"Ahhh!!!"
The punk, who had previously been involved in a simple theft case (though the amount was large enough to land him in jail for a year), suddenly saw blood flowing out from the rusted iron door of the rental house. He let out a high-pitched scream like a squeaky chicken and then promptly fainted on the spot. His fragile inner self stood in stark contrast to his wild appearance.
Ye Sangsang looked at the collapsed figure: …
【Ahhhh, I want to scream too!】
【This is a crime mystery game, right? Right? Not a horror game, is it?】
【Another death!】
The audience, just like the punk, wanted to scream out loud. Deaths were happening way too frequently, as if the Grim Reaper was following them everywhere. It was hard to imagine if their in-game characters would react the same way as the punk.
Ye Sangsang continued to stare at the punk.
After a dozen seconds, she decided to pinch his philtrum to see if he was okay, considering his thick blue hair and slender frame. If he didn’t wake up, she’d call an ambulance.
Fortunately, he wasn’t completely unconscious. A pinch to the philtrum brought him back to consciousness, though his legs were trembling as he shrank against the wall, clearly terrified.
Meanwhile, Zheng He had already taken out his gloves and was trying to push the door open to see if it would budge.
After dealing with the punk, Ye Sangsang called for backup.
Looking at the scene inside the room, Ye Sangsang couldn’t help but sigh. Detectives in this era were like spinning tops, constantly on the move without a moment’s rest.
The victim had been killed with a single stab wound. It was clear that before dying, he had tried to open the door to escape. However, his artery had been severed, and the rapid blood loss caused him to lose consciousness before he could even reach the doorknob.
His body was blocking the door, so Zheng He could only push it open a palm-width wide.
The two of them didn’t get too close, even pulling the punk further away to avoid contaminating the crime scene.
“Based on my judgment, the time of death was only about four hours ago,” Zheng He squatted down and lifted the victim’s wrist joint. The joint moved with some slight stiffness.
The rigor mortis confirmed his judgment wasn’t wrong.
Ye Sangsang lowered her eyelids, observing the movement of the arm, and nodded in agreement. “Indeed. So, the time of death coincides with the time Qin Jiang was seen?”
Her relationship with Qin Jiang wasn’t particularly close. For Ye Sangsang, the truth was more important.
So, she calmly analyzed the timeline, hoping to uncover the truth.
At this point, the punk’s face turned red. “What are you saying? Are you trying to frame Brother Qin? Just because you’re a woman and a cop, don’t think I won’t hit you!”
“You’re too noisy,” Ye Sangsang commented flatly.
The punk’s open mouth closed resentfully. He really didn’t dare.
Zheng He completely ignored the punk and continued Ye Sangsang’s train of thought. “Did the victim know his killer, or did he think the person knocking on the door was someone he knew?”
The two scenarios seemed similar, but there was a significant difference.
The first scenario suggested the victim knew the killer, someone like Qin Jiang, who had an appointment and opened the door to greet them.
The second scenario suggested the victim thought it was an acquaintance but ended up facing a fatal ambush.
This was a “simple” murder case, but sometimes, the simplest cases were the hardest to solve.
Soon, the forensic team arrived, their faces showing signs of exhaustion.
After setting up the police tape and opening the door, Ye Sangsang and Zheng He put on shoe covers and entered the room.
The room was a single unit, with a small table holding an ashtray and two empty teacups.
Clearly, the victim hadn’t had time to clean up before the killer arrived.
Ye Sangsang took out an evidence bag, using tweezers to pick up the cigarette butt and place it inside.
Next were the teacups and fingerprints on the table and around the room.
They needed to handle these items meticulously, leaving no clue behind. Then, they sprayed a reagent to check for any bloodstains that might have been wiped away.
Zheng He wasn’t idle either. He found the victim’s phone, extracted fingerprints, and unlocked it to check who the victim had contacted before his death.
The punk, who had just managed to calm down and stand up, caught a glimpse of the victim’s pale, corpse-marked face through a gap in the white sheet.
Unable to handle the horrifying sight, he fainted again in excitement.
This time, Ye Sangsang didn’t bother with him. He’d wake up eventually.
【Hahaha, tough guy.】
【Sis Sangsang: Sometimes I want to call the police too.】
【I think earlier, Sis Sangsang was worried the fragile guy might die.】
【The person above, I think you hit the nail on the head, hahaha.】
While Ye Sangsang diligently scanned the scene, the live chat was busy making jokes.
After finishing their search, they began interviewing the surrounding residents and scouring nearby drains and trash bins.
Some killers liked to discard their weapons after committing the crime.
Finding the murder weapon would make solving the case one step easier.
