Upon arriving at the Special Crimes Unit, Teacher Wang Ren convened a meeting in a small conference room. The attendees were Teacher Wang Ren, myself, Yu Xiaoluo, and Shi Ying.
Yu Xiaoluo and I were already well-acquainted, and I could reasonably guess why Teacher Wang Ren had borrowed her from the Criminal Investigation Team. Furthermore, Yu Xiaoluo had mentioned on the way that the minimum rank in the Special Task Force was police superintendent, so this was essentially a promotion for her.
However, Shi Ying's presence left me a bit puzzled. Even if she was an informant, she shouldn't have been in a Special Crimes Unit conference room. But if Teacher Wang Ren allowed it, Shi Ying must have a valid reason for being there.
"Based on the information we've gathered, the individuals calling themselves 'Mr. Ke' are targeting members of the Olympic Organizing Committee. Therefore, their focus might be on the Olympics. Of course, 'Mr. Ke' could have other objectives we haven't considered, and this could be a terrorist attack."
The Olympics are a global sporting event. Any security issues at such a crucial juncture would be a national disgrace. Consequently, the Beijing police and transportation departments were working tirelessly during this period.
"Uncle-Master, may I interject with a question?"
"Go ahead."
"How can there be so many Mr. Kes? Are they related to Ke Yingying?"
Ke Yingying wasn't Sun Wukong; he couldn't pull out a single hair and create so many doppelgangers. So, where did all these 'Mr. Kes' come from?
"Shi Ying, you can explain."
Shi Ying nodded. As Cui Fang's secretary, she knew a few things. It was only recently, after someone contacted her, that she learned about the arrival of these dreadful 'Mr. Kes' in Beijing.
Mr. Ke, also known as Shen Xian Ke, is a mysterious criminal organization. This organization has a long history, potentially tracing back to the Ming and Qing dynasties, or even further. Within the Shen Xian Ke, intelligent individuals are vetted, and those who pass are given the codename 'Mr. Ke.'
The reason 'Mr. Kes' have appeared in Beijing is likely due to an agreement they had with the 'Southern Faction.' The specifics of this agreement are unclear, but in essence, the leader of the 'Southern Faction' borrowed some 'Mr. Kes' from Shen Xian Ke. Their immediate objectives aren't aggressive, but their very presence is unsettling.
"Does Ke Yingying know about this?"
"Not yet, as far as we know. We have people following him, and they haven't noticed anything unusual."
Hearing Teacher Wang Ren's reply, I glanced at Yu Xiaoluo. She simply shrugged, "I just transferred here and am not very familiar with the department's procedures. Director Wang primarily wants me to assist you with your work. As for Ke Yingying, I don't know much either."
Yu Xiaoluo was different from her past self. Previously, she was a very diligent and quiet worker. After having children, her mindset shifted. She no longer concerns herself with matters outside her purview. She is more mature now and more efficient at her job.
...
What surprised me most was that after the meeting, Teacher Wang Ren didn't assign me to deal with Ke Yingying. Instead, he instructed me to meet a man named Ping Fan. This man hailed from Hechuan County and was a veteran athlete from the 1990s, having won the world championship in archery three times.
During the Olympics, socializing with a world champion was naturally an honor. After all, the sports community is like a family, and perhaps I could even visit the Chinese shooting team with him.
However, the timing felt off. My priority should be dealing with these 'Mr. Kes.' Yet, Teacher Wang Ren insisted I meet this man, perhaps for new insights into 'Mr. Ke.'
Ping Fan, a man from the Northwest, was a tough character, likely in Beijing specifically to watch the Olympics. It was he who contacted Shi Ying, thus exposing the 'Mr. Ke's' plan. I met him at the hotel. He was a man with a powerful build and knuckles like steel.
When I saw him, there was a table laden with meat. Both Northwest and Northeast China are known for their heavy drinking culture, but I'm not much of a drinker. After a round with Old Ping, I felt a bit dizzy and used casual conversation to deflect the alcohol.
During our chat, I learned that Ping Fan had a son named Ping An and a daughter named Ping An Jing. This peculiar naming convention made me realize Ping Fan was an interesting person.
"Master Ping, may I ask why you used the name 'Mr. Ke' and the contact method of 'Southern Faction' to reach out to people from 'Zheng Qi'?"
