I See Murders Before They Happen

Chapter 164: Chapter 162: Someone’s Missing...

After that, Yan Cheng went over the autopsy reports.

”Xiao Xia, female, twenty years old. Cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation from strangulation with a hemp rope, resulting in a fractured hyoid bone. There’s a depression in her skull that, upon measurement, matches the spine of a meat cleaver.”

”The victim’s hands were severed. There were no signs of vital reaction at the wrists, indicating it was a post-mortem injury. In other words, her hands were cut off after she was already dead.”

”The killer’s technique was not proficient; it took multiple blows to sever the hands. This is consistent with the numerous cleaver marks found on the table at the scene.”

”All blood samples collected at the scene were a match for the victim, Xiao Xia, including the DNA from the bloody handprint found on the second-floor window frame.”

”The killer’s hands were stained with the victim’s blood and wet paint from the scene. When they left through the window, they left blood behind.”

”The victim’s hands are still missing.”

”Time of death was approximately eight hours ago, between two and three o’clock this morning.”

”The victim had no other defensive wounds. The killer first struck her on the head with the spine of a cleaver, then strangled her, then severed her hands, tied a hemp rope around her neck, and hung the body outside the window.”

”The killer moved quickly and is very strong.”

”Next... Wu Liang, male, twenty-one. Cause of death: severed carotid artery, leading to cerebral hypoxia from excessive blood loss. His tongue was cut out post-mortem.”

”The injuries on his lips,” Yan Cheng said, showing everyone a photo, ”were inflicted while his tongue was being cut out.”

”The victim’s tongue was not found at the scene.”

”All blood at the scene was tested and confirmed to be from the victim, Wu Liang.”

”Wu Liang also had no defensive wounds. This means either the killer was an acquaintance, or they were fast and strong enough to kill him with a single blow. Personally, I’m inclined to believe the latter.”

”Post-mortem, he was bound with strips of cloth into a kneeling posture, as if kowtowing.”

”The knots used on the cloth strips and on Xiao Xia’s hemp rope were tied using the same method.”

”The time of death was approximately seventy-two hours ago. Based on Wu Liang’s livestream that day, he was likely killed shortly after he went offline.”

Yan Cheng looked at the file in his hands and said, ”Judging by Wu Liang’s posture at death, it’s as if the killer was forcing him to atone for his online remarks. Cutting out his tongue was a punishment for instigating the cyberbullying, since the words came from his mouth.”

”Xiao Xia typed the words with her hands, so her hands were cut off.”

”That’s all I have,” Yan Cheng said.

Zhuang Yanzheng nodded, stood, and displayed an image on the screen. It showed the killer, captured by an elevator security camera in Jinrong District.

”Our initial assessment is that the suspect is a woman, approximately five-foot-five, weighing around 110 pounds, with a slender build. She’s dressed completely in black, with no skin exposed. The black bag on her hip is likely carrying the meat cleaver.”

”Even though Xiao Xia was a woman, she weighed over a hundred pounds. Moving her body to the window and throwing it out would have required considerable strength.”

”Wu Liang was an adult male, about six-foot-one, muscular, and weighed around 165 pounds. And he was killed, it seems, with a single blow.”

”Furthermore, Wu Liang ended his livestream as usual at 4:03 AM. Based on the elevator footage, the killer was likely already in his apartment at that time. Then, at 4:57 AM, the killer re-entered the elevator.”

”In less than an hour, the killer murdered him, cut out his tongue, tore up a bedsheet to use as bindings, and tied him in that kneeling posture.”

”The killer is also adept at avoiding surveillance. On the commercial street behind Xiangyao Street, with all the private security cameras installed by shop owners, only a single one caught a glimpse of her.”

”At Jinrong District, we lost her on camera after she exited the elevator.”

”Aside from an unidentified hair found under the sofa in Wu Liang’s home, the killer left no fingerprints or other clues at either crime scene.”

”Moreover, she was able to track down Xiao Xia, whom Wu Liang had contacted, and even identify the other people he communicated with on that chat app.”

”She has strong counter-surveillance skills, some technical proficiency, and is likely a very capable fighter.”

