Miss Forensics – Chapter 128

Volume Two: Second Scroll

Battle of the Endgame (2)

“In the middle of the chessboard, everyone is a sacrificial piece.”

I’m afraid what was called for was not a doctor, but rather the person to kill him.

Jin Xia was still too green. Lin Youyuan had seen all kinds of great winds and great waves in his life. Even though his illness had now entered the vitals¹, it did not affect his judgment in the slightest. She thought her little movements were sufficiently secretive, but in reality, her nervousness had all fallen into the bottom of his eyes.

Lin Youyuan turned back around, leaning against the head of the bed to catch his breath, and squinted his eyes as he watched her pass the water cup to his lips.

Her hand was trembling slightly, and ripples appeared on the surface of the water.

There was a problem with this cup of water.

Seeing that he did not drink after a long delay, Jin Xia forced a smile and said, “Master, please drink. You have been coughing constantly, moisten your throat.”

Saying this, she sat on the edge of the bed, the rim of the cup lightly pressing against his somewhat dry, cracked, and peeling lips.

That face was undoubtedly of a flower countenance and moon appearance², yet it also made one feel extremely disgusted.

A trace of coldness crept up in Lin Youyuan’s heart. His face remained not moving in sound or color³, and he gave a cold snort, saying, “I’ll do it myself.”

As he spoke, his withered hand tremblingly supported the cup, and he slightly raised his chin.

In order to make the medicine’s effect volatilize quickly, Jin Xia had not poured too much water. At this moment, she watched his movements somewhat nervously, her palms full of cold sweat.

Drink, hurry and drink, drink it. Once you drink it, I’ll be free.

Just as he raised his head and was about to touch the surface of the water, Lin Youyuan stopped again, a cold smile floating on the corner of his lips.

“I’m afraid there’s something in this water.”

Jin Xia’s fingernails dug deeply into her palm as she forced a smile.

“How could that be? This was poured right in front of Master’s face. Even if you gave Xiaxia a hundred guts, I wouldn’t dare to make a move against Master.”

Lin Youyuan passed the water cup over, “Then you take a sip first.”

Jin Xia’s gaze sharpened. She secretly thought, this is bad, he most likely suspects me. Since it’s like this, I can only…

“Alright.” She was cleverly smiling and charmingly beautiful, her slender hand about to reach over to take the cup in his hand. The two of them were extremely close.

Lin Youyuan was wearing a thin hospital gown, his bones as thin as firewood⁴. The collar was slightly open, revealing half of his chest.

Lin Ge had said that if he found out, she should strike when he was unprepared. As long as the knife pierced his chest, his current body had no strength to resist at all; it would be certain death without a doubt.

Since the matter has already reached this point, and left and right are both death⁵ anyway, Jin Xia took a deep breath and threw caution to the wind.

Her left hand steadily took the water cup, and at the same time, her right hand, taking him by surprise, pulled a fruit knife out of her bag and fiercely stabbed toward his heart.

The sudden change happened too quickly.

A cold light flashed through Lin Youyuan’s pupils. It seemed he also hadn’t expected Jin Xia to have this much courage. In that moment of stunned hesitation, the tip of the knife was already before his eyes, and his skin could already faintly feel a stinging pain.

“Go die!” Jin Xia said viciously. Just as she was about to use more force to move forward by a fraction, she felt her arm was as heavy as a thousand jun⁶, completely unable to be lifted.

She turned her head in astonishment. Butler Lin stood behind her with a face sunk like water⁷, his eagle-claw-like hand gripping her shoulder tightly.

She had always thought Butler Lin was a weak-faced scholar, an ordinary servant who could only help Lin Youyuan handle some daily miscellaneous tasks. Who would have known that under his heavy pressure at this moment, a crisp cracking sound came from one of her arms, the bone almost about to be snapped.

Jin Xia let out a miserable shriek, and the knife fell onto the snow-white bedsheet.

Lin Youyuan coughed twice, his robe still undone, and raised his eyes to look at her.

“Who sent you?”

“Speak!” Butler Lin added a bit more force, pressing her down onto the bed. Because of the intense pain, tears flowed to fill her face on one side, while she roared with a voice hoarse and strength exhausted on the other.

