S.C.I Mystery Series Volume 2 Chapter 23

The Innocent Murderer 23 – Competition and Tribute

---

"Why are you so thin?" Zhan Qitian stuffed Zhan Zhao into the car. He sat in the driver's seat and fastened his seat belt. "What do you eat every day?"

Zhan Zhao fastened his seat belt and whispered "Bento boxes."

Zhan Qitian frowned slightly, started the car, and drove to the suburbs.

"Dad..." Zhan Zhao saw that Zhan Qitian drove seriously and didn't speak, so he asked, "What are you going to tell me? You're acting so mysteriously"

Zhan Qitian was silent for a while, then said, "I want to show you something."

"What are you going to show me?" Zhan Zhao asked with a smile. He looked at his father's profile and secretly admired him – So handsome~

Seeing the curious Zhan Zhao, Zhan Qitian smiled; the faint anger in his heart also faded a little. He said, "You will see it when we get home."

"Oh..." Zhan Zhao nodded and glanced at Zhan Qitian from time to time. He was relieved to find that his face was not as angry as before.

The car drove all the way to the suburbs. As the air slowly freshened, the tension in the car slowly dissipated. Zhan Qitian looked at Zhan Zhao and then at the back seat and asked, "Have you eaten yet?"

Zhan Zhao turned his head and saw a box on the back seat. Zhan Zhao narrowed his eyes; it was takoyaki!

He stretched out his hand to grab the box. He opened it and began eating, muttering in his heart as he ate, "Hmph, my dad is still the best!"

As a result, Zhan Zhao's father successfully tamed his kitten with a box of takoyaki. The father and son drove to the suburbs, talking and laughing along the way.

Stopping the car, Zhan Qitian helped Zhan Zhao to the bedroom on the second floor, and set him down on the bed. He gave him a folder and said, "Here."

Zhan Zhao stretched his hand out to take it. He opened it and took a look; he was shocked. Looking up at Zhan Qitian, he said, "This... this is a paternity test..."

Zhan Qitian nodded, "Haven't you ever thought that I might not be your father?"

Zhan Zhao's face turned a little red, and he asked in a low voice, "How did you know?"

"You don't want to go home anymore and you look like you have seen a ghost when you see me." Zhan Qitian moved a chair over and sat down, "How could I not know?"

Holding the document, Zhan Zhao's heart dropped and he said, "Then what Zhao Jue said that day..."

"Did you believe what he said?" Zhan Qitian was a little helpless, "He was teasing you."

Zhan Zhao couldn't understand, "Then, what you said..."

Zhan Qitian's face was a little embarrassed, "I was teasing you too..."

... Zhan Zhao was speechless. If he was telling the truth, then Zhan Qitian is the most boring dad in the world, but if it is a lie, then he is the worst liar in the world!

"There is still something I want to show you." Zhan Qitian said. From the drawer of the desk, he took out a document wrapped in a plastic bag and gave it to Zhan Zhao. "This is Zhao Jue's research material."

Zhan Zhao was surprised. He took it and began to read it seriously.

Zhan Qitian went downstairs silently. He took out the previously purchased vegetables from the trunk of the car, returned to the kitchen, and started cooking. He filled the table with dishes that Zhan Zhao liked.

It was getting late when he finished. Zhan Qitian went upstairs and opened the door to the bedroom. He saw Zhan Zhao sitting quietly on the bed in a trance and just holding the document.

"I have read it." Zhan Qitian reached out to hug Zhan Zhao as he asked. "Is it because of this that he was imprisoned for twenty years?"

Zhan Qitian shook his head. He reached out to touch Zhan Zhao's head and said, "What happened back then can't be explained in just a few words. I wanted you to see this because I want you to know that some things are off limits. Don't touch them!"

Zhan Zhao put away the materials and asked, "Are all of Zhao Jue's research materials here?"

Zhan Qitian shook his head, "This is the only preserved part. The rest have been burned by Zhao Jue himself."

