Time rewinds, and the years flow back to Malacca. Zhang Haiyan does not look back at the moment when Zhang Ruipu is watching him from the balcony. Zhang Haixia is taken onto a wheelchair and moved to the street. They head in the opposite direction of Zhang Haiyan. Everything seems ordinary, but in fact, when Zhang Haijiao serves him closely, he notices a change in the scent of Zhang Haijiao.

The scent of people is different. This Zhang Haijiao is no longer the same one that Zhang Haiyan brought back. Initially, Zhang Haixia thought this was a setup by Zhang Ruipu, just in case something went wrong with the transaction. But he quickly realized that was not the case, because whenever he deliberately paid attention to Zhang Haijiao, he would find that she did not belong to either side.

Both of them were threatened by Zhang Ruipu’s men, but it seemed there was a third party present between the two sides. Who was this person? Why was there technology for human skin masks?

The thought was chilling. But at that moment, Zhang Haiyan was about to board the Nanyang ship, while this girl would be under soft detention by Zhang Ruipu. In the uncertain situation, Zhang Haixia did not expose this matter; his thoughts were that at least Zhang Haiyan had boarded the Nanyang ship, escaping Zhang Ruipu’s threat.

They arrived on the street. Zhang Ruipu’s young followers were walking around him. The streets of Malacca were actually quite safe, and like Zhang Haiyan, Zhang Haixia immediately sensed something was wrong. Zhang Ruipu believed there was a huge threat on the street. At the same time, he smelled the scent of blood; on an otherwise ordinary street, he detected a blood scent that was usually absent, emanating from hidden weapons.

At that moment, he saw He Jianxi. He Jianxi was being beaten, and Zhang Haiyan noticed He Jianxi’s nasal cavity, which was the same as his own. This young man’s nose might be more developed than that of an average person, just like his.

This was a relay from God, a miracle. He scratched a hint on the money with his fingernail and passed it to Zhang Haijiao, asking her to deliver it to He Jianxi. The scent of Zhang Haijiao mixed with the money, and the hint slid onto the graffiti.

At that time, Zhang Haixia had actually deduced many things hidden in the hint, but for the sake of narrative convenience, he refrained from elaborating. This was already related to quite deep clues. He just knew that the street was full of ambushes, and the first to act would be Zhang Haijiao.

If that were the case, Zhang Ruipu would be unable to protect himself. Why would he still investigate the plague case? There must be more to it, and the assassin he feared was already shadowing him.

A strong intuition told him that this casual parting from Zhang Haiyan would turn out to be a final farewell. His legs could not move, and the street was not long. As Zhang Haiyan reached the Nanyang ship and began to queue, the street became increasingly lively.

At that moment, Zhang Haixia called to stop the queue and said to Zhang Ruipu, “They are about to make a move.” Zhang Haijiao turned to look at him, and Zhang Haixia also looked at Zhang Haijiao. The sun was bright, and the crowd was bustling. Zhang Haixia closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and ultimately, it was you who returned alone. Zhang Hailou.

*****

The final outcome of the Nanyang ship incident was recorded in the archives of the Nanyang Archive as follows: Zhang Haiyan killed all the assassins in the cargo hold. There were no further details, and under the flashing lights, Zhang Haiyan understood that there were no passing Bodhisattvas, no good fortune, and none of the various fates he had imagined.

From the very beginning, it was already over.
Under the flickering lights, Miss Dong, covered in blood, killed her opponent and stepped out from the container, ready to face the onslaught of the trap. All she saw were corpses scattered on the ground and a man standing still, cradling a body in his arms.
Miss Dong silently observed him from behind, watching quietly.
Then she walked over, took Steven’s mask out from her clothes, squatted down in front of the man, and put it back on him. After that, she turned and walked towards the exit.
He Jianxi, clutching the revolver he took from Steven, hid in the gap between the cargo at the door. Miss Dong glanced at him but didn’t acknowledge his presence.
She reached the door, lit a cigarette, took out the Central Asian jade from her clothes, and said to the firing squad, “It’s all over.”