Lian ziho stood in the middle of the alley, still trying to catch his breath. The smoke had mostly disappeared, but the smell remained in the air. He looked down at the black metal card in his hand again.The two engraved black wings seemed darker under the weak light. "Again..." he whispered, his thumb slowly brushing over the symbol. His mind went back to the ring from the CCTV footage.The same strange shape."What do these wings mean?" he murmured. He turned the card over once more, but there was nothing else on that side. "Who are you people?"
Footsteps suddenly sounded from the street behind him. Lian ziho immediately turned around, his body becoming tense. And when he turned a familiar figure appeared at the entrance of the alley. Zheng Rui walked toward him quickly, his expression serious. The moment he reached Lian ziho, his eyes moved over Lian ziho's face, his clothes and the small cuts on his hands. "Are you hurt?" Lian shook his head. "I'm fine." Zheng Rui stopped in front of him. "Look at me." Lian ziho raised his eyes. "I'm fine." Zheng Rui studied his face for another second. "Your eyes are red."
Lian ziho rubbed them with the back of his hand. "The smoke got in them." "Did he hit you?" "A few times." Zheng Rui's eyebrows tightened. "A few?" Lian ziho gave a tired smile. "It's nothing serious." Zheng Rui looked at the small cut near Lian ziho's cheek. "You call that nothing?" Lian ziho touched his cheek and looked at the blood on his fingers. "I didn't even notice that." Zheng Rui sighed. "That's because you're too busy chasing people." Lian ziho gave him a look. "You told me to be careful." "I did." "I was careful." Zheng Rui stared at him. "You chased a man into an alley." Lian ziho paused. "That was... controlled." Zheng Rui raised an eyebrow. "Controlled?" Lian ziho looked away. "Mostly."
For a moment, Zheng Rui almost smiled. Then he glanced around the alley. "Where is he?" Lian ziho let out a frustrated breath. "Gone." Zheng Rui looked toward the empty street. "How?" "Smoke canister." Lian ziho pointed toward the ground. "He used that and disappeared." Zheng Rui's eyes moved toward the metal canister. "Did you try to follow him?" "I did." Lian ziho sighed. "I couldn't see anything." Zheng Rui crouched briefly and looked at the canister without touching it. "They came prepared." Lian ziho nodded. "Definitely." Zheng Rui stood again. "Did you see anyone else?"
Lian ziho shook his head. "No. But someone was helping him." Zheng Rui looked toward the rooftops. "The shooter?" Lian ziho nodded slowly. "Maybe." He paused, then added, "I don't think the smoke was just for escape." Zheng Rui looked back at him. "Why?" Lian ziho held out the black metal card. "Because he left this behind." Zheng Rui's eyes immediately focused on it. He reached out but stopped before touching it directly. "Where did you get that?" "During the fight." Lian ziho placed it in Zheng Rui's hand. "He dropped it."
Zheng Rui turned the card between his fingers, examining its weight and edges. "No name." Lian ziho shook his head. "Nothing on the front." Zheng Rui ran his thumb lightly over the engraved wings. His expression changed slightly. "The same symbol." Lian ziho nodded. "The ring." Zheng Rui looked at him. "You're sure?" "I saw it clearly on the footage." Lian ziho pointed at the wings. "It's the same shape." Zheng Rui studied the card again. "Did he say anything?" Lian ziho hesitated. "He mentioned the ring." Zheng Rui's eyes narrowed. "What exactly?"
Lian ziho looked toward the place where the man had disappeared. "He said, 'The ring...'" He paused. "Then he looked behind me and said I shouldn't have..." Zheng Rui waited. "Shouldn't have what?" Lian ziho shook his head. "He never finished." Zheng Rui's expression became thoughtful. "And then the smoke?" "Right after." "So someone stopped him from talking." "That's what I think." Zheng Rui looked down at the card again. Lian ziho watched him. "You think he was going to tell me something important?"
Zheng Rui answered, "I think someone made sure he couldn't." Lian ziho's expression hardened. "Then this card might be the reason." Zheng Rui slowly flipped the card over. His eyes stopped. There were tiny engraved numbers on the back that neither of them had noticed before. BW-17. Lian ziho leaned closer. "What does that mean?" Zheng Rui turned the card slightly toward the light, checking the engraving again. "I don't know." Lian ziho frowned. "Could it be a code?" "Maybe." "A location?"
