It was past six in the evening when Luke got off work.

It's not that he didn't want to work overtime, but he had chosen today to move houses.

Originally, he had thought about inviting family and coworkers over to his house for a gathering, but with the urgent case, it would have to wait.

Although he didn't have many possessions, his Harley motorcycle definitely wouldn't fit, so he borrowed David's car to move.

He first went to Daisy's house, then to his mother's, and moved everything to his new home in Rui Du Community.

The new home had been professionally cleaned and was fully furnished, so he could move in immediately.

Luke walked around the house a few times, growing fonder of it with each lap.

The master bedroom was spacious and comfortable, complete with an en-suite bathroom for soaking baths.

The guest bedroom was still empty; it could be used as a guest room or converted into a home theater.

He also planned to buy some kitchenware and condiments, and definitely a barbecue grill. Having his own little yard to invite family and friends over for barbecue and beer every now and then was one of the great joys of life.

He would acquire these items gradually during his free time.

Luke ordered fried chicken takeout and chilled beer.

At last, he achieved the ideal life of lying on the sofa, watching TV, eating fried chicken, and drinking beer.

One must have dreams, for they just might come true.

The next day, he woke up.

Luke still felt an almost surreal sensation.

Having his own detached courtyard in an international metropolis was something he wouldn't have dared dream of in his previous life.

He achieved this within a month after crossing over.

Luke poured himself a cup of coffee and stood in the yard, breathing in the fresh air. He planned to buy a set of tea ware and a bamboo-woven round table soon, to enjoy tea in the yard as well.

Most residents in this community were from Huaguo, along with some Caucasians; he hardly saw any Black people.

At eight in the morning, Luke drove to the community square where the breakfast shops were already open.

There were pancakes, soup dumplings, fried breadsticks, tofu pudding, soy milk...

Luke started to salivate.

Although burgers were nice, they were not something to eat every day; Huaguo snacks offered much more variety.

Luke ordered a portion of soup dumplings, a breadstick, a tea egg, a serving of tofu pudding, and some complimentary pickles, savoring every bite.

He had an illusion as if he had returned to another space and time.

...

At ten in the morning.

Robbery and Murder Department, Squad One.

Mary from the crime scene investigation team entered the office. "Everyone, the crime scene report is out."

The deputy chief smiled and said, "We've been looking forward to this; got any good news?"

"There are some clues, but whether they're good or not is for you to decide." Mary placed a document on the projector. "These are the shoe prints we collected at the crime scene, thick-soled tread shoes. Based on the size of the shoes, we estimate the suspect's height to be between 178cm and 188cm."

Luke stroked his chin, recalling the identification card's shoe print data.

[Shoes, thick-soled tread shoes

Gender, Male

Height, 180-185CM

Weight, 85-90 kilograms

Age, between 40 and 45 years.]

Just regarding height, the identification card was twice as precise.

Such data could not be considered the same, not even by an inch; it was worlds apart.

Luke asked, "I heard that Huaguo has a footprints identification technique that can determine height, weight, age, and physical characteristics based on shoe prints alone.

Can our forensic technology do that?"

Mary replied, "I've also heard of this method, but it relies heavily on personal experience and technique, making it difficult to form a systematic and objective identification pattern. With the advancement of technology, it might be possible in the future, but for now... it's challenging."

"OK, just asking out of curiosity."

Mary changed the slide on the projector. "Huaguo indeed has aspects of footprint identification that are worth learning from.

However, in terms of bullet trace identification, we are the best.

After comparing bullet traces, we found the pistol that killed the victim.

Purchaser, Huifang Wang

Pistol model, SIG Sauer M11 Pistol, magazine capacity of 13 rounds

Purchase date, January 13, 2022

Social Security number, 623-56-7578

Jenny looked surprised. "Wow... such a familiar name."

The deputy chief pondered for a moment. "The victim's housekeeper?"

Luke nodded. "Yes, I just took her statement yesterday."

"She said the victim was a good person, and insisted that I catch the killer,"

The deputy chief laughed, "Life is essentially a farce; you just get used to it."

...

A black Dodge drove into the Lanqi community and stopped in front of a white two-story villa.

Luke and David got out of the car.

The two entered the yard and approached the front door, where they were greeted by a blue iron gate.

Luke smiled and made a gesture of invitation, "I'll leave it to you."

David gauged the thickness of the iron gate and honestly knocked on the door, "Bang bang."

No one responded.

"Bang bang..."

Still no response.

The two walked around the house, peering through the windows, but still saw no sign of anyone.

David asked, "Any findings?"

"No."

David glanced around, "She couldn't have run away, could she?"

Luke said, "Just because the pistol is hers doesn't mean she's the killer; there might be something else going on."

"Hey, don't be deceived by a suspect's appearance. Some criminals are very good at disguising themselves, making you think they're weak and harmless. In the end, they might deliver a fatal blow."

"Sounds like you've had similar experiences."

"I'd rather not talk about it; it's not a good memory," David pointed in the distance, "There's a little girl selling something over there. Let's ask her; maybe she knows Huifang Wang's whereabouts."

Not far away, a roadside drinks stand was manned by a ten-year-old Asian girl.

David squeezed out what he considered a friendly smile, "Hey, beauty, how's business?"

The girl looked at them warily, "Actually, not so great, I haven't opened yet. Do you need something?"

David flashed his badge, "Don't be nervous, we're police."

The girl smiled, "Hello, officers! What would you like to drink? I can give you an 8% discount. That's only 8 cents for two cups."

"Thanks, but no, I'm looking to ask you about something." David pointed at the nearby house, "Do you know the woman who lives here?"

"Are you talking about Grandma Wang?"

"Yes, Huifang Wang. Do you know where she is?"

"I know."

"Great, can you tell me?"

After looking at David and then at Luke, the girl answered decisively, "No."

"Why?"

"Because I haven't opened for the day yet."

David shrugged, "What does that have to do with me?"

"You're right, your business doesn't concern me either."

"Heh." David laughed helplessly, "If I buy your drink, will you then tell me where Huifang Wang is?"

"Deal."

"OK, two cups," David pulled out a US dollar.

"Two cups cost 2 US dollars."

"Isn't that not the price you just mentioned?"

"Everything has its added value, doesn't it?"

"Are you trying to extort a police officer?"

"I'm just doing business. If you don't think it's appropriate, you don't have to buy."

"Promising. You could be the next Soros," David slapped two dollars on the table.

"Thanks for the compliment, but I don't like Soros. My idol is Elizabeth Holm."

David smiled, "Precise goal setting. I hope by the time you grow up, I haven't retired yet. Maybe we'll meet again."

"Take your drinks, and feel free to come back another time."

David took the drinks and handed one to the nearby Luke, "You still haven't told me where Huifang Wang is?"

"Just walk straight ahead, and you'll find her at a Sichuan-style restaurant. Their saliva chicken is very tasty, and the steamed pork is not bad either. My favorite is Kung Pao chicken," the girl swallowed audibly,

"Want me to show you the way?"

"You'd better continue your grand business." David raised his glass in a toast, and they got into the car.

David took a small sip, savoring the taste, "It's quite unique," he looked down, "This is the first time I've had this white drink."

Luke laughed, "It's called soymilk, a beverage from Huaguo."

David took another sip, "Not bad."

Soymilk, I like it."