Insights Chapter 154: External Support

Chapter 154: External Support

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Morning, Changxi County Police Station. Shen Junci originally went to inspect the scene. When he arrived, he found the child lying on the bed, with a towel covering her face. Shen Junci lifted the towel and found that the girl showed no signs of rigor mortis. Although she had many wounds on her body, they had started to clot. He then confirmed that the girl still had a faint breath.

Medical examiner Shen immediately carried the girl out.

Finally, Chief Zhang used the police station’s car to quickly take the child to the best hospital in the county.

Gu Yanchen followed along. The girl remained unconscious, and her life was still in danger until her family arrived from out of town. Several accompanying officers then returned to the county police station.

During this time, Shen Junci had already gone to the crude autopsy room and began dissecting the old man’s corpse.

All the officers were busy all morning, and it was only now that they had time to compile information.

At noon, as everyone was preparing to order takeout for lunch, they heard a commotion outside.

Gu Yanchen went to the window and saw a group of people arriving at the county police station.

Most of these people were middle-aged men. Leading them was an old man in his seventies, holding a cane in his hand.

Xiao Yang’s expression changed. “Oh no, Zhao Jianghai is here.”

Upon hearing this, Chief Zhang’s expression also turned unpleasant.

Gu Yanchen asked, “Who is Zhao Jianghai?”

Chief Zhang explained, “The Zhao family is a prominent family in this county. The deceased old man, Zhao Yihe, and the girl, Zhao Xiaoyin, are both from the Zhao family…”

Xiao Yang added, “There’s also Jian Yunxi. Wen Qiaoqiao also has some connection with this family. This old man must have come to investigate because someone in the family died.”

Wen Qiaoqiao’s biological father is named Zhao Pingcheng. Gu Yanchen also saw him during yesterday’s investigation. Since his daughter was murdered and he was genuinely heartbroken, Gu Yanchen did not consider him a suspect in this case.

Seeing the panicked expression on the faces of the police officers, Gu Yanchen asked, “Are you all afraid of Zhao Jianghai? Is he a leader in this county?”

Chief Zhang looked uneasy. “He’s not, but many people in this county have ties with him. To put it in the old terms, he’s like the…” He hesitated, “He’s the one who handles family matters, and people consult him when there are issues.”

Gu Yanchen pondered for a moment. “A clan leader?”

Chief Zhang nodded. “Although this area values clans, it’s not that exaggerated.”

Gu Yanchen thought for a moment. “Local dignitary?”

Captain Zhang said, “Yes, but now it’s already a county seat. This should be called a county dignitary? Or perhaps a new local dignitary?”

Gu Yanchen said, “Whatever it is, let’s meet them first.”

Just as he finished speaking, Zhao Jianghai had already arrived with a group of people outside the police station door, blocking the entrance.

Zhao Jianghai knocked on the door with his cane. Gu Yanchen stood up with several officers and faced them.

Although there were only about a dozen people in the police station, more than twenty people from the Zhao family had arrived. The already small county police station was completely crowded.

Zhao Jianghai stood at the forefront, with others following behind him.

The old man took a step forward and got straight to the point, “You must be the unfamiliar police officer from the City Bureau. This morning, something happened to our family.” Despite his age, Zhao Jianghai’s voice was strong.

“I’m surnamed Gu, just call me Officer Gu.” Gu Yanchen glanced at the people behind Zhao Jianghai. “What’s the situation with your visit here now?”

Seeing the atmosphere turning sour, Chief Zhang quickly intervened, “Old Zhao, please have a seat. Let’s discuss this calmly.”

Zhao Jianghai sat down and stroked his beard, “Last night, a tragedy occurred. It’s due to your police’s poor supervision and lack of transparency in handling the case. After the incident, you didn’t inform us. It’s the lack of openness and transparency in your police force. It’s been hours since the incident, and you still haven’t found the culprit. Your investigation is inadequate.”

He listed three accusations against the police force, his tone very unpleasant.

Gu Yanchen sat opposite him and responded, “A homicide occurred last night. As a member of the police force, I deeply regret it. However, everything was handled according to regulations. We informed the immediate family members of the deceased and injured immediately. The homicide occurred this morning. Even if we are investigating, it takes time and clues. Old Zhao, bringing so many people to the police station is interfering with our work.”

His rebuttal was logical and factual.

Zhao Jianghai, accustomed to polite treatment, remained silent after hearing this.

Chief Zhang tried to smooth things over again, “Old Zhao, I understand your feelings. If you really want us to catch the culprit as soon as possible, it’s better for you and your family to go back. We’ll inform you as soon as we have any updates.”

