Chapter 22 Who will be next?
Snow fluttered down, covering the entire Nan'an Village. Luo Xue giggled, rolled up a snowball, and accurately hit Yu Hao on the back. "Uncle Yu, you're too slow!" Her little face was red from the cold, but her eyes were shining. Luo Xin stood not far away, also holding a snowball in her hand, with a gentle smile on her lips, and gently threw it to Yu Hao. "You two, mother and daughter, are teaming up to bully me?" Yu Hao pretended to be angry, but he couldn't hide the smile in the corner of his eyes. He bent down and grabbed a handful of snow, but before he could shape it, Luo Xue's second snowball had hit his shoulder. "Mom, look! I hit it again!" Luo Xue jumped up excitedly, her red down jacket particularly bright in the snow. Luo Xin smiled and shook her head, gently throwing the snowball in her hand to her daughter. The snowball drew a beautiful arc in the air, but suddenly dispersed when it was about to hit, enveloping Luo Xue like a small snowstorm. "Mom is a fence-sitter, two-faced!" Luo Xue screamed and rushed towards Luo Xin. The mother and daughter burst into laughter and fell to the ground in the snow. Yu Hao stood there, watching this scene, a warm feeling welling up in his chest. This moment was so perfect, as if all the troubles were buried by the white snow. Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard from the alley. Yu Hao turned around and saw a dark shadow approaching quickly. The man was wearing a mask and a baseball cap, and his face could not be seen clearly, but he suddenly stopped when he was a few steps away from Yu Hao, a strange smile on his lips. "Who are you--" Before Yu Hao finished speaking, the man had already pulled out a shiny knife from his arms. Time seemed to be stretched. Yu Hao watched the man rush towards Luo Xin and Luo Xue, the blade flashing coldly in the sunlight. He wanted to rush over, but his legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead. "No--" The first knife pierced Luo Xin's abdomen. She opened her eyes wide in shock, her lips trembling but unable to make a sound. The second knife, the third knife... blood gushed out, staining her gray cotton coat red. Luo Xue's screams pierced the sky. She threw herself at her mother, but the man grabbed her and the blade plunged into her small body without hesitation. "No!" Yu Hao finally broke free from the invisible restraints and threw himself at the murderer. But when he touched him, the man's figure dissipated like smoke. In the snow, Luo Xin and Luo Xue lay quietly, blood spreading across the white snow like a gorgeous flower. Luo Xin's hand was still tightly clasped around her daughter's small hand, their eyes half open, but their luster had faded. "No!" Yu Hao knelt in the snow, letting out a heartbreaking roar. ... "Yu Hao! Yu Hao!" A voice...
Snow fluttered down, covering the entire Nan'an Village. Luo Xue giggled, rolled up a snowball, and threw it accurately on Yu Hao's back.
"Uncle Yu, you're too slow!" Her little face was red from the cold, but her eyes were shining.
Luo Xin was standing not far away, also holding a snowball in her hand. With a gentle smile on her lips, she gently threw it towards Yu Hao.
"You two, mother and daughter, teamed up to bully me?" Yu Hao pretended to be angry, but couldn't hide the smile in the corner of his eyes.
He bent down and grabbed a handful of snow, but before he could shape it, Luo Xue's second snowball hit his shoulder.
"Mom, look! I hit it again!" Luo Xue jumped up excitedly, her red down jacket looking particularly bright in the snow.
Luo Xin smiled and shook his head, then gently tossed the snowball in his hand toward his daughter. The snowball drew a graceful arc in the air, but suddenly dispersed just before hitting her, enveloping Luo Xue like a small snowstorm.
"Mom is a fence-sitter, two-faced!" Luo Xue screamed and rushed towards Luo Xin. The mother and daughter laughed and fell to the snow.
Yu Hao stood there, watching this scene, a warm feeling welling up in his chest. This moment was so perfect, as if all his troubles were buried under the pure white snow.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard at the entrance of the alley. Yu Hao turned around and saw a dark figure approaching quickly.
The man was wearing a mask and a baseball cap, so his face couldn't be seen clearly. But when he was a few steps away from Yu Hao, he suddenly stopped and a strange smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Who are you--" Before Yu Hao could finish his words, the man had already pulled out a shiny knife from his arms.
Time seemed to be stretched out.
Yu Hao watched helplessly as the man rushed towards Luo Xin and Luo Xue, the blade of his sword flashing coldly in the sunlight. He wanted to pounce on him, but his legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.
"No--"
The first knife stabbed into Luo Xin's abdomen. She opened her eyes wide in shock, her lips trembling but no sound came out.
The second knife, the third knife... blood gushed out, staining her gray cotton coat red.
Luo Xue's scream pierced the sky. She rushed towards her mother, but she was grabbed by the man, and the blade pierced her small body without hesitation.
