★ Another suspenseful masterpiece by Song Ying, the leading figure of Chinese social mystery fiction, following his acclaimed work "Apricot's Revenge"!
★ His novel "Apricot's Revenge" was selected for the "Best Mystery & Thriller of 2016" list by the prestigious US Library Journal. Song Ying remains the only Chinese author to date to be included on this list! The US Kirkus Reviews praised it as "a new type of novel with Chinese characteristics"!
★ This story blends detective fiction with fantasy, centering on the mysterious disappearance of a Sanxingdui bronze human mask. Renowned journalist Nie Feng returns once again—this time commissioned by young archaeologist Yan Tianyou—to embark on a treasure hunt that unravels the earth-shattering secrets of the Sanxingdui civilization.
★ English translation samples available.

Among the artifacts unearthed at Sanxingdui, none are more enigmatic and awe-inspiring than the collection of bronze masks. Legend tells of an exquisitely crafted, palm-sized bronze human mask that vanished without a trace shortly after its excavation from the Sanxingdui site, later surfacing in private hands. Years afterward, this very mask was reportedly acquired by a mysterious private collector. Rumors of its reappearance spread like wildfire, capturing the attention of archaeologists and collectors alike—and drawing the covetous eyes of greedy opportunists.

Young archaeologist Yan Tianyou approached Nie Feng, chief reporter of Western Sunlight magazine, requesting his help to track down this national treasure and secure an exclusive report. When the story broke in Western Sunlight, it caused a sensation. Among the vast array of bronze masks housed in the Sanxingdui Museum, only one is known to be so small and delicately made. If the rumored mask proves authentic, it would be an invaluable national treasure! Yet its whereabouts remain unknown. Is the legend fact or fiction? Official accounts and folk interpretations diverge sharply, leaving no consensus.
Accepting Yan Tianyou's commission, Nie Feng begins tracing the mask's elusive trail. Strangely, what starts as a grand yet baffling treasure hunt soon spirals into a series of brutal murders. The ancient, inscrutable smile of the bronze mask intertwines with bone-chilling terror, sending shivers down the spine. Everyone connected to the artifact—archaeological station chief, education bureau director, the institute chief's cousin—meets a violent end, one after another, each killed by a single, precise slash to the throat. The wounds are eerily clean, with edges showing signs of scorching, and bleeding stops almost instantly. Such peculiar injuries baffle even seasoned forensic experts.
As the investigation grows increasingly tangled and obscured by fog, the police find themselves at an impasse. Through relentless pursuit, Nie Feng and Yan Tianyou ultimately uncover that behind this tiny bronze mask lies the key to unlocking a staggering secret of the Sanxingdui civilization. But when the truth is finally revealed, the killer's true identity shocks everyone beyond belief…

Song Ying

A National Class-A Writer in China and a pivotal pioneer of Chinese social mystery fiction, he is respected for the rigorousness of his craft and his profound insight into society and history.
He is the author of six full-length novels, including "Apricot's Revenge" "The White Giant Tower" and "The White Fog" ,his works have won numerous national awards.
His representative work "Apricot's Revenge",is widely recognized as "China's first social mystery novel". Its international achievements are particularly notable: the English edition was published by the globally renowned St. Martin’s Press and was selected for the Library Journal's "Best Mystery & Thriller of 2016" list. Song Ying is the first and, to date, the only Chinese author to receive this international honor, which fully demonstrates the transcendent narrative power and literary value of his work across cultures and borders.

Prologue
Chapter 1: An Unexpected Visitor
Chapter 2: The Murder
Chapter 3: The Second Victim
Chapter 4: The Chief's Cousin
Chapter 5: Along the Yazi River
Chapter 6: The Mystery of Moon Bay
Chapter 7: The Bronze Human Mask
Chapter 8: The Collector
Chapter 9: Quicksand
Chapter 10: Vanished Without a Trace
Chapter 11: The Eerie Smile
Chapter 12: Final Resting Place
Epilogue