Simulated Crime, This Criminal Doesn't Seem to Be Acting-Chapter 32

The scorching sun hung high in the sky, radiating intense heat that enveloped the surroundings.

Standing beneath it, exposed skin would quickly feel the blistering pain of sunburn.

By the end of the day, even those accustomed to construction work would peel off a layer of skin.

And over an entire summer, many would be left with dark, gleaming skin.

At the construction site, wary of heatstroke and potential accidents, the Foreman instructed everyone to sit down and rest more.

These workers were all temporary hires, so he went to a nearby small shop to buy water and handed it out one by one, hoping they would remember his kindness and come back to work.

From left to right, he distributed the water, wearing a red safety helmet as he went.

Exhaustion made it hard to speak, so everyone numbly accepted the water. The Foreman was used to this and moved on.

After distributing, he found two bottles left.

One was his, but who was missing the other?

He thought for a moment and remembered Lin He, who always kept to himself and worked diligently. He decided to find him and give it to him.

Looking around, he spotted Lin He in the stairwell of the first floor of the building.

The Foreman approached and said, "Here, it's too hot at noon. Have some ice water to quench your thirst and cool down."

Lin He glanced at it, took the bottle, twisted it open, and took a sip.

His hair was cropped short, his faceexpressionlessly cold, and his demeanor unapproachable.

The Foreman found him strange and shook his head as he turned to leave.

At that moment, his phone rang. He stepped outside, took the call with a flattering tone, and said, "What’s the matter, boss?"

As he moved further away, the content of the call became inaudible.

Lin He remainedexpressionless, downing most of the bottle of ice water in one go, then crushed the bottle and tossed it into a corner.

The weather was sweltering, causing sweat to pour down people's faces, but he never removed the white labor gloves on his hands.

Silently, he sat in the darkest corner of the stairwell, needing no light at all.

The Foreman walked all the way to the entrance of the construction site and saw a group of plainclothes officers entering. The leader showed his badge and a piece of paper, asking, "Is there a person named Lin He here, or someone resembling this description?"

The Foreman had already received instructions from his superiors to cooperate. Upon hearing this, he nodded and looked at the picture. "Yes, there’s such a person. I just gave him water earlier. He’s over there; I’ll take you to him."

He knew these people were not to be trifled with.

Seeing the number of officers, the Foreman swallowed hard. What on earth had Lin He done?

He led them forward, and upon seeing this, the other workers stood up, some with shifting glances.

The Foreman noticed this and understood the chaos of construction sites. Without needing identification, anyone could come and work, so he didn’t pay much attention and continued leading the way.

As they neared the building, the leader waved his hand, and the others drew their weapons, quietly surrounding all the exits around the building.

The Foreman saw this and swallowed hard again. He knew Lin He must have gotten himself into something serious.

Seeing the deployment, he approached the alley leading to the stairwell and whispered to the inquiring police officer, "I just went to give him water. He’s sitting on the first step of the stairwell. I won’t go down there."

"Alright," Zheng He responded.

He looked at his two colleagues and signaled to start the encirclement.

The two nodded and, sticking to the wall, silently moved toward the doorway where the fire door was to be installed.

But there was no sound inside. Zheng He realized Lin He might have fled and shouted, "Go in directly!"

This content is taken from freёnovelkiss.com.

The two police officers rushed in, but there were no traces of him.

"Zheng, there’s no one here!" one of them yelled.

Zheng He immediately looked upstairs, knowing Lin He had spotted them and escaped.

This cunning guy, Zheng He thought. He yelled, "Everyone, chase!"

Holding his gun without the safety on, he started to chase after Lin He up the stairs.

The construction site was for a mixed-use commercial and residential complex, almost in the city center, a rare type of development.

The first three floors were commercial spaces, and above that were residential buildings.

Therefore, for the first three floors, to prevent Lin He from escaping in another direction, they needed to scatter their forces to search.

Zheng He was experienced in arrests and quickly arranged for people to search, ensuring they caught him.

Ye Sangsang was following Zheng He, and her 7 o'clock vigor came into play. She climbed the stairs rapidly, only gasping a few times, with no signs of discomfort.

Rather than simply following to find Lin He, she was thinking about his potential escape routes.

Before the operation, they had reviewed the general layout of the site, including the internal structure of the building, which was why Zheng He wasn’t panicked and calmly directed the search.

Her mind mapped out the construction site model.

Putting herself in Lin He's shoes, she wondered how she could escape.