“No one sent me! Lin Youyuan, I just want you to die! I want you to die! Help… help me!”

The woman’s sharp voice quickly penetrated the room, filling the entire corridor.

Neither of the two men stopped this dying struggle, because they knew that it was no longer necessary.

Rescuers would not come; no one could save her now.

Jin Xia was astonished, her face smeared with tears, “How… how could it be like this?”

“In the middle of the chessboard, everyone is a sacrificial piece.” Lin Youyuan lamented, covering his lips with a handkerchief and coughing a few more times.

“I’m asking you, why did you come to kill me?” He asked, a rare trace of pity on his face.

“Whether it was from the moment you entered the door, or when you were pouring the water, I gave you chances. It was you who failed to grasp them.”

“If you had left quietly, I could have pretended that nothing happened. After all, we were husband and wife for a time.”

Lin Youyuan leaned forward, lifted her chin, and carefully examined this face.

“One cannot be too greedy in life. When you have no money, you want money. When you have money, you still want love. When you have love, you then want children…”

“Jin Xia.” He sighed, “You are a beautiful woman, but unfortunately, not smart enough.”

As his words fell, he immediately released her chin, not giving her any opportunity to speak or rebut.

Lin Youyuan closed his eyes.

Butler Lin understood the signal. He picked up that half cup of warm water from the table, pinched her jaw tightly, pried open her mouth, and poured it in.

“No… don’t…” The water poured into her mouth and nose. Jin Xia struggled, tears and snot smearing her entire face.

In a short while, there was no more movement. She went limp in his hands, with seven orifices bleeding⁸.

Butler Lin threw the person onto the floor. Lin Youyuan liked cleanliness. He took a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his hands, wiped clean the water stains on his suit jacket, and only then helped him get up.

“Master, everything is ready. We should get moving.”

Lin Youyuan gave a faint “en” sound, and supported his wrist to get out of bed. Butler Lin tidied up his attire for him and shaved his beard, which made him look much cleaner and more refreshed.

Butler Lin sighed with emotion, “Master’s treasured sword is not yet old⁹, just like when you were young.”

Sitting in the wheelchair, Lin Youyuan looked at himself in the mirror, his face full of wind and frost¹⁰, the corners of his brows and eyes all bearing the traces left by the years. He gave a bitter smile, “Still old after all. I won’t live past this autumn.”

The butler’s heart jumped in shock, “Master…”

But Lin Youyuan independently moved the wheelchair to take out a pistol from the drawer of the bedside table, rubbing it back and forth.

Although speaking of the present, this gun’s model was already outdated, he still loved it and couldn’t part with it, often taking it out to play with. The pitch-black gun body was so shiny it could reflect a person.

With a “click” sound, a bullet could still be chambered.

Lin Youyuan pushed the magazine in and put the pistol into his pocket. The entire sequence of actions was professional, standard, and completed in one breath. A gleam of vitality suddenly overflowed from his face, and his sickly aura weakened by several degrees.

“Let’s go!”

Butler Lin knew that it wasn’t a real recovery, but a returning light reflects the gleam¹¹.

---

Upon hearing that the transaction location was Zhongjing Industrial Port, Lin Yan actually hesitated for a moment.

She couldn’t confirm if this news was true or false. If it was false, and the drug traffickers had set up an ambush, it would harm many people.

But if it was true, they could annihilate this large-scale transnational criminal group in one fell swoop, saving countless lives and shattered families.

Ding Ye didn’t let her hesitate for too long before gathering everyone together.

Several small leaders all took out their personal belongings, including mobile phones, communicators, and so on.

“What is the meaning of this?” Lin Yan watched coldly from the side.

Ding Ye sat in a rattan chair, his fingers tapping his knee, keeping time with the rise and fall of the Jingju¹² playing on the radio beside him.

“Auntie Hong, please forgive me. For everyone’s safety, we are uniformly confiscating mobile phones and personal belongings.”

Tiger pulled out a cloth bag and held it up in front of her.

Lin Yan gave a cold laugh and threw her mobile phone inside.

Tiger nodded, “And the wristwatch.”

“I fucking…” Just as Lin Yan was about to lose her temper, Ding Ye interrupted her.

