I work as a security guard at a cemetery, and I overhear the dead chatting about getting rich quick.

Lin Ye stared at the last message Gu Wantang had sent.

The box has a collection number on it.

No one spoke in the guard booth.

Liu Nian sat in the chair, holding the bottle of water in her hand.

She had unscrewed the bottle cap and then screwed it back on.

The old-fashioned mobile phone was still plugged in with its charging cable, the screen was lit, and the battery level was at one bar.

After that recording ended, it stopped ringing.

It's like exhaling the last breath.

Tao Shuang took new photos of the old-fashioned mobile phone, the plastic wrap, and the waterproof bag, and put them into the evidence bag.

Her movements were very steady.

My knuckles tensed slightly when I was buttoning the bag.

Uncle Zhao stood to the side, his face grim.

He can curse at anything at any time.

But he didn't say anything at this moment.

Lin Ye held his phone, not looking back at Wan Tang for a long time.

Collection number.

These four words are even more troublesome than account books.

The ledger is money.

A fake will is a dirty business for the Gu family.

But once the collection number was released, things went beyond just a fight in the Gu family's courtyard.

Liu Nian suddenly raised her head.

Her voice was terribly hoarse.

"Is the A17 my dad mentioned on the phone the place you've been looking for?"

Lin Ye looked at her.

This can't be fooled.

She had just listened to her father's last phone call and seen their reactions.

Lin Ye nodded.

"It should be."

Liu Nian asked again, "What's there?"

Lin Ye said, "I don't know yet."

Liu Nian stared at him.

There was a hint of disbelief in his eyes.

Lin Ye did not hide.

"I really don't know."

Liu Nian's lips moved, but in the end she didn't ask any more questions.

Tao Shuang spoke.

"Go to the hospital first."

Liu Nian immediately shook her head.

"I'm not going."

"You didn't sleep all night, and your wrists are scraped."

"I'm not going."

Liu Nian's voice wasn't loud, but it was firm.

"I need to find my mom."

Tao Shuang looked at her.

"The people looking for your mother have already gone."

"You won't tell me."

Tao Shuang did not respond.

She definitely wouldn't tell Liu Nian everything.

Lin Ye pulled over the chair next to him and placed it in front of Liu Nian.

"Sit tight first."

Liu Nian didn't move.

Lin Ye pointed to his face.

"I'm already sleepy enough. If you shake me a couple more times, I'm afraid I'll fall over first."

Liu Nian looked at him for a few seconds.

Finally, he sat down.

She sat stiffly, her fingers still gripping the bottle tightly.

Lin Ye handed over the unopened bottle of water next to him.

"Change the bottle. The one you're holding is practically a murder weapon from being squeezed."

Liu Nian glanced down.

The bottle was completely deflated.

She silently accepted the fresh water.

I didn't drink it.

Gu Wantang called soon after.

Lin Ye answered the call and his first question was, "What does the collection number mean?"

There was the sound of a car coming from Gu Wantang's direction.

"Still in the core."

"Who said that?"

"Liu Jiankun's younger brother, Liu Jian'an."

Lin Ye frowned.

How did he know?

Gu Wantang did not answer immediately.

After a few seconds, she said, "Liu Jian'an used to work at a car repair shop in the south of the city. Three years ago, Liu Jiankun drove his car over in the middle of the night and asked him to help remove the trunk liner."

Lin Ye felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this.

Why demolish it?

"Liu Jian'an said there were scratches from the wooden box on the lining, as well as red paint. His brother was very anxious and told him not to ask."

Gu Wantang lowered her voice a little.

"He still glanced at it. There were several wooden crates piled up in the corner of the garage, with seals and numbers on them."

Lin Ye glanced at the old-fashioned mobile phone on the table.

"Does he remember the number?"

"Incomplete".

Gu Wantang said, "He took a picture with his old phone at the time."

Lin Ye was stunned for a moment.

"They dare to film this?"

"He said he was afraid that if Liu Jiankun got into trouble one day, he would be the one to take the blame."

Lin Ye remained silent for a moment.

These timid people, on the contrary, all know to leave themselves a backup plan.

Liu Changhai left the account.

Zhou Qin hid her cell phone.

Liu Jian'an left a photo.

Everyone is afraid.

No one has completely resigned themselves to their fate.

Gu Wantang said, "I'll send you the photos."

The call wasn't disconnected.

The message popped up first.

It was a very old photograph.

The photo was taken in very dark conditions, like it was taken secretly through a crack in the garage door.

There are several wooden crates in the picture.

It's placed against the wall.

The light was insufficient, so only the corner of the box, the seal, and a section of black serial number were visible.

On the side of one of the boxes were some blurry words.

Collections of Qingdao Museum.

Below that is a series of numbers.

The back half was blocked by the corner of the box.

