Don't Think You Can Defy the Odds - Chapter 1

The suicide case was assigned to the Major Crimes Unit.

In Fengcheng, at the Fuhua Community, the area beneath Building 24 was bustling shortly after lunchtime. Crowds, police cars, and ambulances blocked the road completely.

“Did you see that? His head was smashed to pieces.”

“He looks like a stranger. Whose family is he from?”

“That is Old Xiao’s son! The one who said he was making big money away from home! Oh dear, Old Xiao just fainted and was taken away by the ambulance!”

This was an old resettlement community with chaotic management. Illegal parking was a common occurrence. Now, upon hearing news of a suicide, the onlookers crowded in and refused to be moved, sealing the area tight. A man unable to drive out of his building honked his horn frantically, adding another layer of noise to the chaos. It was a complete mess.

A police line had been set up in front of the building. Several local officers were trying to disperse the crowd while simultaneously dealing with the agitated driver.

Cui Renwang stood not far away, holding a cup of full-sugar strawberry milkshake. His hands were in his pockets as he chewed on a straw, watching the scene.

It was early spring, yet he was still wearing a thick overcoat and was wrapped in a scarf. His skin was terrifyingly pale, making him look as if he were in poor health.

Soon, he saw an SUV pull up discreetly at a somewhat secluded corner. Several men, dressed in plain clothes but carrying a much stronger aura, walked toward the building. They ducked under the police tape and headed upstairs.

Cui Renwang recognized the man in the lead: Captain Lu Zheng of the Fengcheng Major Crimes Unit.

Among the young men following behind him was one whose height and build were particularly striking. Cui Renwang watched him and thought absentmindedly that it seemed there really was something fishy about this case if even a suicide had alerted the Major Crimes Unit.

Just as he was about to look away, the prominent young officer walking at the back suddenly turned his head. The two unexpectedly locked eyes.

Cui Renwang thought to himself, “What sharp intuition.”

He calmly withdrew his gaze, but the man opposite did not look away until someone inside the building shouted at him, “Xie Chongyang! Keep up! What are you doing?”

The young officer started and hurriedly turned to follow them.

“What is wrong? Can you not get your spirits up for a suicide case?” his colleague, Du Like, teased him. “Are you zoning out at a crime scene?”

“No,” Xie Chongyang shook his head. “I just saw a person at the entrance.”

“There are people all over the entrance,” Du Like said dismissively.

From the front, the slightly older Qian Song chimed in with interest, “What, is your intuition acting up again? Was that person suspicious?”

“Not exactly suspicious,” Xie Chongyang frowned, thinking seriously. “He was staring at me, and he was very eye-catching.”

“Focus on the scene first,” Captain Lu commanded. No one dared to object further, and they quickly got to work.

Downstairs at Building 24, after watching them enter, Cui Renwang prepared to leave. He had already heard plenty of half-true gossip from the crowd.

Just then, his phone rang. The caller ID showed “Daoist Zhang.” Cui Renwang answered, and the voice on the other end sounded urgent and impatient. “How is it? Is there any situation?”

“Yes,” Cui Renwang replied. He placed his finished strawberry milkshake on top of a nearly overflowing green trash can, narrowly balancing it. “It is very dark.”

“Oh,” Daoist Zhang understood. “That means the Yin energy is heavy!”

“Correct.” Cui Renwang walked away with his hands in his pockets. He thought he should have ordered something hot. After a stomach full of iced sugar water, he felt like a shard of ice himself. He spoke lazily, “It was a suicide, the soul is gone, and the Yin energy is heavy. It all checks out. For anything more, I will have to ask the police.”

“Fine!” Daoist Zhang responded quickly. “A few of us are arriving in Fengcheng soon. Once I get there, I will go to the scene. You go wait at the police station. I will have someone send the files to you first.”

“It is not a local station,” Cui Renwang reminded him. “Major Crimes is here. I saw Lu Zheng.”

“Ah?” Daoist Zhang was surprised. “Alright, then I will contact them. Just go to the Public Security Bureau and wait.”

Before Cui Renwang could hang up, he heard a girl’s voice from the other end. “Will the Boss be okay? Everyone there is a stranger, and Boss is shy around people.”

“Oh, hush. Once our office is approved, they will be colleagues. They have to get used to each other sooner or later,” Daoist Zhang coaxed. “Good luck, Little Cui! I am rooting for you!”

Cui Renwang thought, “How talkative.” He was not actually that shy.

He walked toward the community entrance. As he passed a corner, he saw a pile of burnt ashes on the ground and a fallen funeral wreath. He paused. Many elderly people lived in this old community. Several had passed away over the winter, making the place feel even more somber. Leaving such things there was considered bad luck, so most passersby avoided them. He took a few steps, picked up the wreath, and asked toward the pile of paper, “Where is the mourning hall? Why was this placed here?”

Carrying the wreath, he navigated the oddly designed community until he found a wooden temporary hall set up over a few parking spaces. Inside, people were busy, likely having just finished a funeral banquet.

Cui Renwang was quite visible holding the wreath, which startled a hardworking aunt. She quickly asked, “This is…”

“A wreath for this family.” Cui Renwang set the wreath down, not intending to meddle further. However, his sleeve was tugged lightly but firmly, forcing him to turn his head and listen to the soul finish speaking.

