Good and Evil Chapter 99: The Mysterious Arrival of Tang Linyi

In a sprawling city with millions of inhabitants, finding a person who had been missing for an entire month was no easy feat. Setting aside whether they could even be found, even if located, there was no certainty whether this person was alive or dead. No one could remain in one place continuously—they needed to eat, drink, sleep, and attend to daily needs. After a whole month had passed, it was quite possible this individual had already left City S; no one could say for sure.

The case was shrouded in mystery: the deceased’s strange and unusual experiences, the impeccably clean crime scene—all these factors plunged the investigation into a quagmire.

Just as everyone in the Criminal Investigation Unit Two thought this would be a protracted battle, at least taking several months to solve, a breakthrough unexpectedly came two days after the case analysis meeting. This turn of events was closely tied to the sudden appearance of one man: Tang Linyi.

In fact, Tang Linyi’s emergence during the investigation of Duan Yiling immediately caught everyone’s attention. The relationships among the three—Tian Yang, Duan Yiling, and Tang Linyi—were intricate. Tian Yang and Duan Yiling were lovers; Tang Linyi and Duan Yiling were classmates; and Tang Linyi and Tian Yang were friends. This complex web naturally led to one initial assumption: a love triangle.

Love triangles are a common phenomenon, whether in real life or portrayed in film and television. Countless criminal cases and homicides each year stem from entangled romantic relationships. Thus, when a third party appeared, the first suspect many considered was Tang Linyi.

If the police’s suspicions were correct—that the three were entangled in a love triangle, with Tian Yang and Duan Yiling deeply in love and Tang Linyi harboring feelings for Duan Yiling, yet also being Tian Yang’s brotherly friend—then if Duan Yiling’s death was accidental (and all current clues and evidence supported that), Tian Yang’s death might not be accidental but rather a homicide. The murderer would certainly be someone close to Tian Yang, a familiar face. Now that Tang Linyi had come under scrutiny, it was reasonable to infer that he had a significant connection to Tian Yang’s death. Whether this was true, however, depended on facts and evidence; speculation alone would not hold up in court.

On September 27th, the weather in City S was bleak—overcast skies, gusty winds stirring the fallen leaves in swirling dances, lifting them high before they drifted back down, only to be caught again by the next gust, as if carried thousands of meters into the air.

While the entire Criminal Investigation Unit Two, alongside local officers, was engaged in an exhaustive citywide search for Tang Linyi, a man stepped through the autumn wind and arrived at the front entrance of the Public Security Bureau headquarters.

At first, no one paid this man special attention. Many assumed he was simply there to file a report or seek someone; no one took him seriously. Xu Lang didn’t notice him either until his cigarette ran out and he stepped outside to buy more. Only then did Xu catch sight of the man loitering by the entrance. Xu glanced at him once, then left to purchase a pack of Liqun cigarettes at the nearby convenience store.

Returning with a cigarette dangling from his lips, Xu was stopped by the man blocking his path. The man wasted no time getting to the point.

“Are you Xu Lang?” he asked.

Since graduating from the police academy, Xu was accustomed to such direct greetings. He nodded, smoking as he replied, “I am Xu Lang. What is it? Are you here for something?”

The man appeared young, about twenty-five or twenty-six, with delicate, almost effeminate features—so much so that describing him as merely delicate was generous. His complexion was exceptionally fair and smooth, surpassing that of many women, let alone policewomen exposed to the elements daily. His physique was slender but well-proportioned, about the same height as Xu.

After receiving Xu’s confirmation, the man scrutinized him from head to toe. Xu, mid-puff, felt increasingly uneasy under such an intense gaze—anyone would, being assessed so blatantly by a man with such feminine charm. The intensity of those eyes unnerved Xu, who found his smoking pace quickening; what usually took a while to finish was gone in three puffs.

“Cough, cough—do you have business here?” Xu finally interrupted, unable to bear the staring any longer.

Perhaps having finished his appraisal or sensing the impoliteness, the man raised his head, smiled sweetly, and said slowly, “My name is Tang Linyi. I heard you were looking for me, so I came myself.”

Xu shuddered inwardly at that feminine smile, an unsettling chill creeping from his feet upward. Instinctively, he stepped back. But once Tang Linyi spoke his name, the awkward feeling dissipated, and Xu fixed his gaze on the man who claimed to be Tang Linyi. Now, it was Xu’s turn to thoroughly examine him.

After a moment, Xu asked uncertainly, “You’re Tang Linyi? The Tang Linyi who knows Tian Yang?”

The man smiled and nodded, his captivating, almond-shaped eyes striking—if a lovestruck girl saw those eyes, her heart would surely flutter. Yet Xu felt none of that; Tang Linyi’s sudden appearance was simply too suspicious.

“Come with me,” Xu said, leading Tang Linyi into Criminal Investigation Unit Two.

Everyone else knew Xu had gone out to buy cigarettes—a routine occurrence. But when he returned with this strikingly handsome man, all eyes lifted, pausing their work to look. They glanced first at Tang Linyi, then at Xu. Xu’s popularity among women was no secret within the unit: from forensic doctor Ye Xuefei, to several female officers at headquarters, to the new team leader Ning Yanran, who, though not openly fond of Xu, was deeply curious about him; even Alan, a victim in the Qiu Liang case, and Xu’s secret girlfriend Shu Yue, whose relationship with Xu had become widely known after the 810 case. Furthermore, during the Xiang family case, another admirer named Ye Du had appeared. Now, with Tang Linyi’s arrival, another woman named Jin Enpei had surfaced. These women were all well-known among the unit members, though countless others were unaware.

