Guan Xia lowered her head, repeatedly examining two photos—one old, one new—that depicted two generations despite both faces appearing similarly youthful. This time, she didn’t even need the system’s intuition to sense something amiss.
No wonder Xu Nian had decided to split from the task force as soon as she uncovered these two individuals, even before conducting an in-depth investigation. Based on their past case-solving experience, they had indeed caught a whiff of something familiar.
Guan Xia pulled out the two photos and placed them on the coffee table. After a moment’s thought, she looked up and asked Xu Nian, “Since you sensed something off, the task force must have noticed too. What have they found so far?”
Xu Nian, as if anticipating the question, smiled faintly, her eyes curving slightly. “Nothing. They didn’t notice this anomaly at all, so they never investigated it.”
Guan Xia was first stunned, then, realizing something, couldn’t help but laugh.
She had overthought it—sometimes the most obvious things were overlooked. Though they had found Wu Yang suspicious even before leaving for Shangshuang City, it was just a gut feeling without any concrete evidence. They had only discussed it privately and never reported it to the task force.
Wu Yang had truly entered the task force’s radar only after Wu Xingxian was silenced. Like Guan Xia and her team, the task force had likely relied on instinct and a detective’s sharp intuition to suspect Wu Yang, but they were still in the preliminary stages of investigation, with no concrete actions taken yet.
Now that she understood, Guan Xia grew more confident. “Seems my hunch was right. Instead of piecing together clues and evidence linking Wu Yang from the periphery, we should strike at the heart of the matter. No matter how terrifying this criminal organization is, they’re still human, not gods. As long as they’re human and commit crimes, they’ll leave traces for us to find.”
Her eyes gleamed as she stared at the two photos. “And we’ve already found one, haven’t we?”
Before anyone else could respond, Xu Nian added, “There’s more. Besides this missing woman, there’s another suspicious detail.”
She pulled out one of the six photos in her hand and casually placed it beside the two Guan Xia had set down, tapping it with two fingers. “This man—coincidentally, he also went missing in 2003, even earlier than the woman. But unlike her, no one reported him missing. I pulled his identity records using his ID number, but there’s nothing. No property, no car, no phone number, no flight or train tickets, not even any registered social media or gaming accounts. Strange, isn’t it?”
It was indeed strange. Even Jiang Yingyao couldn’t help nodding. “In the past, maybe, but nowadays, with technology so advanced, it’s impossible for someone to leave no digital footprint unless they no longer exist.”
Xu Nian agreed. “That was my first thought too. I suspect he might have died as early as 2003. But since he and Wu Yang were from the same orphanage and were inseparable with the others before his disappearance—no other friends, no girlfriend—no one noticed he was gone. As long as the remaining five didn’t report it and his body was never found, his death could’ve gone completely unnoticed.”
Pang Le suddenly remembered something. “Wait, Xu Nian, you just said he owned no property, but didn’t you mention earlier that one of the six returned to their hometown in 2007 and built six houses—one for each of them? If that’s the case, how could he not have a house under his name?”
“Because it wasn’t registered yet,” Wang Yu explained. “If I recall correctly, their hometown was where the fire that orphaned them happened. Whether their ancestral homes were affected or not, they’d likely choose new land to build on. He disappeared in 2003, and the houses weren’t built until after 2007—a four-year gap. If Xu Nian’s guess is right, he was already dead by then, so the house couldn’t be in his name.”
Xu Nian confirmed Wang Yu’s speculation. “Wang Yu’s right. I checked—the one who returned to build the houses was named Li Feng, and the missing man was Li Song. Though they share the surname, they’re not related. In 2007, Li Feng did preserve the six ancestral plots but built the new houses elsewhere. Rumor has it he spent a fortune just securing the six plots.”
“Two missing, six houses…” Guan Xia muttered to herself before suddenly brightening. “People in our country believe in returning to their roots after death. Do you think it’s possible that when one of them went back to build the houses, they brought the missing person’s remains with them?”
The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed—and the wilder her theory became. “If the missing person is dead and can’t claim the house, what if they built his remains into the structure? Wouldn’t that make the house symbolically his?”
Her words were so outlandish that the others froze for a moment. Then Pang Le exclaimed, “What kind of horror-movie logic is that? Since when does ‘returning to one’s roots’ mean being cemented into a wall? If the builder was the killer, wouldn’t that mean he’s been living next to the evidence of his crime all this time?”
Pang Le had meant it as a joke, but as he spoke, he paused, reconsidering. “Huh… actually, some crime dramas do play out like that. In rural areas, killers either bury bodies or hide them in walls. It’s not impossible.”
At the mention of crime dramas, Guan Xia’s eyes lit up. What had been a bold hypothesis now seemed genuinely possible.
The others exchanged glances. Given their experience, murderers often had twisted logic, and they’d cracked similar cases before.
