Detective: From the Police Academy

Chapter 301 The Sixth Victim at the Beginning of the Century

January 09, 1, deep winter.

The evening glow disappeared over the horizon, and a thin mist rose from the swamp, lingering in the reeds.

The reed marsh is in an arc, a semicircle surrounding a vast shallow beach.

The road was just above the swamp and was already filled with people watching the fun.

More than a dozen police cars were parked in a row, and more police cars were coming and parking on the cleared muddy road.

After Zhao Ming got off the car, he frowned.

Yi Chunlin, who was standing next to him, smacked his lips and said, "I haven't seen such a scene for a long time."

Zhao Ming nodded slightly. "When the [122 Serial Murder Case] ​​happened, I came to Shahe County with my master. We collected a lot of physical evidence at the time, but there was no clue to point to the suspect. I didn't expect that fifteen years later, this demon is still killing people."

Yi Chunlin was appointed by Zhao Chunlai as the accompanying forensic doctor.

The old fellow knew very well that this case was a once-in-a-decade occurrence in Haidong Province and was extremely complicated. Even if the case could not be solved, the identification of the remains from more than a decade ago would be a good opportunity for the forensic doctor to gain experience.

What's more, due to the maturity of DNA screening and science and technology, most of the murders in the last century have been solved. Only those murders with unidentified bodies or where the suspects have completely disappeared are still sealed in the archives.

If we talk about the major serial murder cases that spanned the millennium, the number of victims was so large that there is probably not even one case in a single province.

Two years ago, Qin Province did solve a case, but it was reopened because of an anonymous letter. The local police screened the DNA of men in the entire county, and only then found the murderer through the DNA between relatives.

Others don’t know how the case was solved, but Wei Qunshan and others know it clearly.

The anonymous letter was written by Luo Rui. Due to his special status at the time, this matter has never been made public.

Before Zhao Minglin set off, Wei Qunshan found him and reminded him earnestly to follow Luo Rui's steps, and also sent all the technical experts that the Haijiang Division could send.

Zhao Chunlai didn't come because he was too lazy to come.

Zhao Ming, along with a dozen people, carried metal survey boxes and walked onto the highway.

Luo Rui saw him and quickly waved to him.

"You brought a lot of people!" Luo Rui greeted him and looked at Yi Chunlin: "Old Yi, long time no see."

Yi Chunlin smiled and said, "We just met half a month ago. Now the relationship between our Haijiang Sub-district and your County Bureau is tied together. Director Wei even held a special meeting and asked us to actively cooperate with you."

Luo Rui nodded and introduced Zhao Ming and others to Lu Kangming and Dong Jianmin, the director of Fukang County.

Lu Kangming shook hands with Zhao Ming eagerly.

Zhao Ming is considered to be the most powerful on-site investigation technical police officer in Haidong Province. He has also published papers and obtained patents.

The director in charge of criminal affairs may not necessarily like the criminal police officers who are on the front line, but he likes the identification experts who are high-tech talents from the bottom of his heart.

Dong Jianmin also knew the relationship between the Haijiang Branch and the Shahe County Bureau, and he also knew Zhao Ming.

"Director Zhao, I'm here to deal with the scene right after I arrived. Thank you for your hard work."

"Hello Director Dong, the bodies are buried in the reed marsh?" Zhao Ming went straight to the point and looked at the crowd below.

At this time, in the reed marsh, a cordon was drawn from the middle as a benchmark, and searches were conducted to the left and right.

There were dozens of police officers on each side, holding sticks, pushing aside the reeds and moving forward carefully.

The trainer walked in front, leading two police dogs. The police dogs sniffed the mud again and again, looking very serious.

"According to eyewitnesses, it should be here." Lu Kangming replied, then looked at Luo Rui: "Call Zhang Xiaolong over."

Luo Rui nodded and called Fang Yonghui behind him.

A prison van converted from a van was parked on the side of the road. Zhang Xiaolong, handcuffed, was pulled down by two police officers.

