Chapter 17

The vomit now had a slightly bitter almond smell. Lu Siyu suddenly noticed the semi-dried brown-black traces on Dong Fang’s pillowcase. In the other vomit spots, coffee-colored to dark brown substances also appeared coincidentally, mixed with the expelled blood, making it difficult to distinguish.

Since the source of the poison and more information were yet to be confirmed, extreme caution was required with all the evidence at the scene.

Lu Siyu took a cotton swab and picked up a chunk of the coffee-colored substance from the vomit. The sticky material quickly dissolved, and he examined the texture, furrowing his brows slightly.

Seeing Lu Siyu’s change in expression, Lin Xiuran asked, “Did you find something?”

Lu Siyu replied, “There seems to be partially undigested chocolate in the vomit. Despite having different dinners, these girls all ate chocolate.”

Chocolate could effectively mask the bitter almond taste of cyanide, and it could also relax the vigilance of the person consuming it. Those girls would never have thought that the last chocolate they ate in their lives would take away their young lives.

Lu Siyu searched through several trash bins and found a chocolate packaging box in the one near the door, handing it to the forensic expert, Cheng Xiaobing.

Cheng Xiaobing, a true foodie, quickly recognized it. “This is the popular online celebrity molten lava chocolate. It’s a large chocolate ball containing a thick chocolate lava filling. It’s challenging to order and takes over a week to deliver, with full cold chain transportation required to ensure the chocolate’s shape. It was probably stored in that mini-fridge in the corner before.”

Lin Xiuran nodded in confirmation, “This could be the source of the poison. We need further confirmation through autopsy.”

Lu Siyu surveyed the surroundings, not letting his guard down. Upon closer inspection, these chocolates covered the entire dorm room—on tissues, on table corners. The once sweet candies had now turned into lethal poison.

After inspecting the interior, Lu Siyu walked to the door and looked outside. Next to Room 108’s door, one side led to a deep corridor, and the other side had a small door. He walked over and tried to open it. The door was locked, only openable from the inside. There was no key now, and the lock was covered in copper rust. Lu Siyu had to turn back.

All the windows in the corridor were barred. He looked through an open window toward the dead-end of the dormitory building. Dense vegetation grew wildly here, and because it was difficult to reach, the school janitor seemed to have forgotten this corner, which was filled with trash falling from above.

Just as Lu Siyu was about to turn and leave, he suddenly heard a cat’s meow from that direction. A hint of surprise appeared on his delicate face. This place had apparently become a haven for stray cats.

The forensic personnel evidently noticed this place too and asked the school official, “Can this door be opened?”

The official seemed a bit hesitant and replied, “It can be opened, but the key is with the dormitory manager. The area outside is just a small platform, surrounded by a several-meter-high wall. It’s impregnable, except for garbage. We usually clean it once every six months.”

Lin Xiuran said, “We also follow the regulations. Let’s open this door and take a look.”

The official made a phone call, and soon, a middle-aged dormitory manager went to get the key. Walking past the entrance of Room 108, she hugged the wall, trying to keep as far away as possible. She inserted the key into the lock, and the old door lock made a creaking sound as she struggled to pull it open, letting in a cold wind from outside.

The two forensic personnel thoroughly inspected inside and outside, indeed finding no signs of forced entry. The dormitory manager came to lock the door again, muttering, “Last time I opened the door, a cat died outside. I only realized it when the smell became foul. It was a black cat. Now, there’s a human life lost. It’s really ominous. Amitabha, Amitabha.”

Speaking unintentionally, but listening attentively, Lu Siyu on the side raised his head and asked, “Are there many stray cats on campus?”

The dormitory manager nodded repeatedly, “Many, more than you can imagine. In spring, they make so much noise that people can’t sleep.”

“Why would a cat die here?”

“Who knows… we’re not sure. Maybe it got sick, maybe it was bitten by a dog.”

Lu Siyu thought for a moment and asked again, “Is the dead cat’s body still there?”

The dormitory manager seemed puzzled as to why he was so interested in a cat. She said, “It’s been almost a month. The body was thrown away long ago.”

