Chapter 704: The Masked Face!

This blow from the murderer.

For Cao Xiuyuan and Sun Zhou, it was too heavy.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this blow not only left Cao Sun disoriented.

But it could forever leave a blemish on their police careers.

Of course, the person most affected must be Sun Zhou.

Because Dou Zhihai was brought in by him.

Presumably, Sun Zhou’s original intention was to mentor Dou Zhihai.

Every ambitious young officer longs for such an opportunity.

But, if it leads to death, then as his superior, Sun Zhou will also have an unavoidable responsibility.

As for Cao Xiuyuan, he is the leader of the task force.

He needs to take responsibility for this.

For Cao Xiuyuan’s arrangements, Qin Fei had no objections, nor did Chen Xiao.

However, he seriously reminded Qin Fei:

"You need to be extra cautious in Xiaozhuang South Town, no one can be sure if that guy is ever satisfied. What he’s done is already behaving like a madman."

"Madmen can never be judged by common sense, this confrontation isn’t just Captain Cao and Captain Sun’s loss, it’s ours too."

Qin Fei nodded, "I understand, now everyone needs to be more vigilant and cautious."

Chen Xiao said nothing more, getting into the car with Cao Xiuyuan.

The journey from Xiaozhuang South Town to Zhushan City isn’t far, driving takes just over an hour.

On the road, Cao Xiuyuan was constantly receiving calls.

From superiors, task force members, and certainly Sun Zhou.

The latter had already recovered from the initial shock and blow.

Compared to Cao Xiuyuan, perhaps Sun Zhou is now most eager to capture and dismember the killer.

However, Chen Xiao didn’t listen to what they were saying.

Throughout the journey, Chen Xiao consulted the city maps of Zhushan City.

Seeing the shopping center marked, Chen Xiao deeply felt the passive position investigators are in during a murder case.

Chen Xiao anticipated that the killer would target the task force.

But he hadn’t predicted that the killer would set his sights on a common officer.

Chen Xiao also foresaw that the killer would choose a conspicuous and crowded place to dump the body.

Though he thought of many places in Fengshan County, he hadn’t considered the killer would change locations and head into the city.

Chen Xiao realized his thinking was limited, not broadened enough.

Of course, the initiative was not his, it was with the killer.

He also realized that this journey to Zhushan City was merely to confront the failure of the task force and the sacrifice of an officer.

As for what clues could be found from Dou Zhihai’s death, Chen Xiao wasn’t optimistic.

After an hour-long journey, Chen Xiao and Cao Xiuyuan arrived at the Zhushan City Bureau.

In the city bureau’s forensic department, Chen Xiao also saw Dou Zhihai, murdered by the killer.

Although he hadn’t suffered the same mutilation as Yuan Keyu, the first impression of his body was tragic!

Out of ten fingers, only two were intact.

There were no fewer than ten bruises on the body, all evidence of a struggle before death.

But the result of the struggle was Dou Zhihai couldn’t defeat his opponent.

Sun Zhou saw it first, now sitting in a chair in a daze, lost in thought.

Chen Xiao ignored him and approached the body after donning protective clothes.

Greeting Director Chang, who was conducting the autopsy, Chen Xiao carefully observed Dou Zhihai’s body.

The fatal injury was a slit throat at the neck.

Injuries indicating heavy blows were on the chest and back.

Eight of his ten fingernails had been ripped out.

Frowning at the sight, Director Chang spoke:

"Xiaohai was supposed to be conducting interviews within Xiaozhuang South Town under Old Sun’s instructions, nothing difficult required, just intending for him to gain experience.

"But after dinner yesterday evening, Xiaohai went out and Old Sun never heard from him since, until waking up this morning and finding Xiaohai still hadn’t returned to the dorm, so he called."

"No one expected something like this to happen."

Director Chang sighed and quickly revealed their subsequent findings:

"From the autopsy, it appears he was ambushed from the start, struck on the back of the head, losing the ability to resist."

"The killer then beat him and tortured him into doing certain things. Finally, he was hung on the outer wall of the shopping center and had his major artery cut."

"The outer wall and ground of the shopping center were full of blood."

Hearing this, Chen Xiao asked:

"How do we confirm it’s the same killer we’re investigating?"

Director Chang sighed: "He couldn’t withstand it and revealed our entire investigation progress."

Chen Xiao looked at Director Chang in surprise.

The latter’s eyes were behind a mask, showing a complicated mix of emotions.

That complexity seemed to mourn the sacrifice of a young officer, yet lament his inability to endure torture, revealing everything.

If he hadn’t revealed anything, Sun Zhou, and even the task force, could have argued something for the young officer later.

But revealing too much changes everything.

"Did they record a video?" Chen Xiao asked.

Director Chang nodded: "Yes, the whole tormenting process was recorded. Initially, Xiaohai was resisting to the end, but eventually, he couldn’t hold on."

"We are police officers, not made of iron, oh..."

Director Chang seemed to want to say more but swallowed the words.

Chen Xiao glanced at the still-dazed Sun Zhou and asked, "Is the video with Captain Sun, or is it at the City Bureau?"

"It’s at the City Bureau, both I and Old Sun watched it. Afterward, Old Sun has been like this, unable to snap out of it for a while."

Chen Xiao made a sound of acknowledgment and exchanged a glance with Cao Xiuyuan as they headed toward the crime squad at the City Bureau.

Because the killer’s recorded video is crucial for their investigation!

Acquiring the video at the City Bureau, Chen Xiao played it immediately.

At first glance, Dou Zhihai was too weak to resist.

But the video didn’t show anyone else, only a voice, processed, asked:

"Do you know why it’s you?"

The first question made Chen Xiao’s gaze wince, for it contained too much information.

Dou Zhihai merely hung his head without speaking, and the voice continued with a mocking tone:

"They’ve been investigating for days; surely, it’s time they understand why that professor came to Xiaozhuang South Town."

"Now that they know, it means the so-called locked-room murder doesn’t exist, it’s just me cleverly manipulating the surveillance."

"With this discovery, any competent detective will next investigate the murderer’s psyche. Hmm... if I were the police, I’d certainly choose this time to probe the murderer’s mind."

"If you police officers have any competence, you’d guess I’m extremely dissatisfied with your confidentiality actions. Given my dissatisfaction, what would I do?"

"Of course, I’d continue to cause trouble, and even bigger trouble!"

"Bigger trouble means killing new people, and a greater impact requires people of more importance! So, I originally planned to target Cao Xiuyuan or Sun Zhou, and if I could successfully ambush them, you police would become a joke!"

"But just before I acted, I suddenly thought, why target Cao Xiuyuan or Sun Zhou to make the task force a joke?"

"As long as I kill anyone from your task force, it makes the whole group a joke!"

"So, blame it on your bad luck that I suddenly had an epiphany just as I was about to act... hahaha!"

The person laughed maniacally.

As his laughter grew, the video revealed a masked face.