I adjusted my mindset, then spoke in as level a tone as I could manage, "Ms. Huang Yang, I understand you are grieving right now, but we still have a duty to fulfill. I hope you can tell us about the situations regarding Li Yalian and Shi Yingjie—the parts you haven't told us before."

Huang Yang had never held a very good impression of me. She glanced at me without speaking. Zhang Jiewei interjected from the side, "That's right, it’s highly possible their deaths are connected to Liu Shun. Just tell us everything you know, and leave the rest to us."

Xiao Xuan added, "This case is intricate and complex. Right now, we have no evidence proving Liu Shun did anything. Therefore, we must obtain more information so we can approach the investigation from multiple angles and conduct a comprehensive inquiry into him. Perhaps a seemingly irrelevant piece of information you provide will ultimately become the key to solving the case—that’s something we’ve encountered often in past investigations."

Watching them converse, one playing off the other as if I weren't even there, I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment and resentment. But this woman clearly possessed a natural resistance to me, much as I felt toward her.

Could she, like me, possess the innate sensitivity of a hunter?

I said nothing further, turning my face away, avoiding direct eye contact with her. This was a technique intended to make her feel safe, or at least not pressured.

Huang Yang remained silent for a moment, then finally spoke, "I introduced Li Yalian to Heng Ming."

My heart gave a sudden, violent lurch, only to sink again immediately. I listened as Huang Yang continued, "Li Yalian was my student, and I tend to be quite attentive to my students' personal lives, so they feel comfortable telling me things. Once, Li Yalian mentioned inadvertently that her greatest dream was to become a model, to stand on a dazzling stage, bathed in light, looking out at the wildly applauding audience..."

I let out a deep sigh. What has become of young women these days? A university student with a bright future—if she had only studied hard, how vast her life could have been. Yet, she was seduced by those hazy, colorful lights, willing instead to become a lifeless clothes hanger.

It seemed that famous saying wasn't just aimed at men; it applied to women too. This was the true meaning of "Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form."

I heard Huang Yang continue, "Since Heng Ming owns his own modeling agency, I introduced her there."

"So, when Li Yalian was killed, was she already modeling under Gu Heng Ming?"

"Not exactly. Because Li Yalian was still a student, and as her teacher, I certainly wouldn't allow her to engage in professional work before completing her studies. I made this clear to Heng Ming, and he agreed, so he absolutely would not have done that."

Huang Yang’s words were laced with a genuine concern for her student, which appeared sincere. However, this introduced a puzzling aspect to Li Yalian's death. If Li Yalian had already become a model under Gu Heng Ming, her case would align perfectly with Ou Jinglan’s murder. The methods used by the killer, and the characteristics of the two victims, would align to the greatest extent. While this alignment wouldn't constitute direct evidence or a clue, in the course of the investigation, it would provide us with an excellent point of reference, preventing us from losing our way amidst the myriad threads of complexity.

But Huang Yang’s final denial shattered that lighthouse. Although I knew she was merely stating the facts, I couldn't help but feel a sense of loss and dejection, coupled with a growing distance toward this woman.

"Then, did Li Yalian have any dealings with Gu Heng Ming or his company on a regular basis?" Zhang Jiewei’s question was indeed technically sharp; he got straight to the heart of the matter—a point I wanted to know but hadn't managed to articulate clearly before he asked.

"Well," Huang Yang’s expression gave us a glimmer of hope as she said, "I recall that during a holiday break, Heng Ming asked Li Yalian to pose for a few cover shoots. However, he always informed me first, and then I passed the message along to her. So, I can guarantee they were entirely above board."

If this woman knew what "above board" meant, she certainly knew what "not above board" meant. Could she have known Gu Heng Ming was involved in illicit activities that existed in the gray area between commerce and crime, yet still willingly maintained a relationship with him?

Zhang Jiewei had naturally taken over as the lead interrogator. After hearing Huang Yang’s words, he didn't press for more details on that subject. Suddenly, he shifted focus and asked, "What about Shi Yingjie? What connection did she have with Gu Heng Ming?"

"She, she was just like Li Yalian..."

Her voice trailed off, growing fainter. Perhaps she already understood why we were asking.

Now the series of murders involving Ou Jinglan and the two other women were perfectly unified. The next step was to examine their experiences within the modeling company, find the common thread, and then expose the vicious criminal hidden deep inside.

I looked at Huang Yang; her face was still frighteningly pale, mirroring the stillness in my heart.

A sudden weariness overcame me. I didn't want to look at this pitiable and tragic woman anymore. So, I slowly backed out of the small office and quietly took my seat by Xiao Cuo’s desk. I lit a cigarette, letting the thin rings of smoke dissipate my tangled thoughts.

The Ou Jinglan serial murders now had a direction, but Gu Heng Ming was dead, cutting off the direct line of inquiry once again. The only new element was a man named Liu Shun. However, I suspected that if I continued to dig, more unexpected things might surface.

