Chapter 75: Clues and Hypnotic Mysteries

Chapter 75: Interruptions in the Trail

What exactly is hypnosis?

Like in the movies—waving a pocket watch and snapping your fingers to hypnotize someone?

No, that’s not hypnosis. That’s fairy-tale magic, a kind of sorcery!

Real hypnosis is a complex and intricate process.

It requires prolonged guidance to subtly alter the subject’s thoughts, perceptions, memories, and behavior.

For instance, a skillful hypnotist can even induce temporary numbness, hallucinations, or memory loss.

Key point.

The possibility of hypnosis hinges on a unique bond between the hypnotist and the subject—

things like trust, familiarity, and empathy…

Imagine bringing in a world-class hypnotist—

and asking him to hypnotize a complete stranger within three minutes.

Could any hypnotist pull that off?

The answer is a resounding no.

To hypnotize someone instantly, especially a stranger, would be nothing short of magic.

Later that afternoon.

Two experts in psychology and hypnosis were summoned by National Security.

They completely examined Lv Jinyan, a teacher who had shockingly turned docile after awakening.

Outside the hospital.

“It’s confirmed—it was hypnosis!”

Wang Dong’s expression darkened as he took out a box of cigarettes, lighting one and handing it to Xiao Yu.

He recalled how just yesterday he had adamantly denied that the victim could have been hypnotized.

Now, his claim was instantly refuted, leaving him reeling, heartbroken and gasping for air…

Xiao Yu accepted the cigarette without adding insult to Wang Dong’s hurt.

After all these years, their friendship boat was still afloat.

“How could you tell?”

Wang Dong’s face was a mix of emotions as he took a long, harsh drag.

“Guess?”

Xiao Yu blew out a smoke ring and offered a knowing smile without a word.

“I don’t need to see it—I’m the conduit for system abilities.”

“So it really is a monster.”

Wang Dong glared at Xiao Yu. “Aren’t you afraid that one day they’ll use you as a lab rat, slicing your brain to see just how salty it is?”

“Writing a novel? Always slicing stuff up?”

Xiao Yu scoffed. “Come on, it’s the modern age—we need to keep up with the times!”

Wang Dong burst into laughter.

Xiao Yu joined in with a hearty laugh.

Chatting with Old Silver Coin without having to think too hard was surprisingly pleasant.

“What’s next?” Wang Dong asked, flicking away his cigarette butt.

Just like when they cracked that corpse smuggling case, he handed over command to Xiao Yu.

This time, the reins were again in Xiao Yu’s hands.

Solving cases is like a battlefield—only the capable should lead. A clueless commander spells disaster.

“We can set aside the drug inspection for now. Once we catch the culprit, we’ll know what it is.”

Xiao Yu flicked his cigarette away, exhaling thick smoke. “Let’s first see what method this guy used to control his victim…”

……

Lv Jinyan’s workplace, his daily routes, and his close acquaintances were all scoured by National Security—no suspicious traces were found.

No signs of contact yet he was hypnotized—could that really be?

There was no prolonged interaction, no gradual process.

Instant hypnosis is simply impossible!

Night, 8 PM.

Xiao Yu and Wang Dong arrived at Lv Jinyan’s home.

Lv Jinyan’s wife, a simple and honest woman, lived there along with their middle school daughter.

In the living room, bedroom, bathroom… Xiao Yu inspected every corner.

There wasn’t a single item capable of producing hypnosis.

Falcon’s Eye, Wangdie’s Nose, Wax Moth’s Ear… all three abilities were activated.

But they found nothing.

Standing outside the apartment complex, Xiao Yu scanned the exterior walls and windows of Lv Jinyan’s home.

Still, no clues surfaced.

What the heck?

Xiao Yu, feeling his head about to split, was at a loss.

They had checked his workplace, his route, his friends, even his home—there was absolutely no contact for hypnosis to take place.

So, then, how was he hypnotized?

Wait a minute… music!

Xiao Yu recalled that in the hospital, Lv Jinyan had suddenly gone berserk when he heard music.

Where had the music come from?

It wasn’t something that anyone could just sing.

Music must be played, sounded out.

So what device could play music?

A radio, a phone, a computer, an MP…?

To hypnotize someone through music, the victim must at least be familiar with it.

Developing a habit with anything takes time.

One song can’t be enough to hypnotize and control someone—what a load of nonsense.

Returning once more to Lv Jinyan’s residence.

“Does your husband have any usual hobbies?”

Xiao Yu asked Lv Jinyan’s wife.

“Well…”

The woman hesitated and shook her head. “Besides work and a few drinks with friends, he usually… plays games?”

“Mobile games?” Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow.

“No, he plays on the computer.”

She pointed to the computer in the living room.

A glimmer sparked in her eyes. Xiao Yu approached the computer and powered it on.

It was an ordinary computer running a pirated system, with a clean desktop and only a few shortcut icons.

There was only one game installed…

Xiao Yu maneuvered the mouse and opened it.

The LOL interface flashed onto the screen…

Could someone be hypnotizing others through a game?

Even if there were some operational room, it wouldn’t work in practice.

Unless it wasn’t the game at all.

Xiao Yu’s gaze shifted to the music player icon.

QQ Music?

He clicked to start it.

The music options window popped up.

A smile tugged at Xiao Yu’s lips.

Within the player’s favorites was a track.

“Sleeping Spirit!”

Half an hour later, a National Security agent arrived at the residence with a phone in hand.

It was Lv Jinyan’s phone!

Both National Security and the police had examined it thoroughly; the phone’s data was spotless.

Xiao Yu opened various phone apps, scanning through them until… his eyes locked onto a particular software.

A live streaming platform app.

….0

Upon opening it, Xiao Yu reviewed Lv Jinyan’s records of browsing different livestream rooms in the past.

There were many entries, but none seemed suspicious.

However…

“Brother Wang, use your privileges to contact the technical team at the livestream platform. I need a detailed browsing history.”

Xiao Yu began issuing orders.

While browsing records can be deleted, the platform data cannot—they must be logged somewhere.

An hour later, a complete record of Lv Jinyan’s visits to various livestream rooms over the past six months was retrieved.

Xiao Yu’s eyes fixed on one particular livestream room.

The record showed that over the last six months, Lv Jinyan had entered that room over a hundred times.

Apart from the first few times, he appeared almost every time the room went live.

Yet, every time he exited, he deleted the record.

Using a livestream room to hypnotize?

Xiao Yu chuckled.

They’d found it!

National Security began its investigation.

First, the livestream room required real-name registration.

Without verification, one couldn’t broadcast.

The results…

National Security, using technical methods, traced the livestream room’s owner.

The owner claimed that he had once lost his ID and had never really hosted any streams.

Even the phone number on the verification platform wasn’t his.

Moreover…

National Security further investigated the phone number and the IP address of the livestream room after a technical check.

They confirmed that the phone number had been obtained through illegal means.

The IP address had been logged in through proxy IPs…

And then, the clues went dead!

No— they weren’t dead… Xiao Yu grinned broadly.

At last, a trail had emerged! Dirt.