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墨書 Inktalez
Curiosity is a trait inherent to humans. When two people simultaneously exclaimed, "Oh," I understood that both were eager to know the answer. In fact, I was also gauging my own guesses based on their expressions. Team Leader Li and Liu were concerned that we might uncover the Murderer before they did, so they withheld crucial information about what they had discovered.
However, it is not only language that can convey answers; expressions can, eyes can, and even a subtle movement can.
I paused for a moment, observing the expressions of the two individuals as I spoke. "You detected another DNA sample that differs from the Murderer's DNA in the first story. Moreover, this DNA belongs to a woman. However, these two DNA samples are remarkably similar—almost identical. They share a direct familial relationship; they are twins, or as people say, a dragon and phoenix pair."
Zhang Qinrui had been standing behind the two and, upon hearing the medical details, spoke up. "That's correct. From a genetic perspective, identical twins share a single egg cell, which makes their gender and DNA very similar. To borrow your phrasing, it's like they were cast from the same mold."
Zhang Qinrui stepped forward and continued, "Fraternal twins, on the other hand, can exhibit significant differences because they result from two sperm cells fertilizing two separate egg cells. Whether dominant or recessive genes are involved, there is considerable variability, and dragon and phoenix pairs often fall into this category."
I realized that under the assumption of multiple Murderers, Zhang Qinrui was inclined to believe that the Murderer must be twins. Yet he overlooked a possibility that, while rare, is not entirely impossible—a true hermaphrodite or chimera.
Guan Zengbin was reassembling fragments of a bowl as he added, "But your DNA gene loci indicate that this is from an egg cell, meaning it’s from a dragon and phoenix pair among identical twins. During fertilization, one of the male's Y chromosomes was lost, correct?"
Although I didn't fully grasp Guan Zengbin's technical jargon, I could understand its general implications.
Zhang Qinrui nodded in agreement. "Exactly; this means the Murderer is either siblings or a brother-sister duo."
Liu then remarked, "Wu Meng, this should resolve your lingering doubt about whether multiple people were involved in this case. There is now ample evidence to prove that the Murderer is indeed more than one person. Just considering the two sets of DNA and their genders—one male and one female—clarifies the situation. The relationship between them also sheds light on the matter."
I crossed my arms and awaited Liu's further explanation.
Liu chuckled lightly and said, "While many serial killers tend to operate alone, we cannot dismiss the existence of those who act in pairs or groups—most of whom share blood relations. As you've seen, the Murderers are twins; whether they are siblings or not is less important than the fact that twins often exhibit similar behaviors."
Liu looked at me earnestly and said, "If an older brother harbors twisted thoughts, then it’s likely his sister does too. If a younger brother has mental issues, his sister probably does as well. Some refer to this as an innate connection between twins; others might call it destiny."
"Indeed," Zhang Qinrui added. "In cases where twins behave similarly, medicine struggles to provide explanations. However, Marx taught us that material conditions shape consciousness; given that 99.9% of their genes are identical, it’s not surprising if their consciousness mirrors each other."
"If the Murderer is indeed a dragon and phoenix pair of twins," Liu stated confidently, "then such a scenario could certainly arise. Moreover, you mentioned hearing three voices in the sewer; I suspect that girl is their child. Due to consanguinity issues resulting from close relatives marrying each other, the child may have developmental problems. Thus, this family of three could be living in the sewer."
Liu Jixu said, "We found the bowl used by the Murderer in the sewer, along with a blanket and a plush toy. It must have been dropped by the girl in her panic while Wu Meng was chasing the Murderer."
I shook my head and replied, "Alright, let's assume the Murderer is a family of three. But why would the Murderer kill? These people were clearly not chosen at random; they must have been selected beforehand. And what about those English letters left at the scene? Can you explain that?"
Liu gently stroked his mustache and said, "The reason the Murderer had to kill is that society cannot accept such actions between two people; it goes against human ethics."
