Chapter 36: Are All the Live Room’s Viewers Fated to Die?

"How could someone die at a police station?"

I pushed through the crowd of onlookers and reached the front. A heavily overloaded truck had lost control and crashed directly into the police station entrance. The scene was gruesome, with fragments of the truck scattered everywhere.

"Hey! What are you doing? Stay behind the barricade!"

"It's Captain Tie Ningxiang who called me. There's a new development in the Peaceful Inn murder case."

The officer gave me a skeptical look before making a phone call. Moments later, his attitude shifted dramatically.

"Captain Tie wants you to head in immediately."

I nodded, satisfied that Tie Ningxiang's name still carried weight. Being the captain of the criminal investigation team certainly had its perks.

Walking into the criminal investigation division, I felt several unfriendly stares from officers as I made my way to Tie Ningxiang's office.

She was deeply engrossed in reviewing case files, her tall nose bridge adorned with a pair of glasses. She looked like a poised and professional woman, exuding a mature charm.

"Faking my orders to get into the police station—what's your real purpose?" Tie Ningxiang asked without looking up, her eyes still scanning the file.

"If I said I came specifically to see you, you wouldn't believe me, would you?"

"Spare me your glib tongue." She removed her glasses, took out a pair of handcuffs from her drawer, and placed them on the table.

"You're obstructing official duties. Do it again, and I'll make sure you spend a few days in detention."

Knowing she wasn't one to make idle threats, I quickly walked to her side.

"I'm just joking. I saw how overworked you were and thought I'd help share some of the burden."

"Spit it out. What do you want?"

"I've got an important lead on the Peaceful Inn murder case." I smiled faintly, dangling the bait. I knew she wouldn't be able to resist as someone deeply committed to solving cases.

"What lead?"

"An image of a two-faced Buddha statue. You must have seen them at the Peaceful Inn." These statues connected the Peaceful Inn with Xinhu High School, two key locations in the live stream. It also hinted that

the third task in Hell Show would also be related to the two-faced Buddha. Leveraging the police to investigate the origins of these statues would be highly beneficial to me.

Tie Ningxiang nodded and pulled out several photos from the case file.

"You're right. We found a number of similar statues in the building, but when we interrogated the landlord couple, they claimed they weren't Buddhists."

"Luxing committed murder under the direction of the two-faced Buddha. Although I'm still unsure whether the two-faced Buddha refers to a person or an organization, wherever it appears, deaths are inevitable."

"Have you come across another crime scene in the past few days?" Women's intuition was terrifying, especially that of an excellent female detective.

The Xinhu High School mass death incident was too significant to reveal. For now, I could only keep it as a secret. I shook my head silently.

"The two-faced Buddha is extremely dangerous. Be careful when investigating it. If you encounter something that bullets can't handle, call me."

"Something bullets can't handle? What do you mean by that?"

"It's hard to explain, but such things do exist." Having spent enough time with the semi-mystical streamers in the live room, I had also learned how to speak in a cryptic tone.

Tie Ningxiang was silent for a moment. After a minute, she stood up, pulled the curtains shut, and approached me.

"Senior, standing this close isn't really…appropriate, is it?"

"At Jiang's family wedding, you and I sat together the entire time. Your behavior was extremely strange. The moment you took out that large-screen phone, your demeanor changed completely. Tell me the truth: What was in that phone that forced someone like you—a penniless and powerless nobody—to openly confront the Jiang family? Could it be that the Jiang family is tied to those invisible yet real entities you mentioned?"

I cursed inwardly. I hadn't expected Tie Ningxiang to be so observant.

"Explain it to me. And don't forget Jiang Chen's strange reaction afterward. He barely tapped you, yet ended up in the hospital. What exactly did you do to him?"

"Senior, I—"

"Don't call me that. Right now, I'm a police officer, and you're a suspect."

"You suspect me?"

"I'm not accusing you of anything specific, but you're hiding far too much from me!"

When Tie Ningxiang became assertive, she was nothing like an ordinary woman. I smiled bitterly, sitting down on a chair.

