If the internet is guilty, then those who support the internet, those who escort it—including Zhao Jie himself—are they all guilty?

After the Hengsuo Bridge case occurred, the Major Crimes Unit’s primary suspect was Zhao Jie. But investigating from conventional angles, they simply couldn’t find a motive. His relationships with all colleagues were harmonious—why would he commit the crime? Even now, though he’d indirectly admitted to it, the motive remained a mystery.

Yet at this very moment, a chilling motive vaguely emerged.

“We kept trying to dig something out of Zhao Jie’s interpersonal relationships—that he hated someone, that he wanted revenge on society,” Ling Lie said. “But neither was true. He didn’t have a specific object of hatred. Saying he was taking revenge on society is too general. He was targeting the internet. After being influenced by ‘Pink Mask,’ he felt that eliminating this group of people developing internet technology was a means of destroying the internet, destroying crime!”

Ji Chenjiao’s eyes blazed with angry fire. “What difference is there between ‘Pink Mask’ and a cult!”

Ling Lie lifted his head slightly, exhaling a white mist toward the moon, his gaze also becoming serious. “Zhao Jie’s personality is extreme—he may be a minority, but he’s definitely not an isolated case. If we can’t quickly control all the ‘game’ participants, similar tragedies will continue to occur.”

After a pause, Ling Lie added: “Even if extreme cases like Hengsuo Bridge won’t be repeated, people like Zhang Chunjuan might suffer mental breakdowns and commit suicide.”

After ending the call, Ling Lie didn’t immediately return to the guesthouse. The outdoor cold wind cleared his mind. His boiling thoughts gradually cooled. He shoved his hands in his pockets, walking along the empty path, his gaze even more solemn.

Earlier, he and Ji Chenjiao had considered the worst possibilities. In this “game” led by “Pink Mask,” many people would be developed into new members. Some would collapse and commit suicide, others would claim righteousness while taking revenge on society.

This sounded serious. It was indeed serious.

But all of this could be controlled.

Police had now grasped the “Pink Mask” thread. Finding “Pink Mask’s” core members and completely destroying them would take time. Finding all “game” participants would also take time.

But ultimately, it could all be accomplished.

The organization’s leader perhaps experienced a very miserable life due to online malice, or perhaps witnessed others being harmed by online malice. So they had the idea of letting more people personally experience that pain, the idea of inciting more people to become “Pink Mask” members.

They were naive, idealistic, impractical, with a kind of simple utopianism. Possibly, “Pink Mask’s” emergence had another necessary condition—money.

The initial members perhaps all had no shortage of money. Otherwise, the entire organization couldn’t operate.

Ling Lie stood still in the moonlight, half his face shrouded in shadow.

An even more terrifying thought appeared in his mind—

What truly allowed “Pink Mask” to emerge and grow wasn’t just hatred of the internet and vast wealth, but also the “Floating Light” darknet.

Without the “Floating Light” darknet, they couldn’t contact each other or lure participants like Yu Dalong and Zhao Jie. Money couldn’t solve all problems—just as they couldn’t establish a vast darknet like “Floating Light.” They seemed to be searching for relevant talent, but people like Zhao Jie, even if they became “Pink Mask” members, could only do work like encryption and bug fixes.

The “Floating Light” darknet seemingly was just a tool being used, but it was essentially fertile soil for crime!

“Pink Mask,” which despised the internet, was one of its children. It had thousands upon thousands of children!

“Floating Light” had entered the country, its influence spreading rapidly like invisible underground veins.

Ling Lie seemed to see an imminent war. Ah Xue’s eerie smile appeared in the night sky. Ah Xue said when he came to this land for revenge, he was deeply attracted by its vastness and richness.

So what Ah Xue meant by taking root here was to let crime spawned by the “Floating Light” darknet shroud this land.

Ling Lie tightened his hands, cold light reflecting in his eyes.

In the long-term direction, “Floating Light” must be eliminated. But the urgent priority was controlling “Pink Mask” and all “game” participants.

---

The SWAT detachment received orders to search the mountain and entered at dawn. Based on suspicious personnel information found in various townships, the Major Crimes Unit went to corresponding cities. Ling Lie rendezvoused with Ji Chenjiao. Yu Dalong was temporarily brought back to Xiarong City by Fang Yuanhang for psychological evaluation. All his electronic devices were handed to Shen Xi, who was urgently searching for clues.

