Chapter 7: Li Xue
After finishing the call, Zhao Ming returned to the room and found Han Fei and Zhang Xiaotian frantically swiping their phone screens.
"What are you doing?"
"I input the detailed physical characteristics of the person Han Fei mentioned into the database. It was very specific, so we should be able to get the results and find him soon!" Zhang Xiaotian looked at the face that appeared on the screen, and his expression gradually became strange. He placed the phone in front of Han Fei. "I simulated and compared the face based on the information you provided. Look. Is this the store owner?"
Han Fei saw the old man on the screen and blurted out, "That's him! He even said his whole family are my fans! They love my show!"
"I don't think he's lying to you. Instead, it seems like you're deceiving us," Zhang Xiaotian swiped his phone, revealing the additional information. "This old man is a grave keeper in the New Huwai District. His parents passed away, and he has no children. If we have to talk about family, then his family would be the hundreds of nameless graves in the district cemetery."
"It can't be! Yesterday, this old man was comforting me in the antique shop, telling me to stay strong. Are you sure you got it right?" Han Fei repeatedly checked the information and pictures on his phone.
"He comforted you yesterday?" Zhang Xiaotian scrolled to the last page of the phone information. "Take a closer look. This old man passed away three days ago, and he was buried in the district cemetery."
The citizen information system cannot be wrong. Han Fei stared at the greyed-out profile picture of the old man and was completely stunned.
"But one thing you said is not wrong. He really is your fan, enjoying your not-so-funny humour. He often plays your shows outside in the cemetery at night, scaring pedestrians’ multiple times. Our police records have it documented in his citizen file."
After putting away his phone, Zhang Xiaotian and Zhao Ming looked at Han Fei together. "Don't just stand there foolishly. If you really didn't start the fire, come with us. We won't frame an innocent person, nor will we let a guilty person go."
"I can cooperate with you, but I hope to visit Antique Street. I still can't accept it completely." Han Fei's mind was in turmoil. Everything was piling up on him. He initially thought his life was already bad enough, but he didn't expect there would be such a drastic turn of events.
He personally visited Antique Street, looking at the completely burned-down street. Han Fei lost all hope.
All traces were destroyed. Even if there were any evidence, it would have turned to ashes long ago.
"Why would it be me? Just because that old man was my fan?"
"Other people's fans send handwritten letters, chocolates, and pens to their idols. Why would my few fans want to kill me?"
At nine o'clock in the morning, Han Fei arrived at the Xingfu Road Police Station in the Old City District. Perhaps it was his first-time riding in a police car, his lips turned pale, and his mental state was poor.
"I'll go report to Captain Wang. Xiaotian, watch him." After Zhao Ming left, Zhang Xiaotian had Han Fei enter the interrogation room. In his eyes, Han Fei, the "arsonist," was potentially dangerous and needed to be isolated from others.
"You've really got it wrong. I haven't even lit firecrackers, let alone set the street on fire."
"Just sit tight."
"It's a misunderstanding!" Han Fei didn't finish his sentence before the interrogation room door was shut. "You've got the wrong person! The real culprit is someone else! I'm a victim too!"
"Don't shout. Aren't you aware if you have criminal intentions?" A woman's voice echoed in the interrogation room.
Han Fei turned to look, and the first thing that caught his eye was a pair of black half-tube Martin boots resting on the table in the room. Then he noticed the slender legs clad in black skinny jeans.
"Do I look good?"
The woman sitting furthest inside the interrogation room had an astonishing figure. She never lifted her head, always focused on playing with her phone, yet it seemed like she was fully aware of everything happening in the room.
"Take a good look. Once you're inside, you won't have the chance anymore. Although our criminal law only stipulates arson and doesn't have a specific charge for intentional arson, for arson crimes causing significant losses, there is no upper limit to the sentencing. I heard you burned down an entire street. Why shouldn't you get a life sentence? You're quite ruthless."
"Don't spout blood from your mouth. I'm different from you criminals. I'm here to help the police uncover the truth. This arson case is not so simple. There are other masterminds behind it." Only two types of people enter the interrogation room in a police station—police officers or suspects—so Han Fei didn't think too much about it. His mind was filled with thoughts about the game.
"Mastermind?" The woman lifted her head for the first time, as if she had discovered something interesting. "Indeed, burning down an entire street requires meticulous planning, with multiple points of ignition simultaneously to rapidly spread the fire. But the surveillance cameras at the scene didn't capture anything except you. It feels like you were intentionally set up as a scapegoat."
"Finally, someone who understands." Initially, Han Fei didn't have a favourable impression of the woman, but so far, she was the only one speaking up for him.
"It's simple logic, but what could be the problem with you? Flies don't bite seamless eggs; you must have some issues." The woman's intuition was incredibly sharp, and her gaze was piercing.
"What problem could I have? I worked hard to finally get a chance to be in the spotlight, but it was taken away by someone with connections. I wanted to relax and have some fun, but..." Han Fei recalled his encounter from last night. He felt that it was a miracle he was still alive. "Never mind. I used to think that when God closes one door for someone, He would always open a window, leaving a glimmer of hope."
