[02/29, 05:59, Nanyi City]
Lin Heyu needed to make a trip to the Nanyi Machinery Factory. He left the hotel in a hurry with Yuan Maoqiu and a few others. Sheng Guoning pulled out his car keys and headed toward his reliable Buick. “Let me lead the way. After all, I’m a local, and I know Nanyi like the back of my hand.”
Yuan Maoqiu didn’t trust him at all, still remembering the time they got lost asking for directions at Guibei Mountain.
“No need.” Lin Heyu stopped him. “I have a more important task for you.”
“What is it?” Sheng Guoning perked up immediately, rubbing his hands together with excitement. “Don’t worry. If it’s something you, my dear brother-in-law, ask of me, I’ll give it my all!”
“Alright,” Lin Heyu said, pointing to the hotel behind them. “When Xiao Shitou wakes up, you’re in charge of taking him to the high-speed train station. My colleague will bring him back. She should arrive around 8 o’clock, and she’ll contact you then.”
Yuan Maoqiu was surprised. “Huh? When did you arrange all this?”
Lin Heyu had already made up his mind to send Xiao Shitou back. He had arranged everything on the way to the hospital. Although Lü Kanshan couldn’t leave due to some other business, the ever-helpful Song Ping had agreed to come and take Xiao Shitou home.
Now it was Sheng Guoning’s turn to be dumbfounded. “…What?”
Yuan Maoqiu struggled to hold back a laugh. “What’s the matter, Captain Sheng? You’re just escorting a child. Why the troubled expression?”
It sounded simple, but it wasn’t easy in practice. This was no ordinary child; he was being entrusted with the kid his brother-in-law was taking care of—way more difficult to handle than usual kids. He couldn’t scold him, couldn’t hit him, and on top of that, Zhizhi was so fond of him that he got away with everything!
Lin Heyu’s hand rested on the car door, his dark eyes silently watching Sheng Guoning. The unspoken pressure was palpable.
Just say whether you can do it or not. If not, you can forget about my sister.
“Fine, fine! I’ll do it. I’ll make sure to hand him over safely to your people in Haijing!”
At 7:15, Xiao Shitou was still in the middle of a sweet dream when he was woken up by someone patting his shoulder. He opened his eyes groggily and saw Sheng Guoning sitting beside the bed, smiling at him.
“Xiao Shitou, you’re coming with me today. Uncle will take you home.”
“…” Xiao Shitou shook his head to wake up fully, feeling a chill run down his spine. He had heard about traffickers luring children with candy, and this smile was eerily similar. He jumped out of bed and looked around. Sheng Guoning, knowing what he was searching for, said, “Captain Lin has gone on a mission. He made special arrangements for me to take you to the high-speed train station. He cares about you, right?”
“High-speed train?” Xiao Shitou was stunned. “He’s really sending me back to Haijing?”
Sheng Guoning nodded, pointing at his watch. The person coming to pick him up would be arriving in forty minutes, so they needed to hurry.
But Xiao Shitou refused to leave. He had been feeling anxious, his eyelids twitching nonstop, afraid that if he left Haijing, something would happen to Lin Heyu. As a criminal investigator, Lin Heyu had a dangerous job, always braving storms and dangers. Especially with his tendency to charge ahead, Xiao Shitou couldn’t shake the worry.
“Uncle Sheng, I don’t want to go.” Xiao Shitou said directly. “I want to stay here and wait until you finish the case, then go back with him.”
You think I want to take you back? I don’t want this job either! Sheng Guoning complained in his mind, praying that Xiao Shitou wouldn’t start crying. If he cried, the whole world would be in tears.
“Xiao Shitou, it’s not that we don’t want you to stay in Nanyi. It’s just too dangerous. Look, you almost drowned in the river yesterday, right? If something happens to you, wouldn’t Lin Heyu be devastated? And wouldn’t Zhizhi cry her heart out?” Sheng Guoning sighed. “I also agree with sending you back. Everyone knows about your sister’s situation, and they’ll do everything they can to bring her back safely, alright?”
“…She fell into the river too. If she’s not found, I’m not leaving.”
“Even if she fell into the river, she was with Lin Heyu’s… well, his friend. You know him. He’s amazing; I don’t need to say more, right? So your sister will be fine. Just trust us.” Sheng Guoning had only heard this bit of gossip yesterday, and although he hadn’t seen this person in action, the descriptions from his Haijing colleagues painted him as unbelievably impressive. He couldn’t help but admire the “future sister-in-law.”
Xiao Shitou asked suspiciously, “His… friend?”
