The identity of that information broker was something more than just Zhang Qixing wanted to know. Everyone who knew the inside story behind the evacuation before the earthquake wanted the answer.

“Is it possible that the information broker, or one of their subordinates, is an Atavist with the ability to foresee the future?” the heads of the nation’s intelligence agencies asked during a high-level meeting in the capital.

“I think that’s the most likely explanation. Otherwise we’d have to accept the absurd idea that he’s some kind of god.”

“But there isn’t any creature with that ability listed in the Illustrated Compendium of Species from the Great Convergence.”

“And if it’s not listed, that means it doesn’t exist? The Great Cosmic Convergence produced countless species. How could every single one of them have been recorded?”

That was a fair point.

“Based on the people we’ve investigated who have done business with this information broker, he seems to charge according to the customer. He squeezes more from the wealthy and less from the poor. Making money doesn’t appear to be his goal. Selling the information itself does.”

“He only sold this intelligence for ten thousand yuan, and he specifically chose Zhang Qixing. I’d say there’s a very high chance his intentions are benevolent.”

If that information had reached almost anyone else, no one knew how many people in Mingbo City would have died today.

Before this incident, plenty of people in the capital had never even heard of Zhang Qixing. In the last three days, everyone had come to know his name, and nearly all of them had been impressed by him.

From the central government all the way down to the Luoxing Prefecture administration, there were countless officials capable of issuing an evacuation order. Had the information broker simply happened to choose Zhang Qixing because he was the mayor? Or had he already seen straight through him, known exactly what sort of man he was, and sold him that intelligence because he knew he would act?

“Hmph.”

Someone let out a cold snort.

“A criminal is still a criminal. That information broker invades people’s privacy. To obtain his intelligence, he’s probably broken into countless accounts. The list of crimes he’s committed is endless. Don’t forget that our cyber division suffers some kind of accident every single time it tries to track him. I suspect he even has people inside our own agencies. Otherwise, how could our operations be interrupted so perfectly every time? An information broker with a network that reaches into the government itself, and you still think he’s a good person?”

Silence fell over the room.

After a moment’s thought, the man leading the meeting said, “Regardless, discovering the broker’s true identity is essential. If I remember correctly, some pro-government Atavists from the major Atavist families have traded with him before. Perhaps they can provide useful information.”

“The Long family’s young heir?”

“Contact her and ask. And keep a close watch on public opinion. Information that shouldn’t reach the public must remain concealed.”

“Understood.”

---

An earthquake of magnitude 8.7 had struck Mingbo City in Luoxing Prefecture. Though it inflicted devastating damage upon the city, thanks to Mayor Zhang Qixing’s decision to push through the evacuation despite fierce opposition, the governor’s support, and the tireless cooperation of countless public servants, the death toll remained astonishingly low.

It was the best outcome they could have hoped for.

“Thank you, Mayor Zhang! If it weren’t for you, we’d all be dead!”

“I admit I was yelling the loudest against the evacuation before. Thank goodness Mayor Zhang didn’t listen to me and stuck to his decision. Otherwise… sob…”

“I forgot my laptop and tried to go back for it. The traffic police stopped me and turned me away. I was furious at the time… I’m so grateful to our frontline officers. Grateful to Mayor Zhang too…”

Reporters interviewed residents gathered in neighboring cities around Mingbo. Almost every face still carried traces of fear, while gratitude toward Zhang Qixing and the government shone openly in their expressions.

Within Mingbo City’s government, officials were equally relieved and impressed.

“Thank goodness. Otherwise we’d have lost more than our jobs. We might’ve lost our lives.”

“That’s our mayor for you…”

“Alright, alright. This time I’m completely convinced.”

Meanwhile, the internet exploded with discussion.

[If those streamers hadn’t dragged things out, we’d have had a genuine zero-casualty miracle!!]

