S.C.I. (Volume II) - Case 6: Chapter 5

The Innocent Killer 05 - Slander

Hearing Gongsun's teasing, the woman's expression looked ugly at first, but she quickly recovered her composure and smiled. "I heard you're just a forensic doctor."

Gongsun adjusted his glasses and continued drinking his milk... His stomach hurt so badly.

"I got to know Jingtang in the business world, and I heard he has a boyfriend, so I came to see for myself," the woman continued. "You're a lot more ordinary than I imagined."

Normally, Gongsun's temper was moderately poor, and when he was hungry or tired, it dropped to poor. But when he had a stomachache, his temper was abysmal. Thinking about where Bai Jingtang had picked up such a woman to run over here and throw a fit like a primary spouse confronting a mistress—if word got out, people would think he, Gongsun, was fighting a woman over a man—his bad-mood sarcasm was fully exposed. He looked the woman up and down and asked helplessly, "Are you Madame Bai by any chance?"

The woman wore a trace of smugness. "I soon will be."

Gongsun nodded. "Ah, so you're Jingtang's future stepmother... Wait, that's not right. I remember Elder Bai having quite good taste, and honestly, you aren't even as pretty as Elder Bai's current wife."

Upon hearing Gongsun's remark, the color on the woman's face shifted through several shades again. She raised her hand and called out to a waiter, "Bring me a cup of water!"

Shortly after, someone brought her a cup of water. The woman grabbed the glass and threw the water directly at Gongsun's face. However, Gongsun didn't dodge or duck because a dining tray had swiftly zipped in front of his eyes, blocking the splashing water.

Because she had thrown the water with considerable force and the tray was extremely close, most of the water splashed right back, soaking her own clothes. Looking down at herself in a disheveled state, the woman fiercely raised her head to glare at the busybody waiter nearby, only to realize that the person who had just handed her the water moments ago was no waiter at all.

Before her stood a young man in a tailored suit, with ordinary facial features and a pair of eyes staring right at her with a smile on his face.

"Who are you?" The woman, seemingly accustomed to worldly affairs, asked the man coldly.

"A lawyer," the man replied casually. "Stopping you from committing a crime."

The woman curled her lip, sneered dismissively, stood up, and said to Gongsun, "Goodbye." With that, she turned on her heel and left.

Gongsun watched her stomp away in a huff with a bewildered expression, then picked up his milk cup and went back to drinking.

"You alright?" The man sat down and said to Gongsun, "My name is Piao Shaoheng... I was sitting right over there and happened to overhear your conversation, so I poked my nose into your business."

Gongsun tilted his head to look at him without speaking, seemingly pondering something.

"I've heard of your great name long ago," Piao Shaoheng said, quite familiar already. "I heard you're the best forensic pathologist in the country."

Gongsun stared at him for a long moment, then turned to wave down a waiter to settle the bill.

Looking somewhat awkward, Piao Shaoheng was trying to figure out how to speak up when he heard Gongsun ask, "What do you want with me?"

"Uh..." Piao Shaoheng blushed. "Nothing... Just a coincidence."

Gongsun nodded. "Right. And you just happened to follow me all the way from the police station to this place?"

"I..." Piao Shaoheng's face turned even redder. At that moment, a man walked up to Gongsun's side. The man was dressed in a black suit, tall and burly, with a menacing look about him. He stopped right beside Gongsun, lowered his head, and asked in a low voice, "Do you need us to handle this?"

Gongsun shook his head. "No need, thanks."

The man in black respectfully stepped back to a nearby spot... Piao Shaoheng surveyed his surroundings and only then noticed that there were two such men in black inside the shop and two more outside. They were well-hidden, but their gazes were all locked onto this table, as if any reckless move on his part would result in him being taken care of. Swallowing hard involuntarily, Piao Shaoheng forced a couple of dry laughs and said, "I... I do have something I'd like to ask for your help with."

Gongsun raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

"These are... the autopsy photographs concerning Fang Wo's murder case." Piao Shaoheng pulled several documents from his briefcase and placed them in front of Gongsun. "I hope you can take a look at them for me."

