The Brain Science Case 47

Chapter 47: The Body That Vanished in a Bloody Foam – 13

The call ended, and Li Yuejiao was frozen like a doll, only coming back to her senses after a long moment.

She covered the bed with a quilt. As far as the eye could see, all the mirrors were shattered, and the furniture was either overturned or opened, as if it had been through a violent struggle.

In the middle of her busyness, her phone rang again. “Hello? You’re almost here? Okay… it’s all set up. Jinglin just left. Yes… I know.” Hanging up the phone, she took a deep breath.

She poured the liquid from the two vacuum-sealed bags she had brought back onto the quilt. The air filled with the smell of iron, and the quilt quickly absorbed all the thick, jam-like liquid.

The doorbell rang. “So soon?” She put down what she was doing and went to open the door.

But the person standing outside was a stranger, a tall, old-fashioned young woman.

She had never seen this person before.

“You are…”

“You’re Lisa?” the woman asked in a low voice.

Li Yuejiao hesitated and nodded. The woman sneered and took out a hidden knife.

“I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

**

The police at the station were checking the list one by one, but the hostess profession had a high turnover rate. Someone who had been in the business eight years ago might not be now, and their stage names might have changed, so it would definitely take time to investigate.

“How long is this going to take?” Lu Tingfeng grumbled, but he still braced himself and continued to make calls.

Not far away, Jian Minggui had finally pieced together the business card. “Brother Mu, this.” He handed the pieced-together business card to Chen Huomu.

“What’s this?”

“A business card. I found it at Qian Hanliang’s place yesterday. I guess Qian Daxin might know her.”

Chen Huomu immediately understood. “I’ll show it to him. If this is the next target, the problem will be much simpler.”

In the interrogation room, Qian Daxin, with nothing to do, was crossing his legs.

“You should know this business card, right?”

Looking at the pieced-together scraps of paper, Qian Daxin said nonchalantly, “What’s this… I don’t know it.”

“Look closer.” Chen Huomu held the business card in front of him. “We found this at your son’s place, torn to shreds. Did you have a thing for this hostess? Who is she? Are you still in contact?”

“It’s too close, I can’t see.” Qian Daxin rubbed his eyes and looked closely. “What’s this? Huh…” His expression changed.

Tang Yingli and Fang Zijun, who were watching, both tensed.

“I was wondering where I couldn’t find it.” His face was filled with nostalgia. “This is Sister Lisa’s business card. So Ah Liang took it.”

Chen Huomu interrupted, “Answer my question.”

“Of course I had a thing for her. A big thing. But even if I had the money, without the status, I couldn’t even hold her hand. Brother, don’t pretend. I can see you’re a veteran. You don’t know Lisa from Givenchy?”

He got angry. “Don’t talk nonsense with me. I’ve never been to a club.”

But Fang Zijun was stunned. “Lisa from Givenchy?”

“Does Chief Fang know her?”

He immediately rushed out of the room, and Qian Daxin continued, “…It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other, but a few days ago, Boss Xu invited her to my current restaurant for dinner. She’s still as beautiful as ever…”

“So you are in contact…” Chen Huomu was in the middle of speaking when Fang Zijun rushed in.

“Give me the business card.” He snatched it, and after confirming it was the business card he remembered, he covered his face. “Damn it.”

Qian Daxin laughed. “You know, don’t you? The chief is an old hand.”

“Chief?” Chen Huomu and the newly arrived Tang Yingli looked at each other.

“I know this person, and she has a deep connection with us.” Under the gaze of the three of them, Fang Zijun said with difficulty, “She is Jinglin’s mother.”

Tang Yingli was dumbfounded, and her mind flashed back to what Jinglin had said—‘My mom is back in Taoyuan, and I’m picking her up tomorrow…’

The phone showed that Jinglin had left over an hour ago… at her speed, she was either almost there or already there. She might have a face-to-face encounter with the killer.

Realizing this, Tang Yingli’s hands were a mess as she dialed the number.

“Teacher?”

“Come on, pick up… Officer Zhou, pick up.” The phone’s voice message said, “Call waiting.” “Chief Fang, the killer must have targeted her mother… we have to hurry.”

“Understood. Move out immediately.”

**

When the phone rang, he was making his final preparations.

The phone screen clearly displayed “Daughter.” He glanced at the bedroom and silenced the phone.

There wasn’t much time left.

**

It had rained last night, and the sky in Taipei was still gloomy, but in Taoyuan, it was as if the rain had cleared, and it was bright.

The traffic heading south was very smooth, and after getting off the highway, Jinglin went straight to Li Yuejiao’s residence.

Li Yuejiao had owned a property in the north before, which was also her childhood home, but she had bad memories of it. After Li Yuejiao had given up her ownership of the club, she had also sold that house, which was why she had had to rent a place after being transferred to the Criminal Investigation Division.

She didn’t know how much property her mother had, and she didn’t plan to ask. She only knew that they, mother and daughter, were enjoying their time together, as if to make up for the regrets of her childhood.

Li Yuejiao would slowly tell her about those past events. After all, they had plenty of time.

As she was about to arrive, Jinglin called Li Yuejiao, but the phone rang for a long time with no answer. “Strange, is she busy?” She called again, but it still went to voicemail.

Li Yuejiao’s residence was a large house of over a hundred pings (approx. 330 square meters), a converted courtyard house with only one floor. Jinglin parked her car in the front yard and tried calling again. “Mom?” A shadow seemed to flicker inside the screen door, but the person did not respond and instead retreated back inside.

Li Yuejiao had often said that the neighbors were friendly and hospitable. But that person didn’t look like a neighbor. Jinglin hung up the phone and walked to the main door with a sense of suspicion.

The metal gate was open. Jinglin pushed open the screen door, and as the light streamed into the room, she was immediately shocked by the scene inside.

