Ye Sangsang needed a question powerful enough to overturn their perceptions, to get them on her side.
"What?" Jiang Feng's tone was sharp, as he already disliked Ye Sangsang and tolerating her presence was his limit.
Li Li, however, had spent the past two hours carefully assessing the situation.
She realized that, strictly speaking, Ye Sangsang wasn't the primary beneficiary.
Back then, her mother had not only returned the stolen money but also borrowed money to make amends.
She had sincerely written letters of apology, asking the police to deliver them. Yet, the rumors and gossip had already done enough harm to their family.
The key point was that "kindness doesn't extend to family." They hadn't benefited from what had happened, so she couldn't justify taking certain actions.
If she hadn't shielded her father, Zhao Qing, she would have preferred to remain strangers, nodding politely if they ever met.
From her interactions with Ye Sangsang, she recognized genuine efforts to help others, even at personal risk and with a sense of guilt.
She admitted that, seeing Zhao Xinxin, she had felt an overwhelming compassion.
Sometimes, she wanted to curse fate, wondering why life had to be so cruel, causing them so much suffering.
So when Jiang Feng demanded coldly, she reached out and placed a hand on his, turning to look at Ye Sangsang.
"There's a villager in his forties, claiming to be from your village. He says he overheard a conversation between your father and you that night. He was scared Zhao Qing might retaliate, so he kept it to himself all these years. Now that your family has left, and seeing us repeatedly searching for clues for over a decade, he couldn't keep silent anymore and came forward to tell us."
"We offered him a reward, but he refused anything and left immediately. Are you suggesting there are doubts about him?"
Li Li looked at Ye Sangsang coolly, her voice cold and probing.
She questioned whether such a selfless man could be lying to them.
Ye Sangsang looked back, a faint smile on her lips, sitting upright.
"Is it possible... that there never was any conversation at all?"
"If I, as a nine-year-old, went to silently see my father off, or tried to convince him to return, would I have been able to catch up to someone running away at full speed?"
"Besides, Zhao Qing loved me. He wouldn't scare me to the point of a fever—that doesn't make sense."
Jiang Feng stared at Ye Sangsang, "What exactly are you saying? That Zhao Qing isn't the murderer?"
"Amnesia—do you really expect us to believe that?" Li Li's gaze was filled with disappointment.
Why deny a conversation between father and daughter?
They merely wanted to know what was said—there was no ulterior motive. Li Li couldn't understand why Ye Sangsang would fabricate excuses instead of simply speaking the truth.
【It's normal for things to not add up. If I were Li Li or Jiang Feng, I probably wouldn't believe it either.】
【Getting them to believe that the man they've pursued and hated for fifteen years might not be the killer—that's a tall order.】
【From our perspective, it's hard to believe Zhao Xinxin's amnesia is real, simply because the probability is so low.】
The live stream didn't erupt into arguments, as blaming wouldn't change anything. Fifteen years of resentment weren't something that could be resolved with a few words of defense.
Ye Sangsang looked at them. "I know you don't believe me, and honestly, I can't fully convince myself either. I just hope... we can work together."
"Maybe, let's give it a try. Let's go back and retrace everything from back then, restore the full truth, and find Zhao Qing's remains to uncover the actual truth."
From Sheng Cui's words, she got the impression that Zhao Qing was an emotionally stable and normal man.
If Sheng Cui hadn't gotten pregnant unexpectedly after a sterilization procedure, they wouldn't have considered having another child.
They had chosen to just have a daughter, focusing on their jobs, which showed that Zhao Qing was content with his life.
A man with such a strong mindset wouldn't be easily swayed into murder—especially not to the extent of killing six people.
He would have preferred to work hard and maintain the happiness of his current life.
Taking out a loan to buy a tricycle demonstrated Zhao Qing's intention to earn a living through honest labor.
For someone in a stable, decent situation to suddenly decide on a shortcut to wealth didn't make logical sense.
If gauged by evidence, Ye Sangsang didn't have much. She wasn't deeply familiar with the case.
But since she was in a game, she had to make bold guesses. Hesitation would only trap her within the storyline, allowing the plot to manipulate her.
