Chapter 17: Breakthrough

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The four of them sat in the surveillance room and watched as Li Kui wailed and muttered to himself. Xiao Li and Wu Wendi were fully concentrated on the computer screen. They watched it for half a day and did not find anything out of the ordinary. Nevertheless, they did not dare to ask Xu Lan what was happening.

“Section-Chief Sun, stop keeping us in suspense. Just tell me what’s going on already!” Xiao Li impatiently asked Sun Fei.

“None of you seem to be afraid that the guy might faint after crying so much. Isn’t that a bit unethical?” Sun Fei said with his eyes directed at Xu Lan.

After all, it was Xu Lan who sought to combine efforts with Sun Fei. Not only was there progress in the case, but Sun Fei also received a pack of cigarettes.

“Are we going there to expose him now?” Sun Fei asked again.

“Yes. Bring the tapes. We’ll go there now,” said Xu Lan. He could finally relax his furrowed brows and breathe a sigh of relief.

At long last, there was a breakthrough in the case.

“Will do.”

Sun Fei nudged Xiao Li with an elbow, hinting at him to examine the recording and be the first to head back to forensics on the second floor.

“Chief Xu, stop being coy and tell me what’s happening,” Xiao Li asked while trying to suppress his exasperation. He was annoyed was partly due to not being able to see anything worthwhile after half a day, and partly because Xu Lan did not seem to understand him at all despite having worked with him for so long.

“Sun Fei did not lift up the white cloth.” In Xu Lan’s eyes, Xiao Li was too honest. Along with the explanation, a helpless look was all that Xu Lan could give to the young man. Perhaps Xu Lan kind-heartedly explained that to Xiao Li because the young man felt guilty toward the parent, and had an expression similar to that of Bai Wu’s.

“What?” Xiao Li’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor in response to Xu Lan’s words. He blinked, then stared at the screen for three seconds.

“So who’s the person in front of him?”

Xiao Li would not have been assigned as Chief Xu’s assistant if not for the young man’s worthy talent. After a short moment, he understood. Xu Lan then patted his shoulder with a smile and allowed him to follow them up.

A distracted Wu Wendi was following behind them, but could not understand the hidden meanings behind their sentences.

“My comrade Xiao Li, what did you mean by those words?” she asked.

Her question was met by a glare by Xiao Li, who did not understand why Chief Xu wanted her to tag along.

“The person isn’t his daughter. Section-Chief Sun did not lift up the white cloth, and neither did Li Kui. Without even seeing who was under the cloth, the man just broke into tears.”

Xiao Li quickly got her up to speed and urged her to walk faster, lest they miss anything exciting.

“Ah, sorry, my bad.” Sun Fei walked in, cupped his palms together near his chest and sincerely bowed toward the freezer chambers, then walked over to Li Kui and apologized.

At just the right time, Xu Lan walked over and helped Li Kui up, after which Sun Fei pushed the exposed chamber back in, and pulled out another one.

The new one did not have a white cloth covering it. In full display before Li Kui was the victim – his daughter.

“I’m sorry, I thought you were the parent of this morning’s victim, so…please forgive me.” Sun Fei first bowed respectfully to the chamber he had just pushed in, then cordially apologized to the man.

Li Kui became motionless and tongue-tied. Even though almost half a day had passed, he still did not say a word.

“How about we take a step back?” Xu Lan considerately asked.

“No, it’s alright.” The three-word reply took enormous effort to utter through his pale white lips.

Step back? To what end? Hugging the daughter while crying? Or to shout and curse? It was clear that those things could not be done anymore.

When he came in, he did not clarify his identity. Furthermore, there was a murder which happened earlier that morning, so the officers could not wholly be blamed for assuming he was that person’s family member.

“Alright then. Let’s go down.”

Xu Lan appeared as though he had never experienced such an unexpected mishap before, and was unsure as to how to comfort Li Kui. However, when he looked up at Sun Fei, they exchanged glances with hints of jubilation.

With utmost courtesy, Li Kui was ushered into the interrogation room. Seated in front of him was Xiao Xu from the day before. The difference was that this seemed more like a conference, and Xiao Xu even handed him a cup of tea.

“Mister Li, we are truly sorry for what happened earlier. This is my mistake,” Xu Lan said apologetically as he sat beside Xiao Xu.

Li Kui drank some tea, and for quite some time, he felt uneasy.

“The deceased cannot be brought back to life. Please restrain your grief and accept fate, and do not be too saddened. For the sake of helping us catch this killer as soon as possible, would it be alright for you to cooperate with us and answer a few of our questions?”

There was no painful sorrow in Li Kui’s countenance as Xu Lan asked that question; instead, his expression showed dense unease and fear. After realizing that Xu Lan wanted to question him, Li Kui’s eyes immediately exhibited dread. His arms began trembling, causing the hot tea to onto his hands.

“ARGH!”

“Mister Li, is everything okay? Xiao Li, get me the first-aid kit,” instructed Xu Lan.

“Mister Li, are you alright?” A worried Wu Wendi asked upon seeing his reddened hands.

“I’m scalded!”

“Hey! What’s happening? What’s all the ruckus?” Hu Cheng asked curiously as he leaned against the door frame and watched the situation inside.

“Lao Hu, you’re back so soon?” Hearing the old man’s voice, a startled Xu Lan immediately looked behind.

Then, his attention shifted to a man standing right behind Hu Cheng.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep