Murder Call

Mo Lin watched the backs of the four people, fully imagining the expressions on their faces:

“Zhou Ziming received a call from Zhu Jin, but he still followed the original plan. After work, he went to the gym to continue creating an alibi. During his workout, he called Wen Tao, asking him to pay off the situation, but Wen Tao didn’t have cash on hand and couldn’t fulfill the request immediately.

Wen Tao wasn’t involved in Liu Yun’s kidnapping, so even if something unexpected happened, he could walk away unscathed. But Zhou Ziming and Wan Shu were different; they were already involved in the kidnapping, with no turning back.

With no other choice, Zhou Ziming contacted Wan Shu, who was still in school for evening classes, hoping she could help think of a solution.

Wan Shu transferred 50,000 to Zhou Ziming, telling him to stabilize Zhu Jin first and figure out the rest later. So, Zhou Ziming withdrew the 50,000 cash while shopping at the supermarket, put it in his gym bag, and stored it in a supermarket locker.

Later, someone took the gym bag with the 50,000 cash and took a taxi to Zhu Jin’s place. After failing to negotiate with Zhu Jin, they controlled him, drove to the crime scene, changed into the shoes and outfit prepared for Zhu Jin, and dragged Liu Yun out from the trunk to kill her. Finally, they dragged the body to the field ridge.

After staging the scene, they called the radio hotline, using a voice changer to talk to me, guiding the police to arrest him.

That’s how it went, even if Zhu Jin didn’t participate, the plan could still proceed.”

Mo Lin stared at Wan Shu’s back: “Am I right?”

Wan Shu’s shoulders were trembling, her whole body tense. She lowered her head, fingers clutching her skirt.

Zhou Ziming interjected: “I did ask Wan Shu for 50,000, but that was money she owed me. I urgently needed it, so I pressed her to repay.”

Wan Shu suddenly looked up: “It was Wen Tao and I who bribed Ding Gao. Ding Gao was the one who killed!”

“I killed?!” Ding Gao was furious: “I’ve been at the car dealership the whole time, how could I kill anyone?!”

Wan Shu continued: “Wen Tao promised Ding Gao a large sum of money once the job was done. Ding Gao agreed, he changed the time on the computer, so the recorded surveillance time would change accordingly, then changed it back afterward to create an alibi. If you don’t believe it, you can check the surveillance at the second-hand car dealership. Before the crime, there’s a missing segment because the time skipped directly.”

Ding Gao, frustrated, scratched his head: “I get it now, you’re deliberately framing me. You’ve been planning this for a while, haven’t you?”

Wan Shu said: “That’s the truth. Ding Gao faked a scene two years ago, so Wen Tao and I had a Plan B in place. If Zhu Jin lost control, Ding Gao would step in.”

“You bitch!” Ding Gao was seething: “I didn’t do it, I swear! She’s lying!”

Wan Shu sneered: “Ding Gao called me afterward, I have a recording!”

“Oh?” Mo Lin was intrigued: “Let’s hear it!”

Wan Shu: “I need a computer.”

Mo Lin: “Bring a computer in.”

Zheng Mao brought in a laptop and placed it in front of Wan Shu.

Wan Shu logged into her account and played the recording.

First recording:

Ding Gao: “Don’t worry, the person has been dealt with. I’m reliable! Let’s meet up when I get back?”

Second recording:

Ding Gao: “Tell Wen Tao to fulfill his promise quickly, or I’ll expose you all!”

After the recordings played, Ding Gao was pale: “This… this is pure slander! The recording was edited!”

“You said it yourself!” Wan Shu’s eyes were red, her voice trembling.

“I get it now!” Ding Gao said angrily: “You three are in cahoots! You never intended to let me off easy! No wonder you were so kind to introduce me to a job! This was your plan all along!”

The more Ding Gao thought about it, the angrier he got, the handcuffs clattering against the metal chair, making a piercing noise.

Wan Shu’s jaw was clenched tightly, Zhou Ziming looked at her with a complex expression.

Amidst Ding Gao’s frantic movements, Liu Quan suddenly fainted on the chair, and the criminal police rushed in to carry him out.

Mo Lin noticed Zhou Ziming’s eyes were red, as if he was suppressing something.

Ding Gao, emotionally unstable, tried to break free from the handcuffs, repeatedly banging and rubbing against the chair and table:

“I’m being framed! I didn’t kill anyone! Wen told me to do something for him, but it wasn’t murder. They only asked me to kidnap someone, promising money afterward.

I took that man to the boat, if you don’t believe me, you can search! They’re not setting sail for two more days, there’s still time!”

Mo Lin stared at Ding Gao for a while: “Give us the exact address!”

Ding Gao revealed the yacht’s location.

Mo Lin placed Zhu Jin’s photo in front of Ding Gao: “Is this the person they asked you to kidnap?”

Ding Gao glanced at it: “Yes, that’s him! It happened suddenly, I tied him up on the boat and left, someone was there to meet him, I didn’t have time to prepare any recordings. You have to believe me, I’m not lying!”

After speaking, Ding Gao suddenly realized: “They’re here for revenge! Now Liu Yun is dead, Liu Quan is down, and I’m the last one to suffer! They’re trying to take down everyone involved in the case from two years ago!”

