——
At 10 p.m., the internet cafe was bustling with peak-hour business. You Mingxu's instructions had been cryptic, so Xu Mengshan kept a low profile. Waiting until no one was around, he approached the counter and asked the attendant to summon the owner.
The owner was the same middle-aged man in his forties from last time, surnamed Xiang, who appeared steady and honest. Xu Mengshan flashed his police badge and said, "I need all the surveillance footage from this internet cafe for the few nights leading up to Xie Huifang's incident."
The Xie Huifang case had caused quite a stir, and the owner, having cooperated with the investigation before, was well aware of it.
The owner immediately agreed and called an attendant to retrieve the footage.
Xu Mengshan leaned against the counter to wait. Owner Xiang poured him a glass of water, which he thanked him for, sipping slowly while observing the situation in the internet cafe.
Owner Xiang asked a few questions about the progress of the investigation, but Xu Mengshan brushed them off with brief replies.
Soon, the attendant copied the surveillance footage onto a USB drive. Owner Xiang handed it to Xu Mengshan and asked, "Has there been some development in the case? Is that why you're reviewing the footage again?"
Xu Mengshan didn't answer, only saying, "Thanks."
Owner Xiang added, "Someone else came by earlier asking for the footage, but I didn't give it to them."
Xu Mengshan lifted his eyelids. "Who?"
Owner Xiang replied, "Just a kid, seemed to be surnamed Liu or Chen. He often comes here to surf the internet with Li Biran and left just before you arrived. Oh, he said Li Biran wanted to see the footage, sent him to get it, claiming they wanted to recall the details of the case and help catch the killer sooner. But that's just nonsense, right? How could I give it to them? They're not the police."
Xu Mengshan was taken aback. Clutching the USB drive, he walked out of the internet cafe. Outside, the streets were ablaze with neon lights and bustling with traffic, but he didn't spot any suspicious figures.
Although You Mingxu hadn't yet explained her reasoning to him, he sensed something was off. He pulled out his phone and called You Mingxu.
At the quiet, deserted side gate of the school, You Mingxu was just escorting Li Biran into a police car. After hearing Xu Mengshan's report over the phone, she frowned. "Damn it! That kid is too clever—he's trying to run!"
——
Several police cars sped toward the factory.
In the deepening stillness of the night, numerous clues and pieces of evidence began pouring forth with the breakthrough in Li Biran's confession—
At Li Biran's home, the police found the pair of shoes that matched the footprints at Xu Jiayuan's death scene, and indeed, they discovered traces of unwashed bloodstains on the soles. Li Biran's parents, witnessing this, were utterly bewildered and stunned, completely unable to comprehend what it all meant.
Following the route from Li Biran's home to the scene of Xu Jiayuan's case, the police finally spotted Li Biran on surveillance footage at an intersection about ten minutes after the incident, throwing a bloodstained backpack into the river. Efforts were currently underway to retrieve the backpack.
During the time of Xie Huifang's death, Liu Ruoyu had not been at work and had no alibi. Surveillance from the residential complex captured Liu Ruoyu entering and leaving the area around the time of the incident, just as Yin Feng's criminal profile had suggested—carrying a backpack and having changed his clothes.
The police were now searching Liu Ruoyu's known activity areas for hidden weapons, bloodstained clothing, and other evidence.
…
However, by the time You Mingxu and Yin Feng arrived at Liu Ruoyu's residence, they were too late. The sixteen-year-old boy was nowhere to be found.
——————It was already midnight, and the factory was brightly lit both inside and out. A faint mist lingered over the Yuelu Mountain Range, making it appear like a silent giant beast standing tall. Scattered lights dotted the foot of the mountain. The police had already begun to determine Liu Ruoyu’s escape route and started searching up the mountain.
The Yuelu Mountain Range was not particularly high, nor was its area especially large. It was not an ideal hiding place.
You Mingxu and Yin Feng were among the search party. You Mingxu’s expression was as calm as water, her steps swift and unhesitating as she forged ahead through the undergrowth. Despite his tall and sturdy build, Yin Feng was struggling to keep up and quickly said, “A Xu, slow down.”
You Mingxu had no intention of doing so and replied, “Stay here and wait for me.”
Yin Feng naturally refused—first, because he was worried about her being alone, and second, how could he admit that he might be holding her back? Gritting his teeth, he stepped firmly onto the thorny grass and bushes, enduring the sharp, faint pain. Breathing a little heavily, he managed to keep up with his hero.
You Mingxu noticed him forcing himself to keep pace, huffing and puffing behind her, and couldn’t help but feel amused. She thought to herself, He’s still a pampered, high-class writer after all—look at that meticulously exercised and carefully maintained model physique. Now, following me, he’s bound to get roughed up.
But isn’t it better for a man to be a little rugged?
However, at the moment, the deep night stretched endlessly before them, with no trace of their target in sight.
“Where do you think he’s hiding? Where would he run?” You Mingxu asked.
Mentioning that kid made Yin Feng angry. If it weren’t for him, he and You Mingxu would have been holding hands and heading home by now. Irritated, he replied, “No matter how clever he is, no matter how many detective novels or TV shows he’s watched, he’s still limited—and he’s just a kid. Now that his plan has been exposed, he rushed up the mountain in a panic. How could he have had time to plan anything? He’s just following his survival instincts, desperately running toward the distance and the darkness. That’s where he’ll feel safe. You can just search casually.”
You Mingxu tapped him on the head. “Nonsense. How can we search casually?” Still, his words boosted her confidence. They were among the first group of police officers to arrive at the scene. You Mingxu was agile and skilled at tracking, and Yin Feng, though barely keeping up, hadn’t slowed them down. After climbing another mountain, the two of them had unknowingly reached the front lines of the search.
Thick vegetation covered the foothills. The night was deep and eerie, without a single light. Silence enveloped the surroundings, and there were no paths on the ground. Looking around, all the trees, rocks, and slopes were reduced to dark silhouettes, as if they were merely black shapes and lines etched against the dim night sky. The wind rustled faintly, and walking here felt like stepping into a realm shrouded in an eerie aura.
You Mingxu led Yin Feng as they continued climbing up the slope. A thought suddenly crossed her mind: That child, that murderer, is walking alone in the same environment. Is he feeling terrified right now?
Beside her, Yin Feng suddenly gasped. You Mingxu immediately stopped and asked, “What’s wrong?”
It was pitch dark around them. The tall, 1.8-meter-tall man was leaning over, hands on his knees, his voice almost sinking into the mud: “I just stepped on a sharp rock. The sole of my foot hurts…”
You Mingxu said, “It’s fine. Move it around a bit.”
He obediently kicked his leg a few times.
“Feeling better?”
He nodded."Keep moving." You Mingxu's movements were swift once more. Yin Feng's soles were still numb, the lingering sharp pain from earlier throbbing faintly. A sense of grievance welled up in him, mingled with a growing dependence. With no other choice, he forced himself to keep pace, stealing glances at her cold profile in their hurried flight. He murmured softly, "Then when we get home, you have to massage my soles so I don't get injured."
You Mingxu was exasperated. She snapped angrily, "Have you ever heard of anyone getting injured from stepping on a stone? Just walk properly."
Yin Feng had no choice but to quicken his pace. In a soft, pleading tone, he added, "Just one massage. I'll wash my feet clean when we get back."
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