Chapter 32: The Death Photography Studio (1)

Early the next morning, Meng Siqi arrived at the training camp to participate in firearms training.

Under the strict guidance of the instructor, she learned the procedures for disassembling, assembling, and inspecting a gun. It was only now that she realized the spare Type 54 pistol that Han Changlin had assigned to her during the arrest of Xin Tianfei had no bullets in it.

Back then, she had been completely unaware and had taken the entire operation very seriously. However, now that she realized the truth, all she felt was overwhelming embarrassment.

But interns were not allowed to carry firearms and she had not received advanced training, which could have put her and her teammates at risk, Han Changlin might have done it to boost her confidence. However, after this rigorous training, she would be able to demonstrate her true abilities in future operations.

After becoming familiar with firearm inspection and other preparation procedures, Meng Siqi officially entered live training. As she walked toward the open-air shooting range, she paused for a moment in surprise.

The instructor was Lu He.

Today, he was dressed in a well-fitted police uniform. With his tall stature and well-proportioned build, the uniform accentuated his commanding presence. He looked so imposing that even criminals would likely feel intimidated at first glance.

The bureau conducted training sessions in batches, with months between each round due to the high level of specialization required. This time, the training was assigned to Lu He.

The moment she saw him, Meng Siqi felt a little awkward. She recalled their previous encounter at the entrance of Longcheng Enterprise building.

As she joined the seven-person team on the range, Lu He noticed her immediately. His sharp gaze, always carrying a sense of judgment, briefly landed on her face before shifting away after a second.

He must have already reviewed the training list and knew she would be here.

“Attention! At ease!” Lu He commanded loudly.

Meng Siqi straightened her posture, chest in, head up. The seven-person team instantly stood in a neat row.

Lu He stood tall and began explaining the training agenda. Maintaining proper posture, Meng Siqi kept her eyes fixed on the bridge of his nose, using it as a focal point.

Lu He then detailed the proper handling of a firearm, including drawing, chambering a round, aiming, shooting, and holstering. He demonstrated each movement with precision and flawless technique.

She and the rest of the team applauded.

“Alright, Meng Siqi, you try it!” Lu He said, pointing directly at her as he finished his demonstration.

“Me?” Meng Siqi pointed at herself. She had assumed they were just observing for now and hadn’t expected to be called up so soon. Being the first to go, she couldn’t help but feel that Lu He was deliberately singling her out.

Taking the training pistol loaded with blank rounds from him, she felt a slight dampness in her palms.

“Go ahead. Follow my demonstration and aim for the target,” Lu He said, his gaze fixed on the distant bullseye.

It was so far away. Meng Siqi swallowed nervously and slowly raised the gun.

She chambered the round, aimed, and squinted one eye at the target.

Suddenly, a firm hand grasped her arm. The distinct scent of his uniform—a subtle, woody aroma—invaded her senses. His grip was steady, warm, and firm, sending a slight tingling sensation through her arm.

Once she had fully adjusted her stance under his guidance, ensuring there were no further corrections, she pulled the trigger.

The gun was empty. Meng Siqi smoothly holstered the weapon. The surroundings fell silent as she turned to look at Lu He. He remained expressionless, lips pressed together, but after a brief moment, he gave a slight nod.

“Not bad.”

Not bad? That meant she passed. Holding back a small surge of satisfaction, Meng Siqi returned the pistol to him and rejoined the lineup.

Lu He proceeded to train each team member individually, carefully explaining the proper techniques to everyone.

During a break, Meng Siqi picked up her water bottle from the grass and took a sip. When she glanced up, she saw Lu He also drinking from his cup. As he tilted his head back slightly, the collar of his olive-green shirt shifted, revealing the sharp, ridge-like outline of his Adam’s apple.

She didn’t understand why she paid so much attention to Lu He. Maybe every time she saw him, she unconsciously recalled the news reports from her original world.

“You’re the female officer who joined at the same time as me, right? Meng Siqi?”

A man’s voice sounded beside her.

She turned slightly and saw a young man with delicate features and a hint of youthful innocence, as if he had just stepped out of a university campus. He looked about twenty, tall, dressed in a neatly pressed police uniform, and smiling at her.

