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

【What?! The investigator will die?!】

【Why did Xu Wan suddenly die? Only I noticed that Ye Sangsang was jumping through timelines quite easily since last night. I think it's highly probable that Xu Wan's death is the reason.】

【So terrifying. Isn't this a massacre case? Why did they suddenly kill Xu Wan! Sobbing, her death was too sudden.】

Xu Wan's death stirred up a wave of shock and panic in the otherwise tranquil live-stream chat.

Everyone had been waiting for the finale, anticipating that once the funds were uncovered, it would prove that there was someone behind it all.

Ye Sangsang had also been paying attention to the decorations at the hospital, and with a bit more investigation, the identity of the murderer would likely be revealed.

But the sudden occurrence left many unprepared.

Ye Sangsang, at the center of the incident, heard the news over the phone, "Hmm," she replied before hanging up.

Xu Wan's death was not something Ye Sangsang had anticipated.

Although she had subconsciously observed Xu Wan last night and found her skull quite pleasing, she genuinely didn't expect the murderer to be so bold.

Moreover, based on her estimations, the murderer likely had a disability, what is commonly referred to as being disabled.

Who then killed Xu Wan? Hiring someone wouldn't have been that quick.

Ye Sangsang frowned, pondering for a few seconds before finally deciding to head to the scene.

When Zhou Jianguo got the news, his brows furrowed so tightly it seemed he could crush a fly. The death of their colleague felt like a direct slap across the face of the police, daring them.

Upon arriving at the scene, the atmosphere was deathly silent, except for the sounds of the forensic examiners. Even the crime scene investigators barely made a sound.

It took nearly half an hour before anyone spoke.

The officer who had questioned continuing the investigation the previous day was full of remorse. If only they had worked harder to catch the murderer, Xu Wan might not have died.

The weight of the situation was almost too much to bear.

Qiu Guoqing, usually a tough man, had to suppress himself from exploding into a roaring beast.

Xu Wan was found lying in the entrance hall, her body in a painful curled-up position. Her blood had almost soaked through the entire floor, and the absence of her head made the scene even more horrifying.

The body had stiffened, her clothing intact, and her neck and hands were clean.

Ye Sangsang remained silent, taking photos before placing the body in a body bag for transportation.

There were no dismembered body parts this time, but the method of decapitation was exceptionally skilled and professional.

The incision was clean, made from the weakest point of the spine, which significantly reduced the need for strength and prevented loud noises that might attract nearby residents' attention.

This showed that the killer had an in-depth understanding of human anatomy.

Considering this knowledge of human anatomy, Ye Sangsang could only think of one legal profession: doctors or forensic pathologists.

There are only three forensic pathologists in Baicheng, all with alibis, and fewer in other cities, at least known to the Baicheng police, so forensic pathologists can be ruled out.

That leaves only doctors.

However, committing a murder leaves a mark, a different aura.

Ye Sangsang could clearly feel that, when she last saw him, he was just a normal doctor.

This is why, even though she had doubts, she didn't insist on inspecting the decorations.

Perhaps he was just too good at hiding?

Ye Sangsang gazed at Xu Wan's body, realizing just how sudden this event had been.

The investigation at the crime scene quickly concluded.

The murder wasn't complicated: Xu Wan had returned home from work last night and was followed by the killer.

When Xu Wan opened her door, the killer swiftly took control and forced her inside.

Xu Wan resisted but lost the advantage and had to comply.

Unexpectedly, the killer acted swiftly, slitting Xu Wan's carotid artery, causing her to bleed out and die almost instantly.

The killer then used Xu Wan's household tools to decapitate her, cleaning up any evidence before leaving quickly.

"According to the investigation, Xu Wan had realized she was being followed after entering the neighborhood and decided to hurry home. She even took out her phone to call the duty officer at the station."

"But the killer acted too quickly. Xu Wan's call didn't even get through before the killer took control, disconnecting the call thereafter. The killer was even composed enough to send a message saying it was a mistake."

"The killer showed ruthlessness and decisiveness, targeting Xu Wan early on. This is an undeniable provocation to the police!"

The room filled with discussions, and Qiu Guoqing and the other investigators were enraged.

Besides anger, there was also self-blame.

Because there was someone on duty in the team, but they were just finishing dinner and delayed answering the phone by a few seconds.

Not being vigilant enough, they tried to call Xu Wan back when she didn't answer, but since she sent a message saying it was a mistake, they didn't pursue the call.

The guilt was almost suffocating for the duty officer.

In the room next door, Ye Sangsang and Zhou Jianguo rushed through the autopsy.

