Frank's eyes darted through the bustling crowd, his mind still reeling from their recent encounter. The streets of Guangzhou buzzed with life, a stark contrast to the eerie silence they'd left behind. As they pushed through the throng, a familiar face caught his attention.

"Mai?" he called out, surprise coloring his voice.

The little girl turned, her eyes lighting up with recognition. She weaved through the crowd, stopping just short of Frank.

"Mr. Detective!" she exclaimed, a hint of excitement in her voice.

Frank knelt down, bringing himself to her eye level. "What are you doing out here alone again? I thought we left you with the authorities."

Mai's expression fell, her small shoulders slumping. "They don't really care about me. They said they were busy so they go by myself."

Frank felt a pang of guilt twist in his gut. He'd seen too many kids fall through the cracks of the system. Before he could second-guess himself, he heard his own voice asking, "Do you want to come with us for now?"

Alan shot him a concerned look, but Frank ignored it. Mai's face lit up, and she nodded eagerly.

"She doesn't have any ID on her," Ollie pointed out, ever the voice of practicality.

Frank waved off the concern. "Yu Mo can probably sort that out. He owes us a favor or two by now."

As they walked, Mai tugged on Frank's sleeve. "Can I have some more chocolate? Please?"

Frank couldn't help but smile. He led them to a nearby convenience store, emerging with a handful of chocolate bars. As Mai eagerly unwrapped one, Ollie frowned.

"That's not exactly healthy for kids, you know," he commented.

Frank shrugged. "Sometimes, a little sweetness goes a long way." To Mai, he added, "We'll get some real food later, okay? After we talk to someone important."

As they made their way to Yu Mo's penthouse, Frank's mind raced. The locket, the mysterious deaths, the red silhouette – it all swirled in his head, pieces of a puzzle he couldn't quite fit together. And now, with Mai in tow, the stakes felt even higher.

The elevator ride to Yu Mo's floor was tense. Frank could feel Alan's disapproving gaze boring into him, but he kept his eyes fixed on the changing floor numbers. Mai hummed softly, oblivious to the tension surrounding her.

When the doors slid open, they were greeted by the sight of Yu Mo himself, pacing in the hallway. He froze mid-step when he saw them, his eyes widening at the sight of Mai.

"What is this?" Yu Mo hissed, gesturing at the girl. "You bring a child here?"

Frank stepped forward, positioning himself slightly in front of Mai. "We need to talk, Yu Mo."

Yu Mo's eyes darted between them, settling on the chocolate-smeared face of Mai. His expression softened almost imperceptibly. "Fine. Come in."

The group filed into Yu Mo's opulent penthouse without another word. Mai, on the other hand, gasped at the view, pressing her face against the floor-to-ceiling windows.

"Now," Yu Mo said, his voice low and dangerous, "explain."

Frank took a deep breath, his hand fiddled with the locket in his pocket. "We think there's a mole in Jiuling. Someone's targeting your people and we both know which people they're targeting. They seem to know exactly where to find them."

Yu Mo's face darkened. "Impossible. We have strict security protocols—"

"Protocols that aren't working," Frank cut in. "We found this at the scene of the latest murder." He pulled out the locket, holding it up for Yu Mo to see.

Yu Mo's eyes widened, a flash of recognition crossing his face before he schooled his features back into neutrality. "Where did you get that?"

"The killer dropped it," Frank explained. "You recognize it, don't you?"

Yu Mo's jaw clenched. "It belongs Ian… The picture inside is Yiyao Li, my junior sister.. It was a gift to Ian before she died in a rift."

Frank watched as Yu Mo's composure crumbled, the man's shoulders sagging under an invisible weight. The change was jarring, transforming the usually confident leader into someone who looked utterly defeated.

Yu Mo sighed heavily, his eyes darting to Mai before settling back on Frank. "I suppose there's no point in hiding it anymore. The situation within Jiuling is... dire."

Frank leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Go on."

"It's not just the dust processors," Yu Mo continued, his voice low. "We've been losing people left and right. Deaths that make no sense, with no pattern we can discern. It's as if..."

"As if what?" Alan prompted, speaking for the first time since they'd entered the penthouse.

Yu Mo shook his head. "As if we're being hunted. But by what or whom, we can't say."

Frank's mind raced, connecting dots. "Do you think Ian has something to do with this?"

A bitter laugh escaped Yu Mo's lips. "Ian? No, it couldn't be him. He's been with us since birth, one of our own. He made everyone know that he was against distributing the dust, wanted to keep the power within Jiuling. But he's similar to me. We both understand that it's something necessary.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"To defend against the rifts," Frank murmured, recalling their earlier conversations.

Yu Mo nodded. "Exactly."

Frank's hand closed around the locket in his pocket. "You said he was against dust distribution. Could he have tampered with the batch given to the UK?"

Yu Mo's brow furrowed. "It's... possible, maybe... But it doesn't fit. Ian understood the importance of our alliances, unless…."

A heavy silence fell over the room, broken only by Mai's soft humming as she continued to gaze out the window, oblivious to the gravity of the conversation.

Frank pulled out the locket, holding it up. "You mentioned Yiyao Li earlier. What happened between her and Ian?"

Yu Mo's eyes fixed on the locket, a mix of emotions flashing across his face. "Yiyao was... special. My junior sister, yes, but more than that. She was brilliant, kind, everything we aspired to be in Jiuling."

"And Ian?" Frank pressed.

"They were close," Yu Mo said softly. "Very close. I think... I think Ian loved her. But Yiyao, she was dedicated to her work. To our cause."

Frank nodded, encouraging Yu Mo to continue.

