The Mystery of the Inner Demon

Chapter 223 President Lou

The highway always leads to towering mountains; this is the road from Nancheng to Baicheng, and also the road that travels along the Yingjiang River towards the sea.

After a two-hour drive, they finally entered Baicheng.

Zhong Kui entered Zhong Xiaoyu's hometown like a tourist.

"We asked the Baicheng criminal police to help us find out the whereabouts of all the staff at the Baisha District branch of Jiangnan Development Bank. We have news now. On the day Hao Weiwei was murdered, only one person was absent from the bank, and that was their vice president, Lou Jing." Wu Shanqiu said as soon as the car exited the highway.

"Oh? The area is so small?" Qi Fei was slightly surprised.

“It’s a good omen. I consulted the oracle before coming here, and it seems this trip to Baicheng will go smoothly,” Zhong Kui said with a smile.

The car entered the urban area of ​​Nancheng, where the roads became narrower and the trees became denser.

Beside a sycamore-lined road with only two lanes, the bank where the cyber killer forged the bank card opened—the Baisha District branch of Jiangnan Development Bank—has an inconspicuous storefront.

Upon entering the reception room, they were greeted by a woman in her forties with dark skin, short hair, and a face covered in freckles and dark circles under her eyes, making her look extremely tired.

"Hello, I'm Lou Jing, the deputy branch manager of Baisha branch. The Baicheng Public Security Bureau called me. How can I help you?"

The tone of his voice clearly indicated that he was unaware that he had become a suspect in the case and was only presenting himself as the branch manager to the police.

Qi Fei did not immediately correct Lou Jing's misunderstanding, but went along with her meaning and said, "Hello, Lou Xing, we are investigating a criminal case. The murderer used a fake bank account, which stated that the opening bank was your branch, so we came to find out more about the situation."

"Since it's fabricated, it shouldn't have anything to do with us, right? I don't know what else you need to know?" A hint of displeasure flashed in Lou Jing's eyes, indicating that she felt Qi Fei's reasons for the investigation were too far-fetched.

"It's not surprising that he knows there's a Baisha District in Baicheng, but it's not so simple that he knows there's a branch of Jiangnan Development Bank in Baisha District. If he wanted to fabricate something, he could have written down a non-existent bank branch. The fact that he wrote down yours means he knows about you," Zhong Kui said from the side. "The bank card registration was at the beginning of last year. Are there any employees at your bank who are particularly fond of science fiction, or who are rather old-fashioned?"

Lou Jing glanced at Zhong Kui a few more times after hearing her words. Clearly, like the others, she also felt that the alluringly dressed woman in front of her did not look like a police officer.

“Miss, I really find it difficult to answer your two points. First of all, our branch has no obligation to know our employees’ hobbies. As for being rigid, that depends on your interpretation. Most of our business requires meticulousness and strict adherence to procedures. If this is what you mean by being rigid, then all our qualified employees fit your description.” Lou Jing was clearly somewhat resistant to Zhong Kui’s suspicions about her employees, and her response was inevitably sharp.

Zhong Kui wasn't angry at all; in fact, she smiled and said, "This is just a process of elimination. We hope you can help us find out more."

Qi Fei opened the notebook and said to Lou Jing as if it were a routine matter, "Lou Jing, why don't we start with you? We understand that you took leave two weeks ago for personal reasons. Would you mind telling us why?" Lou Jing, being the deputy bank manager, reacted quickly: "The case you're investigating, that person died two weeks ago, right?"

"Well, we just want to know your alibi." Qi Fei had already picked up a pen, as if he was about to take notes.

Lou Jing interlaced her fingers and placed her hands on the table, saying calmly, "My reason for taking leave is very simple. My husband was away on a business trip for a few days, and my child is about to take the college entrance exam and needs to be taken care of, so I asked the bank for a few days off. You can verify this with the bank's leadership."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Kui immediately said, "Yes, you are not the murderer."

At this moment, Lou Jing's eyes showed a hint of surprise, not understanding why Zhong Kui could come to this conclusion so quickly.

Zhong Kui clearly saw her question and smiled gently: "I can read minds."

"She's a psychologist," Qi Fei quickly added, otherwise Zhong Kui would say something mysterious that would arouse suspicion. He then winked at Zhong Kui, probably telling her not to do anything rash.

Zhong Kui rolled her eyes, slightly annoyed, and added, "Okay, I just noticed your habit of clasping your hands together. Your left thumb is on top, so if I'm not mistaken, you're left-handed, right? Most people would be used to having their right thumb on top."

Lou Jing looked at her hands, and probably didn't even realize it herself: "That's right, I'm left-handed."

“Well, judging from the knife marks on the murderer, he should be right-handed, so you’re not.” Zhong Kui crossed her arms and said slowly, “Besides, based on my personal speculation, it’s not very likely that he’s one of your employees. Exposing his workplace directly would make him feel too insecure.”

"We just want to figure out why he would use your branch to commit fraud." She turned her head, looking at Lou Jing with an observant expression that made Lou Jing feel uncomfortable. "On a side note, it seems you've been under a lot of pressure lately."

“Sigh, business at the bank is really hectic these days. As the vice president, I have to both attract business and manage operations. I’m so busy. Plus, my child is starting high school this year, and her father is getting busier and busier too, so the pressure is really immense. Oh, sorry, this has nothing to do with you guys.” Lou Jing said, then seemed to remember something. Zhong Kui’s question from earlier made her look puzzled again. She hesitated and said, “Have we met before?”

Zhong Kui's eyes flickered for a moment, then she said coldly, "I have never seen you before."

Lou Jing's skin, having lost its elasticity, furrowed with a deep frown, leaving a deep crease as she murmured, "I always felt that you should be someone I know..."

“Let’s focus on the case we’re investigating.” Zhong Kui clearly didn’t want her to think about this anymore and interrupted her thoughts. “The person we’re looking for might be someone we’ve dealt with before.”

“That’s a very broad scope.” Lou Jing blurted out, “Our branch is the best performing branch of Nankai Bank in Baicheng. If you want to find your suspects among our customers, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

However, Zhong Kui kept his eyes fixed on her face and suddenly said, "But you already have someone in your heart."