◎”Foreseeing” the Past?◎
Although Dou Dou was just a carefree little spirit, even it felt deep shame and disgust at Zhao Si Yuan’s actions.
Targeted foresight took a bit more time than random foresight. As soon as it located the event, it couldn’t wait to send it to Zhong Yao.
It confidently typed: 【This is big news.】
Unlike previous prophetic videos, this one finally had color.
Dou Dou explained: 【Things that haven’t happened yet exist only in imagination, so they appear in black and white. Once something has already happened and human actions have filled in the details, the video becomes vibrant and colorful.】
Foresight didn’t apply only to the future, it could also capture the past.
The video began in a somewhat messy studio apartment. Dirty clothes and socks were strewn across the sofa, and the small coffee table in front of it was even messier. Although there was an ashtray, black ash was scattered all over.
Soon, Zhao Si Yuan appeared on camera. He staggered unsteadily to the coffee table, ignoring the sofa entirely, and sat on the floor in the gap between the sofa and table. He reached out and pulled open a small drawer beneath the table.
Inside the drawer was a small plastic bag containing a “stamp.” But unlike a normal stamp, this one was tiny, a miniature version only about a third the size of an adult fingernail.
Zhong Yao’s heart skipped a beat. The object seemed vaguely familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before.
The video continued. Zhao Si Yuan carefully took out the “stamp,” then, in a humiliating, dog-like manner, stuck it under his tongue.
His eyes squinted, his pale cheeks flushed red, and he suddenly sprang to his feet. His body swayed wildly, almost maniacally, his features twisted, partly in pleasure, but more in pain.
Zhong Yao watched the video in shock. Her hand accidentally brushed the power button, and the screen went black, finally replacing Zhao Si Yuan’s frenzied figure with darkness.
This tiny “stamp”, wasn’t it the same thing used in drugs and gambling? Zhao Si Yuan’s reaction was clearly from being high!
She had followed the “Dongchuan Anti-Drug” public account, which once introduced this new type of drug. At the time, because it looked like a stamp, Zhong Yao had paid extra attention, it was a lethal substance that could be absorbed through the skin.
Ever since, she had jumped at the sight of a stamp, fearing it was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Zhong Yao felt a chill in her palms, she didn’t expect that a drug addict was hiding right beside her.
It seemed Zhao Si Yuan’s recent sudden bouts of madness and pathological behavior were caused by the “stamp.” Now, he had completely become a man-eating demon. Not only was his appearance growing increasingly gaunt, but his inner mind had been corroded as well.
He had lost all human will and become a slave to the “stamp.”
Under the control of the “stamp,” Zhao Si Yuan became increasingly paranoid, obsessively trying to control Chen Xiang by extreme means. When met with resistance, he only escalated his behavior, even attempting murder and robbery.
Zhong Yao recalled the earlier prophecy: Zhao Si Yuan had strangled Chen Xiang and pushed her toward the rooftop while repeatedly demanding her payment password, likely intending to seize her assets to satisfy his dark urges.
A chill ran down her spine as she considered it, the thought was terrifying.
Fortunately, Zhong Yao hadn’t gone far from the police station. She quickly turned and ran back.
The on-duty officer looked surprised to see her return. Zhong Yao, panting, said, “I just remembered some details I forgot to mention. I want to see the male officer who questioned me earlier.”
Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long, the middle-aged officer soon emerged.
Officer Shao Kangbo pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. He had just come out of Zhao Si Yuan’s interrogation room.
In the case involving Chen Xiang, both eyewitnesses and physical evidence were complete. Once the results of Chen Xiang’s hospital examination confirmed the extent of her injuries, the case could be closed.
The real difficulty lay in the assault-on-police matter. The auxiliary officer Zhao Si Yuan had bitten was still being treated in the hospital, an entirely separate case.
For both the Chen Xiang case and the assault case, Zhao Si Yuan hadn’t said a single word. He sat silently in the interrogation room, refusing to answer any questions, like a silent protest, yet also a tacit admission of guilt.
Shao felt a heavy weight in his chest. Just as he stepped outside to get some air, Zhong Yao jogged up to him.
“Officer, I have something I want to report about Zhao Si Yuan,” she said.
Thinking she was referring to more details about the case, Shao led her to a quiet corner. “What do you want to report?” he asked.
Zhong Yao glanced left and right to confirm no one was nearby, then spoke slowly: “Zhao Si Yuan is a drug addict. He’s been using drugs.”
Shao’s expression darkened instantly. “You can’t make claims without evidence.”
Even though Zhao Si Yuan looked gaunt and unwell, false accusations couldn’t be made without proof, especially when it involved drugs, which was extremely serious.
“Officer, you can search Zhao Si Yuan’s residence, take him for a blood test, and even check his accounts for recent expenditures. I guarantee I’m not lying,” Zhong Yao said urgently, almost stomping her feet. If it weren’t for Dou Dou’s prophecy being invisible to others, she would have shown Shao the video directly.
