Chapter 490 (1/2)

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The first victim, Yan Qilin, was a high school graduate at the time. She was shy and introverted. She usually liked to read books alone. After the murder, the police investigated three people.

The first was Xiao Ran, a cla.s.smate and best friend of the deceased. The two had known each other since they first met during military training in their first year of senior high, and they had been inseparable ever since. Xiao Ran had found a diary when she was sorting out the victim's belongings. She took the initiative to give it to the police. The diary mentioned that the deceased and Xiao Ran had fallen in love with the same boy at the same time, but afterwards Xiao Ran  removed herself from the situation of her own volition. For this reason, the deceased often felt like she owed Xiao Ran and treated her doubly well.

Judging from the narration in the diary and Xiao Ran's own confession, this matter wouldn't have developed to the point where it was a motive for murder. Furthermore, Xiao Ran had an alibi. She was dating another boy at the time of the murder.

The second one was Zhang Jinlei, the boy whom the victim had a crush on. He was also a cla.s.smate. After graduating, the two of them formally became a couple and applied to the same university. At that time, it was the summer vacation in their senior year of high school, so no one except Xiao Ran knew about their relations.h.i.+p.

Perhaps Yan Qilin's death dealt Zhang Jinlei a huge blow. For a time, he seemed very negative and threatened to avenge Yan Qilin. He fought a boy named Yue Chao, almost ending up with a criminal record.

At the time of the murder, the deceased was originally planning to meet Zhang Jinlei near Wuyi Road. He had waited a long time and was unable to reach her over the phone.

Although Zhang Jinlei had been standing alone at the intersection and he didn't have an alibi; through various investigations, the police ruled him out as a suspect.

The third was Yue Chao, who was also a cla.s.smate of the deceased. But due to certain reasons, he didn't take the college entrance examination. He had dropped out in the second half of his senior year.

Zhang Jinlei said that he had seen Yue Chao s.e.xually hara.s.sing the deceased, but Yue Chao said he had a sibling-like relations.h.i.+p with the deceased and that occasional disagreements were normal. He claimed that Zhang Jinlei was just overly sensitive, and had misunderstood.

The deceased often went to have fun at Yue Chao's workplace and it seemed like the two of them had a good relations.h.i.+p.

Similarly, Yue Chao also had a convincing alibi, so the police also ruled him out as well.

After reading the thick record of statements, Chen s.h.i.+ asked, ”Where is the deceased's diary?”

”It is stored in the evidence room. I know what you're thinking. The diary isn't forged. It's indeed the diary of the deceased. We checked the whole book and there were no traces of a page being torn out. Besides, Zhang Jinlei has also seen the diary before.”

”Why did Yue Chao drop out? A high school student who dropped out in their senior year must have made a big mistake.”

”According to his teachers and cla.s.smates in the school, this student has always been notorious for his misdeeds. The specific reason for dropping out is not very clear, but the police involved in the investigation said that it wasn't related to the deceased and was an independent matter.”

Chen s.h.i.+ stared at the fluorescent lights in a daze.

Lin Dongxue said, ”In fact, when the first murder occurred, those three people, the deceased's cla.s.smates and teachers were all visited countless times. The idea that an acquaintance had committed the crime was ruled out. As similar cases continued to happen, the police cla.s.sified it as a serial killing.”

”However, wasn't there no progress after investigating it as a serial killing? ... Where's your brother and the rest of the?”

”They're out.”

”Is there a case?”

”No, Captain Lin had already asked for some police reinforcements from various jurisdictions and police stations a few days ago to step up patrols tonight. Although it's kind of like finding a needle in a haystack, what if they run into the murderer in a ma.s.sive stroke of luck?”

Chen s.h.i.+ smiled. ”It seems that this case has tortured you guys a lot.”

”Truly. Everyone gets really tense whenever it's Qixi... Do you think he'll commit a crime again this year?”

”Since the criminal pattern is clear, after not getting caught in the past six years, I think that this murderer would have formed a certain mental mindset and will definitely commit a crime again this year.”

Lin Dongxue sighed. ”How helpless we are! We have to wait for the corpse of a girl to be delivered here again tomorrow.”

”I've gotten hungry. Let's go out and eat!”

They had been busy with the case all day and hadn't eaten dinner yet. Thus, the two of them went outside and ordered a bunch of skewers. Chen s.h.i.+ pondered as he was eating and it could be seen that his brain was running at full speed, so Lin Dongxue didn't bother him.