Memory Lost - Ding Mo - To Chapter 160

Description
Memory Lost
When in the presence of strangers, Han Chen was always handsome and cold,
making it difficult for others to get close to him. He was like the frosted snow
– pure, and slightly chilly. Yet, he was also like the river flowing in the dark
night – quiet and moving. To many, he was akin to an unequalled and
untouchable god.
Only in the presence of Bai Jin Xi would this famous top police
superintendent expose his deeply hidden shameless nature .
“Come and sit nearer to me, I won’t eat you. At least, not now.”
“I have never touched other women before. Do you want to check my body?”
“Bai Jin Xi, never ever leave my side. Every year, every month, every
moment, every minute, every second.”
In his heart, there exists an obstinate old man – one who has tirelessly loved
her throughout all these years.
You are reading Memory Lost ebook which is a free download at

wWw.EbookUpdates.Net.
Download more ebooks for free at Ebook Updates(dot)Net.

Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 1: A Beauty as Always
The sun rises, creating a majestic yet subtle golden crease on the surface of
the river . The river steamer from afar gradually passes beneath the bridge as
birds play in the sky . The city gradually reveals its outline, like a monstrous
beast awaking from the sunlight .
August, Jiangcheng .
The scorching summer has arrived .
Bai Jin Xi is certain that she is residing in the hottest spot of the city .
At the back alley of Su Se Nightclub, she has been “steaming” inside an

ordinary van for the entire day .
She brushes her sticky hair away from her face annoyingly, not letting them
stick to her neck from the sweat . Zhou Xiao Zhuan beside her expresses his
disapproval, “If it’s inconvenient, you shouldn’t let your hair grow then .
Leader, why do you have to be so one-track minded in something so
miniscule?”
Bai Jin Xi smiles faintly, and doesn’t answer . But she thinks in her heart:
You’re one-track minded! In any case, I’m the beauty of our district police
station and has even been on TV . My image is very important . Like you
know shit about it!
The two keep their silence and continue to stay in their spots while sweating .
The mission to “bust illegal sex trade” this time is being coordinated by the
city’s police force, surrounding the area with officers . Even though Bai Jin
Xi and Zhou Xiao Zhuan are criminal investigators, the Guanhu county
station has no more than thirty people . Therefore, whenever there is a big
mission, it’s all hands on deck, regardless of your position . Today, they are
responsible for “surrounding” this Nightclub that is suspected of illegal sex
trade, drugs, and gambling .
The sky finally becomes dark .
The street lamps turn on, and a tint of coolness can finally be felt with an
unknown scent of fragrance in the air .
Two people cross the alley . They are two pretty faces wearing hot pants with
suspenders accompanying their long legs and small waists; absolutely eye-
catching . Zhou Xiao Zhuan can’t help but sigh, “Why do you women like
wearing so little fabric in the summer? Do you not know that this is the high
season for sexual assaults and robberies? It’s all due to these bright and
beautiful legs!”
He doesn’t hear Bai Jin Xi respond, so he turns around to look . She is

looking out of the side window; she brushes her bangs and tilts her chin .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan doesn’t need to think to know what she’s comparing, so he
says, “Can we not be so full of ourselves?”
Bai Jin Xi answers, “No . ”
“F***!”
At this time, the walkie talkie that has been silent for a long while finally
transmits a middle-aged man’s voice full of excitement:
“Attention everybody! This is District Chief . The mission will start in five
minutes! Please get ready, and let’s show our fellow city police how
formidable we are at Guanhu County! Anyone who falls behind or makes a
mistake will have their bonuses be deducted on next month . Over!”
Although Bai Jin Xi and Zhou Xiao Zhuan are used to fooling around with
the district chief, when it comes to critical times, they will immediately put
away their smiles, sync up the times on their watches, put their handcuffs and
police batons in place, and count down .
The mission starts .
Under the district chief’s order, over ten police officers head to the place .
The Nightclub is completely surrounded on all sides . Bai Jin Xi and Zhou
Xiao Zhuan are the quickest; when other officers enter the lobby, the two of
them have already pushed away the security guards; they jump over the bar
and press the manager onto the tabletop to prevent him from notifying others .
The scene is immediately under police control .
Music continues playing in the hall . The girls stand together in shock while
the customers look at each other in dismay .
Bai Jin Xi has no interest in these “small fishes . ” She leads Zhou Xiao
Zhuan with her and heads to the second floor like the wind; they start to check
every room, one by one .
_____
After they clear out three rooms undergoing sexual activities and a messy
room with drugs, Bai Jin Xi senses something odd .
In all the other rooms, the mistresses, customers, and drug addicts…… . have
all acted the moment they charge in, running away in the hallway frantically .
But only the doors of the room at the very end continue to be shut tight;
quietly and calmly . As if no one is in there .
Bai Jin Xi walks up to it slowly and quietly . She puts her ear against the
door . She hears a strange and energetic melody that seems surreal .
“Hunger . ”
The theme song for the movie, “Black Hawk Down . ”
A smell of coffee and cigarette seeps through the door gap .
The scent of coffee is rich; definitely not the instant coffee that is commonly
used at nightclubs . It is freshly grounded . The smell of cigarette is strong;
looks like the person has been smoking a lot inside .
Bai Jin Xi pulls out her police baton, strikes it against her palm like she
usually does, and reveals a callous smile . Even though she is wearing a
police uniform, she is undoubtedly beautiful and full of pride . The customers
in the hallway who are being taken away by the police can’t help but stare her
way .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan follows behind her and whispers, “Leader, should we
charge open the door?”
“Why waste the effort?” Bai Jin Xi takes out a key from her pocket . She had
snatched it from the bar just a while ago .
Click . The door is pushed open slowly to reveal a crack . Just when Bai Jin
Xi is about to slide herself inside through the crack like a cat, Zhou Xiao
Zhuan behind her shouts excitedly, “Don’t move! Police!”
Bai Jin Xi really wants to kick him! Anyone with eyes can see that there is
something particularly strange about this room . For all they know, a big drug
lord could be hiding behind these doors, or he could be prepared to fight them
with a knife or a gun . It would have been the perfect time to show her skills!
Who knew that Zhou Xiao Zhuan would shout out like that? There goes their
advantage!
There’s no turning back now . Bai Jin Xi has no choice but to swing her
police baton and shout, “Police! Don’t move!”
The doors are completely open now .
A slender woman dressed in a cheongsam stands in the middle of the room,

staring at them in shock . She looks to be twenty-four to five years old; she is
pretty with clear and shiny eyes, but her aura of being in the business is also
obvious .
Bai Jin Xi glances around the room .
What a smart fella . There’s more to this, isn’t there?
The room is very quiet, elegant, and decorated with an antique style; a pot of
delicate orchids sits by the window lattice; beside the chaise lounge made of
pear wood, two octagon glass lamps are hanging, lighting up the old fashion
room in haziness . On one side of the room, there is also a big red wood
screen standing, drawing the river under the sun, moon and stars .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is a little stunned from the view, rendering him speechless .
Bai Jin Xi gestures for him to lead the woman out of the room, while she
looks to see who’s behind the screen .
A man is sitting inside .
The screen is blocking half of his body, so Bai Jin Xi can only peek through
the patterned holes and see that he is wearing a black shirt . His legs are
crossed with his long and slender hands resting on his knee . The smell of
cigarette and coffee is emitting from his area .
At this moment, the woman turns her body to avoid Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s hand
. She says anxiously, “Miss Officer, we are only here to chat and have a drink
of coffee . We’re not doing anything else!”
Bai Jin Xi and Zhou Xiao Zhuan both look toward her .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan doesn’t need to wait for Bai Jin Xi to ask him before he
says with a scowl, “The police are working on a case here, so stop the
nonsense! Get out!”
Who knew that the woman would not tolerate this? She turns her head to Bai
Jin Xi and says, “You guys have the right to work on a case, and we have the
right for privacy . We have not done anything illegal, so you guys… . you
guys should not interfere . ”
Bai Jin Xi stares at her, and smiles .
Heh, this is one interesting woman .
It’s clear that Si Si is very protective of the man behind the screen as she says
further, “We really aren’t doing anything, you guys……”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan feels a bit of a headache——after being a police officer for
so long now, this is the first time he has met a mistress who would ask an
officer to not bother her customer .
But Bai Jin Xi lets out a laugh . She nods to Si Si and then looks directly at
Zhou Xiao Zhuan as she says in a cold and crisp voice, “Take her out!
Handcuff her if she continues to refuse to leave . ”
Si Si’s eyes are wide open as she couldn’t believe how this female officer,
who looks beautiful and gentle, is being so strict and cruel . But she doesn’t
dare to say anything more; she looks over to the screen worriedly and is then
led outside by Zhou Xiao Zhuan .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan returns to the room soon after . He closes the door after
him .
The two of them stare at the man behind the screen .
Bai Jin Xi says, “Come out . Come with us to the station for a recording .
Whether or not you’ve broken the law, we won’t do you injustice . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan gives her a weird look . Based on her usual domineering
personality, she would have rushed over to the screen and yank that man out
from behind . But she’s actually being patient today and is even giving the
man an explanation?
In actual fact, Bai Jin Xi has already decided——just from watching Si Si’s
reaction, it’s very possible that they really haven’t done anything unlawful .
But a man hiding in such a filthy place is most likely up to no good . What
could they be doing here? Could it really be just like what Si Si said, and that
they’re only here for a pure chat?
Therefore, Bai Jin Xi is full of curiosity . Her intuition tells her that this man
is definitely up to something .
Therefore, she decides to give him her patience and probe .
After a moment of silence, the man speaks .
But Bai Jin Xi would never have thought that he would use this kind of tone
to answer her .
A deep and mellow voice with an obvious tone of coldness and annoyance, as
well as a hint of haughtiness:
“Which subdivision are you two from?”
Bai Jin Xi freezes on the spot .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan behind her answers loudly out of reflex, “We are from
Guanhu police station!”
Bai Jin Xi, “……”
She wants to kill him with her laser eyes . They haven’t even figured out
what’s going on yet, so why is he being so honest?!
Zhou Xiao Zhuan also realizes right after——Why did he disclose this
information to a man who is suspected of being involved in unlawful
activities? To add to that, he answered him out of reflex like he was reporting
to a superior . He reaches out his hand and rubs his head . Under Bai Jin Xi’s
glaring eyes, he obediently keeps his mouth shut .
Bai Jin Xi is almost out of patience . Just as she is about to walk over, the
walkie talkie on her waistbelt suddenly comes on .
“>cough<……Xiao Bai (Bai Jin Xi’s nickname)?”
Bai Jin Xi, “District Chief?”
The chief’s voice suddenly becomes serious, “You and Xiao Zhuan, come out
of that room immediately . Don’t touch that person . Don’t ask why . ”
Bai Jin Xi and Zhou Xiao Zhuan are struck dumb . They lift their heads and
look over to the screen at the same time .
Don’t touch that person? Don’t ask why?
The two of them turn around and walk toward the door .
It’s just that the instant they walk out of the room, Bai Jin Xi can’t help but
turn her head to look . She catches a glimpse of the pair of legs behind the
screen stretched up——the man has stood up .
Fuzzy lighting from the outside is shining through the window, reflecting the
man’s long silhouette onto the screen . Among the room decorated in old
fashion style full of antiques, the silhouette somehow shows off a sense of
reticence and loneliness .
_____
While they drive back, Zhou Xiao Zhuan asks, “Leader, who was that
exactly?”
Bai Jin Xi answers, “Do you need to ask? There are only two possibilities .
Either he’s an undercover cop, or someone who even the chief can’t afford to
offend . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan feels enlightened and asks further, “Should we go ask the
chief then?”
“No!” Bai Jin Xi says simply, “The chief is being so mysterious about it .
There’s no way he’ll tell us . He’ll tell us when he wants to . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan replies with “okay” but then says after a while, “That man
feels a bit like a gangster . I just can’t tell whether he’s really a gangster or an
undercover cop . ”
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t say anything .
A gangster? An undercover cop?
That aura of his sure makes him seem like one; calm but insolent; secluded
yet provocative .
He doesn’t seem like a nice person anyhow .
_____
The majority of the people at the nightclub has been brought back to the
station . The place has also been closed down with a notice, attracting the
gazes of many passersby, making it a dismal view .
Si Si is the only woman who could stay at the place . She knows that she’s
lucky, all thanks to that man in the room .
Once all the police officers leave, she secretly goes back to the room . The
man is still drinking coffee, sitting at the spacious balcony, watching the
colorful lights of the city . His expression is hard to make out at night . His
arms are resting on the side of the chair with a cigarette between his fingers .
the ashtray on the side is already stuffed with cigarette butts .
Si Si doesn’t dare to get too close to him subconsciously . She pulls out a
chair and sits on the side . She asks with care, “Did the two officers give you
a hard time?”
The man smiles faintly, “No . ”
Si Si feels relieved, “The female officer that came today is quite well known .
She’s the beauty of the police force, and I heard that she’s very good at
solving crimes . I was afraid that she wouldn’t let you off . ”
The man inhales a long breath of cigarette and doesn’t answer .
Si Si thinks for a moment and says, “But she is really pretty . To be such a
pretty officer is so great . ”
The man taps the ashes off of the cigarette and then says nonchalantly, “For
my entire life, I’ve hated female officers the most . ”


Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Chapter 2: Underhanded Tricks
6 o’clock in the morning . Bai Jin Xi opens her eyes .
A greyish white ceiling is in view, and she can hear the fan blowing in the
corner . A couple of simple but warm hued furniture bathe in the sunlight .
A common houseleek sits on the window sill; quietly growing with jade
green leaves .
Bai Jin Xi presses her hand to her forehead to make herself more awake, and
then sits up on the bed .
She is strongly addicted to smoking, but worries that her teeth and fingers will
turn yellow . She contemplates for a bit as usual before she takes out a
cigarette from the box on the table . She begins smoking while sitting in bed .
It’s another new day .
Bai Jin Xi lives by herself in an old city area; it’s filled with shops serving hot
breakfast meals downstairs on the streets . She buys a bowl of noodles and
starts eating while standing on the side of the street . When her elderly
neighbors pass by, they greet her with smiles; one of them even slips her two
pork buns .
Her phone rings . The sound of Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s angry voice comes on,
“Leader! Where are you? You’d better not have forgotten about today’s
mission!”
Bai Jin Xi reacts quickly and says calmly, “Of course I haven’t forgotten .
Where are you at now?”
“I’ve already arrived at the entrance of Guanhu primary school . ”

Bai Jin Xi reaches out her hand to stop a cab, “I’ll be there right away . ”
Even after she gets into the cab she doesn’t remember what today’s mission is
.
Ever since she got into an accident four years ago after graduating from the
police academy, her memory has been problematic . She often forgets things;
even missions that have been set up by the district station .
Thankfully, she only seems to forget about small things, while for important
cases, she seems to have some instinct to remember all the small details of
them . With Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s help to remind her, she hasn’t caused any
delays to her tasks so far .
She arrives at the primary school . She spots Zhou Xiao Zhuan who is in full
police uniform and has obviously gelled his hair . Bai Jin Xi finally
remembers what she is here for .
_____
School’s small auditorium .
The “sprouts of our country” are clearly very interested in the two officers
who are here to educate them on safety . They surround them and ask them
questions non-stop . The teachers on the other hand, are standing on the side
smiling . The atmosphere is filled with energy and liveliness .
A little boy asks Zhou Xiao Zhuan, “Uncle (sir, respect for
elderly) Policeman, have you killed a bad person with a gun before?”
This question is slightly about violence, so the children are waiting anxiously
.
Zhou Xiao Zhuan strokes his head first and then corrects the boy, “Call me Ge
Ge (big brother) . ”
“Ge Ge……”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan raises his head, looks around him, and then answers
confidently, “Of course . I’ve caught many bad people . ”
The children clap and Zhou Xiao Zhuan happily receives the many
worshipping gazes from them . Bai Jin Xi smirks at him, teasing: you sure
know how to avoid the main question . You’ve never even fired a shot in real
situations .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan stares back at her calmly, meaning: don’t laugh at others
when you’re in the same boat . Isn’t your gun covered with dust too?
There haven’t been any big cases in Jiangcheng in recent years . Although
the two of them have solved a few sexual assaults and homicide cases, the
criminals aren’t smart and tend to leave behind a lot of evidence . Where
would they have the chance to use their guns? They just need to track them
down and arrest them . Zhou Xiao Zhuan can even foresee that he’ll be like
the other retired policemen at the station; perhaps even till the day he dies, he
would never have fired his gun once .
A few little girls ask Bai Jin Xi, “Jie Jie (big sister), will we become as pretty
as you when we become policemen?”
Everyone turns to look at Bai Jin Xi .
She smiles after feeling a bit surprised by the question . She squats to look at
the girls at eye level and answers solemnly, “Yes . All the children here are
especially pretty today . Everyone will definitely be prettier than me when
wearing a police uniform . ”
The two of them leave the school in the afternoon . Zhou Xiao Zhuan says
while driving, “Leader, I was so scared that you would say the truth back
there——all the children today are not pretty . ”
Bai Jin Xi keeps her silence for a moment and then smiles, “How could I say
that? A child’s heart is the most innocent and pure in this world . How could
I bear to make them upset?”
Her answer startles Zhou Xiao Zhuan a bit .
At times, he feels that his leader is quite complicated . She’s usually cool, full
of herself, has a bunch of bad habits, and is self-centered and likes to praise
herself . But at certain times, she’ll say gentle words that really penetrate
deep into your heart .
She’s gentle yet full of depth, causing you to sigh .
Bai Jin Xi sits quietly for a bit, but she’s craving for a smoke again .
She suddenly remembers the smell of Suyan cigarettes (a brand of

cigarettes) from yesterday .
That smell was strong and refreshing, mixed in with the fragrance of coffee,
leaving a deep impression .
She blinks and turns to look at Zhou Xiao Zhuan, “Go to Su Se Nightclub . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan pauses and then frowns, “You really want to go?” That’s
someone that the chief doesn’t want them to bother .
“Go!”
He says nothing more .
Why is Bai Jin Xi insisting on finding out who that person is? It’s out of her
nature . This is her turf after all . Since she’s unable to differentiate whether
he’s a friend or foe, even though she won’t pick a fight with him, she feels
that she has to find out everything about him .
______
Under the dark sky, the glamorous night club from just the day before is now
completely lifeless; unlit and quiet . Bai Jin Xi still has the keys she snatched
from yesterday, so the two of them got inside easily .
The lobby is a complete mess, and the rooms on the second floor are empty;
not a person to be seen . Bai Jin Xi tells Zhou Xiao Zhuan to wait by the
stairs and be on a lookout, while she ventures off herself .
She slowly opens the door to the room . Everything is the same as yesterday;
the prominent screen, the elegant orchid, the old fashion details; just like a
dream .
The sky is completely dark now, making the room hard to see . She quietly
walks in and closes the door .
There isn’t anyone in the room; she can be certain of this from being a
criminal investigator . Therefore, she relaxes a bit, turns on her flashlight,
and begins to search the place .
A men’s jacket is lying on top of the pear wood chaise lounge . Bai Jin Xi
picks it up carefully and searches each pocket . She doesn’t find anything, so
she puts the jacket back . There is still half a box full of cigarettes on the
coffee table . Bai Jin Xi takes it and gives it a sniff; it goes without saying,
they smell good; top of the line . But they’re too expensive for a police
officer, so she never buys them .
She puts the cigarette box back reluctantly . She then looks at the ashtray full
of cigarette butts . Her eyes sparkle . She picks one of them up with her
gloved hand, and puts it into a plastic bag . She’ll definitely be able to find
out who he is now that she’s got his DNA……
Bai Jin Xi freezes .
It’s because she suddenly senses someone preparing to attack her from behind
.
Perhaps it’s because the atmosphere in the room changed slightly, or because
she heard the slightest audible sound, or maybe simply due to instinct, a very
strong thought comes to her mind——
Someone is behind her .
Someone is standing silently in a corner . He might have already been there

the moment she entered the room; quietly watching her every move .
Bai Jin Xi feels goosebumps all over . She has without a doubt met a highly
skilled person; his ability to dodge and bypass investigation is even better
than her……In a split second, she suddenly feels someone coming close,
accompanied with quick footsteps, and then……
A fist of wind!
He notices her pausing, so he decides to make a move!
She won’t make it in time to turn around, so Bai Jin Xi throws away the stuff
in her hand, and reaches for his arm in an attempt to throw him over her
shoulder .
“Heh!… . . ” she hears the man chuckle in the dark . Bai Jin Xi knows that
this is bad! In the next second, she feels a pair of strong arms reaching out
and twisting her wrists .
Bai Jin Xi loses her balance in an instant and falls onto the chaise lounge .
She lifts her leg and kicks the man’s knee without thought . The man
probably didn’t think she would be able to make such a move after losing her
balance, so he mumbles a sound of pain . His body tilts to one side .
Bai Jin Xi jumps for joy in her heart .
And then……
She feels a man’s warm body falling exactly to where she is!
The night is quiet, and the room is pitch-black . The cicadas can be heard
calling crisply outside of the window .
Bai Jin Xi is lying on her back on the chaise lounge . Although they’ve both
fallen, she hasn’t gain any advantage——both of her hands are locked
together by the man, and he is also on top of her body, so she can’t even
budge .
Bai Jin Xi begins to breathe faster .
Summer clothes are thin, and she’s wearing short sleeves . She can feel the
man’s muscular arms brushing passed hers clearly . His long, slender, and
strong cold fingers are grabbing onto her hands tightly . His waist is against
hers, and his legs are pressed towards hers . She can feel his weight and
strength, as well as his body temperature . She can also smell the flavor of
cigarettes and the distinct scent of a man .
And his face is only a foot away . It is a handsome yet blurry face . She can
only make out his general shape and features . His eyes are dark and sharp
with a hint of enmity, staring down at her . The man’s warm breath blows
onto her face without holding back .
Bai Jin Xi’s face flushes as she shouts, “Let me go!”
The man doesn’t listen . He shakes his right hand and is immediately holding
a small knife .
Bai Jin Xi shivers in her heart . In the next second, the small knife is held
against her neck . His gaze is sharp as the knife; they’re dark, aggressive, and
cold, as if they’ve been glazed over with a sheet of ice .
“Why are you investigating me?” he asks slowly .
Bai Jin Xi can feel a cut on her neck . She swallows and answers clearly,
“Just curious . It’s also my job . This area is under my supervision . You’re
being so mysterious, so how can I be relieved without checking your
background for sure?”
After a brief moment of silence, the man’s mouth curves slightly upwards .
“That doesn’t convince me,” he says impassively .
_____
Five minutes later .
This is absolutely Bai Jin Xi’s most shameful moment out of her entire life as
a police officer .
She is actually tied to a chair with a nylon rope .
And he’s sitting on the sofa that is a meter away; his actions are calm and
steady .
Bai Jin Xi holds her anger inside and quickly assesses the situation in her
head: this high class room obviously has great soundproofing; they’ve been
fighting for so long inside, and yet Zhou Xiao Zhuan can’t hear a thing
outside . Zhou Xiao Zhuan, that fool . Why doesn’t he know to come look
when she’s been gone for so long?……
She raises her head to take a look at the man before her again .
She can finally see him clearly under the dim lighting . He’s wearing a
simple shirt with long pants . His shirt is of a dark color just like before .
He’s rather tall, his facial features are still blurry, but his neck is long and
straight .
She can tell that he’s a vicious man just from his looks; definitely not the
gentle kind .
He tilts his head and lights up a cigarette . He breathes it in twice and then
holds it between his fingers, resting his arm on the side of the sofa; he’s
relaxed yet relentless at the same time .
“Are you willing to tell me the truth now?” he asks .
“What I said is the truth . ”
He stares at her for a while without a word .
“Stay that way then,” he gets up slowly, and walks to the washroom .
Bai Jin Xi watches him close the door, and then takes a deep breath .
The man returns from the washroom soon after .
He is stunned the moment he comes back into the room . He reaches out his
hand and switches the lights on .
The room is fully lit in an instant .
An empty chair stands in the middle with the nylon rope lying on the ground .
She has already escaped, leaving the door open .
The man lets out a laugh .
_____
Zhou Xiao Zhuan follows Bai Jin Xi out of the nightclub . He can see her
face red and full of tears . He is in complete shock .
How can Bai Jin Xi tell others what happen when it’s such a big
embarrassment? Therefore, she doesn’t say anything . She walks speedily
while tears continue to flow . It’s not until they got back to the vehicle when
she swings her limp right arm to Zhou Xiao Zhuan . She can’t endure the
pain any longer and cries to him, “Help me fix my dislocated shoulder……it’s
hurting like hell!”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is shocked, “How did it happen?” So she’s crying out of
pain!
He holds her arm, “Bear with me . ”
On a sound of a “snap,” Bai Jin Xi screams in pain .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan helps her into the passenger seat with his heart aching,
“What happened exactly?”
Bai Jin Xi, “……I bump into something accidentally . That man did not
leave anything behind, so it looks like we won’t be able to look him up . ”
“Oh,” Zhou Xiao Zhuan feels it’s hard to believe, but then again, it’s
impossible for leader to let others take advantage of her . It does seem more
possible that she had accidentally dislocated her shoulder herself .
Bai Jin Xi holds her arm while looking out the window, but feels more and
more annoyed: it hurt more when her shoulder was dislocated versus putting
it back in place!

Download more ebooks for free at Ebook Updates.Net.

Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 3: Forensic Investigator Si Bai
Bai Jin Xi is sitting at her desk with a serious expression as her mind is
engulfed in deep thoughts .
It’s time for work . An officer walks in and pats her head on the way, “Xiao
Bai, what are you thinking about? You can’t remember what you had for
breakfast again?”
Everyone starts laughing right after his comment . Bai Jin Xi glares at the
person, “Get lost!”
The bell rings to signal the start of work; everyone gets back to their own
seats .
There hasn’t been anything big going on recently, just a few small cases:
household registration management, safety and hazard disputes, theft, and
young women reporting that they have been stalked and harassed……In
comparison, the criminal investigators are rather free with not much to do .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan gives himself a push and slides on his chair all the way to
Bai Jin Xi .
“Leader, what are you so concentrated on thinking about?”
Bai Jin Xi bends down to her desk and their two heads come closer .
“Go find that Si Si and probe,” she says quietly .
It takes a few seconds for Zhou Xiao Zhuan to remember that “Si Si” was that
mistress . He says feeling awkward, “Leader, why won’t you just let that man
go?”
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t answer .
His face suddenly changes as if he has just thought of something . He gives

her an once-over, “Don’t tell me you’re interested in that guy?”
He then continues to murmur while Bai Jin Xi is still in shock, “Is it really
true that women only falls in love with bad men? He’s clearly a rotten
guy……”
Bai Jin Xi grabs a book on the desk and hits him on the head, “Shut up! Stop
the nonsense and go investigate!”
But Zhou Xiao Zhuan continues muttering, “I’m warning you! Don’t let
Forensic Investigator Xu know that you’re paying so much attention to
another man . Remember last time the robbery suspect touched you, Forensic
Investigator Xu’s expression immediately changed . And then he was mad
and ignored you for a week . Have you forgotten already?”
Bai Jin Xi pauses while bending down to fetch her book . She lifts her head
and rolls her eyes at him, “What nonsense are you talking about? Forensic
Investigator Xu and I are purely friends . He was worried about me getting
hurt last time . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan doesn’t think so . He twitches his mouth and leaves feeling
annoyed .
_____
The Guanhu station is located on the west side of Jiangcheng . It is a small

greyish white building with a big courtyard in the front which has many
camphor trees, making it cool and quiet .
Everyone is planning for lunch when it’s near noon . Just when Bai Jin Xi is
about to stand up, their office’s door is pushed open, and a person walks in .
The officers greet the person with a smile, and also not forgetting to make a
few faces at Bai Jin Xi .
“Forensic Investigator Xu, you’re here . ”

“Forensic Investigator Xu, you’re here to deliver lunch for Xiao Bai again?”
“Xiao Bai won’t be joining us for lunch . Forensic Investigator Xu, we’ll see
you later!”
Speak of the devil . The Forensic Investigator Xu that Xiao Zhuan has been
talking about all morning is wearing a simple white shirt and black trousers .
He has one hand in his pocket, while carrying a few thermos lunch boxes; a
handsome gentleman standing by the door . He smiles and greets everyone in
the room . After everyone else leaves, he glances towards Bai Jin Xi, and
then walks over to her .
Bai Jin Xi watches him come with her chin resting in her palm .
“You shouldn’t keep bringing me lunch all the time . It’s so inconvenient . ”
Although she’s saying this, her eyes are already staring at the lunch boxes in
his hand . She takes a sniff in hope to find out what’s in them through their
delicious smell .
As if Xu Si Bai knew that she would do this, he keeps quiet . He watches her
carefully and slowly takes the lunch boxes out . He opens them, takes out two
pairs of chopsticks, hands her a pair, and then sits across from her .
“The food outside is not clean,” his voice is soft and peaceful,” I might as
well cook . ”
“Thanks!” she can’t help smiling . She lifts the box up and starts to gobble
the food down .
Xu Si Bai eats just like he works; quiet and focused . His sleeves are rolled
up . His every move is calm and elegant . It’s only when Bai Jin Xi is eating
with him that she’s quiet like a refined lady——there’s no helping it . He
doesn’t like to talk, and doesn’t like others to be too noisy .
They finish eating soon after .
He wipes his mouth with a napkin, drinks his cup of water slowly, and then
puts the lunch boxes back into the bag neatly——as always, he doesn’t like
others to help .
He stands up with the bag of lunch boxes with one hand in his pocket just like
before; tall and dashing . He looks at her with tender eyes, “Let’s go . I’ll
take you to go look at a corpse . ”
“What’s the situation?”
He reveals a smile and says with a hint of excitement in his eyes, “It just came
in today . After the person was dead, he/she was wounded five different
times . You’ve probably never seen it before . ”
Bai Jin Xi blinks and smiles too, “Okay!”
_____
Bai Jin Xi and Xu Si Bai’s friendship goes back to three years ago . He was
transferred to Guanhu from another city . The two of them met due to a
murder case . Before him, Bai Jin Xi had never met a forensic investigator as
skillful and had such deep knowledge as him .
Although criminal investigators don’t need to manage the forensic

investigator’s findings, the more they know about it, the more it helps them to
solve the cases . Ever since Bai Jin Xi discovered this “big treasure,” she
naturally went to visit often, bringing Zhou Xiao Zhuan along . After a few
times, they got to know each other more .
On the other hand, Xu Si Bai is an introvert, and doesn’t view fame and
fortune as something important . He only travels between the lab, the station,
and his apartment every day; living a dull yet devoted life . Therefore, even
though he’s young, handsome, smart, and is slowly becoming more and more
well-known in the industry, he doesn’t have a girlfriend or have any girls
pursuing him .
Bai Jin Xi is his only rumored girlfriend .
But in Bai Jin Xi’s eyes, they are simply two people who have the same
interest and admiration for each other, so they’re rather close . Although he
seems unfriendly, he is actually very kind and sincere to his friends .
Therefore, he cares about her more than other people .
As for becoming boy and girlfriends? Not even a chance .

_____
The white Chevrolet drives steadily through the sunlit streets . Xu Si Bai is
sitting with his back straight, and two hands on the wheel; he’s this serious
even when driving .
“Why are you looking at me?” he asks suddenly with his eyes still looking
straight ahead .
Bai Jin Xi giggles, “Old (indication of familiarity) Xu, I was just thinking, if
no one wants us in the future, we should just make do and be together . You
can continue to love your dead bodies, and I can continue to love my violent
criminals . We can be understanding of each other and not be bothered by
others . ”
Xu Si Bai turns and glances at her feeling a little startled, and then turns his
focus back to the road .
“I don’t make do on this matter,” he says, “If I’m serious, it would be for the
rest of my life . I will treat her well wholeheartedly . You shouldn’t think
about just making do either . ”
Bai Jin Xi smiles indifferently and turns to look at the side window .
_____
The autopsy facility is located in an old white brick building that’s not far
from Guanhu police station . The hallway is extremely quiet in the afternoon,
only a few voices and footsteps can be heard occasionally, but very softly .
Although it’s the middle of summer, the whole building gives off a sense of
coolness .
Xu Si Bai leads Bai Jin Xi, and they soon arrive at the cold and quiet
laboratory .
Everything is white .
White ceiling; white walls; white lights; white metal body storage .
Only the body lying on the metal bed is marked with wounds .
Xiao Yao, Xu Si Bai’s assistant, is a twenty or so year old fellow . He hands

Bai Jin Xi a lab coat with a bright smile, “Big Sister Jin Xi, just call me if you
need anything . ”
“Thanks,” Bai Jin Xi receives the lab coat smiling, and then gets changed .
She turns around, and sees Xu Si Bai standing beside the dead body waiting
for her with his hands behind him . She can only see his pair of deep brown
eyes with a mask covering the rest of his face .
Everyone knows that Xu Si Bai is very fast in completing his examination of

a body; fast, detailed, and accurate . Therefore, he’s also nicknamed,
“Jiangcheng’s quick hands . ” But since Bai Jin Xi is here, he identifies,
evaluates, and dissects each and every wound and organ carefully in detail .
In the rather big laboratory, it’s cold and lonely; as if time passes much slower
than normal . It’s only when the two of them talk that the silence breaks .
“What kind of weapon caused this wound?” Bai Jin Xi points to the body’s
right thigh wound .
Xu Si Bai is standing beside her, writing the report on his findings . He

glances at the wound and asks, “You can’t tell?”
Bai Jin Xi shakes her head .
He puts down his notebook and pen, bends over, and studies the wound
carefully .
“The side of the wound shows a pierced cut and it seems to be

hardening……” he murmurs, “this wound was created from stabbing……”
“Oh, is that so?” Bai Jin Xi is just about to straighten up again, but when she
turns her head, she realizes that Xu Si Bai’s face is very close to hers . His
dark brown eyes and soft short hair makes his skin looks even paler . Tiny
sweat covers his forehead, gradually running down by the side of his face and
onto his neck .
Bai Jin Xi’s mind goes blank for a second .
Not only his face is close, his whole body is leaning close to her in order to
take a better look at the wound . She can smell the scent coming from his
body; slightly warm, carrying a mild scent of body soap accompanied with a
forensic investigator’s unique smell of formalin and blood .
Xu Si Bai seems to notice her falling into a daze . He turns and looks at her
in close proximity; his tall and straight nose brushes her face lightly . But his
gaze is no different from looking at a dead body; calm and indifferent . He
straightens up his body naturally and asks, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing . ”
In actual fact, perhaps it’s because she has never come in body contact with a
man before . The instant Xu Si Bai came so close to her, she suddenly
thought about last night; being pressed down by that man with every inch of
their skin touching each other; and the smell of cigarettes and coffee mixed
with the man’s breath……
She clears her thoughts, wiping away the regrettable imagery out of her head .
Xu Si Bai glances at her and moves on to the next wound .
Her phone suddenly rings . As if it wants to constantly remind her of the

imagery, the phone’s screen shows no other than Zhou Xiao Zhuan .
Bai Jin Xi stands up straight immediately and smiles at Xu Si Bai, “I’ll go

take this phone call . ” She takes off her gloves and hurries into a small room
separated by glass .
“Hey, Leader!”
Bai Jin Xi glances at Xu Si Bai, who’s not far away . He’s waiting patiently
for her with his arms crossed .
“What’s the matter?” she says in a low voice .
“Nothing,” Zhou Xiao Zhuan sighs, “That Si Si is not easy to probe . Her
mouth is tight . I’ve been with her all day and haven’t found out anything .
But……”
“But what?”
“But Si Si said that man has words for you . ”
Bai Jin Xi becomes defensive, “What words?”

“They’re a little strange……” Zhou Xiao Zhuan says carefully and slowly,
“He said: ‘If someone continues to be nosy, she can forget about relocating
her shoulder after it is dislocated . ’”
“……”
Bai Jin Xi can’t help but curse in the end .

Download more ebooks for free at wWw.EbookUpdates.Net.

Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Chapter 4: First Dream
Zhou Xiao Zhuan finds Si Si in a small alley .
In a curvy alleyway in an old city, there’s an easy to miss little store piled
with many groceries and snacks . Si Si is wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans,
without any makeup, and sitting by the cash register . If you don’t look
carefully, you wouldn’t be able to recognize her as the enchanting woman at
night .
This is a rather surprise to Zhou Xiao Zhuan .
There are quite a few nightclub mistresses who have a secondary job, but
most of them are in sales, models for auto shows, or are still university
students . He has never seen one who opens a small store to make a living .
What’s more surprising is that Si Si doesn’t seem to be that old, but she
actually has a son; a two to three year old strong boy, who keeps hugging her
and calling her mommy . And every time she lifts the little boy up, her facial
expression is extremely gentle, “Dou Dou, be good! Dou Dou, do you want
to eat some fruits?”
Everyone has their own stories and secrets . The same goes for Si Si .
“Pretty girl, a pack of cigarettes please,” says a man in blue coverall standing
at the entrance .
“Okay!” Si Si puts her son down and bends down to fetch a pack of Baisha
cigarettes . When she lifts her head, she spots Zhou Xiao Zhuan nearby .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan immediately smiles at her .
Si Si’s mouth twitches .

_____
Si Si coaxes the child to sleep . She then turns around with her hands on her
hips and stares at Zhou Xiao Zhaun enduring her patience, “Mr . Policeman,
how many times do I have to tell you for you to believe me?… . . We were
really only drinking tea and having a chat that day . We didn’t do anything
unlawful!”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan obviously doesn’t believe her, but it’s too difficult for him
to press further . Furthermore, after seeing her child, he hesitates to make
things hard for her . Therefore, he shifts his gaze left and right, and decides to
use the roundabout method that Bai Jin Xi often teaches him .
“Um……Si Si, this store you have is not bad . But are you able to manage
taking care of the kid yourself?” He starts chatting about her everyday life .
Si Si responds impassively while tidying up a shelf, “It’s alright . ”
“I’ll introduce more customers to your place,” Zhou Xiao Zhuan says
sincerely .
Si Si pauses, turns to look at him, and then continues to tidy up the shelf .
This is a perfect example of two people who have nothing to say to each other
. And then it’s mainly Zhou Xiao Zhuan talking to himself with Si Si
answering him only once or twice .
When it comes to that man, she always says that she doesn’t know .
In the end, when he is about to leave, Si Si suddenly calls him and says, “This
morning, ‘he’ called me and said that if the police comes looking for me, then
I should relay his message to that police beauty . But this has nothing to do
with me . I’m only relaying his words . ”
……
Zhou Xiao Zhuan repeats “his” exact words to Bai Jin Xi, causing her to be in
rage . She squeezes her phone standing in the small room beside the lab, not
knowing what to say .
Zhou Xiao Zhaun on the other hand, tries to probe, “Hey Leader, what exactly
happened last night? How did you dislocate your shoulder? How come you
haven’t told me?”
“I’ll tell you when I come back!” She disconnects the call directly .
When she turns around, her eyes meet Xu Si Bai’s pure gaze full of inquiry .
Bai Jin Xi puts the phone back in her pocket with a straight face, “Something
came up at the station . I need to go now . ”
Xu Si Bai nods .
Bai Jin Xi is clearly annoyed, so she cannot concentrate on the autopsy

anymore . She thumps her way down the stairs, hops onto a bus, and leaves .
The setting sun shines through the gaps of the curtains, seeping into the cold
room . Xu Si Bai’s mood is not affected by Bai Jin Xi leaving midway; he
continues with his autopsy report .
Assistant Xiao Yao pauses for a minute but can’t help to say, “Teacher Xu,
you’re not giving Jin Xi Jie a ride back?”
Xu Si Bai’s hand holding the scalpel freezes for a second, and then continues
cutting through . He answers calmly, “She doesn’t need someone to . ”
Xiao Yao says, “But……Teacher, since you’re analyzing in the lab all day so
you haven’t noticed this . The ratio of men versus women is very unbalanced
in the police force, especially in the criminal investigation department .
Everyone is razor sharp and vicious like a wolf . It’s amazing how she and
you are such good friends……”
Xu Si Bai turns around and glances at her, “What are you trying to say?”
Xiao Yao, “……How come you’re not her boyfriend?”
Xu Si Bai is stunned for a second, and then smiles . His voice is as calm and
gentle as sunset, “She and I, are fine, just the way we are now . ”
“But!” Xiao Yao says with an exasperated expression, “If you like her, you
should find the courage in yourself and pursue her!”
Xu Si Bai smiles again as usual, and then lowers his head and continues to
examine the body in front of him .
______
The night arrives .
The temperature decreases in Jiangcheng tonight . The cool night breeze

makes others feel refreshing .
But Bai Jin Xi is twisting and turning in bed, unable to sleep .
If someone continues to be nosy, she can forget about relocating her shoulder
after it is dislocated .
She can almost imagine the way the man in the dark said these words with his
heartless attitude .
She will ask the district chief about this tomorrow . He is clearly bullying
her, so there’s no way she’ll let this slide!
After letting out her rage, she stares at the old greyish white worn out ceiling .
Just as she is about to doze off, she suddenly remembers the day that she
woke up in the hospital four years ago . An unfamiliar doctor and an
unfamiliar nurse tell her regrettably, “Bai Jin Xi, your parents have passed
away in this fire incident . Due to a prolonged period of time without oxygen,
your brain has been affected . You may not be able to recover your memory .
”
Everyone has an uncultivated place in their hearts . But as a twenty-one year

old that year, everything became uncultivated for her . She had to start over .
What did mom look like? What did dad look like? She didn’t know, and
couldn’t remember . When catastrophe strikes and ruins everything, only
those who are impacted would know the feeling of helplessness and
emptiness .
She closes her eyes, and sleeps .
She has always had dreamless nights .

______
The sound of water .
The sound of pounding rain can be heard from the deepest of the forest .
She brushes the thorns and bushes away and takes one step at a time, getting
closer and closer to the source of the sound .
It’s a waterfall; an incredibly tall waterfall . The white-colored stripe of

falling water looks just like a river running downwards .
A person is sitting under the fall .
“Who are you?” she asks curiously .
The man is wearing a dark blue t-shirt and long black pants . Both of his
hands are on his knees .
The water is pouring down, but he doesn’t budge .
“Who are you?” Bai Jin Xi asks again .
He lifts his head slowly, and looks at her .
Bai Jin Xi stares back at him blankly .
Those are a pair of dark, dark brown eyes, as if there’s no end to them .
Slowly, tears begin falling from his eyes .
Bai Jin Xi looks at him blankly . An unexplainable feeling of grief suddenly

pinches her heart .
As if it’s uncontrollable . She chokes with tears all over her face .
At this moment, the man suddenly raises his head slowly and looks behind
her .
She turns around to see where he’s looking .

Another man; a man wearing a white hoodie and long white pants is holding
an axe, fiercely swinging it towards a person on the ground time after time .
The person’s head instantly bursts, making a puddle of blood .
And then the killer turns towards another person .
“What are you doing?! Stop!” Bai Jin Xi shouts .
The killer pauses, slowly stands up, and turns his head to her .
He’s covered with blood, his gaze like a hawk .
In the next second, he has already gotten in front of her, staring down at her,
and raising his axe . Bai Jin Xi struggles with all her might, but he keeps her
still by holding on her arms and legs . She can’t move at all .
His cold and eerie face makes it look like the Grim Reaper has come . The
sharp axe is dripping blood in his hand . The corner of his mouth curves up
slightly, revealing a smirk . He suddenly lowers his head and kisses her
deeply; their lips and tongues intertwining, making her breathless .
……
Bai Jin Xi wakes up opening her eyes wide .
The greyish white ceiling is still before her eyes, and the light of dawn can be
seen through the window . In the spacious home, only she is quietly lying on
the bed like a dead body with her face full of tears and her back covered with
sweat . On top of the night stand, her cell phone’s screen lights up and rings
non-stop .
Shit! What kind of dream was that?!
Bai Jin Xi sits up immediately, wipes away the tears with her hand, and grabs
the phone, “Hello?”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s voice comes on crisp and clear in a hurried and serious
manner, “Leader! There’s a sexual assault case last night at number 10 Daoli
Lane!”
Download more ebooks for free at EbookUpdates.Net.

Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Chapter 5: Criminal Investigator Han Chen
It’s Sunday morning . There’s a light fog surrounding the area . A couple of
officers are standing at the bottom of the building of where the incident
happened; it’s quiet everywhere .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan parks the police car at the front of the entrance . Bai Jin Xi
takes out her work ID and clips it on her chest pocket . Just when she gets out
of the car, he catches a glimpse of her, “Leader, you cried?”
Bai Jin Xi tilts her head and looks at herself in the rear mirror; her eyes are
swollen like walnuts .
“Mm……” she hums depressingly while opening the car door, “I dreamt of a
killer trying to……” she pauses before continuing, “trying to hit me . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan lets out a laugh and hurries after her . He doesn’t forget to
nag, “Who told you to watch so many gruesome movies and TV series? So
what happened? Did you beat the killer up? Your shoulder didn’t get
dislocated, did it?”
Bai Jin Xi kicks him, “Get lost!”
______
It’s an old building that hasn’t been kept well; mainly rented by young people
who are working in the area . The incident happened in an ordinary
apartment on the second floor .
Bai Jin Xi walks through the dim hallway with ads stuck everywhere on the
wall, and stands in front of the door . Police tape is already running across it;
a couple of officers wearing gloves and shoe covers are scouting the place .
Bai Jin Xi ducks under the police tape and goes inside . Zhou Xiao Zhuan
follows and says quietly, “That Si Si also lives around here . ” Bai Jin Xi has
always been bad with directions, so nothing comes to her mind after hearing
this . She hums, “Mm,” to indicate her acknowledgement .
“Xiao Bai, Xiao Bai,” the criminal investigators greet her .
Bai Jin Xi nods and asks, “What have we found so far?” She gazes at the
furniture and other possessions that have been spread across the ground in a
mess: The windows are shut in the living room, making the room dark; the
coat rack has been knocked down with the clothes on the floor; a vase
decorated with red flowers and green leaves is shattered on the floor; the
fabric sofa has been sliced open, and a pair of scissors is resting on the coffee
table; even the TV has been smashed with a hole in the middle and its liquid
crystal fragments everywhere……
“The victim’s name is Ma Xiao Fei . 25 years old . She is a sales associate at
the Da Zhou department store, which is less than 1km away . She gets along
well with her colleagues and friends . No boyfriend,” a criminal investigator
says, “According to Ma Xiao Fei, she hasn’t had any conflicts with anyone
recently, and she doesn’t know of anyone who would hold a grudge on her .
This is likely done by a stranger . The time of the incident was around 11pm,
just after she returned home from work . The offender followed her into the
home, and used this to hold her . ” He hands her two evidence bags . One of
them has a couple of nylon strings in it, and the other has a roll of yellow tape
.
They’re both common items that can be easily bought; an average person
wouldn’t be able to break free when his/her limbs are tied with these and
his/her mouth is sealed .
“Was the victim able to see the suspect’s face?” Zhou Xiao Zhuan asks .
The criminal officer shakes his head, “No . The suspect was wearing a black
mask . ” He points to the bedroom, “Ma Xiao Fei is currently inside . ”
Bai Jin Xi and Zhou Xiao Zhuan look to where he’s pointing . Through the
slight opening of the door, they can see a young woman with a policeman’s
coat on her shoulders; one of her hands is covering part of her face as she sits
on the side of the bed crying . A female civil police officer is squatting in
front of her, consoling her . Ma Xiao Fei’s hair is in a mess, but her refined
and light skin complexion can be seen from the side .
Bai Jin Xi gestures for Zhou Xiao Zhuan to stay in the living room while she
goes inside .
There’s a short hallway between the living room and the bedroom . The
window in the hallway is also closed . A criminal officer is squatting on the
ground with his back facing her; he looks to be examining some marks on the
ground . Bai Jin Xi was going to pass him without looking, but she couldn’t
help but glance over .
The officer’s back seems familiar, but she can’t recall where she has seen him
before .
He’s wearing a black jacket; he’s rather tall . Many criminal officers make
themselves look short and bulky in the jacket, and never able to show their
figures . But he’s different . The great leather and perfect cutting of the
jacket show off his wide shoulders and fit waist, accenting his slim figure .
His black hair is fluffy and short, revealing the contours of his neck and the
side of his face; fair yet tenacious .
He reaches out to touch the mark on the wall caused by an object smashed to
it . He is wearing a pair of thin black leather gloves . Bai Jin Xi rarely sees a
criminal officer wear this type of glove, which gives off a sense of coolness
and smoothness .
Bai Jin Xi glances at him again before going into the bedroom .
______
“Regarding his face, you weren’t able to see it at all?” Bai Jin Xi asks lightly
sitting across from Ma Xiao Fei .
Ma Xiao Fei shakes her head with tears in her eyes, “He had me close my
eyes . I didn’t dare open them . Furthermore, he was wearing a mask .
But……from his body built, he’s not someone I know……”
Bai Jin Xi nods, “It’s okay . Even if you couldn’t see what he looked like, we
will still be able to catch him . ”
Ma Xiao Fei covers her mouth with her hands again . Her face is pale and
tears flow uncontrollably .
She remembers the shame and fright of it all . When that man dragged her
into the bedroom, threw her onto the bed, and tied up her arms and legs, her
nightmare began . The man held her arms together and then thrusted himself
against her face to face without mercy, causing her to fall into the deepest pit
of pain and helplessness .
And then he ordered her to turn around and bend over, where he then started
again from behind . She raised her head and looked out the window which
she didn’t recall opening; the city blanketed in darkness, the cold moonlight,
and the sound of an ancient bell chiming from some unknown place . She
was swallowed by despair like a waterfall .
In the end, when she thought it was over, the man suddenly ordered her to lie
down again . He kneeled down at the side of the bed and started kissing her
inner thighs for a long time . It made her felt even worse and hard to endure .
……
“Oh I remember……he was wearing gloves,” she recalls this detail .
Bai Jin Xi nods . She gazes at the bruises covering her whole body, “These
were made by him?”
Ma Xiao Fei nods with teary eyes, “He kept twisting and pinching me . ”
“I see,” Bai Jin Xi continues to ask softly, “Did he say anything?”
“No . ” Ma Xiao Fei’s voice is weak like a small animal, “He didn’t say a
word……”
______
Bai Jin Xi is in a bit of a daze as she leaves the bedroom . She doesn’t even
hear Zhou Xiao Zhuan calling her .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan immediately stops calling her, and follows her with a
serious expression on his face . The other criminal investigators on the team
knows her habits and pace in solving crimes as well, so they subconsciously
stop what they’re doing and raise their heads to look at her .
Bai Jin Xi walks all the way to the middle of the living room, and then lifts
her head to look around her . Just when she is about to clear her throat to
speak, she spots that man’s back from before . Among this group of officers
with average height, weight, and facial features, he is especially eye-catching
.
He is standing in front of the window while touching the half smudged

footprint on the wall with his fingers . Bai Jin Xi can’t help herself from
noticing his pair of hands wearing a set of black leather gloves; slender, fit,
and handsome .
Bai Jin Xi lifts her chin to his direction and asks the young officer beside her
in her normal voice, “Who’s this fellow?”
That man continues to examine the mark on the wall without turning his head
.
The young officer answers, “Oh, he’s one of us . He’s a friend of the one who
called the police . ”
At this moment, a civil police officer leads a young woman into the room,
“Officer Bai, this is Si Si, who contacted the police . Her recording is done .
Do you have anything that you want to ask her?”
Bai Jin Xi and Zhou Xiao Zhuan are both stunned as they watch the woman
walk inside; her long wavy hair, pretty face, and tired spirit . Is that not Si Si,
who they met once before? And after Si Si also sees them, she doesn’t seem
to be in as much of a shock . She forces a smile .
Bai Jin Xi and Zhou Xiao Zhuan come to their senses, and turn their heads at
the same time to look at the man standing by the window .
“Si Si is Ma Xiao Fei’s friend . She also lives in the area,” the young officer
explains, “When the incident happened, Ma Xiao Fei called her first, and then
she and this……Detective Han arrived at the scene right away . ”
Before he even finishes talking, all the criminal investigators and civil
policemen all raise their heads to look at the man by the window with a
surprised expression .
“Han……Chen?” someone says, “That can’t be the Han Chen of the
provincial criminal investigation team, can it?”
Bai Jin Xi’s eyes are wide open, staring at his back .
With his back facing everyone, that Han Chen stands up, and turns around .
“I’m sorry, I am that Han Chen . ”
His voice is deep like a cello in a slow rhythm; charming to listen to .
But his tone is cold and indifferent .
The sun has already risen; light shines through the window, exposing the mess
all over the floor, as well as illuminating his body figure and facial features
clearly .
The crowd is stunned, including Bai Jin Xi .
It’s a very young and handsome looking face . His eyebrows are dark and
thick accompanying his long and narrow eyes . Beneath his tall and straight
nose are his slightly pursed lips . It’s just that he’s tall with long legs and
wearing a black jacket with a dark shirt while wearing black leather gloves, so
his whole aura seems cold and fierce .
He doesn’t look like a criminal investigator . He looks more like a dashing

young killer .
He takes a look around and stops his gaze at Bai Jin Xi . Those eyes; they’re
deep set and beautiful accompanied with thick eyelashes . His pupils are dark
brown glistening with a hint of coolness, as if they have no warmth, yet
they’re sharp and clear, penetrating others’ hearts .
Bai Jin Xi is also staring back at him .
Han Chen .
His famous name thunders inside of her .
He has solved many complicated cases; there isn’t an experienced criminal

investigator in province K who hasn’t heard of him . Only that greenhorn
young officer from just now is oblivious .
But no one would have thought that he would be the Han Chen .
Criminal Investigator Han Chen, the number one detective in province K .
The atmosphere has clearly become awkward .
The criminal investigators look at each other as if they don’t know what to
say . They’re shocked, excited, worried, and curious at the same time . Since
such a big shot has shown up at a small place like this, everyone doesn’t quite
know what to do .
That Han Chen takes off his gloves and shoves them into his pocket, “You’re
in charge of the scene here?”
He has an authentic Beijing accent . A little bit thick . His enunciation is

smooth and rich with a hint of flippantness like a Beijing youth .
“Mm,” Bai Jin Xi answers vaguely . Zhou Xiao Zhuan on the other hand is
already showing a strange face of not knowing what to do .
“Come over,” he walks back to the window .
Bai Jin Xi follows .
The others including Zhou Xiao Zhuan watch the two of them leave, and then
start getting back to work . But their ears are all standing straight——
eavesdropping on what they’re saying .
The sky is blue outside the window, and the sun has already come out of the
layers of clouds, revealing its face .
Bai Jin Xi glances out at the old city that’s gradually getting lively again, and
then turns to look at him .
The first thing she notices is actually his eyes; long and narrow, deep set, and
eyelashes are thin, thick, and black . And then it’s his hand resting on the
window sill; pale and slender, making the joints look obvious; accompanied
with his dark shirt, they look smooth and cold at the same time .
He’s also looking at Bai Jin Xi .

His gaze is impassive .
“I’ll cut to the chase,” his voice is low and powerful, “There are three main
points in this case……”
Bai Jin Xi smiles suddenly .
“This is what you wanted to say?” she interrupts him right away .
Han Chen raises his thick eyebrows and stares at her .
The other criminal investigators have also stopped to look at them . The
moment they turn their heads, they see Bai Jin Xi standing right in front of
Han Chen with her hands in her pockets . She’s standing straight and tall with
her chin tilted upwards full of pride . Her eyes are squinted slightly, looking
as full of herself as she can be .
Bai Jin Xi turns her head and doesn’t even look at Han Chen . She returns to
the crowd of criminal investigators, claps her hands, and clears her throat,
“Alright . I’m going to talk about the case, come and listen . ”
Everyone looks at her, and then at Han Chen .
Bai Jin Xi says in a serious manner, “I’ll cut to the chase . Regarding this
case, I have already……” she reveals a slight smile, “concluded three points .
”
All the criminal investigators are struck dumb the second she says this, and
then they all look in Han Chen’s direction .
And then they suddenly feel enlightened!
Who is Bai Jin Xi? She’s Guanhu Station’s number one local detective!
Everybody has seen her solve many cases, which is why they all listen to her .
Besides District Chief, all the guys have accepted her as the leader of the
team .
Although Han Chen is well-known, it’s still his first day . To these low
ranked officers, he is a “legend”; a rather unrealistic myth .
Bai Jin Xi is clearly not respecting Han Chen and is even purposely
provoking this mythical person .
Could they not be excited by this?
Bai Jin Xi glances at Han Chen . His expression hasn’t changed . It’s just
that his eyes look serene, staring at her calmly .
Those pair of dark, deep set eyes seem to seep through others .
Bai Jin Xi decides to continue neglecting him . She looks around her with
arrogance, and then says, “Three concluding points:
1 . The suspect lives within 5km of the scene;
2 . His work hours are flexible;
3 . His occupation is——a housekeeper, driver, or delivery man . ”
Share this:


Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Chapter 6: Beginning of the Battle
There are actually many rumors regarding Han Chen .
Some say, he is the best criminal investigator .
His out of this world investigation skills and fierce personality make up this
incredible detective whom even the most cold-blooded criminals are afraid of
. He reportedly had spent seven days and nights without sleep just to catch
one of the most wanted criminals . When he arrested him, his emotions were
already close to the edge of eruption; it is said that no matter which murder
case falls into his hand, they will never go unsolved . There was once a
difficult case that had been troubling the local police for months, but after he
paid one visit to the crime scene, he was able to confirm the suspect……An
old veteran criminal investigator who had worked with him before
commented: You cannot not remain unconvinced by him . His brain is like an
intricate computer; his logic and calculative skills as well as his attention to
detail are unbelievable; his pace is surprisingly fast too .
But there are some who say that he is the worst criminal investigator .
Although his skills are unimaginably incredible, he is unconstrained and bad-

tempered . It is said that, he was originally hired by the Ministry of Public
Security as one of the most distinguished young specialists, and the youngest
first class officer, who was to stay at the central government office .
However, he insisted on being a regular criminal investigator at a local
station, which made the Ministry of Public Security very mad .
Rumors also say that he hasn’t been getting along well with the Chief of
Provincial Police and other fellow officers . It’s because he is proud and
aloof; he’s not close to anyone . When he’s on a case, he works relentlessly;
others who work with him feel exhausted; no one can stand it .
Furthermore, he often requests for days off and disappear for a few days or
over ten days . No one knows where he goes to or what he does; he does not
work collaboratively at all .
Some even say that he often hangs out at the red-light district; dining,
drinking, gambling, having sex and all the like; his lovers are all across the
country . But this is an unconfirmed rumor; otherwise, he would have been
kicked out of the central government long ago .
……
Due to his fame, Bai Jin Xi had also once imagined what this Great Master
looked like . He must be a manly man who’s fierce, bad tempered, and
unrestrained .
Of course, she had also imagined him as one of the typical men who frequent
the nightclubs . She thought that he would be a matured man in his thirties;
probably with a scar on his face and missing a finger on his left hand or
something .
Who knew that when the two characteristics are mashed together, he would
look like this?
Young and handsome, cold and fierce, and full of hostility .
Bai Jin Xi glances at this “rumored” man again .
She has always been someone who becomes tough when she meets another
tough person; meeting his serene yet provoking gaze, she is full of
determination . She fiddles with her necklace with one hand (this is her small
habit; most detectives have this kind of gestures or habits), and speaks in front
of the other police officers who are full of anticipation:
“According to victim Ma Xiao Fei, she has not have any conflicts involving
money or arguments with anybody . She is also unfamiliar with the suspect’s
body figure . Of course, we will still need to investigate her social network
further . But based on other similar sexual assault cases that happened in the
victims’ homes in the past, it’s very possible that it was done by a stranger .
There have not been any other sexual assault cases using similar methods in
the area or in Jiangcheng as a whole . Therefore, this should be the suspect’s
first offense . Since this is an old area, the streets are complicated, so people
who are not from around here would easily get lost; but he was well planned
for the crime . He must have spent a lot of time stalking her before .
Therefore, I can conclude the following: one, it’s possible that he lives
nearby or works close to here . The main search area is within 5 kilometers;
two, he has enough free time and flexible hours to be able to plan and commit
the crime . ”
All the criminal investigators nod, agreeing with these common

characteristics; most cases are done by people around the area . By the
window, Han Chen’s eyes spark, but he doesn’t say anything .
Bai Jin Xi continues, “Thirdly, if we can confirm that it was done by a

stranger, the suspect that we’re looking for would be a driver, a worker, an
expedited delivery man, delivery person……etcetera . An employee who is
powerful and skillful .
This is because during the whole time, the suspect clearly showed his
masculinity and anger . During the assault, regardless of whether she was
facing him or her back was towards him, he had dominance over her; he
wounded her unnecessarily, which I think helped him release his anger and
feel pleasure at the same time . He also damaged items in the apartment that
he didn’t have to; we did not find any loss of possession……
Imagine a man like this: well-built, powerful, suppressed views of

masculinity, and hatred towards reality . You might not be able to find
anything wrong with him during the day, but it’s likely that he has chosen a
job that shows his traits as a man and strengths . Since he used nylon ropes
and tape to take control of the victim, he was agile, his work hours must have
been flexible, so I believe that he would be a truck driver, an employee of a
moving company, or electrical technician……etcetera . ”
After her long speech, all the officers are in silence .
Han Chen is also quiet . It’s just that his expression doesn’t seem to have
changed; his handsome face still looks cool and indifferent as always .
After a while, Zhou Xiao Zhuan says excitedly, “Leader, well said . ” Bai Jin
Xi smiles at him and the both of them gaze toward Han Chen at the same time
. Probably due to their arrogant expressions that a hint of smile brushes
across Han Chen’s eyes .
He obviously looks better smiling than not . His dark pupils look as if they
have sparkling; cold yet captivating .
But Bai Jin Xi has lost a fight against him before, so she can’t help but
shudder from his faint smile .
She keeps a straight face and smiles in front of everybody, “Let’s get to work .
”
Everyone shouts back with, “yes,” and starts getting back to work; those who
are searching the area continues searching the area; those who are planning to
probe the neighbours go probe the neighbours……
Bai Jin Xi is just about to go outside with Zhou Xiao Zhuan when she
suddenly recalls something . She turns and looks at Han Chen whom she has
neglected completely, and says in realization, “Oh right, Detective Han Chen
of the provincial station . I almost forgot to ask, what other valuable opinions
do you have?”
Her voice is crisp and clear, so it’s not until now that everyone realizes that
their attention had been fully captured by Bai Jin Xi’s speculations and they
actually forgot about this big shot .
Everyone halts what they’re doing and looks towards Han Chen .
Bai Jin Xi is also looking at him with a slight smile .
And provoking him slightly .
Han Chen doesn’t say anything .
One of his hands is resting on the window sill as he stares at her in coldness .
He takes out a pack of cigarettes, takes one out, and holds it between his
fingers . His other hand is holding the lighter, but he doesn’t light it . He
fiddles the cigarette with his long fingers .
The two continues to stare at each other for a while .
Bai Jin Xi suddenly feels like she has brought this upon herself .
Alright, so super detective is nothing more than this . She knew that
legendary rumors are just for fame . She had defeated him, hasn’t she? She
has shocked him, hasn’t she? He has nothing else to say, right?
The corners of her mouth raises . She turns around and plans to leave with
Zhou Xiao Zhuan . After waiting in an awkward moment of silence,
everyone has also turned back to get busy with what they’re doing .
“At the scene, there are three……” a deep, powerful, and a rather heavy
Beijing accented voice speaks again, “obvious points of suspicion . ”
Bai Jin Xi’s heart pounds; she turns her head along with everybody to look at
Han Chen .
His pale chin lifts slightly . His dark eyes staring at Bai Jin Xi, like the
deepest end of silence and full of tension .
“Point of suspicion one: the suspect used his mouth in the end to let the victim
climax . This is very rare in a sexual assault case . Why?”
His voice is low and steady . Although he has such a handsome face, his
voice is deep and moving .
The officers are startled; Bai Jin Xi is slightly startled too .
“Secondly,” he places the cigarette into his mouth, “why did he break a bunch
of things at the scene? Maybe it’s because……” he glances at Bai Jin Xi,
“You said it was anger, but maybe it’s to cover up something else . ”
The officers start nodding . Bai Jin Xi’s mouth twitches .
“Thirdly, during the assault, why did he have to open the bedroom window?”
Han Chen lowers his head, lights the cigarette, and then says calmly, “Is he a
stupid idiot?”
Bai Jin Xi is completely stunned .
The first thing that comes to her mind is the words, “stupid idiot . ” For a
handsome and refined man to say them out feels a bit unsuitable . But he said
them rather naturally in his flippant Beijing accent with a roll of his tongue;
cold, fierce, and cruel .
The second thing is the question of why the window was open .
The area is mixed with all kinds of people, and is unsafe . The incident
happened in the middle of the night . Ma Xiao Fei lives alone in a low level
apartment, so it’s unlikely that she would leave her windows wide open .
After surveying the place, the windows in the living room and hallways are
all closed . According to Ma Xiao Fei’s report, only the bedroom window
was opened by the suspect .
Opening the window will expand the view while also decreasing the effect of
sound proofing . It’s a disadvantage for committing crimes .
Why did the suspect open the window?
Everyone is immersed in the thought . Han Chen on the other hand, already
has a cigarette in his mouth . He walks straight out the door without
bothering to look at anyone . He reaches out his hand and rests it lightly on Si
Si’s shoulder who has been waiting outside . They walk down the stairs .
_____
It was around 1am when Si Si received a phone call from Ma Xiao Fei asking
for help .
They’re neighbours, and have a close relationship; Si Si would leave her boy
with Ma Xiao Fei to babysit sometimes . Ma Xiao Fei was terribly frightened
in the dark when she thought of Si Si, the independent and strong single-
mother .
After Si Si arrived at the scene, she was also scared and shocked . She asked
Ma Xiao Fei if she wanted to call the police . Ma Xiao Fei, who’s also an
independent woman, nodded in tears painfully .
Si Si called Han Chen first——she knew that he was a criminal investigator .
And then, the police arrived .
Standing at the entrance of the building, Si Si holds Ma Xiao Fei by the

shoulders and then turns to advise Han Chen, “Big Brother Han, I’ll take her
to the hospital first . You……”
Han Chen nods, “Go . ”
The ambulance and police car leave the place quickly . Two officers are
guarding the entrance, and probably because the famous detective is here,
they greet him politely .
Han Chen nods, leans on the wall, and continues to smoke .
_____
This is what Bai Jin Xi sees when she comes downstairs .
The sun is already out, lighting up the streets and buildings everywhere,
painting it with vibrant colors . Han Chen is standing in the shadows with his
jacket taken off . He’s only wearing a dark colored shirt and a pair of black
pants . One of his feet is resting flat against the filthy wall behind him .
He is smoking with his head down; the smoke surrounds his pale fingers .
His side profile has distinct contours and his facial features are refined and
beautiful; his long lashes cover his eyes .
It’s just that, watching him hold the cigarette with two fingers make him seem
isolated and heartless .
A thought springs into Bai Jin Xi’s mind: he really does look like a bad-ass
cop .
Han Chen raises his head as he notices her watching him . His eyes are dark
brown and clear as always . Smokes come out as he exhales .
Bai Jin Xi shoves her hands into her pockets and walks right past him .
They brush past each other .
“You cried from pain?” a low and deep voice suddenly asks impassively .
Bai Jin Xi is stunned before she realizes what he is trying to say .
She came to work with red swollen eyes today . Other than Zhou Xiao
Zhuan, all the officers took a second look at her . This fella……cried from
pain?
Her shoulder……
He’s actually putting her down……
Bai Jin Xi stops her footsteps and takes a deep breath .
Her arm moves at lightning speed and in a second, she presses it against his
neck . She holds him by the wall with a “thump”! But he doesn’t fight back,
allowing her to take control . His long narrow eyes are semi closed, watching
her silently .
Her movement was too loud . The two officers at the front entrance have
been startled and are now peeking at them, “Officer Bai……”
It’s worth mentioning that in their eyes, Officer Bai has always been tough
and violent, and she now has the quiet handsome legendary investigator
pressed against the wall .
Bai Jin Xi isn’t even bothering to explain to them .
The alleyway between buildings is cramped; their two bodies are almost
touching each other . Since he’s tall, Bai Jin Xi has to stand on her tiptoes in
order to hold him by his neck, so her entire body is pinned against his .
He isn’t showing the slightest bit of worry; quietly staring at her . Now that
they’re so close to each other, Bai Jin Xi notices that his pupils are dark and
large, like a child’s pair of eyes . No wonder she can’t help but be captivated
by his eyes when looking from afar .
However, it’s impossible for Bai Jin Xi to show any friendliness . She sneers
.
“I’m usually not this violent,” her usual crisp voice is suppressed, sounding
deep and fierce, “but some people go too far and are too hateable, so there’s
no helping it . ”
He looks at her and doesn’t say anything .
His silence irritates Bai Jin Xi . It feels as if she has given out a punch, but
can’t tell what her opponent is up to .
Just when she is about to release her arm, he suddenly raises his eyes; just like
the night when they first met; they’re covered in icy coldness .
“I don’t usually threaten others either,” he says slowly, “I was investigating a

private matter at Su Se . If you continue to butt in……” he pauses .
Bai Jin Xi is a bit surprised .
She feels a big force towards her arm in an instant .
She can’t believe it, but it’s too late!
He didn’t even lift an arm; he just stood up straight and his chest raised
forward . It was so forceful that Bai Jin Xi arms couldn’t hold him still .
Damn it! Bai Jin Xi releases her arms and wants to escape out of reflex . But
where would she escape to? Her vision suddenly goes blurry and before she
knows it, a powerful arm is held against her neck——he has actually pressed
her against the wall backhanded .
The cramped and dark space is permeated with the smell of mold and dirt .
Bai Jin Xi is embarrassingly being pressed against the wall by him; she
almost loses her breath . She wants to kick him subconsciously, but she
actually doesn’t dare to as she looks into his dark brown eyes .
It’s as if he could sense her thought, a hint of smile brushes across his cold
and apathetic gaze .
Bai Jin Xi grits her teeth, “You bastard!”
His expression is calm while his gaze is forceful .
The two of them stare at each other; eye to eye; breathing against each other .
Bai Jin Xi refuses to submit .
She knows that he’s waiting for her to admit her loss .
This cold and scheming fella .
But she doesn’t want to step down .

One second, two seconds, three seconds……
“Jin Xi?”
A clear and gentle voice suddenly speaks from nearby .
Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi both turn to look .
In the open area in front of the building, Xu Si Bai, who’s wearing a white lab
coat, head cap, and gloves, is looking at them scrunching his eyebrows .

Download more ebooks for free at EbookUpdates(dot)Net.

Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Chapter 7: Your Brokenness

Han Chen takes another look at her .
Then he swiftly loosens his hand, and finally takes a step back .
Bai Jin Xi glares at him fiercely, reaches out to tidy up her ruffled clothing,
and turns to look at Xu Si Bai, “Why have you come?”
A considerably important forensic investigator like Xu Si Bai, normally only
appears on scene when there is a fatal case .
The sunlight penetrates with beauty and brightness . Xu Si Bai stands
perfectly straight with his fair white face and still furrowed eyebrows .
“I just happened not to have anything today, so I can come over to take a look
. ” He replies .
Bai Jin Xi nods, “Rape case, it’s a bit problematic . ”
As she’s speaking, he had already walked in front of her . He bows his head to
look at her, “You’ve cried?”
Bai Jin Xi really feels a bit helpless .
How come everyone is interested in her red-rimmed eyes today .
She smiles , “No, you’re mistaken . ”
Xu Si Bai stares at her with his deep black eyes, like two dark, calm pools .
After a short while, he also slowly smiled . He doesn’t cling to the topic .
Instead, he looks behind her, his eyes betraying curiosity, “Who was that
person just now? How come you were fighting with someone?”
Bai Jin Xi turns and also looks over . It’s completely empty behind her . At
some point, Han Chen had already left without a sound .
She sighs and replies, “It’s hard to explain . ”
—
An hour later .
Second floor, balcony of the scene of the crime .
Bai Jin Xi stands on the balcony gazing into the distance .
The short housing of old city district is like a chessboard, criss-crossed, like a
slate of grey underneath the sunlight . But this is also the government’s
focused area to assist its new booming economy . Therefore, there are also
numerous high rises that are being constructed . Outdated and new, coexisting
in harmony . After looking for a long time, Bai Jin Xin starts feeling like it
looks pleasing to the eye .
Xu Si Bai takes off his glove, pulls open the door and comes out to stand
shoulder to shoulder with her .
“What have you discovered?” She asks .
Xu Si Bai shakes his head, “It was a cautious person . ”
He is talking about the criminal .
Bai Jin Xin nods and adds, “Calm, self-controlled, with a perfect plan . ” She
pauses for a bit and then says, “Right now, the surveillance videos and
evaluation of the scene gives us no trail . We didn’t find anything from
asking the neighbours either . He might do it again . ”
Xu Si Bai stays silent .
After awhile, he asks, “Has the few points that Han Chen made been
researched?”
Having been on scene for such a long time, he’s naturally heard the criminal
investigators embellishing the speculation PK by Han Chen and her earlier .
“Those few points need deeper investigation . There are no threads, making it
quite a problem . ” As she reaches this point, Bai JIn Xi turns her head to look
at him and lightly laughs, “Speaking of which, I met Han Chen on my sex
trade raid at the nightclub . ”
Xu Si Bai has naturally also heard of the rumors of Han Chen’s loose ways .
After hearing this, he furrowed his brows a bit as before, but does not speak .
Bai Jin Xin, however, changes the direction of the topic and says, “However, I
keep feeling like there’s a problem with this guy . He could have even gone
through some huge setback, otherwise he wouldn’t be so…”
Completely vicious .
That’s right, even though she’s unclear of what he has done, whenever he
makes any movement, it always gives her an unrestrained and bad sinking
feeling — a certain repressed viciousness . One of the best criminal
investigators sinking in his secret world .
However, Xu Si Bai is a bit stumped for words . He raises his eyebrows and
looks at her .
“There’s nothing worth sympathizing with . ” He says lightly, “No matter
what setbacks, a clean and honest man should not willingly corrupt himself
and go to such places . That’s being irresponsible to his future partner . ”
It is Bai Jin Xin’s turn to be stumped .
He has always had a calm temper, doesn’t concern himself with irrelevant
people . Today’s a rare instance where he issues such a serious judgement on
another . Bai Jin Xin can’t help but laugh . She reaches out, pokes his arm,
and intimately asks, “You sound so dignified . Can it be that in these twenty
some years, you’ve never been tempted by such things?”
The sun has already completely risen in the sky . The dark blue sky and the
cloud scatter . A gentle, cool breeze gently passes through on the balcony .
The city resumes its hustle and bustle as before .
Xu Si Bai looks off into the distance, and with a calm and serious look, says,
“I promise you, I never have before . ”
—
The 24 hour surveillance, squatting, interrogation, and visitations start .
Even though the psychological portrayal, by Bai Jin Xin, of the criminal
provided the possible scope of the crime, the Super Detective, Han Chen, who
fills the atmosphere, has also pointed out a possible clear path . However, in
order for the criminal investigators to make the breakthrough they want, they
have to begin with the large amount of trivial details first .
The Wednesday of the next week .
Noon, blazing sunlight .
Bai Jin Xin is leaning inside the car with two criminal investigators, drenched
in sweat, exhausted from head to toe .
The morning’s run of asking the neighbours has just finished, the
investigation of whether the area around the crime scene had eyewitnesses or
possible suspects . Unfortunately, they have still come up with nothing . There
are very few surveillance cameras in the old district, and the criminal clearly
knows the area well . They sifted through all the recordings and could not find
a lead .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan wipes a handful of sweat and says in concern, “Leader, how
long will it take us to investigate like this! How can we not even have a tiny
clue . ”
Bai Jin Xin’s eyes are still focused outside the car window on the silent
houses, the winding alley, the sporadic pedestrians . She takes a sip out of a
bottle of water and answers, “What’s the hurry? Everything will be alright . ”
She takes a glance at the already empty water bottle and throws it to Zhou
Xiao Zhuan, “Go, buy some more bottles of water back . ”
“Oh . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan opens the door and is just about to get out of the car when
his eyes light up seeing the person heading towards them .
“Forensic Investigator Xu! You’re here again! What good things to eat and
drink have you brought Leader?” His voice is so loud that those on the next
street could hear him .
Bai Jin Xin and the other criminal investigator turn their heads at the same
time to look .
The afternoon sun dazzles the eye, leaking through the leaves on the trees .
Xu Si Bai is dressed casually, holding a plastic bag in his hands, walking
towards them neither fast nor slow . Towards Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s jest, he only
slightly smiles and takes out a cup of milk tea and two mangosteens from the
plastic back . Holding them in his hands, he hands the rest to Zhou Xiao
Zhuan, “You guys split amongst yourselves . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan opens it to take a look — it is all cold drinks and fruit —
and can’t help but exclaim in happiness, “Thank you Forensic Investigator
Xu!” He then turns his head and very politely says to Bai Jin Xin, “And thank
you, Leader!”
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t feel like bothering with his mockery . With one hand
propping up her head, she nods towards Xu Si Bai as greeting . Zhou Xiao
Zhuan and the other criminal investigator glance at each other and the two of
them both get off the car . Carrying the cold drinks and fruit, the two hides
beneath a tree somewhere nearby .
Leaving the space in the car to them .
Xu Si Bai supports himself with the car door and lowers his head to look at
her in the driver’s seat, “Tired?”
Bai Jin Xin lazily stretches, “It’s alright, just not enough sleep . ”
Xu Si Bai chuckles and hands the milk tea and mangosteens to her . Bai Jin
Xin cheerly takes them, “Thanks! It’s not the gift that counts, but the thought
behind it . (Play on words . lit . Giving mangosteens in the scorching sun, is a
trifling present with a weighty thought behind it)”
A smiling expression surfaces onto Xu Si Bai’s face again .
His skin is already fair; Standing beneath the shadows of the tree, his
handsomeness, his smiling expression, and his spotlessly white teeth is even
making Bai Jin Xin a bit dazzled .
She pats the seat next to her, “What are you standing there for?”
Xu Si Bai opens the door and takes a seat .
As air conditioning inside the car lightly blows, Bai Jin Xin efficiently gets
rid of the mangosteen and then opens the milk tea and takes a few gulps
before leaning back in satisfaction .
Xu Si Bai is originally a very quiet person; With his hands on his knees and
looking ahead from the side, he doesn’t say anything the entire time .
After being silent for awhile Bai Jin Xin says, “I had a dream a few days ago .
”
Xu Si Bai is a bit startled .
“You know that I never have dreams . ” She says quietly .
“Mm, what did you dream of?”
Bai Jin Xin is silent .
The situation in the dream surfaces again in her mind: The waterfall deep in
the forest, the tearful man in her eyes, the devil raising and lowering the knife
for murder . And that frantic, entangled kiss, as well as the earth-shattering
sorrow .
She laughs and answers, “I don’t really remember the specifics . But I feel
like it has something to do with the past . ” She turns her head to look at him,
“Xu Si Bai, do you think my memory is slowly starting to recover?”
Xu Si Bai doesn’t say anything for a short while .
He looks at her — his gaze, serene and gentle .
“A life without a memory is badly broken . ” He says slowly, “You will
definitely recover your memory . ”
She rarely hears him use such a serious tone to emphasize something . Bai Jin
Xin’s heart immediately softens and her nose also starts aching .
Neither of them say anything . His gaze, however, stays on her face the entire
time .
His clear and concentrated gaze .
Bai Jin Xin suddenly feels a trace of uncomfortableness .
She turns her head to the other side and chuckles, “Alright, I’m going to nap
for a bit . I only slept for three hours last night . Am tired to death . ”
“Mmm . ” He replies, “Have a good afternoon, I’ll head out . ”
“Take care, I won’t bother seeing you out . Don’t come next time! The
weather’s too hot!” Bai Jin Xin watches as he opens the door and gets out of
the car; His lean figure looking like a tall tree . Following that is a free and at
ease peacefulness from the gradually disappearing tall and thin backview of
his .
Bai Jin Xin closes her eyes and puts on her eye mask .
Silently thinking in her mind, “Have a dream, have a dream, have a dream!”
She is soon fast asleep .
Unfortunately, it is just like the past few days — uninhibited sleep . She
doesn’t even dream of a mosquito .
—
Latter half of the night .
The entire city has become completely silent . The lights in the old district is
sparse with occasionally a pedestrian with hasty steps here and there . Most of
the people have already sunk into sleep without knowing what’s happening on
the outside world .
Wearing a black t-shirt and black pants, Han Chen sits inside Si Si’s small
store . As before, a cigarette is held between his fingers . Through the thick
darkness, he gazes towards the quietly stopped police car at the end of the
alley .
Si Si comes out from the inside room and sees his dark and elegant facial
features . It’s just that his eyes are filled with extreme coldness . His long legs
are crossed as he sits on a rattan chair with one arm on the armrest and the
other holding a long thin cigarette . His entire body emits a type of cold and
solemn energy that is hard for anyone to approach .
He looks like a man meant to be a part of the darkness .
Si Si walks to his side, stands there and says with a smile, “Dou Dou is finally
asleep . ” She follows his gaze and asks, “Those criminal investigators are
still working overnight? That’s quite difficult . ”
“It’s something they should do . ” He says dully .
Si Si, “(Older) Brother Han, have you handled all your affairs? When will you
return to Qing Lan City?” Qing Lan City is the provincial capital of Province
K and is also where the public security bureau (police station) is located . ”
“I’ll return after this case is over . ”
“Oh . ”
Han Chen shifts away his long narrow eyes, takes a drag of his cigarette and
asks, “When will you change your job? It’s not safe around here . Think about
your son . It’s best if you change houses . ”
A smile bursts forth on Si Si’s face, “I understand . I’ll change once I’ve
saved enough money . ”
Han Chen’s clear eyes takes a glance at her, “If you don’t have enough
money, I have it . ”
Si Si becomes silent for a bit and shakes her head, “Brother Han, you’ve
already helped us so much — an unrelated mother and son pair . Thank you,
you are a good person . But we cannot trouble you anymore . ”
Han Chen doesn’t say anymore, lightly nodding his head . He continues
smoking and gazing into the bleak night in the distance .
Looking at him like this, Si Si indescribably feels a bit sad .
It is probably because such a handsome and upright young man sits late at
night like a lonely soul . Such silence and loneliness will be unbearably to any
woman .
Si Si thinks about it and smiles again, “With you staying here and helping out,
Xiao Fei’s case will definitely be solved very quickly…” Before she finishes
speaking, she suddenly sees Han Chen’s eyes fix towards the end of the
alleyway with chilliness in his pupils; He wasn’t listening to her at all .
Si Si also gazes over .
All she sees underneath the dim yellow street light is a figure opening the
door of the police car with speed and running out . With that figure, isn’t that
Bai Jin Xi!
And, behind her in the car, the other two criminal investigators expressions
are completely nervous . One of them starts the engine . The other is Zhou
Xiao Zhuan who jumps out of the car shouting into the walkie talkie, “A rape
incident has occurred at 5 South Lane! I repeat: We just received a report, a
rape incident has occurred at 5 South Lane . Everyone immediately surround
the area!”
In surprise, Si Si covers her mouth . She turns her head and see Han Chen
suddenly stand up, throw the cigarette butt on the floor, and rushes out the
door .

Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Handsome Bastard
The moon is not visible, and the thick clouds are like a patch of ink that won’t
dissipate, hovering over the entire sky .
The alleys at night are spooky like in dreams .
Bai Jin Xi runs using her full energy .
The light above her flickers . She can only hear the sound of wind blowing,
her footsteps, and her teammates’ footsteps .
This is only a couple hundred meters from 5 South Lane, where the incident
happened . Therefore, despite the fact that they can’t pinpoint the exact time
the incident happened, the moment someone reports a crime, she dashes in
with the speed of a rocket——If the offender is still nearby, they must not let
him escape!
Perhaps this is futile .
She has already run past three streets and hasn’t found anything . Her other
teammates haven’t relayed any news on the walkie talkie either .
Bai Jin Xi has no sense of direction to begin with, so after running around for
a while, her head hurts . She pants as she stops at an intersection . But her
eyes glitter when an abandoned four story building comes into view .
The surrounding buildings are low, and this one is considered the tallest .
She decides to climb to the top floor to help her chase down the suspect .
But just as she approaches, she hears thumping footsteps .

Bai Jin Xi immediately darts her gaze to where the person is coming .
A man in a black shirt and pants walks out from the corner .
He’s walking quickly in his slim figure .
His facial features are handsome and captivating .
Who else can it be besides Han Chen?
He sees her too . His deep set eyes don’t carry any expression . He heads up
the four-level building the moment he turns .
Bai Jin Xi is stunned, but quickly follows after him .
The corridors are narrow, and even the stairs are chipped and crooked;
carrying a smelly scent of sourness from mildew and dirt . Although Bai Jin
Xi has always been a brave person, she is a little scare of the dark .
Thankfully she has bumped into Han Chen; she’s not as scared hearing his
steady footsteps in the front . She subconsciously follows closely behind him
. They soon reach the third floor .
But once they’re on the platform of the third floor, Bai Jin Xi is speechless .
Han Chen is standing a meter or two from her, staring what’s in front of him .
He also doesn’t know what to say .
It turns out that the fourth floor has already been half demolished by a
bulldozer . Only one side of it is left; leaving it bare and exposed like a soil
hill . The problem is that there’s a flat wall standing right in front of them .
It’s about two meters high, blocking their view .
There isn’t anything that they can used to help get themselves up . There’s no
way that a person would be able to climb up by him or herself, let alone the
fact that she’s afraid of heights .
Bai Jin Xi turns to look at Han Chen .
It’s very dim from where they’re standing, so his body is not fully visible,
adding to the effect of his cold and dark aura . Even though they’re a few
steps apart, Bai Jin Xi can still smell the scent of his sweat, and hear his
powerful breathing . Obviously, she’s exhausted, but he’s still full of energy .
This is not the first time that Bai Jin Xi has seen his fitness and energy . She
can’t help but feel depressed when compared to him . Due to the fact that
they haven’t cleared up their new and old grudges, her voice sounds a bit
annoyed as she says, “What are you waiting for? Give me a lift, and then I’ll
pull you up . ”
Han Chen gives her an once-over .
He’s expressionless .
“No need . ”
Bai Jin Xi is a little startled as she watches him stare at what’s in front of him
in concentration . His tall body suddenly bends down; in a position ready to
race . A glimpse of absolute coldness shimmers across his beautiful and deep
set eyes .
Bai Jin Xi is in shock . He’s not planning to climb up all by himself, is he?
Just when this thought crosses her mind, Han Chen has already made it reality
. His long figure pounces forward like a black cheetah at night; his pair of
long legs steps onto the wall athletically while he grabs onto the top of the
wall; he gets himself up with one push . He then pats the dusts off of his body
casually, standing on top of the wall .
Bai Jin Xi is dumbfounded for a while before she reaches out her hands and
pats the wall a few times, “Hey! Pull me up!”
Han Chen turns and glances at her; he ignores her .
Bai Jin Xi almost bursts in anger . She puts her hands on her hips, raises her
head and glares at him, “Han Chen! You’re not a man if you don’t pull me
up!”
These words are surprisingly effective because he turns around again and
looks down at her from above with his perfectly handsome face .
Bai Jin Xi scowls, not admitting her weakness .

He says calmly, “When did you have a say in whether or not I’m a man?”
Bai Jin Xi retorts, “Wrong! The eyes of the audience are bright and sharp!”
In the dark night, the corners of his mouth seem to have curved upwards
slightly .
After all, beggars can’t be choosers, so Bai Jin Xi stops arguing with him .
She simply continues to stare at him with her big round eyes .
He looks at her again, squats down at the side of the wall, and holds out one
hand . Bai Jin Xi is in joy; she quickly grabs onto him . His palm is warm
and full of strength . Bai Jin Xi climbs up quickly borrowing his power .
The moment she gains her balance, he releases his hand . Bai Jin Xi pats the
dust off of herself and stands beside him, speculating what’s happening on the
streets below them .
The outlook is not so good .
Within view, many street lamps light up the curvy and numerous roads .
Many households seem to have been startled as their homes are lit; they may
have spotted the police passing through with their sirens .
But that person cannot be found . From their viewing range, the person that
Bai Jin Xi wants to find is not present .
He should be tall, buff, and young . If he’s still in the area, he should be
walking in a hurry, dodging from the police . If she can see him, she’ll
definitely be able to recognize him .
But she can’t see him .
Bai Jin Xi is already exhausted . She sits on her bum disregarding her image,
“We’ve let him run away!”
Han Chen continues to stand like a tree in the dark night . His voice is deep,
“He was long gone . ”
Bai Jin Xi agrees with him on this and nods .

They came chasing after receiving a report, but who knows how long it took
the victim to call? Maybe she called right away, but maybe it was an hour
later, or two hours later .
They just couldn’t let go of any chances .
_____
Both of them are tired, so no one says a word as they rest where they are .
Bai Jin Xi glances at the cold and handsome side of his face subconsciously .
Who would have thought that they could sit side by side peacefully like this?
It does feel a bit weird .
She hears a “click” sound .
Bai Jin Xi lifts her head .
The fire sparks; he tilts his head and lights up a cigarette . The dim light from
the fire reveals his chiseled side profile, and his black collar . His long black
eyelashes cover his eyes slightly . His indifferent expression makes him look
as if he’s a figure in a sculpted relief on top of the darkness .
He flings the match in his hand, throws it to the ground, and puts it out with
his foot .
Bai Jin Xi swallows, smelling the scent of the cigarette .
Noticing her gaze, he turns to look and lets out a breath of smoke through his
nose .
Bai Jin Xi says, “Give me one!”
He throws her the pack and matchbox . Bai Jin Xi catches them, takes out a
cigarette, lights it up, and also starts smoking .
She feels better now that she’s smoking, as if all the tension and fatigue from
her body are relieved . Bai Jin Xi looks at him again; he feels easier to the
eye now . She asks casually, “What are you doing here? Were you with
your confidante again?” Si Si seems to be living in the area .
Han Chen raises his head and glances at her .
His gaze is cold .
“No . ”
Bai Jin Xi, “No what?”
“She’s not . ” He presses the cigarette head to the ground to put it out, and
then stands up . He walks to the edge of the platform and jumps down; his
actions are smooth and steady .
Bai Jin Xi glances at his figure and turns around to continue to smoke .
She suddenly realizes something and her whole body becomes stiff .
Oh shit……
She has to jump back down!
She stands up at the edge and doesn’t move .
She’s afraid of heights .
This is a little secret of hers . Because of her lost memory, and because her
dreams are always pitch black and oppressive, therefore, she is afraid of all
dark, spacious, and falling places .
Every time she needs to climb up and down on a mission, Zhou Xiao Zhuan
would always be there to catch her . But Xiao Zhuan is not here today, and
it’s nighttime, and she’s a bit scared of the dark……
Han Chen has already gotten up on his feet below . He takes a few steps and
is almost at the stairway when he notices something strange . He turns and
looks at her .
Their eyes meet and they stare at each other . He’s standing calm and steady,
while she’s shaking on the edge of the platform .
Everything is so obvious .
He suddenly turns around and goes back to below the platform .
Bai Jin Xi stares at him blankly .
“You’re scared of heights?” he asks .
It’s impossible for Bai Jin Xi to admit her weakness . She raises her head,
looks afar, and says with confidence, “How can that be? I just don’t like to
stand on high grounds . ” She secretly peeks at him, and sees the corners of
Han Chen’s mouth curve into a slight smile .
“Okay,” he says calmly and turns around .
“Wait——” Bai Jin Xi is desperate now, “Don’t go!”
He stops and looks at her again .
Bai Jin Xi suddenly feels depressed . She’s clearly being made fun of, but
how can she possibly ask him to give her a hand and catch her?! She must
hold her dignity!
But how else is she going to get down?
Call Zhou Xiao Zhuan to come catch her? That’s so embarrassing! The
whole station will laugh at her once they go back .
Just when she’s contemplating on how to ask him for help, she suddenly sees
him hold out both of his arms .
“Come down . ”
Bai Jin Xi is a bit surprised as she stares at his calm expression .
He’s……being so nice?
“You’re going to catch me?” she asks doubtfully .
He glances at her, “Yes . ”
One simple and powerful word .

She doesn’t hesitate anymore . She eyeballs his position and gets ready to
jump .
“I’m coming . You’d better catch me!” she orders, “If I fall down and get
hurt, I won’t be able to continue investigating the case . It’ll be the civilians
who will be at a loss!”
“Are you jumping down or not?” he interrupts .
Bai Jin Xi shuts her mouth . She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and
jumps towards him……
The momentary weightless feeling causes her legs to tremble slightly . A

light breeze of wind brushes across her ears . She hears herself breathing
quickly due to fright .
A pair of strong arms suddenly grabs onto her waist; it stops her falling . Her
body has been steadily caught——it’s much steadier compared to Zhou Xiao
Zhuan whose feet would always wobble . He catches her in midair before her
feet even touch the ground .
Bai Jin Xi feels relieved and quickly opens her eyes .
The first thing that comes in sight is the collar of his black shirt and his pale
neck . Since they’re standing very close, she can feel the warmth from his
body, as well as the scent of his sweat accompanied by the fragrance of
cigarette, but it doesn’t smell bad .
“Alright,” his deep voice sounds above her head . It actually carries a hint of
comfort .
Did she hear wrong? Comfort?
She raises her head to look at his face subconsciously .
He’s looking down at her too; fluffy short hair, tall nose, deep set eyes .
Perhaps it’s because it’s her first time being embraced by a man, and being so
close to him, so Bai Jin Xi is a bit in a daze .
His gaze also seems to be in a daze for a moment .
Bai Jin Xi wants to thank him, but probably because she’s a bit uncomfortably
being in his embraced, so her speech becomes a tease, “What? You’re
reluctant to let me go? Haha……oh ow!”
——Han Chen throws her to the ground immediately .
“You!” Bai Jin Xi scrambles to get up .
He calmly turns around and heads down the stairs, “Whether or not I’m
reluctant to let go is not up to you to decide . ”
Bai Jin Xi, “……F*ck!”
_____
5 South Lane, the scene of the crime .
There are already a few police cars parked in front of the building . A few
civil officers quickly nod their heads to greet Bai Jin Xi, who has just arrived .
Her expression is cold as she hurries up the building . Han Chen follows
behind her, attracting many other’s gazes .
The instant they walk into the crime scene on the third floor, Zhou Xiao
Zhuan walks over to them with a firm expression . He glances at Han Chen
behind her; a bit surprised, but doesn’t ask about it . He says seriously, “The
victim’s name is Ji Ya Xin . 26 years old . Also a sales associate at the
counter in a department store! The same tools and methods are used . The
wounds on the victim’s body are also extremely similar, but the wounds are
more serious this time . The victim has many bruises and sprained arms and
legs . ”
Bai Jin Xi walks into the home, looking at the mess, as well as the victim
sitting inside, who’s crying .
“Merge the investigations——” Bai Jin Xi says coldly, “Department store

sales associate rapist case . ”


Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Chapter 9: My Capability
The second victim’s name is Ji Ya Xin .
Ji Ya Xin has had the feeling of being stalked by someone recently .
But it was an unconfirmed feeling, and she had no proof of it . She felt that
the police would definitely ignore her case if she reported it .
She’s a sales associate at the company’s perfume counter; has fairly good pay
and lives independently . It’s just that her shifts end late at night every day;
the mall closes at 10pm, and after she finishes checking the transactions for
the day, it’s 11pm by the time she arrives home .
The stalker usually appears on her way home from work .
In the long and shadowy alleyway, and the narrow corner void of people, she
always hears steady footsteps following her at a distance . But whenever she
turns around, she sees no one .
“Could it just be a coincidence that someone passed by?” an officer asks .
She shakes her head .
She’s certain that those footsteps were from the same person .
But Ji Ya Xin wasn’t too nervous about it .
She’s quite pretty and is used to being pursued by quite a few admirers ever
since she was young; there were a couple who wouldn’t give up . So she
thought maybe this was also one of her admirers and it wasn’t a big deal .
Furthermore, if he really had bad intentions, she wasn’t afraid either . She
usually carried pepper spray in her purse . She had great reflex, confidence,
and had never been taken advantage of . If he dared to do anything to her, she
would definitely be able to protect herself and call the police .
With that in mind, Ji Ya Xin kept herself alert of the stalker, and tried her best
to get off work at the same time as her colleagues . A few days later, she
noticed that the stalker stopped appearing .
He must have backed off .
Therefore, she didn’t take it to heart .
It was Wednesday .
It was 11:30pm when she left the department store . Her colleague who
usually took the same way home as her was out of the country, so she headed
home by herself .
But she didn’t care much .
Nothing happened on her way home; she picked the routes that were well lit
with street lamps, and didn’t hear any footsteps following her .
Her home was on the third floor . It was already late at night, so the corridors
were quiet . To her surprise, all the lights on the second and third floor were
out . She sighed and fetched for a small flashlight and keys from her purse .
She opened her apartment door while humming a melody .
The instant she opened the door, shivers ran through her whole body .
It was because she heard another person’s breathing; deeply and steadily .
Standing at a place very close to her .
Ji Ya Xin’s body was completely stiff as she turned her head .
At the side of the corridor with many stuff piled up, a tall man was standing
with his back leaning against the wall; silently and unnoticeably .
Ji Ya Xin could feel all the blood in her body rushing to the top of her head .
Her heart pounded heavily . She dashed into her home!
But it was too late .
The man grabbed her by the waist and covered her mouth with one hand,
preventing her from calling for help .
The door slammed shut behind the man . The lights switched on, and she was
dragged into the bedroom by the man . She struggled with all her might, but
it only made him grab her harder . Her tears were flowing out of fright .
When she raised her head, she saw the pair of eyes behind a black mask .
Double eyelids, with very dark pupils; they were calm, profound, merciless,
and without any emotion .
It was only after she was tied to the bed and stripped naked that his gaze
changed .
They became……
Gentle?
A very deep, suppressed, and sad kind of gentleness .
Ji Ya Xin lied flat in helplessness . She watched him get up and open the
bedroom window . The sound of long chiming bell resonated in the room, as
if signifying her dwindling . He even dimmed the bedroom lights, making
everything seem soft and blurry . Lastly, he went to the living room and
turned on the TV .
It was broadcasting late night news; its low volume made the apartment lively
in the midst of all the quietness .
He finally returned to the bedside, and started to kiss and touch her slowly .
Ji Ya Xin’s eyes were pleading .
She had already accepted her fate . She just hoped that he would not hurt her
further .
His eyes met hers; he could read the meaning of her gaze .
But he chose to avoid them .
He then tortured her body mercilessly .
_____
Bai Jin Xi closes the door lightly as she comes out of Ji Ya Xin’s room .
She lifts her head and watches the other criminal investigators getting busy
with their work; the atmosphere is tense and full of nervousness .
After standing silently for a moment, she walks towards that man squatting by
himself in the corner of the living room——Han Chen .
Just like last time, he is wearing a pair of black leather gloves . He is bending
down on one knee; handsome and smooth . He is fully concentrated on
examining some marks on the ground . Due to his focused gaze, he seems
less fierce, and his eyes look more delicate .
He notices right away when Bai Jin Xi approaches from behind . He raises
his head to look at her .
Honestly, every time he stares at her with those eyes, Bai Jin Xi falls in a daze
for a brief moment . It must be because his facial features are too prominent
while his eyes are too cold .
She asks, “Any clues?”
He turns back and continues to look at the floor, “Soon . ”
A response that doesn’t answer the question, yet it stuns Bai Jin Xi .
Soon?
He’s going to solve the case soon?
Bai Jin Xi squats down beside him immediately, watching him .

He doesn’t bother looking at her though . He says softly, “You don’t
understand . ”
Bai Jin Xi stares at him with her eyes wide .
F*ck, he’s too belittling .
Bai Jin Xi keeps her silence for a moment, and then says, “Give me a
cigarette!” Her tone is rough——this is her real reason for coming to him .
She usually doesn’t bring cigarettes with her and controls her addiction very
strictly at home . But she has strong urge to smoke right now, so she naturally
wants to take advantage of some of his good stuff .
Han Chen has lowered his head and is touching the mark on the floor . He
answers absently without lifting his head, “Right pocket . ”
Bai Jin Xi feels that’s more like it, and immediately reaches into his pocket .
The man’s pocket is warm, while her fingers are cold in the middle of the
night . The moment she reaches inside, she takes a breath, and starts feeling
her way through——she’s got them .
She feels a strong force on her wrist; it’s been grasped by someone .
Han Chen’s fingers, covered in black leather gloves, are grasping her small
wrist tightly . Bai Jin Xi raises her head in surprise, and then sees him
looking at her solemnly .
“Don’t touch everywhere,” he pushes her arm to the side .
Bai Jin Xi, “……”
Who’s touching him?
After a moment of silence, she says regretfully, “I’ve touched you already, so
what should I do?”
Han Chen has already gotten back to examining the marks, but turns to stare
at her after hearing what she said .
Bai Jin Xi turns around without looking at him; she walks towards the
balcony artlessly .
_____
The sun has not risen yet . The sky is pitch black and quiet; no stars, and
lights are sparsely lit . The whole old district seems just like a stooped old
woman; aged and decaying, yet it is still very well alive .
Bai Jin Xi fiddles with the things in her hand under the light .
The cigarettes are of the top brand, Suyan; the pretty silver box is still over
half full . He seems to be quite addicted and needs to smoke a lot every day .
The average salary of a criminal investigator isn’t high; if Han Chen isn’t
from a wealthy family, he must be using the majority of his pay to buy
cigarettes .
If that’s the case, he’s living a wasted life .
Furthermore, don’t rumors say that he has many lovers and often hangs out at
the red-light district?
But he was so protective just now like a hedgehog with its spikes spread out;
he really doesn’t seem like a womanizer .
Could the rumors be false?
Bai Jin Xi picks up the matchbox again and looks at it; a small and long box
with some English words printed on the front . The matches have light blue
heads; a nostalgic and nice scent . She takes one out, strikes it across the side
and lights up a cigarette .
After smoking for half an hour, she puts the cigarette out . Looking at the pile
of ashes, she repents for not controlling herself .
She looks at the half full pack of cigarettes, takes out ten of them without
hesitation, and stuffs them into her pocket . She then puts the rest and the
matchbox together .
She turns around and opens the door to go back inside .
The other criminal investigators are pretty much finished with searching the
place and are just waiting for her . Han Chen is also done with his
examination . He’s leaning by the foyer and seems to be in deep thought;
keeping a distance from the others .
Bai Jin Xi tosses the pack of cigarettes and matchbox back to him . He
catches them .
They’re both long time smokers, so he knows how many cigarettes are
missing just from the weight . He glances at her with sharp eyes .
But Bai Jin Xi pretends that she doesn’t notices, turns around, and walks to
face the others, “Let’s start . ” She sees him stuff the pack of cigarettes into
his pocket from the corner of her eye; she’s delighted that he doesn’t take a
closer look at them .
The situation is at its worst .
There are no witnesses and the nearby security cameras haven’t caught
anything suspicious either . Although the victim this time and the one from
before have similar occupations, they don’t work at the same building, and
they don’t know each other .
They haven’t found any fingerprints, footprints, or hair strands from the
suspect either——it’s obvious that he had gloves on and was very careful
with his actions .
Everyone is waiting for Bai Jin Xi now that they’re done reporting their
findings . Han Chen on the other hand has been silent the whole time .
Since it’s the first time they’ve come across a serial crime case and an
offender who is very good at dodging investigation, even Zhou Xiao Zhuan is
becoming worried, “Leader……What should we do?”
Bai Jin Xi lifts her eyes to look at her long time teammates; a moment of
silence .
A slight smile appears on her face as usual .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s eyes sparkle .
Bai Jin Xi looks towards Han Chen, who’s standing behind everyone . He
stares back at her; cold and passive just like before . It’s just that his gaze is
focused, as if he wants to see how she’ll solve the case .
Bai Jin Xi remembers his despise from just now, so she’s suddenly full of
determination!
Hey Big Brother, you say that I don’t understand, but I want to tell you that
you actually don’t know what I’m capable of either .
She looks around and speaks loud and clear:
“The suspect is male, 25-30 years old . High school education, and flunked
the college entrance exam;
His looks are average, but well-built . Someone who has a distinctly
masculine body figure and facial features;
He doesn’t have a good relationship, divorced, or has been dumped by a long-

time cohabiting girlfriend;
He drinks a lot, likes to fight, gamble, or have bad habits like these . He
definitely does one of these or more;
On top of the concluding points from last time, I still believe that he lives
within 5km, or even grew up in the area . He often buys pornographic DVDs
. Ask around the DVD sellers in the area, we might find some clues .
His occupation is either a factory worker, expedited delivery man, driver……

or something that emphasizes his masculinity . It might require some
technical skills, and his performance is probably not bad . If he’s a driver, he
would take over other cars or speed . We might find some records from the
traffic department .
The times of the incidents were Wednesday and Saturday nights . He needed
a large amount of time to observe and stalk the victims . Therefore, his work
hours must be flexible . Focus on investigating suspects who don’t have
alibis on these two nights .
Contact the civil policemen who are in charge of this district and street .
Look for clues based on the above criteria . Within this district, there
shouldn’t be a lot of men who would meet all these criteria . Before noon
tomorrow, we must obtain a list of suspects and prevent him from committing
another offense . ”
Download more ebooks for free at Ebook Updates . Net.

Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Chapter 10: The Suspects
Dawn .
Bai Jin Xi pushes the office door open . The first thing she sees is the man
sitting by the window .
Dark grey shirt made of excellent quality . His sleeves are rolled up,
revealing his pale yet well-built arms . Half a cigarette is resting on the
ashtray with smoke rising from it while he’s holding a cup of coffee and
reading a newspaper with an impassive gaze .
Bai Jin Xi knows very well why Han Chen has appeared so early in the
morning——”Department store sales associate rapist case” dedicated team
office .
This case is so hard to solve and he’s such a legendary detective, so how
could the cunning District Chief let the opportunity of having support slip
away? Apparently, the District Chief took Xiao Zhuan with him and visited
Han Chen’s hotel room last night . He invited him, as the “provincial leader”,
to help with investigating the case .
He raises his head and glances at her as he notices the noise . Those solemn
and beautiful eyes continue to penetrate into others’ hearts .
Bai Jin Xi takes her seat .
The room is quiet .
After writing her report for a while, Bai Jin Xi can’t help but raise her head to
stare at him . Seeing that he doesn’t notice, she scrunches up a piece of paper
and throws it at his face .
Han Chen catches it easily without even looking .
He then turns towards her; his eyes are emotionless . He lifts his arm slightly
and throws the scrunched up paper away .
Bai Jin Xi says, “Han Chen . This is my case . I can’t say anything about you
being here, but everyone knows the rules . The one thing that a case cannot
have is too many leaders . We should keep our peace . I don’t like others
stepping in when I’m solving a case . Do you understand?”
Han Chen glances at her, holds his newspaper back up, and says coldly, “No .
”
Bai Jin Xi, “You!”
She says after a while, “What do you want then? I’m talking to you nicely, so
why do you have to be so difficult……”
“Criminal psychological reasoning……” Han Chen interrupts her, “is the

most useless, naive, and opinionated out of all investigation methods . ” He
continues slowly, “Why do I have to understand?”
Bai Jin Xi is struck dumb .
Staring at his cold and impassive eyes, she suddenly realizes .
He’s not quarreling with her or trying to take revenge by putting her down .
He really despises or even loathes criminal psychology .
_____
Criminal psychology, as the name implies, uses reasoning in psychology to

advance in crime solving . Bai Jin Xi is able to infer that the suspect lives
nearby and is likely to be a factory worker through the use of psychology, and
not from real evidence .
Bai Jin Xi likes criminal psychology; she likes the feeling of conjuring the
impossible and being able to veer off track . She’s very good at it too . Every
time she observes the scene of the crime, the descriptions of the criminal
would automatically float into her mind——it seems that her knowledge and
skills that she learned from police academy haven’t disappeared despite her
having lost her memory .
But in the current police forces of China, not many of them accept or
emphasize on criminal psychology . Some veteran officers even reject or
dislike it feeling that psychology is too abstract and is not dependable .
Bai Jin Xi never thought that a young and well-known legendary investigator
such as Han Chen would actually be so conservative and close-minded .
She remains silent for a second, and then suddenly stands up .
She doesn’t look at him . She walks straight to the middle section of the
white board .
The white board still has her conclusions from yesterday written on it:
“1, 25-30 years old . High school education, and flunked the college entrance
exam;
2, Divorced, or has been dumped by a long time cohabiting girlfriend;
3, Likes to drink, fight, and gamble;
4, A factory worker, expedited delivery man, driver, etcetera;
……”
“Han Chen,” she calls his name .
He lifts his eyes to look at her .
“Listen to my analysis before you make your conclusion,” she says .
He doesn’t say anything .
He puts one of his arms flat on the armrest, while placing his other arm on the
other side casually . His eyes stare at her serenely, as if he’s examining her,
yet he looks indifferent at the same time .
Bai Jin Xi rolls her eyes .

She gave the other investigators a quick summary yesterday and didn’t have
time to provide a detailed explanation . She was just in the process of writing
the detail report just now .
She starts again slowly . But once she does, her speech is sharp and
provoking:
“The most useless criminal psychology tells us that there are four types of
rapists . ” She glances at him, “Type one, a self-compensating rapist . They
are unsuccessful in real life and have low self-esteem . They may even be
shy, detached, and an introvert . They rape others to compensate their
inabilities . It’s clear that our suspect is not of this type;
Type two, an abusive rapist, as in sexual perversion . They would conduct

acts of extreme violence on the victim for pleasure . Although our suspect did
wound our victims through abuse, it’s still far from violent;
Type three, an impulsive rapist . Clearly, he is not this kind either .
He is the fourth type: anger transfer rapist . ”
Han Chen stares at her with his cold eyes, but his face still does not reveal any
expression .
Bai Jin Xi continues, “This type of rapist is full of anger in life, which is why
they release their anger through the process of raping . It’s clearly illustrated
whether it’s wounding the victims or breaking things at the scene .
For a lower to middle income blue collar man who desires to show his
masculinity and power, what is the best way for him to gain excitement and
release his anger in his life living at an old district of Jiangcheng? The
answer is: gambling, drinking, fighting or beating up others, having sex, and
street racing . Therefore, he must have one of these or a few of these habits .
”
She finishes telling him this much in one go . Perhaps it’s due to her
concentration that her pair of beautiful eyes are glistening with excitement;
staring at Han Chen brightly . Han Chen stares back at her, raises his hand to
take a smoke, and still doesn’t reveal his thoughts .
“He also has a very obvious trait, which is that he still hopes to reconcile with
his partner . To put it simply, he ‘loves and hates’ her .
During the process of raping, he abuses the victims’ bodies continuously .

This is hatred; but then he uses his mouth to let the victims reach their
climax, and Ji Ya Xin also mentioned: he dimmed the bedroom lights and
turned on the TV to play the news——these things have no effect on covering
up his crime, yet they clearly create an atmosphere of ‘home’——this is love .
Furthermore, his masculine facial features and personality most likely help
him attract women easily . Therefore, I conclude: he once had a long-term
and steady love relationship . For example, he might have been married or
have been living together . However, they’ve broken up, so that’s why he
feels love and hate at the same time .
As for his age and education? That’s easy to tell . Through his choices of
victims, it clearly shows his view on life and experience . Both victims are
around ages of twenty-four to five, and are not highly educated, but they are
pretty and independent . In other words, they are ‘working women who have
just matured . ’ When our manly suspect chooses his victims, he must choose
‘a woman who matches him . ’ Therefore, his age is within 25-30 years old .
If he’s younger, he wouldn’t have such views in life . If he’s older, he would
have committed crimes earlier, and wouldn’t be just starting now .
Of course, this is all a cycle of cause and effect . It’s because he chooses
these women that they would call the police after being victimized and not
keep quiet about it . This gives the police more information .
He flunked the college entrance exam . Since he desires excitement, has a

manly personality, and holds hatred in real life, if he had an opportunity to
study in university, he would have been able to leave and not be stuck here
working as a factory worker . ”
……
Bai Jin Xi feels that her analysis is perfect, so she can’t help but feel a bit
elated . She takes a breath, walks to the desk, takes a sip of tea from the cup,
and glances at Han Chen .
“How about that? Do you agree with me now?” she asks frivolously .
Han Chen looks at her in silence .

Because he’s so quiet it makes his facial features seem even more prominent .
His long and narrow eyes, tall nose, and thin lips . Every single feature is
handsomely beautiful, yet they are full of coldness .
“Everything you’ve said is correct . But, you can’t solve the case,” he says
softly, “so how can you make me agree with you?”
Bai Jin Xi opens her eyes wide .
She can’t solve the case?
That’s impossible .
Han Chen speaks again in an extremely impassive voice, “Do you dare to bet?
If you win, I’ll definitely not interfere with the case . If I win……” he
pauses .
Bai Jin Xi finishes his words without hesitation, “If you win, I’ll take you as
my leader . I’ll do whatever you tell me to without a word . ”
“Okay . ”
Their eyes meet each other and they say nothing more .
The sound of door knocking comes on . Zhou Xiao Zhuan pushes the door
open and walks inside holding a thick stack of files .
“Leader! Officer Han,” his expression is awkward and helpless, “There’s

good news and bad news . ”
Bai Jin Xi glares at him, “It has to be good news . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan throws the pile of files onto her desk, “The good news is,
we’ve confirmed the list of suspects . The bad news is——” he spreads out
his hands, “there are 75 suspects . 75, leader! The highest number of
suspects in Jiangcheng history!”
Bai Jin Xi is struck dumb . She grabs the stack of files, “How can this be?”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan says depressingly, “Leader, we’re in such bad luck! Within
5km of the crime scene, there’s actually a Blue Star Mechanical Factory .
There are a couple hundred of workers in there, and those guys all meet your
profile: 25-30 years old, strong male, high school education, and has flexible
hours based on the three shifts that they have . That factory used to be quite
productive, but it hasn’t been doing well in recent years, so there really are
quite a high number of them who have been dumped by their girlfriends……
Leader, we’ve really hit a dead-end . There’s no way to tell who’s who!”
Bai Jin Xi is in complete shock .
She turns to look at Han Chen subconsciously .
He’s leaning on the back of his chair, his gaze is serene, and his posture is
composed .
He clearly knew that this would be the outcome .
He actually knows all about this .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is still going on and on about it when Bai Jin Xi just wants
to bang her head on the desk .
An area the size of a palm (figurative) can actually have seventy to eighty
well-built and young single men who have been dumped by their girlfriends .
This is absolutely ridiculous and testing the limits, isn’t it?!
Furthermore, she has even bet her dignity on it!
Bai Jin Xi, “Cough… . . Xiao Zhuan, go outside for a minute . ”
“Oh, okay . ”
After Xiao Zhuan leaves, the room is quiet again .
Bai Jin Xi is lost without words . But making up nonsense excuses and
refusing to admit her wrong is a must . Just as she’s thinking of what to say,
she sees Han Chen staring at her . His long and lean bright arms are resting
on the table while he’s tapping lightly . His eyes are serene as usual; still like
the waters .
Bai Jin Xi feels a bit uncomfortable from his stare, “About that……”
“Lower your head, shut up,” he interrupts her nonchalantly, “Speak only
when I tell you to . ”
Bai Jin Xi, “……!”
He has already picked up his cup and taken a sip of coffee . He continues to
read his newspaper .
Bai Jin Xi lowers her head and flips through the suspects’ info furiously .
This is insane!
The room is in a long moment of silence .
Although Bai Jin Xi feels bullied, the case is more important nonetheless .
Holding the suspects’ info in her hands, she quickly starts to focus on reading
them .
Soon after, she hears the sound of the door .
When she raises her head, she sees that Han Chen’s spot is already empty and
the office door has closed itself gently . He has left already .
_____
The other side of the door is the larger office of the criminal investigation
team . Han Chen walks past it unconcernedly . An investigator proactively
greets this famous detective, but he only nods back calmly; he’s tall,
handsome, and attractive, but he gives others the feeling of being
unapproachable .
The entrance of the criminal investigation team’s office faces a long corridor .
No one is walking through it at the moment . Han Chen leans against the
wall, tilts his head to light up a cigarette, and looks far away with his eyes
half closed; his gaze is indifferent as he smokes .
The sound of footsteps can be heard coming up the stairs; steadily and evenly
.
“Forensic Investigator Xu . ”
“Forensic Investigator Xu, you’re here to deliver lunch to Xiao Bai?” a

passerby greets him enthusiastically .
“Hello . ”
“Good morning . ” That person’s voice is clear and gentle, like a breeze in
spring .
Han Chen taps off the ash and raises his eyes to look .
Xu Si Bai makes it to the top of the staircase holding stacked lunchboxes .

His refined and pale face is showing a slight smile . His eyes meet Han
Chen’s when he lifts his head .
Xu Si Bai pauses for a second .
And then shifts his gaze away . He walks straight past Han Chen as if he
doesn’t see anyone there .
Han Chen watches him pass, pauses for a moment, and suddenly smiles
faintly . He continues to smoke while looking to a distant place where the
clouds end .
_____
The door squeaks open .
Bai Jin Xi says without lifting her head, “Can I raise my head now? Can I
talk now? Give me some clear instructions, will you, boss? Otherwise, I’ll be
very scared . ”
The person keeps silent for a moment and then calls her, “Jin Xi . ”
A voice that is clear and smooth like water .
Bai Jin Xi lifts her head and grins, “It’s you . ”
Xu Si Bai walks to her steadily, places the thermal lunch boxes onto the table
and asks while opening them, “Who did you think I was?”
Bai Jin Xi says pouting, “That gloomy person outside . ”
A hint of smile brushes across Xu Si Bai’s eyes . He pushes the lunch dishes
toward her, sits down, and says gently, “Hurry and eat . ”
“Alright,” she doesn’t bother to hold back; she picks up her chopsticks and
starts to gobble down delicious food in each of the containers . She digs in,
while Xu Si Bai leans against the leather seat with a peaceful look and his
hand resting on the back; he taps casually with his fingers .
It’s just that Bai Jin Xi still has her mind on the case, so after eating for a
while, she can’t help but grab the files and read them while biting on her
chopsticks . Xu Si Bai observes her face, glances at the papers in her hand,
and asks softly, “The case is not going smoothly?”
Bai Jin Xi lifts her head to look at him .
She never hides in front of her buddy, Xu Si Bai . She nods and says
frowning, “I’ve never come across such a difficult case . ”
This is true .
Although she is the super detective of Guanhu police station and quite well-
known in Jiangcheng, the bottom line is, how difficult can cases be at a
district station? She has indeed solved a murder case before, but the murderer
turned out to be a farmer in a nearby village; he was so nervous that he
couldn’t sleep after committing the crime . She took a look in the village and
confirmed the suspect based on their love and hate relationship . After a brief
interrogation, the suspect broke down emotionally and admitted it . She has
also solved a sexual assault case, but that young lad didn’t even wear a
condom, so his DNA was everywhere; it would have been hard to not solve
the case .
“But this case is not the same,” she says, “The offender had great planning .
He was calm and cruel . He didn’t leave any evidence . Furthermore……”
She sighs, “There just happens to be a factory nearby . There are too many
suspects who fit the profile . ”
She lays her head flat on the table, feeling helpless . Xu Si Bai stares at her
thoughtfully for a minute and suddenly smiles .
“What are you smiling about?” she glares at him .
His smile slowly disappears . He looks at her with his bright eyes .
“Bai Jin Xi,” he starts, “there are no case in this world that you can’t solve .
This has been true in the past, and it will always be true . ”
Bai Jin Xi blinks . Her body that felt like a puddle of mud just now suddenly
sits up straight . She stares at him, “Why do you have such confidence in
me?”
Xu Si Bai stands up, and packs the lunch boxes one by one . His refined and
handsome face is calm and composed .
“Because you’re Bai Jin Xi . You’re my one and only……” he lifts his head
to look at her, “buddy . ”
Bai Jin Xi is stunned for a few seconds .
His casual words ignited her emotions, as if she could feel a burning sensation
inside her heart .
After a moment of silence, she nods her head only and says, “Mm! I can’t
say about other things, but after the case is solved, I’ll treat you to a big
dinner . ”
Xu Si Bai’s eyes show a slight smile, “Okay . ”
She must have been exhausted from working on the case for consecutive
days, so after finishing eating, Bai Jin Xi feels extremely sleepy after sitting
for a brief while . She squints at Xu Si Bai; he’s reading a book from her desk
.
It’s noon and the scorching sun is shining outside; so hot that could burn your
skin . He’s such a peaceful and quiet person; no one can bear to see him leave
walking under the bright sun .
“I’m going to take a nap . You should take a rest too,” she says, “Leave a bit
later . ”
“Mm . ”
It’s breezy in the afternoon, swaying the golden leaves on the tree outside the
window . Bai Jin Xi leans forward on the table, resting her head on her arms .
She falls into deep sleep not long later .
The room is silent .
Xu Si Bai reads the book quietly for a while, and then lifts his head .
Sunlight passes through the small window, shining on Bai Jin Xi’s desk . A
golden strip of brightness on the black desktop accents her soft and pale face .
Her sleeping position is not good; arms and legs spread out like a guy . It’s
just that compared to her usual pride and arrogance, her sleeping face seems a
lot calmer . Her slightly wavy hair falls onto the desktop . The curved
eyebrows on her oval face look as if they’ve been drawn with black ink . Her
cheeks still carry a bit of baby fat, making her seem tranquil and cute .
Xu Si Bai watches her for a moment, puts the book down, and walks towards
her .
They’re sitting close to begin with . He walks to the side of her desk with his
gaze still fixed on her face . The sun shines on both of them; warm yet
glaring . Xu Si Bai closes his eyelids slightly and presses one hand on the
desktop .
After a while, he bends over, closes his eyes, and his lips slowly approaches .


Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Chapter 11: Between Time and Space
When Zhou Xiao Zhuan reaches the top of the stairs, he spots Han Chen
standing by the side of the wall smoking .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is still a little scared of this great detective, but he respects
him a lot . He puts away his usual careless personality when he talks to Bai
Jin Xi and walks to him properly . He hands over the information, “Super
Detective Han, these are the details of four additional suspects . ”
Han Chen takes the files from him while holding his cigarette between his
fingers, “Mm . ”
He turns around and walks into the room . Zhou Xiao Zhuan thinks for a
minute and says, “About that……Super Detective Han . ”
Han Chen turns his head to the side to look at him .
“Our Leader has a bit of temper, but she’s very nice and very knowledgeable .
She has always admired you,” he says quickly, “so please don’t mind . ”
Han Chen glances at him, doesn’t say a word, and walks into the room .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan walks away cheerfully, believing that he has helped Leader
to flatter this great detective .
_____
He pushes the door open; the room is quiet . The sun shines into his eyes .
Han Chen raises his head and sees a tall figure standing beside Bai Jin Xi’s
desk and bending over her . The sun shines on the two of them; he can just
barely see Xu Si Bai’s refined side profile getting close to Bai Jin Xi’s cheek .
He probably didn’t think that anyone would suddenly come into the room at
lunch time; Xu Si Bai turns his head away instantly .
Their eyes meet .
Han Chen walks to his desk and sits without any expression . He throws the
files onto the desk .
The office isn’t big to begin with, so their desks are only a meter apart . Xu
Si Bai glances at Han Chen and slowly stands up straight . It’s just that his
handsome face is slightly red .
Han Chen lowers his head and starts reading the files as if the man in front of
him does not exist .
“Boohoohoo……” a soft sound of crying suddenly breaks the awkward

silence in the room .
The two men look toward the person who is making the noise——Bai Jin Xi .
The sun is shining directly on her face; a face that is pale and smooth like jade
. Her dark eyebrows are scrunching slightly . Her expression looks sad; a
drop of tear slowly runs down from her eye accompanied by the sound of
crying in her dream .
Xu Si Bai is a bit worried . He gets closer to her, bends down, and stares at
her . Just when he wants to wipe away her tears with his hand, an impassive
voice comes on, “She’s already crying, and yet you still want to kiss her?”
Xu Si Bai freezes and lifts his eyes to look at him . But Han Chen still has his
head down reading the newspapers . He seems unconcerned, as if he doesn’t
care about what happens in the room .
Xu Si Bai reaches out his hand and wipes away her tear anyway . Bai Jin Xi,
who is still in her dreams, seems to be able to feel the comfort from the
outside world; she mumbles something softly, her eyebrows ease up, and she
stops crying .
The door opens again with a loud thump . Zhou Xiao Zhuan is here .
He immediately notices Leader sleeping peacefully while one man is sitting

and the other is standing in silence . It feels a bit odd, but he doesn’t put too
much thought on it . He smiles at Xu Si Bai, greeting him softly, and puts the
file in his hand on Han Chen’s desk, “Super Detective Han, there’s one more .
”
Xu Si Bai picks up the lunch boxes, turns around, and leaves . He suddenly
stops at the doorway and calls out, “Xiao Zhuan . ”
“Hm?” Xiao Zhuan looks at him quickly .
“Take good care of your Leader,” he says, “Don’t let anyone……bully her . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is a little surprised . Han Chen has also lifted his eyes to
look at him .
Xiao Zhuan takes a peek at Han Chen secretly and says in his heart: Who can
bully Leader? The only person who has been bullying her for the past few
days is the one right in front of him . Is Forensic Investigator Xu being
jealous, or is he jealous, or is he jealous?
He laughs without revealing his emotions, “Forensic Investigator Xu can rest

assured . I’ll definitely take good care of her . ”
Xu Si Bai leaves . Zhou Xiao Zhuan also goes back to the larger office to get
busy . Han Chen sits in the room by himself, takes a look at Bai Jin Xi who’s
still asleep, and continues with reading the suspects’ files .
_____
Bai Jin Xi is having a dream again .
The foggy forest and the pattering waterfall . Damp grass lie under her feet .
He is sitting under the fall just like before, quietly staring at her .
“Who are you?” she asks .
But he doesn’t answer until his pair of dark brown eyes slowly becomes
watery .
“Let’s get married after you graduate,” a deep man’s voice murmurs into her
ear, “I won’t marry anyone else but you in my life . ”
Bai Jin Xi stares at him and slowly reveals a smile .
He also slowly starts to smile .
All of a sudden, Bai Jin Xi hears a woman crying out loud .
She looks around but doesn’t see anyone else . When she turns back, he has
already disappeared .
Heavy fog surrounds her, making it hard to see afar .
She suddenly realizes that she is the one crying .
It’s she, Bai Jin Xi, who is standing in the empty forest like a graveyard,
crying her heart out .
……
Dreams are a reflection of reality .
Dreams are a way of releasing yourself subconsciously .
But if she once loved someone so deeply and has suffered many hardships for
him, why has she never once thought of him in these years? Why has she
forgotten everything about him completely?
……
Bai Jin Xi opens her eyes slowly .
The first thing that comes in view is the familiar ceiling, then the chair,
whiteboard, and computer……it’s just that it’s very dark .
The sun has set?
She wipes her tears and sits up .
She’s a little startled once she does .

The sun hasn’t actually set yet . It’s just that the curtains have been lowered
by someone, making the room dark . Han Chen is sitting in a dark corner
with his back straight but his face is not visible .
The lunch boxes that were on her desk are gone . Xu Si Bai has left already .
Bai Jin Xi sniffs her nose and doesn’t say anything .
Why is this fella all gloomy and quiet when it’s daytime?
From the first day she’s met him, he seems to be always gloomy .
“Bai Jin Xi,” he suddenly calls her name; his voice is low .
“What?” her voice is a bit raspy from crying just now . Talking in the dark
room suddenly makes her feel empty .
“You’re done crying?” he asks .
Bai Jin Xi is stunned .
He really did see her cry . So embarrassing .
“I’ll help you solve this case . ”
Bai Jin Xi is a bit shocked . After a moment of silence, she asks, “You’re
being so kind? What’s the condition?”
“Haha… . . ” he chuckles, and then says calmly, “The condition is that you
have to help me do one thing . ”
“What is it?”
“A private matter . ”
Bai Jin Xi thinks for a minute .
“Okay,” she answers simply .
Han Chen tilts his head and lights up a cigarette . The fire sparks dance
between his fingers, and he doesn’t speak again .
Bai Jin Xi stands up, reaches out her hands, and pulls the curtains up lightly .
“Swoooosh——” the room is lit again as the dazzling afternoon sunlight
leaps inside . It must have been too sudden; she sees Han Chen, who’s sitting
by the window, turn his head to the side slightly .
Bai Jin Xi glances at him and is a bit shocked .
His nose is covered with a thin layer of sweat . His handsome face seems
awfully pale, yet it is also unusually flushed .
The air conditioning is on, so it’s impossible for him to be like this due to the
heat .
He’s in pain?
“What’s wrong?” Bai Jin Xi asks in surprise .
He turns his head to the other side calmly, “Nothing . Let’s start . Go through
the case . ”
His voice is cold and deep; dignified but not angry . Other than hearing him
point out three suspicious areas at the first crime scene, Bai Jin Xi has never
heard him analyse a case before . She can’t help but shudder knowing his
fame .
“Hang up the map,” he says while inhaling the cigarette .
Bai Jin Xi says as she hangs up the map onto the whiteboard, “Super
Detective Han, although we don’t get along well, I’m someone who takes the
big picture into consideration . If you are not feeling well, you should go
home and rest . If you need to see a doctor, I know Director Zhao at the
Guanhu hospital very well . He’s quite a good doctor . If you want to see a
traditional Chinese doctor, I also know one that’s very good . You don’t need
to lose anything . You just need to agree to cancel our bet . How about it?”
She turns around to look at him after hanging up the map . But he seems to
look better now; he’s no longer sweating and he seems even more
unconcerned .
“No . ”
Bai Jin Xi, “……hmph!”
He presses his cigarette into the ashtray, stands up, and walks over . With one
hand in his pocket, he picks up a pen with his other . Since they’re standing
close, his fitting dark shirt and black casual pants accent his wide shoulders,
slim waist, and long legs further . He’s clearly a handsome and attractive
man, yet his aura is cold and fierce .
She has really never seen a criminal investigator like him, a super detective
like him .
He raises his head to look at the map; his gaze is serene .
Bai Jin Xi is rather curious to know how he’s going to find the offender out of
75 suspects .
Even up to now, it’s not that Bai Jin Xi is completely out of ideas . With her
skills, she’ll definitely be able to find the most suspicious one out of the 75
once she asks them one by one . But it would take a lot of work and it might
alert the real suspect . Furthermore, it would also greatly affect the victims
——this is what she is determined to avoid doing .
Therefore, if Han Chen doesn’t lend a hand, she’ll definitely have to think of
another way . Since he’s willing to lend a hand……she might as well sit and
watch .
He glances at her with the corner of his eye and says casually, “You have a
poor sense of direction?
Bai Jin Xi, “Mm……”
“How poor is your sense of direction?”
“Um……very?”
He doesn’t look at her again . He draws two circles with the pen held by his
slender fingers, and then stops .
“The case is solved with one step,” he says impassively .
Bai Jin Xi’s heart skips a beat . He then continues, “But for a person with a
poor sense of direction, it’s three steps . Listen well . ”
Bai Jin Xi’s mouth twitches .
“Firstly, every person has his or her usual traveling path that they take,” he
speaks steadily in a deep voice . He raises his hand and points to the circles
on the map, “Ma Xiao Fei, Ji Ya Xin . Home, department store, restaurant,
supermarket . Everyone has a map . ” The tip of his pen moves upward and
circles Blue Star Mechanical Factory .
“The offender also has his own map: the factory, restaurant, internet
cafe……” He glances at her, “And the reason why he chose the victims in the
beginning must be because of their usual traveling paths . At some point in
space and time, their paths intersected . He, noticed them . ”
Bai Jin Xi is shocked .
His explanation seems complicated at first, but after she thinks about it for a
moment, isn’t it all nonsense? He obviously bumped into the victims under
some circumstance and then decided to target them .
But thinking more thoroughly again, she seems to understand it more . Time,
space, people, traveling path……It’s as if there’s a three-dimensional map in
her mind with these three people in it .
It feels useful! But she can’t quite pinpoint how useful it is .
Han Chen glances at her and continues, “Secondly, after their first encounter,
in order to survey the area as well as to satisfy his desire, his travelling path
would often overlap with theirs . The victims have also confirmed this . ”
Bai Jin Xi’s heart pounds, and she feels as if something is about to emerge
from her mind . But she can’t seem to express it clearly at the moment . It’s
just that her eyes are gleaming .
Han Chen’s gaze is indifferent as he draws several circles and links them on
the map with the pen smoothly . He throws the pen down after he finishes
and puts both of his hands in his pockets . He says impassively, “You guys
reviewed the security cameras around the area of where the incidents
happened, but the offender thought about this too, so that’s why nothing was
found .
After drawing out the victims’ travelling paths for the past few days before
the incident, there must be a security camera on this route . Of those 80
suspects, whoever appears at the same place and time as the victims the most
is the real suspect . ”
He pauses, and then smiles slightly, “Even if he was so smart as to dodge

from the cameras while following the victims, before he started stalking them,
he would have still needed to take transit or walk from work to the victims’
areas of activities . These routes all have cameras . Whoever appears the
most on these routes prior to the incidents is the suspect . ”
Bai Jin Xi understands completely now .
Security cameras .
Which case doesn’t require reviewing security cameras? Which criminal

investigator doesn’t know to investigate from the videos?
But no one has reviewed them like the way he has in mind . He’s thinking
outside of the box, yet he has successfully set out a new way of identifying
the suspect .
One step . It’s really just one step .
She has given over ten descriptions through her analyses to identify the
suspect . He has only grasped one point and is already able to find the suspect
. That’s right, no matter how intelligent the suspect is and how good he is at
wiping away his footprints, it’s impossible for him to start avoiding the
cameras all day before the incident . His tracks from before and after the
incident will not disappear .
This is exactly the key point that Han Chen has grasped .
Bai Jin Xi suddenly understands why veteran investigators praise Han Chen .
It’s because the way he thinks is very clear and simple .
It’s clear and simple, yet powerful . He’s using the simplest logic and method
that everyone knows, yet he uses them with such care and accuracy; unique
from everyone else .
Bai Jin Xi is really getting excited . Her mind is working at full blast after
feeling the pleasure and joy from sudden realization . She grabs the pen that
he has thrown on the desk, steps up to the map, and around the lines that he
has drawn, she draws a few more . She says as she does, “Alright, this is
great . Super Detective Han, you sure have some skills . ”
Han Chen tilts his head to light a cigarette while leaning his body against the
side of the desk . His gaze is calm, as if he has heard many of these words of
admiration before . He watches Bai Jin Xi working cheerfully from behind .
He half closes his eyelids and doesn’t say anything .
Bai Jin Xi thinks happily, “After we confirm the suspect, we’ll search his
place immediately without giving him any time to breathe . We’ll definitely
find evidence……”
“Let me know when you’ve confirmed who it is,” he says dismissively and
then leaves the office .
Bai Jin Xi’s eyes follow his cold and straight back and doesn’t say a word .
_____
After Han Chen leaves Guanhu station, Bai Jin Xi and the others immediately
start to investigate base on his method . He on the other hand, has taken a cab
to return to the hotel directly .
He’s staying at a riverside hotel; it’s tidy and relaxing, and it has an exquisite
view .
Once the door is open, you can immediately see the clean white walls . The
chandelier illuminates the room with warm lighting, and the big bed covered
in white sheets sit quietly . The only evidence of someone actually living in
the place is the luggage lying on the table at the foyer with a few pieces of
clothes on top of it .
He walks in, takes off his shoes, unbuttons the first two buttons of his shirt,
slowly makes his way to the table, and takes out a bottle of painkillers from
the drawer . He shakes two pills out, throws them into his mouth, and
swallows them .
He walks to the floor-to-ceiling windows and sits in the armchair . He looks

afar quietly for a while before taking out the cell phone in his pocket .
He had turned it to vibrate when he was discussing about the case with Bai Jin
Xi during the day . It looks like he has a bunch of unanswered calls .
The first one is from Qin Wen Long, the Captain of the criminal investigation
team at the public security bureau (provincial station) . He dials back .
“Han Chen, are you done fooling around? You only have a few days left in
your vacation,” Captain Qin’s stern voice has a hint of cheerfulness, “Hurry
up and come back . There are a bunch of cases waiting for you to solve . ”
“Mm,” Han Chen takes out a pack of cigarettes, “I’ll come back on time . ”
Captain Qin says a few reminders and Han Chen answers to them all . He
doesn’t forget to tell Han Chen before ending the call, “Remember to bring
some specialty goods from Jiangcheng back . ”
Han Chen mumbles in acceptance and hangs up .
The other unanswered calls are from the same person . There are also seven
to eight text messages . Han Chen glances at them indifferently and deletes
all of the messages and calls from the log . He throws the phone onto the bed,
leans against the armchair while smoking, gazes out to the distant scenery of
Jiangcheng, and slowly closes his eyes .
He falls asleep quickly .
With his head resting on the back of the chair, his body is completely still .
Both of his arms are lying on top of the armrests, and only the cigarette
between his fingers is burning away slowly .
The cigarette eventually finishes, and the burning slowly reaches to his
fingers .
He suddenly feels a slight burning sensation . Han Chen, who is in deep

sleep, shakes his hands furiously and wakes up in fright . Realizing that his
cigarette is finished, he calmly presses it into the ashtray, and lifts his head to
look out the window .
Outside the window, the sky is already dark . The river is like a dark ribbon
surrounding the brightly lit Jiangcheng .
He gazes at the night scenery and lets out a long breath .

_____
The light of dawn slowly reveals from the East side .
The sun rises and sets; the sky darkens and lights up again .
Jiangcheng continues to be scorching, crowded and busy . The two sexual

assault cases that happened at an area of Jiangcheng is no more but a small
river entering the sea; without a trace of impact and causing no ripples of
disruption to the city . There aren’t even many people who know of it .
Two days have passed in the blink of an eye .
It’s Saturday again . It has already been a week since Ma Xiao Fei’s incident .
In the past few days, Bai Jin Xi has been leading Zhou Xiao Zhuan and the
rest to work on the case day and night . They reviewed all the security
camera videos on the overlapping paths of the victims and the suspects .
They’ve also done some intricate analyses . Even though Bai Jin Xi has a
poor sense of direction, Zhou Xiao Zhuan and the other investigators are very
good with directions, so they progressed quickly .
Han Chen on the other hand hasn’t been at the office at all for these past few
days . Just like the rumors, he appears and disappears unpredictably . Bai Jin
Xi has only heard from the civil police officers that they saw Super Detective
Han visiting the slums and red light district in the East end . No one knows
what he is up to . Bai Jin Xi suppresses her curiosity for the time being and
focuses on the case .
It’s the evening of Saturday, and thankfully, their efforts have not gone to
waste .
The same young man has been appearing more and more frequently in the
security camera videos .
The biggest suspect of the case has finally surfaced .

Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Chapter 12: My True Love
Bai Jin Xi seems to know more about Han Chen now .
Although he tied her up on the first time they met, causing her to dislocate her
shoulder, and he hasn’t been friendly either when they’re working together,
thinking about them now, she feels that she owns half of the responsibility
——it takes two hands to clap after all .
If she thinks more thoroughly, he’s actually quite a character . She has heard
rumors from her colleagues recently that the Han family in Beijing has a
background in the Public Security Bureau . Han Chen can be considered as
a young master of a wealthy family, yet he has given up the big opportunity to
be a young specialist at the Ministry of Public Security and insists on
becoming an ordinary criminal investigator of a district instead .
However, his traits as a young master still shows; let alone other things, just
from the way he dresses and the cigarettes he smokes . Furthermore, he’s also
quite harsh and unruly in the way he talks and does things .
But Bai Jin Xi’s impression of him has changed . For one, although he
ignored her in the past, on the night they were chasing the suspect together, he
immediately helped her after knowing that she was afraid of heights . It
shows that he isn’t a cold-hearted person .
The second reason is because he helped her solve the case just a few days ago
. His point of view was clear and simple, and his attitude was focused and
dignified . Of course, a sexual assault case such as this can probably show
only a speck of his talent . But regardless, Bai Jin Xi has a completely
different impression of him now .
Therefore, in Bai Jin Xi’s heart, her unhappy and vindictive feelings towards
him have gradually vanished in the progress of the case .
_____
At the time of sunset .
Bai Jin Xi is sitting inside a truck eating a chicken drumstick .
There are six surveillance monitors in front of her, watching over Blue Star
Mechanical Factory’s front entrance, inside the workshop, the dorms, and
etcetera .
The suspect has been confirmed . In order to avoid alerting him, they have
been keeping an eye on him for 24/7 . Once they obtain the evidence or if he
makes another attempt to commit another offense, they will arrest him
immediately .
It’s Bai Jin Xi and another investigator named Xiao Qi’s turn to be on duty .
Xiao Qi has gone to buy some water, so Bai Jin Xi is watching over by
herself .
The night slowly arrives . Bai Jin Xi finishes her take-out, stretches her back,
loosens her muscles, and continues to stare attentively .
Kerruuuush! The truck door is opened and someone steps in, letting the heat
rush in from the outside .
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t bother turning her head, “You’re back?” She grabs the
plastic bag carrying the empty take-out box and holds it out behind her,
“Throw it out for me, will you?”
Two seconds later, her empty take-out box has been taken from her .
She hears the sound of the truck door opening and closing behind her . Bai
Jin Xi feels much better now that the smell of food has subsided a bit .
She reaches out behind her again, “Where’s my milk tea?”
She waits, but nothing is placed in her hand . She curls her finger to gesture,
“Hurry, you’re so slow . ” Just when she’s about to turn around, she hears a
calm and deep voice, “There’s none . ”
Bai Jin Xi turns her head immediately .
Han Chen .
He’s wearing a black Polo shirt and grey casual pants today . There isn’t
much lighting inside the truck, making his face blurry, but yet his eyes look
rich dark brown .
Bai Jin Xi: “……Super Detective Han, you’re here . I thought you were Xiao
Qi just now,” which is the only reason why I asked you to help me throw out
the garbage .
Han Chen’s expression doesn’t change . He sits on the chair behind her, and
then glances at her, “Pour me a cup of water . ”
Bai Jin Xi: “……”
Just as she thought, how could he possibly do as others say?
There’s a big barrel of spring water sitting at the corner of the truck . She
quietly gets up and pours him a cup .
He takes the cup and drinks it slowly . Bai Jin Xi notices that the way he
holds the cup is very gentle; his long slender fingers grasp the side of the cup
lightly, giving off a sense of prudent yet relaxed demeanor . Although he’s
drinking slowly, it’s obvious that he’s thirsty; the cup is soon empty . Bai Jin
Xi takes a quick glance and sees that his shirt is damp from sweat, and his
pants have gotten dirty with mud . He has clearly been running outside for a
long time .
Mysterious . Extremely mysterious .
Recalling the rumor about his unorganized and undisciplined recurrent

disappearance on vacation leaves, as well as his frequent visits to the slums
and red-light districts, Bai Jin Xi speculates: he’s trying to find something or
someone .
He hasn’t given up throughout all these years . Super Detective Han sure has
great perseverance .
He hands her the empty cup; his eyes just happen to meet her scrutinizing
gaze .
Now that Bai Jin Xi has put the past behind her and is working cooperatively
with him, she is also talking to him more casually . She smiles slightly,
“Super Detective Han, are you thirsty? Would you like the lowly me to pour
you another cup?
A hint of smile brushes across Han Chen’s eyes . He answers in his usual
calm voice:
“It’s okay . Let’s talk about the case . ”
The truck’s door is opened once again . Xiao Qi has returned . He’s a little
startled from seeing Han Chen, but immediately shows his reverence and
respect . Bai Jin Xi gives Han Chen a copy of the general information that
she has and starts talking .
“Chen Li Jiang, twenty-seven years old, a machine technician at Blue Star

Mechanical Factory . When he first started at the factory, he used to do
packaging . He’s single after a divorce . His ex-wife Xu Ying is a tour guide
who had an affair a year ago, so she got a divorce with him . ”
All three of them look towards one of the surveillance monitors at once .
That is Chen Li Jiang’s home . He has just walked in after getting off work .
He’s wearing a blue coverall . He has broad shoulders and long arms . His
face is surprisingly handsome .
The photo in their hands is even more apparent . Chen Li Jiang has fine
eyebrows and prominent features . He has double eyelids and deep set eyes .
“According to his performance review at the factory, Chen Li Jiang is timid,

works hard, and is quite intelligent . He picks things up very fast . It’s just
that he has a rather big temper . He sometimes likes to drink by himself, and
when he is drunk, he likes to beat up others . He’s been in a few fights with
his colleagues . He was not at work during the two incidents and does not
have any alibis,” Bai Jin Xi says softly, “In the surveillance videos of the
common travel paths that we reviewed, he was the only one who appeared
over 20 times . Furthermore, his travel routes and times highly matched with
our two victims!”
Xiao Qi points to another surveillance monitor and says, “Chen Li Jiang
bought an apartment when he got married, and it’s still his after divorce . He
sometimes goes home and sometimes stays at the dorm . These few are his
co-workers who are also from the same dorm . ” He picks up the files and
starts reading the names off of it, “Zhang Yuan, Zeng Fang Ping, and Xu Zi
Da . They are all factory workers in their twenties . Zhang Yuan is an honest
and straightforward person . He and Chen Li Jiang are quite good friends .
Xu Zi Da is more of an introvert and doesn’t hang out much with Chen Li
Jiang . Zeng Fang Ping is the youngest, who just turned twenty . He’s also an
introvert, but is very close with Chen Li Jiang . He often hangs out at Chen’s
place . If we want to make an arrest later, we can try and obtain more details
from these guys . Since they live under the same roof, they must be able to
tell whether or not Chen Li Jiang has been acting strangely . ”
Bai Jin Xi and Han Chen both look towards the monitor . The factory
workers are all buff and tall . Only Zeng Fang Ping has pale skin and looks
refined . He’s saying something to his dorm-mates; an obvious shy and
reserved boy .
Bai Jin Xi comments, “We don’t have any evidence right now, so we must not
act rashly . Just to monitor him, we’ve already had to ask the factory
supervisor to cooperate . We’ve advised them many times that they must not
let anyone know . ”
Now that they’re done discussing the case, Bai Jin Xi thought that Han Chen
would leave immediately . Who knew that he would continue sitting at where
he is and start smoking leisurely . Bai Jin Xi and Xiao Qi are a bit perplexed,
but it’s not like they can kick him out . Therefore, the three of them stay
inside the truck quietly .
Time ticks away as Bai Jin Xi watches the monitors in boredom . Whenever
she turns her head occasionally, she sees Han Chen still sitting there . The
shape of his face is blurry through the faint smoke, but his features are still
outstanding . The hand that is holding the cigarette is lowered beside the
armrest; he lifts it up to inhale the cigarette every now and then, making him
seem especially peaceful .
He doesn’t bother Bai Jin Xi anymore whenever he needs water . He holds

the cup, leans and bends over to pour the water, and slowly drinks it .
Time passes away for the night just like this .

At 12am, Zhou Xiao Zhuan and another colleague come to take over their
shifts .
They’re a little surprised to see Han Chen, but don’t ask about . Bai Jin Xi
advises Zhou Xiao Zhuan on a couple of items and prepares to leave . She
yawns as she picks up her bag . She catches a glimpse of Han Chen at the
corner of her eye——how long does he plan to be sitting here?
But then she sees him stand up .
He’s a tall man, so once he stands up, the inside of the truck immediately
seems crowded . Everyone looks at him .
He looks at Bai Jin Xi, “You’re getting off?”
Bai Jin Xi answers, “……Yeah . ”
He bends downs, hops off the truck, and stands beside it, as if……he’s
waiting .
Bai Jin Xi watches him complete his actions blankly . Zhou Xiao Zhuan and
the others behind her are already making faces at each other . Zhou Xiao
Zhuan spotted Xu Si Bai showing jealousy towards Han Chen at the office the
other day, so he has been keeping an eye . He lowers his voice and says
excitedly while feeling troubled, “Leader! What’s going on?! Why is Super
Detective Han picking you up from work? I’m so nervous! Should I let
Forensic Investigator Xu know about this?!”
Bai Jin Xi glances at him, “You’re really, thinking, too, much!”
She hops off of the truck as well .
Han Chen takes a look at her and starts walking in the front . Bai Jin Xi
follows him quickly . After a few steps once they’re far enough from the
truck, she says, “What’s the matter?”
Han Chen bends his finger and flicks the already put out cigarette into the
garbage can on the roadside .
“I’m leaving the day after tomorrow . Help me with something tonight . ”
_____
The city’s Public Security Bureau’s old archives library is in an old building
in the East . It’s already late night . Thick clouds are covering half of the
moon, darkening everywhere .
Bai Jin Xi walks to the archives library’s entrance, and turns her head to take
a look at the man beside her .
He has a cap on .
The brim is covering his eyes, revealing only his nose and chin . He looks
more like a killer than anything else .
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t ask him any questions and leads the way . They walk up
the stairs and knocks open the office door .
Old Zhou, who’s on duty, is an old friend of Bai Jin Xi . She’s a sweet talker,
so she has friends in all departments, making it easy for her to get some things
done . Han Chen has probably heard about this so that’s why he has asked her
for help .
Old Zhou glances at them with his sleepy eyes . He slowly pulls out the keys
as if he has done this many times, “Xiao Bai, you’re here to research on a
case again? You sure know how to pick the right time . I was just napping . ”
Bai Jin Xi giggles, “Thanks Uncle Zhou . I’ll bring you some premium
cigarettes another day . ”
After unlocking the doors, Old Zhou mumbles his way back to his little office
. Bai Jin Xi switches the lights on, lighting up the quiet room .
She turns around and looks at Han Chen .
He takes off his cap, throws it onto the table, and raises his head to look
around . She’s not sure whether or not she’s imagining it, but his gaze seems
to be different; those beautiful yet cold eyes are usually serene yet provoking;
but as he is looking around the room full of book shelves, his eyes are calm
and focused .
It’s as if this is what he truly cares about .
Bai Jin Xi asks, “What are you looking for? Maybe I can help you?”
“You don’t need to bother,” he walks into the rows of shelves .
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t insist further . She finds a chair and sits . She watches him
from behind while tapping her fingers on the armrest .
Technically, the District Chief should have more connections with the various
departments, and also more respected . However, he didn’t ask him for help
and yet he asked her, a small potato, for help . In the middle of the night in
pitch black darkness, he even wore a cap to cover his face . He didn’t come
to the archives library through the proper standard process——this proves
one thing, which is that he doesn’t want others to know .
Okay fine, she will definitely not press him .
After sitting for a while, she feels very sleepy; most likely because she has
been busy all day . A good criminal investigator has the ability to sleep
anywhere at any time . She lifts her eyes to take a look around . Since it’s not
comfortable to sleep sitting on a chair, she climbs up onto the table, curls up
her body, and sleeps .
_____
Han Chen is standing in front of the shelf labeled, “Missing and anonymous
identities of the deceased . ” He lifts his eyes to take a look, and then pulls
out over ten folders . The spaces between shelves are very narrow and not
well lit . He carries the pile of information and walks towards the central
reading table .
But the moment he comes out, he sees Bai Jin Xi lying on the table sleeping
peacefully . She is curled up on the right, facing him . She’s not short, and
her whole body is scrunched up at the moment; a position that shows that she
lacks the feeling of security very much .
Han Chan glances at her, walks to the corner of the table, and sits . Keeping a
far distance from her, he starts reading the information .
“Cough……this Xiao Bai,” Old Zhou slowly walks inside with a blanket .
Han Chen glances at him and continues to read .
“Although it’s the summer, she shouldn’t just sleep like this,” he lays the
blanket over Bai Jin Xi, “Young fellow, please watch her . ”
Han Chen raises his head . He can see Bai Jin Xi’s face straight across from
where he’s sitting . At this angle, her eyes are relaxed and her lips are slightly
pursed, making her face look a little plump . Her sleeping face is not as
attractive as when she’s awake during the day . Instead, she looks a bit silly .
“Mm,” he hums softly in acceptance, “Uncle, can we smoke in here?”
Old Zhou waves his hands, “Go ahead, go ahead . Just be careful not to light
up other things . ”
Han Chen tilts his head to light up a cigarette . He taps up another one and
hands it to Old Zhou . Old Zhou doesn’t hold back and walks over to light it
up as well . He inhales and exhales with his eyes squinting .
“Great smoke,” he clicks his tongue and glances at the archives that Han
Chen has taken out, “Who are you trying to find? Old Zhou here is familiar
with every piece of information in this library . Tell me and I’ll help you find
it . It’ll save you from wasting your time . ”
Han Chen keeps his silence for a moment while holding the cigarette between
his fingers, and then says, “I’m trying to find a woman . ”
“Hm……” Old Zhou nods squinting his eyes, “In this library, among the
missing and the anonymous deceased, there are 147 females in the past few
decades . Which one are you looking for? What’s her name? How old is
she? Do you have a picture of her?”
Han Chen tilts his head while looking at him . He takes a deep breath from
his cigarette and then answers, “No name, don’t know what she looks like,
and I don’t know if she’s dead or alive . She went missing or died five years
ago . Or she might have come to Province K from Beijing . She’s about……
22 to 30 years old . This is all that I know . ”
“Hah!” Old Zhou exclaims, “No name, and you don’t know what she looks
like . How are you supposed to find her?” He thinks for a minute and
continues, “Off the top of my head, I can’t recall any that fits your criteria . ”
Han Chen smiles, “It’s okay . Thanks anyway . I’ll continue looking . ” He
goes back to reading with his head down .
Old Zhou probably feels bad for not being able to help as he stands beside
him and says, “Young Fellow, the person that you’re trying to find, what is
her relationship with you? I can keep a look out for you . ”
Han Chen’s hand pauses for a split second at turning the page . He keeps his
silence for a rather long while this time .
“She’s my fiancée,” he says softly .
“Oh,” Old Zhou says and is suddenly stunned from his response, “Fiancée?
How come you don’t know her name or what she looks like then?”
Han Chen closes his eyes, inhales two breaths of smoke, and says
impassively, “I was injured five years ago . I can’t remember some things
clearly . ”


Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Chapter 13: Brother Han the thirteen
Bai Jin Xi is deep asleep when she feels someone pushing her .
She opens a slit from her eyes, and in the blurriness under the lighting, she
seem to see a handsome face .
“Bai Jin Xi, you awake?” a low and deep voice asks .
Bai Jin Xi turns her body to the other side and mumbles, “No!”
Han Chen watches her turn to the other side and sleep in a curled up position
while standing beside the table and tapping his fingers on it . Old Zhou,
who’s beside him, seems as if he knew this was going to happen as he tries
hard not to laugh .
Han Chen reaches over to grab her arm and pulls her up from the table .
“Wuuu…… . ” but Bai Jin Xi is just too tired . She has barely gotten any
sleep for the past few days due to investigating the case, so she had originally
planned to go home and sleep today . He pulls her to sit up, but her eyes are
still closed with her head down, and her long hair is in a mess .
“Let’s go,” Han Chen says indifferently .
“Mmm……” Bai Jin Xi slowly falls down with her head against the table .
She’s actually asleep again .
Or more precisely, she still hasn’t woken up yet .
Han Chen frowns as he stares at her sleeping body sagging like a puddle of
mud .
That Xu Si Bai sure is right . Beauty Bai really needs others to watch out for
her so that she doesn’t get bullied .
Other than her looks and temper resembling a woman, she is exactly like a
veteran criminal investigator in all areas; she’sfrivolous and crude .
After standing for a while, he pulls out the pack of cigarettes from his pocket .
He tilts his head to light one up, takes a deep breath, and breathes out a long
smoke ring .
Bai Jin Xi is still half-awake, half-asleep when she suddenly smells a familiar
delicious scent of cigarettes .
The taste permeates the air and slowly drifts towards her, surrounding her
closer and closer . She sniffs her nose twice subconsciously .
She can then smell the scent of cigarette under her nose . It’s close, very
close, as if it is almost touching her lips .
She opens her mouth and takes a bite .
But nothing .
It’s as if the scent of cigarette has grown a pair of legs and dashed away in a
flash .
She opens her eyes and can finally see what’s going on; Han Chen has one
arm pressed on the table with the other holding a cigarette and looking down
at her with his dark brown and deep set eyes .
He then puts the cigarette into this mouth .
“Get up . ”
Bai Jin Xi gets up quietly .
_____
1am at night .
A dark small street runs across the archives library’s entrance . Under the
bright moon shining as clear as water, it looks just like a meandering river;
every step echoes crisply in the silence .
After a few steps, Bai Jin Xi asks, “Have you found the person you’re looking
for?”
It’s very dim, so Han Chen’s face is blurry and she can only see the faint
breaths of air that he breathes out .
“No . ”
Bai Jin Xi keeps silent for a moment, and then says in her crisp voice, “It’s
okay, just keep looking . You’ll find the person one day . ”
Han Chen turns and glances at her . His eyes are dark and hard to make out at
night .
“Thanks,” a deep and gentle voice says .
Bai Jin Xi is a bit surprised .
This is the first time she hears Young Master Han thanking someone .
Obviously, it’s for bringing him here tonight .
She saunters forward and then says with a sincere tone, “What are you
thanking me for? Although this is a very troublesome matter that requires my
connections and uses up a lot of my time and effort——But since I’ve agreed
to it, I’ll do everything that I can to help you . ”
“If I hold out a mirror, are you going to keep going? (narcissistic)” he says
casually and slowly in a deep and captivating voice .
Bai Jin Xi giggles .
In the quiet night, the old district is blanketed in darkness . Only the
occasional sound of a car driving by in the distance can be heard, and birds
chirping in the tree branches above . The muffled sound of a bell ringing
from somewhere rips through the air, passes the city, and reaches their ears
faintly .
The two of them walk forward quietly .
This must be the most peaceful and friendly moment between them since
they’ve met .
Knowing that he will be leaving the day after tomorrow, Bai Jin Xi feels as if
she should say something since they’ve worked together nonetheless .
But she doesn’t really have anything to say .
Just at this moment, she hears him say, “What specialty foods does
Jiangcheng have?”
Bai Jin Xi answers casually, “Marinated duck, hot sauce, tofu skin……oh,
peaches are also not bad during this time . ”
He raises his hand to take a breath of smoke, “Help me buy some,” and then
takes out his wallet .
Bai Jin Xi takes a look at his wallet under the moonlight; black leather, simple
design, but very old with its corners worn out . It’s really quite unmatched
with his prestigious wardrobe .
“No need for now,” she says, “I’ll tell you how much it costs after I buy
everything . ”
He doesn’t insist and stuffs the wallet back into his pocket .
Bai Jin Xi’s phone suddenly rings . She looks at the number and immediately
looks serious .
It’s from an investigator who’s on night duty .
“Hello, what’s the matter?”
At the same time, Han Chen’s phone also rings . He answers, “Hello?”
Bai Jin Xi can hear the investigator’s urgency and sternness, “There’s another
sexual assault case at Mianyang Lane! Just half an hour ago! The victim
reported it just in time, and the suspect is currently on the run, heading in the
direction of Blue Star Mechanical Factory! We are currently chasing after
him!”
Bai Jin Xi’s heart skips a beat . She raises her head subconsciously, and sees
Han Chen hanging up his phone and staring at her .
They’ve been notified of the same thing .
Without a second word, the two of them run toward the police car that’s
parked at the front of the street .
Bai Jin Xi calls Zhou Xiao Zhuan while running, “Where’s Chen Li Jiang?!”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan sounds a bit tired, but is still clear minded, “Chen Li Jiang?
He went inside the factory two hours ago to start his night shift . He hasn’t
come out since . What’s the matter?”
“Hurry and go find him! There’s a new sexual assault case!”
They’ve already gotten to the police car when she hangs up . Bai Jin Xi
opens the driver’s door, and just when she is about to get in, she is pulled to
the side and the keys in her hand are snatched away .
She looks at Han Chen, who has already slipped inside, by surprise .
“I’ll drive,” he says in his deep voice .
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t question why he wants to drive and hops into the passenger
seat cooperatively……
It’s not until she’s glued to the seat like a frightened cat with both her hands
grasping the car handle tightly, watching the scenery fly by in twisted shapes
and colours . Every time that they almost crash into another car that’s also
driving on the road at night, Han Chen would suddenly turn the steering
wheel and pass them speedily, almost touching the sides .
Bai Jin Xi is not scared of sitting in a speeding car, but not as fast as this one .
It feels as if her life is in danger!
“Big Brother!” she shouts, “Drive steadily, will you?! I still want to see the
sun rise tomorrow!”
Compared to her, Han Chen is too calm . He doesn’t look like he’s speeding
at all, or more like, drag racing . Those slender and prominent hands are
placed casually on the steering wheel . He accelerates, changes gear, and
turns the car like he has done it many times before . The soaring lights
outside the window shine on his face; it’s very blurry, but also very quiet .
“Close your eyes if you’re scared,” he says .
Bai Jin Xi obviously refuses to . She’ll worry more with her eyes closed .
She decides to talk to divert her attention .
“So tell me, are you the legendary Brother Thirteen of Second Ring (Road)?”
she asks .
Brother Thirteen of Second Ring; a poetic name that stands for being able to
finish a lap on the Second Ring Road in thirteen minutes, passing two-
hundred cars a minute .
Han Chen responds while still having his eyes on the road, “Don’t insult me .
Race on Second Ring Road and impact traffic? I don’t do such a thing . I’d
rather drive a motorcycle to Shichahai . ”
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t know what kind of place Shichahai is, but she can’t help
but start picturing him driving a motorcycle wearing a helmet, gloves, and
leather jacket . The conclusion is that he must look very handsome .
“So……how much time does it take you to get to Shichahai then?” she asks .
“Three minutes . ” he answers .
Bai Jin Xi thinks for a second and says, “You see? That still makes you
Brother Thirteen . Shichahai, three minutes . Brother Shi ‘San’ (three),
Brother ‘Shi San’ (thirteen; ‘Shi’ chahai + three) . ”
Han Chen says cooly, “What nonsense are you saying? I think you’re Sister
Thirteen (ref suggesting she’s a part of the mafia) . ”
_____
Regardless of how much Bai Jin Xi tries to divert her attention, her legs are
wobbly the moment she gets out of the car . She uses the car door for
support, but almost trips over .
A strong arm reaches out just in time to hold her .
Han Chen looks at her, “You’re okay?”
She smiles, “I’m fine . ”
He releases his hand immediately, turns around and walks forward .
In the middle of the night, the man’s cold yet strong fingers grasped her wrist
. It’s just that he was too quick; the instant she spoke, his fingers moved away
from her skin . This tiny movement suddenly reminds Bai Jin Xi of the crime
scene from the other day . He was just like this; avoiding contact with her .
Only when there’s no other choice——like when they fell down together or
catching her when she jumped from the platform .
Bai Jin Xi suddenly feels uncomfortable about this .
Heh, this fellow, is he really this protective of himself?
The entrance to Blue Star Mechanical Factory is dark, but two civil officers
have arrived already . Once they spot them, they immediately advise of the
situation, “We haven’t seen anybody suspicious yet . ”
Bai Jin Xi calls the criminal investigator on duty right away and puts him on
speaker phone, “I’m at Blue Star! Have you caught the guy yet?!”
The sound of wind and the person’s urgent voice comes on from the other
side, “No! That brat sure is smart . He runs fast, and he’s gone in the blink of
an eye . He took an alternative route instead of Blue Star’s entrance . We’re
heading in the direction that he might be going!”
Bai Jin Xi scrunches her eyebrows . This is big trouble; the old city district
has many twisting and turning streets, making it easy to lose sight of their
target . If they can’t catch him, how will they know that the offender is really
Chen Li Jiang? How will they be able to lay charges on him?
Just when she is about to call Zhou Xiao Zhuan, who’s responsible for
monitoring Chen Li Jiang, she suddenly sees Han Chen turn around and start
running in another direction .
“Bai Jin Xi!” he calls out her name .
Bai Jin Xi is dumbstruck for a second before she comes to her senses and
follows him immediately .
The backdoor of the factory .
_____
There’s a narrow passageway in front of the backdoor of the factory where

cars cannot drive on it and it’s covered with big trees . The two of them run
for over a kilometer, make their way around the factory area, and see a small
passageway from a distance .
Bai Jin Xi runs while keeping her eyes on the backdoor from afar .
She was just about to ask if they should find a place to hide themselves and
wait when a black and tall silhouette appears . The figure suddenly comes out
from a street corner that’s about 100 meters away, and is heading towards the
backdoor!
Bai Jin Xi’s heart pounds heavily as she shouts, “Stop right there!”
Han Chen has already dashed forward to chase after the person like an arrow
that has been released from a bow .
It’s him! It has to be him!
Who else would coincidentally appear at this location and at this time!
Besides a rapist on the run!
The suspect turns his head to look subconsciously after hearing someone
shout, but it’s too dark outside, so they can’t make out his face .
He then runs even faster .
But with Han Chen in the front and Bai Jin Xi following behind, the gap
between them is closing .
They’re just about seventy to eighty meters apart when the person has reached
the backdoor . The two meter high fence is locked, but the person athletically
flips over effortlessly, and runs into the factory area .
Han Chen follows close behind and also flips over the fence . He turns
around and glances at her when he lands . Bai Jin Xi can’t make clear of his
face, so she doesn’t understand why he turned to look at her .
But he doesn’t stop for a second . He quickly turns back and continues
running forward .
After a while, when Bai Jin Xi is at the backdoor, she raises her head and
stares at the tall metal fence .
She climbs up .
Her legs are already numb from all the running, and now that she’s squatting
on the top of the fence, her legs feel even more numb . She grits her teeth,
closes her eyes, releases her hands, and falls directly onto the ground .
Luckily, she reacts fast enough to put her hands forward to the ground; it’s
just that her face still got scraped, which hurts a lot .
Her whole body is covered with cold sweat, but she gets up right away .
Because of her fear of heights, her legs will become numb, making her unable
to jump down whenever she comes across these situations . Therefore, she
forces herself to fall down directly . Although it hurts quite a bit, at least it
doesn’t hinder other things .
The back side of the factory is where the dormitory is . There are no street
lamps visible, so everywhere is dark and quiet . Bai Jin Xi uses all her might
to sprint on the passageway; she sees two clear figures ahead of her, running
towards a well-lit road . And footsteps can be heard coming from that lit road
.
Half a minute later .
Bai Jin Xi finally reaches the end of the passageway and the well-lit road .
But she is completely stunned when she sees what’s in front of her .
The first thing she sees is Han Chen .

He is standing a few meters away from her; the back of his black shadow is
already damp from sweat . He pants as he stares forward . In those dark
brown and beautiful eyes, coldness and hatred can be seen .
In the front, about ten or so meters from where they are, a large crowd of
seventy to eighty workers in blue coveralls are coming out from the factory
area; they must have just finished their night shifts . The area is noisy and
filled with people . Many of the workers show surprised expressions when
they see the two of them .
As for the suspect that they’re after……has long hidden himself among the
crowd .
Bai Jin Xi’s phone rings .
It’s Zhou Xiao Zhuan .
He talks fast while full of doubt, “Leader, this doesn’t seem right! I snuck
inside the factory just now, and Chen Li Jiang was working all along and
didn’t leave . I’m still following him right now . He just left the factory and
is walking outside . ”
Bai Jin Xi is a bit shocked . She lifts her eye subconsciously to look at the
crowd of workers .
Han Chen watches her, and also looks towards the crowd .
Among the blue clothed workers, they spot a familiar face . It’s none other
than Chen Li Jiang, who’s with his two colleagues, walking quickly over . As
if he notices something, he suddenly turns his head and looks at them .
His dark brown eyes are peaceful and solemn .
And then, he turns to his colleagues; he says something, and smiles .

Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Chapter 14: Black Gloves
Bai Jin Xi is still in a daze when she feels someone holding her wrist tightly .
Her eyes meet with Han Chen’s when she turns around .
“Leave,” he states .
“Mm . ”
He releases his hold . It’s not until now that Bai Jin Xi realizes that her hands
have been in fists all this time .
So he grabbed her wrist just now to prevent her from acting rashly?
That’s impossible . No matter how angry or frustrated she is, she wouldn’t
act recklessly .
They turn around and leave with the crowd . The factory area behind them is
still filled with noise, and the night scenery around them is still empty and
quiet as before .
Bai Jin Xi murmurs, “This really sucks . ”
“It’s not worth it,” a deep and slow voice says each word clearly, “The more
times he commits an offense, the more evidence he will leave behind . He
is bringing about his own destruction . ”
_____
The third victim is named Zhao Man Man .
Unlike the previous two victims, she did not actually get assaulted .
This means that before the suspect could commit the crime, she notified the
police .
Arriving at the scene, Bai Jin Xi looks around as she stands in Zhao Man
Man’s bedroom . Everything has been kept as is; the lights are on, the bed
covers are in a mess, but nothing else is out of place . The window is shut .
Zhao Man Man is sitting on the side of the bed; an outer jacket is covering
her small figure; her shirt underneath is ruffled and tear marks can be seen on
her face .
Bai Jin Xi picks up the wooden stick on the bed with her gloved hand, “You
used this to hit him?”
Man Man nods .
How suspenseful must that have been?
He stalks her without her knowing, and then suddenly entering her place .
He’s tall with muscular arms . His eyes are full of madness behind the black
mask .
He pushes her onto the bed .
When he uses nylon ropes to tie her hands, she tries once to escape; kicking
him on the chest . It catches him off guard and he falls to the ground, but
quickly climbs back up . Man Man wants to run away, but he immediately
presses her to the bed . She can’t fend him off this time and both of her hands
are tied .
He lowers his head and kisses her everywhere . Due to her struggling to
escape, it takes him a bit of time to hold her legs down . And when he bends
down to tie them, the chance comes . Although Man Man’s hands are tied, it
doesn’t stop her from rolling to the inner side of the bed and fetching the
wooden stick . She swings it towards him .
Ever since she heard about sexual assaults happening in the area, she, who
lives by herself, has kept a wooden stick in her bedroom .
But his reflex is too quick as he dodges; the swing misses him . It’s just that
Man Man’s emotions are close to crumbling . She raises the stick and starts
to swing it non-stop; using all her might . That man tries to take the stick
away from her hands, but doesn’t succeed . In the end, he flees from the
apartment as she swings the stick frantically at him .
……
Bai Jin Xi pats Man Man’s shoulders, “You did very well . ”
Man Man wipes her tears and says in a raspy voice, “Officer, will you be able
to catch him?”
“Of course . ”
_____
The moment Bai Jin Xi pushes open the bedroom door, she sees Zhou Xiao
Zhuan running over .
“Leader, I’ve asked the factory director,” he says, “In the beginning,
everybody said that they will keep a secret about monitoring Chen Li Jiang .
But one or two of them behaved a little weirdly . When I pressed them, it
turns out that anassistant factory director had told one of his close
subordinates about it, and one of the union leaders told his wife about it too .
Although they promised that they did not disclose it to anybody else, I don’t
think we can trust them a hundred percent . ”
Bai Jin Xi is in deep thought, “So, we can’t rule out the possibility that Chen
Li Jiang knew that we had been monitoring him beforehand?” After all, there
is no wall that the wind cannot pass through in the world (there are no
absolute secrets in the world) . Especially when it comes to a state-run old
factory with complicated connections; secrets are hard to keep . Who knows
who is whose cousin, and who is whose best friend? The secret is told just
like that .
Therefore, in the third incident, Chen Li Jiang has a perfect alibi .
“What should we do now?” Zhou Xiao Zhuan asks .
“Let’s wait and see . ”
“Xiao Bai!” Investigator Xiao Qi comes running over, “the offender must
have left in a hurry and stepped onto the puddle right before the stairs, leaving
two clear footprints . ”
Bai Jin Xi feels a surge of energy, and follows him outside right away . Just
when she walks outside, she sees Han Chen squatting by the staircase . He’s
wearing black leather gloves and is examining the footprints with another
forensic investigator .
Bai Jin Xi takes a pair of gloves and squats by them as well . With her face
touching the ground, she examines the depth and shape of the print . Han
Chen feels her pushing him . He glances at her, stands up, and doesn’t say
anything .
The front of the staircase is muddy . The footprint is rather deep; about half a
centimeter deep, so the mark is clear . Bai Jin Xi is in joy: This means that
not only they can predict the offender’s approximate height and weight based
on the length and depth of the footprint; they might also be able to obtain
suspicious materials to infer where he had been or what kind of environment
he lives in . They may even be able to find out his real identity .
She stands up, and looks towards Han Chen .
The sky is about to be lit, revealing a dark blue colour, like a thin lace
covering on top of it . And a couple of seconds later, a ray of light bursts
through .
Han Chen leans against the wall in the corridor, lowers his head with a
cigarette in his mouth, and lights it up with a match . The fire dances as he
takes a breath from it . He then holds the cigarette between his fingers
wearing black gloves . He lifts his gaze at her .
Bai Jin Xi says, “The situation is clear . ”
Light smoke exits from his nostrils as he breathes, “Mm . ”
“But these two footprints, can probably only pin down one person . ”
“We need new evidence,” he says .
Bai Jin Xi thinks for a moment and nods, “We’ll review all the details of the
case right away . That evidence must exist . It’s just that we haven’t
discovered it . ”
He looks at her and doesn’t say anything .
Bai Jin Xi feels a bit awkward being stared at by him, “What’s the matter?”
He raises his arm to take a breath of smoke, and then uses his pinky to tap the
right side of his cheeks, “Face . ”
“What about my face?” she uses the back of her hands to rub against her face
. It doesn’t seem like there’s anything .
But what she can’t see is that when she was examining the footprints, her face
touched the ground, darkening it . It’s now an even bigger spot after she
smeared it . It stands out very much on her fair white and smooth skin .
Han Chen smiles, reaches out his hand with the cigarette between his fingers,
and uses his pinky to lightly tap her cheek once .
“Here . ”
The black leather glove that touched her face is cold, soft, and a sense of
toughness . It also carries a faint scent of cigarettes .
“Oh,” Bai Jin Xi pulls out a tissue from her pocket, and rubs the spot that he
touched aggressively; she can feel heat from the skin beneath and a slight pain
. She throws the tissue into the garbage can, “It’s fine . I’ll go wash my face
later . ”
She raises her head, and realizes that Han Chen is still staring at her .
“It’s still not gone?” she’s a bit surprised .
Han Chen doesn’t answer . He walks away with the cigarette in his mouth .
Bai Jin Xi turns around and looks up to the sky . The sun has already come
out; shimmering with golden yellow colour onto the contours of the old city
district . She rubs her stomach, “Hey, let’s go eat breakfast . ”
The other investigators arrived late night, while the two of them were at the
archives library before chasing after the suspect, running around the whole
night . She’s already feeling very hungry now . She needs to eat before she
can continue investigating the case .
“Mm,” he answers .
Under the shining sun, Bai Jin Xi can’t resist looking at his fair white side
profile, and then down to his hand that is holding a cigarette .
There’s no doubt, a man smoking wearing black gloves with hands that are
slender and well-balanced looks simply……handsome and mesmerizing .
Just as they take a few steps, Zhou Xiao Zhuan, who is on duty, comes
running over from the corner with face showing embarrassment and hesitation
.
“What’s the matter?” Bai Jin Xi asks .
He smiles greeting Han Chen, and then tugs her to the side . Han Chen flicks
the cigarette into the garbage can, leans on the wall with his hands behind
him, and waits for her .
Bai Jin Xi looks at Zhou Xiao Zhuan suspiciously, “What exactly is the
matter?”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan sighs and says in a low voice, “Leader, Forensic
Investigator Xu just came . When he walked out of the corner, he saw Han
Chen touch your face, so then he turned around and left . He looked……tsk,
tsk . Hurry and go chase after him!”
Bai Jin Xi is struck dumb . She looks at him with a hard to explain
expression, “What do you mean touch my face?! There was a mark on my
face!”
“Oh,” Zhou Xiao Zhuan lets out a breath of relief, and then starts to worry,
“But Forensic Investigator Xu misunderstood! Hurry and go chase after him!
He hasn’t gone far, you’ll still catch him!”
“Wait——” Bai Jin Xi wants to say something, but Zhou Xiao Zhuan has
already pushed her forward . She takes a peek, and sees a lean figure that
looks awfully like Xu Si Bai walking on the alleyway not far from where she
is .
Therefore, she turns around and says to Han Chen, “I need to take care of
something first . It’ll be quick . Wait for me . ”
Han Chen nods .
_____
As for why she has to chase after Xu Si Bai, Bai Jin Xi also feels weird about
it .
Xu Si Bai isn’t even her boyfriend; and Han Chen isn’t the person that she has
fallen in love with .
Furthermore, shouldn’t it be the guy chasing after a girl when it comes to

this?
How come when it’s her turn, it’s she chasing after Xu Si Bai?
But nevertheless, Xu Si Bai is her best buddy . If he really gets mad about
something, she’ll still have to chase after him .
As for Zhou Xiao Zhuan believing that Xu Si Bai has feelings for her?
That’s impossible .
There was one time when Zhou Xiao Zhuan asked her, “Do you think Xu Si
Bai likes you?”
Bai Jin Xi counters that thought immediately, “If he really likes me, why isn’t
he pursuing me?”
In these few years, there have been a few pursuers in the Jiangcheng police
force . As for Xu Si Bai? He has kept a good friend relationship with her,
and has never hinted about becoming boyfriend and girlfriend .
He has never crossed the line, and never gets too close .
_____
Bai Jin Xi runs on the alleyway for a while, and really does see the familiar
figure in the front .
Xu Si Bai is wearing a white shirt and brown casual pants today; tall and
refreshing . His head is slightly bent down, revealing his pale neck .
Bai Jin Xi watches him, and feels warmth inside . She quietly sneaks behind
him, tiptoes, raises her hand, and slaps the back of his head lightly .
He turns around a little startled .
Bai Jin Xi giggles, “What were you thinking? Why did you leave when you
came?”
He pauses for a moment, and then answers, “I suddenly realized that there’s a
problem with the corpse in the lab, so I left . ”
Bai Jin Xi smiles with both of her hands in her pockets, and asks, “It’s not
because you were jealous? It’s not because I have a new buddy, so my old
buddy feels uncomfortable?”
She reaches out her hand and pats him on the shoulder, like she’s an elder
brother comforting his younger brother .
Bai Jin Xi smiles .
It’s an exceptionally handsome face, like the sun shining on white snow;
dazzling the eye .
“Mm, I am jealous,” he says softly, “He has a bad reputation . I don’t want to
see you together with him . ”
So this is the reason .
“Old Xu! You’re thinking too much,” Bai Jin Xi smiles, “He’s not like that .
He’s quite dependable . ”
Xu Si Bai looks at her and doesn’t say anything .
Bai Jin Xi knows that she has captured his tiny hint of childishness behind his
quietness, so she puts her arm over his shoulders, places her head against his,
and says lightly, “Relax, he can’t compare to you . You are my No . 1 male
friend in my heart . Even Zhou Xiao Zhuan is behind you! Oh, but don’t tell
Xiao Zhuan . ”
Xu Si Bai shifts his pupils to look at her .
Because they’re so close to each other, those pair of long and narrow single
eyelid eyes looks even more dark, clean, and clear . And the light scent of
soap from his body also surrounds her .
“This is more like it,” he says slowly with a hint of smile brushing across his
eyes .
Bai Jin Xi chuckles as she releases his shoulders .
She can finally stop coaxing him……
It seems like the sunlight in the morning causes one to become lazy; Bai Jin
Xi feels exhaustion all over her body, so she decides to sit on the curb to rest .
Xu Si Bai sits beside her .
The sun shines over their heads, lighting up the entire alleyway, as well as
their bodies .
No one says a word .
After a while, Xu Si Bai turns to look at her . His gaze is focused and clear,
“Have you eaten yet?”
Bai Jin Xi answers casually, “No . ”
He stands up, “Let’s go . I’ll take you to eat . ”
Just when she’s about to accept his offer, she suddenly remembers her plan to
go eat with Han Chen .
Xu Si Bai notices her hesitation; thinking that she’s too busy with the case
and doesn’t want to eat, his eyebrows furrows slightly . Just when he wants
to talk her out of it, he suddenly raises his head and looks towards the other
end of the alleyway .
Bai Jin Xi follows his gaze and looks over as well .
Han Chen has actually come over with Zhou Xiao Zhuan . Xiao Zhuan is
showing a face full of innocence towards her .
It turns out that after Han Chen waited for a while at their original location, he
must have felt hungry and asked Zhou Xiao Zhuan, “Where is she?”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan has always been a little scared of Han Chen, so he
mumbles, “She probably still has some matters to tend to . Why don’t you go
eat by yourself?”
Han Chen doesn’t say anything more .
He then starts walking over by himself!
Even if you give Zhou Xiao Zhuan a hundred lives, he wouldn’t dare to say to
Han Chen: there’s a love affair going on up ahead, so you should take another
route to the breakfast stalls! Therefore, he braces himself and follows him
over .
Bai Jin Xi watches Han Chen come closer and closer . Their eyes meet, and
she falls into a daze .
Xu Si Bai turns to look at her . His voice is gentle, “Let’s go . What do you
want to eat?”
Bai Jin Xi: “I……”
Before she finishes, Han Chen has already walked pass them, disappearing at
the end of the alleyway .


Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Chapter 15: His Tenacity
A woman’s instinct can sometimes be a strange thing .
For example today, whether or not she eats breakfast or whom she eats it with
is really a small and unimportant matter . But recalling the back view of Han
Chen walking away by himself, Bai Jin Xi feels uneasy for some reason .
Thinking about it again, she’s probably just too soft-hearted .
Sitting in the car heading back to the station, Zhou Xiao Zhuan glances at Bai
Jin Xi .
After a while, he glances at her again .
Bai Jin Xi ties up a bag of Xiaolongbao (steamed soup buns), puts it inside an
insulated bag, and asks without lifting her head, “Why are you looking at
me?”
Xiao Zhuan feels a bit hurt, “Leader, do you have feelings for Han Chen?
You didn’t even go eat breakfast with Forensic Investigator Xu . ”
Bai Jin Xi decides to ignore him .
“But if you really do fall in love, I’ll definitely support you,” Xiao Zhuan says
with determination, “We have no choice but to dump Forensic Investigator Xu
. ”
“Rest assured,” Bai Jin Xi puts both of her hands behind her head, “No matter
whom I fall in love with, it won’t be Han Chen . ”
“Why?”
Bai Jin Xi looks to the front, “His mood is too heavy . ”
_____
They arrive to the station soon after .
Bai Jin Xi pushes open the office door and sees Han Chen sitting by the
window with a sandwich in his hand while staring at the whiteboard . There
are many things written on it .
Hearing the noise, he glances at her, takes a bite from his sandwich, and
continues looking at the whiteboard .
Bai Jin Xi recognizes that sandwich; it’s from the Starbucks just up the front
of the street .
What’s good about it?
She walks over, and puts the warm steamed buns onto the table, “Here, eat
this . Why did you leave in such a hurry? I didn’t know that Xu Si Bai would
ask me to go eat with him,” she pauses and then says, “Sorry about that . ”
Han Chen is still staring at the whiteboard . He slowly leans towards the
chair .
“It’s okay . Valuing sex over friendship and breaking promises is human
nature . No need to apologize . ”
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “He’s not my lover . ” She
looks at the side of his face and thinks in her heart: if anything, you’re the one
who values sex!
Han Chen reaches out and ruffles through the plastic bag, and places down his
sandwich .
“What’s the filling?” he grabs one of them .
Bai Jin Xi is a bit delighted . She sits across from him, “Chinese cabbage and
pork . Bought it from a street stall . They’re especially yummy . ” She
originally wanted to tell him that street stalls are what make the most
delicious foods . But he glances at her and puts the bun back inside .
“No thanks,” he picks up the sandwich and continues eating .
Bai Jin Xi can sense his attitude——so he thinks that street stalls are unclean .
This fellow! An old neighbourhood street stall might just be as clean as a

high class hotel! District Chief likes them very much .
He is truly a young master; so picky even when he’s a criminal investigator .

She has never seen an investigator eat Starbucks breakfast!
She immediately takes the steamed buns back, and decides to give them to
District Chief later .
At this moment, Zhou Xiao Zhuan comes in .
“Leader, Super Detective Han, are you guys going over the case? Can I
listen?”
“Yeah,” Bai Jin Xi answers .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan slides a chair over, and sits on the side . Han Chen stuffs
the last bit of his sandwich into his mouth . He scrunches up the wrapping,
and throws it into the garbage can, “Let’s start . ”
_____
Bai Jin Xi presents her conclusions first .
“What is certain is that the first two incidents were done by the same person,
but the third one was done by a different person,” she says, “In the first two
incidents, the offender was calm, composed, and had very high control over
the scene . Furthermore, he is an angry type rapist . He broke a lot of things
at the scene to release his emotions . But when we look at the third incident,
according to the victim’s report, the offender was in a bit of a panic, and he
did not break things in the apartment——he did not have that kind of emotion
to release, and even had to flee in the end . If it was the first offender, he
would definitely not have escaped . ”
Han Chen keeps quiet . Xiao Zhuan adds, “Yes! Moreover, Chen Li Jiang
appeared on the travelling paths of the two victims . This is a fact that cannot
be changed . ”
Bai Jin Xi nods, “Yes . The main offender must be Chen Li Jiang . There’s
no doubt about this . What we’re missing is the evidence that points to him .
Additionally, once the results come back regarding the footprint, we may be
able to lay charges on the second offender . ”
Xiao Zhuan asks, “So they are accomplices?”
Bai Jin Xi answers, “That’s right . From the fact that the second offender
imitated Chen Li Jiang’s style, he must be someone close to him . And he
was committing the crime during the perfect timing to help Chen Li Jiang
create an alibi . ”
“It’s very likely that he is Chen Li Jiang’s dormmate then,” Xiao Zhuan takes
out three photos, and frowns, “Who could it be?”
Bai Jin Xi and Han Chen both gaze at the photos .
“Zeng Fang Ping . ”
“Zeng Fang Ping . ”
They both speak at the same time .
They both take a look at each other .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is a bit surprised by them both speaking at the same time,
but asks, “Why is that?”
Bai Jin Xi glances at Han Chen, and answers, “Not only he is the closest with
Chen Li Jiang, according to Man Man’s description, the offender matches
Zeng Fang Ping the most . Furthermore, Xiao Zhuan, remember I told you
before that there are four types of rapists? The second type: self-
compensating rapist . They are shy and an introvert in real life, and lack the
sense of success . Raping can make him feel highly successful and
compensated . Look at Zeng Fang Ping . Doesn’t he fit this type of rapist
profile perfectly?!”
Her speech is full of exclamation; her beautiful eyes squint naturally .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan interrupts, “Leader, didn’t I tell you, don’t talk like that .
You look just like a fox……”
“Shut up!” Bai Jin Xi stops him . Her face actually flushes; she looks over to
Han Chen subconsciously . She catches him shift his gaze away from her
face .
Pshhh, a fox or not, she doesn’t look like one either way .
Xiao Zhuan laughs, “Hehheh,” and recalls another problem, “Super Detective
Han, how did you conclude that it was Zeng Fang Ping then? Oh, are you
also good at criminal psychology too? That’s incredible . ”
Bai Jin Xi lights up a candle in her heart for him: Xiao Zhuan, good job . You
just have to touch the sore spot . No one is as great as you!
Han Chen reaches for a cigarette, tilts his head, lights it up, waves the match
stick up and down, and then flicks it into the garbage can . He takes a breath,
and lifts his head to look at Zhou Xiao Zhuan, “What is criminal psychology?
I’ve never heard of it . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is stunned .
Bai Jin Xi stares at Han Chen’s side profile, and only has one thought:
He is really……such a bastard .
Han Chen picks out the photo of the footprint from the table and tosses it in
front of them, “It’s 26 centimeters long, and the stride is 76 . The ground was
made of soft yellow-brown soil, and the print depth was 0 . 3 . According to
these numbers, the suspect is approximately 178 centimeters tall and weighs
70-72 kg . Among the three, only Zeng Fang Ping matches the criteria . ”
Bai Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan “oh” in agreement .
They look at each other .
This is a tracking technique . No one at Guanhu Station understands it, but

they have seen other colleagues from the city station use it before . It’s just
that at the time, after the investigator collected the samples and returned to the
computer lab at the station to analyse them, it took several hours to conclude
the results . Han Chen took only a few looks of the prints at the scene, and is
able to come up with these findings just from his head?
Xiao Zhuan stares at Han Chen with eyes full of admiration . Bai Jin Xi on
the other hand, never thought that they would come to the same conclusion
with him using traditional investigation methods and her using criminal
psychology .
Han Chen is looking at her right now with solemn eyes .
Since they have come to the same conclusion, what’s left is to review and
reorganize the details of the cases, and find out if there are any missed clues
or evidence .
Bai Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan look toward the whiteboard in the room .
Basic info of the cases is written in very pretty printing on it——
“1 . Ma Xiao Fei incident, 2 . Ji Ya Xin incident, 3 . Zhao Man Man incident
Time: Saturday August 2, Wednesday August 6, Wednesday August 13
Place: 10 Daoli Lane, 5 South Lane, 17 Mianyang Lane
Main points: ……”
Han Chen holds his cigarette in one hand, resting on the armrest, while using
his other hand to flip through the files on his lap .
Xiao Zhuan is the first to find something, “I’ve found it! All three incidents
happened on a nice weather day, no rain or strong winds . ”
Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi don’t respond . This goes without saying . Of
course the offender needs to pick days with good weather; otherwise, it would
be too easy to leave traces behind .
Bai Jin Xi thinks for a minute and says, “The first incident happened on
Saturday, the second on Wednesday, and the third was also on Wednesday . ”
She raises her head to look at the whiteboard, “Is there a connection between
these?”
Han Chen lifts his arm and takes a smoke, “Mm . ”

Bai Jin Xi flips through her files, and shakes her head, “Oh, they rotate with
three shifts, and those two days happen to be off days . ” It looks like there
isn’t anything special about it .
The room is silent for a while before Xiao Zhuan speaks again, “About
that……there’s something else, but it might not be that useful . Wednesdays
and Saturdays are also the days of the week that Chen Li Jiang’s ex-wife Xu
Ying leaves for work as a tour guide . She is responsible for the tours within
the province, so she has quite a routine weekly schedule . ”
Bai Jin Xi and Han Chen both turn to look at him .
Bai Jin Xi: “Continue . ”
Xiao Zhuan: “Uh……that’s it . There isn’t much info on Xu Ying . She’s not
in Jiangcheng anymore . After the divorce, she moved to Hong Yu County . ”
Bai Jin Xi: “Hurry and go find her to discuss Chen Li Jiang . If the choice on
the days of the week has anything to do with his ex-wife, it means that Chen
Li Jiang’s tenacity is very strong . As an offender, the stronger his tenacity is,
the more twisted his mind is; the more twisted he is, the more he wishes to
use actions to satisfy his tenacity . Which day he chooses to commit the
crime, where he hides his tools, and where he leaves behind marks could all
be related to his tenacity . We might even be able to find the evidence to lay
charges on him . Xiao Zhuan, good job!”
Han Chen stares directly at her while she speaks . And Xiao Zhuan nods
vigorously, and then immediately rushes out of the office .
Only the two of them are left in the room; silence is all around again .
Bai Jin Xi looks at him, “Should we continue?”
He nods, presses the cigarette end into the ashtray, and takes out another one .
Bai Jin Xi holds out her hand with her palm facing up .
“You finished them?” he’s talking about the half a pack of cigarettes that she
snatched last time .
“Mm……”
He tosses one into her palm . After he finishes lighting up his cigarette, he
also tosses the matchbox to her . Bai Jin Xi lights up hers, and then fiddles
with the matchbox in her hand, “Give me this matchbox . You have so many
anyway . ”
“Mm . ”
Bai Jin Xi stuffs the matchbox into her pants’ pocket . The cool and hard box
has quite a good texture .
They both smoke while they continue to go through the files .
It’s already 9 or 10am . The sun is bright, making the room seem especially
quiet . Bai Jin Xi still can’t find any clues after reading for a while . She has
actually read through them numerous times whenever she has time in the past
few days . Therefore, it’s not easy to find something new .
Just as she’s trying to think hard while holding the almost done cigarette in
her mouth, she hears Han Chen say, “I’m not reading anymore . ”
Bai Jin Xi lifts her head to look at him .
“Read,” he throws the papers towards her, “Start . ”
“Huh?”
Han Chen leans against his chair, rubs the middle area between his eyebrows
with his fingers, and says with his eyes closed, “Our eyes are scanning
through the lines too fast, so many details are missed before our brains even
process them . Read the lines out word by word, and slowly . For one, it will
give our brains the time it needs, secondly, it’ll stimulate our hearing, and
thirdly, there are many details from the victims’ recording: their voices, scent,
and imagery . We can’t keep an objective view by relying on reading .
Reading it out loud will help trigger our brains to make associations, and
discover new clues . ”
Bai Jin Xi says excitedly, “That makes perfect sense . Not a bad idea .
Where did you learn this?”
Han Chen smiles, “There was someone in the past……” he suddenly pauses .
There was someone in the past that didn’t like reading the files and always
made him read it, saying a bunch of reasons and logic——these words appear
in his mind naturally like this .
And now, after he has solved so many cases and has read so many files in the
middle of the night, this super detective of Province K’s voice has no one
listening to it .
Seeing that he has suddenly stopped talking, Bai Jin Xi doesn’t really mind .
She picks up the files, flips open the detail recording from the first victim,
and starts reading out loud .
“Time: August 3, 10am in the morning . Place: Guanhu

Station’s interrogation room . Interrogator: Bai Jin Xi, Qi Zi Ze;Subject: Ma
Xiao Fei……” Bai Jin Xi’s voice is deemed the best in the station; she’s
always the one who’s asked to read out the newspapers . She’s highly focused
on reading right now, and recites rhythmically, “Ma Xiao Fei says: ‘It was
11:30pm, when I was walking home from work, I heard footsteps behind me,
but I didn’t pay much attention to it . When I arrived at the door……’”
While she reads, she suddenly feels something strange . She raises her head,
and sees Han Chen leaning on his chair with both arms resting on the armrests
staring at her quietly . He is born with beautiful eyes to begin with; dark in
colour; now that they’re looking at her with concentration, she suddenly feels
her heart pounding .
“What?” Bai Jin Xi asks, “What are you staring at? Did I read something
wrong?”
Han Chen doesn’t answer . He reaches for a cigarette, lowers his head and
lights it up .
Bai Jin Xi continues, “……’When I arrived at the door, I suddenly saw a dark
shadow standing by the stairway . It gave me a big shock . Just when
I……’”
“Shock,” he suddenly repeats .
Bai Jin Xi looks at him confused, “What’s the matter?” She looks down at
the file, “It was ‘a big shock,’ okay?”
Han Chen inhales from his cigarette, and then looks at her through the smoke,
“It’s ‘xia le’ (shock) not ‘xia ne . ’ Who taught you Chinese literature and
language in elementary school?”
Bai Jin Xi knows what’s wrong now . She’s from the South, okay? Not
distinguishing L and N sounds are perfectly normal . There once was a
colleague from the North that made fun of her pronunciations too .
She says nonchalantly, “What’s the big deal? It’s fine as long as you can
understand it . ” But she is now subconsciously paying more attention to her
pronunciations . She continues reading, “‘Just when I was going to shout, he
covered my mouth . He used a lot of force . The corridor was dark, so I
couldn’t see anything . He pressed me against the door while covering my
mouth, making me a little dizzy . He then snatched my keys, opened the
door, and pushed me inside . He used tape to seal my mouth . His actions
were very quick……’”
“‘heng quick . ’ What is ‘heng quick?” he suddenly asks .
Bai Jin Xi rolls her eyes, and continues, “‘His actions were……very (hen)
quick, and then he used those kinds of strings that were for closing bags to tie
my arms and legs . I simply couldn’t move at all, so I could only let him drag
me to the bed, and then……’”
“Those, simply, move at all, so I could……” he repeats in a low voice slowly,

pointing out all the words that she has pronounced incorrectly .
Bai Jin Xi’s whole body is stiff . She holds the file in her hand tightly, and
then raises her head glaring at him, “Am I reading or are you reading?!”
Crazy! Stinky Beijing bastard!
Han Chen glances at her, and smiles slightly with the cigarette in his mouth .
Bai Jin Xi also feels a bit like laughing, “hmph!” She picks up the file
swearing that she will ignore all distractions, and continues reading with
concentration, “……’He opened the window . Nothing was visible outside,
only the sound of a bell ringing……’”
“Bell ringing,” Han Chen interrupts her .
Bai Jin Xi can’t stand it anymore . That’s right! She can’t differentiate
between ‘en’ and ‘eng’ sounds . (the word ‘sound’ is pronounced ‘sheng,’ but
Jin Xi is pronouncing it as ‘shen . ’’)
With her hands on her hips, she looks at him, “Han Chen, you……” she
suddenly stops .
It’s because she notices Han Chen’s expression .
Her mind also starts thinking quickly .
Bell ringing?
……
Bell ringing!
Many clues, images, and sounds flash across her mind like fire sparks and
lightning——in the first victim’s recording, when he entered her from behind,
she raised her head helplessly, and saw the moon outside the window while
hearing a faint sound of a bell ringing . The second victim said, she saw him
open the window, and the sound of a bell ringing could be heard . He then
dimmed the lights, turned on the TV in low volume . On the night of the third
incident, she, Bai Jin Xi, and Han Chen were walking outside of the archives
library . During their silence, they heard long sounds of the bell ringing .
Furthermore, the first time she met Han Chen, he was standing by the window
with a cigarette in his mouth while saying, “The third point of suspicion,
during the assault, why did he have to open the bedroom window? Is he a
stupid idiot?”
……
Could “he” have opened the windows to listen to the bell ringing?!
The two of them look at each other . Bai Jin Xi says quickly, “In this area,
only the bell from Baoan Temple up at Tuofeng Mountain in the suburbs can
be heard . And the bell there is only rang for new years and special days,
unless someone pays to ring it at certain times for good luck . Those three
nights weren’t special holidays, so someone must have asked the temple to
ring it . The sound of the bell must have some special meaning to Chen Li
Jiang, and it’s very likely that it has something to do with his ex-wife, Xu
Ying . I’ll go investigate right away!”
_____
Bai Jin Xi immediately brings a few investigators to rush to Baoan Temple .
It’s just as she and Han Chen had thought; the temple Abbott confirms that
those three times the bell rang, was indeed requested by Chen Li Jiang .
Furthermore, Chen Li Jiang is a family member of one of the monks in the
temple, so he visits the temple often to pray . The police immediately search
the room that Chen Li Jiang stays in at the temple . The result is surprising
yet rejoiceful: they find many rolls of tape, strings, a black mask, and a set of
black clothing . These items also contain hair strands and fingerprints of the
victims .
Besides these, there’s also something that makes one want to vomit——a
couple of used condoms; the liquid inside has already dried out, and they’ve
been put in a tin can by Chen Li Jiang, hiding them in such a sanctuary place .
……
At night, the District Chief and the Branch Bureau Chief are in complete
shock from listening to Bai Jin Xi’s report . They immediately order the
criminal investigations department to take action, “Arrest the man!”


Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Chapter 16: Obsession + mini side story
5pm in the afternoon .
Investigator Xiao Qi is sitting inside the monitoring truck eating bread and
staring at Chen Li Jiang on the monitor screen at the same time .
“Hey, nothing fishy, right?” his partner comes over, and pats his shoulder .
Xiao Qi swallows the bread in his mouth, “Nope . Zeng Fang Ping chatted
with him for a bit just now, and then the two of them got to work . ”
His partner takes a seat beside him, “Keep a close watch . Xiao Bai called
just now and said that Zeng Fang Ping could be the suspect of the third
incident . They’ve gone to Baoan Temple to collect some evidence . We
have to watch both of them . I wonder if this Zeng Fang Ping knows that he
left footprints behind . If he tells Chen Li Jiang about it, he’ll be on an alert .
”
Xiao Qi wipes his mouth and says, “It should be okay . You see? They’re
both working fine at the factory . Moreover, we’re watching their every move
. ”
Just like Xiao Qi says, the next few hours pass by with everything going as
normal, and it’s quiet as usual in the truck . It’s just that their truck is parked
in the factory area, and there are limitations to the camera angles, so they
can’t watch both suspects every moment . But after a while, they’ll appear on
the screen again .
5:30pm .
Xiao Qi is leaning against the chair staring at the monitor when he suddenly
sits up straight, “Oh shit!” His partner immediately comes look, “What
happened?!”
On the screen, for some reason, a young worker’s clothes is caught by the
machine; his whole body is being pulled into the spinning cutting machine .
He’s located in a rather unnoticeable corner . His face is full of shock and he
is shouting for help, but probably because everywhere is too noisy that no one
can hear him .
“Hurry and save him!” his partner opens the truck door and hops down . Xiao
Qi follows .
Everything happens within a few minutes .
When the two investigators run into the factory, their ears are ringing with the
thunderous sound of machinery, almost burying the faint sound of someone
shouting for help . They hurry to the corner; one of them dash to turn off the
machine, and the other grabs onto the worker, trying his hardest to pull him
out . Their appearance finally captures the attention of the other workers;
everyone comes crowding over in full of shock, watching them save the
worker in the last of minutes .
“This isn’t right, Xiao Qi!” his partner investigator says staring at the cutting
machine, “The blade has been detached by someone . ”
Xiao Qi’s body shakes . They take a look around, but in the crowd of over ten
workers, Chen Li Jiang and Zeng Fang Ping are nowhere to be seen!
_____
“Ran off?!” Bai Jin Xi exclaims holding her phone, and makes eye contact
with Han Chen, “Report this to the Branch immediately . Request for
support, and seal off the area . We must not let them escape! They are
reckless criminals . Tell everyone to watch their safety . ”
Bai Jin Xi hangs up the phone staring at the road in front of her . They have
just returned from Baoan Temple and is very close to the old city district .
The alleyway is just up front .
Han Chen is driving . Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s pair of sharp eyes catch a glimpse
of something . He suddenly points outside the window, “Leader, there are
motorcycles!”
Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi turn their heads at the same time . There’s an auto
shop at the intersection of the alley, and there are really two motorcycles
parked there .
Motorcycles are obviously many times faster and more advantageous than
cars when it comes to alleyways .
Han Chen parks the car in front of the auto shop; Bai Jin Xi is the first one out
of the car . She hops onto a motorcycle, puts on a helmet, pulls out her police
badge and throws it to the shop owner who is rushing over, “We’re chasing
down a criminal! We’ll need to borrow this and return it to you later!”
The owner and his employees are in a bit of a shock seeing them and the
police car parked outside, so they don’t dare to say anything; they quickly get
ready to close the garage .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan hurries to go behind Bai Jin Xi . He grabs the other helmet
and puts it on . Han Chen takes out his gloves and wears them . He hops
onto another motorcycle, but a worker suddenly comes over, “Of-Officer, this
bike isn’t fixed yet . ” Han Chen gives the pedal a push; it really doesn’t
work . He lifts his head, looks over, and sees that Bai Jin Xi has already
started her motorcycle; Zhou Xiao Zhuan has his arms around her waist,
getting onto the back .
Han Chen gets off the broken motorcycle, walks behind Zhou Xiao Zhuan,
and pulls him off .
Xiao Zhuan turns around puzzled, “Super Detective Han, why did you pull
me?”
Han Chen puts on a helmet and gets on, “That one’s broken . You go think of
another way . ”
“Hah?!”
Bai Jin Xi is putting in all her might to start the motorcycle while also
planning out the best route to take in her head . Due to being highly focused,
as well as wearing a helmet, she doesn’t notice what’s going on behind her at
all . It’s just that no matter how hard she thinks, the roads in her mind are
chaotic like a spider web . She gives up in the end and decides to rely on
Zhou Xiao Zhuan behind her .
She senses weight behind her; someone has gotten on . Without hesitation,
she accelerates and speeds forward .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is standing by the roadside in a daze . A kind-hearted

worker pushes out a bicycle, “Mister Officer, do you think this will do?”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan grits his teeth and hops on . It’s okay, he still has a pair of
legs . He’s going all out!
_____
Bai Jin Xi drives for a while before she notices that the person behind her is
awfully quiet . He doesn’t have his arms around her waist either . It’s just
that their helmets come in contact with each other every now and then, so she
can tell that someone is there .
Sigh, what is with Xiao Zhuan today?
She speaks, “Hold onto my waist . Or do you want to fall over? Hurry and
take a look . Should we make a left or make a right?”
The person behind her keeps quiet for a few seconds .
And then, she can feel a warm body gradually leaning against her, encasing
her .
And then a pair of hands in black gloves reaches forward from behind . It
doesn’t wrap around her waist, but they’re right against her arms, holding
onto the bike’s handles as well .
“Let me drive . Let go of your hands,” his deep voice speaks by her ear
against the helmet .
Bai Jin Xi’s heart skips a beat . She then releases her hands . He immediately
takes over the steering . His hands in black gloves hold onto the handles, he
steps on the pedal, and the motorcycle accelerates even faster .
“Where’s Xiao Zhuan?” she asks .
“Behind . ”
“Oh . ”
The setting sun shines on the stone road . The occasional passersby quickly
dodge when seeing them . Bai Jin Xi’s hands grab onto the front of the bike
tightly while keeping a lookout for suspiciousness around them . As for Han
Chen behind her, he’s completely in a racer mode; his arms wrapping around
her, his body leaning forward, and against her back . Bai Jin Xi can feel his
helmet brush across her neck a few times . This means that his head is just
above her shoulder .
It’s a strange feeling because Zhou Xiao Zhuan has never driven a motorcycle
with her like this . Xiao Zhuan has always wrapped his arms around her waist
for support .
Perhaps the sunshine is too beautiful; leaning against his embrace, she
actually feels warm inside .
No one says anything throughout the ride .
But Bai Jin Xi’s neck feels very stiff for some reason .
“We’ve found the target! We’ve found the target!” Bai Jin Xi’s walkie talkie
comes on with a voice full of urgency, “Two targets are heading towards
Daoli Lane . All officers nearby please provide support!”
Bai Jin Xi grabs her walkie talkie, “I’m Bai Jin Xi . Han Chen is with me .
We’ll come right away . ”
The motorcycle makes a quick turn; Bai Jin Xi’s body fall over to the side,
giving her a fright, so she quickly grabs his arm . His arm doesn’t budge,
preventing her from falling .
Bai Jin Xi repositions herself, and retreats her hand right after .
_____
Daoli Lane .
The sky has gotten darker . The road is surrounded with mostly old buildings
that need to be taken down, so there aren’t many people at this hour . Taking
a look ahead, there are a few homes lit, but there are also abandoned buildings
falling apart .
Bai Jin Xi and Han Chen get off the motorcycle . They walk slowly forward
side by side .
There are two trails of footprints on the ground; they must have stepped onto
a puddle; not continuous, but clear .
Bai Jin Xi raises her head and gazes at the sparsely occupied apartments and
two faces of green coloured walls . She asks in a low voice, “From the
footprints, do you think it’s them?”
“Yes,” Han Chen has one knee bent down . He presses onto the ground with
his hands wearing black gloves .
They both get up, and starts following the footprints .
Han Chen suddenly stops with a stern expression on his face .
Bai Jin Xi turns around and looks at him, “What’s wrong?”
“Si Si lives just ahead . ”
Bai Jin Xi is stunned . They pick up their pace, and when they arrive at the
front of the alley, they see Si Si’s small store .
The sky isn’t dark yet, but the store is already closed; no signs of any activity
.
Bai Jin Xi’s heart pounds quickly; it can’t be such a coincidence, can it? But
thinking about it again, it’s very possible . The two criminals on the run have
been forced into this alley by the police; blockades and support have been set
up to capture them, so they have no way of escaping . Si Si’s small store is
close to the intersection with windows and doors open wide . A single mom
with a child is also easy to take control of; it’s simply the best place for hiding
. The criminals can dodge the police for now, and then escape later, which is
the best plan .
“Follow me,” Han Chen walks leaning against the wall .
Bai Jin Xi follows closely behind .
They quickly make their way to below the window of the small store without
making any noise . Bai Jin Xi glances at him . He lifts his head, showing
prominent side profile .
It’s the first time she’s working with an evenly matched partner . It actually
makes her feel……very satisfied .
Satisfaction from being free and unconventional .
Han Chen looks at her and makes a hand gesture . Bai Jin Xi understands
right away; he’s asking her to guard the backdoor while he breaks in from the
front .
This also means that he will take the more dangerous route .
She keeps silent for a second, and then pats the left side of her chest, advising
him to be careful .
He nods his head .
Bai Jin Xi turns around and walks along the side of the wall . But after a few
steps, the back door bangs open; someone comes rushing out of it . Seeing
his look and figure, it’s no other than Chen Li Jiang! His hands are covered in
blood while he’s holding a knife with a stiff face, running forward!
Bai Jin Xi’s heart shakes . Just when she is about to lift her legs to run after
him, someone grabs her shoulder .
“I’ll go,” Han Chen’s voice says by her ear .
When Bai Jin Xi turns her head, she catches a glimpse of his face; his eyes are
dark and deep-set .
He releases her shoulder the next second, and runs forward . He runs faster
than Chen Li Jiang, so quickly chases him and disappears at the end of the
alley .
Bai Jin Xi takes a moment to clear her mind . She then looks towards the
opened backdoor that’s not far away, and slowly gets closer . The closer she
gets, the more she can smell the scent of blood in the air .
She then hears someone crying .
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t hesitate anymore; she enters the place with her back
against the wall . When she’s just a few steps inside, she is completely
shocked by what’s in front of her——
The lights are on, and blood is splattered everywhere on the floor . Si Si’s
clothes are ripped and in a mess while she’s hugging a child, hiding in the
corner; both are crying . On the floor beside the bed, a man is lying there
with a knife stabbed into his body; like a body of blood . His eyes are bulging
and his face is pale, clearly indicating that he is already lifeless .
It’s Zeng Fang Ping!
Si Si is in a bit of surprise to see Bai Jin Xi come in; the child she’s hugging is
crying even louder now, as if it can finally cry without holding back . Bai Jin
Xi gives her a quick glance, and starts searching the place; confirming that
there is no one else in the place, she immediately squats in front of them .
“Officer……” Si Si embraces her right away . It’s also now that Bai Jin Xi
can see that not only her body is covered with bruises, there is also a dark
strangling mark around her neck .
Bai Jin Xi embraces both her and the child; she can’t imagine what had
happened just now, and in front of a child . She takes a deep breath, and says
in a soft and consoling voice, “Everything is okay now, everything is okay
now . The police will be here very soon . You are both fine now . Here, Si
Si, listen to me, let’s go outside . We shouldn’t let the child stay inside here .
”
Si Si is crying her heart out, but nods while lifting her child . Bai Jin Xi grabs
a jacket from the bed, puts it across her shoulders, and walks them out .
“What happened?” Han Chen appears at the door .
The moment Bai Jin Xi sees him, her heart misses a beat . He’s standing with
the light behind him, but his arms are covered with blood, and his black polo
shirt is wet .
“Brother Han……” Si Si covers her face crying . Han Chen goes to her, and
supports her other side like Bai Jin Xi is doing . He says in a deep voice,
“Everything is fine now . Let’s leave first . ”
“Mm,” Si Si nods .
With Si Si in between, Bai Jin Xi glances at Han Chen . He notices, and

shifts his gaze to her .
“Is everything alright?” she asks lightly, “Where’s the guy?”
“It’s okay,” he raises his arm to look at the blood stains, and then lowers it
again, “It’s not my blood . The other one has been caught . I’ve gotten Xiao
Zhuan and the rest to take care of it . ”
Bai Jin Xi feels relieved .
The instant they walk out, they can already see many officers standing outside
. There are also two police cars parked at the front of the alley . Under the
street lights, they can see Chen Li Jiang locked in the backseat of one of the
cars with two officers sitting beside him .
Bai Jin Xi lets out a long breath of air .
_____
The officers have started examining the area . Si Si has finally coax the child
to sleep, letting him rest in the backseat of a police car . She turns around to
look at Han Chen, Bai Jin Xi, Zhou Xiao Zhuan and the others, and then
slowly sits down beside the car . Tears begin flowing from her eyes again .
……
Si Si saw those two men just when the sun was setting .
They looked a bit familiar; probably came by to buy cigarettes before . They
stood at a corner chatting and occasionally taking a glance at her . Si Si felt
uneasy inside .
They then came over .
“Give me a pack of Baisha (cigarettes),” the young man with a thinner built
said .
Si Si felt relieved as she bent down the counter to fetch the cigarettes . But a
shadow suddenly flashed across her eyes; the other stronger built man had
actually jumped over the counter . Si Si was in fright, but it was too late .
They covered her mouth and dragged her into the house . She then watched
them close up the store .
Once they got inside, Chen Li Jiang spotted Dou Dou, who was sitting on the
floor playing . It also gave him a scare .
The mother and son pair was then forced to stay on the bed . Chen Li Jiang
threatened her not to make any sound with a knife in his hand . Si Si didn’t
dare to, so she could only hug the child and stay as quiet as she could while
praying that they would leave soon .
The sky gradually became dark .
It seemed like someone had just run passed the little store .
And then another one ran passed .
The two men inside the home slowly felt restless, especially Zeng Fang Ping,
who kept asking, “Brother Chen, what should we do? What should we do?”
Chen Li Jiang seemed rather calm, and replied, “We might not be able to
escape . ”
These words made Zeng Fang Ping even more restless .
When did Zeng Fang Ping suddenly thought about raping her? Si Si doesn’t
remember . Perhaps it was because Chen Li Jiang’s words made him felt
hopeless, or perhaps it was because the sky was getting darker and darker and
the way he looked at her changed .
“Brother Chen,” he said, “since we can’t escape anyway, my life is over . I

never once got to enjoy a woman . Let me have her . ”
They both turned to look at Si Si . Si Si was devastated .
“No! Don’t be like this . I won’t tell the police . I never saw you two……”
Si Si plead her hardest .
“Don’t touch her,” Chen Li Jiang interrupted her speech, “she’s got a kid . ”
Si Si was relieved . Chen Li Jiang turned his head and his eyes met hers; they
were peaceful and profound .
But Zeng Fang Ping wasn’t too happy . He kept staring at her with his eyes
turning red .
Chen Li Jiang took out a few cigarettes and stood up, “Let’s go . If we can
break free, we’ll be off . If we can’t, then that’ll be it . ”
Zeng Fang Ping was already standing up, but suddenly said, “Brother Chen,
let’s split up . That’ll make us become smaller targets . You should leave
first . ”
Chen Li Jiang thought for a moment, and probably felt that they would have a
better chance of escaping this way as well, so he nodded . He glanced at Si Si
on the bed, and said, “Being able to escape is more important . Don’t touch
her . ”
Zeng Fang Ping agreed .
Si Si’s heart felt heavy .
The moment Chen Li Jiang stepped out of the backdoor, Zeng Fang Ping
turned around and stared at her .
His eyes were like a beast locked in a cage .
He pounced at her .
When did Zeng Fang Ping started strangling her? Si Si’s mind is in a
complete blur and can’t remember clearly . She wasn’t planning to fight him,
but Dou Dou rushed over crying, calling for mommy . When he was pushed
over the bed and fell down, she started to struggle .
Her breathing was becoming harder . Zeng Fang Ping was in a bit of a panic,
and wasn’t aware that he was attempting to kill someone; he was just trying
hard to make her quiet .
Si Si understood that she was going to die soon .
So she used her last breath of air to say, “Dou Dou……close your eyes . Be
good, mommy is fine . Uncle is just……playing a game with mommy .
Close your eyes……”
Close your eyes, my child .
Close your eyes, and nothing will happen to your world .
Suddenly, everything stopped .
The hands around her neck were released . Zeng Fang Ping made a few
muffled sounds, he grimaced from pain, and then his body fell on top of her .
Si Si started taking large breaths of air, and then she saw Zeng Fang Ping’s
body covered in blood being pushed away by someone .
Chen Li Jiang’s face was somber . His eyes were red standing behind Zeng
Fang Ping with a knife in his hand .
Si Si quickly embraced her child from fright . The mother and son pair
huddled together . She covered her child’s eyes with her hand, not letting him
see what was in front of them .
Chen Li Jiang stood silently for a while . Si Si didn’t dare to make any noise .
“Your kid doesn’t need to close his eyes anymore because he can no longer
harm you,” he said .
……
The sky is already dark .
Bai Jin Xi and Han Chen stands under the streetlamp, looking not far away at
Si Si, who’s sitting inside a police car caressing her child . Chen Li Jiang on
the other hand, has been taken away by another police car .
“He has always been calm and restraint . It’s possible that when he saw a
mother who was about to be rape, as well as hearing what Si Si said to her
child at the moment, that affected him, making him lose his senses and kill
Zeng Fang Ping,” she says, “He harmed a few innocent girls, yet he saved the
lives of this mother and son pair . ”
“A mother’s love . ” Han Chen lowers his head to light a cigarette, and then
waves the matchstick to put it out . He glances at her, and pulls one out for
her .
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t take it . She says, “I only smoke when I’m stressed from
investigating a case . Since the case is over, I need to ban myself from it . ”
Han Chen smiles .
There isn’t much lighting, but his face is well lit . Bai Jin Xi suddenly
realizes that he actually looks very gentle when he smiles .
Of course, very handsome too . His eyebrows, eyes, nose, lips, and the shape
of his face are in clear view .
Looking at him, Bai Jin Xi feels like letting out a sigh . She turns around and
looks at the old city district under the night sky . They both don’t say
anything .
At this moment, an investigator standing beside a car calls her, “Xiao Bai,
we’re heading back to the station, are you leaving yet?” The road is narrow,
so they only drove two police cars here; one of them has already taken Chen
Li Jiang away, while Si Si and her child is in the other . Other police officers
will have to walk a distance to fetch their vehicles at the main intersection .
Bai Jin Xi glances at the motorcycle beside her, and answers, “You guys head
back first . I still need to return this motorcycle before going back to the
station . ”
She gets on to the motorcycle . The weather is too hot and since she’s not in a
hurry, she decides not to wear the helmet . She starts the bike, and turns
around to look at Han Chen, “You……”
The seat behind her weights down; Han Chen has already gotten on . He
flicks the cigarette in his hand, “Let’s go . ”
Bai Jin Xi is a little startled, “You’re not leaving with them?”
There doesn’t seem to be……a need to ride together right now .
“You remember your way back?”
He hits right on Bai Jin Xi’s weak spot, “Oh . ”

The motorcycle rides steadily . Bai Jin Xi holds onto the handles, and
secretly takes a peek behind her . He doesn’t have his arms reaching forward
this time, and he’s not holding her waist either; she has no idea where his
hands are holding, and his body is keeping a small distance away from her,
but she senses his aura .
After driving a while, a thought comes into Bai Jin Xi’s mind, so she says,
“Why don’t we head directly to the station since we’ve borrowed the
motorcycle anyway . If we return it now, we’ll have to take the bus back .
We can go to the station first, and when I get off work, I’ll just take it back
on my way home . ”
“Mm,” he agrees, breathing out a breath of air at her neck; Bai Jin Xi can feel
goosebumps on her body .
She slowly turns to the direction of the station .
His arms suddenly reach out from behind . Just like during the day, he places
them right beside hers holding the handles .
He’s not wearing any gloves or helmet right now . His body leans forward,
and he’s breathing just by the side of her neck .
“Let go,” he says beside her ear .
“Okay,” Bai Jin Xi releases her hands .
The night is quiet . The wind blows towards them . A big bridge is ahead of
them as they drive out of the old city district . The water beneath the bridge is
very dark, yet very calm; reflecting the warm lighting from both shores .
They drive on a boulevard as they head further down . Schools are around the
area, and there are still people running and playing basketball at the court .
There is a mall, and its fully lit and noisy . On the boulevard, the lights criss-
cross each other . There aren’t many cars or people, so the sound of the
motorcycle crisp and clear .
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t move as she sits in front of him . She lifts her head and
looks what’s ahead of them . And he’s also very quiet, not saying a word
throughout the whole ride .
_____
It’s almost 8pm when they arrive at the station .
Han Chen parks the motorcycle, and gets off first .
“You go ahead first . I’m taking a smoke,” he says .
“Oh, okay,” Bai Jin Xi gets off as well, and they walk in opposite directions .
The interrogation room is on the second floor . Bai Jin Xi takes the side
staircase . When she gets to the landing of the staircase, she turns her head
subconsciously, and sees that under the dim yellow streetlight, everything is
blurring, like a still painting . Han Chen is leaning against the wall, lighting
his cigarette with his head down . The light stretches his shadow, and he’s
wearing black from head to toe, only his fair white face can be seen . His
eyelids are semi-closed as he smokes; it seems as if he’s standing close, yet
far away at the same time .
Bai Jin Xi watches for a while before continuing up the stairs .
The image of the two of them riding the motorcycle floats into her mind again
.
She actually felt gentleness from the Han Chen just now .
But then again, she must be thinking too much . They were riding as
colleagues only . When it comes to being close, Zhou Xiao Zhuan always
holds her waist, and won’t even let go when he’s scared .
She must just be thinking too much .
__________
Mini Side Story: A Man’s Troubles
Han Chen dislikes having body contact with women not only because he has a
fiancée or that he likes keeping his feelings pure . It’s because……
Ever since he was little, he has always disliked it .
When he was little, because he was good looking, from a wealthy family,
played basketball well, and was good with doing homework, he was always
surrounded with many girls . From kindergarten, elementary to middle
school……at times it even felt absurd to him; girls would get jealous of each
other and fight or scheme to harm each other……girls would fight to sit
beside him in class; they wanted to hold his hands during field trips; when he
was smoking in the corner of the court, a bunch of girls would secretly stand
in the building above him commenting how handsome he was, which also
made him get caught by the teachers .
So he understood when he was little that women are…… . very, very

troublesome .
Therefore, ever since elementary school, he was cold, proud and aloof . The
most common things he said to girls were: “Don’t touch me,” “Go away,” and
“I don’t like you, goodbye . ”
Therefore, Young Master Han the thirteen had a nickname at the time
called……”Han Chu” (lit . “Chief Han” on the surface, but also denotes
“Virgin Han”) . At first, it sounded like a name for an authoritative person .
One time, his dad heard someone call him this and felt intrigued: “So
what?… . . You’ve even given yourself a position now? What do they call
you……Chief Han?”
At the time, Han Chen was still a young lad, so his face flushed as he
responded, “It’s because they’re too troublesome . ”
In the end, he falls in love with the most troublesome one . She is really
troublesome; she’s picky, and loves to be pretty . She’s usually cheerful, but
when she’s upset, she’s extremely sensitive like a kitten, wanting someone to
coax her and dote her . But Han Chen dotes her willingly . Even his buddies
are in shock seeing the way he is now that he’s in a relationship and says,
“Holy, Brother Han, you can’t be so good to a woman, otherwise, be careful
that she’ll step all over you . ” Han Chen replies, “Shut up! I’m willing to . ”
A lot later, he finally understands something . The saying is true……no

matter how much money, his willingness cannot be bought . The heavens
made him experience girls harassing him and making things hard for him
when he was little, just so that he could save up all his affections, gentleness,
and good qualities . He saved them all for this one woman .
Han Chen feels that this is very good .

But after having her, sometimes when Han Chen is by himself, he
would reveal a fascinating smile .
The young and handsome man feels a bit of sourness in his heart, but also a
bit of excitement .
He thinks to himself: he could finally get rid of his “Han Chu”

nickname……!!!


Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Chapter 17: Reflection of Beauty
Han Chen smokes for a while downstairs before going up .
When he arrives outside of the interrogation room, he spots Bai Jin Xi sitting
across from Chen Li Jiang right away; they’re in the middle of talking .
Xiao Zhuan, who’s been standing in the corridor, comes over, “Super
Detective Han, Chen Li Jiang is admitting to all of his crimes . He’ll be taken
into custody now . District Chief says that everyone has worked hard for the
past few days, so we’ll continue with the interrogation with our other
colleagues from the branch tomorrow morning . ”
Han Chen nods, and says looking at Bai Jin Xi, “What is she doing now
then?”
Xiao Zhuan answers smiling, “Super Detective Han, you don’t know? Leader
always chat with the suspects every time . She’s very secretive about it and
won’t let others be around . We’ve already gotten used to it, so you don’t
need to mind about her . ”
He leaves after finishing explaining . Han Chen continues standing, watching

them through the dark glass window .
Bai Jin Xi looks very calm; her expression doesn’t seem like she’s
interrogating a suspect; she looks more like she’s chatting with a friend . The
light shining on her face makes her skin look sparkling white, while her eyes
are dark brown and glistening . She takes out a cigarette and hands it to Chen
Li Jiang . Chen Li Jiang takes it, she stands up, and reaches over to light it for
him .
They say a few words, and then Bai Jin Xi gets up, pushes the door open and
leaves . Chen Li Jiang continues sitting calmly . After a while, he puts the
cigarette down, slowly covers his eyes with his hands, and lowers his head .
_____
Bai Jin Xi sits behind her desk and starts getting busy .
Although the case has been solved, there are still a lot of follow-up work that
needs to be done . She just wants to finish them soon and then take a few
days off to reward herself .
She has just typed a few words when she hears a voice coming from above
her head, “What did you say to him in the end?”
Bai Jin Xi raises her head .
Han Chen presses both of his hands onto the edge of the table while looking
down at her .
Bai Jin Xi pushes the keyboard in front of her away, and then leans back .
“Do you know why he had to hear the sound of the bell?” she says, “It’s
because he met his ex-wife, Xu Ying, at Baoan Temple . Their eyes met for
the first time when the sound of the bell came on . A very romantic story . ”
She speaks slowly, “And then, on important days like anniversaries or her
birthdays, he would go to Baoan Temple and request them to ring the bell .
They’ll spend the day at home listening to the bell ring while eating dinner
and making love . It’s very intimate and very affectionate . They found Xu
Ying today, and she also confirmed this . But Chen Li Jiang has a bad temper
and a low salary, so after being together for a long time, Xu Ying couldn’t
stand him anymore . On top of the fact that she’s a tour guide who leaves
home often, so the result is what we see: she left . ”
Han Chen pulls out a chair, sits down across from her, and twists open a bottle
of water .
Bai Jin Xi continues, “As for why he saved Si Si and her son, he only asked
me one thing . He said, ‘Have you bought a pornographic DVD before?
Have you seen a mother holding a child while selling these DVDs?’ I said,
‘Yes, many of them . ’ And then Xu Ying told us that she had a miscarriage
before . This had caused great grief to Chen Li Jiang . ”
She pauses .
Han Chen has his chin up drinking the water .
His eyelids are half closed; his eyelashes are very long . The light reflects at
the bridge of his nose . As he is drinking, his Adam’s apple moves up and
down .
He finishes the entire bottle of water, and throws the empty bottle into the
garbage can . As if he senses her staring, he lifts his head to look back .
Bai Jin Xi immediately shifts her gaze away .
“In the end, this is what I said to him . I said, ‘I know that it’s because you
love her too much . There’s really nothing wrong with being crazy over
someone when you think about it . It’s just that you also know that, even
doing this won’t save yourself . Moreover, who will save those women that
you harmed? You actually didn’t want to harm them, right? You just really
wanted the warmth that you were once familiar with . Stop this, okay? There
are many people who cannot get what they want, and yet they live with it .
You just need to hang tight and overcome it . If you can come back out in the
future, go visit her, and go visit them . See whether or not they’re living in
happiness, and then ask yourself if you forgive yourself?’”
Han Chen’s arms are on the armrests . He stares at her and doesn’t say
anything .
Bai Jin Xi feels a bit uneasy from his stare, “What? My speech was quite
deep and moving . ”
“Mm, you’re quite good at making things up,” he tilts his head to light up a
cigarette .
“Pshhhh!”
Xiao Qi walks in, and hands Bai Jin Xi a stack of files . The two of them start
discussing softly .
Han Chen continues to sit on the side smoking quietly as she gets busy .
After a while, he looks down at his watch .
Because the preliminary results from examining the scene of Zeng Fang
Ping’s death are out, there are quite a number of investigators coming in and
out of the office to talk to Bai Jin Xi . Bai Jin Xi is working non-stop with
full concentration .
When there’s finally no one coming, Han Chen stands up, “I’m going back
now . ”
Bai Jin Xi happens to be reading the autopsy report, so she hums, “Mm,”
without lifting her head .
From Han Chen’s angle, he can only see the top of her head .
He smiles slowly .
“Bai Jin Xi, goodbye . ”
Bai Jin Xi raises her arm and waves absentmindedly, “Bye-bye . ”
_____
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t know how long she’s been working . Her throat feels a bit
dry, so she reaches out her hand to fetch the mug on the table .
She suddenly notices from the corner of her eye that Han Chen’s seat is
already empty .
Not only his seat is empty, his desktop that’s usually piled with files has also
been tidied up with nothing left .
She’s stunned for a minute before recalling the voice in her head:
“I’m going back now . ”
“Bai Jin Xi, goodbye . ”
……Going back?
She turns her head subconsciously to look out the window . It’s already night
time, and the courtyard of the station is still and quiet . There’s no sign of
anybody .
She pulls out her phone, scrolls to the number that she has previously labeled
with “Bastard Han,” and dials .
“We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable……”
As if it’s confirming her thought, a roaring sound can be heard from outside
the window, and an airplane soars through the night sky with its lights
flashing .
Bai Jin Xi is dumbstruck with the phone in her hand . A thought comes into
her mind:
He has left just like this? She hasn’t helped him buy the specialty foods
yet……
_____
It’s late night when Han Chen’s flight arrives at City Lan .
Many areas inside the airport have already turned off the lights, and only the
arrival terminal is still lit, but it’s very quiet . Han Chen walks out of the gate
wearing sunglasses while pulling his suitcase . He slept through the entire
flight, so the light feels hard on the eyes right now .
He sees a woman with long wavy hair and fair white skin wearing a pinkish-
grey long dress in front of him; very eye catching standing among the crowd .
She’s the daughter of the University principal, so she naturally has great
qualities; the people around can’t help but glance her way, probably to see
whom she’s waiting for . She on the other hand, is only holding a cellphone,
standing on her tiptoes with her arms slightly crossed, keeping a look out .
Han Chen doesn’t pause his footsteps, and walks directly past her .
“Han Chen!” she shouts; her voice is mellow and sweet . Quite a few people
glance over at them .
Han Chen stops his footsteps . She has already caught up to him . She
reaches out her hand to take over pulling his suitcase .
Han Chen moves his hand and avoids her . His face is expressionless as he
continues walking forward .
“I already said that you didn’t need to come pick me up,” his voice is cold .
The girl does not respond .
They both don’t talk along the way .
Once they exit from the revolving door, the girl speaks, “I was afraid that you
wouldn’t be able to catch a cab at night, so I went to your place and drove the
car over . ” She takes out the car key, and Han Chen immediately snatches
them .
“Who gave you the car key?” He walks ahead by himself, “Don’t drive my
car again . ”
The girl watches his back . After a moment of silence, she raises her head to
look at the night sky, lets out a long sigh, and then chases after him .
The parking lot is especially quiet at this time . Han Chen throws the suitcase
into the trunk, and opens the car door . The girl walks to the passenger side,
and just as she is about to open the door, she sees Han Chen taking off his
sunglasses and turning his head over her way .
“You sit in the back,” he says .
The girl’s hand freezes on the car handle for a few seconds, and then closes
the door . She goes to the back, pulls open the door, and sits inside .
Han Chen lights up a cigarette, and throws the matchbox onto the passenger
seat . With the cigarette in one hand, the other holding the steering wheel, he
looks relaxed yet unapproachable . He steps on the pedal, and the land rover
speeds away .
They don’t talk during the ride .
There are more cars on the road once they exit the highway, so their car speed
slows down . The lights reflecting on the car windows look like small
meandering rivers .
Xin Jia has been staring at his side profile all this time, but he hasn’t once
turned around .
After a while, Xin Jia turns her head, and looks outside the window .
“Did you find ‘her’ this time?” she asks softly, “You didn’t find anything,
right?”
Han Chen takes a breath of smoke, “It’s got nothing to do with you . ”
Xin Jia folds her arms . A hint of smile crosses her eyes .
“Han Chen,” she says, “what do we have to do to make you believe that the
‘her’ you’re looking for has never actually existed . You don’t believe my
words, you don’t believe your buddies’ words, and you don’t believe your
mom and dad’s words . It’s just an imagination and dream that you had while
you were unconscious for a year! Even the psychologist said so! If you
continue like this, what will everyone do? What about Uncle and Auntie (his
mom and dad)?”
Han Chen puts out the cigarette and flicks it away, “Are you done? Whom
I’m trying to find is my business . No matter how much my mom and dad
likes you and takes you as their daughter-in-law, you will never be my wife .
You got it?”
Xin Jia doesn’t say anything .
After a while, she wipes away her tears and says, “Han Chen, I’ll continue to
wait for you . Not because I want to be the daughter-in-law of the Han family
. I don’t care about that . It’s because I really care about you, and don’t want
to give you up . It’s because I believe that you’ll understand one day that ever
since you were little, the person that has always been by your side is me, and
not someone else!”
Han Chen keeps quiet .
After a while, the car stops at the front of a neighbourhood .
“You’re home,” Han Chen places both of his hands on the steering wheel,
“Get off . ”
From his back view, his neck is very straight just like his side profile; there’s
not a hint of gentleness or curvature .
The instant Xin Jia gets out of the car and closes the door, he steps on the
pedal, and the land rover speeds away .
_____
Han Chen lives in a neighbourhood nearby the police station . The apartment
isn’t big; just one bedroom and one study . Its interior design is elegant, and
the place is very clean and tidy .
It’s already past 1am when he finishes taking a shower . He has only a towel
wrapped across his waist as he walks to the floor-to-ceiling window by the
living room .
Outside the window, the whole city seems as if it’s in deep sleep .
Xin Jia’s words resonate in his ears again: It’s just an imagination and dream
that you had while you were unconscious for a year! The “her” you’re
looking for has never actually existed .
He rubs his forehead .
He supposedly got into an accident during a mission and hurt his head, which
led to his memory lost . And throughout these years after the accident, he has
had severe headaches from time to time .
He pours out two painkillers, swallows them, and sits down on a chair .
After a while, the headache goes away . He opens his eyes . His forehead is
already covered with sweat .
He suddenly thinks about Bai Jin Xi .
Remembering what she said tonight——There are many people who cannot
get what they want, and yet they live with it . You just need to hang tight and
overcome it .
Han Chen smiles slowly .
She says it like it’s so easy .
But she’s right, isn’t she?

The “her” that he cannot have, is like a faint yet burdening dream . No one
can tell him about her existence; he can’t even remember what she looks like,
but when he eats, walks, or sleeps, he would fall into a daze out of nowhere
and his heart would feel confused .
He just feels that there should be someone here .
Someone by his side, and in his life .
He lights up a cigarette and starts smoking quietly . Perhaps because it’s the
coolness due to being late at night that it suddenly makes him think about the
imagery of him and Bai Jin Xi riding on a motorcycle together .
The hand that is holding the cigarette freezes without him knowing .
It’s not that there aren’t any women around him who haven’t tried seducing
him or clinging onto him . Xin Jia is the most persistent one . Besides her, it
seems like wherever he goes, there would always be a few of them .
But he never feels anything in his heart .
He has always avoided them . If they won’t let him go, he would reject them
blatantly .
But today……
He can still remember clearly, when riding on the motorcycle, the feeling of
being close to her . Even though they were wearing helmets, he could smell
the fragrance from her hair; and the skin on the woman’s neck and arms were
delicate like the snow; her waist was slim and had smooth contours .
He has eyes after all, so there’s no way that he wouldn’t have noticed .
And when he reached out his arms to enclose her and hold onto the handles,
even though it was an urgent decision for the sake of investigating the case,
his heart felt a certain kind of warm feeling .
When they were heading back, they didn’t need to ride on the same bike
again, but he used an excuse and rode all the way leaning against her .
From start to end, Bai Jin Xi never tried seducing him .

He was the one seducing her .
Keeping a close distance, he spoke by her ear in his deep voice, and pretended
not to see her neck stiffening .
……
Is it because he has been by himself for too long? Or is he just too desperate
for not being able to find “her”? Or is it because she has disappeared for too
long in his heart, so he feels a hint of resentment?
It’s like he’s possessed and suddenly long for the feeling of warmth from two
people embrace each other .
Han Chen takes a breath of smoke, slowly closes his eyes, and leans against
the back of the chair .
—End of Arc 1—


Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Chapter 18: Prologue to T
Late night .
The temperature is rather cool at night in City Lan during the summer . The
wind from Yangtze River blows from the North, moisturizing the entire city .
Many people are already asleep, while many others have just begun their day
.
In the central part of the city, there’s an old district .
A forty or so year old man is standing on the balcony of his home shirtless
while having a beer . Inside the apartment, his wife is cleaning up the dishes
on the table and cursing at him at the same time .
A mosquito flies across . The man slaps his hand on his arm .
And then he’s stunned .
It’s because he seems to have heard a sound just now .
Like it came from his body .
He looks down, and is in shock .
On the left side of his chest where his heart is, a splat of red has appeared .
He touches it with his hand——it smells like red ink .
The man’s expression changes . He stretches his neck to look down below
and curses, “Which mother-f—-r is shooting everywhere! Look after your
own child! If I catch you shooting all over the place, be careful I’ll come
spank you!”
Only silence responds to him .
Ten minutes later, at another neighbourhood not far away .
A young man is sitting on the sofa at home swaying his arms and legs non-
stop as he smokes and listens to music . This is a very dirty home; the
original colour of the sofa cannot be made out anymore, the table is piled with
take out boxes and water bottles, and flies are everywhere .
The music is turned on loud; the young man shakes and bops his head to it as
if he is engulfed in his own world .
“Splat . ”
He seems to have heard a very faint sound, but he doesn’t pay attention to it .
It’s not until he gets up to go to the washroom and sees himself in the mirror
that he notices that there’s a red mark on the chest of his shirt . He frowns
and touches it; it’s a certain kind of red paint . He doesn’t mind it too much,
he closes his eyes, and starts swaying his body to the music again .
An hour later, far away at the entrance of the nightclub, Diamond Dynasty .
A group of youngsters come out with their arms around each other . They’re
well dressed, but are smothered with the smell of alcohol . One of the girls
are wearing revealing clothes; suspenders that cannot be thinner, a mini skirt
that cannot be shorter, and a pair of high heeled boots . One of the guys
pinches her waist, and she pushes him away, “Go away!” Everyone starts
laughing . The girl also laughs . She reaches out and pulls the guy back to
her side again . They put their mouths together and starts French kissing .
Everyone around them are blowing whistles .
“Splat . ”
No one hears the sound . The group continues walking . When they arrive to
the better lit parking lot, someone points to the girl’s chest, “Hey, what’s that?
Are you bleeding?!”
Everyone looks towards her . The girl lowers her head, touches it, and finds
out that it’s red ink .
“Who did this?” she says annoyingly holding out her hand with red ink on it,
and starts wiping it on the others’ faces, “Who secretly smudged this on my
chest? You’re so hateful!”
The group fools around for a while and laughs together again . They finally
hop onto two vibrant coloured sports cars and drive away .
……
The night gradually becomes quiet again .
This city on the plains along the river is quiet like it’s a mirage . The sky is
dark blue, and the moon is bright white . Many tall buildings still have a few
lights on, shining on people’s dreams .
At the top of one of the buildings, there’s only one light that is always turned
on . It’s very, very far off the ground .
There’s a man, standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window .
He’s holding a gun in his left hand .
A red colour liquid is dripping slowly from the muzzle, and his hand is
already covered in red .
He’s been standing this way for a long time . He raises his head and looks
through the window .
The same red ink is used to write the following string of numbers:
“1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 . ”
He slowly lifts his hand, and using his finger that is covered with red ink, he
draws lightly on top of each number with a big——”X” .
He lowers his head again .
With one of his arms pressing against the window, he writes on the bottom
right area under the numbers with a crooked and capitalized——
“T” .
The ink drips continuously, and the writings on the glass window eventually
blends together into a blob . They become illegible in the end .
The man keeps his standing position with his head down, and doesn’t move .
_____
Jiangcheng .
Bai Jin Xi is sitting in front of the computer biting on her pen; scribbling on a
piece of paper from time to time .
For a Jiangcheng citizen who doesn’t have a lot of memory, she is writing up
a guide for buying specialty foods——
The dried peaches from Chen’s Dried Goodies……The people on the internet
have praised it for being the best . She’ll take three catties (~1 . 8Kg) .
The tofu skin at the main road of the East side of the city……She doesn’t like
them too much, so she’ll just buy one bag .
The tasty Marinated duck……She likes these the best . Would five bags be
enough?
……
That should be enough, so she folds the paper and stuffs it into her pocket .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan gets up from his seat and is just going to eat breakfast
when he sees her, “Huh, Leader, aren’t you supposed to be off today? How
come you still haven’t left yet?”
“Mm, I just needed to look up some stuff . I’ll be going now,” she says
vaguely, and also gets up from her seat .
When they get to the door, they immediately spot a familiar figure walking up
the stairs at the corner with District Chief .
It’s no other than Xu Si Bai .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan leans against the door and says in a low voice, “I actually
think that Forensic Investigator Xu is more suitable . Although he’s a bit shy
and petty when it comes to you, he’s highly efficient when it comes to work .
A very decisive man . As for somebody else……What’s that saying again?
Distant water can’t put out a nearby fire (in desperate need for help, but is out
of reach) . ”
Bai Jin Xi glares at him .
Xiao Zhuan immediately changes his words, “Uh……this seems like you’re
too unreserved . It’s not suitable, not suitable at all . Hm……the whip cannot
reach (too far to be able to help) . Yes, the whip cannot reach!”
Jin Xi doesn’t bother responding to him . She glances at Xu Si Bai from afar,
stands up, and exits through the back door .
Xiao Zhuan stares at her back, and can’t seem to pinpoint how he feels .
He wonders where Leader is going; she’s actually hiding and not going to eat
lunch with Forensic Investigator Xu!
At the stairwell about ten meters away .
Xu Si Bai is chatting with District Chief . It’s District Chief who’s doing
most of the talking, while he’s mostly listening attentively .
And at an instant, it’s as if he senses something, he turns his head and looks
over .
He catches a glimpse of a shadow disappearing at the end of the hallway .
He’s a little shock .
“Xiao Xu, will that be alright?” District Chief asks .
Xu Si Bai turns his head back to look at District Chief, and smiles, “Okay . ”
_____
The streets are much hotter than inside of the building .
Bai Jin Xi is standing in front of a shop . She’s fanning herself with the
newspapers in one hand, and she’s holding a couple of bags full of stuff in her
other .
“Five bags of duck wings, and also five bags of duck necks,” she says boldly .
“Sure thing!” the shop owner grins, “Do you want them in mild, medium, or
super hot?”
Bai Jin Xi thinks for a minute, “Please wait . ”
She sits down in front of the shop, orders a cup of green bean slush, and takes
out her cell phone .
She scrolls through her address book until she finds the number with the
updated label, “Han Chen . ” He has been gone for four to five days now, but
they haven’t once called each other .
She types word by word, “Can you eat spicy?”
She waits for two minutes . No response .
A possibility suddenly comes to mind——it can’t be that this fellow didn’t

save her number, can it?
It’s very possible .
Therefore, she sends him another text, “I’m Bai Jin Xi . ” She then decides to
add deliberately, “Bai Jin Xi from Guanhu Station . ”
_____
The public security bureau (provincial station) is located at the center of City
Lan . It’s a tall white building; peaceful and solemn .
It’s exactly noon . Han Chen is sitting behind his desk; two of his colleagues
are standing in front of him, asking him about a certain case .
And then, his cell phone on the desktop vibrates .
He grabs it, takes a look, puts it down again, and continues listening to his
colleagues .
But within two minutes, the phone vibrates again .
He picks it up to take a look, and smiles .
His colleagues also notice that he is receiving text messages one after another,
so they stop .
Han Chen’s fingers tap quickly on the mobile keyboard and sends the text out:
“A little bit . ”
Bai Jin Xi replies right away with an “OK” smiley only .
They’re pretty much done discussing about the case, so his colleagues start to
chit-chat with him .
Han Chen is leaning against his chair . He spins the phone in his one hand
twice, stops, and replies: “Thanks . ”
She replies him right away again: “What are you thanking me for? There’s no
need . ”
A smile gradually shows on Han Chen’s face as he stares at the text message .
Is she being a little too bitter?
Just because he said “no thanks” to her Xiaolongbao (steamed buns) last time
.
His two colleagues also sense something is not right from his expression .
At the provincial station, Han Chen also has another very popular nickname .
But everyone only dares to call him by it privately, especially female
colleagues . No one dares to call him by it in front of his face .
“Qiao Han Chen . ”
From the novel, “Sui Tang Yanyi,” the son of emperor Yan, the young “Qiao
Luo Cheng” is brave and fierce, killing hundreds of enemies . He has
handsome facial features, but is always stern looking, making him
unapproachable .
They can’t believe that they’re actually seeing “Qiao Han Chen” texting on
his cellphone, and even smiling on his face . How can they not be shocked
about this?
After Han Chen finishes sending his text, he sees his colleagues staring at him
with full of curiosity .
He stands up calm and composed . He stuffs the phone and a pack of

cigarettes into his pocket, and walks out .
_____
There aren’t a lot of people in the stairwell at this hour . Han Chen finds a
corner with sunshine, leans against the pole, lights up a cigarette, and starts
smoking quietly .
After a while, the cellphone in his pocket vibrates .
“Delivery tracking number: 8794XXX1 . It should arrive tomorrow . ”
With the cigarette between his fingers on one hand, he texts back back with
the other: “How much?”
There’s no response after a long while this time .
Han Chen presses the cigarette down, and calls her .
_____
It’s not on purpose that Bai Jin Xi doesn’t reply . It’s because she’s standing
at the post office piled with parcels as she tries to wrap her box up .
She’s just taping the box when she hears the phone rings . She frees one of
her hands, places it between her ear and shoulder and answers without
looking at the number, “Hello . ”
“It’s me . ”
Bai Jin Xi freezes for a second .
Through the phone, his voice sounds a bit different than in person . It sounds
deeper, but very clear and crisp .
“Oh,” Bai Jin Xi answers, “What’s up?”
“How much is it?” he asks, “I’ll deposit it into your account . ”
Bai Jin xi can almost imagine that he is standing at some place holding a
cigarette between his fingers, and is talking on the phone with an indifferent
expression on his face .
“There’s no need,” Bai Jin Xi continues taping up the box and the screeching
sound can be heard, “If I go to City Lan next time, you can treat me to dinner
. ”
Among all the noise, his voice comes on again, “Mm, sure . ”
It’s a simple answer, but maybe because of his mellow voice, it actually gives
her heart a slight shake .
“Okay,” she replies .
The phone is silent for a while .
“I’ll hang up now,” he says .
“Wait!” she speaks, “I included you in the Chen Li Jiang report . I’ll send it
to you tonight . Take a look at it and see if there’s any changes that need to be
made . ”
“No need,” he says, “I don’t read those . ”
Bai Jin Xi replies with “Oh . ” It makes sense . He’s an experienced

detective, so he definitely doesn’t read these basic reports .
“It’s fine as long as you don’t write nonsense,” his voice is a little muffled . It
sounds like he has a cigarette in his mouth .
Bai Jin Xi giggles, and says confidently, “This is great! I’m best at writing
nonsense . I’ll try my hardest to make sure this report leaves a black mark on
your record . ”
_____
After sending the parcel, it’s not yet 2pm . Bai Jin Xi makes her way home
leisurely .
Thinking back at Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s words today, “Distant water can’t put
out a nearby fire (in desperate need for help, but is out of reach),” what
nonsense .
He doesn’t understand . Close friends’ relationships can stay as clear as

water (nothing more than friends) .
When she’s almost at the entrance of her building, she spots a familiar
looking white Chevrolet .
Xu Si Bai is leaning against the car, looking at her from afar .
Bai Jin Xi smiles with both of her hands in her pockets, and walks towards
him .
“What are you doing here?” she asks .
Xu Si Bai smiles, “Someone said that once she had solved the case, she would
treat me to a big meal . ”
Bai Jin Xi is in a daze for a minute . She did say something like this before,
and she was very sincere at the time .
But……
Her face flushes, “About that Old Xu……today is the 28th, which is at the
end of the month……”
She had only a couple hundred bucks left, and used them to buy stuff for Han
Chen .
Xu Si Bai laughs immediately; his laughter is the gentle kind with his eyes
sparkling .
“Get in the car,” he opens the car door for her, “I’ll lend you money for now .
You can give it back to me when you get your next paycheck . ”
Bai Jin Xi says, “……You sure about this?” She sits inside .
He rests his arm on the rim of the car, lowers his head, and looks directly at
her, “With you, anything is okay . ”


Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Chapter 19: You Step Forward I Step Back
Xu Si Bai has made reservations at a restaurant in the central part of the city .
It’s already past lunchtime, so there aren’t a lot of people in the restaurant .
Streams of spotlights shine above their heads, and the floor is covered with a
thick and soft layer of carpet; the atmosphere is quiet and relaxing .
After Bai Jin Xi finishes ordering her meal, she rests her chin in her palm and
watches Xu Si Bai complete his order .
He’s wearing a white shirt and a pair of brown casual pants today . He looks
more laid back than when he’s wearing the white lab coat at work . Perhaps
because his facial features are too refined and he looks well educated, so
when he raises his head and places his order with the waitress speaking in his
low voice, it’s as if the waitress has been affected by his aura, she also talks to
him in a low voice and very politely .
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t actually know too much about Xu Si Bai’s background .
She only knows that his parents are abroad doing research; a literary family .
He on the other hand, is a forensic investigator . His pay is not high, and he
is not a big spender . But when there are things that he needs to spend money
on, he does without frowning; like buying an apartment, car, expensive
research equipment and books, donating to disaster fundraisers, treating her to
a meal……etcetera . It’s obvious that he comes from a family with some
wealth .
If they were in ancient time, he would be a prince from a prestigious family

who does not seek after fame or fortune .
They don’t have anything to say after completing their orders .
On the white stage in the middle of the restaurant, a female pianist is playing
on the piano; music flows through the atmosphere like a smooth running river
.
Bai Jin Xi watches for a while, and then turns her head and asks him, “Have
you been busy lately?”
“It’s alright,” Xu Si Bai lays the napkin on his lap, “How about you?”
“Not busy at all,” she smiles, “It’s always not busy after solving a case . I
want to take a good rest . ”
He also smiles, “You’re off tomorrow, where do you want to go?”
Bai Jin Xi scrapes the silver spoon in her hand across the plate, “I want to
visit the police academy . I haven’t been there for a long time . ”
Not only it’s been a long time .
She has only been there two or three times after losing her memory; it’s been
a few years since the last time .
She seems a little sad about it, so Xu Si Bai says gently, “Okay . I’ll go with
you . ”
Bai Jin Xi waves her hand, “You don’t have to . I can go by myself . ”
He shakes his head, “You’d have to take the bus . I’ll drive you there . ”
His tone is determined . Bai Jin Xi knows that she won’t be able to talk him
out of it, so she might as well accept his offer . She nods smiling, “Okay .
I’ll have to trouble you then . Thanks!”
Their dishes arrive . Xu Si Bai doesn’t like to talk while eating, and Bai Jin
Xi has gotten used to this, so they eat quietly . Usually, after they finish
eating, they would each go home or go back to work; a very efficient lifestyle
.
But unexpectedly, after a few bites into their food, he suddenly speaks, “Jin
Xi . ”
Jin Xi raises her head .

He puts down his fork and knife, places both of his hands on his lap, and sits
up straight . His fair white face is actually blushing slightly . He looks into
her eyes .
“Ever since I was little, I’ve always been a boring kind of guy,” he says, “I’ve
never had a girlfriend, and I’ve always planned to stay single for life because
I feel that maybe living with someone else is not suitable for me . ”
Bai Jin Xi stares at him stunned .
He continues, “But……a person’s thoughts and feelings change . These

changes are not something that we can control . I think……I should probably
find a girlfriend . ”
_____
Late at night .
Bai Jin Xi is lying in bed with both of her arms behind her head, looking at
the stars outside of the window . She’s thinking about her trip to the police
academy tomorrow .
According to the records, she wasn’t born in Jiangcheng, but in a county

beside it . She supposedly lived there until seventeen before moving to
Jiangcheng . After losing her memory, she has visited the county once .
Many of the neighbours have already moved out, so there aren’t a lot of
people who recognize her . Whenever she bumps into an old neighbour, they
usually recall who she is after she tells them her name, “Jin Xi, you’re all
grown up now! You’re so pretty . You’ve changed so much that I can barely
recognize you . ”
She didn’t study at the police academy in Jiangcheng either . Instead, she
studied at the nearby one in City Shajiang . The Shajiang police academy is
actually a second rated school; many people who graduate from there don’t
become officers, or even if they do, they are sent to small villages and towns .
She’s considered lucky in terms of finding a job . It’s just that the last time
she visited the academy, there wasn’t anyone who she was familiar with
anymore . She did bump into an old classmate who was still studying there
and recognized her; he felt quite bad for her after hearing what happened .
As for her home in Jiangcheng? It was burnt down . She hadn’t been in
Jiangcheng for a long time before that either, so she didn’t have many friends
.
Thinking about it now, she’s actually free off all ties and worries after the turn
of events .
Ever since she has dreamt of that man a few times, she has decided to visit the
police academy to take a look again . It’s because if she really did have a
boyfriend, it must have been during the time that she was at the academy .
Thinking about the word “boyfriend” makes her remember the words that Xu
Si Bai said to her at the restaurant during the day .
At the time, a possibility flashed across her head, making her heart skip a
beat, but she let it go subconsciously, and didn’t bother to dig deeper .
She smiled and said to him, “That’s great . I think you’re most suited to find
a girl who’s gentle . That way, she’ll match well with you . ”
Xu Si Bai kept his silence for a few seconds and then smiled, “Mm, yeah . ”
……
Xu Si Bai, oh, Xu Si Bai .
She suddenly feels like she doesn’t understand him at all .
She lifts her arm and turns off the lights . She doesn’t want to think about it
anymore . It’s time to sleep .
_____
The next day, Xu Si Bai arrives at her place to pick her up .
The Shajiang police academy is about a three-hour drive from Jiangcheng;

they can go and come back the same day . In their casual wear, they eat
breakfast downstairs, and then start heading off to their destination via the
highway .
There aren’t a lot of cars on the highway; Xu Si Bai maintains 90 km/h,
drives steadily, and rarely overtakes others . Staring at his hands on the
steering wheel, Bai Jin Xi suddenly thinks of Han Chen .
They both have pretty and long hands, but their driving styles are completely
different .
One of them drives steadily and comfortably, and the other……is frightening
and scary .
“Why do you suddenly want to go back and visit the police academy?” Xu Si
Bai asks .
Bai Jin Xi is looking at the morning fog outside of the window, “You
remember I told you about the dream I had? I dreamt that I might have a
boyfriend in the past, so I want to go back to the academy to take a look . ”
Xu Si Bai is also a bit surprised . After a moment of silence, he asks, “A

boyfriend?”
“Mm, but it could just be my imagination . ”
Xu Si Bai doesn’t say anything more .
After a while, Bai Jin Xi speaks, “Old Xu, I know what you’re thinking about
. You’re just being kind and don’t want to put me down . Yeah, if there really
is such a person, after I got into the accident and including the few years after,
he would have shown up already . So why do I still want to find him? I also
have the feeling that it wasn’t a perfect love relationship . It’s possible that
him and I might have already broken up in the past . But……there’s a feeling
inside my heart that I can’t explain . I just feel that I have to go and take a
look . Furthermore, even if we’re no longer in a relationship, if he really
exists, it’ll still help me find back my memory, right?”
Xu Si Bai turns to look at her . He’s looking at her with a gentle gaze, “Okay
. ”
_____
In the same morning at the provincial station of City Lan, it’s peaceful yet
busy .
The instant that Han Chen walks into the office, he sees a big box on top of
his desk .
He sits down, puts the box on his lap, takes out an utility knife, and cuts
through the tape .
His eyebrows raise slightly .
A box full of stuff .
He puts down the knife, takes out the stuff one by one, and places them onto
the table . He notices that Bai Jin Xi has packed everything very well,
especially some of the goods that are easy to crumble; she has used bubble
wrap around them nicely and neatly, not leaving any corners exposed .
It differs very much from her usual careless personality .
Besides the different packages, he also finds a note . There are only a few
words scribbled on it: Marinated duck is the best . I know you can only eat a
little spicy, but I think your coworkers will probably love them, and the shop
owner also said that spicy tastes the best, so I bought four packs of regular,
and one mild for each kind——don’t grab the wrong ones!
Han Chen puts the note aside, and flips through the packages . Among the
packs of duck necks, duck wings, and others, there is indeed always a pack of
mild spiciness at the very top of all of the pile .
It’s almost time for work . A few investigators come in and their eyes light up
as they spot the things on Han Chen’s table .
“Duck neck! I like them!”
“What’s this? Dried peaches . Leader Han, where did you get all these?”
Han Chen lets them go through the packages . He leans against his chair,
lowers his head, and lights up a cigarette, “Jiangcheng specialty goods . You
guys can split it . ”
Everyone is obviously good with that, so they all come over and start
grabbing the snacks . Someone sure knows what’s good as he grabs a pack of
duck wings first thing, but he’s disappointed after reading the flavour on the
package, “Mild? How can you eat duck wings on mild? Is there super hot?”
Although he says this, he continues hogging the package in his hand as he
looks for other snacks .
He picks out another package, and when he raises his head, he sees Han Chen
staring at the one that he has been holding all this time . He immediately
understands, “I can’t take this one? I’ll save this for you then?”
Before Han Chen answers, Captain Qin of the investigation team walks into
the office, “What are you saving it for? He doesn’t eat these . Split them all .
Don’t leave any of them behind!”
The investigators are soon done .
The office is gradually permeated with the smell of snacks .
Han Chen’s table is in a mess after they rampaged through it .
He cleans up the bubble wraps and tapes, and throws them into the bin . And
then it’s the note .
He picks it up and reads it again . He fetches a book from the table, and slips
it inside . He then grabs his phone .
“Got it,” he sends two words .
He waits while smoking, but doesn’t get a reply . He holds up the phone
again, and types: “What are you doing?”
After typing the message, he doesn’t press the send button . He keeps quiet
for a moment, and then throws the phone back onto the table . He grabs the
matchbox, gets up, and goes outside to smoke .
_____
Bai Jin Xi hasn’t responded to his text because she hasn’t noticed it yet .
She has just gotten out of the car and is standing with Xu Si Bai in front of the
entrance of Shajiang police academy .
The place hasn’t changed much from the last time she visited; clean white and
tidy dormitory, sports field, and walkway; as well as the silver colour police
shield logo at the front of the entrance . It’s just that it’s summer right now, so
there aren’t a lot of people; the place is quiet .
Bai Jin Xi knows very well that it’s not hard to find “him . ” She might find
out just by asking an old classmate . But it’s been a few years since she left,
and she has already lost contact with many of her classmates, so she doesn’t
know where to start now .
The school area isn’t big; they follow the walkway and finish walking around
the school soon . They stop at the billboards at the side of the entrance .
Xu Si Bai asks, “Do you recall anything?”
Bai Jin Xi shakes her head .
It looks like her memory has really been damaged thoroughly; even walking
around the school that she has once stayed in can’t help her recall any images
of being with “him . ”
“I want to continue walking around by myself,” she says .
Xu Si Bai nods . He places both of his hands into his pockets, and waits for
her at the billboards .
Bai Jin Xi continues walking along the billboards . After a small distance,
she stops her footsteps, and looks up at the photos on the wall .
There is a graduation photo of every class on it . There’s one for hers as well
.
Probably because it’s been there for a while, the photo has gotten a little
yellow, and it’s not too clear . She can only vaguely make out herself wearing
a police hat standing in a certain row .
She then reads the names listed on the right side of the photo one by one .
She wonders if “he” is also in it .
She spots a classmate’s name on the list, and she freezes .
After she recovered from the car accident and visited the academy, she had
bumped into this classmate . He stayed at the academy to be an assistant
instructor . He was kind and empathized with what happened to her . They
chatted and exchanged numbers .
She thinks for a moment, pulls out her cell phone, scrolls to his number, and
dials .
It takes a few seconds for the other end to pick up .
“Hello?”
“Hello, is this Ye Zi Lu?”
“Speaking,” Ye Zi Lu sounds surprised and delighted at the same time, “Bai

Jin Xi, is it you? How come you suddenly thought about calling me today?”
Bai Jin Xi laughs, “I came back to the school today, so I thought I’d call to
see if you’re here . ”
Ye Zi Lu says regretfully, “Just bad luck, I’m out on a business trip . How
many days are you staying? Have you eaten yet? I’ll call the cafeteria and
make arrangements for you . ”
His friendliness warms Jin Xi’s heart . She says, “It’s okay, it’s okay . I’ll be
going back today . I called to ask you about something . ”
“What did you want to ask?”
Jin Xi pauses for a moment, and then asks, “Do you know when I was in
college, did I have a boyfriend?”
Ye Zi Lu also pauses for a few seconds before asking her back, “Why do you
suddenly want to ask about this?”
Jin Xi answers, “This helps a lot with recovering my memory . ”
“Oh, is that so……” Ye Zi Lu continues, “I wasn’t actually that close with

you during college . But I heard that you were indeed in a relationship with a
guy at the time . ”


Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Chapter 20: So Gentle
Bai Jin Xi looks up at the group photo on the billboard .
She reads and searches through the names slowly .
She finds it .
The guy in the photo is still twenty something; a fair white face, handsome
looking with a tall nose . Even though everyone’s head is small in order to fit
in the group photo, it’s obvious that he is good looking .
It seems to match up with the man that she has seen in her dreams . But it
also feels unfamiliar .
This is what Ye Zi Lu has told her just now: her ex-boyfriend’s name is Zhao
Zi Xu, who was also in the same class . They got together during their second
year . But when they were about to graduate, they broke up for some reason .
It was said that it was because Zhao Zi Xu was pressured by his family .
“He has already returned to his home in the Gansu Province . His family
arranged work for him, and he got married last year . I still have his phone
number,” Ye Zi Lu hesitates, “Do you want it?”
“Please give it to me . ”
Upon receiving the number, Jin Xi doesn’t dial it . When she’s saving it into
her phone, she types his name one character at a time: Zhao……Zi……Xu .
She suddenly feels depressed .
Even his name feels unfamiliar .

She looks up at the group photo again .
She turns left and right, there’s no one . Only Xu Si Bai is standing not far
away, watching her quietly .
She smiles at him, stands on her tip-toes, reaches out her hands, yanks the
photo, shoves it into her pocket, turns around and walks out of the school .
Xu Si Bai comes to her in surprise, “You……”
She tugs his elbow, “Let’s go . ”
They get back into the car . Xu Si Bai looks at the photo feeling a bit of a
headache, “How could you tear it off? If you wanted it, you could have asked
the office for one . ”
Bai Jin Xi takes a sip of water and answers, “I don’t have that kind of time .
If they start asking me all kinds of questions, I would have to keep explaining
that I lost my memory . I don’t want to talk about it!” She points to a spot on
the photo, “This one . ”
Xu Si Bai is stunned as he looks to where she’s pointing .
“My ex-boyfriend . ”
Xu Si Bai doesn’t comment .
Bai Jin Xi smiles, “He’s good looking, isn’t he? He’s already married with
kids . I guess that solves one of my worries . ” She puts her arms behind her
head, leans backwards, and closes her eyes .
Xu Si Bai starts the car .
After a while, his voice comes on, “Bai Jin Xi, don’t feel sad . ”
“……Mm . ”
_____
They get back in the evening .

Probably because she’s feeling a little down, so Xu Si Bai doesn’t ask her to
go eat dinner with him . He drives back to the lab by himself .
Jin Xi walks up to her apartment by herself . It’s already night time, so the
apartment is dark . She sits on the side of her bed for a while without turning
on the lights . Through the dim lighting, she stares at the photo quietly for a
moment, and then puts it inside the drawer . She takes out a cigarette and
match, and walks to the balcony .
The old city district below her looks like a desolated painting; it hasn’t
changed much in the past four years . She lights up her cigarette, slowly
starts smoking, and can’t stop her tears from flowing .
Let’s get married after you graduate . I won’t marry anyone else but you in
my life .
She actually doesn’t feel anything after seeing Zhao Zi Xu’s photo today .
But when she recalls the words in her dream, she still feels the urge to cry .
She has thought about this many times: if the person still loves her, and if he
just doesn’t know how or where she is, or if he just can’t come and look for
her due to some reason, what should she do?
If that’s the case, she would go through all lengths and hardships to find him .
But it turns out that reality is unexciting .
_____
She stops her tears very soon . It’s just that it’s rare for her to let herself loose
like this, inhaling from the cigarette one breath after another . After smoking
for a while, she hears her cell phone beep .
Her cell phone also rang in the car, but she didn’t bother with it . Now that
she takes a look, it’s actually a text message from Han Chen: “Got it . ” The
cell phone has been alerting her until now .
She puts the cigarette down, and replies, “Okay . ”
She stops smoking . She rests her head on her arms over the balcony, and
looks to a distance with her nose feeling sour .
About four to five minutes later, she receives a text message .
“What’s the matter?”
Bai Jin Xi is a bit stunned reading the text .
It’s the simplest kind of greeting, and it’s from Han Chen . For some reason,
it makes her heart skip a beat .
She replies: “Nothing . I went to visit the police academy today, so I’m a
little tired . Are the things good?”
He responds very quickly: “Very good . ”
Bai Jin Xi can’t help but laugh, and replies: “Thank goodness I didn’t let you
down!”
On the other side, Han Chen is sitting in his office staring at his cell phone,
smiling .
It’s Saturday night and there isn’t anybody at the office; everyone has gone
home, or gone out to have fun, so many of the lights have already been turned
off .
Only he is left sitting under the lights doing nothing and has no place to go .
He gets a text message from Bai Jin Xi . It only contains one word, which
doesn’t seem like her style .
Perhaps in this lonely darkness, the man has become confused . Reading her
text that faintly shows a sense of sadness, he types back “what’s the matter”
subconsciously; the sentimental feeling of gentleness actually surfaces inside
his heart .
It’s just that this gentleness subsides quickly .
She says that she went back to the police academy .
If he remembers correctly, she graduated from Shajiang police academy .

Every city that he has gone to, he would search extensively for his fiancée,
and the first thing he does is to look up all details of the police officers there .
According to Bai Jin Xi’s record, she has lived in Province K since she was
little including studying at school and working; she has never been to Beijing
. She doesn’t know him either, and there are no signs of disguising her details
.
She’s not the one that he’s looking for . He knows this very well .
He slowly puts away his smile, places the phone back into his pocket, gets up,
and walks out of the dimly lit office .
Seeing that he doesn’t reply her after waiting for a while, Bai Jin Xi sends
another message: “What are you doing?”
No reply either .
She feels a little dispirited, as well as a little hurt after finding out about Zhao
Zi Lu, but she’s already done her cigarette . She tosses the phone away, and
looks up at the dark night sky .
Tomorrow will be a brand new day .
_____
The morning of the next day .
The instant that Bai Jin Xi steps into the office, she sees Zhou Xiao Zhuan
staring at her excitedly .
“What’s up?” she takes off her hat and throws it onto the table .
Xiao Zhuan grabs the hat and puts it back onto her head, “Why haven’t you
gotten ready yet? At 10am, our station will be having a conference meeting
with the provincial station! You have to report your findings from your
criminal psychological analysis on the Chen Li Jiang case!”
Bai Jin Xi is stunned as District Chief comes out from a room and calls her to
go inside looking delighted .
It turns out that the Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigation team at the
provincial station read the Chen Li Jiang case report and felt that it was a very
good case example, so he requested the Guanhu station’s criminal
investigation team, who was responsible for solving the case, to hold a
conference meeting and share their experiences . The provincial station is
always quick to react; their leadership team has just confirmed the event at
8am, and they’ll be holding the meeting at 10am .
District Chief pats her shoulder, “Give it your best . It’s okay if you mess
you, you’ll just be in embarrassment in front of thePublic Security Bureau
Police Chief as well as in front of all the elite officers . ”
Bai Jin Xi says, “……District Chief, is this how you encourage others?” She
reads the meeting notice in her hands, and says slowly, “Who will be
participating?”
District Chief dictates, “What are you wasting time here for? Hurry and get
ready . ”
“……Oh, okay . ”
Although she has been given a big task in such a short period time, Bai Jin Xi
doesn’t feel nervous about it . The report is readily available . She prints it
out, sits in her seat, and starts reciting it .
But Zhou Xiao Zhuan just won’t stop bugging her, “Leader, are you nervous?
Are you excited?” After a while, he says pretending to be scared, “Do you
think Han Chen will participate? I’m a little scared . ”
Bai Jin Xi picks up a book and hits his head with it .
It’s soon time for the conference .
Bai Jin Xi, Zhou Xiao Zhuan and the others follow District Chief into the
room . Everyone sits with their backs straight as they wait for the others from
the provincial station .
The video conference has been connected . Bai Jin Xi and District Chief are
facing the camera, and the TV screen in front of them is showing the
conference room at the provincial station, which has no one in it .
After a while, someone comes in .

The Deputy Chief, the captain of the criminal investigation team, investigator
A, investigator B, investigator C… . . sit down one after the other .
And then Han Chen comes in .
He’s wearing his uniform today . Bai Jin Xi has never seen him wear one
before, so she’s actually a bit stunned by it . He walks to the corner of the
table, takes off his hat, puts it on the table, and then ruffles his hair with his
hand . He looks up at the camera .
Bai Jin Xi doesn’t know why, but she lowers her head subconsciously to
avoid his gaze .
They always say that a man in uniform is the most handsome, but how can he
be so incredibly gorgeous like this?
She remembers the message that he sent her last night: What’s the matter?
It’s like someone is tickling her heart .
The conference meeting starts . Deputy Chief gives an introduction,

confirming the success of the case and its value . Bai Jin Xi retrieves her
focus, and listens attentively .
And then it’s District Chief of the Guanhu station to speak . He gives a brief
summary and expresses his efforts to work even harder from now on .
And then it’s Bai Jin Xi’s turn .
She stands up, and starts reading her report very seriously . Zhou Xiao Zhuan
is also all serious, listening to see if she reads any of it wrong . He is also
helping her to observe the expressions and reactions of the audience, which he
plans to tell her later .
But what Bai Jin Xi doesn’t know is that when she stood up, the officers from
the provincial station got all excited .
“Holy, there’s such a beautiful officer at Guanhu station?” someone says in a

low voice, “She just defeated our station’s beauty in a second . ”
Another also sighs, “Bai Jin Xi . Her name is pretty and her voice is nice .
She’s reading the report in such good manners . She must be a very gentle
person . ”
Han Chen, who’s sitting within the crowd, smiles as he listens to their words .
“Brother Han, is this the beauty that you partnered up with when you were at
Jiangcheng?” someone asks, “How come you didn’t mention it to us buddies?
Oh, don’t tell me that all those specialty snacks were sent by this beauty too .
”
Before Han Chen answers, someone butts in, “What do you guys know?
Brother Han has very high expectations . Even an angel like Xin Jia has
chased after him from Beijing to City Lan, yet he doesn’t even look at her . ”
The smile on Han Chen’s face slowly fades away . With one hand on his
knee, he says, “Shut up . ”
The leadership team is here, so the guys don’t dare to get too out of hand .
Therefore, they immediately stop talking .
It’s finally peace and quiet again . Like the others, Han Chen is staring at the
woman on the screen .
She’s wearing a uniform today . Her long hair has been tied back, and she has
her police hat on, tucking away some of her voluptuousness, and adding a bit
of elegance . But those pair of eyes are still glittering . Her eyebrows are
dark like they’ve been painted with ink; curvy and long . Right now, her full
concentration is on the piece of paper in her hands; just like what the others
say, she looks well-mannered and refined .
Han Chen’s gaze shifts back to her face again .
It’s been a little more than a week since they’ve seen each other, and for some
reason, he feels that her face is fuller now . Although her face isn’t big and
she’s far from being chubby, those fair white cheeks just simply feel
plump……
And Bai Jin Xi’s concentration slowly drifts away .
A woman’s senses are really something odd . Even though many people are
staring at her right now, all she can feel is the blazing gaze from Han Chen .
She doesn’t need to raise her head to sense it; he’s staring at her every
moment . Of course, this could all just be her imagination .
In the middle of the crowd, no one senses this weird sensation of hers, but her
face slowly becomes red .
No matter where you go, I will find you in the crowd .
The voice from a blurry looking man suddenly says in her mind .
Bai Jin Xi is struck dumb, and her voice stops .
Seeing that she has suddenly stopped reading, Zhou Xiao Zhuan kicks her leg
quickly under the table . Bai Jin Xi comes out of it, and continues reading
again .
All investigators have sharp eyes; everyone notices her suddenly falling into a
daze . Someone says in a low voice, “What happened to Beauty Bai just
now? The way she falls into a daze makes me want to be affectionate to her .
”
Han Chen notices it also . He stares at her quietly, grabs a bottle of water,
twists the cap open, and drinks it . He keeps calm .
Half an hour later, the reporting is done . The leadership team at the
provincial station asks a few questions, and District Chief and Bai Jin Xi
answer . The leaders exchange their glances, feeling quite satisfied . The
Deputy Chief stands up, “Let’s end the meeting here . Guanhu station has
delivered an exceptional performance . This female officer, Bai Jin Xi, is
really not bad . I’ve remembered her now . I still have another meeting, so
I’ll get going now . You guys can continue sharing your experiences . ”
The other leaders also leave with him . Only Captain Qin Wen Long and his
criminal investigation team are still in the room, and on the other side, District
Chief has also left in satisfaction, leaving Bai Jin Xi and the others behind to
socialize with the other side .
Since the leaders are gone, the atmosphere is naturally more lively . Qin Wen
Long doesn’t restrain his team either as he lets a young investigator ask,
“Investigator Bai, how come your criminal psychology analysis is so
incredible?”
Bai Jin Xi smiles . Just when she wants to answer politely, she spots the
familiar figure on the screen stand up, make his way through the crowd, and
leave the room .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan interrupts and teases, “Oh? How come Super Detective
Han left? I still wanted to ask him some questions . ”
Qin Wen Long smiles, “He has a strong addiction to smoking, so he probably
went out to smoke . He doesn’t like to socialize with others anyway . I’m
quite surprised that he was willing to come today . Don’t bother about him,
let’s continue . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan says, “Oh……”
Bai Jin Xi smiles immediately, and continues chatting with the others .
_____
Outside of the meeting room is a long hallway, and below is the spacious
lobby of the office building . Han Chen leans against the railing, lowers his
head, and lights up a cigarette .
He hooks onto the police hat with one hand, and holds the cigarette between
his fingers with the other hand, and looks up . Through the door crack, he can
see Bai Jin Xi on the TV screen .
He smokes quietly while watching her .
Every now and then, Bai Jin Xi would say something and inside of the
meeting room would be full of laughter . She laughs as well, looking a bit
embarrassed .
With the cigarette in his mouth, Han Chen also smiles .
Someone must have asked a difficult question . Bai Jin Xi scrunches her
eyebrows slightly, and her eyes move around as if she’s thinking of a solution
. This rare expression of hers makes her seem clever and pretty, attracting the
gazes of all of the investigators .
It also attracts his gaze . The cigarette in his hand burns away quietly as he
stares at her in full concentration .
Someone walks past and doesn’t feel odd about seeing Han Chen smoking
outside of the meeting room . Han Chen continues standing there, watching
from afar, until the meeting is over . Seeing that everyone is about to come
out, he presses down the cigarette, flicks it into the garbage can, puts on his
police hat, turns around and goes down stairs .
_____
When Bai Jin Xi walks out of the meeting room, she is surrounded by
applauses .
The reporting is a success today, and she also feels joy inside her heart . She
cups her fist with her other hand (like in martial arts) and thanks everyone
around her, and says a few humble words before returning to her seat .
She can’t help but feel a bit of disappointment inside her heart, but she
doesn’t know why .
And at this instant, she sees Zhou Xiao Zhuan comes rushing out cheerfully
from the District Chief’s office . He stops in front of her .
“Leader! Big news!” he says in a wicked voice, “There’s two spots available
for a rare training opportunity at City Lan starting next week . It was
originally only available to the public security bureau subdivisions, but the
deputy chief has advised just now that he will let Guanhu have two spots .
District Chief said that us two youngsters should go . We’re going to City
Lan!”


Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Chapter 21: As Cute as Her
September at City Lan is already getting cold . It’s slightly foggy in the
morning, and there are cool winds at night . The city is prosperous, pretty,
and comfortable, like a pearl surrounded by the rivers .
It’s a little past 5pm when Bai Jin Xi and Zhou Xiao Zhuan arrive at the hotel
. It is the public security bureau’s (provincial station) designated hotel, and
they will start training tomorrow .
Standing in front of the window in the room looking at the Yangtze River and
mountains afar, the Chinese parasol trees and the streets, Bai Jin Xi feels
refreshed .
Xiao Zhuan feels absolutely no shame in lying on her bed with his legs
crossed as he asks, “My classmate’s car is here . You really don’t want to
come eat dinner with us?”
Bai Jin Xi replies without turning her head, “No . ”
Xiao Zhuan gets up, walks to her side, and says slowly, “Xiao Bai, I think
you’re becoming more and more dangerous lately . ”
Bai Jin Xi glares at him, but he walks away while humming a melody .
Bai Jin Xi goes back to sit down on the bed, and leans backward . Xiao
Zhuan’s words make her think about last night’s dinner with Xu Si Bai .
He also felt surprised after hearing that she would be going to City Lan for a
one-week training, “Didn’t you hate training and meetings the most? How
come you’re willing to go this time?”
What did she say at the time?

“Old Xu, my awareness will also increase . At times, I also want to get some
training to upgrade myself . ”
……
Thinking about their conversation, she smiles, and then……she takes out her
cell phone .
The last text message in her inbox is from Han Chen from one week ago; a
brief chat they had that night .
Thinking for a moment, she types: “What are you doing?”
She waits holding the phone .
The screen continues to be dark . The sky outside of the window also
becomes dark .
An hour passes .
Bai Jin Xi breathes out a long breath of air, stuffs the phone into her pocket,
gets up, and goes down stairs to get food .
_____
There is a commercial street outside of the hotel with delicious foods

everywhere . Bai Jin Xi decides to shop around and eat; she has an enjoyable
night buying a few things .
It’s 9pm when she returns to the hotel, but her neighbour Zhou Xiao Zhuan
isn’t back yet . She’s stuffed from all the food she ate . She takes a bath first
. When she comes out, she spots her cell phone flashing on her bed .
She quickly rushes to grab her phone . When she sees “Sender: Han Chen,”
her heart skips a beat and feels delighted inside .
“Doing overtime . Something’s up?”
It’s from twenty minutes ago .

Bai Jin Xi stares at the message for a while, and then replies: “Nothing .
Goodnight . ”
She waits for a moment, and doesn’t receive any reply from him . Bai Jin Xi
stuffs the phone under the pillow feeling a bit upset as she lies down with her
arms and legs spread out wide . She’s going to bed!
_____
Han Chen wasn’t able to reply to her first text right away because he was
really doing overtime .
He has just returned from outside, still carrying the coolness of the night with
him . He sits behind his desk, takes off his hat, fetches his cell phone, and
then sees the message that Bai Jin Xi has sent him a few hours ago .
He lights up a cigarette, smokes for a while, and gets a response from her
again:
“Nothing, goodnight . ”
Han Chen holds the cigarette between his fingers in one hand while staring at
the message . He falls into a daze .
Someone passes by and pats his shoulder, “Han Chen, what are you so
concentrated on looking at?”
He tucks his phone and stands up, “Nothing . Let’s go . ”
_____
Bai Jin Xi starts her one week intensive training . There will be a graduation
ceremony at the end of it, and then they’ll take the train to return to
Jiangcheng directly . There are no breaks, and not a second wasted .
Every morning, all trainees will go for a 5km jog . And then it’s a full
training course; their breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all eaten at the hotel .
Sometimes they will have seminars at night until 8 or 9pm . After four to
five days, Bai Jin Xi and Zhou Xiao Zhuan are completely exhausted .
Since it’s tiring, it also feels like they have learned a lot, so they don’t have
time to think about other things . Their grades are not bad, and during
discussions or tests, they are always first and second place, so their District
Chief is overjoyed when they tell him .
It’s almost Friday .
It’s pretty much the end of their group training . They’ve arranged to visit the
various departments of the public security bureau such as the office, the
operational base, and museum to learn about the exceptional traditions and
history, and have a feel of its culture .
It’s almost 6pm when they make it to the provincial station . The bus slowly
drives into the entrance as the group chit-chats excitedly . Zhou Xiao Zhuan
is also full of energy . Only Bai Jin Xi is sitting quietly by the window,
thinking: they won’t bump into Han Chen, will they?
Just as this thought flashes across her mind, under the tree in the front, she
sees a……Han Chen walking over!
Bai Jin Xi stares at him blankly .
The weather has been getting colder; he’s wearing a thin black jacket with his
usual dark colour polo shirt underneath and a pair of long black pants . From
where she’s looking, his face is fair white, and his facial features are
prominent .
Very handsome……
In the next instant, the bus has already driven past him, and he continues
walking, leaving her with a brief view of his side profile .
Bai Jin Xi leans against the window, turning her head subconsciously .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan beside her also leans close to her, “What are you looking
at? What are you looking at?”
Bai Jin Xi blocks his face away with her hands, “Pretty girls . I refuse to let
you see . ”
The bus with a noisy crowd drives into the parking area . After Han Chen
walks forward a few steps, he suddenly stops . He turns around as if he
senses something; he looks at the bus with both of his hands in his pockets .
_____
The trainees get off the bus one after another . They follow their training
supervisor and enter the provincial station’s building .
They head to the lobby on the ground floor first, and then make their way to
the history and heroic events section . They spend quite a bit of time at these
two places .
And then it’s the criminal investigation team .
Standing at the open area before the office, their training supervisor
introduces with a smile, “This is the nationally famous criminal investigation
team of Province K, which has exceptional investigators like Qin Wen Long,
Han Chen, and Wang Zi Mu . They’re either off work right now, or are out
investigating a case . You can take a look around and have a chat . Let’s go
to the cafeteria for lunch in ten minutes . ”
There isn’t much to see at an office for this kind of occupation . Therefore,
the crowd either only take a peek from passing by the doorway, or they stop at
the doorway to have a chat with an investigator and then leave .
Bai Jin Xi takes her time and falls back to the end of the group . When she
makes it to the office’s doorway, she walks right inside to take a tour around .
After all, she still has ten minutes .
There are still a few investigators around . They all turn to look at her . She
gives them a friendly and natural smile back to greet them, and then holds up
her guest name tag that’s in front of her chest .
She soon makes her way to the deep end of the office .
Based on her understanding of Han Chen, he would definitely choose a seat

by the window, in a corner, and isolated from everything else; a cold and
noble spot .
Just as she thought, she looks around and has her eyes on one of the desks .
The desktop is very tidy with not many things laying on top of it . A few file
boxes are standing on the right corner, and the side of them have his pretty
printing on it .
She walks over, flips open the notebook on the table, and the front page does
indeed have “Han Chen” written on it .
Bai Jin Xi can’t help feeling proud of herself . She looks around to ensure
that no one is looking . She picks up the pen on the table, flips to the last
page of his notebook, and writes: “You still owe me a meal! Goodbye!”
Just as she is finishing writing “bye,” she hears a voice speak behind her,
“What are you doing?”
Her shoulders shake from being startled . She turns her head, and sees his
dark brown eyes .
With one arm pressing against the table and the other in his pocket, Han Chen
stares at her .
Her face flushes immediately . She stands back up straight as if nothing has
happened, “Nothing . I’m here visiting . ”
Han Chen glances at her and flips through the notebook in front of her . Bai
Jin Xi watches his side profile, and feels the urge to escape right away .
His gaze lands on the line of words .
And then……
He lifts his head to look at her .
Bai Jin Xi looks far away to somewhere as if she has nothing to do with it .
“Let’s go,” he stuffs both of his hands into his pockets and walks towards the
exit .
Bai Jin Xi is struck dumb, “What?”
He turns his head to look at her, “I’m fulfilling my promise . I’ll treat you to
lunch . ”
Bai Jin Xi wants to laugh but she holds it in . She actually feels quite
embarrassed to be caught right at the moment by him . It’s as if she really
cares about the free meal . Moreover, she still has other activities with the
group, so how can she possibly go?
Therefore, she also stuffs her hands into her pockets, and walks over in big
steps, “You really think I care so much about the meal? I only have a few
minutes before meeting up with the rest of the group, so I can’t go with you .
It’s okay, I really have to go……”
When she passes him, her wrist is suddenly grasped on to .
Bai Jin Xi’s heart pounds . And from the corner of her eye, she sees his
fingers wrapped around her wrist .
He’s standing beside her, and his face is very close to hers .
He lets go almost instantly, but he is still staring at her .
“Ask for leave, and wait for me downstairs . I’ll go get the car . ”
Bai Jin Xi stares into his eyes, and can’t find the words in her mouth . All she
can say is, “Oh, okay……”


Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Chapter 22: The Sophisticated Me
Han Chen takes Jin Xi to a family restaurant .
The restaurant is relaxing . The cherry-brown wooden windows separate the

private dining rooms from the general dining area . Lamps with lotus leaf
shaped shades hang from the ceiling . And the river is just outside the
window .
Jin Xi sits down across from him and thinks to herself: he sure seems to like
these old fashion decorations .
The server hands the menu to Han Chen . He flips through it and asks, “What
do you want to eat?”
Jin Xi answers, “I’ve never been here . You pick . ”
“Mm . ”
Jin Xi rests her chin on her palm and looks around until her gaze falls onto
him .
Whenever she goes out to eat, she’s usually with Xu Si Bai or Zhou Xiao
Zhuan . There’s no need to compare him to Xiao Zhuan, but comparing him
to Xu Si Bai, she realizes that Han Chen is very different .
Xu Si Bai is always elegant, gentle, and has great demeanor every time he
orders . Even the servers don’t dare to speak to him in a loud voice .
And as for Han Chen?
He has taken off his jacket and placed it on top of the couch, and his car keys
have been thrown onto the table . The top button of his Polo shirt his open .
One of his arms are resting casually on the armrest as he flips through the
menu with the other hand without much expression on his face .
He does really seem like a wealthy young master……yet he’s a criminal

investigator .
He orders a few dishes before raising his head and asking the server, “Do you
have any cooled watermelon red bird’s nestsoup today?”
The server smiles, “Yes . ”
“We’ll have one for her . ”
The server leaves . Jin Xi is stunned .
She can’t understand why Han Chen has ordered bird’s nest soup for her . It’s
not because of how expensive it is, but rather, does she really look like she
needs nutrition?
“Why did you order bird’s nest soup?” she asks, “It’s so expensive . How
much do you make?” She’s asking honestly . Nonetheless, it’s his money
that he’s spending . There’s no need to order such prestigious food .
He tilts his head, lights up a cigarette, leans back, and answers, “Mm . After
treating you to this meal, I’ll be eating instant noodles for a week . ”
Bai Jin Xi can’t tell whether he’s talking for real or joking . She lets out a
“hmph!” but feels bad about it inside .
She doesn’t know why she feels bad .
He inhales two breaths of cigarette, and asks, “When did you arrive?”
Bai Jin Xi thinks for a second before responding, “The Sunday of last week .
”
He releases white smoke as he exhales . He doesn’t comment . It’s

afterwards that Bai Jin Xi realizes that he probably knows now that that was
the day she texted him .
They’re both silent .
Han Chen takes a sip from his tea and asks, “Are you also participating in the
post-training recruiting process tomorrow?”
Bai Jin Xi is baffled, “Of course . ” Is this not obvious enough? Tomorrow is
the last day .
Under the dim lighting, his eyes look darker than usual, making them hard to
read .
She rotates her cup and says, “Did you find whom you were looking for last
time?”
He drinks his tea slowly, “No . ”
“Oh . ”
After a while, he asks, “How has the training been for the last few days?”
Speaking of the training, Bai Jin Xi has gained quite a lot of experiences .
Therefore, she starts telling him about them one by one . He listens quietly
from start to finish with his eyes fixed on her the whole time . His dark and
rich brown eyes make Bai Jin Xi’s heart beat unsteadily .
When she gets to talking about her achievements, she says proudly, “Xiao
Zhuan and I are first and second in the training class . He’s number one, and
I’m number two . ”
“Zhou Xiao Zhuan?” he repeats in a low voice, clearly a bit surprised .
Jin Xi nods, “Yeah . You didn’t know, did you? He’s an ace . He’s not good
at anything else, but he is exceptional when it comes to exams . He’s the
King of Exams . I can only be second to him . ”
He takes a look at her . His gaze is deep; they seem like they’re smiling, yet
they seem like they aren’t at the same time .
The server brings them their dishes . Jin Xi grabs her chopsticks, picks up
some food from a dish, and then another……
They’re all super delicious……
She glances at him .
No wonder he’s so picky . His taste buds have been spoiled .
Han Chen picks up his chopsticks and starts eating as well . His aura is
different when he eats; the way he holds his chopsticks in his hand is
beautiful, and he eats rather slow . Furthermore, he only eats what he likes;
from the table of savory dishes, she only sees him pick up a slice of lotus root
after another . He doesn’t touch any of the mushrooms, broccolis, orwood
ear (fungus) . He also doesn’t pick up anything from the two spicy dishes .
For some reason, Jin Xi gradually feels delighted while eating quietly
together .
_____
They leave the restaurant after finishing their meals . It’s already dark outside
and spots of light can be seen on both sides of the shore . Jin Xi rubs her
stomach and suggests, “Let’s take a walk to digest the food . ”
“Mm . ” He hangs his jacket over his shoulder and walks alongside her .
The river shore is where grass and weeds grow prosperously; a path runs
down the middle due to people walking on it repeatedly over time . They
follow along the path, walking slowly with the wind blowing across the water
surface . There are children playing and running around in the area . They
keep their silence .
Jin Xi has already taken a look at the Yangtze river during the day; it’s vast
yet turbid like the sea . However, it’s a different kind of view now that
they’re at the edge of it: the water is dark, almost black and overwhelming;
the water constantly hits against the shore as boats sail across . Listening to
the movements of high and low tides at night opens up one’s heart .
“Let’s go over,” she suggests .
Han Chen doesn’t object .
The wind is stronger now that they’re at the edge of the water standing on the
sand . Jin Xi watches the water advance and retreat in enjoyment . She puts
her hands up to the sides of her mouth and shouts a few times, “Ahh——”
Once she turns her head around, she sees Han Chen lowering his head and
lighting up a cigarette . The fire on the matchstick lights up his face; he’s
smiling .
A certain kind of emotion that Jin Xi can’t explain instantly spreads inside her
heart . She turns back around to look at the river, not letting the emotion
show on her face .
A thought springs into her mind with a hint of mischievousness . She opens
her mouth and shouts again, “You……Damn……Bastard……Han……” she
drags out the end of each word with vibrato . It doesn’t sound like she’s
calling for someone, but rather she sounds like a stinky tofu stall owner
shouting on the street every day to sell food . She immediately feels the
inspiration and continues shouting out the next phrase, “Oh……Stin~ky……
To~fu……”
“(Cough, Cough)……”Han Chen actually chokes from smoking . He grabs

her hand, “You sure shout a lot . ”
Bai Jin Xi turns around to smile at him, but she is immediately stunned . His
face is blurry under the moonlight; she can just make out his shimmering
eyes; they’re sophisticated like the body of water behind her .
He’s still holding on to her fingers . Jin Xi’s heart is thumping faster and
faster .
“Let’s go,” he lets go of her hand . He takes a breath of smoke as he turns

around, and then starts making his way back himself .
Bai Jin Xi answers, “……Oh, okay,” and follows after him .
_____
It’s already past 9pm when Han Chen drives her back to the hotel .
There are constantly people going in and coming out of the hotel entrance .
Jin Xi is afraid of bumping into someone she knows, so she hops out of the
car quickly, “I’m leaving then . Goodbye . ”
He rests one of his arms on the steering wheel, “Mm, goodbye . ”
Jin Xi walks a few steps before turning around again and smiling at him
politely, “When will you come to Jiangcheng again? Remember to call me if
you do . I’ll treat you to dinner . ” After all, she will be riding the train and
leaving the day after tomorrow .
Han Chen stares at her through the car window, and then smiles slowly,
“Okay . ”
Jin Xi can’t seem to look him straight in the eye . She turns around and goes
into the hotel .
_____
Just when she unlocks her room with the card, the door beside hers opens .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan jumps out and looks at her in excitement . Jin Xi doesn’t
bother entertaining him . She walks into her room and lies down on the bed .
Xiao Zhuan goes over and stares at her face, but doesn’t say anything .
Bai Jin Xi asks with her eyes closed, “Did you help me ask for leave?”
“Yes, yes . ” He tries probing, “Did I see wrong? The person who drove you
back just now was Han……”
Jin Xi opens her eyes and smiles at him . She then gets up and pushes him
out of the room, “It’s already very late, so what are you doing in a girl’s
room? Don’t you know you should avoid these situations (that causes others
to misunderstand them)?!”
“Holy! Leader, you’ve changed……” Under Xiao Zhuan’s voice of protest,

Jin Xi closes the door without hesitation .
She lies down on the bed again after taking a shower . When she lifts her
head, she sees the bright moon .
The same bright shining moon at the shore .
She looks at the time; Han Chen should be by home now .
Her heart seems to itch as if it’s being tickled by a small hand . She feels a bit
helpless at the same time . She fetches her phone and scrolls until she reaches
his number .
Should she send him a text?
But the image of what happened just now flashes across her mind——
He turns around and lets go of her hand .
And she coincidently recalls the night from many days ago when they rode
the motorcycle back to the station together, and the way he stood below the
building while smoking by himself .
And she also remembers the video conference from last week where he left
the room without hesitation .
……
Somewhere in her heart seems to feel a tinge of pain . She stares at her
phone’s screen for a long time before letting out a sigh and tossing it to the
side again .
_____
When Han Chen returns home, his room is dead silent as usual .
It’s already 10pm when he finishes taking a shower . He sits on the couch,
lights up a cigarette, and holds up his phone .
There are two text messages from Xin Jia . He deletes them without reading .
The newest text message after those is from Jin Xi . It’s from Sunday of last
week when she had just arrived to City Lan .
He holds the cigarette in his mouth as he stares at her name . His fingers
pause on the keyboard after a few attempts of typing a message . In the end,
he throws the phone back onto the table .
In the long and lonely night, he places his arm across his forehead to cover his
eyes while leaning on the couch . After being deep in his thoughts for a
while, he smiles .

Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Chapter 23: Working Together Long Term
Morning of the next day .
The moment Bai Jin Xi steps into the training room that is big enough for a
hundred people, she can sense that something is wrong .
Other trainees who have arrived are sitting up particularly straight, all
wearing their police uniforms . In the back row, those who haven’t been
doing well, are flipping their books frantically, as if they’re putting in all their
efforts last minute . On the stage in the front, the training instructors are also
wearing their police uniforms, chatting among themselves quietly; the
atmosphere seems rather serious . There are a few empty chairs beside them .
A banner is hanging above their heads in the center: “Welcome, Provincial

Criminal Investigation Team!”
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan look at each other . They sit down in the back row and
ask the trainee beside them who’s frowning while reading his book, “Hey
buddy, what’s going on? Don’t we have an exam today and graduation
ceremony? Why are we welcoming the provincial criminal investigation
team leader?”
The person replies, “You guys don’t know? Although they didn’t make an
official announcement before, everyone knew about it . There will be a
recruiting process on the last day of training . The provincial criminal
investigation team will be starting up a “Black Shield Team . ” Their main
responsibilities will be investigating serial cases or other important cases .
One of the main purpose of having this training is to select some candidates
from all across the province for this special team . Why else would I have
come if this was not the case? It’s natural to look for better opportunities .
Holy, how come this criminal psychology stuff is so extensive? I can’t
memorize it all……”
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan are both struck dumb . They both look at each other .
After taking a moment to think things through, they seem to understand now .
They say that the provincial station is always looking for talents, and would
search for them from all over . Could this have been a setup from the deputy
chief? He asked them to participate in the training without revealing this
detail . Their district chief even sent her and Xiao Zhuan off cheerfully . And
due to their competitiveness, they’ve gone all out to fight for the top spot .
Since others are their opponents and they don’t know anybody else well, so
obviously, no one has told them about this recruiting process .
No wonder when she was talking about her training, Han Chen looked at her
like that——could he have thought that she came to training hoping to be
selected into the special team?
The leadership team has not arrived yet . The atmosphere is still full of
nervousness and seriousness .
Bai Jin Xi twists open the water bottle, takes a sip, takes another sip, and
keeps drinking . Xiao Zhuan watches her, “You’re nervous?”
“Mm . ”
Xiao Zhuan places his chin in his hands and is also unusually quiet .
Jin Xi asks, “What are you thinking about?”
Xiao Zhuan answers, “I can’t decide whether or not I should go . ”
“Same here . ”
She wants to go to the washroom for drinking too much water . Before the
ceremony begins, Jin Xi gets up and exits through the back doors .
There’s a corridor outside and training rooms are on each side . The hallway
is well lit . Bai Jin Xi walks down with both hands in her pockets
absentmindedly . The washroom is just around the corner of the stairs . But
just when she makes it to the staircase, she sees Han Chen by himself, also
with both hands in his pockets, walking up . Noticing the noise, he raises his
head and sees her .
He’s wearing his police uniform today . Under his police hat, his pair of rich
brown eyes are looking at her calmly .
Bai Jin Xi watches him approach .
She feels that……
She has decided to take part in the recruiting process .
“Why didn’t you tell me yesterday that there will be a recruiting process
today?” she asks, “Xiao Zhuan and I aren’t prepared at all . ”
Han Chen stands at the top of the stairs . He doesn’t answer but asks instead,
“What do you guys plan to do?”
“Give it a try,” she answers swiftly .
Han Chen is expressionless . He walks past her heading to the assembly hall,
but Jin Xi grabs his arm .
Of course, she lets go right away .
“Are you a member of the team?” she asks .
He glances at her, “Yes . ”
Jin Xi smiles slightly, “As for someone who knows the details, can you reveal
a bit of it? Is the work very challenging in the team? Who is the leader? Is it
the deputy chief or is it Captain Qin? Are they very strict? Is it good to work
under them? Oh, and do you think I have a good chance?”
He’s standing sideways looking at her, but after she finishes talking, he
suddenly turns his body, and takes a step forward, “How come you have so
many questions?”
They’re suddenly standing very close to each other face to face . Jin Xi takes
a step back subconsciously .
He lowers his head and stares at her, “Bai Jin Xi, choosing your own career
path and transferring departments are not for jokes . Don’t let anyone or
anything influence your decision . ”
Jin Xi is struck dumb .
Anyone or anything? Is he hinting something to her?
She keeps silent for a second, and responds, “I’m not joking . On the
contrary, I’m very serious about considering this opportunity . I want to be in
the special cases team not because I want to be promoted or want a raise . I
want to go because criminal psychology is very effective in regards to making
progress on serial cases . ” She pauses before continuing, “I want to use my
specialty skills to do more things, help more people, as well as to learn more .
”
Han Chen looks at her and doesn’t say anything .
Bai Jin Xi takes a turn in her speech, “But for those who walk this path, it’s
impossible to dodge every hit . All the questions that I’ve asked just now are
understandable . Of course I have to be clear on what the leader likes, and
whether or not it’s a good working environment . Otherwise, it would be a
shame to bury up a good sprout like me……”
She suddenly stops before losing herself in her thoughts . It’s because Han
Chen is smiling .
He’s already especially eye-catching in his police uniform, and now that he’s
smiling, his facial features are even more handsome and captivating .
“How can there be a woman like you?” he speaks slowly in a light voice . He
turns around and leaves .
Jin Xi purses her lips and follows him . The ceremony is about to start .
A hand suddenly reaches over and presses down on her hat, almost covering
her eyes .
“Wear your hat lower, tuck the hair beside your ears up inside, and don’t
smile during the interview . ”
Bai Jin Xi adjusts her hat feeling puzzled, “Why?”

“You’ll have a better chance in succeeding . ” He stuffs his hands into his
pockets, pushes open the door, and walks inside .
_____
The ceremony starts just as Bai Jin Xi returns to her seat .
Their training supervisor gives a brief speech, and then introduces the
members of the criminal investigation team . There are four of them present
including Captain Qin Wen Long . Han Chen is sitting next to Qin Wen
Long, indicating that he is the second most important .
Different from Qin Wen Long’s face full of smiles, Han Chen is serene right
from the start; his hat is worn low, making him look as if he’s just a pretty
looking sculpture .
It’s Qin Wen Long’s turn to give a summary on the reasons for establishing a
special cases team and the expectations .
He is a handsome man who’s about thirty-four to five years old . He’s tall and
have eyes like a hawk . He leans forward with both of his hands pressed
against the top of the table, he smiles, and says, “This investigation team is
being established after I had put in strong efforts to obtain the approval from
the higher ups . This is a very bold attempt, as well as a test . I will be the
team captain, but the daily tasks will be supervised by the vice-captain, Han
Chen . I’m sure you’ve all heard of Han Chen, so there’s no need to introduce
him . ”
Everyone’s eyes dart towards Han Chen .
The indecisive and talkative guy from before who’s sitting beside Zhou Xiao
Zhuan says in a low voice, “Holy! I can’t believe it’s Han Chen,
the uncrowned king of crime solving . I’ll be exhausted to death working
under him! But there’s no helping it, this is the place where all elite officers
strive to get into! I’ll do it!”
Xiao Zhuan is also a little worked up now . He tugs Jin Xi’s arm, “Super
Detective Han is the vice-captain!”
Jin Xi slaps his hands away, also feeling vexed .

He’s going to be the leader .
She even asked him what the new leader likes and if it would be a good place
to work at .
Qin Wen Long announces the recruiting process: the written exam will be in
the morning, and the face to face interview will be in the afternoon . He, Han
Chen, and the training supervisor will be the interviewers . He doesn’t speak
any further, and lets the written exam begin .
_____
The afternoon .
Jin Xi is sitting in the hallway with her hands locked together resting on her
knees . Xiao Zhuan is sitting next to her with his back even straighter and
looking more nervous than she is .
The written exam in the morning has ended; they did pretty well as the king
and queen of exams . Since they are usually the top two, they’ve been
arranged to go last for the face to face interview . Jin Xi is second last, and
Xiao Zhuan is last .
Watching the others come out one after the other, some look depressed, while
others look excited . The sun slowly sets as the people around them gradually
decreases .
“Bai Jin Xi,” someone comes out of the interview room and calls her name .
“Here!” Jin Xi takes a deep breath, stands up, and adjusts her police hat . She
suddenly remembers what Han Chen said and asks looking down at Xiao
Zhuan, “Why should I wear my hat low, tuck all of my hair inside, and don’t
smile for my interview?”
Her question seems to come out of nowhere, but after Xiao Zhuan thinks for a
minute, he is actually able to answer, “Because you look more like a kind
woman that way? And not as voluptuous?”
Jin Xi chuckles, “Get lost!” She raises her head and walks in with her chin
high .
It’s a rather small room . The moment Jin Xi walks in, she sees the three of
them sit behind a long table . They all have cigarettes in their hands; the
room is smothered with smoke .
Seeing her come in, they all look at her . Jin Xi greets them politely by giving
a slight nod to each of them . When it’s Han Chen, their eyes meet, but they
quickly shift their gazes away .
Jin Xi sits in the chair in the middle of the room, “How are you leaders! I am
officer Bai Jin Xi from the Guanhu station . ”
Besides Han Chen, Qin Wen Long and the training supervisor both smile .
The training supervisor says with his head down, “She is the one that deputy
chief advised that we should take a good look at . ” His voice isn’t loud, but
Jin Xi can hear him nonetheless, so she can’t help but feel happy about it .
Qin Wen Long takes a breath of smoke, flips through her file, and asks, “Bai
Jin Xi, why do you want to be in the Black Shield Team?”
Jin Xi keeps silent for a moment, and then responds, “I want to utilize my
skills to uphold fairness and justice . I want to prosecute the vicious criminals
and protect the innocent . ”
Qin Wen Long and the training supervisor laugh . They probably feel that it’s
interesting to see such a beauty be so experienced, determined, sonorous, and
full of energy .
Qin Wen Long asks a few more questions, and Jin Xi answers them all . She
doesn’t use impressive words; her answers are rather simple, but her attitude
is very focused and serious .
“I’m done with my questions,” Qin Wen Long tilts his head to look at Han
Chen, “Do you have anything you want to ask? She’s going to be working
under you . ”
Jin Xi’s heart shakes . She also takes a look at him .
He has been silent this whole time while she answers the questions, so she
hasn’t been looking at him until now .
Han Chen lifts his head and looks back at her .
And then……
He reaches out his hands, opens up his notebook, looks down, and flips
through the pages one by one with a stern look .
Jin Xi keeps her slight smile as she watches him . But it feels as if she has
knocked over a bottle of sauce inside her heart .
Is he really planning to ask her some skill testing questions?! He’s even
flipping through the notebook so seriously . So he’s not going to let her off
easy then?
“I don’t have any further questions,” he speaks in a deep voice . He closes his
notebook and glances at her calmly .
Qin Wen Long and the training supervisor smiles .
Jin Xi lets out a breath of relief in her heart .
Seriously……this bastard . He tried to scare her on purpose .
“Please go home and wait for our notice, but please be prepared beforehand .
You’ll be transferred to the Public Security Bureau by next week the
earliest,” Qin Wen Long says .
_____
It’s Xiao Zhuan’s turn after Jin Xi . When the two pass by each other, they
high five in the air . There’s nothing more to say .
There is no one else in the hallway at this time . Jin Xi walks to the window,
puts both hands on her hips, and lets out a long breath of air .
She hears the sound of the door opening behind her, and then she hears
footsteps .
Jin Xi turns around and sees Han Chen pull out a cigarette, put it in his
mouth, and walk towards her .
“Hmph……” Jin Xi turns her head and looks out the window, “Why did you
scared me just now?”
Han Chen stands beside the window, takes off his hat, hooks onto it with his
finger, and smokes quietly not answering her .
“Between you and Zhou Xiao Zhuan, only one can stay . ”
Jin Xi turns her head immediately .
His pale side profile and dark brown eyes don’t reveal any expression .
“You guys are from the same station,” he adds .
Jin Xi’s heart sinks . She feels frustrated and upset at the same time .
She thinks for a moment, and then says, “Keep Xiao Zhuan then . This is a
great opportunity……”
But she sees Han Chen staring at her .
“I was just joking,” he says softly, “Don’t take it for real . ”
Jin Xi, “……How dare you!”
His eyes are half closed with a hint of smile . He walks back into the room
with the cigarette in his mouth .
Jin Xi watches his back full of anger, but she smiles again after thinking more
about it .
She turns around, and looks out the window again .
At a distance, the setting sun is shining on the Yangtze River . The surface of
the river is vast and wide . A river steamer whistles as it passes, and the birds
chirp crisply in the air . At this moment, she is not thinking of her terrible
past, or her pending career path . She’s not thinking about the man in her
dreams that causes her to toss and turn at night, or the mysterious Han Chen .
She is thinking about the future .
She thinks, perhaps she can step onto a bigger stage, and chase after a more
meaningful dream . There is still a long road ahead of her .
Bai Jin Xi, you have to put in your fullest every day, and let yourself live an
even better life .

Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Chapter 24: Sniping Heaven
Bai Jin Xi is standing in front of her desk taking out her belongings from a
box and putting them neatly into the drawers .
Her desk faces the entrance directly . There are people constantly passing by
who turn and look inside . There are even a few male officers who have
stopped at the doorway to look at her and smile toward her .
Jin Xi smiles back at them .
After finishing tidying up, she raises her head and looks over . Han Chen is
seating diagonally across from her against the wall . He’s reading a copy of
“Titan Sports Weekly” (sports newspaper) . She had greeted him in the
morning on arrival, and he hummed “Mm” to her .
This office has been designated exclusively for the “Black Shield Team . ”
Her probation period is six months . If she passes, she can stay . She left
Jiangchen just yesterday; District Chief and her other colleagues all expressed
that they would miss her, but would also support her .
As for Xu Si Bai……
Jin Xi can still recall the smile on his face and the loneliness in his eyes when
he sent her off at the train station yesterday .
“If it’s your decision to go, I’ll support it,” is what he said .
Jin Xi gave him a hug . It was probably the first time they hugged . When
they separated, his face was red . And she smiled, “Xu Si Bai, I’ll come back
to visit you whenever I have time!”
……
“What are you looking at?!” Qin Wen Long’s voice says coming from
doorway . He smacks away the two male officers standing at the entrance,
and then struts inside .
“Don’t mind . These rascals are just curious to see a fresh face . They mean
no harm,” he says .
Jin Xi replies, “It’s okay . ”
But he turns around and kicks Han Chen’s desk, “Yet you don’t bother taking
care of it! What if it scares Jin Xi away?”
Han Chen flips his newspapers, “She doesn’t get scared so easily . ”
Jin Xi wants to laugh . Qin Wen Long has already made it in front of her and
smiles looking at her, “Jin Xi, have you gotten used to staying at the dorm?
Just let us know what ever you need . ”
“It’s been alright . I don’t need anything else yet,” Jin Xi answers .
Qin Wen Long nods in satisfaction, and then says, “Criminal Psychology is
very important in our Black Shield Team . You can start working in this area,
and after everything has settled down, we will hire two college professors to
work part-time here to provide some guidance and assistance to your work . ”
“That’s great . ”
Qin Wen Long glances at Han Chen, “As for this fellow, he is biased about
criminal psychology, so don’t bother about him . Just treat him as a case
solving robot . ” He leaves after finishing talking .
Jin Xi takes a peek at Han Chen, who’s reading the newspapers as if none of
this has to do with him, and then clears her throat, “Mm……case solving
robot . (English) Hello, Robot!” She sounds especially upbeat calling him .
Just as she finishes, Han Chen suddenly throws down his newspapers, gets up,
and walks over .
Jin Xi examines him carefully as he comes closer .
He stops right beside her desk, and presses one hand on the top of the table .
“Your immediate boss is me . ”
His deep voice ripples in her heart . But he turns around and leaves .
After a while, three people come in .
Jin Xi stands up smiling, and greets them, “(English) Hello! Hello!” She
punches Zhou Xiao Zhuan at the end .
The first one is actually the guy who talked endlessly on the day of the
ceremony . Xiao Zhuan has nicknamed him “chatterbox . ” Chatterbox’s
actual name is rather elegant; he’s called Shi Heng (bestowing gem), and is
from another city . Both Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan are quite surprised that he got
recruited .
Chatterbox immediately explains the reason lively, “The moment I walked

into the interviewing room that day, Super Detective Han said: ‘Shi Heng, I
know you . In the whole Province K, no one can recover fingerprints or
analyse traces of evidence better than you . I won’t look at anything else . If
you pass the written test, I’ll have you on my team . ’ Holy, Super Detective
Han is just incredible . He knows a talent when he sees one! In the end, I just
passed with a 60 on the written test, hahaha! Oh yeah, Han Chen is my idol
starting today . No one is allowed to take him away!”
……
The second person on the other hand, is a cold and quiet lad, just like Han
Chen, he is wearing a black jacket . His name is Chi Chen . He is a drastic
contrast from Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan . Even when he is greeting them,
his face does not show a smile . Xiao Zhuan has nicknamed him “Cold Face .
” But Jin Xi has heard of him, and respects him very much . It is said that he
is an expert in chasing after criminals; he is the champion of the yearly
sniping and wrestling competition . His investigation skills are also excellent
. Without a doubt, he has great fighting skills, we just don’t know how he
compares to Han Chen——because Han Chen has never participated in these
competitions .
The last person is obviously Xiao Zhuan . Han Chen and Qin Wen Long like
his attention to detail and his academic achievements; they plan to let him be
the “documenter” of the team, as well as having him be the technical support
for their computer systems .
These are all of the new members of the “Black Shield Team . ”
Han Chen comes back soon after . The three guys all stand up, so Jin Xi has
no choice but to stand up as well . But Han Chen clearly doesn’t care about
formalities as he walks straight to his desk; he doesn’t give any welcome
speeches and starts getting busy by himself .
The four of them exchange a few glances and sit back down as well .
Since they’re new, Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan are both refraining from
getting out of hand; they only chit chat every now and then . “Cold Face” Chi
Chen doesn’t even have any desire to chit chat; his face is buried behind his
computer . And Jin Xi is just doing her own things .
The first morning at the Black Shield Team pretty much passes in quietness .
It’s noon time when Han Chen stands up .
Chatterbox stands up right away after him, “Brother Han, are you going for
lunch? Oh, noon has arrived before we know it . I’m quite hungry . ”
Xiao Zhuan adds, “Brother Han, is the food at the cafeteria good? It’s our
first day at the Public Security Bureau, so we don’t really know! Hehheh . ”
Although Cold Face doesn’t say anything, he also stands up looking at Han
Chen .
Jin Xi wants to laugh; since Han Chen has always been on his own, he
probably didn’t have any plans to eat with them . It’s unfortunate that the
team is too persistent .
Just as she had expected, probably considering that they’re newcomers, Han
Chen tilts his head to light up a cigarette, keeps quiet for a few seconds, and
then answers, “Let’s go . ”
_____
The cafeteria is on the side of the office building . The five of them walk on
the passageway . As Han Chen’s fan, Chatterbox walks with him on the left;
Although Cold Face doesn’t talk much, he walks close by him on the right .
No one knows what his relationship is with Han Chen, but the two of them
chat among themselves as they walk .
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan follow them from behind .
It’s lunchtime, so there are a lot of people at the cafeteria . There’s even a line
up . Quite a few people turn around to look at their fresh faces .
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan just make it to the end of the line when they hear Han
Chen’s voice, “Jin Xi, come here . ”
Jin Xi is a bit startled, but Xiao Zhuan immediately pokes her arm, “Go . ”
Chatterbox in front of them also says, “Yeah, ladies first . Go in front of us .
”
Jin Xi goes up . Han Chen glances at her and takes a step back to give her
some room . She slips in line, “Thanks . ”
The line moves fast . Within a few minutes, Jin Xi has already made it to the
window where she takes a tray .
“Miss, what would you like?” Seeing that it’s a pretty girl, the cook’s eyes
gleam and he speaks louder than before .
Jin Xi points with her hand, “Pork chop, and potato strips, and two bowls of
rice . ”
“Okay!” The cook scoops up the food, and gives her one and a half more
servings than anyone else . Her tray is piled with food . Jin Xi says sweetly,
“Thank you sir! You’re so nice . ”
They haven’t gotten their meal cards yet, so Han Chen reaches over and
swipes on her behalf .
“You eat quite a lot,” his voice says beside her ear, “Where have all the fat
gone in your body?”
Jin Xi says with a helpless expression, “I have a strange body, there’s no

helping it . ”
_____
The five of them find a table and sit down . Probably because they’re not as
uptight now, so Chatterbox starts to chit chat non-stop with Xiao Zhuan; Han
Chen and Cold Face eat their meals in silence, while Jin Xi joins the
conversation every now and then . When they say something funny, Han
Chen and Cold Face would laugh too .
The atmosphere is rather harmonious .
After a while, Jin Xi feels thirsty, so she gets up, “I’m going to buy some
drinks . ”
Nobody objects .
After Jin Xi leaves, the table continues on with the two of them chit chatting
and Han Chen eating his meal with his head down .
He suddenly notices that the chatter has stopped .
Han Chen lifts his head, follows their gazes to look beside him .
Xin Jia .
She, who is the Goddess of Province K’s teachers college, is wearing a green
long dress today accompanied by a small white cardigan; making her look
slender and elegant, attracting many gazes from around .
She’s holding a big box of delicate mooncakes in her hand standing beside the
table smiling slightly . She smiles towards the few of them .
“Han Chen,” she calls his name .
Han Chen glances at her, and continues eating his meal with his head down,
She places the mooncakes on the empty seat beside him, “It’s the autumn
festival soon . These mooncakes were mailed to my place by Auntie, so I
brought them here for you . ” (auntie: polite way to address a friend’s mom, or
an elder woman around the same age as your mom . )
“Just leave it here . ”
The table of guys are not dumb; they can sense Han Chen’s coldness .
Therefore, besides Cold Face, they all politely pretend to be dumb and smile .
Xin Jia smiles towards them, “You guys should give them a try too . ” She
then looks at Han Chen, “Auntie says that you should remember to eat your
meals on time, and don’t smoke so much . ”
Han Chen puts the spoon into his mouth with his eyes looking straight, and
doesn’t respond to her .
Xin Jia smiles forcefully, “I’ll be leaving then . ” She nods at the rest of
them, “Goodbye . ”
_____
Jin Xi is holding a few bottles of drinks; when she lifts her head, she sees a
pretty woman turn around and walk away from Han Chen’s side . Her
expression looks rather……complicated .
Jin Xi weighs the bottles in her hands as she slowly walks back, but then she
sees a box of mooncakes on her seat .
Han Chen picks them up and puts them on another empty chair .
“Brother Han……the one from just now, is she your girlfriend?” Chatterbox
asks courageously . He’s thinking that the couple must have had a fight; after
all, the girl is so pretty .
Jin Xi lowers her head and takes a bite of her pork chop . Xiao Zhuan stares
at Han Chen with his eyes wide .
“No . ”
“Oh……”
Han Chen is already finished with eating . He puts down his spoon, “You
guys can split the mooncakes . There’s no need to save them for me . ”
Jin Xi thinks in her head: there’s no need to give me any either .
The table is quiet . She takes a few more bites, and suddenly feels something
strange .
Someone is watching her .
It goes without saying that a criminal investigator’s skills are top notch . She
slowly puts down her spoon, and turns her head .
To her surprise, it’s the woman from just now .
Xin Jia is standing beside a wall not far from the entrance of the cafeteria,
watching her from afar . Maybe it’s due to the lighting, her face seems very
pale, and her eyes……they look gloomy, as if they’re full of all kinds of
emotions .
Jin Xi stares at her quietly .
And then she sees her eyes getting watery .
Jin Xi turns her head back around and asks Han Chen, “The one from just
now, is she your crazy pursuer?”
Her question is direct, causing others to be struck dumb .
Han Chen twists open a water bottle, takes a sip, and answers nonchalantly,
“She’s not a bad person, so don’t mind about her . ”
They all finish eating soon after . They carry their trays and walk towards the
exit . Jin Xi notices that Xin Jia is no longer standing at where she was, she
has sat down at a table deep in her own thoughts .
Jin Xi slows down her footsteps and falls to the end of the group . After Han
Chen and the others leave the cafeteria, she stuffs both of her hands into her
pockets, turns around, and walks to Xin Jia’s back .
“Why were you looking at me before?” she presses her hand onto the table,
staring down at her .
Xin Jia’s whole body shakes from being startled . She looks up and her face
blushes and turns pale again . But her eyes continue to look indifferent .
She snickers, and turns her head to the side, “Who’s looking at you? Who do
you think you are?”
Jin Xi doesn’t bother arguing with her . She continues to stare at her .
“Lunatic!” Xin Jia grabs her bag on the side, turns around, and leaves through
the doors on the other side .
Jin Xi watches her back .
Is it because she saw her with Han Chen and got jealous, so she was looking
at her full of bitterness?
Jin Xi walks towards the exit, but immediately sees Han Chen standing there .
He is still holding the bottle of water as he looks in her direction and drinks
from it slowly . It looks like he saw their interaction just now .
Jin Xi stops at his side and spreads out her hands, “I’m sorry . It looks like I
made your confidante cried . ”
Han Chen throws the empty bottle into the trash can, “She’s not my
confidante . ”
Jin Xi can’t help but press her lips together as she walks out .
Han Chen follows behind her . After a few steps, he suddenly turns his head
and looks thoughtfully in the direction of where Xin Jia left .
_____
Just when they make it upstairs, Han Chen is summoned by Qin Wen Long on
the phone . Jin Xi returns to the office by herself . Once she arrives at the
door, she sees Chatterbox holding a bunch of his own stuff and walking
around her desk .
“What are you doing?” she asks .
Chatterbox puts the things in his hands down, “We’re switching seats . ”
“Why?”
“Leader said so . When we left the cafeteria, he told me to . ” Chatterbox
smiles, “It’s probably so that I could be closer to him!”
“Oh . ”
After a while, she sits down at her new spot, and suddenly realizes……
This desk is against the wall, and has it’s back towards the door .
People who walk pass in the hallway will not be able to see her .
She suddenly feels delighted .
After they’ve sat down for a while, they see Han Chen and Qin Wen Long
walk inside .
Han Chen walks directly to his desk, picks up his jacket, and puts it on . Qin
Wen Long tosses a file onto Xiao Zhuan’s desk, “There’s a gun shooting case
that just happened at noontime today at the Ruili area in the East side of the
city . The victim is a civilian . ”
Jin Xi and the others are stunned .
Gun shooting case?
In many criminal cases, the chances of a gun shooting event happening is

very low . It’s because in China, firearms are heavily regulated . A person
can only obtain one from the black market, or a shotgun that has been hidden
by another criminal from many years ago or the like .
Qin Wen Long’s smile on his face seems colder, “Yesterday at noon, in
another area in the East that’s not far away, a gun shooting case also occurred
. The victim was also a civilian . Based on the findings from the scene and
the ballistic analysis, the shooter is the same person using the same gun .
Therefore, the East city district has transferred this case to our provincial
criminal investigation team . Black Shield Team, your first case is here . ”
_____
Ruili is a semi-new commercial building area . Looking at it from afar, some

of the paint has fallen from the buildings’ walls, but they look tidy
nonetheless . The deceased victim, Chen Xi Xian, lives on the 8th floor .
It’s almost thirty minutes since the shooting has happened . A few police cars
are parked downstairs, the area has been sealed with police tapes, and there
are a number of onlookers .
The instant that Jin Xi walks into the scene, her eyebrows furrow; there’s an
awful bad and sour smell; the kind that has been stuffed inside for several
days .
Han Chen is standing beside her as he and Chatterbox put on their gloves and
walk inside . Xiao Zhuan and Cold Face also spreads out to start examining
the area .
Jin Xi walks slowly to the dead body .
This is a very simple looking apartment; take out boxes, plastic bags, and
water bottles are piled everywhere in the living room . The blanket is
scrunched up messily on the sofa……there’s almost not a place that is clean;
clearly showing that the homeowner is down and out, and very dirty .
The way he died is also frightening .
Chen Xi Xian, twenty-three years old, jobless, and has a record of being high
on drugs . He’s average in height, and a slim body . His hair is a bit long .
At this moment, his face is facing upwards with his body lying on the dirty
couch . There’s a splat of blood on the left chest area of his shirt; a small hole
can be seen——evidence that a bullet has gone through . His eyes are still
wide open, staring at the ceiling . His left arm is resting on the couch, and his
right hand is still holding a potato chip . A fly is resting on the chip . There’s
a cell phone beside him with earbuds plugged in; the sound of noisy music
can be heard faintly from it .
Jin Xi looks at him in silence . She turns her head and looks across the
window .
There’s a small hole on the glass window; already marked with a circle by an
officer .
It’s where the bullet entered the place .
Han Chen and the others finish taking a look around and come to the dead
body . Zhou Xiao Zhuan flips open the file in his hand, and says, “The bullet
shell found at the scene has already been sent to the lab for analysis, but based
on preliminary findings, it’s from the same gun as yesterday’s shooting .
Furthermore, the victim from yesterday was also shot in the chest . The
results of the ballistic analysis indicate that the bullet was shot from an
American Barrett M82A1 rifle . And this firearm has been in used for at least
a few years’ time . ”
Chatterbox mumbles, “Barrett M82A1? The king of sniping weapon?”
“Yes,” Xiao Zhuan answers, “Additionally, yesterday’s victim was a forty-

year-old jobless male civilian named Zhou Chang Geng . According to the
East city district station’s preliminary findings, these two victims do not know
each other, and they have no interactions with each other . In both crime
scenes, besides the bullet shells, there are no other traces . There are also no
possessions stolen . ”
“This case is very troublesome,” Cold Face, who’s been quiet all this time,
says suddenly .
The group doesn’t know what to say . Han Chen is standing the closest to the
dead body . He’s looking down with this sleeves rolled up and his hands
wearing black gloves are hanging on both sides of his body .
“Jin Xi,” he calls her .
He hasn’t said anything, but Jin Xi hums, “Mm,” and says, “Cold Face is
right……”
Cold Face suddenly lifts his head and looks at her . Jin Xi realizes what she
has just called him, so she immediately corrects herself, but she can’t recall
his name, so she says ambiguously, “……he’s right, this case is very
troublesome .
Serial shooting cases have happened domestically and abroad . Domestically,

an earlier example would be the incidents that happened in 1997, which the
Interpol listed it as the third most important case, calling it the ‘Bai Baoshan’
case . More recently, there was the ‘Zhou Kehua’ case that shook the entire
nation . But these shootings and serial killers from inside the country all had a
common trait: they were mainly after money, seeking revenge, or were
attempting to escape . They used stolen firearms, shotguns kept in secret, or
homemade guns . And some of them had a background in the military . In
any case, the serial shooters in China were basically all ‘ruthless’ bumpkins .
On the other hand, there are more serial shooters abroad, and they are more
professional . Most of them have a military or police background . Some of
them are even psychopaths, killing people randomly .
Our case at hand shows that the killer seems to be killing people randomly .
But at the same time, he’s different from those famous serial shooters from
abroad . ”
Jin Xi pauses, and continues in a low voice, “This killer is even more vicious .
It’s because he used a Barrett M82A1 which is quite impossible for an
ordinary person to obtain . Our police and military forces also don’t use this
model of weapon . He has used this gun for some years’ time and his work is
smooth and clean . This indicates that he could very well be a professional
killer .
It’s not that China doesn’t have any professional killers, but they are very
small in number . They usually keep their identities a secret, hide in the dark,
and are very far away from normal people’s lives——this is the standard of
their profession . In the past few years, some cases of wealthy men or
politicians being shot dead have gone unsolved, and they have all been done
by these killers . It’s just that, professional killers have always worked for
money . Their mind is very calm and restrained, and would definitely not
interact with civilians . But looking at this case, this professional killer has
suddenly walked into the sunlight for some unknown reason, and has started
killing randomly . ”
She looks up at them, “He could be a psychopath now . This means that as
long as he desires, this whole city will be his hunting ground . ”


Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Chapter 25: Jin Xi’s Grief
“He could be a psychopath now . This means that as long as he desires, this
whole city will be his hunting ground . ”
After Bai Jin Xi finishes her sentence, everybody is in dead silence .
She’s also stunned herself .
It’s a strange feeling . When she was at Guanhu Station before, she obviously
couldn’t possibly have dealt with a serial killer case . Then why does this all
feel so familiar to her after speaking about it just now: nervousness, coldness,
and a hint of……excitement .
It’s as if, this isn’t the first time she’s like this .
There’s no time for her to think deeper because an investigator has brought
the neighbour living across from Chen Xi Xian over . She and Xiao Zhuan
immediately go over .
_____
The neighbour is a housewife in her thirties . She’s standing outside the door
of where the incident happened, looking pale .
“We don’t have much contact with the young fellow across from us . We’ve
bumped into him a few times in the hallway though . He always had his
earphones on by himself, and didn’t like to talk to others,” she says, “but you
could tell that he didn’t work, and stayed home all day . His garbage was all
piled up outside the door . The janitor scolded him every time . Miss Officer,
did he get killed by a gang member?”
Jin Xi asks, “Why do you think that?”

She answers, “A lot of these youngsters take drugs . I heard it from Mrs .
Zhao upstairs that he was beaten up by two gang members in the courtyard
area one time . He supposedly didn’t pay for the ecstasy pills . The people
taking drugs are so bold these days . ”
“Does he have any relatives or friends?”
The housewife thinks for a moment, and then sighs, “I’ve never seen any
relatives, but he had a girlfriend before who came often . She was quite kind,
and there wasn’t garbage piled up outside of the apartment during that time .
She seemed quite nice . But nice people don’t live long . I heard that the girl
died in a car accident, and this fellow was burning a lot of paper money in the
courtyard during those few days, and was scolded by the security guards .
Sigh……the girl’s gone and now the guy’s gone too . Those who do drugs
don’t have a good end in life!”
After sending off the housewife, Xiao Zhuan says, “Chen Xi Xian was a scum
. His girlfriend died, and he got killed by someone . Do you think that the
killer targeted him, thinking that there was no need for Chen Xi Xian to
continue living?”
Jin Xi pauses her footsteps . Xiao Zhuan’s words seem to make some sense .
She pats his shoulder, “You’ve improved! But it’s still too early to conclude .
Let’s take a look at the other victim first . ”
Once they walk inside, they see Han Chen and the other three standing at the
window with a bullet hole in it . Chatterbox is feeling his pockets left and
right and finally finds……a measuring instrument .
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan are both stunned from such an ancient piece of
equipment . But Chatterbox squats with a straight face and starts measuring
the bullet hole with the instrument .
Jin Xi walks to Han Chen and asks softly, “Will that do?”
“You think that I would hire someone useless?” He stares at the bullet hole
while tightening his right glove with his left hand .
If he doesn’t hire useless people, it means that he only hires top experts? Jin
Xi’s mouth curves up, but then she hears him say, “It’s only criminal
psychology that we don’t have an expert in . ”
Jin Xi: “……”
This fellow!
Chatterbox wipes the sweat on his forehead and stands up, “The bullet did not
penetrate through the window from directly across . It came through at a 50 .
3 degree angle, which means……” he points diagonally to the right with his
finger, “the bullet came from that direction . And from that direction, only
that building is ideal for a sniper to be effective . ”
Everyone looks to the direction of where he’s pointing . It’s an eighteen story
building that’s about one to two hundred meters away . There are other
buildings around it of various height; all are rather old and condensed . There
are also some shanty towns in the area .
Chatterbox continues, “And the bullet is 13 . 8 degrees from level, the

distance between the two buildings is 155 meters, and the height of each
apartment is about 3 to 5 meters in these buildings, so the bullet is from……”
“The rooftop . ” Han Chen turns around and rushes outside .
Cold Face follows him immediately . Chatterbox is struck dumb for a second
before he follows after them, but doesn’t forget to remind everyone, “My
super detective’s brain is just so damn fast . ”
Jin Xi bumps Xiao Zhuan’s arm, “King of exams, how come you weren’t able
to calculate this?”
Xiao Zhuan says, “I didn’t get a chance to take out a measuring

instrument……”
_____
Although the apartments are not new, they’re located in the center of the city,
so the area is more prosperous and crowed . Just from walking through the
area, they can see the street parking and parking lots parked with many cars .
Some cars are even parked in an unauthorized manner . But at the time of
the incident just an hour ago, could the killer have been hidden in one of these
parked vehicles? Stepping out of his darkness and into the lives of normal
people, preparing to start his hunting?
Once they make it to the rooftop, they see the mark .
“T”
A red capitalized “T” has been painted on the side of a wall on the rooftop .
And it happens to face the victim’s building .
Chatterbox immediately rushes over . He takes out a dial caliper with his left
hand and a micrometer with his right and starts measuring .
The others follow . Cold Face squats beside the wall . He rubs the ground
lightly with his gloved hand, and looks up at Han Chen, “There are dusts
everywhere except here, which has been cleaned very thoroughly by someone
. ”
Han Chen nods .
Chatterbox adds, “The angle is just right . This is the place where the shot
came from . Holy, he even left a ‘T’ at the shooting place . Xiao Bai
Mei (little girl Bai), hurry and analyze this . What was he thinking?”
Bai Jin Xi glares at him, “You think that I have supernatural powers? What
can a ‘T’ say about the person . Maybe it’s not ‘T’ that he wants to express,
but a nail instead?”
Although she says this, she examines the “T” closely . At first glance, the
colour is like blood, stinging her eyes . It’s also facing in the direction of
victim Chen . It feels as if……
……the killer has nailed this mark onto the dead body .
She lifts her head and sees that Han Chen is walking slowly around the
borders of the rooftop; he’s looking down so she’s not sure what he’s doing .
Chatterbox is still fooling around on the spot . Cold Face suddenly turns
around and walks forward and towards the right . One step, two steps, three
steps… . . he then squats . A bunch of things are piled in front of him, and he
starts searching through them .
Jin Xi watches them and suddenly feels a surge of excitement in her heart .
Han Chen is right; they are all top experts .
Therefore, she also squats where she is with her chin resting in her palms as
she concentrates on her thoughts .
“Found it,” Cold Face suddenly stands up . His face is actually showing a
rare hint of smile as he holds up something in his hand, “Bullet shell . ”
Han Chen walks over, takes a look, smiles, and pats his shoulder .
Having found the bullet shell means that they can use professional equipment
to analyze and find out more details of the gun . Xiao Zhuan immediately
takes out an evidence bag and puts the bullet shell inside . He looks at Cold
Face with admiration, “Cold Face, how did you know that the bullet shell
would be hidden here?”
Cold Face has already become immuned to this nickname so he doesn’t show
any reactions . He looks up in the sky and answers, “There is no wind today .
When shots are taken with this sniper rifle model, the bullet shells usually fly
towards the right . The distance in which it falls can be predicted . ”
Xiao Zhuan, “Oh……”
Han Chen reaches out his hand to Xiao Zhuan, “Pen, paper . ”
Xiao Zhuan fetches a notebook and ballpoint pen quickly from his bag and
hands it to him . Han Chen rips a page out and throws the notebook back to
him . He walks to the edge of the rooftop .
Jin Xi has been watching him, so seeing him move out, she goes over .
“What are you doing?”
His fingers are fair white and slender to begin with, they look even prettier
holding a pen . He doesn’t look at her until he finishes drawing a few curved
lines, “You don’t get it?”
“Hm……”
“That’s normal,” he throws the pen to her and turns his head, “Cold Face . ”
The one who is being called upon by his nickname walks over calmly . Han
Chen hands the paper to him .
“Go down on the staircase to the 8th floor, and then jump to the top of that
building from the balcony . I don’t need to tell you the route from there, and
you should know,” he says .
Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox hover over . Cold Face takes a good look at the
drawing in his hand, and reveals a slight smile, “This is the killer’s escape
route . ”
“Mm,” Han Chen tilts his head and lights up a cigarette . He breathes out a
light smoke ring, “Take a run . Xiao Zhuan, record the time . Let’s have
someone record the time as well at the end point . ”
Cold Face takes off his jacket calmly, tosses it to Chatterbox, and warms up
on the spot, leaving the rest of them dumbstruck .
How did he……draw out the escape route just like that?
_____
Two minutes later .
They stand on the rooftop watching Cold Face sprint like a cheetah across the
top of several lower level buildings; Jin Xi and the other three are amazed .
Chatterbox speaks out first, “Leader, how did you draw out the escape route?
How did you know that the killer must have ran this way?”
With the cigarette held between his black gloved fingers, Han Chen inhales
from it, and answers, “The sniper rifle is big, so the killer definitely wouldn’t
have walked around while carrying it on his back . That would have sparked
other people’s attention . He must be driving a car and usually has the gun
hidden in it . ”
All three of them nod their heads .
“He wouldn’t have parked his car at a parking lot because there are cameras
there . He would have parked it on the side of the streets,” he says .
Xiao Zhuan interrupts, “There are a lot of cars parked in unauthorized zones,
so he could have probably found a good place to park his car without it being
noticed . ”
“No . ”
“No . ”
Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi say at the same time .
Their eyes meet, and Jin Xi explains, “A calm and experienced criminal
would never park his/her car in an unauthorized manner when they’re
committing a crime . It’s because if he/she gets caught by a traffic cop, it
would be like he/she is giving him/herself into the hands of the police .
Furthermore, this is a professional killer, so there’s no way that he/she would
make such a simple mistake . ”
Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox both say “Oh . ”
Han Chen continues, “I’ve taken a look at the map on our way here . There
are five roads nearby with street parking available . One of them is just below
this building, but the killer would definitely not have parked there because it’s
within our search area . ” He semi-closes his eyes, takes a smoke, and looks
to the front, “The route that Cold Face is running on is the shortest path that
leads to one of the parking areas . The other paths are too far, making him/her
leave behind more evidence, so he/she would definitely not choose any of
them . ”
Chatterbox is already full of admiration and doesn’t ask anymore questions .

Xiao Zhuan quickly writes down all the main points that Han Chen has given
. Jin Xi blinks her eyes and asks, “How do you know that the route you’ve
drawn is the shortest one?”
Han Chen rests one of his arms on the railing while tapping his cigarette with
his other hand, “Chatterbox, how do you make a direction idiot understand
roads?”
Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan giggle . Jin Xi makes a “hmph!” sound, and
turns to look to the side .
Han Chen glances at her slightly blushing face, and smiles .

“Therefore……” Chatterbox continues with Han Chen’s speculation, “The
time of the gunshot is very clear, so as long as we can estimate the time the
killer took to escape, search the area of the road, and review the security
camera footages nearby around that time, the killer’s car must be among
them! This will shrink our search area by a lot!”
“Mm,” Han Chen hums with the cigarette in his mouth .
Xiao Zhuan is too excited to say anything . He mumbles, “We’ll be close to

solving the case then . This is too fast, too fast . ”
“Not necessarily,” Han Chen comments, “It just means that we’ve found the
car . ”
Even with that said, Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox are still full of smiles .
Jin Xi has mixed feelings towards this; she’s happy, yet surprised . As she
stares at his side profile and his distinctive facial features, she also feels like
respecting him a bit more now .
Han Chen catches her by surprise as he suddenly turns his head towards her,
“Get ready . ”
Jin Xi asks, “What for?”
“You’re running next . I’ll take you,” he says, “We’re short on time, so it’s
too hard to find another female officer with your athletic skills . I’ve taken a
look just now, and the distances that require you to jump down from aren’t
too high, so you should be alright . ”
“……Okay . ”
They both take off their jackets and stretch their arms and legs . Xiao Zhuan
and Chatterbox understand the reason behind this . Xiao Zhuan nods,
“Leader sure pays attention to details! The killer could be a woman, so that’s
why we need Xiao Bai to take a run . But since she’s bad with directions,
Leader is guiding her himself . ”
Jin Xi didn’t think much of it before, but now that she hears him call Han
Chen leader, she can’t help but look at him with an awkward smile, “Xiao
Zhuan, new clothes are not as good as the old ones, while old members are
not as good as new ones . ”
Xiao Zhuan doesn’t understand and shows a blank face .
But someone gives Jin Xi a slap on the back of her head .
“Don’t mind so much,” he pulls off his gloves and throws them to Xiao
Zhuan .
He says it in a deep and relaxed voice with a perfect Beijing accent, and a hint
of arrogance . Jin Xi feels sweetness inside for some reason; his words are
quite effective on her .
They stand on the edge of the rooftop beside the painted “T” . Jin Xi is
carrying Xiao Zhuan’s bag which has a couple of bricks inside to imitate the
weight of a sniper rifle . Cold Face was carrying this during his run .
Han Chen turns to her, “Be careful on your way . Follow me . Don’t look
down . ”
“Okay . ”
Xiao Zhuan waves his arm, and Han Chen sprints forward; he has already
disappeared from the stairs in a blink of an eye . Jin Xi follows him in a dash
.
_____
There is an additional door on the 8th floor that leads to a spacious platform .
It’s already 2 to 3pm, and the sun is shining brightly . The instant that Jin Xi
raises her head, she sees Han Chen press his hands against the edge of the
balcony and jumping down; his black shadow disappears in the next second .
Luckily, the balcony and the top of the other building is just beside each other
and is only about a meter difference in height . Jin Xi stops at the edge of the
balcony, closes her eyes, and jumps down .
She reaches out and presses her hands on the ground right when she lands,
and sees that Han Chen has already made it to the other side of the building
and is going down the stairs . Seeing that she’s fine, he turns his head and
disappears .
Jin Xi is suddenly struck dumb .
She doesn’t know why her mind has suddenly gone blank just now . She
quickly clears her head and continues chasing after him .
Once they go down to the fifth floor, there’s a hallway that leads to the top of
another building . There are many buildings in the 90’s that are like this . Jin
Xi runs along the hallway and sees that Han Chen is going down the stairs of
the rooftop .
Jin Xi is suddenly stunned .
His face is very clear under the sun . He places one of his hands on the railing
as he looks downwards . His short black hair rests on his forehead, and his
side profile is prominent .
He turns around to look at her .
And then turns his head back and starts going down .
The sun is above their heads . Jin Xi looks down and sees his shadow
disappear from the rooftop while hers chases closely after it . The prosperous
city surrounding them endlessly is empty and quiet .
At this very moment, she feels as if her heart is being squeezed .
Fiercely, without warning, and completely unprepared .
There’s an indescribable pain spreading from her heart at an instant; like

blood rushing through her whole body .
Jin Xi halts her footsteps .
But in the next second, she immediately realizes that she is currently working
on a case, so she quickly starts running again .
But when she lifts her head again, tears are flowing from her eyes .
……
What’s going on?

Why does the imagery of her and Han Chen running and chasing gives her a
familiar feeling?
Why does her chest feel tremendous pressure making her almost unable to
breathe?
Why are tears flowing from her eyes uncontrollably, just like when she was
unable to stop crying in her dreams?
……
Her consciousness is helping her maintain her speed . Perhaps because the
rest of the path is rather easy, so Han Chen has increased the distance between
them and hasn’t notice anything strange about her .
Her eyes are completely blurry . They leap from one rooftop to another; they
jump over one barrier after another . Although she’s running on the path right
now, it feels as if she’s in another setting .
Similarly in the other setting, a calm and athletic man is running in the front
while she is following him close behind . Their shadows are just like how
they are now; following and chasing one another to reach the same goal .
There is no one else in this world that can replace what they mean to each
other .
……
Jin Xi can’t run any further .
She slowly comes to a stop, buries her face in her palms, and squats down .
The man in her dreams .
Did he once sprint with her like this?
Did he often turn his head to check that she was fine too?
Did he chase after the same aspirations and goals with her? Justice, fairness,
a criminal investigator’s responsibilities, and their unforgettable love?
Why can’t she remember any of it?

What is his name? Zhao something? She can’t even remember his name
anymore, yet he has already gotten married and has kids with another woman
. Then why does she still feel a strong burning sensation deep down inside
regarding this relationship which she has forgotten? And why is it that
whenever it is summoned by the tiniest clue, she can feel it hurting all over
her body?
……
She lowers her head, watching big drops of tears fall to the ground .
Until a pair of black running shoes appear in front of her .
She is pulled up by the arm with force . When she raises her head, she sees
Han Chen .
His forehead is still covered with sweat, his t-shirt is stuck to his chest, and
his palm is full of heat . He grasps her arm with one hand and cups her face
with the other; his slightly calloused fingertip wiping away her tears; a little
rough, and hurting a little bit .
His deep and dark eyes are staring at her .
Jin Xi turns her face to the side and avoids his hand, “Nothing . I suddenly
just don’t feel well . Sorry . You’ll need to find another female officer to
complete the trial . ”
She wants to push his hand away, but he holds on even tighter .
Jin Xi takes a deep breath, looks up, and reveals an embarrassed smile, “I
took a look down just now, so I got scared of the height . My emotions are a
bit out of control……” Her explanation makes sense because many people
with fear of heights would lose control of their emotions when they’re being
forced to the limit .
Han Chen examines her face, and then releases his hand slowly .
They keep quiet .

“I was too careless,” he says suddenly, “to let you run . I originally hoped
that you could overcome your fear of heights . I’ll ask them to find another
officer . Wipe your tears, and follow me down . ”
His deep voice actually carries a hint of gentleness .
Jin Xi feels her nose burning again . She wipes her eyes quickly, “It’s not
your fault . I will try harder next time . ”
_____
Jin Xi’s eyes are still swollen on their ride back . Everyone in the car has
sharp eyes, but even Chatterbox knows better than to ask .
They’re riding in a seven passenger SUV; Xiao Zhuan and Jin Xi are sitting in
the last row . He nudges her arm, and asks softly, “What’s wrong?”
“I’ll tell you after we go back . ”
This proves that when a man has an unfriendly face, people around him don’t
dare to talk to him .
Cold Face is driving, while Han Chen is in the passenger seat . His arm is
resting on the car window as he smokes and look outside .
The whole ride is quiet .
_____
The other victim’s name is Zheng Cheng Zhi .
He was killed yesterday at noon; his body has been sent for autopsy . The
scene of the crime has been kept as is . The Black Shield Team arrives and
hears the wife crying her lungs out, saying that the killer must have killed her
husband out of jealousy and demands the police to catch the killer .
Zheng Cheng Zhi was forty-two years old, jobless, and was doing odd jobs .
Due to his old home being taken down, he was compensated with two
apartments, so he was able to manage his daily living expenses .
“Besides yourself, did Zheng Cheng Zhi have any other close relatives?” Xiao
Zhuan asks .
His wife replies still choking with tears, “He has a younger brother who
works in Shanghai . He won’t be here until tomorrow . ”
“How about his friends?”
She says angrily, “He has many good for nothing friends . They smoke,
drink, and gamble a lot . Mister Officer, you must investigate them . ” She
starts crying again, “Now that it’s only me and my child left, what are we
going to do?!”
Xiao Zhuan nods, but knows very well that her husband was not killed by one
of these people .
Han Chen takes Chatterbox and Cold Face with him to examine the place,
while Jin Xi visits the neighbours on the upper and lower floors .
The apartment below is occupied by an old lady in her seventies . Jin Xi is

invited inside after she tells her the reason for her coming .
“Sigh, Miss Officer, why would a perfectly fine person be shot and killed just
like that?” the old lady sighs, “Guns are heavily regulated, aren’t they?
Cheng Zhi must have provoked some gang members to end up like this,
didn’t he?”
Jin Xi answers gently, “We can’t conclude yet . Grandma (polite to address
an elderly woman), you must have been living here for a long time . What
kind of a person is Zheng Cheng Zhi? Does anyone hold a grudge on him, or
has a conflict with him? We are asking because we also want to solve the
case quickly . ”
The Old Lady nods, “I understand . ” She looks at Jin Xi and her expression
becomes a bit unreadable, “This Cheng Zhi……He was a good kid and was
filial . But after he grew up, he couldn’t find a good job . He got married,
and slowly changed . He was forty and didn’t have proper work to do . He
and his brother’s dad died early, and their mom and I watched them grow
up……”
“His mom……”
The Old Lady shakes her head . Her eyes are watery, “His mom passed away
last month . She worked hard her whole life to raise these brothers, but died
in pain . Just like me, she’s old and useless . She slipped and fell down the
stairs . Sigh… . . ”
Jin Xi keeps quiet for a moment, caresses the Old Lady’s back, and asks,
“How do the brothers usually treat their mom? Are they filial? Caring?”
The Old Lady pauses for a few seconds, and answers, “The younger brother,
Cheng Da, works outside of the city, but I hear that he usually mails some
money back during holidays and new years . Cheng Zhi was kind-hearted,
but it was his personality . He smoked and drank all day, so he didn’t have
time for his mom . And to add to that, he married that kind of a woman . His
old mom was quite pitiful……”
_____
When Jin Xi goes back to Zheng’s home, Zheng Cheng Zhi’s wife has already
left . After the incident, she and her son have been staying elsewhere for the
past few days .
She walks in and sees that they have already finished examining the place and
are standing in the living room . They look her way as she enters .
Jin Xi’s gaze meet with Han Chen’s, and she quickly shifts away .
“Jin Xi,” he says, “What are your findings?”
Jin Xi feels warmth inside her heart .
Even though he looks down on criminal psychology, the truth is, regardless of
whether it’s the Chen Li Jiang case or this current case……
He listens to her .
She has calmed down her emotions now; realizing that the they have all
showcased their special skills today except for her .
Smiling slightly, she walks to the middle of the group, and reaches out her
hand towards Han Chen, “Give me a cigarette first . ”
Chatterbox butts in, “Xiao Bai, you’re being such a big shot . ”
Han Chen scans her face, reaches into his pocket, fetches a cigarette, and
tosses it to her . Jin Xi takes it, but she doesn’t light it because they’re at a
crime scene right now; she puts it across her nose and sniffs it, and then starts
spinning it between her fingers .
“He is a young man between the ages of 25 to 35 . His looks are ordinary .
He keeps a low profile, lives in a rented apartment located in a mid-range area

in the city, and drives an average vehicle . However, there’s no way to tell the
diameter of where he lives in because distance is not a limitation to a
professional killer .
Being a killer is not his full-time job . He most likely works in the technical
field such as an IT technician, an instrument repairer, or a home renovation
inspector . ”
She lowers her hand and puts the cigarette into her mouth, “He’s very lonely
inside . He’s single, has no woman, and has no real friends . But in the past
three months, he must have experienced a big emotional impact . He has a
very, very deep relationship with someone . Perhaps it’s love, or something
else, that has been ruined by others . And those who ruined it are ordinary
people like these two who are deceased .
A highly skilled man who walks on the edge in the dark and disregards life,
yet the weakest and most fragile beings in this world have ruined the
happiness that that belonged to him . Therefore, he has come to their world
and has begun to kill them one by one . ”


Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Chapter 26: A Series of Inferences
“I am a killer .
I have been one for five, eight, or ten years? The time is not relevant .
I have a lot of money . I have never made a mistake . Otherwise, I would

already be a prisoner captured by the Chinese police .
I can buy whatever I desire, and play whatever I want . Although I’m not
extremely wealthy, I don’t have any financial stress .
My finger is used to pull the trigger; I feel nothing while looking at each of
the dead bodies . All that comes to my mind is that I would receive another
big sum of money .
I’m far away from the lives of ordinary people . But when I don’t have any
requests, I must live among them . Even when I walk into the crowd, I don’t
feel my own existence……”
“Wait——” a voice interrupts .
It’s Chatterbox .
He looks at Jin Xi, who’s standing by the window with her head down
murmuring, “Little Sister Bai, although you’re pretending that you’re the
killer to fathom his mind and it sounds quite interesting, would a killer be this
emotional deep down inside? Like walking into the crowd and can’t feel his
existence……it sounds like a poem……”
After his ramble, he only gets Bai Jin Xi rolling her eyes in return .
“Nonsense,” she hops and sits on the window sill, “Please make note that
although we have encountered the first psychotic and professional killer in the
history of China, he cannot escape the fate of a psycho——he must be
emotionally distressed, on top of his emotional outbreak from being provoked
by a certain incident . The incident is an outside factor, while the start of it all
is always from within his inner self . ”
Xiao Zhuan adds, “Which means that he has been suppressing his feelings for
a long time . ”
“Yes,” Jin Xi answers, “Otherwise, there are so many professional killers and
none of them are psychotic except for him? There has to be a certain deciding
factor in the appearance of an exception . ”
It’s already 4 or 5pm; the setting sun is shining diagonally from the window .
A crime scene of yesterday is left in silence today .
Jin Xi lifts her head . Xiao Zhuan is standing the closest to her; still a face
full of seriousness and admiration . Cold Face is expressionless, while
Chatterbox is thinking hard to digest her words .
Standing farthest from her is Han Chen, who’s wearing black gloves and has
both of his hands in his pockets . When he doesn’t smile, his aura is always
cold . His eyes shift towards her every now and then .
Jin Xi looks down .
In the past, she has always made inferences based on logical analyses and
experiences to come up with the results .
Pretending to be the serial killer to get a sense of what goes on in his mind
and even imitating his every word and every move——she has never done
this kind of inference before . But for some reason, she started getting the
hang of it today .
Could it be that only serial killers can trigger her deepest and most sensitive
nerve that is hidden inside of her?
And she actually feels quite natural about making inferences this way?
Thankfully, besides Chatterbox, no one else thinks she’s crazy .

“Due to my work, I often need to change where I live, but the housing prices
are quite high these days . Even though I’m a professional killer, I cannot
afford buying too many apartments, so I usually rent . I would rent a mid-
range apartment in a not too busy but not too isolated area . I would drive the
most common kind of vehicle in the city . That way, I can keep myself
hidden . And the most common car in City Lan is a Citreon . I would buy a
Citreon Elysee that’s around 100,000 RMB, or a C-Quatre,” she says, “but I
lean more towards a C-Quatre because it has a better exterior appearance . It
would be in black because it would make it harder to spot at night . ”
Cold Face makes a “heh” sound and says, “You even know what brand and
colour the car would be . Incredible!”
Jin Xi smiles, “Writing poems is the most enjoyable part in criminal

psychology . It’s because——” she lowers her voice, “every move the killer
makes becomes very simple to read in our eyes . ”
The others don’t comment .
The woman is sitting on the windowsill leaning on one hand pressed against
the edge while holding a cigarette in the other . Her long hair is tied into a
ponytail at the back of her head, making her look especially refreshing . Her
face is slightly lowered and her eyelashes are rich black and plump . Yet
when she says such arrogant words in a calm tone, it actually doesn’t feel out
of place .
Han Chen stares at her side profile as he lowers his head to put a cigarette in
his mouth . Realizing that they are still at the crime scene, he retrieves the
cigarette . He holds it between his fingers just like her; his slender fingers in
black gloves spinning the cigarette casually .
Jin Xi also realizes that her words sound a bit arrogant, but the way she
blurted them out without thinking is another familiar feeling rushing into her
heart again .
She quickly continues with her inference, pretending as if nothing has

happened just now, “Because of the loneliness and desires in my heart,
whenever I stay in a city, I would look for a normal job . It can’t be too
professional as I don’t have the time to go to school and study, but it can’t be
too basic either as I would disdain it . I would find a technical type of job and
make it my interest, which would let me seem like a normal person, living
among the crowd . Therefore, I might be an instrument repairer, or a
computer technician . I might even have a certificate from Beida Jade
Bird (large enterprise group that’s affiliated with Peking University) . ”
She’s playful in the way she speaks, but the others are not laughing . Instead,
they are listening to her attentively .
Jin Xi takes a deep breath, and closes her eyes . The following image of a
young man surfaces in her mind:
An average figure, skinny yet fit . He might be wearing a pair of glasses, a

shirt and casual pants, and carrying a laptop bag, making him look like an IT
personnel that can be seen everywhere in this city .
He doesn’t walk too fast because that would prevent him from observing his
surroundings; this is a habit of his profession . But no one notices him
because his footsteps are so light that you can barely hear them .
He goes to and leave work on time every day; living an ordinary life that
doesn’t capture anyone’s attention . But when he has an assignment, he
would take off his glasses and his shirt . His actions are definitely slick; he
would feel a familiar feeling of success whenever he completes a task . But
this feeling of success can never be shared with anyone . As a result, he feels
a tremendous sense of emptiness and increasingly secluded .
What is it that has made this killer no longer able to suppress himself? What
has made him let go of his pride and come face to face with the conflicts of
his inner feelings?
……
Jin Xi opens her eyes slowly, “It’s overturning .
It’s because something that he cherishes has been broken . His ability to
balance his feelings all this time has now been completely overturned . It has
been overturned to the point where he is taking revenge on the society . ”
She hops down from the windowsill, “I’m done . ”
Cold Face is the first to speak, “What does ‘T’ stand for?”
Jin Xi answers, “In a serial murder case, this kind of special mark that’s left
behind by the murderer usually means one of two things . ”
Chatterbox gets excited, “Which two?”
Jin Xi smiles, “The murderer himself, or ‘it . ’ A marking that stands for
himself makes perfect sense . Which serial killer doesn’t love himself? And
‘it’ is something that he is persistent about . It could represent anyone or
matter . Or maybe our killer has always loved the letter T since he was little .
Perhaps the person he loved was killed by being stabbed with a nail . The ‘T’
could also mean Tuesday……It’s still too early to understand what’s in his
mind . ”
She turns around and looks at Han Chen, “Xiao Zhuan has discovered
something that I think is useful——both victims don’t contribute much to the
society, are not motivated, and are living a low life . Could this be the reason
for picking them as targets?
But since there are only two of them, whether they were picked for a reason
or at random and coincidently had the same qualities, we cannot make any
conclusions yet . After all, there are quite a lot of these kinds of people .
And from experience, serial shooters from the domestic or abroad usually
pick targets at random and won’t choose anyone on purpose . It’s because
they are simply satisfied from the pleasure of sniping and the feeling of being
in control . Therefore, they don’t need to pick and choose . ”
The rest of them all nod their heads; even Cold Face is showing agreement .
But Han Chen places the cigarette on his ear, takes off his gloves, and throws
them to Xiao Zhuan .
Xiao Zhuan has already gotten used to catching them; he folds them and puts
them away for Leader .
Jin Xi thinks inside: this Young Master of Beijing sure knows how to order
others around .
Han Chen looks at her, and says, “No . They were definitely chosen . ”
Jin Xi is a little stunned . But her instincts are actually also leaning towards
believing that they were chosen . However, there are only two victims so far,
so it’s too early to make conclusions .
“At both sniping locations, the ground was carefully wiped clean,” he repeats
what Cold Face had found before .
Jin Xi, Xiao Zhuan, and Chatterbox are all struck dumb . Cold Face nods on
the other hand, looking like he understands what Han Chen is saying .
“The killer had a full set of professional equipment . He must have worn
gloves and shoe covers, so that he would leave no fingerprints or footprints .
Wiping the ground clean was unnecessary,” he says, “There’s only one
explanation . What he wants to wipe away is his sweat . ”
Jin Xi gets it right away, “This means that he had been waiting on the rooftop
for a period of time, so that’s why he dripped a lot of sweat and needed to
wipe them away . ”
Chatterbox adds, “Yes, yes . Therefore, the victims were chosen . Because if
he was killing at random, there would have been many people down below at
noon, so he could have fired shots casually and be able to kill people that way
. But yet he especially waited for such a long time to kill these two people!”
All five of them are silent .
Jin Xi can’t deny that Han Chen has once again make her feel the
attractiveness of traditional investigation methods .
Her criminal psychology uses the criminal’s actions to infer that person’s
personality and distinctive features .
He on the other hand, intricately captures all the details that seem irrelevant at
first glance and uses them to find loopholes; it could be an area on the ground
that should not have been wiped clean, or the sound of a bell that should not
have been chiming in the middle of the night . He uses these clues to infer the
most accurate explanation .
Should she start calling him the King of logic?
But to her surprise, Chatterbox thinks the same as her this time . He
exclaims, “Leader, you are absolutely the King of logic! No wonder your
math is so good!”
Xiao Zhuan agrees, “Yeah, yeah!”
Han Chen smiles .
As if he notices her gaze, he lifts his eyes towards her .
His dark brown eyes seem to look intimidating, carrying a hint of coldness,
just like when he pulled her up from the ground in the afternoon .
Jin Xi smiles calmly .
He shifts his gaze away, “There’s still one point that doesn’t make sense——
bullet shell . ”
Chatterbox takes over, “Yeah . I was thinking about that just now . After the
shooting, it must have taken a least ten minutes for the district station to arrive
at the scene . We’ve tested that it takes less than five minutes to go from the
rooftop to his parking spot . He definitely had enough time to collect the
bullet shell, so why didn’t he?
The rifle he uses is not a common one domestically, and it’s also not widely
available on the black market . Now that we have the bullet and the shell, the
station should be able to give an accurate report within ten days: telling us
what kind of gun the bullet was fired from, the age of it, or even where it’s
made, which year, where it could have been bought from, and if there were
any previous cases that involved this firearm… . . this leaves behind too much
evidence . We have a very good chance of being able to find out who he is
from all these clues . ”
Han Chen closes his eyes slightly, and says indifferently, “A professional
killer would not make such careless mistakes . There’s only one reason why
he didn’t collect them——he didn’t need to . He doesn’t care anymore . ”
The four of them are stunned .
Han Chen retrieves the cigarette from his ear, and puts it into his mouth .
“This is a logical paradox,” he says, “He wipes away his sweat because he
doesn’t want us to be able to collect his DNA . If he were to leave behind
some sweat, we would have been able to confirm his identity . But then he
left the bullet shell . ”
Jin Xi feels a sudden shock in her heart, and says without thinking, “This
means that he doesn’t care about being caught by us eventually . He just
hopes that we don’t catch him too soon . ”
Han Chen looks up and his eyes meet with hers, “Mm . He’s not only killing
people for pleasure or taking revenge on society . He has a complete plan that
he will accomplish in ten days . ”


Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Chapter 27: Turbulences in the Background
Midnight .
Jin Xi is sitting inside a police car as she writes with her head down on a soft
leather notebook in her hand .
“Serial killer T:
1 . Male, 25-35 years old, fit body, average looks;
2 . Education: high school or university studying a major;
3 . Career used as disguise: computer engineer, watchmaker, or other skilled

type; may have beginners or intermediate professional certificate;
4 . Address: a mid-range apartment in a small residential area in the city

between 2nd and 3rd Ring Road;
5 . Drives a black Citreon C-Quatre;
6 . Experienced a big emotional impact in the past three months such as losing
his lover or a family member;
7 . Disregards life, and may be diagnosed with a disease, which is why he will
sacrifice everything to complete his plan . ”
She thinks for a moment, and then writes at the bottom: “Finding the common
trait of the victims, and getting a grasp of his patterned actions will be the
only way to crack the plan . ”
The car door opens . Xiao Zhuan breathes out a breath of air and sits inside .
“His whole family is not here . The neighbours don’t know where they’ve
gone to either . Their cell phones are shut off probably because it’s too late .
What should we do now?”
Jin Xi pauses and then says, “There’s no helping it . We’ll have to wait here .
”
Xiao Zhuan nods . They both keep their eyes on the building up front . The
deceased young drug addict Chen Xi Xian’s past girlfriend’s family lives up
there . It’s just that the apartment is completely dark .
They’ve been busy all day; they’ve asked everyone that they can, and have
searched all the places that they can . Besides the fact that both victims are
“jobless,” they have not found any relation between the two of them .
Everyone knows that Killer T will definitely kill another person during noon
tomorrow . They are on a race with T . They must use every minute and
second to find out his pattern before he acts .
Therefore, they need to dig deeper .
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan are investigating Chen Xi Xian’s girlfriend, who died
in a car accident . Chatterbox has rushed to the train station to catch Zheng
Cheng Zhi’s younger brother Zheng Cheng Da who is returning from another
city . Cold Face is researching on Chen Xi Xian’s old hometown and his
relatives . Han Chen is looking up all details regarding Killer T’s car .
_____
“Xiao Bai, why did you cry during your run today?” Xiao Zhuan asks .
Jin Xi keeps silent for a second, and then turns to look at him, “I’ll tell you,
but you have to promise to keep it a secret . ”
“Mm!”
……
The night is getting darker and darker . This big parking lot is very quiet;
there are probably only the two of them here .
Jin Xi finishes, leans her head towards the chair, and looks straight .
It’s rare to see Xiao Zhuan with a solemn face like right now as he stares at
her without a word .
“Xiao Bai, give me a hug,” he says, “I’d never imagined that you would be
this infatuated . ”
And at this instant, a car drives into the parking lot and parks at an area that’s
rather far away from them . The information they have shows that the Zhou
family does not have a car; this must be some tenant who’s returning late, so
Jin Xi doesn’t pay too much attention to it . She smiles, “Why are you getting
all mushy-gushy?”
Although she says this, she still reaches out and hugs him .
They keep quiet for a while, and then Xiao Zhuan pats her back, “Don’t
worry, it’s never too late for revenge . If we bump into that Zhao something
guy, we’ll beat him up every time we see him . ”
Jin Xi spurts out a laugh . Just when she wants to say something, she sees a
figure walk past their car .
And then……stops beside them .
A tall figure with a handsome face . A pair of dark and rich brown-eyes looks
at them from outside the window .
It’s no other than Han Chen .
Jin Xi’s eyes meet with his; her heart skips a beat . She nudges Xiao Zhuan,
“Alright . ”
Xiao Zhuan is still feeling indignation for her as he says in a muffled voice,
“Let’s hug for a little longer, okay? This way, I’ll feel more at ease . ”
Han Chen glances at her again, and then knocks on the window .
Xiao Zhuan turns his head around, sees that it’s Han Chen, and is stunned as
he quickly releases his embrace out of reflex .
“Holy sh……” he says softly .

Jin Xi giggles, “What are you swearing for?”
They open the door and come out from the car .
Han Chen leans against the side of the car as he watches them come towards
him . His gaze sweeps past Xiao Zhuan and lands directly on Jin Xi’s face for
a moment before he turns his head away and looks straight .
He was investigating the details of the vehicle when he passed by here, so he

decided to come check up on them .
But when he arrived, he saw the two of them hugging each other .
He fetches a cigarette from his pocket, puts it into his mouth, lowers his head
and lights it up . He waves the matchstick to put it out, and then flicks it very
precisely into the garbage can on the side of the road . He turns his head and
looks at them .
Xiao Zhuan starts, “Leader, how come you’re here? Let me report to you first
. The Zhou Family is not around and no one knows where they’ve gone to .
We’ve been staying here to be on a look out . ”
Han Chen nods, inhales the cigarette holding it between his fingers, and
resting his arm on top of the car door . He turns to look at Jin Xi, “I was just
passing by this area . I’ll be leaving now . ”
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan both let out an “oh . ” They look at each other’s faces
. Xiao Zhuan highly believes that he has been mistaken, but since it’s
regarding Bai Jin Xi’s secret which he cannot explain, he decides to open the
door and sits back inside, “Leader, I’m going to take a nap first then so that
I’ll be ready for a challenge tomorrow!”
He bangs the door shut . Jin Xi curses him inside before taking a glance at
Han Chen . He’s still leaning on the car and hasn’t moved . His side profile
is calm and he’s not looking at her; as if he’s really going to leave after
smoking a cigarette .
They both don’t have anything to say .
Jin Xi opens the car door too, “I’m going back inside to take a nap as
well……”
“Just when I come, both of you are sleepy?” he says suddenly .
Jin Xi stares at his eyes, “Uh……I’m not that sleepy . ” She releases the
door, and walks halfway around the car to come to his side . She leans
against the car door just like him, and looks straight .
Han Chen continues smoking and doesn’t speak .
The moon is shining above them . The roofless parking lot is only lit by a
few warm lighting lamps . The apartment buildings are hard to make out at
night . Jin Xi raises her head and looks at the sparsely lit stars in the sky .
The image of him pulling her up from the ground and wiping her tears away
in the afternoon today suddenly flashes across her mind .
She keeps quiet for a while, and then asks, “How is the investigation on the
car going?”
Han Chen continues looking straight with his eyelids half closed . He inhales
the cigarette .
“Not much . We’ve found the car . It’s a black C-Quatre, but it’s got a fake
license plate . The surveillance camera caught it leaving at an intersection,
but then lost sight of it . The traffic department is still doing their best to
track it down . ”
Jin Xi doesn’t say anything . She had a feeling that it wouldn’t be easy to
chase down a car in such a big city, especially when their target is a highly
skilled criminal . The fact that Han Chen is able to lock down on which car it
is through the traces of evidence at the crime scene is already a very big
breakthrough . It’s now up to the traffic department to see if they can make
further progress .
It’s still a race against time .
But in the history of serial shooting cases, which one of them was easy to
solve? This one is different from the other serial killings . The killer made a
shot at a far distance and left very little evidence at the crime scene . It’s
almost impossible to solve this case in a short period of time . There are
many sniping cases in America that take more than ten deaths before the FBI
is able to catch the criminal . Without looking too far, 11 people were killed
in the ground breaking case of Zhou Kehua that happened domestically . The
criminal was on the run for 8 years before he was arrested by the Public
Security Bureau and then executed .
There’s a very big possibility that someone will be killed tomorrow at noon .
She lets out a soft sigh .
At the distant entrance of the courtyard, a few passersby stop at a street stall;
the slight smell of food permeates the air .
Jin Xi rubs her stomach, and murmurs to herself, “I’ve got to go get a
midnight snack . ” Just as she is about to say “goodbye” to Han Chen, she
sees him put out his cigarette and throws it into the garbage can, “Let’s go . ”
Jin Xi stares at the side of his face, “……Okay . ”
_____
Seeing more customers come, the barbeque stall owner greets them
enthusiastically, “What would you like? I have everything! Everything here
is clean and delicious . Look at how many people come at night . ”
Jin Xi knows best when it comes to street food . She takes a look around,
nods her head firmly, and starts to order .
The owner laughs as he fetches for more ingredients . He looks at Han Chen,
“Young man, what would you like to have?”
Han Chen has both of his hands in his pockets . He glances at the different
foods available, “I’m okay . ”
Jin Xi smiles, “Boss, how much is it?”
The owner adds up the totals, and then waves his arm generously, “It’ll be 62
RMB . I’ll round off the change!”
“Okay!” Jin Xi reaches into her pocket to fetch the money . At the same
time, she sees Han Chen also reaching into his jacket’s pocket . He takes out
his wallet, and hands some bills to the stall owner .
Jin Xi quickly holds out her money, “I’ll pay for myself . ”
Han Chen lifts his arm to cover over hers and puts the money into the stall
owner’s hand . The stall owner gives him back the change . He puts them
into his wallet, and then stuffs the wallet back into his pocket, as if it’s the
most natural thing for him .
Jin Xi takes a skewer of fish balls, takes a bite from it, and doesn’t say
anything .
The stall owner soon finishes her skewers .
Jin Xi ordered a few for Xiao Zhuan, so she’s holding them in her hand as
they head back . She eats while they walk .
It’s already 1am; only the two of them are walking side by side on the
pathway . The light is shining from behind, elongating their shadows .
The fragrance of flowers and grass surround them, but a strong smell of food
is coming from her handful of skewers .
It’s very late at night nonetheless, so Han Chen is a little hungry as well; the
smell of food is distracting him . Therefore, he lights up a cigarette and
inhales deeply before lifting his eyes to look at Bai Jin Xi .
She’s eating chicken wings right now .
As a beauty, she’s eats with good manners . A napkin is wrapped around the
end of the wooden skewer in her right hand . She doesn’t open her mouth too
wide as she bites down; she then presses her lips together, relishing the meat .
It’s just that she eats rather fast despite her good manners . She quickly
finishes a skewer of chicken wings and tosses the wooden skewer into the
garbage . She sticks out her little tongue, licks her lips, reaches for another
skewer of mushrooms, and starts eating again .
Han Chen chuckles as he watches . He slowly lifts his hand and takes a
breath of smoke .
Jin Xi has been too focused on eating and doesn’t notice that Han Chen has
been staring at her this whole time until now . She turns to look at him with a
mushroom stuffed in her mouth .
His body carries a scent of cigarettes, and his face is a bit blurry under the
street lamps . Those rich and dark brown eyes are looking at her through the
light fog of smoke .
Jin Xi, a little stunned by him, holds up the skewer in her hand, “Do you want
any?”
She’s only asking casually thinking that he would definitely turn her down,
but his gaze actually falls to the skewers in her hands .
“Give me the best one,” he inhales the cigarette deeply, and then switches the
cigarette from his right hand to his left hand .
Does this mean that he’s getting ready to eat?
Jin Xi feels a little excited for some reason . She immediately looks into the
takeout box, searches through it, and gives him a skewer of chicken wings .
She thinks for a second, and then fetches Xiao Zhuan’s favorite chives on
skewer; she apologizes to Xiao Zhuan in her heart as she rubs the chives onto
the chicken wings to wipe away the chillies .
Han Chen takes the skewer, bites into it, and then takes a good look at it .
Jin Xi asks, “Is it good?”
“Mm . ”
Jin Xi smiles slightly .
Han Chen finishes it quickly, and throws the wooden skewer into the garbage
can on the side of the pathway .
“Do you want anymore?”
He takes a breath of smoke, and shakes his head .
Jin Xi is also done eating . She puts her hands behind her and continues
walking with him .
They both remain silent . Only the light sound of their footsteps can be heard
.
Jin Xi looks down and sees their shadows walking side by side on the
pathway . His shadow is just like him: tall, straight, and handsome with broad
and balanced shoulders, and long and straight legs, as well as long and lean
arms resting on each side of his body .
For whatever reason, Jin Xi lifts her gaze subconsciously to look at the pair of
arms that’s resting on each of his side .
He’s wearing a black jacket, making his exposed hands look even paler and
scrawnier . He’s holding the cigarette with his left hand, and his right hand is
empty……
Jin Xi suddenly feels her palms sweating slightly .
She seems to be shocked by a thought in her mind just now .
It sure is a moonless and windy (dangerous) night walking out alone with a
man; she can’t believe she’s actually wondering if he would hold her hand .
She immediately stuffs her empty hand into her pocket without showing any
expression .
Han Chen continues smoking . It’s quiet everywhere, and his gaze also falls
onto the two shadows on the ground .
And then he spots Jin Xi putting her left hand into her pocket .
He lets out faint smokes as he breathes . He raises his head again and looks
straight .
_____
Han Chen’s phone rings just as they arrive at the parking lot entrance . It’s
Chatterbox calling .
He answers and gestures towards Jin Xi, who’s waiting beside him, to go back
first .
Jin Xi nods . She still has to give Xiao Zhuan his skewers . It wouldn’t be
good to eat them cold . Therefore, they head out to different directions .
Han Chen walks to his car, looks up, and sees that Jin Xi has already made it
back to the police car; she pulls open the door and sits inside .
Han Chen also gets inside of his own car .
Chatterbox is calling regarding his search of Zheng Cheng Zhi’s younger

brother——Zheng Cheng Da .
“Leader, I still haven’t found him yet,” he sounds a bit helpless, “Zheng
Cheng Da didn’t take the train . One of his old hometown neighbours say that
it’s because he wants to save money, so he’s taking the bus . There are too
many buses running from Shanghai to City Lan besides the privately run ones
. I’ll have to look them up one by one . I’ve already gotten someone to keep
an eye at the bus station in City Lan . The moment we spot him, we’ll take
him back for questioning . ”
“Mm,” Han Chen asks him about other details before hanging up . He then
calls Cold Face, Qin Wen Long, and the rest of them one by one for updates .
It’s already past 2am when he puts down his phone; a little more than half an
hour has passed .
He leans against the chair, fetches the water bottle, and drinks a few
mouthfuls .
He can only wait now; waiting for a clue that will help him breakthrough .
When he looks up again, the police car that Jin Xi is in looks peace and quiet .
He keeps still for a while, and then pushes open the door and gets out .
When he comes to the backseat door, he sees Jin Xi with her eyes closed and
leaning diagonally in the backseat; she’s already asleep . Xiao Zhuan in the
driver’s seat notices somebody coming close, so he opens the door and gets
out, “Oh, Leader, we thought you had left already . Xiao Bai is asleep now .
I’m on duty for the first half of the night, and she’ll be on duty for the second
half . Is there anything? Should I wake her up?”
“No need . ”
Han Chen speaks in a low voice as he tells him the progress of the other
members briefly . He advises Xiao Zhuan that the moment he spots the Zhou
Family, he needs to report back to him right away .
Xiao Zhuan acknowledges quickly .
Han Chen glances at Jin Xi in the backseat again, and asks, “You’re letting
her sleep just like this?”
Xiao Zhuan doesn’t understand his question . He takes a look at her, and asks
doubtfully, “Um, how should she sleep then? She always sleeps like
this……”
Han Chen’s arm is resting on top of the door frame as he stares at Bai Jin Xi,
“It’s fine . You can continue with what you’re doing . ”
Xiao Zhuan says “okay,” gets back into the car, puts the laptop on his lap, and
continues looking up some information .
Han Chen lowers his head to look at Bai Jin Xi .
It’s fall time, so the weather is getting cooler, and the car window is open .
She’s not lying down flat, but rather, she’s leaning against the backseat in a
crooked way . She only has a thin sports jacket on . Her shoes have been
taken off and her legs are curled up, revealing her white socks . Her face is
resting on one of her arms while the other is embracing her knees .
Han Chen takes off his jacket, pulls open the door, bends over inside, and lays
it over her body .
She doesn’t budge .
Han Chen presses both of his hands onto the seat, and examines her face .
It’s the third time that he sees her sleeping face . It’s just like how he
remembers it . When she’s sleeping, she is not as beautiful and captivating;
her lips seem to pout out of habit, making her look childish and innocent .
Han Chen laughs without a sound . Just when he is about to move away, Jin
Xi frowns her eyebrows, moans, and moves her body as if she’s feeling a bit
hot .
And then the arm that’s around her knees slowly moves down .
It lands right on the back of his hand .
Han Chen instinctively raises his head to look at her face . She must be
dreaming about something as her eyebrows gradually relaxes . Her fingers
then grasp onto his palm lightly, and don’t move .
He pauses for a moment, thinking about retrieving his hand . But the instant
that he moves, Jin Xi grabs on even tighter; her fingers dig deeper into his
palm .
So tightly, as if she’s afraid of losing him .
_____
Xiao Zhuan has had his head buried in his laptop for a while before he notices
that Han Chen still hasn’t left yet and is sitting in the backseat . Han Chen
has one arm on the car door while smoking . His expression is solemn, as if
he’s thinking about something .
He also sees that Han Chen is wearing a shirt only . His jacket is lying on top
of Jin Xi, which makes Xiao Zhuan feels a bit embarrassed; he’s really not
caring of his partner enough!
“Leader, do you think that we’ll be able to crack the case?” he asks softly .
Han Chen inhales a breath of smoke, and answers, “Yes . It’s just a matter of
time . ”
His words make Xiao Zhuan’s heart feel heavy . He lets out a sigh .
Han Chen continues smoking slowly while looking at the night sky outside of
the window .
And underneath his black jacket, Jin Xi’s hand is still holding his tightly .
She hasn’t moved since, so he doesn’t move either .
He suddenly recalls what happened in the afternoon today .
The usual energetic bumpkin super detective Bai Jin Xi was squatting in the
sunset with her arms wrapped around her knees, crying heartbrokenly .
And when she raised her head, he saw tears flowing from her eyes; suddenly,
he felt his heart stinging . When he pulled her up from the ground, he was
just one step away from holding her in his embraced .
……
It’s not that he didn’t feel anything in his heart . It’s not that he wasn’t
attracted to her .
Therefore, he stopped replying to her text messages, and let everything return
to ground zero .
But she appeared in front of him once again .
Attracting him once again .
He wanted to keep their superior and subordinate relationship as is, and keep
a distance from her . He was confident of his consciousness and self-control;
over time, the attraction and the feelings in his heart should go away .
But she cried in front of him .
……
He turns his head and stares at her face quietly .
Is there also someone and some relationship that she cannot forget in her
heart? And this is why she cried so heartbrokenly?
He slowly feels pain somewhere deep inside his heart .
He looks outside the window again .
He smokes for a while longer . He flips the back of his hand without anyone
noticing, and her hand falls directly into his palm, letting him hold onto it .
_____
When Jin Xi wakes up, Han Chen has long been gone . She only sees the
jacket on her body as she sits up slowly . She folds it neatly for him .
Xiao Zhuan immediately falls asleep right after switching duties with her .
Jin Xi gets out of the car, walks around feeling refreshed, and then gets back
inside and continues keeping watch of the building .
At 8am in the morning, their efforts are rewarded . Among the crowd of
people going to work, she actually spots the Zhou Family coming back .
Jin Xi pats Xiao Zhuan to wake him up, and then they rush over to them .
Mr . Zhou is carrying a plastic bag with “City People’s Hospital” on it . It

looks like they’ve just come back from the hospital . No wonder they’ve been
out all night . Mrs . Zhou looks fatigue . Their younger daughter Zhou Si Lin
is walking beside them . According to the file, she’s 19 this year; 3 years
younger than her deceased sister, Zhou Si Han .
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan hold out their badges . Mr . Zhou asks hesitantly,
“Officers, is there a problem?”
Jin Xi answers, “Mr . Zhou, it’s like this . We’re very sorry to disturb you .
Before your older daughter passed away, she had a boyfriend named Chen Xi
Xian……”
The moment she mentions the name, their facial expressions change . Mr .
Zhou turns around to his wife, “Go up with Si Lin first . ”
Mrs . Zhou nods . Zhou Si Lin glances at Jin Xi with a complicated look as
she follows her mom to go up to the building .
Mr . Zhou turns around and looks at them, “Officers, that bastard has nothing
to do with our family . If you want to ask about him, go ask someone else!”
His tone is unforgiving . He turns around and leaves . Xiao Zhuan stops him
quickly, “Mister! Chen Xi Xian was killed yesterday!”
These words make an impact . Mr . Zhou is stunned, and is also showing a

surprised expression . But his reaction to follow is completely unexpected .
He laughs out loud; the kind that is full of hatred and satisfaction, “Great!
This is too great! The heavens have carried out justice! It’s good that he’s
dead . It’s great that he’s dead . I’ll have a drink to celebrate when I go back
today . The heavens have finally carried out justice!”
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan look at each other .

His footsteps are actually staggering a bit . Jin Xi holds on to his arm, “Mr .
Zhou, why? What grudges do you have on Chen Xi Xian?”
Mr . Zhou looks at her . His eyes slowly become red, “Since he’s dead, I
don’t mind humiliating myself anymore . Officer, if it wasn’t for this scamp,
Chen Xi Xian, how else would my daughter have died? If it wasn’t because
he was doing drugs and asked my daughter for money, why else would my
daughter have gone out in the middle of the night to bring him money where
she ended up meeting a couple of hooligans on the way there and was……
She refused to report it to the police . We gave in and endured it, but
demanded that she sever all ties with that scamp . But she became absent
minded . Not long after, she got into a car accident……For this kind of
people, the society will benefit from having one less of them . Why are you
guys bothering to investigate? Whoever killed him is our Zhou Family’s
benefactor!”
……
Jin Xi raises her head as they drive out from the Zhou Family’s residential
area . She sees the Zhou Family all standing on the balcony; their expressions
are blurry from afar .
Xiao Zhuan moans, “I didn’t think there would be this twist . I never thought
that Zhou Si Han’s death was indirectly caused by Chen Xi Xian . ”
Jin Xi frowns as she is in deep thought . After hearing what Xiao Zhuan says,
she takes out her cell phone . Just when she’s about to call Chatterbox,
Chatterbox’s phone number flashes on the screen .
“Little Sister Bai, I caught Zheng Cheng Da, and have gotten all the details
out of him!” his voice sounds serious, “That’s not right . After I pressed him,
Zheng Cheng Da got all worked up . He has quite a lot of opinions about his
older brother . He said that their mom’s health was well and was always
careful with walking . He insisted that his mom’s death was not an accident,
and that she was pushed down the stairs by his older brother because he
wanted to take all of the compensation from being forced to move out!”
Jin Xi’s heart pounds .
This is it . This is how it actually is .

They’ve already noticed this before . In both victims’ cases, someone close to
them has died recently . It seems as if there’s something connected to this,
which is why they’ve decided to dig deeper in this area .
Regardless of how Killer T found these two targets among the crowd, he’s not
simply just targeting those who are useless .
He is doing this to carry out punishment!
Mr . Zhou mentioned it just now, Zhou Si Han was raped when she was going
to bring her boyfriend some money in the middle of the night . In the many
years that Jin Xi has been an officer, she knows very well that some people
who do drugs have already lost their senses . Instances like this have
happened many times before . In order to trade for drugs, the guy would
deliberately set up a trap to let his girlfriend suffer .
With this said, the two people that T killed have most likely done something
to cost another’s life, yet they have not been prosecuted .
“Let’s find Han Chen immediately!” Jin Xi says, “We’ve found the pattern!”
But……it might be too late already .
_____
12:10 pm noon .
Many police officers are patrolling in all areas of City Lan . All surveillance
cameras on the road and other public places are being watched closely to
observe all activities .
All members of the Black Shield Team and the criminal investigation team
have spread out across the city to help out the district police to be on guard .
But this is like looking for a needle in a haystack .
“Bang . ”
A loud sound scrapes across the air in some area of the city without letting
anyone know, or letting the police know .
Only the young girl lying on the floor beside the sofa at home is twitching
with blood rushing out of her chest .
15 minutes later . Black Shield Team receives a phone call——
“The third victim has appeared . Her name is Chen Can Lan, twenty-one
years old,” the police reporting the incident says, “She’s related to a traffic
accident from December . She was reportedly driving under influence, and
hit a little girl, who died . Her family used some money and found a friend to
be the scapegoat . The incident sparked a riot on the internet . This is why
the civil policeman recognized her right away after receiving the emergency
call . ”


Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Chapter 28: Soaring Little Bird
The crime scene of the third victim, Chen Can Lan, is just like the previous
two incidents .
At noon time, the victim died from a shot in the chest . This wealthy girl had
just woken up from bed at the time . But she met her death after walking a
few steps .
……
The Black Shield Team’s office .
Han Chen, Bai Jin Xi, Chatterbox, and Cold Face all have a cigarette in their
hand, taking a smoke every now and then while they flip through the
information gathered at the scene . Xiao Zhuan is chewing hard on his gum
with a solemn expression .
“There are no interactions between the three victims, and they have not
appeared in the same event before,” Han Chen puts down the file, and looks
around him, “There is only one thing that links them together to T——”
Jin Xi finishes for him, “The internet . ”
Chatterbox asks doubtfully, “But other than Chen Can Lan’s incident that
caused an uproar online, the previous two victims were ordinary civilians .
How did T find out that they caused someone else to lose their life?”
Han Chen inhales his cigarette, and then points and taps on the table, “And
how did we find out?”
Everyone is silent .
“The Zhou Family! And Zheng Cheng Zhi’s younger brother, Zheng Cheng
Da!” Xiao Zhuan says in shock, “Could it be that they told T? But how did
they come to know T?”
Han Chen stares towards the peaceful scenery outside the window, “We’ll
find out once we invite them over for questioning . ”
_____
The Zhou Family is brought back to the station first .
Following Jin Xi’s advice, the three members of the family are each brought
into separate rooms for questioning . Just as she had thought, Mr . and Mrs .
Zhou are completely unaware of the existence of “T . ” They are just as
surprised to hear about Chen Xi Xian’s death .
Jin Xi, carrying two cups of coffee, walks into the room with Zhou Family’s
youngest daughter, Zhou Si Lin .
Jin Xi had felt something strange about this girl when they met the first time .
Now that she thinks about it, a nineteen-year-old like her is definitely more
familiar with the internet than her parents and has a greater chance of meeting
T and telling him about her older sister’s death .
Zhou Si Lin is still young nonetheless, so she seems to be very nervous; her
fingers slide up and down the cup of coffee non-stop . But at the same time,
she seems determined .
Jin Xi takes a sip from her coffee, and asks, “How did you meet him?”
The question catches her off guard . After being stunned for a while, she
answers, “Who? Who are you referring to?”
“T . ”
Zhou Si Lin keeps quiet for a few seconds, “I don’t know . I don’t know that
person . ”
Jin Xi puts the coffee down . She leans forward and stares directly at her, “Si
Lin, right now, this person named T is carrying a sniper rifle and sniping
people in the city . He has already killed three people, including Chen Xi
Xian . Perhaps you feel that Chen Xi Xian deserved to die, but did you
know? T used to be a professional killer, and it’s very possible that he is no
longer mentally stable . To put it simply, he might be killing people who
deserve to die right now, but if we let him continue, who knows when he’ll
start killing innocent people?”
Zhou Si Lin bites on her lower lip and doesn’t say anything .
“I know that you’re thankful to him, and want to protect him,” Jin Xi says
slowly, “but if you tell us now, you’ll actually be helping him before he
commits more wrongdoings . You don’t want T to become an out of control
serial killer and be despised by everybody, do you?”
_____
Based on the information provided by Zhou Si Lin, Xiao Zhuan and Jin Xi
immediately log into the biggest forum of City Lan: White Crane of Yangtze
BBS .
And after being interrogated by the police, Zheng Cheng Da, who has been
keeping his mouth shut, has finally given in to the pressure and admitted that
he spoke to T on this BBS before .
Without much effort, Xiao Zhuan quickly finds the posts written by Zhou Si
Lin and Zheng Cheng Da .
Just like other well-known forums, people on the White Crane of Yangtze
BBS often make posts about real life problems or express injustice or
unfairness issues, hoping that they would receive attention and help from
others . It’s just that there are too many “injustice” posts these days . The
netizens have probably become numb from reading them . Therefore, besides
some hot topics, other posts are not read by many . Some of them are even
made fun of by others .
Zhou Si Lin and Zheng Cheng Da are examples .
In Zhou Si Lin’s topic post, she criticizes how Chen Xi Xian had treated her
now deceased older sister, and writes directly: when her sister returned home
after being raped, her sister once told her that she saw another person’s
shadow in the alleyway and believed that it looked like Chen Xi Xian . Her
sister was heartbroken and hopeless, but forbid her from telling their parents .
Her sister has now died from a car accident, and she has no evidence of what
happened that day, so she has no way of taking revenge on Chen Xi Xian .
She hopes that members of the forum can condemn this heartless drug addict
bastard .
There are only about a hundred replies . Most of them express support and
condolences, but some make fun and bashes, saying that her older sister is too
stupid, or that she made up the story to grab attention . Someone even replies
with: little girl, post up a photo . If you don’t post a photo, how do we know
that you’re for real?
T’s reply is about 80 posts after . The user ID is “T”, while Zhou Si Lin’s ID
is “LonelySoaringBird” .
“T: Is what you say true?
LonelySoaringBird: If any part of it is false, I’ll die an ugly death!
T: I understand . ”
Zhou Si Lin’s post is from some day in March . About four to five days later,
T comes back and posts .
“T: He will be punished .
LonelySoaringBird: Who are you?”
T doesn’t respond .
On Zheng Cheng Da’s topic post, the conversation between the two of them is
very similar .
“T: Is what you say true?
ExpertSelf: I swear on my life! That is my mom! I don’t care about the

compensation from taking down the house . I won’t take a penny of it . My
mom can’t just die like this!
T: Okay .
……
T: He will be punished .
ExpertSelf: What do you mean?
ExpertSelf: Where did you go?”
_____
Just as they had thought, what happened to the third victim, Chen Can Lan,
has also been posted onto the forum . But this topic is particularly popular; it
has many replies, but not one from T .
Xiao Zhuan immediately searches through all the posts in the forum . The
outcome is a surprise——in the past year, T has replied to a total of 13 topics
.
Everyone in the Black Shield Team office is carrying a stern expression .
“So……” Chatterbox speaks, “starting tomorrow, we have to ensure the

safety of 13 people?”
Xiao Zhuan flips through the information, and answers, “No, it’s 9 . There
are 4 who has either died last year or has been sentenced to jail . ”
Chatterbox says softly, “This guy is actually carrying out justice on behalf of
the society . Sigh!”
The other four stares at him and doesn’t comment .
Han Chen presses his cigarette down, and stands up, “I’m going to talk to the
police chief . Tell everyone to be on guard . ”
_____
At 6pm .
It’s been 6 hours since Chen Can Lan’s death . There are still 18 hours before
T will snipe another person .
Jin Xi is exhausted as she pushes open the office door . She has just come
back from the police station in the West district, where they worked together
on a protection plan to protect the two targets in the area .
With 9 possible targets, the workload is tremendous . Not only that they have
to protect them for 24 hours, they also have to be on an alert for high building
locations in order to catch T when he comes tomorrow .
But the fact that they can shrink the area of focus, it’s already a very big
breakthrough . It feels as if they’re only a step away from cracking the case .
Chatterbox and the others have gone to other city districts to prepare . There
is nobody in the office . Jin Xi takes off her hat, sits for a while, gets up, and
pushes open the door to the conference room .
But the moment she lifts her head, she sees someone inside .
Han Chen has both of his hands in his pockets standing in front of the
whiteboard when he turns around to look at her .
“Everything is done at the West District?”
“Mm,” Jin Xi walks to his side . She presses her hands onto the table and gets
herself up to sit on top of it . She stares at the whiteboard with him .
There’s a full map of the city on the left side of the whiteboard . There are
red circles drawn on it, marking where the nine possible targets will be at
12pm tomorrow . It also shows the location of where the previous three
victims were killed . Their photos are all stuck on to the right side of the
whiteboard .
Jin Xi asks, “You want to decrease the target area further?”
Han Chen leans towards the table . He lowers his head and lights up a
cigarette, “Mm . ”
“Have you found anything so far?”
With the cigarette in his mouth, Han Chen rolls up his right arm sleeve with
his left hand and picks up the pen from the table . The long and thin pen
makes his hand look even more slender and pretty . He’s staring at the map in
full concentration, making his side profile look even more distinctive .
Jin Xi is captivated by him . She takes a sip of the tea before shifting her gaze
to the map .
He draws three circles near where the three victims were .
“There have been other cases involving deaths at these locations, so we would
definitely guard them closely with many police patrolling . Therefore, he
won’t choose another target in these areas,” he says .
Jin Xi follows his pen . Besides the three victims, there are two targets that
are in the circles .
She nods, “Therefore, there is a very low chance that these two people will be
chosen tomorrow . ”
There are still seven left .
Han Chen takes a breath from his cigarette . He tilts his head to look at her,
“Miss criminal psychologist, what do you think?”
He says this in a gentle yet mocking kind of voice . Jin Xi can’t tell if he is
making fun of her like he usually does or if he is really asking her . She
thinks for a moment, takes the pen from his hand, stands in front of the
whiteboard, and circles two people from the group of photos .
“The first victim, Zheng Cheng Zhi, was unfilial, disregarded his family, and
killed his mother . The second victim, Chen Xi Xian, was disloyal to his love,
and ruined his girlfriend,” she looks up at the photo, “Just look . In the other
seven, one of them has been accused of abusing his daughter and indirectly
causing her to be kidnapped . One of them is a husband who had an affair,
causing his wife to have a miscarriage and die due to too much stress . And
another one is someone who was playing at work and neglected his
responsibilities, causing his coworker to die from an accident . But because
he is the son of the corporate executive, someone else became the scapegoat .
This one, and this one……” she points to two other photos, “are also similar .
These five people have events related to either family members or other
responsibilities, like the previous three victims . ”
“But these two remaining individuals……” she points to the two photos that
she has circled, “The first one is the vice-principal of a high school, where he
is rumored to have sexually harassed a young female student when he was
working in the county . However, the student later fell into the water by
accident and the incident was forgotten . And because he had an exceptional
record, he was transferred over to this city . Even though he is an educator,
he has no morals . ”
Han Chen listens to her analysis as he smokes .
“There’s another one that’s an old director of a small business company . He

has reportedly participated in violent acts of demolishing buildings, and
indirectly caused deaths . For the sake of financial gains, he took all lengths .
It’s just that as time goes by, there is no longer any direct evidence,” she says
slowly, “‘Punishment’ carries a sense of ‘warning . ’ It’s impossible for T to
kill every person who is like this, and he also can’t guarantee that he can kill
all of his targets . Therefore, if I were him, I would kill someone who’s more
typical . ”
Both of them are in silence .
Jin Xi’s throat is dry from all the talking . Her eyes are still on the whiteboard
as she reaches for the cup .
But just when she touches the side of the cup, she feels a cool finger come in
contact with the back of her hand .
Her heart shakes as she turns her head to look .
Han Chen also turns to look . His expression is calm and his pair of eyes is
rich dark brown .
They’re both reaching for the cup in the middle of the table, so their hands
have come into contact .
Jin Xi smiles and picks the cup up before him; the back of her hand brushes
past the palm of his hand .
“Go pour your own cup……” before she finishes, she looks at the cup in her
hand and realizes that when she came in, she wasn’t carrying a cup with her .
Han Chen reaches over and takes it away while she falls into a daze .
“Pour your own cup if you’re thirsty,” he sends the words back to her .
“Wait!” She hops down from the table and reaches out her hand to grab the
cup . But Han Chen immediately grasps her wrist with one hand while lifting
the cup up to his mouth to drink with the other .
This fellow! He’s bullying her on purpose again, isn’t he? Jin Xi is
speechless as she tries to grab the cup with her other hand, “This cup of
tea……”
But he quickly reaches forward and uses a grappling fighting technique; he

locks both of her wrists with one hand . Jin Xi was already standing close to
begin with, and now her whole body is almost up against his after their brief
fight . As if he doesn’t notice their distance, he calmly tilts his head and
drinks all the tea in the cup slowly .
Jin Xi’s heart pounds as her hands are being grasped by him and are unable to
break free . He throws the empty paper cup onto the table before releasing
her . It’s as if they are just joking around like any normal coworkers . He
fetches a cigarette, puts it in his mouth, and leaves without saying anything .
Jin Xi stands in the conference room by herself . She rubs the part of her
wrists that were held onto by him; they actually hurt a bit .
When she first came to City Lan, she wasn’t sure about her feelings for him .
Once she joined the Black Shield Team, they received a serial sniper case,
making them busy every day, so whatever she felt in her heart was thrown to
the back of her mind . Many times, she would have the same thoughts as him
and would admire his ability . Unlike in the beginning, where her heart
would beat fast just from the sight of him, they’ve become closer and have a
better understanding of each other . This feeling is also good too .
But when they were fooling around just now, why did her heart beat so fast?
_____
Han Chen exits the conference room and returns to his seat .
He waits for a while with the cigarette in his hand but notices that she still
hasn’t come out .
He unbuttons the top of his shirt as he smokes while looking at the sky
outside .
His cell phone rings .

Chatterbox sounds extremely excited, “Haha Leader! Hurry and praise me .
Praise me quick! I know whom the killer is after tomorrow!”
Han Chen smiles, “Is it that vice principal or the Director of a small business
company?”
“Huh? How did you know?!” Chatterbox is even more worked up now . He
speaks quickly and slurs, “My Super Detective is my Super Detective!… . .
It’s the vice principal! I questioned him thoroughly, asking him if there has
been anything that has happened out of the ordinary, even if it is minuscule! I
even told him that the previous victims were all shot in the chest . He was
scared out of his chair . He said that four days ago, he was shot with red paint
on the left side of his chest . He thought it was just a prank . I’ve asked the
other targets, and none of them have experienced the same thing so far . It’s
possible that T hasn’t sent them this red-coloured death notice yet! Too bad
that the previous three victims can’t speak anymore . I wonder if they were
also shot with red paint before . But I think they definitely had been……”
Han Chen hangs up and walks to the conference room’s entrance again .
Jin Xi has her chin resting in her hand while sitting on the table with her back
towards him; she’s deep in her own thoughts . She’s clearly a beautiful girl,
yet her gestures and personality are like a guy . To add to that, she’s also
quite full of herself .
“Bai Jin Xi . ”
Jin Xi turns to look at him .
He stuffs both of his hands into his pockets, turns around, and walks outside,
“Come with me . Let’s see if your guess is right . ”
_____
Noon of the next day .
In the vice principal’s office on the top floor at Shi Lan Ying high school’s
office building .
Vice Principal Luo Kai Fang, who is one of the chosen targets and is also
suspected to have harassed a female student, has already been safely taken
away by the police . He will be closely guarded for 24 hours, as well as
interrogated for the past event .
The weather is very good today . It’s sunny, and no wind; best for sniping .
All possible sniping locations in the area around the office building are
closely watched by the police . As soon as T appears in any of these
locations, he will be arrested . And in the school area, police officers in
disguise are walking around the main passageways; being on an alert of
anybody who passes by . The roads and highways around the school are also
under surveillance; the moment that the black C-Quatre appears, they will
have the target locked on .
Inside the principal’s office, a young officer whose body figure looks exactly
like Luo Kai Fang has a bullet proof vest on; the makeup on his face is
professionally done to disguise as the principal . He is sitting behind the desk
reading the newspaper; playing his part as the bait .
The members of the Black Shield Team are hiding in a company van,
observing the surroundings via the many surveillance camera video monitors .
The clock ticks . It’s almost 12pm .
Sweat is dripping inside every officer’s heart .
Every member of the Black Shield Team is highly concentrated and on full
alert .
They are all thinking about the same question——
Will T really appear?
Will the professional killer, who has only appeared in rumors, carry a sniping
rifle, walk into their world, and appear in front of them?


Chapter 29.1
Chapter 29.1
Chapter 29: T’s Plan (1 of 3)
11:50am .
Every officer at their designated location is becoming more anxious . They

watch their areas to see if there is any suspicious person .
12:00pm .
The Black Shield Team is sitting in a row, staring at the surveillance monitors
. Xiao Zhuan is so nervous that he doesn’t even remember to take a sip from
the water bottle after fetching it .
He hasn’t appeared yet .
12:10pm .
He still hasn’t appeared .
12:20pm…12:20pm…12:30……
Everything is still and quiet on the monitors .
The officer who is disguised as the targeted person secretly takes out a tissue
and wipes away the sweat on his forehead .
……
12:45pm . Inside the van .
Han Chen’s cell phone suddenly rings . He answers with a cold face . It’s
Captain Qin Wen Long of the criminal investigation team .
“It’s not good,” Qin Wen Long says on the other end, “20 minutes ago,
someone disclosed about this serial sniping case on the internet, and even
called T the ‘Knight-errant of City Lan . ’ Everyone is crazy about it on the
internet right now . ” He pauses and continues, “T might have read it . ”
Han Chen throws the phone onto the table and stands up, “Notify all parties:
it’s over . T isn’t going to appear . ”
_____
The media and the internet have always been a double-edged sword .
Sometimes, they play a supporting role in a police investigation; sometimes,
they become a big barrier .
Just like this time, a regular visitor of “White Crane of Yangtze BBS,”, a
student who’s full of hatred, makes the connection between Chen Can Lan’s
death and the two rumored sniping cases .
He once replied and supported Zhou Si Jia’s and Zheng Cheng Da’s posts .
Therefore, he quickly makes a daring speculation: there’s a serial killer who
punishes the bad people when the law cannot carry out justice! He
immediately starts a new topic anxiously, titling it, “Knight-errant of City
Lan: the righteous serial killer is among us!” Due to the popularity of Chen
Can Lan’s case on the internet a few months ago, this post immediately gets
forwarded and followed right away . By the time the police find out, it’s
already too late to stop it .
……
At the Black Shield Team’s office .
Chatterbox slaps the table and exclaims, “Holy! This netizen sure spoils
everything! If T reads the post, he’ll definitely know that the police has found
out the connection between the victims . That’s why there’s no way that he
would appear as planned . We’ve really……missed the opportunity to catch
T! We were so close!”
Nobody says anything .

Han Chen takes a sip from his cup of tea, lifts his gaze, and looks at them all,
“That’s not necessarily true . Chen Can Lan’s case has always been very
popular on the internet . T might have already known that the police would
follow the evidence and lock down on his next target . ”
Chatterbox asks, “What you mean is……”
“Perhaps he never planned to appear today . ”
Everyone is quiet .
Han Chen lowers his head with his left fingertips caressing the cup and his
right fist on the table . Jin Xi stares at him as she says, “What is next on his
plan then?”
Yeah . As a sniper, it takes time for him to pick out and monitor his target,
and create a plan to snipe the person . This is why he had contacted those
topic creators a few months back and did not take action until today . The
Black Shield Team has searched through the other popular forums and has not
found T in any of them . Now that the rest of his targets are being watched
closely by the police——
What exactly is going to be next on his plan?
What exactly is he looking to do?
Han Chen puts his cup down and stands up, “Tell the traffic department to
investigate that vehicle as fast as they can . Let’s continue our protection plan
tomorrow .
_____
A new race against time begins .
Late night .
Jin Xi is sitting inside the conference room by herself, frowning her eyebrows
and deep in thought as she stares at the map pinned to the whiteboard .
Even if they saved a life from T today, no matter how great a super detective
is, a sniping rifle hidden among the crowd is unpreventable .
She sighs softly .
A serial killer as such is unstoppable .
The door behind opens lightly . It’s Han Chen and Cold Face . Cold Face is
carrying a couple of takeout boxes; she can smell the food faintly .
“Here, eat it,” Cold Face places down a box in front of her before walking
back and sits down beside Han Chen .
“Thanks,” Jin Xi opens the takeout, grabs the chopsticks, and starts eating
absentmindedly; she pauses every now then resting her chin in her palm and
falling into a daze .
“What are you thinking about?”
Jin Xi lifts her gaze to look at Han Chen .
He’s already done eating . He’s leaning against the back of his chair with one
arm on the armrest while fiddling with the takeout box’s cover with the other .
Jin Xi puts the end of the chopsticks in her mouth, “I’m thinking about T . ”
Han Chen stares at her for a moment before shifting his eyes away .
“Anything new that you’ve thought of?” Cold Face jumps in and asks .
Although he’s always carrying a cold face, he is born with straight eyebrows
and shimmering eyes . The way he’s looking at her with full concentration
actually makes him seem rather cute with a hint of innocence .
“I’m thinking about T’s personality,” Jin Xi puts her chopsticks down and
places both of her hands flat on the table, “Just think about the way he replied
on the forum . ‘I understand,’ ‘okay,’ and ‘he will be punished . ’ Although
his responses are short, there are two obvious traits:
1) Clear and concise, never a word of nonsense . It’s easy to tell his
personality . He’s an introvert;
2) He doesn’t emphasize on ‘I’ or ‘me . ’”
Cold Face is listening attentively . Han Chen is also staring at her with
solemn eyes .
Jin Xi continues, “Some people punish others to become heroes or even to be

famous and grab the attention of the media and the mass audience . But some
people is only punishing for the sake of their morals and don’t care about
what they personally gain . T has never once said: ‘I will make him receive
punishment . ’ It seems like he subconsciously does not what to emphasize on
the word ‘I’ or ‘me . ’ Furthermore, this has already become a frenzy on the
internet . I checked the forum just now, and he has already gained a big fan
base, calling for him to appear . If he were someone chasing after fame, all he
would need to do is to come out, and he would be able to enjoy standing on
the highest point of morality, and enjoy the admiration from the netizens .
But he didn’t . He has kept quiet and stayed in a low profile . ”
“A good killer?” Cold Face lowers his head to scoop up some rice .
Jin Xi thinks for a moment and responds, “Although it’s not suitable to use
the word ‘good,’ compared to the other ‘bad’ killers, he is indeed very
different . ”


Chapter 29.2
Chapter 29.2
Her words cause both men to become quiet .
After a while, Cold Face gets up, picks up Jin Xi’s empty takeout box, and
carries them out of the room .
Only she and Han Chen are left in the conference room, sitting across from
each other .
Han Chen lights up a cigarette while looking out the window immersed in his
own thoughts . Jin Xi yawns; after all, she hardly got any sleep last night, so
she’s barely hanging in . She walks over to the sofa in the corner and lies
down .
“I’m going to take a nap . You can help yourself,” she kicks her shoes off and
sinks her body into the big and comfy sofa . There are two long sofas in the
conference room and their purpose is to allow the team members to be able to
take naps .
Under the warm lighting, Han Chen glances at her from a distance . His eyes
are dark and hard to make out . He continues sitting at where he is and
smokes without saying anything . The room is quiet . Jin Xi gradually feels
calm and relaxed after staring at his side profile for a while .
He presses the end of his cigarette into the ashtray after finishing smoking .
He lifts his eyes to look at her, carrying a hint of a smile in them, “You’re not
asleep yet?”
Perhaps the night has been too quiet . His voice also sounds mellow .
Jin Xi answers slowly, “Soon . ”

He suddenly gets up and walks towards her .
Jin Xi watches him come .
She can only hear the sound of her heart beating loudly .
His sleeves are rolled up, his collar is slightly opened, his short length hair
rests on his forehead, and his eyes are rich brown like as if they are painted .
“You can’t sleep?” he asks with his hands in his pockets, looking down at her
.
Although Jin Xi is usually very conscious of her image, she cares less about it
when she’s investigating a case . Just like any other criminal investigator, she
can sleep anytime and anywhere . Sometimes, she can even sleep on the floor
of a van .
But she is actually feeling a bit uncomfortable under Han Chen’s gaze .
It feels as if it’s a very indecent thing to be lying down in front of a man .
She suddenly feels a weight on her head, followed by a set of cool fingers
running through her hair .
It’s Han Chen brushing her hair .
Jin Xi doesn’t budge .
“Why are you staring at me?” he says calmly and slowly, “hurry and go to
sleep . ” He stuffs his hands back into his pockets, turns around, and leaves .
Jin Xi presses her lips . He was clearly the one who came and talked to her
first .
When he makes it to the door, he switches the lights off and closes the door
behind him .
With the lights out, the room is pitch black .

Jin Xi closes her eyes .
She sleeps for a brief while before hearing the door squeak . She opens her
eyes and sees someone come in . The light from outside cuts out the contours
of his body figure; it’s Cold Face .
He closes the door backhanded, but not entirely shut, leaving a small gap .
He walks over to the other sofa without a word and lies down on it .
Jin Xi watches him, and just when she is about to go back to sleep, Cold Face
says suddenly, “He’s sleeping outside . ”
Jin Xi is stunned for a second, “Oh . ”
_____
Jin Xi wakes up at dawn .
Cold Face has his back facing her lying in the sofa next to hers . He’s still
sleeping, and a low volume of snoring can be heard . Jin Xi gets up softly,
opens the door the goes outside .
She instantly sees someone lying in the two-person sofa beside the door .
It’s Han Chen .
Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan are probably still working out of office and
haven’t returned .
Jin Xi walks even softer as she passes by him, but when she glances down,
she pauses her footsteps .
A two-person sofa is clearly not long enough for a man who’s 1 . 8 meters tall
. His head is on the armrest with a cushion underneath, while his legs are
dangling on the other end; he hasn’t even taken off his shoes . The morning is
rather cold, but he only has a jacket covering his body .
Jin Xi thinks to herself: Why didn’t he sleep on the big sofa inside? Cold
Face is shorter than him, so he should’ve gotten Cold Face to sleep on this
smaller sofa .
Nevertheless, she tiptoes back to the conference room, fetches a thin blanket,
bends down in front of him, and lays the blanket over him .
His face looks paler up close, but he has a tall nose, making his facial features
prominent . His body is giving off a slight sense of heat as well as the faint
smell of cigarettes . Jin Xi tucks the blanket for him while her eyes are fixed
on his hand .
His hand is dropped to the side of the sofa; long and slender, and bony . It’s
not until today that she notices that he has a very light scar on his right hand
between his thumb and index finger . But who doesn’t have any wounds? Jin
Xi’s left waist has also been scarred by a knife from chasing a criminal one
time .
They may have many wounds in their lifetime, but there is no need to mention
them to others .
It’s just because they are criminal investigators .
While she is in a daze, she suddenly sees Han Chen scrunch his eyebrows .
Before she can react, the hand that she is using to tuck the blanket is grasped
and pulled forward; she falls onto his chest . He then holds her waist tightly,
making her unable to move .
Jin Xi stares at him blankly .
His eyes are still closed, and his eyebrows are scrunching even harder . His
handsome face is stiff like a sculpture . He leans his head towards her
shoulder; she hears him sniffing her long hair and breathing through it .
He embraces her harder, and tighter . His hands are like pincers and his
fingers are digging into her skin . Jin Xi has never been embraced by
someone this tightly before; as if he wants to use all of his energy to press her
into his body .
Jin Xi can’t even budge . She seems to hear something pounding her heart,
making a gigantic sound .
But his strength his too great . She calls him out in pain, “Han Chen!”
He pauses his actions .

Their faces are rubbing against each other as she watches him open his eyes
slowly .
They stare at each other up close .
His usual clear and sharp eyes actually look puzzled, as if he has just
recognized that the person in front of him is she .
Jin Xi feels her breathing stop while keeping her kneeling position beside the
sofa and leaning on his chest . He’s also looking at her with his deep set and
rich brown eyes . They’re only centimeters apart .
He lets go of her instantly . He ruffles his hair and sits himself up .
Jin Xi stands up immediately, and says, “I was trying to cover you with a
blanket and you grasped me like I was a convict . ”
He reaches into his pocket for a cigarette . He puts it into his mouth and gets
up, “Please don’t mind . I was having a dream just now, so I’m a bit out of it .
” He doesn’t look at her after finishing talking . He takes out a matchstick,
lights up his cigarette, inhales it, and leaves the office .
Jin Xi: “Oh . ”
After watching him leave, she folds the blanket and puts it away . She fetches
her toothbrush and towel and heads to the washroom .
It’s still early, so there isn’t anyone in the washroom . The autumn sun shines
through the light layer of fog and into the window . Jin Xi lowers her head
with the toothbrush in her mouth and thinks: What was he dreaming about?
Who did he see in his dream that would cause him to be that way just now?


Chapter 29.3
Chapter 29.3
The afternoon of next day .
The fifth day of T’s assassination plan .
The Black Shield Team’s office phone suddenly rings . It’s the District Chief
calling from the East City district station .
“Han Chen!” The chief’s voice is full of seriousness and anxiousness, “A

new victim has appeared on this side . And there are two of them!”
At the new commercial area of the East district . On the top level of a low
story office building .
Two men in suits are lying on the floor . Blood has seeped through both of
their chests . Their eyes are open but have no vital signs . And outside of the
police tape is a group of frightened office employees .
The Black Shield Team members are all at the scene . Han Chen, wearing
black gloves, is standing outside of the window, looking at the several tall
infrastructures across the building . His expression is solemn .
Jin Xi, on the other hand, has found the human resource manager of the
company to ask a few questions, “Therefore, they are your company’s general
manager and vice general manager?”
The HR manager nods with his pale face .
Chatterbox is taking pictures of the company’s plaque that’s hanging on the

wall . Jin Xi looks up at it; there are two registered names——
“Hua Xia Generous Treasure Pawn Shop”
“Prosperous Treasure Loan Company . ”
Chatterbox comes over and whispers in her ear, “A loan shark company .
There are quite a lot of these in the East district . All hidden in office
buildings . ”
Xiao Zhuan swipes a few times on his tablet and then lifts his head, “On the
White Crane of Yangtze BBS, there aren’t any posts related to this company
or accusations made against these two people . They aren’t among the
suspected targets either . How did T pick them?”
The answer is revealed soon .
In the deceased password locked computers, the IT officer has found a few
evidence . There is actually a member of the BBS writing a post accusing this
company of high interests and using violence to press for payments, forcing
many to commit suicide . Reports from a private detective have revealed the
post writer’s name, his photo, address, and where he works .
Chatterbox immediately requests to speak with the highest authoritative

person of the company——the Finance Manager . After being pressed by the
police, he finally admits that there was someone posting “hate” posts about
their company . As a result, the two general managers used some
extraordinary methods to force the person to keep quiet . They also
“communicated” with the forum to remove the posts and threatened the forum
admin to not mention any of this to anyone, especially the police .
This explains why the police missed these two “potential targets” when they
obtained the forum information from the administrator . And if T has been
monitoring the forum since a long time ago, it’s possible that he read the post
before it got deleted .
Nonetheless, the reason is clear to everybody now . The Black Shield Team
stares at the two bodies on the floor; no one comments .
Chatterbox curses in the end, “They’ve done it to themselves . ”

……
They’ve let T succeed again .
Five days; five victims .
Everything seems to be running its course according to fate .
Jin Xi raises her head and stares at Han Chen by the window who has his
back towards everyone .
The image of him half-consciously embracing her this morning flashes across
his mind . He scrunches his eyebrows, showing a determined face; his dark
brown eyes are bottomless .
After a split second of being in a daze, he collects his emotions, turns around,
and his eyes meet with hers . He takes off his gloves while saying, “Jin Xi,
come over . ”
Bai Jin Xi goes over to him .
“What are your thoughts?” he stuffs the gloves into his pockets, exposing a
small black edge of it . He also puts his hands into his pockets .
Jin Xi looks at the buildings outside the window with him, and answers, “If
we look only at the choice of victims, T is still insisting on finding his targets
via the forum . It’s just that he has now killed five people . It’ll be
impossible for him to pick another potential target that we’ve missed to
identify . And we’ve already taken action in protecting the remaining targets .
What will he do next? And what can he do?”
“I’ve said before that T has a plan,” Han Chen says, “Thinking about it now,
every step he has taken has been planned . ” He smiles slightly, “After the
first two victims, this case was labeled as a serial killing case . We started
investigating people who were related to the victims through other cases of
deaths . But we weren’t able to contact them that night……”
Chatterbox, who has appeared beside them out of nowhere, interrupts, “……
Leader, are you saying that it was T who arranged for the Zhou Family to stay
at the hospital, as well as stopping Zheng Cheng Da from taking the train,
which made them unreachable?”
Jin Xi says in a serious tone, “This is possible . It was Zhou Si Lin who was
sick that night . If T had hinted them about something beforehand to make
them avoid contact with anybody, it’s very doable . And then they found out
that the person whom they despised died, so obviously they wouldn’t mention
anything about it when asked in order to avoid suspicion . Tell Xiao Zhuan to
confirm this with them right away!”
Han Chen continues, “If this hypothesis is true, everything can be explained .
Since the police were unable to contact these two individuals, T had enough
time to kill the third person, Chen Can Lan . And at that time, we came to
know about the link between the three victims, which was the forum . Chen
Can Lan’s incident was the catalyst for the outburst on the forum, causing the
public to learn about everything that had happened . What does this all mean?
This means that regardless of whether it’s the media or the police taking
preventive measures, he will not let the ten or so people that he has chosen off
due to the pressure of the forum . ”
“Which means that even though he has only punished the first three people,
all the others that he has chosen will receive punishment in the future . These
people will definitely turn themselves in because they would rather go to jail
than be gunned down out on the streets,” Bai Jin Xi says, “He has already
achieved his plan!”
“Yes . And he personally took down these two scums, or missed targets,
today——” Chatterbox snaps his fingers, “That rounds everything up!”
All three of them keep their silence for a while .
Chatterbox asks, “Based on this inference, does this mean that T’s plan is
complete? Is he going to stop and disappear now?”
“No . ”
“No . ”
Bai Jin Xi and Han Chen say at the same time .
Han Chen glances at her, and says, “He left behind a bullet shell last time . If
he only wanted to be a hero and punish ten or so people, there’s no need for
him to disregard his life like this . ”
Jin Xi nods, “That’s right . And I’ve said before that for a professional killer
like T to carry out punishment on ordinary people like this, he must have
experienced some kind of emotional impact . How is he punishing these ten
or so people? Death threats, announcing to the world, and having them plead
guilty . What about the outcome of the person who has harmed him? We still
don’t know yet . Therefore……” she pauses, “I have a feeling that this is just
the prologue . His real punishment and revenge will start in the next few days
to come . And with what has happened so far, the public’s emotion has
already been stirred up . The people that he is going to punish will be hang
up high on the city’s pole of shame with everybody’s eyes on them . At the
same time, there will definitely be a more tragic ending to this!”


Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Chapter 30: Drinks for Today + mini side story
At the Hot Pot restaurant .
It’s full of steam and the savory smell of food permeates the air .
The five members of the Black Shield Team sit in a table together with
individual pots in front of each of them . Han Chen is chatting softly with
Cold Face regarding investigating the surveillance videos, Jin Xi is
browsing Taobao (Chinese eBay), and Xiao Zhuan is immersed in reading up
on the internet about the latest movements of the serial shooter on his tablet .
Chatterbox is listening to Han Chen and Cold Face’s conversation while
using his chopsticks to stir his hot pot every now then, murmuring, “Why
isn’t it boiling yet?”
Following the event of two new victims, the case has moved onto the next
phase . On one hand, the police have figured out T’s pattern, so the remainder
of the targets are now under protection and there will be no more new victims;
on the other hand, they can only wait to see what T will do next . Therefore,
after Qin Wen Long finished listening to their reports at night today, he
announced, “Everyone, go home and sleep! There will be another hard battle
to fight starting tomorrow!”
“It’s boiling, it’s boiling! It’s all boiling! Hurry and eat! It smells delicious,”
Chatterbox picks up a roll of lamb meat with his chopsticks and drops it in .
The other four also stop what they were doing and pick up their chopsticks .
Come to think of it, it’s actually the Black Shield Team’s first time eating
together .
Chatterbox raises his glass of tea, “Leader, why don’t you say a few things . ”
The others also raise their glasses and look over to Han Chen . Jin Xi is also
looking at him, while her free hand is stroking the table lightly .
Han Chen leans forward and picks up his glass . Instead of looking back at
them, he stares at the orange coloured liquid in the glass .
“Safety and happiness, and get what you wish for . ” He raises his glass and
drinks to the bottom of it .
Everyone is silent for a few seconds .
Chatterbox is the first to speak, in his usual fawning tone, “Leader is a true
leader!” He pats Xiao Zhuan’s back, who’s beside him, and continues,
“Simple, clear, and to the point, yet with so much depth!” He also drinks to
the bottom of his cup . He puts it down and says, “That’s right . Us criminal
investigators have low wages and very little chances of getting raises or
promotions . What else can we hope for besides safety and happiness?! As
for my wish……wife and kids, and a home . Holy! I’ve got a long way to
go, don’t I?!”
Everyone starts laughing; even Cold Face is revealing his right dimple .
Chatterbox is actually refined looking; thin eyebrows, long and narrow eyes,
straight-edged nose, thin lips, and a very skinny body . If he dresses well, he
can be considered as handsome . But he’s too talkative and very crude . A
refined and handsome man with a talkative and crude personality really
makes it hard for one to explain how he/she feels about him .
The group starts eating .
Jin Xi throws a couple slices of lamb meat and wood ear (fungus) and puts
down her chopsticks . Han Chen’s words resonate in her mind again .
Safety and happiness, and get what you wish for .
She shifts her gaze at him . She watches him finish cooking the lamb meat on
his chopsticks, put it into his bowl and dip it into the sesame sauce . He
suddenly lifts his head and looks back at her .
Even with the steam hovering the table, his eyes look rich brown and
beautiful .
Jin Xi looks away . She picks up the lamb meat and starts eating with her
head down .
Get what you wish for .
These are very simple words . But reciting them more carefully seems to
bring a mix of warmth and sourness to them .
With Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox around, it’s never quiet at the table . The
two go back and forth while Jin Xi adds her input every now and then, and
even Han Chen laughs out loud a few times . The atmosphere at the table is
getting better and better .
Chatterbox becomes even more daring after a while . A daring man will start
to tease other women at the table . Of course, this kind of teasing could be
out of good nature, pretending to be oblivious and cute at the same time .
“Oh, Jin Xi!” Chatterbox taps his plate with his chopsticks, “The
legendary Xiao Bai Mei (little sister Bai) . I need to represent all the guys of
the police force to ask you this question . Do you have a boyfriend? Is that
well-known and talented forensic investigator at Jiangcheng your man?”
Jin Xi smiles, picks up one of her chopsticks and also taps her plate with it a
few times, “Of course not . I am enjoying my singles life——I’m not as
desperate as you!”
Her witty reply causes everyone to look and laugh at Chatterbox . Cold Face
even reaches out his hand and gives Chatterbox a pat on the back to console
him . Chatterbox says feeling annoyed, “Even you are laughing at me?! I
won’t tolerate this! Waiter, give me some beer! The 3 dollar a bottle one!
The 2 dollar a bottle is not good enough for me!” He then stretches out his
head and looks at Han Chen full of smiles, “Leader, is it okay to have a few
drinks? Since you’re driving, you shouldn’t drink any . We’re just going to
drink a little bit to relax ourselves . ”
“Mm,” Han Chen takes a sip of his tea and then lifts his eyes to look at Bai
Jin Xi .
Jin Xi’s eyes meet with his; she quickly looks away .
When the beer comes, Chatterbox takes one and puts it in front of Han Chen .
He says in full of seriously, “Leader, we’re going to play a game, and you
have to participate since you’re our leader . But if you lose, you can appoint
someone else at the table to drink on your behalf, okay?”
Xiao Zhuan immediately complains, “Chatterbox, you sure are a suck-up!”
Chatterbox retorts, “So what? You want to bite me?”
Just as Jin Xi thought that Han Chen would disagree, she sees him pick up the
bottle of beer, opens the cap with his mouth without much effort, and then
places it down in front of Chatterbox . He then leans back in his chair and
says, “Okay, you can drink on my behalf . Let’s start . ”
Chatterbox is stunned, while the others laugh out loud, “……hahaha!”
Perhaps Chatterbox has been hurt deeply by Leader; his questions are all very
sharp and hard to answer .
“The same question as Xiao Bai’s . Do you guys have a boy or girlfriend?
Xiao Zhuan, you go first . ”
Xiao Zhuan answers, “I……have never had one . There are so few female
officers at the station, and Leader (Bai Jin Xi) is not my type . ”
Xiao Bai pinches his waist without any hesitation . Xiao Zhuan lets out an
“ow” and jumps up from his seat . Everyone laughs . Chatterbox pulls a
glass of beer and puts it in front of him, “Drink up . ”
Xiao Zhuan asks with a puzzled look, “Why do I have to drink for not having
a girlfriend? I thought I only have to answer the question……” Before he
could finish, Chatterbox has already poured the beer into his mouth, forcing
him to gulp it down .
“Next: Cold Face,” Chatterbox calls out .
Cold Face stares at the table, “I had one . ”
Everyone makes an “oh” sound and then sees him pick up his glass and drinks
to the bottom of it without a word .
The mood at the table becomes a bit depressing all of a sudden .
Chatterbox immediately tries to lighten things up . He says standing up, “As

for me? For someone who’s young, handsome and dashing like me, I of
course——have never had a girlfriend . ” He also picks up his glass and
drinks up .
Everyone laughs and the mood at the table seems to have come back alive
again .
Everyone starts to turn their gazes to Han Chen .
Han Chen obviously knows what they mean . He picks up his glass of tea,
gestures a toast with Cold Face and says casually, “Same . Had one before . ”
He then drinks all of his tea .
Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan both says, “Oh……”
Jin Xi stares at her glass of beer . She taps her fingers on the side of it lightly
.
Chatterbox drinks up and then holds up and waves the empty glass towards
Han Chen, “Leader, I’ve drunk on your behalf this round . I won’t be the one
drinking next round!”
Han Chen unbuttons the top of his shirt, tilts his head, and lights up a cigarette
.
“Second question——” Chatterbox smirks at Bai Jin Xi, “Do you have a
crush right now?”
Bai Jin Xi is a little stunned . Everyone’s eyes are on her; Han Chen’s gaze
makes her especially uncomfortable .
Xiao Zhuan glares at Chatterbox on her behalf and defends, “What kind of
question is that? Why are they all about love? You’re just like what Xiao Bai
says: you’re so desperate!”
Chatterbox fires back, “What do you know? Do you know how many people
at the provincial station asked me to ask Bai Mei(little sister) this question?
This affects many single men! Do you not know that Bai Mei is the new
Goddess at the provincial station? There are many rumors outside that says
she’s gentle, virtuous, refined, and intelligent!”
Bai Jin Xi giggles . She holds up her glass of beer and shakes her head, “I
choose not to answer,” and then drinks to the bottom . She can sense Han
Chen staring at her with the corner of her eye .
All five of them end up drinking this round .
Xiao Zhuan’s answer is no, so Chatterbox orders, “Drink!”
Cold Face’s answer is no, so he drinks .
Chatterbox’s answer is “yes, a few . ” Xiao Zhuan and Cold Face say
together, “Drink!”
When it’s Han Chen’s turn, Chatterbox smiles squinting his eyes, “Leader, I
know you definitely don’t . You’ve kept yourself clean all these years and
have never had any rumors . Only women chase after you, while you never
proactively pursue anyone . ”
Han Chen lowers his hand with the cigarette and picks up his glass of tea with
the other . He says unconcernedly, “I also choose not to respond . ”
Jin Xi feels her heart tremble slightly .
Xiao Zhuan puts on an “I don’t know anything” face, so Chatterbox doesn’t

dare to press any further . Cold Face, on the other hand, picks up the glass of
beer in front of Han Chen and drinks on his behalf .
The questions after that are of much more variety . Besides Chatterbox, the
others also start to ask what they want .
Chatterbox asks Xiao Bai, “I heard that your memory is not good, so Bai Mei,
do you remember what I wore yesterday?”
Bai Jin Xi thinks hard . She wants to faint……she doesn’t know if it’s
because it’s her poor memory acting up or it’s the beer blurring up her mind .
She really can’t remember . She picks up the glass and drinks . Chatterbox
sniggers . Han Chen is also looking at her with a smile .
Xiao Zhuan asks Han Chen and Cold Face, “If you two have a fight, who’s
better?”
Everyone is excited to hear the answer . Cold Face responds, “Don’t know . ”
Han Chen inhales his cigarette and then says, “You probably can’t beat me .
Drink up . ” Cold Face accepts and drinks . Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox say
at the same time, “That’s acceptable?!”
The table has become rowdy . Chatterbox starts to give Xiao Zhuan a hard
time again . Xiao Zhuan stares at him with his eyes wide open . Cold Face
walks over and pours Xiao Zhuan a glass while smiling . Jin Xi smiles
watching them before she unexpectedly hears Han Chen, who’s sitting two
seats away, calls her, “Bai Jin Xi——”
She turns and looks at him .
He also looks at her from across the steaming pot .
“Question: why were you crying that day?”
Jin Xi keeps her silence for a moment, and smiles, “Question: what were you
dreaming about last night?”
They stare at each other for a while and then smile . They pick up their
glasses and drink up . They can feel their hearts twisting and turning with
many emotions stirring inside when they put their glasses down .
Their dinner lasts until 10pm . Han Chen drives them back to the dormitory .
They all have great self-control, so they haven’t drunk too much; only a little
wobbly when walking .
Han Chen leans against the side of the car door, watching them support each
other while walking . Bai Jin Xi, on the other hand, is walking slowly beside
them like a cat, frowning her eyebrows .
“Jin Xi,” he calls out .
“Hm?”
“Don’t bother about them . Take care of yourself . ”
Jin Xi doesn’t answer, but the other three start to complain . Chatterbox says,
“Leader, you’re too biased! You care about Bai Mei, but you don’t care about
us!” Cold Face says, “It’s understandable . ” Xiao Zhuan murmurs,
“Chatterbox, you’re so dumb . ”
Bai Jin Xi shouts, “Shut up, all of you!”
She turns around and looks at Han Chen .
“I, of course, will take good care of myself . You’re a man, so why are you
worrying so much? Go, go, go . ”
With her blurry vision, she seems to see Han Chen smile . He says with an
especially gentle voice, “Alright . I won’t worry . I’ll see you go in first .
Watch your footsteps . ”
Jin Xi nods and continues walking like a cat . When she finds her place, she
fetches her keys to open the door . Without caring about the other three
behind her, she slams close the door and falls directly onto her bed . ”
You’re a man, so why are you worrying so much? Go, go, go .
Alright, alright, alright . I won’t worry . But I have to see you go in first……
These two voices suddenly echo in her mind .
They keep repeating and echoing .
Jin Xi rubs her forehead . She must have drunk too much . Her mind has
become a voice repeating machine .
Once they all make it to their places, Han Chen gets back into his car .
The night is already very dark . The city is like a sea of lights; sparkling yet
quiet . He drives for a while before suddenly feeling shocked .
The image of just now seems so familiar to him .
Has he once driven that girl home on a quiet night like this? And like what
happened just now, did he watch her back like a young fellow, thinking about
whether or not she would turn around? But she is careless as always and
never turns around once to look at him .
Han Chen lights up a cigarette with one hand . He inhales a few deep breaths
from it as he turns the steering wheel and drives towards his home .
__________
Mini Side Story: Han Chen’s Dream
Some people dream every night; some people almost never have dreams .
Back when Han Chen was a young lad, he was the latter type .
He was born from a family with a background in the security bureau, he was
handsome, and didn’t have any obstacles in life . Han Chen was open-minded
and did things the way he liked .
Only those who have many thoughts would have a bunch of messy dreams
——this was what he thought .
Until the day he met her on his way back to the police academy from the
station .
That night, Han Chen had a dream .
He dreamt that he was chasing after that proud and pretty girl . He grabbed
her hand and didn’t let go . When he woke up, he rubbed his hair in
satisfaction . After all, wasn’t this how you pursued a girl?
Later, he dreamt about her more and more .
After having coffee with her during the day, he would dream about kissing her
lips at night; after following her at night, which could be considered as taking
a walk together, he would dream about her lying in his embrace and chatting
with him .
One of his buddies commented: Han Chen, those aren’t dreams . You’ve been
suppressing yourself for too long . You’re feeling aroused .
Han Chen scolded back: Scram .
He knew very well that his feelings of love were out of impulse, but it wasn’t
all out of impulse .
It seemed different from those other young masters of wealthy families; they
would fall in love without any commitments; if this one didn’t work out, there
would always be another one . But only the 20-year-old Han Chen knew how
passionate his love was .
Of course, he later had one or two……more dreams . Therefore, he also had

this kind of experience: after waking up in the morning, Young Master Han
would be washing his bed’s fitted sheet expressionlessly at the laundry room
in the dormitory of the police station .
In the years after losing her, Han Chen often had dreams .
There would always be a woman in his dreams; her face would be blurry
accompanied with crisped sounds of laughter . He could never hear or see her
clearly, and he couldn’t hold on to her .
Night after night; year after year .
Her face became more and more blurry . The feelings she brought him
gradually drifted as time passed; they slowly seeped deeply into his bones and
became hard to make out .
Only that dialogue he had with her became clearer and clearer, engraved into
his mind .
“Let’s get married after you graduate,” he said, “I won’t marry anyone else
but you in my life . ”
And she looked at him with the gentlest expression while saying, “You wish!
Have I agreed? Let’s see how you perform from now and onwards . ”


Chapter 31.1
Chapter 31.1
Chapter 31: Dearest T (1 of 2)
At the time of the sky being almost fully lit .
At the top of a condo building .
A man sits on a simple wooden table and smokes with his head down .
There’s a wall in front of him . It’s not decorated, but it’s pinned with many
photos, pictures, newspaper cut-outs, and printouts of replies on the White
Crane of Yangtze BBS .
On his left-hand side, there is a large floor-to-ceiling window .
The following numbers are written on the glass: 1, 2, 3……all the way to 7 .
And for the numbers 1 to 5, they’ve all been crossed out with a big——”X” .
Only 6 and 7 are left, and these two numbers are written larger than the other
ones .
The man lowers his head and inhales large breaths from the cigarette . He
then puts the cigarette butt into a small sealed bag and throws it into the
garbage bag beside his legs . He puts on a pair of gloves that are as smooth as
skin, hops down from the table, takes down everything on the wall, and
dumps them into the garbage bag .
The wall is completely empty now . He turns around and wipes away the
words on the glass window with a towel .
Afterward, he takes a look around quietly before he carries the long wooden
violin shaped box on his back as well as the garbage bag filled with traces of
him living here, and then leaves .
_____
8am .
When Jin Xi walks into the office, she sees Cold Face standing in front of
Chatterbox’s desk holding a thermos and pouring him something; the scent
permeates the air .
She goes over, “What good stuff do you have?”
Chatterbox answers right away, “Hot soup for hungover! I would never have
thought that Cold Face would actually boil us hungover soup in the morning!
You’re too virtuous, Cold Face . I can’t believe there’s this side of you . ”
Cold Face doesn’t bother entertaining him . His eyebrows don’t even twitch .
Instead, he looks towards Jin Xi, “Do you want any?”
Jin Xi says, “Yes, yes, yes! Of course, I want some!” She holds out her cup
immediately . She sighs as she watches him pour the soup, “I never thought
that besides Xu Si Bai, I would be able to meet another man who knows how
to cook! Cold Face, your attractiveness has just soared up to the sky!”
Han Chen, who’s sitting at his desk not far away, lifts his head and glances at
her .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan comes in carrying a big paper bag containing a strong smell
of food .
None of them have eaten breakfast yet, so they all turn to look at him .
Xiao Zhuan waves the paper bag in front of them like he’s showing off his
treasure, “I’ve always heard that the breakfast beef pies at the provincial
station are the best . I lined up for half an hour and finally got to snatch five
of them in the last batch!”
“Wow!” Jin Xi and Chatterbox exclaim in enthusiasm .
He takes the individually wrapped beef pies out one by one . He gives one to
Han Chen first, and then the rest to the others .
Within seconds, the Black Shield Team’s office is filled with the delicious
smell of beef .
Jin Xi holds the pie with both of her hands and enjoys eating it bite after bite .
When she raises her head, she sees that everyone is eating it just like her,
except for Han Chen . His back is leaning against the chair as he sits, making
him look tall with long legs . He’s holding the pie in one hand while
controlling the mouse with the other; his eyes are on the computer screen as
he chews on the food at his own pace .
He’s handsome even when he’s eating . Jin Xi has acknowledged this a long
time ago . A person’s temperament really comes naturally .
After they finish eating, Chatterbox fetches some xylitol chewing gum and
tosses it to everyone . Xiao Zhuan can’t help but sigh, “Xiao Bai, do you also
feel that……our team is getting along too well?”
He and Bai Jin Xi have always been a tag team; they often talk among
themselves in front of everyone . Jin Xi answers without a second thought,
“Yeah, we’re getting along so well that it’s a bit too much . ”
Their voices are not too loud but just audible . Chatterbox giggles, and Cold
Face and Han Chen both smile .
It’s Saturday today, so it’s rather quiet at the station . Just when Jin Xi turns
on her computer, her cell phone rings .
Speak of the devil . It’s actually Xu Si Bai, whom she hasn’t talked to for a
long while .
Jin Xi smiles picking up the phone, “You really can’t be mentioned . Every
time I do, your phone call will come . ”
As if it’s out of habit, she always talks to Xu Si Bai in a soft tone, making it
seem like they’re close . Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan both lift their heads to
look at her .
Han Chen and Cold Face, on the other hand, aren’t showing any expression .
Xu Si Bai from the other end of the phone talks in his usual gentle voice, “Is
that so? What did you say about me?”
Jin Xi laughs, “Saying how you know how to cook . What’s up?”
“Nothing . I heard about the serial shooting case, so just wanted to call you
and ask . ” It sounds like he’s driving as she can hear cars honking and the
sound of the engine, “How’s it going? Are you especially busy these days?”
“Mm . It’s quite busy,” Jin Xi holds the phone with one hand while tapping
her fingers on the table lightly with the other, “But it’s alright . You’ll have to
forgive me as I’m unable to reveal the contents of the case . ”
Xu Si Bai chuckles on the other end, “I don’t care about the progress of the
case . Pay attention to your own safety, and take care of yourself well,” he
pauses before continuing, “Since you’re busy, I’ll come visit you in a few
days . ”
Jin Xi smiles with her eyes curved, “Okay . Since we’re buddies, I’ll treat
you to some specialties in City Lan . Come over soon! Oh, but not too soon .
At least wait until we solve the case before coming . ”
He lets out a laugh again, “Okay . I’m hanging up now . ”
After putting the phone down, Jin Xi starts humming a melody . She taps her
fingers randomly on the table before returning her gaze to the computer
screen . Chatterbox leans over with a smirk, “Bai Mei, aren’t you too gentle
when talking to that forensic investigator? Your gentleness towards the
forensic Ge Ge (big brother) is like the warmth of spring, but towards us your
comrades, you’re valiant like the autumn wind blowing away fallen leaves!”
Jin Xi scrunches up a tissue and throws it at him, “F— off! I’ve been friends
with him for so many years . ” Xiao Zhuan butts in, “You probably don’t
know . Xiao Bai has always been this gentle when talking to Forensic
Investigator Xu!”
Just when Jin Xi is about to retort, a deep voice says in an unrushed manner,
“You guys are enjoying yourselves quite a lot, aren’t you? Should I go buy a
pack of melon seeds?” (like a bag of popcorn for watching a movie)
The three of them lift their heads and see Han Chen with one arm on the
armrest and the other on the table . His side profile is apathetic, and his eyes
are on the computer screen .
Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan return to their seats immediately .
Jin Xi bites on her lip, lowers her head and gets back to work .
Han Chen’s cell phone suddenly rings at 10am .
It’s from the leader of the traffic department, “Han Chen! We’ve found T’s
car! We’re tracking it right now! You can send your support right away and
make an arrest!”
_____
At the provincial station’s information technology department’s control room

.
The information from the traffic department is without a doubt ground-

breaking news . The analyses that Han Chen made before has finally brought
back some results .
The Provincial Station Chief, Qin Wen Long, and everyone at the Black
Shield Team is standing behind the IT personnel, watching the live videos of
the roads sent from the traffic department .
Since T’s location is rather far from the provincial station, it would be too late
for them to try and drive there . Therefore, Qin Wen Long has requested a
special police unit at a district station to pursue .
The first video is from 30 minutes ago on a certain overpass . The traffic
policeman explains to the criminal investigators via the intercom: “About half
an hour ago, we found a suspicious vehicle on the Changfeng Bridge outside
of North Third Ring Road . ”
Everyone gets worked up seeing the black colored C-Quatre on the screen .
The leader of the traffic department speaks on the intercom: “Um……

according to the search plan given to us by the Black Shield Team, which is to
look at the coinciding points of space and time, we can confirm that this is the
vehicle that appeared on suspicious roads before and after the three shooting
incidents . Furthermore, he changed the license plate once in the middle,
which was also fake . But based on the exterior details of the car, our
technician is certain that it is the same vehicle . ”
Xiao Zhuan asks Bai Jin Xi quietly, “Do you think it’s him?”
Jin Xi responds softly, “Yes . ”
Time, place, car model, and two fake license plates……there can’t be another
person .
“Where is he now?” Qin Wen Long asks .
The person in charge at the traffic department answers: “Right after

discovering the suspicious vehicle, we immediately initiated a trace .
However, he disappeared after getting off of the Chengfeng Bridge . This is
because there are a few nearby streets that don’t have surveillance cameras .
But rest assured, our team is currently combing through all possible routes .
No matter which direction he took off on, he can’t escape the eyes of our
traffic police force…… Oh, what? You’ve found him! Great! Put focus on
the video! Captain Qin, have your men take action immediately!”
The video feed suddenly changes to show a not too wide high road in a
residential area . In the black and white surveillance video, the vehicle
traveling among the others is no other than T’s C-Quatre, isn’t it?
Qin Wen Long picks up his cell phone immediately, “Attention all teams!
Attention all teams! T’s location will be forwarded to you right away! T is
carrying dangerous weapons . Once you are away from the masses, capture
him immediately! Please watch for your safety!”
The members of the Black Shield Team watch without blinking their eyes .
Han Chen, on the other hand, is standing at the very front watching with his
rich dark brown eyes, revealing a subtle smile .
His smile makes Jin Xi feel anxious and excited .
Without a doubt, this pursuit catches T by surprise . It’s because the moment
he enters a rather quiet and hidden road, police cars appear in front of and
behind him; he speeds up right away, turns around, and drives onto a narrow
muddy road . Ponds and weeds are on both sides of the road, making it seem
dangerous to drive on . The police cars follow close behind him; they make a
sharp turn, and catches up to him .
The video stops at this point .


Chapter 31.2
Chapter 31.2
Chapter 31: Dearest T (2 of 2)
In the control room, everyone is staring at the blank monitor screen with a
stern face . No one moves or makes a sound . Only Qin Wen Long is holding
the intercom, communicating and giving out commands to the criminal
investigation and special police teams who are on the chase .
“We’re still behind him! Our distance is five hundred meters!”
“Watch for your safety! He is armed with a weapon!”
“F–k! He’s gone into a residential area, and we don’t know which road he
has taken!”
“The one on the right! The left one and the middle one don’t have any
coverings, so he definitely won’t pick them!”
“It’s okay, let him go . We’ve already blocked off the road with our cars at
the end of it!”
……
It’s a race against time . Just from hearing the policemen’s voices makes Jin
Xi feel all tensed with her blood rushing inside .
But then she sees Han Chen lowering his head suddenly . He picks up the
map from the table and bends down to look at it .
His movements don’t capture anybody else’s attention . Jin Xi walks over
and stands beside him .
“What are you looking for?” she asks in a low voice .

Han Chen doesn’t answer; his finger on the map moves across it slowly . Jin
Xi also looks down . The map shows a forested area and a park, and beside
the park is a lake .
Han Chen’s finger follows the green area and moves slowly upwards until it
stops suddenly . He raises his head and says, “Subway station!”
Qin Wen Long, who’s next to him, is stunned for a second before he reports
the findings to the team immediately, “Be on the lookout that T might
abandon his car, travel across the park, and leave by subway!”
But they’re too late .
The area of the park is big . Since it’s Saturday today, there are a lot of
people there .
A panicking voice from a police officer soon comes onto the intercom:
“Captain Qin! We’ve found T’s car . It’s been left beside the fence outside of
the park!”
“There’s too many people . We can’t tell who is him!”
“Let’s hurry to the subway station!”
……
Two hours later .
The Black Shield Team returns to their office, and Qin Wen Long also goes
with them .
This has been the closest they’ve gotten to catching T ever since the first
incident . They almost had him; forcing him to abandon his car and escape on
his feet . But they still missed him .
Xiao Zhuan stands in front of the projector screen and explains to everyone,
“From where T disappeared, there is only one subway line . The Northbound
line would take him to the suburbs, while the Southbound line would take him
back to downtown . The police teams are currently searching at every stop,
but there hasn’t been any progress . T has been very careful . He didn’t leave
any fingerprints on the vehicle . ”
Chatterbox asks hesitantly, “What does T want to do? He’s not thinking of
doing something big like shooting at the subway station, is he?
“He wouldn’t . ”
“He wouldn’t . ”
Han Chen and Jin Xi answer at the same time .
Jin Xi says, “That doesn’t align with his usual ‘punishing’ style . Based on
his actions from the last few days, he is someone who’s well planned and is
firm on his belief . The next person he kills will definitely be someone who
has done heinous crimes . ”
“He will continue to head North,” Han Chen says, “He was driving North
before we forced him to abandon his car to take public transit, so he will
definitely continue heading to his targeted destination . ”
Xiao Zhuan thinks for a minute and says, “Following on the subway
Northbound line, there is a residential area, commercial area, a park, city
center, and that’s about it before it goes to the suburban area . In the suburban
area, there’s Beitong County, which has tourist resorts, and the game industry
. It’s been developing quite well . It has a big mountainous area . What is T
planning to do there?”
Qin Wen Long, who has been listening quietly, lifts his head immediately,
“Find out right away to see if there are any provincial and/or municipal
leaders having a conference in the suburban area . ”
Everyone’s heart shakes instantly . Xiao Zhuan sits back at his computer
right away and starts searching . Chatterbox starts calling related departments
.
When Chatterbox hangs up, he is almost about to cry, “At the Beitong
County’s conference center, there’s a semi-annual report meeting for the city
today……”
Qin Wen long is dumbstruck . He bounces up from his chair, and just when
he’s about to leave, Han Chen’s desk phone rings .
Han Chen picks it up on speaker phone, “Hello . ”
“Team Leader Han . We received a phone call at the call center advising a tip
on the serial shooting case . Should I connect you through?”
“Go ahead . ”
Everyone is silent as they listen to the call .
Ever since the media exposed the case, the station has received many calls
about giving us tips like this one, which are all directed to the Black Shield
Team . After they failed to catch T on the chase today, the frontline officers
have asked people in the area . This phone call could be from a witness .
The call is connected .
Qin Wen Long dials on his cell phone while listening to the call .
It’s silent on the other end for a few seconds .
Han Chen: “Hello?”
“Hello,” a deep and raspy voice comes on . He pauses before saying, “I am T

. ”
The office becomes still . Qin Wen Long also puts his phone down and stares
at the desk phone sternly .
Xiao Zhuan rushes to the equipment shelf, fetches a call tracking device, and
starts to connect it carefully . Chatterbox pushes open the door and calls in a
low voice for an IT member to come . Cold Face walks to the phone and
listens with Han Chen . The station’s phones all have automatic recording
capability, but Jin Xi still takes out her pen and paper to jot down notes .
Everybody takes action quickly and quietly .
Han Chen presses both hands onto the table and quietly waits for him to speak
.
“There’s no need to trace the call,” T says softly, “because I will tell you
where I am . ”
Everyone is shocked .
“Don’t worry . My target is not one of those officials,” he says calmly, “If I
wanted to kill them, I wouldn’t need to spend so much effort . ”
No one says anything .
“15 Kilometers from Beitong County, there’s Mountain Wulin . At 5pm

today, a CS team will be entering the mountain area and participate in a
‘Battle Royal’ competition for one day and night .
They’ve already arrived . Every member has an AK47 laser tag gun . I do as
well . But, mine is a real gun .
I heard that Han Chen of the Black Shield Team is the most incredible
criminal investigator, while Bai Jin Xi is very good at criminal psychology .
The below is what I’m requesting——
1) I want Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi to be participants of the competition . I’ve
already registered for you . At 5pm, I must see you two arrive at Mountain
Wulin .
2) You must not carry any weapons or communication devices, and there
must not be another member coming .
3) During the competition, you must not let any of the other participants know
about my existence as well as your identities .
There is only one road out of Mountain Wulin, and I’ve installed surveillance
cameras at the entrance and on the mountain . If these criteria are not met, I
will immediately start killing others . Oh, and one more thing, because I
almost got caught by you guys today, I’ve already killed a person in advance
to retaliate .
The competition will end at 8am the day after tomorrow . At that time, no
matter what the outcome is, I will turn myself into the police and end all of
this . ”

Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Chapter 32: My Hero
The phone hangs up .
The office is silent .
After a while, Chatterbox curses out loud, “F–k . ”
Xiao Zhuan can feel his heart beating out of his chest . He turns around, but
sees Bai Jin Xi with a sarcastic smile and not a hint of nervousness .
He looks at Han Chen in the front, who originally had his hands pressed onto
the table, and he’s now slowly standing straight with a calm look on his face .
The subtle smile at the corners of his mouth is very much like Bai Jin Xi’s .
That’s right . These two are quite bold, so why would they be scared of T’s
threat, right?
Xiao Zhuan unexpectedly starts to feel relieved .
Qin Wen Long says to Han Chen, “This is a very serious matter . Come with
me to report this to the police chief immediately . ”
But Han Chen looks down at his watch and says, “No time . Jin Xi and I need
to go there right away . ” Qin Wen Long thinks for a second, and nods,
“Okay . Let’s split up . I’ll talk to the special police unit to see what’s the
best way to invade Mountain Wulin and rescue the hostages . You guys head
out first . If we can invade, we’ll take action right away . We must not let T
lead us by the nose!”
Han Chen nods, turns around and looks at the four of them .
Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan say at the same time, “We’re going too!” Cold
Face also takes a step forward .
“No, you guys have to stay here . Research everything about this competition
and its participants, as well as Mountain Wulin . Cold Face, work with the
special unit team to come up with a plan . ”
“……Yes, Sir . ” “Okay . ” “I understand . ”
Han Chen’s gaze falls onto Bai Jin Xi again .
Jin Xi stares into his rich dark brown eyes and smiles . She fetches the jacket
hanging on the seat and puts it on, “Let’s go . ”
_____
A landrover with flashing lights speeds through the highway, passing one car
after another .
Jin Xi is sitting quietly in the passenger seat . She adjusts the rear mirror,
brushes her hair, and then takes out a wet napkin and wipes her face .
Han Chen watches her until she finishes and adjusts the rear mirror back in
place .
“You have quite the time . You’re not afraid of dying?”
“Of course I am . ” Jin Xi leans back on the luxurious seat and responds
lazily, “But have you not heard of the saying? At critical times, a woman
needs to have even more composure in order to grasp the situation . ”
She is actually a bit nervous, but being nervous doesn’t help anything .
Therefore, she’s trying her best to relax, so the way she talks also seems
upbeat .
With his hands on the steering wheel, Han Chen reveals a smile with his eyes
on the road .
“Mm, it makes sense . ”
It’s afternoon . The sun pierces through the car windows . After driving for a
while, he glances at her .
Under the bright sunlight, her face seems even fairer white and refreshing .
Her fringes do look tidier after she brushed them with her hands, revealing
her eyebrows under them; her facial features are even more captivating . But
her seating position is nowhere near being refined; she’s leaning crookedly
with her arms lowered on each side .
He taps his finger lightly on the steering wheel and shifts his eyes away .
Jin Xi’s tablet makes a sound . She takes it out from her bag . She swipes the
screen a few times and stares at it with full concentration, “Xiao Zhuan has
sent the information over!”
She tells Han Chen as she reads, “They’ve found the info . This competition
was organized and sponsored by someone on the CS forum three months ago .
There’s also a very big monetary reward, which attracted a lot of people to
sign up . In the end, the organizer picked eight members to participate . Xiao
Zhuan and the IT team is already working on tracking down the sponsor’s IP,
but just like the previous few times, they might not find anything . ”
She lifts her head and her eyes meet Han Chen’s .
Without a doubt, it’s possible that this mysterious sponsor is T .
“Furthermore, the sponsor did not announce the final list of participants and
details on the forum, so Xiao Zhuan and the others are still investigating . ”
Han Chen nods .
They both are quiet for a while before he says, “There are two important
details from T’s words today . ”
Jin Xi nods, “The first is the word, ‘outcome . ’ He said: ‘at that time, no
matter what the outcome is . ’ This means that he wants to have an outcome
through this event . This outcome may be the truth to something or a
punishment to some people . At this point, the people that T wants to punish
must be from those eight participants . And T may be hiding in the dark,
watching everything that’s happening on the mountain, or he may be one of
the eight participants too . ”
She closes her eyes, “Just imagine: when the sound of a gunshot is heard,
everyone will think that it’s a game, but someone will fall to the ground from
being shot, and the killer is among us . The fear of dying will engulf each one
of us——he purposely organized this competition, ‘Battle Royal . ’ It shows
that someone from the group of participants has once brought him or his
loved one this kind of fear and hurt . ”
Han Chen nods, “Let Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox focus on investigating all
the cases and incidents related to CS for the last few years . ”
“Okay,” she opens her eyes and looks at him, “And why do you think he
insisted us two to participate?”
Han Chen doesn’t answer, but asks instead, “Have you done anything against
your conscience before?”
“Of course not . ”
Han Chen grabs the water bottle beside the chair, takes a sip, and places it
down again, “That’s fine then . Nothing will happen to us . ”
Jin Xi smiles and lets out a soft “Mm . ”
“Even if something happens to us, I will protect you,” he says with his eyes
looking straight .
Jin Xi keeps quiet for a few seconds before responding, “Don’t be so

confident of yourself . We don’t know who’s going to be protecting whom in
the end . ”
He turns and takes a look at her, “Alright . You can protect me . ”
Jin Xi bursts in laughter .
They remain silent for a while until she says, “Two police officers will be
participating in this battle royal, yet they can’t reveal their identities and can
only watch him carry out punishment——this must be very exciting to any
serial killer .
The second point he mentioned was ‘turn himself in . ’ If he really does, it

means that he also agrees that he has committed a crime and will accept the
responsibility . Perhaps he’s also struggling with contradictions deep inside
his heart . The fact that he specifically requested for us to participate means
that he clearly knows us well . Maybe he hopes that we can expose the truth
and stop him from continuing with killing others . ”
_____
4:30pm . The provincial Criminal Investigation Team’s office .
Qin Wen Long, the special unit team leader, Cold Face, and other station
chiefs are hovering at the map on the table and discussing quietly with each
other .
Even after prolonged discussions, the special unit team leader continues to
shake his head; Cold Face is expressionless, but his forehead is covered with
sweat .
“That won’t do,” the special unit team leader points to a spot on the map,
“This is the entrance to Mountain Wulin . T will definitely have installed
many surveillance cameras and detectors there . It’ll be too difficult to
execute our action plan from the front . It will put the hostages in danger . ”
“The other three sides of Mountain Wulin are encompassed by forests and the
lake . There’s no way for us to get in . If we send troops to climb the
mountain, it’ll take at least two days for them to get to the valley . If we use
helicopters, it’ll be too noisy . T will definitely notice right away . ”
The Branch Police Chief is silent for a moment before he stands up and says
in a serious voice, “Do we really have no other way but to let those two walk
into danger? Is there really no other way that you can think of?!”
Qin Wen Long thinks for a moment, and then raises his head to look at
everybody, “Chief, we can give this a try . Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi have
skills that are good enough to be part of the special unit team and are very
strong at investigating . I have great confidence that they will be able to make
a break from the inside, collaborate with us, rescue the hostages, and capture
T . ”
_____
5pm on the dot .

The entrance to Mountain Wulin is actually a narrow and rugged road . Cars
can just manage to get through, but if they fall over, it is a bottomless cliff .
Several police cars are crowding at the entrance . Over ten officers are
observing the surroundings carefully, especially the mountain forest up ahead
.
Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi are standing behind the crowd . An IT officer is
handing them a mini signal gun, “Keep this safe . Once we receive a signal,
special forces and forest armed police force will take action immediately . ”
“Okay,” Han Chen glances at Bai Jin Xi beside him, “Let’s go . ”
They pass through the cars and the crowd and start walking on the empty
mountain road .
Just after a few steps, the police officers behind them shout out: “Watch your
safety!” “Take care!” “Good luck!”
Han Chen pauses before continuing walking . Jin Xi puts her hand behind her
back with her thumb up .
Xiao Zhuan has already sent both of them the basic info of Mountain Wulin
an hour ago . Not many people know about this mountain, but searching it on
the internet will reveal that it has a very complex landscape with steep slopes;
many cases of mudslides between May and October . It’s the dangerous
season right now . In the past few years, there have been backpackers who
have been in danger .
The sun is setting at the far away mountain top; the dense forest is blocking
most of the light . It’s very cool and damp here, and quiet as if nobody is
around . After walking for ten or so minutes, the road ends . There’s only the
rough and bumpy slope with grass and weeds .
Han Chen has already taken a look at the map . He looks ahead for a second
and then squats down . The soil is soft and there are few scattered footsteps .
He stares at it for a while before getting up and looking ahead at the tall
standing mountain: “Get ready to climb . ”
“Okay . ”
He doesn’t move though . After being silent for a moment, he turns to the
side to look at her .
Jin Xi: “What’s the matter?”
Under the setting sun with his arms resting on both sides, the contours of his
side profile are cut out even more clearly . He suddenly reaches out his arm
and pulls Jin Xi into his embrace . Her face is pressed lightly against his
shirt; she can hear his heartbeat .
“Bai Jin Xi, you must follow me always . We must go in together, and come
out together . Do you understand?”
“……I understand . ”
He lets go, turns around, and starts climbing up the mountain .
It’s not until an hour of climbing when they finally see a large area of grass .
To their surprise, there are actually two big green boxes on the ground .
They look at each other and walk up to them . The boxes are not sealed .
Han Chen opens them up . They both contain a highly realistic AK47 laser
tag gun, a set of camouflage clothes, a pair of boots, and a knife . There’s
also a backpack full of essential items for survival: a compass, biscuits, beef,
a military canteen full of water, a sleeping bag, helmet, etcetera .
They change into the camouflage clothes and boots; they fit just right . They
carry their backpacks and guns and continue walking ahead .
They walk for another hour and after passing through the foggy forest, they
come to a small open valley . They can hear the sound of a water stream .
A shabby and dilapidated house stands in front of them . The door is open
and they can see clearly a room full of people sitting inside . Hearing the
noise, they all turn to look at them .
“They’re finally here,” someone says grinning, “These two highly skilled
experts sure knows how to make us wait . ”

Chapter 33
Chapter 33
Chapter 33: Falling into Deep Sleep Together
“They’re finally here . These two highly skilled experts sure know how to
make us wait . ”
It’s a young man sitting by the door talking . He’s also wearing camouflage
clothes like everyone else . He’s tall, has a healthy tanned skin tone, and
dimples when he smiles . A pair of black headphones is resting around his
neck .
He stands up, and reaches out his hand towards Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi,
“Hello, I’m Yan Er . ”
Han Chen has one hand in his pocket while shaking hands with his other,
“Han Chen . ” Jin Xi gives Yan Er a once-over, and smiles holding her hand
out, “Bai Jin Xi . ”
Yan Er puts his headphones on and sits back down .
Han Chen and Jin Xi step into the room .
Some immediately raise their heads to look at them, while others continue
staring off to elsewhere and don’t bother about them . The first thing Jin Xi
notices is a couple seating below the window . The girl has her arms wrapped
around the guy’s arm . She looks to be in her twenties . The guy isn’t tall but
is quite good looking . The girl’s look is average, but her smile is very sweet .
They are chatting and seem very intimate .
“Hello!” the girl waves at her, probably due to noticing Bai Jin Xi staring at
her .
Jin Xi smiles and waves back, “Hello . ”

The girl gives Han Chen a once-over; a hint of mesmerisation crosses her
eyes . She asks, “You two are……also a couple?”
Before Jin Xi even responds, she feels something on her shoulder and the
scent of cigarettes come close . It’s Han Chen grabbing her .
“Yes,” he answers .
This is the perfect answer; this way, they can advance and retreat together .
Jin Xi smiles and nods .
But as a result, almost everyone turns to look at them at the same time .
Han Chen continues grabbing onto Jin Xi, looking calm . Jin Xi, on the other
hand, smiles politely .
She can understand why they’re looking at them . For a Battle Royal
competition like this, being a couple means that they can fight one opponent
together, which is obviously a great advantage .
Just as she expects, the girl of the couple gives her boyfriend a push, “See,
there’s also another couple . We’re not considered special . Since it was the
sponsor who picked us, it means that this is fair . ” She smiles at Bai Jin Xi,
“I heard your names just now . I’m Le Luo Xia . You can call me Xia
Zi (little Xia) . He is my boyfriend, Zhang Mu Han . ”
Zhang Mu Han tilts his head towards her shoulder, raises his hand above his
head, and makes a cool and handsome gesture to greet Han Chen and Bai Jin
Xi .
At the same time, a man sitting in a rattan chair on the left gets up .
There’re not many decor in the house and it’s very worn out . The others are
either sitting on the floor or on the staircase . Only he is occupying the best
spot . He looks to be around twenty-seven or eight years old . His body
figure is also the tallest and strongest among all . His looks are handsome .
“Hello, I’m Ke Fan . You can just call me Big Ke,” he says with both of his
hands in his pockets while revealing a bright and friendly smile, “Let me
introduce the others to you . That is You Chuan, known as Xiao You . He’s
my buddy . ”
A skinny young man sitting on the inner side of the staircase holds up his
hand . He is carrying a gun on his back while resting both of his hands on his
knees . Even though Ke Fan is introducing him, he doesn’t look towards
them at all . His eyes are staring out the window, looking calm and
unconcerned .
Ke Fan laughs, “Xiao You doesn’t talk much . You can just pretend that he’s
not here . But when the competition begins, you’ll have to be careful of not
getting shot in the head by him . Next——Ming Yue, a woman who you
should not mess with . ”
Han Chen and Jin Xi follow his gaze and look toward another woman in the
room . She’s sitting on the floor with her legs crossed . Her camouflage
jacket is not buttoned, but instead, it’s been tied around her waist . Her long
wavy hair has been tied into a ponytail . She’s not a beauty, but her facial
features are refined .
Hearing Ke Fan call her name, she raises her head, “Big Ke, why are you
talking so much nonsense?” She glances at the two of them and nods, “I’m Li
Ming Yue . ”
Ke Fan isn’t angry . He lifts his head and looks at the remaining two men at
the inner part of the room, “The older one is Sun Dian, Professor Sun . The
other one is Fang Xu . ”
Han Chen and Jin Xi look to where he’s pointing . Sun Dian is sitting in the
most inner part . He has a medium built body, looks to be thirty-three or four
years old, a pointy face and seems to be well educated . It’s just that he looks
rather gloomy and doesn’t bother greeting them .
Han Chen: “Professor?”
Ke Fan reveals a wicked smile and says in a low voice, “He claims to be a
university professor, but who knows? He has such a weird temper . ”
Fang Xu looks to be twenty-seven or eight years old, also has a medium built
body, and average looks . He’s tidying his backpack at the corner of the wall .
He raises his head and glances at them . He’s probably the most unnoticeable
person among everybody .
Jin Xi reveals a curious expression, “Big Ke, you all know each other?”
Ke Fan answers, “Pretty much . We’ve met here and there in previous
competitions . You two, on the other hand are new faces . Are you guys from
abroad?”
Jin Xi smiles and doesn’t answer .
Ke Fan claps his hand and says aloud, “Since everybody is here, let’s draw to
decide our teams then . ”
_____
From the info that Xiao Zhuan sent, it included the forum announcement and
the criteria of the competition .
It will last 24 hours from 8am tomorrow to 8pm the day after . Participants
will be split into two teams that will combat each other . The losing team will
be eliminated and the winning team will then PK (player kill) each other until
one player is left and is the final winner . Every participant’s camouflage
clothing has sensors installed, so whoever is hit by a laser, it will imitate the
effects of the wound, so that no one can cheat . The winner will be prized
with a hundred thousand RMB from the sponsor .
Hearing Ke Fan call out, everyone comes over, follows his gesture and sits in
a circle . Jin Xi sits beside Han Chen and secretly observes the others .
From the time that T made the request to now, it has been no more than three
hours .
As she looks at the participants who are unaware of their lives being in
danger, she is observing them every minute and every second——is T
watching the ten of them from afar, or is he among them? She has taken a
look at everybody’s guns and hasn’t found anything suspicious . T will
definitely not expose his real gun out in the open . Since he is in control of
this island and base on his intricate planning, he must have other things set up
to prevent her and Han Chen from breaking the rules and revealing their
identities .
Therefore, they must not act rashly . They can only act reactively .
It’s just that this wild and mountainous area is too isolated . And everyone is
immersed in the competition so the atmosphere is rather calm and there’s
nothing out of the ordinary . Now that she thinks about the “Battle Royal”
happening tomorrow, it feels unreal .
She looks towards Han Chen beside her . Ke Fan is the tallest and buffest
among them all . But he, on the other hand, has a long and lean body figure
that makes his back look straight while he’s sitting down . His hands are
resting on his knees and his face doesn’t show any expression .
Jin Xi recalls him telling her to “listen to his instructions” while they were
heading here . She understands that he must have his own thoughts on this, so
she continues to keep her silence .
At this moment, Ke Fan places a round container with wooden sticks inside
onto the floor . He reaches out his hand, “One stick per person . Let’s do it .
”
Jin Xi is a bit hesitant .
If they’re on the same team, it’ll definitely be safer; if they split up, they can
keep an eye on the people in each of their teams . There are both pros and
cons to this .
“My girlfriend and I have to be on the same team,” Han Chen raises his head
and looks at the rest of the group .
Jin Xi’s heart shakes as she turns her head and looks at the side of his face .
The lighting in the house is dim, making his face hard to make out, but his
eyes are rich dark brown and calm .
Nobody says a word .
Ke Fan pats his shoulder and says, “Buddy, I can understand how you feel .
But you cannot control the outcome of the draw unless you can find someone
who’s willing to trade with you . ”
Han Chen glances at him and doesn’t respond .
Xia Zi pinches her boyfriend’s waist . As a result, Zhang Mu Han also speaks
up, “Same here . We want to be on the same team . Big Brothers and Sisters,
will you please let us?! If not, she won’t let me off . ”
Ke Fan smiles and says, “How about this, let’s draw first . If you guys don’t
end up on the same team and someone is willing to switch with you, then it’s
fine . ” He picks up the round container and holds it out in front of Han Chen:
“Pick one . ”
Just when Han Chen’s fingers touch a wooden stick, Fang Xu, who’s been
sitting across quietly all this time and is hardly noticeable, says suddenly, “I
won’t trade with anyone . You guys shouldn’t trade with them either . These
competitions have always been a game of survival of the fittest . Why should
we give way to them?”
Everyone looks at him and doesn’t say anything . Han Chen lifts his eyes and
glances at him . He pulls out his hand, taking a wooden stick with him . Jin
Xi leans over and takes a look; it’s got the color red at the end .
Jin Xi is the second to draw . Her eyes are wide open the moment she looks
at the wooden stick she picked: it’s actually blue .
Han Chen also sees it . Their eyes meet, but they both don’t say a word .
Fang Xu sitting across probably notices their expressions; his eyes reveal a
mocking smile .
Jin Xi uses her gaze to ask Han Chen: what should we do?
Han Chen looks back at her at a very close distance . He suddenly smiles,
takes the blue wooden stick away from her hand and says in a low voice, “I’ll
think of a way . ”
The rest of the drawing moves quickly . Ke Fan picks out a blue stick, and
Xiao You also picks up a blue one . Xia Zi draws a red stick . While her
boyfriend is hesitating on which stick to pick, everyone else finishes picking
out theirs . He ends up with the last stick . When he picks it up and looks, he
wraps his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders immediately, “We have such
great luck! It’s red!”
Fang Xu beside them waves the stick in his hand, “I also got a red one . I’m
on the same team as you two . Haha . ”
Jin Xi glances at him .

And then Han Chen beside her pushes his hands against the floor and gets up
suddenly .
Jin Xi looks up at him . Not just her, but others are also staring at him .
Holding her blue stick in his hand, he walks past everyone until he stops and
squats in front of Fang Xu .
Li Ming Yue, Yan Er, and the others reveal an expression of schadenfreude
instantly .
Fang Xu stares at Han Chen vigilantly . He says with his face turning pale,
“What do you want to do?”
Han Chen looks at him . He reaches out his hand and snatches his red
wooden stick quickly . He gives him a once-over, gets up, and tosses the blue
stick at him . He walks back and sits down without saying anything .
Fang Xu jumps up immediately, “What is the meaning of this? You think you
can swap when you want to?”
Everyone shifts their eyes to Han Chen .
Han Chen doesn’t even look at Fang Xu . He tilts his head, lights up a
cigarette, and breathes out white smoke while raising his head .
“This competition is the survival of the fittest . You have to swap even if you
don’t want to . ”
He actually returns the exact words from Fang Xu back to him .
Everyone is stunned; some even whistles . Jin Xi didn’t think that his method
would actually be to snatch it from someone else……She turns her head to
look at him, smiles and then looks at Fang Xu’s pale face . But instead of
provoking him, she tries to smooth things over by saying in a mellow voice,
“Sorry Fang Xu, can you help us out this time and give us the red stick?
Thank you so much!”
Fang Xu still has an awful looking expression on his face . Ke Fan also tries
to calm the situation, “Alright Fang Xu, since you’re here by yourself, it’s the
same regardless of which team you’re in . It’s not so bad to be on the same
team as me and Xiao You, is it?”
This seems to have an effect on Fang Xu; it immediately relieves his facial
expression a bit . He glares at Han Chen, “I’m just giving Big Ke respect .
When the competition begins tomorrow, you better watch your head!”
Han Chen inhales his cigarette with his eyes half closed and doesn’t bother
answering him .
Yan Er, who’s sitting diagonally across, snickers and says, “Fang Xu? You’re
scared?” Li Ming Yue also giggles and looks at Fang Xu derisively .
Fang Xu glares at them .
Ke Fan summarizes the outcome of the draw:
Blue Team: Ke Fan, Xiao You, Li Ming Yue, Yan Er, and Fang Xu .
Red Team: Han Chen, Bai Jin Xi, Zhang Mu Han, Xia Zi, and Professor Sun .
_____
At night .
Some members are already asleep, while others are still chatting . The house
is small, to begin with, so it’s very crowded when all ten of them lie down .
Jin Xi is at a corner . Just when she finishes laying down their sleeping bags,
she sees Han Chen walking in from the outside .
He must have gone to wash his face by the river; his hair is wet and is stuck
against his forehead, making his face look paler from the color contrast . He
walks to her and sits down . He fetches the red stick from his pocket and
gives it to her .
Jin Xi takes it . She wants to giggle recalling what happened at the time .
She looks around to confirm that no one is watching before leaning over to
him and saying softly, “You were quite ferocious . ”
Han Chen places his hands on his knees and looks ahead, “Was I?”
Jin Xi smiles again .

Han Chen dumps out everything in the backpack; there are biscuits, a watch, a
knife……he examines each of them in detail, and shakes them by his ear . Jin
Xi watches him quietly until he picks up the compass and places it aside .
Jin Xi also picks it up and gives it a shake . Her heart shudders——there

seems to be something inside .
Han Chen holds up the backpack and starts feeling every inch of it, especially
the pockets and around the seams . He actually feels a tiny micro tapping
device .
Han Chen gets up, walks outside, and throws the tapping device and compass
into the bushes .
Jin Xi feels heavy inside .
This tapping device is probably a warning from T, isn’t it? They can find the
tapping devices on them, but what about the others around them? What about
other places? Besides tapping devices, what other things could there be? For
example, explosives?
They’ll have to take it one step at a time .
They keep their silence and watch the others in the house .
There are 8 people not including them; 6 guys and 2 girls . Among the 6
guys, Ke Fan and Xiao You are buddies; Ke Fan is the leader and organizer of
the pack and is recognized as such by the others; Zhang Mu Han is always
glued to his girlfriend and doesn’t seem to be suspicious; Yan Er clearly likes
to act on his own and has a very distinctive personality; Fang Xu doesn’t talk
much but is petty and a bit detestable; and lastly, Professor Sun is taciturn .
Jin Xi thinks for a moment and says, “Hold out your hand . ”
Han Chen takes a look at her and then holds out his hand . Jin Xi picks up the
stick and writes a “5” lightly on his palm .
They can already rule out one man and know that he’s not T . Therefore if T
is among them, there are 5 suspects left .
Han Chen retrieves his hand and hums “Mm” lightly .

They seem to think the same .
Jin Xin asks softly, “Should we take turns watching over them at night? You
can watch the first half, and I’ll watch over the second half?”
But Han Chen lies down, putting his arms behind his head, “No need . It’ll be
too easy to expose himself if he takes action here . T wouldn’t do it . If he
uses a sniper, we have no chance to stop him anyway . ”
_____
Probably because she has been nervous all day and constantly on the move,
Jin Xi falls asleep very quickly . She can’t be certain if it’s because Han Chen
is lying beside her so that she can smell the familiar scent of cigarettes; she
actually sleeps feeling especially calm and relaxed .
She wakes up when the sky is almost lit, slowly opening her eyes . But she is
shocked the moment she does .
Last night, Han Chen slept with his back towards her, but he has turned to
face her now . She originally lied down facing the ceiling, but she is currently
on her side facing him; her face is almost up against his chest, and her
forehead is touching his chin . They’re both in their own sleeping bags,
which makes them look like two caterpillars side by side .
Jin Xi pulls out her hand from the sleeping bag and takes a look at her watch .
It’s still early . Just when she wants to get up, she pauses her actions
suddenly .
Should she get up, or continue to……sleep this way?
She starts feeling sleepy again during this short period of hesitation . She
can’t open her eyes anymore . Just before she falls back to sleep, she senses
Han Chen, who’s in front of her, moving suddenly .
She is fully awake now, but her eyes are still closed .
After a while, she feels him lowering his head; his breathing blows onto her
cheeks and he seems to be looking at her . And due to him lowering his head,
his lips unavoidably brush her face lightly .
Jin Xi’s neck stiffens and her palms slowly become sweaty .
She can feel his breathing moving away and hear the sound of him getting up
. Just like every time they come close to each other unexpectedly, he always
moves away quietly, as if he never skips a heartbeat and be mesmerized by
her .
Jin Xi waits until he walks out of the house before opening her eyes . She sits
up after continuing lying down for a while .
She believes that after they solve this case, the first thing she has to do is to
wipe away her feelings for Han Chen; it would be best if she can get rid of it
all .
_____
After a while, their other teammates start waking up . Jin Xi also gets up and
tidies up their backpacks .
Once she walks outside of the house, she sees Han Chen leaning on a tree
holding a pack of biscuit and eating it slowly . She goes over, and Han Chen
fetches a pack from his bag and tosses it to her .
She catches it, rips open the package and says while eating, “You’re even
willing to eat this? Looks like you’re quite capable of adapting to new
environments . ”
Han Chen glances at her and doesn’t say anything .
A few teammates are washing their faces by the riverside . The mountain is
permeated with the fresh scent of the forest in the morning, and it is covered
with light fog . The sunlight penetrates through the leaves, shining onto the
river surface .
Jin Xi sighs lightly staring at the scenery .
“Yan Er, why haven’t you gotten out of bed yet? Yan Er? Yan Er?” They
hear Li Ming Yue’s voice coming from inside the house . Jin Xi and Han
Chen lift their heads and look over .
“Yan Er?! What happened?” Li Ming Yue’s pitch suddenly becomes sharp .
The members by the river all stand up straight . Han Chen and Jin Xi are
already rushing back into the house .
Inside the house .
Yan Er was sleeping beside the staircase last night; he’s still lying down in the
same spot . Li Ming Yue is squatting beside him looking anxious . Ke Fan,
Xiao You, and Zhang Mu Han have all come due to the noise .
Han Chen pushes them aside . Jin Xi follows him and dashes inside . Yan
Er’s eyes are closed, his fingers are bent into a clawing position, and there are
no movements from his chest . No matter how many times Li Ming Yue calls
him, he doesn’t respond .
Han Chen is a bit shocked . Zhang Mu Han says suddenly, “He isn’t dead, is
he?”
Just when Jin Xi is about to squat down to check, they hear a sound of “yo!”
and watch Yan Er flip onto one side and hop up from the floor like a tiger full
of energy .
Everyone is dumbstruck . Yan Er carries his gun onto his back, turns around,
and walks out of the house, “Yo, did I scare you all? I was just playing with
ya . ”
“You bastard!” Li Ming Yue kicks him in the butt .
_____
8am on the dot .
Both the red and blue teams are standing on a flat grass area . The sun is fully
up, and the summit of Mountain Wulin is ahead of them .
According to the rules, the two teams will each begin at either the North or
South end of the mountain and make their way up . Once they are at the
halfway point, they can start to combat; ambushes, group attacks, and trap set
up will all depend on their skills .
The two teams sync their watches and split up . It’s no surprise that Ke Fan is
the blue team’s captain . As for the red team, they selected their captain last
night . Han Chen was not interested, so Zhang Mu Han became the captain;
the couple was quite happy about it .
At this moment, Zhang Mu Han waves his hand, “Red Team, follow me . ”
Xia Zi follows right behind him, and then it’s Han Chen and Jin Xi; Professor
Sun walks behind all of them in silence .
After taking a few steps into the forest, Jin Xi turns around and looks at the
other team behind them . Captain Ke Fan also turns around as if he sensed
someone watching him . Their eyes meet; Ke Fan smiles, makes a finger gun
gesture at her and pretending to shoot . He then turns around and leads his
team into the forest .


Chapter 34
Chapter 34
Chapter 34: Praying Mantis Preying on Cicada
The foggy forest .
The Red Team continues walking through the grass and weeds that are up to
their knees .
Zhang Mu Han is walking in the very front . Although his girlfriend Xia Zi
was lovey-dovey with him yesterday, she looks like an experienced player
today; she’s carrying a gun, and observing the surroundings as the sentinel of
the group .
Han Chen and Jin Xi follow behind them, and Sun Dian continues to be at the
end of the pack .
They’ve been walking for an hour now . The inclination is getting higher and
it’s also getting quieter; they haven’t spotted anyone from the Blue Team yet .
After walking for another while, Zhang Mu Han suggests everyone to take a
break behind a large rock . Jin Xi sits down beside Han Chen . She holds up
her water canteen and takes a drink . She looks towards Sun Dian across
from her, “Professor Sun, which school do you teach at?”
Sun Dian is tying his shoelaces . He lifts his head to glance at her and then
lowers it back down again .
“My real life has nothing to do with the game . ”
Jin Xi takes another sip from the canteen before handing it to Han Chen . She
doesn’t say anything . Han Chen takes the canteen and takes a gulp of water .
He’s also staring at Sun Dian with his calm eyes .
Zhang Mu Han laughs, “Professor Sun has always been like this . He likes to
do things alone and is always mysterious . Beauty, why bother about him?
Why don’t you ask about me?” Before he finishes his sentence, Xia Zi,
who’s leaning on his chest, pokes him, “I’m still here! You want to die?!”
Zhang Mu Han raises his arms like he’s surrendering, “My princess! I was
only joking!”
Xia Zi is a bit upset nonetheless . She glances at Han Chen, “Her boyfriend is
much more handsome than you . Don’t bother comparing yourself to him . ”
Zhang Mu Han wraps his arms around her waist, “Don’t be mad……” They
rub their faces against each other and whispers in each other ears, ignoring
everyone else around them .
Sun Dian hasn’t laid his eyes on them once to begin with . Han Chen and Jin
Xi both shift their gaze away; their eyes meet, and Han Chen signals at her
with his eyes before standing up, “Jin Xi, come with me to take a smoke over
there . ”
“Mm,” Bai Jin Xi gets up and follows him .
Zhang Mu Han watches them, “Don’t go too far . ” Xia Zi hits his chest with
her fist, “Do you not have eyes? They also want to have some time together .
You two sure are romantic . Don’t waste any time . ” The two of them
chuckle together .
Han Chen and Jin Xi don’t respond . They walk for about ten meters to
another big rock . Han Chen takes a look around to make sure it’s safe and
then gestures for her to stop .
Jin Xi leans against the rock, and he does indeed lights up a cigarette, holds it
between his fingers and presses his other hand against the rock . He says in a
low voice, “When the battle starts in a bit, I’ll take care of shooting down the
others . You have to follow me and be on an alert of the surroundings . ”
Jin Xi nods, “Be careful of your safety . ”
Who knows if T would hide a real gun in the forest? Bullets have no eyes .
They can take a life in a minute .
“Mm,” Han Chen inhales from the cigarette . He’s wearing camouflage
clothes and a camouflage helmet on his head . With him looking downwards
at her, it makes him seem even taller and his facial features are even more
prominent .
Jin Xi turns to look ahead, “How did you figure out that Zhang Mu Han was
not a suspect yesterday?”
He also turns around and leans against the rock just like her with one of his
feet against the rock’s surface . He answers while smoking, “He was the last
to draw . ”
Jin Xi shifts her eyes sideways to look at him . She can’t believe that his
observation is completely different from hers .
Now that her thought process has been stimulated, she feels an urge to smoke
. She holds out her hand, “Give me one . ”
Han Chen puts the cigarette in his mouth, reaches into his pocket, feels
around and takes it back out empty handed .
“I only have three left,” he says, “there’s none for you . ” He glances at her,
“You can take a sniff instead . ”
Jin Xi: “……” This fella!
The cigarettes are in his left pocket and she’s standing on his right side, so she
can’t reach them and can only give up . He exhales light smoke as he
breathes . His suggestion to her from just now seems to have made a
psychological effect on her; she feels as if the smoke is entering her nostrils
and she can smell its scent .
Han Chen watches her subtle movements; the tip of her nose wrinkles slightly
and a hint of smile flashes across her rich dark brown eyes . Just like her, he
also suddenly feels the smoke hovering inside his nose and mouth
crisscrossing and entering down into his lungs .
He inhales the cigarette deeply, tosses the remaining half of it onto the ground
and steps on it . Jin Xi is a bit surprised to see him “waste” it, but he’s
expressionless, not revealing any of his feelings .
Han Chen lifts his head and looks ahead while continuing with his reasoning,
“In T’s last sniping incident, he showed his strong planning and control skills
. This time, he planned this competition in advance, picking the location, the
members and even the starting point of where the two teams will combat each
other as part of his criteria——he must have a very intricate plan . If this is
the case, if he is among us, he could not have possibly been the last to draw,
letting others decide which team he should be on and with whom . ”
“What you’re saying is, he also rigged the draw?”
“The time it took was too short and the wooden sticks were provided by T, so
we couldn’t notice anything suspicious,” he answers, “However, T must have
known which ones were red and which ones were blue . ”
Jin Xi thinks for a second and nods .
“How did you find out?” Han Chen turns his head to the side and looks at her
.
Jin Xi smiles and answers, “T might disguise himself as somebody else with a
different personality today . As a professional killer, he might have received
such training and possess this ability . However, it’s impossible to fool others
when it comes to being boy and girl friends with somebody . They’ve been
interacting with each other very naturally since yesterday and today: making
body contacts here and there, some subtle interactions, the way they look at
each other, giving you or me a pinch and leaning against one another……
Therefore, they must be a pair of boy and girl friends who are passionately in
love . This doesn’t suit the criminal profile of T——he’s emotionally
distressed, has let go of everything in life, free of all ties and worries and is
determined to turn himself in on the day after tomorrow . ”
_____
They rejoin the team soon after . Zhang Mu Han stands up and says, “It’s
possible that we’ll bump into them ahead . Let me arrange our team a bit:
Han Chen and Jin Xi, you two will be responsible for the left wing; Xia Zi
and I will take care of the right wing . Professor Sun, your shooting skills are
excellent and you move fast, so you’ll be in the center . Let’s not disperse
ourselves too far out . Watch my hand signals to move ahead . ”
No one has any objections .

The five members of the Red Team form themselves into a triangle and
continue climbing up the mountain quietly .
It’s almost 10am and the fog has dissipated . The sun shines through the
canopy and onto the ground, lighting up an area of the forest . All five of
them walk around the sunlit areas, dodging in the shadows and in between
trees as they continue to move forward slowly .
Jin Xi’s back is slightly bent as she follows behind Han Chen . He takes one
step; she takes one step after him . He stops; she stops immediately . They
bump into each other lightly every now and then . Their faces touch against
each other and their bodies come into close contact, but they don’t make a
sound .
When they come to a steep rising edge covered with tall ferns, Jin Xi raises
her head and suddenly sees a flash of sunlight penetrating through the leaves
ahead . Her heart skips a beat . Han Chen pulls her quickly . She falls into
his embrace and the two of them ducks behind the bushes .
The sound of gunfire comes on at the same time, filling the atmosphere .
The battle begins .
_____
Twenty minutes later .
About a hundred meters away on the other side of the forest .
It’s where the five members of the Blue Team are stationed . Li Ming Yue is
lying down behind a low sloping area, taking a peek outside every now and
then and making fast attacks towards her opponents . You Chuan is on her
right . He has even better reflexes than her . He makes his shots and hides
back in a flash . The two of them make up the first line of offense, combating
strongly against the Red Team .
Ke Fan and Yan Er have gone to each side of them, completing a fan shape
team formation . They’re raiding their opponents with gunfire and expanding
their area of attack . Fang Xu is the farthest away . He’s hiding behind two
rocks in the highest elevated section, taking aimed shots between the crack .
After attacking for a while, Yan Er retreats carrying his gun . He runs over to
Ke Fan and says in a low voice, “Big Ke, this won’t do . I thought we would
be able to finish them quickly, who knew that Han Chen would be so skilled
and be able to suppress Ming Yue and Xiao You by himself . ”
Li Ming Yue darts her eyes at him and says calmly, “I wasn’t suppressed .
Look who’s talking? Your shoulder was hit by Han Chen’s girlfriend’s
sniper, wasn’t it?
“Alright, quit bickering,” Ke Fan halts them softly . He thinks for a bit before
putting his finger into his mouth and blowing a whistle .
Xiao You from afar retrieves his gun, runs over bending down and gives Ke
Fan cover .
Ke Fan pulls out the map from his backpack and lays it on the ground .
At this point, Fang Xu also notices them gathering together, so he secretly

makes his way over and says, “That Han Chen pair is too strong, let’s avoid
them . Xia Zi is the weakest of the five . We should concentrate our attacks
and finish her first . And then Zhang Mu Han will definitely get all worked
up . ”
No one disagrees .
You Chuan, who has been quiet all this time, says, “Set up an ambush and
lure them over . ”
Ke Fan’s eyes glisten as he nods . He takes a look at the map and decides,
“The sun is in the East right now . After finishing off Xia Zi, let’s lure them
to the West . Find a spot to set up an ambush attack . Yan Er, you take the
lead in a bit . You Chuan and I will give you cover . ”
But Yan Er glances at them and points at his shoulder, “I’ve already been shot
here, so I may die easily . Let’s switch to someone else . ”
Li Ming Yue and Fang Xu who are standing on the side both chuckle .
Ke Fan also takes a look at Yan Er, and then turns his head to You Chuan,
“Xiao You, you go . Watch for your own safety . ”
Xiao You nods .

_____
Han Chen and Jin Xi sense that the number of gunshots has decreased from
the other side after a while .
Jin Xi asks softly, “What should we do?”
“Let’s wait and see,” Han Chen looks down at his watch .
It’s 10:30am .
It’s been a little more than two hours, but T hasn’t made a move .
All of a sudden, they hear gunshots raining on one side . They look at each
other and then rush over carrying their guns . About ten meters away in the
forest, Xia Zi is sitting against a big rock . She throws her gun to the ground
and looks extremely unhappy . Zhang Mu Han and Professor Sun are on each
of her sides, returning attacks to their opponents . Xia Zi rips away the square
sensor device from her chest and throws it onto the ground——this means
that she has already been “shot dead” by the opponents . Her life gauge is
zero and she has been eliminated from the competition . Therefore, the sensor
device is no longer of any use .
Han Chen and Jin Xi hold up their guns immediately and join the battle .
Zhang Mu Han takes a few steps back to where Xia Zi is and says smiling,
“It’s okay . There’s still me . I’ll take revenge for you . ” But Xia Zi pushes
his shoulder away, almost causing him fall on his back .
“If it weren’t for you pushing me out to the open, how would I have died so
fast?! Are you even a man?!” She’s clearly furious . Her voice is so loud
that both Han Chen and Jin Xi could hear .
Zhang Mu Han is a little embarrassed . He smiles trying to hide it, “I didn’t

have any choice . I’m the commander, so what would the team do if I die?”
Xia Zi stands up angrily, “I don’t care! It was Xiao You who shot me . I saw
it just now . You have to take revenge for me!”
“Okay!” Zhang Mu Han agrees energetically . He pulls her behind him, holds
up his gun and starts to fire shots at the opponents .
In the next while, it’s a complete brawl .
In the forest area ahead, they can see their opponents peeking out of their
hidings constantly . Zhang Mu Han is determined to take revenge, so he
closes the distance carrying his gun . He doesn’t forget to command his
teammates, “Let’s go after them! Don’t forget to maintain our formation!”
Sun Dian and Xia Zi follow him immediately . Han Chen and Jin Xi also
chase after them .
Over on the Blue Team side, their team formation changes continuously . The
five of them take turns in attacking and covering each other as they retreat to
the West . It’s not until now that they notice the landscape is rather flat and
not suitable for setting up an ambush . And Zhang Mu Han and the others are
chasing closely behind them . Therefore, Ke Fan decides to continue moving
ahead . There’s a hidden path on the side of the forest and a broken bridge
beside the river . Obviously, they follow the path continuing to the West,
moving farther and farther away from the original battle location .
Very soon, they reach a dead end; the edge of a cliff . The sky is already
getting dark and it’s starting to drizzle . Below the cliff is a hundred-meter-
wide river, making big noises from the rushing waves of water . A sturdy
looking and swaying suspension bridge connects this side to the other side of
the mountain . And on the opposite side of the mountain, the sky is covered
with dark clouds, looking like it’s about to rain .
The landscape on the other side looks more convoluted . It’s clearly a great
place for ambushing . Without a word, they rush across the bridge .
_____
When Han Chen and Jin Xi make it to the bridge, they see Zhang Mu Han and
the other two are already on the other side, rushing into the forest ahead of
them .
They’re both stunned . They look at each other and see vigilance and
seriousness in each other’s eyes .
Isolated mountain, suspension bridge, a completely unknown and enclosed

environment .
Even though the landscape is complicated on Mountain Wulin and they have
not been given any communication devices, at least there is a path that leads
them back to the outside world . And at the end of it, numerous police
officers are on guard . The moment that they sense something is wrong, they
can seek support immediately .
If this bridge in front of them is broken off by someone after they cross it,
there will not be a path to return . It will be difficult for the police to find
them .
Therefore, is T waiting for them on the other side?
And clearly, the other eight members have crossed the bridge already!
Han Chen grabs onto the rope on the side of the suspension bridge and shouts,
“Come back! You must not cross the bridge!” But just as he finishes, a
“bang” sound rips across the sky . Han Chen almost instantly pulls Jin Xi
into his embrace and falls down to the ground .
Zhang Mu Han and the others turn around and look at them, but they turn
back and continue into the forest .
Jin Xi is pressed against the ground by Han Chen . She lifts her head and
looks at the side of his face . There’s actually blood running all the way to the
back of his ear .
Jin Xi feels her heart being squeezed . She holds his face with her palms,
“Han Chen! Are you alright? Are you okay?!”
Han Chen’s left ear is still ringing . The moment he looks down, he sees her
eyes . He tightens his fingers around her waist as he lifts his other hand to
smear away the blood, “I’m fine . I just got scraped . ”
Jin Xi’s heart feels relieved right away, but it’s still beating very fast . They
both look up at the wall of rocks behind them .
At the spot where she and Han Chen were standing just now, a clear bullet
hole that only a real sniper could leave behind is engraved deeply into it .
It’s as if it’s a silent warning to them——
Cross the bridge . Immediately .


Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Chapter 35: The Beginning of Death
It’s beginning to shower .
Mist is hovering above the surface of the river, and the bridge above it seems
to be swaying even more in the rain .
Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi cross it .
A dense forest is up ahead . The sound of rain drowns out all other noises .
Not a single person can be seen in their view .
Jin Xi can feel the forest’s dampness through her clothes . The mud beneath
her feet is also moist, making it hard to walk on .
Han Chen is walking beside her . The blood stains have been wiped away
from his face, but a long and thin cut can be seen . It’s as if it’s a declaration
to them: they have been under T’s control all along . They must continue
playing the game according to his rules, or else he can kill a person at any
time .
And if they want to stop him, there are only two ways——
They either have to find him;
Or end this competition as soon as possible and gather everyone together so

that he can’t do anything .
It’s just that this landscape is too complicated and the rain is pouring too hard,
washing away all the footprints . It’s too difficult to round up everyone at this
point . They run for about half an hour before hearing faint sounds of
gunshots amid the pouring rain .
Han Chen gestures with his hands for Jin Xi to follow him and walk around
the back of the slope . But within a few steps, they suddenly hear the sound
of someone pulling the gun bolt above their heads . They both look up
immediately . In perfect timing, Han Chen holds up his gun, pulls the bolt,
and fires a series of shots before the other person, “Bang, bang, bang . ”
The other person is struck dumb as he lowers his gun . In the rain, Jin Xi can
still make out his face clearly . It’s the sunshine boy of the Blue Team, Yan
Er .
He clicks his tongue and throws his gun to the ground, as well as removing
the sensor device from his body . Han Chen and Jin Xi climb up the slope .
“You’re too quick, aren’t you?” Yan Er says . Probably because he’s feeling
extremely tired, he sits himself down in a muddy puddle and wipes away the
rain on his face, “I should’ve fired at you secretly from behind!”
Han Chen doesn’t comment on his complaints . He looks around at the top of
the slope and asks him, “Where are the others?”
Yan Er looks up at him and responds lazily, “I don’t know . It’s raining too
hard, so it became chaotic . I waited for a long while before spotting you
guys . ”
Han Chen and Jin Xi look at each other .
Yan Er is the first person that they’ve bumped into after crossing the bridge .
And T’s gunshot was fired from this direction .
Jin Xi squats in front of him and says grinning, “Yan Er, since you’re done
already, it doesn’t matter to you on which side wins . Why don’t you tell us
where they’ve headed to . ”
Yan Er glances at her, “If I tell you guys, what’s in it for me?”
Jin Xi thinks for a second and answers, “If we win the prize money, we’ll give
you a portion of it?”
He sits up straight right away and looks at her with a faint smile on his face,
“How much do I get? You have to keep your words . ”
His serious tone makes him seem like a greedy person . Jin Xi responds
smiling, “10 thousand RMB . ” He probably won’t believe her if she gives
him more than that .
Just as she expected, he looks at her and then looks up at Han Chen, “Can I
trust her words?”
Han Chen answers, “Yes . ”
Yan Er smiles, “I knew you would listen to your girlfriend . ” He looks

towards Jin Xi, “Deal . ” He points over to the right side of the forest, “I got
lost and separated from the Blue Team, but the Red Team was heading in that
direction . ”
Jin Xi gets up and looks at Han Chen . Han Chen says, “You come with us . ”
But Yan Er doesn’t move . He picks a leaf from the side, uses it to cover his
face, lies down and says, “I’m exhausted . Since I’ve lost already, I’m not
going . ”
Jin Xi tries to persuade him but he refuses . He takes out his headphones,
puts them on and blocks out their words . There are still seven people . They
cannot stop here . Therefore, Han Chen says, “Go over to the bridge or stay
here and don’t move . Watch for your own safety . ”
Yan Er waves his hand, “Don’t worry . Although your shooting skills are
better than mine, you definitely can’t compare to my outdoor survival skills .
”
_____
They walk for another ten minutes or so, and they do indeed spot a few
people . Han Chen blows a few whistles as instructed by Zhang Mu Han .
He gets a response back right away .
The five of them gather around .

Han Chen goes over to Zhang Mu Han .
“What’s the situation?” he asks .
Zhang Mu Han answers, “We haven’t caught Fang Xu . We followed him

here, but after he ran behind the slope, he hasn’t come out yet . Once he does,
we’ll finish him . ” He turns and looks at Han Chen, “What about you two?”
Han Chen also takes a look at the slope ahead and then says softly, “I finished
Yan Er . ”
Xia Zi exclaims a soft “yeah” and nudges Zhang Mu Han, “You see? He’s so
awesome!”
Zhang Mu Han is a little upset from her comment and says coldly, “There’s
no need to exclaim about it . ”
Jin Xi glances at everyone else and says by his ear, “What should we do
now?”
Han Chen puts his hand softly on her shoulder and whispers, “Let’s find Fang
Xu and then think of a way to lead them back to the bridge . ”
Jin Xi nods .
They wait for a while, but there’s still no one coming out .
Han Chen holds up his gun, “I’ll go take a look . ”
Jin Xi: “I’m coming too . ”
Since they’re willing to take a chance, Zhang Mu Han doesn’t object to it .
They make their way to the slope slowly and discover that there is no one
behind it . Fang Xu is long gone .
Han Chen straightens his back . Just when he is about to signal to Zhang Mu
Han, he hears a faint and mournful scream from a woman’s voice, “Ah!——”
penetrating through the forest and into his ears .
Han Chen and Jin Xi raise their heads and see the shock in each other’s eyes .
Zhang Mu Han and the other two also turn their heads .
In the next second, Han Chen and Jin Xi are already sprinting to where the
sound originated .
_____
Blood .
Blood everywhere on the ground .
Meandering streams of blood are mixed in with the muddy ground and are
spread across by the falling rain, leaving big patches of red . And the source
of the blood is from the young man lying on the ground .
Yan Er .
His eyes are wide open . He’s lying on the ground without any movement .
His camouflage clothes are stained with blood at his chest, as well as his face
. A deep and long knife cut has been left on his neck, exposing the bone
inside .
Blood is still rushing out from it .
Ke Fan, Xiao You, and Fang Xu are standing a few meters away . They seem
completely dumbstruck . The one who let out a horrified scream just now
was Li Ming Yue . She’s almost collapsed at the side of a tree trembling as
she stares at Yan Er on the ground .
Han Chen and Jin Xi are shocked by the scene . Han Chen dashes to Yan Er,
wanting to press onto his neck . But the moment he touches him, he realizes
that he is no longer breathing . It’s just that his blood has not been completely
drained yet .
It hasn’t been half an hour since they left the area!
Zhang Mu Han and the others have arrived . Xia Zi immediately lets out an
even more terrified scream than Li Ming Yue’s after seeing the body on the
ground .
“What happened? Is he dead? Who killed him?” Zhang Mu Han asks in a

shaky voice as he looks at everyone at the scene .
“There’s something written!” Ke Fan says suddenly, pointing at a tree beside
the body . Everyone turns to look . Han Chen and Jin Xi are the closest .
They can see clearly that someone has used a knife stained with blood to
engrave the characters on the tree trunk——
First one .
“First one……”
“What does it mean? What does first one mean?” Xia Zi asks in a teary voice
and buries herself into Zhang Mu Han’s embrace .
At the same time, Li Ming Yue, who’s leaning on a tree, turns around
suddenly and looks at them with an unreadable expression . She gets up in a
split second, pulls a knife out of her boot, turns around and runs towards the
direction of the bridge .
Everyone reacts right away and also runs towards the bridge, wanting to leave
the place immediately .
Han Chen and Jin Xi take a look at the body on the ground and follow
everyone else, watching each of their movements to prevent T from taking
action again .
Half an hour later .
When they get to the cliff facing the other side of the mountain, they’re all in
shock .
The suspension bridge that was standing before has been disconnected by
somebody . The area above the river is completely empty; only a broken
bridge is dangling on the side of the other cliff, swaying in the rain and wind .
“Ah——” it’s Xia Zi screaming .
The rain is pouring down harder .
Everyone is standing like frozen statues . Xia Zi is shaking in her boyfriend’s

embrace . Li Ming Yue is quiet with a grave expression on her face .
Jin Xi is staring at the rushing river when she suddenly feels warmth in her
hand . It’s Han Chen holding her hand .
She twists her hand and grabs him back .
Ke Fan, who’s standing in front of everybody, turns around suddenly and

looks at the two of them .
He pulls out a knife from his boot and points it at them . You Chuan, Fang
Xu, and Li Ming Yue watches him . After feeling stunned for a moment, they
all pull out their knives and point it at them . Zhang Mu Han and Xia Zi are
staring at them from behind as they step backward . Zhang Mu Han makes
eye contact with his girlfriend and they also pull out their knives . Professor
Sun hasn’t taken any action but has also taken a few steps back .
“Only you two are newcomers,” Ke Fan says in a raspy and shaky voice,
“Was it done by you guys!? Why!?”


Chapter 36
Chapter 36
Chapter 36: Possible Light
5 in the afternoon, Black Shield Team’s office .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is sitting in front of a computer, immersed in searching for

all information related to the case . Cold Face has gone to the Branch Bureau
Chief’s office for a meeting, representing the Black Shield Team .
Apparently, the Chief is having a fierce discussion on whether or not to
continue waiting or to take action immediately .
Chatterbox is sitting across from Xiao Zhuan and is also working anxiously .
All of a sudden, Chatterbox slaps the table and stands up, “All 8 profiles are
complete!” he retrieves a stack of paper from the printer . Xiao Zhuan rushes
over to take them and starts reading them in detail .
T organized this competition anonymously, but he did not reveal the list of
participants on the forum . Therefore, they’ve spent a lot of effort in
confirming the participants’ names and identities: tracking their IP addresses,
decoding mailbox passwords, and probing other netizens and insiders……
Ke Fan, male, 27 years old, a network engineer . He’s single and has
participated and won prizes in numerous real life CS competitions .
You Chuan, male, 25 years old, also an IT engineer who is Ke Fan’s colleague
. He’s single as well .
Li Ming Yue, female, 26 years old, works at a financial company . She’s a

long-time CS fan .
Fang Xu, male, 28 years old, an interior designer (part-time) . He’s single and
lives in the same neighborhood as Ke Fan .
Yan Er, male, 27 years old, works as a freelance and is single . He also lives
in the same neighborhood as Ke Fan and You Chuan .
Sun Dian, male, 34 years old, a contracted librarian at the provincial tourism
college (temporary job) . He’s single after divorce and has no children .
Zhang Mu Han, male, 26 years old, jobless, an avid CS fan .
Le Luo Xia, female, 26 years old and has been dating Zhang Mu Han for two
years .
……
It’s hard to tell who’s suspicious based on this information .
Chatterbox picks up a copy, “I’ll take it to the Chief . ”
“Okay,” Xiao Zhuan carries his copy back to his computer . After he thinks
for a moment, he puts his hands together suddenly and prays to the empty
space in front of him, “Buddha, please give us your blessings! Please
preserve us! Please bless and protect Leader and Xiao Bai to be safe and
sound . ”
He feels more at ease after saying his prayers . He takes a look at the list of
names and then flips open another stack of paper on the desk .
Before Han Chen and Jin Xi left, he was asked to look up on all CS
competition death related cases . He has three case files in his hand right
now; they all happened in the past five years .
In the first case, just prior to the day of the CS competition three years ago, a
staff member suddenly fell from high grounds due to equipment
malfunctioning . He has already contacted the competition’s organizer and
the supervisor of the criminal investigation team who were involved at the
time . They’ve confirmed that the person was the only staff member at the
scene at the time of the accident . Therefore, he can rule out the possibility of
it being a murder case .
In the second case, some company had organized a CS event for their
employees a year ago . A 50 or so year-old employee died from a sudden
heart attack . Xiao Zhuan has read the autopsy report conducted at the time
and has not found anything out of the ordinary . He has also taken a look at
the company’s list of employees, and it does not contain any of the 8
participants from this time . Therefore, he can also rule this one out .
Only the third case is left .
He flips open the folder in front of him . The first thing he sees is a photo of a
young woman .
Even though it’s a photo of the deceased, he can tell that she was a pretty girl
with fair white skin, rich black hair, an oval face, and big eyes . Despite that
she’s wearing camouflage clothes, she still looks graceful .
The girl’s name is Gu Ran, 25 years old and used to work at a privately-
owned company . She was also a fan of real life CS and loved outdoor sports
. Last year October, she signed up to participate in the largest and most
difficult outdoor CS competition held at the provincial level . The event
attracted over 100 players to participate . Many of the mountainous areas
surrounding City Lan were also used as temporary combat locations .
It was in this competition that Gu Ran got separated from her team, lost her
footing and fell into a rushing stream of river . Two days later, a citizen
spotted her body at a muddy area downstream of the river .
The mountain areas have large rainfalls during summer and fall, bringing
many mudslides . There have been a few cases of these accidents at this area,
so nothing seems to be strange about Gu Ran’s death at the surface level .
Xiao Zhuan thinks deeply for a while . He fetches the autopsy report from the
file first, then dials Xu Si Bai’s number on the cell phone .
“Hi, Forensic Investigator Xu . It’s Xiao Zhuan,” Xiao Zhuan says in an

especially friendly tone, “I want to trouble you about something . I have a
case file with an autopsy report concluding that the deceased died of an
accident . Although the body has been cremated, I still want to have you take
a look to see if there was a possibility of it being a homicide case . ”
Forensic Investigator Xu responds in his usual crisp and gentle voice, “Okay,
Xiao Zhuan . Send it to me . I’ll reply back to you once I’m done . ”
Xiao Zhuan thanks him repeatedly .

After hanging up, he contacts the competition organizer’s number listed in the
file, “Hello, I am from the public security bureau . We are currently
investigating a case and will need the list of participants as well as the staff
members from last year October 9th competition…”
_____
At the broken suspension bridge on the mountain .
The sky is darker here than in the city . The dark clouds look as if they are
just above their heads . The rain hasn’t stopped .
Jin Xi’s left hand is being held tightly by Han Chen . Rain and mud are
mixed together in between their fingers; it’s cold and rough . But warmth and
strength can be felt through his palm .
As she raises her head, she sees many faces of fright and hostility questioning
them .
“It’s them! It has to be them!” it’s Zhang Mu Han this time . He and Xia Zi
is standing farthest away; at least 3 to 4 meters away from them . But he’s the
most nervous and worked up out of them all, “Han Chen told me himself . He
finished Yan Er!”
Everyone’s gaze changes .
Jin Xi’s heart already feels heavy after seeing Yan Er’s body and the broken
bridge . Hearing his accusations makes her furious immediately . She turns
and glares at him and lets out a sarcastic laugh, “Zhang Mu Han! Do you
have no f–king brain……”
Before she finishes, she feels her hand being squeezed; Han Chen has pulled
her back to stand behind him . Jin Xi catches a glimpse of his stern-looking
side profile and dark eyes . She restrains herself and tightens her hold on his
hand .
Everyone is staring cautiously at Han Chen .
He takes a look around and his gaze lands on Zhang Mu Han .

“Zhang Mu Han, are you f–king stupid? If I killed someone, would I even
report it to you?” His usual deep and slow tempo voice gives the same set of
words a sense of dominance .
Zhang Mu Han freezes for a second . He doesn’t dare to talk back . The
others also don’t say anything .
Jin Xi was feeling angry, but hearing him scorn Zhang Mu Han makes her
want to laugh suddenly . She doesn’t feel as gloomy now . She looks at
everybody around them indifferently .
“Yan Er wasn’t killed by us,” Han Chen looks towards Ke Fan, “When we got
here, his neck was still bleeding non-stop, which meant that it had been no
more than half an hour since his death . When Jin Xi and I split up with Yan
Er, we walked to the Red Team, where we stayed for a while . It was not until
we heard Li Ming Yue’s scream that we rushed back here . That was almost
an hour later . ”
Jin Xi glances at Zhang Mu Han, “Yeah . Speaking of which, you guys are
our witnesses proving that we weren’t at the scene . ”
Zhang Mu Han and Xia Zi are both stunned . Ke Fan reveals a doubtful look .
You Chuan and Fang Xu still haven’t spoken a word . Li Ming Yue
continues staring at Han Chen’s and Jin Xi’s faces as if she’s scanning them
with her eyes to catch any lies .
“He’s right . They couldn’t possibly kill Yan Er,” a raspy and dull voice says
. It’s actually Professor Sun .
Everyone turns to look at him .
Professor Sun’s expression remains gloomy yet calm, “In the last half an hour,
they’ve been with us all along . ”
Fang Xu says suddenly, “He says it’s half an hour and you believe him?”
Professor Sun shakes his head, “I’m a professor . At least I understand this
bit of common sense . ”
Everyone seems to be leaning towards believing them now that Professor Sun
has spoken . They look at each other and start to put down their knives .
“Who killed Yan Er then?” Xia Zi asks in a trembling voice .
They all look at each other .
Bai Jin Xi interrupts, “That’s simple . Yan Er was killed, the bridge has been
cut off so that we can’t leave and can’t contact the outside world . This
clearly is an act of revenge . Have you guys and Yan Er done anything
against your consciences?”
Everyone is stunned .
Han Chen looks at her with the corner of his eye; they’re dark and bottomless
. He turns and looks ahead again .
He pinches the back of her hand lightly .
Although he hasn’t said anything, Jin Xi understands him right away——
Nice and beautiful move .
The sky is getting darker and darker . Everyone’s expression is complicated

and unreadable, to begin with, and now that they’re all quiet, it’s hard to spot
anything suspicious .
Ke Fan is the first to speak, “How can there be such thing? We are all
ordinary people . Why would anyone hold a grudge on us?”
Fang Xu continues without much emotion in his voice, “Yeah . Bai Jin Xi,
are you trying to have us turn against each other? What’s your motive?”
Bai Jin Xi watches each of their facial expressions in detail .
“Could it be what happened last year?” a low female voice interrupts . It’s
actually Li Ming Yue, who’s been quiet this whole time .
Everyone turns to look at her .
Jin Xi feels her heart shake——here it comes!
But instead, they see Li Ming Yue leaning against a tree with a stark
expression and a knife in her hand resting at the side of her body . She looks
at the other guys with a complicated gaze .
“Shut up, Ming Yue!” Ke Fan shouts suddenly . His bright and handsome
face is now cold and grave, “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Ming Yue moves her lips, but no sound comes out .
But the other guys, You Chuan, Fang Xu, and Professor Sun are
expressionless . Zhang Mu Han and Xia Zi are also dumbstruck .
“It looks like something did really happen,” Han Chen looks around at
everyone slowly . His gaze stops at Li Ming Yue, “If you guys don’t say it
out, how will we be able to confirm who the killer is? How are we going to
prevent the killer from killing another person?”
Before Ming Yue can say anything, Ke Fan speaks again, “There is nothing at
all . Ming Yue, don’t make a big deal out of something so minuscule! Just
think about it, how could it be possible?” He looks at Han Chen, “Since
there’s proof that you two aren’t the killer and it’s not one of us either, there’s
only one possibility——” he pauses before continuing with a more serious
voice, “there’s a maniac killing people hiding on this mountain, and he has his
eyes on us!”
Zhang Mu Han and Xia Zi both gasp at the same time . The others also seem
to feel uneasy . Only Han Chen and Jin Xi haven’t shown any emotions . Jin
Xi turns and looks at Ming Yue with a scrutinizing gaze . Just before she
probes, Ming Yue’s expression changes, and her eyes look solemn, “Big Ke is
right . I was too scared and started thinking of nonsenses . ” She looks at Jin
Xi and Han Chen, “There’s nothing . It was a small matter only, which
shouldn’t result in killing others . Big Ke, what should we do now then?”
Jin Xi looks at her deeply, but her eyes are determined; she has made up her
mind not to tell them .
Jin Xi turns to Han Chen . His face is indifferent as if he knew that they
would have this laughable outcome .
Big Ke looks at the sky, “It’s almost completely dark . Let’s find a place to
rest first, and then find a way to contact the outside and call the police . ”
They’re all exhausted from running around all day, as well as being nervous,
so no one disagrees with the plan . They all turn and walk towards the forest .
Han Chen and Jin Xi are at the end of the group . Han Chen says suddenly,
“Starting now, don’t let anyone separate from the group . All 7 of us must
stay together until we reach the police . ”
He looks at the group in front of him and actually says with a bit of
wickedness, “As long as we stick together……the killer won’t be able to
make another move . ”
Jin Xi never thought that he would provoke T directly . Her heart pounds, but
she also feels a rush of adrenaline at the same time .
That’s right . Even though one person has died, as long as the rest of them
work together, T won’t be able to do anything with so many pairs of eyes
watching him . And once they reach 8am tomorrow, he will have to follow
through on his promise of turning himself in . The police will also take action
to arrest him and save them .
At that time, they will be the winners of this competition and the others will
be saved .
Everyone remains silent after hearing Han Chen’s words .
“Okay . ” “Okay . ” “I agree . ” Their voices say one after another .
Ke Fan turns around and glances at Han Chen and doesn’t comment . He
continues leading the pack .
_____
They walk for about half an hour and finally find a flat area in the forest .
The rain has also stopped . Ke Fan suggests, “Let’s rest and have a snack
first . ”
Everybody nods in agreement .
They spread themselves out . Han Chen and Jin Xi sit beside a big rock . She
feels light again after taking off the backpack . Han Chen reaches for a
cigarette but the matchbox is completely soaked . The remaining three
cigarettes are also wet and squishy . He leans against the rock and flicks
once, twice, and three times to get rid of them one by one .
Jin Xi takes a drink of water from her canteen and says, “See? I told you to
share some with me this morning and you refused . People who don’t share
can’t be happy for too long . ”
Han Chen puts one arm behind his head and stretches out his long body . He
glances at her, takes the canteen and gulps down some water .
“Women shouldn’t smoke,” he says casually .
Jin Xi is a bit surprised . She clicks her tongue and doesn’t bother talking
back at him .
“How come this backpack is not waterproof?” Xia Zi exclaims not far away .
“Yeah . My biscuits and sleeping bag are all wet . How come even the watch
isn’t waterproof?” Zhang Mu Han says angrily, “None of it can be used
anymore! How are we going to sleep at night!?”
Hearing their words, everybody also opens up their own backpacks and pours
everything out . Just as they thought, everything is soaked . Fang Xu takes
out his compass and it is drowned with water .
Usually, in these competitions, the equipment that they’re provided with are
waterproofed . The backpacks that they got also have waterproof labels on
them . Who knew that they would be fake?
Han Chen and Jin Xi make eye contact . He stands up straight immediately .
Jin Xi knows it’s bad news in her heart . She ruffles through the backpack
and finds the two signal guns .
They’re soaked and can no longer be used .
Jin Xi turns around with her back facing everyone . She shakes the signal
guns depressingly, attempting to get the water out . Han Chen watches her
frowning eyebrows and pouting lips and giggles suddenly . He takes the guns
from her hands and throws them behind where they land in the bushes .
Jin Xi stares at him in disagreement, “Why did you throw them away?”
He bends down close to her ear and says unconcernedly, “I’ll watch over You
Chuan, and you watch over Fang Xu . Whoever makes a suspicious move,
let’s team up and catch him . ”

Chapter 37
Chapter 37
Chapter 37: Admiring Heart + mini side story
Han Chen’s voice is very attractive .
Deep, mellow, and pure . But it’s not strong and rough at all . The end of his
sentences always carries a carefree tone, making you take in his words easily .
He lowers his head to Bai Jin Xi’s cheek level and says slowly, breathing into
her ear . Jin Xi can’t help but to feel her ears go numb and subconsciously
move sideways to avoid him as she nods, “Mm . ”
When she looks over, she sees that he has one of his hands on his knee and is
not looking at her, but is looking straight . His side profile is blurry under the
darkening sky .
No matter where or when, this man’s every move seems to captivate

everyone’s gaze .
Or more precisely, her gaze .
From the first time they met as foes to later when they became distant friends,
and now close comrades .
Jin Xi keeps quiet, raises her head and looks to where he’s looking off to .
Among the group, Xiao You is currently sitting beside Ke Fan . Ever since
the start of the competition, he has been like Ke Fan’s loyal companion and
subordinate . He doesn’t talk much, but he works well with Ke Fan . He
carries out all of his orders without any complaints . He’s just like Ke Fan’s
shadow .
Now that she examines him closely, Xiao You is not a bad looking guy . He’s
about 175cm tall, fair skin and has refined facial features . His refinedness
also carries the stubbornness and toughness of a young lad . Whenever he
looks at you, his eyes always look calm .
Not far away, Fang Xu is sitting by himself . His character is completely

different from Xiao You . He has average looks and seems like an ordinary
guy at first glance . Now that they’ve interacted for some time, there seems to
be a sense of gloominess around him and a bit mysterious .
As for why they’re suspects, it’s already very obvious .
Firstly, after ruling out Zhang Mu Han yesterday, they were left with five
suspects: You Chuan, Fang Xu, Ke Fan, Professor Sun, and Yan Er . After
ruling out Yan Er, they were left with four .
During today’s combat, she and Han Chen were with the red team, who were
led into this isolated mountain by the blue team . And then T cut off the
suspension bridge . Not only Professor Sun was with the Red Team, from
start to finish, he never influenced anyone to come to this isolated mountain .
Furthermore, when Yan Er was killed, he was with the Red Team all along .
Therefore, the possibility of Professor Sun being T was ruled out .
Therefore, they are left with You Chuan, Fang Xu, and Ke Fan .
Ke Fan has a strong sense of leadership and also a well-rounded personality .

Based on this, he doesn’t match T’s profile . More importantly, when Li
Ming Yue talked about “what happened last year,” it’s clear through their
conversation that Ke Fan and she were part of “what happened” at the time .
This means that he is a target of T’s punishment . On the other hand, You
Chuan and Fang Xu both remained silent the whole time .
Therefore, T is either You Chuan or Fang Xu .
……
“Clap! Clap!” Ke Fan stands up and claps his hands a few times . You Chuan
also stands after him .
He looks around and says in a serious manner, “We’re in a bit of a bad

situation right now . None of our backpacks are waterproof, everything is
wet, and we’re almost out of food . We must find a place to stay before it’s
completely dark . Even if it’s a cave . ”
“Yeah,” Zhang Mu Han and Xia Zi support while no one else says anything .
“Since there are no objections, let’s move . ”
Han Chen and Jin Xi is walking at the very end of the group as usual .
The guns are no longer of any use, and they’ve left their backpacks behind,
bringing only water, food, knives, and flashlights with them . Maybe because
they’re mentally and physically tired, so they’re not walking any faster than
before despite they’ve offloaded the extra weight .
The sky is almost completely dark when it decides to start raining again . It
soon starts pouring, pounding on their bodies, carrying the coldness of the
mountain . Somebody also starts sneezing .
Jin Xi has a healthy immune system, great reflexes, and with Han Chen
lending a hand here and there, it doesn’t take her much effort to traverse the
muddy and slippery ground . Professor Sun, on the other hand, is clearly
having trouble keeping up . Han Chen has to help him out every now and
then . Although Xia Zi doesn’t have a strong physique, she manages to keep
up with her boyfriend’s help . Li Ming Yue is in a much worse situation .
She’s not wearing many layers of clothes to begin with and has only a tank
top underneath the camouflage jacket, so she’s constantly sneezing and has
already finished her canteen of water . And probably because of what
happened just now, Ke Fan and the others don’t bother to turn around and
help her . Eventually, she falls to the end of the group, walking along with
Han Chen and Jin Xi . But she is clearly wary of them, so she starts to keep a
distant and doesn’t chat with them .
When they arrive at the edge of a sloping area, there’s no path for them to
take . The sky is already completely dark . The forest is like a blotch of
black paint, and they are engulfed in it . Everyone turns on their flashlights,
making it seem as if they are the only source of light in the whole world .
Jin Xi has been following behind Han Chen, while Li Ming Yue has been
walking a little bit in front of him on the right . Jin Xi feels her hand being
grasped by his palm again .
There’s no need for words . She twitches her hand and he notices; he releases
his hold a little and interlocks his fingers with hers .
Jin Xi feels a bit depressed suddenly .
It’s such a friendly hand holding position as comrades!
“Ah——” Li Ming Yue screams suddenly as she slides down on the slope .
Han Chen is the closest to her, so he reacts the quickest . He lets go of Jin
Xi’s hand and grabs onto Li Ming Yue’s arm . But the moment Han Chen
rushes over, the ground collapses . The two of them slide down together with
the sound of a crash .
“Han Chen!”
Bai Jin Xi stands on the edge with her eyes wide open . She turns her
flashlight to the brightest level and holds it up as she searches for them below
. The others have also come after hearing the noise, “What happened? Who
fell down?” Everyone holds up their flashlights and points downward .
Thankfully, with a number of flashlights present, they soon find them . The
slope isn’t very steep . They’ve slid to a grass area . Li Ming Yue is
struggling to get up as she pulls Han Chen with her .
Jin Xi asks anxiously, “What happened?”
They watch Han Chen support his left leg with his hands as he stands up
slowly and raises his head to look up at them . Li Ming Yue says quickly, “He
seems to have stepped onto an animal foot trap when he was trying to pull me
. His leg is bleeding a lot!”
“It’s okay . Let’s get back up,” they hear Han Chen say in a calm voice
through the sound of rain . He gestures for Li Ming Yue to let go and start to
climb up the slope . His fit and strong body doesn’t show any slowness as he
makes his way up .
Jin Xi stuffs the flashlight into her pocket and starts sliding down to him .
Zhang Mu Han exclaims suddenly, “Ah! Since there’s an animal foot trap,
that means there are people living here! We’re too lucky! We’ve sure looked
hard and yet it’s just right in front of our eyes!”
There are many bushes and tree branches along the way scraping against Jin
Xi’s arms and face and stinging her .
She reaches them very soon .
Han Chen glances at her, “Why did you come down?”
“Stand still,” Jin Xi squats beside him . Just when she’s about to roll up his
pants, he grabs her arm .
“It’s a small cut,” his says unconcernedly, “Let’s go back up . ”
Jin Xi smiles instead, “Oh? You’re quite a tough one, aren’t you?” Han Chen
probably didn’t think she would tease him like this, so he’s speechless . Jin
Xi shakes off his hand and rolls up his pants carefully . She can feel his eyes
fixed on her .
She takes out her flashlight and gasps . Li Ming Yue, who’s standing beside
them, also gasps .
Someone at the top of the hill shouts, “Are you guys alright? Hurry back up!”
Jin Xi shouts back, “Hold on!” She asks Li Ming Yue to hold the flashlight
for her while she fetches her canteen and uses the remaining bit of water to
wash his wound .
“You sure don’t mind wasting it,” Han Chen’s voice says above her head .
Jin Xi responds without looking up at him, “Of course . ”
Han Chen doesn’t comment .
They don’t have any medication with them and they don’t know how dirty the
foot trap is . The wound is deep and it’ll be a big problem if he gets an
inflammation or tetanus .
She cleans the wound a bit, but now the question is how is she going to help
him wrap it? Everybody’s clothes are wet with muddy water, so where is she
going to find some clean cloth?
Han Chen pulls her up from the ground, “It’s okay . We’ll worry about it after
we find a farmhouse . ”
“No!” Jin Xi and Li Ming Yue both say .
Li Ming Yue glances at Han Chen before pulling Jin Xi to the side, “Cover
me . I’ll take off my tank top and you can use it to wrap your boyfriend’s leg
. ” She takes her camouflage jacket off and hands it to Jin Xi .
Jin Xi says in surprise, “I should take mine off instead then!”
I should be the one contributing an underlying garment!
This thought springs into her mind, making her feel a bit embarrassed as she
takes a quick glance at Han Chen . In the night sky, his features are hard to
make out; only his pair of eyes seems dark and unreadable .
Jin Xi pretends that she didn’t look, turns around and takes off her
camouflage jacket . Li Min Yue takes her jacket and holds it out to cover her .
Jin Xi has been wearing a white t-shirt underneath the jacket, which hasn’t
gotten too wet . She takes it off promptly and puts the jacket back on .
She turns back around but sees Han Chen looking elsewhere, avoiding to look
where she is .
He’s usually such a cold and unruly person, yet he’s more conservative than
any normal man .
Li Ming Yue giggles suddenly . Jin Xi also wants to laugh seeing him like
this .
“Why does it seem like you guys have only just started dating? You guys are
so shy,” Li Ming Yue says holding her laughter .
Jin Xi is a bit stunned . She smiles and doesn’t answer . Han Chen also
doesn’t respond . She squats and helps him wrap his leg . At least it stops the
blood from rushing out .
She then hears him say calmly, “She has always been this shy . It’s got
nothing to do with whether or not we’re in a relationship . ”
Li Ming Yue chuckles . Jin Xi reaches up and punches him in the waist, “Get
lost!” But he grabs her wrist and stops her from punching him twice . He lets
go after a few seconds . Jin Xi lowers her arm naturally and continues
wrapping his leg .
“Can you guys hurry up?” someone says at the top of the hill . It’s Zhang Mu
Han’s voice .
Before Jin Xi can reply, Ke Fan’s voice comes on, “We’re leaving first then .
You guys hurry and catch up to us . ”
The three of them down the hill all raise their heads to look up . They watch
the group leave them behind and continue walking . They’re walking quite
fast too . Jin Xi stands back up and curses under her breath .
Han Chen says without any emotion, “We must not let them leave us behind .
Let’s catch up to them . ”
_____
They climb back up the hill and see that the group is already over a hundred
meters ahead of them . Li Ming Yue seems to feel anxious and starts walking
quicker, but also feels bad leaving her life saver behind .
Jin Xi can tell what she’s thinking, so she smiles, “You chase after them first .
We’ll be right after you . Since he doesn’t want others giving him a hand,
there’s no use for you to stay behind . ”
Li Ming Yue hesitates a bit before nodding, “Okay . Call me if anything . ”

She looks towards Han Chen, “Thank you for helping me back there . ”
“It’s nothing,” Han Chen says .
Li Ming Yue picks up her pace to chase after the group . Soon, only Han
Chen and Jin Xi are left in the area . Jin Xi stuffs the flashlight into his hand,
grabs his other arm, puts it around her shoulder and holds onto his waist .
After everything is in position, she raises her head and looks straight, “Let’s
go, my injured soldier . ”
Han Chen doesn’t move . He looks at her with the corner of his eye, “Bai Jin
Xi, you think that my leg is broken?”
Jin Xi lets out a laugh, but says, “Alright . I know you’re hurting but you
want to remain chaste and don’t want a woman to give you a hand . Just
pretend that I’m a clutch . This way, it’ll hurt less and bleed less . Okay?”
Her words are playful, but she can hear her heart sighing .
Han Chen keeps quiet for a moment . He leans over suddenly, resting almost
his entire body weight on her .
“Thanks . ”
Jin Xi is speechless . She pushes his chest, “Don’t lean over!”
_____
Although they’re walking at night, the path isn’t too difficult . They soon
catch up to the rest of the group . But Jin Xi doesn’t feel any more at ease in
her heart .
The signal guns are no longer usable and Han Chen is injured, so their ability
to attack and defend others has gone down greatly . T has weapons and can
probably fight well . If he really initiates a fight, Jin Xi doesn’t have any
confidence in being able to stop him .
Therefore, their best option is to watch this group and live safely until
tomorrow 8am .
They walk for another half an hour and the rain stops . They finally see four
to five adobe homes beside the forest not far away from them . Probably
because it’s late at night, only one of the buildings is still lit . A big black dog
is also chained in front of the home’s entrance, barking at them .
As they walk up to the building, a fifty to sixty-year-old man with a stooped

body comes out of the door with a flashlight . He’s surprised to see them as
he takes a few steps back . In contrast, the group lets out a breath of relief
and reveal their smiles .
__________
Mini Side Story: Xiao Zhuan’s Secrets

As Xiao Bai’s bosom friend and loyal follower, as well as Black Shield
Team’s top academic achiever and administrator, Xiao Zhuan knows a lot of
secrets .
For example, although Xiao Bai usually seems like a bold and wild
flower (woman), when she cries, her tears don’t stop . Another example is
Cold Face . Although he seems like a cold person, he’s actually pickier than
Chatterbox——the cutting board for raw meat must not be used for cooked
food, he must get off work 5pm sharp to go to the supermarket downstairs and
buy discounted cherry tomatoes .
And……
Holy! Which criminal investigator would wash his underwear separately

from their socks!?
And for example, others always say that Xiao Bai and Xu Si Bai are a couple,
but Xiao Zhuan knows very well that Xu Si Bai will never be the one .
Because the way she looks at him does not contain that kind of carefulness
and gentleness; Xiao Zhuan feels that Xiao Bai is quite pitiful too .
She seems to have changed ever since meeting Han Chen . She’s such a
careless woman, yet she keeps provoking this man . Xiao Zhuan knows that
she wants to get closer to him, but at the same time she’s afraid and is hesitant
just like her scaredy-cat personality .
But Xiao Zhuan believes that they will definitely end up together, right? This
is also a secret inside his heart . This has been his secret since he and Xiao
Bai visited the provincial station .
No one noticed except for him . When the bus stopped in front of the
building, Han Chen, who had walked far away already, walked back slowly .
And then he kept following . From the first floor to over ten floors and every
place they went . When he and Xiao Bai stopped in front of the history and
heroic events section, Han Chen was at the staircase in the corner smoking .
When they passed the cafeteria looking left and right and got scolded by the
supervisor, Han Chen was standing not far away with his hands in his pockets
and a hint of a smile in his eyes .
Xiao Zhuan never told Jin Xi about this secret .

It was the first time in his life that he didn’t dare to give things a push . It’s
because he also doesn’t know if this Han Chen, who’s aloof and unpredictable
in everyone’s eyes and whom Xiao Bai has a secret crush on, would really be
able to give her happiness . After all, there’s already an ax swinging
betraying fiance in Xiao Bai’s dreams who causes her to cry and has already
hurt her once!
Hmph! If he meets this man one day, he’ll definitely punch him a hundred
times! Therefore, even though Han Chen is his leader right now, he still
wants to observe him for a while before deciding whether to accept him or
not!
Of course, Xiao Zhuan also has a sweet secret inside his heart, which is he
seems to have fallen in love with a woman .
A very perfect woman .
This woman is the beauty of the archives office just across from the Black
Shield Team’s office!
Different from Xiao Bai’s crudeness, Miss Archives Beauty is kind and
gentle, and doesn’t ever raise her voice towards others . Xiao Zhuan has
decided that once his job becomes stable at the Black Shield Team and he has
solved a few big cases, he will pursue her immediately!
But when he tells this secret to Bai Jin Xi, she makes fun, “You have to wait
until you’ve solved a few big cases before pursuing her? You sure are a soft
cookie . ”
Xiao Zhuan: “…”
Hmph! He’s not a soft cookie! He’s just…just…okay, he is just a bit soft .
He’s just like Xiao Bai; when it comes to love, he’s a soft cookie that lacks a
bit of confidence .

Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Chapter 38: My Gentleness (1 of 2)
The old man asks in surprise, “How did you guys end up here?”
Ke Fan answers with a smile, “Uncle (a polite way to address an older man),
we got lost . Can we stay here for one night? And is there a telephone here?
We want to contact someone from the outside . ”
The old man shakes his head, “Where would we have a telephone on a
mountain like this? There are so many of you . I can’t fit you all in here . ”
Ke Fan puts his hands together, “Uncle, please, we are tired and thirsty, and
it’s cold outside . We can sleep on the floor . ”
The old man is still hesitating . Ke Fan gives You Chuan an eye contact,
“Xiao You . ”
You Chuan nods, reaches into his chest pocket and pulls out a wallet .
The three of them are standing under the light at the front door, so their every
move can be seen clearly . You Chuan’s wallet is rather simple looking, but
it’s stuffed full with a stack of hundred dollar bills as well as many bank cards
.
The old man also has his eyes fixed on the wallet . Ke Fan fetches five bills
and hands them to the old man, “$50 RMB per person . There are 9 of us .
Here’s $500 RMB . Can you also get us some food?”
The old man finally agrees . He takes the money, stuffs it into his pocket, and
stands sideways to let them in, “Our farmhouses aren’t very well equipped . ”
Ke Fan says smiling, “Not at all . It’s already good that we have a place to
stay . ” He doesn’t forget to be friendly towards the old man, “Uncle, you
look quite familiar . Have we met before? You seem like someone who’s
always willing to help others out……”
The group enters the house one after the other .
Jin Xi is helping Han Chen, so they’re walking at the end of the pack . Even
though they’re wet and leaning against each other, she can still feel a sense of
warmth . They’ve walked this far already, and Jin Xi has never let go . He
has also never let go and continues to wrap his arm around her shoulders .
It is indeed a very simple farmhouse . There is no ceiling . Just a few

wooden beams can be seen running across and the roof made of tiles, filling
the air with the smell of old lumber . The walls are bare and not painted .
There are only one table and a few chairs at the center of the room . A few
corn cobs are hanging on the wall . There’s one bedroom that also has very
simple decorations . There is also a backyard which has a small house, a
washroom, and a kitchen .
It’s already past midnight . Ke Fan, You Chuan, and Zhang Mu Han put
down their things and have gone to find some food from the old man . The
rest of them search for a spot to sit and rest .
Jin Xi helps Han Chen sit down on a chair . She can finally make out his face
clearly under the light .
She notices right away that his lips are pale . It must be because the wound
on his leg is still bleeding . Jin Xi feels her heart sting . She squats in front of
him and says in a not so friendly tone, “You sure can endure pain . ”
Han Chen rests his arms on the armrests and looks down at her . After a
while, he smiles suddenly, and then lifts his head back up and looks elsewhere
.
“I’ve always been able to endure pain . ”
Jin Xi’s mouth twitches, yet his words sound as if he’s making fun of himself
. She doesn’t think deeper into it . She pats his shoulder, “Sit here and don’t
move . Wait for me to come back . ”
A few minutes later, she carries a bunch of stuff back: she has asked the old
man for a shirt, a pair of pants, a bucket of hot water, and some clean cloths .
“Change out of your wet clothes,” she says simply .
Han Chen doesn’t move . He glances at the things in her hands, “What about
you?”
Jin Xi obviously can’t tell him that the old man had only a few sets of clothes
which have already been given to the others . She takes a look at him, “I’m
trying to help the injured first . Xia Zi and Zhang Mu Han are currently
changing in the room, so I can’t change yet . ”
Han Chen raises his head to look . As expected, the door to the only bedroom
is closed, so he doesn’t insist further .
He takes off his camouflage clothes and throws them to the floor . He’s only
wearing a black long sleeve shirt inside . He lifts his head and looks at Jin Xi
. Just when she plans to look away, she feels funny about it, so she looks
directly back at him pretending as if it’s nothing .
Han Chen isn’t showing any expression either . He retrieves his gaze, lifts up
his arm and takes off the shirt . He throws it on top of the pile of camouflage
clothes . Jin Xi hands him the clothes in her hands . She can’t help checking
his body out . She feels her face getting hot, so she turns to the side . The
thought appears in her mind: his body is……really gorgeous .
Han Chen soon takes off his pants . He looks up and sees Jin Xi turning to
the side awkwardly staring at the wall in front of her, and her fair white face
seems to be blushing .
Han Chen smiles .
He takes a sip from the glass of water that she poured for him and says
calmly, “I need some help putting on the pants . ” The moment he says this,
he realizes that it’s a bit inappropriate, so he keeps quiet again .
Jin Xi: “Huh?”
“I was just teasing you,” Han Chen says casually, “I’m done . ”
Jin Xi places her hands on her hips, “You!… . . ” But she suddenly bursts out
laughing seeing him wearing the old man’s clothes . He’s a tall guy, so the
old man’s clothes are too short for him, making him look rather funny . He
also knows this, so he too lets out a laugh, not showing any embarrassment .
Jin Xi squats again sliding the bucket of warm water over and starts cleaning
his wound . She says while she helps him, “Too bad we don’t have our cell
phones, or else I would definitely take a picture of you . ”
Han Chen’s voice says above her head, “You dare to?”
Jin Xi smiles and then looks up at him .
He’s sitting on the chair against the light, illuminating his long body and
facial features . And those eyes are rich dark brown, carrying a hint of a
smile .
Jin Xi smiles slightly and lowers her head .
_____
It is indeed quite a barren area since they’re deep in the forest on the
mountain . After searching around for a long while, Ke Fan and the others
can only bring back a plate of cooked sweet potatoes . But it’s enough to
satisfy the group; they split them among themselves in seconds .
It’s just that besides a blanket that the old man uses for himself, he has only
one additional set, which has been taken by Ke Fan rightfully . He asks the
old man to see if there are any other sets . The old man says he’ll go next
door to ask .
It turns out that his sons and nephew live in the other houses . They’re all his
family . But they’ve already gone to bed at this hour . Probably because not
a lot of people come by usually so they haven’t noticed the noise .
The old man walks out of the house . They can hear him knocking next door
in the house at night .
The house has suddenly become quiet .
Jin Xi sits on the floor beside Han Chen and raises her head to look over .
She sees Ke Fan laying down the bedding and blanket to make his bed .
Xiao You is sitting on the side with both hands on his knees . He’s still the
same good looking and quiet guy as always . Noticing Jin Xi’s gaze, he looks
over at her . Jin Xi smiles towards him . After a moment of silence, he shifts
his eyes away .
Zhang Mu Han and Xia Zi are lovey-dovey at the corner of the wall and
chatting quietly among themselves as usual . But seeing Jin Xi looking at
them, they don’t smile back at her like before; they look indifferent and
ignore her .
Li Ming Yue is sitting by herself against the wall, sneezing non-stop with her
face red . She has clearly caught a cold; a severe one too . But there’s
nothing that Jin Xi can do to help her out .
Fang Xu and Professor Sun each occupy a corner quietly .
Jin Xi takes a look around before retrieving her gaze . She turns to look at
Han Chen subconsciously . But she’s stunned the moment she looks at him .
His face is also unusually red .
Jin Xi gets up immediately and grasps his hand .
It’s hot .
Han Chen glances at her . Her hand is already on his forehead .
“You have a fever,” she says in a serious tone, “a high fever . ”
Han Chen also feels his forehead with his hand and then unbuttons the first
button of his shirt while saying, “I’ll be okay after a night’s sleep . ”
Jin Xi understands why he feels that it’ll be okay . With his fitness, he
probably usually doesn’t get a cold easily after being in the rain . However,
he’s injured right now . He could easily get an inflammation on his wound,
which is usually accompanied by a fever .
How will he be well after a night’s sleep? She can only hope that his fever
will go down, and then they can go to the hospital tomorrow at 8am .
The old man returns with two thirty or so year old men . They’re each
carrying two sets of bedding and blanket .
Jin Xi and Han Chen raise their heads and look . Different from the old man’s
dullness, the two farm men are strong but are also not good looking . They
have short eyebrows, chubby nose, and big lips . They look rather fierce .
The older man says walking in, “$100 RMB per set . ”
The others also notice their arrival after hearing them speak . They all look
up at them in surprise .
Ke Fan was smiling and chatting with Xiao You before looking over to the
door . His smile slowly fades away .
Zhang Mu Han speaks first, “We’ve already paid to stay, aren’t you asking for
too much? Are you trying to profit from our misfortune?” Xia Zi also
supports him, “Yeah, we have so many people here . You think that we’re
easy to bully? Big Ke, we must not give in . ”
Ke Fan stares at the two men and doesn’t say anything . Xia Zi says softly,
“Big Ke is angry now……”
The old man walks into the house and isn’t planning to stop his sons’ plan to
make some profit . The two farm men are losing their patience as they ask
once more, “Do you want it or not? If none of you want it, we’ll carry them
back . ”
Xiao You reaches out to pat Ke Fan, and then he says holding his anger, “It’s
okay . Let’s pay for them . We’ll pay for our own . ”
Zhang Mu Han and Xia Zi still want to say something, but they refrain from
doing so .
The blanket sets are distributed to the group quickly .
Jin Xi and Han Chen gets a set . Han Chen lies down first . Jin Xi spends
another $20 to “borrow” a set of clothes to change into from one of the old
man’s sons . When she walks out wearing them, she sees Han Chen leaning
against the wall with his arms behind his head, looking at her and smiling
slowly .
Jin Xi smiles without feeling bothered . She walks over to him, “You see? I
don’t mind taking a photo to save as a memory . ” She places a wet towel
over his forehead, “Lie down . ”
Han Chen knows that he can’t be overconfident of himself right now, so he
glances at her and does what she says . Jin Xi dips another towel into a
bucket of water and helps him wipe his hands and neck .
It’s already very late at night . Other people in the house have also started to
lie down . Han Chen is lying on the floor in a rather humid area . His head
feels heavy while his throat feels very dry . The wound on his left leg is also
piercing him with pain . He doesn’t fight his desire to sleep . It’s because the
night is long . His instinct tells him——the main event that T has organized
has not yet started . Therefore, he needs to take advantage of this time to rest
well and recover his energy so that Bai Jin Xi doesn’t have to bear everything
on her shoulders when the unknown event comes .
“Wake me up in two hours,” he says in a low voice .
“Mm . ”
His mind gradually becomes a blur . In the blurriness, he can only see the
outline of her sitting beside him quietly . His palms, neck, and the bottom of
his feet feel a refreshing sense of dampness and softness . Her outline slowly
matches up with the other blurry shadow in his head, making him feel
gentleness and at ease .
In the past four years, he has never felt this relieved before sleeping beside a
woman .
Her every frown and smile, and her silliness and cuteness have been
imprinted in his head ever since the first time they met .
As well as the hesitation in her eyes .
She wants to come closer, but she doesn’t dare to be too close . But he has
now gradually gotten used to her interwinding and lively aura .
But at this same time, his fiancee, who he dreams about and has been
searching for many years, where is she? Why hasn’t she come back? Why
did she leave him and vanish completely?
Has she been just like him, running in circles and traversing everywhere in his
dreams just to catch a glimpse of her news?
Is she also searching for him? Is it because she is in some difficulty right
now, so that she is unable to come back?
Is she……still in love with him? Or has she forgotten about him beyond
imagination and has already started a new life? Has she forgotten about this
man who has once sacrificed his life for her?
And this man has finally fallen for another woman .
Bai Jin Xi .
Bai Jin Xi .
Bai Jin Xi……
Jin Xi has taken off his shoes and is wiping the bottom of his feet to help him
cool down when she suddenly hears him murmurs, “Bai Jin Xi . ”
“Hm?” she raises her head .
But his eyes are closed, and there are no further movements .
Jin Xi ignores him and continues to wipe his arms . But she hears him call
out again, “Bai Jin Xi . ”
She tosses away the wet towel, squats and looks down at his face .
He’s usually cold and unruly, but his cheeks are currently red from the fever .
He looks calm while sleeping, but he’s murmuring her name .
She can’t believe that a manly man like him could be like a child at times .
Jin Xi says in a very soft voice that only she could hear, “What are you
calling me for? Since you don’t care about me anyway . ”
Li Ming Yue, who’s sleeping beside them, laughs, “I didn’t know your
boyfriend likes you so much . He’s even calling your name in his sleep . Yet
you guys didn’t even seem like you were dating before . ”
Jin Xi smiles and picks up the towel again . Feeling a bit annoyed, she slaps
the towel on his face, covering his handsome eyes and tall nose .
She sits down beside him and after a moment of silence, she carefully lifts up
a corner of the blanket and slips herself inside .
It’s already past 1 am . Probably because they’ve been through a frightful

day, some are asleep while others’ eyes are still wide open, just like Jin Xi .
You Chuan and Professor Sun are lying down facing the wall . They seem to
be sleeping as they haven’t budged . Li Ming Yue is lying down not far away
. Her face is red most likely due to the cold, but she is breathing in and out
evenly . The Zhang Mu Han couple is hugging each other inside the blanket
and is chitchatting quietly . Ke Fan is lying beside You Chuan, staring at the
ceiling .
And Fang Xu also has the same expression with his eyes opened, thinking
about something .
Outside of the house, the old man is sending his sons back . They’re still
chatting quietly .
“Go into the forest tomorrow morning and collect more mushrooms . ”
“Okay . ”
“Your youngest brother hasn’t come back from fishing yet?”
“No . He has most likely gone to have fun in the city . ”
“Have you collected the corn cobs from yesterday?”
“Yes, I collected them before the rain . ”
……
Everything is calm and quiet . The smell of soil mixed with rain and corn
permeates the air as if it’s the most ordinary night at the farm .
Jin Xi continues sitting quietly for a while . She takes a sniff and realizes that
her nose is stuffed . She feels her forehead, and she’s actually having a bit of
a fever .
It must be because she was wearing her damped clothes for too long .
She refocuses her mind, and just as she’s lying down, she hears a noise
coming from behind .
Ke Fan rips his blanket open and stands up . Everyone also wakes up at the
same time and looks towards him .
“I’m going to the washroom,” he explains .
Fang Xu gets up suddenly and looks at Ke Fan, “I’m going too . ”
Jin Xi’s heart pounds as she sits back up . She looks up and sees that the old
man has already gone to the backyard . He’s probably sleeping in the small
house there . She can see the washroom at the corner of the yard . But the
big mountain behind it is casting a large shadow over it .
“It’s not safe to go with just two people,” she says .
Ke Fan and Fang Xu both laugh . Ke Fan says, “The washroom is just in the
backyard . What’s not safe about it?”
“Wait——” Zhang Mu Han stands up, “What a relief! I can’t hold it any
longer . Let’s all go together . ”
Jin Xi feels her head getting heavier; her cold is getting stronger . She
glances at the washroom that’s only about ten meters away and nods, “Go and
come back quickly . ”
As the three of them leave the room, Zhang Mu Han reaches out his hand and
touches the light switch, “Should I close the lights?”
Jin Xi is losing her patience towards such a dumb teammate as she says, “We
must not turn off the lights throughout the night!” Zhang Mu Han looks at
her and then retrieves his hand .
But they never come back after a long period of time . Jin Xi sleeps for a
short while before she wakes up in fright . She looks at her watch; it has
already been past twenty minutes . She raises her head and looks around .
Their three beds are still empty . She’s now fully awake panicking . She
picks up the flashlight and just when she’s about to get up to look for them in
the backyard, she hears the door squeak . The three of them walk in .
Jin Xi lets out a breath of relief . They’re a bit surprised to see that she still
hasn’t gone to sleep yet; they exchange a few glances at each other .
“Go to sleep,” Ke Fan says in a low voice . Fang Xu doesn’t say anything as
he returns to his own bedding . Zhang Mu Han glances at Jin Xi . He stuffs
his hands into his pockets, takes them out again, and then goes back to lie
down .
Jin Xi watches their expressions and movements . She can’t help but feel that
something is strange . She looks over to You Chuan in the corner . He still
hasn’t budged, as if he’s deeply asleep .
Jin Xi stays still for a while before slowly lying back down again . She hides
both the flashlight and knife inside the blanket beside her hand .
Han Chen is still sleeping . The redness on his cheeks seems to have faded a
little . Jin Xi touches his hands and discovers that they are very cold . She
touches his neck, and it’s also very cold .
Is it because the blanket is too thin?
Jin Xi stares at his face that is only a few centimeters away . Their bodies are
against each other with not much free room to move . The light distinctive
smell that belongs to him has been hovering over her all this time .
Jin Xi reaches out with both arms and embraces him . She leans against him
with her warm body, resting her head on his shoulder .
She’s using her body to warm him up .
He moves slightly, suddenly turning his body slowly and hugging her . His
eyes are still closed, but he buries his head into her subconsciously . His face
is against hers and his nose is in her hair . He then stops moving .
Jin Xi’s heart beats quickly .
She feels as if her face and body is no longer hers . The man’s cheeks are a
bit cold, and his head is bit heavy . There’s also the light scent of cigarette,
and his overbearing embrace . There isn’t a gap between the two of them .
After a while, her heartbeat gradually returns to normal, and now she feels
that this is quite funny .
This Han Chen…he sure has bad sleeping habits . During the day, he likes to
remain chaste and have no body contact, but once he’s asleep, he takes
advantage of women .
From now on, she must remember to stay away from him .
But for tonight, she’ll just have to cope with this……
Jin Xi doesn’t know how long she has been sleeping for . Maybe it’s been ten
minutes or half an hour, or perhaps, it has only been a few minutes?
Even though her cold has started to worsen and her head is dizzy, Jin Xi
knows very well that Han Chen’s wound isn’t light . She must let him rest for
at least a good period of time in order for him to recover his strength .
And since she is a criminal investigator, she has the ability to do so . While
she’s half asleep and everywhere is quiet without a sound, she wakes up
suddenly from fright .
She opens her eyes and everywhere is pitch black . Han Chen is still
breathing calmly beside her .
It’s pitch black .
The lights were still on before she fell asleep, and she had warned Zhang Mu
Han before not to shut them off . After all that had happened today, she
trusted that no one would turn them off .
But right now, the lights have been turned off at some point .
Cold sweat begins to run down her back . She holds her breath, reaches into
the corner of her blanket and pulls out the knife .
There are no stars or moon . There isn’t a single source of light in the deep
part of the mountain . This house is completely dark like it’s painted with
thick black ink .
And right at this moment, she seems to hear some footsteps . They’re from
inside this room .
And then, she suddenly hears a very low whimpering sound coming from a
woman .
It sounds as if her mouth has been covered by someone, and her neck is being
strangled, so she can only make the most desperate cry for help from the
deepest part of her throat .


Chapter 39
Chapter 39
Chapter 39: A Bunch of Idiots
The noise comes and goes . It seems to be coming from Li Ming Yue’s
direction . All of a sudden, that weak shrieking cry disappears . Instead, it’s
been replaced with the sound of quick breathing; as if something terrifying
has appeared, making one become dumbstruck and unable to break free .
There’s no time for Jin Xi to hesitate . She grabs onto the flashlight and just
when she is about to shine it in that direction, she senses a strong force amid
the darkness, striking towards her and Han Chen’s head!
It’s as if the time has stopped; Li Ming Yue’s breathing, faint footsteps, and
the attack from above their heads all seem to be still beside her ear . Before
Jin Xi’s mind decides on what to do, her body has already acted on its own
——she pounces forward and uses her back to cover Han Chen’s head and
body .
“Wham!”
It’s the sound of a wooden bat hitting against her body .
Jin Xi wraps her arms around Han Chen’s head as she lets out a soft cough .
The person above them pauses for a split second before taking another
forceful strike . Jin Xi struggles as she attempts to roll away embracing Han
Chen . She suddenly feels a pair of strong arms wrapping around her waist,
taking her with him as they roll away quickly . In the blink of an eye, they
have already stopped and landed on the side of the wall .
“Bang!” the wooden bat hits the cement floor .
Han Chen is in a lot better condition after taking a sleep . When he was still
lying on the floor just now, he felt something shaking on top of his body
suddenly . When he opened his eyes, it was pitch black, and he could only
sense Bai Jin Xi breathing onto his face . She was trying to push him; as if
she wanted to push him away with all her might . At that instant, he also
noticed the force coming from above their heads . Therefore, he reacted
immediately .
He sits up against the wall while still embracing her . She is leaning against
his chest and not moving . And he can clearly sense her abnormally hot body
. It’s obvious that she’s having a fever; her whole body is like a puddle of
mud .
Han Chen feels his heart pinch . Keeping his arms around her, he lets her lean
on his shoulder while holding the back of her head with his left hand and his
fingers in her long hair .
Jin Xi’s hands are pressing against his chest as she breathes deeply . She’s
feeling a bit better after getting all stuffy from getting hit .
None of them say anything or make any move .
In the darkness, they can hear the sound of breathing, footsteps, something
being dragged on the floor, the wooden bat tapping against the floor, and the
sound of others waking up from the noise . No one speaks in the house, but
it’s clear that everything is in a mess .
The pitch black and stifling room seems as if it’s covering up all the chaos
that’s secretly filling up everyone’s heart .
Han Chen thinks quietly for a moment .
He releases his hold and pulls her hand to help her stand up . Jin Xi almost
falls from losing her balance . She has to hold onto the wall to stand up . His
body cannot be seen in the darkness, but his hand squeezes hers lightly .
Are you okay?
Jin Xi lifts her thumb and strokes his thumb lightly .
I’m fine .
He immediately holds her hand and walks forward guiding her along the wall
.
They soon arrive at the side of the door .
Han Chen pulls her behind him with force, covering her completely . He then
pulls out a knife from his boot while he reaches for the light switch with the
other .
“Buzzzzz,” the soft sound of electricity flowing .
“Clonk,” something falls to the ground with a sound . And all the noises in
the room stops coincidently the moment before the lights come on .
The lights are on .
Jin Xi is struck dumb once she can see clearly what is in front of her . The
others are either standing or sitting; their frightened faces flash across her
eyes . Only Li Ming Yue is lying down near the side of a door, covering her
neck with both of her hands frantically . There’s a long cut running across her
neck with blood rushing out of it like a fountain! Her body is completely stiff
and her eyes are wide open staring at the ceiling as she makes shrieking
sounds from her throat .
“Ahhhh——” it’s Xia Zi who has just sit up and turned this way, screaming in
panic . Her face becomes pale instantly . She backs up a few steps and grabs
onto Zhang Mu Han’s arm . Zhang Mu Han and Fang Xu are standing closest
to Li Ming Yue . Their bodies have been sprayed with blood everywhere .
They also look awful as they take a few steps back .
Han Chen and Jin Xi dash over to Li Ming Yue . Han Chen grabs a bunch of
clothes on the side and attempts to block the bleeding on her neck . But no
matter how hard he presses, blood immediately stains the clothes in his hands,
flowing continuously . Jin Xi watches Li Ming Yue struggle; she feels an
unexplainable kind of pain in her chest . Just when she’s about to grab
another set of clothes to help her, she feels someone grasping her arm .
It’s Li Ming Yue .
She stares at Jin Xi with a pair of lifeless eyes . Her hand around Jin Xi’s
wrist has also become powerless, but she manages to pull Jin Xi towards her
slightly .
Jin Xi’s tears begin to flow . She tries hard to hold them in as she bends close
. She listens to Li Ming Yue say a few words into her ear; her voice is soft
and barely audible .
Jin Xi’s body stiffens for a second, and then she nods .
Li Ming Yue’s neck is still bleeding non-stop . Her arm falls down slowly .
And then, she closes her eyes .
Han Chen and Jin Xi are covered with blood on their arms and bodies . After
a while, they finally let go of Li Ming Yue .
Jin Xi lifts her gaze to look at the knife that is lying on the floor not far away
from Li Ming Yue’s body . And at the wall about a meter away, stands a
wooden bat with a diameter about the size of a bowl .
The other 6 members who are still alive in the house, are all standing around
them .
In the light, the spots of blood on Han Chen’s fair white face makes him seem
even colder and unapproachable . He examines what’s around them slowly as
he pulls Jin Xi up from the floor . Jin Xi’s eyes and inside her heart are also
filled with coldness . She leans close to his ear, and tells him Li Ming Yue’s
final words softly:
“There was more than one person . ”
Li Ming Yue used her last bit of strength to tell this to Jin Xi . It was more
than one person who killed her . In the darkness, how many people grabbed
onto her arms and legs, covered her mouth, and dragged her across the floor
for a couple of meters? And then cut her throat open in the end?
Han Chen doesn’t show any expression on his face . He nods .
When she was whispering into his ear, almost everyone was staring at them .
“Did you have fun killing?” Han Chen asks softly . He scans each of their
faces one after the other, “You bunch of idiots . ”
Jin Xi’s mouth curves upwards, revealing a mocking smile .
Ke Fan is not at his original sleeping area . He’s standing in a corner that’s
rather far from it . He has a gloomy look on his face, and he’s not looking at
Han Chen . Fang Xu and Zhang Mu Han are standing quietly beside Li Ming
Yue’s body . Xia Zi is grabbing Zhang Mu Han’s arm while looking at
everyone else in fright and doubt at the same time .
You Chuan and Professor Sun are standing behind them .
Ke Fan is the first to speak . His face doesn’t seem to show any expression,
but his voice is raspy, “Han Chen, what are you trying to say? Are you saying
that we killed her?”
Zhang Mu Han adds to his speech, “Yeah . What nonsense are you talking
about? Sh-She must have been killed by some psycho who snuck in . ”
“Really?” Han Chen’s gaze lands on the knife on the floor . He speaks
slowly, “It’s okay . Once the police arrive tomorrow morning and examine
the fingerprints, they’ll know who——” he pauses, “the killers are . ”
The room is dead silent .
Someone finally moves .
Ke Fan and Fang Xu look at each other and exchange glances . And then,
Fang Xu bends down and picks up the knife in front of everyone . And Ke
Fan drags the wooden bat out from the corner . He raises his head slowly and
stares at Han Chen and Jin Xi .
“Xiao You, this has nothing to do with you, so don’t intervene,” Ke Fan says,
“Professor Sun, just keep your mouth shut if you don’t want to die . ”
Xiao You and Professor Sun both keep quiet and don’t move .
Xia Zi is trembling . She’s still grabbing onto Zhang Mu Han’s arm tightly
and doesn’t dare to make a sound .
Han Chen continues to stand still . And Jin Xi is staring at each of their faces
quietly .
A few hours ago, they were still fighting, retreating, and looking for a survival
route together, hoping to be saved tomorrow .
But now, T hasn’t even taken action yet and they’ve already started to kill
each other .
What is it that has blinded their eyes, cause them to have a change of heart
and become so hideous?
Is it greed? Is it fear? Is it because they want to cover up the despicable

secrets in their hearts? Or is it because they’re afraid that when the police
come tomorrow, their past guilt will surface?
Therefore, this is T’s goal, isn’t it?
All of a sudden, Jin Xi feels a sharp pain in her head .
And then again .
She covers her head and stumbles backward a few steps .
A few blurry images flash across her mind .
A big, big puddle of blood . Bodies ripped into pieces . Hands covered in
blood……it’s just like the dead body in front of them, except it’s more……
massive and scary .
What’s going on……
She rubs her head . When has she seen a scene like this?
But the images fade away in the next instance . Her eyes are clear again .
But she still feels a bit heavy headed from the cold; her forehead seems to be
burning hotter now .
She clears her mind, presses down her curiosity, and raises her head .
“Zhang Mu Han, what are you standing still for?” Fang Xu says suddenly,
“Hurry and come help out . ”
Xia Zi looks up at her boyfriend . Zhang Mu Han’s face goes pale . He
hesitates for a second before bending down and pulling a knife out of his boot
.
Xia Zi releases his arm immediately . She backs up until she hits the wall,
“What’s going on? Wh-What are you doing? It was them who did despicable
things . You didn’t do it, so why are you helping them?”
“Shut up!” Zhang Mu Han shouts with the knife in his hand . He walks over
and stands beside the two of them, “If I don’t help them, I’ll be dead!”
Ke Fan and Fang Xu both don’t say anything .
The room is fearsomely silent .
Even with three knives pointing at them, Han Chen and Jin Xi are still calm
and composed as they exchange glances . With their skills, even with an
injury, it’s more than enough to handle these three .
Furthermore, T will definitely not help them .
Just when they’re about to attack, Xia Zi from behind, says suddenly in a
mocking yet helpless and shaky voice mixed with fear, “You’ll be dead? You
only consider about yourself? Therefore, in order to save your own life,
you’ll join them to kill another? Yan Er’s dead . They’re scared that the
police will start investigating about what happened back then, right? I also
know about what happened, so the next person to be killed is me, isn’t it?”
Zhang Mu Han’s face is red . He opens his mouth, but nothing comes out .
“You’re crazy! You’re all crazy! You guys aren’t even human!” Xia Zi
shouts madly . She pulls out the knife from her boot, turns around and opens
the door, and sprints into darkness .
Everyone is stunned from seeing her run off suddenly . You Chuan, who has
been standing by the door side and hasn’t said a word, turns around and runs
after her . He disappears in the next second .
Professor Sun also follows after them .
Their fast-paced footsteps echo in the empty and dark night .

Only Ke Fan and the other two are left in the house with Han Chen and Bai
Jin Xi .
Their knives inch forward in silence .
The fight will begin at any moment .
Han Chen gives Jin Xi an eye contact .
Jin Xi understands and moves towards the door slowly .
They’re in a closed off mountain . These three men in front of them will have
no way of escaping .
But the most important thing at hand is to not let T be alone with the other
two .
Accompanied by the sound of the wind, Han Chen punches with his fist
suddenly . The three of them step back subconsciously . Jin Xi and Han
Chen turn around and run out of the door immediately .
Ke Fan has a disgusted look on his face . He glares at Fang Xu and Zhang
Mu Han, “After them!” They chase after them with the knives in their hands .


Chapter 40
Chapter 40
Chapter 40: Him Alone
In Xia Zi’s view, what happened last year October is a small little prick buried
inside her heart . She doesn’t think about it often, but whenever the name
“Gu Ran” comes across her mind occasionally, she feels guilty and afraid .
Of course, she also feels a certain kind of excitement and thrill from hiding a
big secret .
She remembers clearly that it was on October 11 of last year, the third day of
the second annual ultimate CS wild combat and survival game in Province K .
She and Zhang Mu Han, Gu Ran, and Professor Sun were members of the
fourth team . Ke Fan, Fang Xu, Yan Er and Li Ming Yue were main players
of another team .
Despite every team had a different route and mission, there were many
participants at the time . But Gu Ran, this beautiful girl, had attracted many
gazes of the male players on the first day of the competition . Xia Zi
remembers that in the first two nights, every time they completed their
missions, there would be male players coming and trying to converse with Gu
Ran . But Gu Ran was…how should she say it? She always had a sweet
smile on her face as if she was a bit shy, but the way she talked and moved
made her seem easy going as if she could have a chat with anyone .
With her combo of looks and personality, she was the perfect goddess in all
men’s eyes . But Xia Zi, who shared a tent with her, thought that she was
fake and wanted the attention . Even whenever Zhang Mu Han came over to
look for Xia Zi and saw Gu Ran, he would be mesmerized by Gu Ran’s
beauty . When the three of them chatted, he would be unlike his usual self; he
would proactively make conversations as if he wanted to show off himself .
As a result, Xia Zi despised Gu Ran . She wanted to find a way to make Gu

Ran fall . But Gu Ran was very considerate, so it was hard to find mistakes .
Sometimes, Xia Zi would make sarcastic comments or say provocative
things, but Gu Ran would just smile and shrug it off . This made Xia Zi feel
even more resentful .
Later on, she finally found an opportunity .
In the morning that day, she deliberately took Gu Ran’s compass and map
from her backpack . The mountain area was complicated, so without these
tools, it was impossible to walk back outside . She just wanted Gu Ran to
suffer some hardships like tripping over, starving for a few hours, or getting
bitten by a snake . But who knew that at nighttime, when everyone had
returned, she never came back .
Zhang Mu Han and the other guys in the team were feeling anxious, “The
area is complicated, and there are mud slides on the mountain too . I heard
that someone fell into the river and died last year . If Gu Ran is lost, she’ll be
in great danger . ”
It was then that Xia Zi started to panic, but she didn’t dare to tell anyone that
she had stolen Gu Ran’s compass and map . She followed everyone and
searched for Gu Ran all night long . Due to the guiltiness she felt in her heart,
she spent the most effort in searching for Gu Ran, traversing farther into the
mountain area than anyone else .
It was at a very isolated area with dense trees that she and Zhang Mu Han
spotted Ke Fan, Yan Er, and Fang Xu gang raping Gu Ran .
The moon was very bright that day, with stars blanketing the sky . The shiny
stars reflecting on the river’s surface look like pieces of jade floating in the
water . Shining on her fair white and fragile body, it reflected a kind of bright
yet dim shimmer .
Zhang Mu Han and Xia Zi were flabbergasted . They felt as if their hearts
were pounding so hard that they would jump out of their chests any minute;
they didn’t know if it was because they were nervous, scared, or too anxious .
Ke Fan was raping her at the moment . He had her pressed against a tree,
lifting both of her legs up with his arms . Fang Xu and Yan Er were standing
on each side, holding her arms, preventing her from breaking free .
Gu Ran had been stripped naked . Ke Fan had lowered his pants down to his
knees only as he thrust himself into her violently . Fang Xu’s and Yan Er’s
faces and eyes were dark while they touched Gu Ran’s body with their hands .
And she kept crying, crying softly .
……
After Fang Xu took his turn, it was Yan Er’s . Zhang Mu Han, who had been
hiding in the bushes, pulled Xia Zi’s arm and said in a low voice, “Let’s go . ”
Xia Zi didn’t dare to make a sound . They bent down as they walked away,
but Xia Zi accidentally stepped on a piece of wood, making a cracking sound
.
They were both in shock . Zhang Mu Han turned around and saw the three of
them stop and raise their heads to look at them . He immediately pulled Xia
Zi and ran out of the forest .
……
When they returned to their tents and lied down, they were panting and their
hearts were beating fast . They were also lost without words .
It was Xia Zi who later asked, “How could they do that?”
Zhang Mu Han answered without feeling bothered, “You didn’t know this, but
I’ve heard that they often play with women . Ke Fan’s dad is a government
official, Fang Xu comes from a rich family and Yan Er is a gang member who
knows people from all trades . There are also a lot of girls who like to play
with them . Gu Ran might have been playing with them willingly . ”
Xia Zi wanted to say that it didn’t seem like so, but she kept it to herself . She
knew that Gu Ran was a low-level employee of a private company, and she
was not from a wealthy family . Even if she was forced into the situation by
them, it would likely be covered up and forgotten by others soon .
“They’ll probably be having fun for a long while,” Zhang Mu Han said,
revealing a hint of excitement in his voice, “If I didn’t pull you along with
me, you’ll definitely not be able to escape . ”
“F–k off!” Xia Zi gave him a push .
“Remember, don’t tell anyone about this . ”

“Mm . ”
They never discussed the topic again after that . It’s just that Xia Zi
remembers that that night, Zhang Mu Han made love to her in the tent . He
made love to her a few times . He was especially anxious and energetic .
It’s just that what happened next was beyond what they could imagine . At
dawn, Ke Fan and the other two had returned . Someone asked them if they
had seen Gu Ran . They said no . And then Ke Fan visited Xia Zi and Zhang
Mu Han’s tent . He asked them directly with a smile on his face, “Where
were you two last night?”
Xia Zi was struck dumb . Zhang Mu Han answered right away, “We didn’t go
anywhere! We have been in the tent the whole time . ”
Ke Fan patted his shoulder and left .
Gu Ran still didn’t return after days had gone by . It was much later when
they found her swelling dead body in the muddy water downstream of the
river .
……
Thinking about what happened in the past, as well as the twisted expressions
on Ke Fan’s, Fang Xu’s and Zhang Mu Han’s faces from just now, Xia Zi is
only left with the feeling of fear just like how Gu Ran felt .
Darkness is in front of her, while endless footsteps are following behind her .
Xia Zi doesn’t dare to look back . She can only run forward with all her
might .
“Xia Zi!” she hears someone call her . It’s the quiet and unsocial Xiao You .
She knows that Xiao You had followed her out of the house back there, and
she knows that he’s also one of Ke Fan’s target to kill .
So she loosens up a bit as she turns her head around . She sees Xiao You and
Professor Sun running over to her .
“When we came, I spotted a cave in the front . Let’s go hide in there,” Xiao
You says in a low voice . His face is hard to make out in the dark, but his
voice is calm and steady like it has always been .
Professor Sun agrees, “Okay . It’s no use to keep running anyway . We’ll
have to trouble you to lead the way, Xiao You . ” Xia Zi’s mind is completely
blank . She nods, supporting the idea, “We’re depending on you, Xiao You . ”
Xiao You turns on a dim flashlight to lead the way . The two of them follow .
At the same time, Xia Zi notices that Xiao You, who has never shown much
of any expression, curves the corner of his mouth suddenly, revealing a smile
.
Xia Zi asks without thinking, “Xiao You, wh-what are you smiling about?”
“Nothing,” he answers in a low voice, “I’m laughing at life . It’s too

laughable . ”
_____
Han Chen and Jin Xi run for a while, but they see Ke Fan and the other two
still chasing after them . It’s pitch black ahead, and they still haven’t spotted
Xiao You and the others .
They run over a hill . Han Chen pulls her arm and takes her to hide in the
bushy area behind the hill .
They hear footsteps come near, stop, and then continue forward .
Jin Xi lets out a breath of relief . While leaning against him, she suddenly
feels dampness and stickiness on his leg .
Jin Xi immediately realizes why and turns her head to look at him in the dark
.
His leg is wounded . After running on it, it has obviously ripped open again,
bleeding and causing severe pain .
But he has been keeping his pace all this time as if everything is fine .
This fellow……
Jin Xi’s heart softens up . She gives his hand a squeeze, “Is your leg alright?”
“It won’t break,” he responds softly in the dark .
Jin Xi can’t refrain from smiling . She asks further, “Where should we go
next……” She suddenly feels a surge of blood rushing up to her chest; the
taste of blood has already reached up to her throat . She can’t help herself
from gasping for air and spitting out the blood in her mouth .
Something tightens on her waist . Han Chen embraces her while lowering his
head . The side of his face is almost touching hers .
“What’s wrong?”
Jin Xi’s forehead has been burning and feeling dizzy, and now everything
inside her body seems to be hurting as if they’re about to tear themselves
apart . She really feels like falling asleep in his embrace like this . But she
takes a few deep breaths and suppresses the nausea feeling in her chest . She
knows that Han Chen couldn’t see her vomiting blood just now . She answers
softly, “I’m fine . It’s probably because I’m having a cold, so I feel nauseated
and want to vomit . Let’s continue walking . ”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a moment and then stands up holding her hands .
“Follow me . Don’t let go . ”
Jin Xi answers, “Okay . ”
She looks up at the sky . The moon and stars are still nowhere to be found .
Only thick layers of clouds span across the sky .
It might be difficult for others to try and search for someone on such a big
mountain . But for Han Chen, who’s an expert in tracking things down, it is
as simple as fetching an item in his pocket .
They started running after them not long later, so Xiao You and the others
shouldn’t be too far away . Very quickly, Han Chen finds their footsteps in an
area of soft soil . The two of them follow the footsteps, walking deeper into
the forest, and higher up the mountain . They have also successfully dodged
away from Ke Fan and the others; they haven’t heard any noise from them
since .
As they reach to almost the top part, they immediately spot Xiao You and the
other two in an open area outside of the forest .
It’s because there’s a fire .
A large, and fierce bonfire .
Heavy smoke rises from the fire towards the sky . The sound of branches
cracking from the burning fire scrapes across the air . And the blazing flames
light up everywhere around it .
You Chuan; Xiao You .
Or more precisely, T . He’s sitting on a fallen log three to four meters away
from the fire . He’s still wearing his camouflage clothes and carrying a long
rifle on his back . Both of his hands are on his knees with his head down and
not budging .
On each of the two large trees behind him, Xia Zi and Professor Sun are tied
up with ropes around them . Both of their heads are bent down and are not
moving; it’s hard to tell if they’re dead or alive .
About a hundred meters away, Han Chen and Jin Xi are watching this .
Jin Xi presses her hand against a tree trunk for support . Her head feels
heavy, and her footsteps are unsteady . She knows that she is having a high
fever . The pain coming from within her chest and stomach seems to be
getting worse .
She feels as if she will collapse any minute .
“You stay here,” a low and deep voice like the dark night says . Han Chen
turns his head to look at her . The flames of the fire light up half of his face .
Staring at his eyes, Jin Xi feels a slight pain in her heart .
“Okay . ”
They stare at each other for a few seconds . Han Chen reaches out his hand
suddenly and carries her sideways . Jin Xi stares at his fair white face, not
knowing what he wants to do .
In the next second, he lifts her whole body up and puts her on top of a large
tree branch . He stretches out his arms on each side of her, raises his head and
looks at her .
“Can you climb a tree?”
There’s no way for Jin Xi to tell him how much she wants to reach out her
arms, wrap them around his neck and hug him tightly . All she can say is,
“Of course . ”
Han Chen stares at her and actually smiles . He retrieves his arms and takes a
step back .
Jin Xi takes a deep breath, turns around, hugs onto the tree trunk and starts
climbing .
“Don’t come down,” his voice reaches her ears again, “no matter what
happens . ”
Jin Xi feels as if something is ripping her heart apart, causing her slide back
down . She lowers her head and sees both of her hands grabbing the tree
trunk . The tree bark is rough, scraping and hurting her palms .
She doesn’t know what it is that’s prompting her to do this, or maybe she
truly desires to do so deep down in her heart . She pulls down the necklace
from her neck and turns around .
“Take this . ”
She doesn’t tell him why . She simply holds it out to him .
Han Chen glances at her and takes it .
He has seen her wear this necklace . It’s a platinum necklace that seems to be
a little worn out . The pendant is black and it’s hard to make out its shape;
looks a bit strange . When they first met officially at the scene of the sexual
assault case, she was touching this necklace while making her inferences .
It’s something that she carries with her and cherishes a lot .
He takes the necklace, stuffs it into his pants’ pocket and looks up at her .
“Go up . ”
“Mm,” Jin Xi takes a good look at his pair of eyes before turning around and
climbing .
That is her lucky necklace . She has never told anyone .
Four years ago after surviving an accident, her life had to start over . Only
this necklace is said to have been grasped in her palm tightly when she was
unconscious . The doctors couldn’t take it out no matter how hard they tried
until she woke up .
She’s letting him carry it now as if she’s entrusting everything in his hands .
Han Chen waits until she climbs up higher to the dense part of the leaves and
where he can no longer see her before turning around and walking to where T
is .
The flames are becoming brighter, and what’s behind him is moving farther
away .
The endless dark night and mountain are in front of him .
T raises his head slowly and looks towards him .
Han Chen stuffs his hand into his pocket, fetches the necklace, holds it up to
his lips, kisses it lightly, and then puts it into his chest pocket .
_____
Jin Xi climbs to the very top and sits leaning against the tree while hugging
the trunk .
Through the leaves, she can just see Han Chen walking out of the forest and
making his way to T and his bonfire .
Jin Xi watches quietly staring at his back view, his short black hair, his fair
white neck, and the dark and damp part of his pants that has been stained with
blood . Her tears finally flow out of her eyes .

Chapter 41
Chapter 41
Chapter 41: T’s Torture Chamber
From the little memory that Jin Xi has, she does not recall any imagery
similar to this——
She stays where she is, while he turns around and heads towards danger .
But at this moment, as she’s watching his back view, she feels as if there was
another Bai Jin Xi on some day of a certain month and year in the past who
was full of tears but could only stand quietly from where she was .
Han Chen . Han Chen .
This clear and simple name that she has called out a thousand times . Now
that she repeats it in her heart, why does it feel deeply imprinted in her with a
sense of yearning?
For a split second, a strange but blurry thought floats across her mind . But
she doesn’t manage to grasp onto it and lets it get away in a flash .
She also doesn’t have time to think about it . It’s because Han Chen is
already approaching the empty space beside the bonfire near T, drawing one
long and one short shadow on the two of them . T acts right away . At the
speed of lightning, he pulls the rifle from his back, holds it up and aims! Its
mouth is pointing directly at Han Chen’s forehead .
“Long time no see, Han Chen . ”
It’s extremely quiet as if no one is around, so Jin Xi hears T’s voice loud and
clear . She’s stunned for a second .
Han Chen lifts up his gaze and looks at T .

T is not planning to elaborate . He uses the gun to point to a fallen log that’s
about two meters away from him and smiles saying, “Even for me, I don’t
dare to let you come close . Have a seat first . Not everyone has arrived yet .
”
Han Chen glances at him, turns around to walk to the thick log and sits .
“Where’s she?” T asks as he puts the rifle back on his back, “You can’t bear
to let her come with you?”
Han Chen puts both hands on his lap and answers calmly, “Mm, I can’t bear
to . ”
Hearing his deep and low voice from afar, Jin Xi feels her heart sink .
Yet T reveals a slight smile . He has refined facial features, to begin with, so
smiling actually makes him look cute and gentle .
“You’re just the same as always . You haven’t changed one bit,” he says .
Han Chen stares at him and doesn’t say anything .
The very next moment, they hear the sound of moaning behind them . It’s
actually Xia Zi and Professor Sun slowly waking up as they raise their heads
and turn this way .
Han Chen looks up over at them . T has his back towards them, sitting still
and not budging .
“Han Chen, if a person’s heart is blinded by filthiness, what do we have to do

to let it return to its pure state?” he asks as if he’s talking to himself .
“No one’s heart is completely pure . But the answer to your question is
definitely not the method that you’re using,” Han Chen answers slowly .
T lifts his head to look at the pitch blackness in front of him and doesn’t say
anything .
“What’s going on? Wh-What are you guys planning to do?” Xia Zi has
recovered her consciousness completely, and she starts struggling to break
free from the ropes in panic .
Professor Sun’s face is also pale . He uses all his strength to try to get himself
out but realizes that he can’t move at all .
T looks down, pulls out the knife from his boot and stands up . It’s as if he
could sense Han Chen’s gaze behind him, he chuckles, “You probably don’t
remember this . Within two meters, my gun isn’t as fast as you . But when
it’s more than two meters, I can kill you easily . Therefore, stay where you
are and don’t move . Unless you want to die with them . ”
Han Chen’s hands form into fists slowly, yet his face shows a slight smile,
“You’re certain about that? You think the Han Chen from five years later will
still be as slow as before?”
His words make T’s movements pause for a second, but T doesn’t turn around
. He walks to the front of Xia Zi and Professor Sun while spinning the knife
in his right hand quickly; only streaks of shiny whiteness flashing on his palm
can be captured by the naked eye .
Xia Zi is terrified . She chokes, “Xiao You……What do you want to do? Are
you the same as Ke Fan and the others?”
Although Professor Sun hasn’t said anything, his expression is full of fright .
T stands in front of Xia Zi .
“Le Luo Xia, Li Ming Yue, Zhang Mu Han,” he recites the three names,
“witnessed Gu Ran being raped, but didn’t bother to save her and even helped
them cover it up . You all deserve to die . ”
The moment he says the name, “Gu Ran,” Xia Zi’s and Professor Sun’s
expressions both change .
“Who…Who…are you?” Xia Zi asks in a shaky voice .
But T doesn’t answer . He walks to the front of Professor Sun, “After being
raped by those three, she bumped into you, pleading you to take her back to
the tent . But you refused to do so . The reason was that you didn’t want to
delay finishing the combat mission . Don’t you think you deserve to die or
what?”
Professor Sun is speechless, “I didn’t know she was……”
Han Chen watches the scene quietly .
And Bai Jin Xi, who’s meters away, also hears the name “Gu Ran” for the
first time . But she can already tell what happened back then based on T’s
words .
She’s lying on the tree by herself . Everywhere around her is dark . She’s
feeling sleepy, but in this current situation, she’s mentally tense, so it’s
impossible to sleep . Therefore, her consciousness becomes clouded despite
her eyes are open, looking in Han Chen’s direction, and listening to them
speak . And probably because she’s lying down, the pain in her chest and
stomach seems to have subsided a bit . She knows that it must have been due
to Ke Fan striking her with the wooden bat, causing her to bleed internally .
Good thing that Han Chen doesn’t know this .
In the next second, she hears Han Chen say suddenly, “I have two questions .
”
Jin Xi knows that Han Chen is probably trying to divert T’s attention in order
to look for an opportunity to save Xia Zi and Professor Sun .
Just as she thought, T turns around and looks at him .
Han Chen stands up slowly with both of his hands in his pockets . He glances
at Xia Zi and Professor Sun, and says with a calm expression, “Firstly, when
you killed Yan Er, why didn’t you use a gun, and used a knife instead?
Secondly, when you called the police station and told us that you had already
killed a person . Who was it?”
Just as he finishes and before T answers, Xia Zi cries out, “Police? You’re a
police officer? Hurry and save us then! Arrest him now!”
Jin Xi wants to frown on the treetop . And Han Chen does actually frown as
he looks at her, “You shut up . ”
Xia Zi is struck dumb as she opens her mouth a few times but makes no
sound .
T laughs sarcastically . He looks towards Han Chen and answers, “For your
first question, I didn’t use a gun because they……” his expression turns cold,
“aren’t worthy of me firing a gun at them . As for your second question……”
he pauses and stares at Han Chen in silence, “I’m sure you already know . ”
Han Chen doesn’t respond, confirming his statement tacitly .
Jin Xi hears them clearly from behind, and all kinds of guesses flash hazily in
her mind . But this kind of guessing is such a frightening thing; she feels cold
sweat running down her back .
Footsteps .
They’re coming closer; unsteady and light footsteps .
“Over there . There’s fire,” someone in the darkness around them says in a
low voice .
It sounds like Fang Xu .
Jin Xi watches their figures appear in the forest from afar while she’s lying on
the tree . Every one of them has a knife in their hands . Their expressions
look even colder and impatient than before as they run towards T and Han
Chen .
Jin Xi suddenly remembers what T said just now——
If a person’s heart is blinded by filthiness, what do we have to do to let it

return to its pure state?
She thinks calmly . What they should be worrying about is not her and Han
Chen’s safety, but rather, those three people’s lives!
Han Chen and T obviously also spots the three of them appearing .
And Xia Zi and Professor Sun are so horrified that they can’t even speak .
The fire lights up Han Chen’s face; fair white, cold, and handsome . And his
pair of rich dark brown eyes reflects the dancing fire .
“Don’t come over if you don’t want to die!” he shouts .

Ke Fan and the other two exchanges eye contacts, but they walk even closer .
T also says, “Big Ke, I’ve captured Xia Zi and Professor Sun for you, but I
couldn’t pin down this Han Chen . You guys come over, and we can fight
against him together . ”
Ke Fan’s eyes shimmer . He looks at Han Chen with a vicious gaze, walks
around him and towards T .
“Xiao You, nice job,” he says in a low voice, “If the four of us can bury all of
their bodies here, you also don’t have to die . ”
“He’s a serial killer,” Han Chen speaks again, looking at them coldly, “I’m a
police officer . I came to chase after him . The recent cases of serial shooting
in the city were all done by him . If you guys go over, you’ll die! Don’t go
over!”
Ke Fan and the other three pause in shock and stare at T .
T doesn’t say anything . He simply shakes his head towards Ke Fan .
As if he has made up his mind, Ke Fan looks at Han Chen and says ruthlessly,
“Even if you’re a police office, you still have to die!” Fang Xu is
expressionless, while Zhang Mu Han shows his support, “Who are you
kidding? Who believes you?”
Jin Xi, who’s listening from afar, can’t help but sneer .
They sure deserve what they get .
Han Chen stands where he is and says no more . But his eyes follow them
and T at all times .
Ke Fan walks to stand beside T and gives him a pat on the shoulder . The
four of them all look at Han Chen .
“Go! Kill him,” Ke Fan orders .
Everything happens in a split second . Ke Fan, who’s full of viciousness,

suddenly feels a sharp pain in his right wrist . He looks down out of reflex
but hears a “crack” sound from his bones breaking . He sees that his hand has
been twisted into an unimaginable shape . The knife that he was holding has
already fallen out of his hand . But in the corner of his eye, he sees Han Chen
in front of him, running towards them at full speed!
In the next second, T, who is standing behind him, holds up the knife, stabs
his back right away and pulls it all the way down .
The flesh and bones are exposed hideously in front of everyone . Fang Xu
and Zhang Mu Han takes a few steps back in shock . Ke Fan, who can’t see
his back, screams in agony .
T finishes quickly; he pulls out the knife instantly . Ke Fan, who has almost
been completely split into two, falls heavily onto the ground and starts to
struggle and wail . Just as T is about to stab Zhang Mu Han, his hand is
grasped by someone in midair . Han Chen aims and punches his abdomen
three times with a cold face . T bends over in pain, unable to move .
And at this moment .
Zhang Mu Han takes a stab with his knife .
He was standing behind T looking full of fright, so no one took notice of him
. His sudden stab actually succeeds as it punctures T’s back .
T moans and is unable to straighten his back anymore . Han Chen frowns his
eyebrows with fierce looking eyes . He kicks Zhang Mu Han, making him
fall to the ground .
Fang Xu, who has been keeping a distance in the corner, suddenly swings his
knife towards Han Chen! Han Chen holds onto T with one arm while
dodging Fang Xu’s attack . But he feels T slipping from his arm at the same
time; T actually breaks free . Zhang Mu Han has somehow also gotten up
from the ground and is holding his knife trying to make a move on Han Chen
. Han Chen is receiving attacks left and right . He reaches out and strangles
Zhang Mu Han with one hand, making him unable to move . He stretches out
his leg and kicks Fang Xu in the waist, causing him to trip and sit on the
ground . He manages to take control of these two, but when he raises his
head to look, he sees a meandering streak of blood headed in the direction of
the forest . T is nowhere to be found .
Han Chen feels his insides burning up as he holds them both against a tree
and ties them up with the ropes left behind by T . He then turns around and
looks briefly in the direction of where Jin Xi is .
Jin Xi feels trepidation from watching the fight just now . Now that she sees
him looking her way, she feels as if her heart is beating in sync with his every
movement as if it’s got a life of its own .
Xia Zi, who has been too afraid to make any noise, speaks suddenly, “Mr .
Officer, you’re amazing! Hurry and untie me . These two bastards have done
it to themselves!” She even spits on Zhang Mu Han’s face at the end .
Fang Xu’s face is all pale, while Zhang Mu Han’s face turns red and then pale
. He seems to finally believe Han Chen’s identity as he turns his head with all
his might and pleads looking at Han Chen, “Mr . Officer, Mr . Officer! I had
no choice! I was forced into it! I didn’t want to kill anyone! But if I didn’t,
we would all die!”
Han Chen stares at him coldly . Xia Zi shouts back on the other side, “Mr .
Officer, don’t listen to him! Put him in the death row! Sentence them to
death! They raped Gu Ran and then killed her! They should be sentenced to
death!”
“We didn’t kill Gu Ran!” Fang Xu roars all of a sudden, “We toyed with her,
but not to the point of killing her!”
Zhang Mu Han turns around, and actually kneels on both knees towards Han
Chen, “Mr . Officer, let’s get out of here quickly! Please save us! It was Ke
Fan who recognized those people . After they had fun with Gu Ran, she got
lost in the forest and was taken away by those people . They are scary and are
absolutely inhuman! Ke Fan bumped into them on the mountain and saw
them kill Gu Ran . He didn’t dare to make a sound and ran away secretly! It
was Ke Fan! He was the one who said that Gu Ran was killed by those
people! They must have wanted to silence everyone who knew about what
happened back then . Therefore, Ke Fan went to beg them and came to an
agreement with them . As long as, as long as……”
Han Chen grabs his collar in an instant and lifts him up onto his feet, “As long
as what?”
“As long as we give them the three girls and hand over all of our money, we
won’t have to die,” Fang Xu shouts in a raspy voice .
Han Chen lets go of Zhang Mu Han’s collar immediately, making him fall
back onto the ground .
“Them? Who are they?” Xia Zi asks trembling, “Could it be……”
Han Chen has his head down . Jin Xi can’t make out his expression from afar
.
But some pieces of imagery and voices cross through her mind in high
speed……
T wants to carry out punishment, but he purposely chooses this lonely

mountain that has a few farm houses reside .
Last night, when the old man and his two sons entered, the stiff expression on
Ke Fan’s face;
In the middle of the night, the old man left the room and went to the backyard
. Ke Fan and Fang Xu followed after him by saying that they needed to go to
the washroom as an excuse;
The location of where Li Ming Yue died was not in her blanket . She had
been dragged to the doorway and almost outside;
And the dialogue between the old man and his son:
“Your youngest brother hasn’t come back from fishing yet?”
“No . He has most likely gone to have fun in the city . ”
……
T said: “Oh, and one more thing, because I almost got caught by you guys
today, I’ve already killed a person in advance to retaliate . ”
“Who was it?”
“I’m sure you already know . ”
……
The scariest thought in her mind has been confirmed . Jin Xi jerks her head
up to look over; all she can see is the bonfire getting stronger, contrasting the
sense of fear coming from the four people . Han Chen’s face is as cold as ice,
but it’s handsome, solemn and captivating as usual .
Therefore, he told her not to come down no matter what happened .
As if to confirm what everyone feared and speculated, they suddenly hear

unsteady footsteps coming from the forest around them .
There are more and more of them, coming nearer and nearer .
Han Chen walks to the front of Xia Zi and Professor Sun . He cuts their ropes
loose and tosses them each a knife . But Professor Sun’s face is completely
pale, and Xia Zi is so scared that she can’t even hold the knife firmly . Zhang
Mu Han cries out quickly, “Give me one as well! Give me one!”
Han Chen says coldly, “Give you one? Are you going to stab them, or me?”
Zhang Mu Han is lost without words .
The footsteps are getting closer .
The bonfire burns high into the air, lighting up the whole forest; no one can
hide themselves or their secrets .
The old man, his two sons, and five to six other farmers . They’re all holding
sickles, axes, and kitchen knives as they surround Han Chen and the few of
them .
There are no expressions on their faces . Such scary looking faces;

insensitive and indifferent . Those lifeless eyes seem to have only one thing
remaining——desire .
Jin Xi takes a deep breath slowly . She rests her head onto the tree trunk .
The coolness of the tree trunk permeates into her skin . It’s cold, yet it helps
keep her awake .
She agreed to not go with Han Chen just now only because she was afraid to
become his burden . But their opponent is not T anymore, it’s these farming
men .
Her chest and stomach aren’t hurting as much anymore . Or maybe she has
become numb from the pain . One more helper is still helpful . If she goes all
out, it’ll at least lend him some help .
She pulls out the knife from her boot, slides down from the big tree and one
step at a time, she grits her teeth and heads towards Han Chen .
_____
At the forestry armed forces base ten meters away on the outside .
It’s exactly 3 am, but the site is still well lit . The SWAT team in their full
gear, armed forces and the experienced criminal investigators are making
their final decisions .
The propellers of a couple of helicopters have already started spinning . Zhou

Xiao Zhuan, Cold Face, and Chatterbox follow the SWAT team and hop onto
one of the helicopters .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is on the phone with Qin Wen Long, “Yes, we have already
gotten onto the helicopters! We have already locked onto the target . T is
You Chuan——he was the only one who didn’t participate in the CS
competition that year . ”
Right after he hangs up, his cell phone rings again . This time, it’s Xu Si Bai .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan answers immediately, “Forensic Investigator Xu! Are there
results on Gu Ran’s autopsy report?”
The sound of cars honking comes on; Xu Si Bai seems to be driving . He

doesn’t answer Xiao Zhuan’s question right away . Instead, he asks in an
extremely cold voice with a hint of anxiousness, “Xiao Zhuan, tell me first
——Where is Jin Xi? Is she on the mountain?! Is she chasing after that
serial sniper?”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is dumbstruck .
This is a big case, even though the police have not made it public . But it’s
only sooner or later that Xu Si Bai would hear about the case from other
internal departments .
“Mm,” Xiao Zhuan says hesitantly, “She went with Han Chen . But we are
taking action to go save her immediately!”
Xu Si Bai on the other end is silent for a while .
“I’m on the road and will be in City Lan soon . I’ll go with you guys,” he
seems to have taken a few deep breathes to calm himself down, “And I have
results from the report that you asked me to review . Based on the incident,
there are no unusual points . However, after I compared the area’s
surrounding from the other four incidents that happened in the last two years,
I found something interesting . ”
“The other incidents? What did you find?”
“The three deceased women and one man including Gu Ran, all tripped and
fell into the water . Their cause of death was due to low temperature in the
water, dying from hypothermia . This is very conflicting . Usually, most
people who fall into a river die from drowning . And then there is a small
percentage of people who are washed downstream by the strong current and
died from being knocked in the head by floating logs or rocks . It is the least
likely for someone to die from hypothermia . It is because it only takes 6
minutes for a person to die from drowning, while it takes more than thirty
minutes to hours for someone to die from hypothermia . However, these four
victims all died from hypothermia .
“I don’t understand……”
“Xiao Zhuan, think about it for a second . The four victims were all athletic
and enjoyed the outdoors . I would imagine that they would all know how to
swim . What could it have been that caused all of them to be floating in the
cold river for a long period of time before they died?”
Xiao Zhuan’s eyes are wide open, “Wh-What you’re saying is……these four
incidents weren’t accidents, but rather, they were part of a serial killing case?”
“It’s very possible,” Xu Si Bai answers, “If such a serial killer exists, then it
makes sense that the killer did not just push the victims into the river and let
them be taken away by the current . The killer would not have been able to
confirm the victims’ deaths this way . Whereas if the victims died from
hypothermia, there would be no obvious wounds, and the police would not
suspect otherwise . ”

Chapter 42.1
Chapter 42.1
Chapter 42: Confidante (1 of 3)
To Fang Xu, what happened at the time was like a bizarre dream; exciting,
despicable, horrifying, disgusting, and a tremendous sense of ecstasy .
The hazy night, the fragrance of the beautiful woman and her wailing and
resistance were like stimulants, awakening the beast-like nature of every man
. Pure pleasure . The greatest pleasure . Even Ke Fan said that it was the
most thrilling experience out of all the times that he had done it .
“We’ll look for you again in a few days,” Yan Er said . Just before leaving,
he caressed Gu Ran’s face and then threw the clothes back to her . When the
three of them walked out of the forest, Fang Xu turned around and saw that
Gu Ran had slid down from the tree and was sitting on the ground . The
sound of whimpering could be heard coming from the forest while she picked
up the clothes and started putting them back on .
“Big Ke, she won’t report it to the police, would she?” Fang Xu asked .
Big Ke lit up a cigarette and answered, “Would she have the courage to do so?
Didn’t we tell her just now? Would she want to lose her job? Or lose her
reputation? If anything happens to us, she and her poor mom and dad can end
their lives . ”
Yan Er smiled, “Relax . She definitely won’t have the guts to . ” He

chuckled again, “Fang Xu, just throw her some money afterward . Use a
carrot and stick . She might even come back to us willingly then . ”
Thinking that he would be able to enjoy playing with this woman with his
buddies, Fang Xu was convinced . He nodded, “Okay . I’ll take care of it . ”
No one knew how Gu Ran bumped into those farmers and was abducted by
them . But some things happened like it was fate . On the second day, all
three of them also took part in searching for Gu Ran . Unlike the others, they
had a rough idea of where Gu Ran was on the night before, so they headed to
the location first . They wanted to find her before everybody else so that they
could threaten her some more as well as offering her some money in case she
wanted to make it a big deal .
But it was not until late night that they spotted Gu Ran by the river about a
few kilometers away with the group of farmers .
Gu Ran was in the water, trembling from being cold . The farmers, on the
other hand, were standing by the shore .
The three of them didn’t dare to make a sound . They hid behind bushes
about a few meters away, watching them . It was October already, so the river
on the mountain was cold like ice . They didn’t know how long Gu Ran had
been in the waters . Her face was pale, her lips were purple and she looked as
if she was unaware of her surroundings . She wasn’t crying . She was
shaking while standing in the water that was up to her neck .
She didn’t dare to walk up to the shore . It was because there were two
farmers holding a machete and a wooden bat, guarding her at the shore .
Whenever she came near, a loud “thump!” sound could be heard from the
machete striking a rock, scaring her to retreat .
“How much longer?” one of the farmers asked .
“It’s about time . This one isn’t as strong as the last one,” another farmer said
.
“Her skin is so smooth, but her boobs are a bit small . ”
“Then how come you had her twice at noon today?”
“Hahaha——”
All the farmers laughed . Their honest looking faces made it seem like they
were only discussing the weather and their harvest .
“Shit……” Yan Er cursed softly, “They’re trying to kill Gu Ran, aren’t they?”
Fang Xu’s heart pounded heavily hearing his words . He asked without
thinking, “Should we call the cops?”
Ke Fan and Yan Er kept silent for a few seconds .
“Let’s go,” Ke Fan said in a low voice .
Fang Xu didn’t talk back . The three of them left the area quietly .
Some things didn’t need to be spoken about . If they called the police to save
Gu Ran, then the three of them raping her would be exposed . But if Gu Ran
died, she would be the only person dead .
Furthermore, those farmers were scary people .
They were also scared of them .
After they had walked far away enough, they couldn’t help turning around to
look . Through the intersecting trees, they could see that Gu Ran was floating
on the surface of the river . The farmers by the shore were all standing up .
One of them used a wooden bat and poked at Gu Ran’s body, “Dead . ”
……
It was later that the local people called the police about discovering a dead
female body . The three of them remained silent and didn’t go watch the
others fetch the body . They only heard that the body was carried by the
water to a rather desolated area . The paths there were convoluted and
dangerous . Not only cars couldn’t get through, it was also impossible for
normal people to get there . They later heard that it was Gu Ran’s family who
spent over tens of thousands of dollars in order to find some local people who
would be willing to risk being in danger and help them retrieve the body .
……
If Fang Xu knew that he would bump into those farmers again, he would not
have come regardless of how much the prize money was .
But Gu Ran died on a different mountain . Who knew that they would move
their homes to a different area? They must have done too many bad things
and are afraid of being caught by the police?
And yet it’s just such a coincidence that the competition takes place at their
new homes .
He remembers clearly the feeling of fright and disgust he felt in his heart the
moment he saw those farmers at the house they stayed in .
He remembers after following Ke Fan to the backyard, Ke Fan said almost in

a panic, “It has to be them! Otherwise, how would Yan Er have died from
being slashed in the throat? They’re planning to kill us all! There isn’t
anybody else on this mountain!”
“What should we do then?” he asked .
Zhang Mu Han was also following them . Although he didn’t know what
happened back then, he knew that they had to act fast . After a long moment
of silence, Ke Fan raised his head and said fearlessly, “There’s no other way .
I don’t want to die either way . We should take a chance! What these
farmers want are women and money . Let’s negotiate with them . They can
have all three women and we won’t stop them! We’ll also keep everything a
secret . ”
Zhang Mu Han, who came out with them was dumbstruck, “No! Not Xia
Zi……”
Ke Fan interrupted him, “Do you want your girlfriend or your life?”
Zhang Mu Han couldn’t respond .
Fang Xu spoke, “But……that means the three of them will not be able to live
. ”
Ke Fan said coldly, “Having three people die is better than having everyone
die, isn’t it? Do you not remember how Yan Er died?”
Zhang Mu Han and Fang Xu both didn’t say anything . It was because Yan
Er’s death was too horrifying . Someone who was just alive a minute ago was
drained of all his blood in the next minute .
Ke Fan continued with his plan, “……tell those farmers, a lot of people know
about this competition . If all of us are killed, the police will definitely find
them . If only the three girls die, then we can make it look like an accident
just like how they did it with Gu Ran . We’ll be their alibi when the time
comes and say that it was those three girls who got lost . The police will
never guess that we would be accomplices!”
Later, Ke Fan went into the small house and negotiated with the old man .
Not long after, he came out, looking not too happy or gloomy . He said, “He
agreed . But he wants us to get the three women tied up and take it to them . ”
Zhang Mu Han almost lost his balance after hearing this, “They want to get us
involved in this! This old geezer is so sly!”
Ke Fan added, “At this point, we’ve got no choice! Or do you want to die?
Xiao You is trustworthy and Professor Sun will definitely not tell anyone .
It’s just that Han Chen most likely won’t agree to let go of his girlfriend, and
he won’t be easy to fight against . Let’s take care of him first in a bit . ”
Zhang Mu Han thought for a moment and said, “Li Ming Yue is sick, so l-let’s
capture her first!” He looked as if he wanted to cry and depressed at the same
time, “Xia Zi……let’s capture her last!”
Ke Fan and Fang Xu didn’t object .
……
Thinking back to everything that happened afterward was like a dream to

Fang Xu . It was out of their control, yet it was more frightening and gory
than they had first imagined .
Ke Fan headed off in the dark to finish Han Chen, while he and Zhang Mu
Han went to capture Li Ming Yue……The lights suddenly came on . His
hand slipped and blood was already flowing out of Li Ming Yue non-
stop……And then he realized that they had to kill even more people . They
must kill Han Chen, kill Bai Jin Xi, and kill Professor Sun and Xiao You in
order to cover this up……And then he followed the source of light and got
here . Xiao You suddenly killed Ke Fan, and Zhang Mu Han stabbed Xiao
You……
And now, he and Zhang Mu Han have been tied up by Han Chen, while Xiao
You is nowhere to be found . But they are already surrounded by a bunch of
crazy farmers .
Ever since they entered the mountain, there has been an invisible hand
guiding and driving all the events . And they could only keep walking farther
and deeper, and can no longer escape .
……
The wind blows across the dancing fire, causing the flames to leap up into the
sky, like a golden snake, twisting above everyone’s heads .
Fang Xu is quiet . Zhang Mu Han beside him, on the other hand, starts
shouting, “Old friend! Old friend! We’re over here! Hurry and catch them!
We’ll help you guys!”
Just as he finishes speaking, Fang Xu is expressionless . Han Chen in the

front doesn’t turn around either . Professor Sun turns his head suddenly and
roars, “Shut up! Are you even human!”
After Xia Zi received a knife, she has been standing with her back towards
Zhang Mu Han and doesn’t bother looking at him . But she turns around
suddenly and stabs Zhang Mu Han in the chest .
Han Chen, Professor Sun, and Fang Xu all turn to look . They see Zhang Mu
Han opening his mouth, but is unable to make any sound . Blood is rushing
out from his chest . And Xia Zi has started crying, trembling as she lets go of
the knife and backs up a few steps .
“Zhang Mu Han,” she says, “we all have to die now . ”
Not far from where they are, the farmers have already started moving closer .
_____
Jin Xi is standing behind some bushes that are as tall as a person, watching
the group of people and at Han Chen .
Even when they’re in a life and death situation like this, he doesn’t seem to be
in the slightest bit of panic . His left hand is in his pocket, while his right
hand is resting on the side of his body holding a knife . His dark brown eyes
scan the faces of the farmers quietly .
Jin Xi knows very well that he is observing and plotting at the same time . He
is trying to see how he can take down 9 opponents by himself .
She smiles suddenly .
She lowers her head, uses her hand to pinch between her eyebrows and rub
her temples to let herself feel more awake . She holds the knife in her hand,
pushes the bushes aside and walks out .
The moment she appears, the farmers look over immediately . She can see
their disgusting glowing eyes as she glares back at them coldly .
Professor Sun and Fang Xu then turn their heads to look, but don’t say
anything .
Lastly, it’s Han Chen .
He turns his head slowly and stares at her for a quick moment . His eyes are
dark and deep-set like a bottomless hole, causing Jin Xi’s heart to shake .
She walks to his side while looking straight, but she reaches out to give his
hand a squeeze .
“I’m done resting . I’m not lying,” she says softly, “Leader, it’s time to use
my help when it comes to fighting against these crooks . ”
Han Chen looks at the side of her face .
He then smiles slowly .
Jin Xi feels her hand being gripped . He’s holding her hand instead of letting
her hold his .
“Okay,” he says softly .
It’s such a simple one-word response, yet Jin Xi feels that he has responded
with a thousand words in her heart .
She turns her head and glances at the farmers indifferently . She raises her
voice and says crisply, “They have 9 people in total . I’ll take 3, and you take
6 . Any objections?”
“Nope,” Han Chen says casually .

Fang Xu, Xia Zi, and Professor Sun behind them watch and listen to their
conversation, and doesn’t butt in .
The farmers make eye contact with each other and continue moving forward .
Jin Xi looks down and points to Ke Fan’s hideous looking dead body and
says, “Oh right, this guy was killed by him just now when he tried to escape .
” She points to Han Chen, and then gestures to them, “Who wants to be next?
Come . ”
Farmers clearly don’t understand mind games . After hearing what she said
and taking a look at the body, they are stunned immediately and all pause
their footsteps .
Jin Xi is pleased with their reactions . She knows that no matter what she
says, they won’t stop now . But as long as she can knock down their
confidence, she and Han Chen will have a greater chance at defeating them .
Just as she’s about to continue, they hear the old man say calmly, “They only
have 4 people and 2 of them are women . We have 9 people! Go!”
At the end of his last word, the other eight farmers all raise their sickles, axes,
and wooden bats as they shout, “ahhhh,” and charge towards them!
Xia Zi and Professor Sun step backward . Jin Xi doesn’t budge beside Han
Chen . She takes a deep breath, clears her mind and gets ready to fight .
“Bai Jin Xi,” he calls her suddenly .
“Hm?”
“Now you’re more like Han Chen’s confidante,” he says calmly .
As if something has just poked her heart lightly, Jin Xi turns to look at him
out of reflex .
And at this instant, all they hear is the sound of guns firing out of nowhere,
“bang, bang, bang, bang!——” Jin Xi can only see that each of the farmers’
body shake and fall down with a thump . In the next second, Han Chen wraps
his arm around her shoulders and forces her to fall down to the ground . Xia
Zi screams as she ducks down with Professor Sun .
“Ahhh——Ahhh——” the farmers cry in pain . But the bullets come too fast
and disappear quickly . Jin Xi is pressed to the ground with Han Chen on top
of her . She can vaguely make out about ten or so gunshots .
Once the sound of gunshots end, they both look up . The first thing that they
see is all the farmers lying on the ground . Their facial expressions are all
twisted due to pain as they are unable to move . Every one of them has a
bullet in their knee .
9 people; 18 gunshots; none wasted, crippling both of their legs .
Footsteps are coming from one side of the bonfire .
Han Chen pulls Jin Xi up . They see that T has returned . He’s carrying an
AK47 as he walks out of the forest slowly . His face is a bit pale . His
abdomen, which has been stabbed by Zhang Mu Han, has already been
wrapped up . But blood can still be seen seeping through the gauze .
And his gun is aiming at the farmers . Even though he is walking very
slowly, he is holding his gun extremely steady .
Han Chen and Jin Xi watch him quietly .
All of a sudden, the farmer closest to them, which is that old man, climbs up
from the ground and attempts to stab his leg with a knife! Before the knife
even reaches T, a smirk flashes across T’s face .
“Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!——” another round of gunshots . Xia Zi

screams, “AHHH!” Even Jin Xi has her eyes wide open in shock . Han
Chen, on the other hand, shows no expression on his face .
The gunshots from just now have all been fired at the old man’s head one
after the other, causing it to be all mushed up . The sight of it is unbearable .
This time, all the farmers are completely shocked . They don’t even dare to
cry out . They stare at T speechlessly . T smiles holding his gun, “Everybody
is finally here . ”


Chapter 42.2
Chapter 42.2
People are squirming on the ground everywhere, yet T places the gun behind
his back and walks through them like there’s nobody there .
He goes back to the fallen log that he was at before and sits down .
“Han Chen, please give them your verdict,” he says .
Han Chen glances at the farmers and doesn’t say anything .
T lifts his head again and looks towards Bai Jin Xi, “You sit down as well,”
he pauses before continuing, “Ke Fan has already received his punishment . ”
Jin Xi takes a quick look at the body on the ground and suddenly understands
why T had to cut through Ke Fan’s back and kill him by using such a cruel
method .
It’s because Ke Fan swung a bat at her back and T saw it . An eye for an eye;
a taste of his own medicine .
Jin Xi has mixed feelings on this . After a moment of silence, she sits down
on another log .
Han Chen says, “I can make a verdict, but hand them over to me afterward .
They will be trialed in the courts, instead of you carrying out justice on your
own . ”
T looks straight and remains quiet for a few seconds .
“Okay . ”
Han Chen walks to Jin Xi and also sits down .

The auras from their bodies are mixed together again . Jin Xi feels a lot
calmer . She stares at the side of his face, and he’s also looking back at her
with the corner of his eye . Their eyes meet . They see the fire in each
other’s eyes, as well as each other’s dark, deep, and clear pupils .
Han Chen pauses his gaze on her for a moment before turning to look at the
front .
“How many people have you guys killed altogether?”
Following his question, T lifts up his gun again, pointing it directly at the
oldest looking farmer . The farmer trembles seeing the gun aimed at him and
stutters, “W-We’ve……k-killed……four . ”
Han Chen’s eyes become cold . But just before he speaks, a loud “bang”
appears . That farmer screams in pain as he covers his right shoulder .
Han Chen and Jin Xi both turn to look at T . T is still holding up the gun with
his eyes looking like they’re covered with a sheet of ice, “I’ll give you one
more chance . How many?”
The farmer says sounding like he’s about to cry, “S-Seven……Seven!”
Han Chen and Jin Xi remain quiet . T finally puts the gun down .
“Who were they?” Han Chen asks .
“6 of them were young backpackers, and one……one of them……” the

farmer hesitates, “was me grandpa . ”
Han Chen and Jin Xi are stunned . And Xia Zi and the others are so scared
that they don’t dare to make a sound . They’re afraid that T will go after them
once he finishes punishing the farmers .
“6 athletic outdoor people . 4 have been found, and their deaths were
concluded as accidental . The other two had too many obvious wounds .
They were dumped into the valley, and you policemen haven’t found them,”
T says .
The farmer’s face turns pale as if he has just seen a ghost, “H-How did you
know?”
T smiles coldly but doesn’t answer .
Han Chen takes a look at T and then continues asking, “Why did you kill
them?”
The farmer answers, “Backpackers who get lost usually have much good stuff
. If it was a girl, we would sleep with her . If we didn’t kill them, they would
have reported it to the police . Me grandpa had been against us doing this .
One time, he said he would go report it to the police, so dad told us to kill
him . ”
The dad that he’s referring to is the old man who is now lying on the ground
with only half of his head remaining .
Fang Xu, who’s been quiet all this time, speaks up, “They even made money
off of the dead . After Gu Ran died, her body was thrown into a quagmire .
They helped the family retrieve the body and asked for a couple ten thousand
dollars for it . ”
T’s expression is indifferent, and he doesn’t say anything . Jin Xi is disgusted

from hearing what happened . She examines each and every one of their
honest and unsophisticated looking faces . Are they even human? Once
morals have been lost, the only thing that’s left is everlasting gloominess .
“Lower than a lowlife . Despicable!” Han Chen condemns, pronouncing each

word slowly and with emphasis .
“Bastard!” Jin Xi curses as well .
None of the farmers say anything . Their expressions don’t seem to change
either .
“How did……you killed the victims?” Han Chen asks .
“We put them in the river and let them freeze for a few hours, and they die,” a
farmer answers .
Jin Xi knows a little bit about forensics, but she never thought that the farmers
would use such a good cover-up method to kill people . She asks, “How did
you know that you could kill people like this?”
Another farmer, who looks younger, responds, “M-Me fell into the mountain
flash flood when me was young . Me didn’t drown, but doctor said me almost
froze to death . He said people die when they stay in very cold water for a
few hours . Those backpackers all knew how to swim, so they wouldn’t
drown in water . Therefore, we did it this way, and the police never found out
. ”
The truth is almost completely exposed in front of everyone . The deaths and
secrets that have been buried deep in the mountain have finally been revealed
.
Jin Xi can almost picture the entire process when they were committing the
crime . She can imagine the torture that the victims went through and then
tossed into the cold waters . And the murderers standing by the shore,
guarding them until they died . At the end, their bodies were washed away by
the river current . Their bodies were scraped by the rocks in the stream, and
due to being in the water for a long period of time, they became bloated,
making them look like horrific giants . The cases were taken care of by the
police force and forensic investigators residing in the mountain area . Based
on each isolated case, they would only deem the victims’ deaths as being
caused by hypothermia . The murderers escaped successfully and continued
to stay and hunt in the deep parts of the mountain . They lived an ordinary
and hard-working life as farmers until the next victim came, where a new
cycle was unleashed with the reward of money .
……
“Time’s up,” T stands up .
Han Chen and Jin Xi exchange gazes and also stand up .
“T, keep your promise,” Han Chen walks up slowly, “Hand them over to me .
”
T’s expression is calm and unreadable . But Jin Xi notices that the gauze
around his waist has turned red from being soaked in blood .
“Okay,” he says softly .

All of a sudden, moving at the speed of lightning, he holds up the gun and
fires at the group of farmers! Han Chen and Jin Xi dash towards his left and
right!
“Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang——” a series of shots go off . But because
Han Chen is holding the gun barrel and Jin Xi is holding his wrist, all of them
end up in the air . But T has such great reflexes . He fires more shots again .
Han Chen has no choice but to release the burning barrel and dodge away
from the bullets . T’s body falls onto Jin Xi, causing her pain . Jin Xi feels a
rush of blood in her chest and stomach, so she releases his arm . She doesn’t
want to lose . She holds up her fist and attempts to punch him! But at the
very same time, T raises his gun and points it directly at her!
Jin Xi stares at the mouth of the gun and feels her heart freeze .
T wasn’t planning to kill the two of them, but now that they’re trying to stop
him from killing those farmers, he may really shoot her .
The second this comes to her mind, a figure dashes over and covers her
completely, blocking T’s gun .
Han Chen .
Jin Xi stares at his back, feeling a sharp pain in her chest .
Han Chen, I don’t need you to shield me from bullets . If you can’t bear to
see me get hurt, do you think that I can?
T watches Han Chen’s movements . He’s actually hesitating . When two top
experts fight, the winner may be decided by a minuscule difference . This
time, they’re standing very close, so it’s almost like a wrestling match . Like
a cheetah, Han Chen bends low and sprints forward . She can’t make out
what method he used, but he successfully snatches the gun away from T with
just one move!
Han Chen changes hands and turns the gun to point the other way! This
series of actions happen in a blink of an eye!
But T is just as fast . He pulls another gun, loads it, and aims! He also pulls
another handgun out from his waist .
The two aim their guns at each other in silence . No one makes a move .
Jin Xi is standing at the side between the two of them and also doesn’t dare to
move . It’s because whoever moves right now will trigger them to take action
.
Even when there are so many people here at the top of the mountain, no one
makes a sound . Everyone is watching these two men confronting each other
. Only the bonfire is still burning, making crackling sounds .
“T, you cannot shoot,” Jin Xi says slowly and lightly, “How many criminals
has he caught, and how many people has he saved in return? He is someone
who truly protects fairness and justice . If you shoot him, what justice can
you still speak of? What punishment can you speak of? No matter how many
criminals you kill, you cannot pay back his life . ”
Han Chen and T both don’t say anything . But Jin Xi knows that if T was
acting out of impulse just now, he should be much calmer now after hearing
her words .
The sound of propellers .
They suddenly hear the sound of propellers coming from the valley .
Han Chen, Jin Xi, and T are stunned . The others all turn and raise their
heads to look .


Chapter 42.3
Chapter 42.3
Very soon, the sound becomes louder and noisier . It sounds like there is
more than one helicopter circling the top of the mountain . And at the same
time, a number of searchlights shine into the sky as well as towards the top of
the mountain .
“You’re right,” T speaks suddenly, “your moves have gotten better than they
were five years ago . ”
Just when Han Chen is about to speak, he catches Jin Xi tripping on her
footstep with the corner of his eye . Her face is completely pale and looks as
if she is about to faint . He feels a squeeze in his heart . He holds the gun
steady on one hand and reaches his other arm out, pulls her over, and locks
her into his embrace .
She might have triggered the wound inside due to fighting with T just now .
Therefore, after Jin Xi finishes talking, she feels a bigger rush of blood than
before and her chest and stomach are hurting like they are going to explode .
She can feel Han Chen’s arm wrapped around her waist tightly . She leans
against his chest, sniffing the scent coming from his body, and her mind starts
to become blurry . She bites hard on her lip to wake herself up again .
“Internal bleeding,” T speaks, “She covered you when Ke Fan struck with a
bat . ”
But Jin Xi feels his arm holding her waist tightened . She looks up, and their
eyes meet .
Those dark brown eyes cause Jin Xi’s heart to skip a beat . She smiles
towards him and says softly, “I’m okay . ”
He’s breathing on her face but doesn’t respond . They both lift their heads
and look at T again .
At this very moment, three helicopters have already arrived and are circling
the area . Numerous searchlights illuminate everything that is happening on
the flat land at the top of the mountain . It’s as if everything will come to an
end . A number of rope ladders are thrown down from the helicopters; the
SWAT team and other armed policemen come down at full speed . And on
the helicopters, many guns are pointing at T, who’s in a confrontation with
Han Chen .
“Drop down your weapon! Put the weapon down immediately!” Qin Wen
Long’s voice comes on the loudspeaker, “Otherwise I will shoot!”
“Things should end where they started . That was my first case,” T looks at
them . The searchlights shine on his whole body, reflecting blinding yet
dismal rays of white . But he reveals the calmest smile, “I am one of the
serial killers from five years ago . I’m sorry . ”
Jin Xi and Han Chen are struck dumb .
They see T lift up his gun super fast and points it at his left chest suddenly .
Han Chen releases his arm around Jin Xi’s waist as he pounces forward!
It’s too late!
“Bang!”
Blood erupts instantly from T’s chest; the bullet has already gone through him
. Han Chen has only made it in time to hold onto his collar . The gun in his
hand has already fallen to the ground .
Jin Xi also falls to the ground after losing support; everything seems to be
going dark in front of her eyes . But she can still see Han Chen’s face turning
paler than she has ever seen . He hangs onto T’s collar, who’s almost on his
last breath, and roars, “Where is she? Where is my fiancee?”
Where is she?
My fiancee……Where is she?
The she who I’ve searched for many days and nights……where exactly is
she?
“I cannot tell you,” T closes his eyes slowly after saying these four words .
And Bai Jin Xi watches Han Chen’s body stiffen the moment he hears these
words . She can only feel a tremendous amount of pain stabbing her heart .
She can longer withstand and suppress the rush of hot liquid inside .
Everything in front of her becomes a blur, but Han Chen’s extremely
stubborn expression from just now is stuck in her mind like it has been
engraved with a hot iron .
Her eyes become watery, carrying a certain deep kind of grieve, yet she
doesn’t know why . She struggles to get up but falls to the ground again .
She can hear many footsteps coming from all around; many of them heading
in their direction . Jin Xi tries to get up again and manages to stand up, but
with a sound of retching, she lets out a big mouthful of blood .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is running among the crowd . With his sharp eyes, he spots
Bai Jin Xi walking with her back towards Han Chen . She looks a bit out of
it, and there is a big spot of blood stain in front of her chest . Zhou Xiao
Zhuan is scared out of his wits, “Xiao Bai!” He dashes over and embraces
her immediately .
“Xiao Zhuan……” Jin Xi’s tears flow from her eyes as she reaches out her
arms and hugs him tightly .
But she feels a strong pair of arms from behind suddenly, hugging her as if it
wants her to return to that familiar embrace . Jin Xi pushes that pair of arms
away, “Don’t touch me!” Many images and voices instantly flash across her
already chaotic mind like a train wreck——Him sitting behind the big wood
screen at Su Se Nightclub, the room permeated with the smell of cigarettes,
and the depressing yet surreal song, “Hunger”; him staring at her in the dark
holding a knife up her neck; him standing by the river in dim lighting with a
cigarette in his mouth and smiling towards her; him lifting her onto the tree
and telling her not to come down no matter what; and him standing beside her
and saying softly, “Now you’re more like Han Chen’s confidante……”
The overwhelming feeling of grief drowns out all of her willpower . She
reveals a self-mocking smile . Her eyes then go dark, and she falls into Zhou
Xiao Zhuan’s embrace .
_____
Jin Xi’s consciousness is hazy throughout the whole night .
She hears faintly the sound of propellers and senses people passing by her
every so often . She is placed lying down on a flat surface, but she constantly
hears the sound of the wind and other thrashing sounds .
The pain from her chest and stomach doesn’t subside, making her unable to
fall into a deep sleep but unable to open her eyes either .
“Ow……” she says softly, “Xiao Zhuan, it hurts . ”
In her half-conscious state, she seems to feel someone grabbing her hand, and
then she feels something warm and soft against the back of her hand .
She can sense that someone is staring at her .
“Xiao Zhuan……” she speaks again while still in a trance, “Tell me……how
can I have such bad luck……my parents are dead, and I’m the only one left .
I don’t have a single……friend or relative……”
The person doesn’t move as if he’s listening to her this whole time .
“I like my past boyfriend so much……” her tears begin to flow, “yet he left
me and married someone else……and now, now I like him, yet he has a
fiancee……he has……a fiancee……”
“Xiao Zhuan, I want to go back to Jiangcheng……I’m going back to

Jiangcheng . I don’t want to see him again……don’t want to again……”
“Why do I always……have such bad luck……I don’t want to anymore……”
“I don’t like him anymore……boohoohoo……I won’t like him

anymore……”
……
“Don’t like me?” a deep and raspy male voice says . It seems to carry the
strongest taste of bitterness, yet it is also full of longing and gentleness like
never before .
All of a sudden, she feels the softness and warmness on the back of her hand
disappear .
But in the next second, it is pressed heavily on her lips .
It has the familiar fragrance of cigarette as well as a certain kind of repression

and determination . He kisses her anxiously and forcefully . His tongue pries
open her cold and dry lips mercilessly, chasing her tongue in madness;
twining, sucking, not leaving her any room to breathe .
Her mouth still contains the aftertaste of blood . Mixing it together with his
taste creates a certain kind of sweetness and bitterness . Tears begin to shed
from her eyes, and then she feels him kiss even harder, almost sucking her
entire lips, kissing deeper and deeper .
Jin Xi feels that the emotions that have been suppressed inside her heart for a
long time are about to explode . She opens her eyes in a daze . Seeing his
blurry handsome face makes her feel wronged and hurt even more . She
reaches out her hands to push him away, but he embraces her tighter and
kisses her even harder .
……
“What are you doing?” she hears someone ask beside them, “Fellow Officer,
you can’t kiss her! She’s injured!”
She then feels her body sway a bit . Han Chen releases his arms around her
suddenly but instantly embraces her again .
“Can’t even pull them apart!” someone shouts .
……
Han Chen . Han Chen .
Just by reciting his name, how come she feels a certain kind of deepness and
entanglement from it?
How come she cannot reject his kiss?
Just like how she is unable to neglect what’s been buried in the deepest part of
her body, and the many years lost from longing and searching for it .
—End of Arc 2—


Chapter 43
Chapter 43
Chapter 43: Perhaps It’s You
The East side gradually reveals the marble white color of dawn .
The propellers continue spinning above their heads and many people are
running on the aircraft parking ground in a hurry . Zhou Xiao Zhuan hops off
of a helicopter and immediately spots Xu Si Bai, whom he has not seen for a
long while, standing not far away .
Xiao Zhuan runs over .
“Forensic Investigator Xu!”
Xu Si Bai is wearing a khaki color jacket . His features look even more
handsome and fair white in the morning sky .
“Where’s she?” his eyes are still watching the other helicopters landing and
taking off .
“She’s already on a helicopter,” Xiao Zhuan answers, “She should be arriving

soon . It’s just that……she’s injured and unconscious . ” He takes a peek at
Xu Si Bai’s expression after finishing . But he can’t tell what he’s thinking .
Another helicopter descends slowly .
Its door whooshes open . Two SWAT members jump down first .
As soon as Xu Si Bai and Xiao Zhuan see what’s happening on the helicopter,
they are stunned .
Bai Jin Xi is lying on a stretcher . Her eyes are closed, clearly in a state of
unconsciousness, but clear marks of tears are on her face . Han Chen is lying
on his stomach on her stretcher with his head leaning towards the side of her
face . His eyes are also closed and not budging .
“The guy is also unconscious!” someone shouts .
“Stretcher! Stretcher!”
Someone lifts Han Chen up immediately and away from Bai Jin Xi’s side and
puts him onto another stretcher . Xiao Zhuan rushes over right away, but
Forensic Investigator Xu is even faster than him . He dashes to Bai Jin Xi’s
stretcher in a few steps and follows her closely . Xiao Zhuan watches him,
lets out a sigh in his heart, and chases after him .
_____
Outside of the emergency room .
Bai Jin Xi and Han Chen are pushed inside one after the other . The rest of
the officers are stopped outside .
Xiao Zhuan, Chatterbox, and Cold Face all sit down and wait . After a while,
Chatterbox nudges Xiao Zhuan with his elbow and says softly, “Forensic
Investigator loves for our Xiao Bai for real . ”
Xiao Zhuan looks up and sees that Xu Si Bai is still standing outside of the
emergency room doors by himself . He stares through the glass windows in
full concentration .
They hear the sound of high heels walking through the hallway suddenly .
Everybody turns to look .
It’s Xin Jia .
She’s wearing a loose sweater and a blue long skirt . Her long hair is spread
across her shoulders, making her look even more gentle and pretty . She
stops right in front of Chatterbox with full of anxiousness, “How is Han
Chen?”
Chatterbox clears his throat lightly, stands up and answers, “Leader has gone
into the emergency room . We’re not too sure about his condition . ”
Xin Jia bites hard on her lip, causing it to fade in color .
At this moment, a doctor comes out and walks past everyone . Xin Jia pulls
onto him immediately, “Doctor! How is Han Chen doing?”
The doctor is of age and his facial features are dignified . He answers
impatiently, “How is he? You’re asking about the injured man, right? He has
lost too much blood, serious exhaustion, inflammation, and a fever! Even the
strongest person can’t bare all of this! Thank goodness that his life is not in
danger, but he’s in a lot of pain!”
Xin Jia is full of tears immediately .
“Doctor, how about Bai Jin Xi?” Xu Si Bai takes a step forward .
Xin Jia glances at him and doesn’t say anything .
The old doctor turns to look at Xu Si Bai and answers, “The injured woman is
in a better condition . Although she is vomiting blood, her main organs are
not wounded . We have already used medication to stop the internal bleeding
. She should be okay after resting a few weeks . ”
_____
At night .
Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi have been taken to their own sick rooms . It’s just
that they haven’t woken up yet .
Since it’s confirmed that they are okay, the members of the Black Shield
Team return to the office to continue working on T’s case .
Xiao Zhuan is reluctant to leave the hospital . He wants to take one last look
at the two of them . But when he arrives at Bai Jin Xi’s room, he sees Xu Si
Bai sitting by her bedside, holding onto one of her hands, staring at her, and
maintaining his position without moving . Jin Xi is in deep sleep and looking
peaceful .
Xiao Zhuan backs away from the room without making a sound .
When he arrives at Han Chen’s room, he sees the beautiful woman, Xin Jia,
curled up on the sofa beside the patient’s bed . She’s already asleep . Han
Chen, who’s lying on the bed not far away, is also in a deep sleep .
The scene from the mountaintop flashes across Xiao Zhuan’s mind——
Bai Jin Xi has her back towards Han Chen as she walks away in tears . And
Han Chen watches her with those eyes of his .
And then seeing what’s happening now . Xiao Zhuan feels a bit awkward
about it . He sighs again before turning around to leave .
_____
Han Chen keeps having dreams . His mind is hazy, with many unclear
thoughts floating across .
He is dreaming about that blurry woman whom he cannot catch . She lifts her
head and smiles at him, and he hears himself say, “Let’s get married after you
graduate . I won’t marry anyone else but you in my life . ”
He even sees Bai Jin Xi in his dream; the real she . In the dream, he embraces
and kisses her continuously like how he did on the helicopter just now . He
feels the warmth through the strands of her hair . Her lips and her tongue are
like a mysterious source of sweetness, captivating him, making him want
more and more of her .
……
He has always known that he likes this woman .
But he also knows very well the principles that he should abide——
Which is no matter how much he, Han Chen, likes her, he must not be with
her .
And over time, he likes her more and more, and he represses his feelings
more and more . It’s the first time in the past few years that he is becoming
more and more unable to control himself .
And therefore, on the helicopter today, after listening to her mumbling and
crying about feeling wronged and wanting to let go of her feelings for him, a
strong and deep desire to be tender to her crossed his heart instantly and broke
his rationality . The feeling surged through his bones and veins deeply . He
couldn’t control it, nor did he want to .
He lowered his head and kissed her .
He even didn’t want to let go .
……
He has always followed his rational thinking .
But for some things, he insists on following his instincts .
For example, when he woke up four years ago, everyone denied “her”
existence, but he insisted strongly on believing that she must have existed .
All because of the deeply ingrained emotions he felt for her surpassed all
other evidence .
And……
He, Han Chen, has never been a wavering man . So why is he having the
same strong feelings and affections for another woman? To the point that he
can no longer control his passionate desire to have her?
…… .
Perplexed, sweetness, guilt, desire……and many more strong emotions

crisscrossing his heart, causing his mind to be immersed in chaos .
And the many fragmented images and voices flashing across his dreams
continuously——
Him sitting in the resource room at the Guanhu station, flipping through Bai
Jin Xi’s profile . 24 years old, born and raised in Jiangcheng, graduated from
the Shahu Police Academy . He thinks to himself, there’s nothing special
about this woman .
Him embracing her while they ride on a motorcycle, speeding through the
alleyways of Jiangcheng . He feels her hair brushing across his face, and he
feels the warm and soft delicate body in his embrace . As if he’s possessed,
he actually doesn’t want to let go .
Him standing far away at the noisy cafeteria of the station . He sees Xin Jia
staring at Bai Jin Xi with a complicated look .
He and Bai Jin Xi at the Black Shield Team’s office listening to T’s request:
“I want Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi to be participants of the competition . ”
“Things should end where they started . It was my first case five years ago .
I’m sorry . ”
……
“Bai Jin Xi……Jin Xi……” he murmurs her name wanting to open his eyes,
but he falls into deep sleep again .
He’s not the only one in the room .
The lights are off . The dim lighting from the hallway shines through the
window, but the room is dark like dusk .
Xin Jia, who’s lying on the sofa, has already opened her eyes . She stares
blankly at Han Chen who’s lying on the bed .
She watches his handsome face frown from dreaming and listens to him
murmur another woman’s name repeatedly .
Xin Jia stares at him like this for a long time and then her tears begin to flow .
She gets up, walks to his bedside, and squats down .
She grabs one of his hand lightly and holds it in both of her hands tightly .
“Han Chen……” she says softly, “You’ll never be able to have her, Han Chen
. ”
She wipes her tears with her hand and says slowly, “Why can’t you
understand this? Whether it’s the first time or for a second time, the outcome
will not change . ”
_____
Late night at Black Shield Team’s office .

Qin Wen Long has brought along a few experienced criminal investigators
and is working with Chatterbox and the others on finalizing T’s case .
Chatterbox raises a question, “If we say that T’s motive was to avenge Gu
Ran as well as punishing the group of serial killers who had been hidden on
the mountain, then what was the reason for him to snipe the other five?”
A criminal investigator says, “He was punishing the evil either way . He
started with the small ones, and then finished the big one . ”
Qin Wen Long disagrees, “I don’t think he did it for just that . Turn on the
computer and take a look . Because of the previous cases, look at how much
attention T’s case is getting from the internet and the media? We haven’t
made a public announcement on the details of the case, but we’ll have to do it
sooner or later . We can all probably imagine how much impact this case will
be . It’ll definitely shake the whole nation . ”
Xiao Zhuan nods pensively, “It’s just like what Xiao Bai said . If T only
wanted to kill some people, it would have been very simple . But his goal
was to make them feel fright . He wanted to pin them onto the highest pole of
shame . Therefore, not only did he plan intricately on punishing these people,
he also stirred up the public’s emotions one step at a time . If he had simply
brought light to the Wulin Mountain case, there probably wouldn’t have been
this much attention . ”
Chatterbox flips through his recording documents and says, “Le Luo Xia,
Fang Xu, and the others mentioned a phrase that T had said: ‘if a person’s
heart is blinded by filthiness, what do we have to do to let it return to its pure
state?’”
Everyone is quiet .
Therefore, this was T’s goal?
Expose the filthiest heart in the world .
“There’s one more thing,” Cold Face, who has been quiet all this time, says
suddenly .
Everyone looks towards him .

