Chapter 70 The Full Moon Murder Case

The two finished their simple sandwich breakfast made by Su Xiaonuan.

Even so, Zhao Liyue was secretly amazed by how delicious it was.

After loading the prepared picnic ingredients and utensils into the upgraded, more streamlined and refined silver-white RV, Su Xiaonuan sat in the driver's seat, while Zhao Liyue sat in the passenger seat. The car drove smoothly towards the Snow Lake Forest on the outskirts of the city.

The sun shone brightly and a gentle breeze blew along the way.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the air in the suburbs is filled with the freshness of grass and trees.

Su Xiaonuan was in a good mood, with upbeat music playing.

Although Zhao Liyue's expression remained largely unchanged, the taut lines of her shoulders and neck softened slightly as she gazed at the fleeting scenery outside the window.

However, this relaxed and pleasant atmosphere came to an abrupt end when they arrived at the entrance to the Snow Lake Woodland.

Several police cars with flashing blue and red lights suddenly stopped by the roadside, and glaring yellow police tape blocked the road leading into the depths of the woods.

Several uniformed police officers stood guard around the area, their expressions serious, preventing the few tourists who came to visit from entering.

Su Xiaonuan and Zhao Liyue exchanged a glance, both seeing astonishment in each other's eyes.

Zhao Liyue's brows furrowed immediately; her professional instincts kicked in and she instantly got into the zone.

She gestured for Su Xiaonuan to wait in the car, then got out and strode towards the police cordon, flashing her badge: "City Public Security Bureau Criminal Investigation Division, Zhao Liyue. What's going on here?"

A young police officer standing by the cordon saw the identification and recognized Zhao Liyue, who often accompanied Captain Lu. His originally unpleasant expression softened a little, but the heaviness in his eyes did not lessen.

He lowered his voice, a hint of barely perceptible dread in his tone:

"Sister Zhao, it's you. Sigh, things aren't good... It's that case... that serial murder case from three years ago, it's come back!"

Zhao Liyue's pupils suddenly contracted: "The Full Moon Murder Case?"

“Yes!” The officer nodded emphatically, glancing instinctively back at the depths hidden by the trees, his voice lower. “It’s in there, by the central lake. The deceased… died in almost the exact same way as three years ago, bound to a dead tree by the lake in a peculiar way, kneeling, his head forcibly raised at a 45-degree angle, facing the sky…”

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing, a complex expression flashing across his face. "...His internal organs were all removed. The forensic doctor's preliminary assessment is that the time of death was exactly midnight last night. And... yesterday was the fifteenth of the lunar calendar, the night of the full moon."

The bizarre binding posture, the precise time of death, the full moon night, the emptied internal organs... all these elements correspond perfectly to the sensational yet unsolved full moon serial murder case from three years ago!

The nightmare that had been dormant for three years was replayed in the same place and in the same way.

The air seemed to be filled with a faint smell of blood and a chilling sense of superstition.

Zhao Liyue's heart sank. She subconsciously turned around and looked at Su Xiaonuan, who was still sitting in the car.

Although Su Xiaonuan couldn't hear the specific conversation through the car window, Zhao Liyue's suddenly extremely serious expression and the clear fear on the police officer's face made her realize that something serious had happened.

Moreover, this is by no means an ordinary case.

Her relaxed mood instantly tightened, and the good mood she had just enjoyed due to the upgrade and the outing vanished.

The fresh air of the Snow Lake Forest felt eerily cold when inhaled.

Zhao Liyue walked steadily back to the car, opened the door and sat in the passenger seat, seemingly still carrying the heavy atmosphere from outside the police cordon.

She didn't rush to start the car, but turned her head to look at Su Xiaonuan and briefly explained what she had just learned. Her voice was low and professionally calm, but it couldn't hide the strangeness of the case itself: "The 'Full Moon Murder' serial case from three years ago has been repeated by the lake inside. The state of the deceased... is very strange. The time of death was midnight yesterday, on the night of the full moon."

Despite having a premonition, Su Xiaonuan's heart still skipped a beat when she heard the words "serial murder case," "evidence removal," and "full moon night," and a chill ran down her spine.

She pursed her lips tightly, silently memorizing key details such as "snow lake forest," "central lake," "kneeling position with head tilted at 45 degrees," and "full moon at midnight."

Although the system was upgraded today, its existence and the cases she had handled before gave her a more direct understanding of these dark things.

"Looks like today's outing is ruined." Su Xiaonuan sighed, somewhat regretful, but more so with a sense of awe at the horrific case.

She composed herself and looked at Zhao Liyue: "Sister Yue, shall we... go back now? Or do you know any other places nearby that are good for relaxing? It's not easy to get out here."

Zhao Liyue pondered for a moment. Her life was usually monotonous, and apart from work and necessary physical training, she rarely went to these leisure places.

She tried to recall for a moment and then said, "How about Maple Forest Park? It's not too far from here, and the maple leaves should be perfect this season. The area is spacious, and many families go camping and picnicking there. I heard... the park management also organizes outdoor karaoke parties in the evenings, which are quite lively."

When she added the last sentence, her tone was slightly uncertain, clearly indicating that she had heard it from a colleague.

"Maple Forest Park? Karaoke party?" Su Xiaonuan's eyes lit up instantly.

Lively places are great; with lots of people and plenty of positive energy, it's perfect for easing the psychological trauma from hearing about the heinous crime.

And camping, picnics, and parties sound like a lot of fun!

She nodded repeatedly, a smile returning to her face: "Okay, okay! Let's go there!"

With their opinions aligned, Zhao Liyue skillfully steered the silver-white RV around, leaving the Xuehu Woodland, which was blocked off by the police and filled with a tense atmosphere, and heading towards Fenglin Park in another direction.

Before the car had even fully approached the park, a burst of vibrant colors greeted us.

Looking into the distance, one can see maple trees covering the mountains and plains, their leaves seemingly dyed by an overturned palette. The verdant green, warm yellow, fiery orange, and deep red intertwine, layer upon layer, shimmering brilliantly in the bright autumn sunlight, like a giant oil painting.

"It's so beautiful!" Su Xiaonuan couldn't help but exclaim, leaning against the car window.

Although Zhao Liyue didn't speak, looking at the vibrant and colorful scene, her tense nerves seemed to relax slightly.

After parking the car, Su Xiaonuan excitedly took out the camping equipment she had prepared in advance from the expanded storage space of the stall cart—a small tent, a moisture-proof mat, a folding table and chairs, a picnic basket, and even a portable small grill.