It's just a toy, why would you care if it breaks?

That card?!

Wei Xun's pupils contracted sharply: "What are you talking about? I don't understand."

The man didn't rush to refute, but took out a transparent plastic sealed bag from the storage compartment next to the driver's seat and showed it to Wei Xun.

There was a cigarette butt in the bag.

"This brand of cigarettes is a niche luxury item from the US; it's not sold through official channels in China," the man said calmly. "We found this cigarette butt last night near a trash can along the riverside path. A little investigation should have led us to you, Mr. Wei."

Wei Xun's heart sank to the bottom.

He recognized it as the cigarette he had smoked the night before, and finally stubbed it out in the ashtray of the trash can.

He thought he had left quietly, but he didn't expect that he still left traces.

"Who exactly are you?" Wei Xun asked warily. "Are you a police officer?"

The man took back the sealed bag, sat up straight again, and his tone finally showed a slight change: "My name is Yan Chong. I used to be a soldier, a sergeant, and served for thirty years. I voluntarily applied to retire four years ago."

"...Right now, I'm just a poor old father searching for his missing child."

"Looking for a missing child?" Wei Xun frowned.

Yan Chong took out a wallet from his pocket, inside which was a yellowed group photo.

He handed over his wallet: "These are photos of my wife, daughter, and me."

Wei Xun reached out and took the photo; it showed a smiling family of three.

Yan Chong in the photo looks younger than he does now, with completely black hair and wearing a military uniform.

The woman beside him was gentle and pretty, and between them stood a girl of about eighteen or nineteen, with bright eyes and a radiant smile.

"My daughter's name is Yan Xiaoyu. Four years ago, she was in college." Yan Chong's voice was filled with pain. "One afternoon, she came out of the teaching building and never came back. She disappeared completely."

"...We searched for her for three months. Then the police suddenly informed us that they had found several charred bodies in a burned-down house in the suburbs, and DNA testing showed that one of them was my daughter."

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. "I don't know why, but my gut feeling told me it wasn't her. But the police said the evidence was conclusive and closed the case. My wife couldn't take the blow and died six months later, leaving me all alone in this world."

Tears welled up in Yan Chong's eyes: "For the past four years, I have never given up. I have traveled to most parts of the country, searching everywhere for clues about my daughter."

"...Later, I learned about an organization called 'Jingwei Hai' by chance. The people in it were all like me, desperate parents—our children had all mysteriously disappeared and were eventually declared dead by the police, but we didn't want to believe it and were desperately searching for the truth."

"Jingwei Hai?" Wei Xun repeated the name, his doubts deepening.

"Yes, like Jingwei filling the sea, knowing it's impossible yet still doing it." Yan Chong's tone was filled with sorrow: "We originally thought that the child was just lost somewhere in the world, perhaps due to an accident, or perhaps he just ran away. It wasn't until a man joined us and became our leader that he led us closer to the truth."

Wei Xun raised an eyebrow: "A man?"

"We all call him 'Head Feather'," Yan Chong said. "I've never seen his true face. But he's very capable, he has a lot of clues, he's the core of our 'Jingwei Sea', and he's the hope of all of us."

"What is the truth behind your child's disappearance?" Wei Xun pressed, a bad feeling creeping into his heart.

Yan Chong's eyes were filled with deep-seated hatred: "As the investigation by Tou Ling deepens, all clues point to an evil club. We suspect that this club took our children and treated them like commodities, trading and torturing them."

"...However, this club is too powerful and operates in an extremely secretive manner, making our investigation very difficult and resulting in the loss of many people."

Wei Xun's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, "The woman in camouflage who died last night, could it be that she...?"

"She's also a 'Jingwei,' that's what we all call the members of the organization." Yan Chong said in a heavy tone, "Her name is Jasmine. She joined 'Jingwei Sea' voluntarily in order to find her missing sister."

"...Tou Ling arranged for her to infiltrate that club as a low-level waitress. Although she couldn't access the core information, she managed to obtain some things last night, but she was exposed during the delivery and ultimately lost her life."

A brief silence fell over the carriage, broken only by the occasional sound of the wind blowing through the window.

Yan Chong turned his head and looked directly at Wei Xun: "So, Mr. Wei, are you willing to give me that blood-stained card? It's something Jasmine risked her life for; it's the key to getting closer to the truth."