Since they didn't need to perform an in-depth dissection, they didn't have to consult family members.

Ye Sangsang could hear the discussions outside, which were enough to prove that Xu Wan's identity had been misjudged from the beginning.

She wasn't an investigator; she was a victim.

Previously, Ye Sangsang thought Xu Wan was an investigator because she genuinely was investigating the case. But now, looking back, she realized she had misjudged Xu Wan's motives.

Xu Wan wasn't investigating to solve the case; she was investigating to avoid her own death and escape the fate of being killed.

She held the victim's role.

This also explains why Xu Wan always liked to stick close to Ye Sangsang. She was certain Ye Sangsang was an investigator and wanted to gain a sense of security from her.

This can be seen from when the case concluded that Song Jiaqi was the murderer; Xu Wan became even more troubled and stayed outside the forensic office.

Facing a brutal killer, Xu Wan was extremely frightened.

She didn't know when she would be killed or who the killer was.

Ye Sangsang still couldn't quite understand why, given how scared she was, Xu Wan still persisted in playing this game.

Was it what's known as being both inexperienced and eager to play?

However, since Xu Wan was a victim, Ye Sangsang believed that she likely left behind a clue.

Now, she needed to figure out what that clue was.

She picked up Xu Wan's hand; it wasn't as slender and fair as a young girl's, but it showed clear signs of training. The calluses on the fingertips of her index finger and thumb were evident.

Her hand looked a little gaunt but exuded strength.

Wearing gloves, Ye Sangsang took out a small pair of tweezers to check for any residual tissue.

Knowing she was about to be killed, she might have grabbed the killer, leaving behind DNA.

Unfortunately, her nails were meticulously cleaned by the killer.

Zhou Jianguo on the other side finished his examination and shook his head at Ye Sangsang, indicating he hadn't found anything, not even the slightest trace.

"This guy is too cunning... he hardly left any trace," Zhou Jianguo said, feeling defeated.

Ye Sangsang looked and comforted, "The killer obviously came prepared; this is normal."

They didn't give up.

Xu Wan hadn't been sexually assaulted; their focus shifted to the wound on her neck.

The killer had slit the aortic artery, waiting until the blood wasn't pumping before decapitating her.

Unlike previous methods of using a blanket to muffle sounds, this time, the killer had opted to turn on Xu Wan's home stereo.

"They even played a piano piece, what a sicko," Zhou Jianguo couldn't help but curse.

Ye Sangsang lowered her eyes and commented, "Not so crude this time. Looks like the killer's new hire is more confident, like someone with a very deceptive appearance."

Known as a beast in human clothing.

【So cruel, someone who was fine just yesterday!】

【This is reality. Loved ones were just fine before, and then, suddenly, an accident strikes.】

【The killer is really too wicked, sobbing, they aren't even the same species as ordinary people.】

The silent streamer, lurking on the viewer's side, found out that it was Ye Sangsang on the other side after logging off and felt somewhat excited.

She quickly led her small group of thirty or so viewers to directly observe Ye Sangsang's live broadcast.

Watching the comment section filled with lamentations for her, the streamer felt a bit frightened, a bit wanting to rub her temples in exhaustion, yet couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

Staring at the calm Ye Sangsang, she clenched her fists tightly, silently cheering for Ye Sangsang.

As for saying anything, now was not the time. She didn't want to get banned by the live broadcast.

Moreover, she knew that Ye Sangsang didn't watch the barrage of comments. Speaking felt like talking to oneself.

After analyzing the general situation of the decapitation, Ye Sangsang's gaze fell onto Xu Wan's clothing.

The anchor, seeing this scene, immediately lit up with excitement.

Soon, as she hoped, Ye Sangsang began to work with Zhou Jianguo to check if any DNA traces were left on the clothing.

The forensic scientist was extremely patient, examining and extracting inch by inch, saving all hair samples and meticulously handling every bloodstain.

No matter how large or small, even the tiniest crevices were thoroughly examined.

Soon, Ye Sangsang discovered a very fine, crescent-shaped bloodstain, about the thickness of a thread, on the inner side of Xu Wan's clothes.

After comparing it, she determined it was from Xu Wan's middle finger nail mark.

Her expression relaxed a bit, as this indicated that Xu Wan had intentionally left the bloodstain, which likely meant it was a trace left by the killer when they were scratched.

Ye Sangsang carefully photographed the stain and collected a tissue sample.

The anchor, seeing this, covered her mouth and felt like crying.

She really found it, she really found it!

Ye Sangsang should be able to identify the killer, right? Definitely!

The anchor was so excited that her blood was boiling, completely forgetting the shadow of death she had faced.

