Chapter 135: Caught the Wrong Person?

“Why would you think that?”

“This time for the program, our Country P guests were invited by the program’s biggest investor.”

【Good grief, I knew it. These people say they’re here for the show, but they all have ulterior motives.】

【The guests from H Country and M Country came with missions. No reason Country P’s wouldn’t.】

【So they all secretly agreed on it, huh?】

【Can you all show some respect to this program? Put in some real effort. Escaping an s-class prison should be a piece of cake for you.】

【For details, refer to Brother Fen’s nighttime visit to his compatriot. He left when he wanted and came back when he wanted.】

【But he didn’t escape either. The area outside the island is all ocean.】

【Just walking out of the cell block is no big deal. The defenses outside are ridiculously strong.】

“You mean Silver Sky Group invited you?” Xiao Fen and the others really hadn’t chatted privately with the guests from the other countries.

“Yeah,” Elijah lowered his eyes, his expression somewhat gloomy. “Two years ago, Chairman Roze’s entire family was murdered by a serial killer. The culprit was caught quickly and locked up in this prison.”

“Recently, Mr. Roze discovered some clues related to the case. He suspects the killer was taking the fall for someone else, and the real murderer is still free—though they haven’t committed any more crimes.

“Lately, he and his lawyer have tried to contact the killer to get some words out of him, but since entering prison, he’s refused to see anyone. He’s dead set on dying here. This place is called an s-class prison; even bribing inmates to ask questions for him is tough, and those criminals don’t seem reliable anyway.”

“So he invested in this program just to get someone close to that serial killer in the Roze Family massacre?” Xiao Fen felt a bit emotional.

“Sometimes prisoners lie to vice squad officers and lawyers, but to fellow inmates, they often spill the truth without a second thought.” Joey said, “I’ve dealt with plenty of criminals while gathering material.”

“This killer isn’t Bram, is he?”

Elijah nodded. “I’m the only survivor of that massacre.”

“Huh?” Xiao Fen had guessed the killer but not that it was him.

“Mr. Roze’s family and mine go way back. That day, my brother and I went to his vacation villa for a party. We drank a lot, and I passed out in the guest room. When I woke up in the middle of the night and went downstairs for water, I saw a stranger standing in a pool of blood, axe in hand.” A flash of terror crossed Elijah’s eyes. “Mrs. Roze, her two sons, and Mr. Roze’s father were laid out in a row in the living room, like trophies on display.”

Recalling that nightmare, tears welled in Elijah’s eyes. He lowered his face, hands pressed to his forehead, shoulders trembling in fear.

Roy patted his back from the side, silently offering comfort.

【I heard about this when I was studying in Country P. The case rocked the whole state. When the vice squad officers arrived, Bram was chasing Elijah, nearly hacking him to death. Besides the four Roze family members, three household staff were brutally killed too. The scene was like hell on earth—even veteran officers with years of experience were shaken.】

【Elijah survived by the skin of his teeth. Good fortune awaits him.】

【Before sneaking into the vacation villa to wipe out Mr. Roze’s family, Bram had committed three serial family annihilations, leaving a blood-drawn iris flower at each scene.】

【But the iris pattern that time was analyzed by forensics experts and deemed different from the previous ones, leading some to suspect it was a copycat trying to pin it on the prior killer.】

【Then why was it all pinned on one guy in the end?】

【Later it was proven that Bram’s dominant hand was injured at the time. Worried about leaving his blood at the scene, he drew it with his left. He didn’t expect someone upstairs. Elijah called the police and stalled him until the vice squad officers arrived.】

Joey said, “Before Bram died, he uttered a few words: the killer is in prison—escaped. The three of us analyzed it for a long time and concluded Bram knew who the real culprit was, and that person is right here in the prison—or on this island.”

“But if the real killer is already serving time here, never getting out in this lifetime, what does it matter if Bram rats him out?” Xiao Fen said, puzzled. “Why bother killing Bram to silence him? Total overkill.”

“So we figure the attacker meant to kill me, not him. He’s not afraid of Bram talking; he’s worried I’ll remember something damning. He was coming for me.” Elijah said painfully. “Even after all this time, I can’t recall anything. That memory is too traumatic.”

“Besides inmates, there are vice squad officers in the prison.” Joey patted his shoulder to stop him from forcing it. “On top of that, factory workers hauling goods monthly, island supply delivery staff, and personnel from the island’s vice squad officers’ club all enter the prison occasionally for various reasons. He might’ve spotted someone during yard time. Under constant threat from the real killer, even an innocent person wouldn’t spill the truth.”

“We can rule those people out. They weren’t there when Bram died.” Xiao Fen said. “Vice squad officers, though—that’s possible.”

“We talked to Bram after we got locked up. He was terrified and refused to share any case details, even if someone knew he was innocent.” Joey said, frustrated. “He warned that digging deeper would put our lives at risk. I didn’t believe him at first, but then this happened.”

“That night during the prison clash, I’d just asked Bram to tell me who the real killer was, if he had any leads,” Elijah recalled blankly. “I sensed the disturbance around us, but the chaos erupted suddenly. We got swept up in the crowd, shoved around. I saw a vice squad officer heading our way, saw Bram get pushed in front of me by inmates, his face twisted as he opened his mouth to scream. By the time I reacted, blood was all over me. He collapsed to the ground, powerless, a sharp knife in his back.”

“Besides a vice squad officer, who else could smuggle in contraband like a knife?” Joey said.

“This is tricky.” Xiao Fen frowned.

