DipNovel Chapter 8: Live Broadcast, Turning the Tide
Chapter 8: Live Broadcast, Turning the Tide
"Connect with Jiang Chen! Connect with Jiang Chen!"
The live stream chat was flooded with comments, almost completely obscuring the screen.
He Yuting glanced at the real-time data on her phone; the number of online users had exceeded eight million and was still skyrocketing.
She took a deep breath and turned to look at Zhou Guoping.
"Captain Zhou, the entire internet is focused on this. I suggest we contact Jiang Chen immediately. Regardless of his identity, saving lives is the top priority right now."
Zhou Guoping frowned and did not answer immediately.
He knew what this move meant—allowing a suspect still in detention to participate in the search and rescue remotely would have a huge impact if word got out.
Success! Everyone's happy.
If it fails, he and the entire task force will have to take the blame.
"Captain, we can't hesitate any longer!" Lin Xiaoyu's eyes were red with anxiety. "Captain Wang and the others have been inside for almost forty minutes, and there's not a sound on the walkie-talkie!"
Zhou Guoping gritted his teeth and finally nodded.
"Connect".
He Yuting immediately turned around and said to the camera, "Okay, the frontline command has agreed. We will now connect with Jiang Chen."
The live stream was split in two: the left side showed the real-time footage of the scene in the mountains and the right side showed the surveillance footage of the interrogation room.
Jiang Chen was dozing off in the chair in the interrogation room, with a little drool still hanging from the corner of his mouth.
The live chat exploded instantly:
"This is the master of suspense? He's so down-to-earth!"
"Wake up, bro! Something terrible has happened!"
"Look at that sleeping posture, he doesn't look like a murderer at all..."
"Wake up, your book fans are watching you!"
He Yuting coughed lightly: "Mr. Jiang Chen, can you hear me?"
Jiang Chen opened his eyes groggily and was stunned when he saw the dense barrage of comments on the screen.
"What's going on?"
He Yuting quickly explained the situation: "Mr. Jiang Chen, we are currently live-streaming across the entire internet. The two investigators who were initially sent into the mountains by the special task force have gone missing, and Captain Wang Lei and the others who went in for the second search and rescue have also all gone missing. The rescue rope has been cut by an external force. The situation on site is critical, and the entire internet is waiting for your help."
Jiang Chen's mind cleared instantly.
Was the rescue rope cut by an external force?
The knowledge instilled by the system flashed through his mind—cutting a professional rescue rope that can bear a weight of over a thousand kilograms in a short time is something that is absolutely impossible for a human.
It's either a sharp weapon, or...
"Were there any traces of large wild animals found at the scene?" Jiang Chen suddenly asked.
This question stunned everyone.
He Yuting turned to look at Zhou Guoping, who shook his head: "We have surveyed the surrounding area and found no footprints or droppings of large wild animals."
"What did the rope break look like? Was it neat or rough?" Jiang Chen pressed.
Zhao Gang picked up the walkie-talkie and contacted the technician who was inspecting the rope.
A few seconds later, the technician replied: "The break is very clean, as if it was cut off by an extremely sharp blade."
Jiang Chen closed his eyes and quickly constructed a three-dimensional map of the scene in his mind.
The detective's insightful bloodline instilled by the system was fully activated at this moment, and all the information was automatically pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle.
He suddenly opened his eyes.
"I see."
Everyone held their breath.
"That valley depression was not formed naturally."
Jiang Chen's voice was calm and resolute.
"Based on your description of the terrain, it's an area that has been artificially altered. The narrow passages, hidden entrances, and eerie metallic sounds all point to the same conclusion—"
"That place used to be a secret military facility."
The scene erupted in uproar.
Zhou Guoping paused for two seconds, then immediately realized: "You mean, there are abandoned underground fortifications hidden in those mountains?"
"It's not hidden, it's always been there." Jiang Chen's eyes sharpened. "The villagers' saying 'once you go in, you can't come out' isn't because of any supernatural forces, but because the structure of those underground fortifications is extremely complex, and strangers can easily get lost inside."
