Chapter 44: Arriving at the Scene of Death

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In the control room, as Director Wang heard Chen Yu’s words, his limp body suddenly sprang from the chair, eyes blazing with a piercing light.

Fear? Panic?

No!

That was money! Traffic! Ratings that would go down in television history!

“Lin Bing! Lin Bing!”

He seized the microphone at the master control console and bellowed into the headset at the dazed Lin Bing on the other end.

“Don’t just stand there! Keep up! Follow that Chen guy!”

“Go find Yan Zheng! Talk to him! No, beg him! We need full coverage! We’ll broadcast the entire investigation live!”

“This is a godsend for our ratings!”

On the other side, Yan Zheng’s face was grim, clearly having overheard the director’s roar—fuel on the fire.

A live broadcast of a murder, a public declaration of war against all the city’s detectives, hijacking the city’s signal…

This was no longer a provocation. This was stomping on the entire Jiangcheng police force with both feet.

And the young man before him, Chen Yu… was a madman.

But now, to deal with a deranged killer, perhaps it took another madman.

Yan Zheng suppressed his anger as his mind raced.

A live investigation?

It would certainly subject the police to immense public scrutiny, but at the same time, it would put the killer squarely in the spotlight!

With that, Yan Zheng’s gaze swept over the host Lin Bing, who was struggling to stay composed.

He nodded heavily.

That single nod was nothing less than signing a pact with the devil.

Permission granted!

Lin Bing understood instantly, signaling frantically at her team. She shouted hoarsely, “All camera crews! Grab your portable gear! Get to the live broadcast vans! Move! Move! Move!”

An unprecedented “live investigation” was set into motion, sweeping across the city in the most frenzied manner, catching everyone off guard!

“Move out!”

With a low growl, Yan Zheng led Su Qingzhu and Chen Yu, striding rapidly out of the studio.

Officers on site immediately cleared a path.

Passing through the restless crowd, Chen Yu didn’t pause for a moment, but from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a lost and broken figure in the corner.

It was Liu Hong.

She was curled up in a chair, arms wrapped around her shoulders, her beautiful face etched with terror, worry, and confusion.

Chen Yu felt as though a needle had pierced his heart.

The tenderness of the previous night, the glaring crimson stain on the sheets, all replayed vividly in his mind.

And just now, before millions of viewers, he had ruthlessly exposed her husband’s homosexuality—stripping her bare in the public square, forcing her to suffer a second wound.

This woman had just had her first blood drawn by him.

Both emotionally and logically, he ought to comfort her.

But now, he didn’t know how to face this pitiable woman who tugged at his heartstrings.

Let nature take its course, he thought.

With that, he stopped hesitating and kept close on Yan Zheng’s heels.

He, Yan Zheng, and Su Qingzhu rushed out of the building and boarded a waiting black special operations vehicle.

Almost as soon as their doors closed, Lin Bing led two TV news vans screeching after them, sticking close behind.

No sirens sounded, but the convoy sped at breakneck pace, weaving wildly through the streets.

An unprecedented hunt for the murderer was about to unfold before the eyes of the entire city!

…

Meanwhile,

In the chaos of the devastated studio, all unrelated personnel were being cleared out.

Amid the commotion, no one noticed a man sitting quietly in a seat in the farthest corner.

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He had simply been left there, ignored by all.

He wore a pristine white shirt, buttoned up to the collar, and a pair of scholarly black-rimmed glasses.

It was none other than Koichiro Sanada, the detective from Sakura Country who had consistently held the top spot on the Star Detective rankings.

He sat with head bowed, calmly reading the latest news just pushed to his phone.

#MysteriousPersonBroadcastsMurder#

#DeathDeclaration: One Victim Every Three Days, No Trace Left!#

#ZombieBroChenYu—Challenged by the Killer!#

Headline after shocking headline flashed before his eyes, yet none seemed to stir him in the least.

Other detectives on site, like Holmes and Bubble Girl, had already been scared witless and were being “protected” by the police.

Only he showed no trace of fear.

After a long while, he slowly looked up, gazing at the screen that displayed Chen Yu’s terrifyingly calm face.

He adjusted his black-rimmed glasses and a smile crept across his lips.

In a voice so low only he could hear, in his native tongue, he chuckled softly:

“Now this is interesting!”

…

Inside the special operations vehicle.

The atmosphere was so heavy it seemed to congeal.