“And you are?” Meng Siqi genuinely had no recollection of him.

“Oh, I’m Liang Yunfeng. We entered the bureau at the same time. We met back then. I was assigned to the First Unit, and you later went to the Second Unit.”

At his words, she remembered. When she first joined the bureau, there had been another intern in the same cohort. He had graduated from a prestigious university and was immediately placed in the First Unit, whereas she had been repeatedly reassigned before ending up in the Second Unit. Now, six months later, both of them had been promoted and reunited in this training session.

“Now I remember. Officer Liang,” Meng Siqi said with a smile.

“Officer Meng, you’re too polite. I can’t believe six months have passed so quickly. How have you been adjusting to the bureau?”

“I’ve adapted well. What about you?”

“I’ve worked on a few cases under Captain Lu’s command. It’s completely different from school. By the way, you’ve changed,” Liang Yunfeng said, his eyes lingering on her face.

“What kind of change?” Meng Siqi could already guess. In Ye Xiuhui’s eyes, she used to be timid, quiet, and introverted. Liang Yunfeng would probably say she had become more outgoing.

Liang Yunfeng smiled. “You’ve become prettier. And much more confident and commanding.”

Her face was oval-shaped, framed by her dark hair, exuding purity and elegance. A simple ponytail gave her a youthful and energetic look. Her facial features were delicate and well-defined, and her gentle demeanor carried a quiet strength.

Her figure was tall and slender, with perfect proportions. In her uniform, she radiated an aura of competence and authority. When Liang Yunfeng entered the training session earlier, he had noticed her at first glance. Among the group, she stood out the most.

So he was complimenting her. Meng Siqi smiled warmly. “Thank you. That’s too kind.”

Just as Liang Yunfeng was about to respond, Lu He’s commanding voice echoed across the training ground.

“Gather up!”

After an intense afternoon of training, Meng Siqi was drenched in sweat. Her clothes clung uncomfortably to her skin, but inside, she felt a deep sense of accomplishment. She had learned so much in just one session. Lu He’s instruction was meticulous, and he had corrected several of her movements multiple times.

As the first day of training came to an end, Lu He stood before the team, his posture straight and rigid like a pine tree. His expression was serious as he addressed them.

“Tomorrow we will have live-fire training. I expect you all to remember today’s regulations and procedures. More importantly, I want you to understand that every time you hold a firearm, it is tied to your sense of duty and responsibility.”

“Alright, dismissed.”

Although exhausted, Meng Siqi still felt a sense of fulfillment as she left the shooting range. In the equipment room, she caught a glimpse of Lu He’s figure hurrying away. Her mind once again drifted to that incident in her original world. When she first saw the news about him, besides feeling regret, she had also felt deep admiration.

In that world, Lu He had sacrificed his life, becoming nothing more than a set of white bones buried for thirty years. A faint pain pricked at her heart. But in this world, would his fate be the same?

The next day, filled with determination, Meng Siqi returned to the shooting range. However, the instructor on duty had changed. Instead of Lu He, it was Luo Xiaoguo, the deputy captain of the First Unit. Although she had no idea where Lu He had gone, rotation among training instructors was common practice.

As the training progressed, Liang Yunfeng occasionally came over to hand her a bottle of water. “Meng Siqi, here, have some water.”

“Thanks.”

“How’s the training going?”

“It’s painful but fulfilling.” For Meng Siqi, each day brought new knowledge and new challenges. The skin on her palm near the web between her thumb and index finger had been rubbed raw. The gun was heavy, and by the end of the day, her wrist was sore and aching. Yet, she persisted.

“Yeah, especially for you girls. It’s really not easy.”

“That’s why I need to work even harder.”

Liang Yunfeng smiled. “You’re better than any of my senior sisters.”

“Haha, you’ve complimented me quite a few times already. Enough of that. Let’s both learn from Lu He.”

“Oh, right,” Liang Yunfeng’s smile faded slightly. “Captain Lu.”

Over the next five days of training, yet another instructor took over, and Lu He never reappeared. Nonetheless, Meng Siqi made solid progress. She had learned to handle a firearm proficiently and no longer flinched at the sound of gunfire.

