Chapter 106: Two Hidden Rooms
The moment Lin Jiangye touched down in the capital, he had Chang Geng go look for the local sparrows.
Only the most common little creatures could slip into the organization’s villa without drawing attention.
There were plenty of crows in the capital too, but since Lin Jiangye’s first wave of fame had been tied to crows, he figured those people would be especially sensitive to any crow activity.
And sure enough—they were.
When Chang Geng reached the villa area, it overheard them muttering about driving out every crow nearby. They’d even set up an electric net.
If sparrows weren’t small enough to slip through easily, Lin Jiangye’s plan would’ve been dead on arrival.
[The eagle didn’t go in. The chicks told the human.]
Lin Jiangye poured a pile of millet on the ground. The sparrows’ eyes lit up instantly—they chirped and swarmed over, happily stuffing themselves.
[The eagle didn’t lie. The eagle’s good!]
[Human gives food. Human’s good too!]
Each sparrow ate until it looked round and plump, like a little brown glutinous rice ball.
Once they’d eaten their fill, the sparrows started chattering to Lin Jiangye about what they’d seen inside the villa.
Chang Geng had instructed them in advance: they were looking for a hidden room, and that room would contain a large quantity of animal pelts.
So those clever little sparrows went in and relied on scent to locate the hidden spaces.
Just as Lin Jiangye had guessed, the villa’s owners had mostly gone elsewhere to play golf, leaving barely anyone inside—perfect for the sparrows’ movements.
After “wandering around” for a while, the sparrows finally identified two suspicious spots.
Lin Jiangye memorized the two locations, then gently ruffled each little sparrow’s feathers.
“You little sparrows helped a human a lot. Sparrows are good too.”
After sending them off, he finally turned to look at Shang Yongyi and the group behind him.
“You didn’t have them go inside?” Shang Yongyi was surprised by Lin Jiangye’s restraint—until he saw the faintly mocking curve of the young man’s lips.
A few stray sparrows darting into a house might be normal, but if they triggered some mechanism in a room, those people would know immediately.
“Without police present, if the room got opened, those little sparrows would be ‘cleaned up.’ And they’d realize I was directing them. What if they destroyed everything inside?”
Shang Yongyi nodded. That made sense.
“Then where are the spots?”
The gloom between Lin Jiangye’s brows eased at once. He gave Shang Yongyi an address, and the group piled into cars, surging toward the target.
Meanwhile, Min Province’s police had also arrived in the capital.
They hadn’t waited for approval to buy tickets—the moment they filed the request, they were already on the plane.
This was too big. Min Province police couldn’t afford to wait.
Some people didn’t care about protected animals’ lives at all—treating every reserve like a private backyard, harvesting wave after wave. But to cops across the country, it was no different from someone killing their own cubs.
And this case wasn’t just ordinary poaching—it involved money far beyond the usual scale. By sheer financial value alone, it was absolutely a major case.
As soon as they landed, Sun Heng and others rushed to receive them.
Min Province police still felt a little awkward—yet the other side immediately admitted fault.
“Sorry. Our work failed, and criminals managed to hide in the capital for years.”
For the capital’s police, that apology was like a slap across their faces.
But Min Province police’s anger dissipated instantly. They even felt a flicker of sympathy—remembering that “smash-the-pot” forestry bureau director from before.
In this regard, both sides probably had plenty to talk about.
“Where’s Advisor Lin?” Min Province police snapped back to attention and searched for Lin Jiangye first.
Honestly, they were terrified he’d go charging in alone to butcher the organization.
Thankfully, that hadn’t happened—and Shang Yongyi being involved was great news.
“Advisor Lin and Minister Shang already headed to the target,” Sun Heng said.
Min Province police froze, then stared at Sun Heng with suspicion.
“Target? What target?”
Sun Heng looked even more confused. “The… organization’s location. What other target would there be?”
That answer hit something like a trigger. A sharp scream burst out:
“How does he know where the organization is?!”
No—the key wasn’t even that Lin Jiangye knew.
It was: why did they not know, while only Lin Jiangye did?
That made no sense.
Sun Heng gave an awkward laugh and shoved them into the car.