The school official also added, “With so many cats in the courtyard, a few dead ones are quite common.” No one paid much attention to a few dead cats. After thinking for a moment, he added, “But it seems that about a month ago, there were several dead cats, and the sanitation workers who collected the garbage complained about the many dead cats at that time.”

At this moment, Song Wen, who had climbed into the Audi, found a set of clothes and a pair of shoes in the trunk according to Lu Siyu’s instructions. Holding these items, he sat in the more spacious back seat. The car’s rear windows were covered with a protective film, making it impossible to see inside from the outside, which was convenient for changing clothes.

Song Wen put on the spare pants that Lu Siyu provided. It was only now that he understood Lu Siyu’s intention to change together. Surprisingly, it was a complete set of casual suits, in a formal black color with a graceful drape. Song Wen rarely wore formal attire, and he had never tried this style before.

Although Lu Siyu looked somewhat thin, the size of this suit turned out to be a perfect match for Song Wen. As the saying goes, clothes make the man, gold makes the Buddha. Dressed in a suit and leather shoes, Song Wen checked himself in the rearview mirror. The person in the mirror was handsome, charming, and carried a hint of seriousness, fitting so well that it seemed tailor-made for him.

Song Wen didn’t dare to delay too long, put on the shoes, and neatly folded his own clothes. As soon as he opened the car door, he saw Fu Linjiang locking his car and getting out. The two looked at each other for three seconds, and Fu Linjiang seemed to have just recognized Song Wen. He took a step back and asked, “Captain Song! This isn’t your style. Are you… preparing for a date?”

Looking at his dressed-up appearance, it did give room for misunderstanding, but Song Wen still retorted mercilessly, “Who goes to a crime scene for a date in the middle of the night?” He hid the floral pants and came up with a reasonable explanation, “My clothes got dirty, so I borrowed spare clothes from Lu Siyu.”

At the crime scene, there were various complex environments, and getting clothes dirty was a common occurrence. Fu Linjiang, understanding, didn’t bring up the matter again and asked, “How’s the situation at the scene?”

Mentioning this, Song Wen felt a bit heavy-hearted again, “It’s quite miserable. Lao Lin and Lu Siyu are there.”

The two walked inside, and Fu Linjiang sighed, “Didn’t expect such a thing to happen in Nancheng. Every time there’s a case related to a school, it seems to attract attention.”

As they spoke, the two arrived at the entrance of the crime scene. The forensic and evidence collection work had already been completed. Lin Xiuran was preparing to place the bodies in black body bags. If they hurried with the autopsy, they should have some results by the morning.

Lin Xiuran and his team met with Song Wen. Looking at Song Wen’s attire, Lin Xiuran nodded in approval, indicating satisfaction. “Captain Song, you should change your style occasionally.” He continued, “The scene documentation is almost done, and evidence collection is mostly completed. Traces of chocolate have been found in multiple locations, and we’ve recovered four phones, but the passwords haven’t been cracked. We focused on examining some utensils and cups, and we also collected samples from the water dispenser.”

Song Wen nodded, finalizing the handover, “Leave a camera and evidence bags for us. We’ll conduct another search. After finishing here, we’ll inquire with the person who reported the incident.”

With the arrangements made, Lin Xiuran said, “I’ll take the bodies for autopsy and leave first.”

Lu Siyu took the camera handed over by Cheng Xiaobing, turned to look at Song Wen, and scrutinized him from head to toe. Satisfied, he nodded and said, “Captain Song, you look quite good in this outfit.”

After Lin Xiuran and another forensic expert, along with the evidence collection team, left, the cramped dormitory suddenly felt much fresher. Song Wen walked to the window, opened it, and the smell in the room dissipated. The bodies had been taken away, and based on the final position of the bodies, the crime scene traces were fixed with reference points.

Lu Siyu handed a few forms to Song Wen and licked his lips habitually. “When you went to change clothes just now, representatives from the school came. They said some polite words, expressing full cooperation, and they also delivered the academic records of the four students.”

Song Wen took the forms and began to read. In addition to the known deceased, Dong Fang and Ma Ai Jing, there were two others on the forms. These two were sent to the hospital—one named Guo Hua, and the other named Lin Wanwan. Currently, they were both still undergoing treatment.

