Chapter 5

The leisure area of the residential community was in the center, while the crime scene was in a corner, requiring a few minutes’ walk. The team dispersed as they walked, with Song Wen and Fu Linjiang trailing behind. In the afternoon sunlight, the community had good greenery, with new buds emerging from the branches of surrounding green trees, and flowers blooming. However, due to the low occupancy rate, the population was sparse.

As they chatted along the way, they arrived at a small garden. There were several stone tables and chairs for residents to rest, and it was now past one in the afternoon, the usual lunch break, so there weren’t many people around.

While everyone’s food hadn’t arrived yet, Lu Siyu had already set up his meal. Several lunch boxes were neatly arranged in a line, from left to right, from meat to vegetarian, displaying a colorful and fragrant array. He held a pair of exquisite black chopsticks, eating his sumptuous lunch with a nonchalant attitude.

Observing this, Song Wen thought to himself, “This person indeed lives up to his rich second-generation status. He really knows how to pamper himself and is not easily oppressed.”

The weather in May was just right, neither too hot nor too cold. The small garden was filled with the fragrance of flowers and the chirping of birds, creating a pleasant atmosphere. Everyone discussed the morning’s case without awkwardness for too long. After a couple of minutes, Song Wen’s ordered meal arrived.

When the fast food was handed over, Lu Siyu realized he had underestimated the economic differences between an ordinary detective and himself. Each person only had one serving of rice with toppings, and the dishes were more rice than vegetables. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he pushed some of his dishes forward, saying, “I brought a lot of dishes. If you don’t mind, feel free to share.”

Zhu Xiao and the others had been eyeing the food, eagerly waiting for this moment. Especially Lao Jia, who had skipped breakfast and was now starving. Without any hesitation, they immediately picked up their chopsticks and dug in. Lu Siyu felt a bit embarrassed seeing their enthusiasm, but it didn’t bother him much.

Once everyone started eating the shared dishes, they immediately praised the flavors.

“Delicious! The cooking skills are impressive.”

“Oh, these ribs are stewed to perfection, so tender and flavorful.”

“These shrimp are really fresh.”

Song Wen, watching his subordinates devour their meals, said, “Alright, you guys leave some for him.” While saying this, he also took a piece of ribs and placed it on his own lunch box. The ribs were sweet and sour, made from naturally raised ecological black pork, coated with a layer of sauce. The taste was slightly tangy, and when bitten into, it brought a mouthful of freshness. The flavor was not the concocted freshness found in fast food but came from the combination of fresh ingredients, high-quality condiments, and perfect craftsmanship.

Song Wen had always believed that the most delicious food was the first serving right out of the pot. Once reheated the next day, it would lose its taste. However, this rib in his mouth made him wish he could have more rice to accompany it. The dishes were indeed delicious, reflecting the level of a master chef. Trying a few more dishes, each one was more impressive than the last.

The group quickly finished lunch, and the other detectives, still with work to be done, left first. At the stone table, only Lu Siyu and Song Wen remained. Lu Siyu lowered his head to pack up the lunch boxes.

Song Wen asked him, “Did your family make this meal?”

Lu Siyu, caught off guard by the usually serious captain suddenly asking him this, lowered his head and replied, “I made it myself. I like to cook when I have time. I can’t get used to the food outside.”

Song Wen licked his lips, still savoring the taste, and asked, “Have you finished all the documentation?”

Lu Siyu replied, “Yes, it’s all done. I’ll organize it when I get home tonight.”

“How’s your first day going? Are you adjusting well?”

“It’s okay.”

“Do you have any thoughts on the case so far?”

“I lean towards the possibility of the perpetrator being an acquaintance, and the dismemberment suggests a certain medical background.” When he reached this point, Lu Siyu’s hand paused for a moment before continuing, “I believe the killer’s motive might not necessarily be solely for dismemberment.”

Song Wen crossed his arms and asked, “What do you mean?” The statement was a bit ambiguous, but after some thought, he quickly grasped Lu Siyu’s meaning.

“In classic cases, dismemberment and disposal of the body usually serve a few purposes. The most common one is to prevent the identification of the victim, making the investigation more challenging, concealing the suspect’s trail, and facilitating the disposal of the body. Another reason could be related to sexual motives, as killing and dismemberment might provide pleasure to certain individuals.” Lu Siyu finished packing his lunch box into his backpack, looked up at Song Wen, and added, “However, in this case, I don’t think either of these reasons is applicable.”

“Why do you say that?”

Lu Siyu shook his head, closed his backpack, and hesitated to speak further.

As a newcomer, he tended to make subjective judgments. The current detective work emphasized solid reasoning, and every clue had to be grounded to draw a final conclusion. Lu Siyu’s viewpoint seemed too abstract, and Song Wen, standing up, gathered the disposable lunch boxes, saying, “Let’s continue the investigation.”

In the afternoon, Lin Xiuran took the body back to the police station. The condition of the body was changing constantly, and the earlier the autopsy, the more advantageous it was for solving the case.

At two o’clock, the police dogs were brought in.

The Nancheng City Bureau mainly used four police dogs, usually kept together with the ones from the Narcotics Unit. Fu Linjiang, a cheerful person, not only got along well with people but also had a harmonious relationship with the police dogs in the unit. When those dogs saw him, it was like meeting a beloved family member, rushing over to him and licking him from head to toe.

Today, the ones dispatched were San Hei and Si Hua, both seasoned experts. Fu Linjiang and Lao Jia led the two dogs, accompanying the forensic assistant to search several nearby garbage dumps. By around five in the afternoon, several blue bags that were found had been gathered together.

