From the end of the world

Chapter 11 Luo Shan Shadow 1
In response to my question, the police nodded slightly and verbally adopted a conservative statement: "At least that's what the current clues show."

No wonder this police officer who deals with Ma Zao-related cases appears here.

If the police's testimony is accepted in its entirety, then Ma is both the serial killer who appeared in the last two or three months and the murderer who killed the previous tenant eight months ago.

According to Ma Zao's own testimony, the time point when she accidentally traveled from the doomsday era to the present was yesterday, and this time point was also her "alibi".

It is possible to make these two seemingly contradictory statements valid at the same time, but I will not go into details here for the time being, and that must be based on the premise of fully believing in Ma Zao.

I must admit that I do have some desires for chaos in the world, and I look forward to the end of the world that will overthrow all existing order.

It's not that I want the "result" of "human civilization being destroyed", what I really want is the "process" of everything around me colliding with the super catastrophe that may bring about that result, and I also participate in it. In this earth-shaking process, I may be frightened and laugh at my current naive thoughts, or I may recognize other different versions of myself.

But from a rational point of view, I still have reservations about the future described by Ma Zao; in other words, the possibility that she is a serial killer still exists in my mind.

Apart from anything else, the police even had photos of Ma Zao in their hands.

That was a serious headshot, not a photo taken by chance on the street. If there was no relevant need, ordinary people would not take such photos on purpose. This piece of evidence further reduced the credibility of Ma Zao's testimony that he "traveled to this era yesterday."

Ma Zao certainly didn't give me the impression of someone who would kill people without restraint, but if everything can be judged based on vague impressions, what kind of reasoning and evidence is needed?

"Can we go now?" Chang'an couldn't stay any longer after knowing that the murderer was still committing crimes in the city.

"Don't leave yet, come and take a statement."

The police acted impartially and took us to the pavilion in the community.

"Don't you have to go to the police station to give a statement?" Changan asked.

"That's not necessary." The policeman replied briefly.

Seeing that Changan was still a little confused, I added: "We are not criminal suspects, there is no need to go to the interrogation room, we can also take the statement outside."

Changan had seen the police several times when he was causing trouble before, but his knowledge in this area has not improved at all. He is worse than me, a good citizen who has always abided by the law.

Although my title of "always law-abiding" has become quite humorous now.

The policeman asked casually, "You know a lot. Have you ever made a statement before?"

"I just read a lot of novels," I replied.

The police sat down in the pavilion, took out paper and pen, as well as recording equipment, and then looked at me and said, "In that case, let's start with you."

I sat upright opposite him, feeling a little nervous.

Not only was I guilty, but I also had a real gun hidden in my backpack. Now I felt like the gun was getting hot, burning through the fabric of the backpack onto my back.

The transcript was just some simple questions and answers. After all, the other party couldn't ask me any complicated questions. I was not the tenant of the room on the 15th floor, and the main questioner was still in Chang'an.

During the conversation, I asked a question: "The 'magic circle' in that house was left by the murderer eight months ago, right? Didn't the police who were collecting evidence at the scene find it?"

It would be fine if an ordinary tenant couldn't find the magic circle hidden under the carpet, but it would be unreasonable if the police who were responsible for investigating the murder scene couldn't find it either.

Judging from the attitude of the policeman in front of him, it was clear that they finally realized the existence of the magic circle only eight months later.

There is probably some important clue hidden in here that I have not yet grasped.

"You'll have to ask the person who was in charge of this job at the time." The policeman first did some Tai Chi, then said, "Also, don't interrupt me. I'm asking you this now."

It turned out that it was not that easy to get the answer. After all, I was just an ordinary citizen, and he had no reason to tell me any clues related to the case.

I could only agree verbally first, then change direction and try to find out about Ma Zao in a roundabout way.

Last time, the police directly called Ma Zao a "serial killer." From a procedural point of view, without any trial, no matter how much evidence there is, he can only be called a "suspect" and not a "criminal."

Of course, that is only a strict procedural statement. In an ordinary conversation, no one would complain if a suspect with solid evidence was directly called a criminal.

What I want to know is whether the official forces have obtained irrefutable evidence that Ma Zao committed murder.

However, the policeman in front of me remained tight-lipped about the case, and I couldn't get any useful clues.

Soon, the police finished questioning me, then turned to look at Chang'an, and said to me: "Next, I have something to ask him alone, you can go first." "Ah?" Chang'an wondered.

I vaguely guessed what the police were going to say to Chang'an next.

"I see." I stood up first, then said to Chang'an, "Then I'll wait for you outside the community."
-
Although I said I wanted to leave, how could I be so honest?

