Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Are Your Eyes That Sharp?!

Chen Xiao sat limp on the ground, retching uncontrollably.

He wanted very much to force himself to move forward, but his body’s reaction at this moment rendered him unable to maintain the so-called calmness of a reincarnator.

The skeleton in front of him looked as if it were a fish stripped clean of its flesh.

Chen Xiao loved eating fish, especially favored braised crucian carp.

He always preferred to pick off all the fish meat, but he didn’t like the fish head, so he never touched it, leaving it completely intact.

But the skeleton before him, it wasn’t a fish.

It was a person!

Someone who, not long ago, was a living person!

But now, he had been dismembered!

Chen Xiao, trembling, took out his phone and dialed Liang Yan’s number.

In such a situation, this was the only rational action he could take that wouldn’t waste time. Compared to Lin Xi, calling Liang Yan was more appropriate.

In the middle of the night, Liang Yan was clearly just woken up, her tone puzzled: “Chen Xiao, what’s wrong so late?”

“Liang… Sister Liang, come… Swallow Lane, number 314!”

Liang Yan instantly became alert, having sensed Chen Xiao’s unease.

“Is there a case? Swallow Lane 314, right? Did you recognize who it is?”

“I don’t know, I came out looking for Dali, but this person… I don’t know if it’s Dali.”

Hearing this, Liang Yan called out gravely: “You stay there and wait for me. At most ten minutes, I’ll be there with Captain Zhang.”

“Okay.”

After saying ’okay’, it felt like all the strength was drained out of Chen Xiao’s body.

He struggled to stand up straight, continuously muttering, “Dali, it’s not you, right? It definitely won’t be you!”

Finally, Chen Xiao walked to the back of the skeletal structure, which reeked of blood, and then circled to the front.

When he looked up at that face, Chen Xiao was suddenly stunned.

That face, he didn’t recognize!

It was a man he had never seen before!

He just had, like Luo Dali, a large head with a crew cut.

After recognizing this face, Chen Xiao felt as if he had been emptied out once more.

But at this moment, he couldn’t suppress a trace of joy in his heart.

He admitted that facing someone who had died so miserably, he shouldn’t feel joy, and solemnity would be the best attitude in such a situation.

But Chen Xiao was not a saint; he was truly relieved that the person hanging there was not his dear friend but a stranger.

And because it was a stranger, the energy that had been drained from him returned to his body in those brief seconds.

Holding his phone, he dialed Liang Yan’s number again.

Liang Yan answered the call: “Chen Xiao, don’t worry, we’re almost there. You have to stay calm, do you hear me?”

“Sister Liang, I’m fine! The deceased is not Dali, I made a mistake.”

Liang Yan on the other end was momentarily stunned, then said: “Regardless of who it is, you keep the scene stable. There may not be many people in Swallow Lane at this time, but help us maintain the scene as best you can, try not to move around.”

“I understand.”

Chen Xiao replied and hung up the phone again, but just as he put his phone back in his pocket, it rang once more.

This time it was Lin Xi calling.

“Hello, honey, what happened? Where are you now? Sister Liang just called me, saying you seemed completely shattered, don’t scare me!”

Chen Xiao replied with a smile: “I’m fine, sweetheart. I made a mistake earlier. But there was a murder here in Swallow Lane, and I mistakenly thought the deceased was Dali, which caused me to lose control of my emotions for a moment.”

“Phew… you scared the hell out of me. You wait there, I’m coming over right away.”

Chen Xiao agreed softly: “Okay, but don’t bring Xiaoyao with you, the scene here, she can’t handle it. Even I threw up a few times.”

“Chen Xiao, who do you think you’re looking down on? I’ve seen rescue teams salvage corpses before, I’m not scared at all.” Lin Yao retorted from the side.

Chen Xiao couldn’t be bothered to engage her; even if Lin Yao came, she wouldn’t be able to get into this building.

At this moment, Liang Yan, along with the criminal investigation team, finally arrived, accompanied by the renowned King of Police in Dongzhou, Zhang Xian.

The latter merely nodded slightly upon seeing Chen Xiao, then walked over to the skeleton.

This couldn’t be considered arrogance, not even a greeting.

It was a crime scene after all, and as the head of the criminal investigation team at Hongshan Branch, he couldn’t chat idly with Chen Xiao at this time.

