Desperate people, accept the seed of my soul!

Outside the window, the leaves of the ornamental trees swayed gently in the afternoon breeze, casting dappled, swaying shadows.

Those shimmering spots of light were somewhat like the light that sparkled in Su Xiao's eyes when she smiled.

"That's really strange," Li Rui thought.

What's wrong with me today?

I keep thinking about Xiaoxiao when I'm at work.

……

Inside an abandoned house.

As the sun began to set in the west, the beam of light streaming in from the high window began to undergo subtle changes.

It began to shift, thin, and its color gradually changed from an initially glaring pale white to a sickly yellowish hue.

The dust particles swirling in the beam of light seemed to spin even faster, as if stirred up by some violent airflow.

Amidst the breathtaking shifts in light and shadow, some sounds drifted through the air.

It was a dull thud, like a heavy sack hitting a wall.

It was accompanied by a short, sharp scraping sound, like fabric being forcibly dragged on the ground.

Then came a sob that seemed to be abruptly cut off in the throat.

Then, all sound disappeared.

That absolute silence was more chilling than any scream.

Even the constant creaking of the swing outside the window had stopped at some point.

The whole world seemed to hold its breath at that moment.

……

Li Rui finally finished archiving the last document.

He let out a long sigh of relief and looked up out the window.

The setting sun hung between the buildings on the west side of the city, adorning the layers of clouds with a magnificent golden edge.

"get off work."

He muttered to himself, his tone carrying an undisguised lightness.

He was thinking to himself that he would buy some shrimp tonight, since Su Xiao loved boiled shrimp, and give her a surprise.

I'm going on a business trip for a few days, so I need to spend some quality time with her tonight and say goodbye.

He tidied his desk, picked up his car keys and file folder, and waved goodbye to his colleagues who were still working overtime.

"I'm leaving now, see you tomorrow."

As he stepped out of the office building, the setting sun shone down on him without reservation, bathing his tall figure in a golden-red glow.

Behind me, the flag atop the police station building fluttered in the evening breeze, casting a long, imposing shadow.

……

Inside the abandoned house, the last light is about to disappear.

Scattered on the ground were torn pages of the picture book, each one resembling a pale snowflake.

One of the pictures shows a red fire truck, and the wheels, representing rescue and hope, are now half-stamped by the sole of a leather shoe covered in dust and unidentified dark red stains.

Not far away, the ruby ​​brooch lay quietly on the edge of the red liquid, its once translucent surface now covered with a layer of gray dust, no longer as dazzling as it had been in the morning.

The last rays of dim sunlight streaming through the high window were sweeping across the corner.

It illuminated the small, curled-up figure—Duoduo remained in that position, her mouth tightly shut.

The light quickly moved upwards, swept past those large, fearful eyes, and then disappeared completely onto the mottled wall.

The entire warehouse was instantly swallowed up by a seemingly endless chaos.

All the outlines became blurred, and all the evil was gently enveloped by the darkness.

……

Li Rui started the car.

The engine roared to life, and the air conditioner blew out cool air.

He habitually turned his head to look at the empty passenger seat.

Although the place was now empty, on his retina he could still see Su Xiao sitting there, smiling at him with her face turned to the side, holding the picture book in her hand, and the ruby ​​brooch on her collar shining brightly.

He stepped on the gas, skillfully turned the steering wheel, and drove out of the police station compound.

The car merged into the long river of traffic during the evening rush hour.

As the city lights begin to twinkle, the red taillights create a warm, expansive sea.

Li Rui gripped the steering wheel, moving slowly forward with the flow of traffic, looking at the road leading home ahead.

He misses her.

I can't wait to see her.

……

As dusk fell, several lights were still on in the office of the Criminal Investigation Section of the Chenxi Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Captain Liao Zhengfeng sat at his desk, his brow furrowed as he reviewed a newly arrived cross-regional drug case file.

The internal phone rang abruptly.

Liao Zhengfeng glanced at the caller ID—Seventh District Branch.

He picked up the receiver: "Hello, this is Liao Zhengfeng."

The voice on the other end of the phone was urgent and tense: "Team Leader Liao, a female corpse has been found at an abandoned amusement park in District Seven. Preliminary on-site investigation... The deceased has been identified as a family member of a municipal bureau employee."

Liao Zhengfeng straightened his back instantly: "Specific identity?"

The other party gave a name.

That name was like an icicle, piercing Liao Zhengfeng's eardrums.

Are you sure?

"The identification document was found among the deceased's belongings, and the photo matches the description. Also..." The voice on the other end of the phone paused, "There was also a four-year-old girl at the scene, who is in a state of severe shock and aphasia, and has been taken to the hospital."

Liao Zhengfeng's temples throbbed: "Protect the scene, I'm on my way. Notify all personnel present that, without my explicit instructions, they are strictly prohibited from disclosing the deceased's identity to anyone."

"clear."

After hanging up the phone, Liao Zhengfeng grabbed his coat from the back of his chair.

As he moved, his gaze swept across a corner of the desk—where a group photo from last year's team's year-end dinner was pressed down.

In the photo, Li Rui stands beside him, smiling broadly, with his wife right next to him.

She tilted her head slightly to look at her husband, her eyes filled with tenderness and adoration.

Liao Zhengfeng closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, his eyes, which had witnessed countless bloody scenes, were filled only with regret and resolve.

As he strode out, he dialed Li Rui's number.

……

A little earlier in time, at Tesco supermarket in District 7.

Li Rui pushed a shopping cart and stood in front of the seafood section.

"Boss, give me two pounds of shrimp, the kind that's still jumping around."

Li Rui pointed to the shrimp in the tank with a smile on his face, "We're making boiled shrimp at home tonight."

"Alright! Officer Li seems to be in a good mood today." The shopkeeper skillfully scooped up the shrimp and weighed them.

"Yes, of course I'm happy to go home early."

Li Rui took the bag, then turned around and went to the snack section, where he grabbed a box of Su Xiao's favorite cookies.

As he queued to pay, he mentally rehearsed the scene when he entered the house: Su Xiao would probably peek out from the kitchen wearing an apron, and when she saw that he had bought shrimp, her eyes would crinkle into two crescent moons.

Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket.

Li Rui took it out and saw the name of "a kindergarten principal" flashing on the screen.

He was a little confused, but he answered anyway: "Feed? Hello, Principal?"

"Hey, Officer Li, sorry to bother you." The principal's voice came from the other end of the phone. "I just wanted to ask if Ms. Su was with you this afternoon? Or do you know roughly when she'll be back?"