Tonight was a special operation with many police officers participating. Lu Junchi had already instructed the Fifth Division to prepare and set up a temporary command center.

If Su Hui went over there, he would be able to handle emergency situations more quickly.

Lu Junchi called to mind this point and nodded, “Alright, but you can only stay in the car or in a safe place. Don’t put yourself in danger.”

With the change in the situation, Lu Junchi reassigned tasks, saying, “Qu Ming, you should quickly retrieve the victim’s information. Xia Mingxi, continue monitoring the situation and compile the data.”

After a few people finished packing, Lu Junchi and his team went downstairs and got into the best-equipped police patrol car. The car was equipped not only with various devices and weapons but also with police communication equipment.

Although the addresses of the live streaming rooms had been blocked on various domestic platforms, people kept entering the room. Live streaming websites were eager for the excitement and even provided video recommendations and increased traffic.

People were both scared and discussing the situation, spreading the news as they went.

In a short period of time, the number of viewers had reached fifty thousand.

While in the car, Director Tan called Lu Junchi. It was not only the police but also various sectors of society paying attention to this heinous crime.

Although the internet police were doing their best to block it, everyone knew that it was impossible to completely seal it off. Deleting posts and conducting investigations could only control the impact to a certain extent, reducing the immediate level of attention.

The media was eager to report, and as time passed, the police also needed to inform the public about the situation.

Instead of blocking information and allowing malicious individuals to exaggerate the facts and spread rumors, it was better to deliver the truth to the public.

Director Tan kept it brief and gave a few instructions, expressing that the central bureau could provide any necessary support, and various local divisions were dispatching police forces that could be deployed, but it would take some time.

Lu Junchi felt the pressure from Director Tan and quickly said, “I understand, thank you, Director Tan. We will do our best.”

They were now racing against time, and the stakes were human lives.

Qiao Ze, who had set off earlier, had already arrived at Wanhu City. He sent a message, saying, “Captain Lu, Wanhu City is too big. I met with the captain of the Fifth Division, but we haven’t figured out how to start the search yet…”

Before coming here, Qiao Ze had only seen Wanhu City on a map. When he actually arrived, he was completely overwhelmed.

Under the setting sun, the whole area was dimly lit, giving off an eerie sense of silence, as if it were an abandoned zone forsaken by civilization, sending shivers down one’s spine.

It was a large area of unfinished buildings, appearing pitch-black from a distance, with only a few windows lit up. The level of completion varied among the buildings—some were fully constructed, with doors, windows, and painted walls, while others were basic shells with open windows and doors.

The ground was littered with trash and construction materials, with hardly a flat surface to walk on.

Now, this place has become a gathering spot for many homeless people and lower-class individuals. As soon as these police officers arrived here, the first thing they saw was a lot of unfriendly gazes.

Lu Junchi asked, “Can we determine the orientation of the room based on the view outside the window? And… did anyone see flames or hear any sounds?”

Qiao Ze quickly responded, “Since the teenager had his mouth covered, he couldn’t scream. I asked some people, and they said they didn’t see where the flames came from. There’s no elevator here. The fire has already been extinguished…”

He felt that it was almost impossible to search through this abandoned building area one by one within a short period relying solely on manpower.

Su thought for a moment and said, “Burning a person would leave behind a certain smell. Can you request to deploy a few police dogs to try sniffing it out?”

Qiao Ze exclaimed, “That’s a good idea… I’ll discuss it with the captain here.”

Lu Junchi said, “Have the personnel from the sub-bureau start searching first and leave some manpower. The second live stream is about to begin…”

Every second ticked away relentlessly, never stopping.

The preparations, deployments, and data searches consumed time.

Just as Lu Junchi finished speaking, the live stream flickered, and the screen lit up again. This time, the live stream started a bit earlier, with less than an hour’s interval.

The background for this live stream was still a room within the Wanhu City abandoned building, but the room’s layout had completely changed. The walls were simply painted white, and a small energy-saving lamp on the ceiling emitted white light.

A massive fish tank was placed in the middle of the room. The fish tank was very large, big enough for a person to lie down in.

A teenage girl who looked to be in her early teens was sitting in the fish tank. She had long hair cascading over her shoulders and was wearing the Wanhu City High School uniform.

Just like the previous boy, the girl’s eyes were covered with a black cloth, her mouth was taped shut, and her hands and feet were bound. Inside the fish tank, there was a dripping water pipe continuously flowing.

Even with her eyes covered and mouth taped, people could still see that this girl was very beautiful.

