Cai Lang picked up his coat from the back of his chair without another glance at the screens and walked toward the exit. His footsteps echoed steadily through the underground headquarters while staff returned to their work, keyboards clicking rapidly as new searches continued across countless monitors.A few minutes later, Cai Lang stepped into the underground parking area beneath the investigation center.Bright white lights reflected off rows of black cars parked neatly in designated spaces. He had just reached the driver's side of his car when hurried footsteps echoed from the elevator behind him."Boss!" He stopped walking but didn't turn around immediately.
The sound of rapid footsteps grew louder with each passing second until a young subordinate came running toward him, breathing heavily. One hand clutched a laptop tightly against his chest while the other struggled to keep hold of several printed documents that nearly slipped from his grasp. He finally stopped a few steps away, taking a deep breath before speaking again. "Boss..." Cai Lang slowly turned around, his calm gaze settling on the exhausted man. His expression remained unreadable as he asked, "What is it?"
The subordinate swallowed nervously before answering. "We found the owner of that taxi." For the first time since leaving the operations room, Cai Lang's eyes sharpened almost imperceptibly. "And?" he asked quietly. The subordinate hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with what he had discovered. "...The owner has been dead for three years." The parking garage fell completely silent. Only the faint humming of the ventilation system echoed through the empty concrete space.
Cai Lang's eyes narrowed slightly. "What did you say?" Without wasting another second, the subordinate hurriedly opened the laptop and turned it toward him. "I checked it three times before coming here." he said, his fingers moving quickly across the keyboard. "Vehicle registration." A document appeared on the screen. He clicked again. "Death certificate." Another file opened. Another click. "Police investigation." Then another. "Burial records." Cai Lang quietly studied every page without interrupting. Every document displayed the same name. It was same identification number and same photograph.
The subordinate pointed at the screen. "The registered owner died in a traffic accident three years ago." He opened another scanned file. "The death certificate matches the national records." Another click followed immediately. "The police report confirms the accident." Another document appeared. "The burial records also match." He looked up cautiously before continuing. "We even verified the cemetery records ourselves." Cai Lang remained silent. Every document matched perfectly. Every official record supported the same conclusion. Nothing appeared forged. Nothing appeared altered.
Cai Lang stared at the laptop for several long moments without saying a word. His reflection appeared faintly across the dark portions of the screen surrounding the documents. Slowly, he reached forward and closed the laptop himself. The soft click echoed quietly through the concrete garage. He lowered his eyes briefly, his thoughts moving far faster than his expression revealed. A car...registered to a dead man. Someone wanted this trail to disappear before anyone thought to follow it.
He opened car door and said,"Dead people..." He slowly lifted his gaze toward the subordinate. "...don't drive cars." The subordinate nodded. "Exactly, Boss." Cai Lang folded his arms across his chest, his expression growing colder. "So either someone stole the dead man's identity..." He paused thoughtfully before finishing. "or someone made sure the real owner disappeared before this operation even began."
The subordinate felt a chill crawl down his spine. "You think this was planned that far back?" Cai Lang slowly looked toward the exit leading out of the underground parking garage."I don't think." he answered quietly. "I know." He turned back toward the subordinate,"I want everything connected to that accident." The subordinate opened the laptop again, ready to take notes. Cai Lang continued without hesitation. "The officers who handled the investigation, insurance company, towing records, mechanic who examined the vehicle and every surviving family member. Anyone who signed a single document connected to that case."
The subordinate's eyes widened in surprise. "All of them?" Cai Lang answered without the slightest hesitation. "Every one." The subordinate nodded quickly before asking, "What if the files were altered?" Cai Lang's gaze hardened as he looked once more at the closed laptop. "Then somewhere..." He paused briefly, his voice becoming quieter. "someone made the first mistake." The subordinate straightened his posture. "Yes, Boss." Without another word, he turned and ran back toward the elevator, already calling the investigation team before the elevator doors had even finished.And Cai lang started car and left.
Meanwhile at hospital machine sound reached suo ran's ears.*Beep... Beep... Beep...* It echoed slow and steady, pulling Suo ran back toward consciousness. His eyelids felt unusually heavy.He frowned slightly and forced them open but bright light immediately blurred his vision, making him squint. For several seconds, everything was out of focus. A white ceiling,soft lights and faint smell of disinfectant. The quiet hum of medical equipment. "Where...?" His throat was dry, and even that single word came out as little more than a whisper.He felt pain near shoulder, chest, and side, making him instinctively draw a slow breath.His eyes slowly adjusted.
