The physical examination process for the Special Action Team after returning to the country was extremely rigorous to ensure every injury of the team members was discovered and properly treated.

Ji Chenjiao bought a toiletry bag at the hospital store, shaved, and washed his face. After this set of actions, his mood calmed down a lot. He raised his hand and looked at his palm, where the feeling of touching Ling Lie’s cheek seemed to linger. At this moment, he felt that his hanging heart finally landed. Ling Lie had truly returned.

Later, the doctor gave the injury assessment and treatment plan. Neither of them needed to be hospitalized. Zhao Fan hopped over to meet Ji Chenjiao.

“Hello, hello, I am the small leader of the Special Police Detachment of the Special Action Team.” Saying that, Zhao Fan didn’t forget to bump Ling Lie, “How is my title?”

Ling Lie: “Not good.”

Zhao Fan: “…”

Ling Lie: “You are introducing yourself to our Xiao Ji, without highlighting your relationship with me. Our Xiao Ji won’t remember a character like you.”

Zhao Fan: “Huh?”

Ling Lie suddenly hooked Zhao Fan’s shoulder, “This is my cheap master when I first joined the team, Zhao Fan.”

Ji Chenjiao raised his eyebrows slightly.

Zhao Fan was even more excited, “Yi! When did you admit I am your master?”

“Note, it’s a cheap master.”

“That’s still a master!”

Ling Lie released Zhao Fan and came to Ji Chenjiao’s side, “He only taught me a few shooting moves when I was a rookie. He is the strongest sniper in the Special Action Team.”

Zhao Fan smiled foolishly and saluted improperly, “Hello, Xiao Ji.”

Ji Chenjiao returned the salute, “Hello, Master Zhao.”

Zhao Fan was happy for a long time. After the two left, he figured out something wrong—why did this Master Zhao sound so weird?

Ling Lie’s injury didn’t affect his work. He insisted on returning to the municipal bureau immediately, and Ji Chenjiao didn’t stop him. Shen Qi and Xi Wan felt heartbroken for a while after seeing his face and eyes. Xi Wan immediately decided to make soup and bring it to the team tomorrow.

Ling Lie proposed to talk to Duan Wande. Ji Chenjiao said, “We have done all the necessary interrogations.”

Ling Lie shook his head, “I won’t interrogate him. I just want to talk to him.”

Ji Chenjiao asked, “In what capacity?”

Ling Lie thought for a while, “Private? Your boyfriend?”

Ji Chenjiao frowned, “You know, private contact is not compliant at this stage.”

Ling Lie threw out the Special Action Team ID card carelessly, “You also know that at my level, special actions can be taken at special times.”

Ji Chenjiao paused, playing with the ID card, “Do you need me to accompany you?”

Ling Lie said, “I’ll turn on the monitor. If you want to watch, you can watch outside.”

Duan Wande had been locked up for a few days, but his mental state remained good, and he kept himself tidy.

Ling Lie greeted him with a smile, “Mr. Wonder, you pay more attention to appearance than your son.”

Duan Wande said, “Young people have many things to worry about. At my age, I worry about fewer and fewer things, and naturally do more and more with my hands.”

Both sat down. After looking at each other for a moment, Ling Lie said, “Thank you for letting Su Yi release me. Otherwise, although my teammate and I would likely return, we couldn’t avoid some torture.”

Duan Wande said, “No need to thank me. I considered the interests of Yu Ge and ‘Jasmine Tea’.”

Ling Lie smiled and nodded.

Duan Wande seemed to remember something and leaned forward slightly, “You were also Yu Ge once.”

“Yes, I lived in the home that should have belonged to Ji Chenjiao for nearly ten years.”

“What was that place… like?”

“The Yu family’s old house? Let me think. It’s very big. I have never walked through every corner of it. Few people laugh. If you stay alone in a room, you can hardly hear human voices. Yu Qin… no, Shaman rarely stayed at home. I always played by myself. Yu Qianming’s children were more old-fashioned than the other, and always bullied me, the ‘aunt’s child’.”

Listening, Duan Wande frowned several times. In another room, Ji Chenjiao stared silently at the monitor, and the cold light outlined his profile exceptionally cold and stern.

“I think that’s not a home, but a ghost town. When I was in school, the school organized a trip to the amusement park. There was a ghost town in the amusement park, which was not as desolate as the Yu family’s old house. I don’t know since what age, my birthday wish every year was to escape from the Yu family. Even if I wandered outside, I didn’t want to be locked inside. By the way, there was a portrait of Miss Alice in Yu Qin’s small building. That was the most vivid picture and color I saw in the old house.”

