11
In conclusion, Zheng Kun was arrested and lost a good opportunity to surrender, which was his own fault.
When I caused trouble at his house, Zheng Kun's girlfriend hadn't considered calling the police, as she knew he was hiding something. However, one of the patrons at the barbecue stall, drunk and eager to see if anything was amiss, called 110. Since Zheng Kun was arrested with me, the police naturally connected him to the string of tragic events at the Li family. I had no reason to hide anything for him, so I told him everything I knew.
As a result, Zheng Kun was detained as a major suspect in the case. As if as a hostage replacement, Li Zitong's suspicion of committing the crime lacked strong evidence and was released.
As both a suspect and a family member of the victim, Li Zitong had learned about the case's progress through various channels. She called me, wanting to thank me in person and return to Shanghai with me. I couldn't refuse and arranged to meet her at Civic Park.
With nothing else to do and no courage to see my father, I arrived at the agreed location an hour early and sat on a park bench, lost in thought. The speakers embedded in the rockery kept blasting Bandari. As I listened for a long time to this soft music, devoid of human voices, the melody seemed to drift off track, leaving only an endless, sandstorm-like rustling.
The matter seemed to have been resolved perfectly, but I couldn't help but feel something was amiss. Were the Beavers really the murderers? I hadn't believed that from the beginning. Besides, the murders didn't stop thirteen years ago, and the recent string of strange events couldn't possibly be linked to them.
Beavis's final words, about his experiences on the day of the murder so many years ago, were particularly unforgettable. I replayed them over and over in my mind, vaguely feeling that one of the inexplicable details held the key to solving the case.
Thirteen years ago, after learning that Xu Lan's murderer was likely someone else, Besi's actions were basically consistent with what I had guessed many years ago - he quickly narrowed the suspect to Li Xueqiang.
To clear his son of suspicion, he determined to find evidence of Li Xueqiang's crime. He disguised himself, followed and spied on him, and even sneaked into the coal yard where Li Xueqiang worked and asked his co-workers, hoping to find some suspicious clues.
According to coworkers, Li Xueqiang was notoriously unruly, often arriving late and leaving early. After Xu Lan's death, his behavior worsened. He reeked of alcohol and was often dazed from hangovers, often arriving an hour or two late, causing delays. Recently, his wages were so severely deducted that he simply quit his job.
After learning about the situation, Besie became increasingly suspicious of Li Xueqiang. Why would he behave so strangely if he didn't have something to hide? He grew increasingly confident in his investigation and diligently monitored Li Xueqiang's every move day and night. But the results were disappointing. Days of tracking revealed no further suspicious points, let alone incriminating evidence.
Come to think of it, if Li Xueqiang were the murderer, he would have been doubly careful to conceal any evidence related to the case. What significant evidence could an ordinary person, without professional criminal investigation training, uncover simply by tracking? He'd probably just give up. But Besi wasn't just any ordinary person; he was a skilled craftsman.
He had never worked a proper job, relying solely on side hustles to make money. He was a master at breaking into houses. Before each attack, he would scout the area for two or three days, observing which homes were empty during the day and which were vacant at night. Once he found a suitable target, he would, to be on the safe side, insert flyers on the doorknobs of the houses. He would return two or three days later to observe. If the flyers hadn't been removed, it meant the house had been recently occupied, allowing him to safely break into the house. For added security, he would often disguise himself as a meter reader from the gas or electricity company.
Because of his skill, boldness, and meticulousness, he made a fortune from his craft in his youth. He even managed to get married, have children, and support his family. But as the saying goes, "If you walk by the river often, you will get your feet wet." As police investigations became increasingly sophisticated, he was arrested four times. The last time, due to the large amount of money he stole and his incorrigible behavior, he received a heavy sentence of five years. Upon his release, his wife ran away, his father publicly disowned him, and other relatives had long since cut ties. He had hoped to start a new life and live a good life. But because of Zheng Kun's situation, he had no choice but to return to his old trade.