Beside his bed, the heart monitor continued its calm rhythm.* Beep... Beep... Beep...* A nurse who had been checking another patient's chart happened to glance in his direction.The moment she saw his eyes open, "You're awake." Suo ran looked at her but couldn't find the strength to reply. "I'll call Doctor!" She quickly stepped out of the room. Suo ran closed his eyes for a brief moment. Hospital...I remember I was fighting with them...Who brought me here?.....(...)
He was thinking then jun wei face came into his mind.Suo ran's breathing became uneven and his eyes opened immediately. "Jun Wei!" The door opened before he could move and Doctor Gu stopped beside the bed and looked down at Suo ran. "So you're finally awake." Without waiting for an answer, he picked up a small flashlight. "Look at me." Suo ran did. Doctor Gu shined the light into one eye, then the other. "Any dizziness?" "A little." "Nausea?" "No." "Can you move your fingers?" Suo ran slowly flexed his hand.
Doctor Gu nodded once before checking the bandages wrapped around his shoulder and ribs. "Good." Only then did Suo Ran look at him properly. His brows drew together slightly. "Doctor Gu?"Doctor gu looked mildly surprised before a faint smile appeared on his face. "Good." He closed the flashlight. "At least you still recognize people." Normally, Suo ran might have answered. Today, he didn't and his lips parted slowly. "How long?" Doctor Gu looked at him. "You've been unconscious for several days." "Several days?!" Suo ran's heart sank. His fingers tightened slightly around the blanket. Several days... His thoughts immediately turned to only one person. " What about Jun Wei?"
Doctor Gu didn't answer Instead, he carefully checked the monitor once more before speaking. "You need to focus on recovering." Suo ran's eyes never left him. "Doctor." Doctor Gu met his gaze calmly. "You've lost a lot of blood. You have several injuries that haven't healed. If you force yourself to move now, those wounds could reopen." Suo ran listened without saying anything. Doctor Gu continued, "So stay in bed. Rest. We'll talk again after you've recovered a little." He turned toward the nurse, who had quietly returned. "Keep monitoring his temperature and blood pressure." The nurse nodded. "Yes, Doctor." Doctor Gu looked back at Suo ran one last time. "Don't try to be stubborn." Then he quietly left the room. The door closed behind him.
Suo ran stared blankly at the ceiling.Several days... Jun Wei had been missing for several days. Where are you...? His chest tightened. Are you scared? Have they hurt you? The more he thought about it, the harder it became to breathe.He slowly turned his head and his eyes landed on the IV connected to the back of his hand. The clear liquid continued dripping. *Drop... Drop... Drop... * He watched it for several long seconds. Then he whispered to himself, "I can't stay here." He slowly reached across with his other hand and wrapped his fingers around the IV needle.
For a brief moment, he stopped. Doctor Gu's words echoed in his mind. "Your wounds could reopen." Suo ran closed his eyes. "Sorry." With one quick movement, he pulled the needle out and within seconds blood began running down his skin. It dripped from his fingertips onto the bedsheet, then onto the floor. *Tap... Tap... Tap... *Suo ran didn't even look at it. He pushed the blanket aside and carefully swung his legs over the edge of the bed. The floor felt cold beneath his bare feet.He placed one hand against the mattress for support, then slowly stood. The moment his feet took his weight,he felt pain through his body. His vision blurred again and his knees nearly gave out beneath him. He caught himself against the side of the bed before he could fall. His breathing became uneven and sweat formed across his forehead. "Just... a little farther..." He forced one foot forward, then another.
Each step sent another wave of pain through his ribs. His bandaged shoulder throbbed and blood continued slipping from the small wound on the back of his hand, leaving faint drops across the hospital floor.His eyes never left the door." I have to find Jun Wei. I don't care how much it hurts. I have to get to him."Just as suo ran reached for the door handle, the door suddenly opened from the other side. Han Yi stepped into the room with a folder tucked beneath his arm, his attention still on the documents in his hand. He took two steps inside before looking up. The moment his eyes landed on suo ran, he froze. His gaze dropped to the blood running down suo ran's hand and the small crimson drops scattered across the spotless hospital floor. "Suo Ran?" he said in disbelief.
