Bl Ch50

Yi Qing Bar is located at 261 Songchuan Road. It has two floors—the first floor has the bar, booths, and stage, while the second floor has private rooms accessible only to members.

The bar’s name alone gives off a shady vibe, and indeed, it toes the line. While it doesn’t dabble in illegal activities like gambling or drugs, the female waitstaff wears revealing outfits—short skirts with slits and tight tops that show cleavage. As a result, the majority of its patrons are men. With so many men around, showing off and competing to spend big is common. It’s not unusual for people to splurge thousands in a single night on expensive liquor.

Ji Lin passed through security and pushed open the door. The female waitstaff hadn’t started working yet, sitting in the booths putting on makeup and chatting. When they saw their first customer of the day, they were stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help but burst into laughter, quickly covering their mouths as they whispered among themselves, batting their thick lashes and sneaking glances at him.

Ji Lin felt extremely uncomfortable. He asked the cleaning lady mopping the floor in front of him, “Doesn’t this place open at four? Why is it so empty?”

The woman, at least twenty years his senior, gave him a disdainful look as if to say, “What era are you from?” and replied, “Who comes to drink at four? People don’t usually show up until after seven.”

Ji Lin suddenly felt so embarrassed he wanted to crawl into a hole.

How was he supposed to know that?

He had never come to a place like this outside of work. In retrospect, all the surprise inspections he had done at entertainment venues were indeed at night.

He had spent a fortune—250 yuan, a considerable hit to his already small salary—on a flashy floral shirt and hair gel to blend in with the crowd of rich, flashy playboys and subtly gather intel.

The waitstaff, seeing that he didn’t look like someone wealthy, and probably assuming he was some country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time, laughed at him before going back to their own conversation.

Feeling awkward, Ji Lin retreated to the doorway, unsure if he should leave or stay. After a long internal debate, he finally convinced himself with one of the four famous Chinese expressions of tolerance: “Well, since I’m already here…”

Thankfully, the bartender had already started his shift, so Ji Lin wouldn’t have to sit around doing nothing until seven. He quickly changed his strategy, walked straight to the bar, and slapped his police badge on the counter, cutting to the chase. “Hello, I have a few questions.”

The bartender, lazily wiping a glass, glanced at the badge, then gave Ji Lin a once-over, eyeing his floral shirt as if it might attract bees. He snorted disdainfully and drawled, “This establishment requires customers to make a purchase before they can sit down.”

“…?” Ji Lin flashed his badge again, pushing it closer to the bartender. “Look carefully. Do you know what this is?”

The bartender, still in a mocking tone, replied, “I’ve seen enough of those to get tired of them. Last year, I saw cops every day for a while, and more recently, too. Law-abiding citizens like us are happy to cooperate with the police, but only if they’re real police officers.”

The bartender eyed Ji Lin again from head to toe, then made a reasonable guess. “Did you pick up that badge off the ground?”

Ji Lin’s mouth twitched, feeling something deep inside him shatter.

It was probably his dignity.

The bartender, having finished wiping the glass, started preparing ice cubes. Ji Lin was left standing there, awkward and ignored.

Calling for backup was out of the question—Peng Deyu would chew him out for acting without permission. Going back to fetch another form of ID seemed even worse, as if he were admitting fault.

After a moment’s hesitation, Ji Lin clenched his teeth, slammed his fist on the counter, and growled, “Hey! Give me the drink menu.”

If making a purchase is what it takes, he thought, so be it. How expensive can one drink be?

The bartender finally showed a bit of friendliness, sliding over the menu. “The minimum at the bar is 500 yuan, handsome.”

Ji Lin’s fragile resolve collapsed instantly, his eyes widening in disbelief. “Five hundred? Are you robbing me?”

“Seats are in high demand here. Booths, bars, private rooms all have a minimum spend.”

“But no one’s even sitting here right now!”

“I don’t make the rules, handsome. You could stand and drink instead, no minimum required. But these days, it’s hard to imagine someone can’t afford 500 yuan, right?”

“…”

Ji Lin, who usually drank nothing but the free water at work, clenched his fists tightly. “I have 500 yuan, but why should I waste it in a scam joint like this?”

The bartender’s expression darkened as he slammed the menu shut. “We run a legitimate business here—everything is consensual. You either pay or don’t. But you, pretending to be a cop with a fake badge, aren’t you afraid I’ll call the police?”