"Bring me the map," Liu commanded.
A team member behind him handed over a map. Liu looked at it, pointing as he explained, "I believe the couple killed because these people saw their daughter living in the sewer. I suspect their daughter not only has intellectual disabilities but also comes from an incestuous relationship, which greatly increases the chances of her children being Freaks. Therefore, these people must have seen what their daughter looked like, which enraged her parents and led them to take drastic action."
"When entering the sewer," Liu traced a long line on the map that connected the locations of the three Victims' deaths.
He lightly tapped on the map and said, "These three places are where the three stories originated. It may look chaotic now, but see this yellow line? It represents the sewer's layout. From the map, these three points are interconnected. We have reason to believe that the girl once came up to the surface but was treated as a monster by these people, which infuriated her parents, prompting them to kill."
I thought about it; sewers are indeed interconnected systems; otherwise, where would all that waste go? Liu's explanation seemed somewhat flawed but still held significant potential. It could also explain why the Murderer chose to live in the sewer—provided there truly were multiple Murderers.
"What about those English letters?" I reiterated my question.
Liu shrugged before responding, "It's clear that translating these English phrases into Chinese is problematic; otherwise, much of their context would be lost. Generally, things that are hard to translate stem from cultural slang or specific religious contexts."
"For example, how would you translate 'Dao' from Taoism?" Liu Yi chimed in while pacing inside. "Even within our own country, people have different interpretations of this term, making it impossible to find a single accurate translation for outsiders. If forced to translate it, it would sound particularly awkward. Similarly, these English sentences we are translating likely contain locally rooted religious connotations—like curses and such."
Liu's imagination was commendable: "Perhaps this is some indigenous religious phrase from abroad that cannot be translated. The inscriptions might be intended as revenge for their daughter; perhaps being marked with such words means she will never find peace in life. They want to convey that their daughter is not a monster."
Hearing Liu's words stirred some doubts within me. His reasoning under multiple Murderers was coherent and interconnected. Yet I still believed there could only be one Murderer.
At this point, Liu folded up the map and slowly addressed everyone present: "Wu Meng, I fear I might find the Murderer before you do. Back when I was with Captain Shao's team, I often heard how impressive you were. Now that I've left Captain Shao's team, I feel I'm not doing too badly myself."
"What if you've been wrong from the start?" I looked at Liu.
Liu waved his hand and said, "We have grasped a crucial clue that you are unaware of, and this clue will lead us to the Murderer. And Wu Meng, don't always assume that others are wrong and you are right. Your talent may be high, but you have never been as diligent and meticulous as I am. This time, I believe I have won your respect."
Upon hearing this, Gu Chen, known for his bad temper, pointed at Liu Dao and said, "If you're going to say things like that, you'd better bring the Murderer before us first. Otherwise, anything is possible. Who says we won't find the Murderer before you do? Understand?"
"But you won't have much of a chance now," Liu replied, glancing at Li Team Leader. "Let's start our operation now."
Li Team Leader nodded.
I truly had no idea what crucial evidence Liu had found, and I assumed no one would tell us; we would need to investigate it ourselves.
After walking quite a distance, Liu turned back alone.
We looked at Liu, and he naturally looked back at us. After a moment of silence, Liu finally spoke, "This time, the team that captures the Murderer will be eliminated. I know that if you fail this time, even if the Deputy Director favors Captain Shao, he won't have the face to bring you back."
Liu's eyes were red. He said, "The days spent solving cases with you were some of my few happy moments. But from now on, everything will have its own fate. There is no banquet that does not end, especially when the road ahead is difficult. It’s better to be a head of a chicken than a tail of a phoenix; I hope you understand."
"I'm just an ordinary person," Liu continued without looking back. "In terms of talent, I'm not as good as you all, but I am definitely more diligent than any of you. That should be evident."
"Hypocritical," Gu Chen remarked.
But Liu had already walked far away; his last words marked his farewell to us.
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