S.C.I Mystery Series Volume 5 Chapter 105

Screen Murderer 01 – The Issue of Getting Out of Singlehood

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Two weeks had passed since the conclusion of the pharmacist's case.

During this period, almost everyone did next to nothing except organise the vast amount of materials left by the organisation.

Right next to SCI, there happened to be a large vacant room. Zhan Zhao arranged for someone to renovate it and set up a makeshift archive room, where all the important documents were stored.

Looking at the wall of files, all the SCI members felt somewhat helpless.

This cursed organisation had been causing trouble for half a century, yet it hadn't produced any substantial results. Instead, it created a bunch of derivative products with harmful side effects plaguing society.

Of course, the experimental subjects in these files were ultimately victims of the organisation's crimes. If they weren't harming people, it was hoped that after leaving the organisation, they could live more meaningful lives, like Luo Tian. But if they were harming people, they would be the monsters the pharmacist considered them and thus become prey for SCI to capture – that was SCI's mission.

However, one person had a different perspective on this matter, and that was Zhao Jue.

While SCI was renovating, Zhao Jue was also renovating.

Previously, when Zhan Zhao was investigating the case, he had borrowed data from Zhao Jue's database.

The entire factory site where the massive database was located belonged to Zhao Jue.

Zhao Jue and Bai Ye decided to settle in S City and refurbished the data room, even building a studio inside specifically to research the files left by the organisation.

It seems Zhao Jue had long planned to wrap up the organisation, so in his view, these prey didn't belong to SCI but to him.

When Zhan Zhao and his team went to visit, they found that the data room and studio were mostly completed.

From the outside, it didn't look like much – surrounded by trees, with a large three-story industrial-style building nestled among them.

Zhan Zhao snorted at the exterior of the building.

Bai Yutang, on the other hand, found it quite tasteful.

Upon entering, the ground and second floors were both filled with archives, while the third floor was a large open space, with a communal office area, a large kitchen, a living room, and many guest rooms. Zhao Jue and Bai Ye lived there.

After a tour, Zhan Zhao discovered that all the files collected by SCI were just copies, with the originals kept by Zhao Jue. This displeased him greatly, so he went to protest to Bao Zheng.

Bao Zheng slapped an advisor sticker on Zhan Zhao's forehead, saying, "Cases related to the archives are Zhao Jue and Bai Ye's responsibility. SCI can assist them when needed."

Zhan Zhao's protest was in vain, and he was scolded by Bao Zheng, who asked, "Do you think the world is at peace? Are there no more bad guys except the organisation? You're paid by the police department, not to clean up after the organisation. Also, with your limited capabilities, go catch Qian Yu for me first before you talk about monsters!"

After being indiscriminately attacked by Bao Zheng, Bai Yutang left Zhao Jue's studio with a wilting Zhan Zhao.

Fortunately, Zhao Jue's "factory area" wasn't far from both the SCI office and Bai Jintang's villa, so investigating these files still required cooperation between the two parties.

Furthermore, Zhao Jue's villa had accommodated some new residents, reportedly forming a new team under Zhao Jue's leadership.

Kalin had gone to Europe with Eugene, leaving Mia under Zhao Jue's care.

Since Zhao Jue and Bai Ye weren't particularly adept with computers, Mia helped them with technical issues.

Additionally, two other individuals had moved in, which piqued the interest of Zhan Zhao and his team.

One was Issel, Mia's father, whose presence to take care of his daughter was understandable. However, the other was surprisingly Eleven.

When SCI visited, they happened to see Issel, Eleven and Bai Ye sitting at a table drinking coffee.

Zhao Hu grabbed Ma Han and fled, saying he felt a surge of combat power reaching the ceiling, as if it were a place of great danger.

Zhan Zhao looked at the three dangerous figures at the table and asked Zhao Jue, "What exactly are you up to?!"

Zhao Jue pointed at Issel, "Can't afford alimony."

Then he pointed at Eleven, "Unemployed."

Finishing his explanation, Zhao Jue patted his chest, saying, "A great philanthropist!"

Zhan Zhao looked up at the sky.

Despite Zhan Zhao's frustration, he couldn't stop Zhao Jue's "charity work". Several times when he went to check on documents, he found Bai Yunwen and Zhang Qitian there too, with Bao Zheng, Luo Yang and Xiao Yi being regular visitors.

Ever since Bai Chi discovered that Zhao Jue's data room had more books than the library, he returned his library card and started spending his free time there with Lisbon, reading.

There was even a time when Jiayi, Ma Xin and their group of girls were playing mahjong at Zhao Jue's house.

