Ah Niu fell silent, clearly unwilling to answer, pressing a cloth against the wound on his hand.

“You don’t have to answer. Qiao Chong will answer for you.”

“He won’t say anything.” Ah Niu said. “We agreed — after killing those four beasts, we’d return to Shun Cheng together.”

“Since you knew that Qiao Sheng and Xiao Cui were murdered, why didn’t you report it to the authorities?”

“Report it? To the village chief? Would he believe that his own son committed murder?”

“You called Zhu San and the others beasts because they killed people. But what about you? Zhu San killed two people, while you killed three and gravely wounded one. They’re called beasts — so what does that make you?”

“Me?” Ah Niu was momentarily speechless.

“Zhu San will face legal punishment for his murders. Even if the village chief does nothing, there are higher authorities that will deal with him. You avenged Xiao Cui, but in doing so, you dragged yourself and Qiao Chong down with her. Five people are now dead, one is critically wounded, and you and Qiao Chong both face the death penalty. This entire revenge saga has cost seven lives in the end. Do you think it was worth it?”

“Me?” Ah Niu was stumped by the question. Perhaps he had never anticipated such an outcome. The impulsiveness of youth had blinded him with hatred. Though repaying violence with violence might bring momentary satisfaction, once the dust settles and the rush of vengeance fades, there is nothing left — everything is lost, including one’s life.

“I killed them all by myself.” Ah Niu said urgently. “Whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you everything — but please let Qiao Chong go.”

“Then tell me everything you know. Perhaps there’s still a chance for Qiao Chong.”

Ah Niu lowered his head, staring at the gleaming handcuffs clasped around his wrists, seemingly engaged in an intense internal struggle.

Shi Ting sat across from him, waiting with limitless patience.

After a long while, Ah Niu finally spoke: “Brother Qiao was a good man. Every year when he came to the village, he would give Xiao Cui acupuncture treatments and bring her medicinal ointments. That evening, Xiao Cui said she was going to find Brother Qiao for acupuncture. I was going to accompany her, but Qiao Chong came by to show me his car, so I let Xiao Cui go alone when the time came. Qiao Chong and I played around in the car until dark. On the way back, we spotted a rabbit — we caught it, and I said I’d roast it for Qiao Chong to eat, so he came home with me. A neighbor’s older brother, Xiao Wu, gave me half a bottle of liquor, saying that pouring it over the meat while roasting would remove the gamey smell. Qiao Chong suggested we have a little, so I drank a small cup with him. It turned out Qiao Chong couldn’t hold his liquor — after eating just one rabbit leg, he was drunk and passed out. I had to help him into the house to rest. Xiao Cui still hadn’t come back by then, and I was a bit worried, so I went to look for her. Before I even reached Brother Qiao’s courtyard, I needed to relieve myself urgently, so I ran into the woods behind his house. That’s when I heard voices. I peered out from behind the bushes and saw Da Zhu, Zhu San, Old Li, and Old Zhang dividing up money. After they finished counting it, they hid a box somewhere. Only after they left did I dare come out. Instead of going to Brother Qiao’s house, I ran home to find Qiao Chong — because the backpack I’d seen looked very much like Qiao Chong’s.”

Ah Niu played with the handcuffs on his wrists, his head sinking lower and lower. “I couldn’t wake Qiao Chong, so I had to wait for him to come around on his own. It was only when I heard people outside shouting that there was a fire that I ran out. Brother Qiao’s house was ablaze — the flames were enormous. I could see two silhouettes on the window. I recognized one of them as Xiao Cui. I fought desperately to help put out the fire, but the villagers kept holding me back because the blaze was too fierce — trying to fight it would have been as good as throwing my life away. I watched helplessly as Brother Qiao and Xiao Cui burned to death, while Zhu San and his group lurked in the shadows laughing. In that moment, I knew — it was Zhu San and the others who had stolen Brother Qiao’s money and set fire to his house, burning him alive. They had mistaken Xiao Cui for Qiao Chong.”

“After I got home, I threw water on Qiao Chong to wake him up and told him that Brother Qiao and Xiao Cui had been burned to death. Qiao Chong was devastated. He cried and wanted to go see his older brother, but I stopped him. I told him that everyone now believed the dead person was him — if he showed his face, Zhu San and the others would surely kill him. Once Qiao Chong had calmed down, he asked me whether I wanted to avenge Xiao Cui. I said yes. Xiao Cui died so tragically, and the murderers who killed her were too despicable.”

“Qiao Chong couldn’t stay in the village. That very night, he drove his car into Kui Mountain and found a place to hide. We sat together, weeping and plotting how to kill those four beasts. Qiao Chong had a drug addiction, though he had been trying to quit. When his withdrawal set in, he suddenly told me he had a method — one that could make them kill themselves without anyone knowing it was us. After we had finalized the plan, we went out that very night and dug up Brother Qiao’s and Xiao Cui’s bodies from the mass grave. We found another location to bury them properly, then built a small shrine over the spot. I said that the mountain god of Kui Mountain would surely bless our revenge and see it through to success, so I named the shrine the Kui Mountain Temple.”

Ah Niu went on to confess, one by one, the crimes of how he had killed Da Zhuang and the others. Throughout the killings, since Qiao Chong could not risk appearing, Ah Niu had handled everything himself — including hanging game meat at the victims’ doors and firing ether-laced projectiles into their charcoal fires.