Zhao Jianghai softened his tone a bit, “As common people, of course, we hope that the police can catch the culprit as soon as possible.” He motioned for everyone to sit at the entrance. “Let’s wait here for the police to solve the case and seek justice for us ordinary folks.”

Chief Zhang offered an out, but the other party showed no intention of backing down. Chief Zhang smiled awkwardly, “Old Zhao, what exactly do you mean by this?”

“We’re supervising the police’s handling of the case. What if some officers slack off and don’t put their full effort into the investigation?” Zhao Jianghai replied.

Chief Zhang said, “But it’s already lunchtime. You can’t keep the officers from eating and resting, can you?”

Zhao Jianghai said, “We heard the news and are too grief-stricken to eat. Since the culprit is still at large, I don’t think you need to eat either, do you?” He turned to someone, “Oh right, Er, bring some wreaths and put them at the entrance!”

Several officers from the City Bureau exchanged looks. Did this old man treat solving a case like a game? Could he summon a culprit at any moment?

Gu Yanchen furrowed his brows. This was akin to a threat, putting pressure on the police force.

He had encountered victims’ families who caused trouble before, some even loudly mourning, but most of them didn’t bring so many people and usually left after some intimidation, especially in a place with many officers. This old man was like a local emperor here, untouchable. Reasoning with him was futile. With so many people on the other side, and the principle of not acting against a group, they couldn’t detain all of them.

“As relatives of the victims, we have the right to be informed and supervise,” Zhao Jianghai continued. “We’ll wait here for the officers to solve the case promptly and serve justice for us ordinary folks.”

As the conversation reached this point, a door from the side, the autopsy room, suddenly opened.

Shen Junci, who had been busy all morning and hadn’t had time to change clothes, stood at the door covered in blood stains.

All eyes turned to him, including Gu Yanchen’s.

Shen Junci had heard the conversation in the office just now. Now, he took off his gloves and said, “This case is not related to the previous one. This is a copycat crime.”

Zhao Jianghai, sitting on the side, looked up at the medical examiner and said, “Tell us more.”

Shen Junci refused, “The case is under investigation. The police cannot disclose details to unrelated individuals.”

Zhao Jianghai fell silent.

The old man was left embarrassed, his beard trembling with anger.

Giving him a bit of pressure, Shen Junci turned to Gu Yanchen and asked, “Captain Gu, what do you think?”

By lifting Gu Yanchen up, he also hinted to those people that this was a police station and they couldn’t just do as they pleased.

Gu Yanchen realized that the only way to break the standoff with these people surrounding the police station was to quickly find the culprit. Shen Junci’s words indicated that he had found some relevant clues to help them break free.

He cooperated with Shen Junci, “These are relatives of the victims, not entirely unrelated individuals. If you provide some non-detailed information, they might be able to provide some clues.”

Zhao Jianghai’s tone also softened, “Yes, we are familiar with the situation and can cooperate with you, the police, to provide clues and catch the culprit as soon as possible.”

Only then did Shen Junci take out a stack of scene photos and began putting them up one by one on a nearby whiteboard.

Then he spoke up, “Firstly, when I arrived at the scene, I found that both victims’ heads were covered. The old man’s head was covered with a blanket, and the girl’s head was covered with a pillowcase. This is a psychological expression of guilt towards the victims. Generally, when the perpetrator knows the victim, they would exhibit this behavior.”

Gu Yanchen listened intently, urging him to continue.

Shen Junci continued, “Among the two victims, only the little girl had cross-shaped wounds on her body. However, these wounds differ in length and depth from the previous two cases. Especially in previous cases, there were more wounds on the right side of the corpse and fewer on the left side, but this time it was the opposite. Based on the direction and location of the wounds, I suspect that last night’s perpetrator is left-handed.”

Having just completed the autopsy, Shen Junci’s face looked tired, his voice hoarse, but his tone was very determined. His tall figure, earnest analysis, commanded everyone’s attention.

There was silence at the scene as Shen Junci continued, “Another difference is that the previous perpetrator would lift the victims’ clothes, while many of the wounds on Zhao Xiaoyin were made through her clothes, shallow and fewer in number. The wounds were twisted, and despite the victim still having breath, she was treated as dead. These characteristics indicate that the perpetrator was extremely nervous, possibly a first-time offender.”

“The old man was suffocated. There were signs of struggle on the corpse. Fighting with an elderly person, the perpetrator definitely wasn’t a young man. On the blanket that suffocated the old man, I saw creases formed by double knees, indicating that the perpetrator was lying on top of the old man, using his entire body to cause the death.”

