Chapter 76 Red Spider Lily 15
In the darkness, Chi Li supported Luo Siwei's body.
Luo Siwei only felt Chi Li's hand stop her downward trend. She hurriedly used Chi Li's strength to support her and stood firm.
Seeing that she was out of danger, Chi Li dared to let go: "How are you? Are you hurt?" In the darkness, his usually calm voice trembled a little, and the tone became anxious.
"It's okay." Luo Siwei moved his ankle.
After hearing what she said, Chi Li squatted down and looked at her ankle. There was no cut or bleeding.
Luo Siwei said, "There seemed to be something under my feet just now."
Chi Li shone the flashlight over there and found that a wooden board had rotted where Luo Siwei had stepped on.
She had just stepped on the wooden board and her ankle was almost stuck in the broken board. If Chi Li had not reacted quickly and supported her, she would have been injured.
Chi Li squatted down and observed carefully. He tapped the nearby floorboards with his fingers, and a muffled sound came out.
Chi Li judged: "It's empty down there." He found a handle on the side with a lock hanging on it.
It turned out that someone had dug a space in the corner under the stairs of the old house, which looked like a basement or a storage room in an old-fashioned family home.
The place was very simply decorated, with just a few wooden boards laid on top of the storage space. Due to years of disrepair, Luo Siwei almost fell down when he stepped on it.
Chi Li used tools to open the lock, shook it a few times, and forcefully removed the wooden boards. A cloud of smoke and dust rose up, and even with a mask on, Luo Siwei still felt a little choked.
A steep staircase appeared before them, and then a foul stench of decay rose from below.
Both of them were seasoned detectives. They knew the odor the moment they smelled it; it was the distinct stench of a corpse, a special odor that only appeared after it had been left for a long time.
This was the same smell they had smelled at the door before, but the smell here was more obvious and stronger.
Luo Siwei shone the flashlight down, and saw a storage room about two meters deep and seven or eight square meters in size.
After the smell dissipated a little and he was sure there was nothing unusual below, Luo Siwei stood up.
Chi Li said: "I'll go down and take a look first."
Luo Siwei: "Be careful."
Chi Li nodded slightly at her.
Then he walked down carefully. The basement was not big. The most conspicuous thing was a large piece of cement placed in the middle of the ground, and activated carbon bags were piled around the cement block.
Chi Li looked around with a flashlight, and only after confirming that it was safe did he call Luo Siwei down.
Luo Siwei took away a few carbon bags and looked at the cement block in front of him. The cement was almost integrated with the ground, and its shape was like a cocoon growing out of the ground.
She squatted down to examine it carefully. The cement block was about two meters long, likely made by an amateur and not stirred evenly. Tiny cracks had appeared in some places, and an unknown liquid was seeping out. The foul smell was emanating from that liquid.
Luo Siwei searched carefully with the help of the flashlight and found some long hair sticking out from the cracks in the cement blocks.
Now, many mysteries have been solved, and the story of the two girls has finally come to an end.
Luo Siwei pointed to the cement block on the ground and said, "The one wrapped inside should be the real Zhou Zitu, Xie Chenyu's sister Xie Luoyan. They switched identities."
After a brief on-site inspection and confirmation of the situation, the two men retreated from the storage room.
In order not to disrupt the scene, they temporarily returned to the car.
Chi Li called the criminal police on duty and asked the forensic doctor and physical evidence to come over.
Luo Siwei's frayed nerves finally relaxed. Now, those events were no longer just conjectures and stories in her head, but realities with actual evidence. She could finally report the progress of the case to the others.
Luo Siwei revealed some information in the criminal investigation team's small group and asked who was free to come and work overtime. Ni Xiang was the first to sign up, and Guo Zhengyao also said that he was free and was ready to come over.
After Chi Li finished the call, he asked her, "How did you find out that the now deceased Zhou Zitu was actually Xie Chenyu?"
Luo Siwei said, "Ever since I took on this case, I've always felt that there are some inexplicable circumstances. When I first started investigating, I didn't think there might be something wrong with the victim."
"But as the investigation deepened, I discovered more problems from some clues. The first is fingerprints. The body found in the villa had incomplete fingerprints on several fingers. I think this is because Xie Chenyu was afraid that Zhou Zitu had left fingerprints on the bank or ID card. She didn't want to be verified, so she removed her fingerprints, but this actually left some loopholes."
"The second is the relationship between Xie Chenyu and Ding Zhaomo. When I assumed that Ding Zhaomo was killed by Zhou Zitu, I repeatedly checked and found no significant connection or relationship between the two. So I further investigated Ding Zhaomo, and then I discovered Xie Chenyu's existence."
