say

The fast food restaurant quieted down briefly, the ventilation ducts hummed, and the ice cubes in the beverage machine made a hollow sound.

"Does anyone believe that?" Jiang Ling looked up and around. "I wonder who dares to believe it."

“At least on my side, I’ve maintained the same line and attitude from beginning to end,” Xiao Fu said.

"Didn't you fill out an immigration form on the plane when you entered the country? Just repeat that thing to me." Jiang Ling placed her hands on the keyboard like a deaf person preparing to play the piano, clinging to a sliver of hope.

“As far as I remember, the contents of this document need to be updated in real time. What I’m telling you all here is my latest information. The proof is that I’m currently in Senhu City, not in my city of entry, tourist attractions, or private coffee shops, isn’t that right?” Little Fu raised his paper cup. “Thanks to you all, this is the first time I’ve had the chance to appreciate such a mass-produced product. The product developer should really send your bureau a banner of appreciation.”

Jiang Ling's expression suggested she was recalling which article of the criminal law could be used at the moment.

"Anyway," Cheng Xiangwu interrupted this endless entanglement, "tell me what happened first."

"Xiao Jiang," Han Lingfeng said.

"Anyway, here's what happened." Jiang Ling sighed and switched the computer screen.

A shooting in a gun-controlled area is a major incident, especially when there are traces of a sniper rifle at the scene. When the local police officers came to the scene, they took one look at Qin Zixi's nearly severed head and the large, scattered parts of his head, which, combined with the stench of the past, made three of them vomit on the spot. Of the remaining two, one ran out to vomit and the other called the dispatch center.

The Municipal Public Security Bureau received the notification and transferred the case to the Criminal Investigation Brigade. The Criminal Investigation Brigade said they were busy and transferred it to the bureau chief. The bureau chief thought this was perfect, and the case was handed over to the out-of-town investigation team. They received the information from the riverside area in the city, leaving some people at the scene with police dogs to continue the search. When the team leader arrived with a few others, the suspects had already fled. They learned the identity of the deceased from the security guards who were spying around the scene, and inadvertently linked him to their current case.

Jiang Ling declined to disclose the progress and content of the investigation, but Xiao Fu added some information to the above content.

While comparing gun marks, Han Lingfeng noticed someone approaching around the corner of the stairwell. After making the arrest, he discovered it was a foreigner. Before they could even ask a few questions, this person started spouting off things like, "Why not consider compatibility with the suspect's characteristics so that the brain-deficient person can die a worthy death?" and "Instead of looking at the ballistics and bullet type, why not try to figure out if the victim's motive matches up?"—things that only she herself seemed to enjoy.

These words were, of course, not recorded as testimony or confession. Jiang Ling patiently asked the man for his identification and entry information, but he naturally refused. If he had, they wouldn't have to sit in the fast food restaurant with this foreigner and disrupt their business. The gunshot wound comparison wasn't finished, the on-site sampling was only halfway done, and the statements from the surrounding residents hadn't even started being recorded, let alone the surveillance footage. There weren't many surveillance cameras in that neighborhood to begin with, and the few useful records inexplicably hadn't been uploaded to the cloud.

"Thank you for your hard work," Han Lingfeng said.

"...So why did you get close to them?" Cheng Xiang asked Xiao Fu, who had said he was only going to "get some information."

“Madam Attorney, as your client, I am very disappointed with your choice of the first person to ask after hearing the recounting of the incident,” Xiao Fu said with dissatisfaction.

“Fine.” Cheng Xiangwu remained unmoved. “So why did you get close to them?”

If this hadn't happened, she wouldn't have had to sit in the middle of a circle of natural enemies.

"...What do you mean by 'getting close'? Are we some kind of wild animals carrying viruses?" Jiang Ling questioned.

"Hahaha!" Lin Che'an laughed. "I guess Ms. Cheng meant that Ms. Xiao Fu's behavior was beyond their expectations, which is indeed quite unexpected."

“…Tsk.” Little F was silent for a moment, then spoke expressionlessly, “Because if these law enforcement officers who didn’t bring dogs continue their investigation like this, they’ll end up tracing the scent to another potential victim.”

She meant that she thought this group of people might trace the clues at the scene back to Cheng Xiangwu. The potential victim was stunned for a moment, looked at Han Lingfeng, and met her gaze.