She felt like she was truly becoming a qualified criminal investigator.

During the training period, she also heard some news—Jinyang Evening News had been shut down for internal rectification due to unfair competition, and Wen Huizhi had been suspended.

Winter had arrived, and snowflakes danced in the air over Jinyang City, covering the ground with a thin white layer.

As Meng Siqi reached the entrance of the police station, she patted the snow off her uniform. Looking up, she saw Zhao Leiting jogging toward her through the snow. He was holding a file folder, which he used to lightly brush the snow off his head before turning to her.

“Where did you go?”

“I went on a community visit. What about you?”

“Don’t even ask. I found something. Come inside and take a look.” Zhao Leiting waved the folder in his hand.

Curious, Meng Siqi followed him to the office, where they headed straight to Han Changlin. As Zhao Leiting pulled documents from the folder, he said, “Captain Han, take a look at this photo.”

Standing beside them, Meng Siqi followed Han Changlin’s gaze and immediately focused on the photo that Zhao Leiting placed on the desk.

It showed a young woman in a deep red dress adorned with large white floral patterns. She was seated on a sofa with both hands resting on the armrests and her legs neatly together, leaning slightly to the side.

Upon closer inspection, her long hair had a slight wave, tied with an intricately styled bow. The bow decoration on her chest and the wristband on her hand were equally delicate. Even her fingernails were carefully painted a deep red.

However, something about her appearance felt off. Her complexion was unnaturally pale, and her eye makeup had a grayish tint—far from any fashionable choice. Her gaze seemed vacant and lifeless. Combined with her dark red lips, the entire image exuded an eerie feeling.

“Do you see anything unusual?” Han Changlin asked with a skeptical look.

“Captain Han, don’t you think this is strange?” Zhao Leiting replied.

“Where was this taken?”

“I went to an art exhibition today called ‘Devil’s Art.’ They displayed a lot of personal photography works. But when I saw this particular piece, something felt wrong, so I secretly took a picture of it…”

“You took half a day off just to see this?” Han Changlin shot him a glare.

Zhao Leiting quickly waved his hand. “Captain, you’ve got it all wrong. I really was at the station picking up my aunt. On my way back, I passed by the exhibition. When I saw the sign advertising ’10-yuan admission,’ ‘No photography allowed,’ ‘Model art,’ and ‘The devil has arrived.’ How could I not be curious?”

The way Zhao Leiting recited the advertisement like a rhyming slogan nearly made Meng Siqi laugh.

Han Changlin pressed his lips together, his tone exasperated. “Fine, keep talking…”

“This exhibition revolves around death-themed performance art. The models are all attractive young men and women, styled to resemble the dead for dramatic effect.”

“Get to the point.” Han Changlin interrupted him.

Zhao Leiting cleared his throat and spoke more seriously. “Captain Han, I think the girl in this photo is a corpse.”

Meng Siqi’s heart skipped a beat. She had felt that something was off about the picture before, but since it was labeled as an art piece, she hadn’t thought too much of it. However, Zhao Leiting’s words made her freeze.

Han Changlin’s eyes narrowed as he slowly picked up the photograph. His sharp gaze locked onto the subject in the picture.

Or rather, the “corpse.”

Zhao Leiting continued his analysis while Han Changlin studied the image. “I have a personal interest in photography, especially in capturing expressions. The eyes can reveal a lot…” He hesitated, as if struggling to articulate his thoughts. Clearing his throat, he continued, “Even if this is a death-themed exhibit, this particular image is highly unusual.”

Han Changlin placed the photo back on the desk, his expression shifting slightly to one of caution. He asked, “What if the model was simply posing as a dead person?”

“Captain, the girl’s expression is off. She’s portraying death, yet she’s also smiling. That’s not normal.”

Han Changlin glanced at the photo again. Meng Siqi followed his gaze, and now that her attention had been drawn to it, she too noticed something—the girl was smiling.

It was an almost imperceptible smile. If no one pointed it out, it was easy to overlook. But once you noticed it, the image became increasingly disturbing.

A strange, unsettling sensation crept up inside her, making it hard to breathe.

“Xiao Meng, take a look.” Han Changlin’s voice pulled her back from her uneasy thoughts.

