When I left the laboratory, I had people start investigating Quan Yingzhen's social relationships and reviewing the surveillance footage near the orchard. I, meanwhile, headed to the precinct and retrieved the case file for the murder of Quan Yingzhen's parents from three years ago.
While examining its contents, I discovered the case was known as the "930 Serial Disappearance and Dismemberment Case."
At the time, Quan Huihong and Shuang Wanqiu disappeared successively, with the former vanishing a month before the latter. Quan Yingzhen reported them missing when they didn't return. The police launched an extensive search but found no clues whatsoever.
Quan Yingzhen had almost given up hope when, on September 30th of that year, she received a peculiar package. Inside was a memory card. After Quan Yingzhen used it, she found it contained a video with audio, which specifically told Quan Yingzhen where her father was. Initially excited, thinking she might find her father, Quan Yingzhen went to the location indicated in the video, near the Huang He waterfall. To her dismay, her father wasn't there. Instead, she found an iron box.
Curiously, Quan Yingzhen opened the iron box to find her father's severed head inside!
On the tongue of the head was another memory card.
Following the clues on this memory card, the police later found the remaining parts of Quan Huihong's body. During this process, CDs and a notebook were found. The situation bore a striking resemblance to Quan Yingzhen's own eventual murder.
Then, on October 30th of that year, Quan Yingzhen received another package. This time, it revealed the location of her mother's body.
At that point, Quan Yingzhen realized her mother was likely gone as well. This time, she didn't dare face it alone and immediately called the police. The police accompanied her to the location indicated on the memory card in the package, a cave in Detian Mountain. This time, there was another iron box, and another severed head.
In the subsequent "body parts puzzle game," her mother's remains were recovered. Quan Yingzhen was on the verge of collapse, fearing she would be murdered next. She sought help from the police multiple times, and they provided her protection for a period. However, after a long time with no further incidents, the matter gradually faded from memory. The police had found no trace of the perpetrator, and the case remained unsolved for two years. Quan Yingzhen was no longer under police protection. Believing the killer would not return, she went back to work.
She had been working at the orchard for less than a year when she was killed. Coupled with her frequent absences before her death, I suspect she was being threatened and thus afraid to go to work.
As I put down the file, I asked the local police about the "930 Serial Disappearance and Dismemberment Case." They all expressed embarrassment, stating the case had persistently troubled them without any resolution.
Without further comment, I returned to the provincial department and, with He Xin's assistance, located one of Quan Yingzhen's female colleagues, who reportedly shared a dormitory with her.
I went directly to visit the victim's residence.
With no one else around, as everyone was busy, I met Quan Yingzhen's colleague, Liao Ziyu, alone. She asked me, "Officer He, Quan Yingzhen is really dead? I just went back to my hometown, and this is what happened?"
"Yes, I can only offer my condolences. Why did you go back to your hometown?"
"There were some family matters. My child was ill, so I had to go back and see her. I was only gone for a week. During that time, I asked Quan Yingzhen to look after the orchard crops for me. I never expected she would..."
Liao Ziyu couldn't finish her sentence, looking quite distressed. I asked curiously, "Were you close?"
"Yes, we weren't together for long, but we had great chemistry and a lot in common. Everyone at the orchard said we were like natural sisters. We told each other almost everything, even our little secrets."
"Oh? Is that so? Before her death, did you notice any strange behavior from Quan Yingzhen, or did she meet anyone unusual or say anything out of the ordinary?"
"Let me think. I was only gone for a week. Let me recall before that!"
Liao Ziyu mused, resting her chin on her hand. After a moment, she said, "Quan Yingzhen had been taking frequent leaves recently for some reason. This had been going on for about half a month, right before I left for my hometown. When I asked her about it, I saw her going out often, and I thought she had a boyfriend. I even teased her about it. But she just gave me a stern look, a deathly expression, and quietly told me, 'I'm going to die soon, I need to prepare...' I thought she was joking or imitating a character from a horror movie. I never imagined she was telling the truth..."
Could it be that Quan Yingzhen had received a threat or a death premonition at that time? She realized her time was short and she couldn't escape the killer's grasp, so she told Liao Ziyu this. But why did she go out so often? Was it at the killer's demand?
