Roses in Flames

Xiao Lin received a call from the New District Police Station.

Jiang Yao, a volunteer teacher, was admitted to the emergency room in critical condition due to her mother's illness.

She clung to life, wanting only to see her daughter one last time.

The New District Police Station questioned Xiao Lin about whether Ji Chen had revealed Jiang Yao's whereabouts.

After finishing the phone call, Xiao Lin went back into the interrogation room.

A chilling aura emanated from him. His dark eyes were fixed on Ji Chen, his large hand gripping Ji Chen's collar tightly. "Where exactly is Jiang Yao?"

Ji Chen's neck was gripped by the collar, and he coughed, struggling to breathe. His face still wore that nonchalant yet intriguing, provocative smile. "Officer, I really don't know. You're not planning to break the law and use force to extract a confession, are you?"

The veins on the back of Xiao Lin's hand bulged, his eyes were sharp as knives, and his tone was uncontrollably cold, "Jiang Yao's father died from illness caused by cyberbullying from your fans, and her mother is now critically ill. Before she disappeared, she clearly wanted to sponsor your schooling, but in the end, her whereabouts are unknown. If you have any conscience, tell me where she is!"

Xiao Lin's handsome face, with its taut contours, loomed closer to Ji Chen, his eyes blazing with fury. "Did you kill Jiang Yao?"

Ji Chen's smile deepened. "Is Jiang Yao dead? If she is, she deserves it. Who told her to be lustful towards me at first sight, thinking I was some clueless mountain boy, and trying to force herself on me? Maybe heaven couldn't stand her and took her away!"

Xiao Lin's large hand, gripping Ji Chen's collar, tightened suddenly, almost lifting Ji Chen off his seat. "Jiang Yao has been murdered? Did you do it? Where did you hide her?"

Ji Chen's neck was red from being strangled, but he still smiled provocatively and wantonly. "Officer, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. Do you have any evidence that I killed Jiang Yao? If you don't have any evidence, it's slander."

Xiao Lin clenched his back teeth so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Seeing that Xiao Lin was angered by him, Ji Chen's smug smile almost overflowed. "Officer, aren't you so capable? If you're so tough, then find Jiang Yao's body. If you can't, don't even think about pinning the crime on me!"

Xiao Lin's heart sank.

Judging from Ji Chen's attitude, Jiang Yao is definitely dead.

Ji Chen is very knowledgeable about the law. The police cannot find Jiang Yao's body and have no concrete evidence. Even if they suspect her, they cannot convict him of murder.

Outside the interrogation room.

Ye Yuntang and Cheng Lei were both furious.

"Damn it, this Ji Chen is too arrogant and too cold-blooded!" Cheng Lei said indignantly.

Ye Yuntang's face tightened. "They're worse than animals."

Lin Xiaoqiao, Jiang Yao, and all the girls who got involved with this devil met with bad ends.

Looking at Ji Chen's arrogant and despicable face, Xiao Lin's jaw tightened. "Ji Chen, the net of heaven is vast, and though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes it. As long as you have done something bad, you will definitely leave a trace."

Ji Chen leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow with an air of fearlessness. "Really? Jiang Yao has been missing for four years. Have you useless cops found her yet? I'm actually looking forward to seeing if you can find any useful evidence!"

……

Xiao Lin left the interrogation room, his eyes still carrying a chilling glint.

He instructed Cheng Lei, "Immediately submit a report to apply for permission to search Dawei Mountain, and then have the Xincheng District Police Station send over the case file of Jiang Yao's disappearance."

After saying that, he called Song Che over and said, "Go and investigate the case of Ji Dawei being hit by a car. Dig deep into the background of the driver who caused the accident. Focus on whether he has any financial dealings with Ji Chen and his relatives. Ji Dawei being hit by a car is definitely not as simple as an accident."

Song Che nodded, "Yes, boss."

The approval for the search of Dawei Mountain came through quickly.

Upon learning this, Ye Yuntang hurried over, carrying her toolbox. "Captain Xiao, I'll go with you."

Xiao Lin glanced at Ye Yuntang, then nodded. "Okay."

Xiao Lin, Cheng Lei, Ye Yuntang, and a police officer from the technical department went to Dawei Mountain together.

Ye Yuntang and Xiao Lin sat in the back seat of the car.

After getting into the car, Xiao Lin kept making phone calls to arrange work matters.

His facial features were taut, giving him a cold and sharp appearance.

Ye Yuntang glanced at his profile. He had deep, dark eyes and a high nose bridge. When arranging work, he was clear, organized, calm, and wise.

He exudes a mature and aloof aura, overflowing with hormones.

