Chapter 79 Li Qiang: I ran because I was scared
The cicadas' incessant chirping tore at the air in the height of summer, but a different kind of tranquility permeated the Ping'anli community—a tranquility born of painful reflection. The city's Public Security Bureau's meticulously worded police report was posted on the bulletin board, its edges slightly curled by the sunlight.
Xu Mancang suffers from Alzheimer's disease and was in an acute phase at the time of the crime. His actions were driven by delusions, resulting in a substantial loss of cognitive ability and impaired self-control. He was ultimately assessed as lacking criminal responsibility, and a decision not to prosecute was made. A "Compulsory Medical Treatment Decision" was issued, ordering compulsory medical treatment for Xu Mancang until his mental disorder is resolved and he no longer poses a threat to society.
Xu Mancang was sent to the Ankang Hospital of the Provincial Public Security Department for treatment, while Liu Lesheng, the elderly man who suffered the most severe poisoning, recovered and was discharged. Xu Weiqun visited the victims' families one by one, sincerely apologized, and paid civil compensation, finally gaining the understanding of all the victims and their families.
The turmoil in Ping An Li gradually subsided amidst the daily grind.
However, the ripples caused by this incident spread outward from Pinganli Community.
Under the leadership of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, an official document entitled "Implementation Opinions (Trial) on Strengthening the Linkage Mechanism between Grassroots Public Security Prevention and Control and Care for Special Groups" was quickly drafted and distributed to various sub-districts.
All police officers in the Criminal Investigation Detachment, led by Lei Xiao, were assigned to specific areas of responsibility. They were required to spend one day each week going to the grassroots level and communities to conduct joint patrols with neighborhood committee cadres and full-time administrators composed of laid-off workers.
Jiang Ling's team established a criminal psychology index assessment model to screen individuals in the community who may have potential behavioral risks due to significant setbacks, such as unemployment, loss of an only child, serious illness, or mental illness. The names of Hu Guangzhi and Chen Cuimei from Ping'anli Community were prominently listed, with the label indicating they were of particular concern.
At the same time, a direct assistance channel was established, with special personnel from the civil affairs, labor, and health departments stationed in the subdistrict offices to provide "one-person-one-policy" assistance to those in the early warning database.
Led by Wang, an official from the street office, Jiang Ling and Liu Haoran entered Hu Guangzhi's small house, which was filled with old papers and a musty smell.
Wearing his old gold-rimmed glasses and holding a yellowed ledger, Hu Guangzhi instinctively closed the ledger when he saw Jiang Ling and Liu Haoran in their police uniforms, his eyes wary and gloomy.
“Accountant Hu, we’re not here to investigate a case,” Jiang Ling said with a smile, gesturing for Liu Haoran to place the things he brought on the table. They were two brand-new books: an introduction to computerized accounting and a book on small commodity retail management.
Officer Wang wiped the sweat from his brow and said with a smile, "The skills training course jointly organized by the Municipal Labor Bureau and the street office starts next week. It will teach everyone how to use a computer for accounting for free, and also how to run a small shop. Hu Guangzhi, you're an experienced accountant with a good foundation. After you learn it well, the street office will help you get a small shop near the entrance of the residential compound. How about that?"
Hu Guangzhi was stunned, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the temples of his glasses. He was used to being ignored, to being left behind, and even prepared to be "monitored," but he never imagined that someone would offer him a way out.
"I... my brain can't learn anything new." His voice was dry and self-deprecating, but his eyes couldn't help but glance at the book "Introduction to Computerized Accounting".
Jiang Ling could tell he was actually somewhat tempted: "Accountant Hu, computerized accounting is just replacing the abacus beads with a computer, it's not difficult at all. You've won the top three in the city-wide abacus competition, are you really afraid of computerized accounting?"
Jiang Ling glanced at the dirty and messy room and began to encourage him: "Times are changing. Accountant Hu, you know the rules and pay attention to details. These qualities are invaluable. Open a small shop, support yourself, and the neighbors will all praise you. Isn't that better than staying at home and brooding?"