"As for that metallic sound—"
Jiang Chen paused for a moment, then said, "That's the resonance caused by airflow as the ventilation ducts age. The 'bell-like' sound you heard is probably from the damper blades in a specific location."
He Yuting immediately pressed, "How did the rescue rope break?"
"Underground fortifications typically have pre-installed maintenance access routes, separated by steel plates. If two investigators encounter an emergency in a passageway, they need to cut the rope and split up—"
"But they didn't cut it themselves." Jiang Chen changed the subject. "The clean cut of the rope indicates that the thing that cut it was very sharp. I suspect that there might still be some... old-fashioned traps remaining in that underground fortification."
The chat instantly fell silent.
Everyone was stunned by this deduction.
Zhou Guoping clenched his fist: "You mean, our men encountered a trap in the fortifications?"
"It's just speculation," Jiang Chen said, not giving a definitive answer. "But I suggest you change your search and rescue plan immediately. Don't enter through the narrow passage; it's a secondary entrance to the fortifications, and the structure is unstable."
Where is the main entrance?
Jiang Chen closed his eyes and recalled the concept art he had written in his new book.
He wrote that setting based on a declassified document he had seen in his previous life.
It now seems that the information was actually authentic in this world.
"Go east for 300 meters, and there is a stone wall covered with vines. Behind the stone wall should be the main entrance to the fortification."
Without saying a word, Zhou Guoping waved his hand: "Everyone, follow me!"
He Yuting quickly addressed the camera: "Viewers, our frontline team is currently heading towards the new entrance Jiang Chen pointed out. We're following their progress closely!"
The live stream was shaking violently, and He Yuting jogged alongside the team.
It took us nearly ten minutes to walk 300 meters on the rugged mountain path.
"We're here!" shouted the technician at the front.
The beam of the flashlight shone on the stone wall, and sure enough, behind the dense vines, a heavy iron door could be vaguely seen.
"Quickly, clear away the vines!"
Several team members rushed forward and cut the vines with knives.
The moment the iron gate was revealed, everyone gasped.
A series of numbers were engraved on the door, along with a line of faded text—
"Military restricted area. Unauthorized trespassers will be held responsible for any consequences."
Zhou Guoping turned to the camera: "Jiang Chen, did you see that?"
In the interrogation room, Jiang Chen stared at the screen, his brows furrowed.
"Is the door locked?"
The technician tried it: "It's locked; we need to use explosives."
"No way," Jiang Chen immediately stopped them. "The internal structure is old; an explosion would cause a collapse. There should be an emergency mechanical lock on the door. Check if there are any cover plates on the sides."
The technician felt along the edge of the door and found a loose iron plate on the right side.
After prying it open, there was an old-fashioned mechanical combination lock inside.
"What's the password?" The technician was sweating profusely with anxiety.
Jiang Chen closed his eyes and quickly searched his mind for information.
The decrypted document from my past life seemed to mention a common cipher for this type of fortification...
"Turn left three times, turn right to 17, turn left to 8, turn right to 23."
The technician did as instructed.
Click—
The lock is open.
Everyone was stunned.
Zhou Guoping took a deep breath and slowly pushed open the iron door that had been sealed for many years.
The light from the flashlight shone in, revealing a deep, dark passageway.
The passageway is flanked by reinforced concrete walls, and overhead there is a light that has long been turned off every few meters.
The air was filled with the damp smell of rust.
"Is anyone there?" Zhao Gang shouted at the top of his lungs.
The echoes reverberated through the passage before finally disappearing into the depths.
He Yuting lowered her voice and said to the camera, "We are now entering the underground fortifications to search for the missing team members..."
Before he could finish speaking, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the depths of the passage.
Everyone immediately went on alert, and flashlights were shone into the depths.
A few seconds later, a figure stumbled out of the darkness.
It's Wang Lei.
His face was covered in ash, and his clothes were torn in several places, but he didn't seem to be seriously injured.
"Captain Wang!" Zhao Gang rushed over to help him up. "Where are the others?"
Wang Lei was panting heavily, his voice hoarse: "They're all...they're all inside...there's a room...they're trapped..."
