The Mystery of the Inner Demon

Chapter 169 Marine Research Institute
Zhang Xiaohua suddenly realized something when he said this. He murmured, "Criminal police...what's going on?" He looked up at Qi Fei and the others, "What's going on? Could this aquatic products building be related to the Demon Mirror case?"

"It's been a long time, and there's very little information about the construction of this building on the Internet. I have to come to you to find out more." Qi Fei's words tacitly agreed with Zhang Xiaohua's guess.

"It seems to be true." Zhang Xiaohua looked at his report thoughtfully. "I know the first person killed in Dongji Town was an accountant from the aquatic products company. When I went to interview them when the construction was completed, no one at the aquatic products company was happy to move into the new building."

Qi Fei pointed at the "Triple Wave" mark on the report and said, "We suspect that the people involved in this project have a strong connection to the Demon Mirror case. You are a reporter following this project. Based on your understanding, are there any suspects among those involved in the construction of the Aquatic Products Building?"

"Ah, this..." Zhang Xiaohua tried to recall, "This, is impossible."

Zhong Kui looked at him and tilted her head: "Huh? So sure?"

"I don't know much about the Demon Mirror case, but I know all about this aquatic building. Due to the special geological conditions in Dongji Town, ordinary construction companies cannot build a building here. So, from design to construction, we asked a construction company affiliated with the Nancheng Ocean Research Institute to do it. They can be said to be the most regular army among the regular army. I really can't imagine that there would be a murderer among the people here." Zhang Xiaohua shook his head and said.

Zhong Kui listened and smiled. "That makes sense. The murderer possessed extensive knowledge of mathematics, tides, religion, and other subjects. In the 80s, not everyone possessed such knowledge."

"More than forty years have passed. As far as I know, most of the people in charge of the project have passed away. If you want to investigate now, I'm afraid..."

"Ocean Research Institute... What a coincidence?" Qi Fei would not forget that Ye Ming had visited the institute many times, temples, churches, institutes... Places associated with the murderer and the rituals in which the victims were killed, more and more connection points appeared.

Nancheng Ocean Research Institute is not built on the seaside, but is located in the city center.

It's the kind of place that locals see the entrance but never think of going in.

After all, what the institute studies is far from the daily lives of citizens.

Police cars are even rarer sights in this institute's yard.

A man in dark blue work clothes was standing downstairs of the research institute waiting for Qi Fei and the others to arrive.

"Hello, I'm Song Tao, a researcher at the institute. You must be Officer Qi, right?" He wasn't very old, looking about thirty, but his hair was noticeably thinning. "The administrative office told me you wanted to learn about Teacher Cui's work. It just so happens that I'm his last disciple."

The Teacher Cui that Song Tao mentioned was the researcher Cui Zhan that Qi Fei found after inquiring with the Institute of Oceanology. He was the expert who was responsible for receiving Ye Ming that year.

Unfortunately, Cui Zhan passed away last year.

After a brief encounter, Song Tao took Qi Fei into the building.

In the exhibition hall on the first floor, there are photos of experts from the institute over the years.

Song Tao stopped in front of one of the photos and pointed to an elderly man with thick eyebrows and a square face. He said, "That's my mentor, Mr. Cui Zhan. He has made outstanding contributions in the field of marine science."

Qi Fei carefully read the biography below the photo. One line of text caught his attention and he couldn't help but read it aloud: "He made great contributions to the survey and planning of land reclamation in the northern waters of Nancheng."

"That's right. Dongji Town, the main fishing town in Nancheng, was built by Mr. Cui. If Mr. Cui hadn't decided that the conditions in the northern bay of Nancheng were suitable for land reclamation, there would be no Dongji Town today." Song Tao's tone was full of admiration for Cui Zhan.

"There's no mention of the Dongji Town Fisheries Building here?" Qi Fei was thinking about the report in the Nancheng Daily. Song Tao smiled when he heard it. "Perhaps I didn't explain it clearly. Mr. Cui is a marine scientist, not a building builder. If you're asking about building construction, aren't you looking in the wrong place?"

He asked politely, but obviously thought Qi Fei was an outsider.

However, Cui Zhan was an important figure that Ye Ming visited before his death, and he also had such a deep connection with Dongji Town. Qi Fei did not think this was just a coincidence and continued to ask, "Since Dongji Town was founded by him, he must have been there quite a few times, right?"

Unexpectedly, Song Tao decisively denied this question: "On the contrary, everyone in the institute knows that Mr. Cui will not go to Dongji Town."

"Why?" Qi Fei was puzzled.

"We don't know the reason. When Mr. Cui was tasked with surveying the geological conditions and ocean currents along the coast, he lived and ate almost his entire life by the sea. Unexpectedly, after the reclamation project was successfully completed, a celebration meeting was held in Dongji Town, inviting Mr. Cui to accept the award. He firmly declined.

Since then, he has never been to Dongji Town. If he is invited to a meeting or event in Dongji Town, he will not go.

This is known to everyone in the institute.”

"Hasn't any of you ever asked him why?"

"Scientists all have their own tempers. Later, Mr. Cui's research focus shifted away from this. He must have had his reasons for not speaking up. Oh, by the way..." Song Tao brought it up, "As for the police officer you mentioned who visited Mr. Cui, we really don't know much about him."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Qi Fei's disappointed expression and added, "But you can ask Cui Lao's son Cui Nian. He lives in the nearby Orchid Apartment."

The Orchid Apartment that Song Tao mentioned is located at an intersection less than 100 meters north of the Ocean Research Institute. This apartment is one of the few large apartments in the center of Nancheng City.

According to the address provided by the institute, Qi Fei found Cui Nian's residence in Orchid Apartment.

After knocking on the door, an elegant old lady opened it. She looked to be in her 60s, with silver curly hair and pearl earrings.

"Excuse me, is this Cui Nian's home?" Qi Fei asked.

When the old lady heard this, she immediately turned around and shouted, "Lao Cui, a guest is coming."

After a while, an old man in a woolen vest walked out. Judging from the thick eyebrows, it should be Cui Zhan's son Cui Nian. Although he is called a son, he is now an old man in his seventies.

Seeing Qi Fei, Cui Nian took a moment to recognize him and asked, "Are you new here?"

Qi Fei knew that he had mistakenly thought he was a junior from the institute, so he immediately explained, "I'm from the Nancheng Criminal Police Brigade, and I'm here to find out more about your father."

Like Zhang Xiaohua, Cui Nian was confused. "Criminal police? My father passed away last year at the age of 90. How could…"

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