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

The previous interrogation had been too intense, so Ye Sangsang decided to let them rest.

She had promised the two of them that she would investigate, and she would definitely do so. Therefore, Ye Sangsang didn't close the case file but chose to continue the investigation.

It seemed that the game allowed for this, possibly because some real-life cases also involve sub-cases.

Ye Sangsang sorted through the situation and walked into the chief's office.

Her purpose was simple: Ning Yuanyuan's death wasn't committed by Zhou Xue and Yu Qingqing's brothers, so as the deceased in this case, it was necessary to continue investigating Ning Yuanyuan's death.

However, it needed to be filed as a separate case. As the person in charge with connections, it was natural for Ye Sangsang to take on this case.

It would also facilitate later merging of cases.

After listening to Ye Sangsang's explanation, the chief of the criminal investigation detachment closed his pen cap, looked up at her, and said, "This case isn't simple! I don't think you and Yang Hao can handle it. There are too many people involved, and Yang Hao is too inexperienced."

He didn't have any intention of not investigating the case or preventing Ye Sangsang from doing so. However, considering the implications, it was necessary to have a few capable people working together on the investigation.

"I’ll follow your lead, sir," Ye Sangsang replied after some thought.

The chief thought for a moment and then said, "Wei Quan will join you. Both of you are experienced veteran detectives. Investigate thoroughly and get this case solved clearly!"

Ye Sangsang pondered and nodded, "Alright, the more people, the sooner it gets solved."

The chief smiled and reminded Ye Sangsang to be careful.

Those who harm minors and take lives casually had existed in Yuancheng for so many years. It was time to root them out completely.

In this era where materialism was just starting to flourish, being laid-back was only characteristic of a small minority.

When the real deal comes, a detective isn't a coward. There's no thought of shrinking back from investigating.

Soon, Wei Quan was called to the office. After coming out, he grinned a bit rakishly at Ye Sangsang, "I just reminded you that Ye Hua isn't simple! And you take advantage of my rest time to ask Chief Qian to assign me to you."

"Don't jump to conclusions. It's not me. Chief Qian thinks you're very capable and assigned you to assist me," Ye Sangsang raised her hands, indicating her innocence.

Wei Quan sighed, "I've been roped into a tough job."

"Good luck," Ye Sangsang smiled.

As Chief Qian expected, the case was complex, and even with three people, it seemed scarce.

Why choose Wei Quan? Probably because this guy has some skills. Compared to Ye Sangsang's meticulous reasoning and forceful psychological tactics, Wei Quan was a shrewd but ruthless person, someone who wouldn't accept threats and wouldn't back down.

Such a person would prevent Ye Sangsang from being caught off guard during the investigation.

Ye Sangsang briefed Wei Quan on the general situation of the case. After finishing, she said, "Regarding who killed Ning Yuanyuan, I haven't started questioning in detail yet. Also, considering their emotions at the time, I haven't inquired about how much they know about the Flower Plan."

Wei Quan flipped through the materials, memorizing the key points before looking at Ye Sangsang, "Still need to interrogate?"

Ye Sangsang nodded.

The two took turns interrogating Yu Qingqing and Zhou Xue.

Since the two were ordinary people, even with intentional investigation, the information they could obtain was extremely limited.

Yu Qingqing frowned and said, "We only know that this public welfare organization is called Yuanshan Charity, and the Flower Plan is one of their funding programs. They select children from villages and towns around Yuancheng for sponsorship. From initial understanding, it involves more than twenty villages and towns, with about a hundredsponsored children."

"How long has the plan been in operation?" Ye Sangsang recorded and then looked up to continue asking.

Yu Qingqing thought for a moment, "It's been almost ten years. Zhou Xue was a sponsor eight years ago. According to Zhou Xue's understanding, they were the second batch of sponsored children."

Ye Sangsang understood and looked at Yu Qingqing, "Did you take any photos or videos of those people? And have you looked into how many people are involved in the sponsorship? Haven't any of the students' parents discovered this?"

Her questions were numerous, but Yu Qingqing answered without hesitation.

Probably because she had long been looking forward to the day someone would investigate. Once she obtained those things, she remembered them clearly. Whenever someone asked, she could immediately respond.

At first, Yu Qingqing shook her head, "No, Ning Yuanyuan couldn't record them. Those people are too cunning. There are about a dozen people involved in the sponsorship, but who exactly is tightly kept under wraps. As for the parents of the students, they are carefully selected. Many parents either work in the city or go to another place to work, leaving only grandparents at home."

