[GL Mystery] Lost Tracks - Chapter 5

From the information at hand, Xiyan was still alive, but her situation was extremely dangerous.

If they didn’t find her soon, her life would be at risk. Ximo glanced at the code on the paper, returned to the computer, and quickly opened tracking software.

She hacked into the email server, pulled up the address data of the email sent to Gu Yue, and entered a series of commands.

Dingdang couldn’t understand any of it, as Ximo, a computer science major in college who later worked on security systems, found hacking into someone’s computer effortless.

In no time, Ximo traced the IP address of the computer that sent Gu Yue’s email, discovering it was from L City!

The two exchanged a glance, instantly knowing the next step.

Dingdang called her father to arrange surveillance on Gu Yue and coordinate with the police.

Even without Dingdang’s request, her father would have handled it, having watched Xiyan grow up and treating the sisters like family.

Ximo quickly packed her luggage. For convenience, she brought no skirts, only pants, and since the sisters had similar builds, she packed light. After hanging up, Dingdang said to Ximo, “I’ll go home to pack, then drive over.”

With that, she was gone, vanishing swiftly. Ximo let out a soft breath, murmuring, “At least she’s still alive.”

While waiting for Dingdang, Ximo contacted her connections in L City, preparing to use every resource to find her sister.

On the road, Dingdang drove fast.

Ximo didn’t rest in the car, her mind racing through the past few days’ events, trying to extract valuable insights from the clues.

She was deeply puzzled: Why did Wang Jie take her sister and flee? The other party said Wang Jie broke the game’s rules—what kind of game was this? What role did Wang Jie play in it? Why was her sister drawn into this so-called game? And now, with Wang Jie escaping with Xiyan, was it to save her or for another purpose?

Too many questions tangled in Ximo’s mind like a fog. It seemed this trip to L City would involve many tasks.

The highway was much faster than the train. Soon, they arrived in L City, and Ximo brought Dingdang to her home there.

After settling in, Ximo began arranging meetings with government contacts she’d made in L City.

These people were influential, with connections in both legal and underground circles.

Amid this hectic rush, two days passed.

Thanks to her connections, L City’s police took the case seriously.

Using Ximo’s clues, they quickly apprehended the email sender, a man around thirty, and conducted an unofficial “underground interrogation.”

The man was tight-lipped, saying nothing in custody, offering no resistance, and behaving oddly.

Ximo was anxious but could only wait.

Meanwhile, in the town, the police lacked solid evidence against Gu Yue, so no action could be taken.

As the situation stalled, Ximo suddenly received a call from a key figure: Wang Jie! Had Wang Jie returned with her sister?

When Ximo answered and the caller claimed to be Wang Jie, her first words were, “Is my sister with you? Is she okay?”

Wang Jie was shocked that Ximo knew her sister was with her.

But she quickly hid her surprise, saying calmly, “Your sister is fine now.”

Ximo was overjoyed. “Can I speak to her right now?”

“Sorry, not yet. If you want to see her, you must do as I say. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee she’ll stay safe.” Wang Jie’s words turned Ximo’s joy into fear.

Just as things seemed to gain traction, this call changed everything.

Ximo could never have imagined that after this call, she’d face experiences unlike anything in her life, whether she wanted to or not.

Wang Jie’s call was brief. She didn’t specify what Ximo needed to do, only told her to wait for an email and warned against notifying the police, or she couldn’t ensure Xiyan’s safety.

After hanging up, Ximo immediately discussed it with Dingdang.

They decided not to inform the police for now.

Xiyan was her only sister, and her safety outweighed everything.

Even if Wang Jie demanded something dangerous, Ximo would comply, and so would Dingdang.

If Xiyan knew she had such a sister and friend, she’d be deeply touched.

But what situation was Xiyan in now? Perhaps only Wang Jie knew.

When waiting became the only option, time felt endless, each second agonizing.

The arrested man spoke on the third day in custody, but it was nonsense, muttering to himself. No matter what the police asked, he kept rambling.

A hospital check revealed he was poisoned with a neurotoxin, damaging his brain. His earlier silence was a symptom of the poison’s onset.

This broke the lead from the man, so the police began tracing the toxin’s source, hoping for new clues. Hearing this, Ximo thought Wang Jie might be the only way to find her sister.

The computer stayed on all day; Ximo was waiting for Wang Jie’s email.

Dingdang busied herself preparing food, not wanting Ximo’s health to falter while Xiyan was missing.

There was still much to do, and they had to take care of themselves.

At Ximo’s house, Dingdang bustled about while Ximo typed rapidly at the computer, working on something. At dinner, Dingdang dragged Ximo from the computer, insisting she eat.

Dinner was hearty—Dingdang loved cooking and was skilled—but Ximo had no appetite. Sitting down, she gave a bitter smile.

“Dingdang, you know, Xiyan loved the dishes I made, especially this spicy fish head. She loved fish but often got bones stuck. So, whenever we had fish, I’d pick out all the bones for her.”

As she spoke, Dingdang saw Ximo start picking bones from the fish.

“Ximo… are you okay? Your sister’s still alive, right? We’ll find her,” Dingdang said, her eyes full of concern and a hint of unease.

“I’m fine, don’t worry. Just feeling nostalgic and sad, that’s all,” Ximo said with a helpless smile, her words sounding hollow even to herself.

Dingdang nodded, then said, “There’s something I’ve always wanted to ask.” She hesitated, worried mentioning Xiyan would upset Ximo, but couldn’t hold back.

“Why did Xiyan suddenly get so obsessed with traveling, and always alone? You two were inseparable before, but later, I felt you drifted apart.”

Ximo paused, her gaze distant, and said softly:

“We were indeed inseparable. Until the year I went to university, we had to part. Xiyan even said she didn’t want to study and wanted to come to L City with me. I refused.

The first month here, Xiyan called daily. During that time, her grades were terrible; she even failed exams. You know about that.

Later, I realized my overprotectiveness made Xiyan lose herself.

She needed her own identity. My excessive doting would harm her, and she’d have her own life eventually. I didn’t want her reliance on me to define her existence. So…”

Ximo’s eyes dimmed, and she sighed, about to continue when the computer chimed, “You have new mail.”

Both stood up instantly.