Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 1206: Identity

Almost instantly, Nan Xiaonan thought of many things.

From past experience, she knew that in every era of a sub-world, there would always appear those rare, heaven-favored individuals—people blessed with extraordinary luck that others could never imagine. Simply put, they were the ones destined to stand at the very peak of their world.

Such people were either geniuses or possessed unshakable resolve—but in any given era, geniuses and resolute people were countless. So why did some reach the summit, while others remained mediocre their entire lives?

Time, fate, and luck… somewhere beyond comprehension, the will of destiny always had its preferences. The only difference was the degree of that favor—the extent of the protection granted.

Nan Xiaonan herself had once been such a person—someone blessed by the will of her own world. Otherwise, she could never have climbed to the top of that world, nor seized the fleeting chance to escape the confines of a sub-world.

Back then, her blessing had only come from a regional level of world will, yet even that granted her limitless potential. She truly couldn’t imagine how immense the power of protection would be for someone blessed by the entire world’s will.

That was truly a Child of the World!

Yet, faintly, Nan Xiaonan sensed that this woman was somehow different from a true Child of the World. The real ones led entire eras forward; they were the catalysts of change, reshaping the very structure of their worlds. Their mere presence influenced those around them to move in a certain direction.

But from Ren Ziling, Nan Xiaonan felt only the protection of the world’s will. And she was quite certain—this woman was nothing more than an ordinary human. Healthy, yes, with a physique slightly better than average—but still well within mortal bounds.

That was what puzzled Nan Xiaonan the most.“The blessing of an entire sub-world… just for protection?”

The conclusion shocked her. The longer she stayed in this sub-world, the more she felt its dangers.

First, she had sensed a creature whose strength rivaled her original body. Later, she encountered a terrifying dark presence that forced her to bow in submission. And now, she’d met a woman guarded by the will of the entire sub-world.

Nan Xiaonan couldn’t help wondering—had her luck fallen to rock bottom?

Or perhaps—even though she had merged her soul with a native of this world and stayed behind through trickery—the sub-world’s will had still discovered her. And this woman, blessed by that will, had been drawn to her because of it.

“I mustn’t reveal myself.”

Nan Xiaonan made up her mind instantly. For a trespasser like her, interacting with someone protected by the sub-world’s will was far too dangerous.

Yet, despite her precautions, when she finally returned to the office after circling around and delaying for some time, she still ran into that very woman.

Inside, Little Bao was happily eating the breakfast Ren Ziling had brought. When he saw Nan Xiaonan enter, he called out, “Good morning, Department Chief Nan!”

“So this is Department Chief Nan!” Ren Ziling said cheerfully, clearly having already coaxed some details out of Little Bao.

Holding a still-warm bun, she beamed. “Come on, don’t be shy. Have some breakfast!”

Don’t come near me!

Though screaming inwardly, Nan Xiaonan managed to keep a calm face. “I’ve already eaten, thank you. Little Bao… this lady is?”

“She’s Auntie Ren—uh, Sister Ren.” Under Ren Ziling’s kind but pointed gaze, Little Bao quickly corrected himself.

“Hello.” Nan Xiaonan nodded, then sat down at her desk.

Ren Ziling shot Little Bao a warning glance. He shrank in fear and silently minimized his game window.

Ren Ziling smiled and walked over to Nan Xiaonan. Her tone turned serious. “Forensic Nan, what’s your opinion on the recent dismemberment cases?”

Nan Xiaonan blinked, surprised by the question. Why was this woman asking about that? But since she could walk freely inside the bureau, she probably had some official capacity.

Nan Xiaonan had only been here a few days, not enough time to meet everyone. So she didn’t find it strange that she didn’t recognize her.

She just wanted to avoid arousing suspicion and end the conversation quickly—this place was far too dangerous. She was even considering requesting a transfer.

Distracted by that thought, Nan Xiaonan replied casually, “Hmm, from what we’ve seen so far, the two dismemberment cases were committed by the same person. Judging from the crime scenes, the murderer appears extremely rational…”

As she continued explaining the current deductions and her personal insights, Ren Ziling nodded constantly, jotting notes in a small notebook.