Lin Ye zoomed in on the photo.

The seal is red.

There is one curled edge.

Next to the number, there is a circular stamp.

He doesn't understand.

But this kind of thing shouldn't be in a private garage.

Gu Wantang asked, "Is there anyone with you?"

Lin Ye glanced at the security booth.

Tao Shuang.

Uncle Zhao.

Liu Nian.

They're all there.

"have."

"Don't play it outside."

Lin Ye held the phone close to his ear.

Gu Wantang said, "I have already sent the photos to Lu Zhixia separately, and only let her see the box label and number."

Lin Ye breathed a sigh of relief.

Gu Wantang clearly guarded Lu Zhixia's boundaries.

Not long after, news of Lu Zhixia popped up.

Where did the photo come from?

Lin Ye felt a chill run down his spine when he saw those five words.

Before he could decide how to reply, Gu Wantang said first, "No need to reply. I'll contact her."

Lin Ye immediately pulled his hand back.

At this point, his greatest contribution was simply not saying anything out of line.

About two minutes later, Lu Zhixia called.

Lin Ye looked at the screen, somewhat hesitant.

Gu Wantang said, "Answer it."

Lin Ye picked up.

Lu Zhixia's voice was very clear.

It doesn't look like someone who has just been woken up.

Her first words were, "What did you touch this time?"

Lin Ye remained silent for a second.

"Why is it assumed that I was the one who touched it?"

"The photos were transferred from you."

"It's also possible that Miss Gu touched it."

On the other end of the phone, Lu Zhixia gave a cold laugh.

"She'll hire a lawyer if she touches something, but you'll come to me if you touch something."

Lin Ye felt that those words were a bit hurtful.

But it's not wrong.

Gu Wantang spoke over another phone call.

"Ms. Lu, just look at the photos."

Lu Zhixia's side quieted down for a moment.

"Miss Gu is here too?"

"Um."

Lu Zhixia did not ask about the source.

She said, "The photo is too blurry, so I can only make a preliminary judgment. The words 'Qingbo Collection' don't look like ordinary storage labels. They look more like box labels that the Qingcheng Museum used to seal, transfer, or temporarily display in the past."

Lin Ye's fingers tightened involuntarily when he heard the word "museum".

Lu Zhixia continued, "The serial number prefix is ​​incomplete, so we can't determine the specific item. But the format is problematic. The round seal doesn't look like it was just casually carved."

Gu Wantang asked, "Can you confirm which batch of goods it is?"

"cannot."

Lu Zhixia answered quickly.

"I need the complete serial number, the year of the seal, and a photo of the front of the box. This photo alone can only prove that someone has seen the wooden box with the museum's collection mark."

She paused for a moment.

"And it shouldn't be in a private garage."

Inside the guard booth, Lin Ye looked at Liu Nian.

Liu Nian lowered her head, her fingers picking at the label on the mineral water bottle.

It was as if they weren't listening to them.

But her shoulders remained tense.

She heard it.

Lu Zhixia flipped through a few pages of documents.

"If you do find the actual item, do not open the box, do not move it without permission, and do not touch the seals. Secure the scene first."

Lin Ye recognized those words.

When he first opened the snuff bottle, Lu Zhixia reminded him not to wipe it or wash it.

Now she's reminding him not to open the box.

His business scope is becoming increasingly criminal.

Lu Zhixia added another sentence.

"Linye."

"Um?"

"Don't even think about getting a bargain this time."

Lin Ye glanced at his shoes.

"I really don't dare this time."

After the call ended, no one spoke in the security booth.

Uncle Zhao looked at him.

"Something from a museum?"

Lin Ye nodded.

Uncle Zhao swore a very low curse word.

"The Gu family has far too big an appetite."

Tao Shuang looked at Liu Nian.

"Did your dad carry the suitcase?"

Liu Nian shook her head.

"no."

She paused for a moment, then said, "He only said, 'Don't touch the red seal.'"

Lin Ye immediately looked up.

"When did you say that?"

"When I was a child."

Liu Nian frowned as she recalled.

"Once he drank too much and argued with my mom. I heard it from my room."

Her voice lowered.

"He said those boxes were off-limits. If the red seal was torn off, the whole family would be killed."

The security booth fell silent for a moment.

Uncle Zhao picked up the thermos, took a sip, and then put it down.

The cup lid tapped on the table with a sound.

Tao Shuang asked, "Is there anything else?"

Liu Nian shook her head.

"That's all. I was too young then, and I thought they were talking about moving boxes."

Lin Ye pushed the water on the table toward her.

"Take a sip first."

Liu Nian listened this time.

She unscrewed the bottle cap and drank slowly.

He moved his throat a couple of times before his complexion calmed down slightly.

Ning Zhi's news came out at this time.

I heard that Liu Nian was buried in the cemetery.

