Complete Metamorphosis Manual

Chapter 34

Wang Xiaofeng opened the door with a smile, and the police officer in the lead was none other than the "prostitute".

"I just chatted up a prostitute last night, and I was actually planning to call one to pass the long night. Besides, it was an unsuccessful attempt to solicit a prostitute. Is it really necessary for you to make such a fuss?" Wang Xiaofeng whistled mockingly, looking at the policeman disguised as a prostitute: "What? You're not satisfied with being sent away? Are you going to use police force to force me to sleep with you? Haha..."

"Shut up!" The policewoman pressed the cold muzzle of her gun against Wang Xiaofeng's chin and pulled a piece of paper from her pocket: "This is a search warrant. We suspect you are involved in the recent disappearances of women."

“Then let’s search,” Wang Xiaofeng said confidently. Knowing he was undertaking such a risky business, he had naturally prepared a comprehensive plan. Moreover, as a clever and professional doctor, he knew how to do it discreetly and without leaving any trace.

"What's going on?" Yang Xin looked at Wang Xiaofeng with a bewildered expression, then at the police searching around.

Wang Xiaofeng's home wasn't large; in fact, the furniture was very simple, leaving little room to hide anything. The walls were solid and thin—not to mention they couldn't be used to build up a corpse like in the movies. Besides, the walls were covered in old wallpaper, showing no signs of having been refinished.

Soon, the police officers gathered in the small living room, exchanged glances, and shook their heads.

The policewoman glared coldly at Yang Xin and muttered, "Am I too late after all?"

Wang Xiaofeng raised his hand to look at his watch. "It's already 2 a.m. You guys are really too late."

Yang Xin asked in confusion, "What exactly happened?"

The policewoman said coldly, "Yang Xin, you're coming back to the police station with us. We'll talk about it there!"

Wang Xiaofeng still smiled, his expression relaxed: "I think you've completely suspected the wrong person. Even if you haven't, isn't this rash action just alerting them?"

"Hmph! Back to the front!"

"Take care, and don't bother seeing me off!"

Wang Xiaofeng closed the door, immediately wiped away his smile, and frowned deeply.

He stood by the door for a while, then picked up his phone and dialed Ding Yan's number.

The phone rang twice before Ding Yan's groggy voice finally came through: "Yang Xin, you finally called me?"

“I am not Yang Xin,” Wang Xiaofeng sighed.

"Oh... Wang Xiaofeng, what's up so late?"

"Hmm..." How should I tell her? "From now on, you should stay away from Yang Xin..."

"What's wrong? Why are you talking about this in the middle of the night?" Ding Yan sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"He already suspects you, suspects you are the mastermind behind the recent suicides, and he is investigating you!"

"What?!" Ding Yan jumped up. "How did he know?"

“I don’t know what evidence he has now, but he came to me just now, hoping to get further clues from me. Of course, I didn’t say anything.”

"Oh, I see..."

Ding Yan hung up the phone, threw herself onto the bed, lay quietly, staring out the window, her mind blank.

Why? Why is that?

I have decided to quit, endure everything, and strive to earn an identity worthy of Yang Xin.

But is fate still so persistent in its grip?

Perhaps the purpose of fate is simply to play tricks on humanity?

20.

The bureau chief said, "You'll be suspended from your duties for now, pending observation."

Yang Xin didn't react. He should have jumped up and argued his case; he should have felt wronged, angry, and helpless. But he didn't.

He himself was surprised that he hadn't. It seemed he had long anticipated this day would come.

In fact, given his current state, what difference is there between him and being suspended from duty? In the police station, from the day Wang Xiaofeng appeared, he became a dispensable and useless person.

All of this seems inexplicable, yet it makes perfect sense.

He used to hear people say that the most fundamental relationship between people is one of exploitation and being exploited. Whenever he heard such a statement, he would jump up and refute it. In his heart, relationships between people were not like that; what held people together should be family, friendship, and love.

But at its core, aren't family ties, friendships, and romantic love also about using and being used? People always need to use some people, and then be used by others; that's the meaning of life.

If one day you find yourself no longer being used, what does that mean? It means you're terrible, useless, and have lost your reason for being needed.

