As soon as people enter a crowd, their IQ drops significantly. Even if they are all brilliant elites individually, together they can easily turn into a disorganized mob.
For the sake of a pointless sense of belonging and validation, individuals will consistently choose to abandon independent thought and their own sense of right and wrong to cater to the group.
Therefore, when the Big Vs✦ translator's noteBig V (大V): Chinese internet slang for verified accounts or influencers with a large following (from Weibo's "V" verification badge).s across various forums and websites began focusing on this cop-killing case, the spectating masses naturally converged their attention onto it as well.
And when highly suggestive posts slandering the police and fabricating case details quietly spread across major platforms, the masses—who didn't actually care about the truth but were exceptionally eager to assert their righteous stance—were once again whipped into a frenzy of collective outrage!
There are just some people in this world like this. Meek and subservient in real life, yet always striking heavy blows in the cyber world.
They flexed their self-righteous little wits, taking pride in showing off and glory in receiving attention.
Hiding behind one virtual alias after another, they bravely attacked current events and sharply critiqued the lives of others.
"Who the fuck leaked this news to the media!" Chief Sun Ruohai stared at the chaotic mess of media reports covering his screen, feeling his blood pressure rising.
He slammed his fist hard onto his desk, roaring at a clerk who had merely come in to deliver a document, "Go fetch Chen Cong from the Criminal Investigation Detachment for me!"
But while Sun Ruohai was flying into a rage, the man he had summoned, Chen Cong, was also burning with fury.
"No one leaked it??! I don't buy that bullshit! Are those media outlets clairvoyant and telepathic✦ translator's noteClairvoyant and telepathic (千里眼顺风耳): "Thousand-Mile Eyes" and "Wind-Catching Ears"—two mythological deities in Chinese folklore known for supernatural sight and hearing.?! Or is it really like the rumors online say! The killer really fucking escaped from the King of Hell to murder someone! And dismember them! And now the killer's ghost just has a loose tongue! Craving credit! Rushing to tip off the media to expose himself!"
Thirty-something Chen Cong had been in the force for nearly ten years, famous for his strong capabilities and explosive temper.
Once, when there was a disagreement on the direction of a case investigation, Chen Cong—merely a Vice Captain of the CID—was the only one who dared to slam the table and get into a shouting match during the seminar with his direct superior, Sun Ruohai, who was a deputy-ministerial level cadre.
After the meeting adjourned that day, Chen Cong even wrote a self-criticism letter specifically for the incident. Yet the very next day, when discussing key points of the case, he got worked up again, glaring, blowing his top, and roaring loud enough to shake the heavens all the same.
If having a bad temper could be registered as a patent, Chen Cong would definitively be a well-known trademark.
The position of Captain for the Lu'an Sub-bureau CID had been vacant for a long time. Although Chen Cong was only the Vice Captain, he was the undisputed leader of the team.
The team members were already heavy-hearted because the case was bizarre, involved a former colleague, and the investigation was progressing slowly.
Being scolded by Chen Cong right now, even though they all felt they were wrongly accused, they also knew that information couldn't grow legs and run to the media on its own.
The Lu'an Sub-bureau CID office was steeped in gloom and misery.
Whenever a major criminal case occurred, the CID was always the primary frontline combat force; being so busy their feet didn't touch the ground was the norm.
And right now, over a dozen hours had passed since the incident.
Chen Cong couldn't believe that at a moment when they hadn't even drafted a suspect list yet, someone on his team actually had the leisurely mood to run off and tip off the media! They literally had too much free time on their hands!
"You son of a bitch who can't keep your mouth shut! If you've got the guts, keep your fox tail hidden forever! Don't let me catch you!"
The more Chen Cong thought about it, the angrier he got. He was just about to continue cursing when he saw Police Officer Pan Xiaozhu—known as the "Single Flower✦ translator's noteSingle Flower (一枝花): A nickname for the most beautiful—or only—woman in a department or team (i.e., "the Police Flower")." of the Lu'an Sub-bureau—rush in from the door like a whirlwind!