Lu Siyu continued, “Guo Hua was the one who ran to other dorms for help and drew attention. Lin Wanwan had the least severe poisoning and was found to be in a relatively conscious state. She was the one who called 120 first, so the police and ambulance arrived almost simultaneously.”

Song Wen looked at the four beds in the dormitory and the desks and chairs. “Let’s organize it. Whose bed is the one near the door?” That bed had blue sheets, with study books and various notes on the desk, and it appeared somewhat messy.

“That’s Guo Hua’s. Lin Wanwan lives opposite her,” Lu Siyu continued. Lin Wanwan’s bed had light beige sheets, and her desk was the cleanest and least cluttered. It was evident that she was a relatively tidy girl.

Closer to the inside, the bed with pink sheets belonged to Dong Fang. Before her death, Dong Fang was a typical rich second-generation student. In addition to books on her desk, there was also a laptop, some cosmetics, and the chair by the bed was piled with clothes. The small refrigerator also seemed to belong to her.

The last bed naturally belonged to Ma Aijing. There was a desktop computer placed on the desk, and there were many sunflower seed shells in the trash can. There were also some snacks on the table. Subsequently, they opened the girls’ wardrobes according to the numbers and matched them with their identities.

Song Wen said, “Poisoning cases in most schools are closely related to dormitories. Carefully search this dormitory and see if you can find any useful clues.” Compared to private residences, dormitories have more concentrated information and are more likely to yield effective leads.

The three of them thoroughly searched the dormitory inside and out. Looking at the time, it was close to three in the morning. Song Wen asked, “Linjiang, did you find anything?”

Fu Linjiang replied, “Just some routine things—books, clothes, and daily necessities. Nothing special. Oh, by the way, I found an apron in Lin Wanwan’s place. It might be for work, and there are two characters written on it, ‘Xin Xin.’ But after searching through reviews, I couldn’t find any nearby dining establishments named Xin Xin.”

Song Wen turned to Lu Siyu and asked, “How about you? Did you find anything?”

Lu Siyu raised the recording sheet in his hand, “Everything is documented here.”

Song Wen raised an eyebrow, “Tell me something that isn’t on the sheet.”

The things recorded on the investigation sheet were relatively straightforward, while on-site searches often led to conclusions based on observed information. These conclusions could be inferred but were not well-documented because they were deductions.

After thinking for a moment, Lu Siyu tilted his head and said, “Among these four people, Dong Fang is the wealthiest, but she’s careless and messy, with poor personal hygiene. Ma Aijing repeated a year, is the most beautiful, likes playing games, enjoys making friends, and has been playing a popular online game frequently, almost every night until lights out. Lin Wanwan is the cleanest; she has a different last name from her current father, probably a stepfather. She has a younger brother and usually doesn’t go home often, staying in the dorm over the weekends. Guo Hua is the best student, not well-off, but has received scholarships. Occasionally, she works part-time, is a department-level excellent student, suffers from neurasthenia, and wears earplugs while sleeping. She often visits the school hospital.”
*neurasthenia – a medical condition with symptoms of fatigue, weakness, irritability, sleep disturbances, and difficulty concentrating

Listening to this, Fu Linjiang was momentarily stunned. Although he had found many things during the search, he clearly hadn’t connected these details. Just as he was about to interject, Song Wen seemed dissatisfied and continued to question Lu Siyu, “You didn’t only see these, right? You know I’m asking you more than just this.”

Lu Siyu looked at Song Wen, who slightly tilted his head. Using his right thumb, Song Wen wiped his lower lip and looked back at him, his pitch-black eyes seemingly penetrating everything.

Just now, Song Wen had observed all of Lu Siyu’s movements during the search. Based on Lu Siyu’s tracking trajectory and timing, he could determine what clues he had noticed.

Song Wen’s gaze seemed to be questioning Lu Siyu. Since he had seen everything, why wasn’t he saying it? Moreover, he had reminded him of this last night.

TN:
As a poop-shoveling general, I demand justice for those poor kitties!