TEFSCBSS Chapter 95

Chapter 95: Another One Dead (Part 3)

“Unless… this wasn’t the original crime scene either. The killer might have just moved the charred body here and used torches or something else to stage the scene,” said Number Five in a low, serious voice.

But why?

Why would both of these murders happen here?

Dumping two heartless corpses in the middle of a bustling city—almost like they wanted everyone to notice.

Number Three swallowed hard. “You don’t think this killer is some kind of maniac, do you? I’ve heard of people like that—those who purposely challenge the authorities just to show off how clever they are.”

“Like in those stories, the infamous ‘Jiangnan Flower Thief’ always left behind clues or struck in crowded places just to mock the officials.”

Number Five nodded. “It’s not impossible. Especially considering the killer purposely removes the victims’ hearts—it proves he’s ruthless and cold-blooded. Definitely not someone decent.”

He turned to his teammates. “Did you learn anything from the witnesses?”

Number Three smacked his lips. “None of them said a word. They all claimed they were questioned yesterday and just went home afterward.”

Number Eight chimed in, “What about the group of homeless folks near the Chenghuang Temple in the alley? They said they went back early. One of them, a younger kid, came back later to see if Chun Ya had saved them any food.”

“When he got there, Chun Ya was still at her stall. Looked like she had just gotten back from questioning, too, and was organizing her stuff. When she saw the kid, she cooked up the leftover wontons and packed them all into a big container for him.”

“Oh, and before he left, she told him not to rush returning the dishes. Said to get a good night’s sleep and bring them back tomorrow.”

“They figured Chun Ya still had business to run, so they washed everything clean and brought it back early this morning—only to find Butcher Liu yelling about how she’d taken her own life.”

Hearing this, Number Five shot a glance at Butcher Liu, who was still putting on an act of comforting the grieving. Damn it, he thought, that guy’s the most suspicious one here. He’s involved in every case so far, but he’s slick with his words—never leaves a hole to be caught.

His gut screamed that Liu was hiding something—but there was no solid proof yet.

Still…

“So, you’re saying Chun Ya purposely sent the homeless away, like she didn’t want them seeing what happened last night?” Number Five frowned. “Almost like she knew she was going to die?”

“Now that you mention it, it does feel that way,” Number Eight said, eyes wide. “You think… maybe she killed herself?”

Number One had the same suspicion, but something didn’t sit right. “Look at this scene. Even if she wanted to die, how could she possibly do all this herself?”

“I mean, come on—how would she dig her own heart out?”

“And another thing—the autopsy suggests she was already dead when the burning happened. She couldn’t have set herself on fire post-mortem. Not even a corpse-walker could pull that off.”

Number Five stated firmly, “That means someone else was here. Whether it was the killer or not, that person carried all this out.”

“And also…” his voice dropped, eyes sharp. “Have you considered this—what if yesterday’s male corpse and today’s burnt body aren’t the scholar and Chun Ya?”

“What if they faked their deaths, and they’re the hidden blades behind all of this?”

On the second floor, a voice echoed those exact words. Han Yueyi leaned back, tapping his chin with one hand, the other idly drumming on the table. “Now, this case is getting interesting.”

Wang Bokao’s expression darkened. Staring at the burnt corpse on the platform, he looked like he was being dragged into some unpleasant memory. He quickly downed two cups of wine before answering, “You think the scholar and Chun Ya are the masterminds? What for? A fake-death stunt to play ghost and mess with people?”

Han Yueyi shook his head slightly. “Probably not that simple. You haven’t read Su Li’s script yet, have you? She never repeats a case or a method.”

“Even if it’s another faked death, the reasoning behind it would be completely different.”

Wang Bokao nodded, eyes focused on the table, which had been cleared of food and covered with messages and evidence notes relayed by Number Two as he ran up and down the building.

“Honestly, everyone in this case seems off.”

…

Back on the platform, the investigation trio went over the clues again.

Most of the scene matched what they’d already examined, so this time, they focused on areas they hadn’t checked before.

Number Eight, being thorough, also went to places they had already searched to see if any new clues had popped up.

Number Five flipped open the folder on the Moon Immortal House. A large stack of information was revealed. After compiling it all, a complex and sprawling web of relationships began to form in his mind.

[Moon Immortal House Clues]:

• Moon Immortal House is one of the most famous brothels in the capital, thanks to its poetic lantern riddles and prime location near the river and market, which guarantee a steady flow of clientele.

• The madam, Qin Mama, is in her fifties but still exudes charm. Rumor has it she had a beautiful voice in her youth and used to sing while leaning on the windowsill by the river.

• She eventually became the head courtesan, then the madam. Though she no longer entertains clients, she maintains close ties with a mysterious middle-aged man.

• Years ago, the brothel took in many young girls, including female relatives of a disgraced official’s family. It was this very man who personally brought them there.

• Among those girls was a daughter from the household—not particularly pretty or talented—but she constantly tried to escape and was nearly beaten to death for it.

• Luckily, a young nobleman took a liking to her and paid a hefty price to keep her safe. She was spared from receiving clients from then on.

• However, driven by love, she later ran off with a poor scholar and vanished without a trace. Qin Mama was furious but powerless.

The rest of the document described the current girls working at Moon Immortal House.

• The place has two-star courtesans. One is Wan Niang, a stunning beauty who inherited Qin Mama’s singing talent and is a master of music.

• The other is Yue Niang, known for her mesmerizing dances that captivate every guest who sees her.

• The two don’t get along well. Though they sometimes perform together, they often try to sabotage each other. Still, they’ve never done anything too extreme.

• Last year, several girls from the brothel began disappearing. Qin Mama officially reported at least one case to the authorities.

• But back then, girls were going missing all over the southern part of the city, so no one paid much attention to Moon Immortal House’s troubles. The matter was dropped.

• Qin Mama, annoyed by the misfortune, forbade the girls from leaving the brothel without permission. She also hired some martial artists to serve as bodyguards. Since then, no one else has gone missing.

As Number Five stared at the pile of clues, he began to think—if possible, they’d need to talk to Qin Mama and Yue Niang. Those two might be holding onto some crucial leads.