"So the person did as you told me, Officer Xiao, and tied me up. It was my good luck that I found a pair of scissors and, after immense effort, managed to free myself. Then I came down from the fourth floor of the mansion where they bound me. I thought they would still be there, plotting something, or that I could try to attack them. In any case, at that moment, I just wanted to drive them away, but they were already gone. After that, it was your turn to arrive. Honestly, at first, I thought you were all working together. I must have imagined a scene of police chasing criminals into my home!"
As he spoke, we all felt a headache coming on. Finally, the man finished. I cleared my throat and said, "I hope you're not lying to us. When was the last time you saw them?"
"Of course, I wouldn't lie. After they tied me up, I never saw them again. I haven't heard any noise these past few days, and I don't know what they're doing," the man said.
I took his photo and sent it to He Xin, asking her to help investigate this man's background.
Then I had people search everywhere, going through the entire mansion. Only when I was certain that Xiao Yuande and his brother were not there did I say, "I've already guessed something. What about you, Gao Mingqiang!"
"Mm, I suspect the criminal is Xiao Yuande's brother, and then Yuande..."
"Alas, it's hard on him, but there's nothing we can do. Everyone is equal before the law. I hope they haven't gone too far!"
As I spoke, Xie Chuchu sent me a message: "Senior, the deceased had terminal lung cancer. We also found a suicide note in her hands and feet. It turns out she had been suffering from the illness for a long time and no longer wanted to live."
"Were the previous victims in similar situations?"
"Mm, we investigated, and it's true."
It seemed the killer merely wanted to send them on their way early. From the killer's perspective, they probably didn't consider it a crime, but rather an act of kindness. Their intention was likely that they were helping these people find release.
Therefore, from their point of view, their actions were all correct. No matter what we said to them, it would be useless. A deep-seated obsession had already taken root in their souls, and they couldn't shake it off.
For now, we could only leave the mansion. Outside the house, we discovered a surveillance camera on a wall. I followed a wire and dismantled it, planning to take it back and see if it had captured anything.
Upon returning to the provincial department, we first handed the equipment to He Xin, then contacted the traffic management bureau to obtain all the surveillance footage from the roads on the mountain. Everyone began reviewing it, but the workload was immense. We didn't know how long it would take. I didn't handle it personally but asked Liu Yuning to lead the information technology department in reviewing the footage.
I returned to my dormitory, feeling very dejected at the thought that Xiao Yuande was involved in this case. I was truly worried that I might eventually have to handcuff him. I couldn't bear to imagine that scene. I asked Shao Zhengzhi to investigate Xiao Yuande's brother. I wouldn't have known if I hadn't looked. It turned out his brother's name was Xiao Yuanba. His file seemed clean. He had even been a chemistry teacher at Xinyu Middle School before. Was his job still active?
I wondered if he had returned to teaching.
I sent the information to Liu Yuning, who quickly came to my office. "Should we go and take a look?"
"We can only try our luck. Even if we don't find Xiao Yuanba, we can at least get some information."
Thirty minutes later, we arrived at Xinyu High School. I remembered that He Xin had studied here, around the time I adopted her and she reached high school age.
She had been accepted into some foreign hacker academy here. Recalling this, we got out of the car and immediately went to the teachers' office. With the help of a female teacher named Ms. Zhang, we learned that Teacher Xiao had taken leave a few days ago, citing family matters back home that required his attention.
"Did he tell you what those matters were?" I asked.
"No, Teacher Xiao is a very good person. The principal never refused his leave requests, and he always approved them quickly."
"In your impression, what kind of person is he?"
"He is very dedicated to his work and polite to everyone. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a role model for our teachers."
Ms. Zhang's evaluation of Xiao Yuanba was indeed high. Was he truly such a good person?
I continued to ask for more details and learned that Xiao Yuanba taught chemistry in Class 304, which was a graduating class. Since he wasn't here now, I asked, "Who is temporarily covering his classes?"
"They just found a substitute teacher. It's only for a few days. According to Teacher Xiao, he should be back tomorrow."
"Is that so? If he returns, could you notify us immediately?"
"Of course. Officers, why are you here to investigate Teacher Xiao? Has he gotten into trouble?" Ms. Zhang asked nervously.
"No, don't worry too much. We've encountered a situation and need to confirm something with him."
I answered politely, and a few minutes later, we walked out of the teachers' office building. As we emerged, we saw students playing on the sports field. It suddenly reminded me of my own high school days.
Liu Yuning walked beside me and said, "Back in my second year of high school, I developed the idea of becoming a police officer. My family completely disagreed at the time. You know, my parents are in the pharmaceutical business."
"Oh, I didn't know who your father was."
"I'll tell you when the time is right, but it's not now. Alright, look, those students over there are playing badminton!"
I hadn't understood Liu Yuning's intention until just then. The moment she finished speaking, she dashed off. I quickly followed behind, thinking she had discovered a clue.
She borrowed a badminton racket from one of the girls and started playing with a few girls on the other side.
As the shuttlecock flew towards her, Liu Yuning gripped the racket tightly and smashed it back. The shuttlecock shot out with astonishing speed, like a lightning ball that caught everyone off guard. Several times, the girls on the other side didn't even react before the shuttlecock landed on the ground.
A smash sent the shuttlecock flying like a rapid fireball, soaring over the nearby fence. A few girls tried to intercept it, but it was completely ineffective.
The shuttlecock's speed was so extreme that it could be described as invisible to the naked eye.