After Ye Sangsang finished collecting samples, she marked them as a priority for testing.

Realizing they had a crucial lead, the atmosphere in the scene relaxed a bit.

After the autopsy was over, Ye Sangsang removed her full protective gear.

Since Xu Wan was a new police officer, the higher-ups didn’t require the investigating officers to recuse themselves.

So there were no changes, and the previous detectives quickly resumed their investigation.

First, they aimed to determine the killer's height, weight, and approximate age, with almost all investigators paying attention.

The killer, male, was between 1.75 and 1.79 meters tall, weighed around 75 kg, had a normal build, and was between thirty-seven and fifty years old.

The age range was quite broad, primarily considering whether there were signs of physical training.

Regarding profession, Ye Sangsang added that the killer must have some understanding of the human body, likely from being a doctor or working in an industry that involved handling corpses.

Qiu Guoqing agreed to consider Ye Sangsang's suggestion and focus their investigation accordingly.

After the report was completed, Ye Sangsang sat at her desk and drew another skull portrait.

This one was of Xu Wan.

At the same time, she closed her eyes, and the scene she had seen in Doctor Wang Ping's office drawer flashed before her mind, like a photograph.

She actually didn't like recalling these details, as there were too many of them, and over time, her brain would subconsciously retain even more such minutiae, which made her feel uncomfortable.

She wasn't someone who would sacrifice herself for others; she didn’t want to endure this discomfort just to uncover a truth that was becoming an established fact and could be obtained immediately.

She thought she had enough time.

But judging from the results, she was wrong; the killer hadn’t left her any time to investigate.

She picked up her pen, thinking about every detail of that ornament.

With each stroke of the pencil, she outlined the contours.

The most crucial detail was the black, metallic skull pendant on the necklace.

It was small and exquisite.

As she recalled, more details emerged in the drawing under Ye Sangsang's pencil.

It was the side view of the skull.

She looked closely, then pulled out another sheet of paper and began to magnify and draw this side view.

After ten minutes, the magnified side view was on the paper.

"Why are you drawing this?"

At this moment, Zhou Jianguo, who had just brewed some tea, walked over and stood beside Ye Sangsang, asking curiously.

As for Ye Sangsang's ability to draw, Zhou Jianguo wasn't surprised. During their studies, they were even required to draw a skeleton or various internal organs.

In the early years, textbooks were scarce, so they had to draw everything carefully to study.

The curriculum also required a certain level of drawing skill.@@novelbin@@

Ye Sangsang looked up. "Did you keep the drawings I did earlier? I need to compare them."

"Let me find them," Zhou Jianguo replied, though he was a bit unsure where he had put them, as his memory wasn't as sharp as it used to be.

He set down his glass thermos and started rummaging through the drawers.

Ye Sangsang joined in the search.

Luckily, they hadn't misplaced them, and Zhou Jianguo quickly found the skull drawings among the files.

"You should have told me what you were doing," he said.

Ye Sangsang still didn't explain, just compared the drawings one by one, eventually focusing on the skull portrait of the husband from the ten-year-old mass murder case of a family of five.

Based on the enlarged side view she had drawn, Ye Sangsang erased a part and re-drew it, almost perfectly replicating it. This meant that the skull on the handle of the decorative knife was an exact replica of the victim's skull.

And it achieved extreme detail in the replication.

If it wasn't made by copying the actual skull, it would be almost impossible to achieve such similarity.

Zhou Jianguo stood beside Ye Sangsang the entire time, not understanding what she was doing.

When she finally put down her pen, he asked again, "What’s going on?"

"This."

Ye Sangsang held the re-drawn side view skull portrait in her left hand and the comparison portrait in her right hand.

"The one I re-drew on the left was enlarged from the decorative knife's drawing, and the one in my right hand is a skull portrait of the young adult victim from the ten-year-old family massacre case."

"They are exactly the same, an exact replica. Without the actual skull, this would be nearly impossible to achieve."

Ye Sangsang tried to explain clearly, hoping Zhou Jianguo could understand in one go.

After hearing Ye Sangsang's explanation, Zhou Jianguo took a deep breath. "So, what you mean is that the creator of this ornament actually had the young adult's skull in their possession!"

He understood what Ye Sangsang meant, though he still found it hard to believe.

This method of solving the case was unheard of!

[That ornament! Ahhh, it was in Doctor Wang Ping's drawer! At the time, I even said how unique and beautiful the decorative knife was. Wuuu, I’ll never casually compliment nice-looking things again.]

[Wang Ping is involved in this?! Could he be the mastermind behind everything?]

