Animal Detective

Chapter 314 - 259: Nanjiang Won’t Allow a Murderer This Formidable

Trees blocked the view, so the road’s surveillance camera only caught a glimpse.

In the footage, he was riding a black electric scooter.

He was dressed all in black and wore a motorcycle helmet, so his face was completely obscured.

From the fleeting image, one could only surmise from his broad shoulders that he was likely a man.

Liu Baoqing said, "We’ve investigated every person and vehicle that passed by these two cameras around the time of the incident as thoroughly as possible, but we’ve come up with nothing."

"Our only lead is this person. While canvassing the residential area, we found someone who was smoking on a second-floor balcony around midnight. He saw a man wearing a motorcycle helmet."

"That’s why we think this person is highly suspicious and very likely the killer."

"But based on his build, he’s probably a man. And given his strong anti-surveillance awareness, we can only surmise that someone hired him to commit the murder."

Shen Xin nodded.

’So, Captain Liu and his team’s hired-killer theory isn’t just pure speculation; it’s backed by some evidence.’

Shen Xin examined the surveillance screenshot carefully.

There really wasn’t much useful information.

Just as Captain Liu had said, the person had a strong sense of anti-surveillance.

’He really does seem like a professional killer.’

After a moment of thought, Shen Xin asked, "Captain Liu, have you looked into Hu Yueqin’s financial situation? And what about her lover? Could they have conspired, with Hu Yueqin using her lover to find a hitman?"

’Hiring a killer costs money, and it certainly wouldn’t be cheap.’

’They should start with Hu Yueqin, the one with the strongest motive, and investigate her finances.’

Liu Baoqing sighed. "Of course we checked, but we didn’t find anything. To be honest, we’ve practically torn apart all of Hu Yueqin’s communication records. We even uncovered a few scam operations along the way, but we still haven’t found any leads about her hiring a killer."

’Her registered phone numbers, communication logs, online records... since Captain Liu said that, they must have checked everything.’

’And it’s not like Hu Yueqin could just walk down the street, grab a random person, and ask if they were willing to do a hit job.’

’She must have been referred by someone or found the contact information somewhere online.’

’Traces of that would definitely have been left behind.’

Liu Baoqing sighed again. "Honestly, so many people on our team have been throwing themselves at this case for days. For it to end up like this... it’s just so frustrating."

The New District Branch’s criminal investigation division was quite large, with almost forty people.

With so many people invested for so many days and no results, it was no wonder Shao Jingming had been alerted and was asking questions.

A few of the stubborn dogs started barking nearby.

Shen Xin snapped at them to be quiet and returned to his thoughts.

After a long moment, Shen Xin said, "Captain Liu, do you think it’s possible we went wrong with our initial direction?"

’For example, maybe it wasn’t a revenge killing, but a robbery-murder.’

’As for why the wallet and phone weren’t taken, was he forced to stop?’

’Or did he lose his nerve?’

’Or, just like the baseless speculation in the online comment sections, maybe someone got into a conflict with Huang Weili over fishing and killed him in a fit of rage.’

’Choosing a rock as the murder weapon would also support that it was a random act.’

"No, that’s not right."

As soon as he thought it, Shen Xin quickly shook his head, dismissing his own idea.

’The escape route that Odin locked onto by tracking Huang Weili’s blood should be correct.’

’In that case, the suspect has significant anti-surveillance awareness. He doesn’t sound like some pathetic robber who’d kill someone and then be too scared to even take their phone.’

And thinking about it further, Shen Xin hit upon another point.

’The murder weapon was a rock.’

’Let’s say Hu Yueqin hired a professional killer. He has anti-surveillance skills and learned about Huang Weili’s night-fishing habits from her.’

’If he had a prepared escape plan, he would surely have a plan for the murder itself.’

’He could have just used a knife.’

’Why just grab a random rock? After killing him, why just toss the body in the water? He could have buried it, cleaned up the scene as much as possible, and delayed the police investigation.’

Shen Xin frowned and said, "Captain Liu, this case is definitely strange. The killer’s actions and the evidence don’t match up."

Liu Baoqing nodded eagerly, saying he’d had the same feeling all along.

The crime scene was so haphazard, yet the escape route was meticulously planned.

Hu Yueqin clearly had the strongest motive, but she has a solid alibi, and we can’t find any trace of her hiring a killer.

It’s all so illogical.

