Chapter 68: Vision

After hearing this, Qi Xia immediately pulled out a lighter from his pocket—one that “Xiao Xiao” had lent him.

He flicked the lighter to life and reached out with it.

Officer Li froze momentarily before covering the flame with his bloodied left hand, then leaned in to light his cigarette.

A moment later, he patted Qi Xia’s hand.

“Phew—”

A thick cloud of smoke escaped his lips, and Officer Li seemed to relax slightly.

“Feels good,” Officer Li chuckled. “Now I can die without regrets.”

“What did you want to tell me?” Qi Xia sat down opposite Officer Li, eyeing him with quiet seriousness.

Instead of answering, Officer Li asked, “Qi Xia, how did Tian Tian and Qiao Jiajin die?”

“They were murdered,” Qi Xia replied without hesitation. “Yesterday afternoon, beaten to death by the owner of this lighter.”

With that, he pushed the lighter forward, placing it in Officer Li’s hand.

Officer Li looked down at the green plastic lighter, his expression somber.

“I see…” He lifted his gaze to Qi Xia. “When that person killed Qiao Jiajin and Tian Tian… was there anything unusual?”

“Unusual?”

Qi Xia stroked his chin, organizing his thoughts. There were far too many “unusual” details. He briefly summarized the events of yesterday afternoon, recounting everything in full—from the woman’s bizarre physique to the inexplicable poisoning.

Finally, he added, “Oh, right. Before and after she killed them, I heard a *bell toll* twice.”

Officer Li took a shaky drag from his cigarette, exhaling a thick plume of smoke before saying, “When the bell tolled, I happened to be standing in front of that massive screen.”

“What?”

“The deafening chime made me think the whole world had exploded,” Officer Li joked. “Do you know what was on the screen?”

Qi Xia suddenly remembered that the screen occasionally displayed text for no apparent reason. “What did it say?”

“I heard the echo of *’Framing.’*” Officer Li enunciated each word deliberately.

“*Framing*?” Qi Xia muttered, lost in thought. “Before, it was *’Bringing Disaster,’* and now it’s *’Framing’*…”

Officer Li handed Qi Xia the last cigarette from his pack. “Want one?”

Qi Xia nodded, accepting it.

Officer Li lit it for him with his left hand.

“I knew you smoked,” Officer Li said, tossing the lighter back to Qi Xia. “Nothing like a smoke when you’re thinking, huh?”

Qi Xia didn’t respond. He took the lighter and inhaled the slightly musty cigarette.

Tobacco left too long becomes harsh, and this one was no exception.

“Haven’t smoked in years,” Qi Xia remarked.

“Yeah, quitting’s good,” Officer Li nodded. “Better for your health…”

He trailed off, and silence settled between them.

They exhaled slowly, like schoolmates sneaking a smoke in the bathroom.

“What about the second bell toll?” Qi Xia asked. “Was there new text on the screen?”

“No,” Officer Li shook his head, cigarette still between his lips. “When the second bell rang, the words disappeared.”

Qi Xia stared pensively at his cigarette, sensing something deeply unsettling.

“What does it all mean?” he murmured. “That bell isn’t a *death knell*—it’s some kind of warning.”

“That’s for you to figure out,” Officer Li sighed, leaning against the wall as he smoked his last cigarette. “I’m just telling you what I saw. You’ve got a better shot at surviving here than I do.”

“Why?” Qi Xia asked, frustration creeping into his voice. “Why can’t *you* survive here?”

“Because I’m a cop.” Officer Li lifted his severed right arm with a wry smile. “Lost this hand saving Lawyer Zhang. I could’ve ignored her, but I couldn’t just stand by. You’re different, Qi Xia. You don’t carry that weight.”

Qi Xia finally understood.

This man had wanted to save everyone from the very beginning.

His principles had never wavered.

And those same principles would kill him here.

With a heavy nod, Qi Xia pressed, “You didn’t keep me here just to tell me this, did you?”

“No…” Officer Li’s face grew paler. “Qi Xia, I’ve kept a secret all this time. I don’t want to die with it, so I need to say it now.”

“Then why me?” Qi Xia frowned. “Why not tell Lawyer Zhang?”

“Because you and *him*… you’re both liars.” Officer Li gave a bitter chuckle. “You’re nothing alike, but when you think about it, maybe this is fate.”

Qi Xia took a long drag from his cigarette. “Go on. I’m listening.”

Officer Li’s gaze grew distant as he began recounting his *real* story.

For ten full minutes, Qi Xia listened in silence.

His expression flickered with disbelief at what he was hearing.

“Officer Li… so you lied *that* much in the first game?” His lips trembled slightly.

Qi Xia had sensed something off about Officer Li’s earlier account, but he never imagined it was built on such an enormous deception.

“Yes.” Officer Li’s eyes reddened instantly. “The biggest mistake of my life…”

“Just a *mistake*?!” Qi Xia stood abruptly, his earlier respect vanishing. “You colluded with that conman, helping him escape, yet you told us you were on stakeout? I may not be a model citizen, but I despise dirty cops more than anything.”

Officer Li tilted his head back, tears streaming down his face.

“Yeah… a dirty cop.” He let out a hollow laugh. “When I ended up here, I wasn’t surprised. Feels like my *judgment*…”

“What—”

Qi Xia glared at him coldly.

“Maybe dying here… is my atonement.”

As soon as Officer Li spoke, a deafening bell toll echoed in the distance.

**”DONG!!”**

Qi Xia whipped his head toward the sound, stunned.

*Why is the bell ringing again?*

*What’s on the screen this time?*

Officer Li, as if hearing nothing, shakily picked up the empty cigarette pack from the ground and pulled out another cigarette.

From his own pocket, he retrieved a metal lighter.

Under Qi Xia’s disbelieving stare, Officer Li lit the cigarette, his face serene.

Then he lowered his head slightly, murmuring, “Qi Xia… my death is my penance…”

Qi Xia stiffened, staring at the immaculate cigarette between Officer Li’s lips. Something was deeply wrong.

“Hey—Li Shangwu, don’t you dare die yet—” Qi Xia dropped to his knees beside him, but Officer Li had already stopped breathing.

The cigarette still rested between his lips.

In his hand, an old Zippo lighter.