"Trapped? Trapped by what?" Zhou Guoping pressed.
Wang Lei looked up, his eyes still filled with lingering fear.
"Inside... there's a door that can't be opened once it's closed. When we went in, the door suddenly slammed shut, separating me from the three team members. I was able to get out, but they were trapped over there..."
"What kind of door?" Jiang Chen's voice came from the phone.
Wang Lei was stunned for a moment before realizing that Jiang Chen was giving remote instructions.
"It's a very thick iron door, at least ten centimeters thick. There's an observation window on the door that lets you see across, but you can't open it."
"Are there any hydraulic devices around the door?" Jiang Chen asked.
Wang Lei recalled: "There were...a few cylindrical things on the door frame, like...like pistons."
Jiang Chen took a deep breath.
"That's an airtight door. It was designed to prevent biological and chemical leaks, and it automatically locks once triggered."
"Is there any way to open it?" Zhou Guoping asked anxiously.
Jiang Chen remained silent for a few seconds.
"Yes. These types of doors usually have an emergency manual pump, typically on the left or right side of the door frame. Look for a red handle."
The technician immediately rushed to the door and shone a flashlight across the door frame.
"Found it! There's a red handle here, covered in dust!"
"Pull it down," Jiang Chen said. "Then push and pull repeatedly to pressurize the hydraulic system. The door will then slowly open."
The technician gripped the handle and pulled it down forcefully.
Then start pushing and pulling repeatedly.
It was very difficult at first, but after pushing it a dozen times, the resistance decreased significantly.
A dull hydraulic hum echoed through the tunnel, as if some long-dormant machine had finally been awakened.
squeak-
The heavy iron gate began to move slowly.
Everyone stared nervously at the crack in the door.
When the door was opened about thirty centimeters, a hand reached out from the crack.
"Finally... finally someone's here!" came Xiao Wu's tearful voice from inside.
The door opened wider and wider, and the three trapped team members crawled out one after another.
Although they were frightened, they were not injured.
The live chat exploded instantly:
"Awesome! Absolutely awesome!"
"Just what kind of monster is Jiang Chen? How does he even know how to open the doors of military fortifications?"
"Now who would dare say it was a coincidence?"
"God! Absolutely God!"
"I knew it! How could the author I admire be wrong!"
Speaking excitedly to the camera, He Yuting said, "Dear viewers, under Jiang Chen's remote guidance, the task force has successfully rescued all the missing team members! From the current situation, everyone is safe and sound!"
Su Wan remained silent in the interrogation room.
She stood there with her arms crossed, looking at Jiang Chen with an extremely complicated expression.
Jiang Chen felt her gaze, turned around, glanced at her, and smiled.
"Officer Su, don't look at me like that. I'm just a novelist who does a lot of research."
Su Wan remained silent for a while before speaking.
"Do you realize that your actions just now amounted to admitting in front of everyone that you have a deep understanding of the internal structure of a secret military fortification that has never been made public before?"
"Why would a novelist research this kind of information?"
Jiang Chen's smile froze on his face.
The live chat exploded:
"Wait, Officer Su is right!"
"How could an ordinary person possibly find out the structure of military fortifications?"
"It's over, Jiang Chen has really shot himself in the foot!"
"No way, no way, could he really be...?"
"I don't believe it! If he were the murderer, why would he save people!"
"It was acted, wasn't it? Directed and acted by yourself?"
He Yuting also keenly realized the seriousness of the problem and pointed the camera at the interrogation room.
Eight million viewers across the internet are waiting for Jiang Chen's answer.
Jiang Chen took a deep breath and looked at Su Wan.
"Officer Su, if I told you that I found this information on some obscure online forum while I was writing my novel, would you believe me?"
Su Wan sneered: "What's the name of that forum?"
Jiang Chen took out his phone, quickly searched for something, and then held the screen up to the camera.
"The Criminal Investigation Enthusiasts' Home is a niche forum with only a few hundred registered users. There's a special section where they share all sorts of declassified materials and old files. I get a lot of material from there when I'm writing my novels."
Su Wan took the phone and quickly scrolled through it.
