Volume Two: Second Scroll
Fetter
This ring is a vow of unwavering love, and also an eternal fetter.
“Then…” Song Yuhang still hadn’t snapped back to her senses, staring at him blankly.
Feng Jianguo gave a light cough, raising his teacup to take a sip and mask his awkwardness.
“I wouldn’t say I dislike her, but I can’t say I like her either. That reckless drive Lin Yan has—to ignore everything for the sake of a case—is probably something every young criminal investigator once had. It’s just that at my age, there’s too much to consider, and that kind of recklessness is no longer appropriate.”
Song Yuhang was silent. She understood.
But the mention of Lin Yan inevitably brought a sourness to her heart. She scrubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand and sniffled.
“In that case, I have a few questions for you.”
“Go ahead.”
“Why was Lin Yan’s property seized?”
“She had debts under her name, and her father was unwilling to assume them. Since she has no other relatives, the other party applied to the court for compulsory enforcement. The only option was to auction off her property to pay off the debt.”
After breaking away from the Lin family, Lin Yan had some of her own businesses, some profitable and some not; otherwise, how could she have supported her huge expenses.
Song Yuhang nodded. “Then what do you plan to do with that fat man?”
“Wait for the court’s verdict.”
Feng Jianguo’s expression didn’t change.
But she clenched her jaw. Feng Jianguo knew what she was thinking. He set the teacup down on the table, making a soft sound.
“There’s no direct evidence proving he was connected to the tampering of your vehicle. You know that. In court, at most, he can only be sentenced for kidnapping, child trafficking, and intentional homicide.”
Song Yuhang nearly ground her teeth to dust. “I know. That’s why I have to find this mastermind.”
Feng Jianguo unhurriedly blew on his tea leaves. “What do you plan to do?”
“Has the car that fell into the sea been salvaged?”
“It was just pulled out the day before yesterday. It’s parked at the accident impound lot.”
Song Yuhang silently made a mental note. She studied him, watching the way he held his teacup, her gaze filled with a hint of probing, a trace of deep scrutiny, and a sliver of distrust.
“What about the USB drive?”
Feng Jianguo shook his head. “He said he lost it while escaping.”
Song Yuhang also shook her head. “Impossible. You wouldn’t have not looked for it. I still can’t believe you.”
“At this point, is there anyone left you can believe?” Feng Jianguo retorted. Their gazes collided under the pale lights, the silver olive branches on his epaulets reflecting a cold gleam.
When Lin Yan was investigating the case alone, she only encountered obstruction, not mortal danger. But when the two of them started investigating together, the other party’s actions escalated step by step.
First was Li Bin’s death. Li Yang’s accidental death felt more like a staged farce. And that blue substance that appeared multiple times in the “White Whale Case”—what was it?
And the ambush they encountered on the road to the provincial capital, where the other party used rubber bullets, standard-issue police equipment.
Plus the micro-earpiece found behind the skinny man’s ear. Did this mean someone was manipulating everything from the shadows?
And the mole… was right by their side.
If it was the man sitting across from her, who controlled all the police forces in the entire Jiangcheng City Bureau, they would have nowhere to run.
An icy dread washed over Song Yuhang.
Feng Jianguo spoke. “That’s right. If it were me, you wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”
Song Yuhang dug her nails deep into her palm, forcing herself to remain calm.
She knew this mole could be anyone she had come into contact with: a janitor at the city bureau, the auntie who served food in the cafeteria, her subordinates, her superiors, her colleagues…
Every single person was shrouded in suspicion that couldn’t be washed away, including Feng Jianguo.
Lin Yan’s death had made her more cautious.
She tested him, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue in the dark.
“You wouldn’t kill me in the city bureau.”
“You’re right. When you were hospitalized, when you ran off to find Lin Yan, when you were dazed with grief and in so much pain you wished for death—those were all the best opportunities to strike.”
Yet the other party had ceased all activity.
Song Yuhang was stunned, as if a ray of light had split through the chaos.
Feng Jianguo was truly an old detective, grasping the key point from the smallest details in an instant.
“Now, you should believe it wasn’t me, right?”
The world was like a whirlpool, and she and Lin Yan were just two lonely leaves unfortunately swept into it.
Back then, on the rooftop in Wuli Town, when she promised Lin Yan she would crack the “Chunan Case” in her lifetime, she probably never imagined she would be battered by a monstrous wave until not even her bones remained.
Unsure if from cold or hatred, Song Yuhang’s teeth began to chatter.
“Who… who is it, exactly?”
Feng Jianguo leaned forward. “I want to know, too.”
In his position, he was directly under the jurisdiction of the provincial department, with hundreds of pairs of eyes watching him from below; pulling one hair would move the entire body1.
