Chapter 251: My Rebirth Is More Than Just Chance

Carter lived up to his reputation for thoroughness. This time, he not only helped me sneak into the area, but he also meticulously documented all the internal details. A manual inspection would have been too risky, but using cameras allowed them to discreetly capture the entire layout.

“If we review the footage carefully, we might find some clues,” he said.

I nodded enthusiastically. While admiring the clever design of Carter's cufflinks, he noticed the long scratches on my fingers.

“How did you get these?” he asked.

I instinctively pulled my hand back. “It’s nothing; just a rose thorn scratch. It’s shallow.” Given my fair skin, the scratch looked more severe than it was.

Carter took out a first-aid kit to clean the wound, advising gently, “Be more careful next time, try to stay away from thorny flowers.”

“Okay,” I replied.

As he bandaged my finger, Luke watched from the backseat, his expression pained. He probably recalled a past incident when I'd gotten a paper cut while he was rushing to a movie with Anna. He had offhandedly commented, “Can’t believe an adult like you still gets hurt by paper. Don’t you know better?” If I hadn’t been so overwhelmed and distracted, I wouldn't have cut my hand while hurriedly rifling through papers. That time, the cut wasn't deep, and I could handle the physical pain; however, his words hurt much more.

Now, facing a similar situation, Carter showed concern and caution instead of scolding. Luke’s reaction had been dismissive, as if my minor accidents were an expected inconvenience. Even when I got hurt, it was considered my own fault. Carter's calm and gentle demeanor contrasted sharply with Luke's previous behavior. Throughout the drive back, he stayed quiet, occasionally glancing at me with a look of guilt.

Before we even arrived home, Carter sent the footage to the technicians. They quickly drafted a floor plan of the repair shop. As soon as we arrived home, we began analyzing it closely alongside the actual floor plan.

“This pillar looks a bit off,” Carter noticed first.

I examined the pillar closely, and suddenly, an idea struck me. “I know what this is!”

“What is it?”

I grabbed a pen and paper. “Look, if you connect these pillars, you’ll get this shape. Could it be an octagon?” When the pillars were connected, the diagram formed an octagon: eight pillars on the outside, with the middle one forming the center.

Carter zoomed in on the floor plan, and we saw that the central load-bearing pillar was indeed different—one side was white, and the other side was black! Distinct black and white; positive and negative. Because the area behind the shop was unfinished, it had a rough finish, with some black lights on the ceiling. And with the pillars being tall and thick, a person standing underneath wouldn't notice anything unusual.

When viewed from above, we could finally see the bigger picture.

“Yes, it’s like an octagon! What are these people up to? Why would they construct the repair shop to mimic the shape of an octagon?”

“I noticed an Auntarian man lurking there. Are they planning some sort of ritual involving my body?”

I frowned. “If it’s shaped like an octagon, then I might know where the entrance is. According to metaphysical arts, the southwest is known as the ‘death gate.’ My body was probably meant to be in that stone chamber.” I circled the southwest position on the map with a pen. The death gate symbolizes death and endings, which is quite ominous. The entrance wouldn’t be in the southeast (wood, blockage, concealment), nor in the east (injury, rest, shock). That leaves the northwest, as well as the northeast and the south. I marked the northwest, northeast, and south directions with a red pen.

“The northwest represents the open gate, symbolizing new beginnings and considered very auspicious; the northeast represents the birth gate, symbolizing growth and revival; while the south stands for brightness and display. I suspect the entrance to their basement is located in the northwest direction.”

I continued to scrutinize the site photos. “If they wanted to access the basement, the best way to conceal it would be through the repair pits. They’re recessed and usually covered by cars, so most people wouldn’t notice. If they modified one of these pits, it could serve as the entrance to the basement.”

As I concluded, the mouse pointer hovered over a repair bay located precisely in the northwest direction. “It looks like my hunch was right. This must be the entrance to the basement.”

Luke was stunned. “How do you know all this?”

“Do you remember Mr. Woernos? He loves traditional culture. To secure his contract, I studied metaphysical arts and philosophical musings on my own. I’m not an expert, but I could hold a conversation with him.”

Luke obviously didn't know that securing contracts wasn't just about my charm or our families' reputations, but about truly understanding each partner. Behind the scenes, I worked hard. It wasn't that things had always gone smoothly; it was just that I had been shouldering the burden quietly.

Luke said nothing, while Carter broke the tense silence. “We’ve located the entrance. For now, we need to keep it quiet. Today was just for scouting. That place is their headquarters, and we don’t know how many are involved. Going in carelessly could be dangerous.”

Carter nodded. “No rush. I’ll have Damian visit a few more times, pretending to fix cars, to slowly figure out their routines.”

“Okay,” I said.

This investigation was fruitful, but it left me uneasy. “This isn’t just a simple murder case. Why me? Why must I suffer so cruelly, even in death? Seeing the octagon now, I sense some people might want to use my body for something sinister.”

As things became so complex, we could not rely on conventional logic.

Carter looked serious. “What are they planning?”

“I’ve only seen one stone chamber; what other secrets are hidden in the others?” I bit my lip. “Was my rebirth more than just chance?”