Simulated Crime, This Criminal Doesn’t Seem to Be Acting

Ye Sangsang had thought there might be a victim who would appear, but she hadn't anticipated it would happen in this manner.

The words on the screen left her momentarily unsure of how to respond.

Wen Yanxin had always been paying attention to news about this case. She had never expected that someone would recreate and exit the room where she had suffered, in the least harmful way possible. Even after twenty years, every time she woke up from a nightmare where she couldn't escape, she would relive the experience of being that blind girl, scurrying like a frightened mouse.

She had suffered severe psychological trauma, enduring profound torment that she couldn't escape.

Her psychologist had contacted her on an ordinary day, informing her that a girl, just like her, had entered that very room. He suggested she take a look.

This case, as her psychologist had mentioned, could be a good fit for *Criminal Files*, offering an opportunity to confront the past harm head-on.

Unfortunately, she lacked the courage. Thus, her doctor encouraged her to observe from a distance.

Her psychologist had told her that the girl was exceptionally strong and confident, likely also someone with mobility challenges.

At his suggestion, she joined the live stream, watching as the broadcast unfolded.

Her heart was filled with bewilderment; she trembled all over, despite having prepared herself thoroughly.

Even though she was scared, she didn't flee. She stayed in the live stream, watching everything happen.

The darkness arrived as expected, and from the perspective of a live stream viewer, she saw her former room, exactly as it had been.

By the way, five years after she had escaped, she had managed to get on a waiting list and eventually received a corneal transplant.

Her parents had never thought she could recover. In their eyes, even if she did, she was still a useless person without any qualifications.

So, they had never considered actively seeking treatment and waiting for a corneal donation.

Recalling these past events, she quickly broke off her thoughts, urging herself not to dwell too deeply on them.

She looked back at the screen, seeing the girl in the room stumble suddenly.

The completely dark world, only those who had experienced it for a long time could truly understand its difficulties.

Although the girl had warnings of danger approaching, she, on the other hand, had suddenly gone blind in an unfamiliar environment, with no memory or experience to guide her.

In essence, her advantages and disadvantages were comparable to those she had faced back then.

She watched as the girl cautiously explored the room, gradually becoming familiar with the unfamiliar surroundings.

"She should leave, right? Being unable to see is truly frustrating." She thought to herself, hoping for this outcome.

If she left, she wouldn't have to confront the past again and could report back to her psychologist.

She observed the girl as she meticulously questioned the superintelligent system, measuring every detail of the room inch by inch.

The live chat was bustling with messages, all urging the girl to leave. They were genuinely kind people who cared despite their love for excitement.

Three hours seemed like a long time, but to her, who had once lived through it, it felt short. She watched as the girl stayed put, her annoyance growing.

She felt distressed. She didn't want anyone else to endure the nightmare she had gone through. She regretted agreeing to provide the case information, allowing everything to be recreated in this game.

She liked the beautiful girl; she was about the same age as she had been back then. She feared the girl would develop the same psychological scars.

Yet, she couldn't change anything.

In that scenario, she had been drugged but had woken up feeling something was wrong and reported it to the police.

While the process was different, the outcome remained the same.

The nanny was punished, and she was blamed for bringing shame upon the family, receiving a slap in the face.

When she saw her father's twisted expression from back then, she felt an overwhelming sense of despair and anger. He had merely taken advantage of how powerless and easily victimized she had been! Yet, they would grow old, become the very people they had once trampled on, tortured by their illegitimate children.

She noticed that the girl didn't resist, even appearing quite calm.

She had returned to that house.

Her nightmare arrived silently as those three hours ended.

She was nervous; watching the girl open the door and the man speak.

The girl let him in. She could tell that the girl was highly vigilant, immediately noticing that his height surpassed that of an average woman.

Yet, she remained composed, not choosing to alarm him.

Back then, she had wanted to subtly agree and ask him to leave.

But things were different; she hadn't realized he was still there, or rather, she had noticed too late.

