First Case – Elevator Deaths
- Chen Zhengde – the perpetrator in the first case. He’s shot dead by an accomplice at the end of the arc. His role in the suspect list is acting like a middleman, involved in human trafficking and/or drug manufacturing and distribution.
- Yang Xiaoyu – Chen Zhengde’s son. His “accidental” death marked the trigger for Chen Zhengde’s revenge. Yang Xiaoyu had dealings with Shuntai nightclub.
Second Case – Pig Farm human trafficking
- Liu Peng – first suspect in the case. Suspected of sexually assaulting and murdering a young woman and the police officer who stopped to save her.
- Jiang Tao – the actual perpetrator in this case. Liu Peng’s fraternal twin and Chen Zhengde’s subordinate. Is the accomplice who shot and killed Chen Zhengde at the end of the previous arc. Ends up poisoned to death in the hospital by Li Cheng.
- Li Cheng – his character is first introduced as a mysterious man who asks for a lighter outside a scrap collecting facility. A pimp/broker, responsible for sourcing victims for the clients of Shuntai nightclub who have “special interests” (pedophiles). Was seen with Manager Liu from Shuntai nightclub. He ends up dead from an apparent drug overdose in chapter 45.
- Qu Mingzhe – Jiang Tao’s and Chen Zhengde’s direct boss, a subordinate of He Qi, a drug lord from the Golden Triangle.
- He Qi – Burmese nationality, familiar with Xia Hang. Worked for Sheng Jun, and after Sheng Jun’s syndicate fell, he inherited the business.
- Sheng Jun – the big drug lord and main antagonist of the story.
Third Case – Drug modification
- Manager Liu – Shuntai nightclub manager and middleman. Sources underage victims with Lin Fei.
- Lin Fei – runs a photography printing studio that’s a cover for sourcing underage victims for well-paying clients. Ends up stabbed to death by Ah Tai.
- Ah Tai – a Burmese man, probably responsible for tying loose ends and dirty jobs for his boss. Kills Lin Fei and is tied to the murder of at least one male escort. Linked through contracts or higher authority to Wang Cang, probably a hired foreign mercenary. Is the one who stole and tried to hide the child victims’ bodies.
- Wang Cang – He Qi’s son-in-law. Manages the family’s entertainment business; has dealings with Guo Gangyi.
- Yang Yongfeng – the director of the Children’s Hospital, involved in modifying drugs, and probably more. A client of Shuntai nightclub, known as a sadist. Involved in at least one young woman’s death.
- Fang Lu – Yang Yongfeng’s PHD student. Upon learning he was unknowingly involved in the research of drugs that ended up killing children, he dies by suicide (jumping from Yang Yongfeng’s office window).
- Dong Zijun – famous businessman and owner of a pharmaceutical company. Is the main provider of the modified drugs. Business and pleasure partner of Yang Yongfeng (both are sadists, known for exchanging victims). Currently escaped from the country, is being searched by Interpol.
- Zhang Yan – the one who exchanged the children’s packages with the modified drugs. Is Zhang Shi’s younger brother.
- Zhang Shi – Dong Zijun’s driver, currently being searched by Interpol with his boss.
Fourth Case – Aparent drug overdose
- Xin Rong – senior executive of Taiyi Shipping, ends up dead alongside Li Cheng and a woman named Ju Jiezhen from an apparent drug overdose.
- Mo Xuan – Xin Rong’s secretary.
- Ju Jiezhen – Liao Yongqing’s wife and Liao Wenwen’s mother. Ended up dead alongside Xin Rong and Li Cheng. Was involved with both men, and she also pimped her underage daughter to Xin Rong.
- Liao Yongqing – sailor, Ju Jiezhen’s husband, and Liao Wenwen’s father. Is suspected of killing the two men who had an affair with his wife.
- Bao Qinglong – boatswain and colleague of Liao Yongqing. Possible accomplice.
- Liao Wenwen – young woman with developmental problems, Liao Yongqing and Ju Jiezhen’s daughter. Has been proven that she was Xin Rong’s victim. Her involvement as a suspect was not determined.
- Xin You – Xin Rong’s stepdaughter. Appears to know Liao Wenwen. Spent the first 12 years of her life in Yuyou Welfare Institute before her mother came to get her upon marrying Xin Rong. Is responsible for her stepfather’s death after he SA-ed her. Wants his death to attract the police.
- Tang Lan – Xin You’s birth mother. Abandoned her at Yuyou Welfare Institute. Married Xin Rong, and upon learning of his dirty fetish, she remembered her abandoned 12 year old daughter and went back to get her. Offered her underage daughter to Xin Rong. Died from cancer.
- Shen Bing – Yuyou Welfare Institute’s director. Very suspicious; involved in multiple orphans’ deaths, either by sending them to Shuntai nightclub for rich clients or using them as human guinea pigs for the modified drugs.
- Guo Gangyi – Taiyi Shipping’s vice president, has dealings with Wang Cang and is suspected of using his shipping company for human trafficking and more.
- Huo Jiayou – a young man who was trafficked into Shuntai nightclub. Ended up dead after having his organs harvested. Not clear yet how he’s connected to the case (as of chapter 50), but it is speculated that Guo Gangyi’s Taiyi Shipping might be involved in providing ships for human trafficking/organ harvesting.
All these characters exist as part of a criminal system, so I tried to further organise them by role, such as:
LAYER 1: END USERS (Demand Side)
These are the “buyers/clients.”
- Yang Yongfeng (hospital director, sadist, buyer + experimenter)
- Dong Zijun (pharma boss, supplier + consumer of victims)
- Other unnamed Shuntai VIP clients, including some two very famous names (I suspect politicians or even police higher-ups, as some details from the past cases had been disclosed to the criminals, so there’s definitely a mole somewhere).
LAYER 2: EXECUTION + LOCAL CONTROL
Shuntai Nightclub:
- Manager Liu (front-end operations manager)
- Shuntai internal staff (unnamed handlers)
Recruitment/sourcing:
- Lin Fei (photo studio cover recruiter)
- Zhang Yan (drug swap operator)
- Zhang Shi (logistics driver)
- Xin Rong and Guo Gangyi (shipping)
- Shen Bing (victim sourcing)
Pig farm victim nest:
- Liu Peng (suspect/person in the known)
- Jiang Tao (actual perpetrator, subordinate node)
- Chen Zhengde (superviser/recruiter)
- Other smaller fry/ petty criminals who are easily disposable, like the village chief and his son
LAYER 3: BROKERS / CONNECTORS
- Li Cheng (broker/pimp, trafficker link between rural → urban)
- Qu Mingzhe (mid-tier boss, links Chinese network → Golden Triangle)
- Wang Cang (link between He Qi and the VIP clients)
- He Qi (Golden Triangle drug lord; apparent boss of the entire organization)
LAYER 4: ENFORCEMENT / CLEAN-UP TEAM
- Ah Tai (killer/body disposal/field execution)
LAYER 5: CORPORATE / MEDICAL SYSTEM
- Dong Zijun (pharma company owner, drugs + experimentation)
- Yang Yongfeng (hospital system abuse + drug testing)
- Fang Lu (accidental internal collapse victim)
LAYER 6: TOP CONTROL (UNKNOWN FINAL BOSS)
- Sheng Jun (main antagonist, Golden Triangle drug lord)
- Unknown boss above Manager Liu (possibly He Qi). I still think it will all tie down to Sheng Jun in the end)