Ye Sangsang's words caused Li Li and Jiang Feng to exchange glances, their silence lingering for some time.
She had been able to speak calmly about finding Zhao Qing's remains, so what harsh words could they possibly say in response?
"Then tell us, how do you propose we investigate the truth? The police already investigated this case exhaustively—can we really uncover anything new?"
Li Li looked at Ye Sangsang, her expression changing slightly as she took a deep breath.
Jiang Feng also looked at Ye Sangsang, his earlier refusal now absent.
They were originally here to find Zhao Qing anyway, so investigating the truth wasn't entirely contradictory to their mission.
Ye Sangsang relaxed a little, seeing a softening in their attitudes.
"First... you need to go back to your hometown secretly and start investigating as I instruct..." Ye Sangsang began to lay out her plan.
The first step was to look into whether the three families affected had any connections.
This connection meant checking if they had interacted with the same individual, leading to grievances or financial disputes.
She had once watched a commentary video about a homicide in Yun City, where the killer disguised the motive for murder.
The killer took valuables from the scene to make revenge look like a robbery, confusing the police's investigation.
Could Zhao Qing's case have been the same—with robbery and other crimes used to mask a revenge motive?
If evidence showed that the three families had disputes with someone, then someone else might be behind the scenes.
Next, investigating Sheng Cui's mention of Aunt's Ex-boyfriend from over a decade ago would be necessary.
Assuming Zhao Qing hadn't lied, then Aunt's Ex-boyfriend must have.
Whether he was the messenger or the mastermind, his financial situation should be checked for irregularities.
Since Sheng Cui referred to him as a boyfriend and they likely hadn't married before breaking up, finding him might be challenging but was achievable.
Finally, the villager who claimed to have overheard Zhao Xinxin and Zhao Qing's conversation needed scrutiny.
Whether he was driven by profit or actually involved in the case, his suspicions made him a key focus.
Ye Sangsang detailed precautions for the investigation, ensuring not to alert potential masterminds behind it all.
Initially, Li Li and Jiang Feng were indifferent, but as Ye Sangsang laid out her analysis, their expressions grew serious, and they began taking notes.
Ye Sangsang's thoroughness revealed that her aim wasn't to exonerate Zhao Qing but to uncover the truth.
【Wow, Sangsang's planning is so fast, I hadn't even thought of Aunt's Ex-boyfriend being suspicious.】
【It feels like investigating all these aspects could lead to the truth.】
【One team goes home to dig into the past, while Sangsang fights the murderer here—let's catch the real mastermind together!】
"Be careful—if there truly is a mastermind, your lives might be in danger."
Ye Sangsang exhaled deeply, looking at both of them.
Li Li paused, Ye Sangsang's calm analysis stabilizing her emotions.
"Don't worry, following your lead, as long as we find one anomaly, we'll believe Zhao Qing might be innocent."
"We long for this case to be resolved, for our loved ones to finally find peace and justice."
Li Li's eyes reddened, her finger gripping the pen tightly.
Jiang Feng remained silently watching Ye Sangsang—if everything went as she predicted, then they were all victims.
As victims, they might receive sympathy and empathy.
But as the family of a "criminal"—Zhao Xinxin and Sheng Cui, no matter their struggles, would likely be branded as "deserved."
Although it was still too early to discuss these things, he somehow felt that it wasn't as simple as she had said.
Ye Sangsang watched their expressions and knew that they had taken her words seriously. Her eyes relaxed a bit.
What surprised Ye Sangsang was that the two couldn't wait a moment longer and immediately booked tickets back to Yun City.
She had no choice but to remind them to be careful and try to conceal their whereabouts as much as possible.
The two agreed.
Ye Sangsang was also preparing to leave.
From this moment on, the three of them formed a temporary alliance.
Just as Ye Sangsang was about to reach the door, she turned around and asked the two with a hint of confusion.
"Last night, when I went downstairs, I was kidnapped on the small path below. He was asking about my father, Zhao Qing. Clearly, someone had led him there. I just wanted to ask, do you two know him?"
She added, "He’s a young man."
Li Li glanced at the bandage around Ye Sangsang's neck. She had been a bit puzzled as to why she suddenly had a bandage, but now it seemed it was to hide a wound.
She thought about it and shook her head.
"No, I don't know him."
Jiang Feng's hand paused as he was booking the flight online.
"A young man, could it be the boy who survived the first case? Given the age, he would be around our age."
"I heard from the police that at the time, his mother had taken his younger brother out to buy groceries. He heard the sound of the lock and hid. He was said to be very mischievous, hiding inside the washing machine, wanting to scare his mother by popping out when she opened the lid to wash clothes."
"Unexpectedly, he narrowly escaped disaster and became the first survivor at the scene."
Jiang Feng rambled on about what he knew.
At that time, the boy had been so scared that he was frozen, and after being rescued, he couldn't speak for a long time.
The police had tried various methods but couldn't get any information from him about what had happened at the scene.
All they heard from the boy was "No, no."
They speculated that it was what the boy's mother had said.
Begging for mercy, she had warned the hidden child not to come out.
Jiang Feng felt a tightness in his chest and a lump in his throat as he recounted this.
"Alright, I understand."
Ye Sangsang nodded and turned around.
[Sob sob sob, the victims' families are truly tragic. Even I can't help but want to hurt Zhao Xinxin, even though she wasn't the direct perpetrator.]
[Hearing about the death of his mother and brother, what kind of shadow must that be! Persisting in finding the killer isn't just about justice for his mother and brother, but also for himself, to find closure!]
Every case hides the blood and tears of victims and their families. The words that seem so light are backed by countless painful nights. If it were me, I'd probably never get over it.
The live broadcast room was filled with tears and wailing in the comment section.
Honestly, if it had been them with the knife at Ye Sangsang's neck, could they have restrained themselves from making a move?
But out of kindness, he still chose not to act.
When Ye Sangsang was threatened with a knife before, she hadn’t called the police to arrest the person.
Her decision to let the person go had been met with scattered criticism in the comment section.
At the time, they felt that Ye Sangsang’s action was overly saintly, that Zhao Xinxin was too, she was about to be killed and still didn’t call the police.
It was simply foolish.
Now, hearing Jiang Feng’s words, they understood that this wasn’t saintliness.
It was Zhao Xinxin’s guilt. She felt that her father already owed them so much that she couldn’t continue to wrong them.
Ye Sangsang played her role perfectly, even truly understanding Zhao Xinxin.
In the copy, after bidding farewell to the two, Ye Sangsang took a detour back.
She didn’t ask Li Li and Jiang Feng about their family's situation, as doing so would be like ripping open their wounds and pouring salt on them.
No one could do that.
Li Li had Ye Sangsang’s phone number. Just two and a half hours later, she sent a message saying they had arrived at the airport and were expected to land in Yun City at 5 a.m.
Ye Sangsang, on her end, had pretty much finished her tasks.
If her predictions were correct, the real murderer was probably in the city she was in.
However, she wasn’t sure if there was only one murderer behind it all, so she reminded them to be careful in their investigations and not to expose themselves to the murderer.
If the case was indeed as she suspected, then the murderer behind it was no ordinary criminal, with both high intelligence and ruthless methods. If they realized they were exposed, they might choose to continue killing to cover their tracks.
For this reason, Ye Sangsang had adjusted their investigation steps, telling them to only approach the villager who had revealed the truth to them at the very end.
During the investigation, they should avoid investigating people between the ages of 45 and 55, as according to the police’s age estimation of the perpetrator, plus 15 years, the age range would be within this interval.
The rest was just waiting for the results.
Ye Sangsang jumped the timeline to 7 a.m.
Li Li had already sent a message, and Ye Sangsang, to avoid detection by anyone lurking in the shadows, went about her normal routine of going to work and coming home.
Li Li had taken a sick leave and arranged for deliverymen to come by occasionally, creating the illusion that someone was at home.
Jiang Feng created the impression that he was taking care of Li Li at home.
