Chapter 45: Clue

Not every graduate of the police academy can do quick sketches.

So Xia Baokun called directly to summon a detective from the criminal investigation team who specialized in quick sketches.

Then, based on Jiang Wenxin's verbal description, he quickly drew the portrait.

"Is that what she looks like?"

The officer in charge of the sketch handed the finished portrait to Jiang Wenxin.

She saw that on the sketchpad was a little girl with a ponytail, exquisite features, a timid gaze, slightly furrowed brows, and even the unconscious action of tightly pressing her lower lip; it was drawn just as if the artist had seen her with his own eyes.

"Yes, that's her. You drew her exactly as I saw her," Jiang Wenxin said, her face filled with surprise.

Then a hand reached out from the side and snatched it away.

Jiang Wenxin turned her head and saw it was Xia Baokun, who was carefully examining the sketchpad in his hands.

Director Guan also curiously leaned in. Seeing Yin Xingyue's appearance, he said with some emotion, "She looks very young; I don't know if our police archives can find her."

Hearing this, Xia Baokun looked at Director Guan; his words clearly showed a bias toward Jiang Wenxin.

"Then have someone check if there really is such a little girl."

Xia Baokun handed the sketchpad to Director Guan.

Actually, without Director Guan's plea, Xia Baokun had already ruled out Jiang Wenxin's suspicion.

Because just now he had called the forensic doctor and confirmed the time of death; during that time period, Jiang Wenxin was on duty outside. Not only did she have a law enforcement recorder, but traffic surveillance at various locations also showed her figure, so it was impossible for her to be the murderer.

However, this made it even less logical. Could the surveillance have a problem?

But just now, while Jiang Wenxin was describing the sketch, they had also checked the surveillance and found no issues.

So Xia Baokun was more inclined to think Jiang Wenxin knew the murderer and colluded with them, but what was the point of doing so?

Moreover, regarding this point, he had already vaguely ruled it out in his heart. Not because he believed Jiang Wenxin, but because she was Jiang Haitao's daughter, and Jiang Haitao's daughter should not break the law knowing it.

If this wasn't it either, then the only thing that could explain it was that everything was truly just Jiang Wenxin's delusion, and discovering the body was merely a coincidence.

This situation actually exists in reality; various coincidences coming together make people feel it is incredible.

Xia Baokun couldn't help but feel a headache.

Guan Xueming did not make Xia Baokun wait long; he came over excitedly holding some documents.

"There really is such a person?" Xia Baokun said in surprise.

"Yes, take a look." Guan Xueming handed the documents in her hand to Xia Baokun.

Xia Baokun took them, glanced over, and then also showed a look of shock.

"She's dead?"

"Yes, she committed suicide by jumping off a building a month ago."

As Guan Xueming spoke, she also took out her phone, searched for, and found the news report covering that incident at the time.

Guan Xueming's words actually reminded Xia Baokun, because the serial murder case also seemed to have started a month ago.

Could it be a revenge killing triggered by the death of this little girl named Yin Xingyue?

Thinking of this, Xia Baokun hurriedly flipped the documents backward, but found there was also a police report record sheet.

Yin Xingyue's mother had reported to the police two days ago that Yin Xingyue's stepfather was missing.

Looking through the documents more carefully, they found that Yin Xingyue's social circle was very simple; apart from her mother, she only had a grandmother living in the countryside.

If it were a revenge killing, given her grandmother's age, she certainly couldn't have done these things; if it were her mother, then her mother must have had an accomplice...

And why a revenge killing? Could it be because of something between children...

This case seemed to be gradually becoming clear.

"Xiao Jiang insists that this little girl came to report the case, but the little girl has been dead for over a month; could her ghost have come to report the case?" Guan Xueming sighed from the side.

At this moment, his mind also began to lean toward the idea that Jiang Wenxin had a mental problem; if not, then she was lying, but why would she lie? And what was she covering up?

Hearing this, Xia Baokun suddenly turned his head to look at Guan Xueming, a look of surprise and uncertainty appearing on his face.

