```
The next day.
Qingcheng, Hongtukeng Police Station, second-floor meeting room.
A meeting titled "Protect Chen Yu, Build a Harmonious and Stable Society Together" was underway.
Attendees included not only the station's chief and deputy chief but also the deputy director from the bureau and a filming crew from the local TV station.
Facing this grand assembly, Chen Yu appeared very uneasy, shyly giving everyone the middle finger.
"So...is this all for Chen Yu's medical report?" the potbellied deputy director, having flipped through the documents in hand, placed them on the table and looked around: "Which means, we can now confirm that Chen Yu died from either murder or an accident."
"Yes." The deputy chief nodded: "We've also investigated the victim's social relationships and confirmed there are no enemies or debts. We can infer that an accidental death is more likely."
"But I see... it seems Chen Yu had a history of being hot-tempered." The deputy director reopened the file, frowning.
"Give you a tube to suck on for a day and you'd be f***ing hot-tempered too." Chen Yu, sitting in a corner, cursed under his breath.
Deputy chief: "..."
Chief: "..."
Male and female police officers: "..."
Deputy director: "...Indeed quite hot-tempered."
"Ahem." Clearing his throat, the deputy director put down the documents, picked up his tea, took a sip, and after a long silence, said, "The deceased had a history of being hot-tempered; let's not rule out the possibility of suicide. In addition to the necessary protection, we should also take care of his psychological health."
"Alright." The deputy chief nodded: "The station will arrange for a psychologist."
"Hmm. We must perk up, with enthusiasm, determination, patience, sincerity, and iron will, to safeguard the public's personal safety!" the deputy director stood up, speaking earnestly: "Although Chen Yu hasn't encountered an accident yet, we must not belittle, ignore, or be indifferent to this matter. Our public security, in addition to fighting crime and protecting public safety, must also prevent crime and keep danger far away from the public from the get-go!"
"Yes!" The long-silent chief suddenly called out, standing up to applaud enthusiastically.
Everyone in the meeting room quickly followed suit with applause.
The media's cameras, meanwhile, fixed hungrily on the deputy director, snapping away as if a fitting BGM was about to play.
The meeting concluded.
The deputy director came over to shake hands with Chen Yu before leaving with the chief's company.
To protect Chen Yu's safety, the deputy chief also turned away the local TV station's media who wished to interview.
In the large meeting room, only Chen Yu, the deputy chief, and the male and female junior officers remained.
"This thing today is definitely going to be on the news, right?" Chen Yu asked.
"Want to become famous?" the female officer, busy organizing files, replied without looking up: "Don't worry, it'll be broadcast tonight."
"Bullshit!" Chen Yu, annoyed, stood up with his arms akimbo and circled around the meeting table: "Then won't everyone know I'm a 'dead man'?"
The female officer ignored him, turning to the deputy chief: "Chief, is Chen Yu staying at the station tonight?"
"You all treat me like I'm invisible." Chen Yu was near tears: "Just let me go."
He had a premonition that staying under their "control" might lead to something terrible...
"No way." The deputy chief replied emotionlessly: "You cannot leave the police station until you're out of danger. The paperwork from above has arrived; colleagues from the provincial criminal investigation department will be here this afternoon. Just cooperate with them."
"In your eyes, aren't I destined to be a 'dead man'? What's the point in all this fuss?"
"The future isn't unchangeable, so what's with your attitude?" the female officer retorted: "Our station and the bureau have invested so much manpower, material, and effort to save you. Why are you becoming more and more impatient?"
"It's not that I'm impatient, I am..." Chen Yu struggled to express his frustration: "Look, just let me go home. I'll stay put, and I promise in a few days the 'dead man' title will be gone."
"I'm afraid in a few days, you, the 'person,' will be gone." The deputy chief replied and then got up to leave: "It's safer to stay at the station."
Chen Yu: "..."
The meeting room quieted down.
Besides the sound of the female officer flipping through files, one could hear a pin drop.
As for the young male officer who initially detained Chen Yu, he was already asleep, curled up in a chair, snoring softly.
He had watched over Chen Yu all night. Exhausted.
"..."
"Sigh, alright then."
Chen Yu sighed deeply, slumped in his chair without energy.
He knew that everything the station was doing, aside from being for "performance," was indeed about fulfilling their responsibility to protect citizens.
But he didn't need any protection, did he?
The title hanging over his head was fake...
"When can I finally leave." After a moment of silence, Chen Yu asked again.
```
"The corpse above your head has disappeared," replied the female officer without looking up.
"Just a change of nickname," Chen Yu started calculating the dates.
His "nickname" changed once every month.
Last time, it went from "Stinking Dead Body" to just "Dead Body" on the sixteenth of last month.
'Four more days.'
"...Fucking dog."
Chen Yu silently clenched his teeth, holding a deep grudge against the neighbor who reported him.
He decided that once he returned, he would definitely turn the other party into a "Dead Body."
'But...'
Frowning tightly, Chen Yu fell into deep thought.
What would his "nickname" change to in four days?
From the original "Germ," "Ant," "Worse than Trash,"...
to the current "Dead Body."
The pattern was clear.
That was it got better month by month.
So, he speculated, that in four days when the nickname changed, he would at least be "alive."
'Most likely "Disabled" or "Paralyzed".'
'If it's really one of these two...'
With this thought, Chen Yu suddenly asked, "If it doesn't involve a life, you guys aren't that tense, right?"
"Correct," the female officer answered without turning around, "A life involved makes it a big case."
"Got it." Chen Yu felt relieved, his whole body relaxed.
'Just need to endure another four days.'
"When I get back, I'll pull your prostate out," Chen Yu thought again of the neighbor next door, clenched his teeth in an instant, and silently swore vengeance.
After enduring for more than half a year, all he had to do was stay at home for a few more days, wait for his "nickname" to change, and then he could go out and live a normal life...
"What are you muttering?" The female officer looked up, sternly saying, "I warn you, you cannot harm the informant."
"Is killing okay?" Chen Yu asked.
"You really don't appreciate what's good for you," the female officer said with dissatisfaction, glaring at him.
...
Afternoon.
Hongtukeng Police Station.
After being questioned by the police from the provincial criminal investigation department, Chen Yu finally had some free time.
But this idle time lasted only half an hour before the psychologist in charge of emotional guidance arrived.
The interrogation room was vacated exclusively for Chen Yu and the psychologist to talk.
"This is a nice environment." The psychologist, wearing a white lab coat with his hands in his pockets and a "Highly Praised Chief Psychiatrist" title above his head, naturally sat down on the interrogation chair.
"That's my spot," Chen Yu spoke up.
"Oh, okay. You sit."
Sitting down on the "chair of regret," he glanced at the other person's title of "Chief Psychiatrist," Chen Yu sighed and said, "I'm actually not sick, let's just chat casually."
Upon hearing this, the psychologist, who had been quite casual, was taken aback, then immediately became serious, pulled out a small notebook, and sat opposite Chen Yu.
Chen Yu: "..."
Psychologist: "..."
Chen Yu: "I'm not sick, OK?"
"Mm-hmm," the psychologist nodded solemnly.
Watching the other person's right hand jotting down notes frantically, Chen Yu felt inexplicably irritated and suddenly slammed the table: "I'm not sick! Fuck!"
"Mm-hmm," the psychologist's expression grew even more serious.
...