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Chapter 416: A Stalemate

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

When Fang Yuanyuan saw that expression, it shocked her.

“Don’t scare me! Have you seen a ghost or something?”

Don’t blame her for being touchy.

It was because Xiang Wan’s expression really creeped her out!

The whole of her was as though emitting a creepy, supernatural aura. Not just Fang Yuanyuan, even the cab driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror.

If this was not broad daylight, there was a possibility that he might step on the brakes and chase them out of his cab!

Xiang Wan did not answer Fang Yuanyuan but tapped on the seat of the driver.

“Shifu, please go to the Criminal Investigation Unit!”

Maybe the driver thought he had encountered a crazy woman. “I can’t do a U-turn here! Think it over carefully where exactly do you want to go...”

“Pet shop!”

“Criminal Investigation Unit!”

Fang Yuanyuan and Xiang Wan answered differently at the same time.

The driver scoffed. “... If you’re going to the pet shop, it’s just up ahead. We’re almost there!”

“That’s settled!” Fang Yuanyuan smiled at the driver then held Xiang Wan’s arm and tugged her gently at the hem of her sleeve. “What’s up? You’re at it again!”

Xiang Wan had a habit, a rather problematic one. Whenever she was pondering over a problem, thinking about it would absorb so much of her own thoughts as if she was in her own world. It was like when she was writing her story wherein she would be too engrossed in her own plot that she would feel distant from the world she was living in...

When she got involved in the first case back in Jin City after she started writing her first murder mystery book, this habit worsened.

Xiang Wan came back to her senses when Fang Yuanyuan nudged her and realized that she had lost her composure.

“My bad!” She pursed her lips tightly together. “I just thought of something really important!”

Fang Yuanyuan knew about this habit of hers. “How important is that?” She frowned. “If you don’t go there right away, will someone die because of that?”

Hur! Xiang Wan laughed upon hearing her remark. “Of course not. It’s just an idea that came to my mind related to the case.”

Fang Yuanyuan frowned as she felt that this woman was completely besotted with the case.

“So shall we go to the pet shop first? We’ll visit Blackie then you can go ahead and look for your boyfriend, okay?”

“Mm.” Xiang Wan agreed reluctantly.

“Tch! I think you’re missing your boyfriend too much!” Fang Yuanyuan teased her. “How long have you not seen each other? Young people who have just fallen in love couldn’t stand loneliness. You wished to stick together with him all the time!”

“... You sound like you’re so experienced!”

“I’ve been there.” Fang Yuanyuan leaned against the seat lazily. Her eyes suddenly seemed gentle as if she had thought of something. “Huanghuang and I are a long time couple now. Sis, we will get married soon.”

“Ah?” Xiang Wan turned her head, startled. “Why are you thinking of this again?”

“Tch, why are you kicking up a fuss?” Fang Yuanyuan expressed her disdain toward Xiang Wan’s reaction. “We’ve already discussed amongst ourselves.” Once again, her face revealed a warm and gentle smile. “When he gets discharged, we’ll go back to Jin City and register our marriage!”

“...”

Did she want to do a flash marriage?

Indeed, Fang Yuanyuan was an impulsive girl.

However, she was still young, and she wanted to get married just like that?

Xiang Wan could already feel a headache just by thinking of what her aunts would say.

Furthermore...

Xiang Wan looked at her and decided to ask something.

“So you’re really not bothered about that woman?”

“The two of them did not really...” Fang Yuanyuan knew who Xiang Wan was asking about although they did not mention Tian Danyue’s name specifically. Nonetheless, her bitterness was revealed through her tone, yet she tried to pull off being magnanimous about it. “What he did was for the sake of his job. I believe him.”

With regards to the affairs of the heart, if the parties involved did not mind, outsiders shouldn’t say much either.

Xiang Wan put an arm around Yuanyuan’s shoulders for a gentle squeeze but did not say another word.

...

After changing to another pet shop that offered caretaking services, Blackie was back to his cool and cold nature.

However, he did not resist eating cat food. He was definitely more cooperative than last time.

