Chapter 7 – I’ve Taken Out Everyone Who Got in the Way

Shen Xingchen was dressed in deep blue electrician’s coveralls with suspenders. His safety helmet sat discarded to the side, and strands of his dark hair fell messily over his forehead, accentuating his youthful aura. In the murky light, the smile that bloomed on his lips was both brilliant and inscrutable.

“Brother Pei… we meet again.”

Casting a swift glance behind him to ensure no one had followed, Pei Yu took two steps toward him and lowered his voice. “What is your actual name?”

“I told you my name already. Have you forgotten it so quickly?” Shen Xingchen furrowed his brows in feigned hurt, mimicking Pei Yu’s proximity as he leaned in and chuckled softly. “Brother Pei, it was love at first sight for me, yet you don’t even remember my name. I’m heartbroken.”

His tone, hovering between a tease and sincerity, carried an indescribable, haunting allure in the dead of night. They stood mere inches apart. As the faint scent of Shen Xingchen’s perfume wafted over, Pei Yu’s eyes narrowed, and he instinctively took a step back. He crossed his arms, staring coldly at the youth’s overalls.

“The surname ‘He’ was obviously a lie to trick them, but I would never lie to you.” Shen Xingchen threw him a flirtatious glance. “Relax, I told them I was a temp. No one will bother to check.”

Pei Yu glanced at the wires against the wall before returning his gaze to the youth’s face. “Did you sabotage them?”

“Don’t worry.” Shen Xingchen brandished his tools at him. “Since I was the one who broke them, I naturally know how to fix them.”

Hardly, Pei Yu snorted inwardly. The memory of the red number “10” on his mirror surfaced, and he couldn’t help but speak up. “A man with junior high chemistry skills shouldn’t boast so loudly.”

“Oh, you mean that? That was my masterpiece.” Shen Xingchen’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “I never went to school, I’m uneducated—I apologize if I made a fool of myself in front of you, Brother Pei.”

“Hey, tell me the truth,” the other man leaned in, his hand reaching out to pat the badge pinned to Pei Yu’s open police jacket, his expression full of mystery. “Were you scared of me?”

Pei Yu dodged with a reflex so sharp he nearly strained his back.

“It seems you were.” Shen Xingchen retracted his hand, his smile radiating satisfaction like a warm spring breeze.

Pei Yu let out a cold snort. Is that all? To boast about such petty, unrefined tricks… truly, ignorance was a terrifying thing. Ignoring him, Pei Yu turned away. Listening for any abnormal sounds from the rest area across the hall, he lightened his footsteps and headed toward the door of the Major Crimes section.

The door to the Major Crimes section sat in a corner of the archives, directly facing the rest area door. If he attempted to open it now, Xiao Tang across the hall would surely notice. Just then, Xiao Tang stood up, clutching his empty instant noodle cup, and walked out. Judging by his direction, he was heading for the restroom at the end of the hall.

God is on my side, Pei Yu thought silently. He quickly fished out the forged key, picked the lock in a few swift motions, and slipped inside. The shelves here held files from major cases spanning decades; they had sat untouched for so long that a thick layer of dust coated them. Pei Yu moved with calculated silence, his eyes darting across the spines of the documents. Multitasking, he accurately stepped over a small, rusted, and inconspicuous safe on the floor.

Finally, a line of black Mingti characters caught his eye: The Case of Jiang Tianxiao’s Accidental Death Following the Rape and Murder of a Female Student.

This was it.

Carefully pulling the folder down, Pei Yu didn’t care about the dust billowing around him. He hurried toward the door, eager to leave this den of trouble. He couldn’t stay long to read it here; he would have to steal it and find a way to return it later.

A cheerful whistle echoed from the corridor. Xiao Tang’s footsteps grew closer as he returned to the rest area. The timing should be just right, Pei Yu calculated, quickening his pace. At that exact moment, footsteps sounded from the rest area. Xiao He, who had been sleeping in the inner room, had woken up. He stretched as he stepped through the small door.

