The author said

I was attending a short-term training program at Zhejiang University and lived in the same room with a cyber police officer. Other than classes, we held night time talks in the dormitory. He said, "I listen online. It's all about Internet security." His story is so captivating (completely satisfying the curiosity of every layman) that at first glance, it's almost hard for me to believe it's true.

He said that the ever-changing network technology is affecting everyone's life. While it brings countless conveniences to people, it also brings new dangerous factors, providing a breeding ground for alternative criminals. As long as you turn on the computer and go online, someone can enter your computer freely through other connected computers. He can peek into every little detail of your life without your defense, pretend to be you, take money from your bank account, fabricate a fictitious lover for you, cause you to lose your job, and even kill someone... He listed multiple personally handled cases, presenting me with a completely unimaginable, mysterious, profound, and terrifying world of the internet and hackers.

As a result, I had the idea of writing a novel about cybercrime. I have been tracking such cases for the following year. In real life, it mainly manifests as covert and complex telecommunications network fraud. These cases often have a nationwide impact, involving amounts of several hundred million or even billions of yuan, with thousands of victims. One victim in Sichuan was defrauded of over one billion yuan, ultimately leading to the bankruptcy of her company. These cases make people feel that the face of the internet is grotesque and terrifying, and it is unpredictable and difficult to grasp. It seems that criminals can maliciously press a button on the keyboard, which can make us lose everything in an instant, even our lives. Our seemingly stable lives are vulnerable to cyber crimes. On the contrary, ordinary people still have little understanding of the insider information of telecommunications network fraud, and even professional law enforcement officers find it difficult to explain the internal operations of fraud gangs - especially when hackers exploit some very hidden software vulnerabilities.

The tricky part is not just the technical explanation. Prior to this, I knew almost nothing about this police force except for a few local internet police officers who were unable to disclose their names. However, criminals with high IQ usually have their head in the clouds, and the general suspect captured locally are only teenagers who are wandering on the edge of society.

In fact, the initial hackers rarely engaged in computer crimes. They attacked network systems only to prove that they were able to do it, at most just to play some pranks. Gradually, hackers who specialize in invading computers and communication systems for malicious damage have become "hackers". They are no longer bound by hacker ethics, and while destroying networks, they carry out traditional crimes, combining online and offline methods to present a new pattern of crime.

Last winter, there were consecutive cases of women committing suicide due to investment failures in a certain district of my city. Investigation revealed that the so-called investments were just virtual platforms designed by hackers, and these investment platforms could only receive payments. At first, they gave investors a little sweetness, but when the large amount of funds came in, the platform disappeared and the investors lost everything.

I have interviewed these cases and am not simply satisfied with the plainly displayed facts. I want to find more professional details to improve my story and create a unique and credible atmosphere. Soon, I heard about the computer expert T recruited by the city bureau through the "green channel".

He is a humble young man, very intelligent, with a typical hacker's exploratory spirit and curiosity. He has communicated with many hackers on the internet, and he knows many stories about hackers. He also keeps some chat records. This is of great help to my creation - traditional police officers simply cannot understand these, and hacking activities are blind spots for ordinary people, just like them.

Of course, T is just an example. It is noteworthy that the advancement of network technology has brought greater help to crime than it has brought to ordinary users: people's dependence on computers and networks is increasing day by day, resulting in various forms of cybercrime, making the security of computer systems increasingly fragile. The number of online fraud and identity theft cases continues to surge, and a complete underground criminal chain is constantly extending and expanding. Open your computer or phone, and you can always see messages about telecom network fraud.

Looking back, why has telecom cybercrime become increasingly rampant? One important reason is that it was not initially designed with such high security in mind. Wendon Cerf, a member of the US Internet Core Protocol and known as the "father of the Internet", said: "We didn't intend to defend these things when designing the network. I didn't think about building a super safe system at that time, because I didn't even know whether the most basic idea was feasible." He later said: "This is really disturbing. The lifeblood of the world economy is based on such a cool experimental object. It didn't consider security at all when designing it, but it focuses on fault tolerance. Although you can reduce your own risk, the fact is that the network is not a safe place for business or society."

