Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo' Chapter 1238 598: Gourd Village

Min Yue Province, Jiaheyu City.

Li Banfeng originally planned to investigate the taxi driver, but unexpectedly the taxi driver went missing.

He originally had no family, just threw his phone at home, and no one could find him at all.

The most important clue was thus interrupted, so Li Banfeng could only take people to Jiaheyu City to investigate the survivors.

Delivery man Wu Nianping went to Gourd Village at the end of the year before last and successfully survived early last year.

"Let me tell you, this thing is really absurd. When I was missing, no one cared. I ran back by myself, and now you're asking all these questions.

I've already told you, it's just a village, there's nothing there. I just wandered around there for a few days, then sneaked out.

I'm telling the truth, yet you don't believe me, thinking I'm lying to you for no reason. Isn't this ridiculous?"

Dumpling was very patient: "Mr. Wu, can you clarify what 'nothing' means?"

"Nothing means nothing, what's there to explain?"

"You stayed in Gourd Village for almost a month, there must have been something to eat, somewhere to live, right?"

"I can't remember those things, wasn't I shown to a doctor? Didn't they say I have some psychological trauma?"

Just as they were talking, Wu Nianping's son suddenly started crying.

His son had autism, and his wife's mental state wasn't too good either.

"Ah Ping," his wife grasped Wu Nianping's arm, "I'm so scared of them."

Wu Nianping comforted his wife a couple of times, and then looked at everyone: "What else do you want to ask? My wife and son are frightened by you!"

Li Banfeng looked at Wu Nianping's living conditions. The house was small, just one bedroom and a living room, space was tight.

The houses in Jiaheyu City were very expensive, at their highest price rivaling Yuezhou. Wu Nianping used to deliver takeout, now he drives for a rideshare service, supporting his wife and children, which truly wasn't easy.

Walking through the hallway, he could clearly hear the child's crying intertwined with a woman's sobs, and the noise only grew louder.

Their mental issues were severe. Li Banfeng had studied these kinds of illnesses before, and with the current level of medicine, their conditions were unlikely to improve, probably would only worsen.

Light Bulb shook his head: "I really don't know how this person got through it, if it were me, I'd have collapsed a long time ago!"

Dumpling looked at the records: "During Wu Nianping's disappearance, his wife and son didn't leave the room, ate all the food, they almost starved to death at home, fortunately, he escaped from Gourd Village."

Li Banfeng took everyone to the second survivor's home, this survivor named Deng Yunmei, was a woman.

Everyone was very curious as to why a woman would mistakenly enter Gourd Village.

Deng Yunmei didn't find the matter strange: "What's wrong with being a woman? We're pretty, so I can't even glance a couple of times?"

This lady wasn't local, she worked in Jiaheyu City and also entered Gourd Village at the end of the year before last, returning only on New Year's Eve.

Light Bulb asked directly: "Ms. Deng, is your orientation somewhat special?"

Deng Yunmei got angry: "What do you mean by special? I just glanced at her, what's wrong? The person looked good, and their clothes were fashionable, so I asked where they bought them.

They said they'd show me, I didn't expect they'd take me to the village! I asked them what we were doing there, but they didn't respond.

I stayed in the village for a few days then returned. Didn't I already explain this several times last year? What more do you want to ask?"

"How did you manage food and shelter in the village?"

"It seemed like I did odd jobs, many things I can't remember. Anyway, you work a bit to have something to eat, once full, you find a place to sleep. What's there to ask?"

A cough came from the bedroom, Deng Yunmei stood up: "Alright, my sister needs her sheets changed, don't ask me anymore, I know that much!"

Dumpling gathered information about Deng Yunmei. Ten years ago, due to a relationship entanglement, her sister was severely injured by her boyfriend, and has been unable to care for herself ever since. Over the years, she's been cared for by Deng Yunmei.

Back at the hotel, Dumpling sighed: "Seventh Master, I've already said these survivors couldn't provide any valuable information, but you didn't believe me."

Li Banfeng shook his head: "Useful, the information we got this time is very useful."

Dumpling and Light Bulb looked at each other, Chuuni nodded repeatedly at the side.

Ming Xing was curious: "Did you understand what Bureau Chief Li meant?"

Chuuni smiled at Ming Xing: "Understood, but I'm not telling you!"

Li Banfeng called Shen Jingye: "Little Shen, has that taxi driver been found?"

Shen Jingye said he was doing his utmost to find but there were no results yet.

Li Banfeng wanted to continue looking for survivors to understand the situation. Shen Jingye couldn't wait: "Bureau Chief Li, it's about time to come back, there are signs in Li Yun District, Gourd Village is likely to open there."

"Are there signs of this thing?"

"Yes, very clear, come back and take a look!"

Li Banfeng took people back to Yuezhou, Shen Jingye immediately dispatched a car to take Li Banfeng to Li Yun District.

In front of a beauty salon, Shen Jingye and Li Banfeng stood at the entrance, looking inside.

Li Banfeng rubbed his chin, asked quietly: "Isn't it kind of embarrassing to just stand here?"

"Not embarrassing, case handling stuff isn't embarrassing..." Shen Jingye felt a bit awkward too, "Just keep staring at the entrance, changes will occur soon."

After waiting for over ten minutes, the entrance of the beauty salon suddenly flickered, like it was briefly illuminated by a camera flash.