"That is to say..." Zhan Zhao looked at Zhan Qitian, "The other materials are not Zhao Jue's?!"

Zhan Qitian nodded helplessly. He approached Zhan Zhao and said, "You silly boy, in this world, you are the only person who can understand Zhao Jue's research material. It's because of this that he is so interested in you; he wants to play with you."

Zhan Zhao looked down at the information and muttered to himself, "So the things that no one understands don't need to be hidden at all. What you need to hide is what everyone can understand."

Afterwards, Zhan Qitian placed the materials back into the drawer and took Zhan Zhao downstairs to eat. Zhan Zhao ate a table full of dishes, feeling more comfortable than ever.

In the evening, after sitting downstairs with Zhan Qitian until nine o'clock, Zhan Zhao was finally allowed to go back to his room. He quickly called Bai Yutang, "Xiao Bai, how is the case?"

Bai Yutang was helpless, "Cat, I haven't seen you all day and yet you don't care about me. You only ask about the case."

Zhan Zhao whispered, "Tell me!"

"I found some very interesting things." Bai Yutang said, "Yan Li's ex-husband died ten years ago. He and Zou Mo knew each other!"

"Zou Mo?" Zhan Zhao was surprised, "How could he have a relationship with Zou Mo?"

"When Zou Mo went to school, he had an internship at Zhao Jue's research centre. Yan Li's husband was named Zheng Kai and he lived in Zou Mo's dormitory." Bai Yutang replied, "However, her husband's death was strange."

"How did he die?" Zhan Zhao asked.

"Suicide." Bai Yutang said, "The two had started their careers and their families were happy, yet he committed suicide for no reason!"

"How did he commit suicide?" Zhan Zhao was curious.

"By jumping into the sea."

Zhan Zhao frowned slightly. He thought for a while and said, "It would be great if I had brought my laptop. I don't have any of the information I want to check."

"I brought it for you." Bai Yutang said suddenly.

"...Huh?" Zhan Zhao was surprised. At this moment, he heard a knock at the window.

Zhan Zhao turned to look and saw Bai Yutang climbing on the window sill with one hand and holding his phone and his laptop bag in the other, smiling at him from outside the window.

Zhan Zhao quickly hopped over to open the window with one leg and said, "Why are you here?"

Bai Yutang climbed in and put the laptop on the table. He reached out to grab Zhan Zhao's hand and said, "Cat, let's elope!"

Zhan Zhao looked at him dumbfounded, "What are you doing?"

Bai Yutang helped Zhan Zhao sit down on the bed and asked, "Where is your father?"

"Watching TV downstairs." Zhan Zhao replied in a low voice, taking the computer and turning it on as he spoke.

"Why do you need your laptop?" Bai Yutang smiled and said, "Did you think of something?"

Zhan Zhao looked at him with a smile, "You are so confident, you must have thought of something too, right?"

Bai Yutang nodded, "Let's find out if what you think is the same as what I think!"

Zhan Zhao turned on the laptop, connected to Jiang Ping, and asked him to send him the screenshots of the suspects.

Jiang Ping did so. After receiving the image, Zhan Zhao clicked on the person who put the note "This is God's will" on his car, and said, "Do they look familiar?"

Bai Yutang smiled slightly, "Cat, our hearts are the same! This is what I thought of!"

Zhan Zhao raised his eyebrows, "How did you think of it?"

Bai Yutang took his shoes off, sat cross-legged on Zhan Zhao's bed, and said, "Didn't we talk about Uncle An and his wife before? Ma Han and the others went to inquire about his family. They don't know much, saying that he never mentions them at work. He always works day and night, not going home very often. However, those two are very thorough; they went to the neighbourhood and asked his neighbours. His neighbours said that Uncle An's family moved there when An Lingli was nine years old. None of them have ever been to his house but they said that they can always hear crying that sounds like an old woman crying out 'my child'."