Before they left, they had also pulled the curtains and such, ensuring that no one would immediately notice their absence.
Going to work was fine for Ye Sangsang; once she sat at her desk, she got to work on her design plans.
By noon, she went out to eat knife-cut noodles, her life still following a regular routine.
In between, she pretended to call Li Li to check on her illness.
Li Li, upon landing and having a short rest, immediately began their visit and investigation.
It was essentially visiting relatives and old neighbors and colleagues, asking about their daily lives back then and any economic matters.
After visiting three households, the two hadn’t gained any information.
This wasn’t surprising; whether in the past or now, each household kept their affairs tightly sealed.
They revealed very little to outsiders, especially when it came to economic movements.
The police had already questioned those with obvious grudges, so the two followed Ye Sangsang’s direction, focusing their investigations on economic matters and some hidden emotional connections.
"Was there anything unusual at your house during that time? Any unusual conversations?"
Li Li looked at Jiang Feng and asked if he had any impressions.
Jiang Feng shook his head. If he remembered, he would have already told the police in charge of the case.
Li Li pursed her lips, and the two got into the rented car to head to the next destination on their list.
The next stop was Third Aunt’s place. She had been very close to their family back then, and after their parents died, Li Li had stayed with Third Aunt for a while.
Third Aunt welcomed Li Li’s visit with open arms, sighing that time had flown by.
"Is Third Aunt’s Husband not home?" Li Li asked.
Third Aunt shook her head. "He’s out playing cards, hardly ever at home."
Li Li quietly sighed in relief. It was better this way, avoiding Third Aunt's Husband, which saved them the trouble of covering up their true intentions.
"Third Aunt, I came this time to ask about my parents’ affairs."
After some contemplation, she finally asked.
Third Aunt looked at Li Li, her hand gently stroking her head, and sighed.
"So much time has passed, you should let it go."
"I can’t let it go. My parents died so unjustly. As their daughter, if I don’t find the killer, then no one will."
Third Aunt looked at Li Li with a gentle expression, "Good child."
Li Li forced a smile and asked, "Third Aunt, before my parents… met their fate, did they know anyone new? Also, how was their relationship back then?"
"This…" Third Aunt hesitated for a moment. After all, it was more than a decade ago, and even those directly involved might not remember clearly.
Li Li kept her mouth shut and watched Third Aunt, waiting patiently for her to recall, hoping to gain some clues.
After about ten seconds, Third Aunt’s eyes suddenly lit up.
"I remember there was. Back then, your parents were both teachers, right? At the time, it was popular to go into business and make money, so they considered one of them continuing to teach while the other went into business, with someone back at home as a safety net."
Li Li nodded. Around the year 2000, this was the case. Looking back now, many successful businessmen had started their ventures during that time.
It was only natural that her parents had such thoughts.
Seeing Li Li nod, Third Aunt continued, "After some discussion, they decided that your father would resign. At the time, your mother even told me that if he made money, what if your father became unfaithful? I tried to comfort your mother, saying it wouldn’t happen."
"However, before he could resign, it…"
At this point, Third Aunt’s mood noticeably darkened, her expression filled with sorrow.
The person who died was her brother from the same parents, and they had been together for more than twenty years. Even after his death for over a decade, she still remembered his voice, appearance, and smile.
Because she remembered, it caused great pain.
Li Li lowered her head, and her eyes immediately turned red.
"By the way, do you know why my dad went into business?"
She didn't mourn for long before realizing something and asked her question.
Ordinary people who quit their teaching jobs would think it over carefully.
Besides, people from their generation would certainly be more methodical, not acting on a whim.
They must have already decided before mentioning resigning.
Third Aunt thought for a moment, "It seems like he was doing some kind of investment with someone, saying it was very profitable, and a lot of money was needed upfront."
Li Li immediately caught the key phrase and quickly asked, "What kind of investment?"
"I don't know that. You know your Third Aunt only has an elementary school education, how would I know about those things!"
Third Aunt shook her head helplessly—even if her husband had mentioned it, she wouldn't have understood anyway.
Li Li knew she couldn't get more information from Third Aunt.
