My childhood friend is in her mature, sophisticated form again today. - Chapter 51

Cheng Ran zoomed in on the image, trying to make out the clothing of the two people. “Dark coats, black leather shoes. Not uniforms, no insignia. Can’t tell which branch they belong to.”

“It could be Wenqu’s people, or it could be Pojun’s. Zhao Heng said that Wenqu is responsible for coordination, and picking people up should be Wenqu’s responsibility. But Master Yu is the token maker. Although his technology has been updated, what he knows is still sensitive. It is also possible that Pojun sent someone to ‘escort’ them.”

“No matter whose people he is, Master Yu will not appear again.” Cheng Ran turned off the screen and leaned back in his chair. “He has either been placed in a safe house in Beichen Court, or he has been eliminated.”

Lin Jiqiu was silent for a few seconds. “He won’t be killed. He’s still useful. Even if the technology advances, he’ll still be someone who knows how to create tokens. The Northern Star Court won’t waste such talent.”

Are you comforting yourself, or stating the facts?

“State the facts.”

A-Zuo stood behind the counter without saying a word. A-You came out of the kitchen with a pot of tea and poured a cup for everyone. His fingers trembled slightly when he placed the teacup in front of Lin Jiqiu.

“Boss, is Master Yu really alright?”

Lin Jiqiu picked up his teacup but didn’t drink. “He’ll be fine. But he’ll never be free again.”

Ah You lowered his head, turned around, and went back to the kitchen.

Ahua jumped down from the windowsill and rubbed against Lin Jiqiu’s feet. Lin Jiqiu bent down, picked her up, and placed her on his lap. Ahua curled up into a ball, making purring noises. Amo squatted on top of the bookshelf, his golden eyes half-open and half-closed. Aju was secretly eating the cookies that Ayou had placed on the counter, making crunching noises as she ate them.

Lin Jiqiu reached out and scratched Ahua’s chin. “Chengran, is there anything else we can investigate about that unfinished token that Master Yu gave us?”

“Yes. Its material. I’ve already had A-Zuo send the sample to the lab. Once the composition analysis report comes out, we might be able to trace the metal’s origin. But if this metal was smelted by the Northern Star Court itself, its origin will be impossible to find.”

“Then we’ll wait for the report.”

“It might take a week.”

Lin Jiqiu nodded. She placed Ahua on the sofa, stood up, and walked to the window. The flower shop across the street was open, and the proprietress was moving flowerpots. The sunlight was bright, and the water droplets on the petals glistened. Looking at those droplets, she thought of the dusty antiques in Master Yu’s shop. He had said, “Some things, once created, can’t be taken back.” She was that created thing; she didn’t want to be taken back, nor did she want to be replaced.

“Lin Jiqiu.” Cheng Ran’s voice came from behind.

She turned around.

“What are your plans regarding Zhao Heng?”

“I won’t contact him for now. He already made his stance clear at Jingyuan last time. He won’t be polite next time we meet. What he said wasn’t a threat, it was the truth.”

“What about the Giant Gate? You said you’d start with money.”

Lin Jiqiu walked back to the sofa and sat down. “We haven’t found the funding channels of the Giant Gate yet, the ‘Echo’ that Zhao Heng mentioned. Zhao Heng gave us an address, but that address is most likely fake. The Echo won’t be waiting for us in the same place.”

“Not necessarily.” Cheng Ran opened his tablet. “I checked the address Zhao Heng gave me. It’s a mailroom in an office building, specifically for receiving express deliveries and registered mail. Echo might not work there, but it could be his contact point.”

What did you find out?

“The mailroom’s records show that over the past six months, several regular senders have been sending packages to that address every week. The senders’ names are all fake, but the weight and volume of the packages are very consistent. I suspect they contain financial statements or data storage devices.”

“Is it possible to trace the package’s final destination?”

“No. Once the package is signed for at the mailroom, there’s no record of it. The people at the mailroom said that someone comes to pick up all the packages every afternoon, but it’s not the same person, and the time isn’t fixed.”

“They have a strong counter-surveillance awareness.”

“Hmm.” Cheng Ran turned off the tablet. “But if that mailroom really is Echo’s contact point, he’ll come sooner or later. We need to stake out there.”

Lin Jiqiu thought for a moment. “How many people?”