Don’t ask why he knew and you didn’t—get in the car first. Ask Advisor Lin after everything’s over.
Inside the car, Lin Jiangye suddenly sneezed hard. His ears turned red-hot.
“Are you sick?” Shang Yongyi asked, worried.
If Lin Jiangye got sick from being enraged or overworked, Shang Yongyi’s dear little brother would probably come flying back to the capital to kill someone.
Lin Jiangye shook his head. “Probably someone’s cursing me behind my back.”
The only question was who: the organization? the criminals he’d beaten and jailed? or all the other crooks he’d caught before?
Forget it. He’d caught too many to count.
Shang Yongyi’s mouth twitched. Listening to Lin Jiangye casually list all those enemies, he didn’t know what to say.
But thinking carefully… it was normal. Cops inevitably offend people, and Lin Jiangye had touched too many major cases. If certain masterminds hadn’t been fully caught, of course they’d focus their hatred on him.
Fortunately, Lin Jiangye’s clearance had just been upgraded—there would be more covert protection around him from now on.
Not to mention the cult case. Those cultists still at large overseas might truly retaliate.
No one knew what they’d do to him. Their methods of revenge wouldn’t be limited to killing.
After driving for half an hour, they finally reached the villa where the organization was based.
When the property management saw police arriving in such numbers, their scalp went numb. This kind of formation meant the crime was serious.
“Hello, may I ask you—” Before the property manager could finish, Shang Yongyi flashed his badge and the search documents.
“I’m searching Villa 01.”
This wasn’t a request. It was a notice. The property manager had no power to stop it.
The doorbell rang. A maid hurried over. The moment she saw police, her face changed.
“Who are you? The owners aren’t home. We can’t open the door and let you in.” Her refusal was laced with guilt.
Shang Yongyi narrowed his eyes. Her bravado was paper-thin. He showed her the same documents he’d shown the property manager—but she said:
“Sorry, I can’t read. You should wait until the owners come back.”
Then she turned to leave.
Can’t read? A maid working in a place like this can’t read?
The officers found it ridiculous. Lin Jiangye lowered his head and let out a strange little smile.
The next second—
BANG!
A thunderous crash startled everyone.
The maid whirled around in terror.
The iron gate that had been there a moment ago was now lying on the ground.
Lin Jiangye patted his pant leg, then strode in first under everyone’s stunned stares. Chang Geng and Qi Ming perched proudly—one on his arm, one in his arms—both wearing smug, satisfied expressions.
Only after a long beat did Shang Yongyi recover and suck in a sharp breath at the gate that had been kicked down.
Not just him—every officer behind him was shaken.
What terrifying leg strength.
But… it also felt kind of satisfying.
They sneered at the maid standing there blankly. Her attitude proved she definitely knew what was going on inside. Otherwise why pretend deaf and dumb?
A lie that absurd—did she really take the police for idiots?
Shang Yongyi hurried after Lin Jiangye. The group surged into the villa.
Other servants tried to block them. Some hid in corners and secretly made calls.
But no matter what they did, the moment they ran into Lin Jiangye, it was like a dirt mound meeting a flood—swept away instantly.
And the people receiving those calls… their faces turned green.
“How are the police here? Who brought—Shang Yongyi?! Wait, why is he here? Didn’t he go on a trip down south?”
Shang Yongyi’s presence made their hearts sink. With him involved, Lin Jiangye and Min Province wouldn’t let them off.
Worse—those people might uncover something else too.
But even if they rushed back now, it was too late.
“What do we do…”
Another man clutched his chest as it pounded harder and harder, eyes vacant as he mumbled, “M-Maybe… maybe they won’t find that place.”
Even with a warrant, they couldn’t just smash everything at will, could they?
Besides, that hidden room—if someone forced their way in, it would trigger a mechanism. The entire space would collapse, all the evidence would sink underground, then flow through a concealed channel into the nearby lake.
But someone quickly countered:
“That’s true, but don’t forget—Shang Yongyi knows plenty of people with special skills!”
Even a one-in-ten-thousand chance was too risky.
What if they lost that bet?
