Well, I have to say, I didn't think it would be so easy to convince my brother to come here to Beijing in the end. Actually, he had already agreed when I told him that I missed him very much and wanted to see him again. Even then he said he would also like to see me and could come and visit me for a few days.

I was very happy. But I still told him about Cheng and sent him the picture. I said, "That's Cheng in the picture. He is one of your remaining fans and was even in love with you at that time. He would be very happy if he could meet you in person one day."

My brother told me to wait a moment, he wanted to look at the picture. Then followed what felt like an eternity of nothing but silence. I waited and then called through the cell phone, "Hey brother, would you mind talking to me? Don't forget how expensive these calls are! We're making calls here at my expense!"

"Haha, sorry. I was speechless for a moment." He finally said.

"Why?"

"Well, because I never thought I'd have such a cute fan."

"Um, yeah. He's really cute. And he wants to meet you."

"Okay good. I want to meet him too."

"So you're coming here then?"

"Yes. I guess in a week I could come to you."

"Not until a week?"

"Yes. I have to get a new passport. Mine has expired."

"Ah I see."

"A week goes by fast."

"You're right. Brother, I'm afraid I have to say goodbye now. I have to get ready for work now. We have a big case at the moment. In any case, I'm already looking forward to finally seeing you again soon. Write to me when you land here. Zhan and I will pick you up at the airport."

"Alright little brother. Say hi to your flatmate for me and tell him thanks from me for supporting you and taking care of you. I'll be in touch before I take off."

"Mmm. See you soon. Love you GeGe."

"Love you too DiDi." Replied my brother. We ended the phone call and I was just happy. I can finally see my brother again and he is even looking forward to meeting Cheng.

But I didn't have much time to be happy. It was time to get to work. Zhan returned from the city archives just in time. He had been there often in the last few days. He received a special permit to view valuable documents that only a few have ever seen. Well, I guess that comes with his job as a historian to have these privileges.

Somehow I admire him for it. He's smart and a really great historian. And I'm sure there aren't many historians who are also handsome like him.

But for now, let me tell you what a new big case we have. It's been a week since Zhan and I talked about setting our brothers up with each other. I didn't reach my brother before, unfortunately, so I just talked to him now. But back to the topic at hand.

Three days ago, two homicide detectives came to my office. They learned that we were able to solve the case of the female cheater so quickly and asked us if we could help them as well. I must say I was confused. What would Homicide need our help for? So I asked, "How would we be able to help you?"

One of the officers, a rather short guy with a look on his face that made me want to punch him in the face, said, "We need your help to track down someone who, in the last two months, has contacted and met 8 women on a dating site on the Internet and killed them. The criminal used multiple identities to meet the women and gained their trust. A tracing of the IP address revealed an old night cafe that unfortunately has no camera surveillance and where the guests who want to use the Internet do not have to identify themselves with their personal data and register, because the two computers are available for free use. We know that the suspect always invites the women to the area of the night café. But that is an area that is also hardly monitored."

"Mhhh, so the perpetrator lives somewhere there or?" Asked Zhan.

"Probably. But what makes you think so?" Wanted to know the officer.

"Well, somehow it would only be logical. He knows his way around there and feels safe there. If neither the night café nor the streets are under camera surveillance, it's an easy game for him. And I assume this is an area where not many people go?"

"Yes. There are many narrow unlit alleys. The streetlights give little, if any, light. Most of the apartments are uninhabited. Many of the apartment buildings there are uninhabitable because the houses are dilapidated. It almost seems like a ghost town."

"Mhhh, and still the women go there? If they see what kind of area they have been lured into, wouldn't they rather run away again immediately?" I asked.

"Well actually one would have to assume that. But the perpetrator specifically picked out women who are desperate enough to do anything to finally get a man."

"I understand. But how can we help you with that now?" I wanted to know.

"Well, according to our information, you were able to quickly catch the imposter with her many false identities. Without really having much information about her."

"Well, that was a little different from your case, too. She wasn't a murderer and we knew what she looked like. In your case, we don't know."