At the small town police station, Ji Chenjiao and Ling Lie sat together. A computer sat on the table before them, with Huang Yi on the other side of the video call.

“Xue Bin’s condition has improved somewhat. We got something out of him. Do you remember Wang Yingzhuo?”

An image of a tall, cheerful young man immediately appeared before Ji Chenjiao’s eyes. “Xue Bin’s senior?”

Huang Yi nodded. “Right. He and Xue Bin had a good relationship during school. Both had similar family backgrounds—quite wealthy. He went abroad before Xue Bin, returned last year, but didn’t become a doctor. He’s doing charity work. After the Lu Feixiang incident, Xue Bin never emerged from self-blame and stayed in the country. Wang Yingzhuo’s contact with him and Zeng Shu became close again.”

Ji Chenjiao said: “Xue Bin’s contact with ‘Pink Mask’ was because of Wang Yingzhuo?”

“Yes. Xue Bin said Wang Yingzhuo often counseled him, saying making mistakes in the past isn’t scary—what’s scary is constantly avoiding them. Life is still long. Don’t be immersed in the past—do more meaningful things.” Huang Yi sighed. “It was Wang Yingzhuo who let Xue Bin know about ‘Pink Mask’s’ existence. He might be that kind of… developed new member you mentioned.”

Ji Chenjiao asked: “Where is he? Have we controlled him?”

Huang Yi said: “He’s missing. We only searched his computer.”

Ling Lie said: “What does his family say?”

“They’re not close to him,” Huang Yi said. “Isn’t that bizarre? The Wang family here counts as especially wealthy. Wang Yingzhuo was originally the family’s pride—good-looking, excellent grades, without the bad habits of rich second-generation kids. But after going abroad to study, he suddenly became unreasonable, refusing to continue studying medicine or help with family business.”

“In other words, he didn’t just recently become strange.” Ling Lie tapped his fingers together. “Maybe Wang Yingzhuo isn’t a newly developed member.”

Huang Yi paused. “He was originally a ‘Pink Mask’ person?”

Ling Lie said: “Very likely. It’s easier to access the ‘Floating Light’ darknet abroad.”

This was an important clue. Starting from Wang Yingzhuo, they might accelerate tearing off “Pink Mask’s” veil.

After two days of searching, the SWAT detachment found traces of human activity in Fengxia Mountain. It was a relatively open forest area with three caves and temporarily built houses. But everyone had already left. You could tell someone had carefully cleaned before leaving, but it couldn’t disguise that many people had gathered here.

The SUV shuttled through the mountain forest, branches scraping against windows and body, making sounds like hail falling. Ling Lie jumped from the vehicle, boots landing on brown soil and branches.

The “game” had ended. “Pink Mask” had evacuated, leaving an empty stage.

In the forest were buried watermelons. Next year they would become nutrients in the soil—just like in the online world, people treated as “melons” were nutrients frantically absorbed by people in their impoverished, boring lives.

Besides watermelons, everything else that shouldn’t belong here had been taken away. The watermelons seemed deliberately left behind, expressing some kind of irony.

Xi Wan examined every cave and shook his head. “No large bloodstains. No one should have been beheaded here. Those dark red traces that couldn’t be cleaned are just realistic-looking paint.”

Ling Lie called Fang Yuanhang, asking about Yu Dalong’s current condition.

“Not bad. He’s clear-headed now and willing to talk to me. Brother Lie, what’s up?”

Ling Lie said: “Turn on video. I want him to confirm the location.”

Soon, Yu Dalong appeared on screen. His spirit was much better than when crying in Ling Lie’s arms, but seeing through the camera the mountain forest and caves where he’d been trapped for days, he still instinctively hunched his shoulders.

Ling Lie asked: “Is this the place?”

Yu Dalong nodded with reddened eyes. “Yes! We were locked in the cave for the ‘game.’ Losers were dragged out, executed outside. The masked people pushed their heads in for us to cut open!”

Speaking, Yu Dalong patted his chest as if comforting himself. “I know, I know those were all props, fake!”

“Right, they were fake.” Ling Lie comforted the little gay guy. “Don’t be afraid. You have Hanghang beside you to protect you. We’re here catching the bad guys.”

Yu Dalong turned to look at Fang Yuanhang and mustered courage. “Brother Lie, is there anything I can do? I want to help you!”

