Chapter 38: Psychotic State

Tu Shan stroked her chin: "Leader, look, every sentence he says is filled with adjectives to increase credibility—it's flamboyant, full of nonsense, with only a few scattered sentences that are concise."

"Also, when he speaks, he likes to put the time and location at the very beginning of the sentence."

"For example, we would usually say, 'We gathered at the park last night,' but he is used to saying, 'Last night, the park, that's where we gathered.'"

"Look at this sentence he said: 'The twentieth, at night, the pier, depart on time.'"

"But look at this sentence with a time and location: 'Must be delivered to the pier before tonight.'"

"Don't they seem different?"

He Jiahuan nodded: "But which one is true, and which one is false?"

"When he's spouting nonsense, he definitely won't care about so many details. Only when he's deliberately telling the truth to make others believe him will he pay special attention to his tone and inflection, terrified that others won't know."

He Jiahuan frowned: "So, the sentence 'deliver the goods to the pier before tonight' is true? And this sentence is also very short, which aligns with your speculation."

Tu Shan shook her head: "Not necessarily. This sentence was said by Lin Yong. It's possible they reached a tacit understanding to deliberately say the same thing so we would believe it's true."

He Jiahuan's brows knotted: "Then how do we judge?"

"Use your brain to judge."

He Jiahuan...

Tu Shan grinned: "We can't judge whether these words are true or false, but we can judge what they want us to believe and what they don't want us to believe."

"They definitely want us to believe the matter of having to deliver the goods to the pier before tonight."

"Captain, tell me, could there be an ambush waiting for us at the pier?"

He Jiahuan pondered; it was not impossible.

"Also, Captain, I want to verify one thing. Can you call Xu Zhi back?"

He Jiahuan looked at her and called Xu Zhi back.

"What's up? I'm in the middle of a mission."

Tu Shan asked him: "No results?"

Xu Zhi waved his hand: "Zhang Limei is very normal. Work, home, a straight line between two points, nothing unusual. Her living environment is very pure and clean."

Tu Shan stated firmly: "You've been exposed."

Xu Zhi stepped back, refuting: "Impossible. Although my skills aren't great, tracking and monitoring an ordinary person is no problem."

Tu Shan clicked her tongue: "How do you know Zhang Limei is an ordinary person?"

"Also, Zhang Limei has a very good reputation at the hospital. Can someone with a good reputation live a life of just work and home, with zero social interaction? Such a person would only be called reclusive and introverted, with average relationships with others."

"Since she has a good reputation, when people chat with her, wouldn't they mention you? Did you really not let any medical staff see you? Someone saw you, right? You appeared at the hospital for no reason; would they not discuss it?"

"So, Zhang Limei has a guilty conscience. After knowing of your existence, regardless of whether it has anything to do with her, wouldn't she act very cautiously?"

Xu Zhi was speechless for a moment: "But your deduction is based on the premise that Zhang Limei has a problem. What if Zhang Limei is innocent?"

Tu Shan was righteous and firm: "She is not innocent. I firmly believe I didn't see or hear wrong, and besides, Tian Junjie admitted his relationship with her."

Xu Zhi looked at He Jiahuan, and He Jiahuan nodded.

Although he had also suspected whether Tian Junjie was deliberately dragging Zhang Limei into the water to create a distraction, combining the events before and after, he felt the possibility was very low.

More importantly, he believed what Tu Shan said.

So, Zhang Limei definitely had a problem.

Tu Shan asked: "Which hospital is Lin Yong being held in? Has Zhang Limei been to that hospital?"

She asked Xu Zhi.

He Jiahuan also looked at Xu Zhi.

Xu Zhi had cold sweat on his forehead; he wiped it away and thought carefully.

"Lin Yong is at Kangtai Hospital, the closest one to us. Yesterday, there was an exchange meeting between the Military Hospital and Kangtai Hospital. It was an activity where doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, and other staff from the two hospitals learned from each other."

