heart poison

At nightfall, two messages came——

Feng Xuemin was found dead in the old community next to the mahjong parlor; Yin Ziqiao's classmate Cheng Mian was found and taken to the Municipal Bureau.

Like Lu Ke and Luo Xingshan, Feng Xuemin also had his throat cut. The wound on his neck was messy and there were large bloodstains. The broken throat and blood vessels were exposed, which was shocking.The difference is that after killing Lu Ke and Luo Xingshan, the murderer did not dispose of their bodies, but threw them on the spot. The place where the bodies were found was the place where the murder happened, so it was easy to be found, but Feng Xuemin was stuffed into a dark oversized cargo bags, crowded with a heap of stinking garbage.

The sanitation of the old community is not good, and there is a place dedicated to collecting domestic waste.Although there are three rusty trash cans there, and a cleaning truck comes to take away the trash every evening, the trash cans are still surrounded by piles of leftover food, rotten vegetable leaves, and all kinds of used, Discarded household items.The smelly water seeping from the garbage was everywhere, and although it was late autumn, it still attracted a large number of buzzing mosquitoes and flies.

If the residents of the old community had all obeyed the rules, put their garbage in their pockets, tied it tightly before throwing it into the trash can, and sealed the leftover soup and water before throwing it away, the surrounding environment would not be as bad as it is now.However, the residents are too dirty and don’t want to get close to the garbage cans. They always throw the untied garbage bags over a few meters away, like shooting a basketball.Some of the garbage bags could not be thrown into the trash can at all, and were scattered on the ground. Some of the garbage bags had decomposed in mid-air, causing the surrounding area of ​​the trash can to be full of rubbish in disorder, exuding a bad smell.Workers have to wear several layers of masks every time, gather the garbage on the ground together, and then drag it to the cleaning truck, which takes a lot of effort.At first, some workers protested dissatisfiedly and put up a notice board next to the trash can saying "Please put the garbage in the bin, pay attention to the quality", but almost none of the residents followed suit.Not two days after the notice board was erected, it was buried under a mountain of rubbish.The workers knew that it was useless to protest, and it was useless to report to the higher authorities, so they simply stopped talking and just cursed behind their backs—they have no quality, they deserve to live in such a crappy place for the rest of their lives!

In addition to household garbage, residents sometimes throw away furniture and clothes.Cargo bags and boxes and the like often turn up at the trash cans, stuffed with odd and odd objects in a mess.The workers are not surprised, and today they dragged the cargo bag, but found it very heavy.Because there have been accidents where workers were stabbed by the broken glass inside when they grabbed the cargo bag by force, everyone is now very careful and will not force it if they cannot handle it.

But this time, what was in the cargo bag turned out to be a bloody male corpse.

Xu Kan, Li Xun and other members of the Forensic Medicine Department and the Trace Inspection Department have arrived and are doing detailed on-site investigation.Hua Chong's face was gloomy. While observing the structure of the old community, he wondered why Feng Xuemin died here.

There are three roads outside the mahjong parlor. The old residential area and the three branches of Fengchao South Road are not in the same direction. Feng Xuemin had already chosen the three branches and inquired about the price of accommodation in a hotel, but finally turned back to the alley , and entered the old community until he was killed.

What is the reason for Feng Xuemin's return?

Tricked?

Being tricked for what?

Hua Chong suddenly thought of the group rental and prostitution place of "Chuangyuanjiayuan".Liu Qiguo, who was once regarded as a suspect in the Luo Xingshan case, had his own house in the "Chuangyuanjiayuan", but he would rather spend tens of dollars to spend the night in a prostitution den.What about Feng Xuemin?

Is it possible that Feng Xuemin suddenly realized that he could spend less money and enjoy "better" service in the process of looking for a hotel?

The old community is the most difficult to manage. There is no property management, and the owner rents the house casually, regardless of the background of the person who rents his old house.Los Angeles cracked down on gangsters and anti-drugs a few years ago, and many horse boys were hiding in rental houses in the old community.Drug dealers have basically been wiped out now, but it is not uncommon for prostitution establishments to be hidden in old communities.And Feng Xuemin had played several times in a nearby mahjong parlor, and he might have heard people talk about the surrounding "massage parlors" at the poker table.

