Chapter 368: Clue

Did Xu Jing tell you anything before she went missing? Like who she was going to meet, where she was going, that sort of thing?

The officer's question made the woman frown slightly, as if she were thinking about the matter.

Seeing the woman's expression, the officers immediately realized she was trying to recall events from years ago, but too much time had passed and she couldn't remember for the moment.

He immediately said, "Don't be nervous, take your time, and tell us whatever you remember."

"Okay... okay." The woman's eyes darted a little.

After about half a minute, she shook her head: "I can't remember."

"You can't remember anything at all?"

"I can't remember, sorry—it's really been too long; I truly can't recall anything."

Hearing this, Li Yunfei couldn't help but click his tongue, feeling disappointed; he had thought Xu Jing's best friend could provide useful information, but she couldn't recall anything due to the long passage of time.

"Alright, but if you remember anything later, please contact us right away." Before leaving, Li Yunfei added.

They only had three days left to solve the case as assigned, so they had to work quickly; since Xu Jing's best friend couldn't remember anything, there was no point wasting more time with her, and they needed to find someone else to question.

"Okay, then I'll contact you if I remember anything."

"Hmm." Li Yunfei turned to the other officers: "Let's go, let's ask someone else."

Xu Mo, who had been leaving with the officers, walked two steps forward, then suddenly turned back, stared at the woman, and asked: "Was Xu Jing's disappearance years ago related to you?"

Hearing this, the officers who were about to leave immediately turned their heads, all looking at Xu Mo, then at the woman.

At that moment, the woman's expression was very unnatural; she quickly shook her head: "No, no relation! How could her disappearance have anything to do with me?"

Xu Mo had already sensed something off about this woman; after asking, he became more certain of his suspicion.

This person is suspicious! The woman's nervousness immediately raised the officers' suspicions—they felt certain that Xu Jing's disappearance years ago must be linked to her, and some even wondered if her death might also be connected to her.

Being stared at by so many officers with that look, the woman grew even more panicked.

What happened back then has nothing to do with me!

She glanced around, then gritted her teeth, as if making a decision.

"Xu Jing's disappearance really has nothing to do with me, but I do know some things about it that others don't. Why don't you come inside? We can talk slowly in there."

The officers exchanged a glance, then nodded and followed the woman into the room behind her.

"Sit down, I'll boil some water and make tea for you."

"No need, just tell us directly."

Rather than tea, the officers were more eager to learn what the woman knew that nobody else did.

Under the officers' gaze, the woman began to speak slowly.

"Actually... I still remember the situation back then very clearly; I just didn't dare to say it. Xu Jing was my best friend—how could I possibly forget something as big as her disappearance?"

"Ten years ago, after Xu Jing and I dropped out of high school, we worked at a restaurant to earn money. It was summer break, and while working there she met a college student who was also from Lütengshi, though he attended university in the neighboring city—I recall it was Public Security University."

"After that college student started school, they often chatted on their phones, and their feelings grew. Later... Xu Jing wanted to go to the neighboring city to find that student, rent a place, work while keeping him company during his studies. She told only me about this, no one else—especially not her parents, for fear of being scolded."

"Oh right, the idea for her to go to the neighboring city came from that college student himself."

"Back then she even asked me, wondering if she should go; I was envious of her and wanted a love like that, so I encouraged her. Who knew that once she left, she never came back, and we lost contact entirely—I only realized then that something might have happened to her."

"Afterward, her parents, unable to reach her for a long time, went straight to the police, thinking Xu Jing had just run away from home... At that time only I knew the truth, but I didn't dare speak up—I feared her parents would blame me, and even more so that I'd be held responsible, so I kept it bottled up inside."

The woman's words matched the officers' earlier guesses.

Indeed, the facts matched their speculation: the killer of Xu Jing was indeed her boyfriend, and that killer was a student at Public Security University.

As for the woman not daring to tell the police or Xu Jing's family what she knew about the truth of Xu Jing's disappearance, the officers said they could understand.

In that situation, it's normal to stay silent out of fear—after all, if she spoke up, Xu Jing's parents would surely blame her, possibly even resent her.

"Xu Jing's boyfriend is also from Lütengshi... Did you ever meet him back then?" Xu Mo asked.

"Yes, I have—I once had a meal together with Xu Jing and her boyfriend."

"What did he look like?"

The woman shook her head: "I can't remember; it's been too long."

"Do you know what his name was?"

After a moment's thought, the woman slowly shook her head again: "I don't know; I only recall that his name had three characters and included the word 'bing' (soldier)."

"'Bing? As in the character for soldier?'"

"'Yes, Xu Jing always called him 'our little brother Bing' in front of me.'"

"'What year was he in college then?'"

"'I don't know; I only know he was a student at the neighboring Public Security University.' The woman said: 'That's all I know—I've told you everything I know about the situation, officers. Xu Jing's disappearance really has nothing to do with me; I just know why she left Lütengshi.'"

When the officers first found her, she said nothing, still afraid that if others learned of this she'd be punished; now she's telling everything to dispel their suspicions.

If she speaks about the past, no one will blame her—after all, Xu Jing's parents have already left Lütengshi, so speaking now won't draw criticism; but if she stays silent, the officers will surely suspect her of direct involvement in Xu Jing's disappearance, and she doesn't want to be wrongfully accused.

Although the woman only knows this much, she has already helped the officers narrow down the suspect's range considerably.

The killer is a student at Public Security University—something the officers had already guessed.

But there are also some details they didn't know before that can help narrow the suspect pool—for example, the killer is from Lütengshi, and his name consists of three characters, one of which is the character for 'soldier'.

Putting all these clues together, they might be able to reduce the suspect pool to single digits!

……