Lin Heyu borrowed an electric cart from the security guard. Not far ahead, there was a stone bridge connecting the two banks, the quickest route to cross. Yuan Maoqiu, sitting in the back, looked completely bewildered. He wanted to ask a question but seeing Lin’s expression—his handsome face stern, eyebrows furrowed—he knew that asking anything right now wouldn’t get an answer.
Oh well, after working on cases with Lao Lin for years, he had long since gotten used to these sudden spurts of unpredictable action. Although the outcome always turned out well in the end, he couldn’t help but admire how sharp Lao Lin’s mind was; no matter how odd his thought process might seem at first, it always made sense in the end.
The electric cart stopped in front of the chimneys. From here, the warehouse was mostly hidden by a large banyan tree outside the barbed-wire fence; only the tip of the roof could be faintly seen. Lin Heyu looked back. Behind him was a slope overgrown with yellow, dried-out weeds leading up to Peacock Head Mountain. He climbed up the slope, turning back to glance at the machinery factory every few steps. As they ascended, the two chimneys gradually shrank, and the pointed roof of the small warehouse emerged from the banyan tree.
Lin Heyu took out the note and, after triple-checking it, stood still at a specific spot. Yuan Maoqiu, clutching a tree trunk as thick as his wrist, climbed up and grumbled, “Ah, more mountain climbing. Hey Brother Lin could you kindly open your golden mouth and tell me what’s going on?”
Lin Heyu turned the note upside down and handed it to Yuan Maoqiu. He looked down at the reversed drawing, then immediately glanced over at the machinery factory, suddenly enlightened.
So this was the key. What they were looking for wasn’t the symbols on the drawing, but a position where those symbols could be seen. Yi Shi had stood here and drawn what he saw.
Another question arose: what was here? Nothing but trees and grass, and behind… huh? What was that concrete structure, half-hidden by the wild grass? Square-shaped… could it be an old private tomb?
Lin Heyu squinted and stepped onto a large rock to get a clearer view of the half-concealed structure. “It looks like an entrance, probably to an air raid shelter.”
“An air raid shelter? That must have been abandoned long ago, probably filled with snakes, bugs, and rats by now.” Yuan Maoqiu paused, then snapped his fingers, “Wait! These kinds of facilities are usually underground and in remote locations—perfect for hiding people!”
Realizing the possibility, the two quickly headed toward the air raid shelter. Yuan Maoqiu even had the mind to chat with Lin Heyu, “Hey, if your partner was hinting at this air raid shelter, why didn’t he just draw it out?”
“…” Surprisingly, Lin Heyu responded to his idle talk for once, “How would you draw it, you tell me?”
“Just draw a mountain, then circle it and mark the spot… uh, no, that’s wrong.” Yuan Maoqiu immediately shut his mouth because he suddenly realized that if they had done that, anyone who found the note would have easily understood it.
The whole point of a code was to prioritize security and concealment; otherwise, why bother inventing codes in the first place if not to filter out those not meant to receive the information?
The brilliance of Yi Shi’s drawing lay in its simplicity. He used easily recognizable landmarks to indicate the general direction, so anyone following the map would reach the machinery factory but find nothing. He had hidden the true location within subtle details, only someone like Lin Heyu, who knew him well and had a sharp eye, could figure it out.
Yuan Maoqiu sighed and clasped his hands in defeat. “I give up, I admit defeat. With brains like yours and your partner’s teamed up, do you even leave us ordinary folks a way to survive?”
While exchanging banter, they reached the square-shaped entrance. They cleared away the wild grass piled at the entrance, revealing a set of stone steps. Lin Heyu took out a flashlight, shining it downwards. The inside was pitch black, with no visible end; it seemed they had to go down to investigate.
Yuan Maoqiu called Zhou Bin and Wen Huabei, who quickly arrived at Peacock Head Mountain. Zhou Bin wiped the sweat off his forehead while Wen Huabei peered into the cave, “Lao Lin, what’s down there?”