Before Suo ran could answer, his legs suddenly weakened and he felt dizzy then room spun around him, and his body swayed forward. Han Yi reacted instantly, throwing the folder aside and rushing over just in time to catch him before he hit the ground. "What are you doing?" Han Yi said, supporting Suo ran's weight with one arm while steadying his shoulder with the other. Suo ran frowned and tried to pull away despite barely being able to stand. "Let me go..." he muttered through clenched teeth. Han Yi looked at the blood soaking the fresh bandage on Suo ran's hand and immediately pressed the emergency call button beside the bed. "Nurse!"
Within moments, the door opened again and a nurse hurried inside.She stopped in surprise when she saw the blood. "He pulled out his IV?" she asked before quickly setting the medical tray on the bedside table. Han Yi carefully helped Suo Rrn sit back on the bed while the nurse gently took hold of his injured hand. "Please stay still;" she said softly. Suo ran tried to pull his hand away, but she firmly held it in place while cleaning the blood with sterile gauze. "You just woke up!" she sighed. "Why would you do something like this?"
Suo ran remained silent, staring toward the closed door instead. The nurse disinfected the wound, wrapped a fresh bandage around the back of his hand, and inserted a new IV into his other hand. After checking his pulse and making sure his condition had stabilized, she adjusted the blanket over him. "You need complete rest!" she reminded him. "If you keep pushing yourself like this, your injuries will only get worse." She looked at Han Yi before adding, "Please don't let him get out of bed again."Han Yi gave a quiet nod. "I understand." Nurse collected her supplies and quietly left the room, closing the door behind her.
Han Yi looked at the bloodstains still visible on the floor before turning back to Suo ran. His brows were tightly furrowed. "What were you trying to do?" he asked.Suo ran lowered his gaze for a moment before answering quietly. "Leave."Han Yi stared at him. "Leave?" Suo ran nodded. "I have to find Jun Wei." Han Yi let out a slow breath. "You're not even strong enough to walk across this room." Suo ran looked up, his eyes filled with determination despite the exhaustion on his face. "I don't care." Han Yi shook his head. "You almost collapsed after taking two steps." "...I don't care!" Suo Ran repeated. "Every minute I stay here..." His voice caught briefly before he continued. "he's out there alone."
Before Han Yi could answer, Suo ran suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist. His grip was weak because of his injuries, but the desperation behind it made Han Yi stop speaking. Suo ran looked directly into his eyes. "You brought me here right?!" he said quietly. "That means... you're not a bad person." He swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly."Please." His fingers tightened just a little around Han Yi's wrist. "Help me find my brother." He lowered his head for a second before forcing himself to continue. "I'm begging you."
Han Yi remained silent for several moments. The desperation in Suo ran's eyes was impossible to ignore.He sighed quietly and gently rested his free hand over Suo ran's. "We're already looking for him!" he said. "No one has stopped searching. Everyone involved in this case is doing everything they can." Suo ran didn't let go. "Then tell me." His voice was barely above a whisper. "What did you find?"
Han Yi hesitated before pulling a chair closer to the bed. He sat down across from Suo ran and spoke honestly. "The forensic team recovered blood from the scene.We also found tire tracks that don't match any nearby vehicles. There were traces of industrial dust and chemical residue as well." Suo ran frowned. "Industrial dust?" Han Yi nodded. "Yes. The lab believes it came from an abandoned warehouse, factory, or an old railway transport area." Suo ran's thoughts immediately began racing.Han Yi watched him for a moment before adding quietly, "It's the strongest lead we have so far." Suo ran slowly lowered his eyes and his hands tightened around the blanket.
Han Yi eyes remained on suo ran, who was sitting against the raised pillow, his face still pale from blood loss.Then suddenly his phone vibrated.He glanced at the screen, his expression becoming slightly more serious before answering the call. "Hello!"He listened quietly, saying nothing at first.His eyes slowly shifted toward the window as the person on the other end continued talking. "Mm." A few more seconds passed. His brows gradually drew together. "Are you certain?" He listened again, his gaze unconsciously moving toward suo ran. "How long ago?" Another pause followed. "Don't touch anything until I get there." He lowered his voice slightly. "Keep the area secured and send me every photo you have." His expression became even more focused as he listened to the final report. "Understood." After a brief silence, he ended the call.
