My autobiography is definitely not a tragedy!-Chapter 38 - 37: Secret Code

"Huff~ Huff~"

"Are you sure... you come here regularly for a run?"

"Buddha... Buddhist-style runner, not seeking a certain pace, not competing over distance."

"Then could you maybe speed up a little? It’s just that I feel somewhat embarrassed by the two aunties overtaking us."

"I... I’m mainly worried about stepping on the snails on the ground."

"Oh~ so you’re not afraid of stepping on ants?"

Meng Lang: "..."

Under Lin Haitang’s seemingly amused gaze, he finally felt that even if he continued to hold out, it was not enough to save his own face.

Just look at the gear on their bodies to know the gap between their levels.

One was a beginner’s standard kit; the other was a high-end custom configuration...

He simply gave up struggling and started to walk slowly to catch his breath.

I said to go around once, but didn’t say I had to run the entire way, right?

People live tiresome lives often because they can’t put down their pride, can’t lose face...

"You keep going, I’ve run two laps today, and that’s about enough exercise for me."

Ha! Men.

For some reason, Lin Haitang didn’t keep running either but started walking slowly along.

The spring breeze gently blew, the morning sun filtered through the leaves, casting flickering shadows on the ground, intertwined with theirs.

Meng Lang glanced at Lin Haitang’s flawless profile, his heartbeat slightly quickened.

A lone man and a single woman, what’s with this walking together pose?

"Are you free today?"

Here it comes, here it comes, that’s the line!

Could it be that this very serious mystery science fiction tragedy is finally returning to the beloved urban romance track?

Who says there are no sparks?

False information! That’s definitely false information!

"Yes!" Meng Lang replied very straightforwardly.

"I received a call from the police last night. Yuan Li said he wants to see you."

"What?"

The little spark in Meng Lang’s heart had not even turned into a small flame, and Lin Haitang’s words extinguished it completely.

So, it was about serious matters after all. I thought too much, thought too much.

Being single is truly pitiful...

"Yuan Li wants to see me? Why?"

"After he woke up, he refused to say anything. He knows the entire criminal investigation process and interrogation tricks very well, and the police have a hard time getting anything from him.

He said that he will only speak after he sees you."

"With the evidence laid out there, whether he speaks or not, would it affect the trial result?" Meng Lang asked, puzzled.

"The factors influencing a court’s decision are complex. For criminal cases with clear facts and ample direct evidence, whether the suspect admits to the crime or not does not affect the verdict.

In fact, in cases where they refuse to admit guilt, the sentence could be made even harsher.

But the problem in this case is that aside from Yuan Li’s breaking and entering, illegal possession of firearms, and intent to commit an act of violence, the rest of the charges are deduced from the current evidence.

In such cases, whether the suspect admits to the criminal intent undoubtedly affects the final judgment."

Great! It’s another case of being blamed for an attempted crime.

Seeing that Meng Lang was lost in thought and silent, Lin Haitang thought he was reluctant to continue any contact with a felon like Yuan Li, so she spoke up.

"If you don’t want to see this person, you can completely ignore him. Whether he speaks or not isn’t really that important, and even if you go, he might not really speak."

"No! I promise to see him."

Meng Lang shook his head.

Why did Yuan Li want to see him? Meng Lang could probably guess.

In TV dramas, so many extras get stabbed in the back or shot, what’s their reaction before they die?

They turn their heads!

Wanting to know how they died is probably every dying person’s obsession, right?

A flawless plan ruined by a clueless nobody.

Who wouldn’t be frustrated, go crazy?

Without understanding how he failed, Yuan Li would probably be restless even in prison.

"As it happens, I also have something I want to ask him."

...

In the Wu City Public Security Bureau, the interrogation room.

"Yuan Li, why did you sneak into Mr. Meng’s residence? And you stole these worthless items that contain personal identity features. Tell the truth!"

"What was your purpose in unlawfully breaking into a private residence?"

"Where did you get the firearm from, do you have any accomplices?"

"Yuan Li! The evidence of your crime is conclusive. Even if you stay silent, the court has enough reason to sentence you heavily. Don’t be delusional."

"Out of respect for being former colleagues, we advise you to confess willingly and strive for leniency—that’s the only way out for you now!"

A hint of mockery appeared in Yuan Li’s eyes.

"Alright, Captain Wang, save your breath. We all ate from the same cauldron. In terms of seniority, you should be calling me ’senior’!

These tricks you’re using are all my leftovers!

What I should say and what I shouldn’t, I know very well!

Still the same line: if I don’t see that kid, I won’t say anything. If you have any questions, please consult my lawyer directly."

"You..."

"Click!"

The door opened, and Qin Xiaoru led two people inside.

"Captain Wang, Mr. Meng and Miss Lin have arrived."

"Sorry to trouble you to come here, Mr. Meng," Wang Zhao Ping said somewhat awkwardly as he shook Meng Lang’s hand.

"Captain Wang is too kind. Cooperating with the police investigation is the duty of every law-abiding citizen."

Meng Lang said politely before turning to look at Yuan Li, who was handcuffed to the interrogation chair...

This man who had taken his "three lives".

Although they had had "spiritual encounters," this was Meng Lang’s first time seeing Yuan Li’s face up close.

Wide forehead, hooked nose, and a somewhat predatory face, it certainly fits the villain setup.

"Heard you wanted to see me?"

Yuan Li was sizing up Meng Lang as well.