Zheng Rui shook his head. "Too short." Lian looked at the letters. "BW..." He thought for a moment. "Black wings?" Zheng Rui glanced at him. "Possible." Lian ziho looked at the card again. "If BW means black wings, then seventeen could be important." "It could." "Seventeen could mean a person." "Or a file." "Or a place." Zheng Rui nodded. "Exactly." Lian ziho frowned. "But why would someone carry something like this?" Zheng Rui turned the card over again. "Maybe it's an identification card." "For what?" "I don't know yet."
Zheng Rui looked toward the alley entrance. "So now we have a ring, black wings and BW-17." Zheng Rui calmly replied, "And someone who was willing to kill his own man before he could explain it." Lian ziho was silent for a moment. Then he asked, "Do you think the man knew who was behind everything?" Zheng Rui considered the question. "Probably not everything." "But enough to be dangerous?" "Yes." "And they knew he might talk." "That's why they stopped him." Lian ziho looked down at the card. "Then this isn't just a clue."
Zheng Rui nodded. "No." "It's something they didn't want us to have." "Exactly." Lian ziho's expression became serious. "Maybe they didn't mean to leave it." Zheng Rui looked at him. "Maybe." "Or maybe they wanted us to find it." Zheng Rui's eyes narrowed slightly. "That's possible too." Lian looked up. "Which one do you think?" Zheng Rui stayed quiet for a few seconds. "I don't know." Lian ziho sighed. "Again." Zheng Rui gave him a small look. "You asked."
Zheng Rui took out an evidence bag from his coat and placed the metal card inside. Lian ziho watched him seal it. "Don't lose that." Zheng Rui looked up. "I won't." Lian ziho folded his arms. "And don't show it to anyone yet." Zheng Rui nodded. "Agreed." Lian ziho looked at the sealed bag again. "Not even Cai Lang?" Zheng Rui paused briefly. "We still can't reach him." Lian ziho's expression changed. "I know." His voice became quieter. "That's what worries me."
Zheng Rui studied him for a moment. "We'll find him." Lian ziho looked away. "I hope so." Zheng Rui slipped the evidence bag safely into his pocket. "What do we do now?" Lian ziho asked. Zheng Rui looked toward the road. "We find out what BW-17 means." Lian sighed. "And how do we do that?" Zheng Rui looked toward the road, "We start with the ring." Lian ziho frowned. "You think the ring and this card are connected?" Zheng Rui gave a slow nod. "I'm almost sure." Lian ziho was quiet for a moment. "Then whoever owns them..." Zheng Rui finished the thought. "Is probably closer to this case than we thought."
Lian ziho looked at him. "Closer how?" Zheng Rui shook his head. "We don't know yet." "Could they be connected to Jun Wei?" Zheng Rui's expression became serious. "That's what we need to find out." Lian ziho looked down the street. "And if they are?" "Then we finally have something that connects the people behind this to Jun Wei." Lian ziho's voice dropped. "And if they're not?" Zheng Rui answered quietly, "Then we're looking at another piece of the same puzzle." Lian ziho nodded slowly. "Either way, we can't ignore it." "No." Neither of them spoke after that.
Somewhere above them, a rooftop door slowly closed with a soft metallic sound. Both men looked up at the same time. The rooftop was empty. Zheng Rui's eyes narrowed. "We're leaving." Lian ziho nodded. "Before they decide to come back?" Zheng Rui looked at him. "Before we give them another chance." They started walking toward the street, but neither noticed the small camera hidden beneath an old sign across the alley, its tiny red light still blinking as it recorded their every move.
Meanwhile Han Yi and Qin Yue reached the witness's apartment within minutes.The car had barely stopped before Han Yi pushed open the door and stepped onto the pavement.Qin Yue followed immediately,still holding the case file tightly in one hand.The building corridor was unusually quiet.As they climbed the stairs,the sound of their footsteps seemed louder than it should have been.
