Snail Senior Brother

Chapter 253 Recollection: D

This was a good deal that would make Cui Fang's funds more ample. So, she did not hesitate and agreed to Zhu Guang's request, becoming Shen Xue, a poor worker in her own shop.

From the beginning, Cui Fang's objective was clear: to bring Li Jiu and Gao Xiaojuan together. In matters of male-female relationships, Cui Fang was as much an expert as Zhu Guang, and she quickly bonded with Gao Xiaojuan.

Originally, this was just a play, easy for hunters in the world of men and women. But before long, Cui Fang became intensely interested in this small courtyard. She could feel that the courtyard was filled with incredibly intelligent people, including Gao Xiaojuan, with whom she had quickly bonded.

Gao Xiaojuan had grown up in Europe and was more direct. In college, she carried condoms in her bag, and sleeping with a boy she liked was commonplace. Cui Fang had also lived in Europe for a while and understood the chaotic romantic relationships of European youth. Furthermore, Cui Fang could see that as Gao Xiaojuan's understanding of Chinese culture grew, she couldn't explicitly voice certain things herself, making Cui Fang the pawn she could use.

Cui Fang didn't care about that; she had no intention of actually becoming the wife of any man in this courtyard. She was simply interested in these intelligent people, so she began to investigate Zhu Guang secretly.

Zhu Guang was planning a murder. The targets were three people: Jin Bin, Yu Lin, and Han Jianguo. After their deaths, English blood characters would be left behind, providing clues for the police.

Jin Bin was a police officer at the precinct. He was the first to die. He was found naked in an empty room with a message confirming that Jin Bin had a mistress and was killed while meeting her.

A few days after Jin Bin's death, Yu Lin also died. His head was severed and left at the foot of the imperial city.

Finally, Han Jianguo also died in his own shopping mall. It looked like a locked-room murder, but in reality, he was killed, the place was set on fire, and the killer left before the fire alarm sounded, making the scene appear to be a locked-room murder.

After hearing Cui Fang finish, Wang Zeying was very confused. "Is there any connection between these three people? Why leave English letters after their deaths?"

"Ten years ago, a rape and murder occurred near Jinchi fish. The victim was an eighteen-year-old girl. The three boys who raped and murdered her were brazen and left a 'd' next to the victim, implying 'dame' or 'slut'."

Wang Zeying had heard Cui Fang talk about this rape and murder case. He was twenty-two years old at the time and had just become a police officer. The deceased girl was Ma Xiaochun, the daughter of Old Ma from the criminal investigation team, Ma Qingguo.

Wang Zeying didn't know the details, only that Old Ma made many mistakes in that case. The killer was never caught, and his career was ruined. Since then, Old Ma carried a military canteen daily, filled not with water, but with white wine. There was also a saying that Old Ma stayed on the front lines for years solely to catch these killers.

"Since you know those three were the murderers from that year, why didn't anyone report it?"

"There was no evidence."

Hearing this, Wang Zeying became furious. "If there was no evidence, they should have looked for it! They can't take the law into their own hands to punish criminals."

"This isn't called punishment. According to Zhu Guang's design, he calls this a trial."

"Did Zhu Guang kill them?"

"No, Old Ma did the killing."

Hearing this outcome, Wang Zeying was speechless for a long time. After much internal struggle, he said, "Old Ma is a police officer."

"He is also a father."

Hearing Cui Fang's answer, Wang Zeying had no defense. He was also a father, and if someone did something excessive to his children, he wouldn't forgive them either. He looked at the flickering candlelight and downed the red wine in his glass.

Cui Fang made no attempt to console Wang Zeying. She saw Wang Zeying turn his head, trying to wipe away his tears. Finally, she asked, "Wang Zeying, will you go arrest Ma Qingguo?"

"Yes!"

Wang Zeying's voice was as soft as a mosquito's.

Cui Fang stood up and walked over to Wang Zeying. She saw his weakness and then embraced his head in her soft arms, saying, "Cry, it will feel better if you cry it out."

Wang Zeying began to cry, first sobbing, then erupting into a cathartic wail.

Cui Fang knew that Zhu Guang had orchestrated this matter and that Old Ma would follow the plan to kill. Old Ma killed Jin Bin first. He left a note on Jin Bin's desk with Ma Xiaochun's name and the address of the empty room. Jin Bin, guilty of his past deeds, went to the empty room alone, where Old Ma injected him with a paralytic from behind, undressed him as planned, and then slit Jin Bin's throat with a knife.

After killing Jin Bin, Old Ma used Jin Bin's blood to write an 'A' on the floor.