Zhan Zhao was taken aback, "So she's been crazy for ten years?"

Bai Yutang nodded and said, "Then, I wondered if this matter would have something to do with Lu Liang. When I think of Lu Liang, I think of this person!"

Zhan Zhao smiled slightly, "No bad Xiao Bai. That was great!"

Bai Yutang stretched his hand out and squeezed Zhang Zhao's nose, "Enough Cat. Didn't you guess it too? How did you guess it?"

Zhan Zhao said, "I got it thanks to some things my dad showed me!" He said as he pointed to the drawer. Bai Yutang walked over, took out the pile of materials inside, and looked at it for a long time, "Cat, did you write this?"

Zhan Zhao smiled, "This is Zhao Jue's research data from back then."

"Oh..." Bai Yutang looked at it with admiration, "Zhao Jue was studying ciphers back then..."

Zhan Zhao glared at him and saw Bai Yutang put the information back in the drawer. He then went back to bed, sat down and continued, "I'm sure that Zou Mo recorded some things back then."

Bai Yutang nodded, "Mhmm, it's what Wang Liyong found."

"The information that Wang Liyong obtained appeared in the middle of the case, however, the incident happened long ago!"

Bai Yutang nodded and asked, "So, there are two documents?"

"Smart!" Zhan Zhao nodded, "Do you remember that when we were investigating the Ripper case, we found a forum called 'Phantom'? Those who killed Lu Liang belonged to that forum and the leader, Phantom Lord of the Night, had been using a strange method to induce people into committing crimes!"

Bai Yutang nodded, "You mean that 'Phantom Lord of the Night' has part of the research materials?"

"Good!" Zhan Zhao patted Bai Yutang's shoulder appreciatively, "I think that the relationship between Zou Mo and Zheng Kai makes it possible for Zheng Kai to have access to some of the research materials! Then, on the Phantom forum, a series of murders took place under the instigation of 'Phantom Lord of the Night' which were then blamed on Fang Wo. Finally, Lu Liang was killed!"

"The one who is able to do all of this... Yan Li?" Bai Yutang shook his head and then looked at Zhan Zhao. "Yan Jiajia!"

Zhan Zhao smiled, "Actually, Yan Jiajia and Yan Li have the same amount of suspicion. However, if they can easily kill so many people with only part of the data, then they would want to get more of the data!"

"Oh..." Bai Yutang understood, "That's why Yan Jiajia wanted to hook up those little boyfriends, so she could steal another part of the data!"

"But Cat," Bai Yutang seemed a little puzzled, "the person who put the note on the car was not Yan Jiajia!"

Zhan Zhao smiled, "Do you remember that the user named 'This is God's will' often appeared on Lu Liang's forums?"

Bai Yutang nodded

"Zhao Jing's parents often come into contact with Lu Liang. Everything has something to do with Lu Liang, so I also thought of that person!" Zhan Zhao said, clicking on the picture, "Although she is wearing a mask, she looks very much like Lu Liang's student who gave us research materials at the police station last time!"

Bai Yutang smiled, "I thought of her too! It's fortunate that she came to the police station that day. We were able to make a comparison and we found out that it was the same person!"

"Really?" Zhan Zhao looked excited.

"I asked Jiang Ping to check. This person is Yang Chen and she is Lu Liang's most trusted student." Bai Yutang said, "Moreover, Lu Liang has let her see many of his patients!"

"Then we can't be wrong." Zhan Zhao nodded, "But it's still not enough. We need more evidence."

"What else do we need?" Bai Yutang was puzzled.

"I can connect this whole case together, it's just that there is still one person missing!" Zhan Zhao said, pointing to the unidentified suspect throughout. "Who is he? He seems to appear all the time, but yet it's like he has never appeared!"

"Cat. Last time Jiang Ping found out that 'This is God's will' is from your fan club, right?" Bai Yutang asked.

"Mhmm." Zhan Zhao nodded, "What are you trying to say?"

