Simulated Crime, This Criminal Doesn't Seem to Be Acting-Chapter 97

In May 2011, Nan City experienced torrential rain that hadn't been seen in three decades. For over ten days, the sky was constantly covered by dark clouds, and the air was saturated with moisture.

"Drip... drip... drip..."

Raindrops fell one by one from the window sill.

Suddenly, a person in a black raincoat darted beneath the window, intercepting the raindrops that were meant to fall to the ground.

On the wet cobblestone path, puddles were splashed apart by the boots, sending water flying in all directions.

After passing through the alley, the person reached the target location.

"Captain Chen, the victim was hung directly on the window. The killer is really too brazen," a young police officer with a buzz cut greeted the person in the black raincoat before they even reached the destination.

The buzz-cut police officer's face was filled with indignation, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His eyes fell on the young man who had just entered, and he quickly provided a summary of the scene.

This young man was the most elite criminal investigator in Nan City, known for his meticulous observations and unparalleled ability to predict the next moves of criminals.

He had once successfully tracked down the hardest-to-catch human traffickers, predicting their actions and intercepting them with lightning speed.

By the time the traffickers were caught, the children they kidnapped were still unconscious.

From that point on, he rose to fame and became a prominent figure in criminal investigations in Nan City.

The young police officer knew that with this man present, the case was as good as solved.

The young man glanced at the speaker, pulled down the hood of his raincoat, and his gaze fell on the blood dripping from the window sill and the body suspended above it.

The boy's head was tilted to the right, hanging limply in front of his right shoulder. His body was pierced from the inside out with silver knitting needles, making him look like a human porcupine.

The silver knitting needles were stained red with blood, which flowed down and dripped onto the white tiles below.

The blood trailed down the window sill and slid down the wall, forming a crimson waterfall.

A chilly breeze passed by, and the old clothesline on the dilapidated windowsill creaked under the weight of the body. The corpse swayed in the wind, as if the boy might open his eyes at any moment.

It was unimaginable what kind of person could commit such a brutal act on another human being.

[OMG, even the heavy censorship can't hide the horror beneath.]

[Just looking at that swaying corpse is giving me nightmares tonight.]

[This is peak-tier terror. I can't wait to see who wins this showdown among the top players.]

Five of the most popular streamers from "Criminal Archives" were competing, drawing an enormous audience to the live broadcasts.

Especially in the run-up to the official release.

Rumor had it that after this episode, if the testing went smoothly, Starring would immediately hold a press conference to officially launch the game.

The streamers who had built their fame or proven their prowess over the past month were no simple opponents.

Hence, this competition was jokingly referred to as the pre-release "peak tournament." Whoever won would be recognized as the number one player in the game.

Luo Yu looked at the scene before him, his expression unmoved.

Such a scene, after a month of intense gameplay, could barely stir a reaction in him.

All he wanted was to catch the killer and defeat the other four streamers to become the top player in the beta.

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

As the fifth highest-ranked streamer in terms of popularity, he had long been eyeing the first place.

He stepped forward, entering the room.

Meanwhile, the others also began to join the game one after another.

Some sought fame, others sought victory.

Ye Sangsang, as the last to enter and the most popular streamer, unsurprisingly became the one all the other players aimed to surpass.

"Recently, a heinous murder occurred in Nan City. The victim is said to be the subject of a widely discussed case online."

"The perpetrator's method was extremely cruel. The public is advised to stay safe and provide any relevant information to the police..."

[Hey, hey, hey, Sis Sang, you're finally teaming up! If you hadn't, the first place would've been snatched away!]

[Don't talk nonsense, Sis Sang's popularity is way higher. She dominates the charts, no contest!]

[Let's not get into fan talk, but I do hope Sis Sang teams up; it's been so long since her last duo run.]

Despite the dark and gloomy atmosphere in the live broadcast, the chat was on fire.

As a top player who flawlessly adapted to three different roles and consistently achieved SSS ratings in every episode, her popularity had skyrocketed to the top and remained unshakable.

This time, agreeing to form a team was seen as a favor to the intelligence system that had repeatedly invited her.

Undoubtedly, the intelligence system was a great ally to have.

While the chat was lively, Ye Sangsang had absorbed all the information.

