Lai Cheng took off his earphones, stretched his neck, and looked in the direction of the smell.
The southern area of "Spring Tide Riverside" is near the river. There are two paths next to the greenway leading directly to the riverside. Although this section of the riverbank is not the private territory of the owners, most outsiders will not come here.
The riverside is very depressed in winter and rarely sees people, but it is very lively in summer and spring, setting up tents, holding barbecues, setting off fireworks, watching the stars... You can do anything.
In order to provide convenience for the owners, at the beginning of this year or last year, the property management set up a few tool rooms on the Eluan rock beach by the river, which is similar to the "container" that the migrant workers live in on the construction site, which can be placed inside without taking it home. items.
After the fall, not to mention the tool room, almost no one went to the Eluan Shitan.
The smell came from a tool room.
Lai Cheng hesitated for a while, then lowered his head and said to Samoyed, "Let's go and see?"
Samoyed didn't understand, and tilted his head stupidly, "Ow?"
"Playing the piano to the dog is a waste of expression." Lai Cheng laughed at himself, pulled the dog's chain, and led the Samoyed towards the path one kilometer ahead.
There is also an access control on the road. Lai Cheng punched the card and pushed the blocking pole away, even if he left the community.
Samoyed excitedly dragged him forward, but the closer he got to the tool room, the more unsettling he felt.
There are no street lights on the Eluan Rock Beach. The light comes from the greenway in the community and the background light of the city.
Lai Cheng smelled a strong odor and wanted to pick up a branch and open the door of the tool room, but he couldn't find it after searching for a long time, so he picked up a few warm goose stones and threw them at the door vigilantly.
The door was unlocked, cracked open when smashed, but quickly closed again.
Lai Cheng cursed inwardly and had to walk to the door himself.
Samoyed suddenly became very excited, and before Lai Cheng opened the door, he swooped over.
The moment the door was fully opened, an unbearable stench hit the face.
Lai Cheng almost vomited, and quickly dragged Samoyed back. But Samoyed, who has always been docile, didn't listen to him this time, and tried his best to drill inside.
His stomach was tumbling, and he couldn't hold his hand, and Samoyed rushed in and let out an excited howl. He cursed, picked up the rope that had fallen outside, and dragged the Samoyed out.
The moment he saw the Samoyed again, his heart beat wildly—the white hair of the Samoyed was actually stained!
He suddenly understood where the stench came from.
The flashlight of the mobile phone was turned on, and Lai Cheng pushed open the door of the tool room again, his eyes swept slowly in the dark and narrow space.
No, nothing.
But there are large black stains on the floor and walls.
Lai Cheng swallowed hard and looked up from the bottom. When he saw the "thing" hanging on the roof, his pupils suddenly closed, he took a step back, and the hand holding the rope was released, and a terrified cry broke out. scream-
"what!!!"
The river wind was especially strong at night, and the warning belt was blown loudly. The greenway was crowded with residents who came here after hearing the news. The owners of the southern and northern districts seemed to have temporarily put down their grievances, rubbing shoulders and leaning against their waists, looking like a dense wall of people from a distance.
The high-power searchlights directly illuminated the tool room, illuminating the faces of every detective.
A man's corpse was supported by a steel frame under the ceiling. The sharp ports of the steel frame were pierced through his chest, abdomen, shoulders, neck, and both thighs. The steel frame was soaked with blood flowing from his body.
How to remove the person is a difficult problem. If the steel frame is removed, some important information on the body may be destroyed, but if it is not removed, it will be difficult for forensics and tracers to work.
"Leave it first." Xiao Man had already put on a full set of equipment, "I'll go up and have a look."
Mingshu stood by the door, looking up at the corpse's face.
The victim's eyes were two bloody holes, and half of his mouth was full of blood. If he guessed correctly, the murderer should have cut off the victim's tongue.
Gouging out the eyes, cutting off the tongue, and piercing the victim's body with steel bars, how much hatred does the murderer have for the victim
Thinking about it, Mingshu turned around and looked at the nearby river.
What was the point of the murderer putting the body here
Such a weird pose...
"Woo-"
There was a heavy sound of ships in the distance, and the quarry began to work at night.
And there are fishermen who live by this river.