"Deliberately selecting children who are not well-attended, introverted, and studious, wishing to continue their education?" Ye Sangsang added.

Yu Qingqing nodded, affirming Ye Sangsang's thoughts, and continued, "And most of them seem to be girls. Those girls are not well-attended to begin with. Some parents know the truth and, after receiving compensation, won't make a fuss anymore. Even if there are obstinate ones who raise a stink, these people won't suffer any damage. Because many girls haven't received education on these aspects, they lack the awareness to leave evidence, making it impossible to take action against them."

These were originally just speculations of Yu Qingqing. Later, as a confidante, she heard Ye Hua handle these matters and confirmed them.

Often, when she knew, she just wanted to kill him directly.

"Where is Ye Hua's phone number? He should have a dedicated phone number for contact, right?" Ye Sangsang looked at Yu Qingqing.

Yu Qingqing thought for a moment and said, "He hides it tightly. After the incident, I also looked for it, but even after almost turning the villa upside down, I couldn't find it."

Even if she heard a call, it was hard to find such a small SIM card.

Nowadays, SIM cards are anonymous and can be easily bought, making it impossible for her to check.

Ye Sangsang nodded, indicating she understood.

Afterward, the interrogation continued.

The more valuable clues were probably that they would hold a large banquet periodically, at which these people would select girls to abuse.

Another thing was Ning Yuanyuan. According to her, someone accidentally called the name of one of the abusers.

His name was Qi Shan.

After the interrogation, Yu Qingqing looked at Ye Sangsang, who was standing up, "I'm curious, how can you infer so much from this? Ye Hua felt something was wrong with the manuscript because he's very familiar with what he's done, but you're just an outsider."

She was curious because Ye Sangsang knew too much.

Ye Sangsang, holding the organized case materials in both hands, looked at Yu Qingqing, "It's simple. Because the motive for murder—except for being suddenly killed on the street or at home by someone avenging society—is always there. Moreover, the word 'sponsorship' is mentioned too much. I always think the worst of people."

"Lastly, your acting isn't very good. You revealed too much, making me think you were doing it on purpose."

Yu Qingqing slightly opened her mouth, then smiled helplessly. Ye Sangsang's complaint made them look silly.

After a while, she muttered, "I really should have met you earlier, then we wouldn't have had to struggle so much."

"Wait for the results, don't think too much."

Ye Sangsang said.

Using the classic line from the classic costume drama: The past is dark and untraceable, the road ahead is bright and splendid.

Good days are ahead, so actively provide clues. Zhou Xue will be sentenced to life imprisonment, but with good behavior, he might be released after a dozen years. There's still hope.

No matter how bitter life is, as long as you keep living, you will one day glimpse happiness. Don't give up on yourself.

That woman, her mother, was such a broad-minded and strong person.

Ye Sangsang's thoughts flicked and she indicated next time, then turned around and left the interrogation room.

Now, there were several key points.

First, Ning Yuanyuan's death—whether they could extract fingerprints from the scene to identify who strangled her.

Second, Qi Shan—the name accidentally heard, most likely real.

Third, visiting and investigating the involved villages and towns to determine the number of victims and track down the network behind it.@@novelbin@@

Fourth, investigating the founder of the charity organization to obtain the list of Flower Plan beneficiaries.

Case circumstances were extremely complex, involving a large number of people. Ye Sangsang, when listing the targets, couldn't help but be thankful that others had been sent along.

Wei Quan's thoughts were similar to Ye Sangsang's, though it was evident that he knew some information about Ye Hua.

Ye Sangsang also voiced her query, asking, "Why did you warn me that Ye Hua is not simple?"

Wei Quan tossed the documents onto his desk, sat down in his chair, and sighed, "In a previous case, a girl committed suicide, which involved Ye Hua, the mystery writer. I was prepared to delve deeper into the investigation when, unexpectedly, most of the evidence was deliberately destroyed. My investigation hit a dead end."

"The ones who destroyed the evidence were a gang of ruffians and the girl's relatives, all happening before we arrived. I caught one person, but he only revealed Ye Hua's name, refusing to say anything further, displaying extreme fear toward Ye Hua. Hence, Ye Hua is certainly no ordinary person."

At this point, Wei Quan slammed his hand on the armrest, clearly exuding a mix of frustration and resentment.

