From the map, Ye Sangsang could clearly see that the small courtyard Sun Bin rented was very close to Zhou Qiang's location.
Only five kilometers away, a taxi ride would take about ten minutes.
Such a distance gives an advantage no matter what you're doing.
If Ye Sangsang wasn't mistaken, the places where the other two lived wouldn't be too far from Zhou Qiang either.
The only question was whether they would flee later.
That likely depended on when the remaining individuals would find out that Wang Shun was killed out of vengeance.
Ye Sangsang's main purpose for going this time was to trigger the mission and confirm the next step in the game.
This kind of mission, with a hint of free exploration, greatly intrigued her.
She had heard that the murderer hadn't been caught in reality, though she didn't know why.
【Next is Zhou Qiang? That name sounds familiar.】
【Ye Sangsang's first mission is already on hell mode.】
【If the mission is triggered, with Ye Sangsang's stamina, it'll be hard for her to complete it, right?】
As they watched Ye Sangsang's profile while she drove in the live stream, the immersive viewers discussed.
They had already figured out that there were hidden details within this mission.
Knowing that there were other tasks in the game and that the targets were tough to deal with, the viewers didn't think Ye Sangsang could pull it off.
As for the mission to kill Wang Shun, Ye Sangsang had just gotten lucky.
A high-difficulty mission, with a stamina level of 3—she was practically useless.
On top of that, she had to replicate the details of the murder mission as closely as possible. It was almost inhuman.
Ye Sangsang was unaware of the live stream viewers' thoughts. She had already arrived at Zhou Qiang's residence.
Zhou Qiang was somewhat wealthier than Wang Shun, living in a relatively bustling neighborhood. The gray exterior walls were crisscrossed with wires, and all the buildings were seven stories high.
Outside the neighborhood was a lively commercial street.
She parked her car by the roadside, got out, and walked into a tobacco shop to buy a pack of Hongtashan cigarettes.
After returning, she leaned against the car door, her peripheral gaze fixed on the neighborhood's entrance.
Compared to Sun Bin, Ye Sangsang had far more difficulties to deal with.
Sun Bin had all the information and had already made a plan, while Ye Sangsang didn't even know what her target looked like. She had to trigger the mission before she could proceed with any further planning.
Even with her patience, she waited around for three hours, changing her position from time to time, before she seemed to get close to Zhou Qiang and triggered the game mission.
However, even Ye Sangsang showed a slightly reluctant expression upon seeing this mission.
The live stream viewers could also see the mission, and the moment it appeared, the chat exploded.
【Holy cow, it's actually about slitting wrists and flaying alive.】
【I'm starting to wonder, just how deep was the grudge between Wang Shun, Zhou Qiang, and Sun Bin in real life for it to come to this.】
【This actually happened in real life! No wonder the case files haven't been made public after all these years.】
Yes, according to the game mission and the provided photos, Zhou Qiang died after being drained of blood at home, followed by having his flesh sliced off piece by piece.
In the photos, his body looked like a fish, with arc-shaped wounds resembling scales covering his skin.
It was a gruesome sight, barely recognizable, drenched in blood.
Only a deep-seated hatred could drive someone to such extremes.
The barrage of comments surged as viewers speculated about the reasons behind it.
Sitting in her car, Ye Sangsang held a cigarette and stared at the photos, sinking into silence.
It wasn't that she felt sympathy for Zhou Qiang, but such methods were far from ordinary revenge.
Earlier, she had tried to immerse herself in Sun Bin's thoughts and found that, in daily life, Sun Bin was actually quite a refined person.
From the arrangement of his home and the conversations between him and his wife, it was clear that both were mild-mannered, even somewhat passive.
This gentleness and refinement stemmed from their upbringing and education.
People like this rarely showed extreme emotions.
Yet, their methods of revenge against Wang Shun and Zhou Qiang were cold and brutal.
This wasn't innate cold-bloodedness or antisocial personality disorder—she knew because she had been diagnosed as such. As someone like that, she was certain they weren't like that.
Her eyelids lowered. What kind of event could have driven these two to such ruthlessness?
If she wasn't mistaken, these two must have held respectable jobs in the eyes of society before.
So what could have made them abandon everything?
Ye Sangsang's mind was filled with questions; everything before her was shrouded in mystery.
Should she wait for Wei Qingzheng to provide answers, or should she take the initiative to uncover the truth herself?
For the first time, Ye Sangsang hesitated.
She reached out and swiped the virtual screen glowing faintly blue in front of her.
It was densely packed with details.
The time of the act, the general methods used, the spotless crime scene.
After reading through it, she suddenly felt a spark of interest.
Why not ask Zhou Qiang himself?
Wang Shun couldn't provide answers, so perhaps Zhou Qiang could offer some clues.
At this thought, a glint of excitement flashed in Ye Sangsang's eyes, and her heart filled with anticipation.
Hesitation?
That didn't exist in her mind. First, this was a completely virtual world. Second, she didn't invest too much emotion in it.
As a player, if she spent too much energy on this, she would lose a lot of the fun.
So first, she needed to prepare a sufficiently sharp knife.
And this knife had to be ordinary enough.
Next, she needed to explore the route to Zhou Qiang's home. According to the game's information, Zhou Qiang lived in Building 12, Unit 201, on the second floor in the southeast corner of the neighborhood.
