Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 240

“What can I do, Consultant Lin?”

Just before Lin Chen left, he specifically asked him to come down the mountain together. Li Nuo was both excited and at a loss for what to do.

He stood at the foot of the small hill, breathing rapidly to take in the fresh air around him, but the nauseating smell of blood and gore from earlier still lingered. He didn’t even dare to close his eyes because once he quieted down, the overwhelming fear of death would come rushing back. So he could only desperately follow closely behind the person in front of him, fearing he would be left behind.

“Help me find a place to stay.” Lin Chen reached the car at the foot of the mountain and turned around, saying so.

Li Nuo was stunned for a moment. The consultant before him seemed completely unaffected by the brutal and inhumane scene from earlier, except for his pale complexion. But there were moments when Li Nuo felt that grief was engraved in his bones, that it could easily find outlets for emotional expression, and it couldn’t be considered nothing.

He quickly sniffed and hurriedly asked, “What kind of place are you looking for?”

At the same time, an elderly officer in the car at the foot of the hill hurriedly opened the door and nervously asked Lin Chen, “Did you catch the person?”

Lin Chen shook his head at the old officer first, then turned to him and said, “Anything will do.”

Upon hearing this, the old man seemed to have guessed something, and a look of terror quickly appeared on his face, accompanied by deep guilt that seemed to weigh him down. Li Nuo didn’t know what had happened between them, but it definitely wasn’t something good.

Just as Li Nuo thought Lin Chen would coldly nod to the old man and pass by him, he was very surprised to see Lin Chen deliberately stop in his tracks.

The young police consultant stood in front of the old man, appearing tall and imposing. He slightly bowed his body, one hand holding the old man’s weathered hand, while using the other hand to pat his back forcefully. His tone was gentle but carried a comforting power. “Do you remember what I said earlier? I was serious. It’s not your fault. There are many people who should bear responsibility for this, but it’s not your turn for now.”

The old man trembled at his words, looking up towards the direction of the mountaintop with a distant and teary gaze.

Lin Chen didn’t say anything more. He opened the rear door of the car and took out a stack of files enclosed in a leather document bag from inside.

Li Nuo noticed that the name “Shen Lian” was written on the paper bag. He shivered once again, only to see Lin Chen quickly turn his gaze back. That look instantly brought him back to his senses. It turned out that when the consultant said to find a place, he meant immediately and without delay.

He hurriedly turned back up the mountain. Though the mountain breeze was gentle around him, he became nervous. The images of the elderly people with brown bloodstains on their necks resurfaced in his mind one after another. But now wasn’t the time. He suppressed the urge to vomit once again, looked around, and realized that the elderly lady who had been sitting under the tree enjoying the breeze had disappeared. Perhaps she had gone up the mountain to see what was happening.

In his memory, there was a small shack where villagers stored thatched grass and miscellaneous items. So he ran up the path on the right side and indeed saw that shack. However, unlike his memory, this makeshift brick house was extremely dilapidated and didn’t even have a door.

He turned back to Lin Chen once again and asked, “Should I go find a resident’s house instead?”

Lin Chen shook his head. “This place will do.”

Li Nuo didn’t know what Lin Chen intended to do, but he rushed into the house ahead of him. However, the foul smell of the thatched grass inside made him take a step back.

With a snap, a dim yellow light bulb lit up, but the light only illuminated a small area of the broken brick floor, leaving the rest of the space in a gloomy haze.

At some point, Lin Chen was standing in the doorway with a calm expression. He let go of the switch on the wall, and, for a moment, Li Nuo felt that this rundown and drafty house was a true reflection of this psychology consultant.

But Lin Chen’s actions quickly pushed that thought out of his mind. The consultant entered the shack and swiftly took out the papers from the document bag, placing them casually on the pile of grass, the broken cabinet, and the floor.

Those were all the materials related to Shen Lian saved in her personal file, from birth records to medical reports, from report cards to teacher evaluations. There were even a few crayon drawings and handcrafts that were probably submitted for the school’s comprehensive education assessment.

Each item represented a clear trace of important events in a person’s life. With each bend of Lin Chen’s body, they were slowly presented in this stuffy and damp old house.

Finally, a large expanse of white paper formed a sea of documents before Li Nuo’s eyes. When the wind blew, ripples seemed to appear under the dim yellow light.

Lin Chen took a step back, leaned on a low brick, and sat down.

Li Nuo tried his best not to associate the low brick wall with a fence of a livestock pen, nor did he recall the previous purpose of this dilapidated house. He followed Lin Chen’s gaze and looked back at the uneven sea of paper materials, contemplating whether he should go out and return this space to Lin Chen.

He silently took two steps back, accidentally stepping on a piece of broken brick that produced a clanging sound, breaking the silence.

Lin Chen’s gaze followed the sound, and Li Nuo quickly said, “I’m sorry, Consultant Lin. I’ll leave immediately.”

“Just a moment…”

Li Nuo suddenly looked up, but when he looked towards Lin Chen, Lin Chen wasn’t looking at him.

The consultant sitting on the pile of bricks lowered his head slightly, subconsciously holding his phone in his hand. His black hair hung down, revealing a fair nape above his collar. His pale fingers lightly brushed over the call records, as if he was about to dial someone’s number. A trace of vulnerability or longing appeared on his face, and then he paused for a few seconds. Unexpectedly, Lin Chen put away his phone and looked at him again.

With his dark and calm gaze, Lin Chen said to him, “Stay, and let’s talk.”

……

The command center at the Municipal Bureau.

Xing Conglian still maintained the same position as when he entered the room, holding his phone. The content of the previous call was that the traffic police in Yulin District had already found the abandoned van left by Shen Lian, and forensic officers were now on their way there. In the brief moment he took the phone away from his ear, he inadvertently glanced at the call records. Lin Chen’s name was the last entry on the phone’s screen, with the bottom half obscured by the number keys, only revealing half of the name.

An inexplicable emotion welled up in Xing Conglian’s heart; an emotion that he didn’t even have time to carefully ponder at that moment. His fingertip gently touched the half name of Lin Chen, but in the end, he didn’t dial the number.

……

“What… do you want to talk about?” Li Nuo carefully avoided the papers on the floor and didn’t dare to get too close to Lin Chen.

“Ask me questions. Anything will do.”

Lin Chen sat on the fence like this, with his toes touching the ground. There was a bit of distance between his heels and the floor, looking like an ordinary student.

“Why do you want me to ask questions? Won’t it disturb you like this?” Li Nuo gathered his courage and asked.

“No, because asking questions is the best heuristic strategy for problem-solving,” Lin Chen replied.

Li Nuo squatted down, finding it difficult to understand what a heuristic* strategy was; it was probably something related to psychology. But since Lin Chen asked him to ask questions, and he had a lot of questions in his mind, why not ask?

*Any approach to problem solving or self-discovery that employs a tactical method that’s not guaranteed to be optimal, perfect, or rational, but is nevertheless sufficient for reaching an immediate, short-term goal or approximation. Such techniques include trial and error, a rule of thumb, or an educated guess.

“Why did you lay out Shen Lian’s files? What are you trying to do?” In the quiet and dilapidated shack, Li Nuo pointed to the vast sea of paper materials and asked.

“It’s Shen Lian’s past in front of you. I want to deduce her future.”

“How can you deduce that? Can you really know what she’s going to do next just based on Shen Lian’s personal files?” Li Nuo was astonished, but he suddenly remembered how Lin Chen was able to pinpoint the exact location of the nursing home on the mountaintop. He immediately wanted to swallow back the question he had just asked. However, to his surprise, Lin Chen patiently answered him, “By understanding her past to speculate on her personality traits, and by using her personality traits to judge her thinking logic and behavioral characteristics in a given environment. Human choices seem random and irrational, as if each of us has free will, but in reality, it’s just an illusion created by the one above.”

As Lin Chen spoke, he raised his index finger and pointed at the ceiling. Li Nuo knew that the one above referred to a higher power. He shivered, feeling dizzy from the flickering of the light, and couldn’t help but say, “I’m a materialist. This sounds too mystical.”

“Who said it wasn’t?” Lin Chen replied calmly.

Just then, Li Nuo noticed several drawings that Shen Lian had made as a child in the corner. He suddenly remembered the scene from the live stream when Lin Chen and Li Jingtian faced each other across the wooden table. He had watched the entire live stream, and the summary was that Lin Chen asked Li Jingtian to draw a picture, and then miraculously guessed the exact location where Li Jingtian had hidden the incriminating evidence.

Thinking about this, he asked, “What about those drawings? Can you tell where Shen Lian might go now based on those drawings?”

Lin Chen also looked over. “Those are works from Shen Lian’s childhood. Art can indeed reflect a child’s inner world, but unfortunately, I can’t.” Stepping down from the pile of bricks, Lin Chen walked through the narrow path between papers and picked up the drawings from the floor, as if he could see through people’s hearts. He looked back at Li Nuo and said, “The success of the drawing test I gave to Li Jingtian relied heavily on modern scientific methods that you didn’t see, such as pressure sensors, and so on. Now that Shen Lian is not in front of me, I can’t stimulate her to react by asking various questions.”

“Are you saying it’s more difficult now than it was back then?” Li Nuo scratched his head.

“Yes, and Shen Lian is far more dangerous than Li Jingtian. That’s the difference between a terrorist and an ordinary psychological deviant,” Lin Chen answered decisively. Then he looked at Li Nuo as if waiting for the next question.

Li Nuo took a deep breath, and the scene of the frenzied massacre in the nursing home once again surfaced in his mind. Those images kept looping in his head, like a nightmare that he couldn’t escape for a lifetime. He shook his head desperately, trying to calm himself with a question. He pointed to the image in Lin Chen’s hand and asked, “What was Shen Lian’s inner world like when she was a child?”

It was a sketch, depicting a group of children sitting inside a house. It seemed like Shen Lian had drawn a birthday party, with a messy cake on the table. The picture appeared dark and made people feel very uncomfortable.

“She was very talented. She drew this when she was eight years old.” Lin Chen casually placed the drawing on a stack of grass and stared at the paper. “Her drawings of houses were not two-dimensional, and she used overlapping strategies, omitting invisible lines. She even used perspective when depicting the structure of the house, showing that the objects she drew extended in three-dimensional space. She is a genius, or rather, her spatial thinking ability surpasses that of children her age.” Lin Chen continued, absorbed in his own thoughts. “This reflects her high intelligence quotient. That’s why I doubted her low academic performance before the second year of middle school. After eighth grade, her grades improved significantly. I deduced from this abnormal period that Shen Lian might have experienced something that caused a major transformation.”

“Is her bad experience related to the nursing home then?” Li Nuo asked.

“No, it’s more complicated than that,” Lin Chen replied.

Li Nuo felt a bit stuck, but then the profound and penetrating gaze of Lin Chen hit him again. He could only continue asking questions. “The picture she drew seems very isolated and terrifying. Could her poor academic performance be due to being ostracized at school? Would she seek revenge on teachers and classmates?”

After Li Nuo blurted out all his questions, he realized his presumption. How could Lin Chen not have thought of things that even he could guess? Lin Chen must have already ruled out this possibility! As he thought this, he saw Lin Chen turning around and saying seriously, “Is that what you think?”

Li Nuo nodded, not knowing how he became the one answering questions.

Lin Chen asked, “If I told you that the person Shen Lian despises the most is her former neighbor Chen Jianguo, would you speculate that she wants to seek revenge on Chen Jianguo?”

“That’s definitely her seeking revenge on the neighbor. Where does her neighbor work? Should we notify the parties involved to be cautious?”

“Why couldn’t Shen Lian possibly seek revenge on Zhourui Pharmaceutical? After all, they ruined her plans, didn’t they?”

Li Nuo was once again caught off guard. “That’s also a possibility—a very likely one!”

As he finished speaking, Lin Chen suddenly turned around and stared at him intently.

Li Nuo was startled and quickly apologized, “I… I’m sorry. I really don’t understand this.”

“No, you understand the psychology of the masses very well. Thank you.” Lin Chen lowered his head, took out his phone from his pocket, and made a call.

“Do you know where Shen Lian might go?” Li Nuo asked.

“To a place that she thinks, and I think, she wouldn’t go.”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 239

It was hell.

Although Lin Chen had never had a precise imagination of such an unreal concept, he thought that if hell truly existed in the world, it should look like this.

The entire room was quiet and tidy, like an ordinary room in a nursing home. The window was half-open, and the curtains were partially drawn, with a gentle breeze lifting the hem of the curtains. Bright sunlight fell on the coffee table beside the bed, seemingly without any dark areas, except for the two elderly people on the bed.

However, to be precise, they were neither living nor human, but two corpses.

The bodies were covered by two thin white sheets neatly tucked, aligning perfectly with the collarbones of the elderly.

And a little higher up, there were necks resembling dead tree bark.

Of course, the description of “dead tree bark” was Lin Chen’s imagination, as the necks of the two elderly people had been slit open, forming deep and dark gashes. Blood flowed out from the wounds, soaking their necks and trickling down, staining the snow-white bedsheets, forming a large and vibrant red ink blot. Under the sunlight, the brownish-red blood appeared to emit steam, as if it could evaporate the shape of their souls.

Lin Chen didn’t know how he managed to approach the bedside, but it seemed that human potential was always greater than he had imagined.

As he got closer, he realized why he could still sense the presence of the living.

Because the eyes of the deceased were open, and the two elderly people gazed peacefully at the ceiling. The whites of their eyes were tinged with a yellow-brown color, while their pupils were completely black, devoid of any emotions, hollow as if they could consume one’s soul. It was as if the cut at their throat wasn’t lethal; the real cause of death was the long-lasting, impoverished, and tasteless life they had endured. They should have died long ago but were forcibly kept in this world.

The wind from the lakeside and the fields blew in through the window, carrying a faint, scorching scent that could only come from long exposure to the sun. Lin Chen didn’t know if he stumbled, but he forcefully grasped the bedside table, standing in front of the two elderly people, looking at them intently.

At that moment, all of Lin Chen’s senses were extremely sharp, even magnified several times.

The police officers, who arrived a bit later, rushed in with their footsteps resounding like thunder.

Doors from the end of the corridor were being opened one after another, with brief pauses between each door, and then another one would follow. Gradually, the sound of doors opening became slower and slower, as if no one had the courage to continue.

In the end, all footsteps stopped outside the door of the room where Lin Chen stood.

Lin Chen lifted his head and saw many pairs of shocked, incredulous, and desperate eyes at the door. The emotions in those gazes were too complex. They hesitated for a moment, and each person’s throat seemed choked, unable to speak first.

What happened? How could things turn out like this…

And what really snapped Lin Chen back to reality was the sound of footsteps that came last. It was the young officer, the one who had rushed into the nursing home ahead of everyone else. Lin Chen remembered that his name was Li Nuo.

Li Nuo’s eyes were bloodshot, and he covered his mouth. The intense smell of blood was obviously too overwhelming for an ordinary patrol officer. Lin Chen momentarily thought that Li Nuo might run out and vomit. However, to his surprise, Li Nuo managed to hold himself together. With a hoarse voice that indicated he had already cried for a while, Li Nuo said to him, “Consultant Lin…”

Li Nuo’s voice sounded helpless yet determined to the extreme.

Lin Chen shuddered, regaining his clarity. He looked at the many eyes at the door once again and realized that Xing Conglian wasn’t there, so he had to do something.

He lowered his head, covered the eyes of the elderly with his hands, gently closing their eyelids. Then, he walked towards the door and said in a clear voice, “Check if there are any survivors inside the nursing home, notify the hospital and emergency department, and report to the city bureau.”

After finishing his instructions, Lin Chen nodded to everyone and walked straight out.

“Where are you going?” someone called out to him.

“Me?” Lin Chen put his hands in his pockets, turned back, and said, “I’m going to find her.”

……

Before the incident occurred, Huang Ze was sitting on one side of the long circular office desk, with Xing Conglian on the other side.

