The weather had turned cold. Today, Ling Lie made pork ribs stew with ginkgo nuts. While stir-frying the green vegetables, he called out for Ji Chenjiao to come serve the soup. He called several times, but there was no response. Holding the spatula, he clung to the kitchen door and looked out. Hey! Ji Chenjiao, this guy who usually just waited for food to be served, was standing on the balcony, braving the cold wind and striking a pose!

“Xia Chengshi!” Ling Lie roared violently. “The comedian has already cooked for you, is this acceptable behavior?!”

Only then did Ji Chenjiao snap out of it and silently set the table. He was thinking about the case and couldn’t spare the energy to spar with Ling Lie, so his movements appeared particularly obedient and honest, like a henpecked husband.

Ling Lie rustled as he gnawed on the ribs, while Ji Chenjiao chewed on the greens one by one. Halfway through the meal, Ji Chenjiao suddenly sighed.

Ling Lie, with a rib in his mouth, started laughing.

Ji Chenjiao looked at him in confusion.

Ling Lie: “For Double Twelve, shall we buy a bottle of Bawang [shampoo]?”

Ji Chenjiao immediately looked at the top of Ling Lie’s head. “You’re losing hair? Going bald?”

Ling Lie spoke earnestly, “It’s still early for me. Even when I’m seventy or eighty, my hair will still be as dense as a forest. I’m worried about you, Student Xia Chengshi.”

Ji Chenjiao snorted and tugged at his own hair. “Don’t worry, it’s very strong.”

“But you use your brain so much every day; we have to plan for a rainy day, right?” Ling Lie said. “Look at you, thinking so hard you’re sighing.”

Ji Chenjiao said, “I can’t find the core connection between Zhang Chunquan’s suicide and the previous two cases. Also, what is the purpose of ‘Glimmer’ making them disappear and then sending them back? I thought about ‘Glimmer’ conducting ‘Snow Child’ experiments on them, but Zhang Chunquan hadn’t come into contact with any drugs at all.”

Ling Lie put down his chopsticks. “I’ve also been thinking about the connection between them all day.”

Ji Chenjiao raised an eyebrow. “Figured it out?”

Ling Lie: “If I figured it out, would I still be struggling to chop ribs? I would have claimed credit from you long ago!”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Ling Lie muttered, “The big knife can’t be swung at the enemy, can only be swung at the ribs, barely venting some anger.”

Ji Chenjiao clicked his tongue and picked up a piece of rib.

Ling Lie, however, said, “But just now, I suddenly saw a glimmer of light.”

“Hm?”

“You and I are both troubled by this matter, unable to grasp that existing hidden thread no matter what. Does that mean that hidden thread doesn’t exist at all?”

Ji Chenjiao frowned deeply in thought for a moment. “You mean our direction was wrong from the beginning?”

Ling Lie nodded. “Actually, before Brother Qi confirmed that Zhang Chunquan had used the ‘Glimmer’ dark web, we intentionally or unintentionally linked him with ‘Glimmer’ because he had disappeared, and Yong and Tang had also disappeared. But what if he only used ‘Glimmer’s’ dark web? Anyone can use the ‘Glimmer’ dark web, but not everyone who has used it is connected to ‘Glimmer’!”

The “Glimmer” dark web and “Glimmer” were actually two different concepts.

“Glimmer” was a criminal organization with influence spread across the north and west of the country, born out of “Chenjin.” The “Glimmer” dark web, on the other hand, was a criminal network born relying on “Glimmer.”

The people in the “Glimmer” organization included mercenaries, drug traffickers, hackers, and many other identities. Their leader was “Black Peacock,” and it was a systematic and strict entity. But the people on the “Glimmer” dark web didn’t know each other’s identities; they used the dark web to engage in crime, but they did not belong to “Glimmer.”

Ji Chenjiao’s expression became increasingly serious. “The disappearance of Zhang Chunquan and the others might not be the work of the ‘Glimmer’ organization, but another group of people using the ‘Glimmer’ dark web to commit crimes?”

Ling Lie said, “Thinking about it this way, doesn’t it suddenly become clear? The ‘Glimmer’ dark web is a hive where countless crimes are brewing, but can you say they were all instigated by ‘Glimmer’? No, ‘Glimmer’ is just a tool.”

