246-250

*Chapter 246: Investigating the Circus*

"Tickets: five dollars for adults, three dollars for children..."

At the entrance to the circus tent.

The [Lobster Man] stood listlessly at the ticket booth near the entrance. Without raising his head, he mumbled as he noticed someone approaching.

"...The show has already started. If you want to see it, you'd better hurry."

He muttered a few words to the newcomers but received no response. With a puzzled expression, the [Lobster Man] slowly lifted his head. In front of him stood several stern-looking men and women. The woman leading the group took out her ID from her pocket and declared:

"BSI. We're investigating some matters. Please cooperate with us. Thank you."

After the New York incident, supernatural events could no longer remain hidden.

The BSI had also adjusted its approach to investigations, no longer concealing its identity.

"BSI?!"

The [Lobster Man]'s gaze fell on the badge in Amanda's hand, and his expression changed slightly. He quickly regained his composure, putting on a confused look.

"I don't know what you're asking about. I'm just an ordinary circus worker. I don't know anything."

"Is that so?"

Amanda’s colleague, Spike, raised an eyebrow slightly at the [Lobster Man]'s response. His drooping blue eyes lingered on the man's deformed hands before he spoke:

"But I have a feeling you know something we're looking for."

The [Lobster Man] met Spike's piercing blue gaze and did his best to appear humble. Shaking his head, he replied, "That must be your mistake, sir. I'm just a pitiful freak, and my only job here is to sell tickets for the circus."

To emphasize his point, the [Lobster Man] deliberately raised his deformed hands, showing them to Amanda and her team as if to underline his plight and elicit their sympathy.

Undoubtedly, though the [Lobster Man]'s tactic was old-fashioned, it was unexpectedly effective.

Especially when Amanda and the others' eyes fell on his grotesque, fused hands, their expressions inevitably revealed a flicker of unease.

...

"Now performing is the circus's renowned strongwoman, the [Bearded Lady]. Don't let appearances deceive you—her strength is as extraordinary as her looks! What most men can't lift, she can handle with ease..."

Meanwhile, Amanda's investigation was stalling due to the [Lobster Man]'s excuses.

Inside the circus tent.

As the ringmaster, Barnum, delivered his introduction, the [Bearded Lady], clad in a flowing purple gown, flexed her muscular arms. Amid the gasps of the crowd, she hoisted a tall horse above her head and stepped closer to the front row, giving the audience an even more thrilling view of the spectacle.

Watching the seemingly unremarkable—perhaps even unattractive—[Bearded Lady] display her astonishing strength, the circus erupted with thunderous applause.

Hearing the applause, Barnum, standing at the edge of the stage, couldn't hide the widening grin under his top hat. His mustache curled upward, revealing sharp teeth.

However, before his smile could fully bloom—

Suddenly, in the next moment, his expression froze.

Turning toward the entrance of the tent, Barnum's face darkened instantly.

"A bunch of fools who don’t know their place," he muttered.

Adjusting his top hat, Barnum gestured toward the backstage area.

The [Thumb General] quickly scurried onto the stage. Nervously swallowing, he forced a shaky smile and, under the audience's gaze, took over the task of introductions. Raising his voice, he announced:

"Ladies and gentlemen, wasn’t the [Bearded Lady]'s performance incredible?"

"Incredible!" the audience roared.

"So, do you want to see just how much weight the [Bearded Lady] can lift?"

"Yes!"

"Get on with it already!"

"Hey, shorty, what's your act? Drinking milk? Haha!"

Ignoring the taunts from the crowd about his stature, the [Thumb General] drew a miniature sword from his waist and continued:

"Then let's witness the next spectacular act! Allow me to present the world's largest elephant—Jiangbao!"

Moo—

...

"Although I sympathize with your situation, I must insist that you cooperate with our investigation and stop stalling."

Agent Zhou frowned as he watched the [Lobster Man] repeatedly use his deformed hands as an excuse to evade their questions. He exchanged a subtle glance with Amanda before stepping forward and issuing a threat.

"If you continue to be uncooperative, we won't hesitate to use force."

