Chapter 339: Black Honey

Chen Shi was convinced that Yi Qing was a prime suspect. The task force paused their broader investigation to focus entirely on her.

First, they questioned the medical staff from the day of the surgery. Besides Dr. Li, none of the other staff could recall specifics, as the patient was mostly covered during surgery, and they performed many procedures each day.

Next, they looked into Zhao Puyang. She had lived at the orphanage, and the only information available was the few pages provided by Yi Qing. It was a dead end.

The police examined Yi Qing’s online shopping records, travel history, and visited the orphanage multiple times, but she was meticulous and left no traces. Each visit ended with the officers coming back empty-handed.

Following Chen Shi’s suggestion, the police investigated the orphanage itself. They discovered it was sponsored by a publicly traded company, which had been funding the orphanage continuously for ten years since the new CEO took over. However, there was no private connection between the CEO and Yi Qing or the orphanage.

As the investigation stalled, some team members began to believe Yi Qing was not a suspect and shifted their focus elsewhere. Only Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue continued to pursue this line of inquiry.

On May 31st, Gu You handed Tao Yueyue a second envelope, smiling as she said, “This is your second task!”

Tao Yueyue replied, “Sister Gu, but my hacking skills aren’t good yet.”

“Take your time with that. Tonight’s task is fun. Just be careful and don’t get caught.”

“Will you be there?”

“Not tonight. Be careful on your own.”

Excited at the prospect of an adventure, Tao Yueyue’s enthusiasm was palpable. Just then, Chen Shi called her back home with a stern tone.

Tao Yueyue put the envelope in her bag and went home. From the kitchen, she heard the sound of cooking. Chen Shi, wearing an apron, came out and said, “Writing homework at Sister Gu’s again? I need you to get some soy sauce.”

Tao Yueyue stuck out her tongue. “I thought it was something important!”

“Make it quick.”

Tao Yueyue left, and Chen Shi opened her bag, taking out the envelope and replacing it with an identical one. He muttered, “Little rascal,” before hiding the original envelope.

After dinner, they both ate quietly. Tao Yueyue asked, “Want some wine?”

“Why so considerate today? Got something in mind?”

“No, I just noticed you’ve been a bit down.”

“The case isn’t going well, but it’s normal. Many cases take a long time to solve. You’d better not commit any crimes. You’re so smart; the police might never catch you.”

Tao Yueyue giggled, “If I did, no one would find out.”

“Oh really?” Chen Shi raised his voice. “You better not mess up under my watch.”

After dinner, Tao Yueyue went to study, and Chen Shi surfed the internet. At eleven, he went to bed. Tao Yueyue quietly left her room, checked her tools, and left the house.

Outside, she felt like a bird released from its cage, savoring the thrill of her task. She arrived at the target neighborhood, found a spot to climb over the wall, avoiding surveillance perfectly.

Like a cat, she reached the target apartment and picked the lock in twenty seconds. The house was dark, and tonight’s goal was to draw a mustache on the statue in the bedroom. Imagining the owner’s reaction the next morning made her giggle.

However, there was no statue in the bedroom. Suddenly, the living room lights turned on. Realizing it was a trap, she rushed to the living room, where a masked man locked the door behind her.

“Coming into someone’s house without an escape plan? You’re bold!” the man said in a sinister voice.

Tao Yueyue felt a chill. She thought of Gu You. Was this a setup?

The man pulled out a knife, saying, “Don’t move! There are no cameras to catch you here. I could kill you, and no one would know.”

Terrified, Tao Yueyue backed against the wall, biting her lip to keep from crying. Footsteps sounded outside. She thought it might be the man’s accomplices. He opened the door, and a surprised Gu You stood there.

Reaching into her pocket nervously, Gu You asked, “Who are you? Why switch the task letter?”

“Switch?” Tao Yueyue was confused.

“I didn’t give you this address. I followed you after seeing you enter the wrong neighborhood…” Gu You turned to the masked man, “What do you want? Don’t hurt her!”

“Idiot,” the man laughed, his voice familiar. He removed his mask, revealing Chen Shi’s face.

“Uncle Chen!” Tao Yueyue exclaimed, her pounding heart finally calming.

“Come in, Miss Gu. Don’t worry, this isn’t trespassing. I rented this place.”

Gu You was in disbelief. “How did you…”

“How did I know?” Chen Shi finished for her. “I suspected you were leading Yueyue astray, so I bugged your place. I know about the games you’ve been playing.”

“How did you get into my house?”

“You think you’re the only one who can pick locks?”

“Planting bugs? That’s low!” Gu You was furious.

“You’re just clueless. You think you’re a master criminal but didn’t even notice the bug… Alright, I’ll tell you who I am. Eight years ago, my online name was ‘Steel Snail.'”

Gu You’s jaw dropped. Tao Yueyue, confused, asked, “Does that mean Uncle Chen is famous?”

“Remember I told you about a group of young people who studied crime and played simulation games? It was more of a hobby group called ‘Black Honey.'”

“So, Uncle Chen was…”

Chen Shi nodded, smiling. “I was a member of ‘Black Honey’ in college. I studied crime and criminal psychology to solve crimes!”

He patted Tao Yueyue’s head. “It’s time you knew the truth, so you don’t go down the wrong path.”