Entrust
Since Cheng Xiangwu had no intention of working overtime or forcibly throwing the other person out of her house, Xiao Fu successfully opened the door to the guest room.
Judging from its size and room allocation, this apartment was clearly intended for a family of three. Besides the master bedroom that Cheng Xiangwu used regularly, the apartment included a guest bedroom, a study she'd never even opened, two and a half bathrooms, and was fully furnished. At this point, Xiao Fu had taken over both of these long-unused rooms.
"What are you going to do with the study?" Cheng Xiangwu was displeased with this overly self-righteous behavior, but the person had already been let in.
"Sleep and thinking should be kept separate." Little Flène sat down with her back to the window, legs crossed, looking every bit the part of the room's owner. "Please give me tea, preferably black tea, and the best collection point is—"
"The convenience store downstairs has iced tea," Cheng Xiangwu said, changing her shoes and leaving the apartment.
"The best place to collect samples is in the mountains when it's foggy in the early morning," Xiao Fu said to himself, then stood up and followed him out the door.
Although Xiao Fu brought a bizarre unsolved case, Cheng Xiangwu had to deal with the immediate issue first, which was to gather information about the target. At the very least, he needed to know the target's route, the security measures in place, and the city's security situation.
Neither of these can be found simply by sitting on the sofa in your apartment and playing on your phone.
"What a coincidence." Xiao Fu quickly stepped out the door to greet her, "It's great to run into you here."
Cheng Xiangwu had nothing to say to this; she locked the door and turned to leave.
“Won’t you tell me about Qin Zixi?” Little Fu followed behind. “If it’s a life of value, then it’s worth it to let his name pass through my ears.”
“You don’t need to know me,” Cheng Xiangwu said. “Don’t follow me, or you’ll fall behind.”
“I already said it was a coincidence. We’re not going to the same place. I want to visit the city’s police station to find out where my ill-fated suitcase is,” Xiao Fu said.
Cheng Xiangwu wondered why this person was telling her so much.
“Because I hope you, a local, can clear the way for me, Five Spices,” Little Fran replied.
"Me?" Cheng Xiangwu felt that the person behind her was really troublesome.
“You,” Little F nodded, “finding the suitcase means I won’t have to bother your retina every day anymore, which is more of an advantage for you.”
Cheng Xiangwu didn't say anything, but just walked quickly forward.
The apartment building's stairwell lights were always on, like bright yellow bulbs that hadn't considered the electricity bills, attracting flying insects day and night. The staircase floor was paved with marble, its gray and black veins similar to those on the corridor floor of Senhu No. 2 Middle School. Most of the building materials in this city were processed and bought and sold from the city's only construction market, a noisy place where piles of wood and glass were inexplicably piled up year-round.
At least that's how it always was when Cheng Xiangwu passed by. However, she hadn't been to the suburbs many times, so she wondered if she would still be able to see those solid triangular wooden houses without doors or windows this time.
Some people were strolling around the neighborhood after dinner. When Cheng Xiangwu pushed open the door of her apartment building, they all turned their gazes towards her, but their focus was actually on the rare local species behind her. They only glanced at her afterward. Of course, whether directly or incidentally, most things that needed to be seen were difficult for her to perceive directly, as Cheng Xiangwu's eyesight wasn't very good.
As Cheng Xiangwu stepped out of the residential compound, she glanced through the wide-angle lens. The blurry patches of color and the not-so-sharp outlines were twisting and turning, suggesting that there was more than one person in the convenience store, and the movements of the various parties were clearly fluctuating.
Cheng Xiangwu paused, turning her head to look through the open glass door. Her gaze traveled from the shelves with small packages of candy and puffed snacks, through the ice cream freezer covered with price tags, and then disappeared from sight. But the sounds of an almost argumentative commotion around the cashier were particularly clear on the still relatively quiet street.
“We really don’t sell cigarettes here.” Zhou Mi pointed to the certificate on the glass counter. “We don’t have a tobacco license.”
In contrast to her helpless tone, the young man across the counter also looked quite helpless, but he had no intention of letting the store manager off the hook.
"Hey, that's alright. Do you have any adults at home?" The young man wearing sunglasses pointed with his thumb to the back door of the convenience store and the staircase next to it. "Where are your parents, little sister, or someone else?"
