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墨書 Inktalez
The Killer had become a Veteran, and there were still no traces left at the scene. Judging solely from the site, aside from a large pool of blood, there was nothing else to indicate what had happened, let alone any useful evidence. From this scene, we could only analyze some basic information.
The shape of the coagulated blood was clearly rectangular, matching the appearance of the Container. Moreover, there were no patches of blood on the outside of the Container, which indicated that the crime scene was inside the Container itself, rather than blood being brought in from outside. Otherwise, the blood would not have appeared in this manner. Furthermore, if that were the case, how could they have transported it?
From this analysis, it seemed that the Killer had committed the crime on-site.
Looking at the Container itself, its space was not particularly large. If someone had restrained Qiang, it could accommodate at most three people side by side. This meant that there were likely two people controlling Qiang on either side, with perhaps another person behind him. Analyzing this point further suggested that there were no more than five individuals involved.
Although the evidence was basic, we could construct a scenario from it. Qiang had fled to this hideout to evade our pursuit, which was this Container. However, another group had also found this place; this group consisted of about five people and knew Qiang. Faced with their violence, Qiang did not resist because he believed they would not kill him, but ultimately, the outcome was contrary to his expectations.
Analyzing Zhang Jiaqiang's identity provided a rough outline and prevented us from being completely in the dark.
Dezi wandered around for a bit and then said to me, "Team Leader, looking at the nearby traces, there doesn't seem to be anything useful. It looks like the Killer has been in this line of work for a while; could he be a hitman or an escaped convict?"
I shook my head and smiled as I replied, "Hitmen do exist in this world, but they would never be hired to kill someone like Qiang. If hiring a hitman for him were necessary, then the profession would be far too cheap. As for escaped convicts, that's possible; however, have you noticed that something seems off about this scene?"
"Off?" Dezi asked in confusion. "I didn't notice anything unusual; is there something wrong?" The others nodded as well, seemingly unable to identify anything amiss at the crime scene.
I pointed to one side of the collapsed Container and said, "Don't you think something is missing from inside this Container? The traces here are far too few—so few that even the original items are gone. If this place was Qiang's second hideout, then even if it were a temporary residence, there should be some essentials left behind. Especially for someone like Qiang who is an Addict; there should definitely be syringes."
Dezi nodded and said, "That's right; an Addict wouldn't part with their syringe even if they lost their life—it’s more important than their life itself. But there's nothing here; are you suggesting that someone took it?"
I snapped my fingers and told Dezi, "Exactly. So the likelihood of an escaped convict is low; this person must know Qiang. What they took likely wasn't just Qiang's syringe—the syringe is secondary; what they wanted was something we cannot allow to be seen by the police."
"If that's the case," I continued, "these individuals become much more complex." I added, "Mary, continue investigating Qiang's social connections; he must know these people."
The scene left us with only these clues; nothing else could be discerned from it. With that thought in mind, we decided to return to the Police Department. I also wanted to have a good talk with Lin Xu about Qiang's relationships. Lin Xu had previously mentioned that it might involve high-interest loans and debt collection; I felt that was quite plausible.
To torment someone without killing them is reminiscent of the methods employed by loan sharks and their hired thugs. However, this time, Qiang is dead. Was it an accident or a deliberate act? Shaking my head, I decided not to delve deeper without substantial evidence; otherwise, preconceived notions could put me at a disadvantage, which is not a good sign for a detective.
Upon returning to the Police Department, we found Juan Juan performing an autopsy on the body. As we entered, we noticed that all the Iron Skewers had been removed from Qiang's body. The absence of those skewers made the corpse appear even more horrifying. As mentioned before, those Iron Skewers were quite thick, and pulling them out left behind numerous holes in the flesh, revealing various colors—red from muscle, white from bone, and many dark voids.
From a distance, the sight was quite shocking. Anyone with a fear of clusters would likely be terrified at this scene. Even someone like me, who has seen many corpses, felt a wave of nausea. Yet Juan Juan seemed unfazed as she began her examination.
As time passed, Juan Juan continued her work while speaking to us. "From the condition of the body, it's clear that this person injected drugs. You'd better keep your distance; if you accidentally come into contact with any drugs on the body, you might end up addicted, and then I'd have to visit you at the rehab center."