“T mentioned this in the end: ‘he was one of the serial killers from five years
ago . ’ And he apologized to Han Chen . What big cases were there five
years ago?”
Everyone looks at each other . At the end, all their eyes fall onto Qin Wen
Long, the highest authority in the room .
Qin Wen Long shakes his head, “Han Chen was still in Beijing five years ago
. How would I know what cases he handled at the time?”
“When he wakes up tomorrow, let’s go and ask,” Chatterbox says .
Everyone nods .
Xiao Zhuan says suddenly, “That’s not right . If T selected the participants in
order to apologize for the case from five years ago, then why did he ask Xiao
Bai to go? Xiao Bai was still in the police academy five years ago, and she
couldn’t have handled the same case as Han Chen . ”
Everyone falls into deep thoughts .
Yeah, then why?
_____
Morning of next day .
Han Chen opens his eyes and the first he sees is an unfamiliar nurse . She is
taking his temperature . She smiles and says, “Mr . Officer, your fever has
subsided and so has your inflammation . How are you feeling? Your head
shouldn’t be feeling dizzy anymore . Are you feeling better now?”
Han Chen doesn’t respond .
He looks around and sees Chatterbox and Cold Face standing by the bed .
They smile seeing him opening his eyes .
There’s nobody else in the room .
She’s not here .
But seeing their expressions, she must be fine just like him .
He can’t help feeling cheerful inside his heart . He retrieves his gaze and
continues staring at the ceiling .
Chatterbox makes eye contact with Cold Face and says softly, “Leader hasn’t
become stupid from the fever, has he? How come he’s still in a daze?”
Cold Face answers firmly, “Impossible!”
It’s after his response that Han Chen finally looks at them again .
“I’m just thinking about some things,” he says indifferently .
“Oh……” Chatterbox feels relief .
All of a sudden, Han Chen presses his hands on the bed and sits himself up .
He’s actually thinking of getting out of his bed . The nurse is struck dumb
for a second before she stops him quickly, “You can’t get out of bed yet!”
Chatterbox and Cold Face hurries over . Chatterbox says, “Leader, what are
you doing? Lie down . Just let us know what you need . ”
Han Chen rips the needle from his arm and throws it aside, “Take me to see
Bai Jin Xi . ”


Chapter 44.1
Chapter 44.1
Chapter 44: Awakening of a Loyal Wolf (1 of 2)
The first thing Bai Jin Xi sees after waking up is the sunlight from outside the
window .
In the plain white colored room, an intravenous drip is still attached to the
back of her hand .
A man is sitting beside her bed .
He has his jacket off and is only wearing a white shirt with long brown
trousers . His elbows are on the bed while his hands are together and his face
is resting in his palms . He’s clearly sleeping .
Jin Xi looks at him and reveals a slight smile .
She looks around the room slowly . There is nobody in the room . The door
is open . She can see doctors and nurses walking down the hallway
frequently .
Where is he?
“You’re awake?” a mild voice with a hint of raspiness says .
Jin Xi turns around .
Xu Si Bai lowers his arms and stares at her quietly . The sun shines on his
face, accenting his refined facial features and his fair white skin . But his
eyes are bloodshot .
It’s the first time Jin Xi has seen him like this .
“How long have you been here?”

“I came after hearing that you went to the mountain,” he reaches out his hand
to feel her forehead’s temperature . His expression relaxes, “Your fever’s
gone now . ”
Jin Xi smiles, “I’m fine . It’s just a minor injury . ”
He glances at her, gets up to pour a cup of hot water, fetches a spoon, and sits
down again . He feeds it to her one spoon at a time .
Jin Xi takes a few sips . She shifts her gaze to the door again and asks,
“Where’s Xiao Zhuan?”
Right after she finishes, another spoonful of water is delivered to her mouth
again . She opens her mouth, drinks it, and asks, “Where’s Han Chen, who
was also injured? How is he?”
She doesn’t get a response .
Jin Xi turns her head and looks at him but sees that he has put the spoon down
and is drinking from the cup with his head down and not moving .
Jin Xi asks, “……What’s the matter?”
He keeps quiet for a while .
“Bai Jin Xi, I don’t care about other people . I only know that I saw you
being lifted off of the helicopter with your whole body covered in blood!”
Jin Xi is dumbstruck .
He puts the cup down . His refined facial features are full of coldness . He
gets up and walks towards the door .
“Wait!” Jin Xi calls out .
Xu Si Bai is……
……mad .
“I’m sorry,” she says softly .
Xu Si Bai pauses .
“I’ve made you all worry,” Jin Xi says, “We had to act urgently . No one
thought that anyone would get hurt . I’ll definitely be more careful from now
on . Please don’t be mad . ”
Xu Si Bai keeps quiet for a moment before turning around and returning to
his seat beside her bed .
The corners of Jin Xi’s mouth curve upwards .
“Promise me,” he says seriously, “Do not get hurt again . ”
Jin Xi wants to giggle but is moved at the same time . She nods sincerely, “I
will definitely try my best not to get hurt . ”
They look into each other’s eyes .
His eyes are like the pebbles in a river; dark and shimmering .
And then……he picks up the glass of water again and starts to feed it to her .
Jin Xi feels the warmth in her heart . She waits obediently for him to feed her
water and medicine .
“Xiao Bai! You’re awake!” a cheerful voice says coming from the doorway .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan enters the room with a concerned expression . He’s
carrying a takeout box in his hand .
“Mm,” Jin Xi hums with a mouthful of water . She smiles seeing him .
Xiao Zhuan sits down gleefully on the other side of the bed, “I guessed that
you would wake up soon, so I went to fetch you a nutritious meal from the
hospital . Hurry and eat . You’ve been unconscious for one day and night .
You must be starving . ”
Xu Si Bai nods in agreement, “Have some food . ”
Jin Xi is stunned as she looks towards Xiao Zhuan, “I’ve been sleeping for
this long? What about Han Chen then?”
Xiao Zhuan is a bit surprised as he answers, “As for Leader……I went to see
him just now . He hasn’t woken up yet . The doctor said that his condition
was a bit more serious than you . But……”
——But he’s not in a critical condition . Before Xiao Zhuan finishes his
sentence, Bai Jin Xi has already pushed herself up from the bed and is sitting
up straight .
Xiao Zhuan is in shock . Just when he wants to reach out his arms to support
her, Xu Si Bai gets to her before him . Xu Si Bai grabs onto Jin Xi’s arm .
“What are you doing?” they both ask .
Jin Xi looks at them, “Take me to see Han Chen . ”
Xu Si Bai and Xiao Zhuan are both silent for a second .
Xiao Zhuan speaks first, “No, no! The Doctor said you must stay in bed for a
week . How can you get out of bed just after waking up? Hurry and lie back
down!”
Xu Si Bai, on the other hand, stares at her and says in a crisp and unfriendly
voice, “What did you just promised me?”
“Old Xu, don’t worry . I’m not that fragile . Xiao Zhuan, give me a hand and
pull me up,” she says looking to the doorway, “I know very well what I want
to do . ”
Just as she finishes her sentence, a figure appears in the doorway suddenly .
It’s Han Chen .
He’s wearing the same patient’s gown as her . His hair is a bit messy, and his
face is pale . His left leg is still wrapped up in bandages . He walks slowly
into her view while leaning on the wall for support .
Following behind him is Chatterbox looking helpless and Cold Face looking
full of concern .
Jin X is stunned for a moment . Xu Si Bai and Xiao Zhuan, who are beside
her, follow her gaze and are also stunned .
The three of them are frozen——she’s halfway sitting up, looking like she
wants to get out of bed, while the two of them are supporting her .
Han Chen pauses his footsteps after seeing her .
His dark brown eyes are staring directly at her .
The patient’s gown that she’s wearing makes her already very slim body look
even thinner . Her hair is spread across her shoulders, accenting her pale and
small face . The instant she sees him, many emotions seem to flash across
those clear eyes of hers . Her expression makes Han Chen recall the kiss that
they had on the helicopter . Her eyes were just like how they are now . It’s as
if they hold a thousand words, causing his heart to ache .
They stare at each other in silence, while the others around them exchange
puzzled looks with each other .
“Old Xu, Xiao Zhuan,” Jin Xi lets go of Xiao Zhuan’s and Xu Si Bai’s arms
suddenly and lies back down, “Kick this person out of my room
immediately!”
Everyone is dumbstruck .
Han Chen watches her and doesn’t say anything .
Xiao Zhuan says, “Xiao Bai, didn’t you say just now that……”
“Shut up!” Jin Xi interrupts him .
“Oh……”
Xu Si Bai glances at her, glances at Han Chen, and sits down calmly beside
her bed again .
Other than Xiao Zhuan knowing a bit about what’s going on, Cold Face and
Chatterbox are confused . But seeing the cold expression on Jin Xi’s face,
they decide not to comment and secretly take a peek at Han Chen .
Han Chen releases his hand on the wall slowly . He stands up straight and
fixes his eyes on Bai Jin Xi .
“Who do you want to kick out?” he says slowly with his usual deep voice .
Jin Xi makes a “hmph!” sound and scolds, “You!”
Han Chen glances at her, walks to the chair across from her and actually sits
down slowly .
“Give me a reason and I’ll leave . ”
Jin Xi is struck dumb .
Her face flushes .
She never thought that he would be such a scoundrel at a time like this——
How could she say that she wants to kick him out because he kissed her
forcefully?
In the well-lit room, he’s sitting not far away . His face is fair white and
handsome . The images of that night float into Jin Xi’s mind:
Him staring at her with those eyes as if she was the only one in his eyes from
then on;
Him hugging her and their lips and tongues entangling each other, not letting
her catch her breath or break free;
Him locking her hands with his body on top and completely covering hers,
making her feel as if he was the only existence and dictator of her world .
……
But he has a fiancee .
Jin Xi’s heart aches as if it has been stabbed by needles . She decides to turn
around and not look at him anymore .
The atmosphere in the room becomes awkwardly silent .
“Cough……Xiao Bai, are you better now?” Chatterbox asks .

“I’m very well,” Bai Jin Xi answers swiftly .
Chatterbox makes eye contact with Xiao Zhuan . Xiao Zhuan understands
right away and tries to cheer up the mood, “Leader, how about you?”
“I’m very well too,” Han Chen answers .
Therefore, the room falls into dead silence again .
Thankfully, someone comes and saves the mood soon .
“You’re all here! Good,” a loud voice interrupts . Qin Wen Long walks in
smiling with one hand in his pocket while carrying a bag of apples on the
other .
He tosses the apples to Chatterbox and tells him to go wash them . He makes
his way to Han Chen, bends down to examine his leg, and pats his shoulder,
“How is it?”
“It’s nothing, just a minor injury,” Han Chen says casually, but he glances
over at Bai Jin Xi with the corner of his eye and notices that she still has her
head turned to the side with a cold expression .
Qin Wen Long nods and then walks to Bai Jin Xi’s bedside, “Fellow Xiao
Bai! Are you better now? You’ve worked hard this time, and you’ve done
very well! The chief is very satisfied with both of your performances . Rest
well and come back to work soon to continue fighting hard!”
His voice is rough, enthusiastic, and passionate . Jin Xi lifts her head and
smiles sweetly, “Thank you, leader! I’m fine! I’ll come back to work very
soon!”
Qin Wen Long nods in satisfaction .
Jin Xi can sense Han Chen looking at her as she’s talking to Qin Wen Long;
they’re fixed on her face, sharp and pressing .
Qin Wen Long says a few comforting words to the team before Chatterbox
returns from washing the apples . Qin Wen Long takes one, sits down and
says, “Since everyone from the Black Shield Team is here, I’ll just talk about
T’s case briefly . ”
Xu Si Bai, who has been sitting in the room quietly, gets up . He doesn’t look
at Qin Wen Long but looks directly at Bai Jin Xi, “I’ll come visit again in the
afternoon . ”
“Mm . ”
He reaches out his hand and caresses her head . His action is very natural .
Jin Xi smiles at him . He picks up his jacket from the back of the chair,
walks past everyone and heads towards the door .
Han Chen watches them and doesn’t say a word .
Just when Xu Si Bai reaches the door, Qin Wen Long says as if he realizes
something suddenly, “Wait! Are you the legendary Forensic Investigator Xu
Si Bai?”
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan are both astonished by the word “legendary . ” They
turn to look . Xu Si Bai pauses his footsteps and looks towards Qin Wen
Long with a calm expression, “I am Xu Si Bai . ”
And Qin Wen Long’s next set of words is enough to make everybody’s jaw
drop . He throws away the apple core in his hand, walks to Xu Si Bai and
pats his shoulder, “You fellow, come join the Black Shield Team, will you?”


Chapter 44.2
Chapter 44.2
Chapter 44: Awakening of a Loyal Wolf (2 of 2)
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan are stunned . Chatterbox and Cold Face are a bit
surprised . Han Chen, on the other hand, continues to be sitting without any
expression on his face .
Jin Xi feels that there isn’t a need to ask the question . It’s because Xu Si Bai
has always hated being around a lively group and sees fame and fortune as
nothing . He only likes to stay in his quiet lab in Jiangcheng and live the life
that he wants .
But who knew that Xu Si Bai would nod his head after a brief moment of
silence, “I’ll think about it . ” He then turns around and leaves .
The fact that Xu Si Bai isn’t rejecting the offer right away, Qin Wen Long is
already quite satisfied with this answer . He turns around to face everyone
else and says while making a big wave with his hand, “Let’s start!”
_____
Since Jin Xi and Han Chen both have injuries, Qin Wen Long doesn’t prolong
the meeting . Everybody discusses the case briefly and asks them about what
happened that night . The follow-up work will be finished by Chatterbox and
the others .
Just when they’re about done, Qin Wen Long looks down at his watch, “I’m
going back to the station,” he looks back up at Chatterbox and the others, “Do
you guys want me to give you a ride back?”
All three of them nod . Qin Wen Long goes downstairs first to fetch his car in
the parking lot . Chatterbox looks at Han Chen, “Leader, we’ll take you back
to your room first?”
Jin Xi still has her head to the side and is looking out the window . But she
hears Han Chen’s deep and calm voice say, “No . I still have some things to
ask her . You guys can leave first . ”
Jin Xi’s hands grab the blanket and she doesn’t say anything .
The three of them leave quickly .
The room returns to its silence .
The sun in the afternoon is blazing . It makes one feel a burning sensation as
it shines on you . Jin Xi waits patiently to see what happens . In the corner of
her eye, she sees him leaning on the wall for support as he gets up slowly .
Her coldness doesn’t bother him as he makes his way to sit down on the side
of her bed .
She can feel her bed sink down due to his weight . She can feel his aura
beside her, making her feel irritated suddenly, “Han Chen, have you had
enough yet?”
“No,” he answers faintly .
Jin Xi can’t find any words to snap back at him, but her heart feels an even
stronger sense of being wronged .
Han Chen watches her quietly for a moment . He refrains himself from
wanting to lower his head and kissing her forcefully, and says, “I have
something to ask you . ”
Jin Xi keeps quiet .
“Before T died, he mentioned about the case from five years ago and
apologized for it,” he stares at her as he continues, “I think that was the reason
why he specifically asked for us to participate . Otherwise, he could have
found any officer to witness his ‘verdict . ’ Bai Jin Xi, what does the case
from five years ago got to do with you?”
Everything happened so fast and she was injured, so she didn’t think about it
carefully . Now that she’s fully awake, she also notices this problem . She
can tell from Han Chen’s expression that he knows a lot about the case from
five years ago . But why did T ask her to participate?
She thinks for a moment and shakes her head, “I don’t know . I was still at
the Shahu police academy five years ago, so how could I have been part of
the case? And from T’s tone of voice, it sounded like it was a big case . ”
The instant she finishes talking, she sees Han Chen staring at her with solemn
eyes .
Just from looking at his eyes, the rage in Jin Xi’s heart surges again, so she
says coldly, “If you don’t have any more questions, please leave . Don’t sit
on my bed!” She reaches out her arms and pushes him . But the moment she
does, he grabs them and presses them onto the bed .
Jin Xi shouts, “You!”
Han Chen locks down her wrists and doesn’t let go . He then presses his
other hand on the bed beside her body, encasing her . He looks down at her,
“If you move again, I’ll kiss you . ”
Jin Xi’s body freezes . Her face flushes as she glares at him without a word .
“T had an intricate plan . He wouldn’t do anything that was unnecessary . If

you didn’t take part in the case from five years ago, then tell me in detail
about what you did that year . Where did you go, and what people did you
see? Don’t leave anything out,” he says .
Jin Xi can’t give him any answers .
But seeing the way Han Chen is today, he will definitely not give up if she
doesn’t explain everything to him clearly . Therefore, she lets out a soft
“hmph,” turns her head to the side and responds, “I’m sorry, but I really can’t
answer your questions . It’s because I’ve lost my memory, so I can’t
remember anything of the past . ”
The moment she finishes, a strange feeling rises inside her heart .
She can sense Han Chen’s gaze on her face becoming even more imposing .
Even though there are only the two of them in the room, the mood is heavy .
“Is that so?” he says slowly, “What a coincidence, me too . ”
Jin Xi is stunned . She raises her head to look at him .
“I also lost my memory five years ago,” his eyes are like the deepest end of
the ocean, “I can’t remember anything from the past either . ”
His words give Jin Xi’s heart a chill .
The case from five years ago? Both of them lost their memories?
She falls into a deep thought . But she can’t figure out how these things are
connected, and what these words all mean .
It’s just that……
She can feel very clearly that ever since Han Chen woke up and stepped into
this room, his attitude towards her has changed .
He’s an apathetic person, and although he’s fierce inside, he’s restrained most
of the time .
But today, even though his tone is still calm as usual, every word that he says
to her and the way he looks at her, all seem to be domineering .
“Give me a reason and I’ll leave . ”
“No . ”
“If you move again, I’ll kiss you . ”
“Is that so? What a coincidence, me too . ”
……
Just like a wolf, without any warning, he stares at her and moves closer .
_____
Han Chen, on the other hand, watches her fall into deep thoughts, but he can’t
help feeling worked up .
At Wulin Mountain, time was short and he was hurt, so he didn’t have time to
think carefully about T’s last words . But after waking up today, his mind is
clear and so many traces are crisscrossing in his mind .
His forte is logic and reasoning . Xin Jia’s reaction after seeing Bai Jin Xi for
the first time, T’s words, and the many paradoxes all point to one thing: Bai
Jin Xi was related to that case in the past .
But technically speaking, this only proves that she was related to the case .
They have no understanding of the case in the past, and there is no evidence
right now that proves that she is his fiancee . On the other hand, there are
many information and evidence that proves that she can’t possibly be his
fiancee .
But the moment that the possibility rises, it grows and entangles his heart and
becomes unstoppable .
Is it she?
The woman that he loved with his life . Is it this woman in front of him who
makes him unable to control his feelings?
……
But what if it’s not her? What if she only took part of or was a victim of the
case in the past?
The moment this possibility flashes across his mind, he feels as if his heart is
being thrashed open painfully and slowly with a blunt knife .
It also makes him become anxious and moody at the same time like never
before .
_____
Jin Xi had been in a daze before noticing that Han Chen has lowered his head
and is very close to her .
The closeness instantly makes Jin Xi uncomfortable as she says coolly, “What
are you doing?”
“Did you feel anything from my kiss?” he asks softly staring at her .
Jin Xi’s heart skips a beat . She then hears his deep and raspy voice say, “I
definitely felt something . ”
The taste of sweetness and the feeling of pain rushes inside Bai Jin Xi’s heart
immediately . She turns to look to the side . After a long moment of silence,
she says in a dry voice, “Han Chen, it’s impossible for me to be with you .
You should leave . We should end things here . ”
After she finishes, she can’t bear to see his expression .
But after remaining quiet for a few seconds, he says calmly, “Bai Jin Xi,
whatever you say doesn’t count . Only when I say so, then it counts . I still
need some time to confirm some things . Let’s talk about this again later . ”
Jin Xi is struck dumb . He glances at her, gets up and walks towards the door
.
Jin Xi watches his back view and finally can’t help but to scoff, “……Han
Chen! Are you a lunatic?!”
But he isn’t bothered by her words as he walks slowly out of the room .


Chapter 45
Chapter 45
Chapter 45: Feelings for Each Other
Just after walking a few steps out of Bai Jin Xi’s room, Han Chen bumps into
Xin Jia .
Xin Jia had followed him when he left his room . After guarding him for one
day and night, she looks rather fatigued . She looks at Han Chen while
crossing her arms subconsciously, “Han Chen! How could you get out of
bed?”
Han Chen glances at her and doesn’t say anything . He continues walking
with his hand pressing on the wall for support . Xin Jia goes up to him
immediately . She reaches over to lend him a hand, but he avoids her .
“Move aside . ”
Xin Jia watches his tall and limping back view and her eyes turn red slowly .
Her expression is calm . Calm but full of sadness .
After walking a few steps, Han Chen stops suddenly and turns his head to
look at her .
Xin Jia’s heart shakes .
No matter how many times Han Chen has turned her down before, he has
never looked at her with such a ruthless gaze before .
“You haven’t been looking for me as frequently as before,” he says slowly,

“Why is that?”
Xin Jia is stunned for a second, “What do you mean……”
“Are you afraid of bumping into someone who’s around me?” he stares at her
.
Xin Jia’s heart pounds . A feeling of hopelessness crosses her heart . She
holds her hands into fists subconsciously . Her face turns red and then pale .
She moves her lips but no sound comes out .
Her reaction is more than enough to tell Han Chen what the answer is . He
smiles slightly, doesn’t bother with her anymore, turns around and leaves .
After returning to his room, Han Chen lies back onto his bed feeling
exhausted .
He stares at the ceiling, but all he sees is Bai Jin Xi’s flushed face, feeling
wronged and angry . He can’t help but feel suppressed and depressed . After
keeping silent for a while, he picks up his cellphone and dials for Cold Face .
“Print me a copy of Bai Jin Xi’s profile and bring it to me . ”
Cold Face is very efficient when it comes to work . An hour later, he brings
the documents to Han Chen and leaves without asking anything .
Han Chen reads through them while leaning on the bed . He uses a pen to
circle some parts:
Location of birth: Hongshan County . Past Residence: 17 Fuyang Lang,

Hongshan County .
Education: Shajiang Police Academy, 56th Criminal Investigation class #2 .
Home address: 26 Yaan village South Avenue, Shajiang city . House was
burnt down in July 2010 due to a fire . Deceased family members: Bai Yao
Zong, Zhao Lan Chun (Bai Jin Xi’s parents) .
……
He reaches out his hand and presses on the bell . A nurse comes in soon after
and asks smiling, “What’s the matter?”
Han Chen raises his head, “When can I leave the hospital?”
The nurse is stunned for a second before answering, “You……at least need a
week . After going home, you also need to be careful not to overexert
yourself . ”
Han Chen nods, “I understand, thank you . ”
_____
The afternoon on the next day .
Jin Xi is lying on the bed with nothing to do . Zhou Xiao Zhuan has come
from the station . He’s sitting on the side of the bed and is feeding her .
After feeding her a few times, he can’t help to start gossiping, “Cold Face
received a phone call from Leader yesterday . Leader got him to look up
some information, and they were being so secretive about it . He photocopied
a bunch of documents, and when he bumped into me, he immediately hid
them and wouldn’t let me see . ”
Jin Xi is stunned for a second before making a “pshh” sound and saying,
“Who cares what they were doing . ”
Xiao Zhuan doesn’t know why Jin Xi is not on good terms with Han Chen
suddenly . She won’t tell him even when he asks . Therefore, he has no
choice but to discontinue the topic . He changes the subject, “Forensic
Investigation Xu didn’t come today?”
“No . ”
Xiao Zhuan is a bit surprised, “Didn’t he say yesterday that he would come
today?”
“How would I know?”
They stare at each other . Xiao Zhuan lets out a deep sigh .
Jin Xi isn’t in a good mood to begin with, so hearing him sigh makes her even
more irritated, “F*** you! I haven’t even settled everything with you yet!
Why did you let Han Chen stay here alone yesterday? A great friend you
are……”
Before she finishes, she sees Xiao Zhuan looking towards the door and
standing up right away . He doesn’t forget to make eye contact with her .
Jin Xi follows his gaze to see who’s there . Who else could it be besides Han
Chen?
Just after one night, he’s already looking a lot better . His face is no longer
pale, and he’s standing up straight, only pressing one hand onto the wall
lightly for support . Despite wearing a patient’s gown, he looks tall and
handsome .
He clearly overheard their conversation just now . Those eyes of his are
looking deeply into her .
Jin Xi’s heart feels numb . She turns her head immediately to look out the
window .
Xiao Zhuan pretends as if he doesn’t know anything and says smiling,

“Leader, you’re here to visit Xiao Bai?”
Han Chen nods and walks to the chair beside the bed . He presses both hands
onto the armrests and sits down slowly while staring at the back of Bai Jin
Xi’s head .
“Xiao Zhuan,” he says .
“Hm?”
“Leave me here by myself . ”
Jin Xi is struck dumb . She turns around and her eyes meet with his .
She just can’t understand! Why is Han Chen being such a hardball?! He has
never been this hateable before . Looking at his fair white and handsome
face, the raging fire in Jin Xi’s heart is burning even more furiously .
She glares at Zhou Xiao Zhuan, “You dare leave!”
Han Chen raises his head and stares at Zhou Xiao Zhuan without a word .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan stands up quietly and says softly, “I don’t dare to not
leave……” He picks up his jacket and dashes off immediately!
The room returns to silence .
Jin Xi remains quiet .
Han Chen isn’t trying to provoke her, but the instant he sees her, the feeling of
anxiousness and his suppressed emotions surge up in his chest .
His strong instincts tell him that she, is she . This woman who has been
causing all the distress in his heart lately is actually the same woman who has
been causing him heartaches over a thousand days and nights . He just wants
to grab her and lock her into his embrace right now . He wants to kiss her,
hug her and ask her if she remembers even the tiniest bit about him . He
wants to ask her if she remembers the love relationship that has him yearning
for even in his dreams .
But his consciousness tells him that he must wait . He must do a bit more
investigation and keep it to himself a little longer .
She’s within his arm’s’ reach, yet he cannot have her . He’s enduring it
silently feeling his heartstrings being tugged, while she doesn’t know a thing .
Therefore, he can’t help exposing his fierce personality and taking it all out on
her .
He stares at her again for another while with all the anxiousness in his heart,
and then his gaze falls onto the lunchbox on the table .
He stands up, picks up the lunchbox, grabs the spoon inside and fiddles with
the food . She hasn’t eaten a whole lot .
Although Jin Xi’s eyes are still looking to the side, she notices his actions
from the corner of her eye as well as from listening to the noise . She then
senses something sinking her bed down . He is sitting down beside her again
.
Jin Xi’s body becomes stiff . She glares at him, “What do you want to do?”
She then sees him scoop up a spoonful and holds it to her mouth .
“I’m feeding you,” his deep voice says . It actually carries a hint of
gentleness .
Xiao Zhuan had made a special trip to her dorm to get this lunchbox and the
spoon . And right now, he’s holding her light green lunchbox with one hand
and the silver spoon with a green handle on the other . They accent his
fingers, making them look long, lean, and fair white . All of a sudden, Jin Xi
doesn’t have the appetite anymore . She turns her head to the side with
determination, “I don’t want to eat . ”
Han Chen glances at her and lowers his hand .
“Okay,” he says, “I’ll eat it if you don’t want to . ”
Jin Xi is stunned . She turns her head and sees him lifting up her spoon
unconcernedly and putting it into his mouth . He glances at her, lowers his
head, and takes another spoonful .
Jin Xi: “……Do as you wish . ”
Han Chen eats rather slowly . Jin Xi feels stuffed for a while before darting
her eyes at him, who’s still scooping food from her lunchbox and chewing
slowly . He’s still handsome and refined as usual .
“Where’s my necklace?” Jin Xi asks what she has been wanting to ask since
yesterday . She holds out her hand in front of him, “Give it back to me!”
Han Chen looks at her, puts down the spoon, reaches into the collar of his
patient gown and pulls out the necklace for her to see . And then he grabs the
spoon and starts eating again .
Jin Xi: “……Who let you wear it around your neck? Give it back to me!”
Han Chen ignores her request and asks indifferently, “What necklace is this?”
Jin Xi doesn’t want to tell him the significance of this necklace, so she makes
up an answer, “You don’t recognize this? It’s a meteorite . Give it back!”
Han Chen lowers his head, holds the pendant with his fingers and looks at it .
It’s black and twisted and about the size of a peanut . It does indeed look like
a rock . Seeing how anxious she is, he takes a moment to think . He takes the
necklace off, weighs it in his hand and turns to look at her, “Finish eating and
I’ll give the necklace back to you . ”
Jin Xi: “Really?”
“Mm . ”
He takes a look at her, picks up the spoon and holds it in front of her mouth
again . Jin Xi avoids his gaze, opens her mouth, and accepts the food .
Right after she finishes chewing and swallowing it down, another spoon is
already waiting for her .
Jin Xi doesn’t make any complaints; she takes one mouthful after another .
His gaze, on the other hand, has been fixed on her face the whole time .
She finishes eating very soon .
He puts the lunchbox down and hands her a tissue . Jin Xi takes it, wipes her
mouth and without a second thought, she scrunches it up and throws it at him
. His expression remains calm as he bends down, fetches the tissue and
throws it into the garbage .
“Necklace!” she says immediately .
Han Chen doesn’t respond and doesn’t give her back the necklace right away .
Instead, he sits down on the side of her bed again and presses his arms down
on each side of her, encasing her .
Jin Xi bites on her lip and doesn’t say anything .
But his next few words surprise her .
“I’m leaving for a few days . I’ll be taking off tomorrow . There’s something
I need to investigate . ”
Jin Xi subconsciously wants to ask him what he’s investigating, but she holds
it to herself .
But those eyes of his looking at her makes her heart feel pinched .
“Take good care of yourself,” he says softly .
Jin Xi doesn’t respond . He also doesn’t say anything more .

The afternoon sun is bright and quiet . The wind blows onto the curtains
lightly . His face is gorgeous like a sculpture . They are in close proximity,
and his arms create a small space around her . And the atmosphere in this
space seems to have become ambiguous and restless .
He wants to kiss her .
His dark brown eyes, slightly pressed thin lips and chest moving up and down
gently seem as if they’re saying these exact words to her .
Even though Jin Xi hasn’t been friendly to him, she can’t help but feel her
heart in her mouth .
There’s sweetness; there’s bitterness .
She swears that if he kisses her, she’ll slap him .
But he doesn’t take action .
Only those calm and burning eyes shift from her long hair to her face, her
eyebrows, her eyes and then fall onto her lips in the end .
After a moment of silence, he lets go of his hands and gets up, “Get some
good rest . ”
Jin Xi doesn’t feel good at all .
He clearly hasn’t done anything, but she feels her face and neck burning .
Even though they didn’t kiss, she feels as if she had been kissed by him for a
long time .
It’s because she could feel him restraining his desire to kiss her from his gaze
.
This man . Oh, this man……
She grabs her pillow and whips it at him despite she shouldn’t be exerting
herself, “Give me back my necklace! You promised me just now . ”
Han Chen grabs her pillow, glances at her and throws it to the end of her bed .
“I was only pacifying you,” he says nonchalantly . He turns around and
walks out of the room .
Jin Xi: “……Han Chen, you bastard!”
_____
Han Chen provokes her directly and leaves swiftly . He leaves Jin Xi by
herself staring at the empty doorway and the room gradually becoming quiet .
She can’t control her mind from thinking repeatedly about his every
movement just now, his eyebrows and eyes, and the scent from his fingers and
lips .
Bitterness and sweetness, just like entangled vines twisting and growing in
her heart .
Han Chen, do you know that? I just can’t find it in myself to ask you whether
you would choose your fiancee or me .
I don’t want to be chosen and I will definitely not ask . Moreover, I do not
wish to force you to make a decision and promise .
But Han Chen, why did you have to look at me that way?
It’s as if the one you love is me .
_____
Early morning of the next day . Cold Face drives Han Chen’s land rover to
the hospital .
Han Chen has changed into a black jacket and casual pants . His left leg still
has bandages wrapped around it . He takes the car keys from Cold Face and
sits inside while using the car door as support .
Cold Face places a gym bag on the passenger seat . There are some spare
clothes, maps, all relating documents on Bai Jin Xi, bottled water, and the
medicine that he needs to take for these few days . There is also a bottle of
painkillers in case the wound on his leg hurts .
“How many days will you be gone for?” Cold Face asks .
Han Chen starts up the car and answers, “Three or four days . ” He glances at
him, “Take good care of Bai Jin Xi . ”
Just like before, Cold Face doesn’t ask him further . He nods simply .
Han Chen leaves the hospital . Cold Face calls a cab and goes back to the
station .
And about a hundred meters away from the hospital’s entrance, Xin Jia, who’s
wearing a white dress, is standing in a corner of the hallway, watching Han
Chen’s car leave without budging .
After a while, she raises her head and looks up at the window of Jin Xi’s room
. Her expression turns gloomy yet indifferent .


Chapter 46.1
Chapter 46.1
Chapter 46: The Blurry You (1 of 2)
October in a Southern county is already filled with the chilly breezes of

autumn . The long street beside the river has a row of new and old housing .
Cars and pedestrians come and go .
Han Chen parks his car on the side of the street and looks up .
17 Fuyang Lang, Hongshan County .
The place where Bai Jin Xi lived in when she was little .
It’s a three story newly built western style home . There’s even a small shop
in the front . Han Chen buys a pack of cigarette and starts a conversation with
the boss lady, “I want to find out about a person . I have a friend named Bai
Jin Xi . Did she live here before?”
The boss lady is a forty or so year old kind woman . She shakes her head,
“Nope . Never heard of her . ”
“When did you move here then?”
The boss lady smiles, “It’s been three or four years now . When did your
friend live here?”
“She lived here when she was little and then moved out . Thinking about it, it
has probably been over ten years,” Han Chen says smiling slightly .
The boss lady slaps the countertop lightly, “That’s probably why then . This
whole area was bought by someone and the buildings were taken down . You
see? We bought this newly built home from the developer . I’m not sure
where all the old residents have moved to . ”
“Oh,” Han Chen pauses and then asks, “Do you know who the owner was
before it was taken down?”
The boss lady is a bit stunned from his question . But seeing how he’s a good
looking guy with his eyes focused on her, she tells him everything that she
knows out of subconsciousness, “That I really don’t know . But I heard that
this land was transferred a couple of times to different owners until it went
into the hands of the new development company . ”
After leaving the shop, Han Chen stands on the side of the road and takes a
look at each end of the street .
His eyes fall on the corner of the street . A small restaurant that looks a bit
dated .
It’s not noon yet and the simple looking restaurant permeated with the
delicious smell of food has no customers inside . There is only an old woman
with a full head of white hair sitting in front of the entrance picking through
some vegetables .
Han Chen walks up to her and bends down, “Grandma, I want to ask you
about a person . ”
The old lady raises her head and looks at him, “Young fellow, who do you
want to ask about?”
“Do you know someone named Bai Jin Xi? She’s my girlfriend . ”
The old lady thinks for a minute, “Oh……is it Xiao Xi who used to live on
the East side?” She looks at him in surprise, “They’ve moved a long time ago
. How did you get here?”
Han Chen smiles and answers, “I haven’t been in touch with her for a few
years . I only remember her mentioning that her old home was here . I
happened to be passing by, so I decided to come take a look . ”
The old lady smiles . She pulls a chair over to him, “Young fellow, take a seat
. You’ve got the wrong place . They’ve moved out of here for at least ten
years . But I remembered a few years ago, she came back once and chatted
with me for the whole day . ”
Han Chen sits down . He places both of his hands on his knees and gives his
full attention to the old lady, “Do you remember which year she came back to
visit then?”
The old lady thinks for a moment and sighs, “At the end of 2010, which is the
year that her family was in an accident . She’s quite a pitiful child . Both of
her parents are no longer here . And she can’t remember the past . ” She
smiles affectionately, “But these few years that she’s been studying out of
town, she has changed quite a lot . The big city can’t be compared after all .
She has become prettier and prettier now . ”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a moment and then asks, “Do you have a photo of
her when she was little?”
The old lady shakes her head, “Where would I have that?” She laughs at Han
Chen, “Young fellow, you want to pursue her, don’t you? You’ve even come
all the way here . You’re so thoughtful . ”
Han Chen smiles .
“What other relatives does she have?”
The old lady thinks for a while and answers, “There aren’t any relatives on
her dad’s side . As for her mom’s side, I heard that she had an older sister, but
she isn’t in Province K . I heard that she has also passed away a few years
ago . Sigh……Xiao Xi, this little girl is so pitiful . She really has no family
around her now . ”
A customer enters the restaurant . The old lady quickly gets busy .
Han Chen finds a table and sits down . He orders a bowl of rice noodles
under the old lady’s recommendation .
Watching the smoke rising from the hot stove at the restaurant’s entrance and
the old and worn out wooden table, it naturally reminds him of Bai Jin Xi,
who’s very fond of these small snack street stalls .
“……They’re from a street stall . It’s especially yummy . ” Her big round
eyes were shining brighter than a light bulb when she said these words at the
time .
Han Chen reveals a smile slowly thinking about it . He picks up his cell
phone, scrolls to her number, stares at it for a few seconds and dials .
_____
Bai Jin Xi can sit herself up now . She’s eating dinner from the small table .
She’s still using the same lunchbox and spoon from yesterday . She takes one
mouthful after the other, but she can’t help feeling awkward about it .
Some men have a strong aura and presence . Whenever she puts the spoon
that he has used once into her mouth, she keeps thinking that she has tasted a
certain flavor of his . The image of him eating with this spoon yesterday
keeps floating into her mind .
Annoyed .
Yet the nurses who are checking the rooms are chit-chatting about Han Chen
at the doorway .
It’s expected, Bai Jin Xi thinks bitterly . A man like him must be popular
with girls wherever he goes . She even heard from the criminal investigators
a few days ago that Han Chen has at least a dozen female officer admirers at
the public security bureau of City Lan for these past few years .
But he has never made a move .
Until……
Bai Jin Xi pokes the bed of rice hard with the spoon .
The young nurses are still chatting .
“That criminal investigator, I heard that he was the main force in solving the
big case this time . ”
“He’s so young . He looks younger than thirty . And he’s so handsome!”
This comment causes all the nurses to giggle .

“How come he was discharged from the hospital so soon? The supervisor
approved?”
“No! He left without notifying anyone . He said he needed to investigate a

case, and he forced the inpatient department to prescribe him painkillers . ”
“He’s so manly!” someone exclaims .
……
Painkillers?
Jin Xi pokes a few more holes in the rice .
Speak of the devil . Her cell phone at the side of her bed rings . The name
flashing across the screen is no other than “two-timer heartless bastard Han . ”
Jin Xi stares at the phone silently for a moment and then picks it up .
She doesn’t speak .
“Hello,” a deep and mellow voice says from the other side, “What are you
doing?”
Jin Xi: “Nothing . ”
Her voice sounds rather irritated and cold, and the image of her face turning
red with her cheeks puffed up in anger floats into Han Chen’s mind . It
softens his heart . He chuckles with the phone in his hand . He lowers his
head and taps his fingers on the table lightly .
“Are you feeling better today?”
Jin Xi ignores his question completely and doesn’t answer .
Han Chen doesn’t mind . He advises her patiently, “Don’t get out of bed by
yourself . If there’s anything you need, just tell the others to do it for you . ”
Jin Xi continues to remain silent .
Han Chen also becomes quiet . He stares off to the distant river surface
flowing in the sunlight . He can hear the sound of her subtle breathing by his
ear .
It feels as if there’s nothing more that he needs to ask for .
Seeing that he has stopped talking, it makes her a bit annoyed inside .
Therefore, she says coldly, “Is there anything else? If not, I’m hanging up . ”
He keeps quiet for a few seconds .
“I miss you,” he says softly .
Jin Xi feels as if someone gave her heart a hard squeeze .
It’s Han Chen’s hand; the one who’s taking her heart .
She puts down the phone and stares straight in a daze . She doesn’t realize
that her cheeks are burning until after a while . She picks up the phone and
then puts it down again . She can’t seem to calm herself down .
In the end, she picks up the phone again and sends a text message . And then
she tosses the phone to the side for good, buries her head and sleeps .
In the small restaurant, the old lady brings him his rice noodles . She asks
smiling, “Young fellow, do you want some chili?”
Han Chen picks up his chopsticks, gives the noodles a stir and says, “Nope . ”
At the same time, his phone alerts him of a text message . He takes a look .
It’s actually Jin Xi . There are two words only——
“Get lost . ”
Han Chen pauses for a moment before putting down the phone without
sending back a reply . He lowers his head and begins eating his noodles . But
he hears the old lady laugh, “Your taste is the same as Xiao Xi’s . When she
was little and came here to eat noodles, she also didn’t put any chillis . ”
Han Chen lifts his head .
But he recalls Bai Jin Xi scooping a big spoonful of chilies into her bowl and
eating it with full of delight .
“Really?” he says, “When I met her later, she wouldn’t eat anything without
spice . ”
The old lady is shocked, “What?” But she calms down right away, “Well, a
person’s taste will change . After growing up, your likes and dislikes will
always change . ”
Han Chen nods, lowers his head and eats slowly .
_____
Han Chen spends a day in Hongshan County to visit every elementary,

middle, and high school that Bai Jin Xi had studied at . Since it has been over
ten years, he doesn’t find a lot of information from them . And the schools of
a small county don’t keep their archives well . He is only able to obtain a few
blurry and yellowy photos of her when she was little, but it’s already very
hard to make out .
Early morning of the next day, he drives his car from Hongshan County to
Shajiang City .
The Shajiang Police Academy .
The archives administrator is a forty or so year old man . Han Chen shows
him his identity card, “I am from the criminal investigation department of the
public security bureau . I need to review all the documents relating to your
school’s 56th criminal investigation class . ”
The administrator is stumped by this . He shakes his head, “Mr . Officer, why
do you need the 56th class? A few years ago, there was a fire accident at the
office building . The 44th, 56th, and the 57th……the documents for these
few classes have all been burnt to ashes . ”
Han Chen frowns his eyebrows slightly, “Are there no digital backups for
them?”
The administrator sighs, “We’re a very small police academy . We couldn’t

get funding at the time, so the new system wasn’t implemented until later .
Therefore, these documents were lost for good . I’m really sorry . ”
“It’s okay,” Han Chen stands still for a while deep in his own thoughts . He
then turns around and leaves .
The criminal investigation faculty’s office is in the same building .
Han Chen pushes open the door . There are three to four teachers inside .
They’re all a bit surprised after hearing about his reason for coming .
The supervisor of the faculty is in his fifties with a full head of white hair .
He shakes his head after hearing the name Bai Jin Xi, “There have been so
many classes . I can’t remember anymore . ”
A female teacher in her forties sitting on one side smiles, “Supervisor, how
could you not remember? She was a quiet and pretty girl . I remember she
went to the Jiangcheng station, right? She found a pretty decent job . But she
hasn’t been in touch after graduation . Oh, Officer Han, are you looking for
her for a reason?”
Han Chen smiles, “She is currently in the public security bureau and is doing
quite well . My boss has sent me here to perform a background check . ”
Due to his explanation, the teachers immediately say a few more praises about
Bai Jin Xi——after all, it’s a student from their school . Their praises are all
on the surface level, like commenting how she’s unswerving, conscientious,
and a hardworking student . Han Chen listens to all of them attentively while
asking a question here and there . The group of teachers gets a little excited
on the subject . The female teacher from before says, “I also remember that
Bai Jin Xi minded a lot about her appearance . She’s a girl nevertheless . Is
she still like that?”
Han Chen smiles slightly, “This hasn’t changed . ”
The female teacher smiles, “That makes sense . At the time, she would go to
the beauty salon every two to three days . She always put makeup on . She
got a lot prettier by the time she graduated . ”
“She doesn’t wear makeup anymore now,” Han Chen responds .
_____
The last place Han Chen visits is in Jiangcheng city . It’s Bai Jin Xi’s home
address from later on .
But just like Hongshan County, because they’re newly moved in

homeowners, they’re not familiar with the neighbors . The house was burnt
down completely four years ago . It has been rebuilt from scratch, so it barely
contains any traces of Bai Jin Xi ever living here .
At nighttime, Han Chen drives to the riverside . He watches the sunset while
smoking quietly .
This city was where he and Bai Jin Xi met .
Bai Jin Xi lost her memory from suffocating in the smoke four years ago .
And he? Based on what the doctor and his supervisor of the Beijing public
security bureau told him at the time, he was injured during a case involving an
explosion five years ago . He was unconscious for a year before waking up .
After waking up, nothing seemed to be out of place . Except for the blurry
image of that person in his heart . Someone beside him was missing .
And the only evidence of “her” existence was a ring .
Han Chen fetches his wallet from his chest pocket . In one of the layers of the
wallet, there’s a worn out platinum ring .
When he woke up, this ring was on the middle finger of his left hand . Since
it was just the right size, fitting snugly, they couldn’t take it off of him . It
was later that he slimmed down, so the ring was taken off then . He was
afraid of scratching it further, so he put it in his wallet .
He went on the internet to look up the meaning of wearing a ring on the

middle finger .
It meant “deeply in love” or “engaged . ”
After a long moment of silence, Han Chen inhales his cigarette a few times
before dropping it to the ground and stepping on it to put it out . He puts the
ring back into his wallet and dials for Cold Face .
“Bai Jin Xi mentioned that she had an ex-boyfriend . Go look up who this
person is and send his contact information and address to me . ”

Chapter 46.2
Chapter 46.2
Chapter 46: The Blurry You (2 of 2)
It’s the first time that Cold Face feels Han Chen’s phone call request is a
challenge .
Somebody’s background, education, and other information can be easily

found out . But how can he look for somebody’s “ex-boyfriend”?
And Cold Face is someone who likes to take action . After thinking about it
for a long while, he calls a cab and decides to go to the hospital directly .
In the patient’s room, Bai Jin Xi is chatting with Xu Si Bai while Xiao Zhuan
is peeling an apple on the side .
It’s been a few days since they last met, so Bai Jin Xi takes her time to ask,
“Why did you disappear? Were you teasing me?”
Xu Si Bai is wearing a light brown jacket accompanied by a white shirt,

making him look tall and clean . He pours the chicken soup out from a
thermos and into a small bowl and then places it in front of her .
“I had to ask for leave without prior notice . There are still a lot of work to
do,” he explains, “Furthermore, I’m still deciding on a couple of things . ”
Jin Xi’s eyes roll upwards as she picks up the bowl of chicken soup and
drinks it .
“It’s so tasty!” she says almost biting on her tongue .
Xiao Zhuan immediately turns to look their way .
“There’s enough for you,” Xu Si Bai says smiling, “I made a lot of it . She
can’t finish it herself . ”
Xiao Zhuan flatters him right away, “I knew Forensic Investigator Xu is the
best!”
Jin Xi smiles as well . She stirs her soup with the spoon and looks up at him,
“What are you trying to decide on?”
Xu Si Bai is sitting on a chair across from her bed . Both of his hands are on
his knees and his back is straight . It makes Jin Xi feel that even though he’s
just sitting there, he looks very much like a scholarly professor .
“Deciding whether or not to join the Black Shield Team . ”
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan both stare at him .
“I’ve decided to come,” he says .
Jin Xi takes a drink of the chicken soup, reveals a smile and asks in a serious
manner, “Why? The provincial and city offices have invited you so many
times and you’ve always turned them down . You said that you liked the
quietness of Jiangcheng and its focused work environment . So why are
willing to come this time?”
Xiao Zhuan is still washing an apple, but the apple’s skin is about to come off
from all the rubbing . He pretends to be uninterested, but he’s got his ears
perked up .
Xu Si Bai lowers his eyelids slowly . His long lashes cover his pupils .
“You’re asking why?” he asks softly .
Jin Xi’s heart skips a beat . She feels as if her whole body is frozen .
Xiao Zhuan is a bit stunned from hearing his tone . He also feels nervous out
of nowhere .
It’s over, it’s over . Is he going to confess? Has Forensic Investigator Xu

finally decided to fight Leader Han for Xiao Bai?
While the two of them are acting like they’re up against the biggest villain,
Xu Si Bai pauses for a brief moment and reveals a gentle smile, “I don’t have
many friends . Throughout these few years in Jiangcheng, I have only you
two and Xiao Yao . I’m planning to bring Xiao Yao with me . It’s the same
for me in terms of where I work, so why shouldn’t I choose to be with you
guys?”
Xiao Yao is Xu Si Bai’s assistant at Jiangcheng .
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan are both relieved .
She puts down the spoon, sits up straight and holds out her hand to Xu Si Bai
with a smile, “Xu Si Bai, welcome to the Black Shield Team . ”
Xu Si Bai reaches out and shakes her hand . His hand is cool and dry . It’s
soothing to hold .
“Thank you,” he says .
They look at each other in the eye . His eyes are rich brown and calm . Since
they’re sitting very close, Jin Xi can almost make out the reflection in his
pupils; that very tiny image of herself .
She smiles like she does normally and releases his hand . She starts talking
about all the different foods in City Lan while he listens quietly with a smile .
Xiao Zhuan adds his inputs cleverly every so often and decides on where the
three of them will meet next time and the next time after that .
Very soon, the sky turns dark . Xu Si Bai tidies up and says goodbye . Xiao
Zhuan also needs to go back to the station, so he follows him down the stairs .
After finishing the apple, Jin Xi lies down to rest for a bit before getting out
of bed to do some exercise . She can already walk around and do some
simple exercises . It’s just that she can’t do strenuous exercises .
After sitting for a while, she hears someone knocking on the door behind her .
The moment she turns around, she sees Cold Face carrying a bag of fruits
and giving her a nod expressionlessly while walking inside .
_____
Xiao Zhuan and Forensic Investigator Xu are waiting for a cab at the
hospital’s front entrance . They still haven’t gotten one after a long while .
Xiao Zhuan is standing on the curb and is looking and waiting anxiously .
After a while, he turns around and is shocked .
It’s because Xu Si Bai is smoking .
His tall and slender figure is standing under a street lamp . He’s holding a
cigarette between his fingers and is smoking quietly . His looks are too
handsome and refined, and his fingers are fair white and long . It actually
feels very unfitting to see him smoking like this . It’s like discovering that an
elegant and innocent student also has a rebellious side that we don’t know .
Xiao Zhuan watches him and suddenly feels pity towards him .
He says without thinking, “Forensic Investigator Xu, since you like Xiao Bai,
why don’t you just pursue her?”
Xiao Zhuan wants to slap himself in the face right after . What is he doing?
Xu Si Bai is stunned .
He lowers his arm slowly .
Smoke rises from the cigarette between his fingers as he watches the cars
flow in traffic without a word .
Xiao Zhuan regrets asking the question without warning . Just when he tries
to change the subject, he hears a cool sounding voice speak .
“It’s because I know very well that she will not accept me . With her
personality, she’s very clear on whether she likes someone or not . We’ve
known each other for so long . If she has me in her heart, she would have
come to me long ago . Xiao Zhuan, please don’t mention this again .
Everything is fine the way they are . ”
_____
In regards to Cold Face’s sudden visit, although Jin Xi is a bit surprised, she
understands right away after remembering his “housewife-like” personality .
Cold Face isn’t good with greetings, so after sitting down and asking her how
she’s doing, he reaches into his pocket and goes straight to his main purpose,
“I didn’t bring my phone . Let me borrow yours . ”
Cold Face is someone with a great reputation . Therefore, Jin Xi doesn’t have
any doubts about him, so she gives her cell phone to him . Cold Face gets up
and goes outside .
Cold Face is standing in the hallway as he opens up the call log . After
searching through it for a while, his face reveals a smile . He saves one of the
numbers from the list into his own cell phone, and then returns to the room
and gives Jin Xi back her cell phone .
“Thanks,” he says, “I still have some things to do . Get some more rest . I’ll
be leaving now . ”
Jin Xi is full of smiles as she lies down on the bed and waves goodbye to him
.
After leaving the room, Cold Face walks for a distance before calling Han
Chen, “Name: Zhao Zi Xu . Phone number: 186XXXX . ”
Han Chen is a bit surprised that he is able to find this information so fast . He
records the number and asks, “How did you find it?”
“I read through Xiao Bai’s call log . There was a remark underneath his name
. The phrase wrote, ‘stupid ex-boyfriend Zhao Zi Xu . ’”
Han Chen giggles and says in a relaxed tone, “He is a stupid man, isn’t he?”
Cold Face pauses and then laughs as well . Just when he wants to end the
call, he hears Han Chen say, “What was the remark under my name?”
Cold Face hesitates .
“Just tell me . ”
“……two-timer heartless bastard Han . ”
Han Chen remains silent for a moment and then hangs up .
Bai Jin Xi is lying on the bed by herself . Just before she falls asleep, she
hears her phone alerting her of a new text message .
“Don’t think of nonsense things . Give me a bit more time . ”——Han Chen .
Jin Xi stares at her phone for a long while before tossing it underneath her
pillow without sending a reply back .


Chapter 47
Chapter 47
Chapter 47: Our Promise (1 or 2)
Lanzhou, Gansu Province .
The mountain range is at a distance . The extensive city landscape stretches

out from the edge of the Yangtze river; its prosperity carries a sense of age
from vicissitude .
Han Chen is at a coffee shop at the end of a street, which is where he is

meeting Zhao Zi Xu .
Just like in the photo of class 56, Zhao Zi Xu is a tall and handsome man .
His facial features are symmetrical . He is wearing a simple shirt and long
pants . He looks at Han Chen and reveals a peaceful smile, “Hello . You are
a colleague of Xiao Xi?”
Han Chen nods, “Do you mind if I smoke?”
“Not at all . I smoke as well . ”
Han Chen lights up a cigarette and hands one to Zhao Zi Xu . They start
smoking quietly for a moment without knowing what to say .
Han Chen called him earlier with a very simple and straightforward reason,
“I’m Bai Jin Xi’s colleague . I’m passing by Lanzhou and would like to meet
you . ”
Although Zhao Zi Xu was a bit surprised, he agreed to meet anyway .
After remaining silent for a while, Zhao Zi Xu asks, “How is she now?”
“Not bad,” Han Chen answers, “She’s currently at the station in Province K .
”
Zhao Zi Xu smiles, “Not bad at all . Congratulate her for me . ” He glances
at Han Chen, “You’re her current boyfriend?”
Han Chen inhales from his cigarette and then nods .
Some things don’t need to be explained between men; especially when Zhao
Zi Xu seems like an understanding person . He gives Han Chen a once-over
and says frankly, “I was with her for a year during college . We later felt that
we weren’t compatible and my family also wanted me to come back and be a
civil worker, so we broke up . She’s a nice girl though . ” He picks up the
coffee in front of him, “I wish you two the best . ”
Han Chen picks up his mug and hits it lightly against his .
After sitting for a while, Han Chen gets up, “Thank you for your time . ”
The moment he steps out of the coffee shop, his cell phone beeps .
It’s a text message from Cold Face: “Xiao Bai is leaving the hospital
tomorrow . ”
_____
It’s already past 10pm when Han Chen arrives in City Lan . Visiting hours
are already over at the hospital, so he drives back to the station directly .
The office is pitch black and is empty . He walks behind his desk, sits down
and throws all the information that he has gathered onto the table .
He lights up a cigarette and starts smoking quietly .
Bai Jin Xi . From the day she was born, her history records are clear and
precise . There are also many pieces of evidence proving that she was born in
Hongshan, studied at the Shajiang Police Academy and has never been to
Beijing, which means it’s impossible for her to have participated in the case .
This woman can’t possibly have had any interactions with him, Han Chen .
Before taking this trip, his thoughts were that Bai Jin Xi must have forgotten
about him, and the memories they had together must have been wiped away
or hidden away from them by some powerful group using some kind of
method .
But now, his thoughts have changed .
Even though there are no obvious loopholes on the surface level, the moment
he attempts to dig deeper into any part of her past, he discovers that……there
is nothing .
Building taken down, damaged archives, a fire…Coincidence? Or were they

all caused by someone?
The answer that’s in front of him right now is that the “Bai Jin Xi” from the
past has left him with only a general outline of the traces of her life; so blurry
that it’s hard to make out . Whereas the “Bai Jin Xi” right now is real and
exists intricately .
And between the two, there seems to be many details and habits that are not
the same .
Han Chen lifts up his hand and inhales from his cigarette lightly .
There have always been people who look alike in this world, and people’s
faces can also be changed .
What if the current Bai Jin Xi is not the original Bai Jin Xi?
What if she’s not Bai Jin Xi, and she’s his fiancee……
Thinking about this makes Han Chen’s heart ache .
Who is it that has swapped them and has hidden her here?
Who is it that has caused her to become oblivious and is living with another
person’s identity, believing that she is only a little town girl whose parents
have passed way? And has forgotten him and forgotten about their
unforgettable love?
He feels chills in his heart . But the images of her smiling and frowning float
across his mind, tugging his heartstrings . He breathes out a long smoke ring
before putting out the cigarette and getting up to leave .
_____
At night of the same day, Bai Jin Xi tosses and turns in bed .
Xiao Zhuan had already advised her before leaving that he and Chatterbox
will come pick her up at the hospital tomorrow .
She stares at the pitch black ceiling and can’t help thinking about Han Chen .
It’s been five days, and it’s already time for her to leave the hospital . Where
has he gone to? What has he been doing? And when will he come back to
City Lan?
This feeling of longing makes her frustrated from not being able to suppress
her own emotions .
The more she thinks about it, the more annoyed she gets . She fetches for her
cell phone and reads the time on it . It’s already 12am .
Even though she knows she shouldn’t be doing this, she can’t control her
hands from sending him a text message:
“Where are you? When are you coming back? Let’s talk in person . ”
“I’m downstairs . ”
Jin Xi is stunned . She reaches out her hand to turn on the lights, slips out of
bed and stands in front of the window .
It’s very dark tonight; there are no stars or the moon in the sky . Traffic lights
and other neon signs flicker from afar, while the inpatient department is in
still and quiet . His car is parked right under a street lamp .
And he is standing beside the car with a cigarette in his hand while looking up
at her .
The light draws out the shape of his figure as well as illuminating his face .
He is looking at her without blinking, letting his cigarette burn away quietly
between his fingers .
It’s such a peaceful scenery . But seeing his face lit in the dim lighting far
away, Jin Xi suddenly feels her eyes stinging .
When did he come? Why is he standing there and watching the place?
She picks up her cell phone and sends him a text message:
“What are you doing here?”
He looks down at his phone . His fingers move a few times .
He then puts the phone down and continues looking up at her .
“Waiting for you to be discharged from the hospital . ”
They’re only a few simple words, yet they’re like invisible waves rushing into
her heart . Jin Xi remains silent for a second before turning around and
squatting down .
Despite she’s staring at the ground, the image of him from just now floats into
her mind . She digs her hand into her long hair . All of a sudden, she misses
him very much .
Thinking about him who’s only one floor below .
_____
Han Chen watches her disappear from the window suddenly, but the lights are
still on . He smiles thinking that she must be lying in bed on her stomach
feeling frustrated and annoyed .
The night is young . He rests his arm on top of the car and looks up into the
sky .
He’s waiting for tomorrow; waiting for her to come down and be by his side .
She might call him a “lunatic” or a “bastard . ”
But Bai Jin Xi, do you know that Han Chen’s heart and mind have become
restless because of you, making him sleepless at night .
After a moment in quietness, he suddenly hears footsteps coming from the

entrance .
He turns to look . His hand that’s lifting up the cigarette stops in midair .
Bai Jin Xi .
She’s wearing a patient’s gown and slippers with a jacket hanging on her
around her shoulders . Her face looks pale while her eyes are red and are
looking at him .
Han Chen stands up straight immediately and lowers his hand with the
cigarette in it . He watches her come close as she glares at him .
“Are you crazy!?” she scolds but her voice is shaky as if she’s about to cry,
“What are you doing coming here in the middle of the night?”
Han Chen stares at her quietly for a moment . He flicks the cigarette away,
pulls her to him and hugs her .
Jin Xi’s face is up against his chest . Her tears start to flow uncontrollably .
She wants to push him away, but she doesn’t have the strength to . His
distinctive body scent surrounds her like a spell luring her to walk deeper into
the water .
Jin Xi feels even more depressed in her heart, “You bastard!”
“I’m a bastard,” he agrees softly .
“Let go of me!”
Right after she finishes, his breathing comes closer as he lowers his head and
kisses her .
Jin Xi’s whole body becomes stiff, and she forgets about breaking free from
him . She can only feel both of his arms tighten around her waist, and his lips
are kissing her even more passionately and aggressively than that night .
There’s a cool scent of cigarette coming from his mouth . His tongue
penetrates her mouth and chases, teases, and twists with hers . Jin Xi’s body
begins to shake . Unlike the last time, where her mind was a blur, she can
make out the shape of his face clearly as it comes close; her emotions are
sensitive yet strong at the same time . She watches his eyelids close halfway .
She can feel his hands rubbing her waist through the clothes . Even though
it’s just a kiss, it feels as if their bodies are intertwined together . His breath
invades every inch of her hair and skin, making her unable to reject him .
After a long while, his face finally moves away .
They stare directly into each other’s eyes . His eyes are bright and clear,
while hers are watery and blurry .
“Go back up first . I’ll wait for you here . ”
His deep voice actually carries softness in it . Jin Xi feels her nose sting and
tears fall from her eyes again .
“Why did you kiss me? You think you can kiss me just because you want
to?” she punches his chest .
Han Chen grabs her hand, pulls her into his embrace and looks downward at
her, “Yes . I’ll kiss you whenever I want to from now on . ”
Jin Xi’s heart shakes . She grabs his shirt and pulls it tightly without a word .
“You don’t want to go back up?” he whispers in her ear .
Jin Xi actually doesn’t know how to answer .
In the next second, he frees up one hand, pulls open the backseat door and sits
inside while carrying her .
The car is small and dark . He puts her on his lap and stares at her at a close
distance .
“Have you been missing me for the past few days?” he asks .
Jin Xi turns her head, “No!”
She feels something on her shoulders; a jacket carrying the man’s body scent
covers her . He’s only wearing a shirt . He pulls her into his chest again .
He then lowers his head and rubs his face lightly against her long hair .
“Do you feel anything towards my kiss now?”

Jin Xi’s heart melts from his actions . She leans against his chest quietly for a
long while before finally answering softly, “Yes . My feelings have never felt
this strong before . ”
Before she finishes her sentence, she feels the arm around her waist tighten .
He holds her face in his palm, closes his eyes, lowers his head and kisses her
again .


Chapter 47.2
Chapter 47.2
Chapter 47: Our Promise (2 of 2) + mini side story
The sky is already fully lit when Jin Xi wakes up .
The bright sun shines through the windshield . There are constantly people
passing by in the front .
She blinks and keeps still for a moment .
She shifts her gaze and sees that she is still sitting on Han Chen’s lap . And
his hands are on her waist .
They actually slept like this for the whole night .
Jin Xi’s face flushes immediately .
They were too impulsive last night . Her mind is in a mess right now, but
there’s one thing that she is certain about——
She must leave immediately .
She lifts her head slowly and sees Han Chen’s chest moving up and down
steadily and his eyes are closed .
Jin Xi is stunned slightly .
His face is especially handsome and refined in the morning sun . The shirt
collar accents his straight and long neck .
Jin Xi falls into a daze staring at him . After a moment, she uses the car door
for support and attempts to get off of him lightly . But the instant she moves,
she feels the hand on her waist grab her .
He opens his eyes slowly and looks at her .
His dark brown eyes carry a hint of laziness . They gradually reveal a smile .
“Where are you going?”
Jin Xi’s heart shakes from his smile . She pushes his chest, “It’s none of your
business! Let go . ”
But Han Chen doesn’t listen . He continues sitting in the backseat lazily with
one hand still grabbing onto her waist . He then moves his other hand and
actually places it on her thigh naturally .
Jin Xi’s body shivers as if she has just received an electric shock . Her face is
completely red, “Take your hand off!”
Han Chen stares at her and says in a slow and deep voice, “I can’t . ”
He can’t……
Jin Xi feels her face burning . And in the next second, she sees two familiar
figures passing by through the tinted car window .
It’s Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox .
“Let go! I have to get out . They’re here to pick me up!” she wants to break
free from him .
Han Chen glances outside .
“You want them to see you get out of my car like this early in the morning?”
His words hit Jin Xi back into his embrace .
She really doesn’t dare to . Xiao Zhuan likes to think of nonsenses and
Chatterbox is a pervert . If they were to see her like this, wouldn’t they think
that the members of the Black Shield Team had car sex?
She shoves him away feeling a bit angry . She slides off of his lap, sits beside
him and then nudges farther away from him .
“What should we do then?”
She sees him rub his legs and give them a shake . Jin Xi doesn’t need to think
to know that his legs are numb, so her face turns redder .
“Give me your cell phone,” he says .
Jin Xi gives it to him .
His fingers tap on the keyboard quickly and he sends out a text message soon
after . Jin Xi leans over to look; it’s to Zhou Xiao Zhuan: “Something came
up, so I had to leave first . Please complete the paperwork for my discharge .
”
Jin Xi is stunned . He tosses the phone back to her .
“That’s it?” she asks .
“That’s it . ”
Jin Xi is speechless . Putting other things aside, this brief and cold tone of
voice sounds nothing like a text message that she would send . Zhou Xiao
Zhuan will definitely be in a rage .
Just as she had expected, a few seconds later, she receives Xiao Zhuan’s reply
——
“Xiao Bai! Have you gone crazy!? How could you toy with our friendship
like this!?”
Just when she wants to respond back, Han Chen snatches her phone and
throws it to the side . He grabs her hand, “Go sit in the front . ” Jin Xi is
scared that he will come close to her again, so she gets up and sits in the
passenger seat obediently .
Han Chen returns to the driver’s seat, starts the car and drives away from the
hospital .
_____
The sun shines brightly throughout the ride .

Jin Xi watches the busy traffic while still feeling stuffed inside . She turns her
head to the side, leans back on her seat and avoids looking at him .
Han Chen takes a look at the back of her head, fetches for a cigarette, lights it
up and opens the car window .
After a while, he switches on some music .
A low mellow female voice resonates in the car, echoing the touching and
doubtful feelings in Jin Xi and making her heart become softer . The
atmosphere in the car has suddenly become ambiguous .
“Should I take you back to the dormitory first?” he asks in a low voice .
Jin Xi is still not looking at him, “……Okay . ”
Her phone rings . She holds it up and is stunned .
It’s because the caller is “stupid ex-boyfriend Zhao Zi Xu . ”
Seeing her expression change, Han Chen also looks over, “Who is it?”
Jin Xi doesn’t answer . She stares at the screen for a moment before picking
it up, “Hello . ”
“Hello, Xiao Xi?” the man on the other end says in a deep and gentle voice .
It’s also carrying a hint of a smile, “It’s Zhao Zi Xu . ”
Jin Xi’s heart pounds . She responds nonchalantly, “Mm, is something up?”
She once thought that if Zhao Zi Xu ever contacted her again, it would stir up
a storm in her heart . Her emotions might even go out of control like she
embarrassingly did when she was running on the rooftop last time . But now
that she hears his voice, even though she’s nervous subconsciously, she feels
rather calm .
At the same time, she senses Han Chen slowing down his car speed and is
looking and examining her face . Jin Xi turns her back towards him
immediately .
“How have you been?” Zhao Zi Xu asks .
Jin Xi smiles, “Not bad . How about you?”
“Not bad either,” Zhao Zi Xu’s voice is cheery, “My son is already two years
old now . ”
Jin Xi can’t help but feel uncomfortable inside her heart, so she lets out an
“oh” and says, “Congratulations . ”
Zhao Zi Xu says, “Your boyfriend passed by Lanzhou yesterday, so we met

up . He seems like a good guy, and I’m very happy for you . When will I get
to come to your wedding? Remember to send me an invite, I’ll definitely
come . ”
Jin Xi is a bit surprised and turns to look at Han Chen . He’s looking straight
and seems very calm . Therefore, she responds vaguely, “About that……
we’ll see . ”
Zhao Zi Xu called just to see how she has been doing . They hang up very
soon .
Jin Xi is still grabbing onto her phone as she falls into a daze .
This is the man that she had once loved with her life? A feeling of dullness
comes to her heart again . She turns around to look at Han Chen, “Why did
you go see my ex-boyfriend? You were investigating me?”
Han Chen keeps his calmness . He doesn’t answer but asks instead, “You
don’t want to find out what exactly happened to the case from five years
ago?”
Jin Xi is a bit stunned .
That’s right……
They still haven’t been able to solve this mystery left behind by T . Based on
Han Chen’s style and forte in finding out traces of evidence through details,
he would naturally investigate everything from her past .
“Do you have any findings?” she asks .

Han Chen glances at her, “Still investigating . ”
Jin Xi doesn’t ask any further . She lifts her head and looks straight . The
call from Zhao Zi Xu makes her feel a bit of regret nonetheless as she says
softly, “I originally wanted to find some time and go visit Zhao Zi Xu too . ”
“There’s no need . He’s not worth seeing,” he says apathetically .
Jin Xi is struck dumb . She wants to laugh, but she doesn’t want to do it in
front of him, so she turns her head to look up at the clouds in the sky .
After a moment of quietness, she hears him say, “Do you still have feelings
for him?”
Jin Xi is surprised by his question . But it’s already in the past and she has
already let it go, so she answers frankly, “I don’t know . But I think I did love
him in the past . Otherwise, I wouldn’t have dreamed about what he said to
me . But it’s all in the past . ” The weird thing is that she actually feels like
discussing this with Han Chen .
She then senses Han Chen keeping quiet for a moment before asking slowly,
“What did he say?”
Jin Xi closes her eyes, lets out a sigh and says, “He said he would marry me
after I graduate . He won’t marry anyone else but me in his life……”
Before she finishes, she suddenly feels the car braking hard and skidding
accompanied by a loud screech . Jin Xi is in complete shock . The moment
she opens her eyes, she sees that the car has landed on a grass area on the
curb, and the cars behind them are honking non-stop .
Everything happened too fast . She turns around to look at Han Chen in fright
.
She sees that he is completely ignoring the honking from behind and both of
his hands are off of the steering wheel . His leans over his whole body and
grabs onto her hands tightly .
Jin Xi is bewildered, and her hands are hurting from his grasp, “……What are
you doing?”
But Han Chen’s face is expressionless . His dark brown eyes are covered
with dense emotions that she cannot make out .
“Say that again,” he says in a very slow and raspy voice .
Jin Xi is in a daze .
She doesn’t know why but her heart is pounding hard as she looks into his
eyes and watches his facial expression .
The man in her dreams said……he said……
“Let’s get married after I graduate . He won’t marry anyone else but me in
his life . ”
“Let’s get married after you graduate . I won’t marry anyone else but you in
my life . ”
Han Chen’s eyes are fixed on her as he speaks almost in sync with her; the
same pace, same tone, same pauses, and same complex emotions .
It’s as if he’s the same person who made the promise in her dreams .
Jin Xi’s heart pounds and her mind is drawing a blank . The sound of cars
passing and pedestrians talking around them have all disappeared . Only his
face is reflecting clearly in her eyes .
She then sees him turn his head suddenly to avoid her gaze .
But they’re very close to each other right now . Jin Xi can still see very
clearly——those calm eyes of his are actually slowly becoming watery .
“Han Chen, are you……”
In the next second, she feels her waist being grabbed onto and he uses all of
his strength to hug her tightly like never before . He lowers his head and
buries it deeply into her shoulder . He’s hugging her too tightly, making her
almost unable to breathe .
After she falls into a daze for a moment, she reaches out her arms suddenly
and hugs him back . Her tears begin to flow .
……
“Let’s get married after you graduate . I won’t marry anyone else but you in
my life . ”
Bai Jin Xi,
Have you also seen my pair of eyes before in your dreams?
Have you also refused to wake up for my sake in order to linger on to the
broken and deepest part of memories?
Do you still remember vaguely the shape of my face and some of the things
I’ve said?
Do you remember the twenty-year-old Han Chen who once held out his heart
in front of you? After losing you, happiness has never descended on him
again .
__________
Mini Side Story: The Secret in the Phone
A lot later when they’re finally together . Han Chen remembers that she once
demeaningly called him “two-timer bastard,” so he grabs her phone and
scrolls through the list .
He finds his number very quickly . He frowns seeing the remark .
It has been changed .
But it has been changed to “shameless bastard Han . ”
At this moment, Jin Xi walks out of the bathroom and crawls into his embrace
. He tosses the phone to her and asks, “Why am I still a bastard?”
Jin Xi snatches the phone back with her face blushing immediately .
“What do you think?” she says gritting her teeth .

Not every guy is like Bo Jin Yan (a character in Ding Mo’s “Love Me, If You
Dare” novel) . Han Chen has great EQ when it comes to romance! He
understands immediately, so he whispers in her ear, “It’s because of last
night?”
Jin Xi’s ears are red now . She stuffs her head into the pillow and doesn’t
answer .
“How am I shameless?” he asks slowly .
Jin Xi says depressingly, “……you’re shameless in everything!”
Han Chen laughs, takes the phone and changes the remark to “Husband . ”
He scrolls the list further down and smiles again .
Cold Face’s is: the cutest virtuous wife and a great mother .
Chatterbox’s is: Too talkative!
Qin Wen Long’s is: Smiling Tiger (Crocodile Smile)
When he gets to Xiao Zhuan, he frowns slightly again . It’s because the
remark is——Dearest Xiao Zhuan .
Jin Xi notices his expression and explains casually, “Xiao Zhuan browses my
phone all the time . He added the description himself . ”
Han Chen glances at her, taps on the phone’s keyboard quickly and changes it
to “Zhou Xiao Zhuan”
Jin Xi thinks it’s funny . An idea springs to her mind, so she grabs his phone
and scrolls through it: “What is my contact name saved as on your phone?
It’s not just my name, is it?”
Han Chen tosses her phone to the side, puts one arm behind his head, looks at
her and doesn’t answer .
Jin Xi scrolls through the list but can’t find her own name . All of a sudden
when she sees one of the rows, she freezes .
It’s her number . The contact name is……

(English) My heart .
“(English) My heart,” a low mellow voice says at the same time beside her
ear .
My heart .
The only woman in my heart, possessing all of my gentleness and love .


Chapter 48
Chapter 48
Chapter 48: Come Home with Me
The sun is blazing and the cars around them are still honking . Bai Jin Xi
hugs Han Chen while watching the cars drive past them; many people are
turning and looking at them . And not far away, a policeman is walking
quickly towards them .
Jin Xi’s tears slowly stop flowing .
She was crying simply out of reflex . Hearing Han Chen recite that phrase
and seeing his watery eyes, she couldn’t think clearly of the outcome and the
logic behind what was happening; a kind of unexplainable pain surging up her
heart . And as a result, her tears began to flow .
And now, her emotions gradually calm down . An unthinkable conclusion

also floats clearly into her mind .
But……how is it possible?
She knows that he has a fiancée . She can also guess that the person that he
has been looking for all these years is his fiancée . But she has never once
connected herself with this person .
Yet Han Chen has just recited the exact words that her fiancé said in her
dreams .
She suddenly recalls the time when she first met Han Chen . He was sitting
behind the screen at the Su Se Nightclub; proud, aloof, and still . He pinned
her down on the ground . His eyes were cold like ice……she knew very well
in her heart that this arrogant and obstinate man had already captured her eyes
.
She also recalls the day when they were running on the rooftop; the blurry
memories and pain that drowned her suddenly .
She even recalls the time when she saw him via video conferencing while she
was far away at Jiangcheng and the voice came to her head: No matter where
you go, I will find you in the crowd .
……
All this time, he has only made her think of another person . But……what if
that person is him?
Her heart pounds heavily . But many doubts and suspicions are occupying
her heart . All she can do is turn around and stare at the side of his face .
“……Why?”
What is the reason for all of this?
Han Chen lets go of her slowly while still grabbing onto her shoulders . He
stares at her at a close distance .
The traffic policeman has already made it to the side of their car, knocking on
their window, “What’s the matter?”
Han Chen lets out his breath slowly . He takes a look at her, lets go of her
shoulders and takes out his identification card for the traffic policeman to see .
“Everything is fine . I’ll move the car now,” his voice is a little raspy as usual
.
The officer nods and backs away .
Jin Xi stares at him and doesn’t say anything .
He turns to look at her again . With one hand on the steering wheel, he grabs
her hand with his other .
“Let’s go home first,” he says .
“Mm . ”
The land rover makes its way back onto the road .
He’s quiet throughout the whole ride . His eyes are looking straight; not sure
what he’s thinking about . But he doesn’t let go of her hand all this time .
And Jin Xi’s heart is in a mess; more doubts and suspicions arise . The more
she thinks about it, the more she can’t believe what’s happening . She can’t
think clearly .
They soon arrive at the station . The road on the right leads to the policemen
dormitory . Jin Xi is looking out the window when she suddenly notices that
the car isn’t making a turn; it’s heading straight .
“Wrong way . You need to make a right,” she reminds him .
Han Chen says without any expression on his face, “I didn’t miss a turn .
Your home isn’t there . ”
Jin Xi’s heart shakes . She can’t find any words in her mouth .
_____
Han Chen parks the car below an apartment building . Jin Xi can now see
that the front of his car is dented, but Han Chen doesn’t even bother to take a
look at it . He pulls her to go up the building with him .
He pushes open the door; the apartment is completely still and quiet .
Han Chen releases her hand, walks in and tosses his keys onto the coffee table
. Jin Xi walks in behind him . She looks around the place subconsciously .
It’s a very simple looking two bedroom apartment . The decorations are
simple yet elegant and the walls are painted with cool colors . There is only a
pair of men’s slippers, and there is a shirt laying on the sofa .
He has clearly been living alone for a long time .
Han Chen takes off his jacket and throws it onto the sofa . Jin Xi has too
many questions that she wants to ask; her heart is pounding like thunder as
she watches his back . He turns around suddenly and walks over while
staring at her .
“Han Chen, what does this……”
He hugs her directly, lowers his head and kisses her .
“Mm……” she protests, “Stop kissing me……explain to me clearly……”
But Han Chen doesn’t listen . As if it’s carrying a certain kind of

stubbornness with erupting emotions, he kisses her harder and fiercer than all
the other times before . He continues embracing her as they kiss and move
from the foyer to the living room . They hit a chair and then the coffee table
before she falls over onto the sofa .
Jin Xi is dizzy from his kiss . She’s panting . Her lips and tongue don’t feel
like they’re hers anymore .
“Ow……” she cries out .
Her cry wakes Han Chen up a bit . He lifts his head and finally lets go of her
lips . But after he takes a glance at her, he buries his head into her neck again
and starts kissing .
“Ow, ow, ow, ow……Ah!” Jin Xi screams .
It’s because Han Chen has taken a bite on her neck .
He actually bit her!
She shivers from pain and is completely dumbstruck . Han Chen releases her
finally . He sits up, leans back on the sofa and lets out a long breath of air .
Jin Xi is bewildered as she looks down at the spot below her collarbone where
there’s a fresh red teeth mark . Just when she wants to scold him, he grasps
her hand .
She raises her head and sees that his chin is up and he’s covering his eyes
with the back of his other hand .
And then he smiles .
All of a sudden, Jin Xi can’t seem to scold him by calling him “lunatic”
anymore .
It’s because the smile on his face is really the happy kind . She has never
seen him smile like this before .
Watching the way he is now, it softens Jin Xi’s heart but it makes her feel hurt
at the same time .
Her heart aches .
She sits beside him feeling disconcerted . She lets him lift up her hand to his
mouth and peck kisses on it .
There are so many questions in her heart, but as if she’s been possessed, the
first thing she asks is——
“Han Chen……What if you’ve got it wrong?”
Han Chen lowers the hand that has been covering his eyes . He turns around
to look at her with his shimmering dark brown eyes .
“I can’t possibly be wrong . We’re both related to the case from five years
ago, and we’ve both lost our memories . We both remember the same
promise . And……” he pauses before continuing, “we both have strong
feelings for each other . When there are this many coincidences, it cannot just
be a coincidence——this all can only be explained if we were once in love .
‘When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however
improbable, must be the truth . (Sherlock Holmes)’”
“But I’ve never left Province K before . Could you have been in Jiangcheng
before?” she scrunches her eyebrows .
Han Chen remains silent for a moment .
Should he tell her the truth?
Should he tell her: you might not actually be Bai Jin Xi and no one knows
what your name is . Your parents who you thought have died in an accident
were actually not your parents . They might have been sacrificial victims
used to hide your identity . You have been living obliviously as someone
else, and the real Bai Jin Xi might be dead already . These past few years
where you have been living cheerfully and optimistically is just a false image
created by some powerful group .
No, he must not .
At least not right now .
After being immersed in deep thoughts for a while, he speaks, “I might have
been to Province K before and we fell in love . And because we lost our
memories, we ended up losing each other . As for other unanswered
questions, I think they are probably related to the case in the past . And it is
something that we need to do research on . Don’t overthink it right now . I’ll
definitely get to the bottom of it . But there’s no need to doubt the fact that
you are my fiancée . ”
Since he has made things so clear, Jin Xi seems to believe him more now .
Her hypothesis is that maybe she and Han Chen were in love but did not let
anyone know . They were involved in this past case and there might have
been confidentiality tied to it, so they ended up being separated . This seems
to make a lot of sense .
As for Zhao Zi Xu……
No wonder she barely feels anything for the guy . They must have dated for
only a few days, so they weren’t in a deep relationship .
Thinking about it this way, it makes even more sense now . It matches the
way she feels about Zhao Zi Xu .
She raises her head to look at Han Chen .
This truth that is completely opposite from what she had thought has come
too suddenly . She’s still kind of lost and she still has many doubts . But
looking at his face and recalling the moment they recited their promises
together out loud just now, she can feel a very clear and familiar sense of pain
.
She knows very well that this is more persuasive than any objective facts .
The man whom she has longed for in her dreams, the man who causes her to
lose control of her feelings every time she thinks about him is standing in
front of her eyes .
He’s actually……Han Chen .
Bittersweet, joy, sourness……gradually covers the doubts and confusions in

her heart . The feelings grow bigger and bigger, stronger and stronger .
If she is his fiancée……
Then all this time, there has never been a third person between them? There
has never been another person in his heart?
He has been so silly and stubborn in searching for her all along?
“So……” she takes a deep breath and says slowly, “you’ve been searching for
your fiancée for five years?”
Han Chen looks at her, leans over, grabs her shoulders and lowers his head,
“I’ve been searching for you for five years . ”
Jin Xi’s heart is completely melted . Her tears begin to fall .
Han Chen lowers his head and kisses her tears away lightly . The room is
quiet . Only the sound of their breathing interweaving with each other can be
heard .
After a while, Han Chen says suddenly, “Bai Jin Xi, we’ve both lost our
memories . But I’ve always remembered that this person exists . I’ve
searched for you every day and every year . How come you never once
thought about me and even mistaken me for that stupid idiot Zhao Zi Xu?”
Jin Xi’s eyes are still watery . She didn’t think he would actually ask about
this . A thought crosses her mind immediately——he remembers her, but she
can’t remember him at all . This just goes to say that he invests his love
deeper than she does……
But she absolutely must not say this out . It’s just that looking at Han Chen’s
dark and calm eyes, she can’t tell whether or not he thinks this way too .
“Use your every second and every minute to compensate me,” he stares into
her eyes and says calmly .
Jin Xi’s heart shakes . She doesn’t know how to respond .

Jin Xi’s phone beeps; it’s a text message .
She takes a look . It’s Xiao Zhuan: “Xiao Bai! Where are you? I’ve carried
your luggage back to the dormitory . Why haven’t you come back to open the
door?”
She can’t be blamed; the news she got today has been too groundbreaking .
She grabs the phone and stands up . Before she even finishes saying, “I’ll be
going then……” Han Chen snatches her phone away and says unconcernedly
to her, “No . ”
Jin Xi: “But……” Even if they were engaged, she hasn’t absorbed it all; she
still can’t remember a single thing . If she has to live at his place all of a
sudden……
“Han Chen, about this……give me a bit more time . I am not prepared for
this at all . ”
But Han Chen stands up with both of his hands in his pockets, “It’s fine to
leave . I’ll move to your place . ”
Jin Xi: “……”
After staring at each other for a while, the image of Han Chen covering his
eyes and smiling while leaning against the sofa floats into Jin Xi’s mind .
“Alright . I’ll stay here then,” she says softly .
Han Chen looks at her and smiles slowly . He holds up her phone . Just
when Jin Xi thought that he was going to text Xiao Zhuan back, she sees him
dial and put the phone to his ear .
“What are you doing?” Jin Xi asks while attempting to grab the phone back,
but he avoids her easily .
“Xiao Zhuan, bring Jin Xi’s luggage to my place,” he says and then hangs up .
Jin Xi is dumbstruck, “How could you tell Zhou Xiao Zhuan that? What will
the others think?”
“Who cares what they think,” he answers .

Jin Xi opens her mouth in speechlessness . She can’t follow his pace at all,
“Han Chen! Aren’t I your fiancée!? How can you be so domineering to your
fiancée?”
Han Chen glances at her, lights up a cigarette and sits down .
“There are many people in this world who cannot get what they want, and yet
they live with it . You just need to grit your teeth and you’ll get over it,” he
says .
Jin Xi is a bit stunned . It’s what she has said before .
“I was already prepared to grit my teeth for the rest of my life,” he says, “but
then you came back . ”
He continues smoking with his head down . Jin Xi recovers from the shock
and her heart softens again .
It’s because she is back .
That’s why he’s happy; that’s why he’s so domineering and won’t let her
leave again?… . .
After a moment of silence, she sits back down on the sofa and stretches out
her arms to hug his neck . Han Chen puts his cigarette down right away and
hugs her back . She lifts her head and kisses him .


Chapter 49.2
Chapter 49.2
Chapter 49: The Everyday Life of Living Together (1 of 2)
Han Chen has waited for this day to come for too long . He also guessed long
ago that Bai Jin Xi was his fiancée .
But what about to Bai Jin Xi?
The sound of water coming from the bathroom continues . Jin Xi is sitting on
the sofa with her arms wrapped around her legs and staring at this unfamiliar
man’s home . She falls into a trance .
Is she…going to start living with him just like this?
Her reasoning and logic have already accepted this, but she still feels as if
she’s still dreaming .
On the other hand, she has always been an open-minded person . Since she
has already agreed to him, she stops feeling perplexed about it . Furthermore,
she’s very interested to know what happened and what she lost in the past .
Perhaps staying with Han Chen will help both of them recover their
memories .
Moreover, he’s quite pitiful too……
Just as she falls into deep thoughts, she hears the doorbell ring .
Jin Xi walks over to open the door still immersed in her thoughts . It’s Xiao
Zhuan with an extremely surprised face standing in front of her .
Jin Xi is also struck dumb seeing him; she now recalls Han Chen telling him
to bring her luggage over . Therefore, without a second thought, she slams
the door shut with a loud “bang . ”
Thinking of Xiao Zhuan’s expression just now, she lowers her head
subconsciously . And she realizes that something is not right! She’s still
wearing a patient’s gown and slippers . Her hair’s a mess after being kissed
by Han Chen from night till morning . She touches her lips and can feel that
they are swollen . From her open collar, there is clear teeth mark just right
under her collarbone……
Jin Xi’s face flushes immediately . Listening to the sound of water coming
from the bathroom behind her, she quickly buttons up her gown, steadies her
breathing and re-opens the door again in a calm and composed manner .
Xiao Zhuan looks at her with a sulky face .
Jin Xi decides to stand firm, “What? What is that expression of yours? Why
are you looking at me like that?”
Xiao Zhuan says dejectedly, “Is it really like what I think it is!? In such a
short time, you’ve been……”
Jin Xi’s face is burning . She snatches the bag of clothes from him, “What are
all these nonsense in your head? It was only a bite!”
Xiao Zhuan: “It was……only a bite?” He feels as if his head is about to

explode . The usual cold and handsome super detective Han took a bite out of
Xiao Bai?
Jin Xi feels that they can’t continue the conversation any longer, so she
throws the bag of clothes inside, crosses her arms and stares at him, “Xiao
Zhuan, I can’t explain everything to you right now . We’re……We’re
together . But we’re only staying together for the sake of investigating a case!
The big case that T mentioned . Don’t tell anyone about this, okay?
Anyway, thanks . I’m closing the door if there isn’t anything else . ”
“Wha-?”
“Bang!” Jin Xi closes the door again . She lets out a long breath of relief .
Please forgive her . She has once again used her vigor to suppress Xiao
Zhuan .
In the bathroom, Han Chen has already shut off the water and is drying his
hair with a towel . Hearing the chit-chat going on outside from the two of
them, he reveals a slight smile .
He tosses the towel to the side and puts on a pair of long pants . Just when he
is about to turn the knob to open the door, he freezes .
He has gotten used to walking out of the bathroom this way after living alone
for so long . She’s here today and yet he forgot to grab a shirt with him .
But he pauses for no more than a second before pulling the door open and
walking outside .
Jin Xi is leaning against the entrance door . The moment she looks up, she
sees Han Chen .
Her eyes drift and she turns her head away subconsciously .
“I’m going to take a bath too,” she ruffles through the bag, finds a set of
clothes and a towel, and walks past him . She closes the bathroom door and
locks it . She feels like giggling all of a sudden .
His body is quite fit, isn’t it……
Alright, it’s more than just fit .
He’s now her boyfriend; her lost and found fiancé . Thinking about this
makes her heart sink and float at the same time . She’s happy nonetheless .
The kind of happiness that she has never felt before coming from within her
heart and it’s super sweet——just like how he was just now .
She can’t help herself from twirling in the bathroom . She twirls her way to
the showerhead and starts bathing while humming a melody .
Han Chen finds a shirt to put on from his bedroom and then sits down on the
sofa and lights up a cigarette .
The apartment is brightly lit near noontime . He can hear the sound of water
splashing coming from the bathroom, and he can just make out her off-tune
singing . Her red duffle bag is laying on the floor beside the sofa . Her white
cell phone has been left on the coffee table .
The usual cold and lonely home now contain traces of her and her scent .
He raises his head and stares at the bathroom door .
After staring for a while, he smiles slowly .
When Jin Xi comes out from the bathroom, she sees Han Chen sitting across
with a cigarette between his fingers and staring at her quietly . His hair hasn’t
fully dried yet . It’s still damp and sticking to his face, moistening his fair
white skin and making his pupils look darker than usual . The top button of
his shirt is unbuttoned . His collar is slightly open, revealing his neck .
He’s just incredibly handsome .
“Come over for a kiss,” he says suddenly .
Jin Xi’s body shivers from his explicit invitation . She rejects him frankly,
“No! I need to wash my clothes . ”
She turns around to take a look and then walks towards the washing machine
at the balcony . She immediately spots the clothes that Han Chen has
changed out of and are thrown into the basket on the side .
She falls into a daze and asks without thinking, “Han Chen, Xiao Zhuan and
the guys don’t wash their socks, undergarments, and clothes separately .
You’re not also like that, are you?”
Han Chen inhales his cigarette lightly as he watches what is going on outside
the window .
Washing socks, underwear, and outer layer clothes together? He has never
tolerated this since he was little .
But……
“Why do they need to be washed separately?” he asks calmly .
As a result, he sees Jin Xi glance at him with disgust .
“Male officers are indeed all the same,” she sighs, “yet I thought you would
be more refined . Oh well, I’ll wash them all together then . ”
Han Chen smiles with the cigarette in his mouth but says nonchalantly,
“Whatever you like . ”
_____
Since she has decided to live with him, she needs to familiarize herself with
the environment . After Jin Xi starts the washing machine and walks into the
living room, she sees Han Chen putting out his cigarette and standing up .
Jin Xi feels nervous suddenly . She walks quickly to the study room, “Let me
take a look around . ”
Han Chen doesn’t say anything . He walks over, grabs her by the waist and
accompanies her to look around .
The study is very neat and tidy, and the bedroom is well lit and spacious . But
Jin Xi notices a problem very soon .
A problem that she should’ve thought of first thing but has neglected due to
her emotions getting worked up .
There’s only……one bed .
She comes out of the bedroom and sees Han Chen looking calm, so she
doesn’t say anything . After thinking for a moment, she says, “I’m hungry .
Let’s go eat and then go buy some things . ”
They eat their lunch at a restaurant in the area .
Han Chen seems to come often because the waitresses all look surprised to
see him bring a girl with him . After she sits down, Jin Xi can sense them
peeking at their table every now and then .
This guy……
Jin Xi drinks her cup of tea slowly while staring at Han Chen, who’s looking
down at the menu across from her .
He sure does attract a lot of women .

The waitresses are even more surprised after they finish their meals . Even
Jin Xi is a bit shocked . It’s because although Han Chen isn’t talkative, he’s
very considerate of her .
When the waitress brings them a hot sizzling plate of steak, he taps on the
table, “Put it here, don’t put it in front of her . ” He waits until the plate cools
down a bit before moving it in front of her . When all the dishes have arrived,
she is delighted, “It’s all of my favorite . ” He says without lifting an
eyebrow, “I ordered based on what you like . ” Her cup is already empty yet
she doesn’t notice until he waves for the waitress . The waitress serves them
a plate of fruits at the end of their meals, but just when she is about to eat it,
he stops her . He turns around and tells the waitress, “Please take it away .
She cannot eat anything cool in these few days . ”
Jin Xi is speechless, “……”
The waitress takes the plate of fruits away while smiling . Jin Xi knows that
the waitress has misunderstood them, thinking that Han Chen must be being
considerate of her period, but it’s really because she has just recovered from
her injury .
Jin Xi looks down, takes a sip of water and smiles . She rests her chin in one
palm and stares at him, “Hey, Han Chen . You get into character quite
quickly, don’t you? I’m not used to it yet . ”
Han Chen lays one of his arms on the back of the chair, glances at her and
picks up his tea, “It’s natural . I’ve never let go of this character before,
unlike you . ”
Jin Xi almost chokes on her water . She keeps quiet feeling guilty .


Chapter 50.1
Chapter 50.1
Chapter 50: Hand in Hand (1 of 2)
In the classroom, the ceiling fan is spinning and humming above their heads .
This class is about Maoism . Just like the majority of the guys in the class, Jin
Xi is sleeping with her head down on her desk . Someone pokes her arm,
“Hey Beauty, Gao Han, the most handsome guy in the 4th class, asked me to
give you his love letter . Hurry and read it!”
Jin Xi is in a bit of a daze from napping . She answers crisply, “Tell him to
get lost . Miss Beauty here is already taken . ”
The classroom falls into complete quietness . Their professor is also struck
dumb .
Then follows by the thunderous sound of laughter!
Jin Xi sits back up slowly from her desk and sees the many chuckling faces .
As well as……their teacher’s angry expression .
“You!” the professor points at her nose, “Go stand outside! You’re a student
of the police academy and yet you dare have a love relationship?!
Unacceptable!”
Jin Xi feels wronged and bewildered immediately, “I’m not in a relationship,

professor . I meant that I’m taken by the police workforce! I’ve decided long
ago that I will give my youth to this profession . ”
The sound of laughter grows louder .
She is kicked out of the room by the professor nevertheless .
She’s already a grown-up and yet she is being told to stand outside . Jin Xi
stands in the hallway and rubs her nose feeling embarrassed . At the same
time, she hears someone sitting at the end of the classroom blow a whistle .
Jin Xi gets the signal, turns her head and sees Han Chen in his full police
uniform walking towards her from the other end of the hallway .
“Yo! The man is here,” someone whispers anxiously . Jin Xi glares at the
person before looking at her reflection in the window; she fixes her hair, her
shirt collar and then looks at Han Chen with a straight face as he approaches .
Seeing that she has been asked to stand outside, a hint of a smile flashes
across Han Chen’s eyes . He arrives in front of her looking calm and
composed, “Classmate, what are you doing here?”
Jin Xi answers, “I’m admiring the scenery here . Fellow officer, what are
doing at the police academy? Are you investigating a case?”
The smile in Han Chen’s eyes grows deeper while his expression continues to
be indifferent, “Mm . There’s a case that I want to consult with the professor .
I’ll be on my way now . ”
He nods at her politely and then continues walking to the other end of the
hallway . Jin Xi watches his back view disappear . She waits for a while so
that her professor doesn’t catch her; she bends down and escapes .
Just when she approaches the corner of the hallway, someone grasps her wrist
and pulls her into a room . It’s the training room . There isn’t anyone in here
at this hour .
Han Chen takes off his police hat and throws it onto the table . He pushes her
against the back of the door and kisses her .
“Han Chen……” she calls out softly .
“Mm?” he answers in a low voice .
“Why are you at the police academy again? I thought we agreed to meet up
over the weekend?”
“I miss you, so you think that I should just endure the pain?”
The summer breeze blows quietly . In the large classroom, only the sound of
two people murmuring, giggling, and breathing can be heard .
……
Jin Xi opens her eyes slowly and sees the light gray ceiling in front of her .
There are traces of tears in the corners of her eyes .
She turns her head and stares at the man who’s asleep beside her .
Is it because of yesterday’s reunion so the memories that have been in

slumber inside of her have been woken up?
I can actually dream about you clearly now, Han Chen .
We were really once so proud and passionately in love .
The clock on the bedside points to 6am . He’s wearing pajamas and sleeping
on his side facing her with one arm around her waist . His expression looks
especially calm during sleep; not a hint of unruliness or arrogance . He’s just
like the gentle yet reckless young man from her dream .
Jin Xi reaches over and gives a light peck on his cheek .
The air is cold in the morning . She gets out of bed quietly to brush her teeth
and wash her face . Seeing that he’s still sleeping, she takes one of his
cigarettes on the bedside table, lights it up and starts smoking while sitting on
the side of the bed .
Han Chen said that he must have been to Province K and that they were once
in love .
What kind of case could be so serious that both of their memories were wiped
away? And everybody is keeping it a secret?
She falls into deep thoughts .
Her instincts tell her that whatever happened in the past is currently covered
up by a dense and dangerous fog . She cannot see through it clearly or have a
good guess of what it is .
But no matter how hard the road ahead may be, she’ll definitely work
together with him to find out the truth .
What is it and who is it that has caused them to lose so many things and be
separated?
This is what Han Chen sees waking up .
Jin Xi is sitting by his side . Her eyes are a little red, a cigarette is held
between her fingers as she smokes absentmindedly . He reaches out and pulls
her into his embrace .
“What’s the matter?” he strokes her face gently with his fingers .
Jin Xi keeps quiet for a moment .
Some things will make one cry the moment they are spoken of .
“Han Chen……” she turns to look at him, “I dreamed about us . Us in the

past . ”
Han Chen stares at her quietly with his dark brown eyes .
And then he lowers her head and kisses her .
“What did you dream about?” he says softly in her ear .
Jin Xi describes what she dreamed about to him .
Han Chen remains silence for a long while and then kisses her aggressively .
He finally lets go after a while . They both don’t have anything to say .
All of a sudden, Jin Xi feels something taken out of her hand . Han Chen has
snatched her cigarette and put it in his mouth .
“Therefore……you’re now absolutely certain that I’m your real boyfriend?”

he says flippantly .
His words make her giggle . She pushes him with her hands, “F— off!”
It’s still early in the morning . Jin Xi leans on his shoulder and watches him
smoke . She still hasn’t satisfied her addiction yet . She looks at him with
full of craving in her eyes, “Give me back the cigarette . Go light your own .
”
Han Chen breathes out the smoke from his nostrils and then turns to look at
her .
He holds the cigarette in front of her lips .
Jin Xi leans forward and inhales from it in satisfaction . He then inhales from
it .
Jin Xi feels the sweetness in her heart . She feels quite happy to be embraced
by him in the morning while they share a cigarette .
But then she hears him say, “Here, take one last breath . ” He feeds the
cigarette to her mouth again .
There’s still half a cigarette left . She inhales from it and asks, “What do you
mean it’s the last?”
“Your last breath of smoke for this lifetime,” he holds the cigarette in his
mouth, lets go of her and gets up .
Jin Xi is stunned . She climbs out of bed immediately, “Han Chen, what do
you mean?”
“Quit smoking,” he says frankly . He starts getting dressed .
There’s no way that Jin Xi will agree to this . Although she will restrain
herself consciously, there’s no way she’ll be willing to quit entirely .
“That’s not up to you to say,” she hops off the bed . The moment she lands on
the floor, Han Chen pulls her into his embrace again .
“Is that so?” he looks downward at her, “You just recognized who your real
boyfriend is and now you’re denying it? Smoking is bad for your body . You
have no choice in this . ”
Jin Xi is a bit mad yet she feels it’s funny . He’s even educating her that
smoking is bad? She shifts her eyes to the cigarette in his hand and says
righteously, “You’re wrong then . There’s that saying: subordinates will
imitate their superior’s vices (idiom) . I must have started smoking back then
due to your influence . You want me to quit? Let see if you can first!
Otherwise, don’t control me . ”
She’s full of confidence in her words . It’s because she knows that Han Chen
has a big addiction in smoking . He smokes at least a pack a day . If you
want him to quit, you might as well kill him .
But Han Chen doesn’t answer . He inhales from the cigarette a few more
times to finish it, presses it into the ashtray and lets out a long breath of
smoke, blowing it directly into her face . It almost makes Jin Xi want to
cough . She glares at him . He stares at her through the smoke .
“Okay, let’s quit together . ”
He agrees to it so simply that Jin Xi is completely dumbstruck .
“You’re not smoking anymore? Are you serious? You think that quitting is
so easy?”
He picks up the remaining pack of cigarettes with more than half left and the
matchsticks and weighs them in his hand, “It is not easy . But I’m not the
same as you . ”
Jin Xi asks, “How are you not the same?”
He takes a look at her, and then dumps the cigarettes and matchsticks into the
garbage can, “I do as my girlfriend says . Whether I quit smoking or not, it’s
your call . ”
Such straightforward and corny words full of love make Jin Xi’s heart shake .
It causes her to be rash as she says without thinking, “Alright! I will accept!
Let’s quit together . ”
Han Chen stares at her and smiles slowly .
After a while, he goes to brush his teeth and wash his face . Jin Xi looks
down at the cigarettes inside the garbage can . She thinks for a second and
fetches them .
These cigarettes are expensive, so it’s too wasteful to throw them out . She
decides to recycle by giving them to Chatterbox .


Chapter 50.2
Chapter 50.2
Chapter 50: Hand in Hand (2 of 2)
When the car is near the station, Jin Xi pats Han Chen’s hand, “I’ll get off
here and walk over . ”
Han Chen places both of hands on the steering wheel and says without raising
an eyebrow, “Come with me directly . I’ll let our superiors know . ”
There’s no way that Jin Xi would be willing to let him do that! She knows
that Han Chen isn’t trying to be high-profile about this, but he’s used to
having everything his own way, so since he has found his fiancée, he doesn’t
care about others or anything else .
But she cares . She doesn’t want to be the subject of discussion . If they can
avoid such troubles, why not avoid it?
Therefore, she turns her head and looks at him directly, “Han Chen, promise
me . Let’s keep this a secret for the time being . We’ve just gotten together,
so why cause a riot to bother us? I’ve already told Xiao Zhuan to keep his
mouth shut, so don’t tell anyone else today . ”
Han Chen taps his finger on the steering wheel and doesn’t say anything .
Jin Xi leans over, kisses his cheek and says gently, “Han Chen……just listen
to me this time, okay?”
He finally shifts his gaze towards her while unbuttoning the topmost button of
his shirt .
“Were you always this good at acting affectionately?” he asks softly .
Jin Xi’s face flushes immediately, “Who’s trying to be affectionate . Hurry

and stop the car!”
Nevertheless, Han Chen drops her off at the intersection before the station .
Jin Xi looks left and right cautiously while greeting other colleagues calmly
on her way . When she makes it to the office, she sees Han Chen is already
sitting down and reading the newspaper . Only Cold Face is here; Chatterbox
and Xiao Zhuan haven’t made it yet .
Jin Xi walks in naturally, “Good morning Leader! Good morning Cold

Face!”
Han Chen’s face is still behind the newspapers, “Mm . ” Cold Face remains
quiet as usual and only nods at her .
Jin Xi is very satisfied with this outcome .
After a while, she gets up to make some tea . She glances and sees that Han
Chen’s cup is empty . Thinking about how he’s been cooperating with her so
well today, she should probably pacify him . Therefore, she picks up his cup,
“Leader, I’ll make you a cup as well . ”
Han Chen looks up at her .
Their eyes meet . Jin Xi feels her heart pound . She presses her lips together
lightly and walks away .
But she overestimates her ability to hold hot water . She can feel the boiling
heat on her fingertips and palms as she holds onto two cups . She walks over
to his desk quickly and places them down .
Han Chen raises his head and sees her frowning slightly while holding both of
her hands up to blow on them . In the light, her face is fair white and her
slender fingertips are slightly red; he’s not sure if she got burned .
The image of last night springs into Han Chen’s mind immediately . She was
in his embrace and her face was red from being kissed by him . His heart
ripples . He puts down the newspapers and grabs her fingers .
“Got burned?”
Jin Xi stares at him with her eyes wide open . She takes a quick peek at Cold
Face and then tries to signal Han Chen with her eyes . But Han Chen just
won’t let go of her hands . He rubs her fingers with his long and fair white
fingers .
“It’s okay . Cold Face knows . ”
Jin Xi’s body is completely stiff .
But her face is blushing harder now .
She turns her head to look at Cold Face .
Cold Face coughs lightly . He can’t help but smile, revealing his small
dimples .
“Don’t mind me,” he says, indicating his stance on this .
Jin Xi feels quite embarrassed after seeing how natural they acted together .
Yet she was pretending to be all righteous and enthusiastic, drawing a line
between herself and Han Chen in front of Cold Face .
This is too detestable!
She shakes off Han Chen’s hands, picks up her cup and goes back to her seat .
In the next instance, she places her hand on the edge of Cold Face’s table and
threatens, “Don’t you dare tell anyone!” She looks up and glances at Han
Chen . He’s clearly not looking this way . He doesn’t even care!
Cold Face smiles, “I won’t . ”
Jin Xi is satisfied with this answer . She sucks on her fingers that are still
slightly red and starts to read the newspapers .
After a while, Xiao Zhuan arrives . The moment he walks in, he glances at
her and then at Han Chen . His expression is complicated and a bit depressed
from feeling wronged . Jin Xi doesn’t sit and wait . She gets up immediately
and drags him into the pantry area to talk secretly .
They finish chatting after ten or so minutes .

Xiao Zhuan’s expression and mood have changed completely .
Excited, worked up, touched, and heartache……as if he has just been through
a heartrending love relationship facing a life and death situation! Jin Xi’s
expression is still very calm . He, on the other hand, walks out with a face
full of determination . He pats Jin Xi’s shoulder and then walks to Han
Chen’s desk suddenly . Jin Xi tries to pull him back frantically but can’t .
“Leader!” he says in a serious manner, “From now on, I will be your full-time
supporter! Please rest assured a hundred and twenty percent! I will always
stand on your side!”
Jin Xi rubs her forehead helplessly . Cold Face continues busying himself as
if he hasn’t heard anything .
Han Chen lifts his eyes to look at him and then at Jin Xi . He smiles
nonetheless, “Thanks . ”
Chatterbox has already arrived at the office for a while . He asks feeling
puzzled by this scene, “Xiao Zhuan, what’s gotten into you suddenly? Why
are you confessing to Leader? I’ll have to confess as well then!”
Jin Xi makes eye contact with Xiao Zhuan, signaling him to back away
quickly . But Xiao Zhuan looks at Chatterbox with a sorrowful face, “You
don’t understand at all!”
Everybody is speechless, “……”
As the only person who doesn’t know what’s going on, Chatterbox ruffles his
hair to express his confusion .
But no one bothers about him . Everybody returns to their seats and starts
working . Xiao Zhuan seems especially energetic today as he flips through
page after page of information furiously .
After a while, Jin Xi suddenly remembers that she still has half a pack of
cigarette in her pocket that Han Chen threw away . She takes it out and
throws it onto Chatterbox’s table .
Since they’re Suyan (brand name), everybody knows that they’re from Han
Chen . Therefore, she says in a lazy voice, “Leader gave me a pack . I’m
sharing half with you . ”
The others aren’t watching them . Chatterbox picks up the squished up

package and laughs out loud cheerfully .
“Hehhehheh……he gave you a whole pack?… . . ” he opens his drawer to

reveal two big sealed boxes of Suyan, “These were just given to me by Leader
. Two boxes! Two whole boxes!”
Jin Xi is stunned . She turns and looks at Han Chen . He’s also looking at her
with calm eyes . It’s basically telling her: weren’t you the one telling me to
quit smoking?
Chatterbox is surely someone who likes to show off . He looks at Xiao Bai
and caresses the boxes of cigarettes in the drawer, “Xiao Bai, it looks like
you’re not that important in Leader’s heart after all! Hahaha! Don’t be
jealous of me now!”
Jin Xi stares at his glowing face and lets out a laugh suddenly .
The corners of Cold Face’s mouth also curves up . Xiao Zhuan is still
immersed in his own emotions, so he looks at Chatterbox like he’s looking at
an idiot .
After a while, Han Chen, who’s working his head down, also smiles slowly .
_____
The morning passes quickly . Just when everyone is about to head down for
lunch, Han Chen receives a call from Qin Wen Long .
Chatterbox watches his back view . He then slaps his thigh and says to
everybody, “Oh crap . Leader Qin loves to eat, so unless it’s something
extremely urgent, nothing can stop him from eating lunch . Since he’s calling
for our Leader at this time, it must be something big . ”
The others honestly haven’t noticed that “Qin Wen Long loves to eat,” so they
can only believe half of what he’s saying .
In the end, just when they sit down at the cafeteria, Cold Face receives a
phone call from Han Chen, “Three serial killing case has just appeared in the
South city district . Come immediately . ”

Chapter 51
Chapter 51
Chapter 51: Mentally Ill
Not a single car can be seen on this quiet road . Only a couple of police cars
is parked on the grass area beside the road .
Jin Xi follows Han Chen and the others out of the car . She raises her head
and sees the sunlight shining through the thick canopy of trees . The ground
is also covered with many weeds and bushes .
The group walks past the yellow tape, and an office comes and hands them
gloves and shoe covers . Jin Xi puts them on, turns around and sees Han
Chen fetching his black gloves and putting them on .
His hands are lean and bony . Once he puts the black gloves on, his character
feels even more prominent . Jin Xi has admired these gloves for a long time,
and now she can actually express her feelings outright! When nobody
notices, she comes close to his side and says in a low voice, “Hey, I want a
pair of these gloves too . ”
Han Chen is just in the middle of pulling his left hand’s glove tight with his
right hand . After hearing her words, he continues fixing his gloves without
even lifting an eyebrow .
“I’ll give you anything you want . These were custom made by a friend . I’ll
call him after we get home tonight . ”
Jin Xi feels the sweetness in her heart . The corners of her mouth can’t help
but curve up as she stares at his face . She turns around and looks to the side .
Chatterbox catches her smile with his sharp eyes, so he asks curiously, “Xiao
Bai! Why are you suddenly smiling so flirtatiously!?”
Jin Xi blushes and kicks him, “F–k off!”
The five of them continue walking until they come to an area with a big tree
that is surrounded by criminal investigators and forensic investigators .
And among them, the most eye-catching person……
Is Xu Si Bai .
Jin Xi is a bit surprised, but not extremely surprised . It’s just that she wasn’t
expecting him to come back to City Lan so soon and appear at the crime
scene today .
He’s wearing light blue working clothes along with a head cover and gloves .
He’s just in the middle of fetching a mask from his pocket . His tall and
slender body with his fair white and handsome face is standing in the crowd
of criminal investigators, making him appear very quiet .
Qin Wen Long has already arrived at the scene earlier . He’s standing beside
Xu Si Bai as he watches the members of the Black Shield Team come . He
pats Xu Si Bai’s shoulder .
Xu Si Bai turns his head and looks this way .
His clear eyes travel across them and land on Jin Xi .
Jin Xi smiles sweetly at him .
He has his mask on, so she can’t make out his expression . But his rich dark
brown eyes curve slightly as if he’s smiling too .
“This is Xu Si Bai . You all know each other,” Qin Wen Long introduces,
“He has officially joined the security bureau today, so I dragged him over here
with me . It’s going to be like this from now on . He will stay in the forensic
department with his own office . There are many cases that we’ll need his
help on, but as long as the Black Shield Team is working on a case, he will
help you guys first . ”
Chatterbox, Cold Face, and Xiao Zhuan greet Xu Si Bai . Xu Si Bai nods at
each one of them .
Qin Wen Long pats Han Chen’s shoulder, “I treat you quite well, don’t I? I’m
saving this superb forensic investigator just for you guys . ”
Han Chen glances at Xu Si Bai and then holds his hand out, “Thanks in
advance . ”
Xu Si Bai reaches out his and shakes hands with Han Chen, “I’m just doing
my job . ”
They let go and don’t say anything more . Jin Xi is still staring at Xu Si Bai .
She’s thinking in her head: this is not bad . He has always been very
independent, so having his own office will make him more comfortable……
Just as she’s in her own thoughts, she senses Han Chen beside her looking at
her .
She turns to look back at him .
His eyes are glimmering in dark brown, making them hard to read .
Jin Xi makes eye contact with him: What’s the matter?
But he turns around calmly and looks away .
Jin Xi is a bit stunned . She looks subconsciously towards Xu Si Bai who’s

not far away . She seems to know why Han Chen is not happy .
It kind of makes her want to laugh, but she doesn’t spend more time thinking
about it . She lifts her head and starts observing the dead body on the ground
under the tree .
With just one look at it, her eyes darken .
The woman who’s lying beside the tree trunk is wearing a nurse’s uniform
with a nurse’s hat . Her feet are wearing a pair of black and elegant low heel
leather shoes . The makeup on her face is smudged; two blobs of black
eyeshadow are spread out from tears . She looks just like a ghost . The
nurse’s uniform is clearly a bit too big and worn-out that doesn’t fit her well .
Her neck has obvious bruises from strangulation . Her exposed arms and
legs are also covered with wounds . There are many splats of blood on her
clothes; her stomach and chest areas have stabbing wounds .
There is a black plastic bag lying beside the body .
She’s just like a beautiful blooming flower who has been strangled and
wounded and shattered in the end .
The dead body is still in Xu Si Bai’s possession right now . He is squatting

beside it and examining each wound carefully .
“The bruising around her wrists and ankles are caused by being tied up for a
long period of time . ”
“The bruising on her neck is caused by repeated strangling for 3 to 4 times,

but it is not the cause of death . ”
“Her left ribs, right abdomen, and knee joints have been hit with a hard
object, causing bone fractures . Based on the preliminary examination, they
are likely to be done by a bat-shaped object . ”
“The cause of death is the sharp cut wounds on her chest and abdomen, dying
from excessive loss of blood . ”
“Livor mortis has started . The body is stiff . Her cornea is slightly milky .
Combined with her body temperature……her time of death is between 14 to
17 hours ago, which is around 9pm yesterday to 12am . ”
He works fast; he says out his conclusions while examining the wounds at the
same time . Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan are used to this, Han Chen and Cold Face
remain quiet, but Chatterbox clicks his tongue .
“A famous forensic investigator is indeed not the same! I’ve been

enlightened today!”
At the end of the examination, he takes off his mask suddenly . He lowers his
head and his fair white face moves closer to the dead body . His lips almost
touch the body, causing Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan to open their eyes wide in
shock .
He then reaches out his hand suddenly and opens the body’s mouth . He takes
a look and sniffs .
He straightens up his body, turns around to look at everyone with his clear
eyes and says, “Red wine . The victim had wine before death . ”
Everyone is a bit stunned .
Chatterbox asks, “Why was she drinking wine?”
“She was forced to,” Han Chen says indifferently .
The group is silent .
“Besides the wounds causing death, were the other wounds created before or
after her death?” Jin Xi asks .
“They were all from before death,” Xu Si Bai answers looking at her .
Jin Xi lets out an “oh” in response while her eyes are still staring at the dead
body .
Xu Si Bai takes off his gloves and head cover and hands them to his assistant
Xiao Yao before saying, “My work is done here . I’ll send you guys a
detailed report before this evening . ”
Han Chen nods . Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan also nod politely to express
their thanks .
Jin Xi still has her eyes fixed on the body and doesn’t notice what he has just
said . Xu Si Bai glances in her direction before turning around and leaving
with Xiao Yao behind him .
“Such a psycho!” Chatterbox exclaims, “So cruel and merciless!”
Jin Xi squats beside the body staring at its lifeless face . She nods .
Yes . It’s a real psycho .
Extreme cruelty and torture . The killer stayed with the victim for a long
period time before finally ending her life .
Examining carefully, the victim is around twenty-eight to nine years old . She
is quite pretty, but due to the swelling and cuts on her face, the shape of her
face is deformed . She is lying on the side of her body under the tree . Her
body has stiffened with her knees slightly bent . There was rain earlier today,
so her nurse’s uniform is stained with a bit of muddy water .
“Wallet, keys, cellphone, identification card!” Chatterbox beside her has

opened the black plaster bag . It turns out that it actually contains the victim’s
belongings and a set of clothes .
“Zhou Si Jin, 29 years old,” Xiao Zhuan picks up her identification card,
“There’s a working identification card! XXX business company’s accounting
manager . She’s a white collar . ”
Chatterbox continues noting the things in the bag: “Tissue, wet wipes,
lipstick, powder……and a pepper spray!”
Jin Xi picks up the set of clothes instead . There’s an intricately made brand
named trench coat and a black colored slimming long dress . Jin Xi holds
them up to her nose and takes a sniff . There’s a slight smell of sweat . They
match well with the pair of shoes on the victim .
They examine the scene for a while longer . Jin Xi raises her head, but don’t
see Han Chen anywhere .
_____
The location of the victim’s body is not far away from the road . Just past the
woods and over a small slope is a meandering major road .
Bai Jin Xi walks to it and sees Han Chen standing beside the road by himself
with his hands in his pockets looking far away .
“What are you looking for?” she goes over to him and tries to follow his gaze
. All they see is denser wooded areas not far away from the victim’s body .
Besides the woods, the hills block their line of sight . Going farther down is
likely a forest .
Han Chen doesn’t answer . He retrieves his gaze and looks at her .
“What are your conclusions based on criminal psychology?”
Jin Xi claps her hands to get rid of the soil, takes off her gloves and stuffs
them into her pocket . She answers solemnly, “According to the information
that Xiao Zhuan has just received, the two other victims from last month and
two months ago were also white-collar who worked in the CBD financial
district . They were tortured to death in similar ways . Therefore, this is a
very stereotypical, organized, and psychopathic serial killer . ”
Han Chen raises his eyebrows and doesn’t respond .
Jin Xi continues, “An organized killer such as this one has very obvious traits:
intelligent, cool, ruthless, and apathetic .
His choice of target is white-collars . Compared to ordinary girls, they are

more independent and have a higher awareness of safety . But since the killer
is able to abduct or kidnap them, it shows that he is very strong in planning
his crime and is very confident, so his intelligent level won’t be low .
Therefore, he may have a decent job and income;
His unique traits are: keeping the victims locked up for a long period of time,
and torturing and abusing them . He makes them almost suffocate to death
for 3 to 4 times and hit them everywhere because he gets a great feeling in the
process of torturing the victims slowly . He even changed the victims into
nurse’s uniforms and forced them to drink wine . This is part of his sexual
fantasies . I’m certain that he must have ‘foul play’ and ‘negotiated’ with
them . Therefore, it’s possible that he might not have a psychological
disorder, but his mental state is twisted and ill .
There aren’t any further information right now, so we can only speculate that
his age is between 25 to 40 because the majority of people who are mentally
ill are in this age range;
A mentally ill person will likely show an impulse to committing crimes on a

consistent cycle . It looks like this cycle is one month . After the impulsive
feeling ends, he will blend back into a normal life .
Mental illness is almost always developed due to the lack of care from family
members during childhood . His family might not be poor and may be pretty
wealthy, but a very big family conflict must exist;
He lacks sympathy and doesn’t have many emotions . His relationship with
his family is shallow and he does not have any real friends . His mental
illness has become very serious, but he has a great appearance to cover it up .
Therefore, he is an extremely dangerous criminal . ”
After she finishes, she is struck dumb .
Strange……these words and these reasonings seem to pop up in her mind by

themselves where she’s able to master them quickly . They also feel natural
and familiar to her . She feels a deep connection from these words . It’s as if
she can see a well-groomed man, who is actually bloodthirsty, standing
among the crowd, searching for his next prey .
Ever since the last case with T, these serial killing cases seem to spark her
mind and help her recall her past knowledge and memories .
Could it be that before she lost her memory, she was specialized in analyzing
serial killing cases?
It’s quite possible .
She looks at Han Chen, “I’m done . ”
“Mm,” he looks at her and says softly, “It seems to make sense . ”
Jin Xi chuckles . She looks around to ensure that there is no one, and then
hits his chest with her fist, “Hey, didn’t you say before that criminal
psychology is the most useless thing? Have you finally let go of your
pedantic views?”
Han Chen stares at her quietly .
“It’s not pedantic,” he says irreverently .
“What is it then?”
He stays quiet for a moment . His eyes look darker and deeper .
“When I woke up four years ago, I disliked and rejected criminal psychology
subconsciously,” he pauses, “and also detested female officers a lot . ”
Jin Xi is stunned . The corner of her mouth twitches, “Oh……no wonder you
hit me and tied me up the first time we met!”
A hint of a smile brushes across Han Chen’s eyes . He takes a step forward,
lowers his head, and stares at her at a very close distance .
“The reason is clear now . What I detested was missing your criminal
psychology . ”
His voice is calm, yet she feels a rush of blood in her chest .
He hates criminal psychology so much and denies criminal psychology so

fiercely .
Is it all because the criminal psychology that he has come across with after
losing his memory don’t have her in it?
Thinking back now, whether it was the Chen Li Jiang case or the T case,
whenever she made her inferences based on criminal psychology, he never
once doubted them . On the other hand, he made used of her analyses many
times . Therefore, since back then, he had already started accepting her and
her criminal psychology?
……
Jin Xi’s nose feels sour . She grabs his arm suddenly, tiptoes and kisses his
lips lightly .
The kiss ends the instant she touches his lips .
He looks downward at her with his deep eyes .
“You’re not afraid of others seeing?”
Now that he asks, Jin Xi realizes what she has just done . She raises her head
and looks around quickly . Thank goodness no one is looking this way . She
lets out a breath of relief but says calmly, “There’s no helping it . Sometimes
my emotions will overcome my reasoning . ”
Although she says this, she doesn’t dare to let her guard down again . She
takes a big step over to the side to increase the distance between them . At
the same time, she holds her head up and watches the others explore the area
in front of them .
But she senses his gaze still fixed on her face after a while . Therefore, she
turns and looks at him .
“What?”
The sun is shining warmly today . He’s wearing a gray jacket, making his
face seem fairer accompanied by his rich dark brown eyes . He glances at her
and doesn’t answer . Instead, he twists open the water bottle in his hand and
takes a sip from it .
All of a sudden, it clicks . Jin Xi says, “You’re craving for a smoke, aren’t
you? Endure it!”
Han Chen lowers the water bottle, “I’m not craving for a smoke . ”
Jin Xi is stunned . He glances at her again . He lifts his arm suddenly and
strokes across her lips with his thumb .
“I’m craving for this . ”
Jin Xi’s face flushes . She turns her head to the side, unable to chat with him
further .
After a while, Qin Wen Long comes striding over, “Han Chen! What have
you found?”
Han Chen tosses his water bottle to Jin Xi like he’s done it a thousand times .
Jin Xi catches it naturally, twists it open and takes a sip from it . She thinks
in her heart: it’ll be hard to find a breakthrough point using traditional
methods when it comes to this kind of impulsive serial killing case .
Nevertheless, she’ll wait and see what he says .
She hears Han Chen answer, “Jin Xi has a few conclusions . I have two
findings . Additionally, there’s something missing at the scene . ”


Chapter 52
Chapter 52
Chapter 52: Pure and Passionate Love (1 of 2)
“The killer drove an SUV to the scene to abandon the body;
He dropped the body here so that the police could find it;
The one thing that’s missing is the victim’s purse . ”
After Han Chen finishes saying these three points, Qin Wen Long and Bai Jin
Xi are both quiet .
Jin Xi stares at the side of his face . She understands the second and third
points instantly . The black plastic bag contains many items, but there is no
purse——which white-collar office lady would not carry a purse?
When she was observing the landscape with Han Chen just now, they noticed
that the location of the body was not far away from the road . The killer
could have hidden the body deeper in the woods or behind the hill by walking
a short distance . But the killer didn’t . This means that he was hoping that
the body would be found quickly .
But an SUV? There are no tire marks left at the scene, so how is he able to
conclude this?
Han Chen once again shows off his attention to detail in investigating .
He says, “There are no blood stains or other markings . This means that the
victim was killed at another location and then brought here . Her time of
death was 9pm to 12am last night . There was rain around 5am this morning
and the body had rain water on it . This means that the killer must have
driven and abandoned her body here not long after killing her .
When a person has just died, his/her body is still flexible . But after a period
of time, the body will stiffen . Once it has completely stiffened, it would be
very hard to change the body’s position in a short while . From observing the
body, it is slightly crooked . It must have become this way during the transfer
of the body . Therefore, it wouldn’t have been a sedan because the trunk
would be too small, causing the body to curl up even more . It wouldn’t have
been a van either because there would be enough space so that the body
wouldn’t need to be placed in this position, and especially lying down on the
side .
_____
Han Chen’s inferences are proven soon after .
In the afternoon, the Black Shield Team compares it with the two previous
victims’ information . They were all abandoned in locations near a road and
were discovered by others . In the list of items, they were also missing their
purses .
Due to the locations being a bit remote, there are no video camera footages
that they can collect . However, after meeting with the third victim Zhou Si
Jin’s coworkers and office security guard, they know that she has been
missing since last Friday after work . A few days before she went missing,
someone at a nearby office spotted her getting into a black SUV . But the
witness did not take special note of the car model or license plate number .
“It’s a nice car nonetheless,” the witness says, “Can it not be a nice car when
it’s driven around in CBD?”
Traffic is heavy in the CBD area, so they aren’t able to pinpoint a suspicious
vehicle from the surveillance cameras at this time . And based on the Black
Shield Team’s speculation, the killer might have taken side routes around the
CBD area to avoid the surveillance cameras .
As for the two previous victims, since it’s been one to two months ago, they
aren’t able to find any witnesses . According to their friends and family, the
three victims did not know each other .
After collecting this information, Han Chen and Qin Wen Long decide to
continue to focus on investigating the three victim’s relationship with other
people . They want to find more commonalities between them and if there is
someone who has interacted with all three of them .
_____
In the evening .
Xu Si Bai looks up from his desk and sees that the sky has already darkened
outside of the window . The lights are sparse in the provincial station office .
The scenery is different from the Jiangcheng station, yet it’s just as quiet .
“Teacher Xu (a polite way of addressing someone in a senior position), the

report is finished, “ Xiao Yao walks over to his desk .
“Mm,” Xu Si Bai nods, “Go take it to them . ”
Xiao Yao doesn’t move . She smiles, “I’ll call Big Sister Jin Xi to have her
come pick it up . ”
Xu Si Bai is a bit stunned, but he lowers his gaze and doesn’t comment .
There’s no way that Xiao Yao would not know what her Boss wants . She
runs back to her seat immediately and picks up the phone . Bai Jin Xi on the
other end agrees to come and will be here right away . Xiao Yao places a
copy of the report on Xu Si Bai’s desk, “Teacher Xu, I have some personal
matters to tend to, so I have to get going . Please give this to Big Sister Jin Xi
for me in a bit . ” Before Xu Si Bai can respond, she takes her jacket and
dashes out . She doesn’t forget to leave the office’s door wide open so that
Xu Si Bai can see the hallway outside clearly .
The office returns to quietness .
Xu Si Bai sits for a while before raising his head to look at the hallway .
Very soon, he sees Bai Jin Xi appear at the corner of the staircase . He puts
down his pen and watches her come quietly .
She is walking and talking on the phone at the same time . She must be
talking about something happy as she reveals a sweet smile . She pauses her
footsteps with one hand on the railing and starts swaying her body left and
right .
Xu Si Bai can’t help but laugh .
She talks for another two to three minutes before hanging up . She continues
holding the cell phone in her hand and doesn’t put it back into her pocket
immediately . The smile on her face is still there, but she has become quiet
and gentle . She lowers her head suddenly and kisses the cell phone screen
lightly . She finally stuffs the cell phone into her pocket and continues
walking towards the office .
Xu Si Bai watches her come .
For a second, he almost can’t suppress his feelings and his eyes seem to fog
up instantly . He turns his head away from her line of sight and looks towards
a white colored wall . After a while, he turns his head back looking calm as
usual . He forces a smile on his face as he watches her enter .
Jin Xi was indeed chatting with Han Chen on the phone just now . He has
headed out with a team and might not come home tonight . Therefore, Jin Xi
has decided to go back to her dorm to sleep in a bit . It’ll be more convenient
in case she needs to be called back to work .
The moment she raises her head, she sees Xu Si Bai sitting behind a desk
looking at her calmly .
She smiles with her lips together and walks over to him . She hops onto his
table and grabs the report, “Anything important that you found?”
Xu Si Bai stands up, walks to her side and starts reading the report with her .
“In the victim’s stomach, we found residues of red wine, beef, and cod,” he
says .
Jin Xi takes a deep breath in disgust, “There are food and drink . There’s no
limit to being a psychopath . ”
Xu Si Bai nods . His eyes are focused on the report in her hands as he
continues, “Wine is of the imported Romanee Conti, and the meat is top grade
marbled beef steak and cod . Additionally, I took a look at the autopsy reports
of the two previous victims . There was seafood and ten-year-old Maotai
liquor found . ”
Jin Xi thinks for a second and then smiles, “That’s interesting . ”
She closes the report, slides down from the table and pats his shoulder,
“Thanks! This report is very valuable . ”
Xu Si Bai smiles slightly .
Jin Xi takes a look at his simple and neat office and nods, “This place is not
bad . I’m going back to the dorm now, do you want to come?” It’s Xu Si
Bai’s first day here; he’s also staying in the dormitory .
After Xu Si Bai keeps quiet for a second, he answers unexpectedly, “You go

back first . I need to wait for Xiao Yao . ”
Jin Xi walks out of his office . When she reaches the corner of the staircase,
she turns her head subconsciously and sees that he is still standing in the
office with his back facing her and is taking off his lab coat . His body
dressed in a white shirt and long black pants looks especially tall and thin .
He stands there quietly just like that as if he’s thinking about something .
After a while, he finally fetches his jacket from the hanger and puts it on .
He turns off the lights and walks out of the office .
Jin Xi ducks her head immediately and walks down the staircase quickly .
_____
At midnight . Jin Xi is lying on her twin size bed staring at the ceiling . But
the image of Xu Si Bai standing in the office by himself floats in her mind .
She feels a bit uncomfortable about it .
Xu Si Bai is a friend whom she cherishes . In the past few years, they’ve
worked together to solve cases and spent a lot of time together . He’s
independent and likes to be by himself, but he cares a lot about her, so she
also makes sure that she takes care of him, who doesn’t fit well with others .
There has never been any ambiguity in their relationship, but she can feel
their understanding for each other is sincere and loyal like family .
But now……
After she remains quiet for a long while, she lets out a deep sigh . She rolls to
lie on her stomach and buries her head into the pillow .
She only hopes that he’ll be able to get over it . And that their relationship
will not change and continue as is .
No matter what, her feelings for him will never change .
_____
Jin Xi wakes up at dawn . It’s still very quiet outside . She gets up and
brushes her teeth, but doesn’t get changed . Instead, she slips back into bed in
her pajamas and starts reading the files .
All of a sudden, she hears someone knocking on the door .
“Knock, knock,” evenly and steadily .
She wonders who is looking for her at this hour .
“Coming,” she hops out of bed and pulls open the door . It’s Han Chen
standing in front of the doorway .
The sky is still dark, and his body seems to carry the coolness of the early
morning . His gray jacket is zipped up to his neck while his deep and clear
eyes are staring at her .
Jin Xi asks, “……What are you doing here?”
“To take a shower,” Han Chen walks past her directly and enters the place .
Jin Xi takes a look around quickly . Seeing that no one is in the hallway, she
closes the door in relief .


Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Chapter 53: The Spirit of Inferences
9 am in the morning .
The criminal investigation team’s conference room is fully seated by the

Black Shield Team and other key investigators who are participating in this
“nurse’s uniform” killing case meeting .
Qin Wen Long emphasizes the seriousness and the importance of the case,
while Chatterbox and Xu Si Bai report on the findings at the scene and the
results from the autopsy respectively . A few of the veteran investigators also
express their views .
It’s now Bai Jin Xi’s turn to summarize the suspect’s profile based on criminal
psychology and Han Chen’s overall work report .
Jin Xi flips through the papers in her hand . She can’t help but lift her head to
glance at Han Chen who’s sitting not far away in a few rows in front of her .
He’s listening very attentively . One leg is crossed on top of the other and his
hands are resting on his knee . His black jacket accents his angular side
profile .
The image of what happened in the morning naturally floats into Jin Xi’s
mind——
He was sitting on her tiny bed while she was lying in his embrace . He said,
“If I win, whatever I want, you have to give it to me . ”
She obviously understood him . Her heart pounded rapidly but she played
dumb, “Oh, what do you want then?”
As a result, he stared at her with his beautiful rich brown eyes .

“I want you to dream with me . ”
……
Jin Xi’s face blushes thinking about it . Han Chen seems to notice as he tilts
his head to look directly into her eyes and then shifting away .
Just one look from him, Jin Xi’s heart thumps .
He’s too hateful . This cold and reserved scoundrel!
“Jin Xi, it’s your turn,” Chatterbox says .
Jin Xi stands up immediately . Xiao Zhuan, who’s sitting beside her, sways
her arms, “Good luck, Xiao Bai!”
_____
In the first row, besides the Chief, there are a few other people who Jin Xi
doesn’t know . They’re probably leaders of related departments . She stands
in the light, clears her throat and starts to speak:
“Firstly, the suspect’s age is between 30 to 40 years old . He is good looking

and has a great demeanor . He is in a high management role in a business
company, has high income and in women’s eyes, he is an attractive man .
The three victims are all highly educated, in the working class and are pretty .
Since the suspect has been successful in abducting them, his looks, his job,
and income won’t be too shabby . Furthermore, we found some high-end
wine and food in the victims’ stomach . Even if they were forced to eat by the
suspect, it shows the suspect’s quality of life and preferences . Furthermore,
due to his adeptness in his method and his serious mental illness, this is
definitely not his first time committing the crime . Therefore, he won’t be too
young and it is believed that he is in the 30 to 40 age range . ”
The audience is quiet, listening with their full attention . Jin Xi smiles
slightly . Her pretty eyes sweep across the room before continuing:
“Secondly, since all three victims worked in CBD, we can assume that the
suspect also works in the area or has an apartment there so that he can
conveniently observe and search for his targets .
He is a classic ‘organized’ serial killer . He is highly intelligent and is able to

plan and carry out the entire process to kill calmly and perfectly . And in
most cases with organized killers, during the process of torturing the victim,
they would use alcohol——this has to do with the way their brains are
structured and their insensitivity . They need alcohol to stimulate their
excitement . This is quite apparent in the autopsy report . He must have a lot
of wine at home and is a heavy drinker, but he most probably hides it very
well during work .
Thirdly, the two key items at the scene are the nurse’s uniform and the
missing purse . At the moment, we cannot conclude why the suspect has
taken the victims’ handbags and kept them as souvenirs . It could be an
obsession . Or he may believe that the handbag is a woman’s most beautiful
accessory, or he detests women with high-end handbags . Anything is
possible .
The connotation of a nurse’s uniform is easier to explain . First off, he made

the victims change into the uniform before torturing them to death . This
meant to hate and mockery, not love .
But here’s the problem: who is it that he hates and wants to ridicule?
It’s not a real nurse, and it has nothing to do with the hospital . Otherwise, he
would have killed nurses directly . It may have been easier to attract young
nurses than abducting white-collar women .
What he hates is still these outstanding working women . And his ‘obsession
with nurses’ could be due to a past childhood experience or a past relationship
. Since he did not rape any of the victims, I’m leaning more towards the
former .
His stance is very clear . He wants to take revenge on ‘a woman who wears a
nurse’s uniform’ and not a ‘nurse . ’ This indicates that when the past event
happened, he was already able to differentiate between things . Therefore, he
must have been a teenager and not a young child .
What is it that could make a teenager hate an ‘outstanding woman wearing a

nurse’s uniform’ so much?”
Jin Xi pauses, takes a look around and says in a clear and calm voice, “Either
he saw his mom in a licentious activity, or he was hurt directly——he was
forced to change into a nurse’s uniform and was sexually assaulted . ”
“Pfffft……” the Chief with a head full of white hair spurts out his tea . The
investigators in the back rows are also showing embarrassment or laughter .
Jin Xi is rather composed . She’s just stating the facts . She even thinks that
the latter has a greater possibility because the killer tortured the victims
mercilessly . His feeling of hatred is too strong .
She lifts her eyes and catches Han Chen looking at her instantly .
Cold Face is expressionless as usual, but his gaze is full of concentration . Xu

Si Bai’s gaze is gentle and calm . Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan, on the other
hand, are showing expressions of admiration .
Jin Xi smiles faintly and says her concluding points:
“Based on his ruthless, calmness, patience and extreme reasoning, his mental
illness is very serious . Therefore, the following are some classic traits of
intelligent psychopaths:
When looking for the suspect, please pay attention to: He is very articulate
and his speech is influential and appealing . This will make normal people
feel that he is attractive . But if you spend enough time with him or have long
talks with him, you will discover that his speech lacks continuity . In many of
the small details, they lack logic and he changes subjects frequently . It’s
because people who are mentally ill, their thought process lacks a ‘central
organizer . ’ They naturally can’t guarantee what they say and think are
focused in one direction . This is a common defect of a psychopath .
The second trait is that he is impulsive and can get angry easily . He is
emotional . People who are familiar with him will feel that he is
temperamental . And when he is impulsive, he will very easily go commit a
crime .
His emotions are very shallow . He is unable to feel emotions, which is why
he is able to disregard other’s lives . But he may still be able to cite classic
phrases and speak bombastically about his feelings .
Due to the shallowness and deficiency of his speech and emotions, as well as
the state of his mental illness, he has strong desires for excitement .
Therefore, based on his job and income, he enjoys activities such as bungee
jumping, parachuting, car racing and others of the like, and not golf, musical,
or other slow tempo activities .
Lastly, which is also the most important, is how we can shrink the search area
and identify him among the crowd . Besides the traits above, there is one key
point . ”
Jin Xi picks up the water bottle, takes a sip, ponders for a second and speaks
again, “Adeptness to committing the crime, consistency in the process, and
a clear trademark all indicate that this isn’t his first time . And due to some
reason, the bodies in the past have not been found by the police . So why is
he abandoning the bodies in the open this time? Is he trying to capture the
police’s attention?”
The investigators are all discussing quietly among each other .
Someone asks out loud suddenly, “Could it be that he’s trying to provoke the
police? Just like T from before?”
Jin Xi nods and answers quickly, “Then why is he choosing to provoke us at

this time?”
That person isn’t able to answer .
Xiao Zhuan has followed Jin Xi for a long time, so he understands a bit of
criminal psychology . Thus, he raises his hand to answer with his face
blushing slightly, “He must have experienced something that upset him
suddenly . For example, a loss of a family member, being dumped by his
lover, or diagnosed with an illness, right?”
The other investigators start to nod .
This is how it goes in American series, right?
But Jin Xi shakes her head and says crisply, “Wrong!”
Xiao Zhuan is dumbstruck . The others are in silence .

Jin Xi’s eyes are looking straight ahead, but the image of “his” malicious
expression floats across her mind .
She explains, “Even though a psychopath’s action is triggered the same way,
different personalities will result in different reactions from the same trigger,
just like us normal people . This killer has very distinctive characteristics:
sharp, extreme, sensitive, meticulous, strong focus, and likes to give others
the taste of their own medicine . Furthermore, he has avoided the police in
the past, which shows that he doesn’t care about the police at all . Therefore,
if it were due to a loss of a family member, a setback in love, or being
diagnosed with a hard-to-cure illness, it would only propel him to act more
frequently, ruthlessly and perfectly . That is his own world and it has nothing
to do with the police .
But now, he is basically publicizing the victims’ bodies, provoking the police
openly . This means only one thing——he has been provoked and it is by the
police .
This means that two to three months ago, he had been humiliated or angered
by the police . It may have been a big traffic violation or something of the
like and he was reprimanded by the police . Or he may have been
interrogated as a suspect in a certain case which infuriated him .
Therefore, I suggest we check all stations’ case records and work journals to
find anyone who matches the criteria of the suspect . ”
_____
Jin Xi receives a big round of applause from the audience . The veteran
investigators are still calm, while some of the younger investigators express
their excitement and passion, discussing together with their heads down . The
conference room is suddenly filled with chatters .
Qin Wen Long, who’s sitting in the front row, feels a bit complicated seeing
this scene . On one side, he is happy to see that Bai Jin Xi is able to create a
report like this, but on the other side……
To be exact, he hired Bai Jin Xi into the Black Shield Team because he saw
her talent in criminal psychology . But he originally wanted it to be a
supplement to Han Chen and Cold Face’s “traditional investigation” methods
. In Qin Wen Long’s and other veteran investigator’s hearts, they still feel
that traditional investigation methods are truly the right and proper way for
the criminal investigation .
But who knew that after Bai Jin Xi joined the Black Shield Team, her
performance would continuously improve whenever there was a big case?
Especially when it comes to today’s case involving a psychopath . She’s all
worked up and has given such a lengthy analysis . And now all the young
criminal investigators who haven’t seen much are all sparkling with their eyes
.
This won’t do! He must not let them be led away by Bai Jin Xi! He must not
let the young lads be immersed in taking the shortcut by using profiling and
neglecting their fundamental skills as criminal investigators!
Thinking about this, he turns around immediately and makes eye contact with
Han Chen who’s sitting in a row behind him . His request is obvious: hurry
and reclaim our status back!
But Han Chen doesn’t take notice of him . Don’t be fooled by his humanly,
calm and composed look right now . His gaze is just like the other young
lads; it’s following Bai Jin Xi as she gracefully walks off of the stage .
Qin Wen Long, “……”
Shit!
Bai Jin Xi also feels that she performed quite well today, so she’s a bit excited
. The moment she sits down, Xiao Zhuan grabs her arm and chuckles,
“hehhehheh . ” Chatterbox, on the other hand, looks at her and nods
pretending to be profound, “Little Sister Bai, not bad! Big Brother here has a
whole new level of respect for you . ”
Jin Xi can’t hold her laughter . She looks up and sees many investigators
turning around to look at her . But Han Chen is still sitting straight with a
calm looking side profile .
Jin Xi never answered to the “bet” that he mentioned this morning . She
simply avoided answering by saying that it was time for work and ran off .
He’s the king of scheming, and his ability to capture details and loopholes is
incredible . Jin Xi can’t tell what he’s got under his sleeves .
At this moment, her phone vibrates . It’s a text message .

Jin Xi picks it up and smiles .
The sender is Xu Si Bai: “Your speech was very good . ”
She raises her head and takes a peek at the rows in the front to catch a glimpse
of Xu Si Bai’s back view . But she quickly shifts her gaze to Han Chen and
then lowers her head to reply his text message . Her response is simple . It’s
just a smiley face blushing . It looks as if it’s begging to be praised .
Jin Xi picks up the water bottle to pretend to be drinking from it while she
secretly observes Han Chen’s expression . She sees him looking down at his
cell phone with the corners of his mouth curved upwards .
A reply comes back quickly:
“Don’t act so affectionately unless you want me to come over and kiss you
right now . ”
“Choke……” Jin Xi chokes from the water .
Qin Wen Long is standing on the stage again . He talks briefly, expressing his
affirmation to Bai Jin Xi’s profiling, saying that it can be used as an important
clue to solving the case . And now it’s Han Chen’s turn to go up to report on
his work .
Han Chen stuffs his phone back into his pants’ pocket and stands up . And
everyone including Jin Xi fixes their gaze on him .


Chapter 54
Chapter 54
Chapter 54: Painstaking Investigation
Han Chen is standing in the light . His jacket is unzipped, making his
shoulders look broad, waist slim and legs long . He looks very calm, but also
carrying his usual sense of being indifferent . He isn’t like when he’s alone
with Jin Xi where he’s always smiling .
“No assumptions on the suspect’s age or appearance . But since he was able
to carry a 50-60 kg dead body from the road to the forest and carefully
avoided leaving behind any clear footprints or marks, it shows that he was
able to complete the process very effortlessly . Therefore, he should be an
adult male who’s strong and well-built . ”
Jin Xi smiles the moment she hears him say “no assumptions on the suspect’s
age or appearance . ” This fellow……he’s doing it on purpose!
But he grabs her attention with the next few things he says . She realizes that
Han Chen, somebody who uses traditional investigation methods, indeed
thinks differently than her . He is really good at capturing details and hidden
logical relationships . The results from their analyses are different, but they
also match together .
Han Chen continues, “Secondly, the suspect showed adeptness and

consistency in his method . This is definitely not his first time perpetrating
the crime . Therefore, we have searched within the entire city boundaries for
unsolved murder and/or missing cases in the last five years . We have
discovered four cases with similarities . Since they have been from a while
back and are spread across different districts, some of the bodies have not
been found, so they have not been categorized as a serial killing case or have
been reported to the provincial station . ”
The criminal investigators below the stage are in shock . Jin Xi is also a bit
stunned .
She understands what Han Chen is saying . There have been four cases only
in the last five years and the time and place of them are all different . On top
of the fact that they are done by a highly intelligent killer who’s able to hide
his traces, then it is possible that they slipped by the eyes of the police, so
they have not been connected together .
But Han Chen has such sharp senses . With the three recent cases to compare
with, he’s able to easily grasp the tiny and intricate details from them and
confirm that they are all done by the same person .
This also means that the number of people that “he” has killed is now seven!
“In the three recent cases, we have not found any valuable surveillance
imagery or witnesses . However, we will be expanding our search area and
gather information from the four previous cases,” Han Chen says .
All the investigators in the room nod unanimously . Jin Xi, on the other hand,
sighs secretly .
What Han Chen is proposing is simple, but it’s the most effective! Such an
ability to go beyond the facts . His area to gather evidence has expanded
immediately . Even though you haven’t been caught on camera in these three
recent cases, what about the four previous ones? Can you guarantee that you
haven’t made a mistake anywhere? Especially in the older cases . Even if
you’re an intelligent criminal, you were green back then, so it’s possible that
you may have left behind some evidence .
And as long as Han Chen finds one piece of evidence or one clue, he’ll be
able to follow the traces and catch him, won’t he?
Thinking about this, Jin Xi, as a believer in criminal psychology, suddenly

feels sourness in her heart .
She has said so many things, drawn so many descriptions of the profile, used
all of her brain juices to cite classics and conducted layers of analyses and
inferences to outline the suspect . Do you know how hard it was? But in the
end, Han Chen might find a surveillance footage and be able to catch the
person……
She looks up and stares at him on the stage .
From the looks of things, he might really be able to find the killer before her .
……A man who uses traditional criminal investigation method is just so

detestable!
“Thirdly, according to the analysis of the wounds on the victims’ bodies, they
must have gone through a long period of torture . Therefore, the suspect
needs to have his own place to torture and kill . After the victims’ deaths, he
would have needed large amount of water to wash the floor, as well as
preventing it from seeping through below . Therefore, if he lives in a condo,
it must be at the very bottom level .
The victims must have screamed painfully for a long time, but in the autopsy
report, there are no signs of tape or cloth found on the victims’ faces or throats
. This means that the suspect’s home has great soundproofing . Even if it’s a
mansion, there would still be neighbors . Therefore, either he lives in a
remote area, or the place has been specially modified . It wouldn’t be using
other noise to cover up because that would cause other neighbors to complain
.
We should gather information on all remote housing areas in the city . Gather
information on all renovation companies who have renovated any first or
below ground level apartments within three months before the incident of the
first case from five years ago . The suspect must have had high expectations
and wanted something different than most people wanted . He must have left
a deep impression on the renovations company . ”
All the investigators in the room are quiet, listening attentively . Jin Xi thinks
as well: oh yeah, the victims’ mouths are not sealed with tape, but they must
have screamed and cried out loud when they were being tortured . This is
probably what Han Chen calls a “logic paradox . ” It’s such a small detail,
but these small details point to the truth .
She actually really wants to stand up to say: it must be a renovated mansion!

It’s because based on the suspect’s profile, there’s no way that he would live
in a small and remote dwelling . But knowing that Han Chen is someone who
sides with traditional investigation methods, he’ll be very strict and won’t let
go of any small possibilities . Mm, alright then, I’ll just persuade him
afterward to start searching the mansions first .
“Fourth point, one of the most important evidence from this case is the
nurse’s uniform . These three sets of nurse’s uniforms are all of the same
sizes and styles . And based on preliminary examination, they are brand new
and have not been washed . The forensic team is already looking into it in
detail and is comparing them with the nurse’s uniforms that are in use by
current hospitals to find out where they are manufactured, and then trace the
buyer . These are the things that we have gathered so far . ”
An investigator asks, “Leader Han, the three handbags that Bai Jin Xi
mentioned before, are they also important evidence?”
Jin Xi also stares at him directly . That’s right, he hasn’t mentioned about the
handbags . They are such important items .
But they see him ponder a bit before answering, “As for the handbags…
because they were rather expensive, we found the receipts for them in all
three victims’ homes . We’ve also reviewed the surveillance video of the
stores . They all purchased the handbags by themselves or with other female
friends . Furthermore, the time of purchase, the style, and where they
purchased them was different . So currently, there are no connections
between them . Therefore, the handbags are not considered as important
evidence right now . ”
Everybody understands it clearly now, but Jin Xi can’t help feeling a little
disappointed . It’s because she was hoping that the handbags, as “souvenirs,”
would help them discover more evidence such as all of them being red or
from Gucci . But from the looks of it now, the suspect has taken them purely
as souvenirs .
Just as she’s immersed in her own thoughts, Xiao Zhuan beside her leans over
suddenly and stares at her with full of admiration while saying, “Xiao Bai,
your boyfriend is just so amazing!”
Jin Xi smiles slightly, glares at him for a second and asks, “Between him and
me, who do you think is more amazing?”
This is a really difficult question for Xiao Zhuan . He thinks for a moment
and answers, “Not the same . Your inferences make everyone’s blood rush!
But Leader’s inferences……makes everyone’s heart calm down . ”
Jin Xi is a bit stunned . She looks at him, keeps quiet for a second before
saying, “Xiao Zhuan, sometimes the things you say……are really not like you
. ”
Xiao Zhuan is struck dumb . After he realizes what she means, he says
looking happy, “What, what? My words have great depth to them, don’t
they?!”


Chapter 55
Chapter 55
Chapter 55: She’s Better Than Me (1 of 2)
The meeting is adjourned .
The investigators get up one after the other . The members of the Black
Shield Team also stand up . Jin Xi looks up and sees that Han Chen is still
standing at the very front . He’s been called to stay behind by the Chief to
chat .
“Not bad, Han Chen,” a loud and slightly raspy voice says, attracting
everyone’s attention .
It’s one of the veteran investigators speaking with the surname Xun . He’s
near his retirement and has a head full of white hair, but he is highly respected
in the team . The moment he speaks, the Chief, Qin Wen Long, Han Chen
and the others all turn to look .
“Although this case is a bit challenging, as long as we are like Han Chen and
put all of our efforts on our solid and detailed investigation work, it’ll only be
a matter of time before we solve the case!” Old Xun says .
“Yes!” “Yes!” Many investigators start clapping in agreement . Jin Xi and

the others also smile and clap along to support their Leader . Han Chen, on
the other hand, doesn’t have much of an expression on his face .
To their surprise, Old Xun continues to say, “As for those profile things that
use theories and inferences to search for the suspect, I think we should be
cautious . Even the Americans haven’t studied this kind of thing thoroughly
yet, but we’re already putting it into practice? Investigation is a rigorous
discipline . The slightest difference can have a huge impact . Is criminal
psychology a rigorous discipline? I don’t believe so . ” He raises his head to
look at Han Chen, and then expresses appreciation, “Young investigators
should be more like Han Chen . You need to work hard to strengthen your
basic knowledge before thinking about solving big cases . Do you know how
to track someone? Do you know how to restore a fingerprint? If you don’t,
you shouldn’t bother talking about solving a case . ”
After he finishes, the entire room falls into silence . Some investigators turn
their heads to look at Jin Xi . Cold Face, Chatterbox, and the others are all
dumbstruck . Jin Xi lets out a “Cheh!” in her heart .
She senses Han Chen looking at her suddenly . Their eyes meet . Jin Xi is
rather calm .
Although she’s proud and arrogant, she’s not a hot tempered person . After
hearing Old Xun’s blatant criticism, the first thing that comes to her mind is
not to go up and argue back at him . Instead, she thinks: hmph! A stubborn
old geezer, aren’t you? I’ll go and use my criminal psychology to catch the
suspect for you to see! When that time comes, I’ll throw this line at you old
man: facts speak louder than words!
Qin Wen Long says “uh oh” in his heart after hearing Old Xun’s words . His
words describe exactly how he feels . It’s good to switch the direction back to
protect traditional investigation methods and avoid letting Bai Jin Xi lead
these young lads down the wrong path . But this is a bit harsh to the girl .
After all, her inferences are done quite well . He actually feels that they
make quite a bit of sense……
He values them both equally . Qin Wen Long lets out a faint cough . Just
when he’s about to say a few words to defuse the situation, he hears a voice
say suddenly:
“Why do I feel that……” a low and laid back voice says, “my inferences are
not as good as hers?”
Who else could it be but Han Chen!?
“Cough……” Qin Wen Long chokes on his own saliva . He lifts his head and
sees Han Chen standing in front of his table with one hand in his pocket and
looking calm and composed as always . Others might not notice, but Qin
Wen Long knows his favorite subordinate well . This fellow is clearly going
against Old Xun . After the feeling of surprise, Qin Wen Long’s mind clicks .
He looks at Han Chen and glances at Bai Jin Xi with the corner of his eye .
Since Han Chen has always carried the image of being cold and unyielding,
quite a few investigators are surprised to hear him speak up . They lower
their heads and chat among each other quietly . But some investigators are
giggling, of course, including the members of the Black Shield Team .
“Ah! Leader is usually indifferent about everything, but during times like
this, he would actually come and stand up for others?!” Chatterbox’s facial
expression shows devotion and excitement, “Little Girl Bai, look at how
protective Leader is . He’s even putting himself down! Having a leader like
this is really our honor! He’s a manly man! He’s superb!”
Cold Face smiles slightly and doesn’t say anything .
Xiao Zhuan bursts out laughing, “Pffft……” He leans over and lowers his
voice to say into Xiao Bai’s ear, “Do you feel very moved and blissful? I
think Leader spoils you and protects you too much . You must treat him well!
Do you hear me?”
Jin Xi glances at him, “Xiao Zhuan, I notice that you’re now standing on Han
Chen’s side?”
Xiao Zhuan let’s out a laugh, “Hehheh . ”
Jin Xi lifts her head and stares at Han Chen . Now that he has stirred things
up, the bit of unhappy feeling that she had just now has subsided . Instead,
she feels moved and thinks it’s funny at the same time . Her cheeks are a
little red, but she continues to look calm .
This fellow……is he not afraid that others will find out!?
And the one who’s the most surprise is obviously Old Xun . He probably
didn’t think that Han Chen would go against him, so he’s completely
speechless right now . Han Chen speaks again, “What’s good is good, and
what’s bad is bad . Old Xun, how come you’re more stubborn than me?”
In the entire team, only Han Chen dares to talk like this to Old Xun . Old
Xun is furious as he points his finger at him, “What is wrong with you fella
today?!”
The whole crowd is in shock . Qin Wen Long stands up quickly to calm
things down . He makes eye contact with Han Chen and then scolds him,
“What are you saying? Shut up!” And then he turns around to look at the
crowd, “The meeting is over, so what are you all standing around for? Hurry
and get to work!” He walks to Old Xun’s side quickly, consoles him quietly
with a smile on his face and pulls him out of the conference room .
The crowd disperses immediately . The few supervisors in the front row
haven’t left yet . They’re still smiling and chatting with each other .
Xiao Zhuan and the others have received new orders, so they’ve gone to find
members of other departments to collaborate . Jin Xi has completed her
profiling, so now she has to wait for the outcome of the search . Therefore,
she’s the one who has the most free time . She stands up and sees Han Chen
walking towards her .
There are still other people in the room . Jin Xi coughs lightly and smiles
staring at him, “Team Leader, thank you for just now . ”
It was actually both work and personal that Han Chen stood up for her just
now . In terms of work, Jin Xi’s report is indeed done quite well . He even
has a newfound respect for criminal psychology and feels that it will be very
valuable to their search going forward . Old Xun’s criticism was too over the
top . And since he’s her supervisor, he naturally can’t just keep quiet and not
say anything .
But, seeing Jin Xi’s face blushing right now with her glittering and moist
eyes……
“Investigator Bai, no need to be polite . It’s my job to do so . ”
People who can hear them naturally think that he meant that it’s his
responsibility as her team leader . But Jin Xi catches the double meaning
behind his words as she presses her lips together .
He takes a look at her before turning around to leave . She follows him .
They politely keep half a body of a distance between each other as they walk
towards the exit .
When they are about to reach the doorway, Jin Xi pauses her footsteps .
It’s because she senses someone looking at her from behind with blazing eyes
.
She turns to look out of reflex, but only sees the Chief and two to three other
supervisors whom she’s unfamiliar with chatting in the front row .
She doesn’t bother lingering any longer and catches up to Han Chen .
The Black Shield Team’s office is empty . The two of them walk in . Jin Xi
closes the door behind her back .
“Why did you stand up for me just now?!” she says angrily, “It’s too obvious!
You never stood up for anybody before, yet now you’re so protective of
me……”
Han Chen needed to fetch some documents in the office and was going to
leave again immediately . He turns around hearing her speak . He doesn’t
waste any time; he walks over, wraps his arms around her waist and seals her
lips .
But it’s only a light kiss . He releases her, “I’m leaving now . ”
Jin Xi hums lightly, “Mm . ”
He glances at her before reaches out to open the door . Jin Xi stares at the
side of his face while the image of him speaking up for her in front of the
crowd floats across her mind . In the spur of the moment, she grasps his
hand, tilts her head up and kisses him .
Han Chen’s hand lets go of the door handle almost immediately and turns to
hold her into his embrace . They kiss quietly and deeply .
After a while, he moves his face away and presses her against the door . He
lowers his head and stares at her .
“You’re this attached to me?” his low and deep voice says with a hint of
softness .
Jin Xi’s face flushes . She twists her head to avoid his eyes, “Who’s attached
to you? Don’t be imagining things . ”
But Han Chen smiles . He lowers his head and gives her a peck . His hand
on her waist also gives her a light pinch, “Mm . You throwing yourself into
my arms just now was also my imagination . ”
Jin Xi chuckles . She reaches up and wraps her arms around his neck . He
stares at her and says, “Wait for my return . ”
“Okay . ”
Although they say this, they continue staring at each other and none of them
are willing to let go . It’s quiet around them . It’s as if all the air in the room
is drifting and twisting around them .
Jin Xi looks into his dark brown eyes . At an instant, she feels like she is
about to drown in his gaze .
All of a sudden, she senses the hand on her waist slide down to her bottom .
Jin Xi’s body stiffens slightly .
He continues staring at her .
And then, that hand squeezes her not too hard and not too soft .
Jin Xi’s face becomes red immediately as she pushes him away .
He smiles slowly as he puts his hand back into his pocket . He glances at her
again before opening the door and leaving .
Jin Xi feels stuffed while staying in the office by herself . The part where he
squeezed her feels itchy and numb . In the end, she can’t help but laugh and
call him “bastard” in her heart!


Chapter 55.2
Chapter 55.2
Chapter 55: She’s Better Than Me (2 of 2)
The corners of Bai Jin Xi’s mouth curve upward as she flips through some
documents . She then hears footsteps and chatter coming from the doorway .
The deputy chief of the criminal investigations department is walking past

with two unfamiliar faces from the meeting just now .
Jin Xi puts down the documents immediately and stands up . At the same
time, she sees the deputy chief talking to one of them and pointing inside,
“This is the Black Shield Team’s office . Have a look around, Professor Xu .
Xiao Bai, pour a cup of tea for Professor Xu . ”
Jin Xi nods right away .
But the person answers with a smile, “No need . You people always like to
bully those of us who study criminal psychology . I’m here to cheer for her,
not to drink tea . ”
The deputy chief laughs out loud . At this moment, someone hands the
deputy chief a document to sign, so he steps aside .
And that person walks in by himself .
Jin Xi observes him . He looks to be in his early thirties . He’s wearing an

exquisite and soft textured suit and a white shirt accompanied by a light blue
striped tie . His facial features aren’t handsome, but he has a refined
demeanor . He doesn’t look like a professor whom the Deputy Chief speaks
of, but rather, he looks more like a young lecturer or an upperclassman from
the criminal psychology faculty .
He smiles slightly and holds out his hand towards her, “Xu Nan Bai . ”
Jin Xi has heard of the name before .
Xu Nan Bai, one of the youngest criminal psychology professors in the nation
. He works at a brand name school in Beijing . Due to his incisive views that
don’t conform to the norm, he is famous for often suggesting many bold
theories and profiles . He occasionally helps the Beijing police out with
solving cases . But probably due to his radical approaches, people from both
criminal psychology and the police have polarized opinions about him .
Some believe that his theories are ridiculous, while others feel that his
criminal psychology is the future .
Jin Xi smiles and shakes hands with him immediately . But she murmurs in
her heart: what is this almighty big wheel doing here?
He must have been the one who was staring at her non-stop in the meeting
just now .
As if he could read her mind, Xu Nan Bai stuffs both of his hands into his
pockets and explains smiling, “I have a big research project going on in
Province K, so I’ll be staying for a while . Your deputy chief found out and
forced me to come, saying that there is a criminal psychology talent in
Province K that he would like me to meet . After taking a look today, it looks
like he was telling the truth . Your report was done quite well . It even made
me feel moved . I never thought that there would be someone who would
persist and practice criminal psychology in the local area . ”
His words make Jin Xi feel warmth and excitement in her heart . She answers
with a smile, “Professor Xu, you’re too kind . Being able to have you here to
guide the way is really supporting and benefiting for me . ”
She says these words in a very honest and sincere manner . Xu Nan Bai’s
expression softens as he nods and raises his head to look around, “Give me a
tour on the Black Shield Team?”
The Deputy Chief has also returned after finishing signing his documents .
He walks in and pats Xu Nan Bai’s shoulder, “My dear junior classmate,
please have Xiao Bai take you to look around . I have some matters to tend to
right now, but my secretary will come pick you up for lunch . ” He then looks
towards Bai Jin Xi, “Xiao Bai, I’ve promised you guys before that I would
hire a criminal psychology professor as a consultant for the Black Shield
Team . And now there’s a very good candidate standing right here, so grasp
the opportunity well . He’s not easy to get . Please also tell Professor Xu
about T’s case as he’s very interested in it . I have to get going now . ”
All the people from the deputy office leave . The room is suddenly left with
just the two of them .
Jin Xi gives a brief introduction of the Black Shield Team members and their
responsibilities . Xu Nan Bai nods while looking at Han Chen’s desk, “I also
listened to your team leader’s report just now . It really justifies his
reputation . As for the other two, Shi Heng and Chi Chen, I would also like to
get a chance to see their fingerprint tracing and suspect tracking skills . ”
Jin Xi says smiling, “That would be great! I’ll invite you to come give them
some guidance next time . ” She’s just being polite in saying this, but after
Xu Nan Bai reveals a smile, he takes off his jacket and folds it around his arm
saying, “You don’t need to be so formal with talking to me . If you don’t
mind, just call me Senior (a polite way of calling someone you know who’s
older or has more experience than you in the field) . ”
Jin Xi smiles, “Okay, Senior Xu . ”
Since the Deputy Chief told Jin Xi to, she starts giving him the details of T’s
case from start to finish . Probably because it’s one of the few big cases in the
past few years that happened in the nation, he listens very attentively . He
also asks very detailed questions . And for some of the profiling details for T,
before Jin Xi even tells him, he says them out first after hearing the summary
of the first few event . Besides admiring his skills in her heart, Jin Xi also
feels a closeness to him due to their similar ways of thinking .
After she finishes telling him about the case, Jin Xi has gotten a lot more used
to calling him “Senior . ” She thinks for a second before asking, “Senior, will
you come help us out at the Black Shield Team?”
Xu Nan Bai is holding his cup of tea . His sleeves are rolled up and his tie
has been loosened with its end stuffed into the side pocket, making him look
much less like a professor . He glances at her and answers, “You’re already
trying to poach for your Deputy Chief?”
Jin Xi lets out a laugh, “So are you coming, or are you coming, or are you
coming?”
Xu Nan Bai laughs as well . He takes a sip of tea and responds, “I will help
you out on this ‘nurse uniform’ murder case . I’ll show all those stubborn old
geezers in your police force how it’s done so that they won’t dare to speak
again . ”
Although he’s a refined and gentle person, his words are arrogant . Jin Xi
thinks to herself that this does match up to the rumors about him . But she
has no intentions to make the veteran officers lose face . She just wants them
to acknowledge her work .
She smiles slightly and doesn’t answer . Xu Nan Bai puts down the cup, gets
up and asks, “You guys also have a forensic investigator on the team?”
Jin Xi nods, “He has a separate office . I’ll take you over there . ”
Xu Si Bai’s office is one floor below the Black Shield Team’s office . Jin Xi
accompanies Xu Nan Bai as they walk slowly there . Through the window,
they can see Xu Si Bai wearing a white lab coat, a mask, and gloves from afar
. He has his head down and is busy with something . Xiao Yao is standing
beside him, handing him various utensils .
Xu Nan Bai pauses his footsteps .
“It looks like the forensic investigator is busy,” he says staring at Xu Si Bai,
“so we shouldn’t bother him . ” He then turns around to look at Jin Xi, “My
goal today was to take a look at your criminal psychology, and I’ve already
accomplished that . ”
Jin Xi smiles, “Okay, Senior . Forensic Investigator Xu does indeed have

very high attainment in his profession . I’ll bring him over to chat with you
next time . ”
Xu Nan Bai leaves soon after . Jin Xi continues staying in the station, helping
officers from other teams to screen suspects . As for Han Chen, Cold Face,
Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan, they’re all busy collaborating with others on a
search, so they’re nowhere to be found .
It’s already past 11pm when she’s finally not busy and is ready to leave the
station . The others in the Black Shield Team have still not returned .
Therefore, Jin Xi goes back to her single-room dormitory by herself . When
she lies down on the bed, she notices that it squeaks . She’s almost a hundred
percent certain that the bed has been broken by her and Han Chen . She can’t
help but laugh .
Looking out the window at the dark sky, she’s pretty sure that Han Chen
won’t be coming back tonight . But at the same time, she hopes that he can
appear suddenly . She continues to think about it until she gradually falls
asleep .
Fresh blood; body parts .
Blood everywhere on the ground, and a mountain of body parts .
It’s a very realistic dream . She staggers across the area with dead bodies
covering the ground .
She can’t stop her tears from flowing . She wants to scream, but there’s no
sound coming out of her mouth .
And then many bizarre images and sounds flash across her eyes and ears:
someone with an evil grin, someone bawling, someone cursing out loud, and
someone pushing her until she is up against a hard and cold wall .
……
But the last scene she sees is him lowering his head and hugging her tightly .
She hears herself say almost ruthlessly, “Han Chen, let’s break up . I don’t
love you anymore . I don’t want to be with you . As for our engagement, just
take it that I was talking nonsense . ”
And then she sees him raise his head and tears flowing out of his eyes slowly .
“I’m not breaking up,” he says .
……
Jin Xi continues shedding tears which then turns into sobbing .
She opens her eyes and sees the dark gray ceiling of her single-room
dormitory . The sky is only slightly lit outside of the window . And her
phone is ringing urgently non-stop .
She covers her face with her palms as she sits up . She picks up the phone
and it’s Zhou Xiao Zhuan . He says with a cheerful voice, “Xiao Bai, we’re
back . We’ve locked down to three suspects!”


Chapter 56.1
Chapter 56.1
Chapter 56: The First Sight of Suspicion Part 1
The temperature is cold in the early morning of autumn .
Jin Xi enters the office at dawn . There aren’t many passersby in the building
at this hour . When she passes a group of officers, she sees a few of them
leaning crookedly against their chairs and sleeping . They’ve clearly been
busy following Han Chen all night long .
She pushes open the Black Shield Team’s office door and sees Chatterbox
leaning forward and sleeping on his desk . Although he looks refined on the
outside, his snoring is incredibly loud . Xiao Zhuan is sitting in front of his
computer . The monitor’s light is reflecting on his face as he types on the
keyboard . He notices her arrival and reveals a slight smile, “It’s still early .
Leader said we’ll wait until it’s office hours before bringing the suspects in
for questioning so that we don’t inadvertently alert the killer . ”
Jin Xi nods . Seeing that Han Chen’s and Cold Face’s seats are empty, she
raises her head to take a look at the half-closed door of the room in the back .
“They just went inside for a nap,” Xiao Zhuan whispers, “Both of them
haven’t slept for two nights . Do you want to go accompany Leader? I’ll
keep a lookout for you!”
Jin Xi glances at Chatterbox who’s not moving, then glares at Xiao Zhuan and
gestures for him to keep quiet . She walks quietly to the side of the door .
Afraid that she would wake them up, she peeks inside through the door crack
first .
She spots Han Chen lying on the sofa facing the doorway right away . One
arm is behind his head, his shoes are still on, and he’s lying down just like this
with a jacket over his body . The dim light from the sky outside of the
window is shining on his face, showing his handsome features and contours
like a still painting .
Jin Xi suddenly recalls the scene from her dream just now, so she continues
standing silently beside the door for a long while .
Han Chen scrunches his eyebrows suddenly . He holds his temples with his
fingers .
And then he opens his eyes and stares at the ceiling .
Jin Xi looks at him curiously . He fetches a medicine bottle from his pants’
pocket, pours two pills out, throws them into his mouth and swallows them .
His eyebrows are still scrunching as he exhales a long breath of air, and then
he puts one arm over his eyes .
It’s as if he’s trying to endure something or he’s irritated about something .
Jin Xi pushes open the door and walks inside .
He notices her . He puts his arm down and looks towards her .
Jin Xi squats beside the sofa and looks into his eyes, “What medicine did you
just take?”
Han Chen doesn’t answer . He grabs her hand and says softly, “Come up . ”
Jin Xi doesn’t obey him . She reaches into his pants’ pocket directly . He
watches and doesn’t stop her .
Jin Xi reads the words on the medicine bottle and feels her heart ache, “Why
are you taking painkillers? Are you having a headache?” She remembers the
time when they were in the office at the Jiangcheng station . She noticed that
something was wrong with him back then and thought he was just sick .
“I’m fine . It happens occasionally ever since I lost my memory . ”
He sits up, pulls her into his embrace while holding her hands, and stares
down at her . Jin Xi rubs her forehead against his chin . They both keep quiet
for a while .
“After that day, my headache has lessened a lot,” he says suddenly in a low
voice .
“That day? Which day?”
He lifts up her hand and kisses it lightly, “That day outside of the hospital . ”
Jin Xi’s heart skips a beat . She doesn’t know if what he’s talking about is for
real, but she tilts her head up and gives him a peck on the cheek, “Don’t work
overnight anymore . I heard that it’s bad for headaches . ”
“Mm . ”
She thinks for a second and then takes out her phone to browse on a shopping
website, “I’ll buy some gastrodia elata and pigs’ brains to make you some
stew . I’ll use one pig’s brain a day . You’re not allowed to refuse . ”
Han Chen lets out a helpless laugh . He snatches the phone from her hand
and tosses it to the side, “I don’t eat those kinds of things . ”
Jin Xi wants to talk back, but he lowers his head and seals her lips .
The room is still very dark . There are a few birds chirping outside of the
window . They kiss quietly . Only the sound of their intimate breathing can
be heard, as well as the faint sound of his hand running through her hair .
“Stop kissing me……They’re all just outside……” Jin Xi says almost

groaning while their lips and tongues are still moving against each other .
“It’s fine……” he mumbles, “They won’t come in . ”
“There’s also Cold Face……”
“He won’t wake up . ”
Cold Face, who’s already awake and really wants to go to the washroom, is
lying quietly on the sofa with his eyes closed and not budging . He knows
that he cannot wake up right now . As men, he must give Leader some face,
doesn’t he?
Seeing that Jin Xi still hasn’t come out, Xiao Zhuan from the outside tiptoes
over and closes the door for them . He then returns to his seat to continue
working while feeling full of happiness .
And Chatterbox is lying with his face down on his desk……
As an expert in identifying marks and traces, his eyesight and hearing are
exceptional . He realizes that he has just heard some noises that he shouldn’t
be hearing . What should he do? He’s so excited! Should he tell Zhou Xiao
Zhuan? Or Cold Face?
No, he must keep this secret for his super idol and goddess .
Damn it! He’s in such a dilemma and it’s so hard to keep it inside! Why does
it have to be him to find this out!?
_____
9am in the morning .
Three suspects are brought back to the station . But they aren’t taken to the
criminal investigation team . Instead, they are taken to the interrogation
rooms at the public security department . They provide the suspects with the
vague “assist with investigation” phrase as the reason, and they haven’t made
it clear that it’s regarding the serial killing case .
They’re doing this because they haven’t confirmed who the biggest suspect is,
so it’s not good to reveal too much to them . Additionally, this is also a way
of probing them .
Professor Xu Nan Bai from yesterday also arrives at the same time as them .
The Deputy Chief escorts him to the Black Shield Team’s office . Han Chen
has never taken an interest in these experts and professors, so after he shakes
hands with him, he gets back to work . Cold Face obviously also reacts the
same way . Whereas Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox are much friendlier . They
pour him tea and ask him how he’s doing, making the atmosphere livelier .
Jin Xi, on the other hand, fetches and organizes all the details of the case and
hands it to him .
It’s just that when Xu Nan Bai calls her “My Junior (female) Classmate,”
everybody turns to look including Han Chen (an affectionate way of calling
someone younger who works in the same field or studied the same discipline)
. Jin Xi responds with a “yeah” and Xu Nan Bai smiles looking at
everybody’s gazes, “There aren’t a lot of us who study criminal psychology to
begin with . There are even less of us who learns it well . I’m going to take
her as my Junior (female) Classmate for sure . ”
_____
The interrogation room .
Through the dark glass window, the Black Shield Team and Professor Xu Nan
Bai are watching the suspect being questioned by the public security team .
The first person is Jin Lan Heng . Thirty-two years old, single, a general
manager of a private company, and also the only child of the CEO at the
company; the second generation of a wealthy family . His looks are refined,
tall, and has a well-built body . He’s wearing a tailored suit, watch, leather
shoes, and carrying a suitcase, all of brand names . But his slightly tanned
skin tone, raspy voice, and the radiance that occasionally brushes across his
eyes seem makes Jin Xi feel that there’s something off about his temperament
.
He feels more like someone of a newly rich .
And the information that Xiao Zhuan prints out also confirms this:
“Jin Lan Heng’s dad is in the building materials business and only started
getting rich within the last ten or so years . His living condition was quite bad
when he was little . Three months ago, he was detained by the traffic police
for five days due to a serious traffic violation . Additionally, he had several
other traffic violations within the last two months where he was fined, but
they weren’t serious . Moreover, he had interacted with the second victim
——the surveillance camera caught him driving to the victim’s workplace to
give her a ride off work . And he drives a black Cayenne, which matches the
suspect’s trait of owning an SUV . ”
“Furthermore……” Xiao Zhuan closes the file, “he owns many dwellings,
including two mansions . However, all three suspects own a mansion . ”
Everybody watches Jin Lan Heng, who looks to be full of alert, in the
interrogation room .
The civil officer questions, “Do you know Ye Xiang Qing?” Ye Xiang Qing
is the name of the second victim .
Jin Lan Heng thinks for second before answering, “I don’t remember . ”
The civil officer tosses the photo onto the table, “August 3rd, the surveillance
camera at her office’s entrance caught you picking her up after work . How
can you say that you don’t know her?”
Jin Lan Heng reveals a surprised expression . He holds up the photo, thinks
for a moment and answers, “I think I remember . But there are many people
who have had a working relationship or a friendship with me . How can I
possibly remember them all? Mr . Officer, what happened to her?”
On the other side of the room, Xu Nan Bai says softly, “He’s lying . ”
Han Chen and the others don’t comment . Jin Xi nods .
Yes, his expression doesn’t look natural . Furthermore, it has been no more
than a month ago when he picked her up from work, and she was a pretty
woman to add to that, so how can he not remember?
The civil officer doesn’t answer Jin Lan Heng’s question and continues asking
instead, “Last week Friday, which is September 11, between 7 to 9pm, where
were you? What were you doing?”
This is the time when the third victim, Zhou Si Jin, disappeared .
Jin Lan Heng answers, “Let me think about it……Last Friday……oh, I went
home after getting off work . ”
“You were at home the whole night?”
“Yeah . ”
“It was the start of the weekend, so what were you doing by yourself at
home? It doesn’t seem like something that a boss, who’s single, would do,”
the civil officer says not too hard and not too softly .
Jin Lan Heng is a bit stunned . He then smiles, “Fellow Officer, it’s quite
hard work for me to take care of a business . When the weekend comes, I just
want to lie in bed . I occasionally go out to play ball or have some tea, but I
live a very healthy life . ”
The civil officer asks a few more questions, but Jin Lan Heng probably senses
that the situation is more complicated than he thinks, so he answers very
carefully . As for September 13 to 14 at 6am in the morning, which is when
Zhou Si Jin was killed and her body was abandoned, he says that he was
naturally still sleeping at home, so he doesn’t have an alibi .
The interrogation ends and the civil officer comes over, “Team Leader Han,
what should we do about this person next?”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a second and then responds, “Let him stay in the
room by himself for now . We’ll decide after we finish with the other two . ”


Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Chapter 57: The First Sight of Suspicion Part 2
The second suspect is Jiang Zi Yi . Unlike Jin Lan Heng, Jiang Zi Yi is the
absolute representation of a noble and rich bachelor . He’s 1 . 8 meters tall,
skinny, yet has a well-built body . He wears gold rim glasses, has fair white
skin and looks proper . He’s very well dressed . He doesn’t have as many
brand name accessories as Jin Lan Heng, but he gives others the sense of pure
nobleness .
He’s a senior engineer at a well-known IT company . Although he’s not in a

management position, his income and status are no less than an owner of a
normal small business company .
“He returned from America . Both of his parents are abroad,” Xiao Zhuan
explains while thinking, “Xiao Bai, this guy matches the profile the most out
of the three . Young, handsome, rich, has a particular lifestyle, and his
hobbies are drinking wine and playing with women . According to the
information gathered, he has an indecent private life . He often stays at
various nightclubs and parties . But he’s a quiet individual . Five months
ago, he was involved in a financial case and was temporarily suspended at
work to be investigated . But there was no evidence, so he was released .
Furthermore, he also owns a mansion and an SUV . “
Everybody is staring at Jiang Zi Yi through the window . The civil officer is

asking the same questions as before, but different from Jin Lan Heng, he
seems very quiet and seldom reveals a smile . He basically gives one answer
for every question the civil officer asks . Through the thin layers of his
glasses, those pair of long and narrow eyes look dim and gloomy from start to
finish .
“He interacted with the first and third victims?” Chatterbox exclaims from
reading the documents
Xiao Zhuan nods, “Yeah, the company that the first victim worked at was a
client of Jiang Zi Yi’s . They both knew each other . The third victim was
picked up for dinner on a Wednesday night two weeks ago . It was caught on
the surveillance camera . “
“My good boy……” Chatterbox sighs, “CBD is such a small circle . Don’t
tell me that the third suspect also knows the victims . “
Xiao Zhuan sighs, “You guessed right, he is also related to them . The second
and third victim had the third suspect’s phone number in their call logs . “
Han Chen and Jin Xi look at each other and don’t say anything . Xu Nan Bai
also remains silent .
The interrogation session with Jiang Zi Yi ends as expected . On September

11 between 7 and 9pm when the third victim, Zhou Si Jin disappeared, he was
working overtime in the office and he has a witness . But he doesn’t have one
after that time, so there is also no way of clearing him completely from being
suspected .
The third suspect is Situ Yi . The moment he enters the interrogation room, it
sparks everyone’s eyes .
He’s a very handsome man . He has a long and lean body, and distinctive
facial features . Different from Jin Lan Heng’s crudeness and Jiang Zi Yi’s
feminine qualities, he makes others feel comfortable . He’s wearing a suit
that fits him perfectly . His posture is straight and his face is showing a gentle
and polite smile . The civil officer also subconsciously becomes more polite
when questioning him .
“Situ Yi, ITO Information Technology’s marketing director and also the
stepson of Situ Cheng Xu, who is the President of this Hong Kong company .
When he was eight, his mom remarried to Situ Cheng Xu . Xiao Bai, he also
fits your profile,” Xiao Zhuan says, “He owns a mansion and an SUV . Four
and a half months ago, due to a case of assault of violence, he was brought
back to the station for questioning . But he was released afterward . “
“Assault?” Jin Xi repeats .
Xiao Zhuan nods, “Yes . According to the police records, it was due to
conflicts involving a love relationship . He hit the girl’s real boyfriend . “
Chatterbox snickers, “I didn’t know that a wealthy man like him would steal
someone else’s girlfriend . “
Xiao Zhuan laughs as well, “The incidents that these three suspects were
involved in including the car owner who was hit by Jin Lan Heng, the legal
representative who handled Jiang Zi Yi’s financial dispute case, and the ex-
boyfriend whom Situ Yi hit, we will ask them to come and assist us with the
investigation . However, some of them are abroad while some of them have
moved like this ex-boyfriend, so we’ll need a bit more time . “
Inside the interrogation room, the civil officer is asking about Situ Yi’s alibi .
But he says that he was staying at the mansion by himself on the weekend, so
nobody can prove that .
_____
The first round of questioning with the three suspects has ended . They’ve
been brought into different rooms to stay by themselves .
And on the other side of the interrogation room, the Black Shield Team and
Xu Nan Bai start their discussion .
Xiao Zhuan speaks first, “Oh right, I want to add that according to the
information we gathered, this Situ Yi seems to have the best reputation out of
the three . He’s humble, kind, doesn’t involve himself in messy relationships
and have a good relationship with his colleagues . He’s also hard working
and the company has been performing well under his guidance . ” He pauses
before saying, “No matter how you look at him, he doesn’t seem like a
psychopath . “
Nobody comments, but Xu Nan Bai smiles, “You’re wrong . “
Xiao Zhuan rubs his head feeling a bit embarrassed, “Professor, I was just
speaking casually . Please don’t blame me if I’ve said anything wrong . “
Xu Nan Bai is wearing a casual jacket today . His shirt collar is standing up,
making him look like a normal down to earth youth . He smiles and says,
“We must not conclude whether or not his mental state is normal based on his
appearance . Look at me . Do you think I’m normal?”
The moment he says this, everybody looks up at him . Jin Xi also becomes
interested .
“Of course you’re normal!” Xiao Zhuan answers .
But Xu Nan Bai shakes his head . He scans across the room with his eyes and
says frankly, “In many psychological and behavioral tests I’ve taken, they’ve
all surpassed the level of normal . Furthermore, I have a moderate obsessive-
compulsive disorder . For example, if in a row of seats, one chair is not
aligned, I have to make it right . If I don’t make it right, I might end up
thinking about it all day . When I’m parking my car, if I’m slightly slanted, I
will continue to move and adjust my car until it’s completely straight in the
spot . It’s just that others don’t know about how I feel . “
The group continues to be quiet . He, on the other hand, picks up his cup of
tea, takes a sip and says smiling, “But with my level of absurdness, I’m still
far away from being a psychopath, so don’t worry . “
Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox laugh dryly, “ha, ha . ” Jin Xi also laughs
looking at him, “Senior, your joke is really too dry . “
“What should we do now?” Cold Face asks .
Xu Nan Bai speaks, “My recommendation is to continue to follow and

observe them . From a criminal psychology perspective, we need more
behavioral evidence in order to determine which one is the killer . What’s
unreal may be real, and what’s real may be unreal . The one who seems most
likely to be the killer might not actually be . And the one who seems the least
likely to be the killer may be the one who’s been disguising himself . We
must not draw conclusions too quickly just from today’s short interrogation
sessions . It would be too haste of us . “
Jin Xi nods in agreement . She glances over at Han Chen subconsciously .
Before the search, she wasn’t expecting things to turn out like this——
Three suspects; and regardless of how different their personalities are, they all
seem to fit the profile:
They’ve all interacted with the victims;
Because the incident happened on the weekend, none of them have an alibi .
It’s like there is an invisible connection between them .
This makes Jin Xi feel that the case is not as simple as being just a serial
killing case .
Moreover, hasn’t it been too “easy” for them to find these three suspects?
Just as she’s deep into her own thoughts, she hears Han Chen say, “Cold Face,
let them ‘bump’ into each other . But don’t give them a chance to chat . “
A spark flashes across Jin Xi’s eyes: what a great idea .
The others also click and become excited . Xu Nan Bai, on the other hand,
smiles faintly . He looks at Han Chen and seems to show an expression of
admiration .
_____
Inside the interrogation room, the Black Shield Team is sitting quietly .
They watch the monitors showing Jin Lan Heng, Jiang Zi Yi, and Situ Yi
being led out of their rooms by the civil officers, guiding them to the same
corner of the hallway .
All three of them look normal . Jin Lan Heng is even chatting with the civil
officer beside him, attempting to find out more details of the case . As for
Jiang Zi Yi and Situ Yi, they both remain quiet .
Very soon, they arrive at the corner .
The three of them walk over at the same time . The moment they see each
other, they’re all stunned .
They take a look at each other, don’t say anything, and continue walking
following each of their own civil officers .
“F–k! Leader, this can’t be like the last case, can it? Could it be an organized
crime?” Chatterbox says staring at the monitor .
Han Chen doesn’t answer .
And Xiao Zhuan’s thoughts are even more diverse, “Could it be that someone
is imitating T to become a punisher revealing the crimes of these three
individuals?”
Xu Nan Bai, who has been silent, exchange glances with Jin Xi and says
smiling, “If two ‘Ts’ appear one after another, City Lan is really unpeaceful . “
Han Chen ponders for a while before saying, “There’s no point in making
these assumptions . They’ll just make us go in the wrong direction .
Continue searching for new evidence . Have someone follow them 24/7 . “


Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Chapter 58: My Heart’s Addiction
It’s already 8pm when Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi return home .
They’ve set up cameras and stations to monitor the three suspects, and
tomorrow, they will both start working in rotating shifts . Whether or not they
can find a breakthrough in this case, they’ll have to see how things go .
It’s been two days since they’ve returned home . Coldness seems to fill the
whole place . Han Chen must be exhausted . He takes off his jacket, change
into his slippers, sits on the sofa and doesn’t move . Jin Xi looks at the side
of his face and feels her heart ache, so she doesn’t go over to bother him .
She has had time to sleep in the last two days, so she’s still quite energized .
She thinks for a minute before walking over to the balcony and turning the
water heater on . The washing machine is just below the water heater . She
takes off her jacket and sweater, leaving just a round neck t-shirt on .
When she walks back into the living room, she sees Han Chen still sitting on
the sofa with one arm on the armrest and looks to be thinking about
something .
It’s actually already quite a breakthrough for the investigation team to be able
to lock down on the suspects in just two days under the supervision of Han
Chen . And it also confirms the rumors that Jin Xi has been hearing——
whenever he’s on a case, he really does go all out . He hasn’t slept for two
days and whenever he has a headache, he just takes his painkillers .
Many feelings of softness and emotions brush across her heart . Jin Xi stares
into his chiseled face . Is he thinking about the case again?
Although he usually has some young master temper, when it comes to work,
he is a completely honest and tenacious man .
Just as she’s thinking about this, she sees Han Chen lift up his eyes and look
towards her .
Their eyes meet . His gaze clearly starts to move downwards, falling onto her
tight fitting black shirt .
“I’m planning to take a shower . Or do you want to go first?” Jin Xi asks .
Han Chen’s eyes return to her face .
“Together?” he asks softly .
Jin Xi feels as if her heart skipped a beat, “……In your dreams . “
He leans against the sofa and smiles at her . Jin Xi turns around quickly,
pushes open the bathroom door, closes it and locks it from the inside with a
crisp click sound . She stares at the woman in the mirror with her face
slightly red and lets out a laugh .
What honest and tenacious man!? He’s already so tired and yet he’s still
being so impudent towards her .
The sound of water splashing comes on . Jin Xi washes herself quietly . She
doesn’t hear any noise coming from the living room, so she assumes that he
must be taking a nap .
She finishes showering very soon . She dries her hair with a towel, walks out
of the shower and is stunned suddenly .
She didn’t bring any clothes to change into .
When she was teased by Han Chen just now, she was quick to react by
dashing into the bathroom, but completely forgot about her clothes……
She stares at the pile of dirty clothes that she has taken off . She sweated a lot
today, so there’s no way that she’s putting them back on .
She stands quietly for a while . She has no choice but to open a small slit
with the door, “Han Chen?”
“Hm?” a voice says coming from the sofa .

Jin Xi’s face flushes, but she says rather calmly, “I didn’t bring any clothes to
change into . Can you get them for me? They’re on the very right side of the
chest in your room . ” She then closes the door .
After a few seconds of silence, Jin Xi hears him get up . She hears footsteps
walking towards the bedroom . After a while, the footsteps come near .
Jin Xi’s face is red .
“Open the door,” he says in a low voice with his shadow reflecting on the
ground .
Jin Xi opens a slit with the door again . He doesn’t say anything and neither
does she .
And then she sees his arm reaching inside, handing her a few pieces of clothes
. Jin Xi takes them right away and his arm retreats .
Jin Xi closes the door again . She feels relief and says smiling, “Thank you .
“
He’s standing outside of the door with the image from just now occupying his
mind .
Through the narrow door slit, he reached inside to hand her the clothes . The
woman’s arm reached over carrying dampness and was especially fair white
and soft . He clearly only saw a bare arm, but it was enough to tickle his
heart .
Jin Xi is in the middle of pulling up her pants when she notices that
something isn’t right . She turns around and realizes that Han Chen’s shadow
is still reflecting on the door .
He’s still standing by the door and hasn’t left yet?
Jin Xi’s heart starts pounding quickly . She reaches out her hand and locks
the door out of reflex .
She then hears his voice penetrating the door, “You think that locking the door
will help? I have the key . “
Jin Xi is speechless, “……” She has never seen a scoundrel like him!
“Why are you still standing at the door?”
He keeps quiet for a while .
“Jin Xi, I admit my defeat regarding the bet, okay?” his deep and low voice
says in the most gentle way .
Jin Xi is surprised, “Why?”
This really doesn’t seem like something that he would say . What is his real
motive?
She then hears his voice crisp and clear:
“It’s because I want an answer now . “
Jin Xi is stunned .
A certain dense heat wave starts to cover her face and spreads slowly over her
whole body .
It’s because he said……
I want you to dream with me .
I want an answer now .
His words are like the waves rippling in her heart . After keeping silent for a
long while, she pulls the door open with her face red and walks out of the
bathroom looking straight .
“You wish!” she says as she walks past him . And then she senses his gaze
fixed on her face . She feels her waist being grabbed and is pulled into his
embrace, making her unable to move .
He lowers his head to look at her . His dark brown eyes are glowing .
“I am wishful . “
Jin Xi feels nervous, but his words make her want to giggle . Looking at his
half opened collar and a dirty spot on his shirt that came from somewhere, she
feels saved . She pushes him away in disgust, “Hurry and go shower . You
stink!”
Her words seem to have an effect . Han Chen looks down at himself, then
glances at her, gives her a hard squeeze on the waist and lets go of her finally
.
“Wait for me,” he turns around and goes into the bathroom .
Jin Xi watches the bathroom door close while her heart beats faster . There’s
no way she’s going to wait for him . She walks around the room blushing .
She ends up going to the study room, turns on the computer, and sits down .
She must get him some gastrodia elata… . . and some pig brains .
Han Chen dries his hair with a towel . When he walks out of the bathroom,
he sees her sitting straight in the study room with her eyes concentrated on the
screen .
The fire burning in his body seems to have subsided after the shower, but the
impulse in his heart hasn’t decreased one bit . He walks behind her quietly,
places his arms on each side of her and looks at the monitor with her, “What
are you doing?”
His body has a fresh scent of body soap . Through the thin layers of clothes,
she can feel the warmth coming from his chest . Every inch of Jin Xi’s body
becomes sensitive . Her neck stiffens and she answers without turning her
head around, “Didn’t I tell you before? I’m trying to order some gastrodia
elata for you . ” She doesn’t dare to tell him about getting pig brains right
now .
Han Chen stares at her for a while . He bends down and starts kissing on her
hair, her face, and continues kissing downwards .
It’s an especially long and gentle moment of kissing . Jin Xi doesn’t

remember when she dropped the mouse and moved the laptop to the side .
She can only feel Han Chen sucking and licking her from the contours of her
neck and moving down . Her clothes have been unbuttoned by him . His
warm hands travel across her body . She leans on the chair staring at his
black hair while her body feels as if it’s not hers .
After a while, he takes a look at her, and then picks her up over the threshold
and walks towards the master bedroom .
The instant she touches the bed, he presses himself against her . His clothes
are still on, and hers are half open . They hug, caress, and kiss each other .
They cuddle with their bodies against each other quietly . The air is filled
with restlessness, intertwining with the tips of their fingers and skin .
A certain feeling and desire that have been suppressed for a long time seem as
if they are about to be ignited . And the feeling of longing for each other’s
bodies is the strongest that they have ever felt .
“Aren’t you really tired?… . . ” Jin Xi asks softly .
“Mm……” Han Chen is indeed exhausted . He lowers his head to look at her,
“Let’s kiss for a while . We’ll continue after waking up, is that okay?”
Jin Xi doesn’t answer . Her eyelashes twitch slightly as she stares at his chest
.
He lowers his head and kisses her again .
Just before they lose their senses, her cell phone beside the bed rings . Han
Chen releases her, breathes out long breaths, and falls on the other side of the
bed . Jin Xi curls up like a hedgehog and reaches over for her phone .
It’s Xu Nan Bai calling .
Jin Xi steadies her breathing and sits up .
“Hello, Senior . “
She then senses Han Chen, who’s lying on the bed, staring at her .
Xu Nan Bai’s voice carries his usual gentleness and cheerfulness, “Junior
Classmate, have you learned about polygraphs (lie-detector tests) before?
Jin Xi answers, “No . “

“That’s perfect . I can get prepare one with you . I’ve already designed a set
of questions . I’ll send them to you . Are you in front of a computer? Take a
look . “
“Oh, okay,” Jin Xi glances at Han Chen; he’s looking at her too . Their eyes
meet, and his eyes are carrying a hint of a smile .
His smile makes Jin Xi feels as if something is knocking on her heart lightly .
She gets up absentmindedly, fetches the laptop in the study room and opens
her email .
Xu Nan Bai waits for her patiently . He asks after a while, “Did you get it?”
Jin Xi responds, “Yes . “
“Take a look . Can you reply me tonight?” he says, “I want to use these
questions on the three suspects . “
The professionalism of the content captures Jin Xi’s attention immediately, so

she answers, “Okay . Thank you so much . “
She hangs up and hears Han Chen’s voice from behind, carrying a bit of
laziness, “Junior Classmate?”
The corners of Jin Xi’s mouth curve upward, “What? Something wrong with
that?” Her mouse scrolls down slowly as she says, “What do you want to call
me?”
Xiao Bai? Xiao Xi?
“Honey (wifey) . “
Jin Xi freezes . It’s such a common way of calling someone, but her heart
shakes from hearing it .
Did he call her this in the past?
It’s because they’ve long considered each other as their other half .
Han Chen watches her quiet and still back . The instant he says the word
“honey,” he feels a surge of heat burning in his heart .
It’s because the person he lost has finally returned . She’s right before him; in
reachable distance every day and every moment . And just like in these few
days, she can stay by his side, let him touch her, let him watch her, and let
him kiss her .
Han Chen raises his arm slowly and puts it on his forehead . He stares at her
back and starts laughing .
After a while, he says, “Let Xu Si Bai end his thoughts soon, otherwise, I
won’t be able to tolerate him . “
Jin Xi never thought that he would mention this all of a sudden . He must
have been unhappy the day Xu Si Bai joined the team . It has also been a
headache for Jin Xi . She thinks for a moment before saying, “He probably
knows already . “
After a while, Jin Xi finishes reading the questions and replies an email back
to Xu Nan Bai . The moment she turns around, she sees that he has already
fallen asleep lying on the bed like this .
Jin Xi doesn’t move . She watches him sleep quietly for a long while before
getting up to cover him with a blanket . She then lies down beside him and
hugs him .
They actually sleep past 8am and almost arrive to work late . Jin Xi wakes up
and gives him a schadenfreude smile for no reason . Han Chen glances at her
and doesn’t say anything . He gets back at her underneath the blanket . This
makes Jin Xi so mad that she even starts kicking him while they brush their
teeth .
The instant they step into the office, they hear Cold Face report an important
news, “We’ve found it . All three suspects are VIP members at a certain
nightclub in the city . “

Chapter 59
Chapter 59
Chapter 59: His True Face Part 1
Darkness fills the sky .
Sitting in the bar street near CBD makes them feel as if they also have a dab
of aloofness and temperament of the rich . The neon lights on each side of the
street don’t sting their eyes too much, and the music isn’t too loud . The tree
canopies cast shadows around them, making everything seem like a
prosperous illusion .
Chatterbox, Cold Face, Xiao Zhuan, and Han Chen are sitting in the car,
keeping watch of “Crystal Private Clubhouse,” the tallest building that’s not
far away . Compared to the bars around, the square shaped clubhouse seems
quieter and low-profile . Only the lights on the main entrance shine brilliantly
. There are cars continuously stopping at the front, and most of them who get
out of the cars are well-dressed men and sometimes women .
Chatterbox has his eyes fixed on the parking lot by the entrance as he says
clicking his tongue, “These fellows . All these prestigious cars: Cayenne,
BMW, Chryslers……Even the lowest of them all is at least a Passat . This
sure is leading a life of a whore yet claiming chastity (idiom . doing
something bad but wanting good reputation) . ”
After finding out that the three suspects are members of this clubhouse this
morning, the police started investigating the place immediately, detaining the
person in charge .
What’s funny is that after searching the place, the police found that the
clubhouse’s operation model was actually legal . There are no escorts and no
obscene erotic activities . This is really an high-end classy place just for
drinking, dancing, and chatting . However, the minimum standards for a
membership are very high . Male members must have at least 3 million
dollars worth of property; female members must have high education, a
decent job, and pretty .
As for what the male and female members do after leaving the clubhouse……
“How could we butt into our customer’s private lives?” the owner of the
clubhouse says .
Therefore, there are some things in this society where if you say it’s false,
then it’s false; if you say it’s true, then it’s true . And the higher your status is,
the more high-sounding these muddled feelings become, and the stronger they
get .
To avoid alerting the suspects, the police has been investigating secretly .
Therefore, the clubhouse will operate as usual tonight . It’ll even carry out
its usual monthly event . According to the clubhouse’s booking, Jin Lan
Heng, Jiang Zi Yi, and Situ Yi will all be coming .
The few of them wait for another while . Xiao Zhuan murmurs, “How come
Xiao Bai is still not here?”
Chatterbox snickers, “Doesn’t she have to dress up and change into a dress or
something? If she goes inside in her usual clothes, people will be able to tell
that she’s a tough and masculine woman . ”
The others laugh as well . Han Chen also smiles slightly . He rests his arm
on the door frame and looks out the window .
Suddenly, his gaze is captivated by a woman walking on the street .
The woman has just gotten out of a cab . She’s wearing a knee-high royal
blue dress and a short white jacket . She’s wearing high heels, accenting her
well-proportioned calves . Her slightly wavy hair is spread across her
shoulders, and she’s wearing a pair of sunglasses .
Han Chen taps his hand on the door frame as he watches her come near .
Chatterbox is sitting in the backseat by the window and also notices the
woman . He can’t help but sigh, “Just look at this woman . She’s dressed like
a superstar . So pretty . ”
Cold Face and Xiao Zhuan also look over . Cold Face nods and Xiao Zhuan
expresses agreement, “Such great demeanor!”
The corners of Han Chen’s mouth curve up .
And then all four of them stare at the woman walking gracefully towards their
car . She walks to the passenger side, opens the door, throws her delicate
purse inside, and hutches her back to get in . She takes off her sunglasses and
turns around to look at them squinting her eyes, “Yo, don’t tell me you guys
didn’t recognize me . ”
Chatterbox, Cold Face, and Xiao Zhuan are speechless, “……”
Jin Xi turns her head back to look at Han Chen, “Did you recognize that it
was me?”
Han Chen shifts his eyes to glance at her .
“How could I not have recognized you?” he says casually .
Jin Xi presses her lips together and doesn’t show any expression on her face .
The three people at the back all pretend that they didn’t hear anything .
Chatterbox especially feels that he has the responsibility to help these two
keep a secret, so he changes the subject immediately, “Xiao Bai, where did
you borrow these great clothes? We’ve never seen you wear them before . ”
Jin Xi lets out a “cheh” and says, “Borrow? Chatterbox, you sure look down
on others . As a woman, I have at least a few formal wardrobes to serve
different occasions like going to my classmates’ weddings and important
events . ”
The others all burst laughing hearing this .
Today’s mission is to infiltrate the clubhouse as VIP members . They need to

investigate to see if there’s anything fishy about the clubhouse . At the same
time, they want to observe the three suspects in close proximity . Since the
clubhouse is separated into male guests’ and female guests’ sections, they
need one of each to participate .
The female guest is obviously Bai Jin Xi . As for the male guest……
Han Chen, as the team leader, shouldn’t be participating, but borrowing Jin
Xi’s words: you can tell that Cold Face is a loyal and courageous man who
turns people away . He’s just missing the label “Bao Qian Tian” on his
forehead (fictional nickname for Bao Zheng, renowned for his honesty) . On
the other hand, Chatterbox is too refined looking just like a college student .
“There’s no need to think about Xiao Zhuan……the moment he starts talking,

he’ll forget what he’s doing and become stupid . He’ll most likely be kicked
outside,” Jin Xi sighs .
Her words make Xiao Zhuan feel upset and angry, but he can’t find words to
talk back .
Therefore, in the end, the best candidate is Han Chen .
“It’s almost time,” Chatterbox says .
Jin Xi nods . She checks the camera on her pin that’s under the collar, as well
as the audio recorder and then looks at Han Chen . Han Chen takes off his
jacket . He also has the same devices on him . He pushes open the door,
“Let’s go . ”
Jin Xi walks over to him and gives him a once-over . This is really……She
spent all day dressing up and yet after he takes off his jacket, he’s just
wearing his usual dark colored shirt and casual pants . His hands are in his
pockets, looking ordinary and simple . But no matter how you look at him,
he’s just like a rich young master .
Oh, he is a rich young master .
They enter the clubhouse separately via the male guests’ and female guests’
passageways .
Jin Xi is dazzled the instant she walks into the female guests’ room . The
atmosphere is very good; the carvings and paintings in the corridors, and the
plants and fountain . They make one feel as if he/she has walked into a
courtyard from a historical time . Continuing along the white relief
sculptures, she soon reaches the resting area . There aren’t a lot of people;
there are about twenty or so young women . They’re all stylishly dressed
sitting at small squared tables, drinking red tea and chatting . Seeing Jin Xi
come in, they only lift their gaze slightly and give her a once-over . There are
many open closets and shoe racks around, hanging all brand names . All the
female guests are allowed to pick and choose any items to match with their
wardrobes before going out to “meet other guests . ”
Jin Xi is speechless seeing this .
This clubhouse’s owner sure is a talented pimp when he can dress up this
place to make it so high-end .
And the three victims were also members of this clubhouse . These well
dressed “quality women” probably don’t know that they have now become
targets of a psychopathic killer .
Very soon, it’s 9pm . Music starts to play outside . The women smile and
chit chat as they walk out . Jin Xi follows the crowd .
Once they go outside, it’s a big hall .
In the splendid lighting, four to five pairs of men and women are dancing on
the floor . In the sitting area around it, many people scatter themselves to find
a seat . It seems just like any normal bar . It’s just that the chandeliers, the
European court style seats, the white velvet carpet……and the wine at each
table, not a single spot is not prestigious or intricate .
Since there are a lot of people and the lights are twinkling, Jin Xi hasn’t
spotted where Han Chen is, so she finds a seat at the central bar . She orders
a drink and sits down .
After a while, she spots Han Chen .
He’s sitting in a corner, but there is another woman sitting just two seats
beside him .
Jin Xi bites on her straw and watches them . She sees the woman looking at
Han Chen, smiling gently and talking to him . And Han Chen has one arm
resting on the armrest . He looks exceptionally cool and absolutely gorgeous .
It’s no wonder he has already been approached by a woman in such a short
amount of time .
He lifts his eyes to look at the woman and says something to her . That
woman smiles, gets up and leaves .
As if he could sense something, he raises his head and looks towards her .
Jin Xi smiles slightly . It seems like he is very used to turning down other
women, isn’t he?
He looks down and takes out his phone .
Jin Xi receives a text message . It has two words only: “Come over . ”
Their mission today is to observe and don’t need to “mingle” with other men
or women who are on a hunt for each other . Jin Xi obviously doesn’t mind
sitting with him . Just as she picks up her glass to stand up, she hears a
familiar voice say behind her, “I don’t think I’ve seen you before . Care for a
drink?”
Jin Xi almost chokes on her saliva . She lets out a few coughs, wipes her
mouth and turns around helplessly .
The person is full of smiles . His elbow is on the table as he looks at her .
The gold watch is shining brightly on his wrist .
He’s the first suspect, Jin Lan Heng .


