Chapter 54

A few minutes later, the police took out several micro-cameras from the full-length mirror and placed them into the plastic transparent bag that Mo Li used to store her merchandise. Along with them were a few large-capacity memory cards attached to the cameras.

The female police officer asked her, "Did you buy this mirror yourself?"

Mo Li was stunned when she saw the cameras. Upon hearing the police officer's question, she slowly came to her senses and hesitantly shook her head. "I had a male colleague purchase it for me. He said someone in his family works in this industry and gave me a factory price... How could there be cameras inside?"

This full-length mirror not only had the function of a regular mirror but also featured an intelligent fitness system that could correct the user's posture to achieve the proper fitness effects.

It also had various interactive games, allowing users to exercise at home without having to wait for equipment at the gym. As a result, it became quite popular online for a while.

Mo Li often saw advertisements for this type of mirror and, given the favorable price her colleague offered—almost half the price of what it cost from online resellers—she couldn't resist the temptation and bought one.

However, she only used it for a while after receiving it, and then got too lazy to continue using it. She just kept it as an ordinary full-length mirror, using it only before leaving the house.

If she hadn't been dazzled by the mirror earlier, she might never have noticed anything unusual about it.

Mo Li looked at the cameras, still holding onto a sliver of hope. "Could it be that these cameras are part of the mirror's original design? Maybe they are meant to correct my movements or something..."

She spoke softer and softer, clearly realizing that this possibility was unlikely.

The female police officer looked at her with a strange expression. "Individuals and businesses are not allowed to purchase and install pinhole cameras on their own. They require special qualifications and must be registered before use. The relevant functions must also be disclosed to consumers when sold. Your situation... did that male colleague give you anything else?"

Mo Li's hair stood on end after hearing this. She couldn't believe that she had been living under surveillance for such a long time.

Especially when she recalled that after receiving the fitness mirror, the male colleague had looked at her in a strange way, often smiling at her.

At first, Mo Li thought it was because of her purchase of the mirror from him that he might have misunderstood something, so she stopped interacting with him. She never imagined the real reason would be this!

Now, looking at her own reflection in the mirror, Mo Li felt a chill running down her spine. It took a while for her to find her voice again. "Th-there’s also a human tracker that goes with it... it’s on the small table next to it."

The female police officer picked up a small black box from the table, opened it, and indeed found it was equipped with something.

Mo Li was now too scared to even cry. She stared at the device, trembling. "W-what is this? Is it also a camera?"

In just a few words, the female officer explained the device's function. "It's not a camera, but it's part of the same system. With this, the suspect can access the video feed anytime, anywhere, without being limited by location."

She had received similar reports before, involving these types of criminal devices, so she immediately recognized it.

Mo Li: "..."

This was too terrifying!

Mo Li only felt a buzzing sound in her head, and before she could even react, tears poured out. It wasn't until the female police officer hugged her that she realized she had been trembling the whole time.The female police officer's colleague had already taken the evidence back to the police station. She gently patted Mo Li's back and comforted her for a while, then looked at her with some concern, "Are you okay? Do you have the strength to come back to the police station and give a statement?"

Mo Li listened to her gentle and comforting words, but she felt like crying even more.

After a long while, she shyly wiped away her tears, nodded to indicate she was okay, and when she got up, she couldn't help but whisper a thank you.

"You're so patient, and so professional," Mo Li said with emotion, "If it weren't for you today, I really wouldn't know what to do... I wish I could be as smart and calm as you."

Then I wouldn't have gotten so emotional and hurt my favorite idol by unfollowing and criticizing him, and I wouldn't have been secretly filmed for so long without realizing it.

She thought of the scene when she discovered the cameras, and her heart raced, filled with unease.

The female officer shook her head and said there was no need to thank her, smiling wryly, "When I see you, I can't help but think of my little sister."

"Is she also just graduated?"

