Chapter 69 08

Chapter 69.08

This man had not appeared in any of the previous investigations.

Lian Xuan's phone records and bank accounts had been checked, but this person was not on the list.

This indicated no phone calls or financial transactions between them, yet they appeared together in this photo. Clearly, they knew each other and were both in this study room at that moment.

Li Shang immediately took out the membership records provided by the study room owner for comparison. His gaze was intense, as if determined to find that person amidst the cluttered information.

He Lin wanted to help, but the materials were all text and tables, some handwritten with sloppy, hard-to-read script.

He had overused his brain today. After just a few pages, he started feeling dizzy, with a throbbing pain in his temples as if a power drill were boring into them.

Li Shang seemed to sense his discomfort, took the roster from his hands, and said softly, "I've got this. You rest for a while."

The concern in Li Shang's voice warmed He Lin's heart.

He checked the time—it was already very late.

He Lin urged, "It's getting really late. You should get some sleep too. You can continue tomorrow."

But Li Shang shook his head. "I want to find this person as soon as possible."

He Lin said helplessly, "Then I'll give you a day off tomorrow so you can rest properly."

"Let's talk about it after the case is solved," Li Shang seemed unconcerned. "I suspect this person isn't from Yuncheng University. He might be from outside."

That's why no one mentioned this person when they questioned the students earlier.

But he must be a member of the study room.

These members come from all over, with hundreds of active users and over a thousand registered. Even excluding the female members, there were still hundreds of people to identify.

The students who come here to study are mostly young people. Trying to find someone based solely on a blurry photo is like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Li Shang's method was to first filter basic information, identifying those whose age matched and who resembled the person in the photo, then comparing them using facial recognition.

Additionally, this person likely had Bai Ran and Lian Xuan added on social media. He input their phone numbers and registered social media accounts to check for any overlapping information.

This was an extremely meticulous task, requiring great patience and concentration. Every piece of information had to be repeatedly verified, and no clue could be overlooked.

He Lin stayed with him for a while, but his eyelids grew heavier and heavier, starting to droop.

Li Shang said to He Lin, "Don't push yourself. Get some sleep. I'll wake you when I find this person."

He Lin really couldn't hold on any longer, and he truly couldn't help much. If he kept going, his mind would turn into mush, completely muddled.

Around two o'clock, he got up to pour a cup of hot water for Li Shang.

He Lin returned to the cubicle, told Li Shang to wake him at four, then quickly fell asleep with his head on the table.

When He Lin woke again, it was already past five in the morning.

Li Shang sat across from him, still fully focused on the materials. But having just recovered from an illness, his physical condition had worsened due to previous injuries. Staying up all night left him listless and exhausted. The light from the tablet cast a cold pallor on his skin, and even his lips had turned pale.

"Why didn't you wake me?" He Lin sat up abruptly, startled by Li Shang's appearance. "No, you have to rest. Staying up all night is too hard on your body." He reached for the tablet in Li Shang's hand.

But Li Shang pulled back, a hint of excitement in his voice. "Hold on. Just a little longer. I've already found that person."

He Lin asked, "Who is it?"

Li Shang pointed to a file on the tablet. "This person, Tang Yanshuo, graduated from Pingcheng University of Science and Technology. His hometown is also near Yuncheng. Last year, he, Lian Xuan, and Bai Ran all applied for the same graduate advisor..."

He Lin took the tablet and examined it carefully.

Not only had Li Shang found this person, but he had also dug up all his social media accounts.

He Lin compared his social media records. On the day the graduate entrance interview results were released, Tang Yanshuo posted a crying emoji: "Didn't pass the interview. Will try again next year."

The most recent post was from a month ago: "Got a supplementary admission. Thank heavens."

Some schools offer supplementary admissions for graduate spots that weren't filled. Clearly, Tang Yanshuo was the lucky one.

This person was also the direct beneficiary of Lian Xuan's disappearance. Based on this information, his connection to the case seemed very strong.