Hu Guangzhi hadn't heard the title "Accountant Hu" in a long time.
Since he left the supply and marketing cooperative, his wife has called him a "good-for-nothing," his family thinks he's a "lazy bum," and all his old friends have scattered. The residents of the neighborhood call him "Old Hu," "Hu the Grumbling," and "Hu the Old Man."
Jiang Ling's words precisely struck at his yearning for "recognition," giving him a sense of pleasure from being respected.
Officer Wang then pushed the training registration form in front of him, saying, "Hu Guangzhi, why don't you give it a try?"
Hu Guangzhi remained silent for a long time, so long that even the cicadas chirping outside the window sounded jarring.
Finally, with trembling hands, he signed his name on the registration form, his handwriting still meticulously in Song typeface.
Next, Jiang Ling led his team to Grandma Chen Cuimei's house.
Grandma Chen's home was exceptionally tidy. Her son's portrait hung in the living room, with incense, candles, and food placed beneath it.
Seeing so many people come to her door, Granny Chen's expression remained indifferent, but her eyes held a deep, unfathomable sorrow. She listened silently as Officer Wang brought the condolence policies: increasing the standard of pension payments, arranging for volunteers to regularly clean her home, contacting hospitals for free medical checkups…
She didn't say anything, just nodded mechanically.
There was neither gratitude nor emotion.
She was old and had lived alone for many years. After her son passed away, her heart died.
Jiang Ling looked at Liu Haoran, who carefully took out something wrapped in red cloth from his briefcase—a brand new brocade banner.
“Grandma,” Jiang Ling said softly, with the respect of a junior, “this is a replacement from the bureau for your son.”
The banner was embroidered with eight large golden characters: "Heroic spirit is admirable, righteousness will live on forever."
Grandma Chen's age-spotted hand trembled violently. She stared intently at the banner, her withered chest heaving. She reached out her slender, branch-like hand, not to take the banner, but to stroke the golden characters repeatedly, as if trying to confirm their authenticity.
Decades of pent-up grievances, anger, and the pain of being denied recognition burst forth at this moment.
“My son, he was a good man, he was a hero. So, there are still people who remember him…” She sobbed uncontrollably, repeating the words over and over, as if trying to etch them into her very bones.
Officer Wang felt heartbroken and turned away to wipe his tears.
Liu Haoran gently comforted him, saying, "Your son acted bravely and sacrificed his life to protect the safety of people's property. He is a hero. Although the murderer was not severely punished because he was a minor, we remember him, and the people remember him! The community will hold an award ceremony next week to present your son with a safety honor certificate and publicize his heroic deeds in the community bulletin board."
Looking at Liu Haoran, who was about the same age and height as her son, Granny Chen nodded repeatedly, tears streaming down her cloudy eyes filled with sorrow.
Jiang Ling knelt down and gently held her cold, trembling hand. She offered no words of comfort, but simply stayed quietly by the side of the weeping old woman.
Before leaving, Jiang Ling secretly placed a bag of White Rabbit milk candy under the portrait in the living room.
The next day, Jiang Ling was on her way home when she passed the tall ginkgo tree in the center of the community and saw Granny Chen, her back hunched, handing out milk candy to the children who were playing.
Jiang Ling's chest was filled with intense emotions.
Jiang Ling recalled Hu Guangzhi's trembling hands as he signed the registration form, Grandma Chen's scalding tears as she touched the banner, and Grandpa Liu's grandson playing the hopeful "Ode to Joy" in the hospital room after he finally pulled through the critical period...
These small, concrete struggles and redemptions, imbued with the warmth of everyday life, struck her heart more profoundly and realistically than any solved mystery.
Hatred and resentment will not cure the deep-seated problems in the community.
But love and care can heal wounds.
Above the community bulletin board, the five large characters "Serve the People" no longer appear as cold slogans in the afterglow of the setting sun, but as a weighty promise soaked in sweat and tears, radiating a value that shines ever brighter despite the passage of time.
Jiang Ling knew that the road to crime prevention had only just begun.
