Ji Nocheng continued his account—

That winter, Tongqie County was always drizzling, with no clear skies.

Xu Jiajia, bundled up like a little ball, was already over four years old. Zhou Yun coaxed Xu Jiajia into the car with cotton candy, while Xu Yinyue discovered her child missing and immediately began searching everywhere.

Ji Nocheng appeared and told her that the child was with him—that after so long apart, he wanted to have a New Year’s meal with mother and son.

Xu Yinyue didn’t care about any New Year’s meal; she only wanted her child back. But the child was hidden away by Ji Nocheng, and she had no choice but to get into the car with him.

The car drove out of town, going farther and farther. Xu Yinyue realized something was wrong, but all the doors were locked, and Ji Nocheng injected her with something. She passed out—and when she woke again, they were deep in the forested hills on the outskirts of Liyun City.

She was bound tightly, and standing before her, besides Ji Nocheng, was Zhou Yun. She struggled desperately. Ji Nocheng knelt before her, kowtowing, weeping uncontrollably as he apologized.

Then, together, they killed her, burying her in the desolate mountains where no one ever came. Even as she died, she never got to see the child she had protected and raised with all her strength.

After burying Xu Yinyue, Zhou Yun wanted to kill Xu Jiajia as well. But Ji Nocheng hesitated—that was his own flesh and blood.

“Please… let me handle him,” Ji Nocheng begged, holding the unconscious Xu Jiajia, who had been overdosed with drugs. “He might never wake up! He might never remember anything!”

Zhou Yun was terrified. Killing someone had seemed easy when said aloud, but having actually done it, she was overwhelmed by a dreadful fear.

And so Xu Jiajia’s life was spared. They secretly kept him in their small home.

Half a month later, they returned to Tongqie County under the pretense of visiting family. By then, the local police station had already launched an investigation. Rumors spread that the Kang family must have harmed Xu Yinyue and her child.

Ji Nocheng also gave a statement, but the police did not suspect him.

After that, he and Zhou Yun hurried back to Liyun City. When the situation quieted down, he claimed that Xu Jiajia was a stray child he’d found and sent him to an orphanage. Because of the drug overdose, Xu Jiajia could not even form a complete sentence. The doctor said he’d lost his memory and might never recall what had happened.

Ji Nocheng hoped Xu Jiajia would truly never remember.

He was relieved when Xu Jiajia was adopted by a couple from Country Y. Maybe the boy would never return.

He and Zhou Yun finally relaxed and refocused on work and life. But Zhou Yun began developing severe psychological issues. They sought out a fortune-teller, who told them they’d best not have their own children. Instead, to accumulate virtue and atone for their sins, they should adopt a child and raise him well.

They dared not adopt from an orphanage in Liyun City. Instead, they returned to Xiarong City and adopted a boy named Xia Chengshi, renaming him Ji Chenjiao.

In the surveillance room, Ji Chenjiao slowly closed his eyes, overcome by nausea and dizziness.

So this was the truth about his adoption.

Ji Nocheng, like a rotting wooden post, resumed his tale after a brief pause.

Ji Chenjiao was exactly the child they wanted—smart, polite, not overly lively. Together they strangely formed a family. Zhou Yun’s father’s health declined, and her brothers fought over the inheritance, but they were all useless. At a critical point in the factory’s transformation, Ji Nocheng stepped up, changed its future strategy, and not only kept the Zhou family’s factory alive but also let it profit from the new era.

Before her death, Zhou Yun’s father handed the factory and company over to the couple. Over the years, they deliberately forgot Xu Yinyue and Xu Jiajia. But when Ji Chenjiao later asked his opinion on which university to apply for, and Ji Nocheng saw the Public Security University among the options, his head felt like it would split.

He tried to dissuade him, listing the benefits of other schools. After careful thought, Ji Chenjiao still chose the police academy.

Since then, Ji Nocheng felt as if a sickness had lodged in his heart, certain that trouble was coming. But he comforted himself—what could possibly happen? Xu Yinyue was long dead. Xu Jiajia had gone abroad years ago. He had done good deeds for years, worked hard to raise Ji Chenjiao to be an upstanding man, showing him the brightest side of humanity. His atonement was complete!

Time flew by in self-deception. Last month, a letter was left at their door. After reading its contents, he and Zhou Yun were both struck with terror.

They checked the security footage and saw a man with his face tightly covered. The man made no effort to hide from the cameras—because he knew they wouldn’t dare call the police.

He and Zhou Yun exchanged silent glances, knowing that the retribution they had long feared had finally come.

The name Xu Yinyue—long buried in their minds—surfaced again. They thought their good deeds, their care for their adopted son, had repaid the debt of killing Xu Yinyue and harming Xu Jiajia. But this letter was like a slap across the face—fierce and unforgiving.

