Chapter 10, Unresolved Case

If there is still no progress, what else can be done

Let's see and then discuss

Therefore, the only thing one can do now is to save oneself

They may slip and fall off a cliff during a trip, their bodies devoured by wild beasts; they may fall into a crevasse, never to see the light of day again; some may be swallowed by quicksand, some may meet their end in the jaws of a tiger; others may be killed in some dark corner, their bodies burned; some may be imprisoned in an underground chamber, and so on. Any of these scenarios is possible

At this moment, Lu Ming felt a sense of panic in his heart

Although these five individuals come from different places and include people of various genders and ages, they still share many commonalities, such as being human and being healthy individuals. However, this is clearly of little significance

However ... ...

If he can truly assist us in solving this case, then perhaps we can incorporate him into our organization

If, as described in certain literary works, everyone went to some strange place, or received some peculiar phone call or email, or held some unusual beliefs and worship customs, or conducted some bizarre rituals, this could be considered a clue, providing a basis for further investigation. However, there is nothing, absolutely nothing!

I have an idea that we can try out

It is evident that the data collector has put considerable effort into this task

If I were someone who possessed a certain degree of what could be termed 'supernatural powers', not necessarily a human, but possibly an extraterrestrial being, and for some reason I needed to abduct certain humans, what criteria might I use to select my targets?

Self-rescue

Random crimes are the most difficult cases to solve. This point has essentially reached a consensus among people and literature

He had to admit one thing: the professionals from the Planetary Security Bureau standing behind Zhang Dingshan and He Wei had failed to find any meaningful common ground in this matter, and he was even less capable of doing so.

Lu Ming's tone was somewhat dry: "Current evidence indicates that every year, hundreds of people mysteriously disappear due to the harm inflicted by secret organizations. As representatives of civil security forces and protectors of ordinary citizens, you, you will not stand idly by, will you?"

"Alright, alright." Lu Ming said awkwardly and continued, "I believe there are two possibilities. First, it could still be the kidnapping of 'the dead', but the method may change somewhat, for example, by using a new type of hibernation drug to evade our detection. Second, it could be missing persons"

His personal habit is to maintain a high level of tension and alertness in his mind through aimless wandering

On the other hand, there is simply no way to investigate the matter of the "new hibernation and suspended animation drugs"

This point had already been considered by both Zhang Dingshan and He Wei, as well as Lu Ming. However, subsequent analytical actions also found no way to proceed.

All conceivable paths have been attempted

This is due to the fear that this case may ultimately become a cold case, eventually being shelved, which has led to a sense of panic

All of this fell into the eyes of Zhang Dingshan and He Wei.

Both paths are dead ends, neither is passable

Zhang Dingshan expressed a certain appreciation for Lu Ming's reaction speed and summary. He continued, "So, what are your thoughts on the enemy's new methods of operation?"

As a graduate student in the Department of Astronomy, Lu Ming has received a certain level of professional scientific training. At the same time, his experience as a part-time science fiction writer has allowed his thinking to be more divergent, enabling him to approach problems from a peculiar, seemingly bizarre, yet reasonable perspective, all while integrating genuine scientific frameworks.

If this case were to become a cold case, Zhang Dingshan and the others would merely have an additional question in their minds, and their subsequent work and lives would not be affected at all. After all, according to them, it is normal for cases involving certain "supernatural forces" to not yield a final result. The archives of the Planetary Security Bureau must contain countless cold cases.

Even with the capabilities of the world government, it is impossible to thoroughly investigate every missing persons case

I will find new clues. I will definitely do so

Only in this way can we break the deadlock and find a breakthrough

However, however...

She knows that if there is no progress for a long time, then the final outcome of this case will truly become a cold case. This implies a temporary or permanent abandonment, with the only difference being whether clues related to this case will resurface at some point in the future

Zhang Dingshan's expression was calm: "Give it a try."

Now, Lu Ming intends to abandon conventional lines of thought and approach this issue from alternative perspectives

Lu Ming is indeed aware. He clearly sees how many resources the world government has invested in this case, and how much manpower and material have been mobilized.

He Wei sighed: "Although I know this is unreasonable, but... each of us has done our best, and there is nothing we can do. You understand that clearly"

Even the anchoring drug molecules currently used to detect whether a corpse is in a state of suspended animation were discovered only because of the survivor, Lu Ming. Unless another survivor appears, there is no possibility at all, given the current level of human technology, to match the *illustration*.

