Frightening Joke: Above the Mist
Chapter 139: Probing

Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Probing

In the back corner, Xu Zhifei lifted her pale face upon hearing Bai Yanliang’s voice and nodded slightly at him.

From her eyes, it was apparent that although she still maintained her cold demeanor, she was quite surprised to encounter Bai Yanliang at this time and place.

The fact that these two seemingly unrelated individuals knew each other was completely unexpected for those in the vehicle.

Due to Xu Zhifei’s unapproachable attitude and unsettling aura, everyone was reluctant to sit with her, which left the seat for Bai Yanliang. Initially, everyone felt a bit apologetic, believing that sitting next to someone like Xu Zhifei would be an ordeal.

But now, it seemed that the situation was not as dreadful as imagined.

"Bai, you know Expert Xu?"

Gao Fei asked in surprise.

Expert Xu...

Bai Yanliang glanced at Xu Zhifei, nodded and said, "Online acquaintance."

Online acquaintance...

Although this term was quite ordinary, it seemed out of place when applied to Bai Yanliang and Xu Zhifei.

Because no matter how one looked at it, neither of them seemed like the type to surf the internet frequently.

After the initial surprise, Bai Yanliang appeared not to have any lingering doubts.

Tang Guo started the vehicle, the young policewoman chattering away about the destination and the suspect while driving.

Bai Yanliang thought that she might be more suited to being a teacher or a tour guide than a police officer.

Along the way, the conversation naturally turned to the case at hand.

"When we went to see Dai Anyu yesterday afternoon, his attitude was peculiar; he mostly chose silence in response to our questions..."

"Yes, his emotional state was also odd. On the surface, it seemed like he and Ai Qing had a good relationship, so why does he show no sign of grief over her death at all?"

Xu Zhifei, dressed in a black long dress, quietly gazed out the window. Although she remained silent, it seemed she was listening intently.

Bai Yanliang noticed her sleeve inadvertently; had she changed her dress?

Speaking of which... the small black flower on Xu Zhifei’s sleeve was still at Bai Yanliang’s house. He had initially wanted to find an opportunity to return it to her, but on second thought, that behavior might seem rather creepy.

While Bai Yanliang was a bit distracted, Gao Fei said, "Could Dai Anyu’s uncooperative behavior be seen as emotional detachment following a crime?"

Emotional detachment following a crime...

Bai Yanliang shook his head internally.

Judging from the killer’s behavior following the act, their psychological resilience was extraordinarily strong; such individuals are usually adept at masking their emotions during police interrogations.

If Dai Anyu wasn’t feigning, Bai Yanliang actually thought he might not be the culprit.

"No."

The cold voice lacked any emotion targeting Gao Fei, yet caused him to instinctively shrink his neck.

Xu Zhifei continued to look at the window, stating, "His relationship with the deceased was not harmonious, and his lack of apparent sadness is because he feels pleased."

Hmm?

Yang Wanlong seemed to detect something in Xu Zhifei’s words.

He muttered to himself softly, "Indeed, we might have misunderstood the relationship between Dai Anyu and the deceased Ai Qing. Dai Anyu struggled with his job search, and entered the company through Ai Qing’s connections. We subconsciously assumed he’d be grateful, but actually, Dai Anyu’s feelings toward Ai Qing may not be gratitude."

Gao Fei also suddenly realized something.

Yes... the saying from ancient times, ’a favor that sustains me will cause enmity,’ suggests how tenuous relationships can be. Though it’s unclear the extent of Ai Qing’s help to Dai Anyu, Gao Fei, as a man, understands that a man who ascends the ranks because of a woman faces much criticism in the workplace.

Did Dai Anyu truly feel grateful to Ai Qing for helping him enter the company?

During the discussion, Tang Guo had already stopped the car.

The media building, the scene of a murder yesterday, continued business as usual today.

This magnificent and aesthetically pleasing media institution building exemplified the modern mentality of being entertained to death.

Once they got out of the car, they were soon recognized.

"The police are here again. Could the murderer be someone from the company?"

"Wow! That male officer is so handsome, look!"

"Gosh—that woman is so eerie, pale as a corpse..."

"You mean the one in the black dress?"

"Yes, her..."

"Gosh... now that you mention it, I do feel a chill; it’s strange. She’s so beautiful, yet... she feels like a dead person."

Yang Wanlong glared at the men and women around, watching intently. Having been a policeman for years, his current sour mood and a stern glance gave him an intimidating presence.

The crowd quickly dispersed under his glare.

Bai Yanliang caught a glimpse of Xu Zhifei, observing that the pretentious comments were difficult for her not to hear, yet she seemed not to mind, keeping her pale, stoic face and walking lightly at the back.

Dai Anyu’s office was on the sixth floor, and when Lin Wan knocked on the door, he turned around with a professional smile.

But upon seeing the police, Dai Anyu’s smile vanished.

"Haven’t you finished questioning yet?" He wore rimless glasses, darting his gaze across the group, pausing for a moment on Bai Yanliang, easing his impatience slightly as he said, "Have a seat."

As he spoke, he went to the water dispenser and expertly brewed several cups of coffee for everyone.

"I’ve already said everything I should have yesterday."

Placing down the coffee, he sat on the black sofa, looking out the window at the sky.

"And what about what you shouldn’t say?"

No one expected the first to speak to be Xu Zhifei.

She gazed coldly at Dai Anyu, though she always looked at people that way, Dai Anyu didn’t know that.

The man’s face revealed a trace of discomfort as his gaze drifted from the sky outside to the coffee cup in his hand: "I don’t understand what you mean."

"What was your relationship with Ai Qing like?" Xu Zhifei continued to ask.

"Not bad." Dai Anyu remained silent for a few seconds before answering.

"You didn’t like her, did you?"

Xu Zhifei suddenly inquired.

Dai Anyu’s eyes widened, "What nonsense are you spouting!"

Did she hit the mark?

Was he flustered and exasperated?

Seeing Dai Anyu’s unusual reaction, everyone was filled with speculations, except for Tang Guo, whose eyes were spinning around as if she’d discovered something significant.

Then, she suddenly leaned close to Bai Yanliang, adopting an extremely intimate posture and whispered something into his ear.

Bai Yanliang looked confused, and everyone else was caught off guard by Tang Guo’s sudden move.

As for Dai Anyu, who had been somewhat agitated, upon witnessing this scene, suddenly calmed down. He stood up, saying, "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."

After Dai Anyu left, Yang Wanlong immediately glared at Tang Guo, shouting, "What are you doing?"

Tang Guo shivered in fright, saying with a grievance, "I... I wanted to try, because... Dai Anyu seems... to be gay."