The sound of the cutting machine hissed in the room, barely audible outside due to the muffling effect of the doors and windows. Ye Sangsang was at Sun Bin's house, testing the machine on a pig's leg.
Lin Shu had assisted Ye Sangsang in the experiment, and the noise was hardly noticeable even in the dead of night.
The legs of the bed were padded with cotton cloth to prevent any loud noises if the captive struggled violently. The walls were also covered with cotton padding to avoid any impact sounds. To minimize cleanup, Ye Sangsang had bought a large amount of plastic film and taped it to the walls, bed, floor, and door.
The plastic film shimmered under the light, resembling a delicate veil, adding an eerie yet somewhat aesthetic touch to the scene.
Ye Sangsang was pleased with her meticulous setup.
The cutting machine, with its fine, precise blades, was a formidable tool in her hands. It was so efficient that she couldn’t help but admire it.
She gestured with the machine, her smile widening.
The live-stream camera zoomed in on her face, and the chat exploded with screams.
【Ahhhh! Why focus on the criminal’s face? AI livestream system, you have no heart!】
【Hey, it’s a machine, an AI. It doesn’t have a heart to begin with!】
【Wuwuwu, I’m calling my mom. I’m so scared!】
Ye Sangsang’s expression wasn’t ferocious; in fact, it was almost gentle. But the excitement and glee in her eyes, combined with what she was doing, sent shivers down everyone’s spine.
The absurd horror of the situation overwhelmed the viewers, making them feel deeply unsettled.
Just as the cutting machine was about to touch the skin, Ye Sangsang noticed something interesting.
The captive’s eyeballs were moving.
She recalled that the effect of the sedative she had given Wang Zhi had worn off.
In other words, he was awake.
He realized he couldn’t speak.
His mouth was stuffed full with a washcloth, so tightly that his throat was blocked, rendering him unable to make a sound.
Unaware that he was about to be dismembered, Wang Zhi chose to play dead, perhaps thinking this was just a regular kidnapping for interrogation.
At that moment, Ye Sangsang felt a mischievous urge.
The live-stream chat was filled with confusion as Ye Sangsang suddenly stopped.
【What’s happening? Don’t stop now! What if something goes wrong?】
【Wang Zhi’s awake, right? I just saw his throat move.】
【I have a feeling Sister Sang is about to stir up trouble.】
The chat’s speculation aligned perfectly with Ye Sangsang’s thoughts. She looked at Wang Zhi and whispered softly, “Open your eyes and take a look.”
As she spoke, she raised the cutting machine, making sure he could see it.
Wang Zhi tried to keep pretending, but the eerie hissing sound was too much. He couldn’t control his fear and opened his eyes.
In the next second, the cutting machine was just a centimeter away from his eye.
The spinning blade was right in front of him, and he froze in terror, unable to breathe, his body rigid on the bed.
【Ahhhh! This is so terrifying! Why switch to this angle to scare us!】
【I dropped my phone! The cutting machine is right at his eye!】
【Sister Sang is ruthless, and the AI livestream system is just as bad!】
The chat went wild, the tension at its peak.
But no one was more terrified than Wang Zhi himself.
He wished he could faint on the spot, but he didn’t even dare to blink, fearing that the slightest movement would close the gap between his eyelid and the spinning blade.
“Isn’t this thrilling?” Ye Sangsang asked.
Wang Zhi couldn’t answer, nor could he even if he wanted to.
Seeing Wang Zhi wet himself in fear, Ye Sangsang pulled the cutting machine back. “Now, I’m going to replicate it!”
Her words sent Wang Zhi into a frenzy. He began struggling violently.
Now he understood—this wasn’t a kidnapping; it was a premeditated murder and dismemberment.
Remembering how cruelly she had treated Zhou Qiang and the others, he struggled even harder.
The bed creaked under the weight of his movements, but no sound escaped the room.
Ye Sangsang smiled as she began with his hand, meticulously working from the fingers to the arm.
To keep Wang Zhi conscious, Ye Sangsang had learned some medical techniques from Lin Shu.
Wang Zhi passed out from the pain, woke up, and passed out again, repeating the cycle.
He tried to let out a low growl from his throat, but it was too faint to be heard outside.
Three minutes later, Wang Zhi lost his right hand.
Ye Sangsang didn’t pause. She moved on to the left hand.