She watched as the girl hid in the room, wanting to scream, knowing it wasn't a suitable hiding spot.

The man repeatedly tried to open the door, then, like the girl, realized there was a glass partition in the teahouse and rushed over.

As the girl closed the glass door, she rejoiced for her. Indeed, she was a brave and wise girl.

Except for choosing the wrong room due to lack of familiarity, her actions were exactly as her psychologist had described—strong and confident.

The man was formidable; he chose to break down the door directly.

The girl chose to flee.

But she was too inexperienced, unfamiliar with the layout.

When she fell, she truly felt her fear, just like the other viewers.

He advanced step by step, she retreated step by step.

She thought the ending would be bleak, yet the girl found her braille books, using the heavy volumes to strike him hard.

As he continued to harass her, she leaned down and struck him again and again until he was unconscious.

A surge of immense joy filled her. The sight of him lying on the ground transformed her nightmarish memories into scenes filled with exhilaration.

She hadn't even noticed the tears streaming down her face.

Only when they slid down her cheek did she realize it and quickly wiped them away.

The girl prepared to go outside to make a phone call, making her once again panic. The man was weak; back then, it had been a close call when she found a room and hid only for him to break in. At that moment, she had already got hold of an art knife, and the pervert had tried to deceive her to avoid her blade, only to be cut by her sharp reflexes.

He had eventually managed to snatch the knife forcefully, threatening her.

She had pretended to comply, reenacting history, seizing a book and striking him until he was unconscious.

So, he hadn't been a psychological shadow for her.

Her panic arose because, among serial killers, these three were the ones who had left the deepest scars.

The girl quickly sensed something was amiss at the door.

But she hadn't been the same—she had known him, they had even conversed often.

In that environment, she had trusted him completely.

The girl grappled with him; she waited for him to finish stealing and leave, reflecting with some nostalgia.

But she was different—upon announcing someone had entered, he had exposed his true nature.

She was immediately tied up, thrown onto the sofa, watching as they ransacked the room like robbers.

Like the girl, she waited for them to finish stealing and leave.

Watching the screen, she chose the path she had only ever dreamed of—what if she hadn't said anything, if she had pretended not to notice—how might things have turned out?

Would she have avoided the harm?

She became excited, filled with anticipation—maybe things would have been different!

But the truth showed her not to idealize paths she hadn't taken, as they might be just as thorny.

Her hope was quickly shattered as Wang Xuexin's words and actions revealed the reality. Near the end of the theft, he deliberately claimed the girl had found them, seizing the opportunity to bind her.

As he mentioned the video incident, she felt her entire body tremble with excitement.

Tears flowed endlessly, not just from the pain but also because she understood that all of this was his fault—regardless of how events unfolded, he wouldn't let her go.

The arrival of the police had been her only hope for escape in that situation.

The girl didn't resist, choosing to cooperate with them. Even joking with the police, she turned and, during the next assault, promptly knocked out the man known as "Wang Ge."

When the police arrived, she had felt too excited—she wanted to expose them, to ask for help, but they didn't give her a chance. They quickly knocked her out, pretending she had fallen asleep on the sofa.

Chen Jing had said she was the nanny, telling the police she had slept through it all.

She had been violated by Wang Xuexin, and videos and photos were taken.

When they began arguing over dividing the loot, she sat motionless on the bed, helpless in the face of everything unfolding before her.

Chen Jing, seizing the opportunity while the two were still packing, decided to quietly leave with her share.

A horrific nightmare unfolded once again due to this impulsive action.

Upon stepping out, Chen Jing ran into the murderer, who dragged her back into the house and brutally killed her. Wang Xuexin and Zhao Changde attempted to resist but were also slaughtered in the living room.

As her thoughts shifted, she looked at Wang Xuexin, who had been knocked unconscious, and Zhao Changde, who had been thrown and died upon hitting the bathtub. For the first time, she felt a sense of satisfaction.

She understood now; the girl had been intentional. A surge of excitement filled her heart.