At first, all she found was a blurry portrait on the back cover of her flip phone. Based on her age, appearance, and interactions with Ding Zhaomo, she gradually confirmed that the person with Ding Zhaomo was Xie Chenyu.
"Xie Chenyu's disappearance has given me new suspicions about this murder case."
"Next, I had several teams of police officers spend a lot of time visiting Zhou Zitu's former relatives and friends. We even found her former homeroom teacher, her attending doctor after the car accident, and the neighbors who had moved away..."
It was then that the police officers felt the case had hit a bottleneck. They didn't understand why Luo Siwei had asked them to investigate this way, and Luo Siwei couldn't directly tell them her suspicions because that would make their questions purposeful and misleading, thus defeating the purpose of the investigation.
The investigation information they collected seemed to be irrelevant to the case, but it actually contained important information.
"The information they revealed was very limited, but when pieced together, it made me more and more certain that the Zhou Zitu who was killed now was not the Zhou Zitu of the past."
At this point, Luo Siwei lowered his head and whispered, "I have to say, Xie Chenyu's disguise is very similar. Besides the natural resemblance in appearance, the other details are also nearly perfect. She spent a lot of time to become Zhou Zitu. They lived and ate together. Probably from the moment they moved in, Xie Chenyu was imitating Zhou Zitu. The way she spoke, the length of her hair, the practiced handwriting, the signature, it was almost impeccable."
"Until the time was right, she murdered Zhou Zitu and borrowed money from Ding Zhaomo. Finally, she stole all of Zhou Zitu's documents and transformed herself from a migrant worker into a university graduate. From then on, Xie Chenyu disappeared."
Chi Li gathered his thoughts and said, "Xie Chenyu met her ex-boyfriend Ding Zhaomo while renovating the villa. That's when Xie Chenyu's murderous intention towards Ding Zhaomo emerged."
Luo Siwei nodded. "Perhaps she revealed a flaw, allowing Ding Zhaomo to discover her true identity. Or perhaps something else happened in between. She was afraid that Ding Zhaomo would tell Zheng Wanshan everything, and then all her efforts would be in vain. I infer that she may have used lies to calm Ding Zhaomo down, then made a date with him late at night, took the opportunity to put a charcoal brazier in the room, and then took advantage of Ding Zhaomo's deep sleep to close the windows and lock the door, causing his death."
Because Zhou Zitu had taken the initiative to cut off contact with his family and friends a few years ago, these secrets were not discovered after so many years. Xie Chenyu, as the mistress, successfully married Zheng Wanshan, gave birth to a child, and transformed herself into a wealthy wife.
The entire case has been connected so far.
The previous visits were not in vain. It was the words and phrases from neighbors, classmates, and relatives that allowed the police to glimpse the truth.
At this point, Luo Siwei sighed: "However, I haven't yet determined who killed Xie Chenyu and her daughter."
"At least now, we are one step closer to the truth." Chi Li said to her, "You did a good job. If this case fell into the hands of others, they might not be able to find it here."
He said it tactfully. The hidden facts behind this case are complicated. If you want to investigate these things clearly, meticulousness and reasoning ability are crucial.
In fact, if the person in charge of investigating this case was not Luo Siwei, there is a high probability that the truth would be buried.
The city is too big, there are always bodies found in unknown corners, and there are always people who disappear quietly without being discovered.
Luo Siwei recalled her previous conversation with Lao Huo, and she asked Chi Li: "Do you think the truth is important?"
Chi Li said without hesitation: "Of course, finding the truth is our job. Only by finding the right direction can the police, prosecutors, and judges come to the right conclusion. So the truth is the truth, and no illusion can replace it."
Luo Siwei felt relieved after hearing his words. Fortunately, there were people like Chi Li in the Municipal Bureau who shared the same ideals as her.
She said, "That's what I think too. If we can't sort out these past events, we won't be able to find the real murderer."
For the modern legal order, truth is like the cornerstone. If this cannot be guaranteed, how can human civilization build high-rise buildings on it?
The car was quiet for a while. Chi Li brought over some mineral water and a bag of small round biscuits, and handed a few to Luo Siwei. Luo Siwei was hungry, so she tore open a bag and started eating in the car.
Then, Chi Li unscrewed a bottle of mineral water and handed it to her. His fingers were slender, with distinct joints, and very beautiful.
Luo Siwei usually likes to be self-sufficient, but she finds that it feels good to have someone take care of her occasionally.
She took the mineral water, took a few sips, and suddenly felt a sense of emotion: "I find that modern society seems to have many opportunities for identification, but in fact, the connection between people and their identities is still weak."
People have ID cards, household registration books, bank cards and other things, but in life, fraudulent use is still very common. As long as someone looks similar enough and has those documents, they can pass through without being discovered.
Chi Li: "Of course, in daily life, no one would do a DNA test, fingerprint test, or handwriting identification at any time."
