Chapter 120
“Could there really be such a coincidence in the world? It’s hard to believe.”RVnFFqZNhHBNWmhUgjvxZclLAvUNEA
REnxEQjjtSCgxCx“Was it a murder disguised as an accident?”xqBPQcwgbIyiyUlVPlUKdllgmaRiCd
vZYHBYdXWjJPHcy“All the evidence at the scene and the autopsy results indicate that it was an accident. And he had recently caused a lot of trouble because of an extramarital affair, and he had a history of alcoholism and a motive. But it was too much of a coincidence, at this time.” Gong Yingxian said bitterly, “I don’t believe it was an accident, it’s just that Ziyan was one step ahead of us again.”SXNnPdMrqAoahOhEsPocAyBbYFmvMH
tdhTEEmNGtiYcHT“Ziyan knows we’re investigating the old case, so he might kill all the related people to silence them. This also proves that Ziyan is deeply involved in this case. He’s trying to stop us from investigating.”sVOHVTEqYujweSqGBPOLQYYNXJgRpw
tyRwizhmhCGfUqq“Maybe we were misled by Ziyan from the beginning. We thought he was spreading his X cult and satisfying his pyromania, and that was true in the past. But his series of provocations and attacks against us, his biggest goal might be to stop us from overturning the case.”dejaLFwdrGqsVEGfJCeabRidvTWYEk
tauEHaleEFETJkY“Very likely. Then his relationship with the people involved is not ordinary. Can we find out if there are any children of a suitable age among the people involved in the case back then?”xSvjJOzFYchRXqKaUtTWCOXPfRKNrj
sooTuDmXuKrAPSp“I’ll keep an eye on that. I’ll also continue to investigate this Wang Minde line.” Gong Yingxian clenched his fist secretly. “Dr. Pompeii found the psychological suggestion he planted in my mind, but it can’t be erased. I may never be able to remember what that mask looked like, but it must be similar to the one Ziyan wore, so as to strengthen this suggestion. Moreover, this also indirectly proves that the style of the mask is very important, and it may even be the key to finding the killer.”zJoCMNjOyjnpyDhWlldoQOOIXFLlDJ
rqOdMGrFtTAjcTaRen Yi frowned and said, “But can we still trace any clues about a gas mask from nineteen years ago?”KJVKquzvDEtJDLqiAnINSfRGJNZdGI
AUkmAzAlMlAPcMo“Yes, China didn’t have the industrial capacity to produce qualified gas masks back then, so all masks were imported. We’re looking for the customs declaration documents from that time. But if the mask wasn’t purchased domestically but was brought in privately, then the search scope will be much wider.”YiMIHPnVtmMiMmdcnVQMxxbpLgSauD
myiLSYttOEUKcerRen Yi sighed, “It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”SnbDczMzoOziolzoxUlgxJXRZRMUrR
MqOKmDISsuwjvJn“But for everything you do, there will always be traces. If we follow the traces, we will definitely find something.” Gong Yingxian looked into Ren Yi’s eyes and said tentatively, “I’ll start by checking the fire department.”MLttrfTCzicWONePwbejESNPhAJmaC
IQNbCMlYKgZhFSSRen Yi nodded, “I hope…” He hoped the killer had nothing to do with the firefighters, but even he had begun to doubt it, so he didn’t finish his sentence.mqLWRQeUMuSWjkxbkhVVWlUJRnqZdY
tSKBzCBKWwAhyvk“I hope so too,” Gong Yingxian said. “But I won’t let go of any possibility.”PtaIUtwgkyIVDXGGKbKOIWbhOvDLuG
