Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

Chapter 114 Chief Li's Corpse

The other side.

When Chief Li arrived at Third Master's house with Wang Gang and a team of police officers, the area outside the courtyard was already crowded with people.

The neighbors peeked inside on tiptoe, their faces filled with fear and curiosity, but none of them dared to step into the courtyard.

A strange aroma of meat filled the air, mixed with a burnt smell that made one's stomach churn.

"What's that smell?"

"Like stewed meat... ugh..."

"Stop talking! It's disgusting!"

The crowd was buzzing with discussion, but everyone consciously kept their distance from the courtyard gate.

When the police arrived, people automatically made way for them.

"Everyone, make way, the police are conducting a case."

Director Li shouted, his voice standing out loudly amidst the cacophony of voices.

The crowd parted to make way for Chief Li, who led a dozen or so officers in single file.

Upon entering the courtyard, the strange smell became even stronger, almost choking one to the point of fainting.

Then they saw the large oil pot.

The fire at the bottom of the pot had gone out, but the oil in the pot was still emitting a slight steam. Two charred lumps floated on the oil noodles, barely recognizable as human shapes.

"My God..." Wang Gang covered his mouth.

Despite feeling nauseous, Director Li approached the oil pan.

The two charred corpses in the pot were curled up, their skin carbonized and blackened, like two pieces of burnt wood.

One of the bodies was still in a struggling posture, with one hand outstretched upwards and the five fingers twisted into a claw shape.

What terrified Director Li the most was that one of the corpses still had a piece of clothing that hadn't been completely burned.

A gray cloth Zhongshan suit with subtle embroidery on the cuffs.

Those were the clothes Yi Zhonghai often wore.

The other corpse was wearing a black cloth shoe on its foot.

The soles were worn white, and there was a patch on the upper. Those were Yan Bugui's shoes; I had seen them before when I secretly let them pass through the hotel.

"vomit--!"

Director Li finally couldn't hold it in any longer and turned around to vomit.

I only drank a bowl of porridge this morning, and now I've vomited it all up on the ground, with yellowish-green bile dripping down my chin.

The other officers weren't in much better shape; several of the younger ones were already leaning against the wall, dry heaving, their faces as pale as paper.

"Chief...Chief..." Wang Gang managed to hand over a handkerchief, "Are you...are you alright?"

Director Li took the handkerchief, wiped his mouth, and waved his hand: "No, it's nothing... continue the investigation."

He forced himself to calm down and began to give instructions: "Xiao Wang, Xiao Zhang, protect the scene. Everyone else, search carefully and don't miss any clues."

Walking towards the house

The door was ajar, and it was quiet inside.

The moment the door was pushed open, an even stronger stench of blood hit the door.

Director Li stood frozen at the door.

Inside the room was an old wooden table, on which was tied a person, or rather, a person who used to be.

Now it was just a pile of minced meat and bones, as if it had been cut into pieces, neatly stacked on the table, revealing the stark white skeleton.

Scattered under the table were more pieces of meat, a pair of severed hands, a pair of severed feet, and a watermelon head, all neatly cut.

In a corner outside the house, there was a headless corpse and another corpse lying on its back as if it had been dragged, with a large hole in its chest and its heart missing.

His eyes were wide open, staring straight at the ceiling.

"This...this..."

Director Li's legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Fortunately, Wang Gang reacted quickly and caught him.

The dozen or so police officers who accompanied them also froze on the spot, some of them turning away, too afraid to look any further.

fear.

It's not just the fear of the horrific scene.

There is also a deeper kind of fear, stemming from the depths of one's heart—a fear of the unknown.

Director Li's heart was pounding, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

He looked at the mangled corpse on the table, at the severed limbs and head under the table, and at the old man in the corner whose heart had been ripped out…

He remembered what Director Yang had said to him when he came to see him:

Old Li, there's a bit of trouble with Yi Zhonghai. Could you help me handle it?

It's just a death certificate; just issue it as "natural death," and you'll get your share of the benefits afterward.

I wonder how I hesitated back then, and how I finally gave in to five hundred yuan and two small yellow croakers.

"Oh my god... oh my god..."

Director Li muttered to himself, his voice so soft that only he could hear it.

Wang Gang didn't hear him clearly: "Chief, what did you say?"

"N-nothing."

Chief Li wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, forcing himself to calm down. "First, examine the scene and look for clues, then... then bring the body back to the station."

His voice was trembling, and his hands were trembling too.

Wang Gang looked at him with suspicion, but didn't ask any further questions, and turned to arrange the work.

The officers got to work.

Evidence collection and recording are both necessary.

Everyone looked solemn and moved with extreme caution, as if afraid of ruining any clues.

"Chief, come quick, there are two more bodies here."

When Director Li went to the next room, he saw that the bodies of Yan Jiefang and Yan Jiekuang were neatly laid out together.

"Carry them out."

Before he finished speaking, he turned and walked out of the house, stood in the yard, took a few deep breaths, and tried to calm himself down.

But the smell of burning and blood in the air made him feel even worse.

"Chief, we've found something else here!" an officer shouted from inside the house.

Chief Li walked over again and saw that the police officer was holding two small yellow croakers and a wad of money wrapped in oil paper, which was in relatively good condition.

"Keep these safe; they're all evidence."

The survey lasted for more than an hour.

Throughout the ordeal, Director Li remained absent-minded, glancing at the gate from time to time, as if afraid something might suddenly break in.

Finally, the on-site investigation was completed, and the body could be moved.

"First, lift the two bodies out of the oil pan," Director Li instructed. "Be careful, try to keep them intact."

Several police officers found tools and struggled to pull the two charred bodies out of the solidified oil.

The corpse was stuck to the oil, and a layer of charred flesh would fall off with a single pull.

"vomit--!"

Someone in the crowd vomited.

Many more people covered their mouths, their faces turning pale.

The two charred corpses were placed on stretchers and covered with white sheets.

But the white cloth was quickly soaked in oil, and the dark yellow oil stains spread across it, making it look even more horrifying.

Then there were the five bodies inside the house.

When the police officers carried out the mutilated body, the crowd gasped in shock.

"My God! What... what is this?"

"That's terrible..."

"Was this done by a human?"

People whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with fear.

Standing in the courtyard, Director Li watched as one corpse after another was carried out, and his heart grew colder and colder.

Seven corpses.

Yi Zhonghai, Yan Bugui, Shazhu, Liu Laotou, Third Master, Yan Jiefang, Yan Jiekuang.

Almost everyone in the courtyard at No. 95 is dead.

The Jia family has been wiped out.

The Liu family was wiped out, leaving only Liu Guangqi, who was studying away from home.

The Yan family now has only one daughter, Yan Jiedi.

The He family also has a widower who ran away with a widow.

The Yi family is completely wiped out.

The Wang family, including the director of the neighborhood committee, also suffered a devastating loss, with only one member remaining.

"Chief, everything's been moved." Wang Gang came over to report.

Director Li nodded, taking one last look at the courtyard filled with death: "Seal off the scene, send two people to guard it, and don't allow anyone to enter or leave."

"Yes."

As he stepped out of the courtyard, Director Li felt countless eyes on him.

Those gazes held fear, curiosity, and skepticism.

"Chief Li, what exactly is going on?"

"Has the murderer been caught?"

"Will they continue killing?"

People asked all sorts of questions.

Director Li waved his hand, said nothing, and walked straight to the bicycle.

The crowd was still pointing and talking.

He knew this wasn't over yet.

Who will be the next one?

Will it be... my turn?