Based on this premise, in order to make the Internet more secure, in addition to establishing an international legal framework, training more, better and well-trained online police, improving users' identification ability is also a top priority. So, both at the national level and among ordinary users, it is necessary to have an understanding of telecommunications cybercrime and how to protect network security. How to make good use of the double-edged sword of the internet depends entirely on our correct grasp.

T has proven his ability. He successfully solved a series of telecommunications fraud cases using the technology he mastered, and traced the hacker who grew up with him. Although he was not caught in the end, the public security organs never gave up their pursuit of him. Due to confidentiality, T's work cannot be fully disclosed, but he is a typical good hacker and greatly enriches my creativity.

......

I hope that through my work, people can have a new understanding of the computers and networks they increasingly rely on - professionals may not be able to handle everything well, protecting network security requires public participation. Of course, whether this work can achieve this goal still requires the reader's consideration and the test of time.

★Renowned public security writer and winner of the Golden Shield Literature Award, Shu Zhongmin's masterpiece! Douban rating is 8.1 points! look out! Online scams are everywhere!
★ Highly recommended by renowned experts such as forensic expert Qin Ming, "Black Green Moss" from "Serial Crimes", and Xiao Renfu!
★ Expert showdown between cyber police and hackers! The work is set against the background of cybercrime, focusing on the social hot topic of online fraud, uncovering the insider information of online police investigations, and deciphering pervasive online scams and investment traps.
★A true internet expert not only explores the one's technical traces, but also their psychological traces!

*The author Shu Zhongmin has serialized "Woodpecker" for a long time. Woodpecker "is a publication directly managed by the Ministry of Public Security. Whether it can be published here is also a touchstone for judging whether a criminal investigation work is excellent and professional.

The Winner of the Golden Shield Literature Award - Shu Zhongmin’s Suspense Series includes 3 titles:
"Extraordinary Sin: Our Distance from Evil"
"Web Detective: The Hidden World"
"Bewitchment: Conspiracy in the Yao Area"

In the intricate dance between the virtual world of the internet and the stark realities of life, the novel gradually unfolds its gripping narrative. The story begins with Deputy Captain Luo Wei of the Criminal Police Division, who is handed a complex case of online fraud. The victim, a woman named Liu Qun, had invested her life savings into what appeared to be a promising investment scheme, dreaming of a brighter future. However, when the illusory bubble of the internet was brutally burst, she found herself not only penniless but also plunged into a bottomless pit of despair. Desperately seeking help, she wandered in darkness, unable to find a glimmer of hope. Ultimately, overwhelmed by the immense psychological pressure and a bleak outlook on life, she chose to end her suffering, leaving behind a heart-wrenching tragedy.

Liu Qun’s story is far from unique. Behind this case of online fraud lies the blood and tears of countless innocent victims. Luo Wei, a resolute and principled deputy captain, faces a pivotal moment in his personal life—his wife’s pregnancy—yet he chooses to dedicate himself entirely to solving the case. He knows all too well that behind every victim lies a shattered family. However, the complexity of cybercrime far exceeds his expectations. As he delves deeper into the investigation, he repeatedly hits dead ends, as if lost in an endless fog.

It is only with the arrival of Ding Yang, a cyber police officer, that a ray of hope emerges. Ding Yang, a master of the digital realm, finds his match in Da Mo, a criminal equally adept at navigating the shadows of the internet. Da Mo, a ghost lurking in the dark corners of the web, uses his keyboard to craft code that acts as invisible chains, silently controlling people’s phones and, in turn, manipulating their thoughts and actions. His methods are cold and precise, driving families to ruin without their knowledge, leaving victims lost in despair and heading down a path of no return.

Ding Yang and Da Mo, one representing justice and the other embodying evil, engage in a life-and-death struggle within the virtual expanse of the internet. Armed with his exceptional technical skills, Ding Yang battles hackers and fraudsters in a perilous digital landscape. Each confrontation is fraught with danger and challenges, but Ding Yang never backs down. Through a series of intense and unpredictable clashes, his unwavering determination and sharp insight gradually expose Da Mo’s vulnerabilities. In a climactic showdown, Ding Yang successfully uncovers the true criminal hiding behind the veil of the internet, delivering justice for the innocent victims and bringing this battle between good and evil to a satisfying conclusion.