Fang Yonghui took his arm and walked to the leaders.

"People are coming!"

Luo Rui looked at Zhang Xiaolong: "Are you sure the body is buried here?"

"Yes, didn't I just say it? It's right at that position!" The place where Zhang Xiaolong pointed was right next to the baseline. It had been searched just now and no abnormalities were found at all.

"Are you mistaken?"

"Impossible! My bicycle was parked right where we were standing. I went into the reeds to pee, and the murderer was ten meters away from me. When I left, I saw him digging a hole!"

Lu Kangming frowned and asked Luo Rui, "Could it be that the murderer discovered him and changed the burial location?"

Dong Jianmin curled his lips: "I think this guy is lying? This [122 Major Case] ​​has been over for so many years, and now suddenly there are new deaths. This possibility..."

Before he could finish his words, Zhang Xiaolong, who was sandwiched between two policemen, quickly argued: "I didn't lie. Even if I wanted to lie, I wouldn't dare to joke about this matter! Late at night on January 2000, 1, I did see that demon killing people in the reed marsh!"

"Were you drinking alcohol at the time?"

"Uh...I was drinking, but I was sober at the time!"

Zhang Xiaolong knew very well that if the police did not find the body after mobilizing so many people, he might be charged with another crime, so he looked at Lu Kangming eagerly: "Director Lu, please believe me, I really didn't lie to you."

Lu Kangming was also very nervous at this time. On the one hand, he hoped to find the body, but on the other hand, he didn't want to find the body.

Once the body is found, the case will have to be reopened immediately, which will require enormous manpower and material resources.

If the bodies are not found, the files of this serial murder case will be put on the shelf of the archive room again. Who knows when they will see the light of day again and comfort the souls of the victims in heaven?

At this time, everyone was very nervous and watched the police officers searching closely.

Lin Chen poked Luo Rui's arm: "Team Leader, do you have any ideas?"

Luo Rui ignored her and looked at Zhao Ming.

He pulled Zhang Xiaolong over, and he and Zhao Ming took each other into the reeds.

Seeing this, Lin Chen and Fang Yonghui hurriedly followed.

"Where were you squatting at that time?" Luo Rui asked.

Zhang Xiaolong scratched his neck and pointed diagonally in front of him: "Right there."

Luo Rui dragged him to that place, and then asked: "Where was the murder committed?"

"It's just ahead, less than twenty meters away."

"Yonghui, keep an eye on him." Luo Rui called out, then walked diagonally forward with Zhao Mingwang.

When the two of them walked seventeen steps away, Zhang Xiaolong shouted from behind: "Yes, it's right there!"

Luo Rui and Zhao Ming squatted down and began to observe their surroundings.

Nine years have passed, and there has been no change here. There are still reeds and the soil is soft.

The two men each held a stick and pushed aside the dry reeds around them.

Lin Chen also followed behind them and searched carefully with a baton.

If Zhang Xiaolong really saw the murderer and this was really the murder scene, then there must be a mud pit where the body was buried.

At the scene of a new murder, because there are still traces of blood and smell, police dogs can still find it even if the burial location has been changed. However, after so many years, all traces at the scene have long disappeared.

Nature's microorganisms are very scary. In less than a year, they can clean up the scene completely without leaving any trace.

About ten minutes later, Lin Chen screamed.

"Team leader, here, we found something!"

Luo Rui and Zhao Ming ran over quickly and saw a pile of dry grass under a clump of reeds.

Lin Chen pulled out the weeds around him with his hands, then poked it downwards with his baton, and a mud pit appeared before his eyes.

There are still reeds growing in the pit, mixed with weeds, making it difficult to be discovered.

Immediately afterwards, Luo Rui called the police, took out a sickle, and cut the reeds around the mud pit.

The surrounding area of ​​ten square meters was completely cleared.

Lu Kangming and Dong Jianmin also ran down and asked hurriedly, "Did you find it?"

