Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Murderous Joy (14)

The police couldn’t keep the exhumation at the Mass Grave Mountain a secret. Even before the Luo family's grave was opened, some of the townspeople had already followed up the mountain. People traditionally believe that once a body is buried, it should not be exhumed. They view their ancestors’ graves as more important than their own homes. In the past, when the police needed to exhume bodies for investigations in rural areas, there were often intense confrontations with the locals, sometimes even leading to bloodshed. Because of this, Hai Shu was very cautious this time, making sure all the paperwork was in order before proceeding and having local officers accompany them.

The officer glanced back at the crowd of townspeople watching from a distance and explained to Hai Shu, "Things aren’t like they used to be. People are more reasonable now." He then stepped back to calm the onlookers. While the townspeople didn’t interfere, they refused to leave.

Under the watchful eyes of dozens, the fact that there were no bodies in the Luo family’s coffins was laid bare.

The officer was shocked. "How is this possible? Who would steal the Luo family’s bones?"

Hai Shu carefully retrieved the rusted shackles from the coffin and sealed them in an evidence bag, asking, "What’s the significance of these shackles in our case?"

The officer, still stunned, shook his head. "Who would put shackles in a coffin?"

Wen Xu began inspecting both the interior and exterior of the grave. As the news spread, more and more townspeople arrived. Many of the younger generation didn’t know about the Luo family’s massacre, but the older generation remembered it clearly. They recalled that even after the body of Cai Mei was found, it too had disappeared. The more they thought about it, the more suspicious the Mass Grave Mountain became. They feared for their own ancestors’ graves.

When one household exhumed their family’s grave, it was like a contagious disease, and others soon followed, tools in hand.

One by one, graves were opened, and the coffins inside showed no signs of being tampered with. Some particularly stubborn individuals even pried the coffins open. The bodies inside had long turned to bone and lay peacefully.

Only the Luo family’s bodies were missing. However, the remains of the other two families from that fateful winter were still in their coffins.

Hai Shu suddenly thought of the Luo family's mother, who hadn’t been killed. She asked where she was buried. The officer didn’t know, but an elderly man with white hair provided the answer. "She married into our town. After the Luo family tragedy, she went mad. After her son and daughter-in-law were buried, her brother or nephew from her family took her back. She wasn’t buried here."

Hai Shu’s gaze shifted back to the Luo family grave, which had been unattended for decades. It looked even more desolate than the surrounding graves. Cai Mei’s grave was nearby. Wen Xu, not feeling comfortable, decided to open that one as well. The elderly townspeople gathered to confirm. Cai Mei’s grave had been disturbed back then too, and her body was missing.

Hai Shu’s mind flashed back to the shackles. There was still no clear evidence that the bones found in the old workshop belonged to the four victims of the Luo family massacre, and the claim that "four people fell into the furnace" was only from Guang Yongguo and others. How could an outsider make a judgment when all that was left were bones?

Yet, the Luo family's bones were gone from their coffin, which was too much of a coincidence. While time had passed, it didn’t contradict anything.

The killer likely murdered them out of revenge. Under the intense hatred, they couldn’t bear to let them rest in peace, so they exhumed their bodies and threw them into the fire. Yes, fire had a strong association with torture in the public’s mind.

The shackles left behind might symbolize that the Luo family’s four members were forever imprisoned, unable to escape?

The remains of the other two families weren’t disturbed because the killer didn’t harbor such deep hatred for them?

If Guang Yongguo, Li Yun, and the workers who were in the know hadn’t lied, the only people who could have thrown the bodies into the furnace were those who had easy access to the old workshop back then. But verifying something that happened almost thirty years ago would be very difficult now.

However, after the exhumation, the police had a piece of evidence they could verify now.

Hai Shu took the shackles and went to ask the elderly townspeople if they had ever seen similar ones. Most of them shook their heads, but one old man said, "In the past, in Kong Yun Town to the south, every household made chains. These shackles look like they came from there."

