I Asked You To Simulate A Crime, And You Pulled Off The Perfect Crime? - Chapter 30

As the station director, Wu Hong oversaw several variety shows. “Actor: Inescapable Justice” was one of them.

At first, he didn’t have high hopes for it, after all, having an amateur as a contestant usually meant the show would flop.  But then, unexpectedly, the show went viral because of this very amateur!

That’s when he took a second look.

Of course, he was initially thrilled; another one of his shows had exploded in popularity, adding another success to his portfolio.

But then… as the show neared its finale, he started panicking. They could not let this amateur pull off the perfect crime! The show was approved in the first place because it was meant to educate people and prevent crime.

So, as a last resort, he had Zhang Sheng contact Su Xiaoxiao, urging her to turn herself in out of guilt and remorse using it as a lesson for the audience.

But damn it! Not only was the amateur not caught, but he also managed to turn the tables on the investigation team! Wu Hong was stunned.

There were only three days left in the show, and the only way to convict him was to find the body. But with the investigation team’s current state, chances were slim.

To play it safe, Wu Hong dialed Zhang Sheng. He had an idea, one that could help the team find the body and boost the show’s entertainment value.

“Director, what’s your plan?” Zhang Sheng asked nervously. “I think we should stop meddling. The official site is already flooded with complaints accusing us of cheating. Besides, young people today hate being force-fed lessons. They already understand these things, forcing a moral message at the end will only backfire.”

“Are you teaching me how to do my job?” Wu Hong said, unimpressed.

“No, no,” Zhang Sheng chuckled awkwardly.

Though only 35, Zhang Sheng had been producing shows for years and understood the audience well. But Wu Hong was different; a stubborn old-school type who loved adding moral lessons.

In reality, variety shows only needed to entertain. As long as people enjoyed watching, that was enough. Why overcomplicate things?

Still, Zhang Sheng had no choice. Wu Hong outranked him.

“Right now, the team’s only hope is finding the body, but with only three days left, it’s unlikely,” Wu Hong said.

“So, listen up, Zhang Sheng.”

“Start an online campaign, get the entire internet involved. Make it a trending topic. If the audience joins the search, not only will they stop complaining, but they’ll also give the investigation team more leads.”

That was Wu Hong’s plan.

Zhang Sheng paused. Actually… that could work.

A nationwide search for the missing body, it would increase immersion and make the show even more engaging.

As the saying goes, three ordinary people can outthink a genius. With so many people working together, three days would be plenty.

More importantly, if the audience found the body together, they’d learn a crucial lesson. There’s no such thing as a perfect crime when people unite.

Damn. Wu Hong really was a station director for a reason.

Without further argument, Zhang Sheng got to work. He instructed his team to launch the online campaign.

“Nationwide Body Hunt – Bring the Criminal to Justice!”

The internet exploded.

“The production team is really going all out to catch Chen Shu. But honestly, I am curious, where did he hide the body?”

“A frog constantly touching your stomach? There’s only one truth, the body was chopped up and flushed down the sewer!”

“The sewer? No way. The police definitely checked there. I bet he dissolved it in sulfuric acid.”

“Do you think sulfuric acid smells like air? Even with wind and rain, the scent wouldn’t disappear. Su Xiaoxiao would have noticed.”

“Actually, I know where the body is. Let me eat first, then I’ll tell you all…”

“The yard corpse turned into lamb bones. Could it be that Chen Shu… ate Liu Liang’s body?”

“WTF. You’re sick. Go apply for the next season’s filming.”

“Liang Wei: Next season? Hell no! I’ve been waiting forever! You amateurs want to steal my spot?!”

The body hunt craze took over the internet.

Influencers, both professional and amateur, posted videos, sharing their theories.

A nationwide investigation began. The show’s popularity soared to a new peak. More than just entertainment, Wu Hong’s strategy actually helped the investigation team. After all, no matter how smart the three of them were, they still only had three brains.

There were always things they wouldn’t think of.

At the police station, Wang Zheng assigned tasks.

“Forensic expert Qin, follow the online theories, check every lead. Don’t overlook anything. Chen Shu is dangerously good at covering his tracks. The less likely a place seems, the more likely it is.”

“Haoran, keep checking surveillance footage. Rewatch everything. Besides West Suburb and Jinfu Village, did Chen Shu ever visit any other places recently?”

Qin Min and Su Haoran nodded.

“We only have three days left!”

“Yes, the production team is helping us. It’s a bit embarrassing, but we can’t give up. At least this is just a show, we can use it as a learning experience in case we ever face a real-life criminal like Chen Shu.”

Wang Zheng patted their shoulders. He put on his cap and added, “Start now. I’m heading to the countryside, I think the body might be hidden in a village.”

For the next three days, everyone was busy, thinking, searching.

Meanwhile, Chen Shu finally had time to relax. He sat on the balcony, letting the wind brush past him as he admired the view. Then, Su Xiaoxiao walked out of the room. She looked conflicted, a mix of guilt and hesitation.

“Brother… I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I just didn’t want to drag you down any further, so I…”

“It’s fine.” Chen Shu cut her off.

There was no point in discussing it now. From the production team’s perspective, their decision was logical. Good thing he had anticipated this, failing his first system mission would’ve been humiliating.

“Brother, everyone is helping Officer Wang search for the body. Do you think they’ll find it in three days?” Su Xiaoxiao asked curiously.

Chen Shu thought for a moment, then chuckled.

“Besides me, no one in this world will ever guess where it is.”