They arrived at the Police station.

As the victim’s family, Li Xiujuan and her son’s statement were needed first. Captain Cheng went away with a colleague who claimed an important clue had turned up.

Jiang Lan said he needed to make a call and left the room.

Now Qin Shuyi sat upright in the meeting room by himself. He didn’t look like a seventy-year-old man.

Wang Qing sat on a corner sofa and took a measure of him silently. He didn’t believe this old gentleman was capable of killing three farmers single-handedly.

He Laowu and his cousins were around fifty but not weak. Having been working as farm laborers for a lifetime, they were pretty strong.

When compared with them, Qin Shuyi looked like a frail intellectual.

But soon, Wang Qing challenged his own views. Appearances could be deceiving. Considering that this old gentleman was no longer alive, he thought anything was possible.

He gazed at Qin Shuyi while mulling over these.

Suddenly, he noticed a slight movement in Qin Shuyi’s shirt pocket.

Instantly he was shocked to the core and stared in horror at the smiling paper doll leaning out of the pocket.

Wang Qing……..

Brother Jiang Lan, where are you? Help!

******

Jiang Lan went outside to call Ying Qiao, asking him for Cheng Hua’s number. When trying to contact Cheng Hua, he realized he didn’t have his number.

Ying Qiao’s voice sounded a little sleepy.” What’s the matter?”

Jiang Lan thought he had disturbed his sleep, so he cut the pleasantries and got down to business.” Can you give me Boss Cheng’s number? I need his help.”

Ying Qiao:????

Glancing coldly at Cheng Hua, who at that moment was working on a report, he said.” May I ask how my boss can help you? We are working extra hours in the company, and my boss is here too.”

Jiang Lan sounded happy at hearing this.” Then can you pass the phone to Boss Cheng?”

Hearing clearly what Jiang Lan said on the phone, Cheng Hua:……..

My, now you have put me in an awkward position.

Ying Qiao pursed his lips, and his smile was gone. He said without any expression.” Fine.”

Gritting his teeth, he passed the phone to Cheng Hua.” Boss, Jiang Lan wants you on the phone.”

Cheng Hua picked up the phone with an awkward look.

Then Jiang Lan told him the story of Qin Shuyi and his Sunny Doll.

“The revenge was excessive, but this Sunny Doll was born out of Qin Shuyi’s stubborn will, and its seeking vengeance on behalf of Qin Shuyi was part of the karma. I don’t think what this Sunny Doll has done was an unpardonable heinous crime.”

Cheng Hua nodded: “You are right.”

After confirming Cheng Hua agrees with his view, Jiang Lan hurriedly added.” Then do you know anyone in the Justice Department? I am afraid when they are transferred to the Justice Department, they might get severe sentences.”

Typically, Jiang Lan could just report the case, transferred Qin Shuyi and his Sunny Doll to the Bureau. Then he would be done with this case. The Bureau will dispatch people to take over the case from Captain Cheng. He didn’t need to concern himself with their fate and involve Cheng Hua.

Perhaps he was moved by what he had witnessed in the paper doll’s world, which prompted him to ask a favor from Cheng Hua.

He remembered that Ying Qiao had mentioned Cheng Hua was well connected in the Bureau.

The Special Service Branch’s role was like Police in that they were responsible for making arrests and collecting evidence. There was no part for them to play in the following legal procedures like trial and detention. The Justice Department was in charge of bringing the suspects to trials and giving them a fair sentence. So Jiang Lan was unsure what kind of fate would await them after they were transferred to the Bureau.

But he had promised Qin Shuyi he could get a lenient sentence for the Sunny Doll, and he wouldn’t go back on his words. If Cheng Hua couldn’t help him, he would turn to his big brother as a last resort.

It turned out Cheng Hua was indeed well connected and knew the people in charge of the Justice Department.” Take it easy. The Bureau’s opinion on this matter would be the same as ours. Even though the Monster Bureau now abides by the Human Law, sometimes the Heavenly Law would take precedent over the other laws. They will consider all the mitigating factors.”

Jiang Lan was a little embarrassed.” I am just a little worried about them.”

Cheng Hua thought this Little Monster had a soft heart. When he was about to say a few comforting words, he suddenly sensed a cold stare.

He immediately froze his smile and said in a stiff voice.” Don’t worry. I will come right away. Please share your location.”

Then he felt the stare from Ying Qiao turned colder. A thought struck him, and he hurriedly added.” Xiao Ying will come too.”

The phone was too hot, he immediately returned it.

Ying Qiao gazed at him with a strange look.” Since when do you have such a very friendly relation with Jiang Lan?”

Cheng Hua.”…..I don’t think it could be described as very friendly.”

Ying Qiao smiled coldly.” Oh, if you two are not very friendly, why did he ask for your help first?”

Why didn’t the Little Monster ask for my help?

Feeling deeply wronged, he complained.” I am supposed to be the only one he knows who works in the Special Service Branch? And it is very likely I am the only high monster he knows. Naturally, he asked for my help. And he doesn’t even have my number!”

Ying Qiao’s face now looked much better.

Then he complained.” I didn’t expect the Little Monster would ask for your help, not mine.”

He had obviously forgotten that in the mind of the Little Monster, he was just an ordinary snake monster.

Now it was Cheng Hua’s turn to have a strange look on his face. He kindly reminded Ying Qiao.” If you tell Jiang Lan that you are actually the famous Ying Dragon, he would definitely ask for your help the next time.”

In his mind, Cheng Hua laughed: now you are jealous, do you dare to expose your lies?

Ying Qiao…….

Of course, confessing to being the Ying Dragon was out of the question. Once he thought that Jiang Lan held the Ying Dragon in low regard, his headaches would return to haunt him.

