Chapter 42: Ingratitude?

Shen Zhenzhu realized she had only been talking for a short while when she came to her senses and found herself in front of a farmhouse restaurant in Zhuanghe County. The county public security bureau was right next door, and there was no parking available.

The county seat of Zhuanghe is a 15-minute drive from south to north. It is poor and dilapidated. Only the road in front of the county government is a cement road, and the road in front of the county public security bureau is a crushed gravel road.

Green buds sprout from the bare birch trees; sparrow nests are under the eaves of the hotel, with a brood of chicks crying for food, keeping the parent birds very busy.

As the weather warms up, people and animals alike become busy.

The county public security bureau was very welcoming to the criminal investigation officers from the municipal bureau. They extended their hands to shake hands with Gu Yanzheng as he got out of the car: "Thank you for coming down to provide support, Director Gu. Our county public security bureau has long admired your name. It is truly an honor to have you here."

Having already received the news, he shook hands with Shen Zhenzhu again: "Women are just as capable as men. Thank you very much, Section Chief Shen, for your guidance. You must be tired from your journey. Go next door and have a hot meal first."

Section Chief Shen? Skipping the word "Deputy" is the unspoken rule in the workplace, isn't it?

Shen Zhenzhu pursed her lips and secretly curved them into a smile, trying to maintain a serious demeanor, which Gu Yanzheng saw clearly.

There were twelve people who came to accompany and receive us. They all had their own unique features. Director Zhou's skin was the same color as soy sauce, and he looked like a simple farmer. The group filled the largest private room in the farmhouse restaurant to the brim.

Gu Yanzheng saw the beer crates piled up at the entrance of the private room and the two bottles of baijiu on the table. As soon as he sat down, he said, "Section Chief Shen, hand me my allergy medicine."

The county police station chief, Zhou, who was receiving him, asked, "Director Gu, what brings you here?"

Gu Yanzheng said with a regretful look, "I have a severe alcohol allergy. I can't even look at it without feeling itchy all over. But I can't let Director Zhou and everyone down. I'll take two pills and then drink with you."

With a mix of worry and heartache, Chen Zhenzhu took out Xiaowang milk tablets from her bag and handed them to him in full view of everyone: "Director Gu, the doctor said that you are likely to damage your heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys like this. Your health is the most important thing."

Director Zhou and the others were shocked. Seeing Gu Yanzheng swallow the large white pill and then about to drink the liquor, Director Zhou quickly stopped him, saying, "Director Gu, let's take it easy. Since you're not feeling well, let's have mushroom soup instead. The best mushrooms in the country are here, except for those from Yunnan Province."

"Yes, friendship doesn't have to involve drinking and toasting. We can enjoy soup just as much."

Despite his reluctance, Gu Yanzheng eventually complied with Director Zhou's suggestion and drank a cup... bowl of mushroom soup instead of wine with everyone present.

Upon hearing Gu Yanzheng say that the double homicide case they encountered would be primarily investigated by this young Section Chief Shen, everyone offered her a toast.

You should know that their Director Zhou is only a deputy section chief. This person is so young and yet he is at the same level as Director Zhou. His future is immeasurable.

Shen Zhenzhu drank five bowls of mushroom soup in a row. From the amazing taste at the beginning, to the explosion of her taste buds, numbness, and greasiness... she finally forced herself to swallow the soup base in the bowl.

Before she could even put down her bowl, Chen Zhenzhu felt a chill run down her spine as she watched a young police officer, about the same age as her, stand up with a beer bottle in his hand.

Fortunately, Gu Yanzheng spoke up in time: "Is there any rice? We're starving from the journey."

How could city leaders not be able to eat rice? Immediately, someone ran out to call the waiters to bring them food.

Having successfully overcome the difficulties, Chen Zhenzhu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Glancing at Gu Yanzheng's smiling eyes, she winked at him in tacit understanding.

Zhuanghe County is surrounded by mountains on two sides, and at this time of year, early spring bamboo shoots and river fish are already on the dining table. Small fried fish and shrimp are served in small baskets, with lotus petals from the deep-fryer stacked underneath. There's also grilled fish served on straw and fried rice wrapped in lotus leaves; although the taste isn't great, it shows thoughtful preparation.

Because it's located near the mountains, the dinner table also features wild soft-shelled turtles and free-range chickens from the mountains.

As soon as Gu Yanzheng entered the private room, he took off his gray jacket and hung it behind the chair. Then, seeing a hook behind the door, he got up and hung the jacket there as well.

Director Zhou reached out to take it, but Gu Yanzheng refused.

After several rounds of meals, Gu Yanzheng was wearing only a black vest under his jacket, yet he didn't feel cold at all despite the temperature being around ten degrees Celsius. His strong, muscular arms and broad chest filled out the black vest perfectly, showcasing his superior physique and masculine appeal.

A sunflower cannot be a sunflower; one can only glance at it out of the corner of one's eye and then shovel a few mouthfuls of rice into one's mouth.

At the dinner table, the comrades from Zhuanghe County tried their best to keep the conversation flowing smoothly, and everyone was relaxed. They asked about the details of the cases solved in the city and listened with great interest. Some of them even asked Gu Yanzheng to explain the parts they didn't understand, showing a strong desire to learn about new crime-solving techniques and methods under the new circumstances.

Shen Zhenzhu felt that this trip was worthwhile, as it could indeed provide some help to the comrades at the grassroots level, and the hard work was worth it.

