That eye. That expression. I had seen it just thirty minutes ago.

I instinctively took a step back, and only when I distanced myself from that cat's eye did my heartbeat resume - though racing wildly.

Reaching out to turn the doorknob, I flung open the door at maximum speed. But now there was no one before me, let alone an eye. Scanning left and right, not a single shadow remained.

I couldn't identify what emotion coursed through me - surprise? Disappointment? Relief?

As I retreated into my apartment to close the door, I suddenly caught sight of the blinking red light at the elevator across the corridor.

Like some kind of spell had taken hold, I ran toward the elevator at the far end of the hallway like a madman. The flashing indicator showed it descending. Failing twice in quick succession at the button, I turned abruptly and decided to take the stairs.

Thankfully my time at police academy hadn't been wasted - I was still an elite runner. Taking a deep breath, I bolted downward without counting how many flights I passed. No floor markers existed in this endless labyrinth of stairwells, just spiraling steps that rotated with me as I descended.

It felt like falling into some infinite loop, no matter how hard I ran or how desperately I sought ground level - the staircase simply continued its endless spiral.

Plunging toward an eternal abyss, panic swelled within me until I abruptly stopped. A sudden rush of blood to my head sent darkness cascading over my vision.

A blinding light pierced through and I squinted instinctively. As normalcy returned to the light, my eyes slowly opened upon a face of ethereal beauty.

Delicate floral fragrance wafted toward me with hypnotic allure.

"Are you alright? What are you doing here?" Her voice was featherlight in my ears.

I sat up slowly as morning's first light bathed my face, though it brought no warmth - just like the woman before me. Surveying my surroundings, I discovered myself seated on a park path near my apartment complex.

No immediate answer formed upon her question for I didn't know how I'd arrived here either. Like surfacing from some formless dreamworld, I examined this stranger with childlike curiosity.

Trim bob cut hair framed smooth cheekbones dotted with wisps of strands. Willow-like brows arched over crystalline eyes like pure mountain springs. A pert nose bore delicate sweat beads in the morning light that made her porcelain skin glow alluringly. Her figure was perfection within a form-fitting canary-yellow workout suit.

She now dabbed her forehead with a towel while regarding me with strange expressions - I'd clearly become an obstacle on her path.

"I...I don't know how I got here," I stammered, still dazzled by this early morning encounter despite the previous night's strangeness.

"You're blocking my way." Her tone was icy even as she offered a brief glance over me.

"Oh! Sorry..." I scrambled to my feet, clearing her path with clumsy haste.

Without further words, she continued running, leaving only my dazed gaze fixed on her retreating canary-yellow silhouette until it vanished into the distant haze.

Recalling last night's events, all memory remained of chasing an elevator through endless staircases that never reached ground level. The complete mystery of waking up here in the park remained unsolved.

Glancing down at myself, I discovered only boxers and a t-shirt - how had I missed noticing this embarrassing state!

Surveying the early morning emptiness with relief, I sprinted toward home to change. Fortunately no acquaintances were encountered during my quick flight upstairs though two joggers did pause in amusement when glimpsing me.

Reentering my apartment complex felt strange as if unseen eyes judged my awkward arrival.

Only returning to work could distract from these spiraling thoughts, so I drove "off" immediately.

Arriving early at headquarters shocked me by encountering busy colleagues already - including Xiao Haoting who greeted me outside the precinct itself.

"You're up early!" I caught his familiar silhouette and clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm exhausted from bad sleep, so your first task today is to escort me to my office!"

As expected, Xiao Haoting rolled his eyes in response.

"Hey hey! You two - you're late!" A nasal voice interrupted us with mocking intonation. I recognized Wang Xuyang, a member of Detective Group 4 under Fu Zhen's command who now watched with cruel amusement.

"Don't worry, we've never been first to arrive," I shot back coldly at his foreign-sounding affectations - such pretentiousness always set my teeth on edge.

"Siyin!" Before I could sneer further, Wang Xuyang approached us.

"Hn." My reply was a single dismissive syllable.

Xiao Haoting and I turned to find Siyin approaching like an intoxicating breeze. Her crisp bob cut framed sharp features with hair neatly tucked behind one ear revealing a sensually curved lobe. Even in a loose overcoat, her statuesque form remained unmistakably alluring - this was the canary-yellow silhouette from my morning stroll.

The woman seemed entirely oblivious to our earlier encounter or current presence, striding directly past us into headquarters without so much as glancing at Xiao Haoting and me. Her path mesmerized both of us until she vanished beyond view.

Wang Xuyang cast us a sneering glance before trailing after his muse.

"It's her...it's definitely her..." Xiao Haoting murmured under his breath.

"Who?" I turned in surprise toward him.