Once again immersed in their busy work, the Liang siblings had all finished their exams.
Liang Qiqiao quietly told Jiang Ling that she estimated her score was good and that she would be more than qualified to attend Hunan Normal University. Her eyes were full of anticipation for the future: "Sister Ling, I will work hard to be a good teacher in the future, and I will definitely educate those students who don't study hard."
Liang Jiushan then coaxed Jiang Ling, saying, "You've finished the high school entrance exam and have nothing to do, so I'll run errands for you. I'll provide meals."
Facing the gentle and sweet Liang Qiqiao, Jiang Ling's attitude was very mild, and she encouraged her, "I think you will become a good teacher."
This was her dream in her past life, and she is sure to achieve it in this life, having been fortunate enough to survive.
Looking at Liang Jiushan, who had wide, open eyes, Jiang Ling's attitude became much more casual: "No. The Municipal Bureau and the police station are different; outsiders cannot come and go as they please."
Liang Jiushan didn't give up: "Then think of a way. You're so smart, you must have a way. Find me a small case to help out with, just consider it my early internship, okay? Anyway, I'm going to take the police academy entrance exam in the future, so I need to learn from you first so I can become a good policeman."
Liang Qiqiao also spoke up for her brother: "Jiu Shan has been bored out of his mind lately. If there's anything you need him to do, Sister Ling, please don't hesitate to ask. He's quite clever and can run errands."
The 1990s were not as stressful as later years. There was no such thing as high school entrance exam preparation. After the high school entrance exam, students had a long and leisurely vacation.
Hearing the siblings say this, Jiang Ling thought for a moment and said, "Let's see when the opportunity arises."
All I can say is that if there's an opportunity to train Liang Jiushan, Jiang Ling can mentor him, just as a way of nurturing a new talent.
In his previous life, Liang Jiushan was a criminal, but he never expected to become a policeman in this life.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ling glanced at Liang Jiushan and said, "Study hard, especially computer knowledge."
When Liang Jiushan becomes a policeman in the future, it will be the era of the fastest development of computers and the Internet. By laying a solid foundation in advance, he can shine in the new technology field in the future.
Liang Jiushan nodded obediently, his smile bright: "Okay."
Jiang Ling originally thought there wouldn't be any cases for Liang Jiushan to showcase his abilities, but she didn't expect this opportunity to come so quickly.
The reason for this was that Zheng Yu arrested Li Qiang, nicknamed "Little Sichuan".
Although the soy milk poisoning case has been solved, Zheng Yu remains fixated on Li Qiang, who ran away in the early hours of the 24th.
Zheng Yu's reasoning was: If he wasn't guilty, why would he run away?
By mid-July, Li Qiang was finally arrested and brought to justice. Zheng Yu took him into the interrogation room.
The harsh white light from the incandescent bulb stung Li Qiang's eyes, and the cold sweat that broke out in his body soaked through his cheap short-sleeved shirt, sticking to his skin, making him tremble uncontrollably.
Zheng Yu had been running around every day lately, getting tanned and exhausted. When she saw the culprit sitting across from her, she was immediately furious.
"Li Qiang," Zheng Yu's voice was filled with barely contained anger, "tell me, what exactly did you do?"
Li Qiang's eyes darted around: "Officer, I didn't do anything, why are you chasing me?"
Zheng Yu slammed her hand on the table: "We're chasing you? I'd like to ask you why you run away as soon as you see the police!"
"I didn't." Li Qiang suddenly looked up, his face ashen, his lips trembling violently, his words incoherent, "Officer, I didn't do anything wrong. I ran, I ran because I was scared. Yes, I was scared."
"What are you afraid of?" Zheng Yu leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp, locking onto Li Qiang's panicked and evasive eyes. "Afraid of being caught? Or afraid of something else?"
"I'm scared, scared of them, scared of those two people!" Li Qiang's voice suddenly rose, trembling with sobs, his pupils dilated with extreme fear, as if he had returned to that nightmarish night.
"Which two people?" Zheng Yu caught the key information and became interested.