[I have a question. If Wang Ping is the killer, then he’s incredibly bold, almost showing off with that thing.]

"Where did you see this knife ornament?"

Zhou Jianguo asked impatiently, eager to find out the key information, as this could indicate who owned the ornament—the killer or someone connected to them.

Ye Sangsang looked at the eager Zhou Jianguo, her gaze carrying a hint of cunning.

Since Zhou Jianguo wanted to know, she wouldn't hold back.

She led Zhou Jianguo to Qiu Guoqing's office, and only then did he realize he had been tricked by Ye Sangsang.

Investigating a decorative knife wasn't something you could do formally. All they had were a bunch of drawings Ye Sangsang had made.

There was nothing suspicious about the doctor that could be investigated.

So they had to go to Qiu Guoqing, asking him to take Ye Sangsang along to question Wang Ping again, under the guise of further investigating Song Jiaqi, to find any flaws.

After hearing the plan, Qiu Guoqing's expression turned pensive.

They didn’t have professional personnel, and the drawings could be influenced by subjective factors.

With Xu Wan’s death, they had many leads to follow, and this one didn’t seem particularly important.

He wasn’t sure if it was worth his effort to go personally.

"We’ll go!"

After thinking for a few seconds, Qiu Guoqing made the decision to make the trip.

Ye Sangsang looked at him. "It’s still early. We can wait until this afternoon. After getting Wang Ping's home address from the hospital, we can go straight there."

The hospital probably wouldn’t have any useful leads, so going directly to Wang Ping's residence made sense.

In the meantime, they could gather some information and confirm Wang Ping's movements ten years ago, gaining some valuable clues.

Qiu Guoqing nodded. "Alright."

For now, they weren’t in a rush, so Ye Sangsang went to the household registration office to retrieve household registration records.

The data showed that Wang Ping had moved to the city twenty-four years ago from another city.

He had been orphaned since childhood and was raised by his uncle's family. He came here because his mentor had introduced him, offering him an easy path to getting into the hospital.

He successfully established himself here, with no marriage records, legally unwed all along.

The household registration book only listed his name.

Was it him or one of his friends?

Unfortunately, the household registration information was too sparse, and some of it came from Zhou Jianguo's inquiries.

Without Xu Wan, Ye Sangsang quickly skipped the timeline and arrived in the afternoon for her visit.

The visit was unannounced, a small tactic designed to catch Wang Ping off guard.

【I wonder what the murderer was thinking.】

【Don't try to understand the criminal's mind; they're inherently twisted!】

【I hope they catch the real murderer and get justice for everyone.】

Before Wang Ping opened the door, Ye Sangsang quickly sorted out all the details in her mind. As a high-intelligence psychopath, she was about to expose another deviant.

Wang Ping, an unmarried man with more than twenty years of work experience, lived quite well, in one of the most famous and expensive neighborhoods in Baicheng.

After getting permission from the property management, they walked in directly, and the property manager even escorted them to the door.

"Ding dong ding dong"

The doorbell, popular at the time, rang.

Wearing a white shirt and glasses, Wang Ping opened the door. Seeing Ye Sangsang's familiar face at the door, he pursed his lips slightly, then relaxed and looked at them.

"What can I do for you?" Wang Ping didn't move, standing just at the door.

Ye Sangsang's eyes were fixed on Wang Ping's face, so she immediately caught the fleeting microexpression on his face.

She smiled and immediately responded after Wang Ping finished, "Aren't you going to invite us in for a seat? I'm quite curious about what a doctor's home looks like."

"Of course, I'm just a bit surprised you would come to my home."

Wang Ping stepped aside, allowing the two to enter.

"Thank you," Ye Sangsang led the way in.

After changing shoes and sitting on the sofa, she spoke again, "Sorry to bother you. We came mainly to ask some details about the Song Jiaqi case."

"When we thought of looking for you, it was already afternoon. Knowing you'd be off work, and the case being urgent, we asked the hospital leadership for your address and came directly to you."

"Excuse the intrusion."

Wang Ping shook his head, indicating it was no problem.

Out of the hospital, Wang Ping seemed more cultured and genteel. He fetched glasses of water for the two.

Ye Sangsang looked around. The room had a mature, grand decor, with lots of wooden furniture.

The air carried a faint scent of air freshener and disinfectant.

The floor and sofa were spotless, almost immaculate, and they knew the chances of finding Wang Ping's hair were slim.

As she entered, she also noticed Wang Ping had no scratches on his hands or neck, so the scratches were likely hidden beneath his clothes.

Wang Ping went to the kitchen to fetch water, and Ye Sangsang stood up to look around the house.