Ji Lin chuckled in frustration. “Go ahead, call them. Let’s see who gets arrested in the end!”

The bartender, of course, had no intention of actually calling the police. Why make trouble when you can avoid it? Still, he couldn’t allow Ji Lin to cause a scene, so he picked up the phone and dialed an internal line. A few minutes later, two burly security guards came down from the second floor. The bartender gave them a nod, and the two men approached the bar, heading straight for Ji Lin, the “floral butterfly.”

Sensing danger, Ji Lin knew that while he could probably handle the two guards, if Peng Deyu found out he got into a fight at a bar, he’d never be allowed back on the task force.

Just as he was hesitating, the bar’s front door creaked open again.

The bartender assumed it was yet another clueless early bird, but when he saw who it was, his eyes lit up.

Outside the still-open door, a sleek, futuristic sports car was parked on the street. Even if you didn’t recognize the brand, you could guess it cost at least tens of millions. Yi Qing’s clientele included wealthy elites, but those rich enough to own such a car were few and far between.

And the person walking in was even more striking than the car.

The sound of his leather shoes on the tiled floor was as crisp and clear as coins dropping.

This guest wasn’t showing off, but his wealth was obvious just from looking at him. Standing in the bar, he didn’t seem like someone here for entertainment—he looked more like someone inspecting his own property.

An absolute VIP.

The two security guards, not wanting to disturb the new guest, retreated for the time being. The female waitstaff suddenly found themselves with plenty of time, all rushing forward in their finest form, offering soft, sugary greetings of “Welcome!”

Yu Duqiu didn’t even glance at them. When the security gate beeped as he passed through, he waved his hand, showing off a ruby ring, and pointed at his razor-blade necklace. Naturally, no one dared say a word.

A flash of satisfaction passed through Yu Duqiu’s eyes. He then turned to the man closing the door behind him and ordered, “Handle this for me,” before striding straight to the bar. Waving his hand, he called out, “Hey, Captain Ji! Long time no see—almost didn’t recognize you.”

Ji Lin had been trying to find a place to hide ever since Yu Duqiu walked in, wishing he could dig a hole and disappear.

If he’d known Yu Duqiu would show up, he would’ve preferred to be dragged back by Peng Deyu to write a self-criticism!

“You’ve been here for a while now,” Yu Duqiu teased as he sat down. “Why haven’t you ordered anything yet? Don’t tell me you’re short on cash.”

“Can you stop spying on me already?” Now that his cover was blown, Ji Lin figured he might as well face it head-on, standing tall with a defiant glare. “Sure, I’m not as rich as you, but my salary’s enough to last me a lifetime. Why do you care? Hmph.”

Yu Duqiu smiled. “Captain Ji, you sure are frugal. If I lived on that little salary, my lifetime might end tomorrow.”

“…………”

Ji Lin felt like he desperately needed an oxygen tank. If this conversation went on any longer, he was sure he’d pass out from frustration.

Yu Duqiu didn’t even need to call for attention; the bartender had already eagerly presented the drink menu and, considerately, opened it to the page with the highest prices.

Yu Duqiu, not bothering to choose, said directly, “Make two of the most expensive ones. After that, no matter what we ask you, answer honestly, got it?”

When you have money, you’re the boss, and the bartender quickly agreed, “Alright, alright.”

Ji Lin felt slightly better, but the thought of needing Yu Duqiu’s help to get attention didn’t sit well with him.

Yu Duqiu, as if reading his thoughts, kindly reassured him, “Captain Ji, I know you’ve had a tough time lately, not being able to access the task force’s intel, and having to investigate on your own. Seeing you like this—well, I’ve been laughing on the inside…no, I mean, it really pains me.”

“…” Ji Lin angrily messed up his gelled hair and pointed at Yu Duqiu’s nose, threatening, “Say one more thing and don’t blame me if I hit you.”

Just then, Bai Zhao walked over, having chased away a waitress, and sat down beside Yu Duqiu, glaring at him coldly. “What did you just say?”

“…” Ji Lin, remembering the embarrassing incident on Charlotte’s balcony, withdrew his hand, deciding not to argue with these two bullies anymore. He turned to the bartender instead. “What did the police who came here earlier ask about?”

