The Fracture in the Mind: The Mingde Case Files

[Campus] + [Mystery] The peace at Mingde University in Binhai City is shattered by a student's disappearance. The bizarre symbols at the scene bear a striking resemblance to those in an unsolved case once handled by Sun Chenyu, a former elite detective who now teaches criminal investigation. Haunted by guilt over his partner's death, he is forced out of seclusion. Su Ningshuang, a freshman in the history department, has a gift for psychometry: touching a missing person's belongings brings her flashes of their death and powerful emotions. Though she keeps to herself, she forms an alliance with Sun Chenyu, who is secretly investigating the case. He provides investigative experience and resources; she becomes a special informant who can connect with the dead.

Starting with strange campus incidents such as the theft of rare library books, eerie lights and shadows in the laboratory, and the Seven-Night Ghost Stories, the two discover that the clues point to a secret society called the Hidden Order. Its true backer is the Dark Web, an organization that uses universities as cover for crimes such as technology theft and illegal experiments. The campus is merely a testing ground where they select talent.

As they investigate, evidence vanishes, they are framed, and their lives are threatened. They must also contend with a protective umbrella within the police force. Sun Chenyu confronts his PTSD, while Su Ningshuang learns to control her ability and resist the negative emotions it brings. They go from testing each other to standing together through life and death. As the cases unfold one by one, the five bosses controlling the Dark Web's core resources gradually emerge. This battle for justice and redemption is not only about tracking down the perpetrators for their victims, but also about Sun Chenyu making peace with his past and Su Ningshuang finding her own sense of worth.