Eye of Sin

The corridor in front stretched infinitely into darkness, as if it had no end. A woman with long hair, dressed in a long dress, her hair scattered like seaweed, walked barefoot through it. Her footsteps were somewhat chaotic, her body wrapped in a coarse-knit sweater trembling incessantly. Suddenly, an invisible oppressive force surged from behind. Her footsteps became more frantic, gradually transitioning from walking to barefoot running. Rapid breaths, chaotic footsteps, interspersed with pounding heartbeats. These sounds collided and intertwined in the dark corridor, forming an invisible web that tightly bound the woman and her fear together, unable to break free. Suddenly, everything around fell silent, abruptly, unusually quiet... In that moment, the woman also sensed something. Her facial muscles twitched and trembled with tension. In the darkness, it seemed as if a pair of hands were gripping her shoulders, forcibly stopping her frantic steps, causing her to slowly turn around. Behind her, a person appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, standing very close to her, almost nose to nose. That person had the same long hair, the same sweater, the same dress as her, except their face was pale, eyes tightly shut, a slightly eerie smile playing at the corners of their lips... At that moment, the apparition suddenly opened its eyes, revealing eye sockets as empty as black holes... Accompanied by a haunting melody of water harp, the long-haired woman on the big screen let out a terrified scream, causing a collective gasp from the audience in the theater. In this not-so-large screening room, about twenty or thirty young people were deeply engrossed in watching the movie, their nerves taut, emotions rising and falling with the plot. Occasionally, they would be startled by sudden plot twists or sound effects, unable to help but let out nervous murmurs. Amidst the intermittent gasps, the movie on the screen gradually reached its Key time point. When the bright lights in the theater came on again, the viewers finally broke free from the tense atmosphere, sighing with relief and discussing the plot they had just witnessed as they got up and left the not-so-large screening room in groups of twos and threes. No one noticed that in the corner of the last row, a long-haired woman remained slumped in her chair, her body twisted in a peculiar posture, her deathly pale face slightly tilted to one side, devoid of any signs of life. In the corridors of the W City Police Department, two plainclothes police officers were hurrying to the scene. "I still can't figure out why you volunteered to take charge of the new colleague," remarked one of the officers, a medium-built man with a round face, keeping pace with his colleague while expressing his bewilderment. "I heard you even tagged along for their physical training sessions recently. Must have been exhausting, huh? That's really not like you!" The detective speaking was named White, and the one he addressed was his teammate, a female officer named Jiajia. Jiajia was the most unique among the famous "Four Golden Flowers" of the Criminal Investigation Team. With her sharp intellect, photographic memory, and vast knowledge, she seemed like a walking encyclopedia and was jokingly referred to as the "Princess of the Police Department" by her colleagues. This was mainly because while Jiajia excelled in theoretical knowledge, anything related to physical fitness was simply not her forte. In fitness assessments, where the passing time for a shuttle run was 14 minutes and 1 second, Jiajia would barely make it within 14 minutes. For the 800-meter run with a passing time of 4 minutes and 20 seconds, Jiajia's time would inevitably hover around 4 minutes and 19 seconds. As for the high jump with a passing height of 2.3 meters, Jiajia could never touch 2.4 meters! Over the years since she joined the team, her colleagues had grown accustomed to this. Whenever there was a need for mental acuity, they turned to Jiajia without hesitation, knowing she wouldn't disappoint. However, if it involved heavy physical work... well, don't count on her! Previously, a former military marksman named Howard had been assigned to the team. Standing at 1.8 meters tall with a commanding presence, he was said to be a skilled sniper specializing in long-range shooting. Several departments had vied for him upon his retirement, making him highly sought after. Choosing someone to mentor such a capable newcomer was indeed a challenge. They couldn't pick someone too soft, fearing they wouldn't be able to handle it, yet selecting someone equally capable posed the risk of conflicting personalities, as two strong characters might clash. While White was still pondering who should mentor the new colleague, Jiajia unexpectedly volunteered for the task herself. Considering Howard's extensive combat experience and outstanding military skills, and Jiajia's wealth of knowledge and sharp intellect, White realized they complemented each other well. As their strengths didn't overlap and they didn't clash, it seemed like a viable arrangement, so he agreed. However, the situation took a bizarre turn when the new colleague didn't readily accept White's arrangement. Instead, he expressed concerns about Jiajia's lack of physical fitness, deeming it problematic and unsuitable unless she improved her fitness level. The team had always regarded Jiajia, who treated physical training as if it were a fearsome beast, as someone who would inevitably retreat in the face of such a challenge. Yet, to everyone's surprise, she not only agreed this time but also gritted her teeth and trained alongside others for a full four to five months, from late autumn to early spring. The new colleague had already assisted in a rescue mission upon joining the team, successfully eliminating the robbers and earning recognition. After that, he underwent psychological counseling and police training. Apart from physical training, he rarely interacted with others. This would be the first time he joined them in action since his arrival. People in the team described Howard as extremely reserved, not one for small talk. His dissent towards White's arrangements upon arrival left them wondering about his character, understandably making White a bit skeptical. In response to White's doubts, Jiajia sighed and glanced at him. "Do I even need to tell you the answer to this question? Just take a good look at me and then at yourself in the mirror, and you'll find your answer! It's all well and good when we encounter good cooperation during work. But think about it, every time we've dealt with someone uncooperative and stubborn, we've wasted so much time and energy just to end up frustrated! With criminals, at least we can directly subdue them. But it's those who play hardball, like the victims' families, that pose a challenge! Soft approaches don't work, and we don't have the imposing presence to use force. There's simply no way to handle them! To accomplish tasks efficiently, we need someone like Howard, a 'god,' to deal with those tricky 'imps'!" Hearing her words, White couldn't help but chuckle wryly, feeling somewhat resigned. Yet, he had to admit that Jiajia had hit the nail on the head. After months of gritting her teeth and training alongside Howard, Jiajia appeared slightly leaner compared to before, though she still maintained a fair complexion. Previously, she had the appearance of a porcelain doll, with a hint of baby fat that hadn't quite faded from her face, making her look adorable like the girl next door. As for Howard, to describe him in the playful words of their colleagues, he had a "friendly face," as if a clay figure had shed some weight. His amiable appearance naturally reduced his intimidation factor, but also inevitably diminished his imposing presence. "Jiajia, spill the beans! What's Howard really like to get along with?" Since Jiajia's considerations were quite reasonable, White decided to inquire about the matter he was more concerned about. "He's been through training and all since joining the team, but we haven't had many interactions. I heard he's quite the character. Is he a tough nut to burst?" Jiajia pondered for a moment, but her pace didn't slow down. "Well... he keeps his distance, but he's fair with rewards and punishments. Oh, and his sense of time is impeccable. If you want a harmonious work environment and efficient work, you need to be punctual and efficient. So, let's pick up the pace!"