“I gave the talisman to Yesheng for safekeeping. My health is weak, and I couldn’t withstand the backlash of the talisman.” Yu Qianming sighed. “After all, you know how that talisman came to be. When a person does something against their conscience, they will eventually feel uneasy.”

Ji Chenjiao asked, “So you admit that Luo Manchai was your ‘Feng Shui Fish’? To ward off disaster for yourself, you hired someone to kill her? And the vegetable market owner, Yong Huihao?”

Yu Qianming didn’t react much. “I don’t know who the ‘Feng Shui Fish’ is.”

Ji Chenjiao frowned. “What do you mean?”

Yu Qianming seemed not to hear Ji Chenjiao, muttering to himself, “I don’t have many years left. It’s very likely I won’t make it past this hurdle. Those who possess too much fear losing it the most. I tried every method just to live a few more years. The Master said that as long as someone blocks the disaster for me—gives their life to me—I can live longer.”

Ji Chenjiao: “Who is the Master?”

Yu Qianming: “We have collaborated for many years. I trust him. He gave me the talismans. Who gets killed is something calculated by him and the Master; all I receive is the talisman.”

Yu Qianming spoke incoherently. “That earlier time, I also received a talisman, and my health seemed to improve a bit. I also wanted to know who the ‘Feng Shui Fish’ was, but knowing seemed to be bad for me. They didn’t say, and I didn’t ask.”

Ji Chenjiao was startled. “Besides Luo Manchai and Yong Huihao, who else?”

Yu Qianming shook his head. “You were the one who told me about these two. I don’t know about anyone else.”

There were more than two victims. Ji Chenjiao suddenly felt a heavy cloud pressing down on him. “How many talismans did you receive in total?”

“Three,” Yu Qianming said. “But once I got a new talisman, the old one became useless, so I disposed of it.”

Ji Chenjiao: “When was the first time?”

Yu Qianming thought for a long time. “February of this year.”

Ji Chenjiao calmed down, discerning the truthfulness of Yu Qianming’s words.

Yong Huihao’s death had originally been classified as a homicide where the killer produced and sold the weapon himself. It was only after the Serious Crimes Unit grasped the clue of the “talisman” and re-investigated various districts that they traced it to Yong Huihao. Before Yong Huihao, it was indeed possible there were other victims! It was just that the longer time passed, the harder the investigation became.

Now, Yu Qianming had essentially admitted to hiring a contract killer, but who exactly were the “Master” and “He” he spoke of?

Ji Chenjiao probed again, “Since you’ve already said this much, why go through the trouble of hiding who gave you the talisman?”

Yu Qianming fell silent again. Half a minute later, he looked blankly ahead and said, “‘Floating Light’. The one I collaborate with is ‘Floating Light’.”

It was as if a clap of thunder had struck above Ji Chenjiao’s head. He forcibly suppressed his reaction and asked again, “You and ‘Floating Light’ have been collaborating for many years?”

Yu Qianming nodded, acting as if he was so sick he no longer cared about anything. “The larger the conglomerate, the more it needs a bodyguard team hiding in the shadows to escort it. What use are those security guards in the light? If it weren’t for ‘Floating Light’, I’m afraid I would have long since fallen victim to the black hands of my competitors.”

Countless questions surged in Ji Chenjiao’s heart. “Floating Light” might have infiltrated the country even earlier than the police realized! And the Yu Corporation was likely not the only one establishing contact with “Floating Light”! Then what about “Snow Child”? Was the circulation of “Snow Child” also related to the Yu Corporation?

This last question was particularly important. Ji Chenjiao asked, “‘Snow Child’ is also in your hands?”

Yu Qianming asked in genuine confusion, “What Child?”

Ji Chenjiao couldn’t tell if he was pretending or truly didn’t know. All he could do now was extract as much intelligence as possible from Yu Qianming. “What kind of organization is ‘Floating Light’? How did you connect with them?”