The episode, titled "Perfect Murder," had a mission objective: commit the perfect crime.

The case information was simple, only providing basic details.

The official "Criminal Archives" team was as stingy as ever with information.

The timeline, however, was a bit peculiar. According to the news she saw, there had already been one death.

Shouldn't that be her doing? Or was it also part of the case?

Ye Sangsang didn't overlook the news broadcast earlier—anything presented to her wouldn't be irrelevant.

Even possibly things the identity she was given might actively seek out.

Was it something her character did, or were there other criminals involved?

She found it perfectly normal that there were other criminal roles in this episode. After all, five participants had entered the game; it wouldn't make sense to assign them all the same role.

Victims, investigators, and criminals.

Three roles among five people—given the game company's usual balance, the distribution wouldn't be too skewed.

The case information was also a bit odd, stating that a murder had occurred in Nan City recently, with the perpetrator's methods being particularly cruel. The victim was the subject of an online case that had drawn much attention.

Ye Sangsang assumed this information was given to everyone.

Following that was the identity assigned to her.

Rui Lan, 32, an ordinary housewife with a four-year-old daughter. She was beautiful and spent her days buying groceries, cooking, picking up her daughter from kindergarten, and waiting with her for her husband to return home.

However, recently, she had been frequenting the psychotherapist's office.

It seemed she had developed some form of schizophrenia, experiencing mild hallucinations, requiring treatment.

Dr. Zhou had advised her to keep a record of her hallucinations and dreams to aid in her therapy.

Ye Sangsang turned off the TV and opened a corner of the curtain.

Raindrops fell steadily onto the glass doors of the balcony. She searched around and found a notebook.

It was Rui Lan's diary.

The pages were filled with meaningless symbols, with sentences often disconnected from each other.

Ye Sangsang didn't rush, sitting down to flip through the pages one by one.

The role assigned by the episode was intriguing, making a mentally ill person play a mentally ill patient.

Ye Sangsang raised her hand to examine Rui Lan's index finger near the nail, where there was a long, thin wound.

The wound, presumably from a sharp object, had already begun to scab over.

After glancing at it, she flipped to another page.

"I dreamed I killed someone. It felt so real, like it really happened..."

Following were fragmented murmurs, illegible strokes, and even crossed-out words.

The crossed-out words were blackened by the black gel pen, making it impossible for Ye Sangsang to decipher what Rui Lan had written.

In such cases, giving up trying to understand was the only option.

She turned the page, which again was filled with nonsensical scribbles, barely containing any recognizable language.

"Ding ding ding"

A sudden sound startled Ye Sangsang, and she looked around, finally landing her gaze on the phone beside her.

It was the alarm ringing.

The alarm displayed the name "Pick up the kid from school."

Ye Sangsang put the phone down, thought for a moment, and placed the notebook back into the drawer of the bedside table, the same spot she had found it.

Afterward, she got up and headed to the kindergarten marked in the game's scenario, Rui Lan's daughter's school.

It was raining outside, and Ye Sangsang saw the prepared rain gear and grabbed it.

Passersby hurried along the streets.

"Did you hear? That boy who died at Tianxing Park—it's awful, like a porcupine, stuck with knitting needles all over him."

"Stop, I'm getting goosebumps just hearing about it. But, can knitting needles even penetrate a person?"

"That's all I know. I just heard my mother-in-law mention it briefly."

Ye Sangsang listened with her ears, her face expressionless, but her curiosity was piqued about the method the killer had used.

While knitting needles are typically made of metal, consisting of alloys like aluminum or stainless steel, their slender nature makes them not particularly hard.

If used to poke something, they might barely suffice.

But to pierce through a human body is not an easy feat.

Either the material would need to be replaced to make it harder, or the tip would need to be sharpened to a needle-like point to easily break through flesh.

Even then, it wouldn't be easy to operate.

However, they are excellent for torture, as they are thick. If the sharpness of the needle's tip were reduced slightly, the scene for the tortured would be akin to hell.

To come up with such a method of torture, there must be a deep-seated grudge.

As Ye Sangsang pondered this, the two people next to her continued talking.

This time, the conversation turned to mundane household matters, and their glances seemed to subtly fall on Ye Sangsang.