“We don’t know yet. We’re about to go play EZ,” Yuan Maoqiu replied, then ordered, “Zhou Bin, you stay outside and contact our colleagues in Nanyi. Xiao Bei, you come with us.”
The three-man “explorer team” checked their gear, put on their earpieces to stay in communication, and Lin Heyu led the way. After only a few steps down, a pungent smell of mold mixed with the scent of damp earth hit them, forcing them to cover their noses. As they descended further, darkness swallowed the remaining light, and the cold, damp air wrapped around them. Yuan Maoqiu shivered, regretting not wearing his jacket for easier movement.
Finally, they reached the bottom. The surrounding walls were arched, forming a long, narrow tunnel. The tunnel’s shape caused even the slightest sound to echo; a simple step on a twig would produce reverberations.
Lin Heyu switched his flashlight to low-beam mode, motioning for the others to slow down and move quietly. The light illuminated the uneven ground, revealing fresh footprints in the damp soil. Yuan Maoqiu squatted to feel the earth—soft and moist. The footprints were new, likely left within the past two days.
He found a clear, intact print, compared its size with his hand, and mouthed to Lin Heyu: Kid’s.
Lin Heyu nodded and pointed ahead. The three moved carefully, sticking close to the wall to preserve the scene for later evidence collection. As they advanced, more signs of human activity began to appear: cigarette butts, tissues, empty cans—evidence of recent habitation.
They soon reached a fork in the tunnel, splitting left and right. Lin Heyu instructed Wen Huabei to go right with Yuan Maoqiu while he went left. Yuan Maoqiu pulled a small Swiss Army knife from his pocket and handed it over, whispering, “Lao Lin, this is for self-defense, not for charging ahead. If something’s wrong, get out quickly.”
Lin Heyu took the knife, patted Yuan Maoqiu on the back, and told him to take care of Wen Huabei.
The trio split up. Lin Heyu became even more cautious, controlling even his breathing. The tunnel was long and deep, with square compartments on either side. Some were piled with sandbags, others held old items long buried from the sun. Reaching another fork, he trusted his instincts and again chose the left path.
In the fourth compartment, he finally found a neatly folded, brand-new quilt, along with an empty instant noodle cup on the floor.
The following two rooms also showed signs of recent use. The further he went, the worse the air circulation became, and the ground started seeping with water. Every step now produced a wet, squelching sound. Lin Heyu had seen air raid shelters that stretched through entire mountains in the southwest, and he figured this one must also be extensive.
Every five minutes, Yuan Maoqiu reported their situation. This time, his voice was full of excitement, forgetting to lower the volume: “Lao Lin! The hostages are here! Two kids, two adults, all alive!”
Wen Huabei’s voice followed closely: “Captain Lin, the ransom boxes are here too! Both of them! Even the one we lost track of earlier is here!”
Finally, they had found it. The weight lifted off Lin Heyu’s heart, but an indescribable sense of unease crept over him.
“By the way, what’s your situation over there? We’ve already reached the end.”
“There’s more to go,” Lin Heyu replied, shining his flashlight ahead. “The exit is still far away.”
“Damn, it’s like a maze in here. How about you come back first, wait until Nanyi’s team arrives, and then continue?”
Lin Heyu thought for a moment and then asked, “Aside from the hostages and the ransom, did you find anything else?”
“What else would we find? We’ve seen nothing but shadows all the way here. We even thought we were going the wrong way. Who knew it would be so simple? The people and the money are all here, just like that.”
Lin Heyu’s eyelids twitched. That was the strangest part. The distance between the two sides wasn’t small, so why would they allow the hostages to be placed out of sight? There were signs of life on the left side, and logically, the hostages should have been found there.
Moreover, the ransom was present, placed alongside the hostages, as if it had been intentionally delivered right to them. At this point, there were only two possibilities: either Yi Shi had helped them, or it was a trap set by the kidnappers. The former would be a joyful outcome, but the latter could be disastrous.