Yu Qianming gave a dry laugh. “A foreign hitman group, from the north. They have quite a history. The business world isn’t simple, you know. There are some people—if they are alive, you can’t be alive. So you have to strike first. That is what ‘Floating Light’ does.”

“Who else does ‘Floating Light’ work for?”

“I don’t know. I pay the money, they kill the people. We don’t interfere with anything else.”

“Who is your contact? Since the cooperation is so close, surely you must have met.”

“Of course,” Yu Qianming said. “But knowing won’t do you any good. They are just codenames. One is called ‘Nasheng’ (Scream/Cry), the other is called ‘Grey Peacock’.”

At this moment, the instruments at the bedside suddenly began to scream. Medical staff rushed in. Yu Qianming’s condition had deteriorated, and the interrogation had to stop.

Ji Chenjiao stood to the side, watching the medical staff resuscitate Yu Qianming. Yu Qianming’s eyes remained fixed on him, and he suddenly asked weakly, “Officer Ji, where are you from?”

Ji Chenjiao paused, unsure of Yu Qianming’s intent with this question.

Yu Qianming added, “Just casual chat. You’ve asked me so many questions; it’s not excessive for me to ask two, is it?”

Ji Chenjiao wanted to say Liyun City, but swallowed the words and changed his answer: “A local of Xia Rong.”

Yu Qianming nodded. “Your parents…”

Ji Chenjiao didn’t want to mention Ji Nuocheng and Zhou Yun. As for his biological parents, he had absolutely no clues and didn’t care. “They passed away.”

Yu Qianming nodded again and didn’t speak further.

---

At the Serious Crimes Unit, Ling Lie had already returned from Zhaoxia County. The investigation over the past two days was considered major progress; the truth was close at hand, and the team members were all energized.

The injury on Ling Lie’s forehead also received much attention. His fanboy, Shen Qi, was heartbroken and immediately contributed ice from his mini-fridge to apply to Ling Lie, only to be shooed away by Ji Chenjiao.

Shen Qi cursed and muttered, “What’s wrong with Brother Captain? My brother is injured; can’t I even show some concern? Only he’s allowed to care, but I’m not? Does he have mini ice cubes? No!”

An Xun said, “Um… perhaps… for Brother Lie’s type of injury, you shouldn’t apply ice cubes?”

Shen Qi snapped, “You’re just a forensic doctor, what do you know?!”

An Xun had a good temper, but he absolutely could not tolerate anyone looking down on his profession. He immediately exploded, “Did forensic medicine eat your family’s rice?”

The two chased each other away. Ji Chenjiao suppressed the urge to check Ling Lie’s wound and held a meeting with Liang Wenxian, Xi Wan, and the other team members to assign tasks.

As everyone dispersed, Ling Lie tried to slip away too, but Ji Chenjiao immediately grabbed his wrist. “Where do you think you’re running?”

Ling Lie struggled in a weird fashion, like a cat with its paws caught, scratching at the back of Ji Chenjiao’s hand. “I have work to do!”

Ji Chenjiao pressed him into a chair, then leaned on the armrests, moving in close to examine his forehead.

Ling Lie held his hands over his chest. “Oh my, oh my, you scared me to death!”

Ji Chenjiao: “?”

Ling Lie: “Are you going to kiss me? Saliva has bacteria; do you want me to get an infection?”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Kiss my ass!

Seeing the speechlessness in Ji Chenjiao’s eyes, Ling Lie feigned shock. “What! You’ve ‘chair-donned’ me here, breathing all over my face, and you’re not going to kiss? You’ve even taken off your pants…”

At that moment, Shen Qi and An Xun, who had fought their way back, stood dumbfounded outside the door.

Shen Qi: “Noble forensic doctor, did you hear what my Brother Lie just said?”

An Xun: “He said the Captain took off his pants.”

Shen Qi craned his neck desperately. “But my Brother Captain’s pants are still on properly, aren’t they?”

An Xun displayed the retrospective spirit of forensic medicine. “Maybe he took them off earlier?”

