Chapter 27

On the passenger seat, the Mysterious Cat Queen suddenly spoke: "Actually, it's me."

"It's because I was eager for revenge; hearing you say there was a slight chance, I agreed to let the cats risk themselves, which made me so desperately want to catch the culprit."

Ling Yue blinked slightly: "Ah? Shouldn't it be me? Because I inferred that the other party had a tendency to abuse cats, which got you to risk yourselves."

The topic was like a Russian nesting doll; the Mysterious Cat Queen pressed a paw onto Ling Yue's hand, looking at her: "Let's find Jump Jump first, then talk about other things."

The air pressure inside the car instantly plummeted.

Yeah, Jump Jump hasn't shown up yet, leaving only a naive little San Hua Mao star being cared for by the cat mom guarding the villa; the little guy still doesn't know what happened.

Seeing this, the Feng Shui Turtle leaned on the windowsill and said: "Cough cough, I've calculated; this crisis poses no major obstacle, and might even bring a different opportunity."

"Really?" said Big Black, who at that moment was gazing through the window at the turtle grandpa. Ling Yue had brought them here; Big Black, being a police dog, might be able to track Jump Jump's scent to find its original cat.

Ling Yue blinked at the words, then suddenly said: "Master, rest easy at home; if that's truly the case, I'll personally buy you wine!"

The Feng Shui Turtle smacked its lips: "Then I want Maotai! I've heard Maotai tastes best, perfect for an old-timer like me."

The car's heavy atmosphere, because of its words, suddenly eased.

Coincidentally, the place where Jump Jump met with trouble is exactly the Capital University that Ling Yue once attended; and according to the information Ling Yue learned, the villa's former owner was a highly respected old professor at Capital University, and this case caused a sensation back then, yet even now it remains unsolved.

Eight years have passed, time has dusted over, and it has long become an unsolved cold case.

As Ling Yue stepped onto the campus, her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

At this moment, near the northern teaching building of the campus, because there is a beautiful forest area, many students are there during the day, but once it gets late, the forest is deep with heavy dew, and aside from a few, most people choose to take a detour.

In the woods, a man wearing a black mask and black cap, dressed entirely in black outerwear, lingered under the lush trees, constantly looking up, making a sucking sound with his mouth.

Passing students looked on, startled: "What... what are you doing?"

In the sweltering heat, this person dressed so heavily, looking suspicious; normal people would have been scared off long ago. The female student dared to ask only because her boyfriend was nearby, giving her courage.

The man in black clothing seemed to stagger slightly, lowered his gaze, and said: "I'm here to look for a cat; our Jump Jump used to play here, and hasn't returned home for several days."

The female student nodded: "Oh oh, I see."

She finally dispelled her doubts; the reason she asked was also because, on campus, under these few big trees, small animals often rest there, most of them being little cats.

It was so late; the female student glanced at the streetlights gradually lighting up on both sides of the teaching building, and couldn't help but frown: "You'd better search well; I've heard there's a cat-abusing maniac lurking around here lately—how terrifying, what a perverted asshole! Abusing small animals deserves no good end; may heaven strike you with thunder!"

She spoke, still angry, but fortunately her boyfriend patted her back, allowing her to calm down and continue: "I hope you can find the cat soon."

The man in black fell silent for a moment: "... Hmm."

This place was originally a secluded side path; aside from that couple just now, no one had been seen for half a day, and it had long become a secret playground for the campus stray cats, until today.

The man in black took a deep look at the departing female student, finally withdrew his gaze, and through the mask revealed his sinister brows and eyes fixed on the treetops: "Jump Jump?" 《I Can Hear Animal Voices 【Live Stream】》, remember the website: m. 1. At the treetop, a beautiful San Hua Mao cat lay on a branch, the canopy revealing specks of starlight. A breeze blew over, bringing a somewhat distorted low male voice.

The man had his hands in his pockets, then suddenly laughed: "Jump Jump, you're called Jump Jump, right? You're really a smart little cat; eight years ago I also encountered a cat like you, also a San Hua Mao."

He said, pulling out some dried small fish from his pocket; the strong fishy smell instantly caught the cat's full attention, and after sprinkling an attractant, it became even more tempting in front of the cat.

"Hurry up and eat; you already had several bites earlier, aren't you hungry now?"

He was certain the little cat couldn't resist and would surely jump down, but who knew that after a stalemate, even after hearing the teasing sounds, the San Hua Mao cat on the tree remained completely still, holding its body upright, eyes full of vigilance.

Suddenly it cried out, looking from the tree and shouting: "I'm here! Boss, I'm here!"

The San Hua Mao cat Jump Jump lifted its head, its pupils full of twinkling stars.

Its abnormality instantly caught the attention of the man under the tree; following the direction it was gazing, a vague human silhouette could be seen in the distance.

Meanwhile, Ling Yue led Big Black in a carpet-like search; Big Black kept its head low, almost crawling forward: "Master, I think I've caught a hint of a scent!"

Big Black suddenly burst into loud barking: "Master! Master!"

Ling Yue hurriedly asked; Big Black was extraordinarily excited, wagging its fluffy big tail impatiently: "I smelled it! I smelled Jump Jump's scent! Jump Jump is over there!"

The dog's head glanced toward several big trees, a pair of dog eyes bright and alert.

Ling Yue directly led the dog and ran over.

Upon arrival, she suddenly caught sight of a black silhouette; her heart jumped, as if she sensed something, but that person flashed and vanished into the woods.

"What's wrong?" the Mysterious Cat Queen crouched on her shoulder, licked its paw pads, then suddenly paused: "I... I seem to smell a fishy odor!"

Those words instantly unlocked its memory; the Mysterious Cat Queen leapt up, eyes especially fierce: "It's him! It's him! It's that murderer from back then!"

Upon hearing that, all the small animals in the know were startled; the crow in the sky couldn't help but say: "Could it be that man we just saw? He was dressed all in black and ran so fast!"

"I had originally noticed his sneaky behavior and wanted to chase him, but I didn't expect him to flash and dash into the teaching building—there was simply no way."