We nodded in agreement. I told Juan Juan, "Be careful yourself; we're in no rush."
What do forensic experts fear? Is it the gruesome sight of a body? The highly decomposed remains? Or perhaps those rumored to be possessed? In truth, none of these are particularly frightening once you understand their nature. What forensic experts truly fear are viruses—various kinds of viruses. Many people know how sharp a scalpel can be, but during an autopsy, the chances of getting cut are significant. Just one small cut could expose you to infectious viruses, forcing you to spend your life battling them.
Especially with drug users, there's always the risk of contracting HIV. The long incubation period of HIV makes it one of the most feared outcomes for forensic pathologists during autopsies—without exception. I couldn't help but worry about Juan Juan; however, being such a professional forensic expert, she must have conducted an HIV test on Qiang long before.
It seemed Juan Juan noticed our concerns and smiled at us. "Qiang was quite lucky; his syringe was likely shared with others but he didn’t contract HIV. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have let you in here. Don’t worry; I have plenty of experience; everything will be fine."
Hearing this from Juan Juan eased my worries.
The autopsy didn’t take long and concluded quickly. The cause of death matched our suspicions: excessive blood loss leading to insufficient oxygen supply and subsequent organ failure. Juan Juan informed us, "He died over an hour ago because these Iron Skewers blocked his blood vessels; thus blood didn’t gush out immediately but flowed slowly instead. The time of death was likely between two and three o'clock last night. His facial expression was twisted, indicating he suffered greatly before dying."
With that said, Juan Juan shook her head and added, "Now all that's left is to suture the body. The autopsy is complete; you can go ahead now while I clean up. I'll meet you in the conference room afterward."
We nodded in agreement. I instructed Mary and Dezi to wait for me in the conference room while I went to find Lin Xu for further information. However, he was probably still busy; after all, this case was just as significant as mine. I managed to get Lin Xu's number and sent him a text inviting him out.
About ten minutes later, we met in the playground behind the Police Department. Lin Xu approached me and handed me a cigarette. "I've heard plenty about your Special Investigation Team," he said. "I almost participated in the last selection process myself but couldn’t because I still had an ongoing case to investigate. Who knows when the next selection will be? It seems I’ll miss out."
I smiled and replied to Lin Xu, "Your current case level is no lower than mine either! I won’t waste your time since I know you're busy; I just wanted to ask if you have any leads on Qiang's murder."
Lin Xu smiled and said, "Speaking of which, I actually have a lead. These Addicts will say anything, no matter how trivial, to clear their names. From a few of them, I heard a name: Han Youliang. This person is a loan shark; whether it's Qiang or others, they all go to him for money. Han Youliang is said to be an expert in debt collection; there’s no debt he can't recover."
"However, this Han Youliang isn't involved in drugs, so we haven't been able to allocate anyone to investigate this matter," Lin Xu glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. "How about this: since you are also connected to this case, why don't you take on the investigation?"
I had known Lin Xu for quite some time; although our interactions were limited, we had met about seven or eight years ago as we graduated from the same academy. I replied to Lin Xu, "That sounds good, but just giving us a name makes it really difficult. We need more information."
Seeing that I agreed, Lin Xu nodded and said, "Sure, I'll send you the information shortly. Just give me an internal number."
I nodded and provided Lin Xu with Mary's internal number. I casually asked, "After the case is over, where are you headed next? I heard you travel all over the country. It's been years since we last met."
Lin Xu waved the cigarette in his hand and replied, "In our line of work, we go wherever we're needed. Aren't you also traveling around the country? Who knows, maybe one day we'll run into each other again while investigating the same case. Anyway, I have to go; I can't be out too long—there are many people waiting for me inside for questioning. By the way, when are you getting married? You need to let me know in advance; otherwise, I won't be able to take leave."
I shrugged and said, "You ask me? I don't know either. We'll see when things settle down. I don't even know when I'll get married. And what about you? You're already thirty; don’t end up alone for life."
"Haha, I'm off!" Lin Xu waved his hand without answering my question and left me with just his back.
An Unsolved Mystery: A mysterious 21st-century Airborne Troops unit appears in North America, rescuing an Indian Red-Haired Beauty, enjoying the company of a Blue-Eyed Busty Blonde, dominating Wall Street, amassing wealth across America, and initiating the Han Ethnic Colonial Global Model.
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