For a long time, I dared not think of this place, for to do so was to recall the question that strange woman, Zhang Hemei, had posed to me—a question I couldn't face. But now, I had cleared my mind; I would reclaim Xiao Xuan’s head, find the real killer, and finally bring a proper conclusion to her death.

It seemed every visit to Lan Guiren happened in broad daylight, and this time was no exception. The faint music, the dim lighting, and the unsettling women all felt like an enigma waiting for me to solve, where the correctness of the answer directly determined the fulfillment of my life’s deepest wish.

I strode in, though not without maintaining a veneer of politeness. Just as I settled at a table in the center, a serpentine woman immediately wound her way over. I expected it to be Zhao Shiya or Zhang Hemei, but upon turning, I didn't recognize this woman and couldn't help but furrow my brow.

"Sir, would you like me to share a few drinks with you?"

The woman's voice was so sweet it could curdle a river, yet I remained unmoved, staring coldly at her. "Who are you?"

Slightly intoxicated, the woman languidly draped her arms across the table and shot me a sidelong glance, smiling. "Why, I'm your companion, of course. Surely not your mother? Hehehe."

Her bell-like laughter echoed throughout the space, but I had already discerned her profession from her words. The ice on my face grew colder, and a secret doubt arose in my mind: When did Lan Guiren become like this? Or perhaps it had always been this way, and I just hadn't encountered it during my first two visits? Or was there some other reason?

Just as my thoughts began to wander, a voice rang out from behind me. "Xiao Yan, this isn't your table. Go on."

Recognizing the voice meant knowing the speaker; I knew Zhao Shiya had arrived.

The sweet, heady woman, seeing the proprietress speak, knew when to retreat. Zhao Shiya, as captivatingly gorgeous as ever, sat gracefully beside me.

Not wanting to reveal my true purpose too directly, I used the preceding incident as a springboard, speaking coolly. "Proprietress, you really wouldn't withstand an inspection here."

Zhao Shiya offered a light chuckle. "Officer Wang, with a distinguished guest like you here, it matters little who inspects."

I couldn't accept such high praise. I quickly countered, "You flatter me too much. I’m merely a minor functionary, quite powerless in matters like this. I’m sure the proprietress has more capable means."

Zhao Shiya smiled noncommittally, twisting her slender waist to sit nearer to me. The familiar fragrance washed over me; she was as solicitous as ever.

After a few pleasantries, I prepared to inquire about Zhang Hemei, feigning a casual glance around the room.

Zhao Shiya laughed. "With such a beauty sitting right here, and you won't look? You aren't thinking about that Xiao Yan from just now, are you?"

I chuckled dryly. "The proprietress is jealous. I was just noticing the absence of the other heroine and found it strange."

"You mean Hemei? She hasn't been around for a while. I don't know what she's been busy with."

A slight shock rippled through me. It seemed this woman truly was problematic. Li Mingsheng mentioned she had been frequently leaving town lately, and if she hadn't been to Lan Guiren, where on earth had she been going?

With my target gone, my interest waned, and I planned to leave after sitting a little longer.

Just then, Zhao Shiya answered a phone call and suddenly exclaimed loudly, "Hemei, your old flame is looking for you. Want to come over?"

I was startled—half by Zhao Shiya's boldness, and half because the caller was Zhang Hemei herself.

It truly is strange how coincidences pile up in stories, but why must every encounter involving Zhang Hemei be so coincidental?

What if, just like when I pretended to be a network engineer last time, she was also playing a role, deliberately arranging a meeting with me?

If so, what was it she wanted to gain from me?

Doubts flooded my mind as I listened intently to Zhao Shiya's side of the conversation. Though I couldn't hear the voice on the other end, I could roughly deduce the other party's intent from Zhao Shiya’s replies.

I heard Zhao Shiya say, "She came all this way looking for you, you're being too cruel."

The voice on the other end spoke, and Zhao Shiya replied, "Fine, go have your fun. I certainly won't let your old flame be lonely." With that, she slammed the phone shut.

Zhao Shiya raised her glass to me, twinkling her eyes mischievously. "My lord, my lady friend can't make it, so allow this humble servant to keep you company today."

This enchanting little demoness, who could bewitch countless men without asking for a single penny, was certainly no match for me—I was an exception. I had no intention of getting involved with her; I was here only for Zhang Hemei!