No one answered. Zhao Ming took out a tape measure and took a simple measurement.

"One meter and two meters long, half a meter wide, and deep..."

"The depth is only 50 centimeters, but it's not accurate... The plants that grow in the pit every year will raise the soil inside."

Dong Jianmin was very anxious: "Is that a burial site?"

Luo Rui looked at a mound of earth next to the pit. The mound had also been cleared, but it was obviously higher than the surrounding terrain.

"The murderer must have moved the body."

Upon hearing this, everyone gasped, and their originally relieved mentality immediately became uneasy again.

Lu Kangming put his hands behind his back, squatted down and cursed: "Damn it, they really moved the body!"

"What should we do now?" Dong Jianmin asked.

This question, no one can answer.

Zhao Ming called his apprentice over and took a pair of latex gloves. As he put them on, he murmured, "Looking at the surrounding plant growth environment, the body must have been moved a long time ago. The only way now is to survey the scene and see if we can find the victim or the victim's belongings."

After saying that, Zhao Ming led several technical police officers and knelt on the edge of the mud pit.

In order to avoid finding any problems, they took short-handled shovels and dug the soil in the pit bit by bit.

But because the reed has a well-developed root system, a sickle has to be used to cut off the tangled roots.

No one spoke, just staring at the busy technical police.

Soon, Li Nong arrived at the scene, and with him came Lu Peng, the director of Pingyang County.

In this way, the directors of Shahe County, Fukang County and Pingyang County were all present.

There were already more than a hundred police officers at the scene. The police officers who had searched earlier had not found anything special, so they all gathered around the mud pit.

Lu Peng pulled Lu Kangming and Dong Jianmin aside and asked, "Old Lu, are you really going to reopen this case?"

"What else? I've already notified the higher-ups."

"You are really too reckless. Are you crazy about making a contribution? You've already notified the higher-ups before the body has even been found?"

Lu Kangming glared at him: "Who said the body wasn't found? It's just that the murderer was too cunning. He must have been afraid of being discovered, so he moved the body."

Lu Peng snorted coldly: "You are just gambling. I don't think you can find any clues to the murderer. I wonder how you will report to the police when the time comes!"

"I don't need to report to anyone. What I have done is worthy of the people of Shahe County!"

"Bullshit! I think you're just eager to make a contribution. Don't think I don't know that you just want to outdo us all so that you can be transferred to the city."

Lu Kangming rolled up his sleeves and said with wide eyes: "Lu Huzi, what the hell are you talking about? I tell you, you can scold me, but don't insult my personality."

Lu Peng was not afraid of him and directly retorted: "Personality? Do you, Old Lu, have personality?"

Seeing that the two people were on the verge of quarreling, Dong Jianmin and Li Nong quickly pulled them apart.

At this time, a voice came into everyone's ears. "Today is January 1th..."

The four of them were stunned and looked at Luo Rui who was standing beside them in confusion.

Li Nong frowned: "Yes, today is the 18th, what's wrong?"

Luo Rui sighed and looked at the technical police officer who was investigating: "Since 95, the murderer has committed one crime a year. It has been almost fifteen years now. Can you calculate how many people he has killed in total?

If this case really follows a pattern, and if nothing unexpected happens, four days later, on January 1, do you think he will continue to commit crimes?"

Luo Rui's voice was not loud, but his words were blown far away by the night wind.

All the police officers present heard this.

In order to confirm the time, Lu Kangming took out his mobile phone and checked, and today was indeed January 1th.

He was stunned and speechless.

The hearts of several other people were also gripped.

Luo Rui looked at them indifferently: "Shahe County, Fukang County, Pingyang County, these three counties are at the junction. The murderer is using this place as a hunting ground. Guess, will he do it again in three days? Which county did he kill?"

Lu Peng swallowed his saliva, and Dong Jianmin also felt a chill in his heart.