Ye Sangsang quickly sensed the assessing looks, and she could feel that the parents' gazes carried a hint of... sympathy.

She didn't speak, heading to the blocked kindergarten entrance, waiting for Rui Lan's daughter, Yu Linlin, to come out.

The rain had lessened considerably by now, with only a few scattered drops falling.

Seeing that the rain was about to stop, many parents began to put away their umbrellas.

Soon, Ye Sangsang, using the pickup badge, collected Yu Linlin.

The four-year-old girl was very cheerful and lively, chattering nonstop as soon as she was led out.

Ye Sangsang followed her usual habit and chimed in with a few responses, then walked a short distance before crossing the zebra crossing and heading toward the opposite housing estate.

She checked the map and found that this estate was only about a kilometer away from Tianxingyuan.

This meant that the killer was also very close to her.

Back home, after setting down her rain gear, Ye Sangsang watched as the child quickly changed her shoes and rushed to the sofa, grabbing the TV remote control with a pleading look toward Ye Sangsang.

Following Rui Lan’s usual routine, Ye Sangsang nodded and agreed.

“Yeah! Mom, you're the best!”

Yu Linlin’s face lit up with a happy smile, her soft, cute face making people feel softer just by looking at her.

Ye Sangsang hadn’t interacted much with kids, but she couldn't help but find this child adorable. She smiled at Yu Linlin and then headed to the kitchen.

【This scenario is oddly peaceful, with the only peaceful element being Yu Linlin. She’s really super cute.】

【Is Rui Lan mentally ill, or is her mental state just not good? She seems to have a very happy family, so there's no reason for her to become a criminal, right?】

【On the surface, this seems like a pretty harmonious family, so why would Rui Lan become a criminal? She doesn’t seem like the type to kill, did she have a breakdown?】

The live stream was filled with questions and discussions, and Ye Sangsang skipped over the timeline briefly.

Perhaps because other people's timelines were also uneventful, Ye Sangsang skipped over an hour or so without any hindrances.

The meal was ready, but Rui Lan’s husband had yet to return. Ye Sangsang remembered the notebook she hadn’t finished reading and decided to take another look for any clues.

The little girl was still watching TV, with lively cartoon sound effects coming from the screen, and her face was filled with happiness brought on by the content.

“You should take a break. Watching TV for too long can strain your eyes.”

Ye Sangsang thought about how children shouldn't use electronic devices for too long and reminded her.

Yu Linlin looked up, her expression immediately showing reluctance, and she pouted slightly. However, she still obeyed Ye Sangsang and turned off the TV to play with her building blocks.

Silently building with the blocks, she looked like a moving doll.

“Good girl."

Ye Sangsang praised her casually, then headed into the master bedroom.

The room, apart from the bedding, was entirely in dark tones, and with the overcast sky outside, the whole room felt even darker.

She fully opened the curtains and pulled open the drawer of the bedside table, revealing the black leather notebook inside.

Flipping to the page she had last read, Ye Sangsang continued flipping.

After a few more pages, Ye Sangsang continued reading and was astonished by what she saw.

Killed him, killed him, killed him...

Simple black text filled an entire page, the handwriting growing increasingly frenzied, with even some parts piercing through the white paper.

Hatred was materialized through a sheet of paper in front of Ye Sangsang, making her contemplate who Rui Lan wanted to kill.

Was it her husband?

As the target of a criminal, could it be her husband?

Because based on the data, a significant proportion of murders between men and women stem from changes in their relationship.

She continued flipping, and the notebook became meaningless again.

Random scribbles and grotesque drawings filled the pages, with no logical coherence.

Now she needed to figure out whether the objective of the task was to kill her husband.

However, she couldn't abandon the initial clues from the beginning of the game, so Ye Sangsang picked up her phone and searched for the online hot case.

Just as Ye Sangsang was searching, the sound of keys unlocking the door came from outside.

She decided to put it aside for now, placing the notebook back in its original spot and standing up to leave.

As she stepped out, the person entering closed the door behind them.

It wasn’t Rui Lan’s husband; it was Rui Lan’s in-laws.

Both were around sixty years old, in good spirits, and carrying items they brought in.

