Qin Yue leaned closer, "When was it sent?" Han Yi checked the timestamp. "Less than a minute ago."Qin Yue looked around instinctively. "That means whoever sent it knew we were inside the repair shop." Han Yi nodded slightly. "And they knew exactly when he ran."Qin yue folded her arms tightly. "They've been watching us this entire time." Han Yi didn't answer. Instead, he opened the message details. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Hidden sender." Qin Yue sighed quietly. "Anonymous service?" "Most likely." Han Yi locked the phone and slipped it into an evidence bag. "Digital forensics might recover something." Qin Yue looked down the empty alley again. "Do you really think we'll find anything?" Han Yi answered calmly. "Everyone leaves something behind." Qin Yue smiled faintly. "You always say that." "Because it's true." He slowly lifted his head, studying every rooftop overlooking the alley. A gentle breeze drifted between the buildings, carrying loose paper across the ground.
Somewhere above them came metallic sound.Han Yi's eyes instantly moved upward. "Qin Yue." She turned toward him. "What?" "Don't move." She immediately froze. Han Yi slowly looked toward the rooftop of the building across the street. A lone figure stood near the edge of the roof, dressed entirely in black. A baseball cap hid the person's face beneath its shadow. The distance was too great to recognize any features, yet there was no mistaking what the person was doing. They were standing perfectly still, watching them.
Qin Yue finally noticed the figure. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Someone's up there." Han yi never took his eyes off the rooftop. Although he couldn't see the stranger's eyes, he could feel their gaze fixed on him. Qin Yue slowly reached toward the radio clipped to her shoulder. "Should I call for backup?" Han Yi answered without looking away. "Not yet." The figure remained motionless for another few seconds. Then, very slowly, they lifted one hand. Qin Yue tensed immediately. "Han Yi..." Instead of reaching for a weapon, the stranger simply gave a small wave.Before either detective could react, the figure opened their fingers and small metallic object slipped from their hand and fell from the rooftop. It struck the pavement below with a sharp click that echoed through the alley.
Han Yi's pupils narrowed. The stranger calmly turned around. Without running or showing the slightest sign of panic, the figure disappeared behind the rooftop wall. Qin Yue stared in disbelief. "They... they just walked away?" Han Yi was already moving toward the object lying on the ground.Han Yi stopped a few steps away from the object. "Don't touch it!" She said quietly.."You think it's trapped?" Han Yi kept his eyes fixed on the small metallic object. "I don't know." He slowly crouched, carefully observing it from every angle. It wasn't large. It was about the size of a coin.
Han Yi didn't reach for it immediately. If someone wanted us dead, they wouldn't announce their presence first. This isn't an attack... it's communication...He took out a pair of evidence gloves from his pocket and carefully picked it up. Qin Yue leaned closer. "What is it?"Han Yi turned it over in his hand. It was a polished silver token with smooth edges. One side was completely blank and other side carried a single engraving. It was crow and its wings were spread wide, surrounded by a circle of thin black lines.Qin Yue frowned. "A crow?"
Han Yi's expression remained unchanged. "Not just a crow." He looked more closely at the carving. "It's the same symbol we've seen before."Qin Yue's eyes widened. "Warehouse Seventeen."Han Yi nodded once. He slipped the token into another evidence bag. "It's their mark." Qin Yue slowly exhaled. "So they wanted us to recognize it." Han Yi looked toward the rooftop again. It was empty now. "Yes." "Which means they're no longer hiding their existence."
Qin Yue folded her arms uneasily. "That's not exactly comforting."Han Yi answered calmly. "It wasn't meant to be." His phone suddenly vibratedand the screen displayed Xu Shen's name.Han Yi answered,"Speak." Xu Shen's voice was tense. "Captain, we've identified something." "Go on." "The repair shop inspection sticker."Han yi's eyes sharpened. "You found it?" "We checked every registered repair company within the city." Han Yi waited silently. Xu Shen continued, "Only three companies use white inspection labels in the lower-right corner of replacement rear windshields." Qin Yue immediately looked toward Han Yi. "Only three?" Xu Shen answered before Han Yi could speak. "Yes. We've already contacted them." Han Yi asked, "Any matches?" There was a brief pause. "One company reported replacing the rear windshield of a black SUV eight days before the Warehouse Seventeen incident."
