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墨書 Inktalez
Indeed, it was Japanese Music. I absolutely detested that kind of sound. I was curious to see who would dare to use it as background music for a dance performance, and soon our attention was drawn to the Stage.
A dozen beautiful women emerged on the Stage, each holding a fan. The music shifted again, transforming into a classical style. It turned out that the initial segment was merely a gimmick.
The women began to dance gracefully with their fans in time with the music. I glanced around and noticed that one of them, named Xi, was indeed among them. The second one from the end closest to us! Huh, I hadn’t realized until now that they had changed into performance costumes; these women had truly stunning figures.
I looked at the people beside me and saw that Bu and Ah Huang were also watching the dancers. It seemed that appreciating beauty was a universal trait among humans, transcending borders.
As the performance concluded, aside from Director Meng in the center shouting commands to control the timing and create space for the stars, everyone else remained quietly silent.
At that moment, Ah Huang attempted to turn to Bu for a question, but Bu had already turned away and walked toward the back of the stage. His companion stopped Ah Huang, saying, “Sorry! Mr. Busho is very busy; please arrange another time.” Then they quickly followed Bu away.
Ah Huang had no choice but to return to my side. “Looks like this Japanese isn’t an issue,” he remarked. I didn’t respond immediately; it took me a while before I said, “Ah Huang, do you trust me?”
Ah Huang looked slightly surprised. “Why are you asking that?”
I leaned in slightly and said, “Ah Huang, I have a feeling that Zhao Xinran’s death is definitely related to this Japanese!”
Ah Huang chuckled lightly. “Unfortunately, feelings alone can’t solve cases! Besides, Zhao Xinran wasn’t even present when the incident occurred.”
I gazed calmly at him. “Yes, Zhao Xinran wasn’t there when she took the elevator down to the underground parking lot, but that doesn’t rule out the possibility that he went down afterward. Who knows if he has accomplices? First, he could have controlled Zhao Xinran, then Bu went over—what could have led to her murder? I need to consider all possibilities; that’s a principle of solving cases, right? You should know this.”
“It’s a pity there are no surveillance cameras in the underground parking lot,” Ah Huang frowned, clearly thinking my speculation was too far-fetched. Suddenly, his phone rang. “Hello!” he answered after pressing the call button.
I stepped back slightly to give him some space so I wouldn’t overhear anything inappropriate. Ah Huang didn’t seem to mind; he listened intently on the phone while his brow furrowed deeper. He occasionally responded with “oh” or “okay,” indicating someone was reporting something important.
After hanging up, Ah Huang approached me. “That was the coroner; things are getting more complicated.” I asked in surprise, “What do you mean?”
“Further examination revealed: there was semen found on the deceased’s body, indicating she had sexual intercourse before death. Additionally, her cause of death is rather strange: there was bleeding from her eyelids and cyanosis of her lips; petechial hemorrhages were found on her internal organs along with bruising—these signs suggest she died from asphyxiation. However, she also had multiple rib fractures and extensive bruising all over her body. In forensic terms, it looks like she was crushed by a giant hand! Can you imagine how she died?”
Crushed by a giant hand? I couldn’t help but shiver at the thought and shook my head. “That’s indeed very strange. But since we have a semen sample now, shouldn’t we cast a wide net and investigate everyone Zhao Xinran had contact with recently?”
“That would be quite difficult. I plan to investigate her social connections while simultaneously collecting samples from White-haired and Japanese for comparison to see if we can rule them out as suspects.”
“Yeah, that seems like our only option.” I nodded in agreement.
At this point, I checked my watch and realized it was already past eleven o'clock without me noticing. “Ah Huang, let me walk you out first; I still have some finishing touches to make here—it won’t be quick.”
Ah Huang didn’t hesitate. “Alright, I’ll gather everyone and head back to arrange our next steps regarding evidence collection involving foreigners; I’ll need to report this to Department Leader.”
As Ah Huang and I reached the elevator, a cacophony of girls' chatter erupted behind us. I turned around and couldn't help but smile; it was the girl named Xi and her friends.
