Chapter 109 11

Chapter 109 11

By the time Li Shang returned with the takeout, the thermos had already been tidied away. Lin Hui and He Lin were discussing the case as if nothing had happened.

Li Shang quietly opened the takeout boxes—one for himself, one for Lin Hui. They ate a few hurried bites before resuming their serious conversation.

He Lin sat on the bed, listening intently as Lin Hui recounted Lin Wei’s past experiences.

Throughout the telling, the entire ward remained silent.

He Lin organized his thoughts as he listened to Lin Hui’s narrative.

In her senior year of high school, Lin Wei had connected with someone online. When they later met in person, she was sexually assaulted and barely managed to escape.

A few months later, Lin Wei was killed by the same person.

After Lin Hui finished the story, He Lin confirmed, “So, your sister had chatted online with the male suspect in this case?”

Lin Hui nodded. “It must be him. His old online ID was Mr. Square.”

Even if that person were reduced to ashes, he wouldn’t mistake him.

He Lin said, “During the crime scene investigation, I saw two faint markings next to the victim’s body. One looked like a heart, and the other resembled a door-shaped symbol. Now I suspect it might have been an unfinished square…”

Lin Hui then sent He Lin some information and evidence he had saved in his email.

Many of these clues were painstakingly collected by him earlier, some even more detailed than what was in the police database.

Lin Wei’s phone was lost at the time, but they managed to recover some information through other login methods. This included the man’s Weibo records before he deleted his account, as well as some chat logs. The man had posed as a sympathetic uncle, adept at manipulating young girls’ psychology in conversations, but in reality, he was sinister and cunning.

He Lin nodded. “Thanks. We’ve been trying to identify the female suspect and haven’t found much information about this male suspect. Your clues are a great help.”

After reviewing the information, He Lin handed the phone to Li Shang for him to examine.

He Lin summarized, “So now, the modus operandi of these two individuals is clearer. They lurk in online suicide groups, seeking out and guiding people with suicidal tendencies. Before the victims die, they extort sex and money, then induce them to commit suicide to eliminate evidence. Since the victims are considered suicides and leave behind suicide notes, it’s harder to detect.”

From the initial case of Lin Wei, to Chen Xiao, and now Wu Yuening, they had already identified three victims. It was unclear how many more unknown victims there might be.

The case analysis was nearly complete. The current challenge was how to locate these two individuals, find evidence of their crimes, and identify the next potential victim.

Li Shang thought for a moment and said, “The key is to find their means of communication—the software they commonly use.”

Many online chat platforms have strengthened their moderation, but there are still too many obscure apps available for user communication, making it impossible for cybercrime units to monitor them all in real time.

In the past, some criminals even used gaming chat features to connect, making it hard to guard against.

He Lin lowered his head in thought. “So, where might we find out where depressed people gather for support?”

The most direct method would be to ask people who have experienced psychological issues or suicidal thoughts about the platforms or software they commonly use.

But people don’t advertise their mental health struggles.

As police officers, they couldn’t just seek out depressed individuals and question them one by one. Not only would it be a needle in a haystack, but it would also violate people’s privacy, even if it was for solving a case.

If they cast too wide a net or publicly asked for tips, it might alert the criminals, causing them to change their communication methods.

The three in the ward fell silent for a moment, so quiet that the hum of the air conditioner could be heard.

Li Shang suddenly looked up and said, “I thought of a place where people might know something.”

Lin Hui and He Lin both looked up and asked in unison, “What place?”

Li Shang said, “The Mental Health Prevention and Control Center.”

He Lin immediately understood his meaning and couldn’t help but praise, “Excellent! That’s a great idea.”

Many cities have mental health crisis centers, which include suicide intervention hotlines.

The well-known number for such hotlines is 12356.

On the other end of the line, there is always someone listening to the calls from people in crisis.

If the evil individuals are pulling a rope, trying to lure the vulnerable into hell, then on the other end of the rope, the righteous counterforce opposing them is the psychological counselors answering the hotlines.

They are the ones closest to suicidal individuals. If anyone has been talked down from the edge, the police could potentially gain investigative clues from them.

It seemed they were one step closer to finding these monsters.

Just as they finalized their investigation direction, He Lin received a message from Cheng Xiaoyi: “I might have found the female suspect!”

She sent over some information.

Name: Gu Chuxi, Age: 18, Status: Deceased. The time of death was exactly four years ago.

Cheng Xiaoyi explained, “I applied to review the records of deaths and missing persons reports from the Ningcheng public security authorities and found a missing persons case from November of that year. The case was closed the following May when the missing person was confirmed dead due to drowning. I then compared the location of the recovery and the degree of decomposition of the body, suspecting that she might have switched identities with Chen Xiao and stolen Chen Xiao’s identity.”

In the ID photo, the girl’s facial features somewhat resembled Chen Xiao’s but also had many differences. In another found personal photo, Gu Chuxi had her hair down, and the full hair matched closely the person in the surveillance footage.

