As I arrived at the police station on Monday, I nearly collided with Hong Yang at the main entrance. He was hurrying downstairs with Ding Qingyuan, Wang Xuyang, and a strange young man I didn't recognize. Spotting me, Hong Yang paused, called out, "Wang Lei, what’s past is past," and then spun around and left.

I walked over to the duty desk and asked, "What case did Hong Yang's group pick up?"

The officer on duty replied, "A missing person case."

"Oh," I murmured noncommittally and proceeded inside. The number of missing persons seems to increase every year. Of course, some are just folks who temporarily couldn't face things and slipped away quietly, but the unfortunate ones always exist—some are kidnapped, some are lured and killed, and others are trafficked. I recently heard about a notorious black brick kiln somewhere, its workers entirely composed of young men tricked from other regions. They worked the hardest manual labor like prisoners and slaves, and any lapse in attention earned them brutal beatings from the kiln owner or his thugs.

Entering the office, I looked up and was startled to see Elder Jiang. It had been days since I’d seen him; I wondered what breeze had blown this formidable figure in today.

I nodded to him silently, sat down, organized the data I’d collected yesterday, and prepared my report for the morning meeting. Elder Jiang sat there, equally quiet, looking deeply preoccupied.

Xiao Cuo poked his head around from the side and asked, "Elder Jiang, what's troubling you, sir?"

Elder Jiang glanced at him, seemed about to speak, then closed his mouth, suddenly blurting out, "You better not mess this up, kid, or I’ll make you regret it."

I inwardly jumped at his words. Elder Jiang’s implication was clear: the line of thinking regarding the 'Grim Reaper' case must have his tacit approval. This wasn't unusual in itself; what was strange was that this 'Grim Reaper' was none other than Elder Jiang himself. Elder Jiang was a man who had experienced true life-and-death battles. Logically, someone like him shouldn't believe in such nonsense, because on a battlefield drenched in blood and fire, if ghosts existed, they'd be everywhere, yet the victors were always the living.

I stole a look at Elder Jiang, feeling his current thoughts might be connected to this. Perhaps he was under immense pressure, much like the leader of the Old Fat Demon forty years ago, undertaking something incomprehensible to the masses, yet absolutely necessary.

Just then, Xiao Cuo piped up again, "Elder Jiang, just trust me, and I definitely won't disappoint you." Zhang Jiewei had been the team leader for a while now, and Xiao Cuo had picked up his habit of making grand pronouncements.

Elder Jiang slowly stated, "Everything must be based on facts. Find him for me to see."

I knew Elder Jiang's 'him' certainly meant 'it.' It seemed Elder Jiang’s mindset matched mine: see to believe for everything.

"Yes, mission guaranteed!" Xiao Cuo struck a pose à la 'Wei.'

"Alright, I'm heading to the Director’s office. You all focus on the case and report to me immediately if you get any news," Elder Jiang announced to everyone in the room before slamming the door and leaving.

Once he was gone, the room immediately became livelier. Gao Jianning peered out from behind his computer screen: "Xiao Cuo, if you don't get results this time, I hear Elder Jiang will eat you alive."

I glared at Gao Jianning. "Hey, kid, do you know something we don't?"

My analysis held weight. Gao Jianning spent most of his time at the precinct, and with his elevated status, he surely interacted frequently with the leadership; knowing some inside scoop was highly probable.

Gao Jianning instantly retreated, his voice drifting over the monitor: "Know what? Don't know a thing."

I grabbed him, pulling him up. "If you don't want Goddess to see you like this when she walks in, spill it!"

Xiao Cuo also got energized. "Spill it, spill it!"

The mention of Feng Siyan made Gao Jianning surrender immediately. After smoothing his hair and clothes, he finally spoke, "I suppose you all know why the Special Operations Office was established, right?"

I’d suspected this long ago, and hearing Gao Jianning say it confirmed my guess. "Of course, tell us what happened next."

Zhang Jiewei, on the side, perked up his ears too. It seemed this guy wasn't entirely petrified yet; the human trait of shared curiosity was still active within him.

"Then do you know why Criminal Investigation Team Four is always giving us trouble?"

"Isn't it just because that arrogant kid Hong Yang is too much? So Brother Lei and Group Leader Zhang can't stand it, and even I can't stand it," Xiao Cuo grumbled indignantly.

"Hmph, things aren't as simple as you think. Remember, Hong Yang is only a deputy team leader; the real boss is Fu Zhen. And as for him and our Elder Jiang... well, that’s a long story."

Once Gao Jianning got to the main point, he started playing bait, and even Zhang Jiewei was unknowingly hooked, joining the discussion.

"Tell us, what exactly happened?"

Gao Jianning spread his hands. "You three treat me to dinner tonight. Deal?"

I was hesitating when Zhang Jiewei decisively interjected, "No problem, count it as my treat alone."

I almost forgot; we still had this financial benefactor among us. Xiao Cuo's face instantly lit up with stars, looking like his mouth was about to water onto the floor.