"Who is the other one?" Han Lingfeng pressed on, "Lawyer, your wounds look very fresh. Would you mind sharing some details?"

"I don't know, it's inconvenient." Cheng Xiangwu refused to answer two questions. "Do you have to arrest her just because she doesn't have identification?"

“That’s secondary. Her most suspicious behavior is trying to eavesdrop on conversations during the investigation. If you want to defend her, you should first get her to explain the purpose of this action,” Han Lingfeng suggested.

“She explained, didn’t she? You just wouldn’t listen.” Cheng Xiangwu shrugged. “Besides, if you really thought she was a suspect, you would have handcuffed her by now. Since you don’t think that’s the case, why not just treat her like an actress, give her a few insults, and send her on her way?”

"...Is that the only adjective you can think of?" Little Fer put down his paper cup in dissatisfaction. "Call me the great and mysterious announcer or the immortal keeper of secrets!"

"Okay, sure." Cheng Xiang nodded.

"Are you instructing criminal police officers on how to handle cases? I don't think that's a lawyer's job. Rather, since you've never made any disclaimers, and setting aside the credibility of your identity, your defense is utterly unconvincing." Han Lingfeng was clearly dissatisfied with this response. Her long eyebrows furrowed, and she used the phrase "you" four times in one sentence.

"Is that so?" Your partner, Cheng Xiangwu, remained unmoved; she wasn't a lawyer to begin with. "Okay."

Two people laughed out loud, but it wasn't Xiao Fu who attracted attention; the others were already used to her bad attitude.

"Ahem, sorry." Lin Che'an adjusted his glasses. "This is also my first time witnessing a live performance like this, and I didn't expect it to be so exciting."

“…Dr. Lin, as a mental health support professional, I don’t recommend you attend unofficial events, not just for your personal safety,” Jiang Ling said, turning around with a frown; her neck looked like it was about to break.

"Oh, let's talk about that later. Don't worry about me for now, you guys continue." Lin Che'an waved his hand.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ling could only turn her neck back for the time being, and happened to meet Xie Wuchang's gaze. Seeing that the other party was tightly pursing his lips and not saying a word, she felt puzzled.

"It seems you are very confident in your client's innocence. If she is unwilling to speak, why don't you do it?" Han Lingfeng suggested.

"How should I put it?" Cheng Xiangwu asked, puzzled. "She probably started talking to you out of professional habit; she used to stand next to the police and offer advice."

“Professional,” Xiao Fu added. “Professional advice.”

"If your nationality is unknown, I'll just categorize you into the area with a large Caucasian population based on your facial features. If you are a participant in the policing process in that area, can I think of it that way?" Han Lingfeng stared at Xiao Fu and asked, "As a foreigner, you came to Senhu City, which doesn't have many tourist attractions, and you even went into residential buildings. Your purpose was to investigate relevant circumstances related to the cases you experienced in the past, and to correct our working methods with the aim of speeding up the investigation process."

Little Ferguson remained expressionless.

"Now you can tell me, right?" Han Lingfeng leaned forward slightly. "The other victim you mentioned is—"

“Five senses, race.” Little F interrupted the other person’s speech expressionlessly, and sneered, “You dare to use such a low-class excuse that humans just make up to settle things with me?”

"...What?" Han Lingfeng asked in confusion.

“Not a single drop of my blood can be integrated into any river on this earth that you humans call ‘Mother’; every thought of mine will disrupt your fragile and self-righteous balance; my filthy talent comes neither from heaven nor from blood relatives; all you can hope for is a ruin that has already collapsed—” Little Fu spread his hands and raised them to the sky, his eyes fixed on Han Lingfeng but expressionless, “Face features? Race?”

Xie Wuchang took off his sunglasses, rubbed his temples, and then put them back on.

"That's all for now." Cheng Xiang nodded. "Do you have any other questions?"

"...Can all lawyers automatically understand what their clients are saying?" Jiang Ling asked.

“Anyway, she said it,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

Han Lingfeng frowned and leaned back, took out a box of mints from his pocket, poured out two, and chewed them.