This family business naturally also housed Zhou Mi's family. Behind that door was a warehouse, mainly used to store cardboard boxes that the shop owner didn't have time to unpack. Upstairs on the second floor was where the family lived. Zhou Mi's father was a truck driver, and her mother ran a hotel in downtown Senhu City. Usually, only Zhou Mi and her two vehicles, one two-wheeled and one three-wheeled, were parked outside the warehouse's back door.
This place doesn't sell cigarettes or alcohol, but because the shop owner has excellent taste, you can find some anime merchandise here that's hard to find even in the city center.
"What do you mean? They're here so we can sell them? Smuggling?" Zhou Mi exclaimed in shock. "Our family is making a fortune?"
"No, it's not." The young man finally had to take off his sunglasses, baring his teeth and covering his lips with his index finger. "Can you keep your voice down?"
The face was completely unfamiliar; Cheng Xiangwu didn't recognize it even as she got closer. She took a bottle of iced tea from the freezer and headed towards the counter.
"Sister Xiangxiang!" Zhou Mi smiled broadly. She turned her head and met Cheng Xiangwu's gaze, and also saw Xiao Fu who had followed her into the store. "Wow, a foreigner, hello!"
“It’s an honor to see you in this country.” Little F nodded and said to Cheng Xiangwu, “I prefer something with adjustable sweetness, and preferably hot.”
"I'll drink it myself." Cheng Xiangwu didn't turn around, but placed the iced tea on the counter and looked at the young man who hadn't spoken since the two of them entered the store.
After she put the sunglasses back, the age range of her face became blurred. All that could be discerned was that she was neither young nor old, and it was difficult to say whether she was middle-aged or not. She was wearing a not-so-crisp shirt, the hem tucked into a belted suit trousers, and leather shoes. If she took off the sunglasses, she would look like most math teachers.
But with those sunglasses, she gained an inexplicable air of mystery.
The young man paused for a moment after their eyes met, then nodded and looked away.
"Please settle the bill." Cheng Xiangwu said, and then saw Xiao Fu pop out from the corner of her line of sight and place a bottle of room temperature black tea on the counter.
“How can you say that? Dexterity and agility are excellent qualities in my opinion,” said Franz.
Cheng Xiangwu glanced back at Xiao Fu, Zhou Mi looked at Cheng Xiangwu, and the young man continued to look at the convenience store stairwell.
“Credit cards are not a valid form of currency here,” Xiao Fu explained.
“…Please settle the bill.” Cheng Xiang turned around five times.
"Okay, okay." Zhou Mi took out the barcode scanner. "Is this Sister Xiangxiang's friend?"
How was Cheng Xiangwu supposed to answer that?
“You could say we’re acquaintances of Sister Xiangxiang,” Xiao Fu answered for her. “We met in the city where Sister Xiangxiang works, and we have a friendship that’s so deep it’s like we’d risk our lives for each other. This chance encounter has unfortunately bothered Sister Xiangxiang for a few days.”
Cheng Xiangwu had nothing to say.
"Hahaha—" Zhou Mi laughed, sitting back down in the sofa chair behind the counter with strange dolls on it. "You're so funny. My name is Zhou Mi, what's yours?"
“This is the result I wanted.” Little Fu nodded smugly. “Before the mystery is officially revealed, please call me Little Fu, Miss Zhou Mi.”
"Then just call me Xiao Mi!" Zhou Mi nodded. "Your Chinese is so good! Welcome to visit, it's a pity there aren't many tourist attractions here."
“Those historical relics can’t bring me any pleasure before they’re fermented.” Little F took her room-temperature black tea.
The young man turned to look at Xiao Fu with a puzzled expression, but then his eyes met Cheng Xiangwu's.
"We don't sell cigarettes or alcohol here," Cheng Xiangwu said.
"I'm not here to buy cigarettes or alcohol," the young man said helplessly.
"Then why did you say 'Give me a three-pack of Hongtashan cigarettes'?" Zhou Mi looked up from her tablet, which was paused from her game. "And you said it so many times, was it some kind of code?"
"...Can you pretend I didn't say that?" The young man's face was as pale and unsightly as the surface of water on a cold winter morning. "Just pretend I didn't say that."