Even the old ceiling fan at the end of the hallway barely made a sound.Han Yi slowed when they reached the witness's floor.His eyes moved across the corridor.He raised one hand slightly,signaling Qin Yue to stop. Qin Yue understood and lowered her voice. "Do you think someone got here before us?"Han Yi looked toward the apartment door."I think we should assume they did."
They moved forward carefully.The witness's door was slightly open.Han Yi stopped several steps away from it and studied the gap.The lock appeared damaged and wooden frame had a fresh crack near the handle.Qin Yue's expression tightened."The door was forced."Han Yi nodded."It's seems like like recently."She reached toward her gun,but Han Yi quietly stopped her with a gesture."Wait."
Qin Yue looked at him."Why?"Han Yi's eyes remained fixed on the doorway."Because if someone wanted us to know this place had been searched,they didn't need to leave the door open."Qin Yue understood what he meant.She slowly nodded."Then what do we do?"Han Yi took a careful breath."We go in."He moved toward the door and placed one hand against it.He slowly pushed it wider.The hinges gave a faint creak.They entered carefully,with Qin Yue staying a step behind him.Han Yi's eyes moved across the living room.The apartment had been completely searched.Drawers were overturned,cabinets stood open and documents were scattered across the floor.
A chair had been knocked over,and one side of the wooden table was cracked.A lamp lay broken beside the sofa.Qin Yue looked around,her expression becoming grim. "They tore the place apart."Han Yi crouched beside one of the overturned drawers.He examined the scattered contents without touching anything."They weren't looking for money."Qin Yue glanced at him."How can you tell?"Han Yi pointed toward a wallet lying untouched beneath a pile of papers."If they were searching for valuables,they would have taken this."He stood slowly and looked around again."They were looking for information."Qin Yue's eyes moved toward the desk."The witness's documents are gone."
Han Yi walked over to the desk and examined the empty spaces."His phone?" Qin Yue checked the room."Gone."Han Yi's expression tightened."Laptop?"She shook her head."Also gone."He looked toward the hallway leading deeper into the apartment. "Someone came here looking for everything this man knew."His thoughts returned to the phone call.I saw someone beside the black SUV. He wasn't the driver. He was giving orders....Han Yi's jaw tightened.And before the witness could tell us who that person was,someone reached him...
Qin Yue quietly asked,"Do you think he's alive?"Han Yi didn't answer immediately.He looked at the destroyed apartment."If they wanted him dead,they wouldn't have needed to search this place."Qin Yue understood."They wanted something from him."Han Yi nodded."Or they wanted to make sure he couldn't give it to us."She slowly stepped toward the kitchen."I'll check the back room."Han Yi shook his head."Stay with me."Qin Yue looked at him."You heard something?"
Han Yi's eyes moved toward the hallway. "No."He paused."That's exactly why."The apartment was silent again.For several seconds,neither moved.Han Yi slowly walked farther into the living room,his eyes examining every corner.He noticed a photograph lying face down under the sofa. He crouched and picked it up.It was a family photograph.The witness stood beside an older woman,smiling in front of a small house.
Han Yi studied the image for a moment before turning it over."They searched his home,but they left this." His expression darkened."Either they missed it...or they wanted me to see it."Qin Yue noticed his expression."What did you find?"Han Yi held up the photograph."Nothing useful yet."She stepped closer."Then why do you look like that?"Han Yi lowered the photograph. "Because nothing about this room feels accidental."
Qin Yue looked around again.The broken furniture, missing documents and damaged lock.Everything appeared chaotic,but the chaos itself seemed strangely deliberate. Someone had time to search this place and They knew exactly what they were looking for...Han Yi slowly raised his eyes toward the living room wall.Then he stopped.Qin Yue noticed immediately."Captain?"Han Yi didn't respond.His gaze remained fixed on the wall.There was something written across it in red.The letters were large and uneven,s treaking slightly downward.
Qin Yue stepped beside him and read the words aloud, "DON'T TRUST HIM."Han Yi's expression became unreadable.He stared at the message for several seconds.Qin Yue looked at Han Yi."What do you he was talking about? Who is 'him'?"Han Yi shook his head."I don't know."She studied the writing."Do you think the witness wrote this?"Han Yi stepped closer to the wall without touching it."Maybe."