After a satisfying meal, they settled into a farmhouse courtyard behind the farm. Chen Zhenzhu stretched, leaning against the mountain; the air was truly refreshing. However, she wasn't there for tourism. She washed her face in the kang room of the farmhouse, combed her hair again, and walked to the door, where she saw Gu Yanzheng, who had put his jacket back on, standing under the eaves waiting for her.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Gu Yanzheng said with a half-smile, "Is it because my jacket looks too good?"

Shen Zhenzhu suddenly tensed up, her eyes darted around, and she said guiltily, "I was watching a midge fly by."

Gu Yanzheng found her feigned meekness amusing and took the lead, saying, "They're still waiting at the main gate. Let's have a meeting first to understand the case. Then it'll be up to you tomorrow."

Chen Zhenzhu nodded, quickened her pace, and suddenly said, "Team Leader Gu, I... I haven't been promoted yet. Is it inappropriate for them to call me Section Chief? What if it doesn't work out..."

Gu Yanzheng turned his head and said, "Now you know?"

Shen Zhenzhu's smile vanished: "Uh..."

Seeing her nervous expression, Gu Yanzheng said, "You've already sent kimchi to Director Tu, and he still can't get it done? Go to his doorstep and ask for the kimchi back."

Shen Zhenzhu hesitated for a moment: "Isn't this inappropriate?"

Gu Yanzheng patted her head lightly: "You really want to do that? If you can't become the deputy section chief, then you might as well quit being the director. You're so old, you should just retire."

"Shh, don't talk nonsense." Shen Zhenzhu's almond-shaped eyes widened, as if she could already see Director Tu standing in front of her.

The two walked to the gate and saw someone crying to Director Zhou: "That's a pager that Boss Shen gave to our manager. It costs four thousand yuan. The network access fee alone is six hundred yuan a year, which is more than my salary for two years. We can't buy this kind of pager here! What are we going to do? It's been stolen! The manager wants me to pay for it, but I can't afford it at all."

"Cuiping, how could you be so careless! You didn't take good care of the things I was asked to keep safe. Crying won't help. Anyone who steals such high-quality goods will try to get rid of them quickly. They might already be in the city and being sold!"

Director Zhou took out a roll of red toilet paper, tore it open, and handed it to the crying young woman: "What's the use of crying? I'll send two people over to help you look for it. If we can't find it, there's nothing we can do."

Cuiping snatched the crumpled paper and sobbed in a muffled voice.

The young police officer next to them who hadn't been able to offer a toast was named Tu Dali. He quietly explained to Shen Zhenzhu and Gu Yanzheng, "Xu Cuiping works as the manager's secretary at Shenyuan Development Company. She lost the manager's pager, which is an imported Motorola pager. What are we going to do now?"

Gu Yanzheng asked, "Do you have any development companies coming here?"

Shen Zhenzhu felt that this place was poor and dilapidated. Apart from the mushroom soup and the braised pork with mushrooms recommended by Director Liu, she didn't know what else was worth developing. It would be more like to open a mushroom farm.

Tu Dali said proudly, "Besides mushrooms, we also have great air here. According to Boss Shen, there's some component in the air that's very good for the human body. He wants to build a sanatorium here, specifically for wealthy people, on the northern Black Mountain."

Chen Zhenzhu looked at the map: "Is Fu Family Village located below Daheishan Mountain?"

Tu Dali said, "Yes, Section Chief Shen, you are so wise."

"It's not that bad. I looked at the map before I came."

The deputy section chief (who had never experienced flattery before) rubbed his nose, feeling quite pleased.

If you feel good, you can offer them advice and suggestions.

With Gu Yanzheng's tacit approval, Shen Zhenzhu went to Cuiping's side to inquire about the situation. The first two hours after such a theft occur are the best time to make an arrest; if this opportunity is missed, the stolen goods may have already been disposed of, and by the time such people are caught, most of the stolen money has already been spent.

She took out a handkerchief and let Cuiping wipe her tears. The tissues Zhou gave her were unhygienic, and wiping her eyes with them could easily cause an infection.

Gu Yanzheng knew that although these people seemed very polite to Shen Zhenzhu, they couldn't help but think that she was young and spoke softly. He needed to let them see Shen Zhenzhu's methods first so that they would cooperate better in handling the case later.

Tu Dali followed behind, eager to see how Shen Zhenzhu, who was about the same age as him but was the deputy section chief of the city's criminal investigation team, would solve the case.

Shen Zhenzhu asked Cuiping a strange question: "What's the name of the shopping mall here? Do you have lockers?"

Cuiping wiped away her tears, feeling that it was wrong of her to be scolded after calling the police. She hadn't stolen the things, so why was everyone blaming her? She was the victim! She felt so wronged that she wanted to drink pesticide!

Cuiping felt inexplicably safe with the female police officer from the city, and replied, "It's called Zhuanghe Shopping Mall, but we call it Fifty because the cheapest clothes inside cost over fifty yuan. It's the most upscale place here. Are the lockers for storing things? Yes, there are, and they have very high-tech combination locks."

After understanding the situation, Shen Zhenzhu asked for the paging number and borrowed Gu Yanzheng's mobile phone to dial the paging station. Under the puzzled gazes of everyone, Zhou said, "You can't reason with this kind of person. He might not even call back."

Shen Zhenzhu didn't answer him. Instead, after the paging service connected, she said to the person on the other end, "Please leave me a message: 'Unable to contact you. The 3,000 yuan debt is in the 50 yuan locker. Password: 54110. It will expire soon.'"