Song Yuhang released her clenched fists, gently stroking her engagement ring.
“I’ll investigate.”
Feng Jianguo looked at her, but asked an unrelated question.
“Married?”
Song Yuhang gave a faint “en.”
“Whether it’s Lin Yan’s death, the case from fourteen years ago, or that mole, I must find out the truth.”
“Think it through. If you don’t investigate, I’ll let you go, and you can live a peaceful life. If you do, not only will you be disciplined, but from now on you will face a mountain of knives and a sea of fire, with no peace ever again.”
Song Yuhang used to think she understood Lin Yan well enough, that she could empathize enough. Only now did she realize how heavy it felt to carry a life on her shoulders. It crushed her, leaving her breathless at every moment. Every time she thought of it, her heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife, and this pain would accompany her for the rest of her life.
This ring was a vow of unwavering love, and also an eternal fetter.
Even so, she just lifted her head and said with unwavering resolve, “I want to investigate.”
A hint of a gratified smile appeared in Feng Jianguo’s eyes.
The tea was getting cold, and it was time for him to leave.
“The bureau will hold a meeting to discuss your disciplinary action. If there are no surprises, you’ll be demoted and transferred. Be prepared.”
Song Yuhang nodded. “I only have one request. Protect my family.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll personally arrange for people to go.”
Just as Feng Jianguo was about to turn and leave, she called out to him again.
“I want to know the life story of this ‘Auntie Hong’.”
“Pei Jinhong2, female, thirty-four years old, of mixed Chinese-Burmese descent. Nickname ‘Golden Pheasant’. Known in the underworld as ‘Auntie Hong.’ She is the behind-the-scenes boss of the Huange Nightclub. She uses the connections made at the nightclub to smuggle goods, and also sends laborers to Southeast Asia under the guise of recruitment. In reality, she is an out-and-out human trafficking broker.”
“This person is sinister and cunning. The police have attempted to arrest her several times but have failed to bring her to justice. For now, we are leaving the nightclub untouched to avoid beating the grass and startling the snake3.”
A yellowed photograph was placed in front of her. The woman in the photo had black, shoulder-length hair, slightly high cheekbones, a sharp chin, and long, phoenix-tail eyes, giving her a somewhat shrewd and harsh appearance.
Her face wasn’t stunning, nor could it be called ugly. At most, she was the type that would make you look twice if you saw her in a crowd.
There was also a small black mole next to her eyebrow.
It was this plain-looking woman who was actually the broker shuttling between China and Myanmar, paving the way for criminal groups to infiltrate the mainland.
She had long since memorized this information by heart over the past few days, able to recite it with her eyes closed.
The person across from her took out another black-and-white photo and placed it on the table. It was a man with a high-bridged nose and deep-set eyes.
The woman’s face and neck were wrapped in gauze, making her voice exceptionally hoarse.
“Wang Qiang4, male, forty-five years old, CEO of a foreign enterprise, Pei Jinhong’s lover, and one of the behind-the-scenes shareholders of the Huange Nightclub.”
The person opposite her pulled another photo from a thick stack.
“Li Li5. male, thirty years old, an employee at Huange Nightclub, having an affair with one of Pei Jinhong’s songstresses.”
As photos were laid out on the table one by one, the woman identified them.
“Chen Fang6, female, twenty-four years old, the top songstress at Huange Nightclub. After being made famous by Pei Jinhong, she was determined to climb into Wang Qiang’s bed.”
“Wu Fei7, female, twenty-eight years old, the songstress having an affair with Li Li.”
“Qian Ming8, male, thirty-six years old, an employee highly regarded by Pei Jinhong.”
“Hu Jie9, male, fifty years old, a janitor at the nightclub.”
…
The person across from her put down the last photo.
The man in it was only a back view, wearing a black short-sleeved t-shirt that revealed muscular arms, with a buzz cut, standing in a jungle. It was clearly a candid shot.
“His name is Kuba10. To this day, no one has seen his face. This photo was brought back by one of our people at the risk of their life.”
“According to a reliable informant, he is the one who meets with Pei Jinhong in Northern Myanmar every time. But because Pei Jinhong is cautious and suspicious by nature, she often has a cunning rabbit’s three burrows11 when they meet, so we have never been able to catch him in the act.”
“This reliable informant was Qian Ming, wasn’t it.” The woman’s gauze-wrapped hand tapped lightly on one of the photos laid out.
“Correct. He’s already dead.”
The man flipped that photo over, his tone filled with regret.
“Before he died, the things he sent out weren’t just this photo, but also this—”
He took out a transparent glass bottle from under the table.
The blue liquid swirled within, like a captive dream.
The bottle reflected the woman’s one visible eye, its jet-black pupil filled with ice.
“I’ve seen it.”