After quickly telling Third Aunt not to mention her visit to anyone, she turned and left.
Third Aunt tried to invite Li Li to stay for dinner, but before she could even finish, Li Li had already refused.
Watching Li Li drive away, Third Aunt sighed and shook her head.
After getting into the car, Li Li shared the information she had obtained with Jiang Feng.
"I think we can directly ask your relatives. See if there's any such thing, and then ask the police officer handling the case to investigate the other family."
If it matches, then the case is definitely problematic.
Jiang Feng nodded and drove to his relatives' place to ask.
Ye Sangsang soon received feedback from Li Li and pondered over the possible scenarios.
If all three families were involved, maybe this was a scam.
Using the lure of huge profits from investments to attract these financially stable families into the scheme and steal their money.
But she couldn't figure out why, if that was the case, they didn't just disappear.
After all, whether now or in the past, scammers usually operate like that—hit and run.
If her guess was right, there was no need to kill anyone.
Was there something else she didn't know about?
Ye Sangsang decided to wait and see, keeping an eye on other leads.
The afternoon passed, and she worked normally, occasionally calling clients to discuss designs.
As time went by, Ye Sangsang quickly got a second lead.
When Jiang Feng was driving to find relatives, he happened to meet a distant relative with whom his family had a relatively loose connection. Through some casual conversation, he learned that his parents had planned to invest in something related to computers.
She had accidentally overheard them talking in a restaurant once because the relationship was too distant, so she didn't greet them, just walked away after hearing a bit.
Looking at the second lead, Ye Sangsang was certain that, apart from these two families, the other one might also have been involved in such a situation.
In the message Li Li sent, there was clearly a sense of trust.
She told Ye Sangsang that the two were planning to meet the investigating police officer from back then.
The police officer hadn't retired yet, and it wouldn't be a problem to look up the information from the other family. He was also very enthusiastic, and if they gave him a new direction, he would definitely help them ask around.
Ye Sangsang didn't comment, but having the police involved was a good thing for them.
Under Li Li's real-time updates, Ye Sangsang received all the information first.
The investigating police officer saw their investigative approach, just as Li Li had expected, and took them to inquire about the other family's situation.
They only focused on this aspect.
It was a good sign.
But there was also bad news: they couldn't find anything, and none of the relatives or friends knew about it.
The police were also helpless.
Maybe it was just a coincidence.
Back then, the police had also investigated, and if all three families had encountered the same thing, the case wouldn't have been defined as random.
Ye Sangsang returned home and sat in her room to think.
The scammers should have contacted this family as well.
But they were too cunning—they probably had all three families keep it a secret, coaxing them into silence, resulting in no one, including relatives, friends, colleagues, or the police, knowing anything.
「No wonder! How can you investigate something you don't know about!」
「Finally got some lead, but it's broken here, what a bummer!」
「Please, Sis Sangsang, I must know the truth of this case! Sob sob sob, give the victims justice!」
Ye Sangsang grabbed a pen and started scribbling on paper. After a while, she circled a location.
She picked up her phone and dialed Li Li's number.
Li Li was in a state of anxiety, and seeing Ye Sangsang's call, she almost instantly answered.
"Go and ask Jiang Feng's relatives, where the restaurant was where his father used to entertain clients. Check if the restaurant is still there and if the owner is still the same. Maybe you can find some clues."
It was the last hope. Whether the restaurant was still there, whether the owner was the same, or if the former staff members remembered anything.
The chance was slim, but without trying, they would never get an answer.
After hearing Ye Sangsang's call, Li Li, without even hanging up, told Jiang Feng.
Jiang Feng immediately agreed and asked the relative for the phone number to inquire.
The good news was that the restaurant had been open for over ten years and was doing quite well, with no signs of closing down.
After getting the information, the two immediately headed to the restaurant.
Li Li was very nervous, fearing they wouldn't get any leads.
Ye Sangsang didn't comfort Li Li but instead told them how to ask.
These were interrogation techniques she had learned from being a police officer, to help them avoid some pitfalls.
Li Li listened carefully, and now she fully trusted Ye Sangsang.