Mingshu had been in contact with fishermen, who would sometimes dry the fish they caught in their huts by the river.
Is the murderer "drying" the body
"After cleaning, there is only a set of fresh footprints." Xiao Man walked up to Mingshu, "It was left by the reporter just now. According to my preliminary inference, those steel bars are of the same material as several iron gates in this community. Judging from the distribution of dust, it has only been placed here recently."
"There was an accident in this community not long before the Spring Festival." Mingshu said, "The property management once locked the door to the greenway in the southern district, preventing residents in the northern district from going on the greenway."
Yi Fei said: "The death is so strange, is it revenge for the Greenway incident?"
Mingshu shook his head, "It's hard to say."
The steel frame was dismantled, and the body was transferred to the Goeluan stony beach.
Xing Mu hurriedly conducted a preliminary autopsy, Mingshu observed the scene for a while, and called Lai Cheng, who was shaking.
Apparently frightened by the situation in the tool room, Lai Cheng's eyes were straight, and he was completely different from the last time Mingshu saw him.
"Why did you think of getting here?" Mingshu asked.
"Walking the dog." Lai Cheng sweated coldly, "I came over when I smelled the smell."
Mingshu said, "Do you still live alone now?"
Lai Cheng nodded numbly, "My dad hasn't bothered me for a long time."
"No one usually comes here?" Mingshu asked again.
Lai Cheng said, "No, it's cold here."
Mingshu stared at Lai Cheng's face for a while, knowing that if he continued to ask him now, he would not be able to ask anything. He was about to ask Fang Yuanhang to take him back to the community, when the corner of his clothes was suddenly pulled.
Lai Cheng's eyes were filled with panic, "You, have you found out who that is?"
The face of the corpse was severely damaged, and there was nothing on the body to prove the identity. Fortunately, the fingerprints were not damaged, but the comparison took a certain amount of time.
Mingshu wanted to explain a few words to Lai Cheng, but before he spoke, he realized that Lai Cheng was in an abnormal mood, so he asked, "Do you know who the victim is?"
Lai Cheng opened his mouth several times, "It seems, it seems like..."
"who is it?"
"I don't know, but I think I have, seen, seen him."
Mingshu took a breath of cold air, "Who do you think he looks like?"
Lai Cheng's eyes were red, "It seems, it's my dad. I called him just now, but I couldn't get through!"
After speaking, Lai Cheng's emotions finally collapsed, and he squatted on the ground while crying and trembling.
When Xing Mu stood up from the corpse cloth, he staggered. Fang Yuanhang quickly supported him, "Mr. Xing, what's wrong with you?"
Xing Mu shook his head, indicating that he was fine.
Mingshu walked over, "Mr. Xing?"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm a little panicked here." Xing Mu pointed to the position of his heart and sighed, "Why are the cases we encountered recently so cruel?"
Mingshu understood as soon as he heard it, "Is the victim thrown onto the steel frame alive?"
Xing Mu nodded: "The deceased has very obvious struggle injuries, and all the places where the steel bars run through have life reactions. The cause of death is excessive blood loss. This is the scene of the murder."
Mingshu's eyes darkened as he looked at the victim's mouth and nose.
"In order to prevent the victim's screams from attracting attention, the murderer wrapped multiple layers of tape on his face. Although it has been torn off now, the traces are obvious." Xing Mu said: "The limbs of the deceased were bound, and they were released after death. Open. I estimate that the murderer was here to witness the death of the deceased, and then tore off the tape and untied the rope to leave."
After a while, Xing Mu added: "Before leaving, the murderer smashed the eyes and mouth of the deceased."
Fang Yuanhang said: "The southern district is relatively quiet. Even if the mouth of the deceased is sealed, it will still make a sound."
Mingshu shook his head, "Listen to the sound of wind and river water now. No matter how loud the sound of the dead is, it will be drowned out by them."
The body was put into a body bag and quickly sent to the Criminal Investigation Bureau. After fingerprint and DNA comparison, the identity of the deceased was confirmed: Lai Xiuliang, 45 years old, divorced, partner of Liangchen Technology.
He is also Lai Cheng's father.
