If we say that Ren Wudao’s idea is somewhat reasonable upon closer consideration, then Bai Yanliang’s statement is completely unconvincing to everyone.
This time, even Yang Wanlong, who had always shown complete trust in Bai Yanliang, spoke up to express his denial.
"The deceased was sexually assaulted; how could the perpetrator be a woman?"
This question was the biggest doubt.
But Bai Yanliang immediately refuted this statement.
"It’s not only men who can sexually assault women." Bai Yanliang looked at Gao Fei, "The autopsy didn’t find any foreign bodily fluids in the deceased, right?"
Gao Fei nodded, and Bai Yanliang continued, "The deceased was wearing makeup and left the school early to go to the street park; obviously, she was meeting someone."
Ren Wudao nodded, "That’s correct, but..."
Ren Wudao frowned tightly, feeling that he was close to grasping something, yet still missing that little bit.
At the same time, his gaze unintentionally shifted to Bai Yanliang, whose expression barely changed despite being watched and questioned by everyone.
He seemed very determined, no... he didn’t even have the emotion of determination.
From beginning to end, he was as calm as if nothing had happened.
"There’s a question: regardless of whether the perpetrator assaulted Fu Yunqing before or after her death, this matter is very unreasonable. The street park is not in a completely abandoned state; there is still a foot traffic of twenty or thirty people throughout the half day. Even if the murder had been completed, staying at the scene to do that would be very foolish; during the assault, the perpetrator could easily leave behind hairs, skin flakes, and other biological evidence, which is inconsistent with the cautious criminal traits of the perpetrator."
At this point, Bai Yanliang looked at everyone.
"The deceased was not sexually assaulted, or rather, it was the perpetrator who created the illusion of a sexual assault. Why did the perpetrator create the illusion that the deceased was sexually assaulted? Because she wants to conceal her real gender."
Bai Yanliang turned his head to look at the big screen, where... a woman wearing sunglasses was projected. Most of her face was covered, and her lips and chin were hidden behind a high collar.
Everyone followed Bai Yanliang’s gaze.
With just an ordinary look, she indeed seemed like just a passerby, but... after Bai Yanliang’s statement, everyone suddenly realized that this woman... had wrapped herself too tightly.
Although spring had not yet begun, Ye City was located in the south and was near the river and sea; the temperature warmed faster than in other cities, and recently it was no longer very cold.
"Who is this woman? Quick, investigate!"
Yang Wanlong shouted while rushing to the computer, starting to retrieve other recordings, trying to see if he could find out where this woman came from.
The people at the Jiangbei Branch were already accustomed to Yang Wanlong’s style. He was very hot-tempered and harsh on people when handling cases, but he was not someone who was strict with others and lenient with himself. This middle-aged detective was harsher on himself; staying up for several days to solve major cases was routine for him.
Therefore, everyone had more respect for Yang Wanlong.
Just as everyone was about to put down what they were doing to investigate the woman, Bai Yanliang spoke again.
"Uncle Yang... I know who she is."
"Huh?!" Yang Wanlong was first taken aback, then immediately leaned over with an excited look, "Then what are you doing standing here! Let’s go, arrest her!"
A group of people stood under a high-end apartment building.
Tang Guo and Ren Wudao looked at the building with some disbelief.
"Isn’t this Lei Dongming’s place?"
Bai Yanliang nodded in response, then looked up at the top floor of the middle apartment.
"The woman in the video is Lei Dongming’s wife."
The image of a woman instantly appeared in their minds.
In her forties, with crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes, long black hair draped over her shoulders, a gentle gaze, petite stature.
"How... could it be her?"
Tang Guo, a newly recruited policewoman, was somewhat incredulous; compared to her, Ren Wudao had already figured it out.
Now that he thought about it, when the three of them visited Lei Dongming, she only showed her face the entire time, and the door was barely opened, barely enough for them to see the interior arrangements.
Moreover, the news that Lei Dongming had gone on a business trip also came from her.
As the deputy director of Yunhua Trade, Lei Dongming had the full authority to arrange his own schedule, and there was no way to find out from the company.
From start to finish, she had no intention of letting the three of them sit inside.
This was reasonable, yet also unreasonable.
But Ren Wudao was most puzzled by how Bai Yanliang had recognized her.
The woman in the surveillance video was wrapped tightly, and due to the birds-eye shooting angle, her height was not easy to judge, but Bai Yanliang’s tone was quite certain, as if very sure.
"Mr. Bai, may I ask... how did you recognize her?" Ren Wudao did not hide his doubts and walked over to Bai Yanliang, asking seriously.
Bai Yanliang tilted his head and glanced at Ren Wudao, then slightly shook his head.
Ren Wudao was a bit surprised.
Gao Fei, who witnessed this, was also somewhat surprised.
Because... Bai Yanliang was not a person who liked talking, but he was also not someone who was good at refusing.
Gao Fei, considering his interaction with Bai Yanliang, thought to be of some duration, thought that if any problem arose or help was needed, as long as it was thrown at Bai Yanliang, he would generally agree.
But... this time, he refused.
"I’m sorry, Mr. Ren, this is my secret." Bai Yanliang averted his gaze and got into the elevator first.
He was neither being mysterious nor deliberately hiding anything; rather... the reason he recognized that woman was indeed indescribable.
When visiting yesterday, Bai Yanliang vaguely saw a blurry black shadow from Lei Dongming’s wife. His expression remained calm, but his heart was stirred.
This was a quite incredible thing for Bai Yanliang, who was emotionally detached.
Because the black shadow resembled the one that emerged from Hao Bowen’s body when he committed suicide.
And during the playback of the surveillance footage by Ren Wudao, Bai Yanliang also vaguely saw the twisted black shadow on that woman.
The connection between these is self-evident.
Bai Yanliang was able to realize "she" was indeed her, for this reason... but this reason couldn’t be spoken, as it seemed that only he and Feng Xiuxue could see such things.
No... to be exact, probably those who had entered Fog Gathering.
If Yu Sheng had been there earlier, she might have been able to see that twisted black shadow as well.
What exactly is that thing?
From last time until now, it seems each appearance is attached to a human body. Is this its ability? Or its mode of existence?
Last time, Hao Bowen killed Li Degang. The strange thing was that Li Degang seemed aware he would be murdered but couldn’t escape.
This time, Fu Yunqing’s head was chopped off, bizarrely, at the street park—a clear crime scene—yet not a drop of blood was found...
The commonality in both cases was the presence of the shadow; so... could its attachment to the perpetrator indeed result in strange phenomena?
Bai Yanliang pondered.
However, he was most worried not about this, but about Lei Dongming’s wife.
After all, the hideous death of the previous host of that shadow—Hao Bowen—remained vividly in his memory.