With that, Agent Zhou reached behind his back and let the sound of clinking handcuffs fill the air, creating psychological pressure on the [Lobster Man].

The [Lobster Man] hesitated for a moment, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. He opened his mouth, seemingly about to say something—

"What’s going on here?"

A sharp voice suddenly rang out from inside the tent.

Hearing the voice, the [Lobster Man] immediately shut his mouth.

Moments later, Barnum, the ringmaster, appeared, limping on a cane.

"I’m Barnum, the ringmaster of this circus."

Adjusting his top hat, Barnum's gaze swept over Amanda and her team, lingering briefly on the [Lobster Man]. Finally, he curled his lips into a puzzled smile and introduced himself.

"Are you here to see the greatest circus show in the world?"

"If so, don’t hesitate! The most thrilling performances are happening as we speak. Missing out would be a lifelong regret."

Unmoved by Barnum’s boastful praise of his circus, Amanda pulled out her badge again, cutting him off mid-sentence to repeat her earlier question to the [Lobster Man].

"In fact, we are agents of the BSI, currently investigating some matters."

"BSI agents?"

Barnum’s expression darkened briefly beneath his top hat as Amanda interrupted his pitch.

Leaning on his cane, he glanced at her badge and let out a cold chuckle.

"We’re just a simple traveling circus, officers. There’s nothing here for you to investigate."

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 247: Splitting Into Two Teams*

“Determining whether there was a mistake isn’t for you to decide.”

“Now, cooperate with our investigation unless you want to be arrested.”

Agent Zhou interrupted Barnum’s excuses with an equally expressionless tone. He glanced at the tent behind the circus leader, where cheers and applause echoed incessantly. His face remained cold as he spoke.

“Am I supposed to take that as a threat, Officer?”

Barnum’s face darkened further beneath his top hat as he heard Agent Zhou’s words.

Noticing the change in Barnum’s expression, the nearby “Lobster Man” involuntarily shivered.

“No, I’m merely stating facts.”

However, locking eyes with Barnum, Agent Zhou’s expression remained unchanged. At the same time, his arm subtly moved closer to the handgun at his waist.

“...”

Barnum remained silent for a long moment, his face grim as he turned toward Amanda and the others. Finally, he withdrew his gaze and, grinding his sharp teeth, said, “Since you officers want to investigate, as a law-abiding citizen, I’ll naturally comply. But the circus is in the middle of a performance, and the tent is filled with guests. Any investigation will have to wait until the show is over.”

As the circus leader, Barnum was bound by its rules and could not abruptly halt a performance. These rules were firmly established, and even Barnum couldn’t break them.

Amanda and Agent Zhou exchanged a glance upon hearing Barnum’s reasoning.

From their prior investigation, they knew that many townsfolk had come specifically to watch the circus today.

In such a crowded setting, conducting an investigation immediately would indeed be unwise. Any potential danger could easily involve the spectators.

Thus, Amanda hesitated only briefly before agreeing.

“Zhou, stay here with Agents Phil and Spike to keep an eye on the performance.”

Although she agreed to wait until the show ended, Amanda remained cautious.

Assigning Agents Zhou, Phil, and Spike to monitor the scene ensured they could respond to any situation. Zhou and Phil could handle ordinary issues, while Spike was there for extraordinary cases.

“Angela, you’re with me.”

“Understood, boss.”

Angela’s face lit up with a hint of excitement upon being paired with Amanda.

Amanda, however, turned her gaze toward Barnum and asked firmly, “I trust there’s no issue with us interviewing the circus members, is there, Mr. Barnum?”

Barnum’s face twitched beneath his hat at her request. Pinching his nose, he reluctantly replied, “Of course, no problem, as long as you don’t disrupt the performance.”

---

“This is actually my first time watching a circus show in person,” Phil remarked.

The team split into two groups.

Agents Zhou, Phil, and Spike entered the audience area, finding a few empty seats. Onstage, the “Thumb General,” dressed as Napoleon and riding a diminutive pony, struck a pose reminiscent of the iconic painting.

“We’re not here to enjoy the show,” Zhou replied flatly.