“They call it ‘Drunken Dream’.”
To live drunk and die in a dream, oblivious to the world… what a perfect… a perfect name.
She ground her teeth, chewing on the hatred that filled her.
“Alright, that’s all the intelligence we can provide you. I need to remind you that ‘Golden Pheasant’ has a complex social network with many close associates. The intelligence may have some discrepancies. When the time comes, it will depend on your ability to adapt and on your own fortune.”
“You are going deep into a dangerous situation alone, without any outside support or assistance. We haven’t planted any new informants inside. So, don’t trust anyone.”
“When necessary, don’t even trust the information I give you, unless I speak to you face-to-face myself.”
“Are you… ready?”
The woman unwrapped the gauze from her wrist and flexed her joints. She reached one hand behind her head, loosened the knot the doctor had tied, and layers of gauze fell away, revealing a face that was somewhat unfamiliar, yet identical to one of the photos on the table.
“Do I have any other way out?” she asked in the darkness.
The man was silent. Finally, as he turned to leave, he left her with one sentence.
“Go see her before you leave.”
“Captain Song, your family is here. Seeing as you’re still recovering from your injuries, and given that the circumstances were extenuating, the organization has decided to give you a break. Go home and wait for the official notice.”
The iron gate opened. Song Yuhang held out her hands, and the case officer undid her handcuffs.
Having not slept all night, her face was a sallow white from exhaustion, her eyes were sunken, and her hair was a mess. She walked forward in a daze.
When Ji Jingxing saw her come out, she quickly helped her down the steps. Mother Song was also waiting outside and came up to meet them.
The moment she saw her, Song Yuhang lowered her head and called out in a hoarse voice, “Mom—”
Her eyes reddened.
Mother Song didn’t speak. Knowing her daughter was in pain, she just ruffled her hair like she did when she was a child.
“Alright, Mom knows everything. Let’s go home.”
On the drive back, they passed the supermarket where she had driven alone to buy groceries that day.
Song Yuhang stared out the window, lost in thought. “Jie, stop for a moment. I want to buy some things. Let’s have hot pot tonight.”
Hot pot was a time-consuming meal; she usually disliked it the most.
Ji Jingxing just thought she’d had a sudden change of heart, not knowing it was Lin Yan’s favorite food.
A southerner with a preference for light flavors, yet she had also loved to eat hot pot.
It was rare for her to show some interest, so Ji Jingxing pulled the car over.
“Okay, let’s go together. It’s been a while since Mom went out shopping anyway.”
Song Yuhang didn’t stop them. She got out of the car with them, but once they entered the supermarket and the other two pushed a shopping cart into the aisles, she turned and vanished.
The parking lot.
The security office.
“Hello, police. I’d like to review the surveillance footage from January 25th.” Song Yuhang took out her credentials and handed them over for the man to see, then put them back in her jacket after he had reviewed them.
The security guard looked troubled. “What a coincidence. The power lines were under maintenance that day, a routine power outage. The surveillance cameras weren’t even on.”
Song Yuhang’s expression hardened. “No maintenance sooner, no maintenance later, but maintenance at that exact time?”
“Well, not exactly.” Afraid she would get angry, the security guard looked embarrassed.
“It’s a mall rule. Maintenance is on the 25th of every month. Here, I can show you, if you don’t believe me.”
As he spoke, the guard took down a large stack of notices from the wall, licked his finger to count through them, and counted all the way back to three months prior.
“Here, this is the notice from the day before.”
After handing her the notice, the guard typed away on his computer and pulled up the surveillance feed for that day. The screen was pitch black.
“You see, I’m really not lying to you.”
Song Yuhang clenched her jaw. Just as she was about to say something, the phone in her pocket began to vibrate.
It was Ji Jingxing.
She answered it. “It’s nothing, I just went to the restroom. Are you guys done shopping? If you are, let’s meet in the parking lot.”
After she hung up, the security guard was also looking at her, probably wondering why a police officer had to be so secretive while investigating a case.
Song Yuhang’s expression was normal. “Did anyone suspicious that day leave a deep impression on you?”
The guard shook his head. “So many people come and go in a day, I see a lot of people.”
“Okay, thank you.” Song Yuhang turned and left.
It seemed this lead, starting from finding the person who scratched the car, was now a dead end.
But it was highly likely the other party was acting under the mastermind’s orders, just like the fat and skinny brothers, so she hadn’t held out much hope anyway.
The most crucial thing now was to find time to go to the Huange Nightclub and find this woman called “Auntie Hong.”
LP: Was that… Lin Yan?! ૮ ⚆ﻌ⚆ა
Re-translated on July 10, 2025
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This aunt hong keeps coming up… 🤔
This aunt hong keeps coming up… 🤔