Chapter 336: The Cunning Killer

Over the next two days, Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue interviewed the victims of sexual assault cases involving Zheng Guohao. These women were children at the time of their assaults and had just entered adulthood. The trauma of the past still haunted them, and now, having their wounds reopened while being suspected of murder was deeply cruel.

Even though Lin Dongxue tried to be as gentle and sympathetic as possible, the process was heart-wrenching.

After verifying the testimonies of these young women, Chen Shi concluded that most of them had solid alibis. While it’s possible some might have fabricated their alibis, Chen Shi’s intuition told him that none of these women were the suspects.

The killer exhibited not only a fervor for revenge but also meticulous planning and an awareness of leaving no trace. Chen Shi believed that the killer was no ordinary person. He even considered the possibility that the killer wasn’t a victim at all but someone playing the role of an avenger against scum.

On the morning of May 24, Chen Shi arrived at the station. Lin Dongxue noticed his weary look and asked, “Didn’t sleep well?”

“Tossed and turned all night. The worst part of this is the waiting. It’s torture.”

“Is quitting smoking that hard?”

“I meant the case. We’re at a stalemate.”

“Let’s go. Time for the meeting.”

At the case briefing, everyone gathered their clues. Peng Sijue’s autopsy report confirmed that the weapon used was the same in both murders. Lawyer Bai’s time of death was around 11 PM on May 20, three hours after he last spoke with the police.

In Lawyer Bai’s apartment, the glasses only had traces of soda. Both glasses had been meticulously cleaned, removing any fingerprints or lip marks.

Footprints found at Lawyer Bai’s place were as vague as the second set of prints at Zheng Guohao’s house.

No two-person group was spotted entering or leaving Zheng Guohao’s complex in the surveillance footage. There was no footage available from Lawyer Bai’s complex. Around 10:45 PM, something suddenly hit the camera, rendering it useless afterward.

Technicians reviewing the footage confirmed that a slingshot had been used to disable the camera before the killer entered Lawyer Bai’s complex.

However, there was some good news. The pellet used to disable the camera was embedded in it. While it bore no fingerprints, it had traces of plant essence, matching hundreds of perfumes but specifically a violet scent.

Lin Qiupu displayed photos of all the individuals who had appeared on the surveillance cameras in Zheng Guohao’s complex for everyone to review. The killer wasn’t invisible and had to be among these people.

The photos were blurry, and even after technical enhancement, faces were still indistinguishable, only general physical features could be discerned.

Chen Shi shook his head, saying, “This is a wild goose chase.”

“State your opinion without the subjective commentary,” Lin Qiupu said.

“Can’t I use an idiom?” Chen Shi smiled. “The killer is smart. If I were the killer, I’d definitely change clothes after leaving the scene. Also, there’s something you all overlooked…”

“Go on.”

“Where did Zheng Guohao meet Killer A? Inside the complex? It must have been outside. Killer A was brought into the complex in Zheng Guohao’s car.”

“Zheng Guohao’s car did enter at midnight, but it had tinted windows. We couldn’t see inside. Killer B must have entered later.”

Chen Shi laid out the photos like playing cards, saying, “None of these people match. They’re not the killer. Expand the search area. I believe Killer B didn’t enter later; she was already inside the complex, waiting.”

“So, when do you think they left?”

“After the time period you reviewed, but before Lawyer Bai was killed.”

“Is that a deduction?”

“No, it’s a perspective shift.”

Lin Qiupu chuckled, “Why assume the killer is as smart as you? Our investigation starts with the premise that the killer is an ordinary person.”

“The killer isn’t ordinary. They planned meticulously, prepared thoroughly, and knew to disable the surveillance cameras. They had a way to avoid being caught on camera. This wasn’t an impulsive act of revenge by a grieving woman. It was a carefully orchestrated murder by a clever person.”

“I understand. But why do you keep saying ‘if I were the killer’?”

“It’s how I think. I mostly consider things from the killer’s perspective, not the police’s. That’s why I’m better than you.” Chen Shi looked around, hoping his statement wasn’t too arrogant.

“I hope you’re right! Xiaodong, head back to Zheng Guohao’s complex and retrieve all the surveillance footage.”

This time, Chen Shi joined the video investigation. They watched the footage all day and finally identified a suspicious individual dressed as a delivery person, wearing a hat, and walking like a woman.

When they contacted the delivery company, they confirmed that no deliveries were scheduled for that time.

The individual appeared before Zheng Guohao’s car entered the complex.

This “delivery person” vanished without a trace. There was footage of them entering, but none of them leaving. The police traced the footage backward and discovered that around 6 PM, a suspicious vehicle left the complex.

The car was flagged because the owner reported it stolen the day before.

It’s likely that Killer A and B left in this vehicle. They didn’t flee in a panic but waited in the car until 6 PM.

The police wouldn’t have expected the killers to stay at the scene for so long.

Although Chen Shi’s hunch was right, he wasn’t pleased. The killer’s method of avoiding surveillance felt eerily familiar. He suspected the killer had prior experience or had practiced somehow.

By evening, Lin Qiupu bought food for everyone. He handed Chen Shi a curry chicken rice box, saying, “You were right about the killers’ entrance and exit times. I have to give you credit.”

Chen Shi smiled and opened the box. “I prefer black pepper beef.”

“Don’t push your luck… Any more insights?”

“I think killing Lawyer Bai was a diversion. The real target was Zheng Guohao.”

“Why can’t it be the other way around? Killing Lawyer Bai was the real motive, and Zheng Guohao was just collateral. Doesn’t that fit your smart killer theory?”

Chen Shi shook his head, “Would a woman who was assaulted hate the perpetrator more or the lawyer?”

“Of course, it’s… I see.” Lin Qiupu swapped Chen Shi’s meal for a black pepper beef one. “We’ll expand the investigation. Let’s dig into Zheng Guohao’s past sins.”

Chen Shi, pleased like a teacher seeing a student grasp a concept, nodded approvingly. “This case might never have reached the courts. Investigate everyone around him too.”