Ye Sangsang lowered her eyes; these people were quite brazen.

After discussing the girl's case further, they began to allocate investigation tasks.

Firstly, Ning Yuanyuan's death: the coroner had autopsied the victim and determined she died from asphyxiation.** was detected in her body, indicating intimate contact with the murderer before her death.

"That means she was strangled after engaging in sexual activity," Wei Quan mused, stroking his chin as he analyzed the situation.

Ye Sangsang understood his implication, "Following this reasoning, the perpetrator likely discovered the hidden camera afterward and, in a fit of rage, strangled Ning Yuanyuan. There are two possibilities: either he discovered it himself or was informed by someone."

"I've questioned Zhou Xue; they purchased a highly advanced camera on the market, installed above the curtains, partially hidden in the folds for Ning Yuanyuan's safety. That's a spot that's difficult to notice."

A normal person, even with some caution, would seldom pay attention to such a location.

Ye Sangsang quickly deduced, "There must be other cameras in the room! Even someone monitoring everything in the room would notice the hidden camera and inform the perpetrator..."

The two exchanged glances, grabbed their keys and phones, and headed to the hotel.

Regardless of whether the cameras were dismantled or not, they needed to take a look.

【Ah! The reasoning is so swift.】

【Wei Quan is indeed a great partner, equally efficient as Ye Sangsang.】

【These people are too cunning; someone was actually monitoring the cameras to avoid exposure. No wonder they were never caught—these individuals are both cautious and ruthless.】

Upon entering the hotel, Ye Sangsang immediately sensed something amiss; the receptionist had changed.

She inquired, "Where’s the previous receptionist?"

The new one was a middle-aged woman, munching on sunflower seeds as they entered. She glanced at them and replied, "Went back home to get married. What brings you here?"

"So fast? She didn't even have time to pack up. Where does she live?" Ye Sangsang directly questioned.

The woman sized up Ye Sangsang, her tone laced with a bit of sass, "She just left, how would I know where she lived?"

Wei Quan pinned the woman with a stern gaze, his voice carrying a note of seriousness, "Cut the theatrics. Hand over the address and let us investigate the room. Also, produce the registration book. Understand why we're here—are you sure you want to resist our investigation? That sort of bluffing doesn't work on me."

This hint was quite explicit, and the owner's expression immediately shifted.

"Want to go for a tea session? We've got time to spare," Ye Sangsang coolly remarked.

At this point, lecturing with legal jargon was futile; a righteous threat wouldn't work if the woman was determined to play the rogue. However, exploiting her fear was plausible, as she might not dare to really offend the police.

The woman's lips fluttered a few times before she eventually lowered her head, "She was just dismissed. She lives next door; I can take you there."

Upon inspecting and confirming the ex-receptionist's safety, they provided her with a phone number and instructed her to call if anything arose. Then, they had the woman guide them to the room where Ning Yuanyuan might have stayed on the night of her death.

The woman remained silent and docile throughout.

Ye Sangsang and her team didn't mind; they put on gloves and began meticulously checking the corners.

Hotel housekeeping typically neglected corners, making these ideal spots for hidden cameras, including around lamp positions. The team continued their thorough inspection.

Ultimately, Ye Sangsang discovered some traces inside a hole beneath the TV.

"It must be here; the perpetrator dismantled the camera." Ye Sangsang retrieved the fallen black plastic fragments, "The removal was rough, likely due to unexpected circumstances."

Further inspection revealed no remaining fingerprints.

This outcome merely confirmed their earlier suspicions.

Yang Hao, upon taking a look, pointed at the residual marks and stated, "This seems to be an identifier unique to this particular camera model. There aren't many stores locally selling this brand. Perhaps we can trace who purchased it."

Ye Sangsang and Wei Quan glanced at Yang Hao, surprised by his knowledge of cameras.

Yang Hao rubbed his head sheepishly, "I enjoy tinkering with electronic devices. This brand's desktop computers and cameras are quite reputable."

Ye Sangsang nodded; in this era, cameras were standalone devices, often paired with computers, some clamped on and others placed beside them.

Apart from internet cafes, these devices were somewhat pricey, with fewer purchasers.

She looked at Yang Hao, "You investigate that. We'll look into the name Qi Shan."

Specialization dictated tasks; since Yang Hao was knowledgeable, he must have ways and channels to investigate.