The Mysterious Cat Queen listened while grinding its claws; though the person had fled, it felt no disappointment, its bright eyes fixed on Ling Yue, because this also meant——

Ling Yue understood what it wanted to convey: "My guess is correct."

"This person is absolutely a psychological deviant, with a habit of abusing and killing small animals, especially cats; precisely because of his long-standing abusive behavior, upon learning that the villa owner possessed a fortune, he began to plot the murder case."

Finally Ling Yue drew a conclusion: "Otherwise, the police wouldn't find any trace at the crime scene, because he had been plotting this for a long time!"

So, Ling Yue had the cats set up an arrangement early on, constantly monitoring any humans who showed hostility or closeness toward them; if the police carried out such work, it would be like searching for a needle in the ocean, because people can disguise themselves, especially that kind of psychological deviant murderer.

Ling Yue, however, is different; she can communicate with small animals, and moreover the Treasure-Seeking Rat and the Mysterious Cat Queen have already taken direct control of all the stray cats and rats in Jing Shi; every three days, cats will voluntarily provide suspicious individuals. Humans disguise themselves among their own kind, while weak and pitiful small animals are unconsciously overlooked by them.

Ling Yue seized this loophole; now, all the cats and rats in Jing Shi are her eyes and ears.

Ling Yue briefly said a few words, and earned Big Black's admiring gaze; the dog wagged its tail, and to the San Hua Mao cat Jump Jump on the tree, it looked like a naked provocation.

"Stupid dog, what are you happy about! Come on, anyone, just anything, get me down from here."

It itself didn't know how it had become so brave just then, darting in one breath to the treetop; beneath its paw pads were soft, slender branches, and looking down from above, even a strong cat would feel dizzy.

Jump Jump covered its face; this cat will never dare to face a person again QAQ.

Ling Yue followed the sound and saw that the San Hua Mao cat curled into a ball was especially conspicuous on the high branches, resembling a big clump of colorful, fluffy, cute fruit.

Ling Yue was a bit dumbfounded: "How should we rescue it?"

The Mysterious Cat Queen: "I'll come!"

For some reason, saying that made it sound murderous; after speaking, it lightly leapt onto the tree—though its body was clearly a size larger than an ordinary cat's, it moved as lightly as a leaf.

The closer it got, the more nervous the San Hua Mao cat Jump Jump became; the 'fruit' on the tree seemed ripe, about to fall at any moment.

Below, Ling Yue: "......"

I don't know why, but suddenly I feel that, compared to being rescued, Jump Jump seems to want to fall down more.

Jump Jump wanted to cry but had no tears; it had just eaten the medicated cat food, so its legs went weak, which is why it got stuck in the big tree. Watching the ever-closer boss, it felt as if it had returned to that afternoon when its fate was controlled.

Jump Jump was a discarded cat the queen picked up from the trash can. After finally crawling out of a shoebox, it was bitten on the back of the neck by a cat with sharp little canine teeth, just like carrying a skin ball, being hauled up and down all the way back home.

Now it's the same——

The Mysterious Cat Queen swiftly and fiercely bit the San Hua Mao's hind neck, carrying the stiff cat, like a spirit wandering among the leaves, and finally slapped it to the ground with one paw: 'Let you show off! Let you take the initiative, let you not see the situation—who do you think you are? Have you forgotten you still have the stars?!'

The San Hua Mao began to whimper and cry.

The situation took a sudden turn for the worse, leaving Ling Yue dumbfounded. Because it happened so suddenly, she actually didn't know the details; she only knew that San Hua Mao Jump Jump had met with an accident, but she didn't know it had actively sought it out.

The Mysterious Cat Queen then gave it a round of cat punches, and only then said: 'You say it yourself—I'm furious!'

Jump Jump the San Hua Mao covered its left eye, too embarrassed to look at Ling Yue: 'Y-yes, that's how it is...'

Just like any ordinary day, Jump Jump the San Hua Mao was also outside looking for clues, actually just taking Little Star out for a post-meal stroll; many college students fed them, and Jump Jump skillfully brought the little kitten to mooch food and drink.

A light touch, and the cat fell to the ground.

San Hua Mao: I'm a pro at extortion!

The students found it so adorable they kept making sounds of delight, reaching out to pet it freely; you could tell this routine had already become a muscle memory for it.

The mother cat with kittens had delicate features, her fur sleek and glossy; under the light, her fluffy fur swayed, sparkling, and there was also an equally adorable little Sanhua.

And all of this fell into a pair of eyes in the darkness.

Soon, no matter how cautiously the stalking was disguised, the cat detected it; small animals have their own way of discerning malicious gazes, and the only constant is that, in an instant, its whole fur stands on end.

Having made up its mind, Jump Jump handed the star to its companion; as for itself, there was no more certain word than 'risking its life'.

Even though the queen had ordered early on that if encountering suspicious personnel, one should flee immediately, Jump Jump the San Hua Mao insisted on playing the hero. By the time the other cats informed the Mysterious Cat Queen to come over, Jump Jump had already vanished from the spot, leaving only the little kitten Star crawling all over the ground, which led to that previous scene. Ling Yue glanced at Jump Jump the San Hua Mao, which lay on the ground, the Mysterious Cat Queen stepping on its head, hearing Jump Jump repeatedly beg for mercy: 'I was wrong, I won't dare again!'

The Mysterious Cat Queen gave a hollow chuckle: 'These past few days, it's been you guarding the villa and taking care of the kittens.'

"No! Boss, save me!" Jump Jump was dragged away by the other cats, the whole cat hopeless, wanting to cry but unable to shed tears, QAQ.

Being a guard cat mom is much harder than going out to be cute; the villa has dozens of little troublemakers at their most energetic—this isn't just guarding the house, it's a fight for its life!

From afar, Ling Yue could still hear Jump Jump's wails.

She blinked slightly, a smile appearing on her face—she was practically a living treasure!

The top priority is to find the murderer.

Da Hei was a bit troubled: 'How are we supposed to find him? There are so many people here, and nobody saw his face.'

