Chapter 271: Discussing the Case

Translator: Azza

Editor: Conspiracing

While waiting for Peng Sijue to come out, Lin Dongxue yawned repeatedly. Chen Shi suggested, “Sleep for a bit. You stayed up all night. If you don't, you won’t feel better for days.”

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Lin Dongxue yawned again. “Won’t the biological clock be messed up if I sleep during the day?”

“No, just go to sleep in the car for a while.”

“No need! I’ll just have a nap when I get back to the bureau.”

Chen Shi turned back to the crime scene and when he came out again. He asked Lin Dongxue to come with him. It turned out that he had asked Peng Sijue for his car keys and opened the door. Peng Sijue’s BMW was a lot more comfortable. Chen Shi found a mask from the glove box and gave it to Lin Dongxue to wear.

“I'm worried that after ten years, your skin will look like an old lady’s,” Chen Shi joked.

Lin Dongxue pulled a face at him. “You think you can still see me ten years later?”

“Even if I can’t, I still want you to look beautiful.” Then, Chen Shi put the mask on her face, smoothing the edges carefully. The cold mask was really comfortable. Lin Dongxue thought, how did Chen Shi know that Captain Peng had a mask in his car? Were they that close?

However, it seems that the two usually tease each other when they talk as if they are old friends who have known each other for many years.

Lin Dongxue fell asleep while wearing the mask and lying on the seat.

Chen Shi got out of the car and at this moment, the evidence collection was finished. The forensics team carried the surveying box and went out. Chen Shi asked one of them, “Has the victim’s cell phone been found?”

“Found it. It’s with Captain Peng.”

“He's still inside?”

“Yes.”

“Ah yes, is Old Peng in a bad mood today?”

The policeman lowered his voice. “Brother Chen, let me tell you something. I’m unsure why, but Captain Peng doesn’t seem very happy in the mornings recently.”

“Is it because of the punishment from the chief?”

“It’s been happening for a while and we don’t know why.”

Chen Shi had an idea in his heart. At this time, Peng Sijue came out and handed Chen Shi a mobile phone in the exhibit bag. “We found it underneath the sofa. It’s already out of battery.”

Chen Shi took a look and asked, “What’s happening with you? You’re frowning so early in the morning?”

“Don't describe me with nonsense.”

“Tell me any problems you encountered!”

“Thank you, but no need.”

Chen Shi took out a cigarette and handed it to him. Peng Sijue said, “Still working!”

“A cigarette isn’t going to affect much though?”

Peng Sijue still refused to take it. Chen Shi simply put two cigarettes into his mouth and lit both of them before handing one over to him. Peng Sijue reluctantly took it and puffed a few times.

When Lin Dongxue was found to be asleep in his car with the mask on her face, Peng Sijue said, “You’re taking my things to get brownie points?”

“I’ll buy you a new pack, okay?”

“No need.”

It wasn't until they arrived at the bureau that Lin Dongxue woke up. She turned around to find that Peng Sijue was driving. She said, “Ah, sorry. When did I fall asleep?”

“It's okay, you can sleep a little longer!”

When they arrived, Lin Dongxue felt a bit more refreshed, so she got out of the car. The forensics squad took the evidence back from the scene for analysis. Peng Sijue was responsible for the autopsy. Chen Shi was called by Lin Qiupu to discuss Zhou Xiao's case, which had not progressed yet.

Lin Dongxue went to apply for the case to be filed. At 10:00AM, the members of the task force gathered in the meeting room. Peng Sijue read the preliminary autopsy report. “The deceased man, aged 27, died because the arachnoid mater ruptured and bled due to a blunt instrument smashing into the skull. The skull cracked and there were coup and contrecoup injuries near the right occipital bone, but the shape of the weapon seems a bit strange. I took some pictures...”

Peng Sijue took out the photos from the folder, as well as some sketches of the murder weapon drawn by himself according to the wound shape. Everyone took a look as the photos and sketches circulated around the team.

It looked like a hammer, but the details weren’t too similar. It seemed like a soft hammer.

Peng Sijue continued, “Judging by the liver temperature, the time of death was around 12:00.”

Everyone looked at each other and expressed surprise. This meant the killer immediately took photos and posted it on Weibo after the murder, and then escaped from the room, leaving it in a locked-room state under the eyes of Lin Dongxue and the reporters.

“Is it possible that he committed suicide?” A policeman asked.

“The direction of the wound cannot be done by the victim himself. Besides, I also compared this photo. The victim in the photo was exactly the same as what I saw, ruling out the possibility of forgery.”

Peng Sijue showed another photo taken during the victim's examination.

Everyone looked at the photos. In the end, it circulated around to Chen Shi and he repeatedly compared them. Except for the differences in light, shadow, and background, they were exactly the same. He even carefully compared the shape of the blood on the victim’s forehead.

It appears that the photo was taken immediately after the death of the victim. There was no doubt that a second person was present at the scene.

Lin Dongxue couldn't believe that there could be such a killing technique. She asked Xu Xiaodong, “What did Weibo say?”

“They explained the function of timed-posts. After setting the time to send, the information will be stored in the server immediately and the link will be automatically posted at the scheduled time. They searched the server last night and this Weibo was not delayed to be sent out at a specific time. It was sent at 12:00 and the location shown wasn’t fake either. It was using the victim’s Wifi.”

Everyone was shocked and someone asked Lin Dongxue, “Dongxue, what time was it when you rushed in?”

“At 12:02, we learned that something had happened. The door lock was blocked with iron wire when we tried to go in. Xiaodong went to get the lock-opener. After opening the door, the reporters wanted to go in and take videos. I looked at my watch at 12:10 when I finally saw the victim.”

“In eight minutes, the killer escaped from the bathroom!” Someone suggested.

“No. Although the dust from the window rails and toilet of the bathroom have been wiped, we carefully checked the outside windowsill. The killer didn’t pass through there.” Peng Sijue said confidently.

Lin Dongxue said, “In addition, when I entered the house, the bathroom door was open. I could see everything in there at a glance. It was so narrow that no one would be able to hide in there, let alone escape through the railing after pulling them open.”

Chen Shi drew pictures on a piece of paper. He lifted the paper up. “This is the on-site unit’s shape I restored from memory. Both windows are equipped with stainless steel rails and they are all where you can see at a glance.”

Everyone looked at the paper and was lost in their thoughts. Chen Shi said, “Excluding the impossible, the remaining possibility is the only answer. The murderer was no longer in the house at that point.”

Someone immediately challenged, “The time of death and the time sent through Weibo proved that the killer was in the house around 12:00. I think it is impossible for Brother Chen to say that the killer was not in the house. The murderer may have hidden themselves in the house and then slipped out after the reporters came in!”

This statement was recognized by many people and Chen Shi didn’t argue. He only smiled.

Lin Dongxue said, “It's impossible. All the people who came in were reporters and camera men. They also left together. These people are usually familiar with each other. It's like mixing a stranger among us. Wouldn’t you detect them at a glance?”

“Then there is only one answer left!” The questioner said. “The killer is someone from the TV station!”