By the time she finished, the room looked like a scene from hell. Blood splattered everywhere, dripping down the plastic film in rivulets.
Wang Zhi was now barely breathing, more exhales than inhales.
The livestream viewers were numb to the thick, dense mosaic covering the screen.
Whenever Ye Sangsang was in action, the mosaic was thorough and seamless.
Just as she was about to start on his left leg, noises came from outside the window.
“The boss is missing! Search everywhere!”
“Ask the neighbors.”
“Damn it, we’ve been drugged! Who dares to mess with us?”
Wang Zhi’s eyes lit up with hope. He kicked his remaining legs, trying to attract attention.
He recognized the voices—it was his underlings.
If he could make enough noise, they would hear him, and he might be saved!
Driven by the instinct to survive, he continued to move his legs despite the excruciating pain and blood loss.
But soon, the light in his eyes dimmed. No matter how much he struggled, no sound came out.
He tried to speak, but all that came out was a faint, guttural moan.
The attempt to make noise only made him nauseous, and since he couldn’t vomit, he started to choke, his eyes rolling back.
Ye Sangsang watched him calmly. She knew the sedative’s effect would last no more than two hours. If anyone had a higher tolerance, they would wake up and rouse the others.
With Wang Zhi missing, his men would naturally search for him.
Ye Sangsang had anticipated this. That’s why she had used a taxi.
She walked to the window, lifted the makeshift curtain and plastic film, and peered outside like everyone else.
The slum was densely packed, and many people had been awakened by the commotion. Lights turned on as residents looked out to see what was happening.
Someone asked what was going on, and the thugs started threatening the neighbors, demanding to know if they had seen Wang Zhi or noticed any suspicious activity.
Their tone was aggressive, as if they were ready to beat anyone who didn’t cooperate.
Some muttered about their rudeness, while others mentioned seeing a taxi arrive and leave about an hour ago.
In the early 2000s, not everyone owned a car, especially in the slums. The sound of a car engine was noticeable, and many people would instinctively listen to where it was going and when it left.
The thugs took the information and started making calls to investigate further.
While they were still outside, Ye Sangsang closed the window and drew the curtains.
The old single-room apartment had a door next to the window. Ye Sangsang sighed as she noticed bloodstains on the door, realizing cleanup would be difficult.
Wang Zhi, meanwhile, had lost all hope. Salvation was so close, yet completely out of reach.
He regretted ever crossing paths with her, never expecting her father to be so ruthless.
Ye Sangsang saw the regret in his eyes. But it was too late now, and his regret wasn’t for his actions—it was for getting caught.
With the last bit of loose ends tied up, Ye Sangsang continued her work.
Anyone who has killed and dismembered a body knows that the hardest part is the head.
The skull, encased in bone, is particularly challenging to separate.
After finishing, Ye Sangsang looked at the remaining head and decided to leave it as it was, just like in the game mission.
Wang Zhi never got to say a single word.
Once everything was done, Ye Sangsang carefully collected the remains.
After that, she began her favorite part: cleaning up.
Thankfully, the curtains had been sealed off. After changing her clothes, Ye Sangsang started carefully gathering the plastic film.
Once that was done, she put on gloves, shoe covers, and a head cover, meticulously searching for any traces of blood she might have missed.
Blood on the door, droplets on the floor, stains soaked into the bed frame—cleaning up was a nightmare.
Ye Sangsang spent a considerable amount of time cleaning before finally stepping out at dawn with a bag in hand.
She chose to bury the remains far away, following the principle of “dispose far, bury near.”
After driving to a remote location, she dug a hole, buried the remains, and cleaned up the car.
Then, she returned to the rented house, compulsively cleaned it once more, and sprayed a deodorizer to remove the scent of blood and other odors.
After following the normal checkout procedures, she left.
The landlady inspected the room and returned the deposit.
She had seen many such tenants before, and moving out was a common occurrence.
This was different from reality, though. In reality, the case had taken place in a remote cabin.
However, this wasn’t important to Ye Sangsang. Completing the game mission was her top priority.
She returned to the house she shared with Lin Shu, waiting for the phone call to come.
Upon learning of Wang Zhi’s death, Lin Shu didn’t feel much joy. Instead, she alternated between crying and laughing, becoming even more despondent.
[Sigh, it’s so normal. After avenging her great grievance, she’s lost the only thing that kept her going.]