Ya Ya said: 'Yeah, he ran really fast. He's also very clever—how can we find him?'

Ling Yue raised her eyebrows, confidently saying: 'How to find him? Start from the school.'

She spoke with certainty; the Mysterious Cat Queen beside her couldn't help but glance over, and Ling Yue smiled at it, already having a scope in mind.

Just now they almost ran into each other, yet he still managed to escape; from this we can see his familiarity with the place is such that he knows it like the back of his hand!

He must be living around here; perhaps he's a staff member at the school. As for why he isn't a student, eight years have passed—if he were truly a student, how old would he have been back then?

It's not that there's no chance of a minor committing a crime, but rather that this possibility is very, very small. After all, the previous owner of the villa was a middle-aged man in his fifties; for a minor to want to kill someone, just physically it would be difficult.

Just then, Da Hei suddenly barked furiously: 'Master, we've found something!'

Ling Yue followed the sound and walked over; on the dew-covered lawn lay a fallen card case. She picked it up and examined it closely—it was an empty case, far more refined than those sold outside, the translucent leather case printed with the unified emblem of Capital University, and nothing else.

But the strong fishy smell on it was enough for Da Hei to be certain: 'It must belong to the killer—such a heavy, heavy fishy odor!'

Ling Yue nodded, took out her phone to search, her brows furrowed tightly. The reason is that she also has a transparent card case, of a different style, but the emblem in the upper left corner is exactly the same mold—it's the uniformly issued meal-card protector from the school—so whose could this be?

Ling Yue has left school for a long time, but her former roommate Qiao Qiao, who chose to pursue graduate studies, is still on campus.

Ling Yue sent a message, arranging to meet Qiao Qiao.

"Ah Yue!" Upon seeing each other, Qiao Qiao couldn't help but hug her; her happy expression drew many onlookers' glances, and Ling Yue instinctively touched her mask, covering half her face, which made her feel safe.

Da Hei spoke from the side: 'I know why—when you go out, people keep asking you for photos and selfies, it's terribly troublesome.'

Qiao Qiao is a Dongbei girl, with a cheerful and lively personality; she's Ling Yue's best friend to play with, and even after months without contact, a few words are enough to erase any sense of distance that months of silence might have caused.

"Wow!" She glanced at Da Hei at once: 'Ah Yue, you actually have a dog! And it's the handsomest black-backed one; the dog looks truly adorable and obedient—I'm going to cry out of envy, QAQ.'

Ling Yue: 'Let the dog give you a rub—feel free, rub as much as you want!'

Qiao Qiao was so excited she couldn't contain herself, then quickly reacted: 'I'm not falling for your sugar-coated bullets!'

She complained: 'How many days has it been? You finally came to find me—I thought you'd forgotten me!'

Ling Yue: '... Wasn't it you who said you were going into seclusion to prepare for the graduate exam?'

Qiao Qiao choked, pounding her head in anger: 'My goodness, stop bringing this up—grad school exam, grad school exam, it's made my head swell, TVT.'

"Today you're treating, I want milk tea—extra crispy bits, more coconut jelly, more pearls!"

Ling Yue nodded, her eyes curved; you could tell she was in a great mood—this straightforward friendship between girls really is just that simple.

In the milk tea shop, after chatting a bit, she then took out the transparent card case she'd picked up: 'I want you to help me with this.'

The reason she summoned Qiao Qiao is because this girl is the most famous little informant of their cohort, with especially abundant news, and never baseless.

Qiao Qiao recognized it at a glance: 'Isn't this the teacher's card case? I used to complain that our school only puts out flashy but useless stuff, but this is the most practical—putting a meal card inside makes it especially hard to lose.'

At Ling Yue's school, the campus card is just a thin piece of plastic; being a little careless, reissuing ten or eight a year is no problem.

Turns out it's the teacher.

Ling Yue pondered for a moment, the scope instantly narrowed; she tapped the table, outside the window were beautiful neon lights.

Because the milk tea shop was crowded, they waited a while; when the milk tea arrived, Qiao Qiao kept urging Ling Yue: 'Come to my place in winter—Heavenly Lake of Changbai Mountain, ginseng, skiing, it's so fun, so fun!'

Suddenly, she paused in her motion: 'Whoa, Ah Yue, look who that is!'

Ling Yue was deep in thought when a flash of inspiration struck: such a clean case, with no suspect found, no signs of struggle, and the surveillance hadn't captured any suspicious persons… could it really be that she'd just seen a ghost out of nowhere?

Ghost!

At that moment, a bold guess surged into her mind.

She instinctively blurted out: 'An acquaintance!'

Ling Yue spoke without turning her head, and Qiao Qiao froze: "Ling Yue, how did you guess it was him?"

Ling Yue froze for a moment, recalling what she had just said, and couldn't help but laugh and cry at once; she was about to explain when Qiao Qiao's face lit up with interest: "Ling Yue, he's here."

Ling Yue could see clearly that it was neither a fawning nor admiring gaze, but one full of scrutiny and amused teasing, as if she had seen something laughable, the corners of her lips curled with mockery.

Who could make her react so strongly?

"Your milk tea is ready, peach snow top crunchy boba and——"

The voice cut off abruptly; Ling Yue, with her back to the speaker, turned her head to see clearly—it really was an acquaintance, someone she knew only vaguely.

When they met again, the other person appeared utterly decadent—not something visible in clothing or appearance, but an aura radiating from within, like nothing remained but a walking corpse.

He was not doing well.

Ling Yue felt pleased.

Even though, for her now, that matter was long something she could easily put behind her, it still spoiled her mood whenever she recalled it, leaving her feeling especially stifled!

She could take anything, but she couldn't stand suffering a loss; that sudden tumble caused her pain for a long time.

Just then, Qiao Qiao smiled and said, "Isn't that Qin, the work-study student?"

The other person didn't speak, and Qiao Qiao didn't mind; she shrugged, full of gossip she wanted to share with Ling Yue.

Ling Yue, the person involved, was completely indifferent: seeing you doing poorly made her feel better.

