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墨書 Inktalez
Following the Investigator from the police station, we arrived at the crime scene. Along the way, we could see signs of damage to the doors and windows of the houses on either side, clearly caused by Sister Qi. The dirt road was littered with numerous footprints, indicating that the scene had already been tampered with.
It was undeniable that the biggest factor in compromising the crime scene was the police officers handling the case. As we approached the vicinity of the Big Scholar Tree, we could see dark red blood splattered on the ground from a distance. The area was cordoned off, and several officers were dozing in their patrol car. I walked up and knocked on the car door, startling those inside.
I nodded at them and said, "Who discovered the bodies first? Can you describe what happened?"
They soon realized we were part of the legendary Special Investigation Team and stared wide-eyed at us three. After a moment, one of the detectives spoke up, "I’m the Criminal Police Team Leader of this town. Yesterday morning, a Patrol Officer found two adult female bodies in a hollow of the Big Scholar Tree. Both had suffered severe head trauma, their clothes were removed, and there were clear signs of sexual assault. We initially suspect this is a case of murder and rape..."
As we listened to the Captain of the Criminal Investigation Team, we had already crossed the police tape and stood beside the Big Scholar Tree. Yan Junde looked at the bloodstains on the ground, pondered for a moment, then said, "I was right last night; they were murdered right here. Do you agree?"
With that, Yan Junde looked at me, his words laced with tension. I nodded heavily and replied, "Indeed, this is where the first incident occurred. The bloodstains are splattered and pooled; their coagulation level and quantity confirm this. Perhaps we can simulate what happened at the crime scene!"
Crime simulation is one of the common techniques used by police to solve cases; it helps understand a criminal's activities and mindset. The burly Yan Junde played Sister Qi while Mary acted as Xiao Xiao, and I took on the role of the killer. Yan Junde's serious demeanor contrasted sharply with Mary's enthusiastic performance.
"We're simulating, not racing or putting on a show!" I raised a finger and shook it at them both. "Can you please focus?"
A mock-up of the crime scene was created as Mary linked arms with Yan Junde, both moving slowly and cautiously forward. The ancient Big Scholar Tree had weathered many storms, forming a large hollow in its trunk that could fit a person inside. Inside were many twigs, leaves, and various pieces of trash. At that moment, I stood within.
Then I heard Mary speaking to Yan Junde. Mary said, "Sister Qi, I'm scared; let's go back." Yan Junde replied, "Scared? Nonsense..." The opening of the hollow faced away from them; they had no idea someone was hiding inside the Big Scholar Tree.
Silently, I slipped out from the hollow and circled around in the opposite direction. Using the trunk for cover, I approached them from behind and raised my imaginary weapon to strike Mary on her head. Blood sprayed out as I glanced sideways; dark red blood had already begun to congeal on the ground and trunk.
For realism's sake, I tapped my fingers against Mary's head lightly; she yelped in pain. At that moment, Yan Junde turned around quickly as I raised my hand again to strike him but found that he was quick enough to grab my wrist.
I sighed in resignation and said, "If victims had your skills, there wouldn't be any murders in this world."
The Captain of the Criminal Investigation Team and several Investigators had never seen such an approach to solving a case before; they looked at us with bewildered expressions. The Captain said, "This doesn't seem right; look." He pointed to where the hollow opened up and continued, "The victims' bodies were found here, and both had been sexually assaulted; if that's true..."
I examined the bloodstains on both the trunk and ground before saying, "That's impossible; the clear blood evidence on both surfaces proves otherwise. If I'm not mistaken about this case..." I glanced sideways at the Captain of the Criminal Investigation Team; he knew I was deliberately pausing.
He blurted out without thinking: "This is definitely a case of murder followed by rape!"
I nodded. Mary said, "Just how twisted must this Killer be to commit such acts!"
At first glance, the difference between rape followed by murder and murder followed by rape seems merely a matter of sequence. However, upon deeper examination, one realizes that there is a significant distinction between the two. In cases of rape followed by murder, most incidents are driven by passion, where the perpetrator fears the victim will report them afterward, leading to a desperate attempt to silence them. Often, during the struggle, the victim may die as the assailant tries to control them. In contrast, in murder followed by rape, the intent to kill is clear from the outset; the Killer tends to be more brutal and devoid of humanity.
Yan Junde cursed, "This person is nothing but a beast!"
"What progress do you have or what leads are you following?" I asked.