“You and me. A-Zuo will be outside to provide backup. A-You will be at home.”

Ah-You poked her head out from the kitchen. “Why am I home again?”

“Because your cooking skills are better than your tracking skills.”

Ah You opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but realized that he really didn’t have the tracking technology, so he closed his mouth again.

Lin Jiqiu’s lips curved slightly. “Then it’s settled. When do we start the stakeout?”

“Tomorrow. The mailroom’s working hours are Monday to Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Echo doesn’t come at a fixed time, so we need to keep watch continuously.”

“A few days?”

“Uncertain. Maybe a day, maybe a week.”

Lin Jiqiu picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp. “Then a week it is.”

That night, Lin Jiqiu tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Not from nervousness, but from a jumbled mess of thoughts. Master Yu, Zhao Heng, the telescope, Echo, Wenqu, Pojun, Jumen—these names and codes swirled in her mind like an unfinished game of chess. She didn’t know who the players were, or who the pieces were. Perhaps everyone was a piece, including herself.

She pulled the photograph from under her pillow. Her father was standing on the ship’s deck, wearing a white coat. Did he know what he was doing? Did he know the origin of that technology? Did he know she would become like this? Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t.

She turned the photo over and looked at the words on the back—”1999, East China Sea, research vessel ‘Xiangyang’.” Xiangyang. Facing the sun. Her father had also included the character “Qiu” (秋) in her name. In autumn, the sun isn’t so intense, but it’s still there. Perhaps he already knew he had made a mistake then, and wanted to give her a future that wasn’t so fiery.

She doesn’t know. She never will know.

“Can’t sleep?” Cheng Ran’s voice came through the communicator, very softly, as if afraid of waking others.

“You didn’t sleep either.”

“I’m looking at emails from the lab. The metal composition analysis has yielded some results.”

Lin Jiqiu sat up. “So fast?”

“Preliminary results. Detailed results will be available next week.” There was something different in Cheng Ran’s voice—not excitement, but a more restrained emotion. “This metal isn’t from Earth.”

Lin Jiqiu’s fingers tightened slightly on the bedsheet. “What do you mean?”

“Compositional analysis shows that this metal contains an element that does not exist on Earth. It is not artificially synthesized, it is not an isotope, it is something that does not exist on the periodic table. Its atomic number cannot be found in the existing system.”

“Originium?”

“Possibly. Originium is not a single substance, but a general term for a class of materials containing this unknown element. The material of this token is an alloy of Originium.”

Lin Jiqiu remained silent for a long time. She thought of the metal door of the underwater facility—was that door also made of Originium alloy? Were the technologies Chen Weisong mentioned—those technologies “that shouldn’t exist in this world”—also derived from Originium? “Chengran, is this element only found in the Northern Star Court?”

“Currently, only they know how to extract and utilize it. It has not been found anywhere else on Earth.”

“So they possess a resource unknown to humankind. Two thousand years ago.”

“Yes. That’s why they’ve been able to exist for two thousand years. Not because they’re smart, but because they have something that others don’t.”

Lin Jiqiu lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The streetlights outside cast blurry patches of light through the curtains. Looking at those patches, she thought of her father. When he was researching Originium, did he ever consider what these things would bring to humanity? Perhaps he did, perhaps he didn’t have time to think about it. “Cheng Ran.”

“Um.”

“If this element is only found in the Northern Star Court, then they are the sole supplier. The technologies used by the Mirror Society, the Stargazers, and the Rusty Bones are all derived from Originium. Without Originium, those technologies would not exist.”

“You want to cut off their supply chain?”

“It’s not about cutting it off. It’s about finding the source of the supply chain. Lu Cun is in charge of scientific research. Lu Cun must have the location of Originium deposits or extraction methods.”

“You want to find Lu Cun.”

“It’s not about finding him. It’s about finding his weakness.” Lin Jiqiu rolled over. “Master Yu said, ‘Some things, once created, can’t be taken back.’ The Northern Star Court has created too many things; they can’t possibly take them all back. Those things are their weaknesses.”

Cheng Ran was silent for a few seconds. “Are you saying that their expansion itself is a flaw?”

“Yes. They use Originium technology to control the world, but Originium technology itself leaves traces. Those traces are what we’re looking for.”

“Then you need someone who can track the traces of Originium technology. Not me, my senses don’t react to Originium.”

