Seeing Crime Scenes in My Sleep

Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Not Diseased Pork, But Human Flesh

Inside the burlap sack, a little boy about eight or nine years old lay soaking wet, his face filthy. It was impossible to tell if he was dead or alive.

Jiang Li watched the scene nervously. She had been so naive, thinking the man was just selling meat from diseased pigs.

But he was actually selling human flesh!

’He deserves to die!’

Jiang Li pulled her thoughts back, focusing on her surroundings. She tried to memorize every detail so she could give Ji Qinghe and the others more useful information when she woke up.

"Mister... y-you said you were taking me home, didn’t you?"

Hearing the boy’s weak voice, Jiang Li felt a surge of relief. ’He’s not dead.’

The boy looked around frantically at the unfamiliar surroundings, his voice trembling on the verge of tears as he questioned the woman.

"Taking you home? Isn’t that what I’m doing right now?"

A savage laugh rumbled from her throat, her chest heaving with the sound.

The boy, terrified by the sight before him, trembled uncontrollably. He scrambled out of the sack, got to his feet, and made a run for it. As he was about to pull open the iron gate, Jiang Li’s own heart pounded with excitement for him.

But in the next second, the woman grabbed him and threw him viciously aside.

The little boy, thrown to the ground, cried out in pain. His eyes filled with terror as he looked at her. He clasped his hands together and knelt, trembling, begging for his life.

"No, Mister, please! You always said I was a good boy... You gave me a chicken leg every day..."

"Please, don’t hurt me. My mom isn’t back yet. I haven’t seen my mom... Please..."

The little boy’s desperate pleas pierced Jiang Li’s heart. She wanted so badly to help him pull open that gate, but she couldn’t do anything but watch helplessly.

"Heh heh heh... That’s right. You said it yourself—’Mister’ gave you a chicken leg every day. So isn’t it time you repaid ’Mister’?"

She raised the freshly sharpened knife and advanced on the boy.

"NO!"

The boy’s shrill scream pierced her eardrums, and in the next instant, she jolted awake.

Jiang Li gasped for breath, panicked. Still, she was getting better at handling this with each dream.

She scrambled out of bed and rushed out in her cotton pajamas. As she passed Lu Xingye’s door, she hesitated, wondering if she should tell him.

A moment later, the door next to hers swung open. A fully dressed Lu Xingye stared, momentarily stunned, at Jiang Li standing there in her pajamas and slippers.

"Officer Lu, we have to get to the station! There’s a new lead!"

Lu Xingye nodded and headed downstairs. He walked over to the motorcycle parked below and stuck the key in the ignition.

Jiang Li had just reached the bottom of the stairs when he scooped her up and placed her on the motorcycle.

"Hold on."

Before Jiang Li’s brain could even process it, her body had already obeyed, her arms wrapping around Lu Xingye’s waist.

The next moment, the bike shot off.

Three minutes later, they screeched to a halt in front of the police station, and Lu Xingye skillfully lifted her off the bike.

"Let’s go."

Lu Xingye said, looking a bit awkward as he headed inside.

"Ah, Miss Jiang, you’re here! We just found the specific location of the ’lychee wine’ and were about to head over."

Zhao Shuo and Zhou Tiancheng turned to look at her.

"It’s not pigs—it’s people! We have to go now! There’s a boy, eight or nine years old. If we’re too late, he might..."

The expressions on Zhao Shuo and Zhou Tiancheng’s faces changed.

"Let’s go."

Captain Zhou grabbed a set of car keys from the side and headed out. He turned back to tell Jiang Li to get in, only to see Lu Xingye lift her onto his motorcycle and speed off into the distance.

"Captain Zhou, stop standing there! Didn’t you hear Miss Jiang say it’s urgent?"

Zhao Shuo shouted, seeing Captain Zhou just staring blankly at the door.

Captain Zhou got in his car, started the engine, and sped off in pursuit.

The wind roared in Jiang Li’s ears, so strong she couldn’t open her eyes. As the motorcycle went faster and faster, she finally squeezed them shut.

About ten minutes later, Lu Xingye’s voice rang out, "We’re here."

She opened her eyes. One glance was enough to make her body go rigid. "This street... it’s exactly the same as in my dream last night!"

Even though it was pouring rain, the streetlights were on, and all the surrounding buildings were identical to her dream.

"There’s a big iron gate."

Lu Xingye nodded and started searching as she directed.

Jiang Li closed her eyes, retracing the path from her dream in her mind.

Seeing this, Lu Xingye had no choice but to follow her. Fortunately, the street was deserted.

’Straight ahead, then a right, then straight again... There!’

Jiang Li’s eyes snapped open. She stared at the big iron gate before her—identical to the one in her dream—and turned to Lu Xingye. "This is it!"

Thinking of the little boy from her dream, Jiang Li rushed forward and started pushing on the large iron gate.

Lu Xingye snapped a photo and sent it to Zhao Shuo and the team, then moved to help her.

"Who are you?! What are you doing?!"

Lu Yuanji saw the two strangers at his warehouse door. His voice boomed as he strode toward them, ready to chase them off.

"Get the hell out! This is my property!"

Jiang Li pressed herself firmly against the gate. ’If we leave, what if he moves or destroys the evidence?’

Lu Xingye quickly sized up Lu Yuanji. Seeing no obvious weapons, he pulled out his badge.

"We have reason to believe you have food safety violations. Since this warehouse is yours, open it up for an inspection."

Hearing Lu Xingye’s words, a subtle change flickered across Lu Yuanji’s face.

"Bullshit! I’ve been running my shop here for years! How could there be a problem? If you don’t believe me, go ask the neighbors!"

Lu Yuanji grew irritated. ’Damn it,’ he thought. ’This place is so remote, the local substation never bothers with this stuff. Why are the city police here?’

"I’ll say this one last time: open the door. Otherwise, don’t blame me for using force."

Lu Xingye stared at Lu Yuanji, mentally calculating the time. ’Captain Zhou and Zhao Shuo should be here any minute.’

Lu Yuanji looked at the man and woman before him, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes.

"Fine. Officer, please step aside. I’ll open it."

Lu Xingye watched Lu Yuanji’s every move, his guard up. ’The man was clearly intimidated a moment ago, but now he’s acting completely unconcerned.’

’There’s only one explanation: he plans to kill us to silence us.’

Lu Xingye’s brow furrowed, and he pulled Jiang Li behind him.

CLANG. The heavy gate was suddenly pushed open. It was pitch-black inside, making it nearly impossible to see anything.

A smile spread across Lu Yuanji’s face. He looked at them and said, "After you, Officers."

Lu Yuanji watched them, his eyes half-lidded.

Jiang Li and Lu Xingye exchanged a glance.

Jiang Li took a step inside. ’Whether the boy is already... gone or not, I have to go in and see.’

Jiang Li walked in, and Lu Xingye followed right after.

Lu Yuanji’s face was shrouded in darkness; the two of them completely missed the sinister, terrifying expression he wore.

Once Lu Xingye was inside, Lu Yuanji’s lips twisted into a wicked smile. ’Two adults. Looks like I’ve sourced today’s meat.’

With practiced ease, Lu Yuanji picked up an axe from the corner and slowly crept up behind Lu Xingye.

’First, I’ll take care of the man. The woman should be easy after that.’