“At this critical juncture, so that we can retreat safely, it’s best that Auntie Hong doesn’t throw a little tantrum.”

Since he had said so, Lin Yan could only endure the anger and swallow the voice, taking off the watch on her wrist and throwing it in.

Immediately after, the rooms of their several small leaders were all turned bottom facing the sky¹³, and the contents of their backpacks were also taken out.

Tiger inspected them one by one, and only then returned them to her.

The smile on the corner of Lin Yan’s lips was a bit chilly, “This hairpin of mine, if sharpened, can also kill people. Do you want to confiscate it too?”

“Auntie Hong is joking.” Ding Ye stood up, limping on his cane, “This is also for everyone’s safety, you see. Tiger.”

At Ding Ye’s command, Tiger lifted the tablecloth, revealing a row of brand-new radio communicators underneath.

Several lackeys walked in carrying heavy boxes and placed them on the ground.

“We have plenty of tools for killing people. We’re just afraid Auntie Hong doesn’t know how to use them.”

Firearms!

Lin Yan’s pupils shrank. With a casual glance over, she saw they were all the latest standard-issue weapons of foreign militaries. This group of people truly had hands and eyes that reach the heavens¹⁴.

Her teeth itch¹⁵ with hatred inwardly, but her face remained impassive.

“Aiya, fighting and killing is a matter for you men. I’ll just follow behind Ding Ye to serve you tea and water.”

Although her mobile phone was gone, and the communication devices on her body had been completely confiscated, she could no longer transmit information to the outside world.

But it didn’t matter. As long as she followed Ding Ye closely, she would definitely be able to find an opportunity to kill him.

And the place where Ding Ye was would definitely be the transaction center.

Lin Yan was secretly slandering in her belly¹⁶, but she just didn’t know if he would let her follow.

As she was thinking, Ding Ye had already spoken.

“Then let’s do it this way. Auntie Hong will act together with me. Everyone pack your things. In half an hour, we will head to Zhongjing Industrial Port to receive the goods.”

---

“Police, investigating a case, make way. What is loaded in here?”

At the cargo terminal, Xue Rui led his men to surround the container. Before the other party could reply, his subordinates had already begun to act on their own.

With a “clang” sound, the sealed container was pried open again.

“Hey, what are you doing, don’t touch our cargo!”

A few workers went to block them, but were shoved away by a hand.

“What, you’re getting physical now? So what if you’re the police!”

Hearing the commotion, the foreman in charge of directing the crane to load the containers onto the cargo ship immediately ran over with an apologetic smile.

“Officer, Comrade Officer, we are transporting coal. If you don’t believe me, look, the paperwork for this came down a month ago.”

As the foreman spoke, he took out a piece of paper from the pocket of his work clothes, nodding and bowing.

Xue Rui squinted his eyes and looked for a while, shone a flashlight on it, and a subordinate came to report.

“Reporting, no suspicious items found.”

He handed the paper back, “Let’s go, to the next place.”

Over on that side, the search in the area responsible for the anti-drug detachment was also being carried out in full swing.

Zhao Junfeng had been standing in the command center staring at the big screen the whole time, not moving a single step all night.

Until dawn, the rain clouds still had not dispersed. In the distance, it was a stretch of gray haze, looking as if mountain rain is about to come¹⁷.

A young police officer walked in carrying a lunch box, “Time to eat, time to eat, hot breakfast from the canteen.”

Feng Jianguo beckoned for two portions and placed them on the table, pushing one to him.

“Director Zhao, have something to eat.”

Zhao Junfeng glanced at him. Last night, not even half the night had passed after the operational meeting ended before he lay down on the sofa and fell fast asleep. At this very moment, he was holding a bowl of congee and drinking it with great relish.

“You still have the appetite to eat.”

Feng Jianguo said with a “hai”, “Weren’t you the one who said it? ‘People are iron, food is steel, miss one meal and you’ll panic from hunger’¹⁸.”

Zhao Junfeng secretly shook his head. He was clearly quite a promising person when he was young, how did he become so lazy in his old age.

He was just about to reply when the mobile phone in his pocket vibrated.

Zhao Junfeng remained impassive, “Just leave a few vegetable buns for me. I’m going to the restroom.”