The house was divided into activity and quiet zones. The kitchen and bathroom were next to the living room, which opened out to a balcony filled with plants.

The room was spacious, with open layouts that were suited for someone with disabilities to move around easily.

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍balcony was a riot of color, with blooming flowers.

By then, Wang Ping had returned. Ye Sangsang naturally complimented him. "Dr. Wang, you have quite a green thumb. The flowers are so vibrant and full of life."

Wang Ping smiled gently, handing the tea to them.

Ye Sangsang and Qiu Guoqing didn't try to deliberately touch anything to get hair samples; that would have been too obvious.

"I just casually take care of them. To grow this well is unexpected," he said, glancing at the flowers outside. His mood visibly improved.

Qiu Guoqing, seeing no opportunity for sneaky tactics, started with their pretense. "Dr. Wang, I'd like to ask your thoughts on Song Jiaqi."

Ye Sangsang took out her notebook and started taking notes, conveying her questions to Wang Ping.

Wang Ping's answers were seamless, mainly stating he didn't know much since they were just patient and doctor.

Qiu Guoqing asked some specific details, and Wang Ping answered them all.

The atmosphere was perfectly normal.

Then, a sound echoed in the room, followed by the rumble of a wheelchair.

Ye Sangsang turned her head and locked eyes with a man.

Perhaps due to lack of sunlight, his skin was unnaturally pale. His eyebrows were naturally low, and a ten-centimeter-long hair covered his face's outline.

But Ye Sangsang could still see his facial features and the fine lines at the corners of his eyes, enough to prove he wasn't young anymore.

Seeing the man come out, Wang Ping frowned and stood up.

"What are you doing out here? Go back!"

His tone was harsh.

Ye Sangsang, however, sensed a tinge of cowardly intimidation in his voice.

At the time, electric wheelchairs weren't common, so the man used his hands to push the wheelchair, ignoring Wang Ping and rolling up to Ye Sangsang.

"Brother, I just came out to get some air. Don't be so harsh," he said nonchalantly, his well-maintained fingers resting on the wheelchair's armrests, looking up at Wang Ping.

He raised his head, revealing his frown-eye, thin lips, and sunken face contours. Paired with his gloomy temperament, he looked sharp and mean.

【He is the polar opposite of Wang Ping! Other than the similarities in their facial features, they couldn't be more different.】

【Could he be the murderer? With his limited mobility, he likely orders others to do the dirty work for him.】

【There's something off about him; it's like there's something cold and slimy wrapped around me.】

Wang Ping flinched under his gaze and then steeled himself to continue. "Go back now. When I'm done here, I'll take you out for a stroll."

The man didn't give in, staying right where he was.

Facing off with the man, Wang Ping eventually conceded, letting him stay.

Ye Sangsang looked at him; he seemed to be nearing forty, still carrying an air of carefree arrogance.

"I'm Qiu Guoqing," Qiu Guoqing smiled and nodded at him, then looked at Ye Sangsang, "This is Fan Jingsi, a detective investigating the massacre case. Sorry to bother you today."

The man shook his head and introduced himself, "Wang Qi."

Ye Sangsang looked at Wang Ping, "One last question, okay?"

At that moment, a metallic clinking came from Wang Qi's direction. Ye Sangsang turned and saw the decorative skull-handled knife with dazzling sunlight reflected on it.

"It's really beautiful," she finally saw the item and sincerely praised it.

Wang Ping's face, however, darkened. The look he gave Wang Qi seemed like he was about to explode.

Qiu Guoqing, as an experienced detective focused on their main suspect, curiously looked over, maintaining a calm expression.

He knew all too well that Wang Qi was deliberately showing off, knowing they wouldn't understand the silent provocation.

Ye Sangsang smiled faintly, not minding it, turning back to Wang Ping. "Is something wrong?"

Wang Ping snapped out of it, "No, go ahead and ask."

Ye Sangsang didn't give Wang Qi another glance, asking, "We found out Song Jiaqi was working for someone, meaning he was ordered. So we want to know if the money was for his treatment. Did he ever ask you about his disease treatment methods?"

Wang Ping thought for a moment, ready to shake his head, when Wang Qi chuckled softly.

Ye Sangsang looked over, and he waved his hand apologetically. "Sorry, I just thought of something funny."

Ye Sangsang's face showed confusion and curiosity, turning back to Wang Ping.

"No, he didn't express any intention of treating himself; he just left after the consultation," Wang Ping replied conclusively.

Ye Sangsang nodded in understanding, jotting it down before standing up. "Sorry to have disrupted your rest time."

