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The incandescent bulbs in the morgue hummed as Cui Wei put on rubber gloves and gently lifted Jin Chunsheng's palm.

The calluses on his fingertips and the coal dust stains that couldn't be washed off under his fingernails silently told the story of the deceased's early life as a miner.

"The available information is very limited. All we can tell is that the deceased had experience working in a coal mine," Cui Wei explained to the officer beside him.

"Captain Cui, will this case become an unsolved mystery?" The young officer felt utterly helpless.

Cui Wei, who was equally pessimistic, also didn't give a definite answer. "Sigh! We've done our best and left the rest to fate! That's all we can do now."

"Yes, Captain Cui."

"Revisit the surveillance footage near the credit union to see if there are any useful clues."

"Yes."

"In addition, we also need to visit the credit union to see if there is anything unusual inside. Someone who can pull off such a big case would not have done so without prior preparation."

"Yes, Captain Cui, it seems you are more experienced in handling cases."

"Alright! Stop flattering me and get back to work."

"Yes."

As Cui Wei walked out of the morgue, he lit a Double Happiness cigarette.

Through the smoke, he stared at the slogan "Homicide cases must be solved" on the police station wall and felt powerless for the first time.

All clues have been lost, like a lone piece captured on a chessboard.

However, Cui Wei's arrangements and investigation direction were indeed correct. They quickly found surveillance footage near the credit union and determined the number of robbers based on the footage.

However, seeing the four robbers take his younger brother Cui Ye away from the credit union, Cui Wei was still unable to calm down for a long time, realizing that his younger brother Cui Ye had given a false testimony.

Meanwhile, the mysterious disappearance of Qin Xiaoming, a credit union loan officer, also attracted the attention of the police, who then began to investigate Qin Xiaoming's situation.

With a loud bang, Cui Wei slammed his fist on the table in anger. "Cui Ye, what exactly are you trying to do? Why did you give a false statement? Why won't you admit that you helped these robbers escape?"

"I...I'm afraid of taking responsibility!"

"What? What exactly is going on? If you dare to hide anything again, even a god can't save you."

“I did withdraw money from the credit union at the time because I was playing chess with Wang Hongyu of Hongyu Group, and Wang Hongyu gave me a kickback of 10,000 yuan.”

"Wait! What kind of chess game requires so much money?"

"Naturally, we lost the game."

"If you...you have any problems, you can come to me. Why do something like this?"

"..." At this moment, Cui Ye simply lowered his head and remained silent.

"continue."

“After I withdrew the money, I was checking the amount to make sure it was correct when the five robbers appeared. They took the money and drove off in a van. The credit union manager stupidly pulled up the roller shutter door, trapping me in the credit union's lobby. The robbers were extremely vicious; they started killing me right away. You, the captain, were there shouting and pressing them. Enraged, the robbers took me hostage. Just as they were about to kill me with a dagger, I had to find a way to save myself by telling them that I knew there was a passage in the back office.”

"Cui Ye, so those things in the credit union office really were chessboards, and you even set them up yourself?"

“Brother, we’ve eaten there before, so we know there’s a food delivery booth there. I was forced into becoming a robber.”

With a loud bang, Cui Wei slammed his fist on the table again in anger. "Call me captain! I'm not your brother, I don't have a brother like you."

"Then what do you want me to do? Just close my eyes and wait to die?"

"Then why didn't you just tell me from the beginning?"

"I didn't want to either! If I don't tell anyone, I'll definitely go to jail."

"And then what happened? How did you get away?"

"The robbers found the credit union manager's car in the backyard and drove away, while I was released and returned to the youth center."

"you……"

Cui Ye was then temporarily detained, and the outcome remains to be seen.

Then Cui Wei went to the hospital to visit Yan Yan, and learned about Yan Yan's condition from the doctor. He couldn't help but feel angry and helpless about his younger brother's concealment.

Just as I reached the ward door, I heard Yan Yan's tender voice:

"Uncle solved another big case yesterday! Our homeroom teacher said he's a hero!" Yan Yan's voice was full of admiration. "Dad only knows how to play chess..."

Standing to the side, Cui's mother, Lu Qiuping, gently scolded, "Yan Yan, how can you talk like that about your father?"

Cui Wei's hand hovered in mid-air, and he ultimately did not push open the door, because he simply did not know how to face Yan Yan and his mother Lu Qiuping.

The Transformers toy I had just bought for my nephew Yan Yan suddenly felt incredibly heavy in the cloth bag.

Cui Wei's fingernails dug into his palm.

He recalled the scene in the doctor's office yesterday...

"There is currently no cure for ALS, but there is an experimental treatment in the United States..."

The astronomical figure that followed made his vision go black.

……

Su Ning never expected Cui Ye's situation; he never imagined that his appearance would change so many things.

However, as long as Cui Ye isn't stupid, he naturally won't reveal too much, and the sentence won't be too severe.

"Teacher Cui, what exactly happened?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Su. I didn't expect to be so unlucky. I probably won't be able to hold the master class with you."