Amid the lively crowd, Zhou maintained his stoic expression. Yet, he frowned as he listened to the constant cheers and applause around him, his hand clutching his arm.

Since entering the circus tent, his infected arm had been throbbing with sharp pain, as if an invisible force was acting on the limb, which should have been entirely numb due to its wooden state.

“I know why we’re here,” Phil muttered, his gaze drifting back to the stage. He was captivated by the dancing two-headed sisters, clapping along with the audience.

“But with so many people here, we’ll have to wait until the crowd disperses before starting our investigation.”

As he spoke, Phil glanced toward Zhou, then turned to the empty seat beside him.

“Where’s Spike?”

Hearing Phil’s question, Zhou quickly looked to the empty seat beside him.

“He was just here…”

---

“Hello, I’m Agent Amanda from the BSI, and this is Agent Angela…”

Backstage at the circus.

Amanda and Angela stepped inside, observing the bustling scene and the many peculiar-looking performers. For a moment, they were dazzled by the spectacle.

After scanning the group, Amanda approached a performer who seemed to have finished their act. Introducing herself, she said, “We have some questions about the circus and would like to ask you, ma’am.”

“Ma’am?”

The “Bearded Lady” turned to look at the agents. Upon hearing Amanda’s form of address, a wry smile appeared beneath the performer’s thick beard.

“It’s been a long time since anyone called me that.”

Shaking her head, the Bearded Lady composed herself and looked at Amanda. “What do you want to know?”

“How should I address you?”

Amanda sensed an opportunity to break through. Unlike the evasiveness of the “Lobster Man” earlier, the Bearded Lady seemed more forthcoming.

“Just call me ‘Bearded Lady.’ That’s what everyone in the circus calls me.”

“That’s disrespectful,” Angela interjected, frowning. As a fellow woman, she understood how degrading such a nickname could be.

“Respect doesn’t exist in the circus,” the Bearded Lady replied. “We’re all just commodities here. In this place, only the extraordinary can survive.”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 248: Missing*

"Objects?!"

The [Bearded Lady]'s description of herself as a circus "object" unsurprisingly caught Angela's attention.

The BSI agent's frown deepened as she stared at the [Bearded Lady], who looked as though her statement was only natural. Angela also glanced at the surrounding circus members, her voice lowering as she asked, "Are you saying the circus is illegally detaining you? If that's the case, you can tell us..."

Angela's "naive" response brought a bitter smile to the face hidden beneath the [Bearded Lady]'s dense beard.

"You have no idea what this circus is truly like."

As members of the circus, whether they liked it or not, they had to accept its rules.

They were bound to obey the ringmaster's orders. In the circus, the ringmaster's word was absolute.

Barnum was far from a benevolent figure. On the contrary, he was greedy and twisted, viewing everything within the circus as his personal property.

Barnum was exceptionally harsh toward the performers. Any mistakes during a performance were met with punishment—not mere scolding or whipping, but something far worse. As the master of the circus, Barnum possessed an eerie and powerful ability. The feather-covered individuals and the [Lobster Man] were the best proof of this.

Amanda detected something peculiar in the [Bearded Lady]'s words.

"Ms. [Bearded Lady], can you tell me where the circus came from?"

Amanda cut off Angela, who seemed eager to speak further. She looked at the imposing [Bearded Lady] with her thick beard and muscular build, waiting for a reply.

"...A small town. We just finished a tour performance there before passing through Bandera. The ringmaster decided to stop here for a short break and to put on a show to attract an audience," the [Bearded Lady] explained.

At the mention of the small town's name, Amanda's eyes flickered slightly, and she exchanged a glance with Angela.

The town the [Bearded Lady] referred to was the same one previously attacked by Siren Head.

"Did you notice anything unusual in that town?" Amanda pressed.

"I don’t know," the [Bearded Lady] replied honestly, shaking her head. "Typically, circus members don’t leave the troupe easily. So even if something happened in the town, we wouldn’t know much about it."

The [Bearded Lady]'s response made Amanda frown slightly, though she continued questioning.

"So, the circus has been performing these tours constantly?"