She lifted her fruit tea and took a sip, glancing at Qiao Qiao: "Don't be snide—haven't you learned enough from the Qin Xin Xin incident?"

Having said that, she saw Qiao Qiao's eyes widen: "What? Qin Xin Xin? Ling Yue, you even got his name wrong—my goodness!"

Ling Yue: "……"

Before she could speak, Qiao Qiao covered her face and laughed so hard her whole body trembled.

She didn't notice that the person was not far away; upon hearing the name Qin Xin Xin suddenly, a flood of emotions surged in his heart, chief among them regret.

He regretted having been so stubborn as to provoke the other party; thinking of the recent news he'd seen, the yawning gap between them left him unable to muster hatred, and he dared not feel it.

Here, thanks to gossip expert Qiao Qiao's explanation, Ling Yue learned that, for some unknown reason, the young heiress had suddenly taken a dislike to Qin Junxin, frozen his card, and reclaimed the lavish gifts; only then did classmates realize he was merely her kept boy toy.

Qin Junxin naturally objected, confronting his ex-girlfriend, who appeared amicable but then reported him to the school; one was a wealthy heiress, the other a poor university student—any fool could guess which side the school would take.

Thus, Qin Junxin received a major demerit, his already poor record ruined, and he ended up as an employee at a milk tea shop.

"This has been spreading all over our group chat—goodness, Ling Yue, you actually didn't know?"

Ling Yue thought: "Maybe it's because I muted the class group."

Pulling it up again, she could still see a line of classmates tagging her. Ling Yue stared at the avatars and uttered a light apology, as if the history of her being scorned and mocked could be erased so easily.

Ling Yue smiled, seeing the big black dog waiting outside the window—truly, human hearts are not as good as a dog's!

Her gaze fell on Qiao Qiao.

Qiao Qiao: "???"

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ling Yue: "Because you're cute and pretty."

Catching up shouldn't take too long, especially since Qiao Qiao has a mission; Ling Yue didn't want to become an obstacle in her studies, so later she went back, spent a lot of money buying a pile of graduate exam prep materials and past papers, and mailed them—truly a labor of love.

As for Qiao Qiao, who received the materials: pitiful, helpless, QAQ.

Back to the present, after Qiao Qiao left, Ling Yue went straight to an internet café and opened a private room; she brought the Black Cat Queen along, fiddled a bit, and the Capital University website opened.

She clicked on the school's honor roll and introduction section, where photos of teachers and department heads from each faculty were lined up.

The faint blue light reflected from the computer fell on Ling Yue's face; the only sound in the private room was the clacking of keys.

The Queen crouched before the desk, and as the mouse scrolled, the faculty members from each year level were spread out.

The cat emitted a purring sound, watching intently; suddenly it lifted its paw and pressed it onto the handsome screen. Seeing that person's image, Ling Yue raised her eyebrows: "Is it him?"

The man wore a pair of silver-framed glasses, looking refined and gentle.

The Black Cat Queen declared firmly: "It's him!"

Ling Yue laughed—who would have thought he'd be so bold? After doing such a thing, he still dared to openly assume his real identity and become a university teacher educating students!

The Black Cat Queen remembered clearly: "He's aged a lot since eight years ago, his eyes are still as unpleasant, hiding unsavory things; I used to dislike him intensely, but my master liked him because he was the most promising student the master ever taught—a good kid."

The cat blinked its dry eyes, its gaze full of scorn; suddenly it opened its mouth: "In the whole school, I only know him."

Ling Yue downloaded the picture and sent it to her phone; her expression showed no relaxation at all, only grew more solemn.

With the Black Cat Queen's words, Ling Yue could be eighty percent certain that the murderer was him!

She needed time to prepare, to make the final confirmation.

Meanwhile, in a unit sealed off by an anti-theft door, a man in black clothing took off his coat, turned around, and met a pair of exceptionally beautiful cat eyes.

It was trapped in a cage, eating, drinking, and defecating in the cramped space, curled into a ball; its once pure white fur was now stained, turned an uneven yellowish-black, one ear pure black like a special mark, and it lay motionless, as if dead.

"Cat-abusing maniac? Pervert?"

He seemed unable to smell the foul odor in the room, casually picking up an iron hook to strike the cat's tail—anyone who scoops litter knows this is where a cat's nerves are most concentrated, not to be touched lightly, let alone struck hard.

The man's voice was thick with malice, like a demon's growl: "Truly disgusting—cats should be exterminated! Kill them all!"

He struck hard; the cat felt pain but could only utter a weak sound. He narrowed his eyes and slowly said: "What a pity—there should have been a new cat to keep you company today, just like you, a mother cat with a kitten, but it got away."

"But it doesn't matter."

The man crouched, pulled out some freeze-dried fish from his pocket, and tossed it to the cat; seeing it unmoving, he laughed: "You say it's been four or five days since you were caught—can your newborn kittens still be alive?"

The cat in the cage seemed to really understand, its dry throat hoarsely shouting a few times as it kept battering the cage, revealing a body reduced to skin and bone.

It can be described in one word—unbearably horrific.

The man, eyes gleaming with excitement, withdrew his gaze: "Don't worry, I'll take care of you tomorrow."

He grew even more excited, opening a hidden long box, taking out the cherished scroll inside, holding it and rubbing it, as if he smelled a whiff of fishiness, as if something came to mind; his face broke into a greedy smile: "After waiting so long, I've finally found a satisfactory buyer."

He didn't notice that outside the half-open window, a jet-black Black Cat crouched, its eyes emitting a faint green glow toward the interior, a dark collar around its neck; it sniffed, then froze in place.

Various foul smells rushed straight into its nose, making it hard not to gag. It steadied itself, staring fixedly indoors—more precisely, at the scroll in the man's hand, a black wooden roller stained with a hint of red.

Chinese line.

What the hell?!

Thus: 【181】 Suddenly, the man stood up and looked toward the windowsill: "What the hell?!"