"It would still be good if you can help us. The perpetrator has already killed 8 women and that in just 2 months. We have formed a special unit, but we are hardly making any progress because we have to abide by too many regulations. You guys can investigate freely and you wouldn't even stand out."

"Okay. So let's say we take the case. What's in it for us? No offense, but we're certainly not going to work for free."

"We have a budget and we can pay you. In fact, we can pay you very well."

"All right. Zhan? What do you say?"

Zhan looked at me thoughtfully for a moment and nodded. "Well, we can try. All we have to do is find out who this guy is. Then we inform the detectives and they do the rest, right?"

"Yeah right. As soon as you locate the perpetrator, you call us and we send officers to you immediately." Replied the other officer, who just sat there silently the whole time.

So finally we agreed and entered into a contract with Homicide. The contract was largely about us not saying anything to anyone about the case. So far, the media doesn't know and Homicide wants it to stay that way. And then it also stated the fixed amount of money we would get if we succeeded in catching the serial killer.

That same evening, Zhan and I went to the city area mentioned earlier. We scouted out the night cafe and also the area. The area is quite large and confusing. Many of the streets are unlit. There are more than a few long narrow and also unlit alleys there. And the night café, as the officer said, is not supervised.

In the night café, guests spend their time reading books and Mangas. They can use the two computers without any restrictions. Those who just want peace and quiet can sleep on long wide sofas. There are cheap noodle dishes for sale. The water you need for the noodles you can boil yourself in two provided kettles.

So all in all, this night café is rather something for young people who don't have a home or don't want to go home.

I was very surprised that this night café can exist there at all. There is simply nothing else in this area. No shopping facilities, not even a bar. Only old houses, some of them abandoned and dilapidated. And except for the night cafe, we didn't see or hear any other people. Not even cars drove through the streets.

This area is truly a ghost town. The silence there is eerie and gave even me goose bumps. And when I saw how a few rats nibbled on a dead cat, it ran me cold down the spine. How desperate must these women have been not to run away again immediately?

However, one thing quickly became clear to us during that first night there. The perpetrator must either have his apartment there somewhere. Or he takes the women to the night café. But the latter is rather unlikely. Since he couldn't kill the women there. So it can only be an apartment.

However, the city area is so big that it will be hard to find the apartment. Especially if he should be more active at night.

The following night we went to see the area where the women's bodies were found. It is located a bit outside the city area, but is easily reachable by only one road. Nevertheless, it was clear that the perpetrator must have driven the women there by car. Unless he has so much strength to carry the women's bodies more than 2 miles to the dumping place. Which is unlikely.

Since all 8 murdered women had been found in the same place, Zhan and I looked at that place very carefully. But there was nothing there. It only confirmed for Zhan and me that the perpetrator did not kill the women there first. Because we would have smelled the blood. Even if it's been a few days since the last murder.

Tonight, we're back in this area of town. We have crept into one of the empty houses and from there we observe the night café and the street, which can be easily seen from our position. A car or a passenger, we should not be able to overlook here.

While we sit there in our hiding place and wait, I get a lot of time to think. Honestly, I'm not even sure if it was a good idea to take the case. Sure, I don't want any more women to fall victim to this killer. But, trying to catch a serial killer is a huge deal. It's much bigger than trying to catch a female trickster.

On the other hand, it's nice not to have to photograph or film husbands and wives cheating on their spouses. Or like recently, having to look for an old woman's runaway dog and then being yelled at by her because we scared her dog when we caught it.

However, right now, I would also know a better way to pass the night than sitting in this rundown house in this filthy empty apartment looking for a serial killer. Looking at Zhan like that, I can think of many things I'd rather be doing right now.

And finally, that night also passed without us making any progress. At least, that's what we thought until the headlights of a car could be seen turning the corner at the end of the street.

Zhan and I immediately made our way there. But, unfortunately, we were not fast enough. But, Zhan and I had a few small cameras scattered everywhere. Among others also at this street corner. So now we just had to take the camera and then look at the recording on the memory card.

With the memory card, we went right back to my office and watched the video recording. We fast-forwarded to the right moment and got a good look not only at the car, but also at the man who was driving. But, is he also the serial killer?