Red Sister

Huainan is not like Hengyin--

--This place is even smaller and more isolated, with only national highway buses as the main means of transportation besides trains.

Under Xingchen's instructions, Xue Ming was to handle the matter alone. Xiao Qi wanted to come along, but Su Xingchen stopped her. The reason was that the girl's Madness Index was too high, and she might cause unnecessary trouble.

After getting off the bus at Huainan Bus Station, Xue Ming bought a large umbrella nearby and took a taxi to Nancheng.

He carefully reviewed the passenger's information on the bus.

--Her name Wu Donghong, and she is forty-one years old.

Unemployed individuals who do not hold formal jobs.

He has no family, was imprisoned 15 years ago, and was just released last month.

The woman in the photo looks very "shrewish".

--She's the shrewish and mean-spirited woman, with slanted eyes, thin lips, shallow nasolabial folds, a very short philtrum, and big curly hair. You wouldn't guess she's a 41-year-old woman.

The social network described in the passenger's background documents is completely blank after 2010, but there is a wealth of detailed information about his life before he was imprisoned.

Fifteen years ago, when she was twenty-six, she had murky financial dealings with various senior executives of Xiangjiang Construction and Huainan Heavy Industries Group.

If you look back further, all you know is that Red Sister didn't finish junior high school before marrying into a working-class family near the train station in the city, where she worked at a tailor shop in the market.

Since Wu Donghong was nineteen years old, a series of vicious murders have occurred at the train station, which are linked to local criminal gangs.

Her husband and mother-in-law were caught up in it and were victims. She was the only survivor, and her personality changed drastically from then on, becoming almost a completely different person.

For the next seven years, she worked as a preschool teacher, remarried into a teacher's family, and through her husband's connections, worked as a technical instructor in a garment factory before joining Huainan Heavy Industries Group. She then surrendered herself to the police with 70 million yuan in embezzled funds, dragging two companies related to the murder case into the mess.

Points to note--

--The things Red Sister did had a clear purpose.

In Xue Ming's eyes, before the age of twenty-six, this female criminal had gone through a long period of wandering in society, reporting on people involved in the train station robbery and murder case years ago, all in an effort to avenge her husband and mother-in-law.

Seven years later, she completed her revenge in her own way, becoming a tainted witness and sending the people involved in the case to prison along with herself. After regaining her freedom, the owners of teahouses, mahjong parlors, entertainment venues, and other shops along the two scenic belts of the Yuming River still call Wu Donghong "Red Sister" when they see her.

Through the investigations conducted by the police officers and Su Xingchen, Wu Donghong's character profile became quite interesting.

After her release from prison, she didn't like to travel around. The only person she kept in touch with was an employee at the senior citizens' activity center, who was ten years older than her, fifty-one years old this year, and passed away during the Spring Festival.

This employee used to work at the Huainan Newspaper Office, where he received foreign businessmen for the leaders and maintained very close relationships with the owners of various hotels and nightclubs in the area. He provided Red Sister with a lot of evidence of her involvement in organized crime.

Red Sister went to the Nine Realms Station in search of Universal Elixir to cure the old man's stroke and hemiplegia. Unfortunately, the old man passed away before he could receive the medicine from Little Red.

After killing the Armadillo Hunters, due to insufficient evidence, Red Sister has been living in the old house behind the train station. She rarely goes out except for three meals a day, but the number of people visiting her is ridiculously high. In the past month or so, she has received more than forty visits from all sorts of people.

This is all the information currently marked on the file. When the taxi arrived at its destination, Xue Ming, holding an umbrella, plunged into the rain, deciding to go to the crime scene first.

Based on information provided by the police, he went to an antique market near the thermal power plant, where Wu Donghong had committed the crime.

It was four o'clock in the afternoon. The cold rain of early spring had driven away many customers. At the entrance of the alley next to the vegetable market was the antique market. It was pitch black from the outside. Because of the murder case and the Spring Festival holiday, there were not many shops open.

