The Key

Bai Yanliang remained silent, turning his head slightly to look out the car window.

Bright sunlight spilled into every corner of Ye City, making even the smallest specks of dust seem clearly visible.

"Thank you, Uncle Yang."

"What are you saying, you silly kid?" Yang Wanlong couldn't hold back in the end; he stuck an unlit cigarette in the corner of his mouth to satisfy the craving.

"It's been ten years." Bai Yanliang's voice was very soft. He watched the rows of high-rise buildings quietly; Ye City had changed far too much compared to ten years ago.

But, there were always things that remained unchanged.

"Uncle Yang, why have you always believed that Yanren's case ten years ago had nothing to do with me?"

Bai Yanliang finally withdrew his gaze and looked at Yang Wanlong, who was focused on driving.

"Tsk... if you have to ask why." Yang Wanlong freed his right hand to scratch the back of his head. "It's probably because I saw a similar case when I was a kid."

"When you were a kid, Uncle Yang?" Bai Yanliang had considered many possibilities, such as Yang Wanlong having discovered some clue, but he had never thought of this reason.

This middle-aged detective was already forty-two; his childhood was at least thirty years ago. A case from thirty years ago...

"Yeah, that kid's experience was about the same as yours, but that time, I witnessed it with my own eyes." Yang Wanlong finally lit the cigarette. Through the rearview mirror, Bai Yanliang saw Yang Wanlong's pupils shrink slightly, as if he were thinking of something that terrified him.

What could make a middle-aged detective, accustomed to all sorts of bizarre homicides, show such a look of fear?

Bai Yanliang was somewhat curious.

"Back then, my family was poor. I'd go to school for half the day and herd cattle for the other half. That afternoon, I went to the hillside to herd cattle as usual, and then... I witnessed a gruesome murder." Yang Wanlong's hand was trembling slightly. Clearly, even though more than a decade had passed, that event hadn't faded with time; instead, it was like aged wine stored in a cellar—the aroma could be smelled even before the seal was broken.

"Yang Erwa from the village, he killed his father, Yang Laocheng, in the mountains! I can still remember what he looked like—his face was twisted and ferocious, and his movements were bizarre, as if... as if he were possessed by a ghost."

At this point, Yang Wanlong stubbed out his cigarette and swallowed, seemingly feeling a bit parched.

Bai Yanliang also noticed his lips were very dry, dry to the point of turning white.

"I hid behind the cow, too scared to even breathe. I didn't even want the cow anymore; I just ran home as fast as I could."

"And then?"

"Then... Yang Erwa was caught. When he was caught, he was exactly like you were back then—his expression was dull, sitting there in a daze amidst his father's corpse. He wouldn't cry, wouldn't laugh, and wouldn't answer when asked questions. Later on, I heard that the kid hanged himself in prison." Yang Wanlong glanced at Bai Yanliang in the rearview mirror, but he couldn't discern anything from Bai Yanliang's expression.

"So, Uncle Yang was afraid I would commit suicide too, which is why you took the time every year to visit me at the psychiatric hospital?" Bai Yanliang asked with a smile.

"I suppose so." Yang Wanlong didn't commit to an answer.

Bai Yanliang knew what Yang Wanlong wanted to ask: How could a human possibly have such immense strength?

Although a fruit knife was found at the scene of Bai Yanren's case, but... could a young child really have committed such a heinous act with just a small fruit knife?

Moreover, judging from the state of the scene and the subsequent autopsy report, Bai Yanren's body didn't look like it had been cut by a sharp object, but rather... eroded by immense force...

This was almost identical to the case Yang Wanlong had witnessed as a child. It seemed Bai Yanliang, like Yang Erwa, was someone who had suddenly gone mad and killed his own kin.

Bai Yanliang also wanted to know what exactly had happened, but... he truly didn't remember a thing.

In his mind, there wasn't a single shred of memory regarding the crime scene from that year.

"By the way, your brother, just like Yang Laocheng, was confirmed dead, but his body disappeared." Yang Wanlong suddenly said. "It hasn't been found to this day."

Yang Wanlong seemed to glance at Bai Yanliang intentionally or unintentionally.

"Yanren's body?" Bai Yanliang hadn't known this news.

"Yeah, we searched your rental place inside and out and couldn't find it. We even turned over the sewers and trash cans on several nearby streets, but found nothing."

"..."

Bai Yanliang remained silent.

Yang Wanlong didn't say anything more, driving the car in silence.

Twenty minutes later, the car stopped in front of a relatively upscale residential complex.

"Wait here for me, Uncle is going to park the car."

Bai Yanliang nodded, took his luggage, got out of the car, and stood at the entrance of the complex.

Rongyuan Residential Complex.

Bai Yanliang glanced at the name of the complex. This seemed to be a fairly prosperous district; next door was a famous commercial center in the JB District of Ye City, complete with pedestrian streets and entertainment centers.

It didn't take long before Yang Wanlong returned.

The two of them carried their luggage, one after the other, walking toward a thirty-story residential building.

"This is it. Your aunt passed away early. A big apartment, and only I and my two daughters live here. My eldest daughter is at the affiliated hospital in the South District and doesn't come back on weekdays. Right now, it's just me and that girl Yang Yiyi at home. She's busy with her studies this year, so she won't be home until nine tonight." As Yang Wanlong spoke, he pressed the elevator button for the eighteenth floor.

Bai Yanliang listened quietly. When mentioning his two daughters, Yang Wanlong's tone rose noticeably; it was clear he treasured them dearly.

Although he didn't say anything, Bai Yanliang still made the decision to find a job as soon as possible and move out of Uncle Yang's home. After all, he was neither kin nor friend, and Uncle Yang was busy with work; staying in the same house with his daughter for a long time was simply inappropriate.

"Come on in."

As they spoke, the two had reached the eighteenth floor.

Yang Wanlong opened the door and turned on the living room lights.

"Make yourself at home. I'll go get your brother's things for you."

Bai Yanliang nodded and surveyed the room.

It was a three-bedroom apartment, roughly 120 square meters, which was considered quite a decent home in the prime real estate of Ye City.

"Here, your brother worked as a private investigator ten years ago. Before he died, he seemed to be looking into some business, though it didn't have much to do with his own case. Take a look—these are the work files your brother left behind, and this, too." As he spoke, Yang Wanlong handed over an object.

Bai Yanliang first took the stack of documents, then caught the small item Yang Wanlong passed to him.

He felt a chill in his palm, and when he shifted his gaze to look at it, he was taken aback.

"A key?"

What kind of place was this key for?

Seeing his puzzled expression, Yang Wanlong spread his hands. "No idea. No one has ever managed to figure out what it opens."

Bai Yanliang pinched the key and examined it closely. It was entirely silver, with a circular, hollowed-out handle engraved with mysterious patterns, while the other end extended forward with three small, raised dots.

It was clear that while the craftsmanship was exquisite, it had clearly seen better days, and it certainly wasn't a key for a door lock.

Bai Yanliang frowned. For some reason, as he held this delicate yet strangely peculiar key, a sense of unfamiliar trepidation began to well up from the bottom of his heart, as if... something had been unlocked.