"No!" Yu Hao finally broke free from the invisible restraints and rushed towards the murderer. But when he touched the other person, the figure disappeared like smoke.
On the snow, Luo Xin and Luo Xue lay quietly, and the blood spread on the white snow like a gorgeous flower.
Luo Xin's hand was still tightly holding his daughter's little hand. Their eyes were half open, but had lost their luster.
"No!" Yu Hao knelt in the snow and let out a heart-wrenching roar.
…
"Yu Hao! Yu Hao!"
A voice came from a distance, becoming clearer and clearer.
Yu Hao opened his eyes suddenly, only to see a pitch-black darkness. He was gasping for breath, his forehead covered in sweat, and his heart was beating so fast it felt like it was about to burst out of his chest.
Suddenly, the lights came on, the light drove out the darkness, and the glare made him squint.
The wall clock showed the time was three in the morning. He looked around and found himself lying on a chair in the Criminal Police Brigade meeting room, covered with a thin blanket.
"Yu Hao, Yu Hao" a gentle female voice slowly came into his mind. Yu Hao could see the appearance of the person in front of him clearly. He had a pretty face, short hair, and a heroic look.
It was Sun Wei.
"Oh, it's you."
She helped Yu Hao up, and the blanket fell to his waist. Yu Hao looked around and saw that they were the only two in the meeting room. The seats for the other team members were empty.
"I told them all to go back and rest." Sun Wei straightened up. "This isn't a solution. Solving a case isn't a 100-meter sprint."
Yu Hao nodded and rubbed his temples, the lingering fear of the nightmare still pulsing in his veins.
The scene was so real—the image of Luo Xin and Luo Xue lying in a pool of blood seemed to be burned into his retina.
The night was very quiet, with only the occasional noise from the police radio.
Sun Wei looked at him quietly and asked softly, "Having a nightmare again?"
Yu Hao nodded, without describing the dream in detail. But after working together in the police force for ten years, Sun Wei seemed to have read something from his tense jawline and trembling fingers.
If there is anyone in the team besides his master Qin Guoan who he can completely trust, it is Sun Wei.
They have experienced too many cases together and witnessed too many life and death situations. That kind of tacit understanding does not require words.
"Do you want to sleep a little longer? There are still a few hours before dawn." Sun Wei looked at her watch.
"No need." Yu Hao shook his head and reached for the case file on the table. "Let's take a look at the case."
Sun Wei sighed, stood up, walked to the water dispenser, took a cup of warm water and handed it to him: "If you continue like this, your health will collapse." Her voice was very soft, but with an irrefutable firmness.
Yu Hao took a sip of water, the warm liquid sliding down his throat, slightly relieving the chill brought by the nightmare. He flipped through the scene photos of the Guo Zhong case and forced himself to concentrate.
"Go back and get some sleep." Feeling Sun Wei standing behind him, Yu Hao turned his head and forced a smile, "Go back."
Sun Wei sighed and sat down on the chair next to him. "Forget it, I just took a nap, so I'm not sleepy anymore. Let's look at the case together."
*
In the early morning, Nan'an Village was shrouded in a gray fog. There were almost no people in the alleys. Only a few wild cats were rummaging through the trash cans for food, making harsh scratching sounds.
Guo Zhong's death was like a huge rock, crashing heavily into the peaceful waters of this small village. Coupled with the news of Liu Feng's arrest, the villagers gathered in groups of three or four, whispering to each other, their eyes full of vigilance and suspicion.
"Have you heard? That kid Liu Feng was arrested!"
"Guo Zhong's death was strange. He was stabbed in the chest, just like Wang Shun."
"Could it be a serial killer?"
…
These whispers spread to every corner of the village, corroding people's nerves like poisonous fog.
The breakfast stall that was bustling in the past now only had a few customers. Everyone lowered their heads and hurriedly finished their food, not daring to stay for long.
Just after nine o'clock, Uncle Zhang kicked Liu Bing out of the chess and card room. He stumbled back a few steps and almost fell in the snow.
"Get out!" Uncle Zhang stood at the door of the chess and card room, his face ashen and veins bulging on his forehead.
Liu Bing curled his lips and patted the snow off his body: "Uncle Zhang, I just said it casually..."
"Get out!" Uncle Zhang threw the mahjong tiles to the ground. The crisp sound of "pa" scared Liu Bing so much that he trembled.
In the chess and card room, several old friends looked at each other, and no one dared to speak out to persuade them.
Liu Bing turned away angrily, still muttering, "I'm not allowed to talk about my son-in-law being a murderer..."
He wandered back to his grocery store and just as he opened the door, he saw Sun Yong pushing the breakfast stall cart past.
Sun Yong is tall, but he has a hunched back and his face is full of fatigue. The dark circles under his eyes are more obvious against his pale complexion.
"Old Sun!" Liu Bing's eyes lit up, and he quickly caught up with him. "Closing up so early? Is business slow?"