Walk about forty meters in and turn two corners, and you'll see a shop called [Qingyuan Jade]. The door is tightly closed, and only a security guard on patrol is left there to assist with the investigation.

Xue Ming greeted the security guard, explained his purpose, and showed him the contact information of the police officers from the local police station in his phone book and WeChat, asking the guard to open the door for him.

As soon as the roller shutter door was opened, Xue Ming smelled a strong stench of blood and sensed faint traces of spiritual energy.

The scene was well preserved, almost perfectly recreating the original situation.

Xue Ming bought two packs of cigarettes for the security guard and told him to go rest at the stall. Then he went into the jade shop and started looking around from the entrance, slowly trying to understand the scene at that time.

He went inside and looked down to examine the marks on the mahogany chair armrests. They were cracks left when Red Sister stumbled and grabbed the armrests as she fled in panic.

Further ahead was a U-shaped display case; the footprints on the ground, though messy, revealed some patterns.

Red Sister was forced to this spot by the hunter behind her. The hunter was about 188 centimeters tall, very tall.

Heading towards the tea table, one finds numerous shards of teaware scattered on the ground. Boiling water, mixed with human skin flakes and other bodily fluids, has left striking red marks on the cement road.

Looking further towards the cash register, the surface was covered in dark brown bloodstains. The cash drawer was open, and many twisted and deformed coins were scattered on the floor.

The only security camera in the store is broken; according to the date on the video footage, it broke down last June.

All the traces left at the scene, relying on Xue Ming's Inspiration, allowed him to deduce strange and bizarre chase scenes.

"She lured the hunter into this shop," Xue Ming muttered to himself, glancing at the entrance. "From the entrance to the U-shaped counter, there's already blood on the floor. It's not her blood—the hunter was already injured before entering the market."

He immediately squatted down to observe the shape of the blood.

"There are two types of wounds. One is a stab wound left before entering the shop, from which blood will flow down the trouser leg. The other is a splatter of blood in a radial pattern—a new wound that appeared later."

The layering of footprints and the later addition of blood and mud further corroborate this point: Red Sister did not kill in self-defense, but rather premeditatedly and with prior preparation, luring the hunter into this trap and ambushing and killing him.

"The induction cooker on the tea table couldn't have been boiling water all the time. She used the boiling water and tea set to stop the hunter, which was also a pre-arranged prop to meet him here." Xue Ming followed these traces to the cashier. "There are many cracks on the corners of the table, indicating that these coins were stuffed into the hunter's mouth by Red Sister's hands, as if..."

As he said this, Xue Ming lifted an invisible "head" and slammed it hard against the iron drawer of the cash register.

This was followed by a series of punches. He pulled out nickel-plated coins from the cash register and slammed them onto the soft flesh of his imaginary enemy's face, attempting to slit their eyes and prevent them from crying out for help.

--Following the trail of blood on the ground, we arrived at the shattered glass of the U-shaped counter.

He pressed the unseen "enemy" in his hand into the T-shaped counter of the jade exhibition stand.

"That's the whole process. So how did this hunter lose his fighting ability?"

Xue Ming rushed back to the laboratory almost immediately and found the hunter's body.

The body pulled from the cold storage was so dry that it was deformed, and many external injuries could be seen, including stab wounds from a boning knife at the market, which matched the scene of the crime, burns or tears from teacup shards, contusions to the face, nose, throat and eyes, and damage to the eardrums of both ears, as if they had been hit hard by both palms and lost their hearing.

What Xue Ming cared about most was not the harm inflicted during these execution stages, but the harm that caused the hunter to lose the will to fight.

It came from the hunter's abdomen, specifically above the navel, a bruise barely visible to the naked eye.

Before entering the market, Red Sister had fought with the hunter and left this punch.

It is a crucial acupoint that strikes the Solar Plexus, destroying the sympathetic nerves in various organs, causing vomiting, discomfort, and even temporary shock and death. Before the official start of the battle, Red Sister had already touched the enemy's Gate of Death.

