Chapter 338: Rumors Are the Best Amulet; The One to Fear Is

Dong Ping's curses contained no little information, very suggestive, and several young people with extremely strong curiosity pricked up their ears in unison.

One of them even boldly asked directly: "Constable, is there a dead person inside? Is 'Mask' the killer's codename?"

Dong Ping glared at him angrily, his tone extremely impolite: "Don't ask about things you shouldn't!"

After saying this, Dong Ping seemed uneasy, and very responsibly reminded the several young people:

"You probably live nearby, right? Remember, try not to go out at night recently, don't loiter outside. If you hear or see anything suspicious, absolutely do not rashly approach—curiosity can kill, understand?"

How could those young people listen to Dong Ping's kind words? At their age they were exactly at the time when they feared nothing; usually the more you told them not to do something, the more they insisted on doing it.

They all nodded perfunctorily, but their gazes swept past Dong Ping and peered behind the police line, looking as if they truly wished to gouge out their eyeballs and throw them into the police line.

Indeed, their efforts were rewarded; they vaguely saw a constable not far away making a phone call, apparently reporting the case details to the station.

From the broken conversation, the several young people vaguely caught a few words and phrases.

"Yes, a schoolbag and stationery were left at the scene; inside is a student ID, which can confirm the victim's identity."

"The body has been confirmed: limbs twisted and fractured, facial skin missing—this is consistent with 'Mask's' modus operandi."

"This is the sixth case. I understand; I will definitely bring my brothers to verify as soon as..."

These fragmentary sentences were like pieces of a puzzle, helping the several young people sketch out and reconstruct a terrifying serial murder case in their minds.

Dong Ping watched the several young people looking around without changing expression, the excitement on their faces, and a faint sneer curled at the corner of his mouth.

Twenty minutes later.

Several blue-and-white cars arrived late and stopped at the intersection; the red and blue lights on the vehicles flickered in the night, reflecting the growing crowd of onlookers outside the police line.

The crowd pressed outside the police line, whispering voices rising and falling.

Among them, several young people who seemed to know something about the case were excitedly embellishing and describing the course of events; their tones were full of exaggeration and dramatization, sounding as if they had witnessed the killer's actions from start to finish.

With the passage of time, finally, under the escort of several constables, a stretcher covered with white cloth was carefully carried out from inside the police line.

Suddenly, a night wind blew, and a corner of the covering white cloth was flipped up.

Suddenly, a night wind brushed past, silently lifting a corner of the white cloth, instantly exposing a horrifying, chilling scene before everyone's eyes:

Limbs twisted like fried dough twists, white bones and bloody flesh intertwined; the face was even more shocking—the skin was completely gone, leaving only a thin layer of flesh clinging to the facial bones, a pair of protruding eyeballs glaring angrily with eyes wide open in death.

Everyone who looked seemed to feel that those resentful, hideous eyes were looking at them; instantly, they all felt a cold air rush from the soles of their feet straight up their spines, their throats as if tightly gripped by an invisible hand, their throats dry.

However, in this spreading fear, there were two or three young people whose voices, though trembling with fear, carried more of a smug excitement.

"See, I told you, didn't I? The victim's face was completely skinned, taken away by the killer—this is the signature trait of the serial killer 'Mask'."

"Right, the limbs were also cruelly twisted and broken; hiss—just thinking about it makes one die."

"Mm, this isn't the first case. I'll secretly tell you: someone in my family works at the Patrol Bureau, and he told me that recently, 'Mask' has committed six murders in a row, and all the dead are students..."

Terrifying and suspenseful deaths make people fear, make people angry, make people sympathize and even shed tears, but in the end, they all become after-dinner gossip for most people, becoming stories of gossip or boasting in their mouths.

On the blue-and-white car.

Feng Ju looked through the window at the corpse exposed by the wind lifting the white cloth, then glanced at the crowd watching from afar, before slowly withdrawing his gaze.

Bang—

The car door closed, and Dong Ping got into the car.

"Is everything settled?"

"Settled. I reckon that when the Upper City turns on its lights tomorrow morning, news will spread around here that a serial killer nicknamed 'Mask' is committing crimes madly, skinning and killing people."

"Good that it spreads, good that it spreads; only then can we speed up the verification rhythm. Rumors are our best amulet."

Dong Ping showed a trace of worry and continued:

"It's fine, but if 'Mask' continues to commit crimes next, our Patrol Bureau will be scolded as incompetent waste again."

Feng Ju smiled indifferently and responded:

"They will only scold us for being incompetent, but won't suspect us. The more fiercely they scold, the more it shows they believe our Patrol Bureau is clean and upright."

"So let them scold; what does it matter? Anyway, we don't lose a single hair. As long as we aren't suspected, the Special Commissioner can block all other pressure for us."

Dong Ping nodded slightly, his eyes showing deep admiration for Feng Ju.

He secretly praised in his heart:

"I never expected that the thorny matter Li Shang avoided at all costs could be handled by Captain Feng so openly and cleverly; doesn't this prove Captain Feng's ability far surpasses Li Shang's, and that the vacant Bureau Chief seat of the Patrol Bureau should be Captain Feng's to sit?"

Dong Ping grinned, feeling extremely elated to have chosen the right captain; full of confidence and anticipation for the future, he grinned and said happily:

"At this rate, in less than a week, we can verify everyone on the list one by one and ferret out 'Mask's' true identity."

Feng Ju's expression turned serious, and he instructed in a low voice:

"Tell all the brothers: from now on, we must heighten vigilance and be doubly careful."

"As the list gradually narrows, I have a strong premonition that we will soon run into the real 'Mask'; you know, 'Mask' won't surrender meekly like those stupid students."

The passion in Dong Ping's heart seemed to be extinguished by a basin of cold water in an instant; he felt a faint pain where his shoulder connected to his mechanical arm, a pain reminding him of the terror of that night.

Feng Ju keenly sensed Dong Ping's anxiety and unease; he gently raised his black hand and touched Dong Ping's silver hand, black and silver touching emitting a hard sound unique to metal.

"Don't fear; this time, our brothers have all been transformed; the one who should fear is that 'Mask'; I guarantee we will crush 'Mask's' bones one by one."

A coldly eerie voice echoed inside the blue-and-white car...

(End of Chapter)