Chapter 36: Shooting Case

Chapter 36: The Shooting Case

Hongyun Bus Station.

The long-distance bus from Dongyuan City to Pingjiang finally pulled into the station after a grueling seven to eight-hour journey. The bus was packed to the brim, clearly over capacity, with passengers crammed around the back door, eager to disembark. A man in his thirties, dressed in worn-out clothes, lugging a black backpack and wrestling with a bulky plastic woven duffel bag, was being shoved around in the chaos.

He braced himself with one hand on the seat back, yanking the duffel bag through the throng with the other.

Out of nowhere, a pair of beefy hands clapped his shoulder from behind, and a gruff voice growled in his ear: "Brother, what's in your bag? It seems quite heavy."

The man turned around, his square-jawed face breaking into a guileless smile: "What else? Just some clothes and bedding for getting by."

"Is that so?" The burly guy raised an eyebrow, eyeing the duffel bag wedged in the crowd, and smirked knowingly: "I think there's more than just clothes in there."

A lanky guy beside him gave the bag a kick and looked up, startled: "Wow, it's pretty hard."

The man strained to tug the bag over and gave a sheepish grin: "Yeah, yeah, just some pots and pans."

The burly guy scoffed: "That junk? Worth hauling all this way?"

The man smiled: "If I can bring 'em, why not? Buying new ones here would cost a fortune. Gotta save where I can."

The lanky guy snorted, about to retort, when the bus ground to a halt, and the doors flew open. The crowd surged forward, eager to get off.

The man shot them an apologetic grin, didn’t bother with more words, and with the bulky bag, swayed side to side as he fought his way off the bus.

The burly guy and the lanky one exchanged glances, then tailed him, keeping a discreet distance, muttering to each other: "Bro, I think this guy’s a cash cow."

The lanky guy snorted again: "No shit? What kinda pots and pans are that hard? Kicking it didn’t make a sound? Bet there’s a box in there!"

The burly guy’s eyes gleamed: "You think there’s cash in there?"

The lanky guy patted his back, smiling deeply: "Whether it is or not, we’ll know soon enough."

"He’s just one guy, meek as a lamb, probably can’t fight. With the two of us, we can take him down easy."

The burly guy chuckled: "Even if he’s not a cash cow, he’s gotta have some dough on him for this trip."

The two buddies exchanged glances and casually followed the man.

The bus station sat on the edge of town, surrounded by barren land. They tailed him out of the station, expecting him to catch a bus, but instead, he kept walking straight south.

The burly guy frowned: "Where is he going?"

The lanky guy was also puzzled: "His accent isn't from around here. Could he be going to visit relatives?"

The burly guy said: "But further south is out of Pingjiang's territory, right?"

The lanky guy decisively said: "Out is out. Leaving Pingjiang makes it easier for us to handle things."

If he commits a crime outside, he can only report it to the outside police. Hiding in Pingjiang would be safer for them.

They walked for another ten minutes, but the man still showed no sign of stopping, and there were no signs of villages or towns around. The burly guy grew impatient: "Bro, do you think he's noticed us? Trying to shake us off?"

The lanky guy also looked uneasy: "If he really noticed us, wouldn't he walk faster? What's he doing walking so slowly here?"

"Could he be playing us?"

The lanky guy squinted at his back, then wiped his face: "Never mind, let's get it done now while there's no one around, to avoid any complications!"

The fat guy quickly answered, "Yeah!"

The two of them hurried forward, no longer trying to hide themselves. When they were about four or five meters away, the fat guy shouted, "Hey, you up front, stop!"

The man turned around, looking genuinely surprised, "Brothers?"

He scratched his head with his free hand, greeting them warmly, "What a coincidence bumping into you here."

The tall, skinny guy chuckled, stepping forward and patting the man's face menacingly, "Pretending? Still playing dumb?"

The man lowered his hand, confused, "What... pretending?"

The fat guy smacked his head, "You noticed us a while ago, right? Walking all that time, just to mess with us?"

The man shrank back, looking defensive and alert, "You... what do you want?"

"What do we want?" the tall, skinny guy laughed, "What do you think we want?"

