Chapter 2214: Love Caught in the Cycle of Fate 13

We still need to keep looking for clues to determine whether everyone is the killer.

After simply finishing breakfast, the four sat together to summarize the information they had gathered yesterday.

Shao Huai: "According to what Chenzi said, the two victims seem to have been killed by different people; even if there are only two killers, this building definitely has some shady past."

Shao Huai's impression of the residents here simply dropped to negative points; he crossed his arms, speaking while getting angry, and from time to time took a bite of yogurt.

"Otherwise they wouldn't be so hostile toward the police."

Even murderers in prison would be a bit scared when they see police; Shao Huai muttered to himself.

Jin Chen responded, "I should have changed my identity yesterday."

"Don't, Chenzi, this is basically a landmine—step on it and it's over."

Shao Huai waved his hand, giving Jin Chen and Xie Guan each a bottle of yogurt, "No matter who we're with, there's no need to feel guilty."

He then shoved the remaining five bottles all into Xu Yi's hands.

Xu Yi was still a bit absent-minded, chewing on the straw in his mouth until it was misshapen, "I went to 607 yesterday……"

"'Song Gong's room has no hidden passage, but there is a…… obvious path that's hard to notice.'"

Xu Yi stood up, gesturing for the three to follow.

He pushed open the balcony window of Room 306, his fingers slipping through the iron lattice, pointing toward the direction of the 6th floor in the mist.

Xie Guan frowned, "I can't see clearly, the fog is too thick."

"'Actually, it's hard to spot even without fog.' Xu Yi withdrew his hand and gestured."

"'From 607 upward extends a simple cableway that leads straight to the rooftop, and Song Gong's balcony also has a safety rope worn around the waist.'"

Jin Chen: "Song Gong's balance is fine; even stepping on a broken ladder that day, he wouldn't have fallen."

He clicked his tongue, "No wonder—this means as long as the cableway is there, Song Gong could appear outside any room on the 6th, 7th, or 8th floor."

Xu Yi shuddered, moving away from the balcony, "When I opened my window yesterday to look, I happened to see a black shadow shining a flashlight this way from roughly the right side of the 7th floor—it was really scary."

At that moment, he thought he had been discovered, so he hurriedly ran downstairs, but lost consciousness halfway down.

Thinking of that, Xu Yi felt a pang of pain and glanced at Shao Huai's chest.

Shao Huai was busy slurping yogurt to calm his nerves and didn't notice.

Jin Chen fiddled with the window's iron mesh a few times, then let go and glanced at the time.

"Let's act together today and set out early."

The Monday before the last refresh, they wasted quite a bit of time because they couldn't keep things under control.

"'The fog is getting thicker.' Xie Guan suddenly said."

Even standing by the window, one feels the air heavy, oppressive, and sticky.

"'As long as there's no heavy downpour, that sound is frightening enough.' Shao Huai shook his head and tossed the empty yogurt bottle into the trash."

——

In order to stake out before the killer could act, the four-person team left half an hour earlier than last time, and instead of checking each floor, they went straight to Room 204 where the incident occurred.

Just as they stepped out, they ran into Zhao Chunmei coming down from upstairs.

Shao Huai's face changed, he clenched his fists to endure; only after Jin Chen pressed down on his shoulder did he calm down, walking at the rear with a cold expression.

"'Little Xie, you're going to work so early today.'"

Zhao Chunmei still had that gloomy appearance, though her tone softened a bit when facing Xie Guan; even Xu Yi, who had lived in this building longer, couldn't get her to glance at him more than a few times.

"'Hmm… the convenience store is busy today.' Xie Guan answered casually, glancing at the big bucket of fish and meat Zhao Chunmei was holding."

"'Where are you headed?' Xie Guan asked."

"'The vegetable market; I also plan to come back from the market to buy you some bleach.'"

Zhao Chunmei lowered her head slightly, her dry, coarse hair covering her cheeks and also the shadows under her eyes, staring straight at Jin Chen with vigilance.

"'Who are you?'"

The three beside Jin Chen tensed slightly; this time they hadn't discussed identities beforehand, but past experience told them to be extra careful.

Only Jin Chen spoke up immediately, slinging an arm around Xie Guan's shoulder and smiling, "Hello, I'm Xie Guan's boyfriend."

Xie Guan remained silent, his eyes darting with silent danger, but Jin Chen pressed on his head and moved him back.

Zhao Chunmei blinked: '……What kind of friend?'

Before they could react, Jin Chen added, pulling Shao Huai forward, "This is my buddy, Xu Yi's boyfriend."

"'We're not in a long-distance relationship, we just came to stay a few days to talk about our relationship.'"

Faced with the impact, Zhao Chunmei choked, unable to respond; after a while she swallowed her surprise, her lips moving slightly.

The three beside them: '……'

Besides, they didn't even bother to ask for our opinion.

So we could only nod.

Jin Chen didn't give lines; if we couldn't keep up with the rhythm, nodding wouldn't be wrong.

"'Little Xie… got a boyfriend, huh.'"

Zhao Chunmei couldn't continue the awkward chat, left with that sentence, and fell silent again.

Jin Chen felt relieved: 'Your attitude is really good, and this identity is still useful.'

"{……I feel like the vegetable-knife aunt is so shocked she hasn't come to her senses. } Ling Gun Gun chimes in."

"{It's shocking that you didn't give me a nickname. }"

"{Actually this should be called a term of respect. } Ling Gun Gun solemnly."

Even if Shao Huai's comrade had superb skills, he'd still be no match for a vegetable knife.

"{……}"

Zhao Chunmei tried to go past them to continue downstairs, but Jin Chen blocked her.

"…Do you still have something?" Zhao Chunmei's tone also became quite complicated.

"Auntie, actually I study divination."

Jin Chen immediately looked somewhat unfathomable, his expression stern: "I see your brow's features are off; today going out you'll likely suffer great misfortune."

Zhao Chunmei: "……"

She quickly glanced at Xie Guan.

Jin Chen poked Xie Guan's lower back.

Xie Guan closed his eyes, with difficulty: "Yes, he does fortune-telling."

Behind them, Shao Huai and Xu Yian remained silent.

Can't keep up, not at all keeping up with the script.

Zhao Chunmei didn't respond, and after all didn't utter that "crazy" remark, she held the iron bucket and continued downstairs.

Thud!

The window at the platform suddenly fell, and the glass shards happened to strike in front of Zhao Chunmei, brushing past her shoulder.

Zhao Chunmei stiffened in place.

Jin Chen withdrew his hand, half-heartedly: "See, I told Youyou'd run into bad luck, didn't I?"

【How can human-caused disaster not be considered a disaster?】 Ling Gun Gun expressed considerable approval.

Zhao Chunmei said nothing, turned back upstairs, and even the bleach she had been wanting to buy she no longer wanted.

Jin Chen let out a light sigh: "I've resolved a major trouble."

At least today Zhao Chunmei wouldn't dare to take a kitchen knife and slash someone.

Xie Guan glanced sideways at Shao Huai and asked, "Is your major supposed to be deceit techniques?"

Shao Huai remained silent: "…It's purely because Chenzi has exceptional aptitude."

He is an evil cultivator, Shao Huai added in his mind, evil's evil.

A noisy clamor came from downstairs.