After observing for a moment, Zhang Xian finally walked over to Chen Xiao and asked:

“This area is a pending demolition zone, usually deserted. How did you know a crime occurred here in the middle of the night?”

A true king of police, wasting no words.

Chen Xiao replied: “I have a friend, Luo Dali, who was unaccounted for tonight, so I came here looking for him.”

“Searching for someone led you to Swallow Lane? That answer doesn’t make much sense.”

Zhang Xian furrowed his brow, and Chen Xiao patiently explained: “Captain Zhang, I had my reasons for coming here to find Luo Dali. We had a phone conversation in the evening. He said he’s been having a recurring dream where someone wants to skin him alive, and the scene in his dream was Swallow Lane.”

Chen Xiao briefly explained.

Whether Zhang Xian and Liang Yan believed this reason, they could verify with Luo Dali themselves.

Zhang Xian pondered for a moment, asking no further questions, while Liang Yan frowned deeply at the skeleton, saying: “Let’s set aside how he got here for now, Brother Xian… what’s your take on this scene?”

“What can I say? Just from the blood on the ground, we can tell the killer hasn’t been gone long. This method of killing is so peculiar, so patient, it’s on par with the gruesome execution methods of the old feudal times.”

Saying this, Zhang Xian’s gaze fell on Chen Xiao: “You’re the one who reported it, care to chat downstairs?”

“Uh, Captain Zhang, you don’t want to take another look at the scene?”

“Let’s leave the scene to Old San, she’s experienced in this.”

Chen Xiao muttered: “Old San?”

Liang Yan smiled and explained: “Brother Xian and I were both trained by the same mentor. At that time, there were five of us following the old captain in the team, he was the eldest, and I was third, hence called Old San.”

“I see, Captain Zhang, let’s talk downstairs.” Chen Xiao suddenly understood and followed Zhang Xian downstairs.

Downstairs, Zhang Xian pulled out a pack of Double Happiness cigarettes from his pocket.

“Smoking?”

Chen Xiao shook his head, declining politely. Zhang Xian lit one for himself, taking a deep drag before saying: “I still find it unreasonable. Swallow Lane number 314 is quite a distance from the lane’s main road. The smell of blood from the scene can’t reach the main road. How did you find number 314? Surely, Luo Dali’s dream didn’t specifically mention Swallow Lane number 314, right?”

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiao’s eyes immediately focused, a sense of alertness rising within him.

But faced with someone like Zhang Xian, he wouldn’t reveal any of his true thoughts, instead putting on a wry smile, saying: “Captain Zhang, your words are incomplete. You should lay out all the possibilities first, then I can respond truthfully, because in your mind, my presence at Swallow Lane 314 is a significant doubt.”

Zhang Xian looked at him in surprise: “A tough mind, indeed… there’s another possibility, you saw the murderer? Or did you catch a glimpse of him fleeing? Otherwise, why would you specifically search through buildings for number 314?”

Listening to Zhang Xian, Chen Xiao couldn’t help but meet his thin face.

Clearly, Zhang Xian was looking straight at Chen Xiao, but those eyes seemed unfocused, pondering something.

Zhang Xian flicked his cigarette ash: “What are you staring at me for? Do you see a reasonable explanation on my face?”

“Why do I need to explain?” Chen Xiao retorted with a broad smile.

“Hmm? Don’t you think you ought to explain?”

“I certainly don’t need to explain unless, Captain Zhang, you weren’t just passing through the alley.”

Chen Xiao said with a smile, Zhang Xian frowned: “What’s that mean?”

“Just look up and you’ll know.” Chen Xiao said, pointing in the direction of the hanging skeleton.

Zhang Xian followed his gaze, then looked towards the lane, and exclaimed in surprise:

“Your eyes are that sharp?”

“Whether sharp or not, Sister Liang has the most to say on that. She should have mentioned the knife at the nursing home to you, right?”

Chen Xiao grinned at Zhang Xian, who tossed aside his cigarette butt, muttering: “You could just answer when asked, why act all superior in front of the police!”

With that, Zhang Xian headed towards the lane.

Chen Xiao clearly saw, that when Zhang Xian stood in the middle of the lane, he occasionally rubbed his eyes, sometimes using two fingers to stretch open his eyelids. But then, Zhang Xian’s movements suddenly stopped, his mouth exclaiming in shock: “What the hell?!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep