Chapter 503 - 242: King of the Sky, Move Out

Chapter 503: Chapter 242: King of the Sky, Move Out

In the second clip, another boy wearing a beanie and a backpack was walking home through an alley.

A crow, pitch-black save for eyes that seemed to faintly glint red in the camera’s reflection, suddenly swooped down from a nearby bare tree. It circled low over the boy’s head, letting out a hoarse caw.

The boy, seemingly captivated, stopped and looked up at the crow.

After circling a few times, the crow flew off toward the far end of the alley.

The boy hesitated for a moment before following the crow, he too disappearing into a surveillance blind spot.

The third clip, the fourth...

The scenes and the children changed, but the two birds—a rainbow parrot and a red-eyed crow—always appeared near them in some fashion. Then, as if pulled by invisible strings, the children would follow the birds away.

When the video ended, a dead silence fell over the conference room.

Even though they had seen it many times, the sight of children being "lured" away by birds still sent a chill down the spines of the detectives present.

"It’s these two birds."

Yao Zhenwei pointed at the frozen frame, his voice heavy. "We’ve checked all bird transaction records in the entire city, as well as pet hospitals and the Zoo. We even contacted neighboring provinces, but we haven’t found the origin of this particular parrot."

"The crow is an ordinary species, but its behavior is highly abnormal. Furthermore, every time they appear and disappear, they cleverly avoid the main surveillance cameras. All clues ultimately point to that old factory district in the west."

Yang Qi stared intently at the parrot and the crow on the screen, his brows furrowed.

The birds’ gazes, postures, and flight paths all revealed an unnaturally well-trained quality.

This was especially true for the crow. A normal crow’s eyes might look alert or indifferent, but this one’s... even in the blurry video, its gaze had an icy quality, as if it were carrying out an order.

"They’ve undergone highly professional training, and their trainer has an expert understanding of avian behavior and child psychology."

Yang Qi spoke slowly. "These aren’t random abductions; they’re crimes with clear targets and methods. I need to go take a look at the area where they were last seen."

"The Beaked Eagle I brought can conduct a wide-area search from the sky, looking for suspicious avian traces or roosting spots."

"My cat is sensitive to unusual scents and can assist on the ground."

"I’ll need the most detailed architectural blueprints, sewer network maps, and recent satellite images of that area."

When Yang Qi mentioned a Beaked Eagle, everyone in the conference room, except for Chen Jifeng, froze for a second.

’A Beaked Eagle?’

Just then, there was a knock on the door. A young police officer poked his head in, a look of lingering shock on his face.

"Director Yao, sirs... there’s a huge eagle in a tree outside... does it belong to the advisor?"

The task force members turned to Chen Jifeng in confusion, Director Yao included.

Chen Jifeng quickly explained in a low voice.

When they heard that not only had Yang Qi brought a cat, but he’d also brought a Beaked Eagle that obeyed his commands to serve as his "aerial assistant"—and that this eagle was currently perched in a tree in the station’s courtyard—Director Yao and every member of the task force were utterly astonished.

’Using a trained bird of prey in a criminal investigation?’

’It was simply unheard of.’

But after the initial shock, a spark of excitement flashed in Director Yao’s eyes.

’Desperate times call for desperate measures.’

’If this Beaked Eagle can really produce a miracle...’

"Get all the maps and materials Advisor Yang needs, now! Tech team, coordinate with Advisor Yang to establish... a communication link with the Beaked Eagle. Make sure his commands for aerial reconnaissance are relayed accurately!"

Yao Zhenwei was decisive. "Chen Jifeng, you will personally lead a team to assist Advisor Yang and ensure his safety at all times. All other teams, proceed with your original assignments. Continue searching the area and narrow the perimeter!"

"YES, SIR!"

With the orders given, the task force kicked into high gear.

A massive police presence descended upon the several-square-kilometer area in the western part of the West Mountain District, which was comprised of an old factory district and zones slated for demolition. They began a sweeping, methodical search.

High above, Qi Zai the Beaked Eagle followed Yang Qi’s mental commands, circling widely over the target area to conduct its search.

Its sharp eyes, like high-precision scanners, swept over every rooftop, every open lot, and every small alley, searching for suspicious flocks of birds, unusual signs of entry, or the glint of colorful feathers similar to what was seen in the surveillance footage.

Qi Zai’s search was silent and efficient. An occasional cry from the eagle would startle the local birds into flight, which actually helped in observing whether any unusual avians were hiding among them.

On the ground.

Chen Jifeng led a team of elite officers, who split into groups. Armed with high-powered flashlights, crowbars, and detectors, they entered the abandoned factories, semi-collapsed apartment buildings, and maze-like alleyways to investigate on foot.

Yang Qi, with Xiaojiu in tow, followed Chen Jifeng’s group.

Xiaojiu was agile, often darting first into crevices and ventilation shafts that were inaccessible to humans. It used its keen sense of smell and perception, far superior to that of a police dog, to search for any unusual scents.

Yang Qi himself used the Earth Listening Technique to sense the subtle signs of life in the surrounding environment.

However, after an entire afternoon of searching, the results were disappointing.

From the air, Qi Zai hadn’t spotted any rainbow parrots or abnormally-behaving crows like those in the footage.

The ground search had also come up empty. They found no discarded clothing, toys, or signs of a struggle. Nor did they find any suspicious holding sites or "nests."

The abandoned buildings contained nothing but years of accumulated dust, scattered trash, and the occasional scurrying rat.

Although Xiaojiu had shown signs of alertness a few times, it was ultimately confirmed to be just stray cats and dogs or some residual chemical odors, none of which were related to the case.