The night had deepened on the road, and very few pedestrians remained on this secluded street. Several detectives emerged from a nearby tavern, leaning on each other’s shoulders and singing drunkenly. They were all exhausted from days and nights spent on surveillance without rest, but instead of heading home immediately after closing the case, they had unanimously agreed to celebrate with drinks. They downed glass after glass and bottle after bottle until the tavern owner finally kicked them out, citing closing hours.

“To refuse business just like that, a place like this is bound to close down sooner or later! Let’s find the next one; I refuse to believe there isn’t a twenty-four-hour establishment on this whole street!” one officer loudly declared his decision, instantly earning nods of approval from most of his colleagues.

“I know a good one right by the intersection.”

“Let’s just go to the usual spot. It’s not far anyway, just two more blocks.”

“Two blocks isn’t far?!”

“Just imagine there’s a wanted murderer running ahead of us. You chase, chase, chase—I guarantee you’ll be there in an instant.”

“Nonsense! If there were a wanted murderer ahead, I wouldn’t let him get two blocks ahead before catching him!”

“……”

The group bickered and joked their way towards the bar two blocks away. As a gust of early winter night wind swept by, one of them suddenly sobered up enough to mumble, “I’m going home—my girlfriend explicitly ordered me not to go drinking with you all after closing a case again.”

“Sun Jian, aren’t you single? Where did you get a girlfriend?”

“Idiot, he means his future wife!”

“Calling her his wife already? That’s moving a bit fast, isn’t it!”

“How do you know he hasn't already been ahead in other areas...”

“Come on, Xiao Sun, that’s not right. How can a real man let a woman control him? A man drinks when he wants to drink! Stays out late when he wants to stay out late! What’s a woman? We men are the heads of the household! Look at me! I’m never afraid of the tigress at home!”

“Exactly, exactly! Sun Jian, look at Old Qi; now that’s masculine spirit!”

“If you’re a man, kid, ignore what she says and stay for another round! None of us are afraid of coming home late, yet you’re so timid. It’s embarrassing!”

The others rained down criticism on Sun Jian for his perceived ‘henpecked’ behavior, but Sun Jian remained unmoved, dropping a parting shot: “You guys are all married, so of course you’re not afraid. I’m still in the ‘pending’ stage over here.” He staggered toward the heavy motorcycle parked by the curb. In a moment, the powerful machine roared to life and shot out.

“Driving drunk and still going that fast! If the traffic cops catch you, don’t ask us to put in a good word!” his colleagues yelled after him.

Sun Jian sped through the dark roads like a phantom. Although the bike weaved erratically, his self-perception was fantastic. The exhilaration of having personally captured the murderer (and beaten him half to death) still lingered, fueling his forward momentum. Thus, he charged ahead on the highway, accelerating wildly…

“Ow…” Sun Jian lay on the ground, issuing a bizarre, drawn-out groan, unable to get up for a long time.

He couldn't even remember how he fell. The next thing he knew, he was sprawled on the asphalt. His motorcycle was nowhere in sight. He felt the world spinning, his limbs heavy and useless, utterly incapable of standing.

“Are you alright?” a friendly hand reached out from nearby.

Sun Jian gripped the hand, using the leverage to struggle to his feet. “Thanks! What rotten luck. I fall over for no reason!”

The other person felt he was incredibly lucky. He had clearly witnessed Sun Jian approaching at high speed. Less than ten meters away, Sun Jian had slammed on the brakes to avoid a stray cat, triggering a spectacular scene: the motorcycle spun multiple times as it charged forward, eventually throwing its rider clear. The bike finally smashed into the guardrail two meters from the spectator, who had closed his eyes, unable to watch—the machine now sported multiple ‘fractures’ and was gloriously decommissioned. Meanwhile, the rider, who had skidded over ten meters, landing head-first, probably… Having seen too many accidents on this stretch, the witness sighed and walked toward Sun Jian, only to find him surprisingly managing to stand up without apparent injury. He couldn't help but scrutinize Sun Jian from head to toe. Was this object truly human?

Sun Jian kept muttering, “How could I run into another stray cat? There are more and more strays in this city. How can humanity become so cold and unfeeling? If you can’t keep them, then don’t adopt them. Animals have feelings too! If this keeps up…”

“Actually…” The bystander, catching the strong scent of alcohol on him, interrupted Sun Jian’s attempt to blame societal issues and decisively pointed out the crux of his fall: “You were driving under the influence, weren’t you?”

“It was only half a catty of baijiu, what are you talking about? Drinking doesn’t affect my driving at all. Last time, I drank over a full catty and still managed to drive the jeep fine…” Sun Jian paused his rambling and looked up. The moment his bleary eyes registered the identity of the person beside him, he abruptly stopped talking.

The other person, seeing Sun Jian staring, quickly stepped back. He had rushed over when he saw the accident, forgetting how people usually reacted upon seeing him. He nervously awaited a scream or a panicked escape.