She had an oval face with a pointed chin and fair skin. Her nose was high and straight, and her eyebrows were beautiful. Although her eyes and mouth were covered, it made people imagine how beautiful the scene would be if she opened her eyes or revealed her red lips.

The girl had a slender waist, a graceful neck, and prominent collarbones, emitting a soft halo under the light. Her feet were also bound together, forced close while she sat in the fish tank.

Unlike the previous murdered boy, this girl had her head lowered, being very quiet, as if she had already given up resistance and prepared herself to face her fate.

The live stream camera focused on her, and people could even see that her bound hands had dark red nail polish applied.

Under the shimmering water, with insufficient light, the entire room had a solemn bluish-gray hue. As the water level rose, she resembled a mermaid princess, awaiting the judgment of her life.

The live stream chat room erupted.

“So soon? The second round is starting in less than an hour?”

“Is he planning to drown this girl?”

“This girl is so beautiful… and so young.”

“What grudges does he have? I think he’s not punishing the bad people, but rather punishing these children and their families.”

“What about the police? Why haven’t they caught him?”

“This is a live stream on the internet. To catch him, they need to know his location…”

The voice of the anchor, altered through a voice changer, came through, “We’re now entering the second round of the game, and as you already know the rules, in this round, the water-filling device will continuously release water. If you haven’t found the correct answer within an hour, it will be made public, and the young girl before your eyes will be drowned.”

A hand entered the frame and gently touched the girl’s hair, causing her to tremble slightly.

“This time, you need to uncover the guilt of another person. His name is Lian Chengyan, male, twenty-nine years old.” A printed photo and information of a man were hung on the girl’s chest.

The netizens had the experience from the previous round, but with more people, the chat room became even more chaotic.

“Quickly, does anyone know who this person is?”

“What about those gossip mongers? They’re usually all over the place, but now they’re silent?”

“Researching someone online is illegal now.”

“We’re trying to save a person. What crime are we committing?”

“I can’t stand this. Whoever it is, just catch this person quickly, even if it’s for further investigation.”

“The killer had planned this from the beginning. How can we catch him?”

“If we can’t catch the killer, we can at least go after this Lian Chengyan… It must be because he’s guilty but hasn’t been punished that this girl was kidnapped…”

“Wake up! It’s the killer who claims Lian Chengyan is guilty. This has not been confirmed at all!”

The live stream footage was almost still, with only the rising water level reminding everyone that it was a live scene.

The water level gradually rose, quickly submerging the girl’s calves. Her skirt became wet from the water.

The people in the chat room were anxious, suggesting various ideas but unable to help in any way.

Even the audience began to divide into factions and engage in internal disputes.

Soon, there was news from Qu Ming: “I’m quickly searching for the girl’s identity… I’ve joined the teacher group at Wanhu High School, and the teachers are trying to identify this student. They’ll send the information soon.”

Xia Mingxi also commented in the group, “I’ve found information on this Lian Chengyan. He was previously imprisoned for fighting, sentenced to three years. After release, he didn’t have a legitimate job but had substantial income. His social connections are linked to a security company. This person is a thug involved in forced demolitions.”

Simultaneously, online messages began to appear: “Lian Chengyan, I think I know this person.”

“Hush, everyone else hush and let those who know speak.”

“This person doesn’t have a legitimate job and usually works as a security guard for people. If he encounters homeowners who refuse the demolition terms, he resorts to violence, threats, and coercion to make them agree.”

“Well, this person is not a good guy ah…”

“He’s quite famous in this line of work. The developers even pay him to deal with stubborn homeowners. According to him, there’s no one he can’t drive away.”

Qu Ming also had further information: “We’ve found the girl’s information. Her name is Mo Xiuxiu, a student in Class 3 of the second year at Wanhu City High School. I’m contacting her parents, and she is their only daughter.”

Lu Junchi frowned. “Is there any connection between him and the previous victim?”

Qu Ming replied, “Based on the available information, the previous victim, Kong Tao, was a senior in Wanhu City High School. They attended the same school but were in different classes.”

Lu Junchi asked, “Did they know each other? Any contact?”

Qu Ming answered, “Currently, there doesn’t appear to be any direct connection.”

Lu Junchi pondered for a moment and sent a voice message to Qu Ming, “Both victims are students from Wanhu City High School. This may not be a coincidence. Contact the principal and teachers of the school to quickly check if there are any children who haven’t returned home in their classes.”