After showing He Lin the results of his investigation, Li Shang finally relaxed. He was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open, but he stubbornly insisted on tidying up the desk, putting everything into his backpack.

After cleaning up, Li Shang leaned to the side and closed his eyes. "I need to rest. I really can't compare to how I used to be. My heart can't handle all-nighters anymore..."

His voice was thick with exhaustion, as if he barely had the strength to speak.

Seeing how tired he was, He Lin felt a surge of frustration. "Now you admit you can't handle it? If I hadn't woken up, would you have let me sleep until morning? What did you promise me before we came? Didn't you promise to rest when it was time to rest..."

Compared to He Lin's nagging, Li Shang was too tired to argue.

"Hmm..." Li Shang murmured softly. He Lin couldn't make out what he said, only seeing him slump down weakly.

Perhaps he wasn't sleeping soundly. After a few minutes, he sat up again, eyes closed, fumbling around his seat, trying to find a more comfortable position.

Li Shang found a cushion to lean against, but it still didn't seem comfortable enough.

Watching him curl up, trying to find something to lean against in the narrow seat but failing, He Lin suddenly had an idea.

He remembered how it felt leaning on Li Shang's shoulder in the hospital. Aside from that strange dream, he had slept deeply and comfortably then.

In a moment of sudden inspiration, He Lin moved closer and let Li Shang lean against his back. Li Shang's hair brushed lightly against his shoulder, as if he had found a support, and he finally fell into a peaceful sleep.

.

Li Shang hadn't expected to stay up so late either, but that was just his nature—he always gave his all and strived for perfection in everything he did.

Only after he told He Lin the results did he finally relax completely.

It felt like running a relay race. At the moment of exhaustion, he had successfully passed the baton, and the weight in his heart instantly lifted.

Only after he lay down did he feel the weakness of complete exhaustion, as if all the energy had been drained from his body. He felt dizzy and cold.

His hands and feet were icy, and a faint sense of weightlessness pulsed from his heart.

Li Shang lay for a while, then sat up and leaned into the corner of the seat. He tried propping a cushion beside him, but still felt his neck and back lacked support, leaving him feeling empty.

After tossing and turning for a bit, he curled up, trying to find something to lean against, but nothing felt comfortable.

After adjusting his position several times with his eyes closed, he finally found a warm, reliable support. His body relaxed instantly, and the discomfort gradually faded.

Li Shang hadn't slept so soundly in a long time. The rented apartment he lived in was cold and empty, and his hands and feet were always icy, as if they never seemed to warm up no matter what.

Now, a massive source of warmth was supporting him. Li Shang's body instinctively clung to this hard-won warmth, and his soul sank deeply into sleep.

It wasn't until the morning sunlight streamed in and woke him that Li Shang slowly opened his eyes and realized, at some point, He Lin had sat beside him, and the comfortable cushion he had found earlier was actually He Lin's back.

Li Shang rubbed his eyes, his voice still a bit hoarse. "Captain He…"

He Lin, seeing that he was awake, stretched his stiff upper body and turned to him with a smile. "Awake?"

Li Shang nodded and checked the time—it was almost nine in the morning.

Fully alert now, Li Shang suddenly noticed that the items originally on the table were gone. He frowned and asked, "Where is the evidence?"

Hearing how hoarse Li Shang's voice was upon waking, He Lin pushed a prepared cup of warm water toward him and reassured him, "Fang Jue came by this morning and took them. He also fetched the water. I’ve sent Lao Wu and Fang Jue to Baiyu Mountain to contact the local officers and see if they can find any leads. You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t want to wake you."

Li Shang lowered his head, avoiding eye contact. He nervously smoothed his hair and rummaged through his bag for a travel-sized toiletries set from the hotel, tossing one to He Lin as well. "I’m going to wash up."

His movements were hurried as he turned and left, leaving behind a flustered retreating back, as if trying to cover up the panic in his heart.

