You Mingxu trusted they would follow her orders.

She thought calmly—backup would arrive soon, and Ming Tao would likely be on a wanted list, caught sooner or later. She decided: “Let’s wait a bit longer. As long as that car doesn’t leave, they’re trapped.”

Sure enough, backup arrived quickly. Several police cars approached along the lakeside road, their flashing lights painting the shore in strange colors.

The teams converged.

Soon, one police car discovered traces of the target vehicle deep in the lakeside forest. Tuya immediately drove toward it.

Several police cars stopped beside a small hill by the lake. The surroundings were pitch black, with the sky a deep, dark blue.

The black car was parked at the foot of the hill.

In the darkness, everyone disembarked. Xu Mengshan led several armed officers closer, quickly discovering the car was empty.

You Mingxu looked up. The hill was only about twenty meters high, shrouded in trees, with stone steps leading upward. She could faintly make out a rooftop at the summit.

So there was a house up there. From the lakeside road, it would be hard to notice even while driving past. It had an isolated feel.

“Let’s check it out,” You Mingxu said.

She led the way with Xu Mengshan and two officers, followed by Yin Feng, then more officers. Tuya and Champion remained with the vehicles. This arrangement gave her some peace of mind.

They climbed the steps to find a grey wooden cabin that looked quite old. A tall wire fence surrounded it, equipped with security cameras. The small gate in the fence was ajar.

They entered the yard to find the house door also half-open, the interior pitch black.

Xu Mengshan gestured, and several officers spread out to check the perimeter, finding nothing unusual.

The group regathered at the doorway.

You Mingxu and Xu Mengshan exchanged glances before Xu Mengshan called out: “Anyone here? Anyone home?”

No response. Dead silence.

You Mingxu: “Go in!”

She and Xu Mengshan entered first, weapons ready, multiple flashlight beams illuminating the interior. Xu Mengshan immediately found the light switch but discovered it wasn’t working.

They pressed on.

The first room was a roughly twenty-square-meter living room with a black sofa, table, chairs, and refrigerator—not much, but lived-in. You Mingxu wondered: Could this be another of Ming Tao’s hideouts? But the items looked old, and could Ming Tao manage a lakeside property like this?

The thought passed quickly as they found nothing unusual in the living room. A bedroom contained a bed and desk but no clothing or daily necessities.

“Stairs here!” an officer called out.

You Mingxu’s team rushed over. Their flashlights revealed a dark staircase in the living room corner, leading downward.

You Mingxu’s heart tightened. As she prepared to descend, Yin Feng appeared behind her, gripping her shoulder: “Be careful.”

“Okay.” You Mingxu descended slowly with several colleagues.

The staircase had about twenty steps, leading to bare cement walls, stuffy and unventilated. A corridor stretched forward.

They advanced cautiously.

The cement walls showed age, with cobwebs on the ceiling and a dusty smell, suggesting the long absence of sunlight or proper cleaning.

The corridor was only about ten meters long, ending in a larger stone chamber. The leading officer suddenly gasped, startling everyone. His flashlight beam had fallen on a body lying on the ground.

The person wore a black windbreaker and baseball cap, body tightly curled. You Mingxu’s heart dropped at the familiar build and dress. Xu Mengshan’s light revealed a fair, handsome face flushed an unnatural red—unmistakably Ming Tao.

Xu Mengshan quickly checked his carotid pulse and breathing, then stated blankly: “He’s dead! Looks like cyanide poisoning, just stopped breathing.”

They exchanged stunned looks. They’d pursued this apprentice killer only to find him dead in this hidden house. Had he known he was cornered?

Or had someone else acted?

You Mingxu suppressed her shock and ordered: “Notify headquarters immediately, and check for anything unusual.”

“Yes!”

The team spread out to search the eerie basement. You Mingxu raised her flashlight, sweeping the area. The first beam revealed a shocking sight—bloody implements hung on the opposite wall: cleavers, daggers, saws… ropes, power drills, and whips. The basement took on an even more sinister air.

You Mingxu suddenly recalled the Butcher Killer’s slaughterhouse, chills permeating her body. Was this more than Ming Tao’s hideout? The Punisher…

Her flashlight slowly traced the wall, revealing a single bed with unmade covers and slippers beside it. Around the corner stood a wardrobe with visible items hanging inside—who lived here?

Instinct told her it wasn’t Ming Tao.

As her light continued sideways, she saw an old wooden desk with someone slumped over it. You Mingxu’s heart seemed to skip a beat, the figure so familiar she almost called out: “Yin Feng…”

No!

Her mind snapped alert—wasn’t Yin Feng following behind them?

Suddenly, a bone-chilling, horrifying sensation crept up her spine. She steadied herself, moving the flashlight back to the person at the desk. They wore a black sweater and casual pants, with short black hair and sharp jawline. Even from behind, the figure felt overwhelmingly familiar. She noticed dried blood on their wrist and chains binding their ankles, disappearing under the desk toward the corner.

Others noticed this person too, approaching cautiously in surprise.

You Mingxu’s temples throbbed as she sensed something wrong but couldn’t pinpoint what. She stepped sideways to better see the figure’s face.

Her light fell on the face half-buried in their arms, slumped sideways on the desk.

You Mingxu froze.