Sun Jian looked up, saw a traffic police officer in uniform standing there, and jumped. I delivered myself right to their doorstep! He quickly plastered on a smile to cozy up: “I’m from the Municipal Criminal Investigation Detachment. This was all for the job, for the job… Which precinct are you from, brother? You look familiar. Haven’t we met somewhere? We’re all colleagues, we’ll see each other around, ha-ha-ha…”

The officer shook his head repeatedly.

“Ha-ha-ha, doesn’t that count as knowing each other?” Sun Jian, terrified of the cascade of consequences following a car accident—license suspension, fines, mockery from his colleagues, being grounded by his girlfriend—tried even harder to build rapport, fumbling in his pockets and saying, “Here, have a smoke.” Before he could even find a cigarette, he felt a wave of dizziness. The person beside him quickly steadied him, helping him sit down by the roadside. While the crash hadn't caused Sun Jian major physical harm, a mild concussion was unavoidable.

“Why weren’t you more careful? Driving drunk like that is bad for you, bad for society, and bad for everyone else.” The officer was genuinely touched that Sun Jian hadn't reacted the way others usually did, so he was prepared to offer some friendly advice. He sincerely hoped that the first person to talk to him and call him ‘brother’ wouldn’t one day die from drunk driving.

To Sun Jian’s relief, the officer didn’t immediately move to impound the bike. However, the subsequent well-meaning counsel was unbearable. The traffic policeman delivered an in-depth analysis and earnest lecture on Sun Jian’s drunk driving, reciting traffic regulations at least seven times, repeatedly quoting relevant articles, and citing numerous tragic examples of accidents caused by drunk driving. He lectured with profound emotion, criticizing Sun Jian for his disregard for his own life and the lives of others. Sun Jian listened, his head swimming, wondering if this man was the political instructor for the traffic division. He concluded, however, that if this method of punishment were applied to all reckless drivers, they certainly wouldn't offend again.

After speaking for about an hour and a half, the man finally quieted down and looked at Sun Jian with concern. “Are you feeling better now?”

Sun Jian nodded repeatedly. “Much better, much better. I’m going home now. I promise I’ll never break traffic rules again!” He tried to stand up immediately to escape.

“Your motorcycle is totaled, and there are no taxis out here at this hour…” The officer seemed worried for him.

Sun Jian realized he had a point. He couldn't just walk home. “So, what are you doing now…” He began calculating how to persuade this colleague to give him a ride.

Seeing his attempt to ask for help, the officer stated firmly, “I’m on duty!” While he genuinely wanted to assist Sun Jian, he couldn’t…

After several failed attempts to stand, Sun Jian realized he couldn’t manage on his own yet. He decided to lean against the center median guardrail and chat with the officer. Even if Sun Jian hadn't wanted to talk, the officer wouldn't have let up; the man seemed as if he hadn't spoken in ages, launching into torrents of words the moment he opened his mouth. After several efforts, Sun Jian finally got a chance to speak. “Brother, why are you still on duty this late? It’s unavoidable for us detectives to work all night, but why are you traffic cops the same way?”

“No choice, there are too many accidents here.” Although the man’s face was obscured by darkness, the weariness in his voice was clear. “Just yesterday, a car hit a mother and daughter and fled. The mother and daughter… they didn’t make it in time. They died… And last month, another accident, three people died in one car… The perpetrator tried to flee the scene but ended up hitting a pedestrian, costing that person their life for nothing… Even I’ve been hit by cars several times…”

Sun Jian scoffed in disbelief. “They dare to hit a police officer?”

“They said they’d always wanted to hit a cop just for the thrill, and because I was a cop, they hit me.”

“That’s outright rebellion!” Sun Jian’s righteous fervor, fueled by alcohol, boiled over. He waved his arms and shouted, “I’m going to drag that driver back here and hang him!”

The officer was startled, stammering, “You, you… you’re a cop! Killing people is illegal! Besides, traffic accidents don’t usually warrant the death penalty.”

Sun Jian rolled his eyes. How could this man not understand a simple joke? “They dare to intentionally hit a traffic cop; who knows if they won’t stage a full-blown rebellion later? And those who flee after causing an accident—isn't that tantamount to murder? Murder is punishable by death! Dealing with them now is serving justice, eliminating disaster for the people, contributing to the nation, protecting the environment, purifying the Earth…” Tipsy and rambling, he didn’t even know what he was saying by the end. The alcohol took full effect, his head swam again, and before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep.

“Cough, cough… cough, cough, cough, cough…” Sun Jian huddled in the car seat, wrapped in his coat, coughing incessantly while muttering complaints. “I clearly called in sick. I’m this sick, and they’re still calling me in at this ungodly hour, cough, cough, cough… This totally violates labor laws, cough, cough… Work, work, they don’t even care if I live or die! I need to protest!”

Zhou Ying observed carefully and concluded that Sun Jian’s cold wasn't as severe as he was trying to make it seem. Yet, he wouldn't stop coughing, which completely baffled Zhou Ying, causing him some genuine concern. Huo’er, however, glanced at Sun Jian dismissively, then strolled across Zhou Ying’s head, declaring without reservation, “Hmph, he’s faking it—that’s exactly how the fox looks when he’s trying to skip school!”

