AD | Chapter 7

As they were speaking, Tao Yu ran over in a hurry. “Captain Lu, I just got some news…”

Seeing Tao Yu approach, Lu Qingfeng raised an eyebrow and said to Lin Shuyao, “Look, the clues are delivering themselves right to our doorstep. Speak of the devil.”

Tao Yu was confused for a moment. “Huh? What devil?”

Lu Qingfeng coughed once and said seriously, “Ah, nothing. I was just praising you. What’s the news?”

“We just received the DNA comparison results from the database. The identity of the second deceased person has been confirmed. Her name is Jiang Yue. She was also a streamer under the Rongguang Group. Like the first deceased person, she broadcasted at night and had some fame. Most importantly, while investigating Jiang Yue’s social connections not long ago, we discovered that she had a close friend she interacted with frequently. This friend’s name is Ye Ziqing,” Tao Yu said rapidly.

Hearing this, Lu Qingfeng’s heart skipped a beat, and he began to ponder.

He remembered that when he was questioning the family member of the third deceased person earlier, the man had mentioned the deceased’s name during the statement. It seemed to be Ye Ziqing. But Tao Yu had clearly stated that the second deceased person and this Ye Ziqing were close friends. Yet, the third deceased person’s name was also Ye Ziqing. Could this be a coincidence?

Or did the second and third deceased persons know each other?

If that were the case, then everything the family member had said earlier was false?

Suddenly, the words of the elderly couple who first discovered the body came back to his mind. If what that couple said was true, then the man dressed in black likely had an unspeakable connection with the third and second deceased persons.

Tao Yu was still rambling on beside him when Lu Qingfeng suddenly grabbed his hand. Tao Yu was startled. Just as he was about to say something, Lu Qingfeng gave instructions. “Xiao Tao, go with Xiao Jiang to the traffic police brigade to retrieve the surveillance footage around Taining Mountain from the night before last. See if there really was a man in black appearing, as the person who reported the case claimed. If the cameras didn’t capture him, canvass the area around Taining Mountain to see if anyone nearby saw him. I suspect this man has a significant connection to the deceased.”

“Yes! We’ll go right away.” Tao Yu turned to leave, but Lu Qingfeng called out to him again. “Hey, wait, wait…” Tao Yu turned his head back, looking confused. “Cap… Captain Lu, is there anything else?”

“Ah, it’s nothing major. Doctor Lin is over there. When you go, tell him to wait for me in my car. Here are my car keys,” Lu Qingfeng said.

“Huh? Oh, okay, Captain Lu. I’m off then.” After saying this, Tao Yu greeted Lu Qingfeng again and ran off quickly.

Lu Qingfeng had just finished instructing Tao Yu when, less than two minutes later, Lin Shuyao, who had been standing next to the family member doing something unknown, suddenly looked back at him. Then, he turned and left the scene.

Lu Qingfeng was somewhat bewildered by that glance. But seeing the other party leave, he followed him out of the scene. Lu Qingfeng returned to his car. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Lin Shuyao, sitting in the passenger seat, say, “The traffic police just called me. They said my car parked on the roadside has been towed, and I need to find time to pay the fine. There’s no time for that now. So, Captain Lu, have you investigated anything?”

“What do you think? How much of what that man said earlier is credible?” Lu Qingfeng asked.

Who would have expected that upon hearing this, Lin Shuyao would merely glance at him lightly and say, “It’s hard to say. It’s possible it’s half-true and half-false. As we discussed earlier, his testimony is full of loopholes. He might be hiding some key information. However, this person definitely has problems, just like the first person who reported the case.”

Hearing Lin Shuyao finish, Lu Qingfeng nodded in agreement. He opened the car door, got in, and started the engine. Only then did he speak. “I think your suspicion is reasonable. Whether it was the previous informant or the family member at the scene just now, the feeling they gave me was as if someone in the dark had prepared their lines for them. They only needed to convey the information given to them by that person to us at a specified location and time.”

“Although we speculate that these three cases are part of a serial killing, the clues of the man in black and the Rongguang Group seem like they were deliberately guided by the killer for us to discover. However, we still lack substantial evidence.”

“Moreover, I always feel there are many doubts in this case. By the way, what about your side? Did you find anything on the body?” After saying this, Lu Qingfeng paused briefly and then looked at Lin Shuyao.

“The cause of death for this body is the same as the previous two. Preliminary determination is mechanical asphyxia. However, there are two strange marks on her hands. Although I have some guesses in my mind, I cannot be completely sure yet. We need to wait for the autopsy in the dissection room to confirm. But, I found another piece of a jigsaw puzzle in this deceased person’s mouth,” Lin Shuyao said.

