Motive for murder

"You!" Qin Ming's eyes widened, and he was so angry that he was incoherent. "If you keep talking nonsense! Our instruments are inspected every year!"

Qian Fei loved teasing Qin Ming, and seeing his intense reaction, he laughed and said, "Why are you stuttering? Boss? You're not really saying there's no maintenance done, are you?!"

"You!" Qin Ming said, "How dare you speak on behalf of outsiders!"

Qian Fei looked around and said with dissatisfaction, "Who are you calling an outsider! Everyone here is from Twelfth Street!"

Seeing that their conversation had veered off course again, Kong Yue sighed and said, "Let's get back to business."

Lin Chaoying asked, "Didn't you say before that the Ghost Gate has a way to evade detection?"

Kong Yue explained, "Normally, there is a time limit. For example, if you want to cough, even if you hold your breath, there will be times when you leak air. That's why Qian Fei said to get checked every now and then, just like Chai Yan."

Jiangchuan Valley then asked, "Does your machine still need maintenance?"

Kong Yue: "Yes, machines are also man-made, and they will always make mistakes. We need to perform maintenance once a year to ensure normal operation."

Jiangchuan suggested, "Send the machine back and check it?"

Qin Ming interrupted the conversation, "It's not that simple! The technical staff aren't idle; they have regular maintenance every year. We just repaired it, and we still need to submit a report if we send it back!"

Qian Fei simply said, "Why don't you ask Master Long to investigate?"

Qin Ming: "Shut up!"

Lin Chaoying: "Who is Master Long?"

Kong Yue: "Local retired technology workers are also people with superpowers."

Qian Fei saw right through his little scheme, "You're just afraid of spending money!"

Jiangchuan Valley: "How much?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming's eyes gleamed slyly, and he blurted out, "50,000!"

Jiangchuan Gu readily took out his phone and said, "Scan the code."

Lin Chaoying snatched it away, saying, "What are you doing!"

Qian Fei pointed at Qin Li in shock, his mouth agape, and said speechlessly, "I can't believe it! Are you crazy, Qin Ming! We don't know how much money it costs!"

Qin Ming was exasperated. "I'm just trying to make the Twelfth Street operation have more funding!"

Seeing Jiang Chuangu's foolish look, Lin Chaoying asked, "Are you crazy too! How much money are you going to give? You've got money to burn!"

Jiang Chuan Gu trusted Lin Chao Ying's judgment and wanted Qin Ming to check the machine's problems instead of constantly doubting her. He confidently said, "Don't worry, I have money."

With a single glance from Qian Fei, the water glass on the table suddenly flew up and smashed towards Qin Ming's face. Qin Ming dodged instantly, angrily saying, "Qian Fei! What are you doing! I'm your boss!"

Qian Fei rolled his eyes. "It wasn't me, it's just that the cup doesn't like you!"

Kong Yue tapped the table. "Everyone, let's continue discussing the information. It's late, aren't you tired?"

As the youngest of the three, she was the most reliable. After all, there was an unconventional leader and a "reckless man," and whenever the two of them argued, she had to step in and bring the conversation back on track.

Never mind.

Qin Ming protested, "Anyway, whoever doubts the machine pays!"

Lin Chaoying agreed: "Then you can say the normal price."

Qin Ming: "500".

"You!" Lin Chaoying raised her hand, wanting to punch him to death. "You dare to ask for 50,000 for 500! That's pure robbery! Is there any anti-corruption agency on 12th Street? I'm going to report you!"

Qin Ming's eyes darted back and forth guiltily. "I was just saying it offhand, who knew he was so rich! He just gave it to me like that!"

Jiang Chuan Gu took out his phone again. "Scan the code, I'll transfer you 1000. Please have him check it carefully."

The farce finally ended, and the group began discussing information about Chai Yan.

Qian Fei: "Chai Yan, 36 years old, a local of Jiazhou, is a single mother raising twins. I consulted the nurses' station and found that Chai Yan is beautiful, kind, and never argues with anyone. She is always the first to rush to the hospital whenever anything happens and is very hardworking."

"When she was 12 years old, she was molested by her own uncle, which caused a great stir in the village. Eventually, her grandmother took her to live with her. She didn't get to study nursing until she was 18 and was admitted to a local college."

"After graduating, she did not stay in Jiaozhou, but went to work in Haicheng and joined the First People's Hospital of Haicheng."

"From Jiazhou to Haicheng?" Kong Yue said admiringly, "Then she's very capable. There's an exam to get into Haicheng First People's Hospital."

Qian Fei: "Are you aware of the scandal at Haicheng First People's Hospital?"

Kong Yue: "A scandal? I think I've heard of it, that female student?"

The remaining three people were completely bewildered and looked at each other in confusion.

Qian Fei: "That year, Miao Cheng, the most authoritative orthopedic surgeon in Haicheng, was exposed for having a mistress. Miao Cheng's wife was shouting all over the hospital with a megaphone, making it known to everyone."

Lin Chaoying realized, "The mistress being kept is Chai Yan?"

Qian Fei: "Yes, things quickly took a turn for the worse. Chai Yan's accusation against Miao Cheng for rape was dropped due to insufficient evidence, and I couldn't find the police's judgment. In the end, Chai Yan set up loudspeakers at the entrance of Haicheng First People's Hospital and at the entrance of Miao Cheng's wife's workplace, playing a loop of the time, place, and incident of Miao Cheng raping the female student."

Lin Chaoying felt admiration for Chai Yansheng, saying, "He's so handsome, I'm a little smitten."

Qian Fei: "Chai Yan left home at 23 and returned at 24. After joining the Jiazhou People's Hospital, she accepted a blind date arranged by her family and met her ex-husband Yang Wei. At 29, she gave birth to twins named Shunshun and Lili."