Seeing Rui Lan’s silhouette approaching, their gazes, filled with coldness and disgust, swept over her, ignoring her completely.

Ye Sangsang watched as the two spoke and entered the kitchen, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.

“What’s this, steamed bass? Yu Feng doesn’t like steamed bass; he likes fresh prawns!”

“And this sweet and sour pork, the coloring looks unappetizing.”

“Oh, look at these dishes… What is all this?”

The two went into the kitchen of their own accord, inspecting the prepared meals and immediately began to criticize them without reservation.

Ye Sangsang didn’t feel particularly upset. She watched as the couple brought the dishes out, their eyes landing on their disdainful expressions.

Before she could say anything, another sound came from the door.

A man in his thirties opened the door and walked in, seeing his parents in the dining room, and greeted them with a smile: “Dad, Mom, what are you doing here?”

“We just came to check on how you two are doing. Let me tell you, Rui Lan, you do nothing all day, so much free time, can’t you take some time to study cooking? My son works so hard and is so busy!”

The reproachful words fell unceremoniously on Ye Sangsang, their eyes showing a sense of entitlement.

Ye Sangsang curiously looked at Yu Feng, considering why the mission hadn’t triggered.

Yu Feng walked up to Ye Sangsang, frowned, and said, “What’s that expression for? Our parents are just looking out for us; don’t be unreasonable.”

“Alright, it’s not a big deal. Go wash your hands and sit down to eat.”

“Mom, you two go ahead; I’ll wash my hands first.”

Ye Sangsang felt that Rui Lan’s role in this family was that of a tool.

She looked at the little girl playing with toys in the corner and softly called out, “Linlin, time to eat.”

The living room suddenly fell silent, and Ye Sangsang looked at the aging couple sitting unhappily, bringing Yu Linlin to her children’s chair.

Rui Lan had prepared a dining plate for her daughter, and Ye Sangsang followed her habit to set everything up in front of her, letting her eat well.

Yu Feng came out after washing his hands, his eyes displeased as he looked at Rui Lan.

It only lasted a moment, though, as if something crossed his mind, and he didn’t say anything, quietly sitting down at the table to eat.

Ye Sangsang ate slowly, while Yu Linlin ate quite obediently, requiring little attention.

Since she didn’t need much attention, Ye Sangsang relaxed slightly, as she wasn’t particularly fond of children.

【Excluding the in-laws, Rui Lan’s life isn’t too bad.】

【I’m so curious, I know the game isn’t that simple, so whenever I see such an ordinary scene, I always feel like something big is about to happen.】

【Copies from 'Crime Files'—the more ordinary the scene, the less simple it is.】

Ye Sangsang was well aware of this too. She felt that Rui Lan’s character was full of resentment.

However, in her daily behavior, she was so calm, which was an unusual phenomenon.

It reminded her of the previous victim copies she had experienced—even when you think you’ve identified the target, the game mission doesn’t trigger.

Perhaps it’s just like in that copy—it's not time yet?

Ye Sangsang ate while pondering.

“Rui Lan, let me tell you, you should consider having another child.”

When these words were spoken, the icy atmosphere at the dinner table was shattered, and everyone except Ye Sangsang exchanged peculiar glances.

Ye Sangsang, who had been reprimanded, looked up at her mother-in-law, ready to respond.

But before she could speak, she was interrupted by someone nearby.

"Mom, we have our own plans for this matter. You don't need to push too hard," Yu Feng said, picking up some food with his chopsticks, his face expressing mild displeasure.

His father, sitting beside him, looked at Yu Feng with dissatisfaction. "How long are you going to wait? We just want to hold a grandson. Since Rui Lan isn't working, having another child would be a simple matter..."

"...cough," Yu Feng warned with a couple of deliberate coughs, his expression darkening as he glanced at his parents across the table.

"Fine, fine. You decide for yourself, then! But you must promise me to do it soon. We're not getting any younger..."

His mother muttered on, her tone clearly conveying her discontent.

His father remained silent, but his gaze was fixed on Ye Sangsang, his expression showing obvious disdain.

Clearly, he believed she was the one unwilling to have another child.

Ye Sangsang glanced at Yu Linlin, wondering why she refused to call her granddaughter. It became clear to her—it was because of their preference for boys over girls, where a granddaughter didn't count as part of the family.