He glanced at the bag the man was holding and gave it a light kick, "There’s gotta be some good stuff in here, right?"

The fat guy also stepped forward, blocking his way, "We’re not gonna make it hard for you. Just hand over the bag, and you can go."

The man’s eyes widened, finally catching on, "You... are you robbing me?"

"You just now figured it out?" the tall, skinny guy slowly pulled out a knife, twirling it in his hand, "If you’re smart, just hand it over quietly..."

The man’s grip on the bag loosened, and he took a couple of steps back, nervously saying, "I... I’ll give you the stuff, just let me go."

After saying this, he dropped the bag and turned to leave. The fat guy narrowed his eyes at the bag on his back and said, "Wait."

The man stiffly turned back, seeing the fat guy jerk his chin, "Give me the bag on your back too."

The man’s face changed, "There’s nothing in there, just some clothes. At least leave me something to wear!"

"Cut the crap!" the fat guy’s face darkened, impatiently saying, "We don’t care about your rags. If it’s really just clothes, we’ll give them back!"

"Hand it over now!"

The man’s grip on the backpack tightened and loosened, glancing at them nervously, his face tense.

The fat guy’s eyebrows furrowed, and he cursed again, "Hurry up!"

The man shrank back, seemingly intimidated, and reluctantly took off the bag, "I... I can go now, right?"

Seeing this, the fat guy instantly smiled, waving him off dismissively, "Go, go, get outta here!"

The man stumbled forward a few steps, and the fat guy chuckled, completely unfazed by his pitiful retreat. Just as he was about to bend down to grab the bag, there was a loud "bang," and he felt something pierce his forehead. The next moment, he fell straight to the ground.

His bulky body hit the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. The tall, skinny guy, who was squatting by the bag pulling the zipper, paused, then slowly realized what had happened. He mechanically lifted his eyes and saw the fat guy lying on the ground not far from his feet, eyes wide open, a small black hole in his forehead, blood gushing out.

He was stunned for a moment before realizing what had happened, the hairs on his neck standing on end, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.

A cold sensation pressed against his forehead, and he tremblingly looked up to see the man's dark and terrifying expression, all traces of his previous honesty gone, his gaze cold and fierce, "Damn it, I didn’t want to cause trouble, but you guys just had to push your luck."

The tall, skinny guy realized what it was, his pupils contracting, his throat dry. Just as his lips were about to move to say something, there was another clear "bang," and his head instantly hit the ground.

The last image before his eyes was the blue sky and white clouds above.

It was a beautiful day.

The sky was clear and the temperature slowly rose; it was indeed a rare beautiful day.

The wedding homicide case was concluded, and the entire Criminal Investigation Detachment finally got some downtime. Shen Qingye's life went back to its usual calm and quiet, and even the members of the Major Case Division became lazy, arriving late and leaving early, making it hard for Shen Qingye to settle her bet.

—She had previously bet with Yue Lingchuan about Xue Mingqi's pregnancy, and as it turned out, things weren’t over yet as Yue Lingchuan had predicted. Of course, Shen Qingye wasn’t one to back out and was ready to pay up.

However, the city had been pretty quiet lately, with no major incidents, so the bet was on hold for now.

Shen Qingye was still a little bummed.

Early in the morning, people trickled into the office. With not much work to do, no one was in a rush, and they chatted casually.

Fang Yun, with a teacup in hand, said, "Hey, did you guys hear about the armed robbery that happened in Linhai yesterday?"

Shen Qingye turned to look at her.

Ms. Ding said, "I heard about it. It even made the news on CCTV, how could I not have heard?"

"They’re saying the killer shot two guards and a bank security officer, and got away with over 2.3 million in cash, right?"

"Tsk... over 2.3 million."

"I’m more curious where the killer got the gun. It’s said to be a Type 54 pistol?"

"Who knows? The police in Linhai are still investigating, and it’s unclear if they’ve got any leads."

Everyone chimed in, all a little on edge.

Armed robberies are no joke. It’s been years since something like this happened, and it’s unclear if the Linhai police can catch the guy.

Ms. Yun sighed again, "Speaking of which, it’s not just us who’ve been swamped lately; other places have been chaotic too."