The plan was simple: using the familiar "break-in" method, they would raid Li Xueqiang's house while no one was home and turn it upside down. If he was indeed the murderer of his wife, they would probably find something in his house: bloodstained clothes, women's gold jewelry, large sums of cash from unknown sources, or insurance policies.
But after several reconnaissances, he realized his old methods weren't working. First, there was the door lock. The Li family's new door lock was a four-axle type, and he had never pried such a new lock before. While forcing it with tools would work, it wouldn't restore the original lock. Li Xueqiang would undoubtedly discover this later and would be even more cautious and careful. If he didn't find a surefire clue this time, it would be difficult to find it again.
Unable to do so, Besie delayed for a few days to observe the situation. He noticed that the Li family's youngest son, Li Tianci, had few friends and often played alone in the yard with a ball. He thought this might be a good opportunity to find a solution. However, the child was surprisingly quiet. Despite giving him candy and playing with him, Besie only managed to elicit three sentences from Li Tianci: "Hello," "Thank you," and "I don't know."
He heard from his friends on the underworld that Xu Lan's case was getting more and more serious. He gritted his teeth and decided to go all out and make a breakthrough head-on.
On March 14th, just as he had done on previous scouting trips, he took the No. 13 bus, got off at the stop before his destination, and walked to avoid the crowds. As he walked through a deserted alley, he unpacked his backpack, changed into a faded dark blue work suit, and donned a matching baseball cap, pulling the brim down below his eyebrows.
He walked into the complex naturally, avoiding the chattering middle-aged women so as not to give the impression of witnessing something. When he reached the stairs, he put on insulating gloves and rang the Li family's doorbell.
After waiting for a long time, the door finally opened with a click, but only a tiny crack. A childish voice asked, "Who is it?"
"Meter reader, it's time for your family to pay the electricity bill."
The child inside the door hesitated for a moment and said, "I don't know you."
"No way? I'm in charge of this area and have been here countless times. Your dad knows me. Isn't he home?"
“No.”
"Then open the door. I'll leave after I read the meter."
"My sister said, don't open the door to strangers when no one is home."
"Uncle is not a stranger. You must have seen him before when he came to read the electricity meter. If you don't believe me, stick your head out and take a closer look."
The door was half open, and the child stuck his head out, his big round eyes looking at the face of the "beggar" curiously.
Beavis made a surprised expression. "Oh! I remember you. I asked you for directions in the yard last week and gave you some candy. Remember?"
When talking to Li Tianci, Besie clearly felt that this kid wasn't very smart. If there were no one else present, he might be able to trick the door open without any effort.
As expected, upon seeing the uncle who had given him candy before, Li Tianci quickly lost his guard. The "beggar" coaxed him into opening the door with a few words. Once inside, he headed straight for the kitchen to check the meter, then frowned, saying the electricity bill was unusual. Fearing a leak somewhere in the house, he began checking around. While bending over in the living room to check the wires, he accidentally dropped a small Tetris game console from his pocket. Seeing Li Tianci staring intently at it, he explained that he'd bought it at the night market and told him he could try it if he wanted.
Li Tianci took the game console, sat down, and started playing with his legs crossed. "Bai Si" took the opportunity to sneak into the master bedroom of the house alone. Based on past experience, important items were usually hidden in the owner's own room.
Entering the master bedroom, he took a quick look around. The room was simply furnished, with only a double bed in the center, a storage cabinet against the wall, and a desk by the window. But there was a lot of clutter. Videotapes were scattered all over the walls and on the desk, probably numbering well over a thousand. They were stacked like tiles, threatening to topple at any moment. Some of the tapes were unique: white, half the size of the others, and without even the outer packaging. It seemed the owner of this room didn't value them, leaving them there simply because they didn't know what to do with them.
Where should he begin? He decided to follow his instinct and open the locker first, leaving the other shelves alone and pulling out only the second-to-last shelf, where several bundles of hundred-dollar bills lay unobtrusively. Confirming that his sense of smell hadn't deteriorated, Bessie couldn't help but smile.
He nodded, put the banknotes back where they belonged, and began to bend down and search under the bed. Because he hadn't been back to work for a long time, he was so excited that he didn't notice the footsteps coming from the corridor.