Gongsun didn't reach out to take them. He said indifferently, "I don't run a private clinic. If you want me to look at them, it requires official procedures."

"I believe there are questionable points in Fang Wo's case," Piao Shaoheng insisted. "I'm simply asking you to take a glance at them when you have the time; perhaps you'll notice something. I just want to make a final effort for Fang Wo. Once he's convicted, it'll either be life imprisonment or the death penalty!" Without waiting for Gongsun to refuse, he stood up, bowed to Gongsun, and turned to walk away quickly.

Gongsun sighed and shook his head—it seemed he couldn't even eat a meal in peace. Holding his cup, he continued drinking his milk while flipping open those documents to look through them. The bloody images of dissected torsos made his stomach feel even more unsettled, but gradually, Gongsun's attention was hooked. He set down his cup, studied the files with intense concentration, and finally stood up with the documents in hand, briskly walking back toward the police station.

The bodyguards exchanged bewildered glances and hurried to catch up, while the one in charge of communications quickly fired off a text message.

Bai Jingtang had been rushed to his wits' end these past few days, just wanting to wrap things up quickly so he could head back. Big Ding and Ding were mercilessly worked to the bone by him, running themselves ragged until the two of them wailed in misery. Right in the thick of their suffering, Ding suddenly received a text message sent by the bodyguard responsible for Gongsun's security.

Ding tapped it open and read: "A woman came to pick a fight, claiming to be Madame Bai, and splashed water on Gongsun. She was intercepted by a man. Gongsun originally planned to go home and sleep, but after a lengthy conversation with the man, he angrily returned to the police station."

"Pfft..." Ding spat out a mouthful of water and handed his phone to Big Ding, who immediately spat out a second mouthful.

Bai Jingtang, who was reviewing documents, raised his head suspiciously to look at the two of them, only to find the twins staring at him with expressions that mixed sympathy and schadenfreude... Oh dear, his right eyelid was twitching!

Bai Yutang drove the car, carrying Zhan Zhao to the detention center, and requested to see Fang Wo.

The prison guard arranged a special meeting room for the two of them to meet Fang Wo.

To both of their surprises, Fang Wo did not look particularly disheveled or wronged. His emotional state appeared exceptionally stable as he sat quietly in the meeting room. Despite wearing the heavy shackles meant for high-risk criminals, he looked calm and scholarly.

Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao observed him from the observation room for a while first, and Bai Yutang chuckled, "Cat, he's got the absolute temperament of a psychotic serial killer!"

Zhan Zhao gave him a helpless look and said, "He certainly is a bit out of the ordinary."

After watching for a short while, the two of them opened the door and walked into the meeting room.

Sitting inside, Fang Wo looked up to see Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang enter. A faint glimmer of curiosity flickered in his eyes as he watched the two of them sit down across from him, his gaze sweeping back and forth between them as if trying to puzzle out their identities.

Bai Yutang was startled; Fang Wo's expression clearly reflected his thoughts and emotions—judging strictly by appearance, he really did seem like a simple person.

Watching his movements, Zhan Zhao frowned slightly and asked, "Are you Fang Wo?"

Fang Wo nodded without speaking.

"Your lawyer suggested we come take a look at you," Bai Yutang began. "Do you have anything you'd like to tell us?"

Fang Wo blinked and spoke slowly, "I've said it many times; I didn't kill those people."

Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao exchanged glances. "The axe you usually use for your performances is the murder weapon."

Fang Wo nodded and said, "I was framed."

Zhan Zhao suddenly beckoned to the prison guard at the door. The guard stepped in, and heard Zhan Zhao instruct him, "Uncuff his left hand."

Both Bai Yutang and the prison guard were slightly taken aback, but a smile surfaced on Fang Wo's face.

The guard hesitated, but Bai Yutang nodded at him, saying, "Uncuff him."

The guard stepped forward and unlocked the left hand that had been bound to the chair.

Zhan Zhao tapped his fingers lightly on the table, gesturing for Fang Wo to place his left hand on it.

Fang Wo complied. Zhan Zhao reached out, pressed his fingers against Fang Wo's pulse, and asked, "Did you kill those people?"