Sheng Guoning awkwardly brushed it off, realizing his slip of the tongue. Whoops. He mentally sighed. Xiao Shitou was so precocious, and with him being so innocent yet beautiful, what if he developed homophobia from hearing about forbidden male relationships too early? Lin Heyu would definitely skin him alive.
Half an hour passed—
Sheng Guoning had talked himself hoarse, but Xiao Shitou was as stubborn as ever. No matter how much reasoning or emotional appeals were made, he refused to leave. Sheng Guoning was growing anxious; time was running out, and the person was already off the train, yet they hadn’t even left the hotel. How long could this stalemate continue if they kept being so polite?
He paced around the room twice, then clenched his teeth and made up his mind—this was the plan!
Xiao Shitou had already decided to stay put, adopting a “dead pig is not afraid of boiling water” attitude. After all, Sheng Guoning couldn’t do anything to him. Suddenly, his wrist was grabbed, and with two clicks, a pair of shiny silver bracelets were placed on his thin wrists.
???
He stared, wide-eyed, at what was restraining his hands. Sheng Guoning adjusted the diameter of the handcuffs, making sure Xiao Shitou couldn’t slip free, and said, “Don’t blame your uncle. If I don’t get you back safely, my future with Aunt Lin is doomed!”
With that, he hoisted the now pale-faced child up. Xiao Shitou struggled furiously, kicking wildly, but Sheng Guoning held him tightly with one arm and carried him out over his shoulder.
“Hey! Let me go! Put me down!” Xiao Shitou’s face flushed red as he hung half-upside down. “You—you’re despicable! You’re abusing a child! How dare you cuff me? I’m telling Aunt Lin, and she’ll never be with you…!”
Sheng Guoning didn’t even break his stride. Compared to Xiao Shitou’s threats, his brother-in-law’s wrath was much scarier.
As they reached the hotel lobby, Xiao Shitou suddenly went quiet, his big eyes locked onto a tall, slender man at the front desk. The man wore a gray baseball cap, a loose olive-green hoodie, and casual pants. A black mask covered most of his face, but his eyes, youthful and sharp, were exposed.
He walked up to them and blocked Sheng Guoning’s path. “Captain Sheng, hello, I’m here to take Xiao Shitou back.”
“Hello. You’re the colleague from Haijing?” Sheng Guoning sized him up, finding him unlike a typical police officer. It wasn’t just the absence of a uniform; this guy had an aura about him. Even with the mask on, it was obvious he was a strikingly cool-looking guy. Was Haijing’s police force trying to create a handsome men’s club? With this guy, plus the peacock-like Yuan Maoqiu, it sure seemed like it.
Sheng Guoning’s scrutinizing gaze was so obvious that the man asked, “Do you need to see my ID?”
The ponytailed woman at the front desk rested her chin on her hand, smiling. “Captain Sheng, he really is Captain Lin’s colleague. Last time, Captain Lin brought him here.”
Lin Heyu brought him to the hotel? There was nothing technically wrong with that, but for some reason, it sounded more awkward the more he thought about it.
At that moment, Yan Runping entered the lobby. “Captain Sheng, let’s go. We need to interrogate Zhao Chenghu.”
“How did you know I was here?”
“The Qitian Hotel is right across from our station. You standing here was hard to miss.” Yan Runping noticed the man next to them and thought he looked familiar. After a few seconds, he remembered, “Isn’t this the guy from Haijing? Did your Captain Lin send you to fetch some more documents?”
With Yan Runping vouching for him, it would have been unreasonable for Sheng Guoning to demand an ID. He handed Xiao Shitou over and smiled. “I’m sorry for making you come all the way from the station. You can take a cab back, and I’ll cover the fare.”
The man didn’t say anything but glanced at Xiao Shitou’s hands. Xiao Shitou, expressionless, shook his silver cuffs, making them clang loudly.
Yan Runping was shocked. “What the heck? Why did you cuff the kid?”
Sheng Guoning had completely forgotten about that. He quickly fumbled in his pocket for the key. But the man, holding Xiao Shitou, went to the front desk and asked the ponytailed woman for a hairpin. After fiddling with the lock for a few seconds, the cuffs clicked open.
“…” Sheng Guoning quietly whispered to Yan Runping, “Remind me to visit 109 before the end of the day.”
109 was the security office, and Sheng Guoning was clearly planning to get a new pair of handcuffs. Yan Runping gave an awkward smile. The problem wasn’t the cuffs; it was clearly that the man had some serious lock-picking skills.
With the task of delivering the kid successfully completed, Sheng Guoning drove Yan Runping to the detention center. As he drove, one hand on the wheel, he asked, “Why didn’t you interrogate him last night?”