Qin Yue frowned."The writing looks rushed. "Han Yi nodded."And whoever wrote it wanted it to be seen."She looked at him. "Then why leave it here instead of sending us another message?"Han Yi's eyes narrowed."Because this wasn't meant for everyone."Qin Yue looked toward him."You think it was meant for us."Han Yi didn't answer.He continued staring at the red warning.Don't trust him...Why?...
Qin Yue quietly asked,"Captain..."Han Yi finally looked away from the wall."What?" She pointed toward the bedroom."Did you hear that?"Han Yi became completely still.Both listened.For several seconds, nothing happened.Then a faint sound came from somewhere beyond the hallway.It was a slight movement.A quiet scrape against the floor.
Han Yi slowly reached for his gun.Qin Yue followed his movement and lowered her voice."Someone's here."Han Yi nodded once.His eyes fixed on the dark bedroom doorway."The apartment wasn't empty."He raised one hand,signaling Qin Yue to stay behind him.
They moved toward the hallway one careful step at a time.The broken floorboards creaked under their shoes.Han Yi stopped just before the bedroom entrance and listened again.Another faint sound came from inside.A slow breath then silence.Qin Yue's fingers tightened around her gun.She whispered,"Captain..."Han Yi stared into the darkness."Stay behind me."He took one slow step toward the bedroom.Something shifted inside the room.
He slowly pushed the door open.The hinges gave a quiet creak.The officers immediately raised their guns.Qin Yue's eyes swept across every corner."Clear."One officer checked behind the door."Nothing here." Another moved toward the closet and opened it."It's also empty."Han Yi entered slowly.His attention went directly toward the window.The curtains were moving.Qin Yue lowered her weapon slightly."The window was left open."
Han Yi walked toward it and looked down. The drop was too high for someone to leave without leaving some sign below."No fire escape."He looked at the frame."And no fresh damage."Qin Yue stepped farther into the room."Then what made that sound?" Before Han Yi could answer,another scraping noise came from near the wall.A small electric fan rolled slowly across the floor before hitting the baseboard with a soft knock.
Qin Yue stared at it for a moment,then slowly exhaled."False alarm..."One of the officers lowered his weapon."That fan must have been knocked over when the room was searched."Qin Yue glanced at Han Yi."For a second,I thought we had someone hiding in here."Han Yi didn't answer.His eyes had stopped somewhere else.He was staring under the bed.
Qin Yue noticed immediately."Captain?"Han Yi crouched slowly beside the bed."Don't touch anything."He looked underneath.The space under the bed was dark,but something was partially visible beneath a folded piece of cloth.Han Yi reached under and pulled it toward him.A small old mobile phone wrapped tightly in cloth emerged from under the bed.
Qin Yue stepped closer,her expression changing."A phone?"Han Yi examined it.The screen was cracked,but it was still powered on.There was no SIM card visible,and almost everything on the device had been erased except for one file.A single unread voice recording remained.Qin Yue looked at him."You think the witness hid it?"Han Yi turned the phone slightly in his hand."He wanted someone to find it."Qin Yue frowned. "Then why didn't he tell us about it during the call?"
Han Yi's eyes remained on the recording. "Because he knew he was being watched." He slowly stood."And he probably didn't know how much time he had left."Qin Yue looked toward the bedroom door,the tension returning to her expression."Then whatever is on that recording may be the reason someone searched this apartment."Han Yi nodded."Which means we listen before they realize we've found it."He pressed the recording.
fThen the witness's frightened voice came from the small speaker."If anyone finds this...listen carefully."Qin Yue immediately moved closer.Han Yi held the phone steady, but his eyes remained focused on the doorway. The witness's breathing was heavy and uneven."I lied."Qin Yue's expression tightened.Han Yi's eyes narrowed.The recording continued."I didn't only see two vehicles."There was a long pause,followed by another shaky breath."I saw someone standing beside the black SUV."
Qin Yue immediately whispered,"Who?"Han Yi lifted one finger,signaling her to remain silent,but the question had already escaped her.The recording continued."I couldn't see his face..."The witness swallowed audibly. "...but everyone around him obeyed."Qin Yue looked at Han Yi.His expression had become completely still.Someone giving orders...The witness continued."He didn't have to raise his voice."Another pause."He only spoke once,and they immediately did what he said."
