-128- The Seven-Crow Pagoda (Subscription requested!)

Tongsi had been searching for over an hour, yet he hadn't found a single feather from a Murkrow.

He had checked along various alleys, even venturing into some foul-smelling spots, but there was simply no trace of the Murkrow. It was as if the flock had vanished into thin air.

"They really are cunning," Tongsi muttered, feeling speechless.

Compared to Jiahua City, Linhu City was larger, primarily due to the numerous lakes that significantly increased its total area. However, the number of buildings in the urban district did not match that of Jiahua City, meaning there were only a few places where they could hide. Yet, Tongsi had scoured almost every street and lane without success.

"Hmm?"

Just then, Tongsi noticed a street surveillance camera that was damaged.

"Could it be..."

A thought occurred to him. He distinctly remembered that when he first entered Linhu City, the street cameras in that area were intact, whereas this one was broken. Tongsi had previously considered using surveillance footage to track the Murkrow's movements, but he figured the Pokémon police had likely already exhausted that option. However, seeing the damaged camera sparked a new line of reasoning.

"A broken camera... if it was damaged recently, then the Murkrow's hideout shouldn't be too far from here," Tongsi deduced.

If there were a nearby place to hide... Tongsi looked around and finally spotted a tall tower. Most buildings in Linhu City were quite low, rarely exceeding five stories, but this tower stood about twenty meters high. Judging by its appearance, it looked quite ancient.

"Excuse me, what is the name of that tower?" Tongsi asked the woman running a roadside fruit stand.

"Oh, that tower? That's the Seven-Crow Tower. It was built a long time ago. It's an ominous place, so you’d better stay away from it, young man," the woman replied casually before returning to her business.

"Seven-Crow Tower? An ominous tower?" Tongsi murmured. Could there be a connection between the Seven-Crow Tower and the Murkrow? And what did the woman mean by an 'ominous tower'? Seeing that she was busy with customers, Tongsi decided not to press further.

Before long, he reached the vicinity of the Seven-Crow Tower. To his surprise, the area was cordoned off with fences, and signs were posted reading, "Authorized Personnel Only."

"This Seven-Crow Tower really is dilapidated," Tongsi observed. It looked shaky, as if it might collapse at any moment. Perhaps that was why it was fenced off.

"Hey, young man, what are you doing here? It’s dangerous—get out of here!" An elderly man with white hair approached slowly and scolded him.

In Linhu City, even three-year-olds knew never to go near the Seven-Crow Tower because of the demons inside. Of course, this was just a rumor, a lie invented by adults to scare children. Yet, no resident of Linhu City would willingly go near it. After all, it was an ominous tower.

"Excuse me, sir, has this Seven-Crow Tower been abandoned for many years?" Tongsi asked instead of leaving.

"The Seven-Crow Tower..." The old man stared at Tongsi, surprised that he didn't even know the status of the tower. He must be a tourist. "It has been abandoned for exactly thirty years!"

"Thirty years? Then why hasn't it been demolished?" Tongsi wondered. Leaving a building abandoned for three decades in the heart of the city seemed like a waste of prime real estate. If the area were converted into a park or a large shopping mall, the city's economy might even improve.

"It cannot be demolished!"

The old man shook his head and glared at Tongsi, who realized he might have spoken out of turn.

"How could the Seven-Crow Tower be demolished? It is an ancient tower built over three hundred years ago by the Old Crow Master. If it were demolished, something ominous would happen."

The old man's words startled Tongsi. Something ominous? The woman earlier had said the same thing. So, there was a story here?

"Why do you say that?" Tongsi’s curiosity was piqued; he was ready to pull up a chair and listen to the tale.

"It seems you truly know nothing. Let me tell you. This tower was built over three hundred years ago by an architect known as the Old Crow Master. Back then, it was incredibly prosperous, nothing like it is today. Countless tourists came from afar to visit. But thirty-one years ago, a bolt of lightning struck the tower, leaving it in ruins. The Pokémon Association naturally wanted to renovate it and restore its former glory, but..."

The old man glanced at Tongsi before continuing, "Within a year, everyone who tried to work on the tower died suddenly! Each architect's death was gruesome, their bodies left mutilated. It was as if they were cursed; their faces were twisted, and their eyes were missing."

Hearing this, Tongsi felt a wave of nausea. Just imagining the scene made him shudder.

"Since then, anyone who entered the tower or even thought about tearing it down met a terrible fate. The Pokémon Association had no choice but to fence it off and warn all residents to stay away. Of course, over the years, there have been those who ignored the rules—some out of curiosity, others because they thought the rumors were absurd—but they all ended up as corpses on the street!"

Tongsi glanced back at the tower. "A cursed tower, then?"

"The Seven-Crow Tower is indeed a cursed tower. There is an evil demon inside. Anyone with ill intentions toward it is doomed to die." The old man’s gaze grew deep as he stared at Tongsi. "Young man, you are still young. Do not provoke the evil things inside. Leave now."

The old man waved his hand, signaling for Tongsi to leave as quickly as possible.

"I understand, sir. I'll go now."

After hearing the old man's story, Tongsi didn't hesitate. He waved back and retraced his steps, moving away from the Seven-Crow Tower.

"Seven-Crow Tower? A cursed tower? An ominous place? Hah! This is getting interesting."

Once he was far enough away, Tongsi smiled faintly.