Seeing Zhao Yan so confident, He Jing had nothing more to say.
Moreover, Zhao Yan had already called the police.
Upon hearing that a murderer was present at Jianghe Lake, the police responded with remarkable speed.
Three minutes later, three police cars pulled up to the roadside.
Mu Gui, a squad leader at the police station, personally loaded his handgun with live ammunition, knowing there was a suspect.
Seeing such a large crowd gathered, he felt a twinge of nervousness.
He led his officers forward at a brisk pace.
The crowd parted to make way for the approaching police.
"Captain, this is the site of the variety show 'Chasing the Killer Today.' This program had also applied to our bureau for filming. The chief said that life is too safe nowadays, and this variety show can enhance public awareness of prevention, so it was approved," a police officer behind Mu Gui said. He also felt a chill, thinking that with so many onlookers, if a murderer were to act out, a large number of people could be harmed.
He recalled a past incident where a killer wielding a machete had charged into a crowd, indiscriminately slashing.
That violent event had caused a stir throughout the province at the time.
As they moved closer, they noticed that the crowd was not in a state of panic. They were quietly observing their arrival.
There was no sign of the murderer.
Mu Gui grunted, his hand resting on the pistol at his waist, while simultaneously signaling his officers to remain vigilant.
"Who reported the crime just now!" Mu Gui shouted.
"Here!" Zhao Yan raised her hand in response.
Hearing Zhao Yan's words, Mu Gui looked in her direction.
He saw a slender young woman holding a muscular man firmly by the hand. What was more, the man was struggling violently, seemingly without any effect.
The young woman's expression was calm, while the burly man appeared like a mere minnow.
He was startled at first, then slowly lowered his hand from his gun.
Seeing the police arrive, the man in the hat showed a flicker of panic in his eyes, then quickly shouted, "Help! I'm innocent! Officer, please help me."
"Everyone saw it. This crazy woman rushed at me for no reason, grabbed my hand, and insisted I was the killer. I didn't do anything."
His cries of innocence were loud, and Mu Gui frowned.
"What evidence do you have to prove he is the killer?" Mu Gui asked.
Zhao Yan then turned to question the spirit of the deceased behind the man in the hat.
Mu Gui watched Zhao Yan speak to the man in the hat's back, but there was no one standing behind him.
He thought Zhao Yan was making a scene.
Zhao Yan said, "His name is Shui Xun, he is thirty-seven years old, and he lives at Building 7, Unit 609, Santun Street."
Upon hearing Zhao Yan's words, the man in the hat froze, his eyes widening as he stared intently at Zhao Yan.
He was shocked that Zhao Yan knew his full details.
He had never met Zhao Yan before; how could this "crazy woman" know him?
His initial composure vanished, and he became flustered.
Before he could speak, Zhao Yan continued, "He's a gambler. A few days ago, he lost all his money gambling online and owes over a million yuan."
"He wanted to double his money, but everyone he borrowed from was scared off. With no money, he set his sights on the victim."
"Knowing the victim was a solitary elderly person, he intended to steal some money from the old man's home."
"He originally planned to steal, but the victim discovered him and grabbed him tightly, refusing to let him go. He then kicked the victim a few times."
"Fearing the victim's screams would alert others, he stabbed the victim twice in the abdomen with a dagger."
Zhao Yan looked at the spirit behind the man in the hat. "These two stab wounds were about three centimeters long."
"Then, fearing exposure, he dismembered the victim's body, packed it into bags, and dumped it in the river."
Zhao Yan spoke with such clarity, even stating the depth of the abdominal wounds.
This stunned not only the killer but also Mu Gui and the officers behind him.
The dismembered body was handed over to the forensic department.
The forensic department's conclusion matched Zhao Yan's statement: the fatal wounds were from the three-centimeter-deep stab wounds to the abdomen.
This information had not been made public. How could this young woman know it?
The more the killer thought about it, the more panic filled his eyes as he looked at Zhao Yan.
No one had seen him dispose of the victim's body. He had checked the area multiple times to ensure no one was present before proceeding.
How could this woman possibly know?
"Fabrication! You crazy woman, you're slandering me! I never did anything like this! Let go of me! Let go of me, damn it!"
The man in the hat suddenly went berserk, opening his mouth to bite Zhao Yan's hand.
He hadn't bitten earlier because his mental defenses hadn't completely collapsed. He figured that with the police present and no evidence, he would be released shortly.
Now, with Zhao Yan revealing such precise details, even the depth of the wounds, his resolve crumbled.
Before the man in the hat could bite Zhao Yan, a punch landed squarely on his nose, causing him to reel back and nearly fall.
Zhao Yan pulled him back forcefully and delivered another punch.
With a crisp crack, the sound of a broken nose sent a shiver down the spines of the onlookers.
Blood gushed from the killer's nose, staining his clothes.
Zhao Yan shrugged. "He attacked first. This was self-defense."
Mu Gui was dumbfounded. Who exactly was this young woman?
Zhao Yan asked a few more questions behind him, received the information, nodded, and said, "He secretly infiltrated the victim's neighbor's home, placed the murder weapon there, created many traces, and then deliberately called the police using a public phone."
"The person you apprehended is not the actual killer; he's merely a scapegoat."
Mu Gui's expression grew increasingly serious.
They had indeed investigated, and the prime suspect was unlikely to be the killer, as the fingerprints on the weapon showed signs of tampering.
It was likely that the killer had obtained the victim's neighbor's fingerprints and deliberately pressed them onto the weapon.
But how did this young woman know this information, which they had only just received? It was too incredible.
Not only were they astonished, but Director Zhang and the others were also dumbfounded.
At first, they thought Zhao Yan was just messing around.
Most believed Zhao Yan was seeking attention and deliberately trying to capture more camera time.
But now, Zhao Yan's statements were so coherent that the possibility of them being true was very high.
They watched as the man in the hat descended into a state of utter panic.
Having been a police officer for many years, Mu Gui recognized that this man was clearly involved, even if not the killer, perhaps in league with the killer.
He immediately stepped forward, produced handcuffs, and said sternly, "Please cooperate with us."