Chapter 16: Shadows of the Past

Returning to the Criminal Investigation Team, Xiao Yu received unexpected news.

The investigation into the Storage Room murder case victim’s past had made no progress.

When he heard this news, it struck Xiao Yu with overwhelming intensity.

It made him feel as if all his actions were already laid bare under the killer’s gaze, leaving him utterly exposed.

Panic nearly overwhelmed him!

Why the killer’s gaze?

Xiao Yu guessed that the killer had planned this all along, anticipating that the police would dig into the victim’s past.

How could that be?!

Coming to his senses, Xiao Yu’s expression turned grim.

As a time-traveler enriched by his past life experience,

now back in uniform, he believed he could easily rise above the rest and become the standout officer.

But reality hit hard; the sheer brutality of his very first case slapped him in the face!

“That killer is something else.”

Guo Qiang comforted his downcast subordinate, saying, “Don’t lose heart. We still have a chance.”

“Damn, impressive—don’t you dare belittle him. Does he even deserve that?”

Xiao Yu was incensed.

Only time would tell if the consequences were severe.

When Xiao Yu became all business and his mind started racing,

it was downright terrifying!

In his past life, why had Xiao Yu become a celebrated police officer?

Because of his exceptional investigative skills and brilliant mind.

Yet hardly anyone truly liked him back then.

Why?

His intellect was so extreme it bordered on the monstrous.

Such brilliance made conventional leadership nearly impossible.

At times, he fixated on just one angle of any problem.

It made him hard-pressed to connect with most people.

He frequently refused to blend in with other groups…

Xiao Yu knew that his old ways were wrong.

After time traveling, he worked relentlessly to change himself.

He strove to avoid overthinking issues beyond the grasp of ordinary minds.

It took Xiao Yu a full ten years to transform.

He managed to rid himself of many of his ‘bad habits.’

But then, his expression changed.

It turned cold and utterly devoid of emotion.

The gleam in his eyes gave way to a chilling numbness.

Meanwhile, his brain shifted into a mode of operation that defied ordinary understanding.

Under Guo Qiang’s horrified gaze, Xiao Yu spoke slowly—each word cutting like a blast of freezing wind from hell.

“If… I were the killer!”

……

“If I were to kill the victim, how many methods could I employ?”

“Plenty!”

“Then why choose the simplest, most brutal way?”

“To cover up the truth!”

“I know full well that sometimes the simplest approach is the one with the fewest flaws.”

“Like a shadow beneath a lamp, its simplicity makes it go unnoticed—no one pays attention to the obvious details.”

“People grab their chopsticks without pondering their size or the grip needed to lift food—they just act out of habit.”

“Similarly, no one wonders how many times they blink per minute or how often they touch their phone each day… When something becomes habitual, it fades into the background as trivial.”

“I understand that every crime leaves clues. Yet when those clues are overly simple, people tend to overlook them.”

“So, how should I execute the murder?”

“How can I act in such a way that every police officer overlooks me, with no suspicion falling on me?”

“No—it’s impossible. No matter how meticulously I plan, every murder leaves traces on the victim!”

“What worries me most is: which part of the victim is most likely to betray the clues? His words? His identity? His phone? His clothes? His family…? No—none of these. I can control them all. Except… emotion!”

“I see.”

Xiao Yu’s icy mask melted as his eyes regained their spark, and a wry smile curved his lips. He murmured, “It appears I suspected this all along but chose to ignore it. You can plan everything except a person’s emotions. In other words, the victim… really did betray you, didn’t he?!”

……

“A second phone?”

The head of the Criminal Investigation Team, Zhao Changshan, stared at Xiao Yu in disbelief and asked, “You suspect the victim had a second phone?”

“Yes.”

Xiao Yu nodded. “According to our colleagues’ inquiries with the factory staff, the victim had been seen alone from time to time over the past six months—sometimes even staying out all night. Considering he had no relatives in the city and already had dormitory accommodation, why would he choose to live elsewhere? I suspect he had a woman on the side. Whether she was his girlfriend is unclear, but she is undoubtedly connected to the killer.”

“Furthermore, I order the team to completely investigate the social apps registered under the victim’s ID, along with all his phone numbers.”

“I suspect he had a second phone because that woman is likely connected to someone inside the factory. The victim wanted to hide his affair with her at all costs.”

“I even suspect that this woman might be quite wealthy. Or perhaps, the killer himself is wealthy.”

“That much is evident from the victim’s attire. Colleagues discovered two luxury garments and a pair of limited-edition basketball shoes in his suitcase. For someone with his income, such splurges were unthinkable, especially when all his co-workers said he was typically very frugal.”

At this point, Xiao Yu glanced at the team leader, Zhao Changshan, whose shocked expression revealed deep contemplation.

“Once we find this woman, we’ll uncover the killer!”