Suddenly, Ye Sangsang looked up and saw the crane outside the window. She approached and looked up, her gaze locking on it.

"Zheng He! He's trying to use the connecting crane to get to the opposite building!" Ye Sangsang declared.

Zheng He followed her gaze and saw the crane connecting this building to the opposite one.

He picked up the radio and instructed Yang Wen and Gu Ling to go to that building, sending three officers to help surround it.

"Block the exits; don’t let him escape!" Zheng He ordered loudly.

Soon, Yang Wen's voice came through. "Understood! We won’t let him get away!"

While doing this, the two continued to climb relentlessly.

Reaching the top of the nearly twenty-story building was exhausting.

But waiting for the old, rusty construction elevator to start and slowly bring them up would have made the whole operation futile.

So, they resigned themselves to climbing nonstop.

Six minutes later, they reached the roof.

They immediately moved toward the yellow crane, watching Lin He climb frantically toward the other building.

Zheng He was about to climb up when Ye Sangsang stopped him, shaking her head. "My aim isn't good. You watch, I'll go up."

With her current stamina, the two would likely find themselves in a physical confrontation, and she had the "Revival Card," which could allow her to reset to a previous point in the storyline.

Moreover, this was incredibly exciting.

[I can see the eagerness on Sister Sang’s face.]

[To be honest, I’ve never seen fear on her face.]

[Lin He’s got guts, but I feel he’s no match for Sister Sang.]

Zheng He disagreed, but he couldn’t argue with Ye Sangsang, nor was he as quick, as she effortlessly leaped onto the crane.

The height of the twenty-story building made the camera shake slightly, then pan downward.

[Ahhh, I’m scared of heights!]

[Super Intelligence is definitely doing this on purpose, wuuu...]

[Oh my god, I’m freaking out! The vertigo just hit me!]

The live stream exploded with screams and panic, thoroughly lively.

Ye Sangsang, however, moved quickly and decisively, clinging to and pulling herself along the crane.

About ten meters ahead, Lin He noticed the formidable Ye Sangsang and noticeably picked up his pace.

Ye Sangsang watched him, a mischievous grin appearing on her face, as she fearlessly advanced.

Even from a distance, the audience could see the terror on Lin He’s face.

The two sped across the crane like a race.

The crane’s outrigger, the part with the lifting equipment, was about 50 to 60 meters, while the smaller end was around 40 meters.

With only ten meters between them, Ye Sangsang’s speed closed the gap. Realizing he might be caught, Lin He’s stoic face cracked into one of grim determination, and he fiercely pushed forward.

He had to reach the end.

Zheng He watched, slightly agape.

Ye Sangsang, though fast, had no intention of engaging in a dangerous aerial fight; she only wanted to close the distance to facilitate a quick capture once they were on the ground.

Time ticked by, but in just four minutes, the gantry was soon traversed, and Lin He stepped off, casting a long glance at Ye Sangsang before turning away.

Originally, he had intended to simply stop and kick the audacious female cop off the crane, but Ye Sangsang’s reckless determination deterred him.

He could only let this go and vowed he wouldn’t hesitate next time!

He darted toward the stairwell and rushed downward.

Ye Sangsang quickly descended, still prepared to teach him a lesson with a few bullets!

Unfortunately, the shooting angle from here isn’t ideal.

Soon, she too reached the end of the crane’s reach. The crane hovered above the roof, at least 2.5 meters off the ground.

She glanced at the pile of sand nearby and leaped down, landing smoothly with a soft cushion.

Quickly, she retrieved her hidden gun and sprinted toward the stairs.

"Yang Wen, make sure you cover your side. Lin He is coming down. We can’t afford any slip-ups!" Zheng He, lacking the courage to climb up, opted to move downstairs to reinforce from another direction.

As Ye Sangsang descended, she could still hear noises echoing from below.

On the other side, Yang Wen, a sharpshooter, was already lying in wait at the stair exit.

Every other exit was also guarded. As long as Lin He was still inside the building, there was no way for him to escape.

As the time approached when Lin He was expected to descend, everyone grew tense. This was Ye Sangsang’s hard-earned opportunity. If it failed, given Lin He’s cunning and ruthlessness, the next chance might never come.

Especially since Lin He was a black-market resident with no legal status.

With these thoughts in mind, everyone listened intently for any signs of movement.

As the levels gradually decreased, Ye Sangsang did not rush headlong down. Instead, she moved slowly, listening for any sounds, ensuring she wouldn’t be ambushed.

The mission was critical, but she didn’t want to die at Lin He’s hands. That would make her look like an idiot.