The fact that Zhao Si Yuan could access and purchase the “stamp” indicated that beneath the peaceful surface of Dongchuan City, some heartless people were breaking national laws, something absolutely intolerable.
Zhong Yao didn’t dare think any further, just realizing this was enough to make her break out in a cold sweat.
Seeing her pure expression and serious demeanor, Officer Shao made up his mind.
He calmly thanked Zhong Yao for her report and told her to go home first, assuring her that he would pay special attention to this matter.
After Zhong Yao left the police station, Shao Kangbo quickly approached the female officer who had also been handling Zhao Si Yuan’s case. “Take Zhao Si Yuan for a blood test,” he instructed.
A huge weight lifted from Zhong Yao’s heart, and she relaxed as she stepped out of the station.
Although Shao hadn’t given her any explicit confirmation, she trusted that as a police officer, he already had a plan and wouldn’t ignore the matter.
Tapping her phone screen with her index finger, she asked Dou Dou, “I didn’t realize precognition isn’t just about the future, you can even know things that have already happened.”
Considering they were on a busy street, Dou Dou didn’t reveal itself. It replied arrogantly: 【Of course! My precognition ability is the best in the world. You should’ve realized that by now.】
“Then tell me, what will happen to Zhao Si Yuan in the end?”
Until now, Zhong Yao had always passively received Dou Dou’s prophecies, she had never asked it to predict anything on her own. This was her first time wanting it to foresee something according to her intent.
Unexpectedly, the once-arrogant Dou Dou immediately deflated: 【Can’t calculate.】
Zhong Yao let out a small “tsk,” as if mocking how quickly it had been slapped down.
Dou Dou, now embarrassed, turned red: 【Anything you’ve interfered with, I can no longer predict. At most, I can only look at things that have already happened.】
Zhong Yao frowned in confusion. What did it mean by “anything she’d interfered with”? Why couldn’t it predict after she had gotten involved?
Just as she was about to ask further, Dou Dou suddenly vanished. The phone screen returned to normal. Zhong Yao’s lips curved into a faint smile, she half-thought Dou Dou had fled in embarrassment after being “slapped in the face.”
It was two in the afternoon, the hottest part of the day, with the sun blazing arrogantly over the land, making its presence unmistakable.
Zhong Yao had been busy most of the morning and hadn’t eaten a single bite. Her stomach was empty and aching, practically pressing her chest to her back. She stood by the roadside, hand shading her eyes from the intense sunlight.
Across the street was a ramen shop. Although lunchtime had passed, it was still fairly busy, so business seemed good.
She sniffed the air, and amid the sweltering heat, she could faintly smell the aroma of ramen.
As the light turned green, Zhong Yao hurried across the street and stepped into the shop. The cool air from the air conditioner made her shiver involuntarily.
Rubbing her now-flat stomach from hunger, she boldly ordered the largest beef noodle portion. The shop owner even double-checked: “Miss, our bowls are big. You probably won’t finish the largest portion. Do you want a smaller bowl instead?”
Zhong Yao waved her hand: “Forget the beef noodles. Right now, even if you gave me an entire cow, I could finish it.”
She found a seat facing the kitchen, staring straight at the door, wishing there were some kind of speed-up device to make the wait go by faster.
A few minutes later, the shop owner came over beaming, carrying a huge bowl: “Miss, here’s your beef noodles, the largest portion.”
“Thank you.” Zhong Yao’s eyes lit up. She quickly grabbed a pair of chopsticks, picked up some noodles, and “whooshed” them to cool before daring to put them in her mouth.
Ah, so good!
The noodles themselves were perfectly chewy, and the specially crafted broth made them even more flavorful.
On top of that, Zhong Yao was so hungry that her standards had dropped completely, she instinctively added a “delicious” buff in her mind. For a moment, she even thought this was the best bowl of ramen she had ever eaten in her life.
As she buried her head in the bowl, she suddenly noticed someone sitting across from her.
She lifted her head slightly and saw an elderly man sitting down, dressed plainly. His hair was white, his brows wide, forehead broad, and his face had a healthy rosy glow, even better than some younger people.
Although his clothing was simple, it was obvious he was a wealthy man who didn’t worry about food or money. His back was perfectly straight, showing none of the slouching or frailty typical of ordinary old people.
Zhong Yao glanced at him instinctively, then lowered her head again, she wasn’t really interested in studying strangers.
Unexpectedly, the old man spoke first: “Young lady, what kind of noodles are you eating? They smell really good.”
Although the shop specialized in ramen, it offered a variety of dishes, and a first-time customer couldn’t tell which was which just by looking.
Zhong Yao pointed to the huge advertisement on the wall beside her: “This one, the signature beef noodles.”
The man’s face was kind and gentle, and he nodded with a smile. He ordered the same dish, but while Zhong Yao had the large portion, he chose a small one.