The Scream of A Thousand Libraries Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Noah's Investigations (IV).

Read chapter 38 of The Scream of A Thousand Libraries by Susangja on NovelPedia.

POV: NOAH WILLIAMS. I drove alone down the dirt road, gripping the steering wheel tightly and keeping my eyes focused on the path ahead. The air felt heavy, as though the forest itself was watching me. It wasn't the first time I had traveled a forgotten stretch like that, but something about this road unsettled me. Aside from the clear lack of any sign of humanity in the area, except for the occasional abandoned building, there was something else. Maybe it was the silence, or maybe it was the reports of disappearances I'd read about over the past few days. Several cases had been reported in previous years of young people vanishing in that region. All without leaving a trace. One report mentioned a witness hearing voices in the middle of the night, muffled sounds no one wanted to talk about publicly. Afterwards, two teenagers were never seen again. According to the information I received, that side road connected to the neighboring city through one of the valley’s exits. It was a discreet route, ideal for anyone who didn't want to be seen. Still, the seizure numbers on the other side were too high to be mere coincidence. Everything indicated it was one of the preferred routes for drug trafficking in the area. Nothing that surprised me. What intrigued me was the deliberate omission by local authorities. Miguel had made it clear: there was ample reason to believe the police were taking bribes. ‘They closed their eyes to the cars passing through here, there was no patrol…’ Corruption was as treacherous an enemy as any armed criminal, and because of that, I couldn’t expect help from there. I was on my own. Definitely not comforting. The car jostled as I hit another pothole. The abandoned factories rose up like skeletons of concrete, most likely they served as escape valves for money laundering by locals. Shortly after, a few old houses appeared, falling apart, swallowed by weeds. That road ran deep into the woods. I must have driven several kilometers of dirt before reaching the target of today’s investigation. I continued until I spotted the bridge mentioned in the report. That was the landmark I was looking for. A thin stream of muddy water ran under its rusty iron structure, which creaked with every breeze. Taking a deep breath, I slowed down and crossed. Right after the bridge, to the right, there was an open field, pressed against the mountainside that had been partially leveled. I parked the car on the dirt shoulder, hidden in the trees so anyone passing wouldn’t see it from the road. After checking that I had everything needed, I looked over my clothes, shades of green to blend in better. I got out and headed toward the small square next to the lot. The scent of dampness mixed with burnt tobacco came immediately. On the ground, scattered all over, were shards of beer bottles, crushed cigarette packs, and still-fresh butts. It wasn’t just a place to pass through, apparently young people gathered there. They made impromptu parties and did dumb challenges. I ignored my judgment and walked around, paying attention to every detail. I observed the small mountain ahead: one side leveled, the other still under construction. Less than seventy-two hours ago, a magical energy spike was registered. “Semantic Rupture, be my eyes in this expansion.” I proclaimed as I closed my eyes. That’s when I felt a familiar chill run through my body, a pulse of light energy, almost imperceptible but there. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting my senses adjust. The trail led me to the edge of the open field, where the forest started engulfing the clearing. I followed the invisible track to a hidden ditch among the tall bushes. Well off to the side, almost deliberately hidden. What I found made my stomach clench There were women’s clothes scattered around, some torn, others soaked in alcohol as if they’d been used in humiliation rituals. Broken bottles surrounded the scene, forming a twisted mosaic on the ground. Among them, used condoms and crumpled