken the first step.

“The red shadow...”

He silently repeated the words in his heart. What exactly was that thing?

And why was he able to see it?

Chapter 003: The Li Family’s Sword

Returning from the director’s office to his own desk.

Henry Thompson glanced at the calendar on his desk: July 12, 1730.

“Almost a year!”

He murmured softly.

Across from him, Anna Brooks asked curiously, “What’s almost a year?”

Henry Thompson smiled and explained, “I mean it’s almost a year since I joined the Inspection Bureau.”

“Oh, you have a good memory.”

Anna Brooks didn’t pay any more attention. Who would remember that? It didn’t really matter.

Henry Thompson didn’t say anything more.

He remembered!

He remembered very clearly!

On August 1, 1729, he joined the Inspection Bureau.

And just a few days before that, on July 23, the day after the incident, Henry Thompson chose to drop out of school. Soon after, Henry Thompson joined the Inspection Bureau.

On July 22, 1729, there was a self-immolation case at Silver City Ancient Academy.

Second-level student Ethan Bolton set himself on fire outside his dorm room and was burned alive.

To avoid damaging the academy’s reputation, and since the Inspection Bureau’s investigation confirmed it was an accident, the news was suppressed. Very few people knew that a student had died at Silver City Ancient Academy.

Of course, another reason it didn’t cause a stir was that Ethan Bolton’s parents were both deceased, he had no close relatives, and there was no one to press the issue, so the matter was quickly hushed up.

Afterward, Henry Thompson dropped out. His advisor suspected it was related to Ethan Bolton, as it was said that Henry Thompson and Ethan Bolton had a good relationship.

“Ethan Bolton!”

He silently called the name in his heart. It was almost a year since Xiaoyuan’s death.

That scene from that day resurfaced in his mind.

A red shadow of blood seemed to clutch Xiaoyuan’s soul, crimson flames burning his spirit. Pain, struggle, collapse—all kinds of emotions that others didn’t see, but Henry Thompson seemed to see them all clearly.

He wanted to step forward and stop it, but at that moment, Xiaoyuan’s mouth kept opening and closing. In such extreme pain, unable to make a sound, his mouth kept moving.

Others might have thought he was wailing, but only Henry Thompson knew that wasn’t it.

“Run!”

Yes, he was telling him to run.

Henry Thompson knew Ethan Bolton too well!

He was telling him not to come closer, to run away.

Ethan Bolton didn’t die in his dorm room. When he died, he was only wearing underwear. It looked ridiculous, but Henry Thompson never thought it was funny.

When Ethan Bolton died, he must have been getting ready to sleep, but in unbearable pain, he fled his dorm. The direction he was heading was Henry Thompson’s dorm!

Unable to make a sound, he used all his willpower to smash a tile, causing a commotion in the dead of night. Many people came out to check, including Henry Thompson.

Was Ethan Bolton calling for help?

Outsiders might think so, but Henry Thompson didn’t.

He was warning him. Ethan Bolton escaped from his dorm, made a commotion, drew out Henry Thompson, and finally mouthed the word “run” in silence. He wasn’t asking Henry Thompson for help—he was telling him to run.

“Fourteen years.”

Henry Thompson murmured again in his heart.

He had known Ethan Bolton for fourteen years—not just two years as classmates, as others thought. They had been classmates since childhood, or perhaps best friends?

But both were quiet and reserved. The friendship between men didn’t need to be spoken aloud.

Just like Ethan Bolton, in his final moment, with incredible willpower, he struggled to escape—just to deliver a message to Henry Thompson: run!

The self-immolation case was ultimately suppressed, vanishing without a trace.

As for Henry Thompson, this close friend, few people bothered to investigate further.

“Did Xiaoyuan want me to run because he saw something, heard something, or was it just pure fear? Or... did Xiaoyuan know that the next target of the blood shadow would be me?”

This was the question Henry Thompson had been pondering for a whole year.