When I left, I secretly placed a "firefly" next to the pavilion and secretly watched the entire process of the police taking Chang'an's statement.

The conversation went as expected. Chang An insisted that he had really encountered something strange in the room on the 15th floor, but he could not produce any evidence to prove his experience. Most of the questions the police asked were common sense.

However, do the official forces really know nothing about those "existences beyond common sense"? There are people with superpowers like me in this world, and there are also strange things like the basement on the 15th floor. Even if many extraordinary secrets are not known to the public, the official forces should know them.

Moreover, the fact that the public is unaware of the existence of strange things is enough to prove that there is an "invisible big hand" that prevents information related to strange things from flowing into the public. To carry out this level of information control, there must be a large enough organization behind the scenes.

The question is, why do the authorities impose information control? Are they worried that the existence of strange things will cause social panic? Such a reason is too unreasonable.

Or is it that there are strange things that can spread harm through human cognition, so the official forces have to resort to this desperate measure?

Of course, there is another possibility, although I think it is unlikely. It is impossible that things like me and the basement on the fifteenth floor that are beyond common sense are so rare that no one knows about them.

"Um, officer, why do you want to communicate with me alone?" Chang An finally couldn't help asking, "Is there something you don't want my friend to know?"

The policeman didn't seem to notice the "fireflies" I had secretly set up. As I stared at him, he replied, "I guess so, but it's mainly to warn you."

"Warning?" Chang'an didn't understand what he meant.

"That serial killer has killed five victims in the past two or three months. The victims all have the same characteristics: they are either wealthy entrepreneurs or officials in high positions. Although you are not an entrepreneur or an official, you also have an extraordinary family background, so..."

I had already read about this incident in the news, but Changan knew nothing about it. He showed a horrified expression: "Do you think I will be the next victim?"

"We're just saying that we don't rule out this possibility. We'll send someone to protect you secretly." The police officer soothed in a forceful tone.

Changan panicked, but suddenly burst out with quick wit and noticed a blind spot: "Wait, this is not right? Is my previous tenant also the rich or noble person you mentioned?"

The room on the fifteenth floor is located in an ordinary residential area, and according to my past investigations, the previous tenant did not have a wealthy or noble background.

"No, he is just an ordinary employee of a company and the only exception in this series of events. We are still investigating his potential connection with other victims." The police shook his head first, then warned, "Even so, you can't let your guard down. Didn't your parents and elders tell you about the recent turmoil?"

Hearing this, Changan's face darkened: "This..."

Others may not understand this clearly, but I know that Chang'an is not so happy at home.

Although the police didn't know the inside story, they skipped the topic and continued, "In short, you have to pay attention to your surroundings, stay away from uninhabited places, and be wary of suspicious people. Especially if you find traces of large wild animals, you must not stay there."

"Large wild beast?" Chang'an asked cautiously.

"The bodies of the five previous victims and the previous tenant of the house all had a lot of tearing and biting marks, and there was also wild animal hair at the scene." In front of Chang'an, the police said a clue that had not been mentioned before, "Although there are no lost wild animals in the Xianshui City Zoo, and there have been no testimonies or surveillance videos of wild animals in the city, it is always better to be more careful."

Traces of tearing and biting... Were the victims not shot to death?
But according to what he said last time, the serial killer should be a rebellious girl who accidentally picked up a pistol and used the power of the pistol to cause trouble.

I recalled the scene when I first met Ma Zao. The hospital gown she was wearing had many severe torn marks, so much so that I thought it was caused by thugs with sharp weapons. But if I change the story to say that it was an attack by a wild beast, it seems more appropriate.

In other words, Ma Zao was the victim of the incident. She met the serial killer and was severely injured by the latter in some way? But judging from the result, Ma Zao was bloody but unharmed. How could this be?

Why was Ma Zao accused of being the murderer instead?
"That's all for now. Remember to talk to the landlord and cancel the lease. Also, give me the key to the house first. We still need to protect the scene later."

"Oh, okay." Chang'an took out the key and handed it to the other party.

"My colleague will call you later. I have other important work to do, so I'll leave now."

After saying this, the police put away the paper, pen and recording equipment, stood up and left.

I was a little confused. If they were planning to protect Chang An, shouldn't they first take him to the police station, or some other safe place, and then have his colleagues come over? Wouldn't it be embarrassing if the murderer attacked during that time?
The more I thought about it, the more suspicious I found this policeman.

I even couldn't help but wonder - is he really a policeman?

I controlled the "Firefly" and followed this mature-looking man.

(End of this chapter)