However, this explanation was far more terrifying than “Glimmer” being a criminal organization, because it was like a virus. All the crimes it bred were spontaneous, spreading frantically!

Ji Chenjiao pinched the bridge of his nose to calm himself down. Separating “Glimmer” into the organization and the dark web was indeed something that had to be done. But one point was clear now: the deaths of Yong Huihao and Tang Qi were the work of the “Glimmer” organization.

The “Glimmer” organization was currently hiding its tracks and might be unrelated to Zhang Chunquan’s death, so…

Ji Chenjiao slowly said, “Someone, or a group, committed crimes against Yong, Tang, and Zhang using the ‘Glimmer’ dark web. They were temporarily imprisoned somewhere and released after a period of time. This experience had different impacts on each of them. Zhang Chunquan’s personality changed drastically, and he eventually chose suicide.”

“While Yong Huihao and Tang Qi didn’t change much, or perhaps they did change, but too much time had passed, so we couldn’t find out. Every transaction users make on the dark web, the owner of the dark web can see if they want to. Users are transparent to them, but users cannot see the owner of the dark web.”

Ji Chenjiao stood up and paced a few steps. “‘Glimmer’ got rid of Yong Huihao and Tang Qi, still using the name of ‘Feng Shui Fish.’ Why did Bai Lingxue intervene?”

Ling Lie said, “Could it be that ‘Glimmer’ judged these people would block their way?”

“Block what way?”

“Not sure. Maybe Yong and Tang showed tendencies of losing control after returning. No one knows what the consequences of them losing control would be. Maybe exposing ‘Glimmer’ prematurely? At that time, Bai Lingxue was still setting up his layout; he couldn’t let anyone disrupt his plan.”

The room fell silent; both were thinking rapidly. This seemed like a reasonable explanation. Whether it was reasonable or not was secondary; more importantly, they couldn’t find any other explanation right now.

Ling Lie started gnawing on the ribs again. Ji Chenjiao crossed his arms. “Is this ‘Glimmer’s’ true goal?”

Ling Lie looked up. “Hm?”

“No matter how strong ‘Chenjin’ was, it was eventually besieged. ‘Glimmer’ is also equivalent to a lone army. But a sufficiently powerful dark web will be an army of thousands.” Ji Chenjiao felt a chill. Countless people using “Glimmer” would eventually become members of “Glimmer.”

Ling Lie said, “Xiao Yu’an used to say I don’t like looking at the long term.”

Ji Chenjiao was surprised by his sudden change of topic.

“I just don’t like looking at the long term because I can’t see it. I can’t even see my own future clearly, how can I look at others’?” Ling Lie smiled. “So compared to the macro big picture, I prefer focusing on the small things in front of me.”

Ji Chenjiao took a few seconds to understand his meaning. “Focus on the two cases in front of us, focus on that group using ‘Glimmer’ to create disappearances, right?”

After speaking, Ji Chenjiao suddenly froze, as if remembering something important.

Ling Lie looked at him. “Xiao Ji?”

Ji Chenjiao immediately took out his phone and searched for recent disappearance news in other provinces. “I remember a while ago, people went missing in several places…”

Ling Lie, holding his bowl, came to his side, and the two leaned together to read the news.

“Strange disappearances happened at least twice—last November and this summer,” Ji Chenjiao said. “It wouldn’t be strange if there was a third time. Maybe Yong Huihao and the others were taken to other provinces to commit crimes on the move?”

The idea was there, but the disappearances all happened in other provinces, so they couldn’t intervene in the investigation immediately.

“Eat, eat.” Ling Lie swirled the spoon in the soup. “The soup is cold.”

Ji Chenjiao also stepped away from the brainstorming session just now, but as the chaotic clues settled, one sentence mixed among them stood out exceptionally clearly.

— I can’t even see my own future clearly.

As Ling Lie drank the soup, he noticed Ji Chenjiao staring at him with a somewhat strange gaze.

“Is rice leaking from my mouth?” Ling Lie hurriedly touched his chin several times. “Not leaking.”

“Ling Lie.” Ji Chenjiao called his name seriously.

Ling Lie was stunned for a moment, then laughed. “Xiao Ji, every time you call me seriously, I feel shy. Do you know why?”

Ji Chenjiao didn’t speak.

Ling Lie answered his own question. “Because when you call people, it’s so sexy and pure!”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

After teasing, Ling Lie wanted to leave, but his hand was grabbed by Ji Chenjiao.