Question after question, answer after answer—their exchange flowed smoothly, time slipping away unnoticed. Meanwhile, Little Bao’s expression grew increasingly anxious. In the end, he couldn’t even watch anymore.

If Sir Ma found out about this, he’d probably be dead meat.

Finally, Ren Ziling left in high spirits, smiling as she promised to visit often.

Only then did Nan Xiaonan breathe a sigh of relief. Standing next to this “Child of the World” had felt like being watched nonstop by the sub-world’s will itself. She’d been sweating the entire time.

“By the way, Little Bao,” Nan Xiaonan asked, “which department is this Sister Ren from? Why haven’t I seen her before?”

She was already resolved to avoid that department from now on—and to submit her transfer request soon.

Little Bao sighed. “Well, Department Chief Nan, she’s not from our bureau. She’s a journalist…”

Nan Xiaonan’s lips parted slightly, and she frowned. “A journalist?”

Little Bao quickly added, “But it’s fine! She’s kind of special. Even if the higher-ups find out what you told her, it won’t matter. You don’t say, I don’t say—no one will ever know.”

Nan Xiaonan nodded as if relieved.

So she was just a journalist. Not part of the bureau. That was good… but then again, how could an ordinary human journalist—someone far from being a world-changing figure—receive the protection of the world’s will?

She simply couldn’t figure it out.

Little Bao, seeing her relaxed, felt relieved as well. And so, the two began their day’s work—each with their own thoughts.

What Little Bao didn’t know was that Nan Xiaonan had already started drafting her transfer application. In a place like this, even the slightest misstep could lead to eternal ruin.

…

Feeling quite satisfied with the information she’d extracted from Nan Xiaonan, Ren Ziling was just about to leave when, passing the reception room, she noticed a young man sitting inside.

Curious, she took a closer look.

“This kid looks…”

Watching him rest his chin on his hand, staring blankly out the window, Ren Ziling suddenly froze. For an instant, she saw another figure—the hollow-eyed boy left behind three or four years ago after her husband’s departure.

“Ren Ziling!! What are you doing here!”

A startled voice broke her reverie. Ren Ziling jumped. Ma Hound (Ma Houde) was striding toward her.

“You’ve got the wrong person!” she yelped, spinning on her heel and bolting down the stairs.

“Wait! Don’t run, I need to ask you something!”

Sir Ma dashed after her.

Zhou Yusheng, walking beside him, frowned slightly as he watched the fleeing figure. For some reason, his heart sank, an inexplicable sadness rising in his chest.

“So she was Captain Luo’s…”

Zhou Yusheng took a deep breath. The new medicine Gao Wen had given him had improved his condition—he felt better with each passing day. The stifling gloom that once weighed on him had lightened, and the headaches were far less frequent.

Yet, even now, he still couldn’t remember what truly happened in that case from years ago.

For Zhou Yusheng, although he had forgotten how he fought with the bandit and how they both fell from the building in the end, he hadn’t lost his memory of what came before that.

It was that radiant man—brilliant like the sun—who had pulled him out of the mire in an instant… who made him stop sinking into despair.

Over the years, Zhou Yusheng had gone to Captain Luo’s grave once every month, faithfully reporting his work. He was deeply grateful to the man who had saved him. Even though that man now rested beneath the earth, Zhou Yusheng wanted him to know that he had not betrayed the oath he once swore before joining the force.

After composing himself, Zhou Yusheng entered the reception room—where the young man, Chen Mingming, was waiting.

…

Chen Mingming was thinking hard about how to persuade Zhou Yusheng to let him join the investigation. That was almost impossible, but he already had a plan and a set of reasons ready.

The brief commotion outside earlier hadn’t disturbed his thoughts. When Zhou Yusheng finally came in, Chen Mingming prepared to speak—but before he could, Zhou Yusheng said, “So you’re hiding here. I was looking all over for you. Alright, stop slacking off. There’s a meeting soon—get ready.”

“...A meeting?” Chen Mingming frowned, confused by his words.

