CH 246

In a dim and dilapidated residence, the clock hand pointed to five o’clock.

A pair of bony hands trembled as they held the mouse, rapidly clicking on the hidden software icon buried deep within a folder.

After a moment, a crude image appeared on the screen.

It was the kind of low-resolution graphics seen in primitive pixelated games. Black background, red lines, and a simple square-shaped cottage in the center of the screen. In the bottom right corner, there was a cluster of golden flowers. The interior of the cottage appeared empty at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one could spot a pitiful silver coin in the corner.

Upon seeing this, a look of despair covered his face, and his trembling lips revealed rotten teeth.

He desperately covered his mouth and looked back down at the bottom corner of the screen. There, six lines of text written in the lingua franca of the United Nations filled the space, and among them was a line in Chinese:

Account balance: 1 bitcoin.

The occupant of the room stood up aimlessly and began walking. He bumped into the coffee table in the middle of the room, overturning it. The remaining white powder of a drug on the table dispersed into the air. He hurriedly crouched down to clean it up, but there was so little left that after a couple of licks, there was nothing left.

This caused him to stand up again, unable to resist gnawing at his own wrist.

The creaking of the wooden floor grew increasingly urgent, echoing the sounds of a distressed bed behind the partition. The entire space became more and more restless. Unable to bear it any longer, he walked to the table and picked up a syringe, intending to pierce it into his temple.

At that moment, a light tinkling sound came from the speakers.

He thought he was experiencing auditory hallucinations and searched aimlessly for the source of the sound. The room remained dark and chaotic, and he didn’t even notice the silver coin slowly descending from the ceiling of the cottage on the computer screen.

With the syringe pressed against his temple, he could end his own life with just a little force.

Suddenly, that small silver coin seemed to trigger something, and numerous shining silver dots fell from above. Those dots grew larger and larger, fluttering down like snowflakes and eventually turning into piles of silver coins at the bottom of the screen.

Likewise, six lines of text slowly descended and hovered above the stack of money.

The occupant of the room grinned, revealing bright red lips and teeth yellowed to the point of blackening. He laughed maniacally, silently.

Round Two: The target is still alive. The game continues.

……

In a glamorous and decadent bar, a blue-eyed girl with green hair lazily sat on the sofa. The expensive red wine in her glass was reduced to a mere trace.

This themed bar was entirely in a distorted gothic style. The soaring electronic music and the intertwining beams of cross-fading lights filled the air with the scent of alcohol and drugs. The haze of smoke drifted through the air.

The girl’s gaze wandered vaguely over her companions, and she reached out to pull a chubby middle-aged man beside her. With an air of sensuality, she bit down on his earlobe. Strange tastes of the wealthy were nothing out of the ordinary.

Onstage, the stripper had reached the most thrilling stage of the performance, and the sound system by the glass stage exploded. But in the next moment, the girl’s expression underwent a peculiar change. It was because her phone emitted a strange and eerie sound, both resembling agony and boundless pleasure. The girl leaned forward abruptly, grabbing her phone eagerly and tapping on an icon.

A crude pixelated image flashed on the screen. It was a vault, with countless coins piled up like mountains. However, soon a swarm of black bugs crawled in, devouring the coins with abandon. At the same time, the number below was fiercely changing— from eight digits to seven, then to six, five… until it became just two digits.

The black bugs disappeared, leaving only a meager few dozen coins in the vault, scattered haphazardly on the floor, looking extremely shabby—especially compared to before.

The man stared with wide eyes, disbelief evident on his face.

Prompts appeared in six different languages—

Round 2: The Target Is Alive. To be continued…

The girl grabbed her phone and slammed it forcefully onto the ground.

The carpet was thick, and the phone was of good quality, so it only bounced a few times before coming to a stop.

Beneath the pixelated screen, a clump of equally crude golden flowers swayed as if drifting with the wind.

……

In a luxurious building, a singer emerged from the recording studio, immediately surrounded by a group of people, showering him with attention and inquiries. The singer responded with a gentle smile, and the faces of those in front of him lit up with joy.

Five minutes later, the singer entered the restroom on the same floor. As soon as he closed the door, a look of extreme weariness appeared in his eyes reflected in the mirror.

