Good and Evil Chapter 42: The First Suspect Emerges

Just as Xu Lang and Wu Yong sat in silence, each smoking a cigarette, Ning Yanran and Zhang Lei returned, carrying an armful of breakfast. After setting the food on the table, Ning Yanran instructed Zhang Lei to wake everyone for breakfast; many were still groggy when roused. While the group ate, Director Lu Ye walked into the office area, swept his gaze over the team, and seeing them preoccupied with their meal, announced, "Meeting in the conference room in twenty minutes." With that, Lu Ye turned and left for the conference room.

Xu Lang, holding fried dough sticks and soy milk, and Wu Yong, with a steaming bun in hand, exchanged a glance at Lu Ye’s words. They carried their breakfast with them as they entered the conference room, eating as they walked. The others quickly finished their food, wiped their mouths, and grabbed their materials and notebooks to follow.

Once all had gathered, the meeting officially commenced. Everyone was well aware of the details surrounding the six murder cases, so the initial report was brief, after which all eyes turned to Lu Ye. After listening intently, Lu Ye did not immediately comment; instead, he looked to Xu Lang, who had been quietly smoking, and asked, "Xu Lang, what are your thoughts on this series of murders?"

As soon as Lu Ye called his name, all eyes shifted to Xu Lang. He stubbed out his cigarette and replied, "Based on the results of the past few days’ investigations, I have several observations."

"First, an examination of the six victims reveals a common trait: they all had a penchant for stirring up trouble. The English symbol left at each crime scene is, in fact, an abbreviation for 'gossip.' This suggests that the killer has a deep aversion, even hatred, for those who spread rumors or create discord. It is possible the killer suffered significant harm in the past as a result of malicious gossip, leaving a profound psychological scar."

"Second, in our investigation, we found an online forum using the same English symbol as at the crime scenes: SUE. The poster’s ID is 'punis,' meaning 'punish.' This indicates the poster is likely the killer, especially since they always reach the scene ahead of the police. This person must be well-educated, at least proficient in English, and their ID shows they see themselves as an agent of retribution, almost godlike."

"Third, the killer displays strong anti-detection skills, leaving little useful evidence at the scene. This suggests past encounters with police or perhaps a career in a related field—maybe a veteran, a former police officer, or even a lawyer."

"Looking at the locations of the six murders, I can see the crimes are not random but meticulously planned and premeditated. Please, look here." Xu Lang stood, hung a map on the wall, and marked the six crime scenes with red dots. He drew lines connecting them, forming a diagonal cross.

He pointed to the map. "The killer is operating along the cardinal points. The first murder was on Caihua Road, east of S City. The second occurred on Mingxi Road, to the south; the third on Fangxi Road, to the west; the fourth on Changyang Road, to the north; the fifth on Baima Road, southeast; and the sixth, in the early hours of this morning, on Xuri Road, northwest. Do any of you have thoughts on this pattern?"

"Xu Lang, don’t keep us in suspense. Say it directly," Lu Ye said, frowning at the now heavily marked map of S City. Before, the locations had seemed unrelated, but with Xu Lang’s clear markings, the pattern was unmistakable.

Ignoring Lu Ye, Xu Lang continued, "By analyzing the timing and locations of the previous five murders—and especially after stumbling upon that online forum yesterday—I found, through the post history, the killer’s hit list. We tracked down three of the four names, but the fourth remained elusive: the victim, Qi Lan."

"Qi Lan lived on Fenghua Road in the southwest, but we couldn’t find her there. We learned she had gone to Changqi Road in the northeast, so we rushed there, but she was ultimately found dead on Xuri Road, in the northwest. This deviated considerably from my predictions, but..."

At this, Xu Lang rotated the map ninety degrees: Baima Road in the southeast became east, and Xuri Road in the northwest became west. After his detailed explanation, everyone understood where the killer was likely to strike next: either Fenghua Road or Changqi Road.

"You’ve deduced the likely location, but what about the timing?" Lu Ye asked, eyes off the map and fixed on Xu Lang.

Xu Lang recounted the time intervals between each murder: five days between the first and second, eight between the second and third, and the same pattern for the subsequent cases. "I predict the next attack will be eight days from now, on July 19th, at either Fenghua Road or Changqi Road."