"In short, since you've used comforting words like 'your job,' let me remind you of your job: solving cases, not letting your hobbies lead you astray." Xiao Fu sat down, leaned back, shook her paper cup, and turned her head. "Attorney, this client needs some fresh hot tea."

"How much longer do you plan to stay here?" Cheng Xiangwu didn't intend to move. "Let's finish this quickly and go back."

"Wait!" Xie Wuchang stood up, her voice weak and breathless. "Wait a minute, don't go yet."

"Xiao Xie?" Han Lingfeng frowned and turned his head, his tone softening slightly. "You've met them before?"

“Do you remember what I said before?” Xiao Fu turned to Cheng Xiangwu. “Why don’t you write down all my words by hand in the future? I can at least provide error-free translations in three languages ​​in real time.”

Cheng Xiangwu had nothing to say.

“…We have indeed met and talked.” Xie Wuchang walked to Han Lingfeng’s side to face the two of them, but did not dare to sit down. “I believe she is indeed not related to the murderer in the case we are currently investigating, but at the same time, they know a lot of things, more than we newcomers do.”

Perhaps it was because she was standing that everyone's eyes were focused on her sunglasses.

"This is the clue you found by arriving at the destination ahead of time." Han Lingfeng nodded. "Next time, I hope you will share the information you know with us in advance, instead of just stepping forward and saying things when you think it's necessary."

"...Sorry, Captain." Xie Wuchang pursed his lips.

“No, the information you obtained is very useful, thank you for your hard work.” Han Lingfeng said, looking at Cheng Xiangwu and smiling slightly. “At least now this lawyer can indeed be regarded as an insider. Why don’t I just call you Ms. Cheng? I can let go of the matter of your position as a lawyer.”

"There's no time to leave now," Little F said with a smile. "Aren't you going to get me a cup of hot black tea?"

Cheng Xiangwu wanted to sigh. She had known all along that these law enforcers were such sticky people. When she was surrounded, the wound on her side was itchy.

"She didn't say anything before?" she asked Xiao Fu.

"No," Little F whispered mysteriously in his ear.

"Wow, you two are whispering in front of the police!" Jiang Ling clearly disapproved, but seeing that Han Lingfeng didn't react, she didn't say anything more.

“Hmm.” Cheng Xiangwu understood. She looked at the man in sunglasses who was pursing his lips and said, “Tell your colleague the case information we told you before.”

“…I’ll tell you now.” Xie Wuchang sighed and sat down opposite Jiang Ling again.

She then recounted the case while looking at the back of the laptop and Jiang Ling's disapproving gaze. In keeping with the spirit of cooperation, she at least refrained from revealing Goulson's current location or the details of their collaboration.

“But I really don’t know about what happened today.” She looked meaningfully at Cheng Xiangwu. “And as of now, their personal identities are also unknown to me.”

Han Lingfeng raised his eyebrows and smiled after hearing this, while Jiang Ling stared at the screen with her face contorted in a deep frown.

Lin Che'an, however, did not show any change in expression, only frowning slightly.

“I’ve met the last survivor. I was called in to provide psychological counseling for that child before. I’m not a professional in this field. As soon as the child saw that the person who brought me in was wearing a police uniform, he started to talk back to me after only a few words.” She sighed.

“You didn’t mention this before,” Jiang Ling said, bending her neck again.

"You can't say it now either," Lin Che'an adjusted his glasses, his tone becoming more serious. "You can't do it in the future either. Mental health professionals can't do this kind of thing."

"But that's also why you were assigned to the investigation team," Han Lingfeng said, looking up at him. "Currently, this student, Gorson, has passed away and is involved in a criminal case. Even with that, you're still unwilling to tell me the details?"

"…Captain Han, I refuse." Lin Che'an said with a smile, "If you really need me to do this, please refer to the legal provisions, or have that student's immediate family member come to me."

Clearly, for her, the various professional ethics that extend to psychologists are quite important and need to be valued.

"So what are your reasons for investigating?" Han Lingfeng withdrew his gaze. "Leaving aside emotional reasons."

“Observation and verification are obvious,” said Xiao Fu.

"And the result?" Han Lingfeng asked.

"It's not convenient to disclose at this time," Xiao Fu said.

"What's the reason for the inconvenience?" Han Lingfeng asked.

"It's not convenient to disclose at this time," Xiao Fu said.