The [Bearded Lady] nodded. "Yes, we perform year after year, day after day."

"Don’t you ever feel tired of it?" Angela couldn’t help but ask again.

"This is our purpose for existing," the [Bearded Lady] said seriously, turning to face the BSI agent.

"Can you tell me your next destination?" Amanda redirected the conversation.

The [Bearded Lady] replied, "Only the ringmaster knows where we’re headed."

"So, the ringmaster decides all of the circus's itineraries?" Amanda asked.

"You could say that."

Amanda noticed that every time the [Bearded Lady] mentioned the ringmaster, her tone would falter slightly, betraying hesitation or perhaps unease. This suggested the ringmaster held immense sway over the performers.

"You seem to fear the ringmaster quite a lot," Amanda observed.

Faced with this direct statement, the [Bearded Lady] didn’t deny or appear flustered. Instead, she responded with silence, which confirmed Amanda’s suspicion.

"Can you tell me why?" Amanda asked.

"Everyone in the circus fears the ringmaster," the [Bearded Lady] eventually said after a long pause.

She glanced toward the circus stage, listening to the ringmaster’s sharp voice, and turned back to Amanda and Angela. "I understand why you’re here, but you don’t know what kind of existence you’re dealing with. While the performance hasn’t ended, leave the circus. That might be your only chance to survive."

Under Amanda’s questioning, the [Bearded Lady] finally revealed some valuable information.

It became clear that this traveling circus was indeed connected to the missing BSI members.

However, her words also carried a dire warning: a great danger awaited them once the performance concluded.

---

Inside the circus tent:

"I remember Spike came in with us, didn’t he?"

Agent Zhou and Agent Phil exchanged uneasy glances at the empty seat beside them.

"Did he tell you he was leaving?"

"No."

Agent Zhou scanned the dense crowd, but locating one person in this sea of faces felt like searching for a needle in a haystack.

"Maybe he just stepped out to use the restroom," Phil suggested, though the sudden disappearance of a teammate, especially one as crucial as a psychic investigator in a paranormal case, was alarming.

Considering Spike’s history of disappearing without notice, Phil tried to rationalize it.

"I doubt he’d vanish for something like that," Zhou countered, clearly unconvinced by Phil’s explanation.

"What should we do now?" Phil asked, looking between the empty seat and the ongoing performance on stage.

"Focus on the mission," Zhou said firmly, pulling down his sleeve to hide the growing pain in his arm. His gaze locked on Barnum, who continued cracking his whip during the circus act.

Regardless of why Spike disappeared, their investigation had to continue.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 249: The Enchanting Song

"I think the *Bearded Lady* didn’t give you a full answer to your question. She’s clearly hiding something, boss," Angela said in a low voice, her gaze sweeping over the burly figure with the thick beard before turning to Amanda.

"I know," Amanda replied calmly, showing no surprise. From the *Bearded Lady’s* evasive demeanor and the final, almost pleading warning, it was clear she was withholding some information.

"Then why didn’t you press her?"

Angela’s expression betrayed her confusion. If she were in Amanda’s position, she would have pursued the matter further.

"From her attitude, it’s evident she’s willing to share some information but not too much, especially about the circus. Normally, we could interrogate her further, extracting the truth bit by bit. But clearly, this isn’t a normal situation..."

Recalling the warning the *Bearded Lady* had given them earlier, Amanda felt a growing sense of urgency.

"We need more testimony to connect the circus to the missing BSI agents. Most importantly, we need to find where they are."

Amanda hadn’t forgotten the team’s mission—to locate the missing agents from the Bureau of Supernatural Investigations.

As they talked, Amanda and Angela approached the next person to question.

"Excuse me, do you have a moment to answer some questions?"

Amanda began her usual line of inquiry as they stood by a vanity mirror.

But the moment the person turned to face them, Amanda’s words caught in her throat.

As a woman, Amanda had seen her fair share of beautiful people. Yet the woman in front of her—this circus performer—was more stunning than anyone she had ever encountered. It wasn’t just her physical beauty; it was the effortless elegance she exuded, a grace that seemed out of place in the circus amid the peculiar and grotesque oddities.