The fluorescent light in the room suddenly came on, "Who are you?" an angry roar came from the open door.
When I looked up, I saw Li Xueqiang holding the door handle and blocking the door.
"The meter reader." Besi took out the power supply bureau work permit he bought on the black market from his chest pocket and handed it to Li Xueqiang.
Li Xueqiang took it, glanced at it, then stared at Bessie's face and yelled, "The meter is under the kitchen sink!"
"Oh, I just asked, and your son made a mistake and said it was in this room."
"There's no electricity meter here, get out!"
Besie had calmed down somewhat by this point. He carefully observed Li Xueqiang's expression and found that although the man spoke firmly, his face couldn't hide his panic. No wonder, opening the door and seeing a stranger rummaging through the dark room would have startled anyone.
Li Tianci stood outside the door. He seemed frightened by his father's roar, clinging to the corridor wall, motionless and daring not to utter a word. Besi felt somewhat relieved, as it seemed his secret wouldn't be exposed for the time being.
Fleeing immediately would only reveal his weakness. He forced himself to remain calm, pulled out his prepared notebook, and carefully wrote down the meter readings. Under Li Xueqiang's watchful eye, he left at a leisurely pace. He skirted the bicycle shed, entered the alley, and immediately ran.
An indescribable sense of security washed over him, but it didn't last long. When he was putting in his coin on the bus on his way home, he suddenly realized that something was wrong. He had forgotten to return the work permit he had shown Li Xueqiang.
This was a fatal mistake. What if Li Xueqiang became suspicious (a highly likely possibility given his neurotic state) and reported the case to the police with his work ID? Once the police verified the identity of the employee listed on the ID card, they would discover that the power supply bureau didn't have the employee, and would naturally follow the clues to the ID black market. Normally, they might turn a blind eye, but in a case involving Xu Lan's murder, the police would undoubtedly mobilize the entire city for a thorough investigation. Then, he would be caught.
Even worse, he'd forgotten to wipe his ID card with a rag beforehand. There might be fingerprints on it, and even a desperate attempt at denial would be useless.
When he got home, he ignored his son and didn't cook dinner. He sat alone in his room, feeling increasingly terrified. Finally, he made up his mind: no matter what, he had to steal his work permit back overnight before Li Xueqiang called the police.
The small town was eerily quiet late at night. Besie returned to the scene of his crime. Luckily, he encountered no one on the road. Before picking the lock, he listened closely to the door for a moment. There was complete silence inside.
He didn't care if the door lock would be damaged. He took out his professional tools and started to work violently. After a while, a pleasant click sounded. This sound always gave him a sense of fulfillment, like a license to "remain worthy of life."
The moment he pushed open the door and slid into the house was the most tense moment of every theft. A buzzing sound rang in his head. Fortunately, the house was pitch black and no one was awakened by the sound of the door.
Holding a flashlight in his mouth, he searched the kitchen, living room, and bathroom, but couldn't find the work permit. It seemed likely to be in the master bedroom. Besi vaguely remembered that after Li Xueqiang had examined the permit that day, he had casually placed it on the desk by the window.
But Li Xueqiang must be fast asleep in the room right now. The beggar gritted his teeth and decided to take the risk. He was extra careful, silently unlocking the bedroom door. The door had barely cracked when it snapped shut.
His heart nearly leaped from his chest, and he immediately turned off the flashlight. He didn't dare move. He stood there in the darkness, frozen in place for nearly a minute. Seeing no movement, he finally relaxed and turned on the flashlight again. Through the gap, he could see a glimpse of shiny metal. It looked like it was locked from the inside with a padlock.
When he was young and burglarizing, he hated seeing this kind of lock. The gap in the door was so narrow that no tool could get through. The only way to open it was to ram it, knocking the latch off. It was a completely unskilled move, like the work of a novice thief. And it made a deafening noise. It was barely safe during burglary, but now, in the dead of night, a ramming sound would wake not only Li Xueqiang but the entire neighborhood.
