Memory Lost (美人为馅): Chapter 72

Chapter 72: Killing by Imitation Part 3

At a farmhouse less than 2 km away from Situ Yi’s mansion.

Jin Xi has her gloves and shoe covers on standing outside of the house and looking afar.  All she sees are mountain tops over the short fence around the backyard.  There’s a long and narrow path outside of the gate where tall weeds and trees grow.  It’s about a hundred meters from the next farmhouse.

It is completely suitable for carrying out the crimes of the case.

The local police team has already sealed off this farmhouse, attracting many onlookers.  This area is responsible by the Black Shield Team.  Therefore, there isn’t a lot of people in the backyard.  Besides the Black Shield Team, only the three investigators brought along by Qin Wen Long, two forensic officers, Xu Si Bai, Xiao Yao and Xu Nan Bai are here.

“When we arrived, the house was empty and he has never been back before,” Cold Face comes over to say, “We’ve already requested for an arrest order to go hunt Shao Lun down at his workplace and/or places that he frequents.”

Han Chen and Qin Wen Long nod.

“I’ve already taken a look at the tire marks on the dirt road,” Chatterbox comes and says, “They’re from a larger sized car.  It should be an SUV.”

The group of them walk into the house.

This two-story building doesn’t look anything different from an ordinary farmhouse on the surface level.  White walls, black bricks, cement flooring, and the furniture are all very simple looking.  But once the officers break the lock to the basement and walk down the narrow and dark staircase, everybody is shocked from what they see.

It looks not much far off from being a living hell.  It even seems to imitate the crime setting seen in western movies and tv shows.

It’s very dark.  All of the windows are completely sealed.  Just like what Han Chen said, the place has been renovated for soundproofing.  In the middle of the ceiling, an extremely bright white light lamp hangs from it, illuminating all the different shapes and sizes of knives, metal rods, and axes.  Some of them even have fresh blood stains on them.

Right underneath the lamp, there is a very big and heavy chair.  Some ropes are lying loosely on it.  From the looks of it, they must have been used to tie up the victims.

There are many spots of blood staining the floor.  And when a forensic officer turns on the ultraviolet light, big spots like swamps of blood stains are uncovered.  The sight of it gives chills to everyone’s heart.

Jin Xi walks to a table by the wall.  There are a few women’s purses lying on top.  She picks one up.  In contrast to the mess of this place, the purses are very clean and are wrapped inside plastic bags standing neatly.  Not a single spot of dirt is on them.  Inside every plastic bag, there is also a small card that has some brief information of the victim written on it.  The one in her hand says: “Zhou Si Jin.  29 years old.  Very pretty.”

Her heart shivers.  She puts the bag down, turns around and looks at Han Chen, “Perhaps his original intention was to seek revenge.  He wanted to revenge Situ Yi and also those women.  But in essence, he has already become a psychopath.”

_____

The criminal investigators and forensic investigators stay at the scene for a long time.  They have to bring all the exhibits and tools used for committing the crime back.

The sky turns dark very quickly.

Jin Xi wanders inside of the house for a long while before seeing Chatterbox lying beside the stairs to the basement while using a flashlight.

“What’s the matter?” she asks.

Chatterbox answers, “There seems to be something here.  Hold this for me.”

Jin Xi takes the flashlight and looks towards where his finger is pointing.  There’s actually a very tiny black object sticking out from the wall covered with spots of blood.  Chatterbox sure is an expert in identifying marks and traces.  It’s such a hidden area yet he found something.

“A camera?” she asks.

Chatterbox responds, “Mm.  American stuff.  It’s not cheap.  It looks like a wireless one.”

Han Chen walks up the stairs at the same time and also looks at the camera with them.

Chatterbox murmurs to himself, “These wireless cameras can only transmit up to 5 kilometers.  There aren’t any computers in the house, so where is Shao Lun viewing the videos?  In the car?”

Jin Xi is stunned.

Han Chen says, “Go take a look and see if there are other cameras in the house.”

“Sure.”

Chatterbox dashes away like the wind.  Han Chen calls a forensic officer over and digs out the camera in the wall.

Jin Xi continues standing where she is, examining the camera.  In the light, it’s black and shiny; like a beast’s eye staring straight at you.