Thinking this way, she eventually reached about the 8th floor.

There, she realized the footsteps below had disappeared.

It was clear that Lin He had sensed the police waiting downstairs and Ye Sangsang pursuing from above.

Ye Sangsang began checking the connecting corridors, quietly ensuring no one was there before proceeding further down.

Through her earpiece, Zheng He had ordered Yang Wen and the others to advance upwards to encircle Lin He, which eased Ye Sangsang’s tension.

By the time she reached the 5th floor, Yang Wen and his team had quietly reported reaching the 3rd floor.

There was only one floor left, which meant Lin He was hiding on the 4th floor.

After meeting, both sides confirmed their suspicions.

They began signaling to each other, quietly searching each room on the 6th floor, pairing up to ensure safety.

Holding their guns tightly, their bodies slightly bent, they counted down—3...2...1—and entered the rooms, back to back.

If nothing was found, they moved to the next room.

It was a three-apartment layout on each floor, all larger units. After painstakingly searching through them for several minutes, they still found nothing.

Could Lin He have vanished into thin air?

That was clearly impossible.

Just then, a muffled sound echoed, followed by the thud of something hitting the ground.

Ye Sangsang and Gu Ling exchanged a look and immediately rushed toward the room where the noise came from.

The room was empty, but they quickly realized Lin He must have jumped out the window!

They split up, looking in opposite directions, and finally spotted Lin He as he landed on the right side.

At the sight, Yang Wen turned and dashed downstairs.

Lin He, however, reacted instantly. Before Ye Sangsang and the others could fire, he found cover and began a rapid escape, leaving no time for accurate shots.

Ye Sangsang watched, weapon in hand, but realized he had jumped onto a soft sandpile, moving too fast for them to react.

It seemed that people with a somewhat deranged mentality often had strong physical resilience. They could endure pain better than most and were as relentless as ever, no matter the cost.

Lin He was exactly that type. He clawed his way out of the half-buried sand, then ran like a madman. Even with a leg already crippled, he moved with surprising agility, as if untouched by injury.

He scaled a wall littered with broken bottles, his body tearing apart but showing no signs of pain. He just kept going.

Ye Sangsang tried to take a shot, but from over twenty-five meters away, she knew her aim was off.

Threatening him verbally was useless. She knew better than anyone what went through Lin He’s twisted mind.

【My God, I can barely watch this! He’s in so much pain!】

【I’m impressed. This guy is really something. What a hardcore criminal!】

【He’s way too tough. I’d be crouching and waiting for the police in no time.】

The viewers in the live stream marveled at Lin He’s sheer determination. He was brutally ferocious.

Ye Sangsang watched as Yang Wen gave chase, then turned and hurried downstairs.

Lin He was too familiar with the area. Nearby was the bustling city center, packed with people.

They lost him after searching for a while.

Zheng He waited at the construction site exit, but Lin He simply ignored the towering walls and the jagged glass shards at their tops.

"What an absolute madman!" Zheng He cursed under his breath.

After all, who would dare climb a crane tower from tens of meters high, then cross shards of glass with a wounded leg?

They questioned witnesses, but those who had spotted him earlier had already lost sight of him.

Yang Wen sighed, "If we had moved faster, he wouldn’t have been able to jump from the fifth floor."

"He’s ruthless," Gu Ling muttered, thinking back to that scene.

Ye Sangsang considered the situation and said, "We should cover all exits out of the city to prevent him from escaping."

"Also, spread the news that Qin Jiang has already woken up, but isn’t fully recovered yet."

She added.

The others looked at Ye Sangsang, puzzled by her strategy.

Ye Sangsang explained, "Lin He can’t stay away from Qin Jiang."

Since his plan had failed, he might risk everything.

"I’ll assign a few more people to guard the hospital and the ward," Zheng He agreed with Ye Sangsang’s logic.

Ye Sangsang didn’t speak further. She knew this didn’t mean Lin He would rush to the hospital to kill Qin Jiang. Spreading the news was just a way to make Lin He hesitate to leave. Still, Ye Sangsang wasn’t confident in waiting for him to make a move.

They needed a better way to capture him quickly.

What could that be?

Ye Sangsang pondered.

Just as she was at a loss, her gaze fell on a vibrant yellow figure in the bustling street.

The news of Qin Jiang hadn’t been spread through newspapers, as Ye Sangsang had thought of another way to quickly find Lin He.

As she considered how to execute this plan, Zheng He organized his team to search the nearby residential areas once more.