Lin Ye stared at the screen.

This guy's ears are sharper than the dead in the East District.

He replied.

Just sit still in the car.

Ningzhi returns.

Gu Wantang's men confiscated my bag.

Linye returned.

well done.

Ningzhi sent a smiling emoji.

You can feel the murderous intent even through the screen.

A few seconds later, she sent another message.

My colleague said that a car circled around the Shunmin Hotel twice. The last four digits of the license plate were different from the one at the market last night, but the car model was very similar.

Lin Ye showed the message to Tao Shuang.

Tao Shuang's face darkened.

"They are still looking for Liu Nian."

Liu Nian tightened her grip on the water bottle.

"Did they kidnap my mother?"

No one answered immediately.

Tao Shuang said, "It's not certain yet."

Liu Nian smiled.

It's very light.

It didn't look like a laugh; it looked more like something had brushed against him.

"That's what you all say."

Lin Ye opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn't say anything.

Nobody knows where Zhou Qin is now.

They might be hiding.

They might be taken away.

Something may have already happened.

Neither of these can be said casually.

Gu Wantang called again.

This time, the background was quieter on her end.

"Liu Jian'an is willing to testify, but on conditions."

Lin Ye asked, "What are the conditions?"

"Find Liu Jiankun first."

"He doesn't know where his brother is?"

He said he didn't know.

Gu Wantang lowered her voice a little.

"But he gave me a place."

"where?"

"Behind the used car dealership in the south of the city, there's an old repair shed. That's where Liu Jiankun last visited him two years ago."

Lin Ye's mind immediately conjured up images of roller shutters, the smell of engine oil, and tires piled up in the corner.

This place seems to be somewhere a driver would go before disappearing.

Gu Wantang continued, "I'll send someone over."

Lin Ye asked, "And you?"

"Let's go to Genting Bay."

Lin Ye sat up straight immediately.

"Now?"

"Now."

"Miss Gu, if those boxes really exist at A17, wouldn't it be too dangerous for you to go there directly?"

"I'm not going in."

Gu Wantang said, "I first checked the property's external records, visitor registration, and surveillance footage."

Lin Ye was slightly relieved.

That's like her approach.

Don't touch the actual object yet.

First, gather evidence from the periphery.

Gu Wantang said, "Keep a close watch on Liu Nian. If Zhou Qin is in their hands, they might use her to force Liu Nian to show herself."

Lin Ye looked at Liu Nian.

She sat in a chair, her hair covering half her face.

She looks so thin that a gust of wind could blow her away.

But she kept her fingers gripping the water bottle and wouldn't let go.

Lin Ye asked, "Did they think Liu Nian had something else?"

"The other party may not know that the phone has already been taken out."

Gu Wantang said, "Red tube, stickers, cell phone—they're not sure which one is the key."

Lin Ye understood.

Liu Nian is now a sitting duck.

He didn't say it aloud.

Just as the call ended, Liu Nian's phone, which was on the table, suddenly vibrated.

That was her own phone.

It's been charging for a while now.

Tao Shuang picked it up first, glanced at the screen, and her expression changed.

Liu Nian immediately stood up.

"What's wrong?"

Tao Shuang didn't give it to her right away.

She first took a picture of the screen, then handed the phone to Lin Ye to show.

The sender's number is Zhou Qin's.

The content consists of only one photo.

In the photo, Zhou Qin is sitting in a chair.

His hair was a mess, and his face was frighteningly pale.

His wrists were strapped to the back of the chair with cable ties.

The wall behind her was damp, with a patch of moldy water stains.

There is only one line of text below the photo.

3 PM, Genting Bay A17.

Bring what she has in her hands.

When Liu Nian saw the photo, she was stunned.

Lin Ye reached out to support her.

She didn't push him away.

He just stared intently at the screen.

His lips trembled so much he couldn't speak.

Tao Shuang immediately forwarded the photo to Gu Wantang and had someone check the phone number to locate the location.

Uncle Zhao cursed.

"brute."

Lin Ye looked at the line of text.

Bring what she has in her hands.

The other party did not write "red circle".

No phone number was written.

There were no ledgers kept.

Because they weren't sure what the thing actually was either.

All they knew was that Liu Nian might still have something deadly in his possession.

Liu Nian grabbed Lin Ye's sleeve.

Her hands were terribly cold.

"I want to go."

Tao Shuang's voice was cold.

You can't go.

Liu Nian looked up.

"What about my mom?"

No one spoke in the guard booth.

Lin Ye felt as if something was blocking his throat.

He knew Tao Shuang was right.

I also know that Liu Nian can't accept it.

My phone vibrated again.

This time it's Gu Wantang.

Do not reply to messages.

The second one popped up right after.

To stall for time.

The third one appeared soon after.

They didn't know who had the item.