Gao Jianning shot a look at me and Xiao Cuo. "Group Leader Zhang is treating; you two owe me a favor, to be paid back later."

"Fine, fine, as long as we aren't talking about money, everything else is negotiable," Xiao Cuo hastily agreed. I naturally couldn't be bothered with him; this guy had never won against me when trying to fleece me since we were kids.

Gao Jianning hadn't intended to really count me in and continued, "Let me tell you, Fu Zhen and Elder Jiang were originally comrades in the same squad, as close as brothers, perhaps even closer."

"Got it, comrades in arms," I interjected, lest this kid blathered too much. If Feng Siyan showed up, this couldn't be discussed openly, especially since she was temporarily seconded from Criminal Investigation Team Four.

"Uh-huh, yes, that’s the gist of it—no, no, that's not what I meant! You absolutely must not say that outside, or these two Yama Kings will skin me alive."

"If you say one more useless word, I'm heading straight to the broadcasting room!"

Dealing with Gao Jianning was my specialty. He immediately changed his tune: "Later, both transitioned to the main Public Security line and were once a golden partnership. But over time, they grew distant due to disagreements, leading to several major clashes. I heard the situation even reached the Provincial Public Security Department, and some leaders at the Ministry level were aware of it."

Gao Jianning took a sip of tea and continued, "One of those major clashes was about establishing the Special Operations Office. Fu Zhen strongly opposed creating such a strange department and threatened to report it to the Ministry. Elder Jiang then worked hard behind the scenes with the Director, who directly applied pressure on Fu Zhen and slightly altered the nature of the Special Operations Office, which finally quelled the incident."

At this point, the whole story was crystal clear to us: the conflict between Fu Zhen and Elder Jiang was, essentially, the opposition between science and the unscientific. Both were career military officers, but their differing ideologies caused their divergence to widen, which was indeed somewhat unbelievable. Perhaps there were more stories hidden beneath the surface.

Just then, Feng Siyan walked in. Gao Jianning immediately clamped his mouth shut, and everyone else quickly dispersed. Even Zhang Jiewei wisely shifted aside and headed towards the small office.

Feng Siyan was a sharp girl; she noticed something was off immediately but remained composed. She walked to her computer, sat down, and then quietly asked Gao Jianning, "What were you just talking about?"

My hearing was excellent, and I was closest to them, so I clearly heard the exchange. I heard Gao Jianning reply, "Something about you."

That clever boy, his reaction was faster than mine, and completely watertight. It seemed his skill at making things up in front of women was growing daily; he was close to surpassing me.

"Something about me?"

"Xiao Cuo said it. He mentioned your skin has looked better lately, and your complexion is rosier, so everyone was guessing if you'd gotten a boyfriend?"

"Nonsense."

There was silence from that side; I couldn't see their expressions, so I didn't know what happened next. But one thing was certain: Gao Jianning and his 'Goddess' were growing closer, otherwise Feng Siyan wouldn't have asked him about it so quietly—it was practically whispering secrets.

Just then, the door was thrown open with a forceful gust of wind, and Elder Jiang's voice carried in with it: "Zhang Jiewei! Quickly take your people to Wanxiang Street. There's been a missing person case there."

A missing person case? Didn't Hong Yang just take on one this morning? How could someone else be missing? Was today 'Missing Persons Day'?

As soon as Elder Jiang finished speaking, Zhang Jiewei was already at the door, calling back to me and Xiao Cuo, "Move out!"

Wanxiang Street was a road in the outskirts of Anyang City, an area with a high transient population and a comparatively complex public security environment. Along the way, Zhang Jiewei drove with the police lights flashing, speeding as if rushing to save a critically injured patient.

Leaning back in the rear seat, I watched his stiff neck, feeling some turmoil inside. I felt a sliver of gratitude towards him now, but that didn't mean I agreed with everything he did; sometimes I even opposed him, though only regarding methods. Could the situation between Elder Jiang and Fu Zhen be similar?

Concurrently, another question nagged at me: could this missing person case also be a mysterious one?

When we arrived at the scene, we were faced with a cluster of low-rise buildings. Most of these buildings had been self-constructed by residents, making them uneven, much like the people living inside, mostly migrant workers from other regions.

I immediately spotted the police cruiser parked ahead—it was Hong Yang’s vehicle. I was startled. Did Elder Jiang not know they were already here, or did he believe only the Special Operations Office could solve this case?

Harboring doubts, we got out of the car, ready for a potential confrontation with Hong Yang.

According to the brief, the missing person was a young woman named He Shuhua; the complainant was her boyfriend, who hadn't seen her for several days.

He Shuhua's rented room was on the third floor. As we arrived, we ran right into Hong Yang. He froze when he saw us, then frowned, "What are you doing here?"

Zhang Jiewei’s expression remained blank. "Superiors ordered us to investigate this case."

"Superiors? Which superiors? Don't tell me it's Director Jiang," Hong Yang’s voice rose sharply. He was fiercely possessive of his cases; seeing us try to grab his 'food' instantly agitated him.