He wandered aimlessly down the street, sighing. He realized that the feeling of being unappreciated was so fleeting, like air. No, even less than air. Everyone needs air, but no one needs Yang Xin.

He felt resentful, unconvinced, and that it was unfair.

He clenched his fists tightly. No, this can't be. Things shouldn't be like this. He decided to do everything in his power to become someone who is needed again and to regain the approval of his leaders and colleagues.

He returned home and devoted himself to investigating the clues in the suicide cases.

He firmly believed that he would be able to uncover the truth behind these seemingly simple suicide cases, and that the truth must be related to Ding Yan.

At the very least, Ding Yan is also inescapably involved.

Thinking of this, his heart clenched again. What if it really was Ding Yan? Should he arrest her? Should he betray the person he loved most? Should he offer up the most important person to him like a sacrifice to gain his own benefit?

Wouldn't it be too selfish to do that?

He gripped his hair tightly. No, it wasn't like that, it wasn't selfishness. This was justice, truth, the inevitable trend, the way of the great path.

He stood up and took out some movies about police officers turning down family members for the greater good from his drawer. At that moment, he needed these movies to give him strength and the power to continue his efforts to find out the truth.

twenty one.

Wang Xiaofeng understood that he was currently in the eye of the storm, so he temporarily halted his noble career, canceled his leave at the hospital, and went back to work. He was now the youngest surgeon in the hospital, with accurate diagnoses and clean, efficient incisions. Most importantly, he was different from other doctors.

Other doctors would feel exhausted after each surgery, but not him. Surgery seemed to be a wonderful and joyful experience for him. Every time he came out of the operating room, his eyes shone with excitement and happiness, and then he would find a small restaurant to have a big meal.

The dean always praised him: "This young man is energetic! He has a bright future!"

Wang Xiaofeng wiped his mouth, patted his stomach contentedly, savoring the feeling of being "full." Then he glanced at his watch and headed towards the Very Apartment.

Although Ding Yan's "Extraordinary Consulting Company" has always had good confidentiality measures, they themselves have not been particularly vigilant in their past work. After all, suicide is not murder or arson. It's someone else's business if they die by themselves.

But who would have thought that the police station would set up a suicide task force, especially one led by a lowly police officer who was always frustrated and desperately wanted to gain recognition through his work performance? And this lowly police officer happened to have an unusual relationship with Ding Yan.

This makes things quite tricky.

Yang Xin seems to have gotten some leverage over Ding Yan lately, and refuses to answer Ding Yan's calls, let alone meet him. Rather than a silence that keeps people at arm's length, it's more accurate to describe it as the calm before the storm.

A storm is brewing.

When Wang Xiaofeng arrived at Ding Yan's house, Ding Yan was arguing fiercely with Lao You, Aunt Mei, and Dami. Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding just squatted timidly to one side, not understanding what they were talking about, nor knowing what stance they should take.

Ding Yan stood facing the three of them like a little female kitten that had been attacked, her eyes filled with grievance and persistence.

"Yang Xin would never do that! He wouldn't hurt me; he's the kind of person who would rather get a spanking than stay with me!"

"Ding Yan!" the old postman sighed. "Can't you be a little more mature?"

“Yes,” Aunt Mei said, “we’re not asking you to doubt him or distrust him. We just want to be fully prepared before things get worse.”

“Although Lao You has deleted all the computer data and burned all the suspicious items, we still can’t let our guard down. If Yang Xin has solid evidence, we must have a plan,” Da Mi said.

"But, but your countermeasures are going too far!" Ding Yan said with tears in his eyes, "I certainly won't agree to the idea that Yang Xin was killed in an accident... And I also won't agree to the idea that Lao You should take all the blame when all else fails!"

"So what do you plan to do?" Old Postman looked at Ding Yan helplessly.

"I...I...I don't know!" Ding Yan squatted on the sofa, grabbed the blood bag on the coffee table, bit open a small hole, and drank it angrily.

“There’s no need to rush now.” Wang Xiaofeng sat down and patted Ding Yan on the shoulder. “I heard that Yang Xin has been suspended from his post. I don’t think there will be any major actions for a while.”

twenty two.

If Wang Xiaofeng said that Yang Xin wouldn't be taking any major actions anytime soon, he was completely wrong.