......

In the police station's ground floor cafeteria, Zhan Zhao held a cup of coffee, complaining to Bai Yutang about everyone flocking to Zhao Jue's side.

Bai Yutang asked him helplessly, "Cat, how many times have you been there in the past two weeks?"

Zhan Zhao counted on his fingers and realised one hand wasn't enough, so he waved it off, "I'm just there to supervise their progress!"

Zhan Zhao crossed his legs, clearly annoyed. "Why is it that we don't have cases, yet they seem so busy?!"

"Speaking of busy..." Zhan Zhao turned to Bai Yutang, "Ma Han and Zhao Hu seem busy lately too."

"They're probably busy with renovation." Bai Yutang said. "Jiayi, Qi Le, Chen Yu and Ma Xin insisted on living together. They just found a suitable house near Brother's villa. Lan Xi, Lan Qi, Yang Fan and Qin Ou are also planning to live together. Grandpa Chen and Chen Xiaofei seem to be coming over too..."

Zhan Zhao was a bit speechless. "Why not just turn SCI into a family district?"

Bai Yutang chuckled. "These family members always come in pairs. Setting aside everything else, their love for gatherings seems to be a common trait..."

As they chatted, they saw Ma Xin rushing into the cafeteria, holding a folder and looking around as if she were chasing someone.

After buying a cup of milk tea at the counter, Ma Xin spotted Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang and hurried over to sit opposite them, asking, "Have you seen Jiang Nan?"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang glanced at each other and shook their heads. "Jiang Nan came to the police station?"

Ma Xin nodded with a smile. "She's been here several times in the past two weeks!"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang thought for a moment. She had indeed visited a few times during the investigation of Wang Meiyun.

"It was after we closed the case!" Ma Xin sipped her milk tea. "I just saw her getting out of the car at the entrance!"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang exchanged a glance. "Has she encountered any problems?"

Ma Xin looked at them somewhat disdainfully, shaking her head. "You two are so slow!"

Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao were both puzzled – Why were they considered slow?

"Besides us at SCI, who else does Jiang Nan know at the police station?" Ma Xin asked.

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang were both stunned for a moment before asking, "Who else does she know?"

Ma Xin shrugged helplessly and whispered, pointing upstairs, "Every time Jiang Nan comes, she goes to the sixteenth floor! The sixteenth floor!"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang exchanged a puzzled look. "The sixteenth floor... isn't that where Bao Zheng..."

At this point, Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang glanced at each other.

Zhan Zhao reached over, took Ma Xin's milk tea and placed it on the table to prevent her from drinking, asking, "Does she have a connection with Bao Zheng?"

Ma Xin raised an eyebrow at the two.

Bai Yutang thought that if it were true, it wouldn't be bad. Honestly, everyone was paired up, even Jiang Ping, the ultimate homebody, had Doctor He, but Bao Zheng was still single. Jiang Nan was quite good, they seemed quite compatible in all aspects.

Ma Xin stretched her neck and looked around, whispering, "I clearly saw Jiang Nan getting out of the car with a particularly delicate lunch box. I thought she was coming to the cafeteria!"

As they were talking, Bai Yutang suddenly signalled to the two of them to look at the entrance.

They quickly looked up and saw Bao Zheng and Jiang Nan walking past the cafeteria entrance.

Zhan Zhao and Ma Xin stood up and rushed to the entrance.

Bai Yutang sat at the table, shaking his head in silence, and picked up his unfinished coffee, also getting up.

At the cafeteria entrance, he saw Ma Xin and Zhan Zhao already following the two out of the police station.

Bai Yutang felt that if they kept this up, there was a risk of Bao Zheng assigning them to clean the toilets.

Standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows on the ground floor of the police building, Bai Yutang looked outside and saw Bao Zheng helping Jiang Nan into a car.

Before Jiang Nan got into the car, she seemed to say a few words to him, probably giving some instructions...

Bai Yutang smiled slightly. Judging by their expressions, Bao Zheng probably got out of being single...

As Bao Zheng watched the car drive away, he turned back, barely concealing his smile. But just as he did, behind a large tree at the entrance of the police station, Zhan Zhao and Ma Xin were peeking at him.

Seeing him turn around, both Zhan Zhao and Ma Xin smirked, "Oh~~"

"Ahem." Bao Zheng coughed, maintaining seriousness, but the slight upturn of his mouth indicated he was in a good mood at the moment.

Glancing at his watch, Bao Zheng pointed at the two of them, indicating that lunch break was almost over and they should hurry back upstairs to work!

