July 7, 2010. Received a phone call from the client. Call recording 201007071109.mp3.
"Hello, Mr. Zhang."
"Hello, hello. I, um, think I've found something."
"Oh? Are you at home right now? We'll come over to see you."
"Okay."
July 7, 2010. Visited the client's residence. Audio file 06620100707.wav.
"Mr. Zhang, what did you find?"
"This."
"Is this a photo of Lin Yifan?"
"Yes! Look at this! This jade pendant!"
"A Guanyin jade pendant? What's wrong with it?"
"I've seen this pendant before! On Riverside Avenue! I remembered when I saw this photo! Look at this pendant, right here, at the corner of Guanyin's mouth. Isn't there a chip, a little notch? It looks like she's smirking."
"Mm, yes."
"I've seen a pendant just like this!"
"What happened, exactly? Where is the pendant now?"
"It was before I won the lottery. I'd been drinking with that client—the one I told you about. I was dead drunk, and he'd deliberately messed with me, kept making me drink. After I left the place, I wandered around in a daze and ended up on Riverside Avenue, down by the riverbank where you can go down to the water. I sat there, probably cursing that client or something. Anyway, I sat there for a long time, took off my shoes and socks, and put my feet in the water. Then something slipped around my toe. I lifted my foot and saw a red cord and a jade pendant. It was this Guanyin pendant! There can't be another one exactly like it, right? And Lin Yifan jumped into the Luoqu River to kill himself..."
"What did you do after you found the pendant?"
"I can't remember. I was really drunk. I probably... probably said something to the pendant."
"What happened to the pendant afterward?"
"..."
"Mr. Zhang, what did you do with the pendant afterward?"
"It fell into the river... I let go of it. Maybe I threw it on purpose. Anyway, it fell into the Luoqu River... Th-that means... it can't be found, right?"
"We'll look for it."
"Are you sure it was this pendant, and that it happened before you won the lottery?"
"I'm sure. I'm certain! It had to be this pendant... It had to..."
Appendix: One enlarged photo of the jade pendant.
July 8, 2010. Contacted Sun Xiangbao and Wu Ze. Audio file 06620100708.wav.
"Hello, Mr. Sun. Sorry to bother you again. This time, we'd like you to look at this photo. Do you remember this jade pendant that Mr. Lin Yifan wore around his neck?"
"Oh, this..."
"This is the clearest photo we've found. It's a Guanyin jade pendant with a chip at the corner of the mouth. Did you ever hear Mr. Lin mention it?"
"No. I did see a red cord around Lin Yifan's neck. The pendant was probably tucked inside his clothes. I never saw it, and he never mentioned it."
"Okay, thank you."
"Mr. Wu, did you ever hear Mr. Lin mention this jade pendant?"
"No. I never saw it, and he never told me about it."
"Thank you."
July 8, 2010. Received a phone call from the client. Call recording 201007080823.mp3.
"Have you found out anything about that jade pendant?"
"Not yet, Mr. Zhang. An investigation takes time."
"But I... I'm terrified... What if something happens again..."
The people close to Lin Yifan had all died back then. They could only ask other people for information, so progress was slow.
"Then what am I supposed to do? Stay locked up at home for the rest of my life?"
Ring, ring—
"Wait a moment, I have a call... What? Are you kidding me? Didn't I tell you to... Forget it... Hello, are you still there?"
"I'm here, Mr. Zhang."
"I just got a call. My company landed a huge order."
"Hmm? Mr. Zhang, we discussed this before..."
"I know, I know! I told the people under me, too! But that employee of mine... Sigh! What am I supposed to do now? Is someone going to die again? I..."
"Please wait a moment, Mr. Zhang."
"Mr. Zhang, would you be able to come by our office now?"
"Ah, okay. I'll come right over."
July 8, 2010. The client did not arrive at the office. His phone was unreachable.
July 9, 2010. The client arrived at the office. Audio file 06620100709.wav.
"Mr. Zhang, yesterday you..."
"My vice president died yesterday."
"I see..."
"There was a home invasion. The robber stabbed him to death."
"My condolences."
"I... What am I supposed to do? Sob..."
"We've come up with a plan."
"Huh? What plan?"
"Given the circumstances, we can't possibly find a jade pendant in the Luoqu River, and we still can't find out where Lin Yifan got it. So our only option is to take a desperate risk."
"W-what do you mean?"
"Have you heard of the God of Poverty?"
"You mean the God of Poverty that people send away when they welcome the God of Wealth?"
"Yes."
"What are you going to do?"
"We want you to welcome the God of Poverty."
"W-what's that supposed to accomplish?"
"Since that jade pendant brought you wealth, we'll do the opposite. If the God of Poverty latches onto you, you won't be able to make money. That pendant is aggressive. I suspect it won't sit back and do nothing. Once it appears, whether the God of Poverty drives it away or it kills the God of Poverty, we'll have a chance to catch it."
"Will that work? What if it doesn't show up..."
"Then we'll think of something else. Like I said, this is a desperate risk. You can rest assured that we'll protect you from nearby."
"Mr. Zhang, judging by what happened to your vice president, the jade pendant is already beyond your control. Just like the last two years of Lin Yifan's life, even if you do nothing and try your hardest to avoid it, your business will keep growing and money will keep pouring in, while the people around you continue to die. If you don't act now, you may end up just like Lin Yifan."
"I... Okay. How do I welcome the God of Poverty?"
"We'll arrange a new place for you to stay. Have you heard of the old South Town neighborhood?"
"That shantytown?"
"Yes. We'll rent you a place there and get everything ready. You'll stay there from now on. Life will be rather difficult, so please bear with it for a while. Also, this time we'd like you to cut off all contact with the outside world. You can say you're traveling, but whatever you do, don't answer the phone or socialize with anyone."
"Oh... all right."
July 12, 2010. Rented two houses in the old South Town neighborhood, rearranged them, and prepared daily necessities.
July 13, 2010. The client moved into the old South Town neighborhood. Audio file 06620100713.wav.
"This is the place. Don't touch the talisman above the front door. Your daily necessities are all here. You'd better stick to these for now and not go out. We're staying next door. If anything happens, shout as loud as you can, and we'll come right over."
"Okay."
"Mr. Zhang, please bear with it for a while."
"I know. I can do it."
"If someone shabby and destitute-looking knocks on your door, you can invite him in first, then call out to us."
"That person is..."