Shen Qi turned around like a robot and patted An Xun. “We’d better not casually watch people taking off their pants.”

People came and went outside the door. Ji Chenjiao wished he could flick Ling Lie hard on the forehead, but remembering the man’s psychogenic deafness, he held back.

But there was no psychological burden in using his words. “Excuse me, what virtue or ability do you possess that would make me kiss you?”

Going out on field duty and getting yourself into this state—worrying people and still wanting a kiss?

Ling Lie spoke righteously: “Don’t TV dramas always act it out like this? A pair of loving partners, one gets injured, the other tearfully kisses his wound? If you ask me, this is a terrible example and should be strictly boycotted! Kissing not only fails to reduce the pain but might also cause a secondary infection!”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Ling Lie continued: “The one kissing gets psychological self-satisfaction, the one being kissed continues to get infected. In the end, a world where only the injured person is hurt is achieved. Yep, yep!”

Ji Chenjiao finally couldn’t hold back and gently knocked on Ling Lie’s forehead. “I told you not to watch trashy TV dramas!”

Ling Lie immediately got teary-eyed. “Everyone is responsible for opposing domestic violence. For police officers, the crime of domestic violence is one degree more severe!”

Ji Chenjiao sat in the chair next to him, tired.

Yesterday and the day before, while Ling Lie was in Zhaoxia County, his heart was full of longing. Now that Ling Lie was back, he was just infuriating him. What “a world where only the injured person is hurt is achieved”? Clearly, a world where only Captain Ji is hurt has been achieved!

Ji Chenjiao glanced at Ling Lie. Hah, this thing was glancing at him too. Thinking about Ling Lie’s words just now, Ji Chenjiao felt relieved again. Ling Lie had said “partners” (beloved couple). Although the word was a bit melodramatic, he had said they were partners.

Ji Chenjiao beckoned with his hand. Ling Lie came over. Ji Chenjiao confirmed his injury wasn’t serious, hooked his arm around Ling Lie’s neck, and gently kissed the area beside his wound.

Ling Lie exclaimed, “Infection imminent! Infection imminent! A world where only the injured person is hurt has truly been achieved!”

Ji Chenjiao said grumpily, “I kissed next to it!”

Ling Lie always had something to say anyway. “What’s the point of kissing there? Told you to stop watching trashy dramas. So melodramatic!”

Ji Chenjiao couldn’t win the argument, so he simply grabbed the man to hold a small meeting.

The clues were now clear. Both the Rongmei and the Talisman threads led to the Yu Corporation. regarding the Talisman thread, Yu Qianming had already admitted to buying hits out of superstition and had implicated “Floating Light”.

Ji Chenjiao carefully observed Ling Lie’s reaction. Last time, when they learned that the predecessor of “Floating Light” was “Chenjin”, and that “Chenjin” was right around them, Ling Lie had experienced severe emotional fluctuations. But this time, Ling Lie seemed to no longer fear this childhood shadow.

“Yu Qianming means that ‘Floating Light’ established connections with large domestic enterprises like the Yu Group long ago. Things big corporations dare not do, but must do, are handed over to ‘Floating Light’, and ‘Floating Light’ collects huge commissions,” Ling Lie said. “This is similar to ‘Chenjin’s’ old methods. But ‘Floating Light’ is much more restrained than ‘Chenjin’.”

Ji Chenjiao said, “Yu Qianming admitted he was gravely ill and senile, becoming increasingly superstitious and seeking help from ‘Floating Light’. ‘Floating Light’ told him about the ‘Feng Shui Fish’, so he asked ‘Floating Light’ to find and kill the ‘Feng Shui Fish’ for him. Up to this point, it’s consistent. But I keep feeling something isn’t quite right.”

Ling Lie asked, “What’s wrong?”