It was as if the girl was a parallel version of herself, fulfilling all her desires.

Fulfilling... the need to protect herself.

When the girl hid in the wardrobe, she too felt the fear and panic, just as she had when she had listened to the sounds of battle and screams from the living room and hid under the bed.

She had never imagined that, on this night, her home would be overtaken by such horror and misery.

At the same time, she genuinely admired the girl’s courage and resourcefulness. The girl never thought to hide; she had already planned how to resist.

The girl had realized earlier than herself that inaction would certainly lead to death.

Meanwhile, she had remained hidden under the bed, paralyzed with fear, barely daring to move or even breathe heavily, for fear of being discovered by that demon.

The girl was truly brave, filling her with the beauty of her dreams coming to life.

Countless times, in her mind, she had imagined how she would resist, wondering if things would be different if she fought back.

She dared not miss a single movement of the girl’s, watching her actions with bated breath, filled with dread. She knew intimately the hair-raising fear and pain of being discovered.

Thus, she was deeply anxious, terrified that the girl might end up like her.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly for the girl. She hid in the cabinet, waiting for the right moment. When the murderer discovered her, she unhesitatingly pulled the circuit breaker.

She thought the murderer would choose to escape immediately, just as she had.

After the murderer killed the others and entered the second bedroom to rest, she chose to flee quickly. Unlike the girl, who was discovered through a video on her phone, she came to realize, after much contemplation, that the second bedroom held many of her photos.

If the murderer didn’t notice, it would be fine, but if he realized the owner of the house was not one of the four, he would certainly start searching.

Indeed, when the murderer entered the second bedroom and she was about to reach the door, he noticed her presence and began to search.

Blind, she stepped over the pools of blood from the corpses in the living room, trembling with fear, unaware that this would give her away.

But she made the same decision as the girl; realizing there was no time to escape, she went to the kitchen to fetch a knife.

The murderer soon found her...

At this thought, her expression was marked with anguish.

The girl, too, had grabbed a knife, but she had turned off the lights, plunging the murderer into darkness, creating a precarious balance.

She still didn’t choose to flee, instead opting to confront the murderer.

Not only because her physical strength was tenfold, but also because her mind was crystal clear, knowing there was no escape.

She had also faced the murderer.

The difference was that her confrontation was a fight with no chance of victory.

The murderer toyed with her like a cat with a mouse, creating noises to terrorize her, exhausting her defenses.

She held the knife with both hands, slashing wildly at the source of the noises, hoping to harm the murderer.

But only after escaping the danger did she realize how laughable her resistance was to the murderer.

Watching Ye Sangsang swing the knife with precision, her movements filled with fierceness and strength, her tears streaming down her face.

She reached up to wipe away the tears, but they still fell.

This was the state of retaliation she had dreamed of for so many years.

Alongside her psychological trauma, it had become her heart’s demon.

Her hands trembled as she watched Ye Sangsang act.

She worried as she saw Ye Sangsang nearly get killed, and admired as Ye Sangsang used shards of broken porcelain and glass to create obstacles.

She thought, even if the girl died, she would have no regrets.

But no, she saw the girl’s resolve, watched as she let the ball drop, and then heard her scream.

Everything then seemed to move in slow motion before her eyes. The girl gripped the knife tightly, and the murderer charged.

When the knife pierced the murderer’s abdomen, the tightness in her heart suddenly eased.

The murderer was dead.

She touched the long scars from her face to her neck.

Although she couldn’t feel them, there were also the wounds on her shoulder and the piercing injury in her abdomen.

The feeling of impending death and distress dissipated from her body the moment the murderer died, replaced by a warm sensation.

Her heart’s demon, at that moment, was completely vanquished.

In an instant, she lost her former fear and panic.

She covered her face, tears streaming down as she sobbed unrestrainedly.

She realized now, what she had always been bothered by, what had gnawed at her to the point of illness, was her resentment toward herself, wasn’t it?