[The mission is almost done, right? Now it’s just a matter of whether they’ll catch him.]
[I feel guilty. In reality, Sun Bin wasn’t caught, and I can’t help but feel a bit relieved.]
[I’m not so sure. In reality, maybe the details weren’t disclosed, making it seem like an unsolved case, even though there are so many clues now.]
This honest remark silenced many in the live stream, leaving them with complex emotions.
As for Ye Sangsang in the game, everyone knew it was a virtual reality game. Even if she were caught and failed the mission, she could always start over.
What followed was an agonizingly long wait—waiting for the verdict or for the moment when all this evil would be buried.
On the third day, Ye Sangsang and Lin Shu received a call from their hometown.
This call signaled the arrival of something everyone already knew was coming.
Lin Shu forced herself to stay calm, clutching her hands as she asked, “How is her grandpa? Is everything okay?”
After speaking, she closed her eyes, waiting for the news she dreaded.
“A few days ago, there was a flood… Yueliang, Yueliang fell into the river and disappeared…” A choked, panicked voice came through the phone, filled with tears.
As soon as the words fell, the small keypad phone slipped from Lin Shu’s hand. In that instant, she was engulfed by overwhelming grief.
Yueliang’s grandfather said that their daughter, Sun Yueliang, had been “missing” for a few days and urged the couple to return home.
Over the phone, the grandfather wept uncontrollably, his emotions raw and genuine.
Before this, they couldn’t cry. They had to hide their pain to avoid suspicion. After holding it in for so long, they could finally let it out without fear of anyone noticing.
The sound of sobbing made Lin Shu break down, tears streaming down her face as she collapsed into despair.
Her daughter, her Yueliang.
Even though she knew it was all a lie, that her daughter had died long ago, hearing those words still made her heart race, the pain like needles pricking her chest.
It hurt so much, so much.
Her agony crept into her heart, bit by bit.
She crouched down, tears filling her eyes as she grabbed the phone, her voice trembling as she delivered the prearranged lines, “We… we’ll come back right away… to find… to find Yueliang…”
After speaking, she covered her mouth, trying to suppress her sobs.
But the pain was too much to hold back. Soon, she was wailing uncontrollably, as if releasing all her emotions in one moment.
“Wuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah”
Her cries of anguish were like the final mournful wails of a dying bird. The despair and pain of losing her daughter became vividly real in that moment.
[I can’t take it anymore. This is too painful.]
[It’s so tragic.]
[Wuuuuu, the girl’s name is Yueliang. She was her parents’ moon!]
[Yueliang must have been such a wonderful, wonderful girl. Her mother can’t bear to lose her!]
Pain is contagious, and the live stream was filled with cries of shared sorrow, as if everyone could feel the depth of her suffering.
Ye Sangsang pursed her lips, helplessly reaching out before finally crouching down and pulling Lin Shu’s head into her arms, her eyes filled with uncertainty.
She didn’t know what expression to wear. She felt detached from such emotions, yet her heart was slightly stirred.
She held Lin Shu until, after a long time, her emotions finally calmed down.
Once calm, the two set off on their journey home.
The sky was dark and heavy, as if a storm was brewing. Ye Sangsang drove, and after a quick packing, they left.
As their car pulled out of the yard, the police also learned about the disappearance of Wang Zhi, who was wanted.
The thugs, of course, wouldn’t report it to the police. At this point, they believed in finding him themselves and rescuing him to avenge their boss.
They had no idea that Wang Zhi wasn’t simply kidnapped but was being hunted down for revenge.
By the time the police got wind of Wang Zhi’s disappearance and came knocking, they arrested the thugs and interrogated them, only to discover that Wang Zhi had been missing for three days.
After being drugged, he had been dragged away from his residence.
For the past three days, the thugs had been searching the area where Wang Zhi had disappeared, but the crime scene had already been thoroughly destroyed.
The police turned their attention to the barbecue stall, but the criminal profile they pieced together was completely different from what Wei Qingzheng was hoping to find.
The crucial 48-hour window for solving the case had already passed.
With no leads and the case at a standstill, everyone was severely criticized for failing to meet the deadline.
Many were ready to give up on the case.
Rumors began to circulate outside, suggesting that someone had taken justice into their own hands.
This further demoralized the team.
In the Major Case Unit Three, only Wei Qingzheng remained in Lin City, continuing the investigation.
