Animal Detective

Chapter 385: Chapter 317: If We Don’t Convict Him, We’re Truly No Better Than a Donkey

Shen Xin asked if there were any other methods.

’This seems a bit cruel,’ he thought.

’Watching its own kind get bled, skinned, and split in two would probably leave it with some serious psychological trauma.’

Xu Erleng said, "Sure there are. Whip it. Soak a whip in saltwater until it’s thoroughly drenched, then lay into it with all you’ve got. Trust me, it’ll be obedient in less than two days."

’Good lord,’ Shen Xin thought to himself.

’Xu Erleng’s methods were basically the eighteen instruments of torture.’

Seeing Shen Xin hesitate, Xu Erleng probably guessed what he was thinking. He put down the donkey’s hoof, picked up another, and said, "Officer Shen, at the end of the day, it’s just livestock. Same as a pig. What’s cruel or not cruel about it?"

Shen Xin nodded slightly.

It was normal for Xu Erleng to think this way. Shen Xin wasn’t some bleeding heart, and for the sake of the case, it was worth a try.

He then asked Xu Erleng when they would be slaughtering donkeys.

Xu Erleng said, "Every day. I’ll take you over in a bit. I know the owner."

Shen Xin looked at Yi Wan, calculating whether he should stage a little drama.

’Imagine this.’

’I leave, and Yi Wan is led to a slaughterhouse by a stranger.’

’The moment he enters, the overwhelming stench of blood hits him. As far as the eye can see, it’s nothing but his own kind. Then he watches one of them die a horrible death.’

’He’d think he was next.’

’And at that moment, Shen Xin arrives.’

’To save him from a terrible fate.’

’Wouldn’t that make his favorability skyrocket?’

Shen Xin couldn’t help but pat Yi Wan’s rump. ’There’s no other way. You’re just going to have to be scared a little.’

Xu Erleng finished trimming the hooves just as He Wen Yu returned.

He poured iodine on the wound, but Yi Wan didn’t react at all.

"Don’t worry, leave it to me." Xu Erleng made an "okay" gesture and tugged on Yi Wan’s rope to lead him away.

Yi Wan didn’t move. Instead, he turned his head to look at Shen Xin.

A look of confusion filled his large eyes. He had probably already sensed the benefits of staying with Shen Xin.

At least the carrots were plentiful.

Xu Erleng wasn’t one to spoil Yi Wan. He grabbed his trimming knife and smacked Yi Wan on the rump a few times.

Wincing in pain, Yi Wan finally followed.

But he kept turning his head to look back at Shen Xin.

After a while, he obediently followed Xu Erleng into the distance.

’Only one bar of favorability. His attachment to me isn’t deep yet.’

He Wen Yu curiously asked what was going on.

Shen Xin explained briefly, his eyes fixed on the departing Yi Wan.

Xu Erleng led him to the outside of the slaughterhouse, tied him up, and went inside to find the owner.

He came out a short while later. It seemed they had reached an agreement, as he waved to Shen Xin from a distance.

It was the only slaughterhouse in town. Cattle, sheep, donkeys—everything was butchered here.

Xu Erleng led Yi Wan into the slaughterhouse.

The slaughterhouse was quite large. Just as Shen Xin had imagined, a thick, bloody stench filled the air right at the entrance.

The moment he reached the gate, Yi Wan caught the scent and froze.

Xu Erleng couldn’t budge him.

But the slaughterhouse workers had their methods. One pulled the reins while another took out an electric prod.

With just one jolt, Yi Wan let out a shriek.

It was no use. The workers were ruthless, shocking him repeatedly until they herded him to the killing floor and tied him up securely.

Over on the other side, they were leading in a meat donkey.

And then, Yi Wan’s screams grew even louder.

Meanwhile, Shen Xin was waiting for a message from Xu Erleng. After about ten minutes, a text arrived.

"Go."

Shen Xin set off at once.

As he neared the slaughterhouse, the smell of blood bored straight into his nostrils.

But he couldn’t hear Yi Wan’s cries.

Xu Erleng was waiting at the entrance.