"Yes. She also received something like this, and then..." The female officer's gaze darkened, "She was permanently stopped at the year of her graduation."

Her first case of voyeurism involved her sister as the victim.

Mo Li later summarized the incident in a long Weibo post: [In that moment, I felt shame. For a few seconds, I even thought about ending it all, but the police officer was by my side, and her words, 'Are you okay?' brought my sanity back.

But her sister will never come back.

This matter, I will pursue to the end, and will never let that scumbag go! Only by making the criminal feel pain and fear can we stop more 'little sisters' from being harmed by them!]

As for the social media account that Ji Han had used, it was eventually confirmed that it was the male colleague who had spread the information.

He was dissatisfied with Mo Li ignoring him, yet caring deeply for a man she couldn't even see or touch. Also, any gossip about Ji Han could be sold for a high price. So he used the equipment hidden in the body tracker to send the news of Ji Han and Mo Li's acquaintance to unscrupulous media.

That was the last straw that broke Ji Han, almost pushing him into an irreversible abyss.

It almost caused Mo Li to face legal consequences.

However, Mo Li’s act of hacking someone else’s account was true. She was criticized and educated for two hours at the police station, watched a cybersecurity education video, and wrote an 800-word apology before she was released.

After getting permission, Mo Li posted her experience online and once again sincerely apologized to Ji Han.

The smart interactive mirror and Ji Han's lottery giveaway of talismans were both recent popular topics, especially involving the sensitive issue of pinhole cameras, which caused the matter to rise in intensity.

Netizens with a keen eye soon discovered the key detail that had been glossed over in the whole event: [Did no one notice? The blogger only discovered the mirror's abnormality after receiving the talisman!]

[Yes, yes, I noticed that too. The blogger said she had never noticed before, meaning the cameras were really hidden, and maybe even the police wouldn't have been so sharp? She always sat there and never noticed, but only discovered it after receiving the talisman. Could this also be the effect of the talisman!]

[Although I want to say don't believe in superstitions, but this is indeed impressive... If she hadn't discovered the cameras, the follow-up would probably have been like Ji Han, taking the blame for someone else for a long time, until they investigated the mirror and solved the case. Oh my god, I have goosebumps.]

The word "also" in the comments immediately caught the attention of many people.

It turned out that Ji Han’s Weibo lottery had given out ten talismans, and the fans who received the prizes had seen some improvement in their fortunes, though not as significant as Mo Li’s.

But the comment section of the lottery post was also quite fantastical—

There was a student who had just experienced the new college entrance exam system: [Waa waa waa, I really can't believe it! The talisman is really magical! Before the early exam, I had always been in the upper middle of my class, but I had never made it into the top ten. I thought I would just run through this time and fight for next year... Who would have thought! I received the talisman the day before the exam, and then my mom asked a cousin from Tsinghua to give me some exam tips, and she actually hit all the questions! All of them! The first in our class had to let go of one subject, and I finished all three subjects and can focus on the remaining three next semester, with a chance to even hit the top in the province! Thank you, cousin! Thank you, Ji Han! Thank you, Xianyao Sect!!]

There was also a corporate worker trembling from the recent layoffs: [Oh my god, I had checked with HR and the news said I was likely the one to be laid off, and I was already packing to leave when I received the talisman! Who would have thought that the big boss came to inspect today and saw me alone handing over work to six people, and immediately realized something was wrong, so they sent back the layoff list from HR! Damn! Not only did I keep my job, but the whole company knows HR’s layoff plan hit the big bosses, and the branch office boss was so scared that he directly promoted me and gave me a raise!]The family members of patients waiting for a suitable match, as well as mothers in abusive relationships who can't get divorced, and various other people with different backgrounds sent good news, all of which were just as Ke Xingzhou had said in his prize draw post, "after the worst comes the best," starting a new chapter in their lives.