“H-How is it so messy? Mom…” She looked down and was startled to find that she was stepping in a pool of blood.

The blood was splattered, with a small amount on the door and the wall, a deep brown, gel-like substance… she touched it, and her fingers clearly felt a sticky, cloying sensation. It was real blood.

“Mom, where are you? Mom!” Jinglin shouted, searching inside. She soon found more blood on the floor, and the air was filled with the stagnant smell of iron and a faint fragrance. She had no time to distinguish what the fragrance was, only frantically searching for Li Yuejiao.

A lot of the furniture was overturned, and the vanity mirror was also broken… it was clear that there had been a violent struggle.

She arrived at the master bedroom, and what was waiting for her was a heartbreaking scene.

Li Yuejiao was slumped on the blood-stained mattress, a knife stuck in her abdomen.

“Mom… no way, Mom.” Jinglin approached, her first reaction to call for an ambulance.

“Hello, is this the ambulance? I… I have someone here who needs emergency medical attention. It’s my mom…”

Her voice trembled as she spoke to the operator. Because of the urgency of the situation, she had overlooked…

Overlooked that there was someone else in the house.

“You’ve grown up.” The low, teasing male voice drilled into her eardrums, and her spine instantly tensed. “I almost didn’t recognize you.”

This person… Jinglin’s mind went blank for a moment, and the fear of her childhood quickly returned. She turned and struck back with her elbow, but his movements were faster. A handkerchief was pressed over her mouth and nose, and she was pushed against the wall.

“You’re fighting back.” He sneered, pressing his full weight against her. “You really do have a slutty face that seduces men. Just like your mother.”

This smell is…

The gas she inhaled quickly blurred her vision. Her strength to resist weakened, and she soon lost consciousness.

**

A ringing sound pulled Jinglin’s consciousness back from the haze.

It was the phone ringing. She blinked, feeling the pain in her waist, back, and the back of her head.

Where is this?

It was dark all around, but thankfully her hands and feet were not tied. She fumbled for her phone, and the screen showed that the caller was… Tang Yingli?

The light illuminated the wood grain of the wall, and Jinglin pushed hard, only to find that she was trapped in a closet. This is the guest room… she’s still in the house.

Where did he go? Did he kill Mom? Why is the house so messy… She frowned and pressed the call button. “Hello, Teacher?”

‘Officer Zhou, thank goodness… are you okay?’ Tang Yingli let out a heavy breath. Her voice was both relieved and panicked, a tone she had never heard before.

Her head was still a little dizzy, but there were no other injuries, and her clothes were intact… “I’m okay.”

‘Where are you now?’

“I’m at my mom’s place… ah.” Remembering Li Yuejiao’s tragic state, she covered her mouth and screamed, “My mom was just lying on the bed, covered in blood. A man broke into our house.” Fear and anger intertwined. “I’m going to find my mom.” She shouted into the phone and ran back to the master bedroom.

‘A man? Officer Zhou, calm down…’ Tang Yingli tried to stop her, but Jinglin gasped when she returned to the master bedroom. ‘What’s wrong?’

“She’s gone…” she said, dumbfounded. “My mom is gone.”

‘What do you mean… your aunt is gone?’

“She was just lying on the bed, covered in blood… and when I woke up, she was gone. The body…” She couldn’t believe it and threw herself on the bed, but besides touching the still-wet blood, Li Yuejiao was long gone. “The body is gone… it’s been moved.”

‘Officer Zhou, don’t move. We’ll be there soon. No matter what, stay in the house…’

“That man must have taken her. I’m going to find my mom.” Jinglin gritted her teeth, and her uncontrollable anger made her search like a madwoman.

The back door in the kitchen was open. She followed it out, her feet treading on the wet ground.

That’s right, it also rained heavily in Taoyuan last night… She took out her flashlight and found a deeper set of footprints on the muddy path.

This must be it. To avoid being seen, he had chosen to use the back door to move the body. Jinglin followed the footprints, passed through a bamboo forest, and came to an open area.

All around were farmlands and the industrial roads that ran through them. The footprints disappeared at the junction of the asphalt road and the mud.

The trail was cold. A deep sense of despair washed over her. “Mom…” she choked out, shouting at the vast but desolate farmland, “Mom.”

**

Ten minutes later, the members of the Criminal Investigation Division arrived one after another.

As soon as she entered, when she saw Jinglin sitting among the overturned furniture, Tang Yingli’s heart felt as if it had been hit by a heavy object.

Jinglin looked up, her face still streaked with tears. “Teacher…”

She looked so fragile, so fragile, as if she would fall over with a single push.

Tang Yingli didn’t say a word, just opened her arms and held her tight.

There were many other colleagues around, including Fang Zijun. Jinglin bit her lip and buried her face in Tang Yingli’s embrace, sobbing.

Fang Zijun pinched the bridge of his nose. “Everyone, search quickly. We have to find out where that guy Qian Hanliang is. Big Head, contact the nearby precincts for assistance.”

“I’ll do it right now.”

“Everyone, be on your toes. This is a crime scene. Don’t miss any details.” He put on his gloves and was about to enter the bedroom when he happened to see Cai Yuwei standing next to them.

“Ah Wei, I’ll leave this to the teacher.”

“O-Okay.” Cai Yuwei nodded vigorously and almost tripped over a chair as he entered the room.

“Teacher… I’m okay now.” Jinglin had a good cry, and when she looked up, she was trembling all over. “How did you… get here so fast?”

Tang Yingli told her what had happened after she had left work. “…I was most worried about you having a direct confrontation with the killer, so I rushed over. It seems I was right.” She gazed at Jinglin and said with heartache, “Although it was dangerous… at least you’re okay. It’s a blessing in disguise.”