My childhood friend is in her mature, sophisticated form again today. - Chapter 17
Lin Jiqiu arrived at seven in the morning. The sky was just beginning to brighten, and the air still held the dampness of last night’s rain. Instead of entering the residential area, she turned into a small alley across the street. The alley wasn’t deep; at its end stood an old locust tree with a large canopy that blocked out the sky. She leaned against the trunk, took a small wireless earphone from her pocket, and inserted it into her left ear.
“We’re here,” she said in a low voice.
“I see you.” Cheng Ran’s voice came through the earpiece. “I’ve already hacked the surveillance cameras at two of the three entrances to the community. Just keep an eye on the main gate.”
“Which door did that mysterious person enter through yesterday?”
“Main gate. Around 7:40 AM. It should be around that time today.”
Lin Jiqiu checked the time on her phone. 7:03. She still had more than half an hour.
She pulled a palm-sized folding telescope from her pocket—Cheng Ran had bought it for her; the lenses were coated to prevent glare, making it suitable for daytime use. She held the telescope to her eyes, adjusted the focus, and aimed it at the main gate of the residential complex.
The gate wasn’t large; it was an iron fence, and next to it was a small security booth. An old man sat in the booth, wearing a blue uniform, holding a thermos, looking down at his phone. Occasionally, someone would enter or leave, swiping their access card, causing the iron gate to creak.
“Amo is nearby,” Cheng Ran said.
Lin Jiqiu didn’t move. After a few seconds, she felt something furry brush against her ankle. Looking down, she saw it was Amo. Pure black fur, golden eyes, squatting at her feet, looking up at her.
“When did you arrive?” Lin Jiqiu squatted down and reached out to scratch Amo’s chin. Amo squinted his eyes, made a low snoring sound, and then silently jumped onto a low branch of the old locust tree, hiding himself in the shade of the leaves.
“Chengran, can Amo understand me?”
“I understand. Your clones all understand. They just listen selectively.”
Lin Jiqiu’s lips curved slightly as he raised the binoculars again.
7:23. A middle school student in uniform rides a bicycle out of the residential area, his schoolbag dangling in the basket. 7:31. An elderly woman carrying a shopping basket slowly walks out, chats briefly with the security guard at the gate, and then heads towards the market. 7:38. A black sedan drives out of the residential area; its windows are tinted dark, obscuring the interior.
Lin Jiqiu’s binoculars followed the car’s movement. She silently recited the license plate number, memorizing it.
“A black sedan, license plate ending in 327. Can you see it?”
“I saw it,” Cheng Ran said. “This car was also seen yesterday. It left the community around the same time.”
“Can you find the car owner?”
“I can’t find it. The license plate is fake. But the car itself belongs to a car rental company. Let me check that company’s rental records.”
Lin Jiqiu continued scanning with his binoculars. The car drove away, and the entrance to the residential area returned to calm. The old security guard changed the water in his thermos and returned to his booth to continue looking at his phone.
7:46.
The target has been identified.
He wore a dark jacket, his hood pulled low, and walked at a moderate pace. He emerged from the residential compound, carrying nothing in his hands, his steps light, and his sneakers barely made a sound on the ground.
Lin Jiqiu’s binoculars locked onto him. His face was obscured—the brim of his hat covered most of it, revealing only his chin and lips. His lips were thin and pursed, and his chin had somewhat sharp lines.
“I saw it,” she said in a low voice.
“Follow them. But don’t get too close.”
Lin Jiqiu emerged from the alley, keeping a distance of about fifty meters, and followed behind the man. He didn’t turn around, nor did he show any sign of alertness. He walked out of the residential area, turned right, and walked along the sidewalk. He passed a bus stop without stopping. He passed a breakfast stall without stopping. He passed a convenience store that had just opened and went inside.
Lin Jiqiu stopped by the utility pole across from the convenience store and pretended to look at his phone.
He went into a convenience store.
What to buy?
“I don’t know. I’ll wait outside.”
About two minutes later, the man came out of the convenience store. He was carrying a bulging plastic bag, the contents of which were unclear. He continued walking and turned into a narrower alley.
Lin Jiqiu followed and stopped at the alley entrance.
The alley wasn’t long, about two hundred meters, ending at a construction site undergoing demolition. The man didn’t reach the end—he stopped in front of an iron gate in the middle of the alley, took out a key from his pocket, opened the gate, and slipped inside.
The iron gate closed.
Lin Jiqiu observed the iron gate through binoculars. It was an old-fashioned security door, with peeling paint and cracks in the wall above the door frame. The house number was illegible, scraped off by something.
He went into a building in the alley. The house number was illegible.
“Let me check the building information for that alley.” Cheng Ran paused for a few seconds. “It’s an old residential area in the west of the city. There’s no property management or registration. Many of the houses are illegal constructions, and we can’t find out who lives there at all.”
