I See Murders Before They Happen

Chapter 54: Chapter 52: The Murderer Appears

The winter morning was bone-chillingly cold, and an overcast sky made the temperature feel even more frigid.

An old, rundown apartment complex.

A deliveryman hurried into an apartment building, took the stairs in a single burst of energy, and ran up to the fifth floor before knocking on the door of apartment 501.

Soon, the sound of footsteps came from inside 501.

The deliveryman wore the standard-issue hat of his delivery company and a surgical mask. He glanced at the peephole, sensing the person inside was looking out. He tilted his head up slightly, revealing his eyes.

The door quickly opened from the inside.

The deliveryman walked right into the apartment.

The door closed, and the deliveryman walked further inside.

Lu Jing, dressed in baggy pajamas with her hair down, had clearly just woken up. She leaned against a nearby wall. "Don’t worry," she said. "The soundproofing here is terrible, but I’m the only one on this floor. The apartments above and below are empty."

The deliveryman turned to look at her.

Lu Jing yawned slowly. "You’re here so soon. I finally got some time off and was planning to catch up on sleep for a few days. You couldn’t even give me that, could you?"

"You’re certainly calm about this," the deliveryman said.

"It’s just death, isn’t it?" Lu Jing said. "It’s a lot simpler than living. And when things are simple, of course I’m calm."

"Going rogue for a celebrity and getting the police involved... The boss had you stay here to work, not to run off and kill people on your own." The deliveryman stared at her. "You know how much the boss hates it when people act without orders. Going rogue is the same as betrayal. A disobedient pawn can’t be allowed to remain."

"For pawns like us, waiting to be ’awakened’... getting to live for myself for once, to do something for someone I admire... as far as I’m concerned, my life has been worth it," Lu Jing said.

"The police were already on the case. Why were you in such a rush?" the deliveryman asked.

"I wouldn’t have been satisfied unless I finished him with my own two hands," Lu Jing said with a faint smile.

"And does that make it right? What about the boss’s years of investment in you?" the deliveryman said. "Everything you have, even your life, he gave to you. If it weren’t for him, we would all be long dead."

Lu Jing suddenly fell silent.

The deliveryman watched her.

They were both silent for a moment before Lu Jing spoke again. "I’m here waiting for the boss’s sentence. Now that you’ve arrived, go ahead and do it. Take my corpse back and report that the job is done."

The deliveryman sighed softly. He pulled a small, sealed bag from his pocket with a gloved hand and tossed it to her.

Lu Jing caught it. She glanced at the contents of the bag, then looked back at him.

"Since you’ve stirred up the police," the deliveryman said, "go send them the boss’s regards."

Lu Jing didn’t quite understand.

"Trade Zhuang Yanzheng’s life for your own," the deliveryman said.

Lu Jing blinked slowly. "And if I fail and get caught?"

"It doesn’t matter," the deliveryman said. "We don’t know anything anyway. Even if you tell them everything, you’re no threat to the boss."

Lu Jing slowly tightened her grip on the sealed bag. "I will bring Zhuang Yanzheng’s head to the boss."

The deliveryman smiled. "Good luck."

...

「City Police Headquarters.」

Everyone quickly finished breakfast, shook off their fatigue, and took their seats in the conference room.

"Lu Jing. Female, thirty-three years old. Nurse in the gastroenterology department at First Hospital. An orphan," Qi Feng began. "She wasn’t at home when we went to her apartment. According to the security cameras at the complex entrance and the gate access records, Lu Jing never returned home after her shift at the hospital yesterday afternoon."

"We’re still reviewing the surveillance footage, but we haven’t found her yet."

"We found a large amount of Xia Yan’s posters, merchandise, autographs, and magazines in Lu Jing’s apartment. She’s a fan. Based on some of the limited-edition merch she bought, she’s been a fan for many years. Our preliminary conclusion is that Lu Jing killed Jiang Lingjie because of the deceased, Xia Yan."

"This is security footage from the hallway of the cardiology inpatient wing." Qi Feng played a clip. "Lu Jing, a gastroenterology nurse, is seen on the cardiology floor. She visited Jiang Lingjie’s room."

"We found discarded medicine packaging in Jiang Lingjie’s hospital room. We lifted two sets of prints from it. One belonged to Jiang Lingjie, and the other was a match for the prints we found in Lu Jing’s apartment."

"We asked the doctors in cardiology. They said they never prescribed that medication for Jiang Lingjie."

"Did Lu Jing’s colleagues at the hospital provide any useful information?" Su Miaoyi asked.

"Yesterday we only spoke with the nurses on duty in the gastroenterology department. They said Lu Jing usually kept to herself but was a nice person. She’d always help out if someone needed something, and she was always willing to switch shifts. But she was a loner and didn’t like to talk to people much, so they don’t know her very well."

"We’ll head back to the hospital later and ask around some more," Zhuang Yanzheng said.

"Got it."

"Keep reviewing the security footage, and watch for her car at major intersections," Zhuang Yanzheng ordered. "One team to the hospital. Another team, head back to Lu Jing’s apartment and search it again."

"Understood."

"The source of the cyanide is unknown, and we have no idea if she has more on her," Zhuang Yanzheng said. "Everyone, be careful."

"Right."

After leaving the conference room, Lu Zhishen said, "Take her with you to Lu Jing’s apartment. She’ll probably find something new."

This was because of what she’d discovered last night at the No. 7 Clubhouse.

In Lu Zhishen’s eyes, Su Miaoyi’s status was rapidly approaching the point of eclipsing Zhuang Yanzheng’s.

Su Miaoyi was rubbing her temples.

Zhuang Yanzheng looked at her. "You holding up?"

"Wide awake," Su Miaoyi said, pointing at Lu Zhishen. "He gave me a piece of candy. The kind with a kick that goes straight to your head. I could pull another all-nighter tonight."

Lu Zhishen took a sharp breath, grabbed Su Miaoyi by the wrist, and pulled her along.

He walked her to a wooden door and pressed her hand flat against it. "Quick, take it back!"

Su Miaoyi was baffled. "???"

"Don’t say unlucky things like pulling another all-nighter. One more night like that and I’m toast," Lu Zhishen said.

Su Miaoyi complied. "Okay, okay, I take it back. But why am I putting my hand here?"

"It only works if you’re touching wood," Lu Zhishen said.

Su Miaoyi nodded, looking as if she had just learned a valuable lesson.

"Alright, let’s go. To Lu Jing’s apartment," Zhuang Yanzheng said.

...

Lu Jing lived in a very upscale apartment complex.

Her apartment was on a lower level, the third floor.

It was also located at the very end of the building.

From the east-facing window, the complex’s perimeter wall was only a few meters away.

Su Miaoyi and the others put on their protective gear and entered the apartment.

Just as Qi Feng had said, the apartment was filled with posters of Xia Yan.

Some were taped to the walls, but they were all meticulously laminated.

There was also lots of other merchandise and photocards.

One entire room was dedicated to her obsession, filled with merchandise and fan banners. There was even a life-sized, photoshopped picture of the two of them together hanging on the wall.

She was clearly a devoted fan.

Su Miaoyi and the others began searching the apartment.

Suddenly, a noise came from the bedroom window.

Su Miaoyi and Zhuang Yanzheng both turned to look at the window.

Just then, a small stone hit the glass, making another sharp sound.

They both walked over and looked out.

There, standing just outside the complex’s perimeter wall, was Lu Jing. She was tossing a small stone in her hand, a smile on her face as she looked up at them...

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