Han yi's grip on the phone tightened slightly. "Owner?" "That's the problem." Xu Shen sighed. "The customer paid entirely in cash." Qin Yue frowned. "No name?" Han Yi repeated the question into the phone. Xu Shen replied quietly, "The registration documents were fake." Han Yi looked once more toward the empty rooftop.Prepared from the beginning... Xu Shen continued, "But there's one thing they couldn't fake." "What?" "The workshop keeps security footage." Han Yi's eyes narrowed. "Is the footage still there?" "Yes." Xu Shen answered firmly. "We're downloading it now."
Qin Yue couldn't hide the excitement in her voice. "Finally." Han Yi remained calm. "Don't celebrate yet." Qin Yue looked at him. "Why?" "If they're bold enough to watch us from a rooftop..." He glanced at the evidence bag containing the silver token. "...they probably already know we're looking at that footage." Almost at the same moment, Xu Shen spoke again."Captain..." Han Yi's expression darkened. "What happened?" Xu Shen took a slow breath. "Someone just tried to remotely erase the repair shop's surveillance server."
Qin Yue's face froze.Han Yi lowered the phone without saying another word.His gaze remained fixed on the rooftop across the street.Qin Yue studied his expression."What did Xu Shen say?" Han Yi slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Someone tried to remotely erase the repair shop's surveillance server."Qin yue's eyes widened. "Already?" Han Yi nodded once. "They're responding to every move we make." He looked at the evidence bag containing the silver token before handing it to her. "Take this."
Qin Yue accepted it without hesitation."What are you going to do?" Han Yi lifted his eyes toward the rooftop once more. "I'm going after the person who was watching us." Qin Yue immediately shook her head. "No. We go together." Han Yi answered calmly, "If we both leave, the evidence stays here unattended." Qin Yue frowned. "We can call someone after we start searching." Han Yi's voice remained steady. "By the time backup arrives, whoever was on that rooftop will be long gone."
Qin Yue crossed her arms. "Then I'll come with you." Han Yi looked directly at her. "Qin Yue."She met his gaze without backing down."Don't tell me to stay behind." "I'm telling you to protect the evidence." He pointed toward the abandoned phone and the evidence bags in her hands. "The phone, token and every details and every second this scene remains untouched increases our chances of finding something." Qin Yue remained silent. Han Yi continued, "Contact the nearest patrol units and tell them to secure every exit around this block. Have forensic officers come here immediately."
Qin Yue sighed softly, clearly unhappy with the decision. "And if you find him?" Han Yi's expression remained calm. "Then I'll make sure he doesn't leave." She stared at him for several seconds before finally nodding. "Fine." Her tone carried obvious reluctance. "But if anything feels wrong, you call me immediately." Han Yi gave a slight nod. "I will."
Without another word, he crossed the street at a steady pace. His eyes never stopped scanning the surrounding buildings. The entrance to the apartment block stood half open.The old door creaked quietly as he pushed it inside. The narrow corridor echoed with every footstep. Han Yi didn't rush recklessly.He moved quickly but quietly, keeping one hand close to his side while his eyes examined every landing, every doorway, and every dark corner. If he's still inside... he'll hear me coming. If he's already gone... he'll leave something behind.
He climbed one flight after another. The building was silent.Only the distant hum of traffic drifted in through cracked windows. Han Yi reached the final staircase leading to the roof. The door at the top stood slightly open.He stopped before it then slowly, he pushed the door wider. The concrete roof stretched out before him, surrounded by rusted safety fencing and old water tanks. He noticed that it was completely empty.
Han Yi didn't look disappointed.Instead, he calmly stepped onto the rooftop. His eyes began searching the environment rather than the horizon.Then his eyes went to faint footprints crossed the dusty concrete near the rooftop's edge. Han Yi crouched beside them. The dust around the prints had only recently been disturbed.He lightly touched the edge of one mark with a gloved finger. The loose dust still shifted easily.He followed the trail several more steps until another object caught his attention.He saw cigarette rested beside the low wall overlooking the alley. Only half of it had burned and thin curl of smoke still drifted upward into the air.
Han Yi examined it without touching it.His gaze slowly lifted toward the rooftop edge where figure had stood watching them.The person hadn't been hiding...They had remained there long enough to smoke calmly while observing everything below... Han Yi's expression remained unreadable. Confident. As he continued searching, something black fluttered gently against the rusted fence near the corner of the rooftop. He walked over and stopped.He saw small strip of black fabric had snagged on a jagged piece of broken metal. It was no larger than two fingers wide, torn cleanly from a sleeve or coat.
