A Lunatic Says He Loves Me: Chapter 21

21. Eighteen Levels of Hell 4

“I’ll set up a work group. Share any updates there immediately.” Ling Feng hung up and added everyone to the group.

Hucheng District Serious Crimes Unit (6 members)

[Bald Detective]: This is part of A Du Shisan’s information.

[Anti-Porn Fat Otaku]: Ge Jiaqi is from Yuzhou City? What a coincidence. 《Rebirth Records》 is out of print. The only remaining reprint is at Yuzhou City’s First Library. I’m at the high-speed rail station, will arrive in Yuzhou in two hours.

[Bald Detective]: Thanks. Keep the ticket for reimbursement. Ding Ding, any progress?

[Rich Second Generation]: The first four victims were not locals; their families have returned home for funerals. I’m following up with Pang Dahai’s family.

[Anti-Porn Fat Otaku]: By the way, is this nickname a system default?

[Bald Detective]: It’s a new WeChat feature; it defines your attribute based on your Moments.

[Anti-Porn Fat Otaku]: Black question mark face.jpg

[Rich Second Generation]: Boss, how did you get the investigation order?

[Bald Detective]: Let’s not talk about that. Xinhui, I asked you to check the other four crime scenes. How’s it going?

[Mortician Forensic Expert]: There are similar symbols in inconspicuous corners at each site.

[Bald Detective]: Yuan Fei, as soon as Ge Jiaqi’s name appears in the borrowing list of 《Rebirth Records》 notify me immediately. I’ll apply for an arrest warrant!

After exchanging information, Ling Feng took a nap but was awakened by the phone vibrating with group messages.

[Anti-Porn Fat Otaku]: Boss, Ge Jiaqi’s name isn’t on the list!

[Bald Detective]: Copy the information from the list and use the police system to check their backgrounds. Build a social relationship model. Ge Jiaqi might have used someone else’s ID to borrow the book, like one of his many relatives.

[Anti-Porn Fat Otaku]: I’ll take pictures and post them in the group. Bai Jie, could you build the model?

[Mortician Forensic Expert]: None of the borrowers have a close relationship with Ge Jiaqi.

[Anti-Porn Fat Otaku]: Could we be wrong? Is Ge Jiaqi’s novel really just a coincidence?

[Sunny Little Sun]: Rare books like 《Rebirth Records》 typically have a dedicated librarian for registration and collection. They cannot be taken out of the reading room. Show Ge Jiaqi’s photo to the librarian and ask if they recognize him.

[Anti-Porn Fat Otaku]: Could someone send me a photo of Ge Jiaqi?

[Mortician Forensic Expert]: Ge Jiaqi.jpg. This is a news photo from when he attended a charity event in college. I got it from their university’s website.

[Anti-Porn Fat Otaku]: Didn’t expect him to look so decent.

[Rich Second Generation]: A wolf in sheep’s clothing!

Yuan Fei accepted Han Rong’s suggestion, returned to the library, found the librarian, and showed her the WeChat photo. “Auntie, do you remember this person? Has he borrowed 《Rebirth Records》?”

The librarian glanced at the photo and said, “Yes, he did. I think it was about three months ago.”

“Then why isn’t his name on the borrowing list?”

“He’s been a regular at our library since his university days. He’s polite, well-mannered, and often brings us cakes and snacks. All the old staff know him! That day he forgot his ID, and since this book can’t be taken out, I let him read it in the reading room without registering.”

“Are you sure it was him? So many people come and go in the library every day, could you be mistaken?”

“This floor holds mostly rare and unique books. Not many people come up here. In the past six months, he was the only one. So, I’m sure it was him!”

“Officer, what’s going on? Did something happen to him?”

“No comment.” Yuan Fei thanked her and, while walking out, called, “Boss Ling, the librarian confirmed that Ge Jiaqi read 《Rebirth Records》! Should we summon Ge Jiaqi?”

“Wait!” Ling Feng hung up and immediately texted Bai Xinhui, “Xinhui, draft a request for Yuzhou City police to assist in bringing Ge Jiaqi to Xuezhou!”

“Ge Jiaqi might not be in Yuzhou. According to his ID usage records, seven days ago he took the high-speed rail from Yuzhou to Xuezhou.”

“Can you find out where he is?”

“Qi Bo Hotel.”

**[Bald Detective]:** Ge Jiaqi is at Qi Bo Hotel. Ding Ding, head to Qi Bo Hotel immediately. Yuan Fei, return to Xuezhou. Once everyone is gathered, bring Ge Jiaqi to the station!

****

Eight hours later, Ling Feng got off the train, notified Han Rong, and hurried back to the station. He pushed open the surveillance room door and saw Yuan Fei. “How’s it going?”

“He was just brought in ten minutes ago, and his lawyer arrived right after. Isn’t that suspicious? Who has a lawyer with them 24/7!”

“What’s he doing in Xuezhou?”

“Tourism!”

Interrogation Room.

“Mr. Ge, on July 25, 2018, did you borrow a book called 《Rebirth Records》 from the Yuzhou First Library?”

