The photos hung on the wall, and beneath them sat the carousel they had bought together.

Ling Lie smiled brightly in every photo, and Ji Chenjiao couldn’t help but relax his brow.

But thinking of the origin of these Polaroids, his eyes gradually stilled.

That day, Ling Lie said he wanted to buy him a thermos cup and dragged him to the mall. After buying the thermos cup, the amount reached the threshold to claim a gift, so they lined up in the atrium to see the artificial starry sky.

Behind them was a grey-haired man, alone, speaking gently with a slightly foreign accent.

When taking photos, Ling Lie helped take a few for the man, who also took some for them. During a brief chat, the man claimed to have just entered Xiarong City from abroad and was looking around.

The man’s accent was a bit strange. Apart from the foreign tone, there was a characteristic Ji Chenjiao felt he had heard somewhere before, but couldn’t recall and didn’t care about at the time.

Leaving the artificial starry sky, before saying goodbye, the man gave them the photos.

But one photo was missing—Ji Chenjiao’s solo shot.

Maybe it was miscounted; that was too normal. Both he and Ling Lie thought so at the time.

But now, Ji Chenjiao sat in the swivel chair in the study, gazing at the photo wall, gradually feeling there were corners of this matter they hadn’t grasped.

That man’s behavior was actually very strange. That day, only the man was alone in the queue. Why would someone who just entered the country join in the fun with a local couple? That artificial starry sky wasn’t a must-see attraction.

The process of the man striking up a conversation with them seemed ordinary—alone, no one to help take photos, so he asked Ling Lie for help. But actually, it wasn’t. At that time, the man’s lens was pointed at them; he was taking pictures of them! Only after they noticed the lens did the subsequent conversation happen.

If this person weren’t kind-looking and elderly, but a young man, they would definitely have been vigilant!

Questions followed one after another. The more Ji Chenjiao thought, the more he felt he had overlooked something.

Accent? Accent!

Suddenly, he stood up in surprise. That familiarity pierced through the soil like a plant sprout.

Certain details in the man’s accent were very similar to Xing Yongdan’s pronunciation!

A muffled thud came from Ji Chenjiao’s chest; it was the stimulation and excitement given to the heart by a clue.

He grabbed his hair, thinking intently. What else? What else was missing?

Entry?

Goosebumps rose on Ji Chenjiao’s arms as the biggest contradiction emerged—the man said he had recently entered Xiarong City, but in the past few days, Ji Chenjiao had checked all entry records, and there was absolutely no such person in his memory!

The entry investigation done because there was no other way turned out not to be useless work.

The lost photo could be explained as negligence or coincidence.

The accent similar to Xing Yongdan’s didn’t seem to prove anything either.

The man willing to line up to see the artificial starry sky wasn’t illegal.

He said he entered recently but there was no record of him; maybe he misspoke.

But when these insignificant details gathered on one person, negligence and coincidence could no longer vaguely explain it.

Ji Chenjiao’s expression became exceptionally serious.

What if the photo wasn’t lost because it was forgotten, but intentionally taken?

Why did that person take his solo photo? What purpose did that person have in approaching them?

Ji Chenjiao took his phone and keys, returned to the Serious Crimes Unit, and reviewed the investigation records, confirming that residents of Guishui Road mentioned an elderly stranger with a dignified air.

That man was very dignified.

Ji Chenjiao hurriedly pulled up the previous entry records again. Just as he remembered, the man they encountered wasn’t there.

He sat in the chair, physically exhausted, but his brain was unusually active.

The deceased was Xing Yongdan. He was merely participating in this investigation as a criminal police officer. But if the mysterious man was the killer, or related to Xing Yongdan’s death, then he had been involved before the case even happened.

Was this possible?

The connection between the criminal police and the case arises after the case occurs, not before.

Why did the mysterious man deliberately approach him and Ling Lie and take his photo?

Was Xing Yongdan’s death just a surface phenomenon? Was he the one they were truly pouncing on?

Because of his life experience? Because of his birth country he had absolutely no impression of—Country L? Because of his biological parents whose life or death was unknown?

The sound of clues locking into place one by one made him tremble with excitement, veins on the back of his hand emerging with the blood pulsating beneath.

He felt as if he were living in a magnificent play. He thought the earlier grudges with the Yu family were the climax of the play. But now, he saw the curtain slowly rising.

---

The flight Ling Lie and Zhao Fan took landed in a port city neighboring Country L. After a short rest, they were already on the road to the Salingauke Region.

“Have you been to this place before?” Ling Lie rested his arm on the car window. The scene after landing was different from what he imagined. Country L wasn’t as war-torn as people thought. On the contrary, only the entry checkpoint was full of armed security personnel on patrol. After completing the procedures and renting a car, they saw spacious highways and brand-new but low-occupancy high-rises along the way.

Not a single gunshot or explosion was heard.

“First time.” Zhao Fan was driving. “Haven’t had missions involving this side. Theoretically, this isn’t a mission either; shouldn’t have come.”

Ling Lie looked at him. “Then why did you come?”

“Isn’t it because Shen Xun and the others are worried something might happen to you alone with no one to look after you?” Zhao Fan said with hidden meaning, “Your current level… right?”

