I spent the better part of the morning kicking around the office, my insides churning like a trapped monkey while my face maintained an air of utter nonchalance. Meanwhile, Zhang Jiewei was a whirlwind of motion, flitting in and out, never stopping for a second.

Just as boredom was about to consume me, Zhang Jiewei burst into the office like a fiery god, shouting, "Hurry, hurry! Kang Jiayou is dead, down in the basement warehouse of the modeling agency! You're coming with me!"

Kang Jiayou was dead. For a moment, I was stunned, rooted to the spot. According to our earlier analysis, Kang Jiayou was likely acting under someone's instruction, deliberately feeding us certain pieces of intelligence. That instructor could then be presumed the prime suspect in Gu Hengming's murder. Now, Kang Jiayou’s death suggested an elimination of a witness, but the speed of it was almost unimaginable.

Such a clumsy method—I couldn’t fathom what kind of killer would commit such a foolish act. Did this person think we Chinese criminal police were all idiots? Or was this merely another trap, designed to lead us further astray?

Along the way, Zhang Jiewei drove while I leaned back in the rear seat, detaching Gu Hengming's case from the surrounding noise and analyzing it meticulously.

The cause of Gu Hengming's death remained unclear, but two points could be established with reasonable certainty: first, it was a homicide; second, his death was not random. By 'random,' I mean the sort of accidental killing that occurs when stumbling upon a mugger. Gu Hengming’s case was definitively not that; it was a premeditated murder with a hidden motive.

With those two facts secured, I extended the analysis, placing Gu Hengming's death within the entire sequence of homicides. I realized his case occupied a pivotal midpoint: connected to the deaths of Ou Jinglan, Li Yalian, Shi Yingjie, and Kang Youjia, yet also tied to the true mastermind lurking behind the curtain.

Perhaps Gu Hengming knew this mastermind, but hadn't had the chance to speak...

Right, maybe the true killer sensed Gu Hengming was about to betray them, and so silenced him!

My mind suddenly sprang into action, following this thread downwards.

If Gu Hengming himself was the perpetrator behind the Ou Jinglan series of murders, then the person who killed him must have had some other vested interest, perhaps someone like Liu Shun. But if the true killer was someone else entirely, then that person must have killed Gu Hengming.

But then, why did Kang Youjia have to die?

Life and death are the natural order, never truly subject to human will, yet life and death form a marvelous pair, constructing this strange world while simultaneously conflicting with each other. If someone asks you why you came into this world, that person is either insane or an idiot; you’d be justified in slapping them hard across the face. However, if someone asks you why you died, that person is your great benefactor, someone you’d be grateful to even as a ghost.

Kang Youjia’s spirit undoubtedly owed me thanks, because I was currently tracing the reason for his demise.

Sirens wailing, we sped through the streets of Anyang City. The shadows of cars, people, trees, and buildings rushed backward, merging into a strange wash of light on my retina. In that dizzying blur, I suddenly perceived, hidden within those shifting shadows, those eyes from my dream.

They watched me, motionless, amidst the ever-changing gloom, stripped now of their former smugness. Perhaps because I had uncovered their secret, they were beginning to view me with caution.

We cut through the bustling, noisy streets of Anyang and arrived at Gu Hengming's modeling agency. As soon as I stepped out of the car, I saw two officers stationed by the entrance. Having hosted two murders in succession, the place had clearly been designated a high-priority site. The smartly dressed models from before had vanished; the dazzling floor looked desolate and solitary.

The underground warehouse was dark, damp, and poorly lit. The flickering illumination turned shadows into phantoms, and combined with a frigid corpse, the scene sent a chill down the spine.

Suppressing my physical unease, I approached Kang Youjia’s body. A thin, long crimson line marred his neck, beneath which blood cascaded like a waterfall, dripping down his thick throat to pool on the ground, forming a scarlet lake covering more than a square meter. The blood had started to dry, appearing half-caked, suggesting he hadn't been dead for very long.

I took a look, then straightened up and asked Zhang Jiewei, "When was the body discovered?"

Zhang Jiewei replied, "About half an hour ago."

The Special Investigations Office barely had any staff left. Xiao Xuan was missing, Xiao Cuo spent his days buried in the archives, and Gao Jianning was primarily handling computer matters. Honestly, the only people truly grinding out in the field were Zhang Jiewei and me. To be frank, if it weren't for Elder Jiang’s sake, I truly wouldn't want this miserable Captain role.

Just then, You Qiaolin arrived. I walked over to meet him, asking, "Found any leads? Is there a connection to the previous cases?"

The medical examiner's work is the key to solving homicides; an excellent examiner can make the dead speak, uncover clues invisible to the naked eye, and identify a killer amidst a vast sea of people.

You Qiaolin's face was expressionless, as it always was after a homicide. Perhaps it was habit, or perhaps respect for the deceased. He said, "Clearly, the method of operation is entirely different."