"Exactly," Ms. Ding said. "A few days ago, wasn’t there a huge forest fire in Xiyuan Province? It’s said that the county forestry bureau director and the county fire brigade staff officer both lost their lives."

"Don’t just talk about Xiyuan. Wasn’t there also a fire in a commercial-residential building in Shuzhong? It’s said that nine people died."

Ms. Ding lamented, "It’s been a rough time."

"Troubled spring, more like," Ms. Yun sighed. "Let’s hope nothing else pops up, so we can catch a break."

As soon as she finished speaking, the door of the Major Case Division next door slammed shut. Everyone paused and looked out the window, only to see a group of men from the Major Case Division quickly walking down the corridor towards the stairs.

Shen Qingye raised an eyebrow. Ms. Yun put down her cup, frowning, "No way, another case?"

"Didn’t the detectives from three groups just leave? What level of criminal is this?"

"It’s not a criminal," the office door opened and closed as Brother Peng walked in, saying, "Judging by their direction, they seem to be heading to the conference room."

"Conference room?" Ms. Yun was puzzled. "Why the rush for a meeting?"

"Must be some emergency situation?" someone speculated.

Fang Yun sighed, "We just said we wanted some peace..."

Shen Qingye glanced toward the door, pen in hand, her curiosity piqued.

What case is it this time?

Shen Qingye had initially intended to ask Luo Kaiyang and the others for information later, but she ended up waiting for almost an hour.

After gradually finishing today's tasks, Shen Qingye was just considering whether to go out and check when she heard a series of hurried footsteps from the stairwell.

She glanced outside and saw Yue Lingchuan and the others.

Shen Qingye hesitated briefly before grabbing her bag and stepping out.

In the corridor, a group of people gathered together. Yue Lingchuan looked serious, his brows furrowed, as he spoke with two senior detectives, while Luo Kaiyang listened behind them.

Seeing this, Shen Qingye hesitated and didn’t approach immediately. After the groups dispersed and returned to their offices, Shen Qingye finally took a few steps forward.

Yue Lingchuan caught sight of Shen Qingye, his expression softening a bit: "Xiao Shen." [Note: Xiao Shen is a term of endearment or familiarity.]

Shen Qingye glanced around; everyone’s expressions were grim, even the usually calm and reserved Jiang Cheng had a furrowed brow.

She cautiously asked, "Is... there another case?"

Yue Lingchuan and Zhou Qiming exchanged a glance. Shen Qingye tightened her grip on her bag and quickly added, "If it’s not the right time, forget it."

"It’s not inconvenient," Yue Lingchuan massaged his temple, "Come in first."

The group entered the office. Yue Lingchuan took a sip of water before speaking: "Do you know about the bank heist in Linhai City?"

Shen Qingye nodded slowly: "I’ve heard some details."

At 7:32 AM yesterday, the armored truck of Huifeng Bank on Zhengyuan Street in Huiquan County, Linhai City, Jinxi Province, arrived on time. However, while unloading the cash, a man on a motorcycle wearing a helmet suddenly appeared, shot and killed two guards, grabbed three metal boxes containing a total of 2.3 million yuan, and quickly fled.

The whole thing was over in under three minutes. The suspect’s quick and brutal actions caught the attention of the provincial police. After the incident, the Linhai police acted swiftly, mobilized most of the city’s force, set up roadblocks, sealed off major traffic routes out of the city, and conducted an investigation at the crime scene. They determined that the suspect was a man, approximately 181-183 cm tall.

However, since the suspect wore a helmet, his face was not visible, and he did not speak throughout the incident, no additional leads were found.

Shen Qingye asked, "I heard the suspect is still at large, is that correct?"

Yue Lingchuan nodded: "Yes."

Shen Qingye asked, puzzled, "Is this case connected to yours? But Jinxi Province is nearly a thousand kilometers away from us. Even if it’s a joint investigation, it shouldn’t involve us—"

Before she finished, it hit her, and she looked up at Yue Lingchuan, shocked: "It can’t be…"

He nodded, confirming her suspicion: "The suspect has come here."

Shen Qingye’s brows furrowed deeply, finding it hard to understand: "How did he end up here? When the incident happened, didn’t the Linhai police seal off all major traffic routes out of the city? How did he get here?"