Since the girl was only 18 when she went missing, she was four years younger than Chen Xiao at the time. As she was still developing, this resulted in a height difference between the two.

This difference was spotted by Su Wanyin while reviewing the surveillance footage.

However, this clue has yet to be confirmed. They need to contact Gu Chuxi’s parents to verify her identity.

He Lin praised, “Well done, Xiao Cheng. Please call Gu Chuxi’s family first to arrange a time for us to get more information.”

Lin Hui asked from the side, “Is there anything I can help with?”

“Not for now. I’ve asked the doctor, and my condition should stabilize by tomorrow. I can go out to investigate during the day and return in the evening for IV drips.” He Lin still remembered Jin Tingrui’s advice and tried to keep Lin Hui from getting involved, even though this lead concerned the female suspect. “But there is something else I’d like to ask of you. There’s a rookie in my department named Fang Jue, whom you’ve met a few times. He hasn’t been to Ningcheng before and would like to see the city. Fang Jue has taken a couple of days off, and you’re on leave too. Could you give him the tour?”

Lin Hui got He Lin’s message—he clearly wanted him to stay away from the case.

Just then, Fang Jue returned. He Lin winked at him and signaled, “Fang Jue, please help Captain Lin get settled and check into a hotel.”

Fang Jue lived up to expectations and reached out to take Lin Hui’s luggage.

Lin Hui accepted the arrangement and smiled at He Lin. “Take care and rest well. Good luck with the investigation. If you need me, just say the word—I’ve taken the whole week off. Also, I’ll organize the eyewitness accounts and related evidence into documents and send them to you later.”

With that, he quietly followed Fang Jue out, as if he had come all this way just to deliver a clue.

.

That night, Li Shang stayed to accompany He Lin.

The base paperwork was finally done. He only needed to oversee the upcoming drills in a couple of days before he could be free.

The next day, Li Shang was also free and could accompany He Lin to investigate the case.

In the evening, after the doctors and nurses had finished their rounds and locked the ward door, Li Shang started changing into his pajamas without closing the curtain.

Back when they were on duty, He Lin already knew that Li Shang always changed into pajamas to sleep.

Li Shang usually wears lightweight sleepwear, some are even silk. Among those He Lin had seen were black and grey ones, but this time, he had brought a cream-colored set that looked silky and smooth.

The pajamas were loose and slightly oversized on him. The V-neck showed part of his collarbone, and under the light, the creamy hue of the fabric appeared yellowish, making his skin look paler by comparison.

He Lin’s gaze happened to fall on the small mole on Li Shang’s collarbone. He reacted as if startled, and quickly looked away.

After a moment, He Lin stole another glance. Li Shang had already burrowed under the covers, half of his face visible—long lashes, a pale forehead, dark hair falling over it, delicate eyebrows like distant mountains, his lips looking somewhat pale…

Recently, Li Shang had been running around for He Lin. He hadn't been recovering well, and he was clearly exhausted, falling asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

He Lin stared at Li Shang’s sleeping face, memorizing his features with his gaze several times before making himself turn away and avoid looking at the person beside him.

He took a few deep breaths, turning his attention to the case at hand.

A Queen of Hearts, a Mr. Square—was this the message Wu Yuening had tried to convey before her death?

Four years ago, that woman had used a suicide pact to become Chen Xiao.

That man had killed Lin Wei.

But what happened afterward?

How did they meet?

Where would their next target be…

With these thoughts, He Lin finally fell asleep, only to be haunted by a nightmare like something out of a battle royale game, like he was being chased by zombies.

.

The next morning, the two of them went together to Ningcheng’s Mental Health Center.

To work more easily, He Lin specifically brought along the laptop that Fang Jue had brought from the hotel for him.

Li Shang was the one driving.

He Lin sat in the passenger seat, constantly fidgeting—sometimes checking his phone, sometimes looking out the window. He did everything except engage in conversation with Li Shang, who was driving. Even at red lights, when Li Shang glanced over, He Lin kept his head down, apparently deep in thought.

Li Shang found it strange. He didn’t understand why He Lin was suddenly acting distant, hardly saying a word during the entire ride.

After some thought, he concluded that He Lin might not be feeling well, having just started recovering before joining the investigation, and the lack of case leads might be bothering him too.

Fortunately, the journey wasn’t long, and they soon arrived at Ningcheng’s Psychological Counseling Center.

12356—the hotline number was memorable. Li Shang felt it had a positive meaning: "No fours—no death."

The center had eight extensions, and was run by a woman named Sun.

Since Cheng Xiaoyi had already called ahead to give a heads-up, Ms. Sun had already discussed the relevant details with the hotline counselors.

Ms. Sun spoke softly but confidently, and had a calming presence.

As they walked through the hall to the meeting room, phones rang periodically from the call center. They answered calls quickly, mostly by female counselors, with a few male ones as well.

