Chương 24: Chapter 24
Enrique Jason rented a room in a narrow, tall old building near the university.
With him absent, the landlady refused to open the door.
Yan Su and Zhen Ai climbed the wooden stairs to the third floor, where Officer Blake was negotiating with the landlady to unlock Jason's room.
The 45-year-old woman with curly hair argued in a mix of Spanish and English: "mi dios, u cannot break into mi casa. You bully."
Blake explained that Jason was a major suspect in a crime.
The landlady firmly disagreed, praising Jason as a "buen chico" and a "good tenant who comes home on time and is tidy."
Yan Su approached, casting a cold glance at Blake: "Clearly, officer, you haven't applied for a search warrant."
Blake awkwardly replied, "There's no valid evidence; the special warrant is under review, but by then, a second explosion could happen."
Yan Su said, "But without a warrant, the landlady can't let you in. She's an upright lady; please don't pressure her with your authority."
Everyone was taken aback.
Yan Su nodded slightly to the landlady and said in Spanish, "lo siento."
The landlady looked pleased.
Yan Su asked, "Which is Jason's room?"
The woman pointed behind Yan Su.
"Gracias!" He turned and unexpectedly kicked the door open with force.
The sudden act left everyone stunned, and the landlady's jaw dropped—wasn't he on their side?
As everyone stood in shock, Yan Su shrugged nonchalantly: "I'm not a cop."
This implied he didn't have to worry about legal consequences; there's a world of difference between a citizen kicking a door and a cop doing so.
The officers shook their heads, thinking he was crazy, yet they couldn't help but smirk.
The landlady, flustered, urged the officers to arrest Yan Su as a "pest."
Blake sighed, "I handle criminal cases. This dispute isn't within my jurisdiction."
Zhen Ai was speechless.
The landlady, with tears in her eyes, realized they were all in cahoots.
"You saw it," Yan Su said, stretching his legs and smirking slyly, "I just broke his door, not illegally entered a residence."
He stood confidently at the door, eyes sharp as he scanned Jason's belongings.
Officer Blake, familiar with Yan Su's impressive observation skills, entrusted him with the task.
Meanwhile, the landlady insisted on calling Jason (which would be futile), while the other officers discussed his potential whereabouts.
Zhen Ai carefully blended into the background, sensing the chaos might provoke an explosion from that guy.
Indeed, the next second,
Yan Su furrowed his brow, coldly commanding, "Everyone, shut up!"
The noisy little building fell silent instantly.
Still unsatisfied, he turned sharply to a plump officer, glaring: "Your breathing is too heavy and annoying; stop breathing now! I want absolute silence."
The plump officer, feeling wronged, looked to Officer Blake for help; Blake shot him a glare, and the plump officer immediately covered his nose in distress.
Everyone held their breath, not daring to make a sound.
"I don't ask much of you, just no breathing," he said, looking back into the room, then turning to Zhen Ai, "You can."
Zhen Ai froze.
Yan Su glanced back and murmured, "Your breathing sounds nice."
Caught in the sharp gaze of officers covering their noses, Zhen Ai thought: Great detective Yan, focus on the case and ignore me, please!
Yan Su stood straight at the door, his black suit accentuating his tall figure, the dimly lit room reflecting in his eyes, deep and profound.
Seconds ticked by in dead silence.
After 30 seconds, he finally spoke:
"There are many wooden carvings and models in the room, suggesting a hobbyist. But the wood color has changed, covered in dust. The modeling tools like tweezers and cutters are spotless, even worn from frequent use. This indicates the models are a facade. Instead, there are several steel pen holders on the desk—does he have a penchant for collecting them, or do they resemble different types of explosive canisters? Obviously the latter. The tools are not for modeling; they're for making bombs. However, there are no chemicals in the room, implying he practices handling tools at any time.
So, where could he consistently carry a large bag of tools in and out without raising suspicion?"
"At the door, several pairs of shoes look unwashed, but the soles are clean, indicating he hasn't walked through muddy areas, ruling out parks or outskirts. The question arises, where in the city center could he go undisturbed? Renting a place? He doesn't have that kind of money."
"Now, looking at the windows, the opposite side is a narrow corridor and wall, with poor lighting, yet he still uses thick black curtains. Conclusion: 1. He has sleep issues and an irregular schedule. 2. He doesn't want anyone to know when he gets home.
The landlady says he comes home on time, but that's because he leaves on schedule in the morning and returns at night without disturbing her. He doesn't drive or take taxis; he walks."
After finishing this long explanation, Yan Su turned around, his gaze sharp:
"His bomb-making workshop is within walking distance, in the city center, not a rented space, and he could carry a large bag in without raising suspicion. In fact, coming home late would make other tenants curious."
Yan Su's lips curved coldly: "It seems there's only one place."
In an instant, everyone snapped back to reality: the school!
The bomb-maker Jason was hiding in the school!
The school was only a five-minute drive away, yet it felt like an eternity.
Zhen Ai sat next to Yan Su, silent, as he exuded a strange tension.
She knew that his impressive deduction hadn't filled him with pride; rather, it made him angry. He was upset with himself for not realizing sooner that Jason's explosive lab was actually on campus.
But Zhen Ai thought he was being too hard on himself.
After all, no one could fully grasp a person's thoughts without knowing them. What he had accomplished so far was remarkable.
In the quiet cabin, Yan Su suddenly sneered, "That's just his style."
His tone suggested he completely understood that unseen bomber, "The most dangerous place is the safest. He has confidence and courage to pull this trick. Great!"
