Murder, Rewind

During the holiday, I took my whole family on a trip. Just as we were about to head back, more than ten police cars surrounded us at the guesthouse. The police showed a video. In it, under surveillance cameras, I drove to a forest near a popular tourist town the day before and dumped a corpse. Even more frightening, there was a strange woman sitting in the car. After throwing away the body, the two of us immediately engaged in intimate acts inside the car. Hannah Walker slapped me hard across the face. "No wonder you insisted on going to that tourist town to buy snacks for us—you were using it as an excuse to go on a date! "After doing something so inhumane, you still had the nerve to do such filthy things in the car?" However, yesterday, I had clearly gone to the town alone to buy snacks and returned. There was no such horrifying experience at all. Without another word, the police opened the trunk. When the searchlight swept across it, it was filled with bloodstains from the victim's body. In the corner, they also found the murder weapon with my fingerprints on it. I had no way to defend myself. I fell from being a rocket engineer, a hero in the country's aerospace field, to a death row prisoner. Due to the severity of the case, I was sent to the execution ground in less than a month. My parents and child, who had been on the trip with me, were blocked at the guesthouse by the victim's family and beaten to death. However, even as reality dawned on me, I still did not understand what had happened that day. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the moment I was about to leave to buy snacks. Chapter 1 "Babe, I only casually mentioned those snacks from that little influencer town, and you actually remembered! I'm so lucky I married you!" Hannah Walker wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed a sweet kiss to my lips. I jolted–then realized I was reborn. In my previous life, after months of relentless work, I finally took a short break once the rocket I was developing launched successfully. I drove my whole family to this mountain retreat to enjoy some rare downtime. I chose this place because of the snow-capped mountain behind the lodge–Hannah always wanted to see it. That evening, she originally planned to go with me to buy some local snacks, but our child insisted on going to play in the water, and Hannah worried that my parents would be too tired from the drive, so she stayed behind with them and let me go alone. When I returned to the lodge, arms full of food, I took a shower and did a bit more work. Then I headed downstairs to meet my wife and daughter–only to hear the other guests buzzing with gossip. "Have you heard? There's been a body dumping case near that town, not far from here. The killer is ridiculously bold!" "They say a witness saw him dump a blood-stained suitcase–and then, right there on the roadside, he even hooked up with a woman. Absolutely shameless!" As an engineer, I was never one for idle gossip. I quietly walked past the crowd. "An online wanted notice just came out. Take a look at what that scumbag looks like. He couldn't have gone far–we should all be careful!" Suddenly, the chatter died. The atmosphere turned cold. When I looked up, I realized everyone was staring at me. Their eyes were dark, unsettling. The hair on the back of my neck prickled. I lowered the brim of my hat and kept walking. The moment I stepped out the door, the wail of sirens cut through the air–more than a dozen police cars racing toward us. I barely had time to react before I was slammed to the ground. The police thanked the bystanders who reported me, pulled up surveillance footage, and searched my car. The evidence was irrefutable. As they took me away, they proudly told the media that this was the fastest case ever solved through cooperation between the public and the police. I was framed as a murderer. Once hailed as a hero in aerospace, I became a man everyone spat on–a criminal despised by all. My organization cut ties with me overnight in a desperate PR move. The technological breakthroughs I led were suddenly credited to others. However, the most horrifying part– It was not just me who died. My family did not survive either. The memory hit like a hammer. My head throbbed violently. Seeing my pale expression, Hannah quickly reached out and gently rubbed my temples. "Altitude sickness? Then don't go. Just rest here at the hotel–we can always buy the snacks tomorrow." I looked at her–my gentle, caring wife–and suddenly something clicked. In my previous life, she was the only one who was not affected. However, we were together for nearly ten years. As the technical backbone of the family, I was always the one providing. Our child was already grown. No matter what, it did not make sense for her to do something so ruthless. Or was it a rival at work? After all, they were the biggest beneficiaries–they took all my achievements once I was gone. However, this destination was obscure. I did not tell about the trip beforehand. Who could have orchestrated something so perfectly in advance? Or could it have been some overseas organization that long coveted my technology? My thoughts spiraled as I lay down. As long as I stayed here in the lodge and did not go out, whoever was trying to set me up would not have the chance, right? I closed my eyes. Certain of my plan. Certain I was safe. I was wrong. Chapter 2 I slept like a log and stretched out lazily when I woke up. Just as I stepped outside, I ran into my wife and child heading back after playing in the water. Seeing their bright, carefree smiles, I finally let out a breath I did not realize I was holding. Then, in the very next second, the familiar flash of red and blue lights cut through the air, sirens wailing. My grip on my wife's hand tightened instinctively as I ran through possibilities in my mind. However, the scene was far too familiar. Deep down, I already knew–there was no escaping this. Sure enough, they surrounded me again. Without another word, they forced me to