Po Sir's Police Affairs: The Hunter

When the phone rang, Jiang Bo was having that dream he had repeated countless times.

In his dream, he stood by the riverbank. The water had receded, revealing a floral dress peeking out from the reeds. He walked over, squatted down, and tried to see the child's face. But she was face down, lying in the mud, refusing to turn over. He reached out to turn her, and just as his hand touched her shoulder, she suddenly turned her head—

It was the face of a grown woman. Fang Min. She stared at him, her mouth opening and closing as if she were saying something. But no sound could be heard. Only the rushing of the river could be heard.

The ringing of the bell pulled him out of his dream.

Jiang Bo opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling for three seconds. It was 4:23 AM. His phone vibrated on the bedside table, the screen lit up. He picked it up and glanced at the caller ID—Liu Tong.

"Officer, Fang Min's phone data has been recovered." Liu Tong's voice was hoarse from staying up all night. "There's a deleted recording; you'd better come over and listen to it now."

Jiang Bo didn't speak and hung up the phone. He sat in the dark for a few seconds, then threw back the covers and got out of bed. It was still raining outside, and the light from the streetlamp seeped through the slightly ajar curtains, casting a blurry yellow shadow on the wall. He pulled on his pants, grabbed his coat, and went outside.

The lights in the stairwell were still out, so he groped his way down five flights of stairs in the dark. The rain stung his face, cold and hard. He opened the car door, got in, and started the engine. The car drove along the empty streets, the windshield wipers swishing back and forth against the windshield with a monotonous screeching sound.

Twenty minutes later, the car stopped in front of the Municipal Public Security Bureau. Jiang Bo strode into the Technical Section, where Liu Tong was already waiting for him. Tangyuan, who had followed them unnoticed, was squatting at the entrance of the Technical Section. Upon seeing him, it wagged its tail.

"Come in." Liu Tong pushed open the door, and the computer screen displayed an audio waveform.

Jiang Bo put on his headphones, and Liu Tong pressed play.

The recording started with static, then Fang Min's voice: "What exactly do you want?"

A man's voice, deep and threatening: "I told you, stop investigating that matter. Did you think I was joking?"

Fang Min: "That's my cousin's business. Why can't I investigate?"

The man sneered: "Your cousin? Have you ever met her? Do you even know who she is? Stop investigating, or else—"

Fang Min: "Otherwise what? Are you threatening me?"

Man: "I'm not threatening you. I'm doing this for your own good. It's more complicated than you think. Someone's watching."

The recording stopped.

Jiang Bo took off his headphones and looked at Liu Tong.

"Has the voiceprint comparison been done?"

Liu Tong shook his head: "The other party has obviously altered their voice, using voice-changing techniques. Technical means cannot reproduce the original voiceprint."

"Can you tell what kind of accent it is?"

Liu Tong thought for a moment: "It's a local accent, but very unclear. It's probably spoken in a low voice on purpose."

Jiang Bo stared at the waveform on the screen, those few words replaying in his mind. "That matter"—what was Fang Min investigating? "Someone is watching"—who is watching?

He remembered that Fang Min's husband, Chen Zhiming, had said that Fang Min had been complaining of being tired lately, but still insisted on participating in the night running group. Could the "thing" she was investigating be related to the night running group?

Have you checked her browsing history before she died?

Liu Tong pulled up another page: "I checked. She's been frequently visiting the city archives' website for the past month, looking up old case files from 1999. She also registered on a local history forum and had private messages with a user named 'Jiang Shui'."

Jiang Bo took the mouse and opened the private messages. Fang Min asked "Jiang Shui," "Do you know the details of the 1999 riverside girl case?" The other party replied, "I know some. But it's not convenient to talk about it online. Shall we meet in person?" Fang Min agreed and arranged to meet at Binjiang Park. The time was three days before she disappeared.

"Who is this 'Jiang Shui'?"

Liu Tong shrugged: "Virtual identity, IP address from an internet cafe. I checked the surveillance footage, but that person was wearing a mask and changed clothes when leaving, so I can't identify them."

Jiang Bo leaned back in his chair and lit a cigarette. The technical department was filled with smoke, but Liu Tong didn't stop him. Tangyuan lay quietly at his feet, keeping him company.

Dawn was breaking outside the window, and a pale gray light streamed in. Jiang Bo finished his cigarette and stood up.

"Continue to investigate 'Jiang Shui's' trail and see where else he has appeared."