And besides—there wasn’t just Shang Fuyan. There was Lin Jiangye too. Who knew what “miracle tricks” he could use to find the room?
The moment Lin Jiangye’s name came up, their faces twisted.
“Lin Jiangye… can’t that person just die?” Their voices overflowed with hatred.
At that moment, someone’s phone rang. He glanced at the message and smiled.
“Soon.”
Everyone jolted and snapped their heads toward him.
He lifted the glowing phone screen. The message read:
“The animals are ready.”
A surge of joy rose in them. This had originally been their plan to deal with Lin Jiangye in a few days—but Lin Jiangye moved too fast, forcing them to trigger it early.
“We can abandon this base, but Lin Jiangye must die! I want to see what he chooses—save the people, or save the animals!”
—
While Lin Jiangye was thinking about how to open the hidden room’s door, a sudden sense of dread crawled up his spine—sharp, unmistakable, and aimed straight at him.
He touched his neck. His instincts told him someone was coming for him, and that the plan had already begun.
Lin Jiangye stopped in place. If someone chose now to target him, then the most likely culprit was the organization behind the scenes.
But this case had already escalated to the point where Shang Yongyi was involved. The house was right here. The moles and poachers were all locked up in Min Province’s police custody. Even if Lin Jiangye didn’t lift a finger, this villa’s hidden rooms would still be found.
So whatever was happening… it probably wasn’t meant to stop him from helping search the hidden rooms.
Which meant there was only one answer left:
They thought he was too troublesome—so they wanted him dead.
The thought didn’t even surprise him. What it did spark was curiosity.
How were they planning to kill him?
He had Bai Zhengwen at his side. He had Shang Yongyi. He had a whole crowd of police officers around him. If they tried to hire a hitman, no one would dare strike in front of so many cops.
Even if they managed to find some fearless lunatic to attack him head-on, his alertness and reaction speed meant it would take a top-tier assassin to have a chance.
But this was the capital.
If a top assassin really showed up here, the army would be sweeping the entire city by the next day.
So that was out too.
Then… what could they bring in easily, without raising suspicion—and still kill him?
Everyone else assumed Lin Jiangye was thinking about how to open the hidden room, so no one interrupted.
He crouched there, staring blankly at the wall.
According to the sparrows’ sense of smell, they were certain a huge stash of animal products was hidden behind it.
Even if those items had been specially processed and most of the original scent had faded…
Humans might not smell it—but other animals could.
Even the faintest trace, if there were enough of it, would still set the sparrows off.
Lin Jiangye had tested it too. He pressed close to the ground and took a deep sniff at the wall.
He did catch something—thin but real.
A strange, unfamiliar odor.
He was just about to smash through the wall when Shang Yongyi stopped him.
“What if there’s a mechanism inside? If you brute-force your way in and destroy the evidence, what then?” Shang Yongyi was worried they’d lose the proof they needed to nail the whole group.
Fortunately, the police had specialists who handled exactly this kind of thing. Once they arrived, they could test it properly.
After Shang Yongyi called those experts, he saw Lin Jiangye still squatting there, eyes hollow, clearly thinking about something else.
“The hidden room will be dealt with. Don’t worry,” Shang Yongyi said, trying to reassure him.
But Lin Jiangye shook his head, clutching his chest.
“I’m not worried about that.”
Shang Yongyi frowned. What else could weigh on him at a time like this?
Then he heard Lin Jiangye say, calmly and clearly:
“I suspect someone wants to kill me—and they’ve already started.”
The first half didn’t alarm Shang Yongyi. As Lin Jiangye’s reputation grew, of course criminal groups would want to remove him. There were always plenty of people who wanted real cops dead.
Not just Lin Jiangye—Shang Yongyi, Shang Fuyan, Director Gao… anyone who actually got things done was a thorn in criminals’ eyes.
But the second half—already started—made Shang Yongyi’s expression change instantly.
“What do you mean? Why do you think they’ve begun?” Shang Yongyi wanted to know how Lin Jiangye could be sure. Did he have evidence? Did he leave a trap?
“No. Just… a gut feeling.”
That didn’t ease Shang Yongyi’s worry.