The others nodded in agreement at the logic. Lu Ye also nodded. "You said the last victim was Qi Lan, correct?"

"Yes, that’s right," Xu Lang affirmed.

"She lived on Fenghua Road, but before her death, she went to Changqi Road, only to be killed on Xuri Road. How do you explain this?"

Xu Lang pondered, unsure for the moment. The group began murmuring among themselves; Wu Yong and Ning Yanran exchanged glances, both frowning, clearly puzzled as to why the killer moved Qi Lan from Changqi Road to Xuri Road—this was unlike the previous cases.

"Um... I’ve looked into it, and I might have an answer..." Zhao Hua raised his hand as the room fell into thought.

Everyone turned to Zhao Hua. "What have you found? Speak," Lu Ye prompted.

After a quick glance around and a nervous rub of his nose, Zhao Hua explained, "After Qi Lan’s murder, I looked into her background. She had a close friend who lived on Xuri Road—her name is Jia Mei. Before her death, Qi Lan attended a wedding on Changqi Road. Afterwards, she went with Jia Mei to Xuri Road. That’s where Qi Lan died."

"Have you located Jia Mei?" Wu Yong asked urgently.

Zhao Hua shook his head. "After Qi Lan was killed, Jia Mei disappeared. No sign of her yet."

A collective sigh of disappointment swept the room.

Xu Lang, hearing this, absentmindedly traced his chin with his pen, leaving a red mark from the uncapped marker, which he failed to notice. Was Jia Mei’s disappearance connected to Qi Lan’s death? Or was Jia Mei the killer? Xu Lang’s first thought was this. Only after finding Jia Mei could the truth be known. Even if Jia Mei was not the killer, Qi Lan’s death was inevitably linked to her, since Jia Mei was the last person Qi Lan saw alive.

Lu Ye, seeing the silence, asked, "Any other clues or thoughts?"

Everyone exchanged glances but said nothing.

With no further input, Lu Ye turned back to Xu Lang. "Xu Lang, what should we do next?"

"Ah? Oh." Lost in thought, Xu Lang was startled by the question, jolting so that his pen drew a long streak across his face. The others couldn’t help but smile at the sight, suppressing laughter and lowering their eyes.

Lu Ye, seeing Xu Lang’s face marked up, could only shake his head in exasperation.

Oblivious, Xu Lang put down his pen and said, "According to our projections, the killer will have a break after this crime. We have eight days to find him before he strikes again."

"How do we find him?" Lu Ye asked.

"First, we need to scrutinize surveillance footage from all the crime scenes. I don’t believe the killer simply appeared from nowhere, especially since all six murders were remarkably similar in method and location—it must be the work of the same person, or persons.

Second, we must revisit the victims’ social circles. Since they had no mutual acquaintances, according to the forum posts, information about the victims was leaked by someone close to them at night. If we find who leaked the details, we’ll be close to the killer.

Finally, we now understand the meaning of the English symbols left at the scenes. Next, we must decipher the tattoos on the victims’ ankles and determine the source of the ethanol found in their bodies. Achieve these, and the case will be close to solved."

Lu Ye nodded repeatedly. Seeing Xu Lang had finished, he stood and declared, "Let’s proceed as Xu Lang suggests. We must catch the killer before he strikes again—to bring justice for the victims, their families, and the citizens of S City. Now, let’s get to work."

The team dispersed to begin their tasks.

Wu Yong and Ning Yanran lingered. Lu Ye looked at Xu Lang. "You mentioned discovering the killer’s hit list. What’s your plan?"

Before Xu Lang could reply, Wu Yong interjected, "We should immediately assign protection to those individuals, to prevent the killer from acting early."

Lu Ye did not comment, turning to Ning Yanran. "Captain Ning, your thoughts?"

Ning Yanran glanced at the silent Xu Lang and then at Lu Ye. "I agree with Captain Wu."

"And you, Xu Lang?"

Rather than answer, Xu Lang walked to the map, gazing for a long while at the marked location of S City’s TV station. Finally, he said, "I keep wondering if the killer’s final target will be here."

The others followed his gaze to the TV station and frowned.

