The smell of disinfectant in the hospital was even more pungent than last time. Qiyue sat by his hospital bed, his fingers tapping rapidly on his laptop. On the screen was the accident investigation report from the traffic police department. The document stated that the original host’s Porsche had lost control and struck a guardrail on Binjiang Avenue, officially classified as a "single-vehicle accident caused by slippery roads in the rain."
But Su Muqing’s words remained like a thorn in his side: "Who really killed the original Qiyue?"
"Mr. Qi, you should rest." Zheng Xue pushed the door open, holding the lunch she had just bought. "The doctor said overworking your brain will delay your recovery."
Qiyue closed his laptop. "Help me contact a private detective agency—the most reliable one you can find."
The lunch box in Zheng Xue’s hand nearly dropped to the floor. "What do you need to investigate?"
"The car accident," Qiyue said, his voice low. "I suspect it wasn't an accident."
Zheng Xue’s face turned deathly pale. She hurried over and lowered her voice. "What did you find?"
Qiyue reopened the laptop and pulled up a photo. "This is the last picture taken before the car was towed away. Look at the brake line near the front left wheel."
The photo was blurry, but one could vaguely see a severed metal wire hanging from the inside of the wheel. Zheng Xue frowned. "What does that prove?"
"A normal brake line wouldn't snap at that location," Qiyue said, zooming in on the image. "Unless someone deliberately tampered with it."
Zheng Xue gasped. "Are you saying... someone murdered you?" She suddenly covered her mouth. "That day, Zheng Mingyuan did go to the garage. He said he wanted to check the golf clubs in your car..."
Qiyue’s eyes sharpened. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely!" Zheng Xue nodded vigorously. "I even thought it was strange at the time—Mr. Zheng has his own car, so why would he insist on using yours to get his clubs?"
The clues began to connect. Qiyue remembered the IP address and villa surveillance that Su Muqing had mentioned. If Zheng Mingyuan and Lin Yaru hadn't just betrayed the original host, but had actually orchestrated his murder...
"The detective agency must be kept strictly confidential," Qiyue cautioned. "Especially from Zheng Mingyuan and Lin Yaru."
Zheng Xue was just about to agree when the hospital door was suddenly pushed open. Both of them turned to see Lin Yaru standing in the doorway, holding a bouquet of white tulips. She was wearing a modest beige dress today, her makeup delicate but understated, appearing gentle and virtuous.
"Am I interrupting your work?" She walked in with a smile and placed the flowers on the bedside table. "Honey, are you feeling better?"
*Honey?* Qiyue sneered internally. Only three days ago she had been cold and distant, but now she was suddenly affectionate—nothing more than because he had stabilized his position at the company.
"Much better, thank you for your concern," Qiyue replied tonelessly.
Lin Yaru turned to Zheng Xue. "Assistant Zheng, could you give us some privacy?"
Zheng Xue looked at Qiyue, and only after seeing him give a slight nod did she reluctantly leave. As soon as the door closed, the smile on Lin Yaru’s face faded. She sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to stroke Qiyue’s face, but he avoided her touch without a trace.
"I heard about the company," Lin Yaru said, pulling back her hand. "You saved Tianyue Financial once again. The board is currently singing your praises."
"Zheng Mingyuan must be very unhappy about that," Qiyue probed intentionally.
Lin Yaru’s expression stiffened for a moment. "How could he be? He is your best friend and has always supported you."
"Just like he supported me embezzling company funds? Supported me in nearly driving the company to bankruptcy?" Qiyue sneered. "Yaru, let’s stop the act. I know all about you and Zheng Mingyuan."
Lin Yaru’s face turned deathly white, her meticulously manicured nails digging deep into her palms. "You... what are you talking about?"
"The divorce agreement in the safe, the flow of funds for the Starlight City project, and..." Qiyue stared directly into her eyes, "my car accident."
