"What do you mean?" Faced with Xu Nian's sudden remark, Qi Bai desperately racked his brain to analyze it, but the more he thought, the more tangled his thoughts became.
Jiang Yingyao easily followed Xu Nian's train of thought and asked, "Are you saying that before Luo Shun killed Jiang Chuntao's ex-husband, Jiang Chuntao was already preparing to kill him? During her planning, she likely discovered Luo Shun stalking her ex-husband and decided to use him as a scapegoat?"
Now Qi Bai understood. Just as he was about to speak, Wang Yu cut in, "Brother Jiang, are you saying the dismembered remains were initially dumped by Luo Shun, but Jiang Chuntao later found out, took them, and buried them elsewhere?"
The group fell silent as they stared at the deep pit they had spent who-knows-how-long digging. After a long pause, Qi Bai sighed, "I take back what I said earlier. This Jiang Chuntao is far more ruthless than Luo Shun."
As the forensic team and technicians loaded all the remains and evidence into the van, Xu Nian glanced at the sun rising to its zenith and said, "Let’s go. We’ve found everything we needed. It’s time to go back and have a proper talk with the two suspects."
Back at the precinct, Xu Nian and his team immediately headed to the interrogation room, this time bringing Qi Bai with him.
Jiang Chuntao was 44 years old but looked slightly younger than her age. Her plump figure and rosy complexion, despite the fine wrinkles on her face, suggested she had lived comfortably in recent years.
Now, handcuffed and seated in the interrogation chair, she no longer kept her head down. Her expression was calm—no fear of her predicament, no hatred or dread toward the police—as if she were sitting in an ordinary place.
Xu Nian and Qi Bai took their seats. Xu Nian silently observed Jiang Chuntao without speaking, while Qi Bai glanced at him before opening the interrogation file.
"Name."
"Jiang Chuntao."
"Gender."
"Female."
"Age."
"44."
Qi Bai scribbled a few words forcefully, then asked, "Explain why you killed Liang Xinhua and why you helped Luo Shun dispose of the body."
Jiang Chuntao remained expressionless, her tone even. "I killed him because I wanted to. As for helping Luo Shun bury the body?" She suddenly let out a mocking laugh. "If anything, you should thank Luo Shun for Yu Hong’s death."
Qi Bai couldn’t help but make a face as if he’d heard the most absurd joke, then angrily snapped, "What kind of bullsh—"
Before he could finish, Xu Nian cut him off.
Xu Nian looked at Jiang Chuntao and asked, "What did Yu Hong do that made you decide to kill him?"
Though her ex-husband Yu Hong had been dead for ten years, Jiang Chuntao’s voice dripped with loathing at the mention of him.
"He was a monster," she said, taking a deep breath as if to steady herself, but failing. Her words came out through gritted teeth. "I’ll never forget that night. He came home drunk, beat me, and then bragged about raping a girl barely in her teens. He described how soft her skin was, how sweet her cries sounded as she struggled. He even said—since my daughter might one day meet a monster like him—she might as well give her first time to him. A man like that… why did he deserve to live? Why didn’t he just die?"
By the time she spat out those last words, she was breathing heavily. After a few seconds, she enunciated coldly, "He should have died."
Qi Bai paused before quickly jotting down notes.
Xu Nian pressed, "With Yu Hong dead, you could’ve started over. Why deliberately get close to Luo Shun? Did you think he was a convenient tool to do what you couldn’t?"
Jiang Chuntao sneered but didn’t answer, reverting to her earlier demeanor—calmly meeting Xu Nian’s gaze but refusing to utter another word.
After a stalemate of over ten minutes, with Jiang Chuntao ignoring every question, the two had no choice but to leave the interrogation room.
The moment they stepped out, Qi Bai sighed. "This Jiang Chuntao… I thought since she even revealed Yu Hong’s burial site, she’d cooperate. But now she’s clammed up tighter than a damn oyster. Still, Captain Xu, isn’t it weird? At this point, why is she still so uncooperative? Is she hiding something else?"
Jiang Yingyao interjected, "Maybe she just doesn’t want to talk to us. From her defiant and contemptuous attitude, she clearly doesn’t trust the police."
Wang Yu added, "Unlike the wives of the other four victims, Jiang Chuntao had repeatedly reported Yu Hong for domestic violence before his death. But since the injuries were minor, it always ended in mediation."
The four fell silent. After a moment, Xu Nian said, "Seems like Jiang Chuntao has said all she’s willing to say. The rest, she’ll take to the grave."
"I’ll interrogate Luo Shun," Jiang Yingyao declared, motioning for Wang Yu to follow. The two soon disappeared down the hall.
Qi Bai flipped through the interrogation notes and looked up at Xu Nian. "Captain Xu, do you think Jiang Chuntao was the mastermind and Luo Shun just the accomplice?"
Xu Nian replied, "Six murders, with all this evidence? Whether one’s the accomplice or not, they’re both going down."
