Beneath the Dome, Sin within Sins

“Lu-Ge, are you saying this is a tricky case to handle?”

I shook my head and spoke calmly, “Compared to the previous cases, this one is much easier. At the very least, the murderer in this case is among us.”

Su Mo was momentarily stunned by my words, then wore an expression of disbelief and said, “You… you mean that? Could it really be true?”

“Of course. When have I ever lied? Besides, the murderer is likely someone the victim was acquainted with.”

“What do you mean?” Tian Chuan, who had appeared out of nowhere, eagerly leaned in, intrigued by what I had said and wanting to know more.

I glanced at Tian Chuan and continued, “Because there are no signs of struggle on the victim’s body, and no chemicals that could cause unconsciousness were found in the victim’s nose or mouth. Yet the victim was killed in one swift strike. This suggests that the case is most likely a crime committed by someone they knew-someone very close to the victim.”

“Exactly. Otherwise, the victim wouldn’t have let the person get close so easily.”

“So, you’re saying this isn’t the first crime scene?” Tian Chuan asked at this point.

I nodded and continued, “However, while we search for the first crime scene, what’s more important right now is to investigate the people who had grievances or grudges against the victim.”

Hearing this, Su Mo’s mouth twitched slightly, and he said with a hint of sarcasm, “Are you saying we’re supposed to go around snooping into people’s private matters like some nosy aunt?”

“Private matters? Are you kidding me? These are crucial details for the case. If we don’t uncover the intricate connections between them and the victim, this case will become much more challenging,” I said seriously.

Tian Chuan thought that Su Mo and I were arguing, so he quickly stepped in to diffuse the situation. “Alright, alright. I’ll take care of this. After all, I’m a police officer here, so it’ll be much easier for me to gather information than it would be for you two.”

After saying that, Tian Chuan turned around and walked off. Watching his retreating figure, I couldn’t help but furrow my brow slightly. These dormmates of mine, what a bunch of action-takers!

“That guy bolted off way too fast!” Su Mo said, frowning in mild exasperation. “If he just storms in and starts asking questions like that, do you think they’re really going to talk to him?”

“Of course not. Trust me, he’ll be back out within a minute.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, Tian Chuan’s figure reappeared in our line of sight.

He walked back over to us, frustration written all over his face. “I barely got through half a sentence before they kicked me out. Those people have no respect for the police!”

Su Mo sighed at Tian Chuan’s story, then stepped forward, giving him a serious pat on the shoulder. “It’s a miracle you’ve managed to last this long in your job.”

“They were really mean! If you don’t believe me, you can go ask them yourself!” Tian Chuan retorted indignantly.

“What makes you think I’d actually go ask them? Use your head a little. Even if they really did talk to you, do you think they’d tell you the truth?”

“Huh? You’re saying they’d lie?” Tian Chuan looked utterly shocked.

Seeing the baffled look on his face, I let out a long sigh. What a bunch of fools I’m surrounded by.

If we were ever going to find out what really happened with this family, there was only one person I could turn to-Bai Yue. After all, out of everyone, she was the one who knew this household best.

With that thought, I made my way to Bai Yue’s lounge.

When Bai Yue saw me enter, she immediately stood up in a hurry. “How’s it going? Has anything been resolved yet?”

I shook my head and replied, “Not yet. But I do have some questions I want to ask you.”

“Alright, if there’s anything I can help with, I’ll do my best!”

“I’d like to know more about the people in your household. Would you mind sharing?”

“No problem. I’ll tell you everything I know.”

As she spoke, I noticed her eyes were red and puffy. It seemed like she’d been crying just moments ago.

Seeing Bai Yue like this, I hesitated. Asking her to recall the past would undoubtedly be painful for her, and I felt a pang of guilt.

“If you’re not comfortable talking about it right now, I can always ask someone else.”

But Bai Yue shook her head and managed a faint, reassuring smile. “It’s fine. More than anyone, I want to know who killed my aunt. She treated me with such kindness and care-I owe her that much.”

Since she had already said this, I saw no need to hesitate further. Clearing my throat, I got straight to the point and asked the questions that had been troubling me.

“My uncle and aunt always had a financial arrangement between them. My aunt didn’t like it and wanted to end it by the end of the year, but it seems my uncle wasn’t too pleased by the decision. Still, since it was my aunt’s decision, he didn’t have much say in the matter.

“As for my cousin… my aunt didn’t like her at all. My aunt found my cousin’s behavior disgraceful and believed she was bringing shame to the family. My aunt always wanted to get rid of her.

“Then there’s my younger sister. At first, my aunt doted on her-not so much out of genuine fondness, but more of a spoiled favoritism. However, three months ago, Caiyin suddenly had a drastic personality shift. She became extremely disrespectful to my aunt and started spending a lot of time with Zhao Ying.

“Lastly, Zhao Ying. There was a moment when I accidentally witnessed a conflict between her and my aunt, during which my aunt said some extremely harsh things.”

“Harsh?” I furrowed my brow curiously. “What exactly did she say?”

“My aunt told Zhao Ying that her existence in the world was nothing more than a waste of life.”

Hearing this, I couldn’t help but fall silent, lost in contemplation. It seemed that the relationship between Zhao Ying and Song Sisi was quite strained. I never would have imagined such a major conflict between two people who, at first glance, appeared to have no real connection.

“Do you know anything about your aunt’s business partners?” I asked.

Bai Yue shook her head and replied, slightly embarrassed, “My aunt never let me get involved in the hotel’s affairs.”

“Alright, I understand. You should get some rest now. I promise you, I’ll prove your innocence.”

Bai Yue looked at me in shock. “So you believe me now?”

“I never really thought you were the murderer. But at the beginning of the case, I couldn’t just rule anyone out so easily.”

After saying this, I turned and walked away. Now, my task was to examine all the evidence and piece together the identity of the real murderer.

The murder case that took place on the darkened stage-what was the true motive behind it? The answer would reveal itself before sunrise tomorrow!