Chapter 111

The meeting continued until just past noon. Fu Linjiang stayed behind to copy documents with the second team, and they would continue investigating the case in the afternoon.

Song Wen took Lu Siyu to the cafeteria first. These past few days, Li Luanfang caught them off guard, and after finally seeing off the old lady, Lu Siyu rarely had the chance to skip cooking.

Lu Siyu wasn’t very fond of the food in the City Bureau’s cafeteria. Commissioner Gu delayed, and he didn’t want to order takeout, so he decided to cook two dishes himself.

The cafeteria dishes were all cooked in large pots, and the chefs had a knack for making every dish taste the same regardless of the ingredients used. The cafeteria had average ventilation, but at meal times, it was filled with the unique aroma of these dishes, making one feel half full just by smelling it.

Several dishes were placed on the plates, and Lu Siyu picked at them like a bird, eating the bean sprouts one by one.

After a while, Song Wen brought the dishes over and sat next to him, sighing, “I didn’t think the cafeteria food was that bad before, but now…”

“In the cafeteria… there’s not much else to eat, better than going hungry,” Lu Siyu said, looking at the food in front of him as if facing a formidable enemy.

Song Wen turned to Lu Siyu and asked, “How have you been feeling lately?” Although they lived together, Song Wen was still afraid that Lu Siyu might hide his health condition.

Lu Siyu shook his head. “Maybe the doctor was right. I rely too much on painkillers psychologically.” Recently, under Song Wen’s supervision, he had been taking stomach medicine on time, and he hadn’t had a stomachache for a few days at least.

“That’s good. After this case is over, I’ll take you to get some medicine,” Song Wen said, then magically produced a boiled egg in his hand. “I knew you wouldn’t like the cafeteria food, so I asked the chef for some stir-fried dishes for you.”

Lu Siyu reached out and took it, lightly tapping it on the table a couple of times. With his head down, he carefully peeled the eggshell with his fair hands. Then he noticed Song Wen holding chopsticks and not eating right away, his eyes fixed on him. Unable to help himself, he asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Song Wen said, “I think, in terms of analyzing the psychological aspects of criminals, that expert surnamed Zhuang is far inferior to you.”

Lu Siyu straightened up. “Don’t say that. After all, he’s a psychology Ph.D.”

“Isn’t there a post online criticizing him? It says he graduated from some chicken university abroad with a degree in psychology,” Song Wen said. “I’ve watched some of his past programs, and many of them deduced from the result backwards. Now that this case is still under investigation, he’s joined in… I don’t know if it will be helpful in the end.”

Lu Siyu said, “His arguments have some validity, but his conclusions are quite avant-garde. Thinking optimistically, at least he’s giving us some other ideas.”

Song Wen said, “Professor Zhuang is too normal of a person. I’m worried he won’t be able to touch upon the dark psychology of those criminals.”

Lu Siyu listened to his words, expressionless, and looked up at him. “Captain Song, are you saying… I’m not perverted enough?”

Song Wen realized he misspoke and quickly redirected the conversation, patting Lu Siyu on the back in a comforting manner, “In my book, that’s a compliment. It means you’re smart, quick at solving cases. Eat a little more, we’ll still need you to crack cases in the future.”

Lu Siyu paused with his chopsticks. “But today, I noticed something else.”

“What is it?” Song Wen asked.

“I think… Zhuang Yi seemed a bit anxious, as if he’s eager to prove himself. He rushes to summarize and deduce details as soon as he discovers them. This expert seems quite insecure. He’s not confident in his own theories.” Lu Siyu explained, adding, “In the process of deduction, he uses a lot of vague words like ‘maybe’ and ‘probably,’ and some of his analysis theories seem esoteric. While he provides many examples, upon closer examination, you’ll find that many of the cases he mentions cannot be compared to the case at hand.”

Song Wen nodded. “I have a similar feeling. How should I put it… his style seems flashy, and I feel like it’s all talk… It’s completely different from your usual analysis of cases.”

Lu Siyu’s reasoning is more practical, indicating that he delves deep into the case and immerses himself in the world of the perpetrator. But this Professor Zhuang seems to be piling up and fitting known theories, observing flowers from a distance.

Changing the subject, Song Wen said, “What do you think about the perpetrator?”