Qi Bai scratched his head hesitantly. “So… this might actually be a lead. Do we really split from the task force and focus on Wu Yang?”
Everyone looked at Guan Xia, but instead of answering, she set down the remaining photos and asked Xu Nian, “There are eight photos in total. We know about Wu Yang, Wu Xingxian, the missing woman and her daughter, Li Feng, and Li Song. What about the other two? Anything suspicious?”
The others turned to Xu Nian curiously.
Xu Nian replied, “Compared to these six, the other two seem normal—one runs a chain of restaurants in Quchun City, the other operates a chain hotel in Linchuan City, Nanzhi Province. But I checked: like Li Feng, they also left their respective paths around 2007.”
"2007, it's always 2007," Zhong Xiaoyu remarked. "This timeline seems particularly significant for these six people. Something must have happened between them that caused them to go their separate ways that year."
Guan Xia, however, was lost in her own thoughts. "Wu Xingxian went to Shangshuang City around 2010, but according to Jiang Yingyao's findings, he had already sent people there to scout things out much earlier. Compared to the others, he left several years later. Why? Was it because he was Wu Yang's cousin?"
For now, no one, including Guan Xia, could answer that question without more clues.
After a moment of contemplation, countless theories flashed through Guan Xia's mind, but she knew they needed on-the-ground verification. Taking a deep breath, she said, "It looks like we’ve found our breakthrough. We should start from the very beginning—the root of everything. Before that criminal organization catches wind of us, we need to hurry and investigate their hometown."
After much discussion, Jiang Yingyao agreed wholeheartedly this time. As soon as Guan Xia finished speaking, he turned to Xu Nian. "By the way, Xu Nian, is there anything notable about Wu Yang’s hometown? Like scenic spots nearby, or well-known rural inns? We can’t go in as police—it’d tip them off immediately, and we’d come up empty-handed."
Xu Nian thought for a moment and shook his head. "I haven’t had time to look into that yet. Here’s what we’ll do—"
As Xu Nian scanned the room to assign tasks, Wang Yu eagerly raised his hand. "I’ll handle it. This kind of job is right up my alley. By tonight, I’ll have a solid cover story ready—something completely plausible."
Xu Nian nodded, and Jiang Yingyao added, "Then I’ll dig deeper into Li Feng and his daughter, Li Song. I need to understand their personalities and habits, especially the daughter’s. Maybe we can even get some information out of her."
Qi Bai volunteered without hesitation. "I’ll revisit the missing persons cases involving those two. Maybe there’s something we missed."
Compared to the more specialized roles of Xu Nian and the others, Guan Xia, Pang Le, and Zhong Xiaoyu didn’t have specific assignments—but they weren’t idle either. There was still Meng Lan to deal with.
They couldn’t take her along on this investigation, so they had to arrange a plausible reason for her to stay in Yongquan City—and ensure her safety while they were gone.
The meeting left everyone with a mix of urgency and reassurance. Having a clear direction to follow was far better than spinning their wheels in frustration.
Glancing at the time—nearly noon—Guan Xia had one last question before they wrapped up. "Xu Nian, earlier you only mentioned Lu Manqing and Feng Xingping. What about Yao Qingyan and Wang Huiqin? They’re still under surveillance by the task force. Any recent activity?"
At her words, everyone, who had already started pushing in their chairs, immediately sat back down, eyes fixed on Xu Nian.
Xu Nian, sorting through scattered photos on the coffee table, replied, "Nothing unusual. Yao Qingyan, especially—ever since she came under the task force’s radar, she’s been unusually quiet. The farthest she goes is shopping in Yongquan City’s malls. The team can practically predict which drinks sell best at her bar now. As for Wang Huiqin, her routine is even simpler—work at the mall, home, or the market. Occasionally, she disguises herself to keep tabs on Meng Lan, making sure she’s always in sight."
Guan Xia wasn’t surprised that Wang Huiqin could track Meng Lan so precisely—given the still-active GPS on Meng Lan’s phone. But Yao Qingyan was another story.
Though they’d only crossed paths briefly at the airport, Guan Xia knew her well—from surveillance footage in Yuntian City to Linshan City. She was a master of disguise. While no direct evidence tied her to murders, Guan Xia was certain she wasn’t like Wang Huiqin. No, she was like Lu Manqing—an assassin for that criminal organization.
For someone so active on the frontlines of crime to suddenly go quiet? It didn’t sit right.
Guan Xia pressed further. "Earlier, I noticed in Yuntian City’s surveillance footage that she went out in disguise to scout a location. Did the task force find anything based on that?"
Xu Nian answered, "They traced her movements and identified a potential target. They’ve been monitoring it, but months later, nothing’s happened. No accidents, no suspicious figures nearby."
Guan Xia frowned. "Did she really abandon the mission because she sensed something? But how? Just intuition?"
