Chapter 365: The Sharp Shovel

Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue arrived at the construction site. The workers were off duty, sitting around a wooden board having dinner. They looked curiously at the two strangers.

A foreman approached them and asked, “Who are you looking for?”

Lin Dongxue showed her badge, “We’re investigating a case and would like to look around.”

They wandered around the site. Chen Shi occasionally collected soil samples, and Lin Dongxue suddenly said, “Chen, look at this.”

She pulled a shovel out of a pile of sand. It was well-used, with a smooth surface and a very sharp edge. She thrust it into the ground and said, “This thing is sharper than I thought. It could cut through wood.”

“Sand is made of silicon, and whetstones are also silicon. Using it to shovel sand every day has sharpened it,” Chen Shi said, weighing the shovel in his hand. “You walk over there and don’t turn around.”

“Okay!”

Lin Dongxue walked straight ahead. Suddenly, she felt someone rushing up behind her. She turned around to see Chen Shi raising the shovel as if to strike. She jumped, then laughed, patting her chest. “What are you doing?”

“Simulating the killer’s actions. This thing is heavy. Together, they checked all the pits without concrete, finding no buried bodies.

Chen Shi climbed out, drank the soda, and felt refreshed. “I examined the soil layers. This red soil is from a meter underground. This isn’t the crime scene.”

“Are there other places nearby with this soil?” Lin Dongxue asked.

A site manager approached them, “Officers, we need to lock the site. Are you done?”

Chen Shi asked, “Where do you usually take the excavated soil?”

“The city has regulations. It must be taken outside the city, usually to Huoshen Temple.”

“Nothing was moved today?”

“We’ve been laying foundations since last week. The last batch was moved out last night.”

“What time?”

“From six in the evening to midnight, to meet the deadline.”

“Were the drivers your employees?”

“No, they’re hired.”

“Can we have their contact details?”

“I’ll get them for you.”

After getting the drivers’ contact information, the trio left. It was already 8 PM, and Chen Shi just wanted to go home and shower. Xu Xiaodong said, “Chen, thanks to you, I don’t have to spend the night in the holding cell. Let me treat you to dinner!”

“It wasn’t my doing. You were innocent to begin with.”

“Let me show my gratitude.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

At a restaurant, Xu Xiaodong ordered several dishes. Though they both wanted some cold beer, they settled for soda since they had to drive.

Xu Xiaodong sighed, “Last night, walking with Li Mengran, I never expected this to happen. I made sure she went inside before leaving. Today, I was suddenly called to the station and taken to the interrogation room. I was completely stunned. Though I’m no longer a suspect, thinking about her death and how horrible it was makes me feel awful.”

Chen Shi said, “Sometimes, believing in fate isn’t bad. Life and death are predetermined. We must accept it.”

“Sigh!” Xu Xiaodong raised his glass and clinked it with Chen Shi’s.

Lin Dongxue asked, “What did you talk about?”

“She talked mostly about her father and wanting to run away. I advised her not to do anything rash and to rely on her family until she’s financially independent.”

“Why didn’t she call a friend, only you?”

Xu Xiaodong scratched his head, “Maybe she saw me as a reliable adult. But you know, I’m just a big kid inside.”

“She probably saw you as a big brother.”

“Sigh, I can’t believe she’s gone. It’s hard to accept.” Xu Xiaodong shook his head. “I’ve applied to join the task force. I want to help catch the killer.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll catch them,” Chen Shi assured him.

The next morning, after checking in at the station, the three went to find the drivers who transported the soil. They were working at another site. Chen Shi asked for a list of names, and the foreman said, “There’s no list. We hire from the labor market, short-term workers.”

“Can you make a list of those who transported soil from Huaxin Community on the night of June 9th?”

Reluctantly, the foreman agreed after Chen Shi offered a hundred yuan. “Okay, I’ll write one for you.”

Looking at the list, Chen Shi asked, “Who is the youngest?”

The foreman pointed to a name, “Xiao Zheng, 19.”

“Does he have a license?”

“He does. He lied about his age when applying, but he’s a good driver.”

“Where is he now?”

“Not here today.”