A trace of emotion finally appeared in Duan Wande’s quiet eyes like dead water, “Alice…”

“Yes, Alice.” Ling Lie found the photo on his phone, “This one.”

Duan Wande held the phone, looking intently at the person in the painting. After a long time, he murmured, “She told me there was a portrait of her at home. She said she liked that portrait very much. After our child returned, the portrait would protect him on her behalf.”

After a while, Ling Lie said, “But things in the world are mostly unsatisfactory.”

Duan Wande slowly pushed the phone back and closed his eyes slowly, “The best path we thought might not be the best path.”

But Ling Lie said, “But I think you and Yu Qin have already given the highest score on the matter of sending him back.”

Duan Wande opened his eyes, with some red blood streaks floating in them. He looked at Ling Lie. At this time, he was no longer the gang leader who dominated in Country L. He was like an ordinary, confused father.

“If he followed you, what would he become? At most successful, like Su Yi. If failed, who knows where he would be reincarnated.” Ling Lie said, “But he came back. Although he had a miserable childhood and got a pair of murderer adoptive parents, he grew up well and became an upright person. Last year he was rated excellent, and this year he should also be rated. Aren’t you satisfied?”

Half a minute later, Duan Wande smiled, “He also became your partner.”

Ling Lie also smiled, “Exactly. It shows that fate doesn’t treat its people harshly at all points in time.”

The room was quiet for a while. Duan Wande said, “You shouldn’t just want to talk to me about Yu… Officer Ji, right?”

Ling Lie nodded and clasped his hands on the table, “To what extent has ‘Floating Light’ developed in Country L?”

“If criminal transactions in Country L rely on the Internet, they are all conducted on ‘Floating Light’.”

Duan Wande said he didn’t know when “Floating Light” entered Country L. When he knew about this organization, “Floating Light” had grown all over Country L like a tumor.

Dark webs are not easy to take root in stable countries and will be much more cautious. But in Country L, there are no such concerns. So around Country L, many small turbulent countries like Country L are the nutrients for the crazy growth of “Floating Light”.

“Jasmine Tea” cooperated with “Floating Light” as early as three or four years ago, trading weapons and contraband drugs at that time, and cooperated on a large scale two years ago. Duan Wande himself released the task of tracking Xing Yongqiang in a private capacity only after he didn’t manage things much.

Ling Lie asked, “Have you met the high-level officials of ‘Floating Light’?”

“Never met real people. They value their lives more than you police. Hiding in safe countries, they won’t go to small countries where bullets fly everywhere.” Duan Wande said, “But we communicated online. ‘Floating Light’ knows my identity, so the one who took my task was not just any dark web user, but ‘Floating Light’s own people.”

Ling Lie had considered this point long ago and continued asking, “Then who communicated with you?”

“‘Black Peacock’. As far as I know, he is the leader of ‘Floating Light’.”

Ling Lie inferred that there was no “Black Peacock”. Both peacocks were Bai Lingxue.

Seeing Ling Lie’s strange expression, Duan Wande stopped, “Officer Ling, am I wrong?”

Ling Lie shook his head, “Have you heard his voice? Do you still keep the communication records?”

Duan Wande said, “You investigate ‘Floating Light’, you should know better than me, right? Their encryption methods are very strict, and nothing can be kept. As for the voice, I heard it, but it was a mechanical voice.”

Ling Lie asked again, “Did he mention ‘Gray Peacock’? Have you contacted ‘Gray Peacock’?”

Duan Wande said, “He said that after I entered the country, ‘Gray Peacock’ would provide help for me in secret. The person in charge here seems to be ‘Gray Peacock’, a subordinate of ‘Black Peacock’.”

Doubts rose sharply in Ling Lie’s heart. Did he think wrong? Is there really another person behind Bai Lingxue? But Duan Wande’s statement is not necessarily accurate. “Black Peacock” mentioned “Gray Peacock”, and “Gray Peacock” mentioned “Black Peacock”, but they could still be the same person.

The conversation continued for a while. When Ling Lie was about to leave, Duan Wande stopped him, “The injury on your face was caused by Su Yi and the others, right?”

Ling Lie touched the injury carelessly, “Shutong is good at fighting.”

Duan Wande sighed, “Among the items seized by you, there is a kind of ointment from Country L. Take it and use it. They have fought for decades over there, and there are plenty of specific medicines for this kind of injury.”

Ling Lie smiled, “Thanks.”