“My stomach acted up, and I was in pain all night. I had Xiao Sun and Xiao Tang cover for me.”
“Your stomach’s been bad for a while. If you don’t take care of it, you’ll regret it when you’re older.” Sheng Guoning glanced at Yan’s ever-present teacup. “Wow, there’s more tea leaves than water in there. Drinking tea that strong, no wonder your stomach hurts!”
Yan Runping chuckled. “It’s a habit.”
———
[02/29, 07:06, Nanyi Machinery Factory Old Plant]
Lin Heyu and the others were driving toward the Nanyi Machinery Factory. Yuan Maoqiu sat in the passenger seat, while Zou Bin and Wen Huabei sat in the back. Jian Ru had gone to the detention center to check on Zhao Chenghu’s interrogation.
Yuan Maoqiu had a cigarette dangling from his lips and was humming a little tune. The car window was open just a crack, making his hair fly wildly in the breeze. From the backseat, Zou Bin asked softly, “Brother Yuan, what are we going there for?”
“How would I know? Ask Lao Lin.”
Before Zou Bin could gather the courage to ask the captain, Lin Heyu spoke up. “It’s related to the case, but the details are unclear.”
Yuan Maoqiu closed his eyes. “See, even the wise and brilliant Captain Lin is in the dark. We’d better not think too much and just follow his lead.”
It was just past 7 in the morning, and the sun had yet to rise. The mountain forests were still shrouded in a light fog. In the distance, Yuan Maoqiu could see two tall chimneys standing side by side, their white columns marked by two red stripes. As they turned onto a dirt road, they found themselves facing the city river. In the dim light, the mountain silhouettes loomed on the far side, and by the riverbank stood a blue sign. Zou Bin rubbed his eyes. “What does it say? The fog’s too thick to make out anything.”
Wen Huabei shook his head. “If you could read it from this distance, something would be wrong. The river is so wide.”
Yuan Maoqiu squinted and took a closer look. “It’s a boundary sign. It says ‘Ganjiang District.’”
Wen Huabei was shocked: “Brother Yuan, are you an owl? You can even see that clearly?!”
Yuan Maoqiu laughed heartily. This little skill was all he had left, and it wasn’t even worth mentioning in front of someone like Lin Heyu.
The Nanyi Machinery Plant was established in the 1960s. It was just an ordinary small factory among the many industrial plants in Nanyi, in a remote location that probably more than half of the city’s residents didn’t even know about. What made it widely known was an accident: an explosion that happened 20 years ago. Accompanied by several loud bangs, smoke rose to the sky, blocking out the sun, and the flames turned half the sky red.
The factory suffered greatly from the blow, making survival incredibly difficult. Fortunately, the government stepped in, providing funding for reconstruction and various support policies. In just one year, the dilapidated factory was completely renewed, with upgraded equipment and a new look. However, the hiring process and management system became much stricter than before, particularly with the security guards at the entrance. They only hired strong young men, with at least two guards on duty at each gate around the clock.
Zou Bin leaned forward and glanced at the entrance: “Both gates have surveillance and are fully electronic. Two security guards are on duty 24/7. It wouldn’t be easy for them to smuggle explosives into the factory, right?”
Wen Huabei retorted, “That’s a pointless question. Have you already forgotten how they kidnapped those kids from the kindergarten?”
“…” Zou Bin hung his head silently. That was indeed a foolish question, especially with Captain Lin right in front of him. He hoped Lin would give him a chance and not kick him out of the team.
Lin Heyu clearly understood what was about to happen. This visit to the factory was also a chance to inspect the terrain and make preparations. The case in Yi Shi occurred at 6:35 a.m. on October 30th. When converted to their current location, it would happen at 5:25 p.m. on March 1st. One occurred before work hours, and the other just before the end of the day—both at the time of the shift change at the gates, when security was the most lax.
The explosion destroyed Factory No. 2 and a small dormitory housing 40 workers. Fortunately, some had already gotten up and started washing up at the public basin. The 12 casualties were the ones who had stayed behind in the dormitory.
According to surveillance footage and testimony from the security guards, the explosives were brought in by a van. The van belonged to a factory worker who lived about 10 kilometers from the plant. Because of the long commute, he often gave rides to his colleagues to earn a little extra money. His van had once carried as many as 12 passengers at a time.
On October 30th, he had a stroke of bad luck. He had only picked up five people when his van was hijacked by a group of criminals who forced him to take them into the factory. The security guards at the gate were already familiar with the van, so they waved it through without inspection. Soon after, the explosion rocked the plant, throwing the factory into chaos. The criminals then abducted three more people and left the plant unnoticed amid the confusion.