Lu Siyu ate the egg provided by Song Wen, feeling he couldn’t evade his superior without saying a few words. After a moment’s thought, he spoke, “I think the perpetrator might be the type described as honest by relatives and neighbors. He’s physically strong, probably a laborer, and might have a job that wouldn’t raise suspicion if he went out at night.”

Song Wen pondered, “Actually, I find it strange too. Why do many people who knew the serial killers describe them as honest and shy?”

Lu Siyu held the egg between his slender fingers and took a small bite. “Perhaps they equate being taciturn with honesty. And as a serial killer, the movements in his mind and his actual actions are enough.”

Many serial killers lead inconspicuous lives, and it’s often a shock to discover their true identities. This characteristic also makes them difficult to find.

“What about the method of murder?”

“The serial killer in these cases likes strangulation…” Lu Siyu shook his head, seeming to disdain the blandness of the egg, “There’s nothing special about it, just because he enjoys it…”

Some people commit murder out of passion, some out of revenge, some for financial gain, but this person kills simply because he likes it. Strangling brings him pleasure and excitement.

Lu Siyu further explained, “The perpetrator likes women, likes causing their deaths, likes suffocating them. Every spasm, every plea before their death, delights him, arousing his interest. Murder also brings his body and nerves to the peak. Once he tastes this sensation, he can’t forget it.”

As Song Wen looked at Lu Siyu, he licked his lips lightly as he spoke, his long eyelashes trembling slightly, his voice calm, his handsome face expressionless, like a beautiful flower but with a deadly and alluring poison.

For ordinary people, it’s difficult to understand how this killer can derive maximum pleasure and satisfaction from murder, more than from millions of dollars, delicious food, or normal relationships. It touches his nerves more deeply.

Lu Siyu summarized, “Usually, people like this are referred to as perverts.”

They are completely different from killers like Xia Weizhi. Xia is intelligent, purposeful, and plans his crimes, while they rely more on instinct. Their crimes stem from liking, from—sexuality.

Because of this primal and unique aspect, they are even more difficult to trace, control, predict, and understand.

Lu Siyu continued, “It’s like the cancer cells that develop when there’s an error in the body’s cells. Among thousands or millions of humans, there are those with genetic defects. If we liken modern society to a program, they are like bugs in the program of life. They themselves may feel lost and miserable due to their differences from normal people, but they can’t help it; it’s in their nature.”

Song Wen said, “It feels inevitable for such people to become killers.”

“Not necessarily. Many people with strange hobbies don’t commit crimes. Education and a good childhood can reduce the likelihood of these people committing crimes, while a harsh upbringing can exacerbate the birth of perversion. Most people who later turn to a life of crime have had unfortunate childhoods.”

Lu Siyu thought for a moment and asked Song Wen, “You should know about the Triad Stool Theory, right?”

Song Wen nodded. It’s a well-known theory in criminal psychology: “The Triad Stool Theory determines three aspects of a person’s perverse psychology: genetics, brain damage, and environmental factors. Its fame is second only to the three elements of a serial killer: bed-wetting, animal cruelty, and arson.”

Lu Siyu said, “The proponents of the Triad Stool Theory have criminal genes. If they didn’t have a perfect childhood, they might have become killers too. In fact, these two theories are similar; they just analyze from different angles. The causes of these perverse killers can be simply analyzed as external and internal factors. Most serial killers have imperfect childhoods and possess perverse genes themselves.”

Song Wen felt somewhat helpless. “It’s just inevitable. When I was young, I didn’t quite understand these things, but as I grew older, I realized that some scum become parents without fully understanding life themselves, and the ones who suffer are the children.”

Those who become parents in haste without understanding life themselves are confused, frustrated, and miserable. Consequently, they often see their children as venting outlets, burdens, thus, indifference and abuse start from the children’s early years.

Lu Siyu nodded. “What’s even more frightening is that this kind of harm is continuous. The more afraid a child is in their childhood, the more likely they are to repeat the cycle. Children of divorced parents are more likely to divorce when they grow up compared to children from harmonious families. Similarly, the rate of future domestic violence and abuse towards their own children increases for those who experienced abuse and violence in their childhood.”