After a brief moment of doubt, he firmly trusted his instincts and refused to waver.
If Sun Bin was assumed to be the suspect, and Wang Shun, Zhou Qiang, Jiang Jiansheng, and Wang Zhi had committed crimes severe enough to warrant revenge, then there must be a victim to complete the cycle.
Families are often held together by the love between spouses and their children.
He had initially considered Lin Shu as a potential victim, but after a brief interaction with her in the interrogation room, he ruled her out.
That left one possibility: their daughter.
Looking through the family records, he found their twelve-year-old daughter, Sun Yueliang.
Yueliang—a name that symbolized the moon’s gentle glow, a representation of beauty and hope.
Such a name carried the parents’ deepest wishes.
As a teacher and a nurse, how could they bear to abandon their daughter and move far away to Jiang City alone?
Based on these speculations, Wei Qingzheng took Qi Jia to Lin City.
What confirmed Wei Qingzheng’s theory was that Sun Yueliang had transferred schools, moving to a rural hometown to continue her education.
“Parents like Sun Bin and Lin Shu love their children. If nothing was wrong, they wouldn’t have made such a decision!” Wei Qingzheng explained to the confused Qi Jia.
After thinking it over, Qi Jia understood Wei Qingzheng’s reasoning.
As a teacher, how could Sun Bin transfer his daughter, who was excelling academically and at a crucial stage of her education, to another school?
With this starting point, they began to piece together the truth, searching for details about Sun Yueliang’s departure.
They went directly to the school, and what confirmed Wei Qingzheng’s suspicions was that no one had seen Sun Yueliang since a few days before her transfer.
She hadn’t even shown up on the day of the transfer.
Checking the surveillance footage was impossible—there were few cameras, and the recordings weren’t kept for that long.
After much deliberation, Wei Qingzheng decided to use the most straightforward method.
He would ask about the exact dates when Wang Shun, Zhou Qiang, Jiang Jiansheng, and Wang Zhi had fled Lin City.
Through inquiries with the Major Case Unit and local police, he determined it was October 8th and 9th of the previous year.
He hypothesized that these four had come together, committed a crime, and that the victim was Sun Yueliang.
If this was the case, all he needed was evidence to establish Sun Bin’s motive for murder, and he could make the arrest.
Once he had the evidence, the truth would come to light.
Without overthinking, he took Qi Jia and began canvassing the area around the school, especially the route between the school and the Sun family’s residence. They went door to door, asking if anything unusual had happened in early October of the previous year.
After two full days of searching, they found no leads.
Too much time had passed, and no one remembered even the slightest anomaly.
Qi Jia began to doubt the feasibility of this needle-in-a-haystack approach, and Wei Qingzheng knew that continuing like this would yield nothing.
As for Wang Zhi, they could only hope he stayed hidden.
If he ran, his safety was his own responsibility.
After regrouping, Wei Qingzheng decided to visit Sun Bin’s hometown. Although he was certain Sun Yueliang was dead, he wanted to see how the family had handled it.
To his surprise, upon arriving, he was told that Sun Yueliang had fallen into the river during a heavy rainstorm and drowned.
What followed was joining the search and witnessing the grandparents deceiving Sun Bin and his wife.
He doubted the authenticity of everything. During those days, he kept questioning the elderly about the specifics, hoping to find any loopholes.
But as news of Wang Zhi's disappearance spread, he suddenly calmed down.
He thought sorrowfully that he hadn't been a good police officer.
When he heard that Sun Bin and his wife had returned, he felt like he had become an outsider.
Ye Sangsang saw Wei Qingzheng in front of Sun Bin's house. He stopped his car and locked eyes with her.
Then she supported Lin Shu and walked past him.
She could sense that Wei Qingzheng wanted to say something but stopped himself.
The villagers surrounded her parents as they approached. Seeing the additional streaks of gray in their hair, Lin Shu couldn't hold back her tears.
She had no parents of her own, and her in-laws were the best people she had ever met besides her husband.
"Mom!" She rushed into her mother-in-law's arms, crying uncontrollably.
Lin Shu was comforted by the elderly woman, who led her inside.
Ye Sangsang was surrounded by villagers who told her that the river had been too turbulent a couple of days ago, and it was likely that nothing could be found.
"Please accept our condolences. Don't think too much about it. You can still have children in the future."
"Don't blame your parents. They were afraid you'd resent them."