“Perhaps not. The token Master Yu gave us is a trace. It contains Originium elements, and its existence itself is evidence.”

Cheng Ran did not answer.

Lin Jiqiu closed her eyes. “We still have to keep watch tomorrow. Go to sleep early.”

“……good.”

The communicator went silent. The ball on her wrist vibrated gently, in sync with her heartbeat. She placed her hand on the ball, feeling its faint warmth. Cheng Ran was still awake, lost in thought. Perhaps he was thinking about what she had just said, or perhaps something else. She didn’t know. She didn’t ask.

The next morning, when Lin Jiqiu came downstairs, Cheng Ran was already sitting on the sofa. He was wearing a dark, light jacket, his hair was combed, and the dark circles under his eyes had faded somewhat. There were two cups of coffee and two rice balls on the coffee table.

“Let’s go after we finish eating.” Cheng Ran pushed one of the rice balls over.

Lin Jiqiu sat down, picked up a rice ball, and took a bite. The rice was a bit hard, and there wasn’t much filling, but it was enough to fill her stomach. “Where’s A-Zuo?”

“In the car. Ah You is watching the house today.”

Ah You poked his head out of the kitchen, holding a spatula, looking rather dissatisfied. “Boss, when are you coming back?”

“I don’t know. Dinner doesn’t need to be served.”

Ah You shrank back.

Lin Jiqiu finished his rice ball and coffee, then stood up. “Let’s go.”

The two went outside. A-Zuo’s car was parked at the door, the engine already running. Lin Jiqiu opened the back door and got in, while Cheng Ran sat in the passenger seat. A-Zuo drove the car out onto the street, heading east towards the city.

The mailroom was located on the first floor of an old office building. The storefront was small, with the words “Mailroom” pasted on the glass door, the red paint faded. Inside was a room of about twenty square meters, with shelves against the wall piled high with various express parcels and registered letters. A man in his fifties sat behind the counter, wearing reading glasses and reading a newspaper.

A-Zuo parked the car on the side of the road opposite the office building. The entrance to the mailroom could be seen from the car window, but the angle wasn’t ideal. Lin Jiqiu rolled down the window to improve the view.

“Chengran, did you bring the signal receiver?”

“I brought it. If Echo comes to pick up the package, I will intercept his communication signal.”

“good.”

Three people waited in the car. Time passed slowly. Nine o’clock, ten o’clock, eleven o’clock. Many people came and went from the mailroom, mostly deliverymen and office workers. No one picked up the regularly arriving packages. At noon, the elderly man at the mailroom locked the door and went out for lunch. He returned half an hour later, opened the door, and continued reading his newspaper. Two o’clock, three o’clock, four o’clock. No one was there.

At five o’clock, the mailroom closed. The old man pulled down the roller shutter, locked it, and rode away on an electric scooter.

Lin Jiqiu leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. “First day, no results.”

“That’s normal.” Cheng Ran looked at the tablet. “The echo doesn’t come at a fixed time. We have to wait.”

“To be continued tomorrow.”

A-Zuo started the car and drove towards the office.

The second day, the third day, the fourth day. No results. On the afternoon of the fifth day, Lin Jiqiu was dozing in the car when Cheng Ran suddenly nudged her arm.

“They’re here.”

Lin Jiqiu immediately snapped out of her daze and looked towards the mailroom. A man in a dark jacket got out of a black sedan, carrying a black briefcase. He went into the mailroom, spoke a few words to the old man behind the counter, and then took three packages from the shelf. The packages were small, each about the size of a shoebox, and sealed with gray tape.

“Did you get a picture?” Lin Jiqiu asked in a low voice.

“I got it.” Cheng Ran’s fingers flew across the tablet. “His license plate was also captured. The face isn’t clear enough, but his build and gait are recorded.”

The man took the package, left the mailroom, and got into the black sedan. The car pulled out of its parking space and drove away in another direction.

“Shall we go with it?” A-Zuo asked.

Lin Jiqiu looked at the taillights of the car. “Follow.”

A-Zuo started his car and followed at a distance. The black sedan drove for about twenty minutes before turning into a residential area. The area was small, with only a few buildings. There were security guards at the entrance, but they didn’t stop the car. A-Zuo parked his car outside the residential area.