As the police, they couldn’t remain passive anymore. They had to conduct screenings and identify more potential victims. However, their knowledge was still too limited.

Qu Ming said, “I just thought of that too. The teachers told me that many students stay out late on Fridays. Also, some children in Wanhu City are left behind by their parents who work in other cities. There are even some children who live alone, and some families don’t have cell phones… I know it sounds unbelievable in modern society, but there are still many families without cell phones…”

Qu Ming’s tone revealed a deep helplessness. In such circumstances, it was difficult for them to investigate more victims.

Lu Junchi’s frown deepened. Wanhu City was in chaos, and the parents were busy making a living. Until today, these children had never received much attention.

The second riddle was announced, and the second victim appeared. This time, the police became more skilled and quickly found various clues within ten minutes.

However, the information they currently had was far from sufficient.

The live stream continued, and the sound of flowing water could be heard. The girl was too quiet, always keeping her head down, revealing her pointed chin, as if she were asleep.

Lu Junchi and his team were in a police car driving into the Wanhu City area. The towering unfinished buildings in that area were very prominent and visible from afar.

Lu Junchi was constantly in urgent communication with various parties.

Suhui sat in the car, bowing his head and stroking the cat’s head on his cane, organizing his thoughts. His considerations were different from those busy searching for answers.

Why were the second method of attack and the location different from the first case? The first case involved arson, while the second case involved water torture. Why were there these differences?

Was the killer’s only goal to expose those few evildoers and reveal some sins?
Su Hui furrowed his brow. He felt that he had not yet found the crucial point and couldn’t grasp the entire plan.

Time was passing by every second, and it was already 7:10 in the evening. In the blink of an eye, the second live broadcast had been going on for over ten minutes.

The water level continued to rise, gradually crawling up from the girl’s legs to her waist. It soaked the lower edges of her hair, causing her long hair to float like seaweed.

The water level kept rising, subtly moving under the lights and casting eerie shadows on the white walls.

It was autumn now, and the girl sat in the water barrel, immersed in room-temperature water. It took away the warmth from her body, and she trembled slightly. Witnessing this scene, everyone’s hearts were filled with anguish.

“Why kill someone? And why livestream it?”

“Perverted! Seeking attention from the public…”

“A murderer! What kind of skill is this?!”

Various voices flashed across the screen. Despite being separated by the screen, one could still sense people’s anger. However, the host seemed completely oblivious to it.

In the darkness of the night, several police cars came to a stop. Lu Junchi told Su Hui in the car, “Su, take care of yourself.”

Su Hui nodded in response.

Lu Junchi left two emergency-duty detectives behind, and the rest followed him into the abandoned building area of Wanhu City.

It was pitch black here, with uneven sand and stones scattered on the ground. Construction materials were strewn about haphazardly by hastily evacuated construction teams.

Lu Junchi and the police officers from various sub-bureaus who had arrived here began discussing how to conduct a thorough search in this vast area.

Qiao Zehui reported, “The officers from the sub-bureau have already started searching, and some of the original residents living in the abandoned buildings are helping us find the whereabouts of the girl…”

When he first arrived, he found the people here to be unfamiliar, but upon interacting with them, he discovered that some of them were quite helpful. Hearing about the events that took place tonight, many citizens were lending a hand. Some of them understood that with such incidents, there might be increased control over this area, which would mean losing their only “home.”

Lu Junchi said, “The situation of the host is unknown. Remind them to prioritize safety, travel in groups, and not be alone.” Then he turned around, gazing at the ghostly buildings before him.

The abandoned building complex in Wanhu City was enormous, without any surrounding walls. It was clearly impossible to completely seal off the area to prevent entry and exit.

Outside the abandoned building complex, within moments, nearly a hundred people had gathered, and more police forces were continuously pouring in.

The deployment of search and rescue dogs, drones, and other equipment required some time. Currently, the most effective method seemed to be employing a large number of people for a carpet search, using a manpower strategy.

However, the personnel needed to be allocated properly to ensure that the entire area could be searched in the shortest possible time.

After observing the surrounding environment and looking at a detailed map in his hands, Lu Junchi lowered his head. He didn’t dare to be careless and quickly divided the area.

“There are a total of 274 abandoned buildings in this area. Based on the distribution of the building complex, we can divide it into eight zones, with different personnel responsible for each zone. We will search gradually from the outskirts towards the center, ensuring that each building is thoroughly investigated.”

The officers quickly responded, “Yes!”

Once the teams were assigned, everyone started moving at the fastest pace, dispersing towards different zones.