“The wound on the chest was the shallowest, small in size, avoiding the chest, and through the clothes. This indicates that the perpetrator had no special preference for female organs.”

Finishing his analysis in a hoarse voice, Shen Junci looked at Gu Yanchen sitting in the office, “In conclusion, from the perspective of a medical examiner, I suspect that the perpetrator is a left-handed woman who knows this family.”

After hearing him speak, the scene suddenly quieted down. The gazes of those present shifted from suspicion to confusion, then to admiration.

His analysis was eloquent and well-founded.

The medical examiner’s reasoning greatly narrowed down the range of suspects.

The men from the Zhao family began to whisper among themselves.

Zhao Jianghai’s eyes wandered, seeming to be thinking about something. One of the men beside him whispered a few words, and the old man stood up, “Alright, I think I know who the perpetrator is. Follow me.”

As he stood up, all the people from the Zhao family followed suit.

Gu Yanchen walked over to Shen Junci and patted his shoulder, “You did great, Medical Examiner Shen. You’ve worked hard. Wait for me here.”

Then he beckoned to several detectives from the City Bureau, “Let’s go over together.”

The detective surnamed Zhao stood up and stopped him, “Um, Officer Gu, they’re probably just going to ask someone. They’ll bring them over once they confirm.”

Gu Yanchen glanced at him, “They’ve probably already found someone. Are they going to interrogate privately?”

Ignoring the officers from the police station, he led the City Bureau detectives out, following Zhao Jianghai and his group.

Zhao Jianghai glanced back but said nothing. The people walked ahead until they reached the entrance of a convenience store.

Both the male and female shopkeepers were there. The male shopkeeper greeted warmly, “Cousin, why are you here?”

Zhao Jianghai said, “Have you heard about what happened at Zhao Xiaoyin’s house today?”

The shopkeeper was taken aback, then nodded, “Yes, I heard. It’s so tragic. Who did it?”

Zhao Jianghai didn’t answer him, his gaze falling on the female shopkeeper. He asked, “Did your wife go to Zhao Yihe’s house last night?”

The woman didn’t say anything, but her hands started trembling, and there was a hint of fear in her eyes.

The male shopkeeper’s gaze towards her changed, “Last night, you said you had a stomachache and went out for a while… Could it be…”

The woman seemed to want to refute, “I…”

Zhao Jianghai stepped forward, “The police suspect the perpetrator is a woman and left-handed.”

The woman’s left hand was arranging the shelves, but it timidly retracted, realizing she was cornered.

“It’s you!” Someone grabbed the woman’s hair and slapped her.

Zhao Jianghai also looked at her sternly, “As a member of our Zhao family, how can you do this? How can you face our ancestors?”

Someone shouted, “Tie this vicious woman to the ancestral tablet!”

“Yes! Let the family law deal with her!”

“Shameless!”

A gunshot rang out, interrupting the chaos.

It was Gu Yanchen and several officers who arrived. He fired a warning shot, dispersing the crowd, handcuffing the woman’s hands, and leading her away from the crowd, “This is a suspect in the eyes of the police. We will take her in for questioning.”

The woman kept her head down, seemingly afraid to fall into the hands of those people, and obediently followed the arrest.

The Zhao family members wanted to say something, but Zhao Jianghai waved his hand, and none of them dared to move. They stood there, watching the police take the woman away.

Gu Yanchen took the woman back to the Changxi Police Station. He found an office and had several officers interrogate her, specifically asking those with connections to the Zhao family to avoid the process.

The slap earlier had swollen the woman’s face, and she sobbed quietly with her head bowed.

The station chief helped find the woman’s household registration information. They verified her identity. The woman’s name was Lin Yujiao, 28 years old, who had married into Changxi County from Lintown eight years ago and had a daughter after coming here.

Gu Yanchen stood aside, observing the woman. Lin Yujiao looked haggard, pale, and lacked vitality. Her back was slightly hunched, her eyes red, making her look older than her actual age.

The officers asked, “Did you kill Zhao Yihe and Zhao Xiaoyin?”

Lin Yujiao nodded, then said, “There have been recent murders in the county, so last night, I…”

The officer interrupted, “So you went and killed two people?”

Her voice trembling, Lin Yujiao said, “I was out of my mind. After killing them, I wanted to surrender, but then I thought… no one would know it was me.”

The officers asked her to recount the crime process, and she detailed it.