"There was a mission," Yu Mo said, his voice barely above a whisper. "A dangerous rift that needed to be explored. Yiyao volunteered. Ian... he begged her not to go. There wasn't enough dust to give to her at that time."

"But she went anyway," Frank guessed.

Yu Mo nodded. "She did. And she never came back. We found her body later, somewhere in southern most part of Sichuan along with the rest of her team. This locket... it was supposed to be a gift for Ian. She'd planned to give it to him when she returned."

Frank felt a chill run down his spine. "And Ian?"

"He was devastated," Yu Mo said. "He volunteered to go to North America to manage distribution of dust along with his older brother."

Frank turned the locket over in his hands, the weight of its history suddenly feeling much heavier. "But you don't think he'd go as far as sabotage?"

Yu Mo shook his head. "I didn't. But now... I don't know what to think anymore."

"Alright, I think I'm getting a good picture of what's happening." Frank then turned to the little girl playing beside the windows. "One last thing, do you think you could help me a bit with getting her a government ID?"

"I suppose I could," Yu Mo sighed. His expression softened as he turned his eyes at Frank's doting expression.

***

Frank's eyes darted between Alan and Ollie, his mind racing. He needed a break, a moment to process everything they'd learned. His stomach growled, reminding him they hadn't eaten in hours.

"Alan," Frank said, turning to his partner. "Why don't you give that hunch of yours a try? Pick us out a place to eat."

Alan blinked, surprised. "Me? You sure about that, Frank?"

Frank nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure. Lead the way."

Alan hesitated for a moment, then closed his eyes, concentrating. After a few seconds, he pointed down a narrow side street. "This way. I've got a good feeling about it."

The group followed Alan through the winding alleys of Guangzhou. Mai skipped along beside them.

Eventually, they arrived at a small, unassuming restaurant tucked away in a corner. The aroma wafting from inside made Frank's mouth water.

As they settled into their seats, Frank couldn't help but feel a surge of pride for Alan. His partner's hunch had led them to a hidden gem.

The food arrived quickly, steaming plates of dumplings, noodles, and fragrant stir-fries. Frank took a bite and nearly groaned with pleasure. It was delicious.

As they ate, Frank's mind wandered back to the case. He glanced at Ollie and Alan, then leaned in close.

"I think I've got all this thing figured out," he said in a low voice. "Ian Huang. He's behind everything that's happening."

Ollie raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? What's your proof?"

Frank shook his head. "No concrete proof. Just a hunch. But think about it—everything we've experienced, everything we've learned. It all points to him."

Frank took a deep breath then said, "Now hear me out. I think her name was Yiyao, she died from not getting enough dust, right? Now, the murderer is going around killing dust processors everywhere. No matter what they say, the killing of other members in Jiuling is just a smoke screen. And remember, this whole thing only started after Ian disappeared. Those 2 dragoons that disappeared? Most likely dead already."

Alan gulped at the logic.

"Funny thing is, he probably didn't expect a bad batch. Then a couple of people wanted him gone, just like what Cromwell said" Frank continued, "What I don't understand is why the red silhouette saved him. He was definitely that guy who was running in the country side."

"What could he get from all of this" Ollie chimed in as he ate a dumpling, "What could he get from doing all of this?"

"Yiyao." Frank's eyes turned dark. "It's self motivated and his hate for the system. Maybe… just maybe, he wants her back."

A loud slurping sound interrupted them. They turned to see Mai, paused mid-slurp, her eyes wide as she listened to their conversation. After a moment, she continued eating as if nothing had happened.

Frank watched her for a moment, a pang of sympathy tugging at his heart. He shook his head then patted her Mai's head, "what happened to your parents?"

Mai set down her chopsticks, her eyes downcast. "Dad's away on a business trip," she said softly. "He promised he'd come back soon, but... I don't know where he is. He's been gone for a long time."

Frank exchanged a glance with Alan. There was more to this story.

"Did you have any friends back home?" Ollie asked, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.

Mai nodded. "I had a friend once, not too long ago. We played together every day. But then... he was suddenly gone. I don't know where he went." Her lower lip trembled. "Was I not good enough? Is that why my dad and that boy left me?"

Frank felt his heart break a little. He reached out, placing a comforting hand on Mai's shoulder.

"I didn't ask to be born like this..." Mai whispered, her voice barely audible.

The table fell silent, the weight of Mai's words hanging heavy in the air. Frank's mind raced, piecing together fragments of information, trying to make sense of it all.

He turned to Ollie, an idea forming. "We need to take her back to Canada," he said quietly. "Give her a life there. I've already asked Yu Mo for help on this."

Ollie's eyebrows shot up. "That's a pretty big step, Frank. You sure about this?"

Frank nodded, his resolve strengthening. "I am. She needs—"

Suddenly, a thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. His eyes widened as the pieces fell into place.

"Oh god," he breathed. "If the mastermind really wants to stop dust from spreading, then the distributors would be next."

Alan leaned in, his face etched with concern. "What are you saying, Frank?"

Frank's mind raced, connecting dots at lightning speed. "Think about it. If someone wanted to cut off the supply of dust, they wouldn't just target the processors. They'd go after the entire distribution chain."

Ollie's hand tightened around his chopsticks. "You're talking about a full-scale assault on the entire network?"

Frank nodded grimly. "Exactly. And the easiest one for Ian to access would be the warehouse in Toronto that's also a major center."

The implications hung heavy in the air. If Frank's hunch was correct, they were looking at a potential catastrophe that could destabilize the delicate balance between their world and the rifts.

"Airport, now!" Frank shouted.