If Feng Xuemin did go to the old community to find a "massage shop", then did the murderer follow him all the time, and did it after he entered the old community?

Where is the first scene?

Elsewhere in the old community?Or is it just where the garbage is piled up?

Hua Chong stared at a spot on the ground, feeling a little weird.

Assuming that the murderer killed Feng Xuemin in another part of the community, then he can just throw the body on the spot. It is superfluous to throw it in the garbage dump. Moreover, Feng Xuemin is an adult male, not light in weight, so the murderer must move the body. It took a lot of trouble.

But if the murderer killed Feng Xuemin at the garbage dump, it would be even stranger.Feng Xuemin's purpose in entering the old community was to "sleep", so why did he go to the garbage dump?

"Flower team." Hasty footsteps and shouts came from behind, Hua Chong turned around, and saw a member of the trace inspection department running towards him.

"How's the investigation going? Is that the first scene or the scene where the body was dumped?"

"First scene!" The trace inspector said: "A large amount of splattered blood was found under the scattered garbage. It was there that the murderer killed Feng Xuemin and packed him in a cargo bag."

"The first scene..." Hua Chong repeated in a low voice, a shadow fell in his eyes.

Although no one haunts this place where garbage is thrown in the middle of the night, it is still located in the old community after all.In the dead of night, if you want to kill someone in a residential area, you must not make too much noise.

It is very likely that the murderer used an electric shock tool like killing Lu Ke and Luo Xingshan, and then cut his throat after he succeeded.

The doubt came back again - why did Feng Xuemin take the initiative to go to the garbage dump?

At this time, Xu Kan completed the preliminary autopsy, took off his mask and said: "Judging from the degree of rigor and the state of the body spots, Feng Xuemin's death time was around 1:[-] in the morning. It’s exactly the same, electric shock first, and then the carotid artery and larynx are cut.”

The doubts in Hua Chong's heart deepened, and he walked quickly to the garbage dump.

A cordon was drawn around the garbage dump, except for trace inspectors and forensic doctors, other police officers were not allowed to enter for the time being.The scene this time was quite special. Although it was located in a residential area, it would be expected to be surrounded by a large number of people, but it happened that the members of the serious crime team were nearby and rushed to protect the scene.The residents are used to throwing garbage at long distances. Except for the workers who clean up the garbage, no one goes to the trash can during the day.

In this way, the murderer's footprints are very likely to be well preserved on the ground!

Hua Chong stood outside the warning zone, his eyes were burning, his mind was spinning rapidly, sorting out and analyzing a large number of clues and doubts, so that he didn't smell the dizzying stench at all, and his whole body seemed to be frozen in place.

until a cry came.

Li Xun was so excited that he shouted before he could remove the mask: "The footprints are extracted, there are seven sets of fresh footprints in total. I, I have a hunch that one of them is left by the murderer!"

Hua Chong's eyes were bright, and his heart was lifted.

In the previous three throat-cutting cases, no directional clues were found on the victim, and the scene was destroyed by countless feet.

The alley next to Tianluo Station, the woods of "Chuanghui Homeland", and the alleyway near Lu Ke's residence, these three places are all carefully searched for by the murderer—even though the murderer may not be the same person.

Before killing them, the murderer made sufficient preparations and had a very in-depth understanding of the surrounding environment.

But killing Feng Xuemin in this old community was an act of insufficient preparation by the murderer.

The consequence of insufficient preparation is to show one's feet.

"He" may have observed Feng Xuemin for a period of time, but he couldn't find the right time and place to do it.Feng Xuemin is a taxi driver and often drives the company car home.It is more difficult to kill a middle-aged man with a car without anyone noticing it than to kill a woman living alone who takes the night bus home like Lu Ke.

Feng Xuemin had a car accident, the vehicle was towed away, he dared not go home, played mahjong until late at night, and walked on the night road alone. For the murderer, this was a rare opportunity.

Killing people is not an easy task. If this opportunity is wasted, Feng Xuemin will not be able to be killed in the future.

As far as "he" is concerned, Feng Xuemin and Man Xiaocheng have switched classes, and Man Xiaocheng is tantamount to dying for Feng Xuemin.So Feng Xuemin must die.

"He" wants to gamble.

