Chapter 102 Mao Dali: Like a child yearning for redemption
The first light of dawn dispelled the last vestiges of darkness in Yan City, but the lights of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Municipal Public Security Bureau remained on all night.
In the laboratory of the physical evidence team of the technical brigade, Zhao Jingxin was busy.
The thick, grime-covered hemp rope, pulled from the bottom of a scrap yard cart, was being carefully placed under a high-powered microscope and a spectrometer. Zhao Jingxin gently parted the tangled fibers with tweezers, and near the middle of the knot, several tiny, almost invisible, dark brown deposits were precisely separated.
"We've made a discovery!" Zhao Jingxin's voice carried a barely perceptible hint of excitement. "The attached substance is irregular in shape and embedded deep within the fibers, consistent with characteristics of strong friction or strangulation. Preliminary staining results indicate that it contains trace amounts of human epidermal tissue."
The forensic report was quickly delivered to Zheng Yu and Jiang Ling. They exchanged a glance, and Zheng Yu said, "Quick! Send it to the provincial technical center for DNA comparison."
Although DNA technology was still in its infancy in domestic criminal investigation in the 1990s, and the technology was complex and time-consuming, the provincial department's technical center has now introduced DNA testing technology, which can be used to allow the technical team to get in touch with the new technology through this case.
It will take three days to get the test results.
Time passed by, and each second felt incredibly long.
But the investigation did not stop.
First, Liang Liang's team found an alibi for Liu Biao. On the afternoon of August 24th, after finishing the last dish, Liu Biao didn't return to his rented room for a nap. Instead, he went to a hair salon and spent time with a pretty young woman. Previously, when questioned by the police, he was afraid of being arrested for soliciting prostitution and didn't dare tell the truth.
However, seeing that the police were going to pin the crime of killing Wang Youfu on him, he weighed the pros and cons and had no choice but to tell the truth.
It has been confirmed that he was not lying this time.
Incidentally, it also contributed to the anti-prostitution squad's performance record.
As for why he left satisfied with just 300 yuan and didn't ask for the 30% profit Wang Youfu had promised, Liu Biao was furious: "Our restaurant serves dog meat hot pot. Who eats dog meat in this sweltering heat? Business has been getting worse every day lately. How much is 30% profit? Anyway, I've already found another customer. Taking 300 yuan and leaving is a good deal."
Liu Biao was cleared of suspicion.
Next, Zheng Yu's team kept an eye on Ge Cuihua. After interviewing neighbors and questioning her family, they basically ruled out her as a suspect.
Ge Cuihua was a capable woman, efficient and cheerful. After marrying Wang Youfu, she worked alongside him to build their business. Starting from a breakfast stall selling fried dough sticks, their business grew bigger and bigger until they took over the shop and opened a restaurant, where Ge Cuihua was always the main person in charge.
Ge Cuihua and Wang Youfu had two daughters, which displeased Wang Youfu's family. In an attempt to have a third child, a son, Ge Cuihua took a lot of medicine, which damaged her health, forcing her to retire and stay home to prepare for pregnancy.
But instead of getting pregnant, Wang Youfu had an affair.
Mentioning this only fueled Ge Cuihua's anger: "They say men with money turn bad! I'm almost forty this year, and I've gone through so much trouble to get him a son, with all the injections and medicine. But what has he done? He's found several mistresses and runs away from home at the drop of a hat. What's most hateful is that he keeps all the restaurant's profits for himself and doesn't bring a single penny home. It's better if he's dead!"
"I didn't kill him."
“He is, after all, the biological father of my two daughters. Although I have cursed him to die a horrible death, it was just said in anger.”
"I was just happy to see he wasn't at the restaurant anymore, so I could finally keep control of it. I know how to run a business, and I can keep all the money in my own hands without a man nagging me. What's wrong with that?"
As it turned out, Ge Cuihua was telling the truth.
Bank statements showed she had very little savings, with no large sums of money flowing in or out before and after the incident. Her phone records were clean; aside from routine contact with family and the renovation team, there were no frequent calls from suspicious men. Interviews with her relatives and neighbors revealed that while she was outspoken and complained about her husband, she had no substantial extramarital affair or motive for murder. Her eagerness to take over the shop and her feigned grief stemmed more from resentment towards Wang Youfu and a desperate desire to escape his shadow and regain control of her life than from a cover-up after the murder.