Fang Wo shook his head slightly and replied calmly, "No."

Zhan Zhao stared at Fang Wo for a moment, then asked again, "Did you kill those people?"

Fang Wo fell silent for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing. A hint of slyness appeared in his previously detached gaze, and lowering his voice into an eerie tone, he said, "I killed them."

Bai Yutang frowned at him. "What kind of game are you playing?"

Fang Wo chuckled softly, winked at Zhan Zhao, and pulled his hand back.

Bai Yutang looked at Zhan Zhao in confusion, only to see Zhan Zhao's face turn slightly pale as he pulled his hand back and kept his eyes fixed on Fang Wo.

"Cat?" Bai Yutang asked Zhan Zhao, "What's wrong with this guy?"

Zhan Zhao was silent for a moment before saying, "His pulse didn't change at all."

...Bai Yutang froze for a moment, looking at Fang Wo. "No change?"

"Heh heh heh..." Fang Wo suddenly laughed and said, "If you let me take a lie detector test... I definitely won't die."

"In your dreams!" Zhan Zhao said coldly. "Rot in prison for the rest of your life." With that, he stood up, intending to pull Bai Yutang away, but heard Fang Wo suddenly say, "You guys should be hoping I stay alive, shouldn't you?"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang turned back with suspicious frowns to see Fang Wo give a faint smile. He reached into his mouth to wet his finger, then slowly traced a few letters on the table—I L O V E Y O U.

The two of them froze instantly. Bai Yutang frowned, stepped forward, and grabbed Fang Wo by the collar. "How do you know that?!"

Fang Wo chuckled softly and said, "If you want to know the truth behind what happened, let me take the lie detector test."

"Don't listen to him!" Zhan Zhao pulled Bai Yutang back. "They have TVs in prison too!" With that, he dragged Bai Yutang toward the exit, only to hear Fang Wo say softly from behind, "When they were sliced open... they should still have been alive."

At those words, both Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang stopped dead in their tracks, unable to move another step. Those details were something that would absolutely never be shown on television... How did he know?

"You might want to think it over," Fang Wo lowered his voice. "Otherwise... the tragedy won't stop." Having said that, he fell silent and said no more.

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang walked out of the detention center in a daze, both feeling thoroughly bewildered. After a long silence, Bai Yutang asked, "Cat... Is Fang Wo really the murderer or not?"

Zhan Zhao shook his head. "I don't know. All I know is that keeping Fang Wo from dying means we have no choice but to let him take the lie detector test, but if we do, we walk right into his trap."

"This is truly riding a tiger and being unable to dismount," Bai Yutang shook his head as well. "We can't just let ourselves be led around by the nose, can we?"

Zhan Zhao looked up at him. "Then what do we do?"

Bai Yutang thought for a moment. "We can apply to postpone the trial, as long as we uncover questionable points!"

"Questionable points?" Zhan Zhao thought it over, grabbed Bai Yutang, and said, "Let's go! Back to the police station!"

The two of them sped back to the police station by car. Entering the SI office, they told Jiang Ping to pull up all relevant files on Fang Wo's case. Just then, Gongsun burst in and said, "You two are back? I've been looking for you!"

"Didn't you go home?" Bai Yutang was surprised.

"These are the autopsy photos from Fang Wo's case!" Gongsun handed them over to Bai Yutang. "Look at the details in these photos!"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang took the photos and looked them over. Sure enough, local areas of the victims' bodies bore fingerprint marks similar to those found in the dismemberment cases.

"They were also..." Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang found it hard to believe. Gongsun flipped through the photos and said, "Look! Look at their expressions!"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang inspected them closely and saw that the faces of the corpses were filled with agony and terror, while their eyes were actually gazing down toward their own abdomens.

"Alive?!" Zhan Zhao was greatly shocked.

Gongsun

"Could it be the same killer?!" Bai Yutang shook his head. "How could the murder method suddenly change?"

"At the very least, it's a common point!" Zhan Zhao told Bai Yutang, "Let's go find Chief Bao, take over the case, and apply to have Fang Wo's trial postponed."