This move caught the attention of not only Zhou Suo and his group, but also Gu Yanzheng.

As expected of his people, they always take unconventional approaches and love to use surprising tricks.

Shen Zhenzhu deliberately said "no waiting after the deadline" without mentioning the exact time, in order to create a sense of urgency for the other party and force them to act sooner.

"Will this work?" Cuiping asked hesitantly as she saw Chen Zhenzhu walking towards the car. Chen Zhenzhu pulled her into the car and said, "It's worth a try anyway."

Zhou quickly arranged for people to follow. Seeing this, Chen Zhenzhu said, "Have two people get into our car. Don't move your car. You're here often, so you all probably know which car is the police car."

"Dali, you're coming with me." Director Zhou called out to Tu Dali, and then instructed the others, "Prepare the materials for the double homicide case. We'll have a meeting when we get back."

In the car, Chen Zhenzhu told Tu Dali, who was asking the question, "The reason he did this is because the other party has stolen many times. He is either addicted or doing it for money. Both of these are actions taken to seize other people's property. He thought that since he had a pager, no one else would know about this, and he might not be able to resist his desire to make another fortune."

Tu Dali said, "Then say thirty thousand yuan!"

Cuiping exclaimed, "My goodness, you have quite the appetite! I wouldn't believe it if it were me, and you still dare to say it!"

Tu Dali scratched his face sheepishly and said with an embarrassed smile, "I'm just eager to win people over."

They arrived just as the mall was about to close, which further emboldened the thieves.

A short, stout figure with shifty eyes stood at the locker, frantically trying different passwords. Sweat beaded on his nose as he muttered under his breath, "To hell with them! They won't even tell me which locker it is! I can't let them take my money!"

"Comrade, is this your money?" A sweet and clear voice came from behind me.

"Money? The money is definitely mine!" The short, fat thief had just turned around when, with a snap, he looked down and saw that his wrists were locked with silver handcuffs.

"Who...who are you people, and what right do you have to arrest me?"

Ignoring Zhou's attempts to restrain her, Cuiping rushed forward and slapped him four or five times across the face: "Fuck your mother, Wu Caiwang! Did you steal our manager's pager?! I'll pay you four thousand yuan! I'll see if your coffin lid is worth four thousand yuan!"

Wu Caiwang trembled all over, like a potato on the verge of collapse, and screamed hoarsely, "It wasn't me! I picked up the pager, I didn't steal anything!"

"You still say you didn't steal it! The pager was locked in my drawer, and you even pried the lock open. You still say you didn't steal it? Have you no shame?" Cuiping, having changed her demeanor from a breakdown, realized she couldn't grab Wu Caiwang by the collar, so she quickly grabbed his hair with her other hand: "I'll beat you to death, you shameless gambler!"

"Don't hit me! Don't hit me!" Tu Dali was almost hit by her as well. He grabbed Cuiping's arm and lifted her up, pulling out quite a bit of her hair.

Wu Caiwang was handcuffed and unable to resist, his neck stretched out long as she moved. Chen Zhenzhu watched from the side and couldn't help but laugh.

Seeing her smile, Gu Yanzheng smiled gently in return: "Section Chief Shen's plan is indeed brilliant."

Shen Zhenzhu hesitated for a moment, then said shyly, "Thank you for the compliment, Director Gu. Let's hurry back to work on the case."

Zhou, standing nearby, couldn't help but admire, "They caught the guy so easily! The comrades from the Major Crimes Unit are really capable; their minds work faster than ours."

Tu Dali, holding the man hostage, looked at Shen Zhenzhu with admiration and whispered to Zhou Shuo, "Uncle, can you let me help her solve cases for the next few days?"

Zhou Suo didn't hesitate: "Okay, you should learn from him! You're the youngest and most educated one here, so don't miss this opportunity. Be quick and efficient."

On the way back, Cuiping was still chattering in the back seat: "He's always stealing chickens and dogs. I suspected him every time something went missing. This time we finally caught that guy surnamed Wu! Commander? Leader? Do you think he'll be executed for stealing such valuable things?"

“Theft doesn’t warrant execution,” Shen Zhenzhu said with a smile. “According to our country’s Criminal Law, theft of three to five thousand yuan is considered a large amount and carries a sentence of three to ten years imprisonment. We’ve caught him red-handed; he can’t escape.”

Cuiping said regretfully, "I hope it will be ten years."

Shen Zhenzhu said, "And shall be fined."

Cuiping grabbed her hand tightly: "He has stolen so much stuff, punish him, punish him severely!"

Back at the county police station, Cuiping thanked them repeatedly before reluctantly leaving with her recovered Motorola.

After a brief taste of the appetizers, Chen Zhenzhu went to the police station.

The two-story fake building looks like two stories, but it's actually one story; it just looks a bit more upscale than a regular bungalow.

In reality, it's just a rather grand-looking bungalow.

The location is small, with five offices and two detention cells.

Chen Zhenzhu sat by the window to avoid the smoky smell inside.

"The first deceased, Ma Sheng, was 168 cm tall, 34 years old, unmarried, and a local. He was the propaganda officer of Fujia Village. He died five days ago on the road outside the Dawa quarry. The cause of death was strangulation. After death, his eyes were gouged out and his face was smashed. Apart from the struggle injuries, there were no other external injuries. He was discovered by a truck driver transporting stones, who immediately reported the incident. There were no eyewitnesses."