Qin Yue's eyes hardened."He was in charge. "Han Yi nodded slightly,but said nothing.The witness's breathing became faster."I knew I had seen that kind of authority before."His voice cracked."That's why I didn't tell you." Qin Yue whispered,"Seen him before?"Han Yi's gaze sharpened."Listen."The recording continued."I was afraid that if I said his name..."Static suddenly interrupted the sentence and sound became distorted.The witness's voice broke into fragments."...they would know..."
Qin Yue leaned closer to the phone."Come on..."The recording crackled again.For several seconds,there was nothing but electronic noise yhen a faint voice broke through."They called him..."The recording distorted again.Han Yi's fingers tightened around the phone."Come on."The witness's voice returned for one brief moment. "... Boss...LUX... ZERO"The recording ended.
Qin Yue stared at the phone in disbelief. "That's it?"Han Yi lowered it."Yes." One of the officers stepped forward."Captain,can we recover the damaged portion?"Han Yi looked at him."Take it back to the lab,but don't connect it to any external network." The officer nodded."Understood."Qin Yue remained focused on Han Yi."Boss LUX-ZERO "She repeated the word."That's not a name."Han Yi shook his head."No."She looked toward the phone."But the witness sounded terrified when he said it."Han Yi's expression darkened."Because it wasn't a title he heard casually."
Qin Yue frowned."You think everyone around that man actually called him LUX -ZERO?" Han Yi looked at the bedroom."If they obeyed him without question,then yes."Qin Yue lowered her voice."But that doesn't tell us who he is."Han Yi stared at the old phone. Maybe that's exactly what they wanted. Enough information to make us search,but not enough to know where to look...
Qin Yue asked,"Could 'LUX-0' be connected to the silver arrow?"Han yi remembered the man's hand from the warehouse footage,the dark band,and the silver arrow-shaped emblem.The person everyone obeyed.The pieces were beginning to connect,but the picture remained incomplete."Possibly,"he answered."Then we need to find every person connected to that symbol."Han Yi nodded.Qin Yue looked at him seriously. "Captain,if the witness knew this much,why was he still alive?"Han Yi looked toward the apartment."Maybe he wasn't supposed to survive long enough to tell us."
Qin Yue slowly looked at the phone again. "Then someone made a mistake."Han Yi closed his hand around the phone."Yes."His eyes hardened."And now we know they made one."A sudden sound came from somewhere outside the apartment and officers turned toward the hallway.Han Yi raised his hand again. "Nobody move."Qin Yue slowly looked toward the open bedroom window.Han Yi's eyes narrowed."Someone else may have been listening."He quietly whispered,"Secure the apartment."The officers moved into position.Qin Yue looked at Han Yi."You think we're being watched again?"
Han Yi lowered his voice."I think we should act as though someone is."Qin Yue glanced toward the hallway."Then why haven't they moved?"Han Yi's gaze shifted toward the dark corridor."Because they're waiting for us to leave."One of the officers quietly stepped forward."Captain,should we check the building?"Han Yi looked at him."Yes,but don't make it obvious."The officer nodded."We'll check the stairwell and the fire exit."Han Yi added,"Don't chase anyone unless you know they're connected to this case.If you see someone suspicious,keep them in sight and call me."The officer immediately understood."Understood."He signaled to another officer,and the two moved quietly toward the hallway.
Qin Yue watched them disappear before turning back to Han Yi."You really think someone followed us here?"Han Yi looked down at the old phone in his hand."Maybe they didn't follow us."Qin Yue frowned."Then how did they know we'd come?"Han Yi's expression hardened."Because they knew where the witness lived."She went silent for a moment."They wanted us to find the apartment like this,"she said quietly.Han Yi nodded."And they wanted us to find the recording."Qin Yue looked at the phone."But why leave it hidden?"
Han Yi glanced toward the bedroom. "Because they couldn't be sure they'd find it."He paused."The witness hid it before they reached him."Qin Yue's expression changed."So the recording is something they didn't know about."Han Yi nodded. "Which means it's the first thing we've found that they didn't control."A faint sound came from the hallway again.