Luo Siwei added, "Unless they are friends and family members who have been together since childhood and know each other well. It seems impossible to confirm that the person you see is the real person..."
Many people would never think about or doubt that the person next to them is not who he really is.
Chi Li paused for a moment, then said, "People don't know anything about many people other than themselves."
By 10 p.m., the on-duty police officers from the city bureau and the forensic examiner had all arrived. Everyone was almost there, and officials from nearby communities also rushed over.
In order to facilitate the investigation, electricity was finally connected to the old house, and the whole house was lit up, making it look less gloomy.
To Luo Siwei's surprise, Lao Huo also arrived. He even happily offered cigarettes to the officers working overtime. "Our team has made significant progress on the case. Thank you for your hard work."
Guo Zhengyao waved at him and said, "Old Huo, it's rare for you to work overtime."
Huo Cunsheng touched his belly and said, "How can I be absent at such a critical moment?"
Guo Zhengyao and Luo Siwei chatted about the case. "Captain Luo, I never expected such new progress in the case. How did you find this place?"
Luo Siwei briefly explained the situation.
Ni Xiang held the survey book and said, "This reminds me of those TV shows. What were they called? Anna? And that horror movie Female Pupa? Or maybe Day and Night Chase?"
Huo Cunsheng asked, "Have you only seen those few movies? Speaking of identity substitution, aren't the earliest ones "Water Margin" and "Journey to the West"? "
Guo Zhengyao interrupted him: "Isn't this a rare thing? In recent years, there have been cases of people using someone else's name to go to school, get public office, and even defraud insurance. Isn't this a rare crime? This is all the crime of using someone else's identity."
Identity theft is not uncommon in daily criminal cases, but it is rare for the case to span such a long period of time and for the impersonator to become the victim.
The person who was impersonated, Zhou Zitu, who was the real Xie Luoyan, had died more than ten years ago, which made the police investigation very difficult.
"It's easy for you to say now. Captain Luo, for finding that out, is truly remarkable." Huo Cunsheng continued to flatter Luo Siwei. "I've always felt that you're incredibly perceptive, Captain Luo. Will our team get a commendation this time?"
Luo Siwei didn't know how to respond, and Chi Li said, "We'll have plenty of time to reminisce later. Go help the forensic doctor get rid of the cement first."
Luo Siwei rolled up his sleeves and said, "I'll go help too."
Guo Zhengyao stopped her: "Captain Luo, I'll go."
Huo Cunsheng also said: "That's right, Captain Luo, you are a great hero. You don't need to personally deal with such a small matter. Just wait up there."
In the end, Chi Li brought several male police officers to help the forensic doctor clean the cement.
The person on duty today was an old forensic doctor named Zhao Wenxin. He was just about to take a break when he was suddenly called here by phone.
Forensic Doctor Zhao was dazed and had a messy head of hair. He took the pictures first, then asked them to put the activated carbon bags aside, and then distributed tools to several strong laborers to hammer the cement blocks.
The basement was lit by a single, low-wattage bulb, which wasn't very bright. Several male police officers had surrounded the area, leaving Luo Siwei and Ni Xiang to watch from the entrance.
Guo Zhengyao was given a hammer and was about to hammer it down with all his strength.
Forensic Doctor Zhao stopped them and said, "Slow down! If you damage the body, I won't forgive you!"
"I know. I know my limits." Guo Zhengyao brought down the hammer, making a clanging sound. His arm ached from the shock, but the concrete block before him didn't budge. He frowned and said, "Forensic Doctor Zhao, you're still worried about me damaging the body. You should worry about whether my arm might be broken from a work-related injury."
Doctor Zhao shook his head, not knowing whether he was relieved that the body hadn't been damaged, or regretful that the cement hadn't been broken. He adjusted his glasses and said, "What a sin!"
Huo Cunsheng, who was standing by, also knocked a few times, but the cement block didn't respond at all.
The cement was layered in layers, hard as stone. Even though it wasn't poured properly, it was quite strong.
Huo Cunsheng squatted down, closed his eyes, and clasped his hands together in front of the cement block: "Girl, we are good people. We don't want to disturb your peace. If you want us to investigate the case and find the real culprit, please help us. Don't make things difficult for us."
Guo Zhengyao was just about to tell him that feudal superstition was not acceptable, but as soon as Huo Cunsheng finished speaking, there was a crisp sound in the cement, and then a small crack appeared.
Huo Cunsheng was startled by the noise and fell to his knees with a thud, pointing at the cement block and saying, "Did you see that?! It's working!"
Guo Zhengyao was about to express his surprise when he saw Chi Li standing up and saying, "I pried it open from here." Captain Chi handed Guo Zhengyao a pair of bone pliers and said, "Pay attention to the method of handling the problem."
