Silver Snow Line [Criminal Investigation]

The construction of a logical thinking system relies on the correct logical premise as a guarantee. If the logical premise is wrong, no matter how perfect the deduction process is, it will become empty talk.

In this serial murder case that imitated the characters in the novel, the first victim to be found was No. 3 Kang Wenxia. Although there were many suspicious points at the scene of her death, she was classified as a serial case because some of her characteristics met the conditions for being a victim. However, a rigorous and purposeful murderer should not allow his crime process to be imperfect.

The premise of Kang Wenxia's death was hydrofluoric acid poisoning. The murderer needed to avoid direct confrontation with her and let her voluntarily drink enough pungent liquid to make her unconscious. Mixing the poison into the wine was the most appropriate method. But how did the murderer know in advance that Kang Wenxia had a habit of drinking at night, and how did he choose the right time to complete the poisoning process in advance?
Kang Wenxia's stepmother Luo Yindi was facing two serious criminal police officers at this moment. The dimly lit room and the cold atmosphere made her feel even more uneasy.

After leaving her alone for about two minutes, Lu Shaohui opened the door and came in to sit on the empty seat in the middle. He said casually, "Last time we met, I heard you say that you and Kang Wenxia's father were married later in life, and have only been married for more than 20 years. You have two biological sons, right?"
Luo Yindi nodded stiffly and looked at him warily.
"Don't be nervous, I'm just asking." Lu Shaohui shook the documents in his hand and showed them to Zhao Chongyun who was sitting next to him. He then said, "Your eldest son used to be our colleague. Why didn't you mention it?"
Luo Yindi's lips were straight: "He and his father, we don't have much contact, and I don't know your relationship."
"Oh, what about the other one? His name is Kang Zhuo, right? He has been following you all the time."

Kang Zhuo was originally called Lei Zhuo. When his identity information was retrieved, everyone was shocked. Although they had long known that he and Lei Heng were twin brothers, it was still amazing to see two identical faces with the same hairstyle. There was also a pair of twins among Lu Shaohui's relatives, but because they were taken care of by the elderly on both sides, their clothes, temperament, and mental outlook were completely different. The difference was so great that people ignored that they had the same facial features. Kang Zhuo and Lei Heng were so similar that Xie Qingfei, who was most familiar with Lei Heng, could not tell the difference at first even through the surveillance screen.

Luo Yindi still had that lifeless expression: "At the beginning, we agreed to give each of us one child. I want him, of course I have to raise him."
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know. He's over 30 years old, and he won't tell me where he goes."
"How is your mother-son relationship?"
"Fortunately."
"Not bad? Are you willing to help him kill people just because it's okay?" Lu Shaohui seemed very confused.
Luo Yindi's pupils shrank slightly: "I don't understand what you are saying. How could I kill someone? Who would I kill?"

Lu Shaohui observed her expression, "Kang Wenxia is your stepdaughter. You didn't have another child after you married her father. He didn't agree. He loves his own daughter and is afraid that Kang Wenxia will be unhappy if he has another child. But even if you are husband and wife, especially you two are both remarried, without a biological child as a bond, you are just living together. How can you have any family affection? Maybe one day that man will kick you out."

Luo Yindi moved her cracked fingers resting on the table, but she still had no intention of speaking.
However, Lu Shaohui was not very interested in her marital status and quickly changed the subject by asking, "Are you and Kang Wenxia in a good relationship?"
Luo Yindi said: "That's it."
"I don't know", "It's okay", "Just like that", Luo Yindi made up her mind not to answer properly. She didn't know who gave her the confidence to do so.

Lu Shaohui took out five photos, lined them up on the table, and tapped the table to signal Luo Yindi to look. When she raised her eyes, she shrank back in her seat in fear.