Bai Yutang nodded, and the two quickly grabbed the photos to find Bao Zheng.

Seeing the two of them burst in looking full of murderous intent, Bao Zheng asked, "What is it?"

Bai Yutang placed the autopsy photos from Fang Wo's case and the photos from the dismemberment case side by side in front of Bao Zheng. "Chief Bao, there's a common thread! We want to take over the investigation and see if we can apply with the court to postpone Fang Wo's trial."

Bao Zheng picked up the photos, studied them for a long time, and shook his head. "Insufficient evidence!"

"Chief Bao!" Zhan Zhao said anxiously, "Fang Wo actually knows the details of how the dismemberment killer operated when killing, and I've discovered he possesses extremely strong mental control capabilities. If he takes a lie detector test, there is a very high chance he will pass it!"

Bao Zheng fell silent for a moment before saying, "It's too late."

"What do you mean?" Zhan Zhao asked, puzzled.

"Because Fang Wo's lawyer gathered a group of experts and applied for a lie detector test... Led by Lu Liang, those experts were completely convincing, and the court just approved the test."

"What?!" Zhan Zhao exclaimed in alarm. "How could this happen?"

"Actually... lie detector tests cannot serve as legal evidence," Bao Zheng said. "Therefore, with a psychologist's recommendation, there's no grounds for refusal!"

"But once he passes the lie detector test, there's a huge chance he'll be acquitted!" Zhan Zhao argued. "Fang Wo is an extremely sinister individual; we cannot rule out the possibility that he is the killer, we can't let him go!"

Bao Zheng hesitated. "Approval has already been granted, and there's nothing I can do. The most crucial part is that we lack sufficient evidence to prove Fang Wo is the perpetrator... If you two really suspect him, find new evidence before his trial verdict is handed down. When that happens, you can detain him however you want!"

Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao exchanged glances and retreated from Bao Zheng's office with no other options.

When the two returned to their office, they found Lu Fang waiting inside. As soon as he saw Zhan Zhao, he said, "Zhan, Lu Liang and a few other psychologists just called. They're inviting you to monitor the lie detector test."

Zhan Zhao frowned and said coldly, "I won't go!"

"..." Lu Fang was silent for a moment before saying, "Zhan, aren't you going to go take a look?"

"If people on the outside ask and you find it hard to explain, just say I fundamentally do not advocate for lie detector tests!" Zhan Zhao lowered his voice. "Solving cases relies on evidence, not academic theories!"

"Uh..." Lu Fang looked helplessly at Bai Yutang, and seeing Bai Yutang nod at him, Lu Fang reached out to pat Zhan Zhao on the shoulder. "I'll go handle it then!" With that, he turned and left.

That entire afternoon, Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang pulled out all the case files from those years and began a comprehensive sorting process. Bai Yutang noticed that Zhan Zhao's state of mind was off and grew somewhat worried. Evening fell, but Zhan Zhao showed no intention of going to eat whatsoever.

The other people in the SI office dispersed one by one. Luo Yang came over after school, sensed that the atmosphere was unusual, and asked A Luo in a low voice, "What's wrong with Uncle Zhan?"

A Luo whispered back, "Don't go disturb Uncle Zhan. They're busy investigating a case."

"Even when you're busy, you still have to eat!" Luo Yang ran over to pull on Zhan Zhao's hand. "Uncle Zhan, let's go eat!"

Zhan Zhao stroked Luo Yang's head. "Yangyang, be a good boy. I'm busy..."

"You still have to eat even when you're busy!" Bai Yutang reached out and pulled Zhan Zhao up. "You don't even understand a principle that a kid understands?"

Zhan Zhao was speechless. Bai Chi also ran over with a smile. "Exactly, you need to clear your head. Come on, let's go get some food."

In the end, Zhan Zhao was dragged by a whole group of people to the restaurant downstairs from the police station to eat.

Once inside the restaurant, Luo Yang ordered delicious dishes for everyone and tried hard to make Zhan Zhao laugh. Before long, everyone was amused by Luo Yang, and Zhan Zhao set aside his heavy thoughts and began to eat.

