In the end, Chen Feng and Hu Tao donned their masks again and strolled through the streets of the area they were responsible for.
However, this time, compared to before, the two seemed a bit preoccupied.
Because in Chen Feng and Hu Tao's view, the murderer's range of locations had been locked down, and the murderer hiding in the shadows would soon be found. They just needed to stand their final watch.
"I hope the operation over there goes smoothly," Hu Tao said with some worry.
"The murderer is so dangerous. I'm really afraid they will encounter danger during the investigation."
Hearing Hu Tao's words, Chen Feng comforted her from the side.
"Director Hu, you don't need to worry too much. Yanfei is joining this operation, so there won't be any problems."
"Yanfei is an Adeptus after all. No matter how strong the murderer is, their abilities wouldn't be able to work against an Adeptus, would they?"
"That's true."
Hu Tao nodded, then continued, "If the murderer's abilities were really that strong, then there would be no need for them to hide in the shadows."
After she finished speaking, Hu Tao changed the topic and asked again:
"Consultant Chen Feng, after this incident is over, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor should be able to restore its original reputation, right?"
Hearing Hu Tao's question, Chen Feng nodded solemnly.
"It definitely can, Director Hu!"
"Next, we should consider how to further develop the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"
Hearing these words, Hu Tao couldn't help but start daydreaming.
"Although the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor suffered this false accusation out of the blue, it's not like there aren't any benefits. When the misunderstanding is completely cleared up, I believe almost everyone will deeply remember the name of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"
"The next step is to expand the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's business abroad. We can go to Mondstadt to test the waters first. Their relationship with Liyue is good, and this Director also has some friends in Mondstadt who can be asked to help build connections."
"When the time comes, Consultant Chen Feng, you will come with this Director to Mondstadt to negotiate business. You probably haven't been to Mondstadt yet, right?"
"Mondstadt's scenery is very different from Liyue, and it has its own unique charm. After we finish negotiating business, this Director will take you around Mondstadt to play."
"This Director also wants to introduce you to those few friends of mine. Right, there is a poor astrologer who might have many common topics with you!"
"Of course, her income is actually very high, it's just that she lives from paycheck to paycheck. Consultant Chen Feng, you must never learn from her!"
Hu Tao was fantasizing about future matters, while Chen Feng listened intently from the side, listening to Hu Tao try her best to describe the beautiful scenery of Mondstadt for him.
Just then, Chen Feng suddenly saw something. He looked up in surprise at the distance, then tapped Hu Tao's shoulder and spoke.
"Director Hu Tao, look over there."
"Isn't that Suspect No. 53?"
Hearing Chen Feng's words, Hu Tao was first stunned, then looked over there, and saw Suspect No. 53, with his arm in a sling, actually out again at the same time as usual today.
The two of them had thought the other party would recover at home for a few days after suffering such injuries yesterday, but they didn't expect to see him again today.
Could Suspect No. 53 really have such a deep obsession with strolling the streets?!
Something was wrong, very wrong!
Thinking carefully, it seemed Suspect No. 53 was also one of the people who knew the inside story yesterday, and now it seemed he had been overlooked by the previous Task Force members.
Thinking of this, Hu Tao and Chen Feng exchanged a glance, then quickly turned around and followed.
This time, Chen Feng and Hu Tao discovered that the other party was no longer looking around, nor was he taking detours everywhere. His purpose seemed very clear.
Chen Feng and Hu Tao, who thought they would find something, finally saw that Task Force member appear at the end of the road.
"So he wasn't overlooked after all."
Hu Tao shook her head and said, laughing at how she had worried too much.
No wonder the other party went out even after getting injured; it turned out he had an appointment to meet that Task Force member here.
Although there were few passersby here, Hu Tao figured that Task Force member probably wanted to hide his identity.
Chen Feng and Hu Tao stopped and did not continue following.
"Let's go, Consultant Chen Feng. Let's wander around a bit more and then we can get off work."
"I hope we'll hear the news that the murderer has been caught by then."
"If that's really the case, then we'll go to Liuli Pavilion this afternoon for a big meal to celebrate properly!"
Hu Tao spoke with some heartache.
