After a series of complex investigations, Su Wanqing and Lu Chenzhou had become more perceptive. Every detail, every clue could potentially be the key to unlocking a larger mystery. The recent cases appeared to be calm on the surface, but the truth hidden behind them was like an undercurrent lurking in the abyss. With each breakthrough in the investigation, a more terrifying organization—"The Abyss"—was slowly starting to emerge.
The beginning of it all came from an ordinary case investigation. The case occurred in a busy commercial district, where a man in his thirties was found dead in his apartment. The preliminary cause of death was poisoning, but there were no obvious traces of toxins at the scene. While performing the autopsy, Su Wanqing accidentally discovered a small chip implanted inside the victim's body. This was no ordinary electronic device; it was a highly sophisticated piece of equipment, clearly purposefully implanted.
"What is this?" Su Wanqing held the coin-sized chip in her hand, a sense of unease rising within her.
Lu Chenzhou furrowed his brows and closely examined the chip. He immediately contacted the experts in the technical department for analysis.
"The chip has no markings and looks very simple, but based on the texture and material of the casing, it seems to be a custom-made product," the expert from the technical department responded, his voice heavy. "It is designed to effectively evade standard monitoring equipment."
These words felt like a stone thrown into a calm pond, with ripples spreading out quickly. Su Wanqing couldn't help but recall some details from earlier cases, where there seemed to be cleverly designed elements, involving what appeared to be irrelevant details. Even in those cases, subtle clues seemed to guide her.
"If this chip was deliberately implanted, then the victim was likely being used as a tool," Lu Chenzhou's words once again broke her thoughts.
As they delved deeper into the chip's analysis, they discovered that its signal transmission followed a specific frequency. This frequency was not random; it pointed to a specific area. Su Wanqing and Lu Chenzhou decided to trace this signal to search for deeper connections. Eventually, the signal led them to an abandoned industrial district on the outskirts of the city, where the buildings had been neglected for years, clearly linked to "The Abyss" organization.
"The name 'The Abyss'—we didn't notice it in earlier cases, but it sounds like the name of an underground organization," Su Wanqing said, her brows furrowed. Clearly, she was beginning to feel that the case was far from just a simple murder.
They arrived at the source of the signal, an abandoned warehouse. The area was desolate, with only a few dilapidated buildings standing alone. The warehouse door had been pried open, and dust and discarded items lay scattered on the ground. When they entered the warehouse, they were greeted with a disorderly office, the walls lined with yellowing maps and files. Some of the documents had been destroyed, indicating that someone had meticulously destroyed these materials.
Su Wanqing glanced down at the desk and her gaze froze on a badge engraved with a special symbol. The badge's design was simple yet highly symbolic, featuring a deep black vortex pattern, as if symbolizing an inescapable trap. The design was so unique that no regular manufacturer could have produced such intricate craftsmanship. It was clearly the mark of "The Abyss" organization.
"It seems this organization does exist," Lu Chenzhou said gravely. He flipped through a few intact files, which mainly documented a series of unknown transactions and actions involving multiple industries and fields. Although most of the content had been redacted or deleted, some clues could still be deciphered, especially when it came to the movement of large sums of money. Su Wanqing noticed that some of the funds were directed to accounts linked to high-ranking government officials and well-known corporations.
"This is a vast network, far beyond what we had imagined," Su Wanqing thought to herself, realizing that "The Abyss" was not just an ordinary criminal organization. Its behind-the-scenes power and secrecy were far greater than she had anticipated.
Lu Chenzhou examined the shredded document fragments, trying to piece together more information. "There are some references to international transactions here. It looks like some kind of black market activity, involving the transfer of illegal weapons and high-tech products."
However, despite uncovering these clues, they still couldn't find enough evidence to directly point to the core members of "The Abyss" or their specific operations. Just as they were about to dig deeper, Su Wanqing received an urgent phone call.
"Officer Su, we found a hidden safe at the victim's residence," the voice on the phone said urgently. "Inside, there's a document detailing 'The Abyss' organization, along with a special photo. It seems this document is extremely important."
Su Wanqing and Lu Chenzhou rushed back, opened the safe, and as the phone had said, there was indeed a thick file hidden inside. The first page of the document clearly listed the operational structure of "The Abyss," including its membership, financial flows, and key transaction records. The photo was unexpected— it showed several men in black uniforms standing in front of an extremely secretive underground facility. The background was a bottomless underground lake, and in the corner of the photo, there was a blurry symbol—the same symbol Su Wanqing had seen on the badge earlier.
"It seems 'The Abyss' is not just a criminal organization. It might also be involved in activities beyond conventional understanding," Su Wanqing said while looking at the document and thinking.
"This material was collected by the victim himself. It's clear he realized he was involved in a massive whirlpool," Lu Chenzhou said as he took the file and continued analyzing it.
Through these clues, Su Wanqing and Lu Chenzhou finally realized that "The Abyss" was not limited to underground crime; its reach might extend into various sectors, even with some political and business connections. Meanwhile, the core members of this organization seemed to be using high-tech products and advanced intelligence methods to covertly control everything.
"This organization's layout is incredibly complex. We might have only touched the tip of the iceberg," Su Wanqing said, staring out at the night through the window, her heart filled with unease and anger. "But we can't stop here."
Lu Chenzhou remained silent for a moment, before finally speaking. "We will continue to investigate until we uncover the full truth behind 'The Abyss.'"
In the shadows of this city, an invisible, vast network was hidden, and all of this was just the first glimpse of "The Abyss."