So when work started the next day, Yin Xingyue suddenly ran over, her face showing a strange expression, and said to Shen Siyuan, "The police arrested my mother."

"Why arrest her? Did she do something wrong?" Shen Siyuan asked curiously.

Yin Xingyue shook her head. "I don't know either."

Before Shen Siyuan could continue speaking, she added, "I don't want to care about her anyway."

Do not urge others to be kind when you have not suffered their hardships.

Moreover, Shen Siyuan was clear about Yin Xingyue's experiences; the role her mother played in it had major problems.

So at this time, he naturally would not say some high-sounding words to accuse her of being unfilial and so on.

So he said, "What about that uncle of yours? Was he found?"

"No."

Hearing this, Shen Siyuan couldn't help but frown, thinking: Her stepfather is missing, her mother was arrested; could she have been killed by her mother?

But why? Could it be because of a sudden conscience?

Shen Siyuan couldn't figure out the twists and turns in this, so he simply stopped thinking about it further; these matters would naturally be the police's concern.

The police were indeed concerned; Xia Baokun felt his head was about to explode.

After a day and night of busy work, they had figured out quite a few things.

First, the revenge killing triggered by Yin Xingyue's suicide was ruled out because among the three victims, the children of two of them attended different schools from Yin Xingyue and had no contact with her at all; the remaining victim had no children whatsoever.

And Jiang Wenxin's suspicion was also completely ruled out; although one was named Jiang Wenxin and the other Yin Xingyue, and both names contained the character for "month," there was no relationship between them, and everything might truly just be a coincidence.

Additionally, the suspicion against Jiang Wenxin's mother was also ruled out, but from her mouth, the police obtained an important clue.

That was that the several victims, along with Yin Xingyue's mother Yang Xuejiao and stepfather Fang Yunlou, had all studied at the same school in the past; they were all students of the former Cotton Mill Children's School.

And the Cotton Mill had long since closed down, and the Cotton Mill Children's School no longer existed, which added to the difficulty of solving the case.

Xia Baokun guessed that Fang Yunlou was probably in grave danger, and they were just waiting for the murderer to notify them when to go collect the body.

Just thinking about it made him furious; what did they think of the police? This was an affront to the Binhai police system.

Then there was the matter of Jiang Xinyue. Although she had been cleared of suspicion, she insisted she had seen the deceased Yin Xingyue. He could not ignore this, for she was Jiang Haitao's daughter.

So he came here. It was an old residential house; from outside the courtyard, one could see many flowers and plants growing inside.

Xia Baokun finished his last drag, crushed the cigarette under his foot, and only then stepped forward to knock on the courtyard gate.

"Is anyone home?" Xia Baokun asked, his tone carrying a degree of respect.

The courtyard gate was quickly opened from within, revealing an eighteen or nineteen-year-old little girl. Her features were delicate, and her head was adorned with numerous silver hairpins, a style unique to the Li people.

"Who are you looking for?" the little girl asked, blocking the doorway.

"Is Huang Niangmu at home?" Xia Baokun asked.

Upon hearing this, the little girl immediately turned back and shouted into the house, "Ah Po, someone is here to see you."

"Who is it?" an old person's voice came from inside the house.

"It's me, Xia Baokun," Xia Baokun quickly called out loudly.

The person inside heard him, fell silent for a moment as if just recalling who Xia Baokun was, and then spoke: "Ah Mei, let him in."

Upon hearing this, the little girl finally opened the gate and led Xia Baokun into the courtyard.

The courtyard was filled with flowers and plants, competing in beauty and color, very lovely.

Passing along a small path, they arrived in the main hall. In the very center stood an altar dedicated to "Baolongkou," the Li term; in Chinese, it should be called "The Great Power God." This is the Li Ancestor of the Li people, equivalent to Pangu of the Han people, holding a lofty status among the Li.

PS: This book is set in a world where only one person practices the Dao. There are cultivators, but none can succeed; they only possess minor abilities passed down through bloodlines, so everyone can read with peace of mind.