Chatterbox finds many more of these cameras very soon.

They’re all installed in extremely hidden but key places.  For example, on the branch of the big tree by the gate to the backyard, on the dark color beam under the roof, in the corner of the wall that has been blocked off by a table in the basement……If you don’t look closely, you wouldn’t discover them at all.

And as for what has been recorded from these cameras, only the computer that is saving these clips would know.

The officers gradually begin to spread out outside of the house to examine the backyard area.  Jin Xi is still thinking about the camera functions and range that Chatterbox was saying; something just doesn’t feel right.  A blurry thought is floating in her mind.  She walks around the basement as she tries to clear up her mind.

She hears Chatterbox shout again, “Hey!  I found something else.”

Jin Xi turns around and sees him handing Han Chen the three bottles of water that have been sitting on the window sill, “Leader, there’s sleeping medicine in here.  Every one of them.”

Han Chen and Jin Xi are stunned.

Han Chen takes them, lowers his head and smells.  Chatterbox says with a proud voice, “Weren’t there officers who were given some sleeping medicine by this fellow?  I took some time to research on sleeping medicine this afternoon, so I could tell with just a sip.”

Han Chen and Jin Xi look at him without commenting.

“But……” Jin Xi takes one of the bottles to examine it as well, “there were no elements of sleeping medicine found in the victims’ bodies.”

Chatterbox is stunned.

“If it’s not for them, then it’s for himself,” Han Chen says suddenly.

Chatterbox, “Oh.”

Jin Xi stares at the water bottles without a word.  Han Chen glances at her, reveals a thoughtful smile and walks to the other side.

His cell phone rings.  The reception in the basement isn’t very good, so he picks up the call and starts walking up the stairs to go outside.  The basement is now left with Chatterbox and Jin Xi.  Chatterbox is still searching the place like he has a radar on him as if he’s afraid of missing a single detail.  Jin Xi, on the other hand, is squatting and staring at the ground in a daze.

She’s thinking.

The blurry thoughts in her mind are bouncing around trying to get organized and be fused together——

Hidden cameras; a range of 5 kilometers; the videos recorded from them; sleeping medicine……

Extremely mentally ill and excited; spying in the dark; the smile flashing across his face……

“I think that’s about it.  Should we go up?” Chatterbox comes over and asks.

Jin Xi is still staring at the ground as she lets out a “Mm” absentmindedly.  She isn’t listening at all.

It’s hard to tell how long it’s been but everywhere around her is quiet.

Jin Xi’s face finally reveals a smile.

“Chatterbox, I know why!” she looks up and says, “I know what’s going on in this case…..ah?”

The basement is completely empty.  Only a single lamp is shining above her head casting a clear shadow.

Chatterbox is long gone.

Jin Xi clicks her tongue before putting her hands on her knees to get ready to stand up.  All of a sudden, she sees another shadow overlapping with hers from behind.

Without a sound or forewarning, that shadow has come right behind her.  Jin Xi’s heart thumps as she attempts to run forward out of reflex!

But it’s too late.

That person is unbelievably fast; her throat is being grabbed on from behind.  Jin Xi makes a low inaudible sound of breathing and in the next second, her feet are off the ground as the person lifts her up by holding her throat.

Jin Xi tries to break free with all her might.  She tries to pry open his fingers but with no success.  The man’s hands in white gloves are like pincers.  His breathing is steady and also very cruel.  It’s obvious that he wants to kill her.

Everything in front of Jin Xi starts to turn dark.  She wants to shout for help but she is unable to make a sound.  She stretches her legs and kicks behind her hard, but like an experienced fighter, the man takes the upper hand the second she leaves an opening.  He dodges her kicks and then squeezes her neck even harder.

“Shit……” Jin Xi curses but she can’t hear her voice come out at all.

Who is he?  Who is he!  Someone who is this skillful.

Cops are everywhere.  So how did he sneak in?

And why does he want to kill her?!

……

Han Chen……Han Chen!

Gradually, her breathing becomes difficult.  Her throat hurts like it’s burning in fire.  And slowly, her consciousness becomes hazy.  She finally loses her strength to move.  She then feels the person loosening up his grip, holding her throat with just one hand while covering her mouth with the other pinching her face.  He’s getting ready to snap her neck.