At this moment, Gu Yuan yawned as he entered the evidence department: “Let me see the footprints.”

Yan Ji handed a stack of photos to Gu Yuan, who quietly flipped through them.

“The killer wasn’t strong, they had to stop and rest every few steps while moving the body. These footprints vary in depth, and the time spent at each spot differs,” Yan Ji said.

“If the killer was Zhu Jin, it makes sense because Zhu Jin had cancer, his strength wouldn’t be like a normal man’s. Plus, he used a stun baton to subdue Liu Yun, indicating he was prepared, knowing he might be physically limited, so he brought such a tool,” Yan Ji analyzed. “With Ding Gao’s strength, he could carry the body far, no need to drag it, so I still lean towards Zhu Jin being the killer.”

“If that’s the case, then Wan Shu and Zhou Ziming are lying. They might be framing Ding Gao out of revenge,” Yan Ji added.

Gu Yuan stared at the footprints in the photos, lost in thought, then suddenly asked: “Do we have photos of our own footprints?”

Yan Ji thought for a moment: “I think so, we took some during the light test, they’re on the computer.”

Yan Ji opened the photos, Gu Yuan stared at the computer screen, comparing the two sets of footprints for a while, then suddenly said: “Small feet in big shoes.”

“What do you mean?” Yan Ji asked.

Gu Yuan: “If the shoes fit, the pressure points on the footprints should be consistent. Different people have different walking habits, but the pressure points on consecutive footprints shouldn’t change. Only when small feet wear big shoes does the contact area between foot and shoe become unstable, causing the pressure points to shift. The killer’s feet should be small.”

With this statement, everyone present fell into deep thought.

Gu Yuan smirked: “If the killer is a woman, it makes sense.”

“A woman? Could it be… Wan Shu is the killer?” Yan Ji was shocked: “But Wan Shu has an alibi!”

*

The meteorological station issued another orange rainstorm warning, a sudden thunderclap overhead startled those asleep.

In an instant, heavy rain poured down, turning the police station’s glass windows into water curtains, blurring the outside scenery.

Reporters waiting for results under the canopy crowded to the center, but the splashing rain still dampened their clothes and pants.

In the interrogation room, a bright lamp shone directly on Zhou Ziming’s face, illuminating every expression clearly.

Sweat dripped from his temples and hairline as he faced off with Mo Lin.

“That day, Wan Shu wore a green dress and dragged a suitcase out of the villa. Less than an hour later, the villa suddenly lost power, stopping the surveillance. Then, you put the unconscious Liu Yun into the car trunk… This way, when the police check the surveillance, they’ll think Liu Yun left the villa with luggage, allowing you to kidnap her without anyone knowing, right?”

“That’s right.” Zhou Ziming admitted without hesitation.

“You wanted Liu Yun to turn herself in to the police, but she refused, not only refusing but also being uncooperative, so you implemented the plan to kill her, hoping to use her body to help Zhou Wen overturn the case, right?”

Zhou Ziming: “That’s right.”

“You and Wen Tao planned for Zhu Jin to kill, but Zhu Jin backed out last minute, so you found someone to control Zhu Jin, right?”

Zhou Ziming: “That’s right.”

“Then you executed Plan B, having Ding Gao kill and stage the scene, right?”

Zhou Ziming: “That’s right.”

“The photos of Xia Yin and Wan Shu, as well as the photos of Liu Yun after her death, were all sent to the police by Secretary Wen, right?”

Zhou Ziming: “That’s right.”

“All correct… So according to you, Wan Shu was just a bystander, doing almost nothing except walking out of the villa?”

Sweat rolled down Zhou Ziming’s temple: “She really didn’t participate.”

Mo Lin: “But why do I feel like Wan Shu is the killer? Her alibi is based on her roommates’ statements, which could be falsified.”

“It’s not like that, Ding Gao is the killer!” Zhou Ziming said excitedly: “Ding Gao staged a scene two years ago, only he knows the details. Wan Shu hasn’t even killed a chicken, how could she kill someone!”

Mo Lin: “So according to you, Ding Gao also fed the cake?”

Zhou Ziming was taken aback: “What cake?”

“Liu Yun’s last meal before she died was a piece of strawberry cake…” Mo Lin stared at Zhou Ziming: “I’m curious if feeding the cake was part of your plan, but judging by your reaction, you seem unaware.”

Zhou Ziming was shocked, unable to explain the cake situation.

Mo Lin continued: “Xia Yin’s last meal was also cake, but by the time her body was found, the cake in her stomach had been broken down by microorganisms, so only those who attended the birthday party knew what Xia Yin’s last meal was.”

Zhou Ziming frowned, deep in thought.

“Do you know why Wan Shu went out of her way to feed Liu Yun cake?”

Zhou Ziming’s fingers trembled, tears welling up in his eyes.

“Your plan spiraled out of control from the moment Zhu Jin backed out. Secretary Wen was indecisive, always wanting to walk away unscathed. The person he wanted Ding Gao to deal with wasn’t Liu Yun, but Zhu Jin.

Wan Shu knew Ding Gao wasn’t someone who could keep his mouth shut. She knew the plan was full of holes, and you were up against me. She had no confidence in walking away unscathed.”

[Author’s Note]

Weekend stockpile, the ending will be released on Monday!