In a foul mood, Ying Qiao threw away his documents and rose.” Let’s go.”

Looking at his angry face, Cheng Hua felt he was avenged.

*****

When Jiang Lan finished the call and returned to the meeting room, he saw Wang Qing shrunk into a corner, obviously shocked.

Seeing Jiang Lan, he stammered.” Paper Paper doll…..can can can move…….”

Jiang Lan turned to stare at the Sunny Doll.” Why did you scare him?”

The Sunny Doll was not sorry.” He kept staring at my daddy!”

Qin Shuyi had been absent-minded since he stepped into the Police station. Now he was suddenly conscious of their exchanges, and the horror on Wang Qing’s face told him what the Sunny Doll had done. He furrowed his brow and said sternly.” What did Papa say to you before we left home?”

“No more misbehavior.” The Sunny Doll instantly lost her spirit.

Rubbing against his pocket, it said.” Daddy, I know I am wrong.”

Qin Shuyi sternly reprimanded it and made it promise. Then he apologized to Wang Qing with a sorry look.

Wang Qing……

Gazing at Qin Shuyi’s shirt pocket, he was hundred percent certain the voice coming from the shirt pocket belonged to that paper doll.

Looking helplessly at Jiang Lan, he felt he was on the verge of passing out.

At this moment, Captain Cheng pushed the door and entered the room. Looking at Qin Shuyi, he said.” Mr. Qin, we have a few questions for you.”

Qin Shuyi met his eyes and nodded.

Zhao Li escorted him to the interrogation room while Captain Cheng spoke with Jiang Lan.” We have found the file concerning the flood in 1999. After the flood, Qin Shuyi had called the Police, claiming that the villagers had murdered his wife and daughter as human sacrifices to the rain god. But when the officers were dispatched to the village, villagers all asserted that he had gone mad after his wife and daughter accidentally fell into the river. Because the flood had devastated the village, the officers failed to find any clues. So this case was concluded.”

“Qin Shuyi had a strong motive for wanting them dead.” Gazing at Jiang Lan, Captain Cheng said slowly.” So he is the murderer you found?”

Jiang Lan nodded, then shook his head.” Yes and no.”

“What do you mean?”

After reading the file, Captain Cheng confirmed Qin Shuyi had the motive for committing the murders. He began to lean towards what Jiang Lan had said. But he couldn’t figure out how Qin Shuyi did it.

Jiang Lan thought a second and said.” The villagers indeed killed Qin Shuyi’s wife and daughter, and he wanted to avenge them. But it was his daughter who did all these.”

Captain Cheng felt he was kidding him.” But Qin Shuyi’s daughter passed away twenty years ago.”

Jiang Lan smiled.” Yes, that’s why I am here. Now you can start by getting a clear picture of what happened twenty years ago, then dispatch officers to comb through the river by the old site of the He village. The missing heads of those three victims should be there.”

The village was in a remote location. Even the road there had improved in the years since it would take at least three hours for a round trip between here and that village.

But the interval between He Laowu’s disappearance and Qin Shuyi’s appearance was barely one hour.

Unless Qin Shuyi was capable of flight, it was impossible to move He Laowu’s head to the old site of the He village in this short interval.

Captain Cheng wanted to raise his doubts, but Jiang Lan’s confident manner somehow convinced him.” I will send people there.” 

Then, he left for the interrogation room.

Jiang Lan wasn’t allowed in the interrogation room, so he sat bored in the meeting room. After finishing their statement, Li Xiujuan and her son also entered the meeting room.

At a glance, Jiang Lan noticed her expression had changed.

As if some terrifying things had spooked her, she trembled with eyes bulging, and her lips had turned purple.

Her son was too preoccupied with this profound change in their lives that he didn’t notice her mother’s unusual look.

He remained unaware of her mother’s state until Li Xiujuan suddenly screamed and knelt on the ground. While kowtowing, she kept mumbling.” I didn’t kill you. I have no part in this.

“Mother, what are you doing?” Her son was surprised, wanting to drag her up.

But Li Xiujuan seemed to have been glued to the ground. Her look was that of extreme horror as if she had seen some frightening things. She kept hitting her forehead against the floor that she was bleeding.

“I am not responsible for this. My man had died. You can take vengeance on the culprits. He Laosan and He Laoliu are still alive. Please leave me alone. I didn’t kill you.”

She refused her son’s attempt to lift her up and screamed at the top of her voice. Hearing the noise, many officers rushed to the meeting room and were surprised by Li Xiujuan’s wild looks.

“What’s the matter? Should we call the ambulance?”

“She just said she didn’t do it, and He Laosan and He Laoliu were murderers.” Jiang Lan stood up.” Comrade officers, I have reason to believe they had covered up another murder.”

While attempting to drag his mother up, Li Xiujuan’s son tried to refute him.” This is baseless accusation!”

Jiang Lan didn’t budge.” I heard from Captain Cheng that the He Village was involved in a superstitious killing twenty years ago. Maybe this Madam Li knows something about it.”

Two Police officers were a little hesitant while Li Xiujuan was acting in a wild manner. But once Jiang Lan stopped speaking, she seemed to come back to her senses and turned to stare at Jiang Lan with a threatening look.” Damn you, what nonsense you just said!”

Now the officers could sense she was trying to hide her guilty feeling with her threatening looks. She kept denying Jiang Lan’s accusation while darting her eyes from side to side.

Li Xiujuan wanted to leave with her son, but the officers stopped her in a firm and friendly manner.” Please wait. Captain Cheng has more questions for you.”

Jiang Lan smiled. As he passed by Li Xiujuan, he picked up the paper doll hiding among her hairs without anyone knowing it and left the meeting room.