There is usually no surveillance in the old community, even if it is witnessed at night, it is not a big problem.The garbage bins are relatively far away from several residential buildings, so it is not easy to be seen. During the day, every household will throw garbage, and people's footprints will cover "his" footprints, forming another "no trace" on site.

But because the preparations were not sufficient, "he" did not expose Feng Xuemin's body to the outside world, but put it in a cargo bag that he found by the barrel.

It would be great if the cleaners took Feng Xuemin's body away.If the cleaning crew finds a dead body in the cargo bag, that's acceptable too.

Anyway, when the police arrived, the traces left by "he" when he committed the crime had been covered like the previous few times.

But because he didn't know enough about this old community, "he" ignored one point—the residents here never approached when throwing garbage.Except for the workers, no one's footprints will cover "his" footprints.

However, a small amount of disturbing footprints cannot achieve the effect of destroying the scene at all.

"He" miscalculated!

When the forensic doctors and trace inspectors evacuated, Hua Chong stared at the trash can, and suddenly had an idea.

The reason why the murderer miscalculated was because "he" had no habit of throwing garbage a few meters away, and he committed the crime in a hurry, which made "he" unable to think of where to go.

"He" should be a person who lives a relatively particular life and usually abides by basic public order and moral norms.

By Man Xiaocheng's side, is there such a person?

It won't be Man Guojun.Although Man Guojun is now living a comfortable life, his moral quality is not high.Let Man Guojun stand near a similar trash can, and Man Guojun will choose to throw the trash bag over like the surrounding residents.

Hua Chong lowered his head and closed his eyes tightly.There is a question that he has never figured out—why did Feng Xuemin go to the garbage dump?

If the murderer lured him over, what did the murderer use as bait?

Along with the on-site investigation, there was a platoon visit. A team member brought a young man in his twenties, and the other party said: "I was playing games at home last night, and I heard someone running downstairs at 1 o'clock. But I didn't look at the window. It didn't take long before I heard some strange noises from where the garbage was thrown."

Hua Chong asked, "What kind of strange method?"

The young man thought for a while, "Tsk, it's not easy to describe, it's a bit like the sound of someone digging through trash and dragging."

"Then did you see anything?"

"No, I was concentrating on playing the game and didn't look at the window."

"Did you hear any noise after that?"

"No, it was very quiet afterwards. I went to bed after 4 o'clock and didn't hear any other sounds."

On the way back to the Municipal Bureau, Hua Chong pondered over the young man's words.

凌晨1点多，老小区里有人在跑动。丰学民0点31分离开麻将馆，被兴旺旅馆的监控拍到时是0点50分，那么他1点多出现在老小区是合理的。

The young man played the game until 4 o'clock in the morning and only heard that one sound, so it is very likely that the murderer and Feng Xuemin were running at that time.

What are they running?Are you chasing?Who is chasing whom?

Hua Chong took a breath and deliberately let his mind go empty.

After a while, Zhang Mao called and said that Cheng Mian heard the name "Yin Ziqiao" and couldn't remember that it was his former classmate for a long time. Later, he said that the second year of high school was divided into arts and sciences, and he went to the arts class, and Yin Ziqiao stayed in the science class. , We have been estranged since then, gradually lost contact, and have never seen each other since graduating from high school.

The police did not release Yin Ziqiao's information to the public. Cheng Mian had no idea that one of the victims of the recent throat-slitting case was his classmate, nor did he know that he might have become the "prey" of the murderer.

Contacting Liu Zhiqin about what he found in Wenming No. [-] Middle School, Cheng Mian, who has not yet been killed, may provide important clues, Hua Chong said: "Keep the person first, I will go back right away."

Zhang Mao responded, and suddenly shouted: "Flower team, don't hang up!"

"what happened?"

"I saw Brother Xiaoliu."

Hua Chong calculated the time, and it was time for Liu Zhiqin to come back.

"He's here." Zhang Trade said, "Flower Team, do you want to have a word with Brother Xiaoliu?"

Hua Chong was a little speechless, thinking that if he had something to tell Liu Zhiqin, wouldn't he call?

But what he said was: "You let him pick it up."

Immediately there came Zhang Mao's shout: "Brother Xiaoliu! Brother Xiaoliu! Here, here...it's okay, the flower team is looking for you!"