Her psychological trauma, was it her hope that, if there was a chance, she would see the murderer die before her own eyes, wasn’t it?

She wept and laughed, like a lunatic, but had never been so clear-minded and magnanimous.

As she watched Ye Sangsang kill the murderer and then step out the door, it was as if she saw herself.

She hadn’t been luckier than anyone else; she had just been tougher. The murderer thought she was dead, so he returned to the room to rest.

After an unknown amount of time, she awoke. Her survival instinct drove her to crawl inch by inch over the bodies, quietly opening the door and crawling outside.

Knowing that the twelfth floor was too high to descend, she gambled by pressing the elevator button, managing to crawl out of the stairwell.

She was later discovered by the police, who found her barely conscious, her body protesting sleep until she saw their uniforms, at which point she allowed herself to faint.

With the girl offline, she immediately scheduled a session with a psychologist.

After an examination, the psychologist was astonished by her current state.

She said that she was like a withered tree, suddenly sprouting new buds into a vigorous young plant.

She truly expressed herself to the psychologist, recounting everything she had witnessed.

The psychologist congratulated her.

She explained that this was the final release of a long-held knot, after which all would dissipate and no longer trouble her past.

She was completely cured.

She nodded, bidding farewell to the doctor and returning home.

She thought she should express her gratitude to the girl.

When the girl began another live broadcast, she saw the girl fight back, counteracting the source of her former pain, sending her cheap siblings to prison and reclaiming all that was hers.

A deeper thrill filled her heart. She wanted to sincerely tell the girl that she, too, had firmly accomplished everything. Her mental state had been healed through completing the girl’s game scenario, and she had even received donations that restored her vision.

She watched the live broadcast on her computer, her hands trembling on the keyboard as she typed intently.

Her tears once again flowed down, but this time, they were pure, unadulterated joy.

Soon, she pressed the enter key.

She posted a lengthy comment, her first since entering the live broadcast room.

She didn’t think the girl would see it, or that it would be lost among the barrage of messages, but she still wrote it.

Even if it went unnoticed.

But to her surprise, the superintelligence noticed her comment, pinned it, and surrounded it with a gift animation.

Many people in the live broadcast room also saw it.

Ye Sangsang, the girl, saw it too.

After carefully reading the comment, Ye Sangsang paused for a moment, then smiled at her, saying, “I wish you a pleasant life ahead!”

Her hands rested on the keyboard, and she typed two words: “I will.”

Thank you.

The remaining two words, she spoke silently.

After finishing, she walked out of the room, greeted by her comfort dog.

She crouched down, embraced the dog, and showed a genuinely happy smile.

Later, the event became a trending topic on social media, but she no longer cared. She was going on a trip.

For years, she had been confined within this narrow space. It was time to see the broader world. Now, she was a rich and carefree lady.

After Ye Sangsang spoke, she considered it and chose to log off.

When the trending topic appeared, she clicked into the original case and found the outcome satisfactory.

Courage, she thought, was the most essential thing each person should possess.

Ye Sangsang contemplated for a while, then got up and sat in her wheelchair.

Perhaps because she had logged off, a new doctor arrived.

A middle-aged woman, full of vitality, was Ye Sangsang’s first impression.

She stood by the bed, carefully organizing her medical records, examining them meticulously. There was no trace of the sticky possessiveness or the coercive obedience she loathed in this person's gaze.

Some people are always like this, clearly not normal themselves—a psychiatrist with mental issues.

Irony.

Ye Sangsang was more patient now, watching her flip to the bottom page, her gaze landing on the other woman's face and the name tag on her chest.

Zhang Jingyue, a very pleasant name.

"Compared to before, your test results are much more stable now," Dr. Zhang said, closing the medical records and looking at Ye Sangsang. "For someone with anti-social personality disorder, who experiences hallucinations, and has emotionally flat symptoms, this is already quite good. Did the previous doctors' combination of psychological and medication treatments work? Why did you want to change doctors?"