Wei Xun's brain was working at lightning speed.

He wasn't sure if what Yan Chong said was true, nor did he know whether the "Jingwei Hai" organization was reliable or not.

But he knew that the information on that card was definitely related to the Thorn Rose Club.

"What if I don't give it to you?" Wei Xun raised his eyes and looked directly into Yan Chong's eyes.

Yan Chong smiled: "You will give it to us. I'm being so open with you because I'm certain you'll cooperate with 'Jingwei Hai'."

"Why?" Wei Xun asked.

Yan Chong smiled meaningfully: "We, the people of 'Jingwei Hai,' saw you at the Thorn Rose Club in Hai City. You had a poor child in your arms, didn't you? He was also implanted with a chip at the club, and he doesn't have many years left to live."

"You?!" Wei Xun suddenly grabbed the back of the seat in front of him with both hands, his eyes fierce. "You know Nan Yan? You have a way to save him?"

When Nan Yan was mentioned, all his composure crumbled, leaving only eagerness and anxiety.

The chip in Nan Yan's spine is his biggest weakness; Nan Yan's failing organs are also the hidden danger he most wants to solve.

Yan Chong's gaze softened: "That chip is the club's means of controlling 'products,' and it's also a death warrant. If you give us the card, the information inside might help us find a way to crack the chip, which could not only save your child but also all the children controlled by the club."

"What kind of organization is this? What makes you think you have this ability?" Wei Xun still wasn't entirely convinced.

He had seen too many people who talked big but didn't deliver, and this matter concerned Nan Yan's life, so he couldn't afford to be careless in the slightest.

"Mr. Wei, don't underestimate a group of parents who have lost their children." Yan Chong's voice was very resolute: "We are a group of people who are willing to risk their lives. The members of the organization come from all walks of life, including workers, farmers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and former special police officers."

"...That evil club has harmed countless children over the past decade. Behind us are hundreds and thousands of broken families. We are willing to do anything to find our children and to seek revenge."

Wei Xun remained silent.

He could sense the sincerity and despair in Yan Chong's words; the pain of losing a loved one could not be faked.

He looked down at his hands, and the image of Nan Yan sleeping soundly appeared in his mind, along with the tiny scar on his back.

If he could find a way to crack the chip through that card, even if there was only a sliver of hope, he couldn't give up.

"I want to see your head," Wei Xun said. "I need to personally verify whether you can truly accomplish this."

Yan Chong shook his head: "Tou Ling never shows himself easily. He said he would appear when the time was right. Right now, what we need most is that card."

"The card isn't on me," Wei Xun said. "I left it in my hotel room."

Yan Chong smiled, as if he had expected this: "To be honest, this morning, the people from 'Jingwei Hai' quietly checked your hotel room. They searched under the bed, the wardrobe, the drawers, and even your suitcase, but they didn't find anything."

"How dare you search my room?" Wei Xun's anger flared instantly. "This is illegal!"

"We had no choice." Yan Chong's tone held no apology. "Jasmine's sacrifice cannot be in vain; that card is too important. Mr. Wei, I know you are very angry right now, but please calm down and think about it."

He leaned forward, his eyes earnest: "That club is our common enemy. The person you care about has their life in their hands, and our children could very well be in their hands too. Only by cooperating can we have a chance to bring them down."

"...No one person can fight against such a massive organization. Unless you're willing to let that child die, cooperate with us. Only by working together can we have a chance of winning."

Wei Xun leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and his mind was in turmoil.

He knew Yan Chong was right.

The Thorn Rose Club wields immense power, easily suppressing murder cases, and even has influence in various military and political sectors.

It would be incredibly difficult for him to save Nan Yan all by himself.

He knew absolutely nothing about the "Jingwei Hai" organization.

What if they also have ulterior motives and just want to use that card to achieve their own goals?

However, Nan Yan's smiling face appeared in his mind.

That innocent and well-behaved boy treated him as his whole world.

It is his weakness, and also his armor.

He was willing to take risks for Nan Yan.

"The card is indeed at the hotel, but not in the place you looked for," Wei Xun said slowly. "I need to go back and get it myself. Moreover, I need to go with you to meet the other members of 'Jingwei Hai' to confirm your sincerity and the contents stored in the card."

A relieved smile appeared on Yan Chong's face.

Then he started the car, turned around, and drove towards the hotel.