Chapter 22: Logging In

The flyer advertised a new Instance that Sanyao had recently rushed out at the request of the authorities.

The promotional campaign was massive, and Sanyao had even offered a million-dollar bounty, planning to launch the collective challenge test on August 6th, which was tomorrow.

Compared to the tips and earnings one could get from successfully unlocking the entire 【Case Analysis】 Instance, a million-dollar bounty was not actually that much. However, it represented Sanyao’s high regard for this Instance, and with the attention of countless media outlets, it was a rare opportunity.

Currently, over a hundred Players had already signed up to participate.

“I’m saying you don’t have the clearance.” He Jueyun glanced at a corner of the folded flyer without opening it, then pressed it against the table and pushed it back. “This is an Instance for veteran Players, and you’ve only just cleared the rookie stage.”

Qiong Cang pulled over a tissue to wipe her mouth and said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “That’s why I asked you out for lunch, isn’t it?”

He Jueyun nearly choked on his frustration. He slapped the table hard and snapped, “I’m the one paying for this! Me! Is this your idea of showing sincerity when asking someone out for lunch?!”

The surrounding diners looked over at the sound. When they saw the pair, their faces filled with complicated, indescribable expressions.

A grown man getting all worked up and red-faced just over buying a girl a bowl of noodles?

It only cost a dozen yuan, a steal for a meal with a beautiful girl.

Poverty is truly terrifying.

Sensing something was off, He Jueyun cleared his throat awkwardly.

Qiong Cang sighed, adding fuel to the fire. “Ah…”

Goosebumps broke out all over He Jueyun’s body.

Qiong Cang slowly pulled her payment card from her pocket. Unable to take it anymore, He Jueyun intercepted her hand and said, “That’s enough, alright?!”

Since it was lunchtime, the restaurant was crowded and not a good place to talk. He Jueyun glanced around and, pushing through his embarrassment, said, “Come outside with me first.”

Qiong Cang grabbed the flyer from the table and followed him all the way to the parking lot.

The lighting inside the car was dim, and the air felt cool.

He Jueyun turned on the overhead light and said, “I believe your abilities surpass most Players. In terms of sheer capability, you are indeed qualified to participate in this Instance. Using lack of experience as an excuse to brush you off isn’t a good reason. However, you should also know the connection between this case and Fan Huai.”

“Of course.”

Qiong Cang lowered her head, unfolded the flyer, and began folding it diagonally. Her voice flowed slowly, like a gentle stream. “Within less than three months after Fan Huai was released from prison, all five witnesses who had accused him back then died.”

“These five people had different financial situations and backgrounds. Aside from their accusation of murder against him back then, they had no obvious intersection. During the ten years Fan Huai was in prison, some of them had never even met, maintaining a clear social distance.”

“Because too much time had passed and the connections were too convoluted, the police didn’t realize their link to Fan Huai when the first three died one after another. The media, however, beat them to it, reporting on Fan Huai’s past and pointing out the connection between the deceased. This put the police on the defensive and drew heavy criticism.”

“Yes,” He Jueyun agreed.

Qiong Cang continued, “But after that, Fan Huai was placed under tight police surveillance and had no opportunity to commit crimes, yet the fourth and fifth victims still appeared. In the subsequent investigation, the police also confirmed that the murderer in the fourth case was not Fan Huai, but a copycat who had seen the news.”

He Jueyun picked up the thread. “The media and the public suspected the police were making excuses for their own incompetence, and even doubted the credibility of the findings. So, the authorities collaborated with Sanyao to create this analysis Instance, inviting top Players to participate in solving it to calm public sentiment.”

Qiong Cang scoffed, “After all, human self-righteousness is practically written into our genes. People only believe what they discover themselves.”

Qiong Cang held up the paper crane she had folded and placed it in the recess in the center console. The blue and white paper looked quite cute.

Qiong Cang looked at him and said, “So, I’m very interested in this.”

He Jueyun observed every subtle expression on her face, trying to tell if she was being genuine. He asked, “Do you believe your student is innocent?”

Qiong Cang smiled and said, “I only believe in evidence and facts. Any emotion beyond that is meaningless.”

