Chapter 103 Don't Worship If You Have No Money

Qilin Mountain, formerly known as Qilin Mountain, is 355 meters above sea level and is covered with lush trees and steep rocks.

Last year, due to a fire at the Temple of the Bodhisattva of Sending the Unicorn, the county renamed it "Qilin Mountain" to echo the wishes of the pilgrims at the foot of the mountain for a child of the Qilin (a mythical creature), and began charging an entrance fee at the foot of the mountain.

Chen Zhenzhu got out of the car, put on her raincoat, and saw the time on her pager: 2:20 PM.

"The person who reported the incident is still waiting in the cave, and the staff on duty here are also here." Gu Yanzheng grabbed Chen Zhenzhu, who was trying to run up the stone steps, and pointed to her shoelaces.

As Shen Zhenzhu was about to tie her untied shoelaces, Gu Yanzheng bent down and quickly tied them. He then stood up straight as if nothing had happened and said, "There's moss on the stone steps, don't slip."

Sigh, men get so meddlesome as they get older.

Chen Zhenzhu glanced at the expressionless Zheng Ge, then lazily stretched out her other leg, saying, "Zheng Ge, you have a strong hand, so stretch it a bit tighter. I can just slip it on later."

Gu Yanzheng ignored her and said, "Yes, that's it. Doesn't the head of the Major Crimes Unit have any dignity?"

Lu Ye asked someone in the distance to find out the exact location, then waved to them and waited to come over.

Gu Yanzheng tossed out a sentence: "Wait until it opens," and left.

What a promising future!

"Go around from the top to the back, it's not far down there." Lu Ye led the way, with Chen Zhenzhu and Gu Yanzheng walking side by side behind.

The path leading up the mountain was built by the monks themselves. However, the monks disappeared for ten years, but the stone steps were left for later generations.

On the narrow stone steps, you can often see pilgrims kneeling and praying as they climb the mountain. Several times, you brush past them with the valley right next to you, which is quite dangerous.

“We’ve come at the wrong time. I heard that if we had come six months later, the newly built cement steps over there would have been ready for use.” Lu Ye took three steps at a time, while Chen Zhenzhu observed the surroundings from behind.

Gu Yanzheng remained silent, his brows furrowed.

Upon arriving at the cave, the words "Residence of the Great Immortal Hongfu" were painted in bright red on the rocks on the cave ceiling. Scattered around the cave entrance, which was about three and a half meters wide, were seven or eight onlookers, as well as a person who had called the police and staff members sitting on the rocks furthest from the entrance, holding an umbrella.

A light drizzle started, and Chen Zhenzhu didn't want to wash her hair anymore, so she kept her raincoat and hood up.

Gu Yanzheng went over to question the person who reported the incident, Lu Ye set up a cordon, and Shen Zhenzhu went to check on the headless female corpse first.

Water droplets tapped rhythmically on the rocks at the cave entrance. As the rain gradually enveloped the cave entrance, water droplets condensed on the rock walls and dripped continuously, creating soft echoes on the stone floor.

The cave entrance reeked of decay and a strong stench of corpses, mixed with the stench of mud, making it truly suffocating.

The body lay supine before me, its head missing.

Shen Zhenzhu saw that the neck of the corpse was cut off in a jagged manner, with dark red muscle tissue torn and rolled up, and serrated marks remaining at the cut surface. The bone fragments stood out abruptly, which should be the marks of repeated cutting.

The corpse, submerged in the stagnant water at the cave entrance, had a distinctive waxy white color. Several blisters beneath the skin had burst, revealing dark red flesh and blood, on which flies and insects had landed.

"How is it?" Lu Ye walked over to Chen Zhenzhu, put on gloves, and squatted down.

After a few seconds of reflection, Chen Zhenzhu came to her senses from the "Sky Eye Retrospective" and sighed softly, saying, "The footprints and marks have been washed away by the rain. The temperature inside the cave is low, but the humidity is extremely high, which accelerates the decomposition of the corpse."

Lu Ye took out his camera and started taking pictures of the scene. Under such circumstances, it would be impossible for a forensic doctor to arrive at the scene. Fortunately, Gu Yanzheng had some tools on his way to the provincial capital.