"Is there anything I can easily tell you?" Han Lingfeng asked.

"Could you let us go now?" Little F asked.

"Do you want to talk at the police station?" Han Lingfeng asked.

"What's the reason for the detention?" Little F asked.

"It's just temporary detention," Han Lingfeng said. "You can leave after the questions are answered."

“Did you hear that?” Xiao Fu looked at Cheng Xiangwu. “These people never intended for us to leave from the beginning. Stop using adjectives like ‘sticky’ to describe mutual attraction. This guy is enjoying the process.”

Cheng Xiangwu heard it.

“Ms. Fu, perhaps your country’s law enforcement officers have caused you to feel dissatisfied with this group, and now you are transferring that dissatisfaction onto us. I cannot change your attitude, but you two can try to trust our capabilities,” Xie Wuchang said, trying to persuade her.

“No, I suspect her attitude isn’t directed at that part,” Lin Che’an said, frowning. “Or rather, Officer Xie, why do you think these two pose a threat to you?”

"Xiao Xie, what did you two talk about before?" Jiang Ling asked.

"It's about the case," Xie Wuchang said nervously. "They know more about the details of the case than I do."

Han Lingfeng remained silent, waiting for the two to speak, or for them to refuse to speak.

"Finished talking?" After Cheng Xiangwu and the others had expressed their opinions, they looked around and finally their gaze fell on Han Lingfeng. "Having heard the new things, do you have any new ideas now?"

"...You actually asked me." Han Lingfeng rubbed his chin with the callus on the side of his index finger. "Then I'll be frank. Indeed, this is important information, enough to prove that our previous investigation and suspicions were wrong. In fact, I have to thank you for this. If you need a commendation for your helpfulness after the case is closed, you can apply for one at our bureau."

“…I won’t approve it.” Jiang Ling’s lips twitched.

“New,” Cheng Xiangwu emphasized, adding that she really didn’t care about the attitudes or stances of this group of people.

“Ms. Cheng really has no patience for cases.” Han Lingfeng frowned disapprovingly. “Well then, alright, Xiao Jiang.”

“Captain,” Jiang Ling replied.

"How's the progress of retrieving the street surveillance footage?" Han Lingfeng asked.

“I replied to the message, but after quickly reviewing the progress twice, I couldn’t find anything that matched our previous profile.” Jiang Ling frowned as she scrolled through the computer screen. “I don’t know about Xiao Lu. There’s no surveillance footage there, so we’ll have to ask her.”

“But so many people can’t just appear out of thin air and then disappear.” Xie Wuchang paused, then said, “Well, it’s not impossible, but it’s more likely that they’re still hiding in people’s houses.”

"...Why isn't it impossible?" Jiang Ling asked doubtfully. "Didn't we also ask the people and security guards in those buildings? Putting aside the integrity of the buildings, if there really were armed criminals hiding in those houses, the commotion would be significant. As for the reaction, didn't Dr. Lin confirm that there were no abnormalities?"

"Thank you for your hard work." Han Lingfeng nodded. "That's why I suspect the suspect is a resident of this community."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Fu looked up at her.

“…Although we didn’t actually conduct a thorough search,” Jiang Ling propped her neck up, “I really don’t think Qin Zixi’s life warranted such a large-scale operation. Considering the security guard’s statement at the entrance, it seems to me that the possibility of him committing suicide is even higher.”

“No one lives in the sniper unit. It must have been broken into by criminals. There are quite a few empty houses here that could be used for hiding, but so many people coming and going will definitely arouse suspicion from the nearby residents,” Xie Wuchang analyzed.

"As the team captain, how do you feel about this phenomenon?" Little Fran asked.

“We encourage free speech,” Han Lingfeng said. “Your arguments are all very convincing, but your analyses are too scattered. I also initially thought that the Qin Zixi case was unrelated to Senhu No. 2 Middle School, but the updated case details illustrate the shared problems within the city.”

Moriho City is a small place where not many major events happen, but if you trace their origins, you can always find a common thread.

“We found muddy footprints near Building 3, and the plant debris came from the lawn below Building 4 next door. Judging from the degree of sinking, it was someone who jumped from at least the third floor. But that person is not a suspect, but the victim,” Han Lingfeng said. “At the same time, we heard from residents of Building 4 that there was a fire alarm at the time of the incident, but it was turned off in less than half a minute. There is a connection between the two.”