Sure enough, the forum was filled with all sorts of obscure information—structural diagrams of old factories, satellite photos of abandoned facilities, and even some declassified military archives.
Almost all the details described in Jiang Chen's new book can be found on this forum.
Su Wan's face turned extremely ugly.
It wasn't because Jiang Chen was lying; quite the opposite, it was because what he said was true.
He could provide a plausible source for every detail that seemed "impossible to know".
This only made her more uneasy.
Why would a normal person need to research so much crime-related information?
Was it really for writing a novel, or...?
Or is it to cover up some deeper motive?
Su Wan didn't ask the question aloud, but Jiang Chen read the meaning in her eyes.
He sighed helplessly.
"Officer Su, I know you still doubt me. But can we put that aside for now? Now that the underground fortifications have been found, the real challenge is just beginning."
Jiang Chen's tone became serious.
"If my judgment is correct, that underground fortification may very well hold the truth behind this series of murders."
Everyone’s heart is raised.
Zhou Guoping addressed the camera in a deep voice, "Jiang Chen, from now on, you will be involved in the entire process. We will follow your lead every step of the way."
Jiang Chen nodded.
"The first thing is to draw up a floor plan of the fortifications. I need to know the internal structure to determine where the killer might be hiding."
"The second thing is that all team members must go in pairs; no one is allowed to act alone. The interior of the fortification is complex and may contain residual dangerous devices."
"The third thing—" Jiang Chen paused, "is to be prepared for the worst-case scenario at any time."
"What's the worst-case scenario?" He Yuting pressed.
Jiang Chen's eyes deepened.
"A murderer who can precisely mimic the crimes in my novels and use abandoned military fortifications as hiding places has counter-surveillance capabilities and psychological fortitude far beyond your imagination."
"A person like that is unlikely to leave too many flaws."
"But if he had been in the fortifications for a long time, then what he left behind might be more than just flaws."
"And—" Jiang Chen's voice lowered, "...a trap."
The passageway fell into dead silence.
The only sound was the wind blowing through the ventilation ducts, like something whispering in the darkness.
The chat was silent for a full three seconds, then it exploded even more violently:
"Holy crap, this atmosphere is scarier than a horror movie!"
"Jiang Chen, stop talking! I'm too scared to go to the bathroom alone at night!"
"So... the killer really is hiding inside the fortifications?"
"Oh no, oh no, I feel like something terrible is going to happen!"
"The more I read Jiang Chen's reasoning, the more I feel he's the murderer."
"Shut upstairs! The killer wouldn't help the police like that!"
"Who knows? Maybe he's just playing a cat-and-mouse game..."
He Yuting took a deep breath and said to the camera, "Dear viewers, we will continue to follow up on the developments in real time. No matter the outcome, this will be an extremely special case in the history of criminal investigation."
"A detained suspect remotely guided the police to unravel the secrets of a clandestine military fortification and rescue the trapped team members."
"And now, an even bigger mystery awaits us."
"This is He Yuting. We are on the scene reporting for you."
The number of viewers in the live stream exceeded 15 million.
Meanwhile, behind the one-way glass in the interrogation room, Director Zhang and Zhou Guoping made a brief phone call.
"Old Zhang, what do you think of Jiang Chen?" Zhou Guoping's voice sounded tired.
Director Zhang remained silent for a long time.
"Two paths. Either he's a genius, or he's far more dangerous than we imagine."
"No matter what, after this case is solved, we should 'invite' him for a cup of tea."
"No." Zhou Guoping gave a wry smile. "I think we should really 'beg' him for a cup of tea."
Silence fell on both ends of the phone call.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, in a dimly lit room, a person is staring at a computer screen.
On the screen was He Yuting's live stream.
A pair of bloodshot eyes stared intently at Jiang Chen's face.
The corners of his mouth slowly turned up, revealing a strange smile.
"Jiang Chen..."
A hoarse voice echoed in the empty room.
"You're more interesting than I imagined."
My fingers tapped a few times on the keyboard, and a new email was sent.
Recipient: Jiang Chen's official reader email address.
Title: I'll write the next chapter.