Chapter 362: Strange Text Message!

"What? They were already at B4?"

Chen Zijin's raised voice drew the attention of the others in the Expert Group.

Hearing the sound, they also hurried over.

"What's wrong?" Zhou Yun asked first.

Chen Zijin made a shushing gesture at him, signaling him not to speak.

Immediately after, Pinkman pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, on which a simple diagram was drawn.

The elevator shaft between B3 and B4 was divided into two parts on the diagram—the upper part was the normal elevator shaft.

A big question mark was drawn on the lower part.

He pointed his finger at that question mark.

"Yes, they were already at B4 long ago. In fact, before the power was restored, their elevator had already started descending, only they didn't realize it. At that time, to save space, you pushed the box into the elevator first, and then entered the elevator; that is to say, the people were always standing in front of the box... When the elevator descended from B3 to B5, while passing between B4 and B5, the lowest maintenance door in the elevator shaft was opened by someone, and then a rabbit magic prop was used to isolate the box from you, creating the illusion that the box had disappeared..."

As Pinkman spoke, he took a red cloth from his pocket and demonstrated it for them on the spot.

He clenched his left hand, then used his right hand to push the red cloth into the web of his thumb and index finger, then opened both hands to show everyone: "You thought the red cloth disappeared, but in reality, it was hidden in my thumb tip, it didn't disappear at all."

Pinkman showed the thumb tip worn on his right thumb to everyone.

"And then what?" At this moment, Zhou Yun asked hurriedly.

"Then it's simple. The moment you fell into the misconception, you were already far from the truth. Then the power was restored, the elevator rose to B4, and you discovered the box was gone."

"So you mean, at that time, the box was actually in the elevator the whole time? We just didn't see it?" Liu Xuemin asked.

"Exactly. You were misled by him again, putting all your attention on the moment the black cloth was covered over the elevator... If you don't believe me, you can go to the elevator shaft on the B5 level and see if there are any traces of that maintenance door having been opened..."

"Then where is the box now?" Chen Zijin continued to ask.

Pinkman tapped his cane on the ground and said with lingering interest:

"This question, perhaps only God can answer for you."

The corridor went quiet.

In Chen Zijin's pocket, his phone vibrated.

He took it out and looked. A text message.

The sender's number was a string of garbled characters, but every word of the message content was as clear as if carved into glass.

【Don't believe Pinkman's words, he is a liar.】

【Who are you?】

Chen Zijin sent a message asking.

The other party did not answer him, but instead edited a new text message.

The content was shorter.

【Follow that old guy, you will know the truth.】

Chen Zijin tried to call this number, but because it was a virtual number, it wouldn't go through at all.

"Alright, everyone. I have already told you everything I know, I will take my leave now." Pinkman said: "The rest is up to you."

After speaking, Pinkman and his assistant left the corridor.

"Wait."

Chen Zijin suddenly spoke up.

Pinkman turned around slowly: "What, is there anything else?"

Chen Zijin took a step forward.

He placed his phone in front of Pinkman.

At this moment, the live stream chat became dense in an instant.

【What is Chen Zijin doing?】

【It looks like he received some message?】

【Look at Teacher Chen's expression, something is not quite right!】

【First time seeing Teacher Chen so serious!】

"Mr. Pinkman, I just received a text message. The sender is unknown, and because it is a virtual number, the source cannot be traced at all. But you should be very interested in the content of the message."

Pinkman's gaze fell on the screen, he narrowed his eyes and glanced at it: "What is this?"

"Don't believe Pinkman's words, he is a liar." Chen Zijin read out the first sentence of the text message: "And there is a second one. 'The things you want are in his car.'"

The air in the corridor froze instantly.

Everyone's eyes were cast toward Pinkman!

And at this moment, the chat in the live stream had also completely exploded.

【What? Pinkman is a liar?】

【No way! Isn't he a magician? He came to help with the decryption!】

【Decryption? He has decrypted three magic tricks, every single one was solved, and every time he said 'Chu Chen used this technique'】

【So what?】

【So think about it, why was he able to solve them? Chu Chen's magic couldn't even be solved by the FBI's technical team, how did he solve them as soon as he arrived?】

【Because he understands magic!】

【Understanding magic is enough to solve it? Liu Qian is also a magician, why didn't he solve it?】

【This...】

【Thinking about it is terrifying... Could Pinkman be Chu Chen's shill?】

【Not a shill, an accomplice!】

【Damn, if he is an accomplice, then him coming to the FBI to help with the decryption isn't that just a thief crying 'stop thief'?】

【He is helping Chu Chen divert attention! He is helping Chu Chen stall for time!】

【Is he in cahoots with Chu Chen?】

The speed of the bullet comments had already reached a level where the naked eye could not track them.

Hundreds of thousands of new comments were flooding in every minute!

"Friend, what do you mean by this?" Pinkman's tone did not change, but his speaking speed slowed down: "Are you saying that I am an accomplice of Chu Chen?"

Chen Zijin looked at him, neither nodding nor shaking his head.

"Why are you so familiar with the details of these magic tricks? Just because you are a magician?"

Chen Zijin took a step forward.

Pinkman's smile finally vanished.

"Mr. Chen, I am a magic debunker. My life's work is to dismantle magic tricks. Seeing such a brilliant magic trick, I want to dismantle it; there is nothing to that. You could call it an occupational disease, but you cannot call it evidence of colluding with criminals. Handling a case requires evidence." Pinkman's voice rose by half a degree.

【He makes a living doing exactly this!】

【Debunking is his job; it's not strange for him to dismantle magic tricks, right?】

【Then Liu Qian is also a magician, why couldn't he dismantle it?】

【Liu Qian performs magic, Pinkman debunks magic; their professional focuses are different!】

【But Chu Chen's magic has already exceeded the scope of ordinary magic; even the FBI's technical team is at a loss, so how did Pinkman manage to solve it right from the start?】

【Because he understands RFID, understands elevator control systems, and understands Magic Sleight of Hand; he can combine all of these together!】

【Does the FBI not understand? Does the FBI's technical team not understand RFID?】

【This...】

【I think Pinkman is suspicious, but what he says also makes sense; you can't just talk nonsense without evidence.】

【Evidence? Isn't the text message evidence?】

【Who sent the text message? That can't be used as evidence!】

【Damn, it's becoming a Rashomon; who is actually telling the truth?】

"Mr. Pinkman, if you want to prove your innocence, come with us for a trip. Let's take a look in your car; perhaps the evidence you need is there, who knows."

Pinkman's left hand subconsciously gripped the head of his cane, his gaze swept across everyone's face, and finally, he smiled and said:

"My car was rented from a rental company after I arrived in New York. Since you want to see it, I will let you see it. There is nothing to that, but after you finish looking, if there is nothing there, I hope you can retract your words just now in front of everyone. Let's go, Kaili, we are going to the parking lot."