Thinking of this, my heart gave a sharp jolt. What else could happen?

I looked around. Through the glass door, Zhang Jiewei and Xiao Xuan were still intently listening to Huang Yang speak. Gao Jianning was buried over his computer screen. They were all near me, yet I felt a sense of growing distance.

No, this was merely a psychological effect. They were real; they wouldn't change because of my apprehension!

Perhaps it was I who was drifting away.

That evening, Huang Yang was lodged at the police guesthouse overnight. She constantly feared someone was trying to harm her. For such a nervous woman, we had to comply with her request, especially since she had provided a new lead: Liu Shun, the Vice President of Canon Group.

However, Liu Shun’s position required us to seek approval from higher-ups before taking any action. This gave us a rare moment of ease. Still, I intended to investigate that male student from Jia Da because I harbored a deep, innate distrust toward Huang Yang.

The next morning, Xiao Cuo appeared before me like a ghost, a hint of mystery on his face. Knowing him, I said immediately, "Spit it out quickly, no beating around the bush."

Xiao Cuo glanced at Gao Jianning, who returned an equally enigmatic look. This struck me as odd, but then I realized: Gao Jianning must have told him about the chicken leg incident, and now Xiao Cuo was planning to shake me down too. I glared at him, "Don't even think about it. I’m so broke right now I’d beg on the street. Get to the point!"

His idea thoroughly squashed, Xiao Cuo sighed and said, "There's a bit of movement regarding that mysterious symbol."

"Say it properly, don't give me the backside before the front." My run of bad luck these past two days had put me in an awful mood, making my words sharp with gunpowder.

Xiao Cuo was fundamentally different from someone like Gao Jianning; he was genuinely honest. After my sharp retort, he immediately settled down and reported, "I found out that symbol is related to a gang of bandits in Anyang from the early days of the Liberation. This gang was called the Black Blood Society. Their predecessors were the local tyrants and gentry of Anyang before the Liberation. After being purged by the revolution and failing to escape to Taiwan with the Kuomintang, they became local thugs plaguing the area."

"So what is the connection between them and the mysterious symbol?"

"This was after the Liberation, when they evolved into a bandit group. It was their method of communication among themselves. Because our Party and Army were exerting immense control and pressure against the remaining bandits, they dared not use common codes. So, they invented a strange script of their own. The structure of this script was entirely different from any usable language; users had to rely purely on rote memorization—there was no other way. Because of this, no one could decipher it for a long time, and it remains so today. Only someone who learned this script back then can read its meaning."

I suddenly understood. No wonder it looked like a script when I first saw it; it truly was one. It seemed these fellows were forced into a corner back then, leaving them no escape, compelling them to use this drastic measure just to survive.

Gao Jianning, who had been hidden behind his computer, suddenly popped his head up and said, "Who was skilled enough to create their own script?"

One must remember that script is one of humanity's greatest creations. It is because of writing that humanity can record events, clearly documenting various skills, scientific knowledge, and historical incidents, passing them down through countless generations. The importance of this function is incalculable; one could say all modern civilization is built upon the foundation of writing.

I was tempted to rebuke Gao Jianning, but I genuinely wanted to know who created this script, so I let the brat off the hook, letting him listen in for free.

Xiao Cuo licked his lips and continued, "Legend has it that the person who created this script was a scholar in Anyang. Because his ideology was extremely reactionary, he was placed on the wanted list and later defected to the underground bandit gang, fabricating this script for their communications."

"Is there an archive file on this scholar?"

Xiao Cuo shook his head. "There is pitifully little information about this scholar in the archives; even his name isn't recorded."

My feelings churned. I sensed the importance of this clue, perhaps even greater than what Gu Heng Ming possessed. This script appeared on my computer, and my computer had displayed characters related to the case victims and events. This meant the person who infiltrated and manipulated my computer was using this script, and he was undoubtedly the one most directly connected to the killer.

Just then, the office landline rang. Gao Jianning picked it up, said "Hello" twice, then turned to me and said, "The duty office called; someone is looking for you."

I froze, then asked, "Who is it?"

"You'll find out when you go to the duty office."

Irritation flared in me for no reason toward the desk officers. If someone was here to see me, couldn't they just direct them to the Special Operations Office? Were they afraid the visitor would get lost in the massive police station?

When I arrived at the duty office, there was no one there, sparking immediate anger. Just as I was about to snap at the duty officer, the kid smartly pointed to the phone, "The person is in there; take the call yourself."

"Would handing the receiver over break your arm?" I muttered as I picked up the phone. Then a voice came through: "Wang Lei, this is Jiang Haitao."

My thoughts seized up, like a loom jamming, stopping abruptly with a clang—something was definitely up, and it was major!

Next, Commander Jiang’s voice pulled me into an unbelievable, surreal world like a curse: "That person has been identified. It’s Lan Jinxuan!"