After a long moment, Shen Xin shook his head. "Captain Liu, I’m out of ideas, too."

Shen Xin had never considered himself a Sherlock Holmes. If he had no ideas, he had no ideas; it was better to just admit it.

Liu Baoqing sighed but didn’t say anything.

He had hoped Shen Xin could offer some insight, but he could accept it if he couldn’t.

"Alright, go on with your work. I’ll go back to my headache. If worse comes to worst, we’ll just fall back on the old method."

Liu Baoqing patted Shen Xin’s shoulder and turned to rejoin Shao Jingming.

’The "old method" was a large-scale canvass.’

’They would pour massive manpower and resources into it, starting from the crime scene. If a five-kilometer radius didn’t work, they’d expand to ten. If ten didn’t work, they’d canvass the entire city.’

’He refused to believe they couldn’t find a single lead.’

Watching Liu Baoqing leave, Shen Xin glanced at the cordoned-off crime scene in the distance. He thought for a while longer, but still had no clue. He could only focus on his own work for now.

「Two more days passed in a flash.」

It had been a week since the murder.

Even the online discussions about the case had died down.

Shen Xin asked around and learned there was still no progress. They had already begun the large-scale canvass, trying to find the helmeted suspect.

’Once it reached this stage, it was all down to luck.’

Meanwhile, Shen Xin carried on with his work as usual.

In any case, Shen Xin’s job was pretty relaxed. He had handed over all the K9 training to Li Jiahui, so he didn’t have to worry too much.

All Shen Xin had to do was try to increase the dogs’ affection levels.

The higher their affection, the faster they trained.

That morning, an accident during the morning rush hour caused a traffic jam. By the time he arrived at the base, it was already 8:40.

He was forty minutes late.

But it didn’t matter. He was supposed to report to the K9 base every day, but it wasn’t like he had to punch a clock.

Just as Shen Xin reached the intersection leading to the base, he saw several police cars parked further up the concrete road, right where it became too steep for vehicles.

A crowd of people was gathered around them.

Unsurprisingly, Shen Xin spotted Li Jiahui and the others.

In the distance, he could see that the road up the mountain was blocked off with police tape.

Shen Xin quickly parked his car at the base entrance and hurried over.

"What happened?"

Shen Xin asked urgently.

When Li Jiahui saw him, she said anxiously, "Shen Xin, someone else died at the reservoir! From what they’re saying, it seems to be similar to the last one—the body was found floating in the water."

Beside her, Li Mo and Chen Guo nodded continuously, their faces filled with disbelief.

Shen Xin was shocked as well.

’For real? Another death? At the same reservoir?’

Shen Xin hurriedly pushed his way through the crowd.

Before he could even show his police ID, the colleague manning the cordon recognized him and lifted the tape.

Shen Xin said his thanks and walked quickly up the mountain.

On the way, his mind raced, wondering what was going on.

’Could it be another drowning?’

’If so, that’s just spooky. There must be something wrong with this reservoir.’

’But if not... another murder in the same place, just a week later...’

’What does that make this? A serial killer?’

’And the motive?’

’Revenge against anglers?’

Shen Xin knew that even after the cordon was lifted a few days ago, anglers had still been coming to the reservoir to fish.

There were even people who came for night fishing.

At that thought, Shen Xin quickened his pace.

Before long, he reached the edge of the reservoir.

The scene was swarming with police officers.

The crime scene was on the north side of the reservoir, slightly to the west.

It was near where Huang Weili’s body was found.

There was no helping it; that was a prime fishing spot.

The body had already been pulled out and was being examined on the bank.

And then Shen Xin saw Shao Jingming.

The first murder was still unsolved, and now another had occurred in the exact same location. It would be strange if Shao Jingming wasn’t alarmed.

Shen Xin walked over quickly, just in time to hear Shao Jingming yelling at Liu Baoqing and the others.

"What is this, a provocation?"

"All of you, turn your heads and look! The police tape hasn’t even been taken down, and someone has been killed over here in almost the exact same way!"

"Comrades, aren’t you ashamed?"

"Well, I’m ashamed! Liu Baoqing, I don’t care what excuses you have. I want a deadline from you, right now!"

"A deadline to solve this case!"

"If you need more men, I’ll give them to you. As many as you need. I’ll even join the investigation myself, I don’t care. I just want this case solved."

"I will not allow such a brazen killer to exist in our Nanjiang!"