Woman: "I don't know whether Harry Forrest was innocent back then or not. It has nothing to do with me, and I don't need to be responsible for him."

Julian Grant could clearly sense "Julia Campbell" wavering. She was shaken because of Harry Forrest, but when the so-called murderer was mentioned, she calmed down again.

The Vault: "Michael Wood... I mean your husband. His testimony back then, together with the others', was logically consistent, which is why it became important evidence. He couldn't have fabricated that statement on his own, but he also had no clear connection with the other witnesses. So how did his testimony come about? Could it be that, just like with you, there was inducement, brainwashing, or collusion? After Harry Forrest was released from prison, all the witnesses had accidents. This could be seen as Harry Forrest taking revenge, or as him losing any chance to overturn the case."

The woman smiled noncommittally at her words, no longer showing the unease she had when being accused. It seemed she didn't believe that the person who killed the witnesses was the same as the one who framed Harry Forrest ten years ago. Or rather, she didn't think the real culprit behind this string of murders was acting to harm Harry Forrest.

She even understood and agreed with such actions.

The woman stood up, letting the chair scrape out a harsh noise behind her, then swayed as she walked toward the door.

The Vault also stood up. Julian Grant placed a hand on her shoulder, signaling her not to act impulsively. The Vault was very calm, only asking lightly, "Why?"

"As I said before, there will always be people in this world who are unfortunate. Misfortune is contagious; some people can endure it, some can't." The woman looked at the long, narrow hallway outside the door, then turned her face and said, "The answer you're looking for may not be the one you want. Really, just let it go."

Chapter 41: The Event

The two of them walked down the stone steps. The Vault was clearly distracted, a bit absent-minded.

Julian Grant placed a hand on her shoulder, causing The Vault to look back at him in surprise.

Julian Grant asked, "What are you thinking about?"

The Vault pondered for a moment and said, "I'm thinking about what she meant. Her psychological quality and emotional control are average; her changing facial expressions told me I got part of it right, but also part of it wrong. But in the end, did I guess wrong, or was she deceived by someone? Without knowing the specifics, I can't make a judgment."

"I've noticed that people like you always care more about those deliberately mysterious words. The more vague the other person is, the more you want to dig deeper, right?" Julian Grant looked at her serious expression and laughed, "If today she had thrown a tantrum and argued with you, would you still care about her?"

The Vault replied quickly, "I would." Because right now, "Julia Campbell" is the clearest lead.

Julian Grant said, "You really believe that Harry Forrest is innocent."

He said it as a statement, with no surprise or reproach.

"What else can I do?" The Vault gave a self-deprecating laugh, not denying it, just continuing to walk forward. "People like us—if we can't even trust each other, what else can we do?"

Julian Grant asked, "What kind of people?"

The Vault was silent for a long time, then uncertainly said, "People so smart it makes others jealous?"

Julian Grant: "..." He really shouldn't have been so sympathetic. This person is shameless.

They hadn't walked far when a tall figure came rushing over. Seeing the person approach, the two tacitly stopped their conversation.

The newcomer was clearly wary of The Vault, deliberately avoiding her gaze and stopping hurriedly next to Julian Grant. He grabbed his brother's hand and reproached, "I heard you came to visit Liang—You guys! Don't you know that's against the rules? Even if she's the prototype for the game, you can't just contact her as you please."

Julian Grant spread his hands, "We went through all the proper procedures and got the other party's consent. There's nothing against the rules."

"Then you—" Quinn Shelby's tone suddenly softened, "Did you find out anything?"

The Vault said with a laugh, "Fishing for information? Is that how you ask for help?"

"You think we don't know? We've definitely found out more than you. Don't underestimate the power of the state!" Quinn Shelby was clearly talking to her, but kept looking at Julian Grant.

Julian Grant was uncomfortable with his stare, so he pinched his chin with two fingers and turned his face toward The Vault, signaling him to stop being so passive-aggressive.

The Vault smirked, "What, is the people's servant too embarrassed to face me?"

"Why would I be embarrassed?" Quinn Shelby said, "A person under investigation as a suspect—don't you have any self-awareness?"

