Initially, Gao Muyang suspected Chu Lingyun might have a mental disorder. Ye Tianzong conducted comprehensive cognitive, psychiatric, and psychological evaluations. The results came back entirely normal; in fact, her scores significantly surpassed the average for her age group.
With that possibility ruled out, Gao Muyang then wondered if she had ingested something hallucinogenic.
First, Daniu tested her for alcohol – negative. Next, Yao, the forensic examiner from the police lab, ran blood and urine tests – no traces of drugs or medications were found.
She hadn't accidentally eaten poisonous mushrooms or licked a toad either. All results were within normal, negative ranges.
Out of options, Gao Muyang deployed the final trump card: the polygraph. He pulled out the interrogation transcript and questioned Chu Lingyun based on her own statements. She answered fluently and smoothly passed the test.
This was a polygraph with over 95% accuracy. Passing it, combined with the previous cross-verifications, essentially confirmed Chu Lingyun was telling the truth. It also proved the world truly was full of wonders.
Not just Gao Muyang, but everyone present felt their worldview undergo a seismic quake, shattering into rubble, desperately needing reconstruction.
Yet Gao Muyang remained unconvinced. The sequence of events was simply too bizarre, too counter-intuitive. Even if spoken aloud, no one could be expected to accept it immediately; it required ample time to digest.
Faced with this deluge of information, his brain felt jammed. Acting on impulse, he decided to test Chu Lingyun one more time. He abruptly cupped her face, turning it towards him, and stared intensely into her eyes, his expression grave:
"Look at me. Am I a dog, a toad, or a duck?" Gao Muyang wasn't losing his mind. He'd read news reports: people poisoned by certain mushrooms might hallucinate medical staff as animals – dogs helping them up, toads carrying them away. Chasing them off could delay critical treatment...
Hearing this nonsensical question, Chu Lingyun blinked, then rolled her eyes in utter disdain. "I think you're the one who's sick!"
Her retort provoked a burst of laughter from the onlookers. "Yang-ge, did you take the wrong pills? Or has this case finally driven you mad? Hahaha~"
Gao Muyang lowered his head, a mix of embarrassment and confusion washing over him. He realized his spur-of-the-moment question was incredibly stupid. It reminded him of a Chinese myth:
Only the weasel spirits (huangpizi) went around asking people if they looked human or divine. He, Gao Muyang, was undeniably human! Why even ask?
(The Huangpizi Seeking Confirmation: A popular myth in Northern China. Huangpizi, or weasels, seeking to become immortals, would block travelers' paths, asking in human speech if they looked like a person or a god. If answered, the person's luck and lifespan were said to transfer to the weasel, aiding its cultivation.)
Gao Muyang's face burned crimson. He was thoroughly embarrassed. But it didn't matter; he'd redeem himself shortly. Piecing together the known information yielded significant clues. He mentally sifted through the details.
First, Chu Lingyun's account was credible. Therefore, the basic fire scene scenario derived from it was likely accurate: The fire originated in the young man's east-side apartment. The cause probably lay with him. It was likely the single point of ignition.
According to Lingyun's dream, this young man, reminiscent of Edison Chen, had woken in the dream, tried to fight the fire, and struggled for help. This pointed towards an accidental fire. Once the cause was confirmed, the case could be closed.
Thinking this, he urgently contacted the fire department. Had they found key evidence? Could they determine the cause? The answer was negative. The cause remained undetermined.
The only certainty was the origin: the east apartment. It was the most severely damaged, almost unrecognizable. Crucial evidence had likely been incinerated, vastly complicating the investigation.
Just as everyone felt stumped, Gao Muyang had a flash of insight. His eyes lit up as he turned eagerly to Chu Lingyun. "Wait! I remember! When you described the dream, didn't you say the east apartment was a live-work space?"
Chu Lingyun looked puzzled. "Yeah? So?"
Gao Muyang's eyes gleamed. "You said it looked like an art studio? Cluttered with canvases, frames, paintings? The guy slept on a small bed nearby, right?"
Chu Lingyun was baffled. "Yes, yes! You've asked a million times! All I saw in the dream was a messy studio, a handsome guy waking up suddenly…"
"Exactly! Because it was messy! Think harder! What exactly was piled up in that room?"