Kong Yun Town and Zhou Ping Town were separated by a mountain and weren’t under the jurisdiction of Hui Yong City. There had never been any interaction between the two. Hai Shu made a note of this clue.

Later, Cheng Wei came to find Hai Shu with a report. "The Luo family’s grave hasn’t been disturbed in at least twenty years. The bones weren’t stolen recently. Also, the shackles found in the coffin, judging by their degree of rust, were probably placed there almost thirty years ago."

Hai Shu muttered, "That indeed matches the timeline of the bodies found in the furnace."

Cheng Wei nodded. "As for the shackles, I asked a colleague who knows about these things. He said they’re from the Kong Yun Town area. This signifies that the deceased would never be reincarnated."

Thus, Cai Mei’s drowning, the Luo family’s massacre, and the bones found in the furnace were connected by a single thread. The Guang family was also vaguely involved in some way. However, there was insufficient evidence now, and many ideas were still at the deduction stage. As for whether this line of thought was related to the deaths of Wan Ze Yu and Yuan Zhong, the answer was still far from the police's sight.

In the small town, where news was rare, people were still talking about the "man-eating" smoking barrel, even though the case had already taken place some days ago.

Hai Shu, with takeout in hand, arrived at Yin Can Xi’s cosmetics store. This time, there was business. Although people still thought Yin Can Xi had something to do with the murder case and felt unlucky, young people wanted to buy lipstick and eyeshadow before the New Year, and there were a few middle school girls who came to get their makeup done by Yin Can Xi.

Yin Can Xi and her helper were busy, and Hai Shu placed the takeout on the counter. "Do you need any help?"

Yin Can Xi glanced at her, her gaze slightly paused, but quickly smiled. "This young lady wants a smoky makeup look for her class reunion."

Hai Shu washed her hands, put on an apron, and asked the girl, "Should I do your makeup?"

The girl looked a bit nervous and glanced at Yin Can Xi. Yin Can Xi was doing another girl's makeup, and she said, "This sister is my good friend. She’s the best at smoky makeup."

The girl was skeptical, as Hai Shu didn’t wear any makeup and didn’t look like someone who would know how to do makeup. But she had already waited too long, so she agreed.

Hai Shu picked up an eyeshadow palette, skillfully working on the girl’s face after applying the base. Fifteen minutes later, the girl looked at herself in the mirror and was amazed at how stunning and mature she looked. She stared at Hai Shu in surprise.

Yin Can Xi said, "See? I wasn’t lying to you!"

The girl left satisfied, and Hai Shu helped a few more customers, but she only knew how to do heavy makeup. She wasn’t very good at the pure, innocent makeup look.

A girl asked, "Sister, you don’t even wear makeup, how can you do a smoky makeup look?"

Hai Shu replied, "I do wear makeup, but I came to help your sister Can Xi today, and I didn’t have time to prepare myself."

By noon, the shop finally quieted down, but the takeout had already cooled. Yin Can Xi said it was fine and offered to heat it up in the microwave.

"President Hai, you've been helping me for almost half a day today. You must have something to ask me, right?"

Hai Shu said, "It’s not anything major. The investigation hasn’t made any progress, so I came out to clear my mind and decided to stop by to see you."

Yin Can Xi said, "I heard you all dug up some empty graves on Mass Grave Mountain. You call that no progress?"

"You're quite well-informed."

"Well-informed? The whole town is talking about it."

"What about the Guang family? Have they said anything?"

Yin Can Xi paused with her chopsticks. "I haven't been in touch with them lately."

Hai Shu, who was putting on makeup, kept applying and wiping it off. Her fair skin was slightly reddened from the rubbing. She complained, "I want to do the makeup I like, but why is it so difficult?"

Yin Can Xi looked at her, confused. "What’s difficult about makeup for you? Your smoky makeup technique is the best in Bin Cong City."

"I’m going back to the police station in a bit, and there are all these new colleagues. Do you want me to scare them with smoky makeup?" Hai Shu sighed. "I just want a simple, everyday look."