As if rehearsing a standard plot of a crime drama, Han Lingfeng pulled a transparent evidence bag from the inner pocket of his jacket. The plastic floated like a layer of hazy gray on a brass key, with a multi-functional knife keychain attached to the top.

"Dr. Lin, do you remember that person who was wandering around the corridor of Building 5 unable to find their house key?" Han Lingfeng asked.

“I remember him. He was indeed anxious, but when we questioned him, he didn’t show any particular emotional reaction.” Lin Che’an paused, then continued, “Captain Han, are you trying to say—”

“Yes, this was found on the rooftop of Building 5, behind the damaged rooftop door. Similarly, the one who destroyed the door was the victim,” Han Lingfeng said. “This is just one representative example among similar pieces of evidence. There are glasses with broken legs, cigarette boxes with a few cigarettes spilled out, cell phones, slippers, and countless others.”

What should you take with you when you rush out the door after hearing a fire alarm?

"So the conclusion is, judging from the numbers, almost half of the residents in Buildings 4 and 5 rushed out of their homes and left the buildings through the escape routes, their aim being to chase down the other victim you mentioned, before returning to their own homes." Han Lingfeng leaned back, a smile playing on his lips. "So I speculate that the suspects are those residents themselves."

“…There’s just too much to explain,” Jiang Ling sighed, and started typing.

“That’s not important.” Xiao Fu smiled as well. “Miss Han Lingfeng, your prediction is half correct.”

"What is half of the incorrect ones?" Han Lingfeng asked.

“Suspects,” Xiao Fu emphasized. “In the moral and legal systems of any country, non-subjective negligence can be largely forgiven, because the core reason is that the behavior is not subjective. That is to say, those residents are not suspects. Just as you would expect, the crowd’s behavior was also without subjective intent, even if the final goal was murder.”

"What I've been hoping for?" Han Lingfeng raised one eyebrow slightly.

“Of course, and as you would have preferred, the fire alarm was the alarm bell to wake up the public, and the one who cut off the alarm bell is naturally the real culprit.” Little F extended a finger. “One of the murderers, the sniper, was in Building 4 at the time of the incident, and was wearing a cloak.”

"You witnessed it," Han Lingfeng said confidently.

“This is my professional advice and testimony,” said Franz.

"...We'll add the details about the connection after we finish the on-site investigation." Han Lingfeng turned his head. "Xiao Xie, go and seal off Building 4 with your colleagues on-site. Be careful."

"Yes, Captain!" Xie Wuchang straightened up, glanced at the two of them one last time, and ran away.

As is customary, once someone leaves, the remaining people should start discussing her.

"Xiao Xie is still a young person, and we're grateful for your help in looking after her before," Han Lingfeng began with the same old excuse. "Did she come to you first?"

“You don’t need to think too much about this. They’re using the same excuse as you, the so-called ‘going to the same station on the same train,’” Xiao Fu said. “It would be best if the results of the investigation and what they found could be shared directly with us, so that Miss Xie Wuchang wouldn’t have to put on a show and talk to both sides.”

Upon hearing this, Han Lingfeng tilted his head.

"She trusts you, doesn't she?" Jiang Ling sneered.

"It aligns with her own attitude; she simply believes in our abilities," said Xiao Fu.

“Of course, criminal police officers, especially those on the front lines, must learn to be flexible. Xiao Xie will become a capable criminal police officer sooner or later.” Han Lingfeng then spoke with an old line that he had picked up from who-knows-where. “If you two are not even willing to reveal your identities, then at least explain the purpose of your future investigation. There are always ways to help each other.”

"Wait, Captain." Jiang Ling turned to face the three people at the table, her face like a cat seeing a bionic mechanical mouse. "Are you sure we want to exchange clues with these two? Putting aside the procedural aspects, the clues these two provide are impossible to verify, and even without knowing their identities, we can't discern their stance."

She paused after speaking, then looked at Cheng Xiangwu, "Ms. Cheng, Xiao Xie said you're a local, so you should know what I'm talking about."

"Are you about to cooperate with law enforcement again? Is it an occupational hazard?" Cheng Xiang asked Xiao Fu five times.

