Chapter 277: The Perfect Crime

In this world, there exists a specific type of person. These individuals strive for perfection in everything they do. It is both a psychological desire and a psychological contradiction.

At times, they find nothing to their satisfaction, often falling into deep inner conflict. After all, nothing in the world is truly flawless.

But perfectionists possess an innate compulsion. They channel this energy into every aspect of life, tirelessly working to improve and refine, seeking perfection with unwavering enthusiasm.

In his previous life, Xiao Yu encountered a case like this.

The criminal in that case was a perfectionist. This individual elevated perfectionism to its peak. Their crimes were entirely devoid of any practical motivation.

No motive?

That’s right—what people often refer to as crimes of passion.

You’ve likely heard of crimes of passion before: sudden, impulsive acts of violence. 

But this particular type of crime was something more—an act of pure self-expression. It was a way to prove one’s abilities, even to showcase them, or to pursue perfection itself.

Criminals like this are not only prideful but also highly intelligent and cunning.

To them, committing a crime is an art form—a display of talent. In their eyes, both the process of the crime and the victims themselves become tools to prove their skill and exhibit their artistry.

Throughout the crime, they deliberately flaunt their abilities, intelligence, and aesthetic sensibilities.

Everything they do must surpass others.

It is perfectionism taken to an extreme—far beyond mere obsessive-compulsive behavior.

Xiao Yu never imagined that in this life, he would once again encounter such a criminal.

Thinking back to the case he experienced in his previous life, his expression gradually turned grim.

“What’s wrong?” He Li glanced at Xiao Yu, puzzled. “What did you think of?”

“Something very troubling. Or maybe it’s just my imagination.” Xiao Yu’s face was cold and serious. “If it’s not, the difficulty of solving this case might be overwhelming.”

As if to confirm his thoughts—

【Ding! Case triggered successfully.】

【Police God case sign-in unlocked.】

【Would the host like to sign in?】

Xiao Yu, “…”

‘The system really is shameless. Are you trying to redeem yourself here? Sign in.’

【Ding! Congratulations, host, on successfully signing in to the case.】

【System reward: Skill – Movement Expert.】

【System task issued: Solve the Perfect Murder Case.】

【Time limit: 15 days.】

【If the host completes the task within the time limit, an additional system skill reward will be granted: Rhino Defense.】

【If the host fails to complete the task within the time limit, all system abilities granted will be revoked.】

【Task countdown begins now.】

In an instant, countless pieces of data flooded into Xiao Yu’s mind. His body seemed to undergo subtle changes. Countless skills and abilities related to “movement” integrated seamlessly into him. Rock climbing, parkour, surfing—each one now felt as natural as breathing.

Snapping back to reality, Xiao Yu rolled his eyes and shifted his thoughts to the mission’s time limit.

‘Fifteen days? That’s manageable.’ Xiao Yu exhaled a breath of relief.

A 15-day time limit wasn’t too long or too short. It also hinted that the danger level of the case wasn’t exceedingly high.

But, if this were just an ordinary murder case, this 15-day time limit had an ominous edge to it. It meant that finding the culprit would be exceptionally challenging.

Suddenly, Xiao Yu’s phone rang.

“What’s the situation?” he asked, glancing at the caller ID—Guo Qiang.

“Boss, the surveillance footage is a bit odd. Do you want to come back and check it out, or should I bring it to you?” Guo Qiang’s voice came through the line.

“I’ll head back,” Xiao Yu replied before ending the call.

He turned to He Li. “Sister He, I’ll head out first. Let me know if you find anything else.”

“Got it.” He Li waved him off, already pulling on a fresh pair of latex gloves and donning her mask again. Her eyes gleamed with focus as she turned back to the dissected body parts.

‘What the…’ Xiao Yu rolled his eyes as he left.

Anyone who could work as a forensic pathologist and enjoy dissecting bodies had to have something a little off.

Driving back to the Criminal Investigation Division, Xiao Yu saw that Zhao Changshan and Zhou Tinghu were still at their posts. With a homicide case, no one on the team was getting any rest.

When Xiao Yu arrived, everyone was gathered in the conference room, watching surveillance footage through a projector. The footage itself seemed normal at first glance. It was a compilation of clips showing the victim, Jiang Xiuran, entering and leaving his residential complex.

But something stood out.

Over the past month, Jiang Xiuran had occasionally exhibited an unusual pattern of behavior. He would leave late at night—around 11 p.m.—and return early in the morning, around 4 a.m.

This had occurred five times in the past month.

Could it be related to the case?

“Follow up on this,” Zhao Changshan ordered.

One of the deputy team leaders nodded, taking a few officers with him as they left the room.

“Xiao Yu, what’s your take on this?” Zhou Tinghu asked.

‘I’m not Yuan Fang.’ Xiao Yu felt a mild sense of PTSD from this phrase.

Sometimes, he envied the protagonist of a certain detective anime from his past life—Conan. Spin up a washing machine, and bam, instant encyclopedia—there was nothing he didn’t know.

‘But I’m a normal person, okay?’

At that moment, Xiao Yu pouted, looking every bit like a struggling student facing the disappointed sighs of an elder. 

“No strong opinions yet, but…”

He picked up the remote for the projector and rewound the surveillance footage. When the video paused on a frame showing the victim’s face, he zoomed in and locked the image.

“This is odd,” he muttered, frowning as he stared at the victim, Jiang Xiuran. “Coming home at 4 a.m., yet his face is full of excitement? If I’m not mistaken, in all five occurrences over the past month, he had the same expression when he returned. Does that seem normal to you?”

The human body follows a biological clock.

For most people, their body operates normally during the day and uses nighttime to recover—especially during the early morning hours, when fatigue usually peaks.

Excitement at that hour? Nearly impossible.

On the screen, Jiang Xiuran not only appeared highly excited but also seemed in excellent spirits.

Once or twice could be a coincidence, but five times in a row? Something was definitely off.

What could make someone this exhilarated every time they returned home in the early hours of the morning?

Isn’t that strange?

As Xiao Yu pointed this out, the others began brainstorming. After finishing his analysis, Xiao Yu couldn’t help but think of the system’s mission.

Could the victim’s unusual excitement be connected to the murderer?

A perfect crime?

He sneered.

Are you even worthy?