Lu Ye considered, then said, "It’s possible. But for now, what about the three remaining names on the killer’s list?"

Xu Lang replied without hesitation, "Do nothing. Leave them alone."

Wu Yong immediately challenged him, "What do you mean? Are you suggesting we let the killer take out the last three?"

Lu Ye frowned, clearly not agreeing with Xu Lang.

Ning Yanran said nothing, curious about Xu Lang’s reasoning.

Xu Lang ignored Wu Yong and looked steadily at Lu Ye.

After a moment’s thought, Lu Ye asked, "Explain your reasoning."

"There is none," Xu Lang replied coolly.

"Xu Lang, you—" Wu Yong could no longer restrain himself, standing and jabbing a finger at Xu Lang’s nose, but words failed him. Xu Lang merely gave him a dismissive glance, turned to the map, and suddenly announced, "I’m going to the records room to check some files." He left without another word, leaving Lu Ye, Wu Yong, and Ning Yanran alone.

Lu Ye and Wu Yong were not surprised by Xu Lang’s abrupt departure; he had always been like this, even during his time on the force—leaving meetings midway if something occurred to him, leaving everyone else behind.

Ning Yanran was left a little stunned by Xu Lang’s disregard for Lu Ye’s authority. She glanced at Lu Ye, but his expression was unchanged, which only deepened her curiosity.

With Xu Lang gone, Lu Ye turned to Wu Yong and Ning Yanran. "Handle the three people on the list as you suggested, but don’t disturb their daily lives—protect them covertly."

"I know what to do," Wu Yong replied.

Lu Ye stood to leave, then paused and turned back. "I heard the killer issued a challenge to Xu Lang?"

Wu Yong nodded.

"No wonder," Lu Ye muttered, then left.

After Lu Ye departed, Wu Yong and Ning Yanran packed up and went to assign tasks to their respective teams.

Xu Lang arrived at the records room and pulled out all the case files he had handled during his time with the police. He set aside those involving capital punishment, life sentences, or terms of more than five years, focusing on the minor cases.

When Ning Yanran found Xu Lang in the records room, it was already past three in the afternoon. Xu Lang had come straight from the meeting and hadn’t left, not even for the restroom, all this time. It was a testament to how many cases he had handled.

Ning Yanran found Xu Lang lost in thought over a file, a photo showing a delicate, almost feminine young man named Xue Sheng, age twenty-five. Three years ago, he was sentenced to two years in prison for intentional assault and released a year prior.

But what mattered was that Xue Sheng’s assault victim had been his college roommate, who had maligned Xue Sheng behind his back, spreading embarrassing stories that cost Xue Sheng his girlfriend and alienated him from classmates and teachers. Furious, Xue Sheng assaulted the roommate shortly before graduation, causing injuries severe enough for hospitalization. Afterwards, Xue Sheng turned himself in and was sentenced to two years.

Xue Sheng came from a single-parent family. His father was a factory worker and a heavy drinker with a bad temper, often fighting at work and beating Xue Sheng’s mother. Not long after Xue Sheng was born, his mother fled one night, unable to bear the abuse, leaving her infant son behind.

Despite this, Xue Sheng excelled in school and was good-looking, even resembling a girl at times—popular with female classmates. He had a promising future, perhaps even graduate studies, but no one expected him to be imprisoned for assault before graduation.

After Xue Sheng was jailed, understanding his circumstances, both teachers and classmates felt sorry for him. His victim, Chen Xiao, recovered, graduated, and left to find work; his later whereabouts were unknown.

Xue Sheng’s case was one Xu Lang had handled early in his career. He hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but Wu Yong’s casual comment that morning made him reflect. The killer seemed to know him well, so Xu Lang came to the records room, hoping for a clue. He hadn’t expected to find this file among so many.

"You suspect Xue Sheng is the killer?" Ning Yanran asked, holding the file.

Xu Lang was jolted from his thoughts. Glancing at Ning Yanran and the file, he replied, "I have my suspicions, but we need to investigate to be sure." With that, he took the file from her. "Come with me."

"Where to?" she asked, puzzled.

"Prison," Xu Lang said as he walked out.

"Aren’t you going to eat?" she called after him.

