Chapter 224: Aegean Bookstore

Lou Jing smiled: "It shouldn't be. This person is indeed quite consistent with your description. However, you just said that the person was killed two weeks ago. He should have been at work during that time. Besides..." She looked at Zhong Kui, "Didn't you just say that the murderer is unlikely to be an employee of our bank?"

"Not worthy of being a president, my words are remembered quite clearly. If it is a candidate you thought of, wouldn't it be a pity if we didn't go to see it?" Zhong Kui didn't give in at all.

Lou Jing took them to the second floor of the branch, and a sign for public business was hung on the door of the office that came up the stairs.

"Xiao You, these police officers have something to ask you." Following Lou Jing's shout, a fair and delicate male manager looked up at them.

It seems this is Xiao You in Lou Jing's mouth.

"This is You He, the manager of the public business department." Lou Jing introduced, without saying the reason for finding You He.

You He looked very young. If Lou Jing hadn't told Qi Fei and the others beforehand, he was already twenty-seven years old.

At first glance, one would think he was an intern who had just entered the bank.

He looked at Lou Jing timidly. That kind of fear was habitual. It seems that this female superior left a strict brand on him.

"Police? Is there any financial crime that needs assistance?" This was You He's first reaction.

"No, we are investigating a murder case. Do you know this person?" Qi Fei took out Hao Weiwei's photo and added, "He is a web writer with the pen name 'Supreme Himself'."

You He looked blank: "I don't read web novels. I don't know this person at all..."

"What about science fiction novels?" Zhong Kui asked from the side.

You He heard this and his fluttering eyes swept across Lou Jing's face. It seemed he knew that this information was revealed by his superior.

This subtle emotion did not escape Zhong Kui's eyes. What is strange is that there was no displeasure in Xiao You's panicked look, more like guilt and unease.

"You like science fiction novels." Zhong Kui asked and answered herself, saying the answer for Xiao You.

Xiao You held his hands tightly and asked weakly: "This, what does this have to do with the case you are investigating?"

"Neuromancer, have you read this science fiction novel?" Zhong Kui continued to ask.

Xiao You nodded, even more confused: "This is my personal hobby, I don't know the person you mentioned at all..."

"Don't be nervous, we just hope you can provide some information to help us." Wu Shanqiu looked at Xiao You, who was already pale with fright, and comforted him with a smile.

Xiao You tentatively looked at Lou Jing, but there was no expression on her haggard face, and she didn't intend to give this subordinate any spiritual support.

"Then, what do you want to know..." He said in a low voice, the unease in his eyes becoming more intense.

"People who like this kind of classic science fiction novel are not many now. Have you met anyone with the same hobby in Baicheng? For example... your customer." Zhong Kui looked at Xiao You with a playful look.

And Xiao You also noticed Zhong Kui's special interest in him and lowered his head to avoid eye contact with her.

"How can we talk about personal hobbies with customers? Of course, I haven't met anyone." Xiao You denied.

"But you have your own science fiction circle in Baicheng." Zhong Kui heard Xiao You's evasion.

"If you have to ask, we do have a club. Usually, we only discuss some science fiction novels and TV series peripherals. We organize some activities irregularly, but when we meet, everyone uses nicknames and doesn't know each other." Xiao You said immediately, "And, I really don't understand what this has to do with the case you are investigating?" He carefully raised his head and looked at them. This sounded more like a rhetorical question.

"Neuromancer, this is the screen name used by the murderer on the internet. We have reason to believe that this person is familiar with Baicheng and has been in contact with your Baisha Branch." Qi Fei answered seriously.

Xiao You heard this and opened his mouth in surprise: "This, this sounds like me..." This word blurted out, and then he immediately knew he had made a slip of the tongue, hurriedly waving his hands to explain, "I, I mean according to the conditions you said, theoretically, it doesn't mean I admit I am the murderer."

"Conditions, theoretically." When Xiao You said these words, Zhong Kui's eyes looking at him seemed to be three points sharper, and then she learned his tone and said: "Don't worry, theoretically, the murder happened in Nan City, and you were working in the bank during that time, so you don't have the time to commit the crime.

However, we are very interested in the club you mentioned. Can you take us to see what you usually talk about?"

"This..." Xiao You hesitated, "Entering the club requires passing a science fiction knowledge test. If you are not a real science fiction fan, you can't pass. Otherwise, even if I take you there, everyone is discussing things related to science fiction, and you may not understand some of them."

"What is the scale of the number of people?" Qi Fei asked.

"Generally, we meet with about twenty people. The number of people will not be particularly fixed."

"Where do you meet?"

"Oh, there is an Aegean bookstore here. The club is convened by the boss. There is a gathering tonight, but the boss has a personality. Even if you are police... um..." Xiao You pursed his lips and stopped talking.

Zhong Kui was interested when she heard this: "Very good, if you have rules, we will respect your rules. Very coincidentally, I have also read a lot of science fiction things. Membership exams, I can try."

At sunset, under the guidance of Xiao You, the car stopped at the entrance of an old market.

The huge market can be seen to have been prosperous. This semi-open building is full of shops. Various small commodity and clothing and shoe hat signs are still brokenly preserved. The neon lights on them illuminate the closed rusty rolling shutter doors, which is quite a cyberpunk doomsday feeling.

Aegean Bookstore has to pass through this abandoned large market to arrive. If there is no acquaintance to lead the way, just relying on mobile phone navigation may not be found immediately.

Unlike the dilapidation and dirt outside the bookstore, the bookstore is bright and clean.

The chatting sound came from the bookstore, and people could be seen shaking through the bookshelf. It seems that the gathering Xiao You mentioned has already begun.

As they pushed open the solid wood frame glass door, a "ding-dong" reminder of the door bell rang, and the chatting sound in the bookstore stopped abruptly.

Dozens of eyes looked at them in unison, crossing Xiao You's shoulders and falling on the three uninvited guests.

These people, tall, short, fat, thin, men and women, all wore strange clothes, as if they were a group of extraterrestrial creatures disguised as earthlings.