Qi Bai thought for a moment. "True. But with these two gone, what happens to Luo Xiaoyun? I checked—Jiang Chuntao moved to Yongquan City from afar. She still has relatives in Guanglin Province—her parents are gone, but she has two brothers. No idea if they’d take Luo Xiaoyun in. But given how Jiang Chuntao endured years of abuse and would rather plot a murder than turn to her brothers, their relationship must be terrible."
His expression darkened at the thought of the eleven-year-old girl. Then, remembering something, he asked, "Captain Xu, Jiang Chuntao mentioned Yu Hong raped at least one girl—possibly a minor—ten years ago. Should we follow up on that?"
"A decade-old case…" Xu Nian rubbed his temples. "Notify the local precinct first. See if there’s any matching police report."
Qi Bai nodded and stepped aside to make the call.
It wasn’t until nearly lunchtime that Jiang Yingyao and Wang Yu returned.
"How’d it go?" Qi Bai asked eagerly, nearly fumbling as he handed over a thermos of warm water.
Jiang Yingyao took a few gulps before answering, "Stubborn, but easier to crack than Jiang Chuntao. Luo Shun confessed to killing and dismembering five people—Yu Hong, Tian Shaohui, Tan Yongfu, Pang Zhiye, and Pang Wenze. He claimed Yu Hong’s remains were dumped at a garbage site six kilometers from Xingguang Residential Area, which doesn’t match Jiang Chuntao’s account. Clearly, he had no idea she moved the body."
"So that means Jiang Chuntao not only helped Luo Shun cover up the murder, but also deliberately got close to him before marrying him later." Qi Bai slapped the table. "Who would've thought the perpetrator of a serial murder case involving five victims and dismemberment was just someone else's weapon?"
Wang Yu spoke up, "According to Luo Shun's confession, he did see Jiang Chuntao before killing Yu Hong in July 2014, but they never spoke. They were complete strangers. For nearly a year after Yu Hong's death, they only occasionally crossed paths when she sold vegetables. It wasn't until February 2016 that their interactions increased, and they married by the end of that year."
Qi Bai sighed, "A whole year. Jiang Chuntao really had patience, observing him for a year before making her move."
Xu Nian added, "Even though Jiang Chuntao didn’t kill Yu Hong herself, the plans she made beforehand and her role in burying the body unlocked something dark within her—something criminal."
Wang Yu frowned in confusion. "But if Jiang Chuntao was really this meticulous, using Luo Shun as her weapon, why did she personally kill Liang Xinhua in the end? If Liang Xinhua had lived, she might’ve only faced charges for aiding and abetting, since there’s no direct evidence tying her to the other murders."
Qi Bai caught on. "Right. Out of the five victims, Jiang Chuntao only buried parts of Yu Hong's body. Luo Shun handled everything else—even the additional burial sites were done without his knowledge. If she hadn’t killed Liang Xinhua, she might’ve gotten away with it."
"Remember what Jiang Chuntao said in the interrogation room earlier?" Xu Nian suddenly asked.
Qi Bai tried to recall, but Wang Yu answered first, "'He deserved to die.' Are you referring to that, Xu Nian?"
Xu Nian nodded. Jiang Yingyao chimed in, "So while Luo Shun killed and dismembered all five victims, it’s likely Jiang Chuntao guided him in selecting the other four targets—except Yu Hong. Since she chose them, she couldn’t let Liang Xinhua live."
"Then what about Ye Lan?" Wang Yu exchanged a glance with Qi Bai, both looking uneasy. "Was killing her also Jiang Chuntao’s decision?"
Jiang Yingyao said, "Luo Shun confessed that he wanted to kill Ye Lan. But regardless of who made the final call, the moment they decided to murder her, their psychological state fundamentally changed."
"They went from raising a blade against abusers to raising it against victims. If we hadn’t caught them this time…" Wang Yu shuddered at the thought.
The four fell silent. Compared to Qi Bai and Wang Yu’s troubled expressions, Xu Nian and Jiang Yingyao remained calm.
"Xu Nian," a technician entered the office with a file. "The DNA results are in. The blood found in the trunk matches Luo Xiaoyun as a relative."
Xu Nian took the report and skimmed it. "Have we gotten all the forensic results from Liang Xinhua’s primary crime scene?"
"Partial results so far. Only Jiang Chuntao’s fingerprints were on the murder weapon. The wig and women’s clothing found at the scene had skin cells that, so far, only match Luo Shun’s DNA."
After the technician left, Qi Bai remarked, "So from abduction to murder to dismemberment, Luo Shun did all the dirty work himself."
"That Jiang Chuntao…" Wang Yu trailed off, his expression conflicted.
The office fell into a heavy silence until Jiang Yingyao’s phone rang. After a brief conversation, he hung up and turned to Xu Nian. "Xu Nian, we got a response from the intercity inquiry. Tandong City reported two cases from April 2009—on the 12th and 13th. Both victims had long histories of domestic violence, but unlike our cases, they were killed by a wrench to the back of the head, resulting in fatal skull fractures. The weapon was found on the 13th in a greenbelt two kilometers from the second crime scene. Tandong’s team is already on their way with the case files and evidence."
