Chapter 672: A Strange Call to the Police

“Hello, this is the 110 Emergency Call Center.”

“Hi, I want to report a murder. There’s a woman killed on Millstone Road in Shiqiao Town.”

“Could you please tell me when this happened, and may I have your name and contact information?”

“My name is Chunqin. I am the woman who was killed. I died a terrible death!”

This bizarre call shattered the tranquility of the New Year.

It was the first day of the lunar New Year, and most officers had gone home to celebrate. Only Lin Qiupu, Lin Dongxue, and a few others remained on duty. For Lin Dongxue, New Year’s Eve was never a big deal. She preferred earning some extra overtime pay over eating instant noodles alone or mingling with relatives.

The police station was empty, with officers sitting around, chatting, and drinking tea when they weren’t responding to calls. It was a peaceful scene.

Chen Shi had also come by, bringing some food for Lin Dongxue, which made her feel very happy.

While everyone was discussing the previous night’s Spring Festival Gala skits, the dispatcher knocked and whispered something to Lin Qiupu. Nodding, Lin Qiupu said to everyone, “We’ve got the first emergency call of 2019. Let’s listen to it together!”

After hearing the call recording, everyone was stunned. Lin Dongxue frowned, “This must be a prank. Someone must be bored on vacation. Shiqiao Town is far away. Are we really going to check this out?”

“I think it’s a prank too,” Old Zhang agreed. “How could a dead person call the police? It’s obviously fake.”

“What do you think, Chen Shi?” Lin Dongxue asked.

Chen Shi replied nonchalantly, “Why not call Shiqiao Town police and ask if there’s a dead person named Chunqin?”

“Do you think it’s real, or do you hope it is?” Lin Dongxue teased.

“I hope for nothing, just wary of that one-in-a-million chance,” Chen Shi smiled.

Lin Qiupu agreed with Chen Shi’s suggestion. It wouldn’t hurt to confirm, so he called the Shiqiao Town police. The town police, startled and respectful to receive a call from the city bureau on New Year’s Day, answered nervously, “Lin Team, how did you know?”

Lin Qiupu, surprised, put the call on speaker, “We received an emergency call. The caller claimed to be Chunqin, saying she was murdered on Millstone Road. Is that true?”

“Yes, there was a woman named Chunqin raped and murdered on Millstone Road three months ago.”

“Is the case solved?”

“No… no, Lin Team, we’ve been working hard but haven’t cracked it yet.”

“Alright, I’ll call you back later.”

After hanging up, Lin Qiupu interlaced his fingers on the table and asked, “What do you all think?”

Old Zhang said, “The town police might be right. It’s likely a family member frustrated with their investigation, using this odd method to push the case.”

Another officer speculated, “Maybe there’s some corruption in the town police, and the family is trying to escalate the case?”

“This is not how you escalate. We’re on the same level as the town police,” Lin Qiupu noted.

“Yes, but our resources, manpower, and experience far exceed theirs,” Old Zhang added.

“May I share my thoughts?” Chen Shi interjected, “The call was made to 110, right? If someone in a town under Long’an calls 110, where does it get routed?”

“To us, the entire Long’an area’s emergency calls come here and are then dispatched based on jurisdiction,” Lin Qiupu explained.

“Then this doesn’t seem like an escalation attempt. The call sounded like a joke, something the dispatcher might hang up on. This dispatcher was diligent, passing it to you. The call landed here because it’s New Year’s Day, and you’re the only senior officer here. This series of coincidences makes it unlikely to be an intentional escalation. It’s too subtle for that.”

Lin Dongxue, contemplating Chen Shi’s reasoning, asked, “Was the case publicized?”

Lin Qiupu called Shiqiao Town police again, who confirmed the case wasn’t publicly disclosed due to its ongoing investigation, though the town’s residents knew. Shiqiao Town was small, meaning the caller could be a local or the victim’s family.

Keeping the line open, Lin Qiupu had the number traced. It belonged to Chang Juan, a 23-year-old graduate student in Long’an City.

Shiqiao police didn’t recognize the name, noting she had no known connection to the victim.

“Thank you,” Lin Qiupu said, hanging up.

“Let’s call the reporting person,” Chen Shi suggested.

That seemed the quickest way, so Lin Qiupu dialed the number. Everyone held their breath, sensing something strange. Chen Shi, in particular, felt a thrill, as if a mysterious case was unfolding.

A soft voice answered, “Who’s calling?”

“This is the Long’an City Police. You reported a murder in Shiqiao Town, claiming to be the victim. Is that correct?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And your name is?”

“My name is Chang Juan, but the person speaking now is Chunqin.”

The officers had mixed reactions, some shocked, some amused. Lin Qiupu sternly said, “We can’t accept a report made this way. Do you understand?”

“Officer, I’m not joking. Even if you’re all staunch materialists, there are unexplainable things in this world. Spiritual communication is one of them. The person speaking now is Chunqin. I can tell you the case details, what the police missed, and even who killed me. My address is XXX. Come if you want to verify!”

The call abruptly ended. Lin Qiupu, eyes wide, said, “I’ve never seen a prankster so bold. Should we send someone? Maybe arrest her for false reporting and let her spend New Year’s in detention!”

He glanced at Chen Shi, who unusually agreed, “Go ahead, arrest her. I support it!”

“Forget it. We don’t have time for this nonsense,” Lin Qiupu shook his head.

“No, bring her in. If she truly knows case details, it could be fascinating!” Chen Shi’s face lit up with excitement.