“Xiao Bei, Xiao Bei, what are you doing over there inspecting the boxes?”
“I want to see if there’s still money inside. How much of the five million is left?”
“Check it when we get out. It’s not going to grow legs and run away. Come help carry the kids. You take one, I’ll take another…”
“Wait!” Lin Heyu interrupted, “Maoqiu, check every hostage carefully. Be thorough and quick. Xiao Bei, search the entire room, don’t miss anything…”
Suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps could be faintly heard in the distance. The footsteps were chaotic and urgent, suggesting there were at least two people. Lin Heyu immediately switched off his flashlight and slipped into an adjacent room, pressing his back against the wall. His black clothes blended into the stone walls seamlessly.
“Clang!”
The sound of metal hitting the ground momentarily halted the footsteps, followed by the sound of a struggle and cursing. Lin Heyu frowned, speaking quickly into his earpiece, “Someone’s here. You two, head back up and wait for reinforcements. Zhou Bin, have you contacted Sheng Guoning?”
Zhou Bin replied, “Captain Sheng is interrogating Zhao Chenghu. I’ve contacted Shao Shiqing and Shen Ruier. Both teams are on their way.”
“Lao Lin, how many are there on your side? Any weapons?” asked Yuan Maoqiu.
“Not sure,” Lin Heyu whispered as he cautiously moved forward along the wall. Yuan Maoqiu was getting anxious. “Hey, don’t play the hero here. If they’ve got guns, get out of there fast.”
Lin Heyu continued to move, the sounds of the fight becoming clearer with each step. The punches were landing hard, making it sound painful and intense. He reached a right-hand corner, where a flashlight lay on the ground, likely the source of the earlier noise.
The light from the fallen flashlight illuminated three shadows on the wall. All three were men. The one on the far right had a round, bald head, unmistakably the man known as “Baldy,” one of Tu Laogui’s closest brothers. The person on the left wasn’t as recognizable from just the shadow, but Lin Heyu was certain he was one of the criminals. The figure in the middle, tall and slender, was fighting skillfully. With a well-aimed kick, the bald man went down, and without even looking, the fighter delivered an elbow strike to the man behind him, the sharp sound of bones cracking reverberating loudly in the confined space.
“Damn it…” the bald man struggled to get up, his hand reaching into his pocket. “Move another inch, and those hostages will die!”
A familiar, icy voice replied, “Did you plant bombs on them?”
It was Yi Shi.
What made Lin Heyu’s heart race wasn’t just Yi Shi’s sudden appearance but the realization that the hostages were indeed part of a trap!
“Hah, scared now?” The man behind the bald man rubbed his jaw. “That hurt like hell… today, I’m definitely taking your life!”
As tension mounted, Yuan Maoqiu’s voice came through the earpiece again. “Lao Lin, I’m coming to find you. Where did you go?”
Lin Heyu lightly tapped his finger on the earpiece twice.
Yuan Maoqiu paused. “Go? You’re telling me to leave alone?! Damn, don’t scare me like that. Report your location!”
Lin Heyu couldn’t afford to pay him any mind. He saw Balthe bald mandy pulling out a gun, and the man behind him doing the same. Yi Shi was caught between them, guns aimed at him from both sides.
Lin Heyu’s heart leaped into his throat. He knew no one could outrun a speeding bullet, so without hesitation, he did a forward roll, grabbed the flashlight, and switched it off. The sudden darkness engulfed the tunnel.
“Huh?!”
A cry of surprise was followed by screams, then two gunshots rang out, and the sound of something heavy hitting the ground echoed. Lin Heyu’s heart sank. He was desperate to know if the situation had turned into a one-on-one or if it was already a two-on-zero. He had reached the corner when a figure lunged at him, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Two more shots went off, one hitting the ground, the other flying over his head.