“Eh?”

“Still can’t see the future clearly now?” Ji Chenjiao sat, looking up at Ling Lie standing beside him.

The warm-toned light above the dining table enveloped them, illuminating Ling Lie’s eyelashes until they were transparent like feathers in the sunlight.

Ling Lie’s hand twitched slightly, but Ji Chenjiao held it firmly.

“I… um…”

“It was in the past that you couldn’t see clearly, right?” Ji Chenjiao said. “Now, together with me, can you still not see clearly?”

Ling Lie hadn’t thought about this question. Previously, he always felt that one day he would live a life far away from the world. Having braved death all these years, he actually had a very substantial savings, enough to live a good life in any city. But he had no plans to stay long-term, owned no property. He couldn’t step on solid ground; he was a drifting person.

But he was caught by Ji Chenjiao. Ji Chenjiao asked him, can you still not see the future clearly now?

He was rarely stumped by a question, but this time he didn’t know how to answer.

Ji Chenjiao stood up, clasped the back of his neck, and kissed him.

When they parted, Ji Chenjiao’s dark gaze shone into his pupils. He heard Ji Chenjiao ask, “Can you see me in your future?”

Ling Lie opened his mouth but made no sound.

Ji Chenjiao kissed him again, very lightly and shallowly this time, then said against his lips, “It doesn’t matter if you can’t see clearly for now, or can’t see at all. Anyway, I’m holding onto you. I’ve already seen my future clearly. You are there; you have always been there.”

---

During the day, the investigation continued.

Ji Chenjiao took time to compile the disappearance cases from other provinces. This task was too tedious; disappearance cases were commonplace, and ninety-nine percent had to be crossed off. If their guess yesterday was close to the truth, only a tiny fraction of the disappearances might be what they were looking for.

Just then, Shen Qi called from the technical investigation office area, his tone unusually excited. “Zhao Jie also went missing! He had no payment records between August 1st and 13th of this year!”

Ji Chenjiao immediately went to the technical investigation office area, while Ling Lie headed to Fanfei Electrical.

“Brother, look at this flat straight line!” Shen Qi’s eyes gleamed. “Isn’t this exactly the same as Zhang Chunquan, Yong Huihao, and the others?”

Ji Chenjiao said, “Overlay Zhang Chunquan’s chart on it.”

“OK!”

The two charts overlapped, making the visual impact more direct. Zhang Chunquan’s straight line and Zhao Jie’s straight line overlapped completely for several days. Zhang Chunquan had no payment records from August 2nd to the 21st.

Shen Qi shook his leg in excitement, analyzing on his own, “Brother, according to you and Brother Lie’s thoughts, they were all controlled by an organization and experienced terrible things within this organization. But surprisingly, they didn’t die and just came back like this. However, on the surface, it’s them who returned, but the soul inside has changed! Zhang Chunquan’s change was very direct; all his classmates could feel it. Zhao Jie’s change was more hidden; outwardly, he’s still that warm-hearted and mature team leader.”

Shen Qi shivered. “The experience during the disappearance made Zhang Chunquan kill himself, and Zhao Jie kill a group of colleagues! This… they didn’t encounter a cult, did they?”

At Fanfei Electrical, Zhao Jie sat calmly at his workstation, but he wasn’t working; he hadn’t even turned on his computer. The office was as quiet as a stagnant pool. After such an event, no one had the mind to work.

Ling Lie was in the director’s office at the Engineering Center. The director pulled up the work schedule, looking perplexed. “Old Zhao started his leave on July 31st. His annual leave was supposed to end on August 12th, but he only came back on the 15th. He said something came up at home and needed an extension.”

Ling Lie looked at the schedule. There was a note on it; on the 11th, an employee named Liu had applied for the leave extension for Zhao Jie.

Ling Lie wanted to see this employee, so the director called him over. Xiao Liu was in Zhao Jie’s group and had a good relationship with him. He said that before taking leave, Zhao Jie asked him for a favor—if Zhao Jie didn’t call him on the 11th, it meant he was stuck in his hometown with some matter and couldn’t come back on time to cancel his leave, so he needed Xiao Liu to help apply for an extension.