They also disapproved of Rui Lan's affection for their daughter.

Ye Sangsang wasn't particularly interested in the family's domestic dramas. Since someone had already declined, she couldn't be bothered to speak up and instead silently continued eating.

In truth, Ye Sangsang didn't particularly enjoy taking on the leftovers of household chores after meals. Or rather, it wasn't that she disliked it, but she wasn't accustomed to it. Apart from her time in certain "instances," she never did household chores.

However, Rui Lan's role required her to do so.

Ye Sangsang felt that there was something off about this family, which was why she hadn't fast-forwarded through the timeline upon arriving here.

In the kitchen, her mother-in-law continued to nag.

"I know you're reluctant, but you have to consider reality."

"Have another child while you're still young. I have a friend whose daughter-in-law is pregnant, and she went to Hong Kong to have a blood test to determine the baby's gender. I'll pay for you to do the same. If it's a boy, then give birth to it; if it's a girl, I hope you'll abort. We can't afford to raise another granddaughter."

"We've provided you with such a good life; I hope you can learn to be content. We're not overly harsh people. All we ask is for you to give us a grandson."

Ye Sangsang paused her washing up and chuckled, "Those who claim not to be overly harsh are usually quite harsh, and they're usually being harsh to someone when they say it."

"You! Truly without manners. I knew my son shouldn't have married someone like you," her mother-in-law said, her face turning red with anger.

However, she prided herself on coming from a scholarly family and couldn't bring herself to curse too harshly, so after a couple of weak retorts, she swallowed her anger.

Rui Lan wasn't entirely submissive, so Ye Sangsang wasn't worried about breaking character.

But she could feel that someone in the living room was watching her as she spoke to the others.

After finishing her chores, Ye Sangsang saw off Rui Lan's parents-in-law.

Yu Feng sat on the sofa watching TV, while Yu Linlin played with her toys. There was no communication between them.

Ye Sangsang sat on the other end of the sofa.

"You've been arguing with mom," Yu Feng said coldly, his gaze shifting to Ye Sangsang.

The room's white-colored lights shone on his face, giving him an eerily sinister expression.

Ye Sangsang remained silent and looked back at him.

"Didn't I tell you not to argue with mom? Can't you learn from past lessons?" Yu Feng said again, his tone filled with dissatisfaction.

Ye Sangsang looked at him, unsure of what he meant.

At that moment, Yu Feng stood up and placed his hand on his belt.

Ye Sangsang discreetly observed him, uncertain of what Yu Feng was about to do.

Then, in the next second, the black belt was yanked out. He swiftly moved forward, grabbing a large handful of Ye Sangsang's hair.

["!!! Domestic abuser!"]

["This is so terrifying! He just starts beating her at the drop of a hat! This guy must be the murderer!"]

["I really couldn't tell. When he first entered, I thought he was quite the elite, just a bit rude."]

"No... no..." Ye Sangsang extended her hand, her face showing fear as she tried to pull her hair back.

But Yu Feng's movements were faster. He violently tugged at her hair, dragging her toward the bedroom.

Ye Sangsang chose to fast-forward ten minutes ahead in the timeline. She figured things wouldn't be too difficult during this evening.

She didn't resist, as her instincts told her that resistance wasn't advisable at this moment.

As expected, after about ten minutes, Yu Feng grew tired from his beating and sat sullenly beside her.

Ye Sangsang cowered near the wardrobe, her disheveled hair covering her face. The corner of her torn pajamas revealed welts from the belt.

Her body was ablaze with the stinging pain from the whipping, and she buried her face in her crossed arms, her eyes filled with confusion.

She couldn't understand Yu Feng's reasoning—whether it was dissatisfaction over her arguing with his mother or simply venting his accumulated frustrations on her.

Either way, it all seemed absurd.

"Don't speak out of turn in the future. I'm still the one running this household. Do you understand?" Yu Feng's cold gaze locked onto Ye Sangsang.

Ye Sangsang nodded, "I understand."

At the same time, she was puzzled—why hadn't the mission triggered yet?

If she were to kill the man in front of her, she would use the belt to strangle him, leaving his body stripped and lifeless.

