Chapter 49: The Net of Heaven Is Wide

Yu Dazhang also wanted the case resolved quickly, but some things cannot be rushed.

Zhou Zizhe’s current state has left him incapable of communicating with others.

Just now during interrogation, Yu Dazhang forcibly tore open the deepest wound in Zhou Zizhe’s heart and then poured salt onto it.

If he continued, it would cross a line, so he had to stop.

Back in the adjacent room, the team members looked at Yu Dazhang with a hint of awe.

“Didn’t you already figure out the origin of this case?” one team member asked.

“No,” Yu Dazhang denied:

“That story was made up on the spot.”

Made up on the spot? Several team members eyed him skeptically.

Do you think we believe you?

How could we ever come up with something like that?

Are you being modest or showing off?

Seeing that Yu Dazhang didn’t want to talk, everyone wisely dropped the subject.

The story was indeed made up on the spot, but it was built by connecting known clues into a coherent whole.

The main inspiration came from Zhang Yan’s line in the surveillance video: I never thought that way.

In modern terms, it’s like… I treated you like an older brother, and you tried to sleep with me.

More accurately, it wasn’t a story—it was Yu Dazhang’s deduction of the truth.

He deliberately told it as a story to Zhou Zizhe to divert attention from it.

There were two flaws in the interrogation just now.

One: lip reading.

Two: call records.

So far, no one has noticed that he can read lips.

When he spoke to Zhou Zizhe just now, he only mentioned it in passing, saying he could read what was said.

Yu Dazhang wanted to create the illusion that he was bluffing Zhou Zizhe—that his ability to read Zhang Yan’s words from the video was just a trick to deceive the suspect.

Because he needed to conceal a bigger flaw… Zhang Yan’s call records.

Although when Zhang Yan’s body was found, her phone was already gone.

But as long as the phone number was known, the records could still be retrieved.

If anyone found out he could read lips, they would surely ask Yu Dazhang: Why didn’t you pull Zhang Yan’s call records?

You already concluded the victim and killer were communicating in the video—why not just check the call records to pinpoint the suspect directly?

If you did that, how could you wear them down?

This was also a point Yu Dazhang himself knew was against protocol, tinged with personal grudges.

He let himself be reckless just once… so no one can ever say a word.

Yu Dazhang knew clearly that what truly made the suspect feel each day as long as a year, life worse than death, were the two days before his capture.

Don’t ask.

Ask and I’ll say it was made up on the spot.

If it resembles anything else, it’s purely coincidental.

After a while, Lu Zhongxin returned.

“Dazhang, that situation was so rare—you should’ve seized the moment when the suspect’s psychological defenses collapsed and finished him off.”

You make it sound easy—you fell for this exact trap in your past life… Yu Dazhang didn’t want to embarrass his Master, so he replied evasively:

“But it still has to follow procedure. You can’t rush investigations—that’s what you taught me.”

“Did I ever say that?” Lu Zhongxin rubbed his nose, thinking for a moment but not recalling.

In two years you’ll say it… Yu Dazhang changed the subject:

“He’s not the only suspect—we’ve got two others.”

He meant Zhou Hongfu and Kong Lingjie.

Both were solid accomplices, both directly connected to the mastermind Zhou Zizhe.

“Which one do you want to interrogate?” Lu Zhongxin asked.

“Kong Lingjie,” Yu Dazhang answered sharply:

“His act is over.”

One hour later.

Yu Dazhang walked into the interrogation room with Lu Zhongxin, holding a file folder, one behind the other.

For the first time in two lifetimes, Yu Dazhang faced Kong Lingjie face-to-face. Compared to the footage from a few days ago, Kong Lingjie now looked dull, pale, and suffused with a deathly stillness.

As if he had lost the most important thing in his life, leaving him broken and worn out.

“You’ve been overworking your brain these past few days,” Yu Dazhang joked as he sat down:

“Stop overthinking. Since you’re exposed, just confess honestly.”

Lu Zhongxin, hearing his apprentice’s flippant tone, couldn’t help but slap his thigh.

You’re telling me to tone it down… Yu Dazhang understood his Master’s intent, but kept his tone unchanged:

“Before we begin, let me tell you something—you’re all dead.”

Upon hearing the words “you’re all dead,” Kong Lingjie finally reacted.

His gaze at Yu Dazhang was thick with distrust, as if he thought he’d misheard.

Even Lu Zhongxin frowned—this wasn’t interrogation at all; there was no solemn atmosphere.

“Don’t believe me?” Yu Dazhang gave his Master a sidelong glance.

Please… collect… 6…9… books… now…!

Lu Zhongxin: ???

What does that mean?

He doesn’t believe you—why are you looking at me?

Where’s the bond between master and apprentice… Yu Dazhang wanted to cover his face.

He pointed at the case file Lu Zhongxin had brought in and gave another glance.

Show the suspect the case file?

Lu Zhongxin was even more confused.

Can he even read it? And besides, is he even allowed to see the case file?

Seeing his Master still didn’t get it, Yu Dazhang opened the file and tapped twice on it, then gave another glance.

Lu Zhongxin’s brain nearly fried.

You want me to go over and explain the case file to the suspect?

Do you have to be this thoughtful?

Will the suspect appreciate you?

Eventually, the master and apprentice lost themselves in all the subtle cues and glances.

Kong Lingjie, sitting across, was equally baffled—they seemed like they wanted to show him something, but couldn’t decide what to bring over.

Yu Dazhang nearly forgot what he’d intended to do.

All that eye-signaling had made his eyeballs ache; clearly his Master still didn’t understand.

Generation gap~

I should’ve brought Qian Cheng along.

Helpless, he pulled out the two photos tucked inside the folder and gestured twice toward Kong Lingjie.

The force of his motion made it look like he was about to slap the photos onto Kong Lingjie’s face.

If you still don’t get it, I’m changing masters… Yu Dazhang silently decided.

Lu Zhongxin awkwardly took the photos, stood up, walked to Kong Lingjie, and placed the two pictures side by side on the interrogation chair’s panel.

The photos showed Zhou Hongfu and Zhou Zizhe, father and son.

Both wore orange vests, with a string of numbers on the left chest.

The instant Kong Lingjie saw the photos, his eyes widened in shock.

Especially when he saw Zhou Zizhe’s photo, his emotions surged visibly.

He stared intently at the photo, his hand involuntarily clenching into a fist.

“You—you found them how?” Kong Lingjie asked, voice trembling:

“I never said anything—how did you find them?”

“The net of heaven is wide…” Yu Dazhang drew out the phrase, then glanced at his Master.

But after two full seconds, Lu Zhongxin remained silent.

No chemistry at all—master-apprentice bond broken~

He had to continue:

“But nothing escapes it.”

His tone was full of resignation.

Just say it—this atmosphere, these words—did they not stir any resonance in you?

What a failure I am as a disciple.

"Alright, I'm tired of playing along."

Yu Dazhang looked bored, pulling a small bottle, as thick as a thumb, from the folder he had brought in.

He walked over to Kong Lingjie himself and waved the bottle in front of him:

"Actually, his real name should be Kong Zhe."

(End of Chapter)