Xing Conglian lit a cigarette, adopting a tough attitude. His phone was placed on the corner of the table, and he didn’t hand over his communication devices as requested.

Huang Ze held a pen and spoke to Xing Conglian in the coldest tone he could muster, “Xing Conglian, you have been temporarily suspended. Don’t act like you don’t know anything. It’s better for everyone if you clarify the situation as soon as possible.”

As he spoke, he looked directly into Xing Conglian’s dark eyes. Xing Conglian’s gaze remained calm, and only he knew why he still had such composure at a time like this. But Huang Ze was well aware that Xing Conglian had no intention of answering his question.

The ash of Xing Conglian’s cigarette fell bit by bit, and smoke rose lazily in the silence. With a steady pace, Xing Conglian finished smoking before the cigarette was extinguished.

Before that cigarette was finished, Xing Conglian even took a glance at the phone on the table, which remained as calm as ever. Huang Ze knew that Lin Chen hadn’t called him.

When this thought crossed his mind, Xing Conglian suddenly stood up. He stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray, picked up his phone, kicked the chair backward, and grabbed his coat that was thrown over the chair before walking towards the door.

Xing Conglian’s attitude made Huang Ze realize that he had only been waiting for “Lao Wu” during the time it took to smoke a cigarette.

Caught off guard by Xing Conglian’s swift actions, Huang Ze didn’t have time to react before he reached the door. His subordinate stood there, but how could a clerk who struggled to pass the physical exam be a match for an officer like Xing Conglian? Before the two of them could exchange any words, Huang Ze’s subordinate winced in pain, clutching his arm, and the door was easily opened.

“Xing Conglian, stop right there!” Huang Ze stood up and slammed the table.

However, Xing Conglian didn’t even look at him and took out his phone to make a call, as if all the warnings and admonitions from earlier were meaningless words, and as if Huang Ze himself didn’t exist.

Huang Ze wanted to say something more, but Xing Conglian had already disappeared from his sight. Holding the phone, Huang Ze chased after him, regretting his choice of sitting in the wrong position in the office just a few steps away.

This was the main office area of the Hongjing Municipal Police Bureau, where most of the officers worked. With so many people coming and going, it was clear that most of them were familiar with Xing Conglian.

As Xing Conglian walked down the long corridor, busy officers on both sides either nodded in acknowledgment or stopped and saluted him. For a moment, whispers of “Captain Xing” or similar words filled the entire office.

“Xing Conglian, you are being disrespectful!”

Huang Ze almost ran to catch up with him.

At that moment, Xing Conglian put down his phone, evidently having not connected the call. Instead, he grabbed someone and asked, “Where is Director Wu?”

The officer quickly pointed out the direction to Xing Conglian. He accelerated his pace and walked towards the temporary command center at the end of the hall.

“I was just disrespectful towards Inspector Huang,” Xing Conglian replied with both hands in his pockets, using a nonchalant yet remarkably steady tone. “Does Inspector Huang represent the rule of law?”

Huang Ze was frustrated. “You should know that I am giving you face right now. I could arrest you on the spot.”

As they spoke, they reached the entrance of the command center. Suddenly, Xing Conglian stopped and turned back to look at Huang Ze. “You can try.”

Huang Ze realized for the first time that, besides Lin Chen, there were others in this world who excelled at verbal sparring.

He took a deep breath, and just as Xing Conglian placed his hand on the door handle, Huang Ze held his wrist, preventing him from opening the door.

But this simple action seemed to trigger a terrifying signal.

In the next moment, the office was filled with the continuous ringing of phones. Then, the sound of rushing footsteps echoed throughout the building as many people started running. There was an overwhelming sense of tension, as if a stampede of a thousand horses was taking place.

Everyone’s face showed an expression that something terrible was happening, but no one had the courage to speak up about what had actually occurred.

Many officers crowded at the entrance of the command center, obviously trying to enter or exit to deliver reports, but they couldn’t because Huang Ze and Xing Conglian were blocking the way.

In that instant, Xing Conglian seemed to realize something. His gaze turned cold, and with a disdainful expression, he turned to Huang Ze and said, “Let go.”

Huang Ze’s breath hitched, and the command center door was pushed open from the inside out.

Xing Conglian’s immediate superior, Director Wu, was standing in the doorway.

Seeing his subordinate, Director Wu abandoned his previously reserved demeanor. Clearly, whatever had just happened had also left this old man feeling overwhelmed. He said to Xing Conglian, “You’re here?”

“I’m here,” Xing Conglian stood at the doorway, responding with a bold and steady posture.

The old man nodded.

Xing Conglian continued, “I have two things to discuss, so I’ll be brief.”

“Go ahead.”

“First, what crime have I committed?”

The old man hesitated for a moment, not expecting Xing Conglian to come in such a forceful manner, and the first question was surprisingly simple. Nevertheless, he succinctly answered, “Bribery, involving Zhourui Pharmaceutical.”

A look of disbelief briefly flashed across Xing Conglian’s face. After a moment, he furrowed his brow, as if suppressing a feeling of disgust deep within, yet remained calm as he said, “You know I couldn’t have done that.”

“I know.” Director Wu nodded solemnly, then took a step back, pointing towards the room where the ringing of phones persisted, signaling for Xing Conglian to enter. He said, “So, it’s yours now.”

“What happened?” Xing Conglian didn’t decline; only asked while walking. The officers blocked at the door followed with their respective materials and crowded into the room.

“Huihe Nursing Home. None of the 38 elderly residents survived.” The old director stopped in his tracks, speaking each word distinctly.

In an instant, the entire office seemed to be under a spell as everyone froze, and everything turned icy cold.

Xing Conglian also came to a halt. Huang Ze clearly saw a multitude of emotions flicker in Xing Conglian’s eyes, and he was certain that many of those emotions were related to Lin Chen. But what surprised him was that Xing Conglian didn’t immediately take out his phone to call Lin Chen. Instead, he contemplated for a moment and then decisively said, “Find the person in charge of the Transportation Department. Report on the surveillance situation at the checkpoints and the last known location of Shen Lian.”

“Yulin District, Zhongming Road intersection, south to north lane.” One of the officers near the door stood up swiftly and reported to Xing Conglian without any hesitation.

“The Yulin District officers will secure the southwest position, while the remaining personnel stay on standby.” Xing Conglian paused and asked again, “What is the specific situation in Hongshu Town?”

“Reporting, Captain Xing!” Another officer stood up. “Currently, nine officers, including the consultant from the Criminal Investigation Team, have arrived at the scene in Hongshu Town. The situation is as follows…”

The voices of inquiries and the subsequent responses echoed rapidly, as Xing Conglian seemed to have no need for contemplation. Command after command fell swiftly and with extreme clarity.

Huang Ze lowered his head, lost in thought.

“Captain Xing must undergo an investigation. It is a direct order from the Department!” A voice of admonishment came from behind him at that moment.

Huang Ze turned around and found his subordinate, who had been pulling at his arm, urgently speaking.

At that time, Xing Conglian had just finished answering a question from an officer about whether he would be heading to Hongshu Town.

“No, I won’t go for now,” was Xing Conglian’s response.

Huang Ze’s heart shook violently because of his subordinate’s question, and the entire office fell silent as everyone looked toward his position.

Finally, he made up his mind, raised his head, looked at Xing Conglian, and asked, “What do you need me to do?”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 238

The top office of the Municipal Police Bureau.

Director Wu, the immediate superior of Xing Conglian, stood side by side with Director Dong in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

The elderly man, nearing retirement, held a lukewarm teacup in his hands. His eyes were half-closed, seemingly drifting off to sleep, oblivious to the commotion downstairs.

The entrance of the municipal bureau was already crowded with reporters, capturing every movement of the officers coming and going on camera.

Dong Hua looked down. His previous question got no response, so he had no choice but to raise his voice. “Teacher, you shouldn’t underestimate the situation.”

Yes, everyone knew that he came from the provincial capital, representing the highest authority, but in reality, among the people present, he still had to listen to the other’s opinion.

Once a teacher, always a father figure*. That was probably the meaning behind it.

*Proverb that conveys the idea that the role of a teacher goes beyond mere instruction and extends to a lifelong responsibility and care for their students, similar to that of a father and his child.

“I’m just closing my eyes, not underestimating it.”

The old man standing beside him half-opened his eyes, held the cup, and symbolically took a sip.

“Just now, when I wanted to detain him, why didn’t you let me do it?”

Dong Hua stood with his hands behind his back. He lowered his head as he asked that. It was obviously uncomfortable to have the CEO of Zhourui Pharmaceutical show off his power in front of him and leave.

Director Wu shook his head. “After so many years, you still like to exert your energy in these matters.”

“Since Zhourui Pharmaceutical is a company involved in this case, and their person in charge came to the police station to turn themselves in, isn’t it only natural for us to detain the relevant personnel?” Dong Hua furrowed his brows. He didn’t understand.

“It is within reason, but that doesn’t mean it should be done.” Director Wu Lao’s half-bald head had no hair left, making it a bit dazzling in the sunlight.

“I don’t understand.”

“The person in charge of the company voluntarily came to you to admit the problem. Isn’t this what you wanted? On one hand, he is responsible for the issue, but on the other hand, he is also a conscientious member of the public who provided leads for solving the case and a victimized company. It wouldn’t look good if such a person is detained on the spot by the police.”

Dong Hua frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Take it slow. By now, the people from the Drug Administration should have arrived, right? Since Zhourui’s people like to make the news, then we, on the other hand, can make a big splash.” Wu Tianming looked at the other side. “But before that, let’s make some space for our grassroots detectives.”

……

Inside the Jeep’s cabin.

The in-car radio was still broadcasting news updates. The news had now shifted to sporadic follow-up reports, including analysis from pharmaceutical experts and strategies for families to cope.

As he listened to the information, Xing Conglian’s thoughts were focused on how to ensure the safety of everyone while successfully controlling the situation at the nursing home.

It was highly likely that Shen Lian had already escaped, but there was also a possibility that she had chosen to stay there.

If she had left, which main roads should the local police guard or focus their control on?

Finally, he lowered the volume of the radio and dialed the phone number of the police officer in charge of the Hongshu Town Police Station, which Huihe Nursing Home belonged to.

……

The Huihe Nursing Home in Hongshu Town was about 25 kilometers away from Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant. According to the navigation software, it would take about 30 minutes to drive there.

Fortunately, the traffic wasn’t heavy at the moment, so they encountered no obstacles along the way.

The advantage of having an experienced old police officer by his side was that he knew all the roads in the city, including the towns, like the back of his hand. He could quickly find the best driving route.

Lao Bian had a serious expression as he stepped on the accelerator with a determined gaze. His face bore the distinct lines of a seasoned detective who had weathered the wind and sun over the years.

Lin Chen glanced at the old police officer who was driving and knew that he must have a lot of questions after the commotion in the shop and the subsequent news, but due to his stubborn nature, he kept his thoughts to himself.

The traffic light ahead turned red, and the old police officer slammed on the brakes. He took out a cigarette from his pocket and then reached out, fumbling on the dashboard as if looking for a lighter. Lin Chen handed him a lighter from his pocket.

“You don’t smoke, do you?” Lao Bian turned his head and asked.

Lin Chen shook his head and simply said, “It’s for someone else.”

Lao Bian lit the cigarette, took a deep drag, and after making up his mind, he spoke with his arm trembling slightly. However, the hand gripping the steering wheel remained steady. Lin Chen listened quietly as the other person said, “Shen Lian didn’t lie back then, did she?”

Lao Bian’s arm trembled, but his grip on the steering wheel remained steady. Lin Chen listened quietly. “After talking with all of you, I’ve been thinking about that girl from back then. If I had been more patient with her, would none of these things have happened afterwards?”

Lin Chen pondered for a moment, looked ahead at the road, and answered, “There are things that we don’t know until we apprehend Shen Lian. But there’s one thing I am certain of, and it’s also something that has struck me deeply recently.”

“What kind of thing?”

“I suddenly realized that in this world, good-hearted people always rush to take responsibility, while the selfish ones prefer to shirk it. If they can escape unscathed with no damage to themselves, they consider it even better.”

Lin Chen didn’t know if his words could console the old police officer who was burdened by guilt. All he knew was that this might not be comforting at all; it was something that was happening all the time.

……

When Li Nuo received a call from Xing Conglian, he felt both nervous and excited.

He was a police officer on the outskirts of Hongjing, usually dealing with trivial matters in the neighborhood and countryside, such as minor thefts and disputes.

When he was first transferred here, he was full of passion and wanted to make a difference. But in less than six months, he had already realized the reality before him. Unless he was transferred elsewhere, he would never be able to achieve any significant accomplishments or receive any commendations in his lifetime.

Not long ago, news of the events happening in Hongjing reached him, and he was worried about his grandfather. His grandfather had always had cardiovascular problems, and he seemed to be taking medication similar to Zhourui’s. According to the news, there was a high possibility that something might happen to his grandfather… Li Nuo dared not think further.

As a result, Xing Conglian called.

Li Nuo knew who Xing Conglian was.

He was the captain of the city’s criminal investigation division, and in recent years, he had solved several major cases in a row. Li Nuo had gathered as much information as possible on each case and carefully studied them, becoming more and more impressed.

Then, this idol-like figure told him that the wanted suspect Shen Lian might be in his jurisdiction. At that moment, Li Nuo felt a surreal sensation, as if he had been struck by a meteor. After all, the chances of this happening were definitely much lower than winning a five-million-dollar lottery ticket.

Li Nuo hung up the phone and looked at the farmland outside the window, seeing an old dog basking in the sun on the field bank, and a small hill situated by the lake in the distance.

The terrain there was higher, with complex small paths and densely populated residential areas at the foot of the mountain, while higher up, it was a quiet nursing home. In his memory, that nursing home was very peaceful. He had been there during some fire inspections. It housed seriously ill elderly people, and the director was a middle-aged woman with a compassionate heart. There weren’t many caregivers, but everything was well organized.

How was it possible that Shen Lian was there?

The summer afternoon sun was unbelievably gentle, casting a golden veil over everything.

Li Nuo shivered and knew that all of this was not an illusion but a truly beautiful sight, and because of its beauty, it would inevitably become very fragile.

The young police officer put his phone back in his pocket and silently recited the instructions Xing Conglian had just given him.

He picked up the walkie-talkie from the table, adjusted his police cap, and rushed outside.

……

When Xing Conglian received the call from Huang Ze, he had just parked his car in the Municipal Police Bureau’s parking lot.

Due to the presence of reporters, the vehicles were congested here, and it took him some time to find a parking space. Huang Ze’s voice was as cold as shattered ice.

“Xing Conglian, you need to report to the Inspection and Supervision Department of the Municipal Police Bureau within an hour without fail.”

Upon hearing these words, Xing Conglian’s movements slowed down. He turned off the engine, sat in the quiet car, and glanced at the pale lights in the parking lot. He asked, “Inspector Huang, is there something wrong?”

His frivolous tone seemed to anger Huang Ze, whose voice became slightly louder as he questioned, “Don’t you know what you did wrong?”

“What did I do wrong?” Xing Conglian repeated those words playfully, leaning back in his seat. He said, “I really don’t know. How about you tell me, Inspector Huang?”

There was an audible intake of breath from Huang Ze on the other end of the phone, followed by a deep exhale as if he were adjusting himself. “No matter where you are or what you’re doing, report to the Inspection and Supervision Department of the Municipal Police Bureau immediately. You have been temporarily suspended, and I will be the one to oversee and investigate your actions.”

“Heh.” Xing Conglian chuckled lightly and said with certainty, “It seems this time it’s about me and not Lin Chen. What kind of trouble has Zhourui Pharmaceutical caused that gives you such confidence to come after me?”

Huang Ze’s voice grew colder. “Remember, within an hour.”

“No need for an hour.” Xing Conglian got out of the car and slammed the door shut, the loud sound echoing in the parking lot.

He calmly said, “I’m already here.”

…….

Lin Chen tapped his fingers lightly on the car door handle.

