Murder Call

The sky quickly darkened, and during the rush hour, the traffic was jam-packed. Wang Yue’s car, after passing several intersections, got stuck on the busiest road in Yanhai City. 

Feeling a bit impatient, he called Secretary Wen: “Our car is stuck across from the shopping mall. Could you walk over? We can talk directly in the car.”

Not long after, Secretary Wen hurriedly crossed the road with a briefcase in hand, heading towards them. 

He got into the passenger seat: “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Secretary Wen looked to be in his thirties, with thinning hair at the front, suggesting a not-so-fertile scalp, likely a bit of a hereditary trait. 

“Let’s get straight to the point.” Wang Yue pulled out a photo from his pocket: “Where is this car now?”

Secretary Wen carefully examined the black SUV and the license plate in the photo: “This car belongs to General Liu. It’s currently listed for sale at the Second-Hand Trading Market. Xiao Ding is helping me sell it. Is there a problem?”

Wang Yue: “Who is Xiao Ding?”

Secretary Wen: “Ding Gao, the staff responsible for selling the car.”

Wang Yue: “Do you have Ding Gao’s information?”

“Yes! I have a photo on my phone, along with his ID and phone number!”

Secretary Wen was very cooperative and sent Ding Gao’s information to Wang Yue: “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

Wang Yue pulled up a photo of Zhou Wen on his phone and enlarged it for Secretary Wen: “Have you seen this person?”

Secretary Wen adjusted his glasses and looked for a while, finally shaking his head: “No impression.”

Wang Yue: “No impression? This person used to be Liu Quan’s bodyguard. Think carefully.”

Secretary Wen smiled and said: “I started working with General Liu two years ago. I’m not familiar with his past. I really haven’t seen this person.”

Wang Yue: “Among the people working for Liu Quan, who has been with him the longest?”

Secretary Wen thought for a moment: “As far as I know, General Liu was betrayed by someone close to him before, so he doesn’t trust the people around him. He replaced everyone who worked for him. The person you’re talking about might be from before the change. General Liu would know best. You might as well ask him directly.”

*

After returning to the police station, Wang Yue sent Ding Gao’s information to Meng Lan: “Check all the information on this person!”

Meng Lan looked at the ID photo and asked: “Who is he?”

Wang Yue: “A suspect.”

Meng Lan: “How come there’s another suspect?”

Wang Yue, with a sullen expression, was visibly frustrated: “This person is responsible for selling the car. Liu Quan’s car keys are with him.”

Meng Lan didn’t ask further and began investigating Ding Gao’s information: “Ding Gao, 34 years old, was imprisoned two years ago for theft and was released just a week ago.”

Wang Yue stared at Ding Gao’s photo: “What did he steal to be locked up for so long?”

“Burglary. He stole a valuable string of gemstone necklaces and was caught by the police while escaping. Due to the serious nature and high value of the stolen property, he was sentenced to two years,” Meng Lan explained.

Wang Yue: “Is that his only criminal record?”

Meng Lan: “Yes, only one criminal record.”

At this moment, Mo Lin, who had a comprehensive view of the situation, received a reply message. He glanced at the information on his phone, and his calm eyes darkened.

The result of the investigation he had requested was in, and it surprised him. The petitioner turned out to be Wan Shu.

Mo Lin recalled the phone call he had with the killer. He clearly remembered asking the killer why they chose to kill, and the killer’s response was: “Some things can’t be resolved, only death can end it all.”

Mo Lin believed the killer’s heart was filled with helplessness and resentment. Perhaps they had tried but failed to achieve the desired outcome, leading them to choose murder out of desperation.

Could Wan Shu be the killer?

So far, the bloody clothes pointed to Zhou Ziming, the photos and petitioner pointed to Wan Shu, the SUV pointed to Liu Quan and Ding Gao, and Zhou Wen was also implicated. What was the killer trying to convey by bringing these people into the police’s sight?

As Mo Lin passed by Interrogation Room No. 3, he saw Wan Shu dozing off. She seemed very tired, constantly nodding off except during interrogation.

Mo Lin made some noise as he entered the interrogation room, startling Wan Shu awake.

“Teacher Mo!”

Wan Shu sat up straight, seemingly surprised. Amidst her surprise, Mo Lin also noticed a hint of delight in her eyes.

He suddenly became very curious about Wan Shu. This girl always gave him a strange feeling, as if she was visiting the police station and was interested in everyone.

Mo Lin pulled out a chair and sat directly across from Wan Shu: “Do you know me?”

“Of course!” Wan Shu said excitedly, “I’m a fan of yours. Because I like you, I even took a psychology elective!”

Mo Lin smiled calmly: “Do you know why I’m here to see you?”

Wan Shu shook her head: “It can’t be just because you want to meet me, right?”

Mo Lin was amused by the young girl’s words: “I do want to meet you, but it’s for the case.”

Wan Shu pouted: “Captain Wang also wanted to meet me for the case, but I’m not interested in him, and I can’t help much.”