Ping Fan let out a hearty laugh, "Because I understand 'Mr. Ke' the best."
This piqued my interest, "Who exactly are these 'Mr. Kes'?"
"A group of intelligent people. So intelligent they can shake the world."
"Why doesn't anyone know about them?"
"That's because of their intelligence. However, some intelligent people inevitably get involved in murky cases, which is how the existence of 'Mr. Ke' was exposed."
"I heard 'Mr. Ke' has existed since the Ming and Qing dynasties?"
"Tang Nan, what you heard is different from what I heard. I heard 'Mr. Ke' has existed since the Tang Dynasty, a long and storied history."
"That would make them very difficult to deal with."
"Only individual 'Mr. Kes' commit crimes. For example, Ke Yingying, whom you know, had ulterior motives and passed the 'Mr. Ke' assessment. Other 'Mr. Kes' are dedicated to different pursuits and have no connection to you. You don't need to confront them, right?"
Hearing Ping Fan say this, I smiled knowingly. The 'Southern Faction' was already giving me enough headaches. If Shen Xian Ke were to appear, how could I possibly manage? However, Ping Fan's words piqued my curiosity, and I asked, "What do the other 'Mr. Kes' research?"
"Immortality!"
Ping Fan said with a laugh, and I joined him. Since Ping Fan was unwilling to elaborate further, I didn't press the issue. In this world, everyone has their secrets.
My purpose in meeting Ping Fan was to find the elusive leader of the 'Southern Faction.' Who Ping Fan was, was of no concern to me. But I knew one thing: if those 'Mr. Kes' were intelligent people, then Ping Fan was no fool. In my eyes, he was even more of a 'Mr. Ke' than 'Mr. Ke' himself.
...
"Master Ping, I'll toast you."
"Oh, if you can't hold your liquor, you shouldn't drink. You can drink water if you like."
"Haha, you've seen right through me. Then I won't drink this toast. You, however, should continue and have a good time."
"Really not drinking anymore?"
"Truly not drinking. I won't beat around the bush with you. I'll ask directly: the 'Mr. Kes' currently in Beijing are popping up like mushrooms after rain. Which ones did you find?"
"None of them!"
"They're all fake?"
"All fake! One intelligent person is enough. Having Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu together isn't exactly a cause for celebration."
"Thank you, Master Ping. I owe you another toast. Thank you for the reminder. But I still think these fake ones have a certain flair. They must have a purpose, right?"
"Didn't you already pass on that drink?"
"Didn't that one count?"
"Young man, you'd get yourself beaten in Hechuan acting like this."
I laughed heartily. Ping Fan raised his glass and downed it. Fueled by the alcohol, he said, "I heard 'Mr. Ke' wants to acquire the genes of our athletes here and thus controlled people in the Organizing Committee. As for whose genes they want, I don't know. It seems Ke Yingying received this task, but he's created a bunch of fake 'Mr. Kes.' Ostensibly to help Shen Xian Ke obtain the genes, but in reality, he has his own hidden agenda."
"Is Shen Xian Ke a research organization?"
"I suppose so."
"What do they research, roughly?"
"Immortality, perhaps!"
"You're joking again. Shall I pour you another drink?"
"Damn it, do you think I'm someone who can get drunk? Shen Xian Ke does the unthinkable. The information you'll get from me is this, and nothing more."
No one is immune to intoxication. This iron man had a burden on his mind. With bleary eyes, he looked into the distance and said, "Tang Nan, do you know? The most tragic thing in life isn't being defeated by someone, but by the person you love most. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't bother coming here to warn you."
I was also quite drunk and chuckled, "Nonsense. You've achieved immortality, why would you care about love..."
...
The next day, I heard from Teacher Wang Ren that Ping Fan had originally come to Beijing to investigate doping issues. However, something happened in Hechuan, and he had to return.
"What happened?"
"A homicide case!"
"Is it related to his wife?" I asked earnestly. Teacher Wang Ren looked at me in surprise, "How did you know?"
"So he was the real 'Mr. Ke'."
Teacher Wang Ren looked at me, his brow furrowed. I chuckled, "I was drunk yesterday, still hungover."
Ping Fan came to tell me that these emerging 'Mr. Kes' had no connection to the real Shen Xian Ke. My opponent was someone who loved me.