Chapter 369: Reflections of Two Criminal Investigation Titans!

Liu Xuemin's gaze landed on Li Changyu's face, and he fell silent for a few seconds.

He was digesting those words.

After a while, he spoke:

"Are you saying that our failure isn't because we aren't working hard enough, but because our criminal investigation methods themselves are no longer sufficient?"

Li Changyu nodded:

"The craft of criminal investigation has changed too much from when I first entered the profession until now. When I first became a police officer, a cigarette butt was the most important clue, and a single footprint could determine the direction of a case. Later, there was DNA; cases suddenly became simple. As long as you found a drop of blood or a single hair at the scene, you could lock a person down. Even later, surveillance became widespread, the Sky Net was laid out, and the activity trajectories of criminals became visualized lines. With a drag on a computer, you could map out where they went, who they met, and what they did."

Li Changyu's gaze shifted from Liu Xuemin's face and looked out the window.

The sky outside the window had already turned completely dark, and the lights of Manhattan beneath that deep blue dome looked like debris scattered by the Wind.

"Every change in the form of crime forces us to change our set of tools. It's like how people used to write on bamboo slips, then used paper, and now use computers; in the future, they will use things we don't know about. The appearance of Chu Chen is not an ordinary escalation of crime. He is telling us—there is a new form of crime that has already exceeded the coverage of our existing toolbox. His crimes don't rely on physical evidence; they rely on psychological manipulation. He lets everyone see what he wants them to see, and makes everyone ignore what he doesn't want them to see. He uses the techniques of magic to cover up physical traces, uses psychological manipulation to guide the direction of attention, and uses technical tricks to bypass the logic of the system. He is using three dimensions simultaneously, while in our toolbox, we only have tools to deal with one dimension."

【He hit the nail on the head!】

【Psychological manipulation + physical concealment + technical tricks, attacking on three dimensions at once!】

【We are still using fingerprints and DNA to chase someone who plays psychological warfare!】

【No wonder we are always one step behind!】

【It's not one step behind; it's that we aren't even on the same level!】

Liu Xuemin's cigarette was about to burn out; the ash had accumulated into a long segment, glowing with a grayish-white light under the fluorescent lamp.

"If his methods aren't in our toolbox, then what should we do? Are we just going to stop chasing him?"

Li Changyu looked at Liu Xuemin, and after a few seconds of silence, he spoke again:

"We still have to chase. But the way we chase must change. Before, we chased according to traces; wherever he left footprints, we went. Now he doesn't leave footprints in the physical world; he leaves traces in the psychological world, and he sets traps at the cognitive level. So we must also change our thinking—to understand his logic, rather than chasing his coordinates."

"People always say, 'As the devil rises one foot, the Dao rises ten.'" Li Changyu's voice was lower than before. "But in front of Chu Chen, this saying might have to be reversed. He is telling us—the future has already arrived. And we are still using the methods of the past. If this continues, there will be a second and a third Chu Chen. By then, our toolbox will still contain those same few things."

He turned back around to face Liu Xuemin again:

"Losing to an opponent like this is not shameful. But if we lose to someone when we clearly know we need to change our methods, yet refuse to do so because we are accustomed to the old ways, that is the true failure."

The hallway went quiet.

The buzzing of the fluorescent lights and the fuzzy sound of electricity from the walkie-talkies were still there.

But those sounds seemed to come from very, very far away, blocked outside by an invisible wall.

"You're right," Liu Xuemin said. "We really should keep pace with the times. This is also the significance of this program being held; it's not just to warn the public not to commit crimes, it is also a test of the criminal investigation system."

【Li Changyu is right, the Expert Group really should reflect on itself!】

That line of text stayed on the screen for less than a second, but at least several million people saw it.

【So is this season really coming to an end?】

【There are still three days left! If they can't catch him within three days, the Expert Group loses!】

【But I think that even if they lose, it's not shameful! They have already done their best; the opponent is simply too strong!】

【Actually, the Expert Group losing isn't unjust. God Chu uses magic, and the FBI uses science; it's normal for science to not be able to beat magic!】

【Then for the next season, should they hire a magician as a consultant?】

【Liu Qian: I'm already on my way, but I can't crack it either!】

【Laughing to death, Liu Qian has already been beaten into autism by God Chu!】

【Liu Qian: I am not a magician, don't go around giving me titles!】

【It's time to end again, sigh, I can't get enough of this!】

【Great show, love watching it!】

【Everyone come guess, what will the next crime theme be?!】

【I hope it's kidnapping, vote for me if you agree...】

【I want to see fraud, I want to see exactly how much money God Chu can swindle!】

【As long as he wants to, I feel like any amount of money is no problem!】

The number of online viewers in the bottom right corner of the live broadcast room jumped to a brand-new height at this moment: 7.02 billion.

That number stayed on the screen for less than two seconds before it turned into a question mark due to the popularity overflow.

Because there were simply too many people, the platform's backend system could no longer support displaying that number.

Liu Xuemin pressed the cigarette butt out in the ashtray on the trash can beside him: "He chose to meet Pinkman at the detention center just to humiliate this opponent and draw a perfect period to this performance of his."

Li Changyu nodded and continued: "... He has already completed his performance, all four times: Plague, War, Famine, and Death."

Just as the two were talking, a young white woman walked over.

She was holding a yellow express delivery box in her hand.

"Gentlemen, your express delivery."

"Express delivery?" Liu Xuemin couldn't help but blurt out: "We don't seem to have ordered takeout?"

"But the recipient on it is written with your name, and the front desk has already signed for it."

Liu Xuemin glanced at the recipient on the delivery box: "Expert Group Liu Xuemin."

"Alright, thank you."

After the woman left, Liu Xuemin took out a key and opened it.

The box was empty, with only a letter inside.

He took out the envelope and waved it in front of Li Changyu.

Li Changyu didn't speak, signaling for him to open it and see.

Liu Xuemin carefully tore open the seal and poured out the contents of the envelope.

It turned out to be four Tarot Cards.

They landed on his palm one by one.

Under the ghastly pale light, it shimmered with a dull luster……