Ling Lie thought for a moment—there seemed to be nothing for the little gay guy to do currently. “If Shen Xi finds any clues on your phone and asks you questions, just cooperate with him.”

“Okay, Brother Lie!”

---

While the mountain forest search continued, the Major Crimes Unit had found ten “game” participants in nine cities. Zhang Bing and Wan Xiaomeng, whom Ji Chenjiao had highlighted, were also found.

Facing detectives, their reactions were all panic. Even brought to local municipal bureaus with police guaranteeing protection, they kept their mouths sealed, unwilling to speak about their experiences during disappearance.

“You’ve got it wrong. I don’t know any ‘Pink Mask.’ I just went traveling.”

“That, that was just an outdoor game. No one harmed me, and I didn’t harm anyone.”

“What exactly do you want me to say? I really don’t know. I didn’t break any laws! Please, go find other people! I just want to live peacefully!”

“‘Pink Mask’ broke the law? I don’t think so. Can’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Watching footage transmitted from various places, Liang Wenxian gulped hot tea. “They’ve been completely brainwashed by ‘Pink Mask,’ right? Not reporting to police after returning is understandable—they fear retaliation. But now we proactively found them, and they still won’t provide clues.”

Ling Lie played with his lighter. “Also human nature? Because we acted too quickly this time. Some people haven’t been able to rationally view this ‘game’ yet and are still in terror. Others reacted quickly, but they’ve already become potential ‘Pink Mask’ members. What they need to do is obstruct our investigation.”

“Taking a step back, ‘Pink Mask’ actually isn’t afraid of investigation. First, they didn’t really kill anyone. They believe even if police someday investigate them, it’s not a big deal—at most kidnapping, not even inciting crime. If they settle witness testimony, they can even whitewash it as a real outdoor game. Second, ‘Pink Mask’ is extraordinarily wealthy. Its backbone is very likely a group of rich idlers. In their eyes, money can settle everything.”

Ling Lie paused. “This is why they dare casually release people after the ‘game.’ As for Yong Huihao and Tang Qi’s deaths, they didn’t do that. It doesn’t exist in their plans either. But Zhao Jie’s actions were facilitated by them. They might get inspiration from the Hengsuo Bridge case.”

Just thinking about these consequences sent chills down one’s spine. If “Pink Mask” hadn’t been discovered in time, tragedies caused by Zhao Jie would inevitably continue.

Liang Wenxian looked at his phone. “Where’s Captain Ji?”

Ling Lie said: “Checking road surveillance.”

Currently pursuing “Pink Mask,” the Major Crimes Unit had three breakthroughs: first, communication devices in hand; second, finding Wang Yingzhuo through Xue Bin; third, checking all road surveillance around Fengxia Mountain.

“Pink Mask” could silently pick up “game” participants from various cities, but they ultimately concentrated at Fengxia Mountain. With that volume of people, it was impossible for every vehicle to avoid surveillance.

During screening, sixteen vehicles were locked down. The car owners and drivers behind them were gradually investigated. Ji Chenjiao threw this new clue before Zhao Jie, watching him silently.

After a long while, Zhao Jie laughed contemptuously twice, saying the three words “Pink Mask” for the first time. “I’m very grateful to them. If not for them, I’d still be living in a muddle. They gave my boring life a goal.”

Ji Chenjiao said: “Your goal is to harm your colleagues? What did they do wrong? Some of them don’t even have social media accounts.”

Zhao Jie thrust his neck forward, bulging his eyes. “But they provided convenience for vermin to go online, didn’t they? What’s guilty is the internet. The internet turned people bad. In today’s society, people and the internet have merged into one. You think I killed people? No, I killed the internet!”

---

“Pink Mask’s” backbone was scattered across multiple cities. Police from various regions coordinated and quickly arrested a batch based on vehicle information. Shen Xi and Feng City’s technical investigation found “Pink Mask’s” entrance on obtained electronic devices, thus obtaining another batch of backbone information and finding Wang Yingzhuo’s approximate location.

But just as online investigation was about to deepen, the website “Pink Mask” built relying on “Floating Light” darknet collapsed. All clues not yet saved were instantly destroyed.

Shen Xi stared dumbfounded at the suddenly black-screened computer, unable to react for a long time.

“Bro… Brother? What happened?”