Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 1073 Doorman

The Final Showdown. Xiao Zhang's tearful report came through the phone receiver. Lin Lan felt a buzzing in her ears, and her fingers, gripping the phone, turned white from the strain. The fourth murder, Shen Yanqiu's fingerprints again. She looked up at Jiang Mingyuan. The silver cufflinks around the old man's neck were a blinding red, as if soaked in blood. "He's accelerating," Jiang Mingyuan's voice trembled slightly, his bony fingers gripping the armrests of the armchair, their knuckles turning white. "The side effects of the elixir are starting to show. He needs more 'Soul Attraction' to suppress it." Lin Lan didn't ask any more questions, turning and stalking out of the old house. The moment she opened the door, the wind from the bamboo forest lashed her face with moisture, carrying the scent of decaying grass and trees. She started the car, the tires rustling across the bamboo-covered path. In the rearview mirror, the old house, hidden deep in the bamboo forest, shrank smaller and smaller, finally disappearing into the dense green, as if it had never existed. By the time she rushed back to the city bureau, it was already dark. The lights in the technical department were still on, and the door was piled with newly returned evidence boxes, labeled "Xihua Road Murder Scene." Lin Lan walked straight to the archives room, her footsteps echoing hurriedly in the corridor, startling the security guard on duty and causing him to look out. "Captain Lin, are you still working overtime so late?" The security guard's voice was sleepy. "Yes, I'll get a file," Lin Lan said without turning back, her finger already pressing the combination lock on the archives room. With a click, the heavy iron door opened, and the familiar smell of camphor mixed with mildew hit her face. Lin Lan walked to the filing cabinet labeled "Shen Yanqiu" and pulled out the blue file bag. A light layer of dust covered the bag, clearly untouched in a long time. She spread the file on the table, and in the light of the desk lamp, a yellowed black-and-white photo came into view. In the photo, Shen Yanqiu was wearing a neat police uniform, a silver badge pinned to his chest, and a confident smile on his lips. His left hand rested on the holster at his waist, revealing a silver cufflink with a clear "J" engraved on it. It was identical to the one found at the crime scene and hung around Jiang Mingyuan's neck. "So that's how it is," Lin Lan muttered to herself, her fingertips lightly brushing the cufflink in the photo. Shen Yanqiu was that "J." He had killed those old men, stolen the ancient books, and survived for nearly a hundred years on an incomplete formula for longevity. Now, the formula's side effects were beginning to show, and he had begun committing crimes madly again, searching for new "ingredients." Tucked into the file was a handwriting identification report on Shen Yanqiu, the handwriting on it identical to the small regular script written with the fountain pen in the archives. Lin Lan picked up the report, her fingertips tracing the powerful strokes, and suddenly felt a chill rising from the soles of her feet. Where in this city was this man who had lived for nearly a hundred years hiding? She tried to contact Shen Yanqiu again through the file, gently placing her hand on the yellowed pages, holding her breath and waiting. But the desk lamp burned quietly, the pen on the table remained motionless, and the only sound in the archives was the monotonous ticking of the old-fashioned wall clock. "Will he never come again?" Lin Lan frowned, feeling a little lost. She wanted to know more about the elixir of immortality and the truth behind Shen Yanqiu's disappearance. Just as she was about to close the file, a folded piece of paper fell out and landed on the table. Lin Lan bent down to pick it up, unfolding it. It was written in familiar small script: "Zi Shi, Nanhua Tower, settle the grudge." The handwriting was so strong that it pierced the paper, carrying an air of determination. Lin Lan checked the digital clock on the table. It read 11:00 PM, an hour until midnight. She immediately picked up the intercom: "Xiao Zhang, prepare the car, go to Nanhua Tower." "Nanhua Tower? Captain Lin, that place is closed at night." Xiao Zhang's voice was filled with confusion. "It's a special case. Tell the guard to let the Municipal Bureau handle the case," Lin Lan said as she stuffed Shen Yanqiu's file into her bag and hurried out of the archives. As the car drove out of the city bureau gate, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a dull rumble of thunder. Lin Lan looked out the window. Dark clouds were gathering from all directions, as if they were going to swallow up the entire city. "It's going to rain," Xiao Zhang said, turning on the windshield wipers. "Yeah," Lin Lan responded, but her eyes were fixed on the street scene passing by outside the window. Nanhua Tower is the landmark building of Nanhua City. It was built in the 22nd year of the Republic of China. It is nine stories high, and the blue brick tower is covered with traces of time. It is said that when it was built, Shen Yanqiu also donated a sum of money, and his name is engraved on the stone tablet at the bottom of the tower. When the car stopped at the foot of Nanhua Tower, it was exactly 11:50. Lin Lan pushed open the car door, and the cold rain immediately hit her face, bringing the chill of late autumn. The iron gate under the tower was closed, and a sign read "No entry at night" was hung. Lin Lan showed her police officer ID, and the guard reluctantly opened the lock. "Miss, it's windy up there, be careful," the guard's voice tinged with worry. "I understand, thank you," Lin Lan nodded, turning and entering the tower. The staircase, paved with bluestone, spiraled upward, making a thumping sound as she stepped on it. Old photos hung on the walls, chronicling the history of Nanhua Tower. One was of Shen Yanqiu at the inauguration ceremony, standing before the tower in a long gown, a beaming smile on his face. Lin Lan climbed step by step, her breathing becoming increasingly rapid. With each floor, the wind grew stronger, pouring in through the tower windows with a whirring sound, like someone weeping. When she finally reached the ninth floor, it was midnight. The platform was empty, save for a single dim street lamp, a hazy halo of light against the drizzle. The wind, rife with rain, whipped Lin Lan's police uniform rustling and her hair plastered to her face. "You're finally here," a familiar voice echoed from behind her, a barely perceptible smile on her face. Lin Lan turned around abruptly, tightening her grip on the pistol at her waist. Shen Yanqiu was standing on the edge of the tower top, wearing a black windbreaker. The rain wet his hair and stuck to his forehead, but it did not affect the sharpness in his eyes at all. He looked a little older than in the photo, but his eyes were still clear and deep, as if he could see through people's hearts. "Shen Yanqiu." Lin Lan said in a deep voice, his fingertips already on the trigger. Shen Yanqiu turned around and faced Lin Lan, a strange smile on the corner of his mouth: "Officer Lin, we finally meet." "Did you kill all those old people?" Lin Lan asked, her eyes fixed on Shen Yanqiu, not daring to relax. Shen Yanqiu nodded, without a trace of guilt on his face: "They betrayed the organization back then, and they deserved this end. I killed them not only for revenge, but also for the formula of the elixir of immortality." "Revenge?" Lin Lan was puzzled, "Didn't you betray the Shoujing Society?" "Betrayal?" Shen Yanqiu suddenly laughed as if he had heard a joke,