The picture uploaded by Qin Feng showed a red cloth strip with neat black handwriting saying:
I hope mother gets well soon!
Qin Feng explained: "This was found by the police at Luoxia Temple after the family reported him missing.
The police spent a lot of effort searching for this missing person.
Because his mother was terminally ill, the police wanted to find the missing person as soon as possible so that his mother could see him for the last time.
But unfortunately, this wish did not come true.
His mother died a month and a half after he disappeared.
Two months later, the missing person's DNA was found on a human fur hat!
Qin Feng continued to upload other information in the case-solving group.
There are surveillance videos, chat records, and transcripts.
These are all evidence that the five victims went to temples, Taoist temples, and even churches.
Some pray for marriage, some pray for wealth, or for children, etc.
Maori Kogoro: "So, the common point among the five victims is that they were all people of faith?"
Kiko: "Is this the standard for leatherworkers to select their targets?
It's so strange that the leatherworker is a serial killer and he also skins people to make items.
This doesn't seem to have anything to do with religious belief, right?
This standard doesn't make sense?!
?_??”
Chen Yi: “We have speculated before that since leatherworkers want to extract skins, they may require the skin to be clean and well-maintained.
However, none of the previous victims had family members who reported them missing, so it was suspected that they were homeless people or other solitary individuals.
It is impossible for all of them to have good skin conditions.
Therefore, this speculation was abandoned.
If all five victims were religious, then perhaps the killer's goal was a clean heart, not a clean body?"
Shen Ting nodded and left a message: “It’s possible.
A clean mind is a more difficult standard to judge than a clean body.
The killer may have chosen his target by observing people in temples, Taoist temples, etc.”
"That's not right!"
Tang Ren immediately rejected the idea: "Going to a temple doesn't necessarily mean your heart is clean~~
It doesn’t necessarily mean you believe in religion!
There are many people who go to temples to worship Buddha, but there are few who truly believe in religion.
On the contrary, there are many people who have done bad things and pray to Buddha and God for peace of mind~~"
What Tang Ren said naturally made sense.
But that's what's so special about serial killers.
Shen Ting left a message: “Serial killers think differently from ordinary people like us.
'I don't want you to feel, I want me to feel.'
Their habits in selecting targets are not necessarily as clear as those of the murderer in the Snowy Night Disappearance Case.
Maybe it’s just an obsession!
Not that strict!
Leatherworkers look for people who are related to religion, but this does not mean that they must have pure hearts and be devout believers in religion.
Perhaps it is enough to be willing to go to a temple or a Taoist temple to worship Buddha and pray to God.
The key is!
What is the meaning behind this standard..."
Kiko: "This means that leather workers may also be religious believers?
ヾ(′▽｀)ゝ”
“It’s possible!”
Shen Ting thought for a moment: “But it could also be the other way around.
When leatherworkers see those people praying to the gods, they may see faith or superstition..."
Kiko was stunned: "So, leather workers may also have been harmed by superstition and thus harbor hatred?
So people who worship Buddha and pray for blessings are targeted for skinning?
( ??? ? ??? )?”
This, Shen Ting was not too sure.
Because the motivation Kiko mentioned seems a little stronger.
With such a strong motive, there must be other aspects involved when committing the crime.
For example, engraving scriptures on leather products or the scene of the crime, etc.
But now, none of the leatherworker's cases contain any content in this regard.
Group leader: “Personally, I feel that religion is a relatively marginal part of the overall image of the leatherworker.
Not that important!
Therefore, it is not reflected much in the case, almost not at all.
Whether he believes in religion or hates superstitious religions, we can wait until we have more evidence to tell."
“That’s right!”
Guan Hongfeng commented in agreement:
"Compare that to the leatherworkers' attitude towards religion.
Now there is an even more important clue——
When the five victims went to burn incense and pray, the leather maker must have been in the corresponding temple or Taoist temple.
Perhaps we could investigate this aspect of surveillance?"
Shen Ting immediately shared the corresponding surveillance data for everyone to investigate.
"By the way, have you checked the surveillance cameras around the Swan Theatre to find any other sightings of the Leatherworker?"
This time, no one left a message.
Obviously not found!
…
at the same time!
Shen Ting and his group left the appraisal room and returned to the case discussion room.
Not long after returning, the police officer who was sent to investigate the shadow puppet artist rushed into the meeting room.
There was obvious excitement on his face.
Shao Ming raised his eyebrows and stood up directly:
"Any clues?
Did the Shadow Puppet Association find any suspicious individuals?"
"No!"
The police officer shook his head like a rattle:
“The first person we contacted was the Shadow Puppet Association.
There are 35 shadow puppet artists who have confirmed their registration.
Unfortunately, there is not a single person living in Hongye Bay.
We therefore have two suspicions:
First, although the leather makers are shadow puppet artists, they do not live in Hongye Bay.
Second, the leather maker lives in Hongye Bay and is also a shadow puppet artist, but he may not be registered.
After all, the Shadow Puppet Association is just a private association, so it's normal that it's not registered."
“After discussion, considering that Hongye Bay is not very large, with only five villages and communities.
We decided to issue a local cooperation order.
Ask the village committee and community to assist in the investigation and provide all clues about shadow puppet artists within the relevant area."
“We originally thought that this approach would take a long time to make progress.
But unexpectedly, good news came not long after the cooperative investigation order was issued."
The police officer said excitedly:
"The head of Hongyewan Wutun Village provided information that a tenant came to their village a few months ago.
It’s a shadow puppet artist!
A few days ago, during the Chinese New Year, a shadow puppet show was performed in the village hall.
The most important thing is..."
The police officer took a breath, which made Shao Ming and others so anxious that they wanted to hit someone.
"The most important thing is that we ask the head of Wutun Village to tell us what the shadow puppet artist looks like.
The village chief couldn't tell because the man was wearing a mask.
But the village chief said that the shadow puppet artist was very strange. No matter what the weather was, he always wore a black wide-brimmed hat..."
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