He Lin looked at the toiletries Li Shang had thrown into his arms, surprised that he had prepared so thoroughly for an all-nighter. He picked them up and followed Li Shang to the bathroom.

As the two stood side by side brushing their teeth at the sinks, Li Shang stole a glance at He Lin and found that He Lin was also looking back at him with a smile—one that seemed to carry unspoken meaning. Li Shang didn’t dare dwell on it or look further, his heart racing uncontrollably.

While Li Shang was having an internal meltdown, He Lin found himself thinking with interest that this overtime shift hadn’t been in vain, nor had the all-nighter been wasted. Not only had they found a key lead, but it seemed they had also gotten to see a different side of Li Shang.

Watching Li Shang, who was clearly flustered by his attention yet trying to act composed, He Lin felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.

Even though the atmosphere was awkward, He Lin was certain that the distance between him and Li Shang was gradually closing. Many previously inexplicable emotions would soon find their answers.

They went downstairs and bought some breakfast at a small deli below.

The shop was filled with the aroma of food. They bought some steaming buns and soy milk.

After a quick breakfast, He Lin once again took the driver’s seat when they got into the car.

Li Shang asked him, "To the city precinct?"

"No, to Bai Ran’s previous rental. I’ve already contacted the detective unit from the Fourth Precinct. They confirmed with the landlord that the room hasn’t been rented out and remains as it was." He Lin added, "Following your investigation, I found this lead."

He took out his phone and showed Li Shang a screenshot of Bai Ran’s social media post.

He had marked one post, which read: "The blackout curtains my friend recommended are really great. Pulling them shut during the day feels just like night. As an insomniac, I finally don’t have to worry about being woken up by sunlight."

He Lin gestured toward the phone with his chin and said, "I now suspect there’s something suspicious about Bai Ran’s suicide case."

Li Shang quickly reread the social media post and looked at He Lin. "You mean—it wasn’t suicide but murder?"

He Lin pointed out the hidden clue: "The program Bai Ran and Lian Xuan applied for has very few students. There are also few schools qualified to recruit graduate students for this major, and most of the candidates come from the same university. That student named Tang Yanshuo had his eye on this program early on and came to the study halls near Yuncheng University in advance."

Li Shang deduced what followed: "He looks good-looking and smooth-talking, quickly becoming friends with these examinees."

He Lin nodded: "It was from the time this person appeared that the grad school applicants in the same major started encountering strange incidents—some failed the prelims, some didn’t show up for the second round, and now one who was admitted has gone missing."

Last night, Li Shang had managed to dig this person out from hundreds of candidates, and He Lin had filled in the rest of the information.

Li Shang asked softly, "Was it all his doing?"

He Lin started the car, eyes on the road, and suggested a surprising yet plausible possibility: "I suspect he might be eliminating his competitors one by one…"

.

Near the Yuncheng University campus, the newly paved asphalt road was wide and smooth.

A white police car slowly merged into the traffic.

He Lin kept a steady grip on the wheel, his eyes focused ahead.

Li Shang sat in the passenger seat, his slender frame leaning slightly forward, head bowed as he intently compared the materials in his hands, trying to find more clues from the data.

"Based on the preliminary exam scores, Bai Ran had the highest, followed by Tang Yanshuo, and Lian Xuan had the lowest. In the second round, Bai Ran was absent, Lian Xuan was the last to be admitted, and Tang Yanshuo missed by two points. After Lian Xuan went missing in late August, Yuncheng University conducted a final waitlist admission for the unreported spot in September, and Tang Yanshuo was admitted."

Li Shang’s voice was calm, standing out in the quiet inside the car.

He Lin nodded: "In most past cases involving students, conflicts often arose in close relationships, like between roommates or classmates. Cases targeting competitors like this are rare. That’s why the investigation was difficult at first. If we’re on the right track now, and Tang Yanshuo is connected to Bai Ran’s fall, we can identify the culprit."