"This murderer would carve numbers on the bodies of the victims and leave an 'X' mark. He also stripped off all the victims' clothes and took them away. So it's no coincidence that your daughter was found lying naked beside the bathtub. These are close-ups of the five victims with numbers carved on them. Some of the bodies have begun to rot, and they don't look good. It's normal for you to be scared." He pushed the photo of Zheng Yuxuan's back in front of her. "Does it look familiar? This is the number scratched on your daughter's body. She is victim number 4."
Luo Yindi blurted out: "She is obviously 3..."
Lu Shaohui said coldly: "How do you know she is number 3?"
Luo Yindi's pale face turned a few shades paler in an instant: "I...I saw it that morning. Didn't I say I wanted to save her, so I pulled her out of the water?"
"Is that when you saw it?"
"Correct."

"But Kang Wenxia's serial number was engraved on the sole of her foot. When her body was found, she was wearing a pair of black socks. I don't think you have X-ray vision, so how did you see the knife marks through the fabric?" Lu Shaohui knew she was lying in a second. At the same time, he caught a trace of regret in her eyes, which further confirmed his guess. "Unless you already knew the murderer's killing order, you knew Kang Wenxia was the third one without even looking."
How could a rural woman who would be frightened by the sight of a wound dare to move a corpse over and over to "rescue" it? The only person who could give her the courage to do this was the one she would protect even if she overcame her fear.

"I, I'm not feeling well. I have a headache and my chest hurts." Luo Yindi, who knows where she got this trick from, covered her forehead and looked like she was going to faint. "Don't ask me anymore. I'm an old woman and I don't know anything!"

Just as Lu Shaohui was about to speak, a voice interrupted him and said coldly, "Auntie, do you think we don't have evidence?"
Luo Yindi was stunned, and then Lu Shaohui was also stunned: Do they have any evidence? No one has ever mentioned this to him.
Zhao Chongyun faced two glares, his expression unchanged: "It has already been traced back to you. Calling you here is just a formality, giving you a chance to confess and be lenient. I don't care what others promised you, but don't you think about it, if things are really as foolproof as he promised, why are you sitting here in the middle of the night when you should be sleeping?"

Lu Shaohui quickly understood what he meant, and began to organize the documents at hand slowly and calmly. The friction between the papers made a rustling sound, which hit Luo Yindi's eardrums, like the countdown to sharpening the knife before lingchi.

Luo Yindi was indeed frightened by the two men, and her lips lost their luster instantly. Her expression changed several times, and finally she said in a flat and slow voice: "I didn't help kill people, I just... just took her clothes."
Zhao Chongyun asked curiously, "What are you doing with her clothes?"
Lü Shaohui had already figured it out. The serial killer took the victim's personal belongings away from the scene in order to identify the victim. When the murderer was interrupted by Guo Weiqiang in the middle of the crime, he immediately fled the scene to avoid unnecessary trouble. Later, he could only find someone who would not be suspected to help him finish the job.
Luo Yindi has a mediocre relationship with her stepdaughter. Did she really come all the way here just to give her a tattered quilt?

Lu Shaohui's face immediately darkened: "Who told you to do this?"
Luo Yindi shook her head vigorously: "I can't say."
Lu Shaohui continued to ask: "Kang Zhuo or Lei Heng?"
"I can't say it, I can't say it!" Luo Yindi cried out, "Kang Zhuo and Lei Heng are both my sons. Do you want me to accuse my sons of murder? Don't you have evidence? If you have the guts, go and check it out yourself!"

Lu Shaohui closed the folder and said to Zhao Chongyun, "It's exactly as Captain Xie said."

half an hour ago.
Wei Cheng pushed open the door of Xie Qingfei's office. The lights in the room were not on, and the beam of light projected in from outside outlined her figure as she sat alone among the pile of documents.

"Isn't the ground cold?" He didn't turn on the light on his own initiative. After closing the door, he groped his way to her side in the moonlight.
Xie Qingfei said casually, "Hmm," "You sit down too."
Wei Cheng looked at the empty space beside her, hesitated for a moment, and decided to sit next to her and meditate. Then he found that Xie Qingfei was not in a daze. The whiteboard in front of her was densely covered with names and relationships, and in the middle was a photo of Lei Heng.