Han Yi lowered the phone slowly but didn't put it away. He remained standing in the same place, deep in thought. Suo Ran had been watching him the entire time."What happened?" he asked immediately, his voice tense.Han Yi didn't answer right away. Instead, he looked at Suo ran for several long seconds, as if deciding how much he should reveal. Suo ran frowned"Tell me." Han Yi let out a slow breath before peaking. "We may have found a new lead." Suo ran's eyes widened slightly. "A lead?" Han Yi gave a small nod.
Han Yi pulled a chair closer and sat down. "About thirty minutes ago, a patrol officer reported finding an abandoned delivery van on the outskirts of the city." Suo ran listened without speaking.Han Yi continued, "The vehicle had been wiped clean.There is no registration plates and no useful fingerprints. Whoever left it behind knew exactly what they were doing." Suo ran frowned slightly. "Then why is it a lead?" Han Yi looked at him calmly. "Because there was one thing they missed." Suo ran's attention sharpened immediately. "What was it?"
Han Yi folded his hands together. "A GPS tracking unit hidden beneath the dashboard."
Suo ran blinked once. "Hidden?" Han Yi nodded. "It wasn't installed by the people using the van. It was an old recovery tracker placed there by the rental company years ago. Most people wouldn't even know it existed." Suo ran's eyes narrowed. "Can it still be traced?" "Our technical team is trying." Han Yi answered. "The battery is almost dead, but it recorded several recent locations before the signal disappeared."
Suo ran lowered his head, thinking carefully. "So the van traveled somewhere before it was abandoned." "Exactly." Han Yi nodded. "Right now they're comparing those locations with traffic cameras and nearby surveillance footage." Suo ran remained silent for several moments. "How long until they know something?" he asked. Han Yi shook his head slightly. "I don't know."Suo ran looked toward the window. His fingers slowly tightened around the blanket.Every new clue seemed to bring another question instead of an answer. Han Yi quietly stood up. "The moment I know more, you'll know too." Suo ran didn't respond. He simply stared ahead.
After several minutes later,Suo ran suddenly frowned. He felt pain through his head, making him feel dizzy. He immediately raised one hand and held his forehead tightly. "Ah..." he let out a low breath as his vision became slightly blurry. Strange memories flashed through his mind. A voice...someone was talking to him...calm...close...but he couldn't remember the words. He squeezed his eyes shut.Was I imagining it? he thought. No...someone was definitely there. (....)
His breathing became uneven. What I'm thinking is right...? His fingers slowly tightened against his forehead. Did Cai Lang come to see me...? He immediately shook his head. No...that doesn't make sense. His heart suddenly felt heavy. Why would he come? He doesn't care about me... The thought made him lower his eyes. When I called him before...he didn't even answer my call. He swallowed quietly. Cai Lang would never come just to see me...would he?The more he tried to think about it, the stronger the headache became.
Han Yi noticed something was wrong and quickly walked back to the bed. "Suo Ran!" he called worriedly. "What's wrong?" Seeing Suo ran holding his head,Han Yi's expression changed. "Are you feeling worse? Should I call the doctor?" He reached for the bedside phone.Suo Ran slowly shook his head. "No!" he said softly.Han Yi stopped. "No?"Suo Ran took a slow breath and rubbed his forehead. "I'm just feeling a little dizzy."Han Yi frowned. "A little dizzy? You don't look like you're just a little dizzy." "I'm okay!" Suo ran replied. "It will pass." Han Yi didn't look convinced. "Are you sure? Your face just turned pale."Suo Ran nodded lightly. "I'm fine."Han Yi sighed and slowly lowered his hand from the phone, but he didn't move away. Instead, he stood beside the bed, watching Suo ran carefully.
After a long moment, Suo ran slowly looked up.He stared at Han Yi without saying anything.Han Yi looked confused. "Why are you looking at me like that?"Suo ran stayed silent for another few seconds before speaking."You..."Han yi came closer and said, "Yes?" "When I was unconscious..." He paused for a moment before looking at Han Yi again. "Did... anyone come to see me?"