On the gray cement floor, blood snaked out from the woman's body, covering a third of the room. Outside, the sunlight was scorching and blinding, creating a stark contrast to the scene inside.
Equally blinding was the putrid stench emanating from the bloated corpse in the room. Flies buzzed around the darkened bloodstains on the mottled walls.
[Wow, starting off with something heavy!]
[I wonder what identity card was drawn for this level.]
[Sang-jie has no heart, I’m still not over the last level!]
Despite the comments, the viewers stayed put, curious to see what tricks Ye Sangsang would pull off this time.
Ye Sangsang stood still, staring at the virtual screen that appeared in the air, a hint of surprise on her face. The identity card wasn’t what she had expected.
[Player, you have entered the game. Please follow the rules and begin the "Brutal Carnival" level.]
[Your identity card has been drawn.]
[Investigator]
It wasn’t the criminal role she had anticipated, but rather the role of an investigator, a representative of justice.
The chirping of insects and birds outside the window snapped her back to reality, and she began to try triggering the game’s tasks.
If she remembered correctly, as an investigator, her task was to uncover the truth behind the case and apprehend the murderer. She couldn’t help but smile. In such a short time, she had become someone like Wei Qingzheng.
But solving a case? Ye Sangsang found the idea somewhat novel.
Just then, a hand tapped her shoulder. "Come on, let’s take a look at the scene."
Ye Sangsang turned her head to see a middle-aged man. She glanced down at herself—her smooth, delicate skin made it clear she was quite young.
At that moment, the game’s task arrived.
[Game Task: Within 30 days, uncover the truth behind the "Brutal Carnival" case.]
[Character relationship, personality, and background information have been distributed. Please check.]
Ye Sangsang began examining the scene while simultaneously opening the information to review.
She couldn’t help but compare: if she had been assigned the criminal role, she would have been given some details about the game’s tasks. As an investigator, the tasks were relatively straightforward, with no clear number of objectives, only a time limit.
Or perhaps there were other types of tasks she hadn’t triggered yet?
Still, the difficulty of the tasks was likely similar either way.
Multitasking, Ye Sangsang observed the scene while casually accepting a pair of gloves handed to her by her "mentor."
In this level, Ye Sangsang was playing the role of Shen Yu, a rookie detective intern, just 23 years old. The middle-aged man beside her was Qin Jiang, 42, a seasoned detective assigned as Shen Yu’s mentor.
Ye Sangsang crouched down to examine the body.
Shen Yu’s greatest strength was criminal behavior analysis, or criminal profiling. Based on the crime scene, methods, and the condition of the victim or deceased, she could profile the perpetrator’s psychology, personality, family background, and physical traits.
From there, she could draw conclusions and gather information about the murderer.
However, judging by the expression on Qin Jiang’s face, he clearly didn’t expect her to do any profiling.
So she chose to remain silent and focus on the scene.
She didn’t have Shen Yu’s abilities, so she had to rely on her own observations.
The cause of death was a slash to the neck. Before death, the victim’s hands and feet showed signs of being bound. There were also whip marks on the body and evidence of sexual assault.
She lifted the victim’s clothes, silently noting these details.
What puzzled her was that the killer had dressed the woman neatly afterward. The clothes had creases, as if they were newly bought.
She stood up and began surveying the room. It was a two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment. The walls were peeling, and the decor was dated. The simple furniture was worn and decayed, but there were signs of daily life.
From what she could see, the victim had lived in difficult circumstances, and this was indeed her home.
The door lock showed no signs of forced entry, suggesting the victim had either known the perpetrator or willingly let them in.
Ye Sangsang turned back to examine the victim’s hair and armpits, where she found bruises and impact marks. It seemed the victim had been on the bed in the master bedroom at the time of death.
After finishing her examination, Ye Sangsang stood to the side, watching Qin Jiang work.
The forensic team had already completed their initial inspection and were preparing to take the body back to the station for an autopsy.
There were about seven or eight people at the scene, and they quickly finished their tasks.
