Chapter 048: The Evidence for Conviction

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I pinned Li Deshui against the wall with one swift motion, but he showed no anger, only the composure of someone used to chaos. He tried to push me away, but I clung tightly to his tie. Drawing a deep breath, he said, “Officer, aren’t you afraid I’ll file a complaint about your use of force at the station?”

I gave a cold laugh. “Rest assured, there’s no recorder on me, and no one else here listening in. You can drop the act. You know I’m not a cop, and you know exactly who I am. Now tell me—why did you kill Lao Jiu and the others?”

I had laid everything bare, but Li Deshui remained cautious, saying nothing, only quirking his lips into a sinister smile. The look on his face confirmed it: my suspicions had been right all along. He was the murderer.

Having achieved my aim, I let go and stood facing him.

I couldn’t be absolutely certain that Li Deshui was the killer. Confronting him directly was a gamble, but with only one day left, I had no choice but to confirm it myself. If my theory was wrong, once time ran out, there’d be no second chance.

There was not a moment to waste.

I stared at Li Deshui for a long time before telling him, “You can stop pretending now. If you really had nerves of steel, you wouldn’t have rushed here that day without even changing your shoes to see what we’d found.” I stepped closer. “Right now, you’re wondering what we know. Let me tell you—murder always comes with a price.”

With that, I turned and walked out.

Luo Feng and the others were waiting outside. As soon as I emerged, Luo Feng asked me how it went. I told him to investigate whether Li Deshui had ever visited the same entertainment establishment and to look into his connection with the short-haired woman. Luo Feng immediately set things in motion. As we left the backstage area, Chen Fan asked where we were headed next.

I stared at the curtained stage and told him we would finish watching the show. Chen Fan was anxious—time was running out and he was restless to act. I asked him what we could do right now. He had no answer, so he had no choice but to sit with me and wait.

The curtain rose again. I watched the stage intently. The next act was said to be an especially difficult magic trick. Smiling, I told Chen Fan and Luo Feng, “If I’m right, Li Deshui will make a mistake during his performance.” Sure enough, not long after the act began, the audience broke into an uproar. I stood up at that moment and left the theater with them.

Chen Fan was astonished, asking what had happened in the dressing room and why Li Deshui had slipped up just as I predicted.

I still didn’t fully understand Li Deshui’s character, but I had a basic grasp. He was meticulous, thorough in his planning, and unfazed while killing. But once he realized he was a target, his nerves began to fray. After all, he was only human; he couldn’t fully master his own mind.

I instructed Luo Feng to have someone keep watch on Li Deshui and prevent him from leaving the harbor district. With his temperament, he wouldn’t give up his position and status unless he absolutely had to, but if things got tight, he might run.

“If I’m right, he’ll try to escape tonight,” I told Luo Feng.

Luo Feng was puzzled. “But we don’t have enough evidence to convict him yet.”

“But he doesn’t know how much we’ve uncovered,” I replied.

This meeting with Li Deshui was not only to gauge his reaction and confirm my suspicions, but also to unsettle him. By acting confident, I’d make him even more anxious, uncertain whether I could find enough evidence to bring him to justice. I guessed Li Deshui wouldn’t dare take that risk—so he’d run.

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Luo Feng saw the sense in my reasoning. I also told him to keep an eye on Yun Gao—I worried that once Yun Gao found out, he’d try something and cause more trouble for us. The situation was precarious enough; we couldn’t afford any more distractions.

Luo Feng assured me he wouldn’t let Yun Gao act rashly; if necessary, he’d tie him up and only let him go once everything was over. I trusted Luo Feng to handle it, so I gave no further instructions. Despite Chen Fan’s reluctance, we returned to the hotel.

Chen Fan was restless but powerless. Once back in my room, he paced back and forth, agitating me until I finally threw him out. The little ghost seemed to sense my need for quiet and didn’t disturb me. But before long, my phone rang.

I answered, and the voice on the other end made me frown—it was Xuan Yi, who had been missing for some time.

His tone was calm, as if he were an old friend I hadn’t seen in years.