Chapter 60
Chapter 60
Chapter 60: His True Face Part 2
Bai Jin Xi blinks .
Since he has come to her, there’s no way that she’ll let him go now . She puts
her arm on the bar table and smiles towards him, “Sure . “
Outside of the clubhouse and inside the Land Rover, Xiao Zhuan and the
other two are staring at the monitor . Jin Lan Heng’s face has been enlarged
on the screen, and they are on full alert . And inside of the clubhouse, Han
Chen, who’s not far away from Jin Xi, is watching this scene quietly at his
seat .
Jin Lan Heng sits down beside Jin Xi . He unbuttons the top of his shirt and
opens up his collar . Jin Xi has seen Han Chen perform the same action many
times, which is full of flirtatiousness . But seeing Jin Lan Heng’s tanned skin
tone and a rather short neck……
She picks up her glass quietly and takes a sip .
“My surname is Jin . Jin Lan Heng . I manage some things at Jin’s Building
Materials,” Jin Lan Heng says nonchalantly . He then looks at Jin Xi as if
he’s waiting for her surprised expression .
And Jin Xi doesn’t let him down . She covers her mouth with her hand and
says sounding surprised, “You’re Young Master Jin of Jin’s Building
Materials?”
Jin Lan Heng is pleased with her reaction . He gives Jin Xi a once-over again
and asks in satisfaction, “You still haven’t said what your name is . “
“Oh,” Jin Xi bites on her straw as she says, “I’m Zhou Xiao Zhuan . “
Inside the Land Rover, Zhou Xiao Zhuan spurts out his water at the screen
immediately, “Why did she say my name?!” Cold Face smiles while
Chatterbox is laughing out loud . Jin Lan Heng ponders for a second before
smiling, “Xiao Zhuan……Xiao Zhuan……What a nice and cute name . “
Jin Xi is also enjoying this as she nods, “Thank you . “
They both want to seize the opportunity, so they chat back and forth and very
soon, they’ve gotten to know each other better . But besides talking nonsense
with him, Jin Xi also notices a familiar figure on the dance floor .
It’s the second suspect, Jiang Zi Yi . Jin Xi looks around and makes eye
contact with Han Chen subtly, who’s sitting quietly in the corner .
“Xiao Zhuan, can I invite you to a dance?” Jin Lan Heng asks .
Jin Xi feels that she’s about done with him, so she rests her chin on her palm
lazily and smiles at him, “Young Master Jin, didn’t you say that you’ll treat
me to a drink just now? We haven’t even had our drink yet and you want to
go dance?”
“Oh, of course, of course . Here, what would you like to drink, Xiao Zhuan?
Go ahead and order,” he snaps his fingers to signal for the bartender .
The bartender hands them a very delicate white colored wine menu that
doesn’t have any prices listed . But Jin Xi has looked up the information on
the clubhouse . Most of the drinks at this place are from a hundred dollars to
a thousand dollars a glass . Opening a bottle is even more expensive . She
reads the menu slowly and then hears Jin Lan Heng says smiling, “How about
two margaritas?”
Jin Xi recalls this drink . They’re about two hundred dollars a glass . Jin Xi
makes up her mind as she points to “Fantasy Carnival” at the bottom of the
list, “Young Master Jin, if you really want to have a drink with me, let’s drink
this then . I’ll dance with you after this drink . “
Jin Lan Heng seems a bit surprised . He looks at Jin Xi and smiles without
answering .
Jin Xi continues staring at him with full of anticipation .
It’s important to know that “Fantasy Carnival” isn’t a type of drink, it is to

pay for everyone’s drinks at the hall . It’s at least ten thousand dollars with
one round of drinks, but it could easily be over tens of thousands of dollars .
She heard that there have been many big shots who have done this generous
act in order to win over a woman . If Jin Xi is a vain woman who’s looking to
catch a rich man, it’s not too much to ask for this .
It’s just that……she has really put Jin Lan Heng in a tough spot .
He looks at her for a while and smiles, “Xiao Zhuan, why should we burn our
money for others? Your Big Brother Jin here is not a spendthrift . I spend
money based on its worth, and I don’t put on a show for nothing . If you
really want a drink, accompany your big brother here to a dance first . After
we become closer and know each other better, I’ll let you spend all the money
you want . “
His words are loud and clear: Miss, I haven’t even gotten any freebies, so if
you want me to spend some big bucks, you better show me some effort first .
Jin Xi smiles as well, but it carries sarcasm in it . She says apathetically,

“Young Master Jin, I’ll be honest with you as well . I’ve seen too many men
who pretend to be rich . If he can’t even treat everyone to a fantasy carnival,
he’s not a man that I would bother to consider . If you don’t have the money
to treat others, don’t force yourself to . Did you think that every woman
wants to throw herself at you? Did you think that all women like you? To tell
you the truth, a man who cowers and feels good about himself will only
disgust women once they get to know him!”
These sharp and unkind words that are full of insult come too unexpectedly .
Jin Lan Heng is struck dumb .
Outside of the clubhouse, Xiao Zhuan and the others are also dumbstruck .
Chatterbox murmurs, “What is Xiao Bai doing? She’s taking a risk to
provoke him!”
Bai Jin Xi is indeed provoking him on purpose . After insulting him, she
continues sitting elegantly, but her whole body is on alert . In case Jin Lan
Heng splashes her with a drink or even hit her, she’s prepared to run
immediately .
But after a while, Jin Lan Heng lets out a sigh . Not only he’s not angry, he
shakes his head casually and says, “Xiao Zhuan, you’re wrong . If you want
to play with men in this circle, most of them are rich, but there isn’t many
who are sincere like me . So what’s wrong if I don’t want to treat you to a
fantasy carnival? We’re still not very familiar with each other, and yet you
want me to waste my money like an idiot . If you were me, would you be
willing to? Put yourself in my shoes, my little girl . Of course, I have to see
that you’re treating me sincerely before I would be willing to spend money
for you, wouldn’t I?”
His meaningful and heartfelt words make Jin Xi speechless . Seeing that she
has nothing to say, Jin Lan Heng probably feels his self-esteem hurt, so he
stands up, “Since we’re not on the same page, I regret to say that our fate ends
here . I wish you have an enjoyable night . ” Seeing that Bai Jin Xi isn’t
stopping him, he has no choice but to continue walking away .
Jin Xi stares at the swaying liquid inside her glass . She smiles slightly, turns
her head and calls him, “Wait, Jin Lan Heng . I have a question to ask you . “
Jin Lan Heng is chivalrous as usual and smiles, “Please ask, Xiao Zhuan . “
“Do you like bungee jumping or parachuting?”
Jin Lan Heng is a bit surprised as he shakes his head, “No, I don’t . I like
golfing, swimming, and other normal and healthy sports more . “
Jin Xi smiles sweetly at him and waves her hand, “Okay, goodbye . “
Jin Lan Heng seems to be a bit confused . He leaves reluctantly turning his
head to glance at her every few steps . Jin Xi waits until he’s far away before
hopping down from the high chair . She picks up her drink and walks
towards Han Chen .
Han Chen has been waiting for a long while .
The lights are flickering and it’s a bit hot inside . She has already taken off
her white jacket, revealing her full royal blue dress . The contours of her
body figure are smooth and can be seen clearly . Her black hair rests on her
shoulders, highlighting her attractive face . And her pair of dark brown eyes
is reflecting the lights with a hint of a smile; clever and proud .
Han Chen watches her come nearer and smiles slowly .
Jin Xi smiles also . She stops in front of the booth seating, looks around and
sees that there are still other people, so she says calmly, “Handsome, can I sit
here?”
“Yes . “
Jin Xi is already disgusted and has conflicting feelings for this place which
looks elegant and high-end on the outside but is obnoxious on the inside .
Therefore, she takes a seat directly in his embrace . Her whole body relaxes .
Han Chen glances at her and places his hand on her shoulder naturally .
They both don’t say anything . After sitting like this for a while, Jin Xi’s
heart skips a beat .
Crap……She forgot that they both have cameras on them . On the other end
of the camera, beside Cold Face and Xiao Zhuan who already know, there’s
also Chatterbox!
And on the other end……
Xiao Zhuan and Cold Face don’t say anything seeing them sitting together so
naturally . After trying to hold it in himself for a while, Chatterbox says,
“Mm……Leader and Xiao Bai are so good at disguising themselves .
They’re so professional . “
Cold Face hums, “……Mm . “
Xiao Zhuan supports, “Yeah, yeah . “
Inside the clubhouse .
The lights continue flashing and more guys and girls enter the dance floor .
The music seems to intensify according to the people’s emotions . Jin Xi
looks around . There are many pairs of men and women sitting in the booths
and chatting quietly . There is also a very pretty woman sitting among a
group of men, smiling and chatting . But there are no obscene behaviors .
Everyone is well dressed and well mannered .
“Did you find anything?” Han Chen whispers in her ear .
“Mm, I got quite a few details from chatting . “

Since there are many people around, Han Chen doesn’t ask further .
“Therefore……” Jin Xi says softly, “if you think this place is only for
drinking and chatting, it’s just a pub then . If you think this place is a hunting
ground, you’ll be able to hunt for a partner . If you think that this is a place
for providing fresh women to the rich, it is such a place then . “
“Mm . “
“Have you been to places like this in Beijing before? Young Master Han?”
Jin Xi smiles at the man beside her .
Han Chen also shifts his gaze towards her . His pupils are dark and deep .
She then feels his hand slide down to her waist to a spot where others can’t
see and gives her a pinch .
It hurts but she can’t cry out . She glares at him .
“What do you think? Would my ex-girlfriend let me go?” he says flippantly .
The corners of Jin Xi’s mouth curve up as she says quietly, “F–k off!”
They hear some noise coming from the dance floor, so they both raise their
heads to look .
At the same time, they hear a woman beside them say, “Yo, it’s Crazy Jiang .
” Another man laughs scornfully, “He has really become crazy, hasn’t he?
He really thinks this is a pub . “
In the spinning lights, the dance floor is playing a fast beat song . And the
refined and well-mannered Jiang Zi Yi, whom Han Chen and Jin Xi met
yesterday, is bopping his head and twisting his body with the music, attracting
everybody’s gaze .
Not only Jin Xi is surprised, but even Chatterbox and the others have their
jaws dropped seeing Jiang Zi Yi like this .
It’s because he is dancing crazily yet professionally . His tie has been
loosened . He’s wearing only a shirt and a pair of tight long pants, making
him look rather stylish . He has also taken off his glasses, revealing his
handsome and fair white face . He twists his body unrestrainedly with the
music . His moves are big and sexy, and he swings his head up and down
heavily like he’s wasted yet proud .
The people at the place are mostly respectable . They’re all behaving
properly and not presumptuous like him . A lot of people are watching him
like he’s a joke, but he doesn’t care . He becomes even more engrossed in his
dancing . Very soon, a woman enters the dance floor and starts dancing
provocatively close to him . The crowd starts to roar and whistle .
“He really……lets himself go,” Jin Xi exclaims .
Han Chen stares at Jiang Zi Yi without any expression on his face .
The fast beat song ends and a rather sad and passionate song comes on . The
woman who has been dancing with Jiang Zi Yi walks away, leaving him alone
standing with his head down .
Everybody looks at him with excitement .
“He’s gone crazy again,” the man beside them who was making fun says
again .
The music becomes more and more passionate, and sadder and sadder .
Jiang Zi Yi raises his head suddenly . His face is actually showing a very sad
expression, and his eyes look empty . While everybody watches him, he says
out loud:
“I am waiting here for the sun to rise;
I am waiting here for the sun to set;
Loneliness awaits ahead of me;
There is no sound in my dreams .
I want to be embraced by you once,
But I couldn’t grasp onto the last of your image .
Ah!
All this is so laughable .
I’m the one who’s laughable;
I who have been banished here in a world without you!”
The crowd roars and then the sound of clapping comes on like thunder .
“Incredible! Crazy Jiang!”
“He’s such a talent! He wrote a poem again!”
A lot of people are laughing, but Jiang Zi Yi is staring at the ceiling as tears
begin to flow . He turns around and his figure disappears quickly into the
dark amid the noisy crowd .
Jin Xi is stunned . She turns her head and exchange glances with Han Chen .
Besides everything else, if this poem is written by Jiang Zi Yi, it’s really
written quite well . On top of the fact that he recited it with so much emotion
. His sadness permeated into every word, causing Jin Xi to also feel upset in
her heart .
She thinks to herself: they’ve really gathered quite a lot of information one
after the other tonight .
At this moment, she feels Han Chen squeeze her hand suddenly .
She follows his gaze and sees the third suspect, Situ Yi, who’s standing up
from a booth . A pretty girl with a graceful body is beside him .
The girl wraps her arm around his and he smiles towards her with his head
tilted down . His face is so handsome that it captivates others .
The two of them walk towards the exit together .
After a short distance, as if he notices something, Situ Yi wraps his arm

around the girl’s waist, turns his head, and looks towards Han Chen and Jin
Xi .
Han Chen’s eyes meet with his calmly . Jin Xi also stares back at him
unabashedly and smiles slowly .
The smile from the corner of his mouth doesn’t fade . As if he didn’t notice
anything, his expression stays the same as he turns his head back and walks
out while embracing the girl .
Ten minutes later .
Han Chen and Jin Xi returns to the Land Rover .
“How was it? Did you find anything?” Chatterbox asks, “What should we do
now? Continue following them and watch them?”
Han Chen turns to look at Jin Xi .
Jin Xi clears her throat and darts her eyes at Han Chen purposely .
“Based on criminal psychology,” she says articulately, “we can eliminate two
of the suspects . There is only one suspect left!”


Chapter 61
Chapter 61
Chapter 61: Who’s Being a Psycho Part 1
“Jin Lan Heng is not the killer .
His biggest difference from being a psychopathic killer is: when I tried to
verbally anger him, he was a bit stunned and he explained himself patiently .
He did not show too many emotions or any impulsive behaviors . We could
say that he has a very good mental state and has a strong ability to adjust
himself .
If our killer is someone who has great resentment and hatred towards women,
when he is humiliated by a woman, he would definitely not be able to stay
calm . Furthermore, Jin Lan Heng does not like extreme sports and is
reluctant to spend money on women . Have you ever seen a psychopathic
killer mind so much on the details when hunting his prey? Have you seen one
who would continuously reason with you and would not spend any money
until he is given some freebies?”
The Land Rover is speeding in the night . Bai Jin Xi talks about many things
causing everyone in the car to laugh .
Xiao Zhuan says after thinking for a moment, “But could this all just be his
disguise?”
Jin Xi answers, “That’s not possible . Firstly, they did not know that we
would be investigating them undercover, so the chances of them disguising
themselves are very low . Secondly, although some things can be disguised
like when I asked whether or not he liked bungee jumping, he could have
answered no due to being cautious, the key thing is: if he is a psychopath,
when his emotions are provoked suddenly, his reaction, expression, and body
language is something that he won’t be able to control or hide . But we did
not see any of these reactions from Jin Lan Heng just now . ”
Xiao Zhuan, Cold Face and the others all nod . Chatterbox says smiling,
“Xiao Bai, I used to think that you were only familiar with criminal
psychology, but I never thought that you were such an expert in studying
psychopaths!”
Everybody laughs . Jin Xi laughs as well, but her eyes are looking out the
window at the many neon signs passing by as she falls into deep thoughts .
Han Chen glances at her with the corner of his eye and doesn’t say anything .
Both of his hands are on the steering wheel as he continues driving .
“Who is the second suspect eliminated?” Xiao Zhuan asks, “My guess is Situ
Yi! He seems like a gentleman and leaves a good impression . Jiang Zi Yi,
on the other hand, you can tell that he’s a twisted psychopath just by looking
at him . He’s crazy, yet he acts like a proper person in front of others . He’s
just like a lunatic . It has to be him!”
Chatterbox supports, “Yeah, since Miss Xiao Zhuan also feels that Situ Yi is a
gentleman, it definitely can’t be him!”
“Pfffft……” Jin Xi lets out a giggle . Han Chen and Cold Face also smile .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is furious . He gives Chatterbox a punch and then glares at
Jin Xi, who’s in the passenger seat, “Xiao Bai! It’s all your fault!”
Jin Xi claps her hands together and apologizes, “Sorry, sorry! But I couldn’t
say that my name was Han Chen . This name is too guyish . And I still can’t
remember Chatterbox’s or Cold Face’s name . ”
Cold Face and Chatterbox are speechless, “……”
Xiao Zhuan comments, “……Oh, so that’s the reason . ”
“But you’re wrong . The second suspect who is eliminated is actually Jiang
Zi Yi,” Jin Xi says, “Putting aside his crazy behavior, his one main trait is that
during dancing and reciting poetry, he showed many detailed expressions .
Although we don’t know why he had such emotions, those emotions were
very strong and real that affected others . The poem also had very clear logic
from start to finish .
And I’ve said before that a real psychopath’s emotions are very shallow . It’s
because he actually can’t feel normal people’s emotions . This is why he’s
merciless and don’t have sympathy . He might hide it well usually, making
him seem like he has sympathy for others . For example, he might do some
charity, express sadness and grief, but if you want him to express the kind of
strong and unique emotions that Jiang Zi Yi had, he won’t be able to . He will
become stiff and it’ll be hard for him .
And according to the others at the clubhouse, Jiang Zi Yi has always been like
this . It’ll be harder than herding cats for a psychopathic killer to pretend to
have strong emotions, on top of the fact that there’s no need for him to .
Moreover, have you seen a psychopathic killer enjoy expressing himself like
a crazy lunatic in front of a crowd? Because they realize their differences
from others beside them, they are usually introverts and are good at hiding
themselves . Therefore, if we have to say who’s really crazy, Jiang Zi Yi is
just crazy on the surface . The psychopathic killer is the one who’s truly
twisted . ”
“What about Situ Yi then?” Cold Face asks .
“Based on our current findings, Situ Yi matches all the traits of this case’s
suspect completely: handsome, a gentleman, single, rich, a big change in the
family when he was little and has had a conflict with the police in the past .
He is also very good at hunting for his preys while keeping a low profile .
He led a girl out of the clubhouse almost without anyone noticing . And he
has very acute senses, where he felt that Han Chen and I stood out of place,”
Jin Xi says, “Whether or not he’s the killer that we’ve been looking for, we
still need to investigate further . But objectively speaking, in the whole City
Lan, he’s the only one left who fits the profile . Just like the phrase that Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle once said……”
She turns her head to look at Han Chen . The corners of his mouth are
revealing a smile .
“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however

improbable, must be the truth (Sherlock Holmes),” all five of them in the car
say together .
_____
Tonight, the three suspects are brought to the station again .
Jin Lan Heng was approached by the police when he walked out of the
clubhouse by himself . He had wandered the whole night and couldn’t catch
any girl . Seeing the police appear suddenly, he was quite surprised but
followed them helplessly and feeling a bit upset at the same time .
Jiang Zi Yi was getting intimate with a woman in the car when the police
knocked on the window .
As for Situ Yi……When the police knocked on his mansion’s door, he and a
woman were drinking red wine and dancing the waltz .
1am in the morning . Inside the interrogation room .
The first to be questioned is Jin Lan Heng, just like before .
Watching him through the glass window, Jin Xi feels funny but apologetic at
the same time . She says to Han Chen, “I’ll go in with you . ”
Han Chen glances at her, “Okay . ”
They walk into the interrogation room together . Jin Lan Heng stares at Bai
Jin Xi with his eyes wide and expression changing .
Jin Xi chuckles and says, “I’m sorry, Young Master Jin . I was on an
investigation at the clubhouse just now . ”
Jin Lan Heng’s face turns a little red . After holding it in for a while, he says
finally, “It’s okay . Us citizens have to support the work of the police . ”
“Let’s start,” Han Chen interrupts, “Name?”
The questioning session with Jin Lan Heng is rather short and to the point .
Han Chen makes it explicit to him that it’s regarding a murder case . Due to
Han Chen’s cold expression and imposing manner, they’re able to make Jin
Lan Heng spit out everything without much effort . He explains why he was
answering cautiously last time:
“This officer lady also knows that the clubhouse is where I often go to make
friends . But the people in this circle have to promise to keep a low profile to
avoid any troubles . On the night that you were asking about, September 11, I
was with a girlfriend that I met at the clubhouse, so I tried not to mention her
if I could avoid it . ”
Han Chen and Jin Xi look at each other .
Han Chen asks, “What was the girl’s name?”
Jin Lan Heng clears his throat before telling them two women’s names .
Outside of the interrogation room, Chatterbox and the others are out of words
watching this . Chatterbox says quietly, “This fellow . He sure is shameless!”
The session with Jin Lan Heng ends quickly .
Han Chen says, “Please complete the paperwork outside . A police car will
take you home . ”
Jin Lan Heng waves his hand quickly, “No need, no need . I’ll call a cab
myself . ” He gets up and glances at Jin Xi .
“About that……Officer lady, can I ask one more question?”
Jin Xi smiles at him and is especially gentle while saying, “Please go ahead
and ask, Young Master Jin . ”
“Hehheh, do you have a boyfriend?”
Jin Xi is a bit stunned . She smiles and just before she answers, she notices
Han Chen tossing his pen away with the corner of her eye .
And then he raises his head and stares at Jin Lan Heng, “What do you think?”
Jin Lan Heng is dumbstruck, “Ah?”
He looks at Han Chen and then looks at her . A hint of embarrassment finally
brushes across his eyes . He pushes open the door quickly and follows
another officer out .
The brightly lit room returns to its quiet state . Jin Xi places her hand on her
forehead . She blocks the view of Chatterbox and the others as she turns
around and glares at Han Chen while saying softly, “Why did you say that?!”
Han Chen has his head down as he flips through his notes . He doesn’t look
up hearing her question . He continues sitting with his legs crossed .
“What did I say?”
It’s true that he didn’t say anything, but……
Jin Xi scolds, “Bastard!”
She doesn’t want to talk to him anymore!
And inside the monitor room, after a moment of silence, the three of them
exchange looks with each other .
In the end, Chatterbox decides to speak first, “Alright, you guys can probably
tell by now . Since you guys found out about it today, I have no choice . As a
member of the Black Shield Team, I have one serious request: you must not
tell anybody about this!”
_____
Compared to Jin Lan Heng, Jiang Zi Yi is quieter . He also seems to be very

irritated and upset——after all, he was asked to come out of the car .
But once Han Chen and Jin Xi explains the reason for asking him to come, he
reveals a sarcastic laugh, “An alibi? Even if I tell you what I was doing that
night, I don’t have any way of proving it . It’s because the person who can
prove it is unwilling to expose herself . I also don’t want you guys to bother
her . Therefore, it makes no difference to tell you or not . ”
Jin Xi stares at him quietly for a moment .
“I am waiting here for the sun to rise; I am waiting here for the sun to set;
Loneliness awaits ahead of me……”
Jiang Zi Yi jerks his head up and looks at her as he hears her recite the poem
word for word .
“It’s written so well,” Jin Xi says softly . She has no more complimentary
words .
After hearing her recite the poem, Jiang Zi Yi keeps quiet for a long while
before speaking, “September 11 is my girlfriend’s birthday . She should be
28 years old this year . Our son should be 3 . I was home the whole night,
together with her . ”
_____
Even though Jiang Zi Yi has no one to be his alibi, after some investigating,
it’s confirmed that his girlfriend died from a car accident three years ago .
And that day is indeed her birthday . Therefore, the Black Shield Team
chooses to believe his words .
But Bai Jin Xi gives Jiang Zi Yi a new assessment, “Although he’s just crazy
right now, from the way he talks, it’s possible that he is already showing signs
of schizophrenia and paranoia . ”
Xiao Zhuan asks, “What does this mean?”
“It means that he’s not far away from being a psychopath . ”
Everyone falls into silence .
In the prosperous city, there are many empty souls . We all think that we will
live this way for life . But some people will live busy lives, while some will
live impudently and depravedly . But in the end, they all lose themselves the
same way .
_____
Outside of the interrogation room .
The five members of Black Shield Team observe Situ Yi sitting in the room
alone from outside of the window .
His intricately made suit, his slightly rolled up sleeves, and his calm and
handsome face . Even though he has been brought here by the police in the
middle of the night and has been waiting for a long time, he doesn’t seem the
least bit bothered or anxious .
Compared to last time, Jin Xi starts to examine him even more closely .
His face is very clean . His skin is fair white and tight . It’s easy to tell that
he has been taking care of his face in order to have such great skin . There are
no stains on his collar and his suit has been ironed straight . His fingernails
are clipped neatly . He’s wearing Prada leather shoes and very well textured
socks . His whole person seems exquisite and meticulous .
And on the table in front of him is standing a cup of red tea which Xiao
Zhuan poured for him . The tea has turned cold, but he hasn’t taken a single
sip .
Right now, they’ve gathered the alibi of the previous two suspects . The
biggest suspect in the case is none other than him .
“Leader, what should we do now?” Chatterbox asks .
Han Chen is staring at Situ Yi as he answers, “Leave him by himself for a

while longer . ”


Chapter 62
Chapter 62
Chapter 62: Who’s Being a Psycho Part 2
The night is quiet .
Jin Xi and the others are busy organizing the information and the recordings
they’ve gathered . Han Chen walks out of the office by himself . He stands
in the hallway, looks up at the stars in the sky and many dots of lights in the
city .
He keeps quiet for a moment before taking out his phone .
In his cellphone, there’s a text message sent by Ji Bai from tonight .
Ji Bai, the friend whom he had asked to help him investigate the murder case
that happened in Beijing five years ago .
“I’ve sent you the details via email .
Whatever it is that you want to do, be cautious and protect those who are
around you well .
Ji Bai . ”
Han Chen opens his mailbox .
The email starts off with a paragraph written by Ji Bai: “In that year between
January and December, in Beijing and other districts around it, there was a
total of 64 murder cases that were not included in the Public Security
Bureau’s total . But based on a document from one of the internal
departments, these murder cases had already been put away as ‘case closed . ’
The police made official statements to console the victims’ families . The
summary reports of closing the cases were deemed as top secret . Even with
my level of authority, I can’t see them . ”
Han Chen reads his words and keeps quiet for a long while .
He scrolls down and sees the details of the 64 victims along with their
autopsy reports completed by forensic investigators .
Han Chen finishes reading them and puts his phone back into his pocket . He
rests his arms on the railing with his hands held together . After a moment of
silence, he reaches into his chest pocket for a cigarette .
It’s empty .
Therefore, he becomes even quieter .
Until faint footsteps appear from behind .
Bai Jin Xi walks to his side, leans on the railing with him and looks to a
distance .
“What are you thinking about?” she asks .
Han Chen doesn’t answer . He reaches out his arm and wraps it around her
shoulders .
Jin Xi turns her head to look around immediately . Seeing that everybody is
working with their heads down, she doesn’t bother to stop him . It’s cold at
night, so she leans closer to him and rubs her head against his chin .
After a while, she says, “Han Chen, it’s quite weird . Why do I feel
particularly interested in psychopathic killers?”
“Maybe because you were an expert in the past,” his deep voice sounds
especially gentle at night as if he’s pacifying her .
The corners of Jin Xi’s mouth curve upwards . She says as if she’s
murmuring to herself, “It really does feel different . It’s as if I’m slowly
recovering something that I’m familiar with . Some blurry images in my
mind are slowly becoming clear . ”
“I also have had that feeling before,” Han Chen says, “Four years ago when I
woke up, some of the bigger cases I handled felt unfamiliar and familiar at the
same time . After a few cases, everything flowed . ”
“Recovered?” the word spurts out of Jin Xi’s mouth .
Han Chen shifts his gaze sideways to look at her .
“You’ve been at that deserted place, Guanhu station, this whole time and all
you do every day is either fighting against sex trade and other small cases .
You’ve been living a simple life so your recovery has been slow . That’s
normal . ”
Jin Xi finds it funny yet offended, “F–k you! Our station isn’t a deserted
place! You sure look down on people . ”
Han Chen smiles also as he lifts his head up to look at the front .
After a while, the smile on Jin Xi’s face subsides slowly .
Han Chen’s words from just now feel like a small stone tossed into a quiet
pond, rippling it .
You’ve been at that deserted place, Guanhu station, this whole time so your
recovery has been slow . That’s normal .
But if her “recovery” has been slow because she’s been at a low-level station,
where did she gain all the knowledge about psychopathic serial killing cases?
At the Shahu Police Academy which can’t even make it into the nation’s top
list?
Isn’t this what Han Chen calls a “logic paradox”?
A strange feeling of doubt surges in her heart . But Jin Xi can’t explain what
it is . She can only lift her head and stare at Han Chen .
And Han Chen is looking at the woman in his arms .
The stars seem to light up her face and the hair running through his fingers is
soft and smooth like silk . He can see her face clearly . Her clear and dark
brown eyes seem to contain a thousand words .
And she’s still wearing the dress that she wore to go to the clubhouse . The
royal blue dress draws out her smooth contours, and the color makes her face
look even fairer white and lively .
Han Chen keeps quiet for a moment .
“Give me a kiss . ”
Jin Xi laughs, “Do you know where we are right now? Yet you want a kiss . ”
Han Chen turns around to look . He catches the others in the office ducking
down their heads immediately . He turns back around without an expression .
He pulls onto her arm and leads her to the other end of the hallway .
“Where are we going?” Jin Xi murmurs .
“To somewhere where there’s no one,” he answers swiftly .
Jin Xi wants to escape the moment she hears him, but he quickly pulls her
into his embrace as they dash to the landing platform of the empty and dark
staircase . Jin Xi giggles . Han Chen leans against the wall hugging her . He
lowers his head and kisses her .
“We’re no longer kids, why are we doing this?!” she mumbles .
As a result of her words, he locks her lips and sucks on them aggressively .
He says into her ear, “Our bet hasn’t been fulfilled yet . ”
Jin Xi’s heart skips a beat . After a while, she answers with a whisper, “I
haven’t forgotten it . But……wasn’t it because you didn’t have enough body
strength so that’s why it wasn’t fulfilled?”
Han Chen moves his lips away immediately and stares directly into her eyes .
Jin Xi smiles at him .
And then she feels a hard pinch on her bottom .
“Ssss……” Jin Xi gasps, “What are you doing?!”

“Whether or not I have body strength… . . ” he lowers his head and bites on
her ear, “You know without trying?”
His words are explicit, causing Jin Xi’s face to flush . But he has already
sealed her lips again to prevent her from talking any more nonsense .
The stairwell is dark and the sparsely lit stars are scattered above their heads .
They continue kissing just like this as if they can’t get enough of it . At the
back of their minds, this kiss seems familiar . How many times have they
been like this, hiding away from others and kissing passionately without
holding back? They are both arrogant and are crazy for love . As blazing
youths, they’re not the least bit scared or hesitant . They just know that it
can’t be any other person but the one in front of them . They just know that
they want to be with each other and grow old together .
The feelings and emotions awaken from deep down in her heart are too strong
. As they continue kissing, tears begin to flow from Jin Xi’s eyes .
“Han Chen……how did we end up breaking up?”
Han Chen wipes away the tear marks on her cheek with his finger and also
stops kissing her . He hugs her . The two of them embrace each other just
like this for a long while without moving .
Until the lights in the stairwell come on .
The sound of footsteps can be heard . Someone is coming up .
Han Chen lets go of her but continues holding her hand . Since her eyes are
stinging a bit, Jin Xi avoids turning around . She has her back towards the
other person while staring at Han Chen’s chest .
Xu Nan Bai, who is in casual wear, is walking up the stairs . He looks up and
is a bit surprised seeing the two of them . His eyes fall onto their holding
hands as he smiles, “Team Leader Han, Junior (female) classmate . ”
Jin Xi retrieves her hand, turns around to greet him . She smiles calmly,
“Senior, what brings you here in the middle of the night?”
As if he didn’t notice their intimacy, Xu Nan Bai smiles and stands beside the
two of them as he answers, “I’ve been busy with some work at the school, but
I heard that you guys have locked down on a suspect . I had a feeling that you
guys would be interrogating them throughout the night, so I rushed over here .
”
Han Chen and Jin Xi lead him to the interrogation room . They look through
the glass window at Situ Yi, who is still in the room by himself .
“Therefore……” Xu Nan Bai asks, “we’ve confirmed the suspect purely

based on the psychological profile, but we still need to gather the evidence to
prove his crime?”
Jin Xi nods .
Xu Nan Bai smiles slightly . He glances at them and says, “Let me provide a
piece of evidence to you guys first then . ”
Han Chen isn’t showing any expression, but Jin Xi smiles, “Okay . ”
Xu Nan Bai turns his head and looks at Situ Yi again, “After you guys are
done questioning him, I’ll conduct a lie detector test with him . ”


Chapter 63
Chapter 63
Chapter 63: As a Monster
4 am . The questioning session with Situ Yi begins .
Regarding this time of day that Han Chen picked, Jin Xi feels: it’s shameless
yet it makes sense . It fits the style of a top notch detective . Since they’ve
left the man alone for the whole night, this is the time that he would be the
most sleepy .
But Situ Yi really surprises everyone .
Inside the well-lit room, Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi sit down in front of him .
He smiles politely . As tired as he may be, his eyes are still bright and he still
looks very gentlemanly as if he hasn’t once let himself relax .
“Hello,” he greets them proactively .
Jin Xi raises her head and her eyes meet with his .
His eyes are deep and dark, carrying a hint of a smile and full of gentleness .
On top of the fact that he has a beautiful face, even Jin Xi can’t stop her heart
from beating faster when being stared at by this man .
He is really……a devil .
Han Chen begins questioning .
“Name?”
“Situ Yi,” he answers, “My surname is two characters, Situ . My name is Yi

written with the characters fire, feather, and white . ”
Han Chen asks a few more standard questions, and he answers every one of
them without showing the slightest bit of annoyance .
“Ye Xiang Qing and Zhou Si Jin were killed on the 7th of last month and 11th
of this month respectively . Both of them are on your phone’s contact list .
What was your relation to them?”
Situ Yi is a bit stunned . His expression looks very natural . His eyebrows
are frowning slightly and his pupils seem to have fallen into a daze for a split
second . It makes him seem even more gentle like a breeze in spring .
“They were just regular friends,” he answers, “What could be the reason for
them to be murdered by someone? Has the murderer been caught?”
Han Chen doesn’t answer . He smiles, leans against his chair and starts
tapping his fingers on the table lightly .
“We suspect that you were the one who killed them . ”
Jin Xi never thought that Han Chen’s interrogation would take a turn
suddenly; he’s going straight to the point .
But this actually works because Situ Yi’s expression really makes one ponder
.
His expression is very calm . After a brief moment, he even starts to smile .
His smile is handsome and captivating as usual, but Jin Xi catches a hint of
proudness that flashes quickly across his eyes . It’s as if a secret that he has
been keeping to himself for a long time has finally been discovered by
someone . But he’s still not nervous . Instead, he’s enjoying seeing their
reactions .
This cunning smile carrying a hint of mischievousness is completely different

from his gentlemanly and mature personality that he was showing just before .
But Jin Xi knows very well in her heart that these subtle expressions are the
emotions and reactions that a psychopath cannot hide .
He answers, “I know that you guys are suspecting me, otherwise I would not
have been brought in for questioning in the middle of the night . But I really
can’t understand why you guys think that I’m connected to the case . There
are quite a few women whom I’ve had brief relationships with, but we’ve
never gone deeper . I don’t even remember what they look like . I am very
disappointed in the police’s performance today because you guys are
suspecting someone who’s innocent . What happened to the lady who was
with me tonight? You guys didn’t bring her to the station too, did you? She
must have been scared . Anyhow, I have nothing to do with these two murder
cases . The innocent has nothing to hide . You guys can investigate all you
want . I have nothing to do with it anyway . ”
Han Chen glances at Jin Xi . Jin Xi understands what he wants, smiles faintly
and says, “Mr . Situ, if they weren’t killed by you, what kind of murderer is it
that you think had killed them?”
Situ Yi looks at her and smiles slowly .
“I’m not sure . But I think there’s probably only a couple of reasons to kill:
revenge, love conflicts, or financial conflicts . I suggest you guys investigate
these areas . Maybe you’ll find their common creditor . ”
Jin Xi smiles more deeply, “You missed one . In this world, there are some
who enjoys taking others’ lives through torturing . It’s hard to say, but they
could have been killed by someone like this . What do you think?”
Situ Yi’s hands gripping together on the table tightens slightly . His eyes
carry a bigger smile as they look at Jin Xi, making them actually look
affectionate .
“Yeah, it’s hard to say,” he responds, “Although different people chase after
different values in life, I believe a life should be cherished and not for killing .
Especially women . I can’t understand why that person needed to kill them .
It’s such a shame . ”
In the monitoring room, Chatterbox, Xu Nan Bai, and the others are watching
the whole session . Chatterbox exclaims, “This is really insane . They’re
actually chatting peacefully with a psychopath . ”
Xiao Zhuan nods .
Xu Nan Bai smiles instead and says, “Junior (female) Classmate will not let
him keep his calm much longer . ”
Chatterbox and the others are a bit stunned .
As if to confirm his words, Jin Xi stares directly into Situ Yi’s eyes and spins
her words around, “Not only it’s a shame . Their bodies were brutally beaten
and they underwent a long period of torture . A murderer like this must have
an extremely twisted mind . He holds a grudge against women but feels
inferior in relationships . This is why he has become such a psychopath .
These women must have hated him very much before their deaths . They
must have felt that he was worst than a beast (truly inhuman) . Don’t you
agree?”
Her words are sharp, but Situ remains quiet for a second and isn’t worked up
from it . He’s actually still smiling .
“I read a variety of books . And I’ve read some related to psychology . There
are actually two sides to this . A person’s emotion is very complicated . The
line between love and hate have always been blurry . Especially women .
When we look at a psychopathic killer, we feel that he’s nasty . But for the
killer, perhaps he/she doesn’t have such a nasty mind . He/she simply has a
certain kind of desire in his/her heart . He/she is not aware that what he/she is
doing is wrong . When it comes to the norm and morality in society, we
should criticize him/her . But in his/her own world, how is he/she wrong?”
The moment he says this, Chatterbox and the others are shocked .
“Holy f–k!” Chatterbox curses, “It’s clear now . This guy’s mind is really
crazy, isn’t it? He’s actually saying this . Such arrogance . ”
Xiao Zhuan adds, “Professor Xu sure is an expert . You even predicted what
tactics Jin Xi would use during the session!”
Xu Nan Bai smiles quietly while staring at Situ Yi .
And at the same time, Jin Xi smiles, but her smile is of the coldest and filled
with sarcasm:
“You’re wrong . He’s not like that . He consciously knows that he is wrong
and knows exactly what he is doing . He’s not as innocent as you say he is . I
can almost imagine how he lives his life daily . He hides his desires carefully
. The more insolent he is when killing a person, the more coward and scared
he is during normal days . He is constantly searching for his next prey among
the crowd, but he can only rely on his looks and money to attract women .
Yet he knows very well that he will never be able to win a woman’s true love
. It’s because once a woman interacts with him long enough, she will
discover how twisted he is . She will question why he throws temper
tantrums like he’s a crazy person . And it turns out he’s not anything like his
appearance . Although he is a refined gentleman on the outside, he is filled
with nasty and filthy desires on the inside! Therefore, he is always dumped
by women once their relationship deepens, right? It’s no use regardless of
how much money he has! Perhaps just before the women died from torture,
they begged for mercy . But you could actually see it in their eyes that
besides fright, they were also full of hatred, right? They were disgusted . The
way they looked at you was as if you were a monster, right?!”
It’s dead quiet inside and outside of the interrogation room .
Everybody’s eyes are on Situ Yi .
He’s sitting still . The corners of his mouth are even revealing a smile . But
his handsome face finally turns red and then pale . He lets out a subtle
“Hmph!” His lips move a bit but he doesn’t speak . Everybody can see the
fiery that he is unable to hide in his eyes . His hands on the table are gripping
into frists very hard where his knuckles are turning white .
Finally, the smile disappears from his face . His expression is calm but
carries a hint of maliciousness .
“You’re a monster!” he scolds at Jin Xi, “Saying these nonsense things just
like a crazy woman! I didn’t kill them! Arrest me if you have proof . If you
don’t, get the hell out of my face!”
When exiting the interrogation room, Jin Xi doesn’t follow Han Chen back to
the office . Instead, she stands in the hallway alone looking up at the sky .
She feels that a psychopath, especially one who is mentally ill, is really a
strange creature .
Just like Situ Yi .
On the outside, he’s just like mister perfect: elegant, gentle, mature, and is
praised by everyone around him .
But once his disguise is stripped away, it reveals his real personality:
immature, cunning, impulsive, and ferocious .
Just like a child .
Perhaps identifying the mentally ill is not hard regardless of what their
intelligent levels are . It’s because they all have these special traits like
they’re fated to . These traits are imprinted into their personalities where they
cannot be scrubbed away or resisted .
If that’s so, has she once had an even more intense confrontation with a
mentally ill person?
Which would be why that even though she has lost her memory, everything
right now feels so familiar .
When she walks back to the office, she sees Han Chen inside by himself
leaning on the side of the table and talking on the phone .
Jin Xi sits down at her desk . She’s exhausted nonetheless, so she leans
forward with her head down while staring at him .
“Okay, I understand,” noticing her gaze, Han Chen ends the call quickly . He
walks over and looks at her .
“What’s your conclusion?” he asks .
Jin Xi answers, “He’s extremely psychopathic . He matches all classic traits:

he’s articulate but his logic is flawed; he’s mischievous; he’s even able to
discuss criminal psychology with us, but he has no intentions to repent; he’s
impulsive and has trouble controlling his emotions……Furthermore, when we
talked about the two victims, he was very calm and also very excited . If he’s
not the psychopathic killer, I will chop my head off for you to use as a
stool!” (betting her life on it)
Her last phrase is completely like the bold and crude words that guys would
use, yet she says it out so naturally . But Han Chan glances at her, pulls out
his hand from his pocket and pinches her nape as punishment .
“Look at the way you speak . ”
Jin Xi looks at him lazily, “You mind too much . ”

Han Chen pulls over a chair and sits down beside her . He grabs her shoulder
and brings her into his embrace lightly . He asks softly, “Sleepy?”
“I’m alright,” Jin Xi rests the side of her face on her arm while looking at
him, “Can we search Situ Yi’s home now?”
“We are still waiting for the warrant . ”
Jin Xi nods . She moves a little more into his embrace . They are very close
together as she blinks and says, “We’ll definitely find something in his home .
Since we’ve gathered so much information from the interrogation today, if
we find the evidence to lay charges on him, does it mean that I win?”
Han Chen stares at her and taps his fingers on her shoulder .
“Is that so?” he says unhurriedly, “I just received Cold Face’s call . He has
already found two new evidence . For one, the store that sells the nurse
uniform has a surveillance video that caught Situ Yi buying a set of them in
June this year . Secondly, we’ve also found the renovation company . Situ
Yi’s mansion at the Baiyun Mountain suburbs had once undergone a very
strict soundproofing renovation . The company’s representative remembers it
very well . ”
“With all this, what else can he say now?!”
Han Chen’s eyes reveal a smile, “These are both indirect evidence . They are
not enough to arrest him . We can only say that the probability of him being
the killer has greatly increased . ”
Jin Xi gives him a punch on the chest smiling, “This is great . ”
“Mm……This is great . ” Han Chen grabs her hand and repeats her words .
His dark brown eyes are staring deeply at her, “You interrogated him while I
found the evidence . If we can lay charges on him in the end, does it count as
you win or I win?”
His voice is deep and mellow, carrying a hint of enticement that she’s been
hearing these days . Jin Xi blushes slightly . She attempts to pull her hand
out, but he hears him pacifying her softly, “Or maybe, it counts that we both
win?”
After enjoying a brief moment of intimacy in the midst of their busy

schedules, Han Chen returns to his desk looking like his usual self while Jin
Xi’s cheeks are red and full of smiles .
Chatterbox and the others soon return .
Chatterbox reports another big news, “People who are connected to Situ Yi:
his colleagues, his ex-girlfriends who he acknowledges, the two guys whom
he beat up last time, and some of his more familiar friends at the clubhouse
have all been brought to the station . Additionally, Professor Xu’s lie detector
test is almost ready . He says that it can be put to use this afternoon . ”
Everybody including Jin Xi is excited . It’s because they’ll be able to prove

his distinctive traits by asking the people around him . Furthermore, they
might even be able to find more direct evidence and be able to lay charges on
him . On the other hand, the lie detector test is something new to them . Xu
Nan Bai’s lie detector test is also very well-known nationally . It is said to be
very accurate, so they are also looking forward to it very much .
Han Chen nods, “Let’s chat with them first . ”


Chapter 64
Chapter 64
Chapter 64: A Gentleman’s Etiquette
Situ Yi’s coworkers are first to be interrogated .
“Mr . Situ is the most polite person I’ve ever met, and he’s also very
hardworking . All of the employees like him and respect him very much . ”
“A murder case? That’s impossible . Director Situ is such a nice person .

How could he be involved in the case?”
“Although I don’t know how the police work, I give you my word that there
is nothing wrong with Situ . ”
……
All of them are saying the same things . There aren’t any flaws that they can
pick out on “Mr . Niceguy” Situ Yi based on their day to day interactions with
him .
Chatterbox is the one chatting with them . He comes out of the room looking
rather helpless . Jin Xi walks over and pats his shoulder, “Don’t worry . Do
you think that just because most people think it’s the truth, it makes it the
truth? Situ Yi will definitely not become close friends with those whom he
works with . He most likely keeps a perfect image of himself, which is
expected . ” She smiles slightly, “But this further proves that his degree of
being a psychopath is even higher……”
The second group they chat with are friends of Situ Yi at the clubhouse .
They are also platinum VIP members and are either the second generations of
a wealthy family or gold collars .
But they also can’t provide any valuable information .

“Actually, I only know Situ Yi . We’ve drunk a few times, but we’re not
close friends . However, he’s quite a nice guy . ”
“Generous, charming, good taste, and attractive to many women . If I must

point out a flaw, he can be too serious sometimes . If his sleeves get a little
dirty, he will leave immediately, go home and change his clothes . No matter
how pretty a woman may be, if her clothes don’t match with her makeup, he
will not look at her at all . ”
“Who’s the closest with Situ Yi? I’m not too sure . I don’t believe there is
one . I’ve never seen him close with anyone . ”
The last two people they talk to are Black Shield Team’s targeted individuals .
One of them is a man who had a fight with Situ Yi four months ago where
they ended up in a police station . This is also the minor incident on record
which led to the police identifying Situ Yi as a possible suspect . This man is
called Shao Lun .
The other person is Situ Yi’s ex-girlfriend whom he had announced his
relationship with publicly and dated for over half a year . Her name is Zhen
Ni Ya, and she is the daughter of the President of a listed corporation .
Han Chen and Cold Face are responsible for questioning Shao Lun .
Behind the dark glass, Jin Xi, Xiao Zhuan, and Chatterbox watch them
attentively . Shao Lun is an unknown employee of a research institute . He’s
unattractive . He’s wearing an ordinary shirt, long pants and carrying an out
of style briefcase . He seems very quiet and untalkative . It’s hard to imagine
how he would have come in contact with someone like Situ Yi .
But Han Chen soon finds the answer from questioning .
“Based on the records from a civil officer, you two had a conflict due to
issues related to a love relationship . There aren’t a lot of details on it,” Han
Chen asks, “Can you tell us what it was?”
Shao Lun keeps quiet for a moment .
He lifts his head and looks at Han Chen, “If I say it, would the police believe
me? Won’t he be released on bail as usual?” he pauses and says in a low
voice, “He’ll continue to be the rich, influential, and the ‘good guy’ who’s got
no problems . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s eyes open wide immediately . Han Chen’s expression is
calm . But the three of them outside are getting worked up .
There’s big news!
“We already have some thoughts on Situ Yi,” Han Chen says, “Otherwise we
wouldn’t have asked you to come and assist with our investigation . It’s your
choice to tell us or not, but us police will definitely reconstruct the truth of the
events . ”
Shao Lun remains silent for a moment . His hands holding together on the
table tightens their grip .
“I think that Situ Yi is a killer who disguises himself very well . My missing
girlfriend was killed by him . ”
Shao Lun finally tells them everything that has happened . It turns out that he
and his girlfriend Ruan Shao Shuang were college classmates . After they
graduated, he started working at the research institute while Ruan Shao
Shuang worked as a low-level employee at a corporate company .
He doesn’t know how Ruan Shao Shuang got to know Situ Yi . But in any
case, within a month, her attitude towards him changed . She didn’t show
interest in him and became annoyed with him . They saw each other less and
less . Until one weekend, he especially rode transit for a few hours to pick
her up after work, which was when he saw her get into Situ Yi’s car .
“A black cayenne,” he says, “I had never seen her dressed up so beautifully

and smiled so happily before . ”
She was a bumpkin who was full of dreams and was mesmerized by a
playboy, so she ditched her bumpkin boyfriend in the end . That’s the story .
Two months after their breakup, on a late night, Shao Lun received a phone
call from her suddenly .
“Ah Lun……” she whispered with a shaky voice . She sounded repressed
and frightened, “Can we meet up? I think there’s something wrong with Situ
Yi……”
That night, he was drinking endlessly until he was drunk because of the
breakup . Hearing her voice again made him feel humiliated and pain as a
man . He only remembers scolding her fiercely and hanging up .
When he woke up afterward, he regretted it very much, but he couldn’t find it

in himself to call her back .
Ever since college, he loved her with his life . Just because she and her rich
boyfriend were running into troubles, how could he bear to listen to her vent?
But he overlooked the fact that Ruan Shao Shuang was just like him . They
were top students who graduated from science . Although she was vain, her
ways of thinking and observing were much more sensitive than a normal girl .
She was also more proud and strong . If she didn’t discover a secret of Situ
Yi, why would she have been so careful and called him in the middle of the
night, the one she had depended on out of habit for so many years?
For a long while, they didn’t contact each other .
Until one day, he received an urgent phone call from her parents, saying that
she had disappeared for a month .
“She quitted her job long ago . I heard that she was starting up her own
business,” Shao Lun said, “The police investigated and found that before she
went missing, she bought train tickets to Hangzhou . It was later that they
found her clothes and wallet in a garbage can, but they still couldn’t find her .
She’s still nowhere to be found, whether she’s dead or alive, so the murderer
has still not been caught . ”
He raises his head and looks at Han Chen and Xiao Zhuan . His eyes are
already a bit red .
“The Hangzhou police believes that she has been kidnapped or murdered by a
criminal in the local area, but my instincts tell me that all this must be related
to Situ Yi! She must have discovered something so that he silenced her . ”
Later, Shao Lun went to Situ Yi’s workplace to confront him . A new girl was
already sitting inside of Situ Yi’s car . He even told Shao Lun kindly that he
and Ruan Shao Shuang had broken up long ago .
“She’s missing?” he asked in shock, “What happened? Although we’ve

broken up, just tell me what you need . I will do anything that I can to help . ”
Shao Lun didn’t believe him .
Due to new and old grudges, he hated and suspected the well-dressed man in
front of him even more .
Therefore, he punched him .
Therefore, he was kicked out by the security guard and was questioned and
mocked by other men and women who were walking out of Situ Yi’s office .
“Is this guy crazy? Why is he coming to our office to find his girlfriend?”
“Yeah, he even said that Director Situ hid his girlfriend . Director Situ is such
a nice man . This guy is trying to extort money, isn’t he?”
“So shameless! He can’t keep an eye on his girlfriend yet he’s coming here to
blame someone else for it . Look at him . He’s such a bumpkin . ” a woman
said softly .
……
This is how the world is . If you have money, power, or have attractive looks,
your tiniest bit of kindness will be magnified by three folds . And everything
you say will always be easily accepted by others .
On the other hand, if you’re just an unattractive and ordinary person, even
though what you say is the truth, others might not bother listening .
Their questioning session ends . Everybody from the Black Shield Team is a
bit depressed .
If Situ Yi is really the killer who they’re looking for, they now know why he
changed the way he has been committing his crimes three months ago——it’s
because somebody has finally noticed his crime and there’s a risk of it being
exposed . Furthermore, he was brought to the police station . At the time,
Shao Lun also told the civil officer what he had suspected . It’s just that his
suspicion was not accepted or believed in . But at the time, the civil officer
must have asked Shao Lun about Ruan Shao Shuang’s disappearance and may
have even looked at Situ Yi with suspicion .
Therefore, Situ Yi’s world was no longer peaceful .
If you suspect me, I will leave the bodies at places where you can see .
This is my logic .
After they send Shao Lun out of the station, Chatterbox can’t help but sigh,
“The saddest thing in this world are losers like us . ”
_____
The last person whom they’re questioning today is one of Situ Yi’s ex-
girlfriends, the daughter of a wealthy family, Zhen Ni Ya .
She’s 26 years old, pretty, and her clothes are exquisite and luxurious . She’s
a little surprised that the police has asked her to come for questioning . But
after hearing Jin Xi and Chatterbox advising her that it’s about Situ Yi, her
reaction is rather intriguing .
It’s because after showing a brief expression of fright, she calms down and
her eyes start to wander .
“He’s quite a nice guy,” she says, “We later broke up due to our different
personalities . What are you trying to investigate on?”
Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan exchange glances .
“Miss Zhen, I won’t lie to you . We’re investigating a serial killing case of
young women,” Jin Xi says, “Therefore, we are hoping to gather some more
complete information on the people and events . Our chat today will also be
undisclosed . What I want to know is during the period that you dated Situ
Yi, did you discover anything odd about him? Our inquiries today aren’t for
nothing . This regards many others’ lives . ”
Zhen Ni Ya is very shocked after hearing that it’s about a murder case .
But she calms down again .
“What is considered odd?” she asks suddenly .

Jin Xi answers looking at her, “For example……getting angry suddenly as if
he’s a different person . Or occasionally showing violent behaviors . Or
finding out that inside his heart, he actually feels hatred yet inferior to women
. And lastly, when you were with him, you felt very repressed and couldn’t
continue your relationship with him . ”
For every example that Jin Xi gives, Zhen Ni Ya’s expression changes a bit .
“How did you know……”
_____
At this stage of the investigation, the statements from these people, whether
they are good or bad, have all become evidence indirectly indicating that Situ
Yi is indeed a psychopathic serial killer .
The contrast in his personality when he’s in front of people versus when he’s
alone is great, which ultimately matches the suspect’s profile .
Besides being connected to these three cases, he may also be related to Ruan
Shao Shuang’s disappearance . And due to Ruan Shao Shuang’s case, this
helps the police to know his crime style during the time when he covered
them up .
Shao Lun and Zhen Ni Ya’s words can also be presented as evidence in the
future .
……
“What are you thinking about?” a low and deep voice asks .
Jin Xi turns her head and sees Han Chen sitting behind the desk across from
her .
It’s almost noon . Chatterbox and the others are still busy taking care of the
potential witnesses, so only the two of them are in the office .
Jin Xi has been staring out the window absentmindedly for a while . Hearing
him speak, she leans against her chair, crosses her long and beautiful legs and
answers, “It’s too smooth . I keep feeling that something is not right . ”
Of course, this could very well be the truth . Despite they’ve been able to
identify Situ Yi within two days’ time, Situ Yi continues to be a mentally ill
person who hides it very well . If it weren’t for her profiling and Han Chen’s
intricate inferences, it would have been like searching for a needle in a
haystack to find him .
Han Chen leans against his chair the same way as she does . He places his
arms on the armrests . After a whole night of work, his short hair is a bit
ruffled . His jacket is open and the collar of his shirt is a bit wrinkled .
But Jin Xi still feels that he is incredibly handsome .
Seeing him remaining quiet, Jin Xi gets up and goes over . She leans against
the edge of his desk with her arms crossed, “Do you have the same feeling?”
“This is the difference between traditional investigation method versus

criminal psychology,” he answers looking at her, “We don’t talk about
feelings . We only know the evidence . Right now, the majority of the
evidence points to Situ Yi, so he is the biggest suspect . However, we still
have not found the key piece of evidence, therefore, I won’t treat him as the
only suspect and won’t eliminate other possibilities——until we find the
piece of evidence that cannot be overturned . ”
Jin Xi stares at him for a while .
And then she lets up a soft, “Hmph!”
Han Chen smiles immediately . He reaches out to grab her hand, but Jin Xi
dodges him quickly and takes a step back .
She gives him another “Hmph!”
“I will prove to you that when it comes to these kinds of serial killers,
criminal psychology is the best way to solve the case . ”
During her speech, he makes another attempt to grab her hand . Jin Xi is
unsuccessful in escaping this time——or perhaps she has no plans to avoid
him, so she is pulled to stand in front of him .
She’s still standing while he’s sitting . He looks up at her while holding her
hand .
“Yes, criminal psychology is the greatest . Traditional investigation methods

have long been defeated . ”
Jin Xi presses her lips together into a smile .
“F–k you . Han Chen, I feel that you’re becoming more and more thick
skinned recently . ”
They both chat for another while before Jin Xi pushes him away, “You still
have some work to do . I’ll go grab food . ”
Han Chen nods . After she walks a few steps, he calls her suddenly, “Change
your clothes first . ”
Jin Xi looks down . She’s still wearing the dress that she was wearing to go
to the clubhouse .
“Why?” she turns around and looks at him smiling with her eyes squinting .
He folds his arms behind his head and stares at her, “I’m afraid that the
cafeteria will become crowded in a bit . ”
His words are too flattering to a woman . Her heart feels as if it’s melting in
honey . She really wants to grin but pretends to be calm like “it’s normal”
and says, “But where would I change my clothes? I’m too lazy to go back to
the dorm . ”
She doesn’t want to go to the girl’s washroom——her formal dress is such an

important piece of wardrobe, so there’s no way that she’ll let it get dirty while
changing it in the washroom .
Han Chen has already pushed away his computer and is standing up .
“Just change here . ”
Jin Xi’s face feels hot immediately, “You wish!”
Han Chen was planning to go outside and guard the door for her while she got
changed . But who knew that she would think otherwise .
Seeing her blush, he keeps silent for a moment, walks to the door, locks it and
goes back to sit down on his chair .
“They’ll be back soon, so you should hurry . ”
Jin Xi feels embarrassed from being stared at by his dark brown eyes, but she
wants to laugh at the same time . She has gotten changed in the office in the
past due to time constraints where she would have Xiao Zhuan watch the door
for her . She’s been wearing this dress for a day and night, so it’s a bit sticky
from sweat and feels uncomfortable . Furthermore, it’s not convenient to be
in a dress . Therefore, she says, “Turn around then . You’re not allowed to
look . ”
Han Chen glances at her . He turns his chair around obediently and faces the
wall .
Jin Xi fetches a set of exercise clothes, turns her back to him and starts taking
off her dress quickly . As for Han Chen behind her……he’s seen everything
that he can possibly see . It’s just that she feels embarrassed about it .
Moreover, although he acts like a scoundrel sometimes, he usually keeps his
word and has good manners . Therefore, he is trustworthy .
Han Chen stares at the wall as he waits patiently .
He then hears her raising her voice, “I’m not done yet . Don’t turn around yet
. ”
Han Chen doesn’t answer . He thinks for a moment, lowers his head and
laughs . He turns his chair around slowly without a sound .
And then he raises his head .
Jin Xi finishes changing quickly . She checks herself from the bottom up
before turning around, “I’m done, you can tur-……” !!
Han Chen’s hands are behind his head and his body posture carries a sense of
laziness . His pair of beautiful and dark brown eyes is staring at her without
blinking . She doesn’t know how long he’s been watching her like this .
Their eyes meet and he smiles slowly .
Jin Xi feels mad yet she wants to laugh . Her face flushes as she grabs a book
from the desk and hits him with it, “You bastard!”
Jin Xi goes to the cafeteria to grab food . Han Chen continues working for a
while before his phone rings suddenly .
He holds it up to see who it is . He pauses for a second and then picks it up,
“Mom . ”


Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Chapter 65: True Lies
Mother Han’s phone call is a series of inquiries of his well being as usual .
Han Chen stands up holding the phone . He walks into the conference room
and leaves a small door gap .
“The weather is getting cold in City Lan, so make sure you dress for it .
Don’t be like your dad and think that you’ve got a great healthy body . He
caught a cold just yesterday . ”
Han Chen smiles leaning on the edge of the conference room’s table . He
looks at the sky outside of the window, “Take good care of him . Since I’m
not around, I’ll have to trouble you . ”
Mother Han smiles too . She changes the subject, “I called Xin Jia yesterday .
She seems a bit depressed . Do you know what’s the matter?”
“I don’t pay attention to her matters, so I don’t know . ”
His answer is frank . But it makes Mother Han a bit mad, “She went all the
way to City Lan from Beijing for your sake . You know how much she
sacrificed? Can City Lan compare to Beijing? You fellow, why don’t you
understand?”
Seeing that Han Chen doesn’t answer, she says the following with a sincere
and earnest tone of voice, “Yesterday, she said that would not be able to take
care of you for me . She sounded very pitiful . What happened?”
Han Chen taps the table with his fingers and responds, “Mom, it’s a good
thing . ”
“What’s good?”
“She finally gets it . ”
“……You!” Mother Han laughs sarcastically, but she knows how stubborn
her son can be, so she can’t find any words to talk back .
Bai Jin Xi returns to the office with a few takeout boxes, but she can’t find
Han Chen .
She puts the food down on the desk and walks towards the slightly opened
conference room door . She sees his back . Jin Xi smiles, opens the door, and
just before she says anything, she hears him speak, “Mom, you don’t need to
worry . I will definitely not be with Xin Jia . ”
Jin Xi is stunned .
Han Chen notices the noise and turns around holding the phone .
They exchange glances . His eyes are dark brown and shimmering .
Jin Xi retreats out of the conference room and closes the door after her .
On the other end of the phone, Mother Han complains, “If you really don’t
like Xin Jia, it’s okay to not marry her . It’s not like our Han Family must
have the Xin Family be our in-laws . But you’re already over twenty, so at
least you should bring home a girlfriend . All you know is to immerse
yourself in cases . When can your dad and I be able to hold our grandchildren
in our arms?”
The image of Jin Xi from just now floats into Han Chen’s mind . After a
moment of silence, he asks, “Mom, for the past few years, you’ve always told
me that that girl didn’t exist and that I had never been with anyone before . ”
Mother Han becomes quiet .
“I want to ask you again . Does she really not exist?”
On the other end of the phone, a bit of noise can be heard . It sounds like
Mother Han has put the phone down and then held it up again . Her breathing
also seems to become unsteady .
“She doesn’t exist,” her voice carries a hint of anger, “You child, why do you
have to be so stubborn? Xin Jia is such a great girl yet you don’t want her .
It’s like you’re possessed, you keep thinking about nonsense . You don’t
even believe in your mom’s words?”
Han Chen doesn’t talk back .
He holds up his hand and stares at the ring on his finger . After a while, he
lowers his hand again . His voice returns to its usual sense of laziness, “Fine .
You don’t need to worry . I’ll bring your grandson to you directly next year .
I still have work to do, so let’s chat another time . ”
“Hah?” Mother Han is puzzled, but Han Chen has already hung up the phone
and walked out of the room .
Jin Xi is standing by an empty desk as she takes out the boxes of dishes one
by one to put on top of the table covered with newspapers . She hears
footsteps coming behind her, but she doesn’t turn around and continue with
what she’s doing .
Han Chen looks at her and walks to her side . He presses his hand against the
table, lowers his head and stares at her .
Jin Xi continues without any expression . She fetches two pairs of chopsticks
and places them neatly on the table .
“You’re jealous?” he asks in a low voice .
Jin Xi makes a “cheh” sound and says, “What am I jealous about? Isn’t she
just a future daughter in-law since childhood?”
Han Chen chuckles . He pulls her into his embrace and kisses her forehead .
But in his mind, he recalls what his mom said just now: she doesn’t
exist……You child, it’s like you’re possessed .
He lowers his head and looks into her eyes . He feels a subtle pain rising in
his chest . This pain has been with him for many years . All because of the
woman in front of him .
“Jin Xi, the truth that many people believe in might actually be wrong . ”
This is what she used to comfort Chatterbox after chatting with the different
witnesses .
And now, she seems to understand what he means .
After a moment, she reaches out with her arms and hugs him . They hug each
other quietly .
He finally releases her after a while, “Let’s eat . ”
Jin Xi nods . But the fact that his mom treats Xin Jia affectionately, she feels
a bit upset nonetheless . She sits down, holds up a takeout box and says
nonchalantly, “About that Xin Jia, have you cleared everything up with your
mom?”
Han Chen is sitting across from her . He glances at her hearing her speak .
His eyes look so deep .
And then he puts down his chopsticks, stands up and returns to his desk . Jin
Xi bites on her chopsticks and watches him feeling confused .
She sees him fetch a key, unlocks a drawer, flips through it and takes out a
blue colored notebook . He glances at her again before walking back to their
table of food .
“What’s that?” she asks .
Han Chen doesn’t answer . He sits down right in front of her, reaches over to
grab her bag, unzips it and puts the notebook inside . Jin Xi leans over with
curiosity and catches a glimpse of words written on the cover of the blue
notebook .
Resident Account book .
Jin Xi opens her eyes wide, “Why are you putting your resident account book
in my bag?!”
Han Chen glances at her, “To pledge to be married to you . ”
Jin Xi laughs, “I don’t want it . Who cares about your resident account book .
”
Han Chen doesn’t talk back . He picks up the takeout box and starts eating .
Jin Xi gives him a shove, but he doesn’t budge .
“Take it back! No one pledges a marriage like this . Why did you stuff the
resident account book in my bag……Are you listening, Han Chen?!”
In the rather large interrogation room, Situ Yi is sitting by himself . His

palms, wrists, and his chest are attached with sensors . He looks especially
calm . Occasionally, an unreadable smile flashes across his eyes .
“Situ Yi has already signed the paper and agreed to perform the lie detector
test,” Xu Nan Bai is sitting in front of a computer screen . The sleeves of his
white shirt are rolled up . He’s wearing a pair of thin rimmed glasses . His
whole appearance makes him look gentle and elegant .
Qin Wen Long and the members of Black Shield Team are also sitting in the
room . Qin Wen Long asks anxiously, “Professor Xu, I heard that a polygraph
is very accurate . Since you’re the expert, do you think the results will be
trustworthy?”
Xu Nan Bai smiles slightly and nods, “Although the results cannot be used as
evidence and can only be a source of reference, I personally believe that they
are very valuable and trustworthy . ” Seeing how Xiao Zhuan, Chatterbox,
and the others are flipping through the question sheet with a puzzled look, he
explains, “When a person lies, his/her body will have many changes and
reactions . For example, his/her body language, expression, speech,
breathing, blood pressure, pulse, sweat secretion, skin conductance
changes……etcetera . Some of them can be controlled like body language
and expression, but for other things, even though he may be a criminal with a
great mentality, he will not be able to control it . It’s because they are
subconscious changes such as blood pressure, pulse, and skin conductance
changes……”
“Therefore, this polygraph is to examine the data showing these changes?”

Xiao Zhuan peeks over his shoulder in excitement .
“Yes . ”
“This Situ Yi will definitely not be able to escape then!” Chatterbox laughs
out loud, “This fellow is still sitting so calmly . He must think that he
disguises himself very well . ”
Jin Xi doesn’t laugh along . She turns her head to look at Han Chen beside
her .
Han Chen’s expression is also very solemn .
The test begins .
Xu Nan Bai states, “I will ask five questions . Whether or not your answers
are true, please respond with ‘yes . ’”
Situ Yi sits up straight . He looks directly across from him and smiles, “Okay
. ”
“Is your name Situ Yi?”
“Yes . ”
The data on the computer screen shows that everything is normal . It

indicates that all of his body reactions are normal, indirectly meaning that
what he says is true .
“Is today Saturday?”
“Yes . ” The data shows normal .
“Are you 32 years old this year?”
“Yes . ” The data is normal .
“Are you a woman?”
“Yes . ”
The computer screen shows big fluctuations in the data .

In the monitoring room, Xu Nan Bai is looking at the screen with full
concentration . Han Chen and Jin Xi are very calm and quiet . Xiao Zhuan’s
and Chatterbox’s eyes are about to pop out . Cold Face’s expression also
reveals a slight relief .
“This is incredible……” Chatterbox murmurs .
“I will ask you another set of questions,” Xu Nan Bai says, “Please provide
your real answers . ”
Situ Yi smiles again . He glances at the dark screen, “No problem . ”
Xu Nan Bai, “Is the weather good today?”
“I don’t know . I was taken here by the police since last night,” he says in a
mocking kind of voice . All the data shows that everything is normal .
“Is your job title the Marketing Director?”
“Yes . ”
“Are you Situ Cheng Xu’s biological son?”
A short moment of silence .
“No . ”
“Are you a member of ‘Crystal Metropolis Clubhouse’?”
“Yes . ”
“Have you been in relationships with a number of women from the clubhouse
before?”
“Oh……Yes . ”
Xu Nan Bai asks another set of unimportant questions . Situ Yi answers each
one of them and the data on the screen maintains normal the whole time .
“Do you know Han Sha?” Xu Nan Bai’s voice continues to be calm and
unemotional .
Jin Xi and the others are getting worked up as they stare at Situ Yi’s face . It’s
because Han Sha is the name of the first victim who was killed three months
ago .
Situ Yi blinks his eyes .
“Yes . ” The data shows normal .
“Do you know Ye Xiang Qing?” The second victim .
“Yes . ”
“Do you know Zhou Si Jin?”
“Yes . ”
At this time, Xu Nan Bai raises his head and stares at Situ Yi, who’s behind
the glass window .
“Did you kidnapped all three of them?”
The two connected rooms fall into dead silence . Situ Yi keeps quiet for at
least ten seconds before he smiles slowly, “No . ”
On the other end, almost everyone shifts their focus to the computer screen at
the same time!
……
Chatterbox murmurs, “How is this possible……”
Qin Wen Long curses, “Holy!”
It’s because, on the screen, many of the data lines are still maintaining a
steady state . They are so steady that there’s not the slightest bit of
fluctuation, indicating that there is no disruption to his emotions or reactions .
He is not feeling pressured due to lying or showing any subtle physiological
responses .
This means that he’s telling the truth .
And Jin Xi is staring at the computer screen . Just like Han Chen, she
continues to be quiet .
Xu Nan Bai pauses briefly before continuing .
“Did you plot to murder them?”
“No . ”
The data is normal .
“Did you confine them for a long period of time and tortured them?”
“No . ”
The data is normal .
“Did you take away their purses?”
“No . ”
“Did you change them into a nurse’s uniform?”
“No . ”
“Did you use a knife to wound them?”
“No . ”
“Did you abandoned their bodies in the woods nearby the road?”
“No . ”
……
Inside the monitoring room, the mood is heavy and serious . Only Xu Nan
Bai and Situ Yi’s questions and answers can be heard . And after Situ Yi’s
many replies of “No,” the data lines on the screen continue to run smoothly
and steadily .
At the end, they finish asking all of the questions . The members of the Black
Shield Team all look very gloomy and have nothing to say . But at this
moment, they hear Xu Nan Bai speak . He asks a question that isn’t on the
list .
“Did you instruct, encouraged, or partnered up with someone to murder

them?”
Situ Yi becomes quiet .
And then he turns his head and looks their way . It’s as if he’s looking
directly at them through the dark glass window .
And then Jin Xi catches the hint of a mischievous smile flashing across his
eyes once again .
“No . ”
The data……is normal .
The lie detecting test ends .
Situ Yi is led out of the interrogation room by a police officer .
Xu Nan Bai stands up and says to everybody regrettably, “I’ve disappointed

you all . I’m very certain to say that Situ Yi is not the murderer of this case .
”
Nobody says a word .
The image of Situ Yi’s last expression flashes across Jin Xi’s mind . It makes
her feel very uncomfortable .
Cold Face says suddenly, “Professor Xu, I’ve heard before that a very small
percentage of people can control their body reactions and control the results
of a lie detector test . Could Situ Yi be this kind of person?”
Others have heard of this before too, so they all look at Xu Nan Bai for an
answer .
Xu Nan Bai shakes his head, “I’m sorry . I’ve tested over a hundred criminals
and I’ve never met the kind of person that you’ve described . Therefore, I
personally cannot give you a definite answer . But whether or not this exists
as a possibility for Situ Yi……” he smiles slightly and looks towards Jin Xi,
“Junior (female) Classmate, what do you think?”
Jin Xi thinks for a moment and answers, “It’s not possible . He’s not the kind
of person that Cold Face described . ”
Of course, he can’t be . Whether it’s his impulsive reaction from last night’s
interrogation or Shao Lun’s and Zhen Ni Ya’s confessions, they all prove that
his emotions are easily affected . It’s especially obvious from the latter two
confessions since their sources are based on daily interactions, so it’s even
more believable .
Therefore, the results from the lie detector test are extremely trustworthy .
Therefore……
He looks up and her eyes meet with Xu Nan Bai’s .
She used her criminal psychology profiling technique to isolate Situ Yi as the
only suspect .
But right now, the same criminal psychology techniques are telling her that
Situ Yi is not the murderer .


Chapter 66
Chapter 66
Chapter 66: Typical Case Part 1
Darkness blankets the sky .
The few men from the Black Shield Team are making their way back to the
office from the interrogation room .
Han Chen is walking in the front looking calm . Chatterbox, who’s behind
him, sighs, “Sigh! We had a bunch of indirect evidence, but now this lie
detector test result comes out . We will definitely not be able to get an arrest
order on Situ Yi . We’ll have to release him after 48 hours . ”
“Continue to monitor him,” Cold Face says simply .
Xiao Zhuan, on the other hand, looks around and murmurs, “Where did Xiao
Bai go? I didn’t see her back there either . ”
Han Chen raises his head and looks around the hallway .
She’s nowhere to be seen .
The four of them enter the office, and they immediately notice the conference
room’s door slightly closed . Bai Jin Xi’s slender back view is facing towards
them as she’s sitting on top of the table . Her hands are pressed on the table
and her head is tilted upwards slightly looking off to the ceiling or out the
window . The lights have not been turned on in the conference room, making
it look gloomy . And on the table behind where she’s sitting are a couple of
papers and photos .
This image of her feels depressing and lonely . Chatterbox and the others
exchange glances and then they all look towards Han Chen .
They’re all thinking the same thing: after the results from the lie detector test,
Xiao Bai, as the main driver for the criminal psychology profiling, must be
heavily affected . She must need someone to console her . At a time like this,
there’s no way that any of them would go . This is something that a boyfriend
should do, right?
Han Chen isn’t looking at the rest of them . His eyes are fixed on Jin Xi this
whole time . After a moment, he walks into the conference room and closes
the door behind him .
Jin Xi raises her head to look at him .
She’s thinking about……
Some of the instances, some of the imageries, and some of the expressions .
In the woods near a major road, the female body is mottled like a flower that
has been ravaged and thrown away . If there are different levels of torture and
abuse, these female bodies would undoubtedly be the serial killer’s artwork .
And the temperament coming from these dead bodies “matches” so well with
Situ Yi’s aura .
Late night at the clubhouse, he turned his head around sharply and noticed her
and Han Chen . Those eyes of his did not look natural . They did not carry
any hint of a smile . They were full of alertness .
And throughout the entire interrogation process, a mischievous smile would

occasionally flash across his eyes . And during the lie detector test, his
fearlessness and his subtle feeling of excitement……
Jin Xi’s heart shakes . She hops down from the table suddenly, turns around
and starts flipping through the photos . Han Chen watches her without a word
.
She picks out ten or so photos . They’re all high definition close-ups of the
dead bodies; the most ferocious and gruesome . A few of them have the
victims’ faces captured . She places the photos into her pocket, glances at
Han Chen and walks out of the room .
Seeing her determined expression, Han Chen smiles slightly . He stuffs his
hand into his pocket and follows her outside .
The other three people in the office see Jin Xi rush out of the room like the
wind and then see Han Chen following behind her expressionlessly . They
don’t know what’s going on . Xiao Zhuan stands up, “I’ll go take a look . ”
In the hallway .
Jin Xi glances at Han Chen beside her and asks, “Is he still in the same
interrogation room?”
Han Chen nods .
Xiao Zhuan catches up to them, “Xiao Bai, what are you planning to do?”
“You’ll know in a bit . ”
They soon arrive at the interrogation room . Through the glass window, they
can see Situ Yi sitting behind a rectangle table . After one day and night of
questioning, it has finally made him show a bit of tiredness . His arm is on
the armrest and his shirt is a bit ruffled . But his eyes are still clear and
shining .
He looks nothing like a psychopath .
“If we conclude that he’s not the murderer just by basing it off of Professor
Xu’s lie detector test,” Jin Xi stares at him before continuing, “I have an even
simpler method . I just need one second to find out whether or not he is
responsible for these cases!”
She pushes open the door and walks inside . Situ Yi looks up from the noise .
And Han Chen and Xiao Zhuan pause their footsteps and stand outside
watching them .
Situ is sitting while she is standing .
She looks at him and doesn’t say anything .
After a moment, he smiles suddenly .

But Jin Xi suddenly fetches a stack of photos from her pocket and throws
them in front of him!
The ripped open wounds, the glaring blood, and stagnant eyes……these
images appear so suddenly . Situ’s face is still carrying a smile, but his gaze
is fixed on the photos as if he cannot control it .
Jin Xi stares at his expression .
At this instant, his eyes show no malice, satisfaction, or anger . His black
pupils contrasting with the white sclera are fully concentrated, and……
fascinated?
Jin Xi feels stuffed inside due to the blazing fire in her chest .
How could he possibly not be related to the case?
After a being in a daze for a moment, Situ realizes that Bai Jin Xi is observing
him . He lowers his eyelids and smiles slowly . Jin Xi sweeps her eyes at
him coldly . She retrieves the stack of photos, places both of her hands on the
table and leans towards him .
“I will definitely catch you . ”
She says in a voice that only the two of them can hear .
Situ keeps quiet for a second .
“Is that so? I’ll be waiting . ”
She pushes open the door and walks out of the room . But besides Han Chen
and Xiao Zhuan, Xu Nan Bai is also standing outside . He’s carrying a
briefcase and is probably about to leave .
He clearly saw the scene from just now .
Jin Xi looks at him directly, “Senior, it’s good that you’re here . I still think
that Situ Yi is definitely connected to the case, so we can’t let him off so
easily . ”
Han Chen and Xiao Zhuan don’t say anything .

Xu Nan Bai furrows his eyebrows slightly, lowers his head and adjusts his
glasses .
“What you’re saying is that there’s a problem with the results from the
polygraph?”
Jin Xi shakes her head, “I cannot confirm that . But a problem must exist
somewhere, or a secret that we don’t know about . ”
Xu Nan Bai takes a step forward and lowers his head to look at her, “Why do
you think that?”
“His gaze,” Jin Xi answers, “The things in his eyes cannot be covered up . ”
As someone who also studies criminal psychology, on top of the fact that Xu
Nan Bai has been praising her continuously, Jin Xi feels that he would
definitely understand and support her view .
But after a moment, Xu Nan Bai raises his head, takes a look elsewhere and
smiles .
“Junior (female) Classmate,” his voice is gentle as always, but it’s also
carrying an obvious tone of impatience, “This is just a feeling that you’re not
certain about . But what we can be certain about right now are the results
from the polygraph . The polygraph results tell us that Situ Yi is not
connected to the case . What else do you want?”
“I hope that you can put him through the test again or use a different
psychological test so that we can conclude the same findings from different
angles . ”
“I don’t think there’s a need,” Xu Nan Bai rejects the offer rather quickly .
It’s probably because he’s a bit mad from being doubted . The expression on
his face also seems apathetic .
They end their conversation here in a bit of a heavy mood .
And Xiao Zhuan, who witnesses their conflict, feels a bit anxious . He takes a
peek at Han Chen but sees that Han Chen is very calm while leaning on the
railing at the side and watching them . He doesn’t speak to support Bai Jin Xi
or attempt to ease them up . It’s as if this is just a normal everyday conflict
between colleagues, so he doesn’t plan to butt in .
Seeing him like this, Xiao Zhuan also feels calmer . He thinks in his heart:
that’s right . Xiao Bai is not a softy, so why would she need to rely on others
to win a fight? Yet he’s losing his calm from being too anxious .
But if it were another guy, the guy would have spoken to stand up for his
girlfriend .
But Leader is different .
He realizes that Leader knows Xiao Bai really well .
He knows when she needs to be protected;
And he knows when she needs you to just keep quiet and watch her .


Chapter 67
Chapter 67
Chapter 67: Typical Case Part 2
It’s already past 8pm when Han Chen’s car makes it home .
Jin Xi has been quiet throughout the whole ride and Han Chen has left her be .
The car stops still . She pushes open the door and hops out of it, “I’m going
to go buy some things . You can go up first . ”
Han Chen is holding the keyring with his pinky as he walks to her . He
lowers his head to look at her, “Where are you going?”
Jin Xi looks up and smiles, “Just the small supermarket ahead . ”
“I’ll go with you . ”
“There’s no need,” Jin Xi says feeling awkward, “I’m getting some feminine
hygiene products . What are you coming for? It’ll make me uncomfortable .
Please don’t come . Hurry and go home to take a shower . ”
Han Chen stops his footsteps and watches her leave quickly .
He stuffs his hands into his pockets and smiles .
She has only been living at his place for a few days and she has already been
leaving her “feminine hygiene products” all over the place . But now she’s
being shy about buying them?
The moment Jin Xi enters the small supermarket, she goes straight to the
cigarettes and wine counter . The representative greets her politely, “What
would you like?”
Jin Xi’s eyes are glowing staring at the cigarettes on the shelves . She
swallows and points, “Give me a box of Yuxi . ” She wants to smoke a good
pack today .
Just as she is fetching her wallet, a hand reaches over suddenly and grabs onto
hers .
“She doesn’t want it anymore, thank you . ”
Jin Xi is in shock . She turns around and sees Han Chen, who has snuck up
behind her . His eyes are dark . He’s still grabbing onto her wrist with one
hand while pressing on the countertop with the other . He’s not saying
anything . He’s just looking at her quietly like this .
Jin Xi feels a bit of guilt from being caught . She follows him out of the
supermarket with him holding her hand .
“Han Chen, I just want to smoke one, can’t I?” she sways his arm .
“No,” he answers frankly without turning his head .
“Hmph!”
After a while, they walk into the courtyard area of the apartment building .
Han Chen pulls her along to sit on a bench and looks at her sideways .
Jin Xi crosses her arms and stares back at him, “Do you really have no urge to
smoke? You’ve never had one behind my back?” His smoking addiction is
worse than hers . But for the past few days, whenever she sees other
investigators having a smoke, she craves for one so badly, yet he still looks
fine .
In the night sky, Han Chen’s eyes are especially dark .
“I do,” he answers, “But I will definitely do everything that I promised you . ”
His words make Jin Xi feel ashamed of herself, but at least her craving seems
to have gone down a bit . On the other hand, she still feels irritated . She
raises her hand to the back of her head and ruffles her hair . She looks at him
with a pitiful expression, “But I really feel depressed . ”
Han Chen stares at her and then lets out a laugh . He reaches out his arms and
embraces her .
Jin Xi asks, “What are you laughing about?”
“Nothing . ”
Nothing . It’s just that every now and then when she looks up, his every
frown and every smile are too lively, but they’re all real and not images from
her dreams .
Jin Xi thinks for a moment and says, “Have you heard of the serial killing
case where families were murdered in the Daxing district of Beijing two years
ago?”
Han Chen puts his arm around her shoulders and leans against the back of the
bench, “Yes . ”
The Daxing district’s Familicide serial killer was someone who had severe
mental illness . In one night, two families were murdered . The crime scenes
were chaotic, gruesome, and illogical .
Jin Xi says, “Professor Bo Jin Yan, who was in charge of the case, only spent
one day and night to catch the perpetrator . It’s because the perpetrator was a
very typical serial killer who did not have the ‘ability to have organized
thoughts . ’ The killer was insane, had relatively low IQ, inability to drive a
motorized vehicle and abandoned the bodies casually . I read in the report
that Professor Bo also deemed it a typical and simple ‘textbook case example
. ’”
She turns to the side to look at Han Chen, “If that was a typical case involving
a killer with the inability to organize, the case we have at hand seems to be a
typical ‘organized’ case on the surface level . The characteristics shown from
the crime scene and the suspect are exactly like what you would read in a
textbook: highly intelligent, attractive, abusing and torturing the victims for a
long period of time, lack of central organization, impulsive and easy to be
angry, shallow emotions……” She presses her hand onto her forehead
feeling irritated, “But, although it’s a typical criminal psychology profile,
what we’re facing is clearly much more complex……”
Just as she’s murmuring, Han Chen pulls her hand to have her stand up .
“Let’s go . ”
“Where are we going?”
“Let’s take a walk outside . ”
Jin Xi is surprised that Han Chen has taken her to the provincial police
academy to “take a walk . ”
It’s not far from the station or Han Chen’s place . It only took them ten
minutes to get here . The school is especially quiet at night; only a few lights
are still lit . Han Chen shows his police badge and the guard at the gate lets
him through . From the looks of it, he seems to come quite often .
Following the walkway with trees on each side, the two walk slowly together
. Maybe because it’s too quiet, Jin Xi’s heart also calms down . She keeps
feeling that there’s a blurry thought in her mind, but she can’t make out what
it is right now .
After being silent for this whole time, she realizes that Han Chen, who’s
beside her, is also silent . The street lamps light up his facial features clearly
like a painting . Jin Xi can’t help asking, “What are you thinking about?”
Han Chen turns his head and glances at her .
“Thinking about the future . ”
“Future?”
Han Chen looks at the shadowy path ahead of them and says calmly, “When
we’re old, we can be instructors at the police academy . You can teach
criminal psychology, and I’ll teach investigation skills . That would be not
bad . ”
Jin Xi pauses her footsteps .
Han Chen turns around and looks at her .
Their eyes meet, but they both don’t say anything .
Jin Xi bites on her lower lip and then reveals a smile .

“Han Chen, carry me on your back . ”
The speed of her mind causes Han Chen to be stunned slightly . He then
smiles quickly . He takes out his hands from his pockets and squats in front
of her, “Come on . ”
Jin Xi hops onto his back smiling with her eyes squinting . Han Chen stands
up steadily carrying her on his back and then continues walking .
Jin Xi breathes onto his neck . He tilts his head to avoid it . Jin Xi can tell
from behind that he’s smiling . And then she feels him giving her a pinch on
her behind, so she doesn’t dare to do it again .
“Hey, Han Chen,” she looks up at the stars in the sky while tapping his
shoulder with her hand, “have you carried me on your back in the past?”
“I most definitely have . ”
She asks curiously, “Why do you think so?”
He answers slowly, “A leopard can’t change its spots (a person can’t change
who they are no matter how hard they try) . ”
Jin Xi spurts out laughing . She says softly into his ear, “Who are you talking
about? Are you talking about yourself or me?”
“I’m talking about the both of us . ”
The stars are twinkling above and there is only one elongated shadow on the
ground . Jin Xi leans onto his shoulders . She can sense his pulse from his
neck as she closes her eyes slowly .
“Jin Xi . ”
“Hm?”
“If you believe that you’re right, then do everything you can to prove it . You
don’t need to be afraid . ”
His deep voice is like the breeze in the night entering her heart . Jin Xi
presses her lips together and into a smile, “I’m not afraid . Hey, since you’re
saying that, does it mean that you believe in my judgment?”
“I only believe in evidence . It’s okay if you’re wrong . You still have me . ”
“……Is that the way to encourage others? I want to come down . Stop
carrying me……let go, you……”
In the same night, it’s breezy and mesmerizing on this side . But elsewhere,
the night is obscure .
Situ Yi’s mansion is located in the Eastern suburbs . There are mountains and
a lake in view, as well as other houses sparsely scattered around . The area is
very elegant and quiet .
It’s already past 1am . Two police officers are yawning inside a black sedan
while watching Situ’s home from not far away .
“After leaving the station, he’s been inside all this time,” an officer says, “and
we don’t know what he’s up to . ”
“He’s already proven by the lie detector test that he’s not the killer, so why
does Han Chen still want us to watch him 24/7?” another officer says .
“Heh . Although Professor Xu is famous, our Qiao Han Chen is also a well-
known super detective . Do you know whose judgment is correct? It’s better
to be prepared, right?” (“Qiao” Han Chen – nickname, making fun that Han
Chen is like a brave warrior who’s handsome but unapproachable, refer to
Chp 18)
The two officers sit still for another while . They’ve been working too hard
for the last couple of days, so they’re quite tired and are feeling hungry at the
same time . One of them says, “I’ll go get some food . I saw two farm
houses at the entrance . Don’t know if they can stir fry us a dish . ”
He leaves the mansion area quickly . The two farm houses still have their
doors open . The owner hasn’t gone to bed yet and answers, “We don’t have
any stir fry dishes . We have some homemade preserved meat and rice . I’ll
take it over to you guys after it’s done steaming . ”
“Okay! Just something simple will be fine . ”
Half an hour later, a youngster wearing a cap appears beside their car carrying
two boxes of food . It’s dark outside, so the two officers don’t notice
anything strange . They take the boxes, say thanks and starts gulping down
the food .
The night is quiet .
Inside and outside of the mansion area is silent .
Inside of the sedan is also very quiet . The two officers are leaning in their
chairs snoring in their sleep . It’s until morning when they are scared pale .
They stare at the two white empty boxes thrown away in the trash can beside
their car and look at each other .
And in the same morning, Han Chen and Jin Xi are woken up from their
dreams by their ringing phones:
“We’ve found another dead body!”


Chapter 68
Chapter 68
Chapter 68: A Profile within the Profile Part 1
The Land Rover is on its way to the suburbs .
Han Chen has both hands on the wheel with his eyes looking straight . After
receiving the call about another female victim’s body has been found, he has
been carrying a grim expression on his face . Bai Jin Xi is sitting in the
passenger seat with her arms crossed and also has an indifferent expression .
After a while, she notices Han Chen moving with the corner of her eye .
She shifts her gaze and sees that he still has a stark expression on his face .
One of his hands is on the steering wheel while the other is reaching into his
pocket . He fetches for a while and then pauses .
He then puts his hand back onto the steering wheel .
Watching these subtle movements of his, Jin Xi smiles slightly . She tosses
the troubling case to the back of her mind for the time being and asks while
looking at him from the side, “You want a smoke?” She empathizes him .
But he glances at her and answers, “Yes, but not as much as you do . ”
Jin Xi hums, “… . . hmph!”
She lowers her head and starts flipping through the things in her bag . Her
eyes gleam——she fetches a pack of betel nuts .
She puts one in her mouth and starts chewing on it enjoyably . Although it’s
not as satisfying as smoking a cigarette, at least it helps decrease her cravings
a bit .
The interior of the car is soon permeated with the smell of betel nuts .
“Give me one,” Han Chen says .
Jin Xi holds onto the pack of betel nuts tightly and crosses her legs, “You
wish! You snatched my cigarettes yesterday and now you want to eat my
betel nuts?”
Han Chen smiles seeing her like this and doesn’t insist to eat them .
After driving for another while, he asks suddenly, “Can you take a look at the
rear mirror for me? Is it slanted?”
Jin Xi gets serious upon hearing him . She pokes her head around to examine
the right back side of the mirror, “It’s not slanted . ”
“How about this side?”
The car slows to a stop as the traffic lights turn red . Jin Xi stretches over to
his side to look . Her face is very close to his, “Let me see……”
Before she finishes her sentence, Han Chen lowers his head and kisses her .
Without taking half a second break, his tongue pries into her mouth as he
sucks her lips vigorously .
“Mm……” Jin Xi realizes his motive, so she smiles and attempts to push him
away, “How can someone be like this? Just because I don’t let you have any,
you want to take it by force?… . . ” She feels him grabbing onto her waist
tighter . She also can’t dodge away from his lips and is being sucked on even
harder .
“Focus on driving!” she scoffs .
“It’s fine……” he says biting on her lips, “Aren’t I Brother Thirteen? I can
close my eyes driving on this kind of road . ” (Chp 13– a poetic name that
stands for being able to finish a lap on the Second Ring Road in thirteen
minutes, passing two-hundred cars a minute . )
“I’m wrong! I’m wrong!” Jin Xi says helplessly, “I’ll give you the betel
nuts!”
Han Chen releases her finally and puts his hands back onto the steering wheel
looking straight . The lights turn green at the same time and the car starts
moving forward . Jin Xi lets out a loud “Hmph,” but he has a smile on his
face .
Jin Xi peels a betel nut and stuffs it into his mouth . They each chew on their
betel nuts quietly . The intense mood in the car from before has loosened up a
bit .
Han Chen’s phone rings suddenly .
Jin Xi holds it up, “It’s Cold Face . ”
“Pick it up . ”
Cold Face is calling to report on his findings of last night’s case: It turns out
that the two officers who were responsible for keeping an eye on Situ Yi were
fed some sleeping medicine causing them to fall asleep until the next morning
. Therefore, Situ Yi possessed enough time to commit a crime without an
alibi . Additionally, the delivery boy from the farmhouse was knocked out
unconscious right after stepping out of the restaurant, which gave the criminal
the opportunity to add medicine and deliver the food instead . It was dark at
night and he was wearing a cap walking quickly, so the surveillance cameras
in the area only caught his back view .
They hang up the phone . Han Chen is expressionless while Jin Xi is deep in
her thoughts .
The Black Shield Team is now faced with this situation:
Situ Yi is still the only suspect who fits the profile . Furthermore, the way he
expresses himself and his behaviors also make him very suspicious .
However, he passed the reputable lie detector test .
And on the night he was released, a new incident appeared . Every clue
seems to point towards him again .
……
It seems as though the truth is within reach . The police are simply missing
the one key piece of evidence and they’ll be able to lay charges on Situ Yi and
solve the case .
But at the same time, there is still a heavy fog separating them from the truth .
There is still a deeper secret hidden underneath all of this .
After a moment of silence, Jin Xi tosses another betel nut into her mouth and
says, “You told me to stand by my own judgment and do as I wish to find the
truth . After we take a look at the crime scene, I want to go through the case
and my profiling again . I don’t believe I won’t be able to find out the truth
this way . ”
_____
At the location of the fourth dead body .
It’s also in the woods beside the main road . It’s just that this time, the body
is left even nearer to the road . When cars pass by, it’s very easy to spot a
body lying in the wooded area . Therefore, the body was discovered by
someone early in the morning .
Everyone in the Black Shield Team has a gloomy face .
Xiao Zhuan has just obtained some information and says to everybody, “The
deceased is Zhao Hao Hao, 25 years-old, and also a white-collar in CBD .
According to the IDs found on her, we have verified with her workplace that
she hasn’t been to work for the past three days . ”
“This means that she has been missing since four days ago,” Chatterbox says
with animosity, “It’s just the day before we took Situ back to the station .
Therefore, he had time to commit the crime . ”
Xu Si Bai is wearing a mask and gloves and is examining the body . Jin Xi
squats beside him and watches without budging .
This body doesn’t seem to be any different than the ones they found before .
The wounds are alike: bruises all over, hit with a bat, cuts, and the fatal
wound on the chest caused by being stabbed with a knife . The victim’s
clothes and belongings have been dumped inside a black plastic bag . Just
like before, her purse is missing . She has been changed into a nurse’s
uniform . It’s just that Zhao Hao Hao is rather tall, so the same sized nurse’s
uniform looks tighter on her . But she is still wearing her own high heels .
“Are her wounds deeper compared to the others from before?” Jin Xi asks .
Xu Si Bai lowers his head and looks at her, “They don’t look much different
on the surface . We’ll need to dissect the body to conclude the degree of the
wounds on the inside . ”
Jin Xi nods .
After a while, she hears someone behind her . She turns around and sees that
it’s Qin Wen Long and Xu Nan Bai .
Jin Xi understands that she and Xu Nan Bai are having a debate within their
discipline and there are no hard feelings, so she greets him like she usually
does . Xu Nan Bai smiles as well and greets her with
“Junior (female) Classmate” in a crisp voice . He asks her a few questions
about the scene and seems just as gentle, elegant and well-mannered as usual .
“Here, Forensic Investigator Xu, let me introduce to you,” Qin Wen Long
smiles and says towards Xu Si Bai who’s still squatting, “this is Professor Xu
Nan Bai from Beijing . Professor Xu, this is our most well-known forensic
investigator in the province——Xu Si Bai . ”
Xu Nan Bai smiles politely .
Xu Si Bai stands up, takes off his glove and the two of them shake hands .
Qin Wen Long says proudly, “Our Black Shield Team now has the best
criminal investigators, forensic investigator, and criminal psychologist and
professor . We’re finally complete as a team! But although we must continue
our work in solving the case, we must also feed ourselves . Since we didn’t
get to treat Forensic Investigator Xu to a welcome meal last time, and now
that Professor Xu is here, let’s have lunch today . We’ll reserve a section at
our station’s cafeteria . It’ll be my treat . Let’s all have a meal and then go
back to working on the case!”
He speaks in high spirit, and everyone around is smiling . Chatterbox

becomes talkative right away, “Yeah! Yeah! Captain Qin is treating us . I
should not have eaten breakfast!”
Xu Nan Bai smiles and nods, “I might as well accept the offer . ”
“I’ll have to decline,” a crisp and calm voice says .
Jin Xi is a bit stunned and looks over like the others . Xu Si Bai has already
taken off his mask and is looking towards Qin Wen Long, “I have quite a few
things on my plate, so I’ll be leaving now . ” He then looks at Jin Xi, “I’ll
send you guys the autopsy report later . ”
Jin Xi responds, “Oh, okay . ”
He has always been an introvert, so Qin Wen Long doesn’t pressure him . He
smiles and pats Xu Si Bai’s shoulder, “If you have time, please come join us .
”
“Mm,” Xu Si Bai hums . He then turns around to leave with Xiao Yao .
The scene returns to normal as everyone gets back to work . Xu Nan Bai and
Qin Wen Long are standing on the side chatting while the other investigators
are walking around the area . Jin Xi watches Xu Si Bai’s back as he walks
farther and farther away . She knows very well that he’s just using ‘busy’ as
an excuse . When they were in Jiangcheng, no matter how busy they were, he
would still find the time to cook and deliver lunch to her .
As she watches him, an image floats into Jin Xi’s mind . It was when she was
working on the Chen Li Jiang case in Jiangcheng . Xu Si Bai came all the
way to bring her a cold drink and fruits walking in the scorching sun . And
now, he’s leaving by himself like this .


Chapter 69
Chapter 69
Chapter 69: A Profile within the Profile Part 2
Professor Xu Nan Bai has to leave because something has come up at the
school . Therefore, this welcome meal is called off .
Noontime . The Black Shield Team returns to the station .
Determined to give everything she has to catch the killer, Jin Xi goes to the
big conference room by herself . Just as she walks inside, she sees Han Chen
in the hallway ahead with his head down and talking to Cold Face about
something . Cold Face nods after Han Chen finishes and walks away quickly
. Han Chen goes back into the office .
Jin Xi doesn’t think too much about it . She pushes open the conference
room’s door, goes in, walks to the whiteboard and picks up a marker .
_____
The sun is setting .
Han Chen hears that Bai Jin Xi has been in the conference room by herself all
afternoon, so he decides to go look for her .
The moment he pushes open the door, he sees many words filling up all four
whiteboards; a rather spectacular view . And there are many photos and
papers spread across the first row of tables .
Jin Xi is sitting in the middle of the room by herself . Her elbow is on the
armrest while holding her chin in her palm . She looks serious but perplexed
at the same time . There are also two black marks on the tip of her nose and
the side of her cheek .
Seeing Han Chen come in, she lifts her gaze for second and then returns to the
whiteboard again .
Han Chen sits down beside her . He leans back with both of his arms on the
armrests .
“You’ve thought it through yet, Ikkyu (smarty-pants)?”
Jin Xi smiles staring at the whiteboard .
“I’ve written out all the details of the case that are related to criminal
psychology . Something just doesn’t seem right, but it’s still a blur to me . ”
Han Chen follows her gaze .
On the top left part of the first whiteboard, it has “Situ Yi’s detailed profile”
written on it . Below it is a list of his features:
Highly intelligent;
Very attractive;
High standards of living and almost strict on routine;
Lacking central organization;
After being released from the station last night, he must have felt furious, so
he possesses the motive to commit the crime;
……
The second whiteboard has “criminal psychology profile” written on it . It’s

the content that Jin Xi reported on last time; it’s clear that she wants to
compare it with Situ Yi .
The third whiteboard has “characteristics of the dead bodies” written on it .
Many kinds of wounds;
Wearing same style nurse’s uniform;

Wearing their own high heels;
Exquisite food residue found in stomach;
Missing purse;
And on the fourth whiteboard, there is a list of things from the four cases
based on the time of events: the location of where the dead bodies were
found, the conditions of the victims, the outcome of interrogating the suspects
and etcetera .
Seeing how Han Chen is immersed in reading, Jin Xi says, “You should leave
. You will distract me here . This is all for sorting out my thoughts with
criminal psychology . I need to be left alone in quiet . ”
Han Chen glances at her and taps his fingers on the armrest .
“Aren’t you having trouble thinking it through? I have a way . ”
“The thing that you don’t feel right about has to be some points that exist in
paradox . Once you’ve found all these paradoxical points, you’ll be able to
find the truth . ”
Jin Xi stares into his dark brown eyes and doesn’t say a word .
She has seen him perform this exercise numerous times . During the Chen Li
Jiang case, he found three problems at the crime scene right away: why did he
destroy things, why did he use his mouth to get intimate with the victims and
why did he open the window . And the third point later became the key
source to solving the case . The same thing happened in T’s case . He
grasped the most subtle evidence at the scene: he pointed out that T wiped
away his sweat containing his DNA but left behind the bullet shell, which
clearly indicated that he had a plan and was determined to kill . And his
inference was proven in the end .
But right now, he’s asking her to use traditional methods to sort out the
problems in criminal psychology?
Furthermore, why does his suggestion seem to give her a hint of excitement?
“Okay, let me give it a try,” she smiles .
A smile also brushes across Han Chen’s eyes .
“Hey, don’t laugh . I’m not bowing down to traditional investigation

methods, alright?” she emphasizes .
He places his arm on the back of her chair and leans over slightly .
“Mm . You’re bowing down to me then?”
Jin Xi feels a tickle in her heart and can’t help but laugh, “You think that’s
possible?”
They look at each other in the eye . Even though their hearts are pounding,
they remain silent .
Han Chen grabs one of her hands and puts it on his thigh . And then they
both stare at the whiteboard .
Jin Xi thinks hard for a long while before she hears him say indifferently,
“Found one . ”
Jin Xi shifts her eyes to look at him from the side . This is all related to
criminal psychology and everything on the board is about the criminal and the
victims’ characteristics and behaviors . What can he find in them?
“What did you find?”
He tilts his chin up once gesturing for her to look at the first whiteboard and
reads, “Situ Yi’s features: High standards of living and almost strict on routine
. ”
Jin Xi nods and explains, “This is an observation of Situ Yi as a person . It’s

also based on his friends’ comments . Have you noticed? Even every one of
his fingernails is clipped neatly . He also seems to take care of his skin
regularly . It’s tight and radiant . During the interrogation, we poured him a
cup of Lipton red tea, but he never took a sip once . He’s so picky . And his
friends also said that when a woman approaches him, if her clothes mismatch
one bit, he won’t even bother looking at her . If he dirties his shirt even a tiny
bit, he has to go home and get changed……”
As she speaks, Han Chen’s rich and dark brown eyes stare at her without
blinking .
“What?”
“I didn’t know that……my wife would be this smart,” a deep voice says
flippantly .
Jin Xi’s heart feels as if it’s been dipped in honey . The sweetness seems to
overflow in her heart .
But she comes back to her senses quickly and pushes his shoulder with her
hand, “What do you mean you ‘didn’t know’? Do I not look smart?”
Han Chen smiles slightly and then looks towards the second whiteboard, “In
your criminal psychology profile, you wrote that ‘a woman in a nurse’s
uniform’ had a special and deep significance to him . ”
“Mm . ”
“This is the paradox that I was pointing out,” he says, “If Situ Yi is someone
who has an intricate lifestyle and if ‘a woman in a nurse’s uniform’ is
significant to him, then why is it that when he dressed up the victims——” he
looks over to the third whiteboard, “he still let them wear their own high heels
and not nurse’s shoes or a specially made kind of shoes?”
Jin Xi is stunned .
She picks up a few photos of the dead bodies . The beautiful and voluptuous
women in nurse’s uniforms accompanied by exquisite office lady high heels
do indeed look out of place .
“I’ve noticed this before,” she says, “Could it be that the woman who caused
a traumatic experience in his childhood wore office high heels, so that’s why
he kept them on?” This explanation makes a lot of sense . It’s because she
had inferred previously: he loathes a “woman who wears a nurse’s uniform”
and not a real nurse .
Han Chen ponders for a moment and says, “If I were to analyze this, I think
it’s possible that he may have just thought that it was troublesome . You
women’s feet can vary a lot by length and width . Whereas you can still fit in
clothes that are a size different . On the other hand, if the shoes are too small,
there’s no way that they’ll fit . If they’re too big, they’ll fall off along the
way, which will be a troublesome thing . ”
Jin Xi is stunned .
She really never thought of it this way before . But she can’t think of
anything to refute his point . It’s because this possibility does indeed exist .
To save the hassle? The killer did not change their shoes to save himself the
hassle? But this doesn’t match with Situ Yi’s profile .
She suppresses the doubts in her heart, walks to the whiteboard, wipes away
one of the lines and writes two points: “afraid of it being troublesome”, “to
avoid the hassle . ”
She raises her head, rereads the content on the whiteboard again and says,
“Another paradox exists then——I originally thought that the killer got the
victims to wear the same unfitting size uniform because the woman in his past
wore this size . According to what you’ve just said, buying the same size
nurse’s uniform could also be to save himself the hassle?”
Han Chen thinks for a second and nods, “Since they’re all in the same size, it
means that he must have purchased them all at the same time in a batch . Size
medium is the most convenient . Even if the women may not be this size,
they could still fit . ”
Jin Xi’s heart shakes . She immediately writes down, “buying in a batch . ”
Even though she’s uncertain about whether or not Han Chen’s inferences are
right, she is beginning to feel worked up . Using traditional investigation
logic and thinking methods to find the paradoxes in the criminal’s behaviors
and profile actually makes her feel enlightened .
“There’s actually one more paradox, but I’m not too sure about it,” she says
while drawing a line under the word “purse . ” “The killer took away the
victims’ purses as souvenirs . We’ve already verified that all four purses were
bought with the victims’ own money . Their style and brands are all different,
and the prices also vary a lot . I can’t help but feel that if it were Situ Yi, he
would have much higher standards for the purses and wouldn’t just keep any
one of them as souvenirs . And based on his level of mental illness, I feel that
if he were to take something as a souvenir, it would be something more
personal; something that would recall his memories of the crime and provoke
his sexual desires . For example, underwear, hair or even an organ……”
She pauses her speech at this point . She looks up at the whiteboard and
writes a few more new items——
“Afraid of it being troublesome”, “to avoid the hassle”, “buying in a batch”,

“a more personal souvenir”……
What is she doing? She clearly wants to find evidence to prove that Situ Yi is
the killer . But after finding a few paradoxes with Han Chen, she’s……
She turns her head and sees Han Chen staring at her with his dark brown eyes
. She can’t tell what he’s thinking .
Someone knocks on the door .
“Come in,” Jin Xi says .
Xiao Yao comes in with a smile but seems to be shocked from seeing the
words on the whiteboards . She then hands over the report to Jin Xi, “Big
Sister Jin Xi, Team Leader Han, this is the autopsy report hot out of the oven .
”
Jin Xi is just in the middle of attempting to decipher her suspicions, so she

flips through the report quickly while asking at the same time, “Did today’s
victim suffer more serious abuse and torture than the others from before?”
Xiao Yao is stunned for a second before shaking her head, “No . It’s about
the same as the three from before . My teacher commented that it feels as if
it’s an assembly line . They’re close to standardization . ”
Jin Xi is stunned this time around .
Xiao Yao leaves quickly and closes the door for them . Han Chen gets up,
goes over to her, takes the report and starts reading it . Jin Xi is staring at a
particular line written on the first whiteboard .
“Han Chen, the fourth paradox has just appeared,” Jin Xi takes a deep breath
and says, “Furthermore, this is the biggest paradox . ”
Han Chen’s cell phone rings at the same time . He glances at her before
picking up, “Mm, go ahead . Is he on the list? I understand . ”
Jin Xi is standing beside him but she feels as if her heart is rippling with tidal
waves . She waits for Han Chen to finish talking on the phone and then says
softly, “Han Chen, you say that we have to find the paradoxes . But what if
the main conclusions of the case contradicts with the details? What do we do
then?”
Han Chen looks at her, “The details are where the truth lies . ”
Jin Xi stares at him quietly for a second and then says, “I have a daring
thought . Do you feel that there’s another person’s profile hidden in this case?
It’s like we’re almost done putting the pieces of the profile together but to
find a few that don’t fit . ”
A pensive smile floats across Han Chen’s eyes slowly, “Mm . ”
“I……think I know who the killer may be . ”
“I know too . ”


Chapter 70
Chapter 70
Chapter 70: Killing by Imitation Part 1
They look at each other in the eyes for a brief moment . Jin Xi smiles first .
“How did you know?”
After going through the details with Han Chen, all the evidence based on
criminal psychology is laid out in front of her right now and points to the
killer . But how is Han Chen able to know?
Han Chen leans on the table with his arms crossed while looking at her, “I’ve
told you before, I only look at the evidence . Even if Situ Yi matches the
profile a hundred percent——” he pauses before continuing, “he matches no
more than a profile . We can’t conclude that he is the killer and cannot
eliminate the possibility of other suspects . And after the lie detector test, this
possibility increased . ”
Jin Xi blinks .
He is such a……What does he mean by “he matches no more than a profile”?
But then she realizes that no matter when and where, Han Chen is always
rational .
“After last night’s case, I conducted my investigations following these two

possibilities,” he says .
“Wait!” Jin Xi interrupts, “What did you ask Cold Face to investigate?” she
recalls the two of them whispering in the hallway .
A hint of a smile flashes across Han Chen’s eyes, “Two things . Number one,
if the killer isn’t Situ Yi, he must be very familiar with the area around the
mansion in order to carry out the crime last night . I concluded before: the
killer either owns an isolated mansion or lives in a remote housing area . And
the farmhouses near the mountain area of the mansions qualify this criterion .
”
Jin Xi gets it immediately, “Therefore you told Cold Face to check the list of
residents of the nearby farmhouses . ”
Han Chen nods and says, “The second thing is: regardless of whether or not
Situ Yi is the killer, the victims were all connected to the Crystal Clubhouse .
We only looked at the list of members before, so I asked Cold Face to get a
list of the employees, especially the part-timers . ” He turns his head to look
at Jin Xi and then says nonchalantly, “Cold Face has already obtained the
information . In both cases, they all point to one person……”
“Shao Lun . ”
“Shao Lun . ”
Jin Xi says the name almost at the same time as him .
Han Chen glances at her with the corners of his mouth curving upward, and
then puts his arm around her shoulders, “Therefore, Shao Lun is now the
second main suspect . I’ve already advised the local criminal investigation
team to take action and take control over his home immediately . ”
Jin Xi nods, “Very good . ”
Han Chen adds, “In addition, Cold Face found one more thing——we spent
quite a bit of time looking for him when we invited him to the station . At the
time, he said he changed his address . But it’s clear now . A few months ago,
he sold the house that his parents left him . The house was worth over a
million . ”
Jin Xi’s eyes glisten . She looks up at him, “No wonder……”
Han Chen looks back at her and nods .
The woman’s face still has a few black marker marks on it, but they make her
skin look even lighter and translucent . Her clear eyes are staring at him;
probably due to excitement, they’re glittering .
They’re in the middle of discussing the case, but as if he’s possessed, Han
Chen lowers his head and kisses her lips lightly .
And then he moves away slowly . Seeing that she’s a bit dumbstruck, he
smiles .
“I’m done,” he then asks softly, “How did my wife figure it out?”
He’s really getting into the habit of calling her “wife” now . She can’t believe
a big man like him could also be this childish . She darts her eyes at him,
peels away his hand on her shoulder, gets up to walk to the whiteboard and
picks up a marker .
She turns around again and smiles proudly, “Allow me to explain then . ”
Han Chen smiles as well . He taps his fingers lightly on the table .
Jin Xi’s smile fades . She lifts up the marker and writes the first word:
emotion .
“This is the biggest paradox to date,” she says, “If Situ Yi is the killer, the
interrogation has already proven that he is a very impulsive person who gets
angry easily with his emotions fluctuating a lot . Four months ago after the
police took him back to the station for questioning, it caused him to change
the way he commits his crimes, provoking the police directly . This time
around, we interrogated him all night as a suspect, so it would have affected
his emotions even more . He would have been furious, angry, twisted, and
impulsive .
Under these circumstances, he should have tortured the victim more

mercilessly and employed even more techniques, so the wounds found on the
body should have been deeper .
But they weren’t . Xiao Yao stated just now that the wounds on the body
were similar to the ones from before and as if they were done via a
standardized method . What does this tell us? The criminal has a consistent
process, which means that his emotions are stable . The killer was very calm
last night——this does not match with Situ Yi’s emotions and personality . ”
“Mm, you’ve got a point,” Han Chen says .
Jin Xi fires back, “Not just a point!”
Han Chen smiles slightly, “Continue . ”
Jin Xi circles the other paradoxes found from before, “afraid of it being
troublesome”, “to avoid the hassle”, “buying in a batch”, “a more personal
souvenir”…… She turns around and looks at Han Chen, “The problem with
his emotions and these few paradoxes clearly point to another person’s profile
. And when two profiles appear in a serial case, there are three possibilities .
”
Han Chen raises his eyebrows at her .
“One, there are two killers,” she smiles, “but this scenario doesn’t exist for
this case .
It’s because if the crimes were committed in partnership, and even if there
was a distinction between the main and the secondary killer, their
characteristics and behavioral traits would have appeared in the process . For
example, one of them may like using a whip while the other likes undressing .
Or one might have been responsible for torturing and the other was
responsible for kidnapping the victim and disposing of the body .
But all throughout this particular case, it showed a very standard killer with
the ‘ability to organize . ’ It’s as if they were completed by one person . Only
some of the fine details show loopholes and contradictions . Isn’t that
strange?
At the same time, it can’t be someone who’s bipolar . It’s because if Situ Yi
was bipolar, the case would have progressed like there were two criminals
working in partnership .
Only the third possibility remains: one of the profiles is fake . It’s a disguise
from the real killer, who is trying to deceive us . The other profile is what’s
real . And just like what you said——the details are where the truth lies . ”
They look at each other quietly . Han Chen doesn’t say a word . He simply
stares at her with his dark brown eyes . She, on the other hand, leans on the
whiteboard and stands her arms crossed just like him . Her eyes gleam:
“I’ve always had the feeling that the case was going too smoothly . To
borrow Professor Bo Jin Yan’s words: this case is ‘so typical that it’s like a
textbook . ’ The traces of evidence left at the scenes: abducting the victims
with a luxury car, long periods of torture, nurse’s uniform complex, red wine
and steak, the conflict with the police four months ago……these all help us
draw the outline of the killer’s profile of having the ‘ability to organize . ’
And every one of them points to Situ Yi clearly .
Everything I’ve said in the above seems bizarre, but it’s the only logical
explanation right now——
This isn’t a typical case with an organized killer profile . This is a killing case
with a profile imitator . The killer has learned and imitated what a killer with
the ability to organize would be like from the textbook, and then he combined
it with Situ Yi’s profile . He then executes the acts of killing and frames Situ
Yi for it .
And the person who can do all of this can only be Shao Lun . ”
Her voice grows louder and stronger as she speaks . Seeing Han Chen
remaining quiet, she stands up straight and as if it’s out of habit, she spins the
marker in her hand and walks up and down on the stage . She says while
walking:
“Number one, he has a motive .
Number two, he knows Situ Yi’s true colors .
Number three, he and his girlfriend were both exceptional undergraduate

students in sciences, possessing the capability to learn .
Number four, you mentioned just now that he lurked inside of the clubhouse,
so he could easily find out what Situ Yi likes . For example, he likes nurse’s
uniform and likes drinking red wine . I’m certain that he must have stalked
Situ Yi a number of times .
Number five, he sold his house . This explains why he was able to attract and
kidnap those white-collar women . Although he’s not a graceful second
generation from a wealthy family, he drives a nice car and is a gentleman, so
he attracts women the same way . Furthermore, he could lie and say that he’s
a professor or a second generation young master from a wealthy family .
Number six, he doesn’t trust the police .
Number seven, the way he spoke and his body language also showed his
hatred towards Situ Yi’s social circle and especially women . He even
paraphrased the words that the white collar employees used to make fun of
him . It goes to show how fresh it remained in his memory . It’s possible that
his mental state has already become twisted . Therefore……”
She pauses her footsteps . Her eyes turn cold, “The above is Shao Lun’s
profile . The profile within the profile . He’s too smart and also too prejudice
. He directed and acted out all this himself!”


Chapter 71
Chapter 71
Jin Xi finishes saying out this big load of information, throws the marker
away and turns around to look at Han Chen .
Han Chen has been staring at her this whole time as if he’s been entranced .
Jin Xi asks, “What’s the matter? Am I wrong? Don’t hate me now . ”
Han Chen finally lowers his eyes, stands up straights and stuffs both of his
hands into his pockets .
“You’ve said everything very well . Flawless and enlightening . ”
Jin Xi’s mouth curves into a smile .
“Let’s go . Let’s head over to Shao Lun’s home . He should be caught by

now,” he says .
Jin Xi nods, “Give me a minute . I need to erase all these . ” She picks up the
whiteboard eraser, tip-toes and starts wiping away the boards covered with
words .
Han Chen watches her from behind . He smiles, walks over and picks up
another eraser . He erases the board for a moment and then turns his head to
look at her .
He was lost in a trance when she was talking about the profile just now .
It was because watching her with such high spirits actually made him
remember some blurry images in his mind . He could kind of make out
another her, who was wearing a delicate dress in high heels . She was
standing in a big conference room as well explaining a suspect’s profile, and
he was also the only member of the audience .
But she seemed different than the way she is now . That face was more
childish and more plumped . Although she was young, her eyes carried even
more incisiveness as if she didn’t care about anything else .
He was sitting in the seats below the stage with a smile and watching her in
leisure . He watched his princess spread out her vibrant wings in front of him
.
……
And she right now, even though she’s just as proud as before, the incisiveness
seems to have smoothed out quite a bit over time . She no longer wears pretty
and eye-catching dresses or shiny high heels . Instead, she wears simple
sportswear and ties her hair into a ponytail casually without using any hair
accessories .
Han Chen feels pain in his chest . His hand pauses in midair .
“Jin Xi, I’ll accompany you to buy a dress,” he says .
Jin Xi looks at him with a weird expression, “Why?”
“What? You don’t want to?”
“Mm, I don’t want to,” Jin Xi continues erasing the boards, “I quite liked
wearing dresses in the past, but after working as a criminal investigator for a
long while now, I feel that wearing dresses is a hassle . I don’t like it . ”
“What should we do then?” he looks downwards towards her and says

flippantly, “I like it . ”
Jin Xi spurts out laughing and begins erasing the board quicker, “We’ll see
about your performance from now on first . ”
Han Chen has long arms and legs, so he finishes erasing his board quickly .
Instead of offering to help her, he tosses the eraser away, leans on the stand
and continues watching his woman’s back .
After a while, he says, “Jin Xi, about the case from five years ago, I’ve
already done some investigating and found some things . ”
Jin Xi’s hand pauses for a second, “What is it?”
“There were 64 dead . And based on the time, place and cause of death, there
was more than one killer . The victims were of different backgrounds and
ages . Some died from having their bodies sliced apart, some died from
suffocating, and some died from poisoning……” he says, “Because the
details of the case have been classified, we don’t have information on the
criminals and we don’t know how we’re related to the case . However, I plan
to go in the reverse direction by investigating the victims first and then find
out who the killers are and attempt to reconstruct what happened . Therefore,
in the days to come, you might have to build many profiles……”
He stops suddenly .
Jin Xi has been listening attentively, but hearing him stop suddenly, she turns
around . She sees his face turned to the side and staring at the door with his
cold eyes .
He then makes eye contact with Jin Xi .
Jin Xi’s heart shakes .
Does this mean……there’s someone outside?
Someone is eavesdropping?
Han Chen has his eyes fixed on the door . He then makes his way over
slowly and quietly . Jin Xi understands immediately and says in her usual
tone of voice, “Okay . Just let me know how you want me to complete the
profiles……”
Before she finishes, Han Chen pulls open the door with force . Jin Xi hops
down from the stage and dashes over to him .
No one .
The hallway outside is completely empty .

Jin Xi and Han Chen look at each other . Their hearts are beating a bit fast .
She was farther away from the door just now, so she didn’t hear anything .
But she knows that with Han Chen’s hearing and vision, he couldn’t have
been wrong .
But this is inside of the station . Everything and everyone should be open and
unafraid of exposure . So who would be eavesdropping outside of their door?
“Who could it be?” she asks in a low voice .
Han Chen shakes his head without an answer .
They hear a “thump” sound from the hallway suddenly . Someone walks out
from the washroom a few doors down . Han Chen and Jin Xi both look .
They see the person pat his hands to get rid of the water while humming a
melody . He looks up and sees them, so he smiles saying, “Leader, little Bai
girl, you’re both here?”
It’s Chatterbox .
Jin Xi looks at him dumbstruck, “What are you doing here?”
Chatterbox is surprised by her question, “I was going to the washroom . ”
“Did you see anybody else walk by here?” Han Chen asks .
Chatterbox shakes his head, “No . I just finished going to the washroom . ”
He becomes full of alert, “What’s wrong? Is something up?”
Han Chen exchanges his gaze with Jin Xi before answering, “No . Let’s
hurry downstairs and get ready . ”
“Oh, okay!” Chatterbox runs downstairs right away . Han Chen pulls Jin Xi
back into the conference room, closes the door and looks down at her .
Jin Xi feels her heart pounding as she continues holding hands with him
quietly . After a moment of silence, he reaches up to hold the back of her
neck and guides her to lean on his shoulder . He kisses on her hair,
“Everything is fine . Don’t overthink it . ”
_____
A number of police cars head towards Situ Yi’s mansion as well as the
farmhouse rented by Shao Lun .
Cold Face is already at the place . The other four members of the Black
Shield Team are in one of the police vehicles . And the other cars are
carrying the other criminal investigators, Qin Wen Long, Xu Nan Bai, and Xu
Si Bai .
“Xiao Bai, let me tell you,” Xiao Zhuan leans over to the front and says to Bai
Jin Xi in the passenger seat, “I heard that this morning, Xu Nan Bai suggested
to Captain Qin to continue searching for other suspects who fit the profile .
He must feel like being slapped in the face now since we found him first . ”
Jin Xi feels quite smug hearing this . She smiles with her eyes squinting and
doesn’t comment .
Chatterbox, on the other hand, says hesitantly, “But is Situ Yi really not
suspicious?”
The moment his words come out, everyone in the car is silent .
Han Chen, who’s driving, answers in a calm voice, “According to the

evidence at hand, he may not be the murderer in these four cases, but he must
have been related to the previous missing cases . He can’t escape . ”
Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan both nod .
Jin Xi feels a bit perplexed now . Han Chen is right . They can only
conclude that Situ Yi is not connected to these cases based on logic . But the
suspicion in her heart cannot be explained .
However, she answers nonchalantly, “If he’s not, then he’s not . I’m not
someone who doesn’t admit being wrong . If one doesn’t go through wind
and rain (hardships), how will one be able to see the rainbow?”
The three men laugh .
They finally see the light of day nonetheless . Xiao Zhuan seems to be the
happiest . He leans over to the front again, takes a look at Han Chen and then
at Jin Xi, “According to what Xiao Bai is saying, Leader, you and she locked
down on the real killer at the same time . So then regarding your bet, who’s
considered the winner?”
Han Chen is a bit stunned . He glances at Jin Xi .
Jin Xi really feels like stuffing something in Xiao Zhuan’s mouth to shut him
up! Although she couldn’t keep it to herself and told him about the bet, she
didn’t actually tell him what they were betting on . But now Han Chen
probably thinks that she’s a very open person .
She makes eye contact with Han Chen immediately and then says, “It doesn’t
matter who wins or loses . Regardless, it’s just a free meal anyway . ”
Xiao Zhuan, “Oh, oh——”
Jin Xi smiles . Just when she’s about to change the subject, she hears a voice
beside her say indifferently, “Mm . Regardless, we’re eating this meal
anyway . ” (eating can also be a slang for sexual conquest)
He’s so hateable!
She turns to look out the window with her cheeks blushing .
If she knew, she would have “eaten” this meal earlier! Keeping him hanging
like this simply makes her feel like they’re playing a waiting game and he
will harass her and provoke her again and again until he gets it . She’s going
to be restless!
And after Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan hears their words, they look at each
other helplessly .
Leader and Xiao Bai are just too sappy and sickening! They even had to put a
bet on a meal as if they’re still kids! This is too much for single youths like
them to handle!

Chapter 72
Chapter 72
At a farmhouse less than 2 km away from Situ Yi’s mansion .
Jin Xi has her gloves and shoe covers on standing outside of the house and
looking afar . All she sees are mountain tops over the short fence around the
backyard . There’s a long and narrow path outside of the gate where tall
weeds and trees grow . It’s about a hundred meters from the next farmhouse .
It is completely suitable for carrying out the crimes of the case .
The local police team has already sealed off this farmhouse, attracting many
onlookers . This area is responsible by the Black Shield Team . Therefore,
there isn’t a lot of people in the backyard . Besides the Black Shield Team,
only the three investigators brought along by Qin Wen Long, two forensic
officers, Xu Si Bai, Xiao Yao and Xu Nan Bai are here .
“When we arrived, the house was empty and he has never been back before,”
Cold Face comes over to say, “We’ve already requested for an arrest order to
go hunt Shao Lun down at his workplace and/or places that he frequents . ”
Han Chen and Qin Wen Long nod .
“I’ve already taken a look at the tire marks on the dirt road,” Chatterbox
comes and says, “They’re from a larger sized car . It should be an SUV . ”
The group of them walk into the house .
This two-story building doesn’t look anything different from an ordinary

farmhouse on the surface level . White walls, black bricks, cement flooring,
and the furniture are all very simple looking . But once the officers break the
lock to the basement and walk down the narrow and dark staircase, everybody
is shocked from what they see .
It looks not much far off from being a living hell . It even seems to imitate
the crime setting seen in western movies and tv shows .
It’s very dark . All of the windows are completely sealed . Just like what Han
Chen said, the place has been renovated for soundproofing . In the middle of
the ceiling, an extremely bright white light lamp hangs from it, illuminating
all the different shapes and sizes of knives, metal rods, and axes . Some of
them even have fresh blood stains on them .
Right underneath the lamp, there is a very big and heavy chair . Some ropes
are lying loosely on it . From the looks of it, they must have been used to tie
up the victims .
There are many spots of blood staining the floor . And when a forensic
officer turns on the ultraviolet light, big spots like swamps of blood stains are
uncovered . The sight of it gives chills to everyone’s heart .
Jin Xi walks to a table by the wall . There are a few women’s purses lying on
top . She picks one up . In contrast to the mess of this place, the purses are
very clean and are wrapped inside plastic bags standing neatly . Not a single
spot of dirt is on them . Inside every plastic bag, there is also a small card
that has some brief information of the victim written on it . The one in her
hand says: “Zhou Si Jin . 29 years old . Very pretty . ”
Her heart shivers . She puts the bag down, turns around and looks at Han
Chen, “Perhaps his original intention was to seek revenge . He wanted to
revenge Situ Yi and also those women . But in essence, he has already
become a psychopath . ”
_____
The criminal investigators and forensic investigators stay at the scene for a
long time . They have to bring all the exhibits and tools used for committing
the crime back .
The sky turns dark very quickly .
Jin Xi wanders inside of the house for a long while before seeing Chatterbox
lying beside the stairs to the basement while using a flashlight .
“What’s the matter?” she asks .
Chatterbox answers, “There seems to be something here . Hold this for me . ”
Jin Xi takes the flashlight and looks towards where his finger is pointing .
There’s actually a very tiny black object sticking out from the wall covered
with spots of blood . Chatterbox sure is an expert in identifying marks and
traces . It’s such a hidden area yet he found something .
“A camera?” she asks .
Chatterbox responds, “Mm . American stuff . It’s not cheap . It looks like a
wireless one . ”
Han Chen walks up the stairs at the same time and also looks at the camera
with them .
Chatterbox murmurs to himself, “These wireless cameras can only transmit

up to 5 kilometers . There aren’t any computers in the house, so where is
Shao Lun viewing the videos? In the car?”
Jin Xi is stunned .
Han Chen says, “Go take a look and see if there are other cameras in the
house . ”
“Sure . ”
Chatterbox dashes away like the wind . Han Chen calls a forensic officer
over and digs out the camera in the wall .
Jin Xi continues standing where she is, examining the camera . In the light,
it’s black and shiny; like a beast’s eye staring straight at you .
Chatterbox finds many more of these cameras very soon .
They’re all installed in extremely hidden but key places . For example, on the
branch of the big tree by the gate to the backyard, on the dark color beam
under the roof, in the corner of the wall that has been blocked off by a table in
the basement……If you don’t look closely, you wouldn’t discover them at all
.
And as for what has been recorded from these cameras, only the computer
that is saving these clips would know .
The officers gradually begin to spread out outside of the house to examine the
backyard area . Jin Xi is still thinking about the camera functions and range
that Chatterbox was saying; something just doesn’t feel right . A blurry
thought is floating in her mind . She walks around the basement as she tries
to clear up her mind .
She hears Chatterbox shout again, “Hey! I found something else . ”
Jin Xi turns around and sees him handing Han Chen the three bottles of water
that have been sitting on the window sill, “Leader, there’s sleeping medicine
in here . Every one of them . ”
Han Chen and Jin Xi are stunned .
Han Chen takes them, lowers his head and smells . Chatterbox says with a
proud voice, “Weren’t there officers who were given some sleeping medicine
by this fellow? I took some time to research on sleeping medicine this
afternoon, so I could tell with just a sip . ”
Han Chen and Jin Xi look at him without commenting .
“But……” Jin Xi takes one of the bottles to examine it as well, “there were
no elements of sleeping medicine found in the victims’ bodies . ”
Chatterbox is stunned .
“If it’s not for them, then it’s for himself,” Han Chen says suddenly .
Chatterbox, “Oh . ”
Jin Xi stares at the water bottles without a word . Han Chen glances at her,
reveals a thoughtful smile and walks to the other side .
His cell phone rings . The reception in the basement isn’t very good, so he
picks up the call and starts walking up the stairs to go outside . The basement
is now left with Chatterbox and Jin Xi . Chatterbox is still searching the place
like he has a radar on him as if he’s afraid of missing a single detail . Jin Xi,
on the other hand, is squatting and staring at the ground in a daze .
She’s thinking .
The blurry thoughts in her mind are bouncing around trying to get organized
and be fused together——
Hidden cameras; a range of 5 kilometers; the videos recorded from them;

sleeping medicine……
Extremely mentally ill and excited; spying in the dark; the smile flashing
across his face……
“I think that’s about it . Should we go up?” Chatterbox comes over and asks .
Jin Xi is still staring at the ground as she lets out a “Mm” absentmindedly .
She isn’t listening at all .
It’s hard to tell how long it’s been but everywhere around her is quiet .
Jin Xi’s face finally reveals a smile .
“Chatterbox, I know why!” she looks up and says, “I know what’s going on in
this case… . . ah?”
The basement is completely empty . Only a single lamp is shining above her
head casting a clear shadow .
Chatterbox is long gone .
Jin Xi clicks her tongue before putting her hands on her knees to get ready to
stand up . All of a sudden, she sees another shadow overlapping with hers
from behind .
Without a sound or forewarning, that shadow has come right behind her . Jin
Xi’s heart thumps as she attempts to run forward out of reflex!
But it’s too late .
That person is unbelievably fast; her throat is being grabbed on from behind .
Jin Xi makes a low inaudible sound of breathing and in the next second, her
feet are off the ground as the person lifts her up by holding her throat .
Jin Xi tries to break free with all her might . She tries to pry open his fingers
but with no success . The man’s hands in white gloves are like pincers . His
breathing is steady and also very cruel . It’s obvious that he wants to kill her .
Everything in front of Jin Xi starts to turn dark . She wants to shout for help
but she is unable to make a sound . She stretches her legs and kicks behind
her hard, but like an experienced fighter, the man takes the upper hand the
second she leaves an opening . He dodges her kicks and then squeezes her
neck even harder .
“Shit……” Jin Xi curses but she can’t hear her voice come out at all .
Who is he? Who is he! Someone who is this skillful .
Cops are everywhere . So how did he sneak in?
And why does he want to kill her?!
……
Han Chen……Han Chen!
Gradually, her breathing becomes difficult . Her throat hurts like it’s burning
in fire . And slowly, her consciousness becomes hazy . She finally loses her
strength to move . She then feels the person loosening up his grip, holding
her throat with just one hand while covering her mouth with the other
pinching her face . He’s getting ready to snap her neck .


Chapter 73
Chapter 73
Chapter 73: Giving Up Love for the Rest of Life Part 1
Amid the haziness, Bai Jin Xi feels that person’s hand on her neck loosen
suddenly . Her body loses support and falls to the ground in an instant . Like
a patient with asthma, she gasps for air .
It’s still and quiet behind her again .
Her throat is burning . It hurts so much that she can’t feel anything . Her
consciousness is still a bit blurry . Jin Xi struggles to get up immediately and
turns around . With her body swaying, all she sees is the empty basement and
the staircase . Not a glimpse of that person can be found .
She holds her neck with one hand and stumbles her way up the stairs to leave
the place . The sky is already very dark . There’s nobody in the house either .
At a distance, she can see a group of investigators exploring the backyard
area . The moment she steps into the yard, the bright white searchlight on top
of a police car stings her eyes . She raises her arm to block her eyes and
limps towards Han Chen .
_____
Han Chen has just finished a phone call from the bureau chief . After hanging
up, he recalls the image of Bai Jin Xi squatting in the basement and
immersing in her own thoughts just now . He can’t help showing a slight
smile .
He looks up and sees that the others are digging into the soil in the yard .
They’ve already found some dead cats and dogs . They all have different
degrees of bone fractures and wounds . It’s possible that Shao Lun was using
them as practice tools .
He turns his head subconsciously and is stunned in an instant .

Bai Jin Xi is walking over to him . The light illuminates her face . It’s pale
and almost lifeless . Her neck is covered in bruises and finger marks .
Han Chen dashes over to her . But someone in front of him is even quicker .
Xu Si Bai in his white lab coat drops his pen and notebook and reaches out
his arms to support her . He cries out, “Jin Xi, what happened?”
Everyone looks towards them in shock . Jin Xi looks at Xu Si Bai’s

frightened and painful expression and shakes her head slightly, “I’m fine .
Just now……” her voice is extremely raspy .
In the next second, a strong pair of arms removes her from Xu Si Bai’s
embrace . She lifts her eyes and catches Xu Si Bai frozen in his expression .
She also sees Han Chen’s eyes . His eyes are dark and cold as they stare at
her willfully . His arms are wrapped tightly around her . He then lifts her up
horizontally off the ground .
“What happened?” his voice is cold like ice .
Tears flow from Jin Xi’s eyes immediately . She reaches out her arms and
hugs him .
A lot of people come to them and are all in shock . Xiao Zhuan says full of
anxiousness, “Xiao Bai! Xiao Bai! What happened? What happened to your
neck?” Xu Nan Bai also comes over and says in shock,
“Junior (female) Classmate? Are you alright?” Qin Wen Long shouts his
orders, “Close off the area immediately! Xiao Bai, did Shao Lun come back
and attack you?”
Jin Xi glances at Han Chen and then sweeps her gaze across the faces around
her .
Qin Wen Long, Xu Si Bai, Cold Face, Chatterbox, Xiao Zhuan, Xu Nan Bai,
Xiao Yao, three other investigators, and two forensic officers . These are all
the people present .
“Just now……” she says with her cracking voice and then asks slowly, “who
entered the house? Who came out of the house?”
Everyone is stunned .
Everyone who’s present is an elite criminal investigator . Who doesn’t know

what she means? This house has already been sealed off by the police and
there are many officers patrolling the area . The possibility of an outsider
being able to enter the place is too low!
Xiao Zhuan murmurs, “Xiao Bai, everyone has been coming and going .
We’ve all been inside before . But……we’re all our own people . ”
Jin Xi pants softly without a word while grabbing onto Han Chen’s shirt .
Han Chen also has his head down and looking at her . After a brief moment,
he says, “Xiao Zhuan . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan responds, “Here!”
“Take good care of her,” he hands Jin Xi over to Xiao Zhuan . Xiao Zhuan
takes over carrying her carefully . Jin Xi waves her hand, “Put me down .
I’m fine . ” She then sees Han Chen making eye contact with Cold Face .
They lean against the side of the farmhouse, one on the left and one on the
right, and then run inside .
Everyone else becomes nervous . Qin Wen Long keeps an eye on his phone
while ordering his troops to set up blockades on all potential exit routes . Xu
Nan Bai and one of the investigators squat in front of Jin Xi and ask her to
describe the features and characteristics of the person . Chatterbox calls the
ambulance……
_____
Han Chen and Cold Face enter the house, look around and notice nothing out
of the ordinary . They walk down to the basement . It’s still empty without a
single trace of footsteps left behind .
“The attack most likely happened here,” Cold Face says, “If it happened on
the main floor, we would have noticed . ”
Han Chen doesn’t comment .
He pictures in his mind of Jin Xi squatting by herself deep in her thoughts but
is attacked by someone from behind strangling her neck while she struggles to
break free .
He feels a swamp of cold air entering his heart .
They go back upstairs and examine the place in detail .
“Leader, right here,” Cold Face says standing inside a small storage room
beside the bedroom, pointing to a narrow window . The window is open .
“When we arrived, all the windows were closed,” Han Chen says calmly .
They look out from the window and see an area of grass, farmland, and
woods . There’s no sign of the person . But on the soil below the window,
there is a footprint .
They look at each other and then hop down from the window one after the
other . Han Chen continues walking following the footsteps . But after four
to five meters, he reaches the end of the grass field and the footsteps also
disappear . Cold Face, on the other hand, is lying on the ground examining
the footprint . He says, “Male . He’s wearing a shoe cover so the pattern of
his shoes cannot be identified . He’s about 170-180cm and weighs about 70-
75kg . Based on the stride, he should be a young and fit lad . There’s not
much else we can infer . ” He pauses, looks up at Han Chen and says in a low
voice, “The majority of the people in the backyard fits these criteria . ”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a moment before responding, “Let’s go . ”
_____
Jin Xi is sitting in the passenger seat of a police car . Xiao Zhuan is

accompanying her at the side of the car while Xu Si Bai is squatting in front
of her . The ambulance isn’t here yet, so he’s performing a simple check-up
on her .
Xu Si Bai takes his gloves off . His slightly cold hands touch the bruises
around her neck in the most careful possible way . Xiao Zhuan on the side
feels awful seeing Xu Si Bai, who always looks peaceful, actually showing
such an aching expression . And when he looks at the bruises on Jin Xi, he
feels even more awful . He stands there quietly and doesn’t say a word .
Jin Xi leans against the chair and lets Xu Si Bai carry out his check-up, but
she’s still rather terrified .
Who was it?
Who snuck in and attacked her? The person clearly wanted to kill her but
why did he give up in the end?
When her consciousness became hazy, what happened then?
Situ Yi? Shao Lun?
……
I was one of the serial killers from five years ago .
I’ve already done some investigating and found that there were 64 victims
and more than one killer .
……
Or could he be related to the case in the past?
Jin Xi feels chills in her heart and her hands turn into fists .
“Honey (wifey) . ” A voice says in her head suddenly .
It’s Han Chen’s voice . It sounds as if it’s echoing from deep inside her mind
.
She feels her head hurting severely, so she holds her forehead with her hand
immediately .
“Honey (wifey),” the voice says again .
“What’s wrong, Jin Xi?” Xu Si Bai notices something wrong . He grabs her
hand . Jin Xi pulls her hand away almost instantly out of reflex . She
continues frowning while holding her head . Xu Si Bai’s hand is frozen in
midair .
There’s a certain extremely familiar yet frightening feeling encompassing her

whole body again . Darkness, burning sensation, repressive, and chaos……
that is the feeling of suffocating just like when she was being strangled in the
neck by someone . It’s the exact same strong feeling of suffocating .
Blazing fire, smoke, sounds of explosion……many scattered pieces of

imagery flashes across her mind . They’re all very blurry, but they’re all very
painful .
“Honey (wifey),” she hears Han Chen’s voice say . It’s raspy and it sounds
mournful .
Tears begin to flow from her eyes suddenly . She closes her eyes wanting to
see the images clearer, but everything in her mind is a blur . She can’t
remember any of them .
She opens her eyes again and sees both Xu Si Bai and Xiao Zhuan looking at
her with full of concern .
And Xu Si Bai’s dark and calm eyes actually look a bit watery . He doesn’t
say anything, but she knows that he must be so worried and sad that he can’t
find words in his mouth .
She recalls how he embraced her just now but was pulled away by Han Chen
in front of everybody . She recalls him wanting to hold her hands just now
but was rejected by her . Jin Xi’s heart starts to ache from tenderness . She
pats the back of his hand lightly, “I’m fine . Just now……Han Chen was just
too anxious . Please don’t mind . ”
He keeps quiet for a second and then answers softly, “I understand he was
anxious . Because I was too . ”
Jin Xi doesn’t respond back . Zhou Xiao Zhuan also doesn’t say a word .
“You should stop talking,” he advises her softly, “In the next few days, you
can only eat mild flavor liquid food . Once you’re in the hospital, tell the
doctor to give you some medicine to decrease the swollen area . Got it?”
Jin Xi nods .
She sees Han Chen and Cold Face walking out of the house . He takes his
gloves off and is walking quickly towards her with a straight back .
Qin Wen Long goes over and pats his shoulder, “This area is rather remote, so
the ambulance hasn’t arrived yet . Take Jin Xi to the hospital first . We’re
about done here, so I’ll take care of this for you . ”
“Mm,” his eyes are still staring at Bai Jin Xi .
Jin Xi is also looking at him .
Han Chen walks to the side of the car . Xu Si Bai stands up . The two men
exchange glances . Xu Si Bai doesn’t say anything . He walks back to the
surveying area in the backyard without turning his head .
Jin Xi watches Han Chen bend over to help her put on her seatbelt, close the
door and sit in the driver’s seat .
“How are you now? Is it better?” he turns his head to look at her . His dark
brown eyes don’t show any expression .
Jin Xi nods, “A lot better . ”
He starts the car and zooms out of the farmhouse .


Chapter 74
Chapter 74
In the boundless night, the road is dark with not a single street lamp . Jin Xi
leans back on her seat for a while before saying in a raspy voice, “Could it be
someone related to the case in the past?”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a moment and then answers, “I will find the person
. ”
Jin Xi turns her head to look at him .
He has a ruthless expression on his face .
His back is against the chair . There’s a bit of dirt on his jacket and his shirt
collar is slightly open . He has only one hand on the wheel with his eyes
looking ahead .
Jin Xi’s heart feels a pinch of pain for a second .
It’s been a long time since she has seen him like this . The last time he has
been this way must have been when they first met in Jiangcheng; when he
was still searching endlessly for her . That was the only time when he was
like this .
She thinks for a minute and changes the subject, “Situ……”
Han Chen interrupts right after she says the first two characters, “You don’t
need to say anymore . I know all of it . The cameras were installed by Situ
Yi . The sleeping medicine was also from him . Shao Lun has been stalking
him multiple times, so it must have caught his attention and he started to
monitor and stalk Shao Lun back . He may have also taken part in torturing
the victims without Shao Lun knowing . It’s just that he wasn’t the one who
delivered the final stabbing . He also didn’t plot out the plan, which is why
he was able to pass the lie detector test . I know everything . I’ve already
requested an arrest order and search warrant . You don’t need to speak . ”
Jin Xi is stunned slightly . She lets out a soft “Mm . ”
The car returns to silence .
Jin Xi truly feels her heart aching tremendously seeing him like this . She
speaks softly again, “Han Chen, please don’t be like this . ”
Han Chen doesn’t respond . His eyes are looking out the windshield .
Jin Xi stops talking .
After a while, she feels the car slowing down until it stops on the side of the
road . And beside the road is a steep hillside .
Jin Xi turns around and looks at him in surprise . But she sees him still
looking straight to the front and unsure of what he’s thinking . Everywhere
around them is dark and quiet; only they are sitting still in the car .
And then he takes off his seatbelt, leans over and pulls her into his embrace .
He doesn’t dare to use too much force . His hand is only grabbing her waist
lightly just to let her face lean against his chest .
Jin Xi’s heart softens as she sniffs his scent and says softly, “Don’t be
unhappy . Look, I’m completely fine . ”
He keeps quiet for a moment and says, “If anything happened to you, I would
be driving the car down this hill right now . ”
He speaks in a calm voice but it makes Jin Xi’s heart shiver .
Drive down .
He means the steep hill beside the road .
She listens to his heart beating and can’t find any words to say .
The attack happened too suddenly . It was more shocking than frightening .
Now that she survived it, her mind is still going blank . She hasn’t been
thinking how scary it was . Instead, she swears that she will find this enemy!
But now that she hears Han Chen’s words, the feeling of fright rushes into her
heart . And the moment this emotion rises, it is like a tidal wave flooding and
rippling in her heart .
She feels more and more frightened .
It’s not that she’s scared of death . As a criminal investigator, she has already
put death behind her and is prepared to die on duty .
But she realizes now why she feels so afraid . If that person didn’t let go and
she ended up dying, what would Han Chen do?
He said he would drive the car down the hill .
“Han Chen……” Jin Xi says almost choking with sobs . She wraps her arms
around his neck and kisses his cheek . He continues to be quiet with his head
lowered allowing her to kiss him . He rubs his face lightly against her cheek
and her soft hair . They comfort each other in silence, but it’s difficult to
reduce their heartaches .
_____
At the same time, the other members of the Black Shield Team who are still
stationed at the scene, have just received news: Shao Lun has been captured
by the police on his way back from work; Situ Yi has also been stopped by
the police on the interprovincial highway . They have both been taken back
to the station waiting to be interrogated .
_____
It’s already past 10pm as they return home from the hospital .
Jin Xi lies on the bed while listening to the sound of water coming from the
bathroom; Han Chen is taking a shower .
She recalls the scattered images and sounds that flashed across her mind
before . If it was because of a house fire that caused her to suffocate and lose
her memory, then why would Han Chen’s voice appear in pieces of her
memory?
Or was it just an illusion?
Just as she’s deep in her thoughts, Han Chen pushes the door open and comes
out . He’s wearing only a pair of long cotton pants and is shirtless . His dark
short hair is still damp as he walks towards her .
Even though they’ve already had “physical contact” with each other, seeing
him without his shirt on still makes Jin Xi feel a bit awkward . She turns her
head away slightly subconsciously and shifts her eyes downward .
She doesn’t realize that these subtle movements have already been captured
by Han Chen . He sits down pressing one hand against the side of the pillow
while staring down at her, “What are you hiding for? I’m not going to touch
you tonight . ” He then strokes the bottom of her chin lightly with one finger
as if he’s teasing her and checking the bruises on her neck at the same time .
Jin XI lets out an “oh” softly and then says in a calm voice, “You’re the one
who said that you won’t touch me . I actually don’t mind . It’s just some
small bruises . ”
When it comes to pushing one’s luck, the woman in front of him is probably
the prime example . Han Chen watches the mischievous and pleased
expression filling her eyes . He just can’t find it in himself to take advantage
of her . He smiles and lies down beside her .
The quiet midnight . The lights are off and the two of them are lying in bed
silently . Han Chen’s arm is resting on her waist .
After a while, he holds her hands up and kisses them lightly . Jin Xi lets him
kiss her fingers, palms, and the back of her hands in the dark night . He then
reaches over, hugs her, lowers his head and kisses her long hair .
“Jin Xi . ”
“Hm?”
“I won’t let you go again . ”
_____
In the early morning, Han Chen wakes up while Jin Xi still sleeping . He
calls Xiao Zhuan . Once Xiao Zhuan arrives, he advises him a bunch of
things before leaving the apartment and driving to the station .
In the hazy morning, the office building is quiet whereas the investigators are
lying inside the dorm all over the place . Han Chen knows that Situ Yi and
Shao Lun have been officially detained and the evidence of their conviction is
basically complete . He’s not in a hurry to see them . Instead, he casually
opens one of the investigators’ drawer, fetches half a pack of cigarettes and
lighter and walks outside .
The hallway is still, quiet, and spacious . He watches the smoke rise from
between his fingers and dissipates into the air . Han Chen lowers his head
and inhales from the cigarette . He smiles thinking about Jin Xi . Just wait
until he returns home; the second she smells the scent of cigarette, he doesn’t
know how much she’ll nag .
The sound of footsteps can be heard in the hallway .
Han Chen looks up, glances at the person, turns his head around, and
continues smoking while looking straight to the front .
Xu Si Bai walks steadily towards him .
He stops when he reaches behind him .
“How is she?” Xu Si Bai asks calmly .
The image of her being hurt yesterday flashes across Xu Si Bai’s mind . He
takes a deep breath and speaks again, “Protect her well . Don’t let her get hurt
again . ”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a moment, inhales his cigarette deeply before
tossing the cigarette butt onto the floor and stepping on it .
“You don’t need to worry . If anything happens to her again, I can go to hell,”
he turns around and walks away .
Xu Si Bai watches his back view quietly . He lowers his eyes while feeling
the tips of his fingers trembling slightly . He turns around and looks into the
sky . The sky is colorful; blue sky, white clouds, and the golden sun . It’s
lonely yet gentle .


Chapter 75
Chapter 75
Shao Lun’s interrogation officially begins at 8am .
Han Chen and Chatterbox are the ones interrogating him while Xu Nan Bai,
as the criminal psychologist, participates as a listener .
“We have already gathered a vast amount of evidence of your crime . Do you
admit to kidnapping, hurting, and torturing Han Sha, Ye Xiang Qing, Zhou Si
Jin, and Zhao Hao Hao?” Chatterbox asks .
The last time they inquired about it, Shao Lun was untalkative and was a bit
sentimental . But now he looks as if all energy has been sucked out of his
body as he slouches in his chair with his head down and not moving .
“I did it,” he says softly .
“Why did you do it?” Chatterbox asks with a stern voice .
He lifts his head . His fair white face is red and his eyes are filled with
hatred, “The police are useless! No one believed that Situ Yi was the killer! I
did it to let the world see his true nature!”
“Are you crazy?!” Chatterbox slaps his hand on the table, “All the girls you
killed were innocent! What are their lives considered as then? Are you
letting others see his true nature or your true nature? You’ve killed people .
Four people! Do you know how serious this is?”
Shao Lun leans back against the chair . He opens his mouth with disgust in
his eyes but no words come out .
“Is it because you feel inferior?” Xu Nan Bai’s calm and serene voice says .
He’s also looking directly at Shao Lun, who’s like a helpless stray dog right
now, “Resentment, inferiorness, guilt……or perhaps desire? You don’t need
to rebut anymore . It’s because you know better than anybody else what’s
deep down inside your heart . ”
Shao Lun’s body shakes . He takes a look at the unfamiliar man in front of
him, then at Chatterbox who has a cold expression on his face and Han Chen,
who looks calm but has a pair of sharp eyes .
That’s right . It turns out that he really doesn’t need to rebut further . These
officers are exactly right about his mindset, his struggles, and desires .
……
Feeling inferior has always been the case . Ever since he was little .
Just like the majority of the people at his age, he was unattractive, had an
ordinary background, followed the path of growth accepted by the majority of
the people in society and was living an earnest and honest life . The only
thing worth praising was that he had rather good grades, but no girl had ever
fallen in love with or accepted him because of this . But after entering
college, this bit of advantage disappeared . He became the most ordinary and
easy to neglect person .
His biggest achievement in life was probably finding Ruan Shao Shuang,
such a pretty and intelligent girlfriend . In college, many girls dated rich men;
guys from wealthy families switched girlfriends one after the other . Many
luxury cars could often be seen lined up outside of the school’s entrance .
Therefore, many were baffled as to why Ruan Shao Shuang was with him .
He asked her as well .
But she smiled and said, “I think you’re different than the others . I observed
you secretly before . You’re quiet and very focused . And I’ve seen you
completing an experiment . You’re the quickest in the whole class . You just
don’t like to be in the spotlight . ” She pulled onto his arm, “Being together
with you makes me feel very secure . ”
A lot later, Shao Lun finally understood that some men could make a woman
feel secure . But some men could make women become fiercely passionate
and crazy in love with them, even willing to burn themselves .
Ruan Shao Shuang loved him . She just didn’t love him enough . In their
love relationship, she was gentle and calm . What she didn’t know was that
he was actually restrained yet crazy .
When she went to the best finance company in the country and became the
“gold collar” in everyone’s eyes, his feeling of inferiority became even
stronger and deeper . Occasionally when he picked her up after work, her
colleagues teased, “Your professor boyfriend is here?” He wanted to explain
that he was just a small assistant researcher and would probably need another
five to six years to become a professor . But she squeezed the back of his
hand, so he kept silent .
He felt guilty as well . Just before graduation, Shao Shuang could originally
leave the country . But he begged her not to . Her heart swayed and she
decided to stay in the end . At the time, she said, “Ah Lun, you owe me a big
one this time . You have to treat me well from now on . Do you understand?
Even if we break up one day, you still have to treat me well . ”
He was crying with joy, “How could we possibly break up?”
……
But in the end, he broke his promise . After they broke up, the night she
called him for help, he ignored her .
Later after she disappeared, he remembered the bits and pieces, and looking at
the traces she left behind at home, they all became his fault .
If he didn’t beg her not to leave the country and forced her to stay, how would
her corpse be nowhere to be found now?
If it wasn’t because his workload was tremendous at the lab causing him to be
unable to accompany her and turning down her dates, how would she had
become lonely and fell in love with another man?
If it wasn’t because he came from an ordinary family, unattractive and

unhumourous, how would she have fallen in the quagmire set up by Situ Yi?
If it wasn’t because……
He broke his promise . But he couldn’t help thinking about her every day and
night . He would mistake every office lady with delicate makeup as her .
How was he supposed to live?
Afterwards, there was only one question left in his life: how should he take
revenge?
The road ahead was unclear . How many people would notice a nobody’s
hatred?
“How did you come up with imitating Situ Yi’s criminal psychology profile to
kill others?” Han Chen asks .
“Read books,” Shao Lun smiles bitterly, “I read a lot of books related to
criminal psychology . ”
In the beginning, he only wanted to follow Situ Yi to collect evidence on his

crime . But after a few months, he still couldn’t find anything . And a
thought kept calling out in his head: what’s the use of collecting evidence?
Situ’s family is rich and powerful . How difficult could it be for them to
come up with all kinds of ways to help Situ Yi escape the charges?
He didn’t know how these strange thoughts solidified in his heart . But they
appeared naturally and there were too many reasons driving him to take
action: the women from the clubhouse were all filthy . Whenever he saw
them, it made him feel as if he could see the things that lured Shao Shuang .
If he could create the evidence, create a big case, he would be able to guide
the police to expose Situ Yi’s true nature . And for the sake of Shao Shuang,
he had already decided to give up everything, so what else would he not dare
to do?
……
For a quiet man who studied science, everything that happened afterward was
like a mathematical equation awaiting for its answer . Throughout many
nights, he studied hard in his room on the elements of criminal psychology .
He listed items one at of time and then scratched them off . As an outsider of
criminal psychology, he drew out Situ Yi’s profile after many tries . And then
he turned it into an actual plan to carry out the crimes .
“How did you take action . Tell us in detail,” Chatterbox says . All three men
are silent listening to Shao Lun’s explanation as their hearts feel cold and
solemn .
“After I sold my parents’ house, I financed a car that was exactly the same as
Situ Yi’s,” Shao Lun says, “After finding my target, I would create one to two
opportunities where we would bump into each other during the day . For
example, bumping into each other while jogging or bumping into each other
coincidently at the parking lot and then get to know each other . ”
He was originally uncertain if his plan would work . But it turned out that
driving a nice car and wearing an expensive suit would be so effective even
when using such a simple and crappy method . He lied to them saying that he
was a college professor and none of them actually suspected him .
Gradually, it became easy from practice . Even when he interacted with

pretty girls, he was able to carry a conversation with them . He even began
enjoying this process .
He usually used ether to make them pass out . Or he would strike their head
directly to knock them out . And then he would take them back to that small
house in the suburbs .
Han Chen and Chatterbox look at each other . Xu Nan Bai sitting in the back
row also looks up .
Chatterbox asks, “Do you remember clearly the process of abusing the
victims?”
Shao Lun keeps quiet for a moment .
“I only remember the last one,” he answers, “Every time before I start, I
would drink a little bit of white wine . Whenever I drink wine, I would be
unable to control myself, and I don’t remember a lot of things . ”
But it’s actually for the better in this case .
He still remembers clearly how he tied up the first victim and brought her
back . Looking at her frightened gaze, he panicked and struggled a lot .
“Let me go! I beg you, let me go! Professor, I’ll give you all the money you
want!” the woman begged him .
“Shut up!” he sat facing her with a dark expression . His throat felt dry, so he
drank a big mouthful of water . He then took the bottle of white wine and
started gulping it down .
He thought: what should he do? If he let the woman go, he’ll definitely be
put in jail . Furthermore, his whole plan would go to waste .
But……should he kill her?
He didn’t remember what he did after getting drunk . A few hours later, he
woke up with a severe headache . He saw that the woman was sitting there
like a broken doll . Her body was covered in wounds and blood was
everywhere . And he was just lying by her feet with a bloody knife in his
hand .
He was struck dumb seeing this .
Was he a devil?
After becoming drunk, he actually tortured the woman to this unbearable

state!
The woman could no longer make any sound . Watching him stand up
muddleheaded, her eyes became even more frightful . He stood for a long
time until only calmness was left in his eyes . He lifts up the knife and
stabbed the woman’s heart .


Chapter 76
Chapter 76
That night when Situ Yi was detained by the police, Shao Lun was walking
around the station . He was hoping that Situ Yi would be charged . But he
was afraid of being exposed at the same time .
And two days later, when he saw Situ Yi released without a single wound,
only calmness was left in his heart again; a calm sense of anger . He knew
this would be the outcome, didn’t he? It’s okay, he had already prepared a big
present for Situ Yi!
It’s just that when we woke up after being drunk that night, he discovered that
the woman was still tied to the chair without a single wound . She looked at
him full of fright .
He lifted up his wine bottle and gulped down a mouthful again .
And then he started to pick one out of the torture instruments hanging on the
walls around him . He had observed every wound on each of the dead bodies
many times before . They had been engraved deeply in his mind . He closed
his eyes . The wooden bat and the sharp knife hit and stabbed the woman’s
body……until she was dead .
“I’ve already told you everything,” he raises his head and looks at them, “Can
I ask you guys one thing?”
Han Chen says, “Go ahead . ”
“I lost . I couldn’t drag Situ Yi into jail . But I would like to ask you all to
investigate Shao Shuang’s death . Situ Yi is definitely a psychopathic serial
killer . Please catch him . ”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a second before lifting his gaze towards him, “Situ
Yi can’t rid himself of being connected to these few cases that you have
committed either . ”
Shao Lun is stunned .
Chatterbox explains, “There’s something that you probably didn’t know . The
first three victims were actually tortured by Situ Yi . After you stalked him
for a long while, it caught his attention . I’m afraid that every move you
made was all under his control . He installed cameras in your home and
added sleeping medicine to your water, especially wine . Therefore, every
time you brought a woman home and drank wine, you fell asleep . He then
snuck in and tortured the woman in your place . At the end of it, he put the
weapon in your hand, making you think that you did it . Only during the last
victim, since he was under watch by the police, he was probably only able to
stay home and watch you commit the crime . ”
Shao Lun’s eyes open wide .
“We’ve already found the footages in his house that recorded the whole
process,” Han Chen says, “Therefore, he will also be charged this time .
Additionally, we will thoroughly investigate the previous missing girls’ cases,
including Ruan Shao Shuang’s . He won’t be able to escape . ”
Shao Lun’s facial expression changes a few times: shock, self-depreciating,

beyond belief, resentment, relief……in the end, he returns to calmness .
Slowly, he smiles blankly .
“One last question,” Xu Nan Bai speaks, “When you tortured and killed those
girls, did you feel a sense of happiness deep down inside?”
Shao Lun keeps quiet for a long long time before answering, “No . I only felt
numb . ”
_____
They’ve spent quite a long time interrogating Shao Lun . The Black Shield
Team takes a short break in the monitor room before preparing for their next
session to interrogate the main suspect: Situ Yi .
Everyone is sitting in front of the desk at break time watching the surveillance
video . They found it last night while they searched Situ Yi’s place . He must
have seen the police raiding Shao Lun’s home and discovering the cameras,
so he got in his car immediately and tried to leave the province . He erased
some of the videos on the hard drive, as well as breaking his laptop .
Unfortunate to him that their IT person was able to recover the hard drive
successfully this morning . And besides finding the videos related to these
few cases, they also find videos on previous cases showing the entire process
of how he tortured and killed the victims . The evidence is irrefutable . It’s
impossible for him to escape now .
Chatterbox sighs, “Xiao Bai said previously that purses as souvenirs are not
personal enough for Situ Yi . It seems to be the case . This fellow sure is a
psychopath . He recorded the whole process so that he could enjoy them over
and over again . This is the best souvenir, isn’t it? And expensive purses are
indeed only suitable for Shao Lun as souvenirs . ”
No one comments .
The videos for the more recent cases are actually blank most of the time . It’s
because Shao Lun rarely stayed at the farmhouse . He would only bring his
“preys” there . Cold Face fast-forwards the video . They see Shao Lun fall
asleep after drinking wine . The woman looks around in fright as she calls for
help, but no one responds to her .
Until Situ Yi walks in .
The woman’s face immediately shows a surprised and joyous expression .
And then her expression quickly turns into disbelief and is full of fright again
. It’s because Situ Yi is smiling slightly while holding a torture instrument
and walking towards her .
……
The events that follow are unbearable for the investigators to watch, so they
turn it off .
_____
The interrogation session is to be carried out by Qin Wen Long and Cold
Face; Xu Nan Bai is participating as a listener like before .
In the interrogation room, Situ Yi, who was arrested in the middle of the
night, is smiling politely as usual looking like a gentleman .
The moment everyone sits down, he speaks . His words are enough to shock
everyone .
“I admit to everything . These were all done by me . I confess . I will also

tell you the location of the previous dead bodies and cooperate with your
investigations, as well as the trial . But, I don’t want to talk about my past .
And I will not answer anything that is personal . ”
In the next few hours, regardless of what Qin Wen Long asks, his smile
remains as he answers everything related to his crimes, but he keeps his
mouth tight about his past .
At the end of it, just when he is handcuffed and is about to be led away, he
takes a look at Qin Wen Long and the others, “Oh right, please tell him for
me: he imitated me very well . Tell him not to hate me anymore . It wasn’t
me who chose Ruan Shao Shuang . It was fate . ”
_____
At night, the police start digging in places where Situ Yi had provided . They
really do find five female bodies which have already turned into skeletons .
Many months later, both Situ Yi and Shao Lun will be sentenced to death, but
this is all in the future .
It’s several days later and after working hard for one day and night, this case
can finally be deemed resolved for the time being . It’s already the morning
of the next day when the Black Shield Team makes it back to the city after
digging up the bodies .
Cold Face and Chatterbox are riding in Han Chen’s car . The sky isn’t fully
lit yet . Cold Face and Chatterbox are sleeping in the back seat . Han Chen’s
jacket collar is flipped up to help block off the cool morning breeze . His
eyes are bright as he drives quietly . After a while, he looks down at his
phone beside him .
The phone contains a few text messages from Jin Xi yesterday . She first
reported to him that her wounds were already a lot better . She then asked
him about the progress of the case . At night time, she sent him another text
to say goodnight . But he had been busy throughout the day so he wasn’t able
to respond much to her . He simply sent back: “Going well . Wait for me to
come home . Be good . ”
Thinking about it, he smiles slightly . And thinking about her waiting for him
at home as she recovers from her wounds, a bit of sweetness and softness
spread inside his heart .
As he passes by a supermarket, a thought springs into his mind: perhaps he

should go buy a certain item today .
His phone rings . The crisp sound of the ring tune wakes up the two in the
back seat immediately . They both raise their heads and sit up straight .
Han Chen takes a peek at the name flashing on the screen, and his face turns
cold right away . The phone continues to ring relentlessly . He finally puts
his earphones on, picks up the call and says in a cold voice, “What’s the
matter?”
—End of Arc 3—


Chapter 77
Chapter 77
Chapter 77: The Second Person Part 1
Su Mian .
Su Mian .
My……Su Mian .
A low male voice resonates in her head . Her eyes are closed as she scrunches
her eyebrows .
Who is he calling for? Who is Su Mian?
Who is…she?
……
In the confusing dream, the feeling of pain and suffocation comes back again .
But this time, the images that she sees are clearer than before .
She sees a blazing fire blocking everything in view;
She sees the airwaves from the explosion reaching her as if it could swallow
the whole pacific ocean;
The earth is collapsing, and her soul is screaming in despair……
And then, she sees Han Chen .
“Su Mian!” he runs toward her .

He’s wearing a police uniform . His handsome and prominent face is full of
fright and pain .
And then he embraces her . In the next second, a giant blast throws them out
ruthlessly .
“Ahhh——” she hears herself cry from pain .
And then she lifts her head and sees Han Chen’s eyes closed as he has fainted
.
“Han Chen! Han Chen!” she calls his name with all her might but can’t make
a sound . Eventually, the feeling of pain and haziness seems to engulf her .
She finally closes her eyes .
Unacceptable . She really can’t accept this .
She refuses to die just like this .
She refuses to accept that Han Chen will lose his life like this!
Even if she dies, she still wishes for him to live on!
Amid the blurriness, she sees the smokes and fire being put out gradually .
And a few figures are coming toward them calmly behind the fire .
……
“Ahhh——” Bai Jin Xi sits up suddenly as she gasps for air repressively .
She opens her eyes and stares at the familiar setting . She then realizes that
her face is already covered in tears .
What is this dream? She wipes her tears away and rubs her forehead .
Ever since the attack at the farmhouse, these scattered images and voices have
been popping up in her mind every now and then . It’s probably because the
same feeling of suffocation before death has woken the memories that have
been sleeping deep inside her mind for a long time . And in this dream,
they’ve become clearer and she could hear Han Chen calling her clearly——
“Su Mian?” she repeats the name slowly with uncertainty .
Her heart pounds hard .
And according to the doctor back then, she and her parents were in a fire
accident . But in the dream, there was only Han Chen and a few strangers .
This reality is too horrifying . She’s sitting in a cozy room by herself, but all
she can feel are bursts of chills .
She walks out of the room after a long while . The moment she enters the
living room, she sees Zhou Xiao Zhuan sprawled across the couch drooling .
She smiles slightly and then walks to the kitchen still immersed in her heavy
thoughts . She makes two simple bowls of noodles before kicking the couch,
“Get up and eat breakfast . ”
Xiao Zhuan rubs his eyes sitting up, “Leader still hasn’t come back yet? How
much longer do I have to be the knight in shining armor?” Now that he says
this, Jin Xi looks up at the clock on the wall . It’s already past 9am .
“He’s probably not done with dealing with the case,” she says, “Haven’t they
been digging up the bodies the whole night?”
They start eating sitting across from each other .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan notices something odd very quickly; Bai Jin Xi is
especially quiet today . It must be because of the wound on her neck or not
being in a good mood after being attacked . Afraid that she would feel bored,
he smiles with his eyes squinting after eating for a while, “Xiao Bai, how do
you feel for being kept in a golden house (idiom, usually refers to the place
where you’re hiding/letting your mistress live in)?”
Jin Xi presses her lips together into a smile, “Golden house my a–! We’ve got
nothing to hide . ”
“Heh! Who’s been dodging and covering it up all day in the office and even
have to get off the car two blocks away in the morning?” he teases her
intentionally . He then sighs, “But Leader is really a good guy . Just look at
him . He’s handsome, tall, and has a great background . His love is also so
loyal to you… . I can’t believe a young master of Beijing has wandered
helplessly all these years because of you . ”
Jin Xi is indeed pleased to hear him say all this . Her eyebrows also relax .
Xiao Zhuan thinks for a moment . He retreats his smile and says in a serious
manner, “But I think he likes you so much that he’s at his limit Please treat
him well from now on and try not to throw too many tantrums . ”
Jin Xi swallows a mouthful of noodles and asks him slowly, “How do you
know that he likes me so much that he’s at his limit?”
Xiao Zhuan picks up a mouthful of noodles with his chopsticks, “Yesterday

morning before he left, he sat at the side of your bed for a long time . Those
eyes……dang, he even held up your hand and kissed it repeatedly . I wasn’t
trying to peek, but he didn’t close the door . Furthermore, he didn’t even
bother talking to me as if I was invisible . ” He glances at her, “Before, I
thought Forensic Investigator Xu was crazy in love enough . But I just
realized yesterday that even though Leader is usually unruly, he’s actually
more crazy in love than Forensic Investigator Xu . It’s right that you’re
together with Leader . ”
Jin Xi doesn’t know what to say .
But in her mind, she’s picturing the image that Xiao Zhuan has just described
.
She also recalls the words he said when they first got together: “I’ve always
remembered your existence . I’ve searched for you every day and every year
. But how come you never once thought about me?”
It seems like his love for her is greater than her love for him?
Her heart softens as she says in a stuffy voice, “Actually, I also feel that I like
him more and more . I like him so much . ”
To Xiao Zhuan, these words are definitely too sappy to his ears . He bursts
out laughing, and Jin Xi grabs the tissue box and throws it at him .
“Oh right,” he becomes serious again as he mentions another thing to her,

“There’s something that I have to tell you . It’s bad news . You know how
we found the cameras in Shao Lun’s house and not long after, we sent people
to search Situ Yi’s place? But when our people got there, the footage of when
you got attacked was already erased . The IT department replied back saying
that it could not be recovered . Situ Yi said that he wasn’t the one who erased
it . He was busy packing up to flee at the time so he didn’t pay attention to
who it was in the video . ”
Jin Xi stirs the bowl of noodles slowly with her chopsticks and doesn’t pick
up any noodles to eat .
“You didn’t see the attacker’s face at all?” Xiao Zhuan asks .
Jin Xi shakes her head answering, “The person was just as skillful as me,” she
pauses and then says coldly, “I won’t give up until I take revenge . ”
Xiao Zhuan slaps the table, “That’s right! This is how we should be!”
“Ding Dong——” the doorbell rings .
They look at each other in the eyes . Xiao Zhuan asks whispering, “Who is
it?”
“How would I know? This is Han Chen’s home . ”
Xiao Zhuan gets up, walks over, takes a look through the peephole and says
feeling perplexed, “It’s a colleague from the Forensic Department . I think his
surname is Tan . What’s he doing here?”
“Team Leader Han! Team Leader Han!” the person on the outside knocks on
the door .
Jin Xi gets up as well and walks to the door . She stands leaning against the
wall and makes eye contact with Xiao Zhuan . Xiao Zhuan opens a crack
with the door and says smiling to the person, “Tan Ge (“Big Brother Tan”, a
polite way to address someone older), what do you need my leader for?”
Tan Ge is a bit surprised seeing Xiao Zhuan, “Aren’t you Xiao Zhuan? How
come you’re here?”
“Oh! Leader is still working on a case and hasn’t come back yet . I have his
keys and he told me to come fetch him some documents,” Xiao Zhuan
answers smoothly .
Tan Ge lets out an “oh” and says feeling puzzled, “But I passed by your office
just now and everybody was gone already . I called Han Chen’s cell phone
and couldn’t get through so that’s why I brought these over to his home here .
” He hands over a small box in his hands, “Can you put it in his home then?”
Xiao Zhuan takes it, “What is it?” Jin Xi takes a look at the box and is a bit
stunned .
Tan Ge answers, “Han Chen sent this to our department a few days ago and
asked us to cut and analyze it . It seemed to be something important to him,
so once I got the results, I wanted to give it to him right away . Anyway, keep
it safe . I’m leaving now . ”


Chapter 78
Chapter 78
Chapter 78: The Second Person Part 2
Jin Xi opens the box .
It indeed contains her lump of black necklace . It’s just that the pendant has
been cut into five pieces . Although the outside is black, it’s silver white
inside . There’s an analysis report under the box .
Xiao Zhuan picks up the report and starts reading, “Composition: platinum .
Due to heavy impacts and reaction with other chemical materials, its color
has changed and morphed into a different shape……”
Jin Xi fiddles with the five pieces and takes a closer look at them in the light .
She can make out a few blurry marks .
“S……hea……my……” she murmurs .
Xiao Zhuan continues to read, “After analysis, the characters engraved on the
inside of the platinum are……”
“s;hmyheart,” Jin Xi says it out before he does .
She lowers her head while grasping the pieces in her hand .
s;hmyheart .
h;sforeverlove .
Su Mian and Han Chen; my true heart .
Han Chen and Su Mian; forever in love .
Xiao Zhuan panics a bit seeing her like this, “What’s wrong? Why are your
eyes red?”
Jin Xi sniffs her nose and raises her head, “I’m fine . ” She takes out the
phone and calls Han Chen .
At this moment, she wants to see him right away .
“Ring——ring——ring——Hello, the number you have dialed is

unavailable… . . ” Jin Xi puts the phone down . She recalls that Tan Ge was
also unable to reach him just now, and he’s also not at the office . Did
something urgent come up?
She dials Cold Face’s number .
She gets through after a few rings . Cold Face picks up with a hoarse voice as
if he has been sleeping, “Xiao Bai, what’s up?”
“Cold Face, is Han Chen with you?”
Cold Face seems to be stunned as his voice becomes serious, “He didn’t go
back? He started driving home four hours ago . ”
Jin Xi is also stunned . She and Xiao Zhuan look at each other, “No, he
hasn’t come back yet . What happened?”
Cold Face tries to remember the situation and answers, “It was 5am when we
came back to the city from the suburbs . Chatterbox and I rode in his car . He
dropped us off at the office building and didn’t say if he was heading
somewhere else . Could he have returned to the office again?”
“No,” Jin Xi starts to feel uneasy all of a sudden, “Xiao Tan from the forensic
department came by saying that he didn’t see anyone at the office . Where
could he have gone to then? He didn’t say anything at all?”
Cold Face feels his heart skip a beat as he responds, “I remember that he
picked up a phone call . I think it was from Xin Jia . He didn’t say much .
He said ‘okay’ at the end and hung up . ”
Jin Xi’s eyes are wide open, “Xin Jia?”

Jin Xi is in a daze after hanging up . The phone is still in her hand as she
tightens and loosens her grip on it . Xiao Zhuan tries to comfort her seeing
her like this, “Don’t worry . Xin Jia must be clinging onto Leader again .
Leader must have gone to clear things up with her to stop her from bothering
you guys . ”
Jin Xi shakes her head firmly, “That’s not possible . Han Chen doesn’t even
want to talk to Xin Jia about anything . And base on Xin Jia’s personality, do
you think that it would be of any use even if Han Chen talked to her?”
“Then……”
Jin Xi bites on her lower lip .
She doesn’t know why, but her heart is pounding hard . This is too strange .
Why has Han Chen disappeared suddenly? Why can he not be reached on
his cell phone? She had just been attacked a few days ago, and now she can’t
contact Han Chen . Although these two things don’t seem to have any
connections, she has a very strong bad feeling about all of this .
“Han Chen might be in trouble!” she grabs her coat and leaves, “I need to go
find him!”
_____
An hour later at the Black Shield Team’s office .
Not only Jin Xi and Xiao Zhuan are here, Chatterbox and Cold Face have also
rushed over . They split up to search for Han Chen . And as time passes, Han
Chen’s cell phone is still unreachable . This makes Jin Xi feel more and more
restless .
“I’ve found it!” Xiao Zhuan shouts in excitement .
Everybody hovers in front of the computer screen . It’s showing an image of

a surveillance camera on the road . It’s from 6:10am this morning . There are
very few cars on the road, so it’s easy to spot Han Chen’s Land Rover, as well
as its license plate .
Han Chen is in the driver’s seat . There’s also a woman sitting in the back .
Although the image is from rather far away and they can’t make out the face
clearly, they can still recognize that it’s Xin Jia .
“This road goes to the South Suburbs . Besides factories, it’s a mountain area
. What are they doing there?” Xiao Zhuan murmurs .
“Xiao Zhuan, continue looking,” Jin Xi says coldly with her eyes fixed on the
screen, “We must find the places that they’ve passed by, where they’ve been
to, and where they are now!”
“Okay!”
Besides Jin Xi, everybody’s expression has turned serious . It’s because this
all just seems to be too strange .
A criminal investigator knocks on the door, comes in and reports, “We’ve sent
someone to Xin Jia’s home and school to check things out, and we didn’t find
her . Furthermore, the school says that she had requested for extended leave
yesterday . ”
Jin Xi doesn’t say a word . Xiao Zhuan shivers with the image of the way
Xin Jia looks at Han Chen every time; that fanatic yet resentful gaze .
“Extended leave? What is she doing requesting for extended leave?” he

murmurs .
The investigator pauses before saying, “Another thing . I’m not sure if it’s
related to what you guys are looking for currently . Just now, the school
reported to us that last night, a bottle of gas from their pharmacology lab went
missing . They just discovered this in the morning . ”
Chatterbox is an expert in tracing evidence, so he naturally has studied

pharmacology . He raises his head immediately hearing this, “Gas? What
kind of gas?”
The investigator flips through the papers and answers, “It’s called hkn5-3 .
It’s mainly for cancer research . But it is poisonous itself although it won’t
cause death . However, if you inhale a small amount of it, it can cause you to
become unconscious and nauseous . If you inhale a large amount of it, it will
cause serious damage to the nerve center and be in a vegetative state . But
this gas evaporates very quickly and is also very strong . It basically can only
be effective in a sealed room . Therefore, we have already notified our
superiors and are increasing the security checks at subways and other transit
locations . And we have started our search for this missing poisonous gas . ”
The investigator leaves . The four members of the Black Shield Team all look
at each other .
“Such a coincidence? This can’t be related to Xin Jia, can it?” Chatterbox
says in a low voice .
“That’s possible,” Jin Xi says slowly .
“But, Xin Jia likes Leader,” Xiao Zhuan’s expression changes, “Could that
saying be true? If she can’t have him, she will destroy him?”
Jin Xi’s facial expression is already full of coldness . She grabs the car keys
on the table and dashes out . Chatterbox and Cold Face exchange gazes and
then follows .
“Xiao Zhuan, find out their actual location and let us know right away!” Cold
Face shouts .
“Okay!”
Jin Xi runs down the stairs .
When it comes to Han Chen, Xin Jia has always been very prejudice about it .
She and Han Chen being together must have caused a big emotional impact
on Xin Jia . And if these emotions accumulate to a point where it causes her
to collapse and lose all hope, what would Xin Jia do?
Jin Xi can almost analyze the possibilities right away . The outcome that Xin
Jia wants: she will definitely use some sort of unknown thing to lure Han
Chen to leave with her . And then she will set up a trap to poison Han Chen
and make him be in a vegetative state .
And then?
And then she’ll definitely take him away; away from Bai Jin Xi and disappear
in front everybody .
This way, he who has lost all his consciousness and lives like the dead will
forever be hers .
Even though she knows that with Han Chen’s skills, it wouldn’t be easy for
him to take the bait, just thinking of the possibility makes her breathing
become uneasy .
_____
Han Chen did indeed receive a phone call from Xin Jia four hours ago and has
gone to meet up with her .
The details of the phone call were completely unexpected .
“Han Chen, I want to see you . In three minutes, I’ll wait for you at the XXX
road . ”
He didn’t even bother to respond and was about to hang up, but he then heard
her say clearly and slowly, “Han Chen, come and see me . This is your only
chance, and it will also be our last time seeing each other . I know everything
about the past . I know why you two lost your memories, and I know why
you were separated . I also know……who wanted to harm you guys . ”
Han Chen felt his heart pound . His breathing also became quick .
After a moment, he asked, “Why should I believe you?”
Xin Jia stayed quiet for a long while as if she wanted to laugh at herself .
She answered softly, “Because I was also one of the serial killers back then . ”


Chapter 79
Chapter 79
Chapter 79: Poisonous Beauty Part 1
The mountain road at daybreak is meandering and quiet . Beautiful and dense
trees stand on both sides . On top of the mountain is the azureous and
brightly lit sky .
Han Chen drives for another while before saying, “We’re already at Mount
Heming . Are you going to tell me or not?”
Xin Jia has been staring at his side profile from the backseat . Her gaze is
obsessive and a sense of not wanting to let go . She answers softly, “Continue
further ahead . You’ll see a white colored house . Let’s stop there . ”
Han Chen doesn’t speak anymore . From Xin Jia’s angle, his face is like a
statue, not showing any bit of emotion . His pitch black pupils are beautiful
and mesmerizing as always . Her nose feels sour suddenly . She sniffs lightly
and says with a slight smile, “Han Chen, I have a flight tonight to return to
Beijing . I’ve already agreed to dad’s request and will marry the department
head’s son . He has had a crush on me for a long time . From now on, you
don’t need to worry about me bothering you anymore . ”
Han Chen’s hands are still on the wheel and he doesn’t comment . And in the
woods ahead, the shape of a house appears .
“My biggest dream in life is to be with you . Now that she’s back, my dream
is shattered . But at least leave me the remnants of my dream,” she unbuckles
the seatbelt . She then says looking out the window, “Accompany me for a
day and I’ll tell you everything that I know about back then . Don’t worry, I
won’t make you do anything that will betray her . I just want to have some
meals and chat with you . Just like a friend, okay?”
Han Chen stops the car in front of the house . He doesn’t turn his head back
or answer her . Instead, he says in a cold voice, “If you were really one of the
serial killers, do you think that I would let you go?”
Xin Jia smiles, opens the door and walks toward the house .
“Do as you wish . You won’t find any evidence . The evidence from the past
has long been erased . ”
Han Chen looks at her in silence .
She’s wearing a white jacket and a pair of coffee brown trousers with her long
hair down resting on her shoulders today . From behind, she is still the quiet,
slender and graceful girl . Now that he thinks more carefully, in the past four-
plus years, he has never really paid attention to her . He has pretty much
never really looked at her for real and hasn’t spoken much to her either . She
isn’t much different from the other girls who surround him: clinging on
obstinately and melancholy, as if she’s a woman who’s petty and low .
Han Chen opens the door and walks over as well .
Xin Jia fetches the key, opens the door and turns around to look at him . Her
eyes are a bit red but her face is showing a sweet smile, “Han Chen, the first
thing that I want to tell you is: Bai Jin Xi is not called Bai Jin Xi . Her real
name is Su Mian . As for other things, come inside with me and I’ll tell you
everything slowly . ” She goes in leaving the door open for him .
Han Chen is a little stunned .
Su Mian .
s .
He raises his head to take a look at the house . The building is rather new;
most likely built within the last few years . It’s a western style . There’s a
lawn in the front with some flowers planted; there’s even a swing in the
garden at the back of the house . Beside the swing, two bikes are standing;
one for men, and one for women . The windows in the living room are open
where he can just make out the flowers on the windowsill as well as some of
the furniture inside .
Han Chen stays quiet for a few seconds before following her inside . He
walks slow and steady while his bright eyes are constantly looking around .
A pair of male slippers and a pair of female slippers are placed side by side in
the foyer . Xin Jia changes into the pair of female slippers, bends down and
puts the male slippers in front of him . Han Chen glances at her and doesn’t
put them on . He walks past her directly and enters the place .
Xin Jia’s mind goes blank staring at the soft black male slippers in her hand .
After a moment of silence, she puts them back where they were .
“I come here every week,” she says softly behind him, “and today, you’re
finally willing to come . ”
Han Chen walks into the living room and stops . It’s because of the wall-full
of picture frames hanging inside .
They’re actually all him and Xin Jia’s photos together .
There are photos of them together when they were little . Han Chen has seen
them at home before, so he’s not surprised . Like the one showing a group of
children playing in the yard together, she and he are both among them . She
looks just like an obedient girl standing beside him, while he’s standing there
with a cold expression . And there’s also one showing his whole family .
She’s also standing on the side being hugged by his mom .
There are photos of him after growing up . There’s one showing him lying in
a hospital bed; this must be from during the year he was in a coma . She’s
snuggling beside him on the bed holding his hand and is looking at him
infatuated .
But the photos further down causes Han Chen to freeze .
It’s because they’re all photoshopped photos——
He and Xin Jia standing by the river . In the dim lighting, his expression is
stiff while she has a sweet smile on her face . There’s a photo of them sitting
on the same bed at an extravagant hotel; another one showing him hugging
her from behind and snuggling closely together on the observation level of a
mountain……these photos are laughable and stiff like a puppet show . It’s
because they’re either pieced together with a cutout of his police ID card
photo or from younger photos of him . The one with them hugging is actually
just their heads keyed onto somebody else’s body .
Han Chen feels a sense of nausea from seeing them . He says with an even
colder voice, “What is the purpose of all this?”
But Xin Jia doesn’t answer . It’s as if she didn’t hear him, she turns around to
go into the kitchen . Her voice is gentle as always, “I prepared the food
yesterday . They’re in the fridge and it’ll just take a few minutes to warm
them up in the microwave . They’re all your favorite dishes . Just sit on the
couch and wait a bit . ”
Han Chen doesn’t take a seat .
He’s standing in the middle of the living room taking another look around .
His eyes land on the bedroom .
There’s a double sized bed as well as a crib . The bedroom is brightly lit, so
he can see clearly two life-sized baby dolls lying in the crib; one boy and one
girl with sunlight reflecting on their obsidian eyes . Their faces are smiling as
if they’re looking naively and sincerely back at him .
A phrase that Bai Jin Xi said before suddenly springs into his mind——
This person has already become a psychopath .
_____
About a couple of tens of kilometers away on the road, a police car is

speeding through the traffic .
“Mount Heming!” Chatterbox hangs up and roars, “Xiao Zhuan found it .

Leader’s car last appeared on the main road to Mount Heming . ”
Cold Face keeps quiet but steps on the acceleration pedal .
Jin Xi dials Han Chen’s cell phone again, but it is still unreachable . She
clutches the phone and stares out the window with her eyes full of coldness .
Xin Jia, if you dare to harm Han Chen, I will definitely not let you off!
_____
Han Chen and Xin Jia are sitting across from each other at the table .
Han Chen is looking down at the dazzling dishes but is still quiet . Xin Jia
scoops two bowls of steamy rice and puts one in front of him .
She picks up her own bowl, holds up her chopsticks and reveals a smile filled
with happiness, “You’ve already come all the way here with me . Just have a
meal with me . This is my second request . ”
Han Chen’s arms are still resting on the armrests and has no intentions to
move .
“I won’t eat this meal . Xin Jia, there’s a limit to my patience . ”
Xin Jia smiles drearily . She lowers her head and starts stuffing food into her
mouth .
“It’s okay . If you won’t eat, it’s fine as long as you sit here to accompany
me,” she says slowly, “Su Mian is a top graduated student from the ‘05
criminal psychology program of our National Public Security University . ”
Han Chen’s expression is still like frozen as he looks at her without a word .
She eats a little bit before putting down her bowl and chopsticks . She then
throws all of the food including the plates and bowls into the garbage can .
She walks to the sink to wash her hands and turns her head to look at him
smiling, “Okay, I’m done eating . Come play on the swing with me, okay?
That’s the third thing that I want to do with you . ”
Han Chen follows her out to the back of the house .
The frame of the swing is entangled with green vines that are blossoming with
little white flowers . They’re peaceful and beautiful in the sunlight . Xin Jia
sits on the swing, turns her head and looks at him, “Can you give me a push?”
“No,” Han Chen is standing two to three meters away from her as he says
cooly .
Xin Jia turns her head back and stares at the ground . She starts swaying on
the swing slowly, “Then I won’t tell you anything . ”
“That’s enough!” Han Chen walks over, grasps her wrist and pulls her off of
the swing, “Come to the station with me . ”
Xin Jia staggers as he pulls her in the direction of the car . But she smiles
suddenly and says, “Han Chen and Su Mian were involved in the same
explosion case five years ago . They were both in a coma for a year before
waking up, and they both lost their memories at the same time . The only
thing I want is for you to spend a day with me . If we go to the station, I
won’t tell you anything . Han Chen, are you sure you’ll be fine with that?”
Han Chen pauses his footsteps . He turns around to look at her . His grip on
her wrist tightens causing her eyebrows to frown from the pain, yet she seems
to be smiling even happier than before .
“Why was my and her condition exactly the same?” he asks in a cold voice .


Chapter 80
Chapter 80
Chapter 80: Poisonous Beauty Part 2
Xin Jia shakes her head, “That’s something that we cannot explain . Perhaps
it’s because you two were at the same explosion point and experienced the
exact same impact and damage . Or maybe because you both were given the
same injection to induce nerve paralysis . ”
Han Chen’s expression becomes even colder . He pushes her arm away
causing her to fall sitting on the ground . He walks over looking down at her,
“Who’s behind all of this? Who is your leader?”
Xin Jia gets up from the ground and looks at him with her head tilting
upwards .
Han Chen is extremely scary like this; it’s also why it makes her heart ache
yet infatuated with him . His expression is so cold that it seems as if a layer
of frost is glazed over it . He’s covered in animosity; as if no one can get
close to him . And in the past few years that he lost Su Mian, he has always
been like this .
“I will never answer that question,” she says softly, “You guys experienced
great losses due to what happened, but we also fell apart at the same time .
Neither side won the battle and many lives were taken . And after that, you
guys weren’t the only ones who were sent into exile . ”
Her explanation is unclear . Han Chen’s eyes continue to stare at her

gloomily without a word .
She pats away the dirt on her pants, fixes her hair and walks to the bikes in
her usual gentle and graceful manner .
“Come and fulfill my fourth request . Let’s ride our bikes,” she says, “I’ll
take you to a place . ”
She pauses and then says, “It’s a place that you’ll definitely want to visit . ”
Han Chen watches her frail back view, follows her and gets on the other bike .
She finally reveals a smile .
“Xin Jia,” he looks directly into her eyes, “why did you get involved with
them? Why did you become a serial killer?”
Xin Jia remains silent for a few seconds grasping the bike handles .
“Yeah, a girl like me with a great family background, great looks and
everything in other people’s eyes, and has grown up with others revolving
around me, why did I become like them? Han Chen, there are actually many
things that are not what they seem . Many people also don’t live as happily as
they seem . It was them who discovered me and saved me . You will never
understand these things, as well as them . And I’m just one of their weakest
and inferior members who can only assist them . Perhaps I can’t even be
considered as a qualified serial killer . But they still treat me very well, so
I’m willing to be with them . That is truly giving freedom to our souls . ”
_____
In the afternoon, the sun warms up the forest while cool breezes blow . Xin
Jia’s expression is calm as she rides her bike, pointing out some of the trees,
flowers, and grasses to Han Chen . Han Chen remains quiet as he observes
her every move riding behind her .
They’re traveling farther and farther away from the white house, and the
forest is becoming denser . There is no more paved road ahead of them; they
brush past leaves, branches as they ride through the forest .
Finally, a small log house appears in front of them . It looks very dated and
like a house of a forest ranger . On the trail nearby, there is an old ranger
vehicle parked there . It must have been driven from the other side of the
mountain .
Xin Jia parks her bike beside a big tree, turns around and says smiling, “This
is an abandoned log house . No one will come . Thank you, Han Chen . You
probably don’t remember that the last time we rode a bike together was when
we were twelve . Your mom told you to accompany me, but you were
unwilling to, so you disappeared midway . This time, we rode all the way to
the destination together . Everything that you’ve done with me today is very
important to me . Even if I’ll become someone else’s wife, I will forever
remember today for the rest of my life . ”
Her expression is gentle as if she’s very satisfied with the outcome .
Han Chen looks at her with both of his hands in his pockets . His face isn’t as
cold as before, but he’s still quiet and hard to read .
“What else do you want to do?” he asks impassively .
Xin Jia’s hands resting on the sides of her body ball into fists slowly . Her
cheeks also show a bit of red .
“Han Chen, the last thing that I want you to do is——hug me . Just give me a
hug,” she looks up at him and fetches another key from her pocket, “and I’ll
give you the key to this log house . There are some documents about the case
back then inside . I can’t tell you who they are, but I can let you understand
the context of the case . ”
Han Chen glances at the log house and then shifts his gaze back to her, “What
is your motive for doing this?”
She laughs sarcastically, “This is too funny . I’m just hoping that you’ll back
away and stop here . It’s because I don’t want you to die, even if you insist
on being with Su Mian . ” She hugs her shoulders and lowers her head, “Hug
me please, Han Chen . Just hug me once, like a friend . ”
It’s quiet everywhere around them .
Xin Jia can sense his eyes staring at her . Her heart is racing as she waits for
his final verdict .
Will he…hug her? In this life for just this once, even if it’s between friends,
would he give her a hug out of pity?
After a moment of silence, he speaks:

“Xin Jia, I will never hug you . Give me the key . Or do you want me to
come get it?”
Xin Jia stares at the empty space between them . The area is covered with
dried leaves .
She then slowly and gradually smiles . She jerks her head up, “Han Chen!
Do you like her that much? You like her so much that you don’t care about
your own life? You like her so much that you aren’t even willing to take a
look at another woman? But I’ve had a crush on you for so many years, Han
Chen . Ever since I was little, I’ve had a crush on you for twenty years, Han
Chen! Do you really not feel any of it?”
She lifts her arm preparing to throw the key away, but Han Chen is quicker;
he dashes over and snatches the key from her . Her tears begin to flow . She
drops to the ground with her palms covering her face .
Han Chen ignores her with a cold face . He takes the key and walks to the log
house . His gleaming eyes scan the log house quickly .
The house is very old . At least ten years . It’s just like what she said; it’s
been abandoned for a long while . But she must have come and tidied up not
long ago . A white wool carpet lies at the entrance . The roof has also been
replaced with new white tiles . The windows are closed, but the frames are
very new . The glasses are also very clean; he can see what’s inside of the
house clearly: a small bed and a bookshelf . Based on what she said, those
documents should be somewhere in there .
Han Chen peeks inside the house for a while before lowering his arm with the
key in his hand .
He turns around and looks at Xin Jia who’s a couple of steps away .
And Xin Jia is also staring at him covered in tears .
Han Chen stuffs the key into his pocket while she watches . He says
indifferently, “Xin Jia, the things you’ve said could all be known by anyone
who had been involved in the past . All you’ve done and acted is just to make
me believe that you have documents of the case . You’re completely
disheartened and have become an infatuated woman with a mental state that is
no longer normal——your goal is to lure me into this house?”
Xin Jia eyes freeze, and her whole body becomes stiff .
Han Chen walks down the stairs and towards her .
“You probably won’t kill me . You just want to have me . What have you
hidden inside of the house? You know my skills, so you know that you must
take control of me the moment I walk inside . Therefore, is it a trap or
poisonous gas?”


Chapter 81
Chapter 81
Chapter 81: A Seven Member Organization Part 1
This area of the forest is tranquil and cold . Xin Jia is leaning against a big
tree while sitting in a pile of dried leaves . The tears blur her vision . Only
Han Chen’s figure stands out and draws her attention .
“Han Chen……Han Chen……” she calls out his name over and over again .
Every time she says his name, she can feel the emotions rippling in her heart;
it’s sweet yet painful . But Han Chen is standing a few meters away; his
expression is as cold as ice with not a tinge of gentleness . She realizes the
reality again: his heart is made of steel!
Gradually, her heart becomes still .
It’s as if it is sinking in ice-cold water and will never waver again .
She watches him . Her face looks as if she’s about to cry yet she wants to
smile at the same time:
“How did you know? That this was my real goal?”
Han Chen has his eyes fixed on her facial expressions . He seems very calm .
He walks steadily towards her .
“The moment I saw you today, I realized that something was not right,” he
says, “You normally only wear dresses . Whether it’s meeting up with me, in
past photos, or in the photoshopped photos . You only wore dresses . But
today, you wore pants . ”
His eyes sweep across her pair of long pants, “If today is really an important
anniversary to you, why would you not be wearing your favorite dress?
Based on common sense, there’s only one explanation: pants are more
convenient . ”
Xin Jia is stunned as she looks down on her pants . After a moment, she
reveals a self-depreciating smile, “Even this……can’t escape your eyes……”
Han Chen is now standing beside her . He looks down at her, “In the white
colored house just now, all the windows were open . This log house has also
been cleaned up by you, but the windows are closed tight . Furthermore, all
the windows are newly installed . Why? So that they’re more sturdy to
prevent me from escaping? Moreover, it would make more sense to open the
windows when it’s newly renovated . And……” He lifts his eyes to glance
over at the ranger vehicle parked not far away, “There’s a car there .
Therefore, the answer is obvious . ”
Everything he has said is on the mark . Xin Jia bites her lip and her fingers
are almost digging into the ground .
But Han Chen takes one step further . He squats in front of her and stares
directly at her impassively, “You used Jin Xi to lure and control me . That’s
very smart . You want me to lose my mind for caring about her too much?
That won’t happen . Loving her only makes me become calmer . It’s
because I won’t let myself lose her again . ”
He says these words softly, quickly, and ruthlessly . To Xin Jia’s ears, they’re
like heavy hammers hitting a nail in her heart fiercely . His devoted love for
that woman is the most devastating pain to her! She lets out a mournful and
oppressive shriek . She grabs her handbag, fetches a gun from inside and
points it at Han Chen!
But Han Chen moves quicker than her . He grasps her wrists with precision
while his other hand slides across like a snake to take away her gun .
And then!
Xin Jia hand flips to one side and avoids him . Even an average investigator
would not have been able to dodge him, but yet she did!
Han Chen recoils . In the next second, he lifts his hand and slaps the back of
her hand . Xin Jia fails to avoid his second strike . She moans from the pain;
the gun has already fallen out of her hand and into Han Chen’s palm .
Han Chen acts quickly . He twists his hand, locks both of her arms, takes out
his handcuffs and with the sound of a “click,” he cuffs her .
“Come back to the station with me!”
In her last attempt, Xin Jia uses all of her might to try and break free from the
shackles, “I won’t go……No!” She turns around and looks at him in full of
tears, “Han Chen……please don’t investigate it any further . Please don’t! I
beg you to stop investigating it . They won’t let you off!”
Han Chen face is glazed with coldness; he doesn’t listen to her at all . He
guides her out of the forest with her hands cuffed . But suddenly, he feels
something strange around him .
He pauses his footsteps briefly but doesn’t turn around .
The surroundings are still and quiet as usual and not a sound can be heard in
the forest . But because it’s too quiet; he can clearly sense an unknown kind
of danger .
He holds his breath .
And then, he hears a very faint sound of leaves rustling behind him .
In the speed of light, he pulls Xin Jia and dives towards a big tree beside them
. At the same time he falls to the ground, he turns his body, holds up the gun
and shoots!
But at the very next second, Xin Jia pounces forward and blocks him, making
him unable to fire his gun . She also blocks the shots from the other party!
“Bang——”
The sound of gunshot rips through the air . Xin Jia’s body jerks fiercely;
there’s a gunshot wound on her back .
Han Chen’s eyes are frozen . He pulls her back to hide behind the thicker
bushes behind the tree . He lifts his head to keep an eye on any movement
coming from the other side of the forest, “Bang, bang!” He returns two shots
.
But the other side is still and quiet . And he can’t tell if the other person is
getting ready to launch another attack or if he/she has left .
Xin Jia starts gasping for air . She holds her chest with both hands covered in
blood . Tears begin to fall again . She calls his name faintly and chokingly,
“Han Chen……Han Chen……”
Han Chen looks down at her . He takes off his jacket quickly, scrunches it
into a ball and presses it onto her wound . He says in a low voice, “Don’t talk
. Take deep breaths . ”
Xin Jia disregards his advice . She grabs his wrist, “Han Chen……listen to
me . Everything that I’ve said today is true……I’m not acting . I’m not
lying……To me, today is……really the last anniversary day . Everything
that I’ve asked for……are things that I really wanted to do with you……”
Han Chen lets her grab onto his arm . He says without any expression on his
face, “Where’s your phone? Call the ambulance!” He flips through her
handbag but doesn’t find a phone .
“No……No need……” she spats out some blood, “I……won’t survive .

Listen to me . They have……seven members……”
Han Chen pauses for a moment . His eyes are drowned in coldness as he lifts
her body off the ground, “What are you saying?”
Xin Jia’s eyes are already becoming hazy . Her body is covered with blood as
she reveals a painful and hard to make out smile, “Seven……Seven-member
organization……I’m not lying to you . I’m really one of them . I was only
responsible for making poison……and never killed anyone directly . I didn’t
dare……And, I can use……my family’s connection to help them gather……
information……Now that T and I are dead, there’s still……five members . ”
She begins to moan deeper as she speaks . Han Chen presses on her wound
carefully, “Xin Jia, who are they?!”
Xin Jia shakes her head faintly, “I can’t say……” Her expression is
mournful, “I cannot……betray them . ” She grabs Han Chen’s shirt near his
chest and whispers, “Han Chen, be careful of people around you . I love you,
ever since I was little . No one loves you more than me . ”
Her arm falls slowly to the ground, and her eyes also close .
Han Chen pauses like a statue . He lays her body on the ground lightly . And
then he raises his head and looks across the forest . The other side is already
quiet; the person has clearly left .


Chapter 85
Chapter 85
Chapter 85: Unmovable Boulder Part 1
It’s already noon when Bai Jin Xi wakes up again .
The sunlight floods the entire room . The air is permeated with the fragrance
of love . She shifts her eyes sideways and looks at Han Chen who’s lying
beside her .
He’s still sleeping . One of his arms is being used as a pillow under her head,
and his other arm is lying on top of her waist . His face is very close to her;
his features are distinct and chiseled .
Jin Xi watches him quietly in mesmerization . She stretches her neck and
pecks his cheek .
After a while, she gives a peck on his nose .
And then his mouth and neck . She then picks up his hand and kisses his
palm .
Jin Xi doesn’t want to wake him up, so her kisses are light pecks . She finally
places his hand back down and gets ready to slip out of bed, but just as she
does, someone grabs onto her arm .
“Ah!” she lets out a short scream as he pulls her back into his embrace .
She lies on top of his chest and stares at him with her eyes wide open .
It looks like he has woken up some time ago . He rests his head on one arm
while his other is grabbing her wrist . The blanket has him covered up to the
midpoint of his chest, and his eyes carry a hint of laziness; he just looks so
sexy .
“You’re done kissing me just like that? How did I kiss you last night?”
Jin XI pushes his chest away, “You were pretending to be sleeping!”
But the mentioning of last night makes Jin Xi recall the image of him planting
kisses all over her body, not leaving a single inch untouched . His eyes are
still staring at her deeply and he’s not letting go of her wrist; as if wanting her
to submit to his request . Jin Xi’s face blushes . She lets out a “hmph!” and
says, “How can I compare to you? I’m not as thirsty as you . ”
These words are too provocative . Han Chen’s eyes darken as he pulls her
wrist forcefully to make her lie on top of him just like the way they were last
night .
“It looks like I wasn’t working hard enough?” his deep voice says in a relaxed
manner .
Jin Xi doesn’t dare to provoke him again . She tries to flatter him
immediately, “Yes, yes, yes! You worked very hard . You worked especially
hard . It was enough! Definitely enough!”
Han Chen smiles . But he rubs her hand slowly and refuses to let go .
Jin Xi wants to call him a stinky scoundrel in her heart, but her mouth speaks
like a speeding train on fire, “Furthermore, look . The surface area of your
body is way bigger than mine, so how can I finish kissing it . How long
would that take? You weren’t kissing such a big area . Let’s hurry out of bed
and go eat . ”
But just like the saying: to dig one’s own grave, the moment she finishes, Han
Chen responds nonchalantly, “That makes sense . Kiss half of it then . ”
Fine! She will kiss him . It’s human nature to desire for food and sex after all
. She looks at the outline of his body and has to admit that she is bewitched
by him . She actually……wants to kiss him to satisfy herself as well .
She glances at him sideways and decides to sit on top and straddle him . Han
Chen’s gaze changes immediately . He puts both arms behind his head and
looks at her with hazy eyes .
Jin Xi lowers her head, places both hands on his chest and starts kissing his
neck . But after just two kisses, he grabs her wrist and pulls her up .
“What’s good about kissing this half?” he asks in a low voice .
Jin Xi, “……”
Scoundrel! He’s such a scoundrel!
She pushes him away with her face blushing and attempts to get off the bed .
But there’s no way that Han Chen would let her go now that she’s straddling
him . He wraps his arms around her, pulls the blanket and covers them both .
They entangle and fool around inside the covers for a good while until the
phone rings . Han Chen finally releases her and lies back down . Jin Xi
crawls out of the cover with her long hair in a mess . She glares at him with
her face red, but he laughs in satisfaction with his head down while leaning
against the headboard .
Jin Xi’s heart shivers from his laughter . She fetches the phone, takes a look,
and gives it to him, “It’s your phone ringing . Zhou Xiao Zhuan . ”
Han Chen answers in a laid-back voice, “I don’t want to pick it up . You

decide what you want to do . ”
Jin Xi stares at him with her eyes wide——this fellow! He sure is no super
detective when he’s in bed! He’s rogue, unruly, and behaves like a spoiled
young master . He’s simply a local scoundrel of Beijing!
Since it’s Xiao Zhuan calling, she doesn’t mind too much and picks up the
phone, “Hello, Xiao Zhuan . ”
Han Chen says unconcernedly by her side, “Tell him that Han Chen is busy . ”
Jin Xi darts her gaze at him but repeats his words to the phone, “……Han
Chen is busy . ”
Han Chen directs, “If there’s anything, please tell his wife . ”
Jin Xi says, “If there’s anything, please tell his w-……tell me . ” She looks at
Han Chen and scolds him softly smiling, “F–k you . ”
Han Chen smiles without a word .
The person on the other end keeps quiet for a few seconds before coughing
lightly . The sound of coughing startles Jin Xi . She then hears Qin Wen
Long’s crude voice come on, “Cough……Oh, Jin Xi, my phone ran out of
battery, so I’m calling on Xiao Zhuan’s phone . ”
Jin Xi falls silent immediately . She drops the phone and buries her head
under the covers with a wail .
Han Chen chuckles seeing her like this . He picks up the phone, “Mm,
Captain Qin……She’s at my place discussing work . ” The corners of his
mouth curve upward as he speaks .
Qin Wen Long doesn’t know what to say, “You little fellow……You little
fellow……” He then says with a vexed yet amused tone, “Work is important
. Let’s not tell everyone about you two’s relationship yet, okay?”
Han Chen smiles answering, “I understand . ”
Qin Wen Long then gets to the reason for his call, “You’re also considered as
a victim in Xin Jia’s case, so you shouldn’t be on it . Take three days off and
get some good rest . ”
“Okay,” this arrangement is what Han Chen has expected . He takes a look at
the woman who’s nested beside him, “Then let Bai Jin Xi take three days off
as well . ”
Qin Wen Long, “……” Holy shit!
Han Chen hangs up the phone and then sees Bai Jin Xi pointing her finger
shakily at him, “You’re too much! You’re too much! Why did you tell
Captain Qin that I’m also taking three days off?! That’s so bad!”
Han Chen stretches out his arm to grab her and says nonchalantly, “There’s
nothing bad about it . I’ve devoted so much of my life to investigate so many
cases in these years . If Captain Qin won’t even agree to this tiny request of
mine, can he still consider himself a man?”
On the other end, the very “manly” Qin Wen Long is looking down at the
phone while he shouts out a million swear words inside his heart! This is too
much! He’s too much! Han Chen just agreed to keep their relationship a
secret and a low profile, but then he turns around and wants Bai Jin Xi to take
leave with him for a short honeymoon?
He sighs by himself for a brief moment before walking back to the Black
Shield Team’s office . He says to the three members calm and composed,
“I’m letting Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi take a few day off . I have other things
that I have arranged for them to do . Please report your progress back to me
directly and don’t bother them, got it?”
_____
The sun is beautiful and the wind is moderate .
Bai Jin Xi is sitting with her legs crossed while tapping her fingers on the
dining table waiting for Han Chen to cook her some instant noodles .
Jin Xi was quite surprised when he said he wanted to cook just now . It’s
because they almost always eat outside and she has never seen him cook
before . Ever since the first time she stayed at his place, the kitchen has
always been spotless and not a sign of being used before .
“Are you going to be fine? Is it going to be edible?” she asks doubtfully,

“Why don’t I cook the noodles! I’m really good at cooking instant noodles . ”
He smiles, gives her a pat on the butt and makes her leave the kitchen .
After another while, she can smell the tasty fragrance of food coming from
the kitchen . Jin Xi hops off the chair full of curiosity and pushes the door
open to go inside . She sees him cutting up a tomato with his head down .
The collar of his shirt is slightly open . His long and slender fingers work
intricately on the cutting board; homie and sexy .
Two cooked eggs are placed at the side of the counter with a small bowl of
stir-fried meat sauce . There are diced chilies in the meat sauce; the redness
adds to its savoriness .
Although Jin Xi isn’t good at cooking, she is definitely a local chowhound .

She can tell he’s a very good cooker from the way he works on his dishes .
She wraps her arms around him from behind and says in full of surprise,
“They look delicious . Did I find a treasure?”
He smiles slightly, “Don’t get too excited . I only know how to cook this kind
of noodles . ”
Jin Xi sticks out her tongue and asks, “Where did you learn how to make it?”
“I supposedly learned it from my mom . Her cooking skills are formidable . ”
Hearing him mentioning his mom, Jin Xi smiles and tightens her arms around
him .
After placing the noodles on the dining table, they sit down across from each
other . Jin Xi takes a bite . It’s so good that she almost bites her tongue .
“You’re amazing!” she exclaims, “You lost your memory, yet you remember
how to cook noodles, and they’re so good . ”
Han Chen picks some with his chopsticks, starts eating slowly and answers,
“It must be because a certain someone loved eating it before . ”
Jin Xi asks curiously, “How did you know?”
He lifts up his head and glances at her, “The year I woke up, every time I
cooked noodles, I would always make two bowls out of habit . I would eat
one bowl and the other would turn cold and be tossed away in the end . ”
Jin Xi looks into his eyes dumbstruck . The tasty noodles inside her mouth
turn a bit bitter suddenly .
As if his wish has finally been fulfilled, he seems a bit moved as he grabs her
hand, “What about you? Did you ever felt the same way?”
Ah?
A number of images flood into Jin Xi’s mind in an instant . There’s she and
Xiao Zhuan, Xu Si Bai, the fellows from the station eating and drinking
happily . As well as times when she hid in the office to secretly eat by herself
happily .
“Cough……” with his eyes boring into hers, she manages to speak with much
difficulty, “Yes . Sometimes……when I eat duck wings, I would feel full, but
I would also feel the urge to eat one more . I now understand why . It must
be because I’ve been eating them on your behalf!”


Chapter 86
Chapter 86
Chapter 86: Unmovable Boulder Part 2
Han Chen stares at her and doesn’t say anything .
Jin Xi turns her head to the side as if nothing happened . She picks up the
glass of water and takes a sip of it .
He stares at her while tapping his fingers on the table, “Mm, the duck wings
that I haven’t been able to have for these past few years, you’ve worked hard .
”
Jin Xi wants to burst out laughing, but she doesn’t want to be too arrogant .
She puts the glass down and glares at him, “Han Chen, I’ve just discovered
that you have quite the quality of a ‘resentful husband . ’ Why is a big man
like you being so petty with me?”
Han Chen picks up his chopsticks again and resumes eating .
“Some women are forgetful, if you don’t remind her of what she owes……”
he lifts his eyes to look at her, which carries a hint of a smile, “she won’t be
prepared to give her ‘body’ (idiom, to give one’s heart) to the one she owes . ”
Jin Xi retorts, “I’ve already given you my ‘body’!”
“It was one night only,” he answers .
Jin Xi, “……only?”
What does he mean by “it was one night only”? Last night was so……how
could he use the word “only” to describe it?
She then hears him say, “Every day, every month, and every year, I want you
to be with me . This is what I call giving your body (heart)to me . ”
They stare into each other’s eyes . His pupils are pitch black, and her heart is
pounding .
She reaches out to grab his hand, “Han Chen, every day, every month, and
every year, I want to be with you . ”
He smiles .
She smiles too . They continue eating their noodles happily .
After they finish eating, she washes the dishes while Han Chen sits on the
sofa to watch the news on TV . When she’s done washing the dishes, she
takes a look at the time . It’s only 2 pm . She sits leaning against him, “Hey,
what are we going to do with these three days?”
Han Chen glances at her . His arm on the back of the couch slides down to
grab her shoulder, “Let’s go back to Beijing?”
Jin Xi doesn’t say anything . She has already heard from Han Chen that Xin
Jia said that she was a student of Class ‘05 from the National Public Security
University . If this is true, it means that she studied in Beijing and not Jiang
Cheng . And everything in the past, including her and Han Chen risking their
lives and being separated, may have also happened in Beijing .
And as to why everyone around her treats her as “Bai Jin Xi,” Han Chen’s
explanation is, “Bai Jin Xi’s old neighbors mentioned that she had an older
cousin . If Su Mian and Bai Jin Xi are cousins, it wouldn’t be surprising that
you two would look alike . Furthermore, you or she may have gone through
plastic surgery . ”
This speculation makes Jin Xi uncomfortable . For one, she doesn’t know
what has happened to the girl whom she has taken the identity from;
Secondly, her face may not actually be hers, which makes her extremely
uneasy .
“Okay, let’s go back to Beijing,” she looks at him with determination .

When Han Chen finishes booking a flight for next morning and walks out of
the study room, he sees Bai Jin Xi sitting on the couch looking out the
window deep in thoughts . He keeps quiet for a moment before walking over
and pulling her up, “Let’s go . ”
“Where are we going?”
“To fulfill my promise . ”
Jin Xi asks curiously, “What promise?”
Han Chen turns around and looks up and down at her, “To buy you a dress . ”
_____
During the ride, Jin Xi continues to murmur, “I don’t really like wearing
dresses . ”
Han Chen has both of his hands on the wheel as he says casually, “You’ll
definitely like it . ”
“Why?”
Why?
Han Chen’s eyes are still looking straight at the road but a smile crosses his
face .
It’s because she, who he can make out clearly, is beginning to match up more
and more to the blurry girl from his memory who wears a swaying dress and
likes to be full of herself like a spoiled child . It’s not easy to change who you
are, so how could she not like those vibrant colored and graceful things?
And when they enter the women’s apparel section of the mall——
With a sales representative accompanying them, Han Chen picks out a red
long dress and holds it in front of her, “Do you like it?”
Jin Xi’s eyes glitter, “Yes!”

He picks out another blue colored skirt with suspenders and places it over his
arm, “How about this one?”
Jin Xi’s eyes are glowing, “I like that too . These are the styles I like!”
And then Han Chen throws her over ten dresses . Jin Xi walks toward the
fitting room carrying them feeling elated . She thinks for a second and turns
around to say to him, “I understand now . I didn’t like wearing dresses before
because Xiao Zhuan is not a good bosom friend . His taste is awful! One is
influenced by those around them, so he must have caused me to become a
bumpkin!”
_____
In the fitting room .
Jin Xi looks at herself in the mirror .
A red and smooth long dress with a mini black cardigan . The first dress that
he picks out for her is thick and heavy in colors .
She thinks for a second and then takes the tie off her head to let her hair down
. She then tries on a pair of high heels in the fitting room, opens the door and
walks out .
The light outside is bright, and the floor is shiny and slippery . The sales
representative comes to her enthusiastically, “How fitting! Wow! You’re too
beautiful! Hurry and let your boyfriend see . ”
Jin Xi lifts her eyes and sees Han Chen sitting on the sofa a couple of meters
away with his hands on his knees and head tilted upwards looking at her .
She can’t tell if it’s due to the lighting or that it’s her imagination; she can’t
help but feel that at this moment, his eyes are a shade darker and also more
blazing than before .
Jin Xi feels her heart melt; she is very pleased with his gaze . She doesn’t
walk over to him . Instead, she twists and turns in front of the mirror while
letting him watch her with his full attention .
“It’s too beautiful!” the sales representative exclaims, “Miss, if you don’t buy
this dress, you won’t do justice to this wardrobe . ”
Jin Xi presses her lips together and says casually, “It’s alright . ” From the
corner of her eye, she notices that he is still staring at her without even
budging . He’s sitting still like a statue .
Jin Xi turns around calmly and walks toward him as she says to the sales
representative, “I’ll go ask my boyfriend . ”
Just after two steps, she sees two young girls from the entrance walking over
to Han Chen . One of them points at him and says something . The other
takes out her phone and snaps a photo of him .
Jin Xi is stunned: what are they doing!?
Han Chen, who’s been captivated by Jin Xi, raises his arm to cover his eyes .
He then looks at the two girls .
The two girls jump in surprise, “Oh! You’re a real person!? We thought you
were a mannequin . I’m sorry, sorry!” They say quickly, “We’ve been
looking at you and you haven’t moved for a long while, and you’re so
handsome, so……”
“Yeah,” the other one says, “You didn’t even blink, so we thought you were a
mannequin……”
Han Chen’s eyes sweep across them, “It’s okay,” and then he ignores them .
The two girls leave in embarrassment .
Jin Xi lets out a giggle from watching this brief episode . Although she
doesn’t know whether or not the girls really mistook him for a mannequin, it’s
not really that surprising . The lighting in the store is too bright, and he’s……
Jin Xi looks up and down at him; his body figure is too good, his features are
handsome and he dresses attractively, so it does make him look like a
mannequin .
She puts her arms behind her, saunters and bends down to look at him, “What
were you looking at? You were so concentrated that your eyes didn’t even
move . You were even mistaken for a mannequin . ”
Han Chen looks up at her .