The person who reported the case was so frightened by the headless female corpse that she couldn't speak coherently and even tripped and fell. When Gu Yanzheng saw that the police from the local police station had also arrived, he decided to take her to the hospital first and wait for her to calm down before continuing the investigation.

"The head was sawed off, the cut surface was relatively flat, and serrated cutting lines were visible. It was initially judged to have been formed by repeated cutting with a handsaw or hacksaw." Chen Zhenzhu gently touched the cervical spine cut surface and said, "Yes, there are also saw marks on the bone tissue. There were no test cuts, so it is speculated that the deceased may have been dismembered after being controlled or shortly after death."

She opened her raincoat to look for the evidence bag, and Gu Yanzheng tapped her on the shoulder and handed her one.

Shen Zhenzhu carefully extracted a small amount of rust-brown fragments from the broken bone: "It may be metal residue, or it may be oxidized bloodstains. Further testing is needed to determine if it came from the murder weapon."

Lu Ye squatted down beside him and lent a hand, saying with admiration, "No wonder Qin An couldn't forget you. You were practically a forensic doctor on the scene."

Gu Yanzheng stood behind and nodded slightly, his gaze shifting to the corpse.

The deceased's clothing was soaked and stuck to the body; the fibers had decomposed due to decay, making it difficult to discern the whole body. There was no large amount of blood on the ground, but the putrid liquid had seeped into the soil and rock slabs, forming dark stains.

The continuous rainfall has led to the loss of evidence, destroyed traces at the scene, and increased the difficulty of evidence collection.

Shen Zhenzhu raised her head and asked him, "Have you found anything in the confession?"

Gu Yanzheng shook his head: "After discovering it, I went to the duty room to call the police, and then came up with the staff on duty. What you see in front of you is what she sees."

"I understand." Chen Zhenzhu buried her head and continued to observe.

"The preliminary assessment indicates that the time of death was between 7 and 10 days ago. The humid environment accelerated the decomposition of soft tissues, but the low temperature delayed the skeletalization." After completing the preliminary investigation, Shen Zhenzhu stood up and said regretfully, "If only it hadn't rained, we could have found more evidence."

Gu Yanzheng said, "The murderer was familiar with the cave's terrain and found a hidden but easily accessible location to dispose of the body. He had a tendency to use violent tools and had moved the body. The focus of the investigation was on men carrying large suitcases near Qilin Mountain. We also investigated hardware stores and farm tool shops within a 10-kilometer radius of the cave and visited nearby places to inquire if there were any missing women. Perhaps her family had not yet discovered that she had been murdered and had not reported her missing."

Because of Qiaoqiao, they checked the missing persons reports in Wuxian County and found no young women at all.

They couldn't find any information about Qiaoqiao at the police station, but Gu Yanzheng judged from her accent that she must have come from a neighboring city.

After giving orders to the police station and Lu Ye, he saw Shen Zhenzhu surveying the surrounding environment.

Even after a heavy rain, Chen Zhenzhu still hoped to find some clue, even if it was just a cigarette butt, half a footprint, or a piece of chewing gum.

"You stay here first, I'll make a few phone calls." Gu Yanzheng hadn't partnered with Shen Zhenzhu for a long time, but the two still had great chemistry and didn't need to report to each other to understand each other's next move.

Unfortunately, by the time Gu Yanzheng finished his work call, Shen Zhenzhu still hadn't found any clues in the vicinity.

A sudden thunderstorm arrived, posing a danger at the foot of the mountain.

Gu Yanzheng had no choice but to persuade Shen Zhenzhu to go back.

Sitting in the car, Lu Ye said, "Sister Pearl, you can come with me to the hardware store later."

"Mmm." Shen Zhenzhu seemed tired, responded with a soft sound, and closed her eyes.

Gu Yanzheng and Lu Ye decided not to disturb her and let her rest for the time being.

Taking a brief moment, Chen Zhenzhu reviewed the scene from the "Heavenly Eye Retrospective"—

Inside the Hall of the Bodhisattva Sending Off the Unicorn, plaques hang on the thick vermilion pillars:

'A single incense offering carries a thousand wishes; the divine traces will naturally reveal themselves, need not be sought.'

