Chapter 83: The Three Detectives' Deduction Session

At dinnertime, the group packed up their food and brought it back to the bar.

It was a critical period.

Every time they entered or exited the bar, everyone had to undergo Anomalous Energy Detection.

It was precisely this point that made Yan Jing suddenly realize something while he was eating.

"I think I've figured it out."

Yan Jing paused, his chopsticks slipping. The piece of potato and beef brisket he had picked up was about to hit the floor when Rose dashed in from the doorway, caught it, and swiftly stuffed it into her mouth.

One-Eye, a step behind her, let out a sigh.

He had experienced his former boss's speed around food a long time ago.

Now, it seemed she had gotten even faster.

"Figured what out?" Chen Nian asked from the side.

"The killer's general process."

Yan Jing replied, "And, very likely, the process for their next crime."

"What process?" Old Master Liu put down his chopsticks and asked quickly.

"After the Advance Notice, the Tower responded by having security guards conduct Anomalous Energy Detection in crowded locations. Following this explosion, that Anomalous Energy Detection has been intensified, expanding the focus from locations to individuals."

"It isn't just the security guards, and it isn't just the arrivals from Sleepland and Dandelion Manor. Even when we go out, Anomalous Energy Detection can happen at any time."

"Under these circumstances, carrying a bomb on your own person is extremely dangerous."

"Therefore..."

"Therefore, the best method is to plant the bomb on someone else." Chen Nian's eyes gleamed.

"And this person must be willing, otherwise they would notice it the moment they underwent Anomalous Energy Detection."

"Because of that, they would need a concealed handover location that wouldn't attract anyone's attention."

Without pausing, Chen Nian continued, "I asked around this afternoon. There have always been rumors in the washrooms that certain outside guests arrange to meet waitresses they fancy and strike up some kind of flesh trade."

"In this kind of transaction, one party usually offers their body, and the other pays with food."

"And the woman from this explosion seems to have been in exactly this situation."

Yan Jing seamlessly picked up where Chen Nian left off. "Just as Rose said, even food wouldn't be enough to make her willing to carry a bomb, but this arrangement would provide an opportunity for the two of them to be alone."

Chen Nian's eyes glinted. "Which makes it the perfect moment to hand over the bomb."

Finished speaking, the two of them looked toward Old Master Liu. Now, they were only missing his intel.

Unexpectedly, both were taken aback by what they saw.

At some point, Old Master Liu had pulled out his Hongtashan again. A cigarette dangled from his lips, his eyes filled with melancholy.

He exhaled a faint cloud of smoke.

Old Master Liu spoke slowly, "This is a sad story."

???

Exchanging a glance, the others at the table unconsciously shifted their seats.

Originally, the four of them had been evenly seated on all four sides. Now, Chen Nian and Mantou both moved to sit beside Yan Jing, looking across at Old Master Liu, who was already deeply immersed in his performance.

The old man closed his eyes. His voice rose, carrying a rhythmic, emphatic cadence: "The girl who was blown up was named Yunduo, twenty-seven years of age. She was born without a father or mother. She was quite pretty, but in the Tower, being pretty doesn't put food on the table."

"Without parents in this place, you're destined to go hungry from childhood."

"Because she was so hungry, she took to reading. She discovered that once she got absorbed in a book, she would forget her hunger."

"The Tower would invite teachers from Solitude Lane, and she would often beg her teacher to bring a few books over."

"When that teacher realized she loved reading, he found it quite novel—after all, the people in this place only cared about eating. So, he agreed. He brought her books and even went out of his way to offer some guidance."

"Days passed, and five or six years went by just like that. The two of them often discussed the contents of those books. Over time, going back and forth, they gradually developed feelings for each other."

"According to Yunduo herself, that teacher almost eloped with her back then."

"But ultimately, that was only the girl's side of the story; there was no way to tell if it was true."

"What kind of place is Solitude Lane? No one there has ever gotten married! Every resident there is arrogant and haughty—how could they possibly fall for a waitress?"

"Anyway, in the end, she got dumped."

"Because of this, many people mocked her at the time, calling her a toad wanting to eat swan meat."

"Ever since then, Yunduo loved reading even more. She read everything, but she grew particularly fond of romance novels."

"But perhaps because she read too many books, her personality gradually became a bit stubborn."

"A few years ago, a higher-up of Rank C took an interest in her. Although he already had a family, he promised her that as long as she stayed with him, she would never go hungry again."

"If you presented this to anyone else in this building, who wouldn't scramble to accept?"

"But guess what happened?"

"She refused!"

"'I cannot go with you just to eat my fill,' she said. 'I must marry the man I love, and then we will work hard together to eat our fill.'"

"Listen to what this silly girl said."

"Everyone said this girl was finished, that she had read herself stupid."

"However, over the past few days, her roommate noticed that she seemed a bit off."

"Every night after getting off work, she no longer immediately returned to the dorm to read like before. Instead, she dressed up beautifully and went out."

"By the time she returned, it would often be the middle of the night."

"And her smile used to always be a faint, subtle one. But these past few days, it was noticeably different—it was a genuine, happy smile."

"Someone asked her what good thing had happened recently."

"She only smiled and replied, 'A breeze has stirred in my heart.'"

"Many people laughed at her, saying she was dreaming again, but quite a few were also happy for her."

"Yet no one expected that, just a few days later, she would die just like that."

"With a bang!"

"Blown to pulp!"

"At this point, people finally felt pity for her, feeling that her life had been a bit too bitter."

"But that pity only lasted for a moment."

"This kind of thing happens often in the Tower. People have seen too much and heard too much to remember it for long."

"She was like a pretty cloud. When it drifted overhead, some would curse it for blocking the light, while others rejoiced in the shade. But regardless, when it accidentally scatters one day, people just keep walking forward under the sun."

"..."

"A cloud is, after all, just a cloud."

"..."

"Smack!!!"

The Hongtashan cracked sharply against the floor, waking the listeners from the story.

The group exchanged glances, then looked at Old Liu in unison.

It was as if they were seeing the old man for the first time.

"Old Liu, I never expected you to have such a talent."

Yan Jing gave a thumbs up. "As expected of someone who studied poetry at three and mastered the scriptures at eight."

Beside them, Mantou's eyes were slightly red; she had understood the story.

Even Chen Nian couldn't help but offer a word of praise: "To be able to dig up this much, the old guy put on a good performance this time."

But surprisingly, facing their praise this time, Old Master Liu didn't gloat.

He simply kept his eyes closed, recalling the things people had said when he was asking around earlier.

Even the best storyteller couldn't completely recreate the truth.

The story revealed through the words of others was far more moving than what he had just recounted.

Soon, after mentally organizing Old Master Liu's account, Yan Jing spoke up, "So, the general picture is clear."

"Someone deceived this girl's feelings, gained her trust, and then had her carry the bomb."

Chen Nian nodded. "If they plan to use a similar method to plant bombs in the future, then their ability must be related to emotions."

"Otherwise, gambling on someone else's feelings for you without relying on an ability is extremely risky."

Yan Jing's eyes gleamed. "Judging by the bomb's power, this person's Tier shouldn't be particularly high, which can also be seen from their target selection."

"If they had absolute control over their target's emotions, they wouldn't have specifically chosen a girl who yearned for love. They could have found better targets and opportunities."

Finally, Chen Nian spoke calmly, "As far as the Pathways of power in Old Sin City go, the only one capable of doing this at a low tier is the 'Life' Pathway of Dandelion Manor. If I remember correctly, they have a First Tier ability called Reproduction Desire."