Ghost-Eyed Mediator

In West Capital City, a brutal serial murderer targets single women living alone. The killer binds the victims, stuffs their mouths, and causes death through countless needle punctures. The police investigation team led by Captain He Wenhui is under immense pressure to solve the case within a month. After exhausting conventional methods with no leads, He Wenhui recalls advice from his deceased mentor, veteran detective Wang Jianguo, who suggested seeking help from a man named Xiao Quansheng, a tea house owner in Fengjiang County with unique case-solving abilities. However, Xiao Quansheng has left and entrusted his tea house to his young apprentice, Chen Cheng. Initially hesitant, He Wenhui eventually contacts Chen Cheng after twenty more days pass with no progress. Chen Cheng agrees to assist and arrives at the police station.

Chen Cheng appears disheveled and informal, wearing a gray T-shirt, black capri pants, and flip-flops. He immediately asks for food before discussing the case. He Wenhui assigns the fiery female police officer Zhang Qian to accompany Chen Cheng. Zhang Qian, a young idealist and staunch materialist, deeply distrusts Chen Cheng and openly opposes involving a supposed charlatan in police work. She confronts He Wenhui, who explains that the case has reached a dead end and he is desperate. Zhang Qian reluctantly complies after He Wenhui emphasizes that she must fully cooperate with Chen Cheng.

Chen Cheng first visits the police morgue to examine all eight victims. He cuts a lock of hair from each corpse, wrapping it in yellow paper and marking each with the victim's name. This infuriates Zhang Qian, who accuses him of interfering with evidence. Chen Cheng then insists on being taken to West Capital City Park for leisure, further exasperating Zhang Qian. He rides the roller coaster and later eats noodles, all while wasting time in her view. Finally, in the evening, he directs her to the sealed homes of the victims.

At each crime scene, Chen Cheng lights a stick of incense and walks through the rooms, muttering. He does not explain his actions. At the seventh house, he lingers longer but still leaves without explanation. After visiting seven locations, he decides to return to the third victim's home, the residence of a forty-six-year-old divorced woman named Cao Jiaoer. There, he places a lit candle on the coffee table and lies down on the sofa. When Zhang Qian shines her flashlight on him, she sees his eyes reflect light like a wild beast's, revealing a dark blue color. She is terrified but tries to maintain composure. Chen Cheng retrieves half a basin of flour from the kitchen and spreads it evenly across the living room floor, instructing her to remain silent no matter what she sees, under threat of losing the chance to solve the case. The story ends with this tense preparation for an unknown ritual, leaving the outcome of the investigation unresolved. Throughout the narrative, Chen Cheng demonstrates a cocky, money-driven attitude, while Zhang Qian struggles with her skepticism and growing unease. He Wenhui remains in the background, anxiously awaiting results as the deadline looms. The core conflict revolves around the clash between supernatural methods and conventional police work, with the serial killer's identity and motives shrouded in mystery.