“What kind of person is Fan Huai?” He Jueyun asked.

“He was already in prison when I met him. After he got out, he was under police surveillance. How much more do you think I could know about him than you do?” Qiong Cang looked down, her tone somewhat ethereal. “Besides, I also really want to know what his world is like.”

He Jueyun really couldn’t read anything from her face. After a moment of thought, he said, “I can help you get your application approved, but you have to answer one question first.”

Qiong Cang replied simply, “Ask.”

“The call Fan Huai made to you before he successfully escaped, the thirty-two seconds. What did he say?” He Jueyun asked.

The corner of Qiong Cang’s mouth curled into a very faint smile, and she said, “Actually, I already told the police, but they didn’t believe me.”

He Jueyun asked again, “What did he say?”

Qiong Cang opened her mouth slightly. “He told me, ‘Teacher, I don’t think this world is going to get any better. At least, my world won’t.’ I didn’t know how to answer him.”

He Jueyun asked suspiciously, “Thirty-two seconds?”

“Yes,” Qiong Cang said, “with a bit of silence mixed in.”

He Jueyun didn’t quite believe her.

Saying that sentence would take ten seconds at most. During the critical moment of fleeing from pursuit, Fan Huai had taken the time to make a crucial phone call to her just to say that?

“The two of us actually didn’t have that much to talk about. Or rather, for smart people, silence can sometimes speak volumes,” Qiong Cang said. “At that time, the police hadn’t issued a warrant for him yet, the manhunt hadn’t officially begun, and the media hadn’t reported on it. Thirty-two seconds isn’t enough time for him to explain who he killed, what crime he committed, where he was, what kind of danger he faced, and ask me for help, all while expecting me to give him clear directions. You can’t do anything in thirty-two seconds. No matter how smart someone is, they aren’t God.”

He Jueyun thought to himself that she was far more formidable than God. He didn’t believe in God, yet he always found himself instinctively believing her.

Qiong Cang added, “He might have simply wanted to find someone just to say a single word.”

Unbelievable, He Jueyun thought.

Qiong Cang asked patiently, “Is there anything else you want to ask?”

He Jueyun glanced at her, opened the small compartment in front of him, pulled out an invitation card, and handed it over. “Tomorrow morning at eight-thirty, same room as before.”

Qiong Cang: “Thank you.”

·

August 6th, 8:30 AM.

The weather that day was overcast, a massive dark cloud blanketing the sky, yet showing no signs of rain.

Many players who had also come to compete gathered at the Sanyao headquarters, and rows of reporters surrounded the giant screen occupying the main wall of the lobby.

When Qiong Cang appeared, a few cameras pointed at her, but because she wasn’t a well-known player on Sanyao, they quickly panned away.

The game would officially start at 9:00. After Qiong Cang entered the machine early for her ability test, He Jueyun also arrived.

He walked into the office, tapped his knuckles on a young man’s desk, and ordered, “Arrange an identity for me that’s close to Qiong Cang. Preferably one she can’t shake off.”

Hearing this, the young man looked up from his computer, thought about it carefully, stood up, and gave him a solemn salute. “Don’t worry, Boss! Mission guaranteed!”

Seeing his posture, He Jueyun had a faint, ominous premonition, but he didn’t have time to think much about it. He turned and entered the simulation pod, preparing to log in.

If he was late again, he really felt Qiong Cang would humanely put him out of his misery first.

·

9:00 sharp.

Qiong Cang logged into her instance right on time. The familiar text appeared before her eyes.

Welcome Player to the full-simulation live broadcast game 【Case Scene Analysis】 (Million-Dollar Reward Event). The identity you have been assigned is 【Victim】. Memories related to the case have been locked. Please follow the character prompts, strive to escape the death ending, or assist the 【Murderer】 and 【Investigator】 in completing the scene reconstruction.

Identity: Wu Ming (Alias)

Gender: Male

Cause of Death: Murder (Archived)

Player Rating: 93 (You have exceeded 99% of players nationwide.)

Character Compatibility: 42% (If one must stretch to find any similarities, perhaps it is that you are both of East Asian descent.)