The strike point was extremely precise, right in the center of the xiphoid process of the twelfth thoracic vertebra.

Xue Ming gently pressed on it and immediately noticed that the sternum was cracked; any strenuous activity afterward would only hasten the hunter's death.

Nevertheless, there is still no evidence to prove that this was a premeditated murder.

As Su Xingchen said, when Red Sister was driven into the antique market by the hunters, more than ten neighbors could testify that she was being chased and fled all the way to the Qingyuan Jade store.

Xue Ming decided to visit in person. He returned to the supermarket near the train station and bought some fruit and milk near Red Sister's old house. Following the address, he found the sixth floor of the resettlement housing building.

--That was originally supposed to be a five-story building, but an extra floor was illegally added later.

Looking from the high ground of the former thermal power plant site, on the rooftop of the six residential buildings next to the viewing pond, there is a glass greenhouse, which is Red Sister's current residence.

Walking down to the neighborhood, one sees remnants of firecrackers everywhere, a festive touch brought by migrant workers returning to their hometowns after the Spring Festival to the elderly who remain in the area.

Squeezing into the narrow, cramped stairwell and climbing up, Xue Ming saw many cigarette butts on the stairs, left by people who had previously visited Red Sister.

Going up to the fifth floor, where there were originally two households on the left and right sides, the neighbor's house had been bought by Red Sister and converted into one household.

Xue Ming knocked on the door, just about to greet him.

A mature, somewhat androgynous, deep female voice came from inside the door.

"The door's open, come in."

Just entered the door--

--Xue Ming heard the distinctive noise of an old record player and looked to the living room on the left. No one was home. Only a vinyl record player was working in the hall. The narrow entrance hall in the middle of the corridor connected to another room on the right. A small staircase led up to the illegal structure on the sixth-floor rooftop.

Xue Ming took off his shoes, put on disposable slippers, and went to the rooftop.

Inside the glass conservatory, he finally met the person in question.

It was a woman wearing a burgundy nightgown in the chill of early spring.

She looks just like the photo in the file, but she's even more cunning in person.

She stood in the flower shop's dining room, her back to the guests, on the oak plank walkway, barefoot, her arms raised as if embracing an unseen lover, dancing ballroom to the music from the record.

Xue Ming didn't speak or greet anyone, but simply waited politely for the hostess to finish enjoying this quiet time, not wanting to disturb her spring break.

You should know that according to the BOSS's approach, after each passenger completes their first task, it can't wait to grab these little cuties and bring them back to the station to continue working.

After the dance ended, Wu Donghong finally turned around, rolled up the wide sleeves of her nightgown, and poured tea for Xue Ming.

"Who sent you?"

Xue Ming: "I work at the station."

When Red Sister poured the tea, she deliberately leaned over and glanced at Xue Ming an extra time.

--Her face was covered in heavy makeup, but it couldn't hide the slight deformity of her right cheekbone, as if she had been slapped several times during her fight with the hunter.

She had bruises and strain on her arms, and her right Thumb was wrapped with a medicated plaster for treating sprains and bruises.

Her eyes were beautiful, with a sharp, Eagle Falcon- like gaze.

"So you came to chat with me?"

Xue Ming: "Yes, let's talk."

"You've reviewed all the materials?" Red Sister Hong asked casually, lighting a cigarette as she sat down next to Xue Ming. "What's your name?"

Jiang Xueming.

"A good name."

"What's good about it?"

"On such a cold day, someone so cold was sent to me, yet their name is full of water and snow, and carries a hint of light—of course, that's wonderful."

"Red Sister, I want to ask you a few questions." Jiang Xueming decided to get straight to the point. "You just got out of prison, and you went to the train station to ask for medicine. What was your purpose?"

Wu Donghong tossed her hair aside and glanced at Xue Ming--

She watched him for a long time, seemingly observing his demeanor, trying to figure out his background and intentions. She was also pondering whether she should explain the story to Xue Ming.