Having lost Lin He under the police’s tight pursuit, many felt frustrated and guilty.

Confirming his presence and finding him again was no easy feat.

Everyone was desperate to catch him, to clear Qin Jiang’s name.

Yet now, Lin He had escaped.

Zheng He felt he couldn’t even look at Ye Sangsang.

She had led them to the killer, risking her life to extract information, successfully locating the suspect, and had even charged forward herself. Now, the result was that they had lost him.

After arranging for the team to continue searching, Zheng He took out his phone to contact the chief and issue a wanted notice.

But before he could speak, Ye Sangsang approached and said, "I’d like to take a break and step out for a bit, not participate in the search for now."

"Sure, go ahead. Just stay safe," Zheng He readily agreed, feeling guilty himself. "Do you want Gu Ling to accompany you? You’re being closely watched by Lin He, and I think he might come after you."

As a probationary detective who hadn’t even officially joined the force, Ye Sangsang had been working tirelessly for a long time without rest.

She had already done more than enough. Taking a break was reasonable, and the others present fully understood.

With so many people involved, one more or less wouldn’t make a significant difference.

Gu Ling didn’t question her decision. The two got in a car and drove away.

Ye Sangsang had grazed her arm while climbing the crane earlier. Gu Ling suggested they find a pharmacy and get some ointment to prevent infection.

"Head to the skate rink where he always goes," Ye Sangsang said as Gu Ling was about to make a turn.

Gu Ling let out an "ah," surprised, but obediently changed direction toward the skate rink.

Once they were driving smoothly, she asked, "Is there anything else we need to do?"

Ye Sangsang looked out the window. "Carry out that last dosage for Qin Jiang. It’s our chance to turn the tide!"

Gu Ling’s mouth slightly opened. Ye Sangsang’s words seemed to inject a dose of determination into her disheartened heart.

"Is it really possible?" she wondered, unsure what Ye Sangsang had planned. But she felt that Lin He might really be no match for Ye Sangsang this time.

【Curious! What is Sangsang planning?】

【Sangsang seems like she’s got Lin He wrapped around her finger.】

【I’m eager to see how they catch him! Let’s see what move she pulls!】

Ye Sangsang stayed silent until they reached the skate rink.

Then, she chose to log off.

It was time for a lunch break.

Ye Sangsang opened her eyes and saw a nurse pushing a cart into the room.

The nurse, probably aware that she had just exited a game, waited a while before bringing the medicine to her.

"Do you think I’m really sick?" Ye Sangsang asked calmly for the first time, her cool eyes fixed on the nurse.

Lin He's behavior had raised doubts within her.

Was she the lost madman, or was he the sane psychopath?

Regarding this question, she had instinctively asked it out loud.

The nurse, being a normal person, looked at Ye Sangsang. Perhaps it was Ye Sangsang's performance in the game that gave her the courage to speak.

She said, "If a person can control themselves, then she is a normal person."

After watching Ye Sangsang take her medicine, she felt a little guilty and patted her chest, hurriedly pushing the cart away.

The nurse hadn’t given Ye Sangsang a direct answer, but Ye Sangsang understood the answer nonetheless.

Following that, Ye Sangsang continued with her regular routine.

Recently, due to playing games, she had more rest, and Ye Sangsang felt the world had become a bit more beautiful.

She no longer allowed the caretaker to help her get in and out of bed; instead, she did it herself.

The feeling of not being in control of her own body was something she had never liked.

She read and ate as usual, and after taking her medicine at night, she once again entered the game.

Among the followers of her livestream, the official account of the Chennan Police Department had also been added.

The eccentric hair color, which had been missing for a few days, had turned purple, heavily obscuring his original appearance.

Seeing Ye Sangsang, the eccentric had already forgotten about his previous stubbornness and couldn't help but shake his head and legs, saying, "What do you want from me, sis?"

Ye Sangsang glanced at the person standing beside him, knowing that he was desperately trying to show off his attitude towards the police.

However, this time, instead of being sarcastic, she spoke with a slightly consultative tone, "Do you know any of Qin Jiang’s informants or the ex-convicts he’s helped?"

The eccentric pursed his lips, feeling uneasy due to her polite tone.

"Y-yes, I know some," he said, looking at Ye Sangsang, already cowering, his voice low.

Ye Sangsang nodded, "That’s good."

Gu Ling, standing nearby, had already understood the situation.

However, she was a bit skeptical. Could they really pull this off?

