4: Ghosts are guiding us.

Western Suburbs of Jiangcheng.

The old dormitory area of the Red Brick Factory.

This was a forgotten corner of the city, where even the streetlights were as dim as candles flickering in the wind.

Screech—!

The harsh sound of braking sliced through the deathly silent night.

The police car came to a steady halt in front of a dilapidated Tenement Building. The door was flung open, and Su Qingxue rushed out with two officers.

The air was thick with the damp smell of mold and the sour stench of rotting garbage.

"This is the place!"

An officer verified the address. "Zhang Weiguo lived in Room 104 on the first floor ten years ago."

"What about the owner information?" Su Qingxue asked as she walked quickly toward the pitch-black corridor.

"I checked. Zhang Weiguo bought the house ten years ago, but the owner information was never updated. No one lives here either; the water and electricity have been cut off."

"A house that's been empty for ten years?"

Su Qingxue's expression grew increasingly solemn.

This was highly abnormal.

Why would someone who resigned in a hurry and moved far away keep a worthless, broken-down little apartment?

Unless...

Hidden inside this house was something he couldn't bear to part with.

The lock on Room 104's door had long since rusted shut, and it was covered in various small advertisements.

"Break it down!" Su Qingxue didn't hesitate for a second.

"Yes, ma'am!"

An officer took two steps back and delivered a fierce kick to the door.

With a loud "clatter," the fragile wooden door collapsed inward.

A thick cloud of dust and the stagnant, decayed air of a long-sealed room rushed out, making the three of them cough repeatedly.

The beams of high-powered flashlights cut through the darkness.

The furnishings in the room were so simple they were practically meager.

A wooden plank bed, a wardrobe with peeling paint, and a table.

Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust, and cobwebs filled the floor.

"Search!"

The three immediately began a carpet-style search.

The bedboards were lifted; empty.

The wardrobe was pulled open; only a few tattered old clothes were inside.

The walls were tapped inch by inch; they were solid.

"Captain Su, there's nothing here."

"I checked under the floorboards too; no hidden compartments."

Ten minutes later.

Both officers had looks of disappointment on their faces.

This was just an ordinary abandoned room with nothing suspicious about it.

Could it be...

That the mysterious person had played them?

Su Qingxue stood in the center of the room, her brow furrowed tightly.

She didn't believe it.

Every tip from that person had been terrifyingly accurate; he would never make a mistake on such a crucial matter.

The problem must lie with them.

What had they missed?

Underground storage room...

In an old Tenement Building like this, where would an underground storage room be?

Her gaze swept across every corner of the room once more, not letting a single detail slip by.

Suddenly, her eyes fixed on that heavy, old-fashioned wardrobe.

Where the bottom of the wardrobe met the floor, the accumulated dust seemed a bit thinner than elsewhere.

Furthermore,

There were several faint drag marks on the floor where the dust had been rubbed away!

This wardrobe had been moved!

And it was moved frequently!

"Come here! Move this wardrobe!" Su Qingxue's voice carried a hint of irrepressible excitement.

The two officers immediately stepped forward and together dragged the heavy wardrobe aside with a loud "creak-creak."

Behind the wardrobe, the wall was perfectly intact.

But on the floor beneath their feet,

A square floor tile with a slightly different color than the surroundings appeared before their eyes.

In the gap of the floor tile, a metal pull ring could be vaguely seen!

Found it!

Just then,

Su Qingxue's phone rang abruptly, sounding exceptionally piercing in the silent room.

It was a call from Captain Zhao Dahai.

Su Qingxue took a deep breath and answered the call.

"What's the status? Su Qingxue, isn't it time to pack up?" Zhao Dahai's impatient voice came through the receiver.

"It's almost dawn. Don't tell me you're still wasting time on a prank call!"

"Captain, we found the suspect's residence from ten years ago. There's a discovery here..."

"Discovery? Did you discover a room full of dust?"

Zhao Dahai interrupted her, his tone stern.