Ye Sangsang looked at her. "Maybe it wasn't the treatment that worked, but that I wasn't as severe to begin with?"

Dr. Zhang regarded Ye Sangsang, pondering for a moment before replying, "You've had aggressive actions in the past, so it's hard for me to believe your words. In fact, after taking over your case, I watched all your gaming footage, including the 'Escape' instance."

Ye Sangsang was somewhat surprised. The doctor's attention to her patient was unexpectedly thorough.

Dr. Zhang smiled at Ye Sangsang. "Don't be surprised. I'm from the 90s, a generation that grew up with the boom of the internet and short videos. I'm more adapt to new things."

"What do you think about my performance in the game?" she asked curiously.

Dr. Zhang thought for a moment. "Based on my analysis of you, you actually have strong self-control and adapt well to society."

"You don't think killing is bloody? Didn't you clearly see my brutish side?" Ye Sangsang continued.

Dr. Zhang shook her head and said, "I think your thinking is correct. This VR game is very suitable for your recovery. But I hope you balance work and rest, and spend some more time in the hospital to confirm the stability of your mental condition."

Under such circumstances in the game, not losing control meant she was already quite normal.

As long as she stayed rational and controlled, with stable mental tests, she could be discharged.

Ye Sangsang stared at her. The doctor was indeed very perceptive, realizing that playing this VR game allowed her, in a sense, to confront her inner self, understand emotions, and handle situations rationally and with control.

Dr. Zhang smiled. "You still need to continue taking your medication. First, you have to admit you're sick. Mental illness is what needs to be treated the most; otherwise, it harms both yourself and others."

"Okay."

Ye Sangsang agreed.

Dr. Zhang left, and Ye Sangsang did not argue.

There was no need, after all. She hadn't harmed anyone, and in reality, she hadn't even destroyed an ant nest.

Of course, hitting Ye Zhe didn't count—that was self-defense.

But there was one thing she should do: balance work and rest.

Though she wasn't tired, she should consider that the audience might be.

Ye Sangsang opened a book and began reading, continuing her daily routine.

She was tired of the current environment. She didn't know when the lawyer would let her get out. She was fully prepared in the sanatorium!

After resting for a day, Ye Sangsang logged back in slowly.

[Did Sister Sang get scared by the previous game level and take a day off?]

[Doesn't seem like it. My wife has never been afraid—she kills without hesitation! This seems like too many consecutive game levels, making her tired.]

[Welcome, Sister Sang! Open the game level, open the game level—I love watching!]

Ye Sangsang glanced at the bullet comments and said truthfully, "I rested to consider everyone else, so they could get a good night's sleep without staying up late and being tense."

[When others say that, it's pretentious, but Sister Sang, I believe her—she's truly strong.]

[Don't stop me; I can still stay up!]

[It's fine; if we can't stay up, we know to hit the hospital bed, haha!]

Ye Sangsang didn't say anything more. She found the game level she had selected the day before, read the brief introduction, and clicked to start.

She woke up on a large bed, and the first thing she did was check her current identity.

She was dressed in blue gingham pajamas with a peter pan collar, with no identification.

She glanced at the time; it was around 7:30 AM. The first thing she noticed was that her current body was female.

She went into the bathroom and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

The face in the mirror was fairly delicate, and from the crow's feet at the corners of the eyes and the neck wrinkles, she could tell the person was probably in her mid-thirties, with short hair that barely could be tied up with a elastic band.

This hairstyle was very familiar.

[Guess what kind of identity this is!]

[Super Smart... I'll guess it's a victim!]

[Could be a criminal instead, since Super Smart previously assigned criminal—investigator—victim. If it's in order, it should be the criminal!]

The audience was enthusiastically guessing without any prizes, and Super Smart did not immediately reveal the answer. Instead, they waited for some guesses before announcing it.

Ye Sangsang looked at the black text appearing on the mirror and revealed a hint of surprise.

"Investigator?" she said.

It seemed Super Smart had indeed randomly assigned her.