Xue Ming immediately said, "I have a friend who loves listening to stories—I want to tell him your story."

"Isn't it all written in the documents?" Red Sister frankly replied, "There's a clerk at the senior citizens' activity center who's ten years older than me. He used to work with me and helped me a lot, so I have to lend him a hand."

Xue Ming: "He eventually died of illness."

Red Sister: "It's a good thing."

Xue Ming: "Could you explain in more detail?"

Red Sister: "When I was released from the women's prison, his daughter came to pick me up in her car. She wanted to catch up with me, so I went."

"Then what?"

"I never imagined that this older man, who danced so well in his youth, would suffer a stroke and become paralyzed in his fifties. The doctor said that conservative treatment would cost more than 400,000 yuan a year—the son-in-law and daughter are panicking."

"You must be feeling terrible."

"The older brother wants to die, but his children won't let him. If he just gives up treatment, his family will lose face—do you know what face means?"

Xue Ming thought for a moment--

How many children does he have?

Red Sister: "There are three in total. Two older sisters and a younger son."

Xue Ming: "Does nobody want the old man to die?"

Red Sister, "They are all filial children. How could they bear to bear such a bad reputation? If the neighbors found out, they would probably be gossiped about and criticized for the rest of their lives. Huainan is not an economically developed city. If you just call out to any residential building in the city, the people who come out to greet you are either teenagers left behind by their Grandfather or grandparents in their seventies or eighties. If the eldest brother gives up treatment, all his children will be seen as unfilial."

Xue Ming: "You went to the Nine Realms because of this friend?"

Red Sister: "It took a lot of effort. It's a pity I didn't make it to see you one last time."

Xue Ming: "The result is not satisfactory."

Red Sister: "I think there really is such Universal Elixir in the world, which might allow the older brother to live with dignity. Unfortunately, like the notes in the passenger log, if a person's will to live isn't strong enough, then he's not far from death. Before I even got back, I heard the sounds of crying and arguing coming from the ward on the other end of the phone—maybe he didn't want to see his children arguing over such a name of filial piety, so he left so decisively."

Xue Ming: "You killed the hunter. Did you plan this all along?"

Red Sister fell silent.

She stared at Xue Ming again, her eyes devoid of hostility, yet filled with an intense longing.

This thirst can be seen as a dual meaning of "curiosity" and "demonstration," as it seeks to uncover Xue Ming 'Xue Ming true identity and understand his role at the train station.

Xue Ming immediately said, "I know the BOSS very well. I just wanted to talk to you. I've already transformed myself, so there's no need for me to hide anything, and I have no other ulterior motives."

Red Sister immediately said, "I don't like that chattering waiter; he talks too much."

Xue Ming: "What does this have to do with hunters?"

Red Sister explained bluntly, "He kept talking about how terrifying and powerful the hunters were. I was curious, so I wanted to confront them head-on. When I was checking the logs and handing over the payment at the station, I [accidentally] lost my ID card at the council counter in the council hall. I wanted to test the hunters' abilities."

Xue Ming: "Just because your waiter is too talkative?"

Red Sister: "That's right. If the boss isn't willing to give me a different one, I'll just tell him to shut up. He's like my ex-husband; even when I go downstairs to buy groceries, he can talk for hundreds of words."

Xue Ming: "Which one?"

Red Sister: "My first girlfriend. She brought me to the big city, introduced me to jobs, and taught me how to make clothes."

Xue Ming: "Died in a murder case"

Red Sister immediately raised her hand, the gesture of holding a cigarette was full of aggression, and her eyes became terrifying and fierce.

Xue Ming immediately changed his tune. "Could we talk about this hunter?"

"He followed me all the way; he's also from Huainan. Coincidentally, we're from the same hometown. He's three years younger than me." Red Sister regained her composure and recounted the story with great interest. "He tried to get close to me. Perhaps it was his first time committing a crime, I don't know—but it was obvious he really needed the Universal Elixir I had, and he asked me more than once if I had any intention of remarrying."