Han Yi carefully removed it using tweezers from his evidence kit before sealing it inside a plastic bag.Looks like that person left in hurry or..Then he stood quietly in the center of the roof.His thoughts settled into a single conclusion. He wasn't trying to escape...he stopped here on purpose. His eyes slowly shifted toward the edge of the rooftop where the mysterious figure had been standing only minutes earlier. He wanted me to come here. He wanted me to find these clues. Which means this wasn't an escape... it was a demonstration. Han Yi carefully sealed the evidence bag containing the torn piece of black fabric and slipped it into his pocket. He took one last look across the rooftops before turning back toward the stairwell.
Meanwhile, Qin Yue remained in the alley below with two patrol officers who had arrived moments earlier. Yellow police tape had been stretched across both entrances while forensic technicians began photographing the witness's phone and the surrounding ground.Qin Yue thanked the officers before walking toward a small convenience store standing across the street. She had noticed a surveillance camera mounted beneath the shop's faded signboard.
The elderly shopkeeper nervously opened the door as she showed her badge. "Officer... is something wrong?" Qin Yue smiled politely. "I only need to review your security footage." The old man nodded quickly. "Of course. Come inside." A few minutes later, Qin Yue stood in front of the surveillance monitor while the shopkeeper replayed the recordings.Grainy black-and-white footage flickered across the screen. Cars passed one after another. Pedestrians entered and left the frame.
Qin Yue folded her arms, patiently watching every second. "Pause." The shopkeeper immediately pressed a button. Qin Yue leaned closer to the monitor. "Go back five seconds." The footage rolled backward before playing again in slow motion. A familiar black SUV entered the edge of the screen. It remained visible for only three seconds before disappearing around the corner. Qin Yue narrowed her eyes. "Zoom in."
The shopkeeper looked embarrassed. "The system is old. The picture won't become much clearer." "Try anyway." He enlarged the image. The quality became blurry, but one detail immediately caught Qin Yue's attention that rear license plate was completely covered by a dark rectangular panel. She frowned. "Deliberately hidden." The shopkeeper nodded. "Looks that way." Qin Yue continued staring at the enlarged image instead of looking at the plate. Her eyes moved toward the rear passenger door. Suddenly, she leaned even closer to the screen. "Wait."
The shopkeeper looked confused. "What is it?" Qin Yue pointed at the image. "There." He squinted. "I don't see anything." "That scratch." She traced it gently with her finger without touching the monitor. A long scratch stretched diagonally across the rear door before curving sharply near the bottom. From a distance, it almost resembled the shape of a crooked lightning bolt. Qin Yue's eyes brightened slightly. "Freeze this frame." The shopkeeper nodded and saved the image. Qin Yue quickly took several photographs using her work phone. The license plate can be hidden... stickers can be removed... but body damage is much harder to erase overnight...She immediately sent the photographs to the investigation team's shared system with a short message. *Unique scratch on rear passenger door. Cross-check traffic cameras and vehicle repair records.*
A few seconds later, her phone vibrated. Han Yi had acknowledged the file with a single reply. *Received. Good catch.* Qin Yue smiled faintly before stepping back outside. She looked toward the apartment building just as Han Yi emerged from the entrance. He crossed the street at a steady pace. "Find anything?" she asked. Han Yi held up the evidence bag containing the torn strip of black fabric. "Found footprints and recently smoked cigarette." Qin Yue nodded before showing him the photograph on her phone. "I found something too."
Han Yi looked at the screen. "The license plate was covered." "Yes." Qin Yue enlarged the image. "But look at the rear door." Han Yi studied the photograph silently. After several seconds, he gave a slight nod. "A distinctive scratch." "Exactly." Qin Yue smiled slightly. "Even if they replace the sticker, repaint the bumper, or change the plate, they'll have to repair that damage eventually." Han Yi returned the phone. "Good observation."
Before either of them could continue, Han Yi's phone suddenly rang. The caller ID displayed the station's internal number. He answered immediately. "Han Yi." A hurried voice came from the other end. "Captain, we've got a problem." Han Yi's expression became serious. "Report." "We just sent officers to secure the witness's residence." Han Yi listened without interrupting. The officer continued, "He's gone." Qin Yue looked toward Han Yi, immediately sensing something was wrong. "Gone?" Han Yi repeated. "Yes, Captain." The officer sounded frustrated. "His neighbors said they haven't seen him since this morning." Han Yi asked, "What about his family?" "Nobody's there." "We searched the house." Han Yi's eyes narrowed slightly. "Find anything?" There was a brief silence before the officer answered. "Almost nothing." "His personal belongings are missing." "His identification documents are gone." "His computer hard drive has been removed."