Lin Jiqiu stood at the alley entrance, not going in. Going in was too risky—the alley was too narrow and offered no cover; he would be easily discovered.
“Do you need me to come in?” Cheng Ran asked.
“No need. You stay over there. I’ll figure something out.”
Lin Jiqiu stood at the alley entrance for a few seconds, then turned around and walked back the way he came.
She didn’t give up. She was looking for a suitable spot—a spot where she could observe the iron gate without being spotted. The alleyway was too narrow, and the building opposite was too far away. She walked about a hundred meters and saw an abandoned two-story building. The building wasn’t large; the exterior walls had been painted white, but the paint had faded to gray. The windows had no glass, they were dark and empty, like two hollow eyes.
“I found an abandoned building outside the alley. I’ll go up and see if I can see the door.”
“Be careful. The foundation of that building might be unstable.”
Lin Jiqiu pushed open the door to the first floor—it wasn’t locked, and the wooden door was mostly rotten; it opened easily with a gentle push. It was dark inside, and the air was thick with dust and a musty smell. She found the stairs, stepped onto them, and the wooden planks creaked.
The second floor was a large open space, completely unfurnished. The window faced south, directly opposite the alleyway. Lin Jiqiu walked to the window and raised his binoculars—the angle was perfect. The iron gate was so clear in the binoculars’ field of view that it seemed right in front of him.
“Found it. Great angle. I can crouch down.”
“I’ll have Amo go up and keep you company.”
About five minutes later, Amo silently climbed in through the window and squatted down at Lin Jiqiu’s feet. His black fur was almost invisible in the drab room, only his golden eyes gleamed in the darkness.
Lin Jiqiu squatted down, took a bottle of water from his backpack, unscrewed the cap, and placed it on the ground. Amo didn’t drink the water; he just squatted quietly, looking out the window.
“Now we just have to wait,” Lin Jiqiu said in a low voice.
“Okay. I’ll continue to follow up on Mirror Technology’s financial leads. Call me anytime if you need anything.”
“good.”
Time passed by, second by second.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a rectangular patch of light on the concrete floor. The patch of light moved slowly, from the doorway to the center of the room, then to the corner on the other side. Lin Jiqiu crouched by the window, his binoculars almost never leaving the iron door.
8:45. 9:20. 9:50.
No one came out.
She shifted her position; her legs felt a little numb. Amo stood up, stretched, and silently walked to another window, squatted down, and continued watching.
“Cheng Ran”.
“Um.”
“Do you think he works inside?”
“What’s the meaning?”
“He goes out to buy food in the morning and then comes back. It’s like… he works here. He doesn’t live here.”
Cheng Ran was silent for a few seconds. “Possibly. If so, that place might be one of their strongholds.”
“A base located in an old residential area in the west of the city. Inconspicuous and unnoticed. Not too far from the office buildings, not too close.”
“You want to go in and take a look?”
“Not now. It’s too risky. Let’s wait until tonight.”
“I’m requesting assistance.”
Lin Jiqiu’s lips curved slightly. “A-Zuo or A-You?”
“Ah Zuo. He’s rather quiet.”
“Ah-you will be unhappy if he finds out.”
“Then don’t let him know.”
Lin Jiqiu didn’t answer. She took out a compressed biscuit from her backpack, unwrapped it, and took a bite. The taste was so-so, but it would fill her stomach. Amo turned to look at her, his golden eyes reflecting her chewing the biscuit.
Do you want some?
Amo turned his head and continued looking out the window.
Lin Jiqiu smiled and stuffed the remaining biscuits into her mouth.
10:40. 11:15. 11:50.
The iron gate opened.
The man came out again. This time he wasn’t wearing a hat, revealing an ordinary face—around thirty years old, with short hair, wearing black-rimmed glasses, and that dark jacket. He stood in the doorway, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and lit it.
Lin Jiqiu pointed his binoculars at his face.
“Chengran, he’s out. He’s not wearing a hat. I want to take a picture.”
“shoot.”
Lin Jiqiu took out her phone from her pocket, switched to camera mode, and aimed it at the person’s face through the eyepiece of the binoculars. The image on the phone screen was a little shaky; she held her breath and gently pressed the shutter button.
I took five pictures in a row.
“I got the picture. I’ll send it to you.”
“Received. I’ll have facial recognition done.”
After finishing his cigarette, the man threw the butt on the ground, stomped it out, and then turned and went back into the house. The iron gate closed again.
Lin Jiqiu put down her binoculars and rubbed her eyes. Her eyes were a little dry after staring at the screen all morning. She blinked, took out a bottle of eye drops from her backpack, and put in two drops.
“Chengran, what were the recognition results?”
“This person is not in the database.”
“Not a repeat offender?”
“No. He’s not in the missing persons database either. He could be an ordinary person, or he could be using a fake identity. If it’s a fake identity, his face is fake, so we can’t recognize him.”
Lin Jiqiu frowned. “You can fake a face?”
