Tianjin, starting with unorthodox methods to achieve immortality

The rain intensified that night.

The courtyard of the East District Inspection Bureau was pitch black, except for the lights still on in the room of Team Three.

The rain covered the windows completely, and looking inside from the outside, the lights were blurred into a hazy mess, making it impossible to see anything clearly.

Ge Zhendong sat behind his desk, his hands crossed and supporting his chin.

A map of the jurisdiction was spread out on the table, with a corner soaked by rain.

"I can't find him." Zhou Yuan stood by the window, lifted a corner of the curtain and peeked outside. "I asked those people this afternoon, and he left in a passing rickshaw. He seemed to be badly injured."

"But I've been to several hospitals, and I haven't found a trace of it."

"Nonsense." Liu Dayong said from the broken chair in the corner, "If he were so easy for you to find, we wouldn't have to have such a headache."

Zhou Yuan turned around, his young face showing a defiant look, but he didn't say anything.

Lin Ruoyun sat near the door, her face still a little pale. "Old Ge, do you think he might already be..."

"He won't die." Ge Zhendong didn't look up, pointing to the map with his finger. "Have you checked his area?"

"I've already checked." Lin Ruoyun pulled her coat tighter, her voice low. "I went to his house at noon, but no one was home."

"I asked the neighbors, and they all said they hadn't seen him go back."

Ge Zhendong raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the group of people. "Shen Dajiang only suspects us now, but without evidence, it's all for nothing."

Liu Dayong interjected in a low voice, "But Chen Mo is the evidence."

The room fell silent, and the three of them looked rather grim.

The raindrops pounded against the window, making a pattering sound that was quite annoying.

"Da Yong is right."

Ge Zhendong walked to the window with his hands behind his back, looking at the rain outside. "Chen Mo must die. If he lives, none of us will have peace."

"But we can't find anyone."

"We'll find him." Ge Zhendong turned around, his gaze cold. "Offer a reward. If we find the van that took him, we'll definitely find him."

"We've made such a big fuss, what about Director Shen's side..." Lin Ruoyun bit her lip.

"So we can't look during the day," Ge Zhendong interrupted her. "Right now, we have to go to those car dealerships tonight and find them as soon as possible."

He pulled three umbrellas out of the drawer, tossed them to Zhou Yuan and Liu Dayong, and then glanced at Lin Ruoyun: "You're not feeling well, stay and keep watch. Contact me anytime if anything happens."

She nodded, her face still pale.

Zhou Yuan took the umbrella and suddenly asked, "Did you find it?"

Ge Zhendong didn't say anything, he just glanced at him.

Zhou Yuan stopped asking.

The three pushed open the door, and the sound of rain rushed in, only to be shut out as the door closed.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

It rained for two days.

Ge Zhendong kept increasing the reward, from two hundred silver dollars to one thousand, before anyone finally came to his door.

The man who arrived was the leader of the Dongcheng Auto Dealership, surnamed Sun, in his early forties, with broad shoulders and a thick waist.

Dressed in a soaking wet indigo shorts, he wiped the rain from his face at the doorway and stepped across the threshold before anyone could stop him.

Ge Zhendong stood up from behind the table, glanced at him, and asked, "Chief Sun has come in person. Is there news?"

"Why would I come to collect your thousand silver dollars if there's no news?" Leader Sun pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his neck. "My men are too afraid to come, so I'll make the trip myself."

Zhou Yuan and Liu Dayong exchanged a glance and straightened up.

Ge Zhendong nodded. "The rickshaw that took people that day, was it your company's?"

"Yes." Leader Sun stuffed the handkerchief into his arms. "The rickshaw puller is called Old Wu. He's timid and cowardly. He heard that your inspection bureau was looking for someone, and he was so scared that he hid for two days and didn't dare to show his face. I dragged him out."

Where are they?

"He's squatting outside." Chief Sun gestured towards the door with his chin. "I told him to come, but he wouldn't, so I brought him here. If you have any questions, I'll call him in."

"However..." He rubbed his hands together, a shrewd glint in his eyes, "Whether what he says is useful or not, this thousand silver dollars is mine."

Ge Zhendong glanced at him, said nothing, and simply waved his hand.

Sun, understanding the implication, turned and shouted towards the door, "Old Wu! Get in here!"

A voice answered from outside the door, and a middle-aged man, as thin as a bamboo pole, crouched down and crawled in, shivering all over, whether from the cold or fear, it was hard to tell.

"Stand closer," Ge Zhendong said.

Old Wu took two steps forward, his legs trembling.

The leader, Sun, kicked him from behind. "What are you afraid of? Speak your mind, then take the money and leave!"

Old Wu was kicked and stumbled forward. He swallowed hard and finally managed to speak: "That...that day...it rained heavily that day..."

"I was just about to park my bike and go home when I heard a noise behind me. I turned around and saw someone staggering out of the alley..."

"He walked like he was about to collapse, but I thought he was drunk and didn't pay any attention."

"Then the man rushed up to me, grabbed the handlebars, and shoved the inspection bureau's token into my hand."

"And then?" Lin Ruoyun asked, frowning.

The driver glanced at her, "and then I saw his face clearly. It was deathly pale, frighteningly pale, but there was no blood or injury on him. I just don't understand how this person got into this state..."

"Did he say anything?" Ge Zhendong's voice turned somber.

"He said it, he said it," the driver nodded hurriedly. "He gripped the handlebars, and it took him a while to finally manage to utter a single sentence. Welcome to the fantastical world of fantasy novels, the entrance is here: p"