Ms. Sun led them inside, giving them a quick overview of their work as they walked.

"Most of our hotline staff are psychiatrists and psychotherapists. We use professional psychological calming techniques and intervention methods."

"Our work is divided into two shifts, with nights being particularly busy. The early hours of the morning are when most depression calls come in."

"We have first-line and second-line staff. The first-line handles calls, while the second-line team deals with extreme cases. We also work closely with the police and hospitals."

"Since the hotline was launched, we receive around 100 calls daily. However, not enough people know about this service."

He Lin asked, "Why hasn’t it been promoted more widely?"

Ms. Sun sighed. "Probably lack of trust. Past psychological counseling hotlines have been mixed quality. Some callers have encountered canned responses, unqualified counselors who made inappropriate remarks, or even hung up on callers, causing further harm..."

"I can’t speak for other hotlines, but here in Ningcheng, we are committed to our work. As an official service with a unified number, we hope to help people and change the perception that such hotlines are useless. But it’s challenging to manage and expand. One bad complaint can undo a hundred positive experiences."

Seeing their interest, she paused in the hall.

The counselors sounded professional, trying to connect with callers.

"You must have been through a lot... I understand how you feel."

"You’ve already done your best. The fault doesn’t lie with you."

"You can share your situation freely. Our conversation is confidential."

Li Shang listened as the counselors patiently comforted callers, listening to their problems and trying to help them through tough times.

They used warmth, understanding, and support to ease sorrow.

There were still people in this world freely sharing love.

After speaking with Ms. Sun, they filled in several counselors about the case, asking them to stay alert and report any relevant information to the police promptly.

Finally, Ms. Sun handed them a summarized list. "This includes the apps mentioned by callers, based on my discussions with the counselors."

"Actually, there are many emotional counseling apps on mobile platforms. Some people specifically search for them."

"People struggling with depression often have their own circles, but these apps aren’t easily discovered by the general public."

She circled a few with a red pen. "Some of these apps have lax reviews and many users. Others masquerade as psychological counseling platforms but are actually gathering troubled individuals to profit from consultation fees."

He Lin took the list and thanked her. "We’ll investigate each one."

After leaving the center, He Lin forwarded the information to Cheng Xiaoyi, asking her and Lao Wu to start downloading the apps.

They found a place for lunch, planning to visit Gu Chuxi’s family in the afternoon.

He Lin, still unable to eat much, ordered soup, trying to fill up on liquids.

Li Shang ended up pouring the soup over his rice. He Lin wanted to stop him—soup with rice could be hard on the stomach—but seeing Li Shang’s lack of appetite and how he forced the food down, he said nothing. Eating was better than not eating.

While eating, Li Shang downloaded the apps one by one, registering on each.

After trying a few, he said to He Lin, "Some can be ruled out—too few users, poor interface, or no community. But I suspect this one in particular..."

He Lin looked over. Li Shang was pointing to an app called "Heartbeat Catcher."

He Lin forwarded the information to the group chat, asking Cheng Xiaoyi to prioritize investigating this app, while also downloading it himself.

Upon opening the app, the slogan read: "Listen and accompany, private group chats, match and make friends. Share your thoughts, release emotions, confess secrets, and find friends here."

In reality, it was a social app disguised as a psychological counseling platform. It offered one-on-one "healing" sessions, public help forums, and group chats. With location enabled, users could display their whereabouts, and many even used it for dating.

He Lin noticed the word "secret" highlighted and suddenly felt a sudden impulse. He looked up and asked the person sitting across from him, "Li Shang, do you have any secrets?"

Li Shang was still studying the software and glanced sideways to retort, "What about you?"

He Lin hesitated for a moment, his eyes fixed intently on Li Shang. "I didn't used to, but now I do."

Li Shang's fingers paused slightly, and his thin lips pressed together. His expression remained unchanged, and his tone was very calm. "That's normal. Everyone has secrets."

After a while, He Lin asked again, "Li Shang, if you found out someone lied to you, what would you do?"

Li Shang put down his phone, slowly rotated his wrist, and curved his lips into a faint, cool smile. "Have a good talk with them."

He Lin pressed further, "What if... they meant well?"

Li Shang's gaze remained fixed on his phone as he replied casually, "Then listen to their explanation."

He Lin asked expectantly, "And then?"

Li Shang didn't respond, pressing his lips together and rotated his wrist again.

After hearing He Lin ask so many off-topic questions, Li Shang finally looked up from his phone and eyed him suspiciously.

He felt that after this recent incident, He Lin's mind seemed more troubled. Could it be... he was becoming foolish?

Thinking this, Li Shang raised his head seriously and asked, "Captain He, is there something you want to say?"

Under Li Shang's gaze, He Lin moved his lips as if he truly had something to say, but quickly changed the subject.

"No," He Lin waved a hand to brush it off. "It's about time. We should go see Gu Chuxi's family soon."