Chapter 13: Murderer or Victim of a Frame-Up

This point of suspicion was also troubling me. I shook my head and admitted honestly that I hadn’t yet figured it out; everything would have to wait for the forensic results. As I left the crime scene, I glanced once more at the bloody handprint on the wall, that strange feeling in my heart growing even stronger.

After leaving the apartment complex, Chen Fan took me to the police station. Everyone was deeply saddened by Fat Ji’s death, and the entire precinct was focused on investigating his case. At a time like this, no one cared whether Chen Fan kept bringing an outsider into the office. After Fat Ji’s death, his duties were temporarily taken over by another officer.

When the officer saw Chen Fan, he handed him a file. Though Chen Fan wasn’t a local officer in the Harbor District, everyone acknowledged his skills and had high hopes that he would help solve the case.

Chen Fan asked about the file, and the officer replied that it was regarding Fat Ji’s case. Chen Fan nodded, handed over the section of pipe and two pieces of tape, explained the situation, and the officer immediately took the items to forensics. Chen Fan and I then sat in a corner and began reading the file.

First were the statements of the female officer who discovered Fat Ji’s body. She explained that since Fat Ji hadn’t shown up for work and couldn’t be reached by phone, everyone asked her to check on him. She went to his home, called out for a long time without any answer, and, becoming anxious, asked the gatekeeper to help open the door.

The gatekeeper only had a key to the outermost iron gate of the small villa. Once inside, the female officer knocked hard on the door and rang the bell repeatedly, but still no one answered. Her instincts told her something was wrong, so she asked the gatekeeper to call the property management, and they unlocked the door together.

Upon seeing the body, the female officer was so shocked that she collapsed to the floor. Trembling, she called her colleagues at the precinct. When the nearby patrol officers arrived, she was still sitting in the room; they had to help her outside. According to her, she could hardly believe Fat Ji was dead and dared not touch the body, so the crime scene was perfectly preserved.

She also noted that the door lock was intact and had not been forced open.

Seeing this, Chen Fan remarked, “What kind of criminal is this, who can even pick a lock?” Indeed, if the killer could enter Fat Ji’s home without forcing the lock, only two possibilities remained: either he had a key, or he was skilled at lockpicking.

The police had already investigated. Fat Ji lived alone and, apart from himself, only the property management had keys to the villa. All property staff had solid alibis, the keys were accounted for, and it was well known that Fat Ji never brought anyone home, making it unlikely he’d have let someone copy his keys.

The surveillance footage from the villa area had also been reviewed. Other than the residents, no outsiders were recorded entering the gates. The investigation was now focused on the villa residents themselves. This was a middle-class villa community, with residents enjoying moderately comfortable lives.

However, in my opinion, the killer may have scaled the walls. In such communities, it’s not difficult to enter unnoticed.

Fat Ji entered the villa complex around ten at night, walking slowly—understandable, as he’d been frightened the day before. What was odd was the time he returned home. After Yun Qing was taken to and released from the station, it was already dark but not yet ten. Logically, after being frightened, Fat Ji should have returned home immediately if he had nothing urgent to do.

No one knew where he had been during the missing one or two hours; the police were still investigating.

Forensic analysis was also performed on traces found in Fat Ji’s room and in the weeds of the courtyard. Other than Fat Ji’s own traces, nothing belonging to anyone else was found. Blood analysis confirmed all the blood— including the fine mist on the weeds— belonged to Fat Ji alone.

The police agreed with Chen Fan’s analysis that the patch of weeds was the actual crime scene. Yet they could not explain why Fat Ji had died without any sign of struggle.

The spirit money stuffed into Fat Ji’s mouth bore only Yun Qing’s fingerprints—something Chen Fan had already told me. I continued reading, but the police had no further evidence listed. In just one day, their investigation had already reached this depth, reflecting how seriously they took the mysterious case.

Suddenly, Chen Fan asked, “Brother Han, you’re so skilled—why don’t you take the lead in solving the case yourself?”

