That night, the internet buzzed with media reports about the collapse of an abandoned factory.
"Early this morning, police responded to a report of a collapse at an abandoned construction site in the southern part of the city, resulting in two deaths and two injuries!" — "Daily Scoop"
"Faulty construction? An abandoned site, left untouched for years, suddenly collapses. Police are investigating late into the night, and suspicions are rising. The cause is still under investigation!" — "The Herald Times"
"Sources confirm that the identities of the deceased in last night's factory collapse on the south side are raising red flags. The police are now deeply involved in the investigation!" — "American Business Weekly"
News outlets flooded the internet with various reports. Yet, despite suspicions around the victims' identities, the media seems intent on framing the event as a simple accident.
But in reality…
On the Dark Web, where anonymity is sacred, a storm was brewing. A single post captured everyone's attention:
"[Paid a huge sum to track down the perpetrator of a car crash, but three Dark Web members ended up dead under mysterious circumstances!]"
[ID: 9123TT]: "Today, I'm going to reveal something incredible and shocking. Those three guys who died unexpectedly in the south of the city? They were fugitives!"
[ID: 9123TT]: "Here's the deal: A doctor who recently died in a car accident was suspected of being murdered. A reward of 10 million was posted for the killer. Let's call this killer 'The Car Accident Maker' for now."
[ID: 9123TT]: "These three members of the Dark Web were working together, trying to collect on that 10 million bounty. Don't ask how I know this, I have my own sources."
[ID: 9123TT]: "They weren't even qualified to take the job at first. They had to team up and get special permission. After securing the task, they paid 1 million to buy the courier tracking number for 'The Car Accident Maker' on the Dark Web."
[ID: 9123TT]: "Don't ask about the tracking number. If you don't know what that is, then trust me, this world isn't for you. Stay away from the Dark Web."
[ID: 9123TT]: "So they got the tracking number and followed it, thinking they'd catch 'The Car Accident Maker.' But instead, they ended up kidnapping the doctor's wife. Absurd, right? Who would've guessed the package was meant for her?"
[ID: 9123TT]: "Now, there are two possibilities. First: the wife might actually be the one behind the accident. But if that's the case, why is there a 10-million-dollar bounty? Everyone knows you need to front that money before you post on the Dark Web."
[ID: 9123TT]: "And seriously, why would the murder of a regular doctor be worth so much? There's got to be more to this doctor's story than we know."
[ID: 9123TT]: "If we rule out the wife as the culprit, then maybe 'The Car Accident Maker' was just playing these three Dark Web members all along — leading them on a wild goose chase."
[ID: 9123TT]: "Some people already suspect the car accident wasn't random, but pulling off something like that would take a lot of skill... and luck. So, it got labeled as an unfortunate accident. Maybe the doctor was just incredibly unlucky?"
[ID: 9123TT]: "But then came the factory collapse, killing those same three Dark Web members who were hunting down 'The Car Accident Maker.' Another accident — or so they say."
[ID: 9123TT]: "There were no cameras at the scene, and the only person who might know the truth is still in a coma."
[ID: 9123TT]: "I have a chilling theory: What if these so-called accidents weren't accidents at all? What if someone is orchestrating them, pulling strings behind the scenes to stage these 'accidents' as murders? And what if the same mastermind is responsible for both incidents?"
If the speculation in the post is accurate, then the mastermind behind this so-called 'Car Accident Maker' is far more terrifying than anyone could have imagined.
The post sparked a frenzy, with everyone rushing to voice their thoughts:
"This is... impossible!"
"No way. Are people seriously believing that the car accident and the factory collapse are connected? How could they even be related?"
"Is the original poster trolling us? You're saying they bought info from the Dark Web? How would you even know that?"
"Wait, is the poster's source legit? Don't be messing with us, having us analyze this all night just to find out it's fake!"
"Is the poster an employee of the Dark Web or something? They spent money to buy courier info? Most people wouldn't even know about that! If you're leaking Dark Web data, you're finished, buddy!"
"This theory is thrilling, though. It reminds me of that assassin on the Dark Web who used to make his murders look like suicides every time."
"Oh, you're talking about Ghost Hand Seven. That was years ago! These days, you'd need at least 20 million dollars just to get Ghost Hand Seven to take a job. The guy's a top-tier assassin!"
The discussions were lively, full of speculation and excitement across the Dark Web.
Meanwhile, at the police station, the atmosphere was different. Laughter echoed as applause broke out.
"It feels like you've hired a military strategist, or maybe even the entire Dark Web itself!" someone joked.
"These are some serious players. Their knowledge of criminal tactics is impressive," another officer added.
"If they keep analyzing like this, we might stumble upon some real leads!"
In truth, the post on the Dark Web had been written by Captain Ryan himself. He'd intentionally planted some of his suspicions and just enough information to stir things up.
Taylor rubbed his forehead anxiously, "Captain Ryan, isn't this a bit risky?"
"We don't actually have solid evidence yet. This is pretty close to spreading false information," he warned.
Ryan glanced at him, smiling as he teased, "False information? This is the Dark Web! It's full of nonsense. Who's going to believe any of it?"
Another officer adjusted his glasses and said cautiously, "But what if they figure out that it's us, the police, planting this info as bait?"
Ryan took a sip of his coffee and replied calmly, "It doesn't matter. You clearly don't know enough about the Dark Web. It's a wild place, full of all sorts of people."
"Everyone's identity is anonymous."
"Some people might think it's a Dark Web insider leaking the info, and others might guess it's a cop."
"But does that even matter?"
"These people might not be saints, but if they help us catch the criminals, then it's just us using our resources wisely!"