Even when he saw Xiang Wan and Fang Yuanyuan, Blackie did not appear too close to them. He just swept them a cold glance, and that was all.

“Aye, you arrogant little thing!” Fang Yuanyuan carried him on her arms with a smile and began to stroke the cat. “Such is the life of cat owners. Although you’re keeping a pet, you actually wait on him like he’s your ancestor...”

Pffft!

Her words amused Xiang Wan.

“Did you notice that Blackie behaved like someone we know?”

“Mm?” Fang Yuanyuan did not think of anyone. “Who?”

“Little Bai!” Pffft!

“Uh!” Fang Yuanyuan eyeballed the cat carefully then thought about Bai Muchuan’s usual cold look. “Hahaha, you’re right! They’re actually alike! Even their temperament is the same!”

Blackie didn’t really like to deal with people, much less strangers. That pair of eyes were clearly written with the words: “don’t mess around and stay away from me”. However, after he familiarized himself with others or liked someone, he would even try to get close to them, wishing he could stick to that someone all day long—

Xiang Wan patted Blackie’s head. “Little thing, you’re going to love me one day!”

Blackie seemed to understand what she said. His head then... quickly turned away with disdain.

“Hahaha!”

Fang Yuanyuan was so amused that she burst into laughter.

Those who had cats as pets understood them.

Blackie purred and rubbed its head against Yuanyuan’s hand as she stroked and patted him.

Xiang Wan was so jealous to see that.

After some time, Blackie was more receptive toward her touch. She could now pat its soft back fur. That obedient and adorable look of his almost melted Xiang Wan’s heart.

“Sweetie! I really can’t bear to leave you here!”

Nonetheless, as long as they wouldn’t be leaving Xi City, this was the only option for them right now.

“Be good, okay? We can bring you back with us only when we’re going back home, all right?”

“Meoww...” Blackie mewled.

It seemed to be saying—okay.

That reaction was considered hard to come by.

While Xiang Wan was stroking its head, certain scenes suddenly came to her mind.

Cats.

Scenes that were related to cats.

The cats in the 720 case.

The cat in the 805 Fountain Goddess case.

And this time... the cat in the 121 case.

“It seems like I have an affinity with cats!”

...

After leaving the pet shop, Fang Yuanyuan wanted to go back to the hospital.

Xiang Wan then made a trip to the Criminal Investigation Unit.

The Criminal Investigation Unit in Xi City was very busy.

The office was filled with cigarette smoke and the atmosphere was very heavy and glum.

It was evident that everyone must have smoked a lot.

There were some people who would criticize public servants relating to their living habits, demanding them to abide by the standards as if they were perfectly crafted humanoid machines. They said such form of criticisms in order to feel good about themselves and think like they were on the side of justice.

However, in fact, all members of any sort of groups were just normal people.

These ordinary people also had moods and had their fair share of troubles and frustrations. They would also smoke, drink, and hurl abuse at others.

The 121 case had originally started with the death of four girls...

Now, the case had gotten too big and complicated since it had now involved too many people and incidents. It shouldn’t be treated as a single case anymore.

Initially, when Serious Crime Division One wanted to take the case, they had treated it as their first case since their formation.

Therefore, one could imagine how stressful it was for the elites in Serious Crime Division One to handle such a case.

Nevertheless, there were times that...

One should not underestimate the intelligence of the criminals, nor should one overestimate the investigative techniques of the police.

Currently, the case had reached a stalemate.

In the most initial stage of the 121 case, the murderer of the 4 girls was Yu Bo.

Yu Bo was being instigated by Liang, as well as the “Meng Chi” that he spoke of.

Liang was dead. Brother Steel was dead. All the critical people that could provide them the clues they needed were all dead.

The Dark Clan was also exterminated.

For the past few days after the death of Cui Ming, the Xi City and Nanmu police had joined forces and nabbed another group of Dark Clan members.

On the whole, they had made a great achievement in cracking down on the drug trafficking organization—

As for the boss of the Dark Clan, Cui Ming’s death looked as if it was pre-arranged—he had fallen to his death from a nunnery in the mountain.