Zhou Qiming sighed and said, "To be honest, the Linhai police acted swiftly, sealing off roads and conducting emergency checks. But the suspect had this all planned out. The bank he chose to rob is located in the southernmost part of Huiquan County, which is itself in the southernmost part of Linhai City, and Linhai City is in the southernmost part of Jinxi Province. Basically, the crime took place right on the border of Jinxi Province. By riding a motorcycle on the state highway, it would take less than ten minutes to leave Jinxi Province and enter Xiyuan Province."

"Even if the Linhai police were highly capable, it would be impossible for them to coordinate with the Xiyuan police department in such a short time, which gave the suspect enough time to escape."

After Linhai sealed off major routes, they launched a thorough search. However, since that stretch of road had no surveillance and there were limited eyewitnesses, no one knew which direction the suspect had fled. The local police could only rely on the few nearby surveillance cameras to investigate. Later, a passerby reported seeing a helmeted motorcyclist on Chunhan Road. Based on this, they determined the direction and reviewed all surveillance footage from that road. They discovered that seven minutes after the incident, the suspect’s figure briefly appeared on that road.

Based on the direction the suspect fled, they realized he might have already left the city. Seasoned detectives guessed the suspect might be heading for the intercity bus terminal in Songyuan County, Dongyuan City, Xiyuan Province. This location was relatively close to the crime scene, about an hour’s ride by motorcycle, making it the best choice for escape.

The Linhai police immediately contacted the relevant departments in Dongyuan. After discussions, Dongyuan City decided to fully cooperate with Linhai City in apprehending the suspect. They first focused on the intercity bus terminal in the outskirts of Songyuan County. After a series of investigations, they confirmed that the suspect had indeed appeared there. They also found the helmet and motorcycle abandoned by the suspect in the grass outside the bus station.

After confirming that the suspect had indeed left from here, the police quickly approached the bus station staff. Based on the time provided by eyewitnesses, they determined that only two vehicles had departed during that time period.

One was headed to Yue Province, and the other’s destination was Pingjiang.

Nearly ten hours had passed since the crime occurred. The bus to Guangdong Province took fifteen hours. If the killer got on that bus, he’d probably still be on it.

The police quickly contacted the driver of that bus, instructing him to stop at the nearest service area. They also requested local police assistance to investigate and thoroughly check each passenger on board, but no one resembling the suspect was found.

That left only one other possibility.

The perpetrator had boarded the bus heading to Pingjiang.

That bus arrived at its destination at 4:16 PM, and by the time they confirmed this, it was already 5:08 PM.

"Detachment Leader Song went to the bureau for a meeting last night and was busy all night. It’s said that Dir. Gao was livid, blaming the Linhai team for letting the suspect slip through."

Shen Qingye pursed her lips upon hearing this.

How could he not be angry? A gun-wielding murderer posed an extreme threat. If something were to happen here, it would be a disaster.

She asked, "Did they find anything? Have they been able to confirm the suspect’s identity?"

Luo Kaiyang scoffed, "If they had, Dir. Gao wouldn’t be so angry."

He spread his hands, "Right now, apart from knowing that the suspect is male and relatively tall, we have no other leads."

Shen Qingye couldn’t help but say, "So it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack?"

If they had the passenger information from that bus, they could investigate one by one. But most buses let passengers board first and pay later.

Now, the suspect had slipped into Pingjiang unnoticed, blending into the city’s population of nearly ten million. How were they supposed to find him?

"That’s why it’s so difficult," Luo Kaiyang said helplessly.

For one, they didn’t know whether the suspect had stayed in Pingjiang or left after arriving. And even if he had left right in front of them, they probably wouldn’t have recognized him.

The room fell silent, everyone’s faces tense.

Shen Qingye pondered for a moment, then looked up at Yue Lingchuan and asked, "Where did the suspect get the gun?"

Yue Lingchuan replied, "Based on the bullet casings and fragments found at the scene, the Linhai police determined that the suspect was using a Type 54 handgun. But in their central region, gun laws are very strict. It’s difficult for ordinary people to obtain firearms, and they haven’t encountered similar cases locally in recent years. Additionally, the suspect is over 180 cm tall, which is actually quite uncommon in Linhai. So they guessed the suspect wasn’t local."

