Kapitel 40: Chapter 40
Qi Mo's head felt heavy and muddled as he heard his phone ringing. He fumbled around, trying to answer it.
Daisy's voice came through, slightly loud as if she was at a party: "Qi Mo, I didn't hear your call earlier. What's up?"
Qi Mo's brain felt like it was filled with lead, his limbs felt foreign. "I didn't call you. And why aren't you here?"
Daisy sounded puzzled. "Where are you? ... Why do you sound so strange?"
Qi Mo leaned against his forehead, pushing himself up from the table. "Where? Didn't we all agree..." His words abruptly halted.
His vision cleared a bit, and he found himself in an empty old classroom. The lights were bright, and the ceiling fans were lazily spinning. In the spring night, a chill ran down his spine.
A strange shadow floated in front of him, swaying like a ghost.
What was that? Something was swaying above his head!
"Qi Mo, what's wrong?" Daisy's voice was tense, gradually cracking. "Qi Mo, talk to me! What's happening? Please, just say something!"
He held the phone but remained silent, stiffly raising his head to see a pair of white feet. Looking up, a white body hung from the ceiling fan, swaying in circles...
#
Yan Su arrived at the scene right at eleven.
It was an old classroom building at Wharton High School, soon to be demolished. Several police cars with flashing red lights parked below, bright and vivid. Inside, it was dark, with only two classrooms on the third floor lit up.
At a glance, it looked like a pair of eyes peering out of the darkness.
Yan Su took a flashlight from the officers downstairs, glanced at Zhen Ai, and said to the officer by the barrier, "She's my student." With that, he lifted the police tape.
Zhen Ai didn't question it and slowly slipped under the tape.
He walked into the dark stairwell, and she silently followed.
Since receiving that text, Yan Su's demeanor had changed.
He had been relaxed while watching the movie, but after getting the text and making the call, he fell silent. He maintained a cold and quiet demeanor all the way up the stairs, and Zhen Ai could feel the suppressed anger radiating from him.
He was always like this; even his anger was calm and restrained.
Zhen Ai had heard some details over the phone: the deceased was Anna Hope, 20 years old, a Wharton student and the illegitimate daughter of a law enforcement officer. Her half-sister, who was marrying today, was Annie Adams.
Yan Su walked quickly but hesitated for a moment while climbing the stairs, suddenly slowing his pace.
Zhen Ai knew he was waiting for her. She wanted to say, "I'm fine, you go check the scene!" but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she quickened her pace.
The cylindrical beam of the flashlight illuminated the dark, creepy stairwell, and the abandoned building was filled with the musty scent of decay.
What a perfect place for murder.
Unconsciously, Yan Su leaned a bit closer to Zhen Ai and asked softly, "Are you scared?"
Zhen Ai shook her head, then realized he wasn't looking at her, saying, "I used to be locked in dark rooms a lot."
Yan Su's flashlight flickered, and just as he was about to say something, the school administrator came down the stairs, looking as if he had just finished assisting with the investigation. He lit a cigarette while descending, his voice impatient: "Another death just before demolition? This building is cursed. Damn it, why won't this lighter work?"
Zhen Ai felt her mind go blank and shook her head vigorously. As she turned the corner on the third floor, she was distracted and nearly slipped, almost falling.
Fortunately, Yan Su reacted quickly and caught her.
Zhen Ai stumbled into his arms, looking up to see his clear, slightly worried eyes in the dark. Her heart raced, and she hurriedly steadied herself, feeling embarrassed.
Yan Su released her arm, looking intently at her. "Tired?" His tone was flat, carrying a hint of seriousness.
Zhen Ai paused, thinking he was scolding her for being distracted, and frowned. "It's not my fault; the floor is slippery."
His expression stiffened for a moment, then he smiled slightly: "I'm not blaming you." His tone softened, as if he were gently coaxing a child.
Zhen Ai's heart raced again, and she didn't know how to respond.
Just then, a forensic officer walked out of the second classroom, toolbox in hand, speaking as he left:
"Nothing here. No footprints, no fingerprints, not even skin flakes or clothing fibers. Only those from the student who found the body."
"But there are no signs that student committed the crime… it's as if the deceased hung herself."
"It's truly bizarre, just like the case from two years ago."
"The student who discovered the scene is in shock, saying his mind felt foggy like he was dreaming, and he doesn't remember anything."
Yan Su seemed to hear but didn't respond as he passed by the forensic officer.
The lights were on in the second and third classrooms.