"If it really comes to it, we can organize another search."
Ye Sangsang lowered her head and remained silent, eventually nodding and entering the house.
She didn't stay long. Soon, she left with a raincoat.
Lin Shu went with her. Neither of them spoke, simply searching in silence.
The villagers didn't stop them. The couple had just returned, so they let them search for a while.
Ye Sangsang looked at the muddy yellow river. Sun Bin and Lin Shu might have hoped that their daughter had fallen into the river and been swept away, so they could still cling to the faint hope that she might be alive.
The two walked along the riverbank, with Wei Qingzheng and Qi Jia following behind.
Soon, they entered the dense forest, where the river flowed below. Wei Qingzheng quickened his pace and called out, "Sun Bin."
Ye Sangsang turned around and looked at him indifferently. "What is it? Are you going to take me back again?"
Wei Qingzheng fell silent, his steps faltering.
"So, can I still get the truth?" Wei Qingzheng asked after a moment, looking at them.
Ye Sangsang and Lin Shu stood in the shadows of the trees, completely covered by the shade.
Ye Sangsang turned to look at Wei Qingzheng, holding Lin Shu's tightly clenched hand. Her eyes were filled with sorrow. "Officers, if you have time, why don't you help us look for our daughter instead of saying these baseless things?"
"If you have evidence, then come and handcuff us and take us to court. Also, I really don't like you following us. If possible, please leave!" Lin Shu turned around abruptly, her face dark and her eyes brimming with deep sadness.
The path they had chosen was one without resentment for anyone.
But Wei Qingzheng had disrupted them repeatedly, even nearly ruining their plans, which filled her with fear and anger.
Finally, after achieving their revenge, she felt a little relief and could face this police officer directly.
Time was running out, and she just wanted to spend a little more time together.
Just a little more.
Was that too much to ask?
Wei Qingzheng had handled many cases and dealt with many suspects—some extremely vicious, others pitiful and hateful, all kinds of people.
But when he saw Lin Shu, his heart trembled. He could feel the profound sorrow in her eyes. He pursed his lips and led Qi Jia back the way they had come.
"Captain Wei, we haven't gotten to the truth yet! Why are you taking me away?" Qi Jia was desperate to uncover the truth. It was clear that the couple had killed the four out of revenge. With the truth so close, why were they leaving now?
Wei Qingzheng remained silent, pulling Qi Jia along until they were far away.
When they were out of sight of the two women, Qi Jia shook off Wei Qingzheng's hand. "Are we not investigating anymore? Are we just going to let the murderer go free? What is the truth? Are we just going to leave it all unclear?"
Qi Jia stared at Wei Qingzheng, not understanding what he was thinking.
Because of this case, Zhao Sheng was still in the hospital, and Wei Qingzheng had almost lost his position as the head of the serious crimes unit.
He couldn't comprehend it.
Wei Qingzheng looked at the surging river. "Let's give them some time to calm down. We'll continue our investigation. There's still the lead about finding Sun Yueliang's body, isn't there?"
Qi Jia felt there was something unspoken in Wei Qingzheng's words, but he agreed.
They could still find Sun Yueliang's body and seek justice for her. In the end, they would uncover the whole truth.
Pressing Sun Bin and his wife for answers would likely yield nothing.
Ye Sangsang turned to the person who was half-turned away from her. "Don't be angry. Let's take a walk."
Lin Shu paused, then turned and walked forward.
She had cried heavily in Jiang City, and now her emotions were less overwhelming. She began to chatter about Yueliang.
The live stream quietly listened to everything about the victimized girl.
Sun Yueliang, who had good grades, was beautiful, and had a lively yet stubborn personality, was the continuation of Lin Shu's happiness after she had found a good life.
She had doted on and raised her daughter. If only everything had remained peaceful.
She thought of that rainy night when she had picked up her daughter's broken body from the mud, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.
She pushed away Sun Bin, who had tried to hold their daughter, and cried, asking why he had been working late at school and hadn't picked her up.
Sun Bin's eyes were filled with pain. He knelt on the ground, pounding his own body.
He regretted not picking up his daughter, regretted letting her go home alone when she had said she wanted to.
The pain burned his heart, and anger overwhelmed him.
Lin Shu wanted to call the police and catch the culprit.
But as she was about to pull out her phone, a large hand stopped her.