The bartender, busy at work, glanced at him strangely. “Aren’t you also claiming to be police? Why don’t you know?”

Yu Duqiu chimed in, “They’re not from the same team. It’s a race to see who solves the case first.”

With that, it was easier to understand. The bartender let out a long “Ohhhh,” realizing, “So you’re competing for performance? Well, you’re pretty slow. The last group of officers already checked the surveillance footage and asked all the necessary questions, mostly whether we saw any suspicious individuals that night.”

Ji Lin: “And did you? The night of the 7th until the early morning of the 8th?”

“What’s the definition of suspicious? If weird outfits count, there’s plenty of that—like the guy right in front of me…” The bartender’s voice trailed off as he realized Ji Lin was about to get angry. “But if strange behavior is what you mean, besides the victim you’re investigating, I don’t remember anyone else.”

“You mean Huang Hanxiang? What did he do that was odd?” Ji Lin quickly asked.

The bartender, clearly having answered this many times before, responded fluently, “Nothing much, really. He came in, didn’t order anything, walked straight to the back alley through the rear door, came back, still didn’t order anything, and left.”

Yu Duqiu raised an eyebrow. “Hmm? You must get plenty of customers. How did you notice one ordinary customer so closely?”

Ji Lin was also puzzled. “Was this seen through surveillance? I’ve checked the footage from your bar before, and it’s not that clear. How did you track him the whole time?”

The bartender gave an embarrassed chuckle. “We have someone follow any guest who comes in but doesn’t order anything. If they’re just here to hit on girls, we escort them out. Otherwise, if everyone acted like him, how could we keep this place running?”

Ji Lin was speechless. “So it really is a shady bar.”

The bartender didn’t like that. “Hey, we’re just doing a public service. The girls here are all young and pretty. We can’t let some broke losers hit on them. If they can’t even spend a few hundred bucks, how could they treat these girls well? Look at what happened to Xiao Wu last year—she fell for a murderer because she got blinded by love. We all know how that ended. So foolish…”

Ji Lin’s face darkened. “She wasn’t a fortune teller. How could she have known Liu Shaojie would turn into a murderer? Don’t go blaming the victim here.”

Yu Duqiu was a bit surprised. “Didn’t expect you to speak up for Wu Min. Don’t you hate her? If it weren’t for her, Mu Hao might not have gotten into trouble.”

“She’s already dead. What’s the point of hating her? If Mu was still around, he wouldn’t blame her either.”

Yu Duqiu turned to the bartender. “I’ve got a question for you—though I’m sure many people have asked this already. I just want to confirm: Were Mu Hao and Wu Min involved? It’s very important to my friend here.”

Ji Lin: “Hey!”

The bartender looked troubled. “I’m not sure. Officer Mu only came here three times. First, on the 25th, his friends brought him here to celebrate his birthday. Wu Min was their server that night. After they left, Wu Min seemed anxious and took off early. On the 26th, Mu came back alone to look for Wu Min, and then again on the 27th—when he was killed. Maybe it was love at first sight?”

Yu Duqiu: “I’m more inclined to think Wu Min realized Mu Hao was a detective and asked him for help, probably because she suspected Liu Shaojie was involved in drugs. Mu was investigating her suspicions, but Liu found out and set them both up. What do you think?”

Ji Lin slammed his fist on the table. “I think the killer deserves to die. I don’t care if Mu was involved with Wu Min or not. I just want to catch the killer and bring him back safely.”

After nearly nine months of searching without a trace, it sounded like a pipe dream.

The bartender, now seriously questioning whether the young man in front of him was really a cop, shook his cocktail shaker while sneaking glances at Ji Lin. Despite his dark complexion and plain clothing, the young man had delicate features, with a determination in his eyes that didn’t match his age. Yet this determination wasn’t unbreakable—you could see it in the slight redness of his eyes.

Though young on the outside, his soul seemed weathered, nearly crumbling, as if it were slowly withering away.

This blend of strength and fragility… the bartender had seen it somewhere before…

After thinking for a moment, he suddenly remembered. “Hey, haven’t you been to our bar before?”

Ji Lin scowled. “You just remembered? After the case last year, I talked to your boss several times.”

“So, you’re really a cop? Ah, sorry, sorry, you’ve changed so much, I didn’t recognize you.” The bartender immediately became more respectful. “You could’ve just gone straight to the boss. Why dress like that?”

