When Fei Zuohua called, he mentioned needing to book one more plane ticket, ending the call by once again thanking Shi Yuanchen for the funding. Shi Yuanchen didn't address the money, simply laughing it off with a polite response before agreeing to the request.
Kong Ping, who had arrived a day early, had just finished putting his suitcase in the guest room. "I'll stay here for tonight then. Sorry for the trouble."
Shi Yuanchen waved it off. "Don't worry about it. We’re heading out tomorrow anyway."
Kong Ping smiled slightly. "Regardless, thank you for being willing to take me along." He rubbed his nose, looking a bit sheepish.
Shi Yuanchen poured two cups of coffee. "We think you’ll be a big help."
Kong Ping took the coffee. "By the way, he said there’s one more person. Who is it?"
Shi Yuanchen shook his head. "I don't know."
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Fei Zuohua knocked on Shi Yuanchen’s door. Shi Yuanchen was already awake and went to open it. Fei Zuohua nodded to him and stepped slightly to the side, revealing the person behind him.
Shi Yuanchen looked at the man, hesitated for a moment, and then extended his hand. "Hou Qi’an?"
Monkey frowned. "You know me?"
Fei Zuohua walked straight inside. "He knows everyone around Pei Cangyu. Don't bother asking."
Seeing that Hou Qi’an had no intention of shaking hands, Shi Yuanchen withdrew his hand and stepped aside to let him in.
Hou Qi’an scanned the environment while Shi Yuanchen observed him.
He was slightly shorter than the 182cm Fei Zuohua, likely around the same height as the current Pei Cangyu. His hair was buzzed extremely short, and scars were faintly visible on his scalp. His expression was solemn, his features handsome but weathered and tanned dark. His jawline was rigid, and he stood perfectly straight without any restless habits. His stride was steady, and once he came to a halt, his feet didn't budge, suggesting he belonged to a highly disciplined profession. He carried a heavy black hiking pack that seemed to hold a great deal; though it looked nearly as large as his torso, he carried it with ease. Shi Yuanchen also noticed a bulge at his right knee and that he wore a pair of very heavy-looking boots—the kind Shi Yuanchen hadn't seen on the commercial market.
Shi Yuanchen poured them coffee. To test his theory, he asked Hou Qi’an as he handed it over, "Are you in school? Or working?"
Hou Qi’an shook his head. He didn't drink coffee. On the other side, Fei Zuohua took it and downed a gulp.
"Military academy."
No wonder.
Shi Yuanchen stood up. "I'll go wake Kong Ping."
Fei Zuohua nodded.
Kong Ping walked out yawning. When he saw Hou Qi’an in the living room, he blinked several times before recognizing him, yet he remained standing where he was. He looked at Hou Qi’an from a distance, frowning as if contemplating how to say hello. Hou Qi’an didn't move either.
In the end, they simply gave each other a brief nod.
Shi Yuanchen caught the interaction while making sandwiches. He whispered to Fei Zuohua beside him, "Was it this awkward when you met them?"
Fei Zuohua took another sip of coffee. "How could it be? Those two used to be friends."
Hou Qi’an gave a brief explanation of why he was involved.
His military academy required three years of field service. Generally, students chose to start after their junior year, returning three years later for their final year and rank evaluation. A small number of people, like Hou Qi’an, chose to start their service after their freshman or sophomore year. He had initially been in a marine brigade, and last year, a battalion from his brigade was selected for a UN exercise. Though it was called an exercise, Hou Qi’an mostly handled support roles, including coordinating logistics and schedules. they were stationed in various locations; Hou Qi’an had spent about five months in Montenegro.
Kong Ping raised an eyebrow after hearing this. "Impressive, Monkey."
"No, it was just that my brigade happened to be chosen. Many people like me went to help," Hou Qi’an explained with dead seriousness. Kong Ping rubbed his nose and fell silent.
"So I thought I might be able to help. While working there, I met a local police officer. We had many opportunities to interact and got along well, so we kept in touch. If we’re looking for someone, he should be able to assist."
Shi Yuanchen nodded, pushing up his glasses. "What about the school?"
Hou Qi’an patted his knee. "I’m injured. I’m on medical leave. I’ve already notified them; I just need to write a report when I get back."
He explained succinctly. Shi Yuanchen glanced at the bulging knee, guessing it was wrapped in several layers of bandages.
Fei Zuohua, who had brought the man, had already finished two cups of coffee. He rubbed his face tiredly. "That’s the gist of it. Let’s go."
Everyone stood up. Shi Yuanchen walked beside him. "The funeral... what about it?"
"I don't know."
"Or you could wait until after the burial..."
"No need." Fei Zuohua put on his coat and bit down on a cigarette. "That stuff isn't important. He has to be buried eventually anyway."
