Chapter 3: The Identity of the Deceased is Confirmed

The tense investigation continued, yet the sanitation worker offered no further valuable information. He had only managed to determine that the vehicle wasn’t from their team, but as for the driver’s appearance, whether male or female, even their general shape remained unclear to him.

Merely three days later, a member of the public reported the discovery of more body parts in a nearby public restroom.

It was clear that these remains had been recently discarded by the killer, for the restroom lay within the area already searched around the crime scene, and nothing had been found there previously!

What sort of logic guided this murderer? To brazenly dispose of bodies at two closely situated locations within such a short span—was this a challenge to the police?

With the addition of a newly discovered shin bone and an arm, the investigators could finally assemble a complete body. After forensic examination and technical analysis, they produced a preliminary reconstruction of the victim’s likeness. This information was swiftly distributed to various locations, for comparison not only with the database of known individuals but also with recent reports of missing persons.

Progress, however, was slow.

“Captain Su, we still haven’t identified the victim,” Wang said, frustration evident in his voice.

“Is the killer some sort of deranged maniac? Most murderers, after committing their crime, go to great lengths to avoid leaving clues for the police. Yet this one, in such a short interval and at such similar spots, dumps the body parts as if he wants us to find them!” He scratched his head anxiously. “Has he calculated that we’ll find nothing?”

Su Tianmu glanced at Wang, amused by his tangled reasoning. Despite mounting pressure from superiors and the public, as captain of the criminal investigations team, Su never let external factors shake his composure.

“Maybe you’re right; perhaps he is a deviant. But I sense his abnormality isn’t in killing—rather, I feel that his emotions are somehow intertwined with ours, the police.”

He quickly resumed his serious demeanor. Though his words were guided by intuition, everyone listened intently; no one had ever doubted Captain Su’s abilities.

“What kind of emotion is it then? Is he provoking us? Could his motive for murder simply be to challenge us?”

“The killing may have another cause, but his method of disposing the remains is certainly puzzling. Perhaps he isn’t afraid of us—or simply doesn’t care.”

Su Tianmu continued his explanation.

With the victim’s identity still unclear and no further leads, the case stalled.

Yet, thanks to the meticulous work of the technical department, they managed to recover part of a water-damaged, nearly illegible slip of paper found in the victim’s clothing. It proved to be a receipt for the purchase of a water card; though the name was impossible to restore, they managed to pinpoint a general area.

Investigations highlighted two households of interest, both with female relatives who had recently lost contact. Each family assumed their loved one had left home for some reason and hadn’t considered reporting it.

Further inquiry revealed that one woman had merely left for work after an argument with her husband, without informing anyone, and was currently out of town.

The other woman naturally became the focus of their search.

Her name was Li Cuirong. Her husband was incarcerated, serving a lengthy sentence for a serious criminal offense.

Li Cuirong had no children, and since her husband’s imprisonment, had lived alone. Her family was in another province, and her in-laws had little to do with her. Thus, her absence had gone unnoticed for so long. It was only when the local neighborhood committee’s matron found that the trash piling up outside her door had not been cleared for days and neighbors complained, that anyone realized she had been gone for quite some time.

“In our old neighborhood, everyone takes their own trash to the bins at the gate. Now, in the heat of summer, there’s a stench outside her door and nobody’s taking care of it. Neighbors complained, so I went and took the trash out for her!” the committee matron grumbled, fully immersed in her dissatisfaction with Li Cuirong. She seemed unconcerned about why Li had disappeared for so many days, or why the police had come to inquire. Clearly, Li Cuirong was not well-liked in the community.

“Ma’am, did Li Cuirong live alone? Was there anyone else in her house?”

“I don’t think so; I’ve hardly seen anyone. All I know is her husband’s in prison—serious offender, too. Not sure if they divorced.”

The matron leaned in and whispered to Wang.

“I often saw a man come looking for her—probably someone she’s involved with. But her husband said he wouldn’t divorce her until he’s out, so any relationship she has now is pointless, no status at all! Really disgraceful, living so ambiguously.”

Despite the matron’s mysterious tone, her words dripped with scorn and contempt.

After comparing Li Cuirong’s build and usual attire as described by the matron, investigators tentatively identified her as the victim. Final confirmation awaited the family’s identification and DNA testing.

Returning from the neighborhood committee, Wang felt a pang of sadness. Though the investigation had made a breakthrough, it became clear that this was a woman destined for misfortune—so much so that, even after her death, there was no one who truly cared for her.

“What’s wrong? Shouldn’t you be happy now that we’ve identified the victim? Why are you so downcast?”

Miao handed him a drink, then picked up his investigation notes to read.

“He’s feeling sorry for the victim—a young woman condemned to a lonely existence! I heard her family opposed the marriage from the start, and she even broke off relations with them to wed her husband.”

Su Tianmu took Miao’s notebook and continued.

“But their marriage brought no happiness. Her husband was a hot-tempered man, frequently involved in brawls and a regular at our station. He took out his anger on her, beating her at the slightest displeasure. Of course, such a life was far from prosperous; one could say she never had a single good day.”

Su Tianmu had already received Wang’s report and didn’t need to consult the notebook again.

He glanced at Wang, patted the back of his head, and handed the notebook back.

“Your job now isn’t to mourn her fate, but to immediately investigate the man who had a close relationship with Li Cuirong!”

With that, Su Tianmu lowered his head and began reviewing the files, saying nothing more.