Queen Bee!

North Ridge City Public Security Bureau.

A group of people stared blankly at the photos pulled from the surveillance footage. "What is this, a Merman? Some fairy tale?"

"A Merman killed someone?"

"What Merman? Someone's just putting on an act."

"Chief, there was another case that happened almost at the same time as the Merman murder. There were two victims..."

"I've seen that one. The preliminary conclusion is that Wang Haonan was probably the killer."

"No... Captain, the surveillance footage didn't show anyone entering or leaving Wang Haonan's home. No one entered or left the entire apartment building during that time..."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Then where was Wang Haonan?"

"He stayed in a coffee shop for three hours before leaving. While he was in the coffee shop, the two victims had already died."

"What?!"

"Damn... one troublesome case after another..."

Just then, a young man returned to the police station.

The chief hurried over when he saw him. "Yang Yan, are you busy?"

Yang Yan paused. "Not really."

"Then work some overtime." The chief tossed a file directly at him.

"No, I'm busy, Chief!" Yang Yan quickly said.

"Then work some overtime." The chief glanced at him.

"So am I supposed to be busy or not?" Yang Yan's mouth twitched.

The chief turned away. "If you don't know, then work some overtime."

Yang Yan: "..."

A bearded officer tossed him a photograph. "Look at this. Something big happened again."

Yang Yan took the photo and froze. "Is this... a Merman?"

"Yeah. According to the information brought back by the crime scene investigation team, the footprints in the hallway resembled flippers, and there was a lingering fishy smell."

"There were also scattered fish scales on the victim's bed."

"Our preliminary theory is that the criminal may have deliberately disguised himself. He may have worn a costume, and the fish scales may have been prepared in advance to confuse us and leave misleading clues."

"After all, how could there possibly be a Merman in this world?"

Inside a bar.

Two cocktails sat before Wang Haonan and the Fishman, but neither of them drank.

"Your ability is practically flawless," the Fishman said.

Wang Haonan silently lit a cigarette. "Same goes for you. A fish did it anyway—what does that have to do with a person?"

The two smiled knowingly.

The bartender wiped down a glass as he listened to their conversation.

"Do you smell something? It seems like there's a... fishy odor?"

The Merman lifted a bag. "Fresh fish from the market. Alright, it's about time. I'll be leaving first."

Wang Haonan waved him off, then drained the liquor in his glass. "Boss, how do you think an invisible murderer can be found?"

The bartender considered it. "An invisible... murderer? Find a way to make it visible?"

Make it visible...

"Such as?"

"Like using paint or something and splashing it onto the Invisible Man?"

"What if the Invisible Man can change the color of his body, including any paint splashed onto him?"

"Then... scatter sand on the ground?"

Scatter sand.

That really would be difficult to deal with.

"But the premise is that the criminal has to be present."

On the street.

Chen Ye walked for a long time with one hand in his pocket and the other holding his phone. Then he suddenly sighed. "No money..."

"Should I have the Invisible Man and Raven steal some?"

"No... who even keeps money at home these days? It would definitely be in the bank."

"Have the Merman rob a bank?"

"He'd get shot full of holes."

"The Invisible Man won't work either. As long as they have thermal imaging equipment, invisibility is meaningless."

"After going around in circles, I still need to find a rich person."

But where could he find a rich person so easily?

"Hm?"

Chen Ye raised his head and suddenly spotted a red convertible parked outside his coffee shop.

"Heh, looks like work came knocking."

Chen Ye entered the shop and saw a man and a woman seated inside.

The man was nearly thirty, but he was quite handsome. Unfortunately, Chen Ye knew him.

He was Chen Ye's neighbor in the building next door. Whenever he had nothing to do, he liked to come here, order a coffee, and sit around all day.

The thing he said to Chen Ye most often was, "Besides waiting, what else can you do while fishing?"

The woman, meanwhile, had blonde hair and an exceptionally graceful figure. She looked wealthy, and judging by her age, she seemed older than the man.

"So he found himself a rich older woman."

The moment Chen Ye entered, the man waved at him. "Yo, Boss, you finally made it. We've been waiting for you for ages."

Chen Ye changed into his work clothes and came to the counter. "Sorry to keep you waiting, you two."

The woman's eyes suddenly lit up when she looked at Chen Ye. "Not at all. You came at just the right time."

"Xiao Lin has always told me that your coffee is absolutely unmatched. He said I had to come try it myself~"

Absolutely unmatched coffee?

What the hell did he know about coffee?

The man looked at the woman and then whispered, "Ahem, I didn't lie to you, Sister Shen. Boss Chen and I are practically equally handsome."

As he spoke, the man suddenly gave Chen Ye a meaningful look.

Hm?

What kind of act was this?

The woman crossed her legs. "Truly, intoxication comes with the spring breeze, while dreams belong to young men. Boss, you look so young, don't you?"

Chen Ye remained expressionless. "What would you like to drink, ma'am?"

"Bring me the most expensive thing in your shop," the woman said with a smile.

Chen Ye chuckled softly, then suddenly took a bottle from his clothes. It was filled with a black liquid resembling coffee.

"The most expensive thing isn't something just anyone would dare to drink."

The woman picked up the bottle, twisted off the cap, and sniffed it. There was indeed a faint fragrance.

But why was the scent so strange?

"I've never smelled anything like this. It seems different from ordinary coffee. What is it?" the woman asked.

"A secret house blend."

Made from coffee beans, Queen Ant, King Bee, Honeycomb Honey, Monarch Butterfly, and tulip.

Serial Number: Beehive.

The woman swirled the liquid in the bottle, then brought it to her lips and took a small sip.

"Mmm... what an unusual taste. It leaves a sweet aftertaste and has a pleasant aroma, but this... doesn't seem to be coffee, does it?"

As she spoke, the woman downed the rest of the liquid in one gulp.

The next second, her pupils suddenly trembled.

"Uh... this is..."

The man beside her froze. "What did you give her?!"

Chen Ye smiled faintly. "I told you. A secret house blend."

The man was about to speak, but the woman suddenly grabbed him by the collar. "Did I... allow you to speak?"

The man froze. "Sister Shen, I..."

"Shut up." The woman turned to Chen Ye, and at that moment, her pupils split into several.

But they quickly merged back into one.

Then the woman's body began to tremble, and her figure changed along with it, becoming... fuller and younger.

Yet her hands shriveled, leaving only skin stretched over bone.

Other than that, there was nothing else abnormal about her.

Chen Ye frowned at the sight.

Strange. This was somewhat different from the effect he had expected...

As Chen Ye wondered about it, a stinger suddenly grew from the woman's finger.

Without making a sound, she drove the stinger into the man's neck. Before he could react, he fell unconscious.

"What a... novel experience. How should I thank you?"

The woman looked at Chen Ye with a seductive expression. From the looks of it...

The drug's effects seemed to be developing in a strange direction.

Whatever. It didn't matter.

"I want..."

"I know. Your gift is incredibly valuable, beyond anything money could measure."

"No, money can..."

"For someone like you, money must be utterly insignificant. Otherwise, you wouldn't open a coffee shop without any customers."

"It doesn't make any money at all, does it?"

Chen Ye: "..."

I suspect she's mocking me, but I have no proof.

"But right now, other than money, I truly have nothing else with which to thank you."

Right, money was enough!

I don't want anything else. What I lack right now is money!

"I know that isn't sincere enough, so I've decided to give you a grand gift worthy of it. You may look forward to it."

Huh?

Number 004: Queen Bee (Hive)