Chapter 42 - 041: Serial cases occurred nearby

Words : 1234 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 42 - 041: Serial cases occurred nearby When Yu Zhi left the cemetery, the sky had already turned completely dark. She didn't return to the Yu Family residence but instead headed toward the apartment in the city center. The moon hung high, and the tall streetlights cast a faint glow mixed with the cold white moonlight onto the road. Wearing headphones, Yu Zhi held the strap of her backpack with one hand and walked slowly toward a deep alley shrouded in darkness, its end completely out of sight. "Click-clack, click-clack—" Within the pitch-black, silent alley, the crisp sound of footsteps seemed to drum on the nerves, inexplicably eerie. A tall figure quietly trailed behind Yu Zhi, half of his face obscured in the shadows, hiding his features and expression. A few scattered bits of clutter were piled on both sides of the alley, and a black cat suddenly leapt off a cardboard box, landing crouched directly in front of the man. The black cat arched its back, its green glowing eyes staring at him with a mix of alertness and wariness. The man was startled by the cat's sudden appearance and patted his chest to calm himself. But when he shifted his gaze away from the black cat, he realized that the person he had been following was now nowhere to be seen. Frowning slightly, he muttered under his breath, "Weird, could there be another path inside?" "Are you looking for me?" A cold female voice floated from behind him, carrying an inexplicable chill, reminiscent of a vengeful ghost in a horror film—unnervingly surreal. "What the—!" "It's you?" Both of them spoke in unison as the man spun around. Leaning lazily against the wall, Yu Zhi gave Xu Linchuan a casual once-over. "Why are you following me?" If she hadn't recognized him, she almost would've made a move. Xu Linchuan didn't answer her question, instead staring at her incredulously. "Where did you just come from?" Without a change in expression, Yu Zhi pointed above her. "I jumped down." "Jumped... jumped down?" Xu Linchuan gawked at her in disbelief. Yet, in the next second, his shock shifted to intrigue. "Who taught you? How long have you been practicing? Does your teacher take on new students?" Yu Zhi: "..." With a slight scowl of disdain, she doused his excitement with a cold splash of truth: "There's a ladder over there." "Ahem..." Xu Linchuan chuckled awkwardly. "Still, you're pretty bold, climbing something that high." "Why are you following me?" Yu Zhi ignored his attempt at lightheartedness, repeating her question. "I'm here investigating a case. This area has had a series of murders recently, and with no surveillance around here, I followed you to make sure you'd be safe." "A series of murders?" "Yeah, and all the victims are defenseless young women." Xu Linchuan let out a heavy sigh and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, leaning against the wall just like her. Yu Zhi's interest was piqued. "Found anything yet?" "Nope." Xu Linchuan shook his head, idly flicking the lighter's wheel. "But based on my years of experience, the perpetrator must be living nearby." The area only had two residential neighborhoods—one was where she lived, the other was a pricier villa district. Yu Zhi remained silent for a moment before asking, "The killer, do they do it for money or...?" "Definitely not money. That bastard's just a deranged psycho." Speaking of the case, Xu Linchuan took a deep drag of his cigarette and ruffled his hair, frustration evident in his demeanor. The killer's methods weren't just brutal—they lacked any discernible pattern. Their counter-surveillance skills were top-notch, leaving every crime scene meticulously cleaned. Despite wandering the area for some time now, he hadn't found a single shred of a lead. "Anyway, why am I even telling you this?" Xu Linchuan crushed the cigarette butt underfoot with force. He turned to her with a friendly smile. "I didn't scare you, did I?" "No." She wasn't that easily scared. Yu Zhi straightened her posture and adjusted her backpack. "I need to leave." As she began walking briskly toward the alley's exit without looking back, Xu Linchuan hurriedly caught up. "You live nearby?" Yu Zhi murmured a soft affirmation. Her pace was noticeably quicker than before. Xu Linchuan glanced at her school uniform. "Don't tell me you just got out of school now?" "No, I've been out for a while." "Then why stay out so late? Seriously, I have to tell you..." Xu Linchuan, much like a nagging parent, launched into an endless stream of warnings. From advising against wandering around at night to recounting sinister examples of human malice, he delivered a comprehensive lecture on how young women should protect themselves. Yu Zhi's occasional "mm-hmm" or "oh" didn't deter him from continuing endlessly. "By the way, the old man was asking about you just a couple of days ago," Xu Linchuan added, glancing sideways. Ever since Yu Zhi appeared, the old man seemed to care less about him and constantly nitpicked at him. Still, on the old man's behalf, he added, "If you have time, go visit him." "Okay, I'll go during the holidays." This time, Yu Zhi's response wasn't perfunctory—she genuinely liked the old gentleman. Lost in idle conversation, the two quickly reached the entrance of the residential area. Yu Zhi stopped and slightly tilted her head up to look at him. "You can stop here." She still harbored a degree of wariness toward Xu Linchuan. The fact he knew where she lived was purely coincidental. "Are you sure you'll be fine? Shouldn't you call someone to come get you?" Xu Linchuan wasn't entirely at ease—after all, who's to say the killer wasn't living in this very neighborhood? "I'll be fine." Not giving him another chance to speak, Yu Zhi waved goodbye and quickly entered the residential complex. Xu Linchuan: "..." Did he look that scary? Why was she in such a hurry to leave? As Yu Zhi exited the elevator, the door to the neighboring apartment coincidentally opened at the same time. Their gazes met briefly before the middle-aged man smiled at her, somewhat shyly. "Hello." His shoulder-length hair framed a thin face that didn't appear harsh, while the circle of stubble around his lips added a touch of mature composure to his demeanor. Yu Zhi nodded slightly, her eyes flicking to the black plastic bag he held in his hand. "Do you need to throw anything away? I'm heading downstairs anyway," the man offered, noting her gaze. "No, thank you." Politely declining, Yu Zhi walked past him, not giving the brief encounter much thought. Once inside her apartment and past the door secured with a passcode, Yu Zhi carefully laid out Qiu Wan's belongings on the glass table, inspecting them one by one. The earrings and bracelet didn't seem particularly noteworthy, but the palm-sized golden lock piqued Yu Zhi's interest, prompting her to study it more closely. Judging by its wear, the lock seemed to be something from her childhood. But considering the time when Qiu Wan had lived—an era of scarcity—an ordinary family shouldn't have been able to afford such an elaborate golden lock.

Chapter 42 - 041: Serial cases occurred nearby

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