Although he was a bit cold and his words were a bit harsh, it has to be admitted that he was a very charming man.

After finishing the call, Xiao Lin noticed Ye Yuntang looking at him, so he turned his head and glanced at her.

As he gazed into her dark, deep, narrow eyes, Ye Yuntang's long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she quickly looked away.

A vague, inexplicable palpitation arose in my chest.

Jiang Yao's mother may not survive more than three days.

Finding Jiang Yao, who has been missing for many years, within three days is no easy task.

Everyone was in a heavy mood, and no one spoke.

Ye Yuntang took out her phone and saw the trending topics online.

Ji Chen dominated the trending topics list.

His fans are like madmen.

The comment section was full of whitewashing and insults. Some fans even went to the police station to make a scene, while others bombarded the criminal investigation team's official website. Some radical fans even went to the city hall to report the incident.

Fans demanded that Ji Chen be released immediately, claiming that their idol was a law-abiding, kind-hearted, and positive role model.

Some of the younger fans even threatened to jump off buildings.

Public opinion immediately erupted in uproar.

Ye Yuntang grew angrier the more she looked at it.

Mengmeng also saw the trending topic. Thinking back to how she had unconditionally trusted and supported Ji Chen, just like these fanatical fans, she felt both pathetic and ridiculous.

These fanatics, like her, were deceived by Ji Chen's appearance.

She shared what had happened in the group chat.

But soon she was kicked out of the group and attacked by fans.

Mengmeng was unconvinced and furiously typed away on the keyboard, desperately confronting those crazy fans.

Countless fans seemed to have found an outlet for their frustrations, constantly sending her private messages.

She was called a traitor and an ingrate, and some people even dug up that Ji Chen was arrested because of her, and fans criticized her for not knowing how lucky she was.

Mengmeng was so angry that she trembled all over, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

On Xiao Lin's side.

He received a call from the bureau chief.

The news of Ji Chen's arrest caused a huge uproar, putting immense pressure on those above.

The director ordered Xiao Lin to either find clues about Jiang Yao's murder within three days, or to issue an official statement as soon as possible to suppress public opinion.

After finishing the call, Xiao Lin raised his long finger and pressed it against his brow.

Everyone needs to be extra careful on this trip to Dawei Mountain.

……

After driving all night, we arrived at Daweishan.

Surrounded by mountains on all sides, with rugged mountain roads, it is extremely remote.

After the car reached the foot of the mountain, there was no road for it to go any further.

The group got off the bus, and the village chief, who had been notified in advance, was waiting at the intersection.

Carrying their equipment, the group, led by the village chief, walked along the narrow mountain path.

The mountain roads are crisscrossed, and it's easy to get lost without a villager to guide you.

It took almost an hour to reach Ji Chen's hometown village.

The village chief led them to a three-story villa.

The village chief told them that it was the big house that Ji Chen built after he became famous.

The villa was luxurious and grand, while the surrounding neighbors all lived in small bungalows like those from the 1980s and 90s.

The large villa looked somewhat out of place among the low-rise bungalows.

The group searched the villa but found no useful clues.

Xiao Lin and Ye Yuntang walked to a bungalow behind the villa.

When the elderly neighbor learned that they were police officers, she stammered and couldn't utter a single useful clue for a long time.

Just as Xiao Lin and Ye Yuntang were about to leave, the sound of a little boy crying suddenly came from inside the house.

"Xiao Bao choked on a piece of candy, what should I do? I tried to get it out, but I couldn't!" The old man came out of the house.

"Quick, carry Xiaobao to the village doctor."

Ye Yuntang and Xiao Lin were about to leave when they heard the old woman's words, and she quickly turned around to look.

Seeing the little boy being carried on the old man's back, his face bruised and blue, and his cries heart-wrenching, she quickly stepped forward and said, "I can help."

The old man looked at Ye Yuntang, "Young lady, are you... are you a doctor?"

Ye Yuntang nodded, "Yes, quickly put the child down."

Upon hearing this, the old man quickly put the child down.

Seeing this, Ye Yuntang quickly wrapped her arms around the little boy's abdomen from behind, placed one fist two finger-widths above his navel, and pressed upwards with the other fist.

After a few more thrusts, the little boy suddenly spat out the candy that was stuck in his throat.

The crying gradually stopped, and her breathing slowly calmed down.

The elderly people were both surprised and delighted to see this, and they all wanted to kneel down and kowtow to Ye Yuntang.

Ye Yuntang and Xiao Lin supported the two, preventing them from kneeling.

The old woman's eyes were full of gratitude, and her previous wariness slowly dissipated.