Late at night, He Xin and I were lying together. She seemed to have fallen asleep, but then she suddenly sat up nervously, "Dad, is there really no way to move those stones? I'm afraid I'll break down if we stay here any longer! Why is there no news from Director Zhang yet!"
"I'm not sure either. It's been days. What if the ritual is supposed to start on the seventh day and there's still no movement!"
"Director Zhang isn't that kind of person. Maybe he's encountered some situation lately."
"I hope he's okay." Actually, we were more in danger than anyone, yet we were worrying about others. In this rudimentary environment, He Xin and I couldn't sleep at all. We tossed and turned. Gao Mingqiang next to us was still snoring like thunder. The soundproofing in this place was, as expected, very poor, so we could only make do.
If it weren't for this, He Xin wouldn't have thought about leaving every day. You have to know she wasn't a child who couldn't endure hardship.
We didn't know if we slept or not, and thus the second day arrived. The people on watch were changed. I saw Xiahou and Xie Chuchu eating breakfast. He Xin and I went over. Zhang Keying only came out of another room at this time.
Seeing that Gao Mingqiang and a police officer were not around, I knew they had gone to keep watch.
There were still many police officers present, most of whom I couldn't name, but they were on good terms with us. Only they called me Team Leader He.
After a perfunctory breakfast, we went outside. Looking at the central altar where people had died, I instructed everyone, "Split into two groups. We'll investigate the latest crime scene. You all stay here!"
"Understood!" everyone responded.
Zhang Keying and a few police officers were with me. When we returned to the back mountain of the village, we passed through the waterfall and entered the cave behind it. Along the way, we found no footprints, nor handprints on the cave walls. There was a very wide tunnel here, which seemed to extend somewhere. We kept walking, shining our flashlights around. A police officer suddenly said, "Is there any point in us walking like this?"
"Of course, doesn't the book say many criminals like to return to the crime scene?" another police officer replied.
Zhang Keying shook her head, "Actually, it's not like that in reality."
"Ah, how so?" The police officer seemed shocked and slumped his shoulders.
I patted his shoulder and said, "You won't think this way when you have more experience."
"Oh, I understand now, Team Leader He!"
As we chatted, we had reached the end of the tunnel. We found that there was indeed a secret room similar to the one we had discovered before. However, some areas nearby were blocked with cement. I asked for some stones to prop up and observe. I found that this cement had only been applied not long ago, just like the situation we saw in the other secret room.
In other words, someone deliberately sealed these places. If I guessed correctly, these small holes were originally ventilation holes. What was the point of blocking them?
I couldn't figure it out. Zhang Keying was also deep in thought, and the police officers were scratching their heads and looking around. Someone suddenly discovered something and exclaimed, "Everyone, look, there's a handprint here!"
Zhang Keying and I were immediately drawn over. When we reached the police officer, we indeed found a handprint. I didn't have a steel ruler, so I could only compare it with my palm. After measuring it, I said, "It should be left by a woman. I'll take a cast, and you all take photos!"
"Okay!" After everyone finished, we left the cave. We went back to compare it with the two deceased victims and found that the handprint did not belong to them. I immediately felt a glimmer of hope. Now, I could only find an excuse to get the handprints of the Perseus family. When Gao Mingqiang returned, he asked me, "Why don't we ask the other villagers to compare them too?"
"We don't have that much time. Let's start with the suspects!"
"Alright, let's go find them!"
I knew Gao Mingqiang had his ways. He called He Xin, and they left. They returned about an hour later. Mingqiang opened several papers in front of me and said, "We got them!"
I gave him a thumbs-up and said, "Great, I'll compare them right away!"
I compared the handprints of the Perseus family, including the maids. The result showed that the handprint belonged to Mercia.
As the conclusion was reached, He Xin nervously said, "How could it be her? This maid looks very kind!"
"Let's summon her first!"
When Mercia arrived at the main camp, I cleared out a simple room to serve as an interrogation room. Gao Mingqiang whispered a few words in my ear, telling me that when Mercia was taken away, Perseus and the others were all cursing her. They all seemed to believe Mercia was the murderer.
This family's attitude changed quite quickly. I didn't think too much about it. Everything still needed to be clarified through questioning.
I didn't handcuff Mercia. It wasn't time yet, as a handprint alone didn't prove anything.
I took out the photos taken at the scene and pointed at them, saying, "Mercia, you should know why you're here, right?"
"Sorry, I don't understand..."
Speechless, she could say these few words if she didn't understand. I suspected she was deliberately not talking to me. It seemed I needed to find Zhang Keying to help. She entered the temporary interrogation room and started speaking fluent English with Mercia. Throughout the process, I kept a close eye on Mercia's micro-expressions and her hands and feet, but her reactions seemed normal.
After a while, Zhang Keying leaned over and said a few words in my ear. It turned out her explanation for the handprint was that she had gone there to fetch water. However, judging by the traces of the handprint, I could tell it was not left long ago.
I told Zhang Keying how to question her, and Keying immediately chattered with Mercia again, but this time Mercia remained very calm, with no flaws.
After the interrogation was complete, Zhang Keying came out and told me, "She probably just went behind the waterfall by coincidence. I don't think the killer is her!"
"Oh, really?" As Zhang Keying said this, I carefully stole a glance at Mercia, who was still sitting inside the room. She looked confused, as if she didn't understand our conversation.
It seemed we had indeed arrested the wrong person. We had no choice but to let Mercia go back.
When I was with everyone, Gao Mingqiang said with disappointment, "I thought we had found evidence, but it turned out to be a coincidence. In this case, I don't know how long it will take to sort this out."