Death Progress: 4 days remaining until the 【Night of Murder】 instance begins.

【Note】 Your life is already under threat. Please actively explore the plot, find relevant clues, and unlock the 【Night of Murder】 instance.

【Click here to view instance details】

·

As expected, all information about the case in Qiong Cang’s mind had been obscured. She rubbed her temples to rid herself of the discomfort.

The case introduction was as simple as always.

Wu Ming was the boss of an internet operations company, having built his business from new media content. The company had signed over a dozen well-known internet celebrities, among whom were professional players of 【Case Analysis】.

Young and promising, he was thirty-three years old this year with a net worth of over a billion. He was married with no children, a model of success who enjoyed a good public reputation.

On February 26th, Wu Ming noticed someone was stalking him and called the police. The police provided protection but did not find the culprit.

On the night of February 28th, Wu Ming died in his own home. He was discovered the next morning. The scene was extremely brutal, leading to a preliminary assessment that the murderer harbored intense hatred toward the victim.

At the time of death, he bore multiple different injuries. Post-mortem, parts of his body had been dissected. Several written messages regarding the punishment of crimes were also left at the scene.

As for the cause of death and the specific details of the messages left behind, they were not specified in the introduction. They would likely only be revealed to the player along with the scene reconstruction after the 【Night of Murder】 was unlocked.

The current instance time was: February 25th, 8:00 AM.

·

Qiong Cang closed the plot description and took a tentative step forward.

The scene gradually came into focus, and Qiong Cang silently surveyed her surroundings to gather information.

This was a villa, and the decor was… dripping in gold.

Even though Qiong Cang was very poor, she didn’t really like such a blunt display of wealth. It gave her the illusion that she was about to be bent double by solid gold.

Qiong Cang looked down.

She wore a set of loose gray pajamas and a diamond-encrusted watch. The skin on her palms was somewhat rough, and there was a noticeable scar on her finger. Judging by the position and angle, it was highly likely left from being cut by a kitchen knife in her childhood.

It seemed that before Wu Ming made his fortune, his living conditions might not have been very good.

Qiong Cang bent down, scanning the items on the coffee table. Just as she was about to continue observing, the sound of a porcelain bowl shattering suddenly came from the kitchen.

Qiong Cang walked over quickly and saw a woman standing in front of the dining table with her back to her.

“Her” shoulders were shaking violently, as if she had received a strong shock. Next to “her” character avatar, there was a green character introduction.

“Li Yujia, wife, housewife, Inspector.”

Qiong Cang cleared her throat, emitting a deep, masculine voice from her throat. “Hello?”

The woman turned around. Anger flashed across her face, followed by forbearance, and various other indescribable expressions. To sum it up, it was a twitching, contorted grimace.

That expression… was really a bit familiar.

Qiong Cang said in astonishment, “Brother Q?” Was his taste really that bizarre?

He Jueyun said through gritted teeth, “No!”

Qiong Cang: “…”

How should she tell this man that everyone’s control over their expressions was different, and in her eyes, he might as well have the name “He Jueyun” written across his face.

However, Qiong Cang quickly felt a sense of schadenfreude.

Originally, she was a bit reluctant to play a character who didn’t have long to live again. But compared to He Jueyun, it seemed like nothing at all.

While He Jueyun was still trying to accept this harsh reality, Qiong Cang silently stepped forward, stepped on a piece of broken porcelain with her slipper, and kicked it in his direction.

Qiong Cang scolded sternly, “Why haven’t you cleaned it up yet? What are you standing there like an idiot for?”

He Jueyun looked up in surprise.

Qiong Cang sneered, “What good are you as a woman if you can’t even hold a plate steady? Do you have any idea how much this plate costs?”

The ferocious look on He Jueyun’s face faded, but the muscles at the corners of his mouth were still trembling, completely lost in shock.

Frowning, Qiong Cang spoke with utter humiliation and disdain in every word, gesturing commandingly. “Make another breakfast and bring it to my study. I’ll give you ten minutes. Hurry up!”

Seeing that she wasn’t faking it, He Jueyun felt like he had seen a ghost and couldn’t help but curse, “Qiong Cang, are you out of your mind?”

