Chapter 487: The Greatsword’s Gambit

Chapter 487: The Fifty-Meter Greatsword is Ready (5 More Updates)

What’s the most important thing in solving a case?

Clues!

Inside the hospital, through the ward’s glass, Xiao Yu watched Shi Yanwan inside.

Not for spying – he was gathering clues!

The clue in this case comes from Shi Yanwan.

The clues for the other nine victims also originate from Shi Yanwan.

Even the clue from that basement where the murder game was held came from Shi Yanwan.

And still, the only openly available clue in this case is… Shi Yanwan.

Cracking the case is every policeman’s ultimate goal.

Though the clues lay right there, having no leads is deeply frustrating.

Snapping back to reality, Xiao Yu noticed Wang Dong approaching from not far away.

He also saw a flicker of excitement on his older brother’s face.

Could this be a new clue?

“I found something,”

Wang Dong quickly came up to Xiao Yu and said, “A year ago, a similar murder game case also occurred overseas.”

Xiao Yu: …

“Older brother, are you bad-mouthing foreigners?”

Never thought you’d act like that, National Security!

“Really,”

Wang Dong glared at Little Brother, “Ten people, one survivor – but that one survivor got rewarded!”

Xiao Yu was at a loss for words.

Did such a case really happen overseas?

If so… Xiao Yu’s expression grew increasingly troubled.

This is shaping up to be a major incident!

Since a similar case happened overseas,

if the two cases are linked by cause and effect,

what would any normal person think of first?

A gang, an organization – a transnational crime syndicate!

Could ordinary folks, or even just one person, possibly pull off such a crime?

To put it plainly, how could an ordinary person manage transnational crime?

Or abduct ten people from ten different cities?

Kill nine and spare one!

“Not just a coincidence?” Xiao Yu said coolly.

“The odds of coincidence are only fifty percent,”

Wang Dong shook his head, “There’s one more possibility!”

“Understood,”

Xiao Yu realized, “Copycat crime, perhaps?”

“That’s the only possibility,”

Wang Dong nodded, “You know that for major cases overseas the details are made public – they wouldn’t risk causing panic. Everything can be checked online. So if someone is imitating this, it’s highly plausible!”

He wasn’t convinced it was a transnational crime.

Why not?

To illustrate:

How would a notorious drug lord who fled overseas manage to sell drugs?

Firstly, he’d need to master the language, the environment, and the channels – none of which happens overnight.

And besides,

what sort of ability allows one to abduct ten people from ten different cities, lock them up in one place, and do it unnoticed?

Wait a minute… Xiao Yu’s eyes lit up.

Ten cities, ten people, taken to the same basement?

This isn’t something just anyone could pull off.

Even large criminal organizations might struggle.

Unless…

“Could there be another possibility?”

Xiao Yu speculated, “Maybe the organizer of the murder game used a trick to lure the victims to him?”

“The invitation Shi Yanwan mentioned – using rewards as bait?” Wang Dong’s eyes sparkled.

Exactly, as Shi Yanwan herself had said.

She learned of the game from two schoolmates… Cao Fang and Li Dongguo.

They were drawn in by a reward of one million and agreed to participate.

But once they reached the designated spot, they were drugged and kidnapped.

If that’s how Shi Yanwan was treated, could it be the same for the other nine victims?

According to Xiao Yu’s deduction,

the basement where the murder game was held is in M City.

Might the other nine victims have come to M City on their own?

And what does that imply?

It’s extremely useful!

First, contact methods.

How did the organizer reach the victims? Which communication method was used?

Second, the meeting point.

The organizer wouldn’t show his face; the meeting spot had to be pre-arranged.

Third, the method of abduction.

Shi Yanwan was drugged and taken away – and presumably so were the other nine.

With these three points, a crucial question emerges.

According to Shi Yanwan’s account,

when she awoke in the underground dungeon, the others woke up one after another.

They were all terrified, panicked, and utterly lost.

What does that signify?

It indicates that all ten were dumped into this underground dungeon around the same time!

And what does that suggest?

That they were likely all abducted by the murder game organizer on the same day!

Another question arises.

Kidnapping ten people in one day?

Is that even possible for one or two individuals?

Absolutely not!

Xiao Yu reached that conclusion.

Wang Dong had come to the same realization.

“First, check the social and communication tools of the other nine victims. There should be some clues,”

Xiao Yu said coldly, “And then, remember that on the day Shi Yanwan was kidnapped in M City two months ago, ten people were taken. It’s impossible that it could have happened without anyone noticing… Issue a reward and search for eyewitnesses!”

“Anything else?”

Wang Dong nodded, mentally noting every word from his little brother.

“Kidnapping ten people on the same day means the location of the underground dungeon can’t be far from where the victims were taken.”

Xiao Yu continued, “Transporting each victim isn’t something that can be done quickly.”

“Since the victims were taken at night in vehicles, the location must be accessible for parking. A quiet spot where one could step off without being seen and whisk the victims away to what’s called an underground area… No, it wouldn’t be underground – only above ground.”

“Still, moving ten abducted victims on the same day – drugging them, picking them up, and transporting them – takes a lot of time. The organizer wouldn’t waste time on that. So… there must be an area with an elevator.”

“At the same time, they must be able to control the elevator’s surveillance… It can’t be in an apartment building, a business building, or a public building. It’s highly likely to be in a private residence!”

“Check every private residence, storage room, and factory… And while you’re at it, get in touch with the workers responsible for renovations in M City, especially bricklayers and plasterers.”

“Building a basement, creating an underground space – ordinary people can’t do that. It would certainly require professional workers.”

Xiao Yu sneered, “I refuse to believe these people won’t slip up even a little!”

Little Punk declared, “My fifty-meter greatsword is ready!”