“What level of mine is worth your riddles?”

“Sigh, still need me to spell it out. You’ve been on the run for over a year; hasn’t your level dropped?”

“Thanks for your concern. I’m in a good mood; it hasn’t dropped, but risen instead.”

“Hahaha, that’s best. When we arrive, you go ask about the clues your Serious Crimes Unit wants; I’ll just go shopping.”

Saying this, Zhao Fan turned on the car stereo. The opening was a song full of exotic style. Nice to listen to, but couldn’t understand.

Not understanding, Zhao Fan swayed along with the music.

Ling Lie: “Can you drive properly?”

“You question my driving skills?” Zhao Fan showed off on the spot. Fortunately, the road was wide and straight, with no cars around, so drifting a bit was fine.

“Stopped fighting, started building towers,” Zhao Fan said. “Country L seems quite peaceful these past few years. Those mercenary gangs also know how to make money now.”

At this time, the car had driven into Salingauke City, the central city of the Salingauke Region. The streets and buildings were very new, constructed grandly, much like some new tier-7 or tier-8 cities in China.

But there were very few people on the road. Unknown if too many died in years of war, or if they were all staying inside the buildings.

The car stopped near a hotel, and the two went in to check in first. Because payment was restricted, they found a place to exchange money first. The currency here was called Surujia. Staying one night cost 800,000 Surujia, which converted to only 20 yuan—very cheap, and the environment and facilities were at least four-star.

Ling Lie held a thick stack of Surujia and split up with Zhao Fan. There were many oriental faces in Salingauke City, likely people who came to fight and make a living in the early years, like the Duan family. Their appearances made it easy to blend in, but their clothes were too “alien”; walking together was also conspicuous.

Ling Lie quickly found a dilapidated alley in this seemingly prosperous city, bought a set of clothes similar to the locals’, smeared some dirt on his face, slumped his shoulders, and quickly merged with the locals.

Unlike the wide main roads outside, there were many people in the alley. They dressed poorly and sat idly in boredom. Men played cards and talked loudly; women took care of children and spoke more quietly.

Ling Lie weaved through the alley, bought a wrap and a drink, and took the opportunity to chat with the vendor.

The languages here were messy, but almost everyone spoke the common language, each with a different accent. This was convenient for Ling Lie to hide.

Ling Lie asked, “Brother, where can I find work?”

The vendor looked at him in surprise. “Where are you from? I haven’t heard your accent.”

Ling Lie said, “Country N.”

Country N was Tu Wang’s motherland. He had imitated Tu Wang’s common language and borrowed Tu Wang’s name in passing. “My name is Tu Wang.”

The vendor said strangely, “Country N is so rich; why run here to work?”

“What’s the use of being rich? Money belongs to the rich. The more rich people in Country N, the poorer us bottom-feeders are. My friend said come here to hang out with people; dare to risk your life, and there’s money to be made.”

“Your friend’s news is outdated.”

Ling Lie asked, “Ah? How come? I sold all my belongings just to smuggle over.”

The vendor shook his head. “You mean be a mercenary, right? No one fights anymore. Look at me.” Saying this, the vendor patted his obviously lame leg. “I used to be a mercenary, lamed a leg. Now there’s no war; everyone went to build houses and roads. I can’t do that, can only retire and do business here to make a living.”

“Then why stop fighting?” Ling Lie said dejectedly. “How to make money without fighting?”

“Fought for decades; keep fighting and everyone will die. The bosses think building houses makes more money… Sigh, why am I telling you this? It’s none of our business.”

The vendor was reluctant to talk, but Ling Lie knew how to chat and ordered a cold dish. There was no one else in the shop. Seeing him generous, the vendor answered every question, though unwilling to say too much.

Country L actually hadn’t had large-scale conflicts starting from five years ago. Gangs divided territories and engaged in urban construction. Former mercenaries turned into construction workers. Only some remote villages occasionally fired a shot.

The Salingauke Region was one of the three best-developed regions in Country L and also the place with the most Orientals. Because this was originally “Jasmine Tea’s” territory, it was managed directly by “Jasmine Tea” after the ceasefire. The tallest and grandest buildings in the city were all built by “Jasmine Tea.”

Hearing the familiar name, Ling Lie immediately asked, “Why is the gang here called ‘Jasmine Tea’?”

The vendor said in surprise, “You ran to Salingauke Region to fight, but don’t know who governs us?”

Ling Lie laughed. “Isn’t this me being ignorant and ill-informed?”

Half-believing, the vendor explained that the largest gang here had a very long name that wasn’t catchy. Over time, it got the nickname “Jasmine Tea,” seemingly because the hometown of the boss, Wonder, produced jasmine tea abundantly.

Later, the cigarettes often smoked by “Jasmine Tea” mercenaries were also called “Jasmine Tea.”

Ling Lie thought to himself, So that’s how the cigarette got its name.

Boss Wonder? This pronunciation… Wande?

“Many people in ‘Jasmine Tea’ are surnamed Duan, right?”

