Certain people belong to the darkness. As people who walk in the light, we would naturally ignore the things underneath us. The living dead, they belong underground. So I was confirmed that the killer was underneath Xing Dong City. He might just be below us.
Two hours pass by so fast, and it’s time for us to meet again. I believe the police would have fixed the four bowls already. Hmm, or at least I hope you have. If there is a single bowl missing, the girl will slice her left leg down to the bone. If there are two, then two legs; if none, then all her limbs. I have to praise the young coroner for her flexibility. She is limber enough to cut herself. Right, if you have fixed the bowls, then leave them at a location I’ve predetermined at Dong Xing City. But the location, I’ll decide for you. Isn’t that exciting? Anyway, I think it’s exciting. So who shall be our delivery person?
By the way, my little brother said the coroner is very pretty. He wanted to have sex with her, but our coroner said that she already has a boyfriend and his name is Wu Meng. Wu Meng, what a horrible name. Wu Meng, do you want to play this game? Oh wait, you have no choice because I have the choice here. If you want your girlfriend to live, then you better follow my instruction.
So Wu Meng, are you ready? It’s now 3 am. I need you to be at Dong Xing City by 5 am. By the way, Wu Meng, I’ve seen you before, so don’t think about using another person to replace you. So, goodbye.
I frowned, reading the letter left behind by the killer. Driving from Xing Dong Village to Dong Xing City would take 4 hours, 3 hours if you drove as fast as you could. We couldn’t get to Dong Xing City in 2 hours.
“The killer only gave us 2 hours.” Gu Chen said, “It’s not enough time if we drive, then…”
Gu Chen and I said at the same time, “Helicopter!”
I immediately called Mary. “Sister Mary, I need you to send a helicopter now to fetch me.”
Mary replied, “After reading the letter, Captain Zhao guessed the killer’s intention instantly. The helicopter is already going over to the village. You just wait over there. The killer only gave us two hours. Even with the helicopter, the time will be tight. So stay there and don’t move.”
“I know.” Then I hung up. After hanging up, I had a very bad feeling. In the short amount of time, the killer had considered so far ahead and fixed the timing just right. It was spring, and the sun would rise around 6.30 am. The killer belonged to the dark, so he would not make his move during the day. In other words, the killer would finish everything before 6.30 am. This also meant that the killer had to get back to Dong Xing City before 6.30 am. It’s now 3 am. Even with the fastest car, the killer would need three hours to get there. Furthermore, the highways and paths were already blocked off, so how did the killer get back to the city?
If the killer didn’t return to the city, he couldn’t collect the bowls. Plus, the killer wouldn’t carry Guan Zhenglin with him. So he would have to leave her behind. So, in other words, if we could find Guan Zhenglin, we could ignore the killer’s request. But this was built on the premise that the killer was working alone. And only I believed that was the case, and the others believed the killers worked in a group. If the killer was really numerous, then Guan Zhenglin would need to perform an autopsy on herself, but I wouldn’t put my bet on that. So no matter what the killer demanded, I would have to do it.
The killer would give me the time limit of 2 hours because he ran into us in the forest. The killer had set this perfect timing. It was improbable but not impossible. So who was the killer?
While we waited for the helicopter to arrive, I told Gu Chen, “Gu Chen, the other officers will join you. You need to focus on investigating the underground of Xing Dong Village. There’s a spot that is hollow. Guan Zhenglin is probably kept there. If the killers work in a team, then you have to be careful.”
Gu Chen nodded and patted my shoulder. “Even if I die, I will ensure that Guan Zhenglin is alive.”
I spat and said, “Don’t you die on me either. When you dueled with Wu Zui, you survived, so you shouldn’t die now. Bring Guan Zhenglin back safely, and I will treat you to barbequed skewers.
“Promise?” Gu Chen smiled.
“Promise,” I said.
At that moment, Xiao Liu called me. “Xiao Liu?” I explained quickly, “The killer has just given me instructions, and I need to follow them, or else Guan Zhenglin will be in danger. Tell me what you have quickly. The helicopter is coming to get me soon.”
After hearing that, Xiao Liu quickly elaborated. “I almost broke my legs running all over the place, but I did find Wu Xiufang’s husband. But he’s a dead man. After Wu Xiufang’s death, her husband moved away with the son because his son, no, his daughter, I don’t know how to put this. His son is dual-sexed!”
“I’ve already guessed that,” I said.
Xiao Liu gasped. “You already knew that? I only got this clue after interviewing so many people. This is quite demoralizing. But this is something that you definitely don’t know. Wu Xiufang’s son or daughter is not Wu Xiufang’s son at all!”
“What do you mean?” I was confused.
Xiao Liu explained, “I found this entry in Wu Xiufang’s husband’s diary. When Wu Xiufang married him, Wu Xiufang’s parent was very against it because he was a cripple. He had a limp leg.”
“And then?”
Xiao Liu continued, “But Wu Xiufang loved this man and married him despite her family’s objection. Her sister, Wu Xiufen also married at the same time and even more coincidentally was that the sisters had their babies on the same day. They shared the same ward. Even though the family was against the marriage, Wu Xiufang was still family.” After a pause, Xiao Liu added, “The two children were born on the same day. Wu Xiufang’s husband was an outsider and didn’t have much money. It was also why Wu Xiufang’s family didn’t approve of this marriage. To ensure that his child would be treated better, Wu Xiufang’s husband swapped the two children.”
“So Wu Xiufang’s husband had swapped out the two kids?” I asked.
Xiao Liu confirmed. “That’s right, even though Wu Xiufang’s husband was a cripple, his son was very healthy. However, Wu Xiufen had given birth to a hermaphrodite. Coincidentally enough, Wu Xiufang’s husband had swapped the children, so everyone thought this was Wu Xiufang’s husband’s problem.”
I shook my head. “This is such a joke.”
Xiao Liu concurred. “You’re right, and Wu Xiufang’s husband couldn’t say that he had swapped the kids, so they raised the child as their own. However, perhaps Wu Jianguo had lied to me, or Wu Xiufang’s husband had lied in his diary. Wu Jianguo said that the family hadn’t seen Wu Xiufang’s son, but Wu Xiufang’s husband said that the whole family knew about this. Perhaps it was because this was supposed to be a family secret?” Xiao Liu added, “In any case, they raised the child until he was 5. One day, Wu Xiufang went to the workshop and never came back. Then they said Wu Xiufang committed suicide. Wu Xiufang’s husband had no reason to stay with the family that disproved of him, so he left.”
I rubbed my eyes and tried to arrange the logic in my mind. So Wu Xiufang might have died for her sister’s son. Wu Xiufang needed the money to cure Wu Xiufen’s son. Wu Jianguo might have known why his sister needed the money, but he refused to help.
“Did the diary mention the 12 bowls?” I asked.
Xiao Liu answered, “When Wu Xiufang left home for the last time, the child refused to let her go. Wu Xiufang told her son to wait at home. When he was done painting all the 12 animals on the bowls, she would return to him.”
“And then?” I asked slowly, “Wu Xiufang died at the workshop?”
“Yes.”
The sound of rotors came from the distance. I told Xiao Liu, “I need to depart now. Call Gu Chen if you have any updates.”
“Okay.” He said.
The helicopter circulated in the air and dropped down the rope ladder to save time. I patted Gu Chen’s shoulder but said nothing. I climbed on the rope. The copter didn’t stop and flew towards Dong Xing City. My mind repeated the story Xiao Liu told me.
When you have painted all the 12 animals, I will return.
The wait lasted for 20 years. This wait crossed the line between life and death.
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