The car was speeding, and the scenery outside had already changed.

The fields were vast, the sky was high, and the car zoomed through the road amidst the lush green rice fields. Approaching the direction of Hongshu Town, they encountered two police cars coming from the neighboring town. It was obvious that these were the reserve forces assembled by Xing Conglian.

The three cars drove in a convoy, without stopping to greet each other, but their destinations were very much aligned.

At the foot of the small hill at the end of the world, Li Nuo stood beside a low house. He crouched down and greeted an old lady who was sitting in the shade of a tree, enjoying the coolness.

According to Captain Xing’s instructions on the phone earlier, he shouldn’t approach the vicinity of the nursing home but instead maintain surveillance from a distance on the road. However, for some reason, Li Nuo had an extremely bad premonition. So he changed into plain clothes, arranged for others to guard the main roads, and went up the mountain alone.

“Xiao Li.” The old lady squinted her eyes and looked at him for a while before recognizing him. “Is there another fight at Lao Zhang’s house?”

The Lao Zhang she mentioned was a rather rowdy family in the village. Mrs. Zhang was fierce and would get into a physical fight with her husband at the slightest provocation. Out of the ten times Li Nuo came here, eight times it was because neighbors of the Zhang family had called him to mediate. As a small local police officer, he usually dealt with such trivial matters. Now, suddenly having to apprehend some A-class fugitive, it would be fake to say that Li Nuo wasn’t feeling anxious. But he still asked in a low voice, “Grandma Wang, have you been sitting here all this time? Have you seen anyone suspicious coming down from the nursing home on the mountain?”

“Yeah, I’ve been sitting here to cool off after having a meal.” The old lady fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan, sitting up straight and highly alert. “What happened? Is there a thief?”

Li Nuo shook his head. “Something came up. Could you think about it for me?”

“Someone from the nursing home… No, I haven’t seen Auntie Chen today.” The old lady shook her palm-leaf fan again and suddenly tapped her leg. “Now that you mention it, I think I just saw the small van that the nursing home uses for groceries pass by.”

Li Nuo became alert and turned around, immediately dialing a friend at the county’s traffic department to request verification of the vehicles belonging to the nursing home and the surveillance footage at the intersections.

……

When Xing Conglian received the photo of Shen Lian driving the van out of the main road in Hongshu Town, Huang Ze was standing in front of him saying something like, “Xing Conglian, you are now being officially interviewed by the Inspector’s Office. Please turn off all communication devices.”

He didn’t quite catch the details as he carefully examined the surveillance photo.

In the photo, Shen Lian remained calm, like an expressionless mannequin on a shelf, as if going to a prearranged appointment.

The timestamp indicated that it happened twenty minutes ago, which meant that, based on the timing, Shen Lian had taken action almost simultaneously with the appearance of the news.

Xing Conglian’s emotions were momentarily complex. On one hand, he once again admired Lin Chen’s accurate judgment and positioning. On the other hand, he was furious. If it weren’t for Zhourui Pharmaceutical interfering, they would probably have already come face-to-face with Shen Lian.

And for people like him, the angrier they became, the calmer they grew.

Instead of angrily shouting at Huang Ze, he lowered his head and sent a few arrangements through text messages. After finally sending the phone number of the officer in charge to Lin Chen, he had a moment to raise his head and look at the Inspector in front of him.

Perhaps at that moment, he didn’t control his gaze well, or maybe Huang Ze saw the contents of the photo on his phone. In any case, the Inspector slammed the table in anger and said, “Xing Conglian, the authority to handle the case is no longer in your hands. What you need to do is explain the situation clearly!”

Xing Conglian surveyed his surroundings and only asked, “Where are the people from Zhourui Pharmaceutical?”

“That’s not a matter you’re entitled to be concerned about!”

Xing Conglian dragged a chair and sat opposite Huang Ze at the table. “If there’s a situation that requires me to explain it clearly, there should at least be a face-to-face confrontation.” He smirked, took out a lighter, lit a cigarette, and asked, “Where is Lao Wu?”

Huang Ze hesitated for a moment, only then realizing who he meant by “Lao Wu”.

“I want to talk to Lao Wu. Bring him to me, whether he’s upstairs or downstairs.”

……

Li Nuo walked down from the small hill just as Lin Chen’s car arrived.

He had seen this psychology expert on TV broadcasts before, and now that he saw him in person, he felt like he was just an ordinary person. Lin Chen was wearing a brick-red checkered shirt and light-colored casual pants, unlike typical experts who wore glasses or had a scholarly air to them. Apart from his fair skin and calm gaze, there was nothing particularly remarkable about him.

But in a way, when Li Nuo shook hands with Lin Chen, whether it was the strength in his palm or his calm tone that could dispel any tension, Li Nuo felt that this person was highly trustworthy.

“Tell me about Huihe Nursing Home,” Lin Chen said directly, without engaging in small talk.

The police officers who had come to assist from the neighboring town also got out of their cars. However, most of the police force had been deployed to the main roads for surveillance, as the surveillance footage showed that Shen Lian had already left the nursing home. Only the basic 10-person team remained.

Among them, the highest-ranking officer had the rank of a Third-Level Police Superintendent, but in front of Lin Chen, no one interrupted or gave any random orders.

Li Nuo briefly described the situation at Huihe Nursing Home, and Lin Chen didn’t immediately respond.

At that moment, someone spoke up. “Since there is evidence showing that Shen Lian left the nursing home from above, it is necessary to conduct a basic search.”

“But didn’t the notice say that the woman was carrying highly toxic substances? Could there be a trap up there?” another person said.

“She’s just a female fugitive, and she’s already gone. Are we, the police, going to be scared at the foot of the mountain? What kind of image does that give?”

Li Nuo swallowed nervously and looked at Lin Chen.

It was then that the psychology consultant finally spoke. “Did any villagers mention that they haven’t seen anyone from the nursing home coming down the mountain all day?”

“Yes, but it was only Mrs. Wang who said that,” Li Nuo cautiously added.

Lin Chen’s expression visibly grew colder, but he quickly lifted his gaze and said to him, “Do you have the nursing home’s phone number? Make a call.”

It felt like the simplest test or something of that sort, but when Li Nuo took out his phone, he felt that the object in his hand was as precious as gold. He flipped through his contacts and found the number, then looked up. Lin Chen’s resolute gaze met his, and he took a deep breath before pressing the call button.

Everything around became quiet.

The wind coming from the open field blew past him, but Li Nuo couldn’t feel it. His heart was beating fast, and his nervous hands were trembling.

The first beep sounded, and he felt like his heart was about to jump out of his throat.

Beep…

The second prolonged electronic tone slowly followed.

It showed that the phone at the nursing home was still connected, and the line hadn’t been cut off. Li Nuo didn’t know why he was worried about these things, but perhaps there was something he feared deep inside.

He clenched his fist tightly, praying that someone would answer the phone, even if it was just a simple “Hello.”

Every second passed by, and although the waiting tone on the phone wouldn’t last more than a minute, it felt like an eternity to Li Nuo.

However, the call was automatically disconnected by the telecom company before he could even hear that simple “Hello.”

Li Nuo instinctively raised his head and felt as if the golden veil of sunlight that covered the top of the nursing home had turned black, like a shadow casting over everyone’s hearts.

“Go up the mountain.”

Lin Chen lowered his eyelids but spoke with a resolute tone to them.

……

For a long time after that incident, Lin Chen’s memory wasn’t very clear.

Although he was confident that he had walked up that hill and had a visual concept of the layout of the houses on either side and the appearance of the trees, even the way the hens strolled in the fields or the colors of the vegetable fields halfway up the mountain, he didn’t have a logical sequence of the details of how they reached that nursing home or what they experienced during the process in his mind.

However, at that time, he was certain that when they were about 100 meters away from the nursing home, he sensed something unusual in the air.

Earlier, experienced veteran police officers had already arranged for some of the team to flank from the rear in a roundabout manner, while others approached through the neighborhood. Only he and another police officer named Li Nuo walked openly on the cement road directly leading to the nursing home’s gate.

When he smelled that scent, he and Li Nuo exchanged glances, quickened their pace, and rushed towards the iron gate of the nursing home.

When they could see the gatehouse clearly, they were certain that there was no one inside.

The seats were empty, and there was an old-fashioned beige telephone on the table. A visitor registration form hung in a corner on the wall, and aside from that, there were various crooked and scattered items.

Lin Chen looked up, and the surveillance camera in the corner of the gatehouse turned towards him. He stared at the pitch-black camera lens, as if he had seen the vertical pupils of a demon, and he felt a chill run down his spine.

Without wasting any time looking for reinforcements or waiting for backup, the police officer beside him swiftly climbed over the iron movable fence and rushed into the gatehouse to press the open button.

The electric gate slowly moved aside, revealing the panoramic view of the nursing home, bit by bit.

Lin Chen took a deep breath as the scent in the air became even stronger amidst the gray and dilapidated buildings before him.

The young police officer named Li Nuo had turned completely pale, a color that no ordinary human could mistake.

Calls from other police officers came through their walkie-talkies, crackling with static. But at that moment, neither Lin Chen nor Li Nuo had the strength to press the answer button.

It was the young village police officer who reacted first. Li Nuo said nothing, clenched his fist, and turned around, rushing towards the main building of the nursing home.

Lin Chen watched the young man’s back and followed him, stepping heavily with each stride.

The old wooden doors opened, revealing a long corridor.

On one side of the corridor, it was as dark as a shadow, like a ghostly presence. On the other side, sunlight painted it a dazzling but unreal white.

Step by step, Lin Chen walked on the clean and bright porcelain tiles, advancing deeper into the corridor.

On either side of him were rows of standardized ward doors, each closed with an obsessive-compulsive-like habit, resembling tightly sealed coffins that made people not have the courage to touch.

An increasingly heavy odor seeped out from the gaps above and below each door, lingering around him.

The scent was so thick that it permeated through every pore, saturating every corner of the space. It felt like soft ropes tightened around his neck, suffocating him. But he knew very well that this feeling wasn’t suffocation, but despair.

Yes, it was the smell of blood.

Lin Chen took another deep breath, feeling as if he were immersed in viscous plasma. The surroundings were damp and sticky, and he could only manage to place his hand on the doorknob to support himself.

Through the thin door panel, countless images flashed in his mind. Each image appeared as simple black lines against the backdrop of thick blood, twisting and turning, breaking apart and reassembling, becoming more and more distorted and bizarre.

Finally, it was the sound of inconsolable sobbing coming from one of the rooms that awakened him.

The cries were heart-wrenching, carrying a genuine and profound grief.

Lin Chen calmed his mind, and with a wooden expression, he looked out the window. He saw the aged face of Lao Bian and other police officers rushing into the nursing home.

Someone desperately gestured at him, but he couldn’t recognize who it was, so he just nodded in response.

After completing this simple gesture, he turned around, pushed open the door, and walked inside.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 237

In that instant, Xing Conglian’s heart skipped a beat.

He touched the back of Lin Chen’s neck and forced him to look up.

Lin Chen had a gentle expression and moist eyes, but of course, he wasn’t crying.

Xing Conglian lowered his head, and at that moment, not far from outside the car, a young man’s voice erupted in excitement, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching the Jeep, and then the knocking on the door. “A’Chen Gege, we found it. It should be right!”

Lin Chen suddenly flipped off him and sat upright.

Xing Conglian’s emotions didn’t break, and he wanted to say something, but in the end, he simply held Lin Chen’s wrist and kissed the top of his head.

……

The back door opened, and Lin Chen appeared calm.

Wang Chao looked suspiciously at the two faces that were saying, “We were discussing official matters.”

“Speak!” Xing Conglian urged.

Wang Chao was startled and looked down at his laptop screen. He immediately said, “There’s a rural nursing home in Hongshu Village on the outskirts of the city.”

After saying this, Wang Chao paused.

“And then?” Xing Conglian asked.

The teenager flipped the laptop towards them and showed them, saying, “And then, I couldn’t find any information about available beds in this nursing home. They only have an empty website.”

“What does that mean?” Lin Chen narrowed his eyes.

“The nursing home doesn’t have internet access, which means it’s an isolated information island.” Wang Chao paused, then continued, “This Huihe Nursing Home is also a designated institution that cooperates with the government and accommodates a group of homeless people every year. But there’s no indication that Shen Lian has any connection with this institution. The investor is a company that deals with agricultural products, and the owner of the agricultural product company passed away three years ago. Shouldn’t we investigate that company…”

Wang Chao was about to start rambling again, but Lin Chen interrupted him, saying decisively, “This is it.”

“Ah, that’s right!” Wang Chao immediately shut up, shouting excitedly, “Should we inform that dumbass Huang Ze?”

……

In the office, Huang Ze sat alone in his seat with a sense of solitude. Most of the people around him had already left, and the office was mostly empty.

Due to the sudden situation that just occurred, the director from the provincial department urgently ordered all police officers in Hongjing City to return to their posts. After receiving their respective tasks, the people who were originally crowded in the office dispersed, and it was the personnel from the Inspector Office who now found themselves with nothing to do.

A subordinate who had been standing behind Huang Ze approached him and whispered, “Inspector Huang, Director Dong is asking for you.”

Huang Ze looked up, incredulous, and glanced behind him.

……

Huihe Nursing Home.

The girl who had been lying on the bed suddenly opened her eyes. It might have been because the sunlight outside was too strong, or perhaps the cicadas were chirping too loudly. She stared at the black mold spots on the ceiling, then reached and took out her phone from under the covers.

……

Outside Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant, a wave of scorching heat swept through the street.

The trees on both sides of the road swayed violently, as if sensing something. Xing Conglian didn’t immediately answer Wang Chao’s question; instead, he looked towards the entrance of the small restaurant.

The street fell silent, and the police officer who had been standing at the door, playing games on his phone, suddenly stopped. A new message notification appeared on his screen, and he reached out, opened it, and read it for a while.

The next moment, he put his phone back in his pocket. As if the pause in magic had ended, he turned and quickly walked towards the police station’s entrance.

Subsequently, the sound of ringing phones came one after another, and Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant became like a boiling bathhouse. Everyone put down their food, some read text messages on their phones, and others answered calls.

An officer who had rushed to the door looked like an athlete who took off after the starting gun went off.

The light blue plastic curtain at the entrance of the restaurant was pulled aside, and the next moment, all the police officers inside swarmed out, like a wave crashing towards the street.

Xing Conglian sat in the car, watching Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant empty out in a short period of time. He knew very well that just now, a notice had been sent out for all departmental police officers to immediately return to their posts.

……

Shen Ping was a news anchor at Hongjing TV Station.

Due to certain coincidences, he shared the same surname as a certain lady who was currently causing a stir among the higher-ups. Their names even sounded somewhat sibling-like.

But Shen Ping had no relation to Shen Lian whatsoever. In fact, he had no idea who Shen Lian was until he received that press release.

The press release came from Zhourui Pharmaceutical, a major taxpayer in the city. It was directly sent to his email after a phone call from the head of the public relations department, whom he was acquainted with.

At that time, he was preparing to record the top-of-the-hour news. The phone rang, and he keenly sensed the seriousness of the situation from the tone of the person from the public relations department at Zhourui Pharmaceutical.

When he hung up the phone and opened his email to read the press release, he realized in an instant that this was definitely a major case that would shock the entire country.

Shen Ping put down the script, glanced at the female anchor beside him, and rushed towards the direction of the control room.

……

Under the shade of the trees, inside the Jeep, Lin Chen and Xing Conglian simultaneously took out their phones and looked down. However, there was no vibration or incoming call displayed on their phones—not even an unread message.

This unusually calm situation made Xing Conglian’s expression solemn. His eyebrows slightly raised, but quickly returned to normal. Only those who knew Xing Conglian well would understand what this meant.

In theory, Xing Conglian could get out of the car and grab any police officer nearby to ask or make a phone call to find out what had happened to his subordinates. However, his first reaction was to step out of the backseat and say to the teenager standing outside the car, “Get in and sit down.”