”We’ve narrowed our search for the killer to Shi Xiaoru and the people close to her. But of those we’ve interviewed and investigated so far, none fit the profile.”

”While the tech department works to identify the people Wu Liang contacted, our main focus must remain on Shi Xiaoru and those around her. She met a lot of people through her work, and she handled many negotiations personally.”

”We need to investigate everyone—her work contacts, her personal acquaintances. In addition to checking them against the height, build, and other characteristics from the surveillance footage, we also need to collect blood samples to test against the DNA from that hair.”

”We also need to expand the scope of our surveillance footage review.”

”Also, we still need to find Xiao Xia’s severed hands and Wu Liang’s tongue. Start by searching likely disposal sites close to the crime scenes.”

Everyone took notes on the next steps of the investigation.

”Does anyone have anything to add?” Zhuang Yanzheng asked.

Su Miaoyi raised her hand.

”Go ahead,” Zhuang Yanzheng said, nodding at her.

”The weapons,” Su Miaoyi said. ”Shouldn’t we investigate the source of the meat cleaver? Also, an iron hook is missing from Xiao Xia’s apartment.”

Zhuang Yanzheng nodded. ”Right. Investigate all of it.”

...

The meeting ended, and everyone went their separate ways to get to work.

Su Miaoyi reviewed the current evidence. The direction of the investigation was clear, but it would take time.

She made a trip to the tech department, but they still hadn’t identified the people from the chat app.

From the tech department, she went to the autopsy room.

Yan Cheng was still examining the two bodies, hoping to find something new.

Results for many of the items sent for analysis had not come back yet.

Su Miaoyi spent half an hour in the autopsy room, hoping she might see something that would speed up the investigation, but she saw nothing.

「A little after 3:30 AM.」

Zhuang Yanzheng returned.

He had spent the night interviewing some of Shi Xiaoru’s friends, her close business partners, and her work team.

It had been a lot of people.

He had also arranged for blood samples to be collected.

For the many who weren’t in Jinghai, he had already contacted the local police departments to ask for their assistance.

As soon as he returned, he headed straight for the tech department.

Just as he reached the door, someone from the tech department was coming out.

”Captain Zhuang, we found them.” The tech officer handed him a list. ”These are the four people Wu Liang contacted. Besides Xiao Xia, there’s a woman named Luo Min. Those two are Jinghai locals. The other two are from Luo City and Fengcheng, respectively.”

”This is the information on the people Xiao Xia contacted. None of them are from Jinghai.”

”Qi Feng! Chu Xingrou!” Zhuang Yanzheng yelled.

The two of them immediately came running.

”Contact these people and warn them to be careful,” Zhuang Yanzheng ordered. ”Also, contact their local police departments and get them involved.”

As he spoke, he dialed the number for the woman named Luo Min.

Her phone was off.

He glanced at the address listed for Luo Min.

”You two make those calls. Get Su Miaoyi over here,” Zhuang Yanzheng said.

”Sister Miaomiao went over to the autopsy room,” Chu Xingrou said.

Zhuang Yanzheng called Su Miaoyi.

It rang for a long time, but no one picked up.

Zhuang Yanzheng hung up and called Yan Cheng instead.

Yan Cheng picked up almost immediately.

Zhuang Yanzheng said, ”Grab Su Miaoyi. I need you both to go somewhere with me.”

Yan Cheng’s voice paused for a second. ”She left the autopsy room a long time ago. It’s been over three hours. You haven’t seen her?”

Zhuang Yanzheng froze. He hung up and immediately tried calling Su Miaoyi again.

While it was ringing, he went to the sketch artist’s office. Empty.

Then he went to the surveillance room. Lu Zhishen was there, but not Su Miaoyi.

Her phone rang until the call disconnected automatically.

”Have you seen Su Miaoyi?”

Seeing his urgency, Lu Zhishen shook his head. ”Not since the meeting ended.”

”Check the security footage for the station’s main entrance and back gate.” Zhuang Yanzheng then went back to the tech department. ”Get a trace on Su Miaoyi’s phone.”

”On it.”

...