Soon, Hua Chong heard Liu Zhiqin's footsteps, getting closer and faster.

"Flower team."

Liu Zhiqin's voice was a little panting, obviously he just came back and was a little tired.

Hua Chong's heart softened, "I have the biscuits you bought last time in the drawer, unopened, grab some to eat quickly. I'm on my way, I'll be there in 20 minutes, what do you want to eat? I'll buy some for you downstairs Come up."

The other end of the phone was quiet for a while, Hua Chong thought Liu Zhiqin was resting, and said, "Are you tired? How about going to the lounge to lie down?"

Only then did Liu Zhiqin say, "Zhang Mao said you were looking for me."

"Huh?" Hua Chong didn't respond.

The exhaustion in Liu Zhiqin's tone disappeared, replaced by a gentle smile, "You came to me just to tell me to eat biscuits, ask me what I want to eat, and tell me to go to the lounge to sleep?"

The ears that were attached to the phone instantly heated up, and Hua Chong coughed, "It seems that you are in good spirits, and you don't need to rest at all?"

Liu Zhiqin said, "It's okay."

"Then go boil the water." Hua Chong's tense strings relaxed, "Make me a cup of hot tea."

??

Knowing that Yin Ziqiao had his throat cut, Cheng Mian was only "politely" surprised. After all, as he himself said, a classmate who has not been in touch with for a long time is a stranger. Not deep.But when he learned that Yin Ziqiao's murder might be related to Man Xiaocheng's dismissal, after a brief daze, he seemed to remember something, his eyes gradually widened, the corners of his lips began to twitch, his eyebrows kept trembling, and his cheeks lost their color.

It was an expression of fear and regret.

Hua Chong had a cup of steaming tea and a tablet computer by his hand.

He clicked on the tablet, found the photo of Man Xiaocheng kissing Yin Ziqiao, and pushed forward, "You took this photo, right?"

Cheng Mian took a look, and his face became even paler, "Yin Ziqiao was really killed because of Man, Teacher Man?"

Hua Chong tilted his head slightly, his eyes lingering at Cheng Mian's eyebrows.

Zhang Mao has already found out that after graduating from high school, Cheng Mian completed his studies in a university with average teaching quality in Los Angeles. He is currently working as a shopping guide in a shopping mall in Mingluo District. Ming town.

"I came here to confirm the connection between Yin Ziqiao's death and Man Xiaocheng." Hua Chong said coldly, "Of course, it's also to protect you."

Cheng Mian shivered, lowered his head, not knowing what he was thinking.

Hua Chong said: "Man Xiaocheng passed away five years ago, you know that, right?"

"I've heard of it." Cheng Mian nodded, "But wasn't that an accident? What does it have to do with us?"

"Well, the accident really has nothing to do with you." The tablet's light dimmed, Hua Chong turned it on again, and said: "Now I ask, you answer. For your own sake, don't hide what happened back then from me. "

Cheng Mian licked his lower lip, looking anxious.

Hua Chong said, "Why did you take this photo?"

"Yin Ziqiao asked me to take the picture." Cheng Mian said anxiously, "I was just doing Yin Ziqiao a favor."

"You have a good relationship with Yin Ziqiao? Why didn't he ask others to help, but instead asked you?"

"I...my mobile phone has a relatively high pixel resolution."

Hua Chongyang raised his chin, "What did I just say?"

Cheng Mian raised his eyes in confusion, "Huh?"

"I said—for your own sake, don't hide what happened back then. Yin Ziqiao has been killed, aren't you worried about your safety?"

Cheng Mian gasped and shook his head quickly, "I didn't hide anything!"

"Then look into my eyes and answer again, why did Yin Ziqiao ask you for help instead of asking others?" Hua Chong's tone was not fierce, but his aura was extremely compelling.

Cheng Mian was forced to look at him, "I" for a long time, and finally disarmed, "I'm not helping Yin Ziqiao, but, I'm discussing with him to take this photo!"

"Are you ready to discuss? What are you discussing? Man Xiaocheng and Yin Ziqiao are really lovers, as the school said?"