Zhao Jie was an old employee; extending leave by a few days wasn’t a problem. Xiao Liu naturally agreed to such a small favor without asking for specific reasons. He applied on the 11th, and neither the director nor HR gave him any trouble. On the evening of the 14th, Xiao Liu received a call from Zhao Jie, saying he was back and thanking Xiao Liu.

Ling Lie presented a search warrant, demanding to take all of Zhao Jie’s electronic devices and take Zhao Jie away for investigation. The people at Fanfei were bewildered, unable to imagine what problem Zhao Jie could have.

“Where were you during your annual leave this year?” Ling Lie asked.

Zhao Jie sat upright but didn’t reply.

His reaction was completely different from when he accepted questioning before. Previously very cooperative, he now displayed an attitude of clear resistance.

“You told your colleague that you had business in your hometown and went back to handle it,” Ling Lie said. “But after verification, you didn’t go back to your hometown at all. Starting from August 1st, you disappeared and didn’t reappear until the 14th. During this time, where were you?”

Zhao Jie’s glasses glinted. He pushed them up gently, the corner of his lips hooking into a mocking arc.

“Damn it! He actually won’t say anything!” Shen Qi pounded the table in front of the monitor. “This is a huge provocation to me, the King of Technical Investigation!”

In the early stages of investigation, silence was a common tactic for many suspects; Ji Chenjiao was long used to it. Now that the person was in the hands of the Serious Crimes Unit and the electronic devices were too, if the suspect didn’t speak, they would investigate until he spoke.

Xi Wan went to Zhao Jie’s residence in the West District. It was a mid-range residential area. Zhao Jie’s apartment had two bedrooms and one living room. He lived alone, and the room had the common clutter of a single man.

In Xi Wan’s inherent perception, programmers were mostly otaku, and their clothes were mostly plaid shirts. But Zhao Jie’s home had a lot of outdoor equipment—outdoor jackets of various brands, hiking boots, walking sticks, tents. even more eye-catching were the various outdoor daggers.

As soon as Xi Wan saw those daggers, she felt her temples throb. What destroyed the rope bridge was precisely an outdoor dagger!

Suddenly, she saw a dagger that looked familiar. Among Zhang Chunquan’s personal effects, there was one just like this!

When she only saw Zhang Chunquan’s dagger, she didn’t think it was special, assuming Zhang Chunquan, like some men, just liked this kind of wild-looking knife. But seeing an identical dagger at Zhao Jie’s place changed the nature of things completely!

They disappeared at the same time and returned one after another. This dagger was likely some kind of symbol!

Shen Qi cursed as he investigated, finding traces of the “Glimmer” dark web on both Zhao Jie’s office and home computers. As a programmer, Zhao Jie had tried to clear these traces, but Shen Qi was one step ahead and restored part of them. Although he couldn’t see what exactly Zhao Jie did on the dark web, it at least proved he was indeed connected to “Glimmer.”

Faced with the evidence, Zhao Jie still refused to cooperate. Ji Chenjiao decided to start investigating his social relationships.

Unlike Zhang Chunquan, Zhao Jie’s family background could be said to be quite superior. His parents were in business, and he had two older sisters who both married into families of equal status. He wasn’t a local of Xiarong City. He had studied abroad, and after graduating, he didn’t return to his hometown, choosing instead to stay far away from his parents. This triggered a family war.

As the heir to the family business, in his parents’ eyes, entering the family company was only natural. But he was exceptionally resolute, unmoved even by his father’s threat to cut ties.

In previous years, his relationship with his family was very stiff; he only kept in touch with his two sisters. In recent years, his parents accepted reality, and he would go back to participate in family reunions during the New Year. But that was all.

Both his sisters said his way of thinking had been a bit strange since childhood. He felt his parents were heartless because they were rich and said he wanted to be self-reliant. For so many years, he had never used a cent of the family’s money. When they visited him in Xiarong City, they found he lived the life of an ordinary corporate slave. But he seemed to enjoy it, so they stopped saying anything.

Comparing the backgrounds of Zhao Jie and Zhang Chunquan, one would find that although their family conditions were worlds apart, both had discordant relationships with their parents, disagreed with their parents’ views, had an intense desire to leave home, and the final result was estrangement from their families.

Learning that Zhao Jie had been detained, Xiao Huan became emotional. Ignoring her colleagues’ dissuasion, she rushed to the municipal bureau. “You wronged Brother Zhao! He is a good person! He absolutely could not commit a crime!”