After a while, I prepared to leave, but then paused. Leaving now would be too conspicuous, and Zhang Hemei was a cunning fox spirit; I couldn't afford the slightest slip-up.

After exchanging a few toasts with Zhao Shiya, the alcohol began to take hold. I asked her, "Why haven't I seen your boyfriend? Don't tell me you don't have one."

Zhao Shiya gave a sly smile. "Of course I do. If Officer Wang is willing, I might just end this pitiful single life."

"Heh heh, you're joking again. A great beauty like you without a boyfriend? Who would believe that?"

"It's true." Zhao Shiya gazed at me, her watery eyes capable of drowning a man. "Why don't you believe me? Why don't you try being him for a while?"

"Aren't you afraid Zhang Hemei will devour you?" I skillfully steered the conversation toward Zhang Hemei, hoping to learn more.

"Hahaha, you speak of Hemei. She certainly wouldn't. If she knew we got together, she’d be the first to offer her blessings."

I fell into a daze again. If what she said was true, I truly had no idea what kind of women these two were. Their openness rivaled that of ancient scholars passing on concubines—did that make me the 'concubine' in this scenario?

If that was the case, then I shouldn't be polite. Since it was all an act anyway, getting closer to Zhao Shiya might prevent me from looking suspicious on future visits.

"How about we give it a try?" I asked, half-jokingly, half-seriously.

This time, it was Zhao Shiya who looked surprised. "You really want to try?"

"Of course. The proprietress is peerlessly beautiful; for this humble scholar to draw close to such beauty would be a blessing across three lifetimes." Once I unleashed my silver tongue, its destructive power was considerable.

Zhao Shiya looked at me, her gaze suddenly becoming hazy, evoking a mixture of affection and pity. I quickly pinched myself beneath the table, silently warning myself: Do not fall for her trick. She and Zhang Hemei are both refined, ancient demonesses; captivating all the men in the world is merely following a script, textbook moves devoid of genuine feeling.

"Wang Lei, what is it about me you like?" Zhao Shiya's voice was soft and gentle, enough to melt a river in spring. The fact that she called me by my given name instead of 'Officer' carried a decidedly ambiguous meaning.

Could this woman genuinely have feelings for me?

Though I harbored a degree of self-admiration, it didn't extend to believing I could inspire instant love in such an 'experienced' proprietress. Otherwise, wouldn't I already have a harem of wives and concubines?

However, the performance had to continue. Whoever quits first loses!

"Actually, from the first moment I saw you, I felt a strange sensation—a feeling I've never experienced before, truly." My voice was low and sincere enough to conquer the heart of a young maiden.

Zhao Shiya suddenly lowered her head, appearing shy. I stared intently at her, my eyes brimming with a desperate craving: Let's see who crumbles first!

"Is that really true?" Zhao Shiya seemed momentarily coy, yet that shyness was a fatal weapon women deploy against a man they favor.

"I swear upon the light, not a single word is false. You have no idea how marvelous this feeling is; otherwise, do you think I'd come here just for a drink?" I deepened the pretense slightly, making the false act more convincing.

The hazy light and music, mingling with genuine and feigned probing and posturing, created a disorienting sensation. In this confusion, everything else ceased to exist, yet it was vividly present before my eyes. This was precisely the environment I needed right now.

At that moment, Zhao Shiya's phone rang again, interrupting the delicate, almost-there exchange between us.

"Hemei, what is it?"

For some reason, I felt Zhao Shiya's tone was subtly different from before. Zhang Hemei on the other end surely noticed it too, as Zhao Shiya replied, "I'm fine, nothing's wrong."

"Oh, you're coming over now?" Zhao Shiya suddenly shot me a sidelong glance, then added, "Hurry over, or I’ll poach your old flame."

Zhao Shiya hung up, then cast a mournful look my way. "Hemei is coming right away, so I won't interfere."

I couldn't decipher her intentions and merely took a sip of wine, pretending to be confused.

Zhao Shiya suddenly commanded, "You are absolutely forbidden from mentioning a single word of what you just said to Hemei."

I intended to reply but couldn't find the words, so I merely nodded dumbly. By then, Zhao Shiya had already risen and left, leaving behind only a lingering fragrance.

