Jin’an North Road, Yuxiang Garden.
When Lu Zheng got out of the taxi, Lin Wan was already waiting at the neighbourhood entrance.
She wasn’t in her police uniform, still dressed casually.
“Lu Zheng!”
Lu Zheng glanced around. “Just you?”
Lin Wan rolled her eyes. “What, you want Captain Liang and Liu Leng to come watch?”
Lu Zheng grinned, giving her a quick hug. “Good girl!”
“Be serious, we’re in public~” Lin Wan let him hold her briefly before pulling away, handing him an Ultraman toy. “The kid was playing with this yesterday.”
She paused, then whispered conspiratorially, “Is it some kind of qi-sensing from martial arts training? Could ancient martial arts masters do this too?”
Lu Zheng took the toy, raising an eyebrow with a smile. “Oh, getting sneaky with questions now? Curious?”
Lin Wan’s eyes sparkled as she nodded eagerly. “Very!”
“Keep training. Once you develop qi sense, you’ll understand.”
Lu Zheng gave her a look like she was a promising student, thinking to himself, *If you actually develop martial blood qi, you’ll know what despair feels like.*
Because I’m using Taoist true qi and spells…
Lin Wan: Ծ‸Ծ
Hmph, fine, keep your secrets. It’s not like I’m *that* curious.
“Any luck finding them?” she asked.
Lu Zheng held the toy in one hand, the other in his pocket, silently casting the Qi-Observing Technique.
Soon, imperceptible to the naked eye, he sensed a trace of aura drawn from the toy, leading into the distance.
“There’s just one issue,” Lu Zheng said, heading toward the crossroad to the right.
“What’s that?”
“How do you explain finding the kid and the culprit?” Lu Zheng replied.
Lin Wan froze, then lit up with surprise and joy. “You’ve already found them?”
“I’m asking you a question.”
Lin Wan giggled. “Easy. I’ll say you used Qimen Dunjia, divination, and qi-gazing to track them down.”
Lu Zheng turned, giving her a thumbs-up. “You’re a genius. Dare you to write that in your report!”
Lin Wan’s eyes twinkled as she matched his pace with her long legs. “Don’t worry. If you really find them, working backward from the result is simple. I was top of my class, you know!”
Lu Zheng gave another thumbs-up. “Impressive!”
At the crossroad, the light was green, so Lu Zheng crossed the street to the opposite side of Yuxiang Garden.
Lin Wan suddenly realised, “Wait, how far is it? Should we get a car?”
“You’re slow to catch on. By the time you call a car, it’ll be too late,” Lu Zheng said, shaking his head. He quickened his pace, soon arriving at another neighbourhood entrance.
De’an Neighbourhood.
He glanced back, noting it was diagonally across from Yuxiang Garden.
Lin Wan was shocked. “Here?”
“Darkness under the lamp,” Lu Zheng said, shaking his head. “Ancient wisdom, passed down for millennia. How could mere mortals like you understand?”
Lin Wan narrowed her eyes. “I might have to work late tonight.”
Lu Zheng gave a dry laugh and hurried into the neighbourhood.
Inside, he turned left, stopping at the first building.
Entering the unit, they took the elevator. After sensing again, Lu Zheng pressed the button for the eighteenth floor.
Lin Wan was stunned. *This accurate?*
Lu Zheng’s performance didn’t seem like something martial arts could achieve. He seemed more like a Taoist than a martial artist.
In Hong Kong zombie films, didn’t Ninth Uncle use a compass to track ghosts?
Lu Zheng was just tracking a person instead.
“Ding!”
The elevator doors opened. Lu Zheng stepped out, heading to a unit facing the street on the right.
“This is it?” Lin Wan whispered.
“This is it,” Lu Zheng nodded.
Lin Wan quickly asked, “Can you tell how the kid is now?”
“Still alive,” Lu Zheng said, his ear twitching. “The suspect’s cooking. You’ve got time.”
Lin Wan asked, “You can hear inside?”
Lu Zheng grinned. “Master the *Mountain-Carrying Eighteen Styles*, and you’ll hear it too.”
He paused, then added, “So, want me to break down the door?”
Lin Wan confirmed, “You’re sure I have time?”
Lu Zheng nodded. “Seems he wants to eat dinner first, build up strength before acting. Quite ceremonial.”
“Alright, you can go. I’ll handle the rest and keep you out of it.”
Lu Zheng was speechless. “So I’m just a tool, huh?”
“Be good. Officer Flower will reward you tonight~”
Lu Zheng perked up, then asked as they took the elevator down, “How’re you handling the follow-up?”
“Guess the suspect wanted to monitor the scene closely, so I’ll narrow it down to De’an Neighbourhood. First, check with the property agencies downstairs about rentals this month. Then, identify the unit, find the agency that rented it, and confirm the tenant’s description. Finally, notify the team, get property management to open the door, and arrest him.”
Lu Zheng smacked his lips. “That simple?”
Lin Wan countered, “What did you expect?”
“Trick them by saying you’re checking the water meter?”
“You’re joking. Obviously, we say we’re delivering a small gift!”
Lu Zheng: “…”
Not much difference, really. Property management knocking rarely meant good news.
Leaving the neighbourhood, Lin Wan waved goodbye and dashed to the nearby property agency.
Lu Zheng just had time to hand her the Ultraman toy before she rushed into the shop.
He didn’t leave right away. Instead, he found a nearby café, ordered a coffee, and sipped it slowly while watching Lin Wan hustle outside.
Feeling in the mood, he snapped a couple of photos.
Soon, Lin Wan visited three agencies, then made a call from a corner.
Before long, Liang Yuandong, Liu Leng, and another familiar face appeared in groups.
The four converged and entered De’an Neighbourhood together.
Half an hour later…
Lu Zheng saw Liu Leng and another officer escorting a dishevelled middle-aged man out of the neighbourhood.
Lin Wan followed, holding a four- or five-year-old child, comforting them softly.
As they crossed the street, a couple rushed out from Yuxiang Garden, embracing the child, crying and laughing, bowing repeatedly.
…
Lu Zheng set down his cup, left the café, and strolled home.
After dinner in the ancient world, Lu Zheng messaged Lin Wan to let him know when she was off work.
Soon, she called. “Lu Zheng, sorry, I might have to work late tonight~”
Lu Zheng: “…”
“How about tomorrow?” Lin Wan said softly over the phone.
What could Lu Zheng do but agree?
Disappointed, he didn’t return to the Great Jing Dynasty to sleep. Instead, he opened his phone and went on a rampage in King’s Canyon.
…
Eleven-thirty at night.
Lin Wan texted, “At home?”
Lu Zheng blinked, typing back, “At home.”
“Ding-dong!” The doorbell rang instantly.
Lu Zheng was both surprised and delighted. He flung open the door to see a stunning officer in uniform, long legs straight, exuding valiant charm.
“Hiss—”