Cheng Mian shook his head vigorously, swallowed for a long time before opening his mouth, "No, no! Teacher Man is a good man, we begged him to do this... we made him unable to be a teacher."

The air conditioner in the inquiry room was blowing hot air quietly, only making a noise when it was turned on to heat up.

The recorder tapped the keyboard quickly, converting Cheng Mian's stammering stories into words without warmth.

Seven years ago, Man Xiaocheng was 24 years old and worked as a mathematics teacher in Class [-], Class [-] and Class [-] of Senior One in Wenming No. [-] Middle School, and also served as the guiding teacher for the logic activity class.

Throughout the first grade, he was the youngest and most popular teacher. Many students were willing to get close to him, including problem students like Yin Ziqiao and Cheng Mian.

Yin Ziqiao was not under the control of his parents, and often skipped classes, the only thing he didn't skip was math class, and he looked like a good student as soon as he was in class, with a pair of eyes fixed on Man Xiaocheng.

Man Xiaocheng can't be said to be particularly handsome, but he is enthusiastic and friendly. He always has a smiling face to everyone. He is not angry when students talk in class or desert. return.

There is no girl in class one who doesn't like Man Xiaocheng.Boys also love to mingle with him and regard him as a brother and buddy.

But there are also boys who are driven by the hormones of puberty and regard him as the object of admiration.

Man Xiaoben is not much older than the students, and likes to hang out with the students, but usually pays great attention to keeping a distance from girls, but he doesn't have so many worries when getting along with boys.

The girls sometimes booed, saying which boy would be a good match for Teacher Man to play basketball with, who was so gentle when Teacher Man gave a lecture, does Teacher Man like someone so and so...

Man Xiaocheng always laughed it off, no one knew what was going on in his heart.

"I got acquainted with Yin Ziqiao because we were both interested in Teacher Man." Cheng Mian smiled wryly. "Now that I think about it, it doesn't make sense. We were only 16 years old at the time. How could we know what we like? It's just that we feel full. The teacher is very funny, and I am very happy when I am with Teacher Man. I think I like Teacher Man, and I follow Teacher Man when I have nothing to do. Before the photo was taken, someone joked that there was something between us and Teacher Man. In fact, it was not at all. It's nothing, but if Teacher Man doesn't refuse our approach, we have to push forward."

Cheng Mian rested for a while, generally self-confirmed, "Well, I just made an inch. If you make me look back, I feel like an idiot at that time. In the second year of high school, I have to divide arts and sciences, and in the second semester of high school, I have to decide what I want to study. Yin Ziqiao He told me that he might not be able to be in Teacher Man’s class in the future, so it’s better to take the opportunity to ask Teacher Man for a ‘memory’. I asked him what’s a ‘memory’, and he said let Teacher Man kiss and take a photo.”

Hua Chong found it hard to understand, "Anyway, Man Xiaocheng is also a teacher, how could he agree to you?"

Cheng Mian nodded, "But he agreed."

Hua Chong frowned, surprised in his heart.

Kissing a student is definitely not what a teacher should do.Even if it's just a joke, or for other reasons, it shouldn't be.

"Teacher Man is this kind of person." Cheng Mian rubbed his hands together in embarrassment, "At that time, we all thought that he agreed because he was interested in us, but when we grew up, we realized that it was not at all. Refuse other people's requests. We begged him and said—Mr. Man, we might not be your students after the division of subjects, so you can satisfy us. He couldn't hold us back, so he agreed. Maybe, maybe he didn't think so More, after all, he was only 24 years old and had only been a teacher for one year."

Hua Chong looked down at the photo on the tablet.

It was said to be a kiss, but in fact it was just a light touch. Both of them were smiling. Yin Ziqiao's face had no haze at all. It was not what Pang Guyou, Mu Xi and others described.

"Yin Ziqiao lied to me, and agreed to take a picture with one person. After I finished taking pictures for Yin Ziqiao, Yin Ziqiao stopped taking pictures for me." Cheng Mian continued: "Teacher Man also blushed and said that he couldn't take pictures. It feels against the teacher's morality. At that time, I was very reconciled, and after Teacher Man was reported and complained, I was glad that the photo was Yin Ziqiao, not me."

"Why did that photo leak?" Hua Chong asked.

