SWDnovel Chapter 17: This scheme was too intricate.
Chapter 17: This scheme was too intricate.
"That year, we investigated all possible related personnel, forty-three people." Cheng Jing pulled out a list, "including the tenants at the time, neighbors, Li Wan's colleagues, friends, and even people with whom she had disputes. We eliminated them one by one, verified them one by one. Zhao Jianguo and Wang Bin were both on the list."
Chen Ming leaned closer to take a look.
On the list, Zhao Jianguo's name was marked in red: "Suspected of being mentally unstable and having violent tendencies, he had contact with the deceased for repair services, but his alibi at the time of the incident was insufficient and there was no direct evidence."
Wang Bin's name is followed by: "A social idler with a prior theft conviction, whose whereabouts were unknown at the time of the incident, but with no motive or connection."
"Why didn't we investigate them more thoroughly back then?" Chen Ming asked.
"Because there's no evidence." Cheng Jing lit a second cigarette. "The fingerprints and trace evidence extracted from the tools at the scene were either too blurry, contaminated, or couldn't be attributed to a specific person. And most importantly—"
She pulled out an old investigation report and pointed to a line: "The bloodstains on all the tools, after testing, all belonged to Li Wan. In other words, if it was truly a case of multiple people committing the crime, they either wore gloves or cleaned the tools extremely carefully afterward. But the contradiction is that the scene appeared very chaotic, as if it were an emergency. This contradiction has kept the case stuck."
Chen Ming frowned: "And now? Zhao Jianguo and Wang Bin suddenly died 'accidentally,' Cheng Tan had a series of nightmares, Li Kai set a trap to lure seven people back to the scene, and the live broadcast exposed... Isn't all of this someone reopening the case? Or rather, is the real killer purging his accomplices from back then?"
"Why make such a big fuss about purging your accomplices?" Cheng Jing retorted. "Wouldn't it be safer to let them die 'accidentally' quietly? Why broadcast it live? Why drag unrelated people into this? Why lay out the murder weapon from thirteen years ago, matching it to its original location? Why leave behind a provocative note saying 'Those who are meant to come, will come'?"
She walked to the whiteboard, picked up a pen, and began to quickly write down the key points:
1. One month ago: Cheng Tan started having murder nightmares, and a corresponding murder weapon appeared next to his pillow.
2. Three weeks ago: Zhao Jianguo (related to ice cones) died "accidentally".
3. A week ago: Cheng Tan saw an old newspaper and confirmed that the nightmare was related to Li Wan's case.
4. One day ago: Cheng Tan posted a request for help.
5. Two days ago: Wang Bin (connected to the power grid) died "accidentally".
6. Tonight: The 8 people selected by lottery gather at the haunted house, are trapped, and the live stream begins.
"Look at this timeline," Cheng Jing tapped the whiteboard with her pen, "doesn't it resemble a meticulously crafted drama? Prologue (Cheng Tan's nightmare), Act One (Zhao Jianguo's death), Act Two (Wang Bin's death), Act Three (Everyone trapped in the haunted house)... And we are currently stuck in the climax of Act Three."
Chen Ming stared at the whiteboard: "Who is the director? Li Kai? He has a motive; his sister is a victim. He spent thirteen years investigating and set a trap to force out the truth of what happened back then. That makes sense."
"Then why trap yourself in this situation?" Cheng Jing asked. "Why broadcast it live? If Li Kai wanted to interrogate or seek revenge privately, there were much more discreet ways. Broadcasting it live exposes you to the public and the police. That doesn't make sense for an avenger."
"Perhaps... he wants public witnessing?" Chen Ming guessed. "He wants the case to be completely exposed, so it can no longer be covered up?"
Cheng Jing remained noncommittal and continued writing:
7. After the live stream started: Netizens conducted their own investigation and uncovered more background information about Zhao Jianguo and Wang Bin.
8. A hidden camera was found in the room.
9. The entrance to the secret chamber was discovered under the floor tiles.
"Look," she pointed to the last two points, "who installed the hidden cameras? Where did the live stream signal come from? Our technical department traced two signal sources: one is the computer in Cheng Tan's house, and the other is a mobile, encrypted signal source located near Anpingli, but we can't pinpoint its exact location. This means that at least two people are controlling the live stream—one tampered with Cheng Tan's house beforehand, and the other is controlling it in real time near the scene."
Chen Ming gasped: "So, besides the seven people in the room, there are at least two more accomplices outside? Or even more?"
"And then there are those 'voyeurs,'" Cheng Jing added. "Li Kai said they were reporters and morbidly curious individuals he attracted. But could the real mastermind be mixed in among them? Or are those eyes fake—some kind of holographic projection or lighting device used to create psychological pressure?"
She walked back to the window, gazing at the night sky: "This scheme was too meticulous. So meticulous that every step was calculated in terms of public reaction, police reaction, even the reaction of everyone in the room. If Cheng Tan's nightmare is truly uncontrollable, then it is the biggest variable. But if..."
She paused, her eyes sharpening: "But what if Cheng Tan's nightmare itself is also part of this scheme?"
"What do you mean?" Chen Ming didn't understand.
"What I mean is," Cheng Jing said slowly, "maybe there was no 'nightmare prophecy' at all. Maybe Cheng Tan's nightmares and the murder weapon by his pillow were all implanted psychological suggestions or... direct material injections. Someone used a method we don't yet understand to make Cheng Tan 'believe' he had those dreams and saw those murder weapons after waking up. Then they guided him to see old newspapers, guided him to post online, guided everything to develop according to the script."
Chen Ming felt a chill run down his spine: "This...is this even possible? Mind control? Drugs? Or..."
"Hypnosis, hallucinogens, long-term psychological suggestion, plus meticulous material placement—such as sneaking into Cheng Tan's room while he's asleep and placing a murder weapon," Cheng Jing analyzed. "If Cheng Tan himself has poor sleep quality or has sleepwalking tendencies, it will be easier to manipulate. And once he starts to believe that his nightmares are 'prophecies,' he will automatically cooperate with all subsequent developments—including fear, investigation, posting online, and even returning to the haunted house tonight."
"Then what's the purpose?" Chen Ming pressed. "Going to all this trouble just to reenact the case from thirteen years ago?"
"No," Cheng Jing shook her head, "The reenactment is meant to force out the truth. But the truth might be more complex than we imagine. Perhaps the Li Wan case back then wasn't as simple as it seemed on the surface. Perhaps it involved more than just Zhao Jianguo and Wang Bin. Perhaps the 'murder weapons' involved weren't just those on the ground. Perhaps..."
Her words were interrupted by a series of urgent knocks on the door.
Xiao Liu from the technical department rushed in, holding a tablet in his hand, his face full of excitement:
"Team Leader Cheng! We've located it! The exact location of that mobile signal source is right there! It's in a room on the third floor of the abandoned Building 5, opposite Building 7 in Anping Lane! And we've retrieved old surveillance footage from the vicinity—someone went in an hour ago and hasn't come out yet!"