They split into two teams.

One team would find a way to get the video, while the other would find one of the witnesses to verify their theory about the blood.

Yi Wansan volunteered for the first team, stating that obtaining the video would require clever tactics, and as the involved party, his request would be more persuasive.

For safety considerations, he was paired with Yan Hongsha, who had higher combat ability and was also an involved party.

Yan Hongsha was unhappy about partnering with him: “You were wrongly accused and didn’t even say a peep, then turned around and secretly had Fat Cao steal things. Hypocrite.”

Before Yi Wansan could defend himself, Cao Yanhua was already excitedly defending himself: “I told you I picked them up! Picked them up!”

Yan Hongsha grinned menacingly at him: “Do you think I’m stupid? You picked up four in a row? Cao Fatso, do you get rich by picking things up? Wouldn’t that story be moving enough for all of China?”

Yi Wansan calmly patted Cao Fatso’s shoulder: “Brother Cao, stay calm. Why compete with Yan Erhuo’s intelligence level? Aren’t you just asking for trouble?”

Yan Hongsha was furious: “What’s wrong with my intelligence?”

Yi Wansan replied calmly: “Isn’t it obvious?”

Mu Dai kindly reminded Yan Hongsha, “Hongsha, he’s calling you ‘Erhuo’ (meaning ‘idiot’).”

Yan Hongsha became even angrier: “How am I an idiot?”

Cao Yanhua sided with Yi Wansan: “Sister Erhuo, repeat after me, huo-wu-o, ‘huo’, third tone, ‘fire.'”

Luo Ren picked up a cup of water, calmly adding fuel to the fire: “Hongsha, if you can’t win with words, use your fists. People should play to their strengths.”

The next second, Cao Yanhua was dodging around the room, jumping up and down, his angry voice distorted: “It was Brother Sansan who said it! Don’t just come after me! What did I do? I was just correcting your pronunciation…”

In the chaos, Mu Dai laughed until her stomach hurt.

Luo Ren and Cao Yanhua formed the second team. Mu Dai, being someone who couldn’t show her face in public, had to stay at the hotel and wait for news.

This arrangement made her depressed. Hiding every day, with only occasional outings that felt like prison yard time, and the TV programs as barren as a desert.

She complained: “I feel like a bird trapped in a cage.”

Cao Yanhua responded amid his busy evasion: “Little Master, look at me—like a free little bird.”

He spread his arms and flew out the door: “Brother Luo, I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

Yan Hongsha chased after him, shouting: “Can you even fly? Are there birds as fat as you?”

It seemed everyone was heading out. Yi Wansan followed them down. When Luo Ren got up to leave, Mu Dai was sighing beside him, curled up on the sofa with her legs folded, hugging a pillow, tucking her chin into it so her small face was cushioned, looking like a wronged baby.

Luo Ren smiled and stroked her head.

She complained: “You’re all leaving. I won’t know what’s happening, and I can’t even turn on my phone…”

Luo Ren thought for a moment, then gave her his phone.

Mu Dai took it: “You’re just giving it to me? What if a pretty girl or a secret lover calls…”

These words suddenly reminded Luo Ren of something. His eyes darted to the phone for a second.

Mu Dai noticed this and quickly hid the phone behind her back, with an expression that said, “Don’t even think about taking it back.”

Luo Ren flicked her nose: “Little one, I have nothing to fear.”

On the road, Luo Ren asked Cao Yanhua with a wry smile: “Do you know Murphy’s Law?”

Murphy’s Law? That sounded like someone in Newton’s category. Was Brother Luo trying to show off his knowledge?

Cao Yanhua didn’t want to give him the opportunity: “I’m not familiar with the physics world.”

Luo Ren said, “You wait for a bus, and after waiting too long, you impatiently leave, and just as you walk away, the bus arrives.”

Cao Yanhua’s eyes widened. This was Murphy’s Law? How did Murphy know about his last bus-waiting experience?

“You queue to buy tickets, and the other line always moves faster. Impatiently, you switch to that line, only to find your original line is now moving faster.”

Cao Yanhua thought: How does he know about my ticket-buying experience, too? Is Murphy another version of me?

Luo Ren said, “Murphy’s Law teaches us not to ignore low-probability events. What can go wrong will go wrong. If you worry about something happening, it’s likely to happen. So…”

So Mu Dai probably… very likely… would receive a call.

Yi Wansan was very emotional, his chest heaving violently, his eyes slightly red. The receptionist at the Traffic Management Bureau handed him a tissue and said, “Don’t be upset, take your time.”

