Chapter 1, Life is far more absurd than fiction

If it were an ordinary person, they might find it somewhat strange, but Russell is a detective... The police immediately recognized that this was not a diary, but a codebook

Russell put on a smile: "I'm sorry, you are not my type!"

From then on, Russell lurked among the group of assassins, observing their boasts. It must be said that these individuals came from all corners of the world, and their favorite pastime was to engage in banter. Russell learned quite a bit of obscure knowledge during his time there

"Oh, isn't this the handsome landlord? What brings you here today, knocking on my door?" The female host exclaimed upon seeing Russell, immediately wrapping her arms around his and speaking in a flirtatious tone.

The driver responsible for the accident is a somewhat well-known entrepreneur in the city, who has also received an award for outstanding entrepreneurship, making him a somewhat prominent figure. The incident occurred after he finalized a business deal with a client over drinks, and while driving with his female secretary, he suddenly experienced a jolt, his eyes became glazed, and his limbs went weak, resulting in his inability to maintain control of the steering wheel. He drove in the wrong direction and collided with the sedan of Russell's parents, leading to this tragedy

Looking at the entrepreneur's father, an elderly man with graying hair, kneeling and pleading for his son's reputation, Russell could only choose to remain silent. With the person gone, what significance could there be in discussing anything else

The sugar content is very high

The camera zooms in on a three-story small building, which is a somewhat old apartment located two streets away from the main road of the city, right next to the vegetable market. The only greenery is the climbing vine on the back wall.

Unfortunately, once one enters this line of work, it is not as simple as making a fortune and then walking away. They despise their identity, yet find themselves unable to escape. ... Unless the group leader ...! ... that is, unless the one who knows everyone's true identity is gone, one might as well resign oneself to this fate for life

... ...

Russell's actions are not due to the female host being unattractive; she possesses a standard internet celebrity face, and many people refer to her as a goddess during the live broadcast. Nor is there an issue with Russell's orientation.

Initially, these assassins worked as freelance writers for publishing houses. Later, as physical books were bombarded by e-books, many publishing houses went bankrupt on a large scale. They collectively transitioned to becoming online authors, and they have been quite successful, particularly skilled in the formulaic style of commercial novels

Bang bang bang

The account is available on the computer, and the password was successfully entered by Russell after two attempts, which consists of the pinyin of his mother Fang Yanqing, along with the Arabic numerals 520. Based on Russell's understanding of his parents, it is certain that his father set the password in a passive manner

The most exaggerated aspect is that among ten assassins, six are full-time online writers

... ...

This chat can bring out the silicone. The female host took a couple of deep breaths, unwilling to stoop to the level of someone like Russell, who is destined to be single: "Handsome landlord, when you come to pick up the keys at the end of the month, make sure to come at night. Don't disturb my beauty sleep during the day. Also... please notify me in advance via WeChat. I don't want to have to open the door for you while I'm live streaming, as it might create unnecessary misunderstandings among my fans, you understand?"

Just like Russell's father, Luo Hantang, who was originally a retired soldier, impoverished and destitute, he was drawn into this predicament by his old squad leader in order to raise money to marry Luo Mu, Fang Yanqing. By the time Russell was born, it was already too late for him to withdraw; even Luo Mu was dragged into this situation, taking on daily responsibilities such as booking train tickets, gathering intelligence, drafting assassination plans, and also serving as part-time finance.

After a period of despondency, Russell resigned from the police force. He could not expose his parents and felt ashamed to wear the police uniform again, so he transferred ownership of a three-story apartment building and became a landlord. Recently, he even started learning to play mahjong

"Don't you have my WeChat?" The female host looked bewildered: "We added each other as friends when I just moved in."

Russell shook his head, showing no embarrassment at all, and said: "I have already deleted you since the last time you sent me a photo in the middle of the night."