"Just the two of us, Consultant Zhongli slacked off the whole time and can't be relied upon at all. Let him keep eating at Wanmin Restaurant!"
Hu Tao said to herself, but for some reason, her heart still felt a bit heavy, as if she had overlooked something.
However, Hu Tao soon realized what she had overlooked. Under her gaze, after Suspect No. 53 met with that Task Force member, he simply passed something over and then Suspect No. 53 hurriedly left.
The Task Force member left alone walked toward the roadside fence with a somewhat stiff posture.
"Director Hu, he is emitting a very dense Deathly Aura!"
Hearing Chen Feng's shout, Hu Tao woke up as if from a dream and immediately ran toward the Task Force member with all her might.
However, Hu Tao was still a step too late in the end. After walking to the fence, the Task Force member jumped down without hesitation. After a long while, a dull thud and the terrified screams of countless people came from below.
Hu Tao arrived at the fence, jumped down without hesitation herself, and right before hitting the ground, her legs wrapped in crimson flames, allowing her to land steadily. Then, in a few strides, she reached the Task Force member lying in a pool of blood. With a grave expression, she tentatively checked his pulse, and there was still a faint beat.
Perhaps because his body was strong enough, it allowed him to retain a sliver of survival after jumping from such a height.
But if he did not receive treatment soon, he would definitely have no chance of surviving!
Hu Tao directly lifted him carefully. Although moving an injured person indiscriminately at a time like this was a major taboo, if they waited for a doctor to arrive, the corpse would probably have gone cold.
Just at this moment, Chen Feng's shout came from above.
"Director Hu, get him to Dr. Baizhu as soon as possible. I'm afraid only Dr. Baizhu has a chance to save him."
"I'll go chase the murderer. I've finally caught him, and this time I won't let him get away!"
Hearing Chen Feng's words, Hu Tao's heart raced as the image of the Task Force member jumping down flashed through her mind.
"Don't go, Chen Feng!"
Hu Tao shouted upwards, but the next second, Chen Feng's comforting words came back.
"Don't worry, Director Hu. My abilities are a threat to the murderer. If his abilities worked on me, he would have eliminated me long ago!"
"That's just your speculation!"
Hu Tao still spoke with concern, yet no voice came from above again.
Hu Tao hesitated for a moment, and finally, after seeing the Task Force member's blood-covered side profile, she finally made up her mind and took him to find Baizhu.
About twenty minutes later, Yelan led the Task Force members to kick open the murderer's front door, and then saw Chen Feng standing in the hall in a daze.
Yelan frowned, but her expression quickly returned to calm.
"Chen Feng, are you okay?!"
Hu Tao was the first to rush out from the crowd, come before Chen Feng, grab his hand, and ask nervously.
"Are you injured anywhere? Let me see quickly!"
After saying that, Hu Tao felt all over Chen Feng, causing his face to instantly turn red.
"Director Hu, I, I'm fine!"
Chen Feng gently pushed Hu Tao away, then came before Yelan.
Although Ganyu wasn't here this time, Keqing happened to be free, so she had come along with the team. Right now, she looked at Chen Feng and Hu Tao with a complicated gaze.
For some reason, she felt a bit uncomfortable after seeing this scene.
"Miss Yelan, I'm sorry, but when I arrived here, the murderer had already disappeared."
"I did a rough inspection, and almost nothing in the room had been moved. I think the murderer must have discovered he was exposed, so he left in a hurry without taking anything."
After hearing Chen Feng's report, Yelan nodded, then signaled for the others to conduct an investigation of the room.
Although Yelan knew that they would likely find nothing much, the procedure was necessary.
"Consultant Chen Feng, are you sure you didn't see the murderer on the way?"
Hearing Yelan's question, Chen Feng immediately said.
"I really didn't see him, I definitely wouldn't let him escape so easily."
"I might not necessarily be a match for him, but I would still try my best to hold him up."
"Good that you didn't run into him!"
Hu Tao spoke with some relief.
"With those scrawny arms and legs of yours, how could you possibly hold back the murderer if you'd run into him?!"
"Director Hu, the murderer's arm was broken! I can't be so weak that I couldn't even hold back an injured person, can I?!"