Just now, Chi Li found a gap, inserted the pliers in, and used his skillful strength to break the outer layer of cement.
Huo Cunsheng immediately changed his tone: "I told you so. If it weren't for Captain Chi, I would have chanted sutras to this cement block all night and nothing would have happened."
Then he stood up and brushed the dust off his knees as if nothing had happened. "What's on the ground? It's so slippery. I just fell down."
Although there was a crack now, the cement was still difficult to open. Several criminal police officers spent half a day trying to widen the gap a little.
Judging from the current situation, it might not be finished by tomorrow morning. Luo Siwei couldn't bear it any longer and said, "Ni Xiang, go and help."
Ni Xiang responded and rolled up her sleeves. She walked over, took a wrench, and smashed it hard into the center of the concrete block.
With a crackling sound, the entire piece of cement shattered into pieces, and the corpse inside was like a silkworm pupa wrapped in a cocoon, finally seeing the light of day again.
Luo Siwei touched Ni Xiang's head lovingly: "Good girl, you did a good job."
Ni Xiang: "Oh, oh, oh... I thought it would be difficult to open."
Guo Zhengyao: “…”
Huo Cunsheng: "..."
Chi Li: “…”
Forensic Doctor Zhao suddenly perked up: "Make way, make way! Make room for the forensic doctor."
The cement block cracked, and the subsequent processing became much simpler. With the joint efforts of several people, the large cement block was gradually broken into small pieces.
Because more than ten years had passed, the woman's flesh and blood were completely sealed in the cement, and her inner clothes were also stuck to the cement, so it was not easy to separate them.
Zhao began to clean up bit by bit patiently. Finally, a rotting skeleton emerged from the cement, and the stench of decay became more and more obvious.
"Wait a minute." Chi Li suddenly spoke.
The hands of several people stopped, and Chi Li pointed to a piece of cement next to the chest of the female corpse and said, "There seems to be something in here."
Guo Zhengyao picked it up and took a look. He used his arms to break off a large piece of cement, revealing a rectangular object in the middle. After cleaning it carefully, everyone found that it was an old-fashioned notebook with a lock.
If Chi Li hadn't discovered it, this notebook might have been disposed of along with the other cement.
The female corpse was lying flat on her back with the notebook on her chest, making it look like she was holding it in her arms.
Because it was stuck in cement, the side of the notebook couldn't be opened for a while. Chi Li took out an evidence bag and put the notebook in it, and said, "Give it to the evidence for restoration."
Soon, the body was carried out and the cement blocks were cleared away. Forensic Doctor Zhao stood in the basement and sprayed luminol according to the procedure.
When the lights were turned off, the entire basement glowed with a bluish-purple fluorescence, indicating that there had been a large amount of blood on the basement floor.
Guo Zhengyao frowned: "Why is there so much blood?" Zhou Zitu's body might have been strangled to death, so there was not much bleeding. Even if some liquid seeped out at the end, it was not much. These bloodstains were obviously not hers.
"Why is the ground so slippery?" Huo Cunsheng sighed upon seeing this scene. "Could that woman have killed someone before? Is this where she's dismembering bodies?"
Chi Li squatted down and observed carefully. He looked at it intently for a while and came to the conclusion: "Although there are a lot of bloodstains, most of them are dripping blood."
"It's actually pretty easy to guess." Luo Siwei sat on the stairs leading to the basement, looking at the fluorescent colors below. She said, "These bloodstains should be left by Xie Chenyu."
Guo Zhengyao was unable to react and frowned, asking, "Why?"
Luo Siwei explained, "Because Zhou Zitu had been in a car accident, she had some obvious scars. In order to better disguise herself as Zhou Zitu, that is, her sister Xie Luoyan, Xie Chenyu moved Xie Luoyan's body to the basement and scratched herself according to her scars, faking those scars. She then disposed of the body."
Therefore, this old house was closed for a while before Xie Chenyu appeared again disguised as Zhou Zitu.
After hearing these words, Ni Xiang felt goose bumps on her arms.
How cruel can a person be to himself?
She seemed to see the girl facing the corpse in the dark basement, cutting her skin one knife at a time, cutting open the flesh and then stitching it up.
She didn't need to make the wound very deep, but it had to look similar, at least not so that people could see the flaw at first glance.
She used her own body as a canvas and the knife as a paintbrush, copying her sister's corpse.
She endured the excruciating pain and disinfected the wound herself. The girl didn't dare scream, only moaning softly through the towel. Without anesthesia, she couldn't go to the clinic. If she couldn't finish it in one go, she'd split it up into several sessions, taking anti-inflammatory medication, and just push through it.
This was an important step in her plan.
Only in this way can she be reborn.
The author has something to say:
Happy New Year everyone!
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