He walked out of the technical department, Tangyuan following behind. In the corridor, a man walked towards them—early thirties, of medium build, dressed in plain clothes, with a steady gaze. He saw Jiang Bo and nodded slightly.

"Jiang Bo? The head of the Major Crimes Unit?"

Jiang Bo stopped and looked at him.

The man pulled out his badge: "Zhang Yuhang, the newly transferred criminal police officer. Reporting for duty today."

Jiang Bo took the ID, looked at it, and handed it back to him. Zhang Yuhang, thirty-one years old, was transferred from a lower-level branch office; his file stated he was skilled in psychological profiling.

"You're here so early?" Jiang Bo asked.

Zhang Yuhang smiled and said, "I'm used to it. I can't sleep, so I come to look at the files early."

Jiang Bo nodded without saying anything more. He walked towards his office, and Zhang Yuhang followed.

"May I take a look at Fang Min's case?"

Jiang Bo glanced at him: "Trying to get started right after reporting for duty?"

Zhang Yuhang didn't avoid his gaze: "I saw the report at the branch office. The three cases have the same method, so they should be combined. But the Li Hongmei case has already been solved, and the murderer Guo Deming is in custody. If the Fang Min case is a copycat, then the copycat must be very familiar with the Li Hongmei case. If the Fang Min case is unrelated to copycatting, then the murderer is someone else."

Jiang Bo stopped and turned around.

"Go on."

Zhang Yuhang took a step forward: "I've looked into Fang Min's social connections. She lives a regular life and doesn't have any enemies. The only unusual thing is that she joined a night running group six months ago. Members of the night running group often run along the river and are very familiar with the terrain. If the murderer committed the crime by water, then he must know that area of ​​water like the back of his hand. There might be someone in the night running group who fits that description."

Jiang Bo looked at him without saying anything.

Zhang Yuhang wasn't intimidated and continued, "Also, three days before Fang Min disappeared, she arranged to meet someone named 'Jiang Shui.' Jiang Shui's IP address was in an internet cafe, but why did he choose Binjiang Park? There are few people there, especially at night. If it were the first time meeting, a normal person would choose a crowded place. Unless—"

"Unless they know each other," Jiang Bo continued.

Zhang Yuhang nodded: "Yes. Fang Min probably knows 'Jiang Shui,' so she wasn't on guard."

Jiang Bo re-examined the young man. His logic was clear, his observations meticulous; he was a promising talent.

"Let's go to my office." Jiang Bo pushed open the door, and Tangyuan followed him in, lying down in the corner.

Zhang Yuhang's eyes lit up when he saw Tangyuan: "A police dog?"

"Tangyuan (glutinous rice balls). They have a very keen sense of smell."

Zhang Yuhang crouched down and held out his hand. Tangyuan leaned in, sniffed it, then licked his hand and wagged its tail. Zhang Yuhang smiled: "It likes me."

Jiang Bo watched this scene, a strange feeling welling up inside him. Tangyuan rarely approached strangers, yet it was exceptionally friendly towards Zhang Yuhang. Dogs can smell a person's good or evil—that's a common saying among veteran detectives. Zhang Yuhang must be a good person.

But what was hidden in his eyes? That composure, that calmness, didn't seem like something a thirty-one-year-old should have.

Jiang Bo withdrew his gaze and pushed the case file of Fang Min over.

"Take a look first. Feel free to share your thoughts anytime."

Zhang Yuhang took the file and sat on the sofa, carefully reviewing it. Jiang Bo walked to the window, looking at the street outside. Dawn broke, the rain stopped, and pedestrians began to appear on the road. Tangyuan came over and rubbed against his leg. He squatted down and stroked its head.

"You also think he's fine?" he asked softly.

The glutinous rice ball wagged its tail.

Jiang Bo stood up and walked back to his desk. On the desk lay Fang Min's belongings—a diary, a gift from her husband. Jiang Bo picked up the diary and casually flipped through it.

It was filled with everyday details: grocery shopping, cooking, night runs. But when he turned to the last page, a line made him stop:

"I dreamt of my cousin again today. She was standing by the river, looking at me. I asked her what she wanted, but she wouldn't tell me. I've decided to find out what happened to her back then. No matter how difficult it is, I have to find out."

Cousin? Who is Fang Min's cousin?

Jiang Bo handed the diary to Zhang Yuhang: "Take a look at this."

Zhang Yuhang took it, read the line of text, and looked up.