Lai Cheng came to the Criminal Investigation Bureau, but did not identify the body. He has been sitting on the row of chairs in the corridor, no more crying, but as if he has not accepted the fact that his father has been killed, he whispers something to himself.
Xiao Yuan went to the capital a few days ago and is currently on the special operations team. Mingshu is in charge of the serious crime team.
"This case seems to have something to do with the conflict some time ago on the banks of the Chunchao River." Mingshu said, "It has now been determined that the steel frame used as the murder weapon was the iron gate that was blocking the greenway at that time."
The projector was showing the photos of the scene, and Mingshu continued: "The iron gate was torn down on the third night of the first day of the first year and was placed in the material warehouse in the southern district. The warehouse manager said that it will be sold after the beginning of the year. But Part of it was stolen. This warehouse is full of waste, has no locks, and is not monitored, and no one usually goes there. It was not until we asked to count the number of steel frames that the administrator found out that a part was missing.”
Yi Fei said: "Someone stole the steel frame and took it to the riverside. These steel frames are very important to the murderer and represent a certain meaning, otherwise the murderer would not risk stealing from the warehouse."
Mingshu put down his pen, "So I say that this case is related to the conflict a while ago. The victim, Lai Xiuliang, is the owner of the Southern District. He has a wealthy family and lives in a villa with a private garden. He represents the wealthy people in the Southern District. The possibility of the owners of the north, who hate the rich in the south, do it. But there is a contradiction.”
Mingshu's tone changed slightly, "Assuming the murderer is the owner of the North District, I don't think it should be Lai Xiuliang."
"Lai Xiuliang doesn't live in the 'Chunchao River' at all." Yi Fei said: "Lai Xiuliang has four properties in the main city of Dongye, either villas or high-end commercial buildings. The 'Chunchao River' is his son's residence. I usually live in Beicheng District, which is closer to his company."
"Yes, why was such a rich man who rarely appeared by the 'Spring Tide River', why was he killed?" Mingshu said, "It's a bit far-fetched."
"But if it has nothing to do with the conflict on the 'Chunchao River', why does the murderer need to go to great lengths to steal the steel frame?" Fang Yuanhang said: "The murderer can commit the crime in a simpler way, and there is no need to choose the 'Chunchao River'. Goose warm rocky beach outside the bank."
The conference room was noisy, and everyone was expressing their opinions.
Mingshu listened and thought, and finally said: "Yi Fei, you should check the background of Lai Xiuliang and his company. I have met Lai Cheng, who is indifferent and has difficulty empathizing with other people's experiences. I doubt this. The formation of this character is related to his elders."
It was almost dawn, and Lai Cheng was still sitting in the corridor.
Mingshu patted his shoulder and handed him a cup of hot cocoa, "Can you answer my question now?"
Lai Cheng's hand was shaking while holding the cup. After a few seconds, he raised his head, his eyes were empty.
Mingshu said, "Come with me."
Lai Cheng's response was a little slow, but after Mingshu took a few steps, he stood up and followed behind like a wandering soul.
Mingshu took him to a small conference room, turned on the light, closed the door, "Sit."
Lai Cheng sat down, his voice hoarse, "Do you know who killed him?"
"I don't know, I don't even have a clue." Mingshu said, "So even if you are sad now, I have to ask you about your father's situation."
Lai Cheng drank hot cocoa mechanically, "I don't know much about him. He hasn't contacted me for so many days, and I haven't worried about him."
Mingshu saw strong remorse on Lai Cheng's face.
"When was the last time you saw him?"
"Before the Spring Festival." Lai Cheng said, "It's more than 20 years in the twelfth lunar month, after the school's winter vacation. He took me to eat Japanese food. I asked him if he would spend the Spring Festival with me, and he said that there was something wrong with the company and he might not be able to catch up."
Mingshu asked: "You haven't contacted since then?"
Lai Cheng said: "On New Year's Eve, he called me and asked me to say New Year's greetings to my grandmother. My grandmother is in the country, and he reminds me every year."
"Does he know what happened in the community?"
"I don't know if he knows, I didn't tell him."
Mingshu considered for a while and asked, "As far as you know, what kind of person is Lai Xiuliang? Who has he offended?"
"He..." Lai Cheng fell silent as soon as he spoke.
