Chapter 35: You’re Ready To Graduate
In the morgue.
The two little devils who were already dead were quietly lying on the board bed, and their bodies had been dressed in clothes again.
The Imperial Army, after being killed and stripped naked and thrown on the street, the little devils naturally wouldn’t let them lose face like that, so they were transported here first thing.
Duomen was wearing white cloth gloves, touched the deceased’s neck, and tsked in admiration: “The killer’s strength is really tremendous. With this degree of shattering, the head would have twisted to the back.”
“The muscles, blood vessels, and other parts at the neck are all torn, with local congestion and even small areas of bleeding. This was a fatal blow! The action was clean and efficient, without any dragging, this is an expert!”
Cao Weida felt strange inside; being praised in front of the deceased for whom he was the killer, he really wasn’t quite used to it.
Even more magical was having him, the killer, cooperate in investigating the killer.
Duomen stepped aside a bit, “Cao’er, you come and check it out too. Don’t aim to see anything specific, just treat it as gaining experience; what you learn is your own.”
Cao Weida felt even stranger inside. As someone with top criminal investigation ability, and the deceased killed by him, he knew the situation all too well.
However, he didn’t refuse, put on gloves as well, and examined the two corpses thoroughly.
“Did you see anything?”
“The deceased have no other external injuries, no excessive signs of resistance overall. From the angle, the deceased was likely sneak-attacked from behind, neck twisted off in one go, dying decisively and cleanly.” Tsk, admiring his own work felt really weird.
He didn’t have the special fetish of going to the scene to admire his masterpiece after killing the target.
“Yeah, decisive enough, clean enough.” Duomen spoke freely, “The killing technique is very professional, without any dragging, very much like done by a professional.”
The so-called professionals naturally referred to those agents.
“The Communist Party is generally low-key, absolutely not stirring trouble unless necessary. By this reasoning, it should be done by the Kuomintang people, though we don’t know if it was Central Statistics Bureau or Military Statistics Bureau who did it.”
At this point, he felt some doubt again: “But strangely, why kill two ordinary devils? According to the files and death location, these two little devils were drunk and heading to an underground establishment to have fun. They couldn’t have important intelligence on them, right? This doesn’t add up.”
“Master Duo, are you so sure it was Kuomintang people who did it?” Cao Weida felt strange inside.
“Not certain, but probably so. Otherwise who else, hot-blooded loners? Not impossible either.” Duomen shook his head,
“Whatever, doesn’t matter. Whether loner or Kuomintang people did it, this matter probably won’t have much follow-up.”
“The little devils’ coroners went there after the incident, found nothing. The killer not only has agile skills, but counter-detection techniques are also quite professional, leaving no clues.”
“Without any clues, searching for the killer in a city of one million seven or eight hundred thousand people, that’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”
Clearly, Duomen didn’t think the little devils could catch the killer.
“Eh, Master Duo, look, these two seem a bit off on their bodies.”
“Where?”
“Look here, here, and here. Seems like they were kicked before death, with faint subcutaneous hematomas formed after death. Do you think this clue is useful?”
“Of course it’s useful. Any tiny clue is crucial for solving the case; maybe a small detail can link the whole case together.”
Duomen leaned in for a closer look and indeed saw signs of faint subcutaneous hematomas.
The so-called subcutaneous hematoma is from blows before death that didn’t cause death. If the blow ruptures local blood vessels, blood gathers at the rupture after death, likely forming traumatic bleeding.
Such a situation generally appears 2-4 hours after death.
Probably the little devils’ coroners hadn’t noticed this before.
After carefully checking, Duomen overturned his previous conclusion, “Looks like the possibility of Kuomintang special agents doing it is lower. The killer might really be a patriotic hot-blooded youth.”
“Let’s go, the examination is pretty much done, let’s stroll.”
They came here just to go through the motions; even if they found something, they were too lazy to report to the little devils.
Joking aside, the dead were little devils they hated, not Chinese people. What business was it of Duomen’s.
Was he supposed to help the little devils harm patriotic youth?
Was Duomen crazy?
The sky gradually brightened, and people on the street gradually increased.
Though they were robbed last night, life goes on, families still need to eat, it wouldn’t affect their lives much, at most curse stinky-footed patrolmen or black-skinned Gouzi behind their backs.
The two sat at a breakfast stall, Duomen tested: “Tell me, why did I just say that side’s possibility is lower?”
He didn’t say Kuomintang, worried about ears on the walls, especially on the street.
If some unfavorable remarks were heard by traitors currying favor with the devils, it would still be trouble.
Cao Weida smiled faintly. Duomen didn’t know his criminal investigation and case-solving ability had surpassed the master; after all, outsiders could hardly understand the world of cheats.