She disliked such arrogant individuals.

After reprimanding her, Yu Feng snorted coldly before going to wash up and sleep. Ye Sangsang then proceeded to fast-forward the timeline.

The next morning, after preparing breakfast and sending Yu Linlin to school, Ye Sangsang followed Rui Lan's habit of buying groceries.

During her shopping, she encountered residents from the neighborhood, all of whom were quite kind.

As Ye Sangsang walked through the community carrying her purchases, she could feel the sympathetic gazes of those watching her.

She contemplated—could it be that the entire neighborhood knew about Yu Feng's domestic abuse?

After buying groceries and having lunch, Ye Sangsang opened her notebook to continue reading.

On the following page was a sketch of a black house with a purely black silhouette hanging inside.

Ye Sangsang closed her eyes briefly, deep in thought.

It was time for her appointment with the psychologist, so after finishing her reading, she closed her notebook and headed to the psychologist's clinic.

Due to her prior appointment, Ye Sangsang was immediately led to the psychologist's consultation room upon arriving at the clinic.

The psychologist was a sixty-something-year-old elegant woman with half-gray hair, wearing a white coat and glasses.

Upon seeing Ye Sangsang enter, she offered a kind smile. "Please sit down. I still need to handle something, so give me three minutes."

There were still five minutes left before the scheduled appointment time, so Ye Sangsang nodded in understanding and sat on the sofa nearby.

She placed her bag beside her and leaned her head against the soft sofa backrest, listening to the "scratch scratch" sound of the doctor's pen.

"You seem to be in poor mental health. Are you experiencing hallucinations or nightmares again? Or is it your husband..."

The unsaid assumptions hung in the air, clear to both parties present.

Ye Sangsang looked at her, "Doctor, do you think my condition will continue to deteriorate?"

"Since you're here, I will do everything in my power," the doctor raised her head, her pen stopping. "I believe you'll recover one day. It's just trapping you for now, but eventually, it will completely disappear."

"You're an excellent doctor," Ye Sangsang praised.

The doctor smiled, "You don't need to call me 'Doctor.' I don't see you as patients."

Ye Sangsang felt her words were both an attempt to close the distance and contained another meaning, though she wasn't sure what it was at the moment.

The psychologist quickly finished her work and sat down beside Ye Sangsang.

"Can you tell me about any hallucinations you've experienced?" she asked.

Ye Sangsang considered her response, "I can't tell the difference between reality and illusion."

This was a standard answer. She had encountered the most common issue among the mentally ill—people who couldn't distinguish between reality and hallucination.

For the average person, it was difficult to tell the difference, let alone those whose cognition had been altered by mental illness.

Moreover, mental illness was extremely difficult to hide. It only took a glance to recognize when someone was unwell.

She turned to look at the doctor, "I feel like I can't wait any longer."

"Don't think too much. Calm down," the doctor reached out and stroked Ye Sangsang's head. "What did you record in your diary the day before yesterday and yesterday?"

Ye Sangsang recalled her notes from the previous days and provided her honest response.

The doctor nodded and offered a kind, benevolent smile.

They continued to discuss various topics and even touched upon Yu Linlin's situation.

The psychologist listened gently as Ye Sangsang poured out her thoughts, and she also shared some aspects of her life.

Soon, an hour and a half had passed, and Ye Sangsang’s pre-set alarm rang.

She checked the time, stood up, and said her goodbyes to the doctor.

The doctor kept her hands in the pockets of her white coat, calmly watching her leave until her figure disappeared beyond the clinic’s door.

She gave Ye Sangsang a gentle, almost too kind smile, her gaze briefly flicking toward the hidden corner where a security camera was placed.

After a moment, she turned and left, retreating back into the clinic.

“Don’t add any extra appointments after the afternoon sessions,” she instructed.

“Understood, Dr. Zhou.”

Ye Sangsang reflected on the therapy session she had just experienced. Dr. Zhou’s approach had been highly professional, and her questions and analyses had been spot-on.

If Rui Lan truly suffered from schizophrenia, seeking treatment from a doctor like her would be not only normal but also a wise decision.

Everything seemed to be proceeding as it should, so normal that it almost felt like a typical routine.

