‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, Chief Inspector Chen, but in the age of Weixin and Weibo, things may spread around really quickly.’

‘With you in custody, Internal Security will do everything imaginable to make sure not a single word of that message of yours ever comes out. On that much you can trust me, Lou.’

‘You cannot lock me up for more than two or three days with neither evidence nor witness, can you?’

‘For cops like Detective Yu and me, we cannot. But what about Internal Security? They’re above the law, and they don’t play by any rules. In fact, they are going to charge another man for the serial murder, in a scenario far less politically damaging to the government. In the meantime, they can keep you locked up as long as they like. In the name of the Party’s interests, they can easily lock you up in secret.’

‘With her gone, what do I have to care about in this world – except for her memory?’

‘But I have to say something for the victims—’

‘You don’t have to give me a lecture about law and justice, Chief Inspector Chen. What about victims like Shen, so many more of them, now and in the future? You think you want to save lives? More will be lost if the environmental crisis goes on like this.’

It was the first time that Lou did not make a downright denial. On the contrary, he seemed to be arguing into the scenario suggested by the inspector.

‘Whatever justification you may have in mind, as a cop I cannot let it go on, taking more innocent victims down the road,’ Chen said firmly. ‘On the other hand, however, I think I can give you a promise – or two.’

‘Come on, a promise or two from you? How many times has the Beijing government given out promises about the clean air?’

‘I cannot agree more with you, Lou. I’m not promising anything about what the government may or may not do, but about what I will do. Not just as a cop, but as a writer, too. Your late wife might have read some of my works. In fact, I have written a poem about the polluted Tai Lake, called “Don’t Cry, Tai Lake” in Shanghai Literature.’

‘Don’t be surprised about anything done by Chief Inspector Chen.’ Yu could not help joining in once again, though it seemed so bookish of Chen to start talking about poetry at this moment. ‘Yes, my wife Peiqin has also read that poem.’

‘To prove it, I’m sending you an electronic link to the poem published in the magazine. You can read it on the phone. Ironically, that’s the reason why I’ve been given the job from the Party Central Discipline Committee – as one familiar with the environmental issues.’

‘But what’s that to do with your promise, Poet-Inspector Chen?’

‘I’m going to write a story about you and your wife set in the background of the environmental disaster. Not with your real names, but your message won’t get lost.’