"I’ll eat later," he replied.

She shook her head and caught up.

As they left the police station together, Ning Yanran noticed a woman at the entrance with a food thermos, absorbed in her phone. Recognizing her as Allen, Ning Yanran rolled her eyes, guessing she had come to deliver food to Xu Lang again. She glanced at Xu Lang and went to get the car.

Allen, looking up, saw Ning Yanran but missed the chance to greet her. Spotting Xu Lang, her face lit up with a sweet smile. She put away her phone and hurried over, handing him the thermos. "You’re finally out. I tried calling, but your phone was off."

Xu Lang’s furrowed brow relaxed a little as he took the thermos. Checking his phone, he saw it had powered off—apparently out of battery. "My phone died," he said with a wry smile.

Then he told Allen, "I’ve told you not to bring me food all the time. We have delivery here."

"What? Don’t you like my cooking?" Allen pouted.

He shook his head quickly. "It’s not that—it’s too good. If I eat your food every day, my palate will get spoiled, and I won’t be able to eat anyone else’s cooking."

"Then I’ll cook for you every day," Allen said with a grin.

"But you can’t cook for me for a lifetime, can you?" Xu Lang joked.

"I wouldn’t mind. It just depends if you want that," she replied, blushing, glancing at Xu Lang, then dropping her eyes shyly, before looking up hopefully for his answer.

Xu Lang had only been joking, but Allen clearly took it seriously, leaving him at a loss for words.

Just then, the car horn sounded. Both looked over to see Ning Yanran waiting in the car, window down, looking impatient.

Xu Lang quickly said, "Thanks for lunch, but I have to go out now. You should head home." He hurried away.

Allen watched his retreating back, disappointed not to have received an answer, but soon burst out laughing as she remembered the red marks on Xu Lang’s chin. She had wanted to ask about them, but he was already gone.

She squinted after the departing car, then at the police station, and then left.

Once in the car, Xu Lang set the thermos on the back seat, checked behind to be sure Allen was out of sight, and finally relaxed.

"What? Did I interrupt your date?" Ning Yanran teased.

Xu Lang glared at her. "What date? I don’t have feelings for her."

"But she has feelings for you," Ning Yanran replied with a smile.

Xu Lang could only sigh, helpless, glancing at the thermos before turning away.

Seeing this, Ning Yanran relented and changed the subject. "Why are we going to the prison?"

"To check on Xue Sheng."

"You think..."

She trailed off. Xu Lang, rubbing his chin, frowned in silence.

She handed him a tissue. "Here, wipe it."

He took it, puzzled. "Wipe what?"

She pointed to her own chin.

Xu Lang flipped down the visor mirror, spotted the red marks, and began wiping. "Why didn’t you say something earlier?"

"I wanted to in the records room, but you left too quickly," she replied, a smile tugging at her lips.

Xu Lang’s face darkened. He wiped for a long time, but still faint traces remained, no matter how hard he scrubbed.

Fengyun Prison was far from the city—a two-hour drive. On the way, Xu Lang ate Allen’s lunch in the car.

He hadn’t lied—Allen’s cooking was indeed excellent, especially these days when so few young women could cook. After finishing, he tidied up and reviewed the file on Xue Sheng before dozing off.

Two hours later, they arrived at Fengyun Prison. After parking, they met the warden, an old acquaintance, exchanged pleasantries, and got down to business. The warden promptly provided Xue Sheng’s prison records.

Xu Lang frowned as he read. Xue Sheng’s behavior had been good, earning positive reviews. But one detail stood out: just before Xue Sheng’s release, another inmate—his cell’s ringleader—had died suddenly of illness.

When Xu Lang asked about this, the warden said the death was confirmed natural—no foul play.

Xu Lang then asked about the relationship between Xue Sheng and the ringleader. The warden glanced at Ning Yanran, hesitating.

"It’s alright, just say it," Xu Lang encouraged.

"Alright." The warden recounted Xue Sheng’s time in prison. As noted in his file, Xue Sheng’s delicate appearance had made him a target. On his first night, the ringleader and his crew bullied him; the warden didn’t specify how, but Xu Lang could guess. Xue Sheng became withdrawn, but after three months, he seemed to change, growing close to the ringleader.