The roller skating rink certainly wasn’t the place to talk, so Ye Sangsang found a quiet spot to discuss the matter.

The eccentric leaned awkwardly in his seat, his feet unconsciously trembling.

Ye Sangsang got straight to the point, "Qin Jiang is in trouble. He was framed and fell from the third floor, hitting his head and falling into a coma. He’s been in the hospital, unconscious, for over half a month."

From the moment Ye Sangsang started speaking, the eccentric straightened up in his seat.

By the time she finished, his lips were tightly pressed together, his hands shaking slightly, his eyes filled with worry.

"Really?" he asked, unable to believe it.

Ye Sangsang nodded.

Gu Ling's eyes reddened as she said, "Qin Ge was seriously injured. The doctor said he might not wake up for a long time."

"Who did this!" the eccentric shouted, his eyes reddening as he stood up.

In his heart, Qin Jiang was a very good police officer. When he was young and ignorant, he had stolen something, and Qin Jiang had given him a harsh lesson at the beginning.

But he couldn’t control himself and continued to steal, mingling with the wrong crowd.

Qin Jiang had put him in detention for half a month.

At the time, he had behaved, but he didn’t understand, even feeling rebellious and hating Qin Jiang for meddling in his life.

His parents didn’t care about him, so why did Qin Jiang have to mess with him?

Later, when he got into trouble again, Qin Jiang had him sent to prison for two years.

No one visited him, no one cared about him, but Qin Jiang did. He visited him, taught him 'life lessons' (also translated as "morality" or "ethics"), and even gave him money to make his time in prison more bearable.

Without him, the eccentric couldn’t imagine what kind of mess he would have become. Maybe he would have ended up dead in some corner.

But now, this good person had been framed and was seriously injured in the hospital, possibly never waking up.

Thinking of this, tears kept falling from the eccentric’s eyes.

"I won’t waste words," Ye Sangsang said. "Qin Jiang was framed, and we’ve already identified the culprit."

She paused, "But just a moment ago, we lost him. This person is very cunning. He jumped from a building and escaped, using the complexity of the downtown area to hide."

The eccentric wasn’t stupid. He understood what Ye Sangsang meant.

"You want me to contact the people Qin Ge helped and have them find him," he said.

"Yes," Ye Sangsang said straightforwardly. "The police are limited in manpower. We’re afraid he might escape Chennan City, and this person is extremely dangerous. We must catch him quickly to prevent him from retaliating against Qin Jiang again."

Ye Sangsang explained all her concerns without hesitation.

Gu Ling glanced at the eccentric, wondering if he could handle such a task.

The eccentric hesitated for a moment. He wanted to do it, but he was afraid he couldn’t meet Ye Sangsang’s expectations.

Ye Sangsang looked at him, her gaze fixed on him.

"He’s waiting for you," she said. "If we don’t find this person, Qin Jiang will have to endure the stigma of being a murderer, lying in that hospital bed. If he doesn’t wake up, he might even lose his police benefits, and in the end, he might not survive at all."

"So, I hope, even if he doesn’t wake up, he’ll be innocent."

The eccentric’s hands trembled violently at his sides. If they couldn’t catch the culprit, would this really happen?

Tears blurred his vision, making it difficult to see the person in front of him, but he could hear the dire consequences being laid out.

[Oh my god, I can’t take it. So, in reality, will Qin Jiang face this?]

[It’s so hard, life is so tough.]

[Is he still alive? When Sangsang didn’t mention it, I could hold back, but now that it’s been said, I’m so sad.]

I want to cry, waa waa waa waa.

Gu Ling turned away, wiping her tears nonstop.

Ye Sangsang reached out, handing her a handkerchief, her eyes still on the eccentric.

"Make the calls," she said. "Contact anyone you can. We’ll use a crowd-sourcing approach."

The eccentric nodded rapidly, his hands trembling as he picked up his phone and started dialing.

Ye Sangsang reminded him to gather these people first and then focus on searching together, as splitting up would make it too easy for the target to escape.

The eccentric thought of a place and made a call.

"Uncle Wang, Qin Ge is in trouble..."

"Brother Qian, Qin Ge needs your help..."

"Sister Li, Qin Ge needs us to support him..."

...

The eccentric was a highly sociable person. In a short period, he had contacted over a dozen people.

Even those he couldn’t reach directly, he instructed to spread the word through the network.

Arriving at the agreed meeting spot, Huixing Plaza, and confirming the arrival of the group, Ye Sangsang quickly repeated her plan, bringing out a map and outlining the rough area to search.

