Duan Wande wanted to negotiate the business in the north back, so he decided to personally visit the territory of “Wang Ting”. He didn’t bring many people and left Yu Qin in Salingauke Town as usual.

This was Xing Yongqiang’s best chance to escape. But evil thoughts arose in Xing Yongqiang’s heart, and he decided to possess Yu Qin before fleeing.

He came to Yu Qin’s residence. Yu Qin had witnessed his loyalty to Duan Wande, so she trusted him completely. Now that there was a rift between Duan Wande and Xing Yongqiang, she was also willing to help them restore their friendship.

So when Xing Yongqiang said he had received a secret letter from Duan Wande to take her north, she believed it immediately and got into the car with Xing Yongqiang. She was even a little happy in her heart—Duan Wande said he didn’t want to care about Xing Yongqiang anymore, but at critical moments, the one he trusted was still Xing Yongqiang.

However, not long after the car drove out of Salingauke Town, Yu Qin gradually felt something was wrong. That road was not the way to the north, but to the west.

The power of “Jasmine Tea” had not yet extended to the west, and there had been conflicts with the gangs entrenched there this year. Even if they had to detour to avoid something, it was absolutely impossible to go west.

“Brother Qiang, what are you doing? Where are you taking me?”

Xing Yongqiang said nothing, only focusing on driving. Yu Qin wanted to jump out of the car, but it was useless. The doors and windows were locked. She finally realized that Xing Yongqiang held a grudge against Duan Wande and wanted to harm her!

“Are you going to kidnap me? Use me to threaten Wonder? There is a misunderstanding between you, I can mediate! Wonder really cares about you as a brother, he wishes you well!”

It would have been better if Yu Qin didn’t say anything. Once she said it, Xing Yongqiang became even more furious, “You still want to speak for him?”

“Kidnap you? No no, why would I use you as a hostage? I love you too much!” Xing Yongqiang was already speaking incoherently. The fact that Yu Qin was in his car greatly satisfied his man’s heart. Duan Wande? Duan Wande is nothing! Now no one can stop him, he will soon be able to fulfill his dream!

Yu Qin was confused, “You, what did you say?”

“I said I love you! You are mine!” Xing Yongqiang laughed wildly, “My dear, come with me, I will take you to another place! I will love you more than Duan Wande! You will be happy only if you are with me!”

Yu Qin screamed and hit Xing Yongqiang frantically.

This was a desolate road in the Gobi Desert with no inhabitants. Crying for help was useless. Xing Yongqiang couldn’t drive under the interference, so he simply stopped. Yu Qin almost ran out of the car. He grabbed her back and took off Yu Qin’s clothes.

Yu Qin cried non-stop and didn’t beg for mercy. She used the fighting skills taught by Duan Wande to fight with Xing Yongqiang. The space in the car was narrow, Xing Yongqiang couldn’t perform well, and the back of his head was hit.

He was furious, slapped Yu Qin repeatedly, forcing Yu Qin to beg for mercy. But Yu Qin had been pampered for more than twenty years. When had she ever suffered such humiliation? The harder he hit, the fiercer she cursed. He was crazy and lost control. Amidst Yu Qin’s curses, he suddenly strangled Yu Qin’s neck.

He couldn’t see anything. The beautiful and holy goddess seemed to have turned into an evil Rakshasa in front of him. He wanted to kill the Rakshasa, just like killing Duan Wande!

Gradually, the body in his hands stopped struggling. When he came back to his senses, Yu Qin had become a corpse.

He couldn’t believe everything in front of him. Fear, regret, and fury occupied all his consciousness. He stumbled out of the car and fell to the ground after running a few steps. He crawled back, hugging Yu Qin’s corpse and wailing loudly.

He had no way out, no retreat, no way to live.

He killed Duan Wande’s most beloved woman. He would definitely die from the cruelest torture!

What to do? What to do? He couldn’t join any gang anymore. He must leave Country L. But where to go?

Return to the country!

Yes, return to the country. Only by returning to the country could he possibly avoid Duan Wande. He hadn’t forgotten why they left their homeland. Duan Wande feared the homeland and definitely wouldn’t dare to go back to the country to find him!

As long as he didn’t return to Jinxiang Village and found a big enough city to hide, maybe he could live out his life peacefully!

Before escaping, he took a last look at Yu Qin. Yu Qin’s bulging eyes stared at him straightly, as if she would jump up and bite his neck in the next moment. He was so scared that he trembled all over, and then saw the chain on Yu Qin’s neck.

He knew what that was.