Lu Qingfeng frowned and said softly, “A puzzle piece. Why is it a puzzle piece again? If we count, this should be the third piece…”

He finished speaking, looked up at Lin Shuyao, coughed once, and said, “That works out perfectly. I just asked Xiao Tao and the others to check the surveillance around Taining Mountain at the traffic police brigade. Then we’ll return to the bureau for a brief meeting. I’ll trouble Doctor Lin to come back with me and perform the autopsy along the way.”

Lin Shuyao: “…” I bet you planned this all along.

Throughout the journey, the two remained silent, and the atmosphere suddenly became awkward. After hesitating for a while, Lu Qingfeng suddenly spoke up. “By the way, I’ve actually always wanted to ask you. Regarding the cause of your sister’s death seven years ago… did you investigate and find anything?”

“Captain Lu, are you asking me about the reason my sister sacrificed herself after becoming a corrupt police officer?” Lin Shuyao looked at him seriously.

“I was just asking casually… If you don’t want to say, then forget it,” Lu Qingfeng said awkwardly, because he could feel that Lin Shuyao’s movements paused for a moment when he asked this.

“It’s nothing. When my sister… cough, Lin Wan died, I also didn’t believe she was a corrupt police officer. I always felt she was framed, so I investigated desperately. But in the end, I found Lin Wan’s colleagues. They gave me some key evidence, which forced me to start believing that Lin Wan was indeed a corrupt police officer. As for the other question you want to ask, it’s because I wasn’t suitable. But seven years have passed. Is there any meaning in talking about these things now, isn’t there?” Lin Shuyao said softly.

The atmosphere in the car became strange again. But Lu Qingfeng frowned imperceptibly after hearing these words. Although Lin Shuyao’s words sounded largely flawless, if thought about carefully, most of them were full of loopholes.

Moreover, what Lu Qingfeng found strange was that, according to Lin Shuyao, he learned of the key evidence told by Lin Wan’s colleagues while searching for evidence to clear Lin Wan’s name. But who exactly were these colleagues he mentioned? Furthermore, he clearly remembered that before Lin Wan’s incident, Lin Shuyao, just like now, showed no signs of abnormality.

Thinking of this, Lu Qingfeng felt a moment of confusion in his heart. Before he could continue thinking, he heard Lin Shuyao exclaim beside him, “Captain Lu, there’s someone ahead. Stop quickly!”

Startled by the shout, Lu Qingfeng came back to his senses and slammed on the brakes. With a screech, the car stopped. But as soon as the car stopped, a series of horn sounds rang out from behind. The person who had been standing in front of their car finally shuffled across the road. Seeing that no traffic accident had occurred, Lu Qingfeng restarted the car.

Lin Shuyao did not speak. He sat quietly in the passenger seat. The car drove smoothly, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

It wasn’t until the car stopped steadily at the municipal bureau that Lin Shuyao spoke. “You were distracted just now. What were you thinking about? My words?”

Lu Qingfeng didn’t speak. He turned to look at Lin Shuyao, waiting for his next move. He found that the other party slowly opened the car door, preparing to get out. He was startled, and then he heard Lin Shuyao continue, “There is limited information I can reveal right now. Whether you believe me or not, I am not lying to you.”

Before Lu Qingfeng could react, Lin Shuyao closed the door and quickly disappeared from his sight. Hearing this, Lu Qingfeng sighed and got out of the car. He always felt that he had pushed the other party too hard this time. That was not what he intended to say.

Within one day, strange cases and reunion. They crashed into each other’s lives without any preparation.

…

In the darkness, a mysterious person sat playing with a wine glass on the table. He glanced sideways at the man standing in front of him. “Relax. Rest assured, I know them well. This group of police officers is a bunch of losers. As long as you do as I say, they won’t discover anything. Even if they do, without key evidence, they won’t trace it back to you. If all else fails, we will push out the prepared ‘scapegoat’ for them.”

“I… I know… Teacher, I just can’t help it… I really… I really didn’t mean to kill Xiao Qing. If it weren’t… if it weren’t for her…” The man said panic-strickenly. But as he spoke, he covered his eyes and began to cry softly.

Seeing this, the mysterious person put down the wine glass, walked forward, and patted the man on the shoulder, offering perfunctory comfort. “Things have already come to this. There is no turning back. Be at ease.”

“I know, Teacher.” The man took a deep breath and said.