If she knew who the killer was, Quan Yingzhen could have just reported it to the police, or refused to go out. Going out would only put her in greater danger.
However, it's also possible the killer messaged her, threatening to kill her immediately if she didn't go out. Regardless, we need to compare and investigate to find clues. I thought for a moment and continued, "Was there anything else out of the ordinary? Ms. Liao."
"Let me think. Some things from before!" the other person replied.
After a moment of hesitation, Liao Ziyu meticulously said, "During the period when she was going out frequently, she would have nightmares upon returning. In her dreams, she would say things like, 'No, no! Please, it hurts, don't hurt me! Please! You,' something like that. It sounded like she was being tormented in her dreams. I think she was facing some kind of threat back then, leading to her thinking about it during the day and dreaming about it at night."
"Please? It hurts? Did she mention anything else? For example, did she mention anyone's name?"
"Names... let me see. At first, she didn't seem to mention any names, but later she started saying things like 'Huangquan Road.' I could tell it was likely a codename for someone. And Quan Yingzhen seemed to be abused by this person."
"'Huangquan Road' sounds rather mysterious?"
"I'm not sure. But I definitely heard it. If you don't believe me, you can ask our other roommates."
As Liao Ziyu spoke, footsteps were heard from outside the dormitory door. Before I could speak, Liao Ziyu said, "Xiao Kui is back."
Xiao Kui was also one of Quan Yingzhen's roommates. When she returned and saw us chatting, she playfully remarked, "Xiao Yu, who's this boyfriend you've brought back?"
"Get lost! What boyfriend? This is an officer!"
"What? Officer? Sir, what are you looking for us for?"
I quickly brought up Quan Yingzhen's matter in front of Xiao Kui. She immediately replied, "So it's about her. Oh my, what happened to her? Why is she missing?"
"She's dead!" I stated the truth directly without hesitation.
"Ah, is that really true? Actually, before Quan Yingzhen disappeared, she once asked me for help!"
"Oh? What was the situation?" I asked, glancing at Liao Ziyu, implying that the deceased had also asked for your help.
Liao Ziyu didn't respond but her expression conveyed "that never happened." I immediately realized that the deceased must have had a closer relationship with Xiao Kui.
Xiao Kui said, "About 3 days before she went missing. Oh, right, she had been going out frequently lately and always came back very late. Xiao Yu should have told you this. Officer, that night she grabbed my clothes, crying, and begged me to help her. I was very confused and asked if she was feeling unwell or needed money. But she cried even harder, her body trembling, yet she seemed afraid to say anything. Later, she went to the restroom, and I followed her. When she took off her clothes, I saw she was covered in scars, as if she had been whipped with a leather strap. I quickly asked her what was going on. She stammered, seeming to want to speak but also not wanting to. Finally, she told me she had fallen.
At that moment, I realized she was lying. How could such severe injuries be from falling? Even a child wouldn't believe that. I pulled her forcefully, turning her around, and looked her in the eye: 'Tell me, why have you been coming back so late recently? Are you being threatened by some criminal? Speak!'
I was incredibly anxious and pressed her hard, but Ah Zhen knelt on the ground, begging me to stop talking, to pretend nothing had happened, and not to interfere in her affairs... I tried to persuade her for a while, but it was no use. Over time, I got tired and left her alone. Looking back now, if I had been a bit more forceful..."
"This isn't your fault. Did she not return after going out again?" I asked.
Xiao Kui nodded vigorously, her eyes still red. It was clear she had a good relationship with Quan Yingzhen.
"Thank you for your cooperation. Are you three the only ones in this dormitory?" I asked again.
"That's right. We also desperately want to find Ah Zhen's killer as soon as possible. Are the clues we've provided useful?"
I nodded. "Xiao Kui, did you hear Quan Yingzhen mention a name like 'Huangquan Road'?"
"What 'Huangquan Road'? She must have said 'Naihe Bridge'!"
"But Ms. Liao just said..."
"Did you mishear? I remember her saying something about Naihe Bridge."
"That's rather confusing. 'Huangquan Road' and 'Naihe Bridge' sound completely different. It makes me wonder who misheard. However, both terms seem related to the underworld. What's the connection?"