Chapter 43: Old Seven with the Ghostly Eyes

Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared ahead, hurrying toward them. Though moving at great speed, its footsteps were nearly silent. At that same moment, another dark figure emerged behind him.

As the first shadow reached Lin Xiaosu, it abruptly raised its hand, driving a jet-black dagger at Lin Xiaosu’s throat. Simultaneously, the shadow behind struck at his back with a dagger of its own.

The timing was perfect, the execution flawless, the ambush utterly unexpected—every aspect carried out to perfection.

Lin Xiaosu seemed completely unresponsive.

The face of the assailant across from him began to emerge from the darkness—a man masked in black, his eyes cold and cruel.

The dagger was only three inches from Lin Xiaosu’s throat when suddenly, a smile appeared on Lin Xiaosu’s face.

With a soft sound, he lifted his palm, slicing it diagonally across the assailant’s neck.

The man’s eyes flew wide open; his dagger slipped from his grasp as he collapsed limply to the ground.

Before the dagger even struck the earth, Lin Xiaosu’s elbow shot backward, skimming past the attacker’s blade. There was a dull thud, and the man behind was sent flying before his dagger could touch Lin Xiaosu—his organs felt as if they’d been violently rearranged in an instant.

A gust of wind rose.

Lin Xiaosu withdrew three meters in a single bound, twisted his hand, and seized the attacker’s right wrist, crushing it with a crisp snap.

The killer managed only half a scream before a slap sent him reeling, teeth scattering from his mouth.

“Now tell me—who sent you to kill me?” Lin Xiaosu grasped one of his left fingers.

“No one... aah—” The finger was shattered instantly. Beads of sweat the size of beans oozed from the killer’s brow—the agony of having a finger broken, a pain most would never know in a lifetime.

Lin Xiaosu took hold of a second finger. “Let me teach you a bit of law: since you came at me with a knife, I’m allowed unlimited self-defense. I could break all ten fingers and all ten toes and it wouldn’t matter. I have plenty of patience for this—let’s go over it twenty times… This is the second time: who sent you?”

The killer felt a chill down his spine.

Twenty times—God! That was an abyss with twenty layers. Sensing the situation, the killer gave in at once: “Ghost-Eye Seven!”

“And who is Ghost-Eye Seven?”

“I don’t know—I’ve never seen his real face, I... I swear, I’m telling the truth, the truth—aaah!” Another finger crunched. The killer stared at Lin Xiaosu in disbelief. If there were any justice, he’d demand it now—why break my finger when I’ve already told you?

“Sorry, couldn’t resist—got a bit carried away…” Lin Xiaosu released his grip and pulled out his phone, dialing a number.

At that moment, Zhou Mei was waiting at the entrance of the police station, beside the detective division.

There were no uniformed officers outside, but all three cars nearby were filled with police.

No headlights, no sound—everyone was on full alert.

Zhou Mei’s eyes were wide open in the darkness of the car; sweat dampened her back.

She was thoroughly prepared.

But her heart was in her throat.

She knew just how terrifying this syndicate was—vicious, ruthless, infiltrating every corner, committing every conceivable crime with impunity. Yet in all these years, no one had managed to bring them down, for they were incredibly cunning.

What little hard evidence could be found amounted to trivial offenses. When caught, their arrogance knew no bounds.

But their truly monstrous crimes were so meticulously concealed that no ironclad proof could ever be found.

Everyone said that behind this syndicate was a mastermind—a shrewd, seasoned manipulator.

Lin Xiaosu had ruined their plans more than once. Most fatally, his skills as a super-sleuth posed an immense threat to the group. Thus, they would only rest easy once he was eliminated.

Tonight, Lin Xiaosu had set a trap.

Drawing the snake from its hole.

Yet no one could say whether it was a snake or a venomous dragon that would emerge.

In drug trafficking, a few dozen grams meant the death penalty.

So, anyone daring to participate was a desperate soul—if caught, they’d perish anyway; such people feared nothing.

If he failed…

Zhou Mei dared not imagine it.

He was not a police officer.

He was only a detective.

This was not his duty; his life should never be gambled away for this.

At that moment, her phone vibrated.

Zhou Mei answered instantly, without hesitation.

A light, relaxed voice came through: “Left side of the Duan Family Bridge Commercial Building—in the alley!”

“Let’s go!” Zhou Mei waved her hand.

The three cars sped off, arriving within five minutes. When Zhou Mei and Captain Zhang stepped into the alley, Lin Xiaosu greeted them with a slight smile. “Captain Zhang, here’s your assassin—still alive. As for injuries, I trust you won’t be too particular…”

Captain Zhang let out a long breath and signaled. Seven or eight officers moved in as one.

