Chapter 9 Case Investigation

He put down the bag, turned on the water dispenser, and as soon as the red indicator light indicating that the water was boiling went out, he immediately poured himself a cup of hot water and placed it on the table

The statue of the Buddha is crafted from ebony, with a completely dark appearance

Shen Xing nodded slightly and asked with concern, "Commander, what about that child, Feifei?"

He put down the tool in his hand, looked up at the time, and saw that it was already 9 PM. He guessed who might be outside and got up to open the door

The moment Shen Xing saw Lin Wanru's corpse, a man and a woman in sheriff uniforms blocked his line of sight

The male sheriff nodded slightly; at this moment, he sensed that the room seemed to be filled with the scent of wood

Of course, he also has flaws, such as sometimes exhibiting uncontrollable compulsive behaviors

His gaze had already shifted away from Lin Wanru's corpse, for during the brief moment he had been speaking with the sheriff, a forensic expert had covered the body with a white cloth

Therefore, when Shen Xing usually carves these Buddha statues and similar works, he uses ebony, which can slightly increase sales.

Yet it sounds very quiet; if one were a person who stays at home all the time and never goes out, they would have no idea that at this moment someone has met a tragic end downstairs in their home, while numerous law enforcement officers are investigating the scene.

"What is this..." The male sheriff pointed at his hand, during which his nose twitched slightly, as if he were sniffing the air in the room

"I apologize, but a murder just occurred here. Please leave," said a man in a sheriff's uniform, his voice very calm.

After finishing the hot water in the cup, Shen Xing remembered that he had not eaten anything yet

Lin Wanru, in her early thirties, is well-preserved and pays considerable attention to her attire and grooming.

Shen Xing did not serve tea to the two officers, as it appeared they would continue visiting other neighbors and could not stay here for long

Two other officers set up yellow caution tape outside the door, while another officer was taking photographs at the scene, with flashes going off intermittently

Sitting in front of the sculpting workbench by the bedside, Shen Xing tried hard to forget the scene he had just witnessed, but after much effort, he realized it was futile, as the visual impact of that moment was so strong that the blood-red eye belonging to Lin Wanru kept resurfacing in his mind

During this process, he has been keeping an eye on whether there is any movement downstairs

At this moment, he is still wearing cloth gloves, as he frequently uses a knife for carving. To protect the skin on his fingers from abrasion and the development of calluses, he usually puts on a pair of gloves in advance while working

He held the Buddha statue and scrutinized it for a long time, as the image of the blood-red eyes in his mind began to slowly fade away, unaware that his attention had been successfully diverted.

Just as Shen Xing was about to take a sip of water and continue working, a knock was heard at the door outside the living room

Although someone died downstairs, Shen Xing possesses a strong psychological resilience. Even when facing Hong Bin, he was able to immediately resist and bring the opponent down to the ground, rather than merely feeling fear as an ordinary person would in a reflexive manner.

Ebony, also known as dark wood, has historically been used as a talisman against evil, whether in crafts, Buddha statues, or amulets

Indeed, standing outside the door were a male and a female officer, and Shen Xing had some impression of having seen them on the third floor earlier

Upon entering the room, he immediately closed the door and habitually checked whether the door lock was secured

Alright

Sufficient lighting at this moment can provide Shen Xing with a sense of security.

However, due to the influence of that bulging eyeball earlier, at this moment, Shen Xing had little appetite. She merely consumed the bowl of noodles to satisfy her hunger, then washed the bowl and utensils clean, arranging them neatly in her habitual order before turning to enter the bedroom

The female sheriff paused slightly and said, "At present, we cannot draw any conclusions. May I ask if you know a woman named Lin Wanru?"

The sheriffs appeared to be very silent, merely proceeding with the on-site handling in an orderly manner

"Oh, I am working," Shen Xing said as he took off his gloves, explaining while inviting the two officers into the room

Shen Xing said nothing further and quickened his pace towards the fourth floor

Picking up a 0.4 cm curved carving knife from beside, I carefully maneuver the blade along the position of the robe under the right armpit of the Buddha statue, ensuring each cut is both precise and steady, which makes the draping of the robe appear more natural

I added some scallions and the crispy bits I bought earlier to the boiled noodles, added a bit of lard, and although there was no freshly made minced meat, it smelled very fragrant after stirring

Shen Xing was momentarily taken aback, suppressing the surging emotions within, and pointed upstairs: "Sir, I reside here, on the fourth floor"

About an hour later, the work in hand had become much more refined; the body of the Buddha statue appeared more rounded, the exquisite facial features emerged vividly, and the overall appearance was dignified and steady.

The male sheriff nodded and stepped aside: "Go ahead, but please refrain from wandering around the building for the time being. We will secure this room and the surrounding area after we finish our investigation, but it will not affect the normal lives of the residents"

Shen Xing's heart was pounding, and after retracting her gaze, she quickened her pace towards the fourth floor

The male sheriff said: "Feifei is safe now, so there is no need to worry. Please go home first, and we may take your statements later."

He let out a gentle sigh; although the room was not particularly dark, he still turned on the electric light

"You just saw it; a murder occurred right downstairs from your building," said the male sheriff

He never expected that the woman he saw yesterday, drunk and leaving her daughter alone outside their home, would actually be dead today

As he watched the steam rising gently above the cup, Shen Xing's heart gradually regained its calm. However, the red eyes belonging to Lin Wanru seemed to have been directly imprinted in his mind the moment he ascended the stairs, an image that could never be erased.

At present, this small Buddha statue already reveals its general outline, with a round head, a wide robe, a plump belly, and both hands placed properly above the abdomen, with the palms in a gesture of holding a flower. A large string of prayer beads hangs around its neck

Moreover, his hands are somewhat dirty at this moment; washing his hands and then brewing tea may delay the sheriff's inquiry time

Considering the gruesome appearance of the woman's death, the likelihood of homicide or accidental death is significantly higher. Moreover, the red eyes observed earlier are clearly a result of extensive hemorrhaging.

The wooden carvings or ornaments in the store, which are also carved from ebony, sell the best

He originally intended to continue gazing at Hong Bin's half-body wooden sculpture, but his thoughts were too tumultuous. Therefore, he decided to simply complete the Buddha statue sculpture he had brought home, as engaging in this hands-on and mental process could greatly divert his attention.

Hello, are you called Shen Xing? The female sheriff, with delicate features and a slender figure, inquired without looking up as she flipped through the community resident registration book in her hand

I peeked at the bedroom door and saw the workbench used for carving. The male sheriff did not enter but instead returned to sit on the living room sofa, saying: "I apologize for the interruption; we are just here to ask a few questions and make a record."

"Hmm, I am," Shen Xing nodded.

Shen Xing nodded slightly and asked her most pressing question: "Um, can I know if it was an accidental death or homicide?"

I know her, but she is often not at home; instead, I am quite familiar with her daughter, Feifei." Shen Xingyi replied honestly.

He initially intended to call for takeout, but he was afraid that the delivery person would come upstairs and encounter the scene downstairs, or that it would interfere with the sheriff's investigation. Thus, he abandoned the idea of ordering takeout and retreated into the cramped little kitchen to cook a bowl of noodles