Qin Yue lowered her eyes as she processed the information."So someone removed everything connected to him." Han Yi looked toward the busy street ahead. "Not someone but organization." Han Yi quietly replayed every clue they had collected since Jun Wei disappeared.His eyes slowly grew colder. Everyone connected to Jun Wei is following the same pattern. They're either missing... silent... or too terrified to speak. He folded his arms as the realization settled in his mind. This is far more organized than an ordinary kidnapping...
Qin yue noticed the change in expression. "You've figured something out." Han Yi nodded slightly. "Ordinary kidnappers make mistakes. Like they panic, argue and leave evidence behind." He glanced toward the rooftop one last time. "These people don't." Qin Yue remained quiet. Han Yi continued, "Every witness disappears before they can testify. Every piece of evidence is removed." "Every move we make is anticipated. I'm sure someone is coordinating all of this."
Qin Yue slowly exhaled. "A professional organization." Han Yi gave a slight nod. "And they've been operating long before Jun Wei disappeared." Qin Yue looked down at the evidence bag in her hand. "That means Jun Wei wasn't chosen randomly." Han Yi didn't answer immediately. Instead, he watched a city bus pass through the intersection. If that's true... then Jun Wei was the target from the very beginning...
Before either of them spoke again, Qin Yue's tablet suddenly vibrated and notification tone broke the silence. She immediately unlocked the screen. "Traffic Division!" she murmured. "They finally finished tracing the SUV." Han Yi stepped closer. "What did they find?" Qin Yue opened the report where sequence of traffic camera images appeared on the screen.The same black SUV appeared at one intersection after another as software reconstructed its route through the city.
Qin Yue carefully followed the timeline with her finger. "It passed East River Road..." "Then crossed Linhua Avenue..." "After that..." She suddenly stopped and her expression changed completely. Han Yi noticed at once. "Captain..." she said quietly. Han Yi looked at her. "What is it?" Qin Yue stared at the screen for another moment before slowly turning the tablet toward him. "The SUV didn't leave the city." Han Yi's eyes narrowed. "Then where did it go?"
Qin Yue swallowed before answering. "It entered the underground parking garage of a building." Han Yi looked at the image. The black SUV was captured just as it disappeared beneath a large commercial tower. The building's name was clearly visible above the entrance. Qin Yue spoke softly. "The building is owned by..." She paused for a brief moment. "...the Lian Group." Silence fell between them.
Han Yi stared at the building's name without blinking. Qin Yue quietly added, "The Lian Group owns office towers, hotels, shopping centers, and dozens of commercial properties across the city." Han Yi's gaze remained fixed on the photograph. "But this SUV entered only one of them." Qin Yue nodded slowly. "Yes." Han Yi looked once more at the image of the vehicle disappearing beneath the building. His voice became calm and steady. "Then our next destination..." He lifted his eyes toward the city skyline. "...is the Lian Group."
Qin Yue looked down at the report again, her brows slowly drawing together. "Wait." She enlarged the image and examined every detail once more. "Let's make sure this isn't a tracking error." Han Yi remained silent, allowing her to verify the evidence without interruption.Qin Yue tapped through the sequence of traffic camera captures one by one. Each image contained a timestamp, a camera number, and the vehicle's direction of travel. She compared the times carefully. "Camera Twenty-One..." she murmured. "Then Camera Twenty-Four... then Thirty-Two..." Her finger paused on the final frame. "No interruption in the route." Han Yi stepped closer. "Any missing cameras?"
Qin Yue shook her head. "None." She zoomed in on the last photograph until the building entrance filled the screen. The large company logo above the underground parking entrance was still visible despite the low image quality. She read it aloud. "Lian Group Commercial Tower." Han Yi quietly studied the picture. The SUV was halfway down the entrance ramp, disappearing into the underground parking garage. Only the rear half of the vehicle remained visible. Qin Yue compared the vehicle's shape with the earlier traffic images. "Same damage on the rear passenger door." She pointed to the distinctive scratch. "Same covered license plate." "Same rear windshield sticker." She slowly lowered the tablet. "There's no mistake."
Han Yi gave a slight nod. "The vehicle definitely entered the Lian Group building." Neither of them spoke for several moments. After few minutes he asked, "Do you think the Lian Group is involved?" Han Yi replied immediately. "No." Qin Yue looked at him in surprise. "You're that certain?" Han Yi folded his arms and looked toward the distant skyline. "I'm certain of one thing." Qin Yue waited. Han Yi calmly continued. "Someone wants us to think they are." Qin Yue frowned slightly. "Why would they lead us there if the company isn't involved?" Han Yi looked back at the image. "Because obvious answers are usually designed to be found."