"Based on this, they expanded their search nationwide for related cases. This morning, they received news from Xinjiang Province—six years ago, a horrific mass murder occurred in Hake Mayi City, Xinjiang. Seven members of the Meng Zangyuan family, all employees at a machinery factory, were found dead in their home one morning, all killed by gunshot wounds."

"The local police confirmed the gun was a Type 54 pistol."

"A mass murder?" Shen Qingye tapped the table, absorbing his words slowly, and frowned. "What was the motive? Did they find any clues?"

Yue Lingchuan shrugged, "After the massacre, Xinjiang authorities launched a thorough investigation for two months. But their conclusion was that the Meng Zangyuan family had virtually no enemies. The only two people who had had arguments with them had solid alibis at the time of the crime."

Shen Qingye was puzzled, "Was it a heat-of-the-moment thing?"

Yue Lingchuan shook his head, "It’s unclear, but it likely wasn’t impulsive. Otherwise, the perpetrator wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of breaking into someone’s home to commit the crime. It would have been easier to just find a random person on the street."

"Then what? A psycho who kills for kicks?" As soon as she said this, she shook her head, dismissing her own thought. "No, that can’t be. If he were truly a psycho killing without reason, he would have committed more than just this one crime over the years."

Yue Lingchuan agreed, "Right. So far, this is the only case on record. That’s why the Xinjiang police haven’t found any leads over the years."

Shen Qingye asked again, "Why do they think this case is like the one in Linhai? Just because of the gun model?"

Yue Lingchuan shook his head, "There’s more to it than that."

"At the time, the Xinjiang police investigated for a long time before getting a lead from a household not far from the victims’ home. He said he got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and vaguely saw a tall, dark figure walking from the direction of the Meng Zangyuan family’s house. He was too groggy to care, figuring it was just his imagination. By morning, he’d forgotten it entirely."

After careful consideration, he confirmed the suspect was over 180 cm tall, probably no more than 183 cm, with a strong build. This led the Linhai authorities to suspect the same person committed both crimes.

Shen Qingye frowned deeply and asked persistently, "After all these years, there’s still no lead?"

Yue Lingchuan shook his head helplessly, "The police in Xinjiang investigated for a long time. When they couldn’t identify any enemies of the Meng family, they turned their attention to people who fled the area right after the crime. After thorough investigation, there were still no leads. Over time, the case nearly went cold. If not for the Linhai case, it might’ve stayed unsolved forever."

Shen Qingye pursed her lips, slowly calmed down, and analyzed, "If it wasn’t a crime of passion, there’s probably some hidden grudge we’re missing."

"If the same person committed both crimes, they left Xinjiang for Linhai and waited six years before striking again," she wondered, "Why rob a bank all of a sudden? Was he desperate for cash?"

Yue Lingchuan said, "No one knows the exact reason. Linhai’s urgently checking people who’ve left the city recently, hoping to find leads ASAP."

Shen Qingye asked again, "What did Dir. Gao say?"

Yue Lingchuan shrugged, "What could he say? Just to tighten security everywhere."

"The enemy’s in the shadows, and we’re out in the open. Unless he takes the initiative to act, we can only wait." They’re waiting on updates from Xinjiang and Linhai.

Wei Zhengyi, however, said, "I doubt he’ll act again anytime soon."

"He laid low for six years. Whatever made him act now, he’s achieved his goal. If he stays under the radar, the police won’t find him—why risk it again?"

Luo Kaiyang nodded in agreement, "Two point three million could last a lifetime if he’s careful. Even if he splurges a little, he couldn’t blow through it that fast, right? With such a sum, what couldn’t he accomplish?"

Jiang Cheng also said, "With the case just wrapped up, everyone’s on high alert. Given how he operates, he’s clearly cautious—planning every move carefully. If he acts again, he’d wait for things to cool down, not now."

Zhou Qiming leaned back in his chair and lazily said, "For now, all we can do is wait and watch. Besides, don’t overthink it—he might not even be in our area."