Their seemingly harmonious marriage suddenly cracked wide open. For the first time in decades, they fought bitterly. They hadn’t seen the man’s face on the footage—but both knew deep down: it was Xu Jiajia.

Zhou Yun slapped Ji Nocheng, accusing him of not finishing off Xu Jiajia back then. Ji Nocheng collapsed to the floor in regret and panic.

More letters arrived after that. The man knew they wouldn’t call the police, wouldn’t dare tell anyone—and so he threatened and blackmailed them at will. Zhou Yun broke down, crying and trembling, telling Ji Nocheng she wanted to surrender. After all, they had killed only one person—and if they confessed, they wouldn’t be sentenced to death.

“Are you insane?” Ji Nocheng shouted in horror. “You think prison is nothing? You’ve forgotten how hard I worked to get here? You’ve forgotten how your brothers dream of stealing everything from us?”

“Then what should we do?” Zhou Yun sobbed violently. “He’ll tell Xiao Chen! Xiao Chen will come to arrest us! I can’t bear it!”

Ji Nocheng hugged his wife. “We can’t fall apart. Don’t do anything rash. I’ll find a way.”

His plan was to leave Liyun City to lay low—Zhou Yun’s state was growing too unstable and sooner or later would draw the attention of her brothers. He guessed that Xu Jiajia wasn’t ready to strike yet—perhaps waiting for something—which meant they still had time to prepare.

He claimed they were going on vacation to the west and secretly hired someone through the dark web abroad to investigate Xu Jiajia. If they could silence him, that would be best. At worst, if Xu Jiajia exposed everything to the police, they could flee across the western mountains when they ran out of options.

But Zhou Yun actually called Ji Chenjiao and said they were going west on a trip.

By the time Ji Nocheng found out, it was too late. He angrily scolded his wife for deciding on her own. Zhou Yun, agitated, said, “What if Xiao Chen comes looking for us? Wouldn’t it be easy for him to find out where we are? Better to tell him ourselves!”

Ji Nocheng was exhausted. Twenty years ago, Zhou Yun had been so decisive and calm. Without her, he wouldn’t have been able to kill Xu Yinyue so cleanly. But now, Zhou Yun had become hesitant and unreliable—not only unable to help him but the greatest threat of all.

From that moment on, he began planning how to make Zhou Yun disappear.

After arriving in Xiyun County, Ji Nocheng hired an investigator via the dark web to check on Xu Jiajia’s situation. But finding someone took time—they could only wait.

Since they were in the west, Ji Nocheng figured they might as well keep up appearances—rent a car, hire a guide, visit the sacred lakes and mountains like tourists. But Zhou Yun’s mental state grew worse. She refused to stay in hotels in town, insisting on the most remote, run-down inns, locking herself in the room all day. If Ji Nocheng didn’t drag her out to eat, she wouldn’t even leave the building.

One day, Zhou Yun broke down again, saying she couldn’t take it anymore and wanted to turn herself in. Ji Nocheng gently coaxed her until she fell asleep—watching her sleeping face and finding it strangely unfamiliar.

Twenty years ago, she had urged him to kill Xu Yinyue. And now, she was forcing him to surrender. Was his whole life going to be ruined by her?

The more Ji Nocheng thought about it, the more unwilling he became. Sitting on the moonlit balcony, the plan to silence Zhou Yun once and for all finally took shape.

He wasn’t going to prison. He had already killed one woman—why not a second?

The next day, Zhou Yun was no better. In the middle of a meal, she suddenly spoke again about turning herself in. This time, Ji Nocheng didn’t dissuade her. Instead, he said, “Alright.”

Zhou Yun was stunned. Ji Nocheng gently stroked her hair. “I thought it over last night. Running like this isn’t the answer. Before Xiao Chen looks down on us, we’d better turn ourselves in first.”

A hint of relief appeared on Zhou Yun’s face. Ji Nocheng continued, saying he wanted to stay a few more days in the plateau—the sky was so blue, the clouds so low, the air so pure, enough to cleanse their sinful hearts.

Zhou Yun agreed.

That afternoon, Ji Nocheng drove out of the county, heading for Xuezhong Pass to scout the area, just as the guide had suggested. He stood on the cliff where the wind howled relentlessly. When he looked down, all he could see was thick white mist—no sign of the bottom. He reached out his hand and pushed against the wind; with such force, anyone standing at the edge could easily be blown off. He waited by the roadside for a long time but didn’t see any tourist vehicles heading this way.

After that, he visited the place again. Xuezhong Pass became the most familiar spot to him in the entire plateau.

That night, he told Zhou Yun they would leave for Xiarong City the day after tomorrow. But before that, he wanted to travel across the plateau with her and admire the majestic snow-capped mountains. Zhou Yun, exhausted in both body and mind, agreed.

