Chapter 19: The Second Day of the Broadcast

At two o’clock in the afternoon, the much-anticipated second day of investigation on “Cold Case Revisited” began right on schedule.

In front of the camera, the host, Lin Bing, displayed her signature sweet and professional demeanor, her voice tinged with an air of deliberate mystery:

“Dear viewers, today’s investigation is anything but ordinary!”

“According to the show’s latest rules, our special contestant Chen Yu, thanks to his outstanding performance yesterday, will receive a cash prize of two million if he succeeds in solving the case!”

With these words, the camera immediately cut to Chen Yu.

“Two million!” Chen Yu was ecstatic, his beaming expression revealing a shameless obsession with money; he nearly blurted out, “Director, I love you!”

“Of course, if another contestant solves the case, he will not be allowed to participate in future episodes.”

The live chat exploded instantly.

“Two million! The production team is really going all out this time!”

“Exciting! Can’t wait to see how Chen Yu gets that money!”

But when the screen shifted and the audience saw today’s investigation target—the headquarters of the Xiangdong Group, and the legendary president Dong Zhan—the mood of the comments immediately changed.

“Seriously? They’re really going to investigate Dong Zhan? Xiangdong Group is a hero to Jiang City!”

“If it weren’t for Xiangdong’s super seed back then, Jiang City wouldn’t be what it is today!”

“The producers have lost their minds! There’s no way President Dong could be the culprit.”

“This plot is just absurd! Anything for the ratings, huh?”

Of course, some viewers, eager for drama, were excited:

“Bold move! I want to see how they manage to investigate such a big shot!”

The live feed froze.

Inside the president’s office at Xiangdong Group, Dong Zhan sat at the center, his demeanor calm and commanding without a trace of anger.

Standing behind him was a young man with a refined face and gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes sharp and calculating—his secretary, Zeng Chen.

Around the conference table sat the four contestants: Chen Yu, Forrel, Pipe, and Bubble Girl, as well as Liu Hong, whose expression was rather uneasy, and Captain Yan, whose face remained dark throughout.

“Dear viewers, we are now at the Xiangdong Group headquarters, about to question the current president, Mr. Dong Zhan,” Lin Bing’s voice chimed in right on cue.

As soon as Dong Zhan’s name was mentioned, the number of live viewers skyrocketed.

His name was known to virtually everyone in Jiang City.

The Xiangdong Group had long since transcended the status of an ordinary company; it carried the memories and emotions of countless people in the city.

Yet, in this delicate atmosphere, Chen Yu’s ill-timed voice broke out:

“Mr. Dong, is it? You’re the business partner of Mr. Luo Xiangdong, who’s been missing for eleven years?”

Dong Zhan raised his brows slightly, his voice deep, “That’s correct.”

Chen Yu’s lips curled into a roguish grin, his words as blunt as ever:

“Well then, forgive my candor, but right now, you are the prime suspect in Luo Xiangdong’s disappearance!”

Boom!

The entire live stream erupted.

The comment section flooded like an avalanche, with nearly unanimous condemnation for Chen Yu.

“Is this kid out of his mind? Does he even know who he’s talking to?”

“All for two million, and he’s willing to say such brainless things?”

“I bet Xiangdong’s legal team is already on their way.”

“Unbelievable! So rude! President Dong is not someone you can slander!”

Even Chen Yu’s own fans, the so-called “Resurrection Squad,” began to panic.

“Careful, brother! You can’t just say things like that!”

“That’s it, he’s going to be blacklisted across the entire internet!”

The director, watching the soaring viewership and the almost uncontrollable barrage of comments, was anything but panicked—he was so excited he nearly leapt out of his chair, whispering fiercely to his assistant, “More money! Give him more money! This kid is a ratings goldmine!”

In the meeting room, the air turned to ice.

Zeng Chen, the secretary behind Dong Zhan, immediately darkened, his gaze behind his glasses as sharp as a blade, directed straight at Chen Yu.

“Young man, you should think before you speak. I suggest you apologize for your reckless words. Don’t tarnish Xiangdong Group’s reputation just for a bit of showmanship!”

“Sorry, Mr. Dong,” Forrel cut in, trying to smooth things over. Clearing his throat, he put on the air of a professional detective, “What we’re more interested in is the nature of your personal relationship with Mr. Luo Xiangdong back then.”

Though Forrel was confident, he knew how to read a room; facing a business titan like Dong Zhan, he instinctively tried to regain control, or at least prevent the situation from spiraling further.