However, at the end of the comments for the thank-you posts, everyone voiced the same confusion:

[By the way, does anyone know where the real location of the Xiaoyao Sect is? A few days ago, I was planning to go and fulfill my wish, but the map led me to a Taoist culture experience center that was full of things for sale! I was even inexplicably dragged into a class, and I had no idea what was going on, it was so boring!]

[Yeah, I also messaged Ke Xingzhou and Xiaoyao Sect’s backstage but got no reply… Is this Taoist temple only run by him? Do we have to go to the TV show team to fulfill our wishes?]

[It’s been 23 minutes, has anyone found the real Xiaoyao Sect yet? Where do I place the incense burner I just bought?] Attached is a photo of a huge incense burner that resembles the one Ke Xingzhou received from Xie Zhiwen but is even more luxurious.

Zhu Chu had just come out of the 4S store and saw these comments and messages on Weibo. He couldn’t help but fall into deep silence.

Yeah, where exactly is their Xiaoyao Sect?

—

Anyway, the Xiaoyao Sect had thoroughly spread its name this time.

Although there were many skeptical voices online—there aren't many people who believe in metaphysics nowadays. Most netizens only believe in things that benefit them and reject those that don't, advocating "my fate is in my own hands, not controlled by heaven." Moreover, the Xiaoyao Sect seemed unreliable from every angle.

There was no address, no information about the religion online, and the name even overlapped with the Taoist culture experience center recently launched by the Beijing Cultural and Tourism Bureau. The only known Taoist priest was Ke Xingzhou.

What kind of rinky-dink organization was this?

However, many still thought that it was just a piece of talisman paper, and it didn’t cost anything. You just needed to forward it when you saw it, and it could improve your mindset, making you feel energetic every day—a pretty good thing!

Thus, the Xiaoyao Sect’s reputation gradually became more familiar to the public.

That giant incense burner was also delivered to the program team.

When the program director received the call, he was still a bit confused. What incense burner? Was it a prop from the props team?

Since the show was selecting "all-around idols," focusing on the development of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor qualities, professional abilities were naturally required to be "well-rounded." Therefore, there were indeed scenes involving ancient settings later in the show, and the director didn’t think too much about it, signing for the delivery.

When he saw a medium-sized truck at the door, he was puzzled as to why such a small item needed to be delivered by logistics. He didn’t notice the unusually large size of the item when he signed for it.

Until the truck door opened—

"…………Who the hell bought such a huge incense burner?!!"

The chief director screamed until his voice cracked.

—

Furious, the chief director scolded all the people from the props team in the work group, still unable to figure out who had bought such a massive incense burner.

He looked at the incense burner standing next to him, with its lid towering higher than himself, and his heart bled.

Such a huge incense burner, with a solid material written on the shipping order that seemed to be made of copper, was so heavy that four strong men almost couldn’t unload it. He had no idea how much it cost.

The haunted house they temporarily set up last time had already eaten into his budget!

Just when he was about to tell the logistics driver to return it, his phone suddenly rang.He was angry at the moment, not even looking to see who it was before picking up the phone, his tone very harsh: "Spit it out if you have something to say!"

There was a brief silence on the other end, and a deep voice coldly replied: "Leave the incense burner."

After saying that, the call was hung up.

The director was startled when he heard the voice. By the time he realized the other person had hung up, he picked up his phone and nearly broke into a cold sweat, his whole body stiffening—

Mr. Nie!

How could it be him?

The director was momentarily disoriented, thinking that such a huge incense burner, the size of a floor, was actually sent by Mr. Nie? But why would he suddenly send an incense burner to the filming base? Was there some hidden meaning or significance he didn’t understand?

But since Mr. Nie had spoken, there was no way the incense burner could be sent away.

At the same time, the mover who hadn’t heard his request came out with a small plaque, very professionally hanging it in the correct place.

"…"

The director looked up at the three golden characters "Xiaoyao Sect" at the bottom of the incense burner, and a thousand question marks appeared in his head.

Wait, why is it Xiaoyao Sect again???