“Are you faking it?” Zhou Ying honestly repeated Huo’er’s assessment.

Sun Jian suddenly jumped up, nearly hitting his head on the ceiling. “I’m faking it? Look at me! Coughing, feverish, runny nose—do I look like I’m faking it?”

“Yes,” Zhou Ying replied with his characteristic honesty.

“Old Zhou, do you have any idea that the night before last I got into a car accident chasing a suspect? I lay by the roadside all night in this kind of cold weather! How could I not catch a cold? Do you know how hard we detectives work? How many sacrifices I’ve made for the safety of the citizens!”

“I heard you got into the accident while driving drunk,” Zhou Ying stated his second truth.

Sun Jian flushed with anger. “Who’s spreading rumors!”

“Your girlfriend.”

Sun Jian immediately deflated, having nothing to say. He slumped back into the car seat and resumed his pathetic, sickly noises.

Because of the accident, Sun Jian was thoroughly lectured by his girlfriend for several days. Moreover, upon sobering up, he recalled the events himself and felt a lingering fear, making him unusually compliant and accepting of the criticism. Although he was built as strong as a camel, the mild concussion and subsequent pneumonia landed him in the hospital for over a week. After being discharged, his girlfriend forced him to rest longer. Sun Jian, eager to avoid ridicule from his colleagues, used the lingering cold symptoms as an excuse to hide at home and recuperate. He was usually swamped with work, and this rare period of leisure was perfect for nurturing his relationship with his girlfriend. Who would have thought that after only two days of rest post-discharge, the Criminal Investigation Detachment called, demanding he return immediately for a case.

Sun Jian was, in reality, incapable of sitting still. Hearing about a case, his mind had already flown back to the precinct. But in front of his girlfriend, he had to put on a show, complaining about how reluctant he was to leave her side and how much he detested returning to duty. He shamelessly called for a dedicated car—Zhou Ying. He had no idea his girlfriend had already communicated with Zhou Ying before he left: basically, telling him off for Sun Jian’s behavior and asking Zhou Ying, as Sun Jian’s good friend, to keep an eye on him. Zhou Ying, of course, knew the true reason for Sun Jian’s accident very clearly.

Sun Jian rubbed his head and tried another excuse to complain. “I remember there was someone watching me after I crashed and chatting with me half the night. How could that person have such little sympathy, just leaving me out there to freeze? Truly, the times are declining! If I ever see him again, hmph!”

Huo’er sighed in tandem. “What a good person! If I ever see him, I’ll praise him—why didn’t he just let that annoying wretch freeze to death!” As Sun Jian and Zhou Ying’s friendship deepened, Huo’er’s disgust for Sun Jian grew exponentially. This wasn't because Sun Jian had personally provoked it, but because this ordinary human possessed unimaginably good luck. Normally, if Huo’er tried to prank someone, even Liu Di couldn't escape its grasp, yet this human always managed to dodge the blow exactly right. Huo’er hadn't succeeded once, causing its frustration to compound geometrically, evolving into pure joy whenever it saw Sun Jian suffer misfortune.

Zhou Ying drove the car directly into the Criminal Investigation Detachment yard, ignoring the sign hanging over the gate that read, "No Taxis Allowed." After being used as Sun Jian’s chauffeur so often, most people there recognized this dedicated vehicle, and even the usually diligent old gatekeeper didn't interfere. However, another vehicle parked in the yard caught attention: a medium-sized truck loaded with large cargo bags, yet its body displayed several large holes. One wheel was missing, but most strangely, the front windshield was perfectly intact while the rear window was completely shattered. Seeing a wrecked vehicle in the traffic police yard wouldn't be strange, but here, it drew second glances. Zhou Ying wasn't particularly curious. After Sun Jian got out, he drove away. Huo’er, however, flew over, sniffed around, and soon returned, shaking its head. “A foul taste.”

Inside the room, only a single dim desk lamp was lit. In the shadows, several stern-faced officers with imposing presences stared intently at the person before them. The burliest among them leaned over the desk, hands flat, and aggressively demanded, “Speak! Are you confessing or not? Do you really want us to use force!”

Sun Jian, hemmed in by the huge forms of the detectives, hunched over and threatened, “I’ll report you for illegal detention!”

“Bang!” The table was struck violently. Several officers shouted in unison, “If you don’t confess now, we will use force!”

“I will file a complaint! You are disregarding my human rights! Disregarding the Constitution! As a police officer, I will never yield to your violence; I won’t speak even if you beat me to death! Let the storm rage harder!” Sun Jian cried out with stern righteousness.

“You still have the nerve to call yourself a cop! Tell us, what good deed have you been up to recently? You really think we don’t know? Give yourself a chance to surrender, or prepare to work a month of night shifts!” Eyes honed by experience interrogating criminals seemed capable of seeing right through him—anyone under such a gaze would feel guilty, let alone someone who actually had something to hide.

“Old Zhao, I really didn’t mean to damage your motorcycle the other time,” Sun Jian finally surrendered.