The clashes of secret underground forces, vendettas, assassinations, concealment of bodies, accidents, evasion of disaster, calamities, human trafficking, and so forth, all have the potential to cause a living person to vanish from the world, making it impossible for anyone to find them again

Perhaps our search direction was wrong from the very beginning

No meaningful commonalities can be found, or rather, people are entirely unaware of which commonalities are significant. Thus, the operational patterns of that secret organization are fundamentally indiscernible

The situation has become exceedingly complicated

Zhang Dingshan and his team will continue to investigate and strive for a period of time; they will not give up just yet. Therefore, this period is the only opportunity for oneself

So many experts, they were found just like that

As He Wei said, no one wishes to be this way, but there is nothing anyone can do

These materials are very detailed, essentially encompassing the life stories of each individual. For instance, in Lu Ming's own profile, it even displays some of his childhood experiences, which he himself has forgotten.

With so many soldiers and advanced equipment, they can be mobilized at a moment's notice

After two days of sleepless and tireless reading, Lu Ming, whose body was exhausted to the extreme yet whose spirit remained highly energized, had no choice but to temporarily close the folder.

This is clearly a matter of luck, left to fate.

On a certain morning three days later, after another sleepless night, Lu Ming found Zhang Dingshan and He Wei with bloodshot eyes

When the phrase "missing persons" was uttered, several individuals fell silent for a moment

The intersection of time and space ... ... there is no; life experiences, there is no; people with a shared understanding, there is no; actions or events that could lead to being designated as a target, there is none, there is none, there is none, all are none!

This point is extremely important

I do not wish to live in fear every day, hidden away under the weight of this book, spending the rest of my life trembling in anonymity, never able to see my parents, relatives, or friends again, and unable to return to a normal life

However, with this secret organization averaging the abduction of one person every few days, totaling no more than about one hundred individuals per year, such a small number of people can easily blend into the vast population of missing persons, making it virtually impossible to investigate

It seems that the only viable course of action now is to focus on the true objectives of that secret organization. This can be determined by analyzing the commonalities among the five victims

Looking at the information of a total of five victims, including himself, Lu Ming's eyes turned red, and his thoughts raced rapidly

If I were an extraterrestrial being, or possessed technology beyond human capabilities, what standards would I use to evaluate humanity

Lu Ming's complexion is very poor

Now, Lu Ming has gained a bit more understanding of the enemy hidden in the shadows, although this is still of no use for the time being

This road also seems to be impassable

Can stimulating him through a sense of crisis, pressuring him, truly inspire any creativity?

In the face of such events, leaving it to fate is also a helpless course of action

Lu Ming remained silent in contemplation

It is estimated that at this moment, the average number of missing persons in the world each year exceeds ten million.

But I am different

Involving the inspection of millions of hospitals, it was executed without delay

No, it is not possible, absolutely not possible

Lu Ming thought a great deal, for a very long time. Aside from eating and sleeping, within the permitted range of activities, he always walked back and forth, lost in deep contemplation.

Zhang Dingshan then said: "Lu Ming, you need not worry too much. It is not yet time to give up. We will continue to investigate this case."

After a long while, he finally said to the map book: "Looking at the methods employed by the enemy, they do not wish to confront us directly. This is precisely why they initially chose the least conspicuous approach, namely, the abduction of 'the dead'. Now, if they truly have 'indicators', the new methods of operation will most likely still adhere to the principle of being as inconspicuous as possible. Besides the abduction of 'the dead', what other means are the most covert?"

... ...

At this moment, He Wei looked at Lu Ming with a hint of sympathy in her eyes

Is it really a random act? If so, I truly have no chance...

Unless one can infer the true purpose of the enemy's continued criminal activities through this point. However, it seems that this avenue remains unfeasible for now

This is the essential skill of a science fiction writer. Without this ability, how can one come up with stunning science fiction "ideas"

Certainly, a significant portion of this number will reappear in the near future, but there is also a small segment—still averaging over 100,000 each year—that will never be found.

It is essential to find a breakthrough! It is imperative to identify the meaningful commonalities among the five victims, including oneself!

He Wei tapped the table in dissatisfaction and said, "Hey, we are the ones asking you."

One commonality among the five victims is highly likely to be the true purpose behind the secret organization's ongoing "kidnapping" operations

Regardless of the era, regardless of the political structure, and regardless of how clean and efficient the government may be, there will always be a dark side in the world. This is something that cannot be avoided in any age.

Lu Ming understood that although he had done nothing wrong from beginning to end, and had always been an innocent victim, now, apart from the murderer who still lurked in the shadows, he could not blame anyone else.