Chapter 107: The Murder Case

The moment the corpse was turned over and its face revealed, Hao Yingjun was stunned. That face was far too familiar, yet he still hesitated to be sure. He turned it slightly again, exposing a birthmark on the neck. At that moment, memories from his childhood flooded back. Overwhelmed, he sank to the floor.

Later, in the supermarket conference room, the discussion about the case began.

Wang Zixuan said, “Xu Miaohan, the earthworm spirit, twenty-four years old, a middle school music teacher in M City. Forensic analysis indicates the time of death was around ten o’clock last night. Dr. Bai has sent fingerprint comparisons; the fingerprints on the dagger match Xu Miaohan’s. But we cannot rule out homicide yet.”

Xiao Deng chimed in, “I checked with the security guard. Xu Miaohan isn’t single. She has a husband named Wang Feiyue, a beetle spirit. Wang Feiyue claims he was on a business trip out of town at the time of the incident and will return to M City tomorrow.”

Xiao Deng continued, “Xu Miaohan and her husband had another residence but have been separated for two months. Xu Miaohan recently appeared quite depressed. It’s possible emotional troubles led to suicide.”

Wang Zixuan said, “I’ll follow up with Xu Miaohan’s parents to understand her recent state of mind and see if there were any signs of suicidal tendencies.”

At that moment, Wang Zixuan’s phone rang. Seeing it was Duan Peng, he answered immediately.

Duan Peng said, “Xu Miaohan’s foster parents are human and live in the suburbs at No. 101, Yard 88, Changxin Street.”

Wang Zixuan replied, “Thanks, Xiao Duan.”

After hanging up, he added, “Regarding the deceased’s husband Wang Feiyue, before he comes to the supermarket for reporting, Xiao Deng, you quietly look into his background. Wang Feiyue was on a business trip during the time of the incident, which might be an alibi. This is the first death case this quarter, and the big players are paying close attention. Everyone must stay fully alert and base the investigation strictly on facts. Whatever the cause of death, we must solve the case as quickly as possible. Also, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, expect to work overtime. No choice—we’ve hit a tough patch. Alright, let’s move.”

The meeting concluded, but throughout it, everyone noticed Hao Yingjun was distracted, his eyes fixed blankly on one spot as if lost in thought. When everyone left, Wang Zixuan couldn’t help but approach him.

Wang Zixuan asked, “What’s wrong? You’re not scared out of your wits, are you?”

Hao Yingjun slowly lifted his head and said, “I know her.”

Wang Zixuan drove him out, listening to his incredible story.

“What? You two were from the same orphanage? What about your parents?”

“They’re dead.”

Wang Zixuan looked at him with a questioning gaze. Hao Yingjun met his eyes.

“Fire.”

Wang Zixuan silently turned back to driving. The air fell suddenly silent.

Hao Yingjun sighed, “That was a long time ago. After my parents died, I went to the welfare home. Xu Miaohan was my age, but she arrived a bit earlier. I remember when we were kids, she had such a wonderful personality—so cheerful. She was the one who played with me every day. I never thought... she was the one.”

Recalling those scenes from the past made Hao Yingjun even more distressed. As he spoke, they arrived downstairs at Xu Miaohan’s foster parents’ home, where the elderly couple had prepared a meal and were waiting inside.