Case 3: Family Massacre

Chapter 35

For more than a week, it either rained heavily or drizzled continuously.

The rainy season came a month early, and everything, from blankets, bed sheets, walls to floor tiles, was damp. Sleeping at night felt like being wrapped in wet sheets, as if squeezing water out with a turn. Fortunately, after a night of rain, the weather was nice this early morning, and the rare sight of the sun was visible.

In the morning at the Nancheng Police Station, as usual, one team was relatively idle during this period, while the second team, led by Captain Tian Ming, was busy.

“Excuse me, excuse me!”

As soon as Song Wen entered the office, he heard Lao Jia shouting while walking through the corridor, holding several cups of soy milk and milk, obviously bringing breakfast for everyone. Last week, he had a bit of a strained relationship with several people in the team, but this week, Lao Jia was exceptionally attentive.

Seeing Song Wen approaching, Lao Jia sucked in his belly to make way for his superior. He tried to move aside, but the corridor was still narrow.

Song Wen glanced at Lao Jia’s gradually plump belly, “Aiya, Lao Jia, looking at your physique, I have to remind you. When the year-end physical test comes around, don’t lag behind. The requirements for detectives by the Municipal Bureau are strict nowadays. Commissioner Gu even mentioned trying out an elimination system. It’s hard to recruit people these days, and the number of cases isn’t decreasing. If you get eliminated, it’ll be a non-combatant reduction.”

Lao Jia laughed, “Don’t worry about the assessment. I’ve been doing it for many years, I have experience. Sharpening the knife before going to battle, not being quick is being wasteful. Besides, I made an appointment with a beauty to go to the gym after work. How can I lose weight without eating enough?”

Zhu Xiao chuckled, “You’re eating a lot before going to the gym after work; your preparation time is long enough.”

“Year-end assessment? What’s that?” Lu Siyu looked up and asked, not very familiar with these matters.

Song Wen glanced at Lu Siyu. Today, he was wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. After a week, the band-aids on Lu Siyu’s face had been removed, and the wound had healed quite well. It was barely visible. Probably due to good rest in the past few days, the dark circles under his eyes, caused by staying up late, had faded away. Also, because today’s rain had cleared, there was some warmth in the air, making him appear fair and delicate. He looked like a big white rabbit candy with the wrapper peeled off, exuding a unique milky fragrance.

Song Wen was about to explain the rules of the year-end assessment when Fu Linjiang preempted him, “Even as a police officer, you have to take exams. The year-end assessment mainly includes physical examinations, physical fitness tests, psychological tests, similar to what you did when you joined. For the team, it mainly involves case inventory, calculating the case closure rate, and conducting a team summary.”

Song Wen glanced at Lu Siyu, recalling the previous phone call from Zhou Yining, deliberately probing, “I feel like Dr. Zhou is quite concerned about you. Recently, he even inquired about your situation with me.”

Lu Siyu made a sound without saying anything, offering no expression or reaction, lowering his head to open the computer.

Seeing the time was eight o’clock, Song Wen greeted everyone, “Let’s all get back to our seats. Even if there are no cases, we can’t be idle. Zhu Xiao, how’s the electronic data entry going?”

Recently, the police station started promoting the digitization of old files. All the paper case materials from the past needed to be organized into electronic versions. This was a considerable workload, and since Team One had no cases this week, this task fell on their shoulders.

Zhu Xiao made an excuse, “I’ve done half of it. Lao Jia’s part still needs some sorting.”

Lao Jia, who hadn’t finished his breakfast yet, complained about being the only one cleaning up the archives, “Aiya, in the archives room, I’m the only one doing it. You all know, inside, the old files are covered in mold, bitten by mice and insects, and many documents have scattered. It takes page by page to find them. How could it be done quickly?”

Lu Siyu, listening on the side, interjected, “I’ve finished the report for the last case. How about I help you guys organize? This way, it can be done faster.”

Lao Jia didn’t expect that the person he had targeted in the last case, when it came down to the crucial moment, would offer a helping hand without holding grudges. The old rogue’s face turned slightly red.

At this point, Lu Siyu turned his head, showing half of his delicate face from the glass, and asked Song Wen, “Captain Song, is it okay?”

Seeing Lu Siyu’s attitude of seeking opinions, Song Wen could only wave his hand, “Go ahead, go ahead. You guys organize quickly, get this done sooner.”

The archives room at the Nancheng City Bureau had several rooms. Personnel files and important documents were managed by a few girls from the archives department, and what they were going to tidy up specifically were the case files. These files were arranged in several large cardboard boxes, and each box occupied a shelf.

Lu Siyu, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, stood in front of the shelf that was a head taller than him, politely and gently asking Lao Jia, “Senior, where should I start?”