Before she even had time to hand over the physical report, Pan Xiaozhu shouted:
"Captain Chen! New development! The stamps Wen Di confiscated from the victim's home last night—the testing lab replied, it's a new type of drug!"
Before her voice even faded, Jiang Zhi, who had been sitting in front of a computer watching surveillance footage all day, suddenly raised his voice: "Captain Chen! I've locked onto the hideout of that wicked bastard who used the express courier to deliver the body parts! It's a residential apartment!"
On the day of the incident, an express courier rider delivered the dismembered body parts to the late-night restaurant.
Upon receiving the report, the police immediately launched an investigation into the real-name authentication information the sender had left on the courier platform.
However, according to the data provided by the platform, whether it was the registered phone number or the sender and recipient names, everything was filled out using Chen Feng's information.
Initially, the police believed it was highly likely that this Chen Feng was the killer. But they quickly discovered that this authenticated sender, Chen Feng, was an early-retired veteran detective. What was even more suspicious was that he had vanished into thin air.
Would an experienced frontline detective really use his real name to dump a body in a busy downtown area after committing a murder?
Unable to find Chen Feng, another possibility gradually surfaced in the minds of the police.
If Chen Feng wasn't the killer, then it was highly likely he was the victim whose ID and phone had been taken by the killer.
This hypothesis drastically shortened the time it took the detectives to find and confirm the victim's identity.
Three hours after confirming Chen Feng's disappearance, by cross-referencing his DNA with the records on file from when he joined the force, the police confirmed the victim's identity. The deceased was indeed the veteran detective who had dedicated his life to police work—the former Captain of the Seventh Detachment of the Jianghu City CID, Chen Feng.
After ruling out Chen Feng as a suspect in this unexpected manner, the police began investigating the location where the delivery rider picked up the package.
But because the pickup address the sender provided was at a busy intersection with endless traffic and dense footfall, the police couldn't glean any information directly pointing to the true sender's identity from a spot that saw tens of thousands of people pass by daily. It was even more impossible to lock onto who the killer truly was.
For a time, the investigation hit a dead end.
Jiang Zhi, a self-proclaimed academic overachiever and the CID's number one surveillance footage expert, immediately volunteered to take on the challenge. Based on the delivery rider's statement, he pulled all the surveillance footage from the vicinity of the pickup address around that timeframe that could have possibly captured the sender.
After quickly finding the single video clip showing the real sender meeting with the rider, he proceeded to heavily screen and pull footage that tracked the sender's subsequent movements.
Through a sleepless, unblinking marathon, Jiang Zhi finally managed to track down the apartment building suspected to be the sender's residence a minute ago.
He was hot-tempered. Unable to wait for Chen Cong's authorization, he started throwing on his down jacket while saying, "I'm going to go arrest him right now! Once I catch this wicked son of a bitch, I'm absolutely gonna blow his head off! My eyes are going blind from watching these damn videos!"
Dizzy from being bombarded by Pan Xiaozhu's information regarding the new synthetic drugs, Chen Cong finally received the first piece of good news since the incident occurred.
He had intended to personally accompany Jiang Zhi to the scene to arrest the suspect, but before he could step out the door, he was stopped by a clerk from the sub-bureau, who informed him that Chief Sun was looking for him urgently.
Chen Cong thought: At a critical juncture like this, even if the Heavenly Emperor himself was looking for me, I wouldn't have the time! Arresting the suspect is priority number one.
But on second thought, he remembered Pan Xiaozhu mentioning that drugs were found among Chen Feng's belongings. This was also a massive deal and necessitated an immediate report to his superiors. It seemed he had no choice but to make the trip personally.
Chen Cong turned his head and shouted at Wen Di—the CID's top-tier brawler who was currently analyzing case files: "Wen Di! Put down what you're doing and go with Jiang Zhi. The probability of this sender being the killer is very high. Don't let him escape! Catch him, and wait for me to return to interrogate him."
Following that, he once again sternly warned all his colleagues in the office.
Any details relating to the case absolutely must not be leaked to the public, otherwise, everyone would lose three months' bonuses. Anyone who discovered and reported a leaker would receive a separate cash reward, plus a quarterly commendation within the detachment. As for anyone verified to be the leaker, they would be reported and disciplined directly by the Municipal Bureau.