Ge Cuihua has been cleared of suspicion of murdering her husband.
As for Zhao Laoliu and Sun Xiaojun, the investigation is not particularly difficult.
Mao Yicheng found a police informant who located Zhao Laoliu in an underground gambling den. Zhao Laoliu had been distributing chips at the gambling den throughout the time of the incident and hadn't left; several people could testify to this.
After being taken to the police station, Zhao Laoliu heard that Wang Youfu was dead and immediately started cursing: "That kid owed me two thousand yuan, and with the interest, it's already over three thousand. Now he's dead, but the shop is still there..."
Under Mao Yicheng's piercing gaze, Zhao Laoliu's voice grew softer and softer, and finally he shrugged dejectedly: "Officer, I'm a legitimate businessman. Wang Youfu wrote an IOU, and he's dead. It's perfectly reasonable for me to collect the debt from his wife, isn't it?"
Mao Yicheng said in a cold voice: "First, usury is not protected by law."
Zhao Laoliu got anxious: "Then can I take back my principal?"
Mao Yicheng had just been transferred from the grassroots level. He majored in law in college and was known as "Big Lawyer Mao" in the brigade. He glanced at Zhao Laoliu and said, "Wang Youfu borrowed money for gambling, not for family expenses. The debt is settled when the person dies. You have to ask his family for it back."
Zhao Laoliu was filled with remorse. He was in the shady business and was terrified of the police. He could only accept his bad luck, cursing as he left the police station, spitting a thick wad of phlegm in the direction of Shunlai Restaurant.
—The underground casino was raided by the police, and the money couldn't be recovered. This Wang Youfu is truly restless even in death!
Ed's group found Sun Xiaojun, who was working odd jobs at a small restaurant in Xicheng District.
When asked about Wang Youfu's case, Sun Xiaojun looked blank: "He's dead? I didn't know. He framed me for stealing money, and I was quite upset. But I've found a new job now, I can support myself, the salary is much higher, and I get along well with my boss and colleagues. To be honest, I'm quite glad I left Shunlai Restaurant. Murder? Impossible, impossible, why would I kill someone?"
It has been verified that he did work at the restaurant during the time the incident occurred, and the owner and colleagues can testify to this.
Sun Xiaojun lacked the time and motive to commit the crime, and was therefore ruled out as a suspect.
After eliminating four, the last one left is Mao Dali, who has not yet been caught.
In the office, Jiang Ling stood by the window with her arms crossed, gazing calmly at the city gradually awakening outside, while fragmented files about "Black Bone" from her previous life flashed through her mind.
—Those young souls oppressed at the bottom of society and forced to slide into the abyss often begin with a desperate act of resistance and an inescapable sense of guilt. Mao Dali, the boy who was bullied by Wang Youfu for a long time, where will his path lead?
Jiang Ling couldn't confirm whether Mao Dali was "Black Bone." After all, the criminal records from her previous life were very vague about Black Bone. Apart from his love of dogs, his reclusive nature, his hatred of dog abusers, and his habit of strangling people with dog leashes and stuffing large bones into their mouths when killing, there was no other information.
If Mao Dali is indeed Hei Gu, then his truly ritualistic serial killings began in 1996.
Was it because he accidentally killed Wang Youfu on August 24, 1994, that his mind gradually turned dark while he was evading police capture, which led him to become a serial killer?
We must find him as soon as possible and stop him from committing further crimes.
"The results are in!"
The office door was flung open, and Zhao Jingxin, holding a freshly completed report, spoke with a resolute tone, "The skin tissue extracted from the hemp rope, after DNA comparison, perfectly matches the DNA of the deceased, Wang Youfu. The shape and location of the embedded fibers are highly consistent with the direction and depth of the ligature marks on the deceased's neck after death. It can be confirmed that this is the hemp rope that formed the ligature marks on Wang Youfu's neck when his body was dragged!"
"Good!" Zheng Yu, who had been anxiously waiting for the results, slammed his hand on the table, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. "Concentrate all our forces and hunt down Mao Dali."
All the clues and all the suspicions, like rivers flowing into the sea, ultimately pointed to one person with unparalleled clarity—Mao Dali.
Holding the physical evidence report and the summary of exclusion conclusions, Liu Haoran's voice was a little tight with excitement: "It's a done deal! Mao Dali is the murderer who killed Wang Youfu."