[Forget it. Stop cursing those idiots. I visited the hospital and they’re all crying their eyes out with regret. Pretty miserable, honestly. We can just mock them in private.]

[Mingbo City really has an amazing mayor. I’m so jealous. As for the officials where I live… never mind, I enjoy being alive. Anyway, this mayor has serious courage. Most people couldn’t have handled that kind of pressure.]

[Oh no! As a Mingbo resident, I’m starting to worry Mayor Zhang is going to get promoted somewhere else because of this. Waaaah!]

[I’m genuinely curious. Where did Mayor Zhang get this prophecy from?]

[Insider information says the intelligence came from a **]

[What were those censored words??]

[Huh? Let me try too. **]

Two seconds later:

[Yep. Now anything containing those four characters won’t post at all. Pinyin doesn’t work, foreign languages don’t work, abbreviations don’t work. Still, I get why.]

From Mayor Zhang himself, to how he knew an earthquake would strike three days in advance, to the identity hidden behind those censored words, there were too many mysteries for people to focus on.

Everyone else was busy processing their fear.

Only a handful of people were consumed by regret.

One of them was a man in his forties.

Not long ago, he had married a well-off single mother. He had done it for her money while secretly keeping a mistress on the side. Together they had come up with what they considered a brilliant plan: murder the wealthy woman and seize her assets.

The murder had originally been scheduled for today.

Who could have imagined that three days before the planned crime, the mayor would issue a citywide evacuation order and ruin everything?

Now, after watching the news, the man discovered that the apartment building where they had lived had sunk into the earth.

He couldn’t help feeling sick with regret.

If only he had killed her before the evacuation and left the body in the apartment. Once the earthquake struck, not even the gods would have found the corpse.

No body.

No crime.

“Maybe we should do it now…” the mistress whispered during a secret meeting. “Things are so chaotic right now anyway.”

“But the kid is always with her mother,” Zhan Chenghao said between puffs of smoke. “Still, you’ve got a point. Everything’s a mess. We don’t necessarily have to do it ourselves.”

The mistress froze.

“Then how?”

A cruel smile spread across Zhan Chenghao’s face.

“The government can’t properly accommodate everyone on such short notice. People have lost money, homes, property. Tempers are running high. If I guide her to the right sort of place… somewhere the scum gathers… who’s to say what kind of crime might happen?”

The mistress immediately understood.

The two exchanged knowing smiles.

They were already imagining their future after inheriting the woman’s properties and savings. She had only one child, a twelve-year-old daughter who would be easy to control.

In the story that should have been theirs, they succeeded.

The great earthquake erased all evidence of the murder. The daughter, who happened to return home early and witnessed her mother’s killing with her own eyes, concealed the truth and remained by her enemies’ side, allowing them to exploit her.

Years later, she carefully orchestrated a murder of her own and killed both of them.

Unfortunately, a famous detective found clues and exposed her scheme.

That detective just happened to be her boyfriend.

He never turned her in to the police.

But the pain of being deceived, of having his sincere feelings used against him, combined with his pride, drove them apart.

They loved one another.

Yet they could never be together.

The story ended with the two of them living at opposite ends of the world, alone until old age.

It was the plot of a mystery novella.

The heroine possessed intelligence and maturity far beyond her years.

So when the information broker contacted her and sold her proof that her stepfather intended to murder her mother for her inheritance, she had already made her preparations.

---

Night fell.

The nation’s attention remained fixed on Mingbo City. Media outlets from multiple countries continued reporting on the disaster and debating its implications.

Although the strongest seismic waves had already passed, aftershocks still shook the region from time to time. The once-thriving city had become little more than ruins.

As a result, no one cared anymore about the gossip surrounding Mei Yanlan and Xiao Cheng.

After work, Mei Yanlan left the Tribunal Division.

Xiao Cheng was no longer there to pick her up.

After all, they were divorced.

To her surprise, someone called out to her the moment she stepped outside.

“Miss Mei.”

