I Have Infinite Skill Points-Chapter 550 An Unconventional Homicide

"Hahaha... just like that, four years have gone by without us realizing."

"Yeah, four years!"

Hu Qing chose a restaurant in Wan Kai Plaza across the street, one specializing in authentic Jiang-style cuisine. It was said that the chairman of this restaurant and Jiang Wannian were fellow disciples, both national-level master chefs.

While Hu Qing and Wang Lan were drinking and chatting, Qin Xiaoling sat by herself, engrossed in her phone, occasionally letting out a strange laugh.

"Hey, Lingling, what’s with you? Why such a weird laugh?"

"Qingqing had a meltdown today, and I’m comforting her," she replied.

"What happened?"

"This morning, she received a call that troubled her immensely for an entire hour, almost driving her mad. A woman called to report that she suspected her husband wasn’t actually her husband, listing a series of unusual behaviors. Initially, Qingqing thought it was a case of identity theft and sexual deception.

In the end, when Qingqing suggested that the woman stealthily obtain a strand of her husband’s hair for DNA testing, the woman said she’d already done so and the DNA was a perfect match to her husband’s. Qingqing grew suspicious, wondering if a Demon Clan spy had possessed him or something similar.

She then asked if the woman had noticed her husband being followed or if his movements were suspicious. Hahaha... The woman said that before, all it took was one glare and her husband would obediently kneel at the keyboard awaiting punishment, but now he ignores her altogether.

Her husband never used to gallivant, but now he’s at KTVs every day, surrounded by ladies... Qingqing’s practically turned into a psychologist. She talked with the woman for over an hour before finally hanging up, and now she’s seeking my comfort."

"A sudden and significant change in someone’s behavior is indeed something that should raise suspicion," Wang Lan said seriously.

"The Demon Clan can directly parasitize humans, and traditional DNA testing really can’t detect that. Other possibilities, like possession, can catch you completely off guard. I think it’s best to take this seriously and assign someone to investigate properly. Demon Clan members typically don’t have relations with human women, but I can’t guarantee there aren’t fanatics who would sacrifice anything for their beliefs."

"Mm, I’ll send someone this afternoon." Hu Qing picked up her glass. "Come on, Lanzi, let’s drink up."

「At one in the afternoon」

Wang Lan and Hu Qing returned to the police headquarters. With Wang Lan’s Cultivation Level and Hu Qing’s capacity for liquor, the bottle of alcohol from lunch didn’t affect them much. Hu Qing’s police department was operating smoothly, and her team frequently exchanged intelligence with the Tianjian Bureau.

「By three o’clock in the afternoon」

The latest intelligence from the Tianjian Bureau came in.

Han Cheng had been undergoing treatment at Suzhou Third Hospital for the past year, visiting every week, and had become familiar with the doctors and nurses. Plus, Han Cheng wasn’t short on money; he always chose the most expensive and best treatment options.

From the doctors and nurses, they learned that during that same period, another patient’s recovery had also been unusually swift. A person named Huang Shan, from Huizhou, was working in Suzhou City.

Six months ago, he was diagnosed with a rare viral lymphatic system infection, a condition more terrifying than cancer. The hospital had even issued a critical condition notice, but ten days ago, his illness miraculously improved.

The hospital staff were baffled. Despite numerous discussions, all evidence, including blood tests and scans, had confirmed the initial diagnosis. It was truly remarkable; it was as if he’d merely had a viral cold, and the virus vanished overnight after just a few days.

This led to a medical dispute. The patient’s family believed the hospital had made a diagnostic error. They argued that a minor illness had been treated as something serious, involving various examinations and medications that cost thousands every day for nearly a month, draining the family’s already tight finances.

In the end, the hospital compromised, choosing to placate the family by refunding the medical expenses, which settled the matter.

The Tianjian Bureau, however, remained skeptical and continued investigating. They discovered that Huang Shan had resigned from his job after recovering, citing his return home to Huizhou as the reason. Yet, when the Tianjian Bureau contacted the police in Huang Shan’s hometown, his relatives claimed Huang Shan hadn’t returned. They all said they had thought he was still working in Suzhou City.

At this, Wang Lan’s eyes brightened. "Have you checked Huang Shan’s rented accommodations?" he asked.

"Checked. The room has already been rented to someone else. Huang Shan personally terminated the lease," Hu Qing answered.

"Did the landlord see any of Huang Shan’s family members when the lease was canceled?"

"Huang Shan lived with his wife, child, and mother. However, the landlord stated that only Huang Shan was present when the lease was terminated. Huang Shan had mentioned that his family had already returned to their hometown to arrange for their child’s school transfer.

Furthermore, while in the hospital, Huang Shan had apparently been promoting religious or superstitious beliefs to other patients and was warned by the hospital after they discovered it. We suspect Huang Shan might be the one who drew Han Cheng into this. But now, Huang Shan has vanished without a trace, and despite all our efforts, we’ve been unable to locate him."

"Alright then. Conduct an extensive search of Huang Shan, Han Cheng, and Jiang Wannian’s social circles. Investigate anyone who seems potentially suspicious," Wang Lan directed.

"Got it."

Although there was some progress in the case that day, it wasn’t a significant breakthrough.

「In the evening」

Jiang Xinyu called. She said she was held up by Xincheng again and wouldn’t be able to make it that night. Wang Lan was somewhat baffled. Despite Xinyu’s strict training, Xincheng still clings to her recklessly. Doesn’t he realize that Xinyu will be even more severe when she’s in a bad mood?