He glanced disdainfully behind him, leaned against the sink, took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag.

Amidst the swirling smoke, a sudden sound resonated—a strange and eerie sound. The singer froze and took out his phone.

After a moment, he frantically ruffled his own hair, waved his hand, and forcefully smashed the phone against the mirror in front of him!

In the loud crash, the mirror shattered into pieces, and the fragments briefly reflected the last image on the phone—

Behind the six lines of text in different languages, in an empty and crude room, the only gold was the gently trembling petal below.

……

In an inconspicuous noodle shop in the city, the sky had completely darkened.

A ceiling fan hung overhead, whirring as it blew air. White porcelain tiles covered half of the wall, and a circle of tables was arranged facing the wall, separated by partitions.

Most of the customers were focused on their bowls of noodles, paying little attention to the content playing on the LCD TV. For the solitary office workers, having to share a table with strangers after a tiring day of work felt like torture. Therefore, despite the average taste of the food here, the owner’s layout was unusually considerate.

The TV was placed directly opposite the kitchen, broadcasting news of the police escorting a suspect.

“According to our sources, the criminal suspect Shen Lian was successfully captured by the Hongjing police this evening. The police spokesperson declined to reveal any details related to the case…”

The towering figures of the surrounding officers obstructed the view of the slender woman in the middle, her face covered with a black blindfold, making it impossible for the reporters to capture anything.

The volume of the small noodle shop’s TV was set very low, barely drowning out the sound of slurping noodles.

In the footage, the police car departed from the square of the Zhourui Building flashed away, while the reporters’ camera flashes seemed to illuminate the night sky.

However, the man sitting in the corner of the noodle shop didn’t raise his head to watch the news. His laptop was still open, and his fingers tapped on the keyboard, resembling an office worker diligently working overtime.

He lifted the vinegar bottle and poured some into his bowl, revealing a cuff of a shirt sleeve and slightly antiquated sapphire cufflinks.

At that moment, the owner happened to bring a bowl of spicy oil-splashed noodles. The busy customers finally looked up, casually glancing at the TV but paying careful attention to the owner. With a touch of humility and respect, the man asked, “How’s business been lately?”

The owner wiped his hands on the glaringly white apron and shook his head helplessly. “It’s been a disaster.”

The customer opened his mouth, slurping the noodles, and glanced at the computer screen, sighing with a hint of regret. “It’s truly unexpected.”

By that time, the owner had already walked into the kitchen and didn’t hear this remark.

Meanwhile, a new customer entered the shop, loudly requesting two bowls of spicy oil-splashed noodles.

In the partially open kitchen, a large pot on the coal stove floated with animal parts. The owner held an iron ladle and scooped up a spoonful of blood-red oil, pouring it over the noodles with a graceful and traditional elegance, creating a tantalizing sizzling sound that filled the space.

“But it’s not bad. Quite interesting,”

The owner murmured, bowing slightly, as if talking to himself or responding to something.

……

It was night.

Outside the Hongjing Police Station, the scene was bustling with cars and people, as if a market was set up. Whether it was due to the rumored effects of the medication or the significant activities in the city today, even small fights and altercations were more numerous than usual. What was even more terrifying was the continuous arrival of officers from various levels and investigators from related departments across the country who came to assist with the investigation. Even clerks like Zhang Xiaolong were forced to work overtime, handling reception and registration tasks at the front desk.

The summer night was still hot. People came and went in the front hall, but there was a silence in the air that was completely different from the heat. Footsteps were subdued, conversations were rare, and the police officers in their uniforms had solemn and serious expressions, as if mourning something.

Zhang Xiaolong was well aware of what all this was about, and it felt like something was stuck in her throat, making it difficult for her to speak. Fortunately, she was busy and could temporarily avoid thinking about these matters. She directed a department head from the Drug Administration who had arrived overnight to the relevant office, and just as she did, the telephone rang. She hurriedly picked up the receiver, taking out a notepad to jot down the information conveyed over the phone.

At the same time, another phone started ringing. Zhang Xiaolong had a pen and paper in her hand and was still recording when she suddenly didn’t know what to do. Just as she was feeling quite distressed, a hand reached out and effortlessly answered the phone for her.