"Feng Siyin..." His gaze lingered distantly with an unfamiliar emotion flickering through it.

Suddenly Xiao Haoting spun around, eyes alight with manic fervor. "She belongs to me! None of you can have her!"

"Heh heh." He'd finally lost his mind. I chuckled awkwardly at this absurd declaration.

"Older brother, this time you definitely cannot compete!" Seeing only my stiff smile, Xiao Haoting became desperate with pitiful expressions.

"You're pathetic - one woman has you under her spell so completely," I patted him on the shoulder while shaking my head in disappointment.

At my words Xiao Haoting's face darkened as he muttered through clenched teeth. "Just a moment ago you were equally entranced..."

"Cough! By the way, how about that email request we discussed?" My own unfinished thought choked me before it fully formed - too ominous...

"About that..." Xiao Haoting adopted an arrogant tone despite his earlier weakness. "I haven't failed you just yet. Those ancient computer CPUs at headquarters are far too slow for efficient processing. Be patient and results will come!"

"You forgot your position moments ago when begging me!" I backhanded him sharply on the back while admonishing, "What's next, a beating?"

"No no! It's almost ready...just give it time," he begged while still muttering under his breath.

"Is this how you repay someone who always supports you?" I glared at my younger associate with equal parts exasperation and affection. After years together, such patterns were second nature to me now.

Our banter carried us into the office where Xiao Xuan was already working. Though I wanted to announce our relationship publicly, her silent smile as usual let me off easily for now.

"Case updates? Any results yet from individual investigations?" I nodded at Xiao Xuan while addressing everyone present.

Chao Xiao, mid-breakfast, choked on his food in surprise at my sudden entrance and began coughing violently.

"I contacted the company of first victim Ou Jinglan. They're unaware of her death - she took a five-day leave so no one noticed her disappearance. Ms. Ou was generally arrogant with little influence or friends to begin with," Zhang Jiewei provided his report in that magnetic voice always so captivating.

"Unexplained leave? Why would someone without established status suddenly disappear for this long?" I frowned, finding the situation deeply suspicious and irrational.

"I questioned her manager too, who claimed Ms. Ou called about family emergencies requiring temporary absence." Zhang continued with a troubled expression.

"Family emergencies in AnYin? Please - I know she's local and met with parents just yesterday! Her origins are clearly Shanghai!" My rebuttal came automatically though instantly halted by an inexplicable jolt of realization as I stared at him. "She lied about taking leave five days ago using that excuse. This was prearranged by the killer to avoid detection after abducting her shortly following her parental visit. The call to request leave was a ruse designed to mask her disappearance!"

Zhang Jiewei nodded approvingly while adding, "And Ms. Ou tried reaching out to her manager for help."

"Exactly." If this manager could be questioned about his employee's actual origins, he'd surely have doubted such a flimsy excuse immediately.

"I want you to contact that manager and arrange immediate questioning today." I directed at Zhang Jiewei who would certainly find the manager's lack of discernment suspicious given these circumstances.

"Understood," came his simple reply as he returned to his desk.

As I prepared further questions, Xiao Xuan approached with a man in conversation. When she noticed me, he had already departed.

"This is the second victim's preliminary report from forensics - still no determined cause of death." Xiao Xuan handed it over while explaining.

Examining the document, photos revealed only flesh fragments and blood samples devoid entirely of bone or skin material as You Qiaolin noted. Just reading this report conjured visions of her final screams - unspeakable torture in endless captivity. The sheer brutality of these crimes sent chills down my spine. What monstrous hatred could drive someone to commit such atrocities?

"Let me see." Xiao Haoting suddenly appeared behind me and snatched the report, startling me completely.

Usually indifferent to such "gross" reports, his sudden interest surely stemmed from Siyin's influence - the legendary power of goddesses!

"Older brother," he began while flipping through pages. "I checked missing persons in AnYin urban district over past week - three total. Matching their DNA samples with our victim should identify number two."

This revelation sent Xiao Cuo choking on his last bite as he processed this intelligence.

"Not bad, clever thinking." I acknowledged though still skeptical what if none matched? After all, just because Ou Jinglan's disappearance went unnoticed didn't mean the second victim would be different.

"You're the one who ordered me to investigate missing persons!" Xiao Haoting glared at me defensively.

"Of course - but you never claimed certainty either," I countered while struggling to suppress laughter. His computer skills were genius but he always remained my favorite source of entertainment!

"When will you ever support me for once?!" He pouted beside me.

Turning with mischievous intent, "Certainly this time when pursuing your goddess!"

"Goddess!" Xiao Xuan and Xiao Cuo echoed in unison, faces displaying equal parts confusion and curiosity.