Yan Hongsha stood to the side, looking out the window. Outside was the road, and it was the morning rush hour. Cars came and went, one after another, resembling the stream of curses rushing through her mind.

Yi Wansan’s voice came through.

“I can’t sleep, couldn’t sleep all night. Every time I close my eyes, I have nightmares.”

Yan Hongsha thought: What nonsense.

The receptionist said: “I understand, we understand. Generally speaking, when normal people witness such a tragic scene, they need time to adjust psychologically.”

Yi Wansan blew his nose: “Especially since you were there last night, you know those people kept saying I pushed him. I… I became quite disoriented mentally.”

Yan Hongsha felt as if a bottle of vinegar had poured straight down her throat, making her stomach cramp with acidity: Disoriented, indeed!

The receptionist looked awkward: “Those people—we’ve already given them stern criticism and education. Testimony is very important and, in some cases, directly affects the final judgment. Their behavior, to be honest, was extremely excessive. Fortunately, we have the surveillance video… Of course, please understand, things happened so quickly that they might have genuinely seen incorrectly…”

Yi Wansan said, “I have only one request.”

He spoke earnestly: “Could I watch that video again? I just want to see it one more time, completely and clearly, to put my mind at ease.”

After a brief silence, the receptionist said: “Although it’s a bit against regulations, your request is reasonable. Wait here, I’ll arrange it.”

After the receptionist left, Yan Hongsha turned around. The person who had been sitting at the table, speaking earnestly, troubled by nightmares, had now lost all composure, slouching in the chair with his legs propped up high.

He shrugged nonchalantly at Yan Hongsha: “Survival wisdom.”

Yan Hongsha sneered: “You call this survival wisdom?”

“People should accomplish their goals comfortably. When Cao Fatso can handle things with a simple move, why get red-faced and thick-necked arguing with people? You can’t out-argue four mouths at once—isn’t that exhausting? Similarly, Luo Ren can fight, so in intense situations, let him take the lead. I should stay back. Charging in isn’t courage—it’s stupidity… Sister Erhuo…”

He sat up, changed his posture, crossed his legs, and said with a precocious air: “Sister Erhuo, you seem to have a bit of loyalty, and you put in a lot of effort for me last night, which is why I’m telling you this. Don’t be so rigid—you’re too stubborn…”

Yan Hongsha snorted. She didn’t want to hear Yi Wansan’s petty survival wisdom.

She said: “I may be somewhat tactless, but I stick to my principles. Right is right, wrong is wrong. Things in this world aren’t that murky—they’re quite clear-cut. The gray areas you all talk about aren’t inherent to the situations; it’s people like you who muddy them.”

“This might sound cliché, but I believe all matters should be as straightforward as paying back debts—it’s the natural order of things. If everyone followed the rules, everyone did their part, everyone had a sense of propriety, things wouldn’t be so complicated.”

Yi Wansan scoffed. Sister Erhuo was beyond hope.

Wait, hold on. Why did a couple of sentences in Yan Hongsha’s speech sound so familiar?

The door opened, and Yi Wansan quickly got into character: arms propped on the table, head lowered, hands wringing together.

People shouldn’t rely solely on words. The mouth is just two pieces of skin and gets tired, too. One should make good use of body language—trembling, intertwined hands represent an inner state of conflict, unease, and helpless anxiety, strongly evoking the other person’s sympathy.

Sure enough, the receptionist’s voice softened considerably: “It’s all arranged. You can go see it again.”

To let him watch attentively without disturbance, the receptionist deliberately sat far away.

Yan Hongsha folded her arms, secretly hiding her phone under one arm with the camera on, lens pointed directly at the screen.

The surveillance camera angle was slightly elevated. From this perspective, she and Yi Wansan almost simultaneously noticed a woman leaving the scene.

Everyone else was crowding in, standing on tiptoes, craning their necks, fearing to miss even a bit of the excitement. Only that woman was slowly walking outward, like a drop of water moving away from the center, leaving an unnoticed trail.

Yan Hongsha muttered, “There’s someone who doesn’t like watching commotion.”

Cao Yanhua held up the ID card.

The man on the ID was named Sun Hailin—balding, with sparse eyebrows, large eye bags, and a look that could only be described as “defeated.”

He moved the ID card away from his face to reveal the security guard who was receiving takeout at the security room entrance, not far away.

A head of thick fake hair, his posture straightened by the security uniform, his face looking quite spirited.

Cao Yanhua sighed deeply: In China, when ID photos meet their real-life counterparts, there’s always a battle. If they ever encountered beauty filters, it would be a brutal situation where only one could survive.

Cao Yanhua looked at Luo Ren: “Brother Luo, are you going or should I…”

“You go.”

