Chapter 69

“Today is the official opening day of Longyue Elderly City. Longyue Elderly City is a vast comprehensive senior living community, consisting of five areas: accommodation, medical, dining, shopping, and leisure. It is a large-scale senior center that can accommodate one hundred thousand elderly residents and provide tens of thousands of job opportunities for young people.”

“The entire Longyue Elderly City project, from planning to completion, took a total of four years. This grand initiative is a collaboration between Longyue Group and the government of Nancheng. In addressing elderly care issues, Nancheng has always been at the forefront, and this pioneering senior living city model, once successful, is expected to be promoted nationwide.”

On this grand occasion, various news media outlets were inevitably present. Before 9 a.m., the luxurious briefing hall of Longyue Elderly City was already surrounded by reporters from major media outlets.

The once-empty city suddenly came to life, bustling with people.

Inside the VIP lounge, Bai Luorui had been busy all along, her entire being filled with the activities to avoid collapsing and showing any flaws. There was less than an hour left until the event started, and according to the schedule, Du Ruoxin should have arrived already. However, she had not shown up yet.

An ominous premonition welled up in Bai Luorui’s heart. “Where is Du Ruoxin? Why hasn’t she arrived? Have you tried contacting her?”

Her assistant replied, “We’ve called her several times, but she hasn’t answered.”

Bai Luorui rotated the bracelet on her wrist. “Continue trying to reach her. If that doesn’t work, use the backup plan.” After saying this, she turned back but accidentally knocked over the documents on the table. With a clatter, the papers scattered on the floor. Bai Luorui and her assistant hastily crouched down to pick up the scattered materials.

“Ms Bai, someone is looking for you…” a staff member approached and said.

“At this hour? I don’t have time…” Bai Luorui’s words were cut short as a hand reached out to help her pick up a fallen document. When she raised her head to look, she recognized the person who picked up the document—Detective Song, who had visited her office a few days ago.

Bai Luorui abruptly stopped her incomplete sentence, lowered her head, and continued hurriedly picking up the documents.

“A police investigation, irrelevant personnel, please leave first.” Several police officers guarded the entrance, and the staff hurriedly left the room. The assistant turned back and glanced anxiously at Bai Luorui. For a moment, only Song Wen, Lu Siyu, and Bai Luorui remained in the entire VIP room.

Song Wen looked at the document in his hand, presumably the speech Bai Luorui was going to deliver later. The page he was holding wrote about the comprehensive cooperation between Luoxin Elderly Home and Longyue Elderly City in medical care.

Bai Luorui reached out to take the speech and placed it on the nearby table. She stepped back two steps and leaned against the dressing table, rotating her bracelet with a vigilant look, keeping an eye on Song Wen and Lu Siyu.

Song Wen said, “Ms. Bai, were you waiting for Du Ruoxin? She can’t make it. We arrested her this morning.”

“So, congratulations, your case has found the murderer.” Bai Luorui seemed to have a premonition that things would go wrong for Du Ruoxin in the end. Fortunately, they had sorted out all the testimonies yesterday. Now, it seemed that Du Ruoxin had implicated Wei Hong. However, Bai Luorui wasn’t sure if she was also entangled in the matter.

Calmly, Bai Luorui said, “I can cooperate with your investigation.”

“Just cooperate?” Song Wen raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, Ms. Bai, but we need you to come with us.”

“I have a very important event to attend here soon.” Bai Luorui stared at him. “Can the police just arrest people casually?”

“Do you think we don’t have evidence? Aren’t you curious about what information Zhang Peicai, a former investigative journalist, left behind?” Song Wen took a step forward. “Yesterday afternoon, we submitted relevant evidence and materials to the prosecutor’s office. We have clarified the main facts of your criminal activities. Therefore, today, we are making a direct arrest.”

“No… it’s impossible. Yesterday afternoon? You can’t…” Bai Luorui, who usually maintained a calm demeanor, finally showed a hint of panic on her face.

Song Wen continued, “There was a miniature recording device on the bag Zhang Peicai gave you. It recorded multiple conversations between you and the relatives of the patients…” Under her inducement, those people raised the butcher knife to their own relatives.

Hearing Song Wen’s words, Bai Luorui stood still, recalling the day she bought the bag, and Zhang Peicai accompanied her back to the office. She even let him sit for a while. The bag was expensive, but it was not to her liking, so she casually placed it on the shelf at the time.