usMTjIyzcEQwHoTRen Yi said painfully, “…You shouldn’t have gone through this.” Such a young child, why did he have to go through such a tragedy? He lost his closest loved ones, and a group of adults were secretly plotting against him, deceiving him, and using him. If he hadn’t survived, if he hadn’t been tirelessly seeking the truth for nineteen years, would his father have forever been wronged, and would his family never have received justice?lYToGfMpaYUIgEleMaxZYcjMOzHcyy
FxRzVLwbFzZgUrwGong Yingxian looked at Ren Yi quietly. People always liked to preach about the meaning and value of suffering, and he hated that kind of rhetoric. But if the suffering he had endured from a young age had any benefit to him at all, then it was only in bringing him and Ren Yi together.mDHIdbZyYxDOgDUXHtbcXsXAnsQwKJ
djuhvZPRtaLpbPsRen Yi wiped his face, “Let’s go, let’s go to the scene.”jwznYzpxzouWGdmamGZWYPEHEmULIY
hEaTREfVvBesULk“Now? Are you sure?” It hadn’t been long since the incident, and Gong Yingxian was worried that Ren Yi wouldn’t be able to handle it if he returned to the scene so soon.fNgeDuiEQpfBMpGAqyMCDnooDiXGrD
HdlZMXcCsvbsKeIBut Ren Yi nodded firmly, “If we wait too long, it will be cleaned up, and there won’t be any evidence left. Maybe we can still find something now.”sAsYJwWrvjAWmXoTSSKbzPBXjnTicj
lPMEJfYLFEXjlMAGong Yingxian looked at his watch, “Let’s eat lunch first.”gpAiXRusQkPuQYZxvkpWBVdZcOExdb
BoxfvdPFIWfoHVHRen Yi smiled faintly, “Eat a box lunch in your car?”sBWIkfYkoKhHqXFPBkMRopEAteWAHT
RHDXUBELLzKhVOqGong Yingxian hesitated for a moment, then said with determination, “I can accompany you to eat what you like.”hWpXgNpsKNloHiaLECtGiwFJNaEByI
qKGhqGmIZPGFPMi“No need, I actually miss eating box lunches in your car.”kHsYvpZZhYIYNsVXXJQTrQjjHMpvtE
PdwPdEfxLaPpUam“Really?”qfXIxjIpFDrtdwZGwenifKcCqCKedr
xIuGbCGxQWLGwcQ“Really.” Ren Yi’s expression was gentle. “It doesn’t matter what I eat, the most important thing is to eat with you.”ghODgjXIOcdJBRqiNgqGCIIZUKvwGO
uCilCGwtBWSjzXgGong Yingxian’s lips curved slightly, “Let’s go.”ZptluLrKaZdGSjBTuEAVCIRStMZuZX
hPfphXqRRTnJaAOFor a long time, Gong Yingxian’s car would always have Ren Yi’s lunch box, just so that Ren Yi could eat something he liked whenever he was with him.uoBJfMajVbVkWmFRmvVGfCmkUiLdgj
BkgtcmbIwVEvjLlThe two returned to Gong Yingxian’s car and, as they had many times before, put a placemat on their laps and started eating their box lunches.hUqVPUCEicvVkXJbAcbjuZYfQaBxRg
AhtOwVvSsSAIAKY“You seem to have lost weight recently,” Ren Yi said. “You must be very busy.”NNeXmUyiGszGTckjMzmQqDniVtJixQ
xaqHPKJHtffnQHQ“There’s too much to do, and there’s not enough manpower. And with the New Year coming up, the crime rate is soaring, and everyone is very busy.”qUcGMQqEKVrRcfzgsLzHUisBAfzItj
aDcXgeRpGEMkXhR“That’s true, we’ll be busy during the New Year. Hey, how are you going to spend the New Year?”AbWozqwxrpICptZSbEJHmsqsUTqQnf
GgPTByZdyZWqxgB“At home,” Gong Yingxian said. “Come over to my place for the New Year.”UpxrISrtAYDuUnUOJpqjVuSSDNTajl
BOjYRKjglpuBMwjRen Yi smiled, “I have to accompany my dad. Besides, we’ve decided to have a group New Year’s celebration in the company. Many of the firefighters’ families will be coming. Hey, why don’t you come to my place for the New Year instead?”ZJrgmqUuOwQKTmISwtGyjMvChkZZvy