"Answer my question first!" Jiang Ling shook her hand.

"You asked me a question?" Cheng Xiangwu asked, puzzled. "I do know the answer."

Jiang Ling sighed and looked at Han Lingfeng, "See? That's just how this person's attitude is."

"After all, this is a useful shield, isn't it?" Xiao Fu said, looking at Han Lingfeng. "Moreover, this guy's motives, both internally and externally, have a shelf life that is reassuring yet raises suspicions about the healthiness of their ingredients."

"You've worked hard, Xiao Jiang." Han Lingfeng gave a smile that could barely be considered friendly.

“…Okay.” Jiang Ling sighed, turned around and put her hands back on the keyboard. “I can only write as much as I can on the relevance part. Don’t blame me if people say the report is far-fetched.”

Looking at Han Lingfeng, Cheng Xiangwu thought that this person looked quite healthy. Although the threat level of the invasive species was not as high as that of Xiao Fu, it would still have an impact on the environment at least as high as that of disinfectant.

"Look at what you're saying," Little Fu said with a smug smile.

"What's it to you, foreigner?" Jiang Ling asked doubtfully. "Are you really going to just name him 'Little Fu'? That's too perfunctory."

"That's not something I can decide. We're all prisoners of fate, aren't we?" Little Fu shrugged.

“…Never mind.” Jiang Ling gave up.

“I don’t think you really need a lawyer,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

“If you really have the relevant expertise, I would be happy to hire you, since being confined to a narrow perspective is my weakness,” Xiao Fu said with a matter-of-fact smile. “But in any case, remember what you promised me at the beginning, you have to stay by my side.”

Cheng Xiangwu was speechless. She looked at the person opposite her whose shoulders were so broad they were almost blocking her view.

“I didn’t have the kind of motive you’re talking about,” she said. “My home is here, and I just happened to come and help out when something happened.”

"Is this something you can just casually look at? Where did you get this information from?" Jiang Ling asked, puzzled.

"Lawyer, it's normal to be well-informed," Cheng Xiangwu offered a reluctant explanation.

"Honestly, you should probably give up that profession. I've never seen a lawyer who talks so little. These are the kinds of people who fight tooth and nail for every opportunity to speak," Jiang Ling suggested.

Cheng Xiangwu thought about it and realized it was true; everyone has to specialize in their own field.

“My words share the same goal as yours: to nip the problem in the bud, cure the disease at its root, let the sun and moon continue as before, and keep working hard.” Little Fu sighed in a serious manner.

"Wow, this foreigner is composing Chinese poems!" Jiang Ling exclaimed in amazement. "I can't remember these."

"What a pity," said Little Franz.

"Now let's talk about it," Han Lingfeng asked. "Who was the victim who climbed up to the rooftop of Building 3 through the escape route, destroyed the chain lock, jumped from the edge of the rooftop to Building 4, possibly suffered a gunshot wound, destroyed the chain lock on the rooftop of Building 4, descended through the escape route, landed from the fourth floor, and escaped the encirclement?"

As she spoke, she pulled a new evidence bag from her inner pocket, like a lawyer, and a bloodstained bullet.

“I didn’t expect you to be a Sherlock Holmes when it comes to procedures. I do agree with his approach in this regard,” said Little Franz.

“Wait a minute, Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character,” Jiang Ling said. “But this victim sounds pretty much the same.”

“…Of course I know!” Little Franz said, dissatisfied.

“It’s me,” Cheng Xiangwu said, looking at the bullet. At this point, this part could no longer be hidden. However, he thought that at least the victim didn’t need to worry about compensation for the damage to public facilities.

"Wow, it's here!" Jiang Ling exclaimed.

"Do you have any clue about the reasons for the attack on the deceased and yourself?" Han Lingfeng wasn't too surprised.

“He was killed just as he was about to speak,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

"...Would he tell you? Why?" Jiang Ling questioned. "I suspect you threatened him."

“Yes,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

“I mean, please explain,” Jiang Ling said.

“Thirteen years ago, my house caught fire and my parents were burned to death. He was arrested. He was released from prison this morning. I went to him to demand an explanation, and he knelt down and told me that he had taken the blame,” Cheng Xiangwu said. “He just crawled over to beg me when I died. He was sniped.”