Lao Jia was frightened by being called senior and, coupled with his guilt over losing his temper at Lu Siyu in the last case, he explained in detail how to check the shelf numbers. Then he told him, “You organize the shelf on the right.”

Although the archives room was relatively clean, it couldn’t escape the dampness in the air, and the mice and insects that came running attracted by the scent of paper couldn’t be avoided either.

The older the files, the more severe the damage. Lu Siyu lifted a box, started opening the case files inside, which mainly involved cross-referencing these files to see if there were any missing or overlooked, and after preliminary organization, they would be handed over to Zhu Xiao for data entry. Due to their age, many case files had been messed up, and various records were scattered. It needed to be reorganized.

Humans are a species that kills each other. These boxes contained the most sinful and darkest past of this city. Some things might have been forgotten by the city, and those who experienced them might have forgotten, but these archive materials still remembered for them.

Lu Siyu asked Lao Jia, “Senior, these cases haven’t been solved, right?”

“Oh, don’t call me senior. Like everyone else, just call me Lao Jia.” Although Lao Jia felt a little flattered by the term “senior,” he felt uncomfortable all over. He walked over, glanced at the box Lu Siyu was holding, and pointed to a red mark on it, saying, “Yes, the boxes marked with this symbol are unsolved cases. For the past few decades, except for the 519 case, which had a dedicated task force, all the unsolved cases in the Nancheng Bureau should be here.”

Lu Siyu’s eyes flickered, looking at the box in his hands and then at the boxes on the shelf. He counted them and found a total of seven.

Lao Jia scratched the back of his head, saying, “In our country, the principle is that homicide cases must be solved, but it’s just a principle. Many cases become unsolved due to various reasons, especially in the past when criminal investigation technology was not advanced. Even DNA couldn’t be extracted. Over the years, these cases accumulated, and every New Year or when experts come down, some cases are taken out for discussion. If there are no clues, they are put back.”

Lu Siyu nodded, picked up a book, which was still recorded with a pen, and the handwriting was a bit messy, but it could still be discerned. It was a case of a heinous murder.

Lao Jia leaned over and said, “I remember one of the unsolved cases had a person using an axe specifically to attack children. Oh, and there’s the East Bridge dismemberment case. It happened the year I worked five years ago. The whole person was divided into several pieces and mixed into the cement used for casting the East Bridge. Oh, and the most famous one with a large number of deaths, the case at Wushan Elderly Care Home. The demonic doctor Xia Weizhi is still at large.”

As Lao Jia spoke about the cases, what was chilling wasn’t the stories but the fact that these were real events that happened in the city. He seemed to want to prove that Lu Siyu calling him “senior” wasn’t just a casual term and casually recounted those unsolved cases.

Among these cases, the culprits might have disguised themselves in the crowd, no longer committing crimes. Some might have moved away, and some might have been arrested for other offenses. Some might have simply died. Most of these cases would never have a resolution.

Lu Siyu was thoughtful and naturally sensitive to case work. As he listened to Lao Jia’s narration, his speed was much faster than the old man’s. He quickly organized two boxes.

When he stood up, ready to continue, Song Wen suddenly pushed open the door and walked in.

“Lu Siyu, come out with me.” After saying that, Song Wen explained, “It’s a business trip to the Lu Ning area, with the forensic expert. There’s a case in a village there, and they’ve requested assistance from the city bureau.”

Nancheng had seven counties, each with villages. Generally, there were fewer cases in the counties, but occasionally, in the event of a serious case, manpower might not be sufficient, prompting a request for support from the city bureau. Similarly, if a major case occurred in the city, experts and forensic experts from the province might be sent down to assist in the investigation.

The case in Lu Ning was discovered this morning, and several local police officers arrived at the scene around nine o’clock. Deeming it significant, they quickly called for assistance from the city bureau.

After finishing his sentence, Song Wen looked at the neatly arranged stack of files beside Lu Siyu, casually flipped through them, and praised, “Well done, your speed is quite fast. These materials are enough for Zhu Xiao to scan for quite some time.”

Lao Jia chimed in, “Go, Xiao Lu. I can handle this alone.”

Lu Siyu nodded and said, “Thank you.” Only then did he put down the things and followed Song Wen out. Song Wen glanced at him and chuckled, “Quite harmonious. I was worried you two might end up fighting when left alone.”

Lu Siyu didn’t say anything, just glanced at Song Wen.

As the two walked into the corridor, Song Wen casually asked, “What were you guys talking about just now? Did I interrupt something?”

“Nothing much, just discussing some past cases. We chatted a bit when we saw them.”

Song Wen looked at him. “If you want to hear about cases, you can ask me. There’s no one in this police station more familiar than I am. We can also discuss those cold cases. Maybe one of them can be solved.”