Ji Lin had no good answer, but Yu Duqiu replied for him. “He’s under a lot of pressure from not solving the case and just came by to relax. Don’t tell your boss. If word gets back to his superiors, he’ll get punished.”

The bartender nodded. “Of course, I won’t say a word. I’m good at keeping secrets. Here’s your drinks.”

Amber-colored liquid poured into chilled glasses, looking rich and smooth. On a hot summer day, a drink like this would surely cool and refresh you.

“This drink was custom-made for you two. It’s a mix of Hennessy Paradis, absinthe, and cinnamon. Try it out. If you like it, you can even name it, and we might add it to our menu.”

“You’re good at business.” Yu Duqiu smiled. “Captain Ji, why don’t you name it? They always say I’m bad at naming things.”

“I’m not even in the mood to drink, let alone name something.” Ji Lin had just spent 250 yuan without getting any useful information and felt like a fool. “Xu Sheng secretly tipped me off about the investigation, but they haven’t found anything either. They’ve checked the surveillance at Ping Middle School’s gate, and they’ve questioned everyone who’s come in and out—nothing. The killer must’ve bribed a student to plant the photos backstage, but how are we supposed to investigate 500 students?”

“The anonymous tip that day was also investigated. They used someone else’s registered SIM card, bought through illegal channels. Obviously shady. Sure, I’ve been cleared of suspicion, but what’s the point if we still can’t catch the culprit?”

“I don’t know if I’m just being paranoid, but I’ve felt like someone’s been following me these past few days… Maybe I’m just overthinking it.”

Yu Duqiu shook his head. “It’s not your imagination. I sent someone to protect you. Even though Director Peng didn’t confiscate your gun, if you get ambushed, you might not survive alone. Don’t thank me. I’m just looking out for you on Mu Hao’s behalf. Don’t fall in love with me.”

“… I’m amazed you can make something good sound so infuriating.” Ji Lin didn’t have the energy to deal with him. He sighed and turned back to the case. “All the information in my head is scattered, and I can’t connect anything to ‘The King.’ I can’t even guess who the ‘Queen’ is. Maybe we’re really too impatient, like Captain Feng said, and we’ve guessed wrong?”

Yu Duqiu gently swirled the liquid in his glass. “There’s some connection. Think about it: since the culprit knew you were there on the night of the 25th, why wait until now to report you? Maybe at first, they thought you were just a random bystander, not worth bothering with. But recently, they realized you’re the officer investigating the case, and your persistence might be a threat to them.”

Ji Lin froze for a moment, then quickly understood what Yu Duqiu was implying: “You mean Pei Ming didn’t know my identity before, but after meeting me that time, he figured it out and now wants to eliminate me? It makes sense, but we still don’t have any evidence.”

“Yeah, in chess, it’s often hard to capture the king before taking down the queen.” Yu Duqiu took a sip of his drink, frowning slightly as if dissatisfied. “I was wondering at the police station that day—how did the other side know you went to Mu Hao’s house on the night of the 25th?”

Ji Lin pondered briefly: “Xu Sheng and I discussed this. It’s possible that Liu Shaojie was watching Wu Min. That night, when he saw her follow Mu Hao, he quietly tailed them and happened to see me.”

“If that’s the case, why not act that night? Wouldn’t it have been more troublesome if Mu Hao reported it to the city bureau? And according to the photos Captain Feng provided, you were the only suspicious figure in the surveillance footage, right?”

“At that time, Liu Shaojie and his group might not have known Mu’s identity. Mu hadn’t figured out the situation either, so he didn’t report it to his superiors. Changhe District Police might not have scrutinized the footage closely. If I could get the surveillance recordings, it would be great…” Ji Lin wiped his face. “But the other side is so cunning and knows how to avoid surveillance blind spots. Even if I watched the footage, I might not find anything.”

The two of them fell silent. Cold condensation formed on the glasses, slowly dripping down as if the glass itself were crying.

“Why couldn’t it be Mu Hao who was being watched?” Bai Zhao, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. “Is it possible that Mu Hao was being targeted even before he met Wu Min?”

Ji Lin and Yu Duqiu both paused in surprise.

“…I hadn’t considered that possibility,” Ji Lin admitted.

