Chapter 752: An Unexpected Accomplice

After questioning Liang Jing for quite some time, they gathered a lot of clues. As they left the neighborhood, Xin Bai said excitedly, “Wow, investigating a case is really interesting. Do you guys often encounter such fascinating things?”

“What’s the use of interesting if we haven’t found any crucial clues?” Chen Shi replied.

“Didn’t we get a bunch of names and contact information of the loan sharks?” Xin Bai asked.

“Loan sharks don’t kill people. They might beat up defaulters or threaten their families, but they wouldn’t directly stab someone to death with a knife. Their goal is money, after all.”

“Is the lover from earlier a suspect?” Lin Dongxue inquired.

“I observed his height. He’s shorter than me, which doesn’t match the killer’s characteristics. His alibi doesn’t even need verification,” Chen Shi explained.

“If loan sharks really can’t collect the money, they might kill,” Xin Bai insisted. “I wrote in my novels that they’d buy insurance for defaulters and then stage an accident to kill them.”

“Nonsense! Insurance can only be claimed by direct relatives or spouses. Even if they coerced the family, the insurance company would confirm the death with the police, and the plot would fall apart immediately,” Chen Shi explained.

“Are we going to investigate the loan sharks now?” Lin Dongxue asked.

Chen Shi thought for a moment. “Let’s check the crime scene.”

They arrived at the gym, and Lin Dongxue ogled the muscular men lifting weights. Chen Shi commented, “What’s so interesting about muscles?”

“The same interest you men have in boobs!” Lin Dongxue retorted.

“Pervert!” Chen Shi laughed.

The shower room was sealed off by the police. The three of them put on shoe covers and entered. Bloodstains still marked the floor, labeled with evidence markers. The shower room was divided by partitions, and Lu Ming was killed in the innermost section. It was afternoon, a busy time, but none of the employees had noticed anyone coming or going.

There were no eyewitnesses. Lin Dongxue wondered, “If it was a busy time, how could he be the only one in the shower room?”

“This isn’t a public bathhouse. Members usually take a quick rinse after working out and leave. So, there must be times when it’s empty, meaning only the killer and the victim were present,” Chen Shi explained, looking around. “This is an ideal place for murder—no surveillance and hot water to wash away most evidence.”

“So the killer was here pretending to shower, waiting for the victim to show up?” Lin Dongxue asked.

“What if someone came in? The killer, naked with a knife, would be exposed instantly,” Xin Bai pointed out.

“The simplest solution would be to kill any witnesses… Wait, was the killer really alone? If it were me, I’d have an accomplice standing guard at the door to be safe,” Chen Shi speculated.

“Let’s go ask around!” Lin Dongxue suggested.

The three of them questioned people around the gym. Lin Dongxue took the opportunity to admire the abs, fully satisfied.

A man in a tank top lifting dumbbells said, “I didn’t see any suspicious people, but there was a minor incident in the gym that day. A piece of equipment broke, and when the guy was using it, the barbell plates fell off, and he strained his back. We all ran over to check on him.”

The timing matched the time of the murder. This distraction diverted everyone’s attention for about five minutes—enough time to commit a murder.

“Who was that guy?” Chen Shi asked.

“I don’t know his name, but I see him often. Oh, he has a wolf head tattoo on his shoulder.”

“Which piece of equipment was it?”

“That arm strength machine over there.”

Chen Shi went over to inspect it and found that the belt had indeed been recently replaced. “One possibility is that the killer’s accomplice did it. Another is that the guy himself did it to create a distraction.”

“Consider both possibilities,” Lin Dongxue suggested.

“Good idea. If he didn’t wear gloves, there might be fingerprints,” Chen Shi said.

They contacted Peng Sijue, who sent someone over to collect fingerprints. Surprisingly, they found a palm print, a crucial piece of evidence.

The three didn’t leave immediately, staying at the gym until the afternoon, even having lunch there.

In the afternoon, they finally encountered the tattooed man. After questioning him, Chen Shi felt he wasn’t likely an accomplice of the killer.

The day ended, and Xin Bai remarked, “Investigating cases is exhausting.”

“Yeah, it’s meticulous work. Every detail has to be verified. A casual remark from someone we’re questioning means we have to go verify it,” Lin Dongxue said.

“The key clue is like a grain of gold hidden in the sand,” Chen Shi said.

“Thanks for letting me tag along. I’ve learned a lot today. Let me treat you to dinner!” Xin Bai offered.

“No need, my treat,” Chen Shi said.

The three had dinner at a nearby restaurant. Xin Bai talked non-stop, keeping the mood light and pleasant. Lin Dongxue suddenly checked her phone and said, “Captain Lin wants us back. Says there’s something important!”

Xin Bai wanted to come along, but Chen Shi urged him to go home and write. He promised to include him when they went to the prison, and Xin Bai finally left.

Back at the station, Lin Qiupu was in his office, staring at a piece of paper with a serious expression, as if something significant had happened.

“Why did you suddenly want to see Chen Fengde?” Lin Qiupu asked.

“Huh? I already explained. It was at Miss Gu’s request.”

“If it’s a coincidence, it’s too much of one!” Lin Qiupu put down the document, a forensic report. “The fingerprints you brought back today matched a 100% match in the fingerprint database—it’s Chen Fengde!”

“What!?” Lin Dongxue was shocked. “He should still be in prison!”

“I felt something was off. Visiting a prisoner isn’t a big deal, yet the prison kept delaying it… He escaped! And he’s out there committing crimes!”

“The Lu Ming case happened three days ago. Chen Fengde must have escaped even earlier,” Chen Shi noted.

Lin Qiupu clasped his hands and sighed. “No need to investigate Lu Ming’s social relationships anymore. This case isn’t a typical vendetta. I’ll pressure the prison through the chief. If that doesn’t work, we’ll go to the provincial leadership. We’ll visit the prison together to see what’s going on!”

“Brother, the gym closes at nine. If Chen Fengde really went there, the employees might have seen him,” Lin Dongxue suggested.

“Take those who are still on duty and go back to the gym for more inquiries… and bring Chen Fengde’s photo.”

As they left the police station, Chen Shi suddenly thought of something and asked, “What year was Lu Ming born?”

Lin Dongxue checked the saved information on her phone, “1979!”

“He’s the same age as the three vegetative victims from that old case!”