Chapter 22: Someone Else Involved?

That afternoon, the police found Kong Lingjie at a small hotel near the crime scene’s rented apartment.

Why was it so easy?

The small hotel was just across the street from Kong Lingjie’s rented apartment, only a two-minute walk away.

The police had been conducting their search radiating outward from the rented apartment.

It was as if the investigation had ended before it even truly begun.

So smoothly that even the officers involved thought the suspect had deliberately waited for them at the hotel.

With Kong Lingjie in custody, the next step was interrogation.

Yu Dazhang knew that this case had only just truly begun from this moment.

From this moment on, he had to race against time.

The suspect had clearly prepared a plan and would soon confess everything.

Yu Dazhang had to find new evidence before that happened—he couldn’t let himself become like Lu Zhongxin in his past life, led by the nose by the suspect.

As a probationary officer, he had no right to participate in the interrogation.

But in this life, he had a chance to interact with Kong Lingjie directly.

Yes, Yu Dazhang had only ever seen Kong Lingjie’s photo in the case files from his past life—he had never met him in person.

But some things cannot be seen in photographs.

Such as demeanor and personality.

Photos don’t speak.

Inside the interrogation room.

Lu Zhongxin and another detective sat across from Kong Lingjie.

“Name?”

“Kong, Kong Lingjie.”

“Age?”

“Forty-three.”

“What’s your occupation?”

“Loader at a cold drink factory.”

Although he couldn’t directly participate in the interrogation, as a member of the special task force, Yu Dazhang was allowed to observe.

Right now, he was in the adjacent room with the other team members, watching the surveillance footage on the computer.

Watching the back-and-forth in the interrogation room, Yu Dazhang finally understood why Lu Zhongxin had so easily fallen into Kong Lingjie’s trap.

In his past life, he had never understood it.

Why had Lu Zhongxin shown zero caution toward this Kong Lingjie?

After all, his Master was an experienced veteran detective who had seen all kinds of people.

Without exaggeration, he could size up a person almost entirely by instinct and make the right judgment.

Yet this time, he had misjudged completely.

Only today did Yu Dazhang find the reason.

The man sitting across from Lu Zhongxin… was too ordinary.

The kind of person so ordinary he couldn’t be more ordinary.

He gave off the impression: simple, honest, quiet, shy, and insecure.

Beyond that, he had no distinguishing features at all.

It was hard to imagine such a man as a cunning, calculating criminal.

Yes, appearances can be deceiving—but could the contrast really be this extreme?

Looking at Kong Lingjie on the screen, a thought flashed through Yu Dazhang’s mind.

Could he really not be the killer?

But all the evidence pointed to him, and in his past life, he had indeed tricked Lu Zhongxin.

So contradictory~

What puzzled Yu Dazhang most was that Kong Lingjie didn’t seem the type to devise such a plan.

A common laborer, outwitting a veteran detective and driving him to suicide.

If he had that kind of intelligence, would he really work as a laborer?

The logic doesn’t add up!

Another flaw: the high-profile lawyer Kong Lingjie hired in his past life.

Given his financial situation, he couldn’t even afford an ordinary lawyer, let alone a famous one.

So the question arises:

Why would that high-profile lawyer defend Kong Lingjie?

Was it just a whim—he happened to pick Kong Lingjie’s case for fun?

Yu Dazhang almost laughed out loud at the thought.

Even if he wanted to practice, he wouldn’t choose a case this easy.

The only logical explanation: someone paid for Kong Lingjie’s defense. In other words, Kong Lingjie had someone behind him.

Yes, this possibility was closest to the truth.

Yu Dazhang’s eyes lit up.

If so, everything else made sense now.

The plan wasn’t Kong Lingjie’s idea—it was devised by the person behind him.

Kong Lingjie was merely a puppet.

This thought circled in Yu Dazhang’s mind, impossible to shake off.

If that were true, then what came next would be simple.

Find evidence!

Without evidence, this was just a logical guess—it wasn’t even a story, because stories need a beginning and an end.

“I’m going out,” Yu Dazhang said, tapping a teammate beside him:

“When my Master comes out, please tell him for me.”

Please...Col...lect 6...9...Bo...ok...s....!

The teammate was a man in his early thirties; upon hearing this, he immediately asked:

“Are you hungry?”

What kind of question is that… Yu Dazhang stared at him blankly:

“I’m going to the crime scene.”

Upon hearing Yu Dazhang was going to the crime scene, all the teammates turned to look at him.

Their expressions seemed to say: Are you going to the crime scene to find food?

“Why are you all staring at me?” Yu Dazhang frowned, rolling his eyes:

“I’m going to see if I can find any other clues.”

Upon hearing this, the teammates’ expressions grew even stranger.

The main suspect had already been caught; the case would be closed soon. Why go to the crime scene now?

Even if you want to slack off, at least pick a plausible excuse.

“Do you need someone to go with you?” one teammate asked.

He was implying: If you’re going to slack off, we’ll expose you.

“Sure.”

Yu Dazhang didn’t catch the implication—he genuinely thought the man wanted to accompany him.

He’d been worrying about how to get there; if no one went with him, he’d have to pay for a taxi himself.

Now everyone was surprised—this guy actually agreed.

The words were already out; there was no turning back. The teammate could only grit his teeth and say:

“Uh… who’s going with him?”

Dead silence.

Yu Dazhang blinked twice:

“You and me, then.”

The man opened his mouth as if to refuse.

But seeing Yu Dazhang’s bright, earnest eyes, he swallowed his words.

He groaned and scratched his head.

Why did my mouth have to be so stupid~

And this fatty—he’s too naive. Didn’t he realize that was just polite sarcasm?

“Alright, let’s go.”

Although he agreed to go, he was certain Yu Dazhang wouldn’t actually go to the crime scene.

This fatty was probably just hungry—he’d inevitably get taken out to eat.

Fine, let him eat. He was going to eat anyway.

Outside, the teammate got into the driver’s seat of a police car, while Yu Dazhang sat in the passenger seat.

Let’s find a snack place nearby.

What kind of snack?

Yu Dazhang found it strange—he didn’t understand what the other meant.

“Eat,” the man said with an expression as if everyone knew:

“Come on, it’s just the two of us—stop pretending.”

“Pretending what? I really am going to the crime scene!” Yu Dazhang raised his voice several decibels, clearly annoyed.

“Really?”

“Of course.”

Seeing Yu Dazhang’s serious expression, the man fell silent and started the car, driving out of the compound.

On the road.

“Let me introduce myself—I’m Qian Cheng, from the Technical Division.”

“Yu Dazhang, Criminal Investigation Unit One.”

“Is there a place at the crime scene you like to eat at?”

Yu Dazhang: …

(End of Chapter)