"The second deceased, Yang Yishu, was 171 cm tall, married with one son, and a local. He was unemployed and, with Ma Sheng's help, got a job at the Daheishan Cherry Orchard. He died two days ago at the head of the stone bridge. He had been drinking. The cause of death should be the same as Ma Sheng's: strangulation followed by gouging out his eyes and smashing his face. At the location where the body was found, a stone was found with fingerprints, but they could not be matched to his identity."

After Zhou gave his case briefing, Tu Dali handed the photos to Gu Yanzheng, who then placed them directly on Shen Zhenzhu's desk.

Zhou glanced at Shen Zhenzhu and continued, "It is said that Yang Yishu had an affair with a widow. The widow accused him of rape, and he said that the widow seduced him. Later, he wanted to become a village cadre, so he gave the widow a thousand yuan and then stopped bothering him."

Shen Zhenzhu looked down at the photos of the corpse scene. In the photos of Ma Sheng before his death, he was short and stout, with a buzz cut, broad eyebrows, a flat nose, and thick lips, which made him look reliable. He was wearing a tight black suit with a red short-sleeved shirt underneath, the same outfit as in the corpse scene photos, which was considered decent in a rural area in the 1990s.

However, in the photos of the body scene, he was lying in a pool of blood, his face was so distorted that his features were unrecognizable, and his hyoid bone was protruding.

While examining the photos, Chen Zhenzhu said, "The marks on the neck are horizontal and encircling, not upwards. This confirms that she was strangled, not hanged. There are bruises at the edges of the marks, the epidermis is peeled off, and the texture of the hemp rope is faintly visible. There are marks of pulling and knotting at the back of the neck, and there is obvious bleeding and inflammation near the collarbone, which confirms that she was strangled before death."

She examined the mangled face closely, the eyes now just bloody holes, and the photo showed his bent fingers: "Were the victim's fingernails examined? Were there any traces of the perpetrator's skin tissue or clothing fibers?"

Tang Yong, who was in charge of the case next to Zhou, said, "There were only traces of a broken fingernail... He was also incontinent at the time."

Shen Zhenzhu nodded and said with a straight face, "It is normal for the sphincter muscles to relax and for excretion to occur during the death process."

She then looked at Yang Yishu's photo, which was similar to Ma Sheng's, both showing him being strangled before death and having his eyes gouged out and his face smashed after death.

What were their interpersonal relationships like before they died? Did they have any enemies or overlapping relationships?

Tang Yong said, "They were both locals and had close ties with the other two families. The four of them, Ma, Yang, Niu, and Zhu, were four brothers with different surnames and had many overlapping relationships. Ma Sheng and Yang Yishu were the closest. They were said to be warm-hearted. Although they had offended some people during their lives, it was only minor and not enough to warrant their deaths."

Shen Zhenzhu asked him to write down the list and raised the question she had asked earlier: "I heard that Ma Sheng was promoted to village propaganda officer for his bravery. How is Yang Yishu doing?"

Tu Dali stood next to Zhou Suo with a contemptuous expression, which Chen Zhenzhu noticed immediately. She pressed him for details, asking, "What do you know?"

Tu Dali sneered, "When one person attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. His three close brothers start frequently appearing on the bulletin board to report their good deeds, all hoping to take the opportunity to earn a government salary. Anyway, I don't believe they are that kind-hearted."

Seeing that Gu Yanzheng remained silent, Tang Yong realized that this leader was determined to have Section Chief Shen handle the case, so he cautiously asked, "Could it be that he was killed by someone who stole the credit from them?"

Shen Zhenzhu asked, "Not only are they not kind-hearted, but they also steal credit from others?"

Tang Yong gave an awkward laugh: "Maybe I was just being too kind."

Tu Dali had contact with them and didn't have a good impression: "If you gouge out their eyes, you might say they're blind."

Shen Zhenzhu felt it necessary to talk to the other two. During the conversation, she noticed some contradictions in their warm-heartedness and cautiously said, "These kinds of behaviors can be driven by three considerations: revenge, abuse, and superstition. The motives for the crimes need to be considered from multiple perspectives. Where are their bodies? Can we take a look?"

Zhou said somewhat embarrassedly, "Both families felt that the deaths were inexplicable and tragic. In addition to being saddened, they also felt insulted. Fearing that the deceased would be gossiped about and rumors spread, they did not allow anyone to visit. The Ma family was alright; the coffin was still there. Yang Yishu had just died, and his family found a place to bury him hastily and even held a three-day memorial service."

Knowing that legal awareness in rural areas was still lacking and that superstitious beliefs were prevalent, Shen Zhenzhu sighed and asked, "How well was the site preserved?"

"There was no awareness of protection; everything has been destroyed."

"We still need to see the body." After a few seconds, Shen Zhenzhu said, "Please ask Chief Zhou to contact them again. To catch the murderer, we must find the smallest clues and cooperate with the police investigation. That's the only way."

Zhou nodded, took out a phone book from the drawer, and flipped through the pages. After making several calls and through the village secretary's intervention, Ma Sheng's family agreed that he could visit them first thing tomorrow morning. Yang Yishu's family, however, refused to give anyone face and hung up the phone immediately.

The meeting continued until 11:30. Shen Zhenzhu returned to her room in the farmhouse, and after a quick wash, she continued to study the suspicious points.

The photos show no signs of dragging or other injuries at the location where the body was found, and the perpetrator's fingerprints were also discovered, confirming it as the primary crime scene. The murder weapons were a rope and roadside stones. The motive and purpose of the crime are still unclear and must be determined as soon as possible.