【189】

A black shadow flashed past; he looked out the window, and from downstairs came a chorus of cat cries. He immediately gave a cold snort: "This kind of meow is disgusting; you should have your vocal cords all cut off, so you can still call! Meow!"

Translation: A black shadow flashed past; he looked out the window, and from downstairs came a chorus of cat cries. He snorted coldly: "This kind of meowing is disgusting—you should have your vocal cords cut so you can't cry! Cry! Go ahead!" Need to be faithful.

【198】

Thus: 【182】 A black shadow flashed past; he looked out the window, and from downstairs rose a continuous chorus of cat cries. He snorted coldly: "This kind of meowing is disgusting—you should have your vocal cords cut so you can't cry! Cry! Go ahead!"

Check we didn't add extra.

Moonlight peeked out from the clouds, revealing the man's sinister smile.

Translation: Moonlight peeked through the clouds, revealing the man's sinister grin.

Thus: 【183】 Moonlight peeked through the clouds, revealing the man's sinister grin.

【208】

Translation: All of this was transmitted in full to Ling Yue's computer via a miniature lens; the highly impactful footage hit her brain directly.

Thus: 【184】 All of this was transmitted in full to Ling Yue's computer via a miniature lens; the highly impactful footage hit her brain directly.

Ling Yue instinctively held her breath, struggling to look at the horrific indoor scene: inside the cage lay cats so thin their bones protruded, while elsewhere lay assorted bloody remnants—were they severed limbs or just flesh?

Translation: Ling Yue instinctively held her breath, barely able to look at the horrifying interior: a cage held a cat emaciated to the bone, while elsewhere lay various bloody things—were they severed limbs or flesh?

Thus: 【185】 Ling Yue instinctively held her breath, barely able to look at the horrifying interior: a cage held a cat emaciated to the bone, while elsewhere lay various bloody things—were they severed limbs or flesh?

【218】

Translation: Ling Yue could not describe it.

Thus: 【186】 Ling Yue could not describe it.

All she knew was that she wanted to rush over and chop that animal-abusing pervert into pieces while he was still alive.

Translation: She only knew she wanted to rush over and tear that animal-abusing pervert apart alive!

Thus: 【187】 She only knew she wanted to rush over and tear that animal-abusing pervert apart alive!

【227】

Translation: Amid the retching of other animals, the Black Cat Queen, filled with hatred, stared fixedly at the screen: "He deserves to die! He deserves to die!"

Xuan Mao Nü Wang

Thus line: 【188】 Amid the retching of other animals, Xuan Mao Nü Wang, filled with hatred, stared fixedly at the screen: "He deserves to die! He deserves to die!"

【234】

Thus: 【188】 Amid the retching of other animals, Xuan Mao Nü Wang, filled with hatred, stared fixedly at the screen: "He deserves to die! He deserves to die!"

Even if he isn't the killer, after massacring so many innocent cats, he deserves to die!

Translation: Even if he isn't the murderer, after slaughtering so many innocent cats, he deserves to die!

Thus: 【189】 Even if he isn't the murderer, after slaughtering so many innocent cats, he deserves to die!

【244】

Translation: Moreover...

Thus: 【190】 Moreover...

Kill intent flickered in Xuan Mao Nü Wang's eyes; after a pause, she said, "I've found evidence. After the villa murder case years ago, the master had painted a cat picture for me as a birthday gift, but it's disappeared. He would never have given it to anyone, yet today I saw it in his home."

Translation: Killing intent welled up in Xuan Mao Nü Wang's eyes; after a moment she said: "I've seen the evidence. After the villa murder case years ago, the owner drew me a cat picture that has since gone missing—it was a birthday gift he gave me. He would never give it away, yet today I saw it in his house."

【251】

Thus: 【191】 Killing intent welled up in Xuan Mao Nü Wang's eyes; after a moment she said: "I've seen the evidence. After the villa murder case years ago, the owner drew me a cat picture that has since gone missing—it was a birthday gift he gave me. He would never give it away, yet today I saw it in his house."

Ling Yue: "Are you sure?"

Translation: Ling Yue: "Are you sure?"

Thus: 【192】 Ling Yue: "Are you sure?"

【261】

Translation: She frowned, noticing that from start to finish the other party had never opened the scroll—how did Xuan Mao Nü Wang recognize it?

Thus: 【193】 She frowned, noticing that from start to finish the other party had never opened the scroll—how did Xuan Mao Nü Wang recognize it?

"He's the killer!" the queen snorted coldly: "That red speck on the scroll is the red ink I accidentally spilled as a child when I was playing around; over time it seeped into the wood and can't be wiped off."

Translation: "He's the murderer!" the queen snorted coldly: "That red speck on the scroll is the red ink I accidentally spilled as a child; over time it seeped into the wood and can't be wiped off."

【268】

Thus: 【194】 "He's the murderer!" the queen snorted coldly: "That red speck on the scroll is the red ink I accidentally spilled as a child; over time it seeped into the wood and can't be wiped off."

The small animals instantly flew into a rage, determined to retaliate against the cat-abusing maniac!

Translation: The small animals instantly erupted in fury, determined to retaliate against the cat-abusing lunatic!

Thus: 【195】 The small animals instantly erupted in fury, determined to retaliate against the cat-abusing lunatic!

【278】

Translation: As the sole human, Ling Yue remained calmer than anyone, pressing down her palm: "This still needs planning."

Thus: 【196】 As the sole human, Ling Yue remained calmer than anyone, pressing down her palm: "This still needs planning."

Da Hei also nodded; he had been training with the police squad lately, understood the investigators' procedures, and fully agreed with his master's idea.

Translation: Da Hei also nodded; he had been training with the criminal police unit lately, understood their investigative procedures, and fully agreed with his owner's idea.

【283】

Unexpectedly, Ling Yue's gaze fell directly on it: "Da Hei, I have a favor to ask of you."

Translation: Unexpectedly, Ling Yue's gaze fell directly on it: "Da Hei, I have a favor to ask."

Thus: 【198】 Unexpectedly, Ling Yue's gaze fell directly on it: "Da Hei, I have a favor to ask."