The second floor had a platform, which Zhou Qiang had specifically chosen when buying the apartment.
And this became his death warrant.
According to the game system's information, the murderer had climbed up from a small protrusion on the first floor to reach the second floor and entered Zhou Qiang's home.
Under the cover of night, they tied him to the bed.
Then, they slit the arteries in his limbs, letting Zhou Qiang feel his life slipping away as his blood drained.
Before the blood ran dry, they flayed him.
Leaving him to depart this world in excruciating pain.
The final cut was to his carotid artery, a deliberate act by the murderer, knowing he was already beyond saving.
Just like with Wang Shun, even after knowing he was dead, the murderer had continued to smash his head with a hammer seven or eight more times.
The main purpose was likely to vent their rage.
Ye Sangsang speculated that the police linked the two cases to the same perpetrator not only because the four knew each other but also because of the continued violence after death, which seemed like an act of venting.
She replayed the scenes she had seen over and over in her mind, her lips curling into a smile.
【Here she comes, here she comes, bringing her twisted mind with her.】
【I beg you, Ye Sangsang, please stop smiling. I'll call you Sister Sang, okay?】
【+10086, oh my god, why must someone so beautiful be so twisted!】
As Ye Sangsang analyzed the situation, the viewers joined in with heated discussions.
Just as the conversation was going smoothly, Ye Sangsang suddenly smiled, and the live stream exploded.
Because they realized that the streamer was even more twisted than they had thought.
Her smile was eerie, as if she was about to pull off something big in the next second.
After finishing her smile, Ye Sangsang began scouting all the major and minor roads nearby.
As the night gradually darkened, she returned to the rented courtyard.
When she entered, Sun Bin's wife, Lin Shu, was still sitting on the small couch in the living room.
Her demeanor was out of place in the shabby, dilapidated house. Her face bore the marks of time, and her eyes held the same cold hatred Ye Sangsang had always seen.
Ye Sangsang sensed intuitively that she was deeply sad.
"I'll be going out tonight. You should rest early," she said, not offering comfort but instead following Sun Bin's usual tone.
If Ye Sangsang weren't playing the role of Sun Bin, she would have walked past indifferently, ignoring her emotional state.
Lin Shu looked up, a few strands of gray hair sticking to the corner of her eye. Her gaze fixed on him, she said, "Don't let me down."
Ye Sangsang didn't respond. She turned and went into the kitchen, picking up an ordinary single-edged slicing knife.
The blade was about 25 centimeters long, clean, with no nicks.
Clearly, this kitchen knife had never been used for cooking.
Foot covers, gloves, and rope—these were already enough.
This time, she didn't plan to drive.
Although the game's information didn't specify how the murderer had reached the scene, Ye Sangsang felt that taking a taxi wasn't an option.
If someone were to witness it, the police would immediately focus on the taxi as a key lead.
She didn’t want to be targeted too soon.
If Wei Qingzheng really noticed something suspicious and the police started surveilling her closely, completing the mission would become far too difficult.
Following the route she had scouted out, Ye Sangsang chose to take secluded paths with no one around.
She left her home at 2 a.m.
Just before stepping out, Ye Sangsang glanced back and tucked a slightly yellowed photo into her pocket.
Then she stepped outside, disappearing into the darkness.
He was expected to arrive around 3 a.m., the time when people are most drowsy and sleeping the deepest.
[Hahahaha, admiring Sister Sang with her stamina of 3 trying to climb the wall.]
[Place your bets! Will Sister Sang succeed or not?]
[You guys are something else—mocking her but also scared to death of her.]
The barrage of comments went wild, taking advantage of the fact that Ye Sangsang wasn’t looking at them.
Some even joked about wanting to see Ye Sangsang fail and have to start over for the first time.
Feeling bored while walking, Ye Sangsang opened the comment section and was greeted by this chaotic scene.
“You all… are truly unexpected…” Ye Sangsang remarked after reading the comments, her tone a mix of amusement and exasperation.
[!!!]
[She’s here! She’s here!]
[Wuwuwu, Sister Sang, we’re sorry!]
Hearing Ye Sangsang’s unexpected interaction, the live chat erupted in a chorus of wails.
Ye Sangsang chuckled softly. “Don’t be too scared, I don’t kill people in real life.”
The comments: …
If anything, that made them even more terrified.
With a smirk on her lips, Ye Sangsang continued to tease them.
Amid the chaos of the live chat, she finally arrived at her destination.
Staring at the platform that clearly required some effort to climb, Ye Sangsang put on gloves and a mask, wrapped her feet securely, and made sure no one was watching before she began her ascent.
The handholds were minimal, and Ye Sangsang had to use the tangled wires for leverage to make her way up.
It took her a full half hour to climb up.
Including the time lost on the way, it was now 3 a.m.
The platform led to the balcony of Zhou Qiang’s house. Perhaps due to his overbearing and arrogant nature, Zhou Qiang hadn’t installed any security grilles, which gave Ye Sangsang a slight advantage.
She reached out, changed into a fresh pair of gloves, and gently pushed open the sliding window that connected to the balcony.
Under the dim glow of the streetlights outside, Ye Sangsang stood silently beside the bed in the darkened bedroom.
A black nylon rope, in the instant Ye Sangsang lowered her head, coiled around Zhou Qiang’s exposed muscular arm.
Just as she was about to tighten it, the man on the bed suddenly opened his eyes.