"I've been thinking about this for a long time. Why can't we find a breakthrough in this case even though we're clearly on the right track?" She broke the silence before he could say anything. "Now it seems that it's due to the limitations of our thinking. Who says the murderer must be alone? Does he have any accomplices? Did anyone other than us go to the scene afterwards?"

Wei Cheng was silent for a moment, then asked, "Do you think this matter has much to do with Lei Heng?"
Xie Qingfei just said: "I can't answer this question. If everything I do now is to prove that this matter has nothing to do with Lei Heng, it is not fair. But... we are afraid of good people making mistakes, but we are very accepting of the evil deeds of some people with bad character, because they are not born good people, and it is normal for them to kill and set fire. Once this concept is deeply rooted, in reality, the only people who are really constrained are those diligent and honest people. It is still unfair."

She put the phone on the ground. The dim light from the screen was the only light in the room. Wei Cheng saw her dial Pu Yu's number.
After only two rings, the other party quickly answered the call and asked in surprise, "Xiao Qingfei?"
"Captain Pu," Xie Qingfei said without any emotion, "Why did you say that I was more suitable to be a police officer than Lei Heng?"

Comparing the two, the one who was not chosen was totally rejected. In the eyes of Pu Yu, the senior, the diligent Lei Heng was not suitable to be a policeman.

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone, and then Pu Yu said slowly: "You have to know that the characteristics of our profession determine that people in our industry will bear more psychological pressure. Not everyone can withstand the test, at least Lei Heng is not." Xie Qingfei resisted every denial of Lei Heng, and almost immediately frowned: "Why do you say that?"
Pu Yu asked back, "Xiao Qingfei, when Zhao Jingming died, didn't you feel guilty and end up making yourself sick? If you weren't his superior, if you weren't wearing this police uniform, if you didn't regard protecting other people's lives as a responsibility, and if you only looked at things from the perspective of an ordinary person, would you still blame yourself for everything?"

"..."

Lei Heng was originally in the police station, responsible for handling the civil disputes that Xie Qingfei hated the most. She would get so impatient after working for just a few days that she wanted to throw things and leave. At that time, it was Lei Heng who helped her clean up the mess. He had a good temper and patience, and was able to handle all kinds of trivial matters. Xie Qingfei admired him at the time and wondered why he was so willing to listen to people's nagging. However, the ability to work beyond the average is a person's added value, which does not mean that the other party should take on more affairs because of this, otherwise it would be bullying an honest person. Work pressure leads to physical fatigue, and endless working hours will also squeeze private life. This is why so many police officers cannot balance their jobs and families.

The professional role of the police often overshadows the original soul of the person under the uniform. They must "not fight back when beaten, not talk back when scolded." They cannot reasonably fight back when their own interests are threatened, and their behavior will be misunderstood by public opinion. When negative emotions accumulate to a certain extent, their beliefs will be shaken.

"Lei Heng is a good comrade who always does his job well, but he is a human being and he gets tired too. When his sense of professional identity is not enough to support him to continue working on the front line, the best choice is to reconsider his future. He had already talked to me about this topic before the explosion, but you didn't know this."
"He said it himself..."
"He said it himself."
Xie Qingfei's breathing was a little heavy. Wei Cheng turned his head to glance at her. Perhaps the moonlight diluted her outline, and he actually saw a hint of fragility in her.

Was Pu Yu at fault? Of course she was. If it weren't for her, the two of them wouldn't have been in danger. But theoretically, Lei Heng's accident of losing a leg couldn't be blamed on her. Xie Qingfei knew all of this.