“What did you do? You little punk nearly caused me an accident!—We’ll settle that score later. Get to the point!” Sun Jian received a sharp smack on the back of his head.

“It’s not that one! I shouldn’t have confessed. Xiao Song, the virus on your computer wasn’t from me installing pirated games!”

“That’s protesting too much! But that’s not it either. Confess some more!”

…

Sun Jian truthfully confessed every ‘good deed’ he could recall from recent days, but it still didn't satisfy his colleagues. With a crestfallen face, he asked, “What exactly are you trying to ask? I swear I haven’t done anything else.”

“What have you been doing these last few days?”

“Resting at home because I’m sick! You ungrateful bunch didn’t even visit, and now you drag me in here for questioning while I’m ill.”

“Then what is this?”

A note was placed before Sun Jian. The scrawled characters read: Give this to Sun Jian to hang himself with.

Sun Jian blinked in confusion. “What is this?” He turned the note over and over but couldn't decipher anything beyond those words. “I don’t recognize this handwriting; it’s too ugly to be from anyone I know. What is going on? What case is this?” His eyes immediately lit up the moment ‘case’ was mentioned.

Once detectives started talking about an actual case, they dropped their playful demeanor and explained seriously. “Did you see the vehicle outside when you arrived?”

“I did. Is that a wreck? Why is it parked here?”

“That truck appeared at our front gate this morning, and this note was pinned to its windshield. The driver inside was beaten black and blue; if he hadn't received emergency medical attention, he’d be long dead! What do you make of that?”

Sun Jian asked, astonished, “How could such a thing happen! Have you caught the suspect?”

“If we had caught him, why would we need to call you in!”

After listening to his colleagues’ detailed account, Sun Jian finally understood. This morning, Zhang Lao Tou, the gatekeeper, was sweeping the yard when he discovered the wrecked truck and its unfortunate driver perfectly blocking the detachment’s entrance. He, and the detectives who had worked late shifts, had no idea how the truck got there—the old man, fiercely loyal and claiming no minor disturbance could escape his notice for over ten years, was distraught, deeply regretting that his lifelong reputation was about to be ruined by a piece of junk.

The driver, suffering multiple fractures and near death, was rushed to the hospital. Because he was drunk driving, after he was revived, he remembered nothing about how his accident happened, who inflicted the bruises unrelated to the crash, or how he ended up at the Criminal Investigation Detachment door. The vehicle was identified as having caused an accident due to drunk driving, and the scene was located on the Outer Ring Road—inspection there revealed paint chips and broken glass matching the truck found on the damaged guardrail. The puzzle remained: how did a vehicle involved in such a serious accident manage to drive from the Outer Ring Road into the city center and stop at the C.I.D. entrance? Who cruelly beat the driver after the accident? And what was the meaning of that strange note? Puzzled, the detectives had no choice but to call back Sun Jian, who was supposedly recovering from illness. Since his name was on the note, he naturally had an obligation to explain.

Sun Jian was even more bewildered as to what had happened. Staring at the note whose handwriting was even messier than his own, he scratched his head and speculated, "Perhaps some law-abiding citizen discovered this fellow drunk driving and damaging public property, became righteously indignant, taught him a lesson, and then turned him over to the authorities. As for writing my name, it’s probably because I’m known for being upright, deeply ingrained in the public consciousness, making the general populace see me as the very embodiment of justice, so..." He was about to continue when a colleague next to him coldly interjected, "If drunk driving warranted hanging, as this note suggests, someone would have had their memorial service by now." This made Sun Jian stop talking sheepishly.

"...Yes, I’m still driving... Prisoners specifically attacking drivers? Another carjacking? ... Yes, I'll be careful... Don't go to the Outer Ring, but I'm on the Outer Ring right now... Yes, I understand, I'll watch out, and I'll tell you if I see the culprit... You don't want me to tell you about the culprit, you just want me not to go to the Outer Ring? But I'm working, what if a client requests it? Also, if I really see the culprit, I shouldn't tell you? ... Sun Jian, why is your voice so loud lately? You'll ruin your throat... I didn't mean to make you angry... Okay, I get it, I'll be careful and try to avoid the Outer Ring... Alright, I understand..."

Zhou Ying finally hung up the phone after Sun Jian's repeated instructions. Looking at the atmosphere in the cabin, which was bristling with hostility and sparking with tension, he couldn't help but remind them, "Huo'er, Gui'er just washed these seat covers. She'll be angry if you burn them."

Huo'er flapped its wings dismissively, scattering even more sparks throughout the cabin. It declared confidently, "Relax, I guarantee I'll roast this late-night snack perfectly without damaging the seat covers." As it spoke, it intensely fixed its gaze on the demon before it, muttering to itself, "Should I roast it fully cooked, or half-done with dipping sauce? Should I save a leg to take back for Gui'er to deep-fry?"

