Chapter 350: The Outline is Clear! The Truth of the Vicious Ghost

Shen Fei had been kept in a state of extreme mental strain for three days. Today was the fourth…

“Will this have any repercussions?”

Li Jianye asked in a low voice.

He recalled the man’s behavior that afternoon. Calling the interrogation useless would be an understatement—it had been a complete and utter waste of time.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Xu Huo said casually.

He then looked at Shen Fei, paused for a moment, and suddenly spoke.

“Six years ago, that knife of Wang Wei’s… who did he stab!?”

Shen Fei’s eyes were wild, revealing nothing but boundless insanity.

Xu Huo paid him no mind and spoke again.

“Who set the fire at the scene?”

Shen Fei still didn’t react. He just kept murmuring, his delirious words mixed with a giggle only he could hear.

“He’s here… a ghost… It’s my turn, it’s my turn…”

Xu Huo remained unfazed. “Did you kill someone?”

Shen Fei shivered, acting as if he hadn’t heard a single word. He was raving like a psychiatric patient.

In that moment of confusion, Xu Huo’s tone suddenly sharpened.

“Where is Zhang Jiayu’s body!?”

The body…

As if snapping out of his trance, Shen Fei froze. He whipped his head around, his bloodshot eyes locking onto Xu Huo.

Xu Huo’s expression remained placid as he looked down and met the man’s stare.

After a moment.

“A ghost! There’s a ghost! The ghost is here! He’s going to kill me!”

Shen Fei suddenly shrieked. His eyes, wide with terror, seemed to see something horrifying. He scrambled backward, trying to shrink away, as if to press himself into the very cracks between the floor tiles.

Xu Huo broke eye contact.

“Don’t let him sleep. Wait for my word.”

With that, Xu Huo walked out. Though confused, Li Jianye followed right behind him.

The Police Officer left behind wasn’t sure what to do, so he did nothing.

A normal holding cell might not even have a bed, let alone a table…

It was only because the higher-ups had come for an inspection that the previous chief had forked over the funds to furnish the place a little.

It was useful, though. It meant they could conduct an interrogation in the holding cell at any time.

CREAK—

The iron door closed, cutting off the raving Shen Fei from the world once more.

“Officer, can you make that psycho shut up? He’s been shouting all afternoon. How’s anyone supposed to get any sleep…”

Inmates from the other holding cells shouted, but Xu Huo ignored them.

He walked straight outside.

A blast of cold wind hit them as they walked through the main door of the detention area, chilling their skin.

The three men pulled their padded jackets tighter around themselves.

“Well?”

Li Jianye asked.

“We’re getting there. My preliminary assessment is that this case points to Zhang Jiayu.”

Xu Huo said, his breath forming a white cloud in the air.

“Of course, that’s assuming he’s not just putting on an act.”

‘But the man’s condition couldn’t be faked. It’s not easy to convincingly play the madman, especially not in front of me.’

‘I’ve seen my fair share of lunatics—if not a hundred, then at least eighty.’

“It really points to Zhang Jiayu!?”

“But Zhang Jiayu… wasn’t he very likely already dead…?”

Li Jianye still couldn’t wrap his head around it.

“After a six-year gap.”

“How can someone who died six years ago just show up now!?”

‘After six years, a body would rot until nothing was left but bones and hair.’

‘Without professional embalming, how could he possibly appear completely unchanged?’

‘Of course. There are ways.’

“We’re going to a place next. Barring any surprises, we should find our answer there.”

Xu Huo rubbed his hands together, then walked toward the distant police car, braving the cold wind.

Li Jianye and Sun Jian frowned but followed nonetheless.

SLAM!

The three of them got into the car, and the doors closed, shutting out the cold wind. They felt a hint of warmth.

“Where are you headed this late at night?”

“Conducting interviews now might just antagonize people.”

“Late?”

Xu Huo chuckled and started the engine.

“Where we’re going, at this hour…”

“…it’s still morning.”

The moment he said it, the car began to tremble. The next second, the engine roared, and the vehicle sped off into the distance.

“Not late at all.”

…

…

People’s schedules differ.

You might wake up at seven in the morning; you might wake up at seven in the evening.

When others are asleep, you are out having fun.

When others are waking up, you are going to bed.

And aside from international time zones, the most common place to see this principle in action is…

…a bar.

「Eleven o’clock at night.」

The three men, dressed in plainclothes, arrived at a dimly lit, stuffy venue with flashing lights.

It was so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. Figures were faintly visible, and the roar of the DJ’s music filled their ears.

This was the Cyan Bird Bar, a well-known establishment in Jiangsan City.

More importantly, it was a place Wang Wei and the other three had been to!

“Tsk, these young people… what the hell are they doing…”

Li Jianye watched the crowd in front of him flailing their arms and bobbing their heads under the flashing lights, completely bewildered.

“It’s just a way to blow off steam.”

Xu Huo explained casually.

‘In terms of sheer quality, the bars in 2004 were actually better than the ones in my previous life.’

‘Some places might even have stripteases on stage, and the DJs actually knew how to spin.’

The three men looked around, searching for something in the gaps between people.

A moment later, a girl suddenly approached Xu Huo for no apparent reason.

“Hey, handsome. You alone? Want to have a drink together?”

The girl was dressed provocatively. Even in winter, she wore black stockings and thigh-high boots, with a revealing top. She exuded a strong sense of allure and was above average in looks.

“Get lost, don’t…”

Li Jian waved his hand, about to send her away.

But Xu Huo suddenly cut him off.

“Get your manager for me.”

Xu Huo looked at the woman, his face devoid of expression.

‘Man… manager?’

Li Jianye paused, then frowned.

“You’re joking, handsome… Never mind. If you don’t want to play, then don’t…” The woman gave an embarrassed smile and turned to leave.