Chen Zhenzhu's room was simple, with a table, chairs, and a dressing table, and a small, warm kang (heated brick bed) about two meters wide. Next to the kang were a wardrobe and a radio, and on the wall hung a kang and a printed landscape painting of a blue sky and flowers.

Gu Yanzheng was in the next room, occasionally making footsteps. Chen Zhenzhu poured hot water into the basin and obediently washed her face and feet, making a splashing sound.

A short while later, the sound of rushing water came from next door. Then, the sound of clothes being thrown against the cement wall came from behind. Chen Zhenzhu turned her head to study the wall and the kang (a heated brick bed), and finally discovered that the small kang was separated by a cement wall. It should be a large kang connected to the one next door.

Could it be that a single room with a heated brick bed has been divided into two?

Standing on the kang (a heated brick bed), Shen Zhenzhu noticed that the top of the cement wall wasn't sealed off. She tentatively reached out and touched it...

Gu Yanzheng rinsed his body with cold water, then dried himself with a towel while shirtless. He noticed a mischievous finger on the top of the wall, which flicked and then quickly withdrew.

"..." Gu Yanzheng stepped forward and also found that this place had been partitioned off.

Chen Zhenzhu pretended that she hadn't done anything and tried calling out, "Captain Gu."

Three or four seconds later, Gu Yanzheng's clear voice came from the other side of the wall: "What's wrong?"

Shen Zhenzhu: "...This is so poorly soundproof."

Gu Yanzheng seemed to be smiling: "It's good that we can talk about the case directly."

After washing herself clean, Chen Zhenzhu lazily lay on the heated kang, her little face pressed against the mat. Because she was so lazy, she said softly, "How about we discuss this after we meet the widow and Ma Sheng's family tomorrow?"

"Okay, we've discussed most of what we needed to discuss. You can get some rest. I'll wake you up tomorrow morning." Gu Yanzheng said patiently on the other end of the line, "Put your sidearm away and put on the safety."

"Yes." After a long day of work, Chen Zhenzhu yawned wearily, slumped down, and quickly fell asleep. Just before drifting off, she muttered, "If Brother Aye came, he would definitely like it here."

Gu Yanzheng lay down against the wall next door, his tone casual: "You like being with him?"

"Um, Captain Gu." Shen Zhenzhu was so sleepy she was almost unconscious, and she mumbled, "Brother Aye is interesting."

Gu Yanzheng remained silent for a moment in the next room: "Don't call me that so formally, just call me Brother Zheng."

"Oh..." Shen Zhenzhu responded in her sleep, not feeling anything was wrong, and mumbled, "Goodnight, Brother Zheng."

Good night, Section Chief Shen.

***

Surrounded by mountains, filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers, the air is fresh and nourishing.

Shen Zhenzhu was sleeping on the heated kang in a disheveled state, sprawled out in all directions. When she heard Gu Yanzheng calling her to get up, she sat on the kang with her hair disheveled and was in a daze for half a minute.

Where is this?

Who am I?

After reading the mental cache, he jumped up, spat out a strand of hair from his lips, and pushed open the door: "Here!"

Gu Yanzheng had already returned from his run, changed into a military vest he had worn back after his discharge from the army, and stood by the door, unable to suppress a smile as he said, "You worked hard yesterday, wash your face and go eat."

Shen Zhenzhu didn't know how she could sleep so soundly; she really didn't want to give Captain Gu the impression of being a lazybones... Captain Gu? Brother Zheng?

Shen Zhenzhu read the cache again and struggled to remember that she had promised to call him Brother Zheng before she fell into a coma.

She looked up and saw that Gu Yanzheng hadn't left. She pursed her lips and tentatively said, "Good morning, Brother Zheng."

Gu Yanzheng nodded and said, "Good morning, Section Chief Shen, see you later."

"Okay, see you later." Shen Zhenzhu went back into the house, put away her gun, quickly washed up and got ready, and went to the dining area in front.

This time, they weren't eating in a private room; they were eating right there in the farmyard. Not only them, but also other people from the neighboring police station—they were clearly treating it as their canteen.

Because it was a canteen, breakfast was very simple. Shen Zhenzhu and Gu Yanzheng were visiting leaders, and yesterday they ate three days' worth of food expenses in one meal. Although they ate very little, most of the food was eaten by their own people. Director Zhou believed that he had done his best to fulfill his reception duties, and from today onwards, whatever they ate, the leaders would eat too.

Gu Yanzheng didn't want to pay for extra meals out of his own pocket, but his appetite had been spoiled by his sixth sister. Holding his porridge and steamed buns, he watched the others eat heartily and decided to apply to his superiors for some grassroots meal allowances when he got back.

As Shen Zhenzhu passed by his table, she casually tossed a peeled, oily salted duck egg into his bowl, where it silently disappeared into the congee, leaving a layer of shimmering yellow light.

Gu Yanzheng sighed; it was still Shen Zhenzhu who cared about him. When Shen Zhenzhu sat down beside him, he smelled the aroma of meat.

Then she saw that Chen Zhenzhu was holding a large bowl with brown, fragrant meat inside: "...Pork knuckle?"

"Yeah." Section Chief Shen said with a smile, "There's a little bit left, but I'm afraid it will spoil, so I won't give it to you. I'll just make do with it."

Gu Yanzheng: "..." You really don't want to eat it all by yourself?

He said seriously, "We'll stand together through thick and thin; I can't let you suffer alone."

