Chapter 166: The Real Culprit Revealed

Chen Shi left an officer to keep an eye on Cheng Yan’s apartment window while everyone else leisurely went to the internet café, which had been rented out for their use.

Xu Xiaodong logged into Jianghu Zongheng, and Chen Shi noticed his character adorned in shiny gear, riding a steed that looked part donkey, part qilin. “Still playing that crappy game?” Chen Shi asked.

Xu Xiaodong boasted, “My in-game wife spoils me, keeps giving me good gear. I level up super fast.”

“Your wife?” Lin Dongxue raised an eyebrow.

“In the game!” Xu Xiaodong clarified.

A few boys came in wanting to use the internet, but the owner told them the café was booked. Disappointed, they started to leave until Chen Shi called them back, offering free access but only to specific machines and on the condition that they didn’t invite others or interact with the police.

The boys were thrilled, one even offering Chen Shi a cigarette. “Are you guys cops on a secret mission?”

Chen Shi glanced at the faint mustache on the boy’s lip. “Not eighteen yet, huh? I’ll let it slide today. Finish up here and get back to your homework… and don’t talk to us.”

“Pfft, cops think they’re so great.”

After allowing three or four more groups of kids in, the café bustled with activity. Chen Shi had his reasons—if Cheng Yan walked in and saw only silent, serious men, she’d definitely get suspicious.

Lin Dongxue sighed, “The trap is set, just waiting for the canary.”

The officers, not usually spending much time online, didn’t know what to do. Someone suggested a few rounds of League of Legends, and soon enough, they split into two teams. The red team’s Master Yi was unstoppable, winning two matches in a row.

The losing team was frustrated. “Who’s that Master Yi? Chen?”

“Nope!” Chen Shi muttered around a cigarette. “I’m the Teemo you guys kept pounding.”

Curious, an officer walked around and noticed Lin Dongxue minimizing a window, pretending to listen to music. “Winter Snow, was that you?”

Lin Dongxue sheepishly reopened the game window, revealing she was indeed the Master Yi, earning her some impressed murmurs. “Played with my brother for a bit. It’s not that I’m good; you guys are just bad.”

“Come on, carry me! I’ll switch to the red team,” Chen Shi quickly defected.

“Chen, you’re such a traitor!”

As the next game loaded, Chen Shi called the officer watching Cheng Yan’s apartment. “She’s still in bed, seems like she’s sleeping in,” came the report. Chen Shi suggested swapping places, sending Xu Xiaodong instead.

“Why me?” Xu Xiaodong grumbled.

“Are you here to play games or work? Move it!” Chen Shi scolded before diving back into the game.

Around 9 AM, Xu Xiaodong returned, reporting, “She’s up.”

Chen Shi ordered everyone to pause their games and sent a particularly intimidating officer to question her. Twenty minutes later, the officer reported back, “Asked her a lot of questions. She seemed very nervous.”

“Alright, find a place to lay low or head back to the station,” Chen Shi instructed over the phone.

Chen Shi watched the café’s surveillance from the bar. An hour later, Cheng Yan appeared, indeed coming to use the internet. Chen Shi instructed the owner to act normal while everyone else kept to their activities, eyes discreetly watching the entrance.

Cheng Yan looked troubled but didn’t sense anything off. She rented a machine, conveniently located in Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue’s line of sight, a spot Chen Shi had intentionally left open.

Cheng Yan logged into a forum and began typing in a private message window, awaiting a reply. The officers quietly exchanged updates through chat.

An hour later, Cheng Yan logged off and left. Once she was out of sight, Chen Shi shut the door, ignoring the kids’ complaints. “Just keep playing; we’ll let you go soon.”

The officers gathered around Cheng Yan’s computer, which still had her forum account open since she hadn’t logged out. They found her private messages and read the conversation:

Yan: The police just came to see me. They seem to suspect us.

Yan: Are you there?

Yan: Get your ass online!

MAK: What’s the rush?

MAK: Stick to our script. The cops are just trying to scare you. Don’t fall for it.

Yan: But I’m scared! I miss you. I feel like I can’t handle this. Can we meet tonight?

MAK: I miss you too, but we can’t meet now. The police can’t suspect we’re connected.

MAK: Did you burn those letters?

Yan: Yes, flushed them down the drain.

MAK: Listen, the police and the Lu family are looking for the missing guy. My plan is flawless.

Yan: What if they find the body?

MAK: They won’t. The police won’t find him. They’ll just think he’s missing. Police solve rates aren’t as high as on TV. Lots of cases go unsolved for years. We’ll get through this because fate is on our side!

Yan: Miss you! Miss you! Miss you!

MAK: Miss you too, darling. Stay strong and don’t crack. You have the right not to answer some questions from the police, okay?

Yan: Got it! I have an interview this morning at XXX. Can’t you come? I just want to see you, no talking.

MAK: I can’t come. I love you, so I must be cautious. Be careful.

Yan: Don’t worry. Can’t wait to see you.

MAK: Me too.

Reading the messages, the officers exchanged excited glances. The real culprit had finally emerged.

“Chen’s theory was spot on!” Xu Xiaodong praised.

“Cheng Yan isn’t the killer. ‘MAK’ is. We need to lure him out!” Chen Shi pointed at the lines, “Get your ass online!” and “What’s the rush?”. “These are code.”

He prepared to type, but Lin Dongxue cautioned, “Can you mimic her tone? If you slip up, it could backfire.”

“Check the IP address,” Xu Xiaodong suggested.

Chen Shi agreed to play it safe, summoning a cybercrime officer to trace the IP and calling Peng Siyue to bring fingerprint and DNA collection tools.