Zheng Yu asked, "Is there any news from He Kai?"
He Kai's voice was weary and tinged with frustration: "Team Leader Zheng, we've searched every place imaginable—train stations, bus stations, hotels, construction sites, under bridges…—but we can't find Mao Dali. We've also contacted his hometown in Linjiang, Yunling, but he hasn't gone back at all. His grandfather is still bedridden and doesn't know anything about his grandson."
The atmosphere in the office instantly became heavy.
The evidence is there, but the suspect can't be found?
Jiang Ling's gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on Liu Haoran's face: "Haoran, you and Zhou Wei, let's go to the Workers' New Village in the south of the city to find Mao Zhirong."
Liu Haoran was taken aback: "Mao Zhirong? We've asked him everything we need to, and he said he doesn't know where Dali went."
Jiang Ling's tone left no room for argument: "Go again. The one who knows Mao Dali's whereabouts best is Mao Zhirong."
Workers' New Village in Chengnan, Unit 2, Building 3, Room 302.
Mao Zhirong had just finished his night shift, his eyes bloodshot. When he saw Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei, who had come twice before, and especially when he saw a calm and composed policewoman following behind them, his face darkened.
"Mao Zhirong, don't be nervous." Jiang Ling's voice was calm, and her attitude was natural and casual. She gestured for Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei to stay at the door, and then went into the small dormitory alone. "We came to find you because we want to save Mao Dali."
"Save...save him?" Mao Zhirong's voice was hoarse, and his eyes darted around.
“Yes, save him.” Jiang Ling pulled up a stool and sat down. “The chain of evidence in Wang Youfu’s case is complete. Mao Dali is the prime suspect.”
She stared directly into Mao Zhirong's suddenly contracted pupils: "We found the cart he sold, and on it we found the rope that strangled Wang Youfu. There were Wang Youfu's skin flakes on it, and the DNA test results matched."
Although he didn't understand what DNA was, Mao Zhirong understood the phrase "Mao Dali is the prime suspect." His body swayed, his lips trembled, and fear and disbelief were intertwined on his face: "He... he really killed someone? Just for that dog?"
“Not entirely.” Jiang Ling’s voice lowered, with a hint of barely perceptible pity. “It was Wang Youfu’s long-term oppression and abuse, and the death of that innocent stray dog, that drove him to the brink. His original intention was not to become a murderer.”
Her words struck a chord with Mao Zhirong's impression of his cousin as "honest" and "kind-hearted," instantly bringing tears to his eyes.
Jiang Ling changed the subject, her tone becoming serious and carrying a warning: "However, his current situation is a hundred times more dangerous than if we had caught him. He is penniless, fleeing in panic, like a frightened bird, and could easily go astray."
"A wrong path?" Mao Zhirong shook his head blankly, not believing Jiang Ling's words.
Jiang Ling leaned forward slightly, her voice lowered, carrying a heavy tone as if she had witnessed it firsthand: "I've seen too many similar cases. A young man like Mao Dali, under extreme injustice and oppression, commits his first murder. If he can be found now, face the law, confess everything, and admit it was a manslaughter in a moment of impulse, there's still a chance. The judge will consider his circumstances, his age, his remorse, and give him a lighter sentence. He might go to jail, but he still has a chance to come out and start a new life."
At this point, Jiang Ling paused, allowing these words to settle slowly in Mao Zhirong's mind.
Then, her tone suddenly turned cold and warning.
"But! What if he escapes this time? He'll hide in a dark corner like a rat, his heart gnawed by fear, hatred, and guilt every day. Mao Zhirong, have you ever thought about what kind of heart a young man with blood on his hands, who feels abandoned and hunted by the whole world, will have?"
Mao Zhirong was stumped by the question, and a deeper chill rose from the soles of his feet.
Jiang Ling's gaze seemed to pierce through the walls, seeing that terrifying future: "He will grow to hate more and more. He'll hate the police, hate this society, hate everyone and everything he feels is unfair. He'll feel like the whole world owes him something! To survive, to get revenge, he'll start stealing, he'll start robbing. Even, to cover his tracks or vent his anger, he'll pick up the knife again. After killing one, his psychology will change, and killing a second will become easier, then three, four... He'll transform from that honest kid you knew, Mao Dali, into a cold-blooded demon who takes pleasure in harming others!"