No, this was impossible!

Every cell in my body trembled. My soul screamed silently, like a wild beast about to perish, struggling in its death throes. Yet, I trusted Commander Jiang, and I trusted Xiao Xuan’s loyalty.

The voice on the other end of the line was as calm as the sea at night, without a single ripple—the very precursor to a shocking tsunami. "After Lan Jinxuan received your assignment, on her way to Jia Da, she made one phone call outside. It was her only call, and the receiving end was a public phone booth."

Commander Jiang’s words poured into my ears like merciless venom, quickly festering and clogging my ear canals, but I heard every word clearly.

"Of course, we cannot rule out other possibilities, but until new leads surface, she is the prime suspect. To prevent any leaks, this information is not to be shared with a third person. I have arranged for twenty-four-hour covert surveillance on Lan Jinxuan. Do you understand?"

"Yes," I replied reflexively, standing to attention, before collapsing back into myself.

The duty officer looked confused. "It’s just your future father-in-law calling, why the formality, as if you were meeting a head of state?"

Normally, I would have scorched that kid with insults until his nose bled, but now I didn't have the energy. Dragging my heavy, weary body, the few minutes of walking felt like a Long March. When I finally, painstakingly reached the familiar door of the Special Operations Office, I felt fear. I was afraid that pushing the door open would reveal Xiao Xuan’s lovely face, afraid of seeing her charming smile directed at me, afraid that I actually liked all of it.

My hand rested on the doorknob for a full five minutes before I finally pressed it down, causing the door to crack open slightly.

Peering through the gap, I caught a glimpse of Xiao Xuan's profile, her graceful outline perfectly visible. But this was nothing more than a deceptive shell; hidden beneath was a ghostly visage I had never seen before.

My heart, riddled with cracks, shuddered, sending waves of intense pain through me. I leaned heavily on the desk, my face contorted in agony.

Although I was already in unbearable pain, I still possessed a faint, dying heart. So, summoning the strength, I pushed the door open and said to her, "Xiao Xuan, I need you to handle something."

Though I tried my best to keep my tone exactly as usual, the relationship between Xiao Xuan and me allowed her to detect the difference. She paused and asked, "Are you alright?"

Her concerned expression and words jolted my heart. Regardless of who she truly was, surely she had been sincere with me?

Sitting at the desk, I looked at Xiao Xuan’s exquisite face and said, "We just received reliable intelligence: that male student from Jia Da is highly suspicious. You need to go there immediately and question him; bring him back to the station if necessary."

Though I dreaded it, I needed to see it with my own eyes. Only then could the devilish thoughts in my mind cease.

Xiao Xuan stood up and suddenly asked, "Aren't you coming?"

I sighed inwardly. Was this a cover?

"I’m not going. I have other things pressing. Thank you for your trouble."

A hint of confusion crossed Xiao Xuan’s face. She bent over, furrowing her beautiful eyebrows as she stared at me. "Why are you acting so strange today? Did something happen?"

Indeed, she was a cunning woman. This instinctually restored a bit of my composure. I quickly replied, "Yes, the situation is a bit serious. Commander Jiang scolded me today, but it has nothing to do with you. You go ahead first, and notify me immediately if you get any news."

This was the first time I had lied to Xiao Xuan, and the purpose of the deception was to lull her into a false sense of security so I could search for her true tracks—something I couldn't have imagined even in a hallucination, yet it was happening right before me.

This made me believe that illusions turn people mad, but reality turns people into demons.

After Xiao Xuan left, I immediately reported the matter to Commander Jiang. I couldn't quite make out what he said; I vaguely hung up the phone. Xiao Xuan’s communication devices were now under surveillance. If she made any call during her trip, the technical investigation unit would trace the location in the shortest time possible. I didn't know what the outcome would be, and frankly, I didn't hope for one.

Knowing I was powerless in this matter, I decided to distract myself. I called Xiao Cuo and decided to investigate Liu Shun’s matter with him.

Xiao Cuo, looking somewhat reluctant, and I sat in the police car. It was clear he was still brooding over our previous exchange, but I needed him to relax me. I forced a cheerful tone and teased him, "Have you thought about what I mentioned to you last time?"

Xiao Cuo might have a thousand ways to deal with ghosts, but he wasn't very smooth socially. However, he certainly wasn't an idiot. Hearing my words, he gave me a mournful look, like a ghost.

"If you mention that again, I’ll let you meet a real ghost, and then I’m washing my hands of you."

This was the harshest thing he had said to me yet, indicating the depth of his anger. I shamelessly persisted, "I’d welcome it. Maybe being a ghost is easier than being human."

Since I was weighed down by worries, Xiao Cuo was driving this time. While gripping the steering wheel, he said, "I inquired about the corpse driver matter. They only appear in the South; there’s no record of them in the North. I think if what you said is true, this person might be from the South or spent time there before coming to Anyang City."