Red Peacock [English] (Original Novel by Ju~On, translation by LuckyCasualty)

20. The body remembers...

The profession of a police officer involves more than just receiving reports and apprehending criminals. Another significant duty is providing protection to important figures during various ceremonies.

Lù Yī Péng exhaled deeply after sipping on some orange juice served by a waitress. At this moment, the young inspector was attending a government-hosted dinner event, with numerous high-profile guests in attendance. Naturally, he was part of the security team assigned by the police department to maintain order at the event.

"Hm... No matter how many times I look at you, you always look good," Duàn Fēng remarked, eyeing Lù Yī Péng up and down in his black tuxedo. The person being scrutinized pulled a puzzled face.

"Have you had a bit too much to drink, Mr. Jiang?"

Duàn Fēng laughed heartily, "I haven't had a single drink, Mr. Wong. I just ran into an interesting, beautiful lady over by the corner earlier."

"Oh..." Lù Yī Péng drawled, glancing at his partner, who was also dressed in a black tuxedo. "So why did you come over here then?"

"Well, turns out she's the wife of the Croatian ambassador," Duàn Fēng replied, causing Lù Yī Péng to burst out laughing.

"That's what you call having an eye for beauty without checking for the horse first!" Lù Yī Péng teased, laughing again. The target of the joke pouted in annoyance.

"You'd react differently if it were you."

Lù Yī Péng shrugged and finally stopped laughing.

While they chatted, both officers continued to scan the surroundings, staying alert for anything suspicious.

"Mr. Jiang, it looks like someone new has arrived over there. I'll go take a look," Lù Yī Péng said when he noticed a group of people entering through the door. Duàn Fēng simply shrugged in response.

"Go ahead. Just be careful not to bump into another ambassador's wife," he quipped.

Lù Yī Péng chuckled under his breath before heading out.

The newcomers consisted of about five or six people. According to the schedule, they should be the advisory team for Wén Guò Shēn, a real estate tycoon on the island. Lù Yī Péng tried to approach them to observe and check for any abnormalities, but he immediately froze when he saw the back of the person leading the group. He hurriedly made his way toward them.

"Excuse me, sir. Are you Mr. Lǐ Qīng Yú, the senior advisor to Mr. Wén Guò Shēn?" Lù Yī Péng asked the man, who was also dressed in a black tuxedo. The man smiled and replied,

"Yes, that's me. Is there a problem?"

Lù Yī Péng sized him up before continuing, "In that case, could I speak with you privately for a moment?"

The man shook his head. "Not at the moment, I'm afraid. I have to meet the Portuguese ambassador first. If it's something important, let's discuss it afterward." With that, he walked away. Lù Yī Péng followed at a distance while radioing central command.

"I need some information on Mr. Lǐ Qīng Yú. Does he have a photo available?"

"There's no visual data on Lǐ Qīng Yú," the central officer replied immediately. "Wén Guò Shēn keeps his information strictly confidential, so even photos are withheld."

"How are we supposed to confirm it's really him then?" Lù Yī Péng asked. After a brief silence, the response came.

"He carries identification from Mr. Wén, and Mr. Wén's trusted aide is with him to verify that he's the real Lǐ Qīng Yú."