"If our guess is correct, then 'Phantom Lord of the Night' is Yan Jiajia, 'This is God's will' is Yang Chen, and the two girls are from your fan club. I don't know much about psychology but the way they talk is different."

Zhan Zhao nodded, "'Phantom Lord of the Night' is very extreme. In her theory, psychology is omnipotent, and people are all different. It's survival of the fittest. It feels very authoritative."

"What about 'This is God's Will'?" Bai Yutang asked.

"'This is God's Will' is more of a perfectionist." Zhan Zhao said. "They think that psychoanalysis isn't used enough in criminal psychology and that people don't pay enough attention to psychology!"

Bai Yutang nodded and said, "Do you still remember the ultimate goal of the dismemberment case and the split body case?"

Zhan Zhao frowned, "In the dismemberment case it was that psychology is omnipotent! In Fang Wo's case, he required polygraph detection. This showed that psychology interferes with criminal investigation! The dismemberment case showed that psychology needs more attention! Now the whole society is more interested in criminal psychology. It's unprecedented!"

"Cat..." Bai Yutang suddenly said quietly, "The purpose of this case is very confusing, but at least one clue is clear; your book fans are divided into two factions. They are competing against each other and showing respect to you!"

"Competition... Respect..." Zhan Zhao muttered to himself and shook his head, "How could it develop into this?"

Bai Yutang put on his shoes and said, "Cat, I'm going to interrogate Pang Ji. You should go to bed early."

After speaking, he got up to leave.

"Don't leave!" Zhan Zhao grabbed him, "I want to go too!"

Bai Yutang smiled, "Do you really want to elope with me?"

Zhan Zhao is anxious, "I have very important things to ask Pang Ji and his son, and I'm going to check on Uncle An... I have a guess that I want to verify!"

"What's your guess?" Bai Yutang was curious.

"Take me with you!" Zhan Zhao insisted.

Bai Yutang widened his eyes, "I will be killed if your dad finds out!"

"I don't care!" Zhan Zhao packed up and stood up.

"You want me to carry you out the window and down the wall?" Bai Yutang said bitterly, "Cat, you are overestimating me!"

While speaking, they heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

"My dad is here!" Zhan Zhao was shocked.

Bai Yutang wanted to jump out of the window anxiously, "I'll leave first!"

Zhan Zhao grabbed his clothes, "Don't leave!"

"Dead cat! You're going to get me killed!"

"Dead mouse! You're a traitor!"

At that time, Zhan Qitian had already walked to the door of the room, and reached out to knock on the door gently, "Zhao, who are you talking to?"

"Huh?" Zhan Zhao pointed at the closet, and Bai Yutang hurriedly hid in.

Zhan Qitian opened the door and came in. He looked around and asked Zhan Zhao, "Who are you talking to?"

Zhan Zhao shook his head, "No one."

Zhan Qitian was silent for a while, then asked, "Where did the laptop come from?"

"Uh..." Zhan Zhao whispered, "I found it under the pillow."

Bai Yutang couldn't help laughing in the closet – This cat really doesn't know how to lie!

Zhan Qitian sighed lightly and said, "Then I'll go to bed first. You should rest early too..." After he finished speaking, he closed the door and went out. Then, as if he had remembered something, he opened the door and said, "Tell Yutang that if he hasn't had dinner yet then he can have the leftovers from our dinner. There is still a lot of food. Also, the three-legged cat should stop climbing out the window and just take the stairs. I will go to sleep now." After speaking, he closed the door and left.

Zhan Zhao's face flushed red and he turned his face to look at the slowly opening closet door. He saw Bai Yutang squatting in the cabinet thoughtfully, and then asked after a long time, "Cat, what's leftover?"

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter

Translator Notes

I love the father-son duo of Zhan Zhan and Zhan Qitian; his dad can be adorable sometimes.

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: March 18, 2021

Re-edited: December 21, 2023