With no other options left, Besi had to give up. He walked out the door, still unwilling to give up, and circled the building until he realized the curtains on the east side of the window were not drawn.
He pulled a dusty bicycle from the shed, placed it against the wall, and carefully stepped onto it. A glance at it brought him great joy. In the dim moonlight, he could see the window was ajar, a shadowy figure lying on the bed, and videotapes piled against the wall, just like during the day. Next to the window was a desk, his work ID lying quietly on the tabletop.
The object he longed for was right before his eyes, yet the iron fence prevented him from reaching for it. With a quick thought, Besi returned to the main road, plucked a slender branch from a roadside tree, and broke off the forked stem. He then plucked a piece of hardened gum from the side of a trash can, tossed it into his mouth to soften it again, intending to stick it to the branch and retrieve his work permit like he'd used to catching cicadas from trees as a child.
He returned to the window, chewing gum in his mouth. He estimated the distance and the length of the branch and decided he'd have to open the window wider to get there. So he poked the branch through the gap in the bars, trying to open the window. Unexpectedly, this action set off a series of loud crashing noises, and the stacks of videotapes on the desk toppled over like an avalanche, piercing the still night like an air raid sirens.
Besie was horrified, slipped, and fell off his bike. There was another loud noise, and the echo of barking dogs echoed from the building next door. He didn't dare to linger and immediately fled the scene.
Two minutes later, he snuck into a nearby five-story residential building and observed Li Xueqiang's home from a distance through the corridor window. He saw lights on in two units on the second and third floors, but the light in Li's bedroom remained off. He felt relieved, but he didn't have the courage to steal the work permit again. He hoped for a better outcome, figuring that Li Tianci was easy to fool anyway, so he might as well go again tomorrow during the day.
But who knew that when he went to Li Xueqiang's house again the next afternoon, the police were already surrounding the door. Besi knew that something was wrong and immediately started to prepare for escape.
What happened next had nothing to do with Besi and his son. Two young men had broken into the scene and become scapegoats for the lock picking—I knew that already. That was the end of Zheng Kun's retelling of his last words.
Personally, I'm more inclined to believe Zheng Kun, or rather, the account from "Bai Si." His description is incredibly detailed, and the details of the scene perfectly align with my memory. I even suddenly remembered that I had indeed seen a plastic card on the table from the window. It must have been the fake work ID that "Bai Si" had lost.
But there was only one tiny detail that didn't match.
Initially, I thought I or someone among the beggars had misremembered it, or perhaps Zheng Kun had misrepresented it. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt something was amiss. This was a point everyone cared about, and it couldn't be a deviation caused by memory lapses or misrepresentation.
Could it be that Bessie really lied? I pondered this possibility for a long time, but ultimately, I couldn't believe it. I couldn't see any reason for him to lie to his son before his death, to lie about such an insignificant detail. Besides, since the death penalty is expunged, there was no reason for Zheng Kun to fabricate facts to exonerate his father. A lie would only put him at a disadvantage during the trial.
A girl was flying a kite on the lawn of a park. The wind wasn't strong today, and she wasn't very skilled at letting out the string. The kite quickly lost power, plummeted, and got stuck in the canopy of a camphor tree.
The girl came under the tree and tugged hard at the kite string. The kite was stuck tightly, the string stretched taut in the sunlight, and finally gave way and broke.
A flash of inspiration flashed through my mind, and I felt something, as if someone grabbed my shoulders and shook me, and long-dormant memories opened their eyes and awakened - I remembered Gao Yang and his fishing line experiment.
After finding the breakthrough, clues to the case poured out like a dam bursting. Four murders from the past thirteen years were like pearls on a necklace, strung together by a single thread. The revelation of the truth was like exploding fireworks, rising repeatedly in my heart and making me tremble uncontrollably.
After finally calming down, I pulled out my phone and called the reporter named Yang Chunhui. My fingers weren't listening, and I pressed the wrong button several times before the call went through. The caller seemed to be eating and seemed annoyed by my unexpected call.
"I've figured out the truth about two locked-room murders and who committed them. Want an exclusive?" I said.
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