Chapter 25: The Case of the Headless Female Corpse (13)

Before Xiaoman could even speak, Gu Ye jumped in, "I can teach Xiaoman combat. From now on, if anyone dares to bully you, you can just knock them flat!"

"Me too!" Jiang Qi raised his hand. "I’ll teach Xiaoman about computers—hacking, cracking passwords, all of it. It’ll be a breeze."

Lin Nan reached out to stroke Xiaoman’s soft cheek. "Xiaoman, Auntie will teach you how to shoot. You’ll be our police squad's little sharpshooter in no time!"

Before Du Lang could get a word in, Zhou Lin swept the group with a cold gaze. "Have you all forgotten why we’re here?"

Xiaoman looked at everyone and smiled. Within her father’s team, she was cherished by everyone; she was the little mascot of their criminal investigation unit!

"Investigation, investigation!" Du Lang hurriedly signaled the others. "But we still haven't heard from Dr. Xie on how to distinguish the real skulls from the fake ones!"

Xie Zhou looked at the group, picked up a dummy skull used for teaching, and began his demonstration.

"Anatomically speaking, first, look at the orientation of the blood vessels and nerves. Plastic models simplify these distributions, whereas real skulls have much more complex micro-structures. Second, look at the cranial sutures. On a real skull, sutures like the coronal and sagittal ones show natural signs of healing, whereas fake models are typically injection-molded as a single piece."

Everyone split up and began examining the teaching specimens. Those who were uncertain brought them to the forensic pathologist for re-verification.

Xiaoman cradled a skull, examining it carefully. After listening to Uncle Xie’s explanation, she had already learned a great deal.

"Daddy, look! Is this one real?" Xiaoman’s milky, adorable voice rang out.

Zhou Lin strode over and took the skull from her. Xie Zhou leaned in close. "It's real! Xiaoman, you’re truly impressive! I’m buying you an extra chicken leg tonight!"

He turned to Zhou Lin and added, "Captain Zhou, Xiaoman is better than you!"

"If my daughter isn't impressive, then who is?" Zhou Lin chuckled, every word he spoke filled with pride.

Xie Zhou called over the rest of the forensics team. "Make a record. We’ll move them back to the lab shortly for a more detailed examination."

The others turned the teaching molds upside down, gradually finding several real human skulls. After registering them, they took them back to the lab.

The incident at the medical school had alerted the dean, who arrived in person, accompanied by Zhou Zhenghong. He saw his second son working, and even little Xiaoman was busy, never stopping for a moment.

This little girl seemed born to be a police officer; she wasn't afraid at all. Watching her small figure darting about, it was clear the entire squad treated her like a treasure.

"Xiaoman, time to go back with Grandpa!" Zhou Lin said, taking her hand.

Zhou Zhenghong huffed, "Why do I always run into you while you're investigating cases?"

"Grandpa, it's just a coincidence," Xiaoman said, acting spoiled. "I didn't even tell Daddy that you and I were playing at Changjing University!"

Zhou Zhenghong’s mustache twitched, but looking at the girl’s sparkling eyes, he couldn't bring himself to scold his son.

Grandpa and granddaughter left with Daofeng. Xiaoman waved to the group, "Goodbye, Daddy! Goodbye, uncles and aunties!"

Xie Zhou checked the medical school’s registry again. "There’s one extra real skull and one missing specimen from the Qian'gu factory. Someone must have swapped them. Captain Zhou, finding out how they got them in is up to you. We’re going to cross-reference the real specimens to identify Tang Hong’s skull."

Zhou Lin gathered his team. "Look into Li Ping’s social connections and his residence."

Lin Nan pulled out her notes. "Captain Zhou, Li Ping and Li Shu live in the Guixiang residential complex. We’ve already searched it, but came up empty."

Zhou Lin pondered. "Guixiang is a neighborhood with a high-end environment and prime location. Given Li Ping’s financial situation, he wouldn't have lived there from the start. Check where he lived when he first arrived."

Jiang Qi checked the computer. "Captain Zhou, when Li Ping and Li Shu arrived years ago, they were registered at a very remote basement apartment."

"Let's go!" Zhou Lin signaled for everyone to get in the car. "We’ll split into two teams. Gu Ye and Lin Nan, you check the factories linked to the medical school. The rest of you, come with me to the basement."

The landlord, a man in his sixties, said, "Li Ping moved out over a year ago, but he still pays the rent every month, saying he’s nostalgic for the place."

The basement still held traces of their former life. It was poorly ventilated and stifling. There were some supplies Li Ping and Li Shu had brought from their hometown. On a worn-out low table, medical textbooks and children’s books sat neatly, all covered in dust.

Du Lang waved his hand. "Captain Zhou, there’s a back room, and it's locked."

The landlord claimed he didn't have the key, so Du Lang broke the lock. As the door opened, a sickening scent of blood lingered, even after all this time. Zhou Lin stood at the threshold. Inside, the tools for slaughtering pigs were all there—tables, axes, bone-cleaving knives, and electric saws.

The forensics team entered. The technician killed the lights, and the sound of spraying chemical reagents hissed through the air.

In the darkness, haunting blue traces suddenly emerged on the walls, spreading like ghost fire.

"Captain Zhou, this is the dismemberment site. Blood splattered on the walls and soaked into the floor. We’re collecting samples now to test if it matches Zhu Yan and Tang Hong."

Zhou Lin nodded. "Hard work, everyone."

He stepped outside. The landlord was trembling so violently he could barely stand. He muttered to himself, "Li Ping was such a kind young man to his neighbors. If he had meat left over in the evenings, he’d often give it to the poor. He doted on his sick sister; when people told him to put her in a care home, he couldn't bear to... He taught himself medicine, and if anyone in the complex was sick, he’d buy them medicine, saving the workers here a trip to the hospital... How could he be a killer? How could he..."

But the facts were right in front of him; he had no choice but to believe.

"Captain Zhou, could he have been forced into it? Li Ping was a good man..."

"Old man, regardless of the circumstances, murder and dismemberment are crimes. The law shows no mercy." Zhou Lin’s expression was cold and stern.

Many neighbors had gathered, and not a single one said Li Ping wasn't a good man.

Zhou Lin and his team returned to the bureau by nightfall. Expecting to close the case today, everyone worked overtime. The forensic report arrived, and Zhou Lin nodded upon reading it. Gu Ye and Lin Nan also returned with evidence, which they handed over to Zhou Lin.

Zhou Lin and Du Lang entered the interrogation room. The moment Li Ping saw them, his first words were, "I killed Tang Hong, and I dismembered her."

Du Lang opened his notebook. "We already have ironclad evidence. You're confessing again?"

"I thought I was smart, always wanting to test you police officers!" Li Ping replied calmly. "Murder and burying a body is like solving an advanced math problem; it requires meticulous logic and the ability to adapt. Ninety percent of people in this world don't know how to do it!"

Zhou Lin looked at him with sharp, piercing eyes. "Li Ping, why did you kill Tang Hong?"