The car moved through the traffic toward the city center. Tall buildings gradually replaced the older streets surrounding Warehouse Seventeen.Qin Yue quietly studied the city outside her window. "The Lian Group has one of the best reputations in the country." Han Yi kept his eyes on the road. "Which is exactly why we won't make assumptions." Qin Yue looked back at him. "You really don't think they're responsible?" Han Yi answered without hesitation. "We need Evidence first then we reached Conclusions!" She smiled faintly. "That's the most Han Yi answer I've ever heard." He didn't respond.
Several minutes passed in silence before Qin Yue's tablet vibrated once again. "We got another update from Traffic Division." she said, opening the file. "More camera footage?" Han Yi asked. "Looks like it." She tapped the attachment. This time it wasn't a photograph but it was a short clip from the entrance camera above the underground parking garage.Qin Yue pressed play.
The black SUV slowly descended the ramp exactly as expected. She watched carefully until the vehicle disappeared from view. "Nothing new!" she murmured.Just as she was about to close the video,Han Yi suddenly spoke. "Pause." Qin Yue stopped the playback. "What did you see?" Han Yi reached over and pointed toward the upper-right corner of the screen. Reflected in the glass wall beside the parking entrance was another vehicle waiting across the street. Only part of it could be seen.
Qin Yue zoomed in as much as the image allowed. The reflection was blurry, but one detail became visible and that was dark sedan.Qin Yue frowned."Another black car?" Han Yi didn't answer. His eyes remained fixed on the reflection.Qin Yue enlarged the frame another step. The image became distorted, but something inside the sedan briefly caught the sunlight. A small object hanging beneath the rearview mirror. Qin Yue whispered, "Is that..."
Han Yi's expression slowly hardened. It wasn't a decoration. It wasn't an air freshener. It was a black jade crow pendant. The same symbol they had seen at Warehouse Seventeen.The same symbol engraved on the silver token. The sedan never entered the parking garage. It never followed the SUV. It simply remained parked across the street... watching. Qin Yue felt a chill run through her body. "Captain..." Han Yi quietly stared at the frozen frame. "They are not protecting the SUV."
Qin Yue slowly looked at him. "Then what were they watching?" Han Yi's eyes remained fixed on the blurry reflection. After a long silence, he answered in a calm voice. "Whoever was inside the Lian Group building." No one spoke for several minutes!
Qin Yue rested her elbow against the window and quietly watched the city pass by. She finally broke the silence. "Captain... can I ask you something?" Han Yi kept his eyes on the road. "Go ahead." Qin Yue hesitated for a moment before speaking. "If they can erase witnesses... monitor investigations... and predict our movements..." She looked toward him. "...why haven't they tried to stop us?"
Han Yi remained silent for several seconds. His fingers tightened ever so slightly around the steering wheel. "Because they don't see us as a threat yet." Qin Yue frowned. "Or..." Han Yi continued, "because they want us to keep investigating." She stared at him. "Do You think they are leading us somewhere?" Han Yi gave a slight nod. "Every clue we've found has been almost too convenient.First notebook,witness then silver token." He paused for seconds and said,"Now the Lian Group." He glanced at the rearview mirror. "It's as if someone is placing breadcrumbs in front of us." Qin Yue felt an uneasy chill. "But why?" Han Yi answered without hesitation. "To control where we look... and where we don't."
Qin Yue slowly looked back out the window, replaying every step of the investigation in her mind. The more she thought about it, the more uncomfortable she became. "Then maybe..." she whispered. "...we've been investigating exactly what they wanted us to investigate." Han Yi didn't answer. Instead, he checked the rearview mirror again. His expression changed almost imperceptibly. Qin Yue noticed immediately. "What is it?" Han Yi kept watching the mirror. "Don't turn around." Her heartbeat quickened. "Why?" "Just don't." Qin Yue forced herself to keep looking forward. "Did you see something?" Han Yi's calm voice became even quieter. "A gray sedan." "It's been behind us since we left the repair shop."
Qin Yue's fingers slowly tightened around the tablet resting on her lap. "Are you sure?" Han Yi nodded once. "Third intersection." "Same distance." "Same lane changes." Qin Yue resisted the urge to look back. "Maybe it's just going the same way." Han Yi calmly changed lanes. The gray sedan changed lanes five seconds later. He slowed slightly. The sedan slowed as well. He accelerated through a green light. The sedan followed before the signal turned yellow.
Han Yi looked at the rearview mirror one last time. His eyes narrowed. "We're being followed." Before Qin Yue could respond, Han Yi's phone vibrated against the center console. The caller ID displayed Unknown Number. Neither of them had given out their route. Neither of them had reported they were heading toward the Lian Group. The phone continued ringing. Han Yi glanced at the screen but didn't answer. A second later, the ringing stopped. Almost immediately, a single text message appeared. Han Yi picked up the phone and looked at the display.* Turn around while you still can.* The message contained no sender, no number, and no traceable information. Qin Yue quietly read the screen, and the color slowly drained from her face. Han Yi looked into the rearview mirror once more. The gray sedan was still there. This time... its headlights flashed once.
