Simulated Crime, This Criminal Doesn't Seem to Be Acting

Chapter 56

In 2012, a small coastal city, autumn leaves swirled and were blown by the wind, rustling onto the ground, accumulating a patch of withered yellow.

Stepping on them, one could feel the softness beneath, where the decaying leaves had turned into a spongy layer.

December was just around the corner, and the year had been filled with hype about the Mayan prophecy of the end of the world, stirring uncertainty and panic in those who had heard of it.

Even though they were certain the apocalypse would not come.

A woman, freshly moved into a new apartment building with an elevator, gazed out the window at the falling leaves and turned to the man behind her, saying, "Chen Yu, do you think that doomsday prophecy is real?"

"You're a teacher, why would you believe such nonsense?" The thirty-something-year-old man, seated in a deck chair on the balcony reading a book, closed it and looked at his wife with a hint of helplessness. He reminded her of her profession, which should not foster beliefs in such myths.

Shen Lingling shrugged, placing her hand on the balcony rail. "You’re so unromantic. We should be discussing what we'd do if the world were ending."

Chen Yu couldn't help but smile at his wife's whimsy. He stood up, pulling her into an embrace, resting his head on her shoulder. "Alright, alright. If the world were ending, what would you want to do with me?"

As these words were spoken, the air around Shen Lingling seemed to warm up.

"I think… I'd want to hold you as the tsunami swallowed us up," she said, turning to snuggle into his chest, her face beaming with happiness and contentment.

The setting sun cast its final rays on them, bathing them in warmth.

After years of hard work, they had finally bought a house here.

If everything went as planned, they would bring one or two children into the world here and live happily ever after.

If… there were no "ifs."

When they unlocked that door, their fate was sealed.

The new residential area they had moved into had only been completed for about half a year. Many residents were still in the process of renovation, and they had only finished theirs three months ago.

At seven in the evening, as Shen Lingling turned on the faucet only to find no water coming out, she turned to Chen Yu with her hands on her hips. "I think I told you this morning to call the property management."

"I called them this afternoon," Chen Yu replied, looking at his wife. "But they said they were too busy and would come tomorrow morning."

Shen Lingling shook her head, frustrated. He had waited until the afternoon to call, and by then, the property management was already getting off work. Of course, they’d say they’d come in the morning!

At that moment, the doorbell rang.

"Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong."

The crisp sound echoed in the living room. Shen Lingling gestured for Chen Yu to check it out.

Chen Yu was puzzled; no relatives had mentioned they were coming over. For safety reasons, he peered through the peephole to see who it was.

The view from the peephole was circular and dimly lit. He scanned left and right but saw no one.

He scratched his head, thinking it might have just been some mischievous kid and turned to leave.

"Who was it?" Shen Lingling, holding an apple and walking out from the kitchen, asked her husband as he passed through the entrance hall.

Chen Yu shook his head, looking a bit bewildered. "Didn’t see anyone through the peephole. Maybe it was just some kid messing around."

"Maybe they pressed the wrong button and left when they realized their mistake," Shen Lingling replied, her tone dismissive. She wasn't too concerned and sat down.

Earlier, they had eaten leftovers, and when they tried to wash the dishes, they found there was no water.

Unable to do the dishes, Shen Lingling decided to have some fruit and then go to bed.

Chen Yu watched his wife and leaned in to take a bite from her apple.

"Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong."

Before he could even chew and swallow, the doorbell rang again at the entrance.

The second ring made Chen Yu's expression turn serious. Straightening up, he held the apple in his hand and watched the dark red wooden door, pondering.

After a moment, he walked over and peered through the peephole again.

The corridor was tiled in pale white, with two black tiles running down the center of the floor—just as it had been before, with no signs of anyone.

He straightened up, his face filled with confusion.

No one?

His mind began to race with eerie thoughts, but he quickly shook his head, dismissing them as more likely a prank.

Considering there were two of them in the house, and he was a man, he stood by the door, waiting for the next ring so he could open it immediately and catch the prankster.

The air grew tense as Chen Yu remained silent, waiting.

Shen Lingling watched his behavior and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I’m going to catch this prankster. I didn’t see anyone outside both times, so I’m guessing someone’s messing around. I’ll wait for them to press the bell again and open the door right away to catch them." Chen Yu explained his plan to his wife.

Shen Lingling frowned. "Forget it. I’m a bit scared. Why don’t we just have the property management check it out?"

Being a woman, Shen Lingling was more sensitive to danger. Her gender made her more vulnerable to risks than men.

Chen Yu realized his wife was right. His plan had been flawed. He turned to grab his phone, ready to call the property management and have them investigate who had been pulling the prank.

"Knock, knock, knock."

But just as he was about to dial, a knock came from the door.

Chen Yu approached and asked, "Who is it?"

