Chapter 42: Chief Yang’s Sudden Change of Style

In the blink of an eye, a night had passed.

The residential area, as the second crime scene, was much larger and more complex than the seafood restaurant that served as the primary scene.

Not only did the scene involve almost thirty victims, but it also involved the perpetrator, who had nurtured a monster white rat for observation. The survey work carried on by the patrols at the scene was extremely meticulous, and the progress was slow.

An entire night had passed, but the examination and evidence collection was still ongoing.

Discoveries, there were some, surely.

Yet, they were mostly circumstances related to the victims.

After a night of hard work.

The patrol officers assisting at the scene determined through the traces of life left in the residential area and the usage of domestic appliances that the nearly thirty victims were harmed approximately a week ago.

The timing, it was precisely the day after the Patrol Branch started handling the overseas Demon Miasma.

This little discovery might not be much, but it was better than nothing.

But that’s how criminal investigations work.

One must be meticulous in their investigation, trying to uncover any traces of evidence that may exist.

At dawn.

As Li Jing and Chen Yuran were assisting in the investigation in one of the houses, Yang Qiuci found them.

"Yuran, the results of the biological sample comparison from the victims’ bodies are in, the information is in the Patrol Branch’s database. There are twenty-nine victims on-site in total, three of whom are not residents of the residential area and have no clear connection with each other."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuran paused and turned to her.

"Got it, you’ve had a tough night working in the Forensics Department all by yourself, Sister Yang."

"Don’t waste words, remember to treat me well once the case is solved."

Yang Qiuci chuckled, massaged her shoulders, and sighed.

"All night, without rest, it’s not easy being a lone commander."

Chen Yuran, hearing her sigh, responded succinctly.

"Once the case is solved, I’ll treat you to a meal."

Yang Qiuci’s eyes lit up.

"Deal!"

"Mm."

Chen Yuran nodded, took out her tablet to access the database, and walked out of the house.

Seeing this, Li Jing unconsciously wanted to follow her, but Yang Qiuci suddenly reached out to stop him.

"Don’t rush, I have something to ask you."

?

Li Jing turned his head.

He and Yang Qiuci were not exactly acquainted.

From seeing her at the seafood market the previous night to now, they had barely spoken a few words to each other.

Thinking that Yang Qiuci was still, after all, a head of the division, Li Jing stopped.

"Chief Yang, what do you want to ask? If it’s about the case, I might not be authorized to..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Yang Qiuci interrupted him with a piercing look.

"What’s your relationship with Yuran?"

"..."

Li Jing.

Yang Qiuci had left him dumbfounded with her question.

He assumed she was pulling him aside to ask something important, but it turned out to be gossip?

Looking at Yang Qiuci, who’d been up all night with dark circles under her eyes, Li Jing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

"Chief Yang, don’t misunderstand. Yuran and I are just ordinary friends, there’s nothing special."

"Tsk! You’re just being dishonest, aren’t you?"

Yang Qiuci smirked. Instantly, her reliable section-chief demeanor transformed into something else.

"Let me tell you, I’ve watched Yuran grow up since she was little. I know her personality very well. Privately, she can be quite casual, but at work, she’s overly serious and only sees her work. I noticed yesterday evening at the seafood market that she was taking special care of you, explaining the case and so on. Even Luo Zhize, her usual partner, wouldn’t be treated like that."

After saying all this, she squinted her eyes.

"Tell the truth, are you her boyfriend?"

"..."

Li Jing was speechless.

He had seen gossipers before.

But like Yang Qiuci, who would picture someone as someone else’s boyfriend at the drop of a hat, he’d really never encountered anyone like that.

But at this point, he seemed to have figured it out.

Chen Yuran calling Yang Qiu Ci "Sister" wasn’t just a sign of respect.

Their relationship was likely a family one.

Otherwise, Yang Qiu Ci wouldn’t have mentioned watching Chen Yuran grow up, nor would she be so sensitive about her affairs.

Thinking about how his stay at Chen Yuran’s house had the purpose of being a shield and how he had agreed beforehand to handle certain situations with her, Li Jing said,

"Chief Yang, the situation isn’t exactly as you presume. I’m merely staying temporarily at Yuran’s place. My relationship with her..."

Before he finished speaking, Yang Qiu Ci took a breath.

"Sss! You two are moving more quickly than I thought. Living together already, no wonder!"

"..."

Li Jing.

Since Yang Qiu Ci had said it, what else could he say?

Not knowing how to reply to her statement, Yang Qiu Ci gave him a once-over.

"It’s rare for Yuran to take a hint. I won’t ask any more questions to avoid interrupting. Yuran is excellent, you must seize the opportunity. Also, her grandfather can be a tough one to deal with; you’d better be mentally prepared."

Leaving these words behind, Yang Qiu Ci casually patted his shoulder and walked away.

Seeing this, Li Jing grinned and followed her out of the residential building.

At this moment, Chen Yuran was checking information in the database in the courtyard.

Yang Qiu Ci left without exchanging words with Chen Yuran, just smiling at her knowingly, and then used her flying sword to depart in a flash of light.

Seeing the smile that Yang Qiu Ci left behind, Chen Yuran frowned and turned to look at Li Jing who had followed her out.

"What did you and Sister Yang talk about?"

"Nothing much."

Li Jing shrugged and said truthfully.

"She asked if I was your boyfriend, so I just told her about my temporary stay at your house."

"Hmm."

Chen Yuran nodded in acknowledgment.

Indeed, Yang Qiu Ci was a relative of hers, a cousin, and they had grown up together.

There was no need to hide the fact that Li Jing was staying at her house from Yang Qiu Ci.

Not only her biological father was worried about her, but all her relatives and friends seemed eager to help, hoping for her to find a boyfriend and get married as soon as possible.

It was necessary to handle this matter.

Seeing that Chen Yuran didn’t say anything, Li Jing knew he had handled the matter appropriately.

"Did you find anything suspicious in the victim’s identification information?"

"No breakthroughs yet."

Chen Yuran replied.

"The three victims who were not residents of this residential area have no connections to each other. However, there must be a reason for their victimization. The information in the patrol branch’s database may not be complete. This is a viable investigation direction, and the Intelligence Department has started to investigate their backgrounds in an attempt to find clues."

Just as she finished speaking, the communication device in both their ears sounded with Captain Dai’s voice.

"Li Jing, Yuran, both of you come back to the bureau immediately. We, the Major Case Squad Six, are having a meeting."

Upon receiving the sudden communication from Dai Hong, Chen Yuran raised her eyebrows.

"Understood, we’ll be right there."

Having answered the communication, Chen Yuran looked over.

"It seems that Captain Dai has made some progress. Let’s go and hear what he has to say."

...

Shortly after, Li Jing traveled back to the North City Patrol Branch on Chen Yuran’s flying sword.

Soon after, they arrived at the meeting room.

At this moment, apart from Dai Hong, more than ten members of the Major Case Squad Six had arrived.

Seeing them enter, Dai Hong began to speak.

"Find a seat."

With this, he turned and shot a beam of Spiritual Qi at the projector behind him, turning it on.

"Everyone’s here, so let’s get started. What I’m going to say next, only the members of Squad Six present need to know, and it shouldn’t be spread. Even if other team members ask, don’t say too much."

Hearing this, including Li Jing and Chen Yuran who had not yet found a seat, everyone present exchanged glances.

During an investigation, it’s essential to restrict information.

But to keep it even from relevant team members of the Major Case Squad Six, it made things intriguing indeed.