Ji Chenjiao said, “He confessed too quickly. Our current evidence isn’t enough to convict him, it just gives us a basis for further investigation. Also, Brother Liang told me a detail: Yu Qianming gave the talisman to Yu Yesheng for safekeeping. This Yu Yesheng is a waste of space; he was the one who exposed the talisman to you, and we found the talisman on him. Logically speaking, Yu Qianming shouldn’t have let Yu Yesheng keep the talisman.”

Ling Lie: “You think this is a trap?”

Ji Chenjiao shook his head. “I just feel it’s not that simple.”

Pausing, Ji Chenjiao added, “The way Yu Qianming looked at me was a bit off.”

Ling Lie: “Hm? Off in what way?”

Ji Chenjiao pondered how to describe that feeling, but ultimately couldn’t find the right words. “Before I left, he asked where my hometown was and who my parents were.”

Ling Lie’s eyes suddenly flickered.

Ji Chenjiao: “What is it?”

Ling Lie: “You saw Yu Yesheng too, right? Don’t you think you look a bit alike, especially the chin?”

Ling Lie had mentioned this last time, but Ji Chenjiao hadn’t taken it seriously. When he saw Yu Yesheng, he hadn’t observed him carefully. After all, their resemblance was only in local features; put their whole faces together and they didn’t look that much alike. Normal people wouldn’t go around checking if other people’s facial contours looked like their own.

Ji Chenjiao frowned. For Ling Lie to bring it up now, it must be because he had a hypothesis. Combined with Yu Qianming’s strange questions…

“Known fact: Yu Qin’s child was lost. Known fact: Yu Qianming took me back from Linglan Xiang to act as a double for the real young master, Yu Ge. Known fact: You, me, and Yu Ge are the same age. Further known fact: You and Yu Yesheng share a resemblance. Known fact: Yu Qianming asked about your background.” Ling Lie’s expression turned serious. “Although the possibility is small, I have to consider: Could you be the real Yu Ge?”

Ji Chenjiao’s frown deepened. This was an absurdly preposterous guess, yet he couldn’t find concrete evidence to deny it. He had absolutely no memory of his life before coming to Linglan Xiang. But actually, he shouldn’t be blank; he should have had memories then, yet for some reason, he couldn’t remember the past, just like Xu Jiajia who had been given an overdose of drugs…

But he also knew he wasn’t completely devoid of impressions of the past. He would dream of a gentle woman whose face he couldn’t see. The woman would hold him, call his name, and hum a melodious song. She might have been his mother, but he couldn’t hear what name she was calling.

He would also dream of himself executing unfamiliar missions. In the dream, he wasn’t Ji Chenjiao; he had another name. But as soon as he woke up, he couldn’t recall the name from the dream.

“The woman I’ve dreamed about,” Ji Chenjiao said. “Although I don’t know who she is, she absolutely cannot be Yu Qin.”

Ling Lie had heard Ji Chenjiao talk about this dream. If Ji Chenjiao were Yu Ge, then Yu Qin would be Ji Chenjiao’s mother. Assuming the dream was a projection of forgotten memories, the person projected from Ji Chenjiao’s dream was not Yu Qin.

“…Actually, answering this question isn’t hard.” Ling Lie thought for a moment and said, “We don’t need to go through formal identification channels; we just need to get Yu Qin’s DNA.”

Ji Chenjiao fell silent. Identifying kinship was a very simple matter nowadays, but for some reason, he didn’t want to do it. He was certain the woman in his dream wasn’t Yu Qin. That was a gentle, kind woman who spoke softly. Yu Qin, however, was ruthless and vicious.

But where did the “evil” he had sensed since childhood come from?

From the moment he had memories, he was in the welfare institute. The welfare institute didn’t teach evil. He was so small; the evil must have come from his bloodline. This was also why he had always been unwilling to search for his biological parents. Subconsciously, he felt that one of them must have sinful blood flowing in their veins.

Now Yu Qin had appeared. Was she the giver of his innate evil?

Ling Lie suddenly stepped forward, cupped Ji Chenjiao’s face, and gently pinched it.