'A compassionate countenance sits steadfastly on the lotus throne; auspicious light shines deep within the precious temple.'

The Bodhisattva Sending Off the Unicorn has a compassionate face and long, slender eyebrows. There is a cinnabar mole between his eyebrows, like a drop of blood congealed into a pearl. His eyes are half-open and half-closed, with the corners drooping.

With four hands and two feet, he sits on a red lotus platform. His upper left hand holds a vase and willow branch, while his upper right hand hangs down in the "wishing mudra" gesture, with his five fingers naturally slightly curved and the lines on his palm forming a cloud pattern resembling the character "子".

The lower left hand holds the baby in a passing gesture, while the lower right hand holds a gold-lacquered pomegranate, symbolizing many children.

The two Arhats on either side, the Arhat on the right is named Venerable Yushan, who is depicted as a compassionate old man, holding a blank scripture in his hand, and with eight-sided infant spirit bells hanging from his earlobes.

The Arhat on the left is named Punisher of Evil, with an angry Vajra appearance. His eyebrows are like knives, his eyes are like copper bells, and the whites of his eyes are bloodshot. His left hand grasps a blue-faced, fanged evil spirit, while his right hand holds aloft a thunder-patterned Vajra.

One fierce and one compassionate, yin and yang complementing each other, truly embodying the idea that "only by driving away evil can one attain goodness."

The temple is imposing and solemn, allowing no evil spirits or demons to roam freely. If it truly is effective—

Clothes were scattered on the wooden floor.

The bald monk kicked over a wine bottle, pulled up his pants, and muttered curses, but the sound was drowned out by the thunder and lightning outside.

He stood with his back to the window, and the woman beneath him, who had been violated, sobbed uncontrollably. She weakly raised her bare arm, pointed at the monk, and said something.

The bald monk roared, "You dare expose me! I'll make you pay!"

He shook off the woman's arm that was protecting him, and said with a sneer, "You don't want a rich man to raise my son, so I'll just have my fun. Anyway, you can't leave now!"

The woman's cries for help could not be heard from the inner hall; raindrops fell on the tiles, mingling with the monks' breathing.

......

The rain poured down, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and the woman cried out to heaven and earth in vain. She continued to pound on the monk's back, forced to endure endless humiliation.

Beneath the seat of Bodhisattva Songlin, the monk, in a frenzied state like a demon from hell, repeatedly and tightly gripped the woman's neck...

After the rain shower, the sky began to lighten.

"Knock knock knock knock knock"

"Thump thump thump thump thump—"

"Damn it, this place is no longer safe!" The monk seemed to be provoked by the knocking sound, and his slightly calmed emotions turned angry again.

He kicked away the long wooden fish, walked to the offering table of the Bodhisattva of Sending Off the Unicorn, took out the iron saw hidden inside, rolled up his sleeves, and walked with a slight limp to the corpse of the woman who had suffocated to death, and began to saw off her head.

......

......

The Cherokee searched the area near the foot of the mountain but found nothing. Back at the self-built house, it was still raining.

The five people, plus Qiaoqiao, sat in Shen Zhenzhu's room for a detective meeting.

"There are too few clues. Zheng and I think we should temporarily define the suspect as a strong male who owns a hand saw or hacksaw, has a large suitcase, and should be good at disguising himself."

Shen Zhenzhu hugged the restless Qiaoqiao and patted her. Qiaoqiao smelled the pleasant scent on Shen Zhenzhu, snuggled against her, and looked at everyone with wide eyes.

Shen Zhenzhu noticed that she was very attached to her older sister, which meant the sisters must have a good relationship.

"How can there be absolutely no clues?" Zhao Qiqi asked repeatedly, "What happened to the body?"

Lu Ye said, "Give it to the county hospital and have them send it to the morgue."

There were almost no clues, and everyone in the room looked worried.

Xiao Bai was eager to try: "Can you take me with you during the investigation later?"

Seeing that she really wanted to go, Shen Zhenzhu nodded and said, "Okay."

Lu Ye braved the rain to retrieve a map of Wuxian County from the car, and everyone gathered around the map to discuss the routes.

