Zhou Yi dashed forward. As the distance closed, he could make out that the figure lying on the ground was a woman.
"Du Xiaolin?"
"Du Xiaolin!"
It was true. The woman on the ground was the young nurse he had just seen at the hospital not long ago, Du Xiaolin. The victim of the 316 Case!
Du Xiaolin didn’t react at all. Only the heavy stench of blood lingered in the air.
"The left carotid artery!" Zhou Yi immediately recalled Du Xiaolin’s fatal wound from the cold case file.
He looked left and right. Only after finding nothing suspicious did he crouch down to check on her condition. It was so pitch-black that he had to lean in extremely close to see anything, and the thick metallic stench was nauseating. He saw that there was indeed a wound on the left side of Du Xiaolin’s neck. It was still bleeding, though the flow of blood had diminished significantly.
A jolt went through Zhou Yi. He immediately reached out and clamped his hand over her wound.
If the wound was still bleeding, that meant she wasn’t completely dead yet! She might just be in a state of hemorrhagic shock. Once a person died, their heart stopped beating and blood circulation ceased; without flow or pressure, a wound would no longer bleed. Though he wasn’t a forensic doctor, his extensive criminal investigation experience meant he understood a fair amount of forensic science.
"Du Xiaolin, hang in there! Don’t die!" Zhou Yi shouted.
He thought, "A phone! I need to call the police and 120 for an ambulance right now!"
Zhou Yi kept one hand pressed firmly against the wound on her neck. Feeling her body gradually stiffen and turn cold, he knew her life was slipping away. His other hand instinctively reached into his pocket for a phone. But then it hit him—this was 1997! Only the rich could afford those brick-like mobile phones. Where would an ordinary person get a cell phone?
He couldn’t wait. He had to perform first aid immediately, or she wouldn’t stand a chance. He forcefully tore his own jacket and began bandaging Du Xiaolin’s wound to slow the bleeding. After that, he would carry her to the hospital. It was the only way she had even a sliver of hope to survive.
As a veteran detective who had spent most of his life in the field, he knew very well that in such a critical moment, whether he left her behind to find a doctor or stayed here waiting passively, Du Xiaolin was doomed to die.
While he was bandaging her, he suddenly sensed movement behind him. He whipped his head around and faintly made out a silhouette approaching in the darkness.
Was it a passerby? He was just about to call out for help when realization struck him. The file for the 316 Case stated that Du Xiaolin’s body wasn’t discovered until dawn, after a heavy rain. Shangyang Lane was so narrow that it was impossible for anyone to walk past without noticing her.
His seasoned intuition exploded into a single, terrifying conclusion. He realized that this person was the killer!
The moment he realized this, he immediately tried to stand up and apprehend the man. But the side effects of having his blood drawn at the hospital hit him right at that second. As he rose, a wave of mild dizziness washed over him, causing him to stagger.
That split-second vulnerability was all it took. The dark figure, who had already closed the distance, suddenly lunged forward, thrusting something violently toward him.
With no time to assess the situation, Zhou Yi instinctively raised his arm to block. Instantly, a sharp, searing pain tore through his arm.
The assailant had a knife, and it had slashed his arm!
Missing his fatal mark, the attacker immediately swung the blade again. Zhou Yi knew that no matter how tough a body was, it couldn’t withstand a sharp weapon. Moreover, the pitch-black environment and narrow terrain put him at a severe disadvantage. If he could clearly see the attacker’s movements, he would have absolute confidence in subduing him.
But right now, he didn’t dare to be overconfident. From his crouching position, he immediately threw his body backward, narrowly dodging the next slash.
He was, after all, a seasoned police officer who had fought in countless battles. In the instant he fell backward, he launched a vicious kick forward, landing a direct hit on the assailant’s thigh! The unexpected kick sent the dark figure flying backward, tumbling twice across the ground.
Zhou Yi was somewhat surprised. A young body really had its perks. Even after donating so much blood, his kick still packed that much power? Without a shred of hesitation, he gritted his teeth, scrambled to his feet, and charged at the man.
Only one thought remained in his mind: he had to catch this killer! He had to catch the murderer who had remained at large for twenty-seven years!
The dark figure was clearly spooked. Without any intention of attacking Zhou Yi again, he scrambled up and fled in the opposite direction.
There was no way Zhou Yi would allow him to escape. He was like a starving wolf hunting its prey, determined to lock his jaws onto his target. Just as he was about to catch up, the dark figure suddenly turned around. Zhou Yi subconsciously checked his momentum, thinking the man was about to strike with the knife again.
But no blade came swinging toward him. Instead, something flew directly at his face. The alley was just too dark. By the time he realized what was happening, it was too late to dodge.
With a muffled THWACK, Zhou Yi took a solid hit to the head. A piercing agony flared up, followed by a warm liquid trailing down his forehead.
The bastard had been hiding half a brick in his hand right from the start!
"You son of a bitch! You murdering scum!" Zhou Yi was genuinely furious. He rarely swore, but this time, he truly couldn’t hold back.
What kind of deep-seated hatred did this killer have against Du Xiaolin to actually double back? His objective was obviously only one thing: to confirm Du Xiaolin’s death. Overwhelmed by towering rage, Zhou Yi had no time to worry about his own injuries and continued to chase after the man.
But after just a few steps, he realized something was wrong. Despite exerting all his strength, he felt like he couldn’t generate any power. He silently cursed. Could that brick have given him a concussion? He didn’t dare stop the pursuit, but the further he ran, the dizzier he became.
He was in trouble. He had already lost a lot of blood, and now his brain was starting to be deprived of oxygen. He grabbed onto the moss-covered wall beside him, barely managing to keep from collapsing as he looked toward the dark figure.
The figure was scrambling away as wretchedly as a beaten dog, getting further and further away. Zhou Yi paused to catch his breath, gritted his teeth, and continued chasing in the direction the shadow had vanished.
At the other end of Shangyang Lane was a three-way intersection. There was a dim, yellow streetlamp at the crossing, and a swarm of small Feis were constantly flying in circles around it beneath its gray lampshade.
Pushing through on his last breath, Zhou Yi burst out of the alley, but he couldn’t catch any trace of the dark figure. Panting heavily, he continuously scanned the area, trying to figure out which way the shadow had fled.
Just then, two men in light green camouflage uniforms strolled over from the west, chatting and laughing while swinging their flashlights. The two of them suddenly froze when they spotted Zhou Yi standing under the streetlamp, covered in blood and looking like a fierce demon.
Zhou Yi noticed them too. From the red armbands they wore, he recognized them at a glance as neighborhood watchmen responsible for night patrols.
"Save her..." Zhou Yi only managed to shout one phrase before he couldn’t hold on any longer. With a heavy THUD, he collapsed to the ground.
The two watchmen finally snapped out of their daze, fumbling in a panic to draw the batons from their waists. They exchanged bewildered glances, and one asked the other, "W-What do we do?"
The older one summoned his courage, walked up to Zhou Yi, and prodded him with his baton.
"With this much blood, you don’t think he’s dead, do you?" the younger one asked, also emboldening himself to approach.
The two men looked around and saw a trail of blood extending deep into the alley from the direction Zhou Yi had just come. The older man, clearly more experienced, immediately realized what was going on and yelled, "Hurry, call the police!"