"Should I hire a lawyer for you?"

"Mr. Su, thank you very much."

"You're welcome! I've looked into your situation and it's not serious. Just cooperate with the police investigation as much as possible, and you might even be exempted from punishment."

"Well, let's hope so!"

In fact, Cui Ye could understand Su Ning's warning. As long as he kept quiet, there would be no major problems.

Of course, he understood this principle, but in the end, it seemed that Suning was not involved at all, since Suning only provided a Wuling Hongguang.

……

Three days later, in the top-floor office of the Jinli Building.

"President Su is truly young and promising!" Wang Hongyu, with his large belly, sank into the leather sofa, the smoke from his cigar blurring his shrewd eyes. "I heard that your idea for a Go master class has even caught the attention of the Provincial Sports Bureau?"

Suning smiled and adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses: "Mr. Wang, you flatter me! Actually, the most important thing isn't the match itself."

He suddenly lowered his voice, "It's not through live broadcasts of the games that we attract overseas betting channels, I believe Mr. Wang, you can see that too."

Wang Hongyu's cigar paused in mid-air, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

“Of course!” He turned to Su Ning and began to talk about Cui Ye: “It’s a pity that Teacher Cui is gone. It seems we need to find another Go master.”

"I've already hired a lawyer for him. There shouldn't be any major problems. He should be released on bail tomorrow."

"Huh? Can't we use someone else?"

"I have a bad habit! I make money to be happy. If I'm not happy, I'd rather not do it."

"Alright! Let's do as you say, Boss Su."

"In addition, Zhang Yingjie from the Youth Palace can play a negligible role, and I don't like his mercenary attitude, so I kicked him out."

Wang Hongyu suddenly burst into laughter: "Alright! Then let that country bumpkin Zhang Yingjie get lost!"

He patted Su Ning on the shoulder, "But I have one more condition: let my secretary Gao Shuhua manage the finances. Women are meticulous."

"no problem."

Soon, the lawyer that Su Ning hired for Cui Ye secured Cui Ye's release on bail, since it wasn't a serious crime.

Then, in order to seize market share from its competitors, Wang Hongyu reached a betting agreement to hold a Go tournament.

Wang Hongyu wanted Cui Ye to help him participate in the competition, and Cui Ye agreed without hesitation.

Three days later, in a private room at the White Swan Hotel, half of the Moutai liquor bottles were empty.

“Brother,” Dong Binghui’s Rolex gleamed under the lights, “you’re still using a Nokia 1110, right?” Then he pulled out the latest Motorola V998. “I make this much profit on each of these.”

He held up three fingers.

Cui Ye stared at the swirling liquid in his glass: "I studied your 'pong' move in the middle game during the provincial team selection competition that year for three whole years. You have always been the benchmark I strive to catch up with."

"Why bring this up again!" Dong Binghui suddenly slammed his hand on the table, the dishes clattering. "Do you know why you could never beat me back then?"

He leaned close to Cui Ye, his breath reeking of alcohol, and said, "Because your coach took 30,000 yuan from my family!"

"What?" Cui Ye's wine glass fell to the ground and shattered into countless pieces.

Just like some of his beliefs crumbling at this moment.

"Tomorrow's game against President Wang..." Dong Binghui shoved a bulging envelope over, "Fifty thousand, I'm betting you'll lose."

"..."

The next day, the room was filled with the gentle fragrance of sandalwood incense.

Cui Ye, playing black, placed his last piece and won against Dong Binghui by one and a half points.

Wang Hongyu clapped and laughed in the stands, while Dong Binghui only gave Cui Ye a deep look.

"Cui Ye, Cui Ye," Dong Binghui grabbed him as he left, "You think you've upheld professional ethics?"

He sneered, "Wang Hongyu used this bet to swallow three of my docks! And you are nothing but a pawn on the chessboard."

The rain fell in torrents.

Cui Ye stood in the corridor of the children's hospital, looking at the words "amyotrophic lateral sclerosis" on the diagnosis report, the doctor's words echoing in his ears: "...at best, you only have three years left..."

Mobile phone vibration.

It was a text message from Suning: "The plan is going smoothly, Wang Hongyu has taken the bait."

Cui Ye looked toward the ward.

Yan Yan was looking at the police car model that Cui Wei had given her, her smile brighter than the sunlight outside the window.

He slowly clenched his fist, his nails digging into the already scabbed wound on his palm.

……

Cui Ye was a very stubborn person, so naturally he couldn't completely trust Su Ning. His first priority was to get past his own conscience and prove that Wang Hongyu was a bad person.

The ledger rustled in Cui Ye's hands, and the light from the desk lamp cast a long shadow of him.

He repeatedly checked the numbers circled in red pen, his fingertips tapping a series of crisp sounds on the calculator.

"Mr. Huang, this is Cui Tiejun." He dialed the phone shop owner's number, his voice deliberately low. "I'd like to order another twenty of those grey market phones from last time."

