Chapter 225 30

Chapter 225: 30

In the provincial task force headquarters, Li Shang watched the cameras in the teahouse. The surveillance equipment clearly transmitted the conversation between the two men.

Given that the activities of the Sentient Beings Society involved terrorism and severely threatened public safety, the police were authorized to conduct legal evidence collection through surveillance and monitoring, following standard procedures, investigative needs, and leadership approval.

Li Shang knew that Li Linxi’s earlier questioning of Chen Yanchu would yield nothing, and that wasn't their primary objective anyway. Gathering direct evidence for the Psi case was proving difficult, a fact both he and He Lin had long anticipated.

They were like hunters, meticulously searching for the faint traces left by cunning prey.

However, even if the Psi case was handled cleanly with no direct evidence, it didn't mean Chen Yanchu’s actions were entirely flawless.

For instance, there was Case Zero, which He Lin had mentioned previously.

Li Shang referred to it as Chen Yanchu’s criminal genesis.

Based on various testimonies, they estimated the exact time Bai Zang appeared in the M Country industrial park. Subsequently, collaborating with the Xincheng police, they searched through past archives and indeed made a discovery.

After Lv Yichen graduated from university, he left Xincheng. Coincidentally, that summer, Xincheng police found a male body in a hidden drainage culvert on a mountain.

The victim, in his twenties, was a young man around their age. He had arranged to meet a female online friend but was lured to the area and brutally murdered.

This case had remained unsolved, the killer unidentified. However, police collected footprints and bloodstains at the scene that did not belong to the victim, suspected to have been left by the perpetrator.

He Lin and Li Shang re-examined the case file. Considering the timing, signs of struggle, and the shoe prints found at the scene, they concluded that the perpetrator was male, under thirty years old, 175-180 cm tall, and not particularly robust.

While revisiting the case, they telephoned several of the victim’s friends and relatives, asking if they knew Lv Yichen. He Lin also provided Lv Yichen’s photo from that period for identification.

They actually uncovered a lead: one of the victim’s friends recalled an old incident—four years before the victim’s death, Lv Yichen and the victim had a dispute. Their online argument escalated into an offline fight. At the time, they went too far and later feared the other might report it to the police, but no police ever came, and the matter simply faded away.

Considering all these suspicious points, they reasonably suspected that Lv Yichen was the perpetrator.

He Lin deduced that this case was either the catalyst for Lv Yichen’s departure to M Country, or the victim was someone he felt he had to eliminate before leaving.

At that time, he was a first-time offender with crude methods. He had already prepared to flee and never intended to return, thus leaving many clues.

Over the years, the case had never been linked to him, and he had long since let his guard down.

This time, upon detaining Chen Yanchu, the police immediately had technicians collect his biological samples once he arrived at the provincial office.

If Chen Yanchu’s DNA matched the evidence from that case, they would have sufficient grounds to detain him for a detailed investigation.

With the technology currently available at the provincial office, the fastest comparison results would take over ten hours.

To await that evidence, Sun Cheng had already gone to the DNA identification department to wait, ready to notify them as soon as the results came out.

This created a one-hour vacuum between the end of the police’s detention period and the arrival of the results.

How to handle Chen Yanchu during this period was a key point of discussion for the task force.

For such a highly dangerous suspect, to avoid complications, neither He Lin nor Li Shang wanted to let him go prematurely or allow him to make further contact with others.

However, while the police investigation strives to uncover the truth, it must also adhere strictly to legal procedures without any violations.

Especially when evidence is insufficient, forcibly detaining someone could adversely affect subsequent investigations.

Zhou Tianyi suggested having someone tail Chen Yanchu, but Li Shang felt they should use this time to engage in a conversation with him.

Even if the evidence matched and they could legally arrest him, it would only confirm Chen Yanchu’s connection to a criminal case from years ago.

Even if they confronted him with their suspicion that he was Bai Zang, Chen Yanchu would likely remain silent, hire the best lawyers, and they might not be able to get him to talk through interrogation.

If the other party delayed past the predicted time, causing significant casualties, it would be a failure for the police.

