The Xin Ye Xie murder case wasn't complicated, in Wang Zhuo's view. If the police had truly put in the effort to investigate, they wouldn't have missed so many inconsistencies, leading to the case being hastily closed.

Though not complex, the case was bizarre. The final verdict stated that the husband assaulted his wife, stabbed her lung causing fatal blood pooling and asphyxiation, then strangled their young daughter before inflicting seven self-inflicted stab wounds leading to his own death.

The alleged motive was that Xin Ye Xie was disillusioned with life due to drug use—what a joke. Would someone suicidal bother wearing a condom while assaulting his own wife?

Seeing Bai Lu's curiosity piqued, Wang Zhuo recounted the case details to her. Yuan Ye chimed in with supplementary details, fleshing out the narrative.

"Did anyone check the family of the deceased woman's sister?"

After hearing the account, Bai Lu asked hesitantly, "The beneficiary of the inheritance should be a suspect, right? Xin Ye Xie’s family was considered moderately well-off in Jiangzhou. Never mind other assets, the house and car alone are worth three or four million."

Wang Zhuo nodded approvingly. Bai Lu's line of thinking mirrored his own; they both placed the deceased woman's sister at the top of the suspect list.

"How could we not check her?" Yuan Ye chuckled. "The deceased woman, Wen Feng, had a sister named Wen Ying. She's dark-skinned, plain-looking, has no boyfriend, lover, or paramour. She’s alone in the world, relying only on her mildly intellectually disabled son. The investigation team initially suspected the son, but the boy is too thin and small—he couldn't even beat Wen Feng, let alone Xin Ye Xie."

Bai Lu let out a slightly disappointed "Oh." Wang Zhuo, however, shifted his gaze, suddenly asking in a deep voice, "What does Wen Ying do for a living? Have you ever seen her?"

Yuan Ye shook his head. "I think she does odd jobs at the farmer's market. I haven't seen her, but the rumor is she and Wen Feng look nothing alike, not even half-sisters. Wen Feng was that delicate, petite Jiangnan woman; Wen Ying is rough and large, almost like a man."

"Like a man..." Wang Zhuo repeated thoughtfully, his gaze drifting away as his knuckles gently tapped the desktop.

Yuan Ye laughed dryly. "Yeah, working at the wet market, what else would she be but a tomboy? Wang Zhuo, you might not have met people like that, but we police officers frequently deal with those shrewish women. They are worlds away from gentle and lovely girls like Miss Bai."

"Oh?" Wang Zhuo raised his eyes to meet Yuan Ye's, a half-smile playing on his lips. "Then have you noticed that many of those tough, tomboyish women have powerful physiques, strong enough to scoff at an average adult man? Even though they lack male anatomy, there are plenty of cucumbers or eggplants at the market, and with a condom slipped over one, they could certainly impersonate a man."

Yuan Ye froze instantly, and his three friends beside him did too. Bai Lu asked quickly, with surprise coloring her voice, "Wang Zhuo, are you suspecting the deceased woman's sister of being the culprit?"

Wang Zhuo offered a wry smile. "Of course, I suspect her. I guess the police might have been biased by the misplaced condom, falling into a rigid line of thinking, and thus never suspected Wen Ying at all."

"Analyzing it like that..." Yuan Ye scratched his head. "It actually makes a lot of sense. Wen Ying has both the motive and the means. She should definitely be a primary suspect! I looked at the file; she wasn't even considered a general suspect. Her disabled son was the main person of interest, but since he lacked the capacity to commit the crime, he was filtered out first!"

"There's another point of doubt," Wang Zhuo analyzed soberly. "This woman, Wen Ying, shows no affection for Wen Feng's family. Furthermore, looking at the matter of her donating the bodies, I feel she might even harbor some resentment toward Wen Feng's family. Think about it: someone working odd jobs at a wet market is unlikely to possess the altruistic sentiment to donate the bodies of relatives for medical research, right? Her instinct should have been to ensure her sister's family of three was laid to rest properly."

Everyone nodded in agreement, not out of flattery toward Wang Zhuo, but because they genuinely found his analysis sound. Wen Ying and Wen Feng were half-sisters who had remained estranged. Wen Ying single-handedly supported a mentally challenged son on her meager wages, and she happened to be the first-in-line inheritor of Wen Feng's estate—she certainly had sufficient motive.

Bai Lu asked excitedly, "But this case has already been closed, hasn't it? Even if Wen Ying is a suspect, can it be reopened for retrial?"

"That depends on whether any big shots are paying attention to it," Liu Zhaode shrugged. "The prosecution clearly prefers to avoid further trouble. After all, Xin Ye Xie sprung up from nowhere; he was an only child from generations of orphaned parents. The only two heirs were his now-dead wife and child, and Wen Feng’s only heir is Wen Ying, waiting to collect. There’s simply no one to speak up for the deceased."

"Speaking of which, this Xin Ye Xie was quite capable," Li Shunda quipped jokingly, "Translating really is the most suitable job for a homebody drug addict." His joke was ill-timed, and no one paid him any mind.

Wang Zhuo asked flatly, "If Wen Ying is the murderer, will the Xin family's estate be redistributed?"