After saying that, she turned and left the convenience store.
“That was a law enforcement officer.” Little F twisted open the bottle cap, took a sip, and then put the cap back on.
"Police?" Zhou Mi's fingers flew across the keyboard without looking up. "Putting aside the fact that this is the first time I've seen this person, what are the police doing here? There are no informants of hers here."
Suddenly, Zhou Mi looked up as if in a daze, "Did I miss something?"
"No." Cheng Xiangwu looked away and took a garbage bag out of his pocket. The plastic inside made a rustling sound as it rubbed against the metal, like an amorphous plastic sand ball.
"Oh, oh, oh—" Caught off guard by the trash bag, Zhou Mi quickly abandoned the game and the sadness of her epiphany, stood up, leaned over the counter, and reached out to touch the trash bag. "This is exactly what I wanted—"
A pile of metal badges wrapped in transparent plastic bags, some small acrylic sheets, and other colorful items made with various techniques—all reflecting the aspirations of young people—were shaken out of the garbage bag. They came in all sorts of styles, but the theme was consistent.
"Thank you—" Zhou Mi said loudly, leaning on the counter as if he was about to kowtow to Cheng Xiangwu.
"It's nothing." Cheng Xiangwu shook her head, preparing to leave, then turned back and asked, "When are Uncle and Aunt coming back?"
"I don't know, Mom's been at the hotel, and Dad's in a couple of days?" Zhou Mi replied while carefully tapping the pile of things. "Wow, it's a limited edition collaboration with the restaurant!"
This reminded Cheng Xiangwu of the restaurant where she had to queue for more than half an hour to get in; the food was terrible and expensive, and there were many plastic signs blocking the way.
"Okay." Cheng Xiang nodded. "Remember to tell me if that person comes looking for you again."
"Okay!" Zhou Mi agreed, then looked up with a smile, "Don't worry, I'm not really a little sister."
“You don’t need to consider the age of the host when a crisis strikes,” said Xiao Fu.
"Hmm?" Zhou Mi asked, puzzled.
"I'm leaving. Call me if you need anything." Cheng Xiangwu waved and left the convenience store.
As Cheng Xiangwu walked south from the store, she saw the young man in sunglasses standing at the alley entrance under the street sign not far away, his arms crossed as he made a phone call. Although she couldn't see his face clearly, she could tell from the constant tapping of his leather shoes that this man was in a mood similar to that of her math teacher in class.
"The police officer you're looking for," Cheng Xiang pointed with five fingers.
“At least now I understand that you’re someone who doesn’t deal with the police much, Wu Xiang.” Xiao Fu spread out one palm and said, “Of course you should go to the local administrator for lost and found. Miss Zhou Mi also said that he was a stranger. Although he’s not a stranger in terms of race, he’s not from this place of birth, and the same goes for his workplace address.”
"What is this person doing here? Is it related to our business?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
“I’m still wondering when you’re going to ask,” Little Franz said.
"I'll give you a chance," Cheng Xiangwu said.
This person has a hobby of selling what she sees, hears, and guesses to others. Of course, if no one buys it, she will find a place or someone to say or write it down herself.
"You can't say that. If everything I see and think were made public, the average level of mental health of all people in the world might be lowered across the board." Little Fu shrugged.
“Then just talk about what’s useful,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
“I like that about you, Wuxiang.” Xiao Fu smiled. “Anyway, that indoor sunglasses enthusiast was indeed looking for someone. His target was one of the staff members at the police station we were about to visit. The specifics are unclear for now, but the purpose is the same.”
As for why one should go to a convenience store instead of going directly to the police station, the reasons are open to interpretation.
"Is she the only one?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.
“I guess not,” said Little F.
"You guessed his identity too?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
“I am quite familiar with the structure of individual law enforcement officers, from the inside out.” Little F raised his eyebrows. “These poor guys who are manipulated by procedures exude an inescapable law enforcement characteristic with every gesture, regardless of race or nationality, only in terms of individual moral standards.”
That's just a guess, but it's quite credible.
"Thank you for the recognition," said Xiao Fu.
As they were talking, the two passed the alleyway. The young man put down his phone, sighed, looked up, and met Cheng Xiangwu's gaze again.
"...Why does she keep looking at me? Does she recognize me?" Cheng Xiangwu asked warily.