This seemingly ordinary young man had destroyed his meticulously planned scheme and doomed him to an irretrievable downfall!

"You’re pretty good. I, Yuan Li, consider myself quite clever, but never would I have thought that while hunting geese all day long, I’d be blinded by a sparrow!"

His tone carried a trace of bitterness, and his eyes shone with malevolence.

"If you see me as a sparrow, that only proves one thing—you’re not blinded by me, you were blind to begin with!"

Meng Lang returned a defiant, scornful smile.

"Good! You’ve got guts! I’ll remember you!" Yuan Li, gritting his teeth, glared even more fiercely.

The threatening and intimidating intent in his words was more than apparent.

"Yuan Li! You better behave!" barked Captain Wang Zhao Ping.

Meng Lang, however, smirked coldly, stepping forward two paces under the astonished gazes of everyone present.

He leaned forward slightly, his hands braced on the surface of the table.

"Then you’d better remember well, my name is Meng Lang, ’Meng’ as in Meng Haoran, and ’Lang’ as in cutting through waves!

Remember this face, so in a few decades when you’re out and old, you won’t fail to recognize an old friend!"

Seeing Meng Lang’s fearless demeanor, the officers present, including Captain Wang, all showed expressions of surprise and admiration.

This was Yuan Li, after all, a man whose reputation for confronting thugs was legendary and who had since fallen into greater recklessness.

Confronting such a villain, Meng Lang, an ordinary person, showed no fear and even dared to provoke him.

What gave you such courage?

The lofty spirit of Meng Haoran?

Lin Haitang’s gaze towards Meng Lang was somewhat unusual, but she quickly concealed it.

...

Facing a murderer like Yuan Li, Meng Lang dared to be so arrogant only because he had the capital to back it up.

In the latest issue of "Siege", Xiao Yu, Lin Haitang, and Yan Weiwei have all made friendly appearances. Although their screen time wasn’t high due to Meng Lang’s whirlwind trip to Wu City, looking more like a supportive team off-stage.

This at least proved that they were all safe and sound.

This meant that Yuan Li must have been honestly staying in prison, and for some reason, Xu Jingsong had not continued to make his move against them.

At least... not for the next two years.

As for what happens after those two years...

It’s anyone’s guess who would be troubling whom by then...

If I can send you in once, I can do it again! Want revenge? There are 365 days in a year with a "Meng Lang" waiting for you; let’s see if you dare!

"Good! Very good! It seems I didn’t lose too unjustly after all."

Yuan Li didn’t expect his opponent to still dare to provoke him, and his complexion returned to calm.

He seemed like a venomous snake that had retracted its fangs, but the coldness in his eyes only increased.

"Can we talk alone?"

"What do you want to do?" Captain Wang immediately became alert.

"Coincidentally, I also wanted to talk to you alone," Meng Lang smiled, then looked at Captain Wang.

"Captain Wang, please take care of it... tie him up tight."

Everyone: "..."

With such a nonchalant tone to say such a cowardly thing...

...

Everyone else had left, leaving only the two facing each other in the interrogation room.

"I want to know, was it a coincidence about those pinhole cameras, or did you deliberately set a trap?" asked Yuan Li.

Ever since he discovered where his slip-up had been, Yuan Li had been brooding over this question.

No! It was like a fishbone stuck in his throat!

Without clarity on this, he feared he might truly die without peace.

"Before I answer your question, I have one for you," said Meng Lang.

"What question?"

"When did you start thinking about making me the scapegoat?

If I hadn’t appeared, how were you planning to deal with Xiao Yu?"

Yuan Li scoffed, "What scapegoat, what dealing with Xiao Yu—I have no idea what you’re talking about."

"Fine, of course, you know that our conversation is being recorded, and you’re afraid that I might be trying to entrap you. I can understand that.

But believe it or not, entrapment isn’t my intention; I genuinely just want to know the answer."

He truly just wanted to know...

If fate had not been altered by him, if the timeline had not shifted into that of "My Struggle" but had remained in the first episode’s "Miserable Life."

In that world, where he had not encountered Xiao Yu and instead entered the sanctity of marriage with Lu Kexin, then... what would have become of Xiao Yu’s life?

Would she still live a hard but colorful life with her sister, or would she ultimately still fall to misfortune?

Everything he was doing now, was he truly saving Xiao Yu, or had he harmed her first only to save her afterward.

This question might seem irrelevant to those who judge by outcomes.

But for Meng Lang, it held certain reference value in probing the world lines.

This was also the main reason he was willing to meet Yuan Li.

"Is this question very important to you?"

As he looked at Meng Lang’s serious face, Yuan Li frowned.

"Hmm... you could see it as me exploring a profound philosophical question about the dialectical relationship between man and the universe."

"Ha! Naïve."

Alright, it seemed Yuan Li wasn’t satisfied with that highbrow response.

"It seems the normal ways won’t communicate." Meng Lang shrugged helplessly.

Then, his face revealed an "evil" smile that he had practiced for a long time in the mirror beforehand.

"Now, look into my eyes!

The next thing I will say is a code word, after you hear this code word, you must answer any question I ask without omission, or else... take responsibility for the consequences."

Yuan Li was alarmed; he looked at Meng Lang as if he were looking at a lunatic.

However, the next moment, when he saw the two words Meng Lang silently ’said’ with his mouth, Yuan Li trembled all over as if struck by lightning.

His eyes widened as he stared.

Gone was his arrogance, replaced by profound fear...

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