Chapter 14: Another Death
"Brothers, what do you think this is used for?" Linlang suddenly asked, looking at something placed under the folding table.
Yin Chuan and Du Yunzhang looked over when they heard the sound and saw that the thing was hemispherical with a rope attached to the top. Du Yunzhang picked it up and touched it and found that it was a cloth bag wrapped in a pile of hay inside.
"What is this?" Yin Chuan asked.
"It should be a target used by the military camp to train soldiers' shooting skills. The instructor throws it out for the soldiers to hit the moving target. I have seen similar things before when I was a soldier in the regiment." Du Yunzhang replied.
Yin Chuan took the item from Du Yunzhang and examined it carefully in his palm. "I don't really understand the rules in the military camp. Do senior military officers usually use this to train soldiers?"
"The duty of a staff officer is to provide strategic and tactical advice to the commander for decision-making by the headquarters. How could he be in charge of the soldiers' most basic shooting training?" Du Yunzhang replied.
Yin Chuan lowered his head and stared at the thing in his hand for a long time without saying a word.
"Are you suspicious that this thing appeared here with Chief of Staff Han? Is there something strange about it?" Linlang asked.
"No, I don't find it strange. Instead, it just reinforces my theory. That seemingly unbelievable method seems to be getting closer to the truth. However... I still need to verify a few key points with Captain Shen's personal bodyguard, Duan Daguo. This is also what I am most unsure of."
"Can you tell us what your reasoning is? What is the truth behind the scene where Chen Hui was beheaded in the secret room?" Du Yunzhang was very curious, and Linlang also looked at Yin Chuan with anticipation.
"Well...please be patient for a moment. I'll verify these last few important questions. This will basically establish the reasoning behind this method, and I can even reconstruct the scene for everyone."
"Okay, wait, I'll find someone for you." Du Yunzhang pushed the door open impatiently.
"Then... do you think there's nothing for me to do now?" Lu Jiyu asked.
"Well... for now, there's nothing for Platoon Leader Lu. I'll come back to you if I have any questions."
Lu Jiyu nodded in agreement and planned to follow Du Yunzhang out. But before he reached the door, Du Yunzhang suddenly turned back. Along with the cold wind from outside, the deputy regiment commander Situ Xin also blew into the barracks.
"Why did you stay in Staff Officer Han's barracks for so long?" Situ Xin frowned, looking very unhappy. "Lu Jiyu, do you still remember that you are a criminal?"
When Lu Jiyu was asked this question, his face turned pale with fear. "Deputy Captain... I... I..."
"Captain Situ, you don't have to blame Platoon Leader Lu. It was me who kept him from leaving. Didn't you always say you would cooperate with our investigation? What's wrong? Are you changing your mind?"
Situ Xin waved his hand and said, "Stop talking about these useless things. Just tell me, how is the investigation going?"
"I've almost figured out the murderer's methods, but I still need to find Captain Shen's personal guard to verify the situation. I'll have a conclusion soon."
Situ Xin was a little surprised. He took out his pocket watch and checked. It was already past four in the morning. "Hmm...it's been less than five hours since the crime happened, and Mr. Yin has already seen through the truth. He's worthy of being the legendary detective in the canal area."
Yin Chuan smiled, "You change your tune so quickly. Of course, if it weren't for your help, Commander Situ, I wouldn't have been able to find out the clues so quickly. Finally, please call the personal bodyguard named Duan over. I'll ask him a few more questions, and the truth of this case will basically be revealed."
"Okay, wait a moment. Adjutant Wang, call Duan Biao to me!" It turned out that Duan Dage's real name was Duan Biao.
Adjutant Wang, who was standing outside, agreed and immediately went to look for someone. But after a long wait, Adjutant Wang finally returned, looking panicked and whispering something in Situ Xin's ear. Yin Chuan, with his exceptional hearing, listened intently and heard shocking news.
"Reporting to the deputy commander, Duan Biao has been found, but it's just his body, which is with the reconnaissance squad."
"What?" Situ Xin's eyes widened as he looked at Adjutant Wang in disbelief. However, he was afraid that Yin Chuan and the others would hear about this, so he quickly lowered his voice and asked, "What's going on?"
