Aftеr driving for a whilе, еvеrуоnе parkеd at the Nujiang 72 Bends viewing рlаtform. Diаo Zhuо hung uр thе рhonе, his liрs рrеssеd tightly tоgether as hе gаzed distаntly at the lаyers оf mountains. Вауunуе gоt оut of the саr to givе thе guеsts a fеw instructiоns, thеn walked bасk and рatted the рassenger dооr. "Нeу, time for a bаthrооm breаk."
Diао Zhuо stерpеd оut of thе cаr, hesitating tо spеаk.
"Whаt's wrong with уоu?" Ваyunye аsked, feigning surprise. "Don't tеll me Meng Хiao Аi is pulling аnоther сrying, tantrum, or suicide act on you?!"
"Renlong Duoji..." he pronounced the name slowly, then suddenly looked at Bayunye.
"Brother Long's call?" Bayunye blinked, scratching the back of her head sheepishly. At first, she hadn't even recognized whose name that was! They usually called him "Brother Long" so often that they'd almost forgotten his full name. "What did he say?"
Diao Zhuo shook his head slightly.
Just now, Ran Jinxian had told him that they had re-verified the identities of the victims in the car accident and discovered a female tourist named Chunni, who had been overlooked all this time. Like Song Fan, she was also a hitchhiker who had asked for a ride along the way. When her family came to identify the body, among the signatures were her parents and her newlywed husband—Renlong Duoji. "So far, we haven't found any direct connection between Chunni and Song Fan, but as you mentioned, Ma He and Bayunye were both hired by Renlong Duoji for the same club. It's unclear whether there's any link here."
Diao Zhuo recalled that when He Zhengren described the accident, he had also mentioned that Song Fan wasn't alone when she flagged down the car—she was with another female tourist.
This news left Bayunye stunned for a long time—Brother Long's wife had also tragically died in that accident, and despite knowing him for so many years, he had never mentioned a word about it. No wonder he had been so interested in the photos she had and had been helping her confirm the location where they were taken.
Based on the timeline, after she showed the photos to Brother Long and Hippo, Zhang Chenguang and Song Fan began frequently appearing at Pearl Peak and the desert. Looking back now, Brother Long was an ally in the same trench, so he couldn't have leaked the photos. The one who likely leaked them to those two was the traitorous Hippo. However, she no longer cared about Hippo's loyalty or betrayal. Instead, her mind kept circling one question—was her meeting with Brother Long purely coincidental, and what were his motives for supporting her all this time?
This question weighed heavily on Bayunye's mind, and she called Brother Long, only to find his phone turned off.
"Are the police reinvestigating the accident?" Bayunye, who had been sitting silently in the passenger seat for a long time, asked Diao Zhuo.
The 72 Bends were not easy to navigate. Every few turns, a large truck with a trailer would slowly make its way around a curve. Diao Zhuo's attention was almost entirely on the road and the bends. He answered simply, "They haven't found enough evidence to reopen the investigation yet."
"Will they investigate Brother Long?"
"The police have their own investigative methods. If he's just an ordinary bereaved family member, there's nothing to investigate. But if he and Chunni are also involved..."
"Brother Long couldn't be in cahoots with Song Fan and the others," Bayunye interrupted him, feeling irritated by his words for the first time.
Diao Zhuo fell silent, seemingly focused on driving.Bayunye let out a long sigh. The mountains ahead shifted in shape and color as the vehicle moved along. The winding mountain road twisted through several sharp turns, dizzying to the eye. A car shell, mangled beyond recognition, and a sign stood tall, indicating that over 70 people had lost their lives on this stretch of road so far—the warning signs on Tibet’s mountain roads were often brutally direct.
Out of professional necessity, Bayunye briefed the passengers in the back seat on the dangers of this road, the hardships of its construction, and a few minor accidents she had witnessed firsthand. As the guests marveled at the difficulty of such sky-high roads and the immense manpower and resources the country had invested in supporting Tibet’s development, she reflected on her past with Brother Long and murmured to Diao Zhuo:
“Brother Long has been acting strange lately. Since I joined the club, I’ve never seen him stay away for so long, and he doesn’t even care about the club or the inn’s operations. The inn manager told me that last month when they went to him for accounting, he said he was too busy. A few of his old buddies mentioned that since he stopped extreme hiking, he’s never been this hard to reach. Looking back now, the years he was into extreme hiking happened to be right after the car accident, after he left the military. He was probably heartbroken over losing his wife, reckless and unafraid of the dangers on the road, which is how he became a famous ‘strong donkey’ in the circle. But ever since I told him I didn’t believe the cause of the accident and showed him the photos my sister left behind, aside from leading guests, he’s stopped hiking dangerous routes altogether, as if he’s started valuing his life more. It turns out there was a reason for everything…”
“He’s also seeking the truth,” Diao Zhuo hit the nail on the head.