As soon as he finished speaking, a knock on the door suddenly sounded in the room. They turned to see the operator Xiao Liu standing at the door, looking serious:

"Captain Yue, two bodies were found in the suburbs—both with gunshot wounds."

At these words, everyone's expressions turned serious.

Yue Lingchuan stood up abruptly and asked in a deep voice, "Which suburb?"

"The northern suburbs, less than two miles from Hongyun Bus North Station."

Wei Zhengyi and Luo Kaiyang looked grim. They’d just said the killer wouldn’t strike soon, and now two people are dead from gunshots—proving them wrong.

Xiao Liu said, "Captain Qin’s already there with the forensics team. Captain Yue, you should head over too."

Yue Lingchuan narrowed his eyes, grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair, and looked back at everyone, "Alright, let’s move."

Zhou Qiming and the others quickly stood up, and Shen Qingye followed closely.

Yue Lingchuan glanced at her, about to speak, but Shen Qingye spoke first, "Captain Yue, a deal’s a deal!"

The girl's eyes were clear, with a fearless determination. Yue Lingchuan paused for a moment, then chuckled, "Don’t worry, I said I’d let you help, I won’t go back on my word."

Luo Kaiyang and the others looked on in confusion, but Yue Lingchuan didn’t explain further. He waved his hand and strode out.

It took over an hour to drive from the detachment to the suburbs before they reached the crime scene. Local police were already waiting, and one of them quickly stepped forward to introduce himself—it was the district public security bureau director.

Shen Qingye gave him a few more glances, listening as he quickly outlined the situation:

"The bodies were discovered by Old Huang, a scavenger who regularly passes through this area every morning to collect waste near the bus station. This morning was no different. He left his house at dawn, took the main road to the bus station, and after collecting waste, he roamed around nearby, thinking he could pick up some beverage bottles to sell for extra money. But just a few minutes into his ride, he spotted two dark shapes ahead. Thinking they might be something large, he moved closer and was horrified to discover two bodies. He panicked and immediately called the police!"

"When our officers arrived, they discovered the victims had died from gunshot wounds, realizing the gravity of the situation. They promptly reported it. I had just come back from a meeting at the bureau, pondering the armed suspect Dir. Gao had mentioned, when I heard the news. Without delay, I reported the situation to the Municipal Bureau."

As they spoke, they had already reached the bodies. Shen Qingye observed Qin Yilang, who had arrived earlier, busily directing the forensic team around the two bodies of different builds. She subtly surveyed the area, seeing nothing but mud and rocks.

"Wow, another group! It’s been ages since I’ve seen so many people!"

Shen Qingye was just pondering if anything could talk when she heard a cheerful voice nearby. Her gaze halted, then instinctively settled on a small stone about two meters from the bodies.

The stone, no larger than a thumb, was smooth and round, with a white texture that appeared delicate and cute.

The voice, apparently unaccustomed to seeing people, continued excitedly: "Are they here for that murderer too? I know, I know!"

Shen Qingye’s heart quickened, and an idea took shape in her mind.

Director Zhu was still updating them on the situation. Yue Lingchuan thanked them for their hard work and then looked at the two male bodies, asking, "When were the bodies discovered?"

The officer responded, "We got the call at 7:58 AM. But based on the bodies' condition, the time of death was probably over ten hours ago."

Qin Yilang, upon hearing this, added, "Likely around seventeen or eighteen hours."

Yue Lingchuan figured, "So that would be around 5 PM yesterday?"

Zhou Qiming interjected, "Right around the time that vehicle arrived."

Yue Lingchuan crossed his arms, tapping his fingers on his elbow, and inquired, "Any other findings?"

Qin Yilang stood up, gesturing at the two bodies, "Both were killed with a single shot. The shooter’s aim was spot-on. This one," he pointed to the taller, thinner one, "judging from the wound, the shooter was several meters away. As for the heavier one, the gun was likely pressed against his forehead. The bullet holes are different."

"Yes, yes, that’s exactly it, that’s it!"

The small stone immediately cheered at this. Shen Qingye glanced at it but didn’t hurry to act.

Yue Lingchuan asked, "Is this a necessary route to any particular place?"