Lu Junchi also turned around and led a team towards a nearby group of buildings.

It was close to 8 o’clock, and tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.

Through the continuous efforts of the police and netizens, there were some results in the investigation regarding Lian Chengyan.

Just as Lu Junchi was starting to climb the second building, he received a report from Xia Mingxi through his earpiece. “Captain Lu, I found some previously processed police reports and several disputes related to Lian Chengyan. He had assaulted people, causing serious injuries and even one case of paralysis, the most severe.”

With such concrete evidence of crimes, an ordinary person would have been in prison long ago. However, Lian Chengyan had been thriving and fearless.

As Lu Junchi climbed the stairs, he said, “Summarize all the information.” Then he hesitated for a moment and called Director Tan to inquire about how to proceed.

During the previous livestream, the host’s request was to expose all the crimes to the public.

The idea of exposing everything to the public seemed a bit too broad.

After discussing with Director Tan and other leaders, a quick response came back. Director Tan said to Lu Junchi, “Since the situation has escalated to this point, there’s no need to hide anything. After review by the verification team, the confirmed information should be released by the police, but it must be done within an hour.”

Although Director Tan wasn’t sure if following the host’s instructions would yield results and whether that person would spare the girl, they had to attempt communication with the perpetrator.

Lu Junchi acknowledged and immediately had Xia Mingxi send the information.

The verification team quickly began their investigation. While ensuring speed, the accuracy of the information being released was also crucial.

Time was running out, and the entire police station was deeply involved in this case, causing extreme nervousness among all the personnel.

Time continued to pass, and there were only ten minutes left until the end of the livestream.

Finally, confirmation of Lian Chengyan’s crimes came one by one, and they were ultimately released to the public.

Within the Bureau, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The people in the live broadcast room became excited when they saw the police announcement. “They released it! The police released it!”

“What did they release? What’s the current situation?”

“They released eight pieces of evidence related to Lian Chengyan.”

“Damn, that person is really guilty! He even caused someone to be disabled. Shouldn’t he have been imprisoned a long time ago?”

“So fast, the police really went all out, huh?”

“This meets the requirements, right?”

“Release him! Release him!”

According to the police announcement, the earliest incident of Lian Chengyan’s criminal responsibility was six years ago when he severely injured someone and caused property damage, but it was settled with monetary compensation.

In the following years, he committed numerous crimes, injuring several people, and even causing disabilities, but he never faced legal consequences.

In the live broadcast room, the host spoke up again, “I saw that the police have released Lian Chengyan’s criminal responsibility. It turns out our Huadu police can act swiftly too.”

Then his tone shifted, “But why has a person like him, who has committed so many evil deeds, been able to escape the law for so long?”

For a moment, the comments in the live chat increased dramatically.

“Because no one reported him.”

“Heh, I think it’s because he has connections.”

“Some of the parties involved must have reported it to the police, but these matters were suppressed.”

“So, it takes a big commotion for someone to investigate.”

“What’s the use of discussing this now? The police have already worked hard.”

“Even if Lian Chengyan deserves to be arrested, the girl is innocent! Why should you condemn the life of an innocent person to hold others accountable?”

“It’s still a societal issue. Why can a bad person go unpunished for so long? Attention is only raised when an innocent person is on the verge of death.”

Why?

This question is complex. In a city so large, there are always places where sunlight doesn’t reach, areas that lack proper oversight, and crimes that cannot be verified—a blind spot in the city.

Although no one wants to confront such a situation, people must acknowledge that even with the presence of police and laws, human society is not a utopia. These unaccountable crimes will inevitably exist.

When did it start that as adults, we know such things will occur in our lives, and we become accustomed to them, only caring when it doesn’t concern us directly?

There is still a possibility of many reversals on the internet, making it impossible for those who advocate for justice to judge right from wrong.

The hoarse voice of the host echoed, “People often say that justice may be delayed, but it will never be absent. However, nobody knows exactly when this delay will occur. It could be a few minutes, a few hours, maybe days, months, or even years, decades…”

His words paused, and the air seemed to freeze.

Water had already risen to the girl’s neck, forcing her to tilt her head back to breathe.

The host asked, “Does justice arriving too late still hold any meaning?”

TN:

How does killing innocent people justify this killers sense of “justice”? Although I kinda get where he’s coming from. Many times criminals get away with heinous acts that destroy numerous lives. And the system that’s supposed to seek justice for the victims bends for the power and wealth of these criminals. It’s a sad and cruel reality.