The off-road vehicle made its way toward Xuezhong Pass. There were no other cars on the road. Zhou Yun was puzzled. “Aren’t we supposed to be taking the same route as the others?”

Ji Nocheng had prepared his excuse long ago. “I specifically asked the guide. This is a lesser-known road, but the scenery is beautiful. Those popular spots are always packed with people—you wouldn’t want to go somewhere like that, would you?”

This was the last time in her life that Zhou Yun felt her husband’s “thoughtfulness” and, for once, smiled faintly.

But Ji Nocheng’s smile was cold and sinister.

When they arrived at the cliff he had scouted three times before, Ji Nocheng stopped the car and pointed to a spot not far away. “The guide said there’s a natural viewing platform over there. You can see the sacred mountain from it.”

Indeed, there was a magnificent snow mountain in the distance. Zhou Yun suspected nothing and walked toward it.

Ji Nocheng followed. When Zhou Yun was about to reach the spot he had calculated, he suddenly reached out his hand.

But Zhou Yun unexpectedly turned around and gasped in alarm, “What are you doing?”

At this point, any explanation was meaningless. Ji Nocheng’s eyes turned red as he grabbed her arm. Zhou Yun immediately realized what he intended to do. She fought back with all her strength, screaming and struggling—almost pushing Ji Nocheng over the edge herself.

No one wanted to die. Ji Nocheng ended up fighting desperately with his “accomplice” on the cliff. In the end, his strength overcame Zhou Yun’s, and he pushed her off the cliff.

Her scream was instantly swallowed by the raging wind.

He looked down. The abyss stirred with snow and dust. For a fleeting moment, he even felt the urge to jump after her.

Back in Xiyun County, he began considering his next step. The detective he had hired still hadn’t sent back any information about Xu Jiajia. He fabricated a story that his wife had accidentally fallen from the cliff and kept rehearsing it in his mind, searching for possible flaws.

Just as he thought the situation was under control, he received a call from Ji Chenjiao. To his surprise, Ji Chenjiao was asking about Xu Yinyue!

He knew then—there was no stopping it.

The worst had happened. His adopted son was going to arrest him personally. Fortunately, he was already in the western plateau, with a car, and he needed to flee the country before Ji Chenjiao uncovered everything.

But once he started driving, he realized—after seeing checkpoint after checkpoint—that escaping the plateau wasn’t so easy. He was trapped.

Misfortune piled on. When the off-road vehicle was nearly out of fuel, he accidentally drove into a ravine. Villagers rescued him, but his leg was broken. Now he lay powerless on a village kang bed, unable to do anything.

The interrogation room fell silent for a few seconds. Ji Nocheng looked at Ling Lie. “Actually, when I saw you, I was relieved. Thank goodness it wasn’t Xiao Chen.”

At the surveillance monitor, Ji Chenjiao clenched his fists. Anger, helplessness, frustration—useless emotions filled his chest. He breathed heavily but couldn’t let them go.

The case wasn’t over yet. Ji Nocheng was temporarily sent to the detention center. Ji Chenjiao strode to the interrogation room and saw his once-gentle foster father in the hallway.

Ji Chenjiao stood tall, frowning, his gaze sharp. Ji Nocheng froze for a moment, panicked, looking away. His arms, held by the officers, trembled uncontrollably.

Ji Chenjiao said nothing and didn’t move, but his gaze never left Ji Nocheng.

With difficulty, Ji Nocheng limped past him, supported on both sides. His breathing was heavy, like a bellows. He opened his mouth, wanting to say “sorry,” but no sound came out.

His heavy footsteps grew distant down the corridor. Ji Chenjiao never turned his head. He didn’t need to be here—but impulse had overruled reason, and he had rushed over, only to find himself speechless.

He wanted to ask: Why adopt me? Why name me Chenjiao? Was our family a lie…?

But all he could do was stare at Ji Nocheng, watching this sinful, weathered man disappear from view.

He closed his eyes and nearly lost his balance.

A moment later, an arm steadied him. He turned to meet Ling Lie’s gaze.

Ling Lie always wore a careless smile, but this time, Ji Chenjiao saw steadiness and understanding.

Xie Qing also came over, patting Ji Chenjiao’s shoulder. “Go rest. We’ve got this.”

Liang Wenxian nodded at Ji Chenjiao and thumped his own chest.

Some of the heaviness in Ji Chenjiao’s heart seemed to ease. “I’m fine,” he said.

Everyone present was an elite detective; they understood their colleague’s state of mind. The case wasn’t solved yet. Ji Nocheng was caught, but the mastermind, Jaco, had not yet appeared. His goal was achieved—he might show himself soon. Ji Chenjiao didn’t want to rest.

Xie Qing said no more. “As long as you know what you’re doing. Come find me if you need anything.”