Mei Yanlan turned around and looked at the young woman in surprise before straightening her expression.

“Is there something you need from me?”

The visitor was none other than Wen Can’s younger sister.

She carried a large kraft paper envelope in her arms as though it were something precious.

Stopping before Mei Yanlan, she hesitated before speaking.

“What my mother said last time… I hope you won’t take it to heart.”

“It’s fine. I don’t mind.”

Mei Yanlan’s gaze softened. Miss Wen resembled Wen Can enough that she could still see traces of him in the young woman’s face.

“And you and Xiao Cheng…?”

“It wasn’t because of your family.”

“That’s good.”

Miss Wen released a relieved sigh.

The last time she had seen Xiao Cheng at home, his fierce defense of Mei Yanlan had made it impossible to believe he would divorce her for Fang Bihe. She had secretly worried that her mother’s cruel words about Mei Yanlan was not suited for marriage and saying Mei Yanlan didn’t deserve happiness had pushed Mei Yanlan into a corner.

“I’m actually here to give you this.”

She carefully offered the envelope.

“After thinking it over, I felt it should belong to you.”

Mei Yanlan accepted it.

It felt thick and hard, like a notebook.

“You might not know this, but our parents made us keep diaries when we were young. My brother was lazy, so eventually he switched to weekly entries. Sometimes he’d only write a single sentence. But he was good at whining and acting spoiled, so our parents could never force him.”

She laughed softly, though sadness lingered in her eyes.

“Even so, over the years he filled several notebooks.”

Mei Yanlan’s fingers trembled slightly.

“This is the last one. He didn’t take it on your graduation trip. It’s filled with things about you. About those three years you spent together.”

She paused.

“I think you should have it. I don’t know what really happened back then. But I believe every choice my brother made came from his own heart. Maybe he was happy when he made those choices, even if…” She forced a smile. “Even if they were a little cruel to the family. Anyway, I hope you can let go of the past and cherish the present. I’m sure that’s what he would’ve wanted too.”

After giving Mei Yanlan the notebook, Miss Wen left.

Mei Yanlan didn’t dare open it.

She tucked it into her bag, collected herself, and drove home.

At home, Xiao Cheng had already finished packing.

“I won’t be seeing you off,” Mei Yanlan said.

Xiao Cheng was preparing to leave the country.

With the public focused entirely on Mingbo City, this was the perfect opportunity.

Mei Yanlan herself had brought a suitcase home. The apartment had originally been the marital home Xiao Cheng bought for them. After the divorce he had given it to her, but she clearly had no intention of staying there much longer.

Pale-faced, Xiao Cheng stared at her.

He wanted to warn her.

Don’t find another man while I’m pregnant.

Don’t get a boyfriend.

Don’t cut off contact with me.

Yet when he finally spoke, the words that emerged were entirely different.

“Don’t let anything happen to you.”

Mei Yanlan froze.

“Thank you. You take care of yourself too.”

She had almost told him that if he ever regretted this, he could terminate the pregnancy without consulting her.

But somehow, looking at him now, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Xiao Cheng frowned.

“That’s all? You don’t have anything else to say?”

Mei Yanlan considered it.

“If anything feels wrong, call me immediately.”

His expression darkened.

“If something’s wrong, you want me to call you over to die with me? What do you take me for?”

After all, who else would target him now except those coveting Mei Yanlan’s genes?

The comment left Xiao Cheng deeply dissatisfied.

His chest ached.

Still, he wasn’t in a hurry.

With a child between them, they were destined to remain entangled for life.

He would always be the father of her child.

No other man could compete with that.

The car rolled out of the upscale residential complex and merged into the crowded highway, heading toward the docks.

“Xiao Cheng’s on the move.”

Another vehicle quietly fell in behind him.

Miss Hong curled her lips into a smile.

“Excellent. Proceed according to plan. Bring him to me.”

At long last, the prey had entered the trap.