ebookslot Chapter 72 Eye Contact in the Attic
Chapter 72 Eye Contact in the Attic
Zhou Xing's gaze slowly swept over the jagged rooftops and narrow alleyways around him, and he suddenly spoke:
"Captain, if the Judge uses this place as his activity center, it may not be a permanent residence. If it is a temporary residence, then he must have considered two points when choosing a location: concealment and visibility. It must be convenient for observation and also convenient for evacuation."
Renault turned his gaze: "Continue."
Zhou Xing raised his hand and pointed to an old residential area with slightly higher terrain and relatively sparse houses, among which a three-story brick and wood building stood out:
"That building complex is the highest point, offering the widest view. It overlooks several streets and alleys in front, and the complex alleyways behind make it easy to escape. If you're just temporarily stopping to observe, that's the most suitable place. Searching the permanent residents is time-consuming and laborious; it's better to investigate this most likely location first."
He was referring to that attic.
Zhong Ding chuckled, his voice full of mockery:
"Nonsense! Case investigation is based on evidence, not fortune telling. You think we're going to pounce on you just because you point at something without any evidence? What a joke."
Chen Qi, however, seemed to be deep in thought. Looking in the direction Zhou Xing pointed, he nodded.
"That makes sense. There are similar psychological profiling techniques for criminals in criminal investigations. Although we can't be sure about Officer Zhou's approach, it took the least amount of time and was indeed very efficient."
Zhou Xing continued, "However, this is just a guess based on experience in the martial arts world. It's also possible that the Judge is doing the opposite, hiding right under the nose of the busiest martial arts school."
Renault, without the slightest hesitation, snapped his fingers crisply.
"Let's go there."
Zhou Xing watched his swiftly turned back, a thought flickering in his mind:
"That was so decisive; perhaps he noticed it a while ago. The lack of action a few days ago suggests this area was only identified yesterday?"
As the group approached the old building area, the alleyways grew narrower and darker. Just as they rounded the second corner, Renault, who was walking in front, stopped abruptly, raised his right hand, and clenched his fists.
A gesture to stop.
Everyone stopped instantly. They drew their guns, leaned against the wall, and stood alert, their movements swift and silent.
The adjutant slid to the front of the line, and Renault made a few hand gestures. The line immediately formed a wedge shape, hugging the wall, and silently advanced towards the attic.
Zhou Xing followed closely behind Renault and saw his nostrils twitch slightly, and his vertical pupils flashed with green light, appearing even more mysterious in the dim alley.
About twenty steps from the attic, a putrid smell wafted over, mixed with the smell of coal smoke.
Zhou Xing glanced at Renault out of the corner of his eye and was taken aback: What a keen nose! He could smell it from this far away.
The adjutant was the first to press himself against the attic door, listened for half a second, and then suddenly kicked it out!
"Bang!"
The door panel burst open inwards, sending dust flying.
Almost the instant the door opened, Renault darted into the room, leaving only a blur in his wake.
Zhou Xing followed closely behind.
The attic was dimly lit, and dust swirled in the beams of light streaming in through the broken door.
On the ground, the corpse of the Southeast Asian sorcerer lay in the corner, blackened and greenish, with a swollen abdomen. Corpse fluid soaked the wooden planks beneath him, emitting a strong stench that was almost nauseating.
During this period, Tianjin has had several sunny days with higher temperatures, and flies are buzzing around.
The basket that was originally placed to the side has disappeared, leaving only a square, dusty outline.
Renault stood at the doorway, not stepping inside immediately.
He first covered his mouth and nose tightly with the white handkerchief, his brows furrowed slightly, as if he had a physiological aversion to the dirty and messy scene.
His gaze swept across the ground, and he chose a few relatively clean spots to step on, moving silently to the center of the room like a cat walking on a fishing net.
A glint of light flashed in his vertical pupils as he slowly scanned the walls, the ground, and the beams, not missing a single detail.
The adjutant, already wearing rubber gloves, knelt beside the body and calmly examined it:
"Male, in his forties, of Southeast Asian descent. Fatal wound to the chest, single-edged sharp weapon, most likely a dagger or short knife, stabbed diagonally upwards at a precise angle, causing instant death. Time of death approximately four to five days ago."
Renault turned his gaze back to the corpse, staring at it for a full minute before suddenly speaking: "It's the method of the judge from Tianjin."
Zhou Xing covered his mouth and nose, took a half step closer, and frowned: "How can you be so sure, Captain? There's only one body."
Renault's gaze finally left the corpse and landed on Zhou Xing's face, pausing for a second:
"One corpse is enough. I'll recognize him as soon as he makes a move."
His voice was soft and gentle, carrying an air of certainty and confidence.
Silence fell over the attic.
After a moment, Zhou Xing met his gaze, released his hand, and nodded: "Captain has excellent eyesight, truly admirable."
Chen Qi then went to the empty corner, used a measuring tape to take measurements, and lightly brushed away the dust with a small brush to observe the fiber direction. As he measured, he said:
"There used to be a square container here, quite large in size. Several different groups of people came to the attic. First, the Southeast Asians were killed by the Tianjin judge, then the judge left, and finally two people came. They had a clear purpose; they only took the container and didn't dispose of the body. The two groups should have known each other."
Zhou Xing pondered for a moment upon hearing this, and then said:
"So this group of Southeast Asians found the address of the Tianjin magistrate? Did they know each other before? Why didn't they report the discovery of the body? Were their identities shady? So it was a revenge killing between them?"
The judge's motives have always been unclear, and this might be a clue that could lead to a breakthrough.
By this time, Zhong Ding's face had turned pale from the stench. Seemingly trying to regain some sense of existence in the oppressive atmosphere, he turned to Zhou Xing and said in a commanding tone:
"Hey! Stop your wild guesses! There's a procedure to handling cases. Go run an errand, report back to headquarters, and call the Criminal Investigation Department and the coroner over. Didn't the branch office teach you this crime scene investigation procedure? Learn it!"
Renault suddenly turned his head and looked at Zhong Ding:
"you go."
Zhong Ding was taken aback:
"Team...Captain?"
"Furthermore, I need to find out the owner of this house, their background, and their social connections. I will report back in detail."
Renault added, gesturing with his chin, "Let's go now."
Zhong Ding's face instantly turned from white to red, then from red to green. In the end, he dared not disobey and squeezed out a "yes" through gritted teeth. He lowered his head and hurried downstairs, his footsteps filled with suppressed anger.
Four people remained in the attic.
Renault stopped looking at the corpse and instead strolled to the window, gazing at the rows of rooftops outside. He took off the handkerchief covering his mouth and carefully wiped each of his fingers.
After a while, with his back to Zhou Xing, he suddenly spoke:
"A clue has emerged. The case should be solved soon. Perhaps Zhong Ding will be able to find the answer when he returns."
He turned to Zhou Xing and said, "You've hit the nail on the head. After the case is closed, you'll get the credit. You'll receive a bonus and a promotion. I'll personally apply for it for you."
Zhou Xing also looked at him, a smile slowly appearing on his face:
"Then, thank you in advance for your guidance, Captain."
The adjutant and Chen Qi were still carefully investigating the scene.
The adjutant remained expressionless as he carefully examined every corner of the corpse.
Chen Qi's face was somewhat pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but his eyes remained focused as he took out a small notebook to record the dimensions of the dust's outline.
Renault and Zhou Xing stood on opposite sides, separated by rotting corpses and the stench of decay.
Renault stopped speaking, and Zhou Xing remained silent as well.
In the narrow attic, only the buzzing of flies could be heard.
In the dim light, two pairs of eyes met silently.
They stared at each other. They stood in confrontation.