Upon saying this, Qiu Tu also looked helpless, "So... I really can't clear my name even if I were to dive into the Yellow River."
Hearing Qiu Tu's words, Qin Shuman's expression couldn't help but turn grave.
She took a deep breath and said earnestly, "Don't worry just yet. I will definitely help you."
What Qiu Tu needed was precisely these words from Qin Shuman.
He timely added, "My friend told me that this matter has a big impact, involving Vice President Tian and several members of the municipal committee."
"Therefore, Yan Chen might resort to exceptional measures."
Upon saying that, Qiu Tu probed, "Do you know what exceptional measures he might use?"
"Can these exceptional measures detect the traces of the Cataclysm Prop I used last night?"
After listening to Qiu Tu's words, Qin Shuman pondered quietly for a while before slowly saying, "The procedure of the Investigation Bureau in investigating cases is generally fixed."
"If I'm not guessing wrong, now that the female spy is dead, the first thing they will do is to have an experienced forensic doctor to examine and dissect the body to determine the cause of death."
"And if the cause of death is identified by dissecting and examining the body, then they will determine the range of suspects according to the cause of death."
"If the cause of death is not found through dissection and examination of the body, then the Investigation Bureau will proceed with the next step of Mystic Arts Inspection to see if there are any traces of Catastrophe Power on the female spy."
"If they indeed find traces of Catastrophe Power on her, they are very likely to check everyone who has had contact with the deceased."
"To see if these individuals exhibit traces of having used Cataclysmic abilities or Cataclysmic treasures."
"Of course, in addition to this, they might also report to their superiors, or request assistance from our Security Department for investigation, or even directly transfer the case to our Security Department, and so on."
"These are all fairly typical procedures, and it really depends on what the Political Department decides."
"But if, as your friend says, Yan Chen is preparing to use exceptional measures."
"Then it's very likely that he is planning to use brutal methods for a forceful investigation."
"Inside the Investigation Bureau there is a type of banned drug called Cursed Reproduction Agent."
"It is a Cataclysmic Potion of a not very high class but with powerful effects. It can muddle people's thinking and spirit, causing them to relive what they have done in recent days and can be particularly used to reenact specific segments. It is often used in the interrogation of some special cases."
"But this potion also has a significant drawback, which is that the side effects are very strong."
"At the lightest, the user can suffer memory confusion, paralysis of half the body, and at the worst, direct death."
"It is precisely because of such side effects that the Sanctuary has classified it as a Class C Forbidden Drug. Only a few departments authorized by the council can use this potion under special circumstances."
"Any private use of this banned drug by anyone else would constitute an illegal act."
After finishing Qin Shuman's explanation, Qiu Tu's expression grew solemn as he asked, "So... if the forensic determination is that the female spy died from ordinary injuries."
"Since I haven't had any private contact with her, it's less likely that I'm a suspect, and Yan Chen probably won't investigate me."
"But if the female spy died from Cataclysmic ability or Cataclysmic treasures, then it's very likely my traces of using Cataclysmic treasures will be detected. I would become the prime suspect."
"And if Yan Chen fails to find the murderer after a while or becomes crazed, he might use the Cursed Reproduction Agent on everyone who had contact, and then it's quite likely I'd end up dead or crippled?"
Qin Shuman nodded gravely.
Silent, Qiu Tu suddenly understood the purpose behind Secretary Bai's phone call.
It seemed that Secretary Bai not only suspected that he might be the assassin covering his tracks but was also worried that even if he weren't the killer, Yan Chen, in a frenzy, would indiscriminately use the Cataclysmic Potion endangering him as well.
So... what should he do?
Perhaps sensing the pressure in Qiu Tu's heart, Qin Shuman gently sat in his arms, her voice soft and seductive as she said,
"Chief Qiu~ actually... you have another choice."
Qiu Tu looked down at her.
Qin Shuman smiled irresistibly, "And that is to let our Security Department take over the entire case directly~"
"With me here~ nobody can hurt you."
Looking into Qin Shuman's eyes, Qiu Tu was briefly stunned, feeling inexplicably as though he was accepting charity?
Yet, this thought was quickly dismissed by him as soon as it flitted through his mind.
Qin Shuman made it sound easy, and her tone was ambiguous as if she had taken advantage of him. But Qiu Tu was not deceived by her seductive gesture.