The cause and effect of the Rainy Alley Case had always seemed clear. No matter how the police investigated, their thinking was confined to one framework: Wu Min approached Mu Hao on purpose. Whether or not they developed feelings for each other, Mu Hao learned about Liu Shaojie’s drug ring and was eventually caught up in the deadly conspiracy.

In this scenario, Mu Hao was an unfortunate bystander. If he hadn’t entered that shop and met Wu Min on the night of the 25th, none of this would’ve happened, and the subsequent tragedies of Bai Zhiming, Yu Wencheng, and Huang Hanxiang could have been avoided.

But what if Mu Hao was destined to be involved?

What if the origin of this series of cases began much earlier than they imagined?

What if it wasn’t Mu Hao who was drawn into this misfortune, but Wu Min?

The more Ji Lin thought about it, the more unsettled he became. He muttered, almost to himself, “Damn… it’s really possible. That would explain why there were no other suspicious figures in the surveillance footage from the 25th. The killer might not have followed Wu Min to Mu Hao’s place, but had already installed surveillance outside his home…”

“We should thank that anonymous tipster. Otherwise, we might never have thought of this possibility,” Yu Duqiu remarked, patting Bai Zhao on the head. “You’re amazing, even smarter than the captain.”

Bai Zhao brushed his hand away. “Whoever you’re referring to as the captain, someone’s going to be unhappy.”

Ji Lin didn’t have time for their banter; his mind was racing. “If the drug dealers had been targeting Mu Hao all along, it’s likely because he handled a drug case that made them hold a grudge… I’ll contact Xu Sheng right away! He can pull Mu Hao’s case files from the city bureau!”

“Wait a moment.” Yu Duqiu grabbed the floral shirt Ji Lin was wearing. “Finish your drink first. Don’t waste all the effort you put into dressing up today.”

Ji Lin pretended not to hear the teasing tone in his voice and jumped off the barstool. “You want me to drink and then go investigate? Director Peng would kill me. You two drink up. I’ll treat today as a thank-you to Bai Zhao for the new lead.”

The bartender, seizing the moment, presented the bill: “Alright, your total today comes to 2,600 yuan.”

Ji Lin, who was in the middle of pulling out his phone, stumbled and looked up in disbelief. “Two drinks, 2,600? Why don’t you just rob me?!”

The bartender, feeling wronged, replied, “It was this gentleman who requested the most expensive drinks…”

Ji Lin glared at the culprit. “Why’d you order such expensive stuff? It all comes out the same when you pee it out! What, you think it’ll coat your bladder with gold?”

Yu Duqiu wrinkled his nose. “Captain Ji, that’s really crude… but I agree with you. This drink is ordinary, not worth the price. At most, it’s worth 800.”

The bartender was visibly annoyed. “Beluga has a high cost, so naturally the drink is priced high.”

“Beluga is your best drink? Then your bar’s standards are pretty low,” Yu Duqiu said, unfiltered.

Moments ago, the bartender had looked down on Ji Lin, but now he found himself looked down upon—and by someone who clearly had the credentials to do so. He couldn’t vent his frustration and was left with a red face, forcing a smile to not offend these wealthy guests. “Actually, we do have better drinks, but they’re usually pre-ordered by customers who store the bottles here. We can’t serve them to others. My apologies. If you’re interested, you can leave your number. Next time we get something good, I’ll reserve it for you.”

Yu Duqiu smiled slightly. “Why wait until next time? Captain Ji doesn’t frequent small places like yours. Bring out your best bottle now.”

The bartender was in a tough spot. “But other guests might be upset…”

“I’ll compensate them tenfold for their trouble.”

“Well…”

Yu Duqiu tapped the counter, urging him on. “Do the smart thing, or I’ll have my bodyguard use your head to open the bottle.”

This was a real bully.

Ji Lin couldn’t stand his behavior. “Cut it out. I have real business to attend to. I’m not drinking anymore.”

“Your business has nothing to do with me,” Yu Duqiu replied childishly, kicking Bai Zhao’s chair. “Sweetheart, you know what to do, right?”

“Mm.” Bai Zhao made a move to stand.

“Wait, wait! Let’s talk!” The bartender, too scared to call security, realized his life wasn’t worth risking for his job. And besides, the other customer might be willing to sell the bottle.

After weighing his options, he retrieved a key from the drawer, walked to a well-stocked cabinet, and unlocked it. Carefully, he took out a bottle and presented it to them. The label featured an oversized Ace of Spades.