"Think about it carefully." Mingshu said, "You may be able to provide us with important clues."
Lai Cheng raised his head, "Do you think I'm a cold-blooded animal?"
Mingshu was slightly surprised.
"Like me, he is also a cold-blooded animal." Lai Cheng laughed at himself, "I think I am his copy, I don't feel the pain of others very much, or, every time I see others suffer, I feel I'm still a little bit happy."
"You ask me who he has offended. I don't know. I don't even know what business he does. I only know that he is very good at making money and is very generous to me. He will give anything I want." Cheng seemed to remember the scene in the tool room, and shuddered suddenly, "Was he killed by an enemy? Will it be my turn next?"
·
In the southern suburb of Los Angeles, Tianyue Hot Spring Villa.
Hot springs are a great treat in winter. In the past, hot springs were regarded as a luxury activity, but now salarymen can enjoy the fun of hot springs even if they spend dozens of dollars.
However, there are very few good springs in the city, and many places under the banner of hot springs use hot water that is boiled, and the sanitary conditions are worrying.
Tianyue Hot Spring Villa has been the most high-end hot spring in Luocheng for more than ten years. The per capita consumption is as high as several thousand yuan. If you stay for one night and have a meal, the cost will be tens of thousands.
When it comes to Tianyue, many people shake their heads - "I've never been there, I can't afford it, that's where the rich go."
However, three years ago, Tianyue Hot Spring Villa expanded to the east and developed a consumption area for ordinary people. The per capita consumption was controlled within 800 yuan.
Although this price is still much higher than most of the hot springs in the city, it is no longer unacceptable. At first, some young people came to "explore the way", and then more and more middle-aged people came along with their families.
Every Spring Festival is the best time for the business of Tianyue Hot Spring Villa Dongzhuang. People who have been busy for a year are rushing to enjoy life during the holidays. If they don't make an appointment a week in advance, there is basically no soup to soak.
As for Xizhuang, which only receives VIPs, there are very few guests during the Spring Festival.
The wealthy usually choose to come to Tianyue for consumption. When it comes to holidays, they either go abroad or attend a banquet, and rarely come to join in the fun.
Dongzhuang and Xizhuang, connected by a quiet mountain road, present two completely different festival scenes.
In the past few days, the waiters in Dongzhuang have clearly noticed that there are more middle-aged and elderly people coming to the hot springs - because almost all the young people have gone to work.
Most of the middle-aged and elderly people have a bad habit of soaking in hot springs, that is, they do not want to get up after a long bubble.
At the end of business hours, several elderly people did not come out.
The waiter Chen Min had to rush them.
"Did you smell anything strange?" said an old man.
Chen Min picked up his eyelids, "Why is there a strange smell? We are the best hot spring in Los Angeles."
"It's really weird, I smell it too!" said another old man, "It's coming from below."
Chen Min thought to himself, strange smell? Isn't that the smell of your urine
It is common for customers to excrete in the hot springs. Although the waiters are not surprised, they still feel disgusted.
The old people were coaxed out, and before they left, they still said with certainty, "Girls, please check carefully. The strange smell is coming from the drainage channel. If something is blocked, it will be bad if it rots inside."
·
Capital, special operations team.
No one spoke in the conference room, and the video showed Zhou Lan's interrogation.
Xiao Yuan leaned against the table, Shen Xun rested his chin in one hand.
When the picture stopped, Xiao Yuan said: "We have thoroughly investigated the families of these three children. The formation of their extreme personalities has not been affected by the family. In other words, they are born with anti-social tendencies. Before high school, this tendency was They hide, and the first year of high school discovers their accomplices, and their mutual 'sense of identity' and 'belonging' drives them towards joint crime."
Shen Xun said: "'Finding each other' is the key to them starting to act maliciously... But teens with sociopaths are more susceptible to outside influences than adults."
Xiao Yu'an said: "I haven't found that they have been influenced by the outside world. All the influences come from within their small group."
Shen Xun stood up and took a few steps, "But you suspect that their behavior may have an external fulcrum, otherwise you wouldn't run this trip."
Xiao Yu'an nodded, "Me and Ming team are not very able to put down this case. In fact, I came to you this time, and there is another matter."