A sudden flash of light from outside caught the attention of the few people inside the room. Kuang Feifan, seated before his computer, was the first to react, leaping up and bolting toward the doorway ahead of the others, with Ji Ping close behind him.

But when the two of them rushed into the outer room and peered through the glass window, they found no sign of any vehicle having passed on the driveway outside.

Kuang Feifan froze for a moment, instinctively glancing at Ji Ping beside him, just as Ji Ping looked over, his eyes reflecting the same confusion.

“It can’t be anything else; it must have been headlights shining in,” Kuang Feifan finally stated.

Ji Ping nodded involuntarily, “Unless you and I both misjudged, then…” He trailed off, unable to complete the thought, as he hadn't yet conjured a reasonable explanation.

Feng Tian moved closer to Kuang Feifan, frowning deeply, saying nothing.

Kuang Feifan raised an eyebrow and asked him, “Nothing comes to mind? We definitely didn't both have a trick of the eye; there was clearly a sweep of headlights, suggesting a car was entering the gas station, yet now there’s nothing.”

As he spoke, he gestured toward the window.

“Could it have been the headlights of a car on the main road outside?” Wang Hai interjected, but as he took a closer look, he clamped his mouth shut. The distance between the main road and the convenience store wasn't short; there was no way lights from there could illuminate the interior wall of the store.

Ji Ping quickly strode to the main door, yanked it open, and stepped out to survey the surroundings, even running out onto the driveway to inspect it closely.

Kuang Feifan didn't follow. He knew what Ji Ping was suspecting, but judging by the distance from the gas station’s entrance to its exit, it was impossible for a car to have entered and left in such a short span.

As expected, Ji Ping returned and shook his head at the others, clearly having found nothing.

“Let’s put that aside for now. Let’s check the surveillance footage,” Kuang Feifan tilted his head back toward the inner room.

Ji Ping nodded.

The group returned to the surveillance room and reviewed every relevant clip of the gas station footage from beginning to end, paying special attention to the segment where the car gassed up and drove away. Kuang Feifan zoomed in again and again, but while everyone in the room could not identify the make of the car, it certainly proved that the entire affair was steeped in the supernatural.

Kuang Feifan noticed Ji Ping unconsciously wipe sweat from his cheek after watching the footage; his expression was exceedingly strange. He likely hadn't believed in such things before, but now, that was debatable.

“Any thoughts?” Kuang Feifan asked Ji Ping.

Ji Ping started, having been completely immersed in the images he’d just witnessed. Kuang Feifan’s question pulled him back. He raised a hand to rub his face and said with a hint of weariness, “So, Luo Jingjing’s death wasn’t a typical accident, but a collision with this bizarre vehicle? What is that—a ghost car?”

Kuang Feifan chuckled, “Or perhaps a phantom vehicle…”

Before he could finish speaking, a thought suddenly sparked in his mind, an idea flashing through his consciousness, though he couldn't quite grasp it yet.

Just then, Feng Tian spoke up, “Pull up the footage of that car again.”

Kuang Feifan quickly complied, bringing the image back up. Feng Tian leaned close to the screen, tilting his head to observe it intently. Kuang Feifan wasn't staring at the screen but watching Feng Tian, realizing that his request indicated he had made a discovery.

Noticing Feng Tian’s behavior, Ji Ping also looked at him with a gaze filled with anticipation. Ever since reviewing the intersection footage, he had a feeling this car accident wasn't a simple hit-and-run, but his colleagues assumed the recording had malfunctioned, mistaking anomalies for a broken camera. This had frustrated him, and when the case stalled and risked becoming another cold case, he could no longer sit still.

When he first met Kuang Feifan, Ji Ping hadn't wanted him involved in the investigation. After all, that footage was a secret that couldn't be made public; the fewer who knew, the better, to prevent wild rumors that could cause public alarm. But he soon realized that Kuang Feifan and Feng Tian undoubtedly understood these inexplicable matters far better than he did, which is why he decided to show them the recording.

Ji Ping never expected that these men possessed more data and background information than he had uncovered through his own investigation. For a brief moment, he even felt a sense of defeat.

Strangely, his mindset had shifted now; he hoped Kuang Feifan and the others could help him solve the case. Whether it was a ghost or a phantom, at least there needed to be a conclusion.

At that moment, Feng Tian suddenly kicked the leg of the chair Kuang Feifan was sitting on a few times. “Get up, I need to sit here; I need to check something online.”

“Uh…” Kuang Feifan had intended to ask Feng Tian what he planned to search for to help, but judging by Feng Tian’s energized demeanor and bright eyes, he clearly had an idea.

He shrugged and stood up from his chair.

Feng Tian smoothly maneuvered past him, sat down, and began typing furiously on the computer, making the keyboard clatter.

For a while, the only sound in the room was the clicking of the keys; no one spoke.

After a long interval, Kuang Feifan suddenly turned to Ji Ping and asked, “Why are you so invested in this case?”

Ji Ping remained silent for a moment before speaking quietly, “For the deceased. Luo Jingjing had no family; we couldn’t even locate distant relatives. Her death hasn't received the attention it deserves. The longer time passes, the lower the chance of solving it. I don’t want someone so alone in death to remain utterly ignored.”

Kuang Feifan paused, then nodded slowly.

Suddenly, Feng Tian, who had been wrestling with the keyboard, turned and asked Ji Ping, “By the way, can you check if any large-scale funerals have been held in the residential areas near here in the last two days?”

Ji Ping blinked, looking at him quizzically, and retorted, “What does that have to do with a car accident?”

Feng Tian pondered briefly, then shook his head, “I can’t say yet, as some things haven't been pieced together. I still need to verify a few things. Also, do the police have any personal effects belonging to the deceased, Luo Jingjing?”

Ji Ping nodded.

“Is there any way to get hold of the computer she used?” Feng Tian asked.

Kuang Feifan coughed dryly. He could sense that Ji Ping was a strictly by-the-book police officer, and taking evidence out privately was clearly not his style.

To Kuang Feifan's surprise, Ji Ping thought for only a moment before nodding slightly, “I can borrow it tomorrow under the guise of further investigation.”

Feng Tian let out a satisfied “Mm,” clapped his hands, and announced, “Alright, then everyone do what they need to do now. We’ll talk again after dawn. Officer Ji, you know which hotel we’re staying at; you can find us tomorrow once you have the computer.”

Seeing Ji Ping didn't understand, Kuang Feifan quickly relayed the name of their hotel.

Ji Ping’s expression shifted slightly, “It seems you’ve found that eyewitness as well.”

Kuang Feifan smiled, intentionally glancing at Wang Hai without offering a clear explanation to Ji Ping.

Ji Ping’s expression suddenly darkened. He fixed his gaze on Kuang Feifan and demanded, “You two know what happened in the morgue, don’t you?”

Kuang Feifan nodded.

Ji Ping seized Kuang Feifan’s wrist urgently, asking in a sharp tone, “Tell me, why did Luo Jingjing’s body end up like that? The hospital’s explanation about corrosive chemicals is a flimsy excuse.”

Kuang Feifan easily slipped his wrist free and said in a low voice, “Calm down. I’ll explain on the way. Did you drive here?”

Without waiting for an answer, he turned to Feng Tian, “Shall we head back to the hotel?”

Feng Tian replied without hesitation, “No, let’s go to the hospital now.”