Based on Li Shang’s analysis, Chen Yanchu had just won a victory and was at his most proud and relaxed. This would be the best time for someone to engage directly with him.

Moreover, he felt that if Chen Yanchu was indeed Bai Zang, considering their past relationship, it wasn't merely that Bai Zang recognized He Lin; it was highly probable that his torture of He Lin back then had been intentional.

So, for this role, Li Shang first thought of He Lin.

He was also the most likely person to get the other to talk.

This was considered from the perspective of the case and completing the job, but at the same time, Li Shang was somewhat worried.

He Lin engaging in a face-to-face conversation with a suspect possibly Bai Zang, engaging in psychological games, probing his deepest secrets—whether this person was their classmate or not—could potentially stimulate him.

It would be like putting He Lin through the wringer, possibly triggering a relapse of his old injuries or causing an emotional episode.

So, when it came time to make the final decision, Li Shang hesitated. He considered going to talk to Chen Yanchu himself.

But sensing his concerns, He Lin volunteered for the initial meeting with Chen Yanchu, assuring them he could handle it well and respond appropriately.

Other members of the task force immediately agreed, seeing it as a sound plan.

Li Shang had to suppress his worries and consent.

The meeting was set in a teahouse across from the provincial office, with full surveillance and monitoring. Several officers were disguised as customers nearby to observe the situation.

Even so, Li Shang remained uneasy. He repeatedly instructed He Lin to stop immediately if he felt unwell or if any issues arose.

He Lin reassured him in turn, signaling that he could relax.

Now, Li Shang sat before the monitor, closely watching the footage and listening to the dialogue through his headset.

The conversation between He Lin and Chen Yanchu could be key to breaking the case.

.

The dialogue in the teahouse continued.

After exchanging a few more words, Chen Yanchu, unlike his initial resistance and caution, gradually opened up. He actively picked up his teacup and said, "I’d also like to hear what you remember."

"If I say anything wrong, you’ll have to remind me," He Lin said, giving an advance warning. "I remember we were considered friends back then. You were a good student, especially in science; you often ranked among the top in math in the class. You didn’t have many close friends in class. Back then, you always brought your phone to study, and during elective classes, you’d sneakily play games."

Hearing this, Chen Yanchu nodded slightly. "So many years have passed in a flash."

He Lin continued, "Also, when you went to the cafeteria, you always liked to go through the back of the line. You often asked me to save a seat for you."

Chen Yanchu chuckled, but felt a twinge of bitterness inside. However, after so many years, he wasn’t afraid to tell He Lin: "That’s because I noticed that the cafeteria food would be thrown out if not finished. Going later, sometimes buying half a portion would get you more than a full portion at the start. I could eat better for less money."

He Lin refilled his tea while continuing, "Once, the homeroom teacher showed mercy and let us leave early. Everyone in class grabbed their bags and ran. I was already home when I remembered I’d left a homework notebook at school. When I got back to the classroom, I remember you were the only one there, doing problems."

Chen Yanchu nodded gently. "Yes, I didn’t like going home. There was no one there anyway. I’d rather stay at school than go home."

"And that time during snow removal duty, you didn’t bring a shovel. You were almost at school but had to run back home to get it... My memory isn’t complete, but that scene is quite clear."

Hearing this, Chen Yanchu pursed his lips. "Yeah, that’s right. We didn’t have a shovel at home. I didn’t expect Teacher Huang to be so strict. Later, I devised several methods to get my hands on one and managed to get through that."

"Also, you didn’t like rainy days. Whenever it rained, no one came to pick you up... Later, sometimes, I would bring an extra umbrella." He Lin seemed to be straining to recall, then mentioned several things, including many interactions between him and Chen Yanchu.

The two former friends, now on opposite sides, reminisced about their past school life here. It wasn’t exactly heart-to-heart, but at least it was superficially harmonious.

But after Chen Yanchu heard all this, he fell silent for a moment, slowly clenching his fist.

.

In front of the office monitor, Li Shang listened to these words while Lv Yichen's detailed file lay spread before him. It contained his resume, family background, and information about his relatives.

They had long pieced together his childhood through various pieces of information.

He Lin and Chen Yanchu’s conversation seemed casual, but in reality, it was laced with hidden agendas.