Ji Chenjiao was already waiting for Ling Lie in the office, “You suspect that in this matter, ‘Floating Light’ is not just acting as a tracking tool?”

Ling Lie threw himself into Ji Chenjiao’s seat and threw the notebook, “You heard it too. ‘Floating Light’ has long been deeply rooted in Country L. Why did the police of various countries think ‘Floating Light’ was insignificant in previous years? Because those two peacocks were smart and went to lawless places like Country L. Only when they gradually became strong did they emerge in Country E.”

Ji Chenjiao picked up a pen and started writing key figures and time nodes on the whiteboard.

“Tracking Xing Yongdan was a task released by Duan Wande. Duan Wande could only choose ‘Floating Light’. Did ‘Floating Light’ start planning in Country L as early as four years ago?”

Ling Lie walked forward with his hands in his trouser pockets, “‘Floating Light’ may not think that far. They are indeed profitable in Country L, and Duan Wande’s task was a pleasant surprise.”

Ling Lie took the pen, “Actually, Duan Wande’s task was very ordinary, but the high-level officials of ‘Floating Light’ insisted on intervening, and the leader ‘Black Peacock’ came forward. This is very problematic. The result of this matter is that Duan Wande entered the country to kill Xing Yongdan, and in the investigations of several cases before and after, we found that to find the root of everything, we must go to Country L.”

Ling Lie turned sideways and looked at Ji Chenjiao, “And the most suitable candidate is me.”

Ji Chenjiao suddenly thought of when the Special Action Team first found out that “Floating Light” originated from “Sinking Gold”, Ling Lie was terrified and lost control of his emotions.

“Sinking Gold” is a shadow buried in Ling Lie’s bones. Ling Lie said that time that “Sinking Gold” didn’t let him go, and now Ling Lie is still expressing a similar meaning.

Ji Chenjiao shook his head, “In the Rongmei explosion, Bai Lingxue had already taken you away and finally released you back. That was an excellent opportunity. Why wait for the next time?”

Ling Lie said calmly, “Because that time was within the country. I am a member of the Special Action Team after all. It is very difficult to do anything to me within the country. It is best to let me go abroad. To which country? A place like Country L where you might eat bullets at any time.”

“Rongmei was a sudden event later. When Duan Wande released the task, no one knew Shaman would trick me into going to Rongmei. So at that time, ‘Floating Light’s idea was to secretly promote Duan Wande’s plan. I was once Yu Ge. I had a ten-year relationship with the Yu family. I would go to Country L sooner or later, and their opportunity came.”

“Of course, if the time is long enough, various variables may appear in the middle. It doesn’t matter. The general direction is fixed. I seem to be actively investigating the case, but I am walking on countless paths arranged by ‘Floating Light’.”

Chill rose on Ji Chenjiao’s back. Prying eyes and invisible threads attacked from all directions, pulling him and Ling Lie.

Ling Lie was relaxed instead, “But ‘Floating Light’ failed. Since they failed, they must have a next plan. I’m quite looking forward to it.”

Ji Chenjiao said, “Having a next plan means revealing flaws?”

Ling Lie smiled, “Be as optimistic as your boyfriend, Xiao Ji.”

In the following days, Ling Lie had some procedures to go through, and Duan Wande was about to be transferred to the procuratorate. On this day, a person familiar to the Serious Case Squad appeared at the forefront of the local network.

The “Pink Mask” case involved many suspects. The main characters were all either rich or noble, and hired criminal defense lawyers who were very capable in the industry. They first invited influential bloggers and anchors online to post worries about the current network situation, citing numerous examples of rumors, smears, and cyber violence leading to suicide, “selling” a view that “our living environment is getting harder and harder because online malice is unrestrained”.

Many people have expressed sympathy for “Pink Mask”, thinking they are modern knights-errant. Lawyers also invited various experts and celebrities to convey the view that “Pink Mask” did not kill people. The homicide had no direct relationship with them. It was the participants of the “game” who were mentally fragile, and “Pink Mask” shouldn’t be responsible for this.

Xu Jiang’s appearance became the key to this public opinion game.

While the Serious Case Squad was investigating the Xing Yongdan case, the lawyer team had contacted Xu Jiang many times. Because Xu Jiang was suspended from work, he stayed at home most of the time, appearing very decadent and depressed, giving them an opportunity to take advantage.

Under the persuasion of the lawyer team, Xu Jiang finally decided to stand up and use his personal experience to prove that the internet is harmful. His life was destroyed by overwhelming malice on the internet, leading to this state.