My heart instantly chilled. “There are some questions best left unasked.”

Chen Fan shrugged and fell silent.

When we finished reading the file, the forensic results still hadn’t come out. Not all tests could be completed so quickly. Just as we were preparing to leave, a policeman began shouting in the station—he had discovered where Fat Ji had gone during the two-hour gap between leaving the station and returning home.

Chen Fan and I stopped to listen. The officer explained that he had checked surveillance footage along the relevant routes and questioned nearby residents, finally discovering that Fat Ji had gone to a disco—the same one where Yun Qing had asked to meet me before.

Upon learning this, officers immediately went to investigate. Sure enough, someone confirmed that between eight and ten last night, Fat Ji and a provocatively dressed Yun Qing had met at the disco and talked for quite a while. Fat Ji left around nine; based on timing and distance, he would have returned home immediately after.

“What did they talk about?” Chen Fan asked at once.

The officer shook his head; no one knew.

I bowed my head and pondered. Given that Fat Ji had recently been frightened, it was unlikely he’d go seeking entertainment at a disco, especially considering he wasn’t known to frequent such places. Clearly, the meeting with Yun Qing was no coincidence. Most people only knew Yun Qing as a master and had no idea about her fondness for such venues or her previous work history.

But the police were aware. Thanks to Chen Fan’s reminder, they had already begun focusing on Yun Qing.

I surmised that Fat Ji had deliberately sought Yun Qing, hoping to run into her at her usual disco. And he did. Perhaps he wanted to test her again, or, shaken as he was, he sought her help against misfortune.

One cannot guarantee that all police officers are free from religious beliefs, especially in the Harbor District.

Still, I did not voice my thoughts. Fat Ji had just died; if I revealed his less-than-honorable actions now, it would not be well received. The officer said that since Fat Ji had seen Yun Qing before his death, her level of suspicion only grew.

The police were still searching for Yun Qing, but so far, had found nothing. This only heightened suspicion. The investigating officers had already notified patrols everywhere, determined to prevent Yun Qing from leaving the Harbor District by any means. They informed Chen Fan that her family had also been notified and would be brought in for questioning.

So Chen Fan and I sat patiently once more.

After over an hour, three people were brought into the station: Yun Qing’s parents, Mr. Li and Mrs. Li, and her brother, Li Yun Gao. Mr. Li, leaning on a cane, immediately demanded to know where Yun Qing was, his temper flaring, declaring he would beat this troublemaker to death.

Yun Gao, dressed in a sharp business suit—likely summoned directly from his company—held onto Mr. Li, gently urging him not to lose his temper. Mrs. Li followed behind, head bowed, looking deeply worried.

The three were led to the interrogation room. At this point, Chen Fan requested to participate in the questioning, and the police agreed—just as I had instructed him. I had told him to speak as little as possible, letting the local detectives ask the questions, while he simply kept his phone on.

I could not enter, so I listened through my mobile phone. When Chen Fan went in, he answered my call; the sound was faint, and I had to focus all my attention to make out what was being said. At first, Mr. Li raged incessantly, only calming down after repeated warnings from the officers.

The police asked if the three knew where Yun Qing had gone. Yun Gao replied that Yun Qing had not been in contact with the family for a long time, so they had no idea of her whereabouts.

He was not lying. The police questioned them at length, but got nowhere and had to let them go. Chen Fan and I followed them out of the station. Just as they were about to get into their car, I called out to Yun Gao.

I asked if I could have two minutes of his time; I had something to say. Yun Gao nodded politely and followed me to a secluded spot. After glancing around to make sure we were alone, I dropped my pretense, grabbed his collar, and demanded, “You deeply resent your sister, so why pretend to care for her in front of Mr. Li?”

Yun Gao looked utterly bewildered. “Officer, what are you talking about? Why would I hate my own sister?”

I sneered, “You can’t fool me. Whether Yun Qing is the perpetrator or the victim of a setup remains to be seen. But if she has been framed, you’re the one most likely to have done it!”