The demon fixed in Huo'er's stare was curled up on the seat, trembling with fear. He had merely intended, on a whim, to snag a small snack while taking a taxi, never expecting that this weak-looking driver was not human, and that his car housed an "evil spirit" like Huo'er. If he had known, he would have happily paid the fare earlier; it would have been far better than losing his life over a fare of a mere dozen yuan. However, he was not prepared to be eaten just like that; even if the opponent was a Bi Fang, he had to fight back.

The car approached a red light at the intersection ahead. Although the street was deserted in the dead of night save for Zhou Ying's Santana, the usually rule-abiding Zhou Ying stopped the vehicle. The demon seized this moment to lunge violently toward Zhou Ying’s throat—in its eyes, Zhou Ying was much easier to handle than Huo'er, so it aimed to subdue Zhou Ying instantly to blackmail Huo'er and save its own life. Zhou Ying’s mind was entirely preoccupied with what the seat covers would look like after Huo'er was done with them, so he didn't anticipate the sudden attack. His reaction was slightly delayed, and the creature's sharp claws had already left a gash on his neck. Its other hand simultaneously clamped tightly around Zhou Ying’s throat, and it screamed toward Huo'er, "Don't come any closer, or I'll kill him!"

Zhou Ying dissolved into an ethereal mist, easily slipping free from the creature’s grip. Just as he prepared to retaliate, Huo'er shrieked and pounced: "Ying, you’re hurt!" It kicked the demon away, grabbed Zhou Ying by the collar, and shook him repeatedly, shouting, "Ying, how are you? Are you hurt? Are you hurt? You absolutely cannot get hurt! Otherwise, Gui'er will use your need for convalescence as an excuse to forbid me from beating Liu Di at home, starting fires, playing games (accompanied by ear-splitting shrieks and roars exceeding 100 decibels), sleeping in late (on top of Zhou Ying), and eating snacks (since Gui'er will be busy caring for the injured Ying and won't have time to prepare them for me)! You must not get hurt!"

Zhou Ying finally managed to wriggle free from under Huo'er, gasping for air, "I'm fine..."

The demon had already used the distraction to wrench the door open and flee down the dark road.

"Hey, late-night snack, stop right there! You think you can just run after hitting Ying? Not so easy! Watch me avenge my father!" Huo'er immediately shot out of the car window in pursuit.

By the time Zhou Ying waited for the light to turn green and followed after them, Huo'er had already caught the demon and was hoisting it in the air, about to slam it down. The creature landed directly in front of the car. Zhou Ying couldn't brake in time; the red Santana screeched in an emergency stop as it rolled right over the creature.

A car accident? Zhou Ying got out to examine the blood-soaked tires, unsure of what to do.

"Flattened! Utterly flattened! It won't taste good now!" Huo'er snapped back to reality and began to wail.

Zhou Ying looked at Huo'er, then at the corpse, and after a long moment said, "Looks like I'll need to wash the tires later."

Huo'er stared at the body for a few more seconds, hesitating whether to abandon the pursuit, but finally decided, "Forget it. I’ll take it back for Gui'er to deal with. How am I supposed to roast it looking like this?" With that, it hoisted the body onto its back, tossed a line to Zhou Ying, "I'm going home for a snack," and flew off alone. Zhou Ying stood dazed for a while before preparing to drive off. Just as he started the engine, a figure suddenly materialized in front of his car: "You are guilty of hit-and-run and attempted evasion. I am taking you to the police station now."

Zhou Ying narrowed his eyes and glanced at him. "You're not a police officer, why should I care about you?"

The other party unceremoniously reached for the door handle. "Hand over your license, ID, and registration!"

Zhou Ying frowned, stepped out of the car, and slapped away the hand reaching for his collar. "Are you challenging me?"

"I'm arresting you!"

A cold wind swept through the intersection, chillingly witnessing the horrific scene unfolding: a young man wielding a single saber expertly cleaved his lunging opponent into seventeen or eighteen pieces.

Zhou Ying retracted his blade and looked down at the heap of fragments at his feet, shaking his head. This fellow was truly bizarre; knowing he was no match, he still came to provoke. Even after having his limbs severed, he kept lunging until Zhou Ying had chopped him into eight chunks, his mouth still muttering, "You committed a traffic violation, I’m taking you to the station. You can’t escape. Surrender and receive leniency; resisting will be met with severity. The law will never wrong a good person or let a bad one go..." Zhou Ying nudged the piece containing the face with his foot, turning it toward the ground. The incessant mumbling finally subsided. As Zhou Ying was about to get back in the car and leave, that facial fragment, powered by some unknown source, suddenly leaped onto the hood, plastered its mouth against the windshield, and screamed, "I will catch you! Surrender now! I will find you! And then your sentence will be even harsher..." Zhou Ying immediately engaged the wipers to knock it off and sped away in haste.

The car had driven a long distance, yet the voice still echoed in his ears: "I won't let you go... I will catch you..." Zhou Ying’s mind drifted to other concerns: Gui'er had already blown through this month's living expenses before the tenth; Liu Di’s dumped ex-girlfriend was blocking his doorway daily demanding justice; and Huo’er had "accidentally" set a building on fire... Consequently, he didn't hear the voice below continuing to shout, "Just you wait! When I catch you, I'll have Sun Jian hang you... I won't let you go..."