Since Xue Sheng was serving only two years, and his cellmates all had short sentences, and he was a college student, they didn’t dare bully him too harshly—after all, they’d all return to society eventually.

No one expected the ringleader to die suddenly before Xue Sheng’s release. Though initially suspected, Xue Sheng was cleared after an autopsy confirmed a heart attack. He was soon released.

Xu Lang also inquired about the other inmates—none were serious offenders, most had sentences under five years, and all had since been released.

With the list of former cellmates in hand, Xu Lang declined the warden’s offer of a drink, saying maybe another time, and left.

Back in the car, Ning Yanran drove while Xu Lang read over the data.

"Did you find anything?" she asked.

Lighting a cigarette, Xu Lang replied, "The ringleader’s death is odd."

"Wasn’t it natural causes?"

"There are no such coincidences. Think about it: Xue Sheng was bullied upon arrival. For a young college student, that’s traumatic. The ringleader died just before Xue Sheng’s release. On the surface, it was a heart attack, but people with heart conditions can suffer fatal attacks from emotional agitation."

"So you think Xue Sheng was involved?" she asked.

He nodded, taking another drag.

After finishing, Xu Lang found a charging cable in the car and asked, "Let me borrow your phone."

"What for?"

"To make a call."

She handed it over. "Password?"

"0917."

"Your birthday?"

"How did you know?"

"Most people use their own or a family member’s birthday as a password. You don’t have a boyfriend, so it must be yours."

"Who says I don’t have a boyfriend?" she protested.

"You? As scatterbrained as you are? Impossible." He entered the code and searched for Zhao Hua’s number.

Just as he found it and dialed, Ning Yanran slammed on the brakes and glared at him. "Xu Lang, explain yourself! How am I scatterbrained? If you don’t clarify, I won’t let this go!"

Fortunately, Xu Lang had his seatbelt on, or his nose would have met the dashboard. The abrupt stop sent him forward, only to be yanked back by the belt, his chest stinging.

He looked at her irritably. "I’m just telling the truth. Why get so worked up? Am I wrong?"

"Aargh! Xu Lang, I’ll kill you!" she shrieked, lunging at him.

Just then, Zhao Hua’s voice came through the phone. "Uh, Captain Ning, is there something wrong?"

Ning Yanran froze, glancing at the phone in Xu Lang’s hand, then at him, blushing furiously. She restarted the car and drove on.

Once she calmed, Xu Lang said, "Zhao Hua, it’s Xu Lang."

"Lang, what can I do for you?"

"I’ll send you some information—run a thorough check on everyone listed."

"Got it."

As Xu Lang was about to hang up, Zhao Hua asked, "Lang, did you upset Captain Ning? She sounded angry."

"Oh, nothing. Her 'relatives' are visiting, so she’s in a bad mood."

"But..." Zhao Hua began, but Xu Lang hung up, took photos of Xue Sheng’s file with Ning Yanran’s phone, and sent them to Zhao Hua before handing the phone back.

Ning Yanran, face dark, refused to take it.

"You don’t want your phone?"

"No," she snapped.

He set it on the dashboard and turned to look outside.

Ning Yanran was seething, especially after Xu Lang’s comment about her "relatives"—because, embarrassingly, it was true. Any residual fondness she had for him evaporated.

On the two-hour drive back to S City, she remained silent and sullen, while Xu Lang gazed out the window, deep in thought about Xue Sheng.

Xu Lang had focused on Xue Sheng because his motive for assault three years ago echoed the current string of murders—revenge for slander. The information from the warden only deepened his suspicion, though whether Xue Sheng was indeed the killer remained to be seen.

They returned to the station after eight in the evening, to find the building ablaze with light. Everyone was working hard on the case. In the past month, the killer had claimed six victims, and yet the police had no suspects, not even a credible lead. The pressure was mounting.

With the formation of the 610 Major Crimes Unit, the media was tracking the case closely. The latest incident—another body found in a restroom early that morning—had drawn public attention, despite the police quickly sealing the scene. The case was the talk of the town, with public and online opinion boiling. Under such pressure, everyone on the force was determined to see it solved.