Sun Yong didn't even raise his head and continued pushing the cart forward: "Yeah."
"Do you know what the reason is? Someone died again last night, you know?" Liu Bing leaned closer and lowered his voice, "That old guy Guo Zhong was stabbed in the chest, just like Wang Shun."
Sun Yong paused and said, "Yeah."
"Isn't that strange?" Liu Bing rubbed his hands together, his breath condensing in the cold air. "Liu Feng's been arrested, and Guo Zhong's dead. This case is getting weirder and weirder. How many murderers do you think there are? It's really fucking scary."
Sun Yong suddenly stopped and turned to stare at Liu Bing. His eyes were as cold as ice, causing Liu Bing to unconsciously take a half step back.
"If you have any clues, tell the police." Sun Yong's voice was hoarse and tired.
Liu Bing smiled awkwardly: "I'm just chatting with you..."
Sun Yong ignored him and continued pushing the cart forward.
Liu Bing stood there, watching Sun Yong's back as he walked away, and curled his lips: "Everyone looks like their father has died..."
He returned to the grocery store and idly sorted the shelves.
The shop was deserted, with few customers all morning. Liu Bing sat behind the counter, his fingers tapping on the tabletop, his eyes occasionally glancing out the door.
"This life is unbearable..." he muttered to himself, "If this continues, I'll have no business left."
Suddenly, he seemed to have thought of something, his eyes lit up, he quickly stood up, took out a bottle of Erguotou from under the counter, unscrewed the lid and took a big gulp.
A burning sensation spread from his throat to his stomach, and Liu Bing sighed with satisfaction.
"Yes, let's go chat with Xiao Fang." He wiped his mouth, locked the shop door, and staggered towards Xiao Fang's barber shop.
The red, white, and blue rotating lights at the entrance of the barber shop stood out against the snow. Liu Bing pushed the door open and walked in, and the bell rang crisply.
"Oh, what a rare visitor." Xiao Fang was cutting the hair of an old lady and said without raising her head.
She was wearing a tight sweater today, her long wavy hair was casually draped over her shoulders, and she had a cigarette in her mouth.
Liu Bing sat down on the sofa in the waiting area and crossed his legs: "I have nothing to do, so I came to see you."
"Don't try to be so rude." Xiao Fang rolled her eyes at him. "What gossip do you want to hear?"
The old lady glanced at Liu Bing warily in the mirror and whispered to Xiao Fang, "Girl, hurry up and cut your hair. I'm in a hurry to go home."
Xiao Fang nodded, waving the scissors in her hand quickly: "It will be done soon."
Liu Bing didn't take it seriously and continued to talk to himself: "Do you think Guo Zhong's death was strange? Just like Wang Shun, a knife in the chest..."
"Shut up!" Xiao Fang turned around abruptly, her scissors flashing a cold light in the air. "If you want to chat, go outside and don't scare customers here!"
Liu Bing shrank back, but the alcohol emboldened him. "Seriously, don't you find it strange? Liu Feng has been arrested, and Guo Zhong is dead. How many murderers are there?"
The old lady's hands were shaking. She had mustered up the courage to go out so early in the morning, and she didn't have to cut her hair. "Girl, I don't want to cut it anymore. I have to go home..."
Xiao Fang glared at Liu Bing fiercely and helped the old lady untie the cloth: "Okay, okay, I won't charge you today."
The old lady almost fled from the barber shop, and made the sign of the cross on her chest before leaving.
Xiao Fang closed the door, turned around and glared at Liu Bing: "Are you fucking sick? The village is already in chaos enough, and you are still adding fuel to the fire!"
Liu Bing spread his hands, looking innocent: "I'm just worried about everyone's safety..."
"Bullshit!" Xiao Fang grabbed Liu Bing's collar and pulled him up from the sofa. "You just want to create chaos! Get out!"
Liu Bing was pushed out the door and nearly fell in the snow. He regained his footing and shouted at the closed door of the barber shop, "You crazy bitch! You deserve to be unmarried!"
The door suddenly opened, and Xiao Fang rushed out with a pair of scissors in hand. Liu Bing was so scared that he turned and ran, slipped in the snow, and then got up and continued running. Xiao Fang's laughter came from behind him.
He ran back to the grocery store, panting, locked the door, and drank a few more sips of wine to calm his nerves. The store was silent, with only the ticking of the wall clock echoing.
Liu Bing stared at the shelves in a daze, and suddenly felt that the village where he had lived for more than 40 years had become strange and dangerous.
Everyone is suspicious of others, and everyone is suspected by others. Guo Zhong is dead, Liu Feng has been arrested, who will be next?
He shuddered and took another sip of wine, but this time it failed to dispel the inexplicable chill in his heart.
"No, I have to take action. Instead of relying on others for this case, I should rely on myself..."
He looked at himself in the mirror and nodded with satisfaction.
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