Xue Ming: "He wants to spend his life with you?"

When Red Sister talked about murder, there was a strange sense of pleasure in it. "Hehe."

Xue Ming: "That means they're scouting the location."

Red Sister: "He practically had the word 'criminal' written all over his face. He was extremely curious about my address and family, so I explained everything to him. We then took a car back to my hometown together. After finishing up the household chores in the older brother's house and sending my servant away, I came to deal with this hunter."

Xue Ming: "You killed him?"

Red Sister: "That kid was pretty stupid. He dared to come to see me all by himself. Just because he was two heads taller than me, he didn't suspect me at all. He was like a lamb entering a wolf's den. I killed him without leaving any loose ends. I just hope this case will get to the train station so that other hunters will be careful not to mess with me."

Xue Ming: "It's that simple?"

Red Sister: "It's that simple."

Xue Ming: "Many people have come looking for you these past few days."

"They're all old friends." Red Sister pursed her lips and stubbed out her cigarette. "When I got out of prison, there were more than twenty cars lined up to pick me up—some were in the timber business, some made ceiling molds, and most were my sisters from the garment factory. Now they've all found good husbands. Maybe they want to expand their businesses and asked me for guidance, or maybe they've suffered injustices and been bullied over the years and asked me to stand up for them."

Xue Ming: "Are you still in contact with your former family?"

"Who are you asking about?" Red Sister raised her eyebrows, reaching for Xue Ming's hand.

Xue Ming immediately moved away and started writing and drawing in the diary, leaving Wu Donghong's image in the diary.

"Your ex-husband, that teacher."

Red Sister said meaningfully, "He teaches and instructs, I commit murder and arson—how could we possibly be family?"

Jiang Xueming: "Have you ever thought about going back to the station?"

"Isn't this just waiting for an opportunity?" Red Sister clapped her hands and smiled.

Jiang Xueming: "The BOSS will keep assigning you missions."

Red Sister: "There's a difference between actively asking others for favors and waiting for someone to come to you."

Jiang Xueming finally woke up--

--This woman isn't unwilling to go back to work at the train station; she has a huge appetite for it.

Red Sister looked completely innocent, like a pure white flower, and continued, "Look, here you are!"

"I'm getting married this year, Red Sister. I'll send you an invitation when I have the chance." Xue Ming put away her journal and finally explained her purpose, "You can meet Ms. Fenxing at the Sunrise Hut at the station. Next to it is my club, called Anonymous—I need a housekeeper if you're interested."

Red Sister interrupted, "Congratulations!"

Xue Ming: "Thank you."

Red Sister: "If you help me settle things with my waiter, I'll work for you."

Xue Ming thought for a moment, then asked the question very bluntly.

"Red Sister, as far as I know, the boss will arrange the most suitable soulmate for each passenger—based on what you said before, this waiter should be your type, even if he's a bit long-winded, he's very similar to your first husband. I don't know what you mean."

"It means exactly what it says." Red Sister squinted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Xiao Jiang, do you know? Everyone has their fixed attributes, and everyone expects a savior to bestow grace upon them—whether in the East or the West, in this remote corner of Huainan City, people like to pull strings and use back channels to gain various conveniences and privileges, to feel secure, and to believe they will always encounter a few benefactors in their lives to help them."

"My first love was my savior. He brought me to live in the city, gave me a very sweet marriage, let me taste the flavor of love, and made me understand that the whole world is not like my hometown, not just a few paddy fields and a few mountain roads—but it wasn't until he died that I realized how absurd and terrifying these rules of survival were."

"Now I beg you, let this annoying waiter leave me. Every time I see him, it's like a mirror reflecting my weak and incompetent past—even if, as you say, he really is my soulmate."

"But have you ever thought about it?"

Red Sister lit a second cigarette, her eyes burning with a scorching flame.

"I don't need this savior."