"No problem, no problem."

Qiu Guoqing stood up, his eyes sweeping over Wang Qi playing with the knife decoration, then walked out.

Doctor's homes usually tended to be neat. Ye Sangsang opened the shoe cabinet, her eyes landing on the bottom layer.

Using the shoe cabinet door and Qiu Guoqing as cover, she swiftly pulled out a tissue, wiped the sole of the bottom pair of shoes, stuffed it into her pocket, and calmly put her shoes on.

A minute later, her face remained calm.

Swift and flawless.

Although Wang Ping's eyes were on them, his thoughts were occupied with his brother.

So he didn't notice any of this happening in such a short time.

Moreover, with Qiu Guoqing blocking the view, unless Wang Ping was staring at the door directly, he couldn't have seen anything.

Once outside, they exchanged glances, then entered the elevator and descended.

Not until their elevator went down did Wang Ping's expression darken as he closed the door.

"Are you mad? If they discovered, we'd both be doomed!"

Wang Ping's face turned red, his frantic expression starkly contrasting with his usual calm demeanor.

Wang Qi contemptuously glanced at Wang Ping, his expression radiating arrogance and indifference.

"Impossible, they couldn't find me ten years ago, and they won't catch me ten years later. Don't worry, the spot I chose for you is impossible for anyone to see or for any surveillance to capture. Even if they suspect, they won't suspect us."

Wang Qi propelled his wheelchair slowly toward the bedroom, his voice echoing eerily.

He reached out and opened the door.

The darker environment of the room cast a shadow over the otherwise sunny room.

"They are all a bunch of idiots!"

With that, he wheeled himself into the room, the trinkets in his hand making a faint tinkling sound as they rested on the wheelchair's armrest.

Wang Ping stood there, his expression inscrutable, overwhelmed by a profound unease.

For some reason, that woman gave him an intensely threatening feeling.

He knew Qiu Guoqing from the nearby area—a ruthless character who was not easy to deal with.

Ye Sangsang handed over the items she had obtained to Qiu Guoqing. They had already assessed the entire situation with the shoe cabinet and analyzed all of Wang Ping's movements along the way.

She did not suspect that Wang Qi was faking paralysis, as there was no reason to. Ten years without acting made it clear that he couldn't have been faking.

It simply wasn't sustainable.

Wang Ping had a lot to handle, including clothes, weapons, and various other items. Handling these outside would be too conspicuous, so he would definitely return home to dispose of them.

As a medical professional, he would ensure that there were no traces of blood for the police to find, thoroughly cleaning the house and then using disinfectant and air freshener to eliminate any scent of blood.

He was unlikely to discard the shoes, as carrying a pair of shoes along with a head would make the target too large.

Given a relatively clean situation, Wang Ping would likely wear the shoes home to handle them.

Processing the head and other items would take a significant amount of time.

Wang Ping had originally set out late at night, and the round trip from his residence to Xu Wan's place took over an hour.

By the time he returned and dealt with these items, it was already deep into the night, making it easy to overlook the shoes and leave them until the next day.

Upon entering the Wang household, failing to find human tissue like hair meant that the only remaining evidence they could collect was the shoes.

So, the two of them took the risk, observing the shoe cabinet, identifying the target, and swiftly acting as they left.

They didn't hold out much hope.

The shoes were soon sent to the forensic team, but the results were disappointing. Wang Ping was too cunning, having already processed the shoes.

However, Qiu Guoqing wasn't ready to give up. He felt challenged.

So he investigated Wang Qi and discovered that he was a somewhat renowned painter with his own gallery and studio.

Looking at the details of his paintings, most were in dark styles.

One particular painting, "The Silent Maiden," surrounded by inky darkness, caught the attention of the investigators.

They felt there was something off about the painting, but they couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Ye Sangsang, who was observing, pieced together the most beautiful features of each of the five members of the ten-year-old massacre, drawing conclusions.

Qiu Guoqing, true to his ruthless nature, took matters into his own hands that night. Without anyone present, he directly led a team to infiltrate the gallery.

In the dark environment, he searched meticulously and discovered something amiss among the sculptures.

Instead of knocking and leaving, he confirmed his findings and departed.

The next day, a stranger visited the gallery.

The visitor accidentally broke a sculpture, revealing the skull inside.

Wang Qi and Wang Ping's cases were exposed.

The police obtained the right to search the Wang residence, and Ye Sangsang, as a forensic expert, donned gloves and pushed open the door to that room.

It was undeniable that Ye Sangsang had also tasted the sweet reward of identifying the killer and relentlessly pursuing the case.