“I guess you’ll lose that privilege if you take off that distinctive fur collar,” Little Franz reminded him. “Besides, you don’t need me to stand aside and highlight your unconventional behavior.”
Cheng Xiangwu didn't say anything, quickened her pace and left, with Xiao Fu reluctantly following.
Passing by a few restaurants that were still open and a green belt dominated by natural catalytic factors, the two entered the walled gate and arrived at the police station. The door was open, there was no one at the front desk, but the fan was still running. The afternoon sun was strong, but it didn't shine into the station.
“Then, please wait here for a moment.” Little F raised his hand and pointed to the bench next to the entrance. “To avoid spoilers, I will communicate with the staff myself.”
Cheng Xiangwu said nothing, sat down on the bench, and watched the swaying cloak and teeth disappear.
Not long after, another footstep sound came from beside him. It was the sole of a leather shoe. Cheng Xiangwu turned his head and saw that it was indeed the young man in sunglasses.
Then their eyes met again.
"What a coincidence, we've run into each other again." The young man gave a polite smile. "Are you here to report a crime?"
“…No, waiting for someone.” Cheng Xiangwu responded after a moment of silence. This person wasn’t wearing a police uniform, but she didn’t smell the body odor that Xiao Fu had mentioned. Instead, there was a scent of perfume. She realized that it was probably some kind of inexplicable rhetorical device.
"Is it that foreign friend?" The young man in sunglasses asked, feigning concern, but his purpose was clear. "It's really worrying. What happened?"
This left Cheng Xiangwu wondering how to respond. She didn't want to communicate too much with this person and have her face remembered.
“You’ll hear it once you go in.” Cheng Xiangwu decisively chose to divert attention.
"It's not good to pry into personal privacy." The young man smiled and changed the subject. "This is my first time visiting this city, and to be honest, it's much better than I expected. The locals are very friendly, and the weather is quite nice. But the sun is really strong right now, don't you feel hot?"
Wow, this person's words sound like utter nonsense when put together.
"Hahaha—" Little Fu laughed considerately.
Hearing the laughter, the young man noticed someone standing in the corner. After recognizing the source of the laughter, she paused, but her smile didn't fade.
"Oh, foreign friend, welcome to visit," the young man said.
"Well, welcome to our site, you talkative enthusiast." Xiao Fu stopped smiling first and looked at Cheng Xiangwu. "Aren't you going to answer this person's question, Xiangxiang-jie?"
"That's good. I'm not hot, so fast?" Cheng Xiangwu answered, ending with a question.
"They wrote down my personal information and contact details on a piece of paper and said they'd get back to me later. That kind of stable, albeit useless, reply was reassuring," Xiao Fu shrugged. "I'll have to work on that part myself."
Cheng Xiangwu sighed and stood up.
"Did you lose your luggage?" The young man frowned. "That's really something. It's rare for you to come here for tourism and you have to encounter such a thing. Luckily, you have a friend with you."
"So, what are you here for?" Little Fu asked, looking at the young man.
"Of course I'm here to see the police," the young man said with a smile.
“Oh.” Little Franz’s tone rose. “Then you’re probably going to be disappointed. The policeman went back inside and lay down after writing down my contact information.”
“…Sigh.” The young man sighed, his sunglasses slipped down a bit, revealing a corner of his face that looked like the sunglasses had fallen to the ground. “Okay, thanks for the news.”
"Let's go," Cheng Xiangwu said, walking towards the sun.
"Are you two planning to go out and have some fun? Do you have any recommendations for tourist attractions?" the young man asked from inside the room.
"I don't know," Cheng Xiangwu said.
"I asked that because I saw you knew the convenience store manager. I thought you were a local," the young man said, his smile becoming quite friendly when he removed his sunglasses. "Are you two tourists?"
This question made Cheng Xiangwu frown. She glanced at the young man but said nothing.
"If I had to say, I'd call them your competitors," Xiao Fu nodded and said. "But you could also call them tourists, since there are some nice attractions and scenic views here."
“…You’re really funny,” the young man said.
“That’s one of the reactions I was hoping for.” Little Franz nodded. “Well then, see you again someday.”
After saying that, she stepped into the sun and then stepped back.