I knew I had asked a foolish question. Kang Youjia’s body was right there; the gash on his neck was the fatal injury, completely unlike the previous murders.

Then You Qiaolin added, "However, the wound on the neck wasn't the actual fatal blow."

A shock went through me as I heard him continue, "The killer first knocked him unconscious from behind, then used a sharp blade to sever his trachea."

Kang Youjia was the security supervisor at the modeling agency. Despite his paunchy appearance, no one could deny he was a strong man—like the veteran Hong Kong action star Sammo Hung, hefty but agile, radiating power. Killing a man like that wouldn't be easy. But if he was knocked out beforehand, even the strongest man is helpless.

I squatted down again, tilting my head to examine Kang Youjia’s head closely. His hair was extremely short, the common close-cropped style seen on the streets, allowing me a clear view of his skull. On the back of his head was a deep indentation; the bone was clearly fractured, severely so.

By standard medical logic, when a bone suffers a heavy impact, the surrounding muscle and blood vessels should swell. However, when the force exceeds a certain threshold, swelling is replaced by an indentation.

Zhang Jiewei saw it too and cursed, "That bastard struck viciously."

You Qiaolin pursed his lips and remarked, "Just striking hard isn't enough. You must realize the skull is the hardest part of the human body. To crack it like that in one blow means this person possesses considerable strength."

I caught a flicker of cunning in You Qiaolin's eyes and pressed quickly, "Besides great strength, is there another way to achieve this?"

You Qiaolin blinked and said, "Give God a fulcrum, and I can move the Earth."

Zhang Jiewei was a typical martial type—essentially an illiterate—so he hadn't understood a word You Qiaolin said. Fortunately, this young master was both literary and martial, and I instantly grasped You Qiaolin's meaning.

"You mean the killer used a hammer with a longer handle than usual? The leverage increased, which sped up the hammerhead’s arc in the air, resulting in enough force to shatter the skull in one hit?"

You Qiaolin offered a faint smile. "Correct."

Though it was just two simple words, in front of Zhang Jiewei, I felt a surge of gratification and shot him a triumphant glance.

Zhang Jiewei remained utterly unresponsive, like a statue, stating blandly, "So the killer used an elongated hammer. Besides increasing force, I think there’s another reason for that."

His words instantly shattered the vanity I had just cultivated. You Qiaolin said meaningfully, "Oh? Tell us more."

"Perhaps the killer was afraid of getting too close and being noticed. After all, the victim was a security supervisor and physically robust. So he intentionally prepared an extended hammer to launch his attack from a safer distance, leaving the victim unprepared."

This kid truly was a criminal investigation ace; his insights always possessed a unique angle, leaving me, this young master, somewhat humbled.

You Qiaolin nodded, and Zhang Jiewei continued, "Besides that, it suggests the killer wasn't very familiar with Kang Youjia, which is why he worried about proximity that might raise suspicion."

Humans are strange creatures, possessing both innate aggression and defense mechanisms. For defense, scientific testing shows that when someone familiar gets within ten centimeters of your body, you feel slight discomfort; however, when a stranger approaches within fifty centimeters, your body spontaneously generates subtle changes to allow for the quickest possible reaction—it’s a built-in defense mechanism.

Zhang Jiewei’s meaning was clear: the killer wasn't close enough to the security supervisor to trigger his instinctive wariness, necessitating the long hammer handle to maintain a safe buffer distance.

A killer so calculating, treating murder like solving algebraic geometry—this deepened the chill in the warehouse. I half-expected the murderer was lurking in some dark corner of the basement right now, watching us with those eyes, which in turn reminded me of the faintly gleaming wolf eyes from my dreams.

Could they be the same person?

If it was the same person, did killing Kang Youjia in Xiao Xuan’s former underground workspace serve as a warning to me—a message to stop investigating, or else Kang Youjia’s fate would become Xiao Xuan’s?

My face flushed a sickly purple. Zhang Jiewei was the type who treated corpses as furniture, and he showed no reaction to my agitation. It was You Qiaolin who showed concern: "Wang Lei, you look pale. Perhaps you should step outside first. I'll send the detailed lab results over once they're ready."

Though I desperately wanted to flee that eerie place immediately, I would never show it in front of Zhang Jiewei. At that moment, Zhang Jiewei turned to me with an air of command: "Wang Lei, go investigate Liu Shun first. Focus mainly on his grievances and vested interests concerning Gu Hengming. I'll handle the Kang Youjia situation. Make sure we communicate intelligence constantly."

Just then, a tall figure emerged from the dim light—it was Hong Yang, followed by Ding Qingyuan and Cong Lin.

"Chief Wang, with a case this big, do you really think your handful of people can manage?"

Hong Yang wore a nonchalant expression, far less aggressive than before. But I interpreted it as him being certain that our Special Investigations Office wouldn't crack this case, hence his deliberate arrogance.