“No, no way! Dali, he…” Mao Zhirong instinctively wanted to refute, but his voice was weak and powerless. The scene Jiang Ling described was too real, too impactful; he didn’t know how to react.
Jiang Ling sat up straight, her voice carrying a professional authority: "I've studied criminal files. These kinds of people always end up with a code name. They're called 'cancer,' 'executioner,' 'social scum,' or, more accurately—'black bones.' It means their hearts are completely black and rotten, leaving only the instinct to kill, like a skeleton swallowed by darkness! Their final fate is either to be shot dead on the spot during a crime, or to be caught, with irrefutable evidence of their heinous crimes, and end their short but sinful lives with a single bullet, dying a horrible death, without even the chance to send their grandfather off to his final moments!"
“Black Bone…” Mao Zhirong repeated the word unconsciously, his whole body trembling violently, as if he could see the terrifying scene of Mao Dali struggling in a pool of blood or being executed by firing squad on the execution ground.
Jiang Ling's description of the trajectory, combined with Mao Dali's current state of hiding and despair, filled him with an overwhelming fear. He couldn't let his cousin become like that!
Jiang Ling's voice suddenly rose: "Find him now, persuade him to turn himself in, make him confess, make him admit everything Wang Youfu did to him, confess about that dog, confess that it was a moment of impulse—then he still has a chance, he can still live, and his grandfather can still find out his whereabouts before he dies. This is the only way to save him! Otherwise..."
Jiang Ling didn't continue, but shook her head heavily. The unspoken meaning was more unsettling than a thousand words.
Mao Zhirong's psychological defenses completely collapsed. Overwhelmed by fear and the emotional entanglement with his cousin, he burst into tears, crouching down with his hands on his head. "I'll talk, I'll talk! He... he's hiding..."
It turned out that on the third day after the incident, a panicked Mao Dali had secretly returned to the vicinity of the Workers' New Village. He didn't go to find Mao Zhirong, but instead, late at night, he quietly asked someone to deliver a crumpled note and fifty yuan to Mao Zhirong. The note contained only a few crooked words: "Brother, I'm sorry, the money is for Grandpa to buy medicine. Don't look for me."
When Mao Zhirong discovered the note, he was both shocked and frightened. He secretly burned it, hid the money, and dared not tell anyone. He instinctively wanted to protect his cousin, but he was also afraid of getting himself into trouble. However, deep down, he always had a feeling that Mao Dali hadn't gone far and was likely hiding near the workers' new village.
The most likely location is the nearly abandoned "Hongguang" old warehouse area near the railway freight yard in the south of the city, which is awaiting demolition. The terrain there is complex, with many empty warehouses, and homeless people and migrants occasionally gather there, but it is also a mixed bag. Mao Dali once told Mao Zhirong that if one day he had no job and no place to live, he would go there.
"The old Hongguang warehouse district?" Upon hearing Mao Zhirong's words, Jiang Ling immediately stood up. "Thank you, you're saving him."
Mao Zhirong hurriedly stopped Jiang Ling: "Um, officer, could you let me try to persuade him first? I'll get him to turn himself in. Turning himself in can reduce his sentence, right?"
Jiang Ling remained silent in thought.
Having just committed murder, Mao Dali must be in a state of extreme panic. If he were surrounded by police at this moment, he might resort to extreme measures.
Originally, he only wanted to protect a lame stray dog and rose up in protest. But if he really clashed with the police, there would probably be no turning back.
Ultimately, Mao Dali was only seventeen years old at this time, and his life still held countless possibilities. He shouldn't be driven to despair. Mao Zhirong was his greatest source of support and warmth in this city. Letting Mao Zhirong go to him first and persuade him to turn himself in would have a high chance of success.
They were able to bring Mao Dali back to the brigade for interrogation without bloodshed, and also save a seventeen-year-old boy.
Upon reaching the door, Jiang Ling quickly instructed Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei, who were standing guard nearby: "Notify He Kai and Liang Liang, everyone, immediately surround the Hongguang old warehouse area. Request SWAT support to block all exits."
"No..." Mao Zhirong's face turned deathly pale, and he almost lost his balance.
When he had nothing to do during his spare time, he would go to video arcades with his coworkers. He had watched a lot of police and gangster movies from Hong Kong. As soon as he heard the word "special police," he would panic. All he could see in his mind's eye was the background sound of "Go! Go! Go!" followed by the image of Mao Dali being shot in the head.