“What do you think I was looking at? You little troublemaker . ”
His deep and laid back voice vibrates on her heartstrings . She presses her
lips and turns her head to the side, “I think it’s more like you’re the
troublemaker . ” She walks elegantly back to the fitting room with her high
heels .
Han Chen watches her back view; he can’t take his eyes off of her .
It’s not just because she’s absolutely stunning like this .
If they have never been separated……
She should be beautiful and pampered like this . She is an honored student at
China’s best police university, who should possess the life that others envy as
well as his affection and happiness . She shouldn’t have been sent to a district
station of the lowest level, following a bunch of tough guys around the streets
in wind and rain, and living a crude and messy life .
But she has adapted to this way of life so quickly and enjoyed herself in it .
Han Chen lowers his head and laughs . The feeling of gentleness rushes into
his chest . His heart moves by his mind; he gets up and follows her .
Jin Xi hears footsteps behind her . She turns around and asks feeling weird,
“What are you following me for?”
Han Chen stuffs both of his hands into his pockets and answers calmly,
“Nothing . ”
Jin Xi has already experienced before how bold and daring he can be . She
darts her eyes at the sales representative who’s not far away, dashes into the
fitting room and stares at him with full of alert, “Don’t you think about
coming in . ”
“I’m not that thirsty,” he leans his back against the wall from across . He
stays there .
Jin Xi starts changing her clothes and asks, “What are you doing here then?”
“Waiting for you . ”

“You don’t need to be standing outside of the door waiting, do you?”
He says nonchalantly, “I want to wait outside of the door . ”
Jin Xi thinks for a moment and then laughs . She lets out a “Cheh!” and then
says righteously, “You’re just stubborn!”
_____
After buying the clothes, the two of them find a nearby place to eat dinner .
When they walk out of the restaurant, the sky is already completely dark .
Jin Xi asks holding his hand, “Where should we go now?”
Han Chen thinks for a second and answers, “Let’s go to Lake Ying . ”
“Okay . ”
Lake Ying is one of City Lan’s popular sightseeing places . Jin Xi has been
there before with Xiao Zhuan when they first arrived at City Lan . In an
autumn night like this, the lights reflecting off of the surface of the lake
accompanied by the mountains around it and sailing ships, it’s definitely quite
a view .
The car drives alongside the levee and soon arrives at the shore of the lake .
Looking from afar, they can see only a big sheet of blackness and sparsely lit
lamps by the shore . The bright moon above their heads is rather pretty and
quiet .
Han Chen looks out the window and seems to be deep in thoughts . Jin Xi
asks, “What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” Han Chen smiles, parks the car, holds her hand and walks toward
the grass area beside the lake .
Nothing .
It’s just that when it comes to this, he’s not much different from Xin Jia .
He cooks noodles for her to eat, buys her dresses, takes her to Lake Ying, and
go back to Beijing……
It turns out that he also has so many things that he wants to do with her one
by one .


Chapter 87
Chapter 87
Chapter 87: My Sorrow Part 1
It’s past 10 pm as Bai Jin Xi walks into the station with Han Chen carrying a
box of barbecue skewers .
Han Chen has no opinion on she delivering some late night snacks to the
Black Shield Team . They’re going to get married sooner or later, so how
could he not be happy about her showing the responsibility of being his wife?
Bai Jin Xi isn’t thinking as deeply into this as he is . She just happens to have
eaten some very good snacks and wants to share it with Xiao Zhuan and the
others .
The night is quiet and the office building is sparsely lit . They push open the
office door while holding hands, and the first thing they see is Xiao Zhuan
and the others busying themselves in front of their desks .
Xu Nan Bai is also here . This is a rather surprise to Jin Xi .
The lights are bright . Xu Nan Bai is dressed in his usual casual jacket and
shirt and is wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses while talking to Chatterbox
leaning over the table . He is holding a stack of paper as he discusses them
over with Chatterbox . His sleeves are slightly rolled up, revealing the watch
and Buddha bead bracelet on his wrist, making him look elegant and
intelligent .
Everybody turns to look hearing the noise .
“Ah! Leader, Xiao Bai! Aren’t you guys off on a honeymoon for these few
days?” Xiao Zhuan is the first to jump up from his seat . He rushes over to
Jin Xi and examines her neck, “Mm, the wound has gotten a lot better now . ”
He doesn’t watch his mouth at all . Besides causing Bai Jin Xi to feel a bit
embarrassed, the other guys in the room don’t show any change in their
expressions . Even Xu Nan Bai, who’s not a member of the team, is showing
a polite smile .
This is obviously a publicly known secret now .
Jin Xi tosses the snacks at Xiao Zhuan, “Shut your mouth . Eat it while it’s
hot . It’s good stuff!” Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox are in cheers and start to
set up the table by laying newspapers over it .
Han Chen walks up to Cold Face’s desk, “Is everything going well?”
Cold Face replies, “We have completed gathering evidence at the scene as
well as looking up all the information on Xin Jia in regards to her life . Our
current progress is going just the way we expected . ”
Going the way they expected means that the killer is a professional . There’ll
be some challenges in finding him directly .
Han Chen wasn’t expecting that they would be able to solve the case
overnight . They’re not up against one person; they’re up against an entire
organization . He nods and looks towards Xu Nan Bai, “Professor Xu, how
come you’re here as well?”
Xu Nan Bai smiles and takes the grilled shrimp skewer that Chatterbox is
passing to him . Even when he’s eating street food, he still gives off a
graceful aura .
“My family and Xin Jia’s family can be considered as old friends and keep in
touch . Therefore, now that this has happened to her, whether it’s for work or
for personal reasons, I should also contribute to the case,” his eyes show a
hint of grief mentioning Xin Jia .
Han Chen and Jin Xi both nod . Chatterbox butts in, “Professor Xu has been
helping us with giving our condolences to the family, and he is also working
on Xin Jia’s psychological analysis report . He’s helped us a lot . ”
Jin Xi says to him smiling, “Senior, thank you!”
Xu Nan Bai smiles nodding . He fiddles with the Buddha bead bracelet with
his fingers looking peaceful .
Han Chen and Jin Xi stay for a while before leaving holding hands . As they
walk down the stairs, Jin Xi’s phone rings . She holds it up to see who it is,
and it’s actually Zhou Xiao Zhuan texting her:
“I have a feeling——am I going to become a (god) uncle soon? I can feel

that the atmosphere around you two is different!” And then it’s a very
perverted smiley face .
Jin Xi presses her lips together into a smile . Just when she’s about to reply
back with “F–k off,” Han Chen takes her cell phone . He takes a look and
then taps on the keyboard with his long fingers: “How is it different?”
Jin Xi pinches the back of his hand and snatches the phone back, “You’re so
hateable! Why did you have to ask him?!”
In the office, Zhou Xiao Zhuan is standing by the window looking down at
the street lights below and the shadow of the two of them walking together .
He can’t help but sigh, “They’re such a great match . ”
The others lift their heads and also look at the couple . They all reveal a smile
.
“Yeah,” Chatterbox supports, “Every time I see them, I wish that they would
hurry and get married and grow old together . ” He thinks for a moment and
continues, “Heh . This is really like that saying: the emperor isn’t in a hurry,
yet us eunuchs are so anxious about it (idiom) . ”
Everybody bursts out laughing . Cold Face says calmly, “You’re an eunuch .
”
Chatterbox realizes his silliness . He gives himself a slap, “My bad . It was a
mistake, okay? I’ll go buy coffee to ask for your forgiveness . Who wants
one? Cold Face will definitely want one . Xiao Zhuan is a goodie-two-shoes,
so he will definitely not want one . What about Professor Xu? Oh, I’ll have
to get one for Forensic Investigator Xu too . ”
_____
Morning of the next day, on the flight to Beijing .
There aren’t a lot of passengers, and there aren’t a lot of people around them,
making the cabin feel quite empty . Jin Xi is sitting by the window staring
blankly at the layers of clouds .
Han Chen puts his arm around her shoulders, “What are you thinking about?”
Jin Xi turns around to look at him and answers honestly, “I’m thinking about
what kind of person I was like before . What were my mom and dad like . If
they saw me, would they recognize me . ”
She sounds a bit depressed nonetheless . Han Chen stares into her glittering
dark brown eyes and then looks up straight as he says in a calm voice,
“There’s no doubt about you . You were more delicate and loved acting like a
spoiled child before . Your straightforwardness and violent behavior should
be the same . ”
Jin Xi is humored by his teasing, “Get lost!”
A hint of a smile also brushes across Han Chen eyes . He squeezes her hand
and says, “Your parents must have doted you to have been able to raise such a
delicate daughter . ”
Jin Xi lets out a soft “Mm” and becomes quiet .
The plane soon lands on the ground . Han Chen fetches their carry on from
the top . He pulls out a pair of sunglasses, puts them on and gives her a pair
as well . Jin Xi takes them . They’re planning to keep a low-profile in
Beijing this time .
They exit the airport and sees many cars and people coming and going . Jin
Xi takes a look at the crowd behind her; some are in a hurry, while others are
standing around waiting . She says in a low voice, “Do you think that the
seven-member organization would be following us right now?”
Han Chen doesn’t answer, nor does he look behind him . His face looks
colder with his sunglasses on . He leads her to a cab holding her hands .
When the cab approaches the second ring road of the city, Han Chen tells the
driver to let them off . He then takes her to ride an extremely crowded bus .
Jin Xi is completely enclosed by him as she holds onto the handle above their
heads and asks softly, “Where is this bus heading?”
Han Chen glances at her and answers, “My home . ”
Jin Xi is stunned, “We’re going to your home?”
“No, it’s a smoke bomb . ”
The bus comes to a certain stop . The people who need to get off or on are
done and the doors are closed . The bus’ engine growls and is about to move
forward again, but Han Chen shouts suddenly, “Mister driver, I need to get
off!”
The doors open again with a thump . The bus driver scolds, “What were you
doing before? Now you tell me you want to get off . ”
Han Chen pulls Jin Xi’s arm and gets off the bus quickly . And then he stands
at the platform and looks back at the bus .
No one is getting off behind them .
Jin Xi smiles slightly——if anyone follows them now, wouldn’t they be

exposed?
They wait until the bus drives away . He holds her hand and they enter the
busy subway station .
They switch their form of transit like this a couple of times . No matter how
persistent their followers may be, this should be enough to get rid of them .
It’s an hour and a half later when they finally arrive at the front entrance of
the National Public Security University .


Chapter 88
Chapter 88
The winds are strong in late autumn of Beijing . The sky is also gloomy .
The Public Security University building is grand yet serene looking . The
emblem on the upper middle part of the building is rather dark . In the courts
not far away, there are still students playing basketball . The whole campus
feels staid and tranquil .
Jin Xi observes the surroundings and becomes quiet . Han Chen asks, “Do
you remember anything?”
Jin Xi doesn’t remember anything from this place, but yet it feels familiar .
She answers, “It feels like I’ve been here in my past life . ”
Before coming, Han Chen asked his supervisor to write a work invitation .
They obtained their approvals successfully so that they can enter the archives
library right now . They find a quiet reading spot and gather all the
information of the criminal psychology ‘05 class .
Jin Xi flips open the records of the student names . And Han Chen picks up a
stack of student background information and starts reading .
Jin Xi reads the names row by row .
Very quickly, her eyes open wide and she goes back to the top of the list and
reads through them again .
It’s still not there .
There isn’t the name “Su Mian” on the list .

She jerks her head up and looks at Han Chen .
Han Chen lowers the papers in his hand and looks at her . His pupils are dark
and black like ink .
Jin Xi asks, “Did you see it?”
“No,” he picks up another stack of information, “Let’s look again . ”
Jin Xi nods, leans toward the table and continues flipping through the other
records quickly . But her heart feels heavier .
She has taken a look at the graduation photo, class activities records, the
teacher’s work log, video recordings……and even the name lists of the
professors and trainers from that year: Xue Wen Dong, Chen Jia Dong, Zhao
Lan, Xu Mu Hua, Han Jiang……no matter where she looks, there isn’t one
called “Su Mian” or any traces of its existence .
It’s the same over on Han Chen’s side .
It’s two hours later when they leave the archives library . Han Chen is
expressionless, but Jin Xi has her head down the whole time, looking
depressed . When they reach a quiet area with no one around, she turns
around and looks at him, “How could this be? Why aren’t I there?”
She never thought that there would be no findings after making the trip to the
Public Security University .
Han Chen holds her hand with a solemn look on his face, “Having no findings
is the biggest finding . If Xin Jia’s words are the truth, in what circumstances
would a student’s records at a police school who openly recruits talents would
be completely erased?”
_____
They find a hotel in the old city district near the Ministry of Public Security .
The night is approaching; the sun is on the horizon and darkness blankets the
city, making it seem even colder .
Han Chen walks out of the shower and sees Jin Xi sitting on the side of the
bed staring absentmindedly out the window .
It hurts Han Chen’s heart seeing her like this . He walks over, hugs her from
behind and starts kissing her, “I’ve asked someone to look into ‘Su Mian’s’
information from when she was in university . Before we find out about
everything, don’t think too much about it . ”
But how can Jin Xi not think about it? Everything has become so mysterious
like there’s a fog surrounding her and she can’t even make out which
direction she should take . Her heart is heavy . She pushes him away, “I want
to go take a walk . You rest first . ”
Han Chen glances at her, grabs a long sleeve shirt and puts it on, “I’ll go with
you . ”
“No!” Jin Xi stuffs both of her hands in her pockets and walks quickly to the
door, “Don’t follow me, okay . ” She doesn’t even know what her real
identity is right now, so how could she fulfill the promise of a future with Han
Chen? Her feelings are too unsettling . Therefore, she doesn’t want to stay
with him; she wants to be by herself right now .
Han Chen doesn’t move . He watches her leave .
There’s a small courtyard below the hotel with a few small trees, flowers, and
grass planted . Outside of the gate is a prosperous residential area . Jin Xi
walks aimlessly out of the front entrance . She walks along the old streets,
listening to the bells from bicycles, chatters from passersby, street food
owners shouting, and she can smell the savory flavors coming from cooked
dinners inside the houses . Jin Xi seems as if she is slowly walking out of the
dense fog and is living in reality again .
Her emotions are calmer now .
And then, she repents the way she treated Han Chen just now .
She smiles slightly and decides to return to the hotel to find him right away .
But she is stunned when she turns around and looks at the busy street and the
buildings of uneven height .
Oh? Where is she?
_____
Han Chen has waited for over half an hour . The sky is almost dark and she
still hasn’t come back . He puts on his jacket and is getting ready to go out to
find her .
The streets in the area are safe, so he’s not too worried . He’s just afraid that
she has gone too far and that he won’t be able to find her back . But right
after he puts his phone in his pocket, it rings . The nickname, “Wifey,”
flashes on the screen .
He smiles slightly and picks up, “What’s up?”
Her voice sounds a bit pitiful, “Han Chen, I can’t find my way back . ”
Han Chen giggles with his head down, “Stand there and don’t move . Tell me
what’s around you . I’m come pick you up . ”
Bai Jin Xi waits where she is for seven to eights minutes, and then she sees
Han Chen come from one end of the street . The sky is completely dark right
now . The street lamps illuminate his face . He’s wearing a black
windbreaker . His figure is tall and straight . His facial features are
handsome like a painting .
Jin Xi stares at him and smiles .
His eyes also carry a hint of a smile . He stops right in front of her with his
hands in his pockets and stares at her .
“When you’re not in a good mood next time, try a different way to relieve
yourself . Taking a walk is too challenging . It’s not suitable for you . ”
Jin Xi bites on her lip and smiles, “F–k you!” It has taken him only a few
minutes to come, which means that she’s actually not far from the hotel .
Furthermore, he’s beside her now, so she won’t get lost anymore . Therefore,
she has the urge to talk back to him further . She says boldly, “Just you wait .
Let me try one more time, I’ll definitely be able to find my way back . Just
tell me first which direction the hotel is in!”
Ten minutes later .

They’re at an intersection again . Jin Xi turns around reluctantly and looks at
Han Chen, trying to capture any hints from his expression . But he’s such a
bad man, isn’t he? His eyes carry a faint smile as usual . No matter which
route she chooses, he keeps the exact same face .
Jin Xi grits her teeth and heads toward the right out of instinct .
Han Chen follows her unhurriedly .
They walk a little farther . Jin Xi looks around at the unfamiliar buildings in
front of her and is completely lost . She knows very well that it’ll be a futile
attempt if she continues . She has no choice but to brace herself and turn
around to ask him, “Hey, how much farther away are we from the hotel?
We’re going in the right direction, aren’t we?”
Han Chen looks down at his watch and answers, “Mm . If we continue
walking like this, we should be able to return to City Lan by next month . ”
“……You’re so hateable!” Jin Xi glares at him . She sits down on the curb,
lets out a “hmph!” and decides to ignore him .
Han Chen sits down beside her . He pulls her hand over and squeezes it
slowly .
“People who are lost have a habit of making right turns . Men have a
tendency to go downhill, while women like to go uphill……”
Jin Xi is dumbstruck: ah? She has never heard this saying before . A thought
springs to her mind . Could Han Chen be giving her some tips and tricks
when getting lost? She’s worked up immediately . She wraps her arm around
his, “Continue, continue . ”


Chapter 89
Chapter 89
Han Chen continues, “When running, people who are right-handed tend to
make left turns and vice versa . And our subconsciousness will choose the
route that is most attractive to us——for example the scenery, a non-bumpy
road, or……” he glances at her, “yummy foods on the street . ”
Jin Xi is quite excited from listening to him . Seeing that he has stopped, she
asks, “It sounds deep . So? If I can grasp these tips and tricks, I’ll be able to
overcome my weakness of always getting lost?”
“No,” he answers swiftly .
Jin Xi is a bit stunned, “Why did you tell me all of these then……”
Han Chen pats away the dust from his clothes and stands up, “No reason .
Direction idiots supposedly walk based on their intuition . I’m fortunate to
be able to see this in action today . ”
Jin Xi grits her teeth, “……you…bastard!”
_____
They find a random place and eat their dinners . It’s already 7 to 8 pm when
they get back to the hotel .
Although Jin Xi previously felt like a big rock was weighing down her heart,
she’s an optimistic person nonetheless; she pushes her doubts aside once her
mood has gotten better . It’s like the saying, things will run its course . She
can feel that they are gradually getting closer to the truth .
The night is dense and the winds are strong . They stay in the hotel for the
rest of the night, tangled up with each other without restraint . Jin Xi
gradually lets go as she faces Han Chen, who continuously asks for more .
Both her emotions and body are aroused . She is becoming more and more
addicted to the thrill and the feeling of her heart throbbing from entangling
with him . Between the night and day, it feels as if there’s only the two of
them sharing the sweetness of intimacy . It’s enough to make her forget about
everything and focus on only breathing and pulsing for him .
When they’re tired, they sleep embracing each other, or they rub their faces
against each other giggling and kissing . They pass the night intimately with
touching emotions .
The next day . Just as they are getting out of bed, someone knocks on the
door .
Just to be on the safe side, Jin Xi hides in the room and peeks around the
corner to see who it is . It’s a man whom she doesn’t recognize . He’s
wearing a hat and he’s handing a stack of papers to Han Chen . He gives Han
Chen a pat on the shoulder and leaves .
Jin Xi knows that this must be the person whom Han Chen mentioned
yesterday about asking for help to dig up information on Su Mian’s past .
She waits until Han Chen closes the door before walking out of the room
feeling perplexed, “So how did it go? Did you find anything?”
Han Chen stares at the information in his hand . His pupils are pitch black .
After a while, he lifts his eyes to look at her and then hands her the
information .
Jin Xi’s heart races as she flips through quickly . This is probably the profile
from the household registration department; they’re all standard forms . The
first section is her name:
Name: Su Mian; Birthdate: March 17, 1989;
Birthplace: Jiangcheng, Province K; Home Address: East District XX road,

XX city .
……
Jin Xi’s heart is pounding . A certain indescribable feeling seems to be
surging up from the bottom of her heart . Han Chen watches her face turn
pale . He walks over in silence, wraps his arm around her shoulders, and
reads the information with her .
She continues reading:
September 1996——July 2002, studied at the second experimental

elementary school in the East District . Was the class representative, team
leader, and a student who excelled in all three areas (manners, academics, and
health) .
September 2002——July 2008, studied at the 179 East District middle school
. Graduation results: top 10 of the same grade; a student who excelled in all
three areas (manners, academics, and health) .
And on the side of the form, there’s a 1 x 1-inch photo that goes along with
each time period . Her fingers are trembling slightly as she touches these
yellowing photos .
A young girl who’s wearing a red scarf and an armband, and her hair in a
ponytail;
A girl with short hair wearing a middle school uniform;
And an adolescent photo from an identification card after graduating from

senior high school…
Despite the changes in her facial features from young till now, Su Mian’s face
shape, her skin color, her features, and her demeanor is exactly the same as
herself! She’s even more like her than the “Bai Jin Xi” she saw in the photo
at the Shahu police academy! Now that she thinks more about it, “Bai Jin Xi”
has a refined face shape, and her facial features are slightly different from
hers .
She is completely stunned looking at her own photos .
“It’s me……” she murmurs, “She is me . ”
Han Chen stares at the girl in the photo a bit startled .

She continues flipping through the pages, but they’re information about her
other family members .
The man and woman in the photos are unfamiliar to her, but she can tell the
resemblances between her facial features and theirs . There are photos of
them when they were young . The man looks lively with a proper face and
wide shoulders . The woman’s hair is at shoulder length . She looks elegant
with a pair of dark brown eyes; rather similar to Su Mian .
The below is their background info:
Su Rui Cheng, male, born in 1962, birthplace: Beijing .
Profession: Police officer . April 1997, died in the line of duty at age 35 .
Zhao Lan Qing, female, born in 1965, birthplace: Jiangcheng, Province K .
Profession: elementary school teacher . September 2010, died from illness at

age 45 .
Teardrops fall onto the papers as she reads these few lines .
“Han Chen……Han Chen……they are, my mom and dad……my dad was

also a police officer……my mom……died in 2010, the year after I was in an
accident……”
Han Chen embraces her, letting her lean against his chest, as he wipes away
her tears .
“Stop crying, okay?”
She is the woman in his heart . He can feel the same pain as she does .
But she cries harder . She covers her face with her palms and weeps .
She has found her own mom and dad .
She must have loved them dearly in the past, otherwise, she wouldn’t be in so
much pain right now . These are her real parents; the ones who raised her and
doted on her . But when her mom died, she was living carefreely as Bai Jin
Xi in Jiangcheng . But did mom know where her own daughter was? In her
last moment before death, was she heartbroken because of her?
Why were they separated? Why was she separated from those she loved?
……
She finally stops crying after a long while . She peels off their photos from
the page and puts them into her own wallet carefully . She then looks up at
Han Chen . Her eyes are calm but carry a hint of coldness .
“This document contains info all the way up to 2008 when I graduated from
senior high school, and then there’s no more . There are no records on which
college I went to . Everything from after I turned 18 is missing . ”
Han Chen nods and says in a cold voice, “There’s only one possibility . ”
She bites on her lip, “But……if it was an undercover cop, they would usually
pick someone who’s been in the police program for a few years, has practical
experiences, and someone of a simple background . I was still studying in
college and a girl on top of that, so how would I be chosen as an undercover
cop and had all my records at the police academy be erased? And to be
undercover for such a big case? This doesn’t make sense . And then how did
I end up living as Bai Jin Xi?”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a moment before tightening his arms around her
says softly, “This only means that——there are still some things that
happened in the past that we don’t know yet . ”


Chapter 90
Chapter 90
Chapter 90: Let’s Wait and See
Afternoon .
Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi are resting against the wall in the shadow cast by the
trees at her middle school .
Perhaps she should be called Su Mian from now on .
Han Chen twists open the bottle cap and hands it to her, “We’ve finished
visiting both your elementary and middle school, how do you feel?”
Su Mian takes it and drinks a big mouthful . She answers with her eyes still
looking straight, “Not bad . It’s blurry, but it’s familiar . ”
Han Chen doesn’t ask any further .
If it can make her feel a bit of comfort and warmth, he’s willing to accompany
her anywhere .
After a while, she starts fetching something in her jacket pocket . She finds it
and places it on her lap and then fetches a few more items from the other
pocket .
Han Chen drinks some water and pauses when he looks down to see what
those items are .
Su Mian spreads out the items in front of him like showcasing her treasures,
“Look, this is a photo of me from when I graduated from junior high school .
I’m in the second row . It’s still posted in the big glass case at the school .
And this is a photo of all the outstanding students graduating from senior
high school . I saw it in the school archives . I can’t believe that I was an
outstanding student . There was also a brief description too . And the school
emblem that is sold at the school’s convenience store……”
Han Chen puts the water bottle down and stares at her .
Leaving the school emblem that she purchased aside, the documents and the
photos from the glass case and school’s archives……
“You took all of them?”
It’s not the first time that Su Mian has done something like this . She answers
nodding, “It’s okay . They must have copies of these, so they can just reprint
them . On the other hand, I could still be an undercover cop without a real
name, so with what identity should I use to ask them for it? Therefore, I can
only take them quietly . ”
She says these words with a pitiful voice . Han Chen lifts up the bottle, takes
another sip and says, “Take them if you want to . They were yours, to begin
with . ”
Su Mian presses her lips together into a smile . She knew that this fellow
would be even more unreasonable than her and that he would definitely let
her do what she wanted . Therefore, she fiddles her hand in her pants pocket
some more and pulls out a bunch of snacks in front of him, “Look, I bought
these from the elementary school’s convenience store . I felt nostalgic
looking at them, so they must have been things I loved eating when I was
little . ”
A smile flashes across Han Chen’s eyes . He keeps quiet .
“Tada!” Su Mian fetches another item from her pocket……a small red flag?
She waves it in front of him and smiles with her eyes squinting, “It’s one of
the small rainbow-colored flags hanging at the school’s playground . I also
took one as a souvenir!”
Han Chen remains silent . He lifts his head to look straight and drinks water
while smiling .
Su Mian wraps her arms around his and leans on his shoulder, “What are you
smiling about?”
Han Chen places the empty water bottle onto the ground, rests his elbows on
his knees with his hands held together and gazes at her from the side, “I had
such weird taste in the past to have picked you as my wife . ”
Su Mian is struck dumb for a second before realizing what he means . She
laughs helplessly and pushes his shoulder away, “F–k! You’re the weirdo!”
_____
Their next stop is Su Mian’s home .
It’s in an old district with many six to seven stories small buildings . Trees
with big canopies are everywhere . It’s quiet, outdated, and tidy . There
aren’t a lot of people in the area at noon on a workday . Han Chen and Su
Mian avoid the security cameras and passers-by on their way up the building .
They arrive at the door of her home . Its handle and the door sill are covered
in a thick layer of dust . There clearly hasn’t been anyone coming and going
from this place for a long time . Su Mian lets Han Chen watch over her back
as she fetches a wire and a card from her bag . She fiddles with the lock for a
few minutes and with the sound of a “click,” the door unlocks .
Han Chen glances at her after entering the place, “Where did you learn how to
do that?”
Su Mian stuffs the tools back into her bag and answers, “I learned it from Old
Wang at the station . Us policemen at Guanhu station have to do the job of a
civil officer as well . Sometimes we have to help some moms to open their
doors when they forget their keys . ”
They observe the place as they speak .
It’s a cozy and delicate two bedroom apartment . It’s also very old . There’s a
moldy smell inside and dust covers the whole floor; it’s hard to tell how long
it hasn’t been lived in . They both put on a mask and take a look around .
The first thing that captures their attention is a photo hanging on a wall .
Dad is on the left and mom is on the right .
Su Mian stares at the photo without a word .
The dining table is made of wood, and it’s easy to make out the line of
crookedly written words carved by somebody using a small knife: “Su Mian
was here . ” After so many years, the words have become old and darkened .
Su Mian and Han Chen both smile .
A small flowery beige cloth hangs on the kitchen’s frosted door . There is a
stack of toys in the small storage room as well as a small wooden rocking
horse . Su Mian is smiling looking at all these, but all of a sudden, her head
hurts . She puts her hand on her forehead . Han Chen embraces her
immediately, “What’s wrong?”
Su Mian closes her eyes and then opens them again .
Perhaps seeing all of this arouses the deep feelings inside of her . Blurry
images of the past flashes across her mind and heavy emotions are fermenting
inside her heart .
She sees herself when she was young, smiling cheerfully as she runs around
the house;
She sees her young and beautiful mom cooking with an apron on;
She sees her dad in his police uniform squatting in the balcony building her a
rocking horse;
She sees herself and her classmates carrying their backpacks walking home;
she sees herself holding her father’s portrait and attending the funeral with the
banner “Mourning for martyr Su Rui Cheng” hanging high; she sees her mom
smiling attending her senior high school graduation ceremony……
She then sees her twenty-year-old self lying beside the window in her room
looking out at the sky full of stars . And below is Han Chen in his police
uniform leaning against a big tree . He takes off his police hat, carries it in his
hand and looks up at her smiling .
Su Mian raises her arm to cover her face . Tears almost flow out of her eyes .
She looks up and sees the Han Chen now . He’s tall and handsome as
always, but his features are no longer of a young lad and his eyes are sharper
than in the past .
Su Mian reaches out her arms and hugs him, “Han Chen, I only have you now
. ”
Han Chen locks her into his embrace, lowers his head and kisses her .
They kiss quietly for a while before finally letting go .
After a while, Su Mian finds a few photo albums in the bedroom . They’re all
photos of her when she was growing up, as well as photos of her and her
parents . She puts these albums into her bag to take them back with her .
She also sees a lot of dresses in the closet . They’re all in gorgeous colors,
but they’re also very old .
Han Chen asks, “Take them back?”
Su Mian looks at them for a moment and closes the closet, “Let’s leave them
here . They belong to the eighteen-year-old Su Mian . ”
_____
It’s just past 4 pm when they return to the hotel .
The first thing Su Mian does is to open up her suitcase and searches through it
until she pulls out a new dress she bought just the day before . She then
closes the curtains and changes into it .
She switches all the lights in the room on and stands in front of the mirror .
She lets her long hair down, turns her body in different angles and nods in
satisfaction .
Han Chen is sitting on the bed with his arms pressing on the bed top on each
side as he watches her . He smiles, “Why are you changing into a dress
suddenly?”
Su Mian lifts the edge of her dress a little bit, walks to him, and puts one foot
on the bed with her arm on her thigh . Despite she’s wearing a graceful dress,
her stance is absolutely unrefined .
“I will take revenge,” she says each word clearly, “and I will live well!”
Han Chen smiles slightly . He reaches out his hand and pulls her into his
embrace . The beauty’s hair is smooth like silk, her dress sways side by side,
and she’s flamboyant and sweet, making the man feel tenderness and
admiration for her . In the dimly lit room, they tangle with each other in
gentleness, causing her to pant and making her forget all her trouble . She can
only remember his strength and possessiveness .
_____
It’s 6 o’clock at night . Su Mian enters the bathroom to take a shower . Han
Chen is sitting on the bed . After a while, his eyes become indifferent as he
takes out his cell phone .
“Monkey, it’s Han Chen . I’m back in Beijing . ”
The person on the other end is one of Han Chen’s best buddies in the past .
The man with the nickname, “Monkey,” is quite in shock receiving a phone
call from Han Chen . He’s surprised and a little embarrassed while feeling
excited .
“Chen Er (Little Chen), how did you think of calling me?”
Han Chen laughs, “What, am I not allowed to?”
“Of course you are! Of course!” Perhaps he’s a little too excited, Monkey’s
voice carries a cheerful laugh to it, “Where are you? I’ll come pick you up . ”
“No need . You make the reservation and tell the other guys to come out for
dinner,” Han Chen says .
“Sure! That goes without saying . Is 7 pm okay? I’ll tell you when I’ve
made the reservation . I have your number,” Monkey says lively .
Han Chen smiles answering, “Okay . ”
They’re both quiet for a moment before Monkey says, “We haven’t seen each
other for quite a few years now, right?”
Han Chen is a bit stunned .
It has indeed been a few years .
The last time they met was four years ago, a few months after he woke up
from the accident .
Han Chen’s gaze darkens and remains quiet .
He still remembers that day he saw Monkey and Da Wei clearly .
Da Wei is another buddy of his . Both of their parents have high statuses,
especially Da Wei’s dad, who’s a high official in charge of criminal
investigations at the ministry of public security .
At the time, his body had already fully recovered and had returned to work at
the station . He was working like a zombie, but he was becoming more and
more certain that that woman existed . And then every time he asked them,
Monkey would stutter while Da Wei would always say that he didn’t know
anything . They later simply avoided his questions completely .
Therefore, he invited them to dinner that day at a restaurant they frequent .
Three bottles of white wine and two hours .
Monkey downed himself with wine and refused to speak about anything
regarding the woman . Da Wei, on the other hand, was gloomy . He turned
his head away to avoid Han Chen’s gaze and answered, “Chen Er, how many
times do we have to say it for you to believe us? That woman does not exist .
Why do you have to be so hard on yourself?”
The whole night, Han Chen felt as if his heart was covered in frost . In the
end, he smashed the wine bottle on the floor in front of his two buddies . He
left the restaurant without turning back .
They never contacted each other from then on .
……
Han Chen holds onto the phone and says slowly, “Oh right, I’ll be bringing
my girlfriend . ”
Monkey is stunned for a second before revealing a bigger smile . It’s the kind
of smile that comes from the heart, “Okay! Good, good! That’s great! You
fellow have finally released yourself! I’ll be waiting for sister-in-law then .
Make sure you bring her!”
They hang up, Han Chen lifts his head and sees Su Mian walking out of the
bathroom drying her hair with a towel .
“Who were you on the phone with?” she climbs onto the bed and lies on top
of him .
Han Chen bends his head and kisses her, “A buddy from the past . ”
Su Mian is a little stunned . Her head clicks and she asks with her eyes
gleaming, “Do they know me then?”
Han Chen holds onto her shoulder and says calmly, “We’ll have to wait and
see . ”


Chapter 91
Chapter 91
Chapter 91: Don’t Let Go Part 1
Monkey made reservations at a private restaurant in the West end of the city .
The restaurant is by the lakeside, and its entrance is hidden by trees .
Looking at it on the outside, one would think that it’s somebody’s mansion .
Su Mian walks inside with her arm wrapped around Han Chen’s . She looks
up at the lights on the ceiling and says in awe, “This place is beautiful . ”
Han Chen says with an indifferent expression on his face and both hands in
his pockets, “I’ll bring you to places that are even more beautiful in the
future, so don’t get dizzy now . ”
Su Mian smiles .
The server guides them to the private room . The decor of the room is even
more elegant and eye-capturing decorated in ancient period style . Two men
in casual clothes walk out from the room at the same time . They seem a year
or two younger than Han Chen and their faces are carrying a smile .
“Yo! Young Master Han is here . ”
“I can finally see Big Brother Han today!”
These two men are part of the circle, but Han Chen wasn’t very close to them
in the past . They must have been invited by Monkey to make the gathering
lively . Han Chen smiles and greets them .
They also notice Su Mian and grin, “Big Brother, this must be your girlfriend,
right?”
“Holy, Big Brother Han sure is a big brother . Your girlfriend is just too
beautiful!”
Su Mian giggles cheerfully, “Not at all, not at all . ” Han Chen accepts the
cigarette that they give him but doesn’t light it . Instead, he slips it behind his
ear, glances at her and answers, “Mm, she has always been this beautiful . ”
The two men don’t catch the underlying meaning of his words . They lead
them inside politely .
They walk past the screen, through the beaded curtain and see a pearwood
round table big enough for ten people . It’s still empty; only sets of delicate
utensils and a pot of tea is on it . And on top of the tatami by the window are
two men sitting . Their faces show gentle smiles as they chat quietly . They
immediately stand up hearing the noise and look this way .
A few of them greet each other . Han Chen keeps quiet . Su Mian is standing
beside him while giving the two men a once-over .
One of them is wearing a black suit and the other is wearing a casual jacket;
they’re exquisitely and delicately dressed . They’re around the same age as
Han Chen . Their eyes fall onto Han Chen and seem to carry many emotions .
“Chen Er . ”
“Chen Er . ”
They both say .
And then their eyes fall onto Su Mian .
Su Mian doesn’t know how to describe their expressions . They look as if

they’ve just seen a ghost; completely dumbstruck . Their faces change and
are speechless .
Su Mian feels her heart drop .
Probably because their expressions are too strange, so the others are also a bit
stunned . For a moment, the extravagant room becomes completely silent .
Su Mian stares at them, trying to read their expressions . And then somebody
grabs her hand suddenly .
It’s Han Chen .
His face is expressionless, and his pupils are pitch black like a strong rock at
the bottom of the ocean . He grabs her waist and walks to Da Wei and
Monkey .
“Long time no see . These are my buddies, Da Wei and Monkey,” his voice
says calmly, “This is my girlfriend……Bai Jin Xi . ”
The room is still silent . Everybody can tell that Da Wei’s and Monkey’s
expression isn’t right . Da Wei looks at Han Chen with a pale face while
Monkey’s face and ears are red as he reluctantly nods towards Su Mian,
“Hello . ”
Someone comes over to ease the tension, “Let’s sit, Let’s sit . Sit down first .
Big Brother Da Wei, should I open the bottle of burgundy that you’ve stored
here?”
Da Wei answers calmly, “Open it . ”
Everybody starts to sit down at the table . Han Chen remains quiet . He holds
onto Su Mian’s hand and guides her to sit down at the main guest’s table . Da
Wei and Monkey are beside him .
Very quickly, two girls arrive . They’re Monkey’s and another man’s girls .
It’s supposed to be livelier with more people . But from start to end, they eat
their meals in a strange atmosphere . Besides the two girls and the two
escorts who continuously try to find things to talk about as well as chat with
Su Mian, the three main guests: Han Chen, Da Wei, and Monkey have not
said a word . Their faces don’t look good either .
They finish their meals with much effort .
The mood is weird nonetheless, so one of the girls suggests, “Should we go

hang out at the bar by the lakeside? I know a place that’s quite fun . ”
Before she finishes, Da Wei picks up his jacket and stands up, “I still have
some matters to tend to, so I won’t be joining . Please take care of Chen Er
for me . ” He pats Han Chen’s shoulder and then starts to put his jacket on .
No one says a word . Monkey shifts his eyes to the side to look at Da Wei
and then Han Chen . His eyes sweep across Su Mian with a complicated
gaze; as if he doesn’t know what to say .
“Bang . ”
It’s Han Chen putting down his celadon teacup on the table .
Everybody looks his way, and then exchange gazes with each other . Da Wei
pauses midway putting on his jacket .
Su Mian turns her head and looks at Han Chen .
He has taken off his jacket and is wearing only a grey long sleeves shirt,
making his face look even more fair white . He fiddles with the celadon
teacup with one hand as his dark brown eyes stare at it, but his expressionless
side profile seems as though there’s a layer of ice over it .
“Everybody will go to the bar . Whoever doesn’t go is not giving me, Han
Chen, face . ”
Everybody is quiet . Da Wei is standing frozen . Monkey has his head down
.
Su Mian squeezes his hand under the table .
His hand is a bit cold . His long and slightly calloused fingers grip her hand
back .
_____
The bar is close to the restaurant, so the group walks over .
No one chats on the way .
Han Chen and Su Mian gradually walk at the end of the group with no one
beside them .
She holds his arm and can’t find any words to say . It’s just that seeing him
fierce like this makes her heart ache .
“Han Chen……” she looks up at him .
His eyes are calm and still, like the water of Shichahai . He holds her nape,
lowers his head and pecks on her long hair, “Don’t worry, just leave it to me .
”
_____
The bar is by the lakeside . It has a very curvy ambulatory and every table is
placed in its own private corner . Han Chen puts both hands into his pockets
and walks toward the innermost area . He says to one of the girls at the same
time, “My girlfriend hasn’t been to Shichahai before, could I trouble you to
show her around?”
The girl agrees right away and grabs Su Mian’s hand with a smile . Su Mian’s
eyes meet with Han Chen’s . She smiles and follows the girl out of the bar .
If the two escorts continue to stay, they would be out of place . They find a
table in the outer area and advises Monkey, “Big Brother Monkey, we’ll sit
here and drink, okay?”
Monkey doesn’t respond and neither does Da Wei . They see that Han Chen
has already sat down at the table inside and is waiting for them . They look at
each other and realize that they’re both incompetent . It’s been five years and
they’ve finally come to the point of no turning back . Their faces are gloomy,
but they walk towards Han Chen nonetheless .
They sit down and for a moment, none of them know what to say .
Da Wei pulls out a cigarette and lights it up . Monkey takes one and lifts his
head to look at Han Chen, “Chen Er, you want one?”
Han Chen’s arm is resting on the armrest of the rattan chair . He answers
crisply, “I don’t smoke . Su Mian doesn’t like me smoking now . ”
The two men’s expressions become stagnant .
The atmosphere becomes even quieter; only smoke rises in the dim lighting .
Han Chen calls a server over and orders two dozens of Corona . He pours it
for them, and then for himself . Both Da Wei and Monkey are silent as he
does all this .
And then he puts an empty bottle in the middle of the table and says:
“Monkey, Da Wei, where have I, Han Chen, done wrong to you? Why did
you guys have to lie to me? In the past five years of not being able to find
her, and all the hardship that she has gone through, who’s going to pay them
back?”
Da Wei’s and Monkey’s expressions are even gloomier . Monkey is rather

impulsive . He holds up his glass, downs the beer, and places the empty glass
on the table with a thump .
“Is this the outcome that you want to see?” Han Chen says slowly, “So that I
and the woman whom I cherish with my life will never see each other again
till we die?”
His words are ruthless and cold . Monkey feels chills down his spine . He
throws his cigarette butt down on the ground and says to Han Chen with his
face red, “Is she really Su Mian? Who was the woman that looked exactly
like her and died then?!”


Chapter 92
Chapter 92
Chapter 92: Don’t Let Go Part 2
The night scenery is still and beautiful yet noisy . Su Mian and the other two
girls are standing beside the white fences at the lakeside chit-chatting .
But all this time, her eyes are fixed in the direction of where Han Chen is .
The water on that side is even darker and quieter . He and the other guys are
sitting at the farthest end with just a dim lamp above their heads . She can’t
see their faces clearly, but she can see him grabbing Monkey by the collar
suddenly . His standing figure looks as if it’s covered in coldness .
Su Mian has a bad feeling surging inside as her heart aches at the same time .
She stares at the dark water surface and lets out a long sigh . She fixes her
eyes on them from afar and becomes more focused and determined .
_____
On this end, right after Monkey finishes speaking, Da Wei scolds, “Monkey!”
“You shut up!” Han Chen roars without looking at Da Wei . He grabs
Monkey by the collar and his face is cold like ice, “What did you say? Who
died five years ago?”
Monkey’s expression turns dismal and answers in a daze, “Five years

ago……Five years ago……you, you and she were both injured in the
explosion incident! You were in a coma for a year and she disappeared! It
was more than half a year later that we found a body below a cliff nearby!
The body looked exactly like the woman whom you brought with you today!
We all thought she died . We all thought she died at the time! Is the woman
you’re with now really Su Mian? Are you sure? Are you sure she’s not just
someone who looks like her?”
Han Chen feels pain in his heart but reveals a slight smile on his face, “Was a
DNA test done? Was there a match with her fingerprints? Was it really Su
Mian who died?”
“We couldn’t obtain fingerprints,” Da Wei, who has been quiet all this time,
says suddenly . His face is gloomy like thick grey clouds have gathered
above his head . He raises his head and stares directly at Han Chen, “Both
hands of the body were gone . We could only conduct a DNA test . And the
results from the test matched with the hair sample that was taken from Su
Mian’s home . ”
Han Chen stares back at him .
In a blink of an eye, all the evidence and suspicion crisscrossed each other .
The outline of the event floats into his mind——
That year, he was part of the seven-member group investigation case . And
for some unknown reason, Su Mian became an undercover, which was why
they were in danger and were injured by the explosion .
And it was at that time that her identity was swapped . She was in a coma for
a year and hidden away in some place .
The body that was later found was the real “Bai Jin Xi . ” He remembers very
well that when he looked up on Bai Jin Xi’s profile a couple of months ago,
many people around said that she became more and more beautiful and
always had makeup on .
Therefore, Bai Jin Xi was probably already under the seven members’ control
. Cousins have similar facial features; she underwent plastic surgery to look
just like Su Mian and became the scapegoat .
As for the DNA samples obtained from Su Mian’s home, they were possibly
switched with samples from Bai Jin Xi, which explains why it was a perfect
match . Due to her facial features and DNA samples, the police officers at the
time didn’t suspect otherwise and believed that Su Mian had died .
And then Su Mian, who lost her memory, woke up and under somebody’s
arrangement, she started living as Bai Jin Xi .
……
Da Wei’s and Monkey’s expressions are perplexed, emotional, and depressed .
But Han Chen isn’t planning to explain to them about the conspiracy . He
stares at the two of them and continues asking what puzzles him the most:
“Even if you guys thought that she died, why did you have to lie to me about
her existence?”
Da Wei freezes . Monkey downs another bottle of beer and smashes the
bottle to the ground . He’s going all out .
“It’s because she betrayed you!” he roars raising his head and revealing his
red eyes to Han Chen, “Before the accident, she had already broken up with
you! She dropped out from the police school and started hanging out with a
group of people! She’s not a good woman! Since you had already forgotten
about her, why should we mention it?”
Da Wei remains quiet . Han Chen raises his eyebrow slightly and stares
directly at Monkey, waiting for him to continue .
The instant Monkey finishes speaking, he seems to regret it . He turns around

to look at the surface of the lake and says coldly, “Actually, the things I said
just now regarding her death, I heard it from others . But you guys did indeed
break up . At the time, you were on a big case and closed yourself off for
several months . It was at that time that she was expelled from police school .
Before you left, you asked us to help you take care of her . That was fine, we
went to visit her and she left in a sports car that was worth millions . And
then we heard that you two broke up . You stopped talking to us about her,”
he pauses and then says ruthlessly, “For this kind of woman, is it worth it,
Han Chen? We feel bad for you!”
As if he has finally vented out everything inside his heart, Monkey falls into
silence after speaking . He opens another bottle and starts drinking from it .
Da Wei has his head down and is smoking fiercely .

After a long while, Han Chen pulls out his wallet, takes out a couple of bills
and throws it on the table . He doesn’t make eye contact with anyone and
stands up .
“I will be marrying her soon . I won’t send you two invitations so that you
won’t feel bad . ”
He says these words calmly, but it pains Da Wei’s and Monkey’s hearts . Han
Chen stuffs one hand in his pocket, picks up the glass that he had poured for
himself and downs it .
Seeing that he is about to leave, Monkey lifts his eyes and looks at Da Wei .
They exchange gazes .
Da Wei looks at his glass of beer which hasn’t been touched . His hands on
his lap are turning purple due to his tight grip . He suddenly reaches forward
and downs the drink .
Han Chen has already walked a few steps toward the exit . He raises his head
to look at the lakeside; Su Mian is standing not far away . Da Wei looks up at
his back and says finally, “Han Chen, if you still consider us as your buddies,
come back now! You must not marry her, and you must not be with her!”
Han Chen’s back stiffens . He stands still in the light for a few seconds before
turning around .
In the lonely lighting, the two of them look at each other quietly .
Han Chen says slowly and clearly, “Why?”
Da Wei’s breathing pauses for a second . He looks at Han Chen, this buddy of
his who has become colder and maturer than he was years ago, and the image
from five years ago floats into his mind .
At the time, Han Chen was carried out from the explosion scene by others .
He was unconscious and it was uncertain whether or not he would live . His
group of buddies were anxious and worried at the same time .
It was then on a certain night, he secretly snuck into his dad’s study room and
flipped through the case documents related to Han Chen . He wanted to see
what it was that had caused this harm to his buddy .
But he couldn’t find anything related to the case . Instead, he saw another file
.
The criminal investigation team who was in charge of the case found evidence
of another person’s crime .
……
Da Wei closes his eyes, reopens them and says slowly, “Regardless of
whether or not this Su Mian is the real one, you shouldn’t marry her . It’s
because, at the time, I read a document from my dad’s study . In that
document, it wrote: Su Mian was involved in a murder case . There are lives
lost in her hands . She’s a murderer!”
Monkey’s face is red . He clearly knew about this but didn’t have the courage
to say it to Han Chen .
But Han Chen snickers after hearing this .
“That’s it? The thing that you guys worry and are afraid of all these years is
this?” he turns around and looks at the blurry lights reflecting on the lake
surface . And then he turns to look at Da Wei with a cold smile, “It’s because
she was an undercover policeman at the time! The most f–king pitiful
undercover! Getting expelled from school was fake, breaking up with me was
fake, so obviously, the murder was also fake! It was all done so that she
could be accepted into the criminal organization and be undercover!”
With a loud thump, Da Wei pushes the table away, stands up, rushes over to
Han Chen and holds him by the collar . His face is extremely pale, “Of
course I f–king know that she was undercover! The document stated that
explicitly! She started out as an undercover policeman, pretended to be a
psychopath and joined the criminal organization . But later……later she
changed! Changed! She was brainwashed by them and went overboard! She
really became a part of them and a serial killer!”
Han Chen fixes his eyes on him, his reacts quickly and grasps Da Wei by the
wrist . Da Wei moans from the pain and Han Chen releases his hand .
Almost instantly, Han Chen moves his hand and grabs him by the collar
instead . He stares at him with cold and emotionless eyes, “She’s a serial
killer? A serial killer my f–king a–!”
But Da Wei doesn’t flinch . He stares back at Han Chen and says while trying
to suppress his roar, “Han Chen, I don’t know who it was that died five years
ago . And I don’t know where you found this person! But I read that
document very clearly and remembered it very well! It’s because her
disappearance, her death and everything about her were never concluded .
The case was simply concealed . But all the evidence in the document
pointed to her! Otherwise, why do you think the case had been classified for
this long? Even after so many years have passed, why hasn’t the security
bureau honored her as an ‘undercover’ police officer? Why else would we
have lied to you? And why else would your mom and dad think that her
existence is their worst nightmare? Do you think that we don’t know how
much you love her? Since you lost your memory after waking up and she was
already a deceased criminal, why should we tell you this damn cruel truth?”
……
The lake surface is still and quiet . A night boat travels across from afar,
rippling and disrupting the calm surface .
The three men confront each other quietly like this for a long time . No one
speaks .
And a couple hundred meters away by the lakeside, Su Mian is watching the
outline of the three of them . She’s worried and anxious but undisturbed at
the same time .
She believes that no matter what he finds out from the two of them, whatever
it is that broke them up back then doesn’t actually matter anymore .
It’s because he and she are ready for it . The two of them will stick together
as one; no matter how hard it will be, they will find the members of the seven-
member organization, unveil the truth and have them receive the punishment
that they deserve!
……
The night is cold as usual . The sky is pitch black like a bottomless pit .
Some people are singing, some are laughing, some are observing others, and
some are in pain;
Someone finally opens his/her eyes which have been sealed for a long time .
He/she looks and observes his/her opponent carefully who’s not far away .
The sun is covering up secrets while bodies are buried underneath the ground
. The biggest lie in the world is a laughing joke that will be exposed with a
poke of a finger . But yet someone continues to try and hide it and stitch it up
just to cheat for a while longer .
But the truth, regardless of anybody, any relationship, any persistence or pain
and suffering……it will not change because of them . Just like this clear and
reflective water surface, after the ripples calm down, it will return to its
original state slowly inch by inch, and piece by piece . It will quietly and
brightly reveal itself in front of everybody .


Chapter 93
Chapter 93
Chapter 93: She Will Not Change
The night is hazy and the lamps by the lakeside are like bright shining pearls .
The three men stare at each other quietly . Da Wei finally speaks
incompetently, “Chen Er, if the woman we saw today is Su Mian……either
you let her be punished by the law! Or……take her away and disappear
forever! We’ll pretend that we never met her today and we won’t tell
anyone!”
Monkey nods furiously . Their eyes are red as they stare at Han Chen .
But Han Chen lowers his head slightly . The subtle light from the lake
surface reflects on his face . His voice is full of determination, “There’s no
need . She’s not a serial killer . We’ll unveil the truth about the incident back
then . ”
Da Wei doesn’t know what to say . Monkey blurts out, “What if she is one?”
“There’s no if!” Han Chen jerks his head up . His eyes are dark like the pitch
black sky behind him .
“If……a very minuscule possibility really exists?” Da Wei speaks again while
staring directly at Han Chen, “You haven’t recovered your memory fully,
right? You can’t remember what happened back then . If she really did make
the wrong step, Han Chen, what should you do then?!”
He questions intensely making Han Chen quiet down .
The three of them are in awkward silence again .
“She will admit her wrongdoing then . I will wait for her,” he says, turns
around and leaves .
_____
Su Mian waits for another while before seeing Han Chen walking toward her
in the shadows from the trees accompanied by sparse lighting from the
streetlamps . And behind him, Monkey and Da Wei pause their footsteps,
turn around and leave . The other unfamiliar people leave with them .
Only she and he are left by themselves again .
Su Mian watches him come near .
He seems calm and his eyes are dark . If it isn’t for his slightly ruffled hair,
she wouldn’t be able to tell that he and his buddies just had a fierce argument
. He stands beside her with one hand on the white railing and the other on her
shoulder, “Cold?”
Su Mian shakes her head . She tugs on his arm and looks up at him, “Tell me
. It looks like you got a very big problem . ”
Han Chen stares at her quietly for a moment .
“You’ve got sharp eyes . There is indeed a big problem . ”
He tells her about Su Mian’s and Bai Jin Xi’s identities being switched in
simple words . But it’s the only thing that he tells her .
Su Mian remains quiet . This doesn’t come as a surprise to her . It’s just that
when she thinks about the real Bai Jin Xi, she has mixed feelings in her heart .
A girl who has undergone plastic surgery to look like her; a girl who she has
taken the identity of; a girl who might have been controlled by the seven-
member organization . Did Bai Jin Xi sacrifice herself because she did not
have a choice? Or did she willingly allow the seven-member organization
dictate her? There’s no way to find out .
“But……” her eyebrows furrow, “if this was all arranged by the seven-
member organization, why didn’t they kill me? Instead, why did they let me
live, leaving behind danger? Furthermore, Da Wei and Monkey lied to you for
this many years because they thought I died? Is there no other reason?”
She catches two key questionable points with her sensitivity, startling Han
Chen a bit .
Out of an investigator’s instinct, that possibility flashes across his mind——
If she had really let herself go and fell to the pits, the first question can be
explained then——It’s because the seven-member organization considered
her as part of them, therefore, they didn’t kill her . They even “hid” her away
safely, giving her a new identity and life .
……
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however

improbable, must be the truth (Sherlock Holmes) .
This is what she and he have always believed in .
……
But this time, he doesn’t believe it .
He hugs her, lowers his head and kisses her hair, “Did you forget that you
were an undercover policeman? Da Wei and Monkey refusing to tell me
about you is a misunderstanding . They thought that you had already let
yourself go and fall into the pits . ”
Su Mian feels relief and glances at him, “You shouldn’t blame them then . ”
“Mm, I won’t blame them . ”
They lift their heads and admire the lake surface together .
“There are still a lot of details that we don’t know,” he says slowly, “How did
you become an undercover cop? How did we end up in the explosion
accident? Why didn’t they kill you? Did they have another motive? We can’t
find the answers to all these things at once . So we shouldn’t rush to find the
answer to a certain question . We should chase after the root of everything to
find out the truth of the entire case . And then all these questions will be
answered . ”
Su Mian sighs softly .
“Okay!” her voice is crisp and firm, “No matter what their motive may be, we
must defeat them!”
The night is quiet . Her hands are on the railing while she looks up at the sky
. The side profile of her face is fair white and soft; captivating and smooth
like jade . And those eyes are bright and clear, reflecting the water from the
lake .
She then turns her head to look at him and smiles .
Han Chen stares at her quietly . He lets go of the railing suddenly and holds
her face . He lowers his head and kisses her .
His kiss comes so suddenly and fiercely . He presses her against a big tree
before she is quick enough to react . His one hand is on the tree trunk while
his other is holding her chin; his lips and tongue move aggressively with hers
.
Su Mian moans as she struggles to break free, “Han Chen……there are

people everywhere……”
“Don’t care . ”
She can even hear him gasping for air while kissing . His burning tongue
sweeps inside her mouth causing her mind to go blank .
“What’s up with you……” she persists in trying to stop him .
But he ignores her completely . He moves his lips away slowly and stares at
her at a close distance, “Su Mian, kiss me . ”
Su Mian, “Ah?”
Right after he makes his request, he doesn’t wait for her to come out of her
daze . He lowers his head and rubs his ear and the side of his face against her
lips lightly, gesturing for her to kiss him . He, on the other hand, starts
kissing her around the neck .
……
It’s not until they get back to the hotel that his enthusiasm is fully released .
The moment they close the door, he lifts her up and puts her against the wall .
Their bodies begin to twist with each other . It’s the wildest position that
they’ve ever been in . He enters her too quickly; Su Mian gasps and shouts,
“Ow!” His eyes are dark like there are tidal waves rippling in them . Yet he
slows down his rhythm and kisses her gently while thrusting slowly .
……
The night is still very, very dark . The moon can be seen outside of the
window, hanging on top of the skyscrapers .
Su Mian is lying on the bed on her stomach softly . Han Chen has his arms
wrapped around her from behind . He continues kissing her back; it’s as if he
possesses her entirely .
They continue for another while like this . Su Mian, who is completely out of
energy from being “bullied,” speaks slowly, “Why are you behaving like this
today?”
Han Chen is always laid back and gentle at moments like these; his
temperament as a young master is also at its height . He grabs her hand and
rubs it in his palm and says nonchalantly, “Just wanted a change in flavor . ”
Su Mian, “……F–k you!”
She turns her body to face him . He pulls over the blanket to cover them both
and lowers his head to look into her eyes .
“I know you weren’t happy after seeing your buddies today,” she says softly,
“so that’s why you’re like this, right?”
Her voice with the utmost gentleness makes Han Chen falls into silence
immediately . He stares at her with his heart feeling even more tender .
But she changes the subject with her face revealing a mischievous smile, “I
knew it! All men are animals who use their lower bodies to think . ” She then
picks up his hand and puts it on her chest, “Come! However depressed you
feel in your heart, just take it out on me! I can handle it! In a key moment like
this, how can I not show my support!”
After her superb speech, her face is blushing and charming, but her eyes carry
a hint of a playful smile . Han Chen’s mind goes blank from watching her .
A moment later, he lowers his head and laughs . His fair white face is so
handsome like he’s a painting .
Su Mian giggles, “Hehheh . ”
After a while, he reaches out his arms and wraps them around her waist . Her
body curves up slightly, leaning against his .
He looks at her with his deep eyes .
Many imagery flashes across his mind——
Behind the screen at the nightclub in Jiangcheng, she said to him arrogantly
and calmly, “You come with us back to the station . If you haven’t done
anything to break the law, we won’t do any injustice to you . ”
In T’s case, T sent his invitation to the Black Shield Team officially,
requesting that he and she to participate without any weapons . Death may
have been waiting for them, but she stood up swiftly and said, “I’m willing to
go . ”
And on that night . She sat inside his car and said to him with the same tone
of voice, “He would marry me after I graduate . He won’t marry anyone else
but me in his life . ”
……
There are a thousand reasons to not believe in her, but it only takes one reason
to believe her . It’s enough to make all “evidence” and so-called logic to
become useless——
Losing her memory, being muddled, lonely, and becoming an unknown

bumpkin……she has lost everything and forgotten about everything, but she
has not stopped loving him or given up on her beliefs and desires .
How could a person like her possibly change?
……
He lowers his head and kisses her deeply .

“Promise me one thing . ”
“Hm?” she opens her eyes .
“Didn’t you say that you only have me now?” he asks unconcernedly .
Su Mian doesn’t know what he’s trying to get at, so she responds carefully,
“Yes……what’s the matter?”
“If that’s the case, listen to me,” he says crisply, “No matter what happens in
the future, just trust me and trust yourself . Got it?”
Su Mian blinks her eyes . She wants to say something but instead, nods while
looking into his eyes, “Okay . I promise you . ”
Han Chen smiles slightly . He hugs her, lies down and says, “And one more
thing, your undercover identity has not been verified, so there’s still danger to
that . Therefore, continue to be Bai Jin Xi and don’t tell anyone about your
real identity . ”
Su Mian understands this very well . She thinks for a second and asks, “I
can’t even tell Xiao Zhuan?”
Han Chen glances at her, “No . ”
“Sigh, okay . ”


Chapter 94
Chapter 94
Chapter 94: Imperial Sword
Monday of next week .
Su Mian walks into the office and sees that Xiao Zhuan and the others have
already arrived . It’s not time for work yet . Xiao Zhuan’s mouth is stuffed
with a pork bun; Cold Face is standing by his desk expressionlessly while
pouring himself a cup of scented tea; Chatterbox is flipping through his
newspapers noisily .
It has only been a few days that they haven’t seen each other, yet this ordinary
scene makes her feel warm and familiar . It’s actually not just Han Chen that
she has .
She still has them . She still has everybody from Guanhu station and her
fellow buddies from her current criminal investigation team .
She walks over feeling a bit depressed . But what’s there to be sad about!?
She flings a couple of bags of roasted duck onto Xiao Zhuan’s table and says
aloud, “Oh, what are these goodies?”
All three of them raise their heads and smile seeing her . Xiao Zhuan picks
up the roasted duck with his eyes gleaming, “Xiao Bai! You’re awesome!
You even remembered to bring us snacks when you were on a honeymoon!”
Chatterbox lets out a laugh, “Hehheh,” and quickly snatches a pack while
praising, “Not bad! They’re from Quanjude (restaurant) too! Old man here
can finally get a taste of Quanjude, ha, ha, ha, ha! Xiao Bai, thanks! And
thank Leader for me too!”
They’re already teasing her directly like this now . Su Mian feels a bit
embarrassed yet happy at the same time . She sits down feeling pleased as
she watches the three smiling faces . Her gaze changes slowly .
They become gentle yet still .
_____
The moment Han Chen enters the station, he heads directly to the top floor
and into the office at the farthest end .
The decorations here are very simple yet elegant . The civil police emblem is
shining quietly on the wall .
The receptionist at the entrance asks, “Team Leader Han, do you have an
appointment?”
Han Chen nods, “I called the chief last night and he told me to come see him
first thing in the morning today . ”
The receptionist walks over, knocks on the door and goes inside .
The hallway is quiet . After a while, the receptionist comes out and smiles at
him, “Team Leader Han, please go inside . The Chief is waiting for you . ”
The office room’s decor is simple yet impressive as always . Beside the
marble desk, a middle-aged man is sitting on the couch with some files in his
hand . Hearing Han Chen come in, he looks up; his slightly square-shaped
face looks at Han Chen with his sharp yet calm eyes .
And above his head is a framed cursive script of Lu Xun’s (writer) famous
words, “I shall offer my blood up for Xuan Yuan, our progenitor . ”
Han Chen stares at the line of words silently for a moment before sitting
down in front of him .
“Chief, I want to continue investigating the case from five years ago, which
has been deemed as a classified massive serial killing case by Beijing . ”
The middle-aged man is startled upon hearing his request . He puts the files
down, picks up the blue and white porcelain pot from the coffee table and
pours him a cup, “Have a drink first, and let’s chat for a bit . ”
_____
Half an hour later .
“I’ve heard of the case before . It’s been closed . They also caught a bunch of
criminals at the time,” the middle-aged man stares at Han Chen, “Based on
what you’re saying, there are still some perpetrators on the loose and are
roaming the city freely?”
Han Chen nods . He repeats what Xin Jia said to him but doesn’t mention
anything about Su Mian .
“I believe that Xin Jia’s words can be trusted: around me, people who I’ve
come in contact with, the murderer from back then is among them,” he says,
“Considering this, I think that the Beijing department is not suitable to handle
the case . The criminal organization is very cunning . Once people from
Beijing arrive, they’ll be alerted, and then we won’t be able to find anything .
Therefore, I hope that you, Chief, can let me investigate the case . ”
The middle-aged man picks up his teacup and takes a sip slowly, “I know that
you were a victim of the incident back then . You’ve said this much to me
today to fight for the rights to investigate the case, is it because you still hold
a grudge for what happened back then?”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a few seconds before answering, “They’ve killed
numerous people, inverting right and wrong, and are guilty of the most
terrible crime . So what’s wrong if I want to take revenge and catch them
with my own hands?”
His stubbornness makes the Chief laugh . He waves his hand up and down,
“Let me think about it . You can leave now . ”
Han Chen doesn’t say any more . He responds, “Okay,” turns around and
walks toward the door . Just as he approaches the exit, the Chief calls him
again, “Wait . ”
Han Chen turns around and smiles at him, “You’re done thinking?”
The Chief laughs helplessly, “I want to criticize you! How long has the Black
Shield Team been established? It’s the key project group of the station and
you’re already dating the little girl? And everyone already knows about it . I
thought you were a boring and untalkative person . ”
Han Chen stuffs both hands into his pockets and smiles .
“Employees working in the same team needs to avoid dating . This sure has
gone well . Do you know how many headaches you’re causing the supervisors
of the criminal investigation department? There aren’t that many who come
out of criminal psychology to begin with, so where are they going to find
another young and energetic talent like Bai Jin Xi?” the Chief continues to
scold .
Han Chen shakes his head, “There’s no need to find another one . Once this
case has been solved, just transfer me to the archives department and leave
her in the Black Shield Team . She’s more ambitious than I am . ”
The Chief is speechless, “You fellow! Go, go! I’ll ask for you again . ”
After Han Chen leaves, this middle-aged man thinks deeply for a moment .
He walks to sit at his desk, picks up the phone and dials a Beijing number .
The call connects through . He smiles before speaking to the person on the
other end, “Boss, it’s me . I’m Old Xue of Province K . There’s an important
matter that I must speak to you about . ”
……
Han Chen returns to his office . He greets the others briefly and then sees Su
Mian lifting her head and looking at him . Their eyes meet . He nods his head
very slightly .
When it’s afternoon and almost time to leave work, Han Chen receives a call
from the receptionist . He’s been summoned to the top floor again .
But this time, the Chief cuts to the chase . He places a stack of files on the
table in front of him, “I’ve told them about it briefly . There is some minor
evidence showing that there may be some perpetrators uncaught in Province
K . But these are all speculations, so they’re not confident enough to reopen
the case . Nevertheless, they’ve agreed to let us do some investigating work to
confirm, but it must be done in secret . Furthermore, they can only give us
this much detail on the case from back then . There is other information about
the case that is rather sensitive, so they cannot give it to us . ”
Han Chen takes the files and says calmly, “If they want to give us anything,
they should just give it all to us . What is the meaning of this?”
Old Xue says, “Stop the nonsense . The heaven is high and the emperor is far
away (idiom: an area beyond the control of a central government), and you’ve
already been given the imperial sword, so what more do you want?
Moreover, although the case is in our hands right now, the higher-ups may
also take some measures to monitor our actions . Keep your pride inside and
focus on investigating the case . ”
Han Chen nods .
Old Xue keeps quiet for a moment . He looks up at the frame holding the
cursive script and his gaze becomes solemn, “Han Chen, I’m officially
leaving this in your hands . If there is really a criminal among our team……
do as you see fit . You must pick him out! The civil police team must protect
fairness, justice, moral and the truth . We are the starting point of civilians’
peaceful life . We are the sharp knife that fights against the criminals . If there
is a stain on this sharp knife, even if we have to hold the blade in our hands,
we must remove it!” he looks directly at Han Chen and says earnestly, “Ten
years to sharpen a sword, yet never has it been yield . A criminal investigator
who doesn’t want to catch a criminal is not a good policeman . I hope that the
Black Shield Team, this imperial sword, won’t let me down . ”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a moment and then holds up his hand to salute,
“Yes, Sir!”
Old Xue smiles and asks, “Do you have a suspect in mind right now?”
“There is one indeed . ”
_____
Han Chen comes down from the top floor . The instant he steps into the
office, he is met by Zhao Xiao Zhuan with a stack of papers in his hands,
“Leader, a new case has appeared . ” Su Mian and the others all raise their
heads .
Han Chen takes the documents and flips through them . Xiao Zhuan narrates,
“At an apartment in the West City District, a murder incident happened today
in the morning . The deceased victim is a mistress of a publicly well-known
businessman . Although it’s not a big case, it’s still not a good influence, so
it’s not suitable to make it a big deal on the investigation . Therefore, Captain
Qin’s side sent us the documents, asking if we would like to take over?”
Han Chen doesn’t answer right away . He lets Xiao Zhuan go back to his seat
first . He, on the other hand, takes the documents with him and sits behind his
desk . He puts one hand on the armrest while flipping through the documents
again with his other . His expression is indifferent .
Since it affects the arrangement of their work to come, the rest of them are
naturally observing his expression to see if he intends to accept the case . Su
Mian watches him silently . This man’s aura is always imposing when he’s
immersed in his thoughts .
After a while, he puts down the documents, raises his head to look at
everybody . His dark brown eyes are calm and unreadable .
“We’ll take the case . Since the case is important, Xiao Zhuan, request
Captain Qin to form a special investigation team . Invite Forensic
Investigator Xu and Professor Xu Nan Bai to join, and help me pick a few
more members from the criminal investigation and forensic teams . ”


Chapter 95
Chapter 95
Chapter 95: After a Bloody Battle Part 1
It’s very late at night .
Su Mian is sitting in the study room by herself staring at the file in front of
her .
It’s the file that Han Chen got from the Chief today, which is the big case
from five years ago . And these are the most detailed information that they
can retrieve . Han Chen has already read through them; she hasn’t though .
She takes a deep breath and opens the file . The title in black color causes her
to be stunned slightly .
“4 . 20 Massive Serial Killing Case Condensed Records——Public Security

Bureau 2009 No . 001 File”
Although it’s labeled as “condensed records,” it’s a very thick file .
Su Mian continues reading .
“Between January 2008 and January 2009, 10 murder cases happened in the
city one after the other . The murderer used poison, explosives,
dismembering and other methods to kill the victims . The victims included
wealthy businessmen, white collars, ordinary citizens, and etcetera, stealing
more than a billion RMB of assets . The perpetrator’s skill was intricate and
careful when committing the crime, making it extremely hard to solve the
case . The station suspected that there was an organized group of individuals
who plotted and carried out these incidents . The police formed a special
investigation team and started investigating . ”
The report is written in a concise and calm manner but through some of the
wording, Su Mian can imagine how the sudden rise of the seven-member
organization shocked the police at the time . Even someone like T, who was
experienced in plotting, was just the most inexperienced one from the seven-
member organization .
“The special investigation team was established: the station’s deputy chief
Chen Wei Liang, Captain Ma Bo Tao of the second criminal investigation
team……”
Other criminal investigators’ names follow, and Han Chen’s name is also
among them .
Su Mian stares at those two familiar characters of his name . Her heart feels
slightly stuffed . It’s as if she and Han Chen can finally touch the pain and
hurt that has been covered up for so many years .
“After many months of hard work, the special investigation team had
identified preliminary suspects: an estimated of 7-9 core members with 10-15
supporting members . Since the organization possessed heavy firearms, the
special investigation team was planning to arrest all the members at once on
or around April 20 . ”
These straightforward words summarize what the special investigation team

did .
But the following paragraphs send shivers down her spine:
“April 20, armed forces and the criminal organization were involved in an
unexpected gun battle at the location, causing five policemen to die in the line
of duty and ten injured . Three members of the criminal organization were
also shot dead at the same time .
On the night of April 20, multiple explosions occurred at the special

investigation team’s location of ambush . Ten or so civilians were killed
and/or injured . Deputy Chief Chen Wei Liang and three other criminal
investigators lost their lives; Investigator Han Chen was injured severely and
was in a coma; five members of the criminal organization were also killed
and/or injured . The headquarters of the criminal organization was destroyed,
so many of its members attempted to escape .
April 21 to 24, at several locations in the city, a series of murder incidents

appeared . The methods used for murdering were similar to previous
incidents . Within a few days, ten or so innocent civilians were killed . It was
suspected that these remaining members of the criminal organization were
provoking and taking revenge on the police .
At the end of April to mid-June, the police continued making arrests in the
city area; two criminals were captured and three were shot dead . After the
trial, they admitted to their crimes on April 21 and 22 . There were also many
traces of evidence and tools used to commit the crimes left at the scene . And
they confessed unanimously that there were no other criminals on the escape .
A year later, the police continued investigating and chasing after the evidence
but they did not find any traces of other criminal members . And there had
not been any more similar incidents happening . Therefore, the April 20 case
was deemed solved and was closed . ”
……
As she’s immersed reading the file, she feels someone hugging her from
behind suddenly .
Han Chen’s cheeks are still carrying some dampness from after taking a
shower . He lowers his head and reads the file with her . He asks, “How’s
everything?”
Su Mian thinks over the words in the document . Her heart is still beating fast
as she answers, “Back then, how did the mission end up like this? So many
people were killed and injured . ”
Han Chen responds, “Something unexpected must of happened during the

police’s plan to arrest . ” He takes the file from her hand, reads it quietly and
then says, “I’ve looked it up before . Not long after the April 20 case, the
team leader of the criminal investigation team and another deputy chief
resigned . ”
Su Mian keeps quiet .
She originally thought that a big case like this with over 64 killed and/or
injured might have been a twisted hunting act of the despicable seven-
member organization . She never thought that the truth would be this tragic .
There was indeed a twisted act of hunting, and there was indeed a fierce battle
between the police and the criminals . Xin Jia was absolutely right when she
said before she died: “neither side won the battle and many lives were taken .
” No matter how much effort and intelligence both sides utilized back then,
everyone was dragged into the maelstrom of bloodshed .
It’s understandable that the police would classify the case as confidential .
After a while, she says softly, “From start to end, my name did not appear
once . ”
Han Chen puts the file down and holds her face to look at him, “Haven’t you
noticed how condensed these documents are? How could they reveal a name
of an undercover cop here? Furthermore, who knows that you’re still alive
right now?”
Su Mian nods and then says, “If it’s really like what Xin Jia said, then there
are still five of them alive . Even if they’ve been in hiding for these years,
they must not have stopped killing others . It’s in their nature, so they can’t
help it . It’s just that they’ve been able to hide very well . If we can really
expose one of them, the other four might come out to fight back . ”
Han Chen nods slowly .
They both remain silent for a brief moment . An image suddenly floats into
Su Mian’s mind: five serial killers finally walk out from the horizon . She
and Han Chen, as well as the rest of the Black Shield Team, will face them
with new and old grudges and fight them down .
Will this be a new bloody battle?
But they have no choice . They must not let them escape from justice and
continue to hide among the crowd and kill others .
“Are you able to complete any profiles?” Han Chen asks .
Su Mian flips through the documents . There are more details in the pages
after . They’re all details of the victims including their summaries, photos,
how they were killed, photos of the scene and their autopsy reports . They’ve
also been organized based on the way they were killed: explosion, poison,
heart extracted and dismembered, sniped……sniping cases were undoubtedly
T’s trait . Poisoning must have been related to Xin Jia . The rest are
obviously works of other psychopathic killers .
She nods, “I can complete some preliminary profiles . ”
“Okay . I want them tomorrow morning . ”
Su Mian recalls him announcing in the office today about establishing a

special investigation unit . She sighs in her heart and asks, “You really want
to test each one of them out?”
“Yes . ”
Su Mian thinks for a second and says, “I can’t say about the others, but Zhou
Xiao Zhuan is definitely not one of them . ”
Han Chen smiles and lowers his head to look at her, “Why?”
Su Mian leans in his embrace and answers, “He’s such an airhead, how could
he possibly be a serial killer? They are a seven-member organization, so they
must be picky in accepting their members . ”
But Han Chen decides to tease her, “You’re also an airhead, but I still chose
you, haven’t I?”
Su Mian is speechless, “……F–k! I’m not an airhead like him!”
The case is a serious matter, but the two of them still smile looking at each
other . After a while, Su Mian sighs, “Although I haven’t been working with
Cold Face and Chatterbox for a long time, I hope that they’re not one of them
. ”
In regards to these two of his favorite subordinates, Han Chen doesn’t

comment . He changes the subject and asks, “What about Xu Si Bai?”
Su Mian is surprised . She stares into Han Chen’s eyes .
The image of Xu Si Bai’s face floats into her mind, as well as his eyes staring
at her .
She shakes her head, “If I were to make the call, he definitely isn’t . He’s
been with me for these few years and has never shown any strange behaviors .
He devotes his whole body and soul to his work at the forensic lab . He really
has no desires . Some things can be disguised, but not everything can be . For
example, a person’s pure heart, firm determination, and ambition . ”
Her words are resolute and decisive . Her eyes are clear and gentle . Han
Chen stares at her for a moment, smiles lowering his head and kisses her
aggressively . He even bites her lip causing her to cry out in pain, but he seals
her lips, muffling her complaints .


Chapter 96
Chapter 96
Chapter 96: After a Bloody Battle Part 2
Morning of next day .
The sun is shining brightly accompanied by a subtle breeze . The humidifier

by the window is blowing light mist, making the morning look beautiful and
quiet .
The moment Su Mian walks into the office, she sees someone already sitting
at her desk .
It’s Xu Si Bai .
He’s wearing his usual brown colored jacket, white shirt, and casual pants .
He’s leaning against the chair and reading one of her books . Behind him,
Xiao Yao is chatting with Xiao Zhuan .
On the other side at Chatterbox’s desk is where Xu Nan Bai is sitting .

Chatterbox is conversing enthusiastically with him about something .
Hearing the noise, they all look up at her .
Su Mian smiles squinting her eyes and greets Xu Nan Bai, “Good morning,
Senior Classmate . ”
Xu Nan Bai smiles and nods at her .
She walks to her desk where Xu Si Bai is already standing up . She presses
on his shoulder, “You sit, you’re a visitor . ”
Xu Si Bai smiles . His clear eyes are gleaming .
Thinking about it now, they haven’t seen each other for many days . He
doesn’t seem to have changed a lot from before; his face has slimmed down a
bit and he looks even calmer and quiet . Su Mian actually feels a bit distant
from him now .
This feeling makes her uncomfortable . She stares at him like this with her
black pupils .
He seems to understand the words that she hasn’t spoken in her mind . His
gaze turns gentle as he asks, “How do you feel after visiting Beijing?”
Just when Su Mian wants to answer, her heart skips a beat . She recalls her
conversation with Han Chen; could Xu Si Bai be one of the killers?
She looks at him sideways .
He looks calm and not the least bit bothered from talking about her visit to
Beijing .
Su Mian feels relieved and answers, “I had some fun in a couple of places .
Oh, I bought you some roasted duck, did you get a chance to eat it yet? I
asked Xiao Yao to bring it over to you . ”
Xu Si Bai furrows his eyebrows for a second, “They weren’t good . ”
Su Mian spurts out a giggle . Xu Si Bai smiles slightly as well .
This makes Su Mian feels rather good . It’s as if they’ve gone back to the
way they were before . This is the way they interact; she chitchats with him
while he’s aloof and cute like a child .
They chat for a short while before Su Mian raises her head and looks around
the office .
Besides Xu Si Bai and Xu Nan Bai, a few others from the forensic and
criminal investigation departments have also come . It makes the small office
room feel cramped immediately . Everybody is waiting to start on the new
case .
At this moment, Han Chen and Cold Face finally come . Cold Face is
carrying a big pile of documents in his hands . Everyone looks at them . The
atmosphere becomes serious immediately .
Han Chen sweeps his eyes across the room . His and Su Mian’s eyes meet
and they shift their gaze away without anyone noticing .
He tells Xiao Zhuan to close the door and then distributes the information to
everyone .
Su Mian observes their expressions secretly . Everyone flips open the

document, “April 20 Case’s Condensed Records”, and is a bit stunned .
This is the plan that Han Chen had decided on yesterday: no insinuation, no
hidden agenda——he gets right to the point and throws the case information
in front of the killer, catching him off guard .
_____
A moment later, Han Chen finishes introducing the case briefly and says,
“This is a very old case . But because there are traces of the escaped suspects
from back then in our province recently, therefore, we will do some
investigating first . We will be reporting directly back to the Chief and all
work must be kept confidential . As a result, we will announce publicly that
we are investigating the case regarding the wealthy businessman murdered by
his mistress . Internally, we will focus our efforts on this case . Therefore,
I’ve specially invited Professor Xu and Forensic Investigator Xu to assist us .
”
Xu Nan Bai has his head down reading the information . He nods hearing
Han Chen’s words . He seems to be quite immersed in the document, so he
doesn’t say much . Xu Si Bai, on the other hand, flips to the end of the
document to look at the autopsy reports of the victims . He reads each page
very carefully with full concentration, so he doesn’t answer .
This announcement has come too suddenly nonetheless . Others in the room
also don’t know what to say .
Supporting members of the Forensic and Criminal Investigation Departments

express their thoughts first, “Team Leader Han, just tell us what you need us
to do . We will definitely do our best to complete it . ”
Han Chen nods . He scans across them with his eyes calmly .
Cold Face is quiet as usual . Xiao Zhuan probably kind of knows that the big
case back then relates to Su Mian and Han Chen, so he squeezes her hand
lightly to express his nervousness and excitement in his heart . Chatterbox
flips through the information and says in shock, “Leader, this sure is a big
case . How are we going to investigate it? Where should we start?”
Han Chen responds back, “We’ve already gathered some very valuable details
. ”
Everyone lifts their heads to look at him .
Han Chen fetches two pages from the document . They’re photos of T and
Xin Jia . He puts them in front of everybody, “After some investigating, these
two were members of the killer organization . ”
The majority of the people still don’t know about Xin Jia’s identity . They all
reveal a surprised look on their faces hearing about it . Chatterbox murmurs,
“Holy Shit! She’s actually a killer?” Xu Nan Bai is also surprised, “Xin Jia?”
Xu Si Bai has never really interacted with Xin Jia before so he doesn’t show a
lot of reaction hearing the news . Even Xiao Zhuan is surprised and turns his
head to Su Mian, “You can’t serious……my God!”
Han Chen gives a brief summary of what happened to him and Xin Jia in the
forest that day and then says, “Xin Jia said before she died: there were 7
survivors from the killer organization back then . With T and her deceased
now, there are still 5 of them left . ”
Everybody is quiet in the room . Su Mian examines each and every one of
their faces; she doesn’t notice anything strange yet .
“She said, these people have been staying in……” Han Chen pauses before
continuing, “a city on the Southern side . But recently, due to T’s death and
our investigation, they have already arrived in Province K . Therefore, she
warned me to be careful . ”
Everybody continues to be quiet .
Han Chen gives out a series of orders, “Professor Xu, Bai Jin Xi has already
completed a few suspect profiles based on the information of the victims and
the case from back then . I would like you to help her tweak and finalize
them . ”
Xu Nan Bai and Su Mian exchange glances . He fiddles with the Buddha
beads on his wrist subconsciously and answers, “Sure . ”
“Forensic Investigator Xu,” Han Chen looks towards Xu Si Bai, “can you
reassess the autopsy reports? It’ll be great if there is anything that will help
us with making a breakthrough in our investigation . ”
Xu Si Bai responds, “I will . ”
Han Chen turns to look at the members of the Forensic and Criminal
Investigation Departments again, “Please start investigating all individuals
who have come to our City from the South in the past three months
immediately . Especially those who fit the profiles from Bai Jin Xi and
Professor Xu . And collect information on all their activities and DNA
samples . ”
They all respond in agreement .
“Cold Face, come with me,” Han Chen opens up a map of Beijing and hangs
it on the board behind him, “You and I will be responsible of the locations
where murder incidents have occurred and we’ll create a map of them . We’ll
then confirm the killers’ areas of activity and conduct our search of suspects .
”
“Yes, Sir . ”
The clues left behind by Xin Jia, the criminal psychology profiles, the
evidence from the autopsies, information on individuals from outside of the
city, refining the geographical locations……He has organized everything
neatly and every path seems to provide a lead . Everyone is eager to start
their work . Xiao Zhuan sighs, “This is great! Yet Chatterbox you were afraid
that there wouldn’t be any evidence and didn’t know where to start . Look,
once we, the Black Shield Team, unite, all roads ahead are clear!”
Chatterbox nods, “That’s right! All of a sudden, everything is wide and clear
. ”
At this moment, Han Chen looks over at the two of them . He takes the
couple of sealed plastic bags of evidence from Cold Face; there is a record of
a fingerprint .
More precisely, it’s a blurry half of a fingerprint that has been left behind .
Han Chen says, “Lastly, it’s a task for the two of you . This is a very precious
half fingerprint that was collected at the crime scene from back then . I
brought it back from Beijing . Due to the limitation of technology back then,
the fingerprint expert was unable to find any matches . This time, let’s try and
lock down on a few suspects and analyze this fingerprint again . Chatterbox,
it’s all yours . Your fingerprint analytical skills are comparable to the experts
in Beijing . If you find anything, we might be able to identify one of the
killers . Xiao Zhuan, please work with him . Remember to keep the
fingerprint safe . Don’t lose it or damage it . ”
Under the gaze of others, Chatterbox takes the half fingerprint carefully with
his eyes gleaming .


Chapter 97
Chapter 97
Chapter 97: Three Person from Day Till Night Part 1
At the provincial public security bureau, besides the main office building,
there are also an archives building, forensic building, criminal research
building and other small buildings . The trees create canopies everywhere;
tidy and solemn .
And at a corner about a couple hundred of meters away from the main
building, there is a two-story white building . From the outside, it’s simple
and ordinary looking . It’s usually used as a storage .
Today, this small building has been cleaned up, and the sign “Black Shield
Team” is officially put up . It is now their temporary secret office .
Afternoon .
Su Mian is carrying a small pile of books and walking alongside Han Chen on
the walkway . He is carrying a big box stuffed with her office supplies .
Them walking like this feels as if they’ve returned to their school days . Su
Mian turns her head to the side to look at him . His expression is relaxed and
his black pupils are also looking at her calmly .
Su Mian lifts her eyes and looks at the small building not far away .
Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan are standing at the front entrance and are
carrying things inside . She lets out a soft “Hmph!” and says, “Han Chen,
you’re quite cunning, aren’t you? When did Xin Jia say that ‘they’re in the
South’? Where did you get that fingerprint?”
Han Chen slows down his pace . He switches to hold the box with one hand,
unzips his jacket, unbuttons the top of his shirt and says, “Should I be a stupid
and reckless person and say everything that I know? You think that I would
be able to catch the seven-member organization like that?”
Su Mian lets out a laugh, “Hehheh . ” She takes a look around quickly and
then says in a low voice, “But that’s a great trick . Everything else that Xin
Jia said was true: she was a serial killer, she used poison, and there are seven
others . Only the part about them being in the ‘South’ was fake . Having one
fake tip among these many other real tips, it’s going to be hard to distinguish
what’s real and what’s not . You even asked several criminal investigators to
look up on non-local individuals . After hearing all of this, that person will
most likely believe all of this and think that Xin Jia didn’t expose him before
she died and he’ll let his guard down . ”
Han Chen smiles without commenting .
Su Mian continues, “The same goes for the fingerprint . The criminal
psychology profile that you’re asking me to complete is real; You and Cold
Face searching the area is also real; Xu Si Bai reviewing the autopsy reports
is real . But only the fingerprint that has been given to Chatterbox and Xiao
Zhuan is fake . Although the seven-member organization may be smart and
careful, based on the records, the bloodshed battle was chaotic, so it’s not
impossible that they had left half a fingerprint behind . This increases the
believability of the fingerprint . It’s just that——” she stares directly at him,
“the person that you’re referring to, will he really take the bait? Would he take
a risk and try to steal the fingerprint?”
“He’s definitely half doubting everything right now, so he won’t act

impulsively,” he answers, “Therefore, we have to continue to mislead what he
sees and hears until he believes everything and takes action . And at that
time, it will be a turkey shoot . ”
_____
The Black Shield Team’s temporary office .
The first floor is actually a spacious lounge with cement floor and mottled
walls; a little empty . But it’s wide and comfortable . The second floor has a
few offices, but they haven’t been cleaned up yet .
Su Mian and Xu Nan Bai are responsible for criminal psychology . They take
up a corner of the lounge, placing two desks and a whiteboard in the area .
Han Chen and Cold Face, Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan, Xu Si Bai and the few
others pick their spots and get busy with themselves .
Su Mian is staring at her computer reading the document . Xu Nan Bai,

who’s across from her, also seems to be immersed in his computer . They
then hear Zhou Xiao Zhuan speak, “Everyone! What we read yesterday was a
condensed summary of the case . I’ve already compiled the detailed
information of the case today and categorized them: police reports, victims’
information, the murderers’ methods of killing, police information, after
reports……I’ve put them all on our intraweb and locked them with a
password so that it would be convenient for everybody to read . Additionally,
based on Leader Han’s thoughts, I’ve also created a working site for each
team . You can upload your latest works . Stuff like Xiao Bai’s criminal
psychology profiles, Forensic Investigator Xu’s review of the autopsy reports,
and Chatterbox’s analysis report of the fingerprint, they can all be uploaded
and shared . ”
Everybody nods . The works of each team need to be shared . Having a

digital platform for it will undoubtedly increase the team’s efficiency .
Su Mian opens the intraweb . She does indeed see all of the information
separated into categories . She opens the information on the victims and the
murderers’ methods of killing and starts reading .
_____
Back then, besides the innocent victims who sacrificed their lives during the
gunfight between the police and the criminals, the other unique single murder
cases are also not her main focus area . Therefore, other than T, who is a
serial sniper, and Xin Jia, who makes poison behind the scenes, there are three
other serial killers within these case documents . She can’t tell who the other
two are for now .
Su Mian puts the first category, “Serial explosion cases information,” into a
folder and starts reading page by page .
The first case:
Male victim, 48 years-old, vice president of a certain listed company . On the

day that he was abducted, the safe in the house was unlocked and an unknown
amount of the belongings in it were stolen; over ten million was transferred to
overseas from his bank account . The victim’s body was later found in a
warehouse in the suburbs——more precisely, his body pieces were found
because he was already separated into pieces from an explosion .
Su Mian’s hand holding the mouse stutters .
Explosion . They were homemade explosives and it was intricately executed .

This clearly shows that within the seven-member organization, a highly
skilled expert in explosives exists . And the explosion that she and Han Chen
experienced back then could have been caused by this person .
The second case’s victim is a bit similar to the first one . He was a collector .
After the incident, all of his precious collection items at home were stolen .
And his death was even more merciless . Not only was he shred into pieces
from an explosion, he was put in the middle of a busy street with his mouth
and nose sealed with tape . Surrounded by a crowd of people and no one
dared to help . When the police arrived, he was already left in a pile .
The third, fourth, and fifth cases……Su Mian raises her eyebrow slightly;
they’re rather interesting . It turns out that although the later victims were
also wealthy people, there were a couple of white collars and/or civilians of
poor familiars . Using the same kind of explosives, some were tossed into the
busy streets, some were left on the rooftop of a skyscraper, and some were
even brought inside a schoolyard . They exploded in many different ways;
some were snapped in the waist area, some were blown into five or eight
pieces, and some were reduced to pulp……
After reading the document, Su Mian thinks deeply for a moment before
continuing . At the same time, Xu Nan Bai stands up, places both hands on
the desk and smiles at her, “How are things going, my
Junior (female) Classmate? Have you found anything?”
Su Mian lets go of the mouse, leans back, stretches out her arms and answers,
“Just finished reading through the documents on the explosion cases . What
about you, Senior?”
“About the same . I also read a few,” he walks around the desk, stands in
front of her and crosses his arms looking at her, “Should we discuss over
them? Let me hear what you have in mind . ”
Su Mian nods, stands up and picks up a whiteboard marker, “Senior, I’ll take
the first stab at it then . Please give me your guidance . I don’t call you
Senior for nothing . ”
Xu Nan Bai grins . He appears especially elegant in the afternoon sunlight .

He raises his hand to push his glasses up a bit, “You sure have a sweet mouth
. ”
“This is a serial killer with a very distinct personality,” Su Mian stands in

front of the whiteboard and says with her arms crossed, “First, his most
dominant trait is——he behaves like a child . ”


Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Chapter 98: Three Person from Day Till Night Part 2
Xu Nan Bai shows an intrigued expression as he listens attentively .
“Whether it’s the choice of victims, the method of the explosion, or the
location, we can clearly see this trait . Not only are targeted individuals
killed, innocent civilians are also killed . Among them are both young and the
elderly; male and female . There are no connections or patterns, showing
rather a randomness in choices . He changed his method of explosion and
location many times, and this was definitely not a criterion from the criminal
organization . It feels as if he was constantly trying new things, and as if he
takes this murdering act as a game . ”
Xu Nan Bai nods with a focused expression .
Su Mian continues .
“Secondly, his age from back then was likely to be around 20 to 30 years-old .
He was already an adult and not too young . If he was too young, it would
have been hard for him to grasp the intricate knowledge of creating the
explosives and he would not have the strength to complete his crimes . He
wouldn’t have been too old either because if he was an older person, he would
have completed many crimes and even a psychopath would not be so
enthusiastic about trying new things . His process of killing would have been
more stable and he would have chosen a method that he was most
comfortable with——yet he executed his crimes like a new amateur
adventurer . Therefore, he should be around 25 to 35 years-old right now .
Thirdly, although he behaves like a child, he is merciless and has no sympathy

. He left the many victims out in the open surrounded by bystanders and then
let them explode and die . This was a way of toying with the victims as well
as mocking the public and the police . To go a step further, this is a child’s act
of revenge . Therefore, he, himself, must have experienced a certain kind of
betrayal or psychological harm .
Fourthly, since he possesses this kind of mind while committing all these
murders, I’m going to guess that he must have hidden among the crowd and
watched the victims feel helpless and embarrassed, and then felt satisfied
inside . And since we haven’t been able to catch him all this time, this proves
that he hides very well . His looks didn’t attract others, and he might have
disguised himself as a college student or an ordinary passerby . He kept his
emotions under control and was very observant .
Lastly, I believe that him back then and T have the same characteristics:
young, don’t have a fixed personality, and have intense emotions inside . And
at the same time, his loyalty to the organization might also be the
highest……”
Speaking about all this, Su Mian smiles, “Who knows, maybe when we begin
our mission to capture them, he would be the first to jump out and challenge
the Black Shield Team . ”
Xu Nian Bai’s smile on his face grows bigger as he nods, “Your analysis is
very good . But isn’t there one thing that you missed?”
Su Mian’s interest sparks . She puts the whiteboard marker down and walks
to him with her hands behind her back looking at him, “What is it, what is it?”
The corners of Xu Nan Bai’s mouth move upward . He lifts his cup up, sips
his tea and answers, “Most of the time, criminal psychology finds evidence
through the criminal’s ‘already’ existing actions and behaviors . But
sometimes, you can also find evidence from actions and behaviors that they
‘don’t have . ’”
Su Mian is a bit stunned . She has really never heard of this before .
Xu Nan Bai puts down his cup and continues, “With this many explosion
cases and this many victims, there is one similarity——there were no children
injured . If it was just once or twice, we could say that it was a coincidence,
but with this many times, it can only be said that this serial killer was
deliberately avoiding it . He did not want to kill any children . ”
Su Mian’s jaw drops . She bends down to hold the mouse and flips through
the documents again quickly——it really is the case!
“Therefore……” she lifts her head and looks directly at Xu Nan Bai, “this
serial killer still has one last bit of sympathy, but only towards children . ”
Xu Nan Bai nods .
Su Mian absorbs his words into her mind slowly . She has really learned a
new technique from him, so she can’t help but show admiration . She cups
one hand with the other towards him like a martial artist, “Senior, I’ve learned
a lot from you! You have my utmost admiration . ”
Xu Nan Bai smiles and jokes with her as well, “There’s no need for
admiration . Just go pour me a cup of water . ”
Su Mian chuckles while taking the cup from him and really helps him pour
water from the water dispenser on the side .
_____
“The second killer used poison . He must have been Xin Jia’s partner,” Xu
Nan Bai drinks a bit of water and says calmly .
Su Mian leans against the desk with him and nods . She has only skimmed
through the documents regarding the second killer and hasn’t had time to
draw out a profile . She might as well listen to Xu Nan Bai .
In contrast to her long-winded summary, his conclusion is much more

concise, “Firstly, among the serial killers, he killed the least people and they
were all targeted individuals . He did not kill the innocent——From reading
the documents, only he and T were able to do this . Only after April 20 did he
start to kill normal civilians out of revenge . This shows that he had great self-
control and similar to T, his morals may not have been completely destroyed .
”
Su Mian nods .
“Secondly, although he did not kill many people, his killing method was the
most twisted,” Xu Nan Bai points to the photos on the computer, “Look, these
are all the dead bodies that were killed by him . Due to the use of potassium
cyanide and other poisons, the victims’ looked rather healthy when they were
found . Not only that, the police also found out that the ironing tools and
makeup at the scene had been used by someone before——he ironed the
victims’ clothes before putting it on them and he also combed their hair neatly
. And he even put makeup on the last few male and female victims he killed .
”
Su Mian shifts her gaze to where his finger is pointing . It is really the case .
The male and female victims have makeup on but it isn’t to the point of
having too much on . On the other hand, they look even more lively as if they
are actors and actresses in the spotlight . This makes her heart feel disgusted .
She then hears Xu Nan Bai continue, “In the whole process of murdering as
well as dressing up and putting makeup on the victims’ bodies, it shows his
taste and likes . Therefore, I believe his age back then was between 25 to 35
years-old and had a stable job and social circle .
He possesses strict self-control and twistedness at the same time, so in his

normal life, he must be rather dignified and serious but also very repressed . ”
_____
There is the least amount of information on the third killer and he’s also the
most mysterious .
There is no fancy killing method; the killer simply extracts the victims’ hearts
from their bodies . According to the autopsy reports, the victims had their
hearts extracted while they were still alive . It makes Su Mian feel sick inside
.
“The killer’s murder method was neat and professional, clearly someone who
has been professionally trained before,” Xu Nan Bai says, “A professional
doctor, military personnel, police officer……or someone who has at least
gone through a period of training and learning . ”
Su Mian nods and says looking at the information on the computer, “Besides
targeted individuals, all the other victims he killed were pretty women, which
clearly shows his preference . He took away their hearts as souvenirs,
signifying a kind of ravening . As to why he wanted to raven a woman’s heart
and what it meant, we still don’t know yet . ”
“And the hearts… . . ” Xu Nan Bai continues from where she leaves off,
“have either been mounted as trophies or……eaten . ”
Su Mian becomes silent . Looking at the history of crimes, sometimes, the

simpler a criminal’s methods are, the crueler and twisted he is . He didn’t
leave behind any traces of evidence at the scene; he only came for the heart .
It is possible that he ate it .
Due to the limited information on the case back then, they can only come up
with a preliminary profile . Su Mian says, “Senior, I’ll record our findings
from just now into the computer then . If we find anything new later, we can
continue . ”
“Okay, I’ll go read some more documents,” he returns to his seat .
Su Mian enters their conclusions into the computer very quickly . She’s a bit
exhausted nonetheless, so she leans back, closes and reopens her eyes .
Immediately, a phrase on the screen catches her eyes, causes her to fall into a
daze .
Back then, before the police shot one of the criminals dead, the criminal said
one thing . Unlike the other outside gang members, according to what is
recorded in the documents, this criminal was responsible for a series of
suffocating cases, and he was also a real serial killer .
He said, my life had long been over . It was later that it truly started to ignite
.


Chapter 99
Chapter 99
Chapter 99: Fall Into My Trap Part 1
It’s already 3 to 4 pm in the afternoon . The sunlight penetrates into the room
from all angles, brightening this spacious and quiet area . Su Mian is sitting
behind the computer while peeking at the others .
Probably due to being a little tired, Xu Nan Bai, who’s across from her, is
leaning against his chair with both arms behind his head and resting with his
eyes closed . Not far away, Chatterbox, Xiao Zhuan, and Han Chen……are
all busying themselves . A kind of tense yet peaceful atmosphere permeates
the entire room .
Seeing that no one is around her, she enters her password on the computer and
goes into the backend of their work system . A monitoring program has been
installed earlier to record and track everybody’s usage .
First, it’s Chatterbox .
He spent about 30 minutes to skim through all of the documents . And then
he logged off . Su Mian raises her head and glances at him who’s at an unlit
corner with Xiao Zhuan . He has been sitting beside the microscopes and
other equipment and hasn’t budged . It’s clear that he has immersed himself in
examining the fingerprint .
And then it’s Xiao Zhuan .
Although Han Chen asked him to support Chatterbox, Su Mian knows very
well that restoring a fingerprint requires highly skilled techniques, which is
something that he knows nothing about . And throughout the whole
afternoon, every time Su Mian looks over, she sees him carrying things
around and tidying up . The system records that he logged in and browsed for
the longest time . He first spent 2 hours to read through all the items: the
police reports, the victims’ documents, the analysis reports on the killers’
murder process, the information on the police officers, and the summaries of
how the police chased after the suspect and made arrests . He spent an equal
amount of time with each of them . And then, he read through them from
beginning to end two times .
Su Mian smiles slightly seeing his activity record; it sure does match with his
top student style of rereading and examining everything repeatedly .
The few members of the Forensic and Criminal Investigation Departments

have been working according to Han Chen’s false assumption, which is to
research all non-local individuals currently staying in the city . Therefore,
their logged in time in the system is the shortest . Even when they are logged
in, they spend the majority of their time looking at the police reports and the
killers’ murder process .
And then it’s Xu Nan Bai .
His logged in time isn’t very long . He first spent a bit of time to read the
police reports and then the summaries on chasing after the suspects . He
didn’t spend too much time reading the victims’ reports and the analyses on
the killers’ murder process . He only browsed through them once . Lastly, he
read through the information on the police officers .
As for Cold Face, since he has been working with Han Chen all this time,
both of their activities are completely the same . They first read through the
police reports briefly, and then spent most of their time reading the victims’
files and the analyses on the killers’ murder processes . At the same time, Su
Mian saw them constantly mark different areas on the map . They also flipped
through the summaries of the chase .
……
After reading through everybody’s web activities, Su Mian’s heart begins to

race . She turns off the computer, stands up and decides to walk around to
take a look .
_____
She makes her way to the key area of focus first: the fingerprint restoration
team .
Just as she had expected, Xiao Zhuan has no means of helping in Chatterbox’s
work . She walks over leisurely with her hands behind her . She sees Xiao
Zhuan carrying some stuff around and tidying up the office . As for
Chatterbox who’s doing work in his area of expertise, looks especially
concentrated and authoritative . He has even changed into a lab coat and is
wearing gloves . His refined looking face is full of seriousness . He is looking
down into the microscope while his slender fingers are moving the fingerprint
around slowly and carefully . He doesn’t notice that Su Mian has come near .
“Xiao Zhuan, turn the lights on high,” he orders .
“Okay!” Xiao Zhuan sticks out his tongue at Su Mian and then goes to
Chatterbox quickly to help him out .
Su Mian stands by the side watching them quietly until Chatterbox lets out a
long sigh of relief and leans back in his chair, “Let’s take a break . Xiao
Zhuan, water!” Xiao Zhuan hands him a bottle of water with both hands
immediately .
Su Mian smiles and looks at him with her arms crossed, “Chatterbox, you
sure know how to order Xiao Zhuan around . ”
Chatterbox turns around and sees her . He laughs, “Xiao Bai, just let me
enjoy being a Leader for once . ”
Xiao Zhuan interrupts, “So full of yourself! I’m not your assistant . I’m just
lending you my help . I was born as Xiao Bai’s underling, and I will die as
Leader’s subordinate!”
Su Mian chuckles and Chatterbox can’t help but laugh too .
Su Mian asks, “How’s everything?”
Speaking of his profession, Chatterbox reveals a profound expression but also

can’t help but feel proud of himself, “What do you think? You have to know
that my fingerprint restoration skills are one of the best in the country . I can’t
say about other things, but before we get off work today, I’ll at least be able to
restore the overall outline of it, hehheh . ”
Su Mian’s eyes darken but she shows a smile on her face, “That’s excellent!”
_____
A couple of rooms on the second floor have been cleaned up . Xu Si Bai likes
to be in quiet and work alone, so without first advising everybody, he moves
into one of the rooms with Xiao Yao .
Su Mian pushes open the door and sees the sunlight shining through from the
windows across . The room is very quiet . Xu Si Bai has also changed into
his lab coat sitting in front of a desk . His black eyebrows are frowning as he
observes the photos of the dead bodies on the computer screen . He doesn’t
even hear Su Mian knock on the door .
“Hey,” Su Mian says softly .
Xu Si Bai finally notices her arrival . He lets go of the mouse and turns
toward her, “Jin Xi, something the matter?”
“Nothing . I just came to visit,” Su Mian saunters to the front of his desk .
Just like she does usually, then stands beside him and asks, “Have you found
anything?”
Xu Si Bai smiles slightly .
Similar to Chatterbox, when it comes to his profession, this man will emit a
certain kind of calm yet captivating glow . He’s no longer the usual cold and
aloof man, and there is no more awkwardness and loneliness when spending
time with her and not knowing what to say . He places one hand on the
armrest while maneuvering the mouse with the other . His voice is clear and
comforting like spring water, “Come and take a look yourself . ”
Su Mian can’t be more happy to be able to spend time together without any
awkwardness . She leans over quickly; she can smell the light scent coming
from his body . It’s the smell of formalin mixed together with the smell of
blood . It actually makes her feel relaxed . The feeling of ease that she hasn’t
felt for a long time .
“Look at these bodies from the explosion scene first,” he points to a few
photos on the screen, “Do you see any patterns or similarities in their poses?”
Su Mian focuses on the photos, but she can’t find anything from them . She
answers without much certainty, “Could it be……that they’re all lying down
on their stomachs?”
Xu Si Bai smiles, “Yes . ”
Su Mian pulls over a chair to sit down in surprise . She leans closer to the
screen, almost touching it . It is really the case . In most of the photos of the
victims, whether their faces are facing one side or are facing down, they are
all lying on their stomachs .
She hears Xu Si Bai explain, “I’ve taken a look at all of the explosion photos .
The majority of the victims, even when their upper and lower bodies have
been separated, they are all in this position . Whenever an explosion occurs
while people are standing, after their body parts are separated, the ratio of
them lying on their stomachs and lying on their backs should be 1:1 . ”
Su Mian’s eyes gleam, “Could this have been done by the criminal on
purpose? Was it planned? Did he make sure they died lying on their
stomachs?”
Xu Si Bai nods . He grabs a piece of paper and a pencil and then sketches out
a diagram, “I’ve done a mock up on the computer . If the explosives were
tied on the back of the victim’s waist, and with a small bit of explosive on the
chest, it could create enough force to cause the upper body to fly at an angle
and land in a crawl-like position . ”


Chapter 100
Chapter 100
Su Mian snatches his sketch and examines it closely .
Xu Si Bai stares at her fair white cheeks with a hint of pink . Her eyes are
wide open, making her black pupils look even shinier . She’s just as dazzling
as he remembers her . He puts the pencil down subconsciously . He can’t
help but feel attracted to her . He reaches out his arm to put it behind her chair
and then leans a bit closer to her .
But just from his subtle movements, an invisible wall seems to rise around her
whole body . The wall has another man’s name engraved on it, blocking him
away easily .
He hears that they’re already living together .
He hears that they are very in love and affectionate to each other .
He lets out a breath of air quietly and buries the pain deep down in his heart .
He says gently, “Does this help with your inferences?”
Su Mian nods, “Yes, yes . It helps a lot . ” He holds the mouse and zooms in
on a photo . She then says staring at it, “I have a bold speculation . Professor
Xu and I have come up with a few conclusions: this killer mocks both the
victims and the police, so he must have experienced some sort of betrayal
before and felt hurt . Just look at the way he positions the victims: in a
crawling position, lying in a muddy puddle of blood, and many had been
blown into pieces . Some were still alive after the explosion but could only
struggle to wiggle forward .
I think this scene must have a strong meaning to him——a dirty and painful
ground where people struggle to move forward but were left helplessly until
they die . ”
Xu Si Bai stares at her attentively without a word .
Su Mian continues, “Therefore, I believe we need to add another point to his

profile: someone who had a childhood full of hardships, poverty,
embarrassment, being bullied and pain . He must have grown up from a
lower class family . If he was in a middle class or a wealthy family, even if he
had a certain childhood trauma, he would not have such a heavy and clear yet
full of realism in his psychological projection,” she pauses before saying, “If
he didn’t experience some things before, he would not have such strong
emotions . ”
Xu Si Bai is stunned for a second . After a moment, he nods .
_____
Xu Si Bai also discovers a key finding in the second killer .
He moves the mouse, zooms in on the deceased victim’s hand in the photo
until the color of the palm and the lines can be seen . He then says, “This
photo was taken when the victim was just discovered at the scene . The
autopsy report did not mention this, but do you notice that the color of their
palms is slightly different?”
Su Mian’s attention is completely drawn to his findings . She leans over in

front of the computer to take a look carefully, “They seem to be……slightly
red?”
Xu Si Bai smiles slightly in agreement .
Su Mian also smiles proudly, “See? My eyesight is still very good . ”
“Mm,” he opens a few other photos and zooms in on them, “But look at these
photos of the bodies after they’ve been transferred to the mortuary . The
redness from their palms has faded . Since the forensic investigator did not
comment on this at the time, it means that the redness is not related to poison
or the wounds . ”
Su Mian blinks, “What does this mean then?”
Xu Si Bai holds out one of his hands with his palm facing up, “Hit me . ”
Su Mian is a bit stunned . She then realizes what he wants to prove, so she
nods and slaps his palm . She’s quite an aggressive person, so with a loud
slap, she can feel a bit of pain from her palm, while Xu Si Bai frowns for a
second .
Su Mian asks, “……Did it hurt?” She’s with a bunch of male investigators all
day, so she can’t control her force well . Xu Si Bai is such a refined and
gentle person; she forgot that he can’t take much of a hit .
“I’m fine,” a helpless smile brushes across his eyes . He pulls her hand over
and lines it up beside his, “Look, does the redness from the bodies look the
same as when someone gets slapped? Therefore, it disappears quickly and the
forensic investigator did not notice it . ”
Su Mian stares at their palms closely . It is really the case; just like in the
photos .
“But what does this mean? The victims were slapped by someone before
death?” she frowns and murmurs .
Xu Si Bai retrieves his hand and watches her quietly . As a forensic

investigator, he’s only responsible for discovering the abnormalities of the
victim’s body and find the cause of it . As for why the killer would do this
and what can be inferred, it’s up to her and the other criminal investigators .
Su Mian’s mind is working hard, and at the same time, Xu Nan Bai’s profile
of the second killer floats in her head: high self-control, but extremely
twisted; has a respectable and serious job, yet he dresses up the dead bodies
like they are glamorous actors/actresses . Self-control and twistedness
appearing in the same person……
“If the killer got the victims to slap themselves, it would have left a mark on
the autopsy report . But it didn’t,” she lifts her eyes to look at Xu Si Bai and
then a thought immediately flashes across her mind, “Do you think that……
the one who was slapped was him? He ordered the victims to slap him before
they died?”
Xu Si Bai is stunned for a second .

Su Mian is already getting excited, “Just look, this possibility exists .
Professor Xu said that the extreme opposites of self-control and twistedness
are shown in his character . This means that he is a bit bipolar to begin with
and contradicts himself a lot . Now that I think about it carefully, a person’s
discipline, the quality of being strict on oneself, is usually nurtured by the
family or the school .
But in today’s schools, at most, there may be some unique cases of teachers
being over the top, but in general, the atmosphere wouldn’t be too strict and
repressed; definitely not enough to push someone to become twisted . The
only other place would be at home .
Therefore, we have to add one more description to his profile: he must be

brought up in a family that is very strict, oppressive, respectful, and even over
the top . And letting the victims slap him is a way of punishment . It could be
because during his childhood or in his teens, he experienced physical
punishment a lot . This would make a lot of sense . Nowadays, teachers
cannot slap the students, but parents can . ”
Xu Si Bai listens to the words dancing out of her mouth and smiles gradually .
“What are you smiling about?” she asks .
“I think that you’re incredible,” he says to her seriously .
Su Mian feels warmth in her heart . She reaches out her hand and pats his
shoulder, “Your buddy here is of course incredible! Old Xu, you’re not so
bad either . ”
_____
In regards to the third killer, who has the least info, Xu Si Bai’s conclusion on
him is actually the most straightforward and precise .
“He’s a peer,” he says, “If he’s not a forensic investigator, he has to be a

surgeon . ”
Su Mian’s heart shakes, “You can confirm this?”
“I can confirm this,” he points to the photo on the screen, “The way he cuts in
with the knife is habitual . It’s definitely a habit of a surgeon . He knows the
human body very well, which is why the cut is made so perfect and his skills
are topnotch . ”
Su Mian is elated . She grabs his arm, “Old Xu, you’re such a great support!”
Xu Si Bai smiles politely and doesn’t respond . His white lab coat, white
shirt, brown long trousers and soft short hair make him look pure and refined
like the snow in sunlight .


Chapter 101
Chapter 101
When they were at Jiangcheng, she investigated the case while he examined
the bodies and gave her very valuable conclusions just like this . And in this
big case with a massive amount of dead bodies, it showcases his talent clearly
. His remarkably professional findings make her criminal psychology profiles
even more complete .
She continues to flip through the photos enthusiastically of the victims with
their hearts extracted . Although they’re a bit gross, it’s just like how he said
it; the cuts are done perfectly……And Xu Si Bai is sitting beside her quietly .
The sun is setting at an angle, glaring at the computer screen . Su Mian

squints her eyes . She raises her head inadvertently and notices two shadows
on the wall behind her .
She’s sitting while he has one arm over the back of her chair with his head
turned to the side staring still at her .
The two of them are about ten centimeters apart, but their shadows are
already touching each other .
As if he notices her falling into a daze, he lifts his head and looks at the
shadows on the wall .
They both fall into silence; as if they’re both in a daze .
Su Mian’s heart feels stuff suddenly . She lets go of the mouse, stands up,
turns her head toward him and smiles, “I think this should do . Thanks, Old
Xu . I’ll go back now . ”
He stands up as well, “Sure . ”

Just when she steps out of his office, he calls her suddenly, “Jin Xi . ”
She turns around to look at him .
Both of his hands are in his lab coat’s pockets . He smiles calmly and gently,
“After we’re done with this case, I’ll cook and invite all of you over?”
Su Mian feels her heart sting and a kind of damp yet warmness surging up in
her chest . He is still……
She walks over, looks up at him and gives his arm a hard swing, “You
promise! It’s a deal . ”
_____
Su Mian leaves Xu Si Bai’s office . Just as she walks down the stairs, she
sees Han Chen not far away . As if he could feel her gaze, he lifts his head
and looks in her direction .
The setting sun gives the entire room a golden glaze . He and Cold Face are
standing in front of the map . His sleeves are rolled up, revealing his lean and
muscular arm and making the platinum ring on his left hand even more
noticeable .
Just by looking at him like this, she can feel her heart throbbing .
It’s just that his eyes seem a bit gloomy . He looks quite like he’s jealous of
something . Is he complaining that she and Xu Si Bai have been in the room
together for too long?
Su Mian smiles politely and walks over .
“What are you busy with?”
Now that she’s here, Cold Face puts down his marker and walks to the side
for a cup of tea to take a break . Han Chen glances at her and looks at the
map with his arms crossed, “We’re almost done . All of the main locations
have been marked . We just need to go back to do some analyses and we’ll be
able to identify the approximate areas of where the serial killers live . ”
Su Mian wants to stick out her tongue in her heart . When it comes to
anything to do with geography, she is completely oblivious . And on top of
the fact that Han Chen is a king in mathematics and logic . But their main
goal today isn’t to draw conclusions from these findings, but rather, it is to
uncover “that person . ” Therefore, she doesn’t ask about the details . Instead,
she turns to look at him, “Do you want to go out and take a walk for a break?”
Her voice is crisp and in medium volume, showing her openness and relaxed
manner . This is what Han Chen taught her in the morning; not confirmed yet
not denying . Since everyone knows that they’re together, she might as well
ask him openly and then vent to him privately .
Han Chen naturally knows what she thinks . He takes a look at her, tosses
away the whiteboard marker and gets up, “Okay . ” He turns his head and
says to Cold Face, “I’ll go take a walk with her . ” Cold Face nods naturally .
Therefore, Su Mian turns around and walks out of the door . Han Chen stuffs
both hands into his pockets and follows her . Everyone is able to sense the
aura from these two as a couple .
Once they get to a quiet garden, Su Mian takes a look around to make sure
that there’s no one before pulling Han Chen with her to sit on the bench .
Han Chen rests his arm on the back of the bench . He looks at her from the
side and says in his deep and unhurried voice, “I see that you’ve run around
the office like a radar . What have you found?” While he talks, he fiddles
with a strand of her hair; he loops it around his finger twice, pulls down on it
and lets go, causing it to hit the side of her face lightly .
Su Mian glares at him, “What are you doing?”
Han Chen smiles .
Su Mian has found quite a few things and is anxious to tell him, so she
doesn’t scold him . She tells him everything that she has seen and heard
today, making special emphasis on Xu Si Bai’s performance and then says
while looking into his eyes, “You see? Old Xu’s findings are so useful . It’s
definitely not something that we had thought of but it makes a lot of sense . If
he is a serial killer, how could he have revealed everything to me without
holding back? Therefore, he must be innocent . ”
Han Chen thinks for a moment and then nods, “I’ll consider him trustworthy
for now . ”
Su Mian remembers his fierce words from before——If Xu Si Bai doesn’t let
go, he won’t be able to tolerate it . She leans over to him and pacifies him,
“And he said to me that once the case is over, he would cook and invite
everyone over for dinner . This means that he takes both of us as good
friends, so you should stop minding so much about him . ”
Han Chen looks into her eyes . He lowers his head suddenly and pecks on her
lips, “I know how to handle it . If you don’t care about him, I will naturally
not care about him . ”
These words still carry a hint of jealousy in them . Su Mian’s mouth twitches
. She wants to get up and leave but is pulled back by him . It’s a rare break
time that they’re having nonetheless . He grabs onto her waist, lowers his
head and kisses her, not letting her refuse .
The smell of flowers surround them and the leaves rustle above their heads,
leaving mottled sunlight to shine through . They both remain silent and
observe the area quietly . Han Chen leaves her lips and starts kissing her
cheeks; his eyes are smiling the whole time .
After a while, he pulls her in and hugs her tightly . He lifts his head and
coincidentally, he notices a person standing at the window of the second floor
and looking at them from Black Shield Team’s white building .
It’s Xu Si Bai .
Their eyes meet . Xu Si Bai is expressionless . He turns his head and shifts
his gaze elsewhere .
Han Chen grabs onto Su Mian’s hand and stands up .
Su Mian looks up at him, “What’s the matter?”
Han Chen stops looking Xu Si Bai . He smiles and pulls her along to go
deeper into the garden where there’s more privacy . He grabs onto her waist
again and kisses her .
“Nothing……” he says indifferently, “Here is better . ”

Su Mian giggles . Her back is against the fake mountain as she lets him kiss
her . Han Chen kisses her for a while before lifting his head again . This time,
he can only see the clear blue sky; the view of the white building and Xu Si
Bai has been blocked .
Han Chen presses one hand onto the fake mountain while holding her waist
with the other and kissing her forcefully with his head down .
In reality, just a simple eye contact between men is enough to explain

everything .
The way he looks at you is full of persistence, so how could he possibly stop
loving you?
It’s just his wishful thinking . I won’t even let him have the opportunity to
think about it .


Chapter 102
Chapter 102
With such a big case at hand, everybody is prepared to be in a long battle .

It’s nighttime . Han Chen gathers everyone to briefly summarize their
findings and is going to call it a day .
Su Mian talks about the profiles while Xu Nan Bai adds his comments
wherever it’s needed . Everybody listens attentively in a rather excited
atmosphere .
Cold Face explains the geographical findings briefly and has confirmed a few
areas .
And then it’s Xu Si Bai .
As he summarizes his findings concisely, everybody nods and shows

admiration just like Su Mian did before . Xu Nan Bai nods slightly as well,
“Forensic Investigator Xu sure lives up to his reputation . ”
Xu Si Bai doesn’t show much of a reaction to everybody’s praises . He

continues to sit quietly . Han Chen, on the other hand, doesn’t say too much,
he simply nods and comments, “This is very valuable . You’ve worked hard .
”
In the end, Chatterbox says cheerfully, “Preliminary restoration of the

fingerprint has mostly been completed . I just need to work on it more
tomorrow and we should be able to do comparative analysis with our
fingerprint database . I’ve already uploaded the results from today onto the
system . Everybody can go take a look . ”
In comparison, this is naturally the most valuable piece . Han Chen pats
Chatterbox on the shoulder, “Very good . ”
Su Mian lifts her eyes to scan across the room . Everybody has a smile on
their face and no one looks suspicious .
Han Chen troubles Cold Face to go review the results from the few
investigators on non-local suspicious individuals . Cold Face nods and
everybody is dismissed .
Su Mian returns to her desk . She logs into the website and takes a look at the
half restored fingerprint from Chatterbox . A very faint smile flashes across
her eyes . She then rests her chin in her palm while taking a sip of water and
pretending to look around casually .
The first thing she sees is obviously Xu Nan Bai . Su Mian’s monitoring
program shows that he has already opened up the image of the fingerprint and
is looking at it . Su Mian stares at his face with the light from the screen
reflecting on him; he doesn’t seem to show any expression but seems to be
very concentrated .
Su Mian raises her head again and looks over to Cold Face . However, the
monitoring program indicates that he isn’t looking at the fingerprint . Instead,
he continues to be immersed in front of the computer putting the map together
.
Han Chen grabs his jacket, glances at her and walks out of the door . He’s
telling her that he’ll wait in the parking lot . She nods and looks over to Xiao
Zhuan . But this fellow isn’t looking at the results of the fingerprint anxiously
. He’s actually boring his eyes into her criminal psychology profile . Su Mian
knows that he has always adored criminal psychology deeply; he always reads
the profiles repeatedly . She smiles seeing him so absorbed in it .
As for Chatterbox……
His arms are behind his head while leaning against his chair and swaying left
and right . It seems as if he’s admiring his own work from today .
After a while, he sits up suddenly . He leans closer to the computer screen as

if he wants to take a look carefully . He stands up, looks around at everyone
and his eyes land on Han Chen’s empty seat . Su Mian shifts her gaze away
quickly .
She then sees him stand up frowning his eyebrows and running outside .
Su Mian keeps quiet .
And then it’s Xu Si Bai .
She raises her head and looks toward his office . At the same time, the office
door opens . He has his phone in his hand as he walks out of the office
without any expression on his face . Their eyes meet and he furrows his
eyebrows slightly .
After a few seconds, Su Mian’s phone rings . It’s his number .
She picks it up, “Hello, what’s the matter?”
Xu Si Bai remains quiet for a second and then says in a low voice, “I’ve taken
a look at the results of the fingerprint . What exactly are you guys trying to
do?”
Su Mian stares at him from afar but reveals a smile slowly . She gives him a
comforting look and hangs up the phone . She sends a text message to Han
Chen with her heart beating fast . She ducks her head and avoids looking at
anybody .
“I know who the killer is . ”
Han Chen replies back right away, “Same here . ”
_____
The sky is already very dark .
It’s 11 pm and the whole station is quiet . The Black Shield Team’s small
building is located in an isolated area, making it seem even quieter .
About a hundred meters away, the single-room dormitory can be seen . It’s
just that most of the lights have been turned off . Other than those who are
forced to do overtime, no one has a habit of working late; all the officers get
to bed as soon as they can .
Since the case is important and secretive, Han Chen has arranged living
accommodations for all of the special team members . Everybody will be
staying at the place including Professor Xu . Looking at it from a distance, the
special team’s dormitory is mostly lit . Probably because it’s the start of the
case, so everybody is worked up .
Su Mian watches the dormitory for a minute and then looks toward the unlit
office of the Black Shield Team on the other side . She then turns her head to
Han Chen, “Will the person you speak of really try to destroy the fingerprint
today?”
They’re currently hiding in a dense part of the garden . They can’t be seen
from the outside, but they can peek through the bushes to watch what’s going
on . Han Chen is standing beside her and answers crisply, “Yes . ”
Su Mian calms herself and continues to wait with him . Han Chen holds her
hand while staring outside; he looks very patient . The idea of installing a
camera in the office was overruled by Han Chen right away, “If he’s a highly
skilled criminal, he would definitely be very observant of his surroundings .
If he finds out about the camera, our plan would go down the drain . ”
Therefore, they’re destined to guard the place for the whole night .
The clock ticks away every second and every minute .
It’s 12:30 am .
A few members of the Black Shield Team turn off their lights at the dorm .
The street lamps have also shut off . Everywhere is quiet, pitch black, and
still .
Su Mian covers her mouth to yawn . All of a sudden, they see someone
walking out of a dark corner from across . He has his back toward them . He
walks to the office entrance, pulls out a key and goes in .
Every member of the special investigation team has a key .
Su Mian and Han Chen exchange glances with each other . They hop out of
the garden without a sound and walks toward the office to follow the person .
Through the window, they can see the person holding a dimly lit flashlight
and walking to Chatterbox’s desk . He searches the table for a moment and
then holds up a thin piece of film——it’s the original document of the
fingerprint .
In impeccable timing, Han Chen pulls open the door, letting out a loud squeak
. And Su Mian dashes inside and flips on all of the light switches .
“Zzzzzzz——” the sound of electricity traveling through the wires and

turning on all of the lights on the ceiling, illuminating the entire room .
Chatterbox is standing in the light holding the fingerprint . He turns his head
to look at them .
Han Chen keeps quiet . Su Mian’s face is cold as she says every word with
emphasis, “Chatterbox! What are you doing here?”
They’ve made too much noise . Others soon arrive; Xiao Zhuan, Xu Si Bai,
Xiao Yao, Xu Nan Bai……they’re all here . They’re all surprised to see the
three of them standing opposite of each other and not knowing what’s going
on .


Chapter 103
Chapter 103
Chapter 103: The Big Show Begins
This is truly a surprising yet perplexing scene!
It’s the middle of the night and Chatterbox is holding a flashlight with his
mouth appearing in the office with the extremely precious half fingerprint in
his hand . Han Chen and Su Mian are staring at him with gloomy faces but
their eyes carry a sense of calmness like everything has been settled .
Under everybody’s gaze, Chatterbox retrieves the flashlight from his mouth
and looks at them feeling stunned, “What are you guys doing here?”
Xiao Zhuan speaks up as well, “Yeah Leader, what exactly is going on?
Chatterbox, what are you doing coming here in the middle of the night to get
the fingerprint?”
Xu Nan Bai and Xu Si Bai are both quiet as they observe everybody else .
It’s cold at night . Han Chen has his jacket collar standing up, making his
handsome face seem more fair white and unapproachable . He says slowly,
“Chatterbox, answer Xiao Zhuan’s question . What are you doing with the
fingerprint?”
Under the pressure of everybody’s gaze, Chatterbox puts the fingerprint back
onto the table immediately . He ruffles his hair, “I suddenly discovered
something important, so I came to look at the fingerprint . How did I end up
alerting all of you……”
“You’re still pretending?” Su Mian says in a cold voice . Her eyes are
actually watery but her facial expression is determined, “Chatterbox, I never
thought that it was really you . ” She takes a look at everyone and continues,
“Last month, when Han Chen and I were in the conference room discussing
Shao Lun and Situ Yi’s case, he was eavesdropping outside . We started
suspecting him at that time . ”
Chatterbox is dumbstruck . He waves his hand frantically, “I wasn’t

eavesdropping! That day, that day……I remember now . I just happened to
pass by that day!”
He tries to explain but everybody’s expression changes . Xiao Zhuan still

doesn’t understand it fully, “Eavesdropping? Suspect? What are you
suspecting Chatterbox for?” Xu Nan Bai also says in shock, “You guys……
Could you guys be suspecting him as a member of the seven-member
organization?” Xu Si Bai continues standing quietly .
Han Chen nods . He stuffs both hands into his pockets, walks toward
Chatterbox and stops within a couple of meters away from him . His eyes
reveal a faint smile, “There’s something that I haven’t told everyone . Before
Xin Jia died, she did not say that the ‘killer is in the South of the city,’ but
rather……she said the killer is by my side . ”
Everybody falls into silence . Chatterbox’s jaw drops . Su Mian says in

agreement, “Yes, we didn’t tell everybody because we didn’t want to alert the
suspect . And this half fingerprint is very important, so we were afraid that
someone would come steal it, but we wanted to use it as a test at the same
time . We didn’t think that we would have such an outcome . If you’re not the
killer, why did you come for the fingerprint in the middle of the night?
Chatterbox, what else do you want to say? You can say that it was a
coincidence the first time, but what about the second time?” she pauses and
increases her seriousness in her voice, “You’ve really let us down . We
actually have a killer in the Black Shield Team, heh……”
Xiao Zhuan, who’s standing on the side, finally understands what’s going on .
His face changes as he points his finger at Chatterbox, “Don’t, Don’t……
Don’t tell me that it is really you!”
Xu Nan Bai and Xu Si Bai remain quiet .
Chatterbox looks to his left and then his right feeling as if there’s nothing to
prove his innocence . He says hurriedly, “No! It really isn’t me! How could I
possibly be the killer!”
“What are you doing here in the middle of the night then?!” Han Chen roars
in a deep voice .
The spacious room falls into silence immediately . Chatterbox doesn’t dare to
speak .
Although Han Chen is usually a bit unfriendly, he seldom gets mad . His
expression right now is as cold as ice . Everybody can feel his fierceness from
his speech just now . Chatterbox’s face turns pale as he murmurs, “I…I…
suddenly recall that the fingerprint that I’ve been restoring today looks a bit
familiar……that’s why I came to have a look……”
Everybody looks at each other .
Su Mian asks, “Familiar? What do you mean?”
Chatterbox ruffles his hair and stares at Han Chen with his eyes wide as if
he’s hoping that he would believe his words, “It’s like this . You know that
I’m specialized in analyzing fingerprints, right? There are at least thousands
of fingerprints in my head . I have everybody’s fingerprint from the station in
my mind . And I’ve seen many wanted suspects’ fingerprints as well . When I
was working on restoring the fingerprint today, I didn’t think too much of it
and I haven’t used a computer to do any comparative analysis yet . But while
I was sleeping in my dormitory tonight, my mind was filled with the image of
this half fingerprint . All of a sudden, I felt like I had seen it somewhere
before . Yes! It must have been someone’s fingerprint that I’ve seen before . I
got excited and couldn’t sleep anymore……”
Everybody is stunned .
Xiao Zhuan is hoping that he isn’t the killer nonetheless, so he speaks first,
“Therefore, you’re not here to steal the fingerprint? You’re here to do over
time?”
Chatterbox nods his head vigorously .
They both look toward Han Chen . Su Mian turns her head to look at him too
.
Han Chen remains quiet for a moment and then directs his gaze at the
flashlight in Chatterbox’s hand, “Why did you not turn on the lights then?
Why were you being so secretive?” It’s hard to make out whether he’s mad or
not from his voice, but he points out a key detail .
Chatterbox feels wronged very much, “It’s because I was afraid of waking
you guys up . If I turned on the lights in the middle of the night, you guys
will think that something big is happening, therefore, I brought a flashlight
with me……”
Xiao Zhuan is obviously on his side . After he hears Chatterbox’s

explanation, his expression is a lot more relieved, but he shouts back, “You
idiot! Why did you have to be so sneaky about it?”
Han Chen keeps quiet . Su Mian’s expression simply shows that she doesn’t
know what to say . She clearly still doesn’t believe in Chatterbox fully but
also doesn’t believe that he is a killer sentimentally .
Xu Nan Bai looks at Chatterbox and says calmly, “I’ve got the gist of what’s
going on now . Chatterbox, have you verified whose fingerprint it is then? If
you have the answer, wouldn’t that prove your innocence?”
Chatterbox shakes his head, “Not yet . I’ve seen so many fingerprints and
hold so many of them in my mind, I can’t pinpoint who it is yet . ” He jerks
his head up and looks at Han Chen, “Please give me a bit more time . Two
days! One day! I can finish the comparative analysis in a day and confirm
who this fingerprint belongs to!”
Everybody looks at each other and remains quiet .
Xu Si Bai, who’s been quiet the whole time, says suddenly, “What he says is
possible . ” Everybody looks toward him and then sees him say calmly, “I
have many images of dead bodies in my mind too . When I see the same
method used and wounds, I would feel a sense of familiarity with them . It
does indeed require a bit of time to complete the comparison . ”
Chatterbox nods his head hard, “Forensic Investigator Xu! You’re too nice .
You understand me! We’re not in the same profession, but they are similar!
So similar!”
Han Chen turns around to look at Xu Si Bai, and then Chatterbox . His
handsome face is hard to read .
“Jin Xi, take Chatterbox to the station’s interrogation room,” he says, “and
clarify the whole situation . Where’s Cold Face?”
The entire group looks around and can’t find Cold Face . Xiao Zhuan lets out
an “Oh,” and answers, “Didn’t you ask him to help out with looking up the
non-local individuals with the other criminal investigators? He’s out right
now and hasn’t returned . He must be still investigating them . ”
Han Chen nods, “Tell him to come find me immediately when he comes back
. Xiao Zhuan, you stay and guard here tonight to keep the fingerprint safe . ”
He turns his head to look at Xu Si Bai and Xu Nan Bai, “Professor, Forensic
Investigator Xu, we still need to do some thorough investigation on tonight’s
event . My apologies for keeping you two from knowing the secret . Whether
or not Chatterbox is the killer, we will definitely investigate to find out .
Before we know the truth, please keep this information undisclosed . ”
Xu Si Bai nods slightly . He turns around and leaves . Xu Nan Bai nods as
well, “Let me know if you need any help . ” He pats Su Mian’s shoulder and
leaves .
Han Chen and Su Mian turn to look at Chatterbox, “Let’s go to the

interrogation room . ” Xiao Zhuan stretches his neck to make sure that
everybody has left before giving them an “ok” hand gesture . He sits in the
fingerprint area, leans against the chair and focuses on guarding the area .
_____
2 am in the morning, the main building is completely dark without a single

person in sight . Han Chen’s and Su Mian’s faces are stern as they escort
Chatterbox to the interrogation room . They turn on the lights and are ready
to have a long questioning session .
The moment Chatterbox sits down, he can’t hold it in himself any longer . He
stares at the two of them anxiously and excitedly, “How was it? How was it?
How was my acting just now? Oh man, I almost turned into Dou E! (a tragic
character from a play who had injustice done to him) I even bluffed about
having tens of thousands of fingerprints in my head . I’m not a computer, and
old fellow here never thinks about fingerprints after getting off work . But
speaking of which, that Xu Si Bai fellow sure is quick to react, saying how
our professions are similar . I wanted to laugh listening to him!”
He blabbers on while Han Chen and Su Mian are sitting across from him;
they both reveal a smile . Su Mian looks at Han Chen with a proud
expression as well, “What about me? How was my acting?”
Han Chen rests his arm over the back of her chair, glances at her and
responds, “Mm, it was quite well done . Just like you are usually… . bold and
feisty . ”
Su Mian pushes him right away, “Bastard!” Chatterbox chuckles and adds his
support, “Yeah, yeah . I almost couldn’t answer when you asked me
questions . ”
The three of them turn their heads at the same time to look out of the window;
staring at that Black Shield Team office building .
“We’ve done what we can . Will the fish take the bait?” Chatterbox murmurs
.
“Yes . ”
“Yes . ”
Han Chen and Su Mian answer together .
A psychological battle is simply just letting things take its course . And the
time is just right .


Chapter 104
Chapter 104
Chapter 104: The Third Person
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is sitting in front of the computer yawning .
The office is big and empty . Only the light directly above his head is turned
on while everywhere else is dark, making the place seem rather spooky . He
reaches up his hand to tug his eyelids open and then gets up to pour himself a
cup of coffee . He goes back to the computer with his eyes wide open and
continues reading the information about the case, as well as to guard that
“precious” fingerprint in the evidence bin .
He doesn’t know how much time has passed .
A rustling noise .
Outside of the door at a distance, there seems to be some noise, yet it seems
quiet at the same time .
Xiao Zhuan turns to look out of suspicion but all he sees is the dark window
with tree branches swaying in the wind . He doesn’t think too much of it . He
pulls up his jacket and resumes his full concentration to the monitor while
humming a melody .
_____
Inside of the interrogation room in the main building about a hundred meters
away .
Han Chen is holding a pair of binoculars looking through the blinds watch the
other side . Su Mian and Chatterbox also have their own binoculars and are
watching with full concentration .
It’s been a long while but it’s still quiet . Chatterbox lowers his binoculars
and asks, “Leader, how did you guys confirm that Professor Xu is one of the
killers?”
Han Chen and Su Mian glance at each other . Su Mian responds first, “When
we conducted the lie detector test with Situ Yi last time, I already felt that
something didn’t make sense . There was clearly something wrong with Situ
Yi, but when I questioned his results, he gave me a kind of feeling that I
couldn’t explain . ”
Chatterbox asks, “What kind of feeling?”
Su Mian thinks for a second and says, “Do you remember how I said before
that a lot of mentally ill patients are impulsive and can become angry easily
where they cannot control their temper? It’s in their nature . Although that
feeling came and went in a flash, I felt a hint of——enmity . However, I
thought at the time that he was just more self-opinionated and didn’t like
others challenging him . Therefore, I didn’t think about the possibility of him
being a member of the seven-member organization .
It was yesterday afternoon when I became completely suspicious of him

based on his browsing activity record . ”
The image of the data results floats into Su Mian’s mind . She lets out a slight
“Hmph!” and says, “Xu Nan Bai probably never thought that we would install
a monitoring software inside the work system to view everybody’s browsing
history . Where there is a comparison, there will be results . A criminal’s and
a police officer’s way of thinking is clearly not the same . ” She looks toward
Chatterbox, “You quickly skimmed through all the documents and then
focused on examining the fingerprint——this suits your personality and what
your job requires . ”
Chatterbox, “Oh, oh——”
“Xiao Zhuan took his time and read everything slowly . Xu Si Bai focused on
the way the perpetrators executed their crimes and then kept reading the
autopsy reports . Cold Face’s browsing history was also surrounding his
work……And when a criminal sees the police records of the case from back
then, how do you think he feels? The answer is——Xu Nan Bai actually
focused on the various reports from the police including their summarizations,
as well as the information on the police officers who were involved in
investigating the case . He only skimmed through the information regarding
the victims and the killers’ method of execution!” Su Mian smiles slightly and
looks at the two of them sideways, “I’ve done quite well haven’t I from
following the tiny clue to find out the truth!”
“He’s here,” Han Chen, who’s been standing in front of the window quietly,
says suddenly . Su Mian and Chatterbox are full of energy now . They hold
their binoculars and look toward the small building .
At the dark and unlit entrance, there is a black shadow that has appeared out
of nowhere . The shadow makes a dash and enters the building without a
sound .
_____
The night is getting darker and darker . Zhou Xiao Zhuan is almost leaning
against the computer . The light from the monitor reflecting on his face
shows his full concentration .
He doesn’t notice that someone is coming near from behind him .
It’s a man with a tall figure who is dressed all in black . His footsteps are
light like a cat . In the darkness, he slowly approaches Xiao Zhuan, little by
little .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is still in his original position and doesn’t budge .
The man makes it to his side and stands there quietly .
Xiao Zhuan snaps out of his daze and notices a shadow on the wall appearing
behind him suddenly . He gasps from fright . He grabs the notebook on the
table and wants to throw it behind him but he feels a hard hit on the back of
his neck . Sharp pain and dizziness drown him . He doesn’t get a clear look at
the person’s face before he falls to the floor with a “thump” sound .
That person stares at him for a few seconds . He lifts his head and looks
around to confirm that there isn’t anybody else . His gloved hands reach over
to Xiao Zhuan’s waist to grab the key and open the evidence bin .
He retrieves the fingerprint .

He stares at it silently in the light . He snickers, takes out a lighter and lights
it up slowly . He tosses it into the garbage can as it burns away gradually .
_____
“Should we go?” Chatterbox asks nervously while still holding up his infrared
binoculars .
“Wait a little longer,” Han Chen answers standing straight, “We still haven’t
received the signal yet . ”
They’re going to be capturing a suspect from such a big case nonetheless and
it’s someone who works closely with the police . Su Mian is also a bit
worked up . She holds onto her binoculars with one hand while grabbing on to
Han Chen’s arm with the other, “Did Xiao Zhuan get hit hard? You actually
used him as bait . You’re so ruthless . ”
Han Chen glances at her and then answers nonchalantly, “It’s because he is
the weakest one . If it was anyone else, how would Xu Nan Bai have the
courage to take such a big risk?”
Chatterbox chuckles, “Just ask Cold Face to boil some more soup for Xiao
Zhuan later . ”
The three of them wait for another while . Chatterbox asks as a follow-up to
his previous thought, “Therefore, due to his browsing activity, you guys
started suspecting him and set up this ‘fingerprint’ trap?”
Su Mian nods . The image of what happened in the evening floats across her
mind; the different reactions from everybody after Chatterbox uploaded the
fingerprint into the system .
It was Han Chen’s idea . He sure is ruthless and innovative as well . It was to
test who the suspect was and also to throw out the bait——
It’s because, at the time, the fingerprint that everybody saw was different .
The half fingerprint that they saw was their own .

“The instant you found out, you chased after me to report it,” Han Chen says .
Chatterbox rubs his head with his hand and smiles . He’s a fingerprint
specialist, so he’s obviously very familiar with the patterns of all ten of his
fingers and all ten of his toes . After restoring the fingerprint for a while, he
didn’t notice it right away . It was when he took a closer look that he felt
something strange about it——why was it his own fingerprint? He was
puzzled . He didn’t think too much of it and raced out the door since they’re
used to asking Leader about everything .
Han Chen told him to stay calm and then revealed the whole plan to him
which would be carried out tonight and asked him to be the “bait . ”
“And Cold Face and Xiao Zhuan didn’t even care about the fingerprint .
They probably don’t understand it,” Su Mian says, “Xu Si Bai has great
attention to detail . The results of the fingerprint would also be related to his
work in forensics so he figured it out right away . The moment he saw his
own fingerprint……” she pauses and then smiles, “he’s got a quick mind, so
he knew right away what we were up to . He was a bit angry when he called
me . ”
Chatterbox says, “So that’s how it was . ”
Han Chen takes a look at her from the corner of his eye and doesn’t comment
.
“Only Xu Nan Bai,” Su Mian’s voice deepens as she continues to stare at the
small building, “When he saw his own fingerprint, he kept quiet . ”
Chatterbox is getting a little excited . He makes a loud snap with his fingers,
“This is too intense, such a mind game! What is he going to do? Even God
wouldn’t know what to do . Therefore, you guys plotted this plan tonight to
lure him to take action?”
Su Mian nods and looks toward Han Chen . Han Chen reveals a faint smile
and says, “Even after seeing his own half fingerprint, with Xu Nan Bai’s
personality, he wouldn’t act rashly . He would still suspect this as a trap .
Therefore, we had to add more fuel to the fire . ”
Su Mian adds, “On one end, we wanted Xu Nan Bai to think that the one we
suspected was you and that we had set up a trap to catch you tonight . This
makes the whole situation a lot more believable . He would also think that we
would loosen our defense afterward . On the other end, the things you said
were key to let him think that you really just realized that the fingerprint
looked familiar and was mistaken by us . This increased his sense of danger
——he thought that you would find out that it was his fingerprint very soon .
”
Chatterbox nods and continues where she leaves off, “And then you came up
with the plan this afternoon . You asked Cold Face to go out so that he would
not be available . This way, you could ask Xiao Zhuan to stay and guard the
fingerprint . Under this circumstance, how would that fellow, Xu Nan Bai,
not take action? The moon and stars are all lined up and this may be his only
chance to erase his suspicion! The temptation is too big! We are the ones to
blame for acting too well . ”
Han Chen and Su Mian laugh .
Han Chen’s cell phone rings . One bold word appears on the screen: “Action .
” The sender is Cold Face .
There’s no more hesitation . They rush down the stairs and run toward the
small building .
_____
After Xu Nan Bai burns away the fingerprint, he takes just a few minutes to
reorganize everything on the desk .
He turns on the measuring instrument, sets it to the highest brightness and

focus and points it to a stack of scrap paper . He then picks up the lighter that
Chatterbox left behind and tosses it into the pile of papers .
At most in ten minutes, the scrap papers will light up in the fire . It might
even be able to cause a small fire accident . And when others investigate it
later, they will only be able to conclude that it was due to the equipment
malfunctioning or misuse of it . As for Xiao Zhuan, since the Black Shield
Team is panicking at the slightest movements, he won’t be able to provide any
valuable evidence due to having fainted . He might even be suspected like
Chatterbox .
After completing everything and just as Xu Nan Bai is turning to leave, he

hears a squeal .
He freezes and turns his head slowly .
A cabinet on the side opens . A man with an expressionless face pokes his
head out with his hand holding a mini camera pointing directly at him .
Cold Face .
Cold Face should be out tonight and nowhere to be found .
No one knows that he has been hiding inside of the cabinet for the whole
night .
In the dim lighting, Xu Nan Bai swallows his throat without a sound .
Cold Face lowers the camera and says, “I’ve got everything you’ve done
recorded and uploaded to the system . Follow me and if you have anything to
say, say it to them . ”
At this moment, all the events are linking together in a flash in his mind .
How would he not realize that everything from start to finish has been a trap
set up by them? He keeps quiet for a second before revealing an extremely
cold smile on his face . He then grabs the laptop from the table, throws it at
Cold Face and runs outside!
And among the members of the Black Shield Team, Cold Face is only slightly
behind Han Chen in terms of skills . But compared to Su Mian and
Chatterbox, he is much more skillful . He dodges with his super quick
reflexes and grabs Xu Nan Bai’s shoulder .
But Xu Nan Bai avoids him and throws a punch at him! Cold Face flinches in
pain . This fellow is quite skillful! His moves are fast and precise! This
further confirms their belief——that day at Shao Lun’s home, the person who
attacked Xiao Bai was him!
In the middle of fighting each other, they can hear footsteps coming . Xu Nan
Bai lifts his eyes from fright . Cold Face uses this opportunity and punches
him hard in the stomach . Xu Nan Bai bends over in pain; Cold Face’s punch
is even quicker and more merciless than his . Cold Face twists his wrist and
pushes him against the wall, “You can’t run away!”
Xu Nan Bai pants to catch his breath . The usual gentle and elegant professor
now has his veins showing on his forehead, ruffled hair, glasses fallen to the
floor and his watch and buddha bead bracelet shifted out of place .
But he turns his head toward Cold Face in the light and smiles suddenly .
Those jet black and dark pupils are hard to read .
“You think that you can catch me?”
Cold Face is stunned .
_____
Han Chen and the other two run down the stairs; they can see the door of the
small building opened from afar .
Chatterbox is full of energy right now, so he can’t help acting cute and start
blabbering nonsense while running, “Oh man! That fellow, Xu Nan Bai, is too
smart . We couldn’t put any surveillance cameras and couldn’t hide near the
entrance . He’s part of our internal organization, so we couldn’t alert the
others! But the one guarding the place is our most fearless and skillful Cold
Face . He’s careful and he must be able to put him down! I’m just afraid that
he would beat him up too hard to take revenge for Xiao Zhuan……”
Accompanied by all the chatting, they arrive at the entrance in record speed .
Su Mian flips on all the light switches on the wall quickly .
But when they see what’s in front of them, she and Chatterbox are struck
dumb . Han Chen’s facial expression also changes . He walks to Cold Face in
a couple of steps .
They see that the chairs and tables are all shifted out of place due to two
people fighting . Xiao Zhuan is still lying down on the floor unconsciously .
Cold Face is also on the floor with a knife stuck on his shoulder . A stream of
blood is flowing from it and he’s clearly unconscious . And Xu Nan Bai is
nowhere to be seen .
“Screeeeech——” a loud and sharp sound of tires rubbing against the ground
. Everybody jerks their head back and sees a pair of car headlights piercing
through the darkness and heading toward the station’s exit .
“Call the ambulance!” Han Chen shouts and moves Cold Face into
Chatterbox’s embrace . He gets up and runs toward the door . Su Mian chases
after him .

Chapter 105
Chapter 105
Chapter 105
The night is abnormally quiet . Cold wind is blowing through the opened
door . Chatterbox stares at the two men on the floor and is anxious to death .
He quickly dials 120 and then slaps Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s face hard, “Wake up!
Wake up!”
Xiao Zhuan actually wakes up and looks at him in a haze . He then jumps up
from the ground, “What happened? What happened? Did we catch him?” He
moves his neck and frowns, “It hurts so much!”
Seeing that he’s fine, Chatterbox lets out a breath of relief, “He ran off!
Leader and Xiao Bai are chasing after him! He actually stabbed Cold Face
with a knife!”
They both look at Cold Face on the floor . Luckily, the knife is not stabbed
into a vital area and he’s not bleeding too much . Xiao Zhuan runs back to his
desk to grab the first aid kit immediately . Chatterbox pats Cold Face’s face
lightly, “Cold Face! Cold Face! Are you able to wake up? Xu Nan Bai has
run away!”
Cold Face is actually not too deep in his sleep . His long eyelashes tremble
and his eyes open slowly . Chatterbox says in joy, “Thank goodness! Thank
goodness!” Xiao Zhuan also comes over excitedly and helps him treat the
wound .
“Cold Face, what happened exactly? How did that old fellow Xu Nan Bai
hurt you?” Chatterbox asks, “Did he pull an underhand move?”
Cold Face is stunned .
He takes the gauze from Xiao Zhuan’s hand, presses on the wound and stands
up . Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan are shocked from his toughness . But his
strong and handsome face is frowning slightly . He says, “I don’t know . ”
Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan say in surprise, “You don’t know?”
Cold Face nods . The image of what happened before he fainted floats into
his mind——
He was pressing Xu Nan Bai against the wall; he didn’t need to use the gun
on his waist . Just when he was about to handcuff him, Xu Nan Bai turned his
head towards him, “Cold Face, my hand . ”
Cold Face looked down at his wrist subconsciously .
And then what did he see?
The shiny watch; its hour hand, minute hand, and the second hand moving bit
by bit slowly . And Xu Nan Bai’s Buddha bead bracelet has a soft glaze on it
from the reflection of the lights .
Before he could react, Xu Nan Bai had already started to move the beads one
at a time with his hand . And the sound of the second hand on his watch
ticking away enters Cold Face’s ears crisply .
“One, two, three, four……” Xu Nan Bai’s voice seems to come from afar yet
near, “Can you hear the second hand ticking? Does it sound very light and
comfortable?”
Cold Face can’t remember what happened afterward clearly, but his body’s
instinct was still there . With his mind muddled, Cold Face could feel a knife
entering his body . He turned his body aggressively to dodge and then he
heard the sound of ticking coming back to his ears again . And then he fell
into a quiet and deep darkness .
……
“You were hypnotized?” Xiao Zhuan stares at him with his eyes wide .
Chatterbox also has the same feeling .
Cold Face thinks for a minute and confirms by nodding .

The three of them have only heard of hypnotizing but have never seen it .
They never thought that Cold Face would experience it today!
Chatterbox curses loudly!
Right at this moment, the sound of quick footsteps can be heard coming from
the door . Xu Si Bai and Xiao Yao appear . He must have been sleepless all
night, so after hearing the noise, he came . He’s neatly dressed in his jacket
and long pants . His refined and handsome face doesn’t show any expression .
He sweeps his eyes across the room and asks, “Where are they?”
Cold Face pushes Xiao Zhuan, who’s still helping him treat the wound, aside,
“I’m fine . Let’s go after him!”
None of them wastes any minute . They hop onto two police vehicles and
chases after the suspect in full speed .
_____
The Land Rover speeds through the road in the night .
Not far ahead, Xu Nan Bai’s car is making sharp turns left and right to escape
and lose Han Chen .
How can he possibly lose Han Chen?
Seeing how the car is coming closer and closer, Xu Nan Bai turns his steering
wheel to get off the expressway and heads toward the suburbs . There aren’t a
lot of cars on the local roads in the middle of the night, but there are quite a
few trucks . Many areas are also under construction causing a bit of traffic .
Han Chen fixes his eyes on what’s in front of him . He drives fast yet steady
as he chases after Xu Nan Bai, who’s zigzagging between the trucks . Su
Mian finishes her phone call with Chatterbox, turns around and looks at him,
“It was hypnosis . Xu Nan Bai hypnotized Cold Face . If Cold Face didn’t
dodge his attack out of instinct, that knife would not have landed on his
shoulder . He would have been killed already . ”
She thinks for a second and then adds, “Cold Face mentioned the Buddha
bead bracelet . I’ve read a few books on hypnotization . It might be Xu Nan
Bai’s tool to induce hypnosis . No wonder he always wears it and fiddles
with it . Skillful hypnotists can make you fall into a light hypnosis without
you knowing . This is why he was able to succeed so easily tonight . ”
Han Chen’s face turns colder .
“Sit tight,” he says .
Su Mian holds onto the handle immediately . He steps on the gas pedal and
the car zooms forward! Su Mian opens her eyes wide and then flinches with
her head turned to the side—— “Bang!” they hit the bumper of Xu Nan Bai’s
car .
Xu Nan Bai’s car flies out to the side!
He turns his car quickly to avoid crashing into the guardrail on the side of the
road . The car wobbles and continues driving forward . Su Mian sees Han
Chen let out a cold snicker . He dodges the other cars in a mess around them,
steps on the gas pedal again and chases after Xu Nan Bai . Just like a cat
catching a mouse, he forces Xu Nan Bai into a corner .
Although Su Mian is upset about Cold Face’s wound, seeing Han Chen
crashing his million dollar car without feeling any pain, it makes her feel
elated yet also a heartache……
There’s a roundabout ahead of them . Xu Nan Bai’s car zooms past it; Han
Chen avoids the cars beside him and follows Xu Nan Bai . Su Mian grabs
onto the handle tightly again as she prepares herself for another car drift . But
she notices a flashing red light in the bushes at the roundabout .
“What is that?” she points at it .
Han Chan takes a glance and can’t help staring at it . Su Mian feels the car
jerk fiercely . The tires screech from having its rubber rubbing against the
road——their car makes a quick turn entering the bushes at the side of the
road, hits two trees and is heading down the hill .
“Boom!”
The ground shakes from the loud sound . Large smokes and fire light up the
whole road from the explosion just now . Han Chen releases the steering
wheel . He hugs Su Mian and pulls her into his embrace . “Crack, clink,
clank——” the glass shatters with its pieces falling onto their backs .
Su Mian looks up at him still full of fright, “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” Han Chen brushes the pieces of shattered glass away from her
hair and then pushes open the car door to get out . Su Mian avoids the glass
on the ground and looks up with him . All they see is the roundabout blazing
in the fire . The explosion was big enough to cause the road to break in half .
Many trucks are stuck and a small van is lying down on its side; thankfully,
no one is inside . A lot of drivers have hopped out of their cars and are
running away . And in the front amid the smoke, Xu Nan Bai’s car is nowhere
to be seen .
Su Mian’s heart thumps . She lifts her head and looks around .
The fourth killer, the explosion specialist, has appeared .
But it’s chaos everywhere . How are they supposed to find him?
“Get in the car!” Han Chen gets back into the driver’s seat . He fetches his
phone and says with an expression cold as ice, “Obtain all the surveillance
video around this area immediately and find him!”
The Land Rover speeds onto a side road toward the direction that Xu Nan Bai
is heading .
_____
The horizon shimmers .
The road, forests, river……The sun rising between the mountains is quiet;
only the sirens of a number of police vehicles speeding across can be heard .
Cold Face is an expert in chasing after criminals; Han Chen is the most
skillful among all of the experts . In the morning at 5 to 6 am, Han Chen’s car
pops up on one of the dirt roads . Su Mian catches a glimpse of the bumper of
Xu Nan Bai’s car at the next turn ahead . And even farther ahead, a few
police cars are zooming through the woods——
They’re going to surround him! He won’t be able to escape .
Han Chen makes a sharp turn and closes the gap between them and Xu Nan
Bai . The two cars are only a few meters apart . Han Chen pulls her hand
suddenly and places it on the steering wheel, “You drive . ”
“Hah?!” Su Mian’s mind goes blank . Probably because her expression is too
cute so Han Chen actually smiles faintly, “I’m trusting my life to you . ” And
then he pulls out a gun from his waist, leans his body out the window, and
tilts his head to aim . He looks incredibly handsome like this .
Su Mian can’t believe he still has time to joke around at a time like this . She
really wants to slap him . She grits her teeth and grabs the steering wheel
focusing her full attention on what’s ahead .
“Bang, bang, bang——” a series of gunshots sound crisply and swiftly .

They then see the two tires on the back of Xu Nan Bai’s car and one in the
front deflate . The car spins vigorously and crashes into a big tree trunk on
the side of the road and comes to a full stop . A cliff is just behind the tree,
and below it is the rushing river, which looks extremely dangerous .
Su Mian steps on the brakes immediately . Han Chen has already hopped out
of the car holding his gun and is making his way toward him slowly . On the
opposite side of the road, a few police cars also screech to a halt . Chatterbox,
Cold Face, and a few other criminal investigators get out of the cars with guns
in their hands . They surround Xu Nan Bai’s car .
The moment Su Mian steps out of the car, she sees Xu Si Bai standing beside
one of the cars on the opposite side . Their eyes meet for a second before
they both shift their gazes toward where Xu Nan Bai is .
“Come out of the car!” a criminal investigator shouts .
Many guns are pointing at the car about ten or so meters away .
Su Mian stares at Han Chen, who’s standing not far away, and feels her heart
being squeezed . She then fixes her eyes on the car——if anything happens,
she will dash over to protect him .
After a brief moment, the car that has become out of shape from crashing into
the tree opens its door with a squeak .
Xu Nan Bai, who has been playing tag with them, steps outside .
Compared to his usual elegance and gentleness, he is in a complete wreck

right now . His suit is out of place and covered in dust . The buddha beads
have fallen somewhere and only half of its string and a few leftover beads are
still on his wrist . His face is gloomy, yet it carries a certain kind of mockery
and resentment . He assesses the Black Shield Team members and then raises
his hands slowly and puts them behind his head .
“Squat down!” Cold Face orders .
Han Chen remains in his position aiming his gun at him, watching his every
move .
While being surrounded by officers, he smiles suddenly and takes two steps
back slowly .
The cliff is just behind him and only a step away . The group of officers
panic suddenly . Han Chen calls out, “Stay right there . ”
Xu Nan Bai’s eyes seem to be looking far away into the distance . After a
moment of blankness, his pupils come into focus again . He stares at Su Mian,
who’s behind Han Chen .
“Junior (female) Classmate, do you still remember that saying?”
Su Mian stares at him coldly and doesn’t answer .
He continues without waiting for her response; his voice is loud, crisp, and
clear . At this instant, he speaks steadily yet it sounds like he is making an
announcement, echoing throughout the mountainous area——
“My life has long been over . It wasn’t until I met him that my life truly
started to ignite . ”
Su Mian feels her heart tremble .
And before he finishes, his face reveals a strange smile and a stream of blood
flows out from the corner of his mouth .
“He ate poison!” Chatterbox shouts quickly . But it’s already too late . Xu
Nan Bai keeps his smile, spreads out his arms and leans backward, falling
over the cliff!
At the exact same time, as if he had known in advance, Han Chen dashes
forward in an attempt to grab onto his arm .
But like it’s fate, the ground underneath Xu Nan Bai’s feet loosens suddenly
and he falls down!
Han Chen doesn’t make it in time . All he can grasp is air . The rest of the
officers rush over and stand a few feet away from the edge of the cliff . Xu Si
Bai walks up and stands beside Su Mian, staring quietly . But all he sees is the
rushing river a couple hundred of meters below the cliff, carrying everything
away with it .


Chapter 106
Chapter 106
Chapter 106: A Jealous Person
At the river shore, rocks and weeds are everywhere . The investigators spread
out on a search but they haven’t found where he has landed yet .
It’s likely that he fell into the river .
Han Chen is in charge at the scene; he and a few investigators are immersed
in their discussion about the situation while they walk around . Su Mian takes
a look around by herself . She stops beside the river and spots Xu Si Bai
standing in the water by himself; his shoes and the end of his pants are wet
while he is in a daze .
Just as she is about to walk over, there’s a tingling feeling in her heart; she
looks around to confirm that Han Chen is not nearby before striding toward
Xu Si Bai . She pats his shoulder, “What are you thinking about?”
Xu Si Bai stuffs both hands into his pockets . His face looks even more
refined and handsome . He looks at her and answers, “I’m thinking about Xu
Nan Bai . ”
At the same time, a couple of tens of meters away behind a big tree, Han
Chen and two other investigators are examining an area below the cliff . He
looks up and catches Su Mian’s subtle movement of looking left and right, but
she doesn’t see him behind the tree . And then she walks quickly over to Xu
Si Bai in a relaxed manner and they start to chat .
……
Seeing her smug and clever look makes Han Chen feel stuffed inside, but at
the same time, he feels as if a feather is tickling his heart . He keeps quiet for
a second and then lets out a laugh .
Whenever he doesn’t pay attention, this woman will pour jealousy into him,
yet it softens his heart .
“Leader Han, should we go take a look over there?” an investigator asks .
Han Chen takes another glance at her from a far distance before turning his
head and following the other investigators .
_____
“What are you thinking Xu Nan Bai for?” Su Mian asks .
Xu Si Bai answers a little absentmindedly, “This man makes me feel

antipathy . He makes me feel uncomfortable . ”
Su Mian is a bit surprised . He usually never pays attention to the outside .

When it comes to other people and things, he has no interest to comment on
them . Now that he is standing on the same side as the Black Shield Team, it
makes her feel comfort nonetheless .
The distance between this aloof man and everybody else seems to be
shrinking slowly .
“It’s unfortunate that……” he murmurs .
Su Mian asks, “What’s unfortunate?”
He frowns his eyebrows slightly, “Xu Nan Bai took hydrogenated toxins
before death and fell from such a high place into a rushing river . It’s rare to
have so many harm and wounds on the body, so it’s unfortunate that we can’t
find it . ”
Su Mian is speechless, “……pfft . That’s enough, Xu Si Bai . ”
They’re almost done with examining the area . Chatterbox rounds up

everybody to the cars . Su Mian turns around and sees Han Chen and a few
investigators walk out from the forest . She leaves Xu Si Bai and runs over to
meet up with Han Chen .
She makes it in front of him . Han Chen glances at her and then says to the
other investigators, “You guys get into the car first . ” After everybody
leaves, he rests his hand on her shoulder and walks toward the parking lot .
Their relationship is already an open secret . Everybody at the scene also

knows them well, so Su Mian doesn’t mind too much and lets him walk while
embracing her . It’s just that she feels strange about it——he usually keeps
his distance from her in public places . Why is he acting so affectionate
today?
She turns her head and looks at the side of his face . They’ve been working
all night; his hair is a little messy and his shirt underneath his jacket is a bit
ruffled . His embrace is warm and comfortable though .
Is it because he’s tired?
Su Mian leans further into his chest . She gives his shirt a tug near his chest
area . This subtle movement of hers shows a bit of affection . Han Chen
lowers his head to glance at her and doesn’t say anything .
Not far away at the shore, Xu Si Bai turns around and sees the back of those
two walking away while embracing each other . He stands there quietly for a
while before walking toward a police car that is farthest away from them .
Han Chen’s car and a couple of police vehicles have been parked on the exit
road beside the beach . Just as they get to the car, Chatterbox comes running
over, “Leader, can you still drive your car? Do you want me to help you call a
toll truck? There’s still room in the car at the back . Only Forensic
Investigator Xu is in it . ”
Su Mian takes a look at the Land Rover which is in a wreck after all the
crashes . Just as she is about to nod, Han Chen releases her, fetches his keys,
opens the door and sits inside .
“No need . She likes riding in my car,” he turns to glance at her, “She doesn’t
like to ride in another car . ”
Su Mian is stunned . Chatterbox clicks his tongue and says, “Women are so
hard to please!” He turns around and leaves .
_____
On their way back to the city .
Han Chen has one hand on the steering wheel while resting the other on the
side of the window with the back of his hand on his lips . His eyes are
looking straight as he drives steadily . Su Mian stares at his cold and
handsome face and thinks to herself: even when he’s driving a broken car,
he’s still so incredibly good looking .
She hadn’t realized it until now where his stubbornness is coming from .
After thinking through it, she can sense the reason behind it . But she doesn’t
know that her little movements have been spotted by him (she actually just
didn’t want him to be unhappy) . She thinks in her heart: he can’t even
tolerate having the three of them sit in a car together?
“Oh crap! Han Chen, are you jealous?” she blurts out .
Han Chen doesn’t deny it or refute it . His expression is indifferent as he

continues looking straight .
“So you do know,” his deep voice says in a relaxed manner, “If you knew it,
why did you provoke me?”
Su Mian is a bit surprised, but she then chuckles . She thinks for a second and
then releases her seatbelt, leans over and kisses the side of his face .
“There has always been only one person in my heart . You don’t need to
mind so much about other people . I love you . ”
Han Chen lowers the hand that has been on his lips . He turns his head and
pecks her lips . Their faces are extremely close . His pupils are rich in black;
Su Mian feels hot and her heart pounding being looked at by them .
“Sit back and put on your seatbelt,” he says in a low voice .
“Mm . ”
They both remain quiet but the atmosphere in the car seems to have become
more gentle and relaxed . Su Mian leans back into her seat and swings her
legs up and down . After a while, she hears him say, “Su Mian, I’m
thinking…Xu Nan Bai is one of the serial killers from back then and a
criminal psychologist from a family with a background in academic research
and the police force . Could Xu Nan Bai had played a part in the mistakes
made when the police attempted to arrest the seven-member organization?”
Su Mian is stunned .
_____
In the day to come, besides continuing their search for Xu Nan Bai’s body at
the river, they are also doing an in-depth investigation of his personal life and
background .
The results of the investigation further confirm Han Chen’s suspicion . But
they also find something else to their surprise .
Firstly, during the seven-member organization case, Xu Nan Bai was still an
assistant professor at the Public Security Bureau university . His dad was a
highly reputable criminal psychology professor, so Su Mian might have even
been in his lectures before at the time . Other members of his family were
either working in the police academy or in the public security bureau .
Therefore, if he was a traitor back then, he could indeed have caused a lot of
trouble to the police .
Additionally, through questioning his colleagues from the public security

bureau university, the Black Shield Team learns that: regardless of how well-
known he is, his colleagues do not speak highly of him . Many feel that Xu
Nan Bai is too radical in the discipline . He often wishes to try “stepping” on
boundaries; experiments that are not acceptable legally . But a lot of times, he
has very innovative theories, which is why the faculty tolerates him . But
recently, the dean of the faculty is already considering to dismiss him .
As a result, he left Beijing and came to take part in a research project at

Province K . It might have been an attempt to secure a new job for himself .
But when they search his home, computer, and workplace……they don’t find
anything relating to the seven-member organization .
“Since Xu Nan Bai is an extremist in the discipline, obstinate and self-

opinionated, and does not get along with other scholars, it might have been
one of the reasons why he joined the seven-member organization,” Su Mian
concludes after they’ve done quite a bit of research now, “As a criminal
psychologist being with other psychopaths, he could understand them and be
with people whose thoughts resonated with his and acknowledges him . He
might have even been respected and gained popularity from them . This may
have given him the feeling of success and thrill . Just like what he said before
he died . It’s like he truly began to ignite himself . As for what kind of role he
played in the organization…an undercover inside the police force? A
motivational mentor? Did he hypnotize them to kill, or was he like the others
and killed people himself? We don’t know yet . ”
……
The investigation ends for today . The street lamps are already on when Su
Mian and Han Chen go home .


Chapter 107
Chapter 107
Chapter 107: Hello, Big Sister
Su Mian lies down on the bed; she’s already very sleepy . But Han Chen is
still in the shower, so she fights to keep her eyelids open to wait for him .
After a while, the bathroom door opens . Han Chen is in his pajamas and
holding a shaving knife in his hand . The texture of his pajamas is nice and
soft with faint gray stripes on it, adding a hint of elegance and laziness to his
temperament . He has one hand on the counter while facing the mirror about
to begin shaving a few stubbles that have come out on his chin .
Su Mian is intrigued immediately . She jumps out of bed and stands beside
him, “Let me help you . ”
Han Chen, who has just finished taking a shower, is so beautiful that it makes
one’s heart pound . He takes a look at her with his moist looking eyes, “You
know how to?”
“I can learn it,” Su Mian answers swiftly as she looks at him with hopeful
eyes .
Han Chen smiles, turns around to face her and puts the shaving knife in her
hand . He then presses one hand onto the wall behind her while stuffing his
other into his pocket . He looks down at her, “You can start . ”
There isn’t a lot of room in front of the counter; now that he’s leaning towards
her, although she wants to help him shave his beard, the atmosphere now
suddenly feels……very ambiguous, sexy, and seductive .
Blood rushes into Su Mian’s head and she says without thinking, “You sure
are……Qiao Han Chen . ” (Chp 18: from the novel, “Sui Tang Yanyi,” the
son of Emperor Yan, the young “Qiao Luo Cheng” is brave and fierce, killing
hundreds of enemies . He has handsome facial features, but is always stern
looking, making him unapproachable)
Qiao Han Chen clearly doesn’t like this nickname . He lowers his hand and
seals her lips . The light reflects on his face lightly, showing a stern
expression . But his kiss is provoking and carries a sense of punishment as he
sucks onto her lips repeatedly . It’s not until Su Mian moans and begs to be
released that he finally lets her off . They return to shaving his beard .
Although Su Mian is careless and unrefined, she is very gentle and takes her
time in helping him shave . After covering his face with shaving cream, she
follows his chin line and scrapes it off bit by bit . She’s very focused in
shaving . She lifts her head slightly to look at him with brilliant lights
reflecting on her eyes . Han Chen stares back at her, but his mind recalls Xu
Nan Bai deliberately calling her, “Junior (female) Classmate,” just before
falling off the cliff .
A feeling of annoyance and coldness ripples in his chest .
Without a doubt, the woman in front of him is a special existence to the

seven-member organization . This is why they didn’t kill her back then . This
is why Xu Nan Bai called her Junior (female) Classmate just before dying .
Ever since the day he and she reunited, he knew that she could understand the
pains and needs of a psychopath very intricately and even tenderly . But yet
she’s so firm and clear on not agreeing to them blindly .
Could this quality of hers be what’s captivating to them?
They once stole her away from him and stole her original life .
And he has finally found her back now .
Are they planning to try again this time?
……
His hands on her waist tighten after thinking about this .
“What are you thinking about?” Su Mian looks into his eyes .
He takes the shaving knife from her, tosses it to the counter, lowers his head
and kisses her . He mumbles, “Mm……I’m thinking if we should……add
another line to our tracker . ”
“Lust should come after one has been fed full and feel the warmth! (idiom)”
Su Mian uses all her might to push him away, “I need to sleep now . ”
Han Chen loves her dearly nonetheless . He smiles and releases her so that
she can hop back into bed . He looks up at the clock; it’s still early; 8 pm on
the dot .
“I’m taking the car to the shop,” he changes his clothes, fetches his keys and
caresses her forehead, “Go to bed first . ”
“Mm, come home soon,” she says in a soft and gentle voice .
He stuffs both hands into his pockets and walks to the door, “I’ll wake you up
when I come home . ”
It takes Su Mian a second to realize what he means, “……”
He’s always like this! Behaving like a scoundrel without you knowing!
_____
Su Mian sleeps very well tonight . Ever since she started living with Han
Chen, she rarely has dreams .
It’s been a long time she has had one .
At some point, her leg shakes itself as if it feels something .
She opens her eyes suddenly; she’s awake .
The room is dark and it’s quiet . But just before waking up fully, she seemed
to have heard a noise, yet it seemed like she didn’t .
“Beep” a faint noise .
She hears it clearly this time .
The sound is coming from the living room’s entrance . Sweat seems to be
forming from her hands . She continues lying in the bed without moving .
Through the door gap, she stares toward the entrance of the apartment .
She can tell what the sound is .
Ever since she was strangled by the mysterious person——perhaps it was Xu

Nan Bai——Han Chen had installed infrared security alarms on every
window and every door . As soon as someone breaks in, the police will be
contacted immediately .
And the sound of the alarm silenced so quickly just now……
Someone is dissembling the alarm……
That person will be entering the place without a sound very soon .
But the person probably doesn’t know that Han Chen has installed a second
security alarm that’s even more intricate . Every time Han Chen leaves, he
would set both of them . If the person enters, the alarm will sound
immediately . Not only will the security guards of the building be notified, it
will also notify Han Chen’s cell phone directly as well as the local monitoring
station .
But it’s possible that the person who’s here is a member of the seven-member
organization . Any wrong move she makes may cause her her life . With Han
Chen away, Su Mian can only depend on herself . She takes a deep breath,
closes her eyes and reopens them . A feeling of coldness and the spirit of
heroism actually surges up in her heart .
She sits up almost without a sound . Moving extremely slowly, she fetches a
thick wooden stick from the corner of the wall, makes it behind the door with
her back against the wall and stands still quietly .
About ten seconds or so, she hears a very faint sound .
The door has been pushed open .
No sound of footsteps; no light or shadow . But she’s certain that the person
has entered .
The person is walking very, very slowly . After about ten seconds, Su Mian
finally sees a person through the door gap as the person arrives outside of the
bedroom .
There is almost no light in the apartment . The person is dressed in all black .
Su Mian can barely make out that he’s wearing a baseball cap and a mask, but
she can’t see his face at all . He seems……rather tall and lean .
The blanket is just the way it was, making it look like someone is still lying in
bed . Su Mian’s heart races as she holds her breath . She then sees a foot in
running shoe stepping inside from the doorway .
This is it!
The piercing sound of alarm rings throughout the entire apartment . The
person pauses his footstep in fright . And in the speed of lightning, Su Mian
swings the wooden stick at the person’s head!
Thump——a muffled sound . The person groans in pain as the wooden stick
hits his/her back . Without a word, Su Mian raises the stick in an attempt to
hit the person again . But the person doesn’t dodge . Instead, he raises his
head to look at her and says angrily, “Su Mian Jie! (Big Sister Su Mian) It
wasn’t easy for me to find you! Why are you hitting me after seeing me!”
The voice is loud and young while carrying the feeling of being wronged .
No matter how alert Su Mian is, she is struck dumb by his words .
And this is the moment!
He grasps her wrist in a flash . Su Mian feels the pain and the stick falls out
of her hand .
He snickers and says in a deep and relaxed voice that’s completely different
from just now, “Su Mian, this playing dumb trick was taught by you back
then . Have you forgotten about it as well?”
Su Mian’s heart trembles while she says indifferently, “How could I for-……”
she kicks his stomach before finishing her sentence . She retrieves her hand
and dodges from his grip .
They’re currently on the same level .

The sound of sirens can suddenly be heard coming from downstairs .
“Pretty fast……” he murmurs and quickly backs out of the bedroom doorway
. Just as Su Mian is about to chase after him, he says with his back towards
her, “Stay right there, if you don’t want Han Chen to die . ”
Su Mian freezes . She bores into his back, “What do you mean?”
But he lets out a laugh and pulls his cap down, “I’m only here to deliver a
letter today . I’ve already delivered it, so I must leave now . I’ve never beaten
you once, so of course, I had to secretly install a bomb on Han Chen’s car as a
safety measure . It’s installed under the hood of the car you guys crashed
today . If you take another step forward, I will detonate it . ”
He says such cruel words so lightly with a smile . Su Mian can’t tell whether
or not he’s telling the truth, so she doesn’t dare to make a move . In a split
second, he has already left the living room .
“Who are you?” Su Mian shouts .
She’s not expecting an answer, but just as the door closes, she hears a soft
voice say:
“Jie (Big Sister), I’m A . Your once most beloved little brother——A . ”
Su Mian’s heart shakes . She dashes toward the door but the hallway is
already empty with no sight of him . A couple of police officers have climbed
up from the staircase though . She’s most worried about Han Chen, so she
rushes back into the apartment, turns on the lights, and finds her phone to call
him . But it is also now that she discovers that she has already missed a
couple of his calls since her phone has been put on silent .
The call is picked up .
“Are you okay?”
“Su Mian?”
They both ask each other anxiously at the same time .
Su Mian answers quickly, “I’m fine . I’m at home . Get away from the car
immediately . There’s a bomb in the car!”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a second and then says, “That’s impossible . I
checked it before driving the car . I’ve just taken the car to the shop and it’s
being fixed right now . They haven’t found a bomb either . I’m almost in the
neighborhood . Stay there and don’t move . ”
They hang up the phone . Su Mian tosses the phone onto the couch and
curses .
She must have lost her mind due to being too worried . She was deceived .
But he’s an expert in explosives and a hard to read psychopath, so there was
no way for her to risk Han Chen’s life at the time .
The apartment is lit brightly . Having to cross paths with him for a few
minutes has been enough to stir up the emotions in her heart like a tidal wave
. She lowers her head subconsciously and murmurs the name he left
behind……
A .
And at this moment, she spots a white envelope on the coffee table .
A said just now that he was here to deliver a letter .
Her heart starts beating rapidly . She dashes over to the drawer, puts on a pair
of gloves and picks it up .
It’s a very delicate white paper with a gold colored frame . It even carries a
light fragrance . Three characters are written on the front of the envelope with
black ink:
“To Black Shield” .
The letters are free-flowing and beautifully written .
She opens the envelope carefully . Inside is another delicate and pretty piece
of white paper .
The letter is written in one person’s writing .

There are only two lines .
But her eyes open wide reading them . She jerks her head up to look at the
calendar . Today is the 3rd .
And in the letter, it writes:
“On the 7th day at the 7th hour and 7th minute .
We will come . ”


Chapter 108
Chapter 108
Chapter 108: Life and Death Together
On the 7th day at the 7th hour and 7th minute .
We will come .
……
Su Mian is frozen standing below the light holding the piece of white paper .
This is what Han Chen sees as he enters the place . He walks up to her back,
holds her shoulders and turns her around . His black jacket collar is standing
and his body seems to carry the coolness of the night . But his eyes are
darkest ever as he assesses her from head to toe . Only after confirming that
she’s fine that he presses her into his embrace .
“I’m fine,” Su Mian says softly . She hugs him back as if it’s the only way
that can comfort her heart . She holds the letter in front of Han Chen . Han
Chen takes a look at it and then picks up the envelope on the coffee table .
His expression is indifferent .
_____
The forensic investigators from the station arrive quickly to examine the place
. But just as they had expected, the young man who calls himself, A, did not
leave behind any traces or fingerprint . The surveillance video in the area also
did not capture him——he must have gone around most of the cameras . As
for the places that he had to have passed by, the cameras have all been
damaged by someone last night .
It’s already 3 to 4 am by the time the forensic investigators leave .
Su Mian sits on the couch with her arms crossed and not feeling the slightest
bit of tiredness . She thinks through every word that Asaid to her . Han Chen
sees the officers out and closes the door . He looks down and sees that the
wall has been punched through with the red wires that were connected to the
alarm all in a mess .
He lifts his leg and gives them a kick, making the pile even messier . His
actions make too much noise . Su Mian raises her head in surprise . She then
sees him stuff both hands in his pockets and walks toward the study room
with a cold face .
“Why are you throwing a temper at them?” Su Mian stares at his back, “They
didn’t want to be taken apart by someone either . ”
It’s hard to blame him for being angry . The alarm system was set up by the
forensic department . At the time, an officer he knows promised that this was
the best security system in the nation and that it was top notched, unbeatable,
blah, blah, blah……
After a while, she sees him come out with one hand in his pocket walking
toward her and then sitting down beside her .
“Starting tomorrow, I’ll stay at the dormitory with you . ”
“Mm,” Su Mian answers softly . It’s just that she’s quite depressed when
thinking about that squeaky single bed . How should they sleep in it? What if
it collapses……
Just as she’s thinking about a bunch of nonsense, Han Chen fetches something
from his pants’ pocket and puts it into her palm .
It’s a small gold color whistle with a necklace attached to it .
Su Mian’s eyes sparkle until she feels it in her hands and says with a bit of
disgust, “It’s so poorly made . ”
Han Chen glances at her and then opens the spring ring clasp, “I got it when I
graduated from the police academy . There were over 2000 students that year
and only one golden whistle . Bend your head . ”
Su Mian lets out a, “Oh,” and lets him put it on her . Since it’s so meaningful
and cool, she wants it now .
After finishing putting it on, she pulls her long hair upwards, revealing her
neck . She poses proudly at him, “Look, doesn’t it look good? Even when it’s
such an ugly necklace, I still look good in it . ”
Han Chen smiles . He places one arm on the armrest while he reaches over
with the other and holds the whistle in front of her mouth, “From now on, no
matter what happens, I will not leave the area of the sound of this whistle
until we catch the seven-member organization . If I’m not beside you and
you’re in danger, blow on the whistle . ”
Su Mian blinks .
So this is his real goal .
It’s true . Within a close distance, a whistle is the best original tool for
alerting others .
She holds the whistle with her lips and blows on it hard . A crisp long sound
fills the room immediately . Perhaps it can also be heard far away too .
She giggles and dives into his embrace, “It’s such a meaningful item, why
didn’t you give it to me back then?”
Han Chen doesn’t remember why either . He only found out where this
whistle came from after going back to visit the police academy . But he grabs
her hand and answers nonchalantly, “How would I know? Most probably
because you disliked it for being ugly . ”
This makes perfect sense, so Su Mian shuts her mouth immediately .
They hug each other quietly for a while before Su Mian asks, “What about if
one day I blow on the whistle and you don’t come?” This question is simply
trying to find faults, and the meaning behind it is: if you break your promise,
what will you do to compensate me?
But Han Chen answers without raising an eyebrow, “Wherever you go, I will
go . I will jump off a cliff if I have to . I will always come to you unless I’m
dead . ”
Su Mian is stunned . She reaches up and wraps her arms around his neck,
“What nonsense are you talking about?! Touchwood!” She leans forward and
kisses him .
Han Chen takes the opportunity to lift her up, walks to the bedroom and
tosses her onto the bed .
……
_____
Morning of the next day .
There is nobody else from outside of the team . Xu Si Bai is considered half a
member, but he is also not invited .
The door is closed shut . The five of them sit in a circle with solemn
expressions on their faces . Han Chen speaks in a calm voice about
everything that happened back then .
Su Mian is sitting beside him and doesn’t comment . Chatterbox, Cold Face
and Xiao Zhuan’s gaze land on her a couple of times; surprised, sympathy,
and doubtfulness .
Han Chen finishes telling them everything, but everyone is quiet . Han Chen
grabs her hand and says, “I’m telling you guys all this because if you guys
participate in the case, you should know everything that happened, as well as
understand what kind of opponent we’re up against . They are the trickiest
criminals that we have ever come across . I believe that their provocation
towards the Black Shield Team this time is partly due to holding a grudge
against us . Therefore, you have the right to withdraw from the case . We can
collaborate again in the next case . ”
He says these words very calmly, making others believe that these are his
sincere words and that he won’t mind . Su Mian nods and says, “If you guys
feel bad, Cold Face, just boil more soup for us . Xiao Zhuan, massage my
back . Chatterbox, stop being so talkative . This will be enough to
compensate us . ”
One of them is indifferent, while the other is a comic relief . But they are
both sincere . Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan look at each other . Cold Face
continues to be expressionless as always .
“I’m not backing out,” he’s the first to speak and doesn’t say anything more .
Xiao Zhuan grabs onto Su Mian’s arm, “Of course I’m not withdrawing!
Xiao Bai, who do you think I am? Cheh! I will always advance and retreat
with you!”
Su Mian grabs his hand as well, “Xiao Zhuan, I knew you would say this! I
was only being polite to you! It was Han Chen who said that we must give
you guys the freedom to choose . ”
Everybody laughs . And due to trying to come up with a long speech and not
making it in time to confess, Chatterbox feels too unwise and unloyal . He
quickly speaks up, “Hey, hey! There’s still me! I haven’t said anything yet .
Your enemy is, of course, our Black Shield Team’s enemy . How can we
separate ourselves from it? I feel that the greatest reward I’ve gotten ever
since I became an officer is to be with y-……”
“Let’s split up the tasks,” Cold Face interrupts him .
“Let’s split the tasks!” Xiao Zhuan’s voice is even louder .
Chatterbox speeds up his speech, “……my greatest reward is working with

you guys to catch the most despicable criminals and save many others, letting
justice spread its wings . Furthermore, Leader is my idol——Therefore, let’s
split up the tasks!”
All five of them laugh . Su Mian stares at their handsome and determined
faces making her heart feel warm like a small fire pit .
Never back down; life and death together . They are like buddies, like
comrades . There are some things that they don’t need to say too much of .
The corners of Han Chen’s mouth are also curved into a smile . He turns his
head, glances at her and nods . Su Mian stands up and holds the evidence bag
that is carrying the letter in front of them .
“Last night, a suspect who called himself, ‘A’, delivered this letter to our
home,” she writes a big letter “A” on the whiteboard and then looks at
everyone, “A is a young man . Based on his voice from yesterday, he won’t
be over 30 . He even called me big sister . He’s very cunning and his tone of
voice was sometimes childish and sometimes cold and gloomy . He’s wild
and loves to take risks, delivering the letter to a police officer’s home
himself……all of this matches with our preliminary profile on the explosives
suspect . ”
Everybody nods .
Chatterbox speaks, “Xiao Bai, he called you big sister and you were an
undercover back then, so this maniac might love and hate you at the same
time . You better be careful!”
Han Chen lifts his eyes and looks at her .
Su Mian looks at everybody’s concerned face and nods . But she doesn’t tell
them that oddly, her instincts tell her that A won’t harm her . Even though
they had a dangerous encounter last night and she was toyed by him, she
didn’t sense his enmity or threat .
“And the one who wrote this letter should be the second killer . The one who
seems respectable and has self-control but is actually a crazy killer who’s
repressed and twisted,” she continues to say .
“Why would it be him?” Xiao Zhuan asks .
“The paper was purposely selected and the writing is superbly beautiful,” Su
Mian explains, “And he even used ‘letter paper’, which is such a formal style
to send us his invitation . The content of the invitation is short and simple,
carrying a sense of arrogance . Awouldn’t do something like this . He
doesn’t have this kind of patience or cultural background . The serial killer
who extracts the victims’ hearts wouldn’t do this . When he extracted their
hearts back then, he did not perform any unnecessary actions and did not
leave any additional traces of evidence to the police . There’s no way that
after a few years, his actions would become so careful and complicated . On
the other hand, this letter matches the distinct characteristics of the second
killer completely . ”
Everybody nods . Chatterbox speaks up, “So this means that only the third
killer, who likes to extract the victim’s heart, has not yet appeared?”
“As well as the fourth killer,” Han Chen says, “Xin Jia said that there were
seven of them . We’re still missing one . ”
Everybody falls into silence .
Whether it’s the police officers from back then or them, they haven’t been
able to grasp a single bit of clue about this last killer .
“I’m done,” Su Mian sits down, “There is still too little information right now
. There is no way for us to predict what their next step will be just by looking
at a letter . ”
Han Chen takes the letter from Xiao Zhuan, stares down at it and then says,
“‘We will come . ’ Where?”
Everybody is stunned .
It’s because when they read those words, they immediately assume that it
means: I will officially commit crimes now . They haven’t thought carefully
about what the underlying meaning is .
Han Chen continues to say, “The letter is to the Black Shield Team . The
word ‘come’ is also directed at us . Are they coming to the provincial office?
That’s not possible . The office is not opened to the public and security is
tight . Furthermore, on the 7th, the office will impose even tighter security .
Not even a fly will be able to trespass . It doesn’t suit the criterion of
committing crimes . Therefore, this word, ‘come’, has a different meaning
——”
His pitch black pupils look around, “They will come into our view, a place
that we can see . ”
Everybody is quiet . Su Mian stares at his handsome side profile . Everybody

is a bit excited after hearing his interpretation .
“On the 7th day at the 7th hour and 7th minute……” he says in a deep voice,
“So precise to the minute . How are they going to guarantee that they will
commit a crime at that very minute and let us be able to see it?”
“Live streaming?” Chatterbox gasps .
“That’s possible,” Han Chen answers, “Or a public place that will capture
other’s attention so that the police will take notice immediately . ”
_____
In the next few days, the police of the entire city are on high alert . On one
end, the internet is under close surveillance; the moment that a criminal puts
up a live stream, they will initiate a trace to lock down on the location to
search . On the other end, additional officers are patrolling all public places
that start to get busy at 7 am . It’s just that there are many places that are busy
and the capabilities of low-rank officers vary quite a bit . It won’t easy to
prevent a crime completely .
Very soon, it’s the 7th day at exactly 6 am .


Chapter 109
Chapter 109
Chapter 109: Here For You Part 1
Early morning, the atmosphere in the office is suffocating . Su Mian fixes her
jacket and is staring at more than ten surveillance monitors with everybody
else .
This is the day that the seven-member organization has promised to appear .
What they’re watching are the various well-known video streaming sites and
areas in the city that are busy .
And these are only a portion of it . In the bigger room outside, more than ten
officers are keeping an eye on the other roads . At this moment, there are a
couple hundred of officers spread out across the city patrolling the areas .
This kind of waiting really puts one’s patience to the test . Su Mian watches
the screen for a while longer before feeling dizzy . She turns her head and
looks at Han Chen beside her . He looks solemn sitting in his seat . His face
is tilted up slightly and he is very focused .
His patience has always surpassed a normal person .
Su Mian can’t help herself . Seeing that Chatterbox and the others aren’t
looking at her, she secretly hold out her pinky and tickles the back of his hand
. He glances at her and holds onto her finger . Su Mian smiles and returns to
staring at those monitors; they actually don’t look as dizzy as before now .
While the two of them play with each other, the others have to find their own
ways of keeping their energy .
With a “snick” sound, Cold Face makes a flame on the lighter, lowers his
head and lights up a cigarette . Chatterbox leans over to light one up as well .
The two of them starts smoking; it’s relaxing and helps re-energize them .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan searches through his bag for some gum . He shakes the
package until one piece of gum falls into his palm . He then puts it into his
mouth and lets out a long breath of relief .
The room is soon permeated with the fragrance of the cigarette . It’s also the
high-quality Su Yan cigarettes that Han Chen gave to Chatterbox before .
Su Mian takes a few sniffs; the smell itches her lungs and throat . She really
wants one, but she can only wish about it .
She swallows and takes a look at Han Chen subconsciously . To her surprise,
his throat is also moving up and down .
Great . He’s also feeling the urge .
Su Mian is very protective . She immediately forgets her own craving . She
turns her head and glares at the two of them, “Those who are smoking, move
back more! You’re being too inconsiderate!”
Before she finishes her sentence, the corners of Han Chen’s mouth curve
upwards .
Chatterbox and Cold Face look at each other . Cold Face picks up his chair
and moves back one big step . Chatterbox moves his chair as well while
murmuring, “Xiao Bai, just admit that you have a craving . Since Leader is
here, no matter how much you crave for one, I won’t give it to you . ” Out of
habit and as well as for safety reasons, they continue to call her, “Xiao Bai . ”
Su Mian ignores him . She turns around to look at Xiao Zhuan . Without
even asking, she snatches the gum from his hand . Xiao Zhuan is really
unwilling to share as he reaches out in an attempt to grab them back, “I only
have a few left . I still need them to help calm down my nervousness . Go
buy them yourself . ”
Su Mian doesn’t need to pay attention to him . She flips open the cap, tosses
one into her mouth and then pours one out for Han Chen . He opens his
mouth, chews on it a bit and says, “Give me one more . ” Su Mian, of course,
feeds him another one right away . Seeing that the bottle is empty, she tosses
it back to Xiao Zhuan .
Xiao Zhuan says angrily, “Thieves! You two are thieves!”

Chatterbox shows his support, “Yeah, yeah! They’re too overbearing . ”
Cold Face smiles without a word . Han Chen and Su Mian also smile as they
sit together in the same row watching the monitors .
6:30 am .
All the major streaming and websites are still running as normal . The
cameras monitoring the major roads are still busy as usual . Nothing seems to
be out of the ordinary .
Chatterbox finishes his cigarette and immediately moves his seat back closer
to them again . He leans over to the back of their seats, “What do you guys
think will happen in a bit?”
Han Chen has one arm on the armrest while his other is raised with his fingers
against his lips . He takes a look at Su Mian . They have already discussed
this in the morning, therefore, Su Mian explains, “Three people will appear .
It’s because, in the letter, it used ‘we,’ which points out that they will appear
together . As for what we’ll see…whether they will commit a crime together
or commit three crimes separately at the same time, we don’t know yet . But
I’m leaning more towards the latter possibility . It’s because whether it’s
taking a risk to deliver the letter or the second person who wrote this
provoking invitation letter, at least these two have a very strong desire to
showcase themselves . Therefore, I believe that they will likely to commit
crimes individually that will highlight their personalities . ”
Chatterbox is a bit surprised hearing her explanation, and then he nods . Xiao
Zhuan comes over to her, “But Xiao Bai, how come it’s three people only?
Will the fourth person not appear?”
Su Mian shakes her head, “I believe he won’t . Back then, the fourth person
did not leave behind any traces of evidence . I think that this person is either
the leader of the group or has another role in the seven-member organization .
He does not commit crimes directly . Therefore, he won’t appear directly in
front of us this time . ”
“Where is here?” Han Chen says suddenly, interrupting their discussion . He

reaches out his arm and points to one of the monitors .
Everyone looks over . It’s showing one of City Lan’s local TV broadcast
station . A gigantic aquarium tank appears . Inside the blue water, big and
small fishes are swimming around . There are also a few young girls who are
wearing a mermaid’s tail and a bikini top chit-chatting on the surface of the
water . There is some moving equipment in front of the aquarium while two
groups of audience members are entering the place .
Xiao Zhuan flips through some papers in his hands and answers, “Oh, this is
one of the live morning broadcasts called, ‘Ocean Challenge . ’ It basically
tries to motivate the seniors to participate in a water sport during their
morning exercise routine . The filming location is at an oceanarium . It’s
probably also to try to promote the place . ”
Chatterbox clicks his tongue, “These days, even a senior’s show is this
splendid . There are even bikini mermaids too . ”
Su Mian butts in, “There’s no helping it . It’s what you male viewers like to
see . ”
Han Chen stands up suddenly, walks to the monitor and stares at it at a close
distance .
“Xiao Zhuan, rewind the video . ”
Everyone is stunned slightly as they hover over . Su Mian leans against his
side and stares at the image with him . Xiao Zhuan rewinds the video
immediately .
Han Chen calls out, “Stop . ”
He raises his head and his pitch black pupils seem extremely focused .
Everyone follows his gaze and looks at the screen . It’s a close up of the
aquarium .
Through the smooth glass and rippling water, the five “mermaids” are floating
inside and are chatting and laughing since the recording hasn’t started yet .
Their damp long hair and fair white face and waist captivate the audience’s
attention . At the top of the tank is a dome-shaped clear glass . The sun
penetrates through and reflects in a golden color on top of the water surface .
They watch for a while and don’t see anything suspicious, so they all turn to
look at Han Chen . Cold Face asks, “Is there a problem?”
Han Chen stuffs both hands into his pockets while still having his eyes fixed
on the screen . He scrunches his eyebrows, “Zoom in . ”
Xiao Zhuan alters the picture right away . As a result, the light reflecting on
the water and the ‘mermaids’’ attractive body lines are also zoomed in closer .
“Continue to zoom in . ”
Xiao Zhuan shakes his head, “This is a live feed from the station . It’ll be
very hard to see anything if we zoom in even more . ”
Su Mian grabs Han Chen arm, “What did you see?”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a moment .
For an instance just now, he doesn’t know if he was just seeing things or if it
was just the lighting . He seems to have seen something flash across the
water . But the angle of the video and the clarity of it is limited . He can’t
really confirm if it was just an illusion or if it really existed .
But as a criminal investigator, he knows very well when to trust his instincts .
The oceanarium is at least an hour drive from the city center . There’s no way
that the Black Shield Team will make it there in time . Han Chen speaks,
“Cold Face, contact the local station to send people there immediately .
Search the place carefully . ”
Cold Face goes make the phone call right away .
The image on the monitor continues . The few of them sits back down and
continues to watch . But due to this slight interruption, the atmosphere seems
to have intensified .
Su Mian looks up at the clock on the wall——6:45 . There are 22 minutes

until 7:07 .
She turns around and notices that Han Chen is still staring at the monitor . Su
Mian really didn’t see anything, but those couple of mermaid girls are indeed
quite sexy . Seeing that Han Chen is staring at them so attentively, Su Mian
somehow feels that they’re “lucky . ” Therefore, she goes over and asks
slowly, “Do the mermaids have a great body?”
Han Chen holds his chin with one hand while his eyes are still on the monitor
and says indifferently, “You’re jealous just because of this? So immature . ”
Su Mian fires back, “……Why do I have to be mature about this?”


Chapter 110
Chapter 110
Chapter 110: Here For You Part 2
What exactly will happen?
Su Mian holds her breath and takes a look at the clock on the wall: 6:55 .
With a wall full of monitors, they still haven’t spotted anything out of the
ordinary . The malls, big buildings, transit stops, online video streaming sites,
popular forums……everything is working in order and have no signs of any
ferocious crimes happening .
Cold Face finishes his phone call, comes back and sits down, “The local team
is on their way . They’ll be at the oceanarium very soon . ”
Han Chen nods .
Everybody looks toward the monitor . The show on the life channel is still
continuing . The five mermaids dive and surface in the tank, waving their
bodies . The host is talking in a fast pace manner while the seniors in the
audience panel watch without moving their eyes and are revealing smiles .
6:57 am . There are only ten minutes left before the promised time .
“There’s a situation!” Xiao Zhuan shouts suddenly in the corner .
Everybody has been tensed up all this time . The moment he shouts,
everybody turns to look in shock .
It’s a square in the middle of a shopping center .
Since it’s between major roads, the square is surrounded by traffic and people
. But in this busy and peaceful place, something is happening in an area .
In the corner of the square, there’s a crowd of at least twenty to thirty people
bunched up together . Other people passing by are also attracted by the scene
where they stop to take a look .
There are more and more people . Although the Black Shield Team can’t hear
any sound, they can see a lot of people smiling . Someone even raises their
arm to take a picture . There are even some who are showing a disgusted
expression .
Since this is a key monitored area, three police officers enter the screen very
soon and are running toward the crowd .
“What’s the situation? Why are there so many people gathered around?”
Chatterbox asks softly .
“Could there be a murder?” Xiao Zhuan scrunches his thick eyebrows, “But
that can’t be . Their expressions don’t look right . ”
Su Mian feels her heart in her throat .
“Xiao Zhuan! Try to get the camera closer,” Han Chen orders, “Cold Face,
call them . ”
Xiao Zhuan answers, “Yes, Sir!” and immediately starts to search through the
computer . Cold Face picks up the phone without a word and calls one of the
officers based on the address book .
7:00 .
Now’s the time!
Su Mian opens her eyes wide . Han Chen’s expression turns dark . It’s
because the crowd in the image seems to be frightened suddenly or has seen
something terribly horrifying . They retreat right away . Everybody has a
scared expression while some seem to show excitement in their frightened
look . They are all running away as fast as they can .
“Done!” Xiao Zhuan shouts .

The image changes to a closer distance; most likely a camera on top of one of
the street lamps looking down . This allows the Black Shield Team to see
what exactly is happening .
The crowd has completely dispersed to a far distance as they continue to

watch . The wave of frightfulness seems to travel outward quickly as many
others try to escape the area while others surround the place in a big circle .
They’re all holding up their cell phones to record it . The square is in chaos .
Some cars on the road have even stopped to take a look; the roads are jammed
very soon .
And the corner that was surrounded by people originally, besides the few
officers with an awful expression on their faces, there’s also one man .
A very strange man .
He’s wearing a colorful clown outfit and a pointy hat . His face is covered
with thick makeup looking rather funny . At a glance, you would think that
he’s some employee of a children toy store .
But he’s been circling all this time . While he circles, his arms and legs are
also dancing . The main point is that his moves are clumsy and ridiculous .
Clearly, he doesn’t know how to dance . His mouth is opening and closing,
making it seem like he’s singing .
The important thing is that he’s crying .
Dancing, singing, and crying?
His tears are ruining his makeup, making him look even more ridiculous and
hideous . And the fright and hopelessness on his face make everyone’s heart
pound .
At the same time, they connect through to an officer at the scene!
Cold Face turns on the speaker . They see the officer in the screen hold up
the phone with his pale face . Everybody can hear the shakiness in his voice,
“Hello, Black Shield Team . I am a civil officer, Zhang Xiao Chuan . Th-
There’s a situation! Someone here says that he has a bomb on him! He’s
asking us to help him! But how do we know how to get rid of it?!”
The clown man continues to circle and dance . They can hear him stuttering
while humming a tune through the phone . His tears are flowing even more
furiously now . And following his moves, the bystanders can now see a black
colored explosive package underneath his untidily worn clown outfit .
7:04 .
The Black Shield Team’s office is quiet .
Han Chen stands up with both hands pressing against the table and announces
his orders one after their other .
“Chatterbox, report the situation to our authorities immediately!”
“Got it . ”
“Xiao Zhuan, how much time does the bomb squad need to get there?”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan looks through the map on the computer immediately . In
order to prepare for today, the criminal investigation team has already
arranged for all bomb squads in the province to stand by at each of the
districts . But the area is still too big so it’s impossible to have a bomb squad
in all locations .
He finds the answer quickly and says nervously, “At least 3 minutes!”
It’s not enough time!
Su Mian holds her hands into fists; her knuckles are turning white from the
grip .
Han Chen raises his eyes and looks at the clown who’s so frightened that he’s
about to collapse . He orders the officers at the scene without any emotion,
“The bomb will detonate in less than 3 minutes . Give him the phone . Leave
the area immediately and have the bystanders evacuate . ”
The civil officers feel as if they’ve been set free . They stuff the phone into
the clown’s hand immediately, turn around and run . The clown’s face is even
more hopeless now as he holds the phone and stops circling and dancing .
“You guys are not saving me anymore? Why are you guys not saving me? He
said……He said only the police can help me! Hurry and help me! I don’t
want to die . Why did someone tie a bomb on me……”
The Black Shield Team feels awful . Clearly, the man in front of them is a
victim abducted by A . He’s even been dressed up as a clown, but in the end,
no one can save him .
“He? What about him?” Han Chen stares at the man on the screen and
presses him . He says at the same time, “Take off your clothes immediately .
Let me say if there’s a way to remove the bomb!”
But the man’s emotion has finally crumbled . He doesn’t listen to Han Chen .
He throws the cell phone onto the ground and runs toward the bystanders!
“He said that when it’s 7 am, I must……I must circle and dance non-stop,
otherwise, the bomb will explode……He said that the police would help me,
so I kept waiting……Why are you guys not saving me……” his voice stutters
and can be heard on the phone .
The Black Shield Team freezes for a second .
Among the glistening building and spacious square, the cars flow around the
area like a running river .
The man who has been dressed as a clown has tears covering his face . He
staggers as he runs toward the crowd while shouting, “Help me! Help me!”
All the people break up like they’ve been washed by a tidal wave . The
square is filled with screams .
Finally .
Su Mian lifts her eyes to look at the clock .
4, 3, 2, 1……
“Boom!”