Through the peephole, he saw a man dressed in a security guard uniform, wearing a blue hat, concealing half his face.

"Security patrol. I saw a kid pressing the doorbell earlier, so I came over," the man said.

Chen Yu let out a sigh of relief, thinking they had overreacted. He reached out and turned the doorknob, slowly opening the door.

But just as he was about to greet the guard with a friendly smile, his expression froze when he saw that there was more than one person outside.

Before he could react, he was shoved inside.

The force was so great that he lost his balance, bracing himself against the wall to keep from falling.

Before he could recover, another man entered, swinging a sledgehammer down onto his head.

Chen Yu’s eyes widened in shock as a surge of pain shot through his skull, the force sending him sliding down the wall, clutching his head in agony.

Shen Lingling, who had been observing from behind, let out a blood-curdling scream, her body collapsing to the floor in sheer terror.

She tried to crawl backward, her body paralyzed by fear, unable to move as she wanted to flee.

Chen Yu, though injured, managed to reach out and grab the leg of one of the intruders, trying to delay them long enough for Shen Lingling to escape to the bedroom.

But his effort was in vain. With a swift motion, the attacker swung the sledgehammer down again, this time striking Chen Yu’s hand as it lay on the floor.

"AHHHHH!" Chen Yu screamed in agony, his hand trembling violently from the impact.

Meanwhile, Shen Lingling struggled to regain control of her body. Sobbing, she forced herself to move toward the master bedroom.

Her limbs were weak, but the sheer panic drove her forward.

She managed to crawl into the bedroom and began to close the door.

Just as she was about to shut it, a rough hand pressed against the door, preventing her from closing it.

The attacker, wielding the sledgehammer, pushed the door open with brute force.

Shen Lingling, despite her desperate pleas for mercy, stood no chance against the sheer strength of the man.

After a mere thirty seconds of struggle, the door was forced open.

She turned to flee, but was quickly yanked back by her hair.

Tears streamed down her face as she screamed in terror.

The attacker pulled her backward, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Before she could react, a powerful fist struck her in the eye and temple, and another hand viciously gripped her throat.

"Cough, cough, cough... Help... Help..." Initially, she clawed at the hand choking her, struggling to free herself as her vision darkened.

But slowly, her strength faded. She slid into a semi-conscious state, her body limp.

As she drifted closer to death, she was unceremoniously hurled onto the bed.

The man climbed onto the bed, subduing her beneath him.

From outside the room came the sounds of desperate wails.

...

This time, Ye Sangsang received the information about the game instance earlier than usual.

However, along with the instance information, came intense physical pain.

The severe dizziness caused by a concussion made it almost impossible for her to immediately sort through the information in front of her. The intense pain in her body was so excruciating that she could hardly move.

Ye Sangsang didn't have much personal experience, so she didn't immediately anticipate the scene she was facing, only knowing that she was in great pain all over, especially in her lower body.

But the live stream audience, even with the scene blurred, could still see what had happened, and everyone gasped in shock.

[A chill ran down my spine… Is this… is this instance about a victim of assault?]

[I recall the tragedy of the Blind Girl instance, it's truly terrifying, victim-themed instances are my personal hell.]

[I

After steaming the rice, she continued preparing the dishes.

The man seemed satisfied with her compliance and didn’t make a move during this time.

Ye Sangsang didn’t feel relieved, because this was clearly a buildup of tension. After they finished eating, he would definitely make a move again. Their goal included toying with the couple.

Over an hour later, Ye Sangsang brought the dishes and rice to the table, collapsing against the sofa. She watched them eat leisurely, her face expressionless.

The three men were very leisurely, eating as they sat.

Ye Sangsang’s docile behavior pleased them greatly.

At this moment, Shen Lingling’s husband, Chen Yu, woke up. He saw his wife, covered in injuries.

When Ye Sangsang turned around and gestured for him to stay calm, he still chose to pick up a decorative vase and charge at the man eating.

Ye Sangsang couldn’t bear to watch and closed her eyes.

The next second, he was kicked into the corner.

The man prepared to step forward and kick him again. The apparent leader frowned, “Enough, you’ll kill him if you hit him anymore.”

Perhaps realizing they had nothing to lose, the men removed their masks, revealing three ordinary-looking faces.

All three had expressions of ferocity, their eyes filled with malice, and the aura of having taken lives before was immediate.

Moreover, it was clear they were very familiar with this routine. Ye Sangsang speculated they were habitual offenders or at least had prior records.

Ye Sangsang guessed they wouldn’t kill them for at least three days.

After finishing their meal, the three men took the dishes to the kitchen, looking at the half-dead couple.

“Not bad, willing to cooperate with us. We think you’re quite lovely, and your home is nice too. We’re just here for a visit, and if you’re willing to cooperate, we won’t kill you.” The leader leaned down, pinching Ye Sangsang’s neck, asking for her opinion.

