Chapter 21: Suspicion

Some of those standing nearby still found it hard to believe. Whenever they walked past this shop, they would see fresh ingredients being delivered every morning. Moreover, the kitchen was open-concept; anyone could look inside if they wanted to. If they were truly hiding something sinister, they would never have been so generous as to allow supervision, let alone let anyone get a glimpse of their operations.

This remark was like a bomb dropped into the crowd. Suddenly, the hot pot restaurant was filled with the sounds of retching and vomiting. The rich, savory aroma of the hot pot mingled with the stench of vomit. The scene was truly indescribable.

In contrast, Sang Ye and Yao Yao, who had learned the truth earlier, were faring much better. After ten minutes of self-counseling, Yao Yao had managed to calm down, though her face remained etched with a look of utter despair. She told herself she would never eat hot pot again. She could no longer look at the dish without flinching, especially since she had nearly consumed a piece of that meat earlier. The mere mention of hot pot would forever remind her of this day.

When the order came to seal off the premises, the owner’s expression shifted noticeably. Xing Hao, who possessed an incredibly sharp intuition for identifying criminals, immediately locked his gaze onto the owner and ordered his men to take him aside and keep him under guard. Within a very short time, everyone present in the restaurant was moved to the side, as every single person there was now considered a suspect.

Xing Hao led a team of officers and a staff member toward the back kitchen. Forensic Examiner Liu collected samples of the meat and broth that Sang Ye had discovered, then followed them. Sang Ye hesitated for a moment before trailing behind. Near the front desk, she used a piece of dried fish she habitually carried to entice the small black cat. "Do you know where they keep the pot for the master broth?"

The black cat was wary at first, but was quickly won over by the treat. Just as it reached for it, Sang Ye pulled the fish back. "Tell me what I want to know, and this dried fish is yours."

The black cat tilted its head, its ears twitching, and looked at Sang Ye with curiosity. "You can understand me?"

"Yes."

The black cat’s round eyes widened in shock; it clearly had never expected a human to understand its speech. It rolled its eyes and stared at the fish for a moment, seemingly calculating the value of the exchange.

After a long pause, it said, "They have a separate room in the back for boiling the broth. Go in, turn right, go out through the back of the kitchen, cross the walkway, and you'll see a dark-colored iron door."

Sang Ye handed the fish to the cat and patted its head. "Thank you, the fish is yours." She then stood up and followed the others.

Xing Hao and his team were in the middle of inspecting the kitchen. Pretending to be casual, Sang Ye offered a hint: "I heard some of the staff mentioning earlier that their broth-making area isn't in the kitchen."

Xing Hao glanced at her upon hearing this. Having nearly finished the kitchen inspection, he noticed a door leading out and pushed it open. Sang Ye looked out onto the narrow alleyway, lined mostly with the back entrances of other establishments. After scanning the area, she leaned out and spotted the dark iron door the black cat had described.

She poked her head around, looking about, and then pointed at the door, which would have been invisible to anyone not paying close attention. "Officer Xing, don't you think that door looks a bit strange?"

Xing Hao looked toward the red door, then cast a thoughtful glance at Sang Ye before walking over. He stepped to the side, reached behind his back to draw his service pistol, and kicked the door open.

*Bang!*

The door flew open and rebounded. Xing Hao immediately leveled his weapon with both hands, rushed inside, and scanned the room. It was about twenty or thirty square meters. In the corners stood two massive pots, two iron barrels, and a freezer.

Xing Hao lifted the lid of one of the pots to reveal the broth still simmering inside. The scent was incredibly potent; the liquid had turned a milky white from long hours of boiling, with bits of suspended matter floating on the surface. The smell was intense—not pleasant, even bordering on foul. It was a mystery how they had managed to keep this odor from permeating the dining area, allowing the hot pot to remain seemingly delicious.

Xing Hao surveyed the room, noting that it had been sealed with special materials to prevent the stench from escaping. The room had only one tiny window, high up on the wall. He then opened the freezer to reveal the frozen corpse inside. Judging by the state of the ice, it had been there for some time.

By the time Forensic Examiner Liu and the others entered, Xing Hao had finished checking the freezer, and the rest of the team moved in to secure the scene efficiently.

Sang Ye felt a bit out of place and intended to slip away quietly, but Xing Hao called out to her. "Miss Sang Ye."

Sang Ye turned around, puzzled, to find that Xing Hao had already stepped up behind her. He locked his gaze on her, unblinking. "Aren't you going to explain how you knew about this place?"

Sang Ye blinked. "I didn't know. I just thought the door looked strange."

Xing Hao persisted, "Is that so? Then can you tell me why you followed us in?"

Sang Ye paused, then asked calmly, "Officer Xing, am I not allowed in the kitchen? Or do you think I’m the murderer?"

Xing Hao replied sharply, "It’s just that you happen to appear at the scene every single time, which makes me suspect you know something."

Sang Ye stayed silent. He was a detective for a reason; his observation skills were so sharp that a single hint from her had immediately invited suspicion. She blinked innocently. "If I told you I didn't know, would you believe me?"

Xing Hao didn't answer; he just stared at her, as if to say, *Do I look like I believe you?*

Sang Ye sighed, defeated. "I just understand a bit of simple animal language. I found out the body was hidden here from that black cat outside." She added, "I know it sounds unbelievable, but that really is how I knew."

After staring at her for a few seconds, Xing Hao said, "I've seen things far more unbelievable than this. This doesn't mean much. The ability to communicate with animals suggests a kind heart. Animals are perceptive; I hope you live up to that gift."

Although he didn't explicitly state whether he believed her, his words made it clear that he had accepted her explanation. After all, Sang Ye had been popular with animals since she was a child, and she loved them in return—which was exactly why she had chosen to study veterinary medicine.

The forensic team soon removed the body, as they needed to file a detailed report. Outside, as onlookers watched the police actually haul a corpse from the hot pot shop, those who had just eaten there couldn't help but vomit again. Those who had eaten there previously were also overcome by waves of nausea.