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墨書 Inktalez
Zhao Mingkun left with a sound of "thud thud thud," and the lights were turned off. Suddenly, everything around me plunged into darkness, and I couldn't move; the ropes bound me tightly. In this pitch-black environment, I had no way of discerning where I was, not even a rough idea of my location.
Since I couldn't determine how long I had been unconscious, I couldn't tell how far they had taken me. They hadn't gagged me, which suggested that this place must be soundproof or completely devoid of passersby. Trying to escape under such circumstances seemed utterly hopeless, akin to searching for a needle in a haystack.
The last barrier between Mary and me was Yue'er, as she was the only one who knew the ins and outs of this entire case. But since Zhao Mingkun claimed that Yue'er wouldn't survive, it meant she likely wouldn't. The power of the organization behind Zhao Mingkun was truly chilling.
Aside from Mary, who knew we were being framed, and members of the Special Investigation Team like Juan Juan and Dezi who might believe our words, who else could unconditionally trust us? With Yue'er dead and no evidence to prove otherwise, Mary might also be labeled an accomplice. The thought made my heart race with anxiety.
From the moment we arrived in Jing City, they had us firmly in their grasp. They had set trap after trap for us to fall into, and I had never felt as defeated as I did today. It reminded me of that day four years ago when I accidentally killed the only person who knew the truth.
Darkness brings silence; it allows for contemplation but can also lead to despair. What kind of organization was behind Zhao Mingkun that possessed such power? Why had they targeted me? Zhao Mingkun had mentioned before that their organization had been watching me for a long time.
Suddenly, I recalled the unsolvable mysteries behind previous cases. In Captain Gao's murder and dismemberment case, there was supposed to be another body that inexplicably vanished. In Baili Village's curse involving poison, a crucial research document on Hypnosis was snatched away on the road. In Dezi's mother's kidnapping case, Dezi had said that those who abducted her mother were not killers but rather a very special group of people.
At that time, I felt as if someone was watching me from behind, an unsettling sensation. But later on, that feeling disappeared. If the organization watching me back then was indeed the one behind Zhao Mingkun, then their observation must have concluded at that point, leading them to decide to pull me into their ranks at an opportune time and place.
I took deep breaths to keep my mind clear. Given the current situation, if I refused their demands, Zhao Mingkun and his organization would undoubtedly evacuate Jing City immediately. At that point, not only would my innocence remain unproven, but Liu Fangqing would be branded as a killer while Yue'er would die unjustly!
And after that, whether I would ever encounter this organization again remained uncertain. This might be the greatest crisis I had faced so far; yet the word "crisis" contains both danger and opportunity. If I could secretly infiltrate this organization, perhaps it could yield multiple benefits.
First, I might prove my innocence while clearing others' names. Second, I could potentially find clues regarding Captain Shi and Wang Gang's disappearance and locate them. Lastly, this organization needed to be eradicated; if left unchecked, it would surely lead to greater chaos in the future.
Since I had no way out now, it might be better to feign joining this organization in search of the most suitable path. However, if I did so, it would mean I'd likely have to act against my conscience. This implied that if I couldn't find a way out, I'd live my life branded as a fugitive and might never see members of the Special Investigation Team or my family again.
But if I rejected their demands, perhaps I could gradually uncover evidence to prove my innocence. No matter how powerful this organization was, as long as humans were involved in wrongdoing, traces would inevitably be left behind. This way, I wouldn't have to succumb to their intimidation or make choices against my own wishes in the future.
These two choices felt like two black holes continuously pulling me in, threatening to tear me apart from within. The surroundings were eerily silent—so quiet it was frightening. A sense of loneliness washed over me; it was an indescribable feeling of desolation. My thoughts drifted back to those years spent working cases with Captain Shi and the others.
In those years, I truly learned a lot. Captain Shi was like a mentor to me, almost like an older brother. At that time, I had just become a detective and was exposed to the dark side of society for the first time, witnessing countless cases of betrayal and extreme violence. Without Captain Shi's guidance, I might not have been able to persevere.