"It was...it was the night of the 24th of last month." Fear forced Li Qiang's memory back, and he abruptly lowered his head, his voice broken and fragmented. "Didn't I live in that coal shed in Ping'anli? I wanted to take a shortcut back to the coal shed, through that dark, gloomy alley next to the old city's demolition area..."
His breathing became increasingly rapid, and his body trembled violently.
"Then, then I heard, I heard a woman screaming, it was so scary." Li Qiang suddenly raised his head, "I, I was so scared that I hid behind the trash can and secretly peeked, really just one peek."
He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing, his voice hoarse.
"Two men. I couldn't see their faces clearly, and the alley was dark. One was tall and strong, like a bull. The other was thin and skinny, like a little monkey."
Li Qiang gestured with his hands, his movements somewhat stiff, "They, they're dragging a woman into a dark corner of the alley! That woman, that woman is desperately struggling, screaming for help..."
The interrogation room suddenly fell silent, eerily quiet.
"That burly guy covered the woman's mouth and cursed viciously." Li Qiang tried hard to recall, his teeth chattering as he imitated the fierce local accent: "Shut up! Behave yourself! If you make another sound, I'll kill you!"
“Then… the thinner one’s voice was high-pitched, and he seemed a little flustered,” Li Qiang’s voice trembled as he imitated him. “He said: Brother, don’t be so reckless, or you might really kill someone?”
"Then, that burly guy spat and yelled at him." Li Qiang mimicked the fierce tone, unconsciously shrinking his neck. "I didn't quite understand what he was saying, but it basically meant don't be afraid, tell him to hurry up and finish it, and then throw him back to the usual place."
"Then, I don't know where the woman got the strength, she bit the burly guy's hand. He loosened his grip in pain," Li Qiang's pupils suddenly contracted, and all the color drained from his face. "Then the woman screamed something like, 'I'm a cop—'"
police?
Zheng Yu stood up abruptly and grabbed Li Qiang by the collar: "Say that again!"
Li Qiang was startled and his speech suddenly quickened: "Yes, yes, that woman said she was a police officer. Then, that burly guy yelled and cursed something I didn't hear clearly, and then he started laughing, a really scary laugh. He said it was good, he was messing with the police."
Li Qiang suddenly clutched his head, curled up into a ball, and trembled violently. His voice was filled with a desperate cry: "Blood! I saw it, I saw blood splattered on the wall, it was red, so scary! That laughter was like a ghost's howl! I crouched behind that trash can until the sound stopped before I dared to run. I ran as fast as I could, and even when my shoes fell off, I didn't dare to pick them up. I didn't dare go back, I was afraid those two would see me, I was terrified. I was so scared, they even dared to kill a policeman, if they found out, I wouldn't be able to save my life."
He was panting heavily, his chest heaving, tears and snot streaming down his face. He slumped into the chair, utterly exhausted and gripped by a deep-seated fear, muttering unconsciously, "What are you looking for me for? I didn't see anything, I didn't see anything at all."
Zheng Yu wanted nothing more than to tear his head open so she could see clearly what had happened that day: "What did the murdered policeman look like? How old was he? Did he have any distinctive features?"
Li Qiang shook his head frantically: "I didn't see it, I didn't see it. Judging from the voice, it should be a young woman. I only vaguely saw the two men."
Zheng Yu's expression turned serious, and she immediately reported the situation to her superiors.
Was the policewoman murdered?
Lei Xiao felt his scalp tingling.
The entire bureau began to mobilize.
Although more than half a month has passed and the rainy season has brought constant downpours, a small amount of splattered blood was found on the wall at the crime scene identified by Li Qiang.
The chances of the victim surviving are extremely slim.
Countless phone calls were made.
The Yanshi Public Security Bureau has not received any record of the young policewoman going missing. Who is the victim?
Are they police officers from the local police station on field duty?
Is he a police officer from out of town visiting relatives?
Or is he an undercover police officer on a mission?
Regardless of who they were, as fellow police officers, this incident cast a shadow over everyone. Especially when the perpetrator grinned and said, "I'm messing with the police."