Sun Jian had walked up and down that street twice, hugging his neck and stamping his feet in the cold wind, constantly sweeping his eyes toward the intersection not far away. But the road was deserted; only a few trucks roared past occasionally, showering him with dust and grit, but nothing unusual was in sight.

Because attacks on drivers continued to occur, and the police had found nothing but a single note—"Hand Sun Jian over to be hanged"—at every incident scene, with the attacked drivers themselves having been knocked unconscious before clearly seeing the attacker's appearance, Sun Jian naturally became the sole focus. Although the police were trying to suppress the news, the incidents eventually leaked to the public, causing considerable unrest among the populace. Transportation workers who often drove at night felt particularly vulnerable, leading to a flood of speculation and rumors that severely troubled the police.

The appearance of Sun Jian's name on the notes left by the perpetrator was especially hard to explain. While it could be a case of mistaken identity, everyone on the team knew that "Catch him and hang him!" was Sun Jian's catchphrase. If Sun Jian were an accomplice, they all understood his character; most people conjectured that Sun Jian, being inherently honest and always charging to the front during investigations, had inadvertently offended someone who was deliberately framing him. However, with the case laid out before them, Sun Jian couldn't just remain silent. The current social speculation was something he couldn't clear up even if he had thirty mouths to speak. The best way to exonerate himself was, of course, to solve the case and have the real culprit confess.

To avoid the appearance of bias, Sun Jian was barred from participating in the investigation of that case and was reassigned to busting a gang robbing motorcyclists. Sun Jian, however, was not the type to accept such unjust treatment. While investigating his current case, he quietly began looking into the string of driver attacks.

He analyzed the commonalities among these incidents: besides occurring at night, the locations shared a feature—they were all accident-prone zones along several of the outer ring roads of Lixin City. Thus, he adopted a tedious method: staking out these locations in rotation every night, waiting for the rabbit to run into the snare. He had done this for three nights, but found no clues. Today, Sun Jian was on the coastal stretch of the North Outer Ring Road. The distant sea was dark, and the sea breeze was exceptionally cold. Sun Jian knew that such stakeouts required patience, so he tucked his neck into his collar and paced the road with grim perseverance.

Something bumped against his foot.

"Dismembered body!" Sun Jian exclaimed dramatically when he looked down—what lay beneath his feet was certainly not the victim of some gruesome dismemberment, but a plastic police officer placed there by the traffic police department to manage the frequently accident-ridden "chaotic road." This lifelike plastic figure, molded into the image of a traffic cop in uniform giving a salute, was often mistaken for a real person in the dark, serving as a deterrent to vehicles and pedestrians traveling this route late at night, contributing somewhat to the road’s safety. Now, however, it lay on the ground, hacked into more than a dozen pieces by some sharp object, its head and feet scattered haphazardly, looking quite pathetic.

"Who could be so brutal?" Sun Jian sighed, shaking his head. He hurried back to his car to fetch a large roll of tape, then began picking up the pieces of the plastic officer and taping them back together, wrapping it layer after layer. After a good half hour of work, Sun Jian stood the reconstructed plastic officer up to check the result and nodded with self-satisfaction. With the tape repairs, the plastic officer looked quite presentable overall, save for its saluting arm, which drooped slightly.

Sun Jian painstakingly lifted it and placed it back on its original base, patted it, and sighed, "Brother, you suffered for us. This line of work isn't easy..." In his eyes, this large plastic toy was somewhat like a colleague, so he lit a cigarette and began chatting with it. The recent case had put immense pressure on him, and since he wasn't one to complain, everything had been bottled up inside. Now, in the quiet of the deep night, facing this "semi-colleague," he found an outlet for confession. He rambled about everything: from how an elite in the legal field like himself was tricked into joining the police force, to how his excessive uprightness brought retaliation upon many others; from how just and dedicated he was at work, to the endless tasks and lack of bonuses... Truths, lies, and exaggerations tumbled out. Only when his mouth went dry did he pat the figure. "I won't disturb your duty any longer, old friend. I still have a case to solve." Feeling much lighter, he walked toward the intersection.

Zhou Ying watched the time slowly pass: ten o'clock, eleven, midnight... one a.m., two a.m.... His mood grew progressively lighter. That persistent harasser hadn't reappeared since being hacked apart once tonight. Perhaps he had finally tired. Ever since that strange being had fixated on him, he had followed Zhou Ying every night, relentlessly declaring his intention to bring Zhou Ying to justice. Even after Zhou Ying chopped him into seventeen or eighteen pieces, he would reappear shortly after, turning the entire night into a back-and-forth torment that even someone with Zhou Ying’s temper found unbearable. To think he hadn't shown up for so long after being smashed tonight filled Zhou Ying with relief; he thought he had finally rid himself of the pest.

As he collected the fares and watched a customer alight, a staggering figure appeared far down the roadside, completely pale, dragging its feet as it approached them.