"What goddess?" I feigned ignorance though expecting Xiao Cuo's lecherous approach.

"Xiao Gao! Don't forget who you've shared all secrets with. You can't hide a goddess from me!" He slinked forward like a wolf cornering his prey...

But Xiao Haoting played along perfectly, adopting an innocent Little Red Riding Hood stance while clutching at his collar.

This tactic worked surprisingly well - amusing both Xiao Cuo and Xiao Xuan alike as I watched smugly.

"Enough! No interest in whatever goddess you speak of," Xiao Cuo sighed dramatically into fantasy mode.

"I forbid all flawed fruits from approaching my goddess. Only someone refined, charming, and magnanimous like myself is worthy to stand beside her!" Xiao Haoting declared with theatrical arrogance - clearly inviting a slap.

"I see your perfect role is..." I crossed my arms awaiting the inevitable.

"What role?" He asked solemnly.

"Keyboard warrior of course! Anyone who lives on keyboards can only be 'jerk' at best!" I laughed unabashedly as Xiao Xuan muttered knowingly, "Indeed you're brothers."

I was no fool - her implication was clear. My own shameless nature outshone Xiao Haoting's by a hundredfold.

"Getting carried away about some goddess? Focus on actual work now!" This reminder was necessary for his progress.

"It'll be quick," he began typing furiously while boasting, "Three DNA samples already collected from families when police reported missing. Computer matching will take less than one cigarette."

"With this smoke as your timer then." I grabbed cigarettes from Xiao Cuo's pocket and ordered, "Smoke it out fast!"

"Got it!" He inhaled like a nicotine-starved addict.

"Little brother," I smirked watching him work, "don't expect me to wait forever."

"Done!" As Xiao Cuo exhaled his final smoke ring, Xiao Haoting announced triumphantly.

Results? My heart raced despite this being our last resort - yet hope remained.

"Found it!" His joy was infectious. "Lucky we matched one immediately!"

We all surged toward his computer at once.

The screen displayed a familiar face: jet-black straight hair framing pale features with hollow, lifeless eyes...this was the woman from yesterday's newspaper and my own vision!

Those deep, vacant eyes seemed to see through centuries of human suffering while also concealing layers upon layers of primal fear. The very same eyes beyond that cat's eye - these were her eyes.

My mind felt heavy, thick with blood. The eyes on the screen triggered an immediate whiteout in my thoughts—blank and empty as if I'd lost all memory of how to think or even exist. I could hear voices speaking around me, but their words sounded like a foreign language, indecipherable chatter about something I couldn't comprehend. For those few seconds I was paralyzed by cognitive vertigo, hearing without understanding.

"Senior Brother!" Xiao Xuan shook my shoulders and shouted in my ear until the chaotic fog lifted.

"What? What's wrong?" I blinked at her, realizing suddenly that everyone else had gathered around me too.

"It should be you who's acting strange," she frowned, her eyes full of concern as she pointed at the screen. "You didn't respond to anything and just stared at this computer like it owed you money." I waved off the stares by ruffling her hair. "Just zoned out for a second."

Zhang Jiawei's reaction was sharp enough to cut glass behind me, though he'd never get my attention when standing there.

"Who is she?" I leaned closer to the screen, drawn in completely by those eyes. The face wasn't provocative or seductive, yet possessed an eerie magnetism that felt like it could vacuum someone's soul into the photograph and lock them inside forever.

"A second-year Communication Engineering student from AnYin University," Gao Jianning whispered while enlarging her file. "Reported missing three days after last being seen on campus by a classmate. Her adoptive parents were alerted when she didn't show up for dinner with her aunt."

"Xiao Xuan, call the uncles and tell them to come identify their niece's..." I hesitated mid-sentence at her uncertain look. "Better just inform them about the death." My voice sounded distant even to myself.

Twenty years old - the age when life should be bursting with promise. Yet Li Yalian was already reduced to a photo and file numbers. The moment I looked back at those eyes, however, every shred of pity in me dissolved into waves of fear that pressed against my chest like collapsing lungs. Those were no ordinary eyes—they screamed death.

"Right," Xiao Xuan sighed glumly, her shoulders slumping as another life became a footnote in history's endless scroll.

"You're doing well, but we need to trace that email first." I patted Gao Jianning's back with more weight than usual. "Find out where it came from."

"I'll do my best," he murmured, though the unease in his eyes mirrored mine.

I was certain now—the same anonymous sender had been taunting me through every email and probably manipulated that newspaper article last night too. But why? And what possible reason could someone have to stalk me specifically?

These questions remained tangled knots in my mind while the "death notices" kept coming. The signature Blue Jin Xuan on one message, those cryptic black dots connected by strange symbols - they all whispered of a meaning I couldn't yet grasp.