Xuan Yi told me he knew why I’d sent people to the harbor district, and he knew the whereabouts of the person I sought. At that, he fell silent. I held my breath and asked, “And then?”

“I can tell you where he is,” he replied.

I was momentarily stunned, remembering the letter I’d received—offering to help me get revenge and urging me to leave the harbor district. I asked if the letter was from him, but he denied it, sounding genuinely unaware. Then he repeated, “Fang Han, think carefully. This is your only chance. If you miss it, you may never find that person again.”

I considered it, but ultimately kept my emotions in check.

I laughed coldly. “Li Deshui contacted you, didn’t he? You know he’s about to be caught, so you’re trying to lure me away.”

Xuan Yi replied, “Fang Han, you’re a smart woman. The fate of others is no concern of mine. All beings have their destiny. A life for a life—that’s the law of the world. The way that can be spoken is not the eternal Way, but no one truly understands what the Way is. Daoists practice non-interference; I wish to remain apart from worldly strife. This is the last time I’ll help you. Leave the harbor—I’ll help you find the one you seek.”

His words, full of Daoist philosophy, left me unsure of his true nature. I suddenly recalled Yun Qing’s words: that the old Taoist was evil, but Xuan Yi was good. Xuan Yi seemed unwilling to continue, and as he prepared to hang up, I stopped him.

He asked if I’d made up my mind.

I had—there was no way I’d listen to him. I couldn’t take that risk. So long as I stayed in the harbor, I still had a chance to uncover why Li Deshui killed Lao Jiu and the others, and perhaps find out if the ghostly restaurant case was connected to the person I was searching for.

But if I left and it turned out to be a trick, I’d lose everything in one fatal move.

I called him back because I was filled with questions.

I asked who Xiao Mei was. Xuan Yi only replied, shrouded in mystery, “Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed.” But he did tell me that my fate would be entangled with this woman called Xiao Mei for life. Then he said something that struck me as deeply meaningful: “Every cause has its effect. What began with me must also end with me. What I deserve, Xiao Mei will give me, and what I owe her, I will repay in full.”

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Clenching my fist, I committed Xuan Yi’s words to memory. I knew he wouldn’t say more, so I changed the topic: “The ghost girl you left in the entertainment venue—is she your daughter? Why were you so cruel to her? What was your purpose?”

He fell silent for a long time. Just as I thought he might answer, a loud commotion erupted on his end of the line. Through the noise, I faintly heard hurried footsteps. Then the call was abruptly cut off. When I tried to call back, the phone was already turned off.

After vanishing for several days, Xuan Yi had resurfaced—only to disappear again.

I summoned Luo Feng and asked him to trace the phone number, hoping for any clue.

The sun had set. Chen Fan was becoming more agitated, and even I felt a twinge of apprehension. When night fell, Luo Feng brought news: Li Deshui was on the move. It seemed he was heading for the docks. We acted at once—Luo Feng’s men were already waiting there. We couldn’t let Li Deshui escape the harbor.

As we got into the car, Chen Fan grabbed a bottle of water and choked while drinking.

The car sped off. Chen Fan kept coughing. Luo Feng snapped, “Is someone fighting you for it? What’s the rush?”

But my mind was suddenly ablaze. I told Luo Feng to stop the car and go on ahead to the docks—he had to intercept Li Deshui at all costs. He asked where I was going, but there was no time to explain. With the little ghost and Chen Fan, I dashed away. We hailed a taxi and hurried back to the apartment complex where the murder had occurred.

Chen Fan asked why we’d returned, but I didn’t answer. Cradling the little ghost, I rushed upstairs. Chen Fan called after me, but I didn’t even look back.

The building was silent; as I ran down the corridor, I could hear our breathing echoing in the gloom.

Soon we arrived at the crime scene. Switching on the lights, the first thing that greeted us was the wall, dense with bloody handprints. Chen Fan finally caught up, shuddering at the sight.

I went into the bathroom, picked up an object, and tossed it to Chen Fan. “Take this to the station right away. Get it analyzed as fast as possible.”

Without another word, I dashed back downstairs. Chen Fan shouted after me, “What’s the point of this analysis?”

My reply: “To convict Li Deshui!”