The Duan family had an heirloom, a safety lock made of gold, with a total of two halves. When fleeing back then, the elders of the Duan family gave one half of the safety lock to Duan Wande. A few years ago, Duan Wande gave it to Yu Qin. Yu Qin had been wearing it all the time.

Xing Yongqiang suddenly felt very angry. Why? Why should this woman who appeared inexplicably be blessed by the Duan family’s safety lock? He had worked for the Duan family for more than ten years, wasn’t he worthy of getting the safety lock?

He was about to flee to the ends of the earth. He was the one who really needed the safety lock!

He tore off the safety lock without hesitation. With his movement, Yu Qin fell out of the car and fell into the rolling yellow sand.

He jumped into the car and rushed all the way to the border.

Duan Wande knew nothing about what happened at home. At that time, the communication system in Country L was not smooth, and he couldn’t contact Salingauke Town at any time. It wasn’t until a week later, when the business was negotiated and he returned triumphantly with a big order, that he found Yu Qin was missing.

At that time, he hadn’t linked Yu Qin’s disappearance with Xing Yongqiang. But after asking many people, he learned that Yu Qin might have gotten into Xing Yongqiang’s car! And Xing Yongqiang could no longer be contacted!

He had a very bad premonition in his heart and took a trusted team out of town to search.

Outside the town was mostly no-man’s land, and searching was difficult. During this period, Xing Yongqiang seemed to have evaporated.

Some high-level officials suspected that Xing Yongqiang was dissatisfied with his situation and kidnapped Yu Qin. Some high-level officials also thought that Xing Yongqiang might have used Yu Qin as a bargaining chip to defect to other gangs.

No one guessed that Yu Qin would die.

But the more there was no news, the more panicked Duan Wande felt. If it was kidnapping or defecting to other gangs, they should have received news from Xing Yongqiang about how much money was needed to release her.

But no, nothing, as if they no longer existed in this world!

Five days later, his trusted aides found a corpse that had been dead for many days on the Gobi west of Salingauke Town. That was Yu Qin.

With the scorching sun overhead, Duan Wande felt as if ten thousand icebergs were pressing on him. At that moment, he couldn’t think, couldn’t hate, and all feelings seemed to have failed. Only one kind of pain spread unforgettably on his body—he lost Alice!

After autopsy, it was confirmed that Yu Qin was strangled to death, with multiple traces of blows on her body. At that time, DNA testing was not available in Country L, but Duan Wande knew that the one who killed Yu Qin must be Xing Yongqiang.

He wanted to kill Xing Yongqiang!

“Jasmine Tea” secretly searched for Xing Yongqiang in Country L and surrounding areas, but found nothing. Maybe he fled to a farther country, or maybe he had already died in the process of escape.

At that time, the chaos in Country L reached a new peak. “Jasmine Tea” had to continue fighting and making money, otherwise it would be replaced by new gangs like “Yellow Fog”.

Duan Wande seemed to have become a different person, extremely cruel, no longer pitying anyone. Perhaps in such an environment, only brutality can survive and grow—years later, “Jasmine Tea” finally became an unshakable organization in the south of Country L.

In his twilight years, Duan Wande put the revenge plan on the agenda again. This time, he thought, would Xing Yongqiang have chosen the most dangerous way to hide—returning to the country?

He sent people secretly to Jinxiang Village. They didn’t find Xing Yongqiang, but learned that the people of the Duan family who stayed in the country had withered away.

If Xing Yongqiang was still alive and really fled back to the country, how to find him? The homeland is so big, Xing Yongqiang is like a drop of water hidden in the sea.

Country L tended to be stable, and the dark web quietly entered. “Jasmine Tea” also had to adapt to new developments and gradually established cooperation with the “Floating Light” dark web.

Duan Wande asked on “Floating Light” if they could help him find Xing Yongqiang. Many people took the task, but several months passed, and there was still no news of Xing Yongqiang.

Until the end of last year, he suddenly received feedback—Xing Yongqiang might be hiding in Xiarong City and had changed his name to Xing Yongdan, making a living as a charlatan.

Duan Wande was surprised. The person who least believed in gods actually became a charlatan?

“Floating Light” asked if he wanted to hire someone to kill Xing Yongdan. Duan Wande smiled, “It’s me who wants revenge. Of course, I should kill him with my own hands.”

Duan Wande should have set off immediately, but at that time he had a surgery to perform. More importantly, Country L was gradually stabilizing, and the Salingauke Region was like a huge gold mountain with many projects requiring him to stay and make final decisions.

So the revenge had to be postponed. He had been looking for Xing Yongdan for decades. Now that he had locked onto this person, he didn’t mind letting the pleasure of revenge be longer.