Catching the criminal was uncertain; he was clearly a repeat offender, and it would be hard to gather evidence.
Even if they caught him, what then? He might only serve ten or twenty years.
Rather than letting him continue to harm society, they decided to take revenge themselves.
After three difficult months of gathering information, they learned that even the police hadn't caught the murderer. This only strengthened their resolve.
"We will avenge her ourselves."
With those words, they began their plan.
They quit their jobs, prepared tools, found the murderer's hideout, and rented a place to carry out their plan.
Meanwhile, through their investigation, they confirmed the location of the body.
The serious crimes unit in Jiang City had questioned the owner of a small shop, who confirmed that Sun Bin had rented a place and left after the incident.
Was the truth finally about to come to light?
As the end drew near, the audience grew more anxious.
If the police arrested and convicted Ye Sangsang, the game would end in failure.
[I beg you, please don't let it fail!]
[I'm really curious. Can we really achieve a redemptive, perfect ending?]
[Please, after watching for so long, a failure would be so disappointing.]
Ye Sangsang and Lin Shu were aware of Wei Qingzheng's movements. They buried their child in the ancestral grave and waited quietly for him to investigate.
They went up the mountain and searched Lin City without any resistance.
They had committed the crime to give their daughter peace and had no intention of harming anyone else.
For a while, the atmosphere at home seemed to return to what it had been before Yueliang's death.
Ye Sangsang bought meat, vegetables, and wine, then set the table.
The usual five seats were now missing one.
"Let's eat! Let's celebrate Yueliang's peace," Ye Sangsang said, forcing a smile and raising her glass.
Lin Shu also raised her glass. "Dad, Mom, thank you for your hard work. You're getting older, and yet you still worry about us young ones."
The elderly couple exchanged glances, tears welling in their eyes, and nodded repeatedly.
No one touched the food on the table, but they drank glass after glass until they were completely drunk.
Tears mixed with the burning liquor as they drank.
[This is so hard. I really admire Sun Bin.]
[Rest in peace, Yueliang.]
[Everyone loved her. May her soul find happiness in the next life!]
The drinking went on for a long time. Ye Sangsang looked at the drunken elderly and helped them to their rooms.
Remembering the tears in her in-laws' eyes, Lin Shu stood in the living room, forcing a smile. "Go ahead. You've done right by Yueliang. I don't blame you."
"Thank you, A-Shu." Ye Sangsang finally understood why Sun Bin called her that.
She also understood why Sun Bin hadn't let Lin Shu participate in the act.
[I have a bad feeling about this.]
[What are we missing?]
[I can see it now. Sun Bin couldn't bear the guilt. They wanted all the evil to end with their deaths.]
The live stream audience was stunned. They had never considered this path.
"Crackle, crackle."
Raindrops as large as beans fell outside the window, splattering on the ground, leaves, and eaves, spreading a dampness that lingered.
The death of a loved one is like this sudden downpour, arriving without warning.
And what remains in the heart is a dampness that no amount of wind can disperse over the years.
When her daughter died, the rain was just as heavy.
When she killed Wang Zhi, the rain was just as heavy.
When Sun Bin died, it was the same.
Ye Sangsang walked into the rain, slowly making her way toward the bridge in the eastern part of the village.
Anticipating death as an end was not difficult; one's worldview might be shaken by certain events, but it would never truly shatter.
Sun Bin was a dedicated and responsible teacher, a man of integrity.
The pain of killing does not lessen just because it’s an act of revenge.
The cruel scenes would haunt him like nightmares for the rest of his life.
He didn’t want his family to bear the stigma of being related to a murderer.
He was an upright, kind-hearted man, even if he had temporarily become a symbol of evil.
Ye Sangsang stepped onto the bridge, one step at a time, gazing at the dark river below.
Only by jumping could all of this come to an end.
In the distance, Wei Qingzheng was running toward her like a madman.
He had learned everything.
The heavy rain obscured their vision, creating an unreal sensation.
"We still don’t have enough evidence to prove you’re the killer, so come down," Wei Qingzheng said, gripping the railing, standing three meters away from Ye Sangsang.
Qi Jia stood behind him, looking lost.
He recalled the image of the girl in the coffin, her decaying body pieced together, her flesh stitched up and dressed in a skirt. Tears and rain mixed on his face, indistinguishable.
Now, was the girl’s father going to die too?
He was deeply shaken.