It was 2005, a time when various forensic techniques were available but not as advanced as they would later become.
Ye Sangsang followed Qin Jiang as they circled the room once more.
Now that they were at the scene, the next step was to interview the neighbors.
Based on the preliminary forensic assessment, the victim had died between 8 PM and 2 AM four days prior. Their goal now was to find any witnesses or people who might have heard something.
If there were witnesses, the case would be much easier to solve.
Ye Sangsang pulled out a small notebook from her pocket and followed Qin Jiang as they began questioning people.
The victim lived in an old residential building, seven stories high with four units per floor. The building showed its age, with the cement floors worn smooth from years of use.
The victim’s unit was in the middle. They knocked on the door to the right, but no one answered after a while.
The sound of a door opening came from the left.
"Who are you looking for?" A woman with slightly reddish curls stepped out of the left unit, looking curious.
Qin Jiang flashed his police badge. "We’re police officers. We’d like to ask you a few questions about the neighbor."
The woman, wearing a bright yellow-green striped tank top and denim shorts, was outgoing and straightforward. "That family moved out a while ago. They’re not home."
"Thanks," Qin Jiang said with a friendly smile, stepping toward her door. "You live next door? We’d like to ask you a few questions, if that’s okay."
The woman thought for a moment, then stepped aside to let them in.
The apartment was simply decorated, with bright colors. The woman offered them seats and poured two glasses of water. "You’re here about the woman next door, right?"
Ye Sangsang looked at her. "How should we address you?"
"Zhao Yue," she replied.
Qin Jiang gave her a curious look. "You don’t seem too bothered by the fact that your neighbor was murdered."
Zhao Yue shrugged, sitting down on a single-seat sofa and taking a sip of water. "I’m a journalist. This case might just land me a front-page story."
Ye Sangsang stood up, listening as she walked over to the balcony.
This apartment had a bit more security than the victim’s, with metal bars on the windows. She glanced over at the neighboring apartment before returning to the living room.
Qin Jiang asked, "Have you noticed anyone suspicious around here recently? Or heard anything unusual?"
"No, I’ve been away on a business trip. I just got back yesterday afternoon," Zhao Yue replied.
Ye Sangsang looked around the room, then at Zhao Yue. "Do you have a boyfriend? Or a male companion?"
"How did you know I have a boyfriend?" Zhao Yue asked, surprised.
The entire living room showed no signs of male presence—no clothes, shoes, or personal items.
Ye Sangsang glanced at a black coffee cup, her voice calm. "Just a guess. So, was your boyfriend here while you were away?"
"I have a cat. I gave my boyfriend the keys to feed it while I was gone," Zhao Yue explained, then added quickly, "He’s a decent guy, comes from a good family. He wouldn’t do anything criminal!"
Qin Jiang exchanged a look with Ye Sangsang, then turned back to Zhao Yue. "Do you have his phone number? We’ll need to contact him for some follow-up questions."
Zhao Yue nodded and recited the number.
Once they had finished questioning her, they moved on to the other units and the neighbors upstairs and downstairs.
Before leaving, Ye Sangsang tore off a piece of paper with her phone number and handed it to Zhao Yue. "If you think of anything, please contact me."
Zhao Yue nodded, taking the number.
For a journalist like her, knowing someone in the homicide division could be useful—it might lead to some insider information.
Across from Zhao Yue’s unit lived an elderly woman who was hard of hearing. After some effort, they still couldn’t get any useful information from her.
They headed upstairs. Zhao Yue lived on the third floor, and the next unit up was on the fourth.
There, they met a couple with two children. The family seemed nervous, and only the husband was willing to talk.
“Four nights ago? I didn’t hear any noise. Our family sleeps early. With having to take care of the kids and work during the day, we’re usually in bed by seven or eight…” The man spoke rapidly, spilling everything in one go.
The woman beside him nodded hesitantly, her eyes wandering uneasily.
Ye Sangsang noticed but didn’t say anything.
Qin Jiang also picked up on it and said, “You need to trust the police. Whatever you say, we’ll keep it confidential.”