“Last night, at two o’clock, I couldn’t sleep, so I went out and got a knife… I climbed over the wall into their house. When Zhao Xiaoyin was asleep, I went to her room. I heard that all the corpses had cross-shaped wounds, so I…”

Gu Yanchen noticed that the woman’s hands were cuffed and kept rubbing her palms, as if afraid of something.

After she finished speaking, the officers asked, “Why did you kill them?”

“Jealousy…” Lin Yujiao said, “After I came here and had a daughter, the men in the family treated me badly. They wanted me to have another child, but my health wasn’t good, so I didn’t. They often beat me. The Zhao family has many relatives, and they always compared my daughter with other girls of the same age, in terms of looks and academics…”

The officers frowned, finding it difficult to understand, “So because Zhao Xiaoyin was better than your daughter academically, you had thoughts of killing her out of jealousy?”

Lin Yujiao nodded again.

The officers asked, “And what about Zhao Yihe?”

Lin Yujiao said, “I originally only wanted to kill the girl, but he suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and came over to check. If I didn’t kill him together, what else could I do?”

She continued to cry, “You don’t know, during family gatherings, they would ridicule and mock me relentlessly. Every New Year and holiday, I was always looked down upon… Zhao Yihe was the most malicious one. He often drank and acted like an elder, lecturing me… My daughter and I have always been insulted and ridiculed by them, always treated as inferior. I couldn’t take it anymore. Even without the recent murders, I would have acted sooner or later.”

Gu Yanchen listened quietly, feeling that while some of what the woman, Lin Yujiao, said might be true, it didn’t seem like the whole truth. Her confession was calm and rational, completely unlike that of someone who had broken into a house and caused harm the previous night.

Gu Yanchen felt that Lin Yujiao might not have killed for the reasons she stated; her motivations could run deeper.

Some criminals hide the points where those inner evil thoughts sprout, even hypnotizing themselves to forget or feeling ashamed to admit them.

In such cases, even after prolonged questioning, they might not reveal their true motives.

After all the questioning was done, a young officer came over with the testimony, “Captain Gu, she confessed to everything.”

Gu Yanchen silently took the signed testimony and looked through it.

The other officers breathed a sigh of relief.

With solid evidence and a confession from the suspect, the police work was done. The rest would be handled by the prosecutor’s office and the courts. As for why she committed the murders and what she had been through, who would care? The police still had a serial killer case to solve, and they didn’t have much energy to spend on Lin Yujiao.

Gu Yanchen was puzzled. He decided to focus on the serial killer case first, and then personally interrogate Lin Yujiao later.

After wrapping up everything, it was almost two o’clock, and Captain Gu realized he hadn’t eaten yet.

He had breakfast early and was about to order some food when Shen Junci came over with several lunch boxes, “I just got back to the hotel, took a shower, and ordered takeout. Do you want to share?”

Gu Yanchen thought to himself, it’s always the family who cares the most.

He took the lunch boxes, “Is your throat still sore?”

He felt sorry for Shen Junci, who had spoken so much with a hoarse voice earlier.

Shen Junci replied, “Much better.”

They didn’t want to eat in the crude police station, so they found a nearby ancient pavilion with stone tables and chairs.

Outside, the spring was in full bloom, the sun was shining, but the two of them had no heart to appreciate it.

Death was spreading in this small county town, and if not controlled, it would escalate.

Gu Yanchen laid out the table mat and took out the lunch boxes. He looked around and whispered, “There’s something wrong with those with the Zhao surname.”

Shen Junci replied, “Don’t say that. It’s a common surname.”

Gu Yanchen continued, “I know, there are many good people with the Zhao surname. But speaking of this branch in Changxi, I checked and found out that Zhao Meng’an also came from a nearby village.”

Shen Junci picked at his food, listening to him. He still remembered that ruthless and insane killer.

Although the copycat case was solved, they knew very little about the real serial killer.

Gu Yanchen pondered, “I still can’t understand why those wounds are in the shape of a cross. Do you think… could it be related to religion? Or some strange occult practice?”

As soon as he mentioned the cross, he immediately thought of the crucifix and some symbols.

This fell within the realm of Criminal Minds.

Suddenly, Shen Junci remembered something and said, “When I was at the provincial hall, Director He often invited outside experts to give lectures, including someone who was very good at teaching Criminal Psychology. I think we could consult that teacher.”

Gu Yanchen asked, “Do you have the contact information for that teacher?”

They were just guessing here, which didn’t help in solving the case. Professional analysis from experts could give them direction.

Shen Junci replied, “Yes, I added him on WeChat. That teacher’s name is Su Hui.”