“Was it you who ambushed us on the road below Kui Mountain that day?” Shi Ting noticed a wound on his arm — not yet healed, still wrapped in a strip of coarse cloth. It had been struck by Yan Qing’s bullet.

“It was me.” Ah Niu said. “I only meant to frighten you and make you turn back. I was afraid you would capture me and that I wouldn’t be able to carry out my revenge.”

“And you were the one who incited the villagers?”

Ah Niu nodded.

“Officer, Qiao Chong only participated in the planning and provided the ether. He never personally took anyone’s life. I beg you — please spare him.” With a thud, Ah Niu dropped to his knees. “I am willing to bear all the blame. If someone must be shot, let it be me alone.”

Shi Ting genuinely admired his courage and loyalty. If only such courage and loyalty had been channeled elsewhere — things might have turned out very differently.

“We don’t have sufficient evidence to prove that Qiao Chong participated in the full murder plan. But while he may escape the death penalty, he cannot escape punishment entirely. The specific charges will be determined once we return to the branch bureau.”

Ah Niu kowtowed twice heavily. “It was all me. Everything was done by me alone.”

At that moment, Old Zhang on the heated brick bed let out another groan. An intense gleam of hatred flared in Ah Niu’s eyes, and his fists clenched shut in an instant.

Shi Ting said: “Old Zhang is suspected of deliberate murder — the law will handle him. Rest assured, he will not escape justice.”

Hearing this, Ah Niu’s tightly clenched fists slowly relaxed.

After a moment, he said in a low voice: “Honestly, I never wanted to kill anyone. If Fog-Hidden Village had a place like your Military Police Bureau, I would never have had to walk this path.”

When all was said and done, it came down to the absence of proper legal institutions. In this remote little mountain village, no one would uphold justice for you, no one would help clear your name of a wrongful grievance. When something went wrong, you could only rely on yourself.

Led by Jian Guo, Qiao Chong was eventually found. When interrogated, the young man stubbornly insisted that everything had been his doing and had nothing to do with Ah Niu.

But the evidence showed that Qiao Chong had only been the planner — the one who actually carried out the killings was Ah Niu. Nevertheless, having provided the ether and devised the scheme, Qiao Chong could not escape legal consequences either.

The Military Police Bureau handed Qiao Chong and the others over to the Wen Mountain County Branch Bureau for final adjudication of the case.

Shi Hao led a team remaining in Wen Mountain County to continue the investigation. Though they had not found the perpetrator behind the other murders, they uncovered an important lead.

The rare medicines in the Xu family pharmacy had come from Shun Cheng — the Xu family owned a property there.

As for the precise source of those medicines and the exact location of the Xu family’s property in Shun Cheng, that would have to wait until they returned to the city to continue the search.

Six hours later, the group finally set foot on Shun Cheng soil. Looking back on their time in Fog-Hidden Village, they could not help but feel a lingering sense of sorrow.

Bai Jin complained loudly that she wanted to go home, take a proper bath, and sleep. E’Yuan grumbled that his clothes reeked of corpse odor.

After everyone dispersed, Shi Ting drove Yan Qing to the entrance of the Yan Mansion.

“This is the ointment I just ground fresh — remember to apply it to the wound every day.” Before getting out of the car, Yan Qing pressed a small bottle into Shi Ting’s hand. Knowing his temperament, she added a reminder: “This is a week’s supply. In a week’s time, I expect to see an empty bottle.”

Shi Ting took it and gave a slight nod. “Alright, I won’t forget.”

Yan Qing smiled. “Then I’ll be off.”

Just as she turned to step out of the car, he called after her from behind.

“Is there something else?” Yan Qing turned around, looking over with a puzzled expression.

He seemed to want to say something, but the words reached the tip of his tongue and had to be swallowed back down. In the end, it became nothing more than a shake of his head. “It’s nothing. Get some rest.”

Yan Qing said: “Da Laohu must be missing me.”

“You give it too much credit. It’s always been heartless.”

Murong had the wheelchair ready outside and leaned in to tap on the car window.

“I’m going now.”

“Alright. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

With Murong’s help, Yan Qing settled into the wheelchair. Shi Ting kept his gaze on her until she passed through the main gate. He wasn’t sure what he was waiting for — perhaps just for one last glance back from her. Just as he was about to roll up the car window, Yan Qing, who had already gone through the gate, suddenly turned around and waved in the direction of his car.

She was smiling — a smile as radiant as gold, making her beautiful face all the more lovely. She was like a ray of light, shining its way into his life.

The driver, Old Zhao, stole a glance in the rearview mirror, and caught sight of his director — eyes soft, the corners of his mouth lifted. That expression was unmistakably a smile.

He had never once seen Shi Ting smile. This was an unprecedented first.

~

After Yan Qing returned home, she washed herself from head to toe. Jing Zhi helped her change into a new set of sleepwear — a pink velvet garment that clung to the skin, its collar shaped like two butterfly wings, with puffed cuffs at the sleeves. Simple, yet not without charm.

“Miss, I heard that during this case investigation, you faced life-threatening danger several times.” Jing Zhi still felt a lingering fear just thinking about it. “You have no idea how worried I was back home.”

Murong placed a cup of warmed cow’s milk in Yan Qing’s hands. “This trip was full of danger, but at least those vicious criminals were caught. The only regret is that the Xu family died such a terrible death, and the killer who murdered them is still at large.”

The annihilation of the Xu family and the annihilation of the Chen family were the work of the same person. Based on the few leads gathered so far, this individual’s background was likely far from simple.

—