She instructed everyone to form at least two-person teams and to not underestimate the target.

With over two hundred people, all familiar with the area, they should be able to get results quickly.

Many of the people present were familiar to Gu Ling, all individuals they had previously arrested.

When everyone learned about Qin Jiang’s situation, many had fierce looks in their eyes. After hearing Ye Sangsang’s instructions, they turned and left, promising to contact her immediately if they found the person.

"Don’t kill him. If he dies, it’ll be troublesome for me to interrogate him," Ye Sangsang added at the end.

Several people paused momentarily, then let out a "Huh" and agreed.

This crowd-sourcing operation was still spreading rapidly.

The foreman of a freight company was busy loading goods when one of his workers approached him.

"Boss, I want to take the day off today," the worker said, his face full of anger, waiting for the boss to agree. If he didn’t, the worker might quit on the spot.

The boss frowned, and the other workers who were busy also glanced over.

"What’s the reason?" the boss asked, towering and intimidating. The worker was afraid of him, so he explained the situation and added, "Qin Jiang has been really good to me."

The boss’s face immediately darkened.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, staring at the worker.

"Absolutely," the worker nodded and even showed him a photo sent by a friend.

The boss looked back at the dozen or so workers still loading the goods and announced, "Qin Jiang also helped me. I’m a man who believes in repaying kindness. Leave two people here to handle the perishable goods, the rest of you come with me to find him."

"Your pay will remain the same, and I’ll give you a big bonus if we find the person!"

The worker’s eyes widened in surprise, a smile spreading across his face.

The boss took off his apron, grabbed his phone, and led the group out in a car.

Ordinary people also heard about Qin Jiang’s situation during this search.

In this era, people were relatively simple-minded. Given that the culprit had harmed three lives and was extremely vicious, many formed small groups and joined the search.

From the air, one could see people searching among the buildings and stairways in the city center and its surrounding areas.

【Wow, Chao Intelligence, you really know what we want to see! Sob sob sob sob sob.】

【Oh, the perspective has shifted, so many people!】

【Touched, he puts ordinary people in his heart, and ordinary people rush to his aid for him.】

Ye Sangsang watched the changing perspective, her eyes slightly unfocused.

But it was only for a moment. After maintaining contact with the Mohawk, she also joined the search.

...

Lin He lay in the house he had prepared in advance, his face displaying a hint of arrogance.

Although he didn't know how the other side had found him, it was clear that they had underestimated him. With those trash, could they really catch him?

After running too furiously, he had an injury on his right leg, and his thigh, buttocks, and hands were punctured.

He trembled as he found a first-aid kit and began treating his wounds.

The place he was currently at was in a basement. The landlord's house was on the first floor. The basement was supposed to be used for additional rental income, which the landlord had cleaned up for his rented place. Located in a corner of the community, it was very secluded. Once you entered the community and walked into the first floor, you had to turn back and go downstairs. After descending the dark staircase, you would have to lift a tiled plate on the ground to find it.

There was a small vent window, only the size of two adult palms, which externally looked like just an exposed vent hole on the ground.

Except for the landlord, neither the community security guards nor the people living nearby knew about this place.

Most importantly, the landlord didn't live here, and the first-floor house was also rented out to others, who were unaware of it.

He could rest assured and recover his wounds until the news subsided before leaving the city.

The only thing that angered him was that Qin Jiang was still alive.

With the plan now seemingly failing, he thought maybe he could kill Qin Jiang before leaving.

As for being caught, Lin He never worried about things that wouldn't happen.

After applying medicine and taking anti-inflammatory pills, because of the fatigue from fleeing, Lin He fell asleep.

He woke up again to a commotion.

The cover plate above his left side was lifted, and a person with a messy mop of hair came down.

Before he could react, others also followed suit, and a flashlight shone on his face.

Perhaps confirming something, the next moment, a barrage of punches rained down on him.

"Everyone, Officer Shen said, don't kill him!"

After a while, a young man's voice urged.

The others were pushed aside, but not before each gave him a kick.

Lin He looked at these people, puzzled, "You... How did you find me...?"

That Shen Yu actually managed to locate this place.

"It is indeed hidden, known by few, but the kids in the community knew about it," Mohawk sneered.

He may be timid and stubborn-mouthed, but he wasn't stupid.

When Ye Sangsang, Zheng He, Gu Ling, and Yang Wen arrived, Lin He was already barely breathing, lying in the central road of the community.

A circle of people surrounded him, apparently afraid of killing him.