The mood in the serious crimes team was different from usual. Everyone knew Ji Chenjiao’s background now, knew that the man taken to the detention center was his foster father. Xi Wan and An Xun didn’t know how to face Ji Chenjiao. Shen Qi locked himself in the tech room, swearing to track down Jaco.

Liang Wenxian, who was usually laid-back, shared his Buddhist wisdom. “Do your jobs. Captain Ji doesn’t need your pity. The more you focus on him, the more uncomfortable he’ll feel.”

Xi Wan worried. “But after what happened, there must be shadows in his heart.”

“Everyone has shadows. The more you mind them, the stronger they get,” Liang said. “Stop looking at Captain Ji’s wounds. He’s strong. He’ll heal, no matter how deep the wounds. What we need to do now is ignore those shadows and let things flow naturally. Got it?”

Xi Wan thought for a moment. “Got it.” But after half a minute, she approached Liang again. “But Brother Liang, I still can’t face the captain normally. I want to apply for a trip to Liyun City.”

Ji Nocheng and Zhou Yun’s house was in Liyun City. Ji Nocheng had said surveillance had captured a man leaving letters there—the letters and the house needed checking. Also, Xu Yinyue’s body was buried in the mountains outside Liyun City. Excavating it would take manpower and time.

Liang Wenxian understood Xi Wan’s feelings and nodded. “Alright. You handle Liyun City.”

Ji Chenjiao returned to his office and replayed Ji Nocheng’s interrogation. Ji Nocheng kept claiming that it was Zhou Yun who incited him to kill Xu Yinyue all those years ago, and now she was dead—there was no proof. Ji Chenjiao couldn’t help but think of his gentle, kind foster mother. Maybe Xu Yinyue’s death wasn’t because of Zhou Yun at all—maybe Ji Nocheng, fearing that Xu Yinyue’s pregnancy would ruin his career, had acted on his own.

Once again, he felt guilty for ignoring Zhou Yun’s strange behavior on the phone. Now the truth was buried under anger—no one could clearly explain what happened twenty years ago.

No—there was still Xu Jiajia. Ji Chenjiao rubbed his forehead. Ji Nocheng had admitted to drugging Xu Jiajia with an overdose of sedatives he made himself in a factory lab, to keep him under control. That was why he had been in a long coma, and why he had become mentally impaired after waking.

But Jaco was now smart, cunning, and seeking revenge—he must have remembered everything.

They had to find Jaco quickly. Whether Zhou Yun had incited Ji Nocheng would affect the sentencing—but more importantly, if she hadn’t, Ji Chenjiao didn’t want his foster mother to bear such a terrible crime.

A smell wafted into the room. Ji Chenjiao came back to himself and looked toward the door. Ling Lie stood there, holding a McDonald’s bag, wearing his usual grin. “Captain Ji, time to eat?”

Without realizing it, Ji Chenjiao had become less averse to “junk food.” “Sure.”

Ling Lie grinned, splitting the chicken burgers with him while eating wings and nuggets himself. Ji Chenjiao didn’t touch the Coke—both cups went to Ling Lie.

“What are you watching?” Ling Lie asked.

Ji Chenjiao turned the laptop toward him. “Did you notice anything in the interrogation room?”

On the screen was Ji Nocheng’s pale, deceitful face. Ling Lie glanced at Ji Chenjiao, seeing his calm expression before answering. “Whenever we had solid evidence, he confessed quickly—like the scouting, luring, and killing of Zhou Yun. But for the old cases where he knew police lacked proof, he blamed the ones who can’t speak.”

Ji Chenjiao nodded. “He also mentioned hiring a foreign detective on the dark web, but after all this time, he never got any useful information.”

There were many criminal networks overseas, trading in cryptocurrency, with both sides anonymous. Ji Nocheng had probably been scammed.

Since this matter didn’t affect the overall case, it hadn’t been the focus of interrogation. Ji Chenjiao reviewed the entire process and found only two suspicious points: whether Zhou Yun had incited the crime, and which dark web site Ji Nocheng had used.

Ling Lie propped his chin on his hands and stared at Ji Chenjiao.

Ji Chenjiao: “Hmm?”

“Aren’t you tired?” Ling Lie asked.

Ji Chenjiao raised an eyebrow. “If I am, does that mean I can stop investigating?”

“I want to play games at your place. Ever since I started helping you as your ‘cheat code,’ I haven’t had a day off.” Ling Lie’s tone held a hint of complaint. But Ji Chenjiao relaxed slightly at the familiar grumbling and smiled. “No way. We’ll play games after the case is closed.”

“Fine.”

Ji Chenjiao went to the tech office to see Shen Qi, asking him to confirm which foreign site had scammed Ji Nocheng.

Shen Qi quickly found it, but was puzzled. “This site’s really obscure. Why would Ji Nocheng choose it?”

“What site?”

“‘Fuguang’—a dark web site so niche that no country bothers to crack down on it.”