Based on the current evidence, and after carefully interrogating those who had attempted suicide a few days ago with Ding Yan's help, Yang Xin has obtained conclusive evidence. Three of the suicide victims could recognize the voice of the "Very Consulting Company" operator, and two of the suicide victims had met with members of the company and remembered their approximate appearance and build. According to the descriptions of the victims, those two people were Lao You and Da Mi.

All the blame was directed at Ding Yan, Lao You, and Da Mi.

He placed the files on the detective captain's desk and said, "I know I'm currently suspended and should stop all cases at hand. These files are important leads I've gathered over a long period, and it's now confirmed that most of the suicide cases are related to the Very Consulting Company." He gritted his teeth, recalling scenes from movies where heroic detectives turn against their own families for the greater good, swallowed hard, and continued, "This evidence is enough to arrest those people. I'm handing it over to you now, hoping you can close this case."

“I see…” The captain looked up. “You know, you’re not trusted in the department right now because you’re suspected of leaking secrets to suspects.”

“I know…” Yang Xin raised his head, “I’m not hoping to redeem myself or gain merit. The credit doesn’t belong to me alone, it belongs to everyone. I just hope that, considering how hard I’ve worked, I can return to the police force. Even if my name isn’t mentioned after this case is solved, it doesn’t matter.”

"You've matured a lot to think like this." The captain patted him on the shoulder. "In this society, no one can accomplish great things alone. Remember that."

"Thank you for your guidance, Captain!" Yang Xin stood at attention, his face full of sincerity.

"Okay, you go outside and wait for news. I'll report these documents to the leader."

"Thank you, Captain!" Yang Xin left the room, breathed a long sigh of relief, walked to the bathroom, and looked at himself in the mirror.

The Yang Xin in the mirror is a completely unfamiliar person.

twenty three.

"In short, I will not give up the Very Apartment to go abroad, nor will I harm Yang Xin, nor will I betray Lao You!" Ding Yan's face was stubborn and unquestionable.

The police seemed to have become more efficient overnight; by the time they spotted the police cars parked outside the apartment building, the entire building was already surrounded.

"I didn't expect it to be so fast..." Wang Xiaofeng stood up, hesitated for only a second, then grabbed a large vase and smashed it hard on Ding Yan's head without any mercy.

"What are you doing!" A, B, C, and D rushed over and grabbed Wang Xiaofeng.

Wang Xiaofeng sighed, "Old Postman, Rice, you know what to do. If it weren't for Ding Yan, you wouldn't be living so comfortably now. And if Ding Yan doesn't exist in the future, you'll be even less likely to live as happily as you are now."

"Let him go." For the first time in many years, Old Postman straightened his back, like a person, like a man. He pushed aside A, B, C, and D, lifted the unconscious Ding Yan with his right hand and held him in front of himself, while his left hand picked up a shard of a vase and held it against Ding Yan's throat.

"Dami!" Wang Xiaofeng picked up the shards, cut several wounds on his body, and leaned against Dami. Dami understood and held Wang Xiaofeng hostage.

"Aunt Mei, you know what to do, right?" Wang Xiaofeng looked at Aunt Mei, who seemed at a loss.

Aunt Mei nodded and slammed her head against the wall.

Yang Xin led the police officers to break down the door, and what they saw was the scene before them.

"Don't come any closer!" Old Postman and Rice dragged Wang Xiaofeng and Ding Yan back step by step.

"Don't do anything rash, Old Postman!" Fine beads of sweat appeared on Yang Xin's forehead. How could this happen? How could this happen?

"If you come any closer, I'll kill him/her!" Old Postman and Rice said in unison.

“Rice! Old Postman! Aren’t you the ones who love Ding Yan the most?” Yang Xin called out.

"Who would care about her?" the old postman sneered.

“We’re just using her, using this idiot!” Da Mi said coldly, leaning against the glass.

"There aren't many people this stupid anymore in this world." Old You glanced at Da Mi, then at the police officers who were closing in.

A, B, C, and D had no idea what had happened; it seemed as if the whole world had changed in an instant. All they knew was that Wang Xiaofeng had hurt Ding Yan, and now these people in uniforms were about to drive these people, who were more important to them than their own lives, to their doom.