Lin Mo, a former cryptanalyst for the Ministry of State Security, is forced to reopen an investigation after a bloody murder. He discovers that the killer's "blood cipher" has the same origin as the "Nightingale" case, in which his partner Lin Wei died five years ago. Following murder warnings marked with symbols like punctuation, he pursues the killer deeper and becomes entangled in a shocking conspiracy involving gene editing and memory manipulation. The serial murders are merely a key to awakening dormant memories, while the bronze gear in his hands points to a "memory bank" capable of rewriting humanity's collective memories. With the help of policewoman Su Qing, Lin Mo breaks through the barriers at the crossroads of cryptography and genetics, only to discover that the greatest mystery lies deep within his own altered memories. When the blood cipher forms a complete sentence, he must choose between reality and a virtual maze of memories: awaken the buried truth, or accept a manipulated "peace"?