Kong Ping, meanwhile, kept glancing at Hou Qi’an. While they were lining up for check-in, he leaned in. "How did you find Fei Zuohua?"
Hou Qi’an turned his head. "How did you know I was the one who found him?"
"It’s not like he’d know you had the connections to find him," Kong Ping explained helplessly. It wasn't exactly a hard guess.
Hou Qi’an turned back. "I went back to my hometown on medical leave and heard about it from my family." He added, "My aunt has a friend who lives in his apartment complex."
Kong Ping smiled. "Small world, right?"
"But it’s been a long time since we last met."
***
The local police officer was named Gaston Thériault. He was tall and broad with a smile that revealed a row of white teeth. Upon meeting, he affectionately slapped Hou Qi’an on the shoulder. They mostly communicated in English; both spoke it haltingly, but the communication was smooth enough, as if they were used to it.
Thériault was twenty-eight, loud-voiced, warm, and talkative—even if he wasn't fluent, he loved to speak. He helped them find a place to stay, led them into the hotel, and even helped carry their luggage. When Shi Yuanchen politely said it was too much trouble, Thériault laughed and tipped his cap.
They had sent photos of Pei Cangyu and Bai Shi to Thériault before arriving, but Thériault hadn't given any positive feedback. Generally speaking, unless someone ended up at the police station, no one could say for sure who was coming or going. The situation was also far from the point where they could justify pulling surveillance footage.
Thériault apologized for the lack of valuable information. Shi Yuanchen shook his head, pulled out his notebook, and adjusted his glasses.
"It’s like this, Mr. Thériault. Are there any wealthy residential districts within this province?"
Thériault crossed his arms and thought, biting his upper lip. "Yes, there are a few."
"Can you give us the addresses?"
"I can. Are you planning to go there to investigate?"
"That is the current plan."
"I’ll go with you. If you go alone, you probably won't get any results."
"Alright, thank you for the trouble."
Shi Yuanchen shared a room with Fei Zuohua, while Hou Qi’an and Kong Ping shared another.
Fei Zuohua stood by the window with a cigarette, frowning as he looked down. Shi Yuanchen asked while unpacking, "Is something wrong?"
"There aren't many hotels around here." He looked at the shops below. "I thought we’d be staying on a street full of hotels."
"Probably because it’s close to Thériault’s precinct. Is there a problem?"
"Nothing." He turned around. "Why are we looking for those kinds of communities?"
"Ah, that..." Shi Yuanchen sat down. "What kind of person do you think Bai Shi is?"
Fei Zuohua’s brow furrowed in disgust. He turned away, staring at the traffic below the high-rise. "A criminal."
"More than that."
Fei Zuohua looked at Shi Yuanchen.
Shi Yuanchen sat at the desk, tapping his notebook with a pen. "He’s a desperado."
"Is there a difference?"
"A criminal’s primary goal includes evading punishment. A desperado has no concept of 'crime.'" He looked at the puzzled Fei Zuohua. "Let’s put it this way. Bai Shi’s quality of life is remarkably high. Regarding the bodies the police found—the ones attributed to Ding Chuan—I actually have a different opinion."
"What?"
"Over the years, Ding Chuan’s file has grown as thick as a brick. He’s certainly responsible for many lives, but some of the deaths have very distinct characteristics. For example, the victim believed to be Ding Chuan’s spokesperson. When he died, his suit was perfectly neat, his tie was done, and he was lying in the grass with his hair combed. His wound was a through-and-through, yet his clothes weren't torn."
"You mean..."
"Someone killed him and then went to great lengths to tidy him up."
Fei Zuohua was stunned, then asked impatiently, "Bai Shi?"
"The person who did it—or rather, these people—were incredibly composed." Shi Yuanchen flipped a page. "There are many instances like this. The thugs at the convenience store were the same. When Ding Chuan kills, he leaves immediately. But Bai Shi seems to have a tendency to drag out the process of 'death.' This includes beatings before the kill, and confinement."
He stopped. Fei Zuohua didn't interject. The room fell into a heavy silence.
"Are you trying to say he doesn't care?" Fei Zuohua asked.
Shi Yuanchen thought for a moment. "You could say that. But as I said before, aside from dragging out the time of death, he is very particular about small details—the placement of the blade, the distribution of wounds. I even suspect that the 'atmosphere' is part of it. Did you know? He even writes poetry or draws on the corpses. I remember years ago in Ding Chuan’s files, there was a short poem carved into a victim's back. If the circumstances were different, I’d say he has quite an artistic flair."
Fei Zuohua glanced at Shi Yuanchen and pursed his lips. He had many arguments against the phrase "artistic flair," but ultimately, he didn't speak.