The last word struck like a knife. Lin Yaru stood up abruptly, knocking over the tulips and spilling water everywhere. "You’re crazy! That was just an accident!"
"Was it?" Qiyue picked up his phone and pulled up the photo. "Then how do you explain this severed brake line?"
Seeing the photo, Lin Yaru’s pupils contracted violently. She stepped back, her lips trembling. "I don't know anything about a brake line... you’re too exhausted, you’re having delusions..."
"Zheng Mingyuan went to the garage; I have the surveillance to prove it," Qiyue pressed on. "And your phone location data shows you were near Binjiang Avenue an hour before the crash. What were you doing there? Checking to see if I was dead?"
It was a complete bluff—Qiyue didn't have her location data at all. But Lin Yaru’s reaction confirmed his suspicions. She stood frozen as if struck by lightning, genuine fear flashing in her eyes.
"It wasn't me..." she said, her voice hoarse. "I never thought you would die... it was just... just..."
"Just what?" Qiyue demanded.
Lin Yaru suddenly turned and rushed toward the door. "You’re sick and need to rest! I’ll come back another day!"
The door slammed shut, and her hurried footsteps faded away. Qiyue let out a long breath. He had won this confrontation, but he had also alerted the enemy. Zheng Mingyuan would soon know that he was suspicious.
He picked up his phone and dialed Zheng Xue’s number. "Did you reach the detective agency?... Good. Tell them to focus on two things: Zheng Mingyuan’s bank statements from the last three months and all of Lin Yaru’s whereabouts on the day of the accident."
After hanging up, Qiyue tried to stand, but a wave of dizziness hit him instantly. He gripped the bedside table as the scene before him suddenly distorted—the white walls turned gray, the medical equipment stretched and warped, and a sharp buzzing sound filled his ears.
*It’s happening again!* The precursor to his precognitive ability. Qiyue gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay conscious. This time, he didn't resist, instead attempting to "see" further ahead.
"Zheng Mingyuan... what will he do next..." he muttered, focusing all his attention.
In an instant, images flooded in like a tide: Zheng Mingyuan in a dim office making a phone call, saying, "It must be resolved completely"; Tianyue Financial’s stock price plummeting, with news headlines reading "Hedge Fund Short Attack"; a blurry figure handing Zheng Mingyuan a small vial; and finally, himself lying in a dark space, struggling to breathe...
The vision ended abruptly, and Qiyue collapsed back onto the bed, his head throbbing. The price of this precognition was a warm liquid flowing from his nose—he wiped it; it was blood.
But it was worth it. He had seen the key information: Zheng Mingyuan was preparing to team up with a short-selling firm to attack Tianyue Financial, and there was an even more dangerous plan in motion.
The door opened again. Qiyue wiped away the nosebleed by reflex. But it wasn't the doctor; it was Su Muqing. She was wearing a black turtleneck and a pencil skirt today, appearing capable and mysterious.
"It seems you’ve already learned how to trigger your ability at will." She closed the door, her gaze landing on the blood-stained tissue in Qiyue’s hand. "But your control is still lacking."
Qiyue looked at her vigilantly. "How did you know I was here?"
"I have my channels." Su Muqing sat on the edge of the bed and pulled a small metal vial from her bag. "Drink this; it will alleviate the side effects."
Qiyue didn't move. "When you said 'the original Qiyue' last time... what did you mean?"
Su Muqing sighed. "Exactly what I said. The Qiyue who founded Tianyue Financial and married Lin Yaru is dead—he died in that car accident. And the one sitting in front of me now..." she stared into Qiyue’s eyes, "...is a different soul."
The room fell terrifyingly silent. Qiyue could hear his own heart pounding violently. How could she know? Was there someone else in the world with supernatural abilities?
"I don't know what you're talking about," Qiyue said, struggling to remain composed.
"No need to deny it," Su Muqing chuckled. "I am very familiar with this phenomenon. In fact, Stellar Investment has been researching these types of... special cases."
