A Psych Case Just Joined the Team Chapter 016

Black Hand – 04

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After the rain stopped in the morning, it hadn't fallen again. As night descended, the skies over Dang City became increasingly dark and clear. Even into the deep night, it remained endlessly sombre.

People gradually dispersed from a private room in the Royal Court Hotel, the heavy smell of alcohol hanging thick in the air. Luo Xiaomei had deliberately worn a black bodycon dress that evening, and a pair of hands were restlessly wandering over her fair, smooth back. Even though she felt a strong surge of disgust and revulsion inside, Luo Xiaomei still wore a perfectly appropriate smile on her face.

"Xiaomei'ah, you can really hold your drink, I'll take you out to dinner alone another day."

"Of course, I'd never miss an invitation from you, Director Lin."

"Good, then it's settled." The man gave her shoulder a light pat, an oily, suggestive smile on his face.

After leaving the hotel, Luo Xiaomei, slightly tipsy, flagged down a taxi.

"Driver, to Tiancheng Garden."

The taxi started up again and merged into the steady stream of vehicles speeding along the road, becoming one with the flow...

"Driver, could you stop here, please?"

"Miss, we're about five minutes away."

"It's fine, I'll walk from here."

The driver was a kind-hearted man. Looking at the deserted, quiet street, he felt uneasy. He turned off the meter and said, "It's really late, it's not safe for a young lady like you to walk alone. It's only a short way now, I won't charge extra, I'll take you to the gate of the estate."

A trace of warmth passed through Luo Xiaomei's heart. "Thank you, sir... I just feel like walking. It's alright, I walk this road often, it only takes ten minutes."

Seeing that she was insistent, the driver didn't push further. Besides, it was nearly midnight, and his wife was still waiting at home. After getting out of the car, Luo Xiaomei finally couldn't hold it in any longer. Holding onto a tree in the greenery by the roadside, she bent over and began to vomit.

How many nights like this had there been? Luo Xiaomei had never thought about that question, it wasn't something she was supposed to think about. This was her third year in Dang City, and over these years, what had accompanied her every day was either unattainable performance targets or frequent dinners soaked in alcohol and pleasantries. She had transformed from a naive university intern into a seasoned regular who navigated banquets and drinking sessions with ease.

Her stomach churned violently as Luo Xiaomei walked towards the gate of the estate. The streetlamps in this area were dim and murky, inexplicably amplifying the sense of loneliness. It was a very ordinary kind of loneliness, drenched in bitterness, and mingling among countless glamorous yet hollow souls outside. It was hard to dispel... impossible to erase...

Luo Xiaomei took her phone out of her bag and dialled her best friend's number.

"Hey, were you asleep?"

"At this hour I've already had a nap and woke up. What is it, darling? What made you call me this late?"

Luo Xiaomei slowed her pace, pressing her ear tightly against the phone. "I just got back from a business dinner. I'm not home yet, and I wanted to walk a bit by myself. I suddenly felt a bit sentimental, so I wanted to call you."

"Another dinner... Xiaomei, you really need to change jobs. What kind of man is your boss anyway, always making you block the drinks?"

"I'm used to it. Just one more month, if I stick it out, I'll get promoted."

"Ai, you've told me that eight hundred times already. You work so hard, it's time you thought about finding someone to keep you company."

"Being alone is fine, men are all pigs, isn't Xiao Hai the perfect example... I'll stick to living on my own, it's better this way..."

"Xiao Hai? Ugh, he's the scum of all men. But you can't give up an entire forest just because of one rotten tree. Let me tell you..."

Luo Xiaomei felt a headache coming on and quickly cut her off. "Alright, alright, I'm nearly there, I'll talk to you later."

"Alright then, it's late, hurry home now. It's not too safe walking alone at night."

"It's fine. If I run into someone bad, at worst they'll want money or my body, luckily I've got neither. I'm hanging up now, get to bed early."

"Mm, bye-bye!"

The moment she hung up, a sudden gust of wind swept in from behind... Luo Xiaomei stopped in her tracks. There wasn't a single soul around the street. Just around the corner ahead and another hundred metres straight, and she'd reach the gate of the estate. She had been so focused on chatting with her best friend just now that she hadn't noticed how eerily quiet it had become around her. A chill crept into Luo Xiaomei's heart, she suddenly had the unsettling feeling that someone was following her.

She instinctively tightened her grip on her phone, pretending to walk nonchalantly... A few seconds later, she spun around suddenly! But behind her, there was nothing but emptiness... Yet that only made Luo Xiaomei feel even more anxious and afraid. Without thinking further, she quickened her pace... Just a few metres more until the corner. She remembered that there were usually a few late-night snack vendors near the entrance of the estate.

Three steps... two steps...

Just then, the feeling of someone behind her became overwhelmingly strong...

"Mm..."

A brute force suddenly seized her throat from behind... Immediately after, another hand clamped tightly over her mouth and nose. Luo Xiaomei's mind, which was still partially intoxicated, suddenly became clear, but her throat was being constricted by external force, making it impossible to make any sound. She could only barely squeeze out a few words.

"Mm-mm-mm... help... help..."

Luo Xiaomei was violently dragged deeper into the darkness...

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It was already six in the morning when Xing Zui and the others returned to the station. With only two hours left until the start of the workday, they wouldn't have time to sleep at home and would have to rush back to the police station, so they simply headed straight to the station, planning to nap at their desks until morning.

Qing Ming had gone to the washroom halfway through, and when he returned, he found that everyone had disappeared from their seats.

"Fuck! Don't tell me they've snuck off for a private lead!"

Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open...

"Qing Ming, why are you standing there in a daze, there's a new case. Come on, get moving!"

Once in the car, Cui Jingfeng sat in the passenger seat and began, "At around six-forty this morning, a member of the public reported finding a female corpse in a dark alley near Tiancheng Garden. The forensic medicine and forensic science departments have already been notified and are en route to the scene."

While driving, Xie Xun asked, "Could it be the same killer from the '115 Female Corpse Case'?"

The "115 Female Corpse Case" had only occurred yesterday.

Qing Ming: "If it's the same killer, then the time gap between the two crimes is only a day apart, it doesn't quite make sense... If I were the killer, after committing the first murder and not having any flaws discovered by the police, I wouldn't commit another crime so soon. I'd wait for the public interest and media attention to die down before striking again. But right now, with everything still at its peak, the killer struck again just a day later... Is this person a devil? Or are they deliberately provoking the police?"

Xing Zui spoke, his voice low. "We can't jump to conclusions about whether it's the same killer, let's go to the scene first."

Qing Ming turned his head to glance at Xing Zui, who was leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed. It wasn't clear whether he was thinking or resting.

By the time they arrived at the scene, the forensics department had just gotten there as well. Mu Sen stepped out of the vehicle, carrying his toolbox. He walked over to the corpse, exchanged a brief look with Xing Zui as a greeting, and got to work.

"The upper half of the victim's body is completely naked. There's a patch of dried white gelatinous residue beneath the left armpit, visibly the semen of an adult male," Mu Sen explained, placing his fingers gently on the wound at the neck of the "female corpse". Suddenly, his expression changed.

"... Wait, the victim is still breathing."

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

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

Translated: July 5, 2025 by Angel

Edited: October 1, 2026 by Angel