"Where are you lost?" Shi Meng’s voice cut through the fog in Lianfeng’s mind.


    She blinked, her pulse hammering in her ears. A realization struck her, like a blade slicing through years of uncertainty. The woman standing beside her was the one. The one leading the troops that night.


    The room around her seemed to shrink. The air felt heavier. Darker.


    Getting no response, Shi Meng frowned. "Let''s go out. Ms. Bai has something to report."


    Lianfeng turned, but her legs felt rooted to the floor. She turned back to look. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she looked toward Mr. Wei.


    He stood near Ms. Bai, his expression calm as ever. Too calm. The room hadn’t changed, and yet, a cold weight settled in her chest.


    The sunlight cast long shadows across his face, and for the first time, she noticed the sharpness of his gaze—the way it lingered on her, unreadable. It wasn’t warmth she saw anymore. It was calculation.


    Had it always been there?


    A chill ran down her spine.


    Mr. Wei isn''t innocent. He is indeed responsible for the massacre.


    The realization churned in her stomach like poison.


    "Are you fine?" Shi Meng’s voice held concern.


    Lianfeng forced herself to nod, though her mind was spiraling. No, I can’t leave Jinggu. Not now. Not when I finally know the truth. But staying in the Magistrate’s Mansion is no longer an option.


    She followed Shi Meng out, her steps feeling oddly detached from her body. The carriage ride to the dock passed in a blur. The rhythmic clatter of hooves against the stone streets barely registered.


    When they arrived, Shi Meng started toward the ticket counter, but Lianfeng instinctively reached out and gripped his wrist.


    I can’t board the ship.


    Shi Meng frowned. "Are you feeling sick?"


    "No. Mr. Wei is indeed the one behind the massacre."


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    Shi Meng let out a frustrated sigh. "How do you know that?"


    Lianfeng’s hands clenched into fists. "Because Ms. Bai led the soldiers that night. I heard her voice when I was hiding."


    Shi Meng gave a hollow laugh. "You heard that voice fifteen years ago. And now you think you recognize it? You have no proof."


    Lianfeng shook her head. "That’s not the only reason, Shi Meng. We came back to Jinggu because the official records of that night were altered." Her voice hardened. "The original report said ‘bandits raided the village.’ But the revised one? It called it a ‘necessary military action.’"


    She took a step closer. "Necessary. Military. Action." She spat the words out. "That one change means someone powerful rewrote history to justify a massacre. And who had the power to do that?"


    Shi Meng’s smirk faltered.


    Lianfeng pressed on. "We thought it might be a clerical error. But now I hear Ms. Bai’s voice—the same voice from that night. This isn’t just a coincidence, Shi Meng."


    Shi Meng exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "Even if the reports were changed, that doesn’t mean Mr. Wei is guilty. You’re connecting a lot of dots without real proof."


    Lianfeng’s nails dug into her palms. "Then tell me—who else could have changed those records?"


    Shi Meng had no answer.


    Lianfeng clenched her jaw. "Believe it or not, he is indeed responsible. And I am not leaving until I execute justice. I was leaving because I doubted he was the culprit. But now, I am sure. I am not leaving."


    Shi Meng ran a hand through his hair, his patience thinning. "You don’t have a single piece of evidence against him. And just from the voice you heard 15 years ago, you have decided he is guilty?" He turned back, eyes blazing. "Do you know how ridiculous you sound right now?"


    Lianfeng stood firm, her hands trembling at her sides.


    "That man is so kind that he has never hurt anybody," Shi Meng continued, his voice laced with exasperation. "Because of the documents, I did doubt him, but they were nothing more than a clerical error. He always puts people above himself, and you expect me to believe he is the culprit with no proof? Have you gone insane?"


    His voice had risen too high. Lianfeng could feel people glancing their way. The weight of their stares pressed against her skin, but she did not care.


    "I am not crazy," she said through gritted teeth. "I know what I am doing. I am not leaving. If you want to leave, go ahead. I am not stopping you."


    A tense silence stretched between them.


    "Fine then." Shi Meng’s voice was clipped, but his stance was rigid. His fingers twitched, and for a moment, it seemed as if he wanted to say something else, something to pull her back from this decision. His jaw tightened, frustration flickering in his eyes before he exhaled sharply.


    "I am leaving. You stay here."


    He turned away, his steps brisk, but not without hesitation. As he walked toward the ticket counter, his posture remained stiff, his fists clenched at his sides. Mr. Wei had guided him. He had never seen the man as anything but kind. Lianfeng sounded crazy. But the worst part was… part of him wasn’t so sure anymore.


    Lianfeng watched him go, a dull ache settling in her chest. She had made her choice, and so had he. She turned around and booked a room in a small tavern called ''Daybreak'', near the dock. After changing, she lay in her bed. After all these years, this is how I found out. What a joke heavens have played!


    She changed direction and faced the white wall. I can''t investigate by myself. I will need help.