The fact that two individuals from almost incompatible backgrounds were now working together was something she found quite incredible.
The area wasn't big, and within ten minutes, they arrived at the restaurant.
Evening was a busy time, so they directly asked the front desk to see the owner.
The restaurant wasn't large, and the owner was always on-site.
Following Ye Sangsang's instructions, Li Li showed the owner photos of her parents and Jiang Feng's father, asking if he had seen them before.
The owner shook his head, saying he hadn't, but mentioned there was a server who had worked there for over ten years and was now the manager, and his memory was still good.
During the conversation, Li Li shed a few tears to sell her desperation, and the owner, feeling sorry for her, kindly called the manager over to ask.
In the expectant eyes of Li Li and Jiang Feng, the manager nodded.
Seeing this, Li Li then showed the manager a photo of another victim and asked if he had seen them.
In the eager gazes of the two, after a long moment of recognition, the manager nodded assuredly.
"I remember it quite clearly. The person who accompanied them that time insisted on making me his sworn brother, saying he would take me to make money. Because he sounded so convincing, I even gave him a bottle of wine."
The manager hesitated briefly before mentioning what he remembered about the person.
Throughout his career, it was the first time he had ever given someone a bottle of wine.
Back then, he was just a waiter, and that bottle of wine cost him quite a bit, causing him a lot of heartache for quite some time.
Li Li noticed a problem and immediately asked, "All of them, all these people, were with that person?"
The manager thought for a moment and nodded, "I paid attention. Later on, he just stopped coming. At the time, I thought maybe I had been scammed."
Li Li and Jiang Feng exchanged glances, both seeing the excitement in each other's eyes.
After briefly inquiring about the appearance, they sincerely thanked the manager and the owner before leaving.
Back in the car, Li Li immediately called Ye Sangsang to report the situation.
"Do you think he could be the killer?"
"Don't rush to conclusions. We need to gather more information. But for safety, you can inform the police."
Ye Sangsang advised.
Li Li agreed, and after dinner, they decided not to go home but instead return to the hotel to communicate with the police and organize the clues. Tomorrow morning, they planned to visit Zhao Xinxin's mother, Sheng Cui.
Sheng Cui could reach Zhao Xinxin's aunt and obtain information about her ex-boyfriend from back then.
Ye Sangsang agreed.
She checked the time and then skipped ahead in the timeline.
Sitting on the bus, she checked her phone.
It was now less than 33 hours before Zhao Xinxin's time of death.
Glancing around the bus, Ye Sangsang began to recall the people from the past few days and today, checking for any overlaps.
This scenario was quite friendly to her—not too tiring or spooky, just requiring some brainpower.
「A new day, and the time of death draws closer.」
「Li Li and Jiang Feng, keep working hard! Find the truth!」
【By the way, I think the simulation of the case has become more realistic at this moment. Haha, even though Li Li and Jiang Feng are NPCs, they feel like real, flesh-and-blood characters. It's heartwarming to see the truth being uncovered through their efforts.】
Another day of investigation unfolded. Ye Sangsang used her break time after work to call Sheng Cui and asked her to cooperate with Li Li and Jiang Feng.
Sheng Cui already felt guilty about them, so even without Ye Sangsang's request, she would have cooperated.
She went to visit Zhao Xinxin's Aunt.
The two families lived far apart, so it took some time to get there.
Zhao Xinxin's Aunt had broken up with her boyfriend and later married a factory worker, who later became unemployed and started a breakfast shop.
When they arrived, the Aunt was extremely busy.
Seeing Sheng Cui, she didn't want to pay much attention.
Because of her brother's (Zhao Qing) past, her husband and son didn't respect her much, feeling ashamed to have a convict as their brother-in-law and uncle.
Sheng Cui took the initiative to help out, and only after the busy period was over did they sit down together.
The Aunt's Husband worked odd jobs outside, while the breakfast shop was run by the Aunt alone.
“What do you want?”
Realizing that Sheng Cui had taken the initiative to help, the Aunt couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh, so she asked with a stern face.