Immature adults may bring poverty and violence to children without realizing the terrifying impact they’re causing, and this terrifying influence can be inherited.

Lu Siyu took a sip of soup and continued, “Let’s talk about this killer. When he’s committing murder, his excitement reaches a peak trough. Afterwards, he’ll repeatedly relive that feeling in his mind, like watching a very favorite video. Just thinking about it brings him pleasure and satisfaction. He keeps thinking about it until his mind grows weary, details gradually blur, and emotions descend to rock bottom, like being fed up with a dish, becoming tasteless. At that point, he’ll strike again, needing more intense stimulation.”

At this point, Lu Siyu popped the last bit of egg into his mouth, extended his pink tongue to lick his fingers, and said softly, “This killer has reached a point where he feels uncomfortable if he doesn’t kill. His mind is filled with it, and he’ll quickly strike again.”

Song Wen thought for a moment and asked, “What about the clothes covering the faces? What do you think that signifies?”

“Similar to the stockings taken away, it’s the killer’s signature and a habit he had from the beginning. I think… it may be related to his childhood experiences and his mother,” Lu Siyu said.

This is an important totem in maternal worship, with special significance in their interaction.

Song Wen tilted his head and asked, “Also, what do you think of Zhuang Yi’s inference about those two killers?”

Lu Siyu lowered his head in thought for a moment. “There’s too little information to determine. The killer could be one person or two. Extreme emotional changes don’t necessarily have only one possibility. In fact, I think it’s an inference, but it temporarily doesn’t help us narrow down the scope and find the killer.”

In other words, Zhuang Yi’s theory doesn’t help them narrow down their investigation scope or accelerate finding the killer; they must find other investigative directions.

Lu Siyu paused, his slender fingers tracing across the tabletop as he said softly, “I’m contemplating something.”

“What?”

Lu Siyu looked up at Song Wen, his eyelashes trembling lightly, the folds on his eyelids gently creasing together. “The origin of the first killing.”

Was the first victim the first person the killer ever killed? Before that, did he kill anyone else? If the first victim was indeed the first one he killed, what triggered his sudden urge to kill? What sparked his evolution?

In fact, investigations have found that many serial killers had their first case. At that time, they might have been unconscious, or witnessed killings, or accidentally killed someone, or even had their pets killed. Whatever it was, there was a beginning.

Song Wen continued along his line of thought, “I’m also more concerned about the first case. Regardless of whether it was his first killing or not, the first victim, Li Ling, is crucial.”

Human behavior changes from the most instinctive place. In the first case, the killer’s purpose is the purest, and the methods are the most primitive. He doesn’t have as many thoughts and rules, acting impulsively and putting his thoughts into practice. Such behavior will reveal more information.

Lu Siyu nodded. “Another thing I can’t figure out is why the time of death for the third victim changed. What altered the killer’s behavior pattern? The first two cases involved killing and then going home to sleep, but the third victim seemed to have been killed after tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep. Why did this change occur? Was it because there was a good game on that night? An unmissable appointment? Or something else? There was also a bloody gauze left at the scene…”

Song Wen lowered his head, deep in thought for a moment. “Perhaps… there’s a possibility that he didn’t change his behavior logic, but we missed something. For example…”

Lu Siyu nodded, also thinking of a possibility, and said softly, “Prey escaping.”

If the woman who died this morning wasn’t originally the killer’s prey… if he had tried to commit the crime last night but failed due to certain circumstances, he would become angry and eager to find new prey to fill his plan.

From late at night until early morning, he lingered on the streets, then found his target and began trailing…

Wang Xiaopei might have been an unlucky replacement lamb.

Lu Siyu blinked and said, “This is just a possibility.”

“I think it’s a direction worth investigating,” Song Wen said, forgetting about eating and picked up his phone to call Fu Linjiang.

“Línjiang, contact the emergency center and inquire if there were any reports of assault from last night until early this morning involving female victims. It’s possible they treated it as a failed robbery attempt and simply comforted the victim before leaving, considering it as a routine incident. Yes, since there were no fatalities or major incidents, they might not have reported it to us.”

Fu Linjiang on the other end said something, and Song Wen nodded with a more solemn expression. “Yes… If there were any discoveries, it could be from surviving eyewitnesses.”