He knocked for five minutes without any sign of stopping. He knew someone was inside because the tenant was a night-active female streamer who mostly slept during the day

Russell covered his face with his hand, in this family of emotions, almost everyone except him is a killer

Certainly, the reason why the family members of the entrepreneur are so agreeable may also be related to Russell wearing a police uniform

These greasy middle-aged individuals, who engage in a relentless daily struggle with hair follicles, who would believe it if one were to call them assassins

Russell spoke directly: "Beautiful lady, your lease will expire next month. I am here to ask if you are prepared to extend the lease. If so, you can pay half a year's rent today."

Hehe, such strong arms, I didn't expect you to be quite well-built

Russell, male, twenty-five years old, single, with no bad habits

This left Russell utterly perplexed. His father, Luo Hantang, was a middle-aged man with a Mediterranean physique, a beer belly, and a penchant for picking his feet. Aside from collecting rent, he spent his time playing mahjong. His mother, Fang Yanqing, was a woman whose figure had become unkempt, leading a similarly mundane life; apart from collecting rent, she also played mahjong. With such two ordinary citizens, what secrets could there possibly be, let alone the fact that they had even written a codebook to keep hidden?

It is truly absurd, having such a mysterious identity as a killer, yet engaging in mundane activities like collecting rent and playing mahjong

Walking briskly and decisively, this apartment building is the legacy they left for Russell

... ...

Female host : `` ... ... ''

Russell, male, twenty-five years old, single, with no bad habits...! ... has a system!

Even if one does not care about the killer's prestige and deliberately presents a low profile, one should at least wear a decent outfit. However, Russell's parents, let alone a suit, leather shoes, and sunglasses, did not even have hair gel.

Russell's parents were gone just like that, as were the entrepreneur and his female secretary. The handling of the incident was swift; according to the investigation results, the entrepreneur was fully responsible. During the handling process, there were no instances of bullying or intimidation. The entrepreneur's family voluntarily took on all the responsibility and compensated a substantial amount of money, only seeking to silence Russell, preventing him from disclosing the truth of the investigation to the outside world, allowing the entrepreneur to die with a bit of dignity.

The first floor is rented out as a storefront, featuring a noodle restaurant, a spicy hot pot, and a grocery store for grains and condiments. The two upper floors are residential apartments. There is a straight corridor with rooms facing each other on both sides, and the total number of rooms across the two floors is approximately thirty.

Attention, host. The third mission world is about to begin. A ten-minute countdown is now in effect. Please prepare yourself!

Love Home Apartment

"I hate it, talking about money can hurt feelings. How about giving me a discount on the rent?" The female host threw a couple of flirtatious glances, not that she didn't have money, but rather she enjoyed the feeling of teasing others.

Russell spent three days deciphering the codebook by comparing each first book on the shelves from left to right using Arabic numerals, and the conclusion he reached left him astounded: his parents were assassins

The sound signaled three times, but Russell did not respond. He picked up a cigarette from the desk, lit it, and sat quietly without moving. He does not smoke, but sometimes he lights one to relieve fatigue

Russell initially thought that matters would come to a halt at this point, but he underestimated his own reckless curiosity. Driven by a desire to know more about his parents and ex-girlfriend, he stole his father's chat account and began to lurk in the assassin group every day

The female host rolled her eyes, pulled her strap back onto her shoulder, crossed her arms over her chest, and leaned against the door: "To be honest with you, the toilet here gets clogged every few days. I do not intend to continue living here; I will move out at the end of the month. My godfather has prepared an apartment for me."

a thriving and rapidly developing city

The female host's eyelids twitched, her hands on her hips, and she said with suppressed anger: "Once deleted, there is no need to add it back, just call me to inform!"

Amidst the daily boasting of these individuals, Russell gradually comes to understand the true lives of his parents and ex-girlfriend, which are not as glamorous as depicted in movies, and he harbors feelings of disgust and aversion towards his identity as a killer

At a young age, being able to own a three-story apartment building in the city, although the building is somewhat old, still represents a considerable asset, thus it is certainly not achievable solely through hard work

It was an afternoon more than six months ago when Russell was still a junior officer. After work, feeling a sense of foreboding, he bought a lottery ticket. Then he received a phone call: his parents had been in a car accident... and they were gone

Alright, I will come to pick up the door key at the end of the month. Remember to have someone clean the room thoroughly. You can also pay 100 yuan, and I will arrange for the cleaning service to come. Russell, being businesslike, added a kind remark at the end: Although the contract is now terminated, we will have opportunities for cooperation in the future. If you are abandoned by your benefactor, you are always welcome to return and stay.

