Chapter 21: The Time Trap—Su Chen’s Patient Waiting!

Chapter 21: The Time Trap, Su Chen’s Patient Wait

Jinling University was the finest institution in Jinling City, a top-tier 985 university. Only the best students from various provinces could gain admission.

By nearly 9:50 p.m., darkness had fully settled.

Su Chen and his companions parked the car by the roadside. Rolling down the window, they gazed into the vast campus, where a dozen towering buildings stood at intervals.

Pure white light filtered softly from countless window panes. Even at this late hour, many students were still studying.

“Our security post for night duty here… it’s been established for decades since that case, hasn’t it?” Su Chen asked from the front seat.

At this, Zhao Long and Wang Ping in the back exchanged a glance, their faces tinged with unease.

It seemed that for any local from Jinling, mentioning that decades-old unsolved case still stirred deep unease—testament to the profound impact the “Top Ten Unsolved Cases of Long Nation” had on the populace.

“It’s become an old tradition,” Zhao Long leaned forward and whispered to Su Chen, “Though it seems people rarely bring it up nowadays, the shadow the Jinling University dismemberment case cast still lingers, refusing to fade.”

“The police have suffered all these years too… Jinling’s Public Security Bureau hasn’t had it easy,” he added.

“That’s right,” Wang Ping chimed in, intrigued by the mention of the case.

He leaned closer, continuing, “Little brother Su, you probably know this variety show we have today evolved from a long-standing tradition in Long Nation. It’s now called the Public Security Criminal Investigation Skills Competition. Back in ancient times, it was known as the Divine Case Judging Exam, considered one of the two major selection systems alongside the civil and military imperial exams.”

“In fact, this competition was always an internal affair within the police system. You know why in recent years they’ve brought it out into the open and turned it into a televised show?”

Su Chen paused, then shook his head. He had no familiarity with this internal police assessment or its historical roots.

“Why?” he asked.

Wang Ping’s face suddenly grew serious.

“Because of the statute of limitations.”

“You mean the statute of limitations on unsolved cases?” Su Chen’s eyes brightened with understanding.

According to Long Nation’s law, for crimes punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty, the statute of limitations is twenty years.

The Jinling University dismemberment case happened exactly twenty years ago.

This meant the statute of limitations was about to expire, and the police would soon have to archive the case.

If the killer were still alive… then they would forever escape justice, roaming free without consequence.

Wang Ping continued, “Because the statute of limitations is near, negative public sentiment has been growing. So, the police launched this variety show to showcase modern criminal investigation capabilities and reassure the public.”

Hearing this, Su Chen sighed deeply and shook his head slightly.

“But just flexing muscles probably won’t do much good. Can countless successful drills erase the sorrow and shame left by that unsolved case?”

His words silenced the car instantly.

Zhao Long and Wang Ping opened their mouths but found no reply. Though younger, Su Chen’s reasoning was sound.

Even delayed justice cannot be called justice.

What of absent justice?

In the silence, Su Chen continued calmly, “If it were me, I’d confront this unsolved case openly. I’d spare no effort to solve it. After all, the statute of limitations hasn’t expired yet. We should let the killer know the police won’t relent, not even for a second, and will arrest them as long as there’s a shred of hope.”

“That—that is how we truly reclaim our dignity,” he declared.

“Good!” Wang Ping and Zhao Long suddenly exclaimed, then patted Su Chen’s shoulder and gave thumbs-up.

“If we’ve got people like you in the Public Security Bureau, society is safe.”

Su Chen smiled faintly, nodding then shaking his head as he turned away.

He wondered what the expert panel would think when he reenacted the case and laid out the Jinling University dismemberment before them.

This parallel world had many unsolved cases and numerous detective organizations—both official and unofficial—with highly respected detectives and police experts among them.

Solving an unsolved case was the highest honor, akin to winning a Nobel Prize in criminal investigation.

Perhaps the very existence of these organizations reflected the widespread desire for closure on unsolved cases.

…

Minutes slipped by unnoticed amid the conversation in the car.

Ding-dong…

The final bell for evening study rang out, its crisp metallic chime echoing across the Jinling University campus.

Students gradually streamed out, some heading back to dormitories, others to rented rooms off-campus.

Su Chen and his colleagues remained vigilant, their eyes sharp as spotlights, watching the students closely to prevent any unexpected danger.

Soon, most students had dispersed.

Taking advantage of a moment when his two comrades were staring out the window, Su Chen pulled out his phone and opened the chat window with the police chief’s daughter.

Earlier, when he hacked into the chief’s phone, he had transferred control to his own device, making communication via the chief’s account easy.

He typed:

“Don’t worry too much. The police officer you’re waiting for has overtime tonight and might be ten minutes late picking you up. Stay inside the school for a while; don’t wander around—danger could arise.”

“When you reach the car, remember to message me and let me know you’re safe.”

A quick reply came through:

“Guo Yutong: Okay, Dad. You don’t need to worry. It’s not like before—things are safe now. I won’t get into any danger!”

Tsk tsk, danger comes precisely because you’re so careless…

Su Chen muttered silently, pocketing his phone.

He had already laid the trap for this young lady.

And she had taken the bait.

Now, all that remained was to wait patiently and reap the rewards.

As Su Chen pondered, Wang Ping and Zhao Long completed their surveillance duties.

This post was meant for handling emergencies; if nothing happened, it was idle time.

“Let’s go, Su Chen. Let’s grab some late-night barbecue at Little Soldier’s!” Zhao Long suggested.

…

10:10 p.m.

Little Soldier’s Barbecue, at the counter.

“Boss, twenty skewers of lamb, five steamed buns… ten skewers of kidney—my friend’s got a bad back and needs some nourishment,” Zhao Long said, slapping Wang Ping’s shoulder.

“Get out of here! My back’s fine. Your ‘friend’ is just you!” Wang Ping scoffed, brushing Zhao Long’s hand away. He grabbed the menu and handed it to Su Chen.

“Little brother, you pick. Whatever you want, just order.”

Su Chen looked over the menu, smiling.

“This will do for now. We can order more if we’re still hungry.”

“Alright,” the two nodded.

Su Chen reached out and handed the large menu to the owner behind the counter.

The barbecue owner was a typical northeastern fellow who acknowledged the order and got to work.

Yet, while everyone’s attention was on the menu, Zhao Long, Wang Ping, and the owner failed to notice what Su Chen was doing.

At the very moment he handed over the menu, Su Chen deftly used his sleight of hand to turn back the hands of a large clock displayed above the counter by ten minutes!

Finishing this subtle act, a faint, almost imperceptible smile curled at the corner of Su Chen’s mouth.

To deceive the expert panel in this case, it was essential to fully prove his absence at the time of the kidnapping.

That was why he chose to stay close to his two colleagues tonight.

But that alone wasn’t enough.

He had to set a time trap, causing everyone to misjudge the timeline.

That way, his two colleagues nearby would become unwitting alibis.