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Chapter 341 The Butcher in the Rainy Night, The Hunting Moment
Jiangbei Police Station, Criminal Investigation Team Office Hall.

This place is like a pressure cooker at its breaking point at all times.

The phone rang incessantly, and the keyboard clattered away.

Interspersed throughout the scene was a police officer who, suppressing his anger, growled at the suspect who was handcuffed to a chair.

The air was filled with the bitter smell of cheap instant coffee, the greasiness of leftover takeout, and a faint tobacco scent.

Together, they create a picture of bustling activity bordering on chaos.

Fang Cheng sat quietly on an unused tin chair.

Beside them were several blond-haired thugs who had been brought in for interrogation.

He seemed oblivious to the noise around him, his gaze fixed on the whiteboard in the corner.

Several photos of the crime scene were haphazardly attached to magnets, with messy arrows and question marks drawn on them with a red marker.

It seems that Uncle Zhou's criminal investigation team has encountered another thorny major case.

Just then, a series of rapid and powerful footsteps approached from afar.

"Acheng, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!"

A tall, capable figure strode over, his jacket zipper open, revealing a dark T-shirt underneath.

He exudes a sharp and efficient spirit.

It was none other than Uncle Zhou's trusted and beloved general, Abang.

Since Zhou Yongnian was promoted to captain of the Jiangbei District Criminal Investigation Team, he has been given the title of senior inspector.

His old brothers, who had shared life and death with him, also rose in rank.

Ah Bong is now the head of the Major Crimes Unit 1, carrying the badge of a probationary inspector.

"Brother Bang."

Fang Cheng immediately stood up and greeted him with a smile.

"Don't call me 'brother,' I'm not that much older than you. Just call me Abang."

Abang grinned and casually slapped a yellowed kraft paper file folder into Fang Cheng's hand.

Then he lowered his voice and his expression became serious:

"I've retrieved the information for you. You can only look at it here. No photos, no photocopies, and you're not allowed to take it away."

"This is a long-standing, unsolved case. I'm in trouble. If it weren't for you..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was self-evident.

In Abang's eyes, Fang Cheng was not only his eldest son-in-law.

He was also the "mysterious informant" who helped everyone solve numerous strange cases, making him one of their own in the absolute sense.

It could be said that Fang Cheng was partly responsible for the epaulets on his police uniform.

Although he couldn't understand why the law school's graduate entrance exam required knowledge of such a strange murder case.

But even if it's risky, I have to help with this small favor.

Fang Cheng understood and nodded:

"Brother Bang, I know the rules."

He then reached out and took the file bag, only to find a label affixed to the seal.

The status is clearly marked in printed text: [Unclosed].

Below are a few shocking words: "[The Butcher Case on a Rainy Night]".

Fang Cheng sat down at Abang's empty desk, took a deep breath, and slowly opened the file.

A musty smell, typical of dusty, old paper, wafted over.

"This case is a major concern for everyone in our team."

Abang poured him a glass of water, then leaned against the table, lit a cigarette, and frowned.

"The killer was extremely cunning and cruel, with a strong sense of counter-surveillance. We suspect he had received professional training or was a retired top agent because the scene was handled so cleanly."

“We used all available technical means, but we couldn’t find even a small, complete fingerprint or a single valid hair. We couldn’t even determine what the murder weapon was.”

As Fang Cheng listened to Abang's account, his gaze fell on the case summary on the first page.

[Preliminary suspect profile: Male, approximately 180cm-185cm tall, weighing around 75kg, slender build, exceptionally agile, suggesting systematic counter-surveillance or special operations training...]

"The only thing we can be sure of is his modus operandi, or rather, his special hobby."

Abang's voice carried a hint of helplessness and a touch of melancholy.

"The incidents all occurred on rainy nights and took place in various parts of Dongdu, mainly in the Jiangbei, Jiangdong, and Wenchuan districts."

"The killer specifically targeted young women who were alone, including students, white-collar workers who had just finished get off work, and bar dancers. They came in all types, but the only thing they had in common was that they were young and beautiful, frequented entertainment venues, and had a nightlife."

“From the first case in early March last year to now, there have been a total of thirteen murder cases with similar methods, and we have handled them all together…”

Fang Cheng flipped through the case files, his gaze sliding over the photos and information of the victims.

Each one was once a vibrant life, but now it has become cold, lifeless evidence.

"Not a single witness?"

He asked softly, without looking up.

"There was one."

Abang's eyes dimmed:
"Strictly speaking, it doesn't count as eyewitnessing."

“Last May, a brother was patrolling near the crime scene. It was raining heavily at the time, and he saw a suspicious dark figure flash by in the distance.”

"By the time he caught up, the person had already disappeared into the alley, leaving not even a trace, just like... an illusion."