He spoke: “Xiaosu, you’ll have to come to the station too.”

Lin Xiaosu replied, “You go ahead; I’ll follow along with Officer Zhou.”

Zhou Mei’s eyes lit up.

Several officers looked confused.

But something secretive flickered in Captain Zhang’s eyes. “Alright!”

Lin Xiaosu and Zhou Mei walked side by side, leaving the alley and stepping onto the sidewalk. They walked for a long distance—five or six li in all.

Zhou Mei’s nerves were taut throughout.

She knew this journey was not a moment of respite after tension, nor was it the kind of sordid business her colleagues might have imagined. It was a search for clues.

He was a master of detection—having just survived an attempt on his life, how could he not follow the trail back to its source?

And her role at this moment? Bodyguard.

She needed to ensure they could respond if a second wave of killers appeared.

If there was a second wave…

But could any clues even be found?

Normally, she had complete faith in Lin Xiaosu—he was a “divine hound” whose nose surpassed even the police dogs at the station, able to pick up scents that were days old, let alone minutes.

But his expression was strange. When they reached the intersection ahead, he stared at the road for a long time before turning back. “Let’s go.”

Zhou Mei let out a breath. “No clues?”

“The search for clues is over. Time to go to your station for a statement. Honestly, I hate these procedural things the most…”

Zhou Mei was filled with doubt.

So—had he found a clue, or not?

If he had, he’d be off to follow it directly.

It seemed he hadn’t. But that was understandable.

His scent-tracking skills were legendary in the city, and the criminals hiding here knew it even better. For every skill, there is a countermeasure. Scent-tracking, too, could be foiled—such as by using a highly pungent odor to interfere. For example, a freshly paved stretch of asphalt was certainly strong-smelling. If she indulged in a bit of conspiracy thinking, she almost wanted to interrogate the foreman.

No one knew that Lin Xiaosu had already gathered his clues.

On that very road, he had seen a car—three days ago.

Inside, a bespectacled man had given the assassin his orders. The task itself was no surprise, but what intrigued Lin Xiaosu was a particular phrase the man had uttered.

He had said: If you get caught, give me up.

Hearing this, the killer had looked utterly bewildered.

Truth be told, when Lin Xiaosu had “heard” this line by reading his lips, he too was baffled.

Could you imagine a mastermind instructing a hired killer to turn him in, should he be caught?

So many riddles remained unsolved.

Only with Captain Zhang, perhaps, could he close the loop in his mind.

As they spoke, the two returned to the Fengshan Police Station. The detective division was next door; Zhou Mei herself was not technically part of the station but a true detective. She often worked in the small office there, though it didn’t mean she belonged to the police station.

The reason was simple—investigations were extremely time-sensitive. Sometimes, a delay of a single second could cause irreparable loss. Thus, some detectives preferred to work where they could respond quickly to emergencies.

And as for the police station? They welcomed detectives working nearby. In a county seat, things could get complicated fast. Having detectives close at hand lent greater authority and confidence.

Thus, this seemingly odd but, on reflection, rather touching arrangement was born.

Today was a special occasion—they headed to the detective division building.

They took the elevator straight to the seventh floor.

Inside a designated conference room, Captain Zhang and Sun Yang were waiting.

As soon as Lin Xiaosu entered, Captain Zhang gestured for him to take a seat across the table. “Xiaosu, let’s go through the process—tell me what happened tonight.”

“Certainly.” Lin Xiaosu laid out all the details.

Zhou Mei had warned him long ago to beware of retaliation from those people. He’d taken it to heart, but had been busy with other matters lately and didn’t want to break the unspoken tension. So, he had deliberately avoided going out alone. Today, he had made himself the bait, drawing out the attackers.

He had informed Zhou Mei in advance, and she had relayed everything to Captain Zhang—hence the swift police response.

The two attackers had come with clear murderous intent.

Without a word, they had struck.

But Lin Xiaosu was ready, and subdued them on the spot—just as described.

Sun Yang recorded everything in swift, practiced strokes.

Captain Zhang nodded gently. “Alright, the statement is complete. Sun, bring us some tea!”

Sun Yang set down his pen and notebook and brought over two cups.

Captain Zhang personally picked one up and offered it to Lin Xiaosu, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Xiaosu, you’ve helped me on several occasions. Only now do I have the leisure to offer you a cup of tea in place of wine—to thank you! And to chat a bit.”

Zhou Mei and Sun Yang smiled.

A moment ago, it had been all procedure and serious business. Now, with work done, it was time to relax.

Lin Xiaosu smiled as well. “If Captain Zhang wants to chat, nothing could please me more. In fact, I wanted to ask—did those two assassins confess?”

“They gave us something, but...”