Shu Zhongmin, formerly known by his pen name Jing Hang, holds a Bachelor's degree in Chinese Literature and a Master's degree in Law. He is a distinguished member of the Hunan Writers Association and a recipient of the Golden Shield Literature Award. With years of experience working on the front lines of public security, Shu has accumulated a wealth of investigative expertise, which provides a rich reservoir of authentic material for his writing.
Specializing in crime and suspense fiction, Shu not only crafts gripping narratives but also delves deeply into the complexities of human nature and social realities. His works are celebrated for their intricate plots, vivid characters, and thought-provoking themes.
Shu's novel Gu Huo (Bewitchment) won the Bronze Award at the 3rd Cross-Strait New Media Original Literature Competition, while his work Wo Yao Dang Shi Zhang (I Want to Be Mayor) was honored with the Novel Award at Phoenix Web's First Original Literature Competition. His acclaimed novels, such as "Extraordinary Crime", “Extraordinary Breakthrough”, and“Extraordinary Redemption”, have been published in the renowned literary journal Woodpecker.

Prelude

Dear Mom,
Last night, I woke up from another nightmare.
I dreamed I was walking down a dimly lit corridor that stretched endlessly ahead, both familiar and terrifying.
I moved slowly. Black curtains hung on both sides of the corridor, each identical in shape. No matter how far I walked, the end of the hallway remained out of sight, and the curtains never ceased. I didn’t dare to pull them open, so I kept walking, hoping to reach a place of light, hoping the curtains would disappear. But the corridor seemed infinite, and the darkness felt endless, filling me with despair.
When I was utterly exhausted, a faint hope emerged in my heart: perhaps behind these curtains lay the exit I was searching for. If I could just tear them down, maybe I’d find a way to another world.
This hope grew stronger. I knew it was just wishful thinking, a desperate attempt to escape my situation, but I still reached out toward the curtain.

“Stop!” someone shouted. I listened carefully and realized it was my father’s voice. He kept yelling, “Stop! If you open it, we’re all doomed!”
I resisted his command in my heart. What else could I do if I didn’t open it? Keep walking down this hopeless corridor? Keep moving toward the darkness? I’ve had enough. I need to get out of here!
“Stop!”
Ignoring my father’s shouts, I reached for the curtain and yanked it open.
Behind it stood a figure, their shadow stretching long and dark. Upon closer look, I realized the person wasn’t standing but hanging in mid-air.
It was my father. He was suspended there, staring at me with lifeless eyes. “Are you satisfied now?”
I woke up convulsing, my mouth mumbling something between a groan and a wail, my body drenched in sweat. This has been my reality every time I fall asleep lately. Even after waking up, my head feels foggy, heavy, and aching, and it takes me a while to fully regain my senses.
When my father sees me awake, he comes over and starts giving me instructions. I pretend to be deep in thought, masking my emotions. He thinks I’m pondering solutions, and after a while, he leaves.
My mind is a chaotic mess. I try to make sense of it all, but it’s no use. The dream keeps resurfacing, tormenting and eroding me. This time is no exception. My father’s piercing shouts grow louder in my mind, relentlessly pounding against my eardrums. Waves of numbness spread through my forearms, almost making me lose all sensation.
This is a symptom of mental exhaustion. I looked it up online—it’s caused by excessive psychological stress. I guess everyone has different tolerance levels, so the physical and mental reactions vary greatly. What might shock someone from the north could be calmly accepted by someone from the south. It’s the same principle.
Mom, do you know this is a lingering effect of your abandonment? This symptom has been buried in my heart for a long time. I thought it had become a part of me, something innate, like underarm hair, naturally hidden there.
But over the past few months, I’ve realized the terrifying consequences of this pressure far exceed my imagination. The fear hidden deep within me clashes with my rational mind, and it’s completely wearing me down.
Mom, where are you? Is money really the purpose of your life? Back then, you left because Dad went bankrupt (that’s what he said). Now, Dad has accumulated ten times the wealth he had back then. Will you come back? I have a feeling you will. Dad says so too—that if I help him make money, you’ll return.
It’s this feeling that plants a seed of hope in my heart.

Sometimes, I wonder if you’ve already decided to come back but hesitate because of lingering hatred for Dad. Is that possible? No, Dad says it’s because the current wealth isn’t enough to win you over.
Right now, he’s sitting in his big black chair, back straight, his grayish-yellow eyes fixed unblinkingly on the computer screen, staring at the data from the trading platform I designed and upgraded. He’s accustomed to manipulating backend data, his fingers flying across the keyboard with an air of calm authority.
His demeanor keeps the employees who follow his lead completely unaware of the truth.
These employees are here for survival. As Dad’s wealth snowballs, he’s generous to them. Money can blind people, and it can silence them. In my subconscious, perhaps the employees already know the truth but are too afraid to admit it, gripped by a fear even greater than mine.
Of course, this is just my speculation. The employees wouldn’t know, nor would they act out of the ordinary. They sit in bright, grand offices, facing the stable software programs I designed, watching the rising and falling curves, like monks chanting with wooden fish. The monotonous hum of the computer’s CPU mixes with Dad’s occasional shortwave radio commands, assaulting my nerves.
To me, these employees no longer have physical forms. What I see is beyond their bodies—assembly lines, each rolling with colorful money.
Mom, I hope behind that money, I’ll find your gentle gaze. If that happens, even for the briefest moment, I’ll have no regrets about everything I’ve done and will face life with a smile.
But this is all my imagination. When my tear-filled eyes dry in the wind, I look up and meet Dad’s gaze. What’s in his eyes? Fatherly love? I think so. But in that fleeting moment, I sense that what’s growing in his heart is a desire for more money.
Dad doesn’t understand the thirst in my heart, nor does he have any intention of bonding with me. This stark contrast quickly freezes the air between us, creating an invisible wall that cools our emotions and blocks any communication.
Such closeness by blood, yet such coldness—what’s the reason? What kind of barrier leaves no room for negotiation? Is this why you left so heartlessly and never returned?
You didn’t leave me a single word.

---
Chapter One
“The list is out.”
“What’s the big deal? It’s inevitable that China would retaliate after M country imposed tariffs so recklessly on Chinese products, provoking a trade war…”
“No, no, it’s that our conclusion is about to be overturned.”
Luo Wei sighed. They had been working here for two days and a night. Over these two days, he had heard enough about the depression and despair of the person who fell to their death, along with testimonies that no strangers were present at the scene. He was tanned like a black eel, his arm skin dry and painful. Now, evidence supporting the family’s suspicions was the last thing he needed.
Luo Wei drained the half-bottle of water that had grown warm in his hand, apologized to the deceased’s husband, Old Pi, and walked out of the stuffy living room. He then said to the newcomer, “Take it slow, Instructor Xiao. What’s going on?”
“Ah… well… you’d better see the scene for yourself!”
Instructor Xiao, the political instructor of Meiyan Police Station, full name Xiao Keyu, is the undefeated “police flower” of Meiyang Branch for the past decade. Though already thirty, she remains strikingly beautiful, especially with the sharp wit and grace she exudes while working. But she’s still a police officer, and her demeanor carries a certain martial air.
Without waiting for Luo Wei’s response, Xiao Keyu quickly walked away, turned the corner, and jogged along the scene’s perimeter under the sun. Luo Wei had no choice but to follow. The scene, cordoned off with yellow tape, was a seven-story building with three storefronts and a staircase in the middle.
The building was undergoing basic renovations, and the stairwell was piled with construction debris.
As they climbed the stairs, the mess only grew worse. Broken bricks were scattered everywhere, sticky concrete was piled here and there, and exposed rebar and glass shards posed a threat to anyone ascending. Even experienced evidence collectors would find such a scene challenging. The building’s renovation had been halted for over three months, but the deceased’s husband insisted someone had been in the building and that his wife was murdered. As a result, Luo Wei’s team had spent two grueling days transitioning from being unsure where to start to smoothly documenting evidence, working tirelessly in the building for dozens of hours.