Many envied Xu’s charm and success with women, but today, bringing a handsome young man into the unit shifted the narrative. Their first thought was not about the case but about Xu’s popularity extending to men as well—a complete magnet for both sexes. The gazes cast toward Xu and Tang Linyi were strange and complex.

At first, Xu was oblivious, but as the stares persisted, he grew uneasy and finally asked, “Why are you all staring at me? Haven’t you got work to do?”

The group shared a knowing smile, then returned to their tasks.

Ning Yanran, the team leader, noticed Tang Linyi’s presence and found it odd. Xu had simply gone for cigarettes but returned with a man who wasn’t a typical complainant or someone connected to the case in the usual way. Generally, witnesses or suspects had designated handlers and were not simply brought straight into the unit. Curious, Ning Yanran approached, glanced briefly at Tang Linyi, then asked Xu, “Who is he? Why did you bring him here?”

Xu, still smoking, replied uncertainly, “He says his name is Tang Linyi.”

Tang Linyi? Hearing the name, Ning Yanran felt a vague familiarity but couldn’t place it immediately. Then she recalled the name had been mentioned repeatedly in the case analysis meeting two days prior by officers investigating Duan Yiling.

Suddenly, Ning Yanran turned sharply to look at the striking man before her. Others who had been quietly listening to the exchange also raised their heads to look.

“You’re telling me this is Tang Linyi?” Ning Yanran asked Xu in disbelief.

Seeing her astonished expression, Xu shrugged helplessly. “He says he’s Tang Linyi. Whether he’s the one we’re looking for, I can’t say.”

From that moment, the entire unit’s gaze hardened, becoming frankly hostile. It was as if they had searched high and low to no avail, only for Tang Linyi to boldly appear at the Public Security Bureau, right before their eyes—completely unanticipated. The overwhelming scrutiny made Tang Linyi visibly uncomfortable. He glanced around, then looked at Xu with a low voice, “Um, Officer Xu, this, this…”

He trailed off, but Xu understood his unspoken meaning and said, “Come with me.”

They headed to an interrogation room.

After their departure, the others gradually regained composure, watching the two leave.

Ning Yanran quickly followed, entering the interrogation room. Tang Linyi’s sudden arrival was so unexpected it disrupted everyone’s expectations.

In the small room stood three chairs and one table. Xu sat behind the table; Tang Linyi took the chair opposite. Ning Yanran, notebook and pen in hand, sat silently beside Xu. The atmosphere grew tense and awkward as both officers watched the calm, smiling Tang Linyi. Neither spoke first.

Finally, Tang Linyi broke the silence with a bombshell.

“I killed Tian Yang.”

The words stunned Xu and Ning Yanran. They exchanged a glance without responding immediately. Xu was the first to speak: “Why did you kill Tian Yang?”

Tang Linyi seemed prepared for the question. Without hesitation, he said simply, “Because of love.”

“Because of love?”

Tang Linyi’s appearance had already shaken them, and now this reason only deepened their surprise.

“Because of Duan Yiling?” Xu probed cautiously.

This was a natural question. Given prior investigations, if Tian Yang’s death was murder and not suicide, Tang Linyi was the most likely suspect due to their complicated relationships involving love and jealousy.

Unexpectedly, Tang Linyi shook his head slowly. “Not because of that woman. It was because of Tian Yang.”

“Because of Tian Yang? Why?”

Xu was puzzled. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he looked at Tang Linyi in shock, stammering, “Could it be... could it be that you and Tian Yang... that’s impossible.”

No matter how complex or brutal a case, Xu had never shown such shock during interrogations. This was the first time such an expression crossed his face. Ning Yanran, recording diligently, was equally curious.

Tang Linyi smiled wryly, then said with amusement, “Officer Xu—no, I should call you Consultant Xu—I didn’t expect that knowing the truth would elicit such a reaction from you. I thought you’d be calm upon seeing me and hearing my confession. Instead, you look just as stunned. I must say, I’m a bit disappointed.”

Ning Yanran, pen poised, glanced between Tang Linyi and Xu, puzzled by their cryptic exchange. Soon, she understood why Xu looked so shocked.

Xu said nothing in response to Tang Linyi’s ironic remark. He lit another cigarette, silently smoking, watching the ever-smiling man across from him, lost in thought.

After finishing the cigarette, Xu stubbed it out and asked calmly, “Since you came to surrender, tell us plainly why you killed Tian Yang.”

Tang Linyi seemed to have anticipated this. He looked at Xu, then down at his pale wrists, smiling.

“I admitted to killing him. Aren’t you going to handcuff me?”

“Whether you should be handcuffed depends on facts and evidence. If you did kill Tian Yang, it’s only a matter of time before you’re restrained. If not, there’s no need,” Xu replied coolly.

Tang Linyi paused, then laughed softly. “Xu Lang, as expected of you. Interesting.”

Xu gave no reply, only met Tang Linyi’s gaze and said, “Since you claim you killed Tian Yang, explain why and how.”

Nodding, Tang Linyi smiled. “It all started in childhood.”

He looked at Xu, then added, “If you two officers don’t wish to hear it, I won’t continue.”

Ning Yanran glanced at Tang Linyi, then Xu, but said nothing. Xu remained expressionless. “Say what you want. I won’t stop you.”

“Thank you,” Tang Linyi said, and began his story.

Xu listened silently, never interrupting. Ning Yanran meticulously recorded every word.

In the confined interrogation room, each played their part: Tang Linyi narrating, Ning Yanran documenting, Xu absorbing the tale. The surveillance cameras captured the entire scene.

A convoluted, hidden tale of love, hatred, and vengeance gradually unfolded before them, the truth slowly emerging from Tang Linyi’s account.