In the following days, everyone was so busy they barely had time to catch their breath. The progress of the case, just as Xu Nian had predicted, moved at a dizzying pace.
First, the identity of the blond man was uncovered. Despite his hectic schedule, Captain Zhou managed to dig up all the details in just a day and a half.
When Guan Xia and the others received Captain Zhou’s update, they were still staking out near the medical center. While waiting for Ji An and Zhong Xiaoyu’s medical reports, they kept an eye out for any other suspicious individuals.
With the arrival of the special task force, Xu Nian and his team were finally relieved of their duties. All ongoing investigations were handed over, allowing them to focus entirely on collaborating with Guan Xia, hoping to uncover another breakthrough.
Ji An and Zhong Xiaoyu rushed to collect their reports just before the medical center closed. The moment they got into the car, Xu Nian’s phone rang.
After a lengthy conversation, Xu Nian hung up and turned to Guan Xia. "That was Captain Zhou. They didn’t just investigate Wu Yingze—they also looked into his father. His father’s name is Wu Xingxian. He was indeed raised in an orphanage and has a cousin named Wu Yang."
Xu Nian stopped there. Though brief, the implications of those words were enormous, both for Guan Xia and Xu Nian.
It took Guan Xia several minutes to process the information before she spoke, her voice strained. "So, Wu Yang is very likely connected to that criminal organization."
Xu Nian nodded silently.
Pang Le gasped. "Wow, that’s unexpected. But this actually explains a lot."
Rarely one to think quickly, Pang Le continued without pause. "Let me think—first, we were confused about why the same criminal organization seemed to have conflicting ideologies. But now that we know about Wu Yang and Wu Xingxian, it makes sense. They’re brothers who lost their family as children and grew up together in an orphanage, relying on each other. After everything they went through, their ideas probably influenced one another. It’s possible they founded the organization together, but people don’t always stay on the same path forever. They might’ve had a falling out later, leading Wu Xingxian to leave Jianyang City and come to Shangshuang City, where he started a similar criminal group. That’s why the two organizations share similarities but also have differences."
Pang Le’s analysis sparked a lively discussion.
Zhong Xiaoyu chimed in next. "I always said Wu Yingze’s father’s rise in Shangshuang City wasn’t as clean as it seemed. Now we know why. And we’ve also figured out how he amassed his fortune. I don’t play many games, but I’ve heard of him—he’s in the gaming industry, and his company’s also involved in film and television. Those are some of the fastest-growing sectors in recent years. With Wu Xingxian working under him, money was never an issue."
Guan Xia listened intently but suddenly remembered something. "I recall Meng Lan mentioning that there were more children sent to the orphanage with Wu Yang—six or seven, I think. I can’t remember exactly."
She glanced at Pang Le for confirmation. She remembered telling him about this during their phone call that night.
Sure enough, Pang Le nodded, furrowing his brow. "There were definitely more than two. I don’t remember the exact number either, but it was either six or seven. That’s what you told me."
Zhong Xiaoyu waved a hand. "Doesn’t matter if it’s six or seven. Since we’re already suspicious, we can investigate them all. But no rush—we’re in Shangshuang City now, so let’s focus on Wu Yingze and Wu Xingxian first. If we can find solid evidence proving they’re the masterminds, Wu Yang won’t be able to escape either."
Guan Xia agreed. Speculation was one thing, but evidence was another. Until they had concrete proof, they had to proceed carefully to avoid tipping anyone off.
After a brief discussion, Xu Nian said, "Let’s wrap up for today. Captain Zhou said he’s arranged for their division’s admin staff to hand over the files to us. Since it’s still early, let’s head to Nanping Precinct."
No one objected, so Xu Nian called Qi Bai and the others before starting the car. They arrived at Nanping Precinct before nightfall.
Captain Zhou and his team were out on an operation, leaving the office empty. The admin officer, a sharp-looking female officer, had been waiting for them. She quickly handed over a thick file as soon as they reached the second floor.
After thanking her, the group entered the office without hesitation, settling around the conference table and eyeing the file in Xu Nian’s hands eagerly.
Xu Nian opened it immediately, pulling out two photos and sticking them on the whiteboard. Without explanation, Guan Xia could easily distinguish the two men just by their age and hair color.
The photo on the left was Wu Xingxian, his hair half-gray, his eyes as narrow as his son Wu Yingze’s but far sharper. Whether it was due to age or Guan Xia’s preconceptions, his eyes now seemed almost triangular, giving off an air of cruelty.
The photo on the right was Wu Yingze. It was unclear when it had been taken, but he looked younger than when Guan Xia had last seen him. His hair was dyed wine-red, his expression dismissive, his gaze indifferent.
After a quick glance at the photos, Guan Xia’s first instinct was to pull out her phone and search for Wu Yang online. She found his photo, zoomed in, and compared it to Wu Xingxian’s. There were definite similarities in their features, but Wu Yang looked much friendlier. He was slimmer, and his smile carried a shy, honest warmth.
Before, Guan Xia hadn’t thought much of it. But now, with suspicions in mind, the sight of his face sent a chill down her spine. She couldn’t help but think—appearances could be deceiving. Who would’ve guessed that such a kind-faced, successful man might be the mastermind behind a criminal organization?
As Xu Nian distributed the files to everyone, Guan Xia shook off her scattered thoughts, put away her phone, and focused.