This game was all about the wheel of fate turning.

Xu Wan's head had been nearly fully processed, the room filled with the smell of special chemical agents and formaldehyde—an unbearable stench.

The skull, unobscured, glowed pale under the light, exuding a grim aura.

She had been methodically stripped of her scalp and flesh, her skull prized open with the sharp end of a decorative item, her brain and nerves meticulously removed.

No one spoke as it was brought back to the Public Security Bureau.

Ye Sangsang sighed, thinking that despite Xu Wan's many precautions, she had still fallen victim to the murderer.

There were then five other skulls, initially identified as those of the perpetrators from the ten-year-old massacre.

The revelation shocked countless people in Bai City.

The gallery had been open for over a decade, and almost half of Bai City knew of its existence. He had been under everyone's noses for ten years.

Yet, who could have imagined that a wheelchair-bound man could be such a vicious murderer.

And Wang Ping, aiding and abetting, was too horrifying for many to comprehend.

Ye Sangsang occasionally went out to grab a bite to eat, indulging in her cravings, only to overhear conversations about the case.

The capture of the two men—from initial disbelief to wondering how the case was exposed to finally accepting the entire confession—took just one day.

Ten years ago, at the age of twenty-five, Wang Qi, fresh out of a big city university, came to Bai City to find Wang Ping.

The two had been orphaned at a young age, and while Wang Ping, being older, was taken in by their uncle, Wang Qi went to live with his aunt and uncle. They only managed to see each other occasionally, which meant they were not on the same household register.

Wang Ping was fine, but Wang Qi's experience was different.

Being a "guest" in someone else's home, enduring cold glares and scorn, Wang Qi gradually became twisted. He was consumed with jealousy for those with intact families and hatred for their completeness.

He didn't like it; he believed everyone should suffer as he did.

Over time, his maliciousness toward complete families began to fester, eventually turning into a perverse obsession.

He wanted them shattered, erased, turned into his personal possessions.

Especially after arriving in Bai City, he fixated on a family of five. They were poor yet harmonious and happy.

At the same time, he also noticed that their skulls were particularly beautiful—perfect, circular structures in a flawless, bone-chilling white, which held an irresistible allure for him as a painter.

Of course, there was one thing he couldn't admit—he believed those who possessed such beauty could gain happiness.

After observing and planning, he finally acted.

The events unfolded more smoothly than he had anticipated.

His soul was filled with an unprecedented sense of satisfaction, completely cocooned in maliciousness, sinking into the abyss.

He meticulously processed the skulls, retaining only their perfect forms. Snow-white and polished like jade, they were his cherished possessions. Every time he looked at them, he relived the moment their happiness was destroyed.

He indulged in recalling every detail of his murders, like savoring a fine wine. It became the strongest addiction in the world, constantly pulling him toward repeating his crimes.

He grew dissatisfied with just this. He dreamed of witnessing a second perfect case unfolding before him.

So, he quickly began planning the second murder.

It was then that Wang Ping noticed his brother's aberration and confronted him about it.

In the ensuing confrontation, Wang Qi tumbled down the stairs, struck his spine, and became paralyzed.

Unable to carry out his plans, he became dormant for ten years.

Until four months ago, at the gallery, he encountered a family of three strolling by.

The perfect family of three ignited Wang Qi's malicious intentions.

Wang Qi began trying to persuade Wang Ping. In fact, he had never stopped trying to coax him. He had already managed to convince Wang Ping to help him encase the skulls in sculptures, allowing him to see them at any time. He also created a precise replica of a knife for decorative purposes.

Wang Ping had lived for ten years riddled with guilt for pushing his brother down the stairs, leaving him paralyzed. So, he followed his brother's every word.

Unbeknownst to himself, Wang Ping's moral boundaries gradually lowered. He slowly began to accept his brother's twisted views.

After half a month of final persuasion, Wang Ping, under Wang Qi's plan, approached Song Jiaqi.

Song Jiaqi's parents had died within a year of each other, and he suffered from his own illness. With a low educational background and facing financial difficulties, he was an easy target to manipulate.

Under Wang Qi's plan, Wang Ping deliberately deceived Song Jiaqi, claiming he had contracted the same rapid-death illness as his parents.

Song Jiaqi, who already doubted he would fall ill and die, was convinced when Wang Ping conducted a blood test and fabricated a medical report.

For a doctor, this was child's play.

Then, when Song Jiaqi's wife became pregnant, he returned for another check-up.

This was an opportunity that fell from the sky for Wang Ping.

Even without further persuasion, he simply mentioned that he could provide free IVF treatment for Wang Ping and his wife to have a child.

