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Chapter 156

In the room on Nansha Island, Song Wen and Lu Siyu were still reading, having reached the final page of the notebook.

“…At that time, I was with Long Jinrong as he faced the end of his life. In the basement, there were several corpses, emitting a foul smell of blood. Long Jinrong lay there, waiting to die. He had a high fever, was delirious, and would cough up blood.”

“Long Jinrong said that it was only as he was dying that he realized he had fallen into the man’s trap from the very beginning. He thought he was clever, but in reality, he was just a shark caught in a net. He was completely controlled and manipulated by that man.”

“And that man was the most terrifying person he had ever encountered. The ruthless bandit who killed without blinking, it was hard for me to imagine someone so fearless and daring could be so terrified.”

“He said… that man was a born criminal, considering every environment, time, era, weather, and even passersby as part of his scheme, tools for his crimes, robberies, and murders.”

“He knew he was about to die and told me to leave quickly, as far away as possible. He advised me not to touch the money, as once I did, the planner would certainly come after me. He felt that the man, the planner, was even more terrifying than the police.”

“At that time, I watched Long Jinrong take his last breath. Then, seeing the corpses scattered around, I was terrified. As soon as I left the villa, I heard footsteps. In a panic, I hid in the bushes. I saw a tall, thin man enter the villa. Five minutes later, he came out carrying a suitcase full of money and carrying a child…”

Lu Siyu furrowed his brow deeply. According to the police report and the information he had received, initially, his brother was listed as missing. After years of fruitless searches, he was declared dead.

There was a large amount of his brother’s blood in the villa, and bullet casings stained with his blood. Given the amount of blood loss, a child without professional medical care could not have survived.

But he never expected that his brother’s body was taken by that man.

Or rather… was there even the slightest possibility that his brother was still alive?

Lu Siyu continued reading…

“I saw a tall, thin young man. He was not unattractive, but after learning what he had done, I was filled with deep fear. I was hiding in the bushes at the time, terrified… terrified that he would discover me.”

“Because according to Long Jinrong’s description, that man was a true devil…”

“I was not afraid of Long Jinrong. He had committed so many murders, killed so many people, but I was afraid of that man. Even after all these years, thinking about that man, the things he did, his face, makes me shiver uncontrollably.”

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“My health is deteriorating, and I think I may not live much longer…”

The record ended there, with no further text.

Lu Siyu set the notebook down and fell into deep thought. Song Wen was also silent, both of them processing the bizarre story.

What truly terrifies isn’t the knife in the hands of a killer, but the person who can manipulate life and death from behind the scenes.

Every field has its experts, but if someone is inherently evil by nature, possessing a clever mind yet using all their abilities to plan crimes and deal in death, what kind of horrifying person would that be, and what kind of terrifying thing would that be?

The White Whale, from the past to the present, remains largely unknown to the police. He seems to have always hidden behind those cruel killers and bizarre cases, like a fog, a ghost, or a monster lurking in the deep sea.

He orchestrates brutal crimes, plots for wealth, schemes robberies, and helps people escape justice.

He appears to have no sense of morality or right and wrong. He treats crime as an art form and murder as a mere pastime, profiting from it and taking pride in it.

He scorns human rules, is cold and indifferent, yet at the same time, he is meticulous and ruthless.

Lu Siyu suddenly understood why Wu Qing and Song Cheng had named this person “White Whale.”

He couldn’t help but recall the biblical verse: “And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.”

If Nancheng is the deep sea, then ordinary people are like fish swimming in the ocean, and this man is the monster hidden at the bottom of the sea.

Song Wen was also sorting through the various connections in his mind. The man who had orchestrated so many robberies had probably already amassed a great fortune. He had planned the entire kidnapping, poisoned the robbers, and taken the loot. Undoubtedly, he was the true mastermind behind it all.

Not just the 519 case, but the Wushan Nursing Home and many other mysterious and unsolved cases were all related to this man.

