Pure Darkness

Chapter 64

It was still dark outside when Fang Qing was awakened by the ringing of the phone. After picking up and saying two words to the phone, every nerve in his body was awake. He hung up the phone and immediately called Jian Yao.

Oi! I am an article!

Both left before sunrise. As they sat in their cabs, the entire city was still quiet, streetlights lit up, and only a few janitors were seen sweeping the ground here and there.

They were both alone on the road.

Oi! I am an article!

Jian Yao commented, “Xun City is quite close to my hometown, Tong City. In fact, they're next to.”

Fang Qing asked, “Eh? Then, do you want to take the time to visit?”

“Not needed.”

Fang Qing glanced at him, then said, “This Xun Town is rather interesting. I have seen the information; their previous records in solving the case have been pretty good. Half this year, they have the highest case-settlement rate in the entire province, and have even caught some wanted criminals nationwide. Amazing b st rds!”

Oi! I am an article!

Jian Yao smiled slightly. “Go and meet them.”

Fang Qing said, “This is case number 20-something we both took, right?”

Jian Yao thought about it, then replied, “Ya.”

Fang Qing suddenly laughed and said, “If we collect enough * cases, do you think the two of them will come back to us?”

*T/N (qi qi si shi jiu) – literally, seven seven means forty nine. It arises from Chinese beliefs about what happens after a person dies, and the rituals that must be performed from it. After death, one can be reincarnated at any time from the moment of death until the 49th day after death, that is, one's spirit can be at ‘holding ground’ for a maximum of 49 days. So, the prayer/ritual performed on the 49th day is for ‘celebrate’ reincarnation and wish the person a good new life. More here. I think Fang Qing's idea, therefore, was that, when they had solved quite a number of cases, it was, they will reach ‘day 49’ and it is time for Bo Jinyan and An Yan to ‘bereincarnate’ that is back to life/to them. Due to the idea of the reincarnation cycle, Fang Qing used the word ‘roll’.

Jian Yao looked straight ahead and did not say anything.

This Special Case Unit, with only two remaining members, was still a Special Case Unit.

After getting off the plane, they still had to travel by car for another two and a half hours. As Jian Yao and Fang Qing walked out of the train station, they saw two police cars belonging to the local police station waiting outside.

Shao Yong was in front. He reached out his hand to them and said, “Welcome, Master Jian, Team Leader Fang. I am Shao Yong, Captain of the City Criminal Investigation Team. Thank you so much for coming to help us handle this case.”

Jian Yao and Fang Qing busied themselves with their usual greetings and greetings. The two sides got into the car together. As Jian Yao examined Shao Yong's appearance closer, he was suddenly startled.

They arrived in a hurry, so he did not pay special attention to the information about the local police officers. However, as soon as he looked at Shao Yong, tall and rough, with a strong and firm appearance, he felt deja vu. But, because he had handled so many cases and met so many people in these past few years, and did not have Bo Jinyan's ability to remember every face she met, she said, he simply could not remember where he had met her before.

At the moment when he was observing Shao Yong, he opened the car door, looked up, and met his gaze.

The old criminal investigator's eyes were as deep as water. They seemed to have warmth, but they were heavily guarded, and Jian Yao was unable to pierce through their depths.

——

This is a very misleading, but also very creative, murder case.

Jian Yao was unwilling to make this judgment.

At the very least, it was something he had never met before. Moreover, when he saw the photos of the CTF, he felt terrified.

In the office of the City Criminal Investigation Team, the lights were all turned off, and a slide was being projected. Shao Yong led the meeting; jian Yao and Fang Qing were seated next to him. A criminal investigator is currently introducing the case:

“The deceased is Nie Shijun, 24 years old, female, local citizen. Work in the finance department of a software company. Single never married.”

A picture of a young girl appeared on the screen. Short hair, average height, skinny, wearing a regular blouse and pants. It should be a live photo. There was no smile on Nie Shijun's face.

Since Bo Jinyan had read some research on micro expressions, Jian Yao had come to some conclusions about people's expressions in recent years. Nie Shijun's appearance was ordinary and she looked quiet, so it seemed like she was a bit introverted. In short, he was nothing to write home about.