Ye Sangsang stood behind the railing, looking at them. She hadn’t understood before why death was necessary.
If there was no evidence, he could live on, surviving in this world.
She had long guessed that the wealth of information revealed in the holographic game meant the police already knew the full details of the case.
So why hadn’t the case been closed? Why had it been announced to the public that no killer had been found?
There was only one possibility: the killer could no longer be tried.
Only under certain circumstances could someone be beyond judgment.
Ye Sangsang thought of death.
Lin Shu’s initial indifference now had an explanation.
She had tried to pretend she hated her husband, blaming him entirely for their daughter’s death to ease her own pain.
But she couldn’t do it. In the end, she accepted the outcome with resignation.
Sun Bin didn’t want the other party to take action, hoping they could still care for their parents and support each other to live on.
His wife had no parents. In a few years, the pain would eventually fade.
Having understood everything, Ye Sangsang accepted it calmly.
She looked at Wei Qingzheng. "You can’t change anything. This is a dead end. You’re a good cop."
His determination and faith, to Ye Sangsang, were the embodiment of the principles she had learned from books, now personified in Wei Qingzheng.
"I’m sorry," Wei Qingzheng said, gripping the railing tightly, veins bulging, his voice solemn as he looked at Ye Sangsang.
If they had caught those people sooner, perhaps the tragedy could have been avoided.
Ye Sangsang shook her head. "Lin Shu didn’t do it. Don’t investigate her. I obtained all the drugs myself through some people. She wouldn’t have secretly taken them."
"Come down. I’ll fight for you. Just come down… come down…" Wei Qingzheng’s voice was pleading, filled with profound helplessness.
Ye Sangsang gently shook her head, looking at the turbulent river below in the darkness, and released her grip on the railing. "It’s over."
"No!!!"
Wei Qingzheng rushed forward, trying to grab the hand that had slipped away right before his eyes.
Qi Jia was close enough to Ye Sangsang, but her movements were too swift.
"Plop."
The sound of her body hitting the water echoed in their ears. The water enveloped her, bringing with it an overwhelming sense of suffocation.
The sensation didn’t last long. Time seemed to freeze in that moment.
Her avatar hovered nearby, watching as Sun Bin closed his eyes and leaped into the water without hesitation.
[Ahhhhhhhhh! The "Rainy Night Taxi" dungeon is over!!!]
[Though it’s still a bit sad, I have to say, Sis Sang is amazing!]
[Oh my god, the dungeon difficulty was so high. Sis Sang is the first to clear it, right? Right?!]
Soon, in the dim game environment, a faint blue glowing screen appeared before Ye Sangsang.
[Congratulations to player Ye Sangsang for perfectly completing the "Rainy Night Taxi" case dungeon. Dungeon rating: SSS.]
[Congratulations to player Ye Sangsang for being the first to clear the "Rainy Night Taxi" case dungeon. A server-wide announcement has been made.]
[Congratulations to player Ye Sangsang for receiving the SSS-level completion reward: 3 body attribute points, which can be freely allocated to basic physical attributes.]
[Congratulations on receiving the first-clear reward: 1 Story Save Card (with this card, you can return to any desired story point and replay the game mission).]
[Please choose to exit or proceed to the next dungeon.]
Ye Sangsang clicked "Exit," returning to her personal game interface.
At that moment, a server-wide announcement popped up above the game.
Ye Sangsang ignored the lively barrage of comments. She clicked to allocate all her basic attribute points to stamina.
The game responded quickly, and Ye Sangsang’s physical attributes changed.
[Game ID: Ye Sangsang]
[Spirit: 8 (10)]
[Intelligence: 8 (10)]
[Stamina: 6 (10)]
[Congratulations! You now have above-average stamina. Cases requiring strength won’t be as challenging for you anymore!]
After reading, Ye Sangsang casually closed the virtual screen in front of her.
Estimating the time she had skipped, she clicked on random dungeon selection and then hit "Start."
[???]
[Did I see that right? Sis Sang is starting already?]
[No time to adjust her mood?]
The comments were filled with question marks.
Sis Sang, wait a bit! Your diligence is terrifying!
Before the audience could react, Ye Sangsang was already standing in a blood-soaked crime scene.
The blood on the ground had dried and turned black, and the lifeless eyes of the victim stared at her.
"The criminal?" Ye Sangsang asked coldly.