Many times, I felt myself becoming cynical, my worldview twisted. Whenever I reached that point, Captain Shi would pull me back. Eventually, I became a capable detective, and now I bear the responsibility of leading a Special Investigation Team. Captain Shi taught me so much along the way.
I imagined myself as Captain Shi. If I were him, what choices would I make?
I recalled my first homicide case when Captain Shi told me, "The world is harsh; relatives may grieve, but others will sing. Our responsibility is to catch the Killer and give justice to the deceased."
And I knew that this Killer was right in front of me, along with the organization behind him. Should I back down now?
Suddenly, I remembered many people's words. I recalled Old Qin saying, "Xiao Shao, after all these years at the police station, I've seen all kinds of people. I've witnessed families of Victims crying out in despair and cold-hearted Killers without remorse. I've seen terrified children and righteous police officers. I've spent my life at the gates of the Public Security Bureau, and deep down, I've always envied you. If I had one wish, it would be to be a police officer—just like you."
Old Qin was someone who had always wanted to be a police officer.
Li the Tiger once told me, "As long as the Killer is still at large, we must pursue them relentlessly. In our line of work, darkness is our norm; the world can be dark and cruel. Human hearts can be dark and twisted too. We are the lantern bearers in this darkness. If the world is dark and we can illuminate a space, then we should do so; if we can light up even one person’s heart in this darkness, then we must! That’s how we honor the uniform we wear."
At that moment, my heart suddenly felt calm and fulfilled. The confusion and helplessness that had plagued me seemed to vanish completely from my inner world. There was no need for me to feel so anxious because many people had already lit lamps along my path.
If it were Captain Shi or Li the Tiger sitting here right now—or even Old Qin—they would undoubtedly have an answer: to pursue relentlessly and not let a single Killer escape. And from the moment I joined the detective team, hadn’t I already sworn an oath?
No matter how others see or think about it, as long as the Killer remains free, as long as they are still at large, we will chase them down across mountains and rivers until they are brought to justice. Even if it takes every last breath or drop of blood, we will seek justice for the deceased.
This is the only way I can truly honor this uniform.
With that thought in mind, I made my decision. Opening my eyes, everything around me was still pitch black; yet within that darkness, I could faintly sense something guiding me, filling my heart with strength. I didn’t know if Zhao Mingkun was still in this enclosed space; I looked around and shouted, "I’ve made my decision!"
Sure enough, after I shouted those words, I soon heard footsteps approaching. The light brightened again, and Zhao Mingkun emerged from the darkness, walking up to me. She said, "Is that so? You're quite fast. In that case, state your decision."
I nodded, sighed lightly, and then said softly, "I will join, but! What exactly do you want me to do? This must be made clear. If you expect me to commit murder or similar acts, I won't do it! You're right; I have no way out now. Where else can I go but with you?"
Zhao Mingkun did not reject or agree to my request. She simply took out a dagger and began cutting the ropes binding me while saying, "As long as you make a decision, that's enough. I don't care if you're sincere or insincere; once you're on this ship, you won't be able to get off. To be honest, there have been people who left the organization before, but those who left faced the most painful experiences of their lives. I think you understand."
I nodded without speaking.
Zhao Mingkun added, "If you think it's just death, you're mistaken. Here, death is a release; there are far worse things than death in this world. However, we welcome your joining." As she spoke, Zhao Mingkun extended her hand to me. After a moment of silence, I reached out my hand as well.
At that moment, the lights around us suddenly brightened, and I realized where I was. It looked like a laboratory with marble flooring. The space was quite spacious, filled with instruments I couldn't comprehend. As Zhao Mingkun walked ahead, she said to me, "Follow me; we don't have much time. If we're leaving, we need to be quick."
"Leaving?" I asked while following her. "Where to?"
Zhao Mingkun smiled and replied, "When we arrive, you'll know."
On my first voyage at sea, I encountered the renowned Bengal Aid Worker—young and impulsive—but too poor to actually make a move until the First Mate told me that a bag of instant noodles could get me a night with a group of women...
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