Chapter 635: A Peculiar Case of a Self-Destructive Mind?

Book Chapter 635: Is He Out of His Mind? (3 updates)

Inside the ward, Xiao Yu was scrolling through some unusual documents on his phone.

After graduating from college, Zheng Xiangyu took over the hotel inherited from his in-laws and ventured into business.

In twelve years, Zheng Xiangyu donated 200 million to disaster relief.

He also funded six primary schools and two middle schools in the mountain region.

Moreover, he donated over 50 million to an orphanage…

Reviewing the detailed records of donations, grants, and aid…

Xiao Yu found himself mulling over a philosophical question.

Can a good person ever be at fault?

Why do people scorn the virtuous, even likening some to ‘saints’?

Why is the disdain for saintly figures sometimes even greater than for outright villains?

Yet somehow, the misdeeds of some scoundrels fire up our passion?

Then who would believe that doing good is a mistake?

That thought might be too far afield – let’s focus on the case.

Knowing Zheng Xiangyu’s character, it wasn’t surprising when news broke of Chen Rong’s grave illness.

Only someone like him could have offered Chen Guodong two million.

“Officer, could I have a cigarette?”

With a smile, Zheng Xiangyu drew Xiao Yu out of his contemplation.

“Worried about your wife?”

Xiao Yu laughed, glanced toward the ward’s doorway, then got up to open the window.

Only then did he pull out his cigarette case, select one, and hand it to Zheng Xiangyu while lighting it.

“Good smoke.”

Taking a drag, Zheng Xiangyu examined the cigarette in his hand with surprise before laughing and shaking his head. “Not because I’m scared – I love her. She hates when I smoke. I tried quitting once, but I just couldn’t do it. I have to sneak a couple of cigarettes when she isn’t looking.”

“Is being a good person exhausting?”

Xiao Yu studied Zheng Xiangyu with a complicated look.

“Exhausting?”

Zheng Xiangyu grinned, “Not at all – it’s quite joyful. I grew up in a rural village, eating from many households… One has to learn to be grateful!”

Xiao Yu stood and gave Zheng Xiangyu an odd look. “We’ll meet again!”

Zheng Xiangyu froze, staring blankly at Xiao Yu’s retreating figure.

He barely registered the sting of a cigarette butt on his hand…

……

Night.

Xiao Yu rested his head on Mu Qingwu’s arm, burying his face in his sister’s embrace.

“You’ll be lost in thought as soon as you get home.”

Gently stroking her short hair, Mu Qingwu teased, “Is it about the case?”

“I discovered a really odd good guy – something just didn’t add up about him.”

Muttering, Xiao Yu said, “He has no motive, and there’s no chance he could have committed a crime, yet he… is truly bizarre!”

“Really?”

Mu Qingwu laughed seductively, “So even Inspector Ying finds himself puzzled sometimes?”

“I’m only human, you know. And you’re teasing me?”

Xiao Yu glared at his playful sister, “Do you believe I’d just get up and play video games, leaving you all alone?”

“What’s so entertaining about video games?”

With sparkling eyes, Mu Qingwu replied, “Why not come challenge me?”

“Damn…” Xiao Yu murmured as he kissed his sister.

Devil, she really is something else!

……

The next day, Xiao Yu left the house clutching his waist.

The ruthless tactics of a domineering businesswoman eager for a second child were at play.

Her methods were so brutal that even her kidneys were likely doomed!

At the Criminal Investigation Team office, Xiao Yu’s thoughts drifted to the case.

After much deliberation, he finally muttered with a bitter smile, ‘Only five days left for the system task. I never thought such a trivial case would force me to cheat?’

No, that’s an insult to my intellect.

Rising, Xiao Yu left the office…

An hour later.

Xiao Yu stood in front of a pond.

This was the very spot where the police had once discovered the bodies of suspect Chen Guodong and the maid.

How had the bodies been found?

Two children were swimming when one accidentally stepped on a carport. Diving in, he found a taxi harboring two skeletons. Shocked, he nearly drowned.

After being rescued, adults scolded the children, but one mentioned that the pond held a car and human remains…

The police arrived and began salvage operations.

A taxi along with two corpses was recovered, and forensic analysis confirmed that the deceased were Chen Guodong and the maid.

What was Xiao Yu doing here?

Three years had passed; even if there were clues, time would have erased them.

He wasn’t searching for evidence – he just needed to verify one fact.

Whether Chen Guodong and the maid were murdered or had taken their own lives.

Only then could the investigation take the right turn…

At that moment, Xiao Yu stood dazed by the pond.

The pond was vast – almost like a small reservoir.

It had once been a sand quarry before falling into decades of abandon and eventually becoming this pond.

··· Please leave flowers ···

The site was close to the road – about twenty meters away on a slope.

From the pond to the road was downhill, and vice versa.

What use was there in studying the slopes?

It was useful.

Suppose someone had killed Chen Guodong and the maid.

The vehicle is heavy. Even in neutral, the stretch ahead is uphill.

How could one possibly drive a taxi into the pond?

Now, suppose the murderer actually drove the car into the pond.

That scenario would be even more ludicrous.

Not only would you have to jump out of the car near the pond, but you’d also need to close the door… Are you trying to put on a stunt show?

When the taxi was recovered, the case file recorded that all four doors were closed.

The bodies were arranged with Chen Guodong’s corpse in the front passenger seat.

………

The maid’s corpse was found in the trunk.

Moreover, all the car windows remained intact.

The car was left in drive.

Police deduced the engine’s condition from tire marks at the scene.

It was clear that the car had been driven into the pond.

Furthermore, the absence of broken glass led the police to conclude that Chen Guodong had committed suicide.

Analyzing the terrain, the taxi’s final position, and the case records…

Xiao Yu could find no evidence of homicide.

Just the act of driving a car into a pond ruled out any possibility of an outsider’s involvement.

So, it does indeed appear to be suicide!

It just made no sense… Xiao Yu’s head ached trying to figure it out.

Why would Chen Guodong choose suicide?

If the kidnapping failed, why not let the maid turn herself in?

Although the kidnapping case was valid, the minimum sentence was ten years.

But if she had surrendered, the maximum would have been only ten years.

How many glasses of counterfeit liquor did he have to down to kill someone and then kill himself?

Isn’t it more appealing to simply live well?

What Xiao Yu found most unacceptable was this:

Your sister is gravely ill, your girlfriend is pregnant, and you’re expected to take care of them.

What reason could possibly drive you to take your own life?

And at that time, Zheng Xiangyu even handed you two million.

Are you so deranged as to kidnap your benefactor’s wife in order to extort more money?

Is that what a lunatic would do?

……

PS: Sorry, I dozed off in the middle of the night. I’m off to work on some code now! Bye.

Wen

Xue