[My scalp tingles. What kind of ‘asking for an opinion’ is this? This is a notification.]

[In reality, these two were killed. They said they wouldn’t.]

[If it were to happen again, the victims would probably wish to be killed on the spot.]

Ye Sangsang nodded nervously, looking at her husband being dragged aside, “You… you’re taking him where?”

“He’s not very cooperative, so we need to make him more agreeable. You two are so affectionate, and he loves to boast about his success and how loving you two are. So, we’ll let him watch… how we show our affection to you…” The man’s face, filled with menacing flesh, twitched, and jealousy surged in his eyes.

Ye Sangsang realized this might be an act of jealousy and imbalance.

She was choked, dragged into the master bedroom, and tossed onto the bed.

Shen Lingling’s petite frame made her easy to control for them.

Ye Sangsang knew that not resisting was impossible, and she also wanted to test their combat capabilities. But she quickly stopped, realizing Chen Yu was soon stabbed.

As Shen Lingling, she couldn’t stand idle, so she hesitated.

The master bedroom wasn’t spacious. The man in black quickly caught up, and she turned around to grapple with him.

He wielded the knife toward her, and Ye Sangsang aimed for his eyes.

He was soon caught in the eye, and the knife plunged into Ye Sangsang’s arm.

This attack was undoubtedly a failure, as it didn’t hurt him, and she was stabbed.

The pain in her flesh awakened her own ferocity. She fiercely kicked him in the lower body, making him howl in pain. Ye Sangsang reached out to grab his knife.

Unfortunately, the other two quickly realized her intention and approached.

Another man also charged forward with a knife.

In a three-on-one situation, Ye Sangsang, though fierce, couldn’t manage to escape unscathed.

She was forced into a corner and knocked unconscious again.

When she woke up, Chen Yu was crying in pain—an agony he had never imagined.

Skipping ahead in time, Ye Sangsang felt the injuries to her body were nearing their limit.

She struggled to sit up, reached for a white T-shirt, and bandaged her arm, her eyes filled with ferocity.

Now only the two of them remained in the room, likely realizing they were both half-dead and couldn’t cause any more trouble.

“Lingling, you… don’t resist them anymore,” Chen Yu said through gritted teeth.

Ye Sangsang’s body was truly terrifying, with almost no intact flesh. If she didn’t comply again, their end would come swiftly.

Ye Sangsang didn’t speak but looked around.

They were on the twelfth floor, so jumping out to escape was obviously unwise.

The door lock had been destroyed, so they couldn’t lock it.

There was no communication available, and based on the information, this was a new neighborhood with low occupancy. Shouting for help would only result in immediate death.

She looked at Chen Yu, who was already bloodied and lying on the ground, “Next, just play dead. If there’s no other way, pretend to faint.”

Chen Yu opened his mouth wide, not understanding what was happening.

Perhaps hearing the faint whispering, the leader, a man with a crew cut, entered and stood in front of Ye Sangsang.

“I’ve liked you since the day I first saw you,” he said, dressed in black pants and a shirt, his crew cut making him appear fierce. His dark skin, smiling lips, a flat nose, and thick lips made him look menacing. His squinted eyes added to the fear he invoked.

Ye Sangsang looked at him, “Will you spare us?”

“If you’re obedient and make us happy, we’ll let you go,” he replied.

He reached out, grabbed Ye Sangsang, and dragged her out.

[Ahhhhhh, this is a hopeless scenario.]

[I don’t know how to escape, it’s impossible.]

[So terrifying.]

Ye Sangsang was dragged out and made to sit beside the bandits while they watched a movie.

The man didn’t stop and went to drag Chen Yu out again, leaving him lying on the ground like a dead dog.

Chen Yu, already broken and stabbed, was now as pale as paper.

The room was filled with the smell of blood.

The movie they watched was a classic police procedural drama. The three men brought out sunflower seeds and tea, their spirits high as they commented on the film.

They also discussed their own criminal tactics, exchanging experiences from interrogation rooms and prisons.

Ye Sangsang remained silent, watching Chen Yu, who was tearfully asleep with his eyes closed.

He was obviously losing too much blood.

“Can I bandage him?” she asked.

The room fell silent, and the other two men started to object, but the leader silenced them with a glance.

The leader smiled at Ye Sangsang, “Go ahead, bandage him.”

Ye Sangsang got up, and the game system quickly led her to the medical kit at home. She slowly and painfully walked to the balcony cabinet to search.

Soon, she found a transparent box containing alcohol, iodine, bandages, etc.

She limped painfully over to Chen Yu’s side, took out the bandages, and wrapped them around his abdomen, securing them tightly to stop the bleeding.

