INSIDER Chapter 128

Eli was somewhat different from the last time Lu Chu had seen her; she seemed to be clingier and smiled more.

With Beard nearby, she ignored everyone else and kept chattering around Lu Chu. When she saw the door to the room of the deceased couple wide open, she immediately said she wanted to go in and take a look, but Lu Chu stopped her just in time.

Eli looked at Lu Chu with a puzzled expression, “What’s wrong, Chu? Is that room off-limits?”

Since Eli was a woman, and she had been startled when she saw the man with his legs cut off last time, it was inevitable she would be frightened again. That’s why Lu Chu stopped her from checking the crime scene.

Lu Chu pointed to the room and explained to Eli, “There was just a murder there. The scene is too gruesome. You’re a girl, so don’t look.”

Beard, hearing this, was immediately very curious, “I just heard that two more people were killed. What did you find out?”

Lu Chu shook his head, “No clues, just two pieces of cloth left by the killer.”

“Cloth?” Beard was shocked, “Did it have writing on it?”

The detective interjected, “Yes.”

Beard, “Pen?”

The detective nodded, “Black marker.”

Beard exaggeratedly exclaimed, “Oh my God! Can’t you trace the killer through the handwriting?”

The detective scoffed, “The killer is not an idiot. If they dared to write with a marker, they’re prepared and not afraid of us comparing the handwriting. If the killer can change their handwriting at will, we can’t identify them with the naked eye.”

“I’m just saying, what if…” Beard’s voice weakened.

“Alright,” Lu Chu interrupted, “let’s not waste too much time on irrelevant things. Finding the killer is most important. We should interrogate the victims’ sister first.”

Eli immediately said, “Chu, I want to go too!”

“Eli, we’re not playing around.” Lu Chu tried to persuade her patiently.

“No, Chu,” Eli insisted, holding onto Lu Chu’s sleeve, “I think I can help. If you don’t let me follow, I won’t let go. And Chu always says I’m the smartest woman, right?”

Lu Chu didn’t remember saying such things, but it must be a characteristic of his role in this situation. So, he couldn’t deny it and politely removed her hand, saying helplessly, “Alright, but can you just sit quietly on the side?”

“Of course.” Eli smiled charmingly and was very happy.

7 extended his strong arm and pulled Lu Chu close, giving Eli a warning look.

So, the group entered the room of the victims’ sister.

Several crew members stood by the woman, seemingly protecting her but actually following Lu Chu’s instructions to supervise her.

When the woman saw Lu Chu and the others approaching, she wiped her swollen eyes and stood up, still choking a bit as she said, “Captain, detective… Have you found the murderer of my brother and sister-in-law?”

Lu Chu shook his head, “We lack the proper investigative tools on this cruise, making the investigation difficult. Please sit down, we have some questions.”

“Alright.” The woman obediently sat by the window.

Since the room was small, the crew left to give Lu Chu and the others space to question her.

The detective took out a small notebook and asked the victims’ sister, “Madam, what is your surname?”

The woman responded politely, “My surname is He.”

The detective nodded, “Ms. He.”

A doctor then said, “Ms. He, according to the autopsy, the estimated time of death for the victims is five to six hours ago, around 3 to 4 AM. Where were you during this time?”

Ms. He answered, “I was fast asleep.”

The police officer interjected, “Didn’t you hear any unusual sounds from the room next door?”

Ms. He shook her head, “No, the rain was so heavy, with thunder and strong winds shaking the cruise ship. Even if there was a sound, I wouldn’t have heard it.”

The questioners exchanged glances, and the detective asked again, “When did you last see your brother and sister-in-law?”

“At dinner,” Ms. He recalled, “after that, I was tired and went to my room.”

The detective noted, “Around 8 PM last night?”

Ms. He confirmed, “Yes.”

Lu Chu asked, “Do you know if the victims saw anyone after that?”

For some reason, Ms. He’s response to Lu Chu’s question became more cautious, “Yes, the people from room 321. They played mahjong together.”

Lu Chu looked directly at her, “Are you sure?”

Ms. He nodded, “Yes, they even invited me, but I declined. This morning I met the people from 321 at breakfast, and they said they played until after 11 PM and even took photos together.”

This couldn’t be true. Lu Chu had indeed smelled the scent of the people from room 321 on the victims, but the scent duration was longer than Ms. He’s. However, she claimed she left earlier than them.

Clearly, she was lying.

Everyone else’s expressions turned serious.

Lu Chu maintained a gentle expression, “Ms. He, or should I call you a ‘ghost servant’? Now, tell us, who is the ‘Tiger’?”

Ms. He was shocked, speechless for a moment before stammering, “What are you talking about…”

The doctor, seeing this, immediately fabricated a lie to trick her, “We found a camera in the victims’ room that captured your figure entering the room in the early morning.”

Ms. He was already flustered and couldn’t discern the truth in the doctor’s words. She thought she was really exposed by the camera and collapsed, murmuring, “Tiger, Tiger…”

Lu Chu looked at her, asking softly, “Are you being coerced? Don’t be afraid, answer truthfully, and we’ll help you.”

She looked at Lu Chu with terror, “You’re lying… you’re lying… help me? Who will help me… I can’t say! I can’t… they won’t let me… they won’t…”

Saying this, she cried more painfully than when mourning her brother and sister-in-law. She backed away step by step until she leaned against the window. Then, she suddenly opened it and jumped out.

This was from a high floor of the cruise ship, landing not in the sea but on the hard deck below. Despite her broken leg, she struggled, crawling towards the edge of the cruise ship.

“Stop her!” the detective shouted urgently.

Seeing this, Lu Chu realized her intent to commit suicide to keep the secret and immediately tried to jump out to stop her, but 7 grabbed his arm, “It’s too high.”

7 signaled, and several crew members rushed downstairs to stop the woman. However, Ms. He had already climbed onto the ship’s edge.

Before jumping, she looked in their direction.

Despite the distance, Lu Chu seemed to read a plea in her despairing eyes.

She was looking this way, so who was she pleading to?

Or rather, what kind of presence made her so scared that she pleaded even when she decided to die?

Lu Chu didn’t know the answer.

Ms. He then jumped into the vast blue sea.

The detective and others were dejected, “Now, the clue is broken.”

Although the rain had stopped, the wind continued, and the sea was rough. If someone jumped into the sea, it was impossible to know where they would be swept to next.

Thus, the clue from Ms. He was lost.

A doctor sighed, “There’s nothing we can do. We can’t jump after her. I value my life.”

“What now?” asked the police officer.

The detective snapped his fingers, “Let’s go back to studying the victims’ bodies. Maybe we’ll find something new.”

Everyone agreed and walked to the next room, leaving only Lu Chu and 7.

Lu Chu held onto the window, looking out, wondering, “‘Tiger’… why can’t I smell it…”

He didn’t expect 7 to answer, as this was a task he had to complete alone. 7 knew all the answers but acted as a guide, not directly giving solutions, to help Lu Chu grow.

So Lu Chu continued to speculate.

“Maybe it’s some kind of temptation… exploiting human greed to consume the soul, making them a servant… a ghost servant.” Lu Chu laughed, “Sounds like a cult brainwashing. I wonder how many ghost servants this ‘Tiger’ has.”

7 smiled, hugging Lu Chu, “I won’t let this big cat have another ghost servant.”

Lu Chu nodded, but his mind was still on Ms. He’s pleading look before she jumped.

What was she afraid of, and who was she pleading to? The ‘Tiger’ might be among the group they were just with.