Luxurious high-rise buildings rose from the ground in the Salingauke Region. He asked craftsmen to make many sculptures of Yu Qin and placed them in high-end shopping malls and hotels. He also personally supervised the construction of the ski resort located halfway up the Alice Crown Carnival mountain.

It never snows in Country L all year round. Yu Qin once told him that she missed the snow in her hometown. If she had the opportunity to return to the country in the future, she wanted to go to Langdie Mountain with him, singing “Flowing Cloud Ballad” while watching the heavy snow falling from the Milky Way.

If it weren’t for Xing Yongqiang, their wish might have come true.

On the day the ski resort started operating, Duan Wande lay in the woods, looking at the artificial snow scene, his vision blurred by tears.

He reached out his hand and grasped in the void, “Alice, I built a wonderland for you. Did you see it?”

This year, Duan Wande rarely appeared in the high-level meetings of “Jasmine Tea”. He handed over power to his confidants cultivated in recent years—Shutong and Suyi, and often stayed alone in the ski resort.

After autumn, he decided to return to the country to complete his revenge personally.

He only brought four followers and obtained fake identities from “Floating Light”. In the cooperation with “Floating Light”, he saw the alternation of the new and old worlds. “Floating Light” was mysterious and unpredictable, possessing energy beyond the reach of “Jasmine Tea”.

He was old, with gray hair on his temples. His remaining wish became very simple—revenge, and spending the rest of his life guarding the yearning for Yu Qin.

If he had to say there was one more thing, it was to see their child.

Killing Xing Yongqiang was a very simple matter. He couldn’t remember how many people he had killed in his life. The strongest killer under him back then had turned into a wretched little old man, crying bitterly at him, constantly bowing and begging for mercy.

He felt disgusted and sent a bullet with pity.

Compared to killing Xing Yongqiang, there was one more thing that took him more effort.

Duan Wande looked at Ji Chenjiao again, with fatherly love in his eyes, “I have returned to the country. It’s hard for me to forget you and stay away from you as agreed with your mother. If I don’t look at you and approach you this time, maybe I will never have the chance in this life.”

Ji Chenjiao gritted his teeth lightly, and all kinds of sourness grew wildly in his flesh and blood. Finally, he found the answer. His innate evil came from Duan Wande.

“I indeed could have stayed far away from you. I have never raised you. Before this, I didn’t know the things you experienced. If Alice knew, she… she would regret letting you go back alone.”

“…Maybe it’s because I’m getting old. The days of living are one less day by day, and the people I can meet are one less time by time. When people get old, they don’t have the boldness of their youth. You are in Xiarong City, and I am also in Xiarong City. How can I endure it?”

“But that day in that shopping mall, I didn’t go to see you on purpose. I didn’t know you would go. I heard there was an artificial starry sky there. I wanted to see how the artificial starry sky was made and whether I could bring it back to Country L, install it in the ski resort, and show it to Alice.”

“We father and son are destined to meet there. You are right. Before you greeted me, I was taking pictures of you. If you didn’t greet me, I would have collected all the photos. Later… I could only keep a solo photo of you. It’s in my suitcase. Do you want to take it back?”

Ji Chenjiao had mixed feelings. After a moment of silence, he tried to regain the calmness he should have, “You will be investigated, tried, and then serve your sentence in the country.”

Duan Wande nodded, “I know.”

Ji Chenjiao felt an inexplicable anger, “Coming to see me, is it the biggest mistake you made in your life? If you hadn’t appeared in front of me, you would have left the country smoothly by now.”

Duan Wande smiled helplessly, “But a completely rational life doesn’t exist. Both endings were within my expectations, and I accept both.”

Ji Chenjiao asked, “What two endings?”

Duan Wande gazed at Ji Chenjiao for a long time. That gaze seemed to travel through time, back to when he was a baby, watching him toddle, step into school for the first time, become a rebellious teenager, and then a steady young man.

“The first one, I successfully complete my revenge, go to Langdie Mountain to see the snow scene Alice talked about, see you, and then hide from your police, coming and going without a trace. Never enter the country again from then on.” Duan Wande said, “This is the most perfect result.”

“The second one, I still successfully completed my revenge and went to see the snow scene, but because I couldn’t help approaching you, you discovered suspicious points, and finally failed to leave the country before you started tracking, becoming your prisoner.”

Ji Chenjiao frowned deeply.