I couldn't help but feel bewildered. Did this woman truly have feelings for me?

Judging by her behavior just now, I couldn't dismiss the possibility of a genuine outpouring of emotion, yet I remained skeptical about her sincerity.

Could it be a deeper layer of disguise?

This woman was as indistinct as the bar's lighting. I needed to see her in the bright sunlight someday; perhaps then I could see her more clearly.

I shook my head gently, momentarily pushing Zhao Shiya out of my mind, and began pondering Zhang Hemei. She was my true objective for this visit.

I pulled out my phone and called Li Mingsheng.

"Brother, it’s you. What's up?" Li Mingsheng's voice came through.

"Old brother, what time did Zhang Hemei leave the complex today?"

"Today? She hasn't left yet."

"Oh, good, good, good. If she leaves, make sure you note the time."

"Got it, relax."

Hanging up, I felt significantly better. For so long, I had been reactive; now, I had finally regained a small measure of control. I, who had been under the spotlight, was slowly receding into the shadows, using my eyes to clearly observe the world, and the person I wished to see.

Zhang Hemei was clearly inside the complex, yet she had told Zhao Shiya she couldn't come, only to suddenly be available now. Something must have happened in between. However, it wasn't certain. Perhaps she hadn't intended to go out today, but hearing I was here, she deliberated before deciding to meet me. That was also plausible.

I’ll wait and watch for now. As long as I have Li Mingsheng as my hidden asset, many things will become much simpler.

Just then, my phone rang. Seeing it was Li Mingsheng, I knew there was news. Upon answering, I indeed received the update that Zhang Hemei had left the complex.

Half an hour later, Zhang Hemei finally appeared at the entrance of Lan Guiren.

The moment I saw her, an impulse surged through me: to rush forward, grip her neck tightly, and demand: Where is the head? I believed it wasn't just a story; she was trying to tell me that Xiao Xuan’s head would vanish!

Even though I knew the thought was absurd, it was my only hope, and Xiao Xuan's only hope. I had to seize her; I couldn't let her slip through my fingers again.

I pretended not to see her, taking a large gulp of wine and steadying my nerves. Then, I suddenly realized how wonderfully gratifying it felt to have someone within my grasp. Though I had only tracked Zhang Hemei's movements, an ineffable sense of satisfaction filled my heart—a feeling unmatched by any other. It was like the difference between a beautiful woman and exquisite food; they are fundamentally different, yet each brings immense joy, and this was the first time I had savored this particular kind of pleasure.

As soon as Zhang Hemei appeared, Zhao Shiya greeted her, and the two, laughing as they always did, approached my table. Zhao Shiya suddenly shot me a glare, and I understood her meaning, but even so, her look made my spirit waver. She was indeed a rare earthly siren!

"Xiao Ya, you didn't actually try to steal a bite, did you?" Zhang Hemei displayed her open nature the moment she sat down.

"Oh yes, if you had been half a step later, Officer Wang would have been my dish."

"You wicked girl, you’ll choke on that."

When these two women were together, I had no opportunity to interject, so I sat quietly, uttering not a sound.

After a while, Zhang Hemei remembered me and said to me, "Officer Wang, what brings you specifically to visit this humble woman today?"

I chuckled dryly. "Of course, I came to see you two sister flowers."

Zhao Shiya’s body trembled slightly, her hands crossing unnaturally. Zhang Hemei, however, remained as straightforward as before. "Are you here to see me, or her? Confess!"

"Sweetie, don't drag me into the affairs of you two young lovers. I'm still an unmarried maiden who needs to find a husband someday."

As soon as Zhao Shiya spoke to Zhang Hemei, her tone and demeanor immediately snapped back to normal. This confirmed for me that her acting skills were in no way inferior to Zhang Hemei's, perhaps even surpassing them.

After saying this, Zhao Shiya stood up and left, her pert hips swaying as she disappeared into the dim light.

Zhang Hemei's expression suddenly dimmed, as if the lively conversation had been spoken by someone else. She drank her wine silently, occasionally letting out a sigh.

Before meeting Zhang Hemei, I had planned my strategy: first, use You Qiaolin's incident as a breach point to lower her defenses, which would also serve as a disguise and protection for myself. Since Zhang Hemei knew I was You Qiaolin's colleague, and You Qiaolin was in trouble, she couldn't possibly be unaware, nor could I be. Therefore, if I didn't mention the matter, it would expose a weakness.

