It was half past seven that evening, in the top-floor suite of the Shanming Hotel.
Ten people from three branches sat or stood around the table, looking at the two sealed bags on its marble surface.
The bag on the left contained a scrap of paper so dark purple it was almost black, with the character for "wood" facing upward.
The bag on the right held a thick, yellow-covered file that looked to contain nearly a hundred pages.
Wei Guang pulled his jacket tighter around him and pointed at the scrap of paper as he explained:
"Fang Shao's death must have been closely connected to this piece of paper.
As Yuan Kuan said, although he burned to death, 'wood' may have been the true cause.
According to the Five Elements Generation Cycle, Wood Generates Fire.
So I suspect Fang Shao's fate was linked to that dead tree, which brought the flames down on him."
Standing behind Wei Guang with his hands on his hips, Yuan Kuan added:
"Before leaving the military, I was stationed on the southern frontier. There were things circulating there that we've never encountered here.
I once saw a local elder cure a dying patient with the Five Elements Generation Cycle."
Xue Tingtao sat beside Wei Guang. Agreeing with both men, he interjected:
"Manager Ji also uncovered some relevant information."
Ji Li was the only smoker among the ten. He held a cigarette between his fingers as he listened to the others share their clues.
Once they had more or less finished, Ji Li tapped off the ash and said quietly:
"There are three pieces of information in total.
First, we've confirmed that this mission is deeply connected to religious culture.
The killer murders people to 'take something' and achieve some purpose. Whatever Cheng Xiaoming lost, for