"Furthermore, he has always been very particular about his living conditions—clothing, food, housing, and transportation." Shi Yuanchen looked up at Fei Zuohua. "So I believe that even now, he remains just as composed. He is living the life he wants somewhere, and it’s absolutely impossible for him to lower his standards or requirements just because he’s on the run."
Fei Zuohua looked thoughtful. "So he’s living in a wealthy area?"
Shi Yuanchen nodded.
Fei Zuohua looked out the window again. "This place is expensive. You’ve spent a lot."
Shi Yuanchen smiled slightly, giving an ambiguous reply. "It’s fine. But for safety, I decided it’s better for us to stay in pairs."
"Safety?"
Shi Yuanchen shook his head. "Don't be nervous. I don't have any evidence to back that up; I just feel it’s better to have someone to watch your back."
***
Accompanied by Thériault, they visited the wealthy districts. Without exception, they found nothing.
Fei Zuohua was in a visibly low mood when they headed out that day. Shi Yuanchen was beside him, explaining the current situation. As they stood by the car, Shi Yuanchen noticed Fei Zuohua suddenly daze off, looking visibly startled.
"Did something happen?" Shi Yuanchen stopped to ask.
Fei Zuohua turned to look at the bustling street. "...No... it’s just..."
He couldn't put it into words.
Shi Yuanchen looked over with him. In the flow of traffic, he caught a glimpse of a tall man’s back on the opposite side. The man had blonde hair, and the women passing by all stole extra glances at him.
"Let’s go." Fei Zuohua seemed fine now and patted him before getting into the car.
"Why isn't there a single clue?" Kong Ping asked Fei Zuohua, though his eyes were on Shi Yuanchen.
"There’s nothing we can do." Fei Zuohua frowned. "At most, we can only deal with the managers of these districts. Those rich people pay so much money specifically so people can't just investigate them. The managers aren't cooperative either. Even after seeing photos of Bai Shi and Pei Cangyu, they just say they 'cannot disclose information.'"
"So what do we do next?" Hou Qi’an asked.
Everyone looked at Shi Yuanchen, but he seemed to be lost in thought.
He asked hesitantly, "What color is Bai Shi’s hair?"
"Huh?" Fei Zuohua found the question bizarre but answered anyway. "Black."
"I see..."
Kong Ping was quick to react. "Are you suggesting they might have changed their appearance?"
"But regardless, we have no place to start," Shi Yuanchen judged calmly.
They sat in silence for a while, everyone quietly sipping their drinks.
Hou Qi’an turned to Kong Ping. His voice was low, carrying a hint of catching up; it seemed that even after staying together for a few days, they hadn't quickly returned to their old familiarity.
"What about your internship?"
"It doesn't matter. I’m not working for the time being anyway," Kong Ping replied.
Silence again.
"I have an idea," Kong Ping suggested. "Why don't we start with the banks? We could go to the branches of the major banks and ask around?"
Shi Yuanchen didn't express agreement or disagreement. "It’s highly likely we won't get any valuable information there either. If Bai Shi is a client, no one is going to proactively tell us anything about him."
Kong Ping looked a bit discouraged.
Shi Yuanchen added, "But we can try."
Just then, Hou Qi’an’s phone rang.
It was Thériault.
Hou Qi’an listened for a moment and then said, "Wait a second, I’ll put you on speaker."
He turned on the speakerphone and placed it in the middle of the table. Everyone glanced at him, then focused intently on the phone.
"...I just received word. Over in Blue Watergrass, a man named Flat Huliot called the police. He says he was assaulted, and the person who attacked him lives in Red Coral. He demanded that Red Coral provide the attacker’s information, but Red Coral refused. So, he called the police and claimed there’s a body buried at the attacker’s house, and that the attacker specifically went to his home to threaten him before fleeing. It’s very strange, because it sounds like he knows the attacker. Anyway, the police went to the attacker’s house. No one was home; they seem to have already left. But even though it was daytime, the lights in the courtyard were on. Under the lights, there was..."
Thériault lowered his voice slightly, though it didn't do much because of the speakerphone. "In any case, under these circumstances, the community is required to provide information. The movements match the situation you described. I’ve seen the photos, but I think something’s not right. Do you want to come take a look?"
They looked at each other, stunned for a few seconds, before standing up in unison and walking quickly toward the exit.
Fei Zuohua stuffed a cigarette into his mouth, sighing. "In the end, nothing gets things moving faster than rich people biting each other..."
He was only halfway through his sentence when Kong Ping and Hou Qi’an shot him a fierce glare. Shi Yuanchen’s face was also deathly serious.
Fei Zuohua had just been thinking that he’d finally caught Bai Shi’s tail and that vengeance was at hand—why were they being so solemn? Then, the realization hit him a moment later.
That buried body... was very likely Pei Cangyu.
He took the cigarette out of his mouth, irritably crumpled it into a ball, and threw it aside.
