The Last Mr. Dongguo

The entire call lasted 17 seconds, with no unnecessary words. Due to the short duration, Dongfang Lin couldn't pinpoint the exact location, only its general direction. The phone number was hidden, and the caller's tone was emotionless, almost like reciting a spell. The wording was precise, with a keen awareness of numbers, emphasizing the digits "110," "1," and "601," indicating caution. The caller's voice had been specially processed; while the caller's real voice couldn't be determined, it was clearly the tone of a mysterious person, and a wealth of information could be gleaned from the tone and wording alone. After a brief summary, Dongfang Lin, carrying her equipment, headed to the designated area.

Bloodstains covered the original orange floor, and the entire room was ransacked. Bai Xin stood at the door with nowhere to step, and the bloodstains stretched from the doorway all the way to the corner of the living room.

"Captain White, this scene..." Zou Wen hesitated, his gaze following the bloodstains forward to the corpse in the center of the living room.

"It's exactly the same scene as ten years ago. Xiao Li, immediately question all the residents on this floor to determine the basic information of the deceased. Also, retrieve all the surveillance footage in the community and question the security guards." After Bai Xin gave the instructions, Xiao Li accepted the order and turned to go downstairs.

Not only the floor, but also the tabletops, walls, and appliances were covered in splattered blood. The body lay half-reclined on the sofa, its clothes stained crimson with blood, its neck empty; the body was headless.

Building No. 1 is located at the right corner of the community. To the east is a small garden, to the south is the Phase IV construction project, and to the west is the street. Looking along the wall, Xiao Li saw that from the entrance of Building No. 1 to the construction site of Phase IV, there were three surveillance cameras installed in different directions on the short wall. Xiao Li silently marveled at the security measures of the upscale community.

Walking north past Building 1 and through a circular sports field, you'll see the gate to the Huguang Community. The security guard's room door wasn't locked, and Xiao Li pushed it open and showed his ID.

"Hello, police officer."

The other party was a middle-aged man around fifty years old, tall and strong. Despite the hot weather, he was still dressed in a neat security guard uniform, with his baton and walkie-talkie neatly tucked into his waistband, looking very capable. Upon hearing the police's inquiry, he greeted them with a smile and poured Xiao Li a glass of water.

"It's hot, have a glass of water first." As she spoke, she turned on the air conditioner on the wall. "My surname is Xiang. I've been used to hardship since I was a child, so I'm not used to this air conditioner. My legs are also uncomfortable this year. Unlike you young people, you like these new gadgets."

"It's alright, I just came to ask a few questions." Xiao Li gestured for him to sit down, looking at the stool opposite him. "Master Xiang, there's no need to be so formal. You seem to be a very responsible person."

Old Xiang smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes appearing even deeper. "I was also a soldier, and I know how hard your work is. Please feel free to ask me any questions."

Who was on duty yesterday?

"It's me. My colleague had something to do these past two days, so I've been working two shifts."

"Were any strangers in the community last night?"

"no."

Are you sure?

"Our community uses access cards and facial recognition systems for entry and exit. From the main gate to each household, you have to swipe your card three times. Each building also has its own staff on duty. Unless you're accompanied by someone you know, it's impossible to get through our security system. Besides, there are surveillance cameras installed from the main gate to each floor, so it's almost impossible to sneak in alone." Old Xiang proudly introduced the community's security system, as if he were showing off his achievements.

"Do you know the resident who lives in apartment 601 of building 1?"

"I know him, he's a local celebrity."

Building No. 1 is a low-rise building, fortunately with only six floors and 18 households. Xiao Li started knocking on each door from the first floor. However, whether no one was home or they were deliberately avoiding him, no one answered when Xiao Li knocked all the way to the victim's door. Frustrated, Xiao Li returned to the crime scene, where he happened to see Bai Xin and Dongfang Lin examining the body in the room. Xiao Li didn't disturb them, but instead lit a cigarette, his gaze falling on apartment number 602 next door.

After confirming that the body was secured, Zou Wen laid it flat on the sofa. "Rigoletto has formed in the upper limbs, but not in the lower limbs. Preliminary estimate is that the body has been dead for 6 to 7 hours, probably between 1 and 2 a.m. last night." Dongfang Lin unbuttoned the deceased's clothes and conducted a preliminary examination of the body. "Strange."

"how?"

"Team Leader Bai, the deceased's body is completely red, with blisters, peeling skin, and a pale appearance. This is a clear sign of burns, meaning the deceased was scalded by boiling water before death." Zou Wen gently pressed on the abdomen and chest of the body. "In addition, the deceased also suffered blunt force trauma, which initially suggests internal organ damage. The cause of death and whether there was any pharmacological reaction will require further autopsy to confirm. Also, I just checked the entire room, and apart from the living room and bathroom, I didn't find any bloodstains elsewhere. Furthermore, judging from the wound on the deceased's neck, the decapitation was likely done with an extremely sharp and heavy single-edged machete. Such a knife is not something an ordinary person would possess, indicating that the murderer brought the knife to the crime scene." Zou Wen explained his judgment with a puzzled expression.

"I understand what you mean," Bai Xin said, his brow furrowed the entire time. The unusual circumstances made the case even more bizarre and strange. The murderer had beaten and tortured the victim, who silently endured it. If the murderer chose to decapitate the victim, why did he do such a thing? Was the murderer covering something up or venting his anger? Bai Xin fell into deep thought. "If the victim was conscious before death, then, based on the existing clues, the victim may have willingly accepted his death!" Bai Xin turned around and saw two slightly reddish, already cold cups of tea on the coffee table in front of them.

Feng Hao's appearance further confirmed Fei Li's deduction—it was all a scheme by the mysterious person. As more people appeared in the secret room, and those connected to them followed, Fei Li's worries grew stronger.

The setting sun was beginning to appear in the distant sky, and another day was coming to an end. Fei Li couldn't help but sigh, wondering if a day in this environment was equivalent to the real world.

"Actually, I quite like this environment. There's no burden, no worries, and everything can start over." Feng Hao casually lit a cigarette and exhaled a beautiful smoke ring.

"You handle your own affairs, and you don't need to worry about ours."

Li Mengying couldn't stand Feng Hao, who built his happiness on the suffering of others. She gestured for him to leave.

But Feng Hao showed no intention of leaving. Instead, he sat on the only stool and crossed his legs.

"If I were you, I would do nothing right now. Their goal is to throw you into disarray and trap you. The more you act, the worse it will be for you."