The text in front of her dissolved like smoke into the air. Ye Sangsang finished washing up and walked out, opening the wardrobe to see the uniform inside.

She picked up the uniform and put it on neatly.

[Player, hello, you have entered the game. Please follow the game rules to begin the 'A Letter' game level.]

[You have been assigned an identity card.]

[Investigator]

[You need to uncover the truth and conclude the case in this game level.]

Following this were some personal details about the simulated character, including family relationships, colleague relationships, and romantic relationships.

When she reached the last one, Ye Sangsang paused slightly while buttoning her shirt.

Romantic relationship, a type of bond she found quite unfamiliar.

How should she interact with the other person?

But looking at it, they weren't living together, so it should just be in the early stages of a relationship—which should be okay?

Ye Sangsang went out, pushed a bicycle from the stairs, and skillfully got on it, following the game navigation to her unit.

The female police officer, named Wang Lan, was 30 years old. Due to irregular hours, she looked three or four years older than her peers, which was why Ye Sangsang had misjudged her age.

The streets were bustling with people on bicycles heading to work, and cars were on the road, though less frequent than in later years.

[Hehe, 2007—I was born that year!]

[Wow, amazing! Our parents used to go to work like this.]

[Feels so special; VR games are indeed real, like traveling to another world. I wonder if Xing Huan will launch other themed VR games in the future!]

The audience marveled at this scene, filled with wonder and novelty, as the previous environments hadn't felt as vibrant or full of life.

The sounds of bicycles ringing, the morning sunrise shining on everyone's faces, and each person's expression was unique.

Ye Sangsang swiftly rode her bicycle past the breakfast stalls, the lines, and the people busy packing buns—so real.

The Second World didn't disappoint.

A normal environment often made people yearn for it even more.

Ye Sangsang stopped at a youtiao (fried bread stick) and soy milk stall, bought some, hung it on her bike, and continued toward the unit.

Upon arrival, she quickly scanned the environment and sorted out who her colleagues were.

It was 8:10, with about another ten minutes until work began.

Ye Sangsang went to her desk, placed her breakfast, and slowly started eating.

After finishing, she threw it into the trash and joined the others in cleaning up, as Monday was the designated big cleaning day. Ye Sangsang was assigned to wipe the tables.

After cleaning, everyone sat in their seats, took a short break, and then began work.

Instead of being a probationary female officer like before, Wang Lan was an experienced criminal police officer now. She took on training new officers in the unit.

They were working on a robbery case where someone armed had broken into a jewelry store, smashed things, and robbed. The suspect was already apprehended, and all that was left was to question them to gather all the details to prepare materials for closing the case.

Ye Sangsang led a junior officer into the interrogation room, where they saw a suspect who looked simple and honest.

Sitting down, Ye Sangsang directly asked, "Tell us what happened during the robbery."

The air was thick with authority, and her gaze carried a scrutinizing edge.

Next to her, a rookie police officer sat rigidly upright, his posture signaling nervousness, yet his face betrayed a keenness to take notes diligently.

"Why's it a woman?" the robber drawled disdainfully, his leg jiggling nonchalantly.

Ye Sangsang had just finished reviewing all the case materials. She remained unruffled by his comment and calmly stated, "You do realize, based on your crimes, you're looking at a sentence of over ten years, don't you?"

The robber cast her a sidelong glance but chose not to respond.

Ye Sangsang rose to her feet. "Looks like you're not willing to cooperate. But I'm sure the suspect next door, who also has an elderly mother to support, will be more inclined to cooperate with us and confess, potentially reducing his sentence by a year or two. He might even have a chance to reunite with his family sooner."

Without another word, she stood up and made her way toward the exit.

The rookie police officer beside her scrambled to his feet and followed suit, looking flustered.

The robber, initially convinced it was just a tactic to coax a confession, began to panic as he saw her halfway out the door. "Wait! I'll talk, I'll talk! Just don't involve the guy next door."

