Chapter 1

Li Chi silently mouthed words at Sun Yuan across from him, asking if he was ready. Sun Yuan nodded slightly, his tension evident. Leaning against the wall, he signaled a countdown of three seconds to the SWAT officer holding the detonation remote. Three. Two. One. The officer pressed the button. With a deafening roar, the reinforced door crashed down under the hydraulic ram's force. Li Chi and the SWAT team surged into the cramped apartment of the old building.

"Police!" "Police!" "Hands on your head! Get down!" The apartment was pitch black, the tactical flashlights on the submachine guns casting frantic beams of light. Li Chi stormed into the living room, handgun raised, scanning his surroundings. It was an old apartment built in the 1980s, furnished with worn-out pieces, devoid of any electronic devices. It didn't look like the hideout of a notorious cybercriminal. No one was there. The SWAT officers split into pairs to search the other rooms. Soon, reports came in. "Clear! No one in the bedroom." "Clear! Kitchen is empty too." "Captain Li, come take a look!" The officer who had rushed into the study called out loudly.

Li Chi gestured to Sun Yuan, and they entered the study together. It was empty as well. The window was open, and a gentle night breeze fluttered the curtains. On the desk facing the window was a cup, covering a piece of paper. Li Chi picked up the paper, examining it carefully under the neon light from outside. It bore eight characters: "An innocent man gets hurt by holding a treasure." Li Chi leaned out of the open window. A soft ladder hung down, leading to the ground. "Damn it, he got away again," Li Chi cursed, slumping onto the study's sofa, exhausted from the recent raid.

Sun Yuan picked up the note and placed it into an evidence bag. "An innocent man gets hurt by holding a treasure?" he murmured to himself. On the ride back, Sun Yuan remained silent, seemingly deep in thought. Li Chi sat in the back seat, rolling down the window, gazing at the city's nightscape illuminated by streetlights. "Xiao Sun, do you think this guy has some kind of mystical powers? We've tried to catch him three times now, and haven't even managed to lay a finger on him." Li Chi finally broke the silence. As a detective in the Capital's Cyber Crime Division, he had encountered numerous cybercriminals over the years, many with strong counter-surveillance abilities, but none as slippery as their current target.

"Captain Li, we didn't find any network or computing devices in the apartment, not even destroyed ones," Sun Yuan replied after a moment of silence. "Yes, that's what puzzles me. Did he relocate his equipment beforehand?" "It doesn't fit the usual pattern. Based on the traces left behind, he couldn't have left more than an hour ago. Drawing on previous cases, it's unlikely he had time to move that much equipment. Usually, in cases like this, the devices are set to self-destruct," Sun Yuan explained.

In such cases, they typically find the remnants of USB drives melted in microwaves, or hard drives shattered by sledgehammers. Yet, in this case, they hadn't found anything like that. "So, what are you suggesting?" Li Chi inquired. "Either he's using remotely controlled computing devices, or his equipment is so small that he can carry it with him." "But didn't we already confirm that this place was the source of all the attack traffic? He couldn't possibly control that many devices remotely without us noticing." "So," Sun Yuan turned to Li Chi, his eyes glinting in the darkness, "he might actually possess some mystical powers."

"This time, we missed him again. The higher-ups are putting a lot of pressure on us," Director Gao said after hearing their report, adjusting his glasses. "This case has attracted attention from the top. The sophistication of this criminal's methods and his high level of counter-surveillance are unlike anything we've seen in recent years. Li Chi, I pulled some strings to get Xiao Sun transferred here specifically to help you on this case. I hope the two of you can work well together and get this job done."

Li Chi remained silent, while Sun Yuan was about to speak but was stopped by a look from Li Chi. "Enough talk. Get back to work. I'll do my best to shield you from the higher-ups," Director Gao waved them off, turning back to his documents. Li Chi and Sun Yuan left the director's office, turning a corner back to the bustling hall of the Cyber Crime Division. It was six in the morning, and the division was already bustling with activity. Agents who had been up all night were queuing at the coffee machine, while others who had been working non-stop for days were passed out on makeshift cots nearby.

Li Chi glanced at Sun Yuan, who looked equally exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes, just like his own. Li Chi tossed the crime scene investigation report aside and collapsed into his chair, feeling utterly drained. Three times. Three consecutive attempts to capture the target, and each time, he had slipped away just before the police arrived. How did he manage to do it?

"Xiao Sun, earlier you mentioned that Zhou Tao might actually have some mystical powers. What did you mean by that?" Li Chi asked. Sun Yuan removed his jacket and tossed it onto the chair, picking up the crime scene investigation report that Li Chi had thrown aside. He dug through his drawer, pulling out two cans of ready-to-drink coffee, opening one and handing the other to Li Chi.

