Caution: read at your own risk. Still has yet to be TLC
Translator: Lattenights
Editor: Xiaoxiao & Ponia
Jian Dan’s social status in the business circle of M City was high—he didn’t receive a cold reception and was politely asked to enter the interrogation room.
No matter which case, as long as there wasn’t any concrete evidence and a verdict wasn’t issued by the court, every citizen had the right to be protected and respected.
Captain Zhang waved his hand, gesturing to his subordinate to leave. He entered the interrogation room alone, pulling out a chair as he sat before Jian Dan.
“CEO Jian, I apologize for asking you to come over despite knowing how busy you are. It’s like this: we have some questions for you.”
Jian Dan raised his head. “Ask, then.”
Captain Zhang took out a fountain pen, fiddling it out of habit before penning out his notes. “CEO Jian, on October 12th, 2013, at around 9 p.m., where were you?”
“Year 2013?”
Jian Dan pressed his fingers between his eyebrows. “Let me think ah…”
About ten seconds later, he revealed an apologetic smile. “Captain Zhang, I can’t clearly recall what happened 3 years ago.”
Captain Zhang raised his head, his gaze sharp, before bowing his head and continuing to write in his book. “Then, on the 15th of September last year between 11 p.m.–2 a.m., what were you doing?”
Jian Dan pondered and replied, “I leave my office at 6 p.m. every day. When I’ve reached home, I will resume working in the study room. By 11 p.m., I will have finished my work and gone to my bedroom.”
Not only did he answer the questions, but his answers were also detailed, done with a good attitude, and he was very cooperative.
Captain Zhang flipped through the notes written by Zheng Ze last year and asked, “Was there anyone together with you that night?”
“Yes,” The corner of Jian Dan’s lips were curved as he spoke, “my lover.”
Captain Zhang stared at him for a while. When Jian Dan had spoken those few words, the bliss on his face had been genuine and couldn’t be faked. “Pardon me, but who is your lover?”
Jian Dan said, “His name is Gu Sheng.”
Captain Zhang’s fountain pen stopped—this name, it felt vaguely familiar.
Jian Dan chuckled. “Previously, we had an argument and couldn’t come to an agreement, which resulted in him running, but it’s all right now.”
Captain Zhang recorded it all down. He suddenly asked, “CEO Jian is a local of this place?”
The hands Jian Dan placed on his thighs were now clasped tightly near his abdomen. His fingers interlocked as he replied casually, “No, I’m from City Y.”
Captain Zhang laughed. “I wouldn’t have known that from your accent.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
He then resumed speaking, “I heard that CEO Jian has a passion for collecting bicycle parts, especially brands from 20 years ago.”
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Captain Zhang said, “You could have confirmed with a single phone call.”
Jian Dan explained, “Regarding additions to my own collection, I would rather examine it myself. Compared to communicating over the phone, I am more willing to pay the shop a visit and see the condition of the goods.”
When it came to some collectors, their logic wasn’t something easily understood by others.
In the next 30 minutes of the interrogation, no matter what Captain Zhang asked, Jian Dan was prepared with an answer.
Captain Zhang pinched the fountain pen in his hand. With Jian Dan’s current social status and position, to not be putting on airs, along with his humbleness, politeness, and patience, it was really rare.
Despite having all of his questions answered, for him to achieve a breakthrough still seemed to be quite unlikely.
Captain Zhang heaved a sigh. “I’ll be out for a while. Please wait for a bit longer, CEO Jian.”
Leaving the interrogation room, Captain Zhang went into the room next door.
The people inside were looking at the surveillance gadgets monitoring the interrogation room. Upon noticing the captain’s entry, they greeted him, “Captain Zhang.”
Captain Zhang approached them. “How was it?”
They simply shook their heads, stating that they didn’t notice any bizarre actions from Jian Dan.
Captain Zhang pressed his palms onto the table, his body leaning forward. He didn’t believe that a person wouldn’t display any sort of abnormalities in that sort of situation. A person should have at least felt a sort of discomfort or felt that their bottom line had been provoked.
“Has Xiao Liu arrived?”
“We spoke on the phone just now ; he said he would be arriving soon.”
Captain Zhang asked for a cigarette, smoking as he observed the man through the CCTV. The other party had his eyelids shut, as if he were currently taking a nap.
After 2–3 minutes, the person he was waiting for arrived.
The newcomer was called Liu Xia, an expert in psychology. He had published a few books and had been involved in many major cases, accumulating many achievements in multiple disciplines.
Liu Xia was silent as he entered the room, his eyes fixed on the CCTV monitor. He then thoroughly studied every scene captured on the CCTV.
Captain Zhang and the others in the room were silent, as they were afraid of disturbing the expert at work.
After a while, Liu Xia finally looked away, twisting his body as he massaged his neck. His figure at the moment closely resembled someone who burnt the midnight oil and was suddenly dragged back to work just when he was about to lie down to rest.
Captain Zhang inquired, “Did you manage to detect anything?”
Liu Xia said, “No.”
‘What?” Captain Zhang stared at him incredulously. “But you are a psychology expert.”
Liu Xia laughed. “Upon meeting a veteran, I am no longer an expert.”