This was the life of a detective—climbing mountains, wading through water, even digging through trash and sewage. It was far from the glamorous image of chasing criminals in high-speed pursuits that most people imagined.
Of course, those moments happened too, but the former was far more common than the latter.
Perhaps luck was on their side. About 200 meters from the crime scene, in a drainage outlet, the two found a knife.
Zheng He found a steel rod to pry open the drain, while Ye Sangsang knelt down, wearing gloves, and fished out the dagger, enduring the stench. She carefully placed it in an evidence bag.
There were still traces of blood on it. If the killer’s fingerprints were on it, that would be a huge breakthrough.
However, Ye Sangsang was puzzled. If Zhao Tianman was the culprit in the dismemberment case, why did he kill Lin Xue?
And in such a clean, precise manner, as if silencing a witness.
Unable to figure it out, Ye Sangsang decided to take her time. Rushing might only lead her in circles.
After handing over the dagger, Zheng He and Ye Sangsang headed to the hospital to check if Qin Jiang had woken up.
If he had, they might get some answers about Zhao Tianman’s death.
Entering the hospital room, they found Captain Chen and others inside. Qin Jiang showed no signs of waking up.
“Stop investigating Qin Jiang’s case. There’s already a conclusion. Just focus on finding the culprit in the dismemberment case. Leave the rest alone,” Captain Chen said, looking at the three of them.
Zheng He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately stayed silent.
Gu Ling looked at Captain Chen. “You don’t trust Qin Jiang.”
“This is already the best outcome,” Captain Chen replied sternly.
Gu Ling, stubborn by nature, turned her face away, unwilling to continue the conversation.
Captain Chen’s gaze fell on Ye Sangsang. “I know you’re driven, but it’s hard to juggle so many things at once. Just focus on finding Zhao Tianman, locate the tools and the crime scene, and close the case.”
“Sometimes, the truth isn’t that important,” he added.
Ye Sangsang lowered her eyes. “Sometimes, acting on impulse can backfire.”
Captain Chen took a deep breath, sensing a strong rebellious vibe. He rubbed his forehead and advised, “No matter what, don’t interfere!”
“Got it,” Ye Sangsang replied decisively.
She wasn’t one to keep promises. If someone demanded a commitment, she’d give it, but whether she followed through depended on her mood.
Gu Ling glanced at Ye Sangsang.
Zheng He remained silent the entire time.
The only sound in the room was the steady beeping of Qin Jiang’s heart monitor.
Captain Chen stood up and, before leaving the room, shot a glance at the three of them. “Don’t try to deceive me, or you’ll all get disciplinary actions!”
Ye Sangsang didn’t respond to this. She was a rather self-centered person.
“Are you really going to drop it?” Gu Ling asked after Captain Chen left, looking at Ye Sangsang. “Even though you haven’t known Qin Jiang for long, he’s been really good to you these past couple of days.”
Ye Sangsang thought for a moment. “I didn’t agree, nor did I promise not to deceive him.”
Zheng He raised both hands. “It’s just a side thing. Let’s investigate. I believe in Qin Jiang’s character.”
The three of them reached a consensus.
【Hehehe, the trio is formed.】
【The internet detective streamer next door is still looking for potential suspects. Qin Jiang is out of the picture, so it feels like the story is branching off.】
【I’ve also watched the stream next door. Because of the different direction, that internet detective influencer didn’t even see Qin Jiang fall. He only saw Qin Jiang at the hospital and immediately started analyzing Qin Jiang’s potential involvement.】
【I’m so curious about what the truth is. It’s driving me crazy!】
Especially with the story branching off, the live chat was buzzing with curiosity about which path would lead to the truth.
Ye Sangsang clearly had no other thoughts. After informing her audience, she logged off first.
It was time for her to resume her normal life.
Another ordinary day, except the sunlight outside was even brighter.
The weather had improved a lot over the past couple of days.
Taking her medication, having breakfast, reading in the garden while enjoying the breeze—if one ignored the background, Ye Sangsang’s life could be considered an ideal retirement.
She was someone who didn’t feel much emotion. She didn’t harbor resentment, sorrow, or hatred.
It wasn’t that she was indifferent; she simply lacked these emotions.
Although she didn’t consider this a sickness, others did.
She sat under the shade of a tree, her features as delicate as a painting, with porcelain-white skin and long, cascading black hair. The person who entered the room stopped in their tracks, unable to look away.
A nurse stepped forward, separating the two. “Sir, please move along.”
“…Alright,” the man replied.
The nurse walked ahead.
The man’s voice rose as he asked a question.
The nurse remained silent.
Ye Sangsang looked up, her gaze falling on the person who had spoken, her eyes deep and unfathomable.
There were always people who took an interest in her.
She disliked such individuals, finding them akin to annoying flies buzzing around her.