After saying that, he walked straight to the driver’s seat, started the vehicle, turned on the air conditioning and the car radio.

The top-of-the-hour news on Hongjing TV Station happened to begin.

The anchor’s horrified voice came through the speakers and echoed inside the Jeep.

……

Shen Ping sat in the anchor room.

Before going on stage, he changed into a black-and-white striped tie to appear more solemn.

The countdown sound came through the headphones. Shen Ping closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing, and tried his best to calm himself down.

Three minutes ago, the director rushed down from the station manager’s office and shouted at him across the studio, gasping for breath, “Shen Ping, broadcast the news!”

Shen Ping knew he had made the right bet.

The young male anchor opened his eyes and clenched his fist; the bright lights in front of him dazzled his vision. He looked at the teleprompter in front of him and said in the most serious tone:

“The following is urgent news…”

……

“We have received news that Zhourui Pharmaceutical recently reported a severe case of drug poisoning through our station, as well as through other TV stations, including Yongchuan, Changping, and Fengchun, as well as online platforms, to the entire society…”

A neurology ward at a hospital.

The television hanging in the rest area outside the ward had been silent all along, and a person who looked like a nurse was sleeping on a bench. However, someone hurriedly ran out of the ward and turned up the volume of the television, causing a continuous flow of sound.

The deep blue studio made the male anchor in a well-tailored suit appear particularly solemn, but what made one’s throat tighten even more was the information mentioned by the anchor in the news.

“It is reported that the drugs involved may include Zhourui Pharmaceutical’s Nao Kangning, Huihe Pharmaceutical’s Shu Naoping, Yingmeng Pharmaceutical’s Liti Niping, and Kangtaidelin Company’s Pu’er Kangning, among various types and batches of drugs. Zhourui Pharmaceutical reminds all patients and friends who have taken these drugs that they may be contaminated with other chemical components or may cause various adverse reactions of the nervous system. If you experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, depression, or mania, please stop taking the medication immediately and seek immediate medical examination. Zhourui Pharmaceutical also urges all middle-aged and elderly patients who have taken the aforementioned drugs to immediately stop taking them and not hold any wishful thinking.”

Because the TV volume was too loud, more and more people walked out of the wards and stood motionless in front of the television. It wasn’t only the patients’ family members, but also elderly people being supported and even those who stood alone with a cane, trembling as they leaned against the wall.

The TV screen paused for a moment, with black text on a white background, listing all the drugs involved in the case.

The ward fell into silence.

A doctor in a white coat stood in front of the television. Seizing this opportunity, he looked back at the bewildered patients behind him but didn’t know what to say.

“My father… My father seems to have been taking that medication all along!” a patient’s family member tentatively cried.

“Doctor, what does this mean? Has my mother been poisoning herself all this time?” An emotionally unstable patient’s family member’s eyes turned red.

More and more people crowded around the doctor, and the once quiet ward became noisy.

At that moment, an elderly person standing alone in a corner suddenly spoke, and their old and hoarse voice cut through the chaotic voices of inquiries, causing everyone to fall silent.

“Doctor, can we… can we still be cured of this illness?”

The old man opened his mouth and asked in such a manner.

A shiver ran through everyone present, and a sense of panic gradually spread along with this mournful question.

……

Principal Su sat on a small stage by the balcony.

The old man didn’t have the habit of watching the news, and he didn’t use outdated things like radios. Unfortunately, his wife was a professor of political science and ordered that the news be played continuously in the house. So, when the anchor from Yongchuan TV Station, in a tone almost identical to Shen Ping’s, solemnly spoke about the severe drug issue related to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular drugs, he only heard a sound of intense rummaging through boxes and cabinets.

His wife was tidying up the storage cabinet, her trembling hands picking up the medicine bottles anxiously. She said with a worried expression, “What should we do?”

Thinking of Lin Chen’s recent phone call, Principal Su easily connected the dots, but he still casually said, “My dear, let’s analyze this problem using philosophical methods and divide it into two…”

His politically astute wife immediately interrupted him, “Did Chenchen call you because of this?”

“I don’t know.” The old man waved his hand. “It’s also possible that he just missed his mentor.”

“Stop that.” His wife’s face was filled with worry. “The situation is so troublesome that Chenchen had to call you. It’s probably serious.”

“Don’t worry too much. Even if the sky falls, there’s someone tall to hold it up.” The old man touched his chin. “For example, Chenchen is taller than me, and I’m definitely taller than you.”

His words didn’t calm his wife’s mood. The woman in an apron rubbed her eyes and took a couple of steps forward. She held his hand, half-squatted down, and tremblingly asked, “Or… should we call Fengzi back?”

……

Similar scenes were happening in many ordinary households.

Some elderly people were furious, some were reluctant to throw away the medicine in their cabinets, and some were already lying in bed. There were even those who hurriedly turned off the television and prepared to go to the hospital.

But most ordinary families didn’t have the same reckless attitude as Mr. Su. Just like there were many parents who loved their children in the world, there were also many filial sons and daughters who respected their parents.

Golden Harvest Tower, located near the city government’s CBD, was one of the top commercial office buildings in the city. At this busy time of the afternoon, all the usual office scenes came to a halt due to the breaking news.

The office manager’s computer was on, and Shen Ping’s voice echoed through the only speaker in the office. By the time it reached the corners, it was no longer very clear, and more employees were refreshing their web pages.

“According to sources from Zhourui Pharmaceutical, the suspect in the poisoning case is named Shen Lian. She was a former employee of the R&D department at Zhourui Pharmaceutical. Due to certain reasons, Shen Lian abused her authority and contaminated the medicine with special chemical substances for several years. Zhourui Pharmaceutical is issuing a public appeal through our station, warning that Shen Lian is extremely dangerous and currently carrying a large amount of highly toxic drugs. She is currently on the run, and we earnestly request the police to apprehend Shen Lian.”

Inside the office building, the sound of web pages being refreshed constantly filled the air.

On the internet, keywords such as “poisoning”, “Zhourui Pharmaceutical”, and “Shen Lian” skyrocketed in popularity at an alarming rate. Everyone held their breath and focused, trying to obtain the latest information.

Some clever netizens even linked “Shen Lian” to the tragic incident at the barbecue stall in Hongjing last night. In an instant, a bigger wave of public opinion spread.

……

The hotline of Zhourui Pharmaceutical was inundated with calls.

However, since the company had already made up its mind and prepared comprehensive crisis public relations, the incoming calls were handled with professionalism.

Sweet-voiced women answered the calls, offering apologies first and then expressing that the company would take responsibility. The soft and gentle voices calmed the tempers of many callers.

The women who answered the hotline had received the most professional training. After soothing the emotions of the callers, they would also express that Zhourui Pharmaceutical was also a victim and hoped that the police would apprehend the culprit soon.

By using a skillful approach, the pharmaceutical company transformed itself into a victim with a strong sense of social responsibility, while the party that had not fulfilled its duty became the police, which allowed the dangerous criminal to remain at large for over 12 hours.

Shen Ping paused, symbolically flipped over a page, and faced the camera to continue speaking. “Below is the official announcement just received from the police—the Hongjing police have issued an A-level warrant, publicly seeking the fugitive Shen Lian.”

……

In the office lobby of the Municipal Police Station.

All the working police officers on the first floor became nervous and busy. The arrest operation, which had been quietly initiated by Xing Conglian, was forcibly brought to the forefront.

Countless orders were issued from higher-ups, including traffic control at key points, community investigations, and online searches. The sounds of computer keyboards, printers, and typing filled the air. Almost everyone was busy with their tasks.

On the platform railing on the second floor, the top leaders of the Provincial Public Security Department and the CEO of Zhourui Pharmaceutical stood side by side, surrounded by leaders from various departments, from the province to the municipal bureau.

The two individuals in front of the railing shook hands as a gesture of courtesy.

The impeccably dressed CEO of Zhourui Pharmaceutical, expressed regret, saying, “The relevant materials have been submitted to the task force. It was a management mistake on our company’s part, which has caused a lot of trouble for our police comrades.”

Dong Hua turned around, looked at the busy subordinates below, and didn’t directly respond to that statement. His expression didn’t reveal any emotions.

Just when the meeting was at a deadlock, the CEO of Zhourui Pharmaceutical suddenly arrived with a large amount of information and reported a severe case of poisoning to the police.

The perpetrator’s name was Shen Lian, and for reasons, such as revenge on society, she had been releasing toxic substances in a series of brain recovery drugs produced by Zhourui Pharmaceutical for several years.

No one knew what kind of toxic substance it was. But as far as he knew, that maddening chemical component had caused an extremely terrible incident at a barbecue stall in the city last night, resulting in the death of a police officer.

However, even the pharmaceutical company itself couldn’t confirm the exact nature of that chemical substance. Based on the CEO’s brief remarks, it should be a new type of neurotoxic drug.

Dong Hua sneered in his heart. After the events of last night, they both knew that it was no different from a biochemical weapon, but no one dared to draw such a conclusion.

What made him feel even more embarrassed was the content of Zhourui Pharmaceutical’s public announcement through the news media.

In fact, the local police in Hongjing had already taken action last night, but during the operation, they failed to warn the public about personal safety and didn’t issue a formal arrest warrant for Shen Lian. Although he understood that frontline officers had their own considerations when handling a case, it was precisely because of these considerations that the pharmaceutical company, which should have been the main culprit, took the initiative and gained an advantage over the police. It was difficult to accept such frustration.

He tapped the railing and glanced back.

As the culprit’s immediate boss, Director Wu, the head of the Pharmaceutical Bureau, stood at the outermost edge, observing with detachment, like a dissident who didn’t fit in.

Dong Hua withdrew his gaze and looked at the CEO of Zhourui Pharmaceutical, nodded, and simply said, “You’ve worked hard.”

“Our company will do its best to cooperate with the police operation.” The CEO bowed deeply, showing utmost sincerity. “I won’t disturb the work of the police any further, so I’ll take my leave first.”

After speaking, the middle-aged man who effortlessly stirred up a huge storm completely withdrew himself. He turned around, about to leave, but after taking a step, he turned back as if suddenly remembering something. A humble smile appeared on his face. “Regarding the accusation made by the Captain of the criminal division against me for dereliction of duty and soliciting bribes from our company, I request that the police handle it impartially.”

Instantly, a hushed silence fell over the crowd, followed by murmurs and whispers.

No one expected that the content of their secret conversation just now would be this.

“Isn’t there someone from the Inspector Office present?” The senior leader paused, scanning the crowd. “Isn’t this your responsibility?”

Huang Ze raised his eyes sharply but could only take a deep breath and salute. “Yes, Director.”

……

Inside the Jeep parked outside the Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant, the atmosphere was absolutely calm and undisturbed by external forces.

The radio news had already moved on to the next topic, but neither Xing Conglian’s nor Lin Chen’s phone rang.

No one spoke inside the vehicle.

Wang Chao looked around, deeply shocked by the previous news. What did it mean? Zhourui Pharmaceutical voluntarily admitted the medication issue to the public but completely absolved themselves of the responsibility of concealing the truth. They even directly targeted Shen Lian and pushed her to the forefront as the mastermind.

In the end, the teenager couldn’t help but shout, “Are they all fucking idiots?”

Lin Chen and Xing Conglian exchanged glances; their lips curling into a cold, mocking smile. “How can you say they’re idiots? They’re obviously incredibly clever.”

“It’s an exemplary public relations move for a crisis,” Xing Conglian added.

But whether it was his boss or A’Chen Gege, neither of them made any further moves after saying that.

Wang Chao anxiously shifted on the seat. “Now that Shen Lian is wanted by the police, should we still report her possible hiding place?”

“Shen Lian is such an alert person that even the presence of a police officer nearby would make her escape immediately. Now that she’s being wanted with the highest level warrant on TV, how could she not react?”

Xing Conglian’s tone was unexpectedly calm, but the calmer he was, the more it alarmed Wang Chao.

“What should we do now? Should we keep Shen Lian’s hiding place a secret? Zhourui Pharmaceutical has already alerted her, so could Shen Lian suddenly go mad and start poisoning people? If Shen Lian escaped from the nursing home, what should we do?”

“What should we do? Of course, we’ll solve each problem one by one.” Xing Conglian turned his head and glanced at Lin Chen.

As if understanding his thoughts, Lin Chen nodded and said, “I understand. I’ll go to the outskirts first.”

“I’ll arrange for people to be on surveillance in the surrounding area. It’s better not to act rashly until the main force arrives. Stay safe.”

After Xing Conglian finished speaking, he made a motion of making a phone call. Lin Chen nodded, organized all the materials about Shen Lian on his side, held them under his arm, and pushed open the car door to get out.

Wang Chao became anxious. “A’Chen Gege, where are you going?”

“I’m going to the location you found. Hopefully, there’s still time.” Lin Chen got out of the car while speaking.

“Are you going alone? What about the Boss and me?”

Wang Chao sat in the car, shouting at the man sitting in the driver’s seat while looking at Lin Chen’s back.

“You go to Xiao Zhan’s place and see if there’s anything you can help with. Try to protect him and don’t let Zhourui’s people get there first.”

“But how can I protect Mr. Xiao Zhan when I’m powerless?”

“Stop talking nonsense.” Xing Conglian said decisively, “Take a taxi by yourself.”

His Boss’ voice was so intimidating that Wang Chao couldn’t help but get out of the car. When he stood on the hard asphalt road, he couldn’t help but turn around and ask, “And what about you, Boss?”

However, the engine had already started, and the Jeep backed up half a parking space, turned the front, and disappeared into the distance.

Wang Chao was sprayed with exhaust and took a few steps forward, holding onto Lin Chen’s sleeve in frustration. “Where is the Boss going in such an urgent situation?”

“With such a big incident happening and no one informing us, Zhourui Pharmaceutical probably did some action behind the scenes. He’s going to handle those matters.”

“Why would Zhourui Pharmaceutical suddenly take action? Did something happen?” Wang Chao opened the ride-hailing app on his phone. There weren’t many vehicles around, and he jumped up and down on the road in frustration. “But what can Zhourui Pharmaceutical do?”

“Don’t think too much.” Lin Chen’s reassuring voice came, and when Wang Chao looked up again, he could only see Lin Chen’s back as he walked straight across the road.

He hailed a taxi directly and shouted, “A’Chen Gege, should I call a taxi for you?”

With his back turned, Lin Chen just waved his hand and stepped onto the sidewalk. After walking a few steps, he stood in front of the entrance of Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant.

There, a retired police officer who had changed careers stood at the door curtain, looking at him with a solemn expression.

Lin Chen looked at the old man and calmly asked, “I need to go somewhere. Are your driving skills still good?”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 236

Since it was an illusion, it was always short-lived.

Huang Ze coughed heavily on the other end of the phone; the sound was loud enough to drown out their conversation.

“In fact, I don’t know how all this you’re talking about is useful in locating Shen Lian.”

Huang Ze stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of the municipal bureau, with a subordinate behind him who mentioned that even the higher-ranking officials wanted a briefing on the situation. In the background, the sound of opening and closing doors and hurried footsteps could be heard nearby. What was more, the number of reporter vehicles outside the municipal bureau was visibly increasing.

It felt like something big was about to happen.

The entire corridor fell silent, starting from the far end. Huang Ze knew that time was up, and in the end, he could only say curtly, “Alright, Lin Chen, you have twenty more minutes.”

……

Huang Ze hung up the phone decisively.

At the entrance of the dumpling restaurant, under the camphor tree, the box of dumplings in the hands of the teenager was nearly empty.

The abrupt sound of the hang-up made the teenager look up cautiously, and he asked, “A’Chen Gege, I don’t understand how we’re supposed to find Shen Lian. Is that my fault?”

Lin Chen had already sorted out his thoughts. “For Shen Lian, she has limited options during her escape. Since she has achieved her goal, the only possibility is that she’s in hiding. Tracking the whereabouts of an ordinary criminal might be difficult, but for Shen Lian, she would choose a place that makes her feel extremely safe.”