Lin Heyu and his team parked the car across from the factory. They had been standing for less than two minutes when a security guard approached to ask about their purpose. Lin Heyu straightforwardly showed his credentials, and the guard, seeing they were police, became much more respectful: “Officers, is there something wrong?”
“We’re investigating a case. Don’t worry, just cooperate with us,” Yuan Maoqiu thought to himself, but it wasn’t appropriate to directly say, “Your factory might be bombed again.” That would surely scare them half to death.
Upon hearing it was case-related, the two guards respectfully invited them into the security room. Lin Heyu pointed at the two tall chimneys, asking, “How do we get over there?”
“The chimneys have long been out of use. They’re on the far right of the plant. You go left first, then right when you see Factory No. 2, and keep walking straight.”
Lin Heyu nodded, leaving Zou Bin and Wen Huabei behind to gather some basic information, while he and Yuan Maoqiu went to check out the site.
The sky gradually brightened, and they soon found the two tall chimneys. Next to them was a small warehouse, with an electrified fence and the wide Raocheng River behind it.
There was a lock on the warehouse door. Yuan Maoqiu was about to head back to the guards to ask for the key, but before he could, Lin Heyu was already bent over, unlocking it with an old wire he had picked up from the ground.
“…” Yuan Maoqiu clapped slowly. “As expected of you, your efficiency is top-notch.”
Lin Heyu ignored him. Once the lock clicked open, they went inside. The warehouse was no more than ten square meters, cluttered with random items. They could see everything in one glance.
After confirming that it was just an ordinary warehouse, they backed out and Lin Heyu clicked the lock shut again. Yuan Maoqiu stroked his chin, saying, “So this isn’t the place? But there’s only this warehouse next to the two chimneys.”
They were at the far east of the plant, surrounded by two walls and one side bordered by the wire fence. Outside the walls was a vast grassland, and this section of the factory was the only building near the river.
Lin Heyu stepped back slowly, and in his line of sight, the two tall chimneys, the river, and the opposite riverbank formed the same pattern as the one drawn on the note. It seemed likely that the ▲ symbol represented this warehouse. But the odd thing was that they hadn’t found anything suspicious. With Yi Shi’s meticulous nature, there was no way he would have left an irrelevant clue.
Perhaps they had started looking in the wrong place. The diagram might not represent Nanyi Machinery Plant at all, but somewhere else entirely. Yuan Maoqiu shaded his eyes with his hand, gazing at the opposite bank. “Hey, Lin, what’s that mountain over there? I know it’s definitely not Turtleback Mountain.”
“That’s Peacock Head Mountain,” Lin Heyu replied, having glanced at the map earlier.
“Peacock Head? Why’s it called that? Does it look like a peacock’s head?” Yuan Maoqiu suddenly slapped his palm. “Oh, I get it! It’s part of the Four Divine Beasts! Lao Lin, you’re good with directions. Aren’t Peacock Head Mountain and Turtle Back Mountain aligned north to south? With so many mountains in Nanyi, could it be that they hired a feng shui master to arrange them?”
A lightbulb went off in Lin Heyu’s mind, and he grabbed Yuan Maoqiu’s collar. “What did you just say?”
“Huh? That they hired a feng shui master to arrange the mountains?”
“The sentence before that.”
“That the mountains are aligned north to south?”
Hearing this, Lin Heyu quickly bent down and began drawing in the dirt with a stick. Yuan Maoqiu, alarmed, exclaimed, “Hey, Lao Lin, I was just joking about the superstitions. Don’t tell me you’re really solving cases with feng shui!”
Lin Heyu didn’t respond. Who cared about the Four Divine Beasts? What mattered was the orientation. He drew rough representations of three locations on the ground. If the machinery plant was the center, then Peacock Head Mountain was to the north, and Turtle Back Mountain was to the east. That placed them currently to the east of the plant, on its far right.
So, from where had Yi Shi been standing when he sketched these locations?
Lin Heyu pulled out the note Yi Shi had drawn and scrutinized it carefully, inch by inch. Suddenly, his eyelid twitched. He realized that part of the horizontal line and dot structure at the top had some blank space, meaning that the final “·－” should be viewed separately. After he had suggested the idea of boundary lines, everyone, including himself, had overlooked one crucial detail—mistakenly treating it as part of the boundary instead of recognizing its special significance.
It looked like Sheng Guoning’s idea wasn’t without merit. The “－·” was Morse code for the letter “N.”
Lin Heyu immediately started heading for the front gate. Yuan Maoqiu hurried after him, calling, “Where are you going? Say something! I’m not a mind reader!”
“Across the river—to Peacock Head Mountain.”
