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Chapter 6
Yan Xie heard the voice of his younger self say: “That, Captain Jiang…..”
“Do you believe him?” Qin Chuan asked with some skepticism.
Yan Xie’s ten fingers rhythmically tapped against each other as he replied slowly, “The forensic team is recovering the surveillance footage. If we can find evidence of his absence during the incident, then I believe him.”
The Vice-Captain’s office was filled with a mixture of overnight instant noodles and cigarette smoke. The sound of people outside grew louder as the police officers who didn’t have the night shift began to arrive for work.
“But it’s hard to believe, Old Yan. Feng Yuguang’s department head and advisor both said his grades were mediocre, and that completing his graduation thesis was a miracle in itself. Yet, Chu Ci claims he insisted on betting and pursuing a Ph.D., even wanting to do a research project? Feng Yuguang spends his days watching dramas, playing games, and chasing girls. He’s not the type who’s devoted to academics. And if you listen carefully to Chu Ci’s testimony, you can tell he’s not telling the whole truth. That kid definitely concealed a lot of things!”
Yan Xie raised an index finger and brought it close to Qin Chuan’s nose, shaking it, saying, “I reserve my opinion on your first statement, but I strongly agree with the second half.”
“He did indeed conceal some things.”
Half an hour ago, in the interrogation room…
“He bet that he would pursue a Ph.D.”
“What?!”
“He bet that he would definitely get into a Ph.D. program,” Chu Ci said helplessly. “I don’t know what gave him such confidence. Maybe it’s because he miraculously passed his final exams every time.”
Yan Xie and the detective in charge of recording exchanged a surprised glance. Then Yan Xie turned to Chu Ci and asked, “How did you end up discussing this topic in the first place?”
“When I entered the room, he was reading a book and had a question about an experiment he didn’t understand, so he asked if I could explain it to him. Our relationship hasn’t deteriorated to the point where we can’t even talk, so I spent about twenty minutes explaining it to him. In the end, there were a few points he just couldn’t grasp, and I told him to stop for today. After all, those were beyond the scope of the course and wouldn’t have a big impact if he didn’t understand them.”
“Then he got anxious and told me not to look down on him, saying that he’s not worse than anyone else, and if he wanted to pursue a Ph.D., he would definitely get in,” Chu Ci explained. “I didn’t mean to look down on him, though.”
Yan Xie thought to himself that we all understand how naturally academic achievers tend to have an unconscious bias against underachievers, but we underachievers can be quite sensitive. However, he didn’t show any reaction on the surface and simply asked, “So, you made a bet? What’s the wager?”
“The research project. If he does get into a Ph.D. program, I have to let him join my research project.”
“And if he doesn’t get in?”
Chu Ci suddenly fell silent, taking several seconds before replying, “He has to give me one Yuan.”
Everyone inside and outside the interrogation room was stunned.
“…” Yan Xie confirmed, “One Yuan?”
“I don’t believe he can get into a Ph.D. program, and I have no interest in gaining any benefits from it either. But he was very agitated at the time and insisted on arguing with me. I had to quickly dismiss him and send him back to the laboratory,” Chu Ci sighed deeply, expressing a hint of regret. “If I had known that was the last time I would see him, maybe I would have stayed longer… at least to help him understand those last few points.”
There was silence in the interrogation room, and everyone was lost in thought, only hearing their own breaths.
“May I ask, what exactly happened to Feng Yuguang? How did he die?”
Yan Xie snapped out of his thoughts and casually replied, “Hmm, it was caused by hallucinogenic drugs.”
Chu Ci was taken aback, “That’s impossible. He was using drugs?”
“It’s because the case is still uncertain that we need to investigate. We can’t disclose specific details during this stage of the investigation. You, as a top student, don’t need us to remind you about relevant regulations, right?”
“…”
Yan Xie closed his notepad, stood up, and stretched his shoulders as if he suddenly remembered something. “By the way, one last question. When my colleague asked you about the luxury bag, why did you answer that you had no idea?”
Chu Ci, who had already stood up, hesitated slightly upon hearing the question.
“…I didn’t want to cause trouble.”
He paused, avoiding Yan Xie’s gaze slightly, and said, “It was a strange gift out of the blue, and I really couldn’t understand it… When encountering bizarre things, a normal person’s reaction would be to keep their distance, wouldn’t it, Officer?”
………
“It is indeed very strange, but based solely on that, we cannot suspect Chu Ci of the crime.”
Yan Xie opened the window, and the fresh morning air rushed in, sweeping away the various smells that had fermented in the office overnight. Qin Chuan stood behind his desk, still somewhat puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“If I wanted to kill my roommate, I would choose a familiar place, not a thousand miles away where I’m unfamiliar. In fact, 90% of student harm cases happen on campus. If someone really wanted to commit murder, causing a laboratory accident would be much more convenient than using hyoscine and MDMA to harm others.”
Qin Chuan pondered over it.
“However,” Yan Xie’s tone shifted, “Chu Ci’s testimony did give me a little inspiration.”
“What?”
“It’s still quite vague at the moment, I can’t explain it clearly, but I have a vague feeling that Feng Yuguang’s death might be related to his determination to pursue a Ph.D. and the coincidental malfunction of the surveillance in the chemical company.”
“But right now, all I want to do is sleep.” Yan Xie turned around, and stretched his back with a long yawn. “The charming and irresistible Brother Yan, who tirelessly fought and was defeated on the journey of blind dates to enrich and entertain the lives of single young women in this city, has been exhausted to the point of death and urgently needs a two-hour carefree sleep like a baby to relieve his tormented heart…”
Qin Chuan sneered, “Don’t flatter yourself. Exhausted to the point of death? You wish.”
