Chapter 967: The Ultimate Boss

Chen Shi took a look at the phone. It turned out someone had sent an email to the deceased’s phone, and the sound they heard earlier was the notification for the email.

He carefully opened the email, noting a large attachment that appeared to be a video file.

Chen Shi handed the phone back to the officer and said, “Take this back so we can all analyze it together.”

He patted Tao Yueyue on the back, saying, “You did very well today.”

“Hehe, because this case is so interesting!” Tao Yueyue replied with a shy smile.

Back at the station, Lin Dongxue had returned as well. Tao Yueyue excitedly recounted the earlier events, and Lin Dongxue exclaimed, “I didn’t expect such a big breakthrough.”

Chen Shi said, “But I think this is just the beginning.”

He gathered everyone in the conference room, turned off the lights, and projected the video onto the screen. As the video began, everyone felt a wave of tension, wondering if it would be something disturbing.

The screen showed a black-and-white image of a face made up of dots, seemingly created with some sort of video encoding technology.

The face’s features were indistinct, but it was clearly a man. He began speaking, his voice modified by software. “If you are watching this video, it means my executor, Lu Dahai, has been captured or killed.”

“Who are you!” Tao Yueyue blurted out, still shaken by the man who had tried to kill her just days before.

The video, of course, didn’t respond to her. The eerie face continued, “Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Human Observer. I observe everything in Long’an. Naturally, I have a real-world identity, but that will remain confidential for now. You must be curious why I kill those seemingly innocent people. Perhaps you are trying to interrogate Lu Dahai. There is no need because I will tell you our purpose!”

The dots on the face shifted, indicating changes in the speaker’s expression. He continued in a calm tone, “The people I kill will become criminals in the near future and go on to harm others.”

“What!”

“That’s nonsense!”

“He’s a lunatic!”

The officers erupted in discussion, and Tao Yueyue’s eyes widened in fear.

Chen Shi, equally shocked, made a gesture to silence everyone, eager to hear more of what the “Human Observer” had to say.

“You must find this hard to believe,” the Observer went on. “But my conclusions and targets are not based on subjective assumptions. They are the results of precise calculations. Before acting, I conducted extensive objective observations and sample analyses. These samples include names you might recognize: Gao Xiaohui, Wu Hao, Deng Zhongming, Zhuo Xuan…”

He listed names of murderers that the Second Criminal Investigation Unit had arrested over the past two years.

The Observer continued, “When these people were still ordinary, the calculations of the ‘Life Functions’ already predicted they would kill. The accuracy rate is 100%! Humans are not as complex as you think. With enough data and a proper algorithm, anyone’s actions ten or twenty years into the future can be accurately predicted! I should have remained a calm and objective observer, but seeing cunning and brutal criminals emerge endlessly while the police mostly play the role of janitors, I knew I had to do something for Long’an to curb the high crime rate. I trained a group of executors who were loyal and anonymous to eliminate potential criminals and protect innocent citizens.”

“How dare you! What gives you the right to judge those people!” Old Zhang stood up, shouting at the video.

The Human Observer slowly blinked and smiled. “Officer Zhang, please calm down.”

“What the…!?”

“Is there a camera in here?” someone exclaimed.

The Observer continued, “Don’t bother looking. This is a pre-recorded video. There are no cameras in your conference room. I said I am the Human Observer. I know every officer’s behavior patterns and personality traits in the Second Unit. I know Captain Chen’s troubled past. I predicted all your reactions! This is the ‘Life Functions,’ a precise, rational model of human behavior, just like me. I kill with pure rationality and the noblest motive: saving those who would otherwise suffer. I know you won’t agree with me. I don’t expect you to. After all, you are bound by your perspectives and so-called sense of justice. You can continue investigating this case, but it will be in vain. From this moment, I will put all executors on standby. If you fail to find any leads in twenty-seven days and give up the investigation, I will resume my mission, eliminating the city’s future criminals like Zhou Tian’nan and others. Because I am the Human Observer!”

The video ended. No one moved to turn on the lights or speak. They were all overwhelmed by the enormity of the revelation.

Chen Shi heard the sound of a chair being moved and saw Tao Yueyue running out. He and Lin Dongxue quickly followed.

Tao Yueyue stopped at the end of the hallway, clutching her “Life Functions” sheet. Tears streamed down her face, wetting the paper. Seeing them approach, she tearfully said, “So I am just like Liang Zuming and Zhou Tian’nan. We are all inherently evil, so he wants to ‘cleanse’ me!”

“Yueyue, don’t believe that lunatic’s nonsense. If you do, you’re a fool! Your fate is in your own hands! I’ve watched you grow and improve. You would never kill anyone!” Lin Dongxue said.

Tao Yueyue shook her head vigorously. “I broke up with my ex because I was mad he cheated with my best friend. I hated them both so much I wanted to kill them. I spent countless hours in the library trying to find the perfect murder method! Uncle Chen, I’m sorry. I know my true nature. I don’t deserve to be a police officer!”

Chen Shi said, “I know your true nature too because we are the same. I have wanted to kill countless people. I’ve always been terrified of my dark soul. But anything can be a double-edged sword. This criminal mind can also be used to fight crime, and I love you. I believe you will become an excellent person! Destiny isn’t dictated by numbers and formulas. That man is just justifying his twisted actions! Believing him means you’ve lost. Understand?”

Tao Yueyue threw herself into Chen Shi’s arms, sobbing. Chen Shi gently patted her back. “Let’s work together to catch this maniac, okay?”

Tao Yueyue nodded.