Yan Zheng was bellowing into the phone on a secure line, mobilizing police resources citywide.

“Seal all exits out of the city! Airports, train stations, ports! Top-level security checks!”

“What are the tech department slackers doing? Still no lock on the signal source?”

“Get the cyber unit moving! I want data from every surveillance camera in the city! Immediately! Now!”

In the passenger seat, Su Qingzhu was swiping rapidly over a tablet, speaking at lightning speed as she reported to Chen Yu and Yan Zheng.

“The victim, ‘Fat Cat,’ real name Zhu Dahai, male, 35, unemployed, single, professional online streamer specializing in mystery game broadcasts.”

“He ranked tenth on the detective leaderboard, with a decent fan base, but his reputation wasn’t great—rumored to plagiarize others’ deduction ideas.”

“He lived in the ‘Jing’an Lane’ complex in the west of the city, an ordinary, old residential area.”

“Our people have already arrived and cordoned off the scene.”

Finishing her report, Su Qingzhu glanced up at the rearview mirror.

There, Chen Yu lounged in the backseat, eyes closed, as if resting.

How could he be so calm?

That was a deranged killer out there!

Confusion flashed in Su Qingzhu’s mind, but even more, an indescribable sense of admiration.

This man seemed to possess an unshakable composure, as though even the sky falling wouldn’t faze him.

But beneath his outward calm, Chen Yu’s mind was frantically interacting with the system.

“System, open the store.”

[Ding! System store is now open.]

“Filter all investigation, counter-investigation, and survival skills and items!”

[Filtering…]

In an instant, a pale blue interface unfolded before his eyes, displaying a dazzling array of goods.

[Passive Skill: Crisis Alert (Basic). Price: 1000 skill points.]

[Passive Skill: Eye of Insight. Price: 1000 skill points.]

[Item: ****. Price: 500 skill points.]

[Item: Signal *** (Miniature). Price: 800 skill points.]

Looking at those strings of numbers, and then at his balance of less than 500 points, Chen Yu felt the sting of poverty for the first time.

These things, which might once have seemed like luxuries, now could mean the difference between life and death!

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“No need to exchange anything just yet,” Chen Yu forced himself to stay calm.

Skill points had to be used where they mattered most; it wasn’t time to burn his last bridge.

After about ten minutes, the screech of brakes sounded.

The convoy arrived at the “Jing’an Lane” complex.

There was no need to look for the place—flashing red and blue lights downstairs made everything clear.

A dozen police cars surrounded an old residential building, yellow crime scene tape forming a wide circle, while countless residents craned their necks, watching and gossiping.

“Out of the car!” Yan Zheng threw open the door, a cold, determined air about him.

Detectives already waiting saluted instantly. “Captain Yan! The scene is secured. The forensic and trace teams have just gone upstairs!”

“Understood.” Yan Zheng nodded, leading Su Qingzhu and Chen Yu straight towards the entrance.

Lin Bing and her cameraman tried to follow, but two officers blocked their way.

“Sorry, this is a crime scene. No entry.”

Lin Bing grew anxious and was about to argue when Yan Zheng turned back and said bluntly,

“Let them in!”

With that, he strode into the dark corridor without looking back.

The trio hurried up to the fifth floor.

Apartment 502’s door gaped open, a police officer standing guard outside.

The scene inside made even the battle-hardened Su Qingzhu frown.

Yan Zheng and Su Qingzhu deftly took shoe covers and gloves from the forensics kit at the door and put them on.

Chen Yu followed behind.

But his gaze didn’t immediately sweep the room.

Instead, it landed on a casually placed low table at the doorway.

On it sat an open silver metal case—a forensic toolkit.

Inside, scalpels, swabs, evidence bags, and other tools were neatly arranged.

A young forensic examiner was bent over, sorting through the tools, preparing for the preliminary autopsy.

And this case was sitting right at the entrance to the crime scene.

Anyone coming or going could easily brush against it, or a stray draft could contaminate the tools inside.

This was a rookie mistake—an unforgivable error in crime scene investigation!

It suggested that the team here lacked professionalism, and likely, in the course of their investigation, had already contaminated the scene further—or even destroyed subtle, crucial clues.

Seeing this, Chen Yu’s lips curled in disdain.

This was their level?

“The Wind” chose to play in a city like this.

It was like a university student challenging kindergarteners to a battle of wits.

For him, this hunt might be a mere game.

But for Chen Yu,

It would be a one-sided show.