Chapter 117: A Murder Case

After closing the door, he casually slid the bolt into place.

Cheng Qianfan’s expression became serious.

Something was wrong with He Guan.

Although He Guan had tried hard to conceal it and appeared normal, chatting and laughing with him as usual.

In Cheng Qianfan’s eyes, however, there were at least seven suspicious points.

The first suspicious point was the blood beneath his fingernails.

The second suspicious point was that he had actually repaid his debt voluntarily in cash.

The third suspicious point was what He Guan had just said, claiming that Jin Kemu might check on him, and therefore asking Cheng Qianfan to testify that he had come to see him two hours earlier.

Cheng Qianfan guessed that this was the real reason He Guan had come.

The statement seemed harmless.

But since when had He Guan worried about being checked on?

Even if Jin Kemu discovered that He Guan had slipped away from work, at most he would scold him a few times.

For someone with He Guan’s carefree and unruly personality, that was neither painful nor itchy. He normally did not care in the slightest.

Therefore, He Guan was definitely hiding something.

He had specifically come to ask Cheng Qianfan to serve as a time witness.

Moreover, whatever it was had happened within the last two hours.

Combined with the blood beneath He Guan’s fingernails, Cheng Qianfan further deduced that it had probably occurred around an hour ago.

Then there was the fourth point.

Cheng Qianfan picked up his teacup and took a sip. It was still somewhat hot on the tongue.

When He Guan had drunk water earlier, the tea had been even hotter than it was now.

Given his usual temperament, he would certainly have spat it out immediately and cursed Cheng Qianfan for trying to scald him to death.

Cheng Qianfan remembered clearly that He Guan had taken three drinks of water just now without the slightest change in expression.

That was a manifestation of inner tension.

There was also the fifth point.

He Guan had been wearing a brand-new set of clothes.

According to the first deduction, he had probably gotten into a conflict with someone.

If so, his clothes should not have been so clean and tidy.

That meant he had changed into clean clothes afterward.

Then there was the sixth point.

Cheng Qianfan had a keen sense of smell and had faintly detected the scent of blood on He Guan.

And the seventh point.

He Guan normally loved wearing his police uniform.

He always said that a police officer should look like a police officer and that wearing the uniform made him look spirited.

It was currently working hours.

Even if He Guan had slipped away from duty, he should still have been wearing his uniform.

Cheng Qianfan shook his head.

The fool probably thought he had hidden everything perfectly.

Little did he know that, in the eyes of a professional agent like Cheng Qianfan, flaws were visible everywhere.

There was definitely something going on with him.

Cheng Qianfan was not worried that He Guan had committed some evil act.

Though he appeared arrogant and spoiled, he was actually kind-hearted and would never bully ordinary people.

Foolish He Guan.

Cheng Qianfan cursed him affectionately in his heart with a smile.

He turned the clock in the main hall back by an hour and a half.

Then he shifted the clock slightly toward the outer edge of the table.

Afterward, he called the cat down.

He opened the door.

Then he pointed at the cat and began scolding it.

“Brother Fan, what’s going on?”

A neighbor passing by came over and asked.

“That was Officer He just now, wasn’t it?”

“This little thing almost knocked over the clock.”

Cheng Qianfan pointed at the cat and scolded it with a mixture of laughter and exasperation.

The neighbor glanced at the cat.

The tabby let out a pitiful Meow.

“Why bother getting angry at a little beast?”

The neighbor laughed as well.

Then he looked at the clock.

“Brother Fan, what time is it?”

“Almost two o’clock in the afternoon.”

The neighbor smiled and left with his hands clasped behind his back.

About an hour later, the same neighbor heard that the clock in Cheng Qianfan’s house had ultimately been knocked over by the mischievous cat and smashed into pieces on the floor.

The neighbor laughed and told the story to others as an amusing anecdote.

“That clock in Brother Fan’s house was destined to break today. Just before two o’clock, I saw him scolding that naughty cat.”

Several streets away from Yande Lane, beside a relatively secluded small river.

The body of the Japanese rōnin Miyamoto Saburo was discovered.