Even normal enough to make Ye Sangsang feel a little out of place, as if she were the one acting strangely.

In the afternoon, Ye Sangsang continued her routine and went to pick up Yu Linlin. The little girl was adorably charming, always well-behaved and holding still whenever Ye Sangsang did something, never causing a fuss.

Looking at such a child, Ye Sangsang found herself not as averse to kids as she used to be. Yu Linlin was soft and delicate, her temperament was well-behaved, with no signs of spoiled behavior, and even when she threw a small tantrum, it was endearing.

But despite being well-behaved, Ye Sangsang couldn’t help feeling that something wasn’t quite right about her. It wasn’t the unreality of a hologram but something off about her personality and behavior, as if she were too well-behaved to the point of appearing almost unnatural.

In the evening, Ye Sangsang continued her routine of cooking dinner.

She tried skipping ahead in the timeline but found it ineffective, so she proceeded step by step as the timeline dictated.

Following the game system’s habit, Ye Sangsang sat on the couch watching TV, waiting for Yu Feng.

Sitting there was uncomfortable, an unease she’d felt before.

This discomfort was due to the scars from being beaten with a belt, which ached whenever she pressed against anything solid.

Ye Sangsang ignored it and sat quietly, awaiting his arrival.

Yesterday, Yu Feng had come home at 6:30 PM. Checking the TV’s news bulletin, it was already 7:00 PM.

He was already half an hour late.

Ye Sangsang showed no concern, simply sending him a message inquiring about his whereabouts.

As a wife who endured domestic abuse, she wouldn’t dare call her husband to see where he was.

If he was late because of work or social obligations, a call could only provoke him. And when he returned home, the result would be another round of beating for the wife.

Thus, as a sensible wife, the best course of action was to quietly wait for him.

At 7:30 PM, Yu Linlin complained that she was hungry, so Ye Sangsang had her start eating.

But Ye Sangsang herself didn’t eat, continuing to wait patiently.

The time wasn’t particularly late.

Before long, it was 8:00 PM. Ye Sangsang had almost dozed off on the couch when a rapid knocking on the door jolted her awake.

“Bang bang bang!”

The sound was sharp, like palm slaps against the door panel, indicating urgency.

Ye Sangsang shook her groggy head, glanced at the TV still playing advertisements, slipped on her slippers, and walked over to the door.

Looking through the peephole, her eyes widened. She opened the door, seeing who stood outside.

“What’s going on?” she asked, her face revealing exhaustion and a bewildered confusion.

“Hello, we are police officers from the local precinct. Your husband committed suicide by hanging himself at his workplace. As his next of kin, please come with us,” one of them stated.

“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” asked the other.

Ye Sangsang looked bewildered and picked up her phone, discovering more than a dozen missed calls.

“Oh, I’m sorry. My phone must have been on silent mode. May I ask… did someone kill my husband?” she asked cautiously.

“Yes,” came the blunt reply.

Ye Sangsang widened her eyes, clearly still processing the news.

“Please come with us,” the younger officer urged, frowning.

Ye Sangsang seemed to come back to her senses, stepping back slightly, her expression flustered.

“Can you come in for a moment? I need to get the child. Leaving her alone at home would be too dangerous,” she explained, turning toward the play area where Yu Linlin was.

[Yu Feng is dead?! Wow, our Sangsang didn’t even get a chance to strike!]

[I knew something would happen if he came home late. But why didn’t Sangsang do it? Isn’t it her turn to take action?]

[This is way too sudden. I thought we’d have to wait for Sangsang to trigger some mission, but instead, it just happened out of nowhere?]

Ye Sangsang headed toward the living room’s play area to fetch Yu Linlin, her mind racing to figure out why Yu Feng had suddenly died.

The two police officers entered the house, waiting for her to bring the child along.

Ye Sangsang crouched down and explained to Yu Linlin that they needed to go out. Naturally, she took her hand and walked toward the door, Yu Linlin in tow.

As she reached the center of the living room, she noticed both officers staring at her intensely.

Before she could ask what was wrong, one of them looked puzzled and asked, “You’re not going to bring your daughter?”

“Where is your daughter?” he questioned further.

Ye Sangsang froze in her tracks.