Now, except for Luo Wei staying behind to continue working with the deceased’s husband, the forensic team had completed their tasks, gone home to wash off the scene’s血腥气, and were enjoying a rare moment of rest.
No one knew Xiao Keyu was still at the scene. The scorching summer sun baked the concrete and brick building like an oven. There were no pedestrians around, and the cars on the road sped by, eager to escape the heat…
Xiao Keyu still walked with large strides, lifted the tape, and leaped onto the debris-filled stairs. She reached into her police pants pocket, pulled out a pair of investigation gloves, and put them on…
“Instructor Xiao, what exactly did you find?” Luo Wei couldn’t help but ask.
Xiao Keyu didn’t turn around. Luo Wei, never one to fall behind, glanced at her elegant figure and quickly followed her into the stairwell. His footsteps echoed like the monotonous chirping of cicadas, thudding up seven floors. Xiao Keyu turned left into the scaffolding on the top-floor terrace, where chaos reigned. Exposed rebar stuck out like jagged black swords piercing the blindingly bright sky.
“Give me the hard facts, Instructor Xiao.”
“Hmm.”
“If you’re just showing me the same debris and brick walls we’ve examined countless times, I’m done with you.”
“Don’t worry!”
Xiao Keyu stumbled over the scattered bricks, avoiding the messy tools under the scaffolding. When she stopped, Luo Wei almost bumped into her back.
“Bend down,” Xiao Keyu said.
Luo Wei crouched and took the magnifying glass from her hand. “Ah! It seems this matter really can’t be resolved easily!”
Luo Wei, deputy captain of the criminal investigation team at Meiyang Branch of the Hanzhou Public Security Bureau, is married to a police officer. His wife, Gao Yuan, works at the municipal bureau as the political instructor of the first team and is currently pregnant. Pregnant women tend to cling to their husbands, and she calls him several times a day, being overly affectionate. Luo Wei is tall, straight, and handsome, the very image of a military or police officer. He’s also a skilled writer, and the municipal bureau’s command department has been trying to transfer him to head the comprehensive section.
But he prefers criminal investigation work. During his time at the Police Academy, he focused heavily on physical fitness and weapons training, winning two consecutive shooting championships. He also has a passion for writing, a talent unmatched by any of his peers at the academy.
His novels have been published in *Contemporary* and won that year’s literary rally championship. After starting work, he occasionally writes reflections on his job, which are eagerly published by provincial newspapers.
Luo Wei has been working for nine years, seven of which were spent at a police station, where he served as deputy director and political instructor. Last year, he transferred to the criminal investigation team. His career is on track, and he’s making good use of his skills, but it’s not without worries. Modern criminal investigation relies heavily on technology, and the rapid pace of technological advancements leaves police academy training materials perpetually outdated. As his colleagues joke, “Investigative work is all done by tech, forensics, and cyber security. The criminal investigation team is just an appendage now!”
Currently, Luo Wei faces a thorny problem: after a woman named Liu Qun fell to her death, her husband, Old Pi, insists it was murder, but the police investigation concluded it was suicide. Now, however, other bloodstains have been found at the scene of the fall.
Luo Wei collected blood samples and hurried back to the forensic identification center. On the way, he asked Xiao Keyu, “How did you find this when the trace team missed it?”
“Flies,” Xiao Keyu replied. “I was on the roof imagining how Liu Qun fell when I saw a fly fly up to such a high floor. I thought there must be something smelly nearby, and then I wondered what could attract flies here. And then…” Xiao Keyu made a cute shrug.
This is the difference between city and countryside. Luo Wei was born in downtown Hanzhou and grew up in high-rise apartments, rarely seeing flies. But Xiao Keyu, though delicate in appearance, grew up in rural houses and has a unique perspective on these disgusting creatures. She’s always worked at the police station and knows every cat and dog in the backstreets. When Liu Qun fell to her death in her jurisdiction, she initially didn’t believe it was suicide, but she deferred to the criminal investigation team’s conclusion.
“Are you going to report this to Captain Hu?” Xiao Keyu asked.
Luo Wei frowned. “Of course.” Then he added, “Do you think this will change the case?”
Xiao Keyu said, “It might. The owner said no one has been upstairs for three months, but the bloodstains are fresh, possibly from a sharp object, which could be related to Liu Qun’s fall.”
Though still speculative, she emphasized the latter point. Luo Wei understood her meaning. Xiao Keyu made sense.
Luo Wei looked at the message from his wife on his phone, imagining Gao Yuan pregnant, pretending to be indifferent to Xiao Keyu’s words.