Captain Zhang furrowed his brows. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean to say is…”—Liu Xia gestured to the person in the CCTV monitor—“his understanding of psychology is not inferior to mine.”
Captain Zhang wiped his face. So this is a face-off with another expert?
If Jian Dan had impeccable self-control and could thoroughly cover his tracks at every step of the way, it would be truly unsurprising if Captain Zhang had not been able to get any leads on the case.
Liu Xia asked, “Why does that person seem familiar to me?”
Captain Zhang told him Jian Dan’s name.
Liu Xia’s face was full of shock. So it is actually him. He then mysteriously muttered, “No wonder… Captain Zhang, are there any cases related to this person?”
“A lot.”
With these two words, Captain Zhang returned to the interrogation room. He said that he had finished asking questions. “CEO Jian, for the convenience of our investigation, I hope that you won’t be leaving the city in the meantime.”
Jian Dan replied, “Sure.”
Captain Zhang then asked, “May I ask if CEO Jian’s lover has time today?”
Jian Dan lowered his eyes and fiddled with the cuffs of his sleeves as he said, “He’s feeling a bit unwell and is currently resting at home. Perhaps in another two days.”
Captain Zhang, “Sure.”
After Jian Dan had left, Captain Zhang finally remembered whom Gu Sheng was.
He rubbed his chin in thought. The other person was a possible witness to the homicide case last February, who later had lost some of his memories. To actually have such a huge connection to the suspect, could this really just be a coincidence?
After sitting in his car, Jian Dan made a phone call. “Release that person today… En, you will still be paid.”
Just minutes after his car had left, another vehicle tailed Jian Dan’s car.
Jian Dan tapped the steering wheel, turning left at the following intersection. He went to his office as usual, attending meetings and working in the day, then attending dinner banquets organized by other companies at night.
In the room at the mansion, Chen You was feeling faint from hunger. “ Why isn’t he back yet? Didn’t you say that it would be soon?”
The system didn’t make a sound.
Chen You leaned against the wall and sat down. The chains on his hands and legs rattled as he said, “Speak frankly. Has something happened to Jian Dan?”
The system still said nothing.
The hunger Chen You felt was then replaced with a sudden sense of foreboding. He tugged at the system. “444, quick, give me the key!”
The system spoke after a while, “You don’t have enough Good Karma points.”
Chen You wanted to cry. “Then can you love me once more?”
The system, “…”
Chen You whimpered. “I’m begging you.”
The system, “…”
Chen You dragged his chains as he paced back and forth, feeling hungry and frustrated. He was at his limit. “444, don’t hide it from me anymore. He has already been considered a suspect since the correlation between the victims with the bicycle factory was discovered, right?”
“He’s currently being detained; that’s why he hasn’t returned.” Chen You paled as he rambled to himself, “ It’s over, it’s over. This house is deep in the mountains, and no one else knows about this place. I will soon end up like that other host who ate himself.”
The system said, “Don’t worry.”
Chen You cried, “No way, that’s something beyond my control.”
The system reassured, “You will be completing this mission soon.”
Chen You continued to cry. “ Complete it my ass! Karma will always find its way. Jian Dan has already killed so many people. Even if he were to do it perfectly with just one mistake, it’s probably just some relatively minor evidence.”
“As for me, if I mess up, I have to eat myself alive bit by bit before leaving for my next mission. How scary is that!”
The system spoke, “Don’t cry anymore.”
Chen You began to wail.
The system sighed. “Ai, you’re really annoying.”
Chen You cried even louder. Two sets of keys then appeared out of nowhere, and he immediately stopped crying as he laughed. “I love you so much.”
The system replied, “It’s nothing.”
When Chen You was finally free, he ran down to the fridge and got himself some bread and WaHaHa. He needed to be sated first to have the energy for problem-solving, or at least, that was what he thought.
Actually, this location was too remote. To actually go down the mountain on his two legs was simply impossible. Jian Dan had already driven the car away, and it was currently nighttime. The surroundings were pitch black; without a torchlight or handphone, the possibility of getting lost was significant.
What do I do? Chen You pulled at his hair as he paced about agitatedly.
Probably because the system couldn’t bear watching him, it finally said, “Don’t run around. Just go back and wait after you’re full.”
Chen You seemed to have gleaned something from the system’s words. He excitedly asked, “You’re saying that Jian Dan hasn’t been caught?”
The system remarked, “The WaHaHa and the bread hasn’t been wasted on you.”
Chen You was relieved. He walked to the front door and stretched his neck to look outside. Somehow unbidden, his thoughts turned to the night in the woods—that moment when Jian Dan was burning paper money for his dead family while talking to them.
It had been so pitiful that it was awful.
Thanks for the chapter <3
I have a feeling Chen You would do something to help Jian Dan succeed in this case, if not, then it might really end up with the scenario I want to avoid. Nontheless, I hope it can be as quick as possible. Quick but harsh pain is better than a long-lasting one
I’m kind of scared. What jian gets caught
Sorry wrong place
Btw, thank you for the chapter!!
Thanks for the chapter ♥️♥️
oooh~ what will jian do?!?
Always glad to see a new chapter for this series. It’s really much more gory than the usual but so memorable. Thankyou!