Chapter 589: Crime Scene Reconstruction

“At exactly 11 PM the night before the signing ceremony, Target 1 entered the elevator and sprayed a flammable agent mixed with paint.”

Xu Xiaodong stepped into the elevator, mimicking the action with a spray can. On the night of the 24th, the police were reconstructing the entire crime scene to thoroughly understand the sequence of events. It wasn’t enough to just talk about it; they needed to experience it firsthand.

In addition to the police involved in the case, Chen Shi also brought along Tao Yueyue. She said she wanted to see the process, and since it was just a reconstruction, Chen Shi allowed her to join.

“Shortly after, Target 2 entered the elevator and placed an ignition device under the emergency button.”

Lin Qiupu narrated the crime details as Xu Xiaodong reenacted them. The ignition device was identified as two plastic sheets containing a small amount of mercury fulminate and white phosphorus, which would ignite the wall paint with a slight pressure. The planning behind this crime was indeed ingenious.

“Uncle Chen, does knowing some chemistry make killing easier?” Tao Yueyue asked quietly.

“Not necessarily. Some dangerous substances are hard to obtain, and forensic experts are very knowledgeable,” Chen Shi replied.

Peng Sijue, who was accompanying them, glanced back at the two. Chen Shi added, “We’re discussing the case. By the way, can the origin of the ignition device be traced?”

“It’s difficult. These chemicals are similar to those found in children’s fireworks. With some basic chemistry knowledge, the perpetrator could have made them,” Peng Sijue explained.

Tao Yueyue asked, “Why not just use them directly to kill?”

Peng Sijue explained, “That would require a lot of them. White phosphorus burns very quickly and might need sawdust or gunpowder mixed in. Buying that many fireworks would be suspicious.”

Tao Yueyue nodded. Lin Qiupu frowned, “Can we discuss something else? We shouldn’t be teaching kids this stuff.”

Chen Shi said, “My kid likes this stuff.”

Lin Qiupu shook his head. “That’s a failure of education! Let’s go upstairs.”

The group moved to the third floor. Lin Qiupu continued, “Around 9 PM the night before the signing ceremony, Target 3 came here, removed the cover of the control panel, and connected a laptop to override the elevator’s control program. He might have installed a phone for remote control.”

Lin Dongxue asked, “So, dialing the phone would make the elevator fall?”

“We suspect so, but the device was removed afterward, and the program was restored, leaving few traces,” Lin Qiupu said.

Staring at the control panel, Chen Shi thought of Sun Zhen, who had once written a virus to tamper with elevator programs. However, Zhou Tiannan was also a programming expert. This task should have been within his capabilities.

Chen Shi said, “This is a crucial part of the murder plan. What’s Target 3’s name?”

Lin Qiupu checked his notes. “Cheng Liwei, an ordinary salesman with no programming skills. The man in the black hat taught him. However, he was previously suspected of killing his wife but was released due to insufficient evidence.”

“As expected, he’s someone who has benefited from them and was entrusted with an important task,” Chen Shi nodded.

Tao Yueyue asked, “Why not just use the elevator to kill the victim?”

Chen Shi explained, “Elevators have hardware and software safeguards, most have buffer systems, and cutting the cable would be nearly impossible since it’s as thick as your wrist.”

Peng Sijue added, “The elevator door is more dangerous than the elevator itself. People have been decapitated by elevator doors.”

Lin Qiupu said, “There’s another person, Target 4, who before the first three entered to tamper, drove into a parked car outside, causing a small dispute and distracting the security guards.”

Chen Shi asked, “How long did that last?”

“The argument lasted about twenty minutes before they called the traffic police,” Lin Qiupu replied.

Lin Dongxue said, “Four security guards, and none noticed someone sneaking in? How inattentive.”

Chen Shi said, “Target 4 was a beautiful woman, dressed provocatively that night. Where do you think the guards were looking?”

“Men!” Lin Dongxue sighed.

The group moved to the deceased’s room on the sixteenth floor. Lin Qiupu opened the door to a dark room, the city lights twinkling outside the window. He said, “The victim stayed here the night before the signing ceremony. At 7 AM, Target 5, disguised as a cleaner, entered and sprayed poison on the victim’s shirt collar. To be safe, she sprayed all the shirts in the wardrobe.”

Peng Sijue added, “The poison was mixed with a fragrance the victim usually wore, so he didn’t notice.”

Lin Dongxue asked, “Why not poison the water dispenser?”

“Poisoning food isn’t very effective. Too little might not kill, too much might have an odor. Besides, the victim only ate porridge, bread, and juice for breakfast, which aren’t easy to poison,” Peng Sijue explained.

Chen Shi said, “The mastermind planned this meticulously. If they had poisoned directly, the success rate would be low, and the person who planted the poison would be directly implicated. The mastermind wanted us to be left staring even if we caught all the suspects.”

This murder was like an elaborate show. Chen Shi mused that Zhou Tiannan seemed to be showing off his omnipotence.

He probably wouldn’t be satisfied with a simple murder.

Lin Qiupu said, “Target 5 is also under close watch. She’s a small business owner who was once prosecuted for commercial crime, but the key witness, her accountant, mysteriously disappeared, so she was acquitted. As you said, Target 5 also benefited from their ‘favors.'”

“It’s like they’re raising an army for a rainy day,” Chen Shi remarked.

“Let’s go to the crime scene,” Lin Qiupu said.

They went downstairs. The scene had been cleaned, and Lin Qiupu paced around the empty hall. “On the day of the signing ceremony, six people were here to create chaos. Some poisoned the food, some brought suspicious items to distract the bodyguards, some made bomb threats, and others turned off the surveillance cameras.”

Peng Sijue explained, “The poison that the reporter ingested wasn’t lethal; it was glycerin, essentially a laxative, causing acute stomach cramps.”

“Disgusting,” Xu Xiaodong commented.

Chen Shi looked around, “The chaos they created feels amateurish. If I were the mastermind, I would’ve at least started a fire.”

Lin Qiupu said, “Starting a fire is a last resort. It’s hard to control, and the victim might not enter the elevator. In a fire, people avoid elevators as a rule.”

Peng Sijue added, “If the fire spread, it could prematurely ignite the paint in the elevator, ruining the plan.”

Lin Dongxue asked, “What if someone else occupied the elevator or shared it with the victim?”

Lin Qiupu said, “According to surveillance, during the chaos, the victim was escorted to the elevator by bodyguards, who pushed out someone trying to enter. The bodyguards said it was their commander’s order via walkie-talkie.”

Chen Shi pondered, “The victim acted like a scared bird. Normally, they should maintain order, but he chose to flee. A seasoned businessman like Qu Jing’an would know better. He had doubled his bodyguards, as if he expected trouble.”

Lin Dongxue concluded, “You mean the victim received a murder warning beforehand?”