Wan Shu’s big eyes blinked, and her lips suddenly curved into a smile: “I’ve read your books and think you’re a very thoughtful person. You’re different from those who are all serious and pretentious.”

The girl in front of him, though only 20 years old, dressed boldly, openly showing off her assets, spoke directly, and frequently flirted without the shyness typical of young girls.

Mo Lin looked into Wan Shu’s eyes, feeling as if she had been expecting him to come find her, waiting all along.

“It seems we’re kindred spirits. Chatting shouldn’t be too difficult.” Mo Lin got straight to the point: “Let’s get to the main topic. I heard from Liu Quan that you have a good relationship with Liu Yun and have been living at Liu’s house for the past few years?”

“Not exactly,” Wan Shu leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, her long legs crossed, her short skirt barely covering her hips. She propped her chin with her hand, speaking with a somewhat coquettish demeanor: “My mom works out of town, and our house is rented. After graduating high school, I moved my luggage to my uncle’s place. During university, I stayed on campus and rarely went to my uncle’s house, so I can’t say I lived there.”

Mo Lin: “When did you move there?”

Wan Shu: “After the college entrance exams, I moved there, which was two years ago.”

“Two summers ago…” Mo Lin asked with a smile: “Did you attend a birthday party?”

Wan Shu blinked and returned a smile: “I don’t remember things from two years ago very well. Besides, I often attend friends’ birthday parties, so I can’t recall clearly.”

Mo Lin: “Think carefully before answering me.”

Wan Shu seemed to sense that the man in front of her wasn’t interested in her, losing the mood to continue flirting. Her gaze wandered, appearing somewhat absent-minded.

“Two summers ago, you had just started university. Schools usually start in September, but you moved into Liu’s house in June. That summer, you left your hometown. You should have some impression!”

Although the man in front of her was smiling, Wan Shu could feel a strong sense of intimidation. Her eyebrows twitched: “Let me think…”

Mo Lin interlaced his fingers on the table, gently tapping his middle finger on the back of his hand: “Take your time. I will do my best to help you… remember that day.”

When Mo Lin said “help you,” he deliberately paused. During the brief pause, he noticed a momentary change in Wan Shu’s expression.

Mo Lin observed that Wan Shu hesitated slightly. She didn’t seem very smart and needed a long time to think things through.

Mo Lin patiently observed.

Wan Shu’s fingers briefly tightened, as if she had something on her mind.

After a while, Wan Shu spoke: “I remember now. The first summer I came here, I did attend a girl’s birthday party. Her name was Xia Yin…”

At this point, Wan Shu suddenly paused and tentatively asked: “Do you know Xia Yin?”

Mo Lin smiled and spoke calmly: “Are you talking about the Xia Yin who was killed two years ago?”

Wan Shu was a bit surprised. As she was surprised, her breathing quickened, and she tightly pinched her left index finger with her right hand, as if struggling internally.

“Don’t be nervous,” Mo Lin reassured her. “Tell me everything you know. I’ve already been drawn into this case, and I will do everything I can to help solve it.”

Wan Shu looked at Mo Lin, her gaze suddenly becoming serious, completely different from her previous state: “Two years ago, I went to celebrate Xia Yin’s 18th birthday. That day, Liu Yun was there too. We ate cake together, and after that, I took a taxi back to school. A few days later, I saw on the news that Xia Yin was dead.”

Hearing this, Mo Lin raised an eyebrow: “Who do you think the killer is?”

Perhaps Wan Shu didn’t expect Mo Lin to ask so directly, and she was momentarily stunned: “I don’t know.”

Mo Lin: “Is your Uncle Zhou the killer?”

Wan Shu shook her head without thinking: “Uncle Zhou is a very upright person. I don’t believe he’s the killer!”

Realizing she was getting a bit emotional, Wan Shu took a deep breath to calm herself: “Uncle Zhou really is a good person. When I was little, he often brought snacks to see me. When I got sick, he took me to the hospital. When I was bullied by classmates, he stood up for me.”

At this point, Wan Shu choked up a bit, her eyes turning red: “My family situation is quite special. My dad passed away before I even learned to walk. Uncle Zhou was my dad’s comrade. He was the one who brought back my dad’s ashes.”

Perhaps touching the deepest memories in Wan Shu’s heart, a tear escaped her eye:

“After Uncle Zhou retired, he became my uncle’s bodyguard. He often came to see me. Knowing that my mom and I were financially struggling, he often took care of us.

The princess dresses I wore as a child, the beautiful pencil cases, and all sorts of postcards were bought by him. Every time he came, he brought a big box of things, making me feel like I was no different from other girls.

I had everything others had! Uncle Zhou is like a father to me!”

A tear rolled down her cheek, landing on the dark table. Wan Shu suddenly covered her eyes with her hand: “Sorry, I got a bit emotional.”

Mo Lin handed her a tissue: “It’s okay, take your time.”