"April 12th and 13th…" Xu Nian thought for a moment. "Wasn’t Luo Shun returning to Yongquan City around then?"
Qi Bai nodded. "Yes, he took a train on the night of the 13th and arrived in Yongquan City in the early hours of the 14th."
"That’s some nerve," Wang Yu muttered. "Killing two people and then hopping on a train like nothing happened."
"It means there were likely other murders before these," Xu Nian said. "Other cities haven’t responded yet, so they’re probably still checking."
"So we just… wait?" Qi Bai glanced cautiously at Xu Nian.
Jiang Yingyao smacked Qi Bai lightly. "Just say what you mean. Xu Nian doesn’t bite." He turned to Xu Nian. "Tandong’s team is driving here, so they won’t arrive until 8 or 9 tonight. Why don’t we take the afternoon to rest?"
Xu Nian looked at the group, then at himself.
It was true—they’d been pulling all-nighters for days. None of them had showered in three or four days. They weren’t exactly presentable for meeting colleagues from another jurisdiction.
"Alright, take the afternoon off," Xu Nian decided. "Clean up, eat, and get some proper sleep. We’ll regroup tomorrow morning."
Qi Bai cheered—then froze. "T-tomorrow morning?"
Xu Nian smiled. "Tandong’s team will just check into the guesthouse when they arrive tonight. Processing the evidence will take time. Everyone’s been working hard—I can’t authorize a full vacation, but an afternoon’s rest is doable."
Qi Bai and Wang Yu high-fived, shouting, "Xu Nian, you’re the best!" before bolting out of the office.
Xu Nian and Jiang Yingyao chuckled at their retreating backs, shaking their heads in amusement.
...
Guan Xia spent the entire day binge-watching dramas, only stretching and sitting up from the couch as evening fell.
For lunch, she’d lazily settled for noodles. She had been planning to skip a proper dinner too, still engrossed in her show—until the protagonists cracked a case and celebrated with a feast. Watching them devour plate after plate of hearty dishes, Guan Xia’s stomach growled. After a brief internal debate, she caved and opened a food delivery app.
She ordered several dishes she’d been craving and waited eagerly for the delivery. Just as she was about to dig in, the doorbell rang.
Startled, Guan Xia wondered if she’d imagined it—until the knocking came again. She trudged to the door and peeked through the peephole.
To her surprise, it was Xu Nian. She opened the door, blinking in astonishment. "Captain Xu Nian? What brings you here? Is something wrong?"
As the words left her lips, Guan Xia's gaze drifted downward, noticing the plate of freshly boiled dumplings in Xu Nian's hands. She couldn’t tell what filling they had, but each one was plump and perfectly round, the wrappers thin and the filling generous—easily twice the size of the takeout dumplings Guan Xia usually ordered.
Noticing her stare, Xu Nian seemed slightly embarrassed. He pressed his lips together before explaining helplessly, "My mom insisted I bring these to you. She said you helped her out yesterday morning and wanted you to try her homemade dumplings no matter what. She even made sure I cooked them properly before delivering them."
Guan Xia hadn’t expected yesterday’s small favor to lead to this. Surprised and awkward, she replied, "It was just a trivial thing. Auntie really didn’t need to go to such lengths—this is too kind."
Xu Nian wasn’t great at small talk either, and the exchange quickly grew more strained.
He extended the plate toward her. "You should take them. If you refuse this time, she’ll just send me back again."
From his tone, Guan Xia sensed the older woman’s stubbornness. After a brief hesitation, she accepted the plate with a quiet "Thank you."
Then, a thought struck her. Last night, the system had confirmed that all the perpetrators had been apprehended, and Xu Nian—who had been conspicuously absent since moving in—was finally home. That meant the case was either resolved or nearing its end. Maybe now he’d be willing to answer her questions.
Guan Xia hesitated, but Xu Nian caught her unspoken words. After a pause, he asked, "What’s on your mind?"
Steeling herself, Guan Xia studied his calm expression—so different from his usual reticence—and decided to speak up. "I wanted to ask about the killer. Why did he disguise himself as that abusive man, Liang Xinhua, and go to Building 7? Is Liang Xinhua still alive? Who was the killer targeting? And why did he want to kill them?"
She had meant to ask just one question, but the flood of doubts proved impossible to hold back.
Xu Nian didn’t seem surprised, though he fell silent for a moment before replying, "Are we really going to talk about this like this?"
Only then did Guan Xia realize they were still standing awkwardly—her inside the doorway, him outside—while she clutched a plate of steaming dumplings.
Glancing back at the takeout containers piled on her dining table, then at Xu Nian, she mustered her resolve. "Captain Xu, have you eaten dinner yet? I just ordered a ton of food. Want to join me?"
For the sake of answers, Guan Xia felt she was really going all out.
