Chapter 769: A Mysterious Helper

The monkey bared its teeth at the strangers, immediately showing hostility. Xu Xiaodong offered it more biscuits, but the monkey seemed particularly averse to him. Lin Dongxue said, “You shot at it earlier. Let me try.”

“Be careful; this monkey might have killed people!” Chen Shi warned.

Animals are still animals. When Lin Dongxue handed the biscuits to it, the monkey relaxed and started eating. The three squatted down to examine its hands. Lin Dongxue said, “Are these hands grafted on?”

“No, look closely. Someone has put a pair of human skin gloves over its hands and filled them to match the size,” Chen Shi said, pinching the monkey’s hand, making it cry out in pain. More biscuits calmed it down.

If he guessed right, these skin gloves were Chen Fengde’s. This way, fingerprints could be left by a living creature.

Humans and other primates share compatible blood types, yet cross-species transplants cause significant rejection. The monkey’s seams were inflamed and oozing, its arms riddled with needle marks, likely from antibiotics and immunosuppressants.

It was this monkey that cut the equipment in the gym and killed Du Zilin. Only its size allowed it to pass through the ceiling hole, attacking Du Zilin from above and causing those wounds.

Whoever trained it shaved it clean to avoid leaving hair evidence.

“How cruel, to think up such a method!” Lin Dongxue exclaimed. “Do you think it escaped or was abandoned?”

“More likely it escaped. Chen Fengde is probably dead. He didn’t escape from prison; someone killed him, took his hand skins, and hid the body somewhere hard to find.”

“The factory where prisoners work has barrels of corrosive chemicals. Could it be…?” Lin Dongxue speculated.

Xu Xiaodong said, “This monkey has killed people. Should we cuff it?”

“What would that accomplish? Give it more biscuits and call the zoo,” Chen Shi replied.

“Monkeys can kill without legal repercussions,” Xu Xiaodong mused.

“If you had a monkey’s intelligence, killing wouldn’t be a crime for you either,” Chen Shi retorted.

They heard a cry for help nearby. Since the monkey liked Lin Dongxue, she stayed, and Chen Shi and Xu Xiaodong followed the sound. They searched the dark factory, finding a man tied to a chair with duct tape. He looked exhausted and had been there a while, crying out only when he heard voices.

“Who are you?” Xu Xiaodong asked.

“I’m the driver! Last night, a guy hired me to go to Yinxian Town. Today, he hijacked my bus, pointing a gun at me. We drove around all day until we ran out of gas, then he tied me up here… Do you have water? Untie me, I need to pee!”

“You want water or to pee?”

“Both! Hurry!”

Xu Xiaodong started untying him, but Chen Shi stopped him. “Are you dreaming or in reality?”

“Are you crazy? This is real!”

The kidnapper didn’t hypnotize him, maybe due to lack of time or necessity, not even planning to kill him.

Once freed, the driver relieved himself in a corner, then bummed a cigarette from Chen Shi. Asked about the kidnapper’s features, he said, “All in black, thin, wore a hat and mask. I didn’t see his face. He had a bag that kept moving.”

“How did you know it was a man? By voice?”

“Yeah.”

Xu Xiaodong whispered, “It couldn’t be Liu Tao; he was at home this afternoon.”

The description didn’t match Han Meng either. Chen Shi suspected a helper, likely hired, as Du Zilin’s money was transferred to an offshore account, untraceable by police.

The driver, monkey, and bus were distractions.

“Let’s check the bus!” Chen Shi suggested.

They found faint footprints inside the bus, indicating someone not very tall. Chen Shi photographed them and took a soil sample.

“Did the hijacker make any calls?” Chen Shi asked.

The driver recalled, “One call. Something like ‘the watermelon is in the shed… cooperation is smooth… save the honeydew for me!’ I didn’t get it.”

“A code. Han Meng might have taken the captives to kill them. The honeydew… could the collaborator have an extra target?” Chen Shi pondered.

Soon, animal protection took the monkey away, leaving its fingerprints. Chen Shi gave the driver some gas and a thousand yuan to get checked at a hospital.

Returning to the station, they found Lin Qiupu and others still there. They handed over the evidence. To their surprise, Gu You was there too.

“I’ve been treating the hypnotized victims. It’s late,” she said.

Lin Dongxue whispered to Chen Shi, “Should we tell her the truth?”

“We should. She deserves to know… Lao Peng, test those fingerprints.”

When the results came in, Peng Sijue said, “These are Chen Fengde’s.”

Hearing the name, Gu You stood up, agitated. “Where did you find them? Did he commit another crime?”

“Gu You, listen…” Lin Dongxue explained.

After hearing the story, Gu You sat down, eyes wide. “So, Chen Fengde is likely dead?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you for telling me. I’m actually relieved. He was used, not a willing criminal.” Gu You lowered her head, hiding her tears.

Peng Sijue hesitated before offering her a tissue. Chen Shi nudged him, saying, “Lao Peng is handing you a tissue.”

“Ah, thanks!” Gu You took it.

Peng Sijue analyzed the soil sample, saying after half an hour, “The soil has complex components—carbon, glycerin, ethylene glycol.”

“What do these form?”

After Googling, Peng Sijue answered, “Ink, it seems.”

“Ink? A stationery store?”

“There are too many in the city. Can you identify the specific type, Captain Peng?”

“Only with a sample.”

Gu You suddenly said, “It’s an ink factory. My father’s old workshop was near one. He gave the house to someone I didn’t know before he was imprisoned.”