The story is set in Peiping from the 16th to the 23rd years of the Republic of China. With the backdrop of warlord wars, pressure from foreign enemies, and cultural conflicts, Detective Shen Muyuan of the Criminal Investigation Department accidentally got involved in a hotel murder case, unveiling the prelude to multiple mysterious cases. As times change and power changes, he, reporter Zhao Zhilan, and forensic doctor Zhang Wenliang work together to trace the truth of the case, uncovering the truth layer by layer through multiple story lines such as the open line tracking of serial murders, the covert line exposing power transactions, family and love choices, and underground power struggles. Each volume independently presents a different type of suspense case, which runs through the main line. The final clues condense into a secret major case, where historical truth and personal destiny are intertwined, completing the ultimate confrontation between reality and ideals.