“Li Jingtian chose to hide in the embassy, which is quite safe, but what kind of place would make Shen Lian feel safe?” Wang Chao asked.

“When she’s with ‘her people’,” Lin Chen said. “Now, let’s look back at the cases we have. There’s one question that has yet to be answered: Why did Shen Lian drive the elderly people to madness?”

“Could it be related to the old man who died? That old man also had mental issues, right?” Wang Chao suddenly realized. “Lao Bian just mentioned that Shen Lian got excited when she heard about the old man’s time of death! But at the time of the incident, she didn’t speak up for the old man, didn’t tell the truth to the police afterwards, and only reported it after a month and a half. Why did someone so lacking in sympathy break down when she discovered the issue with the old man’s time of death?”

“Specifically, it’s not sympathy but empathy*,” Lin Chen corrected. “Empathy develops during childhood and is an emotional state that involves anticipating others’ suffering and wanting to help them. She had a hard time sensing the old man’s pain and helping him, but that doesn’t mean she couldn’t sense her own pain. In fact, even the most cold-blooded violent criminals have a strong sense of empathy, but they only protect their own comrades and disregard the lives of others.”

*Clarity: Empathy is how much compassion and understanding we can give another, while sympathy is the feeling of pity for another. Empathy is our ability to understand how someone feels, while sympathy is our relief at not having the same problems. Empathy is understanding, while sympathy is sharing.

“What does this imply? Who are Shen Lian’s companions?”

Lin Chen paused.

The wind blew through the camphor trees along the road, casting swaying shadows on them, but there was no sound.

……

Huihe Nursing Home was also eerily quiet.

But this kind of silence, rather than being described as peaceful or serene, was better characterized as deathly stillness.

Like in the night, there was no one in the corridors of the nursing home during the day. The clean and bright tiles indicated good cleaning, but their pristine condition also meant that there was little foot traffic.

This wasn’t normal because anyone who had been to a nursing home knew that the elderly liked to sit in the shaded corridors and chat. However, this scene was completely absent here.

The stray dogs on the embankment were barking again; their barks rising and falling with the undulating terrain.

A lady who appeared to be a caregiver stood in front of a mirror, tidying her clothes. The water flowed steadily, and the lady’s damp fingers left water stains on her collar.

This was a standard double occupancy ward, and the room was extremely dim. The light in the bathroom was on.

Two elderly people still lay on the hospital beds. In the dim light, one could vaguely see their frail frames covered by white sheets. One hand was placed outside the sheets, while the other remained beneath.

On their chests, the thin blankets had clearly been carefully tucked in, and above that were the wrinkled necks resembling tree bark. Their lips dried into two lines, and their eyes, covered in a large amount of sclera, hollow and lifeless.

Yes, both elderly people on the hospital beds had their eyes open. They gazed at the ceiling, looking at some long-standing mold spots that grew along the ceiling cracks.

Footsteps echoed in the ward again as the caregiver walked to the window. She pulled back the curtains, allowing the bright sunlight to pour into the room. However, even this sudden brightness couldn’t make the two elderly people on the hospital beds blink.

The slight rise and fall of their chests indicated that the elderly people hadn’t passed away, but compared to a corpse, there wasn’t much difference.

At that moment, the caregiver turned around, pulled back the covers, and laid down.

……

Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant.

Wang Chao asked what could have caused Shen Lian to be unable to accept the old homeless man’s death being related to herself.

Lin Chen pondered over various possible causes, but the simplest and most likely reason was only one.

“For Shen Lian, she couldn’t accept becoming a murderer like the residents of Xiaolin Lane.”

Not only Wang Chao, but even Xing Conglian was stunned. Police officers in the distance mounted their motorcycles and sped away.

“This is just my speculation, and we’ll have to wait until we meet Shen Lian to understand the specifics.” Lin Chen steadied his breath and said calmly, “Normal people, when faced with extreme stimuli, employ various defense mechanisms or cognitive adjustments to alleviate psychological stress. But for Shen Lian, her psychological issues mean that she can’t alleviate the pressure like a normal person when confronted with these situations.”

“So?” Xing Conglian asked. He had stubble on his chin, a sharply defined face, and wise eyes that could easily see through people’s hearts.

Lin Chen withdrew his gaze, suppressing the emotions in his heart, and said calmly, “In simple terms, Shen Lian initially believed that the old man accidentally died during a scuffle with the residents of Xiaolin Lane, and she didn’t feel any psychological stress because the old man’s death had nothing to do with her. But when she suddenly discovered that the old man hadn’t died that night, but gradually died from severe injuries in the cold rainy night, her knowledge of this fact without even glancing at the old man turned her into one of the murderers.”

Wang Chao nodded, and Lin Chen continued, “Normal people in similar situations might simply think it’s the responsibility of others present, deflecting blame and letting the matter pass. But Shen Lian couldn’t.”

Lin Chen said, “There are three types of aggressive psychological defense mechanisms: displacement¹, projection², and introjection³. If I’m not mistaken, Shen Lian’s subconscious mind chose the latter. Introjection refers to incorporating objects of love and hate symbolically into one’s own self. In Shen Lian’s case, she absorbed the mentally disturbed elderly person as part of herself.”

¹Redirection of an impulse (usually aggression) onto a powerless substitute target. For example: You’re angry, and you kick the dog to vent your anger.
²Attributes unwanted thoughts, feelings, and motives onto another person. For example: You hate someone, but you feel that it’s wrong, so you tell yourself they also hate you, solving the issue.
³Sometimes called identification, involves taking into your own personality characteristics of someone else, because doing so solves some emotional difficulty. For example: A child left alone frequently may try to become “mom” in order to lessen their fears.

He made a joke, saying, “It’s like a part of the deceased’s soul entered her body.”

With a light sound, the food container in Wang Chao’s hand fell to the ground. “That’s too twisted!”

“Suddenly, Shen Lian changed, and is her remarkable academic performance also related to this?” Xing Conglian asked astutely.

“It’s just a speculation. After all, we don’t know the specifics of that particular elderly person. But you should know that sometimes schizophrenia is synonymous with geniuses.”

Wang Chao shuddered and realized something. “So elderly people with mental illnesses are her kind? What is she trying to do, turn all the grandpas and grandmas in the country into lunatics? And what does this have to do with Teacher Duan?”

Lin Chen lowered his eyes and patted Wang Chao’s head. “Look, I’m not a god. How could I know so much? So, since Teacher Duan helped us find Shen Lian, let’s find her and ask.”

“How do we find Shen Lian!” Wang Chao blurted out the question, feeling foolish. He turned around quickly, squatted in front of the flower bed, and opened his laptop to search for institutional information.

Lin Chen said, “Psychiatric rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, or shelters. Hongjing isn’t a metropolis, so there won’t be too many of these institutions in the vicinity. Excluding large institutions under the national civil affairs department, private centers will be even fewer…”

……

The scorching summer wind rolled over the lush green fields, over the large expanse of melon sheds, and rolled all the way to the city center along the embankment.

The overwhelming heat wave swept past the various tall and low buildings, rolling across the square in front of the Hongjing Police Station.

A Lincoln drove along the Municipal Government Street and slowly stopped at the entrance of the police station.

The reporters who arrived upon hearing the news gathered at the entrance of the police station like sharks smelling blood, occupying advantageous positions. They didn’t dare to go too far, but naturally, they didn’t want to give up their front-row spots.

Compared to the bustling reporters at the entrance, the atmosphere inside the actual conference room was solemn, and everyone was exhaling smoke.

At the head of the room sat the superior whom even Huang Ze bowed to.

The superior had a serious expression, and the room fell silent. Finally, he slammed the table. “You’re saying it’s a major incident, but so far no one can make sense of it?”

Perhaps due to the boss’ anger, the thick smoke in the air trembled.

At that moment, the door to the conference room was knocked.

Huang Ze abruptly looked towards the door.

……

Outside the Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant.

Under the glaring sunlight, Wang Chao’s laptop reflected a blurry white light that was almost indiscernible.

Lin Chen sat quietly beside him, with a calm expression. Sweat stains appeared on his fair and delicate neck due to running around and sun exposure, like a layer of glaze on porcelain. He wasn’t looking at the screen, but more like thinking aimlessly about something.

“Don’t think too much,” Xing Conglian said to Lin Chen.

This sentence was somewhat cryptic, but for Lin Chen, it should be more straightforward.

Lin Chen gazed into the distance with no intention of concealing his thoughts. “I just find the human psyche fascinating. For someone like Shen Lian, a natural psychopath, it’s actually the remaining trace of kindness in her humanity that drove her to madness.” Lin Chen paused and added, “I wish I’m wrong.”

Xing Conglian was suddenly startled, looking at Lin Chen, but the latter didn’t meet his gaze.

Xing Conglian stood up, putting his hand in his pocket, and said, “Consultant Lin, come with me.”

Lin Chen looked up, and Xing Conglian took out his car keys, pointing in the direction of the Jeep parked under the shade of the roadside tree.

Lin Chen followed him to the car as instructed.

Xing Conglian habitually opened the driver’s side door but found Lin Chen standing behind him. He twirled the keys in his hand and turned around to look at Lin Chen.

“You want to talk to me alone, but I don’t feel like talking,” Lin Chen said to him.

Xing Conglian nodded, instantly understanding Lin Chen’s meaning. “Right, the driver’s seat is a bit cramped.”

He opened the back door and went in first, with Lin Chen following, stepping into the car.

Thanks to the new car tint, the interior of the car was extremely dim, and sunlight filtered through the shade of the trees illuminated a small section of the seats. Although it was midsummer, the coolness from the car’s air conditioning hadn’t dissipated completely, leaving a slight chill in the air.

Lin Chen placed his other foot in the car, and Xing Conglian held his wrist, half-jokingly saying, “Actually, the driver’s seat isn’t bad. You can sit on my lap.”

Before he finished speaking, the car door slammed shut.

Xing Conglian felt Lin Chen intertwine his fingers with his own, and in the next moment, Lin Chen followed his suggestion, spreading his legs and straddling him.

Xing Conglian felt his chest tighten. Lin Chen’s warm body pressed against him without any gaps, and Lin Chen’s willingness to comply sometimes scared him.

Without even looking down, he could imagine Lin Chen’s posture.

At this moment, Lin Chen was half-kneeling on the seat, with his canvas-shoed feet protruding from the cushion. The shoelaces hanging in the air were gently swaying.

A similar scene had appeared in Xing Conglian’s memory before. At that time, the air was filled with a tantalizing sensuality. But now, even though their relationship had progressed so far, it had become a matter-of-fact calmness.

However, he didn’t have time to ponder over what this calmness meant. After all, Lin Chen was leaning against his shoulder, his cool breath falling on his neck. Through the fabric of his shirt, Xing Conglian gently caressed Lin Chen’s sweaty back. He could clearly feel the contours of Lin Chen’s shoulder blades, the protrusion of his spine, and the supple skin covering them.

Lin Chen had made it clear earlier that he didn’t want to talk; he just wanted to sit quietly together.

In this serene process, Lin Chen’s breathing rhythm remained unchanged. But because the cabin was so quiet, they gradually became aware of each other’s heartbeats. As their breaths intertwined and the temperature rose, there was an indescribable ambiguity, but more importantly, perhaps because of the weight of Lin Chen on his legs or the strong beat of his heart, Xing Conglian felt a sense of complete trust.

A deeply precious and unrestricted emotion.

After a while, a short enough time for Xing Conglian to not fully savor this feeling, he heard Lin Chen say, “Xing Conglian…”

“Now you’re using my full name. This must be serious.” Xing Conglian kissed Lin Chen’s ear.

“I…”

Before Lin Chen could continue, Xing Conglian interrupted him, saying, “You’re not that fragile. You don’t need me to constantly monitor your mental state, and the moment I notice any signs of trouble, I have to stop you and have a conversation?”

“No, I am fragile, and I really need you.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 235

“I’m not sad about that.”

Wang Chao interrupted the conversation.

Lin Chen was taken aback and asked, “What do you mean by ‘that’?”

“That refers to what you just said to comfort me. You mentioned that although there are bad people in this world, there are also many good people.” Wang Chao sighed, sitting in the shade of the camphor tree, holding the plastic lunch box, and staring at the dumplings inside. “I don’t have the tendency to generalize. It’s meaningless to judge the moral level of society based on a small-scale event.” The teenager spoke with a proud tone.

Lin Chen glanced at Xing Conglian in surprise. Just a second ago, this teenager seemed on the verge of tears, but now he was analyzing social psychology. Before Xing Conglian could react, Lin Chen directly flicked the back of Wang Chao’s head and prevented the teenager from using his dirty hands to pick up the dumplings.

“You have chopsticks.”

Wang Chao rubbed the back of his head and looked at him with an extremely incredulous expression. Then he said word by word, “A’Chen Gege, you hit me! You hit me!”

“What else should I do? Kiss you instead?” Lin Chen said irritably.

“You can only kiss me.” Xing Conglian chimed in.

With the two gentlemen causing a commotion, Lin Chen felt that the previously brewing atmosphere of sadness had dissipated a lot.

Of course, Lin Chen didn’t truly believe that these two individuals were unaffected by the hidden secrets of decades ago.

Clearly, the smile on Xing Conglian’s face wasn’t genuine. His eyes were cold and devoid of amusement, and even Wang Chao, holding the bowl of dumplings with trembling fingers, seemed to be trying to conceal his true emotions.

Lin Chen unwrapped a pair of disposable chopsticks and handed them to Wang Chao, then asked, “So, what is the reason you’re actually feeling sad?”

“I think Shen Lian is a pervert.” Wang Chao paused before emphasizing, “a psychologically disturbed one.”

“Mm.” Lin Chen emitted a short and concise syllable. “Go on.”

“But according to your analysis, so many people indirectly caused the death of the old man. Why is it that, in the end, it was Shen Lian who mustered the courage to reveal the truth? It doesn’t feel right. Shen Lian should have been the worst one.”

“You’re still simplifying things by categorizing people as either good or bad. In reality, humans are complex beings, and there are no simple categories of good or bad people, simply right or wrong people, especially in this case.” Lin Chen patted the back of Wang Chao’s head. “One simple question, even if she was truly sexually assaulted, why did she never mention it, even when facing the police?”

“Yeah, it’s strange. Why did she lie?!” Wang Chao slapped his thigh. “Because she said it before, but her parents didn’t believe her?”

“I tend to believe that Shen Lian didn’t tell the truth from the beginning in order to protect her own interests, indirectly leading to the death of the old homeless man,” Lin Chen said.

Wang Chao opened his mouth, his expression turning from confusion to panic.

Just then, Wang Chao’s phone rang.

The teenager scrambled to retrieve his phone, seeing an unfamiliar number. He paused for a moment, quickly searched the caller on the laptop, and nearly threw the phone away.

“Why would that dumbass Huang Ze call me?”

“Because we both blocked him,” Xing Conglian stated matter-of-factly.

“You guys are setting me up!”

Wang Chao held the phone as if it were a hot potato, unsure whether to answer or not. In the end, Lin Chen said, “Answer it. Put it on speaker.”

Sure enough, Huang Ze’s gloomy voice came through the receiver.

“I heard you guys were chatting outside the dumpling restaurant?”

The atmosphere in the high-level office of the city bureau was obviously tense. Led by the provincial department, an official task force had been formed.

The round table in the meeting room was filled with laptops, and the room was filled with suffocating smoke. In just two hours, the ashtray on the table had been emptied several times. Not to mention the numerous phone calls and video conferences, countless leaders wanted to hear the details of the case that even he regretted reporting the incident for a moment.

He couldn’t reveal what he knew, so he could only talk about some trivial details and claim that a large number of police forces were already conducting a thorough investigation. At that moment, he mentioned Xing Conglian and Lin Chen.

Due to the wide-ranging and far-reaching implications of the case and the need to consider various opinions, he could only use “under investigation” as an excuse. But just a moment ago, a certain officer he wasn’t on good terms with mentioned that the so-called investigators were leisurely chatting outside a dumpling restaurant. This made Huang Ze burn with anger, but he couldn’t express it.