Jiang Ling paused, turned around and glanced at Lin Che'an, who frowned but didn't say anything.

"You're like an NPC who's been dragged in to give intelligence," Jiang Ling commented.

“Indeed.” Cheng Xiangwu glanced at Xiao Fu. “If you’re willing to believe what she says, then I don’t need to come.”

“In this case, the way the speaker behaves is also something to appreciate, but I quite like that about you too,” said Little Franz.

"Do you have any guesses about the murderer yourself?" Han Lingfeng asked.

“Just like you.” Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment and remembered what those words were, “The target of the anti-gang campaign, yes, is the protective umbrella.”

"Damn, we almost arrested a brave citizen by mistake," Jiang Ling sneered.

“Those people have guns,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

“There are also special techniques,” Xiao Fu added.

"Could you elaborate on this part?" Han Lingfeng asked.

“We’ve only seen the results, and as an expert, I can’t offer unprofessional advice.” Little Fu remained mysterious. “I will investigate, but I don’t recommend that law enforcement officers get involved in this part. I get tired of criticizing too much.”

"Not necessarily," Cheng Xiangwu said.

"Xiao Jiang," Han Lingfeng said, "tell the colleagues over at Qingshuihe that they don't need to continue investigating the scene, and have them bring caramel here."

"Yes." Jiang Ling raised her phone.

"Thank you for your hard work." Han Lingfeng nodded, then turned his gaze back. "Thank you both for your cooperation. There was an unexpected situation that delayed things today. The site visit for Senhu No. 2 Middle School will be held tomorrow morning. You can come if you need to. Look for Xiao Xie then."

"How is that piece now?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.

"There's a lingering smell that can't be washed off." Han Lingfeng shook his head. "The high school students are all preparing to transfer their registrations. The high school building will be demolished after we finish our investigation, and the reconstruction time is uncertain."

This surprised Cheng Xiangwu, as it was rare for Senhu City to have such a big commotion.

“…It is indeed rare.” Little F said thoughtfully, “For public schools, this move is a major blow.”

“That’s right, but the parents here are much gentler than those in our area. At least they don’t hang signs on their heads and block traffic lights.” Jiang Ling put down her phone. “Captain, it’s all arranged.”

"Thank you for your hard work." Han Lingfeng nodded. "Let's call it a day then. We can talk if you need anything."

As she spoke, she stood up, her jacket billowing in the wind, and strode towards the door.

"Did you find anything when you went through Qin Zixi's personal belongings?" Cheng Xiangwu's words fell before she pushed open the door.

"Let's make it clear first that those things have already been confiscated." Jiang Ling followed with her laptop, and Lin Che'an also got up. When he passed Cheng Xiangwu, he pursed his lips as if he wanted to say something but in the end, he didn't say anything.

"There's a seven-figure check, addressed to Baiyuntian, with a new serial number, and the memo says 'work injury compensation,'" Han Lingfeng said, turning his head. "Qin Zixi used to be a contract worker in the northern mining area of ​​this region, working for Baibai Co., Ltd."

In the morning, Cheng Xiangwu did not see any accomplices during the tracking, so the only possible place to obtain the check was within the prison area.

"I understand." Cheng Xiang nodded and stood up. "Let's go, take the trash with us."

After saying goodbye to the police, the unlicensed driver hit the road again.

“So those cats even know how to work in groups, okay?” Xiao Fu said while driving. “Now let me ask the person involved: do you consider yourself one of the cat victims?”

"I don't know," Cheng Xiangwu said.

Thirteen years ago, Du Ke's parents, local residents, refused to take in Cheng Xiangwu, a minor. Cheng Song, being from out of town, was difficult for the Mori Lake City police and community workers to contact. It now appears that Du Ke's parents may have indeed experienced a similar incident. They live in northern Mori Lake City, close to the mountains, and make a living through fish and shrimp farming.

“While indirect harm counts, my judgment on responsibility is very narrow,” said Xiao Fu.

"I still don't know," Cheng Xiangwu said. In those years, when she came home from school in winter, the roads in the neighborhood were so dark that she couldn't see anything. Occasionally, the black cat would dart out and use its white paws to tell her whether the road ahead was safe to walk, which was a small help to her.

