Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Secrets of the Police Station

Chen Tianyu entered the interrogation room, where two young police officers, a man and a woman, were already seated. The room was dimly lit, with a desk lamp casting a pale glow onto the table. He sat silently across from them. Yet the two officers acted as though he were invisible, engrossed in their paperwork, not uttering a word for a long time. Chen Tianyu felt a twinge of surprise—was this some sort of psychological tactic? He had little experience with such formal, official interrogations.

Time passed, minute by minute, with nothing out of the ordinary.

As he puzzled over the situation, the door to the interrogation room suddenly swung open, and an older detective strode in, likely their superior. The two young officers glanced up and quickly stood to attention. The senior detective swiftly waved them out, signaling his intention to question Chen Tianyu personally.

The old detective took a seat opposite him and scrutinized him closely. Suddenly, he stood up and extended his right hand.

Chen Tianyu hesitated, certain he didn’t know this officer. He gave a wry smile, raised both hands to show the handcuffs, and indicated he couldn’t shake hands.

The old detective grinned and sat back down, continuing to observe him.

“Brother, have a cigarette first,” he said, tossing one across the table. Chen Tianyu calmly picked it up, and the detective leaned over to light it for him.

To be honest, Chen Tianyu couldn’t quite grasp the detective’s intentions. Was this some ritual before the interrogation? Nevertheless, he simply smoked in silence, neither speaking nor moving. He knew this world was riddled with traps—he wouldn’t make the mistake of letting his guard down.

Another half hour passed before the old detective finally spoke: “The plane should have landed by now.”

---

The interrogation room door was kicked open once again, and a figure burst in, full of energy.

“Inspector Chen, sorry for the trouble,” the newcomer said. He wore a police uniform adorned with three stars on his shoulder, beads of sweat on his forehead, and immediately reached out, grasping Chen Tianyu’s hand tightly. “The airport here is small, and the flight was delayed. My apologies.”

Chen Tianyu couldn’t help but laugh: “Old Guan, you really went all out with this act, didn’t you?”

At this point, the old detective stood as well and said, “Director, I’ll step out for now.” Director Guan Shaoxing nodded, and the detective quickly left, closing the door behind him.

“Oh, I forgot to have them remove your handcuffs,” Guan Shaoxing said with a cheerful smile.

Chen Tianyu laughed bitterly: “No need, I’d like to savor the feeling of being a prisoner a while longer.”

Guan Shaoxing was straightforward. He turned to the water dispenser, pouring a cup as he spoke: “It was necessary; we had no choice but to stage this... Here, have some water.” He handed the cup to Chen Tianyu himself.

Chen Tianyu frowned. “What exactly are you up to?”

Guan Shaoxing sighed. “The matter is serious. To avoid exposing your identity and to meet with you promptly, we had to resort to this.”

Chen Tianyu gave a wry smile, but he understood. “So, you knew I was here quite early?”

Guan Shaoxing shook his head. “No, not at all. I happened to see you come to the station to file a report... What a coincidence—I was on duty at the city bureau that day, and the police system logged your information.”

Chen Tianyu realized: it must have been the SD card he submitted before leaving Lijiang that gave him away.

He couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re just like an eagle, watching from above and playing me in the palm of your hand.”

“Not at all. I heard you came here for a vacation, so I hesitated to disturb you.” Guan Shaoxing smiled. “You folks at Beiting have been busy these past years—I heard about it. Rare chance for a break; how could I ruin your mood? Besides, you brought Zichen along...”

Chen Tianyu quickly interrupted him. “You didn’t haul me in just to reminisce, did you?”

“Of course not!” Guan Shaoxing laughed heartily. “Catching up is just a bonus. You know, yesterday an informant provided us with a tip, linking you to a recent homicide. I was scratching my head, and then, just like that, you—the savior—were handed to us.”

Chen Tianyu gave another wry smile. “Easy for you to say. So, Yunji is one of your people?”

“No, the Falcon Detective Agency is a civilian outfit. I don’t know Yunji well at all,” Guan Shaoxing hurried to explain. “This time, Yunji specifically came to report you. I suspected something was off, so I seized the opportunity to bring you in.”