The second classroom was the crime scene, with several police officers inside, including Eva and Jasmine. Eva had handled the autopsy in the previous case, which is why she was here this time. The deceased had already been taken down and laid on the ground, and Eva was examining her.
As for Jasmine, she had just transferred from N.Y.T to New York, and this case happened to fall within their precinct.
When Jasmine saw Zhen Ai, her expression was strange, as if she wanted to question why they were still together at this hour. But Zhen Ai's demeanor was indifferent; this wasn't the right time or place. She simply raised her chin and turned to Yan Su:
"The students who were here after the incident haven't contacted their families or sought legal counsel yet. We haven't notified the media either. But confidentiality can only last until tomorrow morning. After that..."
Everyone present understood.
After that, the news would no longer be contained. The media would certainly jump to conclusions about a serial killer, and Yan Su would be thrust into the spotlight.
Yan Su remained calm, showing no special reaction.
Jasmine called out to the side, "Officer Jones!"
A young male officer who had been speaking with Eva turned to them, seeming excited to see Yan Su. "Hey, S.A.! This case is identical to the unsolved one from two years ago. Both victims suffocated and were hung up, stripped of their clothes."
Zhen Ai fell silent. Although Yan Su thought the previous case had been resolved, the police considered it a serial killing and had yet to find the culprit, which is why it remained unsolved.
**Jones pointed to the ladder in the middle of the classroom, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.** "This hanging, just like the first one with the car, utilized mechanical force."
Following his finger, there was a thick rope hanging from the ceiling fan in the center, and a ladder the same height as the fan stood nearby, with tables scattered around.
Jones continued excitedly, "The killer tied the rope around the victim's neck, then wrapped it around the ladder and secured it to the fan blade. As the fan turned, it tightened the rope in circles. Using the rope's tension, the killer hoisted the victim up along the ladder. Once the remaining length of the rope was short enough, they let go. That's how the victim ended up hanging from the fan."
"I'm just laying out my reasoning." Jones looked eagerly at Yan Su. "Aside from this, there are no other clues. It's as perplexing as two years ago."
Zhen Ai watched Jones's expectant gaze for praise and silently thought that during those nights spent reasoning with Yan Su, she probably hadn't looked so foolish...
Yan Su remained still, staring at Jones. "After two years, Officer Jones's observational skills have clearly improved. Congratulations on identifying the most obvious issue."
Officer Jones looked flustered, scratching his head awkwardly, trying harder to impress: "It must be the same killer from two years ago who struck again!"
Yan Su's expression didn't change, and he didn't respond directly. Instead, he asked, "Were the police cars downstairs brought by you?"
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
Yan Su shot him a glance. "No big problem, just that the tires have likely flattened any shoeprints from entering or exiting the building, which probably includes the culprit's."
Officer Jones looked downcast, nearly on the verge of tears.
Yan Su frowned. "Sometimes I'm really curious about your brain..."
Zhen Ai couldn't watch any longer and gently nudged Yan Su's arm.
Yan Su turned back, puzzled. "Why are you poking me?"
Zhen Ai shot him an annoyed look.
Yan Su blinked, and after a moment, he understood, his expression wooden: "You don't like me speaking the truth again. Should I praise him instead?"
Zhen Ai: …
"S.A." Eva waved at Yan Su, shifting the deceased's body slightly. Yan Su understood and moved closer to take a look. Zhen Ai stood off to the side, unable to see but sensing that something was written on the victim's back.
A pentagram pattern, "you are my medicine."
Yan Su narrowed his eyes, seeming to smile but in a strange way. "Words carved into the skin can't be changed or erased. No wonder those students didn't tell their parents or seek lawyers. They're afraid their secrets will be exposed."
Only Zhen Ai understood this comment; no one else present grasped its meaning.
Eva was focused on the body, and Jasmine didn't want to appear out of sync with Yan Su, so only Jones asked, "What does that mean? The previous message wasn't this one! This is also the only thing different from the previous case. I'm guessing, did the killer get sick over these two years?"
...
Yan Su glanced over. "Officer Jones's imagination is truly remarkable." Before the latter could feel pleased, Yan Su added, "Always applied in the wrong places."
Officer Jones looked embarrassed again.
Yan Su took a photo of the writing on the deceased's back with his phone, muttering, "The cut is deep, but not much blood flowed."
He then looked at Jasmine. "Are those students giving their statements?"
Jasmine nodded. "They're all in the adjacent classroom. Eva estimates the time of death to be about two hours before the incident. The call came in at 10:30, and Anna's time of death was around 7:00 to 8:00. Strangely," she added, finding it troublesome, "everyone has an alibi except for Qi Mo."