Thinking about what she had done and said in the office, it felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over her head, and her whole body felt cold. The content of those conversations subtly implied that if the family members were willing to pay, they could perform euthanasia on the elderly.

Damn Zhang Peicai, no matter how she calculated, she didn’t expect things to reach this point.

“That… that’s illegally obtained evidence… you can’t use that to accuse me.” Bai Luorui trembled as she spoke.

Song Wen said coldly, “But those materials were enough to loosen the mouths of those relatives. Moreover, Du Ruoxin has confessed to the murder of Zhang Peicai, implicating you and Wei Hong.”

These pieces of evidence were direct and substantial, enough to bring this depraved woman to justice. At this point, she was already abandoned by everyone.

After a few seconds of daze, Bai Luorui seemed to wake up. She knew that this time the police were here to take her away, and there was no room for any maneuvering. She was being closely watched, and she couldn’t find anyone to help or mediate the situation.

During normal times, she had collaborators, subordinates, relatives, and friends. But now, she suddenly realized that she had nothing…

That person… Would that person help her? However, ever since Zhang Peicai’s death, that person had been cold towards her, as if she had been abandoned. However, she clearly followed his instructions…

Now upon closer reflection, she realized that everything was her choice, and that person merely provided some suggestions. Bai Luorui suddenly felt a bit confused, unable to recall whether the initial ideas were hers or his suggestions. At what point did she start letting those opinions influence her, and when did she begin to believe they were her own thoughts?

Song Wen took out handcuffs, interrupting her thoughts. “Ms. Bai, please cooperate with our police work.”

At this point, Bai Luorui refused to admit guilt. She raised her head and said, “You won’t just rely on these things to accuse me, right? When the elderly are on their deathbed, shouldn’t we do our best to reduce their suffering? Isn’t that what people like us should do?”

“Now, the police have sent a team to search Luoxin Nursing Home. Do you think you left any other evidence there? Do you think, at this point, the relatives of those patients will still help you keep the secret?” Song Wen was not swayed by her cunning defense. “Zhang Peicai was killed because he got close to your secret, right?”

Bai Luorui shook her head in denial, “I didn’t kill him.”

“It was your imprisonment and interrogation that led to his death. Wei Hong confessed to the murder, but he lacks a clear motive. Only you are the one who wanted him dead the most.” Song Wen pressed on, “Is Xia Weizhi your mentor? These methods of killing, did you learn them from her?”

Bai Luorui’s eyes turned red, “Even if I stayed in the nursing home before, you have no evidence proving a direct connection between me and Xia Weizhi.”

Song Wen sneered, “Your sins are heavy. Is it still meaningful to clear yourself now? You despise her actions while doing things that are no different from her crimes.”

This statement hit Bai Luorui’s soft spot. Suddenly, she felt wronged, her eyes reddening, “That woman, she and I are different. I genuinely wanted the best for those elderly, while she found pleasure in it. She’s the person I hate the most. How can you compare us?!”

“You hate her while using her methods to kill?” Song Wen said as he handcuffed Bai Luorui’s wrists. He glanced at the bracelet on Bai Luorui’s hand. The bracelet was too small for her, causing one wrist to appear slimmer than the other.

Bai Luorui raised her head to look at Song Wen, allowing him to handcuff her with the cold restraints. She felt like a wild beast trapped in a hunter’s snare. “Those elderly people, when they were alive, no one paid much attention to them. They were burdens, as if they shouldn’t be alive in this world. Many saw them as troubles, and even their breathing and eating seemed like original sins. They lived in pain, shouting with all their might but getting no response. Their bodies deteriorated day by day, and everyone blamed them for misfortunes due to their aging. I just wanted to change all of that.”

She had once been deeply entangled in that mire, so she decided to change everything. Bai Luorui smiled bitterly, lowering her head. “Now… they are dead, and you’ve come looking for them. But when they were alive, what did you do? What problems did you solve?”

Song Wen looked at Bai Luorui, who remained unrepentant at this point, as if observing a quiet madwoman. “Miss Bai, do you need a reminder? You are not a savior; you are dealing in death, profiting from their demise.”

Bai Luorui, now composed and devoid of the previous panic, exuded a sense of settled dust. However, her tone became increasingly cold and resolute. “We—all of us—will age one day. I have simply done what I should do. In the end, won’t that money be used for other elderly people? It’s not for my own benefit.”

Song Wen countered, “I believe that even if one day people can freely decide life and death, they should decide their own fate. Human life surpasses money and belief. Neither you nor their relatives have the right to decide the life or death of those elderly individuals.”