Soon, Shen Xin saw Yi Wan.

He was tied up, standing as still as a fossil.

In front of him, two sides of a freshly slaughtered carcass hung, still steaming.

"Yi Wan!"

Shen Xin called out from behind him.

Before, when he’d called him Yi Wan, the donkey hadn’t reacted at all. It was unclear if he was ignoring it or just didn’t know he had a name.

But this time, he actually reacted, whipping his head around to look at Shen Xin.

This meant he had either already remembered the name Yi Wan, or at the very least, he remembered Shen Xin’s voice.

Shen Xin clearly saw the change in Yi Wan’s eyes.

They were so full of expression.

They went from empty and numb to suddenly alive, shining with light. His eyes widened, fixing on Shen Xin as he began to bray urgently.

Shen Xin hurried forward and untied his reins.

He had originally planned to use this opportunity to threaten him, something like, ’This is what happens if you don’t obey.’

But in that moment, seeing Yi Wan’s reaction, Shen Xin couldn’t bring himself to say it. A pang of regret began to surface in his heart.

"It’s okay. You’re alright now."

Shen Xin stroked Yi Wan’s neck. The donkey continued to bray his head off.

As he led Yi Wan out, the moment they left the slaughterhouse, the favorability icon above Yi Wan’s head shot up from 1 bar to 9 bars in one go.

The rate of increase was unprecedented.

Even Shen Xin was taken aback.

And with it came even more regret.

’Nine bars of favorability. The effects on Yi Wan himself probably haven’t kicked in yet, since it increased so quickly.’

But the intimacy was immediately apparent.

Yi Wan actually tilted his head and nuzzled against Shen Xin.

He made a special kind of sound—low and varied, as if he were talking to Shen Xin.

Beside them, Xu Erleng said, "Officer Shen, see? This trick works wonders. Look how tame he is already."

He then added, looking a bit puzzled, "But this donkey feels..."

He wanted to say that Yi Wan seemed particularly smart.

He’d had that feeling earlier—that Yi Wan seemed to know everything. Now, that feeling was even stronger.

Having trimmed donkey hooves his whole life, Xu Erleng had never really seen a donkey this intelligent.

Shen Xin stuck a carrot in Yi Wan’s mouth.

He chewed on it, and after finishing, started braying again.

It was as if he were rambling to Shen Xin, telling him how terrifying the scene inside had been.

"I know."

Shen Xin stroked his neck. ’I saw. He was so scared he made a mess.’

In any case, nine bars of favorability. Just one more bar until Stage Two.

Shen Xin then asked Xu Erleng where he could buy good quality fodder. Yi Wan was still shaken, and he needed to be properly comforted.

There was a place right next to the vegetable market. Shen Xin went ahead and bought a whole cartload, having it delivered to the police station.

Then he invited Xu Erleng to a meal.

Although his methods were a bit extreme, they had certainly helped him.

Nine bars of favorability in a single day. The speed was just too fast.

He also invited Xu Erleng’s wife, Er Feng.

At the dinner table, Xu Erleng kept putting food on his wife’s plate but barely ate anything himself.

It was clear he treated his wife very well.

After two glasses of wine, he opened up, lamenting how hard it was to make money these days. He added that since he was older than his wife, he would probably die before she did.

When that time came, his wife would be all alone in her muddled state. Her own family didn’t care for her, and they didn’t even have any children. He didn’t know what would become of her.

"If it really comes to it, I’ll just buy a pack of rat poison, and we’ll go together."

He was a little drunk. Staring at his wife, he suddenly blurted this out.

The moment he said it, he sobered up, realizing he was sitting in front of two police officers.

Xu Erleng explained awkwardly, "I... I was just talking nonsense."

Shen Xin shook his head to show it was fine. He sighed silently, reminded of Wu Zhicun, who had died alone and wanting to.

"Sir, things will get better," Shen Xin offered, though he didn’t even believe the words himself.

Just then, He Wen Yu, who was sitting beside him, came up with an idea.