The gray sedan's headlights flashed once again before returning to normal. It didn't speed up.It simply continued following them through the traffic as though nothing had happened.Qin Yue kept staring at the rearview mirror, trying to remain calm. "Captain... that wasn't random, was it?" Han Yi didn't answer. His eyes remained fixed on the road ahead while his mind replayed everything that had happened during the past hour.
Every event seemed disconnected at first glance, yet they fit together too perfectly to be a coincidence. "No!" he finally said. "It wasn't random." Qin Yue looked at him. "Then what was it?" Han Yi's voice remained calm. "Communication." She frowned. "Communication?" Han Yi nodded slightly. "The phone call got our attention." He lifted the phone from the center console for a brief moment before setting it back down. "The text delivered the warning." Then he glanced into the rearview mirror again. "The headlights confirmed we had received it."
Qin Yue slowly looked back at the sedan. "So they're making sure we understand every message." "Exactly." She folded her arms tightly. "They're treating us like we're part of a conversation."Han Yi gave a slight nod. "That's what concerns me." Qin Yue remained silent for several seconds before speaking again. "Captain... do you think they're trying to intimidate us?" Han Yi slowly shook his head. "No." "Then what?" "They're measuring us." Qin Yue blinked. "Measuring?"Han Yi's expression remained unreadable. "Every decision we make tells them something. Whether we panic or we ignore the warning." "Whether we ask for backup." "Whether we continue toward the Lian Group." He paused briefly before continuing. "They're studying us just as carefully as we're studying them."Qin Yue felt an uneasy chill. "So this investigation... has become a test!" Han Yi finished quietly.
The gray sedan maintained its distance. Its driver showed remarkable patience.Not once had the vehicle attempted to overtake them. Not once had it driven aggressively. Whoever sat behind that steering wheel understood surveillance. Qin Yue looked down at Han Yi's phone again. "Can our cyber unit trace that message?" Han Yi answered honestly. "They'll try. But I think whoever sent it expected us to investigate." Qin Yue sighed softly. "You're saying they covered their tracks." "Long before pressing send." The traffic ahead began slowing as vehicles approached another intersection. Han Yi eased off the accelerator. A large delivery truck moved into the lane beside them, blocking the gray sedan from view.
Qin Yue instinctively looked through the rear window. "I can't see it anymore." Han Yi calmly replied, "Wait." A few seconds later, the truck continued forward. The gray sedan appeared again exactly where it had been before. Qin Yue frowned. "They're incredibly disciplined." Han Yi nodded once. "Professional surveillance teams avoid standing out." "They're doing exactly that." Qin Yue looked thoughtful. "Then maybe we should stop somewhere unexpected." Han Yi glanced at her briefly. "Why?" "To see how they react."
Han Yi considered the suggestion. After a moment, he slowly turned the steering wheel and guided the car into the parking lot of a quiet public library. The gray sedan continued driving straight without slowing down. Qin Yue watched it disappear around the corner. "It left." Han Yi didn't get out of the car. He continued watching the road ahead. "Not yet." Nearly thirty seconds passed.Then another vehicle slowly entered the library parking lot from the opposite entrance. It wasn't the gray sedan. It was an ordinary white hatchback. It parked several spaces away. The driver remained inside. Qin Yue quietly watched thevehicle. "Coincidence?" Han Yi didn't answer.
A minute later, a man stepped out of the hatchback. He wore casual clothes and carried a backpack over one shoulder. Without looking toward Han Yi's car, he casually walked into the library. Qin Yue let out a slow breath. "Maybe it really is a coincidence." Han Yi continued watching through the windshield. "Maybe." Just then, his phone vibrated again. Neither of them moved for a second. Slowly, Han Yi picked it up. He saw another message had appeared. *Wrong car. Keep driving. *Qin Yue stared at the screen in disbelief. Her voice was barely audible. "They knew... they knew we stopped to test them." Han Yi slowly locked the phone without replying. His eyes lifted toward the library entrance where the man with the backpack had disappeared moments earlier. "No." Qin Yue looked at him. "What do you mean?" Han Yi started the engine again. "They didn't know what we were testing." He shifted the car into drive. "They expected us to test them."
Elsewhere Both Lian Ziho and Zheng Rui spun around instantly, their eyes locking onto the source of the voice. Several meters away, near the entrance of a closed convenience store, stood a man wearing a dark gray hoodie beneath a black jacket. A black cap was pulled low over his face, hiding most of his features beneath its shadow. His hands rested casually inside his pockets, his posture relaxed, almost as if he had been standing there the entire time. He showed no sign of nervousness. No sign of fear. He simply watched them.