“Mayat was found by a janitor at Wangjiang Park at 5:30 am yesterday. The forensic specialist's initial conclusion was that the deaths occurred between 2200 and 2300 the night before. The cause of death was a rope wrapped around the neck, which caused mechanical suffocation. When we were warned, we closed the TKP before the park opened.”

A small path leading deep into the forest appeared on the screen. The stone-flagged path meanders, decorated with rocks beside it. The side of the road is covered with flowers and plants.

Nie Shijun curled up in the middle of the road.

“That's butterfly,” Shao Young said in a low voice. “I have already consulted some teachers at the provincial Insect Research Institute by phone, and this pattern is very similar to the butterfly species known as Papilio Maraho . It is common to some cities in the province. However, since the environmental conditions in recent years are not good, the number of species has decreased significantly.”

Maraho Papilio

The criminal investigator held a whispering discussion, while Fang Qing tilted his head to look at Jian Yao and asked gently, “What do you feel about this?”

Jian Yao's eyes were glued to the screen. Slowly, he said, “I feel that he is very patient, but also very depressed.

A tremor of fear flashed across Fang Qing's face.

The criminal investigator continues his case introduction. “Investigation launched soon yesterday. At the moment, what we understand about the situation is the following:

First, the incident took place in a remote location in the depths of the park, and there were no surveillance cameras in the vicinity. It was very late, and there were no witnesses. The camera at the park entrance caught Nie Shijun running into the park at 22:05, from which we can conclude that she arrived at the scene between 22:20 and 22:25. This is in line with the time of death suggested by forensic investigators.

Second, the situation of Nie Shijun's family was simple. Her parents live in their old house, and she has no siblings. According to her colleagues at the software company, she is quiet, follows the rules strictly, and has very little social interaction. He also rarely interacts with his colleagues. He had never been in conflict with anyone, nor had he had any financial problems. He has 10,000 (about USD 1490) in fixed-term deposits and over 2,000 in cash, with no debt.

Third, Nie Shijun had some friends. The only people close to him were his roommate and classmate at university, a girl named Feng Yuexi. However, the day before the incident, Feng Yuexi returned home to the countryside and only returned today. We've sent people to the bus station, and he'll be arriving at the police station soon.”

Fang Qing blinked and said, “So, what you are saying is, there is no clear reason or clue to show that this incident is due to revenge, desire, or financial strife. Nie Shijun was killed in this strange way, suddenly.”

“Then, Master Jian, do you think he's such a person?” ask Shao Yong.

Jian Yao looked directly at him and replied, “There is currently only one such case, so we have not been able to draw any conclusions. However, we will strive to dig out the hidden clues as quickly as possible and produce a portrait of the villain.”

——

Not long after the meeting, the most important person in the case, Nie Shijun's good friend, Feng Yuexi, arrived at the police station. Jian Yao and Fang Qing listened to his interrogation together, at the side.

When Feng Yuexi first appeared, it was clear to everyone that he was very different from Nie Shijun.

Feng Yuexi sat in the interrogation room wearing a bat-wing T-shirt paired with capri pants and high heels. Jian Yao recognized the outfit from a fairly established brand, where the price was not cheap. Coupled with his long hair dangling over his shoulder and his face being made up thin, it was obvious at a glance that he was a very handsome woman. He was not a little quiet either. Although her eyes were red and swollen from crying, those tear-filled eyes seemed to speak volumes when she saw the criminal investigators. In addition, he answered all the questions of the criminal investigator very cooperatively. He was clearly a good communicator, and a calm person.

Feng Yuexi held the paper cup in both hands, as if it would help him get a little warmer. In fact, he was still unable to fully accept the fact that Nie Shijun had unexpectedly been killed.

“You are Nie Shijun's best friend. As far as you know, does he have any enemies? ” ask criminal investigator.

Feng Yuexi shook his head. “No. Shijun. . She is a person who doesn't talk much, and she keeps in touch with very few people. He would definitely not make anyone's enemy. ”

“Did she have a boyfriend? Or a guy close to her?”

Feng Yuexi shook his head again. “No. She has no boyfriend.”

“Could a man chase after him you don't know?”

