Chapter 24: The Case of the Headless Female Corpse (12)

Police Station, Office.

Zhou Lin sipped his coffee while sunlight streamed through the window, bathing him in its glow. His team members were lost in deep thought, some scratching their heads or rubbing their scalps in frustration.

Gu Ye was the first to give up. "I can't do it. I can't figure out where the killer would bury the head."

Lin Nan stirred her coffee gently. "Could Li Ping have thrown the head into the sewer? Maybe it washed out to sea!"

Jiang Qi nodded in agreement. "If that’s the case, finding Tang Hong's head will be like looking for a needle in a haystack."

Du Lang, being older and more experienced, shook his head. "Simply discarding it in the sewer doesn't fit Li Ping's profile. Although he didn't attend university, he is a high-IQ, cold-blooded suspect. You can tell by how he handled Zhu Yan—disposing of her head and body separately in different locations."

Zhou Lin nodded. "Li Ping buried his ex-girlfriend Zhu Yan’s head at the summit of the Yuanbo Garden, so she could always look toward the Kelly Research Center, while he returned her body to a stream in the countryside, wanting to restore her purity. Tang Hong's body was buried alongside the animals at the Kelly Research Center; he looked down on Tang Hong, believing she had a beautiful body but no real intellect. So, her head..."

He paused for a moment, then stood up abruptly. "I’ve got it! Let’s go!"

Gu Ye moved quickly. "Captain Zhou, where are we going?"

"Changjing University." Zhou Lin was already striding toward the door.

Lin Nan suddenly realized, "Tang Hong needed real knowledge, the kind you can only find on a university campus. Do you think Li Ping buried her head at Changjing University?"

Jiang Qi’s eyes widened. "It’s lucky it’s winter break, otherwise we’d terrify the students while searching for a skull!"

Du Lang picked up his thermos. "I hope we can close this case today. I want to spend New Year's Eve with my family tomorrow."

Gu Ye took the car keys from Zhou Lin. "Let's hope for the best, Du. Let's go dig up that skull."

The five of them departed the station in two cars.

...

At Changjing University, Zhou Zhenghong and the university president were chatting animatedly, having not seen each other in a long time. Zhou was worried about Xiao Man running around, as she was only four years old, but fortunately, she sent him a message every half hour to report her whereabouts.

The president laughed, "Don't worry, the child is safe on campus."

Zhou Zhenghong smiled as well. "Xiao Man told me she went to play over by the medical school!"

Xiao Man and Daofeng were standing outside the laboratory, which was currently locked and empty. A mouse crawled out from a sewer pipe: "Little Master, let me tell you, there are actual human remains soaking in the tanks inside!"

"Ah? Should we call the police?" Xiao Man immediately asked.

Daofeng huffed. "Those are tanks filled with formalin, containing 'silent mentors' for medical research!"

Xiao Man clutched her chest. "Oh, little Gray, you scared me to death."

The mouse squeaked twice. "I've even seen a real human head!"

Daofeng glared at it. "This is a medical school, that's not unusual. How else would teachers and students practice their experiments?"

Xiao Man nodded. "What a pity, I can't go in to take a look!"

The mouse stood at her feet. "Little Master, aren't you afraid?"

Xiao Man shook her head. "Xiao Man isn't afraid at all. These people dedicated their bodies to science after death; they should be respected and honored."

The mouse stood on its hind legs and clapped its front paws. "Does the Little Master want to attend Changjing University Medical School when she grows up?"

Xiao Man squinted her eyes with a smile. "Xiao Man wants to go to police academy and become a police officer!"

Zhou Lin overheard the little girl's words before he even got close. On his way to the university, he had checked the app on his phone to see where Xiao Man was. Seeing she was on campus, he had come to find her.

"Xiao Man!"

"Daddy!"

Surprised, Xiao Man sprinted over and threw herself into Zhou Lin's arms. Daofeng lay on the ground, motionless, not even bothering to greet its master.

Zhou Lin looked puzzled. "What’s wrong with Daofeng?"

Xiao Man hugged Zhou Lin's neck. "Brother Daofeng says taking care of children is exhausting! Whoever does it has it rough! It wants to go catch bad guys instead!"

Zhou Lin noticed the mouse hiding in the sewer. "What were you two talking about just now?"

Xiao Man pointed toward the medical school. "We were talking about the 'silent mentors' used for teaching, and human skulls..."

"Xiao Man, you’re Daddy’s lucky charm!" Zhou Lin interrupted, pulling out his phone to call Gu Ye. "Tell everyone to come to the medical school!"

Xiao Man was a very bright child and quickly understood. "Daddy, you mean the skulls used for teaching at the medical school are..."

"Given Li Ping's psychology, we can't rule out that possibility," Zhou Lin nodded. "I need to call Xie Zhou."

When it came to finding real human bones in a medical building, the forensic expert was the best.

Xie Zhou arrived with the trace evidence team. "Captain Zhou, are you sure?"

"Let's search together first." As Zhou Lin was about to enter, Xiao Man tugged on his sleeve.

"Daddy, Xiao Man wants to go in and see too." There was no fear in the little girl's eyes, only anticipation.

Zhou Lin hesitated; after all, letting a four-year-old see corpses and skulls...

Xie Zhou spoke up first. "Captain Zhou, take her along! You can tell this child is a natural-born talent for our police force!"

Most four-year-olds would be bawling at the mere mention of this, but she wasn't just unafraid—her eyes were burning with determination.

"Uncle Zhou, you’re so handsome!" Xiao Man immediately complimented him.

Xie Zhou nudged Zhou Lin with his elbow. "Xiao Man, who’s more handsome, Uncle Zhou or your daddy?"

Xiao Man didn't even have to think about it. "My daddy is handsome! My daddy is the most handsome person in the whole world!"

After the small diversion, the group entered the medical building. Zhou Lin held Xiao Man's hand. "Don't run off once we're inside! If you get scared, come straight to Daddy."

"Okay, Daddy." Even though it was her first time seeing such things, Xiao Man wasn't scared at all.

Daofeng sniffed here and there, looking frustrated. "Why can't I smell anything?"

Xie Zhou patted Daofeng’s head. "The way these specimens are treated is too specialized; it's not suitable for police dog work."

Xiao Man pricked up her ears to listen and comforted Daofeng, "Uncle Zhou said it's not Brother Daofeng's fault."

Xie Zhou pointed to the specimens. "First, the professional method is to soak them in formalin, which masks human scent. Then, they undergo silicone plastination, which completely seals the skull. Heidelberg University abroad conducted experiments showing that once a skull undergoes industrial-grade plastination, police dogs cannot detect the scent."

Xiao Man was confused by the technical jargon and looked up at her father.

Zhou Lin patted her head. "You'll understand when you grow up, Xiao Man."

Xie Zhou jumped in, "I can teach Xiao Man right now."

Zhou Lin shot him a sharp look. "Xie Zhou, I am Xiao Man's father!"

Xie Zhou huffed. "Nobody is trying to take your place as her father. I can be Xiao Man's mentor. What do you think, Xiao Man?"