"What are you doing?" Cheng Xiangwu turned around.
"Please give me a sun umbrella." Little F held up one finger.
Because Xiao Fu absolutely refused to take off his coat, and Zhou Mi's convenience store didn't sell sun umbrellas, Cheng Xiangwu had no choice but to take this person and his particularities on a bus to the city, which was also one of her original destinations.
The bus has air conditioning and there aren't many people on it.
"Because there were zero plaintiffs and the efforts of all parties, the mass suicide case at Senhu No. 2 Middle School was initially suppressed relatively easily. The mass cremation had already been completed, and the remaining steps were to gradually remove the deceased from view and transfer the remaining students. But some rumors have leaked out, or rather, someone has come running after smelling the scent." In the swaying air-conditioned car, Xiao Fu propped his head up and spoke.
"That person, and you." Cheng Xiangwu reluctantly offered a conciliatory response.
“Let me make this clear first, I got here on my own merits,” Little F said with dissatisfaction. “And as for my purpose, I’m here to cure him, while that guy is just here to clean up the dandruff and take it back for his paycheck.”
"Okay, yes, that's fine." Cheng Xiangwu also propped her head up and looked out the window.
The abrupt green belt erected in the middle of the road narrowed what was originally a wide road to two lanes. Fortunately, the city has relatively low traffic volume, and even with buses slowly stopping and starting occupying most of the space, the lanes don't become congested. The street-side shops are built to meet the needs of the residents, with many snack stalls and restaurants, followed by convenience stores, hardware stores, and auto repair shops. Occasionally, a trendy gadget pops up that is surprisingly practical.
“You deserve praise for that too.” Little Franz wasn’t too bothered by the perfunctory reply. “Anyway, barring any unforeseen circumstances, that Second Middle School in Senhu City won’t be open for another three months so that the sunglasses conspiracy theorist’s colleague can go in for a visit.”
"They're criminal police officers, huh?" Cheng Xiangwu was taken aback. "Are there many of them?"
Senhu No. 2 Middle School isn't far from Chengxiang Wujia; it's less than half an hour by bus. No. 1 Middle School, on the other hand, is located in the city center. Despite their names differing by only one character, their student numbers, faculty, college entrance rates, and parental approval are worlds apart—at least the last one is. Both are twelve-year schools, and perhaps due to their similar names, although they might not be highly regarded outside the city, local residents often compare them.
“A team with a relatively stable internal structure, the number is unknown but the types are complete.” Xiao Fu said with a hint of mockery in his tone, “However, not everyone has arrived yet. According to that person’s thought process, it will be the day after tomorrow. That impatient guy jumped the gun.”
"What do you mean?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
“Many people chase fame and fortune. If this case is concluded and deemed valid, it would be worth more on a resume than Bai Yuntian’s head. Those who are eager to stand out will naturally find some detours,” Xiao Fu said.
"So what does that mean?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
"...In short, the one who got here first is trying to find some useful extra intelligence in order to get a promotion and a raise," Little Franz explained. "In that respect, we are competitors."
"Do you also have a colleague in line behind you?" Cheng Xiangwu asked, turning around.
"They're enough in terms of competition, and you're here to help each other," Xiao Fu said to himself, satisfied with his current situation.
Chengxiang turned five times.
The bus swayed for nearly twenty minutes, and as the tall buildings finally replaced the low-rise houses that blocked their view, the two found a stop near a bank and got off. Xiao Fu took out her card, withdrew cash, and finally opened the parasol she had been longing for.
“That’s it.” Cheng Xiangwu pointed to the tallest building among the glass skyscrapers three streets away, which was the office building of Bai Bai Co., Ltd.
The modern buildings in this area were all part of the urban planning established about thirty years ago after the city of Moriko relocated from the north. Most were completed and put into use about twenty years ago, though some are still under construction. The area that was once considered the city center to the north is about fifty kilometers away, and its relocation was due to environmental issues.
The area within a three- or four-mile radius of this location is known as the city center, the most populous and bustling area. Bai Bai, as a major local investor, contributed the most capital during the construction phase, not only to the office building but also to many shops on the surrounding commercial streets, including the largest shopping mall. Over the years, the population here hasn't increased significantly, and the economy has followed suit; the city center's commercial streets only become lively during holidays.