Yi Shi’s breath was hot against Lin Heyu’s face as he wrapped an arm around him, pulling him to his feet. Lin Heyu immediately pushed the small flashlight to its strongest beam setting. The concentrated LED light beam shot straight at the bald man’s face, forcing him to shield his eyes. In the beam’s path lay the other man, wearing a leather jacket, blood pooling on the ground, his gun lying about a meter away.
Given Yi Shi’s sharp instincts, there was no reason for him not to have grabbed the gun after knocking the man down. He wouldn’t leave himself so vulnerable. Lin Heyu quickly deduced that the gun must have been tampered with. Without hesitation, he drew his Swiss army knife, gripping the blade by its edge and throwing it like a dart.
The knife struck the bald man’s arm precisely where he had been shielding his eyes. It must have hit an artery, as blood spurted out in a fine arc, covering his arm in crimson. The bald man’s face contorted in pain, his rage boiling over. He roared, and Lin Heyu saw his index finger begin to squeeze the trigger.
Lin Heyu squinted. The bald man had a Glock with 17 rounds. If the magazine was full, there were still 13 bullets left. In this confined space, with the curved walls, the bullets could ricochet unpredictably. In a barrage of shots, there was no guarantee they’d make it out unscathed.
The safest option was to retreat the way they came, but judging by Yi Shi’s determined expression, there was no way he would retreat now. Sure enough, Yi Shi snatched the flashlight and turned it off, plunging them into darkness once more. The bald man, enraged, began firing wildly, the muzzle flashing as bullets flew in every direction, with no aim but to kill the two men before him.
The earth and walls were peppered with bullet holes as the bald man fired. Panting, he paused briefly, gritting his teeth as he ripped the knife out of his flesh. Little did he know, in that brief moment, Yi Shi and Lin Heyu had already flanked him. A solid kick landed in the bald man’s gut, sending him staggering back against the wall. A strong hand seized his throat, trapping his legs and rendering him immobile.
His eyes widened in fear. The powerful grip around his throat was even more overwhelming than anything he’d felt before. The hand that gripped him was calloused and firm. It wouldn’t take much effort for it to snap his neck.
The final gunshot echoed through the tunnel, and then silence fell. Only the faint smell of gunpowder lingered in the air.
The flashlight shone again. Lin Heyu’s hand was still gripping the bald man’s throat, while Yi Shi stood across from him, tossing aside the gun in his hand. Lin Heyu let go, and the bald man slid down the wall like a pile of mud, eyes wide open even in death.
In just two short minutes, the two men who had been so arrogant moments ago were now lying dead, one in front and the other behind, their bodies sprawled on the ground. The thick stench of blood mingled with the decaying air, making one nauseous. Yi Shi crouched down and fished out a small remote control from the bald man’s jacket pocket, handing it to Lin Heyu.
Lin Heyu examined it. It was a wireless remote control, capable of controlling devices from several kilometers away. The receiver must be attached to one of the hostages or hidden somewhere in the room. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Thankfully, he hadn’t allowed Yuan Maoqiu and Wen Huabei to take the hostages out directly. Otherwise, this place could very well have been their grave.
“Zhao Chenghu has been caught. The bald man knew the police would find this place, so he stayed behind to wait for you. They’ve made enough money to flee the country. These hostages were never meant to be kept alive—they even wanted to take the police down with them,” Yi Shi explained.
The situation was just as Lin Heyu had suspected. Given the kidnappers’ ruthlessness, the box likely didn’t contain ransom money at all but was instead rigged with explosives, possibly set to detonate when opened.
“One of the boxes really does have the ransom,” Yi Shi said calmly, “The five million you lost track of.”
“You found it?”
“Yeah, I intercepted it.”
That explained why their repeated searches had yielded nothing. Yi Shi had not only found the people but also the money. It was hard to believe that just a few hours ago, this man had been gravely injured, shot, and fallen into the river before his very eyes.
