Free Web NovelChapter 381: Chapter 314: Over 10,000, and It Just Ran Off
During a previous case analysis meeting, Hou Yaxin had theorized that if Duan Dongqiang were the killer, his ability to seize an opportunity, decide to kill on the spot, and then calmly choose to report it to the police meant he possessed incredible composure. He had asked Li Xiaowen to thoroughly investigate the man.
So Zhu Qiuwei had someone go through the old files, and they actually found something.
In 2009, Duan Dongqiang and a fellow villager, Zhang Lehui, had gone into the mountains together to pick Litsea cubeba, but Zhang Lehui had an accident, falling from the mountain to his death.
It was Duan Dongqiang who came back and reported the incident, and the police station organized a search party that found the body.
Duan Dongqiang stated that the two had split up and that he didn’t know what had happened to Zhang Lehui.
In the end, it was ruled an accident.
But looking back now, in light of the current situation, who knew what had really happened in those vast mountains.
Shen Xin couldn’t help but think, ’If Duan Dongqiang was also involved in Zhang Lehui’s death back then, then having killed before would explain his callousness toward human life, why he treats it so lightly.’
He saw an opportunity and acted decisively.
The guy was looking more and more suspicious.
But this was all just speculation. To apply for a search warrant, they needed more concrete evidence.
Namely, the DNA analysis of the donkey dung.
The samples were sent over last night, but it wasn’t until eleven this morning that news came back from the forensics team.
It was confirmed: the DNA from the donkey dung extracted from the victim’s wounds matched Duan Dongqiang’s donkey.
In all of Baijia Post, a total of six households raised donkeys.
And with this piece of evidence, they had enough to apply for a search warrant.
The weather was oppressively hot and humid. Searching all over the mountain had left everyone irritable, so Li Xiaowen called a halt and ordered his team to head straight for Duan Dongqiang’s house.
Duan Dongqiang hadn’t gone out to work today.
He was an old bachelor—as long as he had enough to eat, his whole family was fed. He could work one day and rest for three without any problem.
He had gone over to Zhang Kaiyong’s house again to watch the commotion.
Shen Xin couldn’t help but wonder, ’If he really is the killer, what kind of mindset makes a person repeatedly go watch the spectacle?’
’I killed you, and now I get to watch your family weep and wail, and no one knows it was me. What a secret thrill?’
’That’s a textbook psychopath right there.’
"What are you guys doing here again?"
Interrupted from his spectating, Duan Dongqiang was clearly annoyed and grumbled a complaint.
Li Xiaowen shoved the freshly filled-out search warrant in his face and asked if he could read.
A flash of surprise crossed Duan Dongqiang’s face. He glanced at the search warrant and mumbled, "Don’t you guys have anything better to do? I’m the one who called the police, why do you keep bothering me?"
Li Xiaowen ignored him and waved the forensics team in.
In an instant, a crowd of villagers had gathered.
"Old Duan, what’s going on? How come they’re at your house again?" a villager asked.
An officer was watching Duan Dongqiang, who started playing the victim, yelling, "I’m just as confused as you are! These guys are nuts."
He muttered a few curses under his breath, complaining that if he’d known this would happen, he wouldn’t have bothered getting involved yesterday.
Reporting it to the police had only brought him trouble.
"Go on, search! Let’s see what you can find," Duan Dongqiang shouted, pointing at Li Xiaowen.
He was being pretty arrogant.
Glancing at the pointing villagers, Li Xiaowen pretended not to hear and walked with Shen Xin to the outside of the donkey pen.
This was a key area.
Every brick piled up nearby would need to be examined.
As soon as the forensics officer entered the pen, the donkey started acting up.
It ran around everywhere, and even kicked out when the officer tried to lead it out.
A textbook buck.
Thankfully, the forensics guy reacted quickly and wasn’t hit, but he immediately backed off, not daring to get close again.
Seeing this from outside, Duan Dongqiang laughed and shouted, "I’m telling you now, it’s not my fault if you get kicked! This donkey of mine only listens to me. No one else will do."
Li Xiaowen couldn’t stand it anymore and made a move to go get the donkey himself.
Just then, Shen Xin beat him to it.
"Captain Li, let me."
It was a perfect opportunity to show Li Xiaowen his talent.
Shen Xin stepped forward.
After getting back yesterday, unable to sleep, Shen Xin had done a good bit of research on donkeys.
Just like there are special calls like "here, kitty kitty" or clicking sounds to control cats and dogs, there are specific commands for donkeys and horses.
"Whoa!"
Shen Xin reached out to grab the donkey’s ear.
