Chapter 924: The Foolish Woman

Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue exchanged a surprised glance. Chen asked the district police, “When did this happen?”

“Discovered on the morning of the 26th. Time of death is estimated to be early morning on the 26th.”

The same night as the murder of the training instructor at the police academy. This had to be the work of the same killers. Chen glanced at the nearby power plant. “I won’t ask step by step. Can you tell us the whole story?”

The district police officer eyed them suspiciously, “Why are you interested in this case?”

“We have a similar case that might be related. We should investigate them together. You tell us your side, and I’ll share ours.” Chen took out his police badge, “Here’s my ID.”

The officer checked it and nodded, then began to explain.

The victim was somewhat “famous” around here. She and her husband used to work at the power plant. One year, their son wandered out of the family area and fell into the river. He was found too late.

Since then, she went mad, coming to the river every day to set little paper boats afloat and talking to herself. Because of this, people called her “The Foolish Woman.” At first, her husband tried to drag her home, but eventually, he gave up and later quit his job, moving to another city where he started a new family.

The Foolish Woman came to the river every day, spending hours there. The power plant workers got used to seeing her because she wasn’t harmful. She would smile at everyone she saw, so she wasn’t committed to a mental institution.

On the morning of the 26th, someone saw her lying motionless on the bridge with a dark red pool under her and called the police.

The police were horrified. She was covered with an old coat, but her clothes underneath had been removed, and her chest cavity was open, her heart missing. The killer seemed to have surgical knowledge, knowing exactly which rib to saw to extract the heart.

The autopsy revealed she was strangled first. One killer held her from behind while another cut open her chest with a hooked knife and a small saw.

The police first thought of organ trafficking but quickly dismissed it. A heart is useless for transplant after a few hours without proper preservation, and performing the extraction outdoors made it even less likely. The nearest hospital capable of a heart transplant was two hours away, and an unlicensed doctor couldn’t perform such a complex surgery.

She had no enemies. The police suspected her husband, who had illegally remarried and now had a five-year-old child. He was detained for bigamy, but he had been far away at the time, working as a delivery man, with no means to hire a killer or any motive to do so.

All leads were dead ends. The police were at a loss and came to the scene for a reconstruction of the crime.

These colleagues were heavy smokers, and soon the ground was littered with cigarette butts. Chen handed over a pack of cigarettes, “Let me tell you our side of the story.”

After listening, their leader said, “Just as we suspected. This is the work of two psychopathic killers planning a series of murders.”

“What blood type was the Foolish Woman?” asked Chen.

“O type,” the officer replied without hesitation.

“The instructor was type B. It’s not about organ transplants. The killers have another motive…”

Chen gathered his team to discuss, “Should we take over the case?”

“We have to.”

“I think cooperating could be beneficial. We’re short on manpower. Another team would be helpful.”

Opinions varied. The other team also discussed privately. Whoever took the lead would get the credit but also the responsibility. Both options had pros and cons.

After their discussions, Chen and the district officer’s leader approached each other. The leader said, “Captain Chen, you go first.”

“We’re the main bureau. We have more resources and experience. We’ll take the Foolish Woman’s case.”

“Fine, but I need to send a few of my men with you.”

“Your team is proud, huh?”

“Working with the main bureau is a valuable learning opportunity.”

“Alright then!”

They shook hands, forming an alliance.

They went to the district bureau to get the case files. On the way back, Chen asked Lin to read them aloud. When she reached a certain part, Chen interrupted, “When was the Foolish Woman’s birthday?”

“February 19, 1973.”

“The instructor was also born on that day. Though his documents say 1975.”

“Does this mean they had access to the instructor’s real birthdate?”

“Exactly… Let’s think. Collecting organs from people born on the same day—what could be the purpose?”

“Hmm, it doesn’t seem practical. Dates only have personal significance. Maybe the organ collector is performing some ritual… It sounds far-fetched!”

“Let’s investigate people born on that day. They could all be potential victims.”

Back at the station, they went to the information department. The result was staggering. Over a thousand people in Long’an were born on that day. After excluding the deceased and missing, there were still hundreds.

Chen scanned the list, unsatisfied, “Expand the search to the entire province… No, the whole country.”

“Captain Chen, that could be tens of thousands,” the officer said.

“Filter for those currently or formerly residing in Long’an, who are alive and healthy. That should narrow it down.”

The officer sighed and got to work.

Lin suggested, “Could the killers get the instructor’s information from a maternity hospital? Birth records are kept there.”

“Where was the instructor born? We need to ask his parents.”

“We can just call them.”

They called and learned that Sun Lei was born in the maternity ward of the City People’s Hospital. Lin offered to check it out, “If the Foolish Woman was also born there, we’ll have a solid lead on the killers’ information source.”