Blutiger Handabdruck - Kapitel 29
Xu Haicheng asked him, "Where are the things in the box?"
The shop assistant paused for a moment, then said, "There's nothing inside."
Xu Haicheng examined it over and over, but still felt it was just a valuable wooden box and nothing more. He sighed in disappointment and returned to the Municipal Bureau with Pan Xiaolu.
Back in his office, Xu Haicheng threw away the cold bowl of noodles, made himself a fresh bowl, and ate while looking at the internet cafe's customer list for the day. Thousands of names made his head spin; he thought to himself, "The internet cafe's business is incredibly good." Just as he was about to give up, a familiar name caught his eye.
Lin Junfeng.
The registration time was from 9:00 PM to 9:20 PM, which is close to the time when the festival organizing committee received the threatening letter. Checking the registered ID numbers and verifying them with the television audience list, not a single number was different.
Finally, things took a turn for the better.
Xu Haicheng was overjoyed. He entered Lin Junfeng's ID number into the household registration information, and soon, Lin Junfeng's information, including his ID photo, appeared clearly.
Lin Junfeng, a resident of Chengguan District, Jingyun City, a 1999 graduate of the Archaeology Department of Nanpu University, was going to work at the Jingyun City Archaeological Institute… The information above matched what Lin Junfeng had said on TV that day. However, when Xu Haicheng saw the photo, his heart sank. Although the Lin Junfeng in the photo had a thin face, his eyes were level, and his mouth wasn't crooked. He bore a five-point resemblance to the Lin Junfeng he had seen on TV, but it was certain that they were two different people.
Xu Haicheng called the family phone number registered in the household registration information. Lin Junfeng's father answered the phone. Upon hearing that it was the police station, he immediately panicked and quickly woke his sleeping son. Lin Junfeng said sleepily that he had lost his ID card a few days ago, and it seemed that his wallet disappeared after he spoke to someone. Looking back, he guessed that he had encountered a flower-picking gang.
Xu Haicheng put down the phone and stared at Lin Junfeng's photo for a long time, vaguely feeling that he resembled someone. So he hurried to the technical department and asked him to process Lin Junfeng's photo, plumping up his cheeks, raising his nose, and then filling in his temples a bit more.
The photo was taken of someone else, someone Xu Haicheng knew.
His name is Lu Mingjie.
Section 55: Chapter Ten, Part Three of the Cataclysm (1)
Chapter Ten: The Third Calamity
Someone once said that a person's burdens are where their fulfillment lies. Twenty years ago, I suddenly became an orphan, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about the future. Seeing her being bullied, my anxiety vanished instantly, replaced by only one thought: to protect her. Everyone thought I had warmed her heart, but in truth, she had also warmed mine…
(Excerpt from "Police Detective's Diary")
Xu Haicheng was utterly astonished when the photo appeared on the computer screen. In his memory, Lu Mingjie had a handsome appearance, a cheerful yet slightly melancholic expression, and a somewhat cynical temperament. In short, he was a fashionable young man of the 21st century. But in just half a year, he had become emaciated, his eyes were slanted, and his mouth was crooked; he looked exactly like a consumptive.
Having met him face-to-face at the television station, Xu Haicheng knew perfectly well that the crooked mouth and slanted eyes weren't makeup. What kind of event had caused him to look like this? No wonder that when they met at the television station, although there was a sense of déjà vu, he couldn't recognize him no matter how hard he looked. And Lu Mingjie's composure at the time suggested that he was well aware that Xu Haicheng didn't recognize him.
After the initial shock, a strange joy gradually welled up in his heart. Although Lu Mingjie's survival did not mean that Fang Li was also alive, he couldn't help but start to fantasize... The night became warmer because of this fantasy.
Early the next morning, Detective Wu, who had rushed to Songlang Village, called to report that the master had disappeared without a trace. As for the events of more than thirty years ago, it was simply too long ago for anyone to remember clearly. All that was known was that the hunting dog team had indeed been killed by the dogs, and no dogs had been found at the scene.
Because it was a police investigation, the villagers were afraid of getting into trouble, so those who firmly believed that it was a shaman casting a spell to punish the dog-stealing team no longer made their promises.