With Gu Yanzheng's "shared fate," Shen Zhenzhu lost half of her pork knuckle. While drinking congee, she cursed under her breath.

"Oh my, why are you eating so early!" Cuiping got off her bicycle and jogged over with a three-layer aluminum lunchbox in her hand. "Thank you so much, Section Chief Shen, for helping me find my pager yesterday. I was thinking of bringing you breakfast this morning, but you've already started eating."

Shen Zhenzhu's eyes lit up, and she put down her bowl and quickly said, "Oh, you're too kind. We can't take even a needle or thread from ordinary people. What did you bring?"

Cuiping smiled as she opened the lunchbox: "Nothing much, just mushrooms I picked in the mountains this morning. I made a small mushroom and egg soup and fried some mushroom slices to stuff in a steamed bun."

It smells so good!

Junior officials can't make their own decisions about meals; they have to turn to look at their immediate superiors.

Gu Yanzheng noticed the longing in her eyes and nodded, saying, "Thank you, Comrade Cuiping. It would be a waste not to waste your kindness. We'll accept it. Shall we eat together?"

Shen Zhenzhu happily said, "Come on, let's eat together."

Cuiping stood by the table and divided the food for them. She glanced at Gu Yanzheng a few more times, blushed, and said, "No, I have to go to work. Leave your lunchboxes here after you finish eating, and I'll come back to pick them up later."

Fortunately, they received a supply meal from Cuiping. After sharing it with their colleagues, the two cadres in the city finally had some energy for the day.

Fujia Village is not far from Zhuanghe County, about a half-hour drive away. After lunch, we went directly to Ma Sheng's house.

Fujia Village is located at the foot of Daheishan Mountain, with a population of over 500. From ancient times to the present, they have cultivated terraced fields and grown rice. Nowadays, some are engaged in animal husbandry, some grow cherry trees, and some have come to engage in development. Life is getting better and better.

The villagers are not highly educated, but they are hardworking. However, the bizarre deaths of Ma Sheng and Yang Yishu a few days ago have plunged the village into mystery and fear.

Their car drove into the village, attracting many curious and scrutinizing glances. Chen Zhenzhu noticed that some villagers were carrying yellow paper and rushing towards the cemetery on the mountain.

Among them were some brave souls who, having not yet seen the body, went back to the place where it was found one after another, trampling the grass until it was bare.

The incident hadn't happened long ago, and there hadn't been any rain, making it a good time to search for evidence. Chen Zhenzhu passed by the scene in her car, got out to take a look, and spent some time investigating, but found nothing.

Gu Yanzheng drove while wearing a gray jacket, seemingly unaffected by his mood for solving the case, so Shen Zhenzhu also calmed down.

Zhou was in the passenger seat, giving directions to Gu Yanzheng, while Shen Zhenzhu and Tu Dali sat in the back, the latter always secretly glancing at her.

Shen Zhenzhu didn't notice, focused on thinking about the case. It was Gu Yanzheng, who was driving in front, who saw it. He curled his lips down and continued to ask Zhou about the victim.

Shen Zhenzhu jotted down any useful information she heard in her notebook and drew mind maps in her notebook, just like Gu Yanzheng did.

Hearing that city officials were coming to Ma Sheng's house to investigate a case, many people arrived early to wait outside Ma Sheng's house. When Shen Zhenzhu got out of the car, there were layers upon layers of people. It was unclear what she could possibly find out.

The village committee secretary, surnamed Zhang, was a kind woman. She came over to shake hands with Shen Zhenzhu and the others, having already chatted on the phone, and came specifically to accompany them to Ma Sheng's house.

"Why bother with the police? I think we should just find a shaman."

"They were killed like that, I wonder who they offended. Could there really be a vengeful ghost in our village?"

"If it were me, I'd bury the person right away. What if it affects other people...?"

People nearby kept making sarcastic remarks. Ma Sheng's mother was bedridden with illness, and Ma Sheng's father and other relatives stood in the yard blocking the gate, preventing others from squeezing in to watch the commotion. If anyone insisted on squeezing in, they were simply beaten with shovels.

Seeing Ma Sheng and his group's decisive actions and fierce behavior, Shen Zhenzhu exchanged a glance with Gu Yanzheng.

The villagers were curious, but they seemed afraid of the men in the family. When the men came out to stop them, they were afraid of being beaten, so they hid far away to continue watching the commotion.

Shen Zhenzhu noticed that the wall of Ma Sheng's courtyard had been raised, probably to prevent people from spying on them.

Ma Sheng's coffin was placed in the lower room, and the door to the lower room was removed and the door frame was cut open.

The coffin was wider than usual. Ma Sheng's father, Ma Jianzhong, looked exactly like Ma Sheng. He stood at the door, blocking Chen Zhenzhu and said, "Women are not allowed to enter."

Zhou disagreed with his attitude and said to him, "This is Section Chief Shen from the city's Major Crimes Unit. He's no ordinary person; he's solved many major cases. If you want your son to get justice as soon as possible, don't stop him. Let Section Chief Shen go in and take a look."

Ma Jianzhong and Ma Sheng's two uncles discussed the matter for a while, scrutinizing Shen Zhenzhu for a long time. Finally, their gazes fell on the gun tucked into her waistband. Ultimately, the weapon had a greater deterrent effect than Shen Zhenzhu, and they finally agreed that Shen Zhenzhu could go in.

They went inside, and after the coffin was opened, Ma Jianzhong and his two uncles stood guard on the opposite side, not allowing anyone to touch the body.

