American homeless people, surviving in the city

"Of course, I understand that my suggestion does pose some risk to you."

"Once a case has been closed and filed, if you want to access the relevant files or continue to follow up on other events related to the case, you may encounter some resistance within the police station."

"Therefore, this is just a suggestion from me. If you are willing to continue to cooperate with me in investigating this matter, we may not only be able to solve this case, but also help many people living on the streets and even in Seattle."

"Of course, if you're afraid of taking responsibility and would rather focus on the work ahead, I understand your thinking."

"That's all I have to say. Think it over."

After Lin Qi finished speaking, Chen Kelei fell into complete silence.

But Lin Qi wasn't in a hurry. He just continued eating the meat on the grill while quietly waiting for Chen Kelei's reply.

He didn't just make this suggestion on a whim; in fact, he had been thinking about it ever since he figured out why Chen Kelei was depressed.

Chen Kelei is a policeman, whose social status in American society is much higher than that of Lynch, a homeless man. He can also obtain more intelligence. Moreover, he is a straightforward and righteous good person.

If the cult continues to extend its reach to the streets, to people Lin Qi knows, and even to Lin Qi himself, Lin Qi would find it much easier to deal with if he could get help from Chen Kelei, who is an insider.

Of course, this suggestion also carries risks for Chen Kelei, as Lin Qi also brought it up himself.

As a friend, Lin Qi didn't want Chen Kelei to be under too much pressure within the police station if they were to keep a tight rein on the case.

The decision is left to Chen Kelei.

And so, in silence, time passed second by second.

Just as Lin Qi was about to finish eating all the roast meat on his plate, Chen Kelei suddenly slammed the fork in his hand onto the grill plate in front of him.

He abruptly raised his head and looked directly into Lynch's eyes:

"Brother Lin, I've figured it out."

"I don't know why the director, the team leader, and my seniors gave up on investigating this case, but I know it's definitely not normal! If I just abandon this case like this, I'm afraid I'll feel resentful for the rest of my life!"

"I've already been cowardly once, but Brother Lin, your appearance has given me a second chance. I can't be cowardly a second time!"

Lynch nodded: "I can feel your determination."

"However, even if I was the one who suggested it first, I still have to remind you that your previous considerations were not wrong. Even if we reopen the investigation, this team only has you as a police officer and me as an outsider."

"We must be careful and not rush things. You should focus on your work."

Chen Kelei nodded steadily. Once he made up his mind, the dejection and confusion in his eyes vanished in an instant.

"I understand that, whatever the reason, the police will obstruct our investigation. Therefore, I cannot show any obvious signs."

"However, you're probably wrong about the number of people."

"Hmm?" Lin Qi raised an eyebrow.

Chen Kelei laughed and said, "After calming down and thinking about it, even I can see that I'm not the only one who's dissatisfied with the director's decision."

"Many rookie police officers like myself were also puzzled by the abrupt closure of this case. However, like me, they didn't have the courage to contradict the chief in the meeting."

"Now, if we turn to a private investigation, and I go and contact them, perhaps quite a few people will be willing to join our ranks."

"If that's the case, then that would be even better." Lynch relaxed a little more. "But as I said before, prioritize your work. Don't let the fact that more people are involved in this matter cause the higher-ups in the police department to pay more attention to your operations."

"clear."

Thus, the two reached a consensus on the cooperation.

The two then continued to discuss how to proceed with the investigation.

Chen Kelei: "Then let's do as you said before, Brother Lin. You continue to investigate that villa under the guise of cleaning up the crime scene, while I will be responsible for combining the clues and case files from the previous investigation to further summarize and deduce the case."

"If that's the arrangement, then since we're going to continue investigating this case, we definitely can't clean up the traces so quickly. In that case, I'll also try to sound out Kayla Grayson and see if I can buy you some more time for this mission."

Lin Qi nodded: "I'll try to bring out all the documents, photos, and information first. As for what clues we need, we'll have to wait for your news—after all, I'm not a professional detective. I can't tell which traces to look for or which are relevant to the case."

"That's true... While this plan is feasible, it's still a long way from solving the case."

Chen Kelei sighed with emotion, then his gaze shifted to the items Lin Qi had brought from the villa that he had placed on the table:

"However, in any case, the things you brought out are already very valuable, whether it's this bowl, the photos, or the handwritten manuscript in some unknown script... I'll accept these things for now and take them back to study."

"Once you bring out the other photos and documents from the locked room, hand them all over to me. Even just these materials alone will be enough to push the case forward significantly."

"Okay, then I'll leave it to you! Let's keep in touch frequently from now on."

After discussing the investigation, the dinner finally came to an end.

Chen Kelei wolfed down the cooled roast meat and fries on the plate, then, forgetting about drinking, quickly paid for the meal and hurriedly packed up the evidence Lin Qi had brought, preparing to take it back to a safe place.

Lin Qi also got up to leave, but just as the two were about to part ways, Chen Kelei suddenly called him back:

"...Brother Lin."

"Um?"

"Although it is still unclear what the cult's purpose is, the streets have indeed been unusually unsafe lately."

Chen Kelei frowned slightly, his expression somewhat worried: "Therefore, you must...be careful recently. You are not only my sister, but also a benefactor to our whole family, and a crucial helper in continuing to investigate this cold case. You absolutely must not get into trouble during this time."

Lin Qi waved his hand: "Don't worry, although your brother Lin doesn't have any great skills, I'm still very confident in my ability to protect myself."

Putting everything else aside, his ability "Rat Detection" alone can help him avoid almost all dangers.

"It's not just that, what I mean is..." Chen Kelei hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help but speak up, "I wanted to ask, Brother Lin, would you be willing to stay at my house? My house is a detached cottage, and the attic and storage room are vacant. Having a place to stay is always safer than being on the streets."

"Ah, of course, I'm not expressing sympathy or pity or anything, just speaking from a realistic perspective..."

Lin Qi smiled: "I understand, thank you for your kindness, but it's alright."

Seeing Lin Qi's straightforward refusal, Chen Kelei didn't say anything more. After the two said their goodbyes, Lin Qi walked out of the barbecue tavern.

Lin Qi climbed into the car, stepped on the gas, and drove towards the small campsite in the green belt.