"Hey there, ladies! Fancy seeing you again!" I greeted them cheerfully.
"Hehe!" She flashed me a smile, then paused to say, "The first time I saw you in your uniform, and now you're standing with a police officer in your work uniform. Who exactly are you?" She tilted her head, studying me.
At that moment, the elevator doors opened. I gestured for them to enter first. "Ladies first! Actually, I'm an actor," I said, winking at Xi.
"Pfft, I don't believe you," Xi giggled as she stepped into the elevator. One of her taller friends, heavily made up with dark eyeshadow, curiously approached me, trying to peek at my work permit.
"Yingying!" Xi pulled her back. The girl named Yingying stuck out her tongue and asked, "By the way, where's Yao?"
"Yao will be here later; her costume got damaged, and she needs to get a new one from the crew!" another girl chimed in.
"Which unit are you all from?" I asked with a smile.
"What do you want?" Yingying eyed me suspiciously.
"Hahaha, nothing much! Just curious about which unit produces so many beauties. Next time, I'll come perform for you!" I continued chatting with them.
"Hmph, smooth talker! You're not a good person!" Xi pouted.
Suddenly, Ah Huang burst into laughter. I turned to him in confusion. "What’s so funny?"
He leaned closer to my ear and whispered, "Hey, want me to have my buddies stop at every floor? Which girl caught your eye?"
I felt my face flush. Honestly, I hadn't thought about flirting! I did have a good impression of Xi, but it was just curiosity that led me to ask.
I awkwardly chuckled and fell silent while the girls chattered away in the elevator. Xi was much quieter, simply gazing at the elevator lights and rarely speaking.
Eventually, the elevator stopped at the First Floor Lobby, and we all stepped out together. I turned to Xi and said, "Be careful on your way back; stay safe."
Xi looked at me oddly, as if my concern was a bit out of place.
I realized I had misspoken; news of Zhao Xinran's death probably hadn't spread yet. Many people likely didn't know. After all, without any leads, announcing such news would only cause widespread panic.
The girl named Yingying leaned in closer. "Don't get any ideas about our Xi; she's taken!"
Great, now it was hard to explain myself. All I could do was smile and shrug helplessly.
Watching them chatter and laugh as they gradually walked out the door, I turned back to Ah Huang. After making a few phone calls, he said to me, "They'll be here soon. Are you interested in checking it out on-site?"
I thought for a moment; it sounded good. I would just wait here after watching and wouldn't go up. So, I followed Ah Huang down the stairs to the underground parking garage.
In stark contrast to the glamorous exterior of the television station, the stairwell was quite dim. I couldn't tell if there were no lights or if they were simply broken; either way, we stumbled our way down in the dark. By the time we reached the third underground level, I noticed there were very few cars here. A few were covered with car covers, indicating they had been parked for a long time, while others likely preferred to park in the upper two levels.
The third underground parking lot was divided into several sections; some areas had lights while others did not, perhaps due to long-term neglect. Ah Huang headed toward a dark section without lights, and I followed him. In the empty and quiet environment, our footsteps seemed amplified, echoing far into the distance.
As we ventured deeper into the dark area, the light grew dimmer, and soon it became hard to suppress the encroaching darkness. Our visibility decreased significantly, prompting us to slow our pace. Just as my eyes began to adjust to the low light, I noticed Ah Huang had stopped and reached into his pocket, pulling out a cylindrical object—probably a flashlight.
Strangely, Ah Huang suddenly froze in place, tilting his head as if straining to listen for something. I tapped him on the shoulder, and he leaned closer to whisper, "There are footsteps ahead."
I was taken aback. In this place at this time, at a crime scene, who else could be here?
Feeling a bit lost and unsure, I instinctively took a step back. Ah Huang slowly extended his right hand toward his waist while suddenly switching on the flashlight with his left hand, shining it forward as he shouted loudly, "Who’s there!? Stop!"
(To be continued; more excitement tomorrow!)
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