Sun Jian rounded the corner of the street. The road was still empty, with only a single bicycle heading in his direction.

The cyclist appeared to be a woman just finishing a night shift. She rode quite fast, frequently glancing around, seemingly worried about the safety of this road. However, she failed to notice a motorcycle turning sharply from a side road and speeding toward her. Sun Jian saw it clearly from the roadside: two men on the motorcycle, both wearing helmets. He felt a bad premonition. Indeed, as the motorcycle approached the bicycle, it suddenly blocked her path. The man on the back lunged out and snatched the strap of the woman’s backpack, tearing it away. Before the thrown-off woman could react, they sped off in the opposite direction. As Sun Jian leaped out from the roadside, the motorcycle narrowly missed hitting him, forcing the driver to swerve and halt.

Sun Jian rushed forward in one stride. "What are you doing?!"

The two on the motorcycle ignored him, turned the vehicle around, and charged directly at Sun Jian head-on. Sun Jian dodged instantly. The motorcycle, unwilling to give up, looped back. The man on the back pulled out an iron bar and brought it down viciously toward Sun Jian’s head. Sun Jian rolled on the ground and avoided it again. He casually pulled out his pistol and shouted, "Stop! Or I'll shoot!"

The men on the bike hadn't expected him to produce a gun. They spun the motorcycle around and fled. Sun Jian pointed his gun for a while but ultimately refrained from firing, watching as the motorcycle sped away, accelerating. Sun Jian lowered his gun, picked up the woman's discarded leather handbag, and ran back to check on the victim of the robbery. The woman had already pulled herself up from the ground; she had only sustained minor abrasions but was clearly traumatized, trembling and hesitant to even take the bag Sun Jian offered. Only after Sun Jian showed his badge did the woman calm down, but she clung to him, refusing to let go until he agreed to drive her home.

Zhou Ying stared at the staggering monster with astonishment, desperately trying to recall an image of a foreign creature mentioned by Liu Di and Huo’er: a body entirely wrapped in white bandages, moving slowly and unsteadily, one hand stretched forward, emitting strange "woo-woo" sounds from its mouth... "You, you are a Mummy?" (Zhou Ying was so shocked to see this rare overseas specimen that in his haste, he substituted 'is' for 'are you a' in the name "Mummy.") According to Liu Di, such creatures were rarely seen on the Central Plains, and even Liu Di had only encountered one over a century ago in the luggage of a passing foreigner—but Zhou Ying had no idea why this person transported such a monster thousands of miles. Zhou Ying knew nothing about what spells or special abilities this creature used. If possible, he absolutely did not want to provoke a conflict, but judging by the creature’s menacing approach, this 'Mummy' didn't share Zhou Ying’s reluctance for a fight.

Zhou Ying watched as the thing shuffled closer, growing puzzled: this 'Mummy' hadn't exhibited any magic so far, and its movements were so slow that any opponent slightly faster than a tortoise would surely outpace it. How could it fight anyone? Did it have some powerful trick it hadn't revealed yet? Zhou Ying was naturally cautious; despite the opponent seeming riddled with openings, he waited patiently for it to draw near before making a move, remaining fully alert.

"Woo-woo-woo-woo... Oh-oh-oh-oh..." The 'Mummy' finally reached Zhou Ying but showed no sign of attack; instead, it pressed its mouth, also wrapped in white cloth, almost against Zhou Ying’s face and began vocalizing, "Woo-woo-oh-oh."

Could this be the creature's method of attack? While somewhat repulsive, it seemed harmless. Zhou Ying thought this, shook his head, and prepared to return to the car. As long as he didn't truly infuriate it, he didn't want to casually kill the thing.

Zhou Ying chose to back away, but the 'Mummy' pressed forward step by step, spreading its arms wide and draping itself over the hood of the car, still making its 'woo-woo' sounds. Zhou Ying simply backed the car up a short distance, then turned around and drove off. The 'Mummy' watched Zhou Ying escape with wide eyes, hopping up and down in frustration on the spot. Its movements were severely hampered; after venting its anger with more "woo-woos" for a while, it resumed its slow pace in pursuit.

Having unintentionally stumbled upon the motorcycle robbery gang, Sun Jian's enthusiasm for his private patrols increased. Today, he didn't even wait for dark; he drove out to the Outer Ring Road right after work. As he wandered aimlessly near the spot where the plastic officer usually stood, he didn't see the large doll, but instead spotted a traffic officer busy at work. Sun Jian approached and saw that the plastic officer had again been cut into pieces, looking much like the one he saw the other night. The officer was grumbling angrily, "These people are going too far!" while forcefully tossing the severed fragments one by one into the truck bed of a nearby car. After clearing the debris from the ground, he brought a brand-new plastic officer out of the vehicle and set it back up in its place. Sun Jian helped him push, and with combined effort, the plastic officer was set upright.

"How many is this this month!" the traffic officer said, dusting off his uniform and lighting a cigarette offered by Sun Jian, still clearly annoyed. "Thank goodness the sponsoring unit made us twenty initially, otherwise we wouldn't be able to keep up with replacing them!"