Dong Zhan cast a cool glance at the eccentric contestant before him and replied slowly,

“Xiangdong and I were like brothers. Back then, he was a little-known researcher with a grand dream, persisting for many years. When his research finally made a breakthrough, I was the first one he came to.”

His voice carried a hint of nostalgia.

“I didn’t understand advanced science, but I knew how to turn a great invention into something that could benefit countless people. So, we hit it off at once and became the most seamless partners.”

“His sudden disappearance was a heavy blow for me. Even now, I remember those early days in our humble office, working side by side towards a shared goal.”

He turned his gaze to Liu Hong, his tone softening, “Even after he was gone, I did all I could to look after his widow. Sister-in-law, you can attest to that, can’t you?”

At his words, Liu Hong’s body trembled, her hands clenching tightly in her lap, eyes flickering with a complex emotion, before she nodded stiffly.

Dong Zhan looked back to Chen Yu, his eyes betraying a sense of offense.

“So, when this contestant here accuses me of being a suspect, I am truly shocked. Could you tell me, what makes you harbor such suspicions against me?”

“Ah, such moving words,” Chen Yu replied, unfazed. “For my earlier bluntness, I apologize to Mr. Dong.”

But his tone shifted, his gaze suddenly sharp.

“Tell me, Mr. Dong, if Mr. Luo Xiangdong were still alive, how many shares of the Xiangdong Group would he hold? After all, that groundbreaking ‘super seed’ was the result of his tireless research. I imagine, at the very least, he’d own a majority of what you now possess, wouldn’t he?”

Chen Yu raised his hand, illustrating an exaggerated portion.

Dong Zhan’s pupils contracted, but then he chuckled.

“Young man, you can’t look at things so one-sidedly. Xiangdong was indeed a genius inventor, but the complexities of business are nothing like those of a laboratory. Besides, he’s no longer here.”

“Even after his disappearance, when he could no longer contribute to the company, I ensured his widow, Mrs. Liu Hong, retained forty percent of the group’s shares. And to this day, the company still bears his name. I believe I’ve done all that could be expected.”

“Exactly!” Chen Yu clapped, smiling brightly. “Only with him gone could you so ‘generously’ keep most of the empire that should have been his, isn’t that right?”

Each word struck home.

Dong Zhan’s smile gradually faded. He said nothing, simply stared intently at Chen Yu, his gaze unreadable.

The atmosphere in the meeting room plummeted to freezing.

The live chat lit up again, with even some neutral viewers now finding Chen Yu’s interrogation aggressive.

“What’s up with him today? How can he speak to President Dong like that?”

“This is bad. There’s no turning back now.”

“I knew this resurrection guy was just a reckless hothead. Yesterday was pure luck—what does he know about solving cases?”

Dong Zhan stared at Chen Yu, pondering: Where did this young man come from? Was he really so naïve, or had the show deliberately cast him as a provocateur?

In the midst of this tension—where even the air felt electrified—Chen Yu, as if nothing had happened, spoke again:

“Mr. Dong, do you happen to possess anything related to Mr. Luo?”

What Chen Yu wanted was simple: as long as he could obtain an object connected to both Luo Xiangdong and Dong Zhan, he could use his “Retrospect” ability to determine whether Dong Zhan was truly a suspect.

Yet this seemingly casual question made Dong Zhan’s face change dramatically.

His pupils contracted, his hand holding the teacup trembled ever so slightly. Though he quickly regained his composure, that split-second lapse didn’t escape Chen Yu’s notice.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Dong Zhan’s voice was now deeper, more guarded.

Chen Yu sneered inwardly, but gave nothing away.

An unexpected harvest.

It seemed this President Dong harbored even more secrets than he’d imagined.

“It’s getting late,” Zeng Chen, sensing danger, immediately stepped forward, shielding Dong Zhan and casting a cold look around the room, his gaze settling last on Chen Yu.

“Mr. Dong is a very busy man. The only reason he made time for this investigation is out of respect for Captain Yan. But since your intentions are clearly hostile, there’s no need to waste any more time explaining ourselves.”

He paused, his tone growing harsher.

“Young man, as the principle goes: he who asserts must prove. If you have any substantial evidence against Mr. Dong, present it now. If not—”

His eyes sharpened, and his voice rose:

“Then please leave. The Xiangdong Group does not welcome baseless speculation and slander!”