Unlike other exams where candidates don’t know each other, in such highly specialized programs, it’s easy to find out who your competitors are during the grad school exams—especially in small study halls or study groups where a simple inquiry can reveal who else is applying for the same major.

Once the school releases the preliminary exam results, the second round list is also posted on the official website.

That young man named Tang Yanshuo might have turned this competition into a brutal game of Mafia.

Lurking in the shadows, he eliminated his opponents one by one…

Months before the exam, he had meticulously planned and moved near Yuncheng University.

Using his methods, he successfully gotten into this grad school exam circle.

Like a cunning hunter, he waited patiently for the right moment, defeating his opponents one by one, paving the way for his own success by any means necessary.

But was this truly the truth of the case?

.

Bai Ran’s residence wasn’t far from the study hall. During her preparation for the grad school exam, she came to study there almost every day.

Soon, their car slowly parked in the lot below the building where Bai Ran had rented her apartment.

It was a mid-range residential complex with good greenery—shady trees, lush flowers, and plants.

Unlike the group rental where Lian Xuan had lived, Bai Ran came from a comfortable financial situation and rented a two-bedroom apartment in this complex. She shared the place with another girl, occupying the larger master bedroom.

Since the suicide case had become common knowledge around nearby schools and communities, the landlord hadn’t found new tenants.

The apartment hadn’t been given a thorough cleaning, remaining largely as it was. Everything was frozen in that tragic moment, as if waiting for them to uncover the truth.

Downstairs, they met Officer Zhang from the precinct who had handled the suicide case.

Officer Zhang was young, and with the case now requiring further investigation, he seemed a bit nervous.

As he led them upstairs via the elevator, Officer Zhang asked anxiously, "Captain He, this case won’t be reopened, will it? We were very careful in our verification back then. There was only the deceased in the room, and there were eyewitnesses from neighbors. It was definitely a suicide."

If there were any oversights in the case, the entire precinct would face repercussions, which added to Officer Zhang’s pressure.

He Lin quickly reassured him: "No, the deceased did jump on her own. What we want to verify now is her motive and understand her state of mind."

This answer put Officer Zhang somewhat at ease.

Officer Zhang said, "I don’t have any cases today and can assist with the verification. If there are any new developments, it’ll be convenient to update the records."

He Lin explained: "We’re following a lead related to a missing person case. This case is just connected. If we uncover any other hidden details, you can prioritize handling and reporting them."

Hearing this, Officer Zhang relaxed, the tension on his face easing. He opened the door for them and asked, "What else do you need help with?"

He Lin said, "Please set up a meeting with the deceased’s roommate. We need to get another statement."

Entering the apartment, they saw it had been given a light cleaning. Bai Ran’s family had come to collect her belongings. A thin layer of dust covered the furniture, and as sunlight streamed through the windows, dust motes danced freely in the air.

He Lin wanted to see a few things for himself. His eyes methodically scanned the room.

The apartment has two bedrooms and one living room, with excellent ventilation. Its standout feature is a soaring, expansive balcony that cannot be enclosed.

On sunny days, such an environment feels uplifting and pleasant. But on gloomy, rainy days, that massive balcony resembles a dark, swirling vortex, silently drawing one toward it and evoking an inexplicable sense of unease.

He Lin frowned slightly and remarked, "Someone prone to depression shouldn’t rent a place like this."

Bai Ran’s room was the master bedroom, which also had a large window that let in plenty of light.

Li Shang walked over and drew the curtains. They were custom-made blackout curtains with two layers, equipped with magnetic snaps where the fabric met the walls.

Once closed, the room instantly darkened.

He Lin took a few steps to shut the door, and the environment suddenly became as dark as night. Without turning on a phone light or a lamp, it was nearly impossible to tell whether it was day or night.

In such a dark space, time seemed to lose all meaning, and everything blurred into chaos.