Just then, the front door opened, and Zhang Yiming's voice broke through the rain and mist and entered the room: "What kind of damned Bodhisattva is this, looking down on people like that! So what if I don't have money? Does not having money mean I deserve to be out in the rain?"

Lu Ye opened the door and saw Zhang Yiming running back into the room, soaking wet. Wang Kuan looked unwell, but nodded to Lu Ye.

Gu Yanzheng said to Lu Ye, "Ask about the situation."

Chen Zhenzhu stood up and said, "I'm going to the restroom."

Shen Zhenzhu grabbed the chocolate from her bag and went to Zhang Yiming's room. Seeing Wang Kuan, she carefully comforted her: "Don't cry. Let's go back and ask my parents to think of a solution."

"You're looking down on people like that." Zhang Yiming felt wronged and kept shedding tears.

Chen Zhenzhu knocked on the wooden door, making a "thump, thump, thump" sound. Chen Zhenzhu glanced at the wooden door, then said to Zhang Yiming, "A piece of chocolate will make you feel better."

"Haven't you gone yet?" Zhang Yiming wiped away his tears and couldn't help but say, "I should have known better than to go. What a lousy temple."

"I took a look from a distance." Chen Zhenzhu went over and opened the chocolate for her to eat, then asked, "Are the tickets sold out?"

Wang Kuan sighed and said sullenly, "We went up the mountain, but there was a fat monk at the temple gate who asked us to pay for incense. We gave him ten yuan, but he laughed at us for giving too little and wouldn't let us into the temple."

Shen Zhenzhu knew that there was a tall monk in the temple who was a murderer, but she didn't know anything about the fat monk. So she asked, "Where can you find a monk like this? Aren't the incense money all donated voluntarily? He's already at the temple gate, how can you not let him in?"

Just then, the pregnant woman's mother-in-law appeared at the door, looking enigmatic, and said, "Oh dear, are you really that clueless, or are you just pretending?"

Shen Zhenzhu and Zhang Yiming looked over at the pregnant woman, who pointed to the gold bracelet on her wrist and said, "I had to donate a gold bracelet to get into the temple. Once inside, there are inner and outer halls. To enter the inner hall, you have to come and offer incense on the first and fifteenth of each month, and each time the incense fee is at least a thousand yuan. It takes at least three months to be introduced to the abbot and enter the inner hall. How could you possibly get in with just ten yuan?"

Shen Zhenzhu was shocked. This was no temple of bodhisattvas; it was a money-eating temple.

The pregnant woman's mother-in-law, who was wealthy and powerful, looked at Zhang Yiming with pity after saying this, then looked at Chen Zhenzhu and asked, "How long have you been married to him?"

While Shen Zhenzhu was still wondering, Gu Yanzheng's voice suddenly came from outside: "Three years."

After Gu Yanzheng finished speaking, he strode to the door and leaned against it.

When the pregnant woman heard Gu Yanzheng speak, she looked at him with satisfaction and said, "I can tell that your family has a nice car, so you must be well-off. Go to the savings bank and withdraw more money, and slip some to the fat monk in front of him. Maybe that will help you get an introduction to the abbot sooner."

"The more money you have, the faster you meet someone? Do you think this is still a Bodhisattva?" Shen Zhenzhu couldn't help but ask.

The pregnant woman's mother-in-law said, "Oh, you don't understand. These are all used to open the channels between Heaven and Hell. Otherwise, why would they send you a son? The Bodhisattva can't just conjure up a big, fat boy for no reason. Besides, so many people are praying for a child, so you have to spend a little more money to jump the queue."

Chen Zhenzhu narrowed her eyes and asked, "What do you want to see the abbot for?"

The pregnant woman's mother-in-law said, "You should chant scriptures and perform rituals. We want the Bodhisattva to grant you a healthy son. It's a pity my daughter-in-law only had one child; I even had twins! They own a big department store. What do you do?"

Gu Yanzheng made no attempt to hide his identity, saying, "I own a gold mine."

Opening a gold mine? Zhang Yiming, his wife, and the pregnant mother-in-law were all dumbfounded.