Chu Lingyun obediently recalled, ticking items off on her fingers: "Hmm… paintings. Oil paintings, sketches, gouache, watercolors. All kinds of art supplies: paper, brushes, paints, palettes, canvases, frames, brushes… solvents…"
She paused at "solvents." Her head snapped up, locking eyes with Gao Muyang. She understood. She grasped exactly what he meant.
Paintings are made of paper and pigment. Oil paintings use oil-based mediums. The whole room was packed with combustibles! Why look elsewhere for an ignition source? And though handsome, the guy's habits were terrible:
She remembered seeing messy personal items, scented candles, beer bottles knocked over haphazardly… and he probably smoked – she'd seen cigarette butts and an ashtray…
Any of these could be the source. A single spark could have ignited the inferno that claimed so many lives. So, Gao Muyang was right. The problem absolutely stemmed from the east apartment. That young man was likely the unwitting architect of this tragedy!
Realizing this, a wave of sadness washed over Lingyun. A good-looking guy, seemingly so lost and defeated, carelessly losing his young life to make ends meet… and dragging so many innocents – the elderly, the children – down with him. It felt unbearably unjust.
The situation was clear. But the evidence? How to prove the culprit was someone else – the victim himself? Silence fell over the group until Gao Muyang smacked his forehead as if divinely inspired.
He said the evidence was staring them in the face. He jerked his chin towards Chu Lingyun. She pointed at herself, confused. "Me? Again?"
"Yes! Exactly!" Gao Muyang declared. "If you could just dream in more detail, what evidence would we lack? With your dream as our guide, pointing the way, what clue could evade us?"
Chu Lingyun was momentarily speechless, then indignation flared. "You—! That nightmare scared me half to death just once, and you expect me to do it again? Hmph! You do it! I won't!"
Her voice rose, words tumbling out like rapid fire: "I was just helping out of goodwill! Now you want to use me like a beast of burden? Haven't you ordered me around enough? And after wrongly accusing me, hurting me… I was being magnanimous not holding it against you!"
Sensing the tension, Gao Muyang wanted to soothe her, but words failed him. A results-driven straight guy, he was hopeless at sweet-talking or understanding a woman's feelings.
Gazi, watching nearby, almost laughed out loud. He quickly stepped in to salvage the situation for his buddy, turning to Lingyun with an ingratiating smile:
"Our fault! Totally our bad! Little Ancestor, Little Goddess, please, just this last time? We'll be eternally grateful! When commendations are handed out, we absolutely won't forget your immense contribution!"
Gazi was slick, saying all the right things. More ambitious than Muyang, he talked of nothing but merits and awards. With Chu Lingyun as such an accurate source, he wouldn't let her slip away easily. Sticking close to her was like a mouse falling into a rice bin – the case clearance rate would soar, awards and bonuses practically guaranteed!
"Besides," Gazi added, playing the guilt card, "I know you have a Bodhisattva-like merciful heart. You couldn't possibly turn your back on so many lost lives~"
Wow, laying it on thick. Gazi was now morally pressuring Lingyun from multiple angles, arguing the necessity of her continued help.
This was the same guy who'd called her "little potato" earlier! Now, needing a favor, he'd changed his tune. Lingyun felt disgusted by Gazi's sycophantic, two-faced nature, his opportunism and greed.
But for her own sake, knowing the truth sooner was better. It would save her a lot of trouble. Fine, fine, Chu Lingyun thought. One last time.
So, under Gao Muyang's earnest gaze, she agreed to once more venture into the mysterious dreamscape, seeking its hidden secrets.
However, man proposes, but heaven disposes. Just when everything seemed ready, no one anticipated the unexpected hurdle: Chu Lingyun simply couldn't fall asleep.
Of course she couldn't! She'd consumed copious amounts of coffee, endured an emotionally charged day, the coffee shop was hardly conducive to rest, and a group of people were practically breathing down her neck! Falling asleep under these conditions would be a miracle!
Gao Muyang checked the time. It was well past the end of the shift. He decisively dismissed the group, instructing them to rest and regroup the next day.
He kept only Ye Tianzong. Then, he escorted Chu Lingyun to Ye Tianzong's clinic for a session of professional hypnosis.
Chu Lingyun felt the sky fall. Exhausted and pushed to her limit, her inner voice wailed in despair: O heavens—O earth—What did I do to deserve this—! You still won't let me go?!