Ye Sangsang turned back, taking a moment to assess the robber. "It's always better to be honest. Now, start by detailing the entire sequence of events."

She returned to her seat with poise, initiating the interrogation with precision.

An hour later, she stood up once more and exited the room.@@novelbin@@

The stolen goods had been recovered, and the suspect had confessed. The rest could be handed over to the team.

Years ago, when the security situation wasn't as stable, violent crimes were rampant. Ye Sangsang barely had time to catch her breath before rushing to the next scene.

"The victim this time was a bestselling author of suspense novels, quite well-known in the industry. I've even seen his work at the newsstand," Yang Hao, the rookie police officer beside her, eagerly shared the details of the deceased as they got out of the car.

Ye Sangsang glanced at him. "How did he die?"

"Preliminary findings suggest death by blunt force trauma to the head. The forensic team is still conducting the investigation," Yang Hao replied as he put on his white gloves for the crime scene.

Ye Sangsang nodded and slipped under the yellow police tape to enter the scene.

The villa was lavishly decorated, with numerous paintings adorning the walls and patterned dark carpets covering certain areas of the floor.

Ye Sangsang surveyed the living room, noting the absence of any signs of struggle.

The deceased had died in the study. Ye Sangsang and Yang Hao stepped inside. The victim was face down, sprawled just inside the doorway, with blood seeping into the red carpet beneath his head, darkening its hue.

As the forensic team photographed the scene, Ye Sangsang bent down to examine the wound, noting it was caused by a round object.

The assailant had struck with considerable force, delivering a single, fatal blow.

One strike was all it took to kill the author, who seemed almost fragile.

Yang Hao put on a mask, muffling his voice as he asked, "Sister, do you know what was used to kill him?"

"Search the room. The weapon might still be here," Ye Sangsang replied.

If the attack was a spontaneous act, rather than premeditated, the killer might have panicked and left the weapon behind at the scene.

However, it was also possible that the killer had later returned to retrieve it.

Either way, it was worth looking around.

Hearing this, Yang Hao quickly sprang into action, eager to divert his attention away from the body.

Ye Sangsang shook her head and stood up, recognizing Yang Hao's discomfort with the sight of the corpse—a fear he would eventually have to overcome.

With the forensic team busy, Ye Sangsang began exploring other areas of the room.

After all, sometimes seemingly insignificant details could hold the key to solving the case.

The study was positioned near the garden, with a wooden door that opened directly onto the villa's flower-filled garden. The desk was cluttered with various knickknacks, lamps, and an extensive collection of books and papers.

In 2007, while electronic books were beginning to gain traction, the majority of publications were still in print.

She picked up a book with a black cover depicting a shadowy figure amidst a dark forest, giving it an eerie feel.

Several other titles bore the name "meteorite" — a pseudonym that appeared frequently, likely belonging to the deceased.

She flipped through a few pages before deciding to take it with her for further examination, continuing her inspection of the desk and the towering bookshelves.

Ye Sangsang examined the area thoroughly, suspecting that the killer might have been someone known to the victim.

Her attention was drawn to an old, yellowed sheet of grid paper peeking out from a gap in the bookshelf.

She leaned down and extracted the paper, its neatly written contents coming into view.

"Hello, that's the manuscript of my beloved. Could you please return it to me?"

While Ye Sangsang was engrossed in the contents of the manuscript, a mature voice tinged with sorrow addressed her from behind.

"This one?" Ye Sangsang turned, holding up the paper with a questioning tone.

A woman in a nightgown, her face streaked with tears, nodded. "Yes."

She started to approach.

Ye Sangsang stepped back but stopped just short of handing over the paper. "I'm sorry, but I can't give this to you just yet. We're still investigating your husband's death, and the manuscript may be a crucial piece of evidence. I'll have to take it back to the police station."

"Rest assured, it won't be lost, and its contents won't be disclosed."

Despite the woman's expression of reluctance, Ye Sangsang secured the item and offered a reassuring look before proceeding with the investigation.