He was also the cause of the deaths of several police officers years ago, the reason for Wu Qing’s disability, the reason Song Cheng ordered the disbandment of the task force and the suspension of the investigation, and the reason for Xu Changying’s death…

As the investigation continued, the police remained on the periphery. They could only prove that the man known as the White Whale was not a mere figment of their imagination and that he had an indirect connection to several cases.

It wasn’t until today that the notebook in their possession became direct evidence of the White Whale’s involvement in these cases.

What makes this man so terrifying… is that he has always operated from the shadows. Whether it was Long Jinrong or others, they probably never knew his detailed information.

After they finished reading the diary, Li Mingmei spoke up, “My cousin has always told me over the years that she felt like she was living in a nightmare. She also said that when she was younger, she was indulgent and blindly believed in love, making many mistakes. She wanted to repent and try to make amends, but she was always terrified, saying that she had seen the face of a man, and just that one look made it impossible for her to return to a normal life… She feared that the man might find her and kill her.”

Back then, the White Whale had undoubtedly conducted a detailed investigation before choosing Long Jinrong as his puppet, just as he had chosen Xia Weizhi. Thus, he must have been aware of Wu Hongyou’s existence as well. However, he probably didn’t anticipate that Long Jinrong would secretly tell Wu Hongyou everything, dragging her into the 519 case. Wu Hongyou inadvertently learned about the man’s deeds and saw his face.

After the incident, Wu Hongyou fled in a hurry to this remote island. She was not only escaping from the police but also from the White Whale, as she was the only living witness to the 519 case and had seen the White Whale’s face. Even if the White Whale had not realized it at the time, he would certainly have understood the situation later.

If it weren’t for Xu Changying’s accidental discovery, the police might not have found Wu Hongyou’s whereabouts while she was still alive.

And the mastermind, the White Whale, had probably been searching for this woman for years.

Unfortunately, they were all a step too late…

Lu Siyu lowered his head, feeling as if he had never been so close to his enemy. Yet, even knowing the truth, he still didn’t know the White Whale’s identity or who that person really was.

Outside the window, the typhoon was approaching. It should have been sunny in the afternoon, but the sky had turned a grayish-yellow, with strong winds making the rickety door creak.

Song Wen said, “Auntie, thank you for cooperating with us. The information recorded in this notebook is very important to us. We need to take it with us.”

Li Mingmei rubbed her calloused hands and lowered her head. “Since my cousin is already deceased, if this information can help you, that would be best.”

Lu Siyu thanked her as well. Song Wen placed the notebook into an evidence bag and then put it away.

Song Wen left his contact information and recorded Li Mingmei’s details, instructing her to let him know if she thought of anything else.

Song Wen and Lu Siyu left the residence, which was a ten-minute walk from the Xingfu Hotel.

Song Wen looked up at the sky. Outside the chaotic clouds, some wispy cirrus clouds had appeared, gradually thickening into stratocumulus clouds.

As they walked, he asked Lu Siyu, “What do you think about what was recorded in the notebook?”

Lu Siyu unconsciously clenched his hands in his pockets. Since he started listening to Wu Hongyou’s account, his face had grown increasingly pale. The events from back then felt like a scar, and now that the wound had been opened, it was bleeding profusely.

This case was profoundly different for Lu Siyu.

In other cases, he could calmly analyze the criminals, but for the 519 case, as the victim and eyewitness, those were his enemies.

Lu Siyu made an effort to calm himself and said, “Long Jinrong was undoubtedly a bad person; there’s no doubt about that. He was extremely cruel and likely had antisocial tendencies. He killed many people and treated human lives as worthless. However, if he hadn’t encountered the White Whale, he might have been caught early on and would never have become such a notorious criminal.”

He still remembered Long Jinrong, the ruthless man who was the origin of everything. His temper was violent, constantly threatening and intimidating them, and using his and his brother’s lives to coerce his parents. In the end, he cruelly killed his parents in front of him and his brother.

