The Shadow of the Fengteng Road

The rain was relentless, hammering against the windows of the dimly lit apartment. Detective Li Wei sat hunched over his desk, the only light in the room the flickering neon of the computer screen. His eyes were weary, but his determination was unwavering. The case that had consumed him for the past two weeks was one that seemed to grow more complicated by the hour. It was the murder of a young woman named Mei, found dead on the fateful night of the annual Fengteng Road Festival.

Mei was a vibrant spirit, known to everyone as the life of the party. Her laughter echoed through the streets of the city, and her smile was as bright as the neon lights that adorned the road. But on that night, she vanished without a trace, only to be found dead in an alleyway off Fengteng Road. The murder weapon was never recovered, and the only clue was a single, cryptic note left at the scene: "The shadow of the Fengteng Road will lead you to the truth."

Li Wei had been assigned to the case, and he had followed every lead, every whisper, and every shadow. He had spoken to Mei's friends, family, and even the vendors who knew her. But the trail always seemed to lead to dead ends. Then, a break came when a woman named Jing, who claimed to have seen Mei alive after the festival, came forward. Jing said she had seen Mei being chased by a shadowy figure. The detective's heart raced as he realized that the note might not be a riddle but a warning.

Li Wei decided to revisit the scene of the crime. The alleyway was narrow, with the walls covered in the faded remnants of the festival's decorations. He walked down the alley, the cold, damp air surrounding him. The streetlights cast long shadows, and Li Wei couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He approached the spot where Mei had been found, and his eyes fell upon a small, discarded piece of paper. He picked it up and noticed a faint outline of a shadow.

As he examined the paper, his phone rang. It was the police chief. "Wei, I need you to meet me at the station. We have a lead on Jing's whereabouts. It seems she has been hiding something."

Li Wei arrived at the station to find Jing in a holding cell, her eyes wide with fear. She was trembling as she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "I saw him, Detective. The one who killed Mei. He was following her, and then... then he did something to her. I couldn't see his face, but I know it was him. He was the one who chased her down that alley."

The detective's mind raced. The shadowy figure, the cryptic note, and now Jing's revelation. He knew he was close to breaking the case wide open. "Who is he, Jing?" he demanded.

Jing hesitated, then whispered the name that would change everything. "The mayor's son."

Li Wei's eyes widened in shock. The mayor's son was a notorious playboy, known for his penchant for trouble. He had been rumored to have had a relationship with Mei, but no one had ever proven anything. The detective's mind was flooded with questions. How had Mei's death been connected to the mayor's son? And what role had Jing played in the entire tragedy?

Li Wei's investigation led him to the mayor's son's penthouse apartment. He found Jing there, crying and terrified. The mayor's son was nowhere to be seen, but Li Wei knew that he would find him. He searched the apartment, looking for any clues that would lead him to the truth. In the study, he found a journal belonging to the mayor's son. It was filled with entries about his obsession with Mei and his jealousy of her happiness.

In one entry, he had written, "I will make her pay for what she took from me. She will know the shadow of the Fengteng Road."

Li Wei's heart sank. The mayor's son had killed Mei out of jealousy, and Jing had witnessed it all. The detective knew that he had to bring him to justice, but he also knew that he had to protect Jing from the mayor's powerful influence.

As Li Wei left the mayor's penthouse, he looked up at the towering skyscrapers that lined Fengteng Road. The neon lights were still glowing, casting a surreal glow over the city. He couldn't help but think of Mei, her laughter, and the vibrant spirit she had brought to the world. The murder had cast a shadow over the road, but Li Wei was determined to bring the truth to light.

The next morning, Li Wei presented his evidence to the police chief. The mayor's son was arrested, and the city was shocked. Jing was taken into protective custody, and Li Wei knew that she would need help to cope with what she had seen.

The murder of Mei on Fengteng Road had been solved, but the shadow it cast over the city remained. Li Wei had brought the truth to light, but the road to healing was long and arduous. He knew that the memory of Mei would continue to live on in the hearts of those who had known her, and he hoped that her spirit would never be forgotten.