“I want to know where your former boyfriend is now, what he's doing, and if you have any contact information for him.”
Sheng Cui didn't beat around the bush, directly asking her question.
The Aunt frowned and looked at her, then at the two others nearby. “Why are you asking about this? I don't have any contact with him. You know if my husband found out, there would be a big fight.”
She didn't know that Li Li and Jiang Feng were the families of the victims, as the incident had occurred fifteen years ago.
“You must at least know where he lived back then, right?”
The Aunt wasn't sure what Sheng Cui was after, but after some thought, she provided an address.
After Li Li took notes, Sheng Cui stood up and left without hesitation.
When the Aunt asked, Sheng Cui didn't divulge anything.
The three of them rushed to the address and began asking about the current whereabouts of the Aunt's Ex-boyfriend.
They also inquired with the neighbors about his current situation.
With their local accents, the neighbors didn't suspect anything and gave a rough overview.
Ye Sangsang quickly learned about the Aunt's Ex-boyfriend's situation. Coincidentally, he had made a fortune fifteen years ago and was now a small businessman.
It was said that he worked for a big boss and earned a hefty monthly income.
Soon, they obtained information about that boss.
Based on Sheng Cui's memory, this boss was the one who, through the Aunt's Ex-boyfriend's introduction, had asked Zhao Qing to transport goods for him.
The truth began to unfold before Ye Sangsang.
She was certain that this was a case of framing and false accusations.
Zhao Qing was from start to finish just a scapegoat, used and then discarded. After the murder, there was no other investigative direction, and the case was left unsolved.
Back then, cell phones were rare, and communication mostly relied on word of mouth.
The Aunt's Ex-boyfriend, if investigated by the police, would simply deny everything, and the police would have no other evidence.
As for why the three families were killed.
Ye Sangsang speculated that the true culprit had some connections with one of these families.
They deceived them and, as it became harder to cover their tracks, decided that fewer informed people meant less risk and decided to kill them all to silence them.
Or perhaps the true culprit had profitable local businesses and leaving wasn't an option, so they hired someone to eliminate the witnesses.
They could take the money and not worry about the aftermath.
However, there were still some loose ends Ye Sangsang couldn't quite connect.
She wanted to know what had happened to Zhao Qing—why he had returned to apologize to Sheng Cui and then hastily fled.
Also, how did Zhao Qing's blood, and even his semen, end up at the crime scene? The latter would be difficult to obtain.
Finally, did Zhao Xinxin witness the murder and get killed to silence her?
Once the lead about the Aunt's Ex-boyfriend was confirmed, there was no need to dig deeper.
It was too dangerous—he could very well be the mastermind behind it all.
Lastly, there were the villagers, and they could also try to find the remains.
Ye Sangsang moved time forward in her mind. Evening approached, and the three investigators were filled with excitement. They decided not to rest and made their way back to the village from fifteen years ago.
During this time, Li Li handed over all the information they had gathered to the police, including their entire thought process and what they were planning to do next.
They had already realized that someone might be watching them, so their priority was to ensure their own safety.
The police who had originally worked on this cold case learned that new leads had emerged and quickly organized a comprehensive investigation.
That afternoon, they interviewed the restaurant manager and created a profile of the criminal.
After confirming the suspect, they entered the information into the surveillance network to locate him.
Simultaneously, they investigated the Aunt's Ex-boyfriend and his boss.
Having done all this, the police hurried to the village that night to search for Zhao Qing's remains.
The villager who had provided the information became the first person to be questioned.
After reviewing all the feedback, Ye Sangsang got up and went to the bathroom to freshen up.
If they could uncover the truth before the scheduled time of the murder, everything else would be much simpler.
There would even be time to set up an ambush.
She opened the door and walked toward the bathroom. As she reached the center of the living room,
"Knock knock knock."
There was a sharp knocking on the door of the shared rental house.
Ye Sangsang glanced over, her expression tense.
Her roommates in the shared house wouldn't knock—they had their own keys and could just let themselves in.
Could it be that the mastermind behind the murders had found out about the investigation and was now coming to kill her early?