He’d read online that you had to twist a donkey’s ear to control it.
Of course, the main thing was his own talent—that was his invincible, all-powerful tool.
Unexpectedly, the donkey shook its head, and Shen Xin’s hand grabbed nothing but air.
It completely ignored his "Whoa."
It turned its rear toward Shen Xin and kicked out with its hind legs.
Shen Xin reacted quickly and dodged.
He couldn’t help but be surprised.
’My talent has been proven time and again. It even works on cold-blooded crocodiles!’
Shen Xin waved for the others to get out first.
He said "Whoa" again and aimed for the ear.
He managed to grab the ear this time, but with another shake of its head, the donkey broke free and started running wild in the pen, kicking its hind legs.
Shen Xin scrambled to get out of the way.
This wasn’t some cute little pet; it was a good five or six hundred pounds. A collision could cause serious injury.
Seeing Shen Xin’s undignified escape from the donkey pen, the villagers watching the spectacle all laughed. Someone shouted that you couldn’t do it like that—you don’t just twist a donkey’s ear, you have to stroke its coat.
"They’re called ’smooth-coat donkeys’ for a reason!"
As the villagers laughed, the donkey seemed to get a kick out of it too.
Shen Xin remembered reading yesterday that donkeys can laugh.
And indeed, the donkey curled its upper lip, baring a set of big teeth, and let out a long, heehawing bray.
It even cocked its head to stare at Shen Xin, clearly mocking him.
Duan Dongqiang laughed just as smugly and yelled, "Stop messing around. Let me do it."
With that, he walked straight over.
He gave the same "Whoa," and the donkey immediately calmed down. He then beckoned with his hand, and the donkey obediently walked out of the pen.
"Go on, search. Let’s see what you can find." Duan Dongqiang’s face was a mask of cocky defiance.
Li Xiaowen waved his hand, signaling for the forensics team to go in.
Shen Xin couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.
’What a stubborn ass.’
’My talent can handle a tiger, but I can’t even handle a donkey?’
Shen Xin stared at the donkey, and it cocked its head, glaring right back at him.
As they stared, it started braying again.
Duan Dongqiang swung his hand and slapped it, and the donkey immediately shut up and obediently lowered its head.
The team got back to the luminol.
Every single brick near the donkey pen was taken inside into a dark room to be sprayed with luminol in search of blood traces.
Then, they searched every nook and cranny of the house.
Unfortunately, they didn’t find any brick that could have been the murder weapon.
In fact, the search for the brick was ongoing; they had to check every possible nook and cranny in the village.
Li Xiaowen silently observed Duan Dongqiang.
They were making it obvious that they were looking for a brick, so Li Xiaowen wanted to see how he would react.
But Duan Dongqiang just watched, his expression unchanging.
Just as Hou Yaxin had said, the man had incredible composure.
The search lasted for nearly an hour.
They found nothing on the bricks near the donkey pen.
They found faint traces of blood in a few places inside the house, like in the sink.
This wasn’t very significant, because he had moved the body and gotten blood on his hands.
Meaning this whole search had turned up nothing.
"Captain Li, should we keep searching?" a forensics officer came over and asked in a low voice.
Li Xiaowen’s face was taut; he didn’t say a word.
Nearby, Duan Dongqiang was still clamoring, "I told you, you’re wasting your time. Just because you can’t find the real killer doesn’t mean you can frame me for it."
As he spoke, he even turned his head to the villagers outside, as if asking for their agreement.
Someone in the crowd of villagers jeered in agreement.
Most were still shouting that Li Xingping was the killer, wondering why the police were even still investigating.
Once a search warrant is issued, there’s no turning back. Li Xiaowen pulled a summons directly from his pocket.
They’d start with a 24-hour interrogation and go from there.
"Are you people ever going to stop?" Seeing the summons, Duan Dongqiang got agitated and looked ready to resist.
Li Xiaowen immediately snapped, "Duan Dongqiang, if you try anything, you’d better think about the consequences."
He stared intently at Duan Dongqiang, almost hoping he would continue to act up.
It would be best if he got physical.
If he resisted physically, it would give them sufficient reason to detain him, buying them time to find evidence and solve the case.
Duan Dongqiang backed down, avoiding his gaze. "Fine, let’s go. I’m innocent anyway. What have I got to be afraid of?"
Just then, Shen Xin stepped forward and stopped him.
"Are you selling this donkey?"
Shen Xin’s question was so out of left field that Duan Dongqiang stared blankly for a moment before he could react and ask what he meant.
And it wasn’t just him. Apart from Li Xiaowen, all the other officers present—including Shiyao—were stunned.