Chapter 111
Chapter 111
Chapter 111: Here For You Part 3 + mini side stories
“Boom!”
A loud explosion .
Just as he’s running toward the crowd but before he could make contact with
anyone, the clown’s body turns into a gigantic fireball . His broken body
pieces are thrown up into the air and fall down like rain again . The phone on
the table crackles and then loses connection . Many people have fallen onto
the ground due to the force of the explosion . Everybody’s expression is full
of fright .
Han Chen, Cold Face, and Chatterbox are expressionless . Su Mian, on the
other hand, closes her eyes and then reopens them .
She doesn’t remember the past . But this is the most brutal murder that she
has witnessed as far as she can remember .
Not only the victim is murdered, his hopes are shattered . Not only did he
dress him up as a clown to ridicule, he had him be laughed at by others,
stepping on his dignity . In the end, he let him die in front of everybody,
bringing the most frightening thing to humanity .
A .
So this is the real, cruel, and ruthless A .
As if to prove the emotions in her heart, Chatterbox says suddenly beside her,
“What is this? What’s on the ground?”
At a distance, the clown has already been blown up into pieces . The police
officers are trying their best to keep things in order . And at a nearby area,
Chatterbox points to the ground . It’s where the man was standing originally .
There’s actually a mark on the ground . No one noticed it before since the
clown was stepping on it .
The mark is simple . It’s written in red and in capitals——”A” .
“Look here!” Cold Face says out loud .
It’s another monitor that’s rather far away . Nothing strange was happening
before and it didn’t capture their attention .
It’s a pathway entrance to a commercial area .
On the right side of the entrance, there’s a small white stage set up . A banner
hangs on top of it which says that it’s for promoting a certain wax museum .
The wax museum has started promoting themselves in secondary cities, so
this type of promotion isn’t out of the ordinary .
There are five wax figures on the stage .
But at this moment, there are quite a few people crowding around pointing
and chatting at the one on the far left, which is a wax figure of a middle-aged
gentleman . A worker in an employee uniform runs onto the stage and to the
wax figure . He seems to be in shock as he turns around and runs off the stage
immediately .
“Zoom in!” Han Chen says .
The image gets closer . This time, the Black Shield Team can see clearly that
the wax figure isn’t any famous person they know or anybody they would
know . But the reason why he is attracting others’ attention is that there
seems to be red liquid slowly flowing out of his eyes .
It looks as if it’s fresh blood .
No, it has to be fresh blood .
A strong feeling of intuition knocks onto Su Mian’s heart .
She blurts out, “The second person!”
An extremely serious and respectable on the surface but repressive and

twisted on the inside . He hopes to dress up his victims like a star on stage .
It’s the second serial killer!
He’s even more twisted . He has actually turned someone into a wax figure!
The blood from the wax figure’s eyes is dripping faster and faster .
Gradually, a puddle of blood accumulates around his feet . The spectators are
also in shock . Just like the reaction from the explosion scene: retreat and
continue to watch the scene .
“Seal off the area immediately!” Han Chen orders .
At this very moment, something strange happens .
With the small puddle of blood expanding, the stage’s white cloth is actually
changing color . On the white cloth, a certain red colored shape is slowly
being drawn out .
“It’s a chemical reaction!” Chatterbox says almost losing his voice, “The
cloth must have been dipped with something beforehand! It’s now having a
reaction with the blood!”
Gradually, the shape is becoming clearer and clearer .
On the white colored stage, its contours are elegant and intricate .
It’s a letter written in calligraphy——”L” .
Su Mian’s mind goes blank .
L .
It feels unfamiliar yet familiar at the same time . It’s the second person, L .
There are already……two victims .
The main office is already full of chatters . All of the officers have now seen
these two crime scenes . Qin Wen Long walks in quickly with other leaders .
Every one of their faces looks pale . Xu Si Bai has also come after learning
the news . He frowns as he focuses his eyes on the events happening on the
screen .
It’s not that their methods of killing others are crueler than any others, nor that
their methods are highly skilled . But they’ve already committed two murders
that have brought even more fright and mental torture than any other serial
killers that Su Mian has ever seen or heard of .
So then, what about the third person?
She turns her head and sees that Han Chen’s eyes have returned to that TV
network’s recording site .
And as if they can sense it, Cold Face and the others also turn to look .
The TV broadcast has already been put on hold, but they can still watch
what’s going on at the scene——this is what Han Chen requested before .
They can see that the local officers have already taken control of the scene .
The audience is making their way out, the few mermaids are climbing out of
the tank looking rather unpleased . And two staff members from the network
are currently talking to the officers . Two forensic investigators with their
gloves on are in the process of climbing up to the tank to take a closer look at
what’s inside .
Suddenly .
The thick layer of sand at the bottom of the tank moves . The two forensic
investigators are both stunned and don’t dare to go in yet .
“There’s a situation!”
Someone shouts .
Everybody at the scene turns their heads .
The Black Shield Team is also staring at it .
And then, a person comes out from beneath the sand .
As if it’s being guided by something, it rises slowly and vertically .
It’s a woman .
It’s a long-haired young woman in a mermaid bikini whose face has already
turned pale from being in the water for too long . Her arms are spread apart
while her head is hanging down . She looks as if she’s asleep but hugging the
water with her arms out at the same time . And at the chest area of where her
heart is, blood seems to be seeping through .
“It’s Xiao Tong!” the other mermaids outside of the tank shout at the same
time . Their screams fill up the whole place .
“Leave the area!” the officers at the scene shouts .
“There’s a string!” Chatterbox says almost right up against the monitor . He

points at the rippling water, “The killer has set up a device . Not sure when it
was triggered but Leader, what you saw before must have been the string!”
Han Chen doesn’t say anything . His eyes are still fixed on the deceased
mermaid girl .
And Su Mian seems to feel stuffed inside .
It’s because the dead body, young girl, device……she can imagine what is
about to happen……
“Zzzzz——” a muffled sound coming from the water . The Black Shield
Team might not be able to hear it from the monitor, but the people at the scene
can hear it loud and clear as well as see it too .
It’s because the girl’s corpse opens its eyes suddenly . There’s blood dripping
from her eyelids; they can see the silver colored thread sewed on the top,
indicating that this is also being controlled by a device .
And then, a bloody hole appears in her chest area .
A piece of……indistinguishable flesh flings out just like that .
Everybody at the scene is in shock .
But the next thing that happens is even more frightening——
The corpse continues to float in the water as blood permeates the whole tank .
Some of the fishes in the tank continue to swim around while a group of
them are surrounding the heart that has just come out . They start to eat it .
Gradually, the water in the tank turns into a faint red color . And on the glass
that is in direct view of the camera, a red letter begins to appear .
The Black Shield Team, Qin Wen Long, Xu Si Bai, and all of the other
criminal investigators……are staring at the letter .
The third letter——
“R” .
……
I am A .
Your humble L .
Call me R .
Every day and night, life and death .
We no longer have any beliefs .
We are happier than pain and suffering .
The never to be forgotten S,
We are here for you .
__________
Mini Side Story: The Story of Buying C

Since the seven-member organization case hasn’t come to an end yet, it’s not
a suitable time to have kids . On a certain day, Han Chen decides to go buy a
certain must-have item . Since the work of a criminal investigator is rather
busy, it’s already late night when he goes to buy it . The supermarket is
already closed, so he finds a not-too-shabby looking pharmacy store . The
store clerk is a young man who’s wearing a white lab coat while playing
games on his phone . Seeing him come, he puts the phone down immediately,
“What do you want to buy, handsome?”
Han Chen tilts his chin a bit with both hands in his pockets, “Condoms . ”
Such a cool, handsome and stylish looking man is here to buy condoms, so of
course, the young man needs to serve him well . He immediately smiles and
asks, “Big brother, which brand would you like then? Durex is on sale right
now . $30 for 2 boxes and comes with a free pregnancy test . It’s a great
deal!”
Who do you think Han Chen is? He’s mature and dependable at work but he
has the temper of a young master . Young Master Han is a bit conceited when
buying these things . He sweeps his eyes across the price tags, “You’re
recommending this one? You can go, I’ll pick myself . ”
The young man realizes that he’s made a mistake . He tries to remedy the
situation right away, “There are better ones! There are better ones! Our best
store item——” He holds up a shiny gold colored box of Okamoto 003 .
Han Chen doesn’t actually know anything about condoms . Even if he did,
it’s been erased along with his other memories . But now that he sees a box
of Okamoto 003, he somehow feels a sense of familiarity . Therefore, he
smiles, “I’ll take that . ”
The young man is a silly guy . Seeing that a customer has taken his
recommendation and is buying the store’s most expensive box of condoms, he
can’t help feeling elated and starts to praise, “Big Brother, our store is high-
end, elegant and classy . Okamoto has the most complete selection . You
can’t even get it from the supermarket . We have large, standard, and small .
Which size would you like?”
Although Han Chen has no recollection, this isn’t something that he needs to
confirm with memory .
“Large . Two boxes . ”
The young man reveals an envious, shocking, yet understanding expression .
He bags the boxes for him and sees him off to the exit as if it’s his idol .
And then……
The two boxes are done very soon . Afterall, 20 is just 4 sets of tally
marks (clusters of five) .
Tonight, Han Chen and Su Mian are on their way home from work . Han
Chen stops the car when they pass by the pharmacy store . He tells Su Mian to
wait in the car, but just as he’s about to get out, his phone rings . It’s the chief
calling .
No matter how aloof Han Chen is, he wouldn’t take the chief’s call while
buying condoms at the same time . Therefore, he continues sitting in the car
while taking the call . It’s already very late at night but the chief still isn’t
done talking . Seeing that the store clerk has come out of the front door and is
about to close, Han Chen fetches his wallet, hands it over to Su Mian and
gestures for her to go buy it .
He wants her, to, go, buy, condoms!!!!
Su Mian shakes her head furiously . It’s so embarrassing to go buy condoms
in the middle of the night as a girl . The store clerk will definitely think: there
are no more condoms at home, the guy is lying on the bed waiting while she
goes out to buy some more . She must be a very thirsty and lowly woman!
Holy shit!
But there’s no way that she would be able to fight against Han Chen . His
eyebrows don’t even budge as he continues talking on the phone with a
serious face while his other arm reaches over and opens the door for her . He
pushes her out, throws the wallet at her and closes the door!
Su Mian stares at the clerk at the front of the store . The young man doesn’t
see Han Chen in the car . He smiles at this beautiful woman who has appeared
in the middle of the night, “What would you like to buy, beautiful?”
Su Mian bites on her lip and says as if she has nothing to lose, “Condoms!”
She turns her head and walks inside .
The young man is a little shocked .
Oh man, how come this tone of voice sounds so familiar? It’s cool,
handsome, and swift . It’s just that the beauty’s expression looks a little
depressed .
The young man asks at the counter, “What brand would you like?”
Although Su Mian doesn’t know anything about condoms, she knows which
ones she uses, so she answers crisply, “Okamoto 003 . ”
The young man is delighted . These condoms are expensive . He grabs her a
box immediately . Su Mian recalls how quickly they ran out last time so she
shakes her head, “I’m afraid it’s not enough . ”
The young man is shocked again . He can’t help feeling that this big sister is
very fierce .
“So……how many boxes?”
Su Mian realizes that she was a bit too bold just now, so her face blushes .
She braces herself and answers, “I’ll take four boxes for now . ” She thinks to
herself that 4 boxes are just 8 sets of tally marks, so she feels much better .
“We have Okamoto in small, large, and standard size . Big Sister, which size
do you need?” the young man asks .
Su Mian really doesn’t know the answer to this . Every time Han Chen grabs
them, she only sees the brand name on the box . She never leans over and
pays special attention to what size they are . Furthermore, she has only seen
Han Chen’s……she has no concept of size .
She turns her head and sees that Han Chen is still on the phone .
These things are expensive, so Su Mian definitely doesn’t want to buy the
wrong ones . She thinks for a second and says bracing herself again, “How
many centimeters is the large? How many centimeters is the medium?
Definitely won’t be the small one . ”
It’s the first time that the young man has come across such a direct female
customer . A beautiful one to add to it . The young man’s face turns red for
no reason . Therefore, the two of them hold up the three boxes and reads
through them until they finally find the section outlining the measurements .
Su Mian recalls her memory with her face red . She points to one of the
boxes, “It should be this size . Mm……it has to be this one! This is the one .
”
The beauty is shy and captivating, yet carrying a hint of proudness in her
expression . The young man recites in his heart depressingly: large . His
girlfriend is so pretty, cute, and considerate . Who’s this lucky guy? It’s too
much!
Tonight……
Han Chen notices that Su Mian seems to be especially anxious after climbing
into bed . She grins as she helps him take off his clothes and encourages him,
“Hurry and grab the condom! Hurry!” Her expression says she wants to take
credit .
But Han Chen really can’t understand what to take credit for from buying
condoms .
And then……he finally puts it on . Su Mian’s first reaction isn’t to lie down
and give her body to him . Instead, she claps her hands loudly, “Woohoo! My
guess was perfect! It fits just right!”
Han Chen is speechless, “……”
He lowers his body and presses himself against her . He bites her ear as a
form of punishment and says, “So it turns out that you never knew……”
Yet he has always served her so satisfyingly . This woman has never realized
how great her husband is .
Mini Side Story: Whistle Story

Ever since she started wearing the gold whistle on her neck, whenever Su
Mian sees Han Chen, she can’t help but feel like “with the whistle in hand,
the world is mine” kind of control . The second night after receiving the
whistle, the freshness of it hasn’t gone down yet, so the following
conversation happens——
“Han Chen,” she leans against his shoulder and says smiling, “Look, from
now on whenever I blow on the whistle, you’ll come running to me . The
moment I blow on it, you’ll come . This feeling……is like an owner and a pet
kind of relationship, isn’t it?”
Han Chen has one arm on her shoulder while holding the remote control with
his other . Hearing her speak, he answers without turning his head, “I didn’t
hear you clearly . What did you say?”
Just when Su Mian is about to repeat herself, she realizes suddenly and senses
the threat in his tone .
Oh shit! They’ve been well together for so long, yet he’s still so unruly!
It’s never too late for revenge . Su Mian shuts her mouth obediently . She
holds onto the gold whistle on her neck and spins it .
After a while, Han Chen goes to take a shower .
An idea springs into Su Mian’s mind . She hops off the couch, runs to the
wall outside of the bathroom, squats and listens .
The sound of water stops very soon . She suspects that he must have soaked
his body once and is now covered in soap . She stands up, holds the whistle
and blows on it——
The bathroom door swings open immediately . Han Chen, with his head
covered in soap but still as handsome as always, lifts his solemn and damp
eyes to look at her .
Su Mian smiles feeling pleased, “Oh, it was an accident . My hand slipped .
Go back in and shower . Go shower . ”
Just as she turns around and is about to walk away, Han Chen takes a step
forward, stepping out of the bathroom barefooted, pulls her arm and drags her
inside……Therefore, the first time Su Mian blows on the whistle, the result is
her being ravaged……
After being “forced” to take a shower, Su Mian curls herself on the couch .
Due to being ravaged, she’s full of anger right now . Han Chen, on the other
hand, feels completely satisfied . He sits beside her and his whole body is
carrying a sense of laziness and sexiness .
Han Chen later goes down to throw out the garbage . She dashes to the front
door . She estimates that he is about halfway, four floors down (he usually
takes the stairs as a form of exercise) .
She holds up the whistle and blows on it——
Su Mian is sure that he isn’t going to come . She just wants to tease him .
Afterall, they’ve already fooled around once tonight . But who knew that
right after the sound of the whistle, rushing footsteps come . In a blink of an
eye, Han Chen has already made it . His one hand is on the railing as he
stares at her with his pair of dark brown eyes .
Su Mian still has the whistle in her mouth as she asks feeling a bit stunned,
“……Why……did you still believe it?”
Han Chen walks over and pulls the whistle out of her mouth, “I’m afraid of
you crying wolf . ”
Although you’re reckless, if danger does come, what should you do?
Su Mian feels regret in her heart . She hugs him immediately, “I won’t play
with it anymore . ”
At night, Su Mian is acting especially gentle, considerate, and is apologetic .
Han Chen lets her serve him and please him . Su Mian thought that this
would make up for everything but on the morning of the next day……
When she wakes up, Han Chen takes the gold whistle back from her .
“Why?” she protests, “I already promised that I won’t play with it . ”
Han Chen answers, “It’s nothing . I suddenly thought of another way . ”
He hangs the whistle on his neck .
Su Mian is puzzled, “Huh?”
In the end……
Han Chen is sitting at his desk . Su Mian is just about to go into the kitchen
to grab some snacks, but the moment she takes a step out of the study room
——
Whee~Whee——
The whistle sounds .
Su Mian’s body freezes . She turns around, “What is it?”
Han Chen answers without lifting his head, “Don’t leave my sight . ”
“But I want to grab some snacks . ”
He takes a look at her, “Endure it . I need you to keep our promise . ”
Su Mian is speechless, “……” He’s too much! He’s taking revenge .
A while later .
Han Chen’s phone in the living room rings .
But he doesn’t budge .
Su Mian glances at him . Why isn’t he going to pick it up?
At this moment, she suddenly sees Han Chen holding up the whistle and
blowing on it .
Whee~Whee——
He says indifferently, “Go get it for me . ”
Su Mian, “……”
She grabs onto his arm, “Big Brother, the whistle isn’t supposed to be used
like this! I’m (self-deprecating) wrong, okay? I will never dare to blow on it
without a reason . Please give it back to me, please . ”
Han Chen smiles .
He then points to his neck, gesturing for her to take it off .
Su Mian puts the gold whistle on her neck again . Seeing his smiling face,
she pretends to spit at him, but she can’t help but think in her heart: I wish
that I will never need to use this whistle .
And as Han Chen looks at her, he thinks to himself: I wish that this whistle
will never need to be used .
Mini Side Story: Chatterbox’s Love History

In contrast to Han Chen and Su Mian being a couple, the other three members
of the Black Shield Team are single . But among them, Chatterbox is the
most depressed . Because different from Cold Face, who’s not good with
interacting with women, and Xiao Zhuan, who can’t attract women at all, he
has had a couple of girlfriends in these few years . But in the end, they all
split up with up . Furthermore, the reason for them breaking up with him is
really too upsetting!
First girlfriend; three-month relationship .
During the breakup, she said, “Chatterbox, everything about you is great, it’s
just that……you’re way too talkative . Your work is so busy, so every week,
you can only be with me for half a day to a day . Sometimes, I don’t even see
you for ten days or even half a month straight . But once we see each other,
you talk non-stop . You just keep talking, talking, and talking . Stuff like oh
shit, and whether or not the weather is great . You even have to point it out if
the color of my scarf is not right . If there’s a person not crossing the street
properly, you have to run over and lecture the person……I’m sorry, I
really……I think that it’s better for a man to be more composed and quiet .
Let’s just be friends . ”
Chatterbox was dumbfounded . Of course, their love wasn’t deep, so he
wasn’t too sad . But after this first defeat, he still didn’t realize his own
problem . He believed that it was the girl who was strange . Which woman
doesn’t like a man who’s caring and humorous, right?
Therefore, his second girlfriend, they were in a relationship for a month .
It was the exact same girlfriend . Chatterbox was dumped again!
Dumped!
He thought about the pain and finally admitted that he was too talkative .
Perhaps women do not like it . He decided that when he meets his next
girlfriend, he would definitely try his hardest to be a quiet pretty boy .
Finally, he was in a relationship for half a year with his third girlfriend .
They still broke up in the end!
This girlfriend was a rather fierce female officer, big sister . During the
breakup, she said without holding back, “Chatterbox, you’re quite a good
looking guy, you’re kind, and you have great skills in your profession . I
originally wanted to get married to you . But I feel that there’s something very
wrong with you! During work, you’re energetic and you chit-chat and smile
with your team, but once you’re with me, you seem to have no interest to chat
. What’s even more unacceptable is that only when we’re in bed that you
would keep talking, talking, and talking . You would talk about this and talk
about that . Could it be that this is the only thing that you’re interested in?
Anyhow, I’ve mistaken you . ”
Chatterbox was completely shocked .
He admitted that he got a little excited when they slept together . But don’t
the books say that during sex, men should be more gentle and considerate, so
they should ask them how they feel and stuff? And he was less talkative
during other times because he wanted his girlfriend to like him, okay?
So being talkative didn’t work, but being non-talkative didn’t work either .
Chatterbox is completely perplexed .
A certain night at the Black Shield Team’s office .
Su Mian has gone to the washroom and isn’t around . The office is left with
the four men . After feeling perplexed for the whole day, Chatterbox can’t
keep it in himself any longer, so he pokes Cold Face beside him, “Hey, Cold
Face, my girlfriend said I talked too much and broke up with me again . Sigh
. I want to ask you, when you get busy in bed with your ex-girlfriend in the
past, do you also not talk at all?”
This is quite a shocking question to be asked so frankly . Han Chen and Xiao
Zhuan both look toward them . Cold Face is a nice guy deep down inside .
Although he thinks that this is a stupid question, seeing how Chatterbox has
just broken up with another girlfriend, he answers kindly, “No talking . Can’t
keep up . ”
Chatterbox feels his heart shake . Han Chen speaks up in support suddenly,
“Mm . Can’t keep up . ”
Chatterbox is speechless, “……”
F–k! Why do their words seem to carry a hint of superiority?
Xiao Zhuan is speechless, “……”
This is too much! I’m……I’m still……a you know .


Chapter 112
Chapter 112
Chapter 112: Persist With Your Original Intentions Part 1
The atmosphere at the square is bleak .
Su Mian has her hand in her pocket standing beside the “A” mark as she
thinks deeply while frowning her eyebrows .
At a distance outside of the yellow tape, there are many bystanders holding up
their cell phones and taking photos . They haven’t been successful in asking
them to leave . And behind her, Han Chen and the others are examining the
area with a large group of forensic investigators . They’re picking up the tiny
pieces of flesh one by one off of the ground .
A perfect performance . An absurd murder——
These two phrases flash across her mind .
And during the time of murder……she lifts her eyes again . A had to have
been among the crowd admiring in excitement and absorbing the feeling——
it’s too much of a temptation for him to resist . It’s so much fun! Therefore,
with no doubt, he must have been at the scene .
It’s just that there were too many people and he’s very cunning, as well as
cautious .
Su Mian lets out a “hmph!” turns around and leaves . The bystanders notice
the movement of this beautiful looking female officer, so sounds of camera
shutters go off behind her back, “click, click, click . ” Su Mian doesn’t mind
too much . She takes two steps and her body trembles suddenly . She recalls
his words from that day: I am your most beloved little brother, A .
She pauses her footsteps . A shocking thought flashes across her mind——
right now, could he be among the crowd admiring her feeling vexed by the
case?
A cold breeze blows into her heart slowly .
The answer is obvious . It’s very possible!
The chance may slip away at any moment . She turns around quickly and
walks toward the crowd . Her bright shining eyes look like water covered in
icy air as they sweep across the people . The bystanders see her come, so
they start chatting, take pictures, and make room for her . Su Mian doesn’t
bother with them . She zigzags through the crowd in search for him .
Tall, short hair, long legs, crisp voice, and a pair of clear yet lazy looking eyes
. If she sees him again, she will definitely be able to recognize him .
But she can’t find him .
Whether it’s tall, short, chubby, or thin, they all look at her with excitement,
but none of them has those pair of eyes .
She searches for a while and the people gathering around her are increasing .
She stops and pants .
“Officer beauty, who are you looking for? You’re not looking for the suspect,
are you?” someone asks .
These words make the crowd a bit uneasy, “That can’t be, can it?” “You’re
kidding, right? There really is a suspect?”
Su Mian glances at the person who asked the question . It’s a man in his
thirties who has a pair of wretch-looking eyes and his wardrobe makes others
feel uncomfortable . Therefore, she answers annoyingly, “Bullshit! I spotted
a friend just now so I came to look for him . Have you see a guy who’s about
this tall . He’s very young . He’s wearing a cap and he’s not bad looking . He
was taking photos of me just now . ”
Everyone looks around, exchange gazes and shakes their head, “I didn’t
notice someone like that . ” “There are too many people . There’s no way I
would have noticed . ” Someone even teases, “There were a lot of people
taking photos of you . ”
Su Mian doesn’t say anything . She knows that he must have left already .
“You all should leave,” she tells the crowd, “There’s nothing here to see . ”
The crowd stops gathering around her and disperses . Just as she turns around
lifting her head, she spots a white colored item on top of a fake scenic hill
behind a few people .
Her heart pounds . Blood seems to rush throughout her whole body——that
looks like……
She rushes over . It’s an envelope . It’s got a nice texture accompanied by an
elegant pattern . It looks exactly the same as the envelope from last time . Su
Mian’s heart is beating fast . She looks up and around her with full of
alertness .
No one notices her . And no one is looking over this way .
She picks it up, opens it and there is a thin piece of paper inside just like
before .
But the writing inside is completely different .
“Big Sister, that man was a bastard . There’s no need to feel sorry for killing
him, so don’t be unhappy .
——A”
The writing is slanted and croaked; just like an elementary school student .
Therefore, Su Mian can be sure that it is A’s own writing . The ink is dry
already; he has left the scene for a while .
_____
Su Mian holds the letter in her hand and walks back to the square slowly .
“What’s the matter?” a deep voice says above her head .
She looks up and her eyes meet with Han Chen’s .

He’s wearing a pair of black gloves with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows .
He looks at her calmly .
Su Mian hands him the letter .
He reads it and doesn’t show any expression on his face . Su Mian has
nothing to say either .
Han Chen calls over a forensic investigator and gives the letter to the person .
He then turns to look at her, “The victim came to the square himself . ”
“Hm?”
He stuffs both hands into his pockets and watches the people come and go on
the sidewalk not far away with her, “There was a witness who spotted the
victim walking into the square’s entrance by himself around 7 am . He was
already wearing the clown outfit by then . ”
Su Mian thinks for a moment, “How did A abduct him and threaten him?”
“We’ll find out once we investigate him . ”
Su Mian responds, “Okay!”
They remain quiet for a while . Han Chen turns to look at her . In the autumn
breeze, her long hair is spread across her shoulders accenting her fair white
and delicate face; her lips are red like a rose; she looks especially cold yet
refined .
Those pair of dark brown eyes is glistening with spirit .
The corners of Han Chen’s mouth curve upward .
He pulls off his gloves and grabs her hand that is resting on her side . Su
Mian feels warm in her heart as she looks into his eyes and squeezes on his
hand . They both look at each other and don’t say anything .
_____
The first victim’s name is Liu Yao Hua, 42 years-old, can be considered self-
employed who owns two small sized supermarkets . His family is wealthy
but not extremely rich . He can be considered as an average person in this city
.
They’ve been able to gather his complete records quickly after some
investigating . It’s actually just like what A said in the letter . Although he’s
not some big wicked and evil person, he’s quite a bastard——
He has a wife who’s the same age as him, and a daughter in her teens .
However, he doesn’t stay home a lot and whenever he returns, he would hit
and scold his wife and daughter . The money he gives them is very little .
He’s been keeping all of the money to himself and even has a mistress .
“I’ve long considered him dead,” his wife says, “If it wasn’t because I
contributed my money in opening those two supermarkets and needed to find
a way to get it back, I would have divorced him long ago . ” Although she
says this, hearing the news of his death still brings tears to her . Their
daughter, who’s in middle school, says cooly without showing any emotion,
“I haven’t recognized him as my dad long ago . So be it if he’s dead . ”
Based on the information they’ve gathered regarding Liu Yao Hua’s parents
and friends, their attitudes are the same . No matter how hard his parents cry,
their neighbors all say, “It’s good that this unfilial son is dead!” It turns out
that Liu Yao Hua hasn’t visited his parents for years . Whenever his parents
are sick or in pain, it is always the neighbors who help them . And the money
saved up by his parents has long been taken away by him .
And the friend who once partnered up with him to open a business, after
hearing the news of his death, albeit a little shocked, he still despises him and
is full of resentment, “He said we would partner up, where he would take care
of the finance, but the numbers never added up . At the time, my wife was
pregnant and I couldn’t spend too much of my time to manage the business .
And in the end, he told me we were in debt . My $150 thousand was down the
drain . A year later, he opened a new supermarket himself . I couldn’t sue him
since I had no evidence . This man……hmph, he was so sly . We were
friends for years but that was the end of it . ”
As for Liu Yao Hua’s mistress . She’s a woman in her thirties who is timid
and afraid of trouble . They can’t find any suspicious evidence in their
apartment . She only knows that Liu Yao Hua left the place last night around
8 pm . He said he was going for a massage but never came home . She
thought that he was out having fun again and didn’t pay special attention nor
called him . But who knew that the news of his cruel death awaited her……
_____
Outside of Liu Yao Hua’s apartment community area, beside two police cars .
It’s already noon; 5 hours after the three incidents this morning .
Chatterbox and Cold Face light up their cigarettes leaning against the side of
the car . Xiao Zhuan is holding a pile of documents, and Han Chen and Su
Mian are leaning against another car . The five of them have a brief meeting
together .
“F–k! How are we supposed to investigate this case?” Chatterbox murmurs .
Cold Face and Su Mian remain quiet . Xiao Zhuan also feels annoyed and
depressed so he nods his head fiercely .
“Why can’t we investigate it?” Han Chen lifts his eyes and looks at them .
Both of his hands are in his pockets while one of his feet is stepping on the
car’s tire . His expression is a bit cold .
Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan shut their mouths right away .
Han Chen glances at the others, “Afraid? You’re paralyzed after these few
shows that they set up?”
No one speaks .
Su Mian raises her head and looks at him with her dark brown eyes, “There’s
nothing to be afraid of . Regardless of how showy, gruesome, and how much
commotion they bring, I will only focus on the evidence . As long as it’s
evidence proving it’s their work, they will never lie . They will help us catch
them . At this point, whether it’s to catch them or a normal criminal, my work
is no different . ”
Her words and her tone of voice causes Chatterbox’s and Xiao Zhuan’s hearts
to shake .
Han Chen glances at her and then places his hand on top of the car, “What she
said is exactly how I feel . The evidence is the same . This case seems
difficult on the surface . But no matter how skillful the seven-member
organization is, the evidence won’t lie . There is no such thing as a perfect
crime . We just haven’t found the evidence,” he stares at Su Mian and repeats
her words, “There isn’t much difference in my work . ”
Su Mian stares at his pitch-black pupils and feels her heart pound .
Nothing is warmer than showing sincerity for one another .
Cold Face on the side says calmly, “Persist with our original intentions . Stay
calm . ”
Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan are already feeling moved .
“Persist with our original intentions . ”
“Yes, no matter how big their crimes may be, as long as we persist with our
original intentions, we will be able to catch them!”


Chapter 113
Chapter 113
Chapter 113: Persist With Your Original Intentions Part 2
Han Chen is standing with his arms crossed looking far away before
retrieving his gaze and looking at them again, “On the other hand, the fancier
they are and the more stuff they do, the more traces of evidence they will
leave behind . So tell me, what have you found . ” His eyes land on Su Mian .
Su Mian answers, “Okay . Based on the profile I drafted for A, there are two
preliminary conclusions that we can make . Number one, he must have been
at the scene during the incident . I’ve already asked a couple of officers to
gather as many images of the scene as they can . I will review them one by
one and hopefully, I’ll be able to spot him . However, I still need more time . ”
Everybody nods .
Su Mian continues, “Number two, his victim was a chosen target . He made
his choice similar to T’s criterion, but there were differences . It wasn’t a big
bad evil guilty person, but it was someone who betrayed his ‘senses . ’
Someone who was selfish and greedy . This matches with what I inferred
before: he has experienced betrayal in the past . Therefore, he is unable to
accept someone who is like this . If he commits another crime, I believe that
he will continue to choose a victim who is like this . ”
There is still too little evidence right now, so she can only do some simple
inferences . But she hears Han Chen speak, “Who do you think did the
makeup for Liu Yao Hua?”
Su Mian is a bit stunned and blurts out, “It was L . ”
Now that Han Chen mentions it, she recalls how intricate Liu Yao Hua’s
makeup was . It definitely must have been done by L; A can’t possibly have
been able to do makeup like that .
She thinks for a second before saying, “Including the capital letter ‘A’ at the
square . Although the font style is different from the calligraphy L at the wax
figure incident, it was written very neatly . It must have been from L . A’s
writing is very ugly, so he couldn’t have written it . ”
“Therefore, when A was committing his crime, L was there accompanying

him,” Han Chen concludes .
Everybody is quiet . In their minds, the possible image of how they

committed the crime last night floats across .
_____
After Liu Yao Hua left home, in some hidden and quiet area, A must have
attacked him or used the usual method of the seven-member organization——
using some kind of medicine to make him unconscious .
And then A changed his clothes, tied a bomb to him, and L put the makeup on
him .
When Liu Yao Hua woke up, he was given a set of orders . It could have
been via a cell phone, a piece of paper, or a mysterious audio transmitting
device . A creepy and scary voice threatening him——
You must get to the square at this time;
You must dance, concentrate on dancing;
You must wait for the police to come, and they’ll be able to rescue you .
……
Oh right, we will be watching you all the way . If you don’t do as we say, the
bomb will……”Boom!”
_____
The second victim is completely different from the first .
His name is Chen De Yuan, 35 years-old, an ordinary white collar, and a good
dad and husband . In everyone’s eyes, he’s a dependable and kind person . At
9 pm last night, he went down to throw out the garbage and never returned .
The surveillance camera in the area had already been destroyed by someone .
After he disappeared, his family searched for him the whole night . Even his
relatives, friends, co-workers, and neighbors helped to look for him .
Hearing the news of his death, his wife faints on the spot . His friends weep,
“Who killed him? He’s just a nice person and his kid is only eight years old .
What are we going to do now?”
The police stay quiet . The son is being carried by his grandparents standing
afar and looking this way . Seeing his childish yet pitch black pupils, it seems
as if he already understands what’s going on, yet a little confused at the same
time .
At the scene of the crime——the surveillance camera at the pedestrian street

crossing has also been destroyed by someone . There are no traces of
evidence left behind and no witnesses . The worker who was responsible for
delivering the wax figures claims: Early this morning, that wax figure was
already standing on the stage, so he thought it belonged to the museum until
its eyes started shedding blood .
“L killed a kind person,” Su Mian says, “Especially someone who was a good
father . During L’s childhood, he lived in a very repressed and strict family .
He chose a man like this and made him into a wax figure, could this connote
that he wants to keep such a good father forever? And when he committed
the crime, he probably took himself as an eight-year-old child . ”
_____
The third victim’s name is Bai An An . She also went missing during her way
home after work last night . According to her friends, she is a very outgoing
and cute girl . She doesn’t have a boyfriend, lives a simple life, and doesn’t
have any specialized skills .
They’ve already examined the water tank from the oceanarium . It turns out
that someone had installed a very small device near the oxygen pump . There
are some very sharp and strong metal wires looped around it and also a timer .
After Bai An An died from poison, she was buried at the bottom of the tank
and was connected to the device . Examining the body found that she had
also been sexually assaulted . When the time was right, she was pulled up
with her eyes opened . Based on Xu Si Bai’s report, her heart was extracted
long ago but was sealed back inside of her body with some waterproof glue .
In the end, it was shot out from the inside .
The camera at the oceanarium is also destroyed . It has been destroyed the
same way . A colleague from the forensic department expresses: the
installation of this device and the way it’s made most likely came from the
same skillful person who snuck into Han Chen’s home and destroyed his
alarm system . It’s A’s creation .
“R choosing her matches with his usual method,” Xiao Zhuan flips through
the documents and says . It’s because R’s victims in the past have all been
young people .
Su Mian nods, “Rape, poison, extracting the heart . He wants to possess these
young girls entirely . ”
_____
The Black Shield Team returns to their office at night . It’s already past 11
pm .
It’s late autumn, so it’s getting colder during nighttime . Su Mian comes out
from the washroom and sees Han Chen standing in the hallway leaning
against the railing and looking into the distance .
Looking through the office window, Cold Face and Chatterbox are flipping
through the documents from today while smoking . Xiao Zhuan is tidying up
the mess left behind from their late dinner just now .
Su Mian walks to Han Chen’s side and leans on his shoulder .
Han Chen glances at her, unzips his jacket and wraps her into his embrace .
They snuggle together quietly like this for a while .
Su Mian asks, “What are you thinking about?”
Han Chen taps his fingers on her shoulder .

“Su Mian, I want to smoke a cigarette . ”
Su Mian glares at him with her eyes wide, “Hah?”
Han Chen stares back at her, “Can I?”
Su Mian keeps quiet for a second . She leaves his embrace, turns around and
enters the office . She walks to Chatterbox and snatches his box of cigarettes
without a word and then comes back out .
She takes one out and hands it to Han Chen .
Han Chen takes it, tilts his head and lights it up, “Just this one . ”
Su Mian hums lightly .
The night is still and quiet like the abyss surrounding them . Han Chen waves
the matchstick, tosses it onto the ground, and steps on it . He lowers his head
with his eyelids half closed . The light from the tip of the cigarette dances
between his fingers . His figure is tall and unapproachable . His face is calm
and impassive .
She can’t understand why, but even when this man is just smoking a cigarette,
it makes her heart ache .
He finishes it quickly and presses down on the tip to put it out . There is a
hint of a smile in his eyes as he stares at her .
“Besides you, cigarettes are the best for re-energizing my brain . They’ve left
behind too many evidence . We can find their hiding place . ”
Su Mian is stunned, “What?”
He holds her shoulders and twists her around guiding her back into the office,
“But it’s just their hiding place from last night . With their level of
carefulness, they’ve probably moved to a different place now . But let’s go
take a look . ”


Chapter 114
Chapter 114
Chapter 114: Like Me This Much
The night is dark and quiet .
But the Black Shield Team’s office is fully lit .
A map of City Lan is hanging on the wall . Han Chen is fiddling with a pen
in his hand and casually tapping the table with it . And then he circles three
spots on the map .
The other four are sitting . Su Mian is a bit lost watching him so she turns her
head and asks Xiao Zhuan, “What are those places that he circled?”
“I knew you wouldn’t recognize them . These are the home addresses of the
three victims,” a low and laid back voice says .
Han Chen’s ears sure are sharp . He has his back towards them as he lifts his
hand and draws a big circle that encompasses the three previous circles . He
then tosses the pen away, turns around and looks at them .
Su Mian’s mouth twitches . Why must he embarrass her in front of their

buddies?
Isn’t she his……woman whom he cherishes with all his heart?
Han Chen stuffs one hand into his pocket and says, “Search the warehouses
and factories in this area . There should be a large van parked in the front . It
should be their old hiding place . ”
The group is dumbstruck .
Among them besides Han Chen, Cold Face is a top expert in investigating and
he is also a little stunned . After a brief moment, he smiles and nods, “I
understand . ”
Their minds connect with each other while Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan are
still in a haze . Su Mian is also confused . The three of them look at each
other .
Han Chen sweeps his eyes across them, sits down and says in an unhurried
manner, “Following Locard’s exchange principle——the perpetrator of a
crime will bring something into the crime scene and leave with something
from it . The more complicated and fancier the crime is, the more evidence
will be left behind . And these three cases are just like what Su Mian said,
they’re all very fancy . ”
Su Mian and the others nod . Every criminal investigator knows this principle
. It’s just that all golden rules are easy to learn but hard to execute . So,
therefore, they can all be regarded as nonsense . Xiao Zhuan frowns his
eyebrows and asks, “But they’ve destroyed all the surveillance cameras in the
key areas . There are also no witnesses . We also haven’t found any
fingerprints or traces of evidence at the crime scenes . ”
Han Chen smiles faintly, “What they have wiped away are just the traces
within our view . What about the areas that are not in our view?”
Everybody is a bit stunned . Han Chen taps his finger on the armrest and
continues, “It’s a very simple relationship to the logic . Last
night, L appeared at A’s crime scene . A appeared at R’s crime scene . ”
Su Mian nods . They’ve already concluded yesterday: at A’s explosion scene,

the clown’s makeup was done by L . The marking on the ground was also
written by L . And the device at R’s mermaid scene was installed by A .
“As for L’s wax figure, there were no scratches or bumps . It was in perfect
condition when it was discovered . No fingerprint was left on the skin either,”
Han Chen says, “If it was moved by one person, it would have been very hard
to do that . Therefore, we can believe that L had a helping hand . This means
that last night, these three people did not commit the crimes by themselves .
They were working together . ”
He lifts his eyes and looks at Su Mian as if he’s thinking about something .
Su Mian is a bit surprised . Afterall, her ears have heard him speak of
traditional investigation methods and stuff like logical paradoxes
monotonously . She seems to understand it now!
“Just like Shao Lun’s case!” she picks up from where he leaves off, “A’s Liu
Yao Hua was still living at the time, so it would have been easier to hide him .
But as for the other two victims, after they died, their bodies would stiffen
very soon . When they were discovered, they were both in a standing position
and did not have any scratches or blemishes . Therefore, a regular car
wouldn’t have been able to carry them . It had to have been a large-sized van
in order to carry the three killers as well as the three victims . ”
Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox let out a strong “Oh . ” Han Chen glances at her
and nods, “This van was traveling between these points all throughout last
night . It can only be them to have been so busy in the middle of the night .
They got rid of the cameras at the crime scenes and where the victims first
disappeared, but it’s impossible for them to get rid of all of the cameras on the
road . Therefore, we’ll be able to spot them easily .
Everybody smiles as their spirits become high . A case that seems

complicated and terrifying is actually this easy to find such important
evidence after Han Chen analyzes it by pulling out the details and peeling
away the outer layers . Su Mian is excited and impressed at the same time .
Staring at Han Chen’s handsome yet calm side profile, she thinks to herself:
his logical analysis sure is good stuff . No matter how much a pain the case
may be, his mind stays clear and sharp .
But she hears Han Chen says, “Putting the explosion case aside, creating a
wax figure and extracting the heart are both complicated processes .
Therefore, they must have needed a place to do all of this . This place has to
be isolated and cannot be in an apartment where they would have needed to
move the dead bodies up and down . And places within the city that match
these criteria are either mansions, warehouses, or factories . Driving a large
van in and out of a mansion area in the middle of the night would have
attracted others’ attention . Therefore, it should be either a warehouse or a
factory . These are the most suitable disguises . ”
Chatterbox thinks for a second before asking, “But the van is so big . They
could have completed everything inside and don’t need to go back to their
hiding place . ” Xiao Zhuan nods in support .
Han Chen smiles but turns to look at Su Mian, “Do you think it’s possible?”
Su Mian blinks .
Of course, it’s not possible .
But……since Han Chen is asking, this means that he does have some interest
in criminal psychology .
He’s actually starting to put her stuff into his inferences now .
“Not possible,” she answers, “A probably doesn’t care, but you want L to be
cramped inside the car with them and create his delicate wax figure like that?
You want R cramped inside the car with them while he rapes and murders the
girl and then extract her heart? There’s no way . That’s too inelegant and
ruins the artistic side of it . It would make them feel too much like Desperado
. How would they still have the appetite to do all these things then?
Therefore, they need a suitable place that provides them with a comfortable
environment . ”
Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan both say, “……Oh . ”
“But why must it be in this area?” Xiao Zhuan asks . Everybody looks up and
stares at the circle on the map drawn by Han Chen .
Han Chen raises his head as well and answers, “Three reasons .
Number one, no matter how merciless they may be, they are human . Just
like what Su Mian said . As long as they’re humans, they will have a habit of
committing their crimes at a place where they’re comfortable with .
Number two, the three victims are ordinary people but they were chosen . So
far, we have not found similarities to T where they have searched for their
targets via the web . Then how did they find these victims? I believe that
these three victims must have been living in an environment that is familiar to
the criminals .
The third reason is very simple . They were running around the whole night,
so if the crime scenes are too far away from their hiding place——they
wouldn’t be able to make it in time . ”
_____
Due to Han Chen’s inferences, the atmosphere in the office seems to have
livened up . Su Mian and Han Chen join the others in investigating . The five
of them sit in front of the computer without a word and are combing through
all of the surveillance videos related to last night .
“Found it!” Xiao Zhuan shouts as he stands up with a face full of excitement .
Everybody looks toward his computer monitor .
It’s a road that’s not too far away from the oceanarium . There are rarely any
cars driving through it in the middle of the night . A large truck that has been
spray painted in yellow with the words “XX Logistics” on it speeds through .
Xiao Zhuan fast forwards . As expected, half an hour later, this truck appears
on the road again in the opposite direction .
“Not only here . I spotted this truck on the main roads to the square and the
pathway entrance to the commercial area!” Xiao Zhuan says anxiously as he
opens up the various videos for everybody to see .
Everybody’s face is grinning . Han Chen pats Xiao Zhuan on the shoulder,
“Good job . ” Su Mian nudges his arm as well to express her support .
Xiao Zhuan rubs his head and smiles, “I’m not great at making inferences so I
can only rely on my eyes!”
“Xiao Bai, take a look at the driver . Could it be A?” Chatterbox points at the
video .
Su Mian doesn’t respond right away . She bends down to take a closer look .
It’s because the videos on the roads are a little blurry . They can only see a
man in the driver’s seat . He’s wearing a baseball cap and a mask, so they
cannot make out his face clearly . They can only make out his figure and see
that he has one hand on the steering wheel while his other is resting on the
door frame looking rather laid back . And he is wearing white gloves on his
two long and slender hands .
“It looks a lot like him,” she says .

“Track down the truck immediately . Find the location of the warehouse and
let’s go,” Han Chen says .
_____
The Land Rover leads two other police vehicles as they speed through the
foggy road .
They haven’t slept at all, so Su Mian is feeling a bit tired . But her spirit is
high . She has one arm on the door frame as she stares straight at the city
covered in the fog .
Han Chen is focused on driving .
They’ve found the warehouse . It is really within the area that Han Chen
circled . The truck that they saw is parked outside of the warehouse . The
armed police force quickly surrounds the warehouse . The Black Shield Team
is rushing over to take command .
The sky still isn’t fully lit yet, so there aren’t a lot of people out on the streets
. As the Land Rover drives by on the expressway, Su Mian sees two
apartment buildings with sparsely lit windows . Someone is exercising on the
balcony, someone is brushing their teeth, and someone is going down the
building .
She went online and read about the news yesterday . Whether it was the wax
figure case or the others, it did not capture a lot of attention . Only witnesses
made new posts online . Due to Han Chen demanding to end the TV
broadcast regarding the mermaid case, it did not make a big impact . Only the
explosion case has been on headlines all over the web in City Lan . Although
it hasn’t caused a huge panic, there are a lot of discussions and many people
are frightened . Some people are guessing that it’s a case related to the
underworld . Others believe that the deceased was a cult member . In any
case, any mention of the word, “clown,” is already enough to scare a lot of
people .
“They are affecting this city,” Su Mian turns to look at Han Chen, “They are
showing off their skills and are casting their shadows onto this city as the
seven-member organization . ”
Han Chen doesn’t say anything . Under the dim sky, the standing collar of his
black jacket blocks his chin making his face seems even more pale and
indifferent .
Su Mian suddenly recalls the image of him smoking last night .
It’s been a long time since she’s seen him like this .
Why did he suddenly want to smoke?
Is it because this case is related to him and her so he feels pressured?
But he had only let himself go for a short moment . After one cigarette, he
was back to his usual rational and determined self .
Su Mian keeps quiet for a while until his car stops at a red light . She leans
over, pulls on his collar and kisses him .
Her sudden kiss causes Han Chen to look down at her immediately . He
grabs her waist at the same time and deepens the kiss .
After a brief while, they end the kiss . She stares at him and says softly, “Han
Chen, why do I like you so much?”
Han Chen is a bit stunned . He accelerates the car looking straight ahead, but
a hint of a smile flashes across his eyes .
“You should like me this much . ”
I even want to hold out my heart in front of you, so you should like me this
much .


Chapter 115
Chapter 115
Chapter 115: Until the End of Time Part 1
It’s a very clean warehouse .
The walls, ceiling, and floor are like new; not even a speck of dust can be
found when touching the place with their hands .
There is nothing in the warehouse .
The Black Shield Team stands inside and is all speechless for a moment .
Chatterbox is the first to speak, “Holy shit, they’re toying with us!” Xiao
Zhuan also lets out an emphasized, “hmph!”
“No need to hmph,” Han Chen says indifferently, “Are you guys Hengha Er
Jiang?” (echoing one another, see manifestation on the wiki)
They immediately shut their mouths .
Su Mian is standing beside Han Chen and is also feeling a bit disappointed .
Although Han Chen already expected that they’ve escaped, they’ve actually
spent so much time on cleaning up the place . It’s clearly a sign of
provocation .
An officer comes running in with a white envelope in his hand, “Leader Han,
the truck outside is just as clean and no traces can be found . However, we
found this . ”
Su Mian and the others all open their eyes wide . Han Chen takes it and
opens it up .
It’s the same white and delicate letter paper . The writer is still the same
cautious and perfectionist L .
“There are no paradoxes .
And there is no evidence of their actions .
There’s no way that we would lose to Locard’s Exchange Principle .
Good day, and wish you all the best of luck . ”
Signed by: A; L; R .
_____
It’s afternoon already . At a trade center nearby the warehouse, a noisy and
busy road stretches across its entrance; cars come and go and pedestrians fill
up the area .
Su Mian comes out of the warehouse . She sees Han Chen standing by
himself beside the road far away . His back view is tall and lean . She
wonders what he’s thinking about . Just as she is about to walk over,
someone calls out beside her, “Jin Xi . ”
Xu Si Bai .
He’s wearing a white lab coat, gloves, and a mask; only revealing his bright
and clear eyes .
Su Mian asks, “How come you’re here?”
“Just to look around,” he answers, “I’ve pushed back on my other tasks to

follow this case . ” He pauses before continuing, “You don’t need to worry
too much . ”
Su Mian stares into his gentle eyes and suddenly understands .
Although she hasn’t told him about what happened back then, he must know
about A entering her home and the letter written to “Big Sister” found at the
scene of the explosion .
Therefore, is he devoting all his efforts to this case to protect her?

Su Mian smiles at him and pats his shoulder, “You don’t need to worry too
much either . My team is with me nonetheless . This is a dangerous case, so
you should also be careful about yourself . ”
He nods and a hint of a gentle smile floats across his eyes . Just before he can
speak again, Su Mian misses Han Chen in her heart, so she says without
looking at him, “I’ll talk to you later . ”
In the busy streets, her eyes are focused on Han Chen’s back view as she
walks toward him .
Xu Si Bai stands still and watches her quietly . His gaze is just as
concentrated as hers .
After a while, he turns around and enters the warehouse .
_____
Han Chen turns his head and sees Su Mian staring at him concernedly .
His hands are in his pockets and his face isn’t showing a lot of emotions, “I’m
thinking…they know you and I very well yet we know very little about them .
”
Su Mian nods and doesn’t comment . She stands beside him and watches the
busy traffic in front of them .
The paradoxes and evidence of their actions . It’s clear that they know Han
Chen’s and her methods of inferences very well, which is why they tidied up
the place so well .
Aren’t you, Han Chen, unbeatable when it comes to logical reasoning?

You’re the one who can find the paradoxes and catch the perpetrators with
the tiniest bit of evidence, aren’t you? Okay, I will erase all traces and leave
you with an empty room . Where will you find the paradoxes now? Aren’t
you, Su Mian, an expert in understanding and analyzing us? I won’t leave
you with even a tissue, so how will you understand what I’m thinking about
or where I’m heading to now?
Therefore, this is why they left behind so many footages of them traveling on
the roads and committing the crimes so carefreely all night . It’s because they
don’t care and are confident that they won’t be caught .
……
“What should we do?” she asks .
“Nothing . If they think ahead one step, we’ll think ahead two steps,” he says
these words swiftly carrying a sense of his usual coolness . Su Mian can’t
help but turn to look at him .
In the sun, his eyes are looking to the front . His jet black short hair, straight
neck, and his prominent and attractive side profile make it hard for one to
move their eyes away from him .
Su Mian remembers what he said before suddenly .
He said, they’re afraid of you and I being together .
He’s so intelligent and stubborn and with a mind so deep, the moment he
finds her and unties the knot in his heart, how could they not be afraid?
Su Mian nods her head fiercely, “Okay! I will work even harder!” She will
help him force them out of their hiding place .
Han Chen turns to look at her . His pupils that are black like ink seems to
carry a hint of gentleness and brightness .
He then turns his head back to look to the front .
“Mm . The wife follows her husband . You’re becoming more like a wife
now . ”
Su Mian is speechless, “……You lose your properness after just two

sentences?!”
A faint smile flashes across his eyes . Not caring about whether or not the
others can see them, he wraps his arm around her shoulders and they start
walking back to the warehouse .
_____
Su Mian never thought that he would actually decide to treat the Black Shield
Team to lunch during noontime . And to add to that, it’s that elegant and
appealing restaurant that he took her to for the first time .
He probably wants everyone to relax .
But last time, their relationship was still in an ambiguous state and were only
starting to have feelings for each other; the music, lighting, and the food were
all very captivating . This time with the other three here, this high-end and
elegant restaurant suddenly feels like a noisy street stall .
In the stylish private room, the rectangular table faces a window and through
the white paper-window is the Yangtze river flowing calmly . Above their
heads is a yellowly lemon colored lamp and its revolving lights shine on
everybody’s face .
Han Chen and Su Mian are sitting on one side while Xiao Zhuan and Cold
Face are sitting on the other side . Chatterbox is the most talkative and has
the most issues, so he is sitting in the middle . Han Chen unzips his jacket and
places one arm on the sofa behind Su Mian . He flips through the menu and
tosses it in front of them, “Order whatever you want to eat . Order a red bird’s
nest soup for her . She likes it . ”
Su Mian darts her eyes at him . A red bird’s nest soup again . When did she
like eating them? It’s clearly……him who likes ordering it for her . She feels
the sweetness in her heart——it started back then . (Chp . 22)
Han Chen stares back at her with his dark brown eyes that are shiny and
reflective like water . Su Mian leans into his embrace and nods, “Mm……I
like to eat it . ”
Chatterbox is the first to grab the menu and chuckles, “Since Leader is being
generous today, how can we not accept the offer, right? A red bird’s nest
soup, right? Let’s start off with five orders of that! If it’s not enough, we can
order a big bowl of it!” He lowers the menu and looks at Han Chen, “Leader,
let’s confirm first . Do you have enough money in your pocket? It’s the end
of the month now and you know the rest of us are out of money . ”
“I do,” Han Chen says without lifting this head, “Go ahead and order . ”
Since Leader says so, Chatterbox has no more worries in ordering . He and
Xiao Zhuan hover over the menu together and flip through it furiously . Even
Cold Face smiles with a cigarette in his mouth . He glances at the menu and
points to a few items occasionally to let the server jot it down .
Su Mian feels the pain from his wallet . The dishes from this kind of
restaurant are usually in small portions while investigators have quite a big
appetite . Based on their way of eating at the street stalls, even twenty dishes
might not be enough to fill them!
Seeing that they’ve already ordered five to six dishes, Su Mian takes the
chance to reach for the menu, “That’s enough! We won’t be able to finish it!
The dishes here are in very large portions! The Chinese Cabbages come in
two pounds per order!”
But just as she leans forward, Han Chen grabs her arm and pulls her back into
his embrace . His face is carrying a faint smile as he wraps his arm around
her waist to prevent her from escaping . With his other arm still on the sofa
behind her, he tilts his chin towards the rest of them, “I’ll take care of her .
You guys continue ordering . ”
Chatterbox and the others reveal a gloating smile . Xiao Zhuan raises the
menu proudly and waves it in front of Su Mian . Su Mian pushes against Han
Chen’s chest but can’t break free . She gives up and whispers fiercely into his
ear, “Spendthrift!”


Chapter 116
Chapter 116
They can eat to their hearts’ content now . Although Su Mian feels sorry for
the wallet, once the dishes come, her chopsticks move quicker than everybody
else . The other three are eating fiercely as well . Only Han Chen is eating his
food slowly; his movements are elegant and captivating as always . He also
helps her scrape the meat off of the crab shell and take the shells off of five
shrimps; he successfully feeds her full without her knowing .
They finish eating . Su Mian leans back on the couch holding her stomach,
and Han Chen accompanies her . Chatterbox and the others get up and walk
around to help digest the food .
When there’s no one around, Su Mian’s voice becomes softer and more tender
. She looks at him sideways, “Hey, were you always popular with friends
back then? Was there always a big group of buddies around you?”
Han Chen has already taken off his jacket and is wearing a white shirt only .
His sleeves are rolled up as he sips his tea . Hearing her question, he recalls
the photo albums he saw back at home and smiles, “Most probably . ”
Su Mian lets out a burp . She leans on his shoulder and lets him rub his hand
on her waist . She remembers his car drifting skills and remembers when they
were in Beijing last time, he spoke harshly yet Monkey and the others didn’t
dare to say anything .
This Young Master from Beijing must have always been an unruly man; even
when being lectured and bullied by him, you can’t help but obey him .
“I don’t see you hanging out with them much these days?” Su Mian says
without thinking . She regrets it right away .
Han Chen looks down at her .

She blinks her eyes .
After a moment, his head leans back and rests against the couch, and then he
smiles slowly .
“It’s because I value my love over my friendship,” he says, “In these past few
years’ time, I’ve used it all to search for you . ”
Su Mian’s heart softens like a block of tofu . She lifts her gaze and stares at
him .
He’s also staring at her .
In this very moment, the whistling sounds coming from the river, the sound of
water flowing, and the sound of other people chit chatting outside the door all
seem to disappear . She looks at his handsome face carrying a hint of
tiredness and wants to kiss him, but there are other people in the room
nonetheless . Han Chen’s Adam’s apple seems to move up and down slightly
as his eyes darken .
“Hhhhh……Hhhhh……”
The sound of snoring gradually becomes louder, pulling their thoughts back to
reality . They turn their heads at the same time and smile .
It turns out that there’s another big couch in the room . The window facing
the river is open, allowing the cool breeze to blow in . They’ve been working
non-stop without sleep for a few days, so now that they’ve had a full meal,
Zhou Xiao Zhuan has taken over the biggest couch and is sleeping in it with
his arms and legs spread out . The surprisingly loud snoring is coming from
his small body . Chatterbox is leaning against a single couch with his head
tilted back, eyes closed, and his mouth opened slightly . He’s also deep
asleep; half a cigarette is still burning away between his fingers .
Only Cold Face is awake . One of his hands is resting on the couch while the
other is holding a cigarette . He’s looking at the scenery outside of the
window and smoking slowly . He can sense two pairs of eyes looking at him
but he doesn’t look back . Instead, he presses the cigarette into the ashtray,
tilts his head back and starts sleeping .
“Just kiss if you guys want to,” his voice says, “We can’t see anything . ”
Su Mian lets out a giggle and scolds in a low voice, “Stinky Cold Face!” She
then turns around and looks out the window . Han Chen rests his hand on her
shoulder and admires the scenery quietly with her .
It’s already in the afternoon . The sun shines on the river surface, reflecting a
sparkling glow . The river flows slowly and the buildings on each side of the
shore seem quiet yet extravagant . The river stretches all the way to where it
meets the sky . It’s foggy and only the shadows of boats and the shapes of
clouds can be seen . Everything else seems blurry .
“What are you looking at?” Su Mian asks .
“Nothing,” he closes his eyes and rubs between his eyebrows . After a while,
he smiles suddenly .
“I seem to be able to see it . The end of time (eternity) that I’ve always
wanted . ”
Su Mian doesn’t say anything .
He opens his dark brown eyes, lowers his head and kisses her .
_____
The restaurant server is quite shocked when entering the room . She had just
gone to refill some water and everyone is asleep .
Nevermind about Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan, but even Cold Face is snoring
loudly . Han Chen is leaning against the couch with his eyes closed lightly .
Su Mian is lying on the couch with her head on his lap and is also asleep .
The server looks at her manager with a headache and says softly, “What
should we do?”
The manager takes a look at the people who are lying down all over the place
in the room; Cold Face and Xiao Zhuan are wearing police uniforms, so it’s
very easy to tell who they are .
After a moment of silence, the manager closes the door quietly and gestures
for the server to leave, “Let them sleep . ”
_____
Late night .
Black Shield Team resumes their work with full of energy . Chatterbox
dashes to the forensic department promising that he will review all of the
evidence collected from the crime scenes and not miss out any details . Xiao
Zhuan goes and starts watching every video from the surveillance cameras
with his eyes opened wide .
Han Chen asks Cold Face to help him review all of the documents and
evidence regarding the case . At the same time, he orders the other police
officers to continue searching for evidence on the outside .
Su Mian locks herself in the conference room with determination . She needs
to calm her thoughts and search for more clues about these three individuals .
The hands on the clock hanging on the wall tick away . Su Mian takes off her
shoes and sits on top of the table with her legs crossed . “Tap, tap, tap,” she
taps her fingers on the table non-stop .
The whiteboard in front of her is posted with photos of the three victims .
Photos of their daily activities, their dead bodies, identification card, and
even an artistic photo of the female victim have all been gathered here by her
. She has stuck them all up like she’s showcasing their lives .
There are no paradoxes .
There is no evidence of their actions .
These are the words left behind by those three people as if they’re mocking
them .
Su Mian lets out a soft, “Humph!” None? That’s not quite true .
In actual fact, the last time she and Han Chen collaborated with their
inferences, she grasped the benefits from it, so now she has been thinking of
——incorporating traditional investigation method in her criminal
psychology focusing on finding the paradoxes from their actions when
committing the crime .
Right now, there is a paradox lying right in front of her——
Since the three victims were chosen based on the tastes of the killers, how
were the killers able to not leave behind any evidence and choose them
among the crowd?
Thinking back to the Chen Li Jiang case, no matter how spick and span the
crime scene was, in order to find out the victims’ paths to satisfy his fantasies,
he had to follow them——this was also the evidence found by Han Chen and
was able to capture him in the end .
The same goes for T’s case . Regardless of how well T hid among the crowd
using his skills as a professional killer, he needed to use the BBS to find his
targets .
Shao Lun and Situ Yi’s case was the same . The two of them were highly
intelligent killers, but they also needed to come into contact with the victims
in order to abduct them successfully . Therefore, their cars were spotted by
the surveillance cameras .
……
But what about this time?
Su Mian lifts her gaze and examine the photos in front of her——Liu Yao
Hua, who died from the explosion, is leaning against the car with his mistress
sweetly in the photo; Chen De Yuan from the wax figure incident is standing
with his wife and kid in front of an elementary school looking happy; And
Bai An An the mermaid is looking into the camera with her hands raised up
holding a “V” sign……
How did they discover them?
Su Mian closes her eyes slowly and lies down on the table .
If she were A; if she were L; and if she were R……How would she find her
desired victim without going face to face with the target or have any
interactions with him/her? How would she be able to do this without leaving
behind any traces?

Chapter 117
Chapter 117
At dawn .
Su Mian’s hair is in a mess and her jacket is also wrinkled from her tossing
and turning on the table . But her eyes are gleaming like the stars . She pulls
the conference room door open and just as she is about to speak, she sees Han
Chen behind his desk lifting his head looking at her . His eyes are bright and
clear . Cold Face isn’t beside him; he must have gone out to lead the other
officers . Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox, on the other hand, are sprawled across
their desks and are sleeping .
Su Mian walks to Han Chen’s desk quickly before he pulls her to stand
between his legs .
“I’ve been waiting for you,” he holds her hand, “Let’s go eat breakfast . ”
Now that he mentions it, Su Mian feels hungry . But she can’t wait to share
her thoughts with him . She sways his arms with her eyes shining even
brighter, “Holy shit! I’ve found something important!”
Han Chen is a little stunned . Just before he speaks, they hear a growl; they
both look down and stare at……Su Mian’s stomach .
Su Mian rubs her stomach . She’s a bit out of it after pulling an all-nighter,
“It looks like I am really hungry . ”
Han Chen chuckles, gets up, grabs his jacket and wraps his arm around her
waist, “I’ve also found something important . Let’s talk as we go . ”
It’s too early so the cafeteria at the station is not open yet . Han Chen decides
to drive to her favorite place to eat beef noodles in chili oil soup that’s a
couple of streets down .
The restaurant has just opened . Its orangey lights shine in the dark morning .
They’re the only customers . Su Mian picks a table in the farthest corner .
She orders a bowl with the spiciest broth while Han Chen orders a clear broth
. Not long after sitting down, she starts eating and talking at the same time .
She starts with what she believes is the biggest paradox of the case and then
explains:
“The easiest to find the answer from is L .
If we analyze it using the usual criminal psychology method, how would he

find his victim? He has a respectable job and is a serious person with great
self-control . He will come into contact with a lot of people . It would be a
piece of cake for him to pick a victim among them who matches his criteria .
But this would expose him, so he wouldn’t do that .
Just like what you said, he has already thought about it one step further .
Therefore, we must think two steps ahead . If this route is a dead end, what
would he do then?
The answer is——school .
That’s right . He wants to murder a ‘good father . ’ He has always taken

himself as the underaged child who is being disciplined . A child has only
two main living spaces: home, and school . Since he couldn’t enter homes, he
went to the school . He just needed to stand at a distance in front of the
school entrances and observe for a few days . Which father always come to
pick up his kid and is always affectionate to his kid would be his target . ”
After finishing her sentence, she seems to be filled with exultation; her lips
are turning red from the spicy noodle soup . Han Chen smiles, picks up some
noodles with his chopsticks and starts eating slowly, “Mm . That makes sense
. ”
Su Mian decides to put down her chopsticks to continue, “By knowing this,
we can focus our search on the main areas . We can review the surveillance
videos around the victim’s son’s school to look for the suspect! We can look
around other elementary schools in focus as well——it must be ones of focus
that are top elementary schools . We need to look for a man who matches the
profile . Who knows? We might be able to identify L’s next victim!”
_____
The morning fog slowly dissipates and the sun penetrates the layers of clouds
. Han Chen is done eating as he puts his chopsticks down and listens to Su
Mian attentively . She scoops a few mouthfuls and then continues:
“A’s personality is completely different from L . He’s more laid back and
self-centered . He doesn’t have a standard method of doing things, very
mischievous, enjoys teasing his victims and he’s someone who grew up in the
lower class . If we don’t need to consider about us, I would definitely like to
interact closely with the victims . For example, go ask for a job at the victim’s
store, and make friends with the victim . This way, I would be able to enjoy
the thrill of killing the victim .
But now that he can’t interact with the victim, how did he find his target?
The answer is——through conversations .
Based on his personality, he might have passed by somewhere and heard

about whose husband had a mistress and whose son was unfilial . He just
needed to follow the person for a few days and once he felt that it matched his
criteria, he might have just abducted the person and exploded him into pieces
.
His way of hunting might seem hard to grasp at first . But thinking about it
carefully, if I pretend that I’m A, where would I go hunting for my next
victim?”
She pauses . Her beautiful eyes flash as they look at Han Chen, “Just like L,
he’s a child and one who is even more carefree and naughty . Therefore, his
choice is much simpler——he would go to a place he likes to hunt . ”
Han Chen picks up the cup of water and sips it slowly . His finger taps on the
table .
“What kind of place does he like?”
Su Mian lets out a laugh, “Hehheh,” and says, “Not sure . But there are a few
places we can search through: how many stores are there in the city of the
baseball cap brand that he likes wearing? The clothes that he wears and the
hardware stores in the city . He’s an expert of explosives, so he must like
these places . And similarly, by searching through areas based on his criminal
profile, it’s possible that we might be able to capture him!”
Han Chen nods and doesn’t comment . He stares at her clear and bright eyes
and her fair white face with a glow of pink .
Is it because she understands them so well that they want to steal her?
He presses the paper cup to flatten it and then throws it into the garbage can
accurately . He doesn’t say anything .
Su Mian sighs and says, “As for R, we know too little about him, so I haven’t
made any new discoveries . ”
Han Chen nods, “You’ve already made quite a bit of progress . ”
Although he is her man, it’s rare to receive such a compliment . Su Mian

smiles immediately as she watches him fetch his phone and calls the
investigation team to have them start investigating based on her conclusions .
As if Su Mian still hasn’t had enough, she continues to show her achievement
after he hangs up, “You see? I’ve already come up with two clear methods .
Just give it a bit more time and if they commit another crime, we’ll definitely
be able to find something . ”
Han Chen smiles, pulls out his wallet and says casually, “Mm . I’ve said it
before that your analyses are better than mine . ”
Su Mian gets up and wraps her hands around his arm, “You sound so
insincere . Oh right, you said that you also discovered something, what is it?”
Han Chen takes a look at her, fetches the phone from his pants’ pocket, flips
through the audio files and then puts the phone against her ear with his
expression turning solemn .
Su Mian is stunned listening to it .
“This is not good……there’s a……a bomb on his body! But we don’t know
how to dismantle a bomb……”
“……k……y……b……the sky……is white……” In the noisy background,
a faint humming of a melody can be heard .
“Take your clothes off immediately . Let us see if we can take it apart!” Han
Chen’s cold voice says .
……
It’s an audio recording of the scene of the explosion that happened that day .
Su Mian lifts her eyes and looks at him, “What’s wrong with this recording?”
Han Chen leads her to start walking with his arm wrapped around her and
then answers, “Did you hear the song that the victim was singing?”
Su Mian nods, “I heard it, but it was blurry and hard to make out . ”
“I listened to this audio recording repeatedly yesterday and found out that he
was singing the same phrase over and over again . The lyrics were confusing
and I couldn’t find any matches on the internet,” he looks at her from the side,
“Why do you think this is the case?”
Su Mian is stunned .
“This means……these lyrics were specifically from A!” she blurts out and
then frowns, “But why did he ask the victim to sing . Do the contents of the
song have a special meaning to him?”
Han Chen says looking at her, “This is where we’ll need your criminal
psychology . Didn’t you say that A likes to tease his victims and the police
the most? The forensic department sent a report today pointing out that in the
scattered pieces, they found some mechanical pieces that were likely from a
password-type lock . This means that the bomb on the victim had a lock on it
. If his intention was to kill the victim, a password lock was completely
unnecessary, unless……”
It suddenly becomes clear to Su Mian, “I know! The song that the victim was
singing had clues to unlock the bomb!”
Han Chen looks at her and then nods smiling . Su Mian tells him her
reasoning in one breath, “This matches his profile perfectly! It satisfies his
mischievous personality . You see, I’m letting him sing out the combination to
unlock, but too bad none of you were able to realize that . This must be it .
Otherwise, just like what you said, it was unnecessary for him to put a lock on
. ”
Cars and pedestrians in the area are increasing . Restaurants serving breakfast
also have customers going in and out of it . They head towards their car . Just
as Han Chen is about to speak, his eyes freezes .
It’s because across from them, the owner of a street stall has his neck
stretched out looking at the other end of the street .
Han Chen looks toward the direction .
Su Mian notices and also follows his gaze .
The moment they see what’s happening, they both pause in their footsteps .
The sky is fully lit; cars are honking and it’s noisy everywhere . At the
intersection about a hundred meters away, there’s suddenly more than ten
people running toward their direction all looking scared . They’re shouting
something; it’s too far to hear them clearly .
They haven’t reached the morning rush hour traffic yet but the intersection is
completely jammed .
“What’s going on?” “What’s happening over there?” a passerby stops to look
and mumbles .
Han Chen and Su Mian look at each other . They see the alertness in each
other’s eyes as they quickly make their way toward the area .
More people are rushing over to see .
And more people are running back with a frightened look on their face .
They can hear what they’re shouting clearly now .
“Clown! Clown!”
“Holy f–k! There’s a clown crying and singing and dancing at the same
time!”
A passerby doesn’t quite understand what’s going on, so he stops someone
and asks, “What’s wrong with the clown?”
The person being stopped breaks free from him and shouts, “Run! It’s a
bomb!”
Su Mian feels her heart shake . She looks down at her watch: 6:55!
Han Chen takes a look at her as well . Without another word, they dash over
running in the opposite direction of everybody else and toward where the
bomb and clown is!
Amid the noisy crowd and their unsteady footsteps .
Su Mian rushes over with all her might and says while panting, “Han Chen,
we must save this person!”
Han Chen grabs her hand and pulls her out of the crowd to be beside him .
His deep voice says with a hint of determination just like hers, “We must
save him . ”


Chapter 118
Chapter 118
Chapter 118: A’s Song of Sadness
He wakes up and finds himself in a completely dark place .
He can’t see his fingers even when he holds them up . It’s cold and there’s an
awful smell .
Where is this place?
He reaches his hand to the back of his head and stands up . His head hurts .
The blurry memory of what happened before he became unconscious is
slowly becoming clear . But it makes his body cover in cold sweat .
He clearly remembers that he was on his way home .
And then, under a streetlamp, a shadow came near . He didn’t pay too much
attention to it .
“Bang!” it was a loud strike on his neck echoing in his ears . And then he was
half unconscious . He could feel blood dripping down from the top of his head
and drowning his eyes . He only remembers the person being very violent
and impatient as he dragged him on the ground . His head bumped into many
different rocks and other things on the road……
And then, he woke up at this place .
Why?
“Wh-Who are you?” he hears himself ask in a trembling voice .
“Pzzzzzt——” the sound of the weak electricity circuit comes on and the
room lights up .
It’s bright like a white painting .
His hand reaches up to block his eyes as they’re not used to the brightness .
And then, his heart almost stops from fright when he sees what’s in front of
him .
It’s because there’s a man in front of him .
A man in a clown costume . His colorful wardrobe, laughable hat that’s

slanted, and his face in heavy makeup like he’s a ghost .
He stares at the clown and the clown stares back at him .
He suddenly remembers the news about a clown who exploded several days
ago . He examines the clown and as expected, he sees that the clown’s upper
body is bulged up . There’s clearly something stuffed inside .
Therefore, his whole body starts shaking .
As if to imitate him, the clown seems to be shaking as well .
He raises his hand, “Wh-Who are you?”
The clown raises his hand at the same time . His lips move but no sound
comes out .
A certain unstoppable feeling of fright rams into his heart at an instant .
He lowers his arm and the clown lowers his arm as well . The clown’s eyes
are full of fright .
With his body shaking vigorously, he lowers his head with much difficulty .
Across from him, the clown in the mirror lowers his head as well .
He sees the clown costume on his own body . And through the slit of his
clothes, he sees the explosives wrapped around his whole body .
Tears flow from his eyes immediately . At the same time, he notices that he’s
standing in front of a mirror of a public washroom . It’s very dark outside and
not a sound can be heard .
“Ha……” a man chuckles .
He turns around from fright . He looks around but can’t make out where the
sound is coming from or where the man is .
“Wh-Who are you? I beg you to let me go! You and I don’t have any
grudges against each other, right? Why don’t you kidnap somebody else! I’m
willing to give you all of my assets!” he says almost crying . His legs lose
their ability to stand as he kneels on the floor .
But the man lets out a, “Hmph!” and says, “I’m not doing this for money .
You know all the bad things that you’ve done . There’s definitely nothing
injustice about tying a bomb to your body, alright?”
Although the voice is deep and pleasant, it carries a hint of the capriciousness
of a child . It makes him——the clown, even more scared .
The clown screams, “AHH!” and runs toward the washroom exit . The man
seems to have known that his emotions would collapse, so he says
unhurriedly, “Don’t run . If you run out of this door, I will explode you into
pieces . If you don’t listen to me, I will set off the bomb immediately .
Follow my instructions, and you might have a chance to live . ”
……
“You must get to the designated area before 7 am . I will be watching you
from not far away;
You must dance and sing . Don’t worry, I will take photos for you as a
souvenir;
Don’t try to take the bomb apart . It will explode immediately . If you do
something dumb like this, it’s okay that you die, but you would be ruining my
plan;
Remember, ask the police for help . Only they can save you .
Finally, you must sing the song that I’ve taught you . If you can’t remember it
or learn it, I will kill you right now . ”
The clown leans against the dirty wall of the washroom like a wrecked doll .
He has submitted to abiding by that person’s orders as he says chokingly in
an attempt to please, “Okay……Okay! I’ll learn it, I’ll sing it . ”
The man clears his throat and says a phrase that the clown cannot understand,
“It’s a poem that L wrote for me . I like it a lot . Too bad no one would listen
. ”
After a brief moment, his soft gentle and pleasant vocal fills the air:
“When the sky changes colors,
The clouds are above the boy’s head .
The little bird’s wings have been clipped,
It uses its legs to fly .
He was only seven that day,
No one loves him,
He also doesn’t love himself .
He crawls among the crowd,
Until one day,
The wings are returned to him .
He stops wandering .
A, e, i, m, q, z, x, v, t……”
_____
In the bright sunlight, people are rushing toward them like water breaking
through an embankment .
Han Chen and Su Mian are stuck in between; they can’t move forward or
backward .
The People’s Square is just a couple of hundred meters away . Commercial

buildings surround the area . There must have been some kind of event
involving retirees dancing at the square, so it’s filled with people so early in
the morning . And Han Chen and Su Mian have to take the pedestrian bridge
in order to get to the square . The cars move too quick underneath, so they
can’t jump off of the bridge; their lives would be in danger .
Everybody is fleeing but they’re heading in the opposite direction, making it

very hard for them . Even when they shout, “Police! Move aside!” no one
listens .
Han Chen pulls Su Mian into his embrace and leans toward the railing . They
finally have some room to catch their breaths . Su Mian’s heart is still in her
throat as she stares at the dancing clown in the middle of the square . Han
Chen hugs her with one arm and fetches the phone with the other, “Xiao Bai
and I are near the square and are trying to go over . Find out the lyrics that the
clown is singing immediately . That is the code to unlock the bomb!”
He shields Su Mian by pulling her behind him after finishing his phone call .
They continue to make their way ahead among the chaotic crowd . Su Mian
grabs onto his hand tightly and also helps him block a few people who almost
bump into him with her arm .
The Black Shield Team received the news immediately the moment the clown
appeared and caused panic in the area . Right now, Chatterbox, Xiao Zhuan,
and Cold Face are staring attentively at the image transmitted from the
surveillance camera at the square .
Since there was a gathering today, there were police patrolling the square .
The few officers are anxiously dispersing the people to move away from the
area right now . Two other officers are following Black Shield Team’s order
and are risking their lives to get closer to the clown . In the big square with
many people surrounding the area, this scene makes everyone nervous with
their hearts pounding .
“Don’t be afraid! Don’t cry!” the civil officer’s voice can be heard through
the audio transmitter as he attempts to comfort the clown . He holds a cell
phone in front of the clown, “We will definitely find a way to save you . You
must stay calm, cooperate with us, and sing toward here!”
Chatterbox turns the volume to its loudest . Xiao Zhuan picks up his pen and
paper . Cold Face lowers his head with his eyes closed to listen carefully .
The three of them hold their breaths .
The clown’s sobbing and singing come through the phone’s speaker, “When
the sky changes colors……”
Xiao Zhuan writes like a speeding bullet; he records the lyrics quickly and
hands it over to Cold Face .
“Send it to Leader’s phone!” Cold Face takes the lyrics and starts reading
them with his full concentration . Chatterbox is also looking at the lyrics he
jot down and frowns as he thinks .
This unexpected event has clearly startled the whole criminal investigation
department as well as the provincial office . All the criminal investigators are
standing in a large room watching the surveillance video on the screen . A
team of officers has been sent out by Qin Wen Long to rush over and provide
support at the scene .
And the moment Xu Si Bai steps into Black Shield Team’s office, he hears
Xiao Zhuan say to Han Chen on the phone, “Leader! Leader! Can you hear
me? I’ve sent the lyrics to your phone! You and Xiao Bai must stay safe!
Don’t get too close to the clown!”
The expression on Xu Si Bai’s refined and handsome face changes suddenly .

He turns around and runs down the stairs and gets into his Chevrolet . He
follows the other police vehicles and speeds toward the scene like a flash of
lightning .
……
“The forensic team examined the password lock from before and the results
show that the password was likely a string of numbers,” Chatterbox says,
“Leader and Xiao Bai are stuck in the crowd . It’s all on us now . ”
Cold Face and Xiao Zhuan nod as their facial expressions become more
serious .
“I know what it is!” Xiao Zhuan shouts suddenly .

Chatterbox and Cold Face lift their heads at the same time and look at him in
surprise . Xiao Zhuan’s face turns red from nervousness . He points to a few
words that he has circled on the paper, “Could the password be……21719!
Come look, several numbers appear in the poem: ‘It uses its legs to fly,’ a
pair of legs is 2; ‘He was only seven that day,’ is 1 and 7……”
Chatterbox and Cold Face remains quiet .
Cold Face then says, “Continue thinking!”
It’s already 7:00 right now; 7 minutes before the bomb detonates .
“The sky changes colors……” Chatterbox pulls his ears and rubs his cheeks
as he thinks, “A gloomy day? Clouds above the boy’s head……is that sitting
in a plane? Or climbing a mountain? The person A killed previously was
someone who had bad morals and character, could the password be related to
some kind of case in the past?”
This reasoning seems to make sense . Cold Face raises his head, “Have we
found out what the clown’s identity is?”
“Yes!” an investigator from the room outside comes in, “He told the civil
officer at the scene just now that his name is Cao Yang, 38 years-old . Here is
his info . ”
Chatterbox snatches it and is delighted, “He has a store that sells outdoor
equipment . Due to selling bad quality pirated items, customers filed
complaints to the State Administration for Industry and Commerce . He’s a
local ruffian and has had contacts with gang members where they even beat
up a customer causing serious wounds!”
_____
“20140721?” Su Mian repeats the numbers that they have sent, “The date of
the incident of that injuring others case?”
She lifts her head and looks at Han Chen .
They’ve already squeezed their way down the bridge and are entering the
even more crowded area of the underground walkway . Han Chen is leaning
against the wall while embracing her . They look at each other . In these brief
few minutes, they remain quiet as they continue to make their way through to
their destination with difficulty and thinking at the same time .
“No, that’s not the password . ”
“That’s not it . ”
They both say together .
“Thinking about a date should be the right direction! But it’s another date!”
Su Mian’s eyes glisten as she shouts .


Chapter 119
Chapter 119
Chapter 119: Milliseconds Apart
The moment she receives Chatterbox’s message outlining the date of the
injuring others incident, Su Mian knows that it’s not the right one .
Firstly, without a doubt, A didn’t write the poem . He doesn’t have the
literary skills to . It was most likely L who wrote it .
L does not have compassion . He only cares about himself and definitely
does not have any concept of punishing the evil . How could he possibly
write a poem for an innocent person and write it with so many feelings?
And even if it were A, he only kills others based on his liking; he doesn’t
seem to show any views of justice .
Therefore, the prediction from Chatterbox and the others cannot be correct .
And thinking more carefully about the poem, “the sky changes colors”, “the
clouds above his head”, they can signify something else——explosion .
In addition, “crawling among the crowd” is such an obvious behavior . They

can be sure that this poem is writing about A’s process of committing a crime
.
As for “the little bird’s wings have been clipped” and “using its legs to fly”, it
clearly signifies a certain downfall and change in life .
“Wings are returned to him”: could this be the new life that the mentally ill
are chasing for?
And “that day” and “until one day” are concepts of time . Since the password
is a string of numbers, Su Mian can predict that the numbers must be from a
certain explosion case .
But, which one is it?
There are two dates that match her criteria .
One of them is the date of A’s first time committing a crime . Su Mian has
flipped through the documents many times, so she remembers the date clearly
. It’s 20080630 . If the metaphors in the poem are writing about A finally
carrying out his first crime to search for a new meaning in life, just like how
Xu Nan Bai said “his life started to ignite” before the cliff, then this date
matches with the criteria .
But there’s a second date: 20090420 .
Su Mian takes a deep breath thinking about this . It’s the time when the
seven-member organization fought with the police causing many bloodsheds;
it’s the date of when she and Han Chen were separated . Using Xin Jia’s
words, it was also when the seven-member organization started breaking apart
.
Therefore, if the metaphors are talking about this incident, it would make
sense too .
As for the alphabet letters at the end, Su Mian can’t figure it out yet . If
they’re the letters representing the seven-member organization, there’s too
many . If they’re supposed to be combined, she can’t think of any English
words or romanization from the letters .
……
She looks up at Han Chen . Just as she wants to grasp the time to talk to him,
a terrifying child’s scream comes from the crowd behind them, “AHH——It
hurts!” And then a woman shrieks, “My child! My child! Don’t step on her,
don’t step on her!”
Su Mian and Han Chen both turn around . They can actually see a seven to
eight year-old girl on the ground being stepped on by the crowd blindly . Her
mother has been pushed away two to three meters from her; she’s pale as she
screams and tries to make her way back . And people who see the girl are
subconsciously moving away, but due to the massive crowd, people are being
shoved around and many end up stepping on the girl’s body . The girl’s voice
suddenly goes silent; as if she’s dead .
Han Chen and Su Mian don’t hesitate any longer .
“Move aside! The girl’s going to die from you stepping on her!” Han Chen’s
face is as cold as ice . He pushes a big and tall man away in front of him . He
releases Su Mian’s hand and rushes toward the girl . The big man’s face
changes due to being pushed, “What’s with the pushing?! Who doesn’t want
to live now?! Move aside!” He reaches out his arm to push Han Chen . But
before he touches Han Chen, Han Chen dodges quickly . He tilts his head
slightly and his face is stern like a statue . He punches him fiercely in the
face!
Su Mian can’t help but feel satisfied: great punch!
The big man’s face is now bleeding as he falls to the person behind him . The
man is completely dumbstruck and others beside him are also shocked as they
turn to look at Han Chen . Han Chen and Su Mian use this time to get to the
girl . Han Chen carries the fragile girl in his arms and puts her into her mom’s
embrace .
The crowd is starting to move again . Han Chen embraces Su Mian tightly as
he leans against the wall . It’s too noisy around them . He pulls out his phone
and sends a text message quickly: “200980420” .
Su Mian feels as if the waves in her heart has finally settled down, but she
feels perplexed at the same time . Once he puts the phone down, she asks
immediately, “Why is it this day? Is it not 20080630?”
Han Chen’s fair white face is still cold as always . He answers swiftly, “The
order of the letters . ”
They’re not in a place for him to explain it to her right now . But he was able
to spot the pattern of the letters at first glance .
The first set of letters: a, e, i, m, and q are in order, and between each letter, it
skips 3 consecutive letters . Based on this pattern, the next letter would be u
after skipping r, s, and t .
The other set of letters are z, x, v, and t . They are in reversed order and
between two letters, one letter is skipped . Based on this pattern, the next
letter should be r, skipping s .
Although he doesn’t know the meaning behind skipping the letters, Su Mian
said before that A and L both have a childish side . Therefore, he might as
well use the most direct approach to think through this pattern . This allows
him to discover that between the two sets of letters, the letter “s” is in the
center of it .
And what does s stand for?
A letter representing another killer?
Or is it the beginning letter of the word, “seven”? And the phrase in the
poem, “he was only seven that day,” is the day after 20090420 where their
organization is left with seven people only .
Therefore, Han Chen is certain that this is the date .
And two seconds after sending the text message, his phone rings again .
Han Chen picks up the phone . Su Mian feels her heart in her throat .
Chatterbox’s speech is rapid and carries pain, “Leader……it’s too late! The
situation is out of control!”
Han Chen’s eyes darken suddenly .
When Han Chen and Su Mian went to save the child who was being stepped
on, they still had 2 minutes before the explosion time of 7:05 . According to
their initial plan, the civil officers at the square would have dispersed the
crowd to ensure their safety . There would be only one criminal investigator
left who volunteered to stay by the clown’s side in hope to grasp the last
chance to save him .
But probably due to panic or having his emotions collapse after suppressing
them for so long, the clown has broken free from the criminal investigator and
is chasing after the crowd!
“I don’t want to die alone! Why do I have to die alone! You guys shouldn’t
live either!” he shouts as he comes running . The criminal investigator chases
after him, but from discovering the clown untill now, it has only been a few
minutes, so the square is still filled with people running frantically . The
criminal investigator is blocked off by the people and can’t chase after him .
Therefore, even though the criminal investigator shouts toward him, “We
have the passcode, come back!” he can’t hear him .
……
“Which direction is he heading?” Han Chen asks in a cold voice .
Chatterbox responds, “Toward Northeast!”
Han Chen hangs up and throws the phone to Su Mian . Su Mian reacts
quickly and grabs his wrist, “Which way is Northeast? Are you going there?
It’s already too late!” If they had 2 minutes left initially, how much do they
have left now? 1 minute? 30 seconds?
Han Chen doesn’t answer . His pupils are black like ink .
But he doesn’t need to answer . Because at the exit of the underground

walkway not far away, where there is sunlight shining through, people are
panicking suddenly .
“Oh my God! He’s coming this way!”
“He’s crazy! It’s not enough that he dies?! Hurry and run!”
……
“Su Mian, I can’t stand and watch someone lose their life in front of my
eyes!” Han Chen says these words quickly and fiercely in a deep voice .
Before Su Mian can react, he breaks free from her grip, turns around and
runs, “You stay here . Don’t go anywhere . ” There’s no way for Su Mian to
agree, but the people around them have already separated them . She can
only see Han Chen’s shadow running in the opposite direction of everybody
else and is moving farther and farther away from her .
Su Mian curses under her breath . She follows Han Chen and raises her fist at
whoever blocks her way . At the same time, she dials for Chatterbox and
chases after Han Chen .
“Chatterbox! Han Chen is going to save the clown himself!” she shouts .
On the other end of the phone, Chatterbox and the others go pale, “Don’t let
him go! The bomb will explode any second now!”
Su Mian feels her heart shaking so hard that her chest is hurting . Seeing that
Han Chen has already exited the tunnel and is nowhere to be found, she grits
her teeth with tears almost flowing and squeezes her way through .
“Move aside! Move aside! Han Chen!”


Chapter 120
Chapter 120
Chapter 120: L’s Invitation Dance
Su Mian’s body feels as if it’s about to break from all the pushing and shoving
. Just as she steps out of the tunnel and arrives above ground, the sun stings
her eyes . She lowers her head immediately to avoid it . But in this quick
moment, she spots a clown standing about a hundred meters away from her .
And between her and the clown, that tall and straight figure is running
directly toward the clown!
Her whole body freezes; she squeezes her hands into fists .
Five seconds!
If Han Chen can get five more seconds, it will be enough!
For sure! Han Chen is trying so hard to save him, so for sure he’ll be able to!
But .
In the next second, she hears a loud deafening sound .
All the noise in the world seems as if it has been covered by this sound .
She sees a massive fireball rise from where the clown is standing . And the
clown’s face and body are instantly engulfed in flames . She can even see the
clown’s tearful expression .
The airwaves rush toward both her and Han Chen . She sees Han Chen drop
to the ground immediately . She drops to the ground at the same time . She
then feels a wave of strong heat hitting her . Everything in front of her goes
dark as she loses consciousness .
……
Su Mian falls unconscious for no more than a few minutes .
It’s because her position was farther away from the explosion . In the
haziness, she feels someone embracing her and calling her name anxiously,
“Jin Xi? Jin Xi!”
Su Mian’s head still feels heavy, but her strong willpower enables her to be
able to open her eyes .
She sees Xu Si Bai .
His hair and shirt are in a mess . Clearly, he has rushed over here . Those pair
of clear eyes are blazing as they stare at her, “How are you? Are you okay?
Can you hear me?”
Su Mian’s ears are ringing due to the explosion . She can only hear a very
tiny voice coming from him . She grabs his arms and struggles to get up . She
sees Han Chen on the ground in front of her . He’s not moving and is lying
exactly where he was . A couple of officers are running toward him with a
stretcher . Su Mian pushes Xu Si Bai’s hands away and stumbles toward him
.
She makes it to him . Su Mian embraces him without caring about what
others think . His eyes are closed and his handsome face is covered with
black residue from the smoke . The corner of his forehead was probably
struck by a flying piece; blood is flowing slowly from it .
_____
In the afternoon at the hospital .
Han Chen is lying on the hospital bed and hasn’t woken up yet .
Su Mian sits beside the bed and stares at his face quietly . Chatterbox and the
three of them are standing behind her . Chatterbox coughs lightly and says,
“Xiao Bai, don’t worry too much . The doctor said that Leader has superficial
wounds only . He has only fainted from the impact and will be fine . ”
Su Mian says without turning her head, “I know . ”

Xiao Zhuan presses her shoulder, “Chatterbox and I will go back to the station
first . Cold Face will keep guard outside . Take care of yourself . ”
“Mm . ”
The three of them leave the room quickly .
Su Mian keeps quiet for a while before holding his slightly cold and dry hand
. She still feels her heart aching .
She’s not worried about his body .
It’s just that the words Han Chen said before turning around to save the clown
seem to have been engraved in her heart .
He said, how could I stand and watch somebody lose their life before my
eyes?
But in those short few seconds, he couldn’t save him . With his stubborn
personality, he definitely won’t feel good after waking up .
Thinking back at each and every scene from this morning, she feels hate .
If only……
When the little girl fell down, everybody was running away frantically, so
many people passed by her yet no one reached out to help her——If it wasn’t
because of this, how would Han Chen have wasted the precious time to save
someone?
If that big man didn’t provoke him and caused him to waste time; if people
didn’t ignore the commands; if the clown himself didn’t suddenly feel the
need to take revenge on society and started running off……there was clearly
a criminal investigator who was willing to sacrifice his life to stay by his side
and die with him, yet he went crazy!
Thinking about all this, Su Mian grits her teeth .
But how can she blame these people? Everybody has strong desires to
survive . In the midst of chaos, who wouldn’t lose their mind and forget their
morals……
It’s just that she can almost imagine A and his other comrades laughing and
showing their mocking expressions right now .
Hey criminal investigators, aren’t you the messengers of justice and here to
protect the citizens?
But the one whom you’re trying to protect has exposed his human nature and
messed up your plans, causing you to miss out on saving this person’s life in
the last second .
And as if to confirm her thoughts, the phone in her pocket beeps twice to alert
her of a notification .
She holds it up . Someone has sent her a video . The number is unknown .
Her heart races . A bad feeling surges up in her heart .
She clicks open the video and stares at the screen .
It starts playing .
Her eyes immediately open wide .
It’s a very dark alley . There’s only a dimly lit light source coming from
above . The alley is narrow and it’s hard to make out anything; only the faint
sound of cars passing by can be heard . And in the sky above, half of the
moon is hanging .
Three men are standing in the video .
One is in the front and two behind him . They’re all quite tall .
The one in the front is wearing the same clown costume and has heavy
makeup on, making it hard to see his facial features . He’s standing very
straight and is not moving . The other two men behind him look more casual .
They’re leaning against the wall in the left corner . The shadow there hides
their faces as they smoke . The right side of the wall is empty .
A few seconds later, the clown suddenly bows toward the camera; his
movements are elegant . When he raises his head, Su Mian can see a hint of a
smile in his eyes . Those eyes are completely different from A .
L! He’s L!
This realization slams right into Su Mian’s heart .
In the peaceful and warm afternoon of the hospital room brightly lit by the
sun . Han Chen is lying beside her while she’s watching the video and feeling
cold sweat down her spine .
And then, L starts to dance .
A very elegant and stylish jazz dance . His gaze turns happy and focused as
he dances in front of the camera . Every move is completed beautifully . And
a few times, he even reaches out his hand and bows in front of the camera as
if he’s inviting you .
Su Mian hears the other two men behind chuckling softly .
L finally finishes dancing .
The video ends right after he spreads his arms and bends down to bow .
A and R behind him look as if they’re watching enthusiastically .
L lifts his head and as if he’s the representative of the three, he looks into the
camera, and at her, and reveals an eerie smile .
……
Su Mian keeps quiet for a very, very long time before she lowers the phone
and raises her head .
She can sense that this is not just a provocation .
L’s dance……is an invitation .
With four people’s lives and causing commotion in the city as a welcoming
gift; an earnest and serious invitation that cannot be refused .

Chapter 121
Chapter 121
Chapter 121: The Secret In Your Eyes Part 1
Twilight blankets the sky; as if wearing a veil of duskiness . The lights in the
room are bright . Qin Wen Long, the Black Shield Team, Xu Si Bai and other
criminal investigators are all concentrated in staring at the screen .
L finishes dancing very soon . But it makes everyone even quieter .
Qin Wen Long inhales his cigarette twice deeply, “Let’s hear it . What do you
guys think?”
“Psychopath!” Chatterbox is the first to speak, “This is a clear provocation .

This makes me so worked up!”
The other investigators nod . Xiao Zhuan also says loudly, “These few people
are already crazy!”
Xu Si Bai is sitting beside Su Mian quietly . She doesn’t have any expression
on her face, only her eyes look a bit cold .
Han Chen is still unconscious, so the Black Shield Team is currently under
the commands of Qin Wen Long . He inhales from the cigarette a few more
times before putting it out and tossing it away . He stands up, “What we’re up
against this time are the most fierce and cunning criminals . Chatterbox,
bring a team with you to search the city to find this alleyway . Cold Face,
continue to take charge in searching for them . I don’t believe that we won’t
be able to catch them!”
_____
Even though Qin Wen Long ended his statement with ruthless words, these
three people are too cunning . The alleyway in the video is anything but
unique; there are probably over a hundred of them that looks exactly the same
. Therefore, they haven’t made any progress even up until night time .
Su Mian drags her exhausting body to the dormitory and pushes open the door
to her apartment . She spots Han Chen lying on the single bed right away .
He’s sleeping deeply with her yellow floral blanket laying on top of him .
He still hasn’t woken up yet .
The Black Shield Team was ordered to return to the station for a meeting
when they were at the hospital this morning . She insisted the officers help
her carry him back here .
It’s because they promised that they would never be away from each other
more than the sound of the whistle .
She sits beside the bed, picks up his hand and kisses on it, “Han Chen, why
haven’t you woken up yet? Promise me that when you wake up, you won’t
feel upset . I know that you only look cool on the outside, but you’re actually
an introvert who likes to bury everything in your heart . You think that’s very
manly of you, right?”
Although today’s case weighs down one’s heart, she is a lively person
nonetheless . She says a bunch of things to him while showing her affection,
but he still doesn’t wake up . She begins to feel bored and starts to talk about
nonsense:
“……this single bed doesn’t look too cramped to me, hehheh, we only use the
space of one person every time we sleep here anyway .
Speaking of which, this floral blanket you’re using is quite nice . It’s got an
enchanting quality to it . It’s even more enchanting than me .
Han Chen, hurry and wake up, will you? If you wake up, I’ll……”
She leans over to his ear, “I’ll do what you want to do . ”
He still doesn’t budge; not even his eyelashes twitched . His handsome face
is still like a statue . She sighs and murmurs to herself, “I’ll go sleep on the
couch then . ”
She turns around and just when she’s about to leave, she feels a grip on her
wrist . Someone is grabbing on it .
Su Mian’s heart skips a beat . She turns her head and sees Han Chen opening
his eyes slowly . The lights reflect on his eyes . They’re dark and dense and
staring directly at her .
“You were pretending to be sleeping!” Su Mian throws herself into his

embrace happily . He hugs her with a hint of a smile flashing across his eyes .
“There was a noisy woman,” he says unhurriedly, “I couldn’t sleep even if I

wanted to . ”
Su Mian laughs, “Hehheh,” while lying across his chest . He’s still wearing a
patient’s gown from the hospital, but smelling his familiar and subtle scent
makes her happy .
She reaches out her hand and feels his forehead and neck . She then asks,
“Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?” It won’t be good if he has any side
effects from the concussion .
He grabs her hand, flips himself around to be on top of her . His voice is deep
and carries a sense of laziness, “I’ve slept all day, so I’m full of energy . ”
Between the most intimate couple, when something happens, there’s no need
for words to console or explain . As for her worries about him being upset, he
heard them loud and clear . At this moment, he’s back to being his usual
young master . He follows the contours of her body and plant kisses all over
her .
He enters her but his movements are especially gentle . His eyes are also
especially calm . Su Mian wraps her arms around his waist and is still
blabbing nonstop to him . He’s also leaning close to her ear and responding
to her softly . They show their affections for each other and spend half a night
like this without knowing .
……
The sky is still dark when Su Mian wakes up with a startle . She takes a look
at the alarm clock on the bedside: 4 am .
Han Chen is still in deep sleep beside her with one of his arms around her
waist and her body has his unique scent .
She smiles slightly, turns her body to move closer to his chest, closes her
eyes, and sleeps again . But the image of L dancing is just like a dream that
replays continuously in her head .
She can’t sleep .
She tosses and turns for a while . Not wanting to wake Han Chen, she gets
up, puts on a jacket, pushes open the door, and goes outside for some fresh air
.
It’s probably almost winter .
The dark blue sky looks like a thick layer of velvet, weighing down above
their heads . The moon and stars aren’t that bright; like the future that they
can’t see clearly .
She grabs onto the railing and breathes out slowly . She turns around and
sees another person standing in the shadows on the other end of the hallway .
There’s a red light illuminated between the person’s fingers; the person is
smoking .
It’s the middle of the night, so it startles her a bit .
That person speaks lightly, “Jin Xi?”
Ah? It’s actually Xu Si Bai .
_____
After knowing each other for so many years, it’s the first time Su Mian sees
Xu Si Bai smoking . He’s also wearing his pajamas with a brown jacket on .
Watching him hold the cigarette between his slender fingers and his refine and
fair white side profile, he looks very natural . She can’t help but take a few
more glances at him .
He’s smoking a pack of Marlboro; a very common brand . The long and lean
cigarette accents his gentleness .
He tilts his head to look at her and says with his eyes carrying a smile,
“What’s the matter? You want to smoke?” He fetches for the box of cigarette
from his pocket and taps one out for her .
Su Mian indeed wants to smoke, but there’s still a certain someone lying in
bed at home right now . She smiles waving her hand and asks, “Why aren’t
you sleeping when it’s so late at night? Why have you come out to smoke?”
He lowers his head and inhales from the cigarette . He says calmly, “I don’t
know why but I just can’t fall asleep . ”
Su Mian can’t be sure if his inability to sleep and smoking has anything to do
with herself . She simply nods, “Mm, I can’t sleep either . I keep thinking
about that video in my head and it just makes me nervous . ”
Xu Si Bai turns to look at her . His pupils are pitch black and clear .
They’re full of their usual determination .
“I will always protect you,” he says slowly, “just like him . ”
Su Mian is a bit stunned . She smiles quickly and turns her head to look to
the front, “Don’t always think about me . Same goes for you . You must
protect yourself well . Don’t forget, once we crack the case, we’re going to
your place for dinner . Oh, I’ve been wanting to have hotpot . Do you know
how to make it?”
He stares at her quietly for a while and then turns his head to look at the night
sky as well . He answers lightly, “I’ve never made hotpot before, but I can
learn it . ”
“Learn it well then . Your cooking is so good, so you must make it as good as
Chongqing Hotpot . ”
“Mm, sure . ”
……


Chapter 122
Chapter 122
Chapter 122: The Secret In Your Eyes Part 2
Su Mian pushes open the door and sees that Han Chen has already gotten out
of bed and is sitting on the couch . He has a jacket over his shoulders and her
laptop on his knees .
“Why didn’t you sleep longer?” she asks and sits beside him .
He takes a sip of tea from a cup . The tea is from his place and it has a nice
fragrance to it .
“You had a good time chatting?” he says casually .
Su Mian is speechless, “……pfft . ” This jealous man . She reaches out her
arms and wraps them around his neck; she kisses him fiercely as a way to
pacify him . His expression is indifferent; his young master temper is back
again, so Su Mian will have to try harder .
Su Mian is a smart girl after all . She turns her gaze to the laptop and changes
the subject, “You’re watching the video?” The screen is frozen on the part
where L is bowing . In the dark alleyway, only the moon is showing in the
narrow view of the sky, as well as the very dim light shining from an
unknown source .
“Mm,” he answers . He grabs her waist and looks at the image with her, “Did
you guys find anything?”
Su Mian shakes her head, “What could we find? There’s nothing in the video
. These alleyways exist everywhere, and these three will obviously not leave
behind any traces . ”
Han Chen doesn’t comment . He releases her, leans forward a little bit,
adjusts the image with his fingers and is completely focused on the screen . A
man is the most handsome when he’s working seriously . Su Mian leans into
his embrace and looks up at the side of his face, “Don’t tell me you’ve really
found something . ”
He glances down at her with his eyes looking calm, “What if I have? You’ll
be obedient from now on?”
What does this have to do with anything? Is he still jealous?
But Su Mian has lost a few times to him, so of course, she’s gotten smarter .
She yawns immediately, “What do you mean? Haven’t I been obedient all
this time? I’ve pretty much become your Zhou Xiao Zhuan, your all-purpose
follower! Hurry and tell me, what have you found exactly?”
She’s a dazzling beauty, but when she’s shameless, her words can be so
flippant that it makes you speechless . Han Chen stares at her, smiles, and
then turns his head back to the screen . But his hand slides to her waist again
as he hugs her .
“In the video, there are three clues,” he says .
“Hah?” Su Mian feels as if there’s not enough power in her brain for the first
time . There are three?
Han Chen’s finger taps on the screen three times lightly, “The moon, the
lighting, and the sound . ”
“The moon……” Su Mian looks at the crescent moon and seems to be

enlightened, “Could it be that based on the degree of the moon being
illuminated that we could find out which day it was?”
Han Chen is still staring at the screen . His eyes are half closed and his
expression is emotionless, “What use is that? It is to find out which day and
what time based on the height and degree of illumination of the moon . ”
Su Mian opens her eyes wide . She snaps her fingers, “Oh yeah!” Even
though Han Chen has only revealed one clue, the moment her mind is opened
up, she’s actually quite excited . It’s a video image that seems ordinary, but
Han Chen’s eyes are laser sharp and he is able to come up with such a precise
conclusion .
Han Chen picks up her colorful soft cover notebook from the coffee table in
front of him . Su Mian hasn’t noticed it until now that it’s filled with his
beautiful and strong writing once the cover is opened; it has a bunch of
numbers and formulas and even a simple drawing of the trigonometric
formula .
Mm, she doesn’t understand it .
“It’s the day before around 3 to 3:30 am,” he says .
“Mm! Mm!” Su Mian is completely in awe as she watches him spin the pen
between his fingers; he looks more and more handsome . She can bet that if
Han Chen didn’t become a criminal investigator, he would have been a super
handsome yet cold faced mathematics professor .
“And then?” she asks .
A faint smile flashes across his eyes, “And then it’s the light . Everywhere
else in the alleyway is dark and only this in the video has a bit of light . There
are very little places with lights still on at 3:30 am . ” His fingers slide across
the computer screen to magnify the image; the small area of the light
reflecting on the ground enlarges as well .
He continues, “Based on the length of the clown’s shadow versus his height,
we can calculate the distance between him and light source as well as its
height . The calculation shows that it’s about 20 meters away and 15 meters
high . The light is pure white, uniformly lit, no patterns, and it is not
projecting any other shapes from it . Therefore, it’s not a light from a home .
It’s a light from a street lamp in a spacious area . ”
Su Mian is a bit stunned as she hears him speak unhurriedly, “I’ve done some
research . The city standardized all the street lamp posts last year and there
are only two heights allowed: 8 meters and 12 meters . There are no 15-meter
posts . But besides that, lamps are also installed in other places——under the
eaves of buildings that are immediately adjacent to a road in order to
illuminate the street for pedestrians . Which means, 20 meters away from
where the clown is, there’s a five-story building with a light installed, shining
through the night . ”
“Holy shit!” Su Mian blurts out . This is crazy, crazy, crazy! She can’t
believe that he’s actually able to discover the uniqueness of the location; the
length of the shadow and the evenness of the lighting makes it a street lamp
and one that is installed on an elevated area——these details pulled out by
him are so intricate and logically unbeatable .
Based on this info, the criminal investigators no longer need to be searching

for a needle in a haystack . They can pinpoint this location very quickly . But
what happens after they find it? Who knows . It could be somewhere close to
their old home base, or at the very least, they can find some more clues of
their whereabouts . ——after all, just like what Han Chen said, a criminal
likes to commit crimes at a place that is comfortable to him/her . The fact that
they’ve sent them this video, they must feel that it is a very safe place for
them .
It’s just that what they don’t know is that although they’ve proudly sent this
video which seems to be void of any clues, Han Chen has actually found such
important clues!
She spreads out her arms and wraps them around Han Chen’s slender waist,
“How can you be this good! You’re just an absolutely incredible weirdo!”
Her words cause Han Chen to frown his eyebrows slightly, but the admiration
from her eyes are naked . This makes Han Chen smile . He feels as if his
chest is entangled with a certain softness and comfort . He leans back and
hugs her and taps his fingers on the table, “As for the sound, we’ll need to
wait for the detailed analysis from the forensics department . But there are
two sound sources that will be easier to analyze . The first is A and R’s laugh .
We can use a machine to analyze the soundwaves and calculate the distance it
travels from them to this side of the wall . And then we will be able to infer
the relative shape of the ground that they’re standing on . The second source
is the noise from passing cars . We can try to calculate how far away they are
from the road . This way, our guys can find the place even more easily . ”
Su Mian has only vaguely heard about soundwave analyses before . But she
can understand it a bit: the sound waves, its speed, which bounces off of
objects can determine the shape of its barrier . She never thought that Han
Chen would know even this . With these three clues, there’s no way they
won’t be able to find the place .
_____
Noon of the next day . Good news finally comes to them . They’ve made an
important breakthrough!
Based on Han Chen’s findings and after many hours of hard work, the
criminal investigator team has actually found the place . A large area is now
under their search . Additionally, they’ve obtained the surveillance footages
between 3 to 3:30 am in the area; Zhou Xiao Zhuan has successfully
identified a suspicious vehicle .
The surveillance video is about 3:40-3:41 minutes in . The location is on a

road that’s roughly three hundred meters away from the alleyway . The video
is from outside of a bank beside the road .
At that time, there is no one on the road .
And then, three men walk out of the alleyway . One of them is wearing a
clown costume; it has to be L . Due to the area being dimly lit, they can’t
make out their faces . And they also have their heads down .
L hops into the driver’s seat; A and R enter the back seat . The whole process
happens quickly and quietly . The vehicle is a very common black car in the
city . Very quickly, the car starts and leaves the scene . The surveillance
video very clearly captures its license plate: “ka7xxxx52” .
“It’s possible that they’re using a fake license plate, but they haven’t realized
that their car has been caught on camera, so they might continue using it . ”
Han Chen orders, “Immediately carry out a search for this car within the city
. ”


Chapter 123
Chapter 123
Chapter 123: Beloved Comrades Part 1
3 pm in the afternoon .
The sun is shining warmly on the road . There aren’t a lot of cars at this time
and there are very few pedestrians as well .
Traffic police officer, Xiao Feng, is strolling on the sidewalk just beside the
road as he keeps an eye on the nearby traffic condition .
Several cars stop at a red light . Xiao Feng walks along the cars unhurriedly
and glances at their license plates out of habit . All of a sudden, he spots one
of the car’s license plate is: ka7xxxx52 . Wait! How come it seems so
familiar? Where has he seen this before?
He quivers and his heart starts racing .
Isn’t this the license plate of a big serial killer that was just announced to the
stations yesterday?!
Even Xiao Feng’s fingers are trembling as he immediately pulls out his
walkie-talkie from his waist . He raises his head nervously in an attempt to
assess the people in the vehicle . But the car windows are all tinted; he can’t
see the person’s face clearly and can only make out that he’s the only one in
the car .
“Hello! I’m Xiao Feng!” he says in a low voice, “I’ve spotted a suspicious
vehicle with the license plate……” he repeats it again .
“Roger!” his superior’s voice is especially serious, “Note where the car is
heading and don’t act rash . We will report to the provincial criminal
investigation team right away!”
Xiao Feng shuts off the walkie-talkie and tries hard to pretend that nothing is
happening as he stares at the car . He thinks to himself that since he’s more
than ten meters away from the car, the driver of the vehicle won’t be able to
notice him . But who knew that the moment the lights turned green, the car
accelerates and speeds away! The screeching of the tires hurts his ears,
shocking other drivers to turn and look .
Xiao Feng knows that this must be bad, so he subconsciously chases after it .
But the car is going too fast; it makes a turn and disappears . But the moment
just before the turn, Xiao Feng catches its window rolled down and a pale
hand dressed in an elegant suit reaches out to give him the middle finger .
“Shit!” Xiao Feng’s face turns pale from anger . He grabs his walkie-talkie,
“He ran off! He’s heading towards Zhongshan road . I repeat, he’s heading
towards Zhongshan road!”
_____
Exactly 4 pm . The sun is shining brightly as usual .
Inside the presidential suite at the Hilton hotel, its thick curtains are closed,
blocking all light from penetrating through .
The crystal chandelier is shining brilliantly and the painting on the wall is
strange yet exaggerating . Placed on top of the palace style low legged coffee
table are a big basket of tropical fruits and a bottle of opened red wine .
A picks up his goblet and takes a big sip . He grabs a piece of mango, puts it
in his mouth and asks the person who is standing by the window, “how
come L still isn’t here? Wasn’t he the one who insisted on meeting at this
flashy place?”
R opens a gap between the curtains and looks down at the busy traffic, a
rather calm and peaceful scene . L has still not arrived .
“Let’s go,” he turns around, stuffs both hands into his pockets and walks
toward the door .
“We’re not waiting for him?” A throws away the mango core and stands up .
He grabs a piece of durian and stuffs it into his mouth .
“Let’s not wait anymore . L is never later, yet he’s already 2 minutes late
today . He must have run into some trouble with the police . ”
A puts on a baseball cap while eating durian and then walks to behind him
and nods, “That’s true . L is crazy . He could be mad for a couple of weeks
just for being one second late . ” He smiles suddenly, “Who told him to be
such a narcissist and insisted on dancing? He’s been found so soon . My big
sister sure is amazing . ”
R lowers his head slightly and avoids the surveillance camera in the hallway .
His tall and lean figure is like a tree standing straight . His lips are curved
into a smile, “She is quite a tough opponent . ”
“Should we go help L?” A asks .
R says indifferently, “It’s not like he’s a kid . Doesn’t he know how to escape
by himself? Furthermore, don’t forget that no matter what happens, and no
matter who dies, we must not affect our plan to come . ”
“Mm . ”
They stop talking and leave the hotel quickly . Once they get to the
underground parking, they leave driving their own cars .
_____
At the same time .
On the busiest road of the city, a thrilling chase is taking place .
Su Mian grasps the handle tightly; she’s gotten a bit more used to Han Chen’s
way of driving now . His eyes are focused on what’s in front of him . His
sleeves are rolled up to his elbows . He accelerates, brakes, switches gears,
makes sharp turns……he steers quickly . His movements have a sense of
elegance and ruthlessness to them .
Ahead of them, that black car is being forced into a narrow road by a couple
of police cars led by Han Chen .
If they weren’t in a busy section of the city, the police would have been able
to catch him long ago . But because supermarkets, housing, and schools are
around them, they’re afraid of him harming innocent people if they pressure
him too hard . Therefore, they can only slowly move closer not losing sight
of him, and force him to move to a safer area and then catch him!
But L’s driving and superb . His car drifts and ditches two police cars behind
him . Only Han Chen has been able to keep up with his pace; Han Chen
speeds even quicker and closes on him about ten or so meters apart .
The traffic lights are nothing more than decorations; their cars speed through
them as others watch them . Su Mian is also very nervous . Her eyes are wide
like an owl as she keeps herself on full alert of their surroundings .
“There’s a car on the left!”
“Right, right!”
“Chase him, chase him! Shit, he’s so fast!”
Han Chen was fully concentrated until he hears her murmurs . He smiles .
“Just relax,” he says calmly, “Your husband here has never admitted a defeat
when it comes to driving . ”
Su Mian smiles as well .
They see L make a sharp turn again; he’s actually made a daring move by
going into an alleyway . This is a very smart yet very dangerous move . On
one hand, the alleyway is narrow, so the police will be more cautious and he
will have the opportunity to abandon his car and escape into the residential
area . On the other hand, he may run into a dead end easily, which he would
then be caught by the police .
Han Chen’s face turns cold . He puts his arm out of the window and clenches
his fist to gesture the police cars behind him to follow . But he accelerates
even quicker as he rushes toward the main road . Su Mian understands right
away——he wants to get to the other side of the alleyway and surround him
on both ends .
But when it comes to racing, there will always be a sudden event that happens
without warning . Furthermore, they are police officers . Even when it’s Han
Chen, who’s not afraid of anything, he will still have worries . Just as he
makes a big turn and the opening of the alleyway is in sight, he is met with a
red light . And a group of elementary schoolers are crossing the street with the
guidance of their teacher .
Han Chen steps on the brakes furiously . His slender fingers tap on the
steering wheel impatiently . Su Mian pokes her head out of the window and
waves at the teacher, “Make way! Make way and watch for your safety! Big
brother policeman and Big sister policeman are in the middle of catching a
bad man!”
Based on Su Mian’s experience with training elementary schoolers, this tactic

works extremely well . The students’ expressions are full of excitement and
admiration as they clear the road .
Just at this moment!
The black car speeds out of the alleyway and is dashing ahead . They don’t
know what L has done, but nobody is following behind him; he has actually
ditched the rest of the police cars .
“Sit tight!” Han Chen steps on the gas pedal . Su Mian knows that he’s
serious now; he’ll either crash into the car without a second thought or
force L into a dead end based on his knowledge of the area .
But who knew? Su Mian didn’t expect it, nor did Han Chen . Something
totally unexpected happens .
A man’s hand wearing a white plastic glove reaches out of the window . They
can just make out the sleeve of his intricate and expensive suit . He’s actually
holding a thick stack of……American bills! The car is just a few tens of
meters away . In the next instance, that hand raises and scatters the American
bills everywhere on the road like confetti .
It’s almost the afternoon rush hour, so the volume of cars is increasing .
There are also housing in the area and many pedestrians . This scene clearly
startles a lot of people . Some people pull over their cars immediately and
reach out their hands to grab the American bills with excitement . And some
people, like the car in front of Han Chen and Su Mian, step on the brake, open
their door and pick them up one by one . There are also a lot of seniors on the
sidewalks, so things get even more out of control quickly . “Oh! Someone is
throwing money!” “American bills! They’re American bills! Grab them, grab
them!” Everybody rushes over .
Su Mian feels the urge to swing open the car door to go out and scold them!
They were so close to catching him! But in a blink of an eye, Han Chen’s car
has been completely blocked by the commotion on the road; cars and people
are everywhere in front of him, making it impossible to move forward . Two
police vehicles make it out of the alleyway at this time, but they are also
unable to move anymore .
“Move aside! All of you, move aside! Police are on a case!” she shouts, but
no one bothers listening . Only the elementary schools at the side of the road
take a look at the bills and then Han Chen and Su Mian and don’t dare to
move .
The road ahead of the black car is unobstructed . They watch as he

accelerates and is about to escape . If they let him off this time, it’ll be
extremely hard to find him again amongst the crowd . Su Mian grits her teeth
and turns her head to Han Chen, “What do we do now?”
Han Chen’s face is glazed with coldness . He fetches the gun from the side of
his waist, pushes open the door and hops off, “You stay here!”
“Be careful!” Su Mian feels her heart in her throat . Just as she pushes open
the door to get off as well, she sees Han Chen dashing his way towards the
black car like a black cheetah while holding his gun .
Su Mian’s heart skips a beat: he’s going to shoot on the street!
TV series are always over exaggerated; there really aren’t that many criminal
investigators who dare to do this . Only Han Chen’s temper and shooting
skills make him dare to do it; decisively attacking with his gun .
The black car makes a quick turn and is about to leave their sight . Han Chen
has made it to the sidewalk behind the car and there is no one in the way of
his range . He stops running suddenly, holds up his gun with both hands, tilts
his head, and pulls the trigger . It happens so fast in a blink of an eye . From
Su Mian’s angle, she can only see his straight, cold yet handsome figure . His
fair white side profile reveals his dark brown and domineering eyes .
“Bang, bang, bang!” three consecutive shots rip the sky loudly and crisply .
The streets turn quiet immediately . Everybody turns to look at each other .
Su Mian can feel the blood in her veins rushing .
“Screeeech——” a sharp screech from the tire . The two rear tires of the
black car have been punctured and are deflated; the car slides and swivels .
Han Chen’s third bullet has actually hit the back of the car window; the glass
is completely shattered . Su Mian can even see clearly the man in the driver’s
seat bending forward holding the steering wheel; he’s been shot!
Han Chen lifts his foot and starts chasing . Su Mian follows .
And then .
The members of the seven-member organization are extremely stubborn .

Although his body is nearly hanging on the steering wheel and the tires are
deflated, he actually steps on the gas pedal, turns the car and enters the road .
He makes a turn and leaves their sight .
Han Chen and Su Mian chase after him for twenty or so minutes until they
can’t see the car anymore . Su Mian rests her hand on the lamp pole, bends
down and pants . Han Chen is also panting slightly . He pulls her into his
embrace and lets her lean against him to catch her breath . After a while, he
curses in a low voice, “F–k!”


Chapter 124
Chapter 124
Chapter 124: Beloved Comrades Part 2
Nighttime .
The Black Shield Team’s office is fully lit and everyone is sitting around the
table .
Qin Wen Long is also here . Compared to his gloomy face a few days ago,
he’s smiling today .
“We’ve at least gotten one of them injured severely . It’s just too bad that we
let him escape,” he says, “but we’ve managed to weaken their power, so
there’s hope that we’ll be able to solve the case!”
Chatterbox and the others nod . Indeed, because their opponents were hiding
in shadows previously, they as criminal investigators have been in a
disadvantage facing against these serial killers . Now that they’ve been able
to turn the tables and inflict heavy damage on the criminal organization,
they’ve made important progress .
Only Han Chen’s face is still indifferent and hasn’t said a word . Su Mian
squeezes his hand secretly under the table . He glances at her and leans back .
His expression is still cold yet cool . He twists his hand and grasps her hand,
caressing the back of it with his thumb .
They’ve been together for quite some time now, so Su Mian understands his
temper very well; he’s still angry . She also feels stuffed inside so she can’t
help but speak, “Boss Qin, let’s charge those who were picking up the money
for interfering with justice!”
Qin Wen Long shakes his head helplessly, “Wake up, my little sister, the law
is not used for punishing civilians . ”
Han Chen half closes his eyelids and lets out a low, “Hmph!” It’s unclear
who he’s venting his anger at . Su Mian pokes his hand under the table to
gesture for him not to be stubborn .
Xiao Zhuan hangs up from a phone call and says to everyone, “We’ve just
received news that the American bills were fake . They’re all high-quality
counterfeit stage props . ” Chatterbox lets out a sarcastic laugh, “Well
deserved!” Su Mian has the answer in her heart now——it looks like the
person in the car was indeed L . Otherwise, who else would be carrying such
props all the time?
It’s just that now that this trail is a dead end, they’ll have to start over again .
Su Mian explains her worries, “Although L is injured, R is a doctor . He
should be able to treat his wounds without alerting the police . Furthermore,
based on their personalities, after being taken such a big advantage of, I’m
afraid they will carry out a revenge-like crime . ”
“Is that so?” Han Chen picks up his cup and drinks from it slowly, “The more
actions they take, the more they’ll be exposed . They won’t be this lucky next
time . ”
_____
The meeting ends . Everybody drags their tired bodies back to their dorms to
catch some rest . Su Mian switches off the lights as she’s the last to leave .
Just as she is closing the door, she sees Han Chen standing by the railing with
his hands pressed against it while waiting for her .
She walks over, grabs one of his arms and places it over her shoulders, “Hey,
stop being angry . ”
Han Chen takes a look at her and then returns to looking to the front, “Mm . I
feel upset inside . How are you going to comfort me?”
Su Mian calls him scoundrel in a low voice . The two of them look toward
the hazy dark sky .
A lot of things need to be experienced to know what it feels like . When she
first found out her identity and her past, besides feeling grief, all she thought
of was to destroy the seven-member organization . In this lifetime, she swore
that she would catch them . Even if it meant sacrificing her life, she was not
afraid . This goes without saying, and she was pretty sure that Han Chen
thought the same way .
But they’ve finally come into contact with the seven-member organization
now . They are indeed more cruel and cunning than any other perpetrators
they’ve come across; they’re more proud of their own work than anybody else
.
And they know her and Han Chen better than anybody else .
The process is cold and empty when facing against them . Just like today, life
is disregarded . It’s as if your heart is glazed over with an endless amount of
coldness . But your heart needs to maintain its determination and sharpness
in order to continue standing in this long yet dangerous battle and conquer
over them .
They’re the most ruthless criminals . They can’t be caught with just
intelligence; perseverance and determination will be needed to defeat them .
It’s because of this reality that makes her cherish every second that she can be
with him even more than before . She wants to take care of herself so that she
can be with him for as long as possible . She doesn’t want him to be like in
previous years, searching for her and be drowned in the work of a criminal
investigator .
The night is quiet, but they’re both sleepless . After a while, Han Chen
lowers his head and kisses her . In a long and restless night like this, nothing
is more warm and passionate than his hug and kiss . The orange-yellow light
reveals their shadows . Su Mian feels as if she has returned to many years
ago; not sure when and not sure where . He was kissing and hugging her just
like this . After these many years, it still hasn’t changed . They can still
embrace each other quietly like this; even for one second makes them feel
happiness .
……
But good times are easy to be interrupted .
Han Chen moves his lips away slowly . He stares at her with his dark brown
eyes .
She’s still clinging onto him as she fetches her beeping phone annoyingly .
There’s a text message .
She takes a look at her eyes open wide .
It’s from an unknown number . The tone of the writing is all too familiar,
“Big Sister, you guys injured L and he’s very mad . And you guys have set
up too many security measures around the elementary schools, so he hasn’t
been able to kill a dad for a very long time . Therefore, tomorrow morning, I
need to kill two people . ”
_____
The police are on full alert .
Almost all police teams are dispatched, patrolling the streets and around
buildings . The Black Shield Team and all bodies of the criminal
investigation department are on the move . Everybody is preparing for what
will happen tomorrow at the 7th hour and 7th minute . The authorities have
even made the command: “I don’t care how challenging it will be, tomorrow
morning, do not let another person die . If another dies, the whole criminal
investigation department will have a demerit on the record . Qin Wen Long
and Han Chen will be sent to a local station to do hard labor!”
Although Qin Wen Long is a smiling tiger (man with big smile and evil
intentions), he’s also hot-tempered . He repeats the orders to the criminal
investigators exhorting them to do their job and taking his stance as the
commanding officer in the control room overbearingly .
No matter how many officers they have, it’s impossible to guard the whole
city with close to ten thousand people . Even Han Chen, the super detective,
is of no use . Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many unsolved cases in the
history of China . Su Mian is a little worried that Han Chen may be punished,
but he answers unconcernedly, “If we really can’t save the person this time,
I’ll go and do hard labor . ”
Su Mian is speechless, “……”
_____
Xu Si Bai is wearing a black wool coat while driving his Chevrolet with a
siren on top on a spacious and quiet road .
After finding out that Su Mian has received another text message from the
criminals, he immediately requested Qin Wen Long to allow him to
participate in the overnight patrol team . This task is not in scope for a
forensic officer, but Su Mian has been out patrolling all night, so he doesn’t
want to stay at the dorm to sleep .
He would be too far from her . Being able to patrol the streets at least makes
him feel part of the team; she would be safer as well .
A traffic light is up ahead . Although there aren’t any other cars on the road,
Xu Si Bai slows to a stop anyway and waits for the lights to turn green
patiently . He rests and work on a regular schedule and very rarely stays up at
night like this . His refined and handsome face soon shows fatigue . He lights
up a cigarette and recalls the image of her rushing down the stairs at the
station and getting into Han Chen’s car .
A subtle feeling of pain surges in his heart, but he is already used to weak,
prolonged and helpless pain . He smokes his cigarette quietly and tells
himself that this is fine; it’s good that she’s happy . This is how it should be
when you love someone .
On the right side of the road, a big truck is driving toward the intersection .
These big tractor trailers usually drive unscrupulously at night as they rush to
get to their destinations . Seeing how fast it’s going, although the lights have
turned green, Xu Si Bai doesn’t accelerate as he waits politely for it to
finishing crossing . He stares absentmindedly at the smoke rising between his
fingers . He worries about Su Mian’s safety nonetheless, so he just can’t make
himself stay calm .
He sees the truck passing in front of him with its full headlights on; the
brightness stings his eyes . Xu Si Bai frowns and squints his eyes
subconsciously . But in the speed of light, he suddenly sees the truck make a
turn and its massive body is coming toward him head on!
Xu Si Bai’s heart pounds . He takes a glimpse in fright and actually sees a

man sitting in the driver’s seat behind the bright headlights . The man is
wearing a baseball cap and a mask . He has a tall figure and those deep-set
and narrow eyes are carrying a smile . Isn’t he the one who was caught on
camera? Isn’t he A?!
Although Xu Si Bai has always been in the office doing technical skill-based
tasks, his mind and his body have great reflexes . Otherwise, he wouldn’t
have been called the “Number One Fast Hands of Jiangcheng” as a Forensic
Investigator . In a life and death situation like this, he doesn’t dodge or retract
. Instead, he steps on his gas pedal and speeds toward the truck!
In a fraction of a meter, just as the truck is about to hit him, he avoids the
horrifying crash as it brushes past him! But he never thought that A’s reflex
would also be so quick . The smile in A’s eyes grows . He steers the wheel
with both hands and a loud “bang” is heard as the truck collides with the
Chevrolet, sending it crashing into the wall on the side of the road caving it in
.
Everything that happens next is too fast and quiet . A hops out of the truck
and R comes out from the container . The two of them cooperate to carry Xu
Si Bai, whose head is covered in blood and unconscious, into the back of the
truck . They then drive the Chevrolet inside as well . And finally sweep away
the shattered glass on the road .
A few minutes later, the patrolling officers in a nearby area come over after
hearing a loud bang, but all they see is an empty road . They review the
surveillance videos immediately, but the camera lens must have been broken
by kids playing with shooting balls . It’s their job to patrol the area
nevertheless, so they make a note on record for the time being and
immediately return to patrolling the streets .
_____
Time passes by every minute and every second . It’s 5 am very soon .
The sky is still dark . There are less than two hours before the crime takes
place .
Chatterbox and Zhou Xiao Zhuan are driving a police vehicle as they make
their way back to an alleyway not far away from the provincial station .
Chatterbox parks the car . They both yawn at the same time; they look at
each other and giggle at their dark circles .
Without a doubt, the Black Shield Team has been the most exhausted .
They’ve barely gotten any sleep for the past few days and they’ve been
circling the streets all night . The moment they stop and close their eyes, they
can fall asleep right away .
But no matter how tired they are, to Zhou Xiao Zhuan, food is more important
than anything .
He pushes open the door, turns his head and looks at Chatterbox, “You really
don’t want to come and eat? A big battle is ahead of us, so we must eat a
bowl of hot dry noodles to help wake us up!”
Chatterbox adjusts the seat to lie down and is leaning against it like a puddle
of mud, “Leave me! I need to grasp the time to sleep . Order one for me as
takeout when you’re done . I can totally eat and sleep at the same time . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan can’t help but laugh . He hops out of the car and a cool
breeze blows toward him making him shiver . He stuffs his hands into his
pockets and walks toward the place . In the alleyway ahead, only a restaurant
is lit . It’s a sixty-year-old grandma who always open early and her noodles
are delicious . Zhou Xiao Zhuan is a kind person, so every time he passes by,
he always comes to eat .
He walks deeper into the alleyway . Just as he is about to arrive at the front of
the restaurant, he is stunned .
It’s because he seems to hear faint footsteps behind him .
It’s not Chatterbox . At this early in the morning, could it be a passerby?
A strange feeling of instinct rushes into his heart . Zhou Xiao Zhuan can feel
cold sweat running down his back and palms . If it really is……them, will he
be able to handle them?
He doesn’t turn around or pause his footsteps . He doesn’t show any

abnormal behaviors and continues walking . But then the footsteps disappear
.
Where did that person go? What did he want to do?
All of a sudden, he feels something weighing down his shoulder . Someone

has actually reached out to pat his shoulder, “Hey . ”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s body shivers out of reflex . His hands curl into fists as he
jerks his head around . It’s that face under a baseball cap and behind a mask
that he has seen numerous times from the surveillance videos .
A!
A has actually appeared in front of him like this!
In the spur of the moment, he can only see A’s eyes revealing a smile and then
a fierce punch landing on the side of his waist . His punch carries so much
power and speed that it’s comparable to Cold Face’s . No matter how alert
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is, he can’t match the opponent; he hits the wall from
receiving the punch and bends down slightly as he’s unable to stand straight .
And then he hears A’s soft laughter .
Xiao Zhuan’s face is covered with blood . He lowers his head and sees A’s
shadow coming closer in the light .
“Stop struggling and leave with me,” A says in a gentle voice .
Xiao Zhuan grits his teeth, “Wh-What do you guys want to do?… . . ” Before
he finishes, he twists his head and gives A a headbutt in the waist .
A never thought that the weakest member of the Black Shield Team would
fight back with all his might after receiving a punch that was enough to
wound his internal organs . He fails to dodge it and falls to the ground from
Xiao Zhuan’s hard hit . His face turns pale immediately and scolds, “Shit!
Were you born in the year of the ox?!” (stubbornness)
Xiao Zhuan can’t possibly let this one in a lifetime opportunity go . He leans
on the wall for support, fetches the gun from his waist and is about to fire a
shot toward the sky as a warning!
“Bang . ”
A muffled sound that’s softer than a gunshot can be heard before Xiao Zhuan
shoots .
A is sitting on the ground with his chin resting in his palms as he watches
Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s face change falling down slowly with his eyes closed and
becoming unconscious . He hops up from the ground and watches R come
out from the shadows with an anesthetic gun in his hand .
“You actually lost to Zhou Xiao Zhuan,” R comments indifferently and turns
around to leave, “Carry him to the car . ”
A is quite mad . He carries Zhou Xiao Zhuan and lets out a, “Hmph!” before
following .
_____
6:30 am .
Han Chen, Su Mian, Cold Face, and the others have already returned to the
moving command room vehicle on the police side as they watch over the city
.
The communication device on the table rings suddenly .
Everyone exchange glances with each other . At such a critical time like this,
they can see the alertness in each other’s eyes . Han Chen’s face turns colder
as he picks it up, “Speak!”
The patrolling officer’s voice is quick and nervous, “Reporting! We’ve found
two clowns at the Yangtze River Park’s public men’s room!”


Chapter 125
Chapter 125
Chapter 125: R’s World
“How will she choose?”
“I don’t know . ”
“No matter who she chooses, the ending will be the same . ”
“Ha……”
……
The sky is about to be lit .
Numerous police vehicles are driving toward the Yangtze Park where the
clowns are found .
Su Mian and Han Chen are sitting in a command car watching the foggy road
ahead . Her heart is worried just like the fog covering everything . She
squeezes Han Chen’s hand lightly . Han Chen’s elbow is resting on the car
window frame as he looks straight . He grabs her hand and puts it on his thigh
.
6:35 am .
There’s half an hour left before the explosion . They’ll be at the scene in two
minutes .
The police force has been working overnight and they’ve finally received
something in return . This time, the moment the two clowns walked out of
the public men’s room, they were discovered by the patrolling officers . For
one, this means that they haven’t been able to make it to a more prosperous
area to stir up another commotion; secondly, the police have more time to
remove the bomb .
“Xiao Zhuan’s cell phone is off,” Cold Face lowers his phone and tries calling
Chatterbox .
Han Chen frowns his eyebrows . Su Mian responds with a, “Hm?” and turns
around to Cold Face, “That’s not right . Xiao Zhuan always carries a power
bank with him and never turn off his phone . ”
The call gets through quickly . It’s finally picked up after four to five rings .
Chatterbox’s voice sounds a bit muffled as if he’s just woken up, “Hello?
Cold Face? What’s the matter?”
Cold Face says, “The clowns have appeared . At Yangtze River Park . Where
are you guys?”
Su Mian waits for Cold Face to confirm their location . Han Chen turns his
head around as well with his hand resting on Su Mian’s back and eyes slightly
closed as he listens .
The other end of the phone——
Chatterbox rubs his eyes and sits straight immediately . Staring at the already
brightly lit sky, he’s a bit dumbstruck . He had fallen asleep right after Xiao
Zhuan got off the car . He takes a look at the watch right now and it has
already been thirty minutes and Xiao Zhuan has still not returned .
He reports his location and pushes open the car door at the same time, “Xiao
Zhuan went to eat breakfast and I was sleeping in the car . I’ll go find him
now and come over right away . ”
He hangs up and rushes over to the alleyway .
……
“Xiao Zhuan went to eat breakfast,” Cold Face puts down the phone, “They’ll
come right away . ”
Han Chen doesn’t say anything . His eyes are dark . Su Mian replies, “Oh,”
but feels a bit strange about what’s going on with Xiao Zhuan . Just as she is
about to pull out her phone to call him, the car brakes hard and stops .
Everybody raises their heads to look outside . In the park covered with dense
grass, the fog is like a thin layer of gauze hovering the area . In front of the
remote public washroom, several police vehicles are already surrounding the
area and from afar, two clowns are standing in the middle . A few criminal
investigators are wearing explosion-proof gear and are standing beside the
clowns comforting them .
The car door slides open and everybody gets off . Su Mian has no time to dial
Xiao Zhuan, so she stuffs her cell phone back into her pocket . Han Chen
hops off the car behind her and then turns around to say to Cold Face, “Get a
team to go take a look at Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan . ”
Cold Face receives the order and takes action . Su Mian and Han Chen
glance at each other . His eyes are dark and calm . He pats her back gesturing
her to continue walking with him .
_____
Chatterbox senses something is not right the moment he steps into the
alleyway .
He can smell a bit of blood . It immediately makes him feel his heart in his
throat .
Up ahead, the old grandma’s restaurant is open and brightly lit . Two to three
tables of customers are just finishing breakfast; on the other end of the
alleyway, a few passersby can be seen . There is no sign of Zhou Xiao Zhuan
. He holds his breath walking along the wall searching for the faint smell of
blood . He sees blotches of blood at the foot of the wall right away . There
are a few spots of fresh blood that are almost dry; only a bit of it is still wet
——it matches the exact time of when Xiao Zhuan entered the alleyway! And
the mud on the ground is messy from being stepped on; it looks as if a fierce
fight had happened here .
His eyes open wide . He starts searching the alleyway frantically; he pulls
over a passerby and asks anxiously . He looks up and sees the bright sky; all
he can feel is cold sweat down his spine and shivers from fright .
_____
“The first victim’s name is Wang Yuan De, and the second victim’s name is
Su Da Yong,” the officer who first arrived at the scene says quickly to Han
Chen and the others, “They both live in the area and were hit unconscious
with a bat by someone in the middle of the night . They woke up in the
washroom . ”
Han Chen, Su Mian, and the others put on explosion-proof gears and then
match their watches: 6:42 am . There are still 25 minutes before the
explosion .
The city’s best bomb disposal expert has already arrived at the scene and is
hovering on the victims to take a closer look . Although the clock is ticking,
the situation is already much better than last time . Therefore, the police are
carrying out two different approaches at the same time: on one side, the expert
is trying his best to dismantle the bomb, while at the same time, the Black
Shield Team is working on decoding the password .
Han Chen puts on his black gloves and walks to the first victim . Su Mian
follows .
Even though officers have been comforting them, the victims’ reactions are
still very intense; they’re crying and trembling and aren’t able to speak in full
sentences .
Han Chen lifts his eyes at one of the victims and says in a calm voice, “Stop
trembling . Cooperate well or how else will we be able to save you?”
Probably because his expression is too stern and carries an imposing aura, so
the victim weeps looking at him but is oddly able to calm down .
“What are the lyrics that the criminal has taught you to sing?” Su Mian asks .
“Sing?” the victim sniffs his nose and shakes his head, “No, no singing . He
told us to memorize……memorize a poem . ” An officer hands them a pen
and notebook: “This is what we’ve recorded based on his words . ”
Han Chen takes it and reads it solemnly . Su Mian is stunned the moment she
sees the contents .
“The most simple existence of the universe,

crisscrossing and turning repeatedly .
The most complicated form of life,
loses morning and gains night .
It can blanket every day,
it can possess every year .
What is lost will always be regained .
In my dream of nothingness,
his name,
will finally not be buried by time . ”
The two of them read the poem and are quiet for a moment . The other
investigators beside them don’t have any ideas either, so they all raise their
heads and look at Han Chen .
In a desperate situation like this with everybody eyes on him, Han Chen is
actually very calm . He holds the paper in his hand and his slender finger taps
on the back of it lightly . He lifts his head suddenly and looks at Su Mian .
Therefore, everybody turns to look at Su Mian .
“Su Mian, I need you to confirm two things based on the view of criminal
psychology,” he says .
Su Mian is stunned slightly and answers, “Okay . ”
Han Chen continues, “Who wrote this poem?”
“R,” Su Mian replies .
She understands why Han Chen needs to ask her . When it comes to
understanding those three people, there’s probably no one else who knows
them better than her . And from a criminal psychology point of view, a
different poem writer will mean that the password pattern will be different as
well——even when they’re members of the seven-member organization .
There’s no way that A would be able to write a poem like this . L’s style
would be more exaggerated, emotional, and abstract . But the underlying
meaning wouldn’t be complicated; that’s more like his style . And the poem
in front of them is short and simple yet you can sense that its meaning is deep
. Among the three of them, it can only be written by R . Furthermore, L was
severely injured by Han Chen, so he probably doesn’t have the mood or
strength to write a poem .
Han Chen stares into her eyes . His fair white face is calm yet his eyes are
dense as if he’s thinking of something .
“What do you think this poem is talking about?” he asks again .
The officers beside them are looking at each other . Yeah, what is this poem
talking about? Su Mian hums in a low voice and directs her gaze to the paper
again . From the moment she read these words, her first thought was……
“Why do I feel that it’s talking about math and philosophy?” she says, “You
know that there’s always this saying: math is the most simple and basic
existence that derives complex disciplines and life . This poem seems to
carry that meaning when its read . The last few phrases are more emotional .
When combined, there’s a philosophical sense to it . ”
Her gaze deepens as she says this .
Her understanding of R has always been very little . He’s a doctor, and he
was one of the black shadows in the video . He takes away women’s hearts
without leaving any traces behind . But she never thought that R’s way of
thinking would carry such characteristics . He most probably likes math and
likes to explore meanings behind things . Perhaps he has a lot of insights and
his thoughts may even be attractive .
A man of mystery .
But……
Su Mian’s thinks for a second . Math? Although Han Chen has nothing to do
with philosophy, he’s a king in mathematics .
She lifts her head right away and sees Han Chen deep in his thoughts . His
dark eyebrows, refined and handsome face, accompanied by his slightly
wrinkled shirt collar from working all night, looks concentrated .
Nobody dares to breathe too loudly . They think to themselves: although Han
Chen is nicknamed the Super Detective, how will he be able to solve the
riddle from a poem written by a maniac? Su Mian doesn’t think that way .
She doesn’t see R as a maniac when reading the poem . Han Chen’s forte is
math and R clearly shows affection toward math . This is clearly a PK (player
kill) battle between the two of them .
To everyone’s surprise, after thinking for a while, Han Chen raises his head,
folds the paper and hands it to Su Mian . A faint smile flashes across his eyes,
“The passcode is 18749019 . ”


Chapter 126
Chapter 126
Chapter 126: Born to Die
After Han Chen finishes, everybody is struck dumb .
It’s a serious matter nonetheless . He sweeps his eyes across everyone and
explains quickly:
“The most basic existence, 1 .
The most complicated form of life: 8 . From 0 to 9, only it is similar to the

symbol of infinity as well as the shape of DNA . As for the closing phrases
for the first and two phrases, ‘crisscrossing and turning’ and ‘losing morning
and gaining night’, are like what Su Mian said . They seem more like they’re
written to portray emotion . It’s probably how the killer feels about these two
numbers .
It can blanket every day: 7 . There are 7 days in a week, so it covers all of it;
It can possess every year: 4 . There are 4 seasons in a year .
What is lost will always be regained……”
He hums under this breath . Su Mian and the others listen attentively; their
breathing stutters following the pause in his speech . But they see a sarcastic
smile brushing across his eyes, “This phrase is simply the killer’s play on
words . The characters making up the words ‘lost’ and ‘regain’ appear in the
ending phrases for 1 and 8 . The word ‘always’ means to repeat it . Therefore,
1 and 8 together make up 9 . At the same time, the meaning behind lost and
regain is something that lasts for a long time, which is homophonic of 9 . ”
Su Mian opens her eyes wide and mutters, “That’s so sly……”
Han Chen’s eyes are still dark and unreadable . He continues, “A dream of
nothingness . Nothingness can only be 0 . And then, his name, will finally not
be buried by time……” he looks toward Su Mian, “Do you still remember
how the last poem ended?”
The people around them are clueless . Su Mian raises an eyebrow and blurts
out, “I get it! Taking S as the center . Therefore, the ‘he’ in here represents S
. And the letter S in the alphabet is placed… . . ” She’s not skillful in math,
after all, so she quietly recites the alphabets to herself, but she’s eighty
percent sure about it .
Han Chen’s eyes are clear as he answers, “It’s 19 . Therefore, 18749019 .

After the series of numbers return to 0, it converges with 1 and 9 . This
matches the poem’s emphasis on the meaning of cycling and reincarnation . ”
Everybody turns quiet right after Han Chen finishes . In the spacious park,
the fog has already dissipated . The sun is shining through the clouds .
Everybody is standing silently . Only the bombs’ displays on the victims’
chests are showing the time ticking away . The atmosphere is tense and
serious .
Su Mian is confident of Han Chen’s inferences . It’s a very basic logic——if

they only look at the poem on the surface level, there may be many different
meanings . But for someone who knows math, their way of thinking must be
very similar . Therefore, Han Chen’s explanation has the highest probability
of being the correct answer .
After a brief moment, Han Chen and Su Mian look at each other . Su Mian
nods her head firmly and then they both turn to look at the victim . The other
officers’ gazes also follow .
The victim also heard Han Chen’s reasoning just now . He licks his dry lips
and says trembling, “Ar-Are you sure that’s the one?”
Han Chen walks up to him, lifts up his finger with his eyes half closed and
says, “Trust me . ”
They’re the simplest two words . His deep and unhurried voice somehow
calms one’s heart . Su Mian holds her breath as she watches him move . The
victim grits his teeth as he closes his eyes with his body shaking . The bomb
disposal expert nods and retreats to the side . And the officers and the police
cars around them are behind the explosion-proof shields . Just like Su Mian,
they’re holding their breaths . Even in the office far away at the provincial
station, the authorities are fully concentrated on the live stream .
The time on the bomb is still counting down: 13:02, 13:01, 13:00, 12:59……
Han Chen lowers his head with his eyes calm as he punches in the numbers
quickly——18749019!
The whole area is quiet .
Su Mian feels her heart skip a beat . Tears are flowing from the victim’s face
.
12:57 .
The time freezes .
The victim stares blankly at the frozen time on his chest . Han Chen, Su
Mian, and the bomb disposal expert all reveal a smile . After a short moment
of silence, the officers around them roar in cheers; they hug each other, hi-
fives, and shouts . Their voices are thunderous in the park!
After being caught off guard in previous times, they’re finally able to save
their first victim today!
Amid the deafening sound of cheers, Su Mian lifts her head and looks into
Han Chen’s dark brown eyes . His eyes are carrying a hint of a smile as they
stare back at her . And her heart is enclosed by the warmth in them; it’s
moving yet subtle .
They quietly stare at each other for a second before raising their heads .
There’s still the second victim .
……
Probably due to seeing the other victim saved, the second victim has already
started shouting his lungs out, “Save me! Save me!” But when Han Chen and
Su Mian walks up to him, they notice that his expression is even more
frightening and hopeless than before . His tears are flowing non-stop; nothing
like seeing the hope of being saved at all .
Su Mian feels her heart being squeezed as she senses something bad coming .
Han Chen collects his expression and asks, “What is the content of the
poem?”
The officer accompanying the victim moves his lips, but nothing comes out .
The victim’s face is pale as a dead man as he responds with a trembling
voice, “No . None! He, he didn’t tell me anything and just left!”
The officers around all exchange glances .
Han Chen doesn’t say anything . Su Mian’s hand curl into fists at the side of
her body .
None? No poem to solve the password? Could it be that A doesn’t want to

continue this game anymore, so he’s not playing by the rules and is
determined to kill this person mercilessly?
Seeing the officers’ reactions, the victim is crying even more frantically . The
bomb disposal expert, on the other hand, nods toward Han Chen, “Let me
give it a try . There might be a way to dismantle it . ”
His words finally make the victim stop crying . He stares hopefully at the
bomb disposal expert . Everybody’s attention is also directed to the bomb
disposal expert . Han Chen and Su Mian are standing side by side . In the
morning sky, his black jacket accents his fair white face that’s cold like jade .
He looks at the victim, adjusts his black gloves but directs his words to Su
Mian, “What do you think?”
He hears Su Mian hum in a low voice, “Hm,” and then responds, “I’m
thinking…If I were A, even if I don’t say a word today, what kind of
password would I set?”
Han Chen pauses his movement, turns around and looks at her .
In the early rising sun, her hair is tied up high and she is standing very straight
. It’s been many days of hard work; she has dark circles under her eyes and
due to her light complexion, it makes her look just like a panda . But her
expression is full of determination right now as she concentrates on the victim
.
Han Chen observes her quietly for a moment before following her gaze and
looking at the victim . He asks suddenly, “‘He didn’t say anything and just
left . ’——you saw the criminal?”
This question stuns both the victim and Su Mian . He nods and then shakes
his head, “I did see him, but he was wearing a mask and a baseball cap, so I
couldn’t see his face . ”
Su Mian is worked up now as if a treasure has just landed on her lap . She
asks, “What did he do at the time? What kind of movements did he make?
Where was he standing? Think carefully and tell me everything . We might
still have a chance!”
A loves playing games so much . He even got R to set up such an intricate

and complex password on the first victim . There’s no reason to break the
rules of the game on the second victim .
This means only one thing——a password exists . And it’s possible that she
knows what it is; a set of numbers that signify something special . This is
what a game should be like for A .
He wants her to guess . He wants her to take a big risk and make a wild guess
.
But what could these numbers be?
Her words make the victim feel dumbstruck . The image of what happened
today floats into his mind quickly……
It was dim with the stinky smell of the washroom . He woke up in haziness
and fear began to drown his heart . That man was sitting on a broken chair
not far away .
That man was wearing a dark blue baseball cap with a rough edge due to
being worn out . Under the cap, a pair of cold eyes could be seen . He leaned
against the chair as he tapped his fingers wearing plastic gloves slowly . It
was as if he was thinking .
No matter how much the victims cried and begged to be freed, he ignored him
. After a while, he pulled out his cell phone and started browsing it with his
head down .
……
“What was he reading?” Su Mian asks .
The victim is a bit stunned and then he shakes his head, “I-I don’t know……”
But Su Mian’s question makes him recall another detail . The phone that the
man pulled out was very old . It looked like a Nokia and its screen was half
the size of phones today . His fingers swiped the screen up and down . It was
probably one of Nokia’s first touchscreen models . Due to the dim lighting,
the brightness of the screen flickered on his face as he moved his fingers on it
.
……
“He was looking at photos,” Han Chen says suddenly . Su Mian nods, “Old
phone, old photos . ”
And then? What then?
That man browsed the old phone for a while with a smile showing in his eyes
. And then he fetched another phone . It had a big screen and much more
intricate . After he browsed through it for a while, he then put both phones
back into his pockets . He turned to look at the victim .
His eyes were calm, which actually made the victim think that there was still
hope, so the victim begged him to let him go . But it was as if he couldn’t
hear him . He got up and left .
……
What is the password?
What was he looking at and thinking about?
Han Chen watches Su Mian quietly . He reaches out his hand and supports
her shoulder .
“If there is an answer, only you would know . ”
Su Mian remains quiet for a moment before lifting her head to look at him .
She says in a voice that is only audible to them, “If he is reminiscing on
something, it must be the seven-member organization in the past, and the me
in the past . And what he was looking at later must have been photos from
the current . The set of numbers should be related to me . I should know what
those numbers are . If it’s something that matches this criterion, it would have
to be 20090420 . Because after that day, Su Mian became Bai Jin Xi . ”
Han Chen ponders quietly but hears her continue, “But based on his crimes in
the past, he almost never repeats his actions completely . Therefore this time,
the password wouldn’t repeat, otherwise, it would be exactly the same as the
previous victim . What other numbers do I know and he knows as well? He
knows that I’ve lost my memory, so I can’t remember any dates or numbers
relating to when I was an undercover as well as the seven-member
organization . There’s only one possibility left——
The first possibility, what we inferred last time . The date of his first crime .
But This date has no relation to me, so we can rule this one out;
The second possibility, the date of my reunion with him, which is when he
entered our home and left behind a letter . If we look at both the past and
present, that day was indeed worth remembering . But that day was also the
day that we started our battle with the three of them . Based on how the
victim described A’s expression, he was not excited, but rather calm and
gentle . Therefore, that day doesn’t fit the criteria . He wouldn’t be carrying
gentleness and reminiscing on the past on the day he left me an invitation
letter……”
Su Mian finishes explaining with such a long speech and then switches her
tone, “Through the process of elimination, there aren’t many meaningful
numbers left that I know of . However, if what he was thinking of was me, I
will have to be able to guess what it is and it has to be something that he
reminisces . Therefore, there is a series of numbers that match this criterion
——
19890317, Su Mian’s birthday . What he reminisces is the past . If the seven-

member organization did not break apart, I would not have become Bai Jin Xi
then . When we reunited, he called me Su Mian and not Bai Jin Xi . If he
wanted to mock me, wouldn’t it have been more fun to call me Bai Jin Xi?
But from the beginning to now, he has always called me Su Mian and Big
Sister . What he acknowledges is Su Mian, even if she’s a policeman and an
undercover . ”
_____
The second bomb is dismantled successfully!
The area is full of cheers . The two victims are also crying from joy . In front
of the monitoring screen, the authorities at the provincial station also nod with
smiles .
And Han Chen and Su Mian are standing in the middle of the crowd and also
smiling . Han Chen places his commands to the other investigators,
“Examine the area immediately to search for evidence . Obtain the
surveillance videos around the area to look for a suspect……”
The bomb disposal expert is pleased . After all, he only had no more than 50
to 60 percent confidence of being able to dismantle the bomb . Now that the
victims are saved before the time is up, there’s no better outcome than this .
The bombs that have been removed are handled by the bomb squad . They
open a box and place both bombs inside in order to transport and detonate
them safely . Just as they’re about to close the box, they’re suddenly in shock
.
“Move out! Hurry and move out! Run!” he shouts as he pulls the officers
around them to run away .
Han Chen and Su Mian feel their hearts shake . They turn around at the same
time and see the box that has been left on the ground by the bomb squad .
The time displays that were frozen before have started counting down again!
“01:32, 01:31, 01:30……”
Everybody is in a panic as they shout, “Run!” “Take hiding! It’s about to

explode!” Everybody is dashing out of the park, running several hundreds of
meters away to hide beside the explosion-proof shields . They hold their
breaths as they watch the two bombs in the center . Han Chen is embracing
Su Mian lying down on the ground with his eyes locked to the front . Su
Mian murmurs, “How could this be……”
00:10, 00:09……00:01, 00:00……

Everywhere in the park is dead silent .
Everybody looks up and at each other . No explosion . There’s actually no

explosion .
Han Chen pulls Su Mian to stand up with him . The phone in her pocket
makes two beeps .
Ever since receiving L’s dancing video, Su Mian shivers every time she hears
an alert of a text message . She feels a bit of queasiness . And the fact that
she’s receiving a text message at this very minute makes her sense that
something bad is about to happen .
Han Chen notices her face turning pale and looks down at her . She fetches
her phone and sees that she has received two videos from an unknown sender
.
She takes a deep breath and opens the first video . The instant it starts
playing, she is stunned .
Xiao Zhuan!
It’s actually Zhou Xiao Zhuan! Han Chen sees it as well . His dark brown
eyes turn cold immediately .
It’s an unfamiliar room with nothing on the wall . Xiao Zhuan is tied up in a
chair and there’s blood on his forehead that has not dried yet . His face is pale
like a corpse .
There’s a bomb tied to the front of his chest . The display is showing exactly
30:00 and then it starts counting down .
Su Mian’s breathing quickens . She stares at it blankly for a few seconds and
as if there’s a strong feeling about what will happen, she opens the second
video .
Xu Si Bai .
He’s in the same situation as Zhou Xiao Zhuan . There are also spots of blood
on his face . It’s just that compared to Zhou Xiao Zhuan, his expression is
rather calm . His eyes are looking directly at the camera but a bit spaced out .
A man who’s so pure and handsome like spring is in such a wreck with a
bomb tied to him .
At this very moment, another text message comes to her phone——
“The unlock code for the bombs is your right hand’s fourth fingerprint . You
only have time to save one of them . ”
……
The end of the first two bombs is just the beginning of a new one .
When you’ve just saved two innocent people, your most beloved comrades
are in danger because of this .
Su Mian, who will you choose?


Chapter 127
Chapter 127
Chapter 127: Mini Side Stories
Mini Side Story: Heartless Cold Face Part 1
Ever since Han Chen and Su Mian announced their relationship, the once
famous City Lan’s law enforcement’s most wanted bachelor has now stepped
out of the view of women .
But very quickly, another man has taken Han Chen’s place as female officers,
investigators, and prosecutors’ ideal person to marry .
He is Cold Face!
Most women who are in law enforcement jobs are too great in their studies or
not too good with their social skills . There are a bunch of men in the system
available if they want to find one . But to find a boyfriend who’s earnest,
affectionate, and knows when you’re sick or well, it’s not that easy .
And this man, the new “star of law enforcement”, satisfies the majority of
women’s criteria for a boyfriend and a husband!
First off, he’s handsome . His features are gorgeous and he’s tall . Although
he’s not unbelievably handsome like Han Chen, to the point where women’s
hearts skip a beat from a glimpse of him, it’s actually better . He’s just right .
If he was as handsome as Han Chen, it would make a woman feel insecure .
Furthermore, according to Xiao Zhuan, who often goes to the gym with him,
“Cold Face has an eight-pack and a very pretty mermaid line! But how come
he doesn’t look buff at all when wearing clothes?” The women hearing this
snippet of news all sigh——Zhou Xiao Zhuan, for a guy who’s skinny like a
baseball bat, what do you know about a guy’s body? This is the kind of body
that every man should have, refined but not buff!
Additionally, he’s very proper and single-minded . He never seeks after
beauties . He apparently has had only one girlfriend in the past . He’s been
single since the breakup . Other girls have pursued him, but he has never once
been moved . He’s such an honest man who never cheats . If you could open
his heart again and make him be your boyfriend, can you imagine how much
he would be in love with you?
To add further, he has countless other strengths! He’s good at detective work,
has great achievements, and is a top investigator of the police force .
Although he won’t lead you to live a wealthy life, he will definitely be able
to build a safe and steady future with you . His athleticism and shooting skills
are top notches . He’s Province K’s champion in kickboxing, mixed martial
arts, and shooting competitions . If you become his woman, you feel as if
you’ve married the leader of the Martial Arts circle; who would dare bully
you then? Moreover, the most insane thing is that he’s very, very good at
cooking! He even knows how to make soup! The members of the Black
Shield Team apparently goes to Cold Face’s home to eat whenever they have
time . Black Chicken Soup, Turtle Soup, Pork Belly Soup…his menu never
repeats . Therefore, the Black Shield Team is always full of energy . It’s all
because Cold Face is feeding them well!
And therefore, when these many talents are found in a man and he’s still
single and is not good at conversing, what reasons are there to stop him from
becoming the most popular guy among women?!
……
Somehow all the single women from every station, courthouse, and
prosecutor’s office have more or less heard of Cold Face’s existence .
And somehow, Cold Face has started receiving many aggressive pursuits and
confessions .
For example……
He was at a certain station to retrieve some documents . In the quiet archives

room, when he was giving the old administrator a cigarette, a couple of young
female officers appeared suddenly . Their long hair swayed and the smell of
perfume permeated the air . They were dressed in their police uniform shirts
accenting their prettiness and valiantness . The old administrator couldn’t
take his eyes off of them .
But Cold Face didn’t even glance at them .
The female offices looked at each other . They then chuckled and surrounded
him, “You’re the famous Teacher Cold Face? We’re your fans! We’re very
interested in the Black Shield Team and are thinking of taking the test next
year . Teacher Cold Face, can you give us some pointers?”
If it were any other man (not including Han Chen), they would be floating
above ground when facing these pretty female officers . But Cold Face……
He frowned his eyebrows slightly, picked up the documents he needed, and

avoided eye contact with them by looking down .
“No,” he turned around and left .
The female officers were struck dumb, “……”
Or another example……
On a certain day, he was delivering some information to the courthouse . The

moment he entered, he was called by a young female prosecutor, “Cold Face,
come here with me for a second . ”
A certain murder case was under review at the time, so there must be a reason
for a prosecutor to be looking for him . Cold Face followed her to the office
without hesitation .
After he sat down, the female prosecutor handed him a file and asked a few
questions . Cold Face frowned his eyebrows again . It was because the
questions were very simple . As a prosecutor, her intelligence shouldn’t
be……Just when he was thinking about this, he lifted his head and glanced at
her . What he didn’t know was that his rather calm, indifferent, and manly
glance made the female prosecutor lose her composure . She thought to
herself: she’s highly educated, has a decent body figure, and is called the
beauty of XX Courthouse, so they must be……a perfect match . She lifted
her eyes and looked at him . Very gently and softly, she asked, “Cold Face, I
heard that you don’t have a girlfriend?”
Cold Face’s eyes were still on the file as he answered casually, “Mm . ”
“What do you think about me then?”

Although Cold Face was taciturn, he was unlike Zhou Xiao Zhuan, who was
still a young lad and didn’t know much . He paused hearing the question,
placed the file down and stared at the female prosecutor .
“Not much . ”
The female prosecutor was speechless, “……”
Cold Face got up, “I’ll get going if there’s nothing else . ”
And then he left .
……
After these incidents happened numerous times, Cold Face’s “heartless”

nickname is known in the entire law enforcement system . He’s certainly a
man who makes one love and hate at the same time . Therefore, everybody
wonders what kind of woman can possess Cold Face’s heart .
Even the Black Shield Team is gossiping about it . On a certain day when
they finish eating their takeouts, Chatterbox taps his chopsticks against his
cup, “Dong, dong, dong……Place your bets, place your bets now . Who
could it be that will be able to pick Cold Face, this flower on the high
mountain!”
Han Chen and Cold Face obviously won’t participate in such a boring topic .
Xiao Zhuan and Su Mian will naturally be excited about it .
Xiao Zhuan thinks hard and shakes his head, “I don’t know either! I don’t
really know this sort of thing……”
Su Mian, on the other hand, acts like she’s a pro and sighs, “He doesn’t like
those pretty and cute girls . He doesn’t like those cold and sexy girls either .
From the looks of it, Cold Face must like weirdos . ”
Cold Face responds immediately, “Be quiet . ”
……
Therefore, everybody believes that Cold Face will stay single for life . Even
Cold Face seems to have gotten used to the single life . It’s not that he still has
feelings for his ex-girlfriend; she’s gotten married and has kids already . He
just doesn’t know how to start a new love relationship .
It’s probably because the feeling isn’t there yet, so he doesn’t want to force it .
Until one day……
It’s a very ordinary and peaceful day . The only slight turbulence is probably
Cold Face’s arm getting cut by a knife while catching a criminal . And
therefore, in this sunny and quiet afternoon, he knocks on the door of the
medical office room .
The medical office has a faint sterile smell . But it also has an even fainter
smell of freshness; like flowers and grass .
He looks down and sees a very small plant on the desk . There is also a small
fishbowl with a very small goldfish swimming around in it . In this serious
police station filled with the aura of manliness, seeing these decorations
suddenly makes one feel calm and soothing .
“Wait a sec! I’ll be out once I’m done washing my face!” a female voice says
crisply from inside .
That voice actually sounds very nice .
Cold Face takes a peek through the muslin curtains and then sits down on a
chair . Information about the doctor floats across his mind; he seems to have
heard Chatterbox and the others talk about her; something about a new intern
doctor has come working at the medical office and that she is quite pretty and
don’t have a boyfriend .
He didn’t pay too much attention to the other details .
After he waits for a while, the curtains are flipped open and someone walks
out from them . Cold Face raises his head to look .
……
Xiao Zhuan feels that Cold Face has been acting weird in these couple of days
. Why is he going to the medical office every day at noon? Didn’t he only get
a cut on his arm? When he was stabbed with a knife by Xu Nan Bai last time,
he didn’t visit the medical office that often . Could it be that his wound is
more serious than it looks?
With that thought in mind, Xiao Zhuan shows his care as the team eats dinner
together, “Cold Face, why are you going to the medical office so many times
recently? Is it because your wound has not recovered yet?”
Just when he finishes, everybody lifts their heads to look at Cold Face .
Cold Face takes a sip of his soup and says calmly, “No . I’m pursuing
someone . ”
“Pfft!” “Pfft!” “Pfft!”……Xiao Zhuan, Chatterbox, and Su Mian spurt out the
soup in their mouths . Han Chen also lifts his eyes to look at Cold Face .
“Pursuing someone?” Chatterbox asks in disbelief, “It’s not what we think it

is, is it?”
Cold Face doesn’t bother answering such nonsense question, so he continues

drinking his soup .
Everyone at the table is a top-notch investigator nonetheless, so they connect

the dots instantly .
Chatterbox says, “You’re pursuing the doctor? Holy shit!! She’s very
popular, you know?! I want to pursue her too!”
Cold Face raises his head and glances at him, “Give it up . ”
Chatterbox is speechless, “You!!!”
Xiao Zhuan says, “Ahhhh! I like that doctor girl a lot . Cold Face, you have
such good taste . ”
Cold Face smiles . Han Chen doesn’t comment; he pats his shoulder to
express his support .
A woman reacts slower than men when it comes to these things . Su Mian
thinks for a moment and finally remembers who the doctor girl is . She slaps
her thigh and says, “Holy shit! Cold Face, you actually like that kind of soft
and cute women?!”
Cold Face lowers his head and lights up a cigarette . He smiles faintly, “I do
indeed like that soft and cute kind of women . ”
And then on one bright afternoon……
“What did you say? Doctor Xia absolutely does not like the kind of men like
Cold Face?”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan jaws drop from shock . Su Mian spreads her arms out
helplessly, “What can I do? It’s what she said . A few others in the medical
office heard it too . ”
They both secretly look toward Cold Face .
Big Brother Cold Face is sitting by the window . His cold and fair white side
profile is manly and gentle . He tilts his head to light up a cigarette and
doesn’t comment . Chatterbox starts blabbering, “That little girl says she
doesn’t like Cold Face? How can she possibly not like Cold Face? Cold Face
is the most popular man in the whole police station . He’s miles ahead of me
and Xiao Zhuan! How could there be someone who doesn’t like him?!” He
talks out loud with an angry expression on his face but it’s obvious that he’s
making fun .
Xiao Zhuan, who’s also “not a popular man,” is pleased inside hearing his
words: this is too childish and a little overboard!
Su Mian is in battle mode to help Cold Face fight for his love . She leans
against Cold Face’s table full of worry, “Big Brother Cold Face, what should
we do now? Why don’t I lure her to our office and you la-… . . ”
Before she could finish, Han Chen presses down on her head, “What rotten
idea are you coming up with?”
Su Mian responds, “What about it?… . . ”
“What you don’t want to be done to you, don’t do to others (idiom),” Han
Chen says indifferently, clearly hinting something . In others eyes, he’s cool
and handsome looking and carries a sense of responsibility . But Su Mian
understands him right away and her face blushes .
She indeed did not have the “appetite” last night, but he still “did it”! F–k!
The other four are chit-chatting while Cold Face, the subject of discussion,
continues smoking with his head down . Without saying anything, he gets up
and leaves .
The medical office is in another building . The sun is shining quietly at this
hour and there aren’t a lot of people around . Doctor Xia is on the second
floor . There are a couple of small plants on the balcony and the wind is
blowing on the curtains lightly .
Cold Face is standing below, smoking while leaning against the lamp post .
After a while, he spots the cute and soft girl of his wearing a white coat
walking out of the office . She’s holding her chin with her fingers and
looking far away like she’s staring into nothingness out of boredom .
Cold Face continues smoking like this . His usual expressionless face finally
shows a bit of disappointment .
She doesn’t like him?
Why?
The long-awaited feeling of interest; does it have to end before it begins?
The last time he felt this way, it lasted three years before he was dumped .
This time, he hasn’t even started and it’s over……
F–k .
_____
The medical office at the police station is actually not busy at all . It’s early in
the morning and Xia Zi Qi has nothing to do . She feeds her goldfish, water
the plants, and then walks around on the balcony .
She’s just carelessly wandering until she lifts her head and sees a familiar
figure down below .
The sun is shining brightly . He’s dressed in his police uniform while leaning
against the wall in the corner and smoking . His head is tilted upward as if he
looks this way . Xia Zi Qi’s face flushes immediately .
He’s here .
He’s here again .
Chi Chen .
Although everybody calls him Cold Face, even the lady at the cafeteria would
greet him cheerfully, “Cold Face, you’re here,” Xia Zi Qi remembers his
actual name well . It’s because his name is just like him; it makes one’s heart
beat fast in panic from just one look .
The best kind of love in the world is one where both individuals are in love
with each other and understand each other . But if he doesn’t take action and
she doesn’t have the confidence, this relationship will be destined to be
bittersweet .
Xia Zi Qi stands there quietly and pretends that she doesn’t see him . But she
can’t stop looking at him from the corner of her eye . After a few minutes, she
sees him toss the cigarette to the ground suddenly and steps on it .
And then……
He’s coming toward the medical office .
Xia Zi Qi runs inside quickly . She takes a big drink of water and pats her
burning face with her hands . She steadies her breathing and pretends to be
calm and composed .
Cold Face knocks on the door, comes in and sees this . The office is quiet,
clean, and warm; just like her . She’s sitting behind the desk . Her features
are refined and pretty .
Cold Face’s heart pounds quietly without anybody knowing .
A certain thought is becoming more firm and clear:
She wants him to give up?

It won’t be that easy .
The atmosphere seems to be filled with uneasiness and anxiousness .
Cold Face sits down in front of her desk .
Xia Zi Qi’s eyes are glued to the medical book in front of her, not daring to
look into his eyes . It’s because his gaze is blazing, and it always makes her
feel uncomfortable .
“Your wound is already fully recovered, so you don’t have to come anymore,”
she says .
She’s all down to business . Cold Face feels his heart being hurt again . After
a moment, he answers, “The wound feels a bit uncomfortable today, can you
take a look at it again?”
Cold Face seldom acts like a scoundrel . But probably because he’s been
around Han Chen for too long, so he admits that he’s been influenced by
him……
“Oh, take off your shirt then,” Xia Zi Qi says indifferently while feeling a bit
disappointed inside——it turns out that he’s only here because his wound
feels uncomfortable .
But isn’t this normal? Otherwise, why would he come looking for her? It’s
not like he has feelings for her, right?
Cold Face turns his back to her and unzips his jacket revealing his shirt inside
. He unbuttons his shirt and lowers the top exposing his wounded shoulder .
Xia Zi Qi stands up bending slightly over to take a look at it .
It’s been healed very well……Why would he feel discomfort?
“What kind of discomfort are you feeling?” she asks him seriously .
What kind of discomfort?
Cold Face can’t find an answer to that . He remains quiet for a few seconds
and then replies slowly, “Itchiness . A bit of pain and fidgety . ”
“Itchiness . A bit of pain and fidgety,” the moment Cold Face finishes, Xia Zi
Qi loses her concentration .
The office is quiet . In the spacious room, there are only the two of them .
His jacket is lowered half-way and the reddish colored wound is like an
eclipse on his shoulder . His skin color is of Xia Zi Qi’s favorite kind:
slightly tanned; most probably due to long periods of training, it’s also firm
and strong . And especially when looking at his shoulders and back, you can
tell that this man’s body is……
Not buff yet wild .
Just like every time she checks his wound, the view is too exceptional; it’s
becoming more and more intense lately . Due to the visual shock, Xia Zi Qi
didn’t listen to what he said clearly, but she’s too embarrassed to ask him
again . Therefore, she lets out an “Mm,” and answers, “I’ll prescribe you
some more medicine then . ”
Cold Face responds, “……Okay . ”
There’s a bit of turbulence in the man’s heart . A voice says: she indeed does
not have him in her heart . His words were so ambiguous and full of hints; he
would never tell someone who’s not close to him that he feels “irritated . ”
But she doesn’t care at all . Another voice sighs quietly: she is indeed soft
and cute; very soft and cute……can a man’s fidgety be treated with
medicine?
Xia Zi Qi is a smart girl, so she prescribes the medicine to him quickly: two
boxes of vitamins and one box of protein powder .
>Cough, cough<, he’s a criminal investigator, isn’t he? She sees the Black
Shield Team always eating fiercely at the cafeteria, chowing down big plates
of meat . It’s probably a good idea to have him take some supplements .
Cold Face puts his shirt and jacket back on, takes the medicines, sweeps his
eyes at her and doesn’t say anything .
Xia Zi Qi keeps calm and smiles slightly, “See you . ”

Cold Face is a manly man who likes to take charge like Han Chen nonetheless
. He gets up without showing any expression on his face, walks to the door
and stops suddenly .
“We’ll see each other again, Xia Zi Qi . ”
Xia Zi Qi doesn’t know how to respond, “……”
Right after he leaves, she wants to bang her head on her desk: I’m done for,
I’m done for! He must be thinking that she was brushing him off by giving
him vitamin and protein powder . Just listen to those fierce words of his:
We’ll see each other again! He even remembers her name . She hears that
he’s never friendly toward women, so he must hold a grudge on her now!
She seems to be able to see her secret feelings for him leave with the wind .
Sigh, Chi Chen . A man who comes and goes like the wind……
And at the same time, Cold Face, the man who comes and goes like the wind,
has just returned to his seat in the office . His hand is still in his pocket,
holding onto those few boxes of medicine .
Although he doesn’t understand why she gave him vitamins, just thinking
about her every expression full of cuteness and her every word just now, his
heart is tender yet agitated .
He looks down at the boxes again . His handsome face that never shows a lot
of expressions slowly reveals a bit of redness from the agitation .
The vitamin she has given him……
He eats it all .
_____
After that, Cold Face has simply been too busy, so they haven’t made
progress . But at least he’s kept in touch with Xia Zi Qi . This keeping in
touch is actually……
Every three to five days, he would bump into her in the cafeteria . The Black
Shield Team would obviously act as a team and sit in the tables around her,
leaving the best view to Cold Face letting him observe his girl at all angles .
If there are any male officers trying to take a seat near Xia Zi Qi, Su Mian
and Xiao Zhuan would immediately rush over like guardians and force the
individuals away by sitting beside her themselves; successfully guarding her
for Cold Face .
Furthermore, Cold Face, who normally don’t pay attention to other officers
getting wounded, would actually send them to the medical officer himself .
He would watch them get treated . Someone says feeling strange, “How
come Cold Face is acting so friendly these days? He’s not……hehheh, trying
to pursue that little girl from the medical office, is he?” The Black Shield
Team sure is black (evil) . They must not alert the other party when their
member is secretly pursuing her, so Big Boss Han stands up and says
indifferently, “Cold Face has too little contact with other colleagues, so I told
him to go . ”
……
After his many visits, the two of them gradually know each other better .
Cold Face learns that this woman has no boyfriend and has even turned down
a few officers in the station (ha……) . Xia Zi Qi also learns that although
Cold Face seems cold and unfriendly on the outside, he’s actually very
considerate . A few times when he accompanied his colleagues to come, there
were a lot of details that she didn’t notice and he would remind her . He
currently has no girlfriend . His ex-girlfriend broke up with him because he
was always too busy at work . He’s really not the type that falls in love easily,
so he has been single for all these years . If she were to be his girlfriend, she
would definitely not hurt him like that……
What should she do?… . . She seems to like him more and more .
This long and unpredictable attempt at probing and coming closer finally ends
one weekend .
This weekend is the province-wide police kickboxing competition .

Originally, Cold Face, who has won numerous times and is considered the
best of the best, didn’t care about participating . But Black Shield Team’s
idiots: Su Mian, Xiao Zhuan, and Chatterbox insist that he must get the top
place .
He doesn’t really mind, so he agrees to go .

And after knowing his participation, Xia Zi Qi hasn’t been able to calm
herself down and has been fidgeting the whole day . Once it’s evening, she
arrives at the venue early .
(to be continued)
Mini Side Story: Han Chen’s Wealth
When it comes to Han Chen’s wealth, it has always been a mystery to Su

Mian .
First of all, he’s a criminal investigator . Even if he’s one of the elites in the
whole province and is an expert for the youths in the Ministry of Security, his
monthly pay is no more than a couple of thousands . Performing well
definitely don’t give him any extra bonuses either; he would get a silk banner
at most .
What’s the use of a silk banner? It can’t be eaten or drunken . For someone
who’s about to become Mrs . Han, Su Mian expresses her worry about having
an income of less than five thousand .
But even with this income, Han Chen drives a Land Rover and the cigarettes
he used to smoke are of the Suyan brand . Although he lives in a two-
bedroom apartment, it’s in the most expensive area of the entire city .
Therefore, Su Mian often wonders——where exactly does his money come
from?
The answer is actually quite obvious .
Since he has no side jobs and he’s still young so he can’t possibly have a lot
of savings . Young Master Han, who’s from a wealthy family, is obviously
spending his parents’ and family’s money .
Although this is surprising to Su Mian, it’s not hard to understand . Even

though Han Chen is an incredible criminal investigator, he was once a
thriftless young master . Among their circle of friends, Monkey, Da Wei, and
the others all probably live this way .
Furthermore, despite he doesn’t make a lot of money, he saves many lives; it’s
incomparable no matter how much money you have . Therefore, Su Mian’s
conclusion is: although Young Master Han is spending his family’s money,
he’s entitled to it! Who says that men can’t inherit their family’s wealth? If
they don’t share the wealth with him, the only son, who else could they share
it with?
And thus, Su Mian throws the thought to the back of her mind . It’s just that
sometimes Han Chen buys her things like clothes, jewelry, electronics……he
doesn’t feel any pain from his wallet; he swipes his credit card without
frowning an eyebrow . Su Mian, on the other hand, feels the pain and tries to
stop him, “Wait! I don’t need it! I don’t think……I really like this anyway . ”
A woman’s change of heart makes Han Chen frown his eyebrows slightly .
But what can he do if she doesn’t like it? In the end, he gives her a
supplementary card, “Buy whatever you want to buy yourself . ”
Su Mian holds the card in her hands with tears flowing in her heart: F–k!
You’re throwing a credit card at her?! The one she married is supposed to be
a passionate super detective and not a cool, handsome, and imposing CEO!
Regardless of how wealthy the Han Family is, it won’t be enough for him to
waste!
Therefore, in the next couple of days, Han Chen can’t help feeling like Su
Mian is looking at him weirdly . There seems to be a bit of resentment for
something that’s not meeting her expectations and there seems to be a worry .
He tries asking her but she always laughs it away and won’t tell him (Su
Mian is afraid of hurting Han Chen’s dignity as a man) .
Until one day——
Su Mian is at home while Han Chen is working at the station . He calls her
suddenly and tells her an account number saying, “This is Monkey’s account
number . Dad saw an inkstone that he really liked but doesn’t have the
money to buy it . Monkey told me about it . Can you transfer some money
over to Monkey? He will buy the inkstone for my dad . ”
Su Mian replies, “Oh, okay . ” Just when she is about to hang up, she realizes
something, “Wait!”
“What is it?”
Su Mian says with a bit of disbelief, “Why would your dad not have money?”
She braces herself as if she’s about to go up against her strongest opponent
——could it be that Han Chen has really spent away all of Han Family’s
money? Oh shit!
Han Chen, on the other end, remains quiet for a moment and then laughs
answering, “Although my dad is in a high position and doesn’t need to worry
about money and my family’s financial situation is not bad, with my dad not
being greedy and don’t accept bribery, his income at most is enough for the
family to be well-off . For an inkstone that’s about a couple hundred
thousands of dollars, it’s not that easy for him to shell out so much money and
he won’t be willing to . ”
Su Mian’s jaws drop, “Hah! Then where does……your money come from?”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a second and then says slowly:
“Did you always think that I’ve been eating off of someone else?”
Of course, Han Chen doesn’t . A man’s arrogance can be seen based on how
he treats women, his work, as well as his attitude toward money . In Young
Master Han’s heart, if a twenty-something-year-old man only knows how to
spend his family’s money, he’s just a good-for-nothing brat .
So where do his money, his car, and his brand name cigarettes come from
then?
“Stocks,” he answers .
After Han Chen comes home tonight, he tosses her his account details which
contains all of his money . Su Mian is a bit excited as she’s about to take a
peek at her own man’s fortune . She logs onto the online banking website and
her eyes open wide .
Although he’s not wealthy to the point of being a rich man, it’s enough for
him to spend for the rest of his life .
Su Mian is a bit shocked yet understands at the same time, “Could it be that
those who are good at math will also do well in investing in stocks?”
Han Chen embraces her and says indifferently, “When I was in high school,
the stock market was doing really well, so I made quite a bit . And then when
I was in university, I used my relative’s accounts and made double . I don’t do
it anymore since I’ve made enough . My regular spending isn’t that much, so
if you want to buy anything, just decide on your own . ”
Su Mian wraps her arms around him, “Hubby, you actually have this much
money! I’m truly a blind cat who bumped into a mouse!” (idiom, being
lucky)
What kind of metaphor is this……
Han Chen remains quiet for a moment before laughing, “You think this is a
lot of money?” He glances at her, “The Han Family has a long history .
Although we’re not super wealthy, we have quite a number of calligraphy
paintings, jewels, and other things . We own a few courtyard houses in
Beijing (type of Chinese residence) and they will be given to me in the future
. Compared to these, the money in the account isn’t really much . ”
Su Mian blurts out, “Oh f–k!! What other properties do you have then? You
better tell me all of them now!”
Han Chen takes a look at her, keeps quiet for a second and answers, “There’s
one more, which is the most expensive property . ”
Su Mian opens her eyes wide, “What is it, what is it?” It’s not that she covets
for riches . She’s simply curious and wants to broaden her view, “Is it like a 4
. 6 billion-year-old emerald or a calligraphy painting by Wang Xizhi?”
Han Chen doesn’t answer . He falls back onto the bed and closes his eyes .
Su Mian won’t let him off so easily . She crawls up on his chest and
entangles him, “What treasure is it? Just let me see!”
Han Chen lowers his eyes to look at her, “What do you think? What other
treasure do I have that has made me spent so much time chasing her? What
could it be that almost cost me my life in getting her?”


Chapter 128
Chapter 128
Chapter 128: Her Decision Part 1
Why?
Why must they do this? Why must they force her to choose?
What is their goal?
……
These thoughts flash across Su Mian’s mind . She lifts her head and stares
into the bright sky . The sound of a siren is still ongoing, Han Chen is driving
at top speed on the road in the early morning; many people turn to look .
Su Mian’s face is expressionless as she grabs onto the handle in the car . Her
palm is hurting due to putting too much pressure on it .
Han Chen looks at her with the corner of his eye and sees her in a daze . It
makes his heart ache . He returns his gaze to the road, “The bomb disposal
expert is in the car behind us . Let him save the other one . ”
Su Mian doesn’t speak .
Perhaps there’s still hope, but only perhaps .
Stopping the bombs from exploding on the two civilians has triggered the
countdown to the deaths of two police officers . And she is the one who will
decide who gets to live or die . It’s so cruel and presumptuous; this is the real
retaliation and mockery on the Black Shield Team from the seven-member
organization .
Her eyes become watery but she stops them from flowing out .
Xiao Zhuan and Xu Si Bai . Her most intimate friends who have
accompanied her all these years, yet they’re forcing her to choose .
But there isn’t any other way .
Right after receiving the video just now, the technicians on the scene started
to trace the signal . In just three minutes, they confirmed the general area, but
they still need some time to figure out their precise locations . Both locations
are in the East District, but one of them is in the South end while the other is
in the North end . This means that after leaving the park and going East for a
distance, Su Mian must make a decision . And after saving one of them, there
will definitely not be enough time to make it to the other location .
They can’t replicate her fingerprint either . After playing the video, Han
Chen told Chatterbox to come to the scene immediately . Chatterbox’s face
turned pale when he finished watching the video and murmured, “No……it
won’t work! This fella is too smart . He’s using a high precision fingerprint
scanner that can sense the fine lines on the skin and its temperature . A
normal fingerprint film won’t work! I must go back to the station and grab my
tools . If…If Xiao Bai comes back to the station with me, it’ll take at least 20
minutes to go and come back . It definitely won’t be enough time!”
……
“Let me think for a while longer,” she says softly with her head lowered while
staring at the GPS on the dash . She has always been a direction idiot who
can’t tell where North, East, South, and West are . But she has engraved their
current location and their route to save the two officers inside her head .
8 km .
There are still 8 kilometers before the intersection . With Han Chen’s driving
speed, it’s around 3 to 4 minutes . She must make a decision; go South or go
North . Otherwise, if they pass the intersection, they would be off route and
won’t be able to save either of them .
“I’ll decide,” Han Chen says suddenly .
Su Mian jerks her head up and looks at him . Both of his hands are on the
steering wheel and his eyes are on the road . His expression is full of
coldness, “I’ll make the decision . I’ll choose who you’ll save . That’s it . ”
Tears almost flow out of Su Mian’s eyes .
If the other person cannot be saved, whoever makes the decision will be the
one who will live with this burden for the rest of his/her life, wouldn’t it?
Han Chen wants to carry this burden for her .
She bites on her lower lip and shakes her head, “No, I’ll decide by myself . ”
It’s as if moisture is gathering in her eyes and fogging up her sight as she
says slowly, “They’re both my people . I need to decide this by myself . ”
“No negotiation,” Han Chen says firmly with more determination than her .
He accelerates faster .
Su Mian stares blankly at the traffic light that’s gradually coming closer and
curses, “Han Chen……you bastard . ”
And at this very moment, her cell phone rings . At a time like this, even if
there is the slightest bit of possibility to turn things around, she is desperate
for it . She grabs the phone and picks up, “Cold Face, what is it?”
Cold Face is in the car behind them . His voice doesn’t carry any hesitation
and it’s calm and deep, “Xiao Bai, we’ve managed to connect through . We’ll
send you the signal now,” he pauses before continuing, “and you’ll be able to
see them . ”
“……Okay . ”
Two tablets are handed to her by a technical personnel, which are used for
communication . She holds them up and she feels her heart in her throat; it
feels heavy and it hurts, suffocating her . In just a few seconds, she receives
the signal . She presses on it and connects through .
Su Mian’s breathing stops . Han Chen, who’s beside her, turns his head and
takes a look at the two individuals on the screens . He remains quiet for a
moment and then returns his eyes to the road .
The image is clearer than the live video stream from before . It’s also much
quieter .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is on the left and Xu Si Bai is on the right .
_____
Earlier today .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan wakes up feeling like his head is being hit with a bat
constantly . He opens his eyes and sees that he’s in an unfamiliar room . The
walls are white and the ceiling is bare . Only an orange-yellow light bulb is
hanging above his head and the curtains are closed tight . It makes this small
room seem empty and dismal . The air inside is full of dust and the smell of
camphor balls; much like a storage room .
He’s tied up onto a chair with a bomb weighing down on his chest . From
head to toe, he can only move his fingers slightly, but his arms are tied up
very tightly and can’t be moved at all .
A is sitting on another broken chair not more than half a meter away . He’s
still in his usual attire: baseball cap, mask, and hoodie . Although only his
eyes can be seen, you can clearly sense that he’s smiling .
“Hi!” he taps his fingers on the armrest, then gets up and puts a tablet-like
computer in Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s hands, “You don’t want to see my sister once
more before you die?”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan feels as if something is surging up in his chest . Even

though he’s unable to move, he ruthlessly spits into A’s face, “I’m a civil
officer . I don’t care if I die! What’s the big deal?! Don’t think that you can
scare me, you bastard!”
A’s forehead and mask are covered in saliva . He glares at Zhou Xiao Zhuan,
wipes his forehead and kicks Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s chair, “Are you crazy?!”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is about to lose it from anger, “You’re the one who’s
crazy!”
A suddenly remembers something after being scolded and doesn’t become

angry . Instead, he bends down, looks at Zhou Xiao Zhuan, and his eyes
smile even more energetically, “Zhou Xiao Zhuan, I’ve placed a bomb on you
. There’s an exact one placed in the same area on Xu Si Bai’s body too . The
code to disarm the bomb is my sister’s fingerprint . In a bit, those stinky
police officers will all be lured to a place and they will only have enough time
to save one person . Between you and Xu Si Bai, who do you think they will
choose? Who will my sister choose?”
His words finally stun Zhou Xiao Zhuan .
A’s eyes reveal a deeper smile as he gets up, opens the door and leaves .
The room returns to silence .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is dumbstruck for a while before he lowers his head and
looks toward the tablet . The screen is dark . He can move his fingers a little
bit, so he tries pressing on the screen, but nothing happens . A has obviously
implemented a setup where he’s not allowed to communicate with the outside
.
He can only wait .
He must wait for Xiao Bai and the others from the Black Shield Team to
choose and save one of them .
Just like what A said, is he just going to wait and see Xiao Bai and the others
one last time through this tablet?
Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s nose feels sour, but he tries his hardest to suppress it .
Time passes every minute and every second . A little more than ten minutes
later, at another room in some big building .
Xu Si Bai is tied up in the same manner and is also holding a similar tablet for
streaming . He lifts his head and looks at the man sitting in front of him .
This time, A is rather quiet .
His cap is worn very low and he’s not in a hurry to say anything to Xu Si Bai .
He’s humming a melody; a very strange one . He sings the words from R’s
poem, “The most simple existence of the universe, crisscrossing and turning
repeatedly . The most complicated form of life, loses morning and gains
night . It can blanket every day, it can possess every year……”
His singing actually carries a bit of sadness . He finishes singing once, raises
his head and smiles toward Xu Si Bai, “Do you also think that I’m a lunatic?”
Xu Si Bai looks at him and doesn’t answer .
A lets out a “Hmph!” It’s unclear whom he’s angry with . He turns his head,
gets up and says indifferently, “She only has time to save one person .
Between you and Zhou Xiao Zhuan, who do you think she cherishes more?”
He laughs suddenly, “Don’t tell me that in her heart, not only are you no
match to Han Chen, you’re also no match to Zhou Xiao Zhuan?”
He walks toward the exit and gives his final words, “Let us wait and see . ”
The door closes shut . Xu Si Bai tilts his head up slowly . He looks out the
window; blue sky, white clouds, and buildings around . The sun shines
through, warming up his body . His forehead still hurts from being hit last
night . His head is a bit dizzy too . He can smell the scent of blood from his
body . It’s due to the bleeding from last night, but it’s probably dry by now .
He looks down at the communication device in his hand . He doesn’t bother

trying to turn it on like Zhou Xiao Zhuan . It’s because he knows
that A would definitely not give him this opportunity .
He can only wait . Wait for her to choose him, or choose the other person .
He takes a deep breath and then exhales slowly .
Who will she choose?
The woman I love, if I were the one to choose, I would choose you without
any hesitation .


Chapter 129
Chapter 129
Chapter 129: Her Decision Part 2
Su Mian is stunned as she sees the both of them again .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan .
He’s in a dark and small room . He’s still wearing the eye-catching lemon
yellow jacket from last night before he disappeared . An unrelated thought
flashes across Su Mian’s mind suddenly——every time this fellow comes
across a big case, he always have to do something . For example, he would
wear vibrant colored clothes or go to that small restaurant to eat a bowl of hot
dry noodles . “This gives us good luck and spirit”——he always says this .
But right now, he doesn’t look like he’s in a good spirit at all . There’s a
blood stain on the corner of his mouth, his hair is ruffled, and his nose and
face are bruised and swollen . He looks very much in a wreck . He seems to
be a bit out of it . His round eyes are staring blankly straight and it’s hard to
tell what he’s thinking about .
Su Mian can’t stand seeing him like this and shouts, “Xiao Zhuan!”
Han Chen continues driving with one hand while grabbing her shoulder with
the other . He has his eyes on the road all this time and doesn’t say anything .
Xiao Zhuan, on the other hand, seems to notice as he jerks his head down to
look into the camera . His eyes spark and the tears that he has been holding
back start flowing, “Xiao Bai! Xiao Bai……”
At the same time, Xu Si Bai on the other image was sitting quietly without
any expression before noticing the feed and looks down as well .
He seems to be in a worse state than Zhou Xiao Zhuan . There’s a cut on his
forehead with dried up blood on it . His smooth short hair and fair white face
are covered in dried stains of blood . It makes his refined facial features seem
gloomy and malevolent . He’s still wearing the light gray jacket from
yesterday . The jacket is also covered with blood . His clear and pure eyes are
staring at her through the screen . Those eyes carry a sense of pain and
hesitation .
“Jin Xi,” he says faintly . And then stops .
“Xu Si Bai……” she murmurs .
And Han Chen’s car is closing on the intersection; there’s only about a couple
tens of meters away .
“Xiao Bai, Xiao Bai!” Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s voice comes on suddenly . Su
Mian returns her gaze to him . His face turns red and then pale again with his
eyes opened wide . Tears fall as he sniffs his nose and says chokingly with
much effort, “Xiao Bai, Leader, listen to me . I can’t hear your voice . I can
only see Xiao Bai’s mouth move . Listen to me, Xiao Bai, go…go… . save
Forensic Investigator Xu! Don’t save me!”
Su Mian almost cries out loud . She covers her mouth . Although she knows
he can’t hear her, she can’t help but roar, “Xiao Zhuan, what are you saying?”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan seems to be calmer now after saying out his thoughts . He
sniffs his nose and even reveals a smile, “Xiao Bai, we are criminal
investigators . Xu Si Bai is just a forensic investigator . If someone needs to
sacrifice, it should be me . Moreover……Moreover, Forensic Investigator Xu
is so talented . He’s more talented than me . If he survives, he can save many
more people’s lives . Let’s leave it at that . ”
Su Mian’s tears are flowing non-stop . She feels as if there’s a sharp bone
poking in her throat; it hurts when she opens her mouth, making her unable to
speak . Han Chen beside her is showing an expression that’s cold like ice .
There are a couple of cars blocking the road ahead, preventing them from
getting through to the intersection . He steps on the gas pedal and passes
between two cars . The cars around him quickly dodge out of fright and then
poke their heads out the window to scold him . But they then notice a long
stream of police cars following the Land Rover, so they all duck their heads
back into their cars .
They are getting closer and closer to the traffic lights .
Xu Si Bai has been staring at her through the screen without a word all this
time . Zhou Xiao Zhuan, on the other hand, is actually smiling warmly at her
and says, “Xiao Bai, you know why the Black Shield Team is called the Black
Shield Team?”
“I don’t know……” she says even though he can’t hear him .
Xiao Zhuan takes a deep breath, lifts his head with his eyes showing a bit of
fright yet seem to be looking at a distance at the same time .
“Xiao Bai, there’s something that you guys don’t know about . Three days
after I joined the Black Shield Team, I bumped into the Chief . It was early
morning and I was doing some workouts when I saw the Chief come over .
He was also working out . ”
The honking and the noise around them don’t seem to bother Su Mian . She
is listening to Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s words quietly . Han Chen’s expression also
turns solemn . His side profile is stiff as he listens attentively .
Xiao Zhuan says smiling, “I was stupid and asked him: I’m a very ordinary
person who’s only good at taking tests . Why did the provincial office recruit
me? I felt quite embarrassed . Did you know what he said? He said: Oh Xiao
Zhuan, I was the one who came up with the name, Black Shield Team . Do
you know the meaning behind the name? A civil officer’s work is to protect
the people like a shield . Our emblem is in the shape of a shield . We are to
protect the civilians so that they cannot be harmed . When there is harm or
danger, it should face us, the shield first .
So I answered: I know that . The police academy taught us this before .
The Chief smiled and said: And as for the Black Shield Team, what you are
up against are the most merciless cases; your team will be handling the
cruelest kind of criminals . I am putting you guys at the border of the darkest
area as the sturdiest and strongest shield . Intelligence and experience may be
important . But most important of all is the determination that can never be
destroyed; never let down the people that you are protecting . Zhou Xiao
Zhuan, I approved to let you join the Black Shield Team . From now on, can
you achieve all this?”
……
At this moment, Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s eyes are actually calm and bright . He
looks directly at Su Mian and nods firmly, “Xiao Bai, I can do it . ”
Xiao Bai, I can do it .
Please choose to let me die .
I am the black shield that can never be beaten down .
Although I must die, my spirit will always be alive .
It’s just that you will have one less partner beside you . Will you be sad? Will
you be lonely? But I have no way to accompany you any longer……
Su Mian lets out a painful scream as she lowers her head and cries out loud .
Han Chen’s eyes also become watery; he turns his head to look out the
window .
“We will save both of them,” his voice is low yet fierce, “The bomb disposal
expert must save them!”
Su Mian continues crying and doesn’t respond . Her heart feels pain as if
everything inside is being stirred up . And behind the two screens, Zhou Xiao
Zhuan and Xu Si Bai are both watching her cry painfully . Xiao Zhuan’s tears
fall as well as he sniffs his nose . Although Xu Si Bai can’t hear Zhou Xiao
Zhuan or her, he stares quietly at her and can’t seem to shift his eyes away .
Twenty meters, fifthteen meters, ten meters……
Su Mian jerks her head up suddenly to look at the intersection ahead . She
then twists her head to look at Han Chen beside her . Han Chen looks as if
there’s a layer of ice glazed over him; his whole body is covered with an aura
of viciousness . His eyes are on the road and not looking at her . And she also
has nothing to say .
This road has three lanes; the left turn lane that heads toward the North to
save Zhou Xiao Zhuan; the right turn lane that heads toward the South to save
Xu Si Bai . Right now, they are in the middle lane, going straight . The road
ahead is smooth . Whether they want to go left or right, they must make a
decision now .
Five meters, three meters, two meters……
She watches Han Chen’s hands grasping the wheel tightly as if it’s about to
make a turn . Su Mian leans over and grabs onto the steering wheel
impulsively, “No!”
“Screeeeeech——” a sharp and loud sound from the tires rubbing against the
pavement . Han Chen has actually stepped on the brakes at the same time .
They stop right before the traffic lights . He tilts his handsome face up; it’s
stubborn and quiet .
At this very moment, the green light for going straight, the green light on the
left turn signal and the red light on the right turn signal sting their eyes .
It’s a very big intersection . A large volume of office workers cross the road;
the right turn lane is completely blocked .
Han Chen looks straight with his hands on the wheel and doesn’t budge . Su
Mian is also frozen . Both of their bodies are stiff as they’re stuck at the
intersection .
30 seconds, 50 seconds, one minute, two minutes……this red light is so long

that it’s unbearable . At this instant, Su Mian can’t seem to hear anything but
her heart racing and trembling .
The cars behind them honk non-stop, “What’s going on? Are you going or
not?” “You can’t block the way even if you’re the police!”
On the right side, there are still herds of cyclists and office workers crossing
the street, making it impossible to turn .
The left turn; only the left turn light is green .
Su Mian’s tears fall silently . She hates this . She hates this so much . At this
very moment, words cannot describe her hatred towards the seven-member
organization . Her cell phone rings suddenly . She picks it up and turns on the
speakerphone . It’s Chatterbox . He’s choking as he speaks, “Xiao Bai, there
are only fifteen minutes left . If we delay any longer, we won’t make it……”
Su Mian drops the phone and shouts as if she’s using the last bit of energy in
her body, “Han Chen, turn left!” And at the same instant she dropped the
phone, Han Chen had made a sharp turn and also decided which way to go .
The car speeds past the intersection, heading toward the left .
The traffic is moving well .
The noise from the intersection fades away gradually . The sun in front of
them is shining brightly accompanied by the tall buildings and pedestrians
walking hurriedly . Everything seems ordinary and quiet . Su Mian lowers
her head slowly and looks toward the two men on the screens .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan still looks quiet and gentle, viewing his death peacefully .
He probably doesn’t know that she has made a decision .
And on the other screen……
All Su Mian can feel right now is pain as if something is stabbing her heart
and chills running through it . She stares at Xu Si Bai’s quiet and refined
looking face . He’s also looking at her . He hasn’t said anything . It’s as if
he’s just in a nearby place waiting quietly .
And as if he has finally realized something; as if he knows that she has made
a decision, he turns his face suddenly and avoids eye contact with her . He
then closes his eyes .
Su Mian’s heart aches badly, but she’s unable to speak . She then sees him lift
his hand, reaching toward the upper part of the screen, and tapping on it
lightly .
The screen turns dark .
He… . . turned off the video?
Su Mian stares at the screen blankly . A few seconds later, her phone rings
again . Cold Face’s voice is rather anxious, “The communication line with
Forensic Investigator Xu died . Our local team has already arrived at the
building of where he is located, but we won’t be able to pinpoint his exact
location like this… . . ”
_____
The room returns to quiet .

Xu Si Bai places the device down, turns around and looks out the window .
Although he wasn’t able to hear her voice, he could read her lips clearly: turn
left!
Turning left means going toward the North direction to save Zhou Xiao
Zhuan .
He could also see the buildings around her on the way too; it was the scenery
of the North side .
……
He’s not afraid of death .
He has already gotten used to seeing death .
He has always viewed death as a kind of cycle in life that everyone will
experience .
Just now, he even thought that if he were to die, will his body be blown into
pieces? Will it have any research value?
But it turns out, the moment she made the decision, he would also feel
sadness .
It turns out that she really won’t choose him .


Chapter 130
Chapter 130
Chapter 130: If He Were To Die Part 1
The North side is mostly made up of industrial areas . Offices, warehouses,

factories surround sparse areas of woods . It’s just past 7 am . The area is
brightly lit and it’s filled with people . Seeing police cars and officers by the
entrance, the workers are shocked and stand far away while looking at them .
Han Chen’s car drives through the entrance gate and is met by other criminal
investigators from the local station, “We’ve found him . He’s just inside the
storage room in the back and is fine right now . We have dispersed the people
in the area and sealed it off with police tape . ”
Han Chen nods . He turns around and sees Su Mian getting out of the car .
Her eyes are still a bit red, but she has stopped crying . Her face is
expressionless and her eyes are still like a puppet . She’s not looking at
anyone . She runs toward the direction of where Zhou Xiao Zhuan is .
Han Chen chases after her . He makes it to her side quickly and runs with her
without a word .
They make it past the yellow tape and see the door to the small storage open
from far away . Two officers are standing on each side of the door . The
moment they see them, they show relief, “You’re here, you’re here!”
Su Mian pants slightly as she rushes to the door . She spots Zhou Xiao Zhuan
sitting inside right away; just like how he was in the video . His eyes open
wide as he sees them, “Xiao Bai, Leader, why are you……”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan looks as if he’s about to cry; it’s hard to tell whether it’s
because he’s happy or sad . Xu Mian stares at him . She finally feels a bit of
warmth and comfort after going through the feeling of torture during the
whole ride . But a bigger feeling of pain and sadness drowns her heart quietly
.
Han Chen watches their expressions and can only feel pain rushing inside his
chest; it’s hard to suppress . But his voice is cold and calm, “Disable the
bomb immediately . ”
“Mm,” Su Mian squats in front of Zhou Xiao Zhuan immediately and looks
down at the bomb tied to the front of his chest .
The central display shows: 04:49 .
They were rushing against time in the car just now, so Su Mian didn’t take a
thorough look at the scanner . She can examine it closely now: below the
digital timer, there’s a fingerprint scanner much like the ones used at
workplaces to log time, but it’s a lot smaller and more intricate . On the left is
a very small transparent scanner with a subtle blue light underneath it . On the
right is a numeric keypad with 0 to 9 keys .
Su Mian is stunned . She has no time to think, so she reaches out her fourth
finger and looks up at Zhou Xiao Zhuan . Xiao Zhuan nods toward her . Han
Chen is also squatting beside the two of them . He reaches out his hand to
hold her shoulder as they stare at the scanner .
Su Mian places her finger on it .
The blue light flashes .
04:42 .
The counter stops .
They even hear a few “snaps”; the explosives that are tied to Xiao Zhuan’s
body release themselves, unbuckling their restraints from him .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s face is drawing a blank . It’s as if he hasn’t fully

understood what has been going on and he has already been pulled back from
hell’s gate . Han Chen helps him untie the explosives and ropes right away .
He signals the criminal investigators who have been on standby outside to
carry the stretcher over .
Su Mian is showing a smile on her face, but she falls on her bum as she loses
all of her energy and is unable to move .
In the next second, somebody pulls her up again .
Han Chen grabs her arm and his pitch black eyes are firm and dark like a
bottomless ocean, “Let’s go!”
They exchange glances and Su Mian scrambles to get up .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is already lying on the stretcher . He watches the two of
them run outside, hop into a car and speeds off . He actually feels depressed .
He grips onto the side of the stretcher and struggles to get up, “I want to go
too! Bring me to them! We need to save Forensic Investigator Xu!”
_____
Will they make it in time?
Is there still a tiny bit of hope?
No, there’s no way that they can make it in time .
Su Mian’s back is leaning hard against the seat as Han Chen drives the car at
full speed . Traffic controls are in place so the road ahead is clear . Han
Chen’s car speed has gone from 140 km/h to 180, 200 km/h……it’s insanely
fast . Even so, they only have a mere 4 minutes .
But they just don’t want to give up like this .
They don’t want to give up saving Xu Si Bai’s life .
Han Chen is already behaving like this; his whole body is giving off the sense
of viciousness . His long and slender fingers are holding the steering wheel
tightly . He hasn’t said a word to her and is fully concentrated on the road .
Su Mian keeps quiet for a moment before picking up the phone .
“Hello, Chatterbox, have you found Xu Si Bai?”
Chatterbox seems to be running as she can hear him breathing quickly and
there are other people talking in the background, “No! F–k! The bomb
disposal expert has already arrived, but Forensic Investigator Xu turned off
his communication device, so we have no way of pinpointing his exact
location . We just know that he’s in this building——Jianfeng Building .
We’re searching each floor one at a time!”
Su Mian holds onto her phone and doesn’t say a word .
She never thought that Xu Si Bai would be this stubborn .
He thought that she would choose him, didn’t he?
Her eyes sting, but she suppresses the feeling with all her might .
Doesn’t he know that if it was between him and her, she would definitely
choose him?
Noticing her silence, Chatterbox clears his throat and says, “Xiao Bai, you
have to be prepared . ”
Su Mian tosses the phone away and leans her head back against the seat as
she closes her eyes .
“Han Chen, will we make it in time to save him?” she asks softly .
After a few seconds, Han Chen’s voice says, “We won’t . But I won’t give up
until the very last second . ”
Two minutes pass . As if she realizes something, Su Mian opens her eyes .
They’ve actually driven over ten kilometers in just 4 minutes . And the exit
ramp is just in front of them . Many tall buildings are standing and on top of
one of them, are the words, “Jianfeng Building” shining in the sun .
Everything happens too calmly and without preparation .
“Boom!” a loud sound is heard and in a certain room of the building, a large
fireball explodes in front of their eyes . The smoke and fire swallow
everything within . At this very instant, all the pedestrians and cars on the
highway around it seem to have been shaken by it; no one is screaming for
help; it’s silence everywhere .
Han Chen brakes the car hard .

Su Mian watches the scene quietly and doesn’t move . Han Chen lifts his
dark brown eyes and watches the fire engulfing the building and remains
quiet .
_____
Scorched floor, smoke, and debris .
Su Mian watches her footsteps as she walks across it . Han Chen follows her
closely . His face is cold as he remains quiet . A criminal investigator comes
over and is about to speak, but Han Chen waves him off without even lifting
an eyebrow .
Su Mian stares at everything that’s in front of her——
The whole room has been exploded into pieces . The windows are gone and
only a few strips of its latices still remain . The empty sky can be seen right
through it . The floor in the middle of the room has a big hole in it . This
should be where Xu Si Bai was trapped, which is also the point of the
explosion . A is highly skilled in explosives, so not even a piece of the
chair’s leg is left behind, let alone the body parts or clothes from Xu Si Bai .
There are only piles of debris and ashes .
And Su Mian’s heart is just like the hole in the room . It’s as if there are big
and strong winds blowing inside constantly . She doesn’t say anything and
also doesn’t touch anything . She turns around and walks outside, but Han
Chen pulls her into his embrace .
Cold Face and Chatterbox are standing at a distance and remain quiet .
“Does it hurt?” Han Chen asks in a low voice . His voice actually makes her
feel empty yet gentle .
Her body loses its energy and she feels extremely exhausted . His embrace is
incredibly warm, carrying the smell of his sweat and a scent that makes one
feels safe . Su Mian hugs him back and buries her head into his chest . Han
Chen doesn’t speak anymore . He hugs her tightly as he leans on the broken
wall with not much remaining from the explosion . He caresses her long hair
and cheeks .
_____
Han Chen is examining the scene . Su Mian is standing beside the window
with a big hole in it by herself . After she stares out for a while, she turns her
head and says to Chatterbox, “I want to wait in the car . ”
“Okay, okay,” Chatterbox nods quickly .
Han Chen needs to be in charge of the scene, so he has given Chatterbox the
responsibility of protecting Su Mian . Chatterbox also feels awful due to
what has happened to Xu Si Bai . But seeing Su Mian being all quiet like this
makes him feel even worse .
Who doesn’t know her relationship with Xu Si Bai? Who can’t tell Xu Si
Bai’s deep affection for her? If not, why would Leader Han see Xu Si Bai as
an eyesore? It’s because no matter where Xu Si Bai goes and who he has
beside him, his eyes seem to always only have Su Mian .
But today, she has been forced to make a decision .
Chatterbox walks to the front and leads her down the stairs . The building has
been sealed off after the explosion and the elevators have been shut off . The
staircase is dark and there are officers and firemen running up and down non-
stop . The two of them walk quietly before Chatterbox can’t stand it anymore
and speaks, “Oh Xiao Bai, you shouldn’t……be too upset, okay? Nobody
wanted this to happen . I know that Forensic Investigator Xu would wish for
you to be happy up in the heavens . He must understand the decision you had
to make today . ”
Su Mian pauses her footsteps with her head down and her hand on the rail .
She pulls a smile with the corners of her mouth, “You’re wrong . He doesn’t
understand . He was angry even until the moment he died . ”
Her voice is faint . Chatterbox is confused and feels his heart ache from
hearing her answer . There’s only a window high up in the stairwell that is
letting the sunlight penetrate through where dust is floating everywhere . Su
Mian stares at these floating dust and falls into a daze . The officers who walk
past them turn to look at these two rather quiet individuals standing in the
way .
Chatterbox’s nose feels sour as he tries to comfort again, “Xiao Bai, don’t
think about it . Hurry down the stairs, go home, take a shower and sleep,
okay? Leader will be upset seeing you like this . Everybody’s heart will ache
too . Furthermore……”
He loses his ability to speak suddenly .
Su Mian was listening absentmindedly when she hears him stop abruptly and
his breathing quickening, so she raises her head .
And she sees Chatterbox’s face turn pale as if he has just seen a ghost with his
eyes looking downstairs .
Su Mian follows his gaze and turns to look .
“Jin Xi . ”


Chapter 131
Chapter 131
Chapter 131: If He Were To Die Part 2
“Jin Xi . ”
A gentle voice like spring water says accompanied by a pair of eyes that is
brighter and clearer than the moon .
That person is standing a few steps below them . His shirt is wrinkled and his
face is covered in ashes as he looks up at her .
At this very instant, all the sound and images in Su Mian’s world have
disappeared; she stares at the person standing alive in front of her . His eyes
are calm yet it carries sadness . He is staring at her just like this . His
eyelashes lower as if he’s hiding away all of the complicated emotions .
“You’re not dead! You’re not dead! Forensic Investigator Xu is not dead!”
Chatterbox beside them shouts and cries in joy . He turns around and runs up
the stairs, “Leader! Cold Face, Forensic Investigator Xu is fine!”
And a few officers below them pause their footsteps, look at each other, and
then reveal a smile of relief as they announce, “Hurry and tell everyone that
the hostage is fine!” “He’s alive! The perpetrator did not succeed!”
Only he and she are staring quietly at each other a few feet away; no smile
and no tears .
A few seconds later .
Su Mian releases her hand on the railing, jumps down two to three steps,
reaches out her arms and hugs him .
His embrace is slightly cool . There’s a strong smell of blood as well as the
scent of gunpowder . His arms are on each side of his body and are still . He
finally lifts one of his arms up after a while and very lightly, hugs her back
burying his head .
“I’m sorry……” Su Mian says with much pain .
What else can she say? Say that she couldn’t make a decision at the time?
Say that at that instant, she really wanted to come to save him, who weighs
heavier in her heart?
Say that they were met with a red light and had no way of making a turn
toward his direction?
But if they didn’t come to a red light, would she have been able to make the
decision to give up Xiao Zhuan and come to save him? What would happen
to Xiao Zhuan then?
There is no answer .
“Xu Si Bai, I’m sorry……” she says again .
Xu Si Bai lowers his head and looks at the woman in his embrace . Her face
is pale and her eyes are red and swollen while showing strong emotions of
sadness and happiness at the same time . A thought floats across his mind:
it’s actually the first time that she’s hugging him——after giving him up .
A certain part of his heart seems to gradually become cold and desolated .
But he can’t help feeling his heart ache seeing her like this . He can’t resist to
reach out his hand and caress her long hair and say, “I’m fine, I’m fine . ”
“Forensic Investigator Xu!” a mournful cry can be heard coming from behind
them . It’s actually Zhou Xiao Zhuan who’s stumbling his way up the stairs
with the support of a medical staff member . Seeing Xu Si Bai and Su Mian
hugging each other, he reveals a joyful smile as he lets go of the medical staff
member’s arm and throws himself toward them, hugging Xu Si Bai as well .
“This is too great, Forensic Investigator Xu! You’re fine!” he cries out loud,
“This is just incredible! If you were to die, I will be restless for the rest of my
life!”
The officers around them all smile; Su Mian smiles as well .