Ge Jiaqi was thin, with sickly pale skin. His voice was soft, and he spoke slowly, “I borrow a lot of books, I don’t remember.”

“We have an eyewitness confirming that you indeed read this book that day.”

Next to Ge Jiaqi was a lawyer with gold-rimmed glasses, who interjected coldly, “That only proves Mr. Ge’s connection to the book, not that he is the murderer!”

“Shameless lawyer!” Yuan Fei watched the screen, angrily pounding the table.

“Han Rong is here.” At that moment, Bai Xinhui pushed open the door, bringing Han Rong and Ji Yan inside. Ling Feng quickly waved him over, “Can you observe Ge Jiaqi’s micro-expressions to see if he’s lying?”

Han Rong entered the interrogation room, sat next to Ding Ding, and scrutinized Ge Jiaqi, not missing a single detail, even the smile lines at the corners of his eyes. During the interrogation, Ge Jiaqi rebutted every point flawlessly. In the end, Ding Ding, fuming, slammed the table hard, “Did you kill Pang Dahai?”

“I didn’t kill anyone.” Ge Jiaqi’s tone remained calm, his face untroubled.

“Officer, please watch your attitude,” the lawyer coldly interjected, “I suspect you are coercing a confession!”

Han Rong stood up, exited the room, and found Ling Feng waiting outside. Ling Feng asked, “How did it go?”

“Ge Jiaqi isn’t lying. He’s not the murderer.”

Yuan Fei was puzzled, “Then what role does he play in this case? Is he a hapless author tricked by a deranged reader? But how do we explain the runes at the crime scenes?”

“That’s the mystery we need to solve. Excuse me, I need a break.” Han Rong walked to the adjacent conference room, sat on the sofa, and stared at the green potted plant on the table.

Someone quietly followed him in.

“Doctor. After reading 《Blind Detective》 on the plane, I had a dream. I dreamed of being in a castle with many rooms. I saw myself at five, ten, and fifteen years old. In the last room, I saw Han Rong throwing someone into a pot of oil. Can you help me analyze this dream?”

Ji Yan thought for a while and said, “The castle is your brain. Each room contains memories from different stages of your life. Seeing a split version of Han Rong in the last room means you’ve locked the dangerous ‘Han Rong’ away, showing self-control.”

Han Rong shook his head, “You helped me lock him away. Now I want to ask you to let him out. If it’s him, he would surely guess the killer’s thoughts and catch them.”

“No.” Ji Yan firmly said, “As a doctor and as your boyfriend, I can’t do that.”

“But doctor,” Han Rong softened his voice, “only a madman understands a madman.”

“I won’t agree.”

“If you don’t agree, I have my ways.” Han Rong took out his phone from his pocket and leisurely swiped through the photos.

Ji Yan quickly covered the screen when he saw a bloody photo, calmly saying, “You can’t use past memories to provoke yourself.”

“I know what you’re thinking. I’m not punishing myself. Although I originally took these photos to remind myself not to act impulsively again, doctor, do you know my university graduation vow? To forever protect the people, uphold justice, and safeguard the nation. If we don’t stop him, he will kill eighteen people for the eighteen layers of hell. I know you can bring out that Han Rong, and I understand your difficulty, so I won’t force you.”

“Actually, I don’t need the photos. Her image is already deeply etched in my mind.”

Ji Yan bent down and hugged Han Rong tightly, his voice trembling, “If I had met you earlier…”

“It’s not too late now. Meeting you now, the rest of my life belongs to you.” Han Rong rubbed his clothes and sweetly said, “You’ve worked hard to please that version of me.”

“It’s you, so it’s not hard.”

****

After the lawyer expressed dissatisfaction and threatened to sue the police for the third time, Ling Feng waved to release them. Han Rong came out of the meeting room, grabbed a police officer and asked, “Where is Officer Ling?”

“In the surveillance room.”

As he went upstairs, he happened to brush past Ge Jiaqi who was going downstairs. The latter murmured softly, “Seems like you’ve changed.”

Han Rong headed straight to the surveillance room, knocked on the door, and asked expressionlessly, “Can anyone tell me why I woke up in the police station?”

“Um…” Ling Feng rubbed his bald head, Ding Ding rubbed his nose, Bai Xinhui scratched her head, and Yuan Fei was still out of it, seemingly making a new discovery from the surveillance. “Boss Ling, I’m applying to install a bug in their house!”

Ling Feng raised an eyebrow, “Of course, as long as you’re willing to write a ten-thousand-word application and take full responsibility for the consequences.”

Ding Ding patted his shoulder, “Be honest now, unless you want to go bald at a young age.”

Ge Jiaqi walked out of the police station, smiling gently, “Did you see that? That person just now seemed like they didn’t recognize me.”

The bespectacled lawyer looked at his phone and said, “Young Master, the old master asks if you’re coming home for dinner? Also, your readers are threatening you again, saying they’ll send razor blades if you don’t update.”

“Such a headache. I’ve been stuck on my writing lately. Who should I arrange for tonight? How about that person just now? Ai, readers are truly troublesome little demons~”

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