Yang Hao's face lit up, as Ye Sangsang had entrusted him with an important mission. He immediately accepted, vowing to uncover any suspicious individuals.

Eager, he departed, leaving Ye Sangsang and Wei Quan to await the forensic experts.

Given the presence of the camera, this room likely served as Ning Yuanyuan's primary crime scene. The discovery of bloodstains would further confirm this.

As they exited, they encountered the owner, who continued to cower at the door.

Indeed, she was the owner's wife, having overheard their conversation earlier. Her body trembled in fear, her lips quivering incessantly.

The fact that a person died in her hotel was the most terrifying notion for her.

Ye Sangsang addressed her, "Do you have any cameras installed here?"

The owner's wife shook her head vehemently, "No, just one at the entrance. Inside, I found it too expensive and wasteful to install cameras..."

"Where’s the registration book?" Ye Sangsang queried.

The owner's wife hurriedly fetched it, handing it over to Ye Sangsang with shaking hands, "The previous receptionist had a strong curiosity. She counted that Ning Yuanyuan had been here five times, three times alone and twice with someone else. Three months ago, it was the person she came to see three times."

Ye Sangsang glanced at her, "You're quite curious too... Did someone give you a heads-up?"

"I received a text message," the owner's wife produced her phone.

Wei Quan took it, examining it, "A threatening text message. The sender is well-informed, quickly realizing we might come to investigate."

Probably, news of Yu Qingqing and Zhou Xue's capture alerted them. Knowing that the two wouldn't hold up, they would spill some information, prompting advance measures.

Soon, colleagues from the forensic lab arrived.

The owner's wife mentioned that the perpetrator had compensated for the bedsheet cost, likely destroying the bedsheet.

Since asphyxiation death typically doesn't result in significant bleeding, no bloodstains were found.

Nonetheless, they managed to find some of Ning Yuanyuan's slightly wavy, yellowish hair along with a few fingerprints.

While the leads were minimal, they were still far better than nothing.

The hotel's back door led to other streets; the perpetrator likely exited this way with the body, having Zhou Ya dispose of it.

"Asphyxiation death takes a few minutes, during which the victim resisted. According to Zhou Xue's account, using Ning Yuanyuan's hand, they grabbed Zhou Ya, thus accounting for Zhou Ya's DNA found in the gaps," Ye Sangsang stood in the corridor, "Zhou Xue mentioned seeing clean fingernails on the person at the time, likely signifying that they had washed Ning Yuanyuan's nails."

Regarding the body, there weren't many clues to obtain. After the forensic investigation concluded, Ye Sangsang and Wei Quan started looking into the individual named Qi Shan.

The reason they hadn't initially investigated Qi Shan was due to the prevalence of the surname Qi in the Yuancheng area.

Qi Shan is a straightforward name, shared by numerous individuals, making pinpointing specific leads difficult. Thus, they decided to temporarily set it aside.

Upon returning to headquarters and utilizing local police records, they narrowed down eight male individuals named Qi Shan, all middle-aged.

This must exclude the possibility that this person might be from another city or province.

However, this is not the main point. They still decided to proceed with the investigation, starting with relatively better-off locals, perhaps those involved in business.

In the end, they chose two candidates.

Both candidates had excellent conditions.

On the other hand, their colleagues who were asked to search Ye Hua's villa returned without finding a phone card, presumably already taken by someone.

Since the phone card was out of reach, they prepared to look for someone named Qi Shan.

Wei Quan drove, and Ye Sangsang took the passenger seat. The two headed straight for the nearest address.

They arrived at a decent local community, and Ye Sangsang knocked on the first door of Qi Shan.

Soon, a female voice responded and opened the door.

The two showed their credentials, and the woman let them in.

Ye Sangsang asked, "Where is Qi Shan?"

The middle-aged woman replied, "He's in the room. I'll call him out."

Soon, a man walked out.

Ye Sangsang asked a few questions.

The man stated that he had gone on a business trip to another city three months ago for a week, accompanied by a subordinate.

Zhou Xue knew the exact time of Ning Yuanyuan's death, and the man had an alibi.

They examined his ticket booking information and saved paper train tickets, then called colleagues for confirmation.

Determining that he was indeed on a business trip at the time, they had to leave.

This person was cleared of suspicion, making the next suspect more likely.

However, the two were puzzled because the next person, while lacking an alibi, did not have the physical capability to commit the crime.

Four months prior, this person had broken their arm and had surgery evidence from the hospital.