Ye Sangsang walked in, looking down at him, "Three hours later, we meet again."

Zheng He dragged him up, handcuffed him, and sent him to the hospital.

The police car roared in and then roared away.

Ye Sangsang didn't leave. She turned to look at the participants, "I’d like to thank everyone on behalf of Group Leader Qin. Thank you for your effort."

Mohawk's eyes reddened, "We are waiting for you to clear Qin's name."

"I will," Ye Sangsang replied.

After five days of treatment for superficial injuries, Lin He was discharged from the hospital and brought to the interrogation room for questioning.

Lin He looked at Ye Sangsang, who was leading the interrogation, her almond-shaped eyes slightly narrowed, bearing a few traces of ferocity similar to Qin Jiang's.

"If it weren't for my injuries, you would never have caught me," he glared at Ye Sangsang, his vicious gaze like that of a devil, making one's body uncomfortable just by looking at him.

【Wow, that's true ferocity. It's scary just looking at his eyes.】

【No wonder they say murderers have different eyes.】

【Feels like they still need to interrogate him thoroughly for him to confess everything. This guy looks really tough to deal with.】

Ye Sangsang leaned back in her chair, her long, fair fingers with thin calluses tapping on the table.

"I'm a merciful person. If you tell the truth, I won't choose to expose your scars," she said.

Insulting without insulting one's mother, exposing without exposing one's weaknesses.

Lin He looked at his handcuffs and mocked, "You've already figured it out, haven't you? Just convict me, shoot me."

"Xu He, let me ask you, who canceled your household registration? Or rather, you were never registered at home. Your household registration was shifted to Qin Jiang, a decision made by Qin Jiang."

Ye Sangsang didn't waste words, her voice soft but carrying immense weight.

Ye Sangsang continued, "It's not easy being a mouse in the gutter, is it? The name was also given by Qin Jiang. Rivers and seas, your brother is called Xu Hai, and your sister is called Xu Hu."

Xu He instantly clenched his fists, even creaking.

"Officer Shen, this is not case information. I can refuse to answer," he gritted his teeth.

Ye Sangsang nodded, flipping through some documents, "Yes, then let's talk about the bone you gave me. The forensic doctor managed to find some DNA, and I contacted your father to compare it. You know, a paternity test."

"I didn't kill him; he was executed. I just stole it out as a souvenir. That shouldn't be illegal," Xu He boasted.

Ye Sangsang looked at Gu Ling beside her, who handed her something. "Remember Feng Yude? You killed Feng Lian, set up Lin Xue to frame Zhao Tianman and Zhao Tianqi. You were too skilled, your framing impeccable. These things need practice, I think this isn't your first time."

"So, I checked on Feng Yude. Turns out, someone knew about your association. At the time, it wasn't discovered, but all the DNA left at the scene was preserved. Here's the comparison result."

Ye Sangsang raised the document, letting someone hand it to him.

During these five days of his hospital stay, Ye Sangsang hadn't been idle at all.

Back then, Feng Yude firmly believed that only one person was involved, and the perpetrator was only one person. With the execution leaving no evidence, the matter was concluded.

But now, with a comparison made, the results came quickly.

This also fit the profile of someone who had committed multiple crimes, preferring to flee and commit crimes on the run. These years, he had been imprisoned, otherwise, who knows how many twisted crimes he would have committed.

Xu He remained silent, gazing at her.

Ye Sangsang spoke again, "We’ve called other places. As a family member, Qin Jiang visited you many times."

"Huh, he just lived too well, wanted to show off to me," Xu He sneered.

Ye Sangsang didn't choose to correct his misconception or talk about how good Qin Jiang was. Instead, she directly said, "Based on the current evidence, it's enough for you to face the death penalty. So, tell us, what exactly did you do?"

Xu He refused.

Ye Sangsang didn't rush. After a while, she said, "I know what you want. If you hide and don't speak, the things you want others to know will never be known."

Xu He looked at Ye Sangsang, feeling the dread of the person in front of him.

He folded his hands, calmly revealing everything he had done.

After everyone heard it, they were left in a chill.

He had long harbored hatred for Qin Jiang.

Ten years ago, Xu He's brother was sentenced to death for multiple crimes. When they found out, his family tried to reduce the number of charges, hoping Qin Jiang could intervene to strive for a life sentence.

Qin Jiang did not.

Even when Xu He knelt down to beg him, he remained unyielding.