Jiang Ling continued, "Stay hidden. No one is allowed to move without my orders!"
Mao Zhirong finally calmed down a bit and looked at Jiang Ling with pleading eyes: "Dali listens to me very well, don't worry, I will definitely persuade him. Please, please don't shoot him."
Jiang Ling was somewhat amused and exasperated: "We police are just arresting people, don't overthink it."
The sound of sirens instantly shattered the tranquility of the morning in the south of the city.
Dozens of police cars sped like arrows towards the "Red Light" old warehouse district shrouded in mist and ruin. Armed SWAT officers quickly dispersed, forming a tight encirclement.
Jiang Ling led Mao Zhirong and stepped into the abandoned warehouse first.
The abandoned warehouse reeked of rust, dust, and mold. Sunlight streamed through the broken glass roof, forming murky beams of light. The search was exceptionally difficult, filled with ruins and mountains of discarded machinery and building materials.
Mao Zhirong was familiar with the surroundings and quickly walked into the depths of a warehouse filled with dilapidated textile machinery. There, Jiang Ling heard extremely faint, suppressed sobs.
Jiang Ling turned on her flashlight, and the beam pierced the darkness. In a narrow crevice, barely large enough for one person to huddle in, made of huge spindles and scraps of cloth, she found a thin figure huddled inside. He was covered in dirt and his hair was matted. It was Mao Dali!
He hugged his knees tightly with both hands, buried his head in his arms, and his body trembled violently from extreme fear and cold, emitting whimpers like a small animal.
Several stiff bun wrappers lay scattered around him, indicating he had been hiding for several days. When the blinding flashlight beam shone on his face, he recoiled like a startled rabbit, raising his head to reveal a young face distorted with tears, terror, and despair.
"Dali, Dali..." Mao Zhirong's voice trembled, filled with sorrow and pity. It was Mao Zhirong who brought this honest and hardworking cousin to Yan City, but now he lived like a stray dog!
Upon hearing his cousin's voice, Mao Dali's eyes gradually focused, his lips trembled, and he called out, "Brother!"
Mao Zhirong said urgently, "Dali, the police are looking for you. They said that as long as you turn yourself in, you'll be fine."
Mao Dali shook his head desperately, his eyes filled with despair: "Brother, it's not like that! It's not like that! I killed someone, so much blood. If I turn myself in, I'll definitely be executed."
Mao Zhirong was sweating profusely with anxiety, but he couldn't say anything more. He just kept repeating, "When will this end? The police said that as long as you turn yourself in, they won't execute you."
"Mao Dali." A calm and clear voice pierced through the oppressive atmosphere of the warehouse, and Jiang Ling walked to Mao Zhirong's side.
She stood there quietly, her gaze calmly fixed on Mao Dali's terrified eyes deep within the crevice.
"Look at me." Jiang Ling's voice was soft and gentle, with a peculiar sense of comfort. "That stray dog whose leg was broken by Wang Dafu, did you name it? Its fur was yellow, did you name it Ah Huang? I remember, you also had a dog when you were a child, and it was named Ah Huang, right?"
Mao Dali didn't speak, but his eyes gradually brightened, clearly indicating that he had taken her words to heart.
Jiang Ling continued, "I know Wang Youfu isn't a good person. He wanted to kill your dog, didn't he? I know you didn't intend to kill him; you just hit him with a spatula out of anger. You didn't mean to kill him, right? Mao Dali, come out and tell us the truth. Don't worry, the police won't wrong an innocent person."
Overwhelmed by grief and grievance, Mao Dali was swept away like a burst dam, breaking down his last defenses and his madness. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out; only large tears streamed down his face, mixing with the dirt and leaving two clear tear tracks.
He buried his head in his hands and cried out like a child abandoned by the whole world.
"Waaah... Ah Huang, its name is Ah Huang too. Wang Youfu, he, he's not human! He hit Ah Huang on the head with a brick right in front of me, and Ah Huang didn't fight back. It just looked at me sadly, it was still looking at me..."
Mao Dali was incoherent, tears streaming down his face. His long-suppressed fear, hatred, grievances, and guilt erupted completely at this moment.
Mao Zhirong pleaded again: "Dali, please turn yourself in, I beg you, please turn yourself in. The police are good people, they won't wrong you."
Mao Dali stretched out his hands to Mao Zhirong, like a child longing for redemption.
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