At that moment, a message came in from her lawyer.
Lawyer Gao: It’s almost done. Also, the caregiver issue has been resolved.
Ye Sangsang: Good.
She thought today would remain peaceful, but clearly, it wouldn’t.
By noon, after her nap, Ye Zhe stormed in.
Ye Sangsang was lying in bed, holding a tablet and reading the news.
“Ye Sangsang, hand over the device,” Ye Zhe shouted as soon as he entered the room.
She turned off the tablet and calmly looked at him. “I didn’t think you’d actually dare to come.”
“Why wouldn’t I? Do you think you’re still the Ye Sangsang from before? Now you’re just a useless person!” Ye Zhe sneered, his chubby face twitching with disdain.
Ye Sangsang looked at him, then lowered her gaze. “True.”
“Hand it over. It’s something I applied for anyway,” Ye Zhe demanded, reaching out his hand.
Ye Sangsang didn’t respond, simply staring at him in silence.
Ye Zhe, both fearful and desperate for the device, shifted his gaze to the cabinet beside Ye Sangsang.
He stepped forward and rummaged through the drawer, pulling out the holographic device.
But before he could force Ye Sangsang to change the device’s ownership details, a rough hand grabbed the back of his neck.
The black metallic holographic device was back in Ye Sangsang’s hands in an instant, and Ye Zhe was pinned down.
Ye Sangsang sat up in bed, looking down at Ye Zhe, who was staring up at her, and gave him a cold, emotionless smile.
“Ye Sangsang! If you dare touch me, I’ll have Dad send you to a different psychiatric hospital, where they’ll torture you to death!” Ye Zhe, sensing her intent, struggled and yelled, though his voice was laced with fear and unease.
Ye Sangsang gripped the metallic device, wrapping it around her fingers and the back of her hand, then slammed it into Ye Zhe’s face.
“Ahhhh!” A piercing scream echoed through the room.
Ye Sangsang grabbed his hair with her other hand and smashed his face again.
The caregiver released her grip, and Ye Sangsang struck once more.
After a few seconds, Ye Sangsang let go.
Ye Zhe was trembling in pain, collapsed on the floor, his eyes filled with terror.
Seeing his expression, she slowly said, “Guess why your father keeps me well-fed and doesn’t send me to a fully closed psychiatric hospital?”
“W-why…?” Ye Zhe looked up, tears and snot streaming down his face.
“Because,” Ye Sangsang leaned down slightly, her voice low and haunting, “he’s afraid I’ll escape and kill him.”
Ye Zhe stared into her dark, depthless eyes, and a wave of intense fear slowly rose within him.
He… he remembered the rainy night in the taxi simulation, where Ye Sangsang, a newcomer, had killed without hesitation.
He scrambled backward on his hands, then fled the room in a panic.
Ye Sangsang looked at the caregiver, who, though equally quiet, now seemed more robust and capable, and a hint of satisfaction appeared on her face.
She removed the holographic device from her hand, which remained unscathed despite the force of the blows. Truly, StarRing’s products were reliable.
Not long after, a phone call came in.
“Ye Sangsang!” a deep, middle-aged voice shouted.
Ye Sangsang replied calmly, “He came to me. You know, the mentally ill aren’t held accountable for their actions. Keep him away, or I can’t guarantee your current life will remain undisturbed.”
The other end of the line fell silent, no longer speaking.
Ye Sangsang hung up. Of course, what she had said to Ye Zhe was mostly to scare him; the real reasons lay elsewhere.
After a moment of thought, she looked up at the caregiver. “Auntie, could you buy a new lock for the door?”
“Sure,” the caregiver replied succinctly.
Ye Sangsang continued to calmly hold her tablet, glancing at the book beside her.
Time passed, and by evening, Ye Sangsang locked her door, put on the device, and closed her eyes.
When she reappeared in the simulation world, it was already the next morning.
Arriving at the office, Ye Sangsang and her team began searching for other residences Zhao Tianman might have.
According to Zhao Tianqi, Zhao Tianman had received a sum of money, and tracing its whereabouts might be a breakthrough.
Through their investigation, they worked tirelessly.
Fortunately, their efforts paid off. Through a friend of a rebellious youth, they obtained information about a place Zhao Tianman had once rented.
Meanwhile, a clear fingerprint had been extracted from the murder weapon, a dagger.
If they could prove the fingerprint belonged to Zhao Tianman, combined with what they might find at the rental location, the truth of the case would be revealed.
While working on this, Ye Sangsang also printed the surveillance footage Zheng He had provided from the noodle shop where the body was dumped, attempting to reconstruct the killer’s true appearance.
If everything aligned, the case would soon be ready for closure.