With that, he walked back into the building.

Zhan Zhao and Ma Xin followed suit.

Ma Xin asked, "Director, what did Jiang Nan come here for?"

"Mhmm." Zhan Zhao looked at the delicate envelope in Bao Zheng's shirt pocket. "Is it an invitation?"

Bao Zheng gave Zhan Zhao a blank look. "I've already said no profiling within the police station."

Zhan Zhao reached out to take the envelope, but Bao Zheng slapped his hand away.

Ma Xin chimed in, "I've seen that envelope before! Jiayi also brought a few back before. It's an invitation to a film festival!"

"Oh~" Zhan Zhao and Ma Xin analysed together, "Is Jiang Nan inviting you to be her date at the film festival?"

Bao Zheng looked slightly embarrassed, tsked, and somewhat disdainfully shooed them away, "Stop babbling."

Bao Zheng entered the elevator. Though his dark complexion hid any blushing, Zhan Zhao's observational skills detected a hint of shyness in him.

Ma Xin took out her phone to gossip with her friends.

Turning back, Zhan Zhao saw Bai Yutang standing nearby, seemingly also having come to the same conclusion that Bao Zheng was indeed in love.

Both of them felt that Bao Zheng had been through a lot. It was only after the organization was eliminated that he started considering his own matters...

"Ai..."

They were about to head upstairs when they heard a long sigh from nearby.

Turning around, they saw a handsome man wearing a long trench coat, looking elite and sighing deeply while holding a cup of coffee.

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang recognized him immediately. He was the head of the economic crime division, Jiang Ping's neighbour, and the owner of Mwah Mwah, the Old English Sheepdog, and alongside Gongsun, he was one of the top three highest-educated individuals in the police station... Fei Mu.

Seeing Fei Mu's expression of "sorrow", they were puzzled. "What's wrong with you?"

Fei Mu looked pitifully at the two of them, continuing to sigh, and pointed at a blossoming apricot tree outside the door. "Spring is here, it's the season for love!"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang exchanged a glance, both instinctively checking to see if the liquid in his cup was coffee or alcohol. He seemed a bit intoxicated.

"Ai!" Fei Mu shook his head and continued to sigh. "In memory of my lost love... why am I so unpopular?"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang were somewhat speechless. "What's wrong? Did you get dumped?"

Fei Mu pursed his lips and shook his head. "Leave me alone! Nobody understands my sorrow..."

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang nodded in tacit agreement, preparing to return to their offices.

However, Fei Mu followed them, continuing to speak as they walked. "I went on a blind date the day before yesterday."

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang looked at him – And? The lady wasn't interested in you?

"I was ruthlessly rejected!"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang nodded in agreement – Just as they suspected.

Zhan Zhao patted him on the back, offering some comfort.

Bai Yutang looked at Fei Mu. In terms of appearance and career, Fei Mu should be considered quite good. However, there were rumours around the police station that he had a string of failed relationships, often being dumped.

"But there must be a reason for the rejection, right?" Fei Mu was very frustrated. "We were getting along quite well, and then suddenly she turned hostile."

Zhan Zhao became curious and asked, "Why did she reject you?"

"She was initially happy when she found out I was a police officer," Fei Mu explained, "but then she asked me if I believed in ghosts. She said she might have seen one when she went to the movies!"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang looked at him – How did you respond to that?

Fei Mu continued with a hint of resentment, "I gave her a very kind suggestion. I said we have an excellent psychiatrist at our police station. I offered to introduce her to him..."

Bai Yutang massaged his temples, thinking this guy's emotional intelligence was probably on the lower end. Wasn't that the same as saying the girl had a mental illness?

Zhan Zhao, on the other hand, was puzzled. "Do we have a psychiatrist specialising in mental illness at our police station?"

Fei Mu pointed at him.

Zhan Zhao squinted his eyes. "I'm a psychologist! Psychology is not psychiatry..."

As the elevator doors opened, Fei Mu rushed out, holding his head. Zhan Zhao chased after him. "Call her and explain! It's psychology! Psychology is not psychiatry!"

Zhan Zhao chased him all the way to the entrance of the economic crime division's office, where he was finally caught by Bai Yutang.

Captain Bai quickly ushered the storming Zhan Zhao into the elevator.

Shaking, Fei Mu took out his phone and called his blind date, intending to explain that he was a psychologist, not a psychiatrist...

But when the call connected, he heard a strange voice on the other end.

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: April 2, 2024 by Angel

Edited: April 4, 2024 by Angel