The young officer responsible for delivering the message had his mind full of Sun Ruohai's furiously murderous expression from earlier. He was terrified that if Chen Cong arrived late, he would be scolded right along with him.
But Chen Cong, currently yelling at the top of his lungs, was clearly no pushover either.
Truly, the tiger on the east mountain eats people, and the tiger on the west mountain eats people too✦ translator's noteTiger on the east/west mountain: A proverb meaning danger exists on all sides—here, being caught between two fearsome superiors..
Caught in a dilemma, the "little errand boy" stood awkwardly at the door of the CID office, silently urging him with his eyes.
Only after finishing his reprimand did Chen Cong benevolently wave a hand at him. "Let's go."
When Chen Cong arrived at Sun Ruohai's office, Sun Ruohai was reviewing a document.
Chen Cong didn't treat himself like a guest. He familiarly greeted Sun Ruohai and, without waiting for an acknowledgment, plopped his butt down onto the chair opposite the desk.
Sun Ruohai lifted his head from the document, just about to lash out. But Chen Cong beat him to the punch, launching into a report on the latest developments: "I have something I need to report to you immediately. We detected components of a new synthetic drug on the stamps confiscated from the victim Chen Feng's home. However, relying solely on the equipment in our detachment's testing lab, we can only confirm it's a synthetic hallucinogen. The exact formula and the molecular structure of the active ingredients remain unclear."
"Drugs? Are you saying Chen Feng [did drugs]?"
Sure enough, Sun Ruohai's attention was diverted by this sudden, massive piece of news.
Chen Cong nodded. "The likelihood is very high. I've already notified the forensic department to work overtime and expedite a report to see if Chen Feng had consumed drugs before his death. Also, should we continue investigating the formula on those stamps?"
Sun Ruohai looked thoughtful.
Seeing that he didn't reply, Chen Cong immediately took a preemptive strike, exposing his own shortcomings: "Oh right, Chief Sun. There's another matter I must formally report to you."
He spoke with deep distress: "I don't know where the media got their information, but now there's news everywhere reporting that the fingerprint on that bullshit note belongs to Li Guangqiang."
Seeing Chief Sun still frowning in silence, Chen Cong struck while the iron was hot: "It's got the citizens all over the country talking, spouting all sorts of nonsense. There are even superstitious folks jumping out claiming a ghost committed the murder. Isn't that complete crap? But if this continues, the public opinion pressure on our team will be too massive.
"Could you perhaps ask the cyber police department to coordinate with our work? Have them delete all those messy posts online. And grab a few of those bastards who have too much free time and sit at home picking their feet✦ translator's notePicking their feet (抠脚): Slang for idling at home with nothing to do, painting an unglamorous picture of trolls sitting around bored. while spreading rumors! Detain them directly—kill the chicken to warn the monkeys✦ translator's noteKill the chicken to warn the monkeys (杀鸡儆猴): A famous idiom meaning to punish one individual as an example to frighten others into obedience.!"
"Delete posts? Arrest people?" Chief Sun snorted coldly. "I don't need you to tell me that, the cyber police will act according to regulations. But deleting posts isn't the fundamental solution to the problem! As long as this case remains unsolved for even a day, you'll never run out of rumor-mongers to arrest!
"And the masses? They don't care if the cyber police are acting within the law! If you arrest people easily, it will only make the citizens feel like we police have a guilty conscience!
"Guiding is better than blocking✦ translator's noteGuiding is better than blocking (堵不如疏): From Yu the Great's flood myth: it is better to channel or guide something rather than stubbornly dam or suppress it.! Suppression is not the solution! We must solve the case quickly! Only by catching the true culprit can we stop the rumors at the source!"
"Solving the case is definitely our top priority, but I'm also worried the media will incite the public, and the masses will blindly join the uproar..." Chen Cong muttered quietly, and was immediately met with a vicious glare from Sun Ruohai.