Shen Xin said, "It means what it sounds like. Are you selling this donkey or not?"
Duan Dongqiang looked at Shen Xin, then at Li Xiaowen, and mumbled, "What are you people really up to?"
Shiyao and the other colleagues also turned in unison to look at Li Xiaowen.
Li Xiaowen knew what Shen Xin was up to, though he wasn’t sure if this approach would work.
But since the search of Duan Dongqiang’s house had turned up nothing, they could only try this long shot and hope for the best.
Li Xiaowen said, "We’re not up to anything. We want to buy this donkey. Are you selling or not?"
Duan Dongqiang’s eyes darted back and forth. He shook his head decisively. "Not for sale."
He sensed it was a trap.
Shen Xin remained calm. "I did some checking. The price for a live donkey in town is nineteen yuan per jin. I’ll give you twenty-five. You selling?"
When the cement road was being paved, Duan Dongqiang held a grudge against Zhang Kaiyong just because the pavement didn’t extend to his own wall.
Clearly, just as Li Xiaowen had said, this was a man who was greedy for petty advantages.
’A premium price... there’s no way he won’t sell.’
Duan Dongqiang froze, his eyes darting rapidly. "Are you sure?" he asked tentatively.
Shen Xin pulled out his phone. "What’s there to be unsure about? You give the word, we’ll weigh it right now, and I’ll transfer you the money on the spot."
A donkey weighing five or six hundred jin, with a premium of six yuan, came out to over three thousand yuan.
Duan Dongqiang glanced at his old donkey. He’d raised it for nearly ten years, and it was getting clumsy at its work.
"Sold. If you’re buying, I’m selling," Duan Dongqiang said immediately.
He couldn’t figure out why the police wanted to buy his donkey. It couldn’t possibly be to solve the case.
Even if it was for the case, Duan Dongqiang didn’t care.
An extra few thousand yuan? Why wouldn’t he sell?
"Alright."
Shen Xin didn’t waste any more words.
There were six families in the village that raised donkeys. One of them even specialized in raising donkeys for meat and had a platform scale.
They took it straight over to be weighed: 562 jin.
For once, Duan Dongqiang was generous, saying to just count it as 560.
That came to fourteen thousand yuan.
Shen Xin took out his phone to make the transfer directly.
But after entering his PIN, he got a "insufficient funds" notification.
Shen Xin’s expression changed.
’That’s not right. I haven’t really spent much of my salary recently.’
"Hang on a second," Shen Xin said, quickly starting to message his dad to ask for money.
Just then, Li Xiaowen stepped in. "I’ll get it."
Shen Xin quickly stopped him. It was his idea, so he should be the one to pay.
After they were done with it, he could sell the donkey and just take a loss on the price difference.
A little over three thousand yuan to solve a case? Shen Xin was willing to pay it.
Li Xiaowen pushed past him, efficiently scanned the code to pay, and then...
...he also got an "insufficient funds" notification.
Li Xiaowen’s hand froze in mid-air. He awkwardly explained that he had just made his mortgage payment.
He then quickly called on his subordinates to pool their money.
"Tch."
Seeing them have to scrape together the money just to buy the donkey, Duan Dongqiang scoffed and added, "You’re the police. No backing out now."
Li Xiaowen ignored him and gestured for his men to take the man away.
Then he looked to Shen Xin, his eyes asking what to do now.
Shen Xin looked at the creature before him, thinking he should first get a rein on it.
It refused to cooperate, bucking its head wildly.
The man from the donkey-raising family couldn’t bear to watch any longer. He stepped forward, grabbed its ear with a quick, firm, and precise motion, and only then were they able to get the reins on.
Shen Xin opened the gate and pulled it to lead it out.
It pulled back, refusing to budge.
It was several hundred pounds, after all. Li Xiaowen came up to help, but the two of them together still couldn’t drag it.
The donkey-raising man couldn’t stand it again. He laughed and said, "You two can’t do it. When you get a stubborn one, even three or four people can’t pull it. You have to use this."
With that, he turned and went into the pen, grabbed an electric prod used for herding pigs, and zapped the donkey’s rear with it.
With a loud bray, it suddenly bolted.
The force was so strong that Shen Xin couldn’t hold on to the reins at all.
The main gate just happened to be open, and Shen Xin could only watch helplessly as the donkey galloped off into the distance, disappearing from sight.
The donkey-raising man was dumbfounded too. He asked, "How could you not hold on?"
Shen Xin looked at him, then at the equally dumbfounded Li Xiaowen. ’Fourteen thousand yuan... just ran away?’
