Several people who had previously interacted with Liang Hui, including some salesmen and a manager, were brought in. I first met with the manager. While sitting in the interrogation room, I poured him a cup of water and asked, "Mr. Xie, I know this event was under your supervision. Did you know the deceased before?"
Mr. Xie became nervous at the sensitive question. "I didn't know her. What's going on with this woman? As soon as she got on my stage, something happened, and my whole event was canceled. Do you know how much money I lost this time?"
"When it comes to human life, money is nothing. Now that there's a situation here, you might all be suspected. I hope you take this seriously!"
"How can I not take it seriously? Someone died on my premises, I can only say I'm unlucky. My well-planned event is ruined just like this. Alright, officer, I honestly don't know what happened. I've never met that woman before. My colleague, Xiao Kui, called her up. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have called her!"
I thought to myself that perhaps anyone would have had trouble regardless of who it was. I was very curious. Both times, the victims died as soon as they stepped onto the stage. How did the killer know they would call someone who had taken this kind of capsule to the stage? Were these just coincidences?
I continued to ask Mr. Xie some questions but found no clues and temporarily gave up. Then, I went to the interrogation rooms of the other people who were on stage at the time. Liu Yuning and I questioned them one by one. They all stated they didn't know the deceased. I observed their expressions and found that none of them were lying.
Afterward, I asked He Xin to investigate. She discovered that the families of the two victims had no connection. However, there was an important finding: both Jiang Qing and Liang Hui worked as aspiring models. Liang Hui was only 23 years old.
Three years ago, she divorced. Her husband died in a car accident three months after they got married, leaving her pregnant in the hospital. Later, she gave birth to twins, Lu Jianbai and Lu Jianshu. Lu Jianbai was only three minutes older than his brother, and both were around three years old.
However, I noticed that Lu Jianshu seemed different from children his age, exceptionally intelligent and composed. I had initially thought he was at least five or six years old.
Upon seeing Liang Hui's information, Gao Mingqiang scoffed, "Still an aspiring model at 23?"
"Heh, you don't understand the term. Did you think it had to be 18 or 22? As long as you look the part, 23 or 24 is fine," He Xin explained.
"Oh, I see. The two victims were colleagues. Does this mean the killer is specifically targeting this profession?"
"It's highly possible. But the methods of killing both times were very bizarre. We have no idea how that drug got into them."
"Don't jump to conclusions so quickly. The second victim hasn't been autopsied yet."
As they were discussing, Xie Chuchu brought us the report. Upon seeing the description, Gao Mingqiang and He Xin looked a bit surprised. However, I remained calm and said, "I knew it would be like this."
"It seems our suspicions were right, another one of those capsules. By the way, could they have bought it online?" Gao Mingqiang said casually, which suddenly struck me.
A flash of inspiration hit me, and I gripped his shoulder tightly. "Exactly! It's possible it came through that channel!"
"Then do we still need to talk to Li Hongzhuo?"
"We should. His suspicion hasn't been cleared yet!"
"Got it!" Gao Mingqiang left again. I gripped the report and reread it a few times. I asked He Xin to investigate the online shopping records of the two deceased victims on several apps, which could be found on their phones and computers.
Fortunately, both of their phones were with them. After all, the killer might not have been at the scene at the time and didn't have the opportunity to take the victims' phones.
At this moment, Xie Chuchu said, "Senior, I re-examined the bodies!"
"I understand. I'm not questioning your ability, I just wanted to take another look. Alright, you should go get some rest. Don't get too tired!"
"I'm not tired. As a forensic doctor, it's normal to deal with a few bodies every day." With that, Xie Chuchu turned and left. A gust of wind blew behind her. I had seen many women who walked with purpose, but Xie Chuchu's was a truly icy, chilling wind that made me shiver involuntarily.
After recovering from my shiver, I turned back to He Xin's computer. She was still busy. Suddenly, she hit the keyboard and enlarged a screen. "Found it, Dad! Li Hongzhuo just logged in. He's at Pinghe Apartment!"
"Okay, let's go immediately!" I asked Liu Yuning to follow, called for Xiahou and Xiao Yuande. He had just moved into this apartment. Perhaps he knew something was up and had left his previous dorm without a word.
Upon arriving, I asked Xiao Yuande to lay low downstairs while we, with the landlord's help, went to unit 404. We knocked on the door, and a voice inside immediately asked, "Who is it?"
"It's the landlord. I have some questions," the landlord said, standing beside us.
The person inside didn't hesitate and quickly opened the door. We saw it was Li Hongzhuo.
Seeing people outside, Li Hongzhuo immediately tried to close the door, but I blocked it with my foot. Liu Yuning and Xiahou immediately cooperated and rushed in, pinning Li Hongzhuo onto a coffee table!
"What are you doing? Trespassing!" Li Hongzhuo struggled and cursed.
"Police! We've been looking for you all this time, and you've been turning off your phone and running around. Don't tell me you have nothing to do with this case!" I said angrily, taking out my badge and throwing it in his face.
"What case are you talking about? I don't know!" Li Hongzhuo replied, feigning confusion, but I saw through it immediately. "You don't know? Isn't Jiang Qing your girlfriend?"
"Who is Jiang Qing?"
"Stop pretending. You're coming back with us!"
"No, don't be rash! I really haven't done anything!"
"Then why are you hiding?!" Xiahou cursed.
"I just, I just... alas, it's hard to explain!"
"Speak!"
Xiahou roughly pulled Li Hongzhuo up, handcuffed him, and sat him on the sofa.
Li Hongzhuo hesitated, his eyes anxious, his hands clenched, his lips trembling, but he finally spoke, "Yes, I was with Jiang Qing before. But you must have investigated what kind of woman she is, right? How could I really be with her? Although I look a bit strange, I'm still a decent young man!"
Uh...
Hearing him say this, Liu Yuning made a face like she was going to vomit and rolled her eyes at Li Hongzhuo.
Li Hongzhuo looked a bit embarrassed, but under my stern gaze, he immediately continued, "She had many men around her. When they found out we were together, these men often bothered me and threatened me not to interfere with Jiang Qing's life. I assume she made some money as an internet celebrity. Jiang Qing clung to me, spending hundreds of thousands of yuan on me a month!"