“Even for inmates, where’d the prison knife come from? That’s a management flaw. If it’s a vice squad officer, that’s terrifying.” Joey said. “We have to catch this killer.”

【Good thing prison guards can’t see the live stream.】

【If it’s really one of them working inside, that’s horrifying. Hope not.】

【What did Elijah do to deserve carrying such bloody memories for life?】

【Look at how gaunt he is. So pitiful.】

【No wonder he hasn’t slept well in prison. I thought he was just being delicate before.】

“Can you help us?” Elijah asked.

“If you feel your lives are in danger, you should ask the program crew for help.” Xiao Fen said. “It’d be a shame to end the show early, but compared to your safety, it’s nothing. You’re all successful people from wealthy families. No need to risk your lives for prize money.”

“I joined this program to uncover the truth about my loved one’s death and end my nightmare.” Determination filled Elijah’s teary eyes. “As the sole survivor now, the killer will come for me. We just want your help cracking this case.”

Xiao Fen saw they wouldn’t be swayed and didn’t commit. He wasn’t some pushover; he’d see in a few days.

He put the book back on the shelf and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was getting late, so he returned to the dorm, only to find Ou Yu looking off-color.

“You’re finally back. Did you just go see Inspector Fang?”

“Yeah, no worries about the case. Dr. Jiang’s been released.” Xiao Fen gave a rough rundown. Seeing Ou Yu still tense, he asked what happened.

“Yevgeny was just here, throwing a fit.” He said. “Our vice squad officer is supposed to watch the Country P criminals, but now it’s just Yevgeny left. He tried sneaking into the factory earlier, got spotted by Inspector Fang, and was sent back. He’s furious, came storming over ranting that Qian Ning’s avoiding him. He finally had a chance to make contact, and Inspector Fang ruined it.”

“Skill gap. What’s he got to be mad about?” Xiao Fen sneered.

“He claims Inspector Fang deliberately kept him in the dark.” Ou Yu said. “That courier explosion case? Inspector Fang handled it and caught Qian Ning personally. When they were on good terms, Qian Ning told him he was framed—someone else did it.”

【Good grief, another one crying innocence.】

【You guys aren’t buying this, are you? Criminals spout nothing but lies.】

【Exactly. Anyone Inspector Fang catches has to be guilty.】

【Your bias toward your own is too thick.】

【Inspector Fang’s handled so many cases; bound to slip once or twice.】

【And his slip-ups? M Country’s in panic, innocent lives lost.】

【No wonder Ulysses says he’s not up to it.】

【I liked him because of Xiao Fen, but his skills don’t match up.】

M Country viewers were furious, flooding Fang Si Ting’s live stream chat with curses.

Xiao Fen could already imagine the chaos in the live stream chat and frowned.

“Yevgeny doesn’t actually believe that crap, does he?”

“He didn’t at first, but with M Country team down to just him, he’s desperate. Seeing Inspector Fang block him repeatedly, he thinks there’s an agenda.”

“Mr. Black Cat was just doing his job.” Xiao Fen said.

“You speaking up for him like that— you two made up?” Ou Yu asked suddenly.

“Our relationship’s great.” Xiao Fen stressed again. “Better than you think.”

Not just Ou Yu— the live stream chat didn’t buy it either.

Seeing his expression, Xiao Fen doubled down: “It was all an act before, got it?”

“Yeah right. Think you can fool the Film Emperor about what’s real?” Ou Yu said.

He hadn’t worried watching them bicker before, but now Xiao Fen insisting they were tight made him uneasy.

“Want to ask Inspector Fang?” Ou Yu whispered.

Xiao Fen wasn’t thrilled.

“Little Fen, why don’t you feel him out first? Just in case… we can prepare countermeasures.”

“Why’s the emperor not worried but the eunuch is? What’s he to me that I should fret?”

“Who just claimed you’re tight?” Ou Yu teased.

Xiao Fen rolled over to face the wall.

“Fine, if you won’t, I’ll ask tomorrow. Can’t let a compatriot’s rep get trashed over a show.”

The next day, the two sat at a library table.

“Nothing to ask. Qian Ning’s definitely the killer. Inspector Fang isn’t incompetent enough to grab the wrong guy.” Xiao Fen cradled a book, flipping pages idly. “No way I buy it.”

“If you don’t believe it, why’d you come?”

Xiao Fen’s face twitched awkwardly. “I’m here with you. Afraid you’ll get duped. You don’t know how nasty Mr. Black Cat is.”

“Tell me about it.”

His ears picked up the approach before his nose did.

Xiao Fen calmly shifted over, making room for Fang Si Ting to sit.

Ou Yu smiled and tactfully stood.

“What’re you doing? Nothing you can’t hear.” Acting like they were up to something.

“Gonna find a book.” Ou Yu left with good timing.

Now alone, how was he supposed to talk?

Xiao Fen’s face soured a bit.

“Something up?” Fang Si Ting noticed their odd vibes.

“About the Country F and Country P explosion cases.”

He didn’t know much, just relayed what he’d searched online before.

Fang Si Ting listened, then fell silent for a beat.

“Nothing to say?”

Did he really catch the wrong person?

Xiao Fen’s lips parted slightly, watching him tensely.

Fang Si Ting paused, then said, “In the op that nabbed Qian Ning, I took a severe injury. Comatose in the hospital for half a year after. My body couldn’t handle high-intensity work anymore, so I retired to a desk job.”

As soon as he spoke, he was enveloped in a hug, his head sinking into a warm, soft nape that carried the sharp, medicinal tang of bruise liniment wine.