"You don’t need everyday makeup. You’re beautiful without any makeup," Yin Can Xi said honestly. Hai Shu was actually very skilled with makeup, but since her job involved investigating, she didn’t often wear makeup to work, relying on her natural beauty.

Hai Shu, however, was focused on trying to perfect an everyday look today. "I want a fresh, innocent look. Can you do it for me after you’re done eating?"

Yin Can Xi seemed to sense something and her gaze briefly flickered, but she smiled and said, "Sure."

The two beautiful women, each with her own charm, sat face to face. A pile of cosmetics lay beside them. Yin Can Xi was drawing Hai Shu’s eyelid, and Hai Shu could smell the perfume on her.

"Let's go a bit higher here," Hai Shu said, holding a small mirror in her left hand. "The corners of your eyes should be slightly lifted."

Yin Can Xi said, "You want an everyday innocent look, so this round shape is just fine."

Hai Shu looked into her eyes. "But I remember you used to draw the corners of your eyes much longer."

Yin Can Xi’s smile faded slightly.

Hai Shu, seemingly unaware of her reaction, continued, "I remember that makeup of yours clearly. It was originally a youthful, schoolgirl look, but with the corners of your eyes lifted, it became completely different."

Yin Can Xi stood up to pack away her cosmetics.

Hai Shu joked, "So that’s your signature look, which is why you can’t do it for me, right?"

Yin Can Xi turned around, smiling innocently. "What are you talking about, President Hai?"

Hai Shu continued looking into the mirror. "Was that look inspired by Xu Qiao?"

Upon hearing this name, Yin Can Xi stiffened. Hai Shu noticed the tightness in the corners of her lips in the mirror.

Yin Can Xi asked, "What... Xu Qiao?"

"Isn’t it? Her eye corners naturally tilt upwards, and she rarely wore makeup, but it was like her eyeliner was naturally drawn. She was very beautiful." Hai Shu put down the mirror. "I remember you mentioning her. You said no one was more beautiful than Xu Qiao."

Yin Can Xi widened her eyes. "Did I say that?"

"Yeah, we were investigating a case in Bin Cong City together."

Yin Can Xi grabbed a strand of hair, clipping it back with a hairpin. "I don’t remember. Maybe it was just something I casually mentioned. Xu Qiao has been gone for a long time. Why are you suddenly bringing her up?"

"When investigating Wan Ze Yu’s social relationships, I found out they had a conflict back in middle school," Hai Shu said calmly. "When I saw Xu Qiao’s name, it felt familiar, and then I remembered you mentioned her."

Yin Can Xi insisted she didn’t remember. "How could I mention her? We weren’t in the same grade. She was a few years older than me, and I never spoke to her."

Hai Shu took a step back. "I’ve seen her photo. She was beautiful. It’s normal to remember her."

The shop became quiet for a moment. Hai Shu changed the subject. "Are you still marrying Guang Jun? He asked me to pass on a message: he still loves you."

Yin Can Xi’s face showed disdain and disgust. "The case hasn’t been solved, and his family thinks I’m unlucky. Let’s leave it at that for now. I have my own place, my shop, and I don’t need to rely on their family’s rice. I’ll focus on my career first."

Hai Shu said, "Actually, there’s something I don’t understand."

"Mm?"

"If you're focusing on your career, why leave Bin Cong? With your skills, opening a studio in Bin Cong wouldn't be impossible."

Yin Can Xi put away all the cosmetics and turned to look directly at Hai Shu. "President Hai, are you suspecting me?"

Hai Shu said, "I don’t know what you're up to now, but in Bin Cong City, you were my outstanding informant."

At that moment, a new customer arrived. Yin Can Xi greeted them cheerfully and, as she passed by Hai Shu, whispered, "The outstanding informant now just wants to settle down in her hometown."

After Sui Xing returned to Hui Yong City, she ran back and forth between the substation, the city bureau, and Hui Yong University. The truth about Xu Qiao’s suicide seemed to shift from one foggy mystery to another.