The Vault: "I thought only incompetent people would feel ashamed."

Unable to out-argue her and not daring to retort, Quinn Shelby patted his brother and said, "Old He, come with me for a moment."

Julian Grant's face scrunched up, thinking this friend really is a bit too timid. Then he heard The Vault chime in, "I can't drive."

Quinn Shelby exclaimed, "If you can't drive, just take a cab!"

Julian Grant: "I brought her here, so I have to take her back."

Quinn Shelby said in disbelief, "Old He! Are you really putting her before your friends?"

"First come, first served is a rule too." The Vault smiled at the person beside her, "Thank you."

Julian Grant: "Not at all."

After The Vault walked away, Julian Grant nudged Quinn Shelby with his elbow and clicked his tongue, "Grow up, what's with you? Why are you so afraid of her? With your build?"

Quinn Shelby lowered his voice, "I warned you! But now I see you're already in too deep!"

"We've discussed this kind of thing before. I have my own judgment. There's no point in saying more." Julian Grant jerked his chin, signaling, "Get in the car."

Quinn Shelby followed, "I have my own car!"

Julian Grant: "Then follow me yourself!"

·

Julian Grant dropped The Vault off downstairs, then left with the little tail following behind his car. The Vault didn't care what the two of them would gossip about together. She returned home alone, rested for a while, then turned on her computer.

Turning on the computer was a completely subconscious action; The Vault's hands were faster than her brain, launching the browser. When the search engine took over the center of the screen, she suddenly found herself at a loss for what to do next. After thinking for a moment, she moved the mouse, a few words popped up, and the interface entered the Trident forum.

When the iconic blue logo of Trident loaded on the webpage, The Vault's computer actually started to lag a bit, the icon in the upper right corner spinning a few times before continuing to load.

The first thing to appear was a highlighted title. An hour ago, Trident had just released a new event announcement.

[Sticky][Notice][Crime Scene Analysis] Golden Autumn September, Special Limited-Time Instance: Thrilling Escape, now officially open for recruitment! Players who have scored 90 points or above in personal ability ratings can sign up as [Fugitives]. Regular users can sign up as [Chasers]. The Trident system will select suitable players for the game after reviewing the data, with preference given to those with experience. The game offers generous rewards, and everyone is welcome to sign up enthusiastically!

[Click here for event details]

The Vault read the content over twice, confirming that this instance was designed for Harry Forrest.

Back then, Harry Forrest escaped from the police encirclement completely unprepared, causing the public security authorities to face widespread questioning. Especially criticism from the media, which triggered an online "earthquake."

Afterwards, Harry Forrest was listed as a nationally wanted fugitive, and despite months of intensive searches, he still wasn't caught.

Public dissatisfaction with law enforcement grew, with outsiders constantly criticizing their actions and offering laughable suggestions, trying to tell them how to do their jobs. All the bias and harsh criticism seriously undermined the credibility of the authorities. The officers involved in the case were under immense pressure, repeatedly coming forward to explain, but were always seen as shirking responsibility.

This instance was probably meant to explain to netizens the various difficulties faced in capturing fugitives, including manpower, resources, finances, and technical limitations.

The announcement was quickly pinned as a hot topic, with netizens flooding the comments.

"Limited-time instance? How many players have scored above 90 in total? Most of them aren't even professional players, and those who have time to join a limited event are even fewer, right?"

"Is [Chaser] open to all users? So I can sign up? You have to dream big—maybe it'll come true."

"Is this a new instance because they couldn't stand the online abuse anymore?"

"Don't forget that new top player—she's the only newcomer to score above 90 recently, right? She doesn't play instances that often; will she join?"

"I think it's a good idea. There's only one fugitive, at least a hundred chasers to start, and more investigators will be added over time, with no upper limit. All available technical support is provided. The chasers are dealt a great hand, but the requirements for the fugitive are a bit high."

"The big city hide-and-seek event has begun! [evil grin]"

"What if all the fugitives get caught? Wouldn't that just prove the police are incompetent? The resource allocation this time seems a bit too unbalanced."