The Captain of the Criminal Investigation Team nodded and replied, "We are still conducting searches everywhere. The incident likely occurred the night before last, so the Killer shouldn't have gone far. However, we haven't found any suspicious individuals yet. Additionally, due to the county's limited resources, we can only perform basic autopsies..."
Yan Junde scoffed, and I felt helpless. There were so many clues at the scene that could lead to multiple investigative directions, yet it seemed the Captain of the Criminal Investigation Team was completely oblivious to this. No wonder they sent us down here. I said, "First, take casts of all footprints here and compare them with those of everyone who has been at the scene. Second, gather information on all individuals with criminal records and investigate them one by one."
The Captain of the Criminal Investigation Team nodded vigorously and then asked, "Is there anything else?"
I pointed at a rectangular mark in the blood on the ground and said, "What do you think this is?" As soon as I finished speaking, Yan Junde and Mary understood immediately. The Captain of the Criminal Investigation Team, however, was confused and chuckled awkwardly as he said, "Oh, that? Heh heh, I thought..."
"Don't bother explaining!" I said directly. "There was a tablet here before, but now it's missing. This is our biggest lead. Mary, find out the model and color of the tablet they used, as well as the model of the car they drove. With your skills, this should be easy for you!"
Mary patted her chest and assured us, "I guarantee I'll complete this task!"
I nodded and continued speaking to Mary, "Once you figure it out, send that data out. Captain of the Criminal Investigation Team, once you have that information in hand, your team will have plenty to keep them busy!" The Captain nodded and replied confidently, "No problem!" After saying that, he cleared his throat twice and quietly asked me, "How can you be so sure that the marks left on the ground are from a tablet? Plus, there are no tire tracks on this road; how do you know the Killer came by car?"
The Captain would never understand how I knew these details. Looking at his puzzled expression, I could only say to him, "Technology changes lives..."
"We're going to Yang Xiaojuan! Let's see what she has discovered!"
Yang Xiaojuan didn't look at me while she spoke; this woman was truly an enigma. Her autopsy report confirmed my suspicions as she stated, "Both victims suffered severe head trauma resulting in fatal injuries; one blow was enough to kill them. The weapon appears to be some kind of large hammer or similar object. Moreover, this is indeed a case of murder followed by rape; both victims' clothing was relatively intact with no signs of struggle. The vaginal opening presented an O-shape with no secretions present—this indicates that they were raped post-mortem..."
"Were both victims treated this way?" I asked urgently.
Yang Xiaojuan shook her head and said, "Only Xiao Xiao was violated, while Sister Qi was not sexually assaulted. However, the shocking thing is that Sister Qi had two mobile phones stuffed inside her... It has been confirmed that they belonged to Victim Sister Qi and Xiao Xiao. The Killer we are dealing with is truly depraved to the extreme..."
One was violated, and the other had two mobile phones inserted into her body; this Killer is indeed vicious!
"But I do have some good news!" Yang Xiaojuan told us. "We found multiple fingerprints on the Victim, and there was semen discovered inside Xiao Xiao, which should belong to the Killer. It seems the Killer has no intention of hiding his traces and does not possess any counter-surveillance awareness."
I nodded and said to the Captain of the Criminal Investigation Team who had come along, "In that case, we should compare DNA with individuals who have prior criminal records in this city..." Our country's DNA database is not yet fully established, but the DNA of those with criminal records is indeed stored in the database. If this Criminal has a prior record, it won't be long before we can pull him out from the vast sea of people!
To be able to kill decisively, violate a corpse without fear of leaving fingerprints or semen, he must either be a fugitive who has killed before or someone seeking revenge on society due to terminal illness. However, if that’s the case, then the scope of investigation will be vast, and future investigative work may not be straightforward.
In the afternoon, a simple meeting was convened by the Police Department leadership. Leaders from various precincts were almost all present. With thirty thousand pairs of eyes witnessing this homicide, how long could it remain sealed? Many reporters were already blocking the entrance of the police station; the pressure from this case was immense, and its social impact was significant. Following several proposed leads for solving the case, police officers across the city sprang into action.
As we exited the Police Department, the Special Investigation Team was nearly surrounded by reporters. Yan Junde cleared a path while shouting at the numerous journalists, "The case is still under investigation; no comments!" After finally squeezing out from the crowd of reporters and getting into the car, Yan Junde remarked, "These reporters are really quick to arrive!"
I felt somewhat helpless. While the right to information is a privilege every citizen should have, at this critical moment, who knows if the Killer is watching these news reports from some corner? If he learns about our progress and escapes to who knows where, capturing him will become quite difficult.
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