Strangling Ning Yuanyuan required physical strength, and the suspect lacked the necessary condition at that time.

"Could we have misheard the name?" Ye Sangsang and Wei Quan walked out of the building of the community where the suspect lived, with Ye Sangsang hesitating and saying to Wei Quan.

The name might not be Qi Shan but Qi Shan, Qi Shang, or something similar.

Wei Quan agreed with Ye Sangsang's thoughts, even suggesting that the surname might be Qi.

He thought for a moment and said, "There should be new clues from the surveillance cameras."

"Yes, perhaps we should consider abandoning this lead and investigate the donors of this charity organization. It might be quicker."

However, both knew that since the other party was already prepared, the authenticity of the provided list was questionable.

Back at the station, they began separate actions.

One made phone calls to get the list of donors and beneficiaries, while the other investigated the organization's leader and the legal representative on the business license.

According to charity law, registering a civil public welfare organization requires submitting documents to the relevant authorities for examination and approval, followed by similar procedures to registering a company.

Therefore, there must be a responsible person and a legal representative, as well as registered capital.

Ye Sangsang called the civil affairs department to confirm and then drove to retrieve the materials.

After obtaining the materials, she investigated the situation of the legal representative and received information about a rather ordinary person from another province.

Upon inquiry, she found that the person was currently in that province.

The leader was the secretary of the Yuancheng Chamber of Commerce president, and Ye Sangsang did not have sufficient evidence to summon them for questioning, so she had to temporarily give up.

It seemed that investigating internally was not feasible, so they had to investigate the edges of the organization's reach.

It would be best to conduct field investigations in the rural areas.

Ye Sangsang decided to wait for updates from the surveillance cameras and then begin the investigation.

Because the information Wei Quan obtained about donors and beneficiaries was all fake, and since many records were not networked during that era, using paper receipts, it was impossible to trace if cash transactions were involved, unlike in later years when everything could be verified online.

Just as Ye Sangsang and others were preparing to depart, an unexpected incident occurred.

Ning Yuanyuan's brother and parents arrived, demanding her body and setting up wreaths and banners in the criminal investigation brigade.

The banner read, "Punish the murderer and restore justice to our daughter."

Ning Yuanyuan's parents sat on the ground, wailing and crying, occasionally wiping their tears, appearing extremely wronged and loudly accusing.

"Our poor Yuanyuan, she was still a college student! She's been dead for three months, and the police are covering up for the murderer, not closing the case, and not allowing her to be buried..."

Ye Sangsang and Wei Quan came out and heard the wailing cries...

[Good grief, what...]

[Shocking, I always thought only doctors got this kind of treatment!]

[My God, it seems all the relatives from the village have come!]

Outside the gate of the criminal investigation brigade was a bustling street. The dozen or so people, along with their wailing, unexpectedly attracted hundreds of onlookers.

Camera-wielding individuals with badges, presumably reporters, were also present.

Involving the police, they naturally assumed a weak position, and unless there was an extraordinary grievance, no one would dare to act this way, so many people instinctively sided with Ning Yuanyuan's parents.

Ye Sangsang and Wei Quan exchanged glances, immediately realizing that this was a deliberate attempt to apply public pressure from behind the scenes.

If the public sentiment escalated, their superiors would put pressure on them.

An extremely audacious move.

It could even be described as a provocation.

However, given that a significant portion of the wealthy in this era had acquired their first fortunes in less than clean ways, Ye Sangsang understood.

Apart from a few who understood the law, most people might have limited education and were accustomed to ruffian behavior.

Of course, now was not the time to discuss this.

Wei Quan came forward with a series of persuasion, as they were police officers and couldn't directly arrest people, or else it would cause a scandal.

Other colleagues also soothed them, promising to punish the wrongdoers.

But as soon as their hands touched these people, the scene erupted with cries.

"You're just trying to fool us! We don't want anything, we just want the murderer to be sentenced to death!"

"Yuanyuan! You died so tragically!"

"There's no justice in this world!"

The scene became even more chaotic, and even the brigade leader's intervention failed to calm it down.

As she heard the clicking of cameras from the reporters, Ye Sangsang knew the other side was determined to cause a scene.

Ye Sangsang's gaze fell on the woman claiming to be Ning Yuanyuan's mother, then on the reporters, and her eyes suddenly reddened. She rushed forward and helped the woman, holding her hands tightly.

