"You said that Express is planning to create this section. Did you come to me to get some ideas?" Liu Gang guessed.
"Sure enough, you're the top - notch journalist. You guessed right away. The report said 'there was a murder in a certain community'. I'm really curious about where it is!"
"Sorry! Sorry!" Liu Gang said seriously. "It's an exclusive news. I can't share it!"
"I also have some information about the 'Smiling Face Killer'..."
"What?" Liu Gang, who was about to open the car door, turned around. "Do you mean you want to exchange some gossip for my exclusive news material?"
"Absolutely not gossip. I heard that the son of the 'Smiling Face Killer' has come of age. He just arrived in Jiangxia, and there was a murder case not long ago!"
Liu Gang showed an extremely shocked expression. With the nose of a journalist, he immediately realized that this was enough to make another front - page headline.
But Di Zhen didn't even mention the word 'exchange'. He just led Liu Gang to think in that direction. There was actually no connection between the arrival of the 'Smiling Face Killer's' son in Jiangxia and the murder case. He deliberately said so as if there was some causal relationship.
Liu Gang pondered, and his expression changed from surprise to doubt. He said, "Can you find the son of the 'Smiling Face Killer'?"
"Sure, I can even interview him."
"Do you want to exchange the interview right for my exclusive material here?"
Di Zhen smiled, and the other party thought it was an affirmative answer.
Liu Gang thought about it. They really still had some unreported content, but the police didn't allow them to write it. If they really wrote it, the magazine would be immediately withdrawn, and the loss would be very heavy.
However, the big news about the 'Smiling Face Killer's' son was a whole different ballgame. What was the kid up to now? Did his father's affairs affect him? Had he gone off the rails? Was he involved in the murder case?
It would be simply wonderful to launch an exclusive interview at this critical moment!
The material that this young man in front of him wanted to exchange was just waste. This deal was a no - brainer, and a really lucrative one.
Seeing Liu Gang showing a greedy expression, Di Zhen immediately interrupted his thinking. "Well, I'll invite you for coffee tomorrow. Let's have a chat."
"Come on! You clearly aren't professional. Journalists seize every minute and second. Let's talk now. Get in the car!" Liu Gang waved his hand.
On the way, Liu Gang chatted with him a bit, and Di Zhen just echoed. At this time, he was not his real self. Otherwise, he couldn't achieve such a realistic effect.
Di Zhen was cold and withdrawn by nature, and the application of the [b]Mind - Control Technique[/b] often required proper expressions and tones, which needed a certain amount of acting skills.
To make up for this lack of talent, Di Gong asked him to study the biographies of seven people thoroughly and then completely imitate one of them in speech and action for a period of time. When he needed to use it, he could just retrieve it, just like retrieving a mental tool.
However, this was different from a mental tool; it was merely a personality mask, a façade.
If he learned too deeply, they would separate and become independent personalities, threatening his real self.
The personality mask Di Zhen was using now was called Gui Wanbao, a sophisticated and flattering middle - aged man.
When they arrived at a cheap coffee shop, Liu Gang ordered two cups of cheap coffee and said, "I just like to come here to talk business. The atmosphere is quiet. You go first!"
Di Zhen said, "What if you don't give me the material after I've finished speaking?"
"Hey, would I deceive you?"
"Liu Gang patted his briefcase. 'It's all in here. I'll show them to you after you're done speaking.'
'Okay!'
Di Zhen reached out to pick up the coffee cup and 'accidentally' knocked the phone that Liu Gang had placed on the table. He hid the phone in his palm and pretended to accidentally drop it on the ground. 'Oops, sorry!'
'How careless!'
Liu Gang quickly looked for it. He searched around but couldn't find it and was sweating anxiously.
When he bent down to look for the phone and the blood rushed to his head, Di Zhen suddenly grabbed his neck and repeatedly stroked the braid in his sparse hair, whispering, 'Sleep! Sleep!'
Feeling Liu Gang's body go heavy, Di Zhen helped him back to his seat and said, 'I've just told you a very, very shocking exclusive scoop. You were full of praise after hearing it. Now you can wake up!'
With a gentle snap of his fingers, Liu Gang woke up and frowned, saying, 'This... This... is amazing! You're just giving it to me?'
'I think I can't handle such a big news story. It's the right choice to leave it to you,' Di Zhen said sincerely.
'You've got good judgment, young man!' Liu Gang patted Di Zhen's shoulder and was extremely happy. Once this news story was published, wouldn't he win a Pulitzer Prize? 'Alright, I'll keep my promise and show you these.'
He pulled out some documents from his briefcase and reminded once again, 'You can only read them here. You can't take them away!'
Since Di Zhen had just deceived him with [b]Mental Symbols[/b] and couldn't afford to let him think too much, he quickly picked up the documents, snapped a bunch of photos with the [b]camera[/b], and then returned them. Liu Gang had just taken a sip of coffee and was surprised, 'You've finished reading!?'
'Almost. I'm going back to write the story.'
'By the way, I just got a new phone. What's your contact information...'
Di Zhen casually gave him a number on a telephone pole for an old military doctor treating difficult and complicated diseases, then said goodbye.
After Di Zhen left, Liu Gang was extremely excited and immediately called the editor - in - chief. 'I've just got a big news story!'
'What news?'
'It's... well... a big news story!'
'What news?'
'It's...' Liu Gang frowned. What was going on? Clearly, he had been full of praise after hearing what the young man said just now, but why did he forget as soon as he turned around.
'What on earth is it? Stop being so mysterious!' the editor - in - chief urged on the phone.
'Let me think about it. I'll call you back later!'
Liu Gang called Di Zhen. A lewd male voice came from the phone. 'Hello, welcome to call. Do you have any embarrassing problems?'
After getting the information, Di Zhen looked around for a quiet place. He saw an empty dumpling restaurant and went in. He ordered a plate of mutton dumplings, then sat down, closed his eyes, and entered deep thought.
The documents he had taken pictures of with the [b]camera[/b] appeared one by one in front of his eyes. Liu Gang had full knowledge of a murder case that had occurred in Lily Community and had also taken some on - site photos. The victim was a single woman, and something had been propped in her cheeks to make her look like she was smiling."
Di Zhen entered a meditative state. Using the photos, he reconstructed the crime scene in his mind and found himself in the room where the murder had taken place.
Since there were only three photos, most of the room remained blank in his mental reconstruction.
He squatted down to examine the female victim who was wearing thin silk pajamas. Apparently, she was killed at home in the middle of the night. How did the killer get in? Did the killer pick the lock, or was the killer an acquaintance?
The cause of death was a stab wound to the heart by a sharp weapon. There were no signs of a struggle at the scene. The female victim had slight bruising on the bridge of the nose and purple lips, indicating that the killer might have used an inhalant anesthetic. The chopsticks that had been used to prop up a smile were removed and placed beside the victim's head.
There were still too few clues. It would be best to visit the crime scene!
The three murders occurred at Lily Community, Liu Zhong Road, and the dormitory building of the old waterworks respectively. He needed a map.
"[b]Dao Heart Clarification[/b]!"
Di Zhen dispelled the illusions. Suddenly, he noticed that the bag beside him was gone. He asked the waiter, "Did anyone touch my bag?"
"A young man took the bag out just now. I thought he was your friend..."
"What did he look like?"
"He was wearing blue clothes and had red hair."
"Bastard!"
Di Zhen cursed inwardly and immediately rushed out. Being tall and strong, he quickly spotted the fleeing thief...