Disinfecting was beyond her energy now, as her body was in severe pain.

She also bandaged his head to avoid him dying, which would make her the focal point of their rage. It also maintained her image as a devoted wife.

After finishing, she re-bandaged her arm, which had already soaked through the previous bandage. She took her time, methodically wrapping it up again.

Various pains emanated from different parts of her body throughout the process, making her feel like she wanted to pass out from the pain.

Once she was done, she noticed the painkillers in the box and gave two to the semiconscious Chen Yu, instructing him to chew and swallow them.

Ye Sangsang also swallowed two herself.

She was too weak to get water, so they had to rely on saliva to swallow the crushed pills.

These pills had anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, hopefully delaying Chen Yu's demise and easing her own body pains.

She pushed the box aside, maintaining a calm composure, without any unnecessary movements.

She was waiting for the opportune moment—when their captors would fall asleep.

Only then would she have a chance to escape.

As for Chen Yu, Ye Sangsang needed to find a way to keep him temporarily safe. However, she wasn't sure if she could take him with her; if not, she would have to abandon him.

Observing the couple together, the three men exchanged glances.

They believed that only by surviving would the situation become more interesting.

From the fragmented exchanges, Ye Sangsang managed to figure out their names: the leader was Lin Deqiang, the second man was Wang Lao'er, and the third was Zhao Hong, also known as Lao San.

The three were habitual criminals.

However, Lin Deqiang was a genuine murderer and a fugitive.

The other two had only ever injured people during petty thefts, but they hadn't actually killed anyone. Ye Sangsang wondered if they had come here just out of jealousy or for fun.

Her curiosity went unanswered, as they didn't delve into the topic.

As the night deepened, they continued watching TV, even past one in the morning.

When they felt sleepy, the three decided to take turns guarding, one hour each.

Next to her, Chen Yu had already fallen into a deep sleep. Originally, he had developed a fever due to his injuries, but after swallowing the pills given by Ye Sangsang, it wasn't as severe.

Ye Sangsang rested her head against the couch, pretending to nap. As time passed, the pain gradually subsided, and she regained some strength.

After a short while, she opened her eyes and glanced at the person on the couch.

The guard on duty was nodding off.

Ye Sangsang got up slowly and began crawling toward the door.

Chen Yu, awakened by Ye Sangsang covering his mouth, struggled to follow her, moving in sync.

She had considered taking out their captors, but the disparity in strength was too great, and she couldn't guarantee a single strike would be enough.

Failure would mean death, so Ye Sangsang chose not to take any risks.

She moved inch by inch toward the entrance. Just as she was about to reach the genkan, she felt a gaze on her back.

At the moment she sensed the gaze, Ye Sangsang forced herself to slowly lift her head. Feeling the intensity of the stare intensify, her heart sank, and she quickly stood up, stumbling toward the door.

Simultaneously, she reached out and turned off the living room light with a "click."

The room plunged into darkness. Ye Sangsang yanked Chen Yu behind her as the two bolted toward the door.

Draining every ounce of strength, they unleashed their survival instincts.

Once outside, they ran toward the staircase.

Behind them, the three men gave chase, but they were in no hurry.

Ye Sangsang knew from their leisurely pace that they were confident the two of them couldn't escape.

Under such circumstances, even healthy individuals might not make it.

Knowing they couldn't run away, Ye Sangsang stopped in her tracks as soon as they entered the stairwell, releasing Chen Yu's arm.

It wasn't that she didn't want to abandon him; it was just that, with any strength left, she needed to maintain their loving couple image.

After all, having one more person didn't make much difference.

Once she stopped, she looked around, spotting the fire extinguisher she had been searching for under the dim light of the motion-activated stairwell lights.

Biting back the severe pain in her body, Ye Sangsang opened the red fire equipment and took out the fire axe inside.

"Stay behind me," Ye Sangsang said sternly, gripping the axe and facing the approaching trio.

Under the faint stairwell light, her trembling hands held the axe as she faced off against the three men.

Her display didn't make them nervous. The leader, Lin Deqiang, looked at her with an emotionless expression, signaling the other two to move forward and take the axe from her.

Appearing weak and fragile, Ye Sangsang swung the axe with force, executing a steady horizontal sweep that forced the two men to retreat.

Ye Sangsang knew she was likely no match for them, so she called back to Chen Yu, "Chen Yu, go downstairs."

After speaking, she kept a wary eye on the three men. With their renewed advance, she mustered her strength and struck out hard, forcing them back once again.

However, she was startled when she noticed that Chen Yu behind her was no longer moving.

Realizing something was wrong, she barely had time to react.

With a sharp pain at the back of her head, she was knocked out.

Before losing consciousness, she caught a glimpse of another man behind her.

"Fou... four of them..." she mouthed the words that only she could hear before losing consciousness.