Her action stunned everyone, unsure of what she intended.

She looked at the woman and asked loudly, "Are you Ning Yuanyuan's mom?"

Facing the question, the woman immediately nodded, confirming it.

"You must have loved your daughter very much!" Ye Sangsang said.

The middle-aged woman replied, "Yes, she was our family's only college student!"

"Here, I need to apologize to you! When the body was dug up a couple of days ago, we initially thought it was a missing woman from the neighborhood. It took us two days to confirm it was your daughter, and we notified you to come and identify the body, asking your son to come. Only then did we identify the victim's identity." Her eyes filled with tears, brimming with guilt, and then she assured, "You can rest assured; we will definitely find the murderer as soon as possible and bring justice to your daughter."

Then she looked at the surrounding onlookers, "Everyone, please be assured! The police will definitely deliver justice to the victim, taking the trouble to witness and reassure this grieving mother!"

Ye Sangsang held onto the woman tightly.

She spoke extremely fast, leaving no room for the woman to interrupt, rendering them unable to get a word in.

After Ye Sangsang finished speaking, the woman, upon trying to speak again, plainly could not say anything.

Because the words of the onlookers had already preceded her.

"Alas, though understandable, it just took them a few days to identify the body. There's no need to be so impatient!"

"The police are doing their best; I believe they won't shield guilty parties."

"This person mentioned three months, but it's only been a few days; rushing it isn't necessary."

The woman tried to cry out in pain, only to find no mark on her hand, so she could only look around in confusion.

After Ye Sangsang let go, when the woman tried to make a scene again, she loudly said, "Haven't eaten, have you! After traveling here you must be exhausted; let's go to the station's cafeteria for a meal, then I'll tell you about the general situation of your daughter's case."

Wei Quan and the others also reacted, showing warm smiles and stepping forward to support Ning Yuanyuan's relatives who were sitting on the ground.

"It's cold on the ground; let's get up and talk."

"It's hot today; you've worked hard, hurry in and rest."

"Definitely hungry, right? Let's go in and eat something."

At this moment, the woman suddenly swung away Ye Sangsang's hand, shouting, "You're just trying to fool me! If I go inside, we'll just be arrested!"

Ye Sangsang's expression remained unchanged as she looked around at the crowd. “I know it's our fault,” she said, “for not solving the case quickly enough to earn the family's trust. Are there people here who live nearby? Our team is treating everyone to a meal today! Let's go in together and give the victim's family some confidence.”

She spoke with great composure, her face showing a mix of guilt and the desire to make amends.

In this era, most people were relatively simple and straightforward, and some were looking to take advantage of the situation. They eagerly stepped forward, expressing their willingness to join the meal.

The banner was taken down by the onlookers, and some of them began consoling the family, gently urging them into the cafeteria.

The criminal investigation team had decent food, and soon dishes were served.

Ye Sangsang personally delivered a plate to Ning Yuanyuan's mother, and everyone else happily dug in.

The journalists, seemingly not bribed, also came in to take photos.

Perhaps due to the boldness of reporters in earlier years—those who dared to get close to shooting scenes or photograph murder sites without blurring faces—the journalist seemed to realize that Ye Sangsang was very good at manipulating the situation and chose not to say anything further, simply eating what was given to them.

Ye Sangsang sat across from the mother, while the journalist moved to another part of the room.

Curious, Ye Sangsang asked, “Don’t you like your daughter?”

The woman’s eyes flickered, but she did not speak.

Ye Sangsang pondered for a moment and said, “This time, I’m not going to pursue you because you’re a mother. You raised her for so many years. Her bones are still fresh, and even though I know you don’t like her, please let me find the murderer so she can rest in peace.”

There was no sense of pleading; it was almost a matter-of-fact statement.

Maybe her conscience was still intact, or perhaps she feared retribution from her daughter’s spirit, but the woman eventually lowered her head.

Beside her was a silent middle-aged man, his clothes splattered with mud, his dark skin marked with deep wrinkles.

He had been silent earlier, quietly watching his wife make a scene and silently accepting the benefits offered.

Ye Sangsang looked at him and said, “You’re ordinary people, I know that. I know life is hard for you, and I know that saying a lot of lofty things won’t change anything. But I want to tell you this: give your daughter some dignity in the end. She was killed… bought off to be strangled by the very people who bought you.”

The man hesitated, wanting to say something, but ultimately chose to stay silent.