the ground. "Mr. Arthur Hayes, correct? You're suspected of murder and disposing of a body. The circumstances are severe. Please cooperate with our investigation." In my previous life, I was completely caught off guard–panicked, overwhelmed–shouting my innocence as they dragged me away. In the end, I never even gave myself a chance to prove anything. However, this time, thinking of my parents and my child, the ones I dragged down with me, I could not make the same mistake again. I steadied myself and spoke calmly, presenting my case. "Officer, there must be some mistake. I've been at the guesthouse the entire afternoon until now. My family can confirm that, and there should be surveillance footage at the guesthouse as well." "And my car has been parked there the whole time–it hasn't moved all afternoon." Hannah quickly backed me up. "That's right. My husband had altitude sickness as soon as we arrived and has been resting the whole time. I took our child out so we wouldn't disturb him–that's why we stayed out so late." The officer, however, looked unimpressed. "You were out the whole time. How would you know he stayed in the room?" The guesthouse owner hurried over with footage from the lobby cameras. "This gentleman hasn't left since he checked in. Could there be some kind of mistake?" The officer raised an eyebrow. "They're staying on the first floor. What about the cameras outside the window?" The owner froze, at a loss. "Well, some guests complained that the exterior cameras invaded their privacy. Business is hard enough out here in the mountains, so we removed them." The officer gave a knowing smile, his gaze sharpening as it fell on me. "I've seen plenty of suspects like you–cunning enough to leave behind just enough ambiguous evidence to fake an alibi. You think that's enough to walk free?" He stepped closer, voice cold. "The surveillance network has already captured a clear image of your face. Facial recognition confirmed your identity. There's also an eyewitness who saw you dumping the suitcase. What else do you have to say for yourself?" He popped open the trunk. Inside–just like before–were the same bloodstains and the murder weapon. In the dashcam footage, there was a full recording of me driving along with the unmistakable sound of me talking intimately with a woman I did not recognize. Chapter 3 "Arthur, you left your family at the guesthouse just to sneak out and have fun with me, aren't you worried your wife will get jealous?" "That old hag? All she does is stay home washing and cleaning. Her body's gone completely out of shape–just looking at her makes me sick." "And after having a kid? She's loose as hell. Nothing like you." After a series of damp, intimate sounds, the woman's voice rang out again. "But, that old man's corpse in the trunk smells awful. We're not actually going to do it in front of him, are we? That's kind of terrifying." "You're such a pain. I'll get rid of it." The recording cut off abruptly. The car pulled over to the roadside. Someone got out, opened the trunk, took something out, and tossed it into a forest crowded with passersby. That figure was unmistakably me. My chest tightened. I did not even leave the house yet. The car keys were with me the whole time and yet the dashcam clearly showed my face. It was impossible. Hannah stood outside the car, unable to see the footage, her voice tense with worry. "Officer, what's going on? Did you find anything?" The police looked at her with sympathy–then suddenly forced me to the ground. "With a wife like that, and you still commit something so vile? You disgust me." My five-year-old daughter saw me pinned down and burst into terrified sobs. "Let go of my daddy! "Mom went all the way to town today just to buy altitude medicine for him–he's already sick, why are you still bullying him?!" My mind went blank. I looked up at Hannah. For this trip, we activated the facial recognition system on our SUV. Only she and I could start the car. Before we left, we had a huge argument over the destination. With both elders and a child traveling with us, I wanted somewhere bigger–somewhere with proper facilities. But she insisted on this remote location. She said she sacrificed too much for this family, and this time, she wanted to fulfill her long-held dream of seeing the snowy mountains. I could not win the argument. After calming down, I did feel guilty for how much she gave up at home, so I agreed. The entire journey, I tried to make it up to her–doing everything I could to smooth things over after that fight. However, now, If I never left the house, and she went into town, and in my previous life, she remained completely uninvolved– Then the truth was becoming painfully obvious. I lifted my head and said, "Officer, I think I know who the real killer is." Chapter 4 "I'm asking–no, insisting–that you investigate my wife properly!" My parents, who heard the commotion upstairs, rushed down just in time to catch what I said. My mother stamped her foot anxiously. "Son, what are you saying? Hannah's kind and devoted–how could she possibly do something like this?" Hannah froze, stunned. After a long moment, tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke, each word slow and deliberate. "Arthur, do you even hear yourself? "I gave up my job for this family. I became a housewife, taking care of your parents and our child. "And now that you're under suspicion and can't get out of it, the first thing you do is drag me down with you?" Looking at the genuine hurt on her face, doubt crept into my mind. "But, other than the two of us, no one else could've driven that car." Hannah choked back a sob, her eyes filled with sorrow. "I was afraid of getting into an accident–I'm not familiar with the roads, and my driving isn't good. So I asked the guesthouse owner to hire a local driver to take me." "And here I was, racking my brain trying to buy medicine for you. What a joke!" She pulled out several boxes of medicine from her pocket and threw them in front of me. Instantly, the crowd erupted in a wave of