Another lead had gone cold, but Xu Haicheng wasn't discouraged. He was prepared; even if they found the victim, it wouldn't prove a connection to the November 2nd serial murders. Besides, now that a suspect had emerged, it was understandable that a young person like Lu Mingjie, after experiencing such a major upheaval, would become radicalized. Xu Haicheng remembered Fang Li mentioning that he had always disagreed with the excavation of the Manxi ancient tomb.
Although there is no direct evidence yet proving Lu Mingjie's involvement in the "Ghost Face" murder case, the threatening emails and the presence of live television viewers are enough to suggest that he is at least a potential suspect. Xu Haicheng decisively distributed a composite image of Lu Mingjie to all branch offices, instructing rank-and-file detectives and plainclothes officers to pay close attention. After doing this, he stood by the window, did a few chest-expanding exercises, took a deep breath, and looked at the bright sunshine, feeling an indescribable calm.
Until the phone rang.
"Come to my office."
Chen Chen's voice sounded a little strange, but Xu Haicheng didn't think much of it, completely absorbed in the joy of a breakthrough in the case. When he entered the bureau chief's office, he noticed that the bureau chief's complexion was also off, and the ashtray on the desk was full of cigarette butts. Due to his age, the doctor had warned Chen Chen not to smoke too much, and he usually exercised great restraint; today, something was clearly bothering him, causing him a headache and distress.
A moment later, Xu Haicheng sensed that the way the man was looking at him was completely different from usual, but he couldn't quite make out the meaning behind it. He couldn't help but call out, "Director."
"Da Xu..." Chen Chen sighed deeply, his lips drooping, revealing his aged appearance.
The sense of unease grew stronger. What could be something that would make someone as decisive as Chen Chen find it difficult to talk about?
"Ma Junnan submitted a report..."
Xu Haicheng felt a thud in his heart, and then his heart sank deeper and deeper, as if there was no end in sight.
"The city leaders have officially notified me that you are being relieved of your post and are not allowed to leave the city until the investigation is completed."
Xu Haicheng was silent for a moment, then took out his police ID, service pistol, and handcuffs and placed them on Chen Chen's desk. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "What about the case?"
"Under the supervision of Deputy Captain Feng..."
Xu Haicheng took a deep breath and said, "That's good, he's quite capable."
"Da Xu..."
"Chief..."
The two remained silent, their hearts heavy.
After a while, Xu Haicheng said, "Director, I will investigate the truth myself. I don't believe I did it."
Chen Chen nodded, waved for him to leave, but then called out to him as he reached the door, "Da Xu, you need to think about something. Ma Junnan is just an ordinary professor at Nanpu University. How did his report get to the municipal party committee so quickly, and directly to the person in charge?"
Xu Haicheng's heart skipped a beat. He suddenly recalled Yu Congrong's words from last night: "Don't think I'm saying these things because I'm afraid of you. In fact, you're nothing to me." Could that be what she meant? But why was Yu Congrong targeting him? And how could Yu Congrong and Ma Junnan be connected?
Section 56: Chapter Ten, Part Three of the Calamity (2)
He went back to his office to change into civilian clothes; he wasn't allowed to take anything else, so he just grabbed the book by Fang Li from his desk. As he left, he ran into Pan Xiaolu, who rushed over and said, "Captain Xu, I have something to report."
"Go report to Captain Feng; this case is under his jurisdiction."
"Why? We finally got some leads, and he has to interfere?" Pan Xiaolu's eyes widened.
Xu Haicheng was in a bad mood and too lazy to explain, so he picked up the book and walked towards the gate.
The slow-witted Pan Xiaolu finally realized something was wrong and asked again, "Captain Xu, where are you going?"
Where am I going?
Xu Haicheng was also bewildered. Standing at the entrance of the Public Security Bureau, he watched the endless stream of vehicles and hurried crowds. Everyone has a place to come from and a place to go, but he, over the years, had long made the Public Security Bureau his home, and solving cases and catching criminals his sole purpose in life. Standing at the crossroads, he was surprised to find that, apart from the not-so-warm home in the Public Security Bureau compound, he had nowhere else to go.