Chapter Three: Half a Key to Tidelistening House

Hiding should have lasted only long enough to expose the traitor. A second assassination attempt during recovery taught Yanci that Shen Boqian controlled not merely the board but the channels through which police evidence traveled. “My father saved you?” “Twice. The third time, he could not save himself first.” Yanci produced a recorder. Zhou Chengyue's voice, recorded the day before his death, was hoarse and urgent: Yanci, if something happens to me, don't look for Jibai. He knows nothing. Let him have an ordinary life. Jibai did not cry. He set down the bloody tweezers with exquisite care. “Why did you disobey him?” “After this month, the evidence in the secret room will disappear when the estate is demolished. I had no one I could trust.”