"I don't care what you found. I am ordering you to bring your team back immediately! A witness in the dismemberment case just provided a lead; everyone needs to be back for a meeting! Now!"

"Captain, give me five more minutes! Just five minutes!" Su Qingxue's eyes were locked onto the pull ring on the floor, her voice urgent.

"I said, come back now!"

Zhao Dahai's voice was already laced with fury.

"That's an order!"

Su Qingxue gritted her teeth, her heart pounding wildly.

On one side was a direct order from her superior; on the other was the truth within reach.

She suddenly pulled the phone away from her ear and growled at her two subordinates:

"Open it!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

An officer used a dagger to pry up the floor tile, revealing a rusted iron pull ring.

The two of them pulled upward together with a sudden force!

Rumble...

A heavy wooden board was lifted away.

A pitch-black opening appeared beneath their feet.

A cold draft, mixing the earthy scent of soil with the smell of formalin, surged out from the opening!

The smell was enough to make one gag!

On the other end of the phone,

Zhao Dahai was still roaring: "Su Qingxue! You dare to disobey an order?!"

Su Qingxue ignored him.

She turned on her flashlight and was the first to lean down and shine it below.

The beam of light pierced the darkness, illuminating a crude wooden ladder leading underground.

"I'm going down. You two stay on guard up here."

"Captain Su! It's too dangerous!"

"Follow your orders!"

Su Qingxue drew her service pistol and, without a moment's hesitation, climbed down the ladder.

As her feet stepped onto the solid earth, she was immediately enveloped by a bone-chilling cold.

It was at least ten degrees colder here than outside.

This was a small basement of less than ten square meters. The walls were bare earth, with water droplets clinging to them.

The flashlight beam slowly swept across the room.

When the light moved to the very center of the basement, Su Qingxue's pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpricks!

There was a crude wooden display stand.

Directly above the stand hung a small spotlight, emitting a ghastly white light.

Under the light,

A pair of pure white ballet shoes sat quietly on a piece of red velvet cloth.

On the tips of the shoes were specks of blood that had already dried and turned black.

Those were the very ballet shoes the victim was wearing when she disappeared ten years ago!

Su Qingxue's breath hitched.

She slowly moved her flashlight, shining it on the surrounding walls.

The next second, her stomach churned, and she nearly vomited.

The four mud walls were densely covered with photographs!

They were all photos of the murdered girl!

Some showed her dancing on stage, some smiling on campus, some laughing and playing with classmates...

They were all candid shots!

On every single photo, various distorted and perverted symbols and annotations were drawn with a red oil-based marker.

"Mine..."

"Pure..."

"Artwork..."

And on the wall directly facing the ballet shoes hung a large picture frame.

Inside was not a photo, but an enlarged newspaper clipping.

It was the "Jiangcheng Evening News" that had reported on the murder ten years ago!

The entire basement was a private exhibition hall built by a perverted killer for the "work" he was most proud of!

Ten years!

He had been hiding here all along.

Like a rat in a sewer, relishing and admiring his crimes over and over again!

At this moment,

The last text message sent by that mysterious person boomed in Su Qingxue's mind.

[It's been ten years. I think he must still go back often to admire his... collectibles.]

He wasn't speculating!

He was like a ghost standing behind the killer, witnessing it all with his own eyes!

This mysterious person... who on earth was he?

No, was he even human?

"Captain Su! Captain Su, are you alright?" her companion's anxious shout came from above.

"...I'm fine."

Su Qingxue's voice was hoarse and dry as she slowly raised her still-roaring phone.

"Captain Zhao."

Her voice was terrifyingly calm.

Zhao Dahai on the other end was stunned for a moment, then roared: "Su Qingxue! You—"

"We found it."

Su Qingxue interrupted him.

"We found the killer's secret lair that he's hidden for ten years."

"And the collectibles... he's so proud of."

"Captain, Cold Case Number 037... can be closed."

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