Ji Chenjiao snapped back to reality. “Hm?”

“We won’t test it,” Ling Lie repeated. “We won’t test it.”

Ji Chenjiao heard that Ling Lie was comforting him and wanted to explain, but Ling Lie spoke again: “Our Xiao Ji is so good, how could he possibly be a child of the Yu family?”

Ji Chenjiao sighed. “Then whose child should I be?”

“A Bodhisattva’s,” Ling Lie grinned. “Back when you let me stay at your place, didn’t I often say you were a male Bodhisattva?”

His lover’s bright smile was right before his eyes. That radiance seemed to shine into Ji Chenjiao’s heart, washing away the sticky, filthy mud. He felt a bit lighter. “Since there is this possibility, we still have to investigate. Kinship doesn’t strictly require Yu Qin’s DNA; others’ will do too.”

For the first time, Ling Lie regretted the words he had spoken. It was strange; he was a police officer. If he suspected something, he should say it. He had never cared about other people’s feelings before—even with Xiao Yuan and Ming Shu, he would be as prickly as needed.

But this time was different. The words he spoke made his Xiao Ji feel bad. He wanted to take the words back, but Xiao Ji had already made a decision a step ahead.

Ling Lie’s expression was somewhat unusual, seeming to be full of self-blame and sadness. Ji Chenjiao smoothed back his bangs and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”

Ling Lie opened his large eyes, which were filled with grievance, and suddenly opened his arms. “Xiao Ji, give me a hug.”

Ji Chenjiao was bewildered by this sudden coquettishness. By the time he reacted, Ling Lie had already run into his arms like a leopard, burying his face in his shoulder and patting his back.

For a moment, it was hard to tell who was seeking warmth and who was giving it.

---

Due to Yu Qianming’s confession, the Yu Corporation faced a comprehensive investigation. This was no longer just the work of the Serious Crimes Unit, or even just the Criminal Investigation Detachment. Xie Qing called Ji Chenjiao in for a talk to ask for his thoughts.

“The Serious Crimes Unit can’t handle the Yu Group’s economic crimes as well. My focus is still the ‘Feng Shui Fish’. Yu Qianming said that before Luo Manchai and Yong Huihao, he bought a hit on another person. We need to confirm who that person is.” Ji Chenjiao had discussed this with Ling Lie earlier, so his train of thought was very clear. “Then there is ‘Floating Light’. The Special Operations Team is investigating ‘Floating Light’, but the clues Shen Xun and the others have are mainly about ‘Snow Child’. We have a different thread—’Floating Light’ acting as hitmen for multiple large enterprises.”

Xie Qing nodded. “What about the Rongmei side? Is the police force sufficient to handle it?”

Ji Chenjiao said, “The experts’ appraisal report is coming out soon. Rongmei, along with three other county projects of the Yu Group, very likely mimic the sacrificial altar formation on the small island. Right now, we can’t find evidence that they started the fire, but Ling Lie and I judge that while they certainly didn’t cause the fire, they utilized it.”

Xie Qing had also systematically understood the layout of Rongmei. “Junior Brother, let me pour some cold water on this. Even if the experts determine that Rongmei mimicked the altar, we can at most criticize the Yu family from the angle of engaging in feudal superstition.”

“But from the number of people required for the sacrifice, we deduced that before Rongmei was built, one person might have been murdered, because twelve people died in the fire, but the sacrifice requires an odd number.” Ji Chenjiao said, “Ling Lie found a man named Zhan Jun in Rongmei. This man claims to be the criminal police officer Yin Hanshan, killed in Rongmei. Zhan Jun’s attending physician, Zhuo Suyi, has gone missing. We highly suspect that Zhuo Suyi implanted this ‘memory’ of Yin Hanshan into him.”

Xie Qing frowned. “Yin Hanshan…”

Ji Chenjiao noticed something amiss. “Captain Xie, do you know this person?”

Xie Qing recalled for a moment. “I have an impression. I was still working under Master back then.”

