Chapter 64: The Other Shore Flower Blooms

Chang Huaqiang called Gu Changzheng to ask about Xiao Jiang. Gu Changzheng just remembered the dance hall foreman Xiao Jiang and asked casually when he would return to Zizhen. If he could describe the appearance of the girl who left with Xiao Fang, it would be of great help to the case.

Chang Huaqiang was stunned when he heard this. He told Gu Changzheng that he had gone to the provincial capital a few days ago and returned yesterday to find that Xiao Jiang hadn't come to work. Only then did he remember that he had said he would go to the branch to assist in the investigation. The two sides compared, and Gu Changzheng said he received a message from someone claiming to be Xiao Jiang, saying he would return to his hometown for a few days and go to the branch after arriving in Zizhen. Both found that things were not simple. Just at this moment, Lu Haoxuan shouted in the office: "Changzheng, there is a new situation! Come with me to the scene!"

The scene Lu Haoxuan mentioned was by the Qingjiang River in Jiangdong District. The Water Police Detachment salvaged a male corpse. The corpse's clothing was intact. What was weird was that the corpse was tied to a bicycle!

In such an obvious murder situation, the Water Police Detachment police immediately notified the branch.

Lu Haoxuan took Gu Changzheng, Hu Jinquan, and other criminal police team members, as well as Forensic Doctor Xiao Zheng.

Through on-site autopsy, it was found that there were obvious irregular flake abrasions on the back of the corpse's head, accompanied by intermittent strip-like scratches. It was preliminarily judged that it was an active injury caused by bricks and stones. Prying open the deceased's mouth and teeth, there was no feature of drowning. It could be inferred that the deceased was beaten to death by someone with bricks and stones on the back of the head and then sunk into the river!

Checking the deceased's chest, it was found that there were pressure marks caused by heavy objects. Combined with the fact that the deceased's outer clothing was intact, there were several irregular edge abrasions on the underwear, which should be that the killer was worried that a bicycle could not sink the deceased to the bottom of the water, so he pressed a few stones in the deceased's cotton-padded jacket. After the corpse entered the water, the stones didn't know how they fell out.

On-site autopsy conclusion: Deceased male, age 20-25, the corpse did not show signs of decay, the cornea was severely turbid, the corpse spots were not obvious, there was an active injury from bricks and stones on the back of the head, and there was no feature of drowning in the mouth and nose. The deceased should have been beaten to death by someone from behind with a brick-like murder weapon and then tied with heavy objects to sink into the water. The time of death was about 72 hours.

Gu Changzheng listened to Forensic Doctor Xiao Zheng's conclusion and pulled Hu Jinquan: "Old Hu, do you think this deceased looks familiar?" Hu Jinquan also had the same question in his heart. It was just that after three days of soaking in water, although the weather was cold and the temperature was low, there was no giant appearance, but there was a big change from the appearance before death. The two stared for a long time, and suddenly said in unison: "Luohua Dance Hall!"

Gu Changzheng remembered Chang Huaqiang's call and suddenly realized: "Xiao Jiang! The foreman of Luohua Dance Hall!"

Hu Jinquan heard him call out Xiao Jiang's name and also slapped his thigh: "That's it! It's him, he was wearing the same pants as that night!"

Lu Haoxuan listened to their conversation, as if he had expected something. He asked: "Related to the 1.10 case?" There is always a cause for an incident. What could a young man with no money, no power, and no influence offend? What kind of deep hatred could he have? The only possibility is that he touched some secret or threatened someone's safety!

"Xiao Zheng, is the time of death determined to be 72 hours?" Lu Haoxuan asked.

Forensic Doctor Zheng Guogiang said: "Team Leader Lu, some details still need to be confirmed after the autopsy, but the time of death, I can be sure, is about three days!"

Lu Haoxuan nodded gently: "Changzheng, you two said you knew the deceased just now?"

Gu Changzheng came over and told the content of the conversation with Xiao Jiang in the Luohua Dance Hall that night. After Lu Haoxuan finished listening, he pondered for a while and said: "There is a clue! It seems that several major cases that have made Zizhen City restless during this period are actually related! And the one who stirred up the demon wind is very likely that girl!"

Gu and Gao looked at their mentor in surprise. This hypothesis was too bold! Any one of these cases was a major criminal case! And so many major cases were actually related to a girl?! If it were them, they really wouldn't dare to make such a hypothesis!

"Master, where should we start with Xiao Jiang's death?" Hu Jinquan's brain was still a bit confused.

Lu Haoxuan had a confident look and said: "The time points are all correct. Jinquan, you immediately clarify Xiao Jiang's residence, his basic social relationships, and understand which colleagues he was close to on weekdays. The focus is on who might know the next day, that is, the 17th, Xiao Jiang would go to the bureau to find you!"

"This killer, if I'm not mistaken, is very likely someone who was in the Luohua Dance Hall that day, and it might be other staff in the dance hall. This person and Xiao Jiang had a good relationship! On the dance hall side, we must clarify who left after the 17th!"

"The crime scene must be found immediately. This is the key. After mastering these situations, I believe that the murderer will jump out!" Lu Haoxuan looked into the distance with firm eyes, as if he had already seen the scene of the crime!

Hu Jinquan went to Luohua Dance Hall to find Chang Huaqiang to understand the situation immediately.

Gu Changzheng said: "Master, you suspect the killer..." Lu Haoxuan said: "There are not so many coincidences in the world. These murder cases are not isolated. The key point during the period, or the pusher who promoted these events, might be

Gu Changzheng did not understand his Master's intention; there was not yet any evidence to prove that Jiang's death was related to Tao Xiaoyong, so what was the purpose of going there like this?

Lu Haoxuan saw his doubts, smiled, and said, "Go drive the car quickly; you will naturally understand in the future!"

Gu Changzheng had never doubted his Master's judgment; he just hadn't grasped the key to it for the moment.

Carrying his questions, he rode the three-wheeled motorcycle with flashing police lights over, and the master and apprentice headed toward the Jiangnan Branch Bureau.

————

Returning to Hu Jinquan, he brought a colleague from the Criminal Police Brigade to the Luhua Dance Hall. Chang Huaqiang was in his office. After finishing his phone call with Gu Changzheng, he also felt something was wrong, guessing that Gu Changzheng and the others might come to find him, and sure enough, he waited for Hu Jinquan!

At this time, Chang Huaqiang did not yet know about Jiang's matter, and Hu Jinquan did not mention it at all. Seeing that there was also a young man of similar age to Jiang standing in Chang Huaqiang's office, Hu Jinquan looked at Chang Huaqiang with a suspicious gaze. The latter immediately said, "Oh, Officer Hu, this kid is Jiang's best buddy, named Long Guangsheng. I thought you might want to understand Jiang's situation, and this little Long should be able to help."

Hu Jinquan couldn't help but take a few extra looks at Chang Huaqiang, thinking to himself: This person is indeed very clever.

The questioning went very smoothly. Hu Jinquan obtained an important piece of information from little Long: that day, after he and Gu Changzheng had kept watch at the dance hall all night and left, Jiang, his close friend little Long, two female waitresses from the dance hall, and a waiter named little Yong had eaten late-night snacks together at a "Red Shed" (a type of local mobile street-stall hotpot set up outdoors; because it was cold in winter, the stall owner would set up a simple shed on the spot, and because the sheds were mostly red, the locals called them Red Sheds). Someone asked what he was doing in Brother Qiang's office today. At first, Jiang was mysterious and refused to say, but later, after he had drunk a bit too much, he revealed a piece of information that would later cost him his life!