"Fang Min is investigating her cousin's affairs. Who is her cousin?"

Jiang Bo shook his head: "It's not mentioned in the file. Have Liu Tong check Fang Min's family relationships."

Liu Tong quickly replied: Fang Min's mother had a younger sister who disappeared years ago. That younger sister's name was Fang Xiuying.

Fang Xiuying. Xiuying.

Something flashed through Jiang Bo's mind. The photo from the 1999 girl case showed three girls—A-Zhen, Xiao-Mei, and Xiu-Ying. Xiu-Ying—wasn't she the girl looking at the river from the side?

Is Fang Min's cousin Xiuying?

He picked up the phone and called Ma Xiuying—the old woman who lived in Jiujiang District. The call connected, and Ma Xiuying's voice was hoarse.

"Aunt Ma, I want to ask you something. Do you know Fang Min?"

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

"Fang Min? I don't know her."

Her mother's name is Fang Xiuying.

There was a sudden silence on the other end of the phone. After a long while, Ma Xiuying finally said, "Come over here."

Jiang Bo hung up the phone and said to Zhang Yuhang, "Let's go to Jiujiang District."

The car was driving down the street. Zhang Yuhang sat in the passenger seat, looking out the window.

"Officer Bo, what do you think Fang Min found out?"

Jiang Bo gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

"She found out about Soo-young. Soo-young is her mother, but she has disappeared. She wants to find out the truth about her mother's disappearance."

"And what about the 'river water'?"

Jiang Bo shook his head: "I don't know yet. But one thing is certain—'Jiang Shui' doesn't want her to investigate further."

The car was parked downstairs in that old residential building. Jiang Bo and Zhang Yuhang went upstairs and knocked on the door. Ma Xiuying opened the door, her complexion even worse than last time, with dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept for days.

"Come in."

The house was still the same, spotless. Ah Zhen's photo was still displayed in the center of the living room, with fruit and an incense burner in front of it. The incense burner contained fresh incense ash, as if it had just been burned.

Jiang Bo sat down on the sofa, with Zhang Yuhang standing beside him. Ma Xiuying poured them water, then sat down herself, head down, and remained silent.

"Aunt Ma," Jiang Bo began, "who is Fang Xiuying to you?"

Ma Xiuying's hand trembled slightly. She looked up at Jiang Bo, her eyes reddening.

"She's my sister."

Jiang Bo's heart sank. Fang Min was Xiu Ying's daughter, and Xiu Ying was Ma Xiu Ying's younger sister. So Fang Min called Ma Xiu Ying "Auntie"?

"Fang Min is investigating her mother's whereabouts," Jiang Bo said. "She was recently murdered."

Ma Xiuying's body stiffened. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. After a long while, she finally managed to squeeze out a sentence:

"Dead?"

Jiang Bo nodded.

Tears streamed down Ma Xiuying's face. She didn't cry out loud, but the tears just kept flowing, dripping onto the back of her hand and onto the floor.

"I'm so sorry to her." Her voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping against a stone. "I'm so sorry to Xiuying, so sorry to Azhen, so sorry to Xiaomei. I know everything, but I'm too afraid to say it."

Zhang Yuhang handed over a tissue, which Ma Xiuying took and used to wipe her face.

"Speak," Jiang Bo said softly. "It's not too late to say it now."

Ma Xiuying took a deep breath and began to speak slowly.

"Xiuying is my youngest sister. She's more than ten years younger than me and has been with me since we were little. Later, I got married and moved to Jiangcheng, and she came with me. She worked at a restaurant by the river. At that time, there were also Azhen and Xiaomei at the restaurant. The three girls got along very well. Later—"

She paused, then closed her eyes.

"Then things happened. Xiaomei was pregnant and was killed by Ding Laosan. Azhen saw it and was also killed by Ding Laosan. Xiuying knew all this, but dared not speak. She was afraid Ding Laosan would kill her. Later, she got married and gave birth to Fangmin, thinking she could live a peaceful life. But Ding Laosan did not let her go."

Jiang Bo stared at her.

"How did Xiuying die?"

Ma Xiuying lowered her head, her voice even softer.

"In 2000, Xiuying died. It was said that she died of illness, but I know that Ding Laosan killed her. He didn't want to leave any survivors."

Jiang Bo clenched his fist.

Ding Laosan killed Xiaomei, killed Azhen, and also killed Xiuying? So he killed three women?

Why won't you say anything?