"BaiBai Co., Ltd.'s headquarters mainly engages in real estate development and transportation, and secondly invests in subsidiaries in various fields. The branch located in a larger city is actually developing better." Xiao Fu followed the gaze and said, "However, the branch owner is also surnamed Bai. He has to come back to this city every year during holidays to contribute to the liquor tax and fuel costs. It's a very resilient family bond."
Cheng Xiangwu glanced at Xiao Fu, who was expressing his opinion, and asked, "How much do you know about the reasons why Bai Yuntian is being targeted?"
"From a business perspective, the board secretary is part of management, and internal company or family struggles can always explain things. From a personal perspective, Bai Yuntian is involved in what I'm investigating, and this involvement can often be unreasonable and fatal." Xiao Fu turned his head and glanced under the umbrella. "Does an assassin need to care about these things?"
“I need to decide how that person should die based on these factors,” Cheng Xiangwu said. “You wouldn’t understand even if you looked at it that way.”
"Hmph." Little F chuckled, "Those two knives have a second way of being used?"
“There are plenty of options; you can experience as many as you like,” Cheng Xiangwu grinned.
“Instead of talking about someone with no set date for me to look forward to, let’s find a place to sit down and talk about our upcoming plans,” Little F said, twirling his umbrella. “And have something to eat.”
When it comes to choosing a restaurant, Xiao Fu wasn't too picky, at least not as much as they had been a few years ago in another city. It's unclear whether it was because they were adapting to local customs or because they simply didn't have any other options.
Cheng Xiangwu didn't care at all about the taste of the food or the dining environment.
So the two found a chain family restaurant and sat down. The enclosed sofa seating offered a semblance of privacy for their conversation.
"A Japanese-style frozen Italian restaurant chain, interesting." After ordering, Xiao Fu went to the vending machine to get a cup of hot black tea that she had been longing for.
Cheng Xiangwu drank Coca-Cola.
“I hope to visit the survivor as soon as possible, but unfortunately I don’t have much information to offer. Her name is Gorsen, she is female, and she has been living in a communal apartment building. She is currently in a single room at the Senhu City Hospital.” Xiao Fu posted a photo, a cropped version of a group photo, in which a vibrant young person is holding a camera and smiling, seemingly preparing to have their picture taken.
"It's been a month already?" Cheng Xiang asked.
“The exact treatment time is unknown.” Little F shook his head. “But I guess it’s not very effective. At least for those in charge of the initial investigation of the case, she’s not lucid enough to say anything useful to me.”
“You don’t need to investigate this too much, do you?” Cheng Xiangwu put down her cup. “Your decapitation case already has a result, can’t we apply that to this?”
“That applies to the dead, but not to this one who’s still alive, and besides, I don’t know why she’s alive yet,” Little Fran said. “But I can tell you the results of the investigation into the dead.”
After she finished speaking, she looked at Cheng Xiangwu expectantly, waiting for a response.
"Speak," Cheng Xiangwu said, wondering what the other person was waiting for.
“…Okay.” Little F sighed with a sense of loss. “In short, my preliminary conclusion is that the victim in the decapitation case was completely unaware of himself at some point before and after the crime, or rather, he was in a state of being without a soul. Before that, he was in a deep sleep, and the brain activity could not be traced back, but I guess he was dreaming.”
Simply put, he woke up to find his soul missing, and then cut off his own head.
"What about the part between sleep and suicide?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
“I’ll have to wait for Miss Golson to add to that,” Little Frye said, shrugging. “I’m certain that the techniques used in both cases are not acceptable under normal legal procedures, just like my communication skills.”
The waiter brought the food, and a brief silence fell over the table.
"Do you have any clue why this happened?" Cheng Xiangwu asked after the waiter left.
“A natural phenomenon,” said Little F.
"Are you serious?" Cheng Xiangwu frowned.
"The rules that humans can hold in their hands are so narrow, and nature is a barbaric term that cannot encompass what it truly contains. Humans pursue a unified order, and while constantly expanding this scope, whether actively or passively, they often label the unacceptable parts as diseases, dross, evil, or mysterious phenomena." Little F forked a chicken wing and waved it in the air, as if to cool down or provide belated flight assistance.