“If you can fake it, why can’t others?”
“My face is real.”
There was a moment of silence in the headphones.
“……I know.”
Lin Jiqiu didn’t continue the topic. She raised the binoculars again and aimed them at the iron gate.
It was 12:08. The iron gate opened again. This time, two people came out—the man with glasses and a young woman. The woman was wearing a white shirt and dark pants, and was carrying a folder. The two stood at the doorway and exchanged a few words, then walked together towards the alley entrance.
Lin Jiqiu’s binoculars followed them.
“Chengran, two people came out. A man and a woman. The woman was holding a folder.”
“shoot.”
Lin Jiqiu took a few more pictures. This time the angle wasn’t good; the woman’s face was mostly obscured by the folder, and only her profile was captured.
“The woman’s face wasn’t clearly visible in the photo. The man’s face was clearly visible.”
“That’s enough. I’ll check on the guy first. Are you coming or not?”
Lin Jiqiu hesitated for a moment. “I won’t follow them. They’ve headed towards the alley entrance; they’re probably just going to eat. I’ll keep squatting and see if anyone else is around.”
“good.”
The two people walked out of the alley and disappeared into the street.
Lin Jiqiu put down her binoculars and leaned against the windowsill. Amo stood up, silently walked to her side, and nuzzled her arm.
“Are you hungry too?” Lin Jiqiu looked down at him. Amo’s golden eyes were fixed on her without blinking.
She pulled a small bag of cat food from her backpack—she’d casually tossed it in when she left that morning, never expecting it would actually come in handy. She opened the package and poured it on the floor. Amo lowered its head, sniffed it, and then slowly began to eat.
“Cheng Ran”.
“Um.”
“Any progress on Mirror Technology’s end?”
“Yes. I located the accountant’s IP address. He’s in an office building in the east of the city. It’s not Xingyuan Technology’s address; it’s another company’s.”
“What company?”
“On the surface, it’s a consulting firm called ‘Mingyuan Consulting.’ The registration information is genuine, and the legal representative is a person named ‘Li Hua.’ But this person’s background—I checked—is that he used to work for an organization called ‘Stargazer.'”
Lin Jiqiu tapped his finger on the windowsill.
Another stargazer.
“So the mirrors really are connected to stargazers.”
“They’re becoming more and more like the same root system, just with different branches growing out of it.”
Lin Jiqiu was silent for a few seconds. “Can we find out exactly what ‘Mingyuan Consulting’ does?”
“The official website is very empty, with only a few template pages. But one name in their client list looks very familiar – Huanxin Growth Camp.”
Lin Jiqiu narrowed his eyes.
What has Mingyuan Consulting provided to Huanxin Growth Camp?
“I don’t know. The details of their collaboration are confidential. But I’m currently attacking their servers.”
How long will it take?
“Within today.”
Lin Jiqiu leaned against the windowsill, looking at the iron gate outside the window.
It was 12:35. No one came out.
She looked down at the “yin” on her wrist. The sphere sat quietly in the groove of the wristband, without vibrating.
“Cheng Ran”.
“Um.”
Is your ‘yang’ organ activating right now?
Cheng Ran paused for a second. “No.”
“My circuit isn’t vibrating either. Is it out of power?”
“It doesn’t need electricity.”
“Then what does it rely on?”
“I’m counting on you.”
Lin Jiqiu’s fingers gently rubbed against the wristband. The sphere remained still.
“Let me know about your situation anytime,” she said.
“good.”
It was 1:20 PM. The iron gate opened.
This time, a middle-aged man emerged. He was around fifty years old, wearing a gray jacket, with graying hair and gold-rimmed glasses. He carried a briefcase and walked with a steady gait, as if he knew the area well.
Lin Jiqiu pointed his binoculars at his face.
“Chengran, a middle-aged man came out. Around fifty years old, wearing a gray jacket and gold-rimmed glasses. He got the photo.”
“Received. This person… wait a minute.” Cheng Ran’s voice paused for a moment, “I’ve seen this face before.”
Where?
“In the stargazers’ database. Three years ago.”
Lin Jiqiu’s fingers tightened slightly on the binoculars.
“Is he one of the stargazers?”
“He used to be. His file shows that he was in charge of… finances at the Stargazers.”
Lin Jiqiu took a deep breath.
The Mirror Society’s finance staff. The Stargazers’ finance staff. The same person.
“Cheng Ran, this case is getting bigger and bigger.”
“Um.”
Are you scared?
Cheng Ran was silent for two seconds. “I’m not afraid.”
“Why?”
“Because you are here.”
Lin Jiqiu remained silent.
She raised her left hand and looked at the quiet sphere on her wrist.
“Cheng Ran”.
“Um.”
Is your ‘yang’ (vitality/yang energy) throbbing right now?
“……exist.”
Lin Jiqiu’s lips curved slightly.
“Mine is here too.”
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