“You don’t understand me because you haven’t experienced those things firsthand. I’ve witnessed too many cases where living is worse than death.” Bai Luorui looked at him and suddenly smiled. “If I ever reach that day, I will cleanly end my own life, without burdening others.”

“It’s meaningless to talk about these things with me here,” Song Wen didn’t want to argue further with her. “Save these words for the judge.”

When Bai Luorui was escorted out, the media erupted in chaos. People speculated about what happened to Bai Luorui, given that she was an important guest for today’s event. Bai Luorui tried to hide her cuffed hands inside her sleeves, but it was challenging. Cameras from quick-witted reporters were already raised, attempting to capture the moment. The crowd buzzed with discussions.

“What did she do?”

“Could this action be related to the police’s previous search of the Wushan Elderly Home?”

“She’s a criminal suspect in a homicide case; being taken away in handcuffs today is big news!”

“Do you know about the investigation journalist Zhang Peicai’s death? Maybe it’s related to that…”

Flashlights began to flicker, and more people gathered. The scene became chaotic. Song Wen stood in front, instructing Fu Linjiang, “Get her out quickly.”

Fu Linjiang acknowledged and took off his coat to shield Bai Luorui, guiding her towards a nearby secure passage. After ensuring Bai Luorui safely entered the car, Song Wen turned around, only to find that Lu Siyu, who had been following behind, was nowhere to be seen.

Song Wen paused. Lu Siyu had clearly been in the room with him when they arrested Bai Luorui. Although he had remained silent throughout the process, observing from the sidelines.

So where was he now?

Across a corridor, Gu Zhibai stood in another private lounge, coldly watching everything unfold. From his vantage point, he could see everything outside through the glass curtain wall.
Gu Zhibai was watching as Bai Luorui was taken away by the police, contemplating how to handle the upcoming press conference. Suddenly, he heard someone calling him from behind, “Mr. Gu.”

Gu Zhibai turned around and saw a handsome stranger standing behind him. The young man seemed somewhat familiar, and he furrowed his brow slightly, “You are…”

Just now, Gu Zhibai had instructed his staff to give him some quiet time and not to disturb him for anything. Yet, someone had come here, and it seemed like they rushed in.

“Police.” The person was none other than Lu Siyu, who had returned. He waved his credentials, and the staff at the door hesitated, considering whether to escort Lu Siyu out.

Gu Zhibai made a gesture to the apologetic staff, and they closed the door from the outside.

“Mr. Gu remains quite calm after seeing his subordinate being arrested,” Lu Siyu said coldly.

Gu Zhibai assessed the fair-faced young policeman in front of him, taking note of the name on his police badge, Lu Siyu. This young man appeared somewhat inexperienced, like a recent graduate from school, not at all like a detective. “Well, I’ve reminded Bai Luorui multiple times. The nursing home should be operated properly. I regret her current situation.”

Answering, Gu Zhibai speculated on why Lu Siyu appeared here and how he knew Gu Zhibai would be here. Had the police started investigating him? No, that shouldn’t be the case. Police investigations required the presence of two officers, and if they wanted to question him, they would have done it before arresting Bai Luorui. There was no reason to wait until now.

Lu Siyu took a step forward, looking at Gu Zhibai. Considering the purchase of those drugs, the handling of those bodies, the financial transactions with overseas institutions, Bai Luorui alone couldn’t have accomplished so much. Lu Siyu inferred that there must be someone behind providing support. And that person behind could very well be related to Xia Weizhi and the mysterious man.

After consolidating all the clues, Lu Siyu locked onto the man named Gu Zhibai. He was the owner of the Longyue Group, a person who seemed to suddenly emerge from underground. There were very few relevant records about him, only information about numerous assets under his name. He had a close relationship with Bai Luorui and seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. During the arrest of Bai Luorui by Song Wen just now, Lu Siyu had been searching for where Gu Zhibai might be.

The architecture here resembled the layout of the Wushan Nursing Home but was larger and more luxurious. Most of the glass curtain walls were coffee-colored tempered glass, relatively transparent. Except for one area, where people inside could see outside, but those outside couldn’t see inside. This specific location corresponded to the director’s office in the Wushan Elderly Home.

Based on this, Lu Siyu concluded that Gu Zhibai might be in this area. His judgment was correct, and this trip didn’t end up being fruitless.

TN:
We make our own monsters, then fear them for what they show us about ourselves.