"And now?"
"I feel like God not only sealed all my doors and windows but also put a ghost in my room."
Han Fei rarely interacted with people, but after playing Perfect Life, he became more talkative. Perhaps this was his last hurrah.
"Though I don't know the whole story, it seems like you're having a tough time."
"Tears flow when talking too much. Big sis, why are you here?" Han Fei walked over to the woman's side.
"Big sis?" The corner of the woman's eye twitched, but she didn't bother about it. "I'm here for fighting and assault. I broke one person's nasal bone and kicked a few ribs of two others. The situation was quite critical at the time, so I didn't think much."
"You're so good at fighting?"
"It's average."
Perhaps because they were both lost souls, their conversation flowed smoothly. Han Fei also attempted to share what happened in the game.
"Your reasoning is correct. That old lady has a hidden freezer, but physically, she shouldn't be the killer. She's just assisting in hiding the body. I suspect that the real murderer is someone in her family."
"I think so too!"
The two of them in the interrogation room seemed to have cracked a secret code, and they chatted enthusiastically.
"What's the name of that old lady? I can help you look it up after I get out." The woman had a serious expression, and she surprisingly believed Han Fei's words.
"The old lady's name is Meng Shi, she's in her seventies, with silver hair and a slightly stooped shoulder. She also has a grandson named Chenchen."
"Alright." The woman recorded all the information on her phone. "Add me as a contact, and we'll stay in touch through our phones."
"Thank you for your help, but I'm in a hurry here. When do you think you can get out?"
"If you're in a rush, then I'll leave now." The woman stood up directly and kicked the door of the interrogation room.
"Bang!"
The door swung open, leaving Han Fei dumbfounded. "You can do that?"
The woman walked out confidently, and soon a furious roar could be heard from the police station. "Li Xue! You have no organization, no discipline! You're becoming more and more outrageous! I'm going to call your superiors!"
Hearing the voice of the middle-aged man, Han Fei began to understand. "She's a police officer?"
"She's not just an ordinary police officer. She joined the Criminal Investigation Brigade's Major Crimes Unit at the age of 23. Over the past five years, she has been involved in solving many major cases. However, due to repeatedly assaulting suspects and not following regulations, she was disciplined and transferred out of the Criminal Investigation Unit." Zhang Xiaotian looked at the broken door lock and sighed. "Officially, they said the police station needed to strengthen its criminal investigation capabilities, so they assigned her to bolster the team. But it’s a way to punish her. She was transferred to the police station to do basic work. Her superiors want to temper her character."
"What are you doing?"
"I input the detailed physical characteristics of the person Han Fei mentioned into the database. It was very specific, so we should be able to get the results and find him soon!" Zhang Xiaotian looked at the face that appeared on the screen, and his expression gradually became strange. He placed the phone in front of Han Fei. "I simulated and compared the face based on the information you provided. Look. Is this the store owner?"
Han Fei saw the old man on the screen and blurted out, "That's him! He even said his whole family are my fans! They love my show!"
"I don't think he's lying to you. Instead, it seems like you're deceiving us," Zhang Xiaotian swiped his phone, revealing the additional information. "This old man is a grave keeper in the New Huwai District. His parents passed away, and he has no children. If we have to talk about family, then his family would be the hundreds of nameless graves in the district cemetery."
"It can't be! Yesterday, this old man was comforting me in the antique shop, telling me to stay strong. Are you sure you got it right?" Han Fei repeatedly checked the information and pictures on his phone.
"He comforted you yesterday?" Zhang Xiaotian scrolled to the last page of the phone information. "Take a closer look. This old man passed away three days ago, and he was buried in the district cemetery."
The citizen information system cannot be wrong. Han Fei stared at the greyed-out profile picture of the old man and was completely stunned.
"But one thing you said is not wrong. He really is your fan, enjoying your not-so-funny humour. He often plays your shows outside in the cemetery at night, scaring pedestrians’ multiple times. Our police records have it documented in his citizen file."
After putting away his phone, Zhang Xiaotian and Zhao Ming looked at Han Fei together. "Don't just stand there foolishly. If you really didn't start the fire, come with us. We won't frame an innocent person, nor will we let a guilty person go."
"I can cooperate with you, but I hope to visit Antique Street. I still can't accept it completely." Han Fei's mind was in turmoil. Everything was piling up on him. He initially thought his life was already bad enough, but he didn't expect there would be such a drastic turn of events.
He personally visited Antique Street, looking at the completely burned-down street. Han Fei lost all hope.
All traces were destroyed. Even if there were any evidence, it would have turned to ashes long ago.
"Why would it be me? Just because that old man was my fan?"
"Other people's fans send handwritten letters, chocolates, and pens to their idols. Why would my few fans want to kill me?"
At nine o'clock in the morning, Han Fei arrived at the Xingfu Road Police Station in the Old City District. Perhaps it was his first-time riding in a police car, his lips turned pale, and his mental state was poor.