Zhen Ai felt a chill at the ominous tone she had never heard from him before.
Yan Su then looked at Blake ahead: "Contact the bomb disposal expert immediately; Jason may have strapped a bomb to his enemy."
Upon hearing this, Zhen Ai's face turned pale.
Yan Su noticed her through the rearview mirror, and his icy expression softened instantly. He patted her shoulder and whispered, "Don't be scared; I'm here!" He said it so naturally, without realizing any wrong.
In truth, Zhen Ai wasn't afraid. But warmth filled her heart; however, when she met Blake's knowing gaze, her cheeks flushed.
They soon arrived at the school.
Yan Su and the others rushed to the physics lab where Jason was, but only one person was organizing equipment: Jason's rival, Sullivan.
Blake was puzzled and asked Yan Su, "Is he not at school?"
Zhen Ai tensed up. Uh, officer, are you really questioning Yan Su?
Sure enough, Yan Su shot Blake a glare like a knife: "Stupid human, who said he wanted to kill Sullivan?"
Zhen Ai facepalmed: childish, this isn't the time for banter.
Unexpectedly, Yan Su seemed to sense her thoughts and turned back, justifying quickly, "I learned that line from you."
Zhen Ai recalled she had indeed described Jason as "stupid," okay, she was wrong; she shouldn't teach kids bad words.
Yan Su continued his conversation with Blake: "How could he kill Sullivan? From the information we gathered, Sullivan has no achievements or highlights in research, his IQ is average; Jason doesn't even take him seriously."
Sullivan's face darkened as he raised a hand: "Hey, my ears are fine."
"Good for you! Oh, congratulations!" Yan Su glanced at him before continuing to Blake, "Jason has a deep mentor-mentee and collaborative relationship with Professor Li. He feels betrayed!"
Blake then stiffly approached Sullivan to explain their intent and ask about Jason's possible location.
But Sullivan wasn't cooperative.
Like most scholars, he held an innate arrogance and disdain for those in politics or law enforcement.
He lazily lifted his eyelids and said, "Research confidentiality, no comment," before resuming his work.
While Blake was at a loss, Yan Su suddenly spoke up: "Jason knows the police have zeroed in on him, so he moved up his final murder plan. Your professor is now in his hands."
"Ridiculous," Sullivan retorted angrily, "Jason is working on research; Professor Li went home long ago."
Blake was startled: "We forgot about Professor Li's home." There wasn't enough time to go now.
But Yan Su was adamant: "No, they're in some corner of this school."
"The area around the school is swarming with police; he can't move his explosives out. Plus, he seeks perfection; having to create multiple explosions has already angered him. Do you think he'd agree to move the blast site from his beloved school to a place he despises?"
Zhen Ai instantly understood; due to the rapid police response, Jason was forced to aim for his greatest target. This could very well be his final act.
For someone who designed bombs with creativity and artistry, he would obviously choose the spotlight of the campus over a quiet, empty villa. Blowing up the professor at school—what a twist!
Just over an hour ago, there had been an explosion; imagine another more spectacular blast right under so many police eyes—exciting to think about!
Blake exclaimed, "Jason must have forced Professor Li to go with him; he's extremely dangerous now."
Sullivan was even more furious: "What are you talking about? Jason is a dedicated researcher; with his personality, he wouldn't dare..."
"What kind of personality?" Yan Su's voice turned ominous.
"Why describe him as hardworking and not as gifted? Let me illustrate why—
Because he's understated and patient, his emotions rarely visible. Among you, he's like an unnoticed background wall, lacking color. You've never seen him smile or frown. You wouldn't think he's successful because he never boasts or fights for recognition. But you wouldn't think him weak either, as he never apologizes, never says 'maybe.' Your professor often criticizes him; he silently endures without rebuttal, but he never concedes."
His tone shifted back to calm: "Think about it, a person with his character—what wouldn't he dare do?"
Sullivan trembled, shocked. Jason was just like the stranger described, yet he had never perceived any threat, but now after Yan Su's analysis, he paled: "Do you know him?"
Yan Su quickly replied, "No. This is a profile we've developed based on the bomb and the scene; does it sound familiar?"
Sullivan rushed outside: "I'll take you!"
The others immediately followed.
Zhen Ai lagged behind, somewhat absent-minded.
Yan Su's description reminded her of someone else—her brother.
Her brother was that kind of person, terrifying to everyone.
She struggled to support her forehead; every time she thought of him, her head throbbed. Today it seemed worse.
She slowed her pace.
"Zhen Ai!" A distant voice pulled her from her thoughts.
She looked up dazedly and saw Yan Su standing at the lab door.
Everyone had left, but he waited for her.
Backlit, his defined face looked unreal in the bright light.
Gradually, she snapped back to reality.
Yan Su initially wanted to chide her for being slow, but seeing her vacant expression and pale face, he frowned and approached her: "What's wrong? Are you unwell?"
Zhen Ai had regained clarity; worried about slowing him down, she smiled apologetically and shook her head: "I'm fine."
Her remorseful look inexplicably made him uncomfortable.
Yan Su gazed at the dried blood on her clothes, feeling increasingly guilty: "It's my fault; I should have taken you to the hospital right away."
Yet he had to stop the second explosion, and that The Pipa and the Nautilus made him uneasy about leaving Zhen Ai alone.
Zhen Ai hadn't expected him to say that and quickly reassured him: "I know my condition; I'm fine. There are students in the school; we can't put them at risk again. Let's hurry."
"Okay, I'll deal with that bastard as fast as I can and then take you to the hospital."
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