"Revealing this to you would only harm you. Some things can be known, while others, once learned, can never be forgotten."

"The police stand for fairness and justice in society. If I stopped pursuing the truth out of fear of harm, this city would never see the light of day!"

"That's why I'm not suited to be a police officer." Lighting a cigarette, I avoided answering her questions and instead brought up another matter.

"A few days ago, the son of Qian Ding Pharmaceuticals had a car accident. I suspect it was a meticulously planned murder. I'd like to see the autopsy report."

Ignoring her reactions, I smoked my cigarette. Tie Ningxiang, frustrated by my shameless attitude, slammed her fist on the table.

"I can't believe I've been defeated by your audacity."

"Senior, I've provided you with so many leads and helped you deduce the case. In the future, who knows…"

"The autopsy report is in the cabinet behind me. You have three minutes. Read it and then get out of my sight!"

"Got it."

Quickly scanning the report, I found that the official conclusion stated he had driven drunk, lost control, and crashed into a residential building.

"Why would someone with an alcohol allergy get drunk?"

With that question lingering in my mind, I left the criminal investigation division. As I reached the entrance, I noticed a group of police academy students in uniform blocking the way. Most of them had red, teary eyes, and a few girls were openly crying.

"What's going on? Did a teacher from the academy pass away?"

The officer who had stopped me earlier, now speaking much more respectfully, answered,

"The deceased was the security guard, Grandpa Huang. The old man was in great health. Who would have thought such a tragedy would happen?"

"Why are the police academy students here, and why are they so heartbroken?"

"You might not know this," the officer said with a sigh.

"Grandpa Huang, though in his sixties, had a keen interest in solving cases and mysteries. He often loitered near the police academy entrance, eavesdropping on lectures. He wouldn't leave even if we tried to chase him off. Eventually, the academy arranged a spot for him inside the classroom, letting him attend classes with the students."

"So they became classmates?"

"Exactly. Grandpa Huang was a warm-hearted man, loved by all the students. When they heard about his accident, the entire second class of the third year skipped their lessons to see him one last time."

"Are all of these students from the second class of the third year?"

"Yes. They've been with him for three years and are about to graduate. Just recently, he joked with us, saying that we should stop calling him 'Old Huang' and start calling him 'Officer Huang' instead."

"Officer Huang? I can't understand why anyone would want to become a cop. You wake up earlier than the chickens, sleep later than them, and spend your waking hours in constant fear."

"Regardless, to these students, Grandpa Huang will always be Officer Huang in their hearts."

"You've got a point there…" I was about to leave when something clicked, and I froze mid-step. Grabbing the officer by the shoulders, I demanded,

"What did you just say?"

"I didn't say anything?"

"Your last sentence! Grandpa Huang will always be…"

"Officer Huang to these students."

My expression darkened, my pupils trembling violently.

"Officer Huang of the second class of the third year! That's him!"

"You know the old man?"

Shoving the officer aside, I vaulted over the barricade and sprinted inside.

"What's gotten into him?"

"Someone's charging through! Stop him!"

My bloodshot eyes were filled with a growing sense of dread.

"Please don't let it be true. Please don't let it be true!"

Ignoring the officers and patrols trying to stop me, I fought my way through. It didn't matter if I had to use force—I had to see for myself.

"Out of my way!"

I charged into the restricted area, finally reaching Grandpa Huang. His skull was bloodied, and a gaping wound marred his abdomen, but his chest still rose and fell faintly.

"He's still alive!" I dropped to my knees beside him.

"You're the Officer Huang from the Peaceful Inn, right? You've watched my live streams, haven't you?!"

"Stop this lunatic!"

Several officers pinned me to the ground as I watched helplessly while the doctors carried Grandpa Huang's stiffening body away.

"First, it was Handsome Skilled Guy Gets the Girls. Now it's Officer Huang of the Second Class of the Third Year. Does this mean everyone who watches my live streams is doomed to die? Is this the purpose of Hell Show's existence?"

The punches landing on me were heavy, but I didn't feel any pain. Staring at the departing ambulance, an indescribable guilt took root deep in my heart.

4o