"That's not necessary to ask; we are merely following orders." Zhang Jiewei was better than me in this regard; he remained composed, not escalating conflicts, but he still did his job.

Hong Yang seemed to accept this. He stabilized himself and said, "Since you're here, let's take a look together. But afterward, I will report this to my superiors."

Zhang Jiewei nodded. "That’s good. I also prefer to avoid unpleasantness."

Hong Yang nodded and gestured to Wang Xuyang. "You explain the situation."

Wang Xuyang always had a slovenly appearance; even if he wasn't sitting, his legs would swing, as if swinging was necessary to prove the legs belonged to him.

He leaned against the hallway railing, swinging his legs. "It’s a simple missing person case. The room is neat, and the doors and windows are intact. The boyfriend said they argued recently, and perhaps the woman couldn't take it and is hiding somewhere she doesn't want to see him."

As the kid spoke, I saw the boyfriend standing right behind him, and his expression was hard to describe. I truly wondered if Wang Xuyang had any sense of propriety—with the man standing right there, couldn't he phrase things more tactfully?

But I also understood why Hong Yang was willing to let us get involved: this wasn't what he considered a major case, so he was doing us a favor by pushing this unappetizing side dish our way.

Just then, the boyfriend behind them suddenly exclaimed agitatedly, "No, Shuhua has never been gone this long. Something must have happened to her."

Wang Xuyang, who had been so confident moments before, looked embarrassed by the contradiction. He turned to the man and said, "Sir, can you be realistic? You were the one who hit her, and you can’t let someone hide outside for a couple of days?"

The man lowered his head, repeatedly saying, "I know I was wrong, but she really hasn't been gone this long."

It seemed this guy was a repeat offender, unworthy of sympathy. I was already planning to leave.

Then Zhang Jiewei suddenly said, "Since we're here, why don't we clear things up? Let's check the upper and lower floors carefully; we might find something."

He was a master investigator with his own set of detection methods, and now he was the team leader of the Special Operations Office, so Xiao Cuo and I certainly had to execute his orders. Hong Yang's group was about to leave, but seeing us take action, they worried that if we did find something, they would lose face. So, the two teams began searching upstairs and downstairs, knocking on every resident's door to inquire.

We questioned all the residents who were home, but found no useful clues. Everyone had last seen her before she disappeared, but not for three days, consistent with the complainant's timeline—nothing unusual.

The two groups walked back to the cars. Hong Yang suddenly said, "Group Leader Zhang's analysis was thorough, but the accuracy still needs work. It requires improvement in the future."

Zhang Jiewei kept a straight face, acting as if he hadn't heard a thing. Xiao Cuo and I naturally pretended to be deaf too; this guy had never won people over anyway, and if trouble arose, no one would take the fall for him.

Wang Xuyang, however, perked up and snapped at the boyfriend, "In the future, hit women less, you trash! Otherwise, I’ll haul you in for a couple of days, OK?"

I hadn't expected this kid to be such a proponent of marital peace, but saying that now was a bit much. The man had just lost his beloved, and instead of offering comfort as a police officer, he was issuing threats.

Just as we were preparing to leave, a middle-aged woman suddenly ran breathlessly toward the cars. "Wait, wait a moment, officers! I remember hearing some noise from upstairs one night, but it wasn't loud, so I didn't pay much attention. I wonder if this counts as intelligence?"

Zhang Jiewei asked, "Which floor do you live on?"

"The top floor."

Almost simultaneously, all of us turned and ran toward the stairwell, cursing ourselves inwardly for being so foolish—it was just a few flights of stairs; why didn't we think to go up and check?

We rushed to the rooftop, but at first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It was a typical flat roof for a self-built structure, simply surfaced with a layer of cement. At one end of the roof, there were several rough, unfinished rooms with no doors whatsoever.

Looking at the dark, open doorway of one of the unfinished rooms, my feet moved involuntarily, as if something inside was beckoning me. Zhang Jiewei, Xiao Cuo, and Hong Yang’s men followed me in, and we all entered the shell of a room.

Due to the drastic light contrast, everything went black when we first stepped inside. I rubbed my eyes and looked around, realizing the space was subdivided into many small compartments using hollow bricks, but they all appeared empty.

I walked into one of the inner compartments, and just as I stepped over the threshold, I spotted a woman's handbag in the corner. Because it was white, it stood out conspicuously; I noticed it immediately.

I walked closer, but instead of grabbing it directly, I crouched down to carefully examine the exposed part. As I looked at the section near the floor, a patch of dark color, about the thickness of a little finger, appeared.

I immediately shouted, "Get over here! There’s something here!"

The others in the other rooms rushed over. The boyfriend, upon seeing the handbag, shouted instantly, "That's Shuhua's bag! I bought it for her."

Zhang Jiewei had somehow already donned white gloves. He carefully lifted the bag upward, revealing its full form. On one side of the bag, there was a smear of dark red substance coating it, which had dried into a crust mixed with dust.

Zhang Jiewei glanced at it twice and confidently declared, "That's human blood!"