The previous meeting had come to an end, and he walked out with his phone in hand. What was even more infuriating was that Lin Chen and Xing Conglian had blocked his number, so he had no choice but to call Wang Chao’s phone.

This was no longer a simple matter of frustration.

Lin Chen sat on the flower bed, quietly listening to Huang Ze vent his anger and drift off-topic on the phone. It had turned into obvious complaints. Lin Chen felt that Huang Ze had vented enough, so he interrupted him.

“We came here to investigate the case. Doesn’t Inspector Huang want to hear the latest progress in our case report?”

Huang Ze was stunned, and there was a sudden silence on the other end of the phone. Huang Ze sarcastically said, “You’re still willing to talk to me?”

The statement carried an ambiguous meaning.

Xing Conglian propped his legs up and took out a cigarette, raising an eyebrow at him.

Lin Chen handed the phone over to Xing Conglian.

Xing Conglian took the call without greeting Huang Ze and simply summarized the key points of their investigation, including the tragedy that happened in Xiaolin Lane years ago.

On the other end of the phone, Huang Ze sneered again. “So, this is Lin Chen’s way of handling the case. You dig into Shen Lian’s past, but does it help with dealing with the most difficult current situation?”

Lin Chen glanced at Xing Conglian.

Xing Conglian made a gesture to him, indicating that this person was too annoying.

“Shen Lian is also psychologically unstable.” Lin Chen stared at the bustling street not far away. The more Huang Ze questioned these meaningless analyses, the calmer and more meticulous he became. “Not only Shen Lian’s parents, but even other adults on that street believed that Shen Lian had ‘mental issues’ before. And based on Shen Lian’s current condition of retaliating against society, she was likely born this way. People like her probably have a probability of 2% among the general population.”

Wang Chao shuddered. On the other end of the phone, Huang Ze remained stubborn. “And then? Does labeling Shen Lian as a psychological abnormality have any meaning for us in apprehending her?”

Lin Chen patted the back of the teenager’s head and continued, “This is a normal phenomenon within the entire human race. Since birth, Shen Lian’s brain functions, serotonin, dopamine, and monoamine neurotransmitters have naturally been at an abnormal level, different from ordinary people. This predetermined her to exhibit obvious differences from normal children in many sudden moments, causing panic in her parents.”

Lin Chen paused, remembering Shen Lian’s appearance with double ponytails when she was a child. Although she stared into the camera, it was as if she was looking into the distance through it.

Although he couldn’t gather too much specific information about Shen Lian’s upbringing from the data, even from small details, it was evident that Shen Lian’s parents were not the type to care for and protect their child diligently and unconditionally. And in school, her peculiarities led to her being out of sync with the overall environment.

As a result, Shen Lian’s academic performance had always been average.

That was the basic state of Shen Lian before experiencing that cold winter night.

And then…

“At that time, the homeless man who saved Shen Lian from danger must have had a conflict with Chen Jianguo. The argument escalated. As the person involved and a middle school student with full narrative ability, if Shen Lian had clearly stated what exactly happened at the time, there wouldn’t be so many people in the world that would blindly defend a neighbor who tried to molest a young girl.” When he thought of this, Lin Chen couldn’t help but feel a chill, and he said, “So the most likely possibility is that on that night, Shen Lian didn’t say anything.”

Although Huang Ze kept urging, Lin Chen couldn’t help but ponder.

What was Shen Lian thinking in her mind?

First of all, she couldn’t have been frightened. Based on Shen Lian’s repeated statements to the police about the incident while deliberately avoiding mentioning the molestation, it could be seen that Shen Lian was intentionally hiding this fact. Therefore, she made the choice that was most beneficial to herself after weighing the pros and cons.

The old man was shouting, and the silent Shen Lian was taken away. It was originally an incident caused by people who were only trying to maintain neighborhood harmony but ended up inflicting harm on others due to certain irreparable flaws in human social behavior, resulting in an extremely dehumanizing event.

When Lin Chen reached this point, he finally couldn’t continue.

He stopped and felt that the summer sunlight seemed to have lost its effect. Under the camphor tree, the wind felt cold and piercing.

But Xing Conglian continued the topic. “So, what you’re saying is that everything Shen Lian did was only to protect her own interests?”

Lin Chen nodded.

Xing Conglian sneered, “She wasn’t seeking justice for the old man; she just wanted to punish those who had hurt her. As Lao Bian just mentioned, the relationship between the Shen and Chen families was strained, which indicates that Shen Lian’s target for revenge was always clear—Chen Jianguo. When she realized that her personal power was insufficient, she began seeking external help. First, her parents, and then the police. She persisted tirelessly until she suddenly discovered that she herself had become one of the murderers. She’s like an extremely dangerous combustible material ignited by a spark and has been burning ever since.”

“That’s probably it.” Lin Chen nodded, looking at Xing Conglian approvingly. “Captain Xing, if you keep going like this, I might end up unemployed.”

“Unemployment is good. I’ll support you.”

Lin Chen shook his head helplessly. Police officers began to enter the dumpling restaurant, but Xing Conglian nonchalantly hooked his shoulder, with a comforting expression. If they weren’t discussing an extremely dangerous individual and dark matters, Lin Chen would even have the illusion that they were enjoying aimless love under the sun, with the wind blowing.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 234

The police officers dining downstairs hadn’t decreased in number.

Lin Chen and Xing Conglian descended the stairs quietly. They crossed the misty and stuffy dining area, lifted the plastic curtain, and walked outside the restaurant.

The summer sunlight was bright, and the gloom of the winter night had dissipated slightly.

If they counted the unfinished last story, Shen Lian changed her testimony a total of four times.

From the perspective of criminal investigation, Shen Lian wasn’t considered an adult at that time, but she was also not a child. The factors influencing the truthfulness of her testimony were likely internal physiological factors and external motivational factors. For example, trauma-related suppression of memory, memory retrieval failure, or external factors that confused her memory were internal physiological factors, while external motivational factors could be simplified as the presence of certain motivations that led her to provide false testimony.

Lin Chen sat down by the small flower bed outside the restaurant and didn’t immediately answer the question. Instead, he said to Wang Chao, “Are the dumplings we ordered still in the restaurant? Can you go and get them?”

“Ah! A’Chen Gege, do you want to eat outside? It’s too hot, and there’s a lot of dust.” Wang Chao shuddered, as if suddenly awakened from the previous cold atmosphere.

Lin Chen looked at the police cars speeding by from time to time and said, “You don’t have to remind me again.”

Xing Conglian kicked Wang Chao and said, “Hurry back inside and do your job. Who gave you the right to question?”

Wang Chao ran back into the restaurant in a gloomy manner. Xing Conglian also sat down, and the shade from the trees wasn’t very dense, so most of their bodies were bathed in the scorching sunlight.

Xing Conglian let out a long sigh. “What a mess.”

“In fact, when you asked that question, you already had a sense of what kind of situation this is,” Lin Chen said.

“So, why did Shen Lian repeatedly modify her testimony and entangle the death of the old homeless man?” Xing Conglian leaned against the tree trunk, pretending to know nothing, as he asked.

“Clearly, Shen Lian is paranoid, but the reason behind her actions isn’t simply because she’s paranoid. Shen Lian has much more serious issues than that. She is adept at lying and has a habit of using deception to manipulate others in order to achieve her own desires,” Lin Chen tilted his head slightly and looked at Xing Conglian.

“It reminds me of Li Jingtian.”

“The people we have to face have always been a certain type, haven’t they?”

“Continue,” Xing Conglian said. “Based on your analysis, what exactly happened that night, and what was Shen Lian trying to achieve?”

“The purpose she was trying to achieve was undoubtedly to protect her personal interests,” Lin Chen said. “Of course, you might ask why she didn’t directly tell the police the truth of the matter and instead chose a very roundabout way to gradually correct her testimony. That is because the truth conflicted with her personal interests, and she chose to conceal it for the sake of her own interests.”

Xing Conglian asked, “Then why did little Shen Lian still go to find the police uncle?”

“Because concealing the truth would allow the people she hated to go unpunished, which would also contradict her personal interests.”

“It seems like a struggle between the evil in human nature, pushing people to worse outcomes,” Xing Conglian said, pulling out a cigarette.

“Your statement is very consistent with the life experiences of most antisocial personalities.” Lin Chen redirected the topic. “But regardless of how many times Shen Lian changed her testimony, we can separate the truth from lies through certain techniques.” Lin Chen shook the case file in his hand.

Just as Lin Chen finished speaking, Wang Chao happened to come out of the restaurant holding a disposable lunch box. The teenager stood by the plastic curtain and grinned at them, making everything feel warm.

However, Wang Chao quickly became immersed in his impending heavy workload.

SVA* was a procedure used to assess the truthfulness of statements. It was based on the assumption that memory statements from real experiences were different in content and quality from those based on creation or imagination. Although it was commonly used to determine the truthfulness of testimonies, it required a structured interview with Shen Lian to be conducted face-to-face. However, now wasn’t the time to focus on these standard procedures. Using the recorded testimonies that Shen Lian gave to Lao Bian back then, they could still achieve the goal of separating truth from lies, albeit with some difficulty.

*Statement Validity Assessment. It’s a tool designed to determine the credibility of child witnesses’ testimonies in trials for sexual offenses. You can read more about the methodology here. Overall, they conduct interviews with the child and assign scores based on what they think is true or false.

Wang Chao squatted by the flower bed and opened his laptop while Lin Chen flipped to the first page of the testimony. He said to Wang Chao, “We will divide the events described by Shen Lian into several parts and analyze the corresponding contents of these testimonies based on standard foundational content analysis. We will use a scoring system to calculate the truths and lies within them.”

Wang Chao’s eyes lit up. “That’s so scientific. I like it!”

Lin Chen turned to the first page. “First, all of Shen Lian’s testimonies are obviously disorganized narratives. She first describes the core event of ‘Chen Jianguo killing the old homeless man’ and then goes back to describing what happened at the beginning. Victims who have been sexually assaulted tend to present their accounts in an unorganized and incoherent manner.”

Wang Chao paused at that moment. “What the hell? Shen Lian was sexually assaulted?!”

“Now that you brought it up, let’s look at Shen Lian’s description of the main triggering event in the case,” Lin Chen said.

Wang Chao nodded vigorously.

“In the second version of the testimony, Shen Lian described the encounter between Chen Jianguo and Li Wanru like this: ‘The two of them were hugging against the wall. I don’t know what they were doing. Chen Jianguo took off his pants, and Li Wanru was moaning.’ However, in the third version, this part of the testimony changed to ‘The girl told Chen Jianguo to back off, but Chen Jianguo covered her mouth tightly and smiled. The girl’s pants button was undone, and she started crying.'” Lin Chen spoke calmly. “The latter version includes more descriptions of interactions between the victim and the perpetrator, which can be deemed relatively truthful and given a score of 1.'”

“Why is it 1 point instead of 2 points?” Wang Chao was puzzled.

“Because this is not her eyewitness testimony. She claims to have witnessed Chen Jianguo doing those things to the girl, but her perspective is subjective.”

Wang Chao pushed the laptop away. “Shen Lian was the victim of assault by Chen Jianguo?!? Why didn’t she report it to the police?”

“Because there’s no evidence.” Lin Chen shook his head. “Next, let’s evaluate her next statement. Regarding the details of the old homeless man interrupting Chen Jianguo’s attempt to harm the girl. Shen Lian said she was very scared, and luckily the old homeless man arrived, dropping his bag of garbage like a god descending. The old man had a dirty face and smelled of leftover food, but it made her feel safe.” Lin Chen paused and continued, “In this segment of the testimony, there are many details, including the sense of smell, and many aspects of her subjective psychological description that score 2 points.”

“So, Chen Jianguo didn’t succeed because the old homeless man saved Shen Lian?” Wang Chao said. “Shen Lian wasn’t truly harmed, so she didn’t tell anyone that Chen Jianguo wanted to harm her that night?”

Lin Chen lowered his eyes. “In fact, I really think she didn’t tell anyone that Chen Jianguo wanted to molest her that day. I also think that no matter how many times she repeated this incident, no one believed her. Therefore, when faced with the police at the end, she changed her testimony.”

As they spoke, Lin Chen felt a weight on his shoulder as Xing Conglian rested his hand there. “Don’t overthink it,” he said.

Lin Chen nodded and continued, “Now we come to the most crucial point: how did the old homeless man die? I’ll give you the conclusion directly. Shen Lian mentioned that many neighbors witnessed the dispute between the two, which is true. It’s difficult to determine whether Chen Jianguo intentionally sought revenge and killed the old homeless man. It’s also difficult to determine whether Chen Jianguo accidentally pushed the old homeless man and caused his death. But among all the possibilities, there’s one thing that is true—she did see the ‘corpse’ of the old homeless man that night.”

“So we can’t determine for sure if Chen Jianguo actually committed murder?” Xing Conglian asked.

“I would say that I can’t determine that from Shen Lian’s testimony. I tend to believe that she only knew the outcome of the old man’s death but didn’t witness the actual crime taking place.”

Xing Conglian rubbed his chin and said, “That makes more sense. The old homeless man had a dispute with Chen Jianguo, and neighbors heard the commotion and came out to watch. In such situations, adults would surely send children back inside. So Shen Lian didn’t know who actually killed the old homeless man, and she could only deduce, based on her own reasoning, that Chen Jianguo was the culprit…”

Lin Chen continued, “Therefore, the reason why Shen Lian became so agitated upon learning the true time of the old man’s death also has an explanation. She thought the old man had died, but in reality, he didn’t die on the spot; he lay in the cold rain for several hours before finally succumbing.”

When Lin Chen finished speaking, Xing Conglian didn’t say anything more. They looked at each other, and all the speculation came to a halt. No one wanted to ask the next question.

However, in that moment, they both forgot that Wang Chao was there, a vibrant teenager who, unlike them, didn’t have such a keen sense for these ugly and dark matters.

“What the heck! Did the residents of Xiaolin Lane intentionally ignore and not save him? That’s too cruel! Why?!” Wang Chao exclaimed.

Lin Chen raised his hand, wanting to tousle the teenager’s hair, but in the end, he didn’t, as Xing Conglian pulled his hand away.

Surrounded by bustling police officers, Xing Conglian didn’t care about the gazes around him when he wanted to do something.

So, Xing Conglian held Lin Chen’s hand and answered Wang Chao’s question on his behalf. “Because all the residents of Xiaolin Lane are the culprits.”

Xing Conglian’s voice was low and hoarse, tinged with sorrow.

“Yes, of course, they are all culprits!” Wang Chao shouted, but he suddenly stopped at the last syllable.

Xing Conglian patted the teenager’s head with his other hand. “You just helped us find so many files about Xiaolin Lane, but you didn’t read them yourself. Many of them are complaints about that old homeless man. The old homeless man, you see, likes to sing in the middle of the night and shout at thin air. His makeshift dwelling often emits a foul smell and has scared passing children. There’s even a history of him throwing bricks at residents’ windows when he’s in an agitated state. Imagine if someone like that lived near your home and even the police had a hard time dealing with him. How would you feel?”

Although the sunlight was the same, with Xing Conglian’s narration, Lin Chen felt the surroundings gradually becoming colder. The damp and chilly atmosphere of a southern winter night emerged once again.

That day, Shen Lian was sent back into her house, and no matter what the little girl said before, none of the adults believed her.

One was a well-regarded and helpful neighbor, and the other was a mentally unstable old homeless man. When these two had a dispute, all the neighbors knew whose side to take. Except for the parties involved, no one knew what had really happened at that time. But the only possibility that could align everyone’s testimony was if these people became a community of fate. Perhaps Chen Jianguo pushed the old homeless man, or maybe it was Li Wanru who pushed him. It was even possible that the meddlesome old lady from next door, who was getting on in years, became the killer. No one knew who truly struck the blow, but when everyone came to their senses, the old man was already lying in a pool of blood.