Thinking about it this way, cats really do live too long. I wonder if the law of living to old age without dying applies to cats.

"What was the captain's motive for the investigation?" Cheng Xiang asked five times. "At first, the Qin Zixi case had nothing to do with the Second Middle School incident."

“She likes solving cases, especially unusual ones, but no matter what, a law enforcement officer is a law enforcement officer.” Little Franz said with a laugh, “The positions of your police inspectors and superintendents are the opposite of those I usually visit at crime scenes, but in any case, if a police commissioner goes to the scene, no one can act freely.”

“…I see.” Cheng Xiangwu recalled that inexplicable smile.

“But I didn’t hear much from her. Was she enjoying the moment or was she doing it on purpose?” Little F said with slight dissatisfaction. “In any case, the signals coming from her skull weren’t good, and there were few of them.”

"Xie Wuchang told her about you," Cheng Xiangwu said.

“…No, that’s not it. Miss Xie Wuchang still considers me a colleague of that psychologist.” Xiao Fu was silent for a while before saying, “Perhaps she really doesn’t like that kind of conversation. It’s a real pity.”

“You won’t change it anyway, so what’s the pity?” Cheng Xiang asked five times.

"It's a pity the shelf life was shortened," Little Fu laughed. "How was your harvest this afternoon?"

"I've gathered some information. That mayor is someone I know, but I don't know if she'll admit it now." Cheng Xiangwu said, suddenly feeling that she was trying to curry favor, but there was no other way. "I'll talk to Xie Wuchang tomorrow. I need to see her as soon as possible."

She needs to resolve her personal matters as soon as possible; she also has work to do.

Cheng Xiangwu took out her phone after a short vibration; it was a message from Zhou Mi.

"I saw that person going in and out of the community again! This time she looked so upset she could be a black hole."

Cheng Xiangwu couldn't think of anyone who would be so persistent in coming to talk to her twice in one day.

"Maybe it's someone you know," Xiao Fu suggested.

“I don’t know anyone like that.” Cheng Xiangwu frowned and replied, “Okay, I understand, be careful.”

Zhou Mi replied with a rat emoji with uneven eyes.

The two arrived in the city.

"Sister Yanzi said she wanted to see you," Cheng Xiangwu said, turning back to Xiao Fu, who wasn't planning to get out of the car. "Would you like to sit for a while?"

"That won't be necessary." Little F was uninterested, propped his head up with his hand and waved his hand, saying, "Please go and come back quickly."

Cheng Xiangwu said nothing and turned to enter the bar.

As sunset approached, the slanting sunlight shone on the business sign hanging in front of the boss's office door, occasionally being tugged and shaken. It wasn't yet time for drinks or coffee, but they did offer snacks and cold dishes cooked in an air fryer.

After the door opened, the space, which had been dormant in the afternoon, showed signs of waking up. The floral ceiling light shade cast a warm light, and the background music was enough to cover up some conversations that people didn't want to be heard.

Gorson, who was engrossed in his handheld game at the bar, looked up when he noticed someone approaching him by the door. His face lit up with joy when he saw Cheng Xiangwu, but then he looked a little disappointed.

On the screen, the simple little figure in the pixelated puzzle game crashed into the piercings and died.

"Xiao Wu's back." Zhou Yan turned around from behind the bar, wiping glasses in her hands. "How's your foreign friend doing?"

“He’s hanging out with the police again,” Cheng Xiangwu said. “I have something to do tomorrow morning, can I leave Sen Sen here again?”

“I don’t close the door during the day.” Zhou Yan glanced at Gorson, a high school student.

"Thank you, Sister Yanzi!" Gao Ersen jumped off the velvet stool, placed the turned-off handheld console on the marble table, and walked towards Cheng Xiangwu. "I have a place I want to go to tomorrow morning, and I want to go and see it by myself."

Looking at the other person's face, Cheng Xiangwu noticed that people who couldn't hide their expressions liked to purse their lips to cover up their nervousness.

"Okay." She nodded and looked up at Zhou Yan. "We're leaving now, Sister Yan. Thank you for your help this afternoon."

"Thank you for your trouble, Sister Yanzi!" Gorson waved goodbye. "I'll come see you again another day!"

Zhou Yan smiled and waved.