Chapter 3, Traces and Clues

The stairs leading from the second floor to the third floor still emit that terrifying creaking sound; however, comparatively speaking, this noise is much better than that of the stairs below. It is not the kind of sound that carries a musty odor due to dampness, but merely the noise produced by years of neglect. On this staircase, Xiao Fan discovered some interesting things

If Xiao Fen had not been accustomed to running alone in the early morning since childhood, training in thinner clothing in even colder environments, he might have already lost the ability to move before he even entered this room

The original owner of these clothes should have a physique similar to that of Xiao Fen, so these clothes are considered fairly suitable for Xiao Fen. After he put on all the clothes and felt less cold, a casual motion of reaching into his pocket led him to find a small piece of paper in the pocket of his trousers

A small leather bag was quickly found by Xiao Fen among the scattered rubble, and this leather handbag, imbued with a classical charm, was heavier than Xiao Fen had imagined

Xiao Fen suddenly raised his head and looked around. On the left, there was only the window of the master bedroom. As for the right side, his eyes flickered slightly at the books, and a small kitchen window made of tin caught his attention.

Xiao Fen dipped his hand into the bloodstains, feeling a slight stickiness, clearly not a mark of long standing, likely only a few days old. He was not Sherlock Holmes and could not put his bloodied fingers in his mouth to draw various conclusions. He only believed that these places would always leave more clues, as long as he observed carefully.

Xiao Fen looked at the footprint, let out a long sigh, and then suddenly raised his head, recklessly charging up to the third floor

A thick jumpsuit, a dark cotton coat, a pair of long trousers made of the same color and material, and two white shirts—this is all that is in the bag

Compared to the second floor, the third floor appears much more chaotic and disordered. Many sections of the wall have already peeled off, and some walls clearly show signs of impact, suggesting that there may have been a period of fighting here. The commotion was significant, and the final result is the five bloodstains on the wall

Soon, Xiao Fen saw a half footprint on the other side of the staircase. It was not a human shoe print or a print from a book, but a pure footprint. The big toe and the second toe of the right foot were clearly distinguishable, as if these two toes had exerted their utmost strength at that moment

J leaves, is L good

On the left side of the staircase should be the master bedroom, while the right side of the staircase has been divided into several small rooms. If I am not mistaken, this should be the children's room

The windows are sealed very well, which allows the temperature inside the house to be at least 2 degrees Celsius higher than outside. Although it is still within the "cold" range, it at least enables Xiao Fan to slightly recover.

If I am not mistaken, the battle that took place here, with the bags scattered chaotically at my feet, ultimately aims for the book on this tray

Xiao Fen was momentarily taken aback, reaching out to pull out the note, glancing at it in the dimming light.

Although the leather bag had been opened and its contents were in disarray, fortunately, the person who rummaged through it showed little interest in the clothing inside. This allowed Xiao Fan to finally address his first problem

He took a step, lifted the white metal window, and a nauseating stench mixed with the smell of books emanated from the dark, deep hole. In one corner of this narrow passage, a metal hinge hung quietly.

Xiao Fen tugged at the metal hinge, and a clattering sound came from the top of the passage rather than from below. After a while, a flat plate slowly descended, on which was placed a thick hardcover book, perfectly aligned.

This is a scene drenched in blood, simultaneously carrying a strong suggestive meaning, seemingly warning Xiao Fan that the second floor is already sufficient, and continuing upward will only bring him life-threatening danger

At the end of the corridor in the children's room, a shadow of a staircase can still be seen; this is the back staircase of the house. Just now, Xiao Fen saw a part of this staircase below, and now he sees another part.

In this relatively enclosed room, Xiao Fan felt somewhat better, after all, he came from the scorching summer, wearing only a thin pair of long pants and a T-shirt, while the outdoor temperature here was at most around 8 to 9 degrees.

At present, the order of problems that Xiao Fen needs to address is as follows

Or it can be said that someone's right foot was the supporting foot at that moment, and he or they stopped here to move a heavy object, leaving behind this inconspicuous mark

Slightly shaking his head, Xiao Fen cast aside these distracting thoughts. He decided to look at the higher floors, perhaps he could find some leftover fabrics or similar items up there, which would help resolve his first question.

J on the left, L on the right

Xiao Fen shook his head slightly; this hastily written note likely does not convey this meaning, or perhaps it carries an additional layer of meaning

He is not a trace identification expert who can merely look at the traces and deduce what happened previously. What he needs to find are remnants beyond this fight, such as the clothing of certain individuals

Due to the fight, a portion of the windows on the third floor has been shattered, allowing cold wind to blow in through the gaps. The temperature here is considerably lower than that on the second floor; however, similarly, the brightness here has improved significantly. Xiao Fan lowered his head to inspect the traces of the fight.

However, these impact marks did not cause any destructive effects on the third floor of the building, and the several separated small rooms can still be clearly distinguished

Considering the temperature outside and the books, it is hard to imagine anyone taking off their shoes to go upstairs in such cold weather, unless there is some secret about those shoes. It is also possible that some people are not wearing shoes at all, but such individuals can hardly be regarded as normal human beings

Safety at night and sufficient sleep

Insulation

Food

This sequence gives him a sense of disorientation; he now seems like the protagonist from "Robinson Crusoe." At this moment, he has arrived at a deserted island. The difference is that while Robinson reached a remote island, Xiao Fen has arrived at an island amidst a sea of people

Jleft, Lright

First, there are bloodstains, five very long streaks of blood, extending down the wall from the third floor to a point near the second floor, where they suddenly disappear. At first glance, it appears as if someone had dragged themselves down the wall with a bloodied hand, coming to a halt at the position where Xiao Fan is currently standing, for some unknown reason.

Xiao Fen took a few minutes to strip himself in the cold, and then put on these clothes again. The sudden warmth enveloping him in the cotton fabric almost made Xiao Fen moan in comfort.