The vendor was startled. “Can’t say that randomly. Wonder is surnamed Duan, but as far as I know, many people weren’t originally surnamed Duan. To curry favor with Wonder, they changed their surname to Duan. Also, those who have performed meritorious service can also be granted the surname Duan.”

Ling Lie clicked his tongue. Still practicing bestowing surnames?

“Then now that there’s no war, what do I do? Can’t go back to Country N, right? I’d become a black household (undocumented) if I go back.” Ling Lie looked mournful. “Brother, help me think of a way?”

The vendor sized Ling Lie up and down. “With your conditions, isn’t it easy to get by? Go to the city center; if there’s a construction site under construction, go up and ask. As long as limbs are sound, they’ll take you. Sigh, this war has been fought for too many years; many people are missing arms or legs. Sound ones like you are scarce.”

Ling Lie ate the wrap and cold dish cleanly, bought a pack of “Jasmine Tea,” thanked the vendor, and left.

He didn’t rush to the construction site immediately but wandered and observed in other alleys. The people in the alleys lived impoverished lives. Many of them had dull eyes and were skinny as sticks—obviously “junkies.” Country L wasn’t fighting now, but drug problems had appeared.

He came to collect clues about the Duan family, no time to pay attention to drugs. But what if the drugs here were related to “Floating Light”?

Thinking carefully, it didn’t seem impossible.

He noted the clue, planning to take samples before returning to China.

In the evening, Ling Lie and Zhao Fan met on the main street. Zhao Fan said, “Turns out this is a city of beauties.”

Ling Lie didn’t understand. “Many beauties on the street?”

Zhao Fan shook his head mysteriously. “Many beauty sculptures.”

Ling Lie looked; there were no sculptures around at all.

“I mean indoors,” Zhao Fan said. “After we split up, I went back to the hotel. Did you notice? There are sculptures in the lobby and corridors.”

Ling Lie nodded. He saw them, but thought they were just ordinary decorations at the time and didn’t look closely at what was sculpted. After all, many hotels display sculptures.

“I had nothing to do, so I looked at all those sculptures. They are all beauties.” Zhao Fan propped his chin. “And I always feel their faces are all similar.”

Ling Lie said, “What about other places? Malls?”

Zhao Fan snapped his fingers. “Here’s the key point! I went to malls and other hotels later and found similar beauty sculptures everywhere! Not strange for hotels to have them, but why do malls have them too, and they all look alike?”

Ling Lie pondered. “Is this ‘Jasmine Tea’s’ preference? Or Wonder’s personal preference?”

Although Salingauke Region stopped fighting, it was still under chaotic management. The design of malls and hotels could totally be determined by someone’s preference.

But if the fact matched the conjecture, why would Wonder do this? Who was this woman?

“Let’s go, go to the mall and see.”

Night fell, and crowds for dining and leisure finally poured onto the streets that saw few people during the day. They mostly gathered in the square outside the mall, dancing and exercising. But inside the mall, there were still few people.

Ling Lie and Zhao Fan entered the mall one after another. The magnificence inside surprised Ling Lie. Lighting was used as if electricity cost nothing; materials like glass and crystal dressed it up as a sleepless palace.

People dressed in high-class clothes lingered in front of various counters. At a glance, they were not on the same living level as the people outside, carrying shopping bags of all sizes.

Ling Lie quickly saw the sculpture Zhao Fan mentioned. The sculpture wasn’t big but very exquisite. It was a woman with short hair, delicate features, an Oriental face shape. Ling Lie saw a trace of familiarity on the woman’s face, and his heart suddenly shook violently.

She looked very much like Yu Qin. Or rather, she looked very much like that painting in the old Yu residence!

Her face was beautiful and gentle, very young, looking in her twenties.

The girl in the painting was innocent and romantic with long flowing hair; the sculpture had heroic short hair.

Clearly completely different temperaments, but Ling Lie couldn’t help connecting them.

Was this the same person? The sculpture was Yu Qin, who had been missing for over twenty years?

Why was she made into a sculpture? Who was this for to worship?

The mall guide noticed the plainly dressed Ling Lie and came over to drive him away. Ling Lie immediately bought a belt worth a million Surujia. The guide instantly put on a smiling face and enthusiastically introduced the goods on each floor.

Ling Lie made up another identity for himself, saying he came from another region, was unfamiliar with the place and just arrived, hence looking dusty. Hearing this was the biggest mall in the entire Salingauke Region, he couldn’t wait to come and see.

The guide showed an understanding look. “No wonder I mistook you just now… Generally, people dressed like you wouldn’t come in.”

Ling Lie said, “Can’t afford it?”

The guide smiled, avoiding a direct answer. “They have their shopping bazaar.”

Ling Lie added, “This mall looks quite new, really grand. I saw this sculpture in the hotel too; does it have any background?”

The guide seemed not to know either. “Probably the designer thought placing it like this was artistic? Don’t sculptures exist everywhere abroad? Which hotel are you staying at?”

Ling Lie mimicked the local pronunciation and said the name of the hotel.

The guide said pleasantly, “We are one family. This place is called Alice Mall.”

Ling Lie: “Alice?”

The guide laughed at his inaccurate pronunciation just now and said that word meant Alice in the native language of Country L.