Director Zhu understood his implication and shook his head, "No, this area is quite desolate, the road isn’t even paved. Normally, no one comes here. If people want to go somewhere, they’d choose the other main road, which isn’t much farther than coming through here."

Zhou Qiming puzzled, "That’s strange. If this place is so remote, why would the killer choose to commit murder here?"

Wei Zhengyi wondered, "Isn’t remoteness good? If he chose a crowded place, how could he hide after firing the gun?"

Jiang Cheng shook his head, "That’s not what Zhou meant. It’s more about why these two would follow the killer to such a remote place."

Luo Kaiyang slowly analyzed, "If the information from Linhai is correct, the killer should be alone, but there are two victims. And both of them seem to be in good physical shape. It’s unlikely the killer could force them to come here."

As soon as he finished, the small stone eagerly spoke up, "No, no! They followed him willingly!"

Shen Qingye paused, her gaze swiftly turning towards it, as it urgently explained:

"They wanted to rob that man! They followed him here, first trying to steal his large bag, and then even his backpack. The man got angry and shot them!"

Shen Qingye blinked slowly, comprehension dawning on her.

She looked at Qin Yilang and asked, "Captain Qin, are there any other wounds on the victims?"

Qin Yilang glanced at her and shook his head, "The fatal injuries are the two gunshot wounds. There’s a bruise on the back of the head, but it’s not fatal, likely caused by hitting the ground when they fell."

Shen Qingye asked again, "Was there any sign their clothes had been searched?"

Qin Yilang looked at her with some surprise and said, "No, the clothes were neat. The killer likely left immediately after the murders."

Shen Qingye nodded in understanding and then turned to Director Zhu, "Do we have IDs on the victims yet?"

Director Zhu was somewhat surprised to see a female officer in the criminal investigation team, but since Yue Lingchuan didn't say anything, he didn't pay much attention and just said, "We're still working on it, but with so many people in the city, it might take a while."

Shen Qingye lowered her eyes to look at the deceased, pondered for a moment, and then shook her head, "Not so fast."

Yue Lingchuan looked at her, a thought stirring in his mind, "What's on your mind?"

Shen Qingye raised her eyes, "Could it be that the killer and victims' roles were reversed?"

Luo Kaiyang made a questioning sound, "Reversed? How so?"

Yue Lingchuan pondered for a moment and then keenly grasped her meaning, "Are you saying they might have targeted the killer?"

"Did they approach him?"

Shen Qingye nodded, "I agree with what Kaiyang and Zhengyi said earlier. The killer already has so much money, and now is the time when police control is at its tightest. Why risk killing two people and drawing police attention?"

"Moreover, there are no signs of robbery on these two people, indicating that the killer wasn't after money. So, could he have been defending himself?"

Director Zhu, who was listening on the side, slowly clarified her meaning, "So, they tried to rob the killer and got killed?"

Shen Qingye nodded, "Just a theory."

"No speculation needed—you nailed it!" Little Stone excitedly shouted beside her, "You're brilliant! I've never met anyone so sharp."

Shen Qingye had heard countless praises before, but perhaps because she felt guilty about cheating, she only felt embarrassed, maintaining a calm appearance on the surface, but her ears couldn't help but turn red.

Director Zhu, hearing this, brightened up and was about to order someone to focus on checking those with criminal records when a police officer ran over from not far away and excitedly said, "Director, we've ID'd the victims!"

Everyone's hearts tightened, and they quickly gathered around. Director Zhu asked, "What’s the deal? Any priors?"

Officer Xiao Han, who had just been on the phone and hadn't heard their reasoning process, paused in surprise and said, "Director, you were right—they both have records."

Director Zhu waved his hand, "Cut to the chase."

Xiao Han hurriedly said, "These two, one named Fei Dajiang and the other He Liwei, were both involved in the underworld before 1996. After the crackdown, they were imprisoned for two years and were released in 1998. After coming out, they didn't find a proper job, idling around all day, doing nothing, and even started petty theft. At first, the amounts involved were small, but later their courage grew, and they actually committed street robberies, doing three consecutive cases before being caught, sentenced to four years, and only released earlier this year."

"This time, they likely tried to go back to their old tricks but bit off more than they could chew."