Thinking it was a colleague helping out, Zhang Xiaolong continued to lower her head and write down the information from the phone call. She wrote two lines and suddenly felt that the voice beside her wasn’t quite right. The male voice sounded too relaxed and pleasant, even with a hint of bored leisure. This made the policewoman, who had been serious all day, feel uncomfortable.

“Well, you should contact the Environmental Protection Bureau directly.”

The other end of the line was quickly hung up, and Zhang Xiaolong even heard a protesting voice from it.

She suddenly looked up and saw a completely unfamiliar young man standing in front of her, smiling meaningfully.

For about three to five seconds, Zhang Xiaolong was completely taken aback, displaying a normal stunned reaction upon seeing a handsome young man.

The young man was dressed in a simple black shirt, matching trousers, and leather shoes of the same color. His tie was slightly loosened, secured by a sleek silver tie clip in the middle. Although this young man appeared a bit disheveled, his clothing and the expression on his face when he nodded were elegantly appropriate.

Zhang Xiaolong opened her mouth, intending to ask a question like “Who are you”, but, to her surprise, before she could speak, the person introduced himself.

“Hello, I’m the new psychological consultant for the Hongjing Municipal Bureau.”

Su Fengzi’s voice was loud, and many people around heard it, casting incredulous glances at them.

Once again, Zhang Xiaolong felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her first reaction was anger. Why did they bring in a replacement so soon after something happened to Consultant Lin? This was going too far and showed a lack of consideration.

She took a deep breath, steadying her emotions, and picked up the office phone to find someone. She dialed two numbers but suddenly realized something was off. How could the Criminal Investigation Department find a replacement for Consultant Lin so quickly?

She looked up in shock, glanced at the person in front of her, and cautiously asked, “May I ask who you are and where you were transferred from?”

The young man seemed to have anticipated that she would ask such a question. He took out a cardholder from his pocket and pulled out a card, placing it on the table and pushing it towards her.

Zhang Xiaolong lowered her head somewhat slowly and saw that the card was written in simple Song font: [Renowned Writer: Su Fengzi.]

Below were densely packed words arranged under quotation marks, which she realized were the titles of his works, mostly something like <The General’s Spoiled Empress—Don’t Run Away from the Overbearing President>.

The policewoman was immediately enraged but still had to suppress her anger and explain to the person politely, “Sir, the police station is busy with official matters. This is not the place for jokes.”

The young writer named Su Fengzi remained unfazed and continued to push the card toward her with a polite yet non-negotiable attitude, saying, “Call Xing Conglian and read him the contents on the card.”

In reality, Zhang Xiaolong could have refused, but at that moment, she felt that the person in front of her was somewhat familiar, which made her, inexplicably, pick up the phone.

She briefly explained the situation at the front desk, but the captain on the other end of the line fell into silence.

Zhang Xiaolong couldn’t help but prompt him, and it was only then that Xing Conglian said, “Tell him to wait,” before hanging up.

Although the captain’s instructions weren’t particularly clear, it seemed like he wanted the other person to stay. Zhang Xiaolong hung up the phone, and the young man was already carelessly leaning on the front desk, his phoenix eyes raised slightly as he casually scanned the lifeless lobby. His gaze was probing, yet he had shed the carefree attitude, appearing gentle and profound.

Xing Conglian arrived quickly.

When he and his team came down from upstairs, everyone in the lobby raised their heads, and the atmosphere cooled a few degrees.

“Captain Xing…”

Voices from other officers greeting Xing Conglian intermittently sounded.

Wang Chao froze on the stairs, pointing at Su Fengzi with an expression as if he had seen a ghost, but his eyes were red.

At this moment, the young man finally looked up and glanced at the stairs, his first words being, “What’s going on? Did Lin Chen die?”

Su Fengzi’s words instantly silenced the entire lobby. All eyes turned toward him with restrained expressions that were filled with anger. But the young writer seemed oblivious.

The first one to react was Wang Chao. The young man quickly ran down the stairs and pointed his finger at Su Fengzi, cursing, “What the hell are you talking about!”