Qiyue’s blood seemed to freeze. Stellar Investment was researching soul transference? What kind of organization was this?
"Why are you helping me?" he asked for the third time.
A rare moment of hesitation appeared on Su Muqing’s face. "Because within Stellar Investment... there has been a split. Some believe 'anomalies' like you should be controlled and studied, while others believe in cooperation." She paused. "I belong to the latter."
"How many 'anomalies' do you actually have?" Qiyue probed.
"Enough," Su Muqing didn't answer directly. "What’s important now is that Zheng Mingyuan knows you’re suspicious. Lin Yaru went straight to his private club after leaving the hospital."
Qiyue wasn't surprised. "I foresaw that he would team up with a short-selling firm to attack the company."
"BlackBear Hedge Fund, starting the day after tomorrow morning," Su Muqing provided the information precisely. "They plan to release fake financial reports, accusing Tianyue Financial of financial fraud, while simultaneously coordinating with media leaks claiming you are 'mentally unstable'."
This was exactly what Qiyue had seen in the blurry vision. But Su Muqing’s intelligence was more specific, suggesting she had an informant inside BlackBear.
"Why tell me this?" Qiyue pressed. "Didn't Stellar Investment also participate in the fund diversion for the Starlight City project?"
A flicker of admiration crossed Su Muqing’s eyes. "A good investigation. But that was the operation of another faction; it has nothing to do with me." She stood up. "If you want to know more, come to this address tomorrow night at 8:00." She handed him a business card with only a coordinate and a time.
Qiyue took the card and suddenly grabbed her wrist. "One last question. The original Qiyue... how did he die? Was it really just a car accident?"
Su Muqing’s expression turned complex. "On the surface, yes. But in reality..." She leaned over and whispered in Qiyue’s ear, "He was drugged with a special substance that causes temporary hallucinations and impaired consciousness. The brake line was just a double insurance."
Qiyue felt a chill run through his body. "How do you know this?"
"Because that drug..." Su Muqing stood up straight, "...is an experimental product of Stellar Investment."
After she left, Qiyue sat still for a long time, his thoughts in turmoil. It turned out the original host’s death was tied to a mysterious organization, and he was now deep in the middle of it. Worse, Zheng Mingyuan was clearly linked to one of the factions within this group and was preparing to launch a fatal blow.
Outside the window, the sky grew dim and clouds gathered, signaling an approaching storm. Qiyue picked up his phone and dialed Zheng Xue’s number. "Cancel the detective agency. Contact a top-tier security firm instead... Yes, I need 24-hour protection. Also, help me prepare all the data on BlackBear Hedge Fund..."
After hanging up, Qiyue walked to the window. The raindrops began to beat against the glass, blurring the world outside. He knew he was stepping into a dangerous game of chess, with opponents not only in Zheng Mingyuan and Lin Yaru but also a mysterious and powerful organization.
But at this moment, a strange sense of excitement welled up in him. Since he had gained this precognitive ability and knew part of the truth, he would never let himself be slaughtered like the original host.
On the contrary, he would take the initiative, use his ability to uncover every conspiracy, and make those hiding in the shadows pay the price. Even if it meant facing unprecedented danger, even if this ability was slowly eroding his health.
The rain fell harder, and the water streaks on the glass distorted the city lights, much like the chaotic state of Qiyue’s thoughts. Tomorrow night, he would meet Su Muqing, perhaps gaining more clues about Stellar Investment and the death of the original host. But before then, he had to be ready to handle BlackBear’s attack.
Qiyue returned to the bedside and opened his laptop, beginning to review BlackBear’s history of short-selling cases. Since he had foreseen this attack, he had a chance to turn defeat into victory. And this time, he would no longer be on the defensive; he would set a trap and let his opponents walk right into it.
The screen’s light flickered on his face. Qiyue did not notice that in the shadows of the hospital corridor, a figure was observing him through the glass window on the door, before disappearing silently into the darkness...