The man swallowed hard, rubbing his nose. “Well, it’s not much, but a few days ago, we heard some… awkward noises. You know how it is with old houses—no soundproofing…”
Qin Jiang nodded and left with Ye Sangsang.
Downstairs, they knocked on a door, but no one answered.
With no other option, they returned to the crime scene.
It was Ye Sangsang’s first time at a crime scene, and Qin Jiang, as her mentor, felt it was his duty to guide her.
They lifted the yellow police tape and entered the room, where a human outline was drawn on the floor in chalk.
Qin Jiang studied it for a moment, his expression serious yet carrying a hint of roguishness. Holding a black square briefcase, he turned to observe Ye Sangsang.
Though Qin Jiang wasn’t particularly fond of Ye Sangsang, thinking she was too young and inexperienced, he still took his role seriously. As they walked, he asked, “The lock wasn’t broken, and there are signs of assault on the victim. So, what do you think—was it a crime of passion, revenge, or a rape-turned-murder?”
He gave her a few options, then looked at her curiously, eager to hear her answer.
As a top graduate from the police academy, he wondered if she could surprise him.
Ye Sangsang looked at the marks on the floor, then at the windowsill. “I don’t think it’s any of those.” They moved from one room to another, and she pointed at the window. “The lock wasn’t broken, but the killer could have entered through the window.”
Qin Jiang’s expression shifted, puzzled by her reasoning. “The windowsill?”
He had checked it earlier and found no footprints.
Ye Sangsang stepped forward, pointing to the thin layer of dust on the windowsill’s edge. “This area is close to the road, so it gathers a thin layer of dust every few days. But most people don’t clean the windowsill regularly, and the victim didn’t seem to have that habit either.”
She pulled open the other side of the window. “Here, the dust on the windowsill is noticeably thicker than on the exposed edge. The killer was smart—they cleaned the parts that might leave traces but forgot that the victim didn’t clean the windowsill. That’s why the dust accumulation is uneven.”
Qin Jiang looked at the difference in dust and nodded in agreement.
“But why do you think it’s not a crime of passion, revenge, or a rape-turned-murder?” Qin Jiang pressed.
Ye Sangsang calmly analyzed, “First, the victim didn’t suffer extensive injuries. She was killed with a single slash to the throat, which suggests the killer had scouted the place multiple times to strike accurately in the dark.”
“So, not a crime of passion?” Qin Jiang prompted her to continue.
Ye Sangsang thought for a moment, her hands clasped together. It was her first time analyzing a case, so she was a bit unsure. “The whip marks and restraints on her body don’t seem to indicate intent to harm. Someone who could endure such marks likely had a preference for submission and wasn’t involved in any emotional entanglements. As for the signs of intrusion, they suggest that the whip marks and restraints were part of a consensual act. The victim’s clothes had fresh creases but were well-fitted and made of expensive fabric. She probably put them on willingly, which makes me think she had recently received a sum of money… and that money is now missing.”
“Based on that, I’d say she wasn’t killed during a rape or out of passion.”
She looked at Qin Jiang, her mentor, with her hands still clasped.
“So, you’re saying it was a robbery-turned-murder?” Qin Jiang asked, surprised.
Ye Sangsang stepped forward, standing by the victim’s wardrobe in the main bedroom. “The wardrobe was opened, and there are signs of rummaging. I think the killer was looking for money…”
“But the victim caught them, refused to comply, and a struggle broke out…” Qin Jiang continued.
Ye Sangsang nodded and stood up. “The victim panicked, tried to scream, and the killer pulled out a knife.”
She walked to the living room, looking at the victim’s outline on the floor. “If I’m not mistaken, after her throat was slit, she immediately clutched her neck…”
She then moved to the bed, mimicking the victim’s actions by clutching her neck and staggering out. She reached out in panic, trying to turn on the light, but in the darkness and confusion, she hit her head and injured her arm.
As she felt the blood pouring out, she grew frantic, grabbing at the killer’s clothes, desperate to reclaim the money she cared so much about.