"I don't know. I just went to look for him as you instructed, and I heard someone say Duan Biao was found in the southwest corner of the camp, where the reconnaissance squad's barracks are. But when I got there, I heard that a scout named Huang Tan from the squad had gone missing. After searching everywhere, we found a body in a snow pit at the edge of the camp. At first, we thought it was Huang Tan, but after digging him out, we realized it was Duan Biao!"
Although Yin Chuan was concentrating and overheard their whispers, he was as shocked as the two of them, but he managed to calm himself down and pretended to be unaware.
"Commander Situ, is there any problem?" Yin Chuan asked tentatively.
Situ Xin glanced at Yin Chuan, as if hesitating whether to tell him about this.
"Judging from the current situation, I'm afraid it's difficult to meet your request." Situ Xin looked embarrassed.
"What happened?" Du Yunzhang asked in surprise.
"Captain Chen Hui's personal bodyguard, the big Duan Biao...something went wrong, so..."
When Linlang heard this, she felt something was amiss. "Why? Commander Situ's intention in removing the ladder at this critical moment? Is there something else going on here that we're not allowed to know?"
"Oh, yes, the adjutant was whispering in your ear for a long time just now. Is that what he meant?" Du Yunzhang fanned the flames.
Situ Xin's face darkened immediately. "Hey, three of you, aren't you getting ahead of yourself? This is a military camp, and I have the final say here. I'm already doing you a favor by asking you to help with the investigation, so don't be so shameless! If you've found the murderer and have solid evidence, then tell us right away. If you can't, then just admit your incompetence and go wherever you need to go."
Situ Xin's sudden change in attitude truly made Yin Chuan nervous. The three of them, trapped in the military camp, were practically in constant danger of their lives. With the other party being the highest commander of the army, if he turned against them, their survival would be utterly lost. With Situ Xin's words, even if they were to fall out directly, it wouldn't be surprising to have the three of them executed. His own life or death didn't matter, but how could he feel at peace knowing that he had implicated his good brother Du Yunzhang and his confidante Ou Ye Linlang?
"Commander Situ, since Duan Da Ge can't come to answer, we will find another way. But you can rest assured, I will investigate Captain Shen's case thoroughly! Please rest assured that we will find the murderer for you and restore the truth with solid evidence."
Situ Xin snorted coldly, "That would be best. But don't delay it too long. I'm impatient and can't wait too long."
Yin Chuan smiled and said, "Look at what you said. It's only been a few hours since the incident, and we haven't been idle the whole time. It's already late at night, so we should at least take a break and get some sleep, right?"
Situ Xin nodded. "Okay. Adjutant Wang, take them back to the barracks and move some folding beds over there for them to rest. Send two guards outside to protect their safety. If any of them has a stirrup that's too high or too short, I'll hold you accountable!"
"Yes!" Adjutant Wang saluted, then said to Yin Chuan and the other two, "Three of you, follow me."
Yin Chuan naturally understood that Situ Xin, like Shen Xi, was also nominally protecting them, but in reality, they were under house arrest. But now, under the pressure of the situation, he could only adapt to the situation.
As soon as they left the barracks, Yin Chuan turned around and found that Staff Officer Han had hurried back and bumped head-on into Situ Xin who had just walked out of the door.
"You...why are you in my barracks?" Han Chi asked in surprise.
Situ Xin did not answer, but asked in a stern tone: "Duan Biao...did you do it?"
Han Chi's expression suddenly changed. "What are you talking about? What happened to Duan Biao?"
"Don't be so hypocritical. Duan Biao must know something bad about you. Just take him away...right?"
"I don't understand what you're talking about. Come on, what on earth are you doing in my barracks?"
…
With no reason to stay where he was, Yin Chuan could only follow Adjutant Wang forward, and the subsequent conversation between Situ Xin and Han Chi could no longer be heard clearly. But from just these few incoherent conversations, Yin Chuan vaguely formed some conclusions - Situ Xin suspected Han Chi of the murder of Captain Shen's personal guard Duan Biao, and Han Chi's denial of his accusations was reasonable. Yin Chuan himself also felt that Han Chi had little to do with the incident, but the suspicious thing about Han Chi was why he cared so much about Situ Xin going to his barracks? And he kept asking questions. If he had come back earlier and saw more people coming out of his barracks, including himself, would he have been even more furious? Or was it that the incredible method he had deduced was done by him?
But where is the evidence?
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