This is intolerable!
Based on Li Qiang's confession and the small amount of splattered blood at the crime scene, the Criminal Investigation Detachment of Yanshi Public Security Bureau immediately opened a case for investigation.
The case must be solved immediately!
Only by catching the murderer can we bring peace to the deceased.
Now, the most crucial thing is to find information about the victim.
Jiang Ling and Luo Yunchen were invited to the First Brigade.
Lei Xiao's face was grim. After briefly explaining the details of the case, he said in a hoarse voice, "The case is very difficult. Too much time has passed, and the crime scene has been completely destroyed. Only a small amount of blood could be found on the wall. There are no missing persons records in the city's police system, and the victim may not be from Yan City. We need to expand the search area further. Currently, we only have Li Qiang as an eyewitness. Your two sketch teams need to devote all their efforts to this."
Upon hearing that it was a case of a female police officer being murdered, Luo Yunchen felt very uncomfortable, and a flash of anger appeared in his eyes: "Fine, I'll draw it! Even if I don't see the face, at least I can draw a picture of the back."
Having had the experience of drawing Geng Lihua walking alone in the rainy night before, Luo Yunchen is no longer afraid of situations where witnesses cannot see their faces. As long as someone has seen the person, they can have a vague impression. The value of criminal investigation sketches lies in expressing this immediate impression through images, providing more clues for solving cases.
Lei Xiao patted Luo Yunchen on the shoulder: "Alright, it's up to you now. Draw well, draw seriously, and when we catch the culprit, I'll recommend you for credit."
Jiang Ling said, "Let me talk to Li Qiang first to create a psychological profile of the murderer."
Luo Yunchen: "Okay, you talk first, then I'll go. Let's work together and catch the murderer!"
The two looked at each other and nodded simultaneously.
At this moment, the two shared only one belief: to "draw" the murderer as quickly as possible!
Jiang Ling said to Lei Xiao, "Team Leader Lei, Li Qiang mentioned that the murderer spoke the Hunan dialect. But there are many dialects in Hunan Province, so it would be best to quickly pinpoint the murderer's place of origin."
Lei Xiao hummed in agreement. "Yes, I'll call right away and ask the provincial department to send a dialect research expert."
Jiang Ling said, "Even if we find experts from the provincial department, they won't be able to arrive until tomorrow at the earliest. Since time is tight, we might as well use local resources. I know a young man who is fluent in various dialects. In the last child abduction case, it was he who communicated with Xiao Yong and confirmed that he was from Liuyang, which helped him find his relatives."
Lei Xiao was extremely anxious at the moment, but he readily accepted Jiang Ling's suggestion: "Okay, then invite him over."
Thus, Liang Jiushan once again had a chance to use his skills.
Li Qiang has been completely bewildered by the questions he's been asked these past few days.
People kept coming to him to find out what was going on, repeating the same things over and over again, and he felt like he was about to break down.
When he saw a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy walk into the interrogation room, Li Qiang rubbed his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating.
Are the police officers really that young?
The July heat was so intense it was hard to breathe.
Wearing a light gray loose cotton T-shirt and black sweatpants, with a canvas bag slung across his shoulder, Liang Jiushan followed behind Jiang Ling and stepped into the Municipal Public Security Bureau building, feeling extremely excited.
He finally saw the environment where Jiang Ling worked.
He was finally able to work on important matters with Jiang Ling again.
With youthful passion burning within him, Liang Jiushan felt full of energy and his mind was incredibly clear.
Li Qiang looked at Jiang Ling, who was dressed in a police uniform, with a puzzled expression: "Officer, who is this?"
Jiang Ling remained calm and said in a light tone, "Li Qiang, this is Liang Jiushan, an expert we invited to assist us. He is particularly skilled at identifying books by listening to their sounds."
Jiang Ling then turned her gaze to Liang Jiushan, her voice softening: "Jiushan, we need you to help us listen to what those two people in his memory are saying, to see where their accents are from."
Liang Jiushan nodded, said nothing more, and sat down directly opposite Li Qiang.