Lu Siyu also had some recollection of the other two individuals. An Kui was likely the one responsible for guarding them, while Er Zi was the person who untied their ropes in the end. At that time, Er Zi might have had a change of heart or may have done it to distract Long Jinrong. After so many years, Lu Siyu was unsure of Er Zi’s true thoughts before he died. Regardless, it was this action that allowed him to survive.

After all these years, Lu Siyu suddenly realized that the faces of those men had become blurred in his memory. They were buried along with the villa, leaving hatred and pain to the living, while the dead had either gone to heaven or hell.

As they walked on the island, surrounded by green vegetation and occasionally seeing seagulls soaring through the trees, they were completely uninterested in enjoying the beautiful seaside scenery.

The wind grew stronger, bending the branches of the trees, creating a palpable sense of the approaching typhoon.

“As for the White Whale… he is incredibly cunning,” Lu Siyu continued, looking down as he spoke. “I feel like he might be involved in even more matters, such as the Xia Weizhi case or the recent events we’ve encountered. As time has passed, he has become more cunning and dangerous…” He paused before adding, “He has been continuously learning and evolving…”

Just as Darwin’s theory of evolution states, the survival of the fittest applies.

Over the past twenty years, Nancheng has undergone dramatic changes, and this man has evolved with it. He has become more covert and more dangerous. He has acquired new knowledge, exploited modern technology, and used the wealth he accumulated years ago. If he was once a budding young criminal, now he has become the mastermind behind the city’s evil deeds.

Song Wen said, “I’ve been thinking about someone Zhuo Zhuo mentioned before, Yu Niangniang. I feel that those people might be connected to the White Whale. The Christmas Day car accident that took the fall seems like something the White Whale would orchestrate.”

He continued, “After Xu Changying’s death, I also looked into the driver who caused his death. That person had almost no useful information. The police couldn’t find his driver’s license or ID, and the car was a registered scrap vehicle with a fake license plate. He seemed to be someone who shouldn’t even exist in modern society.”

Lu Siyu pondered for a moment before speaking, “Our current system still has certain blind spots.”

Song Wen said, “I think Yu Niangniang and the White Whale might have a cooperative relationship… as if she is a replacement for Long Jinrong after his death.”

Although they had only heard snippets from Zhuo Zhuo before, her words indicated that Yu Niangniang’s organization was vast and far beyond the small group that Long Jinrong led.

The planner never directly engaged in the crimes himself; instead, he relied on others to carry out his plans, remaining hidden behind them and reaping the benefits. 

They were in the open while he was in the shadows. In Nancheng, there existed a hidden network imperceptible to ordinary people, where evil festered.

At this point in the discussion, Lu Siyu suddenly lowered his head and fell silent.

Song Wen seemed to understand his thoughts and asked, “Are you thinking about your brother?”

Lu Siyu nodded.

Song Wen continued, “Your brother was older than you at the time, probably in his teens. Do you have any photos of him?”

Lu Siyu remained silent for a moment before shaking his head. He didn’t have any photos of his brother. When their grandmother dealt with their belongings years ago, she might have hidden them to spare him from sadness. The photos of his brother and his parents were lost, and he never found them again after inheriting the family estate following his grandmother’s death.

It seemed as though his parents and brother had completely disappeared from his life from that time on.

It wasn’t until today that Lu Siyu had heard some news about his brother.

Without photos, it was impossible to reconstruct a likeness. Song Wen still tried to comfort Lu Siyu, saying, “If your brother were still alive, we would find him.”

Lu Siyu nodded in response.

His brother had been the best. Whenever there was good food, he always saved the best for him. Whenever Lu Siyu made mistakes, his brother would plead with their parents on his behalf. Back then, his brother’s grades were better than his. When Lu Siyu struggled with a problem, his brother would explain it to him, rubbing his hair and calling him “Si Si.”

With their parents so busy, it was often his brother who kept him company.

Lu Siyu remembered that, in the end, it was his brother who had locked him in the cabinet and gone to distract the robbers.

He wished it had been a game of hide-and-seek, like so many before. If he covered his eyes and counted to one hundred, his brother would open the door and pull him out, then rub his nose and say, “Little fool, I knew you were hiding here.”