Having grown accustomed to sycophantic internet losers, she found Russell, a person who was unpretentious, to be very intriguing. Engaging with him would enhance her sense of accomplishment regarding her own beauty

Due to the spaghetti strap nightgown, the female host performed this set of actions, but Russell remained oblivious, withdrawing his arm and taking a step back to maintain a certain distance

No problem, let's add each other on WeChat first for easier communication

After re-adding on WeChat, the female streamer gave Russell's back the middle finger and slammed the door shut with a bang. Tonight's live stream has material, as the pure and reserved beautiful tenant is bullied by the tyrannical landlord, nearly losing both her wealth and life, urgently needing a wave of sycophantic donations to comfort her traumatized young heart

Russell had seen the female anchor's identification card and knew that her double eyelids, oval face, and high nose bridge were all artificial. She originally had small eyes and a flat nose with a square face, and her beauty was a result of two major transformations.

Furthermore, what mindset drives the parents of a killer to raise their son to become a police officer

... ...

It has also been deleted

Russell first glanced at the phone he had retrieved from the gap in the bedside table, which showed no missed calls or messages, before casually placing it aside to charge. He then opened his computer, skillfully logged into his account, and began his daily surveillance.

Masters are found among the common people

The innermost room on the third floor of the apartment, where Luo Hantang and Fang Yanqing have resided the longest, is also the place where Russell discovered the cipher book. This room holds many secrets, and all that could be found has been cleared by Russell. He is concerned that there are still some secrets hidden and undiscovered, which is why he continues to live here

At that moment, a mechanical electronic synthesized voice echoed in the room; to be precise, the sound resonated in Russell's mind, and no one else could hear it.

Russell believes that they have not been truthful about their respective identities, and the reason is evident. If this group of people is serious, then approximately eighty percent of online writers warrant deep reflection. This is especially true for those habitual eunuchs or writers who suddenly stop updating and then unexpectedly resurrect; a basic investigation confirms this without fail.

Life is more absurd than fiction. While deciphering the codebook, Russell discovered quite a few pieces of information that left him exasperated. For instance, more than half of the blind dates arranged for him by his mother, Fang Yanqing, were industry insiders. His ex-girlfriend, who had to move abroad due to work and chose to part ways amicably, was also in the same field. He had even felt sad about this for a while.

The atmosphere in the killer group is quite lively, often turning around to see 99+ messages. Aside from discussing work using codes, the rest is just boasting and chatting. The identities are diverse, including cartoonists, film critics, photographers, script editors, and even those on welfare, all of which are professions with a high degree of freedom

I hate killers

Yuanhai Province's prefecture-level cities, following the nation's significant developmental strides, are medium-sized cities characterized by relatively advanced economies and higher per capita consumption levels. Compared to the provincial capital-level large cities, Fengning City differs mainly in terms of population and area, as well as having started its development a few years later.

Thinking of his father's beer belly that shakes three times with a single tap, and his mother's bucket waist, Russell felt that they were very successful in concealing themselves, and no one would ever associate them with killers. Especially his father, Luo Hantang, whose first task every morning was to meticulously comb his Mediterranean hairstyle, trying to bring the hair on both sides as close to the center as possible

As expected, under Russell's insistence of knocking a hole in the door, there finally came some noise from inside the room. A series of scolding voices greeting relatives floated out, and it was only then that the female anchor, dressed in a camisole nightgown, opened the door. After another ten seconds, she finally adjusted her drowsy eyes to focus.

Russell knocked on the door of apartment 213 with a blank expression. He is the landlord of this apartment and has come today to discuss the renewal of the lease. If the tenant does not intend to continue living there, he will terminate the contract and list the room number online

Fengning City

While cleaning his parents' room, Russell discovered a diary hidden in a secret compartment of the bookshelf. Inside were incoherent ramblings, cut-out words from newspapers, and some disordered Arabic numerals