Lian ziho took one cautious step forward, never lowering his guard. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice calm but firm. The stranger tilted his head before answering in an even calmer tone. "That doesn't matter." Lian ziho frowned. "It matters to me." The stranger remained silent for a brief moment before the corners of his mouth lifted into the faintest hint of a smile. "Names won't help you." Zheng Rui, who had remained quietly observing the stranger from the side, finally spoke. "Then why call us over?" The stranger shifted his gaze toward Zheng Rui. "Because you're following the wrong trail." Lian's brows immediately drew together. "What are you talking about?" The stranger sighed softly, almost sounding disappointed. "You're wasting your time." Lian ziho's expression hardened. "We've been hearing that a lot lately." The stranger nodded once. "Then perhaps you should start listening."
Lian ziho continued studying the stranger carefully. There was something unusual about him. He wasn't behaving like someone trying to threaten them. Nor did he seem frightened. Instead, he looked like someone who had already made peace with whatever happened next.Lian slowly took another step forward. "If you know something," he said quietly, "then stop speaking in riddles and say it." The stranger looked at him for several long seconds before shaking his head slightly. "You won't believe me." Lian crossed his arms loosely without relaxing his posture. "You don't get to decide that."
Zheng Rui glanced briefly toward Lian ziho before returning his attention to the stranger. "He's right,!" Zheng Rui said calmly. "You've already stopped us. You might as well finish what you started."The stranger lowered his eyes for a brief moment and let out a quiet breath. "You're both more stubborn than I expected." Lian ziho replied immediately, "We didn't come this far to turn around because a stranger told us to." For the first time, a faint expression of amusement crossed the man's face. "Fair enough."
He lifted his head again, his gaze becoming noticeably more serious. "You're chasing the people who clean up."
Lian ziho frowned. "Clean up what?" The stranger answered without hesitation. "Evidence, witnesses and mistakes." Zheng Rui's eyes narrowed slightly. "The people covering everything up?" The stranger nodded once. "Exactly." Lian ziho stared at him. "Then who should we actually be chasing?" The stranger looked from Lian ziho to zheng rui before speaking in a quieter voice. "The people giving the orders." "And who are they?" Lian Ziho asked, his eyes never leaving the stranger. The man gave a small shake of his head beneath the shadow of his cap. "I don't know their names." Lian ziho let out a quiet scoff. "Convenient."
The stranger looked directly into his eyes without the slightest hesitation. "Do you think the people giving orders introduce themselves?" Lian ziho didn't answer. His jaw tightened instead.Beside him, Zheng Rui folded his arms thoughtfully and studied the stranger's expression. "If they're so careful," he asked calmly, "how do you know they exist?" The stranger's gaze drifted toward the empty street before he replied. "Because I've seen what happens when someone fails them." His voice stayed calm, but beneath it was something that neither fear nor anger could completely hide. Something like Experience or regret. Lian ziho caught it immediately. "You worked for them." The stranger remained silent. He neither confirmed nor denied it. But the silence itself was enough.
Lian ziho exchanged a brief glance with Zheng Rui before looking back at him. "Then why are you helping us now?" The stranger lowered his eyes toward the pavement. For several seconds, only the distant sound of traffic could be heard. Finally, he spoke. "Maybe I'm tired." He paused before adding quietly, "Or maybe I owe someone a debt I can never repay." Lian studied him carefully. "That's not much of an explanation." The stranger nodded once. "It's the only one you're getting." The street became quiet again. Somewhere far away, the faint rumble of a passing train drifted. Zheng rui slowly stepped half a pace closer, keeping his voice steady. "If we're following the wrong people," he asked, "then where should we start looking?" The stranger slowly lifted his head and met his eyes. "You shouldn't be asking where." Lian ziho frowned. "Then what should we be asking?" The stranger looked at both of them one after another. His voice dropped until it was almost a whisper. "You should be asking... why they chose Jun Wei in the first place."
Lian ziho's brows drew together. "What do you mean?" he asked. The stranger let out a slow breath. "People like them don't take random children." Zheng rui's expression sharpened. "So you're saying Jun wei was selected?" The stranger nodded once. "Long before any of you knew he was in danger." Lian ziho immediately shook his head. "No. He's just an ordinary kid." The stranger looked at him quietly. "That's exactly what they wanted everyone to believe." A chill ran down Lian ziho's spine. Zheng Rui's eyes narrowed. "Do you have proof?"
The stranger gave another slow shake of his head. "There is no proof." He looked toward the end of the deserted street before continuing. "Only what I've seen." Lian took another cautious step forward. "Then tell us." The stranger remained silent for a few moments before speaking again. "Years ago... another child disappeared." Zheng Rui's breathing slowed. "Another one?" The stranger nodded. "There was same pattern and just like now people were cleaning up afterward." Lian ziho's heartbeat quickened. "What happened to that child?"