Right at that moment, the television hanging above the restaurant switched to a special broadcast... It was a program concerning the upcoming lie detector test scheduled for Fang Wo.

The special guest being interviewed by the host was none other than the psychology professor who had consistently advocated for administering the lie detector test to Fang Wo—Lu Liang.

Lu Liang was a scholar in his forties, looking very scholarly with a slightly receding hairline.

"Cat, why do all psychologists have this look?" Bai Yutang tried to hold back a laugh.

Zhan Zhao chuckled as well, nonchalantly continuing to eat his noodles, and listened as the host asked Lu Liang, "Professor Lu, I hear the upcoming lie detector test invited the authority in criminal psychology—Dr. Zhan Zhao—to monitor it?"

"Oh... Dr. Zhan already declined our request today," Lu Liang smiled faintly. "The police spokesperson stated he does not support this lie detector test."

"Why is that?" The host asked, puzzled. "Doesn't Dr. Zhan always vigorously promote the application of psychology in criminal investigation?"

"Heh... talking and doing are two different things," Lu Liang sneered. "No matter what Zhan Zhao is, he's still a police man. His scope of applying psychology is strictly under the premise of assisting the police, rather than standing on the side of the common people. He is a lofty, high-status official scholar, whereas the rest of us are just grassroots practitioners walking unconventional paths, not fit for polite society."

"Then why is Professor Lu so persistent about Fang Wo's lie detector test this time?" The host continued to ask.

"I don't care about becoming any sort of authority; it's just that Fang Wo's case is riddled with suspicious points, and we seriously doubt the police's investigative competence... Furthermore, most importantly, if Fang Wo is executed, the real killer might remain at large!"

...

Throughout the rest of the conversation, Lu Liang kept insinuating his dissatisfaction with Zhan Zhao's refusal to support the lie detector test, constantly sneering in his remarks that Zhan Zhao was unworthy of representing psychological authority because he was merely an official spokesperson and a running dog for the law enforcement authorities.

Everyone sitting at that table, except for Zhan Zhao, turned ashen-faced.

Just then, two young men eating at a neighboring table started chatting.

"Zhan Zhao—is that the author who wrote 'Psychology and Crime'? The one from SI?"

"Yeah!"

"I used to idolize him quite a bit. Turns out he's this kind of person."

"Sigh... they're all like that. If he didn't know how to pucker up to his superiors, how could he become an academic authority in his twenties?!"

Before they could finish speaking, Yangyang snapped upright from his seat, marched over, and violently flipped over their dining table.

Everyone froze in stunned silence for three full seconds.

"Ah?! Yangyang!" A Luo hurried over to stop the furious-looking Yangyang.

The two customers were startled by the fierce child before them and looked at him in bewilderment.

"I'm sorry," A Luo said, pulling Luo Yang back. "Yangyang, how can you do something like that?"

"They're talking nonsense!" Luo Yang pointed at the two men and yelled, "I'm telling you, I'm the one Uncle Zhan rescued! None of you have ever met him, so what right do you have to talk trash about him?!"

The two young men exchanged glances, dimly noticing that several people around Luo Yang were carrying guns... They were cops! Hurriedly tossing down their meal money, they fled.

A Luo reached out to pat Luo Yang's back. "Alright, calm down. You scared them away."

Turning around, Luo Yang grabbed onto Zhan Zhao and said, "Uncle Zhan, don't be mad! Yangyang knows you're the best!"

The rest of the group couldn't help laughing. Feeling somewhat sheepish, Zhan Zhao reached out to stroke Yangyang's head and said, "Be a good boy, but you can't go acting so recklessly next time! You need to reason with people properly, not resort to violence." With that, he picked up his bowl and went back to eating his noodles.

Everyone looked on in astonishment, finding it incredible that Zhan Zhao was being slandered like this yet didn't show even a shred of displeasure on his face.

After the meal, the group returned to the police station. Bai Yutang stared suspiciously at Zhan Zhao and asked, "Cat, you've got that sly look on your face... What are you plotting?"

Zhan Zhao smiled and said, "I've got a lead. Thanks to Lu Liang, I've just been given a reminder."