"Let's start with Wu Xingxian," Xu Nian said, tapping a finger on Wu Xingxian's photo with a serious expression. "Wu Xingxian was born in 1970, making him 54 this year. At six years old, both his parents died in a fire, leaving him with no guardians. In September of the same year, he, along with his cousin Wu Yang, fellow villagers Su Chengzhi, Su Zhen, Su Ming, and Qiao Guangcai—six children in total—were sent to the Quming City Children's Welfare Home. He was adopted twice, at ages seven and eight, but both adoptions fell through. After that, he remained in the orphanage until adulthood. Records show he was admitted to a third-tier university after the college entrance exam, but he didn’t attend. Instead, he moved to the city where Wu Yang was studying and began working odd jobs to support himself."
At this point, Qi Bai interjected, "From the sound of it, Wu Xingxian was quite dependent on his cousin Wu Yang back then. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have given up his chance to attend university."
"Not necessarily," Pang Le countered. "It could be that Wu Yang, struggling financially in college, convinced Wu Xingxian to come work and support him. After all, someone capable of building such a large criminal organization must be ruthless—even toward family."
The others nodded thoughtfully but didn’t voice their opinions.
Xu Nian continued, "According to Captain Zhou’s investigation, Wu Xingxian worked odd jobs from age 18 to 28—factories, kitchen help in small restaurants, even taxi driving. His son, Wu Yingze, was born when he was 23. The mother was a waitress he met at one of those restaurants, but their relationship lasted only three years. They never married, and she quit her job and returned to her hometown when Wu Yingze was one, never coming back. From then on, Wu Xingxian and Wu Yang raised Wu Yingze together. By 1998, Wu Xingxian was 28, Wu Yingze was 5, and Wu Yang had secured his first entrepreneurial success, investing in a car repair shop with a partner. That’s when Wu Xingxian finally settled into a stable role, managing the shop for Wu Yang."
Guan Xia looked surprised. "A car repair shop and the gaming industry—that’s a huge leap. I assumed Wu Yang started in gaming from the beginning."
Ji An mused, "Maybe Wu Yang wanted Wu Xingxian to have stability, especially since he had a child. Plus, his taxi experience might’ve made the repair shop a natural fit."
"Wait," Zhong Xiaoyu cut in. "Weren’t there six kids sent to the orphanage together? What about the other four? Did they not stay close? I thought they’d stick together, being from the same village."
Xu Nian replied, "The other four aren’t as clear. Captain Zhou’s team focused on Wu Xingxian and his son. Records show that after growing up in the same orphanage, Wu Xingxian had little contact with them as an adult. But just because he didn’t stay in touch doesn’t mean Wu Yang didn’t. Compared to Wu Xingxian, Wu Yang’s life has been far more complex and turbulent."
Guan Xia nodded absently. That made sense—Wu Yang was clearly more cunning and cautious than Wu Xingxian.
Xu Nian went on, "Wu Xingxian managed the repair shop with Wu Yingze until 2002. After accumulating some assets, Wu Yang spearheaded a joint venture to start a logistics company. Then, in 2004, Wu Xingxian invested in Wu Yang’s gaming company. Within a few years, his wealth skyrocketed, and his logistics company captured 40% of the Jianyang market. But in 2008, for unknown reasons, Wu Xingxian suddenly sold his shares in both the logistics and gaming companies and moved to Shangshuang City. Since then, his businesses have expanded into real estate, supermarkets, hotels, amusement parks, and restaurants. As for the Kangjian Health Check-Up Center, Captain Zhou’s team found no direct ties to Wu Xingxian or Wu Yingze—at least on the surface. But they did uncover one detail: the legal representative of the center is one of Wu Yingze’s ex-girlfriends. She’s lived abroad for years, and immigration records show she hasn’t returned to China in five."
Pang Le gasped. "Damn, that’s clever. If anything goes wrong at the center, they can pin it all on her—and she’s conveniently overseas, making her hard to catch."
"What about Wu Yingze?" Guan Xia asked. "I’m curious whether the Kangjian Health Check-Up Center was Wu Xingxian’s idea or Wu Yingze’s. I remember Ji An’s earlier research—the center is a chain, established in Shangshuang ten years ago. Back then, Wu Yingze was barely in his twenties. Without Wu Xingxian’s backing, how could someone so young pull this off? And the organ trafficking operation—even if he grew up around crime, pulling off something this massive and seamless in his early twenties seems impossible."
The others shared Guan Xia’s curiosity, all turning to Xu Nian for answers.
Xu Nian tapped Wu Yingze’s photo. "Compared to Wu Xingxian, Wu Yingze’s history is simpler. He moved to Shangshuang with his father at 15, attending a private high school there. After graduation, he studied abroad. In July 2014, during a summer visit home, he was kidnapped—that’s when he got plastic surgery. He returned overseas for another year before permanently settling in Shangshuang in 2015. Officially, he joined Wu Xingxian’s real estate company. But Captain Zhou’s team found that the legal rep of the Kangjian center had already broken up with Wu Yingze by then. She was from Shangshuang, studied abroad, and stayed in the city for three years after returning before leaving again. Though she visited occasionally, her trips became less frequent after 2019—and she hasn’t been back since."
Guan Xia fell silent, deep in thought. Then Pang Le dropped a bombshell: "Is that girl… even alive anymore?"
[Author’s note: Sorry for the late update—writer’s block. I’ll try to be on time tomorrow. Love you all!]
