"If it were me, I might not have done any better than you."

The school police officer's eyes were filled with tears, "Thank you, but I still can't forgive myself. I keep thinking, if only my shooting had been a bit more accurate that day, perhaps none of this would have happened."

Luke thought for a moment and then continued to ask, "Did you hear any more gunshots while you were taking care of the injured?"

"It seemed like there were gunshots coming from the music building."

"How many?"

"I can't remember clearly," the school police officer sighed. "Actually, I regret not pursuing. If I had been at the scene at the music building, perhaps there wouldn't have been another shooting, and no more students would have been killed."

Little Black comforted, "Buddy, don't be too hard on yourself. You're only one person; you couldn't have saved everyone.

At least you gave the victims on the rooftop some final comfort."

Luke's gaze swept across the rooftop, carefully examining the spots where the victims had been injured and pressed his temple.

Little Black asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

Luke shook his head.

When he first met the school police officer, Luke had a good impression of him, but when he described the scene, Luke felt that the officer's expressions were a bit odd, very similar to some behaviors when lying, according to microexpression analysis:

Avoiding eye contact, shrugging one shoulder while speaking, a nodding motion just before shaking his head in denial, etc.

When people perceive external events, there is an instinctual reaction that may quickly be influenced by consciousness and thought.

The so-called microexpression analysis is about capturing fleeting facial expressions that revel real feelings and emotions.

If judged by microexpression analysis, the school police officer lied while describing the case, but it was the first time Luke had used it, and he didn't know how reliable it was.

Without evidence, Luke couldn't openly question his colleague.

Of course, he would keep his own thoughts.

Suppose, the school police officer did lie.

Why did he lie?

What would the real scene be like?

How has his misinformation affected the police investigation?

The second team had been investigating the case but had not made significant progress. Could it be because they were misled by the school police officer?

More and more doubts sprang to his mind.

Luke returned to the police station to review all the files and materials on the scene investigation and compared them to the school police officer's statements.

The school police officer described a gun battle with the suspect on the third floor, where the suspect fired two shots through the glass, leaving no bullets on the corridor walls.

That was not a problem.

But when Luke examined the scene investigation records, he found no trace of the shooter's bullets on the ground outside the windows.

However, this also couldn't serve as evidence of the school police officer lying because the range of a bullet exceeds a kilometer, so not finding one is normal.

Without catching the shooter, it would be difficult to prove the school police officer's dishonesty.

And once the school police officer lied, it could misdirect the police's investigation, making it even harder to catch the culprit.

Could the school police officer be an accomplice to the shooter?

If so, that would be terrifying.

He was the only person in the entire school legally allowed to carry a gun.

In the end, Luke decided to tell Susan about this.

Susan pondered for a long time and decided not to report it for the time being.

After all, this was only Luke's word against that of a school police officer, who, like a city police officer, is still a police officer. To prove he was lying, one would need to present solid evidence.

Luke had no evidence to produce.

However, out of trust in Luke and because of the potential hazard posed by the school police officer, Susan agreed to let Luke investigate covertly.

...

The following day.

Today was the day Maraboya High School reopened. If the school police officer were up to something, that would be a serious problem.

Luke and Little Black didn't go to the police station; they headed straight to the school.

As the two drove towards the school, Little Black started his nonsense talk again, "When did you learn microexpression analysis? I had no idea."

"Do you know my bank password?"

"You haven't told me."

"That's right, there's a lot you don't know."

"You secretly practice shooting, and now you're learning microexpression analysis; it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable."

"Are you jealous?"

"No, it's a complex feeling.

Just like the deputy team leader once said, when Chief Reid was a detective, he was already a Detective Chief;

And when Reid became the deputy chief, he was still a Detective Chief.

Oh my god, that's terrifying. I don't want that to happen to me."

"Then just work hard. You're not like the deputy team leader; I will cover for you."

"OK, I feel a bit better now, and that's quite considerate of you."

Luke shook his head with a smile. If one day he didn't have this amusing guy by his side, he might actually miss him.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the school.

A large number of students gathered at the school gate, many mourning their deceased classmates. There was a huge array of flowers, dolls, and footballs laid out on the east side of the school entrance, and almost every student lingered at the gate for a moment.

Little Black looked out from the driver's window, "Why are they mourning outside the school instead of inside?"

"Not only students are mourning, but also people from outside the school," Luke also observed outside, spotting a familiar figure, school police officer, Selt Polis.

The guy was again standing at the gate, scanning the students passing by, his hands resting on his duty belt, occasionally greeting the students walking past.

It was evident that he was on good terms with the students.

Luke couldn't help but doubt whether his judgment might have been wrong.

It was a good thing Susan hadn't reported it, for he didn't feel too pressured.

Little Black resting his right hand on his chin and looking outside, "Are we just going to watch him today?"

"No, that's only one part of it." Luke's gaze swept around, as if he were looking for someone.

"Why don't I know there are other tasks?"

Luke pointed outside the window, and Little Black turned to look, spotting a familiar figure, the Student Council member Herman Vied, one of the victims of the shooting incident.

Herman had arrived in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, not clear who was driving, but it was enough to show his family's affluent background.

Actually, the families of the students at this high school were all well-off. Holip was an exception; he was a student specially recruited from middle school to the football team. Otherwise, his family wouldn't have been able to afford the steep tuition fees.

After Herman got out of the car, he stood at the entrance to mourn, placing a football next to Lev's photo, pausing there for a while, and giving a bunch of flowers for each of the other deceased.

Herman was already somewhat famous at the school, and now, as a survivor of the shooting, he quickly drew a crowd of students around him and entered the school in the company of his classmates.

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