Chapter 578: Fading Hope

After listening, Lin Dongxue was shocked. She said, “Will my brother and the others believe this?”

“This is just a hypothesis. It’s hard to convince them. People have immense confidence in their own memories. Those three unrelated witnesses will testify in court that they saw the deceased on October 1st. Compared to that, our hypothesis seems weak,” Chen Shi paused. “So, we need to do an experiment and record it.”

Gu You glanced at the office across the street. “You planned this from the start, didn’t you?”

Chen Shi texted KK to come down first and then explained the plan. KK laughed and agreed wholeheartedly. “Xiao Chong takes a nap every noon. Let’s do it when he’s asleep.”

Around noon, the four quietly went upstairs. KK peeked through the door crack and whispered, “He’s asleep.”

They tiptoed inside. Sun Zhen lay on the sofa, wearing an eye mask and snoring lightly. Gu You approached and began speaking induction words. Lin Dongxue whispered, “Incredible. Just talking in someone’s ear can hypnotize them?”

“Yes, because the subconscious mind is still active. Hypnosis isn’t that complicated, but it has an element of mysticism. A layperson’s guidance isn’t as effective as a professional’s.”

Gu You quickly led Sun Zhen into a deep hypnotic state, removing his eye mask. Sun Zhen opened his eyes, looking eerie but still asleep. Lin Dongxue took out her phone and began recording.

“Look at my face. From now on, when you see this face, think of KK. I am KK, and KK is me. Repeat that.”

Sun Zhen mumbled, “You are KK, and KK is you.”

Gu You signaled KK to hide, then abruptly woke Sun Zhen. He woke up with a start, looking around in confusion. “Chen Ge, what are you doing here?”

“We need KK for something,” Chen Shi said.

“Sure, take him,” Sun Zhen said, patting Gu You’s hand.

“I have something to do this afternoon,” Gu You said.

Sun Zhen said, “I know you, always running off. Go, I need to sleep.”

“Alright, I’ll go with Chen Ge.”

Sun Zhen lay back down, waving them off. “Go, go, I need more sleep.”

Lin Dongxue was amazed. Sun Zhen hadn’t recognized the “KK” in front of him as someone else.

The experiment wasn’t over. To test the strength of the conditioning, Gu You asked, “Does my clean-shaven look good?”

Sun Zhen scrutinized her face. “Looks clean.”

“Notice anything different about me?”

“No, are you feverish, talking nonsense?”

Gu You slapped him lightly. “KK, are you nuts?”

“You idiot, I’m Gu You.”

Sun Zhen stared at her face for a while before saying, “Get lost!”

“Alright, I’m leaving.”

The four left the office, KK marveling, “Gu Da Jie is amazing. I was so nervous, afraid Xiao Chong would recognize you weren’t me.”

Lin Dongxue said, “With such skills, committing a crime would be too easy.”

“No, it isn’t,” Chen Shi said. “Each person’s suggestibility varies. This method can deceive one person but can’t fool many simultaneously.”

KK said, “If you don’t need me, I’ll head back.”

“No, I need to hire you. Keep an eye on Yan Ke. Report any unusual behavior to me. I’ll pay you after we solve the case.”

“No need for payment, I’m happy to help!”

Gu You wanted to participate in the case, and Chen Shi welcomed her. She was the only one who could counter Ling Shuang.

Back at the bureau, Lin Dongxue gathered the second team and showed them the experiment video. Many were too stunned to speak; some thought it was staged, doubting it was possible to mistake one person for another with open eyes.

Lin Qiupu said, “I can’t believe it unless I see it myself.”

Gu You said, “Reflex conditioning is advanced deception. Now that you know the principle, you’re inherently resistant. It won’t work on you. I can demonstrate again, but we need a suggestible person who isn’t aware.”

The room buzzed with discussion. Peng Sijue and Gu You exchanged glances, but no more than with others. Chen Shi wondered if they were really dating.

Lin Qiupu cleared his throat, “Let’s drop it. Other teams are busy; interrupting them isn’t right. The principle makes sense, but it’s still a hypothesis. How do we prove it?”

Chen Shi said, “This hypothesis perfectly explains the case. It’s the missing piece of the puzzle.”

Lin Qiupu pondered but still shook his head. “If we had a jury system, it might convince the court. But without evidence, it lacks persuasiveness.”

Lin Dongxue said, “If we prove an outsider visited the three witnesses’ homes, would that help?”

Chen Shi said, “No, we need direct evidence linking Yan Ke to the murder. Even in court, it might not be enough. This case is likely the work of a gang of top criminals covering for Yan Ke, fabricating a non-existent reality.”

Everyone fell silent. Lin Qiupu asked Peng Sijue, “How did the site re-examination go?”

“We found blood traces, but the floor was cleaned thoroughly. No fingerprints or footprints. The office is now unsealed.”

“The victim’s blood?”

“Yes, but the bleeding amount makes it hard to classify as murder. The body was burned so completely, we can’t determine the cause or time of death.”

Old Zhang said, “It reminds me of cases from the early 2000s when bodies in sacks were retrieved from the river. We knew who did it but had no evidence. Such cases are the most frustrating for police.”

Chen Shi said, “Our job is to reconstruct the crime, like piecing together a broken cup. But if it’s ground into powder and mixed with soil, even the best skills can’t restore it.”

“So, is this case unsolvable?” Lin Qiupu asked.

Chen Shi tapped the table, “Unless we disprove the witness testimonies. They didn’t see Lin Xiaoxiao. There’s a detail that doesn’t match. We need them to realize it.”

Peng Sijue said, “We can re-investigate the witnesses’ homes. If we find the same person’s trace at all three, we can confirm accomplice involvement.”

Though hope seemed slim, Lin Qiupu stood up and declared, “Let’s do it! This is our long-awaited showdown with Zhou Tiannan. We must not let him win!”