"Zhang Limei went as a representative of the nursing assistants. I went to monitor in the afternoon; they had just returned from Kangtai Hospital, and it was lively, so I caught a bit of it."

Tu Shan affirmed: "Zhang Limei has seen Lin Yong and knows Tian Junjie was caught. They are using us to pass messages."

"So even if Xu Zhi hadn't been exposed, Zhang Limei would still be cautious and keep a low profile."

He Jiahuan said: "But Lin Yong only woke up today."

Tu Shan chuckled: "Who can be sure of that?"

He Jiahuan was speechless. So, Tian Junjie had been acting from the very beginning.

The things Lin Yong confessed were said on purpose.

There must be some cryptic words in there; even if Tu Shan didn't point them out, Tian Junjie would know.

Xu Zhi said: "Should we arrest Zhang Limei?"

Tu Shan shook her head: "I'm very curious about what exactly is at the pier."

He Jiahuan said: "Xu Zhi, continue to track and monitor Zhang Limei."

Xu Zhi didn't understand: "Why? I've already been exposed."

He Jiahuan snorted coldly: "Aren't they playing us for fools? Then let's play along with them. You continue to track and monitor, let them think we don't know anything and are being led around by the nose."

"In this situation, they will definitely do something else to show off their abilities and satisfy their twisted sense of humor."

"We aren't afraid of them acting; we're only afraid of them not acting."

"Little Tu, you continue to maintain your 'crazy' state. If they have any words that need to be passed on, you pass them on."

Tu Shan glared at He Jiahuan: "Leader, I hope you speak more precisely. What do you mean by 'crazy' state?"

He Jiahuan went deaf and walked away immediately.

Xu Zhi, afraid of being caught in the crossfire, also slipped away quickly.

Tu Shan was unconvinced and chased after him for an explanation: "Leader? Leader? Leader..."

After work in the afternoon, Tu Shan pushed her little cart and left, grumbling.

He Jiahuan wiped away cold sweat: "That brat is too difficult to deal with."

A group of colleagues nearby covered their mouths and snickered.

He Jiahuan glared angrily: "What are you still standing there for?"

Everyone left work in a flash.

Before going home, Tu Shan went to get two bags of grain.

Old Master Zongzheng was craving chicken, so she stopped by to catch one on the way back, and grabbed two wild rabbits for herself.

She strolled back home.

Her chores were done, and at this hour, there weren't many people around, only Auntie Wang, who was bored and cursing in the courtyard.

She cursed the tenants for making her courtyard a mess, cursed the unruly kids for pooping and peeing everywhere, and cursed the lazy women for not cleaning up even when their rooms started to stink.

The old lady was full of energy.

Seeing Tu Shan return, Auntie Wang looked her up and down: "I say, Tu Sanmei, is this little cart of mine now surnamed Tu?"

Tu Shan... She had used it so smoothly that she had forgotten about it.

She took out two yuan and stuffed it into Auntie Wang's hand: "Two days' rental fee, keep it safe, old lady."

Auntie Wang hummed: "At least you're sensible." She nimbly stuffed it into her pocket and looked at Tu Shan again: "You go out early and come back late every day, never seeing you around, what exactly have you been doing?"

Tu Shan's eyes lit up, and she grinned, showing her teeth: "Didn't I tell you? I found a job, at the Criminal Police Team. Look, here's the work certificate."

Auntie Wang's eyes almost popped out. On the paper with the big red stamp, the three characters "Tu Sanmei" made her eyes ache.

No, what right did Tu Sanmei have?

As Auntie Wang reached out her claws, Tu Shan quickly put the certificate away and tucked it into her small black bag.

"Auntie, come to me if you have any trouble in the future, especially when that unfilial son of yours comes to cause trouble again. I'll send him in to stay for a few days, and I guarantee he'll be filial to you in the future."

Tu Shan was still a bit puzzled. Wang Fugui had been beaten up and had boasted that he would help that "Brother Xiao" take her down, so why was there no movement?

Did he run away?