Wang Ping's proposal was accepted without hesitation by Song Jiaqi, as he wanted the money to support his own children.

He didn't want to die knowing that his wife and children would be left without means to live.

Wang Ping gave half the money, thirty thousand yuan, as a deposit.

Thinking he didn't have much time left, Song Jiaqi promised to act quickly.

During this period, he saw the couple undergoing checks and even hesitated for a moment. But then he thought of his own children living in poverty and decided to act immediately to avoid feeling soft.

The address was provided by Wang Qi, so there was no trace of him scouting the area.

Song Jiaqi worked in trash transportation and was very familiar with the surroundings, even arriving earlier than the family of three.

Soon, Song Jiaqi completed the murder.

He took the bodies and severed heads, dismembered them, and prepared to dispose of the remains. Afterward, he would hand over the "goods" to Wang Qi after simple processing.

During the dismemberment of the couple, Wang Qi provided Song Jiaqi with a new phone and SIM card to guide him through the process. When Song Jiaqi mentioned the pregnancy, Wang Qi excitedly instructed him to add money for the fetus and to extract it.

Because of the phone guidance, the methods were similar.

It was almost as if Wang Qi intentionally wanted everyone to remember a case from ten years ago, flaunting his past accomplishments.

This feeling of being noticed brought him a hidden sense of pleasure.

Unfortunately, the police investigation was too quick, and he didn't have time to obtain the skull.

Realizing he would be caught, Song Jiaqi, after knowing he had been discovered, went out to drink with friends and intentionally provoked gangsters to get killed.

As for the money, he quietly hid it at his wife's family home late at night, in the crack under the brick where his wife had once told him she hid her secret savings.

Song Jiaqi didn't want the remaining payment.

He thought thirty thousand yuan was enough, so in his eyes, he was still determined to die.

As for why Xu Wan was killed, it was simply because Wang Qi's malice had consumed him. He happened to see Xu Wan in the hospital restroom.

Dissatisfied with Wang Ping's refusal to satisfy him, Wang Qi angrily accused Wang Ping, who eventually relented and decided to act to satisfy him.

That night, Wang Ping brought back the severed head he wanted.

The brothers thought it was perfect, even going so far as to eliminate all traces, including shoes that could be easily overlooked.

But they didn't expect that the trigger would be a sculpture that had been undisturbed for ten years.

After concluding everything, the brothers were escorted to the detention center.

Ye Sangsang stood at the corridor, watching them.

As they passed by, Wang Qi suddenly spoke, "It was you, wasn't it! You knew all along that it was us! Tell me, how did you figure it out!"

"Your craftsmanship, replicating the decorative knife handle one to one, was too similar. You love showing off too much, just like other psychopaths, equally low-level."

Seeing his angry expression and the way he chanted about everything he had done, Ye Sangsang revealed a mocking smile.

Wang Qi became even more furious, his eyes wide with rage, screaming and roaring.

But he couldn't even get out of his wheelchair.

So his anger and struggle were filled with helplessness.

Like a petty clown.

Wang Ping silently followed behind, waiting for the verdict of death.

Ye Sangsang watched them leave, ready to fast-forward through the timeline and conclude the case.

However, her eyes caught sight of someone, and she stopped her actions, walking over.

That person was Song Jiaqi's wife.

The woman watched Ye Sangsang approach, a smile appearing on her pale face.

Ye Sangsang looked at her flattened belly and remarked, "Not bad, you've thought it through."

"Thank you," she sighed, "I do like him, but I won't raise a child of a murderer. It would only lead to a lifetime of shame. And if the child turns out like his father, then I would have suffered in vain."

"I've already turned the money in. I don't want blood money."

Ye Sangsang reached out and hugged her.

She had heard that when the police came to search, it was she who had actively thought of the possible hiding place and found the stolen money.

As her appearance suggested, she was a very good person.

Ye Sangsang saw the woman out of the police station, then fast-forwarded the timeline and filled out the evidence to apply for closing the case.

Congratulations to player Ye Sangsang for perfectly completing the "Malice" case dungeon, dungeon evaluation: SSS.

【Congratulations to player Ye Sangsang for receiving the SSS-level completion reward: 1 point for body attributes, which can be freely allocated to the basic attributes of the body.】

Congratulations to the player for receiving the challenge reward: Revive Teammate Restart Dungeon Card X1 (Only usable once.)

Seeing the unique skill card, Ye Sangsang smiled and exited the game instance.

She was curious about that host, why she was so obsessed with this copy.

Was it just a case of being both inexperienced and eager to play?

She didn't think so.