Simulating_Crimes_C68

Chapter 68: Choices? There’s no choice but death!

At this moment,

When it was confirmed that Qu Pengfei’s major was applied psychology, many previous speculations now had a source.

Su Ming looked at the pale-faced, dull-eyed Qu Wenbiao across from him, speaking without emotion.

“Then it seems that the most important point has already matched the suspect we previously described.”

“After all,”

“This method of controlling consciousness as a crime tool, though seemingly simple, requiring just sending emails to induce victims to commit suicide,”

“In reality, the threshold isn’t low. At least those gradual tasks must be designed by professionals.”

“By the way, Brother Sheng,”

“Can you check if Qu Pengfei participated in any internship-like activities at a psychiatric hospital or counseling office during his studies in the U.S.?”

Clearly,

This question was to determine why the emails Huang Yan received mentioned…

The pigs in the psychiatric hospital know better than her how to follow rules.

Was it desperation, or was there something else going on?

Xu Changsheng also understood the underlying meaning of Su Ming’s question and immediately continued to search.

Although his main focus wasn’t criminal investigation technology, as an experienced detective, he had a remarkable ability to gather useful clues from suspects’ social media and official news.

In less than two minutes, Xu Changsheng suddenly slapped the table again, looking seriously at Su Ming and Lin Tian before hurriedly saying,

“Master, Xiao Ming,”

“Do you know what I just discovered by browsing Qu Pengfei’s overseas social media?”

Xu Changsheng didn’t try to act mysterious and turned his laptop towards Su Ming and Lin Tian as he continued,

“Three months ago,”

“Qu Pengfei posted a link to an academic journal paper on a U.S. social media platform, with him as the first author.”

“The title of the paper is ‘On the Use of Drug-Aided Subconscious Psychological Control Techniques.'”

“Then,”

“Before this, based on the content and information from his personal posts, Qu Pengfei also had long-term volunteer experience at a public psychiatric rehabilitation center in the U.S.”

“At the same time, I found the promotional account for that rehabilitation center among all the accounts Qu Pengfei follows.”

“I discovered…”

“Since Qu Pengfei began volunteering there, the number of patients published monthly by the center has been decreasing slightly.”

“Although being in a rehabilitation center indicates those patients are mentally unstable, and their unexpected deaths are normal,”

“If I were to take a bold guess…”

“Qu Pengfei might have been testing that method of controlling consciousness there, with the ultimate goal of inducing victims to commit suicide.”

“That’s why,”

“The number of patients at that center has been decreasing for several months.”

“As for why the center didn’t notice,”

“I think…”

“Such public welfare psychiatric rehabilitation centers probably don’t care about the lives of patients. As long as it’s not an obvious homicide, they just turn a blind eye.”

“So after obtaining the experimental results, he could publish the paper in an international academic journal.”

“Of course, in the paper, the process would definitely be concealed.”

“The most important part is…”

“The most recent post was a photo of Qu Pengfei at a casino in Las Vegas.”

“In the photo, he has numerous chips in front of him, clearly betting a significant amount.”

“After losing everything, he probably borrowed money from loan sharks and, unable to repay, joined a drug trafficking organization.”

At this point,

Xu Changsheng narrowed his eyes and looked at Qu Wenbiao across from him, implying,

“Because he had previous success, after Qu Pengfei illegally entered the country and returned to Magic City, he probably, with the cooperation of Principal Qu, began to select targets.”

“Using his most skilled method of controlling consciousness to complete the assessment task for the large drug trafficking organization.”

“Only then,”

“Could he increase the drug quota to earn more profit.”

“Right, Principal Qu?”

It was clear now.

Through the things Qu Pengfei displayed on social media, combined with the existing clues, they had already met the key requirements for the case of the falling incident.

At the same time,

Qu Wenbiao’s current condition and actions were also well explained.

In order to protect his son, Qu Wenbiao chose to take the fall for the case.

It could be said that all the clues gathered were already pointing to Qu Pengfei.

But in response to Xu Changsheng’s cold inquiry, Qu Wenbiao’s attitude remained unchanged.

Despite his pale face and dim eyes, he still stubbornly answered hoarsely,

“No… it’s not.”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about. Xiao Peng hasn’t returned to the country.”

“This case…”

“I did it all by myself.”

In this situation,

Qu Wenbiao, who was still stubbornly denying, made Su Ming and the others feel a sense of helplessness.

But they weren’t too angry or surprised.

After all,

Most of Qu Wenbiao’s family had passed away, leaving only one son.

And considering the weight of being a father,

Although his personality was weak and timid, at this moment, he was showing unprecedented determination.

Looking at the trembling Qu Wenbiao,

Lin Tian sighed in resignation and shook his head in regret,

“Principal Qu,”

“There’s really no need to cover up anymore. We’ve already found the real killer, and all the clues point to him.”

“By taking the fall like this, not only will it not change the final result, but it will also increase your punishment.”

“Besides,”

“Instead of sitting here, afraid of taking the fall, you shouldn’t have let it get to this point.”

“Even if your son joined the drug trafficking organization out of spite, as the principal, you should understand the seriousness of the matter. You should have stopped it or called the police immediately.”

“But instead, you helped him commit murder. To be blunt…”

At this moment,

Lin Tian stared seriously at Qu Wenbiao and pointed at the table, continuing,

“After being a principal for so many years, you ended up assisting in the crime, turning the knife toward your own school.”

“You’ve betrayed all the teachers and students of Shude High School, and you’ve betrayed the late Zhang Wan, as well as Huang Yan, who is now deeply addicted to drugs.”

“You could have made a better choice…”

Seemingly provoked by these words,

Qu Wenbiao, who had been silent, suddenly interrupted Lin Tian’s words in an emotional outburst.

He clenched his fists and hit the table hard, struggling with remorse and pain as he screamed,

“Choice?”

“Where is there any choice?!”

“When Xiao Peng joined that drug trafficking organization out of spite, all choices were gone!”

“Do you think I didn’t try to make Xiao Peng quit? Do you think I didn’t think of other ways?”

“But, Director Lin, do you know what kind of desperate criminals are in this drug trafficking organization?”

“Do you know these people even built a special dark web to share their murder experiences and techniques?”

“Do you know that those terrifying cases like the ‘Magic City University Dismemberment Case,’ ‘Red-Clad Boy’s Strangulation Suicide,’ and ‘Villa Chainsaw Dismemberment’ were actually all committed by members of this organization?”

“Heh, choice?”

“You know… you know…”

“Once you join this organization, there’s no way out except death!!!”