Meng Siqi swallowed hard and carefully took the photo. But this time, something felt different. The image appeared less clear, as if her mind refused to accept what she was seeing. She rubbed her eyes and looked again.

Now, the face in the photograph no longer seemed like that of a model in an art exhibit. After Zhao Leiting’s observation, a chilling realization settled in.

She was looking at a corpse.

She shook her head and placed the photo back on the table. “Captain Han, I can’t say for sure.”

Han Changlin nodded. “Xiao Zhao, you and Xiao Meng check if there have been any recent missing persons reports for females between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.”

Zhao Leiting quickly replied, “Yes, Captain Han, I’ll check right away.”

As Meng Siqi walked back, she couldn’t shake off the strange feeling. She had seen many corpses before, so why did a single photo—one that hadn’t even been confirmed as anything suspicious—send chills down her spine?

“What are you thinking about?” Zhao Leiting glanced at her. “Come on, let’s go check.”

“Alright,” Meng Siqi nodded.

At the station, a 486 computer^[1]486 computer refers to a computer using an Intel 80486 (or simply 486) microprocessor, which was a popular CPU in the early 1990s. The Intel 80486 was the successor to the 386 and featured improved … Continue reading stored the latest report records. With the help of a civilian female officer, they quickly reviewed recent missing persons cases. However, none of them matched the target age range. The only case close was a missing thirty-year-old woman recently reported.

The two exchanged puzzled looks, jotted down the information, and as they stepped out, Zhao Leiting asked, “Should we visit her home to verify the situation?”

“Isn’t this case being handled by the First Unit?”

If a missing person’s case was officially filed, the police station would follow up. If the Second Unit wasn’t assigned to it, then it had to be the First Unit. If a local precinct took the case, there would also be records.

Zhao Leiting quickly responded, “Oh right, let’s go ask Captain Lu.”

The two made their way to the First Unit’s office. It was Meng Siqi’s first time there, and compared to the Second Unit, the space was more cramped. Perhaps due to the larger number of members, the workstations were relatively tidy. One desk in particular stood out—aside from a pen, a notebook, and a desk lamp, it looked almost untouched.

Luo Xiaoguo was spinning in his chair, seemingly lost in thought, with a pen in his mouth. He immediately noticed the two of them and raised an eyebrow. “Xiao Zhao, you guys need something?”

“Captain Lu isn’t here? No problem, Brother Luo, we can ask you instead.”

“Whatever it is, couldn’t you have just made a call? No need to come all the way here.” Luo Xiaoguo’s tone carried a hint of amusement.

Zhao Leiting stepped forward. “It’s about a recent missing person case. Here!” He handed over the paper with the details. “Are you guys investigating this?”

“Hmm?” Luo Xiaoguo took a look and shook his head. “Never heard of it.”

“So… no one is following up on this case?” Zhao Leiting frowned.

That was unlikely. Every case was accounted for in the station. Luo Xiaoguo said, “Why don’t you ask Captain Lu?”

Zhao Leiting pursed his lips and exchanged a glance with Meng Siqi.

Just then, a tall man strode through the doorway with a firm, brisk pace. As Meng Siqi turned her head, she immediately recognized Lu He.

He stepped closer and came to a stop. “What’s the matter?”

Zhao Leiting quickly handed him the paper and summarized the details of the missing woman.

Lu He responded, “We already checked.”

“You did?” Zhao Leiting’s eyes lit up.

Meng Siqi unconsciously leaned forward slightly, straining to hear.

Lu He’s cold, sharp gaze met hers directly. Meng Siqi pressed her lips together. He answered, “She’s not missing. She has some mental health issues and wandered off alone. Her family, worried she’d run into trouble, reported her missing. We found her on the street.”

“Oh, I see.” Zhao Leiting nodded quickly. “Thank you, Captain Lu.”

Lu He gave a slight nod and walked straight to the desk with only a pen, a notebook, and a desk lamp.

As expected, Meng Siqi had guessed it right—it was Lu He’s desk.

After they left the First Unit’s office, Zhao Leiting suddenly said, “Siqi, looks like we need to go find the person who took that photo!”