Part 71

"Captain, their balcony curtains are drawn, and there are stainless steel security bars welded outside. You can't see inside from the neighboring balcony, and it's impossible to climb over. I listened for a bit, and there aren't any obvious noises inside."

  Wallace Franklin: "Go to the building across the street and check the living room area on the second floor."

  "Yes."

  Wallace Franklin asked again, "Are there any agile guys in the team?"

  "Yes. I'm a national level-2 athlete, and I like rock climbing."

  A few others also volunteered one after another.

  Wallace Franklin picked a few names and said, "You guys climb up the exterior walls of the living room, bathroom, and balcony. See if you can get a clear look inside. Be sure to stay hidden—don't let the suspect spot you."

  "Okay."

  During this time, the sound of footsteps in the stairwell kept coming, with more and more players responsible for the pursuit arriving at the scene from all directions.

  Wallace Franklin's train of thought was interrupted again and again. He was extremely frustrated with this group of loosely organized people and ordered, "Those who haven't arrived yet, don't come for now. Also, don't wear your police uniforms near the search area—it's too conspicuous! Everyone hold your positions and wait for my instructions!"

  ·

  Meanwhile, The Vault had already left the residential area far behind and was heading toward the city center.

  Since it's the holiday, the streets were jammed with cars, and overall traffic was slow. Fortunately, her driver was a veteran, skillfully weaving through gaps and favoring side roads, quickly getting past the congested area near the scenic spot.

  Netizens followed The Vault's perspective and felt that once she got in the car, everything became peaceful.

  "Shouldn't she hurry to the station and run while she still can?"

  "Isn't that risky? Once the police find the victim, they'll definitely search all the major stations and airports right away. If they find out which vehicle she boarded, can't they just wait for her?"

  "Just came back from the pursuers' livestream. It was so chaotic over there, I couldn't even tell what they were trying to do."

  "Well, there are a lot of amateurs, but at least there are plenty of people."

  "They were forced to add a kidnapping plot, and now they have to follow procedures. I bet they're totally lost."

Chapter 46: The Murderer

  The Vault sat calmly in the car, turning up the volume in her earphones.

  The officer on the other end was barely negotiating with her anymore. The occasional conversation was perfunctory, clearly indicating they'd realized the kidnapping scene she set up was just a ploy to slow them down—normal procedures were useless.

  The Vault looked up, her gaze sweeping past the window. The car happened to be passing a high school, its grand gate adorned with gilded characters, looking imposing.

  Because of the holiday, the campus was empty, with hardly any pedestrians. Two boarding students came out, horsing around with their arms around each other's shoulders, laughing loudly, full of youthful energy.

  The Vault rolled down the window and stared blankly in that direction.

  Harry Forrest had once asked her what high school life was like. When he was sixteen, just after starting his first year, he was taken away by the police, beginning a long period of imprisonment. Investigation, waiting for trial, and finally serving time—that was the entirety of his turbulent high school years.

  Unfortunately, The Vault didn't have much experience either.

  If Harry Forrest's life had a break starting at sixteen, then The Vault had always lived an unconventional life. She didn't understand the so-called beauty of youth or the hardships of studying, nor was she interested.

  Harry Forrest explained that it was actually pretty good. Ever since he was imprisoned, he'd been reminiscing about his brief high school days, recalling the weather, the wind direction—every day felt new and free.

  In a way, the two were somewhat alike; both were lonely. The difference was, The Vault didn't mind the loneliness, while Harry Forrest was tormented by it.

  He kept studying to make his life feel like that of an ordinary student. The student identity had become something he longed for.

  At this moment, The Vault suddenly understood Harry Forrest's feelings when he chose to run and why he called her.

  Maybe it was just too lonely. He was so afraid of loneliness.

  The driver kept glancing at the rearview mirror and couldn't help chatting: "This is a very famous key high school in our city A. Lots of students want to study here."

  The Vault replied, "I didn't really go to high school. I barely remember anything."