Xu Si Bai releases Su Mian slowly . His face shows a faint smile as he pats
Xiao Zhuan’s head, “Xiao Zhuan, stop crying . I’m fine . ”
At this time, Han Chen, Cold Face, and Chatterbox are all here . They look at
Xu Si Bai and reveal smiles on their faces . Although they’re not as emotional
as Xiao Zhuan, they’ve also hopped down the stairs and have arrived in front
of Xu Si Bai . Cold Face and Chatterbox pat his shoulders .
Cold Face says, “This is too great . ”
Chatterbox says, “Forensic Investigator Xu, it’s so great that you’re fine . ”
Han Chen, on the other hand, is standing behind them smiling . His and Xu
Si Bai’s eyes meet and he nods, “It’s good that you’re fine . ”
Su Mian looks sideways and exchanges glance with Han Chen . He can see
the tremendous joy contained in her eyes; she can see the deep happiness and
gentleness in his eyes .
And Xu Si Bai’s eyes are calm and gentle as he looks in the opposite direction
as if he doesn’t notice their eyes connect with affection and tacit
understanding of each other .
“Forensic Investigator Xu, how did you manage to escape?” Chatterbox asks
the question that everybody wants to know .
Xu Si Bai lifts his eyes to look at everyone . He hums faintly and the image
of what happened a few minutes ago floats into his mind——
After he shut off the video streaming with Su Mian, he was indeed in a daze
for a brief moment .
For a second, he didn’t seem to care about whether or not he would live or die
.
But after a while, he calmed down . Even if Su Mian had given up on him, he
wouldn’t allow himself to die in such a meaningless way like this . And when
he looked down at the bomb on his chest, even though his finger could stretch
far enough to reach the scanner and the numeric keypad in the middle, A said
that the code to unlock it was Su Mian’s fingerprint . It would be a futile
attempt for him to try anything .
He looked up again and examined the room around him . It was easy to
recognize that it must be a room of some office building . He could even see
similar buildings outside of the window . But this did not bring any help to his
escape .
And regardless of what time and place he’s in, Xu Si Bai is always an
extremely calm and composed person . He kept quiet for a moment, closed
his eyes, and began to recall his memory .
He recalled the explosion incident from last time and how the Black Shield
Team was able to come up with the password . The password was 20090420 .
Even though the police knew the password, they were blocked by the people
around them and could not save the hostage in the last second .
This was the goal of the seven-member organization .
Cruelness and mockery .
He recalled what happened just now; A’s behavior and every word that A said
to him .
He said: this bomb can only be disabled by my Big Sister’s fourth fingerprint
of her right hand .
He said: don’t tell me that in her heart, you can’t even compare to Xiao Zhuan
.
He was wearing a mask revealing his eyes only . But a mischievous smile
flashed across his eyes as if this was all just a game .
And then he started humming a melody; a strange and awful sounding

melody, yet the lyrics were clear:
“The most simple existence of the universe, crisscrossing and turning

repeatedly . The most complicated form of life, loses morning and gains
night . It can blanket every day, it can possess every year……”
Xu Si Bai also noticed the numeric keypad beside the fingerprint scanner .
……
Nothing is more ironic than having the password in front of you yet you don’t
hear it, right?
If he really were exploded into pieces, A would send a message or call her to
say proudly: I actually told him the password, but he was too stupid and
didn’t hear it .
That way, she would be hurt deeply and blamed herself more, right?
Because of killing, these people have always viewed this as a game, a form of
revenge . A probably doesn’t care about whether Xu Si Bai lives or die . He
only cares about whether or not the process of it is fun .
……
“The most simple existence of the universe, is 1,” Xu Si Bai says steadily,
“The most complicated form of life, is 8, which is similar to the symbol of
infinity as well as dna……”
He speaks unhurriedly . The people around him are all surprised and relieved
. Xiao Zhuan shouts losing his voice, “You actually solved the same
password as Leader? You’re amazing!” Xu Si Bai wasn’t at the scene of the
explosion from earlier today .
Xu Si Bai lifts his head and looks directly at Han Chen .
Su Mian bites on her lip and reveals a mocking smile . Of everyone around
them, she’s probably the only one who knows how smart Xu Si Bai is . He’s
a forensic investigator . And he has deep knowledge of mathematics, physics,
biology, and chemistry that is enough to surprise anyone . She speaks, “They
probably never thought that you would be able to solve the password this
quickly . They thought……” she turns to look at Xu Si Bai, “that you would
die like this . ”
Xu Si Bai stares at her and doesn’t say a word .
At this time, a few medical staff members have run up the stairs . They look
at Xiao Zhuan and Xu Si Bai, “You two, please come down with me to the
ambulance . ” Zhou Xiao Zhuan has been excited the whole time, but he can
feel the pain all over his body now . His body loses its energy and a medical
staff member quickly supports him . But he doesn’t mind, turns around and
waves his hand at the others, “I’ll be going to the hospital first . I’m fine . ”
Two medical staff members walk to Xu Si Bai . Su Mian reaches out her
arms subconsciously to support him, “I’ll go with you?”
Xu Si Bai moves his arm away without a trace and holds onto the medical
staff member . He smiles gently, “It’s okay . You should focus on examining
the scene . ”
Su Mian’s hand freezes . Han Chen is standing beside her and is observing
both of their expressions quietly with both hands in his pockets . Xu Si Bai
has already turned around and is disappearing from the staircase .
Su Mian watches him walk far away before letting out a long breath of relief .
Cold Face and Chatterbox have already gone up the stairs; only Han Chen is
still standing there watching her .
She turns around and looks at him . The two of them remain silent for a
moment . Su Mian then reaches out her arms and hugs him, throwing herself
into his embrace . He catches her . She’s been under a lot of stress
nonetheless, so he lifts her up without a second thought .
Su Mian’s emotions have been on a rollercoaster; it’s worse than being in a

life or death situation herself . Everything has finally settled down now .
Seeing his handsome face, it makes her think back to how he’s been quietly
supporting her; stubbornly wanting to take the burden of making the decision;
speeding at 200 km/h and not giving up on saving Xu Si Bai . And thinking
back at his calm staring eyes when she and Xu Si Bai hugged, she actually
feels happy and pity for him at the same time .
“This is too great, Han Chen!” she cries and smiles at the same time in his
embrace, “Everybody’s okay . ”
Han Chen hugs her tightly . He looks down at her with his pitch black pupils
and is smiling slightly as well .
After a while, she calms down and he lets her down, “You’re done crying?”
She smiles and sniffs her nose, “I’m done . ”
He grabs her hand, “If you’re done, follow me . There’s an important

evidence found at the scene . ”
“Mm,” Su Mian follows him up the stairs, but the corner of her eye can’t help
looking below where Xu Si Bai was .
She’s fine now . He’s also okay and is alive .
But from today on, Xu Si Bai will exist as a hole in Su Mian’s heart . That
hole will contain all of her guilt and his pain .
That hole can never be filled up .


Chapter 132
Chapter 132
Chapter 132: I Want to Kill Part 1
Su Mian follows Han Chen back to the scene of the explosion and to the side
of the window .
It’s got a big hole with not much left; only a bit of the curtain is still stuck on
the blackened wall . Han Chen reaches out his hand with black gloves on .
He touches the edge of the big hole and turns to her, “Can you see anything?”
His voice is light and emotionless, carrying a calming tone . Su Mian lifts her
slightly red eyes and looks around . She says without certainty, “The curtains
were open?”
She was too emotional at the time, but now that she thinks about it, she
vaguely remembers that there was always light shining through the room that
Xu Si Bai was in . It was completely different from the dark room that Zhou
Xiao Zhuan was in .
Han Chen nods . He knocks on the window frame lightly looking at the
buildings across . The sun is shining brightly; many of the buildings’
windows are reflecting the light from the sun, blinding their eyes right now .
“And the traffic lights,” he says .
Su Mian is stunned slightly . Her gaze turns serious, “Yes, and the traffic
lights . ”
A decision of life and death, at a time of difficulty, yet they were met with a
red light that would not turn green, preventing them from turning right .
Thinking about it more carefully now, the red light was abnormally long .
They noticed it at the time and if they really wanted to, they could have
insisted on making the turn and force the pedestrian to make way for them .
But their opponent is clearly very good at grasping other people’s minds . In
that kind of situation, slight differences in the surroundings can sway one’s
mind, prompting them to make the hard decision and choose to save Zhou
Xiao Zhuan .
“The one they wanted to kill from the start may have been Xu Si Bai,” Han
Chen turns around and looks at her, “but why?”
“It means that Xu Si Bai deserves to die more,” Su Mian answers swiftly .
“Why does Xu Si Bai deserve to die more?” Han Chen asks .
Su Mian doesn’t answer .
They look directly into each other’s eyes . Han Chen takes off his gloves,
grabs her hand, squeezes it a little, turns around to look outside of the
window, and tilts his chin a slightly, “That building . ”
Su Mian looks at the tall building not far away . She thinks for a moment and
her eyes gleam, “You’re not suspecting that A was watching Xu Si Bai from
that building, are you?”
“Mm . There’s a paradox here, and only your criminal psychology can
explain it . ”
Su Mian nods, “Opening the curtains was completely unnecessary . Zhou

Xiao Zhuan’s room didn’t have its windows opened . If Awanted to kill Xu Si
Bai and always loved watching the moment of his victims die, he would
definitely not care about Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s side of things . It’s possible that
at the time, he was hiding in a safe and convenient place to watch over this
place . He used a telescope to watch Xu Si Bai . Therefore, the windows in
this room were open and so were the curtains . This way, it can give him a
good view . And that building over there is the best spot . ”
She pauses and then realizes something, “No wonder the bomb still exploded
after it was removed . Everybody thought that was an accident, but thinking
about it now, it might be A’s doing . He’s a person who admits defeat . He
probably wouldn’t go back on his words and kill Xu Si Bai after watching
him escape, but he probably felt upset and detonated the bomb remotely to
express his anger . ”
“I think so too,” Han Chen says . He reaches out his hand to hold her
shoulder and guides her out of the room, “There’s a criminal investigation
team sent to examine the place, so let’s go take a look . ”
Su Mian walks with him while frowning her eyebrows, “But they’ve always
been very careful . Would it be like before where no traces are left behind?”
Han Chen actually smiles . His side profile looks indifferent and calm, “Su
Mian, they are humans and not Gods, and they don’t have remarkable powers
. Every crime that seems to be committed intricately and leaves no traces
behind requires great planning . Furthermore, I’ve said before that even if this
is true, they’ve only wiped away the evidence that is within our viewing range
. It’s just hiding in places that they think we can’t see . Wherever they go, it’s
impossible for them to erase their traces every step of the way, control all
surveillance cameras and witnesses——this city isn’t owned by them . The
video from last time that almost led us to catch L is the prime example . This
time is the same . A daringly hid at a place that is only tens of meters away
with officers all around the area . He must think that we would never find it .
”
_____
It’s already 9 to 10 pm when they return to the dorm .
Due to what happened today, the security bureau has raised the importance
level of maintaining the safety of the Black Shield Team and other criminal
investigators . Starting today, everybody will be assigned a weapon to be
carried 24 hours and are asked to stay at the dorms overnight as much as
possible .
Han Chen is taking a shower . Su Mian sits by the window and oversees the
chilly night sky; she stares at it for a long while .
It’s not until Han Chen comes out of the bathroom that Su Mian turns her
head and sees him stand by the bed . His damp hair and fair white face . He
has pulled on a gray colored sweater and a pair of black lounge pants, making
his legs look even longer . He turns around and looks at her .
Su Mian stares at him for a while before turning her head back to the window
.
“Han Chen, to me, Xu Si Bai is the same as Xiao Zhuan . They are my family
. That is why I worried about him so much today,” she looks down and smiles
to herself, “In these past years, I don’t have family or friends and seem to
have a hard time getting close to anyone . I don’t like to talk about my lost
memory either . I’ve been close to Xiao Zhuan probably because we share the
same interests . As for Xu Si Bai……” she pauses feeling a little stunned,
“it’s probably because I could sense that he’s just as lonely as I am . ”
At the end of her sentence, she feels her waist being grabbed; she’s already in
his embrace .
Han Chen hugs her from behind, leaning against her with his warm body .
This familiar intimacy makes Su Mian’s heart pound . He lowers his head
and breathes into her ear while rubbing his face against her cheek . The
subtle scent of the man encases her immediately .
“You think that I’ve been living a good life in these few years?” his deep and
slightly raspy voice says .
Su Mian remains quiet . She holds onto his hands that are grabbing onto her
waist; very lightly and carefully caresses the back of them .
“Who can compare to my love for you?” his voice is deep and stubborn,
“What can Xu Si Bai compare to me with?”
Su Mian turns around and hugs him . The moonlight is blurry and the lights
are sparsely lit . The two of them stand there quietly . He holds her face with
his palms, lowers his head and kisses her . She wraps her arms around him,
closes her eyes and feels his touch and affection . A few words come out
while they lock lips; it’s all filled with her responses to his love .
I love you……I love you, Han Chen .
Please believe me that I’m also determined to love you and only you .
_____
In the same night, it’s already late at night when Xu Si Bai returns to the dorm
.
Compared to Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s injuries, he only has scratches and bruises
on top of a minor concussion from the car accident . He’s supposed to stay in
the hospital, but he insists on returning home . The criminal investigator
who’s in charge of protecting him couldn’t argue back, so he accompanies
him on his way home .
The building is quiet as he walks upstairs . There’s not a room that is lit; it’s
as if everybody is asleep . He passes by Su Mian’s room without stopping .
It’s very quiet inside, so they must be sleeping .
His dorm room has been assigned to him temporarily since he arrived in City
Lan . The decor inside is the simplest kind that you can think of . Other than
a few clothes inside the closet, there’s a shelf full of books .
He pushes open the door . Every part of his body hurts . Perhaps due to
being exhausted, his head feels heavy, but he doesn’t go straight to bed to
sleep . Instead, he makes his way to the couch slowly and leans against it for
a while . He fetches for a cigarette and lights it up .
One after the other .


Chapter 133
Chapter 133
Chapter 133: I Want to Kill Part 2
He continues smoking until the whole apartment is filled with enough smoke
to choke others . He’s not someone who smokes often nonetheless; he coughs
non-stop as he throws the cigarette butts into the trash . But he falls into a
daze again by himself .
A thought inexplicably springs into his mind——they are just a couple tens of
meters away in an apartment hugging each other intimately .
This thought stings his heart as always . He’s not someone who thinks too
much or lets his imagination run wild . But right now, after today, a certain
kind of stress and emotions that he has suppressed for a long time seem to be
shouting to break free from control .
Probably because he’s too tired, Xu Si Bai doesn’t remember when he falls
asleep . And the dream he has tonight is clearer and more intense than all of
the ones he has had before . He dreams that Bai Jin Xi is leaning in his
embrace, looking up at him and smiling .
He dreams about her holding his hand, walking into a white colored home
filled with warmth from the sunlight . She guides him toward the bed and she
entangles with his body like vines and kisses every inch of him . She moans
and shivers like a young beast underneath him . She stares at him with such
affectionate and happy eyes . Muffled words come out between their lips .
Only three words repeat: I love you, I love you, I love you……
You are so perfect like this, so how can I not love you?
Xu Si Bai wakes up from trembling .
He realizes that it’s in the middle of the night and his whole body is sticky yet
soft, and comfort . For someone who has never had any experiences with
women, it’s too pleasurable . But after pleasure, it’s the enormous feeling of
emptiness and ridicule .
It turns out that he can only have her in his dreams .
Yet he actually doesn’t want to wake up from it .
_____
Two days later .
A’s real identity and facial features have finally been confirmed .
“Xia Jun Ai, male, 24 years old, from Beijing . We can confirm that within
the seven-member organization, he is the serial killer with the code name, ‘A .
’” Xiao Zhuan still hasn’t been dispatched from the hospital, so Chatterbox is
responsible for gathering information and giving the brief summaries . He’s
standing in front of the projector and is introducing the man in the photo to
the Black Shield Team as well as to the other criminal investigators .
“On the morning of the 14th, Xia Jun Ai, or A, appeared at the Sichuan
Building which was no more than fifty meters away from Jianfeng Building
where the explosion happened . It was rush hour for work at the time and he’s
not an employee of the building . The surveillance camera caught him coming
down from the 25th floor two minutes after the explosion . But he was
wearing a mask and a baseball cap at the time, so we couldn’t make out his
facial features to confirm his identity . ”
Chatterbox moves his mouse and an image from the surveillance camera
appears on the screen . The rest of the members of the Black Shield Team are
sitting in the front row; Su Mian is sitting beside Han Chen and has her head
up looking at the screen . The image clearly shows a man with a tall and
slender body wearing a baseball cap and a blue janitor uniform walking past a
corner of the building . Despite he disguises well, Su Mian can recognize him
right away .
Her gaze shifts sideways and spots Xu Si Bai with the corner of her eye
unintentionally . He’s sitting at the very end of the first row . Compared to
the day of the explosion, he looks a lot better now . Light gray jacket, white
shirt, and dark brown trousers . Besides having a bandaid on the side of his
forehead and on his wrist, he’s still the same elegant and refined person . And
in these few days, there hasn’t been much difference in their interactions .
They don’t mention what happened that day; they nod and greet each other
whenever they bump into one another; familiar yet distant .
Su Mian remains quiet for a moment before lifting her head and looking at the
screen again .
Chatterbox continues with the info, “……however, there were police officers
around that office building at the time and it was even sealed off . Therefore,
when that brat came down, he would have had to take off his mask . He’s very
smart though . He almost avoided all of the cameras . But! There will always
be a miss no matter how intricate your plan is . At the time, the office
entrance was surrounded by onlookers taking photos, and we were able to
find a clear image of him from one of them! And based on time, place, body
figure, the way he walked, and facial features, he must be A!”
Everybody’s eyes are on the screen .
It’s a very refined looking man who also looks very young, but his facial
features already carry a grown man’s sharpness . He has short and fluffy
black hair and long and narrow eyes . His pupils are black as ink and look as
if they carry a smile . He has a tall nose, thin lips, and fair white skin .
Since he’s wearing a black casual jacket, long brown pants, and running
shoes, he looks like a student and a young man who has just started working
at the same time .
And as Su Mian stares at his refined face, she feels mixed emotions inside her
heart . It’s uncomfortable; very uncomfortable . There’s a bit of pain, but
mostly it’s hatred . She recalls him calling her “Big Sister” all the time while
carrying all sorts of child-like resentment feelings . Yet she doesn’t know that
between him and her, what kind of a relationship they had back then .
“We’ve done some research and Xia Jun Ai’s hometown is in Shaanxi
Province . His family was too poor, so he moved to Beijing with his parents
when he was little, becoming a ‘little Beijing drifter . ’ His family was poor
and his dad was a known thief . When he was eight, his father was beaten to
death due to a conflict between others in regards to an unfair split of the
stolen goods . His mom worked part-time, and the mother and son couple
lived a very hard life . At the age of 12, his mom fell ill and they didn’t have
money to treat her or had insurance . She died at home as a result . Since he
was little, he had been stealing for a living, and therefore, he has a record at
the Beijing police station a long time ago . He stopped studying after
graduating from junior high school, but he earned full scores for physics and
chemistry and even won the top prize in numerous competitions,” Chatterbox
continues to summarize the events of his life, “Five years ago, at the time of
the 420 case, he was only 19 . He had already been drifting by himself for a
few years and no one knew where he had been or what he had been doing . ”
_____
Nighttime .
At a warehouse in a suburban area .
The sky is dark and the lights are kept off inside the abandoned warehouse .
Only L is holding a very old-fashioned European-style candle lamp . He
places it on the wooden table that is covered in dust . He then fetches for a
handkerchief, lays it down on the broken couch, and sits down slowly .
A doesn’t care as much . He sits his bottom down on the couch, almost
crushing it . He can’t help but complain, “L, this is getting out of hand!
You’re responsible for finding the place for us to connect . The first few
times were alright . They were five-star hotels or mansions . And then we
met at a motel, and now we’re in a warehouse in the middle of nowhere . Are
you being funny?”
R on the side is sitting quietly as he lights up a cigarette and doesn’t say

anything . L lets out a “hmph!” and retorts, “Xia Jun Ai! Who do you think
has caused us to become like this? Your name and high-definition photo are
already printed on the most wanted poster now . If we don’t meet here, did
you want to meet up at the front of the police station?”
A can’t find words to talk back . Instead, he smiles, puts a cigarette in his
mouth and says mockingly, “How much better are you? Have your wounds
healed yet? Your common places of activity are now full of officers patrolling
the area . I think you’re going on the wanted list next . ”
“Enough,” R speaks finally after being quiet all this time .
The moment he speaks, A and L both quiet down .

R is sitting in the darkest shadowed area . It’s hard to make out his face; only
the cigarette between his fingers is burning slowly . His voice is deep yet
crisp but is rather cold as if it carries a sense of indifference naturally .
“Our plan hasn’t been going too well . The two of you are pretty much
exposed and may be caught by the Black Shields one day . We don’t have
much time and we won’t have more opportunities to commit crimes,” he
pauses before continuing, “so it’s time to end everything . ”
A and L nod .
“Let’s leave it at that then,” R confirms the decision .
“R, they killed three of us,” L says suddenly, “If it’s time to put an end to
everything, we should kill three of them too . ”
R doesn’t answer . A butts in, “Three? Including Han Chen?”
L’s voice is stubborn yet cold, “Of course . If we don’t kill him, how is it
putting an end to everything?”
A laughs out loud, “Oh please . Do you even dare to kill Han Chen?”
R continues to be silent while the two of them bicker at each other .
“Why would I not dare to?” L says .
A spurts out another laugh, “Let’s talk when you can really kill him . ”


Chapter 134
Chapter 134
Chapter 134: A New Sign
One week later .
It’s winter already . The sky is gray and the trees are bare . Everywhere on
the streets is filled with people wearing thick clothes and walking hurriedly .
Su Mian is wearing a red down coat along with a pair of long boots . Her
black hair rests on her shoulders . With her standing there like this, it makes
her seem even more pretty and captivating . And behind her stands three even
more attractive men: Han Chen, Cold Face, and Chatterbox .
Han Chen and Cold Face have always been the jacket wearers within the
police team; even on a super cold day, at most, they’ll wear a thicker cotton
jacket . It’s just that they have nice bodies and know what to wear, so they
always look more handsome and fashionable than the other criminal
investigators . Chatterbox has been influenced by them and no longer wears
his big cotton-padded jacket like Zhou Xiao Zhuan does . He has started to
wear casual style jackets that are filled with manliness . Therefore, with these
three standing together, they sure attract a lot of attention .
A cold wind blows across them; Su Mian shivers and reaches up with her
hand to hold her collar tight .
“Cold?” a deep and clear voice says .
Something weighs her shoulder down; Han Chen has already pulled her into
his embrace . His jacket is open, so he wraps it around her in the process . Su
Mian looks up and sees his handsome chisel face and long neck . He’s
wearing a thin sweater underneath only, but his body is much warmer than her
. Su Mian wraps her arms around his waist and thinks to herself that it’s so
nice to have a strong criminal investigator boyfriend . And the key thing is
that he dotes her and he’s so gorgeous looking too .
“He’s here! He’s here!” Chatterbox stretches his neck, “Xiao Zhuan, this
fellow, is finally discharged from the hospital . He told us to wait downstairs
yet it took him so long . ”
Everybody laughs . At the hospital’s entrance in front of them, Zhou Xiao

Zhuan is wearing an eye-catching blue big cotton-padded jacket while
carrying a duffle bag in his hand . He looks up and walks over to them . He
stares at them and chuckles .
Cold Face takes over carrying his bag . Han Chen pats his shoulder and
doesn’t comment . Chatterbox leans over and assesses him from head to toe,
“Are you fully recovered? You’re not missing anything, right? Your head
doesn’t feel dizzy and your eyes are not blurry anymore? Are you really
ready to come back to the battlefield to fight against the psychopaths?”
Xiao Zhuan pats his chest, “Yes! Strong man here has taken a week of those
penicillin, flavomycin, gentamicin, and whatever-cin, so my body is full of
power now! Even if the whole army from A to Z comes, strong man here can
fight them all down!”
Even Cold Face bursts out laughing . Su Mian tilts her head and examines
him, “Xiao Zhuan, why do I feel that after one week of staying in the hospital,
your face has gotten rounder? You’re even able to gain weight this way? Tsk,
tsk……”
Xiao Zhuan swaggers while following them and answers, “Of course! For the
sake of getting well sooner, I’d been eating two big bowls of rice each meal .
” His head leans over to Su Mian, “Speaking of it, this hospital’s red braised
pork is super good! You have to try it next time . ”
“Really, really? I must go then!” Su Mian loves red braised pork, so she can’t
help getting excited . But her neck goes stiff as Han Chen pulls her back into
his embrace .
“What nonsense are you talking about?” an indifferent voice says .
Su Mian stops immediately, “Pfft, pfft, pfft,” a crisp sound of spitting (act of
knocking on wood) . She then looks at him affectionately . Xiao Zhuan
watches them and adds a few spits himself .
Chatterbox and Cold Face have been laughing all this time . A smile flashes
across Han Chen’s eyes . He tightens his grip on Su Mian’s waist and says,
“Let’s go eat . ”
_____
The car drives past the desolate streets; trees and pedestrians are left behind
them . The corners of Su Mian’s mouth are still curved upward as she looks
out the window blankly .
It’s another peaceful day .
After the explosion that day, even though the police has issued a wanted order
on A, the search throughout the entire city continues . But it’s as if those
three criminals have disappeared; they haven’t committed another crime and
haven’t sent any new messages to the police .
This city appears to have returned to its peacefulness on the outside . But the
discussions about them are spreading quickly on the internet and at every
corner of the streets . People are talking about this mysterious killing
organization with a lot of interest; it’s as if they’re afraid of them appearing
yet they look forward to seeing them .
And their one-week long of inactivity seems to let one think that they will
disappear for good .
But it also feels like the calm before the storm; that short and deceiving sense
of peacefulness .
They decide to eat dinner at a restaurant by the lakeside . The moon reflects
on the water surface accompanied by the fragrance of the private room . The
five of them eat and drink gluttonously, enjoying themselves . There’s a
karaoke machine in the room . After they finish eating, Chatterbox and Xiao
Zhuan pick up the mics, stretch their vocal cords, and sing their lungs out
toward the lake .
Cold Face lights up a cigarette and smokes it slowly sitting by the side . He
lets out a laugh every now and then .
Risking their lives together is no different than being in a drunken stupor .

Han Chen and Su Mian exit the private room . They take a stroll along the
curvy deck along the lake . There aren’t a lot of people here at this season .
There are also no lights along the deck . The lake surface is so dark that they
can’t see the bottom of it . A couple of lights occasionally flash on the
opposite side, reflecting the blurry contour of the shoreline, but it makes it
seem even more empty and far away .
The two of them walk to the middle of the lake and sit down on a bench . The
wind is blowing a little hard; a kind of freshness that seeps through to the
bone . Su Mian pulls her coat up, leans toward Han Chen, and lets out a long
breath of relief .
Han Chen rests his arm on her shoulders while holding her hand with the
other . Su Mian stays still for a brief while before playing with his fingers in
the darkness . Han Chen lets her do so . She rubs against his collar and neck
every now and then and can sense the subtle warmth coming from his body .
Perhaps because it’s too dark and quiet around them, so his warmth attracts
her even more .
She continues squeezing his hand and then feels something hard against her
fingers . She realizes that it’s a ring on the fourth finger of his left hand .
“Why are you still wearing it every day?” she asks stupidly . It’s actually
because she doesn’t have anything she can wear right now; the necklace that
makes up a pair with his is now cut into pieces . But he’s still wearing his
every day; he doesn’t even take it off during shower or bedtime .
He looks at her sideways .
“Mm . You’re asking why I wear it all day? My hand feels itchy?”
His deep and laid back voice causes Su Mian to chuckle . She then murmurs,
“But I don’t have one . ” Since she has nothing to do, she turns on the
flashlight on her phone and shines it toward his hand .
Everywhere is dark except his hand in the light, making it look slender and
boney . Looking at the aged platinum ring actually makes Su Mian’s heart
ache . She touches his fingers, feels them lightly and lets go reluctantly .
But a man’s and a woman’s senses will always be different . Having her silky
smooth and soft fingertips running through his hand makes Han Chen a little
worked up . This woman is beautiful and captivating, yet when it comes to
love relationships, she always carries a kind of childish-like sexiness . After a
while, he lowers his head and smiles . He retrieves his hand nonetheless, “I
have something for you . ”
It’s a very casual and normal phrase, but it makes Su Mian’s heart skip a beat
.
She was fiddling with his ring just now and complained about not having one
. Now he’s suddenly saying that he has something for her?
And at this moment, place, and time . Only the two of them are here in the
middle of the lake away from the rest of the world .
Su Mian’s heart suddenly pounds quickly .
In this cool night scenery, hot air seems to hover over her face .
Could he be……proposing marriage?
It’s too sudden .
She watches Han Chen release her and reaching into his pocket with his hand
as if he wants to fetch something from his jacket . Su Mian can’t hold it in
any longer as she grins . The flashlight from her phone is still on . Han Chen
sees her big grin and smiles as well asking, “What are you smiling about?”
Su Mian answers, “Hehheh . Take it out, take it out now . ”
Han Chen glances at her and as if he realizes something, his movement

stutters before he fetches an……an envelope from his chest .
Su Mian is speechless, “……”
Han Chen tosses the envelope to her but hugs her even tighter . He grabs her
chin and looks down at her . His voice is deep and mesmerizing, “What did
you think that I was going to give you?”
Su Mian is lost with words, “……Scram!” He’s such a smart guy, so isn’t he
just asking the obvious?
“I won’t propose,” he says suddenly .
Su Mian opens her eyes wide and grabs onto his collar, “Why?”
He lets her protest as he leans back with both of his arms on the back of the
bench . He looks to the front and says, “I’ve already proposed to you a long
time ago and you agreed . Once you get your identity back, we can get our
marriage certificate right away . ” Speaking of this, he smiles and looks at her
from the side, “Am I being unromantic? Should I propose once more?”
Su Mian turns her head to look the other way, “If you don’t want to propose
then don’t . Who wants it?!” After a while, she can’t help laughing .
_____
What Han Chen has given Su Mian is a rather surprising document .
It turns out that after Xu Nan Bai fell off the cliff, the police notified the
family and other colleagues in Beijing, and at the same time, they searched
his apartment . Han Chen has friends in the Beijing station who found this
document out of coincidence, so they asked someone to deliver it to City Lan
today .
It’s not a document on Xu Nan Bai . But rather, it’s an old diary from his
father, Professor Xu Mu Hua .
Xu Mu Hua . A famous criminal psychology expert in the country . He was

also once a professor at the public security university that Su Mian attended in
the past . A few days ago, when Han Chen and Su Mian visited Beijing, they
also read about him at the university . According to the document, he passed
away due to illness on the year of the 4 . 20 case .
But at the time what they didn’t know was that Xu Mu Hua also participated
in the investigation on the seven-member organization——this must have
been one of information kept secret from Beijing .
Until today, after reading the diary .
After returning to the dorm at night, Su Mian sits by herself under the light
and starts reading the diary carefully .
“October 9, 2018, I received an invitation from the Public Security Bureau to

participate in the investigation team for a recent series of serial killing
incidents……”
“The perpetrators are extremely cruel . Together with my best disciple, we

completed a few profiles for a couple of them . But they aren’t normal serial
killers, they are ferocious bandits who are organized and are well planned in
their actions . Even with their profiles, we are unable to find them……”
Reading up to this point causes Su Mian’s heart to tremble . On one end, she
and Han Chen previously suspected that the bloodshed battle between the
police and the seven-member organization may have been related to Xu Nan
Bai’s betrayal . Now that they know that his father played such an important
role in the case back then, it further proves their suspicion . On the other end,
the “best disciple” that Professor Xu is referring to, could it be……her? And
the challenge back then that Professor Xu described seems so similar to what
she is up against right now .
Criminal Psychology isn’t all-knowing . They already have A’s detailed

information . And as for L and R, she can even describe their likes/dislikes
and characteristics . But they’re too well trained and know how to hide too
well . So what if you know that L uses a scented handkerchief to wipe his
mouth after drinking water? If he hides, you can’t find him .
As she continues reading further, Su Mian is more and more certain that she is
Professor Xu’s disciple from back then . It’s because the profiles that he
completes are almost identical to the ones she completed previously . Even
their words and descriptions are similar . She must have been heavily
influenced by the professor back then .
This makes her feel a little sad .
Another stranger yet someone whom she feels familiar with .
Another person who has passed away not long after the case . Even though
the document writes that it was due to illness .
She flips through more pages . Besides some additional details amended to
her profiles, there isn’t much else . The diary ends on March 25, 2009, which
is a month before the 420 incident . That day, Professor Xu recorded the
weather and his meals .
But the last few words he wrote captures Su Mian’s attention .

“In the past, there has never been a serial killing organization appearing in the
country before . Even though there are some of them abroad, they are not as
skillfully trained and possess such powerful abilities . I’ve been trying my
hardest to come up with accurate profiles for each of them in order to assist
the team with capturing the killers . One, two, three……I’ve already
completed more than ten profiles, but we’ve only been able to catch a few .
I’ve been thinking lately, could it be that I’ve gone down the wrong route?
If they are an undefeatable organization, how many profiles should I be

completing? And whose is it?”
_____
Su Mian has trouble sleeping tonight . Inside her blurry mind, the words in
Professor Xu’s diary constantly reappears . She can feel a certain thought that
is about to make its way out in her mind, but she just can’t seem to grasp it .
As a result, before dawn, Han Chen, who has been in deep sleep, is woken up
by this woman shaking him . The moment he opens his eyes, he sees the dark
circles around her eyes while they’re gleaming at him .
“Han Chen! I understand Professor Xu’s words! I have a new thought! How
many profiles do I have to complete? And whose is it? It’s not three, it’s one
person! It’s not each of their own profiles, it’s a profile for the entire
organization!”
Han Chen frowns, “The organization’s profile?”
“Yes!” Su Mian’s gaze turns solemn, “Do you remember Xu Nan Bai’s
words? ‘My life has long been over . It’s not until I met him that it truly
started to ignite . ’ This organization reflects only one person’s temperament .
One person’s soul . If I can complete the organization’s profile, it will be that
person’s profile……”
She pauses before continuing, “It’s whom they revolve around to, the seventh
person——S’s profile . ”


Chapter 135
Chapter 135
Chapter 135: S’s Profile Part 1
The sky at the start of winter is always gray . The birds chirp as they fly
across the windows, contrasting the quietness of the building .
Su Mian is standing in front of the round table . She’s still as pretty as

always, but her hair is like a bird’s nest after being ruffled by her all morning .
There’s also a ballpoint pen stuck in her hair——it’s being used as a hairpin .
The Black Shield Team is sitting at the table . Han Chen is the closest to her .
He has his legs crossed, his elbow on the armrest while looking at her; it’s not
unusual . The untidiness doesn’t seem to bother her . She strokes her hair out
of habit and turns around to look at everyone . Her movements carry her
beautiful aura as always . All of the guys smile; Han Chen smiles as well .
Su Mian sweeps her eyes across them unconcernedly . Her black pupils are
full of coldness as she says, “The common trait across the seven-member
organization: they’ve all experienced some kind of psychological harm, and
this harm came from their families . ”
Everybody turns serious as she continues to speak, “We already know the
identity and family background of Sniper T . If it weren’t for his father’s
selfishness, he would have probably become a gold medalist at the Olympics
and not a serial killer who ended his own life;
As for A, we’ve just finished researching his background, so there’s not much
more to say . He’s from a family of poverty whose father died from being
beaten up as a thief . His mother died at home from illness——all of these
must have had a psychological impact on him as a kid;
Although we’re still not clear on L’s identity and background, based on his
preliminary profile, he has lived in a suppressive family for a long time
causing him to become twisted;
There’s also Xin Jia . Although her family is wealthy and respected, she said
these words to Han Chen before she died: ‘there are actually many things that
are not what they seem . Many people also don’t live as happy as they seem .
It was them who discovered me and saved me . ’ The meaning behind these
words is quite obvious . As a daughter of a wealthy family who works at a
university, she rarely has contact with people outside . Besides her family,
what else could bring her such harm?”
She speaks up to this point and glances at Han Chen subconsciously . Just
basing on the facts, there sure is one person sitting here who could have
caused great pain to Xin Jia .
How could Han Chen not understand her gaze?
He continues to look indifferent—–he doesn’t respond to her .
But Xiao Zhuan on the side slaps his thigh and says, “Oh yeah! Every one of
them has indeed been harmed by their own family!” Chatterbox butts in, “But
Xiao Bai, what use is there to conclude this?”
Su Mian smiles, crosses her arms, leans against the edge of the table and
answers, “Even though we don’t know what the circumstances were for Xu
Nan Bai and R, Xu Nan Bai’s family condition and his personality, as well as
his father passing away suddenly after 420, I think, that it’s possible that Xu
Nan Bai did not receive recognition from his dad and family and had a big
conflict .
There are so many psychopaths in the world . Not all of them have
experienced serious harm from their families . The probability of it is only
half and half . But among 6 members, there are already 5 . This is most likely
not a coincidence . But rather……”
She pauses before continuing, “It’s one of S’s criteria for choosing members .
”
Everybody is silent . Han Chen looks at her and doesn’t say anything .
“The seven-member organization is calm, reasonable, intelligent, and cruel .

S, as the core of the group, must also be an influential figure . Such a person
setting an ‘emotional’ criterion like this can only indicate that S is very
stubborn about it . It may even be what partly caused him/her to become
twisted,” she says, “Therefore, this gives us S’s first profile description:
he/she once experienced serious harm from his/her family . ”
Chatterbox, Xiao Zhuan, and the others all nod . Cold Face speaks, “How
serious could it have been?”
Su Mian thinks for a moment and answers, “For example, being abused for a
long time, or a murdering incident of a family member . ”
Everyone turns to silence . Su Mian continues speaking, “S’s second profile

description: he/she may be a member of the police force or of a related
profession . Even if he/she is not, he/she must have studied in the system
before . And therefore: he/she must have been a student at the police academy
or has studied in a related profession . ”
Everybody freezes hearing this . Su Mian smiles and explains, “The second
common trait of the seven-member organization is: loyalty . For a
psychopath, benefits cannot drive loyalty, nor can force . Only understanding
and being able to relate to one another can do this . understands them and is
able to guide them, so they view him/her as their spiritual leader .
And under his guidance, what is this organization like? First of all, the
organization is tight . They almost never leave any traces of evidence behind
at the scene . Doing this once is easy, but being able to do this so many times
is very difficult . On top of that, every killer has a different way of killing,
which involves examination, geography, criminal psychology, criminal
investigation, forensics……and other knowledge . This means that S has a
vast knowledge of the police and its processes .
In addition, T’s sniping, A’s explosions, and R’s heart extractions……they

can display their skills and release their emotions at the same time, letting
them feel satisfaction and enjoyment . This shows that S understands
criminal psychology as well .
His/her understanding of it is different from Shao Lun, a top student who self-
taught and imitated profiles . Shao Lun completed Situ Yi’s profile at the
time, but his execution was very rough-edged and amateur . Therefore, he was
controlled by Situ Yi instead . But Suses criminal psychology, and maybe
knowledge of criminal investigation and the police force, and leads the
members, creating a unique, safe, and twisted way of committing crimes . I
think this may also be the meaning behind the phrase, ‘truly started to ignite
themselves,’ which they’ve mentioned several times .
And in China, the police system and criminal psychology share very little
knowledge to the outside . It’s like if you’re not a member of the system, it’s
very hard for you to search and read related information . For him/her to be
this familiar with them, he/she must have worked or studied in the system
before . ”
Su Mian finishes talking . Xiao Zhuan nods furiously . Han Chen remains
quiet . Chatterbox ruffles his hair . Cold Face is the sharpest, so he asks, “Xu
Nan Bai also fits the two criteria that you mentioned . Could he have been the
one who was able to put his knowledge into use?”
Su Mian shakes her head, “Not possible . First off, he’s not smart enough to
design all of these methods of killing . Furthermore, if he designed them, he
should have been the spiritual leader . ”
Chatterbox interrupts, “Then is it possible that——he/she is not a member in

the police system, but he/she is a veteran in crimes and has been dealing with
the police for many years and we never caught him/her? And this is why
he/she understands the police system so well?”
Su Mian shakes her head, “No . This brings us to S’s third profile description:
back then, his age should be between 20-30 years old, and likely to be male .
”
Chatterbox says in shock, “That young?”
Su Mian nods, “That young . Two reasons: number one, from the members
that we already know of, their age is not too old either . Tand A were not
even 20 years old at the time . If S is a lot older than them, as the spiritual
leader to the members who have experienced harm from their families, he/she
would definitely have been more like a ‘father’ figure . But whether it was
Xu Nan Bai’s attitude when talking about S before the cliff or the poems and
lyrics mentioning S from L and R, none of them showed this kind of emotion
. On the contrary, S seems more like one of their members, their center .
Therefore, I speculate that their age difference is small and may be the same
age . Number two, the seven-member organization case back then emerged
suddenly and erupted suddenly, provoking the police leading to the bloodshed
battle and the defeat of them . No matter how intricate and experienced they
are, they always show pride in their style .
In addition, a female criminal’s characteristics are usually different from a

male criminal . They’re usually more delicate and have different methods of
committing a crime . But the members of this organization have never shown
any female characteristics from the start . Therefore, the leader is more likely
to be male . ”
Everyone nods after she finishes .
Su Mian then says, “The last three profile descriptions are: number one, every
member of the organization has their own specialized skill . Some are gifted,
but they also spend a lot of time practicing to perfect it . He has a certain level
of skill in professional knowledge or technique and is able to have a
comforting effect on psychopaths who often have fluctuating emotions .
Therefore, I think that Smust have a specialized skill . And it’s possible that
he uses it as a disguise .
Number two, since S is able to make so many members trust him and be loyal
to him, as well as design their methods of committing crimes so incredibly, he
must be smart and knowledgeable . He possesses very strong charisma .
Number three, since S is able to gather so many people together and have
them trained, he must have a certain level of wealth to be able to do this . ”
Speaking up to this point, everybody already has their eyes on the whiteboard
in front of them . During her speech, Su Mian has already written out the six
profile descriptions of S:
1, he’s currently between 25-35 years-old, male;
2, has once experienced serious harm from the family . Long-term abuse or a
murder incident within the family;
3, highly educated with top scores, extremely knowledgeable;
4, wealthy, and can allocate a considerable amount of money freely;
5, was a member of the police or related systems in the past . Or had studied
in a related profession before;
6, experienced in a specialized skill and uses it as his profession .
“During the case from five years ago, the police must have interrogated a
large number of suspects, witnesses, or related personnel . There are also the
criminal investigators and civil officers who participated in the case as well…
. . ” Su Mian says, “let’s start by searching for S among them . We might find
something . ”
At this point, Han Chen, who has been quiet this whole time, speaks, “Let me
draw a profile as well . ”


Chapter 136
Chapter 136
Chapter 136: S’s Profile Part 2
He wants to draw a profile as well?
Su Mian finds a chair and sits down, staring at Han Chen . The others are
also staring at him with excitement . Han Chen isn’t as serious as Su Mian,
the criminal psychologist; she stands, holds her chest high, and writes on the
whiteboard during her summary . He lowers his eyes humming for a split
second before turning his chair to face everyone .
“Remember the incidents that T planned?” he asks .
Everybody is stunned slightly .
“T’s crimes have four distinct characteristics:
Number one, bait . He first sniped the people on the list, letting the police to
think that his goal was to punish these people . Of course, it was one of his
goals, but it wasn’t his main one;
Number two, utilize public opinion . Due to the bait he threw out previously,
his crimes were put into the spotlight by the media . This caused a great
impact on society when he started to carry out his real punishments later;
Number three, accuracy in controlling time . Just like Su Mian said, this is
due to their knowledge of the police system, as well as knowing me and Su
Mian well . Before participating in the CS competition, we had already found
his place, car, and was going to find his real identity soon . But he used this
short time frame, within two-days time, to focus and complete his crimes . He
was able to do this because he spent an extensive amount of time in planning .
”
Everybody nods at this point . Thinking back now, T’s series of actions are
still vivid in their memories . But Han Chen’s expression turns indifferent as
he speaks, “Number four, his real goal was hidden very deeply and never
showed any hints . It wasn’t until the very last moment that it was revealed .
And at that time, his goal was already achieved and there was no turning back
. ”
Everybody is a bit shocked . Su Mian is also struck dumb . She stares at Han
Chen’s serious and black pupils . It’s as if her mind has captured something
blurry, her heart starts to beat quickly .
Han Chen changes the subject, “And then if we look at Xin Jia, although her
planning cannot compare to T, they resonate with each other . She used Su
Mian as bait that day to lure me to the deep part of the mountains . She
constantly created fake images, wanting me to believe that she lost all hopes
and was going crazy . But she hid her real motive very well, which was to
lure me to enter the poisonous room so that I would become somebody in a
vegetative state,” he lifts his eyes and looks at everyone, “Based on T’s
background info, his whereabouts were unknown after he ran away from
home at a young age . He must have joined S’s organization at the time .
Therefore, his ability to commit crimes may have been just like what Su
Mian said . He was trained and influenced by S . The same goes for Xin Jia .
Therefore……”
He pauses, and Su Mian takes over, “……Therefore, A, L, and R probably

have the same style as well . ”
Han Chen looks at her with his pitch black ink-like pupils and nods .
Chatterbox sitting on the side says pensively, “This means that everything that
the three of them are doing: explosions, wax figures, and kidnapping Xiao
Zhuan and Forensic Investigator are all just bait . Because of the provocative
letter from before, we all thought that their goal was to fight against the Black
Shield Team and avenge their past deceased members . This is one of their
goals, but it’s not their real main goal?!”
Cold Face thinks for a moment and lifts his head, “Using public opinion and
time control . ” Although his words are short and concise, everybody
understands it . These two points are what T used and what they are using .
The three of them have become the topic of public discussions, the media,
and online right now . No matter what they will do next, it will capture
everyone’s attention . Although there is a bit more information about their
identities now, a bit more time is still needed to investigate, which is the exact
same situation that they were in during T’s case a couple of months ago!
“Therefore……” Han Chen looks around at everyone and concludes, “They

still have the main goal that is hidden deeply and has not been revealed . It’s
definitely not what we think it is . It is what caused them to perform these
series of crimes . And their main motive will soon begin . ”
It’s already 8 to 9 am . The sun in the winter has finally peeked through the
clouds . The conference room is a bit cold . No one has anything to say at the
moment . Han Chen picks up his tea and takes a sip . Su Mian stares at his
cold and imposing face . She recalls the words he said just now and feels
chills in her heart .
Xiao Zhuan ruffles his hair and asks, “Leader, what should we do then? How
can we find out what their main goal is?”
Everybody looks toward Han Chen while Su Mian lowers her head and falls
into a daze .
Han Chen glances at her and answers, “T’s punishments, in the beginning,
was a setup to carry out even harsher punishments later . Similarly, what the
three of them have been doing, even though it’s bait, it must somehow be
linked to the main crime that they want to carry out later . What we need to
do is to find the link . Xiao Zhuan, summarize all of the crimes that they have
performed up until now . ”
“Yes, Sir!” Xiao Zhuan nods, gets up, and goes to the whiteboard . He knows
them so well that he can recite them backward . He writes and says at the
same time:
“On the 6th between 11 to 12 pm, A broke into Leader’s and Xiao Bai’s
home, calling Xiao Bai ‘Big Sister’ and left an invitation letter to the Black
Shield Team;
On the 7th at the 7th hour and 7th minute, first crime . An explosion, wax
figure, and mermaid case appeared in the city at the same time . The three of
them officially appeared;
On the 9th at the 7th hour and 7th minute, second crime . A civilian died
from the explosion, and solved the ‘boy’s rhyme’ which Lhelped A write;
On the 9th day at 3 pm, Xiao Bai received a video . L danced,

while A and R appeared in the background;
11th day, Leader found clues from the video, chased after L, who was
wounded by a gunshot;
11th day at night, Xiao Bai received another message from A saying that he
wants to kill two people to take revenge;
12th day morning, two civilians had a bomb tied to them and were dressed up
as clowns . Solved R’s ‘Number Rhyme,’ Xiao Bai was able to guess that A’s
second password was Su Mian’s birthday . The police saved the two civilians
successfully;
On the 12th day at the same time, Zhou Xiao Zhuan and Forensic Investigator
Xu were abducted . Xiao Bai made a decision . The two of them were saved
in the end .
A, L, R disappeared since then and have not appeared for a week . ”
Everybody is reading the words on the whiteboard . Han Chen remains quiet
for a moment before saying, “Call the Beijing police department immediately
. Ask them to search for S based on the profile Su Mian completed . And
based on the clues from the 7th onwards, investigate thoroughly on all of the
victims again and see if there are any connections between them . And see if
there are any links between the locations of the incidents . Investigate all of
the civil police officers, criminal investigators, and related police personnel
who took part in the cases .
The meeting adjourns . The Black Shield Team starts to get back to work .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan’s task is to investigate the victims thoroughly to see if
there are any connections between them . This is also his forte . So he finds a
quiet small meeting room and carries all of the files and folders into the room
full of energy as he prepares to dive into work .
There is quite a lot of information; he has to run a few times between the
office and the meeting room . As a result, when he passes by the hallway, he
spots Su Mian entering the storage room by herself from afar . He has sharp
eyes; he actually sees a box of cigarettes in Su Mian’s hand .
This is going to be big! Leader has forbidden her to smoke! Xiao Zhuan puts
down the files in the meeting quickly and goes to the storage room entrance
sneakily .
The door is half closed, the lights have not been turned on so it’s dark inside
with many items stacked on top of each other . There’s also a moldy smell to
it . Xiao Zhuan frowns: why doesn’t she find a better spot to smoke .
He pokes his head inside and sees Su Mian sitting on top of a stack of boxes
in front of the window .
Xiao Zhuan is stunned slightly .
The curtains are half opened; a bit of light is shining through . Su Mian is
sitting on the boxes with her legs crossed and a cigarette between her fingers .
She has her head down as she smokes . Her hair is in a mess after being
ruffled . Her face seems a bit pale and red at the same time .
Xiao Zhuan pushes the door open carefully, “Xiao Bai……”
Su Mian looks up at him . Her hand with the cigarette doesn’t budge .
Within the Black Shield Team, the person who knows Su Mian best might not
be Han Chen . It’s Zhou Xiao Zhuan .
“You’re afraid? What are you afraid of?”
Otherwise, why would she hide and smoke here alone?
After all, the Xiao Bai in his mind has never been afraid of anything . Even
though at times she would be anxious, throw a temper, and would be worried
for Han Chen, Xiao Zhuan has never seen her be afraid of anything .
Although she’s scared of heights, for the sake of catching a criminal, she
would throw herself down no matter how tall the building is . She’s not afraid
of dying . Regardless of how ruthless the seven-member organization is, she
has never been afraid of them either .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan closes the door behind him quickly and dashes to her side .
He squeezes her over to sit beside her, “What’s wrong? Should I call Leader
Han to come over?”
“No!” Su Mian refuses immediately . She keeps quiet for a second, inhales
from the cigarette and raises her head to look at the scenery outside of the
window .
How should she explain her emotions right now? Originally, the seventh
member, S, was no more than a blurry existence . After having inspiration
from yesterday and completing his profile today, the blurry contours of the
person seem to become clearer in her heart now .
He’s incredibly intelligent yet cruel . He’s knowledgeable and likes to learn .
He knows the police very well and knows her very well . He’s able to have
all of the psychopathic killers bow down to him . He was once high-spirited
but now he hasn’t made any move .
She lost her memory and was hidden in Jiangcheng for many years by his
organization . If it wasn’t for Han Chen’s persistence, she would probably
never regain her identity as Su Mian and will live as Bai Jin Xi forever . And
many people have died as a result: Bai Jin Xi and her parents, Su Mian’s
mom, Xu Mu Hua……
Right now, Han Chen is able to infer based on the crimes committed by his
subordinates: A, L, and R, that their main motive is hidden among them .
Su Mian inhales from the cigarette again and says slowly, “Xiao Zhuan, I’ve
never told you this before, but I’ve dreamed before that another person kissed
me . ”
Xiao Zhuan is struck dumb . He then hears her say faintly, “I’m afraid that it
was S . ”


Chapter 137
Chapter 137
Chapter 137: My Fear
Su Mian is indeed a person who has never been afraid of anything .
She’s not afraid of how ruthless her opponent is, and she’s not afraid of
danger or getting hurt . Even with A, L, and R being this cruel, it only further
excites her stubbornness and passion . Being afraid of them? That’s
impossible!
But, when S’s profile appears in her heart, a certain feeling of familiarity as if
it’s something that has been asleep inside her body for a long time, suddenly
invades her heart .
That feeling is fear .
Her fear toward S .
He’s like a bottomless pit . Quiet, mysterious, powerful, and cold . You
cannot turn back . The moment you do, you’ll be trapped inside .
“What I’m afraid of is S . ” After finishing saying these words, Su Mian digs
her hand into her long hair in frustration . She lowers her head and continues
smoking . Xiao Zhuan’s jaw drops . He feels his head spin as he murmurs,
“Therefore……you feel that their ultimate goal is you?”
Su Mian keeps quiet for a moment before answering, “Mm . Han Chen said
that we need to find the link between those cases from before . But what he
didn’t mention was that there is already a link between them, which is me .
The invitation letter was sent to me; the rhymes needed me to solve them
——because only I understand them; the dance was for me . Do you
remember that in L’s dance video, A and R were standing on the left, leaving
a big space on the right? Whom was it reserved for? It was for me and S . ”
Xiao Zhuan’s eyes widen and he’s speechless . He then hears Su Mian
continue fretfully, “In the end, the choice between you and Forensic
Investigator Xu was also decided by me . The unlocking of the passcode was
my fourth finger of my right hand . What does this mean? And the person
they were going to kill was Xu Si Bai, who has feelings for me, and not you .
”
Xiao Zhuan says almost losing his voice, “I get it now! So the three of them
has done so much because they want you to be the lady of their camp?”
Su Mian remains quiet for a second and then says, “You shut up! Can you not
be an idiot at times like this?! I feel that they’ve done all these not for the sake
of committing crimes, but rather is to transmit a message . ”
Xiao Zhuan asks curiously, “What kind of message?”
Su Mian watches the smoke rise between her fingers . She strokes her head
and looks outside of the window, “To have me and everybody know the
existence of the seven-member organization and their spirit . To let people
feel fright while showing kindness and power to me, torturing my will and
destroying my spirit . ” She pauses and then says, “Perhaps my undercover
life in the past makes them feel that I will return to their center in the end and
become S’s woman . All of this could be understood as calling out to me .
Their way of calling . ”
She says these words calmly while Xiao Zhuan feels cold sweat down his
spine as he listens . But Su Mian’s explanation makes sense!
“No! They are absolutely crazy! They’re dreaming! You are a member of the
Black Shield Team, and you won’t separate from Han Chen! What does this
have to do with them!” he shouts .
Su Mian looks out of the window, inhales from the cigarette and doesn’t say a
word .
Xiao Zhuan thinks for a second and asks, “So……that S guy, what role does
he play in all of this? Is he the planner?”
“Probably,” Su Mian answers lightly, “Even in the case from five years ago,
he never showed himself and never committed the crimes directly . He only
stood behind them .
“But it’s been so many years that they haven’t appeared and he hasn’t done
anything to you . Why now?… . . ” Xiao Zhuan says full of doubt .
Su Mian doesn’t have an answer to this question either . She remains quiet
for a good while before responding, “I don’t know . I don’t really know what
happened back then either . But now that they’ve decided to take action
again……maybe it’s because I’m not living the life that they first arranged for
me; or maybe because another three of them died because of me; or maybe
because Han Chen and I are together again and the Black Shield Team insists
on finding the truth about what happened back then . ” She lifts her eyes to
look at Xiao Zhuan, “Therefore, this battle is finally here . ”
Xiao Zhuan doesn’t know what to say .
Su Mian tosses the cigarette butt away . She wraps her arms around her legs
and avoids looking at him, “Xiao Zhuan, can you leave first . I want to be by
myself for a while . Please don’t tell Han Chen the things that I’ve said to you
just now . I don’t want him to worry . ”
“……Oh, okay,” Xiao Zhuan nods and leaves .
_____
After Xiao Zhuan leaves, Su Mian falls into a daze for a while before hopping
off of the pile of boxes . She opens the window to vent the smell away . After
making sure there is no obvious smell of cigarettes on her body, she then
walks toward the exit .
She opens the door . Outside is an empty hallway . It’s already 1 in the
afternoon, so there are not a lot of people outside . She takes half a step
outside and freezes .
Someone is standing at the side of the wall just outside of the door .
Han Chen stuffs both hands into his pockets and turns his head to look at her .
His pitch-black pupils are like two bottomless pits .
She doesn’t know how long he has been standing there .

Su Mian immediately understands . She told Xiao Zhuan not to tell Han
Chen, but that fellow is super loyal to Han Chen, so he must have reported
everything back to him right after leaving .
Su Mian doesn’t have anything to say; he doesn’t either .
He recalls everything that Xiao Zhuan reported back to him; her fear
toward S; her understanding of S’s motive; hiding in a small storage room and
smoking one cigarette after another while being afraid and upset……
Han Chen can only feel a cold and unsettling breeze circling in his chest . He
stands straight, reaches out his arms and pulls this stubborn yet fragile woman
into his embrace forcefully .
Su Mian grabs onto his shirt near his chest lightly, feeling his aura and
warmth quietly .
“Five years ago, I was 22 and lost you . It was me, Han Chen, who was too
stupid . I’m sorry . ”
He says these words in a deep and fierce voice . Su Mian lifts her head right
away and stares at him with her heart aching, “What are you saying? How
could you be blamed? I’ve never once blamed you . ”
The black jacket accents his face making it look even fairer white, cold, and
handsome . His neck is long and straight . He looks down and stares at her .
“I blame myself . Han Chen at 27 years old now, will not lose you again,” he
reaches out his hand and pinches her chin, “Don’t be afraid . You have me . I
will catch S, and I will make sure the seven-member organization will never
exist again . Nothing will separate us . Han Chen will guard you for the rest
of his life . I promise you . ”
Su Mian wraps her arms around his neck tightly with her eyes becoming
watery, “Han Chen……Han Chen……I’m sorry . I’m sorry! I’m not afraid
anymore! What am I afraid of?! I’m sorry!”
She doesn’t know why she’s apologizing, but she just wants to . Han Chen
lowers his head and kisses her, preventing her from speaking any more .
In this instance of time under the bright blue sky, the cold city seems as if it’s
still and quiet . Han Chen is hugging her like this in a corner of the city; just
like every day before, and just like every year before .
_____
It’s still lunch break when the two of them return to the office, so it’s not time
to work yet . Xiao Zhuan is hiding in his small meeting room, Cold Face has
his head down and fully immersed in reading some information, and
Chatterbox is holding a file in his hand and is dozing off . His head falls and
hits the computer which wakes him up to continue reading the file again .
Han Chen and Su Mian return to their seats . An employee from the
administration department comes in, “Leader Han, your expedited mail . ”
Everybody turns to look including Su Mian . It’s because Han Chen rarely
receives any expedited mail packages other than work-related documents .
Han Chen stares at the item in the administration worker’s hands . It’s a
rectangular paper box; quite big too . He takes the package and signs for it but
notices that the field specifying the sender is blank . The receiver’s
information is handwritten; the writing is sloppy and croaked and feels a bit
familiar . And it’s also sent from the same city .
He holds his gaze .
“Chatterbox, take pictures . Cold Face, bring me a knife . ”
The moment these words come out, everybody stands up from their seats . Su
Mian walks over to his side . Her expression changes when she sees the
handwritten words, “It’s A’s handwriting . ”
Due to the explosion incident, all items coming into the station must be
scanned by security . Therefore, it’s definitely not a bomb . Han Chen weighs
it in his hands . It’s quite heavy . There’s a rustling noise, so it can’t be liquid .
He and Chatterbox put on masks and gloves while the others back away a
little bit . The knife cuts the box open slowly . Chatterbox uses a small metal
rod and flips the flap open .
Everyone looks at what’s inside and is surprised .

There is no poison or harmful substance oozing out of it . Instead, it is a box
full of……
Xin Jia’s photos .
To be exact, they are not photos . They are rectangular sealed plastic bags
much like the ones you get from flu medicine, all stuffed inside; roughly over
a hundred of them . And on the outside of the bags, they have Xin Jia printed
on them . On the photo, she’s wearing a long dress with her long hair resting
on her shoulders . She’s smiling lively . But because it’s the same photo
printed on every one of them, there’s a sense of creepiness to it .
Su Mian frowns . Although she doesn’t know why the seven-member

organization is doing this, sending these bags with Xin Jia on it specifically to
Han Chen makes her feel disgusted . And Han Chen’s face turns gloomy and
doesn’t say a word .
Chatterbox, who’s wearing gloves, picks up one of the plastic bags and shakes
it against his ear, “There’s a tablet of some sort inside . It does look like
medicine . ”
“Send it to the lab immediately,” Han Chen says .
_____
The seven-member organization is finally taking action again, but their move
is absolutely unpredictable . What exactly are they trying to do?
The answer comes at night .
The lab sends the report back: those are indeed medicine that contains a few
common antidotes . But as for what kind of poison it’s for and what kind of
effects it has, they still need to do further testing .
It’s nighttime around 8 to 9 pm . Zhou Xiao Zhuan, who’s been monitoring

the internet, finds out the problem, “Something’s happening! There are
reports of mass poisoning in the Beicheng area of the North district . There
are over fifty civilians sent to the hospital due to poisoning already . The
cause of poisoning is unknown!”
He turns the computer screen toward everybody . Han Chen and the others
stare at it .
“What is the meaning of this?” Chatterbox scolds, “Did they send us the
antidotes first before poisoning others so that we could go help them? Are
they toying with us?”
Han Chen is standing with his back straight and his gaze turns cold as he
remains silent . And Su Mian turns to look at his side profile and also keeps
quiet .
No . They’re not toying with the Black Shield Team . They’re not teasing
them .
Poisoning tens of people isn’t something that the seven-member organization

has interest in doing or thinks that it’s worth their time in doing . As for
sending the antidotes to Han Chen, it means that Han Chen would bring these
antidotes with Xin Jia’s face printed on it to save the civilians .
This is……Could this be……
A memorial for Xin Jia!?
Only a psychopath would come up with this kind of memorial .
Therefore, their final plan has begun .
It begins with a memorial for the deceased .
Su Mian falls into a daze, but the words from Han Chen earlier today
resonates in her mind: T’s punishments, in the beginning, was a setup to carry
out even harsher punishments later . The crimes from before and after must
have a link between them .
Right now, we still don’t know what they are going to do next . Will they
create an even bigger explosion, poison more lives to threaten the police, or
carry out a massacre like back then?
But in the beginning, A, L, and R have done one thing the most, which is to
create panic to the public . Therefore, Su Mian can be certain that the next to
come, regardless of method, they will create a massive panic to the civilians,
to the entire city, and to her .

Chapter 138
Chapter 138
Chapter 138: The Hazy Morning Part 1
It’s a bright sunny winter morning .
The fog above the river has not dissipated yet . The commercial area along
the river is already very lively .
Xiao Ya is standing in a room at the Peninsula Century Hotel and is cleaning

the windows . It’s winter and the cold water is making her hands turn red .
She sighs faintly as she looks out the window at the incomparable flourishing
streetscape .
She sure wants to go shopping . But she still has a full day of work to do .
She must work hard the fact that she is hired as a service representative at
this superb five-star hotel and is being paid well .
Her mood brightens thinking about this . Thinking more optimistically, this is
a new developing commercial area that has the most expensive and tallest
architectures, so she’ll just admire the scenery .
The young woman hums a melody as she cleans the window quickly . She
breathes out some warm air and admires her own work on the window . At
the same time, a sound of, “Ah!” comes from behind, scaring her making her
drop the wet towel onto the floor .
She turns around and sees Xiao Ai’s brilliant smile .
The young man, who’s also a hotel worker, has a tall and slim body and a fair
white face with a tiny beard on his chin . He’s wearing black rimmed glasses
and his bangs are long and almost covering his eyes . But Xiao Ya has seen
him take off those glasses and move his bangs to the side; he’s handsome and
clean looking . Especially those eyes, those pupils are shiny and dark without
any impurities .
Thinking up to this point, Xiao Ya’s face blushes as she pushes him away,
“What are you doing? You’re always scaring people!”
Xiao Ai giggles and rests his arm over her shoulders as if they’re close friends
. This causes Xiao Ya’s heart to skip a beat . They both look at the scenery
outside of the window .
“Hey,” Xiao Ai says suddenly .
“What?”
“If something bad happens today, remember to run outside and run away as
far as you can,” his voice carries a sense of laziness as he says these odd
things to her, “Protect yourself well . ”
Xiao Ya gives him a weird look, “You’re always behaving so strangely .

What bad things can happen? Are you cursing me? You’re so mean!”
Xiao Ai smiles, stuffs both hands into his pockets and walks toward the door,
“Why would I curse you? You’re so petty . Anyhow, just remember what I
told you!”
She turns around and sees him swagger out of the room . She can’t help but
blurt out, “Xiao Ai……There’s a new Zha Jiang Mian(noodles) restaurant
beside the building . It’s quite good . Do you want to go tonight?” After
finishing saying these words, the girl can feel her heart pounding .
She sees him pausing his footstep as if he’s thinking, but he doesn’t turn
around .
“If there’s another opportunity, I’ll ask you to go again,” he waves his hand
and leaves .
Xiao Ya stares at the empty doorway and doesn’t know whether she should
feel happy or sad . What does he mean by “if there’s another opportunity”?
Does he want to go with her or not?
She only feels bothered by a brief moment before feeling happy again like
every other ordinary girl who has dreams and love . Xiao Ya returns to
wiping the windows full of energy . At this moment, she notices that the spot
that Xiao Ai was standing just now is facing a busy road . And far away at a
barely noticeable area, there is a police car parked with two officers standing
beside it .
The city has had several incidents lately, so the cops can be seen everywhere .
Furthermore, this is a busy area, so Xiao Ya isn’t surprised . Those
explosions and murderings seem to be far away from her . She’s just an
ordinary citizen whose life needs to continue .
But at this very moment, she can’t help but fix her eyes on those two officers .
Firstly, it’s because of the man . Although he’s far away, she can still see that
he’s very handsome and full of personality . He’s wearing a black police coat
and boots . How can he be this cool? And the female officer beside him is
also dressed similarly . She’s super pretty; beautiful and cool .
Xiao Ya stares at them for a while feeling admiration and pity . It’s winter yet
they have to stand outside in the cold; it’s not an easy job . She’s heard that a
few days ago, an officer was hurt . Hopefully, these two good-looking and
well-matched officers can be safe!
With this warm feeling in her heart, Xiao Ya finishes cleaning up the room
and goes to her next task .
It’s still a long day to go .
Su Mian is standing beside the police car as she watches the people bustling
up and down the streets as well as the glowing signs above on the buildings .
She falls into a bit of a daze .
How long has it been since she’s last gone shopping?
She doesn’t even know .
From her memory, the last time she was like these girls walking down the
streets dressed beautifully was just that one time, when Han Chen insisted on
buying her a dress . Thinking about it makes her a bit depressed . She
promised that she would wear that dress after buying it, but it’s been sitting at
the end of her closet . She’s been following Han Chen through wind and rain
as they immerse themselves in this quagmire-like case involving the seven-
member organization .
Sigh……it’s really such a waste for her pretty face . Criminal investigation
has really ruined her prettiness .
Just as she’s feeling full of herself and thinking of nonsense, Han Chen beside
her finishes speaking on the phone and looks at her .
A beauty is a beauty . Whether it’s Xiao Ya the service worker who doesn’t
know him or it’s Su Mian, seeing Han Chen’s standing tall and straight
especially in those black police boots, he’s just absolutely stunning . Su Mian
glances at him twice . They’ve been together for so long now, yet every time
he lifts his head or moves his body, why is her heart beating so fast from his
handsomeness?
Han Chen is also looking at her .
The temperature in December is cold . Just like him, she’s wearing a black
police coat but with a belt around it to show off her pretty and slim body .
Her face is a bit pale from being in the cold, but her eyes are still gleaming .
They’ve been together for so long now, yet every time she looks at him, it’s as
if she still has many words to say .
Han Chen smiles, reaches out his arm and grabs her by the shoulder, “Let’s go
back . ”
“Mm . ”
The mass poisoning incident from two days ago has quiet down very quickly .
The police obviously didn’t use the antidote from A . Instead, the
pharmacologists came up with an antidote and resolved the crisis; no one was
hurt in the end .
The police conducted their investigation on the case immediately . They

found the answer very quickly . From asking a small pharmaceutical company
to make the antidotes and damaging the pipelines in the area to release the
poison to sending the express package were all done by A himself . Probably
because he’s on the wanted list, so he didn’t hide and entered every security
camera’s field of view . He even made a V sign with his fingers toward the
camera just outside of the mailing company .
Of course, he altered his facial features a bit as a disguise . He had a

mustache and beard with a big pair of black-rimmed glasses . But there was
no way that Su Mian couldn’t recognize him from his arrogance and wildness
.
The search is still ongoing in the city . Even though the seven-member
organization hasn’t made another move for the past two days, the Black
Shield Team and every experienced criminal investigator know that in order
to fight against the most vicious and intelligent criminal, patience and
persistence is key at the end . Whoever has more attention to detail and
whoever is tougher, will be the last one laughing .


Chapter 139
Chapter 139
Not only Han Chen and Su Mian are here, but Xu Si Bai is here today as well
. According to the orders from head office, if anything out of the ordinary
happens, every related personnel will be on standby for 24 hours . Therefore,
although there haven’t been any reports of anyone being hurt, the Forensic
Investigator has come by car as well .
But right now, he and a couple of officers are staying in the command vehicle
. He greets Han Chen and Su Mian from afar only . Han Chen, as usual, treats
him like any other colleague; he doesn’t show friendliness or dislike toward
him and simply stays away and unapproachable . Su Mian doesn’t take the
initiative to go and chat with Xu Si Bai either .
She doesn’t know what to say to him .
This newly developed commercial area looks modern and splendid . This is
where the Han River and Yangtze River intersect, creating a lush peninsula .
There’s only one cross river bridge that connects it to the downtown core of
City Lan . Apparently, the underground tunnel and subway are in
construction and will be available for use soon; it will be much more
convenient then . The shopping center is developed by the nationally known
Huayan Group with the most extravagant Peninsula Century Hotel at its core,
surrounded by stores of various heights and pedestrian streets . According to
various sources, the underground levels were supposed to open in phase 2 of
its construction, but due to some reason, it’s been delayed . Otherwise, this
shopping center would be even more crowded .
The ground level at its phase 1 launch is already this busy after just a few
days . It’s really incredible .
Although Han Chen says they should head back, Su Mian’s eyes can’t help
but look at the different store signs and dazzling window displays . She hears
him say indifferently, “You want to go shopping this badly? Your eyes are
about to fall out . ”
Su Mian didn’t think that he would notice . She sighs and answers, “Is it that
obvious?”
Han Chen stares at her bright and fair white side profile in the sun and doesn’t
respond .
It’s more than obvious . Although she’s following him to the car, her body is
swaying left and right constantly as if……she’s reluctant to leave? Those
shimmering dark brown eyes are also fixed to the street . She absolutely looks
like……a pitiful little puppy .
A big beauty like her is being so pitiful and cute just for something so minor .
Blood rushes into the man’s chest; what should he do about her?
Han Chen smiles as he thinks about this . But he hears her speak in a serious
tone of voice, “Looking at the flourishing area from across the shore, yet the
criminal investigator’s heart is at the other end of the world . ” She turns
around and looks at him, “I’m not going shopping now for the sake of making
sure that they can shop safely and happily! But of course, after the case is
over, I want to spend all my money until my pockets are empty! Hmph!
Hmph!… . . Now that I think about it, I haven’t spent much of my pay for
several months . There is so much money!”
She blabbers to herself . Han Chen watches her become high-spirited again
and loses himself .
Looking at the flourishing area from across the shore, yet my heart is at the
other end of the world .
This woman will say a random phrase every now and then, but they seem to
always touch his heart . He knows that she is just like him; the thing in their
hearts has always been the same . After a brief moment, he disregards the
crowd around him and pulls her into his embrace .
Su Mian looks up at him dumbstruck: what?

In the winter blue sky, Han Chen’s face seems as if it has been lightly glazed
with frost and snow; it’s fair white and chiseled . He looks down at her . His
pupils are deep black and carry a hint of a smile .
“Once this case is over . Let’s quit as officers,” he says calmly, “I’ll
accompany you to anywhere in the world . ”
Su Mian is a bit stunned .
“……Okay,” she smiles slowly . Her eyes shift around as she starts to
imagine the possibilities, “Didn’t you say that you want to go teach in the
future? You go teach about criminal investigation and I’ll go teach criminal
psychology . Hehheh, who knows if I’ll be a bad influence . We can go have
fun for a few years first and then come back to the police school to teach . ”
“Okay,” Han Chen answers with one word only and then holds her hand .
They’re both wearing black gloves . But even through the layers of fabric, Su
Mian can feel the energy coming from his palm .
The future is painted with so much freedom and wonderful colors . No matter
how noisy and unsafe the surroundings are, Su Mian’s heart seems to have
calmed down and is wandering unhurriedly . She really, really wants to
follow him and leave like this . To the ends of the Earth with just the two of
them, just like the Condor Heroes; they can finally be together every day and
night, and every month and year .
But just when the feeling of sentimental romance surges in Su Mian’s heart,
she immediately realizes another big problem . She says frowning, “This
won’t do . If we leave, what are the three of them going to do?”
Chatterbox, Cold Face, and Xiao Zhuan .
Various images of she and Han Chen turning around and leaving carefreely
not taking anything with them floats into Su Mian’s mind . And Cold Face
would probably stand to watch quietly saying, “Take care,” before going back
to work at the Black Shield Team .
Chatterbox would probably blabber non-stop walking them all the way out of
the station and to their car . In the end, he’ll be emotional and won’t be able
to stand the pain of parting and will start to say a bunch of nonsense as he
bids farewell sobbing .
As for Xiao Zhuan……
Su Mian shakes her head helplessly . He would definitely cling onto her and
Han Chen’s legs and not let them leave . He would pack his bags and say,
“Take me with you then!”
Su Mian bursts out laughing thinking about it . She looks up at Han Chen and
says, “If we really leave, the three of them will be like pitiful puppies . ”
Han Chen smiles . He puts more pressure on his arms and hugs her tighter
while answering, “I’ll listen to you then . If you want to leave, we’ll leave . If
you miss them, we can come back whenever you feel like it . ”
Su Mian is very satisfied with this compromise as she nods vigorously . She
stares into his unruly yet beautiful eyes and then turns her head to make sure
no one else is watching as her heart beats out of control . She then stands on
her tiptoes, tilts her head up and pecks on the side of his cheek .
They’re standing in a quiet area of the street so there isn’t anyone else here .
And Han Chen is someone who likes to act on his own . He’s leaning against
the police car right now with his hands on her waist while letting her kiss him
like a kitty . A faint smile brushes across his eyes . He raises his head and
watches the crowd of people not far away from them .
Surrounded by high-rise buildings, the sunlight penetrates the shopping center

and it’s filled with people . The brand-name shops on the streets are playing
moderate tempo music . People come and go; someone is strolling and
someone is holding a bunch of balloons as they walk in the crowd .
And then, those balloons are released . Han Chen stares at them without
blinking . There’s a red, blue, yellow, green……a total of seven balloons
rising slowly into the sky . They float above other people’s heads; they float
in the sunlight and are rather eye-catching .
A breeze blows toward them and makes them turn slowly . It gradually
reveals the letters printed on the back of them:
T, S, R, A, E, L, K .
Han Chen is still hugging onto Su Mian . His eyes pause on the balloons only
for a split second before he quickly looks away to the building behind it .
It’s the tallest building of the peninsula with sixty or so stories high . It’s the
Century Hotel . Behind the window of a certain room on a certain floor, a
man with a tall and slender figure is wearing a colorful clown wardrobe . His
face his blurry behind the window, but he seems to be watching them and
smiling .


Chapter 140
Chapter 140
Xu Si Bai is leaning over to the side of the car window . The sound insulation
is very good . The scenery outside is quiet yet bustling . A few of the criminal
investigators are discussing something inside of the car, but it’s nothing to do
with him, so he’s not really listening .
Every now and then whenever he lifts his head, he sees the police car from
not far away with the two of them like a painting; both beautiful and standing
closely .
Xu Si Bai doesn’t really want to look at them . But they seem to appear in
this field of view all the time .
“Forensic Investigator Xu,” a criminal investigator greets smiling as he hands

him a bottle of water . Xu Si Bai takes it absentmindedly saying thanks softly
. The person smiles as he’s already used to Forensic Investigator Xu’s
quietness and desolateness .
Xu Si Bai twists open the cap and drinks from the bottle slowly . He knows
that he shouldn’t, but he understands that it’s really a feeling of stubbornness .
After being let go by her, he truly feels unreconciled . He puts the bottle
down mocking himself . His eyes look in their direction again .
He’s stunned .
It’s empty beside the police car .
Where did they go?
His eyes are like the wind as they search through the crowd quickly and
anxiously . And through the dark tinted windows, he can only see many
people bustling on the streets with dazzling lights . There is no sign of the
two of them .
He opens the door, gets out, and starts looking around .
At the same time, as if it knows his anxiousness, the walkie talkie that he left
behind on the car seat suddenly makes a noise . And all of the walkie talkies
that the other criminal investigators are carrying also receive the signal .
“It’s Han Chen . Target has been spotted . I repeat, the target has been
spotted,” even through the walkie talkie, that man’s voice is deep and
powerful . But Xu Si Bai doesn’t like his voice and everything about him .
From the first day they met, he never liked him .
It’s probably because it was the first time he saw the way she looked at him .
It was full of elements that he could not grasp .
And back then he knew that she would never look at him the same way .
All the criminal investigators are nervous . Xu Si Bai is standing beside the
car looking indifferent . They then hear Han Chen continue, “Contact Qin
Wen Long immediately and be on full alert . ” His breathing is quick and
there’s a bit of the sound of the wind . He seems to be running, “Request a
large amount of police support to maintain the order of the crowd . Also,
have the swat team on standby and prepare to attack by force if necessary . ”
The criminal investigators all get to work immediately like a cat on a hot tin
roof . Those who need to make phone calls are making phone calls; those
who need to search for others are searching for others . They are all well
trained, so the news is spread to the others very quickly . At an instant, the
tens of officers at the peninsula have already received the order . They gear
up and head towards the Century Hotel . They also connect to Qin Wen Long
through the phone at the same time to tell him everything .
Xu Si Bai is also a little nervous . He knows very well that if it is really what
Han Chen suspects it is, today will be the seven-member organization’s final
fight . Su Mian, being at the front-end of it, will be in great danger . Where
are the two of them right now? Where is she?
His face is fair white and cold, yet his eyes are searching through the crowd
furiously . He’s actually able to spot a familiar figure below a building rather
far away among the massive crowd .
The crowd is still peaceful and full of energy . The sun is shining brightly
and everyone’s face seems to look relaxed . It’s actually not hard to find them
. It’s because they stand out so much . Two shadows, one tall and one
graceful, are dashing through the crowd quickly toward the Century Hotel .
They pursue to their destination without looking back .
Xu Si Bai suddenly feels a kind of bitterness yet gentleness surging up in his

heart quickly . They’re clearly heading toward danger, yet he’s taking her
with him . But it’s the same feeling that he gets every time when he watches
them leave together . He’s been by her side for three years, but not once has
he ever accompanied her for real like Han Chen .
Han Chen’s voice comes on the walkie talkie again, “Send two people over to
support me and Xiao Bai . We’re……” he announces his location .
Two criminal investigators carry their firearms and hop out of the car with a
stern look on their faces .
Xu Si Bai keeps quiet for a second before standing in front of them, “I’ll go .
”
The criminal investigators are shocked . Someone says, “Mister Forensic

Investigator, this is a fight with real weapons . Our opponents are tough
criminals . It’s best that you……” Before he finishes, Xu Si Bai pulls out a
gun from his waist . His moves aren’t very quick, but he definitely has good
reflexes . Since no one thought that he would be carrying a gun, the criminal
investigators are caught off-guard .
Everybody is struck dumb while he lowers his arm with the gun in his hand .
He says calmly, “If it’s a physical fight, a forensic investigator is also trained
to defend and fight and his skill is comparable to a criminal investigator .
Let’s go . ”
He says these words like it’s a matter of fact, yet his expression is as cold as
ice . The others can’t find a reason to reject him . One of the most skillful
criminal investigators looks at the others and nods, “I’ll go with mister
forensic investigator then . You guys keep a close watch and be prepared to
call for more support . ”
The rest of the men nod and they watch the two of them leave running . But
someone can’t help but murmur in his heart: it looks like after the kidnapping
incident last time, Forensic Investigator Xu seems a little different . But then
again, he’s still quiet, cold, and proud as usual . It’s hard to explain how he’s
different .
And Xu Si Bai is running through the crowd with a gun in his hand as he
stares at the couple far away . He clears his head and has only one thought in
mind——if today is really the last fight from the seven-member organization,
he just wants to protect her .
Even if she has no feelings for him .
He can’t bear to lose her and don’t want to lose her .
_____
Han Chen and Su Mian close in on the Century Hotel area . From the outside,
there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong . The glamorously built architecture
stands in the sun; its garden is filled with colorful plants and trees,
extravagant like a palace . The bellboy is directing cars and taking the
luggage . Since it’s only been open for a few days, there aren’t a lot of people
. There are customers and workers walking past them occasionally .
The two of them observe the entrance for a while . Their support arrives .
Han Chen doesn’t show any change in his expression seeing Xu Si Bai . But
Su Mian is a bit stunned . Xu Si Bai looks calm as he walks to her side and
looks at her with gentleness in his eyes .
Su Mian immediately understands the meaning behind his gaze . She remains
quiet for a moment before whispering, “Be careful . ”
“You too,” he answers . He’s not wearing a police uniform; he’s still in his
usual light colored jacket accompanied by a pair of soft textured pants . He’s
tall and thin . He stands by her side just like this .
Han Chen is standing on her other side looking indifferent .
The other criminal investigator who has come is called, Ding Jun . He
observes the situation for a moment and then asks, “Leader Han, do we go
in?”
Han Chen’s eyes are solemn as he shakes his head, “Don’t act rash . Let’s
wait until everything is ready on Qin Wen Long’s end . ”


Chapter 141
Chapter 141
Ding Jun thinks for a minute and asks, “If we disperse the crowd and call the
swat team over, what if the criminals escape? Wouldn’t we be putting in all
this big effort for nothing?”
“No . ” “No . ” Both Su Mian and Han Chen say at the same time .
Su Mian looks up at the splendid hotel building . The countless windows are
like many pairs of eyes overlooking the crowd on the ground; cold and
merciless .
Han Chen saw the seven balloons rise into the sky . He saw the clown’s smile
hiding behind a window . It’s an invitation from the seven-member
organization . They don’t bother with small accomplishments; they are
arrogant and conceited . They have been looking forward to this fight .
Therefore, they won’t let the Black Shield Team’s effort go to waste .
The clock ticks away . Everyone is very quiet and observant . It has only
been two minutes, but it feels like it’s been a very long time already .
And at this moment, Han Chen’s cell phone rings . He picks up with a cold
look on his face . It’s Qin Wen Long .
“What’s the situation?” Qin Wen Long asks anxiously .
Han Chen reports what happened quickly and concisely .
“Okay,” Qin Wen Long answers, “I’ve already ordered the troops and the
swat team is on their way . But whether it’s calling for support or dispersing
the crowd, it’ll take some time . You’ll need to act on your own, but please be
careful . ”
“I understand . ”
Qin Wen Long changes the topic suddenly, “And also, something big
happened just now . A couple of minutes ago, we received a report and
confirmed that the call was made by He Ya Yao, the CEO of Century Hotel .
He’s in the hotel right now . He said that he received a threat letter signed
by A . He was very emotional and requested the police to go and take care of
the situation . He Ya Yao is a well-known person in the city, so our
authorities are very concerned about his safety . Please go take a look and see
if there are any clues . ”
Han Chen has speakerphone on, so the others can hear everything clearly . Su
Mian feels her heart drop——it has come .
The majestic peninsula buildings, countless citizens, a glimpse of the clown,

and a businessman who is being threatened……Although it’s still not clear on
what the seven-member organization is planning to do, it’s obvious that their
plan is being executed step by step .
Waiting for the Black Shield Team to enter .
The phone call ends . Han Chen lifts his head and scans his eyes across the
hotel building . According to Qin Wen Long, CEO He Ya Yao is in a
detached mansion in the hotel area, which is where he lives .
“Let’s go take a look,” Han Chen says .
The other three people have no objections . Since the authorities have put
their orders, they will definitely have to go take a look . Moreover, it’s
possible that the seven-member organization’s plan is hidden inside .
The four of them show their badges and enter the hotel swiftly . The mansion
that Qin Wen Long advised of is not far away . After passing the main
building, it’s in the back with just an area of grass separating it . It’s around
11 am right now . The sun is shining on the grass, reflecting on it . It looks so
warm and peaceful .
They walk through the grass and look up at the mansion not far away .
“Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom——” a series of explosions shaking the
ground with its thunderous sound . It’s below their feet and around them . It
deafens Su Mian ears instantly . She can only see the mansion that is only a
couple of meters away from them crumbling and falling toward them . And
the large area of grass below her feet starts to sink . She sees Xu Si Bai and
Ding Jun fall . In the midst of this disaster, Xu Si Bai turns his body with all
his might and reaches out his hand toward her . His reflexes are unbelievable
. Su Mian reaches over subconsciously in an attempt to hang onto him, but
another hand beside her is even quicker and grabs her wrist . Su Mian’s heart
shakes . Her eyes meet with Han Chen’s deep brown eyes carrying a sense of
pain . His body leans over and pulls her into his embrace to protect her .
Everything happens in a split second .
The four of them fall down quickly and into darkness . And above ground,
debris and smoke are everywhere, burying them as a result .
_____
The unexpected explosion causes everybody at the hotel to be in shock .

Many people come running out of their rooms and watch the area of grass
and the mansion collapse . They are in a complete panic with their minds
going blank .
“Call the police! Hurry and call the police!” someone screams while running
.
“There’s a bomb! Hurry and run!” the area is in chaos . The feeling of fright
drowns everybody’s heart .
But no one knows that four officers are buried below .
And outside of the hotel, the square, and several commercial buildings,
everybody is quiet .
They all heard the sound of an explosion . People nearby could hear the
thunderous sound; sounded like drums far away . Smokes and sparks of fire
can still be seen in the direction of the hotel .
“What’s going on?”

“Did something happen?”
“Did something explode just now? What was that sound? Did you see?”
……
Several thousands of people are actually all remaining quiet . Only whispers
of what happened can be heard in the corners of the square . And the
background music of the stores is still playing; crisp and clear and happy .
At this moment .
“Zzzzzzzzz——” the sound of electricity is heard coming from the crowd .
Many people raise their heads and see that on the LCDs hanging in front of
many commercial buildings that were playing commercials have been
lightened up like torches of fire in front of everybody .
They are all showing the same image .
A person appears .
It’s a man .
A man who is wearing a clown mask with short black and soft hair . He’s
wearing a very formal suit with a white shirt underneath . His eyes behind the
mask are long and narrow carrying a hint of a smile .
“Hello everyone, I am A . ”
The moment he speaks, everyone at the square is dumbstruck . And Xiao Ya,
who’s standing at the hotel entrance is covering her mouth with her hand in
shock .
The cheerfulness of A’s voice grows even deeper, “The one thousand people
here…oh, nope, it’s probably around two thousand……You are all now being
held hostage by the seven-member organization!”


Chapter 142
Chapter 142
Chapter 142: Two Worlds Part 1
At the public security bureau office building, the lights are brighter than usual
and it’s abnormally quiet .
Qin Wen Long and Zhou Xiao Zhuan are sitting across from each other
exchanging gazes .
Qin Wen Long inhales from his cigarette deeply with his face looking pale,
“What did you say? They’re holding everybody at the square as hostages?”
Xiao Zhuan nods and holds the tablet in front of him . It’s a video filmed by
an officer at the scene, but in reality, these clips are available all over the
internet .
“A said: explosives have been set up on all the roads that lead to the bridge .
Whoever wants to die can try to escape,” Xiao Zhuan explains helplessly,
“Therefore, everybody at the scene is scared to death . They are all listening
to his instructions . ”
Qin Wen Long curses but after venting his anger, he calms down and starts to
think . He’s holding a cigarette between his fingers as he rubs his chin and
says, “After the seven-member organization appeared, we’ve added twice as
many officers to patrol the streets . This commercial area at the peninsula is
one of the main areas under 24 hours of monitoring . It’s impossible for them
to find an opportunity to bury this many explosive . Unless……” he lifts his
head and looks at Zhou Xiao Zhuan with a gloomier face, “The construction
for the commercial area at the peninsula finished last month . Unless they had
already planned for this day one to two months ago and snuck in to plant the
explosives before the construction workers finished their work . F–k!”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan curses as well . But he remembers the inferences that Han
Chen made a few days ago . He said that the seven-member organization
must have a bigger plan hidden and that it would have been something that
was decided a long time ago . This really seems to be the case!
They’re facing powerful enemies and Qin Wen Long hasn’t forgotten about
his dependable subordinates . He raises his voice and roars toward the
doorway, “Have we connected through to Han Chen yet?”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan feels his heart up his throat: they better not be in danger!
A low-rank officer comes in hurriedly with an awful look on his face and
answers, “No! We have not been able to get through to him . Han Chen, Su
Mian, Xu Si Bai, and Ding Jun . All four of their cell phones cannot be
reached!”
Qin Wen Long and Zhou Xiao Zhuan are both lost with words .
Qin Wen Long inhales from the cigarette deeply and then tosses the cigarette
butt into the ashtray . He grabs his jacket from the back of the chair and
stands up, “Is the team ready?”
The criminal investigators say, “Yes! We are ready to go!”
“Let’s go!” Qin Wen Long pats Zhou Xiao Zhuan on the shoulder and walks
outside taking big steps . But Xiao Zhuan is full of worry . He’s extremely
anxious as he follows Qin Wen Long and the others with his head down . His
phone rings suddenly .
He takes a look at the number and picks it up right away, “Hello, hello!
Where are you guys?”
The caller is Chatterbox . He and Cold Face had been sent to go to another
city district to meet a witness who claimed to have seen A . But although the
kind-hearted grandpa had seen A from the wanted list and even described
many details of his appearance, he wasn’t able to clearly say which
direction A headed .
“It was rush hour . He was originally standing at the entrance to this district
area for a long time . I was out for a walk, so I saw him clearly . But with a
blink of an eye, he was gone,” the grandpa said pitifully .
Chatterbox and Cold Face couldn’t do much . Just after they ended the
conversation, they saw the news about the people at the century hotel being
held hostage . They tried calling Han Chen’s cell phone but couldn’t get
through . Therefore, they called Xiao Zhuan .
The two of them hop back into their police car feeling extremely anxious .
Chatterbox answers Xiao Zhuan, “We’re still in the West city district . We’ll
go to the peninsula immediately!” Cold Face steps on the gas pedal . The
police car zooms through the road .
At the same time, at the peninsula square .
“Boom!” another thunderous sound of the explosion is heard at the square

like it’s counting down to their deaths .
At a corner of the square, the music fountain explodes into pieces and is
completely demolished . Although no one is hurt, everybody at the square is
all lying down on the ground with their faces pale . No one dares to make a
sound or dare to move .
And on the multiple LCD screens, the same A in every one of them shows his
eyes carrying a smile .
After announcing that he is holding everyone hostage, the square has been
chaotic . People have been running frantically everywhere and no one has
been listening to him . This probably made him upset and lose his patience .
Therefore, he pressed a button remotely in front of everyone .
You see? Isn’t everybody all quiet now?
“Ah hem……” he clears his throat and walks around on the screen . He’s
standing in front of a black curtain; no one knows where he is or knows what
he’s up to .
Everybody raises their head in fright . Some stand up bravely to look at him
on the screen .
He lets out a faint sigh suddenly . His voice even carries a sense of
helplessness yet with a bit of mischievousness, “You guys need to be good . I
won’t kill you . I promise that we won’t kill anybody . It’s not our goal . We
only have one goal . ”
People at the square exchange gazes .
His eyes behind the mask curve into a smile again, “We only want to invite
you to watch a performance . The grandest performance . That’s all . ”
Everybody is quiet; keeping silent from fright and nervousness . But they
promise that they won’t kill and have stated such an unimaginable request .
Someone asks loudly and courageously, “What performance is it?”
“Yeah, what kind of performance is it?” many people add their input .
“Will you let us go after we finish watching it?”
……
The A on the screen smiles slightly and doesn’t answer .
He then turns around and bows toward the curtains behind him . His actions
are elegant like a gentleman while carrying a hint of freshness and liveliness
of a young lad .
“Please let our actors come on stage . ”
He retreats out of the screen after saying this . And the curtains behind him
open slowly . A brightly lit stage reveals in front of everybody’s eyes .
“What? Watch a performance?”
Qin Wen Long is sitting in the central monitoring vehicle as he listens to a

subordinate report back to him . His face turns pale and his expression is
awkward as he learns that the seven-member organization is doing something
unexpected again .
“Yes,” the criminal investigator says full of surprise, “After holding

everybody hostage, they have not proactively contacted us or announced
publicly about their criteria for negotiation . They just want the people there
to watch a performance . And they say that they won’t kill anybody . ”
Everybody in the car falls into silence .
A long line of police cars zooms through the roads . Qin Wen Long’s has a
stern look on his face . He taps his finger on the car window as he worries
inside his heart . Although these people are crazy, based on the previous
incidents, Han Chen and Su Mian have reported that these maniacs have
always spoken truthfully and like to obey the rules of the game . Could it be
that their goal is really not to kill people?
He thinks deeply for a moment before speaking, “We still can’t connect to
Han Chen?”
Zhou Xiao Zhuan, who’s beside him, has been calling the phone number
repeatedly non-stop . Hearing him ask, Xiao Zhuan tightens his grip on the
phone and responds as if he’s about to cry, “I still can’t reach him……”
At the same time, a criminal investigator on the side puts down his phone but
his expression is even bleaker . He pauses for a second before looking
directly at Qin Wen Long and saying, “Leader, it’s not good! Our men have
found witnesses who spotted Leader Han and his team at the Century Hotel .
During the first explosion, the four of them were at the scene and were
buried! Several of our men are trying to dig them out, but……it’s too deep .
The situation does not look good!”
Everybody in the car is in shock . Qin Wen Long squints his eyes . Zhou
Xiao Zhuan is completely dumbstruck . His mouth is opened but no words
are coming out .
“Dig! Dig with everything that you have! They must be saved!” Qin Wen
Long roars, “F–k~ it was a trap! What kind of f–king shit is this He Ya Yao!
He’s scared of death so he goes to help the criminals to take advantage of the
police!”
The inside of the vehicle is all quiet . The officer who is responsible for
connecting with the others picks up the phone and repeats word for word
shouting, “Dig! Dig with everything that you have! They must be saved! F–
k!”
At this moment, a criminal investigator says out loud, “The performance has
started!”
Just as he finishes announcing, everybody including Qin Wen Long all lowers
their heads to watch the monitor .
Su Mian wakes up and the first thing she notices is the choking smell of
smoke as well as the damp smell of soil belonging to the underground .
Everywhere on her body hurts . She can feel the stinging from cuts all over
her skin, but they’re not so painful that they can’t be tolerated .
She opens her eyes and sees darkness above her just like a large pit . She
adjusts to the darkness after a while and sees clearly that she is lying in an
area of dirt . There are many shattered pieces of wood and foam on top of her
. And this place that she’s in looks like an underground construction area that
hasn’t been fully completed . The ground is still all dirt and there are stacks
of items standing against the walls . There is also a very dim light bulb
hanging at the ceiling not far away; no wonder she can see .
She moves her arms and legs and realizes that she can move freely . She feels
a bit of relief in her heart and pushes away the things that have fallen on top
of her . She turns around and starts to search: Han Chen! Where is Han
Chen? And where are Xu Si Bai and Ding Jun?
Behind her is just a pile of debris . Now that she looks at it again, it’s dark
and messy . She was probably buried in the outermost part . She can’t seem
to spot the others yet .
She feels anxious and starts digging the area . But she calms down after
digging for a while: how long will it take her to dig everything out? She
looks down and feels something small scraping across her chin lightly . She
stares at it . It’s the whistle hanging around her neck .
She immediately puts the whistle in her mouth and blows on it while
removing the scraps at the same time .
This place is probably very deep below the ground . It’s empty, damp, and
cold . In the hazy light, there seems to be a long corridor behind her that leads
to a more spacious area that’s more well lit . She looks at it at a distance .
Based on the shapes and shadows, it seems to be already constructed and is
part of the underground commercial area that is to come in phase two .
The crisp sound of the whistle pierces through the damp air and the darkness .
It echoes underground loudly and sharply; repeatedly, anxiously, and
stubbornly .
And below the pile of wood and concrete, in a corner without light, who
could be there and how many people will hear the whistle and open their
eyes?
“Han Chen, Han Chen! Xu Si Bai! Ding Jun!” Su Mian calls out and blows
on the whistle . She blows it louder and louder as she removes more and
more scraps . She then seems to see a block of wood and sand move . She
can feel delighted in her heart . And then she sees the shape of a body below a
big piece of wood near her . He pushes the wooden board away and reaches
out one arm . The familiar platinum ring is wearing on his slender fourth
finger .
Su Mian rushes over immediately and holds his hand, “Han Chen!”


Chapter 143
Chapter 143
In the stifling and suffocating darkness, Han Chen has been unconscious for
only a short while .
The last image in his head was he and Su Mian falling down quickly and that
he was protecting her in his embrace, using his back to shield her from the
falling debris .
Men are strange creatures sometimes, especially when it’s someone like Han
Chen, who’s usually unruly and likes to keep everything inside . Even though
he knew that doing that could cost him his life, hugging her made him felt at
ease . And when they fell to the bottom, the tremendous impact finally made
him lose his grip and let go of her . But seeing that she should be okay, he felt
relieved and became unconscious .
And then it’s the sound of the whistle .
The crisp sound of the whistle like birds chirping . The whistle that they’ve
heard numerous times in the past when they were playing with each other .
The sound penetrates into his ear quickly . The explosion happened right
behind him so his ears are still ringing, making them numb . But the sound of
the whistle; its hazy and tiny sound seem to have woken up every nerve in his
body .
He opens his eyes and observes the dark surrounding . He can tell that the
sound of the whistle is not far away .
The corners of his mouth even curve up into a smile . And then he pushes
away the stuff on top of him and starts climbing out of the pile .
Su Mian feels as if her heart is about to jump out of her chest as she watches
him stand up covered in dust . In the dim lighting, his face is still handsome
and chisel . His pupils are dark like pebbles from the bottom of the river as
they bore into her .
Su Mian dives into his embrace . There’s no need to say anything . He hugs
her tightly, lowers his head and kisses her neck softly .
They release each other quickly and start removing more debris from the pile
.
The second to be found is Xu Si Bai . He has been buried under a pile of dirt
. Luckily, he’s awake; perhaps he heard Su Mian’s whistle as well . Just as
he pushes a brick of dirt away, Han Chen spots him, so he and Su Mian both
come and help pull him out of the pile .
Xu Si Bai doesn’t have any serious wounds either with only a few scratches
here and there . But just like the two of them, he’s also covered in dirt and
dust . His usual soft and fluffy short hair is now in a mess . His fair white
face has blood stains on it . But he’s a quiet guy, so he doesn’t show the
slightest bit of fright . He simply says, “Thank you,” after being pulled out
and then stares directly at Su Mian, “Did you get hurt?”
Han Chen glances at him indifferently . Su Mian shakes her head, “I’m fine .
We’re both fine . ”
“Help m-……” a raspy voice says on the other side . The three of them turn
their heads and see Ding Jun trying to push away a piece of wood to sit up .
But his face shows pain and his legs aren’t out yet as if they’re trapped by
something .
Han Chen and Xu Si Bai rush over and remove the pieces lying on top of his
body . Su Mian follows them quickly . They finally see that Ding Jun’s legs
are bleeding from all of the debris falling on top of him . His right leg must
have hit something hard as a large piece of skin has been scraped off
revealing the bone inside .
“Don’t move!” Xu Si Bai takes off his jacket, wearing only a thin sweater and
white shirt . He squats in front of Ding Jun and quickly helps him to wrap his
wounds . Han Chen holds onto Ding Jun’s arm and asks, “Can you walk?”
Ding Jun grits his teeth, “I’m fine . I can walk!”
Xu Si Bai finishes wrapping his leg, but it won’t help with his injuries much .
Su Mian can imagine how much pain Ding Jun is going through, but in this
circumstance, he can only grit his teeth and continue .
Han Chen gives Ding Jun his support . Su Mian is standing beside him while
Xu Si Bai is guarding beside her . All four of them look up and assess this
dark and quiet underground shopping center .
They must be in a small unfinished area . And through the corridor ahead of
them, they can see clearly a spacious area with shiny marble flooring
accompanied by newly painted white walls . There are many unlit ceiling
lamps, store shelves, LCD screens, and advertisement billboards, etcetera .
If these were seen under bright glistening lights, it would be highly stylish
and beautiful . But it’s completely empty without a single person and the
lighting is dim, making everything seem gloomy and unreal, carrying a sense
of eerie .
Han Chen looks up again . The ground above them has been completely
sealed . There are only bare dirt walls around them . They also can’t find
anywhere that may help them climb back up . After a moment, he says,
“Let’s walk over there . ”
No one objects . Su Mian knows very well in her heart: the seven-member
organization has spent so much effort to lure them here . Therefore, they
must continue walking forward in order to see what they have planned next
and so that they can begin their last battle and find a way out .
The four of them pull out their guns and walk slowly through the narrow
corridor . It’s still quiet everywhere; not a single voice or footstep can be
heard . With Han Chen’s and Su Mian’s hearing, they are certain that there is
no one .
They make it to the other end of the passageway very soon and are in a
spacious hall . There is still no one around; only a long line of emergency
lights are shining alongside the bottom of the wall . Therefore, the lighting is
much better than where they were just now .
Su Mian holds onto Han Chen’s hand and asks lightly, “What should we do
now? Should we continue walking?”
Xu Si Bai and Ding Jun scan the area . Han Chen doesn’t answer . His eyes
land on the LCD screen in front of the four of them .
It’s because there’s a tiny red light under the LCD screen, which is its power
indicator . This means that there’s power connected to it .
The other three notices it as well and stares at the screen holding their breaths
.
About two to three seconds later .
“Zzzz” the subtle sound of electricity can be heard and the screen turns on .
A man appears .
It’s a man wearing a clown mask .
Su Mian’s eyes open wide .
With just one look, she knows that this person is not A . A has soft and fluffy
hair with long and narrow eyes . Even when he’s wearing a dark trench coat,
you can still sense his liveliness and arrogance .
This man is different . His hair is very short almost showing his entire
forehead . He’s wearing a suit but without a tie . He’s sitting in a rather
ordinary looking hotel room; he’s sitting with his back straight . Although
they can’t see his face clearly, they can sense his calm aura . And the pair of
eyes behind the mask is dark and hard to read .
He’s one of the members of the seven-member organization .
“(Eng) Hello,” he says softly toward them . His voice has been filtered with a
voice changer device; it’s pitchy and awful .
But a hint of mischievousness and a cold smile flash across his eyes in the
next moment, “I’m L . Welcome to……(Eng) The last show . ”

Chapter 144
Chapter 144
The underground shopping center .
The crowd was scared and in panic before, but right now, they are all
watching the big screen full of nervousness .
These criminals who are causing goosebumps to appear on their skins, what
exactly do they want them to watch?
It’s unimaginable .
In the bright sunlight, the LCD screen displays dazzling colors . The curtains
in the image have been fully opened . And on the stage, there are actually six
people sitting .
Six individuals who don’t look anything special .
On the very left, it’s a fifty or so year-old man wearing a quality suit and
leather shoes . He has kept his looks well . Even though his face is red and
his expression is nervous, his facial features carry elegance and nobility . It’s
easy to tell that he’s someone with high social status .
Beside him is a thirty or so year-old man . He’s also wearing a suit and tie .
He’s handsome but his face is pale and he’s trembling from fright .
A woman is sitting in the middle . She seems to be in her early thirties,

wearing a red long dress, making her look beautiful and captivating . Her
high heels are 10 centimeters high and it’s obvious that she’s one of those
exquisite yet money-spending women .
To her right sits a young man who’s about thirty-two to thirty-three years old .
He’s wearing glasses, looks refined and seems to be well-schooled . He has
his head down all this time as if he’s refusing to look at the screen .
Moving to the right is a forty or so year-old man . Compared to the previous

individuals, he has a much worse demeanor . Regardless of how expensive
his clothes are, he has a large stomach and a brandy nose . His chubby face is
red and purple as if he’s scared to death .
Last but not least, is an elderly man who looks older than the first individual .
But he seems out of place . He’s wearing a thick green army coat with an old
looking shirt and long pants underneath . His running shoes look worn out as
well . He looks like one of those seniors who usually work at the factory .
The audience is watching them but doesn’t know what’s going on . A’s voice
comes on, “Why don’t you introduce yourselves first . ”
It’s unknown what kind of threat he used, but all six individuals raise their
heads one by one .
“I’m……” the first noble looking man says slowly with much effort, “He Jing
Lun, the CEO of the Peninsula Hotel Group . ”
The moment he reveals his identity, the audience starts discussing among
themselves .
And the identities of the other individuals make the audience’s jaws drop .
“I am He Ya Yao, the General Manager of the Peninsula Hotel Group,” the

prestigious looking young man sitting beside the old man says .
“I am Chen Su Lin, the public relations manager from Peninsula Hotel

Group,” the beautiful woman says in a shaky voice .
The well-schooled young man raises his head, “I am Ji Zi Chang, an architect

designer,” he pauses before continuing, “I am responsible for all the
architectural designs for the Peninsula Group . ”
The middle-aged chubby man follows after him and says trembling, “I’m……
I’m Zhang Fu Cai . I’m responsible for some of the construction work for the
Peninsula Group . I-I’m the contractor . ”
The last elderly man says with his face flushing, “I’m Zhou Feng Mao . I
used to live here . I am a retired factory manager of ‘Hongying Textile
Factory . ’”
Someone in the audience lets out an, “Oh . ” It’s because Hongying Textile
Factory used to be located at the peninsula . It was only taken down recently .
It has only been a few minutes since the audience has been held hostage .
Qin Wen Long and the others are speeding through the road in police vehicles
while watching the image transmitted to the computer screen full of doubts .
“What exactly do they want to do?” a criminal investigator murmurs .

They’ve basically kidnapped all the core personnel of the Peninsula Hotel
Group, haven’t they?
Qin Wen Long’s face turns gloomy as he stares at the screen without a word .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan thinks quickly . He suddenly remembers a previous case

from the seven-member organization . He remembers T and says almost
losing his voice, “Could there be something wrong with this Group? Could it
be that they want to be like T and bring justice by carrying out a grand
punishment on them?”
From the way things look, it sure seems like so . But the moment he finishes,
Xiao Zhuan feels that it’s quite unbelievable . These people viewed other
people’s lives like they were nothing before, so how is it possible for them to
turn around and carry out a moral trial?
This isn’t possible, is it?… . .
But what exactly is their goal?
Everybody is staring at the screen without blinking . Qin Wen Long says
suddenly, “From the video, A’s reaction and his interaction with the civilians,
this isn’t pre-recorded . It’s live . Look up all the information on the
Peninsula Hotel Group immediately! Find out where they have a stage set up!
And let our people search the area carefully!”
Everybody’s eyes gleam, but Qin Wen Long then asks in a cold voice, “How
long do we need to evacuate the civilians safely from the area?”
A criminal investigator answers reluctantly, “Boss, everything has happened

too suddenly . If we consider the time it takes to remove the bomb on the
bridge as well as arranging for boats and helicopters to help evacuate this
many people, it’ll take at least five to six hours if not more……”
Qin Wen Long’s expression is stiff as he remains quiet . Everybody lowers

their heads and watches the screen . It’s because A has started to announce the
next act .
“First Act: Father and Son Love and Hate Relationship,” A says in a lazy
voice outside of the stage .
Only three out of the six are left on the stage . The other three walks down
from the stage carefully .
Those who are left are He Jing Lun, who claims to be the CEO of the
company, He Ya Yao, who’s his son and the Young CEO, and the beautiful
Chen Su Lin from public relations .
The people at the square are both nervous and curious at the same time . The
police officers, on the other hand, are full of tension and alertness . And far
away on the internet, there are even more people watching the scene unfold
from the “live” stream . Perhaps they also feel scared, but the majority are
curious and excited .
This scene is full of absurdity, yet it happened . It happened amid our

ordinary and boring lives!
On the stage, there are two couches and other home furnitures like tables and
chairs . The Young CEO, He Ya Yao and Chen Su Lin walk to the couch and
sit down . He Ya Yao bites on his lip and says, “Baby, do you have to go to
the old man’s place again tonight?”
Chen Su Lin lets out a, “Mm . ” She hesitates for a second before leaning on
his shoulder, “Ye-……Yes, he’s still strong and healthy even at his age . ”
He Ya Yao places his hand on her shoulder and says with a bit of a stutter,
“Then tell me, w-who’s better in bed…me or that old man? Who makes you
happier?”
The crowd at the square are in shock .
Quite frankly, their “performance” is quite horrible . It’s easy to tell that
they’ve been forced to do it, but the contents of their speech are shocking .
Anyone who is watching this “performance” right now feels an urge to
continue watching to find out what happens next!
And then they hear Chen Su Lin respond, “Of-Of course you’re better . ”
He Ya Yao speaks again, “When you go to his place today, remember to do

some pillow talk and let him agree……to the ‘super project’ proposal . ”
Chen Su Lin answers, “Okay . ”
She then gets up and walks to the other side of the stage toward the father, He
Jing Lun . She reaches out her arms and hugs him .
The curtains close slowly .
The first act ends .
And in the “audience’s” heart, they are all wondering if the criminals’ goal is
to reveal a shocking inside story .
At the same time, underground .
Han Chen, Su Mian, and the others are watching an LCD screen . It’s just
that the person on the screen is a man who claims to be L .
After greeting them, L stops smiling . Those pair of dark and gloomy eyes
look as if they’re boring into them from the screen, “Long story short, there
are 6 people who have been held in captivity underground and are in the same
area as you guys . This should now be obvious what your task is this time .
This is such an exciting labyrinth brigade . Our captives, please come
introduce yourselves . ”
Han Chen and the rest of them are staring at the screen without a word .
And then they see the image flash . must have switched the video stream as
six different squares of the same size appear on the screen . Every one of
them contains a person .
A person who has been tied up .
Su Mian feels her heart pound as she raises her phone and starts to record the
image .
The first person is sitting in a vacant area with a white wall behind him . It’s
impossible to make out where it is . He’s a fifty or so year-old man who’s
very well dressed but looks very stressed . He raises his head and says in a
raspy voice, “I am He Jing Lun, the CEO of the Peninsula Hotel Group . ”
The second person is sitting in an extremely dark place . It’s hard to make out
. His facial features show a resemblance to the old man . He’s a young man in
a suit, “I am He Ya Yao, the general manager of the Peninsula Hotel Group . ”
The third person is a woman .
The fourth person is sitting in an even darker room with only a light shining
on his face . He’s panting as if he’s trying to catch his breath, “I-I’m Ji Zi
Chang, an architect designer . ”
……
If Su Mian and them could see what is happening above ground, they would
have discovered that these six individuals are entirely different from the six
individuals who are appearing on the screen above ground . But they have no
way of finding that out right now .
At this moment, a loud “boom” appears above their heads . Another bomb
has exploded! Su Mian’s heart shakes . Han Chen, who’s beside her, embraces
her . The individuals on the screen also cry out in shock . They’re also
frightened from the sound of an explosion . Ding Jun and Xu Si Bai jerk their
heads up .
Everything returns to silence very quickly . The LCD screen in front of them
flickers and L’s mask comes on again . He’s clearly getting a bit impatient as
he murmurs, “I’m very sorry, A must be having a good time and detonated
another bomb out of nowhere . Don’t mind him . ” A smile flashes across his
eyes, “Next, we will announce the rules of the game . You will have 30
minutes to find these six individuals, otherwise, a bomb will……BOOM!”

Chapter 145
Chapter 145
Chapter 145: Walking in the Dark + mini side stories
“Second Act: Black Round Table . ”
The lights have been dimmed on the stage as if to reflect the name of the act .
The Young CEO He Ya Yao, the young and handsome architect designer Ji Zi
Chang, and the middle-aged newly rich contractor Zhang Fu Cai sit around
the small and simple-looking round table .
Of course, whether these six individuals are real or the ones underground are,
no one knows right now .
He Ya Yao says, “We must obtain that piece of land . We all know how many
billions of dollars the ‘Super Project’ can bring . You guys know how much
you’ll get out of the share too . ”
Ji Zi Chang says with doubt, “But Young CEO, that piece of land……”
He Ya Yao interrupts, “You shut up! You just need to take care of the design
and other people will take care of the land assessment companies and their
representatives . ”
Ji Zi Chang keeps quiet .
Zhang Fu Cai grins and leans over, “Young CEO, don’t worry, I will
definitely arrange everything!”
He Ya Yao smiles, “Oh right, have you taken care of that old man? That
Hongying Textile Factory?”
Zhang Fu Cai pats his chest, “Leave it to me! That old man is just an idiot .
He says that for the sake of the hundred or so old and weak employees, he
doesn’t want to close and move the factory . He won’t leave the dormitory
either . I will make them leave . ”
……
The curtains close again .
Whether it’s the “audience” at the square or the many people watching over
the internet, they are all intrigued by this “performance” even though there are
explosives, bloodshed, and lives in danger behind all of this .
Everyone seems to understand the context of the show now . It’s just another
everyday story in this city and at this time; collusion between people of a
certain class in exchange for money as well as forcing a woman into
prostitution .
The atmosphere at the square is rather peaceful . But at the same time, the
police are not wasting any second or any minute as they prepare to take action
.
_____
Han River Bridge .
Qin Wen Long, Zhou Xiao Zhuan, and the others hop out of the car and look
toward the commercial area at the peninsula from afar . From about 1 to 2
kilometers away, they can only see clouds floating in the blue sky as the
Yangtze River and the Han River flow quietly . The buildings are still and
grand in the sunlight . There is no sign of a massive and frightening incident
happening right now .
Xiao Zhuan feels sourness in his heart as he continues staring toward the area
. But he immediately finds his energy and shouts, “Captain! I’ll go over with
the SWAT team! We will definitely bring them back safely!”
Qin Wen Long nods . He watches the SWAT team in their full gear crouching
as they spread out and make their way to the square quietly .
A criminal investigator comes running over, “Captain, the bomb squad has
already arrived at their designated area! They have indeed found a number of
bombs under the bridge and on the roads surrounding the peninsula!”
“Dismantle them! Dismantle them quietly!” Qin Wen Long roars . He raises
his head and looks toward the peninsula again, “After setting up the boats and
the helicopters, wait for my orders . Be careful not to alert the criminals . ”
At the front of the bridge, the artery to get into the peninsula, police officers
and the special units are all working anxiously and furiously . Qin Wen Long
knows very well what situation they’re in: the seven-member organization is
holding over a thousand civilians as hostages and occupying the peninsula .
Even if they can save a large number of people with boats and helicopters,
this bridge is still the main route .
No matter how all-knowing the seven-member organization is or how much

they’ve prepared in advance and have been able to bury bombs months ago to
carry out this plan, they only have four people . They can’t possibly be able
to fight against a couple of hundreds of police officers . Therefore, Qin Wen
Long can dispatch his troops fearlessly and reconstruct this path of survival
——of course, they’re risking their lives to do it .
They just need time . One hour, or maybe several hours?
This brings another problem . Based on how intricately the seven-member

organization plans, this must be in their expectation .
Therefore, what exactly do they want to do during this time?
_____
“Third Act: The Downfall of the Hypocrite . ”
The lights are brightly lit . The old owner of Hongying Textile Factory, Zhou
Feng Mao, is still in his inexpensive attire as he stands in the spotlight .
This is his monologue: “I will definitely not sell the factory! We converted to
being a nationalized industry . There are one to two hundred young and old
workers all making a living under my guidance . In these last two years,
we’ve started seeing gains in revenue from the factory, so everyone depends
on me, the old man . Furthermore, if I sell the factory and the dormitory and
take the compensation payment, with the housing prices today, where will
they all live? I have a conscience and will definitely not sell!”
Everyone at the square is concentrated in watching the performance . Some

are discussing with others beside them; someone even shouts out, “Bravo!”
And then, the newly rich Zheng Fu Cai comes on stage and the two of them
sit at a table .
They have their backs toward the camera, so the audience can only hear them
talk and observe their body gestures .
Zhou Feng Mao says, “I won’t sell it no matter what you say!”
Zheng Fu Cai doesn’t respond . He raises his hand and makes a two with his
fingers .
Zhou Feng Mao says, “I won’t sell it!”
Zhang Fu Cai holds up three fingers .
Zhou Feng Mao, “I’m not selling it!”
Four fingers .
Five fingers .
Zhou Feng Mao goes quiet .
Zhang Fu Cai chuckles, “Hehheh,” and says out loud, “Money can buy
anything . Old Zhou, you will never be able to make this much money even
in several lifetimes . Hurry and sign the contract! If you continue to be
difficult, be careful of something happening to your young and old ones in
your family, especially your son who’s studying in college right now! As for
the workers in your factory, we’ll compensate them based on normal
standards . With that money, they won’t starve to death!”
Zhou Feng Mao raises his head, “I’ll sign it . But don’t tell anyone outside
about this . ”
……
The audience in the square lets out another sound of shock .
“Holy shit! He really signed it!”

“He’s got no backbone! Such a hypocrite!”
“Cunning old man!”
“Expose him, expose him! We should explode him to death!”
A lot of people are shouting and the crowd at the square are actually a little
worked up .
And it has only been a little more than ten minutes since everything started .
The curtains close again . It’s as if this is a real performance .
_____
Underground .
After staying here for a while, Su Mian feels even more dampness and
coolness in the air . After finishing his last sentence, “Find these six
individuals, otherwise, a bomb will……BOOM!” L’s image and the other six
victims disappeared from the screen .
It’s back to silence everywhere .
The four of them don’t have anything to say .
Han Chen releases his hand to let the injured Ding Jun sit leaning against the
wall for a while . He then reaches out his arm toward Su Mian . Su Mian
opens the clip that she recorded just now and gives it to him . Xu Si Bai takes
a step forward and all three of them start to watch .
Since Su Mian is the type who likes to show off, her skills in taking photos
with the phone are quite good . The image of the screen is filmed quite
clearly . Su Mian focuses on watching the video this time to catch the details:
Out of the six individuals, the location that is the easiest to make out is the
middle-aged chubby man who claims to be Zhang Fu Cai, the contractor .
His face is fierce looking yet he looks frightened . He’s sitting in front of a
white wall, but there are no furniture or decorations beside him or anything
that symbolizes the place he’s at . A lamp shines above his head . Both of his
hands are tied behind his back . The camera films only down to his knee area;
there are a few stains on his pants, but it’s hard to make out what it is . And
they can’t tell what’s on the ground, but very faint streaks of light reflect on
his face .
“Water,” the three of them say at the same time .
Su Mian raises her head and exchange gazes with Han Chen and Xu Si Bai .
The three of them remain quiet .
This means that Zhang Fu Cai is sitting in an area with water and the water is
not deep .
And among the six individuals, the darkest image is the handsome and elegant
looking architect designer Ji Zi Chang . L probably placed a very small lamp
below his face . His face is the only area that can be seen clearly .
Everywhere else is pitch black . His body seems crooked as if he’s being
squeezed into something . His breathing is also quick .
“A narrow gap,” Han Chen says .
“He’s in a closed off area depleted of oxygen,” Xu Si Bai says almost at the
same time .
Su Mian presses her lips and doesn’t say anything .
She always knew how smart and sharp Xu Si Bai is . But every time she
works on a case with him, he rarely cares about inferences and details of
solving the case; he only spends his energy on the forensics side of things .
But today, he’s fully focused and is putting in all his effort .
Perhaps it’s because lives are in danger . But he’s not hiding his coldness and
stubbornness in front of Han Chen right now .
Sigh……
Su Mian glances at them . One of them is cold and handsome, the other is
quiet and refined . Even when they’re both watching the video with their
heads down to solve the same challenge, their aura of not getting along is
strong . But this is not the time to be thinking about these things . Su Mian
can care less, so she lowers her head and concentrates on the video . Her
method of capturing the details is different from the two of them . She pays
more attention to psychological behaviors instead . What is L’s preference for
hiding these people?
Of course, they can ignore these six individuals and not follow the route that
the seven-member organization has set out for them and find a way out for
themselves instead . But based on L’s personality, he would be very mad and
kill all six individuals if this was the case . Furthermore, based on the sound
of the explosion just now, it must be chaos above ground . If they go out now,
how will they find the seven-member organization? If they stay here, although
they’re trapped, they can work their way and be able to face them directly .
The video is almost at the end . That sound of explosion plays again . The
six individuals in the image are all startled and show expressions of fright .
But Su Mian thinks of a problem: there are only two individuals whom they
have clearer clues on, but how will they be able to locate the other four?
Han Chen rewinds the clip with her phone in his hand . The lighting around
them is dim but he is standing straight . The furry collar of his black police
coat is a bit ruffled and is blocking a part of his face . His police boots are
covered with dust . But his face is chisel as he swipes his finger across the
screen; fast forward, rewind, slow motion, fast play . He’s watching the video
with full concentration .
At times like this, this outstanding and intelligent man can always bring her a
sense of calm and safe kind of energy .
Although Xu Si Bai carries a sense of coldness, he’s standing very close to

Han Chen . His handsome face is slightly tilted downward and is watching
the video very closely .
Two men are united in action, including not saying a word .
Su Mian rubs her chin and her mind is working at high speed .
Zhang Fu Cai .
A place with water; shallow water .
What area in a mall would have water? A water reservoir? No, no . How
could L possibly lock someone in such a common place with no technical
skills?
A thought flashes across her mind: a children’s pool?
No, that can’t be . She frowns .
This Zhang Fu Cai is clearly not the good father figure in L’s mind, so how
could he possibly put him in a children’s pool? L would think that he was
tainting the place . Although she’s unsure of why the seven-member
organization has decided to choose these six individuals, there must be some
kind of bigger plan . And L would definitely not do anything else but mock
these people .
……
She thinks she knows where Zhang Fu Cai is hidden at now .
Just as she’s about to speak, she hears Ding Jun shouts, “Come and take a
look over here! There’s a map of the shopping mall!”
Han Chen lowers the phone and the three of them hurry over .
It’s a commonly seen flat diagram map of the mall that has been printed on a
metal plate . And then below it is a very pretty column, standing in a corner
of the wall——it’s mostly for customers to refer to .
Han Chen turns on the flashlight on the phone . The four of them examine the
map in better lighting .
They’re quite lucky . The drawer of the map clearly has great attention to
detail and is very careful . This isn’t one of those diagrams with rough
outlines of the overall shape of the mall . Instead, every line is drawn straight
and neatly and in proportion . There are even some lightly drawn lines and
numbers everywhere beside the shapes to mark distances .
Based on the diagram, the phase two of the underground mall has three levels
and occupies a great distance; from the century hotel to the entire square and
all the way to the edge of the river has already been dug out . Every level is
about ten or so meters high . And where they are is at the lowest level in the
left-most corner . From the sound of the explosion just now, they should be
very near the border of the square above ground .
Su Mian is a bit dumbstruck looking at the map . She sees Han Chen
reaching out his hand and is deep in thoughts . His long and slender fingers
follow the lines on the map inch by inch as he measures them .
Ding Jun and Xu Si Bai on the side are both stunned . Su Mian, on the other
hand, is rather excited .
She knew that Han Chen would be able to think of a way!
——Although she can’t tell what he’s doing right now or what kind of
method he has thought of .
Han Chen finishes measuring the lines very soon . He raises his head and
sees Su Mian staring at him with gleaming eyes full of joy and affection .
Han Chen smiles before speaking .
“Sound,” a crisp voice says on the side .
Su Mian and Ding Jun both turn to look . They see Xu Si Bai pressing both
hands on the flat diagram with his eyes clear as water, “We can use sound to
locate . ”
Su Mian looks at him and then turns to look at Han Chen subconsciously .
Han Chen’s expression is indifferent as if he didn’t hear him . He doesn’t
look at Xu Si Bai either . After a few seconds of silence, he answers, “Four
of them are on the same level as us but in a farther area; one of them is on the
second level, and one of them is on the first level . ”
__________
Mini Side Story: The First Bet
Actually, when they made their first bet back then, Han Chen was already
pretty shameless .
They were just normal friends at the time despite they already had feelings for
each other . It’s just that they didn’t show it . On a certain day, while
investigating a case, Han Chen said suddenly, “Let’s make a bet . Let’s see
who can find the evidence first . ”
She was so proud and confident of herself, so she responded, “Sure . What
are we betting?”
Han Chen answered, “If I win, let me look into your eyes up close . ”
She asked curiously, “Why do you want to look into my eyes?”
Han Chen explained without changing his expression, “It’s because I’ve been
studying subtle facial expressions lately . And your eyes are the clearest and
purest out of all the women I’ve seen . ”
Of course, Han Chen had never read any books on subtle expressions in his
entire life . But he pretended that he had and said these words in a serious
manner, so he successfully made her blush as well as agreeing with the bet .
In the end, Han Chen won as expected .
On the day of fulling the bet, Han Chen led Jin Xi to his dorm room . The
reason was that his place was well lit . Han Chen had always kept his distance
from other women, so she didn’t think otherwise and followed him .
They stood in front of the window . He lowered his head while she tilted her
chin up .
She thought that all he would be doing was to examine her at a close distance
.
But he reached out his arms suddenly and held her face in his palms . A
young man’s fingers touched upon her cheeks just like that . She was
completely dumbstruck . It was because it was the first time that she had let a
man touch her face……
“Close your eyes,” he said .
She was stunned, “How would you examine my eyes if I close them……”
Seeing his dark brown eyes, she suddenly understood what he was trying to
do .
And he stared back at her and knew that she understood . He was such a
bastard . He wouldn’t let go . He ordered her calmly, “Close your eyes . ”
She wasn’t as calm as him though . She felt as if her heart was about to pop
out of her chest .
And then she closed her eyes .
He lowered his head and kissed her .
Mini Side Story: A Man’s Secret
Now that they’ve been in a relationship for a while, Han Chen naturally starts
to think about a “certain something . ” It’s just that he has always had very
little contact with women ever since he was little . And he has no experience
in this area . But she’s so hard to please and pacify . Therefore, he feels a
need to study on this subject beforehand .
But among his group of young master buddies, who don’t have a woman
beside them when they were teens? (other than the forever old virgin Ji Bai)
For someone in their early twenties to be studying on this certainly makes
Han Chen feel like he’s lost at the start of the line .
Therefore, in the next few days, every day after work, whenever she can’t
accompany him, he would sit in his single dorm room and start reading and
learning……Which is why she’s been feeling that the way he looks at her
carries a sense of “deep and unreadable” kind of meaning .
Until the day comes……
In the morning afterward, she wraps herself with a blanket to cover up the
hickeys all over her body as she asks with a sullen expression, “Is this really
your first time?”
Han Chen even refrains smoking; he puts a piece of xylitol gum in his mouth
and chews on it . He feeds her one as well before answering her in a relaxed
manner, “Of course . ”
Just as she wants to press further, his phone rings . It’s one of his buddies . A
loud voice comes on, “Chief Han! How’s it going? Wanna come for a game?
You’re not being a goody two shoes and waiting at your girlfriend’s school
again, are you?”
She can hear the person talking on the other end of the phone . She asks
curiously beside him, “What did he call you? Chief Han?”
Han Chen glances at her . He can’t suppress his feeling of content, after all,
so he puts the phone against her ear and persuades her gently, “He’s making
fun of me . Here, help me fire back at him and tell him that, ‘he’s no longer
one . ’”
Although she doesn’t quite understand the meaning, she will definitely take
her boyfriend’s side . Therefore, she shouts crisply toward the phone,
“Hmph! He’s not one anymore! He wasn’t one a long time ago!”
Her vibe must have been too strong . The person on the other end has gone
silent! She turns around full of proudness . But she sees Han Chen staring at
her with his eyes carrying a deep smile that’s enough to melt her .
He flips himself on top of her, hugging her and kissing her non-stop……
Not long later, she finally understood the meaning behind “Chief Han”
through another person’s mouth . She was so embarrassed that her face was
completely red . She ignored Han Chen for several days . She couldn’t believe
he made her say those shameless words!
But sometimes, when she thinks about it by herself, she blushes and quietly
feels that this nickname is quite suitable……
Chief……(virgin)……Han……


Chapter 146
Chapter 146
Chapter 146: Su Mian, My Love Part 1
“The speed of sound waves is 340 meters per second . When the sound of the
explosion happened, there were slight differences in their speed of reaction,”
Han Chen says .
From just these two sentences, Su Mian understands right away . Ding Jun
also shows an expression of understanding while frowning . Xu Si Bai, on
the other hand, is calm and quiet . He clearly thought of it too .
They don’t have a lot of time, so Han Chen doesn’t explain in detail . He
helps Ding Jun up, and the four of them start to jog forward . He says to Su
Mian, “The first to hear the sound of the explosion was the woman . I
remember that before we heard it, she had already bent her head down .
Therefore, she’s the closest to the location of the explosion and is at one level
below ground . She’s also the nearest to the edge of the shopping center . ”
Su Mian nods and can’t help but glance at his side profile . This man is
always smarter and sharper than you can imagine . Who would have taken
notice of sound and lighting while investigating a case? But in his eyes, these
things have all become clues .
“Zhang Fu Cai, Ji Zi Chang, He Ya Yao, and He Jing Lun . These four are all
at three levels below ground, which is the same as us,” he continues in his
deep yet crisp voice, “When the explosion happened, their reactions were
slower than us by over a second . This can’t be caused by vertical distance . It
can only be done by being spread further out horizontally and nearer to the
riverside . ”
Su Mian understands completely, but she has one doubt, “What about the one
in the middle level? What about that old factory owner, Zhou Feng Mao?” If
we use sound to locate them, there are a number of possibilities for the person
in the middle . How does Han Chen know that he must be on two levels
below ground? He’s too incredible .
Who knew that Han Chen would answer indifferently, “I just guessed . ”
Su Mian, “Hah?”
Xu Si Bai, who’s been quiet all this time, takes a glance at him suddenly . Su
Mian can read his expression——Xu Si Bai also couldn’t figure out this point
that Han Chen made earlier .
The corridor in front of them is still dark . The two men are still unable to
have a friendly conversation .
______
It’s the women’s clothing department in front of them . The lighting is still
very dim . From the outside, all construction work and decorations have been
done . The floor is glittering white, and almost all of the brand name logos
have been installed . Many of the shops have even finished setting up their
mannequins . They look to be ready to start their business .
But to the four of them right now, the scene carries a sense of eeriness to it .
They’ve reached the area where the victims may be kept . Han Chen scans
across the place and looks down at Su Mian, “What is the most possible place
that they may be hidden at?”
Su Mian answers swiftly, “Zhang Fu Cai, women’s washroom . ”
All three men are stunned . Su Mian explains, “There are only three possible
places that have water at the mall: the fountain, the children’s pool area, and
the washroom . ” She explains her reasoning on why she ruled out the first
two possibilities and continues, “Only the washroom is left . Although L may
look mature on the outside, he’s actually just as childish and mischievous
as A and likes to mock others . Therefore, Zheng Fu Cai, as someone
whom L looks down on, is the most suitable to be locked in a women’s
washroom . ”
_____
“Thump,” the sound of a door swinging open . In the emergency lighting, Su

Mian stares at the empty women’s washroom and frowns .
How could this be?
Nothing . Zheng Fu Cai is not inside . She was confident of her reasoning,
but who knew that she would be wrong .
“Let’s go,” Han Chen pulls her arm and leads her outside . His face turns
solemn while Su Mian also falls into deep thoughts .
The moment they step outside, they see Xu Si Bai and Ding Jun come .
Although Xu Si Bai is aloof, he’s rather caring for those who are injured .
Right now, he’s holding Ding Jun and letting Ding Jun lean onto him for
support . Good thing that Ding Jun is a manly man . Although he looks awful
due to the injury, he’s been gritting his teeth and following them every step .
“He’s not in the men’s washroom either,” Ding Jun shakes his head toward
them . Xu Si Bai stares at Su Mian with his dark and gentle eyes .
The four of them are standing at an intersection . Su Mian looks down at her
watch . 9 minutes have already passed since L announced the start of all this .
“What should we do?” Ding Jun says worrying, “We don’t have any clues and
can’t find a single person . ”
“No, there are clues,” Su Mian looks up and stares at the three of them, “Not
being able to find him at the women’s washroom is a clue——we thought that
they would hide the victims in places based on their likes and dislikes . But
this proves that it’s not the case . This means that they’re using a different set
of standards, a different set of principles and basis to hide the victims . We
just need to find out what they are and then we’ll be able to find all six of
them . ”
Ding Jun opens his eyes wide, “That’s so true! So this is how it is!” Xu Si
Bai keeps quiet . He has a serious expression on his face as if he’s thinking of
something . Han Chen turns to look at her . Su Mian is looking back at him .
They can see the wave of energy in each other’s dark brown eyes .
“If we’ve looked at all the places that ‘should’ have water already……” Han
Chen says, “this means that he’s at a place that ‘should not’ not water, yet
there is water . ”
“What is that place?” Su Mian asks softly .
“There’s only one possibility,” Han Chen answers .
_____
In the city, on the main road leading toward the East side of the Han River .
12:00 pm . It’s been half an hour since the people at the peninsula have been
held hostage .
The police vehicles are stuck in traffic on the 2nd Ring Road (highway) and
are unable to budge . Chatterbox is grasping on the car handle impatiently
and can’t sit still .
“Why is there so much traffic? Why is there so much traffic?” He glares at

Cold Face, who’s driving, “Shit! Can’t you think of a way? Why did you
choose to go on this road? We don’t even know whether Leader and the others
are dead or alive, dead or alive! F–k! Yet we’re stuck in traffic! Holy shit! I
really want to hop off and start running! Do you have another way or not!?”
“Shut up!” It’s rare for Cold Face to be angry . His handsome face is stiff .
It’s also rare for him to speak in such a long sentence, “Get out of the car if
you continue to blabber so much! This is the road that we must take in order
to cross the Han River! There’s no alternative route!”
Chatterbox knows that he’s just being too anxious, but he feels he has been
wronged at the same time . So he pokes his head out of the window and
complains to himself like a cat on a hot tin roof, “Hurry! Hurry and go! Why
is it not moving, oh man, shit……”
Cold Face ignores his anxiousness . His pitch black pupils are staring straight
ahead while he grabs his phone, “Hello, this is the Black Shield Team . We’re
on the 2nd Ring Road . Why is it on a complete standstill? We’re on a case!”
The traffic department answers immediately, “Mister Officer, it’s because, at

2 km ahead, the water main has broken, so they’re currently fixing it . The
volume of cars on this road has always been big, so we don’t have a choice .
We’re trying our best to direct the flow of cars……”
Cold Face’s expression turns cold .
He hangs up immediately, releases his seatbelt, and pushes open the door,
“Chatterbox! There’s a subway station at 2 kilometers ahead, let’s run over!”
Chatterbox agrees and follows him . The two of them are wearing the same
black colored police coat as they run like the wind, crisscrossing between cars
and other people without looking back .
_____
Underground .
“There’s someone here!” Xu Si Bai’s cold and crisp voice says .
Han Chen and the other three raise their heads and look toward him .
It’s a small area that’s still under construction at the underground mall . It’s
roughly on the side of the women’s clothing department . Compared to the
completed part of the mall, this area is just as bare as the place where they fell
in . A yellowy light hangs above the dirt walls . It’s just one lamp lighting the
rather big cave-like construction site . There are tree roots and steel
reinforcing bars standing on the ground . And there is shallow water seeping
through the soil . It’s muddy and fits the criteria of the image .
After Su Mian and Han Chen made their inferences just now, the answer was
obvious . If it’s a place that shouldn’t have water, it must be a place where it’s
still under construction . It’s because it hasn’t completed its work on
waterproofing and other things, and therefore, it’s possible for water to seep
through .
As a result, they’ve found this place based on the temporary construction

markers on the map .
It’s just that this place is wet everywhere, just like a swamp . There’s also a
sign that reads “dangerous” standing on the side .
The four of them split up and start to search the area . At this moment, Xu Si
Bai is standing by the wall farthest away . There is a pile of steel rods and
other wood materials on the side, blocking everyone’s view .
“Help me, help me! Are you police officers!? Hurry and save me!” that
person has clearly spotted Xu Si Bai . His raspy voice says anxiously and
he’s almost crying in joy .
Su Mian feels happy hearing the voice . She follows Han Chen and rushes
over . Ding Jun is limping behind them .
It is really Zheng Fu Cai!?


Chapter 147
Chapter 147
Chapter 147: Su Mian My Love Part 2 + mini side story
All four of them can see it clearly now: in front of a white colored wall,
Zhang Fu Cai is tied against a few steel rods . Since they’re behind him, it
was hard to make out in the video . His chubby face is pale and his legs are
shaking . From his knees down, they’re soaked in the muddy water . There
are places above his head dripping water . He’s definitely in a terrible state .
“Fellow officers! You’re finally here! Thank you so much! Thank you so
much!” Zheng Fu Cai is twisting his body as he says anxiously, “I’m the
contractor for the Peninsula Group . I’m responsible for developing this
whole peninsula . Hurry and get me out of here . Hurry!”
Su Mian instinctively dislikes the man, but she follows Han Chen and Xu Si
Bai to untie him and help him out of the water .
“Oh, oh!” Zheng Fu Cai shows an expression of relief, but to everyone’s

surprise, he grabs onto Xu Si Bai’s arm and starts leaning his chubby body
toward him, “Help me a bit . My legs are numb and can’t move much .
Fellow officers, hurry and take me out of here!”
Han Chen and the others don’t move . Xu Si Bai frowns . Although he’s
skinny, he dissects and moves around dead bodies all day, so he’s got quite a
good body strength . He gives his hand a push and moves Zhang Fu Cai away
from him .
Zhang Fu Cai almost falls over . He manages to lean against the wall but
ends up with more dirt on his body . His face changes, “You fellow officer,
how can you……”
“Shut up,” before Xu Si Bai says anything, Han Chen speaks in a cold and
indifferent voice while looking at Zhang Fu Cai . Zhang Fu Cai is naturally
someone who’s good at reading others; probably feeling the pressure from
Han Chen’s aura, he moves his mouth but doesn’t talk back even though Han
Chen is just an officer . On the other hand, Su Mian’s eyebrows are already
frowning hard——this first victim whom they’re saving really makes one feel
uncomfortable .
“Where are the others kept?” Han Chen asks coldly .
Zhang Fu Cai is stunned slightly . He glances at one of them and then another
before showing an expression of fright and lost, “I don’t know! I was staying
at the hotel all nice and fine and when I woke up, I was here!”
Han Chen glances at him, turns around and leads Su Mian out of the area
holding her hand, “Let’s go . Let’s go find the next one . ”
Xu Si Bai and Ding Jun follow after them . Zhang Fu Cai is stunned . He
quickly follows and says, “Fellow officers, even if you need to save the
others, you should at least get me out of here first! It’s very dangerous here!”
Han Chen pauses his footstep, turns around and looks at him, “We’ll leave
after finding all of the other people . ” Su Mian laughs mockingly, “Zhang Fu
Cai, everybody else is from your organization . Are you not worried about
their lives?”
Zhang Fu Cai’s face flushes and doesn’t respond .
_____
The five of them leave the construction area and continues toward the mall .
Fifteen minutes have already passed .
And after walking ten or so meters, Han Chen, Su Mian, and Xu Si Bai stop
their footsteps .
Ding Jun, who’s being supported by Xu Si Bai, notices them stopping and
raises his head to look . Zhang Fu Cai, on the other hand, is confused, “Why
are we stopping?”
Su Mian stares at the slightly closed door on the right . She squeezes Han
Chen’s hand tighter subconsciously . Han Chen’s expression turns cold .
They look at each other, release their hands and grab the guns on their waists
.
Han Chen gestures her to wait for him to take a look first . Su Mian nods but
follows him closely behind . Xu Si Bai isn’t used to holding a gun but due to
the situation, he takes it out and follows Su Mian to keep an eye on her back .
“Be careful,” he whispers into her ear .
Su Mian doesn’t answer .
Ding Jun pulls out his gun as well . He drags Zhang Fu Cai to the side and
stays alert .
There are no signs labeling the room . It looks like an office for staff
members of the mall . But Su Mian and the others notice it because there is a
warm orange-yellow light shining through the slightly closed door . And very
faintly, they can hear an extremely low sound of music . It actually seems to
be playing the classic piece, “High Mountains and Flowing Water . ”
What is the meaning of its appearance? What is the seven-member

organization after?
Han Chen uses the muzzle of his gun to open the door slowly . He takes a
look for a brief moment and then goes in holding up his gun . Su Mian and
Xu Si Bai follow .
There is nobody in the room .
Han Chen and Su Mian observe the area quickly out of habit, while Xu Si Bai
lowers his gun and looks around .
The tidy black-colored wooden bookshelf is stuffed with many books . Su

Mian scans across them indifferently before something catches her eyes and
stuns her .
There are books on astronomy, mathematics, physics, and philosophy . And

the majority are literature in the original Europe and America version . But
there are also ten or so “Criminal Psychology” and “Abnormal Psychology”
books placed at the lowest level in the corner .
Who’s been……reading these books?
There’s a pear wood sofa beside the bookshelf . With just one look at it, it’s
easy to tell that its texture and designs are gentle and unadorned . It’s made
very well . On the coffee table, there is a set of celadon tea set, a matchbox,
and a box of cigars .
The decorations in the room are very simple . The only other thing in the
room is a wooden desk . Since they are underground, there are no lights, but
a window has been drawn on the wall . As if it’s out of instinct, Su Mian
lowers her gun and walks toward the desk .
And then she feels her body freeze .
There is a note on the table .
It’s a very simple white piece of paper; a small square-shaped memo with a
black paperweight on it . Because of the subtle breeze from her coming over,
the edge of the paper curls up slightly .
There are four words written on it . It’s written in someone’s handwriting that
she is not familiar with . It’s elegant yet forcefully written almost piercing
through the back of the paper: “Su Mian my love” .
Su Mian picks up the piece of paper and stares at it without a word . Han
Chen and Xu Si Bai notices her and goes to her on both her left and right
sides . Both of their expressions change seeing the writing . Han Chen takes
the piece of paper from her and stares down at it with his face cold as ice .
Su Mian lifts her head and looks around this strange yet familiar looking
room . A clear and frightening thought rushes into her mind without warning
——
This room has been decorated to look just like the room that S once lived in .
He’s here . He’s right here .
He’s in this underground maze with them .
_____
Chatterbox and Cold Face dashes into the subway station . Probably due to
the fact that it’s the weekend and that it’s one of the main subway lines, the
station is filled with people everywhere . They hop over the gates without
having the time to buy tickets; they flash their badges at the staff and rush
down the stairs .
Not far away, they can see the subway that’s heading in the direction of the
Han River at the platform . The subway is already carrying a lot of people .
The red lights above its sliding doors are blinking quickly signaling that it’s
about to close its doors .
“Wait!” Chatterbox shouts as he and Cold Face sprint toward the subway .
But there is no use shouting . Chatterbox thinks in his heart that they most
likely won’t make it, but they’re in luck . The doors are still open when they
reach it . It’s just making its final warning sound to close its doors!
“What’s going on? The subway seemed to have stopped a bit longer at this
station,” someone murmurs by the doorway .
Chatterbox steps into the subway, squeezes through the people, turns his head
and looks at Cold Face saying anxiously, “Hurry! Hop on!”
Cold Face freezes for a split second . He looks up and glances at the subway
and then at Chatterbox . Chatterbox stares back at him with a puzzled look .
And right before the door closes, he hops on quickly .
_____
“L, why do you think that those cops still entered even when they know that
the subway is a trap?”
“It’s very simple . This is why police officers are the most respected yet the
most laughable at the same time . They always have to sacrifice their own
lives for people who don’t matter . A, you’re holding several thousands of
people hostage at the square . Han Chen and the others most likely know;
with a subway full of people, how could Cold Face and Chatterbox not hop
on?”
“Hmph……my big sister is just as stupid as them, sigh……”
“There’s also another reason,” another voice says unhurriedly, “The reason
why they went in is that they know very well that they are the ones whom
we’re looking for . They probably believe strongly that they can take us
down . Therefore, don’t let your guard down . We don’t know who will win
and who will lose in this battle yet . ”
__________
Xia Zi Qi is quite early . She enters the venue which is large enough to hold a
couple of hundred people, but only ten or so people are here right now . She
glances around quickly and is pleased: she came early just so that she can find
a spot with the best view . But the moment she takes two steps forward
toward the seating section, she feels a very familiar and strong gaze at her .
Ah……
She raises her head slowly and sees Cold Face .
He’s sitting in the resting place at the very side . He’s wearing……just a tight
fitted white tank top with a pair of long dark gray pants . He’s drinking from
a water bottle right now . But his eyes are looking in her direction .
Xia Zi Qi isn’t someone who blushes easily . But it’s hard to look at him
directly when he’s like this . Xia Zi Qi lowers her burning face and walks
toward the sitting area quickly . Why is he here so early?
Xia Zi Qi feels as if she has no place to hide suddenly . She’s done for .
There’s still an hour before the show starts . She lifts her head to look around
and sees many blushing faces glancing at Cold Face every now and then .
Those who have arrived early are mostly people who are obsessed……
Why is Cold Face so early today?
He’s really not an energetic type of person, but there are three in the Black
Shield Team who definitely are . Therefore, the Black Shield Team, who is
famous for being reserved and wise, has arrived early at the venue along with
the fangirls……
Cold Face stares at Xia Zi Qi who’s rather far away at a corner, transmitting
his strong radio waves at her . Han Chen has his head down reading the news
on his phone . Su Mian and the others haven’t noticed Xia Zi Qi’s arrival .
What are they busy with? They’re busy with provoking others! Since they
have a champion of kickboxing on the team, how could they not be proud?
A few other officers who are participating in the competition have also arrived
. The three of them provokes one over here and another over there .
Xiao Zhuan says, “Yo, Old Zhou, you’re participating in the competition too?
Do you want to compete with our Cold Face?”
Su Mian says, “Handsome Chen! What are you doing here?… . . ” she lowers
her voice and continues, “I know you’ve signed up, but Cold Face says you
can’t win against him . ”
Chatterbox hums a melody, “Cold Face, oh, Cold Face . The great Cold Face
. The most handsome Cold Face……Claiming victory all over the world . ”
……
Han Chen glances at these three disgraceful individuals, especially the woman
with a bright face . He rubs his forehead with his fingers——he always
thought that it was the rough city life that caused her to become casual and
likes fooling around . But from the way it looks now, she hasn’t become
more delicate and proud after returning to his side……
But……he smiles slightly .
His taste sure is becoming weirder and weirder . He actually thinks she’s
cuter like this and……sexier too .
Officers are all passionate individuals . After being provoked by these three,
someone finally can’t stand it and walks up to Cold Face, “Cold Face, why
don’t we have a practice fight?”
The three of them become excited immediately . The young girls in the area
also turn to look at them .
Just like a wild wolf, Cold Face assesses his meal quietly and isn’t even
looking at the officer who has come up to provoke him . He frowns slightly;
the competition hasn’t started yet, so he doesn’t have the appetite to practice .
Just when he is about to turn him down, he spots Xia Zi Qi stretching her
neck and looking this way .
Cold Face realizes a big problem suddenly .
Who is she watching for at the competition today?
Is she here to watch him?
Or is she here for somebody else?
……
After a brief moment, he makes a decision just to be on the safe side .
He has decided that he will knock out every opponent he faces until they
cannot be recognized .
The other male participants of the night don’t know that the God of Fighting
Cold Face has made such a cruel decision, especially this young officer who
has been provoked by Xiao Zhuan and the others . The young officer is
waiting anxiously for Cold Face to go for a practice round with him . He
thinks in his heart that even if he loses, it would be quite cool if he can
withstand Cold Face for a while . And he hears that even though Big Brother
Cold Face is a cold person, he’s actually very friendly and thoughtful, so he
definitely won’t beat him up too hard .
At this time, Cold Face stands up and nods toward him, “Come . ”
The audience including the three-member Black Shield Team are getting
worked up: so handsome, so handsome, just so f–king handsome! Xia Zi Qi
is a little nervous and excited at the same time . She’s also a little……worried
about him . Didn’t he get injured recently? She hopes that he won’t injure
himself again .
One minute later… . .
The whole crowd is quiet .
The young officer is lying on the ground . Wuwuwu…He really wants to cry
. He was put down five times in a minute . This is so embarrassing! His left
eye also got hit and now he looks like a panda! He’s been fooled by the
rumors; Big Brother Cold Face is not gentle at all!
And everybody except Han Chen are all struck dumb . Cold Face pats his
hands without noticing everybody’s reaction . He pulls his opponent up, pats
him on the shoulder, turns around and returns to his seat . His figure is too
unconstrained and too manly . All the girls in the venue screams, “Ahhhhhh!”
Xia Zi Qi almost can’t help but scream as well . She stares at that cold,
handsome, and eye-catching figure and feels as if her heart is about to jump
out of her chest .
She likes him too much .
She likes this person so much . What should she do?
When did she start to like him? And when did she like him so much that she
doesn’t know what to do?
Cold Face hears the girls screaming behind him and his ears turn red slightly .
But his expression is still cold and indifferent .
Cold Face’s plan has been going well up to this point . But like this saying
goes, in this world, a dumb teammate can do you more harm than the most
formidable opponent . Right after he sits down, Chatterbox starts whispering
to Su Mian . Of course, Cold Face doesn’t notice it since he’s been spaced out
the whole time .
After a while, Su Mian goes and sits beside her man . She leans over and
calls him sweetly, “Hubby……”
Han Chen lifts his eyes and glances at him, “Don’t even think about it . ”
Su Mian grabs onto his arm, “Just fight Cold Face one round, won’t you? Or
could it be that you’re afraid of not being able to win against him? Me really,
really, really want to watch you fight……” The last phrase using “me”
definitely must have been taught by Chatterbox . But with her sweet and
affectionate way of talking, Han Chen, who dotes on his girlfriend, loves to
hear it .
Han Chen puts down his phone and pats her head as she stares at him
affectionately with anticipation . He says in a low voice, “If I win over Cold
Face, what do I get?”
Su Mian responds immediately, “……You stinky scoundrel!”
But scoundrel Han stands up, “That’s a bet . ”
Su Mian is speechless, “……” Shit! What have we agreed on?!!!
She wants to go back!
It’s too late .
Han Chen walks over and pats Cold Face on the shoulder .
Cold Face turns his head unconcernedly thinking that it’s another challenger
who doesn’t know his place . But to his surprise, he sees his own leader .
Silence……
From the second Han Chen stands up, the atmosphere in the audience section
climbs to a climax . Who is Han Chen you ask? Although he never
participates in the competition, everyone who has fought him can only wring
one’s hand and sigh . His skills are at a higher level than Cold Face……
The entire audience is excited . Only one person is worried; it’s Xia Zi Qi .
Fighting Han Chen?… . . Can Cold Face actually win against him?
Although she knows very well in her heart that losing to Han Chen is not a
big deal, she just doesn’t want him to lose .
She just feels that someone like him should not lose . Why does she feel that
if he loses, it will make her heart ache?
And sometimes, what concerns a woman is often not a problem to a man .
Cold Face stares at Han Chen for a second before raising his head and taking
a glance in Xia Zi Qi’s direction .
Han Chen is sharp as always . He lifts his head and also takes a look at Xia
Zi Qi .
The two men look at each other again .
Another second passes .

Cold Face’s gaze says: Leader, I’ve helped you this many times, so you know
what to do .
Han Chen’s gaze says: got it . Rest assured, I’ll put a beautiful performance .
……
Later on, someone comments: the fight between these two is definitely the
most thrilling match of kickboxing in the history of Province K . Although it
isn’t part of the actual competition and there are only ten or so people in the
audience, the match between two rumored to be highly skilled individuals
takes everybody’s breath away . They’ll never forget the fight after many
years later……
In the end, Han Chen is defeated by an extremely small margin . But he has a
great demeanor; he nods after losing and says thoughtfully, “Cold Face is
definitely the strongest officer in Province K . ”
Han Chen is usually quite proud of himself, yet he’s giving such high praises
to Cold Face and even admitting that he’s not a match to him .
After they finish their match, more and more people are entering the venue to
watch the competition . Those who witnessed or heard about the fight just
now are worked up and are discussing it furiously .
As for the two individuals, they return to their seats calmly and quietly . Han
Chen goes back to Su Mian . Su Mian notices that Xia Zi Qi is already here,
so she supports her boyfriend’s behavior very much——that’s what brothers
are for! Cold Face, who’s full of sweat, goes back sitting in the far end . He
picks up a water bottle and continues staring at Xia Zi Qi who’s blushing . He
tilts his head up but realizes that the bottle is empty .
In the noisy venue, Cold Face gets up to grab another bottle of water . But
certain members of the Black Shield Team are full of nonsense . Su Mian
stops him, “Wait! Don’t drink yet!”
Cold Face pauses and sees Su Mian picking up a bottle of water walking over
to Xia Zi Qi .
Su Mian stops in front of her without saying anything . Su Mian is still full of
excitement from watching the two men fight just now, so her actions are
rather bold . She hands the bottle to Xia Zi Qi directly, “Zi Qi, oh, Zi Qi,
Cold Face finished drinking his bottle of water . Why don’t you give him
another one?!”
Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox almost spurt out the water . Cold Face is also
dumbstruck .
Is that how you should be hooking them up?! F–k, Cold Face has been taking
careful steps yet you’re being so frank and asking her to make a decision so
suddenly . Even for a manly man like Cold Face, he’s not prepared for this!
Han Chen remains quiet and pats on his shoulder: Cold Face, I’m sorry .
But then again, the way girls think are different from the way guys think . No
matter how calm and composed Xia Zi Qi is normally, in a situation like this
on top of the fact that her mind is in a mess, her face flushes . As Su Mian
hands her the bottle of water, there’s only one thought in her mind: why does
she have to bring it to him? Is it because Su Mian and she have a pretty good
friendship? If she gives him the water bottle, will he drink it? Since Su Mian
is asking her to, he probably can’t tell that she likes him, right? It’s okay……
“Oh, okay,” Xia Zi Qi takes the water bottle . Her expression is calm as she
walks over to Cold Face .
Han Chen smiles without a word . Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan are super
excited and are about to go crazy . Cold Face, on the other hand, feels his
heart pounding as he watches her come near .
Xia Zi Qi feels dizzy from the heat . She sees him standing afar, looking at
his sweaty body and handsome face . She can’t look at him directly .
She arrives in front of him .
The four other members of the Black Shield Team all pretend that they can’t
see them . They turn around and chat and drink their own water .
Xia Zi Qi says, “Su Mian told me to give you this bottle of water . ”
Cold Face takes it without showing any expression on his face, “Thank you .
”
They both remain quiet .

Xia Zi Qi feels panic suddenly but her face looks even calmer, “I still have
something to do, so I’ll leave first . See you . ”
Cold Face, “Did you…… . ”
He’s not a talkative person so he’s stuck on his words . He wants to ask: did
you give me this water bottle because you really want to or because you’re
rather dumb and just do whatever Su Mian tells you to?
But how could he call her dumb directly? How should he ask then?
As he tries to search for the right word, Xia Zi Qi is already turning around to
leave . Cold Face reacts quickly and reaches out wanting to grab her arm .
But she pauses her footstep, turns her head and smiles at him, “Chi Chen, you
were so great! Do your best!”
Cold Face freezes .
Chatterbox’s and the others’ jaws drop . They watch Xia Zi Qi leave quickly .
They grab onto Cold Face’s shoulders, “Why aren’t you chasing after her?
Why didn’t you grab onto her arm!”
Su Mian, “At a crucial time like this, you need to get moving, man!”
Han Chen looks at him, “Why didn’t you chase after her?
But after a brief moment, Cold Face actually starts to reveal a big grin on his
face slowly .
He rarely smiles usually, so seeing his big grin is a bit too much for the others
to handle .
He stuffs both hands into his pockets and shows off his mischievous yet
unperturbed temperament .
“She likes me,” he says very confidently, “She likes me as well . ”
His deep voice carries a sense of gentleness and smile .
Hah?
Su Mian and the others are a bit puzzled . Why is he so confident all of a
sudden?
“It’s because she told you to do your best? Or is it because she gave you
water?” Xiao Zhuan asks doubtfully . But this isn’t enough to know that she
likes him, is it?
Among everybody’s doubtful yet excited gaze, Cold Face reveals a

meaningful smile, “None of that is important . ”
“What is it then?” even Han Chen does not understand .
Cold Face picks up his jacket from the floor; clearly shows that he is planning
to go chase after Xia Zi Qi . He lifts his head and looks at everyone and says
slowly, “If she doesn’t like me, how could she have remembered my name?”
Han Chen, “……”
Su Mian, “……”
Xiao Zhuan, “That’s it?… . . ”
Only Chatterbox, whose name is also forgettable, slaps his thigh and is
convinced, “Oh shit! That makes sense! She must like you . Cold Face, hurry
and chase after her!”
(to be continued……)


Chapter 148
Chapter 148
Chapter 148: For The Sake of You Part 1
“They have a real goal that’s hidden very deeply and has not been revealed
yet . ”
“They’re using the series of explosion incidents to create panic in the city and
to her . Next, they will definitely create even greater panic . ”
“No matter what happens, whether the three of us will live or die, we must not
affect the plan . ”
……
It’s exactly noon .
Su Mian is following Han Chen and Xu Si Bai to search through the

underground level . They finally find S’s letter .
Zhou Xiao Zhuan is with the SWAT team as they try with all their might to
remove the debris from where the mansion collapsed . Even with his
determination, he can’t suppress the feeling of grief . He has a feeling that
some of the things and people buried underneath may never be dug out .
As for Chatterbox and Cold Face, after parting with them, there seems to be
an invisible hand guiding their way: the person reporting the incident in the
morning, the major route being damaged, the subway waiting for them to
enter at the platform……everything is the simplest disguise and trap . But
they hop in and ride the never returning subway .
_____
“The Fourth Act: Fallen Dreams . ”

It’s still the same well-lit stage . A few people are sitting at a round table .
Through the LCD screen, they look just like stage performers acting out scene
by scene . And at the square, the many pairs of eyes are showing
nervousness, anticipation, and curiosity . It’s human nature; everybody wants
to know the truth .
Zhang Fu Cai——the middle-aged chubby businessman on stage——he

stares at He Ya Yao helplessly, “Young CEO, some problems have come up .
We’ve dug halfway through and found that the soil is too soft . There’s too
much water underground, so we may need more funding to continue the
project……”
Before he can finish, the young architect——Ji Zi Chang interrupts him full
of shock and determination, “CEO Zhang, what are you saying? How is this
an issue of asking for additional funding?” He looks over to He Ya Yao a little
worked up, “Young CEO, the problem isn’t simple . We can’t build on top of
that, otherwise, we will have safety issues……”
The son of the corporation CEO——He Ya Yao frowns after hearing Zhang
Fu Cai’s words . After hearing Ji Zi Chang speak, his face turns gloomier,
“What are you saying? How can we not continue building? You know how
hard it has been for me to fight for this project and have the old man invest
money on it? You want me to give up now? Impossible! Didn’t we complete
an assessment report in the beginning and determined that it was okay to
build? Why is it a problem now?!”
Zhang Fu Cai lets out a cough and says, “Young CEO, the assessment report
did say the soil was okay . But it was only based on two underground levels .
Didn’t we negotiate with them……and have them change it to three levels
underground? But who knew that we would run into a problem once we dig
deeper . ”
The “performance” continues . At the square, many in the crowd are

discussing and some even scold out loud calling these people heartless
bastards .
“No matter what, this ‘super project’ cannot stop,” He Ya Yao concludes . He
looks over to Ji Zi Chang, “If we do as Zhang Fu Cai says and increase
funding to stabilize the foundation, what would that look like?”
Ji Zi Chang insists, “Young CEO, it’s still a very big risk . If the environment
is good, everything is okay then . But if there are any flooding from the
Yangtze River or earthquakes or even changes to the soil quality or water
quality……the main building and the other buildings surrounding it will be in
danger . The outcome is unimaginable……”
Before he finishes, He Ya Yao reveals a smile . Zhang Fu Cai also reveals a

smile .
He Ya Yao says, “Yet I was wondering what you were worried about . How
many years has it been since the Yangtze river flooded the area? There are no
earthquakes either . Alright, let’s leave it at this . Let’s do what Zhang Fu Cai
has suggested . Remember, I’ve put everything I have toward this super
project . No matter what, we must construct the building and then work on
stabilizing it after . Then this old man will finally be willing to hand over the
corporation to me . If it’s over for me, it’s over for you all as well . ”
_____
In the room with hazy lighting, Su Mian looks around this unfamiliar yet
familiar place carrying the aura of S . Her face turns pale but her eyes are
willful . She can’t find any words to say .
Han Chen, on the other hand, has one hand in his pocket while holding the
piece of paper in the other . A certain kind of coldness yet burning passion
seem to encircle in his chest .
Su Mian, my love .
Is this how this man calls her?
This is how he calls his, Han Chen’s, fiancee?
That man had once taken her away from him successfully, giving her a new
name, a new identity, and hiding her for five years .
Xu Si Bai is standing behind them . His face is also glazed with coldness .
His eyes are staring at the piece of paper in Han Chen’s hand as he remains
quiet .
“Tssszt——” a crisp sound of paper tearing . Su Mian and Xu Si Bai raise
their heads and see Han Chen rip the piece of paper into several pieces
without any expression on his face . He tosses them into a corner, turns
around and leaves .
Su Mian feels her heart ache and immediately chases after him . Xu Si Bai
watches her back view with his clear brown eyes looking indifferent . He
stands still for a few seconds before going outside to look for her .
The moment Su Mian exits the room, she sees Han Chen at the corridor . He
has one hand on the wall while his head is slightly bent down . In the dim
lighting, the shadow of his tall figure is like a gorgeous painting . The
contours of his profile are distinctive and his facial features are handsome, yet
it carries a sense of unruliness and callous .
The injured officer, Ding Jun, is standing by the side . He makes eye contact
with Su Mian . The first victim whom they’ve saved, Zhang Fu Cai, is a little
hateable, but probably because he’s a bit afraid of Han Chen, so he’s behaving
well and staying quiet . It’s just that his face is showing full of anxiousness
and impatience . Something must have happened .
Su Mian walks over to Han Chen, takes his hand down from the wall and
holds onto it .
Han Chen doesn’t say anything . He tightens his grip on her hand and looks
to the front, “Let’s go . We shouldn’t waste time . Let’s continue searching . ”
Su Mian keeps quiet while walking beside him . The two of them are at the
front of the group while the other three follow behind them . Su Mian stares
at his cold side profile but can’t help thinking about the writing on the piece
of paper . She knows very well her frightfulness toward S; it’s engraved to
her bones . She’s a bit scared and repressed . But she feels a stronger feeling
of contradiction .
My love, my love…my love my ass . She just wants to curse .
Just as she’s feeling unsettling, Han Chen holds onto her hand . He lowers his
head and kisses the back of her hand . His eyes are still calmly looking
straight without a word . But between the two of them, many things go
without saying . Su Mian squeezes his hand and feels as if her heart is being
caressed by him .
No need to panic and no need to be afraid . Just follow him and it’ll be okay .
He’s no longer the greenhorn young master criminal investigator from back
then . He has strengthened himself through many experiences . He will find
this ghost-like S . He will carry out justice on the seven-member organization
.
Their intimacy is calm and quiet .
Xu Si Bai, who’s following behind them, captures their every movement and
every expression of affection in his eyes .
The atmosphere around them is intense and dark; walking on the border of
life and death . But all of this seems as if it has nothing to do with Xu Si Bai .
His emotions are rather calm; peaceful yet carrying a familiar sense of dull
pain . He walks through this underground passageway that will never see the
light of day but somehow recalls a certain day from a long, long time ago .
It was a very quiet afternoon . At the Jiangcheng autopsy lab, he was alone
wearing a white lab coat standing in front of a corpse while observing and
frowning .
And just like that, she walked into his view for the first time .
“So you’re the famous Forensic Investigator, Xu Si Bai?”
He looked up and saw a young girl wearing a small camouflage jacket and
pants with a pair of black leather boots . She was wearing a cap while her
long hair swayed behind her like silk . Her brown eyes glistened as if they
were smiling while giving him a once-over .
At that moment, an ancient phrase entered his ears:
Pick up the lotus seeds for a gentleman, and even a demon can be
reborn (love at first sight) .
From then on, regardless of how pretty or sexy another girl appears, they
could not compare to her . She was like the sun shining on his dull yet
peaceful life . And now that he thinks about it, he finally understands that his
empty life has been waiting for her to appear .
……
Su Mian, my love . From the first time seeing her .
My love has never been less than Han Chen’s, it’s just that I came later than
him .


Chapter 149
Chapter 149
Chapter 149: For The Sake of You Part 2
No matter how many thousand times hate, love, and frustration revolve in his
head, it’s only a brief moment of staring . On the underground level, the five
of them are walking briskly in order to not waste time to search for the next
victim .
Right now, there are less than 12 minutes left to L’s countdown .
Zhang Fu Cai doesn’t give up . He follows them and nags, “Fellow officers,
can you guide me out of here first? If you don’t find the others, are we all just
going to die?”
The three men don’t bother answering him . Su Mian turns around and
glances at him, “If you want to leave, find your own way out then . If you
continue to complain, see if I’ll beat you up . ”
Zhang Fu Cai doesn’t dare to leave by himself . What he has experienced

today is like a nightmare . He shuts his mouth quickly and follows them from
behind .
At the front, they’re nearing another construction area . The five of them
walk past a wide corridor . Han Chen is at the very front of the group . He is
a bit stunned before turning around .
Everybody halts their footsteps and follows his gaze to see what’s there .
Beside the corridor, there are three thick columns standing supporting the
ceiling . The paint is still fresh, the smell stinging their noses .
“What’s the matter?” Ding Jun asks . It’s been the most strenuous for him out
of them all; his forehead is already covered with sweat .
Han Chen and Xu Si Bai both remain quiet . Su Mian gets it right away, but
she’s shocked from the thought of it, “You guys are suspecting that someone
is sealed inside a column?” The person who’s in a tight space?
Xu Si Bai and Han Chen exchange gazes . As usual, they have nothing to say
to each other . Xu Si Bai reaches out his hand and brushes it against the
column while saying indifferently, “The paint is still a bit wet, which means it
was done not long ago . In order to prepare for the crime, those people must
have come in at an earlier time . It’s possible that this paint wasn’t left behind
by the workers . ”
Su Mian is a bit stunned as she glances at Xu Si Bai . Han Chen, on the other
hand, grabs the emergency fire hammer and shouts, “Move aside . ”
Su Mian retreats to a spot behind him, and Xu Si Bai also steps back .
“Bang!” a loud sound that startles all five of them .
It turns out that the column is like made of bean curd; it breaks in one blow,
revealing the stuffings inside; there are actually sponges, styrofoam, and even
plastic bags .
_____
Ji Zi Chang doesn’t know how long he’s been in the dark .
He just feels that it’s becoming more and more difficult to breathe and that
he’s starting to lose his consciousness . If someone doesn’t come to save him,
he believes that he might die soon .
He is one of City Lan’s youngest and most talented architect . He has

received many awards for his designs . But he never thought that he would go
against his conscience for this peninsula project and help the He Family with
falsifying the results . This has been a dark spot in his heart . Every time he
thinks about the possibility of the building collapsing one day, he would feel
like he’s suffocating like this .
Therefore, is he being punished today due to this?
He feels very depressed in his heart .

In a blur, he hears some noises . There are voices, sounds of footsteps, and
then a loud strike . But it’s not coming from the column that he’s in .
He opens his eyes right away and starts to twist his body vigorously while
shouting with all his might, “I’m in here! I’m in here! Please save me! Can
you hear me?”
“Bang!——” a loud sound comes from above his head . The sealed off prison
is broken into letting light penetrate through instantly . He feels a vast
amount of fresh air rushing into his lungs . He sees a couple of worried faces
appear outside of the column .
Ji Zi Chang is almost in tears: finally, I’m saved, aren’t I?
_____
They knocked down three columns before finding this person . Han Chen and
Xu Si Bai help him out of the column standing on each side . Zhang Fu Cai
obviously knows him, “Zi Chang! How come you were……” He keeps
himself at a distance, but seeing Ji Zi Chang’s ruffled clothes and pale face,
he’s a bit afraid .
Su Mian gives him a once-over .
He’s in his thirties wearing a simple looking shirt and suit . He looks quite
handsome . It’s just that he’s covered in dirt, making him look rather
miserable .
“Thank you! Thank you!” he says repeatedly . Compared to Zhang Fu Cai,

he’s a lot nicer .
Han Chen and the rest of them cut to the chase . Ding Jun asks, “What should
we do now?” Han Chen lifts his head and looks toward Zhang Fu Cai and Ji
Zi Chang directly .
“Where are the other four?” he asks .
The two of them are stunned .

Ji Zi Chang’s mouth moves, “They’re……” Zhang Fu Cai interrupts right
away, “How would we know where they are? Fellow officer, we’re out of
time . Hurry and get us out of here . ”
But to his surprise, Han Chen, Su Mian, and Xu Si Bai all look at him coldly .
“How could you not know?” Han Chen says indifferently, “Aren’t they also
hidden in areas with construction problems?”
_____
Above ground .
The sun is blazing .
But all four acts have ended . The black curtains close and don’t reopen again
. The square is filled with noises from the crowd .
And then A appears on the screen again .
He’s wearing the clown mask as usual and his eyes carrying a hint of a smile
as usual . He looks into the camera and actually murmurs to himself first,
“It’s finally over . L’s screenplay is too long… . . ” and then he clears his
throat and says out loud, “Now, I need to ask you two questions . ”
The square falls into silence .
The smile in A’s eyes grow deeper, “Mmhm……of course, these people on
stage are just actors whom we’ve hired . The real ones are underneath your
feet and are trying their hardest to escape . And four officers are helping them
right now . Therefore, my first question is: do you think that they should be
saved? I’ll let you all decide . ”
Discussions start in the crowd again .
“No! No, they shouldn’t!” many voices say . Gradually, the voices become
louder and the majority of the people support this decision .
For the sake of your own desire, they actually dare risk everybody else’s lives
. If an accident does happen in the future, how many lives will it take? How
many families will it destroy?
A is clearly very satisfied with the answer as he lets out a small laugh and
answers, “Okay, as you wish . They will die below ground . Second question:
should the super project still exist in this world?”
The majority of the crowd understands now . The “super project” mentioned
in the play is the construction project at the peninsula in front of their eyes .
“No, it shouldn’t!”
“No, it shouldn’t!”
“Take it apart! Imprison them!”
This time, the shouting is more fierce .
And A is having a great time as he nods firmly like he’s a judge at the court,
“Okay, I’ll do as you wish as well . ”
At this point, everyone has more or less realized what’s going on . And once
they make the connection to T’s case, which impacted City Lan greatly,
almost everyone believes that the criminals here will also punish the wrong
just like T did . Their goal is to carry out justice on those individuals who
might have caused thousands of lives in the future!
But unexpectedly, A speaks suddenly .
“Ha!… . . don’t tell me you guys think that we’re here to carry out justice, do
you?


Chapter 150
Chapter 150
Chapter 150: The Subway of Hell
The subway speeds through the dark tunnel . The whistling and the roaring
sound of the train is very noisy . But inside of the cart is very quiet and
relaxing as people move around .
Chatterbox opens his eyes wide as he looks at Cold Face who’s leaning
against the side of the train, “You’re kidding, right? You knew that there’s
something wrong with this train yet you still came on……” He stops before
finishing his sentence . He understands why Cold Face made this decision .
“What should we do now then?” Chatterbox raises his head and looks around
with his sharp eyes . But it’s crowded everywhere, so this expert in tracing
evidence can’t seem to find anything suspicious at the moment .
Cold Face lifts his eyes and stares at the lights from the tunnel zooming past
the train with his dark pupils .
“Wait,” he spits out one word .
“The next stop is Fujiadun Station,” a sweet and gentle voice says through the
speakers . Quite a bit of people starts moving toward the doorway . The two
of them are on full alert as they observe everybody’s movements .
The lights are becoming brighter as they near the exit of the tunnel and
approach the station’s platform .
Nobody senses anything out of the ordinary . Only Cold Face and Chatterbox
are feeling more and more intense .
The subway roars out of the tunnel!
Many people on the train soon realize that something is wrong .

The train isn’t slowing down . The train actually doesn’t slow down and
speeds out of the tunnel, past the platform and continues straight!
“Ah! Stop the train! What’s going on? Why didn’t it stop?!” a lot of people
shout . Someone even knocks on the door . Everybody’s face is in shock .
And the people on the platform who were waiting to board the train are all
perplexed . But their expressions can only be seen briefly through the
window . The passengers on the train can only see a few staff members at the
station waving their hands and shouting frantically at them as they come
running over . And then the train roars past them and enters another dark
tunnel . All the lights and people disappear quickly behind them .
People on the train are already in a panic . Everybody is in shock and is

cursing without knowing what to do . Cold Face and Chatterbox are near the
front of the train, and the carts are connected to each other . Cold Face is tall
so he can see the cart at the very front just by lifting his head . There are
already a lot of people gathering at the front pounding at the door to the
control cabin . But the door stays shut . The subway continues through the
dark tunnel without slowing down .
Cold Face and Chatterbox exchange gazes .
They fetch their badges and separate the crowd with their arms, “Move aside!
Police!”
The passengers move aside immediately as if they’ve been saved . They

shout, “Fellow officers, hurry and go take a look!” “This is great, we have
officers here!”
Everybody shift their eyes toward them . They make their way through to the
first cart without any barrier and quickly reach the control cabin .
At this very moment .
A faint sound of electricity and then an unfamiliar and awful sounding voice
that has clearly been processed by a voice changer comes on the speakers:
“Hello everybody . You are now being held hostage . ”

_____
“What did you say? A subway train is being held hostage?”
In the police monitoring vehicle, Qin Wen Long’s face turns pale as he
presses his hands onto the table .
The officer reporting the incident doesn’t look any better, “Yes . It’s been
confirmed from the metro . The subway train is passing stations without
stopping and is ignoring all commands . The driver is also not responding .
It’s possible that the brake control device has been damaged . Otherwise, the
metro central office would have taken control and stopped the train already . ”
Qin Wen Long’s face is gloomy as he curses . On the other end of the
vehicle, a criminal investigator puts down his walkie talkie and says,
“Captain, the performance at the square has ended . A has not expressed his
next steps yet . ”
Qin Wen Long furrows and doesn’t say anything . Another investigator pulls
open the door and reports, “Captain, the five bombs planted on the main road
to the peninsula have been removed . ”
This is a big step . This means that they can begin to disperse the hostages .
Smiles are showing on the investigators’ faces, but no smile can be seen on
Qin Wen Long’s face .
He looks down at his watch: 12:10 pm .
The seven-member organization finishes their grand “performance” at this

time and the bombs have also been removed . But a subway train is being
held hostage while it continues speeding through the underground tunnels of
the city with its future unknown……on the surface, the connection between
these events is unclear, but his instincts as an investigator tell him that there is
an underlying relation that is about to be revealed .
What exactly does the seven-member organization want to do?
_____
On the subway .
The moment the announcement comes on the speakers, everybody is in shock
and starts shouting for help . Cold Face knew that this would happen . He
exchanges glance with Chatterbox before they pull out their guns . They
separate the crowd and approach the control cabin slowly .
The people around them back away in fear; it’s immediately quiet . Cold
Face and Chatterbox stand on each side of the door and then use all their
might to push! It won’t open .
The speakers come on again . The voice speaks in a very slow yet calm
tempo .
“This is perhaps a train heading to the world’s end . The brakes have been
damaged so there’s no stopping it and there’s no way to get off .
It also must not crash into other subway trains, otherwise, the ten or so bombs
on the train will explode……”
He says each and every word clearly . Everybody’s expression changes

instantly . Chatterbox gasps while Cold Face continues to look calm . In
everyone’s nervous gaze, he gives a hand signal to Chatterbox, takes a step
back and gives a hard kick on the door!
“Bang——”
The door is kicked open! The two of them enter quickly with their guns .
The control cabin is filled with the smell of blood .
Chatterbox’s eyes open wide; Cold Face’s expression turns cold as he lowers
his gun . A few courageous passengers poke their heads to see what’s inside
but leave screaming .
Two drivers are shot right between their eyebrows; one is lying on the floor
while the other is leaning over the dashboard . Fresh blood is everywhere .
The voice on the speakers is clearly a recording as it says above their heads,
“……wish you a wonderful trip . ”
The perpetrator is nowhere to be found . But Cold Face is a top expert in

chasing evidence . He holds up his gun, rushes to the side door and presses
the unlock switch . The door slides open and the roaring sound of wind can
be heard . The tunnel ahead of them is pitch black, but in the headlights, they
can actually see a dark shadow in front of them . It is about to enter a small
door in the tunnel, so Cold Face reacts right away and fires a few shots .
“Bang, bang——”
The shadow stutters . It covers its chest with its hand and disappears behind
that small door .
But that shadow seems familiar to Cold Face . He can’t recall who it is at this
moment though .
“Cold Face!” Chatterbox shouts .
Cold Face looks up .
It’s getting brighter ahead of them as the subway train is about to enter
another station’s platform . But another train is stopped right there, letting
many passengers enter and leave the train .
They’re about to crash into it!
_____
Underground at the peninsula .
The floor is shiny like a mirror while the lighting is dim above their heads . A
few people are standing beside a crushed column . Han Chen says
indifferently, “Stop being stupid idiots at a time like this . Do you want to
cover up this problematic construction development? Or do you not care
about the others’ lives? We don’t know where the bombs have been planted in
this underground mall . We have to follow the criminals’ rules and find them
first . Then you guys will have a chance to live, do you understand?”
Su Mian, Xu Si Bai, and Ding Jun stare at the two of them . Zhang Fu Cai
mumbles as if he wants to say something but doesn’t dare to speak . And Ji
Zi Chang’s expression changes a few times with many complex emotions
brushing across his eyes . In the end, he raises his head and looks at them,
“I’ll take you guys to find them!”
Zhang Fu Cai shouts, “Ji Zi Chang, you!”

Ji Zi Chang turns around and looks at him, “President Zhang, things have
already become like this . Do you still think that we can continue to cover it
up?” He actually repeats Han Chen’s exact words, “Let’s stop being stupid
idiots! At least we may live like this!”
Zhang Fu Cai isn’t stupid either . It’s just that he often thinks that he can get
lucky . What they don’t know is that the problem with this construction
development has already been exposed above ground . Although he doesn’t
know who the seven-member organization is and he doesn’t know who it is
that wants to get back at them, he can only try to persuade the officers to
leave this place so that the problems of this construction won’t be exposed .
If the CEO and the others have to die, then so be it . He’ll run away after he
leaves this place and he’ll be safe .
Now that they’ve let the secret out, he knows that his initial plan has gone
down the drain . He can only nod, “Okay then, let’s go find them . ”
There are only 8 minutes left till L’s designated time countdown .
The six of them have a quick discussion and just as Han Chen had expected,
the areas of quality problems are: two places are at underground level 3, and
two places are at level 1 and 2 .
Han Chen thinks for a second and says, “Let’s split up . Su Mian, Ji Zi Chang
and I will go find the two at level 1 and 2 . Ding Jun, your leg is injured, so
go with Xu Si Bai and Zhang Fu Cai to find the remaining individuals at this
level .
There isn’t a lot of time left . This is obviously the best way to divide the
teams . Su Mian looks up and her eyes bump into Ji Zi Chang’s gaze . He
was indeed in a wreck when he was being saved just now . Now that he’s
calmed down, he is a rather handsome and mature looking man . He’s
wearing a quality suit that fits his body well . His hair and shirt are ruffled,
but his eyes are clear and gentle . He has left a good impression on Su Mian
from his actions just now, so she nods toward him .
He senses her kindness right away and nods slightly back .
“I object,” a clear and crisp voice says . It’s Xu Si Bai, who’s been quiet all
this time .
Su Mian is a bit stunned . Everybody also turns to look at him .
Xu Si Bai blurts out his objection after hearing Han Chen’s team split . He’s
staring at Su Mian with his clear and shiny eyes carrying a hint of loneliness
and aloofness .
“I’ll go with her,” he says indifferently .
The others remain quiet . Zhang Fu Cai and Ji Zi Chang takes a look at them
and can guess what’s going on . Han Chen says frankly without twitching an
eyebrow, “She doesn’t need you to go with her . ”
Su Mian butts right in between them blocking Han Chen and says to Xu Si
Bai, “Si Bai, if you really want to treat me well, and treat yourself well, hurry
and save the others,” she pauses and looks directly into his eyes softening her
voice, “I’ll be fine with Han Chen by my side . Alright, let’s hurry and get
going . ”
Ding Jun shows his support right away, “Alright! Forensic Investigator Xu,
let’s get going . Chubby, show the way!”
Xu Si Bai doesn’t move as he shifts his gaze to Han Chen, “Protect her well .
”
The two teams split up and start searching for the others .
At the same time, the actors’ performances above ground have already ended,
but A’s performance is still continuing .
In the sun, the square, the commercial buildings, the hotel……the many LCD
displays are showing A with a mask on .
Right after he finishes saying “don’t tell me you guys think that we’re here to
carry out justice, do you?” the discussions at the square quiet down gradually;
everybody is looking at him .
He laughs; it’s light and peaceful laugh, but it gives many people the shivers .
The feeling of fear that was dissipated by the drama-filled performance is
awakened once again .
“Our goal is to prove one thing .
We want to prove one real truth to you and the officers underground . ”
A’s voice lowers suddenly as if he’s mumbling to himself and sighing at the
same time, “It was S who once told us this truth . ”


Chapter 151
Chapter 151
Chapter 151: S’s Spirit + mini side story
In Xie Jun Ai’s heart, his memories of S is clear like a painting that never
fades in color .
He clearly remembers that the first time S said those words was during dusk .
The few of them were sitting at a bar counter . The bar was opened by R; it
was quiet and empty . There was always a smell similar to blood permeating
the air .
At the time, R was wiping glasses behind the counter with T helping him .
The others were playing darts . S was in his usual suit; his shirt was
unbuttoned at the top making him look more casual and gentle .
He was drinking absinthe, but his gaze was sober like the morning or
moonlight .
He said, “Don’t ever blame yourself . The most frightening thing in the world
is not us few psychopaths, it’s the majority of normal people and their desires
. ”
Everybody was quiet . He poured another glass of wine and said slowly, “It’s
just that we have already lost our ability to hide our desires whereas they are
able to hide theirs . ”
And after that, many mornings and many nights, A would think of his words
and feel unbearable pain .
……
In the dimly lit room, the noises from the square sound as if it’s right next to
him .
A raises his head and looks into the camera . If anyone were to look closely,
one would notice that A is showing a self-mocking smile carrying sadness .
He thinks quietly by himself: it’s just like what I said, and I’m not lying to
you guys . Those who are about to kill you all are not us seven-member
organization . At the end of the day, it’s somebody among you with the
greediest desires .
Han Chen, Su Mian, and Xu Si Bai who are underground are the same . Can
you see the filthiness of people’s hearts now?
Therefore, this grand performance is to tell everybody one truth——the

mentally ill may have been born differently, but the most frightening thing is
not us .
It’s yourselves .
……
This is a memorial to S .
_____
“Be careful!” Su Mian shouts .
But it’s too late .
Ji Zi Chang has been running too fast and didn’t pay attention to what’s below
him as he steps into a hole filled with water in the mud, splashing himself
dirty .
Han Chen reaches out his hand and pulls him out . He smiles, “I’m fine . ”
He kicks his feet to shake away the muddy water and wipes his face with his
palm . But probably because he was putting his hand on the wall for support,
his face is covered with dark dust . His handsome face becomes dirty
immediately .
But he doesn’t seem to care as he looks ahead and points, “It should be
there!”
Han Chen and Su Mian look over at the same time .

The three of them are 2 levels underground at a faraway construction site near
the edge right now . There are only dim lights above their heads . There’s a
corner stuffed with construction materials in front of them .
Probably because their voices can be heard, someone actually shouts from
behind the pile of materials, “Help! Help! I’m over here……”
It’s a woman’s voice .
“The major wall over here is not up to standards,” Ji Zi Chang explains, “so if
anything happens in the future, this area will definitely be the weakest point .
”
He and Han Chen rushes toward the pile of materials and start to remove
them . Su Mian helps them while she confirms in her head that this is the
only female hostage in the clip——the Peninsula Hotel Group’s PR manager,
Chen Su Lin .
They soon help Chen Su Lin out of the pile .
Just like Ji Zi Chang, she looks like an intelligent working woman with
wealth but is in a wreck right now .
“You are police officers? Thank you!” tears run down her cheeks as she
chokes . Su Mian supports her body . Chen Su Lin then looks toward Ji Zi
Chang, “Zi Chang, where are the others? Where is the young CEO?”
“I’m not too sure . We are trying our best to save them,” Ji Zi Chang answers
.
His voice sounds indifferent . Su Mian glances at him . Compared to his

cooperation with her and Han Chen, he seems a bit cold toward Chen Su Lin .
Su Mian doesn’t say anything . Han Chen pretends that he doesn’t see this
and looks at Ji Zi Chang, “Where’s the other one?”
“Level 1, right below the central square . That area also has problems with
sustaining weight,” he says calmly and convincingly . But right after he
finishes, Chen Su Lin’s expression changes as she glances at him .
Everybody knows what Chen Su Lin is thinking about . Han Chen and Ji Zi
Chang ignores her reaction and continues running toward the path to ascend
one level . Su Mian follows behind . She takes a look at Chen Su Lin’s
complicated and scared expression and feels that it’s laughable .
It’s so laughable .
They make it to the first level . Ahead of them is a spacious store with many
racks standing . There are a few rooms with their doors closed right beside
the aisle . Ji Zi Chang guides them to one of the storage rooms . He knocks
on the wall, looks up and says, “It should be somewhere near . ”
Han Chen asks, “Let’s check our watch . How many minutes are left?”
Su Mian and Ji Zi Chang look down at their watches at the same time . Chen
Su Lin isn’t wearing one, so she looks at theirs . Su Mian is wearing a watch
provided by the station . It’s digital and the counter shows that they have 4
minutes and 20 seconds left . She lifts her head and looks at Ji Zi Chang . He
has one arm on the wall while he rolls up his sleeves to look at his watch .
Although there is sweat on the back of his hand, his palms are fair white, and
his nails are tidy . His watch’s faceplate is also clean and shiny as a mirror;
it’s a big brand-name Swiss watch . The patterns on the plate are intricate; it’s
probably a very complex watch . Therefore, he takes a look at it and
announces the time precisely, “12:13:35 . ”
Han Chen nods, “We still have 4 minutes and 15 seconds . ”
Now that they’ve checked the time, all three of their expresses are determined
.
“Move aside,” Han Chen says coldly .
Su Mian and Ji Zi Chang back away at the same time . Chen Su Lin stands
even further back . Han Chen lifts his leg and kicks the door hard . The
storage room opens with a thump .
“Ah——” a voice screams . A young man tied inside looks up in fright . He

immediately shows joy on his face once he sees who they are . Chen Su Lin
rushes to his side, “Ya Yao!” Ji Zi Chang rushes over as well and helps untie
him, “Young CEO!”
The fourth hostage is saved——the Young CEO of the Peninsula Hotel

Group, He Ya Yao .
_____
“What should we do now?” Ji Zi Chang asks .
The five of them stand at the doorway of the storage room . Su Mian is
standing beside Han Chen; Chen Su Lin is holding onto He Ya Yao’s arm to
give him support; Ji Zi Chang is standing in the middle .
Han Chen looks at the three of them, “Let’s meet up with the others first .
Which way can we go to get out?”
The three of them exchange gazes . He Ya Yao is pretty calm as he nods and
answers, “The mall hasn’t officially opened yet, so the exits to above ground
are sealed . We can’t get out right now . Only at the third level……” he
pauses, “There is an emergency elevator that can reach above ground . ”
“Yes,” Chen Su Lin agrees .
Han Chen and Su Mian look at Ji Zi Chang . He nods as well, “That is indeed
the only way to get out . ”
“Let’s go,” Han Chen says swiftly . Su Mian and he turn around and go
downstairs first .
_____
There are 2 minutes left .
Su Mian doesn’t know if they’ll make it out in time, or if they will be able to
meet up with Xu Si Bai and the others again . She and Han Chen are leading
the pack . A dark landing of the stairs is just in front of them; only an
emergency light is on at the corner, making this underground world seem
gloomy . She looks up at Han Chen’s face .
He’s deep in thoughts as he turns to look at her .
In the dark, they seem to be talking through their eyes .
The other three are a few steps behind them . Han Chen yanks his arm and
pulls her into his embrace . They turn at the corner and disappear from the
others briefly .
“Be careful of them,” he whispers, “especially that person . ”
“Mm,” Su Mian agrees . She has noticed everything that he says . In the
dimly lit space, she sees that his lips are dry from being dehydrated, but his
pupils are pitch black .
They exchange gazes for a second before the other three catch up to them .
They shift their eyes and continue moving .
They make it to level 3 soon .
Based on their directions, they need to retrace their footsteps and walk past an
unfinished parking lot before arriving at the emergency elevator .
It’s just that……
Su Mian raises her head and looks to the front .
If all of the hostages are saved, what is the seven-member organization’s next
step?
They once used explosives, wax figures, and heart extraction to create panic
in the city . Therefore, they will definitely bring even more panic this time .
It’s targeted toward the people at the Peninsula, as well as her and Han Chen .
What could cause an even bigger panic?
This question hits her heart . As if she’s possessed, a phrase floats into her
mind .
That person said, the most frightening thing in the world is not us few
psychopaths, it’s the majority of normal people and their hearts that they’ve
hidden so deeply .
_____
They are on full alert . The three behind them have their own plans .
They reach a corner . Chen Su Lin glances at He Ya Yao; they see the
complicated look of darkness in each other’s eyes . They then look at Ji Zi
Chang . The emotion in Ji Zi Chang’s eyes change a few times, but he
remains quiet .
That person’s words at the time they were kidnapped float across their minds
at the same time .
They were blindfolded, so they couldn’t see that person’s face . They could
only hear his deep and indifferent voice .
He said, “We’re not interested in knowing whether or not you’ve committed a

crime . And we don’t have the time to punish you . Our goal is those few
police officers . We just want them to experience the pain of being stabbed by
the people they save .
But even if we don’t tell you, you guys are going to do this anyway, aren’t
you? Those officers carry out justice and cannot be bribed . Once they make
it above ground, everything regarding this construction will be exposed under
the sun . And you guys will be destined to go to jail . Do people like you
rather die or go to jail?
Only if you kill them will you guys have a future and be able to cover all this
up . This underground mall is under my full control . And only if you kill
them will I give you guys a chance to live . ”
……
Chen Su Lin gives He Ya Yao a look . Her standpoint is clear: they only have
2 people . Although they have guns, they won’t be prepared for it, so they
still have a chance . Furthermore, it’s not like they have another way out .
He Ya Yao thinks for a moment before nodding with determination, hinting

that he will find an opportunity . They look toward Ji Zi Chang again, who
still hasn’t made a decision yet .
Ji Zi Chang’s eyes carry stubbornness . He looks at his boss stubbornly,

clearly not agreeing with the plan . But this obviously isn’t He Ya Yao’s first
time forcing his own plans onto him; it’s also not the first time for him to
disregard his principles . They look at each other directly . Ji Zi Chang’s
expression is stiff, but he shows agreement in the end .
The alliance is complete .
Chen Su Lin and He Yao Yao speed up their walking to follow closer . Ji Zi
Chang, on the other hand, is at the end; his face still shows a depressed look .
After a while, Ji Zi Chang looks at the ceiling not far away without the other
two noticing .
In the pitch black corner, there’s a small camera . And he suddenly reveals a
sly smile to the camera .
__________
Mini Side Story: Heartless Cold Face Final Part
The story returns to that night when the moon was high and passion filled the
air……
Cold Face dashes out of the kickboxing stadium, wanting to chase after her .
But he doesn’t see her anywhere after running for a while . It’s not until he
arrives below the medical office building that he sees the lights on at her
office .
Cold Face smiles suddenly .
Xia Zi Qi’s face is burning red even after returning to the office . But her
emotions are definitely not as worked up as Cold Face . Warmth, sweetness,
uncertainty… . . and the occasional encounters with him as usual like the past
few months .
Let’s just leave it like that, she thinks . Being friends is quite good . There’s
no way for them to advance further . With Cold Face’s personality, how can
he possibly advance a relationship with a woman……
Just as she’s deep in her thoughts, she hears two knocks on the door .
It’s deep and powerful .
Xia Zi Qi feels strange: who could it be in the middle of the night?
“Who is it?” she asks raising her voice .

“Cold……” the man outside pauses and corrects himself, “Chi Chen . ”
They look at the door as if they can see each other .
Xia Zi Qi’s heart pounds……What is he doing here?
The door opens slowly . He’s standing in the moonlight; tall and straight .
His short black hair is a little damp from sweating; it seems as if steam is
emitting from his body . He’s staring at her with his rich brown eyes .
Xia Zi Qi can’t look at him directly; especially in the night with just the two
of them . A certain feeling of nervously and heat seem to permeate the air .
She turns around and goes inside without looking at him, “Is something up?”
Cold Face follows her in without a word and closes the door behind him .
Xia Zi Qi’s heart is beating faster . She can’t decide where to stand, so she
returns to her seat pretending to flip through a book . Seeing him stand in
front of her desk and not saying anything, she asks, “You’re……looking for
me for something?”
Cold Face remains quiet for a moment .
He pulls out his hands from his pockets and presses them on the table
suddenly . He leans over slowly . He’s tall, to begin with, so it looks as if he’s
encasing her by standing below the light like this .
“Why ask the obvious?” his deep and slightly raspy voice says above her head
.
Xia Zi Qi’s mind is going crazy——what is the “obvious”? What happened?

She simply handed him a bottle of water from Bai Jin Xi’s request . Could it
be that he knows her feelings just from this?
That’s not surprising though . He is one of the top detectives in the Black
Shield Team .
“How come you remember my name?” his raspy voice says carrying a hint of
a smile .
Cold Face wants to be clear . If he doesn’t say things clearly, he’s not a man .
But this question stumps Xia Zi Qi, so she responds as a matter of fact,
“Ah……I remember everybody’s name at the station . You’re Chi Chen .
There’s also Zhou Xiao Zhuan, and Chatterbox’s name is Shi Heng……”
Before she finishes, she sees the man’s expression change slightly .
Xia Zi Qi asks, “What’s the matter?”
Cold Face is speechless, “……”
Xia Zi Qi senses the aura from the man across from her change suddenly .
When he entered the place just now, he was really imposing . This
overbearing pose and his simple words, “why ask the obvious?”, it was
just……he was like a wolf revealing its claws suddenly . He was super cool,
handsome, and arrogant .
But right now, he’s standing quietly like he’s back to his usual quiet, stubborn,
yet dependable investigator Cold Face .
Xia Zi Qi feels her heart go soft toward him . Why does she feel pity toward
him right now? But she can’t pinpoint what’s causing her heart to ache .
It can’t be……it can’t be because she can remember other men’s names and
so he’s jealous about it, can it?… . . That’s impossible . That’s definitely
impossible .
Many thoughts spin in her mind . Cold Face is also in a tough position .
He originally wanted to make things clear . No matter what she responds

with, he would say, “Do you like me? I like you . ”
But he never thought that she would also know Chatterbox’s name .
Lightning strikes .
And he’s not good with words; Xia Zi Qi is also not good with words . The
two of them stay still for a while until she changes the subject, “Today, just
now……you didn’t get hurt, did you?”
Of course, he didn’t .
Right before Cold Face answers, he lifts his eyes and sees her glowing eyes in
the light . He swallows the words in his throat .
“My hand hurts,” he says calmly .
Xia Zi Qi becomes worried immediately . She gets up and holds his hand, “
Let me take a look . ”
This is the moment Cold Face has been waiting for! He has decided not to
confess his love . Instead, he will take action!
Xia Zi Qi touches the back of his hand, but before she can react, it grabs her
hand!
Xia Zi Qi looks up at him in a daze .
He looks down at her quietly .
She can feel her breathing becoming harder . She says almost whispering,
“What……do you want to do?”
Cold Face, “I want to……”
_____
Below the window outside of the apartment .
Su Mian is using all her might to squeeze in for a good spot . But Chatterbox
is born to be nosy, so there’s no way that he will give in; he blocks her off
standing in the front . Xiao Zhuan is speechless seeing the two of them . He
lowers his voice, “Sigh, be gentle, you two! Don’t let them see . Since he’s
holding her hand, Cold Face will kiss her soon! Don’t ruin it for them!”
If Cold Face can’t notice the noise, he definitely can’t sustain his “traditional
investigation” skills . He pauses but doesn’t turn around . It’s because he
knows it’s useless . Those three will always have a way to peek inside .
Furthermore, it’ll just scare Xia Zi Qi and cause her to back away .
Although he’s not good with words, he’s decisive . He says to her softly
immediately, “Someone is outside eavesdropping . Let’s go into the room . ”
He twists the knob to open the door while still grabbing onto her hand .
Xia Zi Qi is still feeling a bit dizzy from being grabbed by him . “Okay,” she
answers and then……is guided into the room by him . The door closes .
But what is this room?
It’s a storage room .
They embrace each other as they enter . Cold Face now realizes that it’s stuff
with many different things; there’s only enough room for them to stand . But
he actually pushes her against the wall just like that .
Cold Face feels worked up all of a sudden .
The words that Xiao Zhuan often says floats into his mind: God-like assist .
He can’t deny that after working together for so long, for once, he’s not being
taken advantage of by them . Instead, he’s actually getting a God-like assist!
Xia Zi Qi notices the ambiguous atmosphere . The light is dim and he’s too
close to her, almost leaning against her body……She asks nervously, “Who’s
outside?”
“The few of them from my team . ”
“What are they doing here?”
Cold Face thinks for a second and answers objectively, “Chatting, and joining
in on the fun . ”
“Oh……” Xia Zi Qi asks softly, “What are they chatting about?”
Before she finishes, he lowers his head and stares at her . His eyes are deep
causing one to lose their thoughts . His face is actually showing a hard to read
smile .
God-like assist . This is an absolutely amazing and perfect God-like assist .
“They’re chatting about……” he answers slowly, “Cold Face is about to kiss .

”
……
_____
Next day .
Xia Zi Qi keeps feeling uncomfortable after going to work .
It’s probably because……cough, cough…her lips are swollen from kissing .
And as a member of the Black Shield Team, although he’s busy night and day,
Xia Zi Qi discovers that he’s actually able to show up any time he pleases
now that they’re together .
In the morning, he drives to her place to pick her up for work .
Even when he had driven her home the night before at 3 am .
When they arrive at the office, he takes out a thermos with soup from the
trunk and gives it to her .
Xia Zi Qi opens her eyes wide, “You……Why did you make soup for me?
Did you get any sleep last night?” Although she has heard about his superb
soup making skills, happiness seems to come too suddenly, so she’s still very
surprised .
Cold Face doesn’t say anything . Why did he make soup for her? It was
because Su Mian texted him last night saying: “Congrats! Congrats! Cold
Face, remember to make more soup for your little doctor . Then you’ll be able
to hold onto her heart forever . ”
This is exactly what Cold Face wants .
And last night……
“Mm . I didn’t sleep,” he answers, “I couldn’t sleep . ”
Xia Zi Qi holds onto the thermos feeling as if happiness is overflowing . And

the truth is……she was in the same state . She was thinking of this man the
whole night, and her eyes were open till dawn came .
At noontime, although everybody eats in the cafe, the medical team’s table
has never had much contact with the Black Shield Team .
But today, Xia Zi Qi watches him carrying a plate full of food and thinks: he
eats so much——under everybody’s gaze, he walks directly to the medical
team’s table and sits down . He even says to the other girls beside her, “Move
down please . ”
The entire cafeteria of people watch the whole event and it’s as if they want to
say, “Holy shit!” Everybody watches the two of them; Xia Zi Qi’s face is red
like it’s bleeding . But there’s more embarrassment to come . The other
members of the Black Shield Team are also coming to sit with the medical
team’s table . Zhou Xiao Zhuan chuckles and says, “We’re all family, we’re
all family, so no need to be polite!” Su Mian whispers directly into her ear,
“Little Doctor, you’ll have to get used to this . The men at Black Shield Team
are unruly and don’t care about what other people think . Isn’t that
embarrassing? Let me tell you, there are more embarrassing things . Cold
Face is……” Before she can finish, Han Chen pulls her back .
……
If she counts the days, today is her eighth day together with Cold Face .
They spend very little time together each day . But each day is filled with
sweetness .
It’s afternoon . Xia Zi Qi spreads herself across the table looking at the blue
sky outside the window . In the courtyard, many officers are heading toward
a mission; many are running hurriedly . The medical office is especially quiet
. She turns her head and starts watching the news airing on the TV .
The square at the peninsula is being held hostage . The police are attempting
to save them . Apparently, a building has collapsed and there are people
buried underneath .
At the same time, there’s another piece of news: a subway train is being held
hostage, but the situation is not clear .
Xia Zi Qi closes her eyes and buries her head in her arms .
She waits from morning till night time .
Cold Face still isn’t back yet .

Cold Face, when exactly are you coming back?


Chapter 152
Chapter 152
Chapter 152: He’s Waiting For You
On the subway .
The roaring sound brushes past them . Two subway trains meet on the tracks .
Due to it being too close and too fast, everybody on the train shrieks .
Cold sweat runs down Chatterbox’s spine as the tunnel becomes dark and
clear of barriers again . They managed to connect through to the subway
control station . Based on the commands, the two subway trains are able to
avoid each other .
But this is clearly just the beginning .
“Cold Face, what should we do now?” he asks .
Cold Face is navigating the train, but lets go of it suddenly, “You drive . ”
Chatterbox takes over right away as he watches the track ahead . Cold Face
flips open the thick driver’s manual on the dash at the same time .
Chatterbox murmurs feeling anxious, “Big Brother, we’re already at a time

like this . What do you want to do? Don’t tell me you want to be a top award-
winning subway driver now . Shit!”
“Shut up . ”
Chatterbox shuts his mouth . But he can’t help feeling this way . Cold Face
is still standing there not budging; he does carry the same superb aura as Han
Chen .
And Cold Face really does carry out something superb .
After a while, Cold Face stops on the page showing the “subway schedule . ”
He looks at Chatterbox and says, “The schedule for every day, every time,
and every station is fixed . This means that if we continue at this speed, we’ll
be able to tell which station and what other trains we will encounter . ”
Chatterbox understands right away . He says smiling, “I’ll contact the

subway control station right away to get them to reroute the other trains .
This way, we won’t collide with them . ”
Cold Face’s expression is still stern . He stares at the map of subway tracks
spread across the whole city and says, “Not only that . After we avoid them,
our route is fixed . Ask the subway company to take a look at where our train
is heading . Where is our final destination,” he pauses before continuing,
“and that may be the seven-member organization’s goal . ”
Chatterbox nods in agreement .
Chatterbox finishes connecting with the main station and sees Cold Face
putting the manual down . Cold Face says, “Let me drive . ”
“Oh, okay,” Chatterbox gives the seat back to him .
He then hears him say, “I took a look at the blueprint of this subway train .
The cars were built separately . There’s a hook connecting the fifth and sixth
cars, and it can be released . Go back into the car and get everyone to head to
the back of the train . And then think of a way to unlock the hook to separate
it from the train . ”
Chatterbox opens his eyes wide .
Holy shit!
Cold Face can even think of a way like this . This is too great! This way, the
latter half of the train will slow down and come to a stop . It also won’t
explode due to a collision . The passengers on the train will all be saved!
They’ll think of a way to deal with the front end of the train .
“I’ll go right away!” he leaves the cabin with excitement but hears Cold
Face’s deep and indifferent voice say, “After you unlock it, you don’t need to
come back . Go with the rest of them . ”
Chatterbox’s body freezes . He instantly turns his head to look at him, “What
are you going to do then?”
Cold Face replies, “I will continue ahead . ”
Chatterbox stands there for a few seconds . His lips move but no words come
out of it . He slides open the door and leaves .
_____
The Peninsula Square; above ground .
A’s image and A’s performance ends abruptly . The LCD screens above
everybody’s head goes black and he is nowhere to be found .
It’s as if they’ve just had a weird dream beyond belief .
Xiao Ya, the Peninsula Century Hotel service employee, is among the crowd .
The mass escape has started . The police sirens are loud and serious .
Compared to their fright and curiosity toward A, their desire to survive is
much greater . The square becomes chaotic and noisy as many people start to
run . A lot of people are screaming and many more are fighting their way to
get to the front .
Xiao Ya almost falls from being pushed around . Luckily, an officer helps her
. She hears the officer say to his colleague, “There are so many people . It’ll
take a couple of hours to evacuate . ”
“Yeah,” his colleague answers, “Be careful . We don’t know what will
happen next . ”
Xiao Ya calms herself and continues on the path to escape——toward the

Han River bridge . She feels depressed all of a sudden . After running for a
while, she turns her head and stares at the black LCD screen . Tears run down
her cheeks .
Xiao Ai .
What kind of a person is he?

Why does he need to do something like this?
Why can’t he leave with her and be an ordinary person?
She’ll probably never see him again in this lifetime .
_____
Underground .
The moment they reach the 3rd level, Su Mian can smell a faint scent of
blood . She feels something very bad is about to happen . She turns to look at
Han Chen .
He can clearly smell it too . His face turns colder . In the dim lighting, his
black police coat accents his tall figure and unfriendliness . He makes eye
contact with Su Mian . He pulls out his gun from his waist, bends down
against the wall, and looks to the front . Su Mian follows his footsteps,
leaning against the other side of the wall, and walks slowly .
The three hostages behind them watch them pull out their guns in fright .
They exchange glances and follow not too far behind .
Su Mian doesn’t have time to entertain them . Compared to their selfishness

and despicableness and acting like a bunch of clowns, she’s more worried
about the seven-member organization . These are her and Han Chen’s real
opponents .
There’s an ordinary looking corridor in front of them . The floor is shiny and
looks to be just completed . On the other side of the corridor, is another
spacious commercial area . They walk leaning against the walls, make a turn,
and Su Mian is completely dumbstruck from what she sees——
Investigator Ding Jun is lying on the ground covered in blood . A knife is in

his chest, and his face is pale as he gasps for air . He’s about to die!
“Ding Jun!” Su Mian shouts .
Han Chen is the closest to him . He lowers the gun and rushes toward him .
He covers Ding Jun’s wound on his chest with his hands to stop the bleeding,
“Hang on! I’ll carry you out!”
Su Mian’s eyes sting from the sight, but she keeps her mind clear . She raises
her gun with alertness and looks around . Ji Zi Chang and the other two see
this and are all in shock .
Ding Jun’s breathing is very weak . He doesn’t see the other three hostages
behind Han Chen . He grabs Han Chen’s hand and says with much difficulty,
“I won’t make it……Hurry……and save Forensic Investigator Xu . The
people we save……are trying to kill us . He’s alone right now……facing the
three of them……”
His voice is low, but people around him, whether they’re far or near, can hear
him clearly .
His hand drops with his eyes still opened wide . His breathing stops .
Su Mian feels chills in her heart . She looks at Han Chen’s cold and gloomy
side profile . She can sense the other three behind them staring .
The secret is out .
This is the moment .
Everything happens at the blink of an eye .
Before the three behind them make a move, Han Chen holds up his gun and
turns around . In the dark, Su Mian can only see his dark, cold, and
frightening pupils on his handsome face .
“Bang! Bang!” two shots . He Ya Yao and Chen Xu Lin, who have been
standing in the front, shriek with a painful expression and fall to the ground
from being shot in the leg . Ji Zi Chang is the only one left standing . He’s
shocked and doesn’t know what to do .
Han Chen and Su Mian point their guns at him .
“L,” Han Chen’s voice is low and cold, “have you recovered from the gunshot
wound last time?”
Ji Zi Chang’s expression changes slowly . He retrieves his expression of

shock and as if he’s a different person, his expression calms down, and his
eyes show a hint of a smile carrying a sense of mockery and perplexity .
He Ya Yao and Chen Xu Lin are still groaning on the ground . He frowns
slightly, lifts his leg and kicks them away . He then fixes his collar, pulls out a
handkerchief from his pocket and wipes his hand . He attempts to clean his
dirty face while showing an expression of disgust . As he does this, Su Mian
and Han Chen stare at him with full of alertness .
Yes, all traces show that he is L . And the person claiming to be “L” in the
video must be another member; it’s to confuse them .
He speaks, “How did you know……”
Before he finishes, a loud “boom” comes on suddenly . Su Mian can sense

the sound coming from below her feet . But it deafens her ear instantly and
she feels herself falling!
In a panic, she catches a glimpse of Ji Zi Chang only——L is looking at her

and his eyes are actually gentle and peaceful . Han Chen, who’s a few feet
away, throws his gun away and dives toward her . But she can only see his
eyes drowning in coldness as he fails to reach her . Everything happens too
suddenly . Su Mian’s hand misses his and she continues falling .
Everything is pitch black around her . In the midst of falling, she can make
out the rugged and monster-like outline of the construction as well as the
glistening water below . Before losing consciousness, a thought flashes
across her mind——this was planned by the seven-member organization .
There must be many traps in here . They’ve been waiting for this moment;
once she stands at the right place, they would set off the explosives and let her
fall . It’s not surprising if Ding Jun getting attacked was also part of the
seven-member organization’s plan .
The seven-member organization is the best at throwing a bunch of smoke

bombs and then making sudden attacks to reach their ultimate goal .
And what can be waiting for her below?
L starts running away .
But Han Chen is quicker . He jumps up from the ground and grabs him by
the collar . L turns around and throws a punch toward him . Han Chen is
faster; he punches L in the waist with a loud thump . L groans and can’t
straighten up his back for a moment . He lifts his head and his eyes meet with
Han Chen’s . That gaze gives L a shiver . But Han Chen doesn’t stop for a
second . He pulls him up and they both jump down .


Memory Lost - Ding Mo - To Chapter 160

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

Memory Lost - Ding Mo - To Chapter 160

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Memory Lost - Ding Mo - To Chapter 160

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Description

You are reading Memory Lost ebook which is a free download at

Download more ebooks for free at Ebook Updates(dot)Net.

Chapter 1: A Beauty as Always

The scorching summer has arrived .

At the back alley of Su Se Nightclub, she has been “steaming” inside an

The sky finally becomes dark .

He doesn’t hear Bai Jin Xi respond, so he turns around to look . She is

Bai Jin Xi answers, “No . ”

The mission starts .

The scene is immediately under police control .

The theme song for the movie, “Black Hawk Down . ”

A smell of coffee and cigarette seeps through the door gap .

The doors are completely open now .

A slender woman dressed in a cheongsam stands in the middle of the room,

Bai Jin Xi glances around the room .

What a smart fella . There’s more to this, isn’t there?

A man is sitting inside .

Bai Jin Xi stares at her, and smiles .

Heh, this is one interesting woman .

The two of them stare at the man behind the screen .

Therefore, she decides to give him her patience and probe .

After a moment of silence, the man speaks .

“Which subdivision are you two from?”

Bai Jin Xi freezes on the spot .

“>cough<……Xiao Bai (Bai Jin Xi’s nickname)?”

Bai Jin Xi, “District Chief?”

Don’t touch that person? Don’t ask why?

Bai Jin Xi doesn’t say anything .

A gangster? An undercover cop?

He doesn’t seem like a nice person anyhow .

The man inhales a long breath of cigarette and doesn’t answer .

You are reading Memory Lost ebook which is a free download at

Download more ebooks for free at Ebook Updates(dot)Net.

Chapter 2: Underhanded Tricks

6 o’clock in the morning . Bai Jin Xi opens her eyes .

It’s another new day .

“I’ve already arrived at the entrance of Guanhu primary school . ”

School’s small auditorium .

Everyone turns to look at Bai Jin Xi .

Her answer startles Zhou Xiao Zhuan a bit .

She suddenly remembers the smell of Suyan cigarettes (a brand of

He says nothing more .

Bai Jin Xi freezes .

Someone is behind her .

Someone is standing silently in a corner . He might have already been there

He notices her pausing, so he decides to make a move!

Bai Jin Xi jumps for joy in her heart .

Bai Jin Xi begins to breathe faster .

Bai Jin Xi’s face flushes as she shouts, “Let me go!”

“Why are you investigating me?” he asks slowly .

“That doesn’t convince me,” he says impassively .

Five minutes later .

She is actually tied to a chair with a nylon rope .

“Are you willing to tell me the truth now?” he asks .

“What I said is the truth . ”

He stares at her for a while without a word .

The man returns from the washroom soon after .

The room is fully lit in an instant .