The Mystery of the Hidden Game

A string of murders discovered on a stormy night entangles long-buried secrets of the martial world with the hidden currents of the city. Lou Mingzhi, a former criminal investigation captain dismissed from his post while pursuing an old wrongful conviction, unexpectedly receives an anonymous case file. The victims in it all bear a striking resemblance to survivors of the Qing Shuang Sword Case from twenty years ago. Meanwhile, folklorist Xie Yilan travels deep into the ancient city of Zhenjiang to trace the whereabouts of a keepsake from her master's sect, where she unexpectedly meets Lou Mingzhi. Together, they discover that the murders are tied to vanished martial arts sects and a mysterious underground trading network.

Xu Youkai, a leading figure in the martial arts world, has been secluded for many years, yet suddenly makes a very public appearance. His every move seems to echo the strange murders. In the underground world, the so-called Emperor God, Mai Kate, commands resources from both the legitimate and criminal worlds, secretly manipulating a gamble that will determine the fate of both the martial world and the city. Forced to join forces, Lou Mingzhi and Xie Yilan sift through clues that blur the line between truth and lies, unaware that they have already stepped into a vast web woven from human nature, schemes, and obsessions. At its center lies the truth deliberately buried twenty years ago. As the mist begins to clear, they realize that no one around them is decent, and everything they see is a disguise.