After hearing Hu Tao's words, Chen Feng spoke with some helplessness, then asked again.
"Director Hu... how is he?"
Hearing Chen Feng's words, Hu Tao's expression immediately became very heavy.
"Including the members Director Hu brought back, among all the members of this investigation operation, everyone perished except for Yanfei."
"Not only that, but even all the Millelith present yesterday unfortunately sacrificed themselves."
"The murderer seems to have completely let go of any inner scruples because of his own injury and the Task Force's closing-in step by step."
In the end, it was Yelan who spoke the answer, and these words made Chen Feng's body suddenly shake, lowering his head so no one could see his expression.
"This Director has already tried her best to find Baizhu, but he had no way either."
"Consultant Chen Feng, are you alright..."
Hu Tao asked with some concern, and Chen Feng shook his head.
"I bear a great responsibility for their sacrifice."
Yelan sighed and spoke slowly.
"My deduction was wrong, which led to their deaths."
"In such a short amount of time, it would be impossible for the murderer to investigate and find out all of their full names."
"In other words, our previous deduction about the activation conditions of the murderer's ability might have been incorrect. The murderer doesn't actually need names to activate the ability at all. Of course, there is another possibility..."
"The murderer might also have the ability to see through people's true names."
Chen Feng raised his head and spoke slowly.
"Yes, that's right."
Yelan nodded to Chen Feng, then said:
"I'm very glad to see you recover so quickly, Consultant Chen Feng."
"In the next steps of catching the murderer, we will still have to rely on you a lot."
"Miss Yelan, you're overstating my importance. I'm just an ordinary person and cannot play a very significant role in catching the murderer, but I am willing to contribute a little of my meager strength to it."
Just then, Keqing returned after leading her subordinates in a thorough search of the murderer's room.
Faced with Yelan's inquiring gaze, Keqing simply shook her head.
"It is exactly as Consultant Chen Feng said. The murderer seems to have taken nothing with him. He must have fled in a hurry upon realizing he had been discovered."
Hearing this, Yelan folded her arms across her chest and spoke with a calm expression.
"That is fine. The murderer has an injured arm, and his physical condition seems to be that of an ordinary person. Since he has been exposed, escaping Liyue Harbor will not be so easy."
"I have already ordered the lockdown of Liyue Harbor. The murderer's characteristics are very distinct. I believe that as long as we investigate carefully, we will surely find his trail."
After listening to Keqing's words, Yelan nodded, but her gaze remained fixed on Chen Feng.
Finally, Yelan spoke.
"Let's go back for now. I'll have the area sealed off later, and then we'll investigate properly."
"The murderer's name is Qi Shu, a Liyue native. When he was ten, his parents passed away one after another. At twelve, his aunt seized his family's estate, and he was kicked out of his home, subsequently working as a laborer at the docks to make a living."
"This continued until three years ago, when his aunt passed away from illness. Since her other family members had all previously died of illness, he ended up inheriting all the family's property once again."
"Three months ago, he suddenly resigned from his job at the docks and has rarely left his home since."
"Beyond what I have just detailed, more comprehensive information about this individual, Qi Shu, has been sent to each of your desks. You may review it yourselves."
With Yelan's capabilities, investigating a person was an effortless task. Before long, the murderer's entire life history lay laid bare before everyone.
No one present said a word. Each person silently opened the documents before them and began to read.
With more than half the personnel dead, the room looked empty. A fire burned in the hearts of those present, but a thick dread held them just as strongly.
So far, they still did not know by what means the murderer had claimed the others' lives. This time, there had been so many victims at once.
People fear the unknown most of all. Even though their minds were far beyond those of ordinary people, they still inevitably felt terror when faced with the current situation.
Seeing this scene, Yelan shook her head slightly in exasperation. Such a situation was within her expectations.
"By the way, there is one more thing."
Yelan clapped her hands to attract everyone's attention.
"Just now, the last person who had signed their name at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was also murdered."
"Also murdered was a staff member in charge of publicity at the Yuehai Pavilion. She had posted the news of the Liyue Prison incident on the notice board, left a confession written in blood, and then committed suicide on the street in front of hundreds of people."
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