He pulled a thick notebook and a pen from his canvas bag. Without any pleasantries, he went straight to the point, his voice still carrying a youthful clarity, but his tone was surprisingly steady.
"Brother Li, hello. Could you please tell me, as accurately as possible, every single word you heard those two men say in that dark alley on the night of June 24th, in the same tone you heard them say at the time?"
Li Qiang was even more confused by the address of "Brother Li," and looked at Jiang Ling for help. Jiang Ling gave him an affirmative look: "Do as he says, try to remember as much as possible, the more detailed the better."
Li Qiang swallowed hard. Although he found it absurd to make a child "listen" to this, he dared not disobey the police's request. He tried hard to recall, his voice trembling with a Sichuan accent, and began to repeat himself:
"It was that burly guy who covered the woman's mouth and cursed viciously: 'Shut up! Be quiet! If you make another sound, I'll kill you!'"
Liang Jiushan lowered his head, his pen gliding rapidly across the paper, not recording sentences, but drawing strange symbols and marks—tone markings he had invented himself in his spare time.
"Then, the thinner one, with a high-pitched voice, said: 'Brother, don't be so reckless, or you might really kill someone?'"
"That burly guy spat and yelled at him: 'You little brat! What are you afraid of! Once you're done, throw it back in the usual spot! Hurry up!'"
...
Li Qiang finished recounting the events with difficulty, cold sweat beading on his forehead, as if he were reliving the terror of that night.
The interrogation room was silent. Jiang Ling's gaze was fixed on Liang Jiushan.
The boy put down his pen, raised his head, and looked at Li Qiang with bright eyes. His gaze was no longer immature, but sharp and imposing.
Instead of analyzing directly, he asked in a clear, standard, and even slightly Hunan-accented Mandarin tone: "Brother Li, when that burly man shouted 'Hey! Are you a cop?', was it like this—the last syllable dropped sharply, the 'cop' sounded a bit upward, and then it slammed down again? And when he said 'go die you,' was the 'go' sound in his throat like he had phlegm in it, a bit like an 'ao' sound, but not fully pronounced?"
Liang Jiushan imitated it perfectly. The fierce tone and mannerisms, coming from a young boy, carried a strange yet convincing realism. Li Qiang felt a shiver run down his spine and nodded repeatedly: "Yes! Yes! That's it! That's the tone! Very fierce!"
Liang Jiushan then turned to the words of dissuasion: "The thinner one said 'Mo ba man sai'... In that 'ba man', isn't the 'ba' sound very short and the 'man' sound slightly drawn out, with a hint of complaint? And in 'gao zhuo ren ming lai bo', isn't the 'bo' sound slightly upward?"
He imitated it again, this time with a worried, slightly high-pitched voice. Li Qiang nodded vigorously once more: "Yes! That's it! Exactly the same! How...how did you imitate it so well?"
Liang Jiushan didn't respond to Li Qiang's surprise. He turned to Jiang Ling and said with certainty, "Sister Ling, it's a very typical Changsha-Yizhou dialect of Hunanese, Yizhou dialect."
He paused, then added, "In addition, when Brother Li recounted the incident, he used a Sichuan accent, like 'zha ge' and 'xiong he de', but his imitation and memorization of the murderer's dialect were very accurate, and he was not too affected by his own accent. This shows that the murderer's dialect left a very deep impression on him that night, and his credibility is very high."
A hint of appreciation flashed in Jiang Ling's eyes. She stood up and said to Liang Jiushan, "Very good, Jiushan, you've been a great help!"
She immediately returned to her office, picked up the intercom, and said decisively, "Team Leader Lei, target area locked: Yizhou. Please immediately focus your investigation, especially on the Yizhou residents, the fat and thin duo with a history of violence who were active in the city in June."
"good."
A rapid response seemed to come from the other end of the phone.
Beside Jiang Ling, Liang Jiushan sat quietly in the psychological profiling team's office, his eyes blinking innocently and clearly. He was no longer the "juvenile expert" who had calmly analyzed the murderer's accent in the interrogation room.
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