Seeing Crime Scenes in My Sleep

Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Caught in the Net

The moment Jiang Li opened her eyes, she was met with three pairs of intense, predatory gazes. It startled her fully awake.

"Officer Ji, is something wrong?" Jiang Li rubbed her eyes, looking at the three people in front of her.

Ji Qinghe glanced at Zhao Shuo and the other officer, then smiled. "We just wanted to ask if you dreamed of any other clues."

Jiang Li’s mouth fell slightly open. ’I don’t think I actually dreamed of anything just now!’

Just as a wave of happiness washed over her, Jiang Li saw the expectant looks on the faces of the two men beside Ji Qinghe and quickly composed herself.

"Sorry, Officer Ji. I didn’t dream of anything."

Ji Qinghe gave a resigned smile. ’Looks like we’re really getting carried away,’ she thought.

"It’s alright. You’ve already helped us a great deal."

Jiang Li blinked at her. "In that case, can I go back to sleep here for a bit?"

She’d finally managed to get some peaceful sleep, and now drowsiness was washing over her again.

"You can," Ji Qinghe nodded.

Jiang Li clutched her clothes, closed her eyes, and drifted back to sleep.

Ji Qinghe stood up and went with Zhou Tiancheng to continue verifying the victims’ information.

Lu Xingye stared down at his phone’s wallpaper. It was a picture of his sister, who had been missing for a long time.

Thinking of what Jiang Li had said earlier, his brow furrowed even tighter. ’Sister, it’s been three years. Where on earth are you?’

"You’re an undercover cop? Hehehehe, you’re actually an undercover cop! Cao Yanmei, I valued you so much, and you turn out to be a mole.

You really deserve to die!"

Jiang Li’s heart clenched as she looked at the woman before her, who was covered in wounds and beaten beyond recognition.

The woman’s limbs were tied to a wooden post. There wasn’t a single patch of unscathed skin on her body. She was beaten so badly she couldn’t open her eyes, and only the faint rise and fall of her chest proved she was still alive.

Jiang Li looked at the person before her and recognized her immediately.

Lu Xingye’s sister, Lu Xingchen.

The woman’s head hung low; she hadn’t broken, even after being tortured.

Suddenly, Lu Xingchen lifted her head and looked toward her, as if she were looking right at her.

Jiang Li’s eyes flew open. She recalled the scene from her dream: an abandoned warehouse and the sound of dogs barking.

She turned her head and saw Lu Xingye nearby. His parents had once saved her. She remembered. She remembered it very clearly.

"Lu Xingye, your sister is in danger."

Lu Xingye’s eyes snapped open. The words ’Where’s the proof?’ caught in his throat, but he changed his tune.

"What’s going on?" Lu Xingye sat bolt upright, his hands clenched, betraying a hint of tension.

"I dreamed about your sister. Her cover as an undercover officer was blown. She’s badly hurt."

Lu Xingye’s breath hitched. His mind buzzed, the words "undercover officer" echoing in his ears. He had suspected it over the years, but he never dared to dwell on the thought.

Lu Xingye shot to his feet and strode outside.

Soon, Zhao Shuo and Zhou Tiancheng came rushing in.

"Jiang Li, are there any specific clues?"

Jiang Li looked up. "Yes. It should be in a warehouse. There was a loud CLANGING sound nearby, and also dogs barking.

The person speaking didn’t have a local accent. Lu Xingchen had... had..."

Jiang Li paused, then ducked her head to rummage through her bag. She pulled out a pen and drew a logo.

"There was a logo on the wall behind her."

"Thanks."

Zhou Tiancheng immediately spoke into his walkie-talkie.

"Zhao Shuo, notify the nearby police stations. Have them join the search."

This wasn’t just a chance to rescue Lu Xingchen, but also an opportunity to catch them all in one fell swoop.

Jiang Li glanced at Lu Xingye, who had opened his laptop and was already running searches based on the clues she’d provided.

Jiang Li watched the bustling group, careful not to interrupt. The phone in her pocket vibrated a few times.

She took it out and saw it had run out of battery.

Jiang Li managed to turn it on, and the video app she hadn’t closed pushed a video recommendation.

"Let me recommend a super delicious ham mooncake! The meat filling is so fragrant, and it’s even better steamed!"

Jiang Li’s gaze froze on the packaging. "Lu Xingye!" she called out excitedly.

Lu Xingye looked up, saw the video on her phone, and immediately took a picture of it with his own. Then he turned to find Zhou Tiancheng.

Soon, a group of officers scrambled to their vehicles, sirens blaring as they raced away.

Jiang Li nervously clutched her phone, pacing back and forth and praying silently.

Jiang Li sat down, took out her charger to plug in her dead phone, and made another appointment with her psychiatrist.

Jiang Li stared at the spot where the video had been. After a while, it was taken down. She had no idea what was happening with Ji Qinghe and the others.

Half an hour, an hour, two hours, then three hours passed. A news report caught her attention.

[Xiangyang City Police Crack a Major Case...]

Jiang Li’s body relaxed. ’So, it’s real,’ she thought.

As soon as the case was reported, the internet exploded.

[What a bunch of inhuman monsters!]

[I was there! A bunch of cops suddenly rushed in. A few of them were injured and sent to the hospital. If it weren’t for the police, who knows how many more people would have been victims.]

Jiang Li scrolled for a while. The internet was so fast these days that there were already videos of Ji Qinghe and her team storming the place to make the arrests.

One video after another appeared. Then, she saw Lu Xingchen being carried out on a stretcher.

Jiang Li unplugged her charger, said a quick word to the officer standing guard, and left for the hospital.

When she reached the door of the counseling office, her steps faltered. Although she couldn’t explain it, all of this was real.

’What if they capture me for research...’

Jiang Li lost her nerve. She swallowed hard and was about to leave.

"Ah, Jiang Li, you’re here again. How have you been the last couple of days? Still having dreams?"

Jiang Li turned to look at her psychiatrist, Zhang Haojie, with whom she had an appointment.

"Doctor Zhang, I’m much better. I just came today to tell you that, and to thank you."

Zhang Haojie broke into a smile. "As long as you’re better. Would you like to come in and sit for a bit?"

Jiang Li forced a smile and took a step back. "No, that’s okay. Thank you, Doctor Zhang."

As Jiang Li turned, she nearly bumped into someone. "Sorry, sorry, excuse me," she apologized quickly.

"It’s alright."

A gentle, refined voice sounded from above her. Jiang Li looked up at the man in front of her, dressed in a white coat and exuding an air of scholarly elegance.

Zhao Qinghe watched the girl before him, who looked as startled as a little mouse.

Jiang Li took another step back, her eyes drawn to the name tag on his chest.

Cardiac Surgery: Zhao Qinghe.

DING-A-LING~

The ringing of the phone in her pocket sounded. Jiang Li breathed a sigh of relief and seized the chance to escape.

"Hello, Officer Ji.

Really? That’s great, as long as it’s resolved. My name? No, no, you don’t need to mention me. Just leave me out of it. Yes, right. Okay, let’s keep in touch."

The moment she hung up, Jiang Li sensed something and snapped her head up.