Next to the lab table, we saw a simple bed and a dining table. Apart from these two items, there wasn't anything else in the underground space that suggested it was fit for living.
We walked up to a lab bench and picked up some reagent bottles, shaking them lightly. We found toxins like botulinum toxin, nicotine, and strychnine, which had been used to kill the victims. I didn't need to test them—they were clearly labeled on the bottles.
It was obvious now that the real culprit was none other than Shan Yayun. The only mystery left was where she had gone. Li Siqi was also part of the investigation, and an idea suddenly came to me about how we could find Shan. However, I hesitated to speak about it.
If not for the fact that we had mobilized all available police forces in Fuming City with no results, I wouldn't have resorted to this. The method I was considering wasn't conventional—it was a ritual called Impersonation of the Culprit.
This ritual involves simulating the injuries and experiences of the deceased to recreate their final moments. Additionally, someone else must impersonate the culprit.
I said, "If we want to find Shan Yayun tonight, conventional tracking methods won't work."
"What should we do then?" others asked.
I explained, "I'll have to use an ancestral technique passed down in my family. It's called the Impersonation of the Culprit."
If Zhao Simeng were here, she would have supported me immediately. But the others were skeptical since they had never seen me use this technique. I explained it in detail, and Li Siqi quickly volunteered, "If someone has to impersonate the culprit, I'm the best choice. After all, I'm a woman."
"It's not that simple," I replied. "To perform the ritual successfully, the person must possess a strong imagination."
"What does that mean?" Li Siqi asked.
Before I could answer, Gao Qiang interjected, "I'm the best at that! Let me do it. A strong imagination means being able to associate thoughts with anything you see."
"Alright, let's do a test to see who has the strongest imagination among you," I suggested.
I had them line up and then said, "There's a scar on my face."
Everyone immediately focused on my face. Gao Qiang said, "Your face is perfectly smooth. How could there be a scar?"
"Yeah, you're the most handsome officer in our station. How could you have a scar?" Xiao Yuande added.
At that moment, Li Siqi stared intently at me and said, "No, I can see a scar on Captain He's face!"
Hearing this, the others looked at me in shock.
I asked, "Li Siqi, can you really see a scar on my face?"
She nodded firmly. "It's very clear!"
"Alright then, the role will go to Li Siqi," I said. When the others questioned why, I explained, "Because she can see it."
"No way! Are you joking?" Xiao Yuande was visibly displeased.
"There's no actual scar," I clarified. "But the fact that Li Siqi can see one proves that her imagination is stronger than yours. That's why she's the best choice to impersonate Shan Yayun."
Everyone nodded in agreement, and Xiao Yuande stopped protesting. I assigned the task to Li Siqi. For the ritual, she needed to fully immerse herself in the role. However, dressed in her police uniform, she hardly looked like a nurse. I said, "Put on Shan Yayun's nurse uniform."
Without hesitation, Li Siqi changed into the nurse uniform in front of us. We all turned away out of courtesy. Once she finished, we turned back and saw a perfect white-clad angel standing before us.
With her petite frame and gentle demeanor, Li Siqi fit the role perfectly in the nurse's uniform. I said, "Alright, let's begin. Remember, don't immerse yourself too deeply. If anything feels wrong, let me know immediately."
"I understand, Captain He," she replied.
I took out some silver needles and had Li Siqi lie down. Then, I inserted the needles into her forehead, neck, and shoulders. A moment later, her eyes closed as if she were asleep. I took a pill that Zhao Simeng had previously given me and placed it into Li Siqi's mouth.
I only knew how to use this method because I had seen Zhao perform it once at a psychiatric hospital. Since she wasn't here, I didn't mention that it was her idea—I didn't want to overcomplicate things.
After removing the needles, Li Siqi's eyes suddenly opened. She looked around as if she didn't recognize us. She walked to the lab bench, turned her back to us, and began fiddling with something. She murmured, "Dr. Xu, I've prepared your medication. You must take it on time. Only I can prepare it for you."
Then, she burst into laughter—an eerie, high-pitched giggle that clearly wasn't hers. It was Shan Yayun's.
Hearing the laugh, Gao Qiang and Xiao Yuande were visibly shaken. They turned to me and said, "This ritual is incredible!"
"Don't be surprised. There might be even stranger things to come," I said, though I wasn't entirely sure myself. I had only seen Zhao perform the ritual once, so I didn't know what else to expect.
A moment later, Li Siqi seemed to finish preparing a bottle of medication. She placed it in her pocket, walked to the bed, and picked up a used tissue that had belonged to Dr. Xu. She began rubbing it against her face. The sight made me feel sick, but Li Siqi seemed to relish it.
Next, she started undressing, putting on one of Dr. Xu's lab coats and caressing it. Her behavior stunned everyone. They asked me, "What is she doing?"
"She's indulging in her delusions. This is her way of expressing her obsessive love," I explained.
No one could bear to watch any longer. As Li Siqi's actions grew more unsettling, I averted my gaze. She continued rubbing the coat against her skin while emitting eerie giggles and moans. Finally, she let out a loud cry, walked to the lab table, and curled up, trembling.
She began sobbing. Was it joy turning to sorrow? None of us could comprehend what Shan Yayun had endured over the years.
Through her tears, Li Siqi stood up, walked to a wall, and took out a phone. We quickly moved behind her as she typed a message:
"I'm coming over now. Please take care of the child."