Ye Sangsang acted it out, one hand clutching her neck, the other tugging at Qin Jiang.
Qin Jiang seemed to realize something and pulled Ye Sangsang’s hand away, dragging her toward the door.
Blood splattered, and the victim, having lost too much blood, quickly died.
That’s why the woman’s body ended up in the center of the living room.
After reenacting the scene, Qin Jiang rubbed his forehead, deep in thought.
His protégé didn’t seem to need much guidance.
[Wait, I think I understand something. Can you slow down so I can catch up?]
[Sis Sang, I thought you were just a bit eccentric, but you’ve got the makings of a police prodigy!]
[I’m stunned. Is the case really this straightforward?]
[I thought Sis Sang was just here to mess around, and I was worried we’d have to restart the mission. Turns out, I was overthinking it.]
The live chat exploded with comments. Those who had been waiting for a slow progression were now dumbfounded as Ye Sangsang quickly pieced together the case.
Viewers who had been about to leave the stream stayed, captivated.
Ye Sangsang turned to Qin Jiang. “Master, does that make sense?”
Her knowledge of homicide cases came entirely from online videos, books, and her own analysis.
Now, she was curious about how her skills measured up.
“Ahem,” Qin Jiang coughed into his hand, pretending to clear his throat. “Not bad, but there’s still a lot to learn. Also, aren’t you studying criminal behavior analysis and profiling? When we get back to the station, try profiling the killer.”
Ye Sangsang nodded. “Okay.”
She didn’t fully understand, but she could always read up on it later.
Back at the station, the victim’s information had already been pulled up by their colleagues, and a copy was sent to Ye Sangsang.
The office was bustling yet harmonious, with desks neatly arranged in a large room. Everyone was seated at their desks, except for Ye Sangsang’s, which was bare compared to the stacks of folders and clutter on the others.
She logged out of the game and informed the viewers before opening her eyes.
It wasn’t just because she didn’t know how to profile the killer, but also because it was daytime, and it was time for her to wake up.
In reality, the light sleep she entered while playing *Criminal Files* didn’t provide much rest. It was more like a very shallow nap. This was why many viewers wondered why Ye Sangsang didn’t log out to rest after completing the previous game.
But the truth was, Ye Sangsang felt that this level of rest was enough for her.
Since childhood, she had always had more energy than most people. For example, she could function for twenty to thirty hours straight after just four or five hours of sleep.
As she grew older, her stamina only improved.
So, for her, this light sleep was sufficient.
The reason she logged out was simply to deal with real-life matters.
When she opened her eyes, she was met with the gaze of her caregiver.
She’s really nosy, Ye Sangsang thought.
After breakfast, Ye Sangsang went about her usual routine. The girl’s business card was still on the table, and she picked it up before tossing it into the trash.
But today was different.
Her completion of *Rainy Night Taxi* had hit the trending list on StarRing Live, and there were even highlight reels of her gameplay circulating. She checked them out—they were quite popular.
As for the full playthrough, it wasn’t available, likely to entice viewers to watch live streams and drive traffic to the game’s official release.
Just then, her phone buzzed with a series of messages.
Ye Zhe: Ye Sangsang, you kept the equipment for yourself? I was the one who applied for it! You’re shameless! How dare you trick me! Just you wait!
Ye Zhe: Hah, if you hand over the equipment now, I might convince Dad to go easy on you.
Ye Zhe: Ye Sangsang, I’m going to kill you!!!
She read the messages calmly. Compared to her, her younger brother seemed more like the unstable one. Why hadn’t he been institutionalized too?
But thinking about his rage, she couldn’t help but smile with excitement.
As for the “Dad” he mentioned, it was unlikely he’d have time to deal with her anytime soon.
If he came by on a whim, unreasonable as he was, she might also go a little mad.
"Knock, knock, knock."
"Hello... Miss Ye," said a person with an air of innocence in their eyes, dressed in a white nurse's uniform, standing at the door and knocking.
Ye Sangsang looked up at them. "What is it?"