As early as three days ago, the lawyer team began to hype up, saying that they had contacted a heavyweight guest. This guest held a public office but couldn’t escape online malice. How should ordinary people survive in online attacks? This is an unsolvable problem, but at least “Pink Mask” thought about it. Although they adopted the wrong method, they really wanted to help you, me, and him who suffered deeply from the internet.

These remarks moved people to tears. When Xu Jiang appeared, public opinion was ignited immediately.

[Isn’t this the male classmate who committed school violence and the inspector who discriminated against women? Why hasn’t he been banned yet?]

[Wait a minute, is he also a victim of the internet? Was he wronged?]

[But I heard that he did commit school violence against others. How can this be whitewashed? He has character problems. Such a person shouldn’t be an inspector!]

[Wasn’t the person upstairs opposing online malice just now? Did you see him commit school violence with your own eyes?]

[This…]

Amidst the dispute, Xu Jiang spoke.

“I am Xu Jiang. I should have been busy with cases now, but unfortunately, due to the so-called ‘school violence’ and ‘discrimination against women’ some time ago, considering that my continued stay in the original post would bring some negative impacts, I temporarily left my job.”

Real-time comments were diverse, and the most voices were still scolding him for his low character.

“I always wanted to stand up and talk about what happened back then, but there was no chance. No one would listen to me.” Xu Jiang looked at the number of people online, “Now finally so many people are willing to listen to me. Thank you.”

Xu Jiang bowed.

At this time, the lawyer team showed excited smiles. Xu Jiang was their most important pawn. Because of Xu Jiang’s special identity, he could express “the internet harms people” to the greatest extent.

Xu Jiang started talking calmly from his student days, “My grades were good at that time, and I was tall. I was the sports commissary of the class. Any group activities in the class, including singing competitions, were organized and directed by me. When the teacher was absent, the discipline of the class was also maintained by me. Everyone has experienced the teenage period. Junior high school boys are sometimes so naughty that parents and teachers can’t control them. But I was the class monitor and sports commissary. I had to control them.”

“I admit, I was ruthless to boys. If anyone talked or ate in class, or didn’t do exercises properly in PE class, I would stand in front of them and scold them. They were afraid of me. Being called out of the classroom to stand as punishment by a peer was more shameful than being called out by a teacher. So they would listen to me. When I was there, the class discipline was always good.”

“I have never committed school violence against anyone. Of course, if the concept has changed now and people think class monitors and sports commissaries shouldn’t do such things, then I won’t argue anymore.”

“I haven’t discriminated against any women either. Among my colleagues, there are excellent female prosecutors and female inspectors. I also have a prosecutor friend whose wife is a highly respected trace inspector in the Serious Case Squad. I respect them and am proud to work with them.”

“The accusations against me on the internet are not true. I did scold female classmates, but for the same reasons as scolding male classmates. In PE class, they didn’t participate in activities, left early, or brought fried skewers from the school gate to the playground, or applied nail polish during self-study time and went to the next class to see the school hunk. I still think today that as the class monitor, I had the obligation to correct their improper behaviors.”

The scolding in the real-time comments gradually decreased.

“But after experiencing the events of this past month, I went from anger to grievance to unwillingness to calm, and also understood some truths. My attitude towards them was not very good. I was only a teenager then, impulsive and irritable. Maybe I said words that hurt them. Here, I sincerely apologize.”

Xu Jiang bowed for a long time and stood straight, “People grow and change. Now I’m almost thirty-six, long past being a teenage middle school boy. My employment process has no stains, and my years of work have no stains. These should prove that I am a prosecutor and inspector with passable character.”

Hearing this, the lawyer team looked at each other. In their vision, Xu Jiang should be angrier, say some more inflammatory words, and convey grievances to everyone.

But Xu Jiang was too calm.

“Temporarily leaving the post is certainly not a good thing, but since it has happened, I can only accept it and try to draw energy from it.”

“If not for this matter, I probably wouldn’t reflect on my way of dealing with people and working. Now I stop and empty myself. Where the teenage me didn’t do well, the thirty-something, forty-something me should be able to do well. I am still an inspector. Supervision and execution are still responsibilities on my shoulders. I am also willing to accept everyone’s supervision in the future. I will not compromise with online malice and will not be defeated.”

Pausing for a moment, Xu Jiang took a deep breath, “I know why everyone came to watch. You pay attention to ‘Pink Mask’, and I also pay attention. What I want to say is that the internet is wrong. As a victim, maybe I have deeper feelings than many of you. But I still firmly believe—”

“Crime is crime. It cannot be unscrupulous just because it wears a seemingly empathetic coat!”