The background noise from the arcade came through the phone, mixed with the clinking of coins from the slot machines.

"Boss Cui," the boss's voice slurred with drunkenness, "the checks are strict now, we'll have to wait until next week for the new stock to arrive..."

Cui Ye slammed the ledger shut, grabbed his coat, and rushed out.

He rode his old Forever brand bicycle, the chain making a clattering sound under the strain.

After turning three corners, he saw the mobile phone shop owner coming out of "Handsome Guy's Barber Shop" with a bulging briefcase under his arm.

Cui Ye leaned his bicycle against the wall, pulled his baseball cap down low, and followed.

The boss made several turns and finally slipped into the side door of "Da San Yuan Arcade".

The neon sign glowed with an ambiguous purple light in the rain. Cui Ye wiped the rain off his face and slipped inside.

The arcade was filled with smoke, and rows of slot machines emitted jarring electronic sounds.

Cui Ye reached the beverage machine in the corner and could hear the conversation in the next booth.

“…Tonight at midnight, Pier 3,” a hoarse male voice said. “Same as always, bring it in by fishing boat.”

"Mr. Wang said that this batch of Samsung Anycall phones will be priced 30% higher." That's the voice of the mobile phone store owner.

Cui Ye's heart suddenly raced.

He quietly took out his notebook and jotted down key information using the flashlight of the slot machine.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of half a receipt sticking out of his boss's briefcase: "Zhujiang Warehouse, Block B, No. 17".

The next morning, Cui Ye squatted in front of the bus stop, carefully studying the route map.

The terminus of bus route 74 is located near the Zhujiang Warehouse Area.

He bought a second-hand Ricoh camera for two hundred dollars at the grocery market. The lens was a bit scratched, but it was still usable.

The warehouse area was even more remote than I had imagined.

Cui Ye hid behind an abandoned shipping container, watching the security guards change shifts.

During his lunch break, he crouched down and crawled through a hole in the barbed wire fence.

The lock on warehouse number 17 in area B was rusted, and it opened a crack with a gentle pry.

A damp, musty smell wafted over.

Cui Ye took out a flashlight and swept the beam across the mountain of cardboard boxes.

He crept closer and used his Swiss Army knife to cut open a cardboard box—a brand-new Samsung phone gleamed coldly.

The clicking of camera shutters was particularly jarring in the quiet warehouse.

Cui Yezheng was patting the Korean label on the box when he suddenly heard a metallic clanging sound behind him.

"Who's there?" a gruff voice boomed.

Before Cui Ye could turn around, he was struck hard on the back of the head.

His vision went black, and his last awareness was the friction of being dragged along.

Cui Ye was jolted awake when the icy seawater rushed into his nasal cavity.

His hands and feet were tightly bound with hemp rope, and a cement brick was hanging from his waist.

Moonlight shines through the rippling water, casting fragmented spots of light on the seabed.

"Am I going to die?" Cui Ye thought in despair.

Memories flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern: his father teaching him his first game of chess as a teenager, Yan Yan's loud cry at birth, and that day at KFC, when Suning pushed over an envelope full of cash...

Just as he was about to lose consciousness, a black shadow shot into the water like an arrow.

The moment the rope was cut by the sharp blade, Cui Ye felt someone grab his collar and swim upwards.

"Cough...cough cough!" Cui Ye lay on the concrete ground of the dock, coughing violently and spitting out a mouthful of seawater.

Su Ning squatted down to the side, soaking wet, his gold-rimmed glasses nowhere to be seen, revealing his sharp eyes.

"Cui Ye, are you fucking crazy?" Su Ning grabbed Cui Ye by the collar. "You sneaked into a smuggling warehouse all by yourself? Do you know how many spies Wang Hongyu has planted in customs?"

Cui Ye struggled to sit up, his voice hoarse: "I have to...I have to confirm it with my own eyes..."

"Confirm what?" Su Ning sneered, "Confirm whether Wang Hongyu is a bad person?"

He tossed a waterproof phone at me, the screen showing a video of Cui Ye being tied up. "If I hadn't been monitoring the warehouse's security system, you'd be fish food by now!"

The waves crashed against the embankment. Cui Ye gazed at the lights of the cargo ships in the distance and suddenly laughed: "You're right... I was too stubborn."

He gripped the water-soaked camera tightly. "But now I'm certain, Wang Hongyu is doomed."

Su Ning wrung out the water from the hem of her shirt, paused upon hearing this, and asked, "Have you figured it out?"

“I’ve figured it out.” Cui Ye stood up unsteadily, his eyes burning with an unprecedented flame. “But I have one more condition: when we finally close the net, I want to personally hand over the evidence to my brother, Cui Wei.”

The two stared at each other in silence for a moment.

The sound of police sirens came from afar, and Su Ning suddenly reached out his hand: "It's a pleasure doing business with you."

Cui Ye grasped that cold, damp hand, feeling as if he had grasped the rope of fate: "It's a pleasure to cooperate with you."

...(End of chapter)