Feng Jianguo held his chopsticks and shouted after him, “Does Director Zhao know where the restroom is? Do you need someone to take you there?”

Zhao Junfeng turned his head back and cursed with a smile, “Eat your food. In any case, I also came from here. I would recognize your Municipal Bureau even if it were turned to ash.”

“That would be great.” Feng Jianguo used his chopsticks to poke at the few grains of rice in his porridge, slurping them up noisily. When he turned back around, a hint of one who would conceal as if it were something profound¹⁹ was added to the bottom of his eyes.

---

“Transaction location—”

“Yunzhong Island.”

A line of text slowly appeared on the mobile phone screen.

The man took a deep breath and quickly called the other party back, lowering his voice to question angrily.

“Why are you telling me this?!”

“Since it’s a cooperation, then of course it must be a win-win. I can tell you frankly, whether it’s Zhongjing Industrial Port or Wanghai Bridge, both are decoys. Only Yunzhong Island is real.”

“On what basis should I believe you?!”

“Believe it or not, it’s up to you.”

After the other party finished speaking, they hung up the phone with a bang.

The man looked at this text message in his phone for a long while, but still pressed delete. He wanted to turn around and go out, his hand resting on the lock of the stall door, but he let go again. His gaze slid down to his mobile phone, and he opened the map of Jiangcheng City.

About five minutes later.

Hu Senji ran into Zhao Junfeng, who had just come out of the command center, in the corridor. The other man was holding a garbage bag in his hand and looked like he was going to throw out the trash.

He hurriedly took it from him, “Yo, how can we trouble you with such a small matter.”

Zhao Junfeng let him do as he pleased, “By the way, I was just looking for you.”

Hu Senji stood at attention, “What are Director Zhao’s instructions? Please feel free to command!”

Zhao Junfeng took a step forward and said in a low voice.

“Take your men, as well as the Special Service First Squadron and Second Squadron²⁰, and surround Zhongjing Industrial Port for me. Don’t let a single fly escape!”

Hu Senji’s expression turned grim, yet he didn’t doubt his order in the slightest, raising his right hand to his temple.

“Yes, I guarantee the completion of the mission!”

In the command center, another operational meeting was proceeding in full swing.

“Zhongjing Industrial Port? Why there? Wasn’t it abandoned long ago?”

Someone asked doubtfully.

Feng Jianguo was lightly skimming the foam in his teacup. His hand suddenly paused, making a sound that was neither loud nor soft.

However, everyone in the room was fully focused on the meeting, so no one paid him any mind.

At a signal from Zhao Junfeng, a police officer under his command swiped on the electronic display screen.

“According to the criminal suspect’s confession, the drug traffickers’ transaction location is near the third shipping channel under Wanghai Bridge. The closest port to Wanghai Bridge is this Zhongjing Industrial Port.”

That point on the maritime map had already lit up with a red light.

Zhao Junfeng placed his teacup on the table.

“To be on the safe side, I have already sent people from the Anti-Drug Bureau there.”

His gaze swept over the large group of people in the room, finally resting on Feng Jianguo.

“This battle must be won! Fight with prestige, fight with spirit, so that the drug traffickers know that anyone who wants to act wantonly and engage in illegal and disorderly activities within China’s borders, we will absolutely not allow it!”

---

Before getting into the car to head to Zhongjing Industrial Port, Ding Ye raised his hand and released a white dove.

Kuba supported him, watching as the well-trained pigeon flapped its wings and flew into the sky.

“Ye, why did you tell him the information about Yunzhong Island?”

That was their final escape route.

“It doesn’t matter.” Ding Ye was already old, and he was slightly out of breath after walking two steps. He sat down in the car with difficulty.

“Clever people all have one characteristic. Do you know what it is?”

Kuba honestly shook his head and started the car.

He didn’t get angry either, turning his head with a smile to ask Lin Yan, who was sitting to the side.

“Auntie Hong should know, right?”

Lin Yan’s fingers imperceptibly wrinkled the corner of her clothes, then quickly relaxed again.

“Jinhong does not know.”

The old man chuckled and gathered his overcoat, leaning back against the seat and sighing, “That would be that cleverness on the contrary is mistaken by cleverness²¹.”

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LP: Re-translated on August 31, 2025

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