Duan Wande had a relieved smile on his face, “I have seen all kinds of storms in my life. In old age, my body and spirit are not as good as in the past, and I always want to do something willful. It may not be a good thing for ‘Jasmine Tea’ to continue to be led by me. Before coming, I had already handed over important burdens to capable subordinates. Returning to the homeland at this age and staying in the homeland from now on, even as a prisoner, there is nothing unwilling. Moreover…”

Speaking of which, his gaze turned to Ji Chenjiao again, “Being caught by you personally, I have even fewer regrets. Alice and I agreed never to inquire about your life in this life. Only by staying away from us can you stay away from darkness. But it’s good now. My connection with you has added one more item from now on. Officer Ji, I am your suspect.”

Ji Chenjiao suddenly stood up from his seat, and the chair legs rubbed against the ground making a sharp sound that made one’s scalp numb. There was anger in his eyes, his fists were clenched tightly, and a moment later he squeezed a sentence out of his teeth: “You have no regrets, you have no unwillingness, but you transferred all the regrets and unwillingness to me!”

Duan Wande’s loose eyelids propped up slightly, and a trace of faint surprise appeared in his eyes. Probably because he had seen too many big storms in his life, this was already the biggest emotional fluctuation he could show.

After a moment, he shook his head with a bitter smile and no longer looked at Ji Chenjiao, “Sorry.”

Ji Chenjiao looked at this man who had been calm and unhurried from beginning to end, feeling absurd and powerless. His shoulders and back were tight, and his muscles jumped as if stimulated. His temples hurt, and something seemed to want to drill out through the flesh. He pressed hard, forcing himself to calm down.

At this time, Xie Qing’s voice came from the earphones: “Come out and take a rest. Leave the rest to me.”

Ji Chenjiao breathed deeply, glanced at Duan Wande again, and left the interrogation room.

The door closed heavily with a boom. Duan Wande’s shoulders shook slightly. He looked at the door and said softly after a while: “Alice, I saw our child again. He is very angry with me. Are you also angry with me?”

Ji Chenjiao was smoking on the balcony. The strong wind in winter cut straight to his face. The ash was blown away, and sparks were scattered all over him. He didn’t care at all. When he finally crushed the cigarette butt, he didn’t feel a trace of pain.

He felt very empty. The front and back of his life were blank. But it shouldn’t be like this. His dramatic experience is unique, with no branches. Isn’t it exciting enough? But he felt that he came from nothingness and would eventually go to nothingness.

He couldn’t even blame anyone. Duan Wande, Yu Qin, Shaman, Ji Nuocheng, Zhou Yun… These people either committed crimes or were killed, all desperate in their own lives. Only he fell into a ridiculous conspiracy from birth, and since then conspiracies have been stacked on conspiracies like matryoshka dolls.

He wanted to leave all this behind, even take off his police uniform. He might not be suitable to stay in the Serious Case Squad anymore. His background was too complicated. Even if Xie Qing wanted to protect him and prove his noble character, it would inevitably cause gossip.

But he couldn’t leave at this juncture!

The dark clouds of “Floating Light” are getting bigger and bigger. Master Ning Xiechen is still in their hands, and… and Ling Lie!

Ji Chenjiao covered the upper half of his face painfully, feeling as if he was lifted up mercilessly by a hand, his clothes deeply strangling his neck, making it difficult to breathe.

A vague uneasiness surrounded him, but at this moment he was still trapped in confusion and couldn’t distinguish where that uneasiness came from.

Duan Wande officially entered the investigation process. He confessed to the crimes committed in Xiarong City, but refused to say how and from where Lai Kehai and others illegally left the country. And his actions in Country L were not something the Xiarong City Serious Case Squad could investigate, so he was temporarily detained, awaiting the decision of the superior department.

Country L, Salingauke City.

“Don’t just focus on shooting the scenery. Can’t such a big handsome guy add luster to your photos?” Zhao Fan dressed up youthfully and posed on the street for a long time, but Ling Lie only took one perfunctorily for him.

Zhao Fan chased while talking, “Let me see what you took!”

The two chased each other on the street. Ling Lie said, “Don’t you have a selfie stick? Don’t affect my work!”

Zhao Fan: “Pah, you just shoot randomly. What kind of work is this?”

Ling Lie was too lazy to explain to Zhao Fan. To stop his mouth, he took another handsome photo for him.

Zhao Fan was satisfied then.

There were few people on the streets of Salingauke City during the day. Although there was no war now, people still maintained vigilance. The splendor of the streets and alleys was like a dream, which might burst upon waking up.

Rich people from other regions loved to spend money in high-end shops and entertainment venues and wouldn’t linger on the streets. So Ling Lie and Zhao Fan were conspicuous on the road. Suspicious and greedy eyes shot from all directions, but if they looked back to find them, they couldn’t see anyone.

Zhao Fan said, “Are we going back tomorrow?”

