Chapter 22: Meeting Pearl Again

“Captain, I finally understand why there were so many 5.56mm NATO bullet casings from M4A1s in the parking lot,” said a young man in police uniform, watching the surveillance footage as he spoke to the middle-aged man sitting beside him. “That thug named Bull is really too strong—none of our shots could hit him.”
“If this wasn’t from surveillance footage, I’d think it was a domestic sci-fi movie!” the young man exclaimed.
“What’s even more terrifying is that guy with the gun—he remained calm under pressure, using bullets to keep himself within a safe distance and forcing the other guy to stay back,” the middle-aged man said, then slowed down the video and pointed at the screen. “Look here—his shots weren’t fired in a hurry; they were the result of precise calculations. Every time the other guy took a step, he would block that move and disrupt their rhythm.”
“After disrupting the other guy’s attack pattern several times, he started attacking directly, hitting them three times and forcing them to flee in disarray. But there’s something strange here—after they fled, he didn’t chase them right away. He stayed in place for a moment before leaving. Then he must have gone into the pile of debris and killed them,” the middle-aged man said, pointing at the killer’s retreating figure.
“Captain, I have another question—where did he get his gun and magazine? It seems like they just appeared out of thin air. Could it be magic?” another young man finally couldn’t hold back.
“Let’s put that question aside for now, because I can’t give a reasonable explanation either. We’ll have to wait for experts to analyze it. Let’s watch another video!” The middle-aged man shook his head and waved at the person controlling the playback.
Another video was played, and it ended in just a few seconds, leaving everyone stunned.
“Except for the first shot that missed, he fired four more shots in a row—three headshots. If the fourth guy hadn’t tripped, he would have ended up the same way,” the middle-aged man said, his eyes filled with shock. “His marksmanship and composure are on par with those of a professional killer!”
“The one who escaped later must be the one whose neck was broken, right?” another young man asked.
“That’s him!” the other young man nodded.
“An terrifying speed—killing three people in almost a second. From the first bullet being fired to the third hitting the third person, it took less than a second,” the middle-aged man exclaimed in awe.

Just as everyone was sighing in dismay, a police officer rushed over in a hurry. “Captain, someone found a male corpse in the woods of XX Park just now.”
“Xiao Zhang, come with me to take a look. The rest stay here and look for more clues.” The middle-aged man immediately stood up, waved at a young man beside him, and the two hurried off following the police officer.
…
“The victim had engaged in a fierce struggle with someone before death. His left chest seems to have been pierced by a heavy blow, almost reaching the heart. But the cause of death was a bullet to the forehead. The bullet type is the same as those found in several victims at the school—45ACP, used in USP guns. It must be the work of the same person. But why come this far? It’s about two kilometers away from XX University.” The middle-aged man shook his head in confusion.
“Xiao Zhang, find out his background thoroughly…”
“Uncle Yang, Zhang Yan, you’re here! I heard another murder happened here…” A stylish woman in a police uniform ran over to them.
“Ling’er, what are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you to stay where you are?” The middle-aged man shook his head with a wry smile.
“Uncle Yang, it’s so boring there. No one to chat with. Everyone looks tense, like they think someone owes them money.” Zhuge Ling’er grabbed the middle-aged man’s sleeve and complained to him.
“How’s progress on the interrogation I assigned you?” The middle-aged man pretended to be serious.
“I already asked him. That Ye Feng doesn’t know anything. I guessed that already. He’s younger than me—how could he be involved in such things?” Zhuge Ling’er shook her head.
“You didn’t forget to take notes, did you?” The middle-aged man looked skeptical.
“Of course not! I’ll show you later when you go back!” Zhuge Ling’er pouted. “You don’t trust me at all.”
“Huh, this person…” Zhuge Ling’er’s gaze accidentally fell on the corpse not far away on the ground. She seemed to find the person somewhat familiar and unconsciously stepped forward to take a closer look.
“What are you doing? What’s there to see in a dead body? Don’t get too close—you might ruin the scene,” the middle-aged man said to stop her.
“Uncle Yang, I think I know this person. Let me take a closer look.” Zhuge Ling’er approached the corpse and pushed aside the messy hair covering the face, finally seeing the person’s appearance clearly.
“You know him?” The middle-aged man frowned slightly.

“I don’t know him!” Zhuge Ling’er shook her head. “I’ve seen people wear that kind of outfit before—same clothes, same hairstyle—but that person was much older than him.”
“Where is that person? What’s his name?” The middle-aged man, seeing a clue, wasn’t willing to give up.
“I’m not sure. When I was ten, I went to Wudang Mountain with my dad to visit Taoist Master Kongxu, and we met him on the way. Since our family was of high status, he even greeted my dad. My dad said he was a freelance cultivator who practiced poison skills; I don’t know anything else.” Zhuge Ling’er stuck out her tongue.
“This deceased person might be related to him.” The middle-aged man frowned, troubled by this broken clue.
“Even though he’s a freelance cultivator, he can still take disciples. It’s possible this person is his disciple or even his offspring!” Zhuge Ling’er casually picked up the topic.
The middle-aged man glanced at Zhuge Ling’er, then at the corpse, lowering his head in thought.
“Xiao Zhang, I’ve already sent someone over there. Stay here and wait for them. Ling’er and I will go back first; we need to continue analyzing the case. Once the forensic team has results, give me all the documents!” The middle-aged man assigned a new task to Xiao Zhang, who had just followed him.
“Yes, Team Leader Yang!” Xiao Zhang readily accepted the task. For someone who had been in the criminal police force for only a short time and was dealing with a shooting case for the first time, it was a great learning opportunity.
……
“Ye Feng, what a coincidence?”
Ye Feng looked up at the source of the voice, a hint of confusion in his eyes. “Is that you?!”
“Yes, it’s me, Zhuzhu. You didn’t forget me, did you?” At this moment, Zhuzhu wore white sneakers instead of her usual sexy high heels, and her skirt had been replaced with blue washed jeans. Her top wasn’t as revealing as before; instead, she wore a white blouse, and her hair was tied into a ponytail. She looked like a vibrant young girl, leaving Ye Feng stunned.
“What’s the matter? Can’t you recognize me after changing clothes?” Zhuzhu waved her hand in front of Ye Feng, a barely noticeable smirk on her face.
“Nothing. You’ve changed too much!” Ye Feng shook his head, still wary of this woman. “How did you end up here?”