"It will," Yuan Ye answered promptly. "But only Wen Ying's right to inherit would be revoked. The next in line is her simple-minded son."

"Exactly," Liu Zhaode added. "As long as Wen Ying's son wasn't involved in the crime, regardless of whether Wen Ying is the killer or not, he stands to benefit from the Xin family's assets now that the family of three is dead."

Wang Zhuo and Bai Lu were both somewhat taken aback. This meant that if Wen Ying was the killer, she truly had nothing to lose. At worst, she would leave a massive inheritance for her simple son—a deal worth making!

...

While the foot massage girl stepped out to fetch water, Yuan Ye called Wang Zhuo.

Because before Wang Zhuo left with Bai Lu, he had given Yuan Ye a meaningful look that indicated he needed to communicate with him privately.

"I want to meet that woman named Wen Ying," Wang Zhuo skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point. "Help me investigate her from the shadows, and then give me all the detailed information."

The shadows of trees flickered outside the window. He stood in the dim room, feeling Bai Lu's supple tongue move along his groin, ticklish and slightly rough, occasionally lingering playfully, allowing him to feel the strong pulse beneath.

"No problem. The moment I get to work tomorrow, I'll assign my two most reliable subordinates to this matter!" Yuan Ye agreed repeatedly.

"Remember to be discreet. Don't spook anyone," Wang Zhuo cautioned, still uneasy.

Every woman is unique in her own way. Bai Lu affectionately pressed Wang Zhuo's pride against her fair cheek, feeling the scorching heat. Her tongue forcefully pressed against the blue veins at the root of his manhood; the surging pulse intoxicated her heart—

A clear voice came through the phone. Yuan Ye laughed, "Don't worry. I’ll tell them later that if they mess this up for me, they’ll be walking the streets as patrol officers!"

Although the police station chief didn't have the authority to reassign officers, having an uncle who was the Director of the Public Security Bureau meant Yuan Ye’s threats carried weight. Based on the principle of not using someone you don't trust, Wang Zhuo didn't add any more instructions before hanging up, fully immersing himself in the passionate interaction with the girl.

After Yuan Ye put down his phone, Li Shunda, who had been silent, let out a soft laugh and asked, "Why is he so concerned about this murder case?"

"It's a game for rich men," Liu Zhaode commented. "He has money, power, and women. If I were in his position, I probably wouldn't know what to play either. Don't you think solving a real case is more exciting than virtual online games?"

Li Shunda snorted with laughter. "So, he's just bored stiff."

Liu Zhaode’s mouth twitched. Wang Zhuo was one of the most influential figures in Jiangzhou, known in underworld slang as a 'Big Mule Horse.' Mocking such a person behind his back could lead to a very nasty end if overheard.

"Shunda, watch your mouth. Don't say everything that comes to mind," Yuan Ye chastised sternly. "Wang Zhuo isn't the kind of person you think he is. He has a stubborn streak; he has to stick his nose into anything he finds unsatisfactory."

"There are countless miscarriages of justice; can he investigate them all?" Li Shunda chuckled dryly. Seeing Yuan Ye's displeasure and noticing Liu Zhaode’s cold glare, he finally shut up reluctantly.

Liu Zhaode then asked, "Yuan Ye, what's your next move? Are you just going through the motions, or are you genuinely playing along with him?"

"Of course, I'll play along," Yuan Ye said frankly with a smile. "Even my uncle only became Director by latching onto his powerful leg. What right do I have to be picky? Think about it: this gentleman is barely in his early twenties and has achieved this much. Even if I served him as a subordinate, I'd have a chance to rise to prominence someday!"

Liu Zhaode fell into contemplation, only grasping the full meaning after a long while. He realized it was true: in this day and age, the danger wasn't choosing the wrong side to stand with; the danger was not even having the qualification to choose a side! While he was still doubting whether Yuan Ye's choice was the right one, Yuan Ye had already firmly established his allegiance and was resolutely executing it!

Sometimes, life itself was just a gamble. Certainly, betting carried risk, and one needed to proceed with caution, but only those who placed a wager in this game stood a chance of winning. Those who bet on the wrong side, or didn't bet at all, were destined to be losers!

Besides, what was wrong with betting on Wang Zhuo? Aside from Wang Zhuo being unnervingly young, which might make flattering him seem to compromise one's dignity, what else was there to hesitate about? Seeking refuge under a bigger tree? Was there any figure as distinguished as Wang Zhuo who also treated talented individuals with such courtesy? Given their status, if they had humbly tried to curry favor with others, they might not even have been acknowledged!

As Liu Zhaode came to terms with this, Li Shunda on the other side had already drifted off to sleep under the masseuse's ministrations, emitting snores. Liu Zhaode noticed that Yuan Ye remained bright-eyed, his expression thoughtful, clearly pondering how to execute Wang Zhuo's request perfectly.

No matter how beautifully one did the work, it was never as useful as gaining the leader's appreciation—hence the existence of flattery and opportunistic maneuvering.

And this time, to please Wang Zhuo, the Chief Director’s maneuver was focused precisely on a case that was likely a miscarriage of justice. Just how much effort would he exert now?