After they bid each other goodnight, Wang Lan put down his phone and went to sleep. He wasn’t sure how long he’d slept when, still in a drowsy state and not fully awake, a sudden ringtone startled him awake.

Checking his phone, he saw it was Hu Qing calling.

"Hello? Old Hu, what’s so urgent?" Wang Lan mumbled, still half-asleep.

"Cha Shengming has made another move."

Wang Lan sat up. "Did you find him?" he asked.

"No, he was gone by the time I arrived. But this time, Cha Shengming’s target was unusual."

"Where are you? I’ll come right over."

"Do you want me to send someone to pick you up?"

"No need, I’ll fly over. Send me the coordinates."

Wang Lan hung up, changed his clothes, and rushed out the window. The address Hu Qing sent was in the White Elephant District, about twenty kilometers from Wang Lan’s location. For Wang Lan, flying there would only take a few minutes.

He landed slowly amidst the wary gazes of the police officers on site. Only after recognizing Wang Lan did the officers lower their weapons and relax their vigilance.

The crime scene was inside a villa, apparently belonging to someone wealthy. As Wang Lan stepped into the villa, the first thing he saw were two bodies lying in a pool of blood. They were an elderly couple. Police officers were busy taking photos and searching for evidence.

"Wang Lan, you’re here. There’s more upstairs," Hu Qing said, leading Wang Lan to the second floor.

In a room upstairs, there were two completely nude women. One was around thirty years old, with an excellent figure and a charismatic air. The other looked quite young, perhaps seventeen or eighteen, with an innocent appearance. Both women showed signs of having their hands and feet bound, and their faces were stained with tears.

"These two women were sexually assaulted by the perpetrator before being strangled," Hu Qing explained. "We found an ID card at the scene. It belongs to Cha Shengming."

"Even after Demonization, he still has human desires?" Wang Lan asked.

"It might be more than that," Hu Qing mused. "They were ordinary people before. After Demonization, their desires might have become even stronger."

"But why would Cha Shengming target this family?" Wang Lan wondered. "Cha Shengming has already allied himself with the Evil Spirit and acquired superhuman strength. Previously, when the Evil Spirit’s minions attacked Buddhism, it could be speculated there was a grudge between the Evil Spirit and Buddha Shakyamuni. But attacking this family... Is there something special about them?"

"So far, we haven’t discovered anything special," Hu Qing replied. "It’s possible Cha Shengming was hiding in this house and was discovered. The entire country is on the lookout for him. He might have killed the family out of fear of exposure and then, driven by overwhelming lust, violated the two victims..."

"Although that’s possible, it seems unlikely," Wang Lan interjected. "Given Cha Shengming’s strength, he should be at least at the peak of the Star Shine Stage, right? Someone with that level of power has significant survival capabilities. It’s illogical for him to hide in an occupied villa when there are so many vacant ones available, especially since many villas in this district are vacant year-round. Besides, if he feared exposure, he could have simply fled. Committing these acts before escaping would only draw more attention to him."

"Director Hu, we’ve checked the community’s surveillance cameras and haven’t found the target leaving," an officer reported. "Moreover, the villa’s entrance has cameras, and we can confirm no suspicious individuals entered within the last seven days."

"Check again carefully, and expand the search perimeter," Hu Qing ordered. "Perhaps the suspect used the Earth Travel Skill to infiltrate the villa."

"Director Hu, we’ve found an odd hole here; it doesn’t look like it was originally part of the place," another guard ran up to report.

"Show me."

Wang Lan followed Hu Qing to where the hole was discovered. It was about the size of a soccer ball, hidden in a corner of the villa’s kitchen. The opening of the hole was very smooth, as if meticulously polished. The tunnel itself seemed to have been formed from the outside in, showing signs of inward friction.

"Could the perpetrator have entered and exited through this hole?" Hu Qing muttered.

"I’ll go down and take a look," Wang Lan said thoughtfully.

Knowing Wang Lan’s capabilities, Hu Qing nodded. "Please be careful," she said.

Wang Lan’s figure sank into the ground as if submerging in water, following the hole to its origin. His tracking method was similar to the one he used for the Biochemical Demon Soldiers’ arrival in Modu City. As he followed the tunnel, its peculiarities soon became apparent.

It wasn’t just the entrance; the entire passage was remarkably smooth, showing clear signs of friction and compression.

Looking at the tunnel, Wang Lan involuntarily thought of an octopus—a boneless creature capable of squeezing its body into incredibly tight spaces. This tunnel resembled a burrow made by such a boneless creature.

The tunnel was long and winding, yet it maintained a clear general direction. Wang Lan followed it for seven or eight kilometers before reaching its end, which surprisingly opened into a vast reservoir.

Wang Lan surfaced from the reservoir almost silently and made his way to the shore. On the shore, about a dozen anglers were night fishing with flashlights. Seeing the fishermen, an idea struck Wang Lan.

It’s clear the perpetrator escaped through the tunnel into the reservoir. Once in the reservoir, finding further clues would be nearly impossible. A body of water that large would be unlikely to retain any evidence or leads.

"Hey buddy, night fishing?" Wang Lan approached and greeted one of them.

"Yeah."

"There are a lot of people fishing here. Do you know them all?"

"Not personally, but I recognize most of their faces. This reservoir is open to the public, so many people come to fish."

"I have a friend who also likes fishing. His name is Jiang Wannian. Do you know him?"