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墨書 Inktalez
Thinking of this, Old Shao handed the photo to Wang Kun beside him and said to everyone, "You see, this Criminal Consultant never plays by the rules. No matter what video or poll it is, he has already prepared what he wants to do from the very beginning. All of this is just for show."
"So what is his purpose in doing this?" The question from Yuan Jun echoed in the quiet atmosphere around the table.
Indeed, both Jiang He and Old Shao fell silent; they truly did not know what this Criminal Consultant was aiming for. If he simply wanted to kill Wang Yedan, he had countless opportunities to do so. Yet he chose to go through such elaborate means to accomplish it. Was it merely for fun?
"Let's take the body back," Old Shao sighed lightly, looking at Wang Kun.
Wang Kun gripped the photo tightly in his hand, distorting it as he held on. The sharp edges of the picture cut into his palm, but he paid no attention to the blood flowing from his wound. The crimson blood stained the photo, making it seem as if Wang Yedan was wearing a red dress.
"Officer, no matter what, we must catch the murderer!" Wang Kun looked at Old Shao with determination. "Even if it costs me everything, I will find this killer. He took my daughter’s life; I want him to pay!"
Old Shao watched as blood dripped from Wang Kun's hand onto the table. "Don't worry; we are the police. It is our responsibility to catch the murderer."
In truth, Old Shao knew well that capturing the Criminal Consultant would not be easy. Their previous encounters had allowed him to escape each time. However, Old Shao also understood that at sixty years old, even though he was in better shape than many of his peers, his body could no longer withstand frontline work.
He could not compare himself to the younger generation; retirement was inevitable. While he could walk away, leaving behind the mess created by the Criminal Consultant for his team was something he could not accept. He needed to capture him quickly; it couldn't take twenty years like it did with Wei Demian.
He had at most one or two years left.
"Let's head back," Old Shao said.
The group followed Old Shao out, with villagers watching them from inside and outside the courtyard. No one spoke or moved their chopsticks; the earlier scene of drawing a gun lingered in their minds, and they had yet to recover from it. They walked along the Village Path until the courtyard lights no longer illuminated them and darkness enveloped their path before the villagers finally began to chatter again.
Though their expressions were hidden from view, the clinking of glasses and lively discussions indicated that the earlier incident had not dampened their spirits.
"I thought this was a funeral banquet," Yuan Jun finally spoke up after they had walked quite a distance.
Funerals have always been a matter for the family, and for outsiders, it was merely another opportunity to enjoy a meal. Old Shao turned his head and saw a figure standing at the boundary of darkness and light—it was Lu Wei. Facing the crowd, he seemed to be gazing into the distance, lost in thought.
Old Shao felt that he was out of place among the villagers who were eating.
"Go up and bring down your daughter's body," Shao the Elder said. "We'll transport her to the City Bureau first. After a detailed autopsy, you can take her body back."
Wang Kun nodded seriously and looked up the mountain. The few incandescent lights halfway up glimmered like stars. A few people used their phone flashlights to make their way to the hillside. When they arrived, they saw that the overturned coffin had been righted, and Luben's body had been placed back inside.
Xu Yiman was supporting Madam Wang as they stood to one side, while Wang Yedan's body still lay flat on the ground.
"What’s the situation?" Xu Yiman asked when she saw everyone finally return. "Did you find the Criminal Consultant?"
"No," Old Shao replied, glancing at Zhao Xiu, who was sitting on the ground staring blankly at Luben's photo. "After we went down the mountain, the murderer drove away in that white Hyundai. However, Captain Liu is already arranging to seal off the roads. I think that from the village to the city, there are many paths; if he’s on foot, he could take any route."
Old Shao waved his hand dismissively. "Let’s not discuss that for now; let’s get the body transported back first and then discuss other matters."
"Yuan Jun, Jiang He," Shao the Elder called out. "I appreciate your help; please take Wang Yedan's body back."
At that moment, Zhao Xiu suddenly turned around and grinned at Wang Kun. "Look, your daughter is dead, and my son is dead too. My son's last wish was to be with her; why don’t we become in-laws? We can arrange a ghost marriage for them. I can offer thirty thousand yuan to buy your daughter's body..."
