My intuition told me that the victim was killed in a hurry because he might reveal the murderer’s identity. Since the two were old classmates, the murderer had no trouble at all approaching the victim.
However, this was merely speculation, so I kept it to myself.
"Song Yang-gege, look at the victim’s skin!" blurted Bingxin.
There were tiny wounds all over the victim’s skin that had turned white. I also caught a whiff of bleach. Upon further examination, I said, "The murderer scalded the victim with boiling water and scrubbed him clean with a steel mesh, making sure all his fingerprints were removed."
"How can he do this to his own classmate! He must be the devil!" cursed Bingxin.
Like the previous victims, his face was disfigured by hydrochloric acid, and the fingerprints were sliced off. Picking up the victim’s hand, I noticed newly-healed wounds on the knuckles and calluses on the outer part of the fingers.
This man was either a boxer or fought frequently. He was definitely mixed up with the gangs.
With Bingxin’s help, I turned the body over. Upon removing the Futou, I found a depression in the back of the victim’s head as well as blood-clotting. The bone fragments were shaped in a radial pattern, suggesting the victim suffered a blow from a blunt instrument from behind.
Aside from that, there was no other obvious trauma. A fatal blow–the murderer's methods had matured from his previous murders!
What was used to pose the corpse was plywood fixed to the shoulder blade, firmly tied to the victim’s arm with metal wires. The knotted part of the metal wire was twisted together using pincer pliers.
Though the left side was carefully twisted, the right side seemed sloppy in comparison, as if made by a different person.
I picked up the plastic film wrapped around the body and examined it. There was an oil stain that smelled of food. "The murderer had an extra helper this time, but the helper doesn’t seem professional," I surmised.
"Is it an accomplice?" Xiaotao asked.
"No, just someone to deal with the body! The victim is physically strong and often fights. If the murderer didn’t sneak an attack from behind, I’m afraid even two people wouldn’t be his opponent."
Right then, Captain Tang came running. "The vehicle that sped off belongs to Ke Wenyuan, the Hanfu store owner."
"It's this guy!” exclaimed Xiaotao. “So he’s the helper."
"The murderer must have something on Ke Wenyuan, forcing him to help," I deduced.
"We have investigated all of Ke Wenyuan's acquaintances and there are no teachers in his circle."
"So perhaps this man isn’t his friend."
Bingxin asked if I wanted to perform an autopsy, to which I shook my head. "The murderer is now an expert and has done a meticulous job. There’s no need for an autopsy, but you can look for pathological changes on the victim’s body and perhaps determine his identity through medical history."
However, the possibility of this was small at best. After all, these young victims were unlikely to have had serious illnesses.
After sending off the body, we returned to the hotel. On the way there, I purchased a map of Jiangling City and a marker pen.
"Are you going to use the Divination Technique again?" asked Xiaotao.
"I'm afraid I can't use it this time since the murderer disposes of the bodies with a purpose. But we can try other ways."
Back to the hotel, I spread the map on the floor, marked the three dump sites, and circled each point, or the estimated radii of the murderer's activity. It was impossible to dump a body in the city on foot, so the murderer must have a car.
The intersection of the three circles coincided with the southeast section of Guangling District.
"Does the murderer live in this area?" queried Xiaotao.
I shook my head, "My guess isn’t necessarily accurate. The first three bodies were dumped during public holidays. The murderer would have plenty of time and a larger range of activity."
"I believe in your intuition,” Xiaotao smiled. “We can start from this area after the three-day holiday."
By this point, it was already past eleven o'clock. I was just about to head back to my room to rest when Xiaotao offered, "Won’t you stay the night?"
"But what if Bingxin comes back later?"
"Don't worry, that annoying third wheel won't be back for a while."
Bingxin had left for the station to conduct the autopsy. The thought of just the two of us in a hotel room had my ears flushed and throat dry with desire.
Xiaotao jumped out of bed. "I'll take a shower. Wait for me."
A few minutes later came the sound of running water. I turned on the TV, trying to calm my pounding heart. The atmosphere in the hotel was more suggestive than at home. I pondered how to break the ice when Xiaotao returned.
With how busy we both were, the notion of leisure time was wishful thinking. I had to seize every opportunity.
Taking a few deep breaths, I gradually regained composure. At this moment, the sounds from the bathroom came to an abrupt stop. Xiaotao walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, wet hair slightly curled and draped over her slender back. Her skin was still stained with moisture, cheeks red like apples. There was nothing more alluring than a beautiful woman after a shower.
"Good boy, you didn’t chicken out," chuckled Xiaotao.
"A-am I such a coward?" I stammered in reply.
Xiaotao climbed into the bed and patted the space next to her, "Come over here!"
After a moment’s hesitation, I did as she asked. With her head on my chest, Xiaotao snuggled in my arms, grabbed the remote control from my hand, and carelessly changed the channel.
"Your heart is beating so quickly," remarked Xiaotao.
Only then did I notice she was listening to my heartbeat. However, I wasn’t sure what to say. Looking up at me, she asked, "Why are you always so nervous when you’re with me?"
I was suddenly reminded of a phrase. "Because from the first time I saw you until now, you have always been a dazzling goddess in my eyes."
"What a sweet talker!"
She leaned in and stuck her lips to mine. As soon as I met her soft, flexible tongue, my body responded involuntarily. There were two different voices fighting fiercely in my head, and finally I was overcome by desire.
I flipped her over, pinning her down on the bed. Xiaotao blushed with expectation and uneasiness, her mood mirroring my own.
My hands held Xiaotao's shoulders, unmoving for about ten seconds. Although I had previously watched porn, I wasn’t sure where to start.
My brain went blank.
"Idiot!" Xiaotao laughed.
Should we forget it...
The sentence danced around in my throat, but I fought the impulse to speak the words. This time, I had to stick it out till the end.
Plucking up my courage, I reached for her towel. Xiaotao moved her legs uneasily, her smooth calves rubbing against my thigh, but there was no sign of resistance. The unique scent of her body tantalized the senses, making my blood boil, and my courage surged. I slowly peeled off the towel, exposing the soft, snow-like skin underneath.
"Will it hurt?" Xiaotao asked in a low voice.
"If it does, I’ll stop!" At this point, I didn’t even know what I was saying.
"Silly!" giggled Xiaotao.
Blood rushed all over my body, my cheeks boiling hot as impulse dominated me. I couldn't wait to remove my clothes and reveal my slender body. Xiaotao suddenly clutched at my chest and whispered, "Get the condom."
"Okay!"
I quickly got out of bed and pulled out a box of condoms, unpacked them, and held the slippery rubber. After living for twenty-four years, I still didn't know how to use it...