Zhang Yiming lay in Wang Kuan's arms, clutching his forehead, feeling that he might never be able to enter the temple in his lifetime.

What can we compare to them? They can pay money to skip the line for a baby.

"Why not just build a golden statue for the Bodhisattva of Sending the Qilin? If the Bodhisattva is happy, he might just send a big, healthy baby boy into your wife's belly tomorrow." The pregnant woman's mother-in-law suddenly felt that Gu Yanzheng's image was dazzling, and clapped her hands and said, "That would be great! I congratulate you in advance on the birth of your precious son."

Gu Yanzheng's gaze swept over Shen Zhenzhu's lower abdomen, but on the surface he still maintained a sanctimonious attitude.

Shen Zhenzhu, unaware of Gu Yanzheng's inner thoughts, remained unmoved and asked, "What does your family do?"

The pregnant woman's mother-in-law could boast in front of Zhang Yiming and Wang Kuan, but she became more reserved in front of the gold mine, saying, "My son owns two travel companies. But the students are about to have summer vacation, so he doesn't have time to come. His father and I are here with my wife to fulfill our vow."

Chen Zhenzhu pressed further, "Have you met the abbot?"

The pregnant woman's mother-in-law laughed and said, "How could I be worthy? That's a divine person. I let my daughter-in-law in. You don't know, we've been listening to the 'dong dong dong' of the wooden fish being struck and the chanting of sutras outside for a full 24 hours without stopping."

"Mom, I'm hungry, is there anything to eat?" The pregnant woman came to the door looking for someone. She saw Zhang Yiming sitting on the edge of the bed crying and knew exactly what was going on. She wanted to comfort him, but she swallowed her words.

The pregnant woman's mother-in-law didn't notice her hesitation and turned to take her hand, saying, "You should learn from them what the abbot looks like."

Shen Zhenzhu said enthusiastically, "Yes, let me also experience his glorious image in advance."

The pregnant woman touched her belly and thought for a moment before saying, "He's quite handsome, in his thirties, not as tall as your man, but probably around 180cm. He has broad shoulders and a loud voice when he chants sutras."

Shen Zhenzhu pressed further, "What other characteristics are there?"

The pregnant woman thought about it carefully and said, "I especially dislike rainy days. The windows are tightly closed, and not a single drop of wind or rain can get in. I might even get rheumatism." She smiled as she said this.

Rheumatism?

Shen Zhenzhu deduced that the murderer was very tall, around 180 cm. She couldn't see his face clearly, but he walked with a slight limp, which she assumed was due to rheumatism.

Shen Zhenzhu indirectly confirmed the murderer's identity. She was furious at the thought that he, as the abbot, had done such a cruel and despicable thing right under the Bodhisattva's nose.

"That abbot was incredibly powerful. He even gave me a talisman, which I carry with me at all times. You wouldn't believe how effective it is; I haven't had any headaches or fevers since wearing it for over half a year. Everyone I meet says I look younger, and I always want to thank that abbot whenever I think about it."

Shen Zhenzhu thought to herself, "It's not that it's miraculous; it's just that your daughter-in-law is finally pregnant. People are in high spirits when they have good news."

She fixed her probing gaze on the pregnant woman's belly, and the pregnant woman withdrew her hand from Zhang Yiming's shoulder, slowly placing it in front of her belly.

Shen Zhenzhu also withdrew her gaze.

"Abbot? Give me back my sister! I want my sister!" Qiaoqiao suddenly darted out, running around the room searching for her: "Sister, give me back my sister!"

Shen Zhenzhu quickly got up and put her arm around her: "You're asking the abbot to return your sister?"

Qiaoqiao sobbed, "Waaah, I love my sister, and my sister loves me too. Please, please give my sister back to me. Don't let her play hide-and-seek anymore."

Chen Zhenzhu asked, "Is she your biological sister?"

Qiaoqiao said with tears streaming down her face, "My dear sister, my dear sister, sob sob sob."

Gu Yanzheng, holding onto the door, said, "Let's go back and talk."

Shen Zhenzhu thought in astonishment, could that headless female corpse be Qiaoqiao's sister?

I hope not.

As I left Zhang Yiming's room, I could faintly hear his disappointed sobs.

