The story is now set in a sci-fi-esque Xinyuan Civilization Year 253 where rising crime rate and its relation to "zero-degree empathy" have become a topic of interest. The murder of a deliveryman leads to a criminal organization and the culprit turns out to be someone with "zero-degree empathy". Police officer Luo Wei Zhao who is in charge of the case finds that things are not as simple as they seem. In subsequent cases, the wealthy Pei Su also seems to be caught in the middle.
Adapted from the novel "Silent Reading" (默读) by Priest.