Chen Tianyu asked in surprise, “What happened to warrant such a commotion?”

Guan Shaoxing took a file from the desk drawer, carefully spreading it out on the table. It contained investigation reports, photographs, and physical evidence.

“Take your time. I had them prepare everything in advance,” he said.

Chen Tianyu examined the materials with curiosity. When he saw the crime scene photos, his expression grew grave. The familiar golden staff, the bizarre setting, and the blood-red cherry blossoms—his pupils contracted sharply, and his breathing grew heavier.

Guan Shaoxing’s eyes were sharp. “It seems you do know this person.”

Chen Tianyu nodded. “I’ve been dealing with him all along my journey. I never imagined that this Xiao Su would be dead so soon...” He felt a pang of regret.

He murmured to himself, “The SD card last time was handed to Zichen by him, behind the scenes. Clearly, things are much more complicated than I thought.”

“The name Xiao Su is likely an alias,” Guan Shaoxing reminded him. “We searched the system for anyone named Xiao Su—none matched. There was nothing on him to prove his identity, so you’re the only one to come identify the body.”

Chen Tianyu nodded. “In a city of romance, that’s hardly unusual.”

He turned and asked, “What was the cause of death? You must have a conclusion by now.”

Guan Shaoxing shook his head sorrowfully. “There are three possibilities: sudden illness, death from poisoning, or suicide for love. Don’t look at me—the forensic report gave these options. No obvious fatal injuries, no signs of a third party, and pathology takes time.”

Chen Tianyu glanced sidelong at him. “How did you determine suicide for love?”

“That was Deputy Captain Gong's judgment at the scene. He felt the ritualistic atmosphere was strong, so it shouldn’t be ruled out. From the photos and videos, I share his view,” Guan Shaoxing mused.

Chen Tianyu pondered for a moment. “You haven’t considered murder?”

“Toxicology came back quickly,” Guan Shaoxing replied. “Poisoning seems ruled out. As for drug use, at most it’s a contributing factor.”

With limited clues, Chen Tianyu dared not speculate.

“So, what do you need me for?” he asked, curious.

Guan Shaoxing sighed. “There are many rumors out there. I fear the police won’t be able to give a convincing answer, which could have unpredictable consequences. You know, in the internet age, failing to quell rumors is no better than failing to solve the case...”

He added, “I brought you in partly by chance, but also to have you review our conclusions, see if we missed anything—since you had contact with the deceased.”

“Review? You think too highly of me,” Chen Tianyu teased, then grew serious. “From the photos, I see there was snow in the city. That means traces of a third party can’t be entirely ruled out.”

Guan Shaoxing nodded. “That’s just it. If the victim died before the snow, the killer could have left without a trace. If it was after, then we’ll have to rely on scientific evidence to wrap things up.”

Chen Tianyu fell silent, the difficulty of the task laid bare.

He murmured, as if to himself, “Whether before or after the snow, if there really was a murderer, it must be a formidable opponent...”

Guan Shaoxing said nothing, afraid to interrupt his train of thought.

Seeing that Chen Tianyu did not continue analyzing, he finally asked, “Do you think such an opponent exists?”

“It’s hard to say,” Chen Tianyu replied, succinct and reserved.

“…”

“So, you suspect something as well, and want me to assist you quietly?” Chen Tianyu wasn’t naive.

Guan Shaoxing chuckled. “If Beiting is willing to help, I’d be more than glad.”

Chen Tianyu sighed. “You really are a schemer. If this case is so thorny, I alone won’t suffice—do you need all of Beiting here? It’s the end of the year; who knows if Yiting and the others can spare the time? If your findings are correct, wouldn’t they be coming for nothing?”

A sly glint flashed in Guan Shaoxing’s eyes. “That’s possible. But with your uncanny intuition, would you really let these doubts slide?”

Chen Tianyu looked him in the eye for a long while before bursting into laughter.

“I see you’ve become a true old fox yourself!”