curses. Even the witnesses who were waiting inside the police car to give a statement jumped out, furious. "I was planning to confront you at the station, you sick murderer–but I can't hold back anymore! And you still have the nerve to frame your own wife?" "Who was it that dumped that bloody suitcase and then rushed back into the car to fool around with another woman?" He raised his hand as if swearing an oath. "I swear on my dignity–that woman was definitely not this kind and gentle-looking mother standing here!" "Exactly!" someone else chimed in. "While they were going at it in the car, they even rolled down the window and flipped us off!" "He shouted that if we had the guts, we should call the police–said he's a famous rocket engineer, and if anyone dared touch him, the country's aerospace program would suffer!" "Look–my phone caught everything! I recorded it so we could catch this scumbag as soon as possible!" On their screens was a half-dressed man. He looked exactly like me. The woman beside him, with her flirtatious eyes, I never saw her before in my life. Hannah's hands trembled as she replayed the video again and again. Finally, she could not hold back–she rushed forward and slapped me hard across the face. "All this time, you kept saying you wanted to buy me my favorite snacks. So, that was just your excuse to sneak off and meet that woman?" "She even followed you all the way here just for a moment of pleasure. You two have no shame–but what about me? What about your parents? Your child?" "The video is this clear–how are you going to smear me now?" Cold sweat broke out across my back. "Where is that woman? I can confront her!" The police officer let out a cold laugh. "The surveillance system shows that after the incident, you fled with her–drove into the mountains, to a place with no cameras. That's likely where she got out." "When the car appeared again, you were alone." "Such a key witness–either you sent her away, or you got rid of her. We'd like to know where she is, too." I was completely speechless. The officer twisted my arm behind my back with disdain and snapped cold handcuffs onto my wrists. "At this point, for the sake of your family, you'd better confess and cooperate. You might get a lighter sentence." However, the crowd was not satisfied. Enraged, they hurled stones and dirty water at me. "Officer, execute him as soon as possible! We won't feel safe otherwise!" "Damn it–this kind of monster kills, dumps the body, cheats on his wife, and still tries to frame her? He deserves to die!" "He must be a psychopath–who else would murder someone and dump the body in broad daylight?" Suddenly, a thought struck me. I struggled again and shouted, "Officer–after all this, who exactly are you saying I killed?" Chapter 5 In my previous life, I was overwhelmed by fear and despair. By the time I was dragged through the police station and into the detention center, my mind already went numb. All I could remember was that the person who died seemed to be a local. The officer frowned. "Still pretending at a time like this? He wasn't just anyone–he was a respected village doctor." I froze. Confusion hit me like a wave. I never even met this man–how could he have died at my hands? A witness, trembling with rage, spoke up. "When you threw the suitcase, didn't you say you were feeling unwell from altitude sickness and came to see this famous doctor? But he told you your problem was that you weren't man enough–that's why you couldn't handle it." "You got furious, killed him, chopped him into eighteen pieces, and even called your lover to prove your manhood. That's what you were doing in the car!" "You're insane–this is beyond inhuman!" So that was it. The real killer staged an entire performance just to fabricate a motive for me. And he did it in such an exaggerated, public way that no one would question it. A thought struck me like lightning. In my previous life, I went out that day, but I did not mention anything about altitude sickness. This time, I changed my plans on the fly, and the killer still anticipated it and used it against me. That meant only one thing–he knew my movements. As the officers moved to push me into the police car, I heard my parents and my child crying out behind me. A memory flashed through my mind–after I was taken away in my last life, they were beaten to death by the victim's family. My entire body went cold. I struggled free and rushed toward them. "Mom, Dad, I'm innocent!" "It's not safe for you to stay here. Once I'm gone, you must get the police to send you home immediately!" Tears streamed down their faces as they held my child, looking at me helplessly. "We believe you! We know you didn't do it! We'll wait at the guesthouse for you to come back!" Hannah composed herself and slipped back into her usual gentle demeanor. "Just go cooperate with the investigation. If you're innocent, the police will clear your name. Don't worry–I'll take care of your parents here." They were determined to stay. Panic surged through me. If I left with the police now, my family would die. If I wanted to break this deadlock, I had to find the real killer–immediately. I clenched my fists, pounding my head lightly as I forced myself to breathe, to calm down. Slowly, I switched into the mindset I trusted most–my engineer's way of thinking. If I could solve something as complex as building rockets, then with this setup, I could crack it. I realized that everything about this case–the background, the motive–was just fed to me through the police and the witness. A perfect loop. The killer knew that once I got to the station, I would try to dismantle the story. So he built it airtight. I took every piece of information I just heard and broke it down like components in a system, reconstructing it over and over in my mind. There had to be a single point–a central node where all the details intersected. That was where the truth was hidden. I lifted my head and scanned the crowd. Then my eyes lit up. I raised my hand and pointed straight at someone. "It's him."