This wasn’t an interrogation; they hoped to extract more information through their exchange with Chen Yanchu.

The more they understood Lv Yichen's connection to Chen Yanchu, the more complete their profile of Bai Zang would become, allowing them to better grasp his inner thoughts.

Throughout his upbringing, his parents were largely absent and had an extremely negative influence.

Yet they always felt that some key factors and turning points were missing from his adolescent years. How did he evolve step by step from an ordinary teenager into a suspect?

What happened to him before he reached that initial crime?

As Jiang Shangxue, who had attended the same school as him, Li Shang also had parents who didn't have the capacity to look after him, so he could imagine the circumstances Lv Yichen had faced back then.

Yet afterward, the choices and life paths of the two diverged completely.

As Lv Yichen’s loneliness, extremism, and greed grew, Li Shang could sense the gradual emergence of that malevolent persona of Bai Zang.

So now, their strategy was to use those past realities to get under Chen Yanchu's skin.

Everything He Lin mentioned were actual events from the past, instances where he had genuinely helped Chen Yanchu. He was bringing Chen Yanchu back to those moments.

For the now success-driven, victory-seeking Chen Yanchu, this conversation was slowly picking at the old wounds that had long since healed in his heart.

Make him feel the pain, and he’ll be willing to talk.

Once he reveals a flaw, the police can fill in the gaps in his profile and psychology, pinpointing that critical point of crime and finding his weaknesses.

.

Seeing Chen Yanchu remain silent, He Lin said, “That’s all I remember, but I also have a question for you.”

Chen Yanchu tilted his head to listen.

He Lin asked, “Why haven’t you contacted me or any other classmates all these years?”

Chen Yanchu was silent for a moment, then lowered his head and sighed. “He Lin, have you noticed? Whether it’s you or those other classmates, what you always remember are my embarrassing moments. Now that I’ve achieved success, I no longer need your pity or those condescending glances.”

He Lin sensed that the more Chen Yanchu emphasized this, the more it revealed his insecurity. He followed up on Chen Yanchu’s words: “Do you think that back then, when I looked out for you and wanted to be your friend, I had a hidden agenda?”

“Heh.” Chen Yanchu laughed. “Friends? Is that how you define our relationship as classmates?”

He Lin countered, “Then how would you describe our relationship back then?”

Chen Yanchu looked at him, dropping his pretenses, his expression tinged with resentment. “He Lin, I admit that at first, you took care of me a lot, but…” He paused and looked at him. “Later, your actions let me down badly.”

He Lin asked, “Was it because of the college application process?”

Chen Yanchu shook his head. “No, not just that. I once considered you my best friend—you were my only friend. But you were friendly with everyone.”

He Lin frowned, as if struggling to understand his point. “Can’t a person have many friends? Just because I was friends with you, does that mean I couldn’t be close to anyone else?”

Chen Yanchu said, “I don’t believe in love, and friendship is unreliable. You taught me that lesson.”

He Lin listened, realizing that what Chen Yanchu was saying now was likely his true feelings.

As the police had previously analyzed, Chen Yanchu had an inferiority complex due to his family background, but at the same time, he harbored strong arrogance. He attributed others’ attitudes toward him entirely to his parents, childhood, and the faults of others. He even distorted normal classmate and friend relationships in his mind, turning them into a pathological attachment and obsession.

Chen Yanchu looked at him and continued, “And later, you made another mistake by disregarding my warnings and choosing to become a police officer.”

He Lin recalled the dreams he'd been having and brought up the ice lake incident: “I remember, when I was rescued from the ice lake and woke up, the first person I saw was you.” He paused before adding, “But I also remember—you were the one who sent the ball flying toward the center of the lake.”

At these words, Chen Yanchu turned his head to look at him. “Yes,” he admitted lightly. “You got lucky—Jiang Shangxue saved you.”

Their interactions with students from other classes were limited back then. He Lin had thought he was the only one who kept tabs on Jiang Shangxue, so he was surprised to hear that name from Chen Yanchu. He sensed a change in Chen Yanchu’s voice.

He Lin asked, “You remember him, do you?”