Su Fengzi looked at Wang Chao’s pointing finger, reached out to shake his hand, and then casually ruffled Wang Chao’s hair, leisurely saying, “Tsk, since you didn’t hit me, it means Lin Chen hasn’t played himself to death yet. He really has some ability.”

Wang Chao was even more furious. He pushed Su Fengzi’s hand away, but his language skills were no match for Su Fengzi’s. He could only sulk in anger.

“Please respect Consultant Lin!” Zhang Xiaolong had been watching from the side and couldn’t help but speak up.

“How am I disrespecting him?” Su Fengzi didn’t even look at her directly, casually asking.

“You said Consultant Lin died!” Zhang Xiaolong said seriously, realizing that her words didn’t hold much weight in the current situation. But after everything Lin Chen had done, his successor turned out to be this kind of person, which left Zhang Xiaolong with a lump in her throat.

“That’s because all of you are wearing mournful faces, as if Lin Chen is already gone.” Su Fengzi slightly bowed and pinched Wang Chao’s cheek, saying, “Why are you crying?”

“So, you mean we should be happy?” Another officer who had been silently standing by spoke up. “When Consultant Lin made that kind of exchange with his life to ensure the survival of the suspect, are we supposed to be happy about Consultant Lin’s self-sacrifice?”

Su Fengzi pondered for a moment and questioned the other person. “What’s your name?”

Probably assuming that Su Fengzi was here to take over Lin Chen’s position, the officer stood at attention and answered, “Zhang Xingguo.”

Su Fengzi raised his thumb slightly and pointed casually at the officer who stood like a rock, asking Zhang Xiaolong, “Who is he?”

Zhang Xiaolong replied solemnly, “He’s Deputy Captain Zhang, who has received two individual second-class merits and one collective third-class merit*.”

*Clarity: These are basically medals awarded to individuals and units in the Chinese military. The reward levels are divided into 5 levels (going from high to low): 1. Honorary, 2. First-class merit, 3. Second-class merit, 4. Third-class merit, and 5. Regular awards. || To be awarded a second-class merit, he must’ve made important contributions, while a third-class merit means he made outstanding achievements or great contributions.

“Oh… a hero, I see.” Su Fengzi’s voice was relaxed and abrupt. “So, Zhang Xingguo, after being a police officer for so many years, what’s the most dangerous situation you’ve encountered?”

This question left Zhang Xingguo in silence.

“Deputy Captain Zhang has handled the 721 major gang robbery case!”

“Was it dangerous?”

“We seized 22 firearms on the spot, with over a thousand rounds of ammunition,” Zhang Xiaolong answered.

“Oh, then Zhang Xingguo, when you faced the suspects with a gun, did you make sure you could survive?”

“No,” the middle-aged officer broke his silence and spoke again.

“Then why did you risk your life to do these things?”

Zhang Xingguo saluted once again and answered, “It’s my duty.”

“Oh, so risking your life is your duty, but Lin Chen doesn’t have his duty?”

Zhang Xingguo was momentarily at a loss for words and could only say, “Consultant Lin is not a front-line officer.”

Su Fengzi finally stood up straight, looking at Zhang Xingguo and seemingly addressing everyone. “Even if he’s not a front-line officer, I know that negotiation experts often say, ‘Let me exchange this hostage in your custody.’ Do they have a hundred percent certainty that they will survive when they say those words? I don’t think so. The same thing happens every day. Why does it make Lin Chen appear particularly worthy of respect and make you all so uncomfortable?”

“But, but A’Chen Gege is different!” Unable to hold back any longer, Wang Chao shouted loudly.

Seeing the teenager reach into his pocket, take out a candy, tear open the wrapper, and swiftly stuff it into his mouth, Zhang Xiaolong couldn’t help but pinch his face and laugh. “Young man, you’re so good at getting caught up in trivial matters. Is it because you don’t have a girlfriend?”

Although Su Fengzi was teasing, the entire hall fell into silence once again, with no one speaking.

Su Fengzi glanced at Xing Conglian, who was standing in a high place, and then looked at everyone present. He said, “If any of you wouldn’t make the same choice as Lin Chen, please step forward.”

Seconds ticked by, and Zhang Xiaolong looked up. In the vast hall filled with dozens of people, not a single person moved.