"However, it was precisely because of him that we were able to roughly determine the killer's physical characteristics."

"Where is that colleague?"

Abang was silent for a moment, then squeezed out two words through gritted teeth:
"died."

"Killed by the murderer?"

"I don't know, he died of poisoning afterward."

Abang shook his head, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists:
"The forensic conclusion was that he accidentally ingested an overdose of hallucinogens, but I always feel... that the two things happening together is too much of a coincidence."

Fang Cheng didn't ask any further questions and continued to review the case files.

Subsequently, a forensic report was seen:
[…A trace amount of a yellow, sticky residue was detected deep in the wounds of multiple victims. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the main component of this substance is an unknown, structurally complex protein with extremely strong enzymatic activity, capable of producing neurotoxins and rapidly catalyzing tissue necrosis…]

Fang Cheng's eyes flickered slightly, as if he had thought of something.

So he asked Abang for confirmation:

"Aside from general physical characteristics, were there really no other clues left at the scene?"

"Have."

Abang tried hard to recall and said:
"A strange yellow viscous substance was found at the scene. It was sent to the forensic experts for testing, and they said it was... a catalyst that can accelerate the reaction. It's protein. Isn't that strange?"

He took a deep drag on his cigarette, his face full of resentment.

"That beast, he's not even human! Every victim was tortured beyond recognition. You had no idea what it was like when the families came to claim the bodies, the scene... sigh..."

Fang Cheng turned to a page and stopped.

The photo shows a female student in a school uniform, with a hint of childishness on her face.

But the wounds on his body were hideous and terrifying, as if he had been torn apart by countless poisonous insects, with not an inch of intact skin.

"Back then, Captain Zhou led us under immense pressure to investigate for several months, but we still came up empty-handed. During that time, the entire team was almost driven crazy."

Abang's voice was a little hoarse:
"That guy is no ordinary murderer, he's definitely a monster!"

Are there many bizarre cases like this where the killer can't be found?

Fang Cheng then asked.

"Actually, it's not that many."

Abang shook his head:

"In most cases, as long as there are clues to follow, we are confident that we can solve the case."

"As for cases that have been unsolved for more than a year, they must be reported to the Metropolitan Police Department according to procedure."

"To be honest, there is a special department above that handles these kinds of bizarre cases. I've heard that everyone in it is an elite with skills that we can't even imagine. However, there are relatively few people there, and they don't usually get involved in ordinary cases."

"This serial murder case was reported at the beginning of last month, and I believe that justice will be served for all the victims soon."

As Fang Cheng listened, he quickly memorized the contents of the case file. A few minutes later, he closed the file and solemnly handed it back to Abang.

"Thanks, Bang, you've been a huge help."

"You're welcome."

Abang locked the files in the iron cabinet, turned around and said:

"By the way, the boss went to a meeting at the Metropolitan Police Department. He should be back around 3 p.m. Do you want to wait a little longer?"

"No, I need to go home and study for my exam."

Fang Cheng smiled and shook his head, then casually asked, "What meeting is Uncle Zhou attending?"

Abang shrugged and replied:
"I heard it was a special work report on 'Operation Thunder.' In the past two months, the higher-ups have required us to launch a special campaign to crack down on organized crime, and our entire police force, from top to bottom, has been extremely busy."

"It's good to be busy. You work hard all for the sake of the general public to fight evil and promote good, and to maintain social order in Dongdu."

Fang Cheng, mimicking the tone of a news reporter on television, said with a smile:

"Oh right, I haven't congratulated Brother Bang on his promotion yet."

"Hey, it's just busywork."

Abang was modest in his words, but his face was beaming with joy.

The two chatted for a few more minutes when the phone on Abang's desk suddenly rang.

He picked up the microphone, his expression changed, and then he yelled at his subordinates:

"A floating corpse has been found in the west of the city, everyone get moving!"

Upon seeing this, Fang Cheng immediately got up to take his leave.

As I stepped out of the police station, a damp breeze hit me.

The sky had turned gloomy at some point, with thick, dark clouds layering up like spilled ink, slowly spreading across the horizon.

Several police cars, sirens blaring, sped past him and quickly disappeared into the traffic.

Fang Cheng's eyes flickered slightly, and he murmured:
"The Butcher of the Rainy Night... the Scorpion..."

That's right, both names actually point to the same person, who is Fang Cheng's next target.

At this moment, all he could think about were the cold words and bloody photos in the case file.

Another piece of intelligence has clearly emerged:
"Target: Scorpion, Level 8 cadre of the Noah Organization, head of the field operations department of the Eastern Capital Branch."

"He was eccentric and withdrawn, rarely interacted with others, and even his subordinates knew very little about him."