Pei Yu, standing right by the Major Crimes door, felt his breath hitch. Only a few meters separated them. If Xiao He so much as turned his head, he would immediately spot the intruder in the restricted zone. Time accelerated to a frantic blur, yet seemed to freeze in agonizing slowness. In that spark of a moment, just as their gazes were about to meet…

Click.

The archives were plunged into absolute darkness. Without thinking, Pei Yu shoved the file inside his jacket. Simultaneously, his other hand closed the door and turned the lock. The movements were fluid and seamless, as if born from a lifetime of practiced synchronicity.

Only then did the archive lights flicker back to life, trembling and slow. Shen Xingchen emerged from behind a metal shelf, safety helmet in hand, and smiled at the officers. “The circuit is fixed. I’ll head out now. Give me a shout if there are any more problems.”

The two night-shift officers thanked “Electrician Little He” for his hard work and waved him goodbye. Meanwhile, Pei Yu feigned an air of business, straightening a tilted file folder. He then gave them a casual greeting, made an excuse about finishing his research, turned off the lights, locked up, and vanished.

“See you, Brother Pei!” Xiao He called out after him.

Clutching the file, Pei Yu walked with a steady gait, his back appearing as dignified and cold as always. “Mhm.”

……

As he walked out of the office building, Shen Xingchen was, as expected, waiting for him at the bottom of the steps.

“Spit it out,” Pei Yu said without stopping. He knew the youth would follow. “What are you really trying to do, going through all this trouble and taking such risks?”

There had been nothing wrong with the archive’s wiring; it wouldn’t have broken for no reason. He just couldn’t understand the point of all this elaborate maneuvering. The living were truly exhausting.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Shen Xingchen caught up, smiling as he hooked an arm through Pei Yu’s. “I just wanted to see you again.”

Pei Yu shook him off as if he’d been electrocuted. “Say what you want, but don’t touch me.”

“Fine, fine, no touching. Don’t be angry.” Shen Xingchen gave Pei Yu’s sleeve a reluctant tug before letting go with a grin. “I came because I wanted to make sure you got the real file, rather than coming back to lie to me after pretending to read it. Seeing is believing; I had to see you hold it with my own eyes.”

“Is that all?” Pei Yu remained indifferent.

“And then…” Shen Xingchen’s smile turned radiant. “…Wait for me so we can read it together.”

Just as he expected.

“And you claimed you didn’t want to tell me how my mentor was involved.” Pei Yu snorted. “Clearly, you don’t know either.”

“Hey, don’t say that, Brother Pei.” Shen Xingchen’s hand reached out restlessly again. “With you here, I’ll find out sooner or later. Besides, the fact that you came to steal the file tonight proves my words have shaken you.” His tone was playful. “You suspect Yan Lang’s connection to this case too, don’t you?”

Pei Yu ignored him and dodged his hand. The youth sent him another meaningful look. “Or perhaps you’re interested in me, and you’re willing to… obey my every word?”

Pei Yu let out a cold sneer. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m addicted to the truth; it has nothing to do with you.”

“Oh—” Shen Xingchen feigned a sudden realization, then laughed. “That doesn’t stop me from reading it with you. I want to try anything that makes you addicted.”

Pei Yu didn’t bother responding. Shen Xingchen struck while the iron was hot. “I did just help you out and save you from an embarrassing situation. This request isn’t too much to ask, is it, Brother Pei…?”

His tone was almost like a pout. Pei Yu felt a wave of revulsion and shuddered. The passion of the living was too stifling; he couldn’t stand it.

“What about Xiao Hu from the electrical room?” he asked abruptly. He had seen the schedule and remembered it was Xiao Hu’s shift tonight.

Shen Xingchen looked at him, the light in his eyes as innocent as a child’s. “Everyone who was in the way has been taken out by me.”