But all he received was the sound of a gunshot…

At that critical moment nineteen years ago, his brother had given him the last hope of survival.

Over the past decade, Lu Siyu sometimes wondered if his surviving brother would have been even more exceptional than him.

Now, his emotions were mixed. Was his brother still alive? If so, where might he be?

As time passed, the typhoon drew nearer, and the sky grew darker. The sea wind howled, rustling the vegetation. The sky seemed to lower, and the distant scenery appeared sharply defined, as if a filter had been applied. The approaching typhoon loomed like a celestial calamity.

The cruel past seemed like a heavy weight pressing on Lu Siyu’s heart, making his chest feel as though it were being sliced by a knife.

The two walked to the end of the road, where Song Wen noticed a small stall nearby. The owner was packing up the items, which were mostly souvenirs from the island. There was also a rice cooker nearby, bubbling with tea eggs.

Song Wen, carrying two bags, poked Lu Siyu and asked, “Are you hungry? You didn’t eat much at lunch.”

Song Wen knew Lu Siyu was deeply immersed in the case and his memories. He tried to pull him out of it, thinking about how they needed to face the evil and capture the criminals once they returned to Nancheng. They had done their best to uncover the truth from years ago.

Lu Siyu had felt a bit seasick at lunch, and the taste of the fast food hadn’t been great, so he didn’t eat much. His stomach had started hurting earlier, and now that Song Wen mentioned it, he nodded and said, “I’m a bit hungry.”

Song Wen then asked the stall owner, “Boss, can we get a few tea eggs?”

The stall owner, who was closing up, was surprised to have business at this hour. “Ah, young man, you have a good eye. These tea eggs are made with top-quality seabird eggs. The price isn’t the same as on the mainland; it’s two yuan each. How many would you like?”

Song Wen said, “I’ll take five, ten yuan’s worth.” He then looked around and added, “Oh, and I’ll take some instant noodles, chips, and water too. Add them all up.”

Lu Siyu looked down and said, “We still need to go to the hotel. They mentioned there’s a cake shop there…”

Song Wen replied, “You never know with island shops. Since the typhoon is coming and we’re passing by, it’s better to stock up on some supplies.”

Seeing a big customer, the stall owner quickly packed the items in plastic bags and asked, “With the typhoon coming, you’re still visiting the island? After the last boat left, I thought there’d be no more business. I was about to close up, but got so busy I forgot to turn off the tea egg pot. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have gotten them hot.”

Song Wen smiled, “It’s fate.”

The stall owner handed over the tea eggs and other items. “You’re staying at the Happiness Hostel?”

Song Wen nodded, “Is there any other place to stay on the island?”

The stall owner laughed, “Well, you see, our homes are quite basic. We can’t even fit our own people, let alone tourists like you.”

Song Wen asked, “Are there many tourists here?”

The stall owner said, “During the peak season, there are quite a few visitors, but some people don’t stay on the island overnight. On clear days, there are four boat trips. If you catch the earliest one, you can arrive by 10 a.m. and stay until the last boat at 5 p.m. to return to Xinchuan. As for those who stay overnight, they’re mostly bird photography enthusiasts and some students who come for fun. This place seems to be quite popular among young people, with many coming here because they’ve heard of it. Oh, and also those who come for the cakes…”

Song Wen frowned, wondering why the cakes were mentioned separately. He asked, “I heard that a girl went missing there?”

“Yes, a girl did go missing.” At the mention of this topic, the stall owner’s expression suddenly changed. He quickly waved his hand and said, “But we don’t know much about it down here.”

The owner then muttered, “Why are so many people asking about this today?”

“Who else has inquired?” Song Wen asked with a frown, letting his hand drop as he waited for the stall owner to continue.

“A little over half an hour ago, a middle-aged man with glasses came and asked about it,” the stall owner said.

Lu Siyu and Song Wen exchanged a glance. This description sounded like it might be Teacher Su.