The nurse, momentarily stunned by the delicate beauty and ethereal aura of the woman before her, quickly regained her composure. "Miss Ye, you have a letter. It just arrived."
She hurriedly stepped forward and handed the letter to Ye Sangsang, who was seated in a wheelchair.
As her gaze fell on Ye Sangsang's pale, slender fingers—so finely shaped they seemed carved by a master—she couldn't help but marvel at the perfection of her beauty.
How could someone so beautiful be ill?
Ye Sangsang took the letter and smiled softly. "Thank you."
"No need to thank me. It's just a bit strange. Who sends letters these days? And why did the whole family come to deliver it?" The nurse scratched her head, muttered to herself, and then turned to leave in a daze.
Ye Sangsang maneuvered her wheelchair back to the window in her hospital room. Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting a warm glow on half of her body.
These days, hardly anyone used letters, an almost antiquated form of communication. She was curious about who had written to her.
She opened the envelope.
The words that greeted her made her pause, her naturally pursed lips relaxing slightly.
The sender was someone she actually knew.
"Lin Shu..."
Ye Sangsang murmured the name softly, then fell silent as she began to read.
Dear Miss Ye Sangsang,
My name is Lin Shu. I believe you are familiar with my name.
I was drawn to you when my daughter was watching a live stream. The holographic game felt so real, and it brought back all my memories. Even now, it feels as though everything that happened was just a dream.
I am writing to you to express my heartfelt gratitude. You helped me let go of a burden I had carried for so long.
...
In the letter, Lin Shu recounted the details of Moon's death and the emotional turmoil she had experienced at the time.
She described the circumstances of Moon's death, the pursuit of the killer, the pain, and the darkness that had nearly driven her to collapse.
It was as if she were narrating a story, one she remembered vividly even decades later.
But it also felt like a release, as though she was finally letting go of the past, confiding her pain to Ye Sangsang, who had truly lived through it all.
Her words were gentle, and Ye Sangsang could almost feel the warmth in her tone.
After sharing her story, Lin Shu began to describe details that differed from the game.
She wrote: Did you know? When my husband went to kill Wang Shun, I sat nervously in the house, too afraid to turn on the lights, waiting for him to return. When his car lights flashed into the room, I trembled with excitement.
But he was badly injured.
He was just an ordinary elementary school teacher. The thought of breaking the law had never crossed his mind. Yet, his first crime was murder.
In a moment of carelessness, he was almost stabbed to death by Wang Shun.
But Wang Shun had underestimated the resilience of a father who had lost his daughter. He was killed, and his body was disposed of.
My husband had intended to dump the body farther away, but he was too weak from his injuries and could only throw it into a ditch.
You were amazing! When I saw the scene of Wang Shun's death, I cried. I cried tears of joy.
Later, when he killed Zhou Qiang, my husband was also injured. Those men were vicious, and I couldn't even imagine how he managed to do it.
In my heart, he was an extraordinary father, and I even regret the resentment and coldness I feigned at the time.
Then came Jiang Jiansheng and Wang Zhi. I am truly grateful, so grateful, that you allowed me to witness those events. The anger and restlessness in my heart were finally soothed.
Yes, even after decades, I couldn't fully let go.
I also want to thank Wei Qingzheng for letting it go and not pursuing the matter further, allowing it to end with my husband's leap into the river.
I am writing to you not only to express my gratitude but also to tell you that I have found closure.
All the sins have been erased, and now we are free from the weight of guilt.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Lin Shu
Ye Sangsang's gaze lingered on the letter, her eyes flickering with emotion.
She seemed to remember something and wheeled herself out of the ward, heading toward the main gate of Anding Hospital.
The gate was a black wrought-iron design, and as Ye Sangsang emerged, the morning sunlight bathed the ground.
Through the gaps in the gate, she saw an elderly woman with silver hair and another elderly man holding her hand tightly. Beside them stood a middle-aged woman and a teenage girl in a blue dress.
They noticed Ye Sangsang and turned to leave.
Ye Sangsang clutched the letter, watching as they gradually disappeared into the distance.