Zhao Xiu's eyes sparkled as she seemed to find more logic in her suggestion. "This way, you won’t have to search anymore. That Yin Yang Master told us this place is good; it can bless future generations."
Wang Kun appeared to have lost interest in this meaningless bickering. He simply said, "Bless future generations? Both young people are dead; what future generations are there? Our entire lives have been spent working hard for them. It wasn’t you who killed them; I won’t say much more. I just want my daughter to marry your son—it's impossible now or in any lifetime."
Zhao Xiu stood up angrily and retorted, "Your daughter caused my son's death! If it weren't for her, my son wouldn't have died! How can you be so selfish? Can't you think about my son for once?"
Wang Kun walked over to Wang Yedan's body and said, "It wasn't my daughter who killed your son; it was your son who killed my daughter."
Xu Yiman sighed, feeling an overwhelming sense of sorrow. Was it Luben who killed Wang Yedan, or was it Wang Yedan who killed Luben? Or perhaps, like a closed circle, once targeted by the Criminal Consultant, there would be no good outcome for anyone?
Jiang He and Yuan Jun had already lifted the body, while Old Shao held several mobile phones, turning on the flashlights to illuminate the path as they prepared to descend the mountain.
At that moment, however, Wang Kun spoke to the two of them, "Let me, as her father, carry her for this last stretch."
With that, Wang Kun bent down, allowing Jiang He and Yuan Jun to place the body on his back.
The two exchanged glances and gently laid the body across Wang Kun's back. Since the body had already stiffened, moving its limbs was quite difficult. They exerted considerable effort before finally securing it in place, making it appear as though Wang Yedan was embracing her father.
Wang Yedan's head rested on Wang Kun's shoulder, her long hair cascading down and occasionally being lifted by the east wind, brushing against Wang Kun's face. Madam Wang quietly approached from behind, supporting Wang Yedan to prevent her body from slipping off during their descent. To an unsuspecting observer, it might have seemed like a harmonious scene of a family of three.
Yet on Wang Kun's back lay a corpse—one that had been dead for some time.
"Let's go," Wang Kun said softly.
Old Shao nodded and moved ahead to light the way for them, while Yuan Jun, Jiang He, and Xu Yiman followed closely behind.
The body couldn't exert any strength to stay firmly against Wang Kun's back; he had to bend his waist as much as possible to keep it in place. Meanwhile, Madam Wang continuously pushed up on Wang Yedan from behind, fearful that she might slip off.
From an outsider's perspective, Wang Kun appeared to be in his fifties. Normally he wouldn’t have to do any heavy labor. As they traversed the long mountain path, sweat soon covered his face. The cold winter air met his perspiration and turned into mist around him, making it seem as though he were enveloped in smoke.
Moreover, given how he felt his rear and stretched his hands back with great effort—an action that would normally seem comical—no one could find humor in this moment.
The night was pitch black, illuminated only by the faint glow ahead. Behind them walked a man carrying a corpse, and the members of A Team were silent, quietly making their way down the road. If any villagers happened to pass by at that moment, they would surely be terrified by this chilling scene. But did those involved feel fear?
They did not fear, for it was their daughter.
Jiang He looked up the mountain; at that moment, only Zhao Xiu remained in the spirit pavilion, facing the coffin alone. The cold wind rustled through the treetops, producing a sound reminiscent of ghostly wails, a mournful "woo-woo." In the darkness where visibility was poor, branches swayed, and shadows darted past—unidentifiable creatures moving about. Did Zhao Xiu feel fear?
Jiang He thought that Zhao Xiu should not be afraid.
Indeed, what was there to fear about a corpse? What was there to fear about the night?
When Wang Kun moved the body into the vehicle, he was already drenched from head to toe. Madam Wang sat in the back seat, cradling Wang Yedan's lifeless form as if she were still alive. She tucked Wang Yedan's hair behind her ears, revealing her pale face, while the marks on her neck resembled a necklace.
"Just follow us," Old Shao said.
Wang Kun nodded and got into the car. The two vehicles drove one after the other down the dark road, like two glowing meteors swiftly leaving Shizhao Village.
Jiang He sat in the back seat, looking out through the window. He could still see the lights halfway up the mountain; they formed a circle that grew smaller as the cars moved away until they finally vanished from sight.
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