After offering consolation, Ye Sangsang decided to apply pressure. Her tone grew cold as she said, “Do you know what would happen if you were charged with inciting disorder? It would land all your relatives in jail for at least six months. And that would mean none of your future generations—your children, your grandchildren—would be able to join the police or the military. Many respectable jobs would be off-limits to them.”

Both the man and woman’s eyes widened in surprise and fear.

“This… is it that serious? What about my grandson?” the woman exclaimed, suddenly looking up.

Ye Sangsang replied calmly, “I’m not lying to you. When we become police officers, we need to investigate our family’s background for three generations.”

The man pursed his lips for a moment, then, unable to focus on his food, he quickly stood up and pulled his wife by the arm. “Let’s go! We’re leaving! Tell everyone to leave!”

Ye Sangsang followed their movements with her eyes.

She understood why. The man was terrified that their family’s future prospects—even if they were vague and uncertain—would be ruined.

The journalist, hearing the commotion, came over. The man began to speak, explaining that they had misunderstood and misheard, and hastily led his wife, son, and relatives out of the cafeteria, hurrying off without looking back.

**[Ah! Absurd, yet so plausible. Ye Sangsang really knows how to handle people.]**

**[It's so sad. Even when they heard their daughter was strangled to death, they didn’t even flinch.]**

**[Exactly. To them, their daughter’s death wasn’t a big deal. It was something they could even use to profit. But as soon as it came to their grandson’s future—even if that future was uncertain—they ran. Even if it was just a possibility.]**

The audience was left in a mix of astonishment and sorrow. Ye Sangsang’s method of cutting straight to the heart of the matter revealed the tragic reality behind the scene.

Soon, the cafeteria was empty, as those who had been ushered in quickly finished their meals and left.

Wei Quan walked over to Ye Sangsang and asked what she had done to make these troublemakers leave so quickly.

Ye Sangsang explained her tactics, and Wei Quan paused for a few seconds before remaining silent.

Ye Sangsang looked at him and remarked with a smile, “Ning Yuanyuan’s story is pretty tragic, so let’s do our best to give her justice.”

“Alright,” Wei Quan agreed.

After helping clean up the cafeteria and ordering food for their colleagues, the two began preparing to record the school details, ready to work with Yang Hao when he returned to conduct visits and investigations.

After finishing their meal, they didn’t have to wait long before Yang Hao returned to the team, bustling with energy.

Learning about the events of the afternoon, his face showed a mix of frustration and regret. Missing the excitement had been disappointing, but his outing hadn’t been fruitless. He had visited several stores specializing in security cameras and obtained the buyers’ information from the past two years.

It was simple, really, because the cameras had a two-year warranty, so they needed to write down purchase receipts with the buyer’s name and phone number.

After explaining, he pulled out a notebook with over a hundred names and phone numbers recorded.

“I’ve listed those who own internet cafes or bought large quantities—we can ask them if they’ve lost any cameras or where they’ve used them,” Yang Hao said.

Ye Sangsang and the others looked through the list and decided to start by screening these contacts.

Since the cameras were not cheap and had been installed at home, it was unlikely that anyone would have lost or misplaced them.

Very quickly, they narrowed their focus to a small-time crook, who couldn’t provide a clear explanation and had bought multiple cameras without being able to justify their uses.

He claimed the cameras had malfunctioned and were thrown away, but they were expensive, far beyond his economic means, and were still functional.

Without hesitation, the three of them set out to arrest the man.

Through comparison, they discovered that the fragments Ye Sangsang had collected matched the broken cameras they found at his place.

The crook hadn’t thrown them away yet; a single camera cost over two hundred yuan, and since his monthly salary was only eight hundred, he couldn’t afford to let them go.

Not long after his arrest, the man confessed everything.

Unfortunately, while he admitted to watching the footage and informing others, he claimed he didn’t know anything about the rest of the plan.

But he did provide a name—someone who had contacted him to buy and install the cameras—along with the locations of other installed cameras.

Soon, they coordinated with other units, and many police officers were dispatched to dismantle the cameras.

Some cameras were quickly removed and taken away, perhaps due to the crook’s arrest.

In the end, they recovered three cameras.

The cameras were of good quality, with clear footage. By examining the data on the memory cards, they started to identify and apprehend suspects.

However, compared to the information provided by Zhou Xue and others, they were missing several individuals.

And those they did apprehend outright denied any involvement with the Flower Plan.