【293】

Translation: Da Hei stiffened all over: "What, what is it?"

Thus: 【199】 Da Hei stiffened all over: "What, what is it?"

Ling Yue smiled, ruffling the dog's head: "Don't worry, it's a great thing."

Translation: Ling Yue laughed, ruffling his head: "Don't worry, it's a great thing."

Thus: 【200】 Ling Yue laughed, ruffling his head: "Don't worry, it's a great thing."

【302】

Translation: At eight a. m., Lin Shaoze was organizing the case, rubbing his sore brow, his deathly pale complexion almost ashen; just as he was about to turn to a new case file, a sudden shout came from outside: Cheng Ziming's anguished yell: "Captain! Captain! Da Hei's gone berserk! I can't control him at all!"

At eight a. m., Lin Shaoze was organizing the case, rubbing his sore brow, his deathly pale complexion almost ashen; just as he was about to turn to a new case file, a sudden shout came from outside: Cheng Ziming's anguished yell: "Captain! Captain! Da Hei's gone berserk! I can't control him at all!"

【305】

Lin Shaoze opened the door to see Cheng Ziming already on the ground, locked in a heated battle with his dog that showed no sign of ending.

Translation: Lin Shaoze opened the door; Cheng Ziming was already on the ground, he and the dog locked in a fierce battle, inseparable.

Thus: 【202】 Lin Shaoze opened the door; Cheng Ziming was already on the ground, he and the dog locked in a fierce battle, inseparable.

【315】

Translation: Lin Shaoze: "... What on earth are you doing?!"

Thus: 【203】 Lin Shaoze: "... What on earth are you doing?!"

Cheng Ziming smiled, about to speak, when suddenly footsteps approached; then came Ling Yue's voice: "Captain Lin, I have something I need your help with."

Translation: Cheng Ziming smiled, about to speak, when suddenly footsteps approached; then came Ling Yue's voice: "Captain Lin, I need your help with something."

【322】

Thus: 【204】 Cheng Ziming smiled, about to speak, when suddenly footsteps approached; then came Ling Yue's voice: "Captain Lin, I need your help with something."

The grimy Cheng Ziming: "!!!"

Translation: Ash-covered Cheng Ziming: "!!!"

Thus: 【205】 Ash-covered Cheng Ziming: "!!!"

【332】

Translation: He sat on the ground, too lazy to move, just covering his face: "Mom, I've totally embarrassed myself this time!"

Thus: 【206】 He sat on the ground, too lazy to move, just covering his face: "Mom, I've totally embarrassed myself this time!"

Lin Shaoze couldn't be bothered to look at that annoying thing anymore, turning to Ling Yue instead; his voice hoarse from staying up late, he said: "Come in and speak."

Translation: Lin Shaoze couldn't be bothered to look at that annoying mess, turning instead to Ling Yue; his voice hoarse from staying up: "Come in and speak."

Thus: 【207】 Lin Shaoze couldn't be bothered to look at that annoying mess, turning instead to Ling Yue; his voice hoarse from staying up: "Come in and speak."

【341】

Translation: Ten minutes later, the tightly shut door was flung open; Lin Shaoze's eyes were bloodshot, yet at that moment he was like a drawn blade: "Cheng Ziming, Zhu Xiaokai… you split into two groups, one team follows me!"

Zhu Xiaokai, Lin Shaoze, Cheng Ziming

Thus: 【208】 Ten minutes later, the tightly shut door was flung open; Lin Shaoze's eyes were bloodshot, yet at that moment he was like a drawn blade: "Cheng Ziming, Zhu Xiaokai… you split into two groups, one team follows me!"

【348】

Translation: Ling Yue set off first, arriving at the residential complex just as dawn broke; only the morning-exercising elders were around, curiously watching an SUV trailed by several police cars suddenly appear in their neighborhood. The aunties jumped: "What's going on? Why are there police?"

residential complex, SUV, police cars, elders

Thus: 【209】 Ling Yue set off first, arriving at the residential complex just as dawn broke; only the morning-exercising elders were around, curiously watching an SUV trailed by several police cars suddenly appear in their neighborhood. The aunties jumped: "What's going on? Why are there police?"

【356】

Translation: "Who knows? Maybe some kid caused trouble?"

Thus: 【210】 "Who knows? Maybe some kid caused trouble?"

This is the first time I've seen so many police cars; it's really scary.

Translation: "I've never seen so many police cars before—it's terrifying."

Thus: 【211】 "I've never seen so many police cars before—it's terrifying."

【366】

Translation: Before they could reach a conclusion, they saw a young, pretty girl following a squad of police upstairs, their hearts itching like a cat's scratch, dying of curiosity.

Thus: 【212】 Before they could reach a conclusion, they saw a young, pretty girl following a squad of police upstairs, their hearts itching like a cat's scratch, dying of curiosity.

As Ling Yue passed by the utility pole, she saw a posted lost-cat notice and froze. Those blue cat eyes, a cat with one black ear—she had seen that cat in the video from that day.

Translation: As Ling Yue passed a utility pole, she saw a posted lost-cat notice and froze. Those blue cat eyes, one black ear—she had seen that cat in the video that day.

Thus: 【213】 As Ling Yue passed a utility pole, she saw a posted lost-cat notice and froze. Those blue cat eyes, one black ear—she had seen that cat in the video that day.

【376】

Translation: The notice, written in blood‑tinged words, said it was a nursing mother cat that had given birth to kittens less than three days ago, had been strolling in her own building's hallway when she vanished, leaving contact information below.

Thus: 【214】 The notice, written in blood‑tinged words, said it was a nursing mother cat that had given birth to kittens less than three days ago, had been strolling in her own building's hallway when she vanished, leaving contact information below.

Ling Yue didn't care about the hefty reward.

Translation: As for the generous reward, Ling Yue didn't care.

Thus: 【215】 As for the generous reward, Ling Yue didn't care.

【386】

Translation: Her pause made Lin Shaoze, who had been watching her, instantly notice; after he signaled with his eyes, Ling Yue shook her head: "I already told you the location—I'll just check outside."