Ma Xiuying raised her head, her eyes filled with fear.

"I dare not. Ding Laosan knows people in the Public Security Bureau. He said he has connections there and no one can touch him. I'm afraid he'll kill me, and I'm also afraid he'll kill my family."

Jiang Bo was silent for a moment, then asked, "Who is that acquaintance he mentioned?"

Ma Xiuying shook her head: "I don't know. He didn't say his name."

Zhang Yuhang asked from the side, "Does Fang Min know about this?"

Ma Xiuying nodded: "She knows. I told her. When she was little, she asked me how her mother died. I said she died of illness. She didn't believe me and kept investigating. Later, she found me and forced me to tell the truth. I told her. I didn't expect her to investigate."

She covered her face and started crying.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have said that."

Jiang Bo stood up and walked to the window. Outside, the sky was a hazy gray, and someone was walking their dog downstairs; everything seemed so normal. But he knew that this normalcy was only superficial. Beneath the river, too many sins lay hidden.

He turned around and looked at Ma Xiuying.

"Aunt Ma, I will investigate what you've said. Ding Laosan is already in custody; he can't escape."

Ma Xiuying raised her head and looked at him, a strange light in her eyes.

"Officer Jiang, you're a good man. But you need to be careful. That acquaintance Ding Laosan mentioned might still be around."

Jiang Bo nodded, turned and walked out. Zhang Yuhang followed behind.

As Jiang Bo reached the door, he glanced back. Ma Xiuying sat on the sofa, her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking. Ah Zhen's photo smiled under the light, forever smiling.

As they went downstairs, Zhang Yuhang asked, "Officer, is Ma Xiuying's statement credible?"

Jiang Bo didn't answer. He stood in the stairwell and lit a cigarette. The smoke drifted in the darkness, like some kind of ominous premonition.

"Investigate Ding Laosan's interpersonal relationships back then, especially those within the public security system."

Zhang Yuhang nodded.

As the car drove back, Jiang Bo remained silent. He watched the streets rushing past the window, but his mind was preoccupied with something else—Fang Min's diary.

He touched the diary in his pocket, the one he'd taken with him when he left. He turned to the last page; the words were still there: "I've decided to find out what happened to her back then. No matter how difficult it is, I will."

What did she find out? She arranged to meet "Jiang Shui," and then she died.

Who is "Jiang Shui"?

The car stopped in front of the Municipal Bureau. Jiang Bo got out, and Tangyuan came up to him, nuzzling his leg. He squatted down, patted its head, then stood up and walked towards the Technical Section.

Liu Tong was still in front of the computer when she saw him come in and waved.

"Brother Bo, I've made a new discovery. I've checked the IP address of 'Jiang Shui' again. Besides the time he met Fang Min, he's logged in from other places as well."

"where?"

Liu Tong pointed to the screen: "The electronic reading room of the Municipal Archives. He's using the archives' public computers."

Jiang Bo's heart skipped a beat. Fang Min had also been to the Municipal Archives.

"Check the archives' surveillance footage to see what he looks like."

Liu Tong shook his head: "The archives only keep one month's worth of surveillance footage, and it's already been covered."

Jiang Bo leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

The trail went cold again.

He opened his eyes and looked at the fluorescent light on the ceiling. The light bulb hummed, a sound like the wings of some kind of insect, lingering in his ears.

Suddenly, he remembered something.

"Liu Tong, investigate Huang Binbin."

Liu Tong was taken aback: "Who is Huang Binbin?"

"A 36-year-old Chinese language teacher at Jiangcheng No. 1 Middle School. She is also investigating the girl's case."

Liu Tong typed on the keyboard, and a few seconds later, Huang Binbin's information appeared on the screen.

Jiang Bo looked at the photo—round face, short hair, wearing glasses, looking very gentle.

He recalled what Yang Tianzhen had said: "My mentor, Professor Huang Binbin, also grew up in the old pontoon bridge."

Huang Binbin, like Yang Tianzhen, is also investigating Azhen's case.

Jiang Bo stood up.

"I'm going to No. 1 Middle School tomorrow to see Huang Binbin."

It was dark outside. Jiang Bo stood by the window, looking at the Yangtze River Bridge in the distance. The bridge was brightly lit, and cars were flowing like a river. The river was pitch black, and nothing could be seen.

Tangyuan lay quietly at his feet, keeping him company.

He remembered his master's words: "The river can take away evidence, but it cannot take away sins."

Now, sins are about to surface again.