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A forced smile gradually formed on the young girl's innocent face, as she obediently placed her small hands together in front of her skirt and bowed.

Golden light burst forth.

The black aura dissipated.

Sunlight flooded the staircase, accompanied by a few stray leaves carried in by the breeze, as a flock of birds arrived to peck at them.

Chu Yuening slipped the charm into her sweater pocket.

A soft whisper emerged from the pocket.

"Thank you, big sister."

She stood for a moment, watching the birds feeding on the tender green leaves without fear of eagles. The foul smell in the stairwell seemed to have been dispersed by the wind.

Before long, the downstairs staircase echoed with the thuds of footsteps and the constant sound of Shi Boren calling out.

"Ning Ning! Are you okay? Come down and get ready to head back to the station."

Chu Yuening bent down to pick up the broom she borrowed from downstairs, still chewing gum as she turned to descend the stairs.

"Coming."

Chapter 101

As night fell, the lights in the buildings along Apliu Street gradually extinguished, casting the area into darkness as if swallowed by a monstrous creature. A pack of stray cats and dogs passed by the entrance of Kowloon Police Station.

Suddenly, a crisp click echoed in the night. All the lights on the second floor of the station flickered on.

The animals halted their steps, barking at the brightly illuminated office.

Moments later, a window creaked open, and a few sausages were tossed downward.

Zhou Fengxu closed the window. Inside, the room was dimly lit, with a whiteboard hanging on the wall, its glare prominent. It was covered with photographs of Zheng Xinya from the year she was murdered.

With his sleeves rolled up, he leaned on the desk, gazing at the whiteboard.

Shi Boren and Gan Yizu were slumped over the table, while Luo Qizhong silently sipped his coffee by the window.

Silence reigned.

Knock, knock!

It was like a bolt of lightning splitting the sky; the office door was knocked on with urgency.

Zhou Fengxu immediately rose to answer it.

The visitor was from the forensic department. The young man, dressed in a white lab coat, exuded an air of refinement as he handed over a file with a slight sigh of relief. "Detective Zhou, I have fulfilled my mission."

After Ma Zhengqi was apprehended, Team D had immediately requested the forensic team to take his blood for analysis. Working through the night, they had finally managed to complete the results before dawn.

The other three quickly gathered around.

Shi Boren's voice trembled slightly. "Dewain, what do the results say?"

Xinya often visited his dreams, almost every other time. Shouldn't it be time to solve the case?

Forensic and Homicide Units were the closest collaborators, so Dewain was well aware of D Unit's recent struggles. He handed the report to Zhou Fengxu, "The blood sample comparison matches one hundred percent."

A one hundred percent match?

Shi Boren's eyes widened as an overwhelming surge of joy flooded his heart, "Doesn't this confirm that Ma Zhengqi is the murderer?"

"Yes," Dewain forced a smile, "Congratulations."

With those words, the solemn atmosphere in the office dissipated.

Luo Qizhong and Gan Yizu exchanged glances.

Both saw the visible relief and subtle hints of happiness in each other's eyes.

"Hard work," Sir Zhou picked up the report, patted Dewain on the shoulder, and said, "Get some rest early."

After Dewain left, Zhou Fengxu relaxed his shoulders. He reached out to massage his left shoulder blade, then turned to open a filing cabinet, placing the report inside.

The glass on the cabinet faintly reflected the man's clear-eyed and handsome features.

After eighteen years on the run, the perpetrator who had murdered the eight-year-old girl was finally apprehended.

A heavy weight lifted from their hearts.

Zhou Fengxu closed the file cabinet. "Everyone, get some rest early. We'll head to court tomorrow morning and strive to send the culprit to prison as soon as possible."

"Affirmative, sir!" they replied in unison.

Eighteen years ago, the moment the murderer was caught, all procedures were expedited.

The next day, Ma Zhengqi was brought before the Court of Final Appeal for trial.

During the proceedings, faced with multiple charges, Ma Zhengqi showed no remorse. Instead, he even defied the court's authority and taunted the Zheng family's parents. Given the solid evidence of his heinous crime, he was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment.

This eighteen-year-old tragedy that had shocked Hong Kong came to an end with the judge's hammer striking down.

As Zhou Fengxu stepped out of the courthouse, he was immediately swarmed by a horde of reporters.

"Detective Zhou, the eighteen-year-old murder case has been reopened and solved within a month. How do you feel about the nickname 'Detective Miracle' that's circulating in the media?"

"Detective Zhou, the public is curious if you will assist in solving more cold cases in the future?"

"Detective Zhou..."

The journalists bombarded him with questions, some even asking, "Detective Zhou, there are rumors that Chairman Zhou is preparing to step down. Will you resign from the police force to take over the family business?"

Faced with numerous inquiries, Zhou Fengxu only answered one: "My father is currently in good health, so I believe he has no immediate plans to retire."

"As for the detailed aspects of the case, the Public Relations Department will hold a press conference this afternoon. Inspector Shi Yubing from Team D will provide a comprehensive explanation."

With that, Zhou Fengxu gently pushed aside the microphone. "Excuse me, please."

The reporters promptly made way, allowing the officers from Team D to pass through.

Descending the steps,

Shi Boren gazed at the clear sky and sighed, "If capital punishment hadn't been abolished, Ma Zhengqi would have certainly faced the firing squad for his crime. There's no way he'd get off with life imprisonment."

No term of imprisonment could ever erase the guilt of Ma Zhengqi's deeds.

Especially when Ma Zhengqi had even dared to provoke the court, claiming that it was merely a change of residence with good food and shelter, and that old age conveniently provided a place for him to spend his final years.

This thought only fueled Shi Boren's anger further.

Recalling the previous cases he had investigated, where the perpetrators had chosen to end their lives in gruesome ways that mirrored their victims' deaths, he couldn't help but muse,

"Suddenly, I think it's for the best that those killers are gone too."