False evidence

Chapter 356 The Face in the Mirror

There were no remains under the bathtub, and preliminary investigations showed no signs of any bodies ever being buried there.

In the end, Qin Shengming was taken to the hospital, while we were taken to the police station.

The questioning ended in the evening.

Under Qin Shengming's testimony, Pidan and Anxin had no choice but to admit that they had a conflict with him, which resulted in him fracturing his hands and feet.

The two were detained.

Although Yan Fengwei and I deliberately left, we were verbally warned that we had to be available whenever needed until the final investigation results were released.

Once outside the gate, Yan Fengwei cursed, "What the hell kind of mess is this!"

As I texted Erpang, I said, "I was too hasty. That building is Qin Shengming's private property. He can hide a body there, and he can also move the body afterward."

"Where do you think he'll move the body?" a voice asked from behind.

Looking back, I saw that the person who had asked the question was Officer Wang from before.

I asked, "Do you believe what we're saying?"

"I have verified your identities with the Captain Gao you mentioned, and I can only say that you have no reason to lie."

"Pei Xiaofan is your girlfriend, right? Captain Gao told me she's sick. Don't worry, our people will take care of her while she's in custody."

Officer Wang glanced at his watch. "Let's find a place to have a good talk, and grab something to eat while we're at it."

The three of us walked to a small restaurant nearby. The menu was full of familiar dishes from my hometown, but I had no appetite.

Officer Wang casually ordered a few dishes and asked if I wanted some drinks.

I said I didn't want to drink, but Yan Fengwei said he felt nauseous and ordered half a jin of baijiu (Chinese liquor).

Officer Wang leaned back in his chair, looked at me and Yan Fengwei, and said:

"Don't worry, according to procedure, your two friends must be detained, but it shouldn't be for too long."

I nodded: "Understood."

"You don't seem to be worried at all?"

"I have faith in the people's police."

Officer Wang offered cigarettes to Yan Fengwei and me, placed the pack on the table, and asked:

"Could you tell me the whole story again from beginning to end?"

I shook my head: "The four of us have four statements, which together make up the complete version."

Officer Wang said, "Pei Xiaofan's explanation is clear, but what An Xin and the two of you said doesn't make sense from the beginning. That building did indeed used to be a private traditional Chinese medicine clinic. But nineteen years ago, because Qin Shengming's household registration was changed from rural to urban, he went to work at the city's Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. The clinic closed down."

Pei Xiaofan and her mother, after being abandoned by an unlicensed taxi, spent the night seeking shelter from the rain in an abandoned building. Aside from the mother and daughter being incredibly reckless, it's not entirely unreasonable. But the three of you all unanimously claim that you paid an exorbitant 31,000 yuan upfront at a working traditional Chinese medicine clinic for treatment of a cold and fever…

Yan Fengwei said, "Officer, human life is more important than anything else. My brother was already delirious with fever at the time."

Officer Wang raised his eyelids slightly: "So that doctor is quite skilled. Where is he?"

I said, "You invited us to dinner not because you suspect us, right?"

“I wouldn’t say I suspect you, but I do find it strange. I checked your travel records; you only arrived in the city last night and booked the car online before boarding your flight. Qin Shengming booked the ride himself. That means you probably didn’t know him before. But you both mentioned Han Shuiling.”

"So you suspect Qin Shengming."

Officer Wang nodded. "Qin Shengming closed his traditional Chinese medicine clinic nineteen years ago after marrying a woman from the city. Han Shuiling hasn't been seen since. People in the town say she ran off with someone from out of town."

I said, "That's what everyone in town says, but that doesn't necessarily prove she really left."

“That’s right, she has no relatives in the area, and once someone says that, everyone else thinks so too.”

I thought for a moment and then asked, "How long has it been since you last saw Qin Shengming?"

"He hasn't seen me for nineteen years, four months, and five days."

Yan Fengwei asked in surprise, "You remember it so clearly?"

Officer Wang's expression darkened. He didn't respond, but silently lit a cigarette.

I said, "Nineteen years have passed, yet Qin Shengming still remembers your surname is Wang. Isn't that one of the reasons you suspect him?" Officer Wang said, "Yes. I only went to the clinic to have my bones set through an introduction. Nineteen years later, it's unreasonable for him to still remember a patient."

"Just having doubts is useless." I stubbed out my cigarette, picked up my rice bowl, and said, "Let's eat quickly, then we'll go to the clinic."

Erpang drove over, the three of them got in the car, and arrived at the abandoned old building.

In the second-floor bathroom, I simply demonstrated the scene I had seen through Xiangyu in person.

Officer Wang frowned and said, "So Qin Shengming might have sleepwalking."

I shook my head: "That's not the point. The point is, why did he move the body, and where did he move it to?"

Yan Fengwei looked around and said, "I don't think we should hide in this building."

Officer Wang nodded: "This place has been abandoned for nearly twenty years. No matter where the body is hidden, it could be discovered."

I suggested we check out the other rooms.

Even the police have had a hard time finding clues in cases involving the concealment of corpses nearly twenty years ago, let alone laymen like us.

But if the body can't be found, Pidan will have to be detained for at least fifteen days.

I know her personality all too well. If Qin Shengming twists the truth and turns the tables on her, locking her up for three days would make her want to vomit herself to death.

The strange events of last night did not occur in the old building.

We used flashlights to check each room.

Upon entering a room on the third floor, Officer Wang suddenly turned to face the wall, appearing somewhat lost in thought.

I went over and saw that there was a mirror nailed to the wall he was facing.

Because of the long passage of time, the mirror surface became covered with dust and became very blurry.

Officer Wang stared at the mirror for a while, then reached out and wiped it, letting out a sharp gasp.

That's because, after wiping away the dust, a crack appeared on the rectangular mirror, which cut his finger.

Blood slid down the crack, and suddenly I saw in the mirror that, besides Officer Wang, there was another person's face!

It was a woman's face.

Pale, but with delicate features.

Because this face appeared suddenly, I instinctively pulled Officer Wang along.

Just then, amidst the flickering of electricity, the scene in the room changed.

The mirror no longer has cracks and has become so shiny it reflects people perfectly.

The dust that had accumulated in the room was gone, and there were even more pieces of furniture and decorations.

Officer Wang clearly noticed this change as well. After quickly looking around, he looked at me in astonishment.

I gestured for him to be quiet.

The next second, footsteps came from outside the door.

A tall man and a slightly thin woman walked in at the same time.

"Xiaohua!"

Officer Wang exclaimed in disbelief.

I quickly pulled him aside and gestured again for him not to make any rash moves.

I knew in my heart that this was not a supernatural phenomenon, but rather that when we saw the woman in the mirror, Officer Wang and I both entered a world of clairvoyance.

The woman who entered was none other than the woman in the mirror.

The man with a bandage on one arm looked remarkably like Officer Wang, only much younger.

I suddenly remembered that Officer Wang had mentioned that he had had bones set at a clinic before.

Is this man Officer Wang from back then?
(End of this chapter)