People who lived in danger long enough developed instincts. “Gut feeling” was often just the body recognizing threat patterns before the mind could articulate them.
If Lin Jiangye said someone was about to move, Shang Yongyi couldn’t afford to dismiss it.
“But… they should know I’m with you,” Shang Yongyi muttered. Attacking Lin Jiangye and attacking him were two completely different levels of consequence. Even accidental injury to him would bring down a storm from the capital’s police.
Lin Jiangye had been thinking the same thing: what method could force them apart and still successfully hurt him?
Before they could reach an answer, a group hurried over carrying tool cases.
“Minister Shang!”
Both men snapped back to focus. The people at the entrance were Shang Yongyi’s specialists—brought to crack open hidden rooms.
Once they understood the situation, they immediately started checking the wall.
Not just the wall—upstairs and downstairs too. After a careful sweep, they found the key point.
“This mechanism is actually pretty simple.”
At that, every officer—and Lin Jiangye too—had a cluster of question marks pop up in their heads.
Simple? Where was the “simple” part?
But considering it had taken them less than half an hour from arriving to identifying the opening method… maybe it really was simple.
Lin Jiangye and Shang Yongyi exchanged a glance, both slightly dazed. Then Shang Yongyi suddenly smiled.
“This is the first time I’ve ever seen you look so shocked.”
Lin Jiangye’s stunned expression—watching them casually locate the hidden room—was exactly how Shang Yongyi had once felt watching Lin Jiangye casually direct animals to find eyewitnesses.
The same kind of disbelief.
Not long after, they opened both hidden rooms in the villa.
One of them was like a basement, packed with products made from protected animals—pelts, preserved specimens, all kinds of things. Lin Jiangye’s heart ached.
Golden snub-nosed monkey fur turned into scarves. Sable fur turned into coats. A shawl made from an entire snow leopard tail…
Lin Jiangye’s eyes slowly reddened with moisture.
These animals had been living peacefully in their own habitats—only to die for nothing but human greed.
Was golden monkey fur really warmer than wool? Not necessarily.
There were farmed minks now—was wild sable fur really warmer than those? Not necessarily.
Did taxidermy have to be made from wild protected species? Even less so.
So why did people buy this?
For “rarity.”
For “I have it and you don’t.”
For showing off that their clothes cost more than someone else’s.
How ridiculous.
Shang Yongyi led his team through the surrounding area, securing everything—these were all hard proofs of the organization’s crimes.
When he turned back, he found Lin Jiangye standing there stiffly, eyes wet and red, clearly in pain.
Shang Yongyi sighed and patted his shoulder.
“Humans are a species driven by profit. It’s always been like this. Otherwise we wouldn’t have needed to push animals all the way into ‘protected species’ status.”
Mass hunting, habitat destruction—countless reasons had driven wild populations down.
But there was one thing they couldn’t deny: the country was taking ecology seriously now, or there wouldn’t be nature reserves and protection policies at all.
“There are evil people—and there are good people. There are those who don’t care about protected animals—and those who guard them like their own lives. One of our duties is to drag the criminals into the light.”
It was a task that could never be “finished,” not in a lifetime.
So what?
As long as they lived, the task continued.
Lin Jiangye took a deep breath and forced down the bitterness and fury in his chest.
“You’re right. As long as I’m alive, I’ll never let these people go.”
Poachers deserved to die. The buyers and traffickers of protected animal products deserved to die even more.
He would do everything he could to protect endangered species—and not just rare animals, but also abandoned strays, and all the other creatures whose habitats were destroyed by human activity.
The consequences humans created should be paid for by humans.
Seeing Lin Jiangye steady himself again, Shang Yongyi silently nodded in approval.
Calm was good. He’d been afraid Lin Jiangye would smash the whole place to pieces in a rage.
But just as they finished collecting evidence and prepared to leave, the second hidden room was opened—
And what was inside was far more horrifying than the first.
The second room wasn’t large—about the size of a bedroom.
But every tool inside was designed for one purpose:
To be used on people.
And they also found an electronic ledger. Once they cracked the password, everyone finally understood what this room was for.
“Execution… ‘training’…?!”