Thus: 【216】 Her pause made Lin Shaoze, who had been watching her, instantly notice; after he signaled with his eyes, Ling Yue shook her head: "I already told you the location—I'll just check outside."

Lin Shaoze furrowed his brow, wanting to say more, when ahead came a teammate's shout: "Captain, can we start?"

Translation: Lin Shaoze furrowed his brows, wanting to say more, when a teammate shouted from ahead: "Captain, can we begin?"

Thus: 【217】 Lin Shaoze furrowed his brows, wanting to say more, when a teammate shouted from ahead: "Captain, can we begin?"

【396】

Translation: He was swallowed by busy affairs and thus didn't see it; after Ling Yue finished speaking, she lowered her gaze, veiling the dim light in her eyes, then turned and went downstairs without hesitation.

Thus: 【218】 He was swallowed by busy affairs and thus didn't see it; after Ling Yue finished speaking, she lowered her gaze, veiling the dim light in her eyes, then turned and went downstairs without hesitation.

It's already finished; you can see the outcome at a glance.

Translation: Everything here is over; the outcome is visible at a glance.

Thus: 【219】 Everything here is over; the outcome is visible at a glance.

【406】

Translation: Most importantly, the killer isn't here.

Thus: 【220】 Most importantly, the killer isn't here.

As she passed the utility pole, Ling Yue paused, made a call as instructed, then after hanging up, she instead looked up at the sky.

Translation: Passing the utility pole, Ling Yue paused, made a call as instructed, then after hanging up looked up at the sky.

【414】

Thus: 【221】 Passing the utility pole, Ling Yue paused, she made a call as instructed, then after hanging up looked up at the sky.

As she passed the utility pole, Ling Yue paused, made a call as instructed, then after hanging up, she instead looked up at the sky.

Thus: 【221】 Passing the utility pole, Ling Yue paused, she made a call as instructed, then after hanging up looked up at the sky.

【421】

Translation: The circling crows excitedly told her: "Master, something's wrong!"

Ya Ya

The circling Ya Ya excitedly told her: "Master, something's wrong!"

Thus: 【222】 The circling Ya Ya excitedly told her: "Master, something's wrong!"

【431】

Translation: A piece of bad news.

Thus: 【223】 A piece of bad news.

Ya Ya said: "We need to hurry to school! Xuan Mao Nü Wang is preparing to act!"

Translation: Ya Ya said: "We need to hurry to school! The Black Cat Queen is preparing to act!"

Ya Ya, Xuan Mao Nü Wang, school

Thus: 【224】 Ya Ya said: "We need to hurry to school! Xuan Mao Nü Wang is preparing to act!"

【443】

Translation: Ling Yue startled, not fearing the killer but worrying about Xuan Mao Nü Wang: "Wasn't it agreed we'd wait before acting? Why did it suddenly move?"

Thus: 【225】 Ling Yue startled, not fearing the killer but worrying about Xuan Mao Nü Wang: "Wasn't it agreed we'd wait before acting? Why did it suddenly move?"

From above came Ya Ya's voice: "I heard the treasure-hunting mouse Duo Duo say that guy seems to have noticed something off, preparing to flee today—that's why Xuan Mao Nü Wang is so urgent."

Translation: From above came Ya Ya's voice: "I heard Xunbao Shu Duo Duo say that guy seems to have noticed something off, planning to flee today—that's why Xuan Mao Nü Wang is so urgent."

Thus: 【226】 From above came Ya Ya's voice: "I heard Xunbao Shu Duo Duo say that guy seems to have noticed something off, planning to flee today—that's why Xuan Mao Nü Wang is so urgent."

【453】

Translation: After all, its sole goal is revenge.

Thus: 【227】 After all, its sole goal is revenge.

Ling Yue got into the car and started the engine.

Translation: Ling Yue got into the car and started the engine.

Thus: 【228】 Ling Yue got into the car and started the engine.

【463】

Translation: Just then, a shout came from above; with her heightened senses, Ling Yue could easily hear those sounds, chaotic and noisy.

Thus: 【229】 Just then, a shout came from above; with her heightened senses, Ling Yue could easily hear those sounds, chaotic and noisy.

A young female office worker in a work uniform hurried over, pushing through the crowd: "Sorry, everyone, please make way, I have an emergency!"

Translation: A white‑collar woman in work clothes rushed over, pushing through the crowd: "Sorry, please make way, I have an emergency!"

Thus: 【230】 A white‑collar woman in work clothes rushed over, pushing through the crowd: "Sorry, please make way, I have an emergency!"

【473】

Translation: "Please, let me go in and look—my cat's lost, someone told me it's here, Guoguo! Guoguo's mom is here—are you here?"

Thus: 【231】 "Please, let me go in and look—my cat's lost, someone told me it's here, Guoguo! Guoguo's mom is here—are you here?"

The girl spoke through tears streaming down her face, unable to wipe them away; she never expected that, despite having prepared so well, just leaving it at the door, in the blink of an eye, the kitten she had raised was taken away.

Translation: The girl spoke, tears streaming down her face, unable to wipe them all away; she hadn't expected that, despite having prepared so well, she had merely left it at the door, and in a blink her raised kitten was snatched away.

Thus: 【232】 The girl spoke, tears streaming down her face, unable to wipe them all away; she hadn't expected that, despite having prepared so well, she had merely left it at the door, and in a blink her raised kitten was snatched away.

【483】

Translation: The girl sobbed heart‑wrenchingly: "My Guoguo… she's still nursing, just gave birth to kittens… how could there be such a disgusting person, deserving of being hacked to pieces!"

Thus: 【233】 The girl sobbed heart‑wrenchingly: "My Guoguo… she's still nursing, just gave birth to kittens… how could there be such a disgusting person, deserving of being hacked to pieces!"

"Guo Guo... Guo Guo..."

Translation: "Guoguo… Guoguo…"

Thus: 【234】 "Guoguo… Guoguo…"

【493】

Translation: Under everyone's gaze, the cat in the room opened its mouth, as if sensing its owner; someone unconsciously glanced toward the room, clean and tidy, then suddenly looked puzzled.