News came from Xiarong City that Duan Wande had been controlled and confessed the secret of Ji Chenjiao’s background, so their task this time had been completed, and there was no need to stay longer.

Ling Lie nodded and walked to the shopping mall across the street.

Zhao Fan said, “Whoa, you still want to go shopping?”

Ling Lie: “You are allowed to go shopping but I am not?”

“I was buying for my brothers and sisters. I had a mission, okay…”

Ling Lie muttered to himself, “I also have a mission.”

Zhao Fan didn’t hear clearly, “Haven’t you completed your mission?”

Ling Lie also had a private, self-assertive mission.

This is the place where Ji Chenjiao was born and where Yu Qin passed away. Although Ji Chenjiao has no memory here, blood is a given thing.

Ji Chenjiao may not necessarily come to Country L in the future. With Ji Chenjiao’s personality, there is a high probability that even if he can come, he won’t. And since he has come, he wants to take a look at it more for Ji Chenjiao.

It is neither rich nor peaceful. Under the gorgeous appearance, it is full of crime and turmoil. Maybe soon, conflicts will erupt again. The newly built shopping malls and hotels will be bombed into ruins. “Jasmine Tea” will go to the end like countless gangs that have risen and fallen on this land.

Its stability at this moment may just be a momentary thing. He recorded it. If Ji Chenjiao wants to see, he will show it to Ji Chenjiao.

In the shopping mall, it was the same as the last time he came, with few customers. Ling Lie came to Yu Qin’s sculpture and took several photos seriously. She was beautiful, solemn, and full of vitality. If there is any difference from the oil painting in the Yu family’s old house, apart from the objective factor of age, it should be—there is freedom and courage in her eyes.

Ji Chenjiao didn’t go to see Duan Wande again. After work, he went to the market and bought a cleaned duck and some other vegetables. Ling Lie was coming back soon. He planned to follow the online tutorial and make something delicious for Ling Lie.

But after entering the kitchen, he was a little distracted. He cut his finger when cutting ginger. He went out to find the medical kit but couldn’t find it, so he had to go downstairs to buy band-aids. When he came back, he found the boiling water overflowing, almost extinguishing the fire.

Being in a flurry made him even more restless.

It wasn’t just at this moment that he was so forgetful and absent-minded. Since chatting with Duan Wande that day, he felt as if something was blocking his heart. Xie Qing understood his situation and tried not to let him participate in the subsequent investigation. He put on the band-aid and lay on the sofa thinking.

This case was handled beautifully. Leaving aside personal feelings, Duan Wande was right about one thing, that is, being caught by him, there are no regrets. He led the investigation of this case from beginning to end. Duan Wande could be considered to have given him a gift. In this way, even if the superiors are suspicious of his identity, they cannot erase his credit, and the suspension investigation of him and Ling Lie last time will not happen again.

But this seems too smooth.

He sat up suddenly. Yes, too smooth. It was precisely this smoothness that made him uneasy.

Duan Wande was caught, but what about “Floating Light”? Duan Wande completely relied on “Floating Light” to find Xing Yongdan, including bringing people into the country later, which was also completed with the assistance of “Floating Light”. “Floating Light” also let them stay in Yurong Yongge. There is more than one five-star hotel in Xiarong City. Not choosing others, but choosing Yurong Yongge which is at the forefront of the storm.

Just because of the name Yurong Yongge? Or conveying provocation?

This revenge was actually completed jointly by “Jasmine Tea” and “Floating Light”, but “Floating Light” became invisible.

“Floating Light” became invisible again!

Ji Chenjiao pressed his temples with both hands, and various possible fragments appeared in his mind.

Suddenly, he stiffened all over and looked up in surprise.

Ling Lie, is the purpose of “Floating Light” to leave Ling Lie isolated and helpless?

Now Duan Wande is in the hands of the police. According to normal procedures, Duan Wande probably won’t be able to return to Country L. Will “Jasmine Tea” let it go? No! “Jasmine Tea” cannot enter the country to carry out rescue, but they have the opportunity to control Ling Lie who is still in Country L!

“Jasmine Tea” may not be clear about what happened to Duan Wande, but “Floating Light” can convey news to them! No, not only that, there is also the escaped Lai Kehai! Once they leave the country, it is possible to inform the high-level officials that Wonder has been caught!

Ji Chenjiao’s heart beat fast, and his fingers trembled a little when picking up the phone. He dialed Ling Lie, but no one answered. He steadied his mind and thought about other possibilities, but once the thought just appeared, it couldn’t be erased from his mind.

He turned off all the fires in the kitchen, too late to clean up the messy counter, and rushed to the municipal bureau.