The thought of cutting his hand made Cao Yanhua extremely reluctant—after all, it would hurt.

He held Luo Ren’s knife, the tip trembling as he gestured over his palm.

His hand was plump and thick, but dexterous, entering and exiting pockets as if entering unoccupied territory.

Luo Ren glanced at him sideways and said: “A real man…”

As he spoke, he suddenly reached over and pulled the knife handle downward.

Cao Yanhua screamed.

The skin broke, and blood emerged—a full, bright red drop.

Luo Ren pushed him: “Hurry, are you waiting for the blood to dry?”

Cao Yanhua dashed forward, calling out behind Sun Hailin: “Old Sun!”

Sun Hailin turned around with his takeout, puzzled, not remembering where he had seen this fat man before.

Cao Yanhua, without hesitation, grabbed his other hand, pressing their palms tightly together to ensure the blood was fully utilized: “Long time no see!”

As expected, Sun Hailin’s face changed instantly. He pushed him away spasmodically, shaking his hand continuously. His takeout also fell to the ground—it was spicy hot pot, creating a messy puddle.

Cao Yanhua noticed a circle of red burn marks rising on his palm.

Sun Hailin probably thought he had been scalded. He quickly returned to the security room, turned on the corner faucet, and continuously rinsed his hands with cold water. He wanted to vent his anger at Cao Yanhua: Who are you? What was in your hand?

But when he turned around, the person was gone.

It was strange.

Looking down, he saw the puddle of soup at the door and felt regret: What a waste! It had cost him more than ten yuan.

He walked to the door and squatted down, picking up the plastic bag with two fingers to see if he could salvage the bowl for reuse.

Someone gently tapped his shoulder.

Thinking it was the fat man, Sun Hailin raised his head with a belly full of anger, only to realize it wasn’t him.

Working as a security guard, he knew how to adjust his attitude according to the person. The newcomer was tall and impressive, with an extraordinary aura in both dress and demeanor. He must be an important visitor.

Sun Hailin quickly stood up: “Are you… Looking for someone?”

Company regulations stated that important clients must be addressed respectfully with “nin” (formal “you”).

Luo Ren smiled: “I’d like to ask you something.”

“Please ask.”

“Last night, at the intersection, there was an accident.”

Sun Hailin found it strange that he was asking about this: “Yes.”

“As a witness, did you see someone push the victim?”

“Huh?”

Luo Ren stared at him.

He had seen this man before. Last night, at the entrance of the Traffic Management Bureau, he had argued with Yan Hongsha and arrogantly pushed her aside as he left, saying: “Things happened so quickly, mistakes happen.”

But now, his face showed complete bewilderment.

Luo Ren felt something unusual stir within him, a thought suddenly flashing through his mind.

Very cautiously, he changed his approach: “Did you make a mistake?”

Sun Hailin said, “I didn’t see anything.”

“Then why were you asked to assist with the investigation at the Traffic Management Bureau?”

Sun Hailin muttered to himself in confusion.

“I didn’t see… I watched the surveillance, the traffic police said I made a mistake… I said I saw someone push? But I didn’t see anything…”

Unable to make sense of it, he unconsciously scratched his head. The burn marks on his palm gradually faded. As he scratched once, twice, his wig shifted, revealing patches of white scalp.

Luo Ren turned and left immediately.

Footsteps sounded behind him as Cao Yanhua, who had been hiding, jogged to catch up: “Brother Luo, what did that Sun guy say?”

Luo Ren stopped: “We’d better take turns keeping watch over Ma Chao. This person can’t come to harm.”

Cao Yanhua didn’t understand.

Ma Chao? The same Ma Chao who had been chased and beaten by Yi Wansan the previous night? How had he suddenly become a protected person?

Luo Ren remained silent, his mind rarely in such turmoil.

Mu Dai’s hope rested with Ma Chao.

Sun Hailin’s reaction confirmed one thing: their blood did indeed affect these people who might have been influenced by the murder weapon. That forcibly inserted, false memory—those groundless claims—had been eliminated.

Sun Hailin had lost part of his memory, so he suddenly felt like a tall monk unable to figure things out, muttering to himself, unable to sort out the sequence of events.

If Ma Chao’s situation was similar, then after waking up, he would instinctively recant his testimony—because he wouldn’t remember seeing Mu Dai on the bridge at all.

Luo Ren instructed Cao Yanhua: “Call Mu Dai—no, call my phone.”

Cao Yanhua didn’t quite understand but followed his instructions and dialed the number, holding it to his ear for a moment before lowering it.

“Brother Luo, the line is busy.”