Lu Siyu looked up, and the sunlight illuminated him perfectly, reflecting off his snow-white skin. He pushed his glasses up, and a ray of sunlight shone on the lenses, creating a glimmer. “Let’s discuss it when we have time. What’s the situation with the case in Lu Ning now?”

Standing opposite him, Song Wen felt that Lu Siyu seemed like a figure walking out of a painting. Every curve from the nose to the jawline was perfectly smooth. After collecting his thoughts, he said, “It’s a family annihilation case. The details are not clear yet.” The call was made directly to Director Gu, so Song Wen only knew the general situation. But just with the words “family annihilation,” it was enough to indicate the severity and danger of the case.

“Then… how many days will it take?” Lu Siyu reached for the computer’s power button.

“At least two days, depending on the progress of the case. Hurry up, we’re driving there. We should be there before lunch, so it won’t delay your mealtime.”

Lu Siyu nodded and quietly stowed away the paper and pen used for recording. He also took out spare clothes from the drawer. They always kept a set of essentials in the police station in case of sudden business trips.

Song Wen added, “For the surrounding county towns, we’re called for assistance maybe a few times every six months. It just happened that you got caught up in it. Generally, cases in the counties involve a lot of passion killings, and it might not take too long.”

As they spoke, Song Wen and Lu Siyu got into the police car. When they turned around, they saw Lin Xiuran wearing a well-fitted suit sitting in the back seat. His hands were placed in front of him, crossing his legs. He looked like a business elite heading to the airport rather than a forensic expert rushing to a crime scene.

“Lao Lin, you’re personally going this time? I thought it would be Duanwu or Xiao Zhang.” Song Wen started the car.

“This time, there are three victims.” Lin Xiuran spoke, “Even with the help of the forensic expert from Lu Ning, it’ll probably take several hours. Their hands are too crude and not suitable for this.”

Song Wen said, “Ah, three bodies at once. Your job is much harder than ours with all these unsolved cases you have to deal with.”

Lin Xiuran replied calmly, “It’s like you guys with cases that never seem to be solved. These bodies have become a part of my life, just like eating and sleeping.” The salary for a forensic expert wasn’t high, and the work was incredibly challenging, even more so than that of a detective. Yet, it was a profession that society couldn’t do without.

The car drove forward, the scenery changing as they progressed. Lu Siyu opened the window on his side slightly, letting the wind blow through his hair. He quietly listened to the conversation between the two without interjecting.

“Oh, by the way, did the case from the Second Division get solved a few days ago?” Song Wen asked. After the last case involving Lin Wanwan was concluded, he happened to see Lin Xiuran returning from the funeral home, so he casually inquired.

Lin Xiuran, knowing that Second Division Captain Tian Ming considered Song Wen as a rival, and Song Wen, paying more attention to the Second Division, briefly introduced, “It took some time, and they haven’t identified a suspect yet. The body found that day was a female victim. She was discovered in a vacant lot behind the Lianhua Hall. The body was strange. A scarf covered the victim’s face, and there were clear signs of strangulation around the neck, with a broken hyoid bone. The cause of death was strangulation, and the weapon used was pantyhose.” He spoke these words with a solemn tone, his responses coherent and systematic, like listing treasures.

Lu Siyu, hearing the description, pressed his fingers to his lips and bit them twice. When he was deeply focused in thought, his eyebrows would slightly furrow. Now, as he considered the matter, his long eyelashes trembled slightly as he turned to look at Lin Xiuran.

“It took half a day to confirm the identity of the deceased. She was a female salesperson named Li Ling,” Lin Xiuran paused briefly. “The woman was thirty-eight years old and lived on Qiaofang Street. The time of death was around eleven in the evening. The Second Division reconstructed her movements and speculated that she was attacked on her way home. The last surveillance footage showed Li Ling getting off a bus and then disappearing without any witnesses or clues. This case is quite challenging.”

After discussing the case, the car fell silent for a moment. Song Wen drove the police car off the highway, onto the national road. As they approached the county town, the road conditions worsened.

Lu Ning County was a small county town not far from Nancheng. The destination they were heading to was the border between the county town and the neighboring village. Along the road, there were utility poles with black wires, and two-story buildings with tiled exteriors were scattered along the way. The spacing between the buildings was quite wide, giving the appearance of a former urban-rural transitional area.

Lin Xiuran had been here before and shared some information about Lu Ning.

Continuing forward, the car passed through an archway, entered the mountains, and traveled a few kilometers on a winding mountain road. Song Wen turned into a mountainous hollow, where he saw two police cars parked in front. He hit the brakes and said, “We’re here. The coordinates led us to this spot.”