Lu Kangming pointed at Lu Peng and said, "Luo Rui is right! Lu Huzi, think about it carefully. Am I doing this for the credit? I am doing this to prevent innocent people from being killed. Lu Huzi, let me tell you, as long as this case is not solved and the murderer continues to be at large, there will be more women being killed. Can you bear this responsibility?"

Lu Peng frowned and didn't dare to argue any further.

Luo Rui ignored them and walked over to Zhao Ming.

As he passed by, he saw a technical police officer digging up the dirt in the shovel and suddenly exclaimed, "I found something!"

"What is this?" asked the companion next to him.

Luo Rui quickly walked around and he and Zhao Ming squatted down.

Zhao Ming carefully dug up the soil and picked up a half-rotten thing.

Before he could identify it, Luo Rui had already seen it: "It's a corn cob!"

Zhao Ming's pupils shrank: "I remember 95..."

Luo Rui interrupted him: "That's right, the murderer stuffed this into the victim's mouth and genitals..."

Lu Kangming and his men had already gathered around him, and he hurriedly asked, "Can the DNA be tested?"

Zhao Ming shook his head: "It's been so long, it's impossible."

"Keep digging. Even if you have to dig three feet deep, you must find the clues for me!"

Immediately afterwards, Lu Kangming dispatched more manpower, and more than ten people surrounded the mud pit and continued digging downwards.

Six broken corn cobs were found, but they were so rotten that they could not be identified.

As time passed, it became completely dark.

Finally, there was another scream, and one of the technical police officers shouted, "What is this?"

A flashlight immediately shone over there.

Zhao Ming picked it up from the mud and placed it under the light of the flashlight.

“It’s the key!”

Lu Kangming asked: "The victim?"

Luo Rui said: "It could also be the murderer."

Lu Kangming's eyes lit up: "If that's the case, it's more cost-effective than finding the body!"

Zhao Ming threw the rusty, jagged and broken key into the evidence bag, then handed it to a police officer nearby and asked him to take a photo.

At this point, the mud pit was more than one meter deep. Now that the key had been found, digging further down would probably yield nothing.

But the work did not stop. The police began to collect soil and insects from the surrounding area, all of which had to be taken back for identification.

Luo Rui picked up a reed root he had dug out from the ground and squatted beside Zhao Ming. "Director Zhao, based on the growth of the plants in the mud pit, can we infer the time when the murderer moved the body?"

Zhao Ming looked at him in surprise: "You even understand this?"

Luo Rui shook his head: "I've only heard of it."

Zhao Ming replied: "This requires the application of botany, a very rare subject. Do you think I am suitable for this?"

Luo Rui was choked and laughed awkwardly.

"Don't worry, I know some experts in this area. I'll ask them."

"Okay!" Luo Rui stood up.

At this time, the sky was completely dark and it was gloomy all around. It was deep winter and even the sounds of frogs and insects could not be heard.

Only the light of the flashlight was swaying in the reeds.

Most of the police officers have moved to other locations, leaving only a few technical police officers still busy at the scene.

As for Lu Kangming and several others, they took a photo of the key and went to the police station in Longshan Town. They invited professional locksmiths to identify the origin of the key and prepared to conduct a wide-ranging search.

Zhao Ming packed up his investigation box and drove directly to the county bureau. Physical evidence identification requires sophisticated equipment, and Shahe County has the most complete equipment because Luo Rui brought back a lot of it from Linjiang City not long ago.

Luo Rui and several others drove to Longshan Town Police Station.

The place is very close, only ten minutes drive away.

Because of this major serial murder case spanning centuries, new victims have appeared. Although the victims had been killed nine years ago, they are also the most important new clues.

The murder and burial sites were both in Longshan Town, so it became the base for solving the case.

As soon as he arrived at the place, Luo Rui saw that the police station's reception hall was full of people.

There were people of all ages among these people, and they were noisy and made the police officer on duty very annoyed.

The police on duty maintained order while shouting, "If you are not a direct relative, please go outside and wait. Don't block the hall! Direct relatives, preferably those who are closely related to the missing person and live together, please line up!"

