Chapter 492: The Dolls (1/2)

I asked for Bingxin’s opinion. After studying it for a considerable amount of time, she ventured, ”Is this... pubic hair?”

”What?” Xiaotao stared in consternation.

”We’ll have to test it to be certain.”

Eyes dancing across the dolls in the cabinet, I thought, That would be a shocking “hobby.”

The sound of cloth tearing suddenly reverberated around the room. I turned back to see Song Xingchen tearing the sheets with his bare hands. Xiaotao asked what he was doing but Song Xingchen speechlessly threw out the torn inner lining onto the bed. One look at the bed was like taking a bat to the head.

The lining of the bed sheet was sewn together from women's underwear, the bright colors almost too dazzling for the eye. For a moment, we were lost for words.

”I'm afraid this man has a fetish,” I mused.

“Could this be why he fled?” Bingxin couldn’t fight the smile that rose to her lips.

”We can't jump to conclusions,” I said. “By the way, Xiaotao, could you call those on duty in the store and warehouse? I’d like to verify some information.”

While we waited, Wang Yuanchao shared his discovery–a roll of negatives that had fallen under the table. It was rare to find anyone using old cameras these days.

Unrolling the film, I looked at it under the light. The contents shocked me to my core. They were all photos of naked women.

”Get someone to develop this!” I handed the negatives to Xiaotao.

”We must be careful not to leak the photos since it may involve the privacy of others. I'll ask Captain Tang for help later!”

There was a knock on the door. A timid man walked in and asked us what we wanted.

”What is your boss like?” I began.

”He’s very nice. Whenever our neighbors are in trouble, he’ll be the first to help. He’s usually very good to us and has never missed a salary. At the end of each year, he rewards us with a decent bonus as well. God knows who he offended. He just ran away all of a sudden!” sighed the shop assistant.

”When did he disappear? What happened that day?” I asked.

”September 11th!” the man recalled. “On that day, a colleague showed him a post on Weibo about a body that was found somewhere. The boss paid our wages that afternoon and then disappeared. Later, the police came to the door inquiring about this and that. I think it had something to do with the clothes.”

”As far as you know, what are your boss's hobbies?” I added.

“None that I can think of. He’s usually very busy with work. How would he have the time to... Oh, that’s right, he’s got a thing for lolis.”

”What?!”

”Thanks for answering my questions. By the way, we’d like to confirm the inventory and check what’s missing.”

”Okay!”

The shop assistant opened the closet and removed the robes one by one as he checked the books. Finally, he reported seven missing Hanfu, two women’s dresses and five men's robes. Xiaotao and I exchanged a look of consternation. Judging from this, the murderer had four more victims on his kill list.