Ma Sheng's face was covered by a white cloth, and Shen Zhenzhu asked them to remove it. As long as they didn't touch the corpse, Ma Jianzhong was cooperative in this regard.

Shen Zhenzhu pretended to take notes in her notebook, hoping that gouging out her eyes wouldn't affect her third eye. Her first glance revealed two black holes, then she saw Ma Sheng's dying third eye replaying in her mind's eye. She silently breathed a sigh of relief and began to examine the document carefully—

Ma Sheng emerged from the quarry with a flat tire on his bicycle, and he became extremely agitated.

Quarry workers passing by on their way home saw him and silently took another path. He was known as a kind-hearted and courageous man, but at that moment he seemed like a monster.

He pushed his bicycle forward, and as he walked, it got dark.

As evening fell and the streets were deserted, Ma Sheng couldn't contain his foul language as he cursed his day's misfortunes.

Two children, carrying baskets on their backs, were walking home after cutting pig feed. When they saw him, they didn't have time to walk around him. Ma Sheng saw them and shouted, "Blind Dong! Go and call a car to pick me up! If you dare to run away, I'll write your family's shameful deeds on the bulletin board for the whole village to see!"

The two seven- or eight-year-old children did not think there was anything shameful about their family, but they knew Ma Sheng's temper, so they had no choice but to put down their full baskets and run to the quarry.

Ma Sheng, still behind, was smoking and yelling, "Damn it, run faster! You motherless bastards have no sense of propriety!" He kicked over a basket on the grass, scattering the pig feed the children had painstakingly cut everywhere.

He sat on a dead tree stump, ignoring the spring fire prevention and disaster preparedness sign in front of him, struck a match to light a cigarette, and casually tossed the match aside to let it go out on its own.

Ma Sheng figured the two kids should be back soon. He smoked three or four cigarettes, then stood up cursing and craned his neck to look towards the quarry.

In that instant, the rope appeared like a ghost and tightened around his back!

"Ugh...!"

The murderer was tall, probably around 1.8 meters, with bulging veins on his hands gripping the rope. His strength was second only to Gu Yanzheng, but unfortunately, he didn't know how to use his own strength like Gu Yanzheng. He used brute force to choke Gu Yanzheng's neck, creating a deep indentation and lifting him slightly upwards!

"Ugh... Ah ha—" Ma Sheng struggled desperately, but unfortunately, he had been "pampered" as a propaganda officer for the past two years, and his strength was far less than that of an ordinary farmer, let alone a murderer.

As he lay dying, the murderer turned his head and whispered something in his ear. Ma Sheng suddenly went berserk, nearly breaking free with his hands and feet.

The killer pulled harder, tying a knot around his neck. Once he was lifeless, the killer pulled out the rope, grabbed a roadside stone, and frantically smashed it against his face. Then, the killer pulled an iron spoon from his pocket and committed a horrific act...

Unfortunately, the truck that came from afar couldn't save his life in time. As the children got off the truck, pouting as they picked up the pig feed from the ground, the truck driver had already discovered Ma Sheng's strangled body and his gruesome death from above...

"No, don't pick up pig feed, go to the back of the truck and don't move!" The truck driver got out of the truck and pulled the two children away, protecting them from nightmares.

......

After Shen Zhenzhu finished reading the Heavenly Eye Retrospective, her eyes darkened. Everyone around her was examining the corpse. Shen Zhenzhu gestured for Ma Jianzhong to open Ma Sheng's palm, while she looked down to examine the marks on it.

Unfortunately, before Ma Sheng entered the museum, his parents soaked pomelo leaves in water, added some other things, and used it to wipe his body and limbs. They also changed him into clean clothes and cleaned his fingernails.

Secretary Zhang stood at the door without going in, preferring to avoid trouble.

After Shen Zhenzhu noticed this, Gu Yanzheng, who had followed her out, whispered, "Brother Zheng, I've noticed that Ma Sheng doesn't seem as enthusiastic as the rumors say. If he were a living Lei Feng, why are the other people so afraid of his family?"

Gu Yanzheng also noticed this, especially after Ma Sheng's father and uncle came out. The villagers who were trying to continue forward despite being stopped by their aunts immediately backed down.

"Let me have a quick chat with Secretary Zhang first." Shen Zhenzhu nodded to Secretary Zhang while holding her notebook, inquiring about Ma Sheng's work situation.

Gu Yanzheng noticed that Ma Jianzhong and the others were looking at her, so he went over to talk to them. He didn't hide the oppressive aura that came from his superior physical condition; on the contrary, it continued even after the conversation, when they politely escorted the Cherokee to its front, he remained solemn and aloof, never smiling.

He sat in the driver's seat, took the cigarette Zhou offered, and tucked it behind his ear, keeping an eye on Chen Zhenzhu's direction.

The junior cadre spoke with Secretary Zhang with a stiff expression, not forgetting to quickly take notes and then have Secretary Zhang sign them. Chen Zhenzhu's serious and earnest demeanor made Gu Yanzheng take another look.

Once in the car, Chen Zhenzhu immediately reported to Gu Yanzheng: "Secretary Zhang has been suffering under Ma Sheng's thumb for a long time. The previous village secretary appointed Ma Sheng as the propaganda officer, but by the time Secretary Zhang arrived, Ma Sheng had already been tyrannical in the village committee for a long time. He is not the Lei Feng of legend at all, but more like a local thug. The Ma, Yang, Niu, and Zhu families are all intermarried and have a complex and intertwined relationship. They are as close as family and often swarm around each other when something happens, making it more difficult for Secretary Zhang to implement many of his policies."

