chapter 7
It was as if some secret had been exposed, and for a moment he was at a loss for words, not knowing how to respond.
Han Xue and Lu Fan looked on in confusion at the interaction between the two, completely unable to make sense of it, as if they had been swept into an incomprehensible mystery.
“Chen Shu” took a deep breath, a hint of uncertainty and guilt flickering in his eyes,
as if he were hiding some kind of secret.
Chen Shu still pressed on, asking, “Tell me, who are you really?”
Upon hearing this, the others suddenly widened their eyes, staring at Chen Shu in disbelief, unable to understand why he would ask such a question.
“What? Did I guess correctly?”
Chen Shu continued to press.
“Chen Shu” was silent for a moment, then softly said, “That’s right, I’m not Chen Shu.”
This answer shocked everyone, their minds thrown into chaos, not knowing how to face this sudden revelation.
The previously eerily calm atmosphere instantly became tense and distorted.
The entire room seemed filled with a suffocating air.
Shock and confusion were written on everyone’s faces.
The only surviving suspect from the first crime scene, “Chen Shu,” was brought in for interrogation,
claiming he was not the murderer.
However, shockingly, the second suspect was also named “Chen Shu” and looked exactly the same!
Then, the victim at the second crime scene turned out to be another “Chen Shu.”
Their DNA matched.
This bizarre coincidence left everyone deeply puzzled.
Just as everyone was confused, a man who looked exactly like Chen Shu arrived at the police station, claiming his name was also “Chen Shu.”
He identified the current “Chen Shu” as the murderer.
And now, this “Chen Shu” was explaining to everyone that he was not the previous “Chen Shu.” What on earth was going on?
Amidst the voices of doubt,
Chen Shu looked at forensic expert Lin Ying and suggested conducting DNA comparisons among these “Chen Shu” to uncover the truth.
Lu Fan also glanced at the other “Chen Shu,” urging the Police Officers to quickly collect blood samples for comparison.
Several members of the Criminal Investigation Team finally snapped out of their daze, hurriedly escorting “Chen Shu” out of the Interrogation Room and into another room for DNA testing.
To Chen Shu, this scene felt like a silent drama.
The fake “Chen Shu” stood there, showing no sign of struggle or resistance.
Chen Shu stared at the back of “Chen Shu,” his brows furrowed, countless questions swirling in his mind.
Why would his future self arrange for a fake “Chen Shu”? Was it really just to frame him?
If so, what was his future self’s true motive?
Suddenly, a flash of realization struck Chen Shu, and a possibility surfaced in his mind.
In the Interrogation Room, apart from Han Xue, Xiao Gao, and two members of the Criminal Investigation Team, everyone else had already left.
Chen Shu guessed they must have gone to interrogate the fake “Chen Shu.”
All of this left Chen Shu feeling uneasy, as if he were caught in a massive conspiracy.
And just who was this fake “Chen Shu” before him?
Chen Shu felt a strong sense of crisis-he had to find a way to prove himself and get out, or he might sink even deeper into the mire.
Chen Shu looked at the others in the Interrogation Room.
They were focused on the video playing on their phone screens, taking notes, their expressions grave.
Suddenly, Chen Shu broke the silence.
“Did the first ‘Chen Shu’ you caught take a taxi from the Public Security Bureau straight to my home?”
Chen Shu’s voice was filled with doubt and unease.
Han Xue and Xiao Gao exchanged glances. After a moment of silence, Xiao Gao nodded in confirmation. “Yes, our Criminal Investigation Team members followed him, and after going to your home and finding no one there, our Police Officers kept watch nearby.”
Hearing these words, Chen Shu’s expression grew even darker as he continued to press on.
“And then?”
Xiao Gao sensed something strange about Chen Shu, but didn’t think too much of it and continued to answer.
“Then they’re preparing to send over that knife. It should be arriving soon.”
“What?”
Upon hearing this, Chen Shu’s pupils suddenly contracted.
“Hm? What’s wrong?” Han Xue looked at Chen Shu in confusion.
Chen Shu lowered his head and thought for a moment, then suddenly looked up at Han Xue.
“He escaped.”
Han Xue was stunned for a moment, but quickly understood what Chen Shu meant by those words.
“You mean the other ‘Chen Shu’ has already escaped?”
“Yes.”
Chen Shu nodded after a long silence, calculating in his mind.
He more or less understood now. Earlier, when he had the fake “Chen Shu” come to the Public Security Bureau to frame him, it wasn’t simple. That person had probably planned everything out in advance. He knew the Criminal Investigation Team would send someone to follow him.
Then, when I said-when I thought of the other me’s plan-
When I said the knife was at home, the Police Officers would go to my house to retrieve it and bring it back, giving him the opportunity to escape.
That knife actually belonged to the deceased Chen Shu; he must have known the deceased Chen Shu’s intentions.
It was precisely at 21:02, when Lu Fan was monitoring earlier, that a man dressed all in black, wearing sunglasses and a mask, appeared on the surveillance footage entering his home.
He knew his usual time off work was 21:00, so he arrived half an hour early to deliver the knife to his house!
The deceased Chen Shu knew he would die and left himself a backup plan. If he was suspected of being the murderer, he would definitely think that the knife could help clear his name!
And the murderer Chen Shu must have guessed the other Chen Shu’s plan, so he found someone in advance, arranged for a fake “Chen Shu” to impersonate him at the Public Security Bureau and frame him.
If he hadn’t thought of the knife left by the deceased Chen Shu to clear his name,
Then he would become the murderer!
If he did think of it, the murderer would successfully escape.
And he would take the opportunity to escape from the house while the police were busy retrieving the knife.
Han Xue kept her eyes on Chen Shu. Seeing him lower his head in contemplation, she tentatively asked, “Chen Shu, why do you say he has already escaped?”
Hearing this, Chen Shu looked up at Han Xue.
“That’s right. He has indeed escaped.”
Chen Shu answered with certainty.
“How… can you be so sure?”
“Yeah, our Criminal Investigation Team has been following him the whole time, and they went to your house too. They didn’t see any sign of him.”
“Our Police Officers are still searching and staking out the area near the door.”
Xiao Gao also didn’t understand the basis for Chen Shu’s judgment, so he followed up with a question.
“Because he never left the house in the first place.”
Chen Shu looked at them indifferently.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Xiao Gao frowned.
Chen Shu sneered, then shook his head. He more or less explained his earlier deductions, though he concealed some facts.
He didn’t tell Han Xue and the others that the knife at home wasn’t actually his.
Instead, he told Han Xue and Xiao Gao that Chen Shu had returned home, and he knew the police would send someone to follow him, so he might be hiding at home.
He had prepared a fake “Chen Shu” in advance to frame him, and then, when he mentioned the knife being at home, it would serve as proof of his innocence.
When the Criminal Investigation Team members you sent to follow him brought the knife back, he would seize the chance to escape.
So that knife was his lifeline, and also his escape route.
After listening to Chen Shu’s analysis, Han Xue, Xiao Gao, and the others fell into deep thought.