Thus: 【235】 Under everyone's gaze, the cat in the room opened its mouth, as if sensing its owner; someone unconsciously glanced toward the room, clean and tidy, then suddenly looked puzzled.

Just then, the locksmith opened the door, glanced at the ordinary interior, but as he continued to open the door, his eyes narrowed slightly: "This lock core is a special craft; it's quite impressive."

Translation: At that moment, the locksmith just opened the door, glanced at the interior—ordinary furnishings—but as he continued to open the door, his eyes narrowed: "This lock core is a special craft, quite impressive."

Thus: 【236】 At that moment, the locksmith just opened the door, glanced at the interior—ordinary furnishings—but as he continued to open the door, his eyes narrowed: "This lock core is a special craft, quite impressive."

【503】

Translation: Hearing that, everyone's gaze grew solemn.

Thus: 【237】 Hearing that, everyone's gaze grew solemn.

With a soft "click—" sound.

Translation: A slight "click—" sounded.

Thus: 【238】 A slight "click—" sounded.

【533】

Translation: The inner door swung open, a wave of fermented stench rushed forth, resembling the smell of a septic tank, triggering both physical and psychological reactions.

Thus: 【239】 The inner door swung open, a wave of fermented stench rushed forth, resembling the smell of a septic tank, triggering both physical and psychological reactions.

The inner chamber's door stood wide open, a wave of fermented stench rushed toward the face, just like the smell of a cesspool, causing both a physiological and psychological reaction.

Yuck—

Oh—

Among the front-row audience outside the door who caught a whiff of the smell, the 'grand prize' winners each vomited messily, their eyes turning red like rabbit's eyes.

After seeing the interior clearly, even experienced and knowledgeable police officers couldn't help but redden their eye sockets.

Only a single lonely little cat remained; the environment was horribly terrible to the extreme. After examination, they discovered many soft tissue structures on animals' bodies, and some uncleaned bloodstains.

The rest of the people instantly turned pale with shock.

"How could this house be like this?!"

"A cat-abusing pervert?!"

"Xiao Xu this guy looks gentle and refined on the surface, but actually he's a cat-abusing pervert? I had even wanted to introduce my niece to him..."

"You should be glad you didn't speak up in time—this isn't even human!"

"Guoguo, my Guoguo!" the female student exclaimed, standing outside the door with tears pouring down like rain.

The cat in the cage seemed to sense something, straining to tilt its head, seeing its former owner, it opened its mouth and could only emit a weak hiss: "Meow~"

"Mom, it hurts, Guoguo hurts..."

Because the case was major, the police only released part of the truth to the public; the onlookers only knew about the cat abuse, unaware that there was also an even more shocking murder case.

Soon, the house was sealed off, blocking all surveillance.

Lin Shaoze listened expressionlessly to his subordinate's report; after the house was emptied, he headed straight for his destination. Under the astonished gazes of the team members, his gloved hand presented a slender box, inside which the placed scroll lay.

This is an exquisitely designed mechanism; even the investigators skilled in detection were greatly surprised, because they had not noticed at all that this place actually concealed a secret.

For a moment, gazes of silent admiration were directed toward Lin Shaoze.

The man furrowed his brow and spoke softly: "Someone told me."

As he spoke, he unfolded the scroll; the picture showed a cute little cat, but the most eye-catching was the signature at the bottom: Du Yanxing Liu.

Upon seeing that name, Cheng Ziming couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air: "This, this is Mr. Du's painting?!"

Although he occasionally acted unconventionally, he could be considered Lin Shaoze's right-hand man, with strong execution ability—including the tasks Lin had assigned him before; even with a headache, he would finish them meticulously.

Naturally, he also remembered that impressive villa murder case.

Du Yanxing was exactly the victim's name in that villa murder case.

We had thought it was just a cat-abuse case, but the captain's massive mobilization wasted police manpower; Cheng Ziming was the most worried about that—now he doesn't feel that way at all.

Lin Shaoze skillfully took out the UV inspection lamp, carefully scanning the scroll, missing no detail.

Suddenly, his motion paused.

Under the LSK fluorescence, the top end of the scroll's wooden axis showed a faint earth-brown hue; although extremely faint, Lin Shaoze was certain it was a bloodstain!

Cheng Ziming's eyes burst with bright light: "Captain, I'll immediately take it for testing and comparison, get the data!"

Lin Shaoze nodded, seeing him ready, then carefully took it back and added: "Be careful during the test; also, check the fingerprints on it, comparing them with those of the homeowner and the victim."

Cheng Ziming: "Okay!"

His heart pounded, his face twitched, he could barely control his expression—Good heavens, will this eight-year-old cold case finally be solved today?

His teammates paid no attention to his loss of composure, because they were even more excited; only Lin Shaoze, with his peerless handsome face, showed no ripple, like an ice-carved snow sculpture dummy.

He always felt as if he had missed something.

This trip went unbelievably smoothly, yet he felt as if… he were being led by someone; the next moment he suddenly raised his eyes and asked: "Is Ling Yue here?"

"Huh? Miss Ling just left a moment ago, hurrying as if she had something to do." Cheng Ziming said slowly.

Lin Shaoze suddenly realized, recalling how Ling Yue had silently guided him before departure—though the most important suspect was at the school, he had come here with her. Even having found the most crucial evidence, Lin Shaoze was not happy.

He tightly furrowed his brows, his sharp gaze fixed on the team members: "Give me the car keys, I'm going to Team Two."

In the car, the man's long, fair fingers gripped the steering wheel; from exerting too much force, grayish-blue veins bulged on the back of his hand, his fingertips deathly pale as blood.

In the rearview mirror appeared a pair of dark, deep eyes; Lin Shaoze didn't know what he was feeling, having sensed something off from the very start, yet he could never have imagined that the other party actually intended this.

Some things can only be done by the police.

He murmured low, carrying a faint hope: "Hope it's not too late."