Chapter 145: Trending on the Hot Search, Chu Chen's Trap?

These past few days.

Aside from discussions about the patent, Chu Chen's whereabouts have also become a matter of concern for many!

On social media and short-video websites, both large and small, one can see content sharing related topics almost everywhere!

The popularity is higher than ever!

A quick glance shows that more than half of the topics on the entire TikTok trending list are about Chu Chen, which is dizzying to look at...

【NO. 1: Is Chu Chen actually dead or alive?】

【NO. 2: What will be Chu Chen's next crime?】

【NO. 3: "Simulated Crime" viewership ratings plummet again!】

【NO. 4: What will be the fifth challenge of the Extreme Eight Items?】

【NO. 5: The competition has entered a white-hot stage; where should the Expert Group go from here?】

Trending topics like these are not rare on the list.

Open TikTok, swipe down a few times, and you can find related videos.

Furthermore, the likes and comments for every single one are not low.

It is a proper traffic code, to the point where the short-video circle has reached a consensus: as long as you want to gain followers, post videos of Chu Chen.

You can even gain a hundred thousand followers just by shamelessly piggybacking on the trend!

This statement is not groundless; during this period, there are those who have gained millions of followers by editing Chu Chen's videos!

And it's not just one or two!

If this isn't a traffic code, what is?

To this day, Chu Chen's traffic circle has long since ceased to be limited to the program itself.

Instead, he has become completely viral across the entire internet!

Regarding this point, one can tell just by looking at the program's viewership ratings!

Right now, due to Chu Chen's life or death being uncertain, the viewership ratings for "Simulated Crime" have been slashed in half again!

In just three short days, it dropped from 90 to 15...

The magnitude of the drop is staggering.

However, the Program Team has long been accustomed to such situations.

Because they know that as long as Chu Chen reappears, this data will immediately rise back up.

There is really nothing to be nervous about.

This has almost become a law...

To a certain extent, Chu Chen has completely become the weather vane for the program's viewership ratings!

As long as he appears, the ratings rise.

Otherwise, they plummet...

Meanwhile!

Inside the Expert Group's Command Room!

Right now, just as everyone is focusing on Chu Chen's next crime, the Expert Group has also convened a seminar to address this issue.

At this moment, the large screen behind the conference table is continuously playing highlights of Chu Chen's first four challenges, the switching of various scenes casting colorful reflections on the floor of the conference room.

During the session, all five experts are in place.

Just then, Liu Xuemin, who is sitting at the head of the table, says: "This morning, I just spoke with the Team Captain over the phone. Currently, the related search and arrest work has entered its final stages, and the casualty count has also been tallied: 987 people seriously injured, 1,382 people slightly injured. Fortunately, there are no fatalities..."

After Liu Xuemin finishes these words, the expressions of the other four experts change instantly.

The next second, Chen Zijin gets straight to the point and asks the question everyone is very concerned about: "What about Chu Chen? Is there any news about him?"

"Not yet." Liu Xuemin shakes his head: "The search and arrest team only found his Skiing equipment at the scene; other than that, they found nothing."

"What about other traces?" Zhu Guowei asks.

"Only some footprints were found. They used search dogs to track him for a distance, but eventually, they could only follow them to the edge of a cliff before they could no longer continue. Based on this clue, the Pursuit Team believes there is a high probability he has already infiltrated into France. Just now, we have already made contact with the relevant departments in France and obtained investigation authorization. Lin, this task is handed to you."

Lin Xu nods while fiddling with a Rubik's cube.

Immediately after, Wang Ruomei, who is sitting next to him, suddenly speaks up: "Will France be his final destination?"

Hearing this, Chen Zijin shakes his head and says: "I don't think so. This is very likely a trap he left for us."

"A trap? Why do you say that?" Wang Ruomei asks again.

"First, this country doesn't have suitable challenge locations. Second, I don't think Chu Chen would make such a low-level mistake. With his Anti-Reconnaissance capabilities, he certainly wouldn't leave these traces behind. From the start of the program until now, all the clues we have been able to find are the ones he wanted us to find, so..."

"So, you think this is very likely a trap?" Wang Ruomei continues.

Chen Zijin nods: "This is definitely a smokescreen he set."

"Then where would he go?" Zhu Guowei asks.

The next second, Chen Zijin says: "Based on my understanding of him, he will definitely do the opposite next. I think he should return to Italy from here, lie low, and then wait for an opportunity to act."

"Return to Italy?" Zhu Guowei asks skeptically.

"That's right, reverse thinking. The most dangerous place is the safest place."

Wang Ruomei: "That makes some sense..."

Immediately after, Zhu Guowei asks again: "But what if he really went to France?"

"... Hmm, how should I put it? There is indeed that possibility, so we must prepare for both scenarios. It would be best to thoroughly investigate these few countries around the Alps; we will surely find something. Now that three days have passed, I estimate it won't be long before this guy commits another crime..."

Following Chu Chen's previous rhythm, his next crime truly will not be too far off.

Hearing this, Liu Xuemin nodded: "Mm, the time left for him is indeed not much. Right now, there are only 10 days left in the entire competition schedule, but he still has four challenges left to complete. In order to speed up his progress, he will definitely accelerate his pace; we have already verified this point through his previous several crimes..."

"Calculating it this way, the time left for us is not much either," Zhu Guowei sighed involuntarily after Liu Xuemin finished speaking.

The situation before them was indeed very grim for the Expert Group.

If they still could not catch Chu Chen within ten days, this game would be declared over with their failure!

At this moment, their pressure was much greater than Chu Chen's!

Thinking of this, the five experts felt doubly anxious and inexplicably nervous.

Even a veteran criminal investigator like Liu Xuemin was no exception.

If Chu Chen escaped justice this time, one really dared not imagine what would happen...

After being lost in thought for a moment, Liu Xuemin nodded and pulled himself together again, saying:

"There is no time to lose, let's all split up and act. Lin, you are still responsible for surveillance; lock onto his location the moment you discover the target. Later, Xiao Chen, Teacher Wang, and I will go to the Screening Team to see if we can find clues about his next challenge. Old Zhu, you stay here to handle the lines; if there is any news, call us immediately..."

"Mm, no problem."