Frightening Joke: Above the Mist
Chapter 216: Playing Catch-up

Chapter 216: Chapter 216: Playing Catch-up

The moment the flames burst forth, the only thing Wu Kuifeng managed to do was to tackle Liang Yan to the ground.

However, an ironic twist of fate occurred.

The flames flickered, and immediately thick smoke billowed out from the cardboard box, accompanied by a moderate explosion sound.

Although the bomb exploded, its power was pitifully low, not even managing to shred the box.

Wu Kuifeng and Liang Yan climbed back up from the ground, their faces turning exceptionally grim.

Not only did their panicked response seem foolish, but also because... this was just a diversion; the real bomb wasn’t even here.

At the same time, the billowing smoke drew the attention of the officers outside, and almost all of them, except those managing the crowd, rushed inside.

What they saw, however, was merely a smoke-emitting cardboard box.

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder.

Liang Yan patted the dust off himself, staring intently at the box.

"We were played for fools."

Wu Kuifeng’s chest heaved up and down, clearly equally incensed.

All their preparation now seemed laughable, and the question remained: where had that damn criminal really aimed?

Right then, another group of officers rushed in from outside.

Wu Kuifeng turned his head to look, seeing Yang Wanlong leading the group.

Yang Wanlong, with a look of urgent anger, paused for a moment upon seeing the scene. Soon after, Yang Yiyi was brought to him.

"Yiyi, are you alright?"

Yang Wanlong asked the obvious, simultaneously praying and thanking the heavens.

But Yang Yiyi’s eyes weren’t on her father; she was searching for something else.

"What’s wrong, did you lose something?"

Yang Yiyi shook her head, moved closer to Yang Wanlong’s ear, and whispered, "Is Bai Yanliang still on a mission? I just saw him..."

Yang Wanlong was taken aback, then looked around and nodded, whispering, "Don’t tell anyone else, he’s still on his mission."

With her father’s confirmation, Yang Yiyi’s eyes suddenly brightened.

"Okay!"

Watching Yang Yiyi bounce away, her ponytail flicking up and down, Yang Wanlong’s expression turned indecipherable.

Though the bomb hidden in the third middle school was fake, it still left him with a sense of unease.

The sudden death of that college student was really quite abnormal, prompting an investigation into his background.

His name was Chen Peng, twenty-one years old, from Ye City.

Neither Chen Peng himself nor his relatives and friends had any criminal record.

Moreover, Yang Wanlong could be sure he didn’t know Chen Peng at all.

This meant there was basically no way for Chen Peng to have a grudge against Yang Wanlong.

But the words Chen Peng said before he died made it obvious to Yang Wanlong that he knew him.

Reflecting on the abrupt change in Chen Peng’s demeanor, Yang Wanlong’s mind summoned some rather unpleasant memories.

Chen Peng’s expression reminded him of a person he’d once arrested and sent to prison for a death sentence.

But... how could it be?

That person was supposed to be dead, right?

It’s hard to comprehend...

Now Chen Peng’s body had been sent back to the police station for an autopsy by Gao Fei. The true cause of his mysterious sudden death would need to be clarified.

While all the forces at the branch were concentrated on the third middle school, Bai Yanliang and Xun Weimo had already arrived at the Jiangbei Branch.

Bai Yanliang got out of the car, but Xun Weimo remained still inside.

"This is as far as I can help, Mr. Bai," Xun Weimo said.

Bai Yanliang nodded; Xun Weimo had fulfilled his promise to help find the school he had seen, and Bai Yanliang expressed gratitude for that.

"I still have many questions. I will come by to visit again."

Bai Yanliang nodded in farewell.

Xun Weimo waved, smiling as he said, "You’re welcome at any time. This collaboration has been a pleasure. As a bonus, I can offer Mr. Bai a hint for free."

This man really loves giving freebies with every deal he makes.

Bai Yanliang wasn’t too interested in the hint he mentioned but couldn’t refuse it directly, so he said, "Oh? Please, go on."

Xun Weimo looked at him mysteriously and said in a low voice, "Mr. Bai, be careful... of those around you."

With that, Xun Weimo stepped on the gas and drove away.

Be careful of those around me?

That’s truly a well-worn piece of advice.

Though he didn’t pay it much mind, Bai Yanliang still accepted Xun Weimo’s warning, turned to take one last look at the Jiangbei Branch, and stepped inside.

...

"You caught the culprit? It wasn’t Bai Yanliang?"

Wu Kuifeng scrutinized Yang Wanlong with a suspicious gaze.

Yang Wanlong looked up and glared at Wu Kuifeng, saying, "Why else do you think I knew there was a bomb here?"

Wu Kuifeng turned to glance at Liang Yan, who was thoughtfully stroking his chin and looking down.

After mulling it over, Wu Kuifeng turned back to ask, "Could it be that Bai Yanliang and that Chen Peng were colluding?"

"Colluding? Chen Peng and Bai Yanliang are completely unrelated. Would you choose someone like that to commit a crime with?"

Wu Kuifeng thought about it and realized it made sense.

But this left an awkward situation.

Did this mean Liang Yan was wrong and they’d misunderstood Bai Yanliang?

But Liang Yan insisted he had seen Bai Yanliang’s face. Could it be... the culprit had disguising skills?

But if the culprit didn’t even know Bai Yanliang, why disguise as him?

A frame-up?

Framing some random person they didn’t know?

This was utterly bizarre.

Wu Kuifeng carried an unsettling feeling. Even though the perpetrator seemed to have been caught and inexplicably died, he couldn’t shake the notion that another mastermind was still at large.

Wu Kuifeng wasn’t alone in this; Yang Wanlong felt it even more acutely.

Because there was no way Chen Peng could have known him, yet Chen Peng looked at him with wrathful eyes as if there was a blood feud between them.

It was as if... he wasn’t Chen Peng but that person he’d personally caught and who had been executed.

The two of them, each wrapped up in their thoughts, unusually refrained from arguing. But at that moment, a phone call came, causing everyone’s pupils to contract.

"Beep beep beep beep..."

"Hello?" Yang Wanlong answered the phone—it was a call from the branch.

"Captain Yang! There’s a bomb in the bureau!"

It was Gao Fei’s voice.

Gao Fei had been extremely busy these days, having to conduct autopsies on a large number of deceased, working overtime for a long spell.

Yang Wanlong had thought it might be a complaint call from Gao Fei.

Never did he expect Gao Fei to bring such news.

Yang Wanlong’s pupils contracted as he urgently asked, "What’s going on? Speak clearly!"

"A woman walked into the police station with a bomb strapped to her, claiming she’s your daughter, Yang Zhirong!"

Yang Wanlong’s eyes widened, veins bulging on his neck, as he roared, "What did you say?!"