—

One hour later.

After finally reaching the filming base, Ke Yuanbai practically tumbled out of the car.

Ke Xingzhou also wanted to escape immediately, but before he could grab the car door handle, he was stopped.

Nie Chen had been quietly resting his eyes the whole way. Ke Xingzhou almost thought he had fallen asleep, but when he suddenly moved, it startled him. He looked up and met Nie Chen’s deep gaze.

The gray-green eyes were filled with complex emotions, no longer showing the youthful look from before, yet still making Ke Xingzhou’s breath slow and his heart race when their gazes met.

But he quickly suppressed these feelings, stiffening his neck in an attempt to distance himself from Nie Chen.

Once his heartbeat slowed, he gathered his courage to meet Nie Chen’s gaze again.

"Mr. Nie, thank you for bringing me here, but now I need to get off. Please move."

His tone was stiff, and his expression cold, as if he truly didn’t want to recall the past between them and only wanted to treat him as a stranger.

Nie Chen’s gaze darkened, and for a brief moment, a deep sadness flashed across his features.

Even when they were together, Nie Chen rarely showed such an expression. Ke Xingzhou was momentarily stunned, his breath lightening.

Nie Chen always felt that he was a few years older than Ke Xingzhou. If something went wrong and he broke down, what would Ke Xingzhou do?

So he never showed any weakness in front of Ke Xingzhou, except when he couldn’t hold it in—like when they first met.

Ke Xingzhou couldn’t help but remember when he had been pushed into the Nie family’s ancestral hall, and the door was shut by the mischievous bad kids. When he turned around, he was immediately captivated by the delicate, beautiful young man beside him.

At that time, Nie Chen didn’t have the strong physique he had now.During his teenage years, his body had just started to grow, and he was tall and thin. His skin was a cold white, inherited from his mother, and he had a pair of transparent, clear green eyes. With his medium-length hair, which hadn't been trimmed for some time, he looked so beautiful that it was hard to tell his gender, like a fairy that had accidentally wandered into the human world.

Such a beautiful appearance, no wonder those children called him a fairy.

That was the first time Ke Xingzhou saw someone cry so beautifully—he had to admit, Ke Xingzhou was also a shallow person. In the early days after leaving the Ke family, although he had awakened his heavenly eye, he still maintained the bad habit of judging people based on their looks.

Although now, it seemed that this habit had not been corrected when facing Nie Chen.

Ke Xingzhou took a deep breath, trying to calm his chaotic heartbeat, and couldn't help but silently criticize his own shallowness.

He forced himself to harden his heart and look away, not thinking about what Nie Chen had gone through all these years, and why he was acting like this toward him now. He repeatedly reminded himself that the key issue that led to their breakup had not been resolved.

But Nie Chen’s gaze was too powerful, his arm bracing him against the seat, and his overwhelming unique presence surrounded him, refusing to relent.

Ke Yuanbai, who had gotten off first, might come over at any time...

Yet Ke Xingzhou still didn’t speak.

Their gazes briefly clashed in the car, and in the end, Nie Chen relented, loosening the arm that was pressing against the car door.

If Ke Xingzhou truly didn’t want something, Nie Chen would never force it.

But just before Ke Xingzhou got out of the car, Nie Chen still raised his hand and grabbed Ke Xingzhou’s wrist.

The streetlights fell on the top of the car, casting a shadow that separated the two of them. Nie Chen was completely immersed in the shadow, but one of his hands, in pursuit of Ke Xingzhou, reached the light.

He raised his eyes, his throat bobbing twice, and in a hoarse voice, he called Ke Xingzhou’s name.

"Ke Xingzhou, Zhou Zhou." These words, spoken from his mouth, carried an indescribable tenderness.

Nie Chen looked at Ke Xingzhou, and under his gaze, slowly lowered his head, his lips trembling as they pressed against Ke Xingzhou's wrist.

"I miss you so much."