Chapter 2212: Love Entangled in the Cycle of Fate 11

Shao Huai and Xu Yi closely followed and rushed down after them.

"Chenzi! This person is sneaking around following us, and there's blood on them—definitely not normal."

Shao Huai caught his breath, wanting to grab Zhao Zu and pull him over, but Jin Chen raised a hand to stop him.

While Zhao Zu struggled, Jin Chen raised a hand to feel the bloodstain on his clothes, fingertips lightly pinching.

"This isn't human blood."

Jin Chen raised an eyebrow, finally released Zhao Zu, and stared at him, "Where did you get the blood, or... did you cause it yourself?"

"What the hell does it have to do with you!"

Zhao Zu, fuming, shouted, "Who are you two outsiders? Did you come to our apartment on purpose to cause trouble?"

Wang Bo, not knowing what he was thinking, stared over with a deeper gaze, as if he might rush over to help Zhao Zu at any moment.

Jin Chen offhandedly said, "Police, we suspect you're connected to the recent murder nearby."

"Police?!"

Wang Bo's reaction was even greater than Zhao Zu's, not losing to Zhao Chunmei's when she heard the news this morning.

"Are you police? Do you have evidence?" Wang Bo stepped forward with a sturdy build, his aura heavy.

"... hiss."

Jin Chen hesitated whether to bluff with a student ID or simply take this cat‑keeping guy to room 306.

"Yes." Shao Huai, as if finally finding a chance to show off, waved his police ID in front of Wang Bo.

Xie Guan looked over in surprise, then glanced suspiciously at Jin Chen.

Jin Chen: "..."

He leaned in to bite his ear, "I don't have a twin brother, so don't question me."

A slight numbness crept up Xie Guan's neck, and he shifted his gaze, looking away.

Under Wang Bo's extremely complex gaze, Zhao Zu, unable to resist, was brought to room 306, somewhat dazed.

When returning to the third floor, they happened to run into Song Gong walking down from upstairs, still appearing honest with his tool bag, repeatedly apologizing to those above and saying he'd come tomorrow.

Jin Chen lifted his head and saw Zhao Chunmei's back, seeming to harbor some reluctance.

As it turned out, Song Gong had no time on Monday, refused Zhao Chunmei's request, and on Tuesday he witnessed Zhao Chunmei and Grandma Chen arguing; that night he was killed.

At least in this regard, Song Gong didn't lie to them.

As they brushed past, Song Gong obviously also found the two strangers somewhat curious, and even when accidentally bumped on the shoulder he laughed and said it was fine.

Jin Chen turned around, now holding a bunch of keys, casually slipped them into his pocket without making a sound.

Xie Guan, who had witnessed everything: "..."

He pressed his lips together, still suppressing his doubts.

Perhaps the police academy also teaches these bandit‑like tactics.

Jin Chen glanced back at him, smiling and giving a slight blink.

"Keep it quiet, little guy."

Xie Guan, feeling trust for no reason, snorted, repressed his emotions, and said, "You're pretty good at getting people on board."

306

Zhao Zu shuddered instinctively when he heard the door slam shut, still having an innate fear of police.

In an instant, the man who claimed to be a police officer approached menacingly, and Zhao Zu snarled angrily, "I didn't deliberately follow you! I was looking for Xu Yi!"

Xu Yi, who was about to get beaten up in a couple of days, held his breath and said, "Then why were you following me?"

Xu Yi even felt a bit panicked.

"You wouldn't want to kill me, would you?"

"I don't want to go to jail either! It's just..."

Zhao Zu shrank his neck, choking out, "I just wanted to threaten you into helping treat my cat, at most freeloading a meal off you without paying."

Xu Yi: "..."

Xu Yi walked two steps on the spot, angry.

No wonder that on Wednesday, when he went to Zhao Zu for medical fees, this person pinned him in the hallway and beat him up without distinguishing right from wrong.

Even Shao Huai laughed in anger, "You have no money to pay, yet you feel justified? No, if you really wanted to find Xu Yi, what are you doing sneaking around in the hallway? I get the feeling you're hiding from someone."

"I'm hiding..."

Zhao Zu suddenly lowered his voice, "There's a cat‑abusing maniac in this apartment building."

"Since you're police, are you going to handle this?"

"Cat‑abuse..."

"Cat... fur."

The image of the killer's chest fur flashed in Jin Chen's mind, and he suddenly straightened, asking, "How was the abuse done—pulling out fur, stripping skin?"

Zhao Zu was so shocked he couldn't close his mouth for a while, "How do you know?!"

He got so excited he even forgot to feel guilty, "Damn, my ex‑girlfriend left a few kittens, and the next day two were stolen. This morning I saw them downstairs—their fur had been shaved clean! Covered in blood, they almost froze to death in the grass."

Xie Guan observed Zhao Zu, then suddenly spoke, "You're so nervous—do you have a suspect?"

"Yes! It's Chen Xiao Fei from 501!"

Zhao Zu licked his dry lips, looking thoroughly displeased.

"I've long noticed this guy isn't honest, always carrying a camera, no idea what he's filming. Earlier he even wanted to ask me for a cat, so today I beat him up."

"I'm nervous... because Chen Xiao Fei hangs out well with those thugs on the second floor; if he rallies them to block me, I'd be in big trouble."

Xie Guan frowned, thinking of Chen Xiao Fei not answering the phone that morning, and had a bad premonition.

Xu Yi was also startled, slowly covering his injured little heart.

"Could the murderer be Chen Xiaofei?"

Shao Huai: "We searched the 5th floor, Chen Xiaofei isn't in the room."

Jin Chen immediately opened the door: "Go to 204."

"Hey… you guys!" Zhao Zu watched the four people rushing downstairs, scratched his head, "This is too fast, the police will indeed handle animal cruelty."

As his words fell, a miserable scream suddenly came from downstairs.

"Ah ah ah ah ah——"

Xie Guan, who had run to the corner, paused his steps momentarily, his expression grave: "It's Chen Xiaofei."

"Xu Yi."

Jin Chen glanced at Song Gong, who had rushed upstairs upon hearing the sound on the second floor, called out to Xu Yi, shoved the key into his hand: "Go to 607, carefully inspect Song Gong's room."

Xu Yi: "Oh, oh! Okay!"

Shao Huai shouted, "Watch out for safety!"

Quite a few people came to the second floor upon hearing the sound.

Jin Chen and the two others rushed behind them and saw Chen Xiaofei scrambling out of 204, his left pant leg stained with blood, his face deathly pale.

Wang Bo was the first to help him up, "What's wrong? Why all the shouting?!"

"Dead…… someone died!!"

Chen Xiaofei pointed inside the house.

Jin Chen and the two others' expressions changed dramatically as they gazed at the blood seeping out of the door crack.

Song Gong wasn't even the first victim!

—

607.

Xu Yi confirmed no one was there, hurriedly opened the door and went in, then locked it again, before turning around and quickly scanning the living room, clenched his fist to bolster his courage.

The structure of every room in the building was the same; Xu Yi checked several places, even inside the wardrobe, but found no hidden passage to escape.

Just as he was about to give up in disappointment, Xu Yi suddenly noticed the safety rope beside the sofa, realized something, and walked toward the outermost balcony of the living room.

The balcony was quite empty, with a short ladder placed there.

The window opened, Xu Yi gasped, his breathing quickened, he retreated several steps, turned and ran toward the locked door.