Yan Su pondered, "He claims he was sleeping here the whole time?"
"Yes. Qi Mo said he's been seeing a therapist lately. He took some medication today and felt dizzy, dreaming. The forensic team took his medicine for testing. Although he's giving his statement, he seems quite shaken, so his reliability is low; he's likely rambling."
"What about the others?"
Jasmine hesitated. "The others are all acting strangely.
Anna sent a text to everyone yesterday, saying there was something important to discuss. But the meeting times she set were different for each person: 5:00 PM for Daisy, 6:00 PM for Kerry, 7:00 PM for Qi Mo, and 8:00 PM for Tony.
Based on the existing phone records, Daisy texted Anna at 5:17 PM saying she had to attend a friend's gathering and wouldn't be coming.
Tony sent two texts to Anna around 5:30 PM saying he wasn't coming. Shortly after, Kerry texted saying he wouldn't come either.
Qi Mo called Anna at 6:57 PM, but no one answered, then called Daisy at 7:09 PM, and still got no response."
Jasmine sighed, holding her forehead. "It's so chaotic; I really don't know what this group of students was doing. Do you want to go question them now?"
Yan Su pressed his lips together. "Let's wait a little longer."
With that, he took long strides and began to move slowly around the classroom. His handsome face took on a serious expression, his sharp gaze scanning every corner.
Jones watched curiously. He had heard Yan Su had remarkable observational skills and was eager to help. "Is there anything you need me to do?"
Yan Su replied, "Yes, shut up!"
Jones retreated, looking defeated.
Zhen Ai followed Yan Su's gaze around the room. The ceiling fans whirled above, the blue curtains were drawn tight, but the windows were broken, letting the night wind blow in and rustle the papers. The ground was littered with shards of glass.
"The deceased lay beside the podium, half-covered by a white cloth, with two rope-like marks on the neck. Overall, the scene appeared neat and clean."
On the podium lay the deceased's clothes, more accurately, they were stacked together, looking as if they were folded but quite loose. The outermost piece was the deceased's white sports jacket, which was quite dusty. The black hood had a section that seemed to be a darker color.
Zhen Ai couldn't discern anything, waiting for Yan Su to analyze the details as he usually did. Suddenly, he turned and stared directly at Zhen Ai, his gaze unwavering.
Everyone's attention shifted to Zhen Ai in an instant.
Zhen Ai felt her back stiffen. "What's wrong?"
Yan Su frowned, his tone firm. "Are you feeling unwell?"
… Did he have to be so abrupt…?
At that moment, Zhen Ai was hugging her arms.
Hearing his words, she froze, suddenly recalling the day Jiang Xin died, when she had stood off to the side just like this, arms crossed. At that time, Yan Su had also sensed something unusual about her. The difference was that this time, his tone held a hint of concern, unlike his previous coldness.
Jasmine subtly frowned but spoke with genuine concern, "Zhen Ai, if you're scared, you can step outside."
Zhen Ai hesitated for a moment, repeatedly touching her neck while looking at the white cloth. She shook her head. "No, it's not because of her."
In that case, she had known Jiang Xin and had seen the bloody scene, which had caused her mild discomfort; but Anna, to her, was just like any other unfamiliar experimental corpse she had encountered.
Yan Su's expression turned serious as he fixed his gaze on her. "What is it because of?"
Jasmine let out a quiet huff, thinking Zhen Ai was timid yet unwilling to admit it! And being all cryptic!
Zhen Ai recalled their last conversation about fairy tales, lowering her head in hesitation. "It's not a big deal, really."
Yan Su, clearly unsatisfied with her answer, stepped forward and directly grabbed Zhen Ai's arm, pulling her out.
He led her into the darkness and spoke in a low voice, "Any abnormality at the scene is crucial."
Seeing his focused demeanor made Zhen Ai feel even more embarrassed, her voice dwindling. "Actually, it's nothing much. I just remembered something my mom used to say."
He surprisingly didn't find her words absurd. "What did she say?"
"My mom said not to cross paths with a black cat, not to walk under a ladder, and not to... break a mirror." Zhen Ai raked her fingers through her hair. "Because doing so..."
"Because doing so is ominous, it invites misfortune," Yan Su calmly finished her sentence.
He knew those were three of the strangest superstitions in the West.
But until Zhen Ai mentioned it, he hadn't realized that there were also these three elements at the crime scene: Anna's black hood on the podium, the deceased in the ladder's midst, and the broken glass by the window.
Glass? No, he remembered there were also pieces of a mirror.
Where did this strange sense of dissonance come from?
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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Rangliste 
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Stein