He “analyzed”: “Based on past experience, if it were that side’s people, it would generally be clean and efficient, no other useless actions.”
“No signs of struggle before the deceased’s death means one-hit kill, but there are subcutaneous hematomas on the body, basically confirming the killer vented strikes on the not-yet-dead victim.”
“That strike surface couldn’t be from a sharp weapon; from the shape, it seems kicked by foot.”
“So, this should be someone agile in action, full of hot blood, that whatever.”
Duomen had a face full of approval, “Cao’er, you’re pretty much ready to graduate. With these skills, you can make a living anywhere.”
“Hey, my bit of ability is just scratching the surface of what I learned from you.” Cao Weida was modest with words,
“Besides, these days, better to mind your own business, more action more mistakes, no action no mistakes. I want to learn from you another three, five, or eight years.”
He had no interest in case-solving or whatever; these days, even a master detective, what of it?
He just wanted to develop low-key, didn’t want to be a standout.
People too famous often get noticed.
For example, if he showed superior case-solving ability, if the little devils made him work, would he refuse or not?
Refuse, if he didn’t run, he’d probably be done for.
Not refuse, that’d be helping little devils harm his own compatriots.
Never mind being exterminated as a traitor, even if not, after the War of Resistance victory, would he have good fruit to eat?
Duomen chuckled speechlessly, then shook his head with a smile: “You, really a monkey turned sly, cunning all day.”
“But true, you’re quick-witted, don’t need patrolman salary to feed the family.”
“Right, speaking of feeding the family, what did Third Sister-in-law say, when to bring her in?”
Concubine isn’t the main wife, so it’s bring in, not marry. Though modern concubines have slightly higher status than old-time ones, most people resist being cuckolded, so generally no letting concubines receive guests or such.
But compared to the main wife, concubine’s status is still vastly different.
“Isn’t he just looking for a house? But the redemption money is already paid; once the house is settled, it can be done right away.”
“But speaking of which, Master Duo, how’s the thing I told you before about quickly getting me a Saozi? So many days, no movement?”
The topic suddenly turned to himself, Duomen blushed a bit, and while the employee brought food, he buried his head and mumbled: “Eat, eat. No talking while eating, no talking while sleeping!”
“Tch~~ Master Duo, playing turtle is not encouraged. Man loves woman, how fresh.” Saying so, he looked at Duomen suspiciously, “Master Duo, you can’t be impotent, right?”
With a naughty smile, “Master Duo, want me to teach you? Let me tell you.”
“Better not tell me,” Duomen hurriedly stopped him. This brat, using reverse psychology on me!
But damn, this trick worked well on him!
Or rather, worked well on most men!
Men, who would admit they’re no good!
Which man doesn’t have some competitive spirit!
“Just wait, in a few days I’ll bring back a Saozi for you, then you’ll know if your Master Duo can do it!”
“Then I’ll wait.” Cao Weida smiled and stood up. Under Duomen’s puzzled gaze, he went to a man with a few pockmarks on his right cheek and patted his shoulder:
“Brother, stealing money on my turf, isn’t that not giving me face?”
Just now while he was talking to Duomen, this pockmarked man, taking advantage of the stall owner delivering breakfast, had taken money from the stall owner’s pocket.
Not stopping after succeeding, he also stole from a female diner’s clothes pocket nearby.
His technique so skilled, clearly a habitual offender!
Seeing this, how could Duomen not react—this was a pickpocket!
He stood up calmly, ready to support Cao Weida anytime.
The pockmarked man suddenly patted, stunned for a moment, bristled like a cat with its tail stepped on:
“Which blind dog thing…” When he turned cursing, his sleeve-rolling motion froze.
Anger on his face vanished, turned to fawning smile, waist slightly bent: “Yo, isn’t this Master Duo? You’re auspicious…”
As for Cao Weida grabbing him, he ignored him completely.
“I say Wang Mazi, you’re not playing fair.” Duomen signaled Cao Weida to let go, continued to the pockmarked man:
“You Wang Mazi are well-known on the streets. Our territories don’t overlap, but today you act on my turf, isn’t that breaking rules too much?”
Duomen’s case-handling ability was very good, and he knew people from all walks of life, ruffians and scoundrels basically all.
He didn’t want trouble, didn’t want to meddle too much, so generally, both sides had tacit understanding.
Thieves and pickpockets shouldn’t commit crimes on his turf; ruffians and scoundrels, after cleaning fees paid, shouldn’t find fault again, and couldn’t collect excessively either.
All these years, both sides followed rules, but now Wang Mazi broke it, so Duomen naturally had to say something.
