Chapter 499: Underhanded Means (1/2)

Because the Jiangling City police force was busy dealing with the suspect who fled in the morning, Captain Tang hadn’t joined us yet.

”This is bad. The murderer may take this opportunity to escape from Jiangling City,” I said to myself.

”Isn't he right here? Two women and five men,” remarked Xiaotao.

I waved my hand and said, ”I can't explain it for the time being. Can you contact each district to watch the main traffic routes well so Jia Chong doesn’t escape?” Seeing that she was still hesitating, I urged, ”Just trust me this once!”

”Alright then, I believe you!”

Only by the time Xiaotao was done did Captain Tang arrive. I ordered the police to escort the body back to the station so we could conduct some lab tests.

Back to the city bureau, Bingxin bagged the drugs left by the murderer for testing.

”By the way, check the corpse’s blood sugar and liver.”

”Why are we testing them?” Bingxin wondered out loud.

”Just test it. I'll explain later,” I said.

Captain Tang walked over. ”Great Detective Song, the murderer killed himself. Can we consider the case closed?”

I shook my head. ”This isn’t the murderer.”

”But didn't he leave a message on the tree claiming he wanted to end everything on his own terms?” Captain Tang rubbed his head in puzzlement.

I smiled, ”And you believe him? The murderer thought of this trick from the start. This body displays a clear contradiction. If he wanted to commit suicide, what’s the point in ruining his own face?”

”Didn't you say that the murderer has a strong sense of ritual? Perhaps this is an indispensable link.”

I shook my head, ”No matter how strong the ritual is to him, it can't be stronger than his desire to survive! It’s precisely because every corpse was disfigured that we have formed such a mindset, which he can take advantage of to escape. The corpse’s right hand was burned by hydrochloric acid. At first glance, it seems like he picked up the acid and splashed it onto my face. However, when I performed Organ Echolocation, I found the stomach empty, the liver showing signs of atrophy, and the kidneys inflamed. This person was most likely imprisoned for many days to the point of extreme hunger, leaving him under the murderer’s mercy. In addition to that, there’s slight bruising on the body, and damage to the internal organs. He seemed to have been wrapped with a quilt and beaten. Such abuse indicates the murderer’s hatred for him. Obviously, this man was also on his kill list.”

Captain Tang looked surprised. ”If that’s the case, isn't there an extra person?”

”Can we examine the body that was found in Jia Chong’s dormitory?”

”Yes,” nodded Captain Tang.

The frozen body was thawed in the forensic laboratory and placed on the metal slab. After a brief examination, I deduced that the victim was about thirty years old and the time of death was five days ago. The cause of death matched the murderer's usual MO. He pounded the victim’s temple with a blunt object, killing him with one blow.