Come to think of it, Cheng Xiangwu remembers that when this person introduced himself, he would say that he was a mystic, and what was the name that followed by it?
"What was it again?" Little Fran asked expectantly.
"...I can't remember." Cheng Xiangwu said honestly, forking a chicken wing, tearing off a piece of skin and meat to chew. The taste was okay, even though it was a reheated product, it still had its highlights.
“Okay.” Little F wasn’t too disappointed, just a little bit. “Anyway, I call this a natural phenomenon. This is my opinion, and I plan to write it into my autobiography. I don’t expect you to read it, but I hope you can support the sales rate when it happens.”
"You expect me to buy books?" Cheng Xiangwu also expressed his attitude.
“Now we’re starting to count on it,” Little Franz said matter-of-factly.
A trip to Golson is a rather difficult one.
"Has the guard position not been relaxed at all after all this time?" Cheng Xiangwu wondered.
"From what I've heard, there isn't any," Xiao Fu shook his head regretfully. "There's also no plan to send him to a professional institution for further treatment. His family's attitude is also very strange, as if they don't care at all that their child is in a mental hospital for a month."
"Don't care?" Cheng Xiangwu also found it strange. "What about the other people related to the deceased?"
“I don’t care,” said Xiao Fu. “Based on the interviews I’ve conducted, the attitude can be summarized as, ‘Yes, I did know someone like that, and yes, she is indeed dead.’ Given the importance your country places on sunk costs in parent-child relationships, it’s not easy to achieve that.”
It's like accepting that dinner is gone tonight—a slight sense of regret, nothing more.
"In short, Miss Golson, who seems abnormal to the public, may now be the only normal source of information. Before those detectives take her to an even more impenetrable fortress, I want to get some information from the inside first," said Little Franz.
“Okay.” Cheng Xiangwu glanced at the sky; it was still early before sunset. “Let’s go after dinner.”
“How efficient,” Little Franz laughed. “But I thought it would be better to go during a time when security is lax?”
The saying goes that a dark and windy night is a good time for murder, but modern assassins don't follow that rule. Not only are surveillance cameras always on duty, but most people are actually more vigilant when they are alone at night, and there is less cover available when they strike. However, Cheng Xiangwu still has some colleagues who like to strike in the middle of the night. She herself prefers to work during the day, which not only fits her schedule but also her modus operandi. Her eyesight is already poor, and at night it's practically the same as being blind.
"We're not going to kill anyone this time," Little Franz reminded him.
"Almost, just one step less." Cheng Xiang picked up a new chicken wing.
"That piece should logically be mine," Xiao Fu said, expressing his dissatisfaction.
"This is a natural phenomenon," Cheng Xiangwu said, ignoring her.
Little Ferguson turned and reached for the ice cream pudding.
"I'm going to kill someone tomorrow or the day after," Cheng Xiangwu said. "It's a bit far."
"Qin Zixi?" Xiao Fu asked.
"Mm," Cheng Xiangwu responded, offering no further explanation.
“I’ll go take a look too,” said Xiao Fu. “He’s a direct relative of one of the victims, and he’s the only one I haven’t met.”
"...There's such a thing." Cheng Xiangwu was stunned. She had never cared about this person's background back then, nor had she thought about whether the sentence was reasonable. Now she knew it was unreasonable, and she also had the ability to make the result reasonable, but this was the first time she had heard about this person's background.
"I only just found out about this myself," Little Franz said with great interest. "Won't you tell me about it?"
“You can find more information online than I can tell you,” Cheng Xiangwu said honestly.
“What I mean is, delve deeper.” Little Fran scooped up a large spoonful of ice cream. “Although I don’t consider myself a conspiracy theorist, I sometimes feel that it’s good to think things through.”
"There's nothing to delve into," Cheng Xiangwu shook her head.
"Lack of clues? Pressure from law enforcement? Unclear route?" Xiao Fu moved his face closer, getting a clearer view. "Or is it simply that you yourself are unwilling, hence the lack of motivation?"
Cheng Xiangwu stared blankly at that practical smiling face, then suddenly reached out and grabbed the other person's head, her palm slapping the face, her five fingers gripping the hairline, and she squeezed hard.
"Hey!" Little Fu cried out in pain, "Stop pinching me—stop, stop, wait, are you really trying to kill me?!"