Yan Xie replied, “A quick jerk1He is talking about m*sturbation, and it’s all over. Haven’t you tried it?”
Qin Chuan: “…………”
“Oh, right,” suddenly Yan Xie remembered something and stopped Qin Chuan, who was about to leave. “Tell the field team to immediately set up surveillance and investigate all second-hand luxury stores within the city, focusing on the location of the incident.”
Qin Chuan asked, “Second-hand stores?”
“We’re looking for a target backpack with a missing zipper slider,” Yan Xie said. “It’s a brand that has high recognition with such a new condition. I don’t believe someone would just take it home to use as a grocery bag.”
Even in the city bureau, Yan Xie was a rare presence—he didn’t need rest.
He was a monster who could energetically fight for three days and two nights, a demon who could run ten kilometers without rest chasing drug dealers. He could endure more than habitual thieves, be more active than serial killers, and be more enduring and fierce than bank robbers. With him around, the captain of the criminal investigation division could finally find time to undergo the heart catheterization procedure that had been postponed for years.
Yan Xie closed the curtains, leaned on the desk, and closed his eyes, contemplating the testimonies. A certain uncertain speculation emerged from the depths of his mind, but as soon as he focused, the inspiration slipped away like a mischievous fish.
“Using drugs? That’s impossible.”
“Frequently staying out late after parties, playing games in his spare time…”
“Perhaps it’s his miraculous passing the final exams that gave him confidence…”
…
What allows a wealthy second-generation student with limited study time to pass miraculously every time, and what makes him confident that he will succeed in pursuing a Ph.D.?
If it were any other university, there might be something fishy, but at Chu Ci’s university, the possibility of money being involved could be mostly ruled out.
—So, is there a connection between this and Feng Yuguang’s death?
Yan Xie took a deep breath, knowing that he needed to take advantage of the time to get some sleep. He pushed aside those distractions, burying his head in the dark space created by the wooden desk and his arms.
The sounds of people outside gradually faded away, and the bustling traffic around the Criminal Investigation Division building turned into silence. In an instant, he sank into the deep sea of half-dreams and half-awakened states. Space and time rearranged themselves silently, bringing the long-forgotten subconscious to the surface.
In a daze, he left the office and stepped into a crowded hall.
Laughter and the clinking of glasses filled his ears, as if it were a joyous celebration. He stood hazily among the tables and chairs, when suddenly someone behind him laughed and said, “What are you running around like a headless fly for? The person you’re looking for is right there. Go thank him already!”
Thank him, Yan Xie wondered in his mind, thank him for what?
Everything I did today was earned with my own life. Who do I need to thank?
But in the dream, he had no choice but to sway and walk forward in the crowd. Passing countless people who were laughing heartily and whose faces were blurred, he suddenly saw a bright light ahead. There stood a slender figure, leaning against a window, speaking softly on the phone.
“Why haven’t you offered a toast yet, Yan Xie? If it weren’t for Captain Jiang, would you have been able to receive the second-class merit in the end?”
“Go up there, what are you waiting for?”
“Look at you, can’t even speak anymore. Weren’t you usually so talkative? Why are you acting dumb now?”
…
No, my accomplishments are earned by myself. I have no connection to anyone.
Why should I toast? Who do I rely on? Besides, in critical moments, who was the one who risked their life to detain the drug dealer, if not me?
Countless voices seemed to argue inside him, but in reality, Yan Xie took a step forward. He couldn’t control his actions, and the heavy resentment couldn’t resist the greater invisible force. It was as if he was reliving a past event. He raised the glass, and then he heard his younger, slightly hesitant voice saying:
“That, Captain Jiang…?”
Then he saw that scene again.
Among all the dreams that seemed true or false, only this scene was real and vivid, as if it had happened yesterday.
That figure was on the phone, not turning his head, just raising his hand. The slender fingers were firm and turned outward, a gesture of gentle yet resolute refusal.
“I know,” the person said, slightly emphasizing his tone. “Go.”
There was no deception or need for flattery. All the anger and resentment fell away, and the psychological walls that had piled up layer upon layer were instantly dismantled.
The weightlessness made Yan Xie suddenly feel a bit at a loss.
“Go,” he heard the person slightly raise his voice.
Yan Xie didn’t remember how he turned and walked away; the blood in his body rushed to his head, but it could also be due to the alcohol. The boiling anger that had been forcefully suppressed suddenly vanished, relieving the pressure and making his feet float, in a daze. The taste of indescribable bitterness and numbness filled his tongue.
But he should be happy.
He had “proved” himself, even though the enemy didn’t care much, and he didn’t need to put up any resistance.
Passing through the bustling hall and winding corridors, Yan Xie left behind the blood, sweat, and tears of his more than ten years as a detective and the hardships and setbacks of his five years as a vice-captain. He walked towards his familiar office, rested his head on his arm, and sank into a short but hasty, deep sleep.
Ring, ring, ring…
Yan Xie jolted awake, his mind suddenly alert, and he saw the phone on the desk ringing. In a daze, he instinctively answered, “Hello?”
His mind was still a bit foggy, but then Ma Xiang’s loud voice came through, dispelling the last trace of drowsiness. “Brother Yan! The Case Center received an emergency call, and it was directly transferred to your side!”
“What kind of call?” Yan Xie was still a bit confused. “Who made the call?”
The next second, Ma Xiang drove away any trace of sleepiness.
“It’s Lu Chengjiang,” Ma Xiang said. “The one who was all refined and sitting in a wheelchair at the scene of the 502 Frozen Corpse case—remember him? He made the call, and it’s urgent. The logistics department said we should hurry and go over immediately.”
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