“A village bully,” Gu Yanzheng succinctly summarized.

“Yes, these four families are the village bullies.” Shen Zhenzhu nodded vigorously: “So we can initially determine that they may be seeking revenge.”

In her telepathic vision, she only saw a man's profile, but the wide and thick suture scar on his cheek resembled a giant centipede coiled around his face.

He did not hesitate at all during the murder, having prepared in advance, and acted immediately after Ma Sheng was alone.

Shen Zhenzhu glanced in the direction of Daheishan Mountain, then looked away, her heart heavy.

This village seems to hold many secrets.

Before the Cherokee even left the village, it was stopped by another group of people. Shen Zhenzhu thought that Yang Yishu's relatives had agreed to see the body, but it turned out to be a man named Niu Jun who was standing in the middle of the road, leading the way and shouting for them to arrest the person.

Since his surname is Niu, he must be one of the four families of Ma, Yang, Niu, and Zhu.

Zhou Suo turned from the passenger seat to Shen Zhenzhu and said, "Da Niu has a fiery temper, but he's on good terms with them. Don't take what he says to heart. If he gets physical—"

A qualified criminal investigator is not afraid of anyone's provocation.

Shen Zhenzhu sneered, "I'm afraid I won't take action." With that, she opened the car door and got out.

Chief Zhou glanced at Gu Yanzheng and saw that he was actually smiling. Was the leader of the city's Major Crimes Unit really that unafraid of trouble?

Shen Zhenzhu stood at the front of the vehicle, one hand on her hip, pointing at Niu Jun in front of her, and said, "Who did you say you were arresting? Come over here and explain!"

When Niu Jun saw a pretty young woman jump out of the car, he was sure he would have flirted with her if Director Zhou hadn't been staring at him with wide eyes from the passenger seat.

But right now, saving his own life was the priority. Since everyone in the car could hear him anyway, he went along with Shen Zhenzhu's suggestion and said, "If those two die and your police didn't catch anyone, then either I or Zhu Xiaoping will die next—"

It seems more likely that he is seeking revenge.

Shen Zhenzhu asked, "Who told you that? Was it the murderer who notified you? Who have you offended?"

Niu Jun paused, hiding the impatience in his eyes, and a furrowed brow revealed a deep frown: "Who else could say that? I'm telling you, the murderer is Gao Baoting who moved away!"

Zhou poked his head out and cursed, "Don't spread rumors. How could a fool like her kill them?"

Upon suddenly hearing the new name, Shen Zhenzhu questioned Niu Jun's words: "Where does Gao Baoting live? Why did you say she would kill someone?"

Shen Zhenzhu's questioning made Niu Jun suddenly shut his mouth, as if he had a secret he couldn't tell.

Niu Jun, with his neck stiff, kept urging the task force to go to Gao Baoting's house to arrest her, shouting, "Even if she's mentally challenged and can't kill anyone, maybe it was her brother or her parents who did it! Anyway, going to her house is the right thing to do! If you don't arrest them, we will!"

Gu Yanzheng suddenly honked the horn, and the piercing sound startled Niu Jun, who was stuck in the traffic jam in front of the car.

Gu Yanzheng opened the car door and walked to Chen Zhenzhu's side, subtly adopting a protective stance.

"You have no right to overstep the law and arrest people!" Shen Zhenzhu shouted at Niu Jun and the others, "Our criminal investigation team has procedures to follow when solving cases. If you want to solve the case as soon as possible, don't block the way here. I will look into Gao Baoting's family. If you arrest people without authorization, I will arrest you first! You are welcome to try."

Zhou Suo also got out of the car and shouted, "What are you still blocking the way for? Move aside! We still have to go door-to-door to investigate!"

A young woman squeezed through the crowd behind Niu Jun. She took Niu Jun's hand and said, "Brother, don't be impulsive. Let's go home first and see how they solve the case. Give them some more time! Maybe the people from the city can really solve the case. We'll stay with you these days, so don't be afraid."

Niu Jun gave Chen Zhenzhu a deep look and said, "Three days. Don't let me look down on you."

Shen Zhenzhu returned to the car, her almond-shaped eyes narrowed, and asked Zhou Suo, "Do they have a deep-seated grudge against Gao Baoting's family?"

Zhou said helplessly, "There is no deep hatred or grudge. It was after Ma Sheng and Yang Yishu died that Niu Jun himself said that Gao Baoting was a fool who could not distinguish between benefactors and enemies and mistakenly took revenge on them, who were his benefactors."

Gu Yanzheng was puzzled by this. He restarted the Cherokee and headed to the house of the widow who had a complicated relationship with Yang Yishu in the north of the village. On the way, he asked, "Are you indebted to him? Tell me about it."

Zhou had no choice but to explain: "It happened almost twenty years ago. The four of them were only ten years old when they ran down from Daheishan Mountain. Their relatives who were farming in the village saw them and asked them what they were doing. They said they found a vagrant trying to rape Gao Baoting."

Believing the children's words, they went to find the homeless man and Gao Baoting. Gao Baoting was indeed being held in the homeless man's arms. A large group of people saw this and rescued Gao Baoting.

Chen Zhenzhu asked, "Where is the homeless man?"

Zhou said, "He's dead."

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Author's note: See you tomorrow! There's a red envelope coming up! [kissing emoji]