“No,” replied Feng Yuexi with confidence. “She is almost always at home. If not, he's out with me. She definitely doesn't have a boyfriend.”

After saying this, memories of past incidents appeared in Feng Yuexi—'s mind

Outsiders have always viewed Nie Shijun as quiet and anti-social, someone who is very difficult to approach. In fact, after enough interaction, one will find that he is meticulous in thinking, gentle, and precise.

Feng Yuexi remembered their breakfast every day, Nie Shijun stood in the entrance hall, smiling as he said, “Xixi, what do you want to eat for dinner? I'll buy it after I get home from work.” He always cheers, “Shijun, you're too capable! Good luck with your longevity*!”

*T/N (wan shui) – literally, 10,000 years (basically, to live forever). This is the traditional greeting given to the king, usually repeated three times that is “ ⁇ , , !”

She recalled, when the two of them went shopping together, Nie Shijun took the powder powder and gave it with a small smile on her face, saying, “This color is perfect for you.”

He also recalled the time he had relationship problems and sat on the sofa to ponder in silence. Nie Shijun walked up to him, sat down beside him and said, “Xixi, I don't think they're a good fit for you. A handsome man with poor academic qualifications, what could he aspire to? A White-Collar worker with no interest and inclination, no humor or charisma, can you really see yourself with him?”

At that moment, Feng Yuexi was also engulfed in a sense of panic. Of course, a superior tone sounded in his voice as he said, “Shijun, you don't know, and I don't know, why they both like me so much. The three of us grew up together and they always treated me well. However, all this time, and I still can not choose. .”

. . . . . .

But, now, the girl who always asked him, who cared for him in every possible way, who gave advice about his relationship, was suddenly, cruelly killed by a stranger. Everyone says it's a scary serial killer.

Thinking of these things, Feng Yuexi felt a deep sense of sadness, and when he considered Nie Shijun once again, all the thoughts he associated with her were good. He looked up and said to the criminal investigator, “Officers, please, you must catch the killer and avenge Shijun!”

He sobbed loudly, and the criminal investigator was also moved. He handed the tissue to Yuexi and said, “ Rest assured, we will do our best.”

Separated from the interrogation room by dark glass, Shao Yong said, “There is plenty of evidence that he is not here. The day before the incident he had returned to his old house, and had only returned today. Bus tickets, eyewitnesses, and surveillance footage all support this.”

Fang Qing and Jian Yao both nodded. Jian Yao said, “Seeing her emotional reaction, she may not have knowledge.”

At this point, the criminal investigator asked Feng Yuexi, “Did Nie Shijun run at the same time every day?”

Feng Yuexi managed to control his emotions and his voice was much calmer as he replied, “Ya. He always had a plan to do something. Every night, he would leave at 21:45 for the park to walk, and return at 11pm when the park was closed. Always like this every day.”

“Do you run with him?”

“At first .. . after running with him for a few days, I stopped.”

“Besides you, who else knows his running routine?”

Feng Yuexi stared blankly for a while before lowering his head to think. He replied, “Maybe it's just me. Maybe the neighbors noticed. ”

A few more questions later, it was clear that no further valuable information could be unearthed. The criminal investigator then said, “OK, let's stop here. Thank you for your cooperation. We will contact you if we need anything else.”

Feng Yuexi expressed his willingness to cooperate at all times.

The criminal investigator then said, “We will arrange the car to send you back later.”

Feng Yuexi replied, “Thank you, but it's not necessary. My friend was driving here to pick me up. I will not stay at home for now; I stay at a friend's place.

“It's good. Take care of yourself.”

——

Jian Yao and Fang Qing decided to take a look at the scene.

The two decided to take a short break at the police station dormitory. When Jian Yao woke up, it was already dusk. As he walked quickly to the station entrance, he could see Fang Qing in the distance, standing beside the police car, but his eyes were directed elsewhere. Jian Yao followed his line of sight and realized that he was looking at the guard post. Inside, the gatekeeper was watching television.

It was a period drama starring the current queen of popular films, Jin Xiaozhe.

Jian Yao stood up, motionless. He didn't call her either.

Fang Qing had already noticed him. Without any emotion visible on her face, she turned her head to say, “Let's go. Let's take a good look at TKP. ”