Qin Yue considered his words. "You think we're being guided." Han Yi nodded once. "First the rooftop figure allowed me to find the cigarette and the fabric.Then they dropped the silver token.And now the SUV conveniently leads us to one of the most influential companies in the city." He remained silent for a brief moment before adding, "Nothing about this investigation has happened by accident."
Qin Yue slowly exhaled. "So either the Lian Group is connected..." "...or someone wants us to waste our time investigating them," Han Yi finished. Qin Yue looked back at the tablet. "The problem is..." She hesitated. "If the Lian Group is innocent and we arrive with dozens of officers, the entire city will know before lunchtime." Han Yi nodded slightly. "Exactly." Qin Yue crossed her arms. "And if someone inside the company is involved..." "...they'll disappear before we even reach the lobby."
Han Yi's calm voice carried quiet certainty. Qin Yue sighed. "So what's the plan?" Han Yi looked at the busy road ahead. "We don't send a tactical unit." Qin Yue raised an eyebrow. "No search warrants?" "Not yet." "No police convoy?" "No." "No media notification?" Han Yi shook his head. "Absolutely not." Qin Yue smiled faintly. "You're being unusually cautious." Han Yi adjusted his glasses with one finger. "The moment police vehicles surround that building, every security camera inside will record us." He continued calmly, "If someone is waiting for us, they'll have several minutes to erase evidence, leave through another exit, or destroy anything connecting them to Jun Wei." Qin Yue nodded in agreement. "So we go quietly." "Yes." Han Yi looked directly at her. "Just the two of us."
Qin Yue couldn't help smiling. "As ordinary visitors?" Han Yi nodded. "We'll enter through the front entrance like everyone else." "We'll enter as normal people no uniforms and no marked vehicles." "No obvious investigation." Qin Yue laughed softly. "Another undercover role?" Han Yi looked at her with a rare hint of amusement in his eyes. He slowly adjusted his glasses again before answering, "Hopefully my last." Qin Yue smiled. "You said that after the warehouse operation." Han Yi remained completely serious. "I was overly optimistic." She laughed a little harder. "And before that, you said the museum case would be your last undercover assignment." Han Yi calmly replied, "I was wrong then too."
Qin Yue shook her head with an amused smile. "You really attract trouble, Captain." Han Yi picked up the evidence bag containing the silver token and slipped it into his coat pocket. "Trouble usually arrives before I do." Qin Yue chuckled. "That's somehow even less reassuring." Han Yi began walking toward their car. "Call Xu Shen." Qin Yue immediately took out her phone. "What should I tell him?" Han Yi opened the passenger door before answering. "Tell him to continue investigating the repair records and the surveillance footage." Qin Yue nodded while typing notes into her phone. "Anything else?"
Han Yi looked once more at the image of the Lian Group building displayed on her tablet.His eyes narrowed imperceptibly. "And tell him..." He paused briefly. "...not to inform anyone outside our investigation team that we're going to the Lian Group." Qin Yue looked up. "You don't trust the information staying inside the station?" Han Yi closed the car door slowly. "After everything we've seen today..." His voice remained calm, but noticeably colder than before. "I'm no longer certain who's listening."
Qin Yue's smile slowly faded. She looked at him for a long moment before nodding. "I'll only contact Xu Shen." Han Yi started the engine. "Use the encrypted channel." Qin Yue opened the secure communication app on her phone. "Already doing it." She typed quickly before sending a short message. *Continue tracing the SUV. Do not share the Lian Group lead with anyone outside Team One. Report directly to Han Yi or me. *A few seconds later, Xu Shen replied with a single word. *Understood.*
Qin Yue locked her phone and leaned back in her seat. "If someone really is monitoring the investigation..." She looked out the window as pedestrians crossed the street. "...then every official report we file could be reaching them." Han Yi pulled the car into traffic without answering immediately. He watched the vehicles ahead through the windshield before speaking. "Information doesn't leak by itself."Qin Yue understood what he meant. "You think someone inside the system is helping them." Han Yi's hands remained steady on the steering wheel. "I don't know." "But until we know otherwise..." "we assume every unnecessary person is a risk." Qin Yue slowly nodded. "That's going to make this investigation difficult." Han Yi replied calmly. "It already is."