Chapter 4: Swapping the Body, Infiltrating the Police Station

Chapter 4: Swapping the Body, Infiltrating the Police Station

On the screen, Su Chen swiftly dragged a crew member out of the program team.

The young crew member’s expression had turned numb, like a salted fish, completely at others’ mercy.

Su Chen opened the trunk of a car, hoisted him in, and shut the lid with fluid grace.

The entire process was smooth and seamless.

After the sequence concluded, most online viewers finally grasped what had just transpired and flooded the comment section with frantic messages.

“Whoa, he actually attacked someone from the crew? Is that even allowed?”

“His nerve is incredible. What’s he planning next? It can’t be what I’m thinking, right...”

“That poor crew member! He was supposed to be a guide early on but ended up the victim too. Working two jobs at once, haha!”

“Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise. Now the whole nation knows him. After the show ends, he’s definitely going to blow up.”

“I’d love to interview him—how does it feel to be the first victim? Haha…”

Beside the car,

Su Chen meticulously wiped away any traces around him, then straightened the creases on his clothes.

He then looked towards the Jinling City Public Security Bureau headquarters not far off.

This was essentially a crime committed right under the police’s noses.

For this show, the Jinling Public Security Bureau had designated a workspace as the expert panel’s conference room and provided considerable police support.

These officers, invited by the program team, were meant to help the expert group assemble their own manhunt squads.

After all, the show aimed for authenticity; having only core members without base police forces wouldn’t reflect the realistic setup of a criminal investigation.

Su Chen strode toward the police station’s main entrance.

The easiest way to get close to the expert panel was to blend in with these police officers.

The ID cards used by the invited officers were universal cards, identical to the one in his possession.

No one inside the bureau knew that this crew member from the show would be coming; Su Chen didn’t even have to disguise himself or change his name to fit right in.

...

On the second floor of the Public Security Bureau was the office for the “Manhunt Live” special program.

It was solemn and quiet.

White lights from the ceiling illuminated the room, and the walls bore the familiar blue-and-white slogans of the bureau.

“Serve the public, enforce the law for the people.”

Su Chen walked in calmly and saw two officers verifying identities outside the expert panel’s office.

He didn’t hesitate and approached them directly.

He’d originally worked here, so entering felt as natural as walking through his own front door. Plus, many colleagues recognized him, so there was no suspicion at all.

This matched reality—after all, many criminals might just be everyday people we see regularly.

“Su Chen?”

One officer guarding the door recognized the colleague who was often found poring over case files in the archive room.

He was surprised.

“So you applied to join the program too!”

“Yeah, got lucky and was selected for the police reserve team.”

Su Chen smiled and handed over his universal card.

The officer scanned the card with his device; it verified successfully.

Without a trace of doubt, he returned the card and reminded him,

“Get in quickly. You’re probably the last to arrive. The experts inside have already started picking their team members. If you’re late, you’ll be stuck with whatever’s left.”

Su Chen nodded.

“There was a slight accident on the way, got delayed a bit.”

He left the officer behind and walked straight into the conference room.

The officer watched him enter, muttering to himself.

He remembered this Su Chen as someone who never bothered with outside affairs, always buried in case files like his life depended on it.

Now, he was voluntarily signing up for a variety show?

Was the sun rising in the west?

He hoped Su Chen would be picked—at least to have some participation.

What he didn’t know was that his own face was now displayed on the big screen of the killer’s live broadcast, being bombarded by all sorts of comments!

“Hahaha, I wonder how this cop would feel if he knew he just let the killer inside!”

“Not his fault; who would expect the killer to come knocking on day one instead of running away?”

“Su Chen’s excuse was hilarious—‘accident on the way’? Yeah, he just stabbed a crew member in the back and swapped places with him, haha!”

“This killer dude is really calm. If it were me, facing the police, I wouldn’t be so composed or catch my breath so evenly.”

“Getting into the police station is a risky move, but the expert team probably wouldn’t consider that possibility right away. Starting off so unexpectedly, this killer’s got some style.”

“Heh, whether this bold move wins or ends in disaster depends on what he does next.”

“This plot twist is more entertaining than I expected. Reality shows beat spy dramas any day. Su Chen is really carrying the whole program. I haven’t finished work but can’t stop watching!”

“Same here. I just wanted to join the fun, but the director really knows how to play. Su Chen is already a Jinling cop—casting him as the killer was genius!”

...

Meanwhile,

In the special case team’s office,

One hundred reserve officers stood neatly in formation along one side of the room.

These were elite officers handpicked from the public security system, spanning specialties from frontline investigations to behind-the-scenes intelligence, covering all fields.

Several experts were among the ranks, selecting their personnel.

The program rules allowed each expert to use a certain amount of resources to pick three to five people from the reserve police to form their own manhunt squads.

Anyone familiar with investigations knew that police manpower was the key asset in solving a case.

Two teams had already been formed, each with the maximum five members.

“Mr. Cui has a sharp eye for talent. All frontline criminal investigators and SWAT elites. Their operational capability is guaranteed, several levels above the rest!” Broadcaster Guangquan remarked as he approached.

Five officers stood by criminal investigation expert Cui Liwan, standing tall and resolute with serious, focused expressions.

The veteran expert chuckled,

“Well, I’m getting old. I can’t run around the front lines like before. I need some capable helpers.”

Cui’s meaning was clear: he wanted to be the brain behind the operation.

Guangquan nodded silently.

The old man’s selections were ruthless—these five were annual champions of the bureau’s practical drills. Their action skills were unquestionable.

With Cui Liwan’s vast experience guiding them, this team’s overall quality was formidable.

“I see Comrade Duan Yu has also completed assembling his team.”

Guangquan moved toward the cyber police expert.

“Does Officer Duan have any criteria for selecting his squad?”

He handed the microphone to Duan Yu.

“The network is vast. One person can’t handle it alone. I need experts in related fields to assist me.”

“That’s also part of my plan,” Duan Yu said, glancing thoughtfully at five cyber-police elites standing beside him.

“Oh?”

Guangquan caught the keyword and his eyes brightened.

“It seems Officer Duan has already formed his manhunt strategy. Viewers can look forward to the next segment.”

The team-building continued.

Just as the experts busily picked their members,

The office door suddenly opened.

Su Chen walked in briskly.

At once, all eyes in the room turned to him simultaneously.

There was confusion, and some displeasure.