Suppressing her inner turmoil, Amanda focused on the *Swedish Nightingale* standing before her.

Such an extraordinary presence in a circus was certainly unusual.

"I know what you want to ask," the *Swedish Nightingale,* Jenny Lind, said, her voice as melodic as a bird’s song. Even though she spoke plainly, her words sounded like a symphony to Amanda and Angela.

However, despite her enchanting voice, Jenny Lind’s words brought a heavy seriousness to Amanda’s face.

"The people you’re looking for are indeed in the circus. But you won’t be able to save them. They were captured by the ringmaster, and only he can change them back."

Jenny Lind’s blunt revelation shocked Amanda. She hadn’t expected the woman to answer so directly.

The missing BSI agents were in the circus.

"Can you tell us where exactly these people are being kept?" Angela couldn’t help but ask, seizing on Jenny’s candidness.

"Kept?" Jenny Lind shook her head gently in response.

"The ringmaster hasn’t hidden them. In fact, they’ve been here in the circus the entire time, even right in front of you."

Amanda’s confusion deepened as she scanned the backstage area.

All she saw were the bizarre performers and a few docile-looking horses. There was no sign of the missing agents.

If not for Jenny Lind’s directness in addressing their mission, Amanda might have dismissed her words as a stalling tactic.

"I think you’ve already sensed the truth but are struggling to accept it," Jenny Lind said softly, her gaze meeting Amanda’s bewildered eyes.

Amanda turned her attention to the horses in the corner, her expression shifting from confusion to shock.

"Are you saying... these horses are—?"

Jenny Lind nodded, confirming Amanda’s suspicions.

"Now you understand why I said what I did," Jenny Lind said, rising gracefully from her seat at the vanity mirror. Looking at Amanda, she delivered a stark warning.

"Everything you’re doing here is futile. Even if you uncover the truth, you won’t be able to change it. In this circus, everything is under the control of the ringmaster, Barnum. The *Bearded Lady’s* warning is the same as mine: leave now, before the show ends. If you don’t, those horses will be your fate."

Without waiting for a response, Jenny Lind turned and walked toward the stage.

It was her turn to perform the final act of the evening.

---

"Ladies and gentlemen, the grand finale of tonight’s performance is upon us!"

Standing on the stage, Barnum spread his arms wide as cheerful music played from a clown’s accordion. His voice boomed as he scanned the audience with sharp eyes hidden beneath his top hat.

"Our next performance is brought to you by none other than the *Swedish Nightingale,* Jenny Lind! This is the most beautiful spectacle in the world—one you’ll remember for the rest of your lives!"

As Barnum’s introduction ended, the lights dimmed, leaving a single spotlight illuminating the stage’s center.

In the light’s glow stood Jenny Lind, holding a bouquet of flowers. She gazed out at the audience, then parted her lips to sing.

Her voice, as enchanting as a nightingale’s, filled the circus tent, captivating everyone who heard it.

For a moment, the entire circus was spellbound by the song, lost in its ethereal beauty.

---

"Too bad I can only enjoy this performance through the system," Allen said wistfully as he watched Jenny Lind’s captivating performance through the system interface.

Although this wasn’t the first time he had heard the *Swedish Nightingale’s* voice, it never failed to stir something deep within him.

As a system-verified performer, Jenny Lind’s singing transcended ordinary music. Even through the system’s interface, her voice was like a mountain stream, pure and refreshing, reaching Allen’s very soul.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 250: The Final Bow*

Inside the circus tent.

The “Swedish Nightingale” lifted her skirt slightly and curtsied to the surrounding audience before retreating gracefully, her ethereal voice lingering in the air.

The spectators remained entranced by her stunning performance, unable to shake the spell of her singing.

As one of Europe’s most celebrated vocalists, Jenny Lind, the "Swedish Nightingale," was Sweden's first—and perhaps greatest—internationally renowned singer. Her voice once moved figures like Hans Christian Andersen and Frédéric Chopin to tears.

That incredible voice had been lost to the world with Lind’s passing.