Chen Zhenzhu pulled Qiaoqiao, who was about to run into the rain, saying, "Your sister isn't there. I am your sister."

Qiaoqiao screamed, "Ah—Sister! Save my sister!"

Gu Yanzheng picked up the car keys and said to Shen Zhenzhu, "Take her to the hospital for a blood test."

"good."

After much persuasion, Chen Zhenzhu finally got Qiaoqiao, who had gone mad again, into the car. She also planned to take her to the hospital to see a psychiatrist. Doctors in the county town might not be reliable, but at least the medicine would be genuine.

Seeing Qiaoqiao's behavior, she guessed that Qiaoqiao's mental confusion was caused by overstimulation, and that she might recover soon.

The headless female corpse was found to have died 7 to 10 days prior, roughly the same time Qiaoqiao went crazy and wandered outside.

Chen Zhenzhu sighed, hoping it wasn't true.

Upon arriving at the county hospital, the doctor on duty was initially reluctant. However, upon seeing Gu Yanzheng's identification, he immediately stood up and personally went to the nurses' station to retrieve a syringe to draw blood from Qiaoqiao.

Subduing Qiaoqiao was a difficult process, but at least they managed to draw her blood.

Gu Yanzheng went to the morgue to wait for the examination report of the headless female corpse. The county hospital did not have a forensic doctor, but fortunately there was a brave surgeon who could help with some simple examinations.

"The deceased was not her biological sister."

Gu Yanzheng stood by the white and blue wall, watching Chen Zhenzhu and Qiaoqiao eat popsicles together, and said with a wry smile, "You stop making a fuss after eating a popsicle?"

“Our Qiao’er is naturally well-behaved, isn’t she?” Chen Zhenzhu said.

Qiaoqiao, like a three or four-year-old child, giggled and said, "Yes!"

Beside them was the head of the psychiatry department, who had been summoned. He squatted down to observe Qiaoqiao's behavior, flipped her eyelids, and asked her a few questions. Sometimes Qiaoqiao answered very well, and sometimes she gave random answers.

"It's just excessive fright. Let her rest for a while and see how it goes. Here are the medications." The psychiatrist used a bunch of medical terms and handed Chen Zhenzhu the medicines, saying, "This bottle contains tranquilizers. Give them to her before bed. This bottle contains medication to regulate brain nerve function and also to soothe her fear."

"Thank you." Shen Zhenzhu put the medicine bottle into her pocket.

After returning from the hospital, Chen Zhenzhu sat in the car, biting an ice pop stick, still wondering where the headless female corpse's head was.

Because she needed to continue her visits, Shen Zhenzhu returned to her self-built house and left Zhao Qiqi there to watch over Qiaoqiao.

Zhang Yiming and Wang Kuan were still arguing behind closed doors, while the pregnant mother-in-law stood under the eaves to get some fresh air, perhaps listening to the commotion.

She curled her lip and said to the pregnant woman, "Her mother-in-law is really wicked. She called and told them to die outside if they didn't have a child."

The pregnant woman sat at the door, drinking milk, and said calmly, "Back when I wasn't pregnant, every New Year's Eve you and Dad would overturn the table and kick me out of the house so I wouldn't have to celebrate the New Year. You even said that if I couldn't have any more children, you would have your son divorce me. If he didn't, you would poison my whole family and then hang yourself."

"Oh dear, that's all in the past, why are you bringing it up?" The pregnant woman's mother-in-law was embarrassed by her teasing.

But of all things, the pregnant woman was the most important at that moment. She didn't dare to argue with her daughter-in-law, so she simply coaxed her, saying, "My dear child, I'll treat you the same way after you give birth."

The pregnant woman clutched her belly and laughed heartily: "Of course you have to treat me well, I'm carrying your family's child. You all have to be good to me!"

-----------------------

Author's note: See you tomorrow, there's a red envelope coming! [Let me see!]

***

Anyone have an app update? Could you please donate some Moonstones? [Let me see] I'm begging for Moonstones! [Please!]

(You can click on "Airdrop Moonstones" in the app's column or the web version's column. The author can use them to activate image hosting and upload cover images!! Thank you, thank you!)