"I'll go report to Captain Wang. Xiaotian, watch him." After Zhao Ming left, Zhang Xiaotian had Han Fei enter the interrogation room. In his eyes, Han Fei, the "arsonist," was potentially dangerous and needed to be isolated from others.
"You've really got it wrong. I haven't even lit firecrackers, let alone set the street on fire."
"Just sit tight."
"It's a misunderstanding!" Han Fei didn't finish his sentence before the interrogation room door was shut. "You've got the wrong person! The real culprit is someone else! I'm a victim too!"
"Don't shout. Aren't you aware if you have criminal intentions?" A woman's voice echoed in the interrogation room.
Han Fei turned to look, and the first thing that caught his eye was a pair of black half-tube Martin boots resting on the table in the room. Then he noticed the slender legs clad in black skinny jeans.
"Do I look good?"
The woman sitting furthest inside the interrogation room had an astonishing figure. She never lifted her head, always focused on playing with her phone, yet it seemed like she was fully aware of everything happening in the room.
"Take a good look. Once you're inside, you won't have the chance anymore. Although our criminal law only stipulates arson and doesn't have a specific charge for intentional arson, for arson crimes causing significant losses, there is no upper limit to the sentencing. I heard you burned down an entire street. Why shouldn't you get a life sentence? You're quite ruthless."
"Don't spout blood from your mouth. I'm different from you criminals. I'm here to help the police uncover the truth. This arson case is not so simple. There are other masterminds behind it." Only two types of people enter the interrogation room in a police station—police officers or suspects—so Han Fei didn't think too much about it. His mind was filled with thoughts about the game.
"Mastermind?" The woman lifted her head for the first time, as if she had discovered something interesting. "Indeed, burning down an entire street requires meticulous planning, with multiple points of ignition simultaneously to rapidly spread the fire. But the surveillance cameras at the scene didn't capture anything except you. It feels like you were intentionally set up as a scapegoat."
"Finally, someone who understands." Initially, Han Fei didn't have a favourable impression of the woman, but so far, she was the only one speaking up for him.
"It's simple logic, but what could be the problem with you? Flies don't bite seamless eggs; you must have some issues." The woman's intuition was incredibly sharp, and her gaze was piercing.
"What problem could I have? I worked hard to finally get a chance to be in the spotlight, but it was taken away by someone with connections. I wanted to relax and have some fun, but..." Han Fei recalled his encounter from last night. He felt that it was a miracle he was still alive. "Never mind. I used to think that when God closes one door for someone, He would always open a window, leaving a glimmer of hope."
"And now?"
"I feel like God not only sealed all my doors and windows but also put a ghost in my room."
Han Fei rarely interacted with people, but after playing Perfect Life, he became more talkative. Perhaps this was his last hurrah.
"Though I don't know the whole story, it seems like you're having a tough time."
"Tears flow when talking too much. Big sis, why are you here?" Han Fei walked over to the woman's side.
"Big sis?" The corner of the woman's eye twitched, but she didn't bother about it. "I'm here for fighting and assault. I broke one person's nasal bone and kicked a few ribs of two others. The situation was quite critical at the time, so I didn't think much."
"You're so good at fighting?"
"It's average."
Perhaps because they were both lost souls, their conversation flowed smoothly. Han Fei also attempted to share what happened in the game.
"Your reasoning is correct. That old lady has a hidden freezer, but physically, she shouldn't be the killer. She's just assisting in hiding the body. I suspect that the real murderer is someone in her family."
"I think so too!"
The two of them in the interrogation room seemed to have cracked a secret code, and they chatted enthusiastically.
"What's the name of that old lady? I can help you look it up after I get out." The woman had a serious expression, and she surprisingly believed Han Fei's words.
"The old lady's name is Meng Shi, she's in her seventies, with silver hair and a slightly stooped shoulder. She also has a grandson named Chenchen."
"Alright." The woman recorded all the information on her phone. "Add me as a contact, and we'll stay in touch through our phones."
"Thank you for your help, but I'm in a hurry here. When do you think you can get out?"
"If you're in a rush, then I'll leave now." The woman stood up directly and kicked the door of the interrogation room.
"Bang!"
The door swung open, leaving Han Fei dumbfounded. "You can do that?"
The woman walked out confidently, and soon a furious roar could be heard from the police station. "Li Xue! You have no organization, no discipline! You're becoming more and more outrageous! I'm going to call your superiors!"
Hearing the voice of the middle-aged man, Han Fei began to understand. "She's a police officer?"
"She's not just an ordinary police officer. She joined the Criminal Investigation Brigade's Major Crimes Unit at the age of 23. Over the past five years, she has been involved in solving many major cases. However, due to repeatedly assaulting suspects and not following regulations, she was disciplined and transferred out of the Criminal Investigation Unit." Zhang Xiaotian looked at the broken door lock and sighed. "Officially, they said the police station needed to strengthen its criminal investigation capabilities, so they assigned her to bolster the team. But it’s a way to punish her. She was transferred to the police station to do basic work. Her superiors want to temper her character."
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