Cheng Mian opened his mouth in embarrassment, "Yes, it's my fault. The photo was in my mobile phone. After it was passed to Yin Ziqiao, I didn't delete it right away. It was, the girls in the class saw it."

"You did it on purpose." Hua Chong bluntly said, "You blamed Man Xiaocheng for not taking pictures like that with you, and you also blamed Yin Ziqiao."

"I, I..." Cheng Mian supported his forehead and had to admit, "I do have jealous thoughts."

"Are you the one who reported anonymously?" Hua Chong asked again.

"It's not me!" Cheng Mian's eyes widened, "I swear, it's definitely not me who reported it!"

Hua Chong squinted at him for a while, "After Man Xiaocheng was reported, you and Yin Ziqiao didn't do anything, just watched him get dismissed?"

"I dare not." Cheng Mian lowered his momentum, shook his head and said, "I am different from Yin Ziqiao. He has no family and no parents, and there is an old man in my family. If my parents know that I like the math teacher in our class... ..."

"You took the photo, but you didn't come forward to explain the reason." Hua Chong interrupted, "Where is Yin Ziqiao, what did he do?"

"I don't know." Cheng Mian put his head in his hands, "After the photos came out, Yin Ziqiao had a falling out with me. I heard that he went to the principal and the dean, but I don't know what they said. When I came to class again, it was summer vacation when I resigned. I didn’t know that Teacher Man was no longer in school. As for Yin Ziqiao, after Teacher Man left, his personality became more and more strange. I felt ashamed, so I didn't dare to ask him. I guess, even if Yin Ziqiao asked the school leaders to explain, it would be of no use. After all, the whole grade had seen the photo, and Teacher Man was indeed kissing him. Yin Ziqiao is a problem student, and the more he explained, the more he explained. Can't tell."

??

"I don't know if I should sympathize with Man Xiaocheng." Xu Kan leaned against the wall of the corridor, pursing his lips helplessly, "If Cheng Mian hadn't lied, then Man Xiaocheng's persuasion could be said to be 'self-inflicted' He is a teacher, no matter how soft-hearted he is, he should not accept the unreasonable demands made by the students. The teacher kissed the students as a 'commemoration', and even took pictures, not to mention seven years ago, but now , he doesn’t take it for granted, he will definitely be persuaded to leave.”

Hua Chong didn't say a word, remembering that everyone's evaluation of Man Xiaocheng seemed to be "good man, kind".

Enthusiasm is a good thing, but zeal that does not understand rejection is not.

Seven years ago, Man Xiaocheng did not refuse Yin Ziqiao and Cheng Mian's request to kiss; five years ago, Man Xiaocheng did not refuse Feng Xuemin's request to work the night shift.

Does he really want to?Really enthusiastic?

Or is it simply because you don't know how to refuse?

This incident probably didn't change Man Xiaocheng's life alone, but also Yin Ziqiao's life.

In her freshman year of high school, Man Xiaocheng might have been a light in Yin Ziqiao's eyes. If this light had always been there, would Yin Ziqiao become the kind of pitiful, detestable, cowardly and indulgent person that everyone later hated?

16-year-old Yin Ziqiao made a mistake and harmed his favorite teacher, and found that he couldn't make up for it even though he tried his best, so the teacher was persuaded to leave.

Later, the teacher died.

Is this the trigger for his self-deprecation?

Or is he already fallen, but Man Xiaoben can save him?

These questions are now unanswerable.

Even Cheng Mian's words are difficult to verify the authenticity.

The reality today is that Yin Ziqiao, who made Man Xiaocheng unable to be a teacher, died, and the other three people "related" to Man Xiaocheng's death also died, and the murderer continued to kill.

Li Xun came out from the trace inspection department and said loudly: "Flower team, all seven sets of footprints have been compared, and six of them are from cleaners, the deceased Feng Xuemin, residents, and our own people. Only one set of unfamiliar footprints is suspicious. Possibly from the killer! We have the evidence! Modeling now, and the approximate height and weight of the killer will be determined shortly!"

Xu Kan clenched his fists tightly, as if he finally got a reassurance.Hua Chong breathed a sigh of relief, and was about to go to the trace inspection department, when he suddenly heard Liu Zhiqin calling himself from behind.

"Flower team, come here."