Although the case fell under the jurisdiction of the Lu Ning County Police Station, this area was already considered a township. Surrounded by mountains and water, it was a relatively independent small village called Wentou Village. Adjacent to the county town and not far from Nancheng, many rural families made a living by growing tea. There were numerous tea plantations on the hilltops, and further into the mountains, various mountain products could be found. Therefore, this area was relatively affluent, not a remote and impoverished village.

It was now around eleven in the morning. Lu Siyu took his backpack, and Lin Xiuran retrieved his forensic investigation kit from the trunk. The rain from last night had just stopped, making the air cool. Stepping on the ground, Lu Siyu felt a bit of mud on his shoes. The entire area was covered with trees, creating a natural oxygen bar. Birdcalls could be heard in the woods.

The family involved in the homicide was located at the head of this area, facing west. It was a standalone residence with its own courtyard, situated several dozen meters away from other houses. Lu Siyu looked up. Today was an unusually clear day, and the sunlight made him squint slightly. In front was the road, and behind were several hills. The nearest hill wasn’t too high, about a hundred meters, with a flat top.

At a glance, the building seemed grand. The small courtyard was enclosed by a two-meter-high wall, and at the entrance, a nearly three-meter-wide double-leaf iron gate was half-open.

At this moment, an old police officer came out from inside. Spotting Lin Xiuran, he hurried over as if seeing a savior. “Oh, Lao Lin, you finally came!”

Three years ago, Lu Ning had a case involving a decaying corpse. When the victim’s body was discovered, it was already mostly decomposed, making it impossible to determine the cause of death. At that time, the city bureau sent Lin Xiuran over, and he solved the case in just two days. The detective from Lu Ning who cooperated with him back then was this guy. At that time, this detective was deeply impressed by Lin Xiuran, even wanting to invite him for drinks and eager to become sworn brothers on the spot. However, Lin Xiuran wisely declined. Unexpectedly, with another case in Lu Ning, the two encountered each other again.

Lin Xiuran introduced them, “This is Captain Zhang Dahai from Lu Ning Police Station. He is a local here in Wentou Township, so he oversees the public security in this area.”

Song Wen introduced himself, “I’m Song Wen, the captain of the First Division of the Criminal Investigation Team at Nancheng City Bureau.” Then he pointed to Lu Siyu and said, “This is my partner, Lu Siyu.”

Lu Siyu took out his notebook and greeted politely, “Captain Zhang, hello.”

Zhang Dahai was a bit casual and immediately exaggerated a bit, “Ah, my right eyelid was twitching all last night, and I felt something bad was going to happen. When I received the alarm call early this morning and saw everyone in a panic, I was relieved when Commissioner Gu sent people over. The three of you are all elite members from the city bureau, so with you here, I feel reassured.”

Song Wen calmly returned the compliment, “We’re not familiar with this area. This time, we heard that the case is significant, so Commissioner Gu asked the three of us to come and help. If we catch the culprit, we’ll need your cooperation.” The implication was that they were here to assist, and not to take over completely.

“Yes, yes, what Captain Song said is right. Don’t feel restrained; you can direct any of our officers as you please,” Zhang Dahai said. Afterward, he pointed inside and said, “Now, shall we go and take a look?”

Lin Xiuran put on gloves and asked, “I heard that three people died this time? It’s a case of family massacre. What’s the situation?”

Zhang Dahai rubbed his hands, gesturing for them to follow him to the door. “Ah, this case is quite peculiar. This family was electrocuted.”

“Electrocuted?” Lin Xiuran’s steps paused. “Are you sure it’s murder, not some electrical accident?”

These self-built houses often had non-standard electrical wiring, posing safety hazards. Electrical accidents were more common in summer due to reduced clothing, increasing the risk of electrocution. Moreover, this period coincided with frequent thunderstorms, and the ground was often wet, reducing the insulation resistance of electrical equipment. It was also the busy farming season, leading to a higher occurrence of electrical accidents.

“Sure.” Zhang Dahai pointed to a spot near the door as he spoke.

Song Wen looked over. If Zhang Dahai hadn’t pointed it out, he almost wouldn’t have noticed. It was a power line tied to the top of the iron gate at the entrance.

This thing couldn’t have appeared here for no reason. It must have been intentionally brought over.

“We have already cut off the power. Afraid of damaging the scene, we didn’t dare to remove the power line,” Zhang Dahai explained as he opened the door. “Rest assured, we have protected the scene well.”

In the small courtyard of this rural residence, rainwater accumulated from last night’s rain had not completely evaporated. In the yard, three bodies lay prone. The front door slowly opened, as if unveiling a gateway to hell.

TN:

New case, new case, new new new case~ Can’t believe I’m celebrating because of a family massacre. I need Jesus. Anyway, welcome to the new case.

Recommendation drop time! Family Massacre. It’s a documentary that follows real cases of family massacres.