Free Web NovelChapter 31: Chapter 31: Snake with Legs
The group hurried outside. Wu Ming was bent over, pulling something very, very small from the trash can.
It was a small jar, stuffed full with a snake.
"Ah!" Fang Ting instantly recognized the snake inside as her precious pet and shrieked.
She rushed forward, took the jar from Wu Ming, and opened it with tears in her eyes.
"Waaaah, Hei Bao..."
The little snake heard its owner’s voice and flicked its tongue. Its cold tail coiled around her pinky finger, but just like the cat from before, it was no longer breathing.
Seeing this, Xia Zhiqi was overcome with grief, reminded of her own cat.
"Waaah, An’an, why are some people so cruel? This was a little life, too!"
Luo Anan’s gaze swept over Jiang Li and Wu Ming. "Little Qi, don’t be sad."
Huo Qing stepped forward to look at the snake in Fang Ting’s hand, then made a point to look underneath it.
Four pitch-black, furry limbs. A bizarre combination.
"Ah!" Fang Ting’s face went pale with fright. Staring at the limbs beneath the snake, she was too terrified to speak.
Su Yao covered her mouth. "Then... then my cat... was it also...?"
[Oh my god, what a sicko!]
[Am I the only one who’s curious if the snake can walk now that it has legs?]
Huo Qing stared at the snake. It was exactly as Jiang Li had described. If not for Lu Xingye and Zhou Tiancheng vouching for her, he would have found it very hard not to suspect her.
"Please come with us to the station for a moment," Huo Qing said, then glanced at Wu Ming.
Wu Ming immediately took the hint. "Bye, everyone! We’ll meet again if fate allows."
[Don’t go! Streamer, I haven’t had enough!]
[Now let’s see who dares to say it’s fake. I know that officer; he’s from the neighborhood next to ours.]
[Everyone with pets, keep a close eye on your fur babies! Be careful, or they’ll fall victim to this monster!]
Jiang Li got into Wu Ming’s car. As soon as she was inside, Wu Ming looked at her, overcome with excitement.
"Jiang Li, you must be my lucky star! Waaah, from now on, you’re my big sister. If I start getting sponsorships...
I definitely won’t forget you."
’Things are looking up. Now I don’t have to worry about food and lodging.’
Jiang Li looked at her inquisitively. "Wu Ming, is this equipment expensive? How much can you make from sponsorships?"
’I’ve been so busy helping with the case that I haven’t taken on any writing work in ages. I’m about to starve.’
"Not expensive, not at all! If you want a set, I’ll give it to you!" Wu Ming said, patting her chest.
Jiang Li pressed her lips together but ultimately shook her head. "Never mind, never mind. I’m afraid of attracting the attention of ghosts."
Back at the police station, with the search area narrowed, the investigation became much easier. Soon, they identified a suspicious person near the homes of Fang Ting, Xia Zhiqi, and Su Yao.
Huo Qing’s subordinates were fast; they immediately went and brought the person in.
"Zhang Zihang, how could it be you?!"
Xia Zhiqi cried out in astonishment, looking at the person who had been brought in.
Luo Anan’s expression changed.
Zhang Zihang swallowed, trying to appear calm.
The interrogator questioned him in detail, eventually asking sternly, "Why did you do this?"
Zhang Zihang picked at his hands, his head lowered. "No reason. I was just curious."
Zhang Zihang chuckled. "Aren’t you curious?
A snake’s body with a mouse’s limbs. You know, when I first finished the experiment, the mouse’s limbs could still move.
If I experimented on a few more and made them mate, maybe snakes could actually grow four legs in the future."
"That’s enough! You’re disrupting the ecological balance!"
"Zhang Zihang, you bastard! You were the one who found An’an, how could you do this to her?
You animal!"
Xia Zhiqi, overcome with emotion, rushed forward and started pounding on Zhang Zihang.
After the commotion died down, it was revealed that Zhang Zihang was actually Xia Zhiqi’s ex-boyfriend.
Jiang Li frowned, thinking of her own beast of an ex-boyfriend.
Just as she had that thought, the phone in her pocket rang.
Jiang Li took it out and saw it was Qiao Siyuan again.
She stepped aside to answer. "Hello?"
"Lili, when are you coming back? We’ve already made food and are waiting for you." Qiao Siyuan’s gentle voice came through the phone.
Jiang Li glanced at the time. It was already past six.
"Send me some money for a taxi." With that, Jiang Li hung up.
On the other end, Qiao Siyuan was furious when he heard her tone.
"Mom, when Jiang Li gets back, we have to question her properly and find out what she was doing at the police station.
Also, we have to succeed tonight."
A momentary, hideous expression flashed across Qiao Siyuan’s gentle face.
"Don’t worry, my darling son. I’ve prepared the drug and the talisman."
Jiang Li saw the 520 yuan Qiao Siyuan had sent and accepted it. When she looked up, she saw Lu Xingye watching her.
"Ahem, I have some things to take care of at home. You guys continue the investigation for now. Contact me anytime if you need anything."
Hearing that she was leaving, Huo Qing stood up and walked over to her. "Miss Jiang, could I have a few minutes of your time?"
Jiang Li followed Huo Qing into an office.
Huo Qing looked at Jiang Li and placed the written testimonies from Zhang Zihang and the others in front of her.
"Zhang Zihang has confessed to everything. But, this can only be considered intentional destruction of property. He’ll face compensation and fifteen days of detention.
According to the information you provided, there’s still the matter of the human head on a pig’s body—that’s the top priority. And, you said the culprit is a woman, correct?"
Jiang Li nodded. "Correct."
"From now on, we’ll have to trouble Miss Jiang to cooperate with us further. This is my phone number. Contact me anytime if anything comes up."
’It’s all so absurd, but it seems I have no choice but to believe it.’
Jiang Li took Huo Qing’s number and walked out.
"Jiang Li, do you want a ride?" Lu Xingye asked, hurrying over.
"No, it’s okay. Thank you, Officer Lu."
Jiang Li went outside, hailed a taxi, and headed for the Qiao Family’s residence.