Lin Chen smacked his lips: "Why are there so many families of the missing?"

Fang Yonghui said helplessly: "Lin Chen, do you know how many people go missing every year, from a county to the whole country?"

"I know!" Lin Chen sighed.

"Yeah, we as police officers can't find all of them. Some people just disappear for no reason."

Luo Rui followed him from behind and patted him on the shoulder: "Don't be sad, cheer up."

Fang Yonghui nodded solemnly: "Yes, Luo Da."

As soon as Luo Rui stepped into the conference room, Lu Kangming, Dong Jianmin and others came out.

"You've come just in time. Come with me to meet the victim's family."

Luo Rui's heart sank: "Have you found the owner of the key?"

Lu Kangming sighed and said, "It's not certain yet."

Luo Rui had no choice but to nod and follow them into the reception room next door.

As soon as he entered, he heard miserable cries. A rural woman threw herself on the table and cried loudly.

A middle-aged man sat next to her, his eyes red and his calloused hands resting uneasily on his knees.

In addition to these two people, there was also a young man in school uniform and carrying a schoolbag. He stood aside, with his head down and silent.

Li Nong quickly closed the door of the reception room to prevent the crying sound from being heard.

When the female police officer accompanying them saw Dong Jianmin, she quickly introduced him: "Uncle, aunt, this is the director of our Fukang County Public Security Bureau, and several other leaders."

Because this was the area under Dong Jianmin's jurisdiction, he stood up and introduced himself: "Hello, my name is Dong Jianmin..."

Li Nong quickly handed the photos in his hand to Dong Jianmin. After he took them, he gave them to the middle-aged man: "Look carefully, is this the key to your house?"

Hearing this, the woman stopped crying. She quickly raised her head and wiped her tears.

"Officer, they have just asked, and my daughter did have the key to the house on her before she disappeared."

"A bunch of keys, or just one?"

"It's just a single key." The young man standing aside said, "My sister took the key from me before she disappeared."

Dong Jianmin nodded: "You should check carefully to see if it is the one in the photo?"

The young man took the photo, took just one look at it, and tears began to fall.

He nodded, tears dripping at his feet.

"Yes, it's the key to our house."

As he spoke, he took out a key chain from his pocket, found a key from it, and handed it to Dong Jianmin.

After Dong Jianmin took it, he quickly compared it with the photo.

Luo Rui and Lu Kangming also came forward. The keys had the same shape, but because the keys in the burial pit were rusted and the teeth were broken, except for the two broken teeth, the rest were exactly the same.

Out of rigor, although we dare not jump to conclusions, we all know that this key is most likely the victim's.

Dong Jianmin took a deep breath. He knew that he could not retreat like he had before. The police must catch this murderous demon.

An hour later, after a detailed background investigation, the situation of the first victim at the beginning of the century came to light.

Name: Sun Ying.

Age: 18 years old.

Date of disappearance: January 2000, 1.

Description of the case: Late at night on January 1, it was drizzling and Sun Ying was returning home from Longshan Town, which was only half a kilometer away from her home, right next to the reed marsh.

The police speculated that the murderer was lying in ambush in the reed marsh, and took her into the reeds when she was off guard, assaulted her, and then killed her.

Afterwards, the murderer buried the body, but moved it for other reasons.

Nine years have passed since then, and she has been treated as a missing person, but no one expected that she was killed in the reed marsh in front of her home.

After so many years, her body is still missing...

A police officer copied Sun Ying's photo and prepared to give it to the front-line criminal police for investigation.

These photos were passed down one by one to each person and finally reached Luo Rui.

He looked carefully at the young girl who had been missing for nine years. She had a ponytail, wore a red down jacket, and had a sweet smile.

Luo Rui sighed deeply, looking at the dark night sky outside the window, he murmured to himself: "Where will you be?"

Thanks to Sakura Flower Art for the 500-point tip!
Please vote for next month, big guys. Woohoo...

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(End of this chapter)