Deputy Inspector Ma Yishou of the Central Police Station personally led the investigation at the scene.

Looking at the dead man’s face, Ma Yishou felt his molars ache.

He knew that face all too well.

Half a month earlier, a case had occurred in the French Concession involving a drunkard who, while intoxicated, had insulted and assaulted a woman.

That drunkard had been Miyamoto Saburo.

Miyamoto Saburo had been personally arrested by He Guan while committing the crime.

Ordinarily, there should have been no ambiguity in such a case.

However, the Japanese Consulate had pressured the French Concession authorities, demanding the release of the “innocent” Miyamoto Saburo.

Later, rumors even emerged claiming that the victimized woman had always behaved flirtatiously and had deliberately seduced Miyamoto Saburo in hopes of marrying a Japanese man and rising in status.

It was only one step away from claiming that the damned Miyamoto Saburo had been the victim and that he had been assaulted by the woman.

Unable to endure the rumors and slander, the woman had hanged herself from a ceiling beam.

The victim was dead.

With no complainant remaining, the Japanese side became even more aggressive.

The woman’s family consisted only of an elderly nanny.

Powerless and without influence, she could only cry at home.

The matter eventually faded away unresolved.

Miyamoto Saburo had been acquitted and released two days earlier.

He Guan, who had personally arrested Miyamoto Saburo, had been furious.

He caused a huge disturbance at the station and was only brought under control after his uncle Jin Kemu publicly slapped him several times.

Who could have imagined that only two days later, Miyamoto Saburo would be found murdered beside this small river?

Ma Yishou now felt both relieved and overwhelmed.

Seeing the Japanese rōnin dead gave him a sense of satisfaction.

However, a murder case had occurred within his jurisdiction.

And the victim was Japanese.

That was no small matter.

He had a headache coming.

“Old Liu, have you figured anything out?”

Ma Yishou asked.

The forensic doctor surnamed Liu from the Route Vallon Police Hospital stood up.

An assistant beside him took a towel and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“Time of death should be around two hours ago.”

He pointed at the corpse.

“The victim suffered four stab wounds. One was in the shoulder, inflicted from behind.”

“Two were on the arms, defensive wounds.”

“The fatal wound was to the neck.”

“The victim probably engaged in a brief struggle before death.”

“Ma Tou, we found the murder weapon.”

Big-Head Lu shouted from the distance.

Pinching his nose, he carried a knife over.

“The bastard threw the weapon into a latrine pit.”

“There’s also a bloodstained set of clothes in the pit.”

Ma Yishou glanced at the bloodstained clothing covered in excrement and urine and frowned while covering his nose.

It was the most common style of work clothes seen throughout Shanghai.

The knife was also an ordinary fruit knife.

“All right, take the body back first.”

Ma Yishou waved his hand.

“Everyone else spread out and make inquiries. Ask whether anyone saw suspicious individuals two hours ago or noticed anything unusual.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Motherfucker.”

Looking at the chaotic scene, Ma Yishou could not help cursing.

The other officers kept their heads down and worked in silence.

Everyone knew Ma Tou had been in a bad mood lately.

Now this case involved a Japanese victim as well.

The earlier case involving Miyamoto Saburo’s assault of a Chinese woman had already caused a huge uproar.

Newspapers had been condemning the French Concession for disregarding human life, fearing the Japanese, and allowing a criminal to go free.

Now things had become even worse.

Miyamoto Saburo had been killed.

The matter had become far more serious.

At a time like this, it was better to keep one’s head down and work honestly rather than invite trouble.

Toward evening, after finishing work, Li Hao appeared in Yande Lane.

“Haozi, finished work?”

“Haozi, Brother Fan is back. Did you know?”

Li Hao was greeting the neighbors of Yande Lane when he heard this.

Joy immediately spread across his face, and he broke into a quick run.

The front door was not bolted.

Li Hao pushed it open directly.

The first thing he saw was Cheng Qianfan, wearing an apron and carrying a plate.

“Brother Fan!”

Li Hao called excitedly.

“Haozi’s here. Go wash your hands. We’re about to eat.”

Cheng Qianfan said with a smile.