The Vampire and Her Hunter

Chapter 2: Drawn into a Case?

Waking up with a splitting headache, Sophia Ye thought, In my dream, there was a girl. I kept trying to see her face clearly, but she ran ahead, and I could never catch up. What's going on? At my age, why am I still having dreams like this?

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Master, a detective is here to see you." Someone coming to see me this early in the morning? A detective?

"What's this about?"

"Not sure."

"What kind of detective? She's not police. I'm under no obligation to see her."

"She's investigating a disappearance case commissioned by the chairman of Delight Group. Delight Group has long-standing business ties with ours. We should give the old chairman some face."

"Have her wait for me in the living room."

After finishing her morning routine, Sophia Ye took the elevator to the living room. The moment the doors opened, she saw the visitor who had been waiting for some time. Unlike her stereotypical image of a detective, she wore a white lace dress that accentuated her slender figure, topped with a new autumn-winter black trench coat. Her brown curly hair gave her a crisp, efficient look.

Not bad—my type, Sophia Ye thought to herself.

"Miss Ye, hello. I'm Tian Yuwei, head of a private detective agency. I've been commissioned by a client to investigate a missing person case and would like to ask you some questions." Sophia Ye extended her hand to shake hers. Tian Yuwei's cool expression piqued Sophia Ye's interest.

"Please proceed," Tian Yuwei replied politely, returning the handshake.

"Did you happen to see Mr. Zhan Shide, the general manager of the Deca Hotel, last night?"

Sofia Ye propped her chin on her hand, studying the beautiful woman before her intently. "Are you referring to the man with the slicked-back hair wearing a brown suit?"

"Yes. I reviewed the surveillance footage. Last night, you and he exchanged a few words in the hallway. It seemed somewhat unpleasant. You left the banquet shortly after."

"It was a bit unpleasant. Why is that? Has it drawn Detective Tian's attention?"

"After last night, James Chen went missing."

"Oh."

"I suspect it's connected to another disappearance case I'm investigating. Miss Ye, you were the last person to speak with him at the banquet. I'd like to know if you noticed anything unusual around you at the time."

"Unusual? No."

"I checked the parking lot surveillance. A woman in a black lace dress got into his car, but the footage was deleted afterward. We can't see her face."

"That woman entered and exited the restroom around the same time as you." Why does this woman sound so cold? Sophia Ye thought to herself.

"I'm sorry, I don't recall," Sophia Ye replied calmly with a faint smile. Tian Yuwei sat before her, taking notes on a tablet. Sophia found herself staring absently, intrigued by the young woman's earnest expression and bright eyes. Yet Tian Yuwei offered no response to her intense gaze.

"Ms. Ye, could you please stop staring at me like that?" she suddenly looked up at Sophia Ye. To her, Sophia Ye was just an ordinary—if not utterly ordinary—investigation subject, and one who was reluctant to share much about the case.

Sophia Ye gave an awkward smile and withdrew her gaze.

"Miss, breakfast is ready," the servant approached and said.

"If Detective Tian hasn't eaten yet, would you do me the honor of joining us for breakfast?"

Tian Yuwei looked at the aloof yet beautiful heiress before her. After a moment's hesitation, she nodded slightly.

"I heard Miss Ye just returned to the country recently. How is the adjustment going?"

"Thank you for your concern, Detective Tian. My father is helping me adapt gradually." Then came an awkward silence.

"I noticed a suit of armor in the living room earlier. Where was it acquired?"

"Detective Tian still has an interest in armor? That's a medieval suit passed down through our family. I believe it was purchased from a European nobleman."

"I see. I traveled to Europe recently and recall seeing something quite similar, especially the sword displayed beside the armor," She said with a hint of curiosity.

"There's a legend about this armor."

"A legend?" A flicker of change finally appeared on her cold face.

"Legend has it that in the Middle Ages, there was a tyrannical and cruel monarch, and the people were suffering terribly. One night, soldiers suddenly saw a suit of armor moving down the corridor. What was terrifying was that there was no one inside the armor. The soldiers were terrified."

"And then?"

"Not a single soldier could strike down the armor. Then it came to the king's bedchamber, severed his head, and hung it on the great tree before the castle."

"Do you believe in such eerie tales, Detective Tian?"

"I'm a materialist. "Thank you for sharing your story, Miss Ye. I must take my leave now," she said politely, setting down her knife and fork.

Sophia Ye chuckled. "Detective Tian, you're quite amusing. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help this time. I look forward to our next meeting. Next time you visit, please let me know in advance." I handed her the QR code for adding me to a messaging app.

"If anything remains unclear, I may need to trouble Miss Ye again." She flashed a professional smile, scanned the QR code, and departed.

After she left, I messaged Ken: "Find me this lady's background."

"Received, Master. Will send details to your phone shortly," Ken replied.

Tian Yuwei's visit today had actually unsettled Sophia Ye.

Sophia Ye wondered inwardly: What "good deeds" did my dear sister get up to after I left last night? I knew she wouldn't come looking for me out of the blue—mother must be scheming something again. Still, this Detective Tian was an unexpected bonus. Her records showed she was a top graduate in criminal investigation from M Country, who opened a detective agency after returning home with one employee. Beyond that, details were scarce—quite mysterious.

Arriving at the company.

"Regarding the department store acquisition case, what progress has been made?" Sofia Ye asked the project team in the conference room.

"None," the other executives murmured, lowering their heads.

"We're proceeding with an equity acquisition. According to the original lease agreement, the company retains all relevant rights and obligations, correct?"

"Yes, but their legal team claims..."

"They shouldn't be able to withhold it without cause, unless they can prove we lack the financial capacity to pay rent," Sofia Ye stated sternly.

"They can't be allowed to lead us by the nose with a counterclaim alleging infringement of economic relations," Sofia Ye declared as she rose. "If you can't handle it, find someone who can—but ensure the entire acquisition process remains lawful and compliant."

Sofia Ye sensed someone else was manipulating this situation behind the scenes. Coordinating opposition to our acquisition from multiple major department stores wasn't something an ordinary person could orchestrate. There were definitely forces at play that hadn't been fully uncovered yet.