“They’re dead now. As long as the bombs are defused, it’ll be fine…” Yi Shi’s arm was suddenly grabbed, and he froze for a moment. Lin Heyu’s hand slipped inside Yi Shi’s open jacket, probing from his chest down to his abdomen, his expression growing more serious. “Where are your injuries?”
“You mean from when I fell into the river?” Yi Shi smiled faintly. “That’s all in the past… no, actually, it hasn’t even happened yet.”
From that one sentence, Lin Heyu could confirm that the person in front of him was indeed Yi Shi, but not the Yi Shi he usually interacted with. The clothes he was wearing felt strangely familiar, the cool-toned green making his pale skin even more pronounced, and the unsettling aura around him grew stronger.
Yi Shi’s brows lifted as he met Lin Heyu’s scrutinizing gaze. His slender, jade-like hand reached out to touch Lin Heyu’s cheek. “You really did forget me.”
“What?”
“Back when time was fleeting, I told you the first time we met not to come to Nanyi. Do you remember?”
Lin Heyu furrowed his brows deeply, thinking hard. After a long half-minute, he hesitantly asked, “Wasn’t our first meeting… at the cemetery?”
Yi Shi gazed at him, his eyes dark as deep ink, impossible to fathom. After a moment, he smiled—a light, helpless smile.
“If you’ve forgotten, so be it. It doesn’t matter; you’ll remember me.”
Lin Heyu couldn’t hold back any longer and pulled Yi Shi into his arms, tightening his embrace. Although he didn’t understand what had happened, seeing the sorrow in Yi Shi’s expression, the weariness of someone who had seen through the world in his eyes, weighed heavily on Lin Heyu, making it hard to breathe.
Yi Shi leaned against his shoulder, his hands lightly resting around him. In a low voice, he told Lin Heyu that forgetting was a predetermined fact, destined to happen, and he shouldn’t worry about it.
“This isn’t right.”
“Yeah, it’s not right, and it can’t be solved.” Yi Shi closed his eyes. “In this case, there are many things you can only watch happen. The predetermined fact is the only one, and it doesn’t make sense.”
“So we’re just supposed to leave it to fate?” Lin Heyu glanced at the two dead men on the ground. “Was their death inevitable too?”
Yi Shi, in his arms, didn’t answer. He slowly raised his head, a slight smile tugging at his lips. “That’s why I refuse to accept fate.”
Meanwhile, Yuan Maoqiu was running breathlessly around, still unable to find Lin Heyu. He had tried calling him several times, but there was no response. Lin Heyu’s comms had gone dead.
“Brother Yuan! We found bombs on the hostages!”
“What?!” Yuan Maoqiu’s heart pounded as he slowed his pace, taking a deep breath to force himself to stay calm. “Xiao Bei, don’t touch them. Go up and stay with Zou Bin, stay far from the cave entrance, and make sure to contact Nanyi’s bomb disposal team.”
“What about you, Brother Yuan?”
“I need to find Lao Lin. He might’ve been ambushed.” Sweat began to bead on Yuan Maoqiu’s palms, and his temples throbbed painfully. He worried that Lin Heyu wouldn’t be able to escape the fight unharmed, and he was also anxious that the bombs might explode, killing both the hostages and themselves. The only thing he could do now was send Wen Huabei out to safety, hoping at least one person could make it out alive.
Zou Bin’s voice came through. “Brother Yuan, Ping-jie just called. She said she didn’t pick up Xiao Shitou, and she can’t reach Captain Lin and Captain Sheng either, and your phone’s not connecting.”
“Huh?” Yuan Maoqiu’s head spun. “How did she not pick him up? What about Sheng Guoning? He didn’t take Xiao Shitou to the detention center, did he?!”
“Captain Sheng’s still not answering. Brother Yuan, what should we do?”
What could he do? One issue after another kept cropping up, and each one was more difficult than the last. He wished he knew what to do himself!
Yuan Maoqiu closed his eyes, suppressing his growing frustration. “Just do what I said. The case comes first. I’ll figure out the rest after I find Lao Lin.”