The water in the river emitted a foul stench, black like ink.

People started to blame each other, shifting responsibility, but no matter how they argued, no one could clarify who had actually acted.

Silence fell upon these people, and at this moment, the most influential person would express their opinion.

They would say, “Since everyone dislikes this old man so much, and now we can’t determine who did it, let’s disperse. Tomorrow morning, I’ll report to the police, and we’ll all agree that the old man fell on his own, and we were all sleeping, unaware of what happened.”

This was just a suggestion, and with a suggestion came choices, and the subsequent choices would question human nature.

Numerous psychological studies have shown that, under immense social pressure, people tend to choose conformity.

Some agreed to the choice of distancing themselves from the incident, and as a result, no one made the choice to continue living for this annoying, mentally unstable old homeless man.

Wang Chao grabbed Xing Conglian’s pant leg with a grim expression as if he was about to cry. “But I can’t just let him slowly die in the cold rain just because I dislike this old man.”

“Even if it was an accident and you accidentally pushed him, so you would have to bear the legal responsibility and hefty medical expenses?” Lin Chen interrupted the conversation between Wang Chao and Xing Conglian.

“Yes!” Wang Chao said firmly.

The shadow of the tree fell on the teenager’s face, and the bright spots on his face resembled tears.

“So, you know.” Lin Chen wiped away something that might not have been tears beneath the teenager’s eyes and said to him, “You’re a good kid. There are many people like you, so don’t be too sad.”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 233

“She begged us not to let anyone know that she came to the police. If her parents found out, they would kill her,” Lao Bian recounted the incident that happened many years ago in a clear and usual tone.

“Because you listened to her, you didn’t include this record in the final main file?” Xing Conglian asked.

“Lao Xing, it wasn’t an official report, and…” Lao Bian shook his head. “There were inconsistencies in her account, but we still conducted an investigation.”

“What was the issue?” Wang Chao asked.

“The time of death.” Xing Conglian narrowed his eyes.

According to the forensic report in the file, the old homeless man’s time of death was around 4 a.m.

But according to Shen Lian’s statement, she witnessed Chen Jianguo pushing the homeless man when she returned home from her study session, and that time should have been between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., which didn’t match the actual time of death.

Lao Bian nodded. “Although the girl’s testimony had issues, we still conducted four investigations, and there were no suspicious points. Finally, we looked into the identity of the middle school student.”

“Shen Lian?” Xing Conglian asked.

Lao Bian nodded. “Regarding this matter, although she kept her identity secret, we definitely investigated her background, and we quickly discovered that she was the daughter of the Shen family at 4 Xiaolin Lane. Later, we contacted the director of the local neighborhood committee and indirectly mentioned the matter, without mentioning the girl’s name, but the director immediately guessed it was Shen Lian.”

“Shen Lian…” Lin Chen murmured softly. “How did the director guess it was her so quickly?”

Lao Bian tapped his head with his finger and said, “The director said that they had suspected for a long time that Shen Lian would go to the police again regarding the homeless man’s death. Shen Lian had caused many disturbances at home before, and the relationship between the Shen family and the Chen family had also become very strained. The director said that the girl’s mind wasn’t right, that she had issues.”

When the retired police officer referred to her not having a right mind, he was, of course, referring to mental issues.

“But Shen Lian doesn’t have any medical records for mental illnesses,” Lin Chen said.

“That’s true, but back in those days, if a child had slight mental issues, many parents would hide it and keep it to themselves. And as for Shen Lian’s mental problems, they weren’t that severe, so her parents didn’t take her to the hospital,” Lao Bian explained.

Lin Chen keenly perceived the issue in Lao Bian’s words. “How do you know that her parents didn’t take her to the hospital because her mental issues weren’t severe?”

Lin Chen emphasized the word “parents.”

“We discussed this issue with her parents,” Lao Bian said.

In the room, Wang Chao gasped. “Didn’t she ask you not to let her parents know? Why did you disclose it?”

Xing Conglian said, “Could it have been leaked by the street office director?”

Lao Bian felt helpless and wanted to touch his cigarette. Xing Conglian took one out of his pocket and handed it to him. Lao Bian bit the cigarette, and Xing Conglian lit a lighter and brought it close.

The retired police officer said, “In small streets and alleys, there are no secrets between neighbors. The street office director had a conversation with Shen Lian’s parents. The couple came to the police station one day and explained their daughter’s issues. Their intention was that their daughter witnessed a dead body on the street on her way to school in the morning and was highly disturbed. Shen Lian kept feeling that the death of the homeless man was related to her for various reasons. So, they took their daughter to the countryside to keep her away from the source of stimulation. Shen Lian’s parents begged us not to leave a record of their daughter’s involvement.” Lao Bian exhaled smoke. “How can we even leave a record? It was just a simple investigation.”

“So, you simply believed Shen Lian’s parents’ statement?” Xing Conglian sharply asked. “They left after the incident, and their daughter started displaying abnormal behavior. There are issues with both parents.”

“Her parents weren’t at home that evening; they were working the night shift. Their alibis were solid, which proved they weren’t present, so their statements weren’t included. And it was basically the same as what Shen Lian’s parents said. Since Chen Jianguo wasn’t arrested, Shen Lian came to us again. This time, the girl’s testimony changed.”

Because the retired police officer was smoking, the second floor was filled with smoke, and combined with the sun shining on the top floor, the room became as hot as a steamer.

However, on that night, it was bone-chillingly cold.

Because her parents were on the night shift and didn’t come home, Shen Lian, while still in middle school, was accustomed to occasional nights spent alone. But that day, due to the cold wave, freezing rain started falling, and the temperature outside had dropped below zero degrees Celsius. Inside the house wasn’t much better. She did witness the altercation between the old homeless man and Chen Jianguo, but the time wasn’t when she returned from her study session; it was at midnight. After finishing her homework and getting ready for bed, she heard a woman’s faint cries from outside. The voice was soft, but the whimpering sound, muffled by someone’s hand and accompanied by sexual desire, was exceptionally clear on that winter night with drizzling rain.

She struggled for a while, then mustered up the courage to quietly pull open the curtains and crack the window slightly. By the dim light of a streetlamp, she saw an extremely disgusting and vile scene.

She saw Chen Jianguo under the eaves, with half of his pants removed, engaging in something with Auntie Li Wanru from next door.

As a teenager, she peeped at the midnight affair and had been watching from the window. But neither she nor Chen Jianguo, not even Auntie Li Wanru, could have expected that a fourth person would appear on that cold winter night.

The old homeless man returned with leftover food from a hotel, accidentally entering the secluded alley where no one should have been. In the dark night, the old man, wearing tattered clothes, seemed to descend like a god, exposing the two people in the alley. Li Wanru panicked and fled, while Chen Jianguo killed the old homeless man to silence him.

This was the second version of the story, which was more detailed than the simplified structure of the first version.

After listening, Wang Chao just flipped his phone and said, “I checked the historical weather records for that day. It was -1 to 4 degrees Celsius, and there was light rain. Wasn’t Chen Jianguo afraid of freezing his thing off?”

Xing Conglian gave Wang Chao a slap on the head as usual. “Is that all you think about? And watch your language. It’s so uncivilized.”

After he said that, no one continued the conversation. The room fell eerily silent, as if the shadow of the deceased in the winter night was gently hovering.

Lin Chen sat in the corner while his brows were locked in contemplation. When Xing Conglian’s gaze shifted towards him, Lin Chen happened to raise his eyes and asked, “Is there a third version of the story?”

Having completely guessed the sequence of events, Lao Bian suddenly looked up, staring at Lin Chen in astonishment, then rubbed his face and continued.

After the version of the midnight affair, Shen Lian found the police for the third time and once again changed her eyewitness testimony.

This time, she told the police that it wasn’t Li Wanru who was involved in the affair with Chen Jianguo, but Chen Jianguo. On that night, Chen Jianguo intended to sexually assault a young girl, but the girl was saved by the old beggar and spared from harm. However, Chen Jianguo was furious and secretly went to bother the old beggar very late at night, resulting in the beggar’s death by the bridge.

Perhaps this case had left a deep impression on Lao Bian, as the retired police officer spoke about the details without any confusion.

Lin Chen sat back in his chair, legs crossed, and lowered his head to look at a shadow on the wooden floor, lost in thought.

Finally, Lin Chen spoke, “There should be one more version of the story, right?”

Lin Chen asked this way.

However, to everyone’s surprise, Lin Chen was wrong this time. Lao Bian didn’t nod but flatly denied, “No, this is the final version that Shen Lian told.”

Lin Chen raised his head abruptly. “What happened?”

“What do you mean?” Lao Bian, who had been talking for so long, was now a bit off in his emotions. He inexplicably questioned Lin Chen.

“That’s not right. After that, did Shen Lian really never come back to you?” Lin Chen asked again.

Lao Bian extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray and said, “I’m an old man, and I don’t understand what you mean, Mr. Lin.”

Lin Chen stated clearly, “What I mean is, I don’t think Shen Lian revealed the truth of the matter, and she should come back to you again.”

“She did come once,” Lao Bian said.

“The last time?”

“The last time.”

“What happened that made her leave without changing her eyewitness testimony?”

Lao Bian let out a long sigh. “Because my partner finally couldn’t bear it anymore and exposed the girl’s lies to her face.”

Lao Bian explained that his partner was different from him, having a naturally hot temper. Being deceived repeatedly by a little girl with false stories and wasting the manpower and resources of the police, his partner was already very dissatisfied.

When Shen Lian approached them for the fourth time, his partner directly told her to focus on studying and that going to the police wasn’t a game. None of the fabricated stories she came up with matched the actual time of the old homeless man’s death.

“And then?” Lin Chen asked.

“And then Shen Lian left.”

Lin Chen furrowed his brows. “Could you please recall carefully what special event happened at that time that made Shen Lian never come back to you again?”

Lao Bian scratched his eyebrow, sinking into painful recollections.

“It must have been something your partner said that caused her to have intense emotional fluctuations. Her reaction should have been obvious.”

“It was when they talked about the time of the homeless man’s death!” Lao Bian slapped his leg. “My partner said the homeless man didn’t die in the middle of the night but rather just before dawn the next day. The girl kept saying ‘impossible’ repeatedly and became extremely agitated. She almost attacked my partner in response, a girl in her teens.”

“Attacked?” Wang Chao exclaimed.

“She tried to strangle him, but my partner managed to block her.” Lao Bian shook his head repeatedly. “After that, we truly believed she wasn’t normal. What normal young girl repeatedly comes to the police and fabricates stories? It was too paranoid.”

Lao Bian continued rambling on; the old police officer was forced to revisit events from over a decade ago, recounting them once again. By the end, as the story was finished, the old man seemed unable to stop reminiscing about the past.

While Xing Conglian engaged in sporadic conversation with the old man, he kept observing Lin Chen’s expression.

Since hearing about Shen Lian’s agitation over the actual time of the old homeless man’s death, Lin Chen maintained a pensive look. In the end, Xing Conglian clearly saw a trace of sadness on Lin Chen’s face.

The expression on Lin Chen’s face flickered and disappeared. He slowly blinked, as if he had completed the missing pieces of the puzzle, and everything became clear.

Lin Chen stood up and bid farewell to Lao Bian.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 232

Although they had also undergone proper preservation, the archive papers were still yellowed and aged, resembling a buried history.

Lin Chen touched the papers of the case file and flipped through them page by page.

It seemed to be an accidental incident, with a very simple sequence of events.

The deceased was a homeless man. According to the resident who reported the case, it was a very cold day, with an unprecedented cold wave in decades. When they went out in the morning to buy groceries, they saw the homeless man who had been living in their neighborhood for years lying dead in the cold rainwater outside.

The residents suspected that due to the cold and slippery conditions, the homeless man had slipped and fallen, hitting his head on the stone steps of the bridge, resulting in a skull fracture and death.

The person who reported the incident was a resident of that street. After the police arrived at the scene, they questioned many neighbors, and the results proved that the homeless man’s death was purely accidental.

Lin Chen turned to the third page, which recorded the eyewitnesses and their statements that the police had questioned at the time, including their addresses, names, and other basic information.

Chen Jianguo, residing at 3 Xiaolin Lane, stated that he did hear shouting outside his house that morning at around five, but the sound was very brief, and he turned over without paying much attention. Little did he expect that someone had actually died outside, and he regretted not getting up earlier to check.

Next, the police questioned the residents around 5, 7, and 9 Xiaolin Lane, as well as 2, 6, and 8—all of whom provided similar testimonies.

Lin Chen quickly turned to the fourth page and looked at the names recorded one by one, along with the statements signed by the interviewees. The sequence of events in the accidental death case unfolded in his mind.

……

Lin Chen’s reading became slower and slower. The pile of case files on his right side grew taller. Finally, the subtle change on Lin Chen’s calm face caught Xing Conglian’s attention.

“What did you find?” Xing Conglian asked.

Lin Chen composed himself and said, “Stop and call the people you sent over.”

Xing Conglian frowned, his gaze falling on the case file in Lin Chen’s hand. “You found it so quickly?”

Lin Chen pointed at the case file with his finger and calmly said, “It should be this one.”

Xing Conglian immediately clapped his hands, catching the attention of all the officers who were immersed in reading the case files. He announced loudly, “Everyone, stop. Organize the case files in your hands, put them back in the boxes by year, and you can leave.”

All the officers had just immersed themselves in their work for less than half an hour. The trivial and bizarre old cases seemed to pull them back to that era, leaving them with a bewildered and confused expression. Each person hoped to find some answers from Lin Chen’s expression, but Lin Chen’s gaze remained calm and thoughtful, giving no clue.

Soon, the boxes filled with case files were filled up again, and the officers exited the office one by one, then the office door closed.

Wang Chao, sitting on the sofa licking a lemon-flavored lollipop, couldn’t wait to rush over to Lin Chen’s side. Xing Conglian sat down beside Lin Chen, and Wang Chao squeezed himself between them like a little pet, crouching down to look at Lin Chen curiously. He asked, “What’s going on with this case, A’Chen Gege?”

Lin Chen handed over the case file and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes slightly.

Wang Chao actually started to look through the file on his own. Xing Conglian snatched the case file from the teenager’s hand and flicked him on the forehead. “You’re so nosy. Can you even understand what you’re reading?”

Wang Chao exclaimed, “Boss, this case file just passed from your hands!”

Xing Conglian then snatched the case file and unhesitatingly gave the troublemaker another flick.

“Wang Chao.” Lin Chen finally spoke slowly. “Can you retrieve the layout map of Xiaolin Lane from back then?”

Wang Chao snapped his fingers and said, “I’ve seen it. I can draw it for you.”

Lin Chen tilted his head and said, “Please mark the specific names of each household.”

Wang Chao got up to get some paper, but upon hearing the request, the young man couldn’t help but freeze. “I haven’t come across that yet, but I’ll mark it after I finish searching.”

“No need. I’ll tell you. Just mark it.” Lin Chen said.

Soon, the geographic map of the small bridge where the homeless man fell appeared on the paper. Lin Chen recited the house numbers of the households mentioned in the witness testimonies, and Wang Chao gradually marked them.

“Li Wanru, 8 Xiaolin Lane…”

After Lin Chen finished reciting, there was a long pause. Wang Chao still held the pen, waiting for what he would say next, because there was still one empty spot on the paper. “A’Chen Gege, what about 4?”

Lin Chen’s face remained as calm as water as he simply stared at the young man. Through the lens, the summer sun outside was bright and vibrant. Lin Chen spoke faintly, “Guess.”

Wang Chao took a sharp breath. “Shen Lian’s house?”

A homeless man had died, and the police had made a record and visited all the surrounding households except for Shen Lian’s family. It seemed like there was no problem with this omission. Maybe something had happened in Shen Lian’s household during those days, or perhaps the Shen family happened to be traveling. There were countless reasons to explain this small detail. But the more Xing Conglian looked through the record, the more he understood where Lin Chen’s certainty came from.