Zhou Yusheng nodded. “Yes, a meeting. The case report on the dismemberment murders I asked you to reorganize yesterday—did you finish it?”

Chen Mingming’s mouth opened slightly in surprise, about to respond, when Zhou Yusheng suddenly stepped forward and frowned. “You’re usually careful. How could you drop your ID on the floor?”

He bent down, picked up a badge, and handed it to Chen Mingming. Chen looked down at it, his pupils tightening slightly.

On the card was his own photo—clear and unmistakable. It read: Member of the Second Unit.

“I… since when did I become a police officer?” Chen Mingming asked instinctively.

Zhou Yusheng gave him a puzzled look, then smiled and patted his shoulder. “Since when? Last year, of course. I even watched you take the oath myself.”

“Last year…”

In that instant, Chen Mingming understood. His identity had already been arranged. No wonder that parchment scroll had included such detailed information about this case.

Even his official status had been prepared in advance. The only question was—had only Zhou Yusheng’s memory been altered, or everyone’s in the entire bureau?

From the moment he opened that parchment until now, only one night had passed… and yet this much had already been done. It seemed he had underestimated that Boss’s power.

Still, this was convenient. Realistically speaking, joining the case under any pretense would have been hard to justify. Now he didn’t have to convince Zhou Yusheng at all.

Following Zhou Yusheng out of the reception room, Chen Mingming grew curious—if his identity had been rewritten, what about the relationship between his “father” Zhou Yusheng and his “mother”? What were they like now?

Along the way, many greeted Zhou Yusheng warmly, and also nodded to Chen Mingming, as though they were well-acquainted. Some even joked, “Like father, like son.”

Chen Mingming realized he had been completely integrated into this world.

…

“Ren Ziling! Stop running!!”

Out in the parking lot, Sir Ma was panting hard. After chasing her all the way, he finally blocked her path just as she jumped into her red Mini.

“What are you running for!” Sir Ma demanded angrily.

“I… I’ve got an emergency, can’t I?!” Ren Ziling was already weighing whether to slam the accelerator.

“What emergency—forget it. I actually needed to tell you something.” Ma Houde wiped his sweat. “I was going to contact you in a few days anyway. Since you showed up, I’ll tell you now. Leng Feng will be coming here in a few days. I might be too busy, so could you pick him up at the airport?”

“Er Lengzi’s coming?” Ren Ziling blinked in surprise. It had only been a few days since she last saw him, during the Mount Tai geological disaster incident.

“Yeah,” Ma Houde nodded. “Leng Feng said he’s about to be reassigned. He might be out of contact for a while. Before he leaves, he has a short vacation and wants to see old friends.”

“I see…” Ren Ziling nodded. “Alright, tell me the time. I’ll go pick him up. Luo Qiu’s back, too.”

“Huh? When did little Luo Qiu get back?” Ma Houde froze, then frowned. “And you didn’t tell me?”

“You looked so busy, I didn’t want to bother you.” Ren Ziling shrugged. “Anyway, when we all go out for dinner, you’ll see him then.”

“Fine, fine.” Ma Houde sighed. “You really wore me out chasing you. I still don’t know why you were running.”

“I thought you found out I’d been digging information from Nan Xiaonan and—”

“What! You got info from Nan Xiaonan—don’t run!!”

Vroom!

The bright red Mini roared to life and shot off.

…

In the capital, Leng Feng was packing his belongings in the camp. After the Mount Tai incident, he had received his transfer order—he would be joining a new department and undergoing training there.

There was no doubt he was about to step into an entirely new field.

He was a soldier—protecting the nation was his duty. So when the orders came, he didn’t hesitate. Still, the organization had granted him a brief vacation beforehand.

After all, once he joined that department, he might never get time off again.

“Big Bro Luo… it’s been so long since I’ve seen your kid. I wonder how much he’s grown. I still remember when you brought him to the base for training… can’t believe more than ten years have gone by.”

Thinking of returning home, a faint smile appeared on Leng Feng’s usually stern face.

(End of Chapter)