"Basic abilities include being skilled in tracking and counter-surveillance, having extremely high vigilance, superb fighting skills, and physical fitness far exceeding that of ordinary people."

"The special ability is very strange, and it is tentatively named 'Venom Dissolution'. It can liquefy parts of the body and has amazing corrosiveness."

"Someone witnessed him turn his fingers into liquid bullets, shoot them out, pierce the enemy's chest, and cause almost half of his body to rot. Then his fingers grew back instantly."

"Some people also saw that his body seemed to blend into the rain and disappear without a trace, not even his footsteps could be heard."

"Currently, he may be hiding in an apartment building at No. 444 Linjiang Middle Road, JB District."

"Note: This person has a perverted fetish for torturing and killing young women. He likes to go out on rainy nights, secretly follow and stalk his targets, kidnap them, and torture them to death. His methods are extremely cruel. In the police case files, he has a code name - 'Rainy Night Butcher'."

"The Red Tiger Gang has dealt with their messes many times, and thus learned some information about the target. However, due to limited capabilities, they cannot fully verify it. Please be cautious, Mr. Assassin, and conduct thorough investigations beforehand."

This is the intelligence I obtained from Chen Chen yesterday.

Although this intelligence seemed very sincere and even included suggestions.

However, Fang Cheng remained cautious and did not choose to completely trust them.

He was well aware of the risks involved in cooperating with a cunning fox.

Since this is the first actual operation, it's inevitable that they will test each other and hold back some information.

That's why I made this trip to the police station today after seeing the name "Rainy Night Butcher".

Now, the two intelligence reports corroborate each other, showing that Chen Chen should not have deceived him on key information.

Although this did not completely lower her guard against Chen Chen, it did not hinder their current cooperation.

"Now that the target has been identified..."

Fang Cheng muttered to himself and looked up.

Therefore, the hunting operation should officially begin.

The sky grew darker and darker.

As the weather forecast predicted, a heavy rain is on its way.

Feeling the increasingly oppressive atmosphere in the air.

Fang Cheng tugged at his collar and quickly blended into the hurried crowd on the street.

....................................

The rain curtain covered the entire dimly lit city.

The orange glow of the streetlights cast swaying, uneasy reflections on the asphalt road.

A car sped by, its wheels crunching through the puddles.

The screeching sound of tires rubbing together was brief and rapid, quickly disappearing into the depths of the night.

This place is located in the old town area of ​​Jiangbei.

Rows of red brick apartment buildings, no more than ten stories high, stood silently, their outlines blurred in the rainy night.

Rainwater constantly washes over the old walls, darkening the bricks to a deep color, like congealed blood.

On the edge of the rooftop, a figure wearing a black raincoat stood motionless, as if he had become one with the building below.

Rain dripped down the edge of his hood, but it did not affect his standing posture at all.

Beneath the hood was a deep shadow, obscuring his face.

Only when the distant neon lights flash will a sharp glint occasionally reflect from that shadow.

Like a lurking predator, it quietly opened its eyes in the darkness.

The faint sound of a television could be heard from a room downstairs, muffled by the sound of rain.

"...From tonight to tomorrow morning, the rain will turn from moderate to heavy. The municipal meteorological observatory has issued an orange alert for rainstorms. Please pay attention to travel safety..."

After the weather report ended, a lighthearted advertising jingle began to play.

The 10 PM evening news has ended.

The figure wearing a raincoat kept staring at the equally outdated apartment building across the street.

Sparse lights peeked through the windows, like a few holes randomly punched into a huge black cloth.

He could clearly see what was happening inside.

Someone was sitting on the living room sofa, yawning, watching a TV series.

There were also couples arguing, and the woman's figure paced back and forth excitedly in front of the window.

The figure's gaze was fixed on the third window from the left on the seventh floor.

Thick curtains were drawn, completely obscuring what was inside.

Just now, the only faint light behind the curtains went out with a "click".

The figure slowly raised his hand and took out a white mask from inside his raincoat.

The mask had a ferocious expression, bloodshot eyes, and a smooth surface that gleamed with a cold, porcelain-like sheen in the damp air.

He slowly put the mask on his face.

Then, he took a step forward, stepping directly onto the edge of the rooftop.

His body plummeted vertically like a stone, his black raincoat fluttering wildly in the gale.

Just before he was about to crash to the ground, his falling figure briefly paused, defying the laws of physics.

It was as if time had been slowed down for a few seconds, or as if it had been gently held up by an invisible hand.

Immediately afterwards, his feet landed lightly on the wet, slippery cement ground.

It made almost no extra sound, like a feather falling.

Only the soft, dense rustling sound of raindrops falling on his raincoat proved that he was truly standing there.

The figure looked up at the apartment building across the street, then quietly stepped forward and walked over.

(End of this chapter)