For example, Li Wanru’s testimony from 8 Xiaolin Lane. The homeless man had been living on their street for many years. Except for a period when the staff of the shelter, during the construction of the city, had temporarily removed this scruffy dog-like man, no one had bothered him since then. Now that he was dead, people couldn’t exactly celebrate, but they still felt a sense of relief. When asked about what happened when the homeless man died, Li Wanru also said that it was so cold outside, and she was still sleeping at that time, unaware of what was happening outside.

At the end, Xing Conglian’s gaze landed on the name of the outbound officer—Bian Yuan.

He stood up, draped his police uniform over his arm, and said to the other two in the office, “Hungry? Want to eat dumplings? I’ll treat you.”

……

Lao Bian Dumplings was located just outside the city’s Criminal Investigation Division.

The Bian family name was already relatively obscure, and it was said that their ancestors had been imperial chefs, hence the inheritance of their culinary skills. Lao Bian was the one who took a different path within the family. When he was young, he worked as a police officer, and after retiring, due to his grandson’s special love for the dumplings he made, he decided to open a restaurant, catering specifically to his colleagues in the police station.

When Xing Conglian entered the restaurant, the air conditioning was already at its lowest, but because of the steaming hot dumplings and the constant flow of officers, the place felt like a steamer. Familiar officers greeted Xing Conglian, and he pretended to look at the menu posted on the wall. Wang Chao couldn’t contain his anxiety and whispered, “Boss, with such limited time, why did you bring us here to eat dumplings? Is there a clue here?”

Upon seeing the signboard of the dumpling restaurant, Lin Chen seemed to have understood everything. Therefore, he calmly said, “Three Delicacies*, no garlic in the vinegar.”

*Refers to the filling used in Chinese cuisine, particularly dumplings. The filling typically consists of a combination of three ingredients, such as minced meat (commonly pork), finely chopped vegetables (such as cabbage or chives), and sometimes shrimp or other seafood.

The one who came to tally the bill was the owner himself. Xing Conglian patted the shoulder of the officer sitting next to him and said, “Put it on my tab.”

The officer understood and immediately got up to leave.

Of course, those who operated a dumpling restaurant outside the police station were well aware of this situation. Lao Bian took a seat at the vacant spot and said, “Lao Xing, let me tell you, ever since I opened this dumpling restaurant outside the police station, it has become an information hub. If you have any questions, just ask.”

Lin Chen placed the case file on the table and pushed it towards Lao Bian. “I would like to ask you for some information regarding this case.”

Lao Bian put down his small notebook and took out reading glasses from his breast pocket. When he opened the first page, his expression changed.

Xing Conglian knew that they might be getting closer to the answer.

“This case…” Lao Bian dragged his tone and sighed. “What do you want to know?”

“Why is there no testimony recorded from the Shen family who lived at 4 Xiaolin Lane in the transcripts?” Lin Chen asked.

Lao Bian pushed his glasses up and looked at Lin Chen, saying with emotion, “Impressive, Consultant Lin. But before I answer, can you tell me what exactly happened?”

“Regarding the incident involving the little girl from the Shen family,” Lin Chen hesitated, “at that time, she was probably in junior high.”

A sharp expression flashed across Lao Bian’s face as he shook his head and said directly, “Are you talking about Shen Lian?”

The second floor of the dumpling restaurant was Lao Bian’s residence. The retired police officer led them upstairs and pulled out a stack of files from a wooden shelf, flipping through them in chronological order. He then took out a thin file and handed it over.

Lowering his head, Xing Conglian looked at it. Specifically, it seemed to be a single-page document that wasn’t included in the main file.

Lao Bian said, “The reason the Shen family didn’t provide a statement is that during those few days, they had returned to their hometown.”

“Didn’t you find it suspicious?” Xing Conglian felt the temperature in the room drop.

“Take a look at this record first.” Lao Bian avoided giving a direct answer.

On February 26, about a month and a half after the death of the homeless man, a resident from Xiaolin Lane voluntarily approached the police and provided information about the case.

The resident who provided the information refused to reveal her name, but she appeared to be a junior high student.

The junior high student told the police that her home was very close to the scene of the incident, so she was well aware of the true sequence of events. The death of the homeless man who slipped and fell on the stone bridge was not an accident but rather the result of being pushed and hitting the steps.

The junior high student provided several names, including Li Wanru, Chen Jianguo, and Li Guoqing, and described some of the events that occurred on the night of the incident.

According to the junior high student who provided the information, it was a stormy night. She witnessed a dispute between the resident, Chen Jianguo, and the homeless man as she was returning home from her evening study session. The homeless man injured Chen Jianguo by hitting him, and Chen Jianguo, in turn, pushed the homeless man, ultimately resulting in his death.

Many residents of Xiaolin Lane witnessed the tragedy, but everyone was covering up for Chen Jianguo, and no one was willing to come forward and tell the truth. The junior high student wanted to report the incident at that time but was dragged back to her hometown by her parents. Now, she mustered up the courage to come to the police.

Xing Conglian lifted his head from the file.

“Did you investigate it?” he asked.

“That girl couldn’t provide any solid or even indirect evidence. We reconstructed the crime scene based on her account, but we didn’t find any suspicious points or the bloodstains she mentioned. We conducted multiple inquiries and questioned the surrounding residents, and all their statements were consistent with no anomalies. We conducted a total of four investigations, and all the results indicated that the girl who came to us was lying.”

Xing Conglian frowned and finally asked, “Why didn’t you include this investigation record in the official main file?”

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Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 231

Everyone’s changes had reasons behind them. These reasons could be as simple as the breakfast they wanted to buy being unavailable due to heavy rain, so they had to settle for a bun they didn’t like. Or it could be the determination to study hard and excel academically after being ridiculed at school. However, if it wasn’t for an alien swapping Shen Lian’s brain, her sudden leap in academic performance would undoubtedly be due to her strong internal drive for learning.

Although Lin Chen could ignore this change and attribute it to a genius girl suddenly developing a passion for studying, he instinctively believed that the reason behind Shen Lian’s transformation was very important.

“Did anything happen during Shen Lian’s transition from junior high to high school?” Lin Chen asked.

“What aspect are you referring to, A’Chen Gege?” Wang Chao asked, holding his computer.

“Involving changes in relatives or schoolmates, such as homicides, car accidents, major illnesses, especially mental illnesses, and so on.”

Time was running out. Xing Conglian got out of the car to escort Mr. Xiao Zhan into the entrance of the chemical plant, appearing very cautious. Lin Chen saw Xing Conglian patting the other person’s shoulder and saying something before quickly returning to the car.

As Lin Chen turned his head, before he could speak, with just a glance, Xing Conglian answered on his own, “I told Xiao Zhan that someone would come to protect him later.”

“He must be scared to death.”

“He’s quite timid,” Xing Conglian said helplessly.

The teenager sat in the back seat, continuously talking while checking some records. “Parents are healthy, only mother had a cold once. As for relatives at home… That’s a broad range. Are you referring to several generations of relatives?”

Thinking of Shen Lian’s “attack” target, Lin Chen said, “Grandparents.”

Xing Conglian had already restarted the car. His driving speed wasn’t as urgent as before. Instead, he seemed relaxed. He even turned on the car stereo and played a serene violin piece.

There were many abandoned construction sites on the outskirts, overlayed with long grass basking in the perfect sun. The violin music mixed with the sound of Wang Chao typing on the keyboard made Lin Chen feel drowsy. He suddenly remembered that a similar scene seemed to have occurred before.

They were driving down the highway with dense reeds all around as time was tightening… What did Xing Conglian do back then? It reminded him of when they had a bowl of braised beef noodles together, sitting on the car hood, enjoying the breeze.

Lin Chen abruptly woke up. Xing Conglian was still in the driver’s seat, saying, “Hey, what do you feel like eating later?”

Lin Chen looked at Xing Conglian helplessly. The more urgent the situation, the more relaxed Xing Conglian seemed to be.

“Wang Chao, how about going to a restaurant?”

“No, no, we’re in a hurry. Boss, don’t add to the chaos,” Wang Chao said anxiously. “A’Chen Gege, it seems like there weren’t any significant incidents, as you mentioned, during that year. Shen Lian’s grandparents were still alive that year, and there were no major events at school…”

Wang Chao incessantly began recounting the suspicious accidents that occurred at Shen Lian’s school, while Lin Chen gradually closed his eyes, his face calm and serene.

“A’Chen Gege, what should we do next? Should we continue investigating Shen Lian’s past experiences during that period? What if she suddenly had a miraculous improvement in her academic performance due to taking some divine elixir?”

Xing Conglian cleared his throat, and Wang Chao immediately fell silent.

The temporary investigation hitting a dead end left the young man restless. In reality, Lin Chen knew what Wang Chao wanted to say but didn’t verbalize it. Now that they only had three hours left, did they really need to delve too deeply into Shen Lian’s past? Moreover, even if they discovered why Shen Lian had changed so drastically, would it truly help them resolve the crisis they currently faced?

Looking at the grassy roadside ahead, Lin Chen said to Wang Chao, “The reason I think we should investigate Shen Lian’s past and the reasons behind her psychological transformation is simply because it’s the only area I excel at in this case. Besides that, I can’t find any other breakthrough points.”

“Ah, no, A’Chen Gege, I didn’t mean it that way. I never said you were useless!” Wang Chao hurriedly clarified.

Lin Chen said seriously, “Perhaps I didn’t express myself clearly. I don’t think I’m useless. What I meant was that with enough proficiency in any field of study, you can find your own breakthrough points. For example, computers for you or psychology for me.”

Wang Chao was dumbfounded.

Xing Conglian laughed as if he was satisfied with his statement. “No, no, he is still far behind you.”

Surprisingly, Lin Chen felt more at ease and smiled, saying, “It’s always good to be modest.”

“What should we do next?”

“I want to investigate everything that happened to Shen Lian during her transition from junior high to high school,” Lin Chen said decisively.

“But wasn’t Wang Chao already investigating all of that?” Xing Conglian asked.

“I want to focus on the events that occurred at Shen Lian’s school; with her teachers, classmates, relatives, neighbors, the bus she frequently took, the route she took home, and even the bookstore she often visited. We need to investigate every place and person related to Shen Lian.” Lin Chen opened his eyes and looked firmly at the astonished Xing Conglian.

However, after the brief astonishment, Xing Conglian became surprisingly relaxed and at ease. He calmly called the teenager’s name, “Wang Chao!”

“Wang Chao is online. Sir, may I ask what you need?” Wang Chao responded promptly.

“Follow your A’Chen Gege’s orders,” Xing Conglian said.

Wang Chao quickly replied, “I can search the police network for all the files related to Shen Lian’s activities within her scope. It’s a small matter. However, some things can only be obtained through interviews, which I can’t do!”

As soon as Wang Chao finished speaking, he began typing rapidly on the keyboard.

Xing Conglian said to Lin Chen, “Investigating the internal network alone won’t be comprehensive enough. I’ll assign some people to conduct on-the-ground investigations.”

Lin Chen nodded. “Try to be discreet and not alert anyone…”

Xing Conglian made several phone calls, assigning tasks. The investigation would involve Shen Lian’s former teachers, classmates, friends, and neighbors, covering almost all of Shen Lian’s social network from that period.

Ground investigations were time-consuming and resource-intensive work, and Lin Chen was well aware that they might not yield immediate results for the investigation he desired. In this extremely tense situation, Xing Conglian was still willing to listen to him and undertake this task. Setting aside personal feelings, the trust Xing Conglian bestowed upon him was the utmost trust a superior could give to a subordinate. Lin Chen leaned against the car window, contemplating many of Xing Conglian’s strengths, but the most prominent one was undoubtedly his unwavering trust in people. Even when they were complete strangers, Xing Conglian dared to trust Lin Chen’s judgment. The same was true when he sent Mr. Xiao Zhan and spoke to the young man. Perhaps even earlier, Xing Conglian had placed trust in many people he wasn’t familiar with, including Wang Chao.

Therefore, it didn’t take long for Wang Chao to naturally lean against his seatback and proudly say, “A’Chen Gege, I’ve found all the information you requested—over 280 files. Do you want to take a look?”

Lin Chen glanced at the time; not much time had passed since Xing Conglian made the calls.

Xing Conglian seemed somewhat dissatisfied with the number of leads. “Comrade Xiao Wang, how did you manage to find over 280 files? That’s a lot. Your professional skills seem to have declined a bit.”

“A’Chen Gege, you should quickly tell the boss how many cases can be found when investigating regional crime records. This quantity is unpredictable!” Wang Chao retorted.

Lin Chen nodded.

Wang Chao looked at his boss and continued proudly, “Do you want to review them later, or should I show you now? I’ve organized them in chronological order.”

Wang Chao’s face revealed an expectant expression, hoping for praise.

But Xing Conglian remained silent. Lin Chen placed his hand on Xing Conglian’s right arm and gently patted it. “What do you think, Captain Xing?”

Finally, Xing Conglian said, “Wang Chao, have someone retrieve the written case files and bring them to the office. Mobilize some officers to review the files.”

“We still need to review the written case files?” Wang Chao took a deep breath. “Over 280 files—that’s an enormous workload!”

“Well, who found so many cases?” Xing Conglian countered.

Lin Chen said, “It’s necessary. The digital archives from that time might not be complete, and without reviewing the physical case files, we might miss important clues.”

……

Approximately twenty minutes later, they arrived at the police station.

Over 280 case files were brought to the police office. Due to the manhunt for Shen Lian, the police force was already short-staffed. However, Xing Conglian still assembled a team of ten officers at the police station to review the case files.

Xing Conglian pushed open the office door, with Lin Chen and Wang Chao following behind.

Inside the office, apart from the officers who were urgently assigned, there were over a dozen large boxes of case files.

Lin Chen nodded to the officers and got straight to the point. “Today, I’ve called you all here to review some case files. We’ll use a pass-and-screen method. Please form a circle and sit down, maintaining an arm’s distance between each other. If you come across a case file that you find suspicious, place it on your right side. If you think the lead is useless, place it at the back. And so on.”

Xing Conglian solemnly said, “Go and find chairs.”

The ten officers went out one after another and soon returned, seating themselves in a circle according to Lin Chen’s instructions. Wang Chao began distributing the case files. At that moment, one officer spoke up, asking, “What kind of case file would be considered suspicious?”

Lin Chen said, “This search is likely different from the traditional method of finding case files based on leads. We don’t have specific leads; only general keywords. Please identify case files that might be related to these keywords: ‘Shen Lian’, ‘murder’, ‘cruelty’, ‘violence’, ‘drugs’, ‘alcohol’, ‘mental abnormalities’, and so on.”

“Understood. Cases possibly related to mental abnormalities?”

“Not only that, we need to search more meticulously,” Lin Chen said.

Xing Conglian opened the case file in his hand and sternly scanned the faces of each subordinate. “Be serious. We don’t have much time to start over.”

The officers nodded heavily, indicating their understanding.

In the spacious office, the ten or so people sat in a circle, and not a single word was spoken. The silence in the room was palpable. The only sound was the rustling of paper as thick pages were turned, like waves crashing against the shore, endless and infinite.

Lin Chen also sat within the circle, focusing on the case file in his hand. It detailed a violent assault that occurred late at night during that year, in a location near Shen Lian’s residence.

He examined it carefully, from the time the police were dispatched, the responding units, the forensic examination report, and even the chain of evidence. He meticulously filtered every word in the case file with his eyes. Afterwards, he placed the case file behind his chair.

Xing Conglian sat to the right of Lin Chen, and as Lin Chen placed the case file, he caught a glimpse of the case file in Xing Conglian’s hand. It was a burglary that took place on a street where Shen Lian had previously resided. The burglar had the misfortune of entering the home of a retired boxer, with predictable results.

The number of case files on the right side of the chairs kept increasing. The second, third, and more case files were passed along. Lin Chen placed another excluded case file behind his chair and casually picked up a new one from the right side. He opened it—unexpected death, unidentified victim.

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