Chapter 5: Targeted by the Psychologist—Is Su Chen in Danger?

Chapter Five: The Psychological Expert’s Targeting—Is Su Chen in Danger?

The moment Su Chen appeared, the live chat exploded.

“Here he comes! A showdown between the killer and the expert panel!”

“No way, how dare he show up? Everyone here is a seasoned criminal investigator, plus a psychological expert. One slip-up and he’ll be exposed!”

“All eyes are on him now—just look at those gazes... Whew, it’s like a pressure that takes your breath away!”

“All the experts are present, but little do they know, they’re staring right at the culprit!”

In the office, under the intense scrutiny, Su Chen bowed slightly in apology. Without hesitation, his gaze swept across the room before he stepped directly into the lineup of police reinforcements.

He was actually a backup police resource, arriving late. This was a live broadcast, after all. Teacher Guang Quan reacted quickly, subtly signaling the camera to switch to another shot to avoid capturing Su Chen.

A police officer arriving late would damage the public image of the police force.

No doubt, viewers in the live chat were already complaining. Such a glaring mistake—why hadn’t the production team reacted?

As a participant in the program, Guang Quan had no access to the live chat and could only sweat nervously.

Meanwhile, Su Chen, now standing among his colleagues, felt some disapproving glances.

The police are an organization with strict discipline; the selected officers are elites given the opportunity to work alongside industry-leading experts.

Out of pride, these elites wanted to show their best side.

Su Chen’s blunder was a clear stain on the entire group.

No one understood how such a latecomer was even selected.

Two officers beside Su Chen frowned slightly, quietly distancing themselves as if ashamed to be associated.

Forensic expert Qin Ming glanced over Su Chen without lingering.

He had no intention of considering him.

Punctuality is a fundamental requirement for investigators; those lacking it only slow things down and hold others back.

The trace evidence expert Wang Yanxing showed no reaction, not even sparing Su Chen a glance, lost in his own thoughts.

All these reactions were as expected by Su Chen.

There were a hundred backup officers in total, but the expert panel could only select a maximum of twenty-five. It was highly unlikely Su Chen would be chosen.

As long as he remained among the reserves, that would be fine.

Those not selected wouldn’t simply go home—they’d stay on standby, ready to be deployed if the case expanded and more officers were needed.

During this time, Su Chen had plenty of opportunities to approach these experts and use the team as cover.

Soon, the teams led by forensic expert Qin Ming and trace evidence expert Wang Yanxing were formed.

“Looks like Su Chen got overlooked. Maybe that’s a blessing—being hidden among reserves is much more covert.”

“Could this be Su Chen’s strategy? Deliberately arriving late to leave a bad impression so the experts won’t pick him—keeping a safe distance reduces the risk of exposure!”

“By the way, why did Qin Ming and the trace evidence expert only choose four people? Isn’t it better to have more officers on a case?”

“No one knows—they must have their own plans. Su Chen’s goal might be to understand their thinking.”

“But probing them is risky; if Su Chen tries to fish for information, he risks being probed back. These experts aren’t amateurs!”

The netizens continued to buzz with speculation.

Only the psychological expert Bai Su remained to make her selection.

The audience naturally focused on her.

She hadn’t chosen anyone yet, standing alone without any indication of selecting.

It seemed she intended to work solo.

“Who is this person? Among the experts, she must be the youngest, right?”

“Not sure, but there’s something intriguing about her.”

“Are you just attracted to her looks? I think she’s just eye candy hired by the production to boost ratings!”

“No way, the network wouldn’t do something so unnecessary.”

The atmosphere on-site cooled slightly. Teacher Guang Quan quickly reminded her:

“Officer Bai, our program rules require you to select team members. You can’t abstain.”

“But I honestly see no need to choose anyone...” Bai Su’s voice was quiet and calm.

Her deep black eyes scanned the crowd, seemingly uninterested in the carefully selected police elites.

Yet, when her gaze landed on the late-arriving officer and she clearly recognized his face, she suddenly paused.

Su Chen?!

This was the prodigy from eight years ago—once celebrated and brilliant, but then his future suddenly darkened. Many didn’t understand his thoughts.

Bai Su’s expression revealed a hint of curiosity.

Her mentor had once said that a person’s choices and actions are reflections of their psyche.

This man harbored secrets.

“I choose him,” Bai Su signaled toward Su Chen.

The room fell noticeably silent.

Many of the backup officers showed surprise, some looking back at Su Chen in confusion.

Especially the two officers beside him, their expressions baffled.

They had assumed she would pick them, only to be passed over for the man beside them.

Not Li Jie.

Su Chen was also surprised; he clearly sensed a strong purpose behind her choice.

A psychological expert choosing me?

Did she want to uncover the secrets in my mind...?

Stepping forward, Su Chen resolved to let her investigate.

The strange things in his mind were so puzzling that even he didn’t understand them fully. If a psychological expert could make sense of them, that would be remarkable.

Who would have guessed that the reason he had spent eight years studying case files was because of the great beast from his dreams?

No outsider could ever guess that.

“Is it alright if I choose him?” Bai Su asked Teacher Guang Quan.

Among hundreds of elites, she insisted on picking the only latecomer—was she afraid the job would be too easy?

Guang Quan felt the pressure too. Having hosted large live broadcasts before, he found the minds on this show refreshingly unpredictable, always coming up with new twists. Without adaptability, one wouldn’t survive.

He had a feeling this show was beyond his control.

Still, he patiently explained:

“Officer Bai, the program rules require a team of three to five members, with a minimum of three.”

“Then I’ll add the two officers beside Su Chen to meet the number,” Bai Su replied calmly.

The two officers looked bewildered.

The psychological expert’s choice surprised the netizens as well.

“No way! We just said Su Chen would stay in the reserves, and now he’s picked?”

“He’s in danger. That psychological expert is clearly targeting him. Though we don’t know why, staying close to such a master means he must be extremely cautious to avoid exposure!”

“Su Chen probably didn’t expect to be chosen by an expert. Did he miscalculate? Maybe he should run tonight!”

“Running now would be like admitting he’s the killer. I don’t know if it’s a miscalculation, but from now on, he has to tread carefully. This is intense.”

“Did anyone else notice the expressions on the other two officers? They look like they were picked just because they happened to be nearby!”

“I think Officer Bai just wanted to meet the minimum number.”

Bai Su’s decision also piqued the interest of the other experts.

“So that’s Su Chen...” Qin Ming recognized the famous figure from eight years ago after hearing Bai Su’s words.

“Did Officer Bai choose him because of his abilities?”

Bai Su smiled faintly without denying it.

“A prodigy under the spotlight surely has something special.”

“Back then, Su Chen stood out among his peers.”

Criminal investigation expert Cui Liwan fixed a piercing gaze on Su Chen.

“But he was a prodigy eight years ago. For those eight years, he has only worked on organizing case files and never once been on the front lines of criminal investigation.”

“Case-solving relies heavily on personal experience. It’s more practical than theoretical. In terms of practical experience, Su Chen has zero.”

The seasoned criminal investigation expert’s words silenced the room; everyone listened intently.

Cui Liwan tugged at his shirt collar, revealing a jagged scar spreading from his chest to his left shoulder.

“I once had an accident during a case and was hospitalized for six months without going to the front line. When I returned and took on my first case, I made several rookie mistakes I’d never made before.”

“Six months is already tough; eight years is even more daunting.”

“Officer Bai, I believe you understand my meaning... I won’t interfere with your choice, but be cautious.”