"Did you hear about You Qiaolin?" I held my wine glass to my lips, prepared to take a sip to mask any shocking statement she might utter.

Zhang Hemei sighed again, drank the wine that should have been mine, and then said mournfully, "Of course."

Whether it was true or not, judging by her current appearance, she seemed genuinely sad for You Qiaolin. I continued, "Believe me, he isn't worth your pity. Forget that man, or perhaps we should call him a beast, a brute!"

I deliberately emphasized the insults at the end. If Zhang Hemei was allied with You Qiaolin, these insults implicated her too. Even though only she knew the truth in her heart, the instinctive human reaction to insult might cause her to reveal a flicker of abnormality—that was my goal.

Zhang Hemei showed no expression, merely drinking in silence, like a woman whose heart was utterly broken.

But I didn't let her off. I pressed on, "This brute murdered three innocent women, dismembering the bodies into small pieces and wrapping them in clothing. He is an irredeemable bastard!"

Zhang Hemei’s body gave a slight tremor, and she suddenly looked up, meeting my eyes, and said, "He has already paid the price. Please don't speak of him like that, okay?"

"Finally cracked? Finally defending him? Finally showing your true colors?" My heart surged with excitement, but I forcibly suppressed it, saying to her, "Paid the price? A bastard like him deserves a fate worse than that of a dog or pig, even if he had a hundred lives. Do you still consider him human?"

Zhang Hemei’s expression became suddenly melancholic, but her voice was clear enough to hear. "He was someone I once loved."

"He was deceiving you; he is not human, not even worthy of being called a bastard. He is a murderous devil." I continued to barrage her with machine-gun-like rhetoric.

Zhang Hemei sipped a small amount of red wine and suddenly asked, "Did you come to find me today just to talk about these things?"

I paused slightly—it seemed this woman was preparing to counterattack. I swirled the clear vodka in my glass, then said lightly, "I apologize. Because I am a police officer, I detest such scum most of all. When I mention them, I can't control myself."

"Fine, a toast to the great police!"

Zhang Hemei skillfully extricated herself from my ambush.

The light clinking of the glasses sounded like the gentle tapping of the back of a surgical knife against bone, stirring the indignation in my heart. I couldn't let her off so easily.

"Are you still mourning for him?" I asked coldly.

"Perhaps," Zhang Hemei admitted frankly. "He gave me too many beautiful memories, after all."

"Beautiful?"

"Mmm."

"Do you still remember that story?"

"What story?"

"The gruesome story, a story as real as life!"

My words began to carry a hint of bloodshed, dispersing into the air. This wasn't cruelty, but rather compassion. If I had a shred of evidence right now, I would gladly take the woman opposite me back to the precinct and question her directly. But I didn't; all I had was that story.

Therefore, I had to keep provoking her, keep hurting her, keep sprinkling salt on her wounds, making her feel pain and despair, so I could obtain what I wanted. And all I wanted was Xiao Xuan’s head—something that never belonged to anyone; no one had the right to possess it!

So, I was not the cruel one; others were.

Zhang Hemei’s face changed slightly—at least, that's what I thought—but she remained composed. "So, it's about that story from last time."

I nodded. "That one."

"Have you figured out where the woman's head is?"

Zhang Hemei's question surprised me slightly; she showed no hint of evasion. But I wasn't going to sidestep the issue either, because what I was speaking were facts, and I needed an explanation from her.

"No, that's exactly what I want to know, because there is something you might not be aware of." My voice was intensely grave, so heavy that even the music floating in the air seemed to descend.

"What is it?" Zhang Hemei's speech slowed.

"My girlfriend was also murdered."

Having uttered these words, I looked directly into Zhang Hemei's eyes.

"By You Qiaolin too?"

A flash crossed my mind, and I nodded.

Silence. A long silence.

After a considerable pause, Zhang Hemei softly said, "I'm sorry."

"That sentence isn't yours to say; you are also an innocent victim," I replied against my better judgment.

"Now I understand why you hate him so much. He deserved what he got."

"But do you know, my girlfriend, to this day, her—head—has not been found!"