Ryan Sullivan said nothing and motioned for her to move back. Emily Carter staggered half a step backward, only to see him kneel down on one knee, pull out a pair of kitchen latex gloves and put them on. He first felt the boy’s neck, then lifted his eyelids, pondered for a moment, and shook his head.

The young waitress immediately dropped to her knees.

Emily Carter nearly buckled as well, but she’d seen her share of big scenes and managed to steady herself: “What the hell is going on? Which blind little thief got chased into the fridge, or did some heartless bastard beat him to death and toss him in our freezer? Was the kitchen back door left open again today? Where’s the manager?! Get me Old Cooper—”

Ryan Sullivan blocked her. “Call the police.”

Emily Carter instantly felt as if she were being strangled: “Brother Sullivan, this... this isn’t appropriate, is it?”

During the three years Ryan Sullivan was in a coma, she’d tried to avoid any dealings with the police, didn’t even dare speed while driving, let alone leave any record in the public security system. But Ryan Sullivan braced himself against the wall and stood up, catching his breath, and nodded toward the corpse:

“No signs of trauma to the head or chest, no smell of alcohol, no external injuries. The upper body’s nipples are contracted, with obvious red spots and purplish swelling—frostbite formed while alive, with a clear line at the waistband. Either he was killed and dumped here, or he froze to death alive in the freezer.”

The young waitress and bartender Tony clung to each other, shivering. Emily Carter stared blankly, her mind reeling.

Ryan Sullivan sighed. “Call the police.”

In this metropolis of over ten million, traffic flowed endlessly. Rows of high-rises and giant advertising screens intertwined, lighting up the city’s bustling night with song and dance.

At the end of the street, in front of the main entrance of the Fuyang District Public Security Sub-bureau in Jianning City, several cars with flashing red and blue lights sped onto the main road, instantly merging into the stream of late-night traffic.

“Brother Bennett, don’t waste your breath with them, just call the Bureau of Industry and Commerce. This is obviously Kang Shifu iced tea, at most it’s Lipton. We’ve each drunk at least eight hundred bottles since we were kids—how could we not recognize it...”

In the dim, thunderous private room, seven or eight young guys were huddled together, sharing a mic. Mason Reed was shouting into Logan Bennett’s ear when suddenly his phone rang.

Logan Bennett glanced at the caller ID, immediately stopped him, and answered, “Hello, Director Foster?”

The words Director Foster were like a magic spell. Those who didn’t hear it were fine, but Mason Reed instantly froze beside him, watching as Logan Bennett pressed the phone to his ear and grunted twice. As expected, his expression darkened:

“Fuyang sub-bureau is already on the way? Okay, got it... I’ll take some people to check it out.”

“Love even in death—won’t be satisfied without going all out—”

Clang! Clang—!

The music and lights cut off abruptly. The group of wild, dancing youths fell silent, staring at each other.

Logan Bennett snapped on the lights, tossed aside the beer bottle he’d just used to bang the table, and said in a low voice, “Message from the command center: a civilian reported a death near Fuyang Road. The local police and sub-bureau are already en route. Director Foster wants us to check out the scene.”

Everyone immediately groaned in despair: “No way, Deputy Captain Bennett!” “Didn’t you promise us half a day off after this case?” “Where’s the scene? Damn, our car’s still at headquarters...”

“No need for a car,” Logan Bennett said unhurriedly. “It’s in the kitchen of this very KTV. The person who called it in is the boss here.”

Everyone: “………………”

Logan Bennett turned and pushed open the door, sighing, “Let’s go—this is the fastest response to a scene in the history of headquarters. Hey, waiter! Come here, which way to your kitchen?”

The kitchen door was tightly shut. Confused chefs and waiters were whispering outside, but were quickly ushered away. Logan Bennett ignored the chatter, strode up, and banged on the door: “Open up! Police!”

Creak—the door opened. Emily Carter looked up, and the moment her eyes landed on Logan Bennett’s handsome face, she froze, trembling: “You, you...”

“What are you stammering for? Selling iced tea for 280 a bottle—serves you right to run into a ghost.” Logan Bennett pulled out his badge from his jacket pocket, the word “Police” nearly blinding everyone with its 24K titanium alloy shine: “Municipal Public Security Bureau, Criminal Investigation Division, Logan Bennett. Step aside, don’t block the scene. Give me a pair of shoe covers. Where’s the body?”

Chapter 2

“This freezer? It’s where we keep ice packs for the kitchen. The shift leader told me to get some ice, and as soon as I opened the door, this guy fell right out and hit me on the head—Officer, I swear I don’t know anything! I was so scared I peed myself, look, my pants are still wet! ...”

The sub-bureau’s forensics team’s flashlights flickered, while the techs busied themselves collecting fingerprints, footprints, and other evidence. Logan Bennett, wearing shoe covers, stepped over the evidence board, squatted by the body, and nodded.

The sub-bureau’s medical examiner called out respectfully, “Deputy Division Chief Bennett.”

“What’s the verdict?”

“The deceased was unusually undressed, with bright red livor mortis. There are small blisters at the junction of the exposed body and the waistband, which preliminarily matches death by rapid freezing. The exact time of death is hard to determine, and since there’s bleeding from the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, we’ll need to do a detailed autopsy back at the lab.”