A moment later, He Lin opened the curtains again.

Sunlight poured back into the room, instantly dispelling the earlier oppressive atmosphere.

Li Shang took several photos around the room, capturing key details from various angles.

He Lin said, "If the friend mentioned in Bai Ran’s social media post was indeed Tang Yanshuo, then he likely did more than just this."

"The curtains were replaced after the New Year," Li Shang noted, consulting the WeChat records. "He might have also tampered with Bai Ran’s phone—switching it to silent mode or altering other settings."

He Lin nodded in agreement. "Bai Ran’s phone was shattered beyond recovery in the fall. Before her death, she had been on medication. Due to increased stress before the postgraduate entrance exam interview, her dosage was raised. Those medications act directly on the brain nerves, with drowsiness and insomnia being common side effects."

After saying this, He Lin turned and walked into the living room. His gaze suddenly fixed intently on the wall clock.

Li Shang followed his eyes and looked up. "7:45…"

This appeared to be another crucial piece of evidence. In her agitated state before death, Bai Ran had smashed several items in the living room, including the glass-faced wall clock. The clock face was shattered, and time had stopped at that moment.

He Lin asked, "The interview began at 8:30 that day. Neighbors heard her crying and screaming around 9:40. Bai Ran jumped around 9:50 after missing the exam due to lateness. So why did the clock stop at 7:45?"

Li Shang followed his reasoning: "Someone deliberately set the living room clock behind to disrupt her internal clock. That way, whenever she checked the time before the exam, she would think it was still early—when in fact, she was already late."

The two stepped out onto the balcony, to the spot from which Bai Ran had jumped. A chilly wind blew against their faces.

Looking down from that height was dizzying.

The young woman had resolutely climbed over the waist-high glass railing and plunged straight down, ending her young and promising life.

Li Shang asked further, "But Captain He, I still don’t understand. As important as this exam was, there would have been other opportunities in life. Why did she choose to jump?"

He Lin replied, "I looked closely into Bai Ran’s life. She came from a highly educated family, always the exemplary child since childhood—winning competitions, topping exams—all the way through college. She was a recent graduate who moved off-campus specifically to focus on preparing for the postgraduate entrance exam."

"She repeatedly expressed on social media and in personal signatures her absolute determination to succeed in the exam. She had even mapped out her future. Her family and friends had long regarded her as a graduate student in the making."

At this point, He Lin’s tone shifted. "But her sunshine and confidence were only surface deep. In truth, she had to study intensely to maintain her grades. For years, she lived under immense pressure, and her bipolar disorder grew increasingly severe. As someone proud, she couldn’t tolerate failure, let alone accept a careless mistake like missing the exam time."

"In a way, being late for the exam became a stain on her life, altering its course. The moment she realized the truth was the moment she was utterly destroyed."

Speaking softly, a touch of sorrow in his voice, He Lin concluded, "She probably couldn’t forgive herself for making such a mistake."

The outcome was deeply lamentable.

The two thoroughly examined all remaining details in the room. He Lin carefully removed the clock, placed it in a bag, and then into a cardboard box, intending to have it examined by forensics back at the station.

He handled it with great care.

Li Shang held the box and looked down at the clock inside. "Will there be fingerprints on it?"

"Maybe, maybe not," He Lin admitted frankly, removing his gloves. "A meticulous perpetrator, given enough time, might not make such a basic mistake. But to be safe, we’ll take it back for examination."

Both understood clearly: police investigations aren’t like detective fiction—they can’t rely solely on logic and so-called truths. If Tang Yanshuo truly was the "culprit" behind Bai Ran’s fall, the hardest part would be finding tangible evidence.

The more challenging the case, the more crucial it is not to overlook even the smallest clues.

He Lin then sighed and said, "If Tang Yanshuo made such calculated and deliberate efforts to eliminate a competitor, the possibility that Lian Xuan was also victimized becomes even more likely."