It turned out the wreath was bought by a granddaughter who had a falling out with the family. The family refused to keep it and intentionally threw it outside, but the elderly deceased, who missed the granddaughter, could not let it go and followed it.

Cui Renwang lugging the item back made him look like a troublemaker. Fortunately, the owners were not there at the moment. After listening to the rambling ghost finish speaking, Cui Renwang gave a small nod and turned back toward the community entrance.

He was naturally sensitive to the cold. Having just been touched by a ghost, his face grew paler, and his lips lost their color. He walked out of the community, ducked into the milk tea shop next door, and ordered a hot strawberry tea to hold in his hands. Only then did he take a taxi to the Public Security Bureau.

The driver was incredibly talkative. First, he commented on Cui Renwang’s hairstyle, then his clothes, and then he criticized his choice of milk tea before finally asking, “Yo, you are going to the Public Security Bureau? What for?”

Cui Renwang said chillingly, “To turn myself in.”

The driver fell silent. After holding it in for a few minutes, he could not help but ask, “What did you do, brother?”

Cui Renwang bit his straw and lifted his eyelids slightly. “Murder.”

The driver was completely silenced.

When Cui Renwang arrived, he handed over the documents as Daoist Zhang had instructed and was given a seat in the lobby. The people from the Major Crimes Unit were back, but they were temporarily unavailable and asked him to wait.

Cui Renwang did not mind. He pulled his heavy scarf up, leaned back, and closed his eyes to rest. The Public Security Bureau was a good place because it was full of Yang energy and was warm. Furthermore, no ghosts would suddenly jump out to talk to him.

In the Interrogation Room.

Gu Jiayi, the wife of the deceased Xiao Zijie, was still wiping her tears. She sobbed, “Nothing was wrong, really. Life was going well. We were sitting at the dinner table. The whole family had not even had a single disagreement. He suddenly just went to the window. I thought the air conditioner was too hot and he wanted some ventilation. Who knew he would just jump!”

The policewoman, Jiang Ding, handed her a tissue. Du Like asked with a stern face, “Were there no screens on the windows?”

“There were, yes, screens.” Gu Jiayi looked up sharply, her eyes wavering for a moment before she said hesitantly, “But the screens can be opened too. He probably opened them both at once and jumped.”

She sniffed loudly, brushed back a stray hair, and asked through tears, “Are his parents okay? When can I go to the hospital to see them?”

Du Like frowned. “You will have to wait.”

“What are you trying to do!” Gu Jiayi suddenly became emotional. “I have not even seen him one last time since he jumped! Our whole family was at the table. His parents saw him jump with their own eyes! It was like he was possessed! What do you mean by questioning me like this?”

Outside the interrogation room, Xie Chongyang was leaning against the door listening intently. Lu Zheng patted his shoulder and handed him a stack of files. “The hospital’s side is finished, and we will not get much more out of this side. There is someone named Cui Renwang in the lobby. Go find him.”

“Answer whatever he asks.”

“Huh?” While Xie Chongyang was confused, Lu Zheng waved him off. “Do not ask questions. Just go.”

“Yes, sir.” Xie Chongyang obediently took the files and went out. At a glance, he saw the young man he had encountered earlier at the Fuhua Community sitting in the lobby.

He stopped and asked a colleague nearby, “Hey, who is that?”

“He came with a letter of introduction. He is a special consultant for your case,” the colleague nodded. “He is waiting for you. Go on.”

Xie Chongyang thought for a moment, then suddenly turned and ran back.

“Captain!” Xie Chongyang rushed up to Lu Zheng. Lu Zheng, who was about to sneak a cigarette, dropped it in surprise and blurted out, “I was not smoking!”

Xie Chongyang stared at him. “Captain, did you not promise to quit? Why do you still have cigarettes on you?”

“Mind your business.” Lu Zheng guiltily pocketed the cigarette and asked, “Are you done?”

Xie Chongyang said righteously, “No.”

“Then why are you back?” Lu Zheng snapped.

“I have seen that person before,” Xie Chongyang frowned. “Under Building 24. He was staring at us at the time. Should we not confirm he is not involved in the case first?”

Lu Zheng was speechless. “He only went there to check the situation after inquiring with the station.”

“Oh.” Xie Chongyang turned around guiltily. Lu Zheng called him back, hesitating before speaking, “Talk to him more. Find out his background and see if he actually has any skill. Report back to me.”

“Understood.” Xie Chongyang took the mission and the files, then reached out and snatched Lu Zheng’s cigarette away. “Do not smoke, Captain, or I will tell my sister-in-law.”

“You!” Lu Zheng pointed at him, but Xie Chongyang had already strode toward the lobby.

Cui Renwang had just woken up. He was staring listlessly at a potted plant near the entrance, looking sluggish and fragile.

Xie Chongyang stopped in front of him, nearly enveloping him in his shadow. He introduced himself formally, “Hello, I am Xie Chongyang from the Fengcheng Major Crimes Unit.”

Cui Renwang thought, “What a coincidence. It is actually him delivering the files.”

Cui Renwang reached out his hand. Xie Chongyang took it and gave a bright, sunny smile to show friendliness. He looked like a big Golden Retriever.

Cui Renwang was caught off guard by the warmth of the man’s hand, and he fully woke up. He said, “I just wanted the files.”

He did not want to shake hands.