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But something didn’t add up.

His own chats seemed normal, but the conversations Tang Xin had with other men were startling. She appeared to be a completely different person in those exchanges.

Lin Xian scanned for any inconsistencies but found it difficult.

The typing style, punctuation, and even the emojis she often used matched perfectly. Just from looking, it was impossible to discern if they were genuine or fabricated.

It was hard to believe if these were all fabricated, the amount of effort Zhou Duan Yun and his team must have put into making them look authentic was staggering.

However, as Lin Xian continued to read, he finally spotted an error!

At exactly 00:42, he remembered a night when Tang Xin was supposedly chatting intimately with a man. These messages were exchanged nightly at exactly 00:42.

But Lin Xian clearly recalled on the night of their class reunion, he was with Tang Xin at 00:41, talking to her for a while. During that time, she couldn’t have possibly used her phone!

Also, during a dinner in Donghai City with Gao Yang, Zhou Duan Yun, and Tang Xin, he had pulled Tang Xin aside at precisely 00:42 for a brief chat. She didn’t use her phone until they got into a taxi, where she then showed the driver directions to the bar.

So the question arose—if Tang Xin didn’t use her phone around 00:42 on those nights, how could she have sent those messages to another man?

Obviously, they were forged.

Lin Xian turned to the last page of the documents.

More suggestive messages were there, some even between Tang Xin and Zhou Duan Yun, where he mentioned preparing a gift for her later that evening.

That was the end of the stack.

Given the false messages at 00:42 on those specific nights, Lin Xian was certain all these records were fabricated.

Yet, he kept his thoughts to himself.

Something felt off.

“What’s wrong?” Ji Lin noticed Lin Xian’s quiet demeanor.

“Is it hard to accept that Tang Xin had a hidden side? You saw your chats with her. They weren’t explicit, but there was a bit of flirting.”

Lin Xian remained silent, not willing to argue.

Those were the facts.

He was still processing the fabricated chats and pondering Ji Lin’s involvement in today’s events.

“As you mentioned, Lin Xian, chat records aren’t conclusive proof. If something feels off, let us know. We can investigate further.”

Lin Xian nodded and requested, “Can I look through them again? I didn’t review them thoroughly before.”

“Of course, take your time,” Ji Lin responded, leaning back, arms crossed, watching Lin Xian closely.

Lin Xian noticed Ji Lin’s intense gaze but pretended otherwise, carefully flipping through the documents again.

He seemed meticulous about each page… but his real focus was on just two pages, though he had to appear casual to avoid raising suspicions.

Finally, he reached the records from their class reunion.

Chats with Gao Yang and several other men were there.

This time, Lin Xian clearly saw it.

At 00:42:12, Tang Xin sent an extremely explicit message to a man:

“I miss you so much, can’t wait to see you.”

He quickly flipped the page.

That message had to be false.

At that moment, Tang Xin was with him, holding his hands. How could she have sent that message?

Since this message was fake, it validated his suspicions about the others.

Lin Xian continued to flip through the documents consistently until he reached the night they dined in Donghai City.

The same scenario unfolded…

00:42:47.

Tang Xin supposedly sent another message to the same man:

“Having dinner with classmates tonight, can’t see you. Haha, I’ll see you early tomorrow.”

She even used an emoji that was typical for her.

At that moment, Lin Xian had just escorted Tang Xin back from the taxi. They were deciding their next move on the sidewalk. Tang Xin hadn’t touched her phone then.

Flip.

Lin Xian didn’t dwell on this page and continued.

By now, he was convinced.

He could easily clear Tang Xin’s name. All he needed to do was tell Ji Lin that Tang Xin was with him during those times, clearly not using her phone. He knew that from 00:41 to 00:43, Tang Xin hadn’t used her phone at all.

He was the only one who could confirm this, the only one who recalled the time so precisely.

Only him.

Flip.

Lin Xian maintained a steady pace flipping through the documents.

But internally, he was racing.

Only him…

But that was the issue.

Why did he remember 00:42 with such clarity?

Normally, he wouldn’t remember what he was doing at a specific minute. But at 00:42 on the roadside, he remembered everything, every time.

Before Tang Xin’s death.

In reality, no one would pay special attention to 00:42.

Because without a specific incident, Xu Yun’s death at 00:42 was just a normal time, nothing noteworthy. No one would take note of it.