  "Ah... Did you go to work instead?" The driver noticed her plain clothes and hesitated before advising, "It's still better to study if you can. There are adult high schools and universities now, right? With a degree, you can earn more. I'm studying too."

  The Vault gave a soft "mm" and added lightly, "I only went for a year, then got a special admission to university."

  Driver: "...??" Look at him, always asking for it! Are passengers these days all out to waste people's feelings?

  The Vault tilted her head, looking up. The sky was overcast, with no blue or dazzling light.

  There was no beautiful scenery worth remembering.

  "So many clouds today."

  "It's Qingming Festival—I bet it'll rain later," the driver quickly perked up when he heard her speak, and smiled, "If it doesn't rain, it doesn't feel like Qingming."

  The Vault smiled a little too.

  Not long after turning past the school, they neared the commercial district, where shops lined the street, selling all sorts of things. The Vault asked the driver to stop early by the roadside and handed over a bill.

  The driver smiled, "Cash, huh?"

  The Vault: "Yeah. Keep the change."

  She pulled a hat from her bag, covering half her face, and walked toward the nearby shops.

  ·

  Netizens watched this scene with bright eyes.

  "She's really strolling down the street—not kidding at all."

  "Disguises are always a hot topic. I wonder if this pro is good at makeup?"

  "Isn't this a bit risky? If she doesn't run now, it'll be too late. Don't forget, the taxi was ordered with Tiffany Dawson's phone—it's easy to trace."

  "The more panicked you are, the more mistakes you'll make. Stay calm."

  "96 points, but it really doesn't feel like 96 points. [whispering]"

  ·

  Wallace Franklin was struggling to coordinate a group of amateurs, feeling mentally exhausted. Fortunately, though unprofessional, they were obedient. The team was gradually getting on track.

  The players he sent to check the situation started reporting back.

  "The bathroom skylight is open, and there's no one inside. Should I sneak in now?"

  "Reporting in, I'm outside the living room wall. From my phone's camera, a hostage is tied up in the living room, still alive, no obvious injuries... A young woman is lying in front of the sofa, with blood on her, can't see clearly for now, but she seems lifeless. Can't make out anything else."

  "The hostage is struggling violently, very agitated—what is she doing?"

  Wallace Franklin's voice was low, with a stormy anger: "Has anyone spotted the suspect from any direction?"

  "No."

  "No."

  Several people replied no. That meant there were no signs of the suspect in the living room, bedroom, bathroom, or balcony.

  Wallace Franklin said, "Go in directly! Be careful when you enter, don't disturb the scene!"

  A new player nervously asked, "Don't we need to coordinate or anything? Any precautions? I have no experience."

  "No need!" Wallace Franklin said through gritted teeth, "There's no one inside—the suspect is already gone!"

  He stepped forward and banged on the door, shouting inside, "Come open the door!"

  After a few thuds, the officers in charge of reconnaissance entered the apartment. They met in the living room and found the place completely empty—everyone had been acting out a solo show in front of their computers.

  "Damn..." someone cursed over the walkie-talkie, "Both of them are dead."

  Right after, the security door was opened from the inside.

  Wallace Franklin rushed in first, and the two shocking corpses on the floor came into view. He stopped at a distance, stopping the players behind him from entering further, and said sternly, "Non-technical personnel, do not enter! Guard the door, set up a cordon, and absolutely no outsiders allowed!"

  He walked to the table, bent down, and looked at the "disconnected" prompt on the laptop screen. "Push the tech team to check the signal access address for this computer. Hurry."

  The players, hearing the order, started running around like headless chickens, wanting to join the game but having no way in, so they could only exchange information over the comms.

  "There was a third person? Why didn't any of the statements mention that? I thought the fugitive this time was the lady of the house."

  "The suspect must have left before we arrived, using the computer's camera to monitor and control the situation here."

  "Both are dead—confirmed as the two homeowners."

  "A phone was found at the scene. It's the male victim's. The female victim's phone hasn't been found yet."

  "Called the male victim's phone—no answer."

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