"What exactly is going on here?" Sun Jian asked, taking a rag from his car to wipe dust off the plastic officer. "I was on duty near here the night before last and saw this thing completely dismantled. I fixed it up with tape."

"..." The officer glanced at Sun Jian. "So, it was you. My colleagues and I were wondering which delinquent would not only chop it up but then wrap it up like a mummy."

Sun Jian chuckled sheepishly. "I intended to use clear tape, but I only had white medical tape on hand." Chatting intermittently with the officer, Sun Jian learned just how hard this plastic policeman had to 'work' on this road. Ever since its installation, people had been constantly scribbling on it or carving messages with small knives as souvenirs. Later, it escalated to drilling holes, setting it on fire, or knocking out one of its eyes. Recently, the vandalism intensified into outright destruction. "It’s not easy doing our job..." Sun Jian patted the figure and sighed deeply.

The traffic cop finished dealing with the plastic policeman incident and gave Sun Jian a quick nod before leaving. Soon after, the rush hour traffic subsided, the vehicles on the road thinned out, and the sky gradually darkened. Sun Jian strolled back and forth for a while before deciding to retrieve a cigarette from the car he'd borrowed that day to freshen up. Before he even reached his parking spot, he was drawn off course by a burst of boisterous laughter. He saw a group of oddly dressed young people surrounding the brand-new plastic policeman display, scribbling graffiti on it for amusement. As Sun Jian approached, the figure already sported two large black circles around its eyes and a drawn-on beard; its upper torso was defaced with a pair of crudely written, symmetrical couplets that were utterly vulgar. Now, these street artists were preparing to continue their work on its legs. Sun Jian frowned and shouted, "What are you doing!"

Those "artists" merely glanced back at Sun Jian with disdain. One even flipped him the middle finger before turning back to their creative endeavor.

"Are you deaf? I asked you something!" Sun Jian walked over and tapped the metal guardrail with his hand.

One of the artists roared back, "You dare meddle in the Elder’s business? You looking to die? Beat it!"

With a loud clang, Sun Jian punched the stainless steel guardrail right in front of them, leaving a noticeable dent. "Vandalizing public property and acting so arrogant? You people need a beating!"

The complexions of those artists immediately turned ashen. Seeing Sun Jian’s defiant posture, which seemed even wilder than their own, they threw over their shoulders, "You just wait," and slunk away sheepishly.

"No civic virtue whatsoever! I despise people who destroy public facilities the most!" Sun Jian leaned against the guardrail he’d just bent, muttering, and pulled out a handkerchief, beginning to vigorously scrub the drawings off the plastic policeman. After restoring the plastic officer's decorum, Sun Jian hummed a tune and walked toward the corner where his car was parked. Before he got close, sounds of shattering glass, the clang of metal hitting metal, and the roar of motorcycle engines all assaulted his ears.

Sun Jian rushed over with a terrible premonition. He saw several motorcycles speeding back and forth; each was carrying two people—the rider driving in front, and the passenger behind wielding an iron bar, a chain, or something similar. They were repeatedly smashing the vehicle while laughing loudly. Sun Jian, gripped by anger and anxiety, yelled as he charged forward to stop them. Those people clearly paid him, the owner, no mind. Before Sun Jian could get near, a massive crash echoed as the front windshield was smashed to pieces. The lead rider gave Sun Jian the middle finger, his mouth still spewing curses about how busybodies meet bad ends.

When he finally reached the area, Sun Jian realized he was completely surrounded by the motorcycles. The riders swung their weapons and smiled at him menacingly.

"I'm a police officer!" Sun Jian flashed his badge with one hand while pointing at the leader with the other. "Do you know the penalty for assaulting an officer!" The group’s smiles instantly vanished. They had initially intended to retaliate against Sun Jian, the meddling kid, for what happened earlier that evening, relying on the cover of the late hour and their numerical superiority, thinking he would be helpless prey for them to deal with. They hadn't expected him to be a cop. They exchanged glances; without anyone taking the lead, the motorcycles roared off in a sudden dispersal.

Sun Jian didn't bother giving chase. He first rushed to inspect the car he'd borrowed: all the glass was smashed, and the bodywork was covered in dents and scratches. Looking closer, three out of the four tires were punctured, and a rearview mirror was missing. Even the snacks and bottled water Sun Jian had left on the seat for a late-night bite were gone.

Sun Jian was so furious he stamped his foot. Although it was a used car, it was his colleague's pride and joy. He had even snatched the keys while his colleague was working late tonight. He couldn't even imagine the consequences if his colleague found out he’d totaled the car less than half a day after borrowing it. "Guess I'll just have to drive it to a repair shop first," he muttered, squatting by the roadside, clutching his head, after a long moment of deliberation. He then pulled out his phone: "Zhou Ying, can you recommend a repair shop that’s cheap, does good work, and is fast? ... What, you don't know one? ... Then which one are you familiar enough with to get a discount? Yes, I've been in a 'collision.' I'm heading there now. Meet me outside the shop you recommend!"