He said that since Xu Erleng knew how to trim donkey hooves, why not create an account on a short-video platform and share videos of it?

He said there were streamers online who did just that and made a lot of money.

This was clearly beyond Xu Erleng’s comprehension. Unable to grasp it, he asked, "People would actually want to watch someone trim donkey hooves?"

Shen Xin quickly chimed in, "Of course! I actually enjoy watching them."

Not just donkey hooves, but cow hooves too.

After the meal, Shen Xin saw the couple off and led Yi Wan back to the police station.

Guo Jin wasn’t there. He had taken Tian Kui to go search with Zhu Qiuwei and the others.

Although Sun Yongjie couldn’t understand the situation, he helped Shen Xin clear a space in the courtyard. Shen Xin fed Yi Wan some fodder, then asked about the situation on Li Xiaowen’s end.

There was still no progress. With no other choice, he had to return to his hotel to rest.

「The next day.」 This was already the third day since the case began.

Li Xiaowen was already feeling the pressure to solve the case, and they had to release the suspect at noon.

Zhu Qiuwei and his team had searched until midnight with nothing to show for it.

They had to continue searching this morning, and a drone pilot from the city had also arrived to help.

At twelve noon, the suspect was released.

Everyone from the criminal investigation team came out to watch silently.

Duan Dongqiang walked out, muttering curses. He turned his head and saw Yi Wan.

"All you guys know how to do is arrest people indiscriminately and frame the innocent. You’re not even as good as a donkey."

He slapped Yi Wan across the head.

Yi Wan froze for a second, then whipped its head around and tried to bite him.

Duan Dongqiang dodged instinctively and glared. "You stupid ass, you dare to bite me?"

He looked around for a weapon, but finding none, he took off his shoe and raised it to strike.

"What do you think you’re doing?!"

Shen Xin lunged forward to stop him.

Their eyes met. Duan Dongqiang lowered his shoe, put it back on, and walked away, still cursing.

"Dammit!"

Someone kicked a door in fury.

Being told to their faces by a suspect that they were worse than a donkey had left every one of them seething with anger.

Li Xiaowen’s face was ashen. Seeing everyone just standing there, he said coldly, "If he really is the killer and we can’t convict him, then I think he’s right. We really are worse than a donkey."

His words made every single person flush with shame.

"What are you all standing around for? Get to work!"

Li Xiaowen turned and stalked into his office.

Shen Xin was just as furious.

Gritting his teeth, Shen Xin led Yi Wan and set out.

To Baijia Post.

’Nine bars of favorability. It’s worth a shot.’

’I’m only one bar away. It should be quick. I’ll just stroll along that route, reinforce Yi Wan’s memory first, and once he hits Stage Two, I’ll start the search immediately.’

Shen Xin mounted Yi Wan and set off at a leisurely pace.

After one night, the effects of the favorability had begun to kick in. Yi Wan had become extremely perceptive.

Shen Xin didn’t even need to guide him. The donkey walked along obediently on its own, occasionally turning its head to look at Shen Xin and braying with a wide mouth, as if it sensed his bad mood and was trying to cheer him up.

As they were walking, a three-wheeled vehicle approached from behind.

"Officer, it really is you!"

The person driving it called out in pleasant surprise.

Shen Xin turned his head and saw it was Liu Shasha, the teacher from the school.

It wasn’t just her.

Li Yao was sitting next to Liu Shasha.

And in the back cargo bed were Geng Aiyi and Li Shi.

Li Yao politely followed suit and called him "Uncle."

Only Li Shi stared at Shen Xin, making no move to greet him.

Geng Aiyi looked weak. She was lying in the cargo bed and nodded a greeting to Shen Xin.

Shen Xin was about to ask why she was out of the hospital so soon when he suddenly noticed a bruise on the corner of Li Shi’s mouth.

And not just his mouth—there was also a very obvious bruise on his arm, visible below his short sleeve.

Shen Xin’s gaze hardened. He asked in a low voice, "Li Shi, did someone hit you?"

Li Shi’s answer was as curt as ever.

"None of your business."

With that, he turned his head away.