However, through the mysterious power of Allen’s system, it had returned to the mortal realm once more.

Beneath the brim of his hat, Barnum, the circus master, watched Jenny Lind’s departing figure, a flash of greed crossing his eyes.

He shifted his gaze back to the guests inside the tent, pausing briefly at Lisa’s seat. A sharp-toothed grin spread across his face as he tapped his cane lightly against the ground twice. He then stopped tapping and turned toward the clown at the piano, giving a silent command with his eyes.

*Tee-dee, tee-lee-lee, lee-lee-lee-lee—*

*Tee-dee, tee-lee-lee, lee-lee-lee-lee—*

*Tee-lee-lee, tee-lee-lee, tee-lee-lee, tee-dee—*

Sensing the warning in Barnum’s glance, the flustered clown scrambled to play an upbeat tune on the piano.

The circus music diluted the atmosphere of enchantment created by the "Swedish Nightingale’s" performance. In the midst of this lively and chaotic melody, Barnum began waving his arms in exaggerated gestures, his shrill voice addressing the audience:

“Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes our circus’s grand performance! The greatest show on Earth! We are so thrilled to have had you here as witnesses to it all. Now, let our circus members bid you a final farewell…”

As Barnum’s voice trailed off, the circus performers began to emerge from backstage, gathering at the front of the stage.

They waved to the audience in a collective gesture of farewell.

As the performers took the stage, the spellbound audience began to stir, giving a rousing ovation.

“Mommy, I want to join the circus when I grow up!”

Amid the applause, a child turned to their mother with innocent excitement.

“Then you’ll have to work very hard,” Lisa replied with a smile, patting the child’s head.

But when her gaze returned to the center of the stage, her smile faltered.

For some reason, she couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that Barnum’s eyes kept flickering toward her.

“Could it just be my imagination?”

---

*“Jonathan?”*

Backstage at the circus.

While the performers were taking their bows, Amanda slipped away to the stables.

Approaching the horses, Amanda tentatively called out the name of a missing BSI agent:

“Jonathan?”

*Whinny—*

The tall black horses before her continued munching on hay, showing no reaction to Amanda’s voice.

“Maybe Jenny Lind was lying about the BSI agents…” Angela muttered with a frown.

Even after dealing with numerous supernatural cases, Angela found the idea of missing agents being transformed into horses absurd.

Before Angela could finish speaking, a sudden, sharp whinny came from one of the horses behind them.

“Jonathan?”

Hearing the sound, Amanda immediately turned to look.

A black horse trotted toward them, its hooves clicking sharply against the ground.

Watching the horse’s oddly human-like behavior, Amanda frowned and asked again:

“Jonathan, is that you?”

*Snort—*

The horse shook its head, letting out a loud snort as if denying the name.

Amanda’s frown deepened as she glanced back at the other horses, which were still grazing like ordinary animals. Suddenly, a thought struck her. Turning back to the approaching horse, she asked:

“Mike?”

*Neigh!*

This time, the horse stopped and pawed at the ground with its hoof, letting out a loud neigh in apparent affirmation.

The horse’s reaction confirmed its true identity.

But instead of relief, Amanda’s expression darkened further.

If this horse was indeed Mike, it meant that Jenny Lind had been telling the truth—missing BSI agents were being turned into circus animals.

“Call Zhou right now!” Amanda urged Angela.

---

*“This is Zhou.”*

In the audience, Agent Zhou answered the phone, listening as Angela explained the situation.

“Zhou, we’ve found the missing BSI agents,” Amanda said, summarizing their findings.

“It appears the circus master possesses a strange power that can transform people into animals. He turned all the agents into horses. Based on what the circus staff have hinted, we might suffer the same fate if we stay until the show ends. We need to leave immediately while we still can.”

Their mission was to locate the missing agents, not to sacrifice themselves.

“If that’s the case, we need to act fast,” Zhou replied, glancing around the audience, where people were beginning to rise from their seats to leave.

“The show’s over, and the crowd is already dispersing.”

“One more thing, Amanda…” Zhou hesitated before continuing.

“Spike is missing.”