"Chai Yan, 31, sued her husband for domestic violence, and the two were officially divorced."

Lin Chaoying felt it was absurd, "Oh my god..."

Qian Fei's face turned red as she spoke, "You know, when I first saw this information, I was so angry I felt like my lungs were about to explode!"

Kong Yue said calmly, "I do wish Chai Yan had some kind of superpower."

Jiangchuan Valley said, "She always has."

Everyone looked at him, and Qin Ming flipped through the documents: "They didn't mention it? Where did this superpower come from? Did I miss something?"

Lin Chaoying understood what he meant. "You mean her courage?"

Jiangchuan Valley nodded.

Qian Fei continued, "Did you think the story ended there?" She turned to a new chapter: "Three months ago, Chai Yan's uncle died in a car accident; two months ago, Miao Cheng committed suicide at home by cutting his wrists; last month, Chai Yan's husband, Yang Wei, died in a vicious fight..."

Lin Chaoying: "One person dies every month?"

Qin Ming: "Perhaps Chai Yan's psychic abilities erupted under extreme circumstances of emotional breakdown."

Qian Fei: "Why didn't our search devices detect it when the outbreak occurred? Instead, the Ghost Gate people did?"

Lin Chaoying had a new idea: "Could it be that the Ghost Gate discovered her a long time ago? You find and discover people with superpowers by using instruments and waiting for the new magnetic field changes that indicate the power will erupt, but the Ghost Gate already knew she was about to unleash her power?"

Jiang Chuan Gu asked in confusion, "Why are you so sure she has superpowers?"

Qin Ming said, "The fact that all three of these people who hurt him are dead doesn't prove anything."

Jiangchuan Valley, however, said, "So, the victim's identity directly became her motive for murder?"

His words carried no weight, yet they silenced everyone present.

Lin Chaoying knew his sensitive heart, and today she truly felt the advantage of this sensitivity. He could naturally uncover the parts that ordinary people easily overlook and capture subtle mistakes.

Without clear evidence, Chai Yan cannot be accused of a crime based on unfounded speculation.

If they take it for granted, then they are no different from those who bully her.

Lin Chaoying was very satisfied. She looked at him with a smile and sincerely praised, "Jiangchuan Valley is really good. I was wrong about how narrow it was."

Seeing this, Kong Yue tilted her head and lowered her voice to say to Qian Fei, "Don't you think these two are a bit off-key?"

"Huh?" Qian Fei didn't understand. "What do you mean?"

Kong Yue said, "Didn't you notice that Jiang Chuan Gu's eyes never left Lin Chao Ying, like he was looking at prey? And Lin Chao Ying looked at Jiang Chuan Gu like she was admiring a work of art? They were completely on different wavelengths."

Qian Fei didn't understand. "No, right?"

Kong Yue felt an urge to spit on her, "You brute!"

Qin Ming then began assigning tasks: "Since our information is incomplete right now, let's put the wanted notice aside for now and investigate thoroughly. Tomorrow, Lin Chaoying will continue to guard the guesthouse. I will follow Scarface's whereabouts, and Qian Fei will follow Chai Yan. I'd appreciate it if Kong Yue and Jiang Chuangu could go find Brother Long and take him to 12th Street to have the machine repaired."

"No!" Jiang Chuan Gu firmly disagreed: "I've already given you the money, why should I go! I want to stay at the guesthouse!"

Kong Yue said, "I'll go by myself. Jiang Chuan Gu will stay here. What if A Ying wakes up at dawn? How will she cope?"

Qin Ming: "Okay."

Jiangchuan Valley: "Can you find the scar now?"

Qin Ming showed them his phone, "The information network shows that his recent superpower appeared in Xiangzhou. I'll go there tomorrow. We can talk on the phone if anything comes up. I'll be back later. Everyone, please get some rest."

He called out to Lin Chaoying again, "I have something to tell you."

Jiang Chuan Gu showed no sign of leaving, so Lin Chao Ying nudged his arm and asked, "Why are you still here?"

"Huh?" Jiang Chuan Gu reluctantly stood up and shuffled away.

Lin Chaoying closed the door and asked, "Is there something you need? Do we need to talk in private?"

Qin Ming took out a piece of jade. "When I went to Yuzhou Twelfth Street to see my brother last time to ask about your matter, he gave me feedback."

Last year, Lin Chaoying was in a car accident, which triggered her supernatural abilities. After her soul left her body, she traveled back in time to ten years ago, which led her to meet Jiang Chuan Gu, who had just debuted.

She took the jade; it was ordinary, but it shone with a fluorescent glow.

Qin Ming said, "My brother checked the jade left at the scene of the car accident. The residual supernatural power on it and the residual supernatural power at your brother's scene belong to the same supernatural power user, but a higher level than us. They are better hidden and are not in the internal system of Twelfth Street. They may be related to the Ghost Gate."

“Ghost Gate?” Lin Chaoying sighed. “From that day on, I felt like there was an invisible hand behind me, constantly pushing me forward.”

Qin Ming: "Don't worry, this trace is currently updated in the Twelfth Street system. No matter where in the country someone from the Ghost Gate is caught, it can be quickly located."

Lin Chaoying nodded resignedly, "Just because I agreed with Jiang Chuangu's suggestion doesn't mean I'm wrong about the Ghost Gate being able to foresee the outbreak of superpowers. You should also keep an eye on it."

Qin Ming, seeing how tense she was, patted her shoulder and said, "Those lackeys from the Ghost Gate have fancy names, they're nothing special! Don't worry, we can handle them step by step!"

Lin Chaoying forced a smile. "I hope so."