He only noticed because Big Cat Face’s father also died at that time in his dream, giving it significance by comparison.

Thus, this was a setup!

If he now told Ji Lin that Tang Xin hadn’t used her phone at 00:42, it would seem suspicious!

Ji Lin might inquire: “Why do you remember 00:42 so vividly on those days? Is this time significant to you?”

Before Tang Xin’s demise, explaining this would be challenging. Only Xu Yun had died at 00:42, with no reason to remember it specifically.

Lin Xian couldn’t take that risk.

After Tang Xin’s passing, he had a reason to remember the time. But before her demise, he had no reason to care about it unless he revealed he knew about Big Cat Face’s father’s similar death time.

Thump.

Lin Xian closed the last page, returning the thick stack of papers to the desk, and sighed deeply.

“I have nothing to say.”

“Feeling down?” Ji Lin inquired.

“A bit,” Lin Xian admitted.

“I’m surprised. I don’t know what to think, seeing my chats are in there too… I don’t know what Tang Xin thought of me.”

Ji Lin scrutinized Lin Xian but remained silent.

“Thanks for today.”

Lin Xian stood and headed for the door.

“It’s better to face the truth, even if it’s tough.”

He exited swiftly.

To retreat in order to advance, that was Lin Xian’s strategy.

He pondered how Ji Lin, with such brief acquaintance, would show him police secrets.

What was Ji Lin’s goal?

Did he suspect Lin Xian and sought to catch him unprepared? To find a flaw?

Or was there another motive?

Regardless, Lin Xian couldn’t take the risk.

“Goodbye.”

He opened the office door and left.

If Ji Lin had an ulterior motive, he should have stopped him. Lin Xian’s earlier explanation linking him with Xu Yun had vulnerabilities, but Ji Lin didn’t probe them.

Lin Xian found Ji Lin puzzling.

On his way, he reflected…

Yellow Finch had indicated his cat-and-mouse game had begun, with him as the mouse.

So, who was the cat?

Zhou Duan Yun was definitely involved.

What about Ji Lin?

According to his hypothesis, the cat would eventually find him. If the murders tied to “hibernation research,” they might seek to confirm his involvement with Xu Yun.

Xu Yun died because of hibernation research, Tang Xin for the same reason. If proven he was also involved, would they target him next?

But many researchers worldwide studied hibernation. They couldn’t eliminate them all. What were the criteria for the assassins?

At the entrance of the Donghai City police station, Lin Xian hailed a cab.

He wasn’t sure if Ji Lin was part of the “cat.”

But he believed if Ji Lin was the cat, he would encounter him again.

If not, they likely wouldn’t meet again.

Donghai City was vast.

Without a specific reason, crossing paths with someone was unlikely.

“I hope you’re not.”

The taxi moved off, Lin Xian glanced back at the receding police station.

He admired Ji Lin’s books.

They say a writer’s personality is evident in their work. Ji Lin’s books portrayed him as a decent person, not a ruthless killer.

But who could be certain?

In the suburbs of Donghai City, by a lakeside villa.

“Did you fail?” Zhou Duan Yun sat on the sofa, spinning his car keys, taunting Ji Lin, who was surrounded by a pile of books.

“Is this mouse so elusive?”

“He’s smarter and more cautious than I anticipated,” Ji Lin responded softly.

“But also more vulnerable than I expected… I thought he had the capability to silently alter history.”

Ji Lin glanced up at Zhou Duan Yun.

“Yet here you are, safe and sound. I thought Lin Xian might try to eliminate you.”

“You!” Zhou Duan Yun hurled his keys in frustration.

“Don’t tell me you miscalculated! I wouldn’t have collaborated with you if not to eliminate Lin Xian!”

“There are two possibilities,” Ji Lin lowered his head.

“One, I was wrong. The person altering history isn’t Lin Xian.”

“Two, it is Lin Xian, but his powers are limited. He can’t act freely and is still bound by the realities and laws of our world.”

“What do we do now?” Zhou Duan Yun asked impatiently. “He’s cautious, and we don’t know the original history. How can we prove he altered it? It’s an impossible task!”

“It’s okay,” Ji Lin stood from his heap of books. “If we can’t ascertain the original history, then let’s fabricate a history of our own…”