“Of course!” Bayunye grew somewhat agitated, sitting up straight.
“Sorry,” he said softly, regretting his earlier slip of the tongue.
This time, it was Bayunye’s turn to fall silent. After she told Brother Long about Song Fan and Li Haozhang hiring thugs to harass the orphanage one after another, he had asked a friend to look into Li Haozhang. The response was that he was also unemployed, suggesting there was likely someone higher up pulling the strings. But they weren’t police officers and couldn’t trace Li Haozhang’s financial transactions, so this lead seemed to have hit a dead end. All they could do was wait and see.
Although Brother Long had told her he was with an old comrade in Qiqihar, Bayunye felt uneasy, plagued by a sense of foreboding.
Perhaps noticing her prolonged silence, Diao Zhuo asked, “Are you angry?”
Bayunye snapped back to attention and said deliberately, “Yes, I am. What about it?”
Diao Zhuo recalled something a friend had mentioned during a gathering at some point—something along the lines of how if you just placate a woman, her IQ drops to zero, so there’s no point in arguing. Thus, the geology-straight man, accustomed to dealing with data and measurements and seeking accurate raw data and reference values, posed a soul-piercing question:
“Have you ever had your IQ tested?”
Bayunye clenched her fists and roared, “Diao Zhuo! If you weren’t driving, I’d throw you out of this car right now!!”
Diao Zhuo, who could discern fingerprints with the naked eye, gave her a bewildered look, still clueless as to why he had provoked such a murderous threat.For the past few days, He Zhengren’s mind had been filled with visions of stacks of cash. As soon as he posted the beryllium ore data he had on the dark web, just as he predicted, buyers swarmed in, driving the price higher and higher. Forget this lifetime—he wouldn’t have to worry about food or clothing for the next one either. He spent several days calming himself down, fully aware that once this data was sold, the consequences would be immense. This would likely be his final deal. His former right-hand men, Song Fan and Zhang Chenguang, were already out of the picture. The remaining Li Haozhang had ulterior motives, and Hippo couldn’t be fully trusted yet. This time, he had to handle it personally and get it done in one go.
As for Brother Long, he had been lying in wait in the stairwell outside He Zhengren’s apartment for quite some time, finally seizing what he believed was the right moment to reveal himself. To prepare, he had not only identified the surveillance blind spots in the residential complex but also familiarized himself with the daily routine of He Zhengren’s housekeeper, Ah Hong. For instance, today was her day off.
When He Zhengren returned home and was unlocking his door, Brother Long silently approached from behind, delivering a precise strike to a pressure point. Before He Zhengren could even cry out, he collapsed to the ground.
Brother Long used He Zhengren’s keys to open the door, dragged him inside, tied him to a chair, and took his phone. While waiting for He Zhengren to regain consciousness, Brother Long lit another cigarette, coldly surveying his surroundings.
During the years of unbearable grief after his newlywed wife’s death in the car accident, he had exhausted his savings on reckless, self-destructive travels, barely surviving. Once he began to recover slightly, he sought revenge and vented his anger. He first went to Yunnan, a province he was familiar with, to look for Ba Xiye’s family, only to discover she was an orphan. This led him to meet Bayunye. Since Ba Xiye had no family, revenge seemed impossible. He could only feign cooperation with Bayunye while investigating Diao Jun’s background. Unexpectedly, from Bayunye, he learned about Ba Xiye’s personality and character, realizing the claim of her being a homewrecker didn’t hold up.
But this meant he couldn’t openly admit his original intent to seek revenge on Ba Xiye. Out of guilt, he began to take extra care of Bayunye, transforming their relationship from mere pretense to a genuine brotherly bond.
When Bayunye showed him and Hippo the three photos, he became even more convinced that the car accident was suspicious, shifting his focus to the survivors. Since He Zhengren was Rao Qinghui’s colleague and reportedly came from a wealthy family, Brother Long couldn’t fathom any motive for He Zhengren to orchestrate or be involved in the accident. Instead, he paid close attention to Zhang Chenguang and Song Fan.