“This is the Black Gold Edition of Ace of Spades. Fewer than 300 bottles are produced each year, and even if you have money, it’s hard to buy. It’s the best bottle we have, left here last year by a customer who hasn’t returned since. He may have forgotten about it. The customer didn’t leave a real name, but I do have a contact number. You can ask if he’s willing to sell.”

Yu Duqiu took the phone number the bartender had written down and, looking disinterested, commented, “A trendy, overhyped bottle. How vulgar. I thought it’d be something truly rare. By the way, does this bottle cost more than your monthly salary?”

The bartender smiled obsequiously. “It definitely costs more than my salary.”

“Is that so?” Yu Duqiu suddenly smirked coldly.

Ji Lin, seeing the look on his face, knew trouble was coming. This spoiled rich kid was about to lose it again.

But it was too late—

“Bang!”

The sudden loud crash sent the bartender and the waitresses screaming at the top of their lungs, nearly blowing the roof off the place. The sound nearly made Ji Lin’s ears go deaf.

When the security guards from upstairs rushed down, they found that the Ace of Spades bottle had been smashed to pieces, with the expensive liquid spilling all over the bar. The bartender, terrified, cowered in the corner, staring at Yu Duqiu like he was a madman.

Ji Lin regretfully slapped his forehead.

How could he have forgotten that this guy was nuts?

If not for his immense wealth, Young Master Yu would likely have been beaten to death countless times by now.

Yu Duqiu casually tossed aside the broken bottle neck, patted off the splattered droplets of liquor from his clothes, and brushed back his hair as if nothing had happened. “So you do know the wine’s worth more than you? Selling expensive drinks doesn’t make you a noble—Bai Zhao, pay the bill, and help the auntie clean the floor while you’re at it.”

Bai Zhao: “…”

The cleaning lady, who had been scowling, immediately brightened up with a wide smile. “Oh my, that’s so kind of you!”

“No big deal,” Yu Duqiu said nonchalantly. He stood up and slung his arm around Ji Lin’s shoulders, leading him out. As he walked away, he waved the piece of paper in his hand back toward the bar. “Don’t worry, I’ll compensate for the damages.”

Once outside, the golden sunset hit them so intensely that Ji Lin had to raise his hand to block the light, only to realize that the more blinding glare came from Yu Duqiu’s silver hair beside him.

Actually, Yu Duqiu… at first, he came across as crazy and arrogant. And now? He still felt the same way.

But there was something different about him now. Ji Lin could finally understand why Mu Hao was willing to be friends with him.

Nearby, a Koenigsegg was parked, drawing a crowd of onlookers snapping photos. Yu Duqiu didn’t rush to get in. Instead, he pulled out his phone and began dialing the number from the paper.

Ji Lin, after a moment of thought, said, “Thanks for standing up for me, but it really wasn’t necessary. I didn’t take it to heart.”

Yu Duqiu looked up at him. “Don’t thank me. If you must thank someone, thank Mu Hao. I’m just making up for his mistake.”

“Huh? What mistake?”

“Not holding onto such a good wife.”

“………”

Ji Lin immediately shrugged off the arm on his shoulder and put distance between himself and the madman. “How could Mu Hao have a friend like you!”

Yu Duqiu, grinning mischievously, walked closer as he finished dialing. “Don’t be mad.”

“I’m calling a car to take me to the station. Don’t follow me.”

“Ji Lin.”

“I said don’t follow me!”

“Hey, Ji Lin.”

Yu Duqiu unusually called him by his full name, and Ji Lin hesitated for a moment before stopping, though still irritated. “Say what you need to say.”

But Yu Duqiu wasn’t looking at him. Instead, he stared at his phone, his eyes filled with rare disbelief.

“What’s your deal? Calling me over and then not saying anything—”

“Look at this,” Yu Duqiu flipped the phone over, slowly showing Ji Lin the screen. His movements were almost in slow motion, and his expression held unexpected shock. “This is… an accidental discovery.”

Ji Lin, confused by what was going on, stepped back to glance at the phone. In the next second, all his anger drained from his face, his pupils shrinking in shock—

On the dialing screen, all eleven digits had been entered, and the phone automatically searched for matching contacts. The result popped up with a name both of them were all too familiar with:

[Pei Ming]