"Then why did you say that? Do you know that I..."
"I know now." Pu Yu took a long breath, his tone filled with regret. "In short, I was wrong in this matter. If I hadn't misjudged the situation at that time, I wouldn't have to face such a choice. You were right in scolding me. I was indeed selfish and wanted to prove myself. I wanted to gain a foothold in the team... I chose you in the first place because I didn't want such a talented person to fall into the hands of others. I'm sorry, I didn't consider your feelings."
Xie Qingfei thought it was ridiculous: "Is this your true statement?"
"..."
"I don't know what you want to prove." Xie Qingfei pursed his lips and sneered for a while, "I called you Master so many times with all my heart, you don't have to feel sorry for me. Regardless of whether Lei Heng is suitable to be a policeman, his life will not be noble or humble because of his identity, and the same goes for me. Captain Pu, we are not the same kind of people."

Long after the screen went off, Xie Qingfei gradually fell on Wei Cheng's shoulder.
"Never mind," she said. "I'll find out the truth."

The next morning, Guo Weiqiang's detention period had expired and the police had arrived at the terrace of 303 before he arrived at his doorstep.

Zhao Chongyun told him about the interrogation with Luo Yindi yesterday. Xie Qingfei raised his eyebrows after hearing the rest: "Who taught you to scare people like this?"
"I... saw that she was not cooperating, so..."
"It's against the rules." After saying that, she realized something, "You should learn something from me. If you really can't do it, can't you just listen to Shaohui?"
Xie Qingfei was beginning to have some self-doubt. When she was teaching Xi Ming in the past, he was obviously very intelligent. Why did she lead Zhao Chongyun astray? Was Xi Ming just an accident? He was excellent because he was a top student in the police academy. But for a police recruit like Zhao Chongyun from society, she had to teach him everything from scratch. Didn't this show her shortcomings in training apprentices?

Xie Qingfei pondered for a moment and said in a negotiating tone: "Why don't you follow Shaohui?"
I thought Zhao Chongyun would get angry, but he agreed decisively and changed his mind immediately: "Okay, thank you, Captain. I'll go talk to Big Mouth later."

This time she was really confused. Just as she was about to say something, the balcony door was opened by Wei Cheng. He walked over and asked, "How is Shaohui's investigation going across the street?"

Luo Yindi refused to admit that she had told any of her sons about Kang Wenxia's lifestyle habits. In fact, after Kang Wenxia got married, her understanding of her stepdaughter, which was already limited, faded. She had no idea that she drank at night, and there was no doubt about that.

Xie Qingfei stood by the fence and looked at the building opposite. This was a very suitable surveillance angle. If a telescope was set up on the opposite side and looked in this direction, Kang Wenxia's every move at home would be visible.

"We're already screening the tenants' information, and we'll probably have results soon." She glanced at him sideways, "Why are you free today?"
"I just want to accompany you." Wei Cheng said lightly.
Xie Qingfei could tell from his words that he was worried. He was afraid that she wouldn't be able to accept it after finding out that it was really Lei Heng, so he smiled.

Zhao Chongyun, who was left aside and unable to get a word in, pursed his lips, walked forward quietly and stood between the two of them.

At this time, Lv Shaohui called, and Xie Qingfei answered the call while kicking away the small stone at his feet. The stone rolled on the floor tile surface for a few times and hit the stainless steel cabinet door under the laundry sink built on the terrace, making a "clang" sound.

"Have you found it? It's thunder..." Xie Qingfei followed the stone with his eyes and suddenly found some black powder scattered at the bottom of the laundry pool, and the floor tiles where the melted snow water flowed had a purple-red hue. The sound of a clock ticking in his ears came from nowhere, moving rhythmically like a heartbeat.

Wei Cheng, who had been paying attention to her, saw that her expression was not right, and followed her gaze. Almost at the same time, a horrible guess emerged in his and Xie Qingfei's minds -

The sound of the pointer moving stopped in an instant. Wei Cheng immediately stretched out his left arm and pushed Zhao Chongyun behind him. At the same time, he immediately turned over to block Xie Qingfei. However, he did not expect to be hit in the chest by a huge force. When the roar of the explosion sounded, his vision was completely blocked by Xie Qingfei.

(End of this chapter)