The female's face was easily captured on the surveillance footage. After facial recognition and comparison with the large database, He Xin quickly stated, "This woman is Ye Panzhen. She met with Deng Yuanwu a month before his accident. They appear to have known each other for a long time, but seem to have become intimate only recently."
I propped my chin with my hand. Was Song Xingguo also pursuing this woman?
"I know what you're thinking, Dad, but even if he had a motive, the possibility of him being the killer is probably slim."
"Not necessarily. Until the last moment, these things are hard to say." I wasn't refuting my own conclusion or admitting to being wrong; it's just that with cases, as Liu Yuning had said before, everything relies on evidence, not just observing micro-expressions.
"Uh, alright then. I'll contact Ye Panzhen first and see what she has to say."
This woman might also have issues. Police officers wouldn't usually waste time and energy on someone irrelevant. Those sought out by the police are generally people closely connected to the case, or at least that's what the police believe. Often, after screening, if it turns out not to be the case, then one person can be ruled out.
In reality, investigations often take weeks, or even longer, to pursue a single lead. The protagonists in novels or movies who find crucial evidence instantly are just artistic embellishments.
After He Xin gave me the address, I immediately went to find Ye Panzhen. Her phone was on, and the signal was strong, indicating she wasn't deliberately hiding.
I asked Gao Mingqiang to follow me, and soon we arrived at a photography studio where she was currently located. According to her profile, she was a professional photographer with her own studio.
When we found Ye Panzhen, she seemed to know we were coming. She didn't hide anything and even proactively said, "I know about Deng Yuanwu. I learned it from his parents. You must have found out that I've been seeing him a lot lately, right?"
"Yes, that's why we've come to you!" Despite her reaction surprising me slightly, I maintained a natural tone.
"Ask what you want to know. I just finished a job and don't know when I'll be busy again!" Ye Panzhen was organizing a camera. We had waited outside the studio for a while until her client left before we went in.
The photography studio looked well-decorated, likely having cost a lot initially. Given Ye Panzhen's status, she should be considered a successful woman. Why would she be interested in someone like Deng Yuanwu?
Of course, I wasn't looking down on him, but theoretically, such a situation should be rare.
I asked Ye Panzhen, "Did you meet online?"
"Oh? Officer, have you investigated us?"
"No, firstly, there's a bit of a disparity in your backgrounds. You're also good-looking, so why..."
Before I could finish, Ye Panzhen covered her cherry-like, alluring lips and said, "Yes, I'm not young anymore. Deng Yuanwu is eight years younger than me."
"Oh? So, were you close? Have you known each other for a long time?"
"We chatted online for a long time, but we only met recently!"
"Then why didn't you meet before?" Gao Mingqiang interjected.
Ye Panzhen shook her head. "Actually, I didn't really believe in online things at first. If Deng Yuanwu hadn't been so sincere, I probably wouldn't have met him. You might not know how intensely he pursued me. He's the first man who's been so good to me. He's the kind of person who would give everything to the other. He'd chat with me late every night; we talked about everything. He'd also often ask about my life and send me 1314 every day. In just that month, I received quite a sum from him. I know you might think I'm materialistic because of this, right? Actually, after we chatted for a month, I started feeling like someone was following me after work. I didn't know how he found out where I lived. He followed me all the way to the entrance of my building and then stood outside a foot massage parlor watching me. He didn't go in, just stared at me from there. Even a woman dressed flamboyantly next to him thought he was waiting for someone to come in for a service, but that wasn't his intention at all. When I noticed him following me, I wasn't scared at all. Instead, I felt protected by an invisible force. I really liked that feeling and didn't expose it. This situation continued for about two months, until one night, I brought up meeting him. Yes, I was the one who suggested meeting him. I never imagined that after meeting me, he'd just disappear."
"That night, he arranged... no, I arranged for him to meet me at the Four Seasons Restaurant not far from my company. I arrived there before him and ordered some dishes. When he appeared, I noticed he was dressed very plainly and looked quite ordinary. Initially, I wasn't very attracted to him. After all, I'm a senior white-collar worker. Getting together with someone who looked like a construction worker seemed absurd. However, when he sat down and started talking, I realized Deng Yuanwu was very knowledgeable. He knew a lot about life, academics, and even women. I was quickly captivated by his eloquent manner. I thought to myself, even construction workers can have this side to them. When I asked him how he knew so much, he told me he read a lot of books and seemed to be writing a web novel called 'Eligos, God of Sin'."
Ye Panzhen paused there, and I became curious. "Eligos? What is that?"
Before Ye Panzhen could answer, Gao Mingqiang said, "He's a great Duke of Hell, ruling 60 legions of demons. He's depicted as a devout knight, wielding a spear, and looking like a hybrid of a snake and a lizard."
"Exactly. It seems this officer is also very knowledgeable. Yes, Deng Yuanwu knew everything. If he were still alive, I believe his work would have been a huge hit."
"Oh? Could you show us the manuscript of that work?"
"Well, it should be on his home computer. Haven't you searched his place?"
Regarding Deng Yuanwu's residence, no useful clues had been found. Ye Panzhen adjusted her clothes. Knowing that we urgently needed the manuscript, she stood up, walked into a lounge area of her studio, and brought out a laptop for us.