glsktPnyoPvyuPvGong Yingxian hesitated, “I’ll go find you after twelve o’clock. On New Year’s Eve, I have to visit relatives.” He pouted, “It’s such a boring custom.”BMNjvrXWuLasjBHOBxIvMsqarsQplB
HEStJlbcJQBOQOX“What other relatives do you have?”KUEngWiFVQfdHEqVJuDiYajYobdNTI
vpRGFpNNeCSKWcW“Not many, only Feilan’s family is more closely related. Others are either not familiar or are abroad.” Gong Yingxian said sadly, “After the incident, the only person I was closest to was my grandfather, but he passed away a few years ago, so it doesn’t matter to me whether I celebrate the New Year or not.”mUEaZDdijJVlCQRWfDBzJXpBAfnFro
bFkKmhBYoOyfwJfRen Yi comforted him, “When Feilan grows up, you siblings can rely on each other. Don’t underestimate her.”sKmwYwmTqUNyqirbQzXWSNjMLQQqLu
BlrSyeuNykFnYwIGong Yingxian nodded.YiADjnSSpDbuyExQZrfsuSSqFqQiWv
QdCkQxgwWKxNLbj“By the way, has Baiyan shown up?” Ren Yi remembered this extremely dangerous criminal.nptIdbNofYTyLSuZdjyxZVbKmttUTU
lGXjObZxUaDisPBGong Yingxian shook his head, “The whole city is looking for him, so he shouldn’t dare to make any moves for the time being. We’ve been monitoring all the phone calls of his relatives and friends, and he can’t hide forever.”xwdjWizumPKhnDNHriQqqusyFgcDPt
nliOVCNNinZDxVs“Wenhui Mall probably wasn’t done by Baiyan. If it were him, he wouldn’t use such a low-end accelerant like gasoline.”QEExpsUOgNtJIGWdYVHPdChOAbeniz
govOUHhvfsvxuGJ“Yes, for a pyromaniac, every arson is his own work, he wants to show his uniqueness, he wants to leave his own ‘signature’. Baiyan has the ability to manufacture chemical weapons, so he would disdain to use gasoline.”xrlzDCFMNBDZRWanLpygISdAzbwifZ
AQPfvZsMUuIXZwJ“But gasoline is also the easiest to obtain and has the best effect. I think Ziyan must have investigated Wenhui Mall before doing this.” Ren Yi’s heart trembled when he thought that Ziyan had planned all this.wIHvOEOizFAhEedQbnYqbNFDWnaIJx
HHtwMZaQJiKBJdf“Yes, this mall has a large amount of combustibles, which can be burned into a big fire, and it’s not far from you. When the alarm was raised, the Phoenix team would definitely be dispatched. You might not find such a suitable arson site anywhere else.”YRveOoudMujuwptymooJVWqShpfAOC
tYGwoMAuderFuks“The amount of accelerant is at least 20 liters. It’s impossible for no one to see such a large can being carried in. Before the Red Forest Stadium concert, they did the same thing by disguising themselves as staff to transport explosives. Do you think there’s a possibility that this time was the same?”MHMSjXEIWwKNZghYIRSwuIRWVfcOrz
yTkMPQeZzqPSGhR“That’s possible, so we’re also investigating the mall’s internal staff.” Gong Yingxian suddenly reached out and wiped the corner of Ren Yi’s mouth. “You got it on your face.”VlFvvxwnWxajvSxzIttQjhFUcwcsfG
cAXOWbyBhDrGyaARen Yi’s face turned red instantly. Gong Yingxian was not good at flirting or teasing, even when he did it, he would do it silently and forcefully, and often get embarrassed because he couldn’t keep up with his own teasing. But it was precisely because of this that such natural and spontaneous intimacy or ambiguity was even more heartwarming.AYgLCYkTBOZzwuNJGTDibEFsmBzySz