"Two weeks ago, I was transferred from the headquarters to the Cyber Crime Division to work with you on the Zhou Tao case," Sun Yuan began after a pause. Over the past half-month, Li Chi had formed an impression of Sun Yuan as a tech geek, someone who spoke in computer jargon all the time. This guy had an excessive passion for the case but was a complete novice when it came to practical fieldwork, often causing Li Chi headaches. Still, there was no harm in letting him talk.

"Zhou Tao, male, 26, graduated with a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Capital Normal University. His previous job was as an algorithm engineer at Leshi Corporation. Six months ago, Leshi discovered that he had been remotely accessing their servers from home, stealing data, and subsequently dismissed him. He's been unemployed since, and about six weeks ago, several large online companies began reporting attacks, all employing nearly flawless man-in-the-middle techniques. It was only after that that we gradually narrowed down our suspect to him."

"Correct. That was before you arrived, Xiao Sun," Li Chi nodded. "There was nothing wrong with our first attempt to capture him. Before that, he had no idea he was being monitored. In fact, his hideout was in the apartment where he was living at the time. The capture was scheduled for 4 AM, based on his lifestyle, which suggested he would most likely be asleep then. The first attempt should have been a surefire success."

"Yes. I was the one who planned and directed the operation," Li Chi confirmed. "But he somehow miraculously escaped an hour before we arrived, just like the two times that followed. No digital evidence was left behind on any of these occasions."

"Even now, I still can't figure out how he managed to get away. He even avoided all the surveillance cameras along the way," Li Chi said, sipping his coffee.

"The same thing happened during the second and third attempts, the last one being early this morning. We went to great lengths to locate him, but just like before, he somehow sensed us coming and fled an hour before we arrived. We didn't find any equipment, but his ability to launch attacks remained undiminished."

"And then he left a note: 'An innocent man gets hurt by holding a treasure.' What exactly are you suspecting?" Li Chi narrowed his eyes.

"You could consider Sherlock Holmes' famous quote: 'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.' Let's summarize the information we currently have: He possesses extremely advanced hacking skills, capable of near-perfect man-in-the-middle attacks; we have not found any equipment during three attempts to capture him; and his attack capabilities remain consistent," Sun Yuan spoke without looking at Li Chi, staring into the void.

Over the time they had worked together, Li Chi had learned that Sun Yuan would often do this when deep in thought. He said nothing, waiting for Sun Yuan to continue.

"So, my deduction is that he has a very small, portable device with immense computing power. This device is the source of all the attack traffic."

"You're suggesting that the 'treasure' he mentioned in his note refers to this? But does such a device even exist?" Li Chi straightened up in his chair.

"It seems we need to pay a visit to my alma mater," Sun Yuan replied with a smile.

"I didn't expect visiting your lab would be such a hassle," Li Chi grumbled as he signed the visitor's log, donned a visitor's lab coat, and put on shoe covers. To gain entry to this lab, he had to present an introduction letter, sign several documents, have his photo and fingerprints taken, and pass through two metal detectors, leaving all his belongings outside. He felt as if he were walking in naked. The lab coat even had a lining, making it quite warm to wear. He knew Sun Yuan had graduated from Peking University's Computer Science Department but had no idea about his specific field of study.

"This is a national key laboratory; not just anyone can get in," Sun Yuan replied, effortlessly donning his lab coat and shoe covers, clearly accustomed to the procedure. "Are you sure this is the right place?" Li Chi asked, glancing around the lab. "I've mentioned before, my specialization in university was in mobile device operating systems. This lab studies cutting-edge mobile communication technologies, which means they possess the most advanced computing devices," Sun Yuan explained, leading Li Chi down a sterile white corridor lined with security cameras.

"But this place doesn't look like it has anything to do with hacking," Li Chi commented, glancing at the tightly shut lab doors.

"In terms of talent, they have the best hacker candidates," Sun Yuan replied with a smile, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses. They arrived at the innermost lab. The door bore a simple sign with the lab's name, and no other markings. Sun Yuan knocked on the door, which was soon opened by a middle-aged man with graying hair. "Professor Tang, I've brought a guest," Sun Yuan greeted with a smile. Professor Tang was an associate professor in the department, specializing in mobile communication technology. He was also Sun Yuan's mentor during his university days.

"Xiao Sun, it's been a while. I see you're doing well at the Cyber Crime Division," Professor Tang greeted him warmly, shaking hands with both of them. Sun Yuan introduced Li Chi as his colleague from the division, and the professor warmly welcomed them inside. "What brings you here today? Are you seeking expert advice, or is there a case you need help with?" the professor inquired after they were seated.