Xu Yao sorted through the contents of the bags, categorizing and organizing the items found inside. They were preparing for further analysis back at the police station. Due to the May Day holiday, many garbage dumps hadn’t been cleared promptly, resulting in a fruitful afternoon for the team.

Inside the bags, there were not only remnants of the body, a knife, but also several pieces of blood-stained clothing that had been washed and cut into shreds.

In the evening, around seven o’clock, Song Wen finally confirmed that there were no more traces to be found. He then ordered to wrap up the operation. Everyone got into their cars; it was already the end of the workday. Aside from needing to send the physical evidence, firearms, and the remaining body parts back to the bureau, the others could go straight home.

Earlier, Lin Xiuran had taken the specialized hearse from the bureau, and three police cars were parked in the neighborhood garage. Xu Yao, Cheng Xiaobing, and Zhu Xiao got into one car, while Lu Siyu followed Fu Linjiang and Lao Jia in their car. Song Wen, holding the car keys, said, “Aren’t you guys afraid of crowding too much?” The detectives all went towards that car. As a result, it was obvious that the resource allocation was uneven.

Fu Linjiang rubbed his nose and said, “But our route is really not convenient for you.”

Song Wen responded, “How is it inconvenient? I’m going to see Dr. Zhou.”

That was indeed on the way. For a moment, the other three lowered their heads, not interfering.

Lu Siyu looked at the situation and fluttered his eyelashes, taking the initiative to step forward and defuse the situation. “I’ll go with Captain Song.” With these words, he took the fearless first step, and the other three looked at him with moved eyes, as if they wanted to give him a banner proclaiming him the savior of all living beings.

Song Wen, the workaholic, loved to discuss work in the car. Now that work hours were over, who wouldn’t want to relax a bit? Previously, Lin Xiuran had taken the bureau’s dedicated corpse transport vehicle, and there were three police cars in the garage. Xu Yao, Cheng Xiaobing, and Zhu Xiao got into one, while Lu Siyu followed Fu Linjiang and Lao Jia in their car. At that moment, Song Wen, holding the car keys, said, “Aren’t you guys afraid of crowding too much?” The detectives all went towards that car. As a result, it was obvious that the resource allocation was uneven.

It was already dark outside, and a faint light illuminated the corridor. Carefully slipping under the yellow police tape, Lu Siyu opened the door and, with the evening lights beginning to glow, returned to the dismemberment scene.

Now, in the evening, the living room was pitch black, and the faint odor of flesh lingered. He didn’t turn on the lights. Guided by the moonlight, he entered the living room, picked up the thermos on the dining table, and placed it in his backpack. He didn’t rush to leave but instead began to survey the surroundings. His eyes emitted a faint light in the darkness, like a beast hidden in the jungle, sharp and calm.

Strangely, the house looked entirely different at night compared to during the day, perhaps due to the murder that had occurred. At night, the house had a touch of coldness, and relying on memory, Lu Siyu walked to the entrance of the bathroom. The bathtub still had water in it, but the body was no longer there.

Closing his eyes, Lu Siyu missed the usual dinner time. His stomach was empty now, causing a slight stinging sensation. Since childhood, he held a grudge against this hungry feeling, as if life were being drained from within.

Lu Siyu couldn’t feel the temperature around him, as if cold ice water had splashed on him, leading him into a dark place. In that moment, he became the person crouching in the bathroom cutting up the body, the hum of the blender, the dripping sound of flowing blood, and the sizzling sound of something cooking on the stove all converged.

Wearing gloves and a raincoat, he first cut off the head; it was too bothersome. Those eyes seemed to be staring at him, so he wrapped the severed head in plastic wrap and placed it in the refrigerator. Then, he returned to the bathroom, facing the decapitated male corpse.

The knife in his hand cut through the body like it was dissecting, blood splattering with each cut. His heart was unusually calm, and his movements were methodical and orderly. There was a sense of relief in his heart; only this way could the cut be so smooth. His speed wasn’t fast, and amidst the cutting of the wound, there was neither panic nor excitement. The knife followed the bone seams, separating the limbs, cutting through flesh and skin, prying open rib cages, as if completing a long-planned task.

For a long time, he immersed himself in this, dissipating loneliness and fear with the focused attention of all his senses. There was a force supporting him in his heart, allowing him to complete everything.

Juicing started with the heart. He carefully cradled the red organ, cut it into pieces, and put it into the juicer. As the machine buzzed and cut, the muscles and nerves inside turned into a viscous red juice, like a cup of red soy milk. Next was the stomach with undigested chyme, the liver connected to the green gallbladder, and finally, the intestines. Holding them in his hands, he pulled them out of the body, and to facilitate juicing, he used scissors to cut those organs into small pieces, no different from how he usually handled ingredients.

Whenever the strong smell of blood intensified, he turned on the bathtub’s drain, starting to change the water. He took out ice cubes from the refrigerator and sprinkled them next to the body. Then, he placed the pieces of cooked bones into bags.

After completing all the work, he carefully checked it, then turned on the showerhead to wash away the bloodstains. It was this action that caused some blood to not be washed down the drain but instead accumulated behind the bathtub, seeping through the floor seams.

On opposite ends of time, Lu Siyu and the killer looked at each other from afar, as if engaged in silent communication…

What went wrong? He seemed to have forgotten something…

Lu Siyu contemplated for a moment, and the other hand’s knife slowly descended… What did this motion signify again?

TN:
Mum…the MC IS WEIRD!!