Ji Chenjiao’s heartbeat accelerated. Did this matter involve Ning Xiechen as well?

He quickly said, “Ling Lie and I knew about this person when investigating the Feng City case. Feng City has a case that has gone unsolved for seventeen years. Both we and Yin Hanshan were investigating this case, and it is very likely related to the Yu family’s second-in-command, Yu Qin! Yin Hanshan went missing eight years ago…”

Ji Chenjiao paused. Eight years ago. Yin Hanshan went missing eight years ago. The fire in Zhaoxia County was nine years ago, and Rongmei started construction eight years ago, paused midway for unknown reasons, and only resumed construction half a year later.

“I remember now,” Xie Qing said. “Yin Hanshan frequently sought out Master during that time. He was indeed investigating a case, probably the one you mentioned. Master had intentions of helping him investigate, but for some reason, not long after, he disappeared.”

Ji Chenjiao asked urgently, “Disappeared? You mean missing? Did Master not support him?”

Xie Qing shook his head. “I don’t know. I was running around outside a lot back then. I never saw that man again and assumed he had gone back. Master never mentioned him to me.”

Storm clouds shifted in Ji Chenjiao’s mind; names twisted the clues into a tangled mess.

It now appeared that Bi Jiang’s death was inextricably linked to the Yu family. Yin Hanshan had traced it all the way to Xiarong City, and Ning Xiechen likely knew of Yin Hanshan’s ideas.

Yin Hanshan might have already traced it to the Yu family’s head and been silenced by the Yu family, serving perfectly as the final person needed for Rongmei’s construction.

Now, a doctor of unknown origin from abroad was using Zhan Jun’s mouth to speak of Yin Hanshan. Was this to cry out for justice and revenge for Yin Hanshan? Or to expose the Yu Corporation’s crimes? Or perhaps both?

Regardless, the line connecting Bi Jiang – Yin Hanshan – The Yu Family was thoroughly linked. Then what about Ning Xiechen’s disappearance? Was it related to this matter too?

Furthermore, “Floating Light”.

“Floating Light” had a cooperative relationship with the Yu family. Was the evil committed by the Yu family in Rongmei executed by “Floating Light”?

Excluding some people the police couldn’t reach for the time being, the siblings Yu Qianming and Yu Qin held the biggest suspicions. Yu Qianming admitted to his crimes too simply, spitting out “Floating Light” with ease. Meanwhile, Yu Qin was the person in charge of the county projects back then. If the deduction was accurate, she definitely had something to do with the deaths of Yin Hanshan and Bi Jiang.

—Could you be the real Yu Ge?

Ling Lie’s words echoed in his mind again. Ji Chenjiao spaced out for a moment, his gaze suddenly freezing.

Xie Qing said, “Investigating a large enterprise like the Yu Group requires extreme caution. I’ll send the Second Criminal Investigation Team over to increase manpower. Regarding Yin Hanshan, I’ll ask around Feng City again.”

Ji Chenjiao finished reporting the situation. Just as he was about to leave, Xie Qing stopped him again. “I heard what you meant just now. You suspect Yu Qianming is setting a trap for us?”

Ji Chenjiao said, “Not necessarily a trap, but he should have an objective. He gave the talisman, which can serve as evidence, to his stupidest son for safekeeping, which raises the suspicion that he intentionally let the police detect it. Given the degree of binding between the Yu family and ‘Floating Light’, he also shouldn’t have spit out ‘Floating Light’ this early.”

Xie Qing pondered, “Could it be diverting the conflict, making the police officially confront ‘Floating Light’, stimulating ‘Floating Light’ to assassinate police officers?”

Ji Chenjiao frowned, immediately thinking of Ling Lie.

“That is a relatively bad possibility,” Xie Qing said. “So we must be even more cautious to avoid falling into a trap.”

After leaving Xie Qing’s office, Ji Chenjiao called Ling Lie. As soon as it connected, he immediately asked, “Where are you?”