She recalled that fleeting second of eye contact at the airport—how she’d been struck by Yao Qingyan’s beauty, while Yao Qingyan had merely glanced at her like any other stranger, utterly indifferent.
Guan Xia was sure Yao Qingyan hadn’t recognized her.
As Guan Xia mulled it over, Wang Yu suddenly spoke up. "I remember the task force’s report on her movements in Yuntian City—just two places: the hotel where she caught her cheating partner, and the mall. But Guan Xia spotted her scouting before the cheating incident. What if she didn’t suspect anything at first? She followed the original plan, but after we reported it, the task force took notice and started tailing her. Maybe she picked up on the surveillance—she’s a professional killer, after all. She’d be hyper-aware. So she played it safe and called it off."
The others nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense."
Qi Bai sighed. "This organization is nothing like the one in Shangshuang City. They’re way more professional. Back then, we tailed Wu Xingxian until his death, and he never noticed. Guess knockoffs really are just knockoffs."
"Exactly," Zhong Xiaoyu agreed. "That’s why we have to be extra careful on this trip. Even though we’re investigating, our cover has to be airtight."
She glanced around, then fixed her gaze on Jiang Yingyao. "Especially you, Jiang Yingyao. You reek of authority. We need a solid backstory before we go, or we’ll blow our cover the second we arrive."
Jiang Yingyao looked down at himself, then at Qi Bai and Xu Nian, and sighed. "Fine. I’ll work on it these next few days."
After the meeting ended, everyone quickly headed their separate ways.
Having not seen each other for several days, Wang Yu and the others clearly had a lot to discuss with Xu Nian, so Guan Xia took Pang Le and Zhong Xiaoyu back home.
As soon as the three stepped inside, they noticed Meng Lan wasn’t furiously typing away at her computer as usual. Instead, she was sitting on the sofa, staring thoughtfully at her phone.
Guan Xia and Pang Le exchanged glances before walking over to ask, “What’s wrong? Why that expression? Something going on?”
Meng Lan had been so absorbed in whatever she was reading that she hadn’t even heard them come in. Startled by the sudden voice, she jumped slightly before excitedly exclaiming, “I’ve figured out a legitimate excuse to stay in Yongquan City longer—look!”
She shoved her phone screen in front of Guan Xia, who squinted for a couple of seconds before realizing it was a notification in their class group chat about an upcoming reunion. Today was the 18th, and the gathering was scheduled for the 22nd—this weekend. It was indeed a perfectly reasonable justification.
Guan Xia nodded. “That is a solid excuse. Have you told your sister yet? And what about everything else going on with you—has she noticed anything?”
Meng Lan pocketed her phone. “Don’t worry about that. We’re blood-related, but we don’t live together and barely see each other once a week. At most, we call every few days, or she occasionally sends her secretary to drop off things for me. My sister’s even more particular about boundaries than I am. It’s been years since we reconnected, and I’ve only been to her place twice—it’s so lifeless you’d think no one lived there. She’s practically married to her job, the workaholic.”
Hugging a throw pillow, she added, “But workaholic or not, she’s generous with me. I might not see her often, but the red envelopes never stop coming. She does have a habit of checking up on me, though. Still, the reunion excuse should satisfy her. And while I’m gone, I trust she’ll keep those old geeks at the company in line.”
It was clear Meng Lan had immense faith in her sister’s capabilities. Just mentioning her help made Meng Lan’s eyes light up with relief.
Guan Xia chuckled, tucking a stray lock of hair behind Meng Lan’s ear, then mentioned they might have to leave in a couple of days—without her.
Meng Lan, however, seemed unfazed and replied confidently, “Don’t worry, I can take care of myself. If you’re gone for a long time, I’ve got backup excuses after the reunion.”
Pang Le couldn’t resist asking, “What excuses?”
Meng Lan grinned. “At this reunion, a certain legend from our school days is showing up—the guy who was ridiculously handsome, top of the class, basically campus royalty. Worst case, I’ll use him as my cover story. Now that I’ve got money, it’s only fitting I return in style and maybe ‘rekindle things’ with my so-called ‘white moonlight.’ Sounds plausible, right?”
Guan Xia blinked, amused by how far Meng Lan was willing to go to stay off that criminal organization’s radar.
While Guan Xia marveled, Pang Le—suddenly invested—leaned in. “How handsome are we talking? And was he actually your white moonlight?”
Meng Lan shook her head like a rattle-drum. “Oh, he was hot, but such a player. Girlfriends lined up by the dozens. He’s just a convenient excuse—definitely not my type.”
Pang Le nodded sagely. “Fair. Good looks are a plus, but if loyalty’s missing, it’s a dealbreaker. Plenty of fish in the sea—might as well aim for someone both hot and devoted.”
With no one else around to indulge in romance talk, Pang Le eagerly latched onto the topic, dragging Meng Lan into a lively discussion.
Guan Xia and Zhong Xiaoyu shared a resigned glance.