“We can’t get in,” A-Zuo said.

Lin Jiqiu looked at the gate of the residential compound. The security guard sat in the booth, looking at his phone. “A-Zuo, drive the car to the back gate and wait for me. Cheng Ran, come in with me.”

The two people got out of the car. Lin Jiqiu walked to the entrance of the residential area, and the security guard looked up. “Hello, who are you looking for?”

“A friend lives here. I forgot which building, let me call and ask.” She took out her phone, pretended to dial a number, and stood at the door for a while. The security guard didn’t ask any questions and continued looking at his phone.

She walked into the residential complex. Cheng Ran followed behind, keeping a few steps away. The complex wasn’t large, with only six buildings, all six-story multi-story residential buildings. The black sedan was parked downstairs at building number 3, its engine already off.

Lin Jiqiu sat down by the flower bed opposite Building 3, pretending to rest. Cheng Ran stood next to her, holding a tablet.

“He went up to the third floor,” Cheng Ran said in a low voice, “Room 302.”

“Is it possible to find the homeowner?”

“We’re investigating. The property management’s system has a vulnerability, so I got in. The owner of apartment 302 is named ‘Chen Li,’ but we can’t find any further information. It might be a fake identity.”

Lin Jiqiu looked at the window of room 302. The curtains were drawn tightly, obscuring the view inside. She thought for a moment, then took out her communicator from her pocket. “A-Zuo.”

“exist.”

“Can you check the property registration information for this residential complex? Room 302.”

“It will take time.”

“No rush. Let’s wait here for a while and see if that person comes out again.”

After waiting for about an hour, it got dark. The streetlights in the neighborhood came on, but the windows of apartment 302 remained dark, and the curtains were still drawn tightly.

“He probably won’t come out,” Cheng Ran said. “Maybe he just came to deliver something, and he’s not staying here.”

Lin Jiqiu stood up and stretched his stiff legs. “Let’s go. We’ll come back tomorrow.”

The two walked out of the residential compound and got into the car. A-Zuo started the car and drove towards the firm. Lin Jiqiu leaned back in her seat, watching the streetlights outside the window recede one by one. On the fifth day, there was finally progress. Although it was just a car, a residential compound, and a room whose occupancy was unknown, at least they had a direction.

Back at the office, Ah You had already prepared dinner. Lin Jiqiu changed her shoes and sat down at the table.

“Boss, did you have any success today?” Ah You asked while serving rice.

“Yes, we found someone’s place to stay. We’ll confirm it tomorrow.”

Ah You didn’t ask any more questions and placed the rice bowl in front of her.

Cheng Ran sat down opposite him and picked up his chopsticks. “I checked that person’s license plate. It was a fake. The original car was a white minivan, completely unrelated to that black sedan. We can’t find the owner.”

“As expected.”

“The owner of room 302, ‘Chen Li,’ also has a fake identity. His social security records are empty, his bank account has only a small amount of money, and there are no spending records. He seems to exist only on paper.”

Lin Jiqiu picked up a piece of pork rib. “So that person wasn’t Chen Li. Chen Li is using a fake identity; that room was just a base.”

“possible.”

“Are you going again tomorrow?”

“Go. See if he comes back.”

Lin Jiqiu nodded.

After finishing her meal, Lin Jiqiu went upstairs. She changed her clothes, lay on the bed, and stared at the ceiling. Today, that man had taken three packages from the mailroom. What was in those packages? Financial statements? Data storage devices? Or something else? She didn’t know. But the man’s movements as he took the packages were practiced, as if he had done it many times before. Perhaps he was “Echo”—the Giant Gate’s field agent. Perhaps not. But at least it was a clue.

She turned over and pulled the blanket over herself. The ball on her wrist vibrated slightly.

“Cheng Ran”.

“exist.”

“Do you think Echo will know we’re looking for him?”

“Possibly. The intelligence network of the Northern Star Court is far larger than ours. Zhao Heng knows we’re investigating, the telescope knows we’re investigating, and Wenqu knows we’re investigating. It’s impossible for Echo not to know.”

“Then why did he still go to pick up the package?”

“Because that’s his duty. Duty outweighs risk.”

Lin Jiqiu was silent for a few seconds. “Just like us.”

“Just like us.”

She closed her eyes. Tomorrow, the sixth day. Continue the stakeout.