Upon learning of Jin Bin's death, the first thing Cui Fang did was write a letter stating that Jin Bin's wife knew who the killer was. Years ago, Jin Bin and two companions committed a terrible crime while drinking. Afterwards, they were terrified, but they put the past behind them and resolved to start anew.

Therefore, even though Cui Fang wrote a warning letter, no one suspected that Jin Bin's death was related to Ma Xiaochun's death that year. Jin Bin had kept the secret well, so well that even his wife didn't know. Cui Fang's letter not only failed to help the police but also misled their judgment, and the case made no progress.

Since that was the case, Cui Fang could only try to save Yu Lin and Han Jianguo. Cui Fang had not been able to find Yu Lin. Hearing that a headless body was being sought in the imperial city, she guessed that Yu Lin was likely dead.

Fortunately, Han Jianguo could still be saved. So, Cui Fang found Han Jianguo's mall while looking for a location for her new store. She deliberately chatted enthusiastically with Han Jianguo and linked arms with him to go to a restaurant.

Originally, Cui Fang wanted to tell Han Jianguo the whole story, but she didn't expect Han Jianguo to make advances towards her and attempt to use his position as mall manager to trick Cui Fang into bed. His petty tricks were too childish for Cui Fang, and they made her see his true nature clearly. So, after treating Han Jianguo to dinner, Cui Fang let the matter drop and never brought it up again.

If Han Jianguo hadn't died and Wang Zeying had become the person in charge, Cui Fang would never have intended to reveal this matter.

That night, Wang Zeying did not stay with Cui Fang. He left after drinking that glass of wine.

Cui Fang watched the lonely Wang Zeying leave, knowing that forcing him to stay would bring no happiness. She looked at Wang Zeying and asked seriously, "What about what you promised me?"

"I'll come back next time!"

Walking alone on the street, he saw someone selling oden from a cart. Wang Zeying bought some and carried it to the outside of Wende Xiaoyuan.

"Cao Shi!"

Cao Shi walked out of the courtyard. His gaze fell on Wang Zeying's oden, and he grinned. "This is good stuff."

"Brother, I need to talk to you about something."

"Go ahead!"

"How much do you know about your senior brother?"

"Zhu Guang?"

"Yes!"

"That woman Cui Fang told you that these recent cases are related to my senior brother?"

Wang Zeying was very displeased and said loudly, "Do you consider me a brother? You hit me, and I didn't hold any resentment, but you, you don't tell me anything and treat me like an idiot?"

"There is someone behind Zhu Guang. I don't know who it is. But I know that Zhu Guang is doing everything he can to gain that person's approval. So, we can't make a move on Zhu Guang for now."

"There's someone else? Who?"

"I really don't know."

"I don't care, I will arrest Zhu Guang. I am a police officer of the people, and I cannot let criminals go unpunished."

Cao Shi sighed. "If you have evidence, then go arrest him."

Wang Zeying was furious. He shoved all the oden into Cao Shi's hands and said through gritted teeth, "From today onwards..."

"We sever ties?"

"From today onwards, don't think about freeloading meals from me!"

Wang Zeying ultimately didn't say anything harsh. He resented Cao Shi for withholding information, but he also knew that Cao Shi wasn't someone who abetted evil. Perhaps, as Cao Shi said, there was someone behind Zhu Guang, but Wang Zeying didn't care. He would arrest any criminal he encountered.

That night, Wang Zeying thought a lot. After work, he took his assistant, Xiao Zhou, and found Old Ma, who was drinking at the foot of the imperial city early in the morning.

"Ma Qingguo, I am now arresting you for the murder of Han Jianjun."

Old Ma, with bleary eyes, asked, "Wang Zeying, do you have evidence?"

"No."

"If you don't have evidence, I'll admit it. I've avenged my daughter. Now, even if I'm shot, I'll have faced my daughter's spirit with honor."

"You are a police officer, you can arrest them! Why seek revenge?" Wang Zeying shouted unhappily.

Old Ma hurled his military canteen at the city wall. He first laughed loudly, then began to cry, "Those bastards, when my daughter was in her prime, they defiled her and killed her. They were young then, so it wasn't a capital offense. They destroyed my family, my daughter, my life. Their crimes were not punishable by death~ I don't like such laws. The law couldn't kill them, so I did."

"Ma Qingguo, you were deceived by the mastermind."

"What mastermind? I avenged my daughter, and there's still a mastermind? That's right, some kind person told me the truth about my daughter's death, allowing me to find those killers in my lifetime. He is my benefactor. You want me to reveal him? Impossible. Wang Zeying, I killed all three of them. A, B, C. When they wrote that 'd' next to my daughter's body, they sealed their fate. Take out your gun and shoot me. Go on, Wang Zeying."