"He was too selfish. For him, it was just a small favor," Xu He's eyes were full of hatred, "Mom and Dad said, as long as he could get Qin Jiang to agree, they would let him move his household registration back home. They would live together as a family, and they would make up for what happened before. They said a lot, and I could feel they still liked me... but... Xu Hai died, and my parents also hated me. Our family no longer accepted me."

"Before, when I got in trouble, they would still hit and scold me when I returned home. After this incident, they treated me as if I were dead."

【Even though his parents didn’t love him because of his congenital physical defects, he still desperately sought their recognition.】

【He should hate his parents! Why does he hate Qin Jiang?】

【The previous one, he feels Qin Jiang is the obstacle to everything. If not for him, he would have gotten what he wanted.】

Ye Sangsang looked at him, "So, you and Feng Yude plotted together to kill Qin Jiang's wife and child, wanting to be loved by your parents."

“Yes, they got the news and treated me well for a while. During that time, their faces were filled with contented smiles.” Reminiscing about this, Xu He's face showed a smile.

Ye Sangsang dropped her gaze and quietly recounted, “You intentionally framed Qin Jiang, destroyed everything he had, and then, like your brother, were sentenced to death. Was that your plan?”

Xu He looked at her, nodding very candidly, “Yes, I thought that only if he were dead could I truly be acknowledged by my parents, and we could become a real family.”

“Unfortunately, he didn’t die. I thought he would just be in a coma for a while.”

Gu Ling’s anger had almost spiraled out of control several times, and finally, she couldn’t hold back anymore and went outside to calm herself.

Because she wanted nothing more than to beat Xu He to death in order to avenge the five lives lost and the severely injured Qin Jiang, who was lying unconscious.

【I really want to rush in and slap him! Ahhh, ungrateful wretch, Qin Jiang was the one who saved him!】

【Can’t tell right from wrong, what a waste!】

【Too twisted, he destroyed the only person who ever treated him well.】

Ye Sangsang sat upright and asked, “So, what do you think they will do?”

Here, “they” naturally referred to Xu He’s parents.

Xu He smiled and replied, “They will certainly be proud of me. They will remember me forever.”

Ye Sangsang didn’t respond and instead lowered her head to pick up her phone, sending out the text message she had already composed.

A minute later, she opened the door of the interrogation room, but only a crack. She stood with her back to the door, staring at the gap.

“I’ve long considered him dead! And now he thinks I’ll hire a lawyer for him? Dream on!” A violent male voice shouted.

An older woman’s voice said, “I think back then he was jealous of his older brother and didn’t plea for him, which was why Qin Jiang didn’t intervene. Now he dares to do this? Once he’s back, just beat him up and toss him out.”

The male voice continued, “If I had known it would turn out like this, I should have listened to my mother and drowned him in a bucket the moment he was born.”

The woman seemed to be soothing the man, but she didn’t contradict his words.

Gradually, the footsteps faded away.

Ye Sangsang quietly closed the door.

Xu He sat in the interrogation chair, his face ashen, his dead-looking eyes filled with despair.

【His dad makes a valid point.】

【Probably staged, well-played!】

【Killing with cruelty and undermining his heart, Sister Sang never thought he would regret it, so let him be in despair before his execution!】

Ye Sangsang sat down, looking at him, “I lied to you just now. This case won’t be made public. They won’t know you framed Qin Jiang. All they will know is that you were involved in a kidnapping, were discovered, arrested, and then executed.”

Xu He suddenly looked at Ye Sangsang, screaming like a madman, attempting to kill her.

“Ahhh, you lied to me! You lied to me…”

Ye Sangsang stood up and walked out of the interrogation room, calming Gu Ling.

Everything had come to an end.

Before Ye Sangsang, a panel appeared.

【Player has initiated a case closure application, collating evidence…】

【Evidence confirms Xu He is the perpetrator?】

【Yes or No.】

She extended her hand and in the case closure options, selected: Yes.

【Congratulations, Player Ye Sangsang, for perfectly completing the "Brutal Carnival" case scenario, scenario evaluation: SSS.】

【Congratulations, Player Ye Sangsang, for being the first to clear the "Brutal Carnival" case scenario, game-wide announcement.】

【Congratulations, Player Ye Sangsang, for receiving the SSS-level completion reward: 3 points to be allocated freely among the body's basic attributes.】

【Congratulations, Player, for receiving the first-clear reward: 1 Plot Hint Card.】

Ye Sangsang confirmed the rewards and clicked to exit the scenario.

Just as she was thinking about checking the livestream, the game sensed she had an incoming call.

She could only give up and exit the game.