The stranger's eyes darkened. "Nobody ever found him." Zheng rui quietly asked, "And you think Jun wei is connected?" The stranger looked at him without blinking. "I think history is repeating itself." Lian ziho clenched his fists. "Then help us stop it." The stranger stared at him for several long seconds before taking one slow step backward. "I already have." Lian ziho's eyes widened slightly. "You're leaving?" The stranger gave a faint, tired smile. "The longer I'm seen with you..." He glanced once toward the rooftops surrounding the narrow street. "...the sooner they'll know I've talked."
Zheng rui instinctively followed his gaze, scanning the nearby buildings, but saw nothing except silent windows and weathered walls. When he looked back, the stranger had already begun walking away. Lian ziho called after him. "Wait! Where are you going?!" The stranger didn't stop. Without turning around, he raised one hand slightly and said, "Stop chasing the shadows." His voice echoed faintly down the empty street. "Find the one casting them." Then he disappeared around the corner, leaving Lian Ziho and Zheng rui standing alone in the silence.
Lian Ziho stood motionless for seconds,his eyes fixed on the corner where the stranger had disappeared.He was about to turn away when something near the curb caught his attention. "Wait..." he murmured. Zheng Rui looked over. "What is it?" Lian slowly walked a few steps forward and crouched beside the sidewalk. A small paper ticket lay near the edge of the road, fluttering gently in the wind. He picked it up carefully between his fingers. "This wasn't here before!" he said quietly.
Zheng Rui stepped beside him and looked down at the faded ticket. "Did it fall out of his pocket?" Lian turned it over. On the back, written in neat black ink, were only a few words. "Don't trust familiar faces." The two men fell silent. Lian read the sentence once. Then again. His brows slowly drew together. "What does that mean?" he asked quietly, more to himself than to Zheng Rui. Zheng Rui took the ticket from him and examined it carefully before handing it back. "I don't know." Lian ziho looked at him. "You think it's a warning?"
Zheng Rui remained quiet for a moment before answering. "Maybe." He looked down the empty street again. "Or maybe it's meant to make us question everyone around us." Lian ziho frowned. "That's a dangerous thing to do." Zheng Rui nodded once. "Exactly." Lian ziho stared at the words again. "'Don't trust familiar faces.' " He let out a slow breath. "That could mean anyone." Zheng Rui folded his arms. "Friends, colleagues and Family ?!" Lian ziho's grip on the ticket tightened slightly. "Or maybe it's pointing toward someone specific." Zheng Rui glanced at him. "That's what worries me." Lian ziho carefully folded the ticket and slipped it into his jacket pocket. "Either way, he wanted us to find it." Zheng Rui nodded. "People don't leave messages like that by accident." Lian looked once more toward the corner where the stranger had vanished. "Who are you..." he muttered quietly. "And who are you trying to protect?"
The two of them slowly began walking back toward the parking lot.Neither of them spoke for several minutes. Both were lost in their own thoughts, replaying every word the stranger had said. Lian ziho finally broke the silence. "Do we follow the clue?" Zheng Rui kept walking with his hands in his jacket pockets. "Yes." Lian ziho looked at him. "Just like that?" Zheng Rui gave a small nod. "Ignoring it won't make it disappear." Lian ziho sighed. "And if it's another trap?"
Zheng Rui stopped beside their car and pulled the keys from his pocket. He pressed the unlock button, and the headlights flashed once. "Then we'll deal with it." Lian ziho let out a quiet laugh without any humor. "You always make it sound easier than it is." Zheng Rui opened the driver's door before looking back at him. "No." His tired eyes met Lian ziho's. "I just don't see another choice." Lian ziho stood there for a second before nodding slowly. "That's make sense!" He opened the passenger door and climbed inside. Zheng Rui started the engine, and the car rolled smoothly out of the parking space before pulling onto the quiet road.
Parked beneath the shade of an old tree sat a black SUV with its windows tinted almost completely dark. Inside, a man quietly lowered a pair of binoculars from his eyes. His face remained hidden beneath the shadow of a black cap. He watched Zheng Rui's car disappear farther down the road before speaking into a small earpiece. "They found the message." A calm voice answered from the other end. "As expected?" The man nodded once. "Yes." There was a brief pause before the voice asked another question. "Did they suspect they were being watched?" The man glanced toward the empty street one last time. "No." "Good."
The man placed the binoculars on the passenger seat and wrapped both hands around the steering wheel. The SUV's engine started with a low rumble. Without attracting attention, he eased away from the curb and merged into the light traffic several cars behind Zheng Rui's car. He maintained a careful distance, never getting too close, never falling too far behind.