When Chen Yi regained consciousness, he was escorted to the city's Public Security Bureau to assist with the investigation.
Based on surveillance footage and on-site analysis, the police were inclined to classify the case as an accident. However, Chen Yi's seemingly premeditated evasive actions forced them to reconsider, compelling them to search for any overlooked clues.
As the primary suspect—apart from the deceased driver—Chen Yi received an unusual amount of "attention," complete with intensive questioning and mandatory signatures on various statements.
The officers interrogated Chen Yi for hours, asking why the accident had occurred so coincidentally at that moment. Surveillance footage clearly showed that the maroon Volkswagen Golf's crash was triggered by Chen Yi's sudden interference with the steering wheel.
Moreover, the footage revealed that Chen Yi's escape route was highly deliberate, as though he had anticipated the impending explosion and acted accordingly.
In this world, every coincidence hides an inevitability.
The police were convinced that Chen Yi had foreknowledge of the incident. Before the interrogation began, they had meticulously prepared a series of traps, hoping to lead him into revealing the truth on his own.
Police Officer: "What do you do for a living?"Chen Yi: "I'm a renowned Feng Shui master and fortune-teller on Feng Shui Street."Police Officer: "What's your relationship with the owner of the Golf?"Chen Yi: "She's my client. I was helping her navigate a life-threatening calamity."Police Officer: "Did you have any conflicts or disputes with her?"Chen Yi: "None at all. We get along just fine."Police Officer: "If there were no disputes, why were you arguing? Why did you grab the steering wheel? Don't you know how dangerous that is?"Chen Yi: "If I hadn't done that, we'd have been in even greater danger. Her accident wouldn't have been a big deal, but if I had died, it would've been an immeasurable loss for all of Quancheng."Police Officer: "How do you know Wang Nianqing, the tanker driver?"Chen Yi: "I don't know him. Who said I did?"Police Officer: "Confess, and you'll be treated leniently. Resist, and the consequences will be severe. Be honest—there's still a chance for reduced sentencing."Chen Yi: "What grounds do you have to sentence me? What law have I broken? Is it illegal to drive on that road?"Police Officer: "Don't be arrogant. You've already admitted to knowing about the incident in advance. If you don't know Wang Nianqing, how could you have known? Do you have accomplices?"Chen Yi: "Yes, I knew about it in advance, but I have no connection to them. I discovered it through divination. Haven't you heard of me? I'm the 'Little Immortal of Quancheng.' I've solved several major cases for your bureau using divination, earning six to seven hundred thousand yuan in the process. If you don't believe me, I can show you. By the way, you're having a rough year, aren't you? Arguing with your wife and on the verge of divorce? That's the 'Peach Blossom Curse' at work. I have a talisman here—just 9,800 yuan, guaranteed to..."
Watching the interrogation unfold on the monitor, Luo Yan couldn't help but burst out laughing.
The officers questioning Chen Yi belonged to a different team from Luo Yan's and didn't report to her. She had already informed them that while Chen Yi likely had prior knowledge, he was undoubtedly uninvolved in the crime. But they had paid her no heed.
Belonging to a rival division, they had been envious of Luo Yan's recent streak of solving major cases. Now that they had finally caught a big one, they were determined to seize the opportunity to shine.
Yet Chen Yi was far too cooperative. He answered every question with unreserved candor, leaving no room for doubt. However, none of his statements provided any assistance in solving the case. Instead, they merely wasted time.
Director Liu Siming shot Luo Yan a sharp glare, causing her to hastily cover her mouth, though her laughter still escaped like the tinkling of silver bells.
Liu Siming felt a headache coming on. From the moment he first met Chen Yi, he had harbored a deep aversion to this so-called "mystic." While he acknowledged that Chen Yi had played a significant role in solving previous cases, his eccentric personality made him difficult to deal with.
This interrogation was a last resort, as Chen Yi was the most suspicious party.
"Enough. Stop wasting time. If he were truly involved, he wouldn't have been at the scene," Liu Siming said after weighing the situation. He turned to a man with a sullen expression.
The man, Ning Fangming, was a team leader on par with Luo Yan. He was in a foul mood, feeling as though he had been toyed with by Chen Yi. Though he wanted to teach him a lesson, Liu Siming's orders left him no choice but to let Chen Yi go.
As Ning Fangming radioed the officers to release Chen Yi, Luo Yan dashed into the interrogation room.
"Ah, my dear Yan, you're finally here! I thought you were conspiring with these people to frame your own husband!" Chen Yi exclaimed, his eyes lighting up at the sight of her.
Luo Yan rolled her eyes. "With your divine abilities, what need do you have for me to add unnecessary flourishes? You've already turned the police station upside down with just a few words."
Though Chen Yi was pleased with himself, he dared not show it. Offending the police would make it impossible for him to continue working on Feng Shui Street. Scratching his head awkwardly, he said, "I was just being honest. I didn't do it, so how could I have the ability to pull it off?"
"Alright, stop playing dumb. Tell me about the case. But this time, there's no reward. The bureau's budget is tight, and we can't afford to be extravagant."
Chen Yi rolled his eyes, thinking to himself that the police budget wasn't her personal concern. If funds were insufficient, it was the leadership's problem to solve.
"I really can't say for sure. I'm not in the right state to perform a divination today. Take me to see the body; maybe I'll find something."
In the past, Chen Yi would never have taken on a thankless task. But now, with Luo Yan asking, he couldn't bring himself to refuse. He had noticed the crazed expression on the tanker driver's face at the scene and felt something was amiss.
"Not in the right state? Is it because you've been living with that girl, Han Wenxue, for ten days and have neglected all your skills?"
A woman's mood could change as unpredictably as the weather in June—without warning or reason.
"What? You know about that? There's nothing between us! She's my master's granddaughter, and she was facing a life-threatening calamity. I had to stay by her side to protect her..."
Chen Yi was taken aback. He had avoided contacting Luo Yan these past few days, fearing she might notice something and create unnecessary trouble.
What should he do now?
"Alright, no need to explain so much. I'm waiting for your thoughts on the case," Luo Yan interrupted, her tone indifferent.
"You're not angry?"
Chen Yi looked at her cautiously, sensing something unusual.
"Do you want me to be angry?"
"No, of course not! Why would I want that?"
Chen Yi quickly denied it. He wasn't foolish enough to wish for Luo Yan's anger.
"Luo Yan, the body has spontaneously combusted. Director Liu wants you to take Chen Yi to the morgue immediately," a police officer suddenly rushed in, speaking urgently.
"The body spontaneously combusted? How is that possible?" Luo Yan asked, incredulous.
The bodies in the Public Security Bureau were stored in freezing conditions, below zero degrees Celsius, with no fire sources present. How could spontaneous combustion occur? Her investigative instincts told her something was off.
Hearing this, Chen Yi's brow furrowed deeply.
Now he was certain—the accident had been orchestrated.
But to what end?
A sense of foreboding rose within him. He quickly took out his phone and dialed Han Wenxue's number. The call went unanswered, and eventually, a busy signal sounded.
Han Wenxue was in trouble!
This accident had been targeted at them!
The goal was to make Chen Yi believe Han Wenxue's calamity had passed, so that once they were separated, the real attack could begin.
Luo Yan observed Chen Yi's actions, her expression darkening slightly.
How could she not feel upset? What woman would be pleased to see her man grow close to another woman?
Yet some people express their dissatisfaction openly, while others bury it deep within their hearts.