The hand let go.
"Hey." Little F sighed as he tidied his hair. "You weren't that angry, were you? You scared me."
As she said, Cheng Xiangwu didn't feel much anger, at least not enough to make one person physically assault another. But similarly, that was about the extent of all the emotions she could feel, and therefore each one was equally worthy of her doing something about.
"So you killed that person because of nothing more than anger?" Little F asked, somewhat displeased. "How can you put me on the same level as someone like that?"
“No.” Cheng Xiangwu shook her head. “I killed that person to end the anger of the others.”
As long as Qin Zixi is alive, there will be people who grieve for her, fear for her, and are angry for her. She only knows so many people, and one day one of them will realize that she doesn't actually care about this issue that much. When that time comes, someone will be sad because of her, and no matter who that person is, Cheng Xiangwu doesn't want that to happen.
Because at that time, she probably wouldn't have cared about this issue.
"A sense of responsibility? I like that about you too," Little Franz smiled.
“Therefore, there’s no need to delve into it,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
As for the two who have already died, the sorrow they brought is just so-so.
“Okay,” said Little Franz. “But let me make it clear first, I won’t let good things slip away if I think it’s necessary.”
"Do whatever you want." Cheng Xiangwu didn't care; no one could stop her from killing whoever she wanted.
“I’ve come to that realization myself,” Little Franz smiled.
Let's return to the topic of Baiyuntian.
"You've met her in person too?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.
“I’m sorry,” Little F shook his fork. “I’ve only met that faculty member’s immediate family members and learned about her indirectly from them. Due to her mode of transportation, I haven’t been able to meet her in person, let alone talk to her.”
This person's itinerary is not something that outsiders can easily find out. Cheng Xiangwu originally planned to ambush the Bai family, which would be the simplest and most convenient way to divert attention, but he was worried that the person who hired the assassin would not want this person to die in his own home.
The reason for not explicitly stating it in the order form is probably because I'm shy.
After thinking it over, Cheng Xiangwu decided to call her colleague for help.
"Oh, this can be considered a kind of mysterious event, right? Can I listen to it?" Little Fu asked expectantly.
"If I say no, will you avoid it?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
"What are you saying?" Little F laughed. "How could that be?"
Cheng Xiangwu had nothing to say. After confirming the surrounding environment, she made a phone call to a switchboard operator in the company's intelligence department, who was considered her old partner.
"Five-spice?" the operator called out the code name. "Have you arrived?"
"We've arrived," Cheng Xiangwu replied. "Ask about our target. She's gotten involved in something strange happening locally. Does the client know about this? Any instructions?"
"Thank you for your help, please wait a moment." The operator began typing on the keyboard.
Bai Yuntian's request was quite brief, only specifying the timeframe, measured in days. But these kinds of requests, which allow for free rein, are often the most troublesome, and Cheng Xiangwu had to clean up the mess himself this time.
"The order says to take action in two days in mid-July." The operator stopped typing. "I checked, and that's the birthday of Bai Langtao, the head of the Bai family, which happens to be in mid-July."
Here comes the key point, doesn't it?
"Do you want her to die at the scene?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.
"The agent guessed that's right. Since she's asked, let's stick to the usual routine. At least the target's activity route on the day of the banquet is fixed." The operator's voice also carried a hint of helplessness. "Are you planning to sneak in? I can check the banquet guest list and the approximate itinerary for you."
"Please." Cheng Xiang nodded five times. "Are there any requirements for the finishing touches?"
"No, just take care of yourself," the operator said.
"Okay." Cheng Xiangwu said, preparing to hang up the phone.
"What strange thing are you talking about?" the operator asked.
Cheng Xiangwu looked at Xiao Fu and shrugged.
“A month ago, many students committed suicide,” Cheng Xiangwu said. “There were also teachers.”
"I really don't know." The operator hissed. "I'll check that part too, and I'll get back to you if I have any information. Be careful."
The call has ended.
"A banquet," Little F exclaimed. "A birthday banquet for the head of a large family must be very interesting."
"You want to go?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.
"I want to go!" Little F nodded.
“Then you can try knocking on their doors yourself,” Cheng Xiangwu said. “Maybe they’ll be willing to use you to fill the hole of diversification.”
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