After spending more time with Diao Zhuo, Bayunye became absolutely convinced of Ba Xiye’s innocence. Brother Long didn’t press for details but took a different approach. Without understanding the meaning of the three photos, he focused on Li Haozhang’s trail. Unexpectedly, after circling around, he ended up back with He Zhengren.
Was it due to conflicts with colleagues? Or a desire to replace Rao Qinghui’s academic standing? Brother Long didn’t understand, so he needed to ask clearly.
As his cigarette burned out, he grew impatient and reached for the cold water pitcher on the coffee table, ready to splash it. Just then, his phone vibrated. He glanced down instinctively and saw a message on the screen from Bayunye, whom he had set to block calls:
“Brother Long, you haven’t answered my calls for a long time.
I found out about Sister Chunni. I asked around, including Yu Wutong, and learned you’re not in Qiqihar.
Whatever’s going on, let’s meet and talk. Otherwise, you’re really not being a good friend.”Brother Long's faint eyebrows furrowed together, forming a deep crease between them. He unblocked Bayunye, and her call came through almost the next second.
"Brother Long! Where on earth are you?!" she asked urgently.
"Hippo is now He Zhengren's driver," Brother Long explained without preamble, getting straight to the point. "He Zhengren is the connection for both Li Haozhang and Hippo. Zhang Chenguang and Song Fan's connection might also be him."
"You're really in Beijing?! To find He Zhengren?!"
"Since you know I lost a loved one in that car crash just like you did, you should understand my desperation to take revenge with my own hands. Xi Ye was just your non-blood-related elder sister, but Chunni was my beloved. I’ve already come this far. Don’t worry about me. I’ll turn myself in afterward. I won’t cause you any trouble."
"It’s not about trouble, it’s—"
"Enough. He Zhengren is our enemy. I think, like me, you’re someone who repays grievances. But I’m old and have nothing left to lose. You’re still young. I’ll help you settle your score too!"
"Nonsense! You still have your parents, and—"
"I’ve left them plenty of money."
"Brother Long! You—"
"Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~" The large wall clock in the living room chimed on the hour, startling He Zhengren awake.
Seeing this, Brother Long hung up and turned off his phone, leaving a confused and frantic Bayunye stomping her feet on the other end of the line. "Brother Long is going to kill someone! Brother Long is going to kill someone!"
He Zhengren stared at Brother Long with a grim expression, his eyes filled with both fear and a hint of urgent curiosity. He seemed to realize that this intruder wasn’t just a home invader.
"You are..." he began, then seemed to recognize the other man and took a deep breath.
Brother Long sat on the coffee table, legs crossed, idly fiddling with a string of beads. He smiled kindly. "Hello, Chief Advisor He. Let me introduce myself—I’m Renlong Duoji from the Sichuan division. Ah, judging by your expression, you’re not unfamiliar with me. After all, your driver Ma He drove for my club for over three years. You must know me quite well? Oh, wait—he probably didn’t join the club for me. Maybe I’m just overthinking it."
"I don’t know what you’re talking about," He Zhengren coughed twice, trying to struggle but failing. He had sent Li Haozhang, someone with no traceable background, hoping to distract Bayunye and Diao Zhuo and leave them with nothing to investigate. He never expected it would attract Renlong Duoji instead. He was deeply puzzled—why would Renlong Duoji take action himself? Was Bayunye really worth it?
"Since you’re from the Sichuan division, if you have any issues with them, you should take it up with them directly. There’s no need for this. Besides, I’m just an honorary advisor. I don’t participate in the Rescue Team’s day-to-day operations. Tying me up won’t help."
Brother Long snorted. "Playing dumb with me now is pointless."
"This is kidnapping! It’s a crime!" He Zhengren suddenly roared."How much was your monthly salary before retirement? Even if you won some academic award, how much could the prize money be? A few tens of thousands? Haha... Look at all these antiques and calligraphy scrolls in your house. Even this unassuming Gustav Becker grandfather clock costs nearly 40,000 yuan. So much money you don’t know how to spend it? Afraid to deposit it in the bank, afraid to buy property—buying these things is just another way to preserve value." He was in no hurry, taking his time to admire He Zhengren’s collection, casually handling an antique vase. "Why don’t you explain to me why Li Haozhang and Ma He became your drivers one after another?"
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