"A big case? Is there?" I feigned surprise. "This is all child's play. Where's the big case, Chief Hong? Or do you, Chief Hong, find it big? Also, let me inform you of one thing: I am no longer any sort of chief. The real chief is right here." I pointed toward Zhang Jiewei.

Hong Yang looked slightly embarrassed and surprised, but quickly regained his composure. His expression shifted, and he adopted a serious tone toward Zhang Jiewei: "Chief Zhang, congratulations on the promotion. Let's have a gathering sometime soon. What I wanted to discuss today is that cracking the case is paramount. How about we join forces and put aside the past unpleasantness between our two units? What do you say?"

His words surprised me. Hong Yang and I were cut from the same cloth; I knew for a fact I wouldn't be the first to yield to him, so his making this move was completely unexpected.

Seeing Hong Yang always annoyed me, especially since he immediately adopted a stern face the moment he knew I wasn't the chief, as if I owed him money. So, I quickly interjected, "How exactly do you propose we 'join forces'?"

Hong Yang didn't reply, perhaps deeming me beneath his notice since he was a Deputy Chief and I was no longer his equal. Ding Qingyuan, the resident sly fox of the police force, immediately jumped in, "Your Special Investigations Office only has two or three people left; you naturally must defer to the deployment of our Fourth Criminal Investigation Unit. But don't worry, Chief Hong promised that when the case is solved, the credit will be split equally."

I glanced at Hong Yang; he was nodding subtly at Zhang Jiewei, signaling that this was indeed his intention.

Given the current limited strength of the Special Investigations Office, handling this series of cases felt like trying to lift a mountain. But I simply could not tolerate the look in Hong Yang's eyes—that look so similar to my own.

In that moment, I couldn't tell if I hated Hong Yang or if I hated myself.

This dual hatred finally caused an explosion within me.

I strode out of the modeling agency, Zhang Jiewei following closely without a word.

We both climbed into the police car. Zhang Jiewei started the engine, gripping the wheel tightly, then suddenly looked back and said, "Wang Lei, you have backbone." He released the clutch, and the car roared forward, plunging into the dense traffic of Anyang City.

It seemed Zhang Jiewei, who had always been at odds with me, was equally at odds with that Hong Yang kid. But isn't the enemy of my enemy my friend? Why wasn't that true for him and me?

Was it because of Xiao Xuan?

The thought of Xiao Xuan made my gaze drift, unsure where to land. A myriad of thoughts flooded my mind, each one impossibly heavy, steeped in sorrow, daring me not to delve deeper. I feared that opening one specific thought would bring the sight of the lifeless Xiao Xuan. I slowly closed my eyes, forcefully crushing those thoughts, refusing to let them invade my mind.

Kang Youjia’s autopsy report arrived, delivered personally by You Qiaolin.

After a detailed examination, the cause of death for Kang Youjia was very clear: only two injuries on his body. The first was the blunt force trauma to the back of the head; the second was the incision on the throat.

It seemed the killer was highly practiced, leaving no superfluous movements—this indicated that every step had been meticulously designed before the killing began. This allowed us to deduce that the killer operated systematically throughout the entire commission of the crime, making it difficult to leave us many clues, which is the type of opponent that gives police headaches.

Why are most murderers eventually caught? There are many reasons, but one of the most significant is that the number of times a killer takes a life is always fewer than the number of cases the police investigate, creating a gap in experience that leads to the case being solved. But when a killer has taken many lives, their experience compounds, and once they pass a certain threshold, they become a super-killer. It becomes extremely difficult for the police to catch them using traditional tracking methods. This is precisely why there are some homicides worldwide that remain forever unsolved. Of course, some of those cases were due to highly random occurrences that coincidentally caused the police to lose their leads.

You Qiaolin didn't leave immediately. He sat on the leather sofa, waiting quietly for me to finish reading the entire report, as if awaiting my questions.

"What are your thoughts on the killer's identity?" I asked.

You Qiaolin shifted slightly, as if about to pick something up, or perhaps put something down, then said, "This is a formidable opponent, extremely experienced, decisive, and meticulous. Their profession is likely not manual labor."

Though his words were few, they were immensely insightful for me. I felt the killer was very likely a highly educated person, living under comfortable conditions, bold yet careful—especially bold. Killing is an intensely cruel and bloody act; many people are unable to sleep for days after seeing a corpse, let alone committing the act themselves. To remain perfectly calm during the murder, executing things in an orderly manner, indicated that this person's courage was far from ordinary.

Highly educated, engaged in cerebral work, and possessing astonishing audacity—honestly, finding someone who fits all these criteria wouldn't be easy.

I pondered for a long time without gaining any clarity. A dull ache began in my head, forcing me to drop the line of thought for now.

Xiao Xuan is missing, Gu Hengming and Kang Youjia were murdered one after the other at the modeling agency, and Kang Youjia's body was found in a basement warehouse Xiao Xuan had visited. What is the connection between these events?

Is the killer truly sending me a warning?