If the police couldn’t get hold of any new developments, the case on Cui Ming’s death would eventually close with only that conclusion—died due to a fall.

As for the complicated relationships between Lima, Abdul, Yu Ning, Meng Chi, and others, because of the car crash wherein Lima and Abdul faced their demise, they could also treat the case as closed with this amount of info they had.

...

Yet...

There were doubts in the case.

It was the DNA of both Yu Ning and Ye Lun which was found on Cui Ming’s robe.

They also had to put Meng Chi into consideration, which Yu Bo and Xiang Wan had identified as a suspect.

Nonetheless, as Yu Bo seemed to have a mental problem and Xiang Wan had not actually seen the face of the person who ordered for her abduction to the nunnery, their statements could not be taken seriously in the eyes of the law.

In other words, they did not have direct conclusive evidence in their hands.

That meant they only have one job at the moment...

To find out if Meng Chi was indeed involved in this case or not.

Was he the mastermind behind all these deaths?

They needed conclusive evidence on these.

Conclusive evidence to prove if he was involved or not.

...

When Xiang Wan arrived at the Criminal Investigation Unit, Bai Muchuan was having an analysis meeting with the detectives.

The person who received her was Cheng Xin.

Back in Serious Crime Division One, she was their administrative officer as well.

Now that she was in Xi City, it was only natural that she had to handle such matters.

—dispatch of documents, disseminating official information, photocopying and filing, et cetera. Otherwise, there wasn’t much for her to do in Xi City.

Bai Muchuan did not let her join in any of the investigation work.

“Teacher Xiang, are you looking for Captain Bai?” Cheng Xin welcomed Xiang Wan warmly when she saw her.

Xiang Wan had always abided by that rule: “one does not slap a smiling person”. Hence, she just smiled at Cheng Xin politely.

“Yes, Officer Cheng, is he in?”

Who doesn’t know how to fake a smile in situations like this?

Xiang Wan believed that her smile should appear even more sincere than Cheng Xin’s.

True enough, Cheng Xin was infected by her smile. “All of them are in a meeting right now. Do take a seat.”

“Okay.”

“Want some water?”

Xiang Wan sat on a chair. “It’s all right; I’ll wait for him here. Thank you!”

The matter that she wanted to share with Bai Muchuan was something she wanted to discuss with him and maybe get some ideas from him. It was not something that would let him gain some definite evidence in an instant. There was no need for her to behave too nervously and affect his work.

Since Xiang Wan was polite to her, even if Cheng Xin was feeling so unhappy inside, she could only continue to smile at her, reluctantly.

“All right, I’ll get back to my work then, let me know if you need anything!”

“Mm!” Xiang Wan returned a smile and wanted to change into a more comfortable sitting posture when she saw a group of people walking out.

It was Ye Lun, together with his assistants and manager.

They had also made this guy stay in the Criminal Investigation Unit for two days. It seemed like he had been coping well.

He seemed to be energetic and lively. With his team of assistants following along, he was totally like a big star with a lot of airs.

This was a world where good-looking people had a lot of advantages.

Hands in his pockets, Ye Lun strode along the corridor; his assistants following him at both sides with that air of his... He totally did not look like he was here to cooperate with the investigation at all!

He looked like he was going to walk on the red carpet!

Hur!

Xiang Wan could still remember.

That day when she first met him at ‘The Palace’, the Narcotics Police was leading him and a bunch of people to the police car, and he also had that same look.

That look of indifference, and that apathetic sneer of his.

It seemed that no matter how big the incident would turn out, it would have nothing to do with him.

To be honest, Yu Ning really lost out to Ye Lun in terms of pride and arrogance even though he had acted in more popular dramas and had gotten more awards in comparison.

As Xiang Wan thought about the two celebrities, she also did not want to have anything to do with them.

However,

Ye Lun suddenly halted in his steps.

The reason was—Cheng Xin stopped him.

Geez!

Will this boy crazy woman do silly things in the lobby of the Criminal Investigation Unit? thought Xiang Wan.

At this moment, Cheng Xin walked over to Ye Lun.

“Mr. Ye, have you finished settling all the procedures?”