WfrgxathgcusjvVSeeing Ren Yi blush suddenly, Gong Yingxian also felt embarrassed. He lowered his head to find a tissue and handed it to Ren Yi, “Don’t get it on my car.” “Kiss me, okay?” Ren Yi said softly.VfNOeBNVdKHNUaSAFYEhgQTnYdvxLt
oxowqcNPRURdooGGong Yingxian looked up at Ren Yi, his eyes flickering.pqTxZBLRPsRyUZWwZhXqJQwBJRhKro
mJZXjtTqeOFShUE“I remember, we haven’t kissed in a long time.”kyEyAJBAnoiBtzzmzevqPEnvPMpOVx
iHVfmWDfFjypdxnGong Yingxian leaned over and pressed a soft kiss on Ren Yi’s lips.JjSUzktabeXwiLXjtkYqHaUsSoYYBs
GflzArIOBbWFsyORen Yi smiled, “It’s sweeter than the food.”MKzWibLPbteMQGvBRowpLVYeLcIvXt
vveXoUwXiVqMjCTGong Yingxian said embarrassedly, “It can’t replace food. Eat more, you haven’t been eating much in the hospital.”WTzZOZzTIEpKxDIifGwSwWuGjBIWKG
WKpXBiSnfamBGYA——gooJyfWgtgDDsnAxhafJRBgmXEIvbl
zeWhuniNyQwurttAfter eating, the two drove to Wenhui Mall.eDJsTURBEwCqAIqXxbFiEoyReczepR
kTogUcsMdsTdlPfFrom afar, seeing the seven-story building that was burned down to just a frame, Ren Yi’s heart began to tighten. The closer he got to it, the harder it was for him to … harder it was for him to breathe. The scene of the fiery inferno, the unbearable heat, the collapse of the walkway, and Sun Dingyi’s… kept replaying in his mind.WeHvyCNVQUTeMvCPlgxwUmVbZPVlWv
uSPlnkEnfsAEzpqGong Yingxian watched Ren Yi closely, noticing his pale face and sweating forehead. He grabbed Ren Yi’s hand and said worriedly, “Do you really want to go in?”KZoTalzWxeBmhlBUjRazdEnPtwXZkn
QMfCSKkudQfUNwBRen Yi forced a smile and said, “Yes, I have to.” He now understood how Gong Yingxian felt when he was close to fire. It was a physical reaction triggered by psychological trauma, something that couldn’t be controlled by willpower.EvKsMokWIxqGtcrHhKfvDNQmLGfsgc
zwtYBFiTXeDHPbtGong Yingxian took out a bottle of medicine from the storage box and said, “Take two pills, it will relieve the burden on your heart.”bArENKKtLKiGqCaiVfJRAJWRNEDdVr
auZTUMvmVaBYJVlRen Yi quickly swallowed two pills and leaned back against the seat, slowly regulating his breathing.JBnnDxmEuapSvQIEbAJcmgkBMJXBJZ
yIAlpBTYdQUkVxxWhen they arrived at Wenhui Mall, Gong Yingxian led Ren Yi through the police cordon. Wenhui Mall, Wenhui Plaza, and even the under-construction Phase III building were all closed. Bulldozers were clearing the site, but Building A, the crime scene, remained untouched.YenRcWqaYFOmepSmGZBZGvofgbPAUR
oayOWUBYRLrOexJThe two walked towards Building A, and Ren Yi slowly raised his head, looking up at the high walkway. With his excellent eyesight, he could still see every stone from that distance. The scene that had terrified him replayed in his mind.YvCymqykgHAUuafAruiohCIJHlcYek
RQPRfUDPvuzkNpyGong Yingxian suddenly stood in front of Ren Yi and said softly, “Don’t look, let’s go inside.”xrGhziShcDsTJOWBCoxBLOwYbNsSIu
XcNGMCCEFsTaQhgRen Yi shifted his gaze to Gong Yingxian, and in this man he loved, he found a source of strength.eYcQyLGDGdOzvOubRYvitAVnkazvyN
ApQVdLgAmVJsjQjThey entered Building A and went straight to the origin of the fire.GOwwYsyeDrfRvbSrBdLAJhtwchQGww
sHnPFqQKzwrDaaStaKpHYvSnVKujvzepxWXkKMYmelgyn