Chapter 77: Something Is Amiss

Realizing that her actions might bring about severe legal consequences, Yang Huishu seemed to regret the “candor” she had displayed earlier. But words, once spoken, are like water spilled—irretrievable. Moreover, her programmer fan, frightened, had already handed over all their previous conversation records, and Kang Ge was in the process of recovering everything the programmer had deleted.

With these pieces of evidence laid out, Yang Huishu could no longer deny or refuse to admit her involvement. After some desperate arguments, she eventually provided the proof of ticket purchase, making her motive and the process of her crime almost entirely clear. All that remained was to send the samples to the provincial bureau for testing. If new findings emerged, the case’s conclusion might hold other possibilities; but if no anomalies were found, the "prank" Yang Huishu orchestrated would likely be the true cause of Wang Yuluo’s death.

After handling these matters, Ning Shuyi returned to her office and sat at her desk, lost in thought. She didn’t feel relieved; instead, a deeper confusion troubled her. The whole process of the case seemed off to her, as if something didn't quite add up.

“No, I need to go find Dr. Zhang and ask for more information!” After a moment of silence, she suddenly stood up, said a word to Huo Yan, and hurried out.

Huo Yan was momentarily startled, instinctively rising to follow her. Together, they sought out Dr. Zhang, who had not yet left work.

When Dr. Zhang saw Ning Shuyi, he wasn’t surprised; he seemed quite used to her way of doing things and smiled, “What’s the matter? Is there something else you don’t understand?”

“Dr. Zhang, I want to ask—if we rule out the possibility of any rare toxins, based solely on the timing of Wang Yuluo’s death and the concentration of blood residue from our samples, is it certain that the shock could have caused her death?”

“Well… I can’t give you a one hundred percent definitive answer.” Dr. Zhang shook his head. “The concentration of residue in the blood is nowhere near fatal levels. But under those conditions, how much stimulus is needed to trigger sudden cardiac death? It really depends on the individual—there’s no firm conclusion.”

In other words, it’s a matter of probability. Combined with each person’s unique health status, the differences are significant. Some might have heart issues and, say, be startled by a cat jumping out at a corner and then succumb. All we can say now is: because we detected that special toad toxin in Wang Yuluo’s blood, there’s indeed a possibility of sudden death after a strong shock or fright, but the probability is impossible to quantify.”

“If sudden cardiac death occurs due to fright, what is the usual process?” Ning Shuyi listened to Dr. Zhang’s careful reply and raised another question.

“That too varies from person to person. If it’s fast, the whole process—from discomfort to death—can take four to six minutes. If slower, it could take fifteen to twenty minutes.” Dr. Zhang patiently explained, “But whether fast or slow, it starts with the onset of discomfort—a relatively complete process. Though it’s called sudden death, it’s never a case of someone just suddenly keeling over without warning!”

After he finished, he looked at the thoughtful Ning Shuyi, feeling a bit curious himself. “I heard you’ve already arrested the person who provided Wang Yuluo with the toad and the one who deliberately gave her tickets to a horror film. Are there still unresolved doubts in this case?”

“I can’t say for sure right now, but the process of Wang Yuluo’s death seems unreasonable,” Ning Shuyi replied, her brows slightly furrowed, her expression focused yet tinged with confusion. “Yang Huishu’s plan to kill using another’s hand is undeniable, but there are parts I still can’t figure out.

Even though she devised such a plan, her intent was for Wang Yuluo to die, but ultimately it was a gamble. If Wang Yuluo truly died from mental shock, then Yang Huishu won her bet and should be judged accordingly. But what if she didn’t win, and Wang Yuluo happened to die in the trap she set? Wouldn’t Yang Huishu become the scapegoat?

No matter what, the best conclusion would be attempted indirect homicide. But if an attempted perpetrator is made to bear the guilt of actual homicide, the real killer could walk free.”

“Your rigorous attitude is correct. We’ve done everything we can on our end. Now it’s up to the bureau to send back the test report, and your suspicion will be clarified then!” Dr. Zhang admired the earnestness, even stubbornness, of this young woman, and smiled to reassure her.

Ning Shuyi nodded, said no more, thanked Dr. Zhang, and returned to the office with Huo Yan.

She did not feel any lighter for Dr. Zhang’s comfort; her heart was still heavy with worry. The facts were clear: Yang Huishu did design a plan intended to cause Wang Yuluo’s death. But whether Wang Yuluo’s death truly stemmed from that plan was not an absolute conclusion.

Others around Wang Yuluo also had motives, though with the test samples not yet returned, the potential methods remain unconfirmed. Motive alone is not enough to establish anyone’s guilt.

Now, the fear was that Yang Huishu might have gambled on killing Wang Yuluo without anyone knowing, but lost—and the real culprit is not her.

If there were other suspects, arresting Yang Huishu openly before the cause of death was determined might serve as a smokescreen to confuse the true perpetrator, who would otherwise remain hidden and alert.

But at present, there was no one particularly suspicious—only a slew of people with motive but no opportunity. In this situation, the real suspect could easily slip away amidst the confusion, even using the uncertain cause of death to frantically destroy evidence. If they waited for the conclusion and then started a deeper investigation, it would likely be far more difficult.

As Ning Shuyi walked back, she rapidly reviewed in her mind all the details since she took over the case. Several times, if Huo Yan hadn’t pulled her back, she would have nearly collided with colleagues rounding a corner.

Returning to the office, Ning Shuyi went straight to the computer and called up the surveillance footage from the cinema’s projection hall recorded that day. Huo Yan sat beside her, Ning Shuyi made room, and together they watched the screen intently.