The case of the female spy was both "related to cases involving the Anti-government Armed Forces" and a "spy case." Therefore, since the Security Department could take over the investigation, the Political Department could also conduct the investigation on its own.
In such a situation, unless the Political Department took the initiative to ask, the Security Department was unlikely to actively intervene in the case - that would mean slapping the faces of the Political Department, Jia Shu, and Yan Chen.
So, the only way the Security Department would want to take over this case is if Qin Shuman, without approval from above, barged into the Investigation Bureau, showed her true colors, and forcibly snatched the case away.
In that event, Qin Shuman would not only have to endure Yan Chen's wrath, but might also have to face the fury from the Security Department and the military.
The reason why Qin Shuman used such an ambiguous tone when mentioning this method was actually just to make me preemptively assume that this matter would work in her favor...
With that thought, Qiu Tu, although somewhat touched, still patted her hand and said, "No need. Things haven't reached that point."
Qin Shuman was indeed deliberately misleading Qiu Tu's thoughts, but now seeing that he wasn't fooled, she ceased those little manipulations.
She believed that Qiu Tu knew what he was doing, and she was willing to trust him, just as she would trust herself...
And so, she quietly lay in Qiu Tu's embrace, enjoying the rare moment of warmth....
Thus, in the short span of an hour, the two went from passionate intensity upon entering the door to being heavily burdened with thoughts at their parting.
In these chaotic times, everyone is struggling to survive, with romantic sentiments pressed deep into their hearts, yet evident in their eyes.
As he was leaving, Qiu Tu told Qin Shuman about Yan Chen's plan for him to become a double agent.
Qin Shuman was not surprised, even playfully hooking her arm around Qiu Tu's neck and asking him a charming question, "So, Chief Qiu, this double agent... are you on Director Yan's side, or are you on my side?"
Qiu Tu laughed and tapped her forehead, "I'm on my own side."
Watching Qiu Tu slowly walk away, Qin Shuman gazed at his retreating figure and softly said, "Bad man...."
After speaking, she turned back to her hotel room with a smile on her lips.
In fact, not only was Qiu Tu faced with a mess, her situation was equally muddled: the issue of Master Qin Si's arrangements, the problem of a mole being exposed, and the accountability from the authorities above all added to her stress....
The bizarre event five days ago had changed too many people, too many things.
Every time she thought about it, Qin Shuman still felt a lingering fear.
Standing in front of the bed and looking at the body she had used for the past few days, Qin Shuman's brows lightly furrowed.
Though her soul had clearly returned to her own body, the soulless shell had yet to deteriorate.
Qin Shuman reached out to touch it, finding the body warm and soft.
She placed her hand on the left side of the chest and could even feel the heartbeat.
If she didn't know that "Qin Shuman" was already dead, she might have thought it was just a beauty sleeping quietly....
Moreover, the fact that she returned to her body without "paying" any "price" made her find it incredible—she hadn't even used the Cataclysm Prop she had prepared. This raised a daring thought in Qin Shuman's mind... could she possess "Qin Shuman's" body again?
Would such possession be like before, where she could release it at any time, or would it be like these past few days, trapped within that body?
And what secrets lay hidden within this "Qin Shuman" body and that "Qiu Tu" body?
What on earth had happened five days ago?
Qin Shuman felt as though new mysteries were cropping up before her....
Leaving the Milan Grand Hotel, Qiu Tu drove home.
This meeting with Qin Shuman was very fruitful.
Though he hadn't found a solution to the crisis, it had... given Qiu Tu a clearer understanding of how events might unfold.
This gave him reassurance, allowing him to adjust his strategy according to any shifts in the situation.
Of course, the biggest reason he could refuse Qin Shuman's help was that his Crisis Intuition hadn't been triggered!
This suggested that, at least for now, his life wasn't in danger, and things were unlikely to deteriorate to the worst-case scenario.
With these thoughts, Qiu Tu relaxed quite a bit.
But in his relaxation, Qiu Tu couldn't help feeling a bit chagrined: he'd lost out tonight!
He'd shared a bed with two "Qin Shumans", and yet he hadn't made a move on either!
Indeed, tonight's "hidden benefit" had been wasted!
Feeling this annoyance, he arrived back at Old Alley Street and parked beside the dirty, disorderly roadside. Qiu Tu turned off the car and was just about to get out when suddenly, "tap tap tap..." his car window was softly knocked on.
He looked up in surprise and saw Liu Fuping, the girl who had gone missing for a day, standing outside his car window....