Chapter 282: The Secret In The Recording (2/2)
Xiaotao’s identity as a certain corporation president’s daughter had already been uncovered. The netizens suspected that she climbed up the ladder virtue of relationships with the top rungs and of course, her beauty. Some people even swore that all the senior officers above the city bureau level had slept with Xiaotao. Additionally, they claimed she was Sun Tiger's second wife.
As for me, I wasn’t sure which bastard randomly disclosed my supposed deep background and accused me of being acquitted of a murder, alluding to the incident involving Professor Li. On top of that, my personal life was reportedly chaotic. Apparently, I was a pretty face kept by a rich woman and lorded over everyone at school with Baldy at my beck and call to teach those I didn’t like a lesson.
However, the odd thing was how composed we were reading the condemnation against us. Despite ourselves, we wanted to laugh and couldn’t resist competing to see whose reputation was worse!
On Lao Yao's end, the counterattack had already started, and all sorts of exposé revealing Yi Xi’s sordid history had sprung up all over the internet. There were articles exposing his numerous sexual partners, abortions, drug abuse and police detention. Lao Yao had even managed to dig up rumors about Yi Xi from his high school days and disclosed his poor grades, the smoking, fighting and even bullying of his fellow classmates, which was quite a contrast from the perfect image his public relations team had created.
Unfortunately, Lao Yao's exposé did little to turn the situation around. His microblog was flooded by brain-dead fans who drowned him with insults and personal attacks. Although it attracted some positive attention, it was merely a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of the public’s opinion and was of no help with where things were heading.
”It looks like we’ll have to wear sunglasses when we go out and have bodyguards by our side at all times,” I commented.
”After this incident, I’ve just realized that some of the rumors on the Internet might be completely fake!” replied Xiaotao. “And all to serve the interests of a small number of people!”
”You’re right,” I lamented. “I’ll have to think twice the next time I read about something online.”
In the afternoon, the officers returned, having found several clues. Wu Xiucai, the man who drowned, belonged to the same company as Yi Xi. He was in charge of a singer named Mike Zhou, but none of us had ever heard of him and there was no trace of his existence online.
However, the strange thing was Mike Zhou had his own bank account, social security card, private car, and real estate. His assets added up to a considerable fortune which one could only afford on a top celebrity’s income. Was the man famous abroad?
Wu Xiucai had also purchased a cemetery lot on the night of the crime. The information he filled in claimed he was moving his father’s grave, but Wu Xiucai obviously wasn’t originally from around here. I didn't think it was necessary to specifically investigate whether his father was from Nanjiang.
Another witness the officers found near the hotel, the owner of a cafe, said he saw someone looking through a telescope from the window of the opposite hotel on the night before the crime. Because it was too dark at the time and the person was dressed in black, he hadn’t noticed what the person looked like.
However, the cafe owner was almost certain that it was a woman because of her slender, fair hands.
They had also checked up on another important lead: Yi Xi's dental records! This time, the people behind Yi Xi were a step ahead again, having bribed the dentist and transferred the records before the police arrived. Because this was the dentist’s first time, the transfer wasn’t done professionally and the police discovered a flaw. However, Yi Xi's dental records had indeed been destroyed.
Upon hearing this, I mused, ”For them to actually destroy his dental records means there’s definitely a problem! I’m almost 100% sure Yi Xi left the teeth marks.”
”Can’t we ask him for a dental impression?” suggested one of the officers.
”That might be a bit difficult,” answered Xiaotao. “Their vigilance tells me there’s no way Yi Xi would voluntarily do that.”
We all heaved heavy sighs, frustrated that the trail had grown cold.
Seeing that it was getting late, Xiaotao told the others to go home and leave the investigation till tomorrow. Out of habit, I got ready to go back to school when Xiaotao prompted, ”Where are you going? If you go back now, you’ll be beaten by Yi Xi’s fans!”
I stared blankly before the realization dawned upon me. ”Oh no, I left my bag of toiletries and underwear in the city bureau.”
Xiaotao glanced at the time and said, “Working hours have ended. Let's go back and get your stuff. I don’t think we’ll be seen.”
We drove back to the city bureau and grabbed my backpack. Right before we left the station, we were stopped by Xiao Zhou. ”I’ve already worked on the recording Song-ge gave me yesterday.”
”Don't you know that I’ve been suspended?” asked Xiaotao.
“I do,” nodded Xiao Zhou. “Everyone was talking about it angrily today. Would you like to listen to the recording now? I think it’s an important clue.”