This single glare made Chen Cong—who highly suspected there was a mole in his team who leaked the fingerprint info—instantly shut his mouth in guilt.
"Have you found the sender?"
"We found him, and the officers are already dispatched. I found two guys who can really fight. If the suspect dares to run to evade justice, they'll beat him up on the spot, then drag him back to the detachment for interrogation."
Chief Sun didn't press further regarding the sender who was highly likely the killer. Instead, he sharply changed the topic: "Find someone right now to take the drug samples found at Chen Feng's house and deliver them directly to the Municipal Anti-Narcotics Detachment's testing lab. I'll pull some strings and have them issue the results report immediately!"
In cases like this, multi-departmental cooperation across the city wasn't unusual. But achieving the god-like speed of an "immediate report" could only be accomplished by relying on the influence and "face" of Chief Sun, who was several ranks higher.
Chen Cong thought heroically: Personal honor and disgrace mean nothing compared to the collective interest. Just for this cheat-code level✦ translator's noteCheat-code level (开了挂的): Internet slang for doing something so fast or well it seems like using cheat software in a video game. of coordination speed, let alone running an errand and getting a few cold glares, even taking a beating would be entirely worth it. I've got thick skin anyway.
Unable to hear Chen Cong's inner monologue, Sun Ruohai stared at the young Vice Captain with a grim expression.
Chen Cong had no idea that at this very moment, his leader was experiencing an intense internal conflict.
He also didn't know that this murder case he was investigating was about to help him take a massive step toward his ideal career goals.
With Chief Sun's special instructions, the Anti-Narcotics unit's testing department acted with lightning speed.
Before Chen Cong had even left the Chief's office, a fresh, piping-hot testing report was produced and delivered into Sun Ruohai's hands.
However, this rapidly produced report only made an already confusing case even more bizarre and complex.
Upon reading the results report, Sun Ruohai immediately decided to report it to Director Yan, far away in the capital.
Because the new-type synthetic drug detected on the stamps—with its hard-to-distinguish molecules and difficult-to-classify nature—was exactly the super drug the Ministry of Public Security was secretly investigating: "Zombie."
I forgot to say Happy Valentine's Day yesterday! I'm making up for it today. Thank you to all the 'little angels' from all over for the Bawang Tickets and Nutrition Pellets.
*Pinching the faces* of all my cuties in the comments section!
Thank you all so much for your support; I will continue to work hard!
Big V (大V): Chinese internet slang referring to verified accounts or influencers with a large number of followers (originally from Weibo's "V" badge for verification).
Manual doge head emoji (手动狗头): Netizens often type out "manual doge head" to indicate sarcasm or irony, similar to the "/s" tag on Reddit.
ZhiDao APP (知道APP): A fictionalized version of "Zhihu," the Chinese equivalent of Quora. "ZhiDao" translates to "Know."
Prosperity, democracy, civility... (富强、民主、文明...): China's 12 Core Socialist Values. Netizens frequently chant them jokingly in horror-related threads as a "protective spell" to ward off ghosts or evil energy.
Marketing account (营销号 · YingXiaoHao): Accounts run by agencies that post clickbait, rumors, or paid content purely to drive traffic and make money.
Clairvoyant and telepathic (千里眼顺风耳): Literally "Thousand-Mile Eyes" and "Wind-Catching Ears," referring to two mythological deities in Chinese folklore known for their supernatural sight and hearing.
Single Flower (一枝花): A nickname given to the most beautiful woman—or only woman—in a specific department or team (i.e., the "Police Flower").
Picking their feet (抠脚): Slang for idling at home with absolutely nothing to do, often painting an unglamorous picture of trolls sitting around bored.
Kill the chicken to warn the monkeys (杀鸡儆猴): A famous Chinese idiom meaning to punish an individual as an example to frighten others into obedience.
Guiding is better than blocking (堵不如疏): An ancient philosophy originating from Yu the Great's myth of controlling the great floods. It means it is better to channel or guide something rather than attempting to stubbornly dam or suppress it entirely.
Cheat-code level (开了挂的): Internet slang referring to doing something so unbelievably well or fast that it seems like using cheat software in a video game.