“Who is Qiong Cang?” The cold man mimed holding a cigarette between two fingers, exhaled a puff of imaginary smoke, and said, “From today on, remember, I am your man.”

He Jueyun finally couldn’t take it anymore and broke his usual rule to swear, “…Fuck!”

Qiong Cang glared at him warningly.

He Jueyun yelled, “Stop giving yourself weird character traits on your own! This has nothing to do with the Instance, okay? You’re just making the game harder for no reason!”

“To be fair, I’m not.” Qiong Cang walked over, grabbed He Jueyun’s hand, and made him look at it.

“Rough fingers, pale skin, a sallow complexion, dry hair, and dark circles under your eyes. It’s obvious you neglect your self-care, and you might have a chronic illness. You don’t look like a wealthy, pampered wife.”

Qiong Cang pointed at him from head to toe.

He Jueyun said, “Are you reading fortunes now? Maybe she really just fell ill and looks a bit haggard.”

Qiong Cang looked down at her watch. “It’s eight in the morning, and there’s no housekeeper here to help. You’re in the kitchen holding a plate, so it’s obvious you’re preparing breakfast for me.”

He Jueyun argued, “Maybe the nanny had an emergency and couldn’t make it. Or maybe Wu Ming is paranoid and doesn’t like having other people in the house. Li Yujia is a housewife, so it’s nothing unusual for her to help make breakfast.”

Qiong Cang stared at him for a moment and smiled. “A typical family dynamic can be seen in all kinds of details. In fact, you can see right through it at a glance.”

Qiong Cang pointed to the dining table, where two chairs had been deliberately pulled far apart. She held up one finger. “One.”

Then she pulled He Jueyun back two steps into the living room, pointed to the photos displayed on the cabinet, and waved her hand in front of him. “Two.”

He Jueyun followed her gaze and realized the people in the photos weren’t the master and mistress of the house, but Wu Ming and his parents.

Looking around, there wasn’t a single photo of the couple together in the entire living room.

Qiong Cang walked over to the entryway, stood in front of a shoe cabinet that took up half the wall, pulled open the door, and gestured to him. “Three.”

Wu Ming’s shoes were all placed in the most prominent spots, occupying the vast majority of the space. Meanwhile, Li Yujia’s shoes were squeezed into a corner on the edge.

“I admit their relationship might be strained, but your next deduction remains to be proven,” He Jueyun said, refusing to give up. “There might be a walk-in closet upstairs. Maybe Li Yujia’s things are up there.”

Qiong Cang found his desperate struggle amusing. She led him to the coffee table and gestured for him to look.

On the coffee table lay Li Yujia’s medical report, which had been impatiently swept into a corner. He Jueyun couldn’t make heads or tails of the X-rays, but the conclusion at the bottom generally indicated nothing was wrong. Despite this, two large bags of medicine still sat on the floor.

He Jueyun flipped through them casually. There were injections, hormone medications, and health supplements.

Qiong Cang picked up a sticky note from the table, which had a schedule of visits to different hospitals on various dates.

He Jueyun felt his scalp go numb, a wave of discomfort washing over him.

Qiong Cang said, “Li Yujia’s medical results clearly show no major issues, yet she is still undergoing high-intensity treatments. They must have been married for… nearly seven years now, and they still don’t have children. Excluding the possibility of mutual choice, the only reason left-you’re a man, you should know.”

“I don’t know!” He Jueyun said defensively. “Don’t try to slander me! Why should I understand him?!”

Qiong Cang said dryly, “Oh.”

Qiong Cang squatted down, picked up all the bags of medicine, and threw them into the trash can nearby.

“At a glance, the only thing in the entire living room that clearly belongs to the mistress of the house is this medical record. Li Yujia placed it in such a prominent spot, which is very likely a silent protest. And what does it say when even a protest is kept this low-key?”

He Jueyun’s face darkened.

Qiong Cang returned to her cold, ruthless persona and commanded, “Breakfast, study, ten minutes, I am your man. For the sake of solving the case, thank you for your cooperation.”

With that, she walked away haughtily.