Chapter 200: A Female Passenger

Ten minutes after the two officers left:

“Song Wanyu, female, 31 years old, from M City, an online writer. Six years ago, while traveling, she was involved in a theft case and was listed as a suspect. After investigation, she was cleared of any suspicion. Since that trip six years ago, there’s no record of her leaving her city again. Her identity and spending records are normal, with no bad credit or criminal record.”

Wang Dong put down the tablet, still confused, and looked at Xiao Yu, who was deep in thought beside him. 

“You’re suspecting her?”

“Why not?” Xiao Yu looked up, taking the tablet back to review the suspect’s personal information again. “Do you think it’s just a coincidence? Ever since I became a cop, I stopped believing in coincidences. Last time, even accidents were being orchestrated during the assassin group case, and you still believe in coincidences?”

Wang Dong, “…”

‘I believe nothing, okay?’

Thinking back to the assassin group case, a chill ran down his spine. The ability to calculate and control ‘accidental’ occurrences—was that not terrifying?

But then Xiao Yu managed to take down that monster. So, did that mean…

“Stop looking at me like I’m a freak.” Xiao Yu shot a look at Wang Dong. “You’re gonna make me mad.”

‘Friends or not, if you jinx me, I’ll still get angry.’

“Pfft…” Wang Dong snorted, feeling more relaxed. 

Freak or not, Xiao Yu was on their side, and that was comforting. With him leading the way, it didn’t matter what case they ran into. They could just sit back and let him handle it.

“I’m warning you, don’t treat me like a tool from now on,” Xiao Yu rolled his eyes, catching on to Wang Dong’s thoughts. “You guys from National Security should stop dragging me into your jobs. I just want to be a quiet little cop.”

“Yeah, right.” Wang Dong scoffed. “Do you even believe yourself when you say that? Aren’t you the one who dug up this case in the first place?”

“Well, uh…” Xiao Yu was left speechless. 

But inside, he was screaming, ‘I’ve been framed!’

“Alright, enough messing around.” Wang Dong’s expression became serious. “Why are you looking into her?”

Xiao Yu wasn’t the type to investigate someone without reason. Both of them were smart, and Wang Dong knew there had to be a purpose.

“Her travel records,” Xiao Yu’s tone turned serious.

Their earlier banter was just a way to lighten the mood. Every seasoned detective knew the importance of staying relaxed to keep their mind sharp for investigation.

“Her travel records?” Wang Dong frowned. “You’re comparing the female passenger’s travel history with the Ji family’s?”

Exactly, how could there be so many coincidences in the world?

If the female passenger was indeed a suspect and planned to steal the platinum ball, she would have had to figure out the Ji family’s travel plans. She would need to know that the Ji family was taking that specific train, then board the same train and somehow end up in the same sleeper cabin as the Ji family.

If she was the thief, then her travel records would certainly show something suspicious. 

Buying a sleeper ticket and specifically selecting a particular carriage or seat? Impossible!

Whether you bought tickets at the train station or online, as long as there were enough available seats, the system could seat your group together, but you couldn’t choose your exact seats. That was a feature only available on high-speed trains, not regular ones.

Suddenly…

“Found it!” Xiao Yu’s face darkened as he looked at the tablet.

What he was examining wasn’t the female passenger’s ticket purchase record—because there wasn’t one for that day. 

What?

If she didn’t buy a ticket, then how did she get a sleeper ticket?

Since 2012, train tickets had been issued under real names. So yes, there was a way to travel by train even if you didn’t have a ticket under your name: by using someone else’s ticket.

But how was that possible?

It actually is. 

When picking up the ticket at the machine, all you needed was an ID card. However, during ticket checks, the train staff only checked the ticket, not the person. So…

“How did she get the ticket?” Xiao Yu squinted, puzzled.

He then looked into the Ji family’s ticket purchases. 

Online booking? Wait… four tickets booked at once?

Xiao Yu blinked, thinking he had misread. But no, the Ji family had bought four tickets using their IDs, plus the ID of a female relative of theirs. When they picked up the tickets, all four were collected at once.

But when the train departed, the Ji family’s relative didn’t show up. Instead, a stranger ended up with one of the tickets?

Xiao Yu’s mind was spinning. What kind of operation was this?

According to the investigation records, the Ji family reported on the train that they didn’t know the female passenger. But somehow, she had one of their tickets?

Did that make any sense?

“Unless…” Xiao Yu’s expression turned strange.

“Someone in the Ji family betrayed them?” Wang Dong was stunned. “Helped a thief buy a ticket to steal from their own family, and then… had them killed?”

“This level of manipulation can’t even be described as bold.” Xiao Yu’s face looked like he’d just seen a ghost. “It makes no sense.”

‘Or maybe I’m just misunderstanding this entirely, like a major international misunderstanding?’

“Whether it makes sense or not, we’ll figure that out later.” Wang Dong sneered, “Song Wanyu… there’s something seriously off. Let’s find her and question her first.”

Xiao Yu nodded.

‘Yeah, something’s definitely off.’

***

Seven hours later.

In M City, a residential building in a small apartment, one bedroom and one living room.

The suspect, Song Wanyu, was a homebody. Being a writer, she hardly ever got out.

Xiao Yu raised his hand and knocked on the door.

After a short wait, the door opened, and a woman in pajamas with disheveled hair appeared in front of Xiao Yu. 

“Who are you looking for?”

It was indeed the suspect, Song Wanyu.

She had above-average looks and a decent figure, but she gave off a cold vibe, like she’d just woken up.

“Police, we need your cooperation in an investigation.” 

Xiao Yu showed his badge, focusing on her eyes. There was no sign of panic, just confusion on her face. Nothing suspicious?

Her reaction was completely normal, which actually left Xiao Yu puzzled.

“Police?” Song Wanyu paused, then asked, “What case?”

“Let me ask you, six years ago… on [date], you left the city for a trip, right?”

Noticing that she hadn’t invited him inside, Xiao Yu decided to ask directly.

“Six years ago?” Song Wanyu looked puzzled, tilting her head as she thought for a moment before shaking her head. “Officer, you must be mistaken. I haven’t left this city since I finished college.”

Xiao Yu’s heart skipped a beat.

His gaze toward Song Wanyu suddenly became suspicious.