Municipal Bureau
Conference Room.
Regarding the corpse discovered beneath the overpass, the district forensic examiner reported the autopsy results.
“According to the anthropological examination, the deceased is female, approximately twenty-six years old, 170 cm tall, and weighs around sixty kilograms. There are multiple comminuted fractures on the body: the left thigh, right lower leg, right arm, skull, and left eye socket. Among these, the fractures to both legs, right arm, and skull were determined to be caused by blunt force from a tool such as a square-headed iron hammer. The left eye socket… appears to have been struck by a tool like a shovel.”
“We speculate that before being buried, the body was placed inside some large bags or crates. The overpass area is not the primary crime scene.”
“The body is severely decomposed, and we estimate the time of death to be between seven and ten days. Furthermore, when the victim was buried, she may still have had faint breathing.”
“We extracted DNA from the ribs, but there is currently no match in the gene bank. No other DNA was recovered.”
After the forensic examiner finished, Qi Feng said, “No items identifying the victim were found on the body either, and no missing person reports have been filed recently. The victim’s identity has not yet been confirmed. Teacher Lu is reconstructing the victim’s appearance based on the skull.”
Teacher Lu referred to Lu Zhishen.
Qi Feng continued, “Last night, based on the sketch provided by the witness, we matched a suspect in the information database. Xia Zhenghong, male, fifty-two years old, graduate student supervisor at Jinghai Normal University. His wife said he went to visit relatives in his hometown in Jiangcheng three days ago, but we contacted the police there and went to his hometown to ask around—he never returned. Xia Zhenghong’s phone is turned off, and we are still tracing his whereabouts.”
“What about the university?” Zhuang Yanzheng asked.
Qi Feng said, “It’s the holiday period—some went home, some stayed on campus. We haven’t obtained any useful information for now. The surveillance cameras near the overpass haven’t turned up anything either.”
“How is the relationship between Xia Zhenghong and his wife?” Zhuang Yanzheng asked.
“Xia Zhenghong married into the family, so to speak. From his wife’s tone, the couple seems to get along well,” Qi Feng said. “They have a daughter studying abroad. Because of Xia Zhenghong’s work, his wife spends a lot of time overseas with their daughter. In recent years, they’ve been apart more than together.”
Zhuang Yanzheng had stayed up all night, and his expression looked even more fierce than usual. He looked at the clues on the screen, his gaze pausing briefly on the name of Xia Zhenghong’s wife. “That pocket watch found at the scene—I went to the shop this morning to ask. The person who commissioned it was Xia Zhenghong’s wife.”
Xia Zhenghong’s suspicion rose once again.
“Deploy more personnel for the search. If too much time passes, he might leave Jinghai—check the highway toll stations,” Zhuang Yanzheng said. “Qi Feng, you and I will go to Xia Zhenghong’s house again to talk with his wife.”
“Yes, sir.”
…
Su Miaoyi came out of the pet shop and picked up the cat as well.
Although the feline master still hissed at her, since things had ended on bad terms with the pet shop, she took it out anyway.
The pet shop refunded her the entire month’s fee.
Having suddenly come into an unexpected sum of money, she was in a very good mood.
When she had paid that money originally, she had gritted her teeth and scrimped and saved for it.
She thought that man in the suit was an absolutely wonderful person.
She transferred the money to her aunt.
Then she went to a nearby place to eat.
Just as she finished her meal, her aunt called.
Su Miaoyi answered the phone: “Aunt.”
Ge Yu said on the other end, “Miaomiao, why are you sending money home again? You need money for food and rent while living outside. Don’t keep sending money back—keep it for yourself to spend.”
Su Miaoyi had lived with Ge Yu’s family since she was thirteen.
The Ji family had given only one year’s living expenses, but even so, her uncle and aunt had raised her until she came of age and put her through university.
Su Miaoyi laughed: “I have money to spend here, and I’ve kept plenty for myself. My little brother is in school—that’s exactly when money is needed. I want to contribute to the family too.”
“The family has money to support his schooling, so don’t worry about it,” Ge Yu said. “I’ve sent the money back to you.”
“Aunt, just keep it. My brother needs money for his performing arts studies,” Su Miaoyi said. “I don’t have any major expenses anyway. The money would just sit there otherwise.”
“What performing arts is he studying? If he can’t get into college, he can come back and sell vegetables with me and your uncle. And he wants to study performing arts?” Ge Yu said. “Does he think he’s going to fly to the sky?”
Su Miaoyi laughed. “Oh, right, Aunt. That grandmother next door—I remember she really likes cats. Could you ask her if she still wants one?”
“Sure, I’ll ask for you. Why? Did you pick up another stray cat?” Ge Yu asked.
“No. It’s just that Qiuball has been giving me the cold shoulder lately. I want to find it a new home.” Su Miaoyi had just suddenly remembered that the grandmother next door really loved cats.
This cat was gentle with everyone—at the pet shop, it got along well with the staff too.
Only toward her did it show hostility.
“Bring it home, and I’ll keep it,” Ge Yu said. “You’ve raised it for so many years—wouldn’t you feel bad giving it away?”
“Then I’ll come back right now.”
“Alright.” Ge Yu was very pleased. “We’ll have dinner at home tonight.”
“Okay.”
After hanging up, Su Miaoyi looked at the refunded money in her phone, then checked the bus routes and found a bus stop to wait.
Her uncle and aunt’s house was in the old city district.
Getting there from here by taxi would cost a fortune.
She did earn some royalties from writing, but if her younger brother really wanted to study acting, there would be plenty of places needing money. She still needed to save where she could.
…
Arriving at the old city district.
Su Miaoyi got off the bus.
It was like being transported to a different world.
One city, completely different faces.
Compared to the bustling area on the other side of the bus ride, this place was like a slum.
Old, worn-down buildings, power lines hanging overhead, uneven ground.
Su Miaoyi carried the bag with the cat in it and walked toward home.
From the bus stop to her aunt’s house was about a kilometer—a route she’d walked countless times over the years while studying away from home.
It must have rained here yesterday, because the already uneven road had become even muddier.
Su Miaoyi hugged the edge of the road as she walked.
At the corner of an alley, she nearly collided with someone coming from the other direction.
Su Miaoyi first noticed his clothes.
In this weather—so hot—he was still wearing a jacket and a mask.
Don’t people feel the heat anymore?
Su Miaoyi silently complained, then took a step back, intending to let him pass first.
As she stepped back, he glanced at her.
Su Miaoyi first noticed the mole at the end of his right eyebrow. When their eyes met, she suddenly saw a horrifying scene.
In a room, she saw a man raise a hammer and bring it down on the head of a woman whose back was turned to him.
The woman collapsed.
Then, the man crouched down, and the hammer rose again, striking the woman’s thigh, her calf, her abdomen.
The woman weakly raised her hand to resist.
The hammer came down on her arm again.
As he struck, the man muttered, “I told you to disobey me, I told you to disobey me!”
“Threatening me! Threatening me! What do you think you are! Daring to threaten me! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you! No one can destroy me, no one!”
“Die, die!”
The images were disjointed.
It finally settled on the man stuffing the woman into a suitcase…