The young woman instantly felt as if an eight-hundred-jin burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She waved her hand in relief, “Waiter, the bill please!”

“It’s already been paid,” Logan Bennett wiped his mouth with a napkin, stood up, and said politely, “I’m really sorry for taking up your time. Which direction do you live in? May I have the honor of escorting you part of the way?”

The young woman was a little moved. “That would be wonderful, you…”

Her phone rang.

——Logan Bennett, with a privileged family background, classic idol looks, years of frontline detective work that gave him a lean yet muscular build, graceful demeanor, and generous nature, was the perfect blind date candidate.

Yet such an eligible bachelor repeatedly failed in the matchmaking market for one reason only—

“Hello?”

“Boss, Director Foster wants you back immediately. There’s been a major discovery in the autopsy results from last night’s KTV freezer body case. The case has been transferred to the city bureau!”

“……”

Logan Bennett hung up, looked up, and asked with an apologetic smile, “Shall I walk you to the subway station?”

The young woman was understanding and declined repeatedly, expressing her full support and understanding for police work. The two parted ways amicably, and as soon as they turned around, both deleted each other’s WeChat without hesitation.

·

Logan Bennett walked down the restaurant steps, greeted by the brilliant early May sunshine. He pulled out his sunglasses from his collar and put them on, ran a hand through his hair, and recalled the half-finished sentence the young woman had started: You will definitely…

Logan Bennett sighed, “You’ll definitely master the right hand of God, believe in yourself!”

His phone rang immediately, cheering for his dreams.

Logan Bennett answered lazily, “Hello, who is this? …Mm, mm, I’m on my way back to the city bureau… What? What did you say?”

“Oh my god, boss!” The chief forensic doctor’s voice was so animated it could be heard through the phone, “Listen to me, this is amazing. We found something extremely rare in the victim’s body. For the seventh year in a row, the city bureau’s May Day holiday is ruined. Admit it, isn’t that impressive? Hahahaha!”

Logan Bennett: “…Billy Clark, speak human language.”

“Who’s Billy Clark? My name is Liam Hayes! Back when I applied to be a forensic doctor, I overcame countless obstacles. Facing the solemn national flag and police badge, I recited two lines of poetry: ‘苟利国家生死以, 岂因祸福…’”

“Hanging up, see you later.”

“Hey, hey, hey!” Director Hayes said, “Don’t hang up! Let me tell you: scopolamine.”

Logan Bennett paused slightly. “Scopo-what?”

“Scopolamine is an alkaloid, similar in effect to atropine, usually found in motion sickness medication. But the amount of scopolamine in the victim’s body was 1,600 times that of motion sickness pills, and it was combined with methamphetamine, enough to cause intense hallucinations, seizures, and mental disorders.”

Logan Bennett asked, “So you’re saying this guy OD’d and killed himself?”

“Yes, and no.” Director Hayes said proudly, “Based on my extensive professional experience, detailed chemical knowledge, and bold analysis… I can preliminarily conclude that the hallucinogen in the victim’s body is a brand new type of drug—note, brand new, with a molecular structure different from any known drug on the market. As for the direct cause of death, the victim experienced severe hallucinations and internal temperature dysregulation under the influence of the hallucinogen, so he voluntarily walked into the freezer, closed the door, and froze himself to death. The fingerprints you had the tech team lift from the inside of the freezer door last night also confirm this. So, Old Bennett, does that clear things up for you?”

Logan Bennett generously bestowed the laurel Samuel Grant had given him last night: “The modern-day Conan!”

Director Hayes accepted the compliment with modest delight.

“All right, Billy, notify everyone to come back for a meeting, and get Noah Wright from the anti-narcotics squad next door too—I’m already in the car, see you at the city bureau in fifteen minutes.”

“Damn it, my name is Liam Hayes! …”

With a loud bang, Logan Bennett slammed the car door and stepped on the gas. He tossed his phone onto the passenger seat, and the Grand Cherokee smoothly merged into traffic.

Fifteen minutes later, in the city bureau’s criminal investigation team meeting room.

It was the May Day holiday, and all the detectives who hadn’t gone home to visit family were present. The anti-narcotics, tech, and image investigation teams, and the chubby forensic doctor Director Hayes were all seated. Even Deputy Director Evan Foster, who oversaw criminal investigations, had moved his big tea mug to the head of the table.

Logan Bennett, dressed to impress for his blind date, casually rolled up the sleeves of his white zilli shirt, revealing his well-defined elbows. In the quiet room, with everyone’s breath held, he turned on the surveillance footage on the big screen.

At 9:30 p.m. on May 2nd, the back